Gianna Ortner-Findlay


Words

On The Ground •

On The Ground: July 19-25

Hello, and welcome back to On The Ground, a biweekly publication where I talk about a little bit of everything. In this publication, you can learn about new media you can consume in In The Know, and listen to or read rotating topics in the essay/podcast section Understanding the Canvas. You’ll also see a breakdown of some of this week’s major headlines, where I tie together the threads laid out by multiple outlets to piece together the full story from articles at the local, national and internat...
On The Ground •

On The Ground: July 5th-11th

Hello, and welcome to the inaugural On The Ground newsletter, a biweekly publication where we talk about a little bit of everything (culture, arts & life, the news, etc.) and I provide a breakdown of this week’s major headlines, tying together the strings from multiple outlets to show you the full story on a local, national and international scale.Thank you for being here; now let’s get on the ground.I noticed that the news cycle can be overwhelming for both journalists (absorbing and reporting)...
On The Ground •

Introducing On the Ground

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct the usage of the term “op-ed” to accurately reflect what can be expected from the publication

Hi there! My name is Gianna, and for the last 10 years, I have been pursuing the art of storytelling, building on a foundation in high school journalism that followed me into college. I am a recent graduate of the Mayborn School of Journalism, a college within the University of North Texas that specializes in teaching the next generation of journalis...
NTDaily.com •

Letter from the Editor: Looking back on a semester of growth

When I first started at the North Texas Daily in the fall of 2022, the dream of one day applying for Editor-in-Chief felt extremely far away. As most students know, and are constantly reminded during their first years at school, the time we have goes by fast.

Before I knew it, I was hitting apply and sitting before the Student Media Committee, on the verge of tears. While I had fought for my spot in every position I had held at the Daily, the role of editor-in-chief was different. It would be an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and a mark on the heart of the Daily.

When I first received the notification that I would be editor-in-chief from former Editor-in-Chief Chris Moss in the spring, I asked him if he was serious. Anyone who has spent years wanting something understands the sense of suspended disbelief when you realize you have made your dream a reality.
NTDaily.com •

Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ surprises in relatively faithful retelling

When English author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was creating “Frankenstein” – also known as “The Modern Prometheus” – during the “Year Without Summer” in 1816, it was in the wake of grief.Shelley, who originally published the novel anonymously in 1818, wrote a story about reanimation as she worked through the grief of losing her own child, and would never know the true impact her worst nightmare would leave on Gothic horror. Shelley’s creation, “Frankenstein,” is credited as the foundation for t...
NTDaily.com •

SGA passes proposed athletic fee 12-2, moves to student body vote in November

The university’s Student Government Association voted 12-2 in favor of a proposed 40 percent student athletic fee increase. While SGA approved the referendum, it now moves to a student body vote, to be held Nov. 17-20, to determine whether the fee increase will be enacted. If passed, the new athletic fee would increase from the current $17.85 per credit hour to $20 per credit hour starting in the 2026-2027 academic year. In the next three years, the fee would increase incrementally until it reac...
NTDaily.com •

Saint Motel’s companion album ‘Afterglow’ expertly utilizes symphonic exploration and emotional intimacy

When indie-pop band Saint Motel’s fourth album, “Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky,” was released earlier this year on Valentine’s Day, it was met with a mixed reception. At the time of its release, the album was just one part of an ongoing project for the band, and its companion album “Afterglow” picked up right where “Symphony in the Sky” left off, if not more effectively. The 10-track, 35-minute album released on Oct. 10 builds upon the groundwork laid by the sister album, but moves away...

'You don't know the life of a showgirl, babe:' Taylor Swift's 12th album withers in the spotlight

When Grammy award-winning American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced her newest album on August 12 during an episode of “New Heights,” a podcast co-hosted by her now-fiancé, Travis Kelce, with his brother Jason Kelce, the internet erupted.

