Giselle Wyche President Donald Trump has created a huge wave of political backlash after publicly sharing the personal cellphone number of Sen. Tom Cotton on Truth Social, escalating tensions over a stalled bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. According to Fox News, Trump posted the number, urging Arkansas voters to pressure Cotton into supporting the Sunshine Protection Act, which he claims should have already passed with bipartisan support. Trump criticized

Awa Sallah When a student at Cornell University accuses seven men, Jonathan Newell, Matthew Ingalls, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar, of sexually assaulting her in a single night, you would expect the university to respond with the seriousness, compassion and accountability the allegations should demand. But unfortunately, the actions reportedly taken were to expel two of the men, suspend another two, ban one who had already gradua

Giselle Wyche On Sept. 14, the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place. This year, the show was broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The night was filled with major wins, surprise cameos and viral moments as Mariska Hargitay, of the acclaimed “My Mom Jayne” documentary, hosted the ceremony. “Widow’s Bay” took home multiple awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series Lead Actor for Matthew Rhys, Supporting Actor for Stephen Root and Supporting Actress f

Kelby Chichester After three months away from the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Mitch McConnell is back at work. His return, however, has renewed a larger question about an aging Congress: What should Americans expect from elected officials when serious health problems interfere with their ability to serve? McConnell, 84, returned to the Senate on Sept. 14 after a 92-day absence following a fall at his Washington home and a hospitalization that included treatment for pneumonia. The Kent

Awa Sallah The fall semester is in full swing, and the Class of 2030 is here. College is a huge transition. For most people, it is their first taste of independence and can bring a sense of uncertainty and excitement. Students are away from home, meeting and living with new people while trying to balance academics and a social life. The Mountain Echo spoke with a few first-year students to ask them how their experience at the Mount has been so far. Kaitlyn Winch, who is from

Awa Sallah Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran during his tour at MetLife Stadium in September 2026. During his performance, he openly expressed his support for Palestine by shouting, “Free Palestine,” which came as no surprise because he has been very vocal about Palestine. He is also known for using his platform to speak about important social causes throughout his career. But this time, his comments appeared to upset some audience members and venue owners. Before I continue,

Nicholas Rafferty Gloria Steinem, an American journalist and one of the leading figures of the second-wave feminist movement, died on Sept. 2, at her home in New York City. She was 92. While writing as a columnist for “New York Magazine,” she wrote an article titled After Black Power, Women's Liberation, which focused on the similarities between racial and gender inequality and how women needed their own movement to challenge the society they lived in. After the article w

Sadaf Sharifi As the graduation day approaches, the Mountain Echo newspaper spoke to several seniors at Mount St. Mary’s University, asked them to reflect on their experience and learned lessons the shaped their college years and offer their advice for other undergraduates who are preparing for a life after college. For any senior, being involved outside the classroom plays a significant role in their life and their personal growth as students and individuals who will lead

Kelby Chichester I hope everyone enjoyed the brief silence from my “annoying takes,” because unfortunately, reality has forced me back into your lives. And wow what a time to be alive, enrolled in college, and watching the news like it’s a poorly written drama that somehow got renewed for another season. Let’s start in January, because why ease into chaos when you can just dive headfirst into it? The United States decided to conduct airstrikes in Venezuela, capture Pres

Meghan J. Leavitt I started writing for the Mountain Echo in my second semester as a first-year student. Throughout my time with the Echo, I have served in multitudes of roles including a staff writer, the Opinion-Life editor, the Community Editor and now ending my tenure as the Managing Editor. During my four years at the Mount, I have served many roles but the most rewarding has been the one of Managing Editor for the newspaper. Associate Professor of Communication and t

Anna Hsia The war with Iran may be closer to the United States than many think, as Americans are already feeling its effects at the gas pump. As tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz, prices have increased with no clear end in sight. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important waterways, carrying about 20% of global oil shipments and 20% of seaborne liquefied natural gas. Now largely closed to U.S. access, the disruption is already affecting gas prices natio

Audrey Owens The 98th Academy Awards were held March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California. "One Battle After Another," a film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, dominated the ceremony, winning six awards, including best picture, best supporting actor, best director, best screenplay, best film editing and a new category, best casting. This makes "One Battle After Another" the first film in history to receive that honor. The only movie close to rivaling Anderson’s work was "Sinner

Kelby Chichester Black women pursuing acclaim in pop music have long been misunderstood throughout history. Many are overlooked or pigeonholed into R&B and soul. Others stumble on the path to stardom while still not being fully appreciated for their contributions. Black female pop stars pour themselves into an industry that does not always love them back. That reality is difficult to ignore when considering Manon Bannerman’s recent departure from the girl group Katseye. The

Audrey Owens Thanks to social media, many experiences have become performative. People post for social approval and extrinsic image rather than simply enjoying the experience. In many ways, holidays have amounted to this as well. Take, for example: Valentine’s Day. Feb. 14 was first declared a holiday in A.D. 496 by Pope Gelasius I as a feast day to honor Saint Valentine, but it didn’t become associated with love until the 14th century, when English poet Geoffrey Chaucer lin

Jasmin Sorrell No one wants to walk in the freezing cold or the blazing heat from their room to the ARCC. It’s not about being lazy; it’s useful. In case you didn’t know, Mount St. Mary’s University first placed its ban on e-scooters and other privately owned electric micro-mobility devices on Oct. 12, 2025. There was a follow-up email stating that the ban will continue to be in place on Jan. 16, 2026. The reasons for this stated by the university were because of a rise in

Jasmin Sorrell Feb. 1, 2026, began the celebration of Black History Month. BHM was officially created and recognized by the U.S. government in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. February marks the month to celebrate and recognize the important contributions to the nation made by historic Black figures. We shine the spotlight on civil rights trailblazers, innovators, doctors, educators, heroes and leaders, professional athletes and so many more who have paved the way for the follo

Audrey Owens On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, America came together for the one thing the country has always agreed on: football. This year, though, was different. The Super Bowl halftime show, performed by artist Bad Bunny, sparked controversy and division, as well as an interesting conversation about what it means to be American. Save for one line, the performance was sung entirely in Spanish, with only a short song in English from guest artist Lady Gaga. Despite the language barr

Ahmad Mhusen I walked in thinking I wasn’t easily scared. Little did I know I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Field of Screams (FOS) was nothing less than a great time. Being my first time at FOS, I was really surprised by the environment. It felt like I was walking through a fall-themed fair. The music blared while people frolicked along the straw-covered ground, walking from attraction to attraction, waiting to get the scare of a lifetime. There were many differe

Nicole Campos Villaran A typhoon usually begins as a tropical depression that turns into a tropical storm when winds reach 39 miles per hour, then becomes a hurricane (typhoon) when winds reach 74 mph. The devastating storm happened on Sunday, Oct. 12, tearing through Alaska’s southwest coast. Many people believe that the storm was unusual because Merbok happened in 2022, but it’s similar to Halong. A week earlier, there had been a typhoon east of Japan, and the stream picked

Nicole Campos Villaran The kissing bug is native to the Americas, but its origin is in Central and South America. Due to its rapid population growth, its presence is considered endemic and is found in more states than many have thought. Many pet owners are alarmed for their pets’ health because these insects attach themselves and feed on blood; however, they do not cling to the skin like ticks. This can happen to humans too, not just pets. A bite from this insect can transmit