Science Lecture Series at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve begins

Science and Health

ALBANY — The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission and Friends of the Pine Bush Community will cohost a lecture on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. as a part of their Science Lecture Series at the Discovery Center.The first talk of the 2025 Science Lecture Series will focus on recent research conducted by the University at Albany’s archaeological field school in the summer of 2024.The field school conducted research on a mid-nineteenth century farmstead that was occupied by the Helme family to learn about what life was like on the outskirts of Albany in this unique environment. Initial research indicates that it was occupied for perhaps over 50 years based on hundreds of artifacts recovered from the site and intact architectural features.Many of those artifacts and early analyses of the site will be presented at this talk by the two professors who ran the field school, Sean Rafferty and Chris Wolff.Rafferty is a Professor of Anthropology at the University at Albany. He got a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Hartwick College in 1990, a Master of Arts in Anthropology from Binghamton University in 1994, and his Ph.D. in Anthropology from Binghamton University in 2001.His research has focused on the use of intoxicating plants by the Indigenous peoples of North America. Recently he has focused on how archaeology and history are misrepresented in popular culture.Wolff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University at Albany. He got a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Portland State University in 2001, a Master of Arts in Archaeology from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2004, and a primarily focuses on the Indigenous peoples of the Far Northeast and their interactions with their various environments, but more recently he has been examining the impact of European colonization on various peoples and landscapes in northeastern North America.This lecture is being offered both in person and viewing online. It is free and is recommended for ages 15+. Pre-registration is required. The Discovery Center is located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany. To sign up, please visit AlbanyPineBush.org/events or call 518-456-0655.

California firefighters ‘better prepared’ amid wind-fueled extreme fire threat

US & Canada

California firefighters backed by fresh reinforcements of manpower and equipment prepared for the potential of new or worsening wildfires in southern California on Tuesday amid warnings of high winds and dry conditions. The National Weather Service said wind gusts Tuesday could exceed 100 kph, putting large areas of southern California under extreme fire danger warnings.…

PennWest University California holds groundbreaking for new science building

Science and Health

/Local News

1 / 4A groundbreaking for the PennWest University California Science Building that is slated to open in 2027 was held Monday. From left are state Rep. Bud Cook; Fawn Petrosky, PennWest California vice president of finance; Dr. Brena Fredette, PennWest California chief academic officer; Kathy L.Pape, trustee; Reggie McNeil of the Department of General Services; and Dr. Jonathan Anderson, president of PennWest University.Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter2 / 4PennWest University President Dr. Jonathan Anderson speaks Monday at the groundbreaking of the California Science Building.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter3 / 4PennWest University California student Declan Johnson, a chemistry major and mathematics minor, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony of the university’s newest building.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter4 / 4Artist rendering of new science building at PennWest California
Courtesy of PennWest University

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CALIFORNIA – It’s a new era for science education at Pennsylvania Western University California as the school held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday on a multimillion-dollar building that will serve as a gateway for the school’s science students.
“The opportunities this facility will bring to our students and faculty are boundless,” said Dr. Jonathan Anderson, president of PennWest University. “It will serve as a hub for research, hands-on learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This is more than a building. It is a promise to our community and Western Pennsylvania that we are invested in shaping the future of science and technology.”
The science building is PennWest California’s newest addition to the campus.
The 63,500-square-foot facility is part of a $39 million project funded by the Department of General Services. It is set to open in early 2027, and will be home for students studying biology, Earth and environmental sciences, chemistry, and physics.
The science building will house 17 science labs and 19 support spaces, and will include specialized labs for physics, general science, biology and chemistry, said Dr. Brenda Fredette, PennWest’s chief academic officer.
“Today, we are building more than a structure. We’re creating a legacy of learning, discovery and innovation that will shape our students and our world,” said Fredette.
Sustainability is a key feature, and the new building is anticipated to use 20% less energy compared to similar facilities and “reflects our dedication to creating spaces that respect and enhance our environment,” Fredette said.
Once the new building is complete, Frich Hall, built in 1972, and New Science Hall, constructed in 1959, will be demolished and converted to open lawn areas for student use and recreation.
Dr. Jacqueline Knaust, interim dean of the College of Science, Technology, and Business, said the new science building “is absolutely critical for us to attract and retain students and faculty, and for us to provide continued hands-on learning experiences.”
Declan Johnson, a chemistry major and mathematics minor at PennWest California, said the new science building will be “the beating heart of PennWest California’s scientific endeavors.
“It is the medium by which burgeoning intellects will begin their journeys and scientists, doctors, and most importantly, as educated individuals who have been taught the necessity of critical reasoning and the values of higher education,” he said.
Johnson noted his great-grandmother, Sarah Firestone, attended the campus nearly 100 years ago, when it was called California State Teachers College. He said the college “has evolved to a broad and academically rigorous university that is preparing its students for the new world ahead.”
“Fast forward nearly a century,” said Johnson. “I think that those in the classes of the 1920s and ’30s would be proud of their alma mater today and its evolution.”

