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Vol. 117 NO. 7 October 27 - November 2, 2020

Wendell Hill Hall B sees ‘concerning’ increase in COVID-19 cases Mitchell Roland Editor-in-Chief After a total of 14 students tested positive for COVID-19 in Wendell Hill Hall B, CWU has conducted a second round of testing to see if any additional residents have the virus. The university first announced on Sunday, Oct. 18 that six residents of the hall had the virus. After testing every resident, an additional eight cases of COVID-19 were confirmed. Dean of Student Success Gregg Heinselman said the university first noticed a trend in positive cases at Wendell Hill Hall B during the middle of the week before the Oct. 18 announcement. At that point, CWU had been notified by the county that three students in Wendell Hill Hall B had tested positive for COVID-19. While Kittitas County has about a 1% spread rate among its residents, three positive tests in Wendell Hill Hall B meant there was a 2% spread rate at the time. “Any time we see a particular living community or a population of students that is greater than that 1%, we start looking at the trend lines associated with the individuals who have tested positive,” Heinselman said. While CWU’s COVID-19 task force considered implementing “surveillance testing” for residents of the hall on Friday, Oct. 16, CWU received a notification from Kittitas County that an additional three students in the hall had tested positive. That meant a

total of six residents of the hall at that time had tested positive for COVID-19. “That became concerning,” Heinselman said. The decision was made to test every student in Wendell Hill Hall B last week “to understand what percentage of a spread we had through that living community,” Heinselman said, and residents were notified on Monday, Oct. 19 of the six positive tests. In total, CWU tested 160 students as well as staff in the residence hall. The surveillance testing revealed an additional eight students who had COVID-19 as well as two inconclusive tests. The students whose tests were inconclusive were retested for COVID-19, and Heinselman said in a follow up email on Monday, Oct. 26 that he was unable to comment on the status of their test results. Heinselman noted that the number of active cases the university is tracking has dropped from 53 cases on Friday, Oct. 23 to 33 cases on Monday, Oct. 26. The additional positive tests from last week’s surveillance testing mean that in total 14 of the 160 students in Wendell Hill Hall B have tested positive for COVID-19, as well as the two additional students whose original tests were inconclusive. “It became clear to us that we had about a 10% spread rate in that residence hall, which is substantially higher than the county,” Heinselman said. “We’ve isolated all the stu-

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While 14 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, more residents could test positive. dents that have been positive, so we feel very good about that.” Residents in the hall were again tested for coronavirus on Monday, Oct. 26. Test results typically take 24 to 48 hours, though they can take as long as four days. The results from the second round of surveillance testing were not available at the time of publication. Heinselman said the second round of surveillance testing may show residents who are positive for COVID-19 but did

Gaudino gives his final State of the University speech Mitchell Roland Editor-in-Chief In his final State of the University speech as President of CWU, James L. Gaudino outlined the progress the university has made towards meeting his three university-wide goals while also previewing the university’s future. This speech was Gaudino’s last State of the University address, as he has previously announced that he plans to step down as president on July 31, 2021 and anticipates that a successor could be named as early as winter quarter. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s address was delivered virtually at 10 a.m. on Oct. 21 with each speaker in the speech filmed at different times in a studio, in contrast to the in-person speech held in previous years. Gaudino’s goals addressed at the speech were to increase the student retention rate between freshman and sopho-

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more year to 80%, to increase the number of diverse faculty by 5% and to reduce the campus’s carbon footprint of the university by 5%, all by 2024. Increasing Retention Rate Gaudino said CWU remains on track to increase the retention rate to 80% by 2024 and to set a more ambitious goal of increasing the retention rate to 85% over the next 10 years. Last year CWU increased its retention rate from 71% to 73%, and Gaudino said even with the pandemic CWU has enrolled its largest sophomore class in the last 10 years. To reach the goal of 85%, Gaudino said the university would use analytics to help predict when a student needs help and will guide the student towards the proper resources. CWU has been working on these analytics over the past five years. “It will be equally important not to objectify student achievement into numbers or trend lines. Doing so would mask the very

not test positive during the first round of testing. During both rounds of testing, students are self-isolated in their rooms until their test results return. While results are pending, residents are not permitted to attend any in-person classes, and meals are delivered through the CWU Dining meal delivery service. Those who test negative are not required to continue to self-isolate, while those who

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Two Democrats are running for the office of lieutenant governor Jessica Perez Staff Reporter

James L. Gaudino

reason this goal is so crucial,” Gaudino said. “Persistence is a behavioral concept based on the needs of individuals. No trend line can capture those realities.”

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Flu season means shots

Duck hunters’ share some tips

Current Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib will be stepping down when his term ends in December. Two candidates now remain in the race for the position. The first is Senator Marko Liias, and the second is U.S. Representative Denny Heck. Since both candidates identify as Democrats, they plan to focus on similar issues if elected. The lieutenant governor holds responsibilities in both the executive and legislative branches of government. One of their key roles is being president of the state senate, where they determine what legislation makes it to the floor

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The equestrian team and the pandemic

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Ways to protect yourself online David Hartless Staff Reporter With the majority of daily life online for work, school and even socializing, it is smart to learn how to protect your information on the web. “With so many people working from home or remote learning, cybersecurity is more important than ever in today’s world,” Head of Global Communications at VMware Carbon Black Samantha Mayowa said. “Cybersecurity is no longer a buzzword. It is now a concern for businesses, government entities, consumers, for anyone who relies on the internet in our increasingly digital world.” Here are some pointers to help keep you and your information safe online. In an article written by Virginia Stavridis for the website Cybintsolutions.com, she said, “clicking without thinking is reckless Just because the link is good it doesn’t mean you should click on it. And chances are if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is and you shouldn’t click on the link.” Another way to help protect yourself online is to use two-factor authentication, according to Stavridis. Only typing in your password to access your account isn’t always the best route to go. Getting a text message to your phone asking if you signed in helps prevent potential loss of your account and the information that is in it.