Predictions for Swift’s 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” were largely positive, with 2.7 million copies of the album selling the day of its release, Oct. 3.

A little over a year and a half after Swift’s dual-sided “The Tortured Poets Department” (2024), instead of listeners receiving a powerfully composed and well-thought-out album, listeners received some of Swift’s most disappointing lyricism in recent years. Although the self-labeled poet is well known for cleverly written lyrics transposed over pop beats, “The Life of a Showgirl” seems to have left these elements hidden behind the curtain.
NTDaily.com •

University receives backlash after video of student confrontation: A timeline of unfolding events

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include a response from Rep. Andy Hopper and to update our timeline of events.A week after university student Mary-Catherine Hallmark posted a video to TikTok showing a confrontation that occurred before her qualitative methods class, the university received a letter from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton questioning the university for potentially violating Texas law. The letter, addressed to University President Harrison Keller and Dean of Student...
NTDaily.com •

‘Recent actions’ on campus prompt university response after Charlie Kirk assassination

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include a statement from the university.The university released an official statement Thursday afternoon following the “recent actions of a few of our community members” after the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 during a “Prove Me Wrong” debate at Utah Valley University.The “recent actions” that prompted the university’s statement were not specified. The North Texas Daily reached out to the university for clar...
NTDaily.com •

Sabrina Carpenter proves why she is ‘Man’s Best Friend’ in seventh studio album

Nearly a year to the date from Sabrina Carpenter’s last show-stopping album “Short n’ Sweet,” the pop singer surprised fans with the announcement of her seventh studio album, “Man’s Best Friend,” on Instagram and other platforms on June 11. Fans had to wait two and a half months for the Aug. 29 release, with the album’s only proper single, “Manchild,” dropping on June 5, nearly a week before the album's announcement. The two other singles released earlier this year on Feb. 13, “15 Minutes” and “...
NTDaily.com •

University ends pause on drag in response to ACLU and FIRE’s letter requesting to rescind the ban

On Aug. 27, the university sent a letter to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas stating that it would be lifting its ban on drag performances on campus.According to the letter, obtained in an email by the North Texas Daily, the decision was made in response to a letter signed on Aug. 14 by FIRE and the ACLU, asking the university to reconsider its decision, citing a ruling decreed by the U.S. Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit.The Aug....
NTDaily.com •

Letter from the Editor: The fruition of a lifelong love of storytelling

Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to be a storyteller, surrounding myself with the written word in any way I could. At first, I wanted to be a fiction writer, creating worlds and characters that would come to life on the page, and providing young readers with the same sense of wonder I had experienced while reading. Journalism caught my attention in high school in an introductory media class. I got a glimpse of what it would be like to tell people’s real stories. Eagle Nation Online’...
NTDaily.com •

University notifies students of residency status changes following Texas Dream Act reversal

Chris Foster, the university’s associate vice president of the Division of Enrollment, sent a notice on Aug. 2 to students the university identified as not meeting residency status. The notice informed them they have until Aug. 8 to confirm their citizenship, if they believe the designation was made in error.  The notice states that the change is in response to the June 4, 2025, ruling that overturned House Bill 1403, the Texas Dream Act, which extended in-state tuition and granted eligibility t...
NTDaily.com •

Hood Sensory combines style and sensory needs

University alumna and founder of Hood Sensory, Katina Stone-Butler, was among the Black Lives Matter protesters amid a humid Texas summer day in 2020, where daytime temperatures can soar beyond 95 degrees. During the heat, she wondered, “Why are my kids wearing hoodies in the summertime?” The results she found were a flurry of information that prompted her to explore further, searching for sensory needs clothing, where she found options, but none that she felt fit her kids or their sense of styl...
NTDaily.com •

University alumna opens up shop: ‘Crochet has my heart’