Can Ohio Democrats compete next year?

2024 Election

In the past two election cycles, Ohioans backed Republicans for the U.S. Senate who had never before run for office. In 2022, voters chose Republican J.D. Vance, best known at the time for writing the best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” book, over Democrat Tim Ryan, a 20-year congressman. Two years after Vance beat Ryan by 6.1%, Vance’s…

Goa’s tourism sector performing better than national average, says State Tourism Minister

Travel

Goa’s tourism sector is performing better than the national average, state minister Rohan Khaunte said on Monday (January 13, 2025) and underlined the State government’s efforts in sensitising visitors about local culture and traditions. The Tourism Minister addressed a conclave of tourism stakeholders in Goa.”Goa is performing better than the national average. Goa has great resilience and adaptability in the competitive tourism and the landscape,” he told reporters while dismissing reports on the decline in tourist footfalls in Goa.Mr. Khaunte said tourist destinations throw up unique challenges, pointing to issues raised by certain social media influencers.”We have summed up all the issues for raising them in the Goa Tourism Board meeting chaired by the CM. After the meeting, the chief secretary will prepare an action plan,” he added.Mr. Khaunte said the government is aware of the friction between local people and tourists due to overcrowding at Baga and Calangute beaches.”There are issues related to waste management, public transport, and cleanliness of beaches,” he said.The Tourism Minister referred to reports about disregarding local culture and rules in certain areas visited by budget travellers.”There are some complaints regarding taxis but we would like to highlight that traditionally the taxi fellows have been our ambassadors in attracting long-term tourists who visit every year,” he said.Mr. Khaunte said the government is making efforts to educate visitors about respecting local culture, tradition and boundaries.”As a State, we have our own restrictions for open-air policy. We can’t be compared with Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in the number of tourist footfalls, and tourism from a different perspective. We don’t want to be Thailand,” he added. Published – January 14, 2025 10:05 am IST
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I had been searching for a meaningful way to talk about violence against women: filmmaker Sandhya Su