Another thing to watch out for that seems to be online rather often is phishing scams. If an email says something like, “dear customer, your account has been suspended,” do not click on it. Instead, go to the company’s website and see if something is wrong. No matter what, do not use the email to go to the site. “With over 3 billion fake emails sent daily, phishing attacks are some of the greatest cybersecurity threats as they are very easy to fall for,” Stavridis said. It’s also important to keep track of your digital footprint, including social media, and to delete accounts you’re not using while ensuring you set strong passwords that you change regularly for ones you are. Another thing people should do is install updates. Software patches can be issued when security flaws are discovered. “If you find these software update notifications to be annoying, you’re not alone. But you can consider them the lesser of two evils when weighing up rebooting your device versus putting yourself at risk for malware and other types of computer infection,” Stavridis said. Another tip is to ensure you’re connecting securely. Public Wi-Fi is an easy target for people who look to steal information, but protecting your laptop is only one step to protecting yourself. “Secure your mobile device. Security doesn’t end at your desktop. It’s important to get into the habit of securing your presence through your mobile device as well. Use

Graphic by Bekah Blum

strong passwords and biometric features, ensure you turn off your Bluetooth, don’t automatically connect to any public Wi-Fi, and download with caution,” Stavridis said. Beware of social engineering. When hackers can’t find a security vulnerability, they’ll attack in other ways. Social engineering is more of an attack on the mind of the user, rather than on the device, to gain access to systems and information. Another thing a person can do is use websites like 10minuteemail.com. When signing up for services on websites, in-

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Cait Dalton Email: Cait.Dalton@cwu.edu Central Washington University 400 East University Way Lind Hall 109 Ellensburg, WA 98926

stead of putting in a personal email, a person can use these temporary emails from these services to help prevent more of their personal information from being out on the web. The ITAM department offers a class called “Protecting Online Identity.” This class teaches students multiple ways to not only protect themselves, but what to look for while searching the web and countless other things when online. A perk of this class is it counts towards a general education requirement.

Staff Reporters Sean Bessette

Jayce Kadoun

RachelAnn Degnan

Ty McPhee

Star Diavolikis

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Cynthia Mitchell / cwuobserveradviser@gmail.com Editorial Policy: The Observer is a public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission of The Observer is two-fold: to serve Central Washington University as a newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in journalism. The Observer seeks to provide complete, accurate, dependable information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.

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Photo courtesy of Sean Bessette After the university tested all students last week for Covid-19, they determined that another round of testing was needed. The results of the second test were not available at press.

My experience within the Wendell Hill Hall B quarantine Sean Bessette Staff Reporter

While I was grocery shopping Sunday night, I received an email from the Housing Office that said I was identified as a student who needed to be tested for COVID-19 due to my proximity to others who had tested positive for COVID-19. Initially, I freaked out a little because I thought I had been exposed. After reaching out to my friends and doing some research, I learned that everyone in Wendell Hill Hall B had received the same email. In the email, I was given a three hour window on Monday, Oct. 19 in which I had to be in my suite. During that window, I received a knock on my suite door and I had to go down to the first floor lobby to get tested. In the first floor lobby, there were strips of red tape on the floor for social distancing purposes. There was also a non-contact hand sanitizing station set up prior to getting tested. After standing in line and sanitizing my hands, I went to a table in which I had to reveal my name and my birthdate. At that table, I grabbed the testing supplies in a plastic bag. There were multiple testing stations set up around the lounge with a professional ready to guide me through my test. After picking up my supplies, I got to choose any testing station I wanted to. The whole test was contact-free. I grabbed a cotton swab out of the tube that the worker was holding. I had to put the cotton swab about halfway up one nostril and swirl it around four times. Then, I had to do it for the other nostril. After the worker said I correctly did the test, I put it in another tube and I was done.

The test didn’t hurt much. There was slight discomfort from having to push the swab up somewhat far into my nose but it wasn’t like I had to push it up super far. The setup was fairly comfortable and it wasn’t very stress inducing. Since there were social distancing measures in place and the test was contact-free, I felt pretty safe. Once my test was complete, there was a big bag full of food items to help get me through the next few days. The food items were very snack-like and I was slightly worried about how I was going to feed myself for the next few days. After I picked up my bag, isolation began. I received a packet in the black bag with a bunch of information from CWU that was helpful for my time in isolation. In that packet there were details about basic rules, dining, trash removal and laundry. Most importantly, I was explicitly told that I could not leave my room/suite under almost all circumstances. Being cooped up in my room for hours, let alone days, sucks. Hearing that I had to stay in my room was very frustrating because I didn’t think I was exposed to COVID-19 and I had just tested negative about a week earlier. Nonetheless, I understood why I had to stay in my room. On the same day as my test, I had to attend a virtual quarantine information meeting where more details were shared about how isolation was going to work. The most important thing was covered was dining. To get food, I had to order through the CWU Dining Services Wellness Meal Program. There was a website with a lot of items and to get them delivered for the next day, I had to order prior to 7 p.m. the day before. Many of the meals I had were pre-prepared and only needed to be heated up.

The whole dining situation was slightly weird. The food wasn’t that good but it was sufficient for a few days, and I didn’t get a student discount on any of the food that I ordered which I found to be odd. The food would show up sometime in the morning with a pretty loud bang on my door. For trash removal, I put any trash bags right outside my suite door and they were picked up in the mornings. I wasn’t allowed to go to the laundry room to do my laundry. Instead, I was given instructions on how to hand-wash my clothes if I wanted to. During isolation, there wasn’t a lot to do. I spent most of my hours doing homework, playing video games, watching Netflix or talking to my friends over FaceTime or Discord. I had to complete my daily health check via MyCWU to monitor my symptoms even though I didn’t have any. On Wednesday evening, Oct. 21, about 55 hours after getting tested (about 6 p.m.), I got an email regarding how I was going to get my result. For each floor, there were time slots in which residents were told to come to

the first floor lounge and get our results. Just like how it was for testing, there were red strips of tape on the floor for social distancing purposes. Once I got to the front of the line, I had to reveal my name and birthdate and was given my result. I tested negative. Getting my test results back felt like weight being lifted off of my shoulders even though I was fairly confident that I was going to test negative. Thankfully, all of my friends tested negative as well. The biggest thing for me was that it meant I wasn’t going to have to spend at least 10 days in a different hall. At that point, the full building quarantine hadn’t ended yet and I had to quarantine until 9 p.m. At that time, restrictions were lifted and I was able to go outside. Looking back, the communication from the university was decent. The whole process started very quickly and ended very quickly even though the time in between felt like forever. I got an awful lot of information at once which was a bit confusing but I guess more information is better than less information.

Wendell Hill Hall B residents receive additional testing after positive tests Continued from Page 1 test positive are moved to a different facility on campus unless their living space is single occupancy with a private bathroom. Heinselman said the students who have tested positive likely “haven’t been as compliant with those protocols

that we’ve put in place as we wish they would be,” and reiterated the importance for students to wear a mask, stay socially distant and to continue to wash their hands. “It’s that continued rhythm of reinforcing those types of behaviors which will keep people healthy,” Heinselman said.

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Gaudino gives his final State of the University speech Continued from Page 1 Increasing the Diversity Rate Among Faculty

Gaudino said CWU also remains on track to meet this goal and said it’s important to have a diverse faculty since roughly 40% of CWU students this year identify as a racial or ethnic minority. So far the university has increased diversity among its faculty by 1.5% since last year. For the sixth time in seven years, CWU won Insight into Diversity magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, and Gaudino said this honored CWU for “[CWU’s] commitment to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus.” Among new policies CWU has implemented, an employee of color is on all search committees and has developed a mentor program “to support employees of color.” CWU is also reviewing the demographics of its hiring pools. Gaudino said these efforts are working. “Geology was one of the first academic departments to use a diversity advocate for their [hiring] searches,” Gaudino said. “As a result, the candidate pool saw increased diversity throughout the search process. The department was able to hire a person from a traditionally underrepresented group.”

