Rodrigo originally released her album “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” on June 12, through Geffen Records. The album was produced by Dan Nigro, an American Grammy Award-winning songwriter behind all of Rodrigo’s songs. The twelfth track, titled “expectations,” is a powerful “mantra” style song, with the main chorus including, “I’m not kissing any boy that is passive, their indecision is painfully unattractivе. Past mistakes are just new information. These days, I’ve got expectations.”

The original version of the song debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June, and the album which the song is from debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

According to an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, “expectations” is also inspired by Roan’s “attitude and swagger.” The song critiques modern dating culture and Rodrigo setting higher standards for the men she will date. She said that surface-level attraction doesn’t compensate for a partner’s lack of ambition, honesty and emotional maturity. The first verse highlights a mediocre suitor, with the lyrics, “I met him at a party, I think he was on drugs. He wasn’t smart or funny, I convinced myself he was. He had a great apartment, and a car his parents bought. I thought that he was perfect, and now his number’s blocked.”

The newly released remix was also produced by Nigro. Roan opened for Rodrigo on the Sour Tour in 2022 and Guts World Tour in 2024, where they performed Roan’s “Hot to Go!” onstage together in Los Angeles. Roan recently headlined Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields Festival and appeared on Rolling Stone‘s digital cover celebrating the occasion. This track is the first remix of Roan’s and Rodrigo’s careers, marking a major moment for their music in the pop industry.

The remix includes Roan’s queer perspective on dating, keeping her main chorus the same as the original, but changing the original masculine pronouns to feminine pronouns. Roan’s lyric changes also introduce a new anecdote about a mediocre suitor with the lines, “I took her to a concert, Front row, thought it’d be fun, Her hand moving up my skirt, New piercing on her tongue, She said she’d call me later, That was three weeks ago, Classic LA behavior (She could’ve just said no, no, no).” Along with some of the lyrics being changed, the release comes with a camp music video, highlighting the dramatic and extravagant portions of Roan and Rodrigo’s styles both fashion-wise and in regard to their musicianship.

The first line of the music video features Roan who sings, “Oooh, Olivia does remixes now,” highlighting the new portion of their musical careers that includes the remixed single. The music video is styled as an ‘80s game show titled “expectations,” a campy take on Family Feud. Talking Heads front man David Byrne makes a delightful cameo as the fictional host Johnny Johnson, while producer Nigro features in the video as well.

Roan commented on the creation of the single in the same interview with Apple Music, where she said, “I love making things a little gay. It was fun to just be like, ‘they’re all wives.’” Roan also said she loves the relatability and the heavy concepts attached to the pop song. Roan’s verse on dating came from a studio conversation with Rodrigo discussing their dating flops. Rodrigo recalled a memory of her and Roan in the studio, where she said, “I have a vivid memory of being in the studio with you, Chappell, and we were trying to write the second verse, and I was telling you all of the crazy stuff that boys have done to me.” Rodrigo said Roan replied with, “Oh my god, you need to start dating girls. This is crazy.’”

Some students said they enjoyed how the new perspective of the remix felt more inclusive with the addition of Roan’s feature.

“I like the remix, it is super similar to the original but I like that it is gay,” said Veronica Daniels, a freshman forensic science major with a minor in music. “It makes me feel more included.”

Other students however believed the addition of Roan’s verses to be an ingenuine move toward inclusivity.

“I don’t like the remix because I feel as though when Chappell starts singing about the girls she has dated, it just gets cut out,” said Riley Matis, a freshman with an interior design and pre-architecture major. “In the chorus I mean, It just doesn’t feel authentically queer.”

The production brings Rodrigo’s intention for the song full circle. Not only did she take inspiration from Roan, she also got her involved in the project: continuing to draw out both of their talents, styles and lyricism in pop culture.

“Expectations” is currently having its own moment on the charts. The remix reached No. 19 globally and hit the top 20 in other regions, including Australia at No. 14.

