Benjamin Heffner Connector Editor UMass Lowell got its first winter weather system of the season as Winter Storm Chan moved its way through the Northeast, delivering heavy snow threats from Pennsylvania to Maine. “We’ve been talking about this in some of our weather classes since before Thanksgiving Break. As weather enthusiasts, we like to be…
Disability rights advocate Alice Wong passes away
Amy Lam Connector Staff Alice Wong, a disability rights advocate and author at age 51, died on Nov. 14 at a hospital in San Francisco. It is important to note the issues in the disability community, “People with disabilities face inaccessible educational, professional, and social environments. They face stigma and discrimination. Moreover, society fails to recognize…
Congress set to release Epstein Files
Makayla Mahoney Connector Staff On Wednesday, Nov. 19, President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Transparency Act after it passed unanimously in the Senate the night before. This comes after weeks of continuous pressure to release the Epstein files, a promise that President Trump ran his 2024 campaign on. On Nov. 12, Representative of Arizona, Adelita…
Longest government shutdown ends
(Photo courtesy of Jacob Levin) “North Bridge Visitor Center in Concord” Benjamin Heffner Connector Editor After 43 days, on Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill from both chambers of Congress, officially ending the longest government shutdown in American history. The bill was voted 60-40 in the Senate and 222-209 in the House. …
U.S. Treasury ceases penny production
Olivia O’Sullivan Connector Staff On Nov. 12, 2025, after over 230 years in circulation, the last pennies were minted in Philadelphia at the U.S. Mint. The Mint has announced an auction for the final coins produced. President Trump directed the Mint to stop producing pennies due to high production costs, with a single penny costing…
Americans struggle without SNAP benefits
Olivia O’Sullivan Connector Staff In the wake of the government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would run out of funding to operate SNAP – the federal food assistance program – by November. The Trump administration previously stated that it would not be subsidizing November’s SNAP benefits with emergency funds. Before…
UMass Lowell students confront preachers
(Photo courtesy of Benjamin Heffner) “Students gather outside the South Campus quad” Makayala Mahoney Connector Staff On Thursday, October 30th, a UMass Lowell student threw a glass of milk at a religious demonstrator on south campus, resulting in his detainment by local law enforcement. The student was released on personal recognizance on Friday, October 31st,…
Voters rebuke Trump in 2025 elections
Benjamin Heffner Connector Editor On November 4, Americans headed to the polls to make their voices heard in state and local elections, marking the first test of President Donald Trump’s second administration, as the country grapples with the longest government shutdown in history. It was a strong evening for Democrats, who outperformed and exceeded expectations…