Decrease Carbon Footprint

The university also appears to be taking steps toward reaching this goal. The first step the university took towards decreasing its carbon footprint was hiring Kathleen Klaniecki as CWU’s sustainability coordinator.

Screencap from President Gaudino’s State of the University speech

Gaudino said during his final state of the univeristy speech that the CWU has made progress towards the goals he outlined in last year’s speech. “[Klaniecki] wasted no time in developing a comprehensive sustainability plan that includes benchmarks and goals,” Gaudino said. Among the steps CWU has taken to further this goal are expanding the Wildcat Neighborhood Farm and introducing honey bees, implementing NoTrees products throughout campus dining services alongside reusable plates and cups to the Holmes dining room, and Wildcat Printing replacing copier paper with a product made from sugar cane. In February, CWU’s Ellensburg campus received a Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. “The designation acknowledges the university’s efforts to manage trees on

campus and to develop community connections,” Gaudino said. The University has also formed a Council on Investor Responsibility that will suggest investment opportunities that are “socially and environmentally responsible,” Gaudino said.

Faculty and Alumni Honored

During the speech, Gaudino recognized several alumni for “distinction in their professional and personal lives.” Former Deputy Secretary U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Ron Sims, as well as former United States Secretary of Defense James Mattis, were among those to be awarded an honorary doctorate during the speech.

Bobby Cummings, a professor in the Africana and Black Studies department as well as the English department, received CWU’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement in Diversity Award. Gaudino said the award was created to recognize Cumming’s work on campus, and he hopes others will strive to receive the recognition in the future. “Dr. Cummings is a forceful and effective advocate for others, often at her own personal and professional expense,” Gaudino said. “She cares deeply about colleagues and students, and she has a passionate commitment to inclusivity, multiculturalism and diversity.” Upon announcing the award, Gaudino also announced the award would be subsequently renamed in Cumming’s honor for future recipients.

“Working Together for Our Future”

Ashleyforcounty.com

• Creative solutions to increase revenue for hard-working ranchers and farmers.

• Diversity, inclusion, and equity for our future.

• Airport development and support of economic sustainability of Kittitas County.

• Access to and stewardship of public lands for generations to come. Support of outdoor recreation to include hunting and ﬁshing.

• Mental health investment. This will equip our residents to lead the most productive lives that they can and prevent people in crises. This will reduce overall cost of the county, reduce the high-risk response situations for emergency medical personnel and the police force, and reduce people in crises occupancy of needed Emergency Room beds, and jail cells.

• Energy independence and conservation of existing farmlands. • Economic recovery for small businesses to increase living wage jobs for our community. • Transparent respectful communication with neighbors of all backgrounds and values for a future that we can all be proud of.

Kristin Ashley was born and raised in Kittitas County with a passion for the rural way of life. She served in the United States Army as a Medic earning multiple awards for her service. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from CWU earning a degree global wine studies and tourism management all while she served in multiple leadership roles and volunteered, serving nonproﬁt organizations locally and disaster relief in the Caribbean. Kristin currently works to educate the public about renewable energy at a wind facility.

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Kristin Ashley for County Commissioner • PO Box 1683 • Ellensburg, WA 98926 • Ashleyforcounty@gmail.com • (760) 957-5051

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For CWU’s craft brewing program, remote learning has not been an issue

Photo courtesy of CWU Public Affairs Over the years, CWU craft brewing program has grown to be a full four year degree. David Hartless Staff Reporter Central Washington is known for its agriculture. But some may not know that the large majority of hops for all the beer in the world come from the Yakima Valley. An article written by Seattle Magazine reads, “each year, about 75 percent of the nation’s hop crop comes from the Yakima Valley. Although the public may not know it, Yakima is recognized by beer brewers around the world as America’s hop mecca.” So, it makes sense that CWU offers a degree in craft brewing. “CWU is the first university in the nation to offer a Bachelor of Science in craft brew-

ing,” Eric Foss, a senior lecturer with the craft brewing program said. “It’s more than just making beer.” But the craft brewing program didn’t start out as a degree. “The program started in 2008 as a certification for people who wanted a certification in craft brewing. It was offered to CWU students and to people who were not enrolled in CWU. The certification was for a lot of people in the brewing industry. But over time, it morphed into a four-year degree. While there are many other degrees similar to craft brewing. We wanted to make the degree targeted especially for craft brewing,” Foss said. Dr. Eric Graham, another senior lecturer within the craft brewing program said jobs in the craft brewing industry aren’t just being a “grunt” in a brewery and

that there are many different options. Not all of the courses in the program are just about brewing beer. There is a sensory class, which focuses on understanding what the different styles of beer are out there, why those are the styles, and then they work on their ability to sense certain flavors. “This was my favorite class so far in the program,” craft brewing major and senior Noah Christy said. The professors make sure that classes are entertaining, according to Christy. “I love craft brewing, and the professors are a blast and not a single class has felt like a drag to me. The program is just fantastic,” Christy said. Miguel Hernandez, a senior and craft brewing major, said he enjoys the program because of how hands-on it is. “It’s not like a lot of other classes where you just sit down and write,” Hernandez said. “It makes you feel more prepared for when you go get a job at a brewery.” Like many other programs on campus, the craft brewing program has had to adapt to the pandemic. “We just had a live demo and did a brew on the north side of Discovery Hall,” Graham said. “We brewed one stout and a red and there was plenty of social distancing.” Students also get on-the-job training. “Our program has also been partnering with local breweries not only around town but in Yakima as well. Miguel has been going down to Wandering Hop in Yakima and getting some hands-on training,” Cole Provence, a lecturer with the craft brewing program and a competitive beer judge said. “We have been having students go down and brew with them during the week.”

Like other departments and places like Wandering Hop and other businesses facing budget cuts due to COVID-19, students get a chance to brew beer and have it be sold to the public. Selling their own beer was never a goal for the program. “We don’t want to be in full production mode, where we just produce. That’s not ideal. We also don’t want to be in competition with local breweries,” Graham said. The program is hoping to make a collaborative effort with breweries students already help out at and put their brand on it. There are many possibilities for internships with local breweries, like Wandering Hop and Bale Breaker Brewing Company. “The internships get our students jobs. They are not required, but they are encouraged to,” Foss said. The craft brewing program attracts all sorts of different students, from people who love beer to those who love science. A misconception of the program is with the degree, all you can do is brew beer. “After a couple of years, people who graduated from our department have grown into so much more than that,” Foss said. With the loss of their building for brewing beer, the department got creative. “I am giving them credit for brewing at home,” Foss said. Previously, it was thought that the craft brewing program was being shut down. “Reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated. We got threatened with our chopping block when our numbers went down. So we wrote up a plan and presented it to the dean, showing where we want to go and how we are going to get there and bought ourselves a couple more years,” Graham said.

emphasise that these flu clinics are what are known as points of distribution, or POD, which is an emergency exercise. It gives people practice for when there needs to be a rapid emergency distribution of a vaccine much like the projected COVID-19 vaccine. Knutson also mentioned that the reason for drive-thru vaccine distribution

was not convenience, but a means of preventing people congregating in large groups and potentially spreading disease. She also said when we eventually do have a COVID-19 vaccine, they’ll be using this method in order to administer the vaccine on a much larger scale. Cle Elum’s drive-thru flu clinic was held on Oct. 24, and Ellensburg’s will be on Nov. 7.