The post Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan’s latest remix appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

Friday’s match began with a New Haven set of 25-11. Stonehill won the second set, while the Chargers took the third with scores of 21-25 and 25-18. Since the regular four sets ended in a 2-2 tie, the teams played a tiebreaker set. The Chargers won the fifth set, 15-11, which brought the final results to 3-2 in New Haven’s favor. The Chargers scored 72 points, 57 of which were kills, compared to Stonehill’s 61 points.

Freshman outside hitter Marley Alefaio took the lead on kills with 19 by the end of the game, followed closely by senior opposite hitter Lauren MacKellar’s 14. Along with her work on offense, MacKellar held down defense with three blocks and nine digs. Freshman libero Camryn
Harris had four aces. Junior setter Zaira Kearns had the most assists with 42.

The Chargers’ hitting percentage was .238 compared to Stonehill’s .202. Kearns contributed the most to the statistic with a personal hitting percentage of 1.000, followed by Alefaio and MacKellar’s percentages of .279 and .257, respectively.

The Saturday game was also a tiebreaker set. The Chargers took the first two sets with scores of 25-14 and 25-19, then Stonehill won the next two. The Chargers lost the tiebreaker set, 10-15. Of their 67 points, 50 were kills.

MacKellar once again worked defense with 19 kills and two aces. Freshman outside hitter Quinn Yenshaw and Alefaio followed MacKellar with kills, nine and eight respectively. Junior middle blocker Josie Foster had the most blocks with, while junior libero Payton Malinoski completed 14 digs.

Despite the loss, the Chargers’ hitting percentage was once again higher than Stonehill’s, .235 to .196. Foster and Kearns had the highest personal hitting percentages of .375 and .364, respectively. The weekend’s matches have brought the team’s overall hitting percentage from
.400 to .409.

The Chargers’ next dual matches will be at home against Mercyhurst University on Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s game will start at 3:00 p.m, Friday’s at 1:00 p.m. The Chargers played two games against Mercyhurst in the 2025 season after the switch to Division I and lost both. Mercyhurst has lost 11 of their 18 games this season, including against Central Connecticut State University, who the Chargers
defeated earlier in October.

For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.

The post Chargers women’s volleyball split weekend series against Stonehill appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

The Chargers (2-6, 1-2 Northeast Conference) kept the game close in the first quarter, and trailed 7-6 after two field goals from Liam Quigley. However, Central (4-3, 3-0 NEC) scored twice in the second quarter to take a 21-6 lead into halftime.

New Haven opened the game with a defensive stop after allowing an early touchdown, but the offense struggled to find the end zone in the first half. Quigley connected on a 34-yard field goal in the opening quarter before adding a 41-yard kick later in the period.

Central extended its lead in the second quarter with two rushing touchdowns from Davon Smith Jr. The first came on a 2-yard run, while the second was a 7-yard touchdown with 50 seconds remaining before halftime.

The Blue Devils continued to build their advantage in the third quarter and scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Brett Griffis to Isaac Stopke to make it 28-6.

New Haven responded on its next offensive possession. Quarterback Jake Tripptree connected with D’Arious Reed for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter. The Chargers attempted a two-point conversion but were unsuccessful, which left the score at 28-12.

Central answered quickly by scoring on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Griffis to David Pardo with 57 seconds remaining in the quarter. The extra point gave the Blue Devils a 35-12 lead heading into the fourth.

The Chargers continued to fight in the final quarter, and put together an 11-play, 86-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Caleb Williams. Reed completed a successful two-point conversion pass, cutting the deficit to 35-20 with 10:41 remaining.

However, Central responded with another touchdown when Griffis connected with Michael Trovarelli on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 remaining to secure the 42-20 victory.

Tripptree finished with 304 passing yards, while Lasalle Rose Jr. led New Haven’s receiving production with 91 yards. Shaun Jackson added 19 rushing yards for the Chargers.

Defensively, New Haven recorded an interception by Lucas Theriaque in the third quarter, while the Chargers recovered a fumble in the first quarter to create an additional offensive opportunity.

