In response to the impacts of COVID-19, City Council recently committed funding to several programs that provide financial relief and resources to Oberlin community members. City Council expanded existing programs and established new initiatives that offer assistance to residents, business owners, students, and seniors. Many of these efforts were addressed following an interim period when City Council was unable to meet. On March 16, City Council’s regular meeting was canceled after the city...

As of this semester, Fourth Meal — previously served buffet-style in the Rathskeller — is now being served in DeCafé in to-go boxes. Students can now purchase Fourth Meal the same way as all DeCafé meals: by choosing one entree, two sides, and a drink packaged in plastic containers. Many students have witnessed significant changes to the location and structure of Fourth Meal during their time at Oberlin and some have expressed disappointment at these changes. “It’s horrible,” said Joshua Rho...

The City of Oberlin’s Office of Sustainability has completed a 2019 iteration of a greenhouse gas inventory, which will be released on the city’s web page in the coming weeks. The inventory is the latest of four, dating back to 2007, and was performed in order to prioritize how to spend the city’s Sustainable Reserve Fund. “[The greenhouse gas inventory] is what we’re going to look at as a guide when we start looking at what initiatives are really going to be the most important and in...

Sunday will mark the third anniversary of the legalization of medical marijuana in Ohio. On Sept. 8, 2016, Ohio House Bill 523 went into effect, allowing those with specific medical conditions to purchase marijuana with the recommendation of a licensed physician. Since the passage of the bill, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program granted licenses to two medical marijuana dispensaries in Lorain County, Rise and Clubhouse Dispensary, both of which are still active. However, Oberlin native and Lorain County resident John Pardee is one of many who believe that — three years later — medical marijuana still isn’t accessible enough. “[The system] needs a lot of work,” Pardee said. “It has a long way to ...