Flu shots and the people behind them Ty McPhee Staff Reporter

In past years, the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) has run the flu clinics. Flu season is upon us, and medical staff This year, due to lack of resources, KVH at Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) and will be running it with help from KCPHD. volunteers from around the county are Brunner said they’re basing their Ellensburg working to ensure that things run how clinic off what they have done in the past. they’re supposed to. Search and resKathryn Bruncue volunteers will ner is the events be doing traffic coordinator in the control, and CWU community relations paramedicine studepartment of KVH. dents will be helpShe had worked on ing distribute the organizing last year’s flu vaccines. drive-thru flu clinic Nurses will be in Cle Elum. there as well to Within an hour, oversee those stuthey had administered dents and ensure -Kasey Knutson, KCPHD all 50 flu vaccines that they’re doing the Special Programs Coordinator were ordered. proper procedures. “It was exciting Brunner said to be able to do it up volunteers are a there, and then we huge help and rewere able to plan for lieve staff members more for this year,” Brunner said. of KVH from needing to be there. On top of making sure there are enough “Hospital district two up in Cle Elum, vaccines to go around, they obtained a they’ve donated some money too towards grant through their grant writer which al- the flu clinic,” Brunner said. lowed them to purchase more vaccines, as Kasey Knutson, the special programs well as advertising for the event. coordinator for KCPHD made sure to

“

It’s actually a pretty fascinating operation that keeps people from spreading disease.

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Embracing the ‘L’ word Parents of children all worked together to teach classes ranging from art to biology. These classes were Grace Hendricks, a junior LGBTQ short and hosted by parents, so there student double majoring in person- was little to no risk of bullying takal financial planning and in Japanese ing place. language, refuses to let anything stand Growing up, Hendricks never in her way. came out to her family as lesbian. As Hendricks realized she identified of now, she still has not. as a lesbian “I’m not exaround midpecting good dle school, but things, and that’s she never faced why I’m holding bullying over off on it,” Henit due to being dricks said. “It’s homeschooled. like, if I get into As part of a serious relabeing hometionship then schooled, she I’ll probably say participated something. I in learning think they know. . I’ve gotten some co-ops a few times a week. things, like [I’ve - Grace Hendricks, personal Dating in been] side-eyed financial planning and Japanese language major general was … I love them discouraged, so anyway, it is what she faced no exit is.” plicit discrimiAn influence nation due to her sexuality. on her decision has been seeing her “That was never something anybody family’s reaction to her aunt coming out talked about, because it was very Chris- as lesbian. tian based,” Hendricks said. “I never felt “I have two aunts that got marparticularly singled out in that way.” ried, and the way they were treated by Hendricks said these co-ops were the rest of my family was some good community-run learning sessions hap- and some bad,” Hendricks said. “It’s a pening a few times a week. weird experience when someone else Star Diavolikis Staff Reporter

“

Good luck out there kids, it’s not a huge deal anymore, but be careful who you say things to

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you know is out of the closet and other people are reacting to that, and you’re like, ‘This is how they’re going to react to me in the future.’ It impacted me a lot though, and it’s partially why I haven’t said anything to date. Just the idea that I might be cut off too is a lot to take in at like, age 11.” From an early age, she felt the need to stay quiet regarding her sexuality. “From a young age, I was going to church all the time. As soon as I sort of had a feeling that something was up… I was like 10 years old, and I was just like, ‘This isn’t going to go well,’” Hendricks said. “And then that stress sort of just stuck with me the rest of my life.” Hendricks has, however, attended a few pride parades. At these parades, there are usually protesters lining the sides. These are the only negative experiences Hendricks has had regarding her sexuality. “Some people will provoke them and make things worse, but usually people just ignore it,” Hendricks said. “They know they’re in the minority, so they’re not going to do anything.” While at these parades, Hendricks said some of the worst experiences have been from those there in support of the parade. “We get like the weird people who will come in full BDSM gear, and like, weird stuff. Like the kink flags and stuff, it makes everyone uncomfortable,” Hendricks said. “It’s sort of like a family friendly event, and people do bring their kids, and then there’s so many people that make it weird. I don’t like the way that things are going… I don’t really go to them anymore because it’s bad vibes.”

A common issue the LGBTQ community faces is the sexualization of their identities, which Hendricks said she has faced a few times. Hendricks said many dating apps are flooded with man-and-woman couples trying to find a third person for their relationship or sexual activities under the “women seeking women” section. Another common issue with these sections are men using she/her pronouns to try “pulling,” or getting a date with, a lesbian. “[There are] dudes who will be like, ‘Oh, I use she/her pronouns, haha is that good enough for you to date me now?’” Hendricks said. “It’s like, their tactics are evolving, and all of it just makes me uncomfortable.” Hendricks has advice for young people who may be trying to figure out who they are. “Good luck out there kids, it’s not a huge deal anymore, but be careful who you say things to,” Hendricks said. “Stay off the internet, stay in school, don’t do drugs, but seriously stay off the internet. There are a lot of weird people out there.” Hendricks said there have been older people who pose online as somebody who can relate to a young person questioning their sexuality, which can be predatory. “If you’re feeling rejected by your peers for things that you don’t want to voice, don’t turn to the internet for help. Talk to your friends, talk to an adult you trust, get in counseling. Just don’t go for the internet,” Hendricks said. “You get a lot of bad advice from well meaning people, and bad advice from ill-meaning people.”

October 27, 2020 7

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Hunters’ tips for success in the field Jayce Kadoun Staff Reporter

Duck hunting season opened Oct. 17 and hunters will now be out in the woods looking to shoot their limit. With varying weather conditions, traffic in the wilderness and other factors at play, experienced hunters have figured out the best ways to go about hunting the season locally. Torrey Johnson lives in western Washington but has been traveling east to hunt lakes, reservoirs, ponds and fields for ducks since he was a kid and has sorted out the productive locations from the ones that birds don’t care to land in. “No matter what you’re hunting, it helps to have water around somewhere. It seems like the spots we end up doing the best in are the ones that have some kind of water around, especially over east,” Johnson said. While attending WSU, Johnson said he used to make trips to hunt near Moses Lake almost every weekend during duck season. He said he still makes several trips there during the year even though hunting isn’t as good as it once was. “There’s definitely more guys out there than there used to be. You know, we used to be able to go all day without hearing a shot and it seems like nowadays you’ll end up with a guy either in your spot when you show up or blasting away right by where you want to go,” Johnson said.