The loss dropped New Haven to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Central improved to 4-3 overall and remained unbeaten in NEC competition at 3-0.

For more information about University of New Haven athletics, visit NewHavenChargers.com.

The post Chargers fall to Central Connecticut State, 42-20 appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

Citizen journalist Ellie Leonard and investigative journalist Andy Thibault came to campus on Thursday to discuss source vetting, records requests and the Epstein files.

Thibault is a long-time Connecticut investigative journalist; Leonard is at the forefront of citizen journalists delving into the Epstein files. They were on campus at the invitation of journalism professor of practice Susan Campbell.

The event was open to all students interested in sitting in on an interview with the two journalists. There, Thibault questioned Leonard on topics she had come across when dissecting the files. This included the sweetheart deal, Jane Doe 4 and Epstein’s connection to corporations like the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic CT and the New York Times. Leonard not only discussed her research, but touched on her experience as a journalist trying to uncover a lot in a case such as this.

Being a freelance journalist reporting on a difficult case, Leonard said she is used to being asked if she worries about her safety and what might come her way.

“There isn’t a lot of protection; a lot of it is how mouthy you are willing to be and unafraid,” she said. “The nice thing about the Trump Administration and how much they go after journalists, they have no idea independent journalists exist.”

She described the reality of being a freelance journalist not having any news outlet and their attorneys to back her up. But Leonard also said she views being independent as an advantage.

“You know, obviously that means I have a much smaller audience, so I have to be like I have to beg people to be like hey can you make sure to share this or whatever,” she said. “But also when you think of, like, what is it on the White House website where they have the page of reporters that they’re targeting, I’m not gonna be on that page. Nobody in the administration knows who I am, so I continue to write without threat.”

Despite the serious topic, Leonard said she views her work as part of a larger collective effort towards accountability.

“I realized I was a very small cog in a machine that actually helps,” she said. “In the beginning, it was court cases. My transcription was going to help the court case move forward so that a child can get justice against somebody who abused them.”

In an interview prior to the event, Leonard said most of the public remains unaware of the ongoing investigative work in the Epstein case happening behind-the-scenes.

“Very often, you will have hundreds of people investigating and writing about things and producing, as public as they can, really damning documents and evidence,” Leonard said. “It’s more the fact of getting that an audience, because when you turn on the news at night, they won’t be discussing any of it.”

Journalists and non-journalists are going through the files using their own expertise. She describes it as everyone having their own corner of the Epstein files. There are people who handle the subjects of money laundering and global enterprise, while others are font experts who can help decode the unredacted parts of the files. For Leonard, she likes to pick at Epstein’s brain by analyzing the psychological aspect of the files through his relationship exchanges.

“I love reading emails all day long, especially in the case of Epstein.” She said. “I like to see how much he changes depending on who he’s talking to and realizing he’s very much a chameleon.”

Leonard navigates her research with the help of experts and by avoiding misinformation spread through social media and AI. She said that social media and AI have changed how people get information, warning that journalists can no longer accept online information at face value.

“Research is just something that you have to learn over time, and it takes hours and hours,” she said. “You have to learn to look at something and go, ‘Okay, I’m going to backpedal to see where this sound bite, this quote, whatever, where did it come from?'”

Leonard compared the process to a game of telephone, advising researchers to track information back to its original iteration by digging directly into court files, series numbers and coding.

This source-vetting is why Leonard believes student journalists must care about following high-profile paper trails like the Epstein case. She said misinformation is a primary force guiding major lifestyle, political and voting choices.

“People tend to research the thing that they’re interested in to look for the answer that they want,” Leonard said. “If you’re going to be informed and you’re going to litigate something like this, like an investigation, you have to be willing to hear things that you don’t want to hear.”

Thibault concluded the discussion with one more piece of advice.

“One rule in journalism that I find works is that, if your mother says she loves you, get a second source; don’t believe anything until you can corroborate it,” Thibault said.

