BOARD OF TRUSTEES ACCEPT S&A BUDGET PROPOSAL
-but only for a year-
IN “MIDDLE GROUND” DECISION
Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief
The Board of Trustees (BOT) voted in favor of a motion to approve the Services and Activities Committee’s (S&A) proposed budgets, but with a few additional stipulations. The proposed budgets, impacting a variety of organizations across campus, will not be quadrennial, as proposed, but rather will take effect only during the 20262027 academic year. This means that organizations can present new requests for three-year base funding at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The decision came after extended deliberations, in which the importance of student voices was repeatedly brought up, and the idea of precedence came under serious consideration. Programs still retaining base funding by the S&A proposed budgets will be able to apply for both base funding adjustments, or supplemental funding come October next year. However, programs that received total cuts, such as Theatre, Film, Mariachi and Lion Rock, will have to wait until the end of the 2025-2026 school year to re-apply for base funding.
Gladys Gillis, one of the Trustees, started the deliberations by outlining the situation. “No one broke any rules, I think we established that yesterday through the conversation,” Gillis said. “But I also felt that in the minutes of the group you’d say that they felt like they didn’t have adequate information as a group of young people in an educational environment dealing with issues that are probably the first time
they’ve been in these spaces dealing with these issues. [And] rather than taking a pause and researching the information, they chose to move forward and get done with the job.”
Joel Klucking, senior VP of finance and administration, proposed the original idea that was later adopted by the board. “There is middle ground there,” Klucking said. “The S&A committee does have fairly substantial reserves. We could … do something in between.”
“We could fund the two things that were very closely related to an academic program for a year potentially spending in a deficit by $70,000 and give a year for reconsideration by the S&A committee to come back and reevaluate next year,” Klucking continued “We could also do the quadrennial budget as a oneyear budget so it’s not a four-year decision. There’s things that this group can do that doesn’t overturn the decision of the S&A committee, to value the voice of the students, but still value the contributions of student media.”
Student Voices
Prior to the start of the deliberations, seven students and staff gave comments to the committee pleading with them to overturn the proposed budgets, citing a plethora of reasons including alleged procedural errors by the S&A committee. The speakers represented student media, Theatre, rugby, Lion Rock, the CWU pool, a community partnership proposal, and ASCWU and were each given two minutes to speak.
Gunner Stuns, CWU student and Editor-In-Chief of PULSE Magazine said in his comment, “I urge you to listen to the voices of students at CWU. Seven people [on the S&A committee] have been entrusted to act in the interest of thousands, and based on hundreds of petition signatures and protest attendees, they have not done so.”
The meeting took place over a two day period, with public comment and preliminary questions happening on Thursday and the final voting and deliberations ending on Friday. The Friday deliberations contained the bulk of the questioning within the BOT, and led to the final decision.
Eli Alvarado, the 2026-2026 student trustee and also a member of the S&A Committee, said during the deliberations, “I understand that there was some steamrolling because there were 16 hours of debate and recommendations that were happening. I don’t see really a possibility where the students, like you’re saying, the students on the S&A committee will change their decision given how unanimous it was.”
“I, as a student trustee, think that the best way forward for the betterment of students is to move [the budget] back to the S&A committee so that more students have a voice, so then we can respect those students’ voices as well,” Alvarado continued.
CONTINUED
An Editor’s Note on The Future of The Observer
There are still a lot of questions I see floating around about what this decision means for The Observer, and so I’d like to take a few paragraphs and answer the most pressing ones. To address the decision, we were obviously pushing for and hoping for the complete overturning of the budget so we could go into immediate re-deliberations. But, they did not overturn the budget, and because of that we have officially been cut to near defunding.
However, the scare that started this entire process back in Spring Break was that these budgets would affect us for the next four years, and we didn’t know if The Observer could stay afloat for those four years until it could be re-deliberated. So although we have been nearly defunded, we now only face a year of budget uncertainty, and we are determined to and singularly focused on navigating the challenges that come.
That said, we are not out of the woods yet. Yes, The Observer is no longer at risk of shutting down completely, and that is a massive improvement from where we started. But we are still at risk of losing some of the aspects of our work that make us who we are. With this next year of near defunding our staffing future is uncertain, and our printing future even more so. Regardless of what happens next, it’s safe to say The Observer is going to be changing in the coming years, that was happening no matter what. But at the very least, there will still be an Observer, an Observer that will keep fighting to stay afloat as long as there are students running it.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES CONTINUED
During his statements, Alvarado also repeatedly stated that he thought the S&A committee needed policy changes to avoid similar situations in the future.Having served on this year’s S&A committee, he abstained from voting on the proposed budget at the Trustees meeting.