Photo courtesy of Torrey Johnson

Torrey Johnson displays his success in hunting ducks in the east side of Washington.

According to Johnson, pressure from other hunters is frustrating and ends up driving the ducks away. He said he tries to spend a portion of his hunting trips looking for new places that other hunters don’t typically go. Alumnus Alex Habenicht started duck hunting last year and said because he hasn’t been a duck hunter for long, he hasn’t spent enough time in the field to say whether traffic from hunters has increased.

He said he does have ways of avoiding other hunters in order to better his chances, though. “Scouting locations before the season definitely helps when I’m trying to find good hunting spots that I don’t think people will be able to find. Find areas that are harder, or take longer to get to, and maybe you’ll be able to separate yourself from other hunters,” Habenicht said.

Habenicht said other than the amount of other hunters in the woods, weather has a lot to do with his success on any given hunt. “I’ll take a cold, windy day 100% of the time. The wind will get the birds moving. If it’s raining really hard and the birds aren’t moving too much, changing location, or simply waiting it out and hoping they show up might be my next move,” Habenicht said. Habenicht also said the moments just after daylight can be the best of the day, and that although hunting with the sunrise in your face can make things difficult, it’s best to tough it out and squint your eyes if you want to get a shot at the ducks that fly at first light. Alumnus Cole Barnes recommends Potholes Reservoir for a high chance of a good hunt in the early days of the season as well as later in the year. “Depending on the birds’ flight path that day and if I’m set up under where they’re flying, I can usually get a least a few ducks on the ground on a decent day at Potholes, so it’s definitely my go-to,” Barnes said. Barnes said he hunts at Potholes on foot at times, but recommends hunters bring a boat so they can better avoid other hunters and explore the area to find the better hunting spots on the reservoir. “Potholes is pretty massive and it definitely helps to be able to get out on the water in a boat around there. It’s also pretty deep in spots, so that makes getting birds without a boat pretty sketchy at times,” Barnes said.

Playing by Housing rules Ryan Nakamura Staff Reporter

While the forum had changed, the structure beneath has remained more or less the same, with meetings still taking place and discussions of the same general topics albeit Residence halls have seen fewer resnow online instead of face-to-face. idents as a result of CWU’s decision to With the recent outbreak of have all available dorm rooms functioning COVID-19 cases in Wendell Hill Hall as single residence spaces. B the response from CWU was swift, Alice Verona, a senior computer scitaking note of the seence major who was an verity of the situation RHA coordinator with at hand. Housing until the layAll Wendell B resoffs, was eager to share idents and staff were her experience with required to be tested for the safety measures put the virus, and the hall is into place for Resident locked down until negAdvisers (RAs) and ative test results come housing staff. in according to the Verona said that in CWU website. theory having students Pat Jones, an unwear masks in common declared freshman, areas, maintaining sosaid that restrictions cial distance and miniseem more relaxed mizing visitors are well than expected. thought-out restrictions. - Alice Verona, senior He’d expected However, due computer science major students would be to RAs having to be under fairly strict concerned with their regulations. own safety as well, “This is my first the restrictions are year on campus so incredibly difficult to I could be wrong, but other than just properly enforce. the obvious stuff, you know, masks “Well for one thing all housing meetand all that stuff … I can’t actually tell ings are online now, less exposure time, I if there are any restrictions in place,” guess. Better safe and a little annoyed than Jones said. sick though,” Verona said.

“

Well for one thing all housing meetings are online now, less exposure time, I guess. Better safe and a little annoyed than sick though.

An anonymous RA in Housing wanted to explain housing and RAs are working as well as they are able to. “We’re working ourselves to the bone. It was difficult enough at the start of the term when we were still more or less feeling things out. Now though? After all the layoffs it’s a miracle that anyone is able to enforce restrictions. We’re doing what we can in housing and the RAs are doing what they are able to,” the source said. The Residence Hall guide for the 2020-21 school year has very little to say in regard to any restrictions, with only one paragraph on the coronavirus and what students who contract COVID-19 are to do. “Residents determined to have contracted or to have been exposed to the virus may be required to be isolated or quarantined in accordance with applicable public health guidelines or directives. CWU reserves the right to adjust or cancel housing assignments and contracts as may be necessary to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection,” the guide reads.

Graphic by Tiffany Tablang

“

The battle for t Written by Mitchell Roland

About Rep. Kim Schrier: Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Alma Mater: Cal Berkeley (B.S.), Cal Davis (M.D.) Offices Held: US House of Representatives Party: Democrat

n incumbent, Schrier said it has been “a real honor” to represent the 8th district in Washington D.C. Having previously worked as a pediatrician in Issaquah before her election, Schrier said she has served the 8th district for 20 years. “I think it’s been very refreshing for the 8th district to have a member of congress who has been present,” Schrier said. “I’ve had 67 townhalls over the past 23 months everywhere in this district.” During her time in congress, Schrier has served on both the Committee on Agriculture as well as the Committee on Education and Labor. “I joined the agriculture committee so I could be a voice for the farmers in our district,” Schrier said. “I joined the education committee because I know our young people are struggling with post high school education and college affordability.” Schrier said if Republicans control either of the House of Representatives, the Senate or the White House, she would continue to work across the aisle and find partners in the Republican Party. Schrier pointed to her work with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane) on H.R.6725 Farmers Feeding Families Coronavirus Response Act as one of the bills she has worked with Republicans on. Schrier said the bill would allow the state to buy produce from farmers who do not have a market, and donate it to local food banks. The bill was introduced on May 5 of this year and was sponsored by Schrier and co-sponsored by McMorris Rodgers, and has yet to pass either chamber of congress. Schrier also cited her work on the H.R.5038 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019, which according to congress.gov would allow “a certified agricultural worker (CAW) status and changing the H-2A temporary worker program.” Schrier co-sponsored the bill, which passed the house of representatives on Dec. 12 of last

ith just a week left until Elect 8th congressional district are Incumbent Rep. Kim Schri lican challenger Jesse Jensen for the congres This seat stretches across the Cascade m Ellensburg and Chelan, as far west as Aubur as the northern tip of Lake Chelan and Issaq Before Schrier, the 8th district had pre since its creation in 1983. Schrier’s election was part of the Demo control of the United States House of Repre Two years later, Schrier is running for primary this year in which 246,361 reside ond, third and fourth place finishers (Jesse were all Republican. After factoring in two other democratic c 47.5% of the vote while Republican candida Now, Schrier faces off against Jensen in United States House of Representatives. Both candidates discussed issues such as a er education and how they plan to get their