The post Journalist Ellie Leonard discusses the reality of researching and reporting on a high-profile story like the Epstein Files appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

Polymarket’s website allows you to bet on real world current events such as upcoming elections, cryptocurrency rates, foreign wars, economics, pop culture and weather. Kalshi’s website has similar categories for consumers.

Declan Hill, an associate professor for investigations at the Henry C. Lee College, and an expert on match fixing, corruption and gambling in sports, warns of the broader societal shift.

“We have now become a casino, one giant society where almost anything can be bet on,” Hill said.

Hill said people can bet on almost anything now, such as how long a wedding speech will be and a fight that broke out between adults in Florida over a soccer tournament involving 8-year-olds.

“This is an enormous problem where our whole society looks at events, looks at issues in their society, and tries to turn them into betting opportunities,” said Hill. “It’s a symptom of a very deep sickness inside American society.”

And then there are sensitive topics such as the Cornell 7 case. Polymarket allowed users to bet on whether the seven individuals named in the lawsuit filed by Jane Doe would face criminal charges. After outrage spread on social media and disgust spilled over to include athletes and celebrities with Polymarket brand deals, the bet was taken down, but not before betters wagered $450,000.

“I think the only reason why the prediction markets took those bets down was because they’re (Polymarket) facing waves of lawsuits, waves of potential regulations across the country,” said Hill.

In March, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., introduced a bill with U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, to ban gambling websites from allowing wagers on more serious topics such as government actions or wars.

“When events that involve good and evil, life and death become just another financial product, morality no longer matters and the soul of America is fundamentally corrupted,” Murphy said in the bill press release.

Despite the U.S. phenomenon of gambling, Hill said that gambling is a part of human nature and that it’s always been around.

“When Christ was crucified, the Roman soldiers were rolling dice underneath the cross where he and two criminals were being hung and gambling for who’s going to own their clothes,” Hill said.

Despite that, Hill said he believes regulations are the solution, as laws regulate the consumption of alcohol and the sale of tobacco.

“Many of our friends, colleagues and peers are addicted to gambling, and we really need to take a moment and just figure out and start to look at it not as a harmless pursuit, but as an addictive pursuit,” Hill said.

The post Concerns raised about gambling websites allowing bets on serious topics appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

“I wonder who the real Matt Hagen is.”

A simple line said during James Watkins’ “Clayface” serves as the haunting anchor for the film. For a Hollywood star, a public persona is everything, built on the fragility of fame. But Matt Hagen loses control of the very face that defined his stardom. For Hagen, a brutal disfigurement triggers a molecular nightmare when his desperate attempt to fix himself backfires.

Heading into the theater to see “Clayface,” it was easy to be skeptical. Launching a classic Batman villain origin story before introducing the new DC Universe (DCU) Dark Knight felt like a risky gamble. Despite this, Watkins executes a tightly paced, visceral character tragedy that largely pays off.

By introducing a horrific antagonist before this universe’s version of Batman, the DCU pulls off a smart move. While 2025’s “Superman” launched its cinematic world in the bright sincerity of Metropolis, “Clayface” sets the ground for Gotham City through its immediate darkness. This proves the contrast between the two iconic cities that two of DC’s most popular heroes protect. The film also succeeds because it avoids the “show-and-tell” cameo traps superhero media falls for. A Batman appearance would have disrupted Hagen’s arc and made the story less compelling.

Unlike most bloated comic book or horror films with crumbling third acts, “Clayface” hits the ground running and never wastes a second. The narrative flows so naturally that there isn’t a single unnecessary scene, gripping audience attention from the start.

For comic book fans, it is satisfying to see the story play out on the big screen. Clayface has had plenty of backstories. In the 1940s, we saw Basil Karlo, the bitter actor seeking vengeance who lacked any unnatural abilities. Then in the 1960s with Hagen, we had the explorer who introduced the shapeshifting powers of Clayface and his appearance. It wasn’t until the 1992 “Batman: The Animated Series” where we saw the character’s psychological potential, which fused Karlo and Hagen’s stories together.