Addressing the S&A Committee
One trustee, Jeff Charbonneau, argued the weight of overturning the budget, stating that it could set a dangerous precedent for future S&A decisions. “I just really want to be careful,” Charbonneau said, “That we never step into a scenario where we are telling the students what we value to be funded out of the S&A committee. Because it’s the student’s accounts. It’s the student’s money … I want to respect the student voice in this system. And so that’s where I get very, very leery. Let’s make sure that we’re respecting the committee that’s making sure that we’re reflecting the student’s voice on how they want to spend that money.”
The trustees also debated the importance of student media, and a free press at CWU. “That’s a bigger question we’re not going to address
LETTER from the EDITORS
What is up everyone,
Brandon
This week I have been all over the place, from Kendrick Lamar to the Seattle International Film Festival I’ve been running across the state and in the midst of it we’ve been dealing with what is now the final decision regarding our budgets. The work is not over, we will keep fighting, but I am hopeful for The Observers future. This has been the most wild quarter, and nothing that happened this quarter is anything I have ever anticipated when I took this job but it has certainly been a learning experience, and I am grateful to have had this amazing team to work with throughout the whole process.
Jackson
Over this weekend I got the pleasure of attending Kendrick Lamar’s and SZA’s Grand National Tour which was an absolute blast, shoutout to my little sister Gracie for one of the best Christmas presents. We also received final word on the budget for this upcoming year and I am very proud of the work that everyone has done on this team over the quarter. There is still more to do but I am confident in our team to continue pushing forward to get the funding student media deserves.
Issue 7 Recap
News this week featured budgets, not just affecting us but a variety of student-led programs, paid positions and other facets of student life. We also had more protests across campus this week, not only about colleges but reproductive rights as well. It’s been a busy week, and we will have much more coverage to come.
Scene has two stories this week with one looking into a prominent figure to come out of CWU in Waschoe the chimpanzee and her family. We also see a profile on a local entrepreneur who sells vinyls.
This week in sports we see CWU’s results from the GNAC Track and Field Outdoor Championship.clubs are also an important part of our school as we see the spotlight flip to the clubs with CWU Athletics season getting close to wrapping up.
Design was beautifully woven into the paper this week, with another protest center spread and a uniquely powerful black and white opinion section. Our design team tried a bunch of new ideas and we are psyched with all of them. Assuming you haven’t yet, flip through our pages and admire their amazing work!
Hondo Acosta-Vega’s name was misspelled on first reference
Aylin Parrazal Bravo’s name was misspelled in election results
STAFF
Faculty
Editorial
Co-Editor-In-Chief Brandon
Lead
to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.
here. But I think one that we should strongly consider,” Jeff Hensler, a trustee, said. “I think having independent press is a long-standing tradition on a campus and something that I think is very valuable as an institution.”
During the deliberations, the idea that S&A processes need to be changed so that a situation like this does not arise again in the future was repeatedly brought up. Specifically, the idea of allowing a period of “appeal” after S&A proposed budgets where students can work to mend the proposed budgets before it’s sent to the Board of Trustees was discussed. Wohlpart, in relation to those ideas, said, “We’re going through that process. Veronica [Gomez Vilchis, VP student engagement and success] is already moving through that process.”
Eventually, citing issues with how overturning the budget would affect current timelines, and most notably with the precedent sending back the budget would set, the board voted in favor of a decision to approve the proposed budget, but with the aforementioned stipulations.
Brandon with his girlfriend
Jackson with his sister
CWU TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES
TAKE HOME GOLD AT GNAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Parker Wood Lead Reporter
On May 9 and 10, the Central Washington University Track and Field team met with many other schools at Civic Stadium in Bellingham, Wash. to compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Track and Field Outdoor Championship. With the men’s and women’s team coming in second the year prior, both teams hoped to dethrone the back-to-back champs Western Washington University. The CWU men’s team fell down a podium spot, coming in third with 105 points, behind second place Western Oregon University with 116, and Western Washington University won their third outdoor championship in a row with a GNAC record breaking 302 points. The CWU Women’s team came just short of dethroning the three time champs with 204 points to Western Washington’s 229.
The men’s team was fronted by fifth year distance sprinter Johan Correa and freshman hurdler David Brown who both earned gold. Correa, in one of his last sprints for the Wildcats, earned gold in the 800-meter with 1:49.68 minutes and Brown earned gold in 110-meter hurdles with 14.32 seconds.
Brown, despite being a freshman at CWU, has already broken the men’s 110m hurdle and has now brought CWU a gold medal. Despite accomplishing so much so early in his collegiate track and field career, Brown isn’t getting comfortable. “I’m always trying to push myself, chase a better time, and become a better sprinter,” Brown said. “So if I’m good at one event trying to learn how to do another one, like 400 hurdles. I’m trying to get better at that one. So always chasing something is probably what helps me become better as an athlete.”
