The Dartmouth Independent
Diego Bello

Diego Bello

Arts & Culture Reporter

Diego Bello is a junior from Miami, Florida, a Cuban-American double majoring in English and Film Studies. An aspiring critic who sees art and culture as deeply political, he brings a playful, witty voice to his coverage of arts, entertainment, sports, and cultural events on campus and in the Upper Valley.

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Covers: Arts, Culture, Film, Sports, Entertainment

Articles by Diego Bello (18)

Hanover winter running about 5 degrees colder than 30-year average, professors say
Campus

Hanover winter running about 5 degrees colder than 30-year average, professors say

Hanover has been experiencing an unusually cold winter, with average temperatures so far about five degrees colder than the 30-year average, according to Dartmouth geography professor Alexander Reid Gottlieb. Gottlieb said the colder-than-normal start to the season could also slow the Upper Valley’s recovery from last summer’s drought. The frigid stretch stands out because recent winters have been relatively warm, and because regional climate trends point toward milder cold seasons over time. Faculty members said this year’s temperatures are best understood as a short-term anomaly within a longer-term warming pattern that carries implications for local soil moisture, winter recreation, and

Friends, family remember Kate Ginger ’27 for creativity, care for others
Campus

Friends, family remember Kate Ginger ’27 for creativity, care for others

Kate Ginger ’27, a neuroscience major from Fairhope, Alabama, died on Nov. 28, 2025, from complications with her cancer treatment, according to her mother Sherri Ginger. She was 20. Friends, classmates and family described Ginger as an artist and organizer who threw herself into Dartmouth life through dance, writing, outdoor work and student leadership. Those who spoke about her said she was known for noticing details and for a direct, grounded way of showing care that made people feel seen. Ginger was involved in a range of campus groups and activities, including the Sugarplum dance group, First-Year Trips, Spare Rib

Circle Furniture closes all Massachusetts and New Hampshire stores ahead of Christmas
Culture

Circle Furniture closes all Massachusetts and New Hampshire stores ahead of Christmas

Circle Furniture, a retailer with eight locations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, appears to have abruptly closed all of its stores days before Christmas, according to a message posted on the company’s website. A notice on the Circle Furniture website said, “All Circle Furniture Locations are CLOSED Till Further Notice.” The apparent closures affect stores in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood, Acton, Cambridge, Framingham, Hyannis, Middleton and Pembroke, as well as a store in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The company also has a warehouse and outlet store in Acton. The sudden shutdown matters for employees and customers across the region during one of

Beilock Announces Plans to Expand ROTC and Veteran Support at Dartmouth
Campus

Beilock Announces Plans to Expand ROTC and Veteran Support at Dartmouth

College President Sian Leah Beilock announced Dartmouth’s intention to expand its Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program during the annual Veterans Day Recognition Breakfast on November 11. The announcement comes amid a broader initiative to bolster military-related programs and support communities of service on campus. In her remarks, Beilock outlined goals to not only increase the number of ROTC cadets but also double the undergraduate veteran population. She emphasized the importance of making Dartmouth a leader in fostering service-minded students. “At Dartmouth, we want to be leaders in recruiting and creating those committed to service through the military, government and other

NH Ski Areas Invest in Equipment and Upgrades Ahead of Winter Season
Culture

NH Ski Areas Invest in Equipment and Upgrades Ahead of Winter Season

With winter approaching, ski resorts across New Hampshire are making substantial investments in grooming equipment, lift infrastructure, and snowmaking systems in preparation for the upcoming season. These improvements aim to enhance conditions for skiers and boost local tourism revenue during the state’s most important recreational season. At Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, a new snow groomer from Prinoth has arrived just ahead of the mountain’s anticipated December 5 opening. The machine, along with a demo unit from the same company, is expected to improve trail quality. “Here in New England, grooming is critical,” said Robert Drake, general manager at Gunstock.