The 2026 film carries the animated series’ torch, with Tom Rhys Harries delivering a demanding performance as Hagen. He brings Hagen’s instability to life, portraying both a famous Hollywood star and a tragic man who doesn’t get that typical anti-hero ending. Watkins crafts a story where Hagen’s desperation to restore his face is not driven by mere vanity; his face defines an identity and name that he worked hard to build. Though the script invites the audience to pity Hagen as Gotham’s corrupt toxicity chews him up, it does not excuse his actions.

By using stomach-churning practical effects the film grounds its body horror. This terror peaks during a claustrophobic airplane bathroom scene. Watching Hagen desperately confront his mutating skin forces a reaction that makes you want to curl up in your seat and look away from the screen. The physical makeup and props add a vital pulse to the movie.

The film uses a brilliant sense of paranoia at the nightclub. It mirrors the first act of the film, but it highlights Hagen’s plot for revenge in an unforgettable way. The campy, choreographed dance routine intertwines with the dark, hypnotic enjoyment of this unhinged performance of Hagen surrendering to the ego of his new ability.

The film could have pushed its boundaries further. For an R-rating, the atmosphere could have been scarier rather than just grotesque. While Harries maximes his screen time, the script lacks the emotional depth needed to maximize the heartbreak of his descent.

Ultimately, “Clayface” succeeds. What it lacks in fright is overcome by its overarching success. It sets a high-stakes beginning for the introduction of Batman, and makes audiences question if we ever knew the real Hagen. Though he can manipulate his new clay-like form, he can never permanently return to his original human reality. With his darkness magnified, all that is left behind is a monster trapped in its own permanent performance.

The post The DCU’s newest entry delivers a visceral actor nightmare that never wastes a second appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

Hsu starts her day at 8 a.m. and doesn’t leave until 10 p.m. She balances graduate school and serves as the dance captain and costume chair for the university’s K-pop dance group, Charger K-pop Dance Crew.

But one of her passions is Halloween costumes.

Growing up, Hsu’s mother designed group costumes for the family to wear. When her mother stopped after high school, Hsu took matters into her own hands. She entered a performing arts school surrounded by a constant flow of creativity, where Halloween was not a holiday to be missed.

“I went to LaGuardia in Manhattan, and you know, everybody was performing arts, everybody there was creative as hell, and Halloween was a big thing,” Hsu said. “You didn’t dress up, you were weird, you were the odd one out.”

Hsu began experimenting with special effects makeup, and transformed herself into things such as a cracked doll and a devil costume with a split jaw and large teeth. By her freshman year, her skills had increased so that she could create makeup simulating an injury with a hanging eye.

What got Hsu started was a costume depicting a Clicker, a blind, mutated zombie-like creature with a fungal growth covering its head from the video game and HBO series, “The Last of Us.” The detailed costume earned her recognition when the franchise’s official Instagram account featured her work on their story.

“In terms of how something looks and how accurate it is the actual thing, I think the Clicker has been my favorite,” Hsu said. “It got recognized or at least the Instagram for The Last of Us. They put it on their Instagram as a story, and I thought that was pretty cool.”

Driven by a desire to improve, Hsu created an even more ambitious project the following year: a massive Freddy Fazbear suit, the iconic animatronic bear from the horror video game franchise, “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”

“So I ended up making this giant suit that I guess got a lot of attention on campus and I was like, ‘Oh wow, I can do this,’” Hsu said.

Following Freddy, Hsu engineered a dinosaur costume that proved to be an intense technical challenge that included an internal framework of PVC pipes jerry-rigged with zip ties and topped with heavy upholstery foam. Hsu designed the head of the dinosaur to pivot and look up and down using a Home Depot bucket lid mechanism. The weight however, caused the structure to collapse.

“It was a mess,” Hsu said. “The dinosaur cost the most and we just ended up throwing it out.”

