Helena Hennessy

Journalism student at The Ohio State University

The Lantern •

Matt Schmidt of Schmidt’s Sausage Haus family dies in Upper Arlington house fire Sunday

Columbus’ family-owned business Schmidt’s Sausage Haus has lost a family member following an Upper Arlington house fire Sunday morning.

Matt Schmidt, a 43-year-old fifth-generation family member and brand ambassador of Schmidt’s Sausage Haus in German Village, was pronounced dead after his Chevington Road home caught fire just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday, the Upper Arlington Fire Division said in an NBC4 article.

“[Matt Schmidt’s] magnetic personality, kindness and service to all he met, both perso...
The Lantern •

StateHouse Highline terminates student leases following expanded master lease agreement with Ohio State

For upperclassmen seeking off-campus housing, apartment-living in the University District can be hard to come by — making reliability a deciding factor within choosing who to sign a lease with.

StateHouse Highline notified students March 11 in an email obtained by The Lantern that as a result of the expansion of their master lease agreement with Ohio State, leases signed for the 2026-2027 term would be terminated.

As an alternate housing option, StateHouse offered students the possibility of t...
The Lantern •

‘You, Me & Tuscany’ cast and creators discuss the film’s implications for the rom-com genre

Romantic comedies in the modern era of filmmaking often fall victim to common tropes and stereotypes — the creatives behind “You, Me & Tuscany” aim to escape this fate.

The film, which releases in theaters April 10, was written by married screenwriters Ryan Engle and Kristin N. Engle, and stars Halle Bailey, of “The Little Mermaid” (2023), and Regé-Jean Page, of season one of the TV series “Bridgerton.”

In the rom-com, Anna’s (Bailey) life is in shambles — she has abandoned her career aspirati...
The Lantern •

The Little Bar to close Sunday for demolition after 20 years of service

After 20 years on High Street, The Little Bar will close its doors Monday, but not without hosting various going-away festivities.

The bar’s lease will end March 31, according to prior Lantern reporting. Following that date, the building — located at 2195 N. High St. — is set to be demolished and replaced with a nine to 12-story apartment building that will touch High Street, Norwich and Lane Avenues.

“I guess everything good comes to an end,” said John Massimiani, The Little Bar owner.

The b...
The Lantern •

$84 million University Square development to include 141-room Marriott hotel and 120 residential units

The University District continues to evolve and expand its multi-use buildings as more details about another hotel and apartment complex have come to light.

Set to open in May 2029, the University Square hotel and apartment complex — to be located at the northwest corner of North Pearl Street and East 16th Avenue — will cost $83.5 million in total, with the city of Columbus providing $5 million to build parking spaces, according to public records from the city of Columbus and the development ag...
The Lantern •

Ohio State community reflects on mental health resource accessibility and campus outreach efforts

When students reach out to Ohio State’s Counseling and Consultation Service for mental health resources, they expect to be met with quick response times and unconditional support — sometimes, these expectations are not met.

Kylie Stuart, a second-year in strategic communication, contacted CCS in fall 2025, expecting her request for an appointment to be met in a timely manner.

Before the start of winter break, Stuart said she had her first appointment — it was a positive experience. Her next ap...
The Lantern •

Ohio State’s viral a capella group Buck That! proceeds to Midwest ICCA semifinals

The International Championship of Collegiate A Capella is not merely a “Pitch Perfect” plotline — it is entirely real, and Ohio State’s Buck That! a capella team is dominating the competition.

Buck That!, one of Ohio State’s competitive men’s a capella groups, have advanced to the semifinals in the 2026 Midwest International Championship of Collegiate A Capella. Their performance will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday in Indianapolis at Warren Central High School.

“It can be very intimidating when...
The Lantern •

High Street business owners reflect on Ohio State’s history of locally formed friendships

For businesses residing on High Street, each establishment faces fierce competition.

Scott Ellsworth and Jimmy Barouxis both took ownership of their university district businesses in 2007. When they met, their relationship was purely transactional. Now, after two decades of working alongside one another, they consider themselves brothers.