“[On healthcare] I do believe we need to have insur-

ance that is not tied to employment ... “We’ve seen what happens then when people lose their jobs they lose their insurance.” - Kim Schrier year, though it has yet to be taken up by the senate. “There’s a lot of things that happen on a bipartisan basis, but you just don’t hear about them because they don’t make it on the front page,” Schrier said. “But they’re really important for the 8th district, they’re really important to Washington state.” On healthcare, Schrier said her plan is “very similar” to Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden, and said she supported protections for people with preexisting conditions as well as allowing individuals to stay on their parents health insurance until they are 26 years old. “I do believe we need to have insurance that is not tied to employment,” Schrier said. “We’ve seen what happens then when people lose their jobs - they lose their insurance.” Schrier said mandating public health insurance “would not go over well” with people who get their insurance through their job, and said she supported a public option. “It gives people a path,” Schrier said. “And if it is really overwhelmingly popular, more and more people would choose it.” Schrier said she also maintains “hope” that another COVID-19 “rescue package” could be reached soon. Schrier said her “must haves” in a relief package are small business help, funding for state and local governments, enhanced unemployment and funding for testing and tracing.

“The $1,200 checks are nice, but I don’t know that they are targeted enough,” Schrier said. If a deal is not reached until after the election or until the new congress is sworn in in January, Schrier said even with retroactive benefits it will be “too late” for some people. “If you’ve already lost your apartment or if you already can’t put food on the table, I don’t know how you can make it,” Schrier said. “If you’re a small business that has gone under, there’s only so long you can not pay your rent.” On college affordability, Schrier said it is one of the issues she has taken on while on the education committee. “If you come out $50,000 or $100,000 in debt, you’re starting with one foot in the hole,” Schrier said. “How do you come out of that? How do you get a good paying job, especially in a pandemic?” While in congress, Schrier said she helped double Pell grants and has worked to pass two years of free college for “those

who need it.” Schrier said it is important to recognize most people need post high school training. Schrier said she also supports incentivizing careers such as social work, counselors and psychologists, where she said there is currently a shortage. “So how about we give an economic incentive to do those things by having school debt forgiveness for those types of careers,” Schrier said. “And I just think we need to be thinking more broadly about how we can help people get an education that’s right for them and make it affordable and do the right thing for our society, all at the same time.”

the 8th district

tion Day 2020, candidates for Washington’s e making their final pitches to voters. ier (D-Issaquah) is facing off against Repubssional seat. Schrier was elected to in 2018. mountains and represents areas as far east as rn, as far south as Eatonville and as far north quah. eviously been represented by a Republican

ocrats’ 2018 “blue wave,” as the party took esentatives. reelection. While Schrier won the August ents voted with 43.3% of the vote, the sece Jensen, Keith Swank and Dave Saulibio)

challengers, Democratic candidates received ates received 49.2% of the vote. the Nov. 3 general election for a seat in the

a COVID-19 stimulus bill, funding for highgoals accomplished in D.C.

About Jesse Jensen: Hometown: Bismark, ND Alma Mater: George Washington University (B.A.), Columbida University (M.B.A.) Offices Held: Never held elected office Party: Republican

“[On healthcare] If it does get torn down, we need to

have a plan in place that can ensure that citizens have protection for preexisting conditions, that they have access to quality health insurance and that they have access to quality healthcare.” - Jesse Jensen

political newcomer and the Republican challenger in the race, Jensen has never run for elected office before. “I think voters of the 8th congressional district are going to vote for me on the power of my ideas,” Jensen said. Prior to this campaign, Jensen served as a U.S. Army Ranger where he was awarded two bronze stars for his service. After leaving the military and earning his master’s, Jensen moved to Bonney Lake with his wife and children where he has worked in several private sector roles, including in a director-level position in healthcare as well as in program management positions at both Microsoft and Amazon.

Jensen said his campaign has been built on “servant leadership” which he learned in the U.S. Army. “I always made sure that the guys and gals under my command ate first, and that we took care of their needs first,” Jensen said. “And that’s what I want to do for the voters in the 8th congressional district as well.” If he were to be elected, Jensen said he is aware that he could “very well be in the minority across the board.” Jensen said he signed the nonpartisan With Honor pledge. With Honor is a group that aims to get veterans elected to Congress, and the three tenants of the pledge are integrity, civility and courage. The pledge also means that Jensen would sponsor a piece of Democratic legislation once a month and would meet with a Democratic representative once a week. “So much of getting stuff accomplished is built on relationships,” Jensen said. “I’m going to go into the job thinking I need to build as much of a cache as I can with members of the other party so that I can get things done for the voters of the 8th congressional district.”

Since the August primary, the two other Republicans in the race as well as Democrat Keith Arnold and Independent Corey Bailey have endorsed Jensen. The combined vote total for Jensen and for the candidates who later endorsed Jensen is 53.6%. Among his goals in his first term are increasing the height of Stampede Pass across the Cascade Mountains. Jensen said this would create 100 family wage jobs in Ellensburg, would create access for agriculture producers in central Washington and would reduce congestion, traffic and pollution in western Washington by reducing the number of semi trucks on the road. Jensen said he also wants to provide universal broadband to the district because “the homework gap is only getting bigger.” “Remote learning is tough. The homework gap is only growing,” Jensen said. “Especially for younger kids in elementary school.” Jensen said he also wants to “defend the police” by providing them enough funding for things such as police body cameras. “At the end of the day, good cops don’t like bad cops,” Jensen said. “We need to institute criminal justice reform and policing reform that ensures that everyone has equal access to justice under the law.” Among the criminal justice reform and police reform proposals Jensen supports are universal background checks and registries for “bad actors.”

On a COVID-19 relieve package, Jensen said he supported a $1.8 trillion package that the White House has backed. “We need to have funding for things like PPE, for schools. We need to make sure that that funding is in place,” Jensen said. “We need to make sure that there is funding, limited funding for cities and states. Cities and states need to be making the hard decisions.” Jensen said a COVID-19 package needed to support small businesses and that thousands of jobs in Washington could be lost “if we don’t make it through this pandemic safely.” “We need to start up this economy safely, we need to follow and dictate the science and do everything carefully,” Jensen said. “But if we don’t start creating revenue for the federal government, we’re not going to be able to afford these bailouts and people aren’t going to be able to afford basic stables like housing and food.” On healthcare, Jensen said while there are flaws in the Affordable Care Act, he’s not calling for the bill’s repeal, though there is a case before the United States Supreme Court that could “tear it down.” “If it does get torn down, we need to have a plan in place that can ensure that citizens have protection for preexisting conditions, that they have access to quality health insurance and that they have access to quality healthcare,” Jensen said. Jensen supports Guaranteed Catastrophic Care, which he said would mean a family of four making $60,000 a year in Ellensburg would pay 44% less than under the Affordable Care Act. For students, Jensen said that he does not support free college tuition. “I think we would have a lot more underwater basket weavers,” Jensen said. “And just sort of these college degrees that don’t provide a lot of benefit to the economy.” Jensen said he supports additional vocational training in high school so that “folks get the type of education that they need.” “Not everyone needs or wants to go to college,” Jensen said. “We do need to make sure that any kids that want to go to university have the means to do so, but again I don’t support sort of a blank check for free college.”