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Mumbai, Jan 14 (IANS): Violence, gender dynamics, and personal empowerment, ‘Santosh’, the United Kingdom’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film category had been brewing in writer and director Sandhya Suri’s mind for long.Reflecting on the origins of the movie, Suri tells IANS that she had been searching for a meaningful way to talk about violence against women for a long time.
“She said, “When I was in India researching and working with various NGOs, I came across an image. There were nationwide protests following the Nirbhaya gang rape case and this was an image from Delhi of a huge crowd of angry female protesters, faces contorted with rage, and a line of female police officers, forcing them back. One of them had such an enigmatic expression, I was fascinated by her”.
She continued, “What a gulf between her and those protesting, what power her uniform wielded and what powerlessness not to feel safe as an ordinary woman. When I started researching female police constables, I learnt of the government scheme of ‘appointment on compassionate grounds’ in which eligible dependents of deceased police officers can inherit their jobs”.
Spending time with many such widows, she realised some had previously led very sheltered lives, never even leaving the house without their husbands or relatives until they started their police training.
“I was struck by the journey: from housewife to widow, to policewoman. That was a journey I wanted to write about, and one I wanted to watch,” she said.
The film revolves around a young widow who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable in rural India and investigates a murder. This is the first time the UK has selected a Hindi-language film for this category. Having studied mathematics as an undergraduate, Suri says she did not want to dissect films the way she did with English literature.
Talking about the time when she was a teacher of English in Germany, she recalled, “Making films was what excited me, not analyzing them. So I decided to go to film school as a postgraduate, leaving the door open for something entirely different”.
Her background in mathematics, she explains, helped her develop a unique way of thinking, which she carried over into her filmmaking approach. Having trained in documentary filmmaking at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK, the director, who has made documentaries including ‘I for India’, ‘Around India with a Movie Camera’, and the narrative short film ‘The Field’, tells that work on ‘Santosh’ began in 2016.
“The script was in good shape after the Sundance Scriptwriters’ Lab, but the real work was researching, refining details, and fleshing out the characters. The film’s protagonist, Santosh, a female constable, didn’t fit the typical mould seen in many films set in India. She was not a diasporic character discovering her roots or an upper-middle-class protagonist fluent in English. Santosh does not speak English. She is a constable. I wanted to keep that authentic,” says the
director.
Recalling that she was “carrying her shopping bags” both times when she heard the news that ‘Santosh’ was selected for the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival and later the Oscars, Suri says, “I dropped the shopping, gave a fist pump, and shouted. My 11-year-old daughter was so happy that she forgot to be embarrassed”.
Her next project which is set in a dystopian world, she reveals. “I feel I have to settle all the lessons I learnt. It was a steep learning curve. I know to keep speaking from the heart, and I am always checking the project’s heart and pulse and to know its anchor is as firm as in ‘Santosh’”.
Documentary filmmakers have forever complained about the lack of a distribution network and exhibition. Suri comments, “This is a global phenomenon. I have no solution but wish for documentary to be respected for the astounding art form it is as well as just a film ‘about a particular subject’. There is so much craft and form to it, which sometimes gets overlooked”.
Even as indie filmmakers face an uphill battle regarding securing theatrical releases or getting picked up for streaming platforms, Suri is optimistic, “I tend to have faith in the audiences. If the film is strong and engaging, not boring, the labels don’t matter, whether it goes to a festival or not. It will find its audience if the distributors, in whose hands we lie, believe and dare,” she said.
Anushka Shah, CEO and founder of Civic Studios which will release the film in the UK and Ireland says, “As a British-Indian director with immense talent, Suri has done a fantastic job in serving both the issue and the story brilliantly on screen”.
The movie looks at a fundamental vestige of Britain’s colonial history in India – its police system and explores the many pressures within and outside the system. This combined with being a thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat as it unravels a high-pressure police case, gives it a universal appeal for audiences looking for good and engaging storytelling”, she added.

7 Worthwhile Movies You Probably Missed In 2024

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

It was a year informed by blockbuster sequels to beloved legacy titles; expensive CGI-laden flops that cost studios and self-funded auteurs alike dearly; as well as the odd musicals that — for better or worse — captivated the masses. But would you believe some of the best movies released in 2024 flew under the mainstream radar?

For every Gladiator II, Dune: Part Two, and Wicked, there was a smaller scale answer equal in storytelling value (if not greater). Stripped of all the grand set pieces, recognisable A-listers, and nine-figure marketing budgets, these filmic breaths of fresh air were crafted with an unrivalled passion for cinema.

Check them out below.

The Best Movies You Missed (2024)

Kneecap

Genre:

Comedy

Actors:

Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, Josie Walker, Simone Kirby, Michael Fassbender

Directed by:

Rich Peppiatt

When fate brings a Belfast teacher JJ Ó Dochartaigh (himself) into the orbit of self-confessed “lowlife scum” Naoise (himself) and Liam Óg (himself), the needle drops on a hip-hop act like no other. Rapping in their mother tongue, they soon find themselves at the forefront of a movement to save native Irish language.

Personally, Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap was my favourite film of 2024 right, next to Dune: Part Two and The Brutalist. Hence why the following “sell” will undoubtedly be the meatiest in this entire article.

A semi-autobiographical story about the titular Irish hip-hop trio, it balances genuine laugh-out-loud hilarity (none of this lazy Deadpool bulls**t) and simulated depravity with a whole lot of charm, sincerity, and heart.