On the women’s side, 10 golds were taken home, 6 of which were earned by Sophomore Emy Ntekpere and fifth year E’lexis Hollis, who were given the Women’s Field and Track Athlete of the Meet respectively. Ntekpere earned gold in High Jump with 1.73m, long jump with 5.88m, and triple jump with 12.54m. Hollis brought home gold in 100m dash with 11.33 seconds, which is a personal best and is ranked fifth in the entirety of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II (NCAA DII). She also ranked first in the 200m dash with 23.61 seconds and propelled the 4x100m relay team to first with the team earning 45.16 seconds.
Fifth year Payton Elenbaas got a personal best in hammer throw with 55.44m which translated to gold in the outdoor championship. Junior Carley Huber also brought home a gold and a personal best, but in women’s 400-meter hurdles with 1:00.13 seconds. Sophomore Lauryn McGough became the first woman
to win both Pole Vault and Javelin throw in the same GNAC meet, winning pole vault with 3.79 meters and winning javelin with 43.92 meters.
For McGough, the results were a surprise. “[It’s] very unexpected to win both of them [Pole vault and Javelin]. Especially Javelin, I was not doing well the whole year,” McGough said. Before the 2025 GNAC Outdoor Championship meet, McGough had never broken into the top three in Javelin, with her best result coming in last year’s outdoor championship where she placed 4th with 40.16 meters. While the 5-foot8 sophomore won gold for CWU, she was also named to the all-academic GNAC team, picking up where she left off at high school, where she was named to the honor roll all four years. In terms of improvement, McGough self-evaluated herself and realized she needs to be more committed mentally. “I’ve been really busy with academics and it feels like I have a million cups and they’re all half full,” McGough said. “Over the summer and going into fall, I’m gonna really try to have a few cups and be able to balance them more and put more of my mental space to the track.”
Huber is no stranger to succeeding in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, as she has only dropped out of the top five twice in her collegiate
Academic team honors. “Balancing student athlete and work life can definitely be a struggle at times,” Huber said. “Glory to God in all of that … My faith keeps me grounded and calm throughout all the things that goes on.”
For the summer, track and field athletes have different plans. “I’m probably just gonna call my coach up every day, make him give me workouts and and just work my butt off every single day,” Brown said when asked for his summer plans. “If he tells me to rest, then I’ll rest, but I’m always not going to just be comfortable with where I’m at.”
For McGough and Huber however, the plan is to rest their body. “We normally take a few weeks or a month off, which is very much needed, especially towards the end of the year… It’s really nice to give your body a break and your mind a break,” McGough said. “I’ll probably take most of June off then start back in July. I’ll be travelling a lot this summer so I’ll train wherever I’m travelling and pole vault here and there.”
“Taking a break right now is definitely good while I can,” Huber said. “But I still incorporate practice time throughout the summer.”
Both McGough and Huber won’t be entirely inactive however, with McGough participating in other athletic activities such as Pickleball, Spike ball, and Swimming. Huber, wherever she will be travelling, will be going on runs early in the morning. “Make summer training something fun, not just summer training,” Huber said.
Seven Wildcats qualified for the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships with Correa qualifying for the 800 meter, Ntekpere for both the High Jump and Triple Jump, McGough for the pole vault, Hollis for the 100 and 200 meter dash along with joining the 4x100 meter relay comprised of Hollis herself, Elise Hopper, Zoe Gonzales, and Ashlynn Nielsen. For Correa and Hollis, this is their last chance to represent the Wildcats. Regardless of the NCAA DII results, Correa will be leaving with the CWU 800-meter, 1500-meter, 5000-meter, and mile records. Hollis will also have their name in the record books, holding the women’s 100 meter and 200 meter record.
Emy Ntekpere and E’lexis Hollis showing off their Athlete of the Meet awards. (Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics)
THE CWU WINDMACHINE: ULTIMATE FRISBEE FORMS A COMMUNITY
Jackson Roberts Co-Editor-In-Chief
Club sports at CWU provide students an opportunity to meet other students, get physical activity and bond with friends. The clubs are student led and promote building a community. With over 15 sports clubs available to this day, students can find the one that calls to them.
Treasurer of CWU’s Ultimate Frisbee club The Windbreakers, Riess Magee, detailed what the club is all about. “We have a really awesome club here at Ultimate Frisbee because we allow everyone. From skills, age, male and female we allow everyone, we are very accepting,” Magee said. “Ultimate Frisbee is one of those sports in clubs where you can come in with no experience. I can name five people here who have never played Ultimate Frisbee until this year and now they are stars … You can come in as a beginner and come in here and we will accept you guys.”
Magee spoke about the level of competition that The Windbreakers come up against in tournaments. “This is technically a Division I sport because there’s not enough colleges to have a Division II or Division III. We went to regionals and we played against [Boise State University]. We had three tournaments this year and two of them were legitimate tournaments and then we had one for fun. In between seven and ten teams come to one tournament and we play like five games in one day and then three games the next,” Magee said.