After nearly six years of dreaming, university alumna and Denton resident Shelly Diaz found the perfect spot for her small business. At 934 N. Locust St., less than a mile from Denton’s Downtown Square, Denton Yarnworks sits between a State Farm insurance building and residential housing. The store announces its presence with a banner and a chalk sign, welcoming customers in.The yarn store hosted its grand opening on June 14. Diaz said the turnout “blew my mind,” and exceeded her expectations. S...
NTDaily.com •

Revolution Record Convention spins back for third anniversary

On the morning of June 28, the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center was transformed. Rows upon rows of records lined the main exhibiting space, posters were displayed on the wall and items from T-shirts to tote bags were visible to peruse as vendors from across Texas gathered to sell their wares. KUZU 92.9 FM, in partnership with Recycled Books, Records & CDs, hosted its third annual Revolution Record Convention. The convention, often shortened to REVCON, was a seven-hour affair. Early bird access beg...
NTDaily.com •

‘Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil:’ a tale of rage, love, hunger

“Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil,” the latest addition to New York Times Bestselling author V.E. Schwab's list of titles, is a masterclass in uncovering new angles in the shadows of an old genre. The novel, around 560 pages long, is a daring step into a new kind of vampiric novel, one interwoven with historical intricacies, love and heartbreak. It is a nearly perfect novel, faltering only with its rushed and cliff-hanger ending, which, as a standalone work, leaves the reader feeling dangled...
NTDaily.com •

‘Wherever I go, whatever I do, Denton will be in my heart:’ Blind Fox closes food truck after more than half a decade

After working in the food industry for 10 years and getting her associate's degree in culinary arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas, Krysten Hanger moved to Denton in December 2019 with the dream of opening a restaurant. Hanger and fellow chef and then-business partner Keith Abate put those plans on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Citing financial and health safety concerns, the pair pivoted to launching Blind Fox as a food truck instead.Now, more than five years later, Hanger, who has...
NTDaily.com •

Mayfaire Renaissance Market aims to ‘scratch the medieval itch’

In the grassy hills outside the Denton Civic Center, the sounds of horns and overlapping orchestral vocals floated over traffic, accented by the impact of foam swords on foam shields and metal axes sliding off of fortified wood as Vikings clashed. Attendees, ranging from fairies with intricate wings and sprites with mushroom-capped hair to barbarians and knights in full medieval armor, flocked to the Mayfaire Renaissance Market on May 24. While rooted in Denton’s market and vendor scene, the eve...
NTDaily.com •

A blend of documentary screenings, music showcases and art exhibitions across downtown Denton, Thin Line Fest finishes 18th year

As Thin Line Fest, a five-day, three-part multimedia festival, came to a close, its final two days ended just as lively as it began, celebrating art in all its forms starting around 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27. Throughout downtown Denton, attendees danced to music from local bands like Dome Dwellers and international acts like My Bad Sister as venues emitted a mix of sounds and camera flashes as photographers captured their performances.The now-concluded festival celebrated 18 y...
NTDaily.com •

University alumnus releases debut album ‘Forever Came Too Soon,’ explores loss and love for life with music

After over two decades surrounded by music and a decade in the industry, university alumnus and Texas-native Luke Herbert released his debut album, “Forever Came Too Soon,” on May 2. The 10-track album runs just under 29 minutes and culminates Herbert's years of sound experimentation and production practice with other musicians. In addition to being self-produced, the album showcases Herbert as a one-man band, with the musician playing every instrument himself or using software to replicate them...
NTDaily.com •

5-day Thin Line Fest returns with photography, music and film showcase

Thin Line Fest returned to Denton’s Downtown Square for its 18th year April 23-27, showcasing free events and performances across Denton.With an average annual attendance of 15,000 people, the longest-running documentary film festival in Texas’s lineup included a showcase of more than 160 photos, over 40 bands and 67 films.The opening reception, held at the UNT CoLab on Wednesday, April 23, welcomed featured photographers and others to socialize. Complimentary drinks and food were provided. The...
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