Articles - Page 3 of 76 - The Mount Observer

‘It Was Horrible!’

By editorialteam on November 1, 2024

Thackery Binx Remembers Life as a Cursed 300-Year-Old Black Cat

By Desiree Leader | Staff Writer

Image copyright Walt Disney Pictures

Thackery Binx, a 312-year-old Salem resident, is a hero in every sense of the word. Waking on a cold October morning 300 years ago to the sound of his beloved sister Emily being abducted, he followed discreetly behind to the home of the Sanderson Sisters, known throughout town as being witches.

“It was terrible!” he declared. “Their house smelled like chicken soup and dead man’s toes!”

Binx retells the tale he has shared for 300 years to anyone who will listen. He shares how he was discovered by the Sandersons when the middle sister, Mary, caught his scent. “It was uncanny, the way she was able to sniff out children – I’ve never seen anything like it!” read more

Spooky Season at the Mount

By editorialteam on November 1, 2024

How Students Celebrate Halloween Traditions

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

As the leaves begin to change and the fall season settles in, candy, costumes, jack-o’-lanterns, and haunted houses begin to make their comeback—some of the familiar staples of Halloween, celebrated every year on October 31.

The holiday may have its roots in ancient Celtic traditions, particularly the pagan festival of Samhain (pronounced “Sow-in”), which celebrated the transition from the lighter half of the year to the darker half, marking the end of summer and the changing of the seasons, as well as a time when the “veil” between our earthly realm and the spirit world is said to be at its thinnest.
While Halloween today is often a gloriously whimsical time for tricks and treats, scary stories, pumpkin picking, and dressing up, it actually shares some similarities with how ancient celebrants of Samhain may have observed their holiday. read more

MWCC CIS Majors Lead at GCC

By editorialteam on November 1, 2024

By Kent Yang | Staff Writer

Photo from Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges

As part of the ongoing workforce development expansion at local community colleges, I had the incredible opportunity to team up with my classmate and fellow Computer Information Systems (CIS) major, Kourtney Tibbets, to serve as instructors for the “IT for Healthcare” course at Greenfield Community College, hand-picked by Dr. Gary Ackerman. For those unfamiliar with Dr. Ackerman, he serves as an adjunct Professor at Mount Wachusett Community College and teaches in the CIS department. Outside of MWCC, Dr. Ackerman is the Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Greenfield Community College. read more

Voter Registration Closes This Friday

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

MWCC Community Can Look to Brewer Center for Registering Before Deadline

By Jordan Chila | Editor-in-Chief

The 2024 election is fast approaching, and surprisingly, not every state offers same-day voter registration. Massachusetts is one of those states, with a voter registration deadline of October 26, 2024. There are several last-minute ways to register: by mail, in person, or online. Since not everyone in the community is registered, take advantage of the right to vote and register today.

Massachusetts is among the 28 states that don’t offer same-day voter registration, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your vote in before the deadline. MWCC students can register in person at their local election office or by mail. For those who are registering to vote by mail, be sure that the registration form is postmarked by the deadline date of October 26, 2024. For an even simpler option, there is also the option to register or vote online. Where exactly is one able to find the online registration form? Well, the commonwealth of Massachusetts provides the link here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/. It takes about five minutes, and all that is required is valid identification. read more

MCAS: To Change or Not to Change?

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

Deciding the Future of the MCAS Graduation Requirement with Question 2

By Princess Yeboah | Assistant Editor

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu from Unsplash

Question 2 on the election ballot addresses the MCAS testing requirement for high school graduation. This year, Massachusetts voters will decide whether to keep or change the rule that requires students to pass the MCAS to graduate. A “yes” vote would remove the requirement that students pass MCAS, while voting “no” would mean the requirement would still be in effect. According to the Rennie Center Education Research and Policy, the MCAS became a requirement to graduate in 2003. While some find this test motivating, some educators support keeping the test but without making it a graduation requirement. read more

Students and Faculty Weigh in on Upcoming Psychedelics Vote in Massachusetts

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

Image by Alan Rockefeller, from Wikimedia Commons

This November, Massachusetts voters will decide on several statewide ballot questions, including Question 4, the limited legalization of certain natural psychedelic substances, also known as the “Natural Psychedelic Substances Act.” The proposal would legalize and regulate the supervised use of certain natural psychedelics—such as psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, and ibogaine—for adults 21 and older.

In 2020, Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, in 20 of its most populated cities, opening more than 20 service centers to administer the drug, according to NPR. read more

MWCC Students Provide Thoughts on 2024 Presidential Debate

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

By Benjamin Heffner | Observer Contributor

Former president Donald Trump (R) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) shake hands at the September 10th presidential debate.

Last month’s debate on September 10 between former President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, marked the first—and potentially the only—chance for voters to see both candidates on stage discussing key issues facing the nation, including immigration, taxes, the economy, abortion, and foreign policy.

Students Matthew Infantino, Sarah Vargas, and Oren Cohen gave their thoughts on the debate.

Matthew Infantino joined MWCC in the fall of 2024 and is studying Environmental Science. He is 44 years old and offered up his insight to the presidential debate by answering the questions below. read more

Tips and Tricks for Supporting Your Mental Health During Election Season

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

By Benjamin Heffner | Observer Contributor

Mental health is a topic of concern for many people, and awareness for mental health has been steadily increasing. Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is eager to contribute to this important cause. Leeanne Hadsel, Senior Mental Health Counselor of MWCC’s Counseling and Wellness Services department shared some insight on the topic of mental health during election season and gave some advice about how students, staff, and faculty can manage their physical and mental health during an election season. read more

Learning Lessons Harsh and Beautiful

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

Student Profile: Regulo Moreno

By Wayne Jurgeleit | Observer Contributor

Photo courtesy of Regulo Moreno

One can Google terms like “global citizen” to find eloquent descriptions of those who are inquisitive about human cultures, economies, and environments, and how they are all interconnected, transcending arbitrary boundaries. Similarly, “lifelong learner” refers to someone dedicated to acquiring knowledge and skills—both personally and professionally—throughout their lifetime to improve their own life and the lives of others. To meet Regulo Moreno is to know someone who truly exemplifies these ideals. read more

A Brief History of Voting Technology

By editorialteam on October 23, 2024

By Kent Yang | Staff Writer

Since the inception of the United States in 1776, elections have been essential for choosing the next president. From colonial times until the late 19th century, elections were held, and votes were cast orally at courthouses. Presidents such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln were elected this way. However, this changed with the invention of the Acme Voting Machine.

The Acme Voting Machine was invented in Bridgewater, Connecticut, around 1880 to prevent voter fraud. With its open-slot box design, crank lever mechanism, and tabulator, it offered voters an honest, secure and reliable way to cast their votes. In the following years, it was reported that election officials would tear or mark ballots, making them invalid. This issue prompted the invention of the Lever Style Voting Machine in Lockport, New York. By pulling down its levers, the machine locked votes to prevent tampering, while also making the process faster and more accurate. While it was effective and efficient for its time, its maintenance was complex and it had limitations, such as only being able to tally votes internally rather than producing a verifiable record of each individual vote. read more