Alum player and mentor Rob Kendig spoke about his years of being a part of the Ultimate
Frisbee club. “It’s the best experience ever. You just come out here and enjoy the sport with a bunch of people you’ll probably be friends with for the rest of your life. I still talk to people who graduated when I was a freshman and still hang out with them. The Ultimate Frisbee community is a select group of people who love playing and love to compete and have fun.”
“Club sports are very important now that our school is kind of in debt. They don’t cost as much and anybody can join,” Kendig said. “For us, there are no tryouts. If you come, you’re on the team. It is a good way to get out, make friends and talk to people that you may start to see everyday.”
Cyler Clark, a freshman member of the club spoke about the importance of club sports as a freshman. “Being a first year, it’s cool to be able to meet new people and kind of just get acclimated to Central. It’s also nice to be able to get out and get some good exercise pretty regularly.”
Charlotte McNealy, in her first year as a Windbreaker, used to be a student-athlete at her previous university. “I absolutely love the Ultimate Frisbee club, it is so much fun. The tournaments are extremely enjoyable and it is a great place to meet new people. As someone who did collegiate sports last year and then did not this year … It was a nice segue to going back to being a normal person.”
Clark had a message for students interested in joining a club, or even specifically looking to become a Windbreaker. “Once you kind of start
learning how to play [Ultimate Frisbee], it gets really fun. You should join. It is really fun going to competitions and traveling with the team. You get to stay in a hotel and go out to Red Robin with your friends. It’s such a fun bonding experience.”
“For people who are interested in joining the club, you don’t need to be nervous to come try. In my first year playing, I may not be very good, but I’ve improved a ton and it is such a positive environment. We need more girls,” McNealy said.
The Windbreakers practice Mondays and Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the field house
Cyler Clark before the frisbee is in play.
(Photo by Jackson Roberts)
Rob Kendig in between games. (Photo by Jackson Roberts)
Charlotte McNealy catching pass. (Photo by Jackson Roberts)
Club attendee making a pass to Charlotte McNealy while Rob Kendig watches from the ground. (Photo by Jackson Roberts)
Parker Wood, Kyley Glenn, and Elijah Giampietro Lead Reporters & Staff Reporter
CWU has become a regular host of student protests. Following the protest against CWU budget cuts, the Environmental Club hosted a protest called “March for Your Rights”.
Students as well as citizens of Ellensburg were in attendance. Although the weather was both rainy and windy, participants stayed in attendance and marched from the Wildcat statue to Unity Park.
On Saturday May 17, around 50 students and faculty gathered around the Wildcat statue to begin the “March for your Rights” protest. A speaker, who was the first to take the microphone, was sophomore environmental science major Max Henyon who thanked everyone for coming and went on to introduce sophomore political science major Dylan Bohannon and mathematics professor Jean Marie Linhart.
Bohannon started off the speech with the history of our democracy, before going on to mention issues all across America with the current presidential administration along with local issues with Jim Wolhpart and the S&A department decisions.
“From its very inception, our democracy has been tainted by greed, stained with resistance, by truly giving the people, all people, the rights we need, deserve and have fought and died for, and yet we see how easy it is to sweep all that away,” Bohannon said. “It has been just over 100 days since Donald Trump took office, and already the freedoms and rights we had yesterday no longer exist today. The elephant in the room has decided to stampede like a bowl in a China shop, and we’ve seen integral faculties of government ripped out of our hands. $12 billion from the Department of Education has already evaporated, demolishing mental health programs, 25% of the Department of Health and Human Services staff has been gutted and critical research funding has been tossed away, just as measles has risen, Risen back from the grave, most ghoulish of all, our very neighbors are now being ripped from their homes and sent to concentration camps. Let’s call a spade a spade.”
Bohannon continued, stating, “Our government has ceased any pretenses about caring for our needs. People can’t afford homes. People can’t afford basic necessities. We eat food poisoned with chemicals that when they make us sick, we can’t afford to get healthy again. Even Washington state, right here, a supposed leftist Haven, has waffled on passing legislation allowing us as students to unionize. But don’t worry, my peers, our glorious leader, Jim Wohlpart gave a $55,000 raise to himself at the expense of our only division one sports team, rugby, our student run
“EDUCATION, NOT THROUGH THE
newspaper and such is across the arts department. Do we not see that the system is not working? Do we not feel the cogs of the machine beginning to grind us into it? I know many of you do that you recognize something must change. And I ask you what is to be done. I say our solution does not lie in the government, but in our opposition to it.”
Bohannon went on to state his intentions of the protest was to build community. “Ensuring that everyone from communists and anarchists to liberals can unify together and come together under the common cause of fighting Trump and our loss of rights,” Bohannon said. “I sincerely hope that this protest and its outcome leads to either greater change or greater disruption.” Bohannon described protests as “inherently disruptive of the status quo.”