Ellsworth owns the series of number bars along High Street — consisting of the soon-to-be revived Twos Under High, Threes Above High, Fours on High, and Five...
The Lantern •

‘The end of an era’: Fives Up High announces May closure, promotes Twos Under High’s reopening

Fives Up High will be closing its doors in May.

In a Tuesday Instagram post, the well-known campus area bar announced it was shutting its doors so the owners can focus on opening Twos Under High, a location closer to campus.

“Fives has been a huge part of our brand, but as we grow, we evolve,” the Instagram post said. “We’ve decided to go all-in on our next big project: moving the spirit of Fives (and the liquor license!) into a brand-new basement space [of Twos Under High], opening this Augus...
The Lantern •

Ohio State professor Victor St. John reflects on ‘Love Is Blind’ experience, marriage and newfound friendships

For 10 seasons now, the hit Netflix dating show “Love Is Blind” has asked contestants the question: could you fall in love with someone without ever seeing their face?

Victor St. John, an assistant professor in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, sought to find out after his friend suggested he check out the application.

“One of the things I quickly noticed was that [the application] really forced you to think about yourself in a very introspective way, in terms of just what your romanti...
The Lantern •

Unverferth House to be demolished and reconstructed to create 23 units

A temporary free housing facility for patients and families seeking treatment at the Wexner Medical Center, was unanimously approved to be demolished and replaced to create 23 units.

The Unverferth House — located at 190 King Ave. — currently has eight units and most often serves heart patients, as it is located less than a mile from the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, according to its website.

The pitch was presented to the University Area Commission on Wednesday to the review board by Dave P...
The Lantern •

The O on Lane aims to foster community through launch of new delivery van

A hot and fresh set of wheels will soon be spotted around campus — the “O on the Go.”

The O on Lane, a local pizza hot spot located at 352 W. Lane Ave., announced in an Instagram post that the business launched its new delivery van for large takeout orders.

“It’ll be a different way for us to approach business, because it’ll be a mobile part, and we’ve never had that before,” said Natalie Wallace, a manager and fourth-year in health sciences.

While The O on Lane has previously offered short-d...
The Lantern •

Wexner Center for the Arts celebrates campus-wide community and compassion for Buckeye Love Week

This week, the Ohio State community will be celebrating the #BuckeyeLove campaign, centered around spreading acts of kindness around campus.

The campaign occurs yearly, every February during the week of both Valentine’s Day and National Random Acts of Kindness Day on Feb. 17, according to the Office of Marketing and Communications website.

Many campus departments host celebratory events in honor of Buckeye Love week, such as Residence Life and Greek Life, Wexner Medical Center and Wexner Cente...
The Lantern •

Local businesses stayed open amidst frigid temperatures during Winter Storm Fern

This weekend, Columbus received about a foot of snow, which blanketed High Street and its residing local businesses. Though many of those establishments were forced to close their doors, some — rather ambitiously — remained open.

Winter Storm Fern resulted in Ohio State holding virtual classes Monday and Tuesday, per prior Lantern reporting. In addition, dining facilities on campus were limited. To combat these campus closures, some local businesses chose to open their doors to shivering Ohio S...
The Lantern •

High Street Ohio Stater apartments and Dunkin’ Donuts may be torn down for new multi-use building

Demolitions and renovations will continue to be seen throughout the upcoming years in the Ohio State community to make way for expanded apartment living, and the Ohio Stater apartments is on that demolition list.

In a University Impact District Review Board meeting Thursday, a proposal for a new seven story mixed-use building set to be built at 2060 N. High St. — which replaces the apartment building, as well as neighboring establishments, was reviewed.

The Ohio Stater confirmed on its website...
The Lantern •

Demolition of The Little Bar postponed, property lease to continue through March 31

The demolition of The Little Bar, a beloved establishment known for its welcoming environment, game day celebrations and close-knit community — located at 2195 N. High St. — has been postponed.

A demolition date of Jan. 12 was previously set by project Architect Mitchell Acock at a University Area Commission’s Zoning Committee meeting on Oct. 6, 2025 to replace the bar with a nine to 12 story apartment building that will touch High Street, Norwich and Lane Avenues, per prior Lantern reporting....
The Lantern •

The Lantern’s 2026 Ins and Outs List

January is the time to get settled into the new year, drafting personal expectations and goals for the upcoming months.