Hsu spent as many as 14 hours a day making the costume. She estimates it took about 300 hours to complete.

“I really only spent 30 minutes walking around on campus, it was a rainy day, and it was really heavy and the pieces weren’t fitting together so I just, it had to go,” Hsu said.

But the 300 hours of work weren’t a waste. The experience allowed Hsu to work with more tools in the makerspace. She worked alongside other students to learn mechanical movement and weight distribution to assist her in future projects.

“I didn’t like the dinosaur, but I learned structural things,” Hsu said. “I learned how heavy the materials should and shouldn’t be. Now I can translate the errors and mistakes that I made in that into a new project and go ‘Okay, well I learned a skill from this and I made a mistake in this, how am I going to change that?’” she said.

After graduating last semester and leaving the dinosaur behind, Hsu is back at the university as a forensic technology graduate student. During the summer, she spent time working in the New York City morgue, an environment that inspired her next creative project. The idea came during a car ride, where she connected her time spent around real dead bodies at her summer job with her upcoming return to campus.

“I was like ‘Wait, I’m going back to school. Zombie, what can I do?’ And then I was like, ‘Oh! Charlie, Charlie’s a mascot,’” Hsu said.

The result is her current project: a decomposed version of Charlie the Charger, the university’s mascot.

For Hsu, the creative process behind her works begins with a sketch.

“Everything starts with a drawing for me,” she said. “I don’t really think I’m a great drawer like an artist-ish. Sketching. I don’t think I’m that great at that, but to me that’s the easiest part of all of this. If I can’t do that, I can’t do this.”

After sketching her designs, she starts brainstorming materials to use. To make the heads for her costumes, the process involves gluing foam blocks together and then shaving the material down to the desired shape. For Charlie, Hsu took the original round shape of a head and shaved it down to mimic the elongated features of Charlie.

“I kind of just see something and I’m like, ‘How can I mimic it?’ I think I’m pretty good at essentially copying things,” she said. “So it terms of the armor for Charlie, I just kind of saw a picture of it and I was like, ‘Okay, well it’s a piece here and a piece here, and I just need to hot glue it.’”

While she holds a passion for crafting, her focus still remains on her academics.

“It’s definitely making sure you know what you need to do at what point and to also know that this stuff, the costume stuff, doesn’t really matter. My degree does,” she said.

The post Meet the UNH student transforming foam and fabric into Halloween magic appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

The debate was broadcasted live on WFSB and CT Insider, and moderated by WFSB’s Erin Connolly, with panelists Susan Raff and Dan Haar of CT Insider. A few days before the debate, CT Insider allowed Reddit users to submit potential questions for the moderators.

In opening statements, Fazio, a state senator representing the 36th district, targeted Connecticut’s cost of living.

“Tonight, families are struggling,” Fazio said. “They’re suffering under the fourth highest energy bills, the third highest taxes, and the highest unemployment rate in the entire country. Governor Lamont had eight years to fix it. Instead, he broke his promises and made every single one of those problems worse.”

Lamont, who is running for a third term as governor, said, “Eight years ago I came into the office, inherited $2 billion budget deficits as far as the eye can see. Then we ran into COVID. Now we have Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran driving up the cost for everybody.”

Lamont emphasized that despite the hardships, he championed eight balanced budgets in a row as governor and he said that Connecticut has one of the fastest growing economies in the country.

Affordability was the first major topic after opening statements. Raff asked Lamont if another term would bring different results on costs of living.

“Only one guy has cut the income tax we cut that for the middle class,” said Lamont. “We eliminated income tax for most working families eliminated income tax for most seniors. You talk about electric rates. They’ve gone up all around the country. Well, Connecticut is one of the very few states that actually reduced electric rates.”

Fazio pushed back against the claim and said, “Now from the sound of it, Governor Lamont is living in an entirely different state than the people I talk to on the campaign trail.”

Fazio gave an example where he met a woman from Torrington who couldn’t afford to pay her bills anymore and needed to take a third job to do so.

