By: Zoe Bernardi, Community Editor It’s 1983. Microsoft Word is a new invention. President Ronald Reagan is serving in office. Ed Barks graduated from USM with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics. Barks, originally from New Britain, Connecticut and was the first person in his family to graduate college. He says…
Author: USM Free Press
MovieTalk: Jojo Rabbit
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Taika Waititi’s controversial satire is finally showing in the Portland area. This colorfully dark comedy shows the true nature of blind nationalism, specifically when it supports a fascist regime. The film is predictable at times and isn’t always historically accurate. However, its anti-hate message transcends the time period. Both Watiti’s…
Professor and Alum in Portland exhibition
By: Abby Nelson, Staff Writer Creative Portland’s “All the Great Trees” exhibition features paintings, mixed-media pieces, drawings, photographs and collages of 20 Portland-based artists. This year, over 200 entries were sent to a jury, who then voted those down to the top 20 artists. Two locals featured in the exhibit are James Flahaven, USM art…
Tune in: State Theater
By: Chelsea Marquis, Staff Writer The State Theatre, located at 609 Congress Street in Portland, was opened on November 8, 1929. It is the longest standing music venue in Portland, and In the 90 years it has been open, it has gone through significant changes. Originally, the theater featured plays and films. In the late…
Jesus Is Kanye?
By: Stephen Bennett, Staff Writer Rap music with religious undertones does not have to be alienating. Chance the Rapper did so successfully with his 2016 project “Coloring Book”, and the vocal choir influence of Christian music can be felt throughout much of Kanye West’s previous work; but in order for “Jesus is King” to be…
Maine graduates may qualify for tax credit
By: Jenasa Staples, Staff Writer Students or employees that have received or will be receiving a degree in Maine, may qualify for a tax credit. In 2008 the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit (EOTC) was created by the coalition Opportunity Maine to help Maine students, residents, and employees receive tax benefits to go towards student loans….
Inedible items found in food at Brooks dining hall
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor Numerous reports of inedible items being found in food at Brooks Dining Hall in Gorham has spurred controversy across campus and social media. Mason Henley, a junior nursing major and resident assistant in Philippi Hall, discovered a sharp object in his wrap. “I needed to talk to the manager. The…
Legal action taken against Cape Elizabeth high school
By: Paige Riddell, Staff Writer The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine posted a press release stating they have taken legal action against Cape Elizabeth School System over the suspension of a student on October 15. Aela Mansmann, a sophomore at Cape Elizabeth High School, put a sticky note in the high school bathroom that…
Student researches pollution in Casco Bay
By: Emma J. Walsh, Staff Writer This past summer, USM senior Tyler Walsh, 24, interned with the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP). The internship presented a wonderful opportunity for Walsh, a General Biology major, to protect the ecosystem. He acquired the internship through Professor Lasley-Rasher, a Biology professor at USM. According to a video published…
Letter from the editor: My grandfather’s battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia
By: Alyson Peabody, Editor-In-Chief It started with minor verbal slip-ups. Forgotten names. Rambling sentences. Gradually, the little things became long voicemail messages and persistent confusion. I haven’t heard my grandfather say my name in a few years. He knows me as ‘that girl in that city.’ My grandfather has Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), a type…
3 Pastimes That Help Boost Confidence
When looking for a way to spend your free time, you want to find something that’s enjoyable and rewarding. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to find a hobby that allows you to blow off some steam and grow as a person. That’s why these pastimes that help boost confidence are the…
Ways College Students Can Give Back During the Holidays
As the holidays roll around, it’s easy to get trapped in your own world. Finals will begin soon, traveling home can add more stress, and gift-giving brings anxiety—all these things take over our minds instead of what the holidays are all about. Giving back should be at the forefront of our minds. If you want…
Emily Saunders: The captain behind the Mariners
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor Hockey has been a tradition in the city of Portland, when the first franchise of the Maine Mariners was founded in 1977. The original Mariners have since left the city, making way for the Portland Pirates, who in turn followed suit. Portland’s hockey team is now the second iteration of the…
Husky Hero of the Week: Raúl Gierbolini
By: Conor Blake, Staff Writer Raúl Gierbolini, a member of the Men’s Wrestling team and a junior majoring in athletic training from Carolina, Puerto Rico has come a long way from home to help the Huskies on the mat this year. Gierbolini graduated from University High School, in Puerto Rico. During his time he became…
Men’s hockey falls to UNE in exhibition game
By: Eli Canfield, Staff Writer The Huskies found their game after a slow start, but costly penalties late hurt them, as they dropped a preseason game to the University of New England 3-1 Tuesday night at the USM Ice Arena in Gorham. The first period had some sloppy play for both sides, with the Huskies…
Working on Wellness: Are you curious?
By: Diane Geyer, Coordinator of Clinical Substance Use Services College is a time of transition and for many students it is the first time they have lived independently from their parents. This new-found freedom is exciting and sometimes can be overwhelming. It’s now up to the student to make choices about their academics, homework, social…
Taking anxiety by the reins
By: Lizzy Boudah, Staff Writer It is no doubt that students in college may face the struggle of having emotional setbacks. In 2013, the American Psychological Association wrote that, in a survey of college students, 41.6% identified as having anxiety. Anxiety can be very hard to live with if untreated, and as the years go…
Faces of US: Raquel Miller
By: Lillian Lema, Staff Writer Many college graduates might feel the pressure and stress associated with not knowing how to incorporate their passions into a career. For USM alumnus, Raquel Miller, it has been about making more room for her creativity and passions. Specifically, making more room for art in her life. College can be…
@Umemeportland garners massive student support
By: Zoe Bernardi, Community Editor @Umemeportland is the most well known and active student-run meme account for USM. The Instagram account has over 1,200 followers and almost 200 memes that vary from Glenn Cummings, Woodbury and the classic reply-all email responses. The creator of the account prefers to be anonymous as they are just a…
MovieTalk: The Lighthouse
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Director Robert Eggers recently released his second film “The Lighthouse”, another historically stylized masterpiece. Similarly to his first film “The Witch”, “The Lighthouse” redefines the horror genre with an enchantingly shaded atmosphere. This challenging, dream-like tale is elevated by haunting cinematography, Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson’s outstanding performances and a…
Heart of Portland: A lifetime of art
By: Tyler Tripp, Staff Writer George Anderson has created thousands of paintings in his lifetime that have been displayed all over the world, and at the age of 88, he has no intention of stopping. “I have thousands of paintings hanging up all over the place, but life is a series of stepping stones from…
Tune IN: Aura
By: Chelsea Marquis, Staff writer On the corner of Free and Center St, huge purple letters glow on the side of a grey building, spelling the name of the concert hall inside: Aura. Bricks line the bottom half of the building on the Center St. On the Free St side, large asymmetrical windows and contrasting…
Portland streets offer students a stage
By: Abby Nelson, Staff Writer In the Old Port on a Saturday night, music played by street performers echoes across the cobblestone. Whether it be a loud voice belting from blocks away or the melody of a saxophone ringing down the alleys, there is no question live music is a part of Portland’s nightlife. Before…
House accepts rules of impeachment inquiry
By: Paige Riddell, Staff Writer On October 31, 2019, the House of Representatives took a step moving forward with the impeachment process of President Trump. After many depositions taking place behind closed doors the House accepted H.Res.660, which consists of the rules of the impeachment inquiry. The vote passed at 232 to 196, according to…