Mathematics Professor Marie Linhart took the mic next, continuing to encourage students to call their congressmen and senators. Much like Bohannon, Marie Linhart also mentioned the current presidential administration. “I don’t need to tell you that we are in a moment of profound crisis. In four months, we have gone from something that looks like a democracy to something that is unmistakably autocracy, where the President of the United States himself says he’s not certain he needs to support and defend our Constitution. This is a point of profound wrong.” Marie Linhart said. “We are seeing the welfare of the people taking a back seat to the politics of ego and the benefit of billionaires. I think we all know that we are called to act at this time.”
Marie Linhart placed herself in the shoes of many of the protesters there, stating “I’ve spent a lot of time in the past months wondering what in the heck I should do, and being scared and feeling powerless, which is exactly what they want from us.” She went on to encourage everyone to stand up and be brave. “Let me remind you: When you’re afraid, courage is contagious.” Marie Linhart said. “Every small action that you make, to stand out and stand up for what’s right makes a difference. Other people see you, and other people are emboldened by that cowardice is also contagious. So we must be courageous.”
When asked about what she hoped to accomplish with the protest, Marie Linhart said “I am hoping to get some people making phone calls to their congressmen and senators and also thinking about what other actions they can take to restore the integrity of our constitution.”
“This protest means a lot to me,” junior anthropologist Runa Green said. “Mainly because it’s a collective group that’s upset about status quo and
everything that’s going on in the world, and it can be really alienating when you think something’s wrong with the world and there’s no one around to support that, but there’s a big old group here.”
Ellensburg local Jason Irish noted the importance of protests at a university. “Being loud. Colleges everywhere are a really important aspect of this country and they really represent most of the opinions of the young people of this country, I hope that this adds to the loudness that this country has,” Irish said.
Sophomore Henyon went on to state his intentions for the protest were for people to “state their opinions, no matter who they are, and fight against policies that they feel are unjust.” Henyon went on to express his displeasure with how much the protest changed from what it was. “I love what we’re trying to do with this march,” Henyon said. “But I also had visions of it being more non partisan.”
Around 12:30 p.m., the March for your Rights protest started. With rain falling down soaking the sidewalk and signs, protesters marched on. The march went from the Wildcat statue in front of the SURC building, down University Way, down Main Street to Ellensburg Unity Park in a mile and a half march. Once the group of protesters made it to Unity Park, the Vice President of the Environmental Club Hannah Cambell gave a speech, thanking everyone who made it and introduced “The Black Velvet Band,” an Ellensburg band who they collaborated with.
To prepare, the environmental Club held a meeting for sign making. There were at least ten attendees along with guest speakers from Central Washington Justice for Our Neighbors to inform those present of citizens rights and resources available.
The club is run by students. One being vice president Hannah Campbell. They said, “I know everyone was feeling a lot of concern and fear regarding like, LGBTQ rights, environmental policies. And students right now are currently scared into inaction so they don’t feel like they’re comfortable using their voices or using their First Amendment right to sort of get their message across and to truly march for their rights. So we wanted to provide them an avenue to actually get engaged, to actually become activists, to sort of get their, I guess, dip their toes or whatever, into kind of speaking up for themselves against a harsh country.”
Photos by Parker Wood, Kyley Glenn, and Kiwi Webster.
NOT DEPORTATION”
Abortion Protest and Counter-Protest Breaks Out In Front Of Discovery Hall
Parker Wood Lead Reporter
THE RAIN
AChristian anti-abortion group named “Tiny Heartbeat Ministries” came to Central Washington University and Western Washington University with signs of “lives violently taken” in front of Discovery Hall and Black Hall on Wednesday May 14 and Thursday May 15. Shortly after, CWU students lined up with their own signs in a form of counter-protest.
Tiny Heartbeat Ministries handed out packets to students walking to class and work while CWU students played music through speakers and handed out free soda, water and condoms.
Tiny Heartbeat Ministries showed up around 9 a.m. with photoshopped pictures of “abortions” on massive signs, spreading the message to passing students on the “countless babies, slaughtered by abortion” which they claim on their Instagram are being “stored and experimented on behind the closed doors of University of Washington.” Each volunteer for the Christian group wore a red shirt that sported the name and logo of the organization along with a bible verse. Some of the volunteers held pictures of abortions while others held piles of packets.
A group of students met before Tiny Heartbeat Ministries with a wagon of signs to counter-protest the anti-abortion group. Set up on the tables outdoor Discovery Hall were packages of different soda brands, bags full of condoms and the aforementioned wagon filled with signs. Some of the signs stated the counter-protests beliefs, stating, “Keep Abortion Safe,” “Pizza rolls not Gender Roles,” “Support children of Gaza, not a cell” and “Get your rosaries off my ovaries.” Other signs were directed at the anti-abortion protesters themselves, reading, “They are reactionary,” “This guy doesn’t understand science” with an arrow pointing to one of the protesters and “They can’t find the clit.”