“He’s [Lamont] raised your taxes by $3 billion including on food, including on your paychecks, including on online purchases,” said Fazio.

When asked about costs of energy bills from companies such as Eversource, Fazio pledged to eliminate hidden taxes and fees and cut energy bills in total by 20%. He proposed achieving this by removing Connecticut’s public benefit charge on energy bills.

Lamont opposed the plan. “All you’re doing is shifting it over to the backs of the taxpayers,” he said.

Lamont suggested increasing oversight on the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, a quasi-judicial panel that oversees electric, water, natural gas and telecommunications companies, while trying to ensure that taxpayer money is properly going towards efficiency and upgrading grids controlled by Eversource.

Fazio fired back, alleging that Lamont has texted Eversource’s CEO and that he told him to “not leave town” until a billion-dollar deal was in place.

When asked about foreign policy impacting prices of gas and diesel, Fazio advocated for a gas tax holiday which would cut prices by 25 cents. Lamont, however, disagreed and said that the money for a tax holiday must come from somewhere, and that deficits would occur if it would be enacted.

Candidates were asked if they supported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Fazio said that he believes ICE must be stopped when they overreach on people’s rights and civil liberties, but said that Lamont’s policies have hurt public safety and are going too far left. He also attacked Connecticut’s Trust Act.

Lamont claimed that he worked with ICE, the DEA and FBI to deal with some of the most dangerous criminals in the state and said Connecticut is one of the safest states in the country. However, he opposed ICE rounding up people who have not been convicted of crimes and gave examples of ICE activity among parents at school bus stops in Danbury.

Lamont was asked if any large AI data centers would be built in Connecticut, and despite Haar mentioning the governor signing a bill giving data center tax breaks, Lamont said that the state will likely not build any of them and called out a cancelled one near Waterford.

Alternatively, Lamont said the tax breaks help companies to upgrade their IT systems. He then called out Fazio for being one of few state senators to vote against a bill that restricted what AI chatbots could say. Fazio fired back that Lamont a year ago supported data centers and said that he pushed passing a bill giving complete tax breaks on sales and property taxes for the centers. Fazio pledged to get rid of the tax breaks if elected governor.

Other issues included Flock cameras, policing, roads and bridges, affordable housing and health insurance.

Students who watched the debate had reactions.

“Lamont had a more realistic, grounded conversation with the Connecticut people,” said Jordan Mancuso-Cermola, a junior political science major and secretary of the Southington Democratic Town Committee. “Mr. Fazio is still trying to explain how the numbers behind his unrealistic promises add up. I’m confident Connecticut wants leadership with a clear, realistic plan—not empty promises.”

“I think Fazio won,” said Raymond Keeley, a junior history major. “But it’s not like he did great. Lamont just was really weak. Spent half the time talking about Trump.”

The final debate will be held this Tuesday on WTNH News 8. Viewers will get one final chance to see how the two candidates will lead Connecticut a week before Election Day.

The post Lamont and Fazio go head to head in first gubernatorial debate appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

The ceremony honored the life of Wells, a young Black man whose death sparked conversations about justice, accountability and advocacy. Throughout the evening, attendees reflected on his legacy and discussed the role individuals can play in confronting injustice and supporting one another.

“The event demonstrates students standing together against injustice and using their voices to spark change within our community,” said Clyde Exavier, the assistant director of student engagement.

Exavier emphasized the importance of bringing awareness to issues affecting members of the student body.

“It is important to bring awareness to issues that members of our student body face even when it seems like there has been a conscious effort to ignore injustice by the authorities,” Exavier said.

He also expressed hope that attendees would leave the ceremony feeling empowered.

“I hope that people will remember that there is strength in unity and that no matter what means of suppression they face, they are powerful,” Exavier said.

Among the attendees was Donald Harrison, a senior English major, executive assistant for the university’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, and a radio host at 88.7 WNHU.