New Hampshire Governor Urges NYC Businesses to Relocate Following Mamdani Win
Culture

New Hampshire Governor Urges NYC Businesses to Relocate Following Mamdani Win

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s re-election campaign made headlines this week by launching a mobile advertising push in Midtown Manhattan, encouraging New York City business owners to consider relocating to the Granite State. The campaign follows the election of Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, as the next mayor of New York City. A mobile billboard truck drove through parts of Manhattan bearing rotating digital messages. The ads promoted New Hampshire as a tax-friendly and regulation-light alternative to the city. One of the slogans read, “NYC business owners: Mamdani got you down? Come on up to New Hampshire for no Communism,

Democratic Wins in East Coast Races Prompt Reflection at Dartmouth
Campus

Democratic Wins in East Coast Races Prompt Reflection at Dartmouth

Democrats secured major electoral victories this week in high-profile state and local races across the East Coast, prompting responses from politically engaged Dartmouth students on both sides of the aisle. The outcomes included gubernatorial wins in Virginia and New Jersey and the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor, marking key gains for the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman and self-identified democratic socialist, won the New York City mayoral race with 50.4% of the vote against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who garnered 41.6%. The race drew historically high turnout, with over two

Burnham Belief: Dartmouth Stuns Harvard, Eyes Ivy Crown
Sports

Burnham Belief: Dartmouth Stuns Harvard, Eyes Ivy Crown

The Ivy League doesn’t do fairy tales. It does frostbitten turf, academic pressure cookers, and soccer matches that feel like chess games played with cleats. So when Dartmouth men’s soccer punched its ticket to the Ivy League Tournament final with a 2–1 win over Harvard, it wasn’t magic, it was muscle memory, a little luck, and a whole lot of fight. Let’s rewind. This season hasn’t exactly been a highlight reel for the Big Green. A 3–7–3 overall record heading into the Harvard match painted a picture of a team stuck in neutral. Losses to Penn and Princeton stung. A

Dartmouth Rowing Shines at 60th Head of the Charles Regatta
Campus

Dartmouth Rowing Shines at 60th Head of the Charles Regatta

Dartmouth College rowing delivered one of its strongest all-around performances in recent history at the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta, held October 17 to 19 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Competing against thousands of athletes at the world’s largest three-day rowing event, the Big Green earned several medals and finished second in the MacMahon Cup team points standings, behind Princeton and ahead of Harvard. The regatta’s 4,800-meter course on the Charles River challenges rowers with tight turns and staggered time-trial starts. Nearly 12,000 competitors from around the world raced across the weekend, while spectators lined the river in the tens of

Harvard Hands Dartmouth Its Worst Loss in a Decade
Sports

Harvard Hands Dartmouth Its Worst Loss in a Decade

It wasn’t just a loss. It was a collapse. A 21-point shutout at Harvard Stadium that felt less like a football game and more like a slow-motion unraveling of everything Dartmouth had been building this season. No touchdowns. No rhythm. No answers. Just a long bus ride home and a scoreboard that refused to blink. Let’s start with the numbers, because they don’t lie, even when you wish they would. Dartmouth had 10 first downs. Harvard had 23. Dartmouth ran for 58 yards. Harvard ran for 209. Dartmouth had 2 turnovers. Harvard had none. And the most damning stat of

Clash in Cambridge: Dartmouth Prepares for Ivy Showdown with Harvard
Sports

Clash in Cambridge: Dartmouth Prepares for Ivy Showdown with Harvard

As the leaves turn and the Ivy League season heats up, Dartmouth Football heads to Cambridge this weekend for one of the most anticipated matchups of the year: a high-stakes clash with undefeated Harvard. With both teams vying for conference dominance, this isn’t just a game, it’s a collision of legacy, intellect, and grit. Harvard enters the contest with a perfect record and a defense that’s earned its reputation for disruption. The Crimson secondary is fast, physical, and unforgiving, often dictating tempo and forcing opponents into uncomfortable schemes. Their front seven has been particularly effective at collapsing pockets and stuffing

Blitzed and Bruised: Columbia Gets the Full Dartmouth Treatment
Sports

Blitzed and Bruised: Columbia Gets the Full Dartmouth Treatment

There’s something cinematic about football under the lights. The way the field glows like a stage, the crowd hums like a live score, and every snap feels like a scene from a sports movie you half-remember from middle school. Dartmouth’s Friday night showdown against Columbia wasn’t just a game, it was a full-blown genre piece. Think action flick meets revenge fantasy with a dash of teen drama. Final score? 49-3. And no, that’s not a typo. That’s a beatdown with a capital B. From the opening drive, the Big Green made it clear they weren’t here to play nice. Defensive

