A Troy pet rescue center held a pet food drive last Tuesday to provide support for struggling animal owners during the financial uncertainty of the government shutdown.  Troy Animal Rescue Project (TARP) is a 501(c) non-profit, no-kill animal shelter that has rehomed thousands of pets in need since their start in 2014. Their website, troyanimalrescueproject.org , says their goal is to help any animals that need it, without discrimination.   “We are dedicated to rescuing pets

The Trojan Pantry is combating on-campus food insecurity by making sure students have access to the resources they need – resources which are becoming less available for some due to the current government shutdown.   Operated by the Office of Civic Engagement, the pantry provides free access to food, hygiene products and basic school supplies for all enrolled students. With nearly one-third of students facing food insecurity, the Trojan Pantry plays a key role in supporting s

With the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) having lost much of its funding during the current government shutdown, many families across the country are turning to food banks to help meet their needs.  In Troy, one pantry is already seeing changes. The Troy Resilience Project (TRP) is a social service organization dedicated to helping those in need.  Simon Brown The building for TRP helps support Troy residents in need. TRP gets food donations from Saint Mark’s

Solution: Negotiate now, and negotiate early As of Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, the United States Federal Government, for the first time since Trump’s first presidency, has been shut down for 20 days. For 20 days, the government has not been fully funded. This does not mean, as is commonly assumed, our elected officials do not collect a paycheck. Rather, they still get to collect their salaries, which are, according to congress.gov , a minimum of $129,284.    https://www.congress.g

Let's hope the Democratic Shutdown ends soon The government has been shut down since Oct. 1, 2025. A government shutdown is the suspension of non-essential government functions when Congress fails to pass appropriate bills to fund the government. This leads to many government employees going without pay, losing their jobs to job cutsor being furloughed. So, why is the government shut down now?  According to bbc.com , the US Government shut down because Republicans and Democra

With federal funding interrupted by the ongoing government shutdown, military students are not receiving their regular Military Tuition Assistance (TA) to pay for schooling. To counter this, Troy University is now offering a temporary tuition scholarship for military students impacted by the shutdown,ensuring that eligible service members can continue their education with no out-of-pocket expenses.  “We’re trying to support all of our students however we can during the shutdo

Congressman Shomari Figures travelled to Alabama last week to speak with residents of District 2 about the government shutdown. One of his stops included Pike County, where many anticipatory citizens gathered in a new school building to meet him.   Troy students and locals alike attended the event.  Kathryn Clark Photo Pike County residents listen to COngressman Figures speak. “It was really enlightening just to be able to come and engage in this experience,” said Jayden McQu