“This event means a lot to me,” Harrison said. “I don’t take it for granted, and it is especially important to me because in a time when Nolan Wells’ name has disappeared largely from mainstream attention, we’re fortunate to have Gamma Alpha Tau who still remembers his life.”

For Harrison, remembrance is only one part of the larger conversation. He believes events such as this encourage students to come together and speak out against injustice.

“One remembrance vigil should lay the groundwork for demanding more justice,” he said. “It makes the student body come together and speak against injustices happening in the world.”

One message that resonated with Harrison came during a discussion on supporting Black students within the predominantly White institution, or PWI, community.

“When Robert told attendees to check in on Black students who attend this campus, being that it is a PWI, I believe it’s crucial that as Black students, we have safe spaces and conversations that edify us,” he said.

As the ceremony ended, attendees were encouraged to continue engaging in meaningful conversations and supporting each other beyond the event.

“I’d say to students that you should get involved and have uncomfortable conversations about injustice in order to help remove indifference around you,” Harrison said.

The post Gamma Alpha Tau hosts Nolan Xavier Wells Remembrance Ceremony and open discussion appeared first on The Charger Bulletin.

Senior Lt. Mykola Melnyk, a Ukrainian combat veteran who has visited the university before, joined Olena Lennon, a practitioner-in-residence, in a panel about the security of Europe, the current front line and advocacy in America.

Blumenthal, a U.S. Senator since 2011, serves on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has visited Ukraine 11 times since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. The visits have brought the senator into direct conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials.

The panel began with Lennon setting the scene and reminding the audience of ideologies that make the war one of attrition. She provided statistics of Ukrainian public opinion and commentary on changes in European security architecture after the withdrawal of American support, before Melnyk took over.

Melnyk took part in the defense of Ukraine against Russia in 2014 and in the full-scale invasion of 2022, before becoming wounded in combat in the counter-offensive of 2023. After losing a leg, Melnyk was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, one of Ukraine’s highest honors of military service.

“Unfortunately, understanding that Ukraine have not a choice. We must fight, we should fight because we can all win or die,” said Melnyk. “For Russians, it’s interest in the territory, for Russian it’s interest in destroyed Ukraine and destroying Ukrainian like nations, because in my opinion, we are last defender of freedom in Europe.”

Panel members also discussed the recent slowdown of Ukrainian access to Starshield, a military version of the Starlink satellite network crucial for defense against Russia. Recent news reports say that Elon Musk ordered the slowdown.

“Ukrainians accept the need to go to these bunkers as part of their lives now. But the only way they know when the missiles are coming is from the intelligence sharing, from American satellites,” said Blumenthal. “When that’s interrupted, it means they get apartment houses, or places of work or home. They not only destroy infrastructure and buildings but they kill more people.”

Other topics at the panel included Pres. Donald Trump’s waiver of sanctions from large Russian-oil importers such as India and criticism of the White House’s normalized relations with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin.

“You should care about our national security, which Donald Trump is undermining, because he is siding with Putin,” said Blumethal. “And remember what Putin is doing? Putin is providing intelligence to the Iranians.”

Members of the audience asked Blumenthal questions about European intelligence capabilities, U.S. drone production and the upcoming midterm elections. A model of a Russian jet-powered drone was displayed.

Melnyk also discussed the rapid advances in military technology, changes that he experienced firsthand and why American militaries and others may get left behind if they do not adapt to this new field of warfare.

“I see how war has changed because in 2014 it was war soldier against soldier,” said Melnyk. “In 2025, it was the drone operator against drone operator. I think now started the war drone with AI against drone with AI. And nobody know what we will see in 2027.”

“And the change in warfare in Ukraine is really the change in warfare around the world,” said Blumenthal. “Ukraine has been the pacesetter, been at the forefront of technology and the advancement of unmanned warfare.”

“Ukraine needs to endure on a military, diplomatic, economic and energy front,” said Lennon. “So it’s not just patriot interceptors, it’s not just anti-drone interceptors, it’s not just alternate energy sources, but it’s an all hands on deck approach on every single front.”

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