Fourth Quarter Fever: Dartmouth Football Finds Its Rhythm in the Bronx
Sports

Fourth Quarter Fever: Dartmouth Football Finds Its Rhythm in the Bronx

Let’s be honest. For most of the first half, Dartmouth football looked like it was stuck in a slow-motion replay. Drives that started with promise fizzled out like flat soda. The Bronx sun was shining, the turf was ready, and yet, six points. That’s all the Big Green could muster before halftime against Fordham. Six lonely points, courtesy of Owen Zalc’s field goals, while the Rams lurked, waiting for a misstep. And misstep they did. A punt return gone wrong, a collision that felt more like a blooper reel than a football play, and suddenly Fordham had the ball and

Big Green Starts Hot, Hands Penn the Plot Twist
Sports

Big Green Starts Hot, Hands Penn the Plot Twist

It started like a movie. Not a blockbuster, but one of those gritty sports dramas where the underdog throws the first punch. First play of the game, Dartmouth’s Harrison Keith dives like he’s auditioning for a Marvel stunt reel and snags an interception off Penn’s quarterback Liam O’Brien. Crowd goes wild. Momentum? All Big Green. Grayson Saunier, the freshman quarterback with legs like a gazelle and instincts like a seasoned vet, takes the ball and bolts into the end zone. Then he does it again. Two touchdowns in two possessions. Dartmouth up 14-3 early in the second quarter. Cue the

Wind Shift: Dartmouth Sailing Rewrites Its Legacy One Race at a Time
Sports

Wind Shift: Dartmouth Sailing Rewrites Its Legacy One Race at a Time

Out on Lake Mascoma, where the wind plays tricks and the water doesn’t care who you were last season, Dartmouth sailing is staging a comeback. Not a quiet one, either. It’s loud in its intent, bold in its structure, and kind of poetic in its symmetry. A team once crowned national champion, twice, actually, in 2018 and 2019, is now rebuilding with a roster that looks more like a revolution than a revival. Eleven first-years, the largest freshman class since 2021, have joined the fray. That’s not a ripple. That’s a wave. At the helm is Rebecca McElvain, a name

Big Green’s Final-Second Thriller Turns Saunier into Dartmouth’s Leading Man
Sports

Big Green’s Final-Second Thriller Turns Saunier into Dartmouth’s Leading Man

It’s the kind of ending that makes you believe in sports movies again. Not the glossy, overproduced kind with orchestral swells and slow-motion montages, but the scrappy, underdog flicks where the quarterback you didn’t expect to be the hero throws a pass that feels like it’s carrying the weight of every practice, every mistake, every second-string doubt. That’s what happened in New Britain, Connecticut, when Dartmouth’s football team, yes, the Ivy League’s own Big Green, pulled off a 35-28 win over Central Connecticut State University in a game that felt like it was written by someone who really loves third-act

Big Green Breaks the Curse, Harvard Gets Schooled
Sports

Big Green Breaks the Curse, Harvard Gets Schooled

Twenty years. That’s how long it’s been since Dartmouth women’s soccer walked off Harvard’s turf with a win. That’s not just a stat, it’s a generational drought. Think about it. The last time the Big Green beat the Crimson on the road, YouTube didn’t exist, Beyoncé hadn’t gone solo, and the iPhone was still a fever dream. So when Kate Ryan ’27 knocked in the game-winner in the 75th minute, it wasn’t just a goal. It was a reckoning. The match itself? A slow burn. Harvard outshot Dartmouth 13 to 6, but stats don’t always tell the story. The Crimson

Dartmouth's Free Expression Policies Earn National Praise
Campus

Dartmouth's Free Expression Policies Earn National Praise

Dartmouth College has long been regarded as a bastion of academic freedom and intellectual inquiry, but recent rankings suggest that the institution is indeed committed to fostering an environment where students feel empowered to express themselves freely. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which annually assesses the toleration of American universities, Dartmouth ranks 35th among colleges nationwide in terms of free speech – a significant improvement from its 224th position last year. This shift in ranking underscores the college’s dedication to creating a space where students can engage in open and honest discourse, unencumbered by fear