It’s also to be commended for its cast of acting debutantes — the real-life Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó Hannaidh, Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Cairealláin, and JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh — all of whom manage to hold their own against veteran thespians Josie Walker, Simone Kirby, and even Michael Fassbender.

Films with a political undertone are often victim to the pitfalls of coming across preachy, contrived, or simply being hamstrung by their own message. But Kneecap acquits itself nicely with a completely organic approach to championing Irish independence and will get you fired up for the cause.

Fingers crossed it nabs the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film this year.

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Anora

Genre:

Comedy/Drama

Actors:

Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov

Directed by:

Sean Baker

Anora (Mikey Madison), a young stripper  from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn). Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Director Sean Baker has been steadily making a name for himself with unfiltered tales about the marginalised (The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and Tangerine also being worth your time, FYI).

Baker’s latest, and perhaps most accessible, in Anora has been a festival circuit darling these past few months; taking home the Palme d’Or at Cannes and now primed to contest for some major categories at the forthcoming 97th Academy Awards. And quite deservingly, might we add.

Don’t be deceived by the trailer — this isn’t so much an anxiety-ridden, Uncut Gems-tier affair as it is Uncut Gems meets The Hangover (with shades of Succession). From rising starlet Mikey Madison to affable screen henchmen Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, and Vach Tovmasyan, the comedic chops were surprisingly off the charts as they stumbled through their Odyssean quest for a marriage annulment.

The film certainly warrants a lot of discussion about wealth disparity, class consciousness, and modern-day intimacy. But we’ll let you ponder those thoughts in your own time.

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The Order

Genre:

Action/Thriller

Actors:

Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Alison Oliver, Marc Maron

Directed by:

Justin Kurzel

A string of violent robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads veteran FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) to a white supremacist group; the group plans to overthrow the federal government. Based on a true story.

Justin Kurzel is an Aussie director whose talents deserve a far larger audience. With masterful works, such as Snowtown and Macbeth (starring Michael Fassbender) under his belt, his rise to mainstream recognition was unfortunately derailed by the sub-par 2016 adaptation of Assassin’s Creed (also starring Fassbender). Though don’t hold that against him.

Thankfully, the homegrown filmmaker is back on form with The Order. Taut, tightly paced, and intensely gripping, it also helps when your leading players — Jude Law as a stoic lawman, Nicholas Hoult as real-life neo-Nazi terrorist Bob Mathews — consistently delivers. No matter what the gig.

The Order has been adapted from Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s non-fiction book The Silent Brotherhood: The Chilling Inside Story of America’s Violent, Anti-Government Militia Movement by seasoned screenwriter Zach Baylin (King Richard, Creed III, Gran Turismo).  

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The Apprentice

Genre:

Drama/Biographical

Actors:

Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, Martin Donovan

Directed by:

Ali Abbasi

A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as the hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé: someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

The Apprentice is essentially an antidote to all the Trump fatigue you’re no doubt feeling at this stage; be it from SNL, comedians short on material, or the endless news cycle. And as something of a biopic, it’s both nuanced and bloody entertaining.

In the hands of the ever-capable Jeremy Strong as notorious lawyer Roy Cohen and Sebastian Stan as the future two-time US president — accompanied by the character-rich cinematography of Kasper Tuxen — the mentor-mentee dynamic was a thing of pure pleasure to watch unfold.

Quite the achievement at a time when everyone is over both origin stories and Trump impressions; and when cinematography is becoming concerningly homogenous.

On the subject of impressions, Stan nails the idiosyncrasies without resorting to the voice. Even Shane Gillis himself would be proud.

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Didi

Genre:

Drama/Comedy

Actors:

Izaac Wang, Joan Chen

Directed by:

Sean Wang

In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy named Chris (Izaac Wang) learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love his mum.

Call me overly sentimental, but as a child of immigrants who grew up in the exact same conditions as Didi protagonist Chris Wang (Izaac Wang) — right down to the year I started high school — this coming-of-age tale holds a special place in my heart.

Anyone who enjoyed Jonah Hill’s stunning directorial debut Mid-90s will adore this: a breathtakingly earnest depiction of youth which doesn’t shy away from lingering on those painfully awkward moments that still keep us up late at night.