The two groups met and while some mocked, yelled and insulted, others held discussions in hopes of persuading the opposing protesters to their beliefs. Some of the counter-protesters brought chalk and wrote messages onto the sidewalk in front of the anti-abortionists. The messages read “Resist Rebel” and “Pro-choice is Pro-life”.
Mark Pickerel provides a home for vinyl lovers
Ellensburg, Wash. might be the last place that comes to mind when thinking of where to find that specific album on vinyl you’ve been looking for. You might go online, you might take a trip to a big city, maybe even give up entirely. But thanks to local entrepreneur, Mark Pickerel, you might not have to look very far at all.
“I started working record stores when I was a senior in high school,” Pickerel said. “I got hired at one of Ellensburg’s most infamous indie retailers, ACE Records, owned by Tim Nelson.” Nelson served as a mentor for Pickerel for many years, “He was an interesting guy with a really eclectic taste in music and an encyclopedic knowledge of music history,” Pickerel said. “He was a teacher to thousands of us but mentored a couple dozen of us who were lucky enough to work in his store.”
During this time, Pickerel was part of the local band “Screaming Trees.” With this band, Pickerel got to tour Europe during the “eve of the big explosion,” for what we now call Grunge. This era took place in the late 1980s, where they would share stages with household names such as Nirvana, Soundgarden and many others.
Before the explosion of grunge fully set-in with fans all around the world, Pickerel left “Screaming Trees” to pursue his own business endeavors by starting his own record store right here in Ellensburg. The record store he opened went by the name “Rodeo Records,” and used the space that is now “Dirk’s Pizza.”
“I needed a change in lifestyle,” Pickerel said, “and it was a really exciting time to do business in this county.” Rodeo Records offered a wide selection of the newest hits for the time and was “the first store to fully recognize or predict the success” of the “Hip Hop crossover to mainstream.” Pickerel’s knowledge of the music industry lent itself well to the Ellensburg music consumer. He even found a way to be the first record store in town to sell new releases by having a “midnight sale on the eve of the official release date.” Pickerel said “So we’d have lines, like, hundred kids deep. All these kids would come down from CWU and get in line at 10 p.m.”
Unfortunately, the digital age had made its way to Ellensburg, and in 2005, Rodeo Records closed their doors for good. “You could not have convinced me that I’d ever return to retail, because at that point, the writing was on the wall,” Pickerel said. Rodeo Records was certainly not the only record store to close its doors; vinyl was no longer cool. “It was, you know, astronomical, and even iconic stores like Tower Records were starting to close.”
“A few years later, I got a job as a buyer at Easy Street Records in Seattle, and I started noticing that more and more young people were starting to gravitate back to vinyl,” Pickerel said. “The
other great thing about their enthusiasm and interest in records was that the whole snobby collector contingent of collectors seemed to dis appear. Kids were just getting really turned on to the format and the ability to hold a 12 inch record in their hands and study the liner notes and graphics and all the cool extra information that came with that format.”
With the newfound love for vinyl with younger people, Pickerel decided to open shop back home in Ellensburg again with “Road Trip Records.” You can find Road Trip Records right here in town at Jerroll’s or in Yakima at the Bearded Monkey Cycling shop. “It’s really important to me to present a really diverse array of artists and genres. I challenge myself continually to find out about artists that might not normally cross my radar,” Pickerel said.
The Road Trip Records catalog at Jerroll’s has finds anywhere from The Cure to Doechii or anywhere outside or in between. This makes it an easy one-stop shop for all your vinyl needs or desires. Road Trip Records don’t just focus on vinyl either, if you’re looking for vintage clothing, they’ve got you covered with a wide array of Levi’s jeans and vintage tops. Pickerel has truly created a spot for any and all walks of life here in Ellensburg.
Mark Pickerel leaning against wall.
(Photo courtsey of Mark Pickerel on Instagram.)
Mark Sterling Columnist
Washoe’s legacy lives on at CWU
Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief
Washoe and her family, the world-famous chimpanzees who spent most their lives at CWU, have now left their mark on CWU history not just in primatology, but in a very literal sense. A new monument was officially unveiled this past Friday commemorating the great ape and her contributions to the legacy of CWU.
The university spent the day in celebration, hosting a variety of events dedicated to the ape and drawing in alumni and retired professors from across the country. Starting with a panel, speakers, including Washoes previous caretakers, joined in the celebration and community surrounding the late ape, sharing stories and videos of her time at Central.
Following the panel a museum dedicated to the apes of CWU was opened to the guests. It featured a stained glass window that used to reside in the The Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI), where current day Dugmore Hall stands.
Just outside Dugmore Hall is the new monument, five stone pillars representing Washoe and her family. The unveiling of the statue kicked off with a speech from President Wohlpart.