Resolutions aren’t the only lists people are drafting, though. For years, people have compiled their personal “ins and outs” lists for the year — things they’ll leave behind in the old year, and things they hope to bring into the new.

Using responses from a poll on The Lantern’s Instagram story, as well as personal picks by the Arts & Life desk, read on to learn what’s in — a...
The Lantern •

Threes Above High to hold fundraising night Wednesday in honor of Cailin Joyce

Threes Above High is set to host A Night of Full Out Fun — in memorial of Cailin Joyce, a second-year interior design major and Ohio State Club Dance Team member — 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Joyce — a vibrant member of her community — passed away Dec. 4 after a months-long battle with a rare blood disorder caused by Epstein-Barr virus, according to a GoFundMe page created in support of her and her family. According to the dive bar’s Instagram post, 50 percent of all proceeds from the night will be donat...
The Lantern •

Arts & Life Desk’s Top Picks for Best Movies of 2025

Despite the looming acquisition of Warner Bros by Netflix and concern regarding the future of the movie theater experience, which is slowly being overtaken by at-home streaming services, the film industry continues to persevere.

In 2025, United States film production companies released roughly 1,280 films, amassing over $17 billion worldwide. The Lantern’s Arts & Life desk has gone through and selected their top three releases of the year — films that defined the year, whether that be societall...
The Lantern •

Arts & Life Desk’s Top Picks for Best Albums of 2025

The just-completed 2025 was another year of big releases, with global superstars such as Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter dropping new music for diehard fans and casual listeners to enjoy. From mainstream musicians to up-and-coming artists, such as Addison Rae and Olivia Dean, both contenders for “Best New Artist” at the 68th annual Grammy Awards in February, 2025 marked another year of great music releases.

Read on to hear The Lantern’s Arts & Life desk’s top picks for albums of t...
The Lantern •

Barbie Winter Dreamhouse holiday-themed market to be hosted by Girl Next Door Flea Saturday

Girl Next Door Flea’s markets aim to curate an inviting atmosphere for the girls of the Ohio State community.

The local business will host its Barbie Winter Dreamhouse market Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 618 Neil Ave., and will feature over 45 vendors.

Some of the offerings the market entails include coffee, cocktail and pancake bars, an onsite tattoo artist, tooth gem artist and tarot reader, as well as vintage clothing and decor vendors, according to Girl Next Door Flea’s Instagram pos...
The Lantern •

Movie Review: “Wicked: For Good” balances tragedy and hope in the shadow of its predecessor

Following the cultural impact that “Wicked” made when it was released in theaters in 2024 — from the widespread green and pink propaganda to the signature “Defying Gravity” riff heard around the world — audiences are sure to be seated for its sequel.

The second installment in the “Wicked” duology — “Wicked: For Good” — released in theaters Friday. While the franchise maintains an online presence, its fame and accolades are well deserved, and “For Good” continues to prove its worth.

The film pi...
The Lantern •

Suicide Prevention Program to inspire a culture of care at Survivors of Suicide Loss Luminary Thursday

On Thursday, in honor of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, the Suicide Prevention Program will host its annual Survivors of Suicide Loss Luminary to commemorate those who have passed and uplift the voices of those impacted.

The event will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. on the South Oval, and the area will be lit up and decorated with scattered lanterns, Laura Lewis, assistant director of the program, said.

“We’re bringing together people who are survivors of suicide loss,” Lewis said....
The Lantern •

University Senate approves Appalachian and Rural Center for Health, expands medical outreach and research opportunities

The Ohio State University Senate approved a proposal to establish the Appalachian and Rural Center for Health at a meeting this past Thursday.

This new center will aim to expand the university’s clinical and research outreach in both Appalachian and rural areas throughout Ohio.

This proposal came from the Council on Academic Affairs. Council chair and presenter Sue Sutherland said ARCH’s mission aligns with both the Wexner Medical Center and the university’s strategic plans.

“Ohio ranks ninth...
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