Fair warning: you may also experience the overwhelming urge to hug your mother afterwards.

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Smalls Things Like These

Genre:

Drama/Historical

Actors:

Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Emily Watson

Directed by:

Tim Mielants

In 1985 coal merchant Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy) uncovers disturbing secrets in a small Irish town that’s controlled by the Roman Catholic Church.

Based on Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel of the same name, Small Things Like These follows a coal merchant in a small Irish town. When he discovers a disturbing secret regarding the local covenant, he’s forced to reckon with his past, the complicity of his fellow townsfolk, and the pervasive influence of the Catholic Church.

This is arguably where the Academy Award-winning Cillian Murphy is at his finest: in a slow-burn, character-driven historical drama that’s charged with emotion, leaves room for introspection, and textured by raw tension.

The film reunites Murphy with Peaky Blinders director Tim Mielants and Oppenheimer co-star Matt Damon; the latter of whom produced via his and Ben Affleck’s Artists Equity.

Note: Despite the fact it was released in Europe and the US late last year, Small Things Like These won’t hit Aussie theatres until April 10th, 2025. Meaning you technically haven’t “missed” it. Yet.

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A Different Man

Genre:

Dark Comedy/Psychological Thriller

Actors:

Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson

Directed by:

Aaron Schimberg

Aspiring actor Edward (Sebastian Stan) undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. However, his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare as he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

You can always count on A24 to take a chance on original ideas, and one of the latest to pay off in a big way is the delightfully surreal A Different Man.

Earning Sebastian Stan a Golden Globe for Best Actor (Musical or Comedy), it’s a provocative take on the classic monkey paw trade-off we’ve seen time and time again: sacrificing your true self in exchange for physical beauty — only to be left in an impossible limbo.

And if you find this tickles your fancy, be sure to give The Substance a go as well (if you haven’t already).

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Movies we previewed last year worth the ticket price in 2025

The Brutalist dir. by Brady CorbetCritically, the hottest film right now that’s the favourite to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Starring Adrien Brody, this Great American Epic a la There Will Be Blood has already nabbed him the Golden Globe for Best Actor (Drama) and taken home Best Motion Picture (Drama).

Conclave dir. by Edward BergerThe other favourite for Best Picture that also puts Ralph Fiennes in Oscar contention against Adrien Brody. An intriguing political thriller about electing the next pope and all the secrets and scandals each candidate hides under those holy robes.

Parthenope dir. by Paolo SorrentinoAs divisive as the reception has been, it’s an objectively gorgeous film from Paolo Sorrentino — the same visionary director behind Hand of God, The Young Pope/The New Pope, and The Great Beauty.

Better Man dir. by Michael GraceyA daring reinvention of the tired music biopic genre featuring a CGI monkey as Robbie Williams. Full pelt. No holds barred.

Monroe County citizens still concerned over LGBTQ books in children’s section of public library

Arts & Culture, Books

Monroe County commissioners appointed three new board members for the public library, and will be making a decision on the books soon.

MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — Back in August, Monroe County citizens voiced their concern after finding LGBTQ books in the children’s section of the public library. Since then, three new members have joined the Monroe County public library board. 

The board will hold its first meeting of the year Thursday, and may continue to get questions about the books. 

There are only four LGBTQ books remaining in the children’s section of the public library. David Barbee, the library assistant, says no book should be removed from a library.

“We believe in adding more knowledge to the library, never subtracting something just because it’s controversial,” Barbee said. 

When we spoke with two commissioners in August, they wanted the books moved.

Commission Chairman Alan Gibbs told us if books weren’t moved, he would want to shut the library down to get an entirely new board.

But after appointing three new members Gibbs, says he hopes they make what he calls the right decision. Still, people like Barbee are fighting to keep the books where they are.

“Whether they’re nonfiction or fiction, it’s all art so it doesn’t deserve to be censored or banned in any way no matter what it is,” Barbee said. 

Now, Gibbs says commissioners will give the new members time to get used to the job before making a final decision about the books. 

RELATED: ‘I don’t want my 6-year-old seeing that’ | Monroe County sound off over LGBTQ+ books found in library

RELATED: Folks in Monroe County challenge library books that mention LGBTQ+ plots