“Today we pause to remember the great gifts that Washoe and her family gave us since their arrival in 1980,” Wohlpart said in his speech. “These beings showed us that we are connected in ways that we don’t even fully understand today. By working closely with the Fouts, Washoe became the first animal to both learn and teach a human language she knew and used over 350 signs. I guarantee you, she knew a whole lot more than that.”
Following Wohlpart a few other speakers took the stage, highlighting how important Washoe was to the school and the development of the world’s understanding of primatology as a whole. Notably however, Washoes previous caretakers, who were both professors at CWU, spoke about what this monument meant to them.
“It’s remarkable that Washoe did choose us, and she was a remarkable individual,” Roger Fouts, one of Washoes previous caretakers, said. “Sometimes when I think what role she might have had if the Air Force left her in Africa. What she would have offered to her community and her children where she belonged, but they didn’t allow her to, and so her unwilling sacrifice does have something good that comes out of it. But there’s also that part of the loss when you realize she was remarkable.”
After the commemoration ended the celebration took its final shape in the form of a party hosted at President Wohlparts house. The event featured live music, food and an opportunity to mingle with some of CWU’s most distinguished alumni. And with that, Washoes day of celebration at CWU came to an end, but her legacy lives on through the impact she made on Centrals campus all those years ago.
Photos by Brandon Mattesich.
“SEEDS”
a visual masterpiece that you need to see
Brandon Mattesich Columnist
The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is fully underway this year, and I’ve been watching just about as many films as I can. Out of all the films I’ve seen however, there was one that stood out far beyond the rest. “Seeds” is a documentary film about black farming families in Georgia, and it is absolutely one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Full disclosure, this review will contain “spoilers,” but also, it’s a documentary, and this review will take nothing away from your viewing experience.
The title of the film hit me immediately while watching it, and I naively thought it was only a double meaning. After hours of reflection however more and more depth and nuance hit me, and I realized very quickly that the film I had just watched was so much deeper than surface level.
Looking at the film from a familial perspective, “seeds” takes on a beautiful meaning. Watching these farmers plant their seeds in the ground, quite literally growing a future for their children while simultaneously watching them raise the next generation, planting the seeds of knowledge that will bloom in a figurative light, was not only visually stunning but emotionally poignant.
But digging deeper, seeds in inherently about the struggles and history facing black farmers in the United States. Throughout the film, you follow one farmer as he corresponds with the Department of Agriculture, trying to secure a financial future for himself and his family as his farm slowly chugs along. But because of historic and systematic discrimination, he is quite literally unable to even afford the seeds he needs to plant his crops for the season.
To me this reached at the much stronger message that this film gave to me. As he quite literally can not afford the seeds to grow his crop, he is going to be met with diminishing returns in the next planting season. This mirrors the struggles that the farmers were systematically facing by the US government. Their lack of support for black farmers has metaphorically withheld the seeds from them, slowly hurting each generation over the course of the entirety of US history.
But even on the most surface level this film is stunning, it is genuinely unlike any docu mentary film I have ever seen before. This film is able to capture such genuine and personal perspectives on the people it’s portraying in a way I’ve never seen be fore. You truly get to know each person
in this film, not by them telling you about themselves, but instead through living with them through the duration of the runtime.
The cinematography in this film is grounded and alive, pulling the viewer along as the camera passes through every scene in this film. It’s all in black and white, a decision that I always question before seeing a film, but in “seeds” it is so perfectly done that I question how any other films can justify being black and white as much as this one can.
When “seeds” comes to a town near you, it’s your sign to watch it. It has fundamentally altered my perception of what a documentary should be, and it was able to do it all while just being itself.
Photo courtesy of SIFF
ALL I EVER WANTED WAS
A GRAND NATIONAL TOUR
Brandon
Kendrick Lamar is a once in a lifetime talent, and I have been a fan of his nearly my entire life. His albums each mark times in my life, and you can often tell exactly what mood I’m in by which song of his I’m bumping at the time. This concert was my second time seeing him in person, and coincidentally it’s my second favorite concert I have ever been to.
Over the course of his career Kendrick has evolved and mastered the art of the live performance. Where so many others rely on backing tracks and lip-syncing he guarantees you a live show every single time. And he delivers. Gliding across the stage as rain poured down on him he hit every beat, rapped every bar and proved why there is fundamentally nobody else like him in the industry right now.
His rendition of “m.A.A.d city” consistently surprised me and left me wondering where he was going next. The various background performers and sets that he transitioned in and out of during the show, which were oftentimes seamlessly blended into the performance but never once dismissable. And his on stage rapport with SZA was not only flawless but at times mesmerizing.
Speaking of SZA, this was the Grand National Tour, and a big draw for me was seeing her live. I had never seen SZA live, and I had been predisposed to understanding that there would be a lot of lip syncing coming from her end of the concert. But not only did she perform each and every song live, she did it while dancing and putting on a deeply symbolic performance intertwined with the visuals of the displays behind her.