10 October 27, 2020

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News

Two Democrats are running for the office of lieutenant governor family leave, tackling the climate crisis and other things.”

Continued from Page 1 for debate. The lieutenant governor also becomes acting governor if the current governor leaves the state or is unable to perform their duties for another reason. This position comes with a lot of flexibility because it gives the lieutenant governor the ability to pursue their initiatives through policy. According to the Office of Lieutenant Governor, by law, they’re appointed the chair of the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations (LCEDIR). This means whoever is elected to this position meets with leaders in government, business, industry and education to talk about economic development issues. They also represent the state of Washington when visiting foreign officials. Additionally, the lieutenant governor is responsible for being an “ambassador of trade” for the state, meaning they are responsible for forming and strengthening trade ties. The first candidate running for this position is State Senator Marko Liias. Liias has a Bachelors from Georgetown University and a Masters from the University of Washington. He was the first person in his family to attend college. Liias currently serves as the state’s senate floor leader. He is responsible for being the main spokesperson for the Democratic Party. “The most important job of lieutenant governor is serving as our senate president,” Liias said. “As the person who’s been on the ground making changes in the senate for the last couple of years and in the senate leadership, I think that really sets me apart.” Liias is the state’s first openly gay statewide executive. He said because of this, it took him a while to prove himself to some colleagues. “I think it took me a while to maybe build those relationships longer than I would’ve if I’d been, you know, a [heterosexual] person in the room,” Liias said. One of Liias focuses is equity. He said as an LGBTQ man he knows how it feels to be discriminated against and marginalized. He also knows that as a white man he has opportunities other people don’t have. Liias wants to focus on social justice reform that takes down systemic barriers that affect certain communities. “When it comes to equity and social justice, I really believe in centering the voices of marginalized communities,” Liias said. “I want to work in allyship and ensure we’re elevating voices of color,” Liias said. One of the accomplishments he said he’s most proud of is banning the use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth. “Sending the message that every one of us is born perfect, was born the way we were meant to be, that there’s nothing about us that needs to be fixed or corrected in that way, is a really powerful message,” Liias said. If elected, Liias also plans to address making healthcare available to all, transportation, education, women’s health and policing. He

Denny Heck

State Rep. Marko Liias said the way he would approach fixing these issues depends on the issue itself. “When it comes to women’s health, and women’s rights broadly, I want to make sure that we are centering women’s voices in that debate and in that discussion,” Liias said. “So there, I think my leadership style is more about listening and learning.” Liias also said as a millennial, it is urgent to address the student debt crisis, the climate crisis, having affordable housing and access to childcare. He said these are issues his generation is facing right now. Regarding higher education, Liias said he is very proud of the work done last year to expand the higher education grant, so that families making under $70,000 a year can send their children to college at no cost and those making $100,000 receive help, but that more needs to be done. “We need to address food instability [and] housing instability on our campuses and we need to make sure they don’t just have their tuition handled, but other costs of attendance,” Liias said. Liias also said he wants to expand the grant money to benefit families making beyond $100,000, because many middle class families are struggling to send their children to college, especially with the pandemic. “Maybe the money that had been set aside for college might be tapped right now to help with the family needs, so I want to make sure that cost isn’t an obstacle, and that we aren’t trapping students in debt,” Liias said. Liias also believes students should have multiple viable options and that not just one institution should be focused on, so everyone can get careers they want and training they need. Liias also plans to address the COVID-19 pandemic by helping make Washington healthy. He said to accomplish anything else, the state must first beat COVID-19. He believes he holds a good track record of working well with others, especially members of the Republican Party. “I try and find common ground where I can, particularly with my Republican colleagues,” Liias said. “We don’t see eye-to-eye on every issue, but I think we have developed some strong partnerships where we have been able to make big steps forward on issues like transportation, infrastructure, paid

U.S. Representative Denny Heck is also running for lieutenant governor. Heck has a Bachelor’s from Evergreen State College. He is a founding member of the Olympia School District Education Foundation’s Principals’ Emergency Checkbook Fund. This group provides low-income kids with school supplies. He is also a lifelong Washington resident. Heck also co-founded TVW, the state’s public affairs network in 1993 with a friend. “I did it, because of my strong belief in the need for transparency in our state government,” Heck said. “This gives citizens an opportunity to watch the state legislature deliberate without having to get in their car and drive to Olympia.” Heck said he chose to run for lieutenant governor specifically, because that’s where he felt he could make the biggest difference. “I think the only reason to run for any office is because you want to make a difference, because you have a passion for public service,” Heck said. “It’s responsibilities lie absolutely at the intersection of other experiences I have had.” The experience Heck was referring to, was being elected to five terms in the state house, serving as Chief of Staff to Gov. Booth Gardner, co-founding TVW and his experiences withof starting a business. Heck’s focus areas include addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the environment, police reform, fixing the tax system and providing affordable housing and healthcare. Heck said he plans to address the pandemic by listening to scientists and supporting Gov. Jay Inslee’s efforts. “The best way to crush the virus is by following the science, the best way to recover the economy, is to crush the virus,” Heck said. According to Heck, members of Washington state’s congressional delegation have been on weekly conference calls with Inslee for about seven months to make sure the state is able to distribute vaccines, when they become available. According to Heck’s campaign website, heHeck wants to “promote values of a more just and fair economic system.” Heck said when it comes to addressing this, he clumps three issues together; social, economic and racial justice. “I happen to feel particularly strongly about the need for us to seize the moment and move the needle on issues related to racial justice, which I think there’s a crying need for,” Heck said. “The evidence is everywhere. The average black family has a net worth that’s barley one-eighth of the average white family. Hispanic kids are eight times more likely to be hospitalized due to COVID than a white child.” With the United States becoming a

Rep. Denny Heck more diverse place to live, Heck added that the country needs to focus on giving people within all communities the opportunity to succeed. “The issue of racial discrimination has been an issue that’s centuries old in this country, but I genuinely believe we have a chance to move the needle on this in the wake of the tragic murder of George Floyd,” Heck said. If elected, Heck also wants to work on reforming the police by banning choke holds, providing additional funding to hire mental health crisis response teams, limiting funding for military grade equipment, banning the use of tear gas and, requiringe independent investigations into officer-involved deaths. “I think we have a chance to get this done, change some practices that need changing,” Heck said. Heck said this also includes criminal justice reform, particularly incarcerations, because a large number of those incarcerated are people of color. “We have a lot of work to do in this regard, but politics is the art of the possible,” Heck said. “Racism is systemic and we all know that, so criminal justice and police reform, that’s a part of it, but there’s a lot of other parts. It’s access to healthcare, access to jobs, access to education and another one which I feel very very strongly is access to housing.” Heck said he thinks the issue that would be most attention grabbing to college students or millennials would be his focus on the environment. “Not just talking about it but actually doing something about it,” Heck said. “Six weeks ago we burned twice as many acres as we did in all of 2019… so the planet is burning up and I don’t mean figuratively.” Regarding higher education, Heck said funding would most likely be affected due to the state’s budget deficit, which may result in tuition increases. “It needs to be a priority of the legislature to not do what higher education [has]what they have done in past recessions,” Heck said. According to Ballotpedia, in the Washington primary, Denny Heck got 25% of the votes and Marko Liias got 18.5%. A new poll released by the Northwest Progressive institute released last Thursday showed that 32% of the participants planned to vote for Heck, 16% said they’d vote for Liias and 25% said they weren’t sure.

