Written by Eric Jackson  After previously playing football for two junior colleges, the misunderstood standout thinks it’s safe to call Valdosta his final stop. The Blazers’ newly acquired wide receiver considers himself blessed to be granted another opportunity. “I’m trying to make this a home run,” Downs said. “That’s what I’m coming in for, to make this the best out ...

by John Preer   Last January, teen Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat at Lowndes High School. The initial autopsy report ruled the teen’s death an accident as a result of positional asphyxiation. The report also stated that there were no indications of foul play. On June 15, the Johnson family received a judge’s permission to exhume ...

Written by Jordan Barela   The VSU Theatre and Dance group will kick off the school year with their production of “Lonely, I’m Not” today at 7:30 p.m. “Lonely, I’m Not” is a dark comedy written by Paul Weitz, also known for being the director of “American Pie.” The play, which premiered in May 2012, is Weitz’s most recent off-Broadway ...

Written by Chris Kessler   VSU’s quest for a consecutive National Championship starts Saturday at Fort Valley State in the “Macon Heritage Classic.” Despite a decisive 62-14 victory over the Wildcats a year ago, VSU is not taking its season opener lightly. “We’re in a situation that we can’t take anyone lightly, and we’re going to get everyone’s best and ...

by Neil Frawley   After countless hours of practice, the VSU volleyball team is just about ready for its season-opening West Georgia Invitational in Carrollton, Ga. this weekend. Seven teams will be on display at the tournament, and three represent the Gulf South Coast Conference, including host team West Georgia, West Alabama and VSU. The two-day tournament will have the ...

by Alex Tostado   This weekend, the VSU women’s soccer team welcomes Florida Southern and Florida Tech in hopes of winning the two games. “We have to be really competitive on the ball and off of the ball,” VSU Head Soccer Coach Mel Heinz said. Coach Heinz also said that increasing scoring from last season has been one of the ...

Thursday, Aug. 29, The Happening came to the Front Lawn, and here’s what happened… 

Written by: Jordan Barela  Social media is constantly changing. Like the technology in our phones, laptops and tablets, the social media that is intertwined advances when the technology upgrades. Social media is so integral to everyday life that, now, everybody and their mother has a Facebook profile—literally. Even though Facebook has been at top of the social media ladder since its ...

by Brian Hickey   Although there are no flying cars just yet, we may already be living in the Jetsons-esque future that we’ve long awaited. Once costing $20,000, the MakerBot Replicator 1 now sells online for less than $1,000. This past January, VSU purchased two of the devices for about $2,000 each and the filament used for the machines, which ...

by Steven Setser   Welcome to another edition of Spec Tech, where you can read about all of the newest technologies coming out. Let’s get started! Do you have a small phone? Don’t worry. Samsung has got you covered with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This phone has not officially been announced yet, but Samsung representatives have said that it ...