Watching her physically and metaphorically bloom over the course of the concert into her final flying (yes, flying) form was easy enough to grasp but just layered enough to truly appreciate in the confines of a three hour concert. I’m a big fan of concerts using their formats to tell a story or incorporate the narrative of the album they’re touring, and SZA did just that with bugs, plants and more popping out of every aspect of her performance.
This was my first ever “double headliner” concert, and I think it’s going to be extremely hard to go back to oneman shows. The advantage of being able to tap in and out without losing a second of showtime was utilized to its fullest extent, and it made for a long and evenly paced concert full of hype moments and fun outfit/set changes that just couldn’t have happened if it was a typical single headliner concert.
If they haven’t made it to your city yet, or if you’re interested in traveling for a concert, I could not recommend this one enough.
Jackson
Kendrick Lamar is an artist that I have listened to for years and have followed his career pretty close. Attending the Grand National Tour in Seattle was easily one of my favorite events I have ever attended. From the on stage design to the energy both these extremely talented artists brought, they gave me my favorite concert I have ever been to. For those who know me, you may know I have only been to one concert (I’m so lame). However, it is hard to see anything topping this.
I brought up the energy that they brought to Lumen Field, but it can not be understated. It felt like the stadium
was constantly shaking and despite the pouring rain, that didn’t stop Seattle from showing out to see some of the most popular faces of modern music.
The set itself was super cool and I enjoyed all of the changes to the set whenever SZA and Kendrick would alternate. Each song felt like it had its own unique design and to see SZA quite literally gliding in the air in front of the set was mesmerizing.
The performances of both were off the charts too. Kendrick knows how to rally the crowd up and actually rap his lyrics. I couldn’t think of one time in the concert where he may have forgotten a single word or anything.
Going into the concert, I knew every Kendrick sock almost word for word and was very familiar with SZA’s songs. However, in the couple cases where I couldn’t remember lyrics from SZA’s songs, it didn’t matter one bit. SHE SOUNDS SO GOOD. I was already a SZA fan but seeing her in person brought it to another level. She is so talented and I will be waiting for each drop from her from now on.
I also want to give a shoutout to my amazing little sister Gracie who surprised me with tickets to this concert for Christmas. This is something I will never forget and am so grateful that I got to see these two legends in person. If you have an opportunity to see them during this tour, DO IT!!!
Brandon Mattesich Jackson Roberts Columnists
Photo courtesy of Gracie Roberts
WILDCAT WORDS
Divined by Z Morris
Aries (March 21 - April 19): What comes around goes around Aries. This has been a hard concept to wrap around your head, which is funny considering your head is probably round, unless you’re square. Tip of the day: just be good all around.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20): It was the end of your era this last Tuesday, but don’t fret, things are looking up for you this week. In fact you should start checking every ceiling, just in case. Who knows, something (someone) could have been looking down the whole time. Tip of the day: keep your eyes peeled.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): It’s finally your era Gemini, meaning you can show off the other face you have! You know, the one on the back of your head under your hair! It’s the only time of year it can eat, so treat yourself! Tip of the day: dog food is cheap.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): Every action has an equal opposite reaction. So if you want to make change in the world, do the opposite of that. For example: ending world hunger. If you eat everything, someone is bound to do something to solve it. Tip of the
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Yo Leo, you look a little down. What’s wrong buddy? Are you sad that the year is ending and you won’t see your friends for a while? No? Oh yeah… me neither hahaha. Tip of the day: socialize a little.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): It’s time for all you Virgos to GO to the library and study. Finals are just around the corner and you’re not gonna let spring quarter get you down. IT’S SUNNY OUT THERE GET THE STUDYING OVER WITH QUICK! Tip of the day: coffee helps.
Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 22): I can sense you’ve been getting tired of the school tours Libra. Me too. You should join me in using scare tactics on the children. Tip of the day: next time you see a highschool group, start talking about your debt.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): Might I say there is an air of charisma about you recently. Like your aura has been so sexy recently! It’s not just me that has noticed this, the spirits are LIVING over your style. Tip of the day: sashay into the netherworld diva.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): You’ve been working so hard this past quarter and you wanna crash. Trust me, I do too. Just make sure you do that important thing you were reminded to do… yeah that one… that you remember. Tip of the day: start writing stuff down.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan.19): Time to close Tik Tok/Instagram reels/YouTube Shorts/brain rot inc. Get out there and TOUCH GRASS. Please I swear oxygen is better fresh! Tip of the day: hug a tree… or street sign idk.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb.18): Aquarius I was wondering which of these made up words do you prefer (circle your answer) Squimtish Boingle Parallelogram
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20): Pressure is off this week, tbh you should relax. Don’t think about the horrors of the world, just like lay down and watch an Instagram reel! Surely that can resolve the troubles you have. Tip of the day: you can never watch just one.
Dakota Jacobson Fr. Biology