Marko Liias

Denny Heck

Hometown: Mukilteo, WA Alma Mater: Georgetown University (B.A.) Offices Held: Mukilteo City Council, WA State House, WA State Senate Party: Democrat

Hometown: Vancouver, WA Alma Mater:Evergreen State College (B.A.) Offices Held: WA State House, US House of Representatives Party: Democrat

October 27, 2020 11

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Opinion

A home on wheels: new college graduates should live in a van

Jayce Kadoun Columnist For many students, the time period that follows graduation is the first opportunity they’re given to be free as an adult. Between school, work and the obligations of everyday life, free time gets more and more scarce as time goes on. Students who have recently graduated from college should take their newfound and rare shot at freedom and use it to travel the country while living in a van. For those lucky enough to make it out of a university with a four-year degree and little to no debt, the option to get on the road and live simply without the rules and conformities of domestic life seems like a no-brainer. Later on, life will eventually catch up with them and they may have to settle into a career, but post-graduation is not the time. Life will not likely present a moment such as that which is presented following one’s completion of higher education. With no commitments and so many amazing places in the U.S. to see and experience, a van is the ideal way to get there and stay for as long as you want, rent free. For those on a budget, there are free camping options scattered across the United States. Property that is owned by the Bureau of Land Management or considered part

of national forests are publicly managed and allow free camping outside of developed campgrounds. Though these free areas often have no amenities, they are more than just free in the financial sense. These lands allow campers to break away from others and set up in wild and serene areas. Parking lots and rest areas are also open to anyone living the van life and cost nothing to stay at. The fact that someone could stay so many places without charge is all the more reason to start the adventure right after college. With so many different styles of vans to choose from, there are a variety of options for configuring and customizing the space in the vehicle to suit anyone’s needs. Most vans offer plenty of room for those who can handle living simply and if set up correctly, they can hold all of life’s essentials. Van builds can be relatively cheap while still ending up comfortable when completed. They should be optimized with accommodations for sleeping, storage, lighting and cooking. Once set up, the majority of the gear that will need to be brought along on the journey is probably already owned by the average college graduate. The term “van” should be used loosely when referring to someone’s mobile house. There are a lot of variances

in van types that would all work for a cross-country adventure. Sprinter and cargo vans, busses, campers and larger SUVs will all serve the same purpose and can be built to house a newly graduated vagabond. Once the van is set up and ready for adventure, the only thing left to consider is the places to go. Oceans, beaches, lakes, mountains, canyons, monuments, cities big and small or national parks full of amazing sites and hikes are just some of the attractions on

an endless list of potential escapades for a van-lifer. All things considered, the van life is the best way for a student who is fresh out of college to experience the real world, at least temporarily. Life is long enough to fit in a chapter filled with wanderlust and true freedom. If the day comes when a career, family and debt take up their time, they’ll look back and reminisce on the simpler times when they took a chance and took off in their van.

stands true: at one point, he did make that statement. Just because the family friend disliked this does not mean it was fake news. There are many ways to see if things

Many, if not all, include any and every tweet, even deleted ones. Many websites are dedicated to being fact-checkers based on statements made on television, on social media and so on.

are fake news or not. Many sources online are available, such as Twitter archives, fact-checking websites and public records. Some websites are dedicated to being accurate archives for political figures’ tweets. Some may have a search bar along with categories of tweets, while others may just be a chronological timeline of published tweets.

The Berkeley Library website has a thorough list of fact-checking websites and their descriptions, and all of those listed are linked. Coincidentally, the Washington Post has made a fact-checking service dedicated to one subject: how many lies Donald Trump has made. The last update was made on Aug. 27, and this database includes a graph, a “most

repeated claims” section and an area to search topics within this database. This fact-checking service lists individual false claims Donald Trump has made and explains why they are wrong along with sources for every explanation. Public records are available that can disprove any fake news, as they are 100% accurate documents, recordings and other archival platforms. Alongside these alternative sources, there are known unbiased newspapers across the nation. There are graphs online labeling different newspaper sources as left leaning, right leaning, or if they are unbiased. Andrew Moshirnia from Monash University has published a paper on the Utah Law Review website titled, “Who Will Check the Checkers? False Factcheckers and Memetic Misinformation.” The paper covers what fact-checkers are, what may invalidate a fact-checking source and other related discussion points. With all of these resources available, there is no excuse to either readily believe somebody or quickly accuse them of lying. If you are getting in a Facebook comments section battle with that “typical blue-haired liberal” or “stubborn Boomer,” know that there will be facts you may not like brought up. Know that there is also a mass amount of misinformation shared by all political parties, but never claim a fact as false solely because it does not fit your narrative.

Graphics by Riel Hanson/The Observer

Facts you dislike are not fake news Star Diacolikis Columnist With a large concern of fake news being shared, everybody needs to remember not everything they disagree with is fake news. There is a clear line between fake news and the hard truth, and you cannot say something is fake just because you do not like it. There has been a rise of fake news within the past four years. However, there has also been an increase of politicians and citizens denying real evidence and facts solely to support their political stance. A great example is when there have been false statements made by our president that get publicly corrected, many supporters decide to dismiss it as fake news. At the beginning of the month, President Donald Trump made a statement on Twitter saying he would halt negotiations regarding the next COVID-19 relief check until after the elections, “when he wins.” A family member of mine posted, explaining this was ridiculous, and a known Trump supporter family friend instantly replied. “Sorry..Trump has never said that..” their response read. As I responded “weird, because Trump literally tweeted this,” along with a screenshot of the tweet, their response immediately dismissed it as fake news. Though Trump has since taken back that statement and pushed the fact he was willing to negotiate, the fact still

12 October 27, 2020

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Opinion

My culture is not your Halloween costume

Star Diavolikis Columnist Every year, I see white people and non-Native Americans post their Halloween costumes that are usually described as an “Indian Princess,” and this costume trend needs to die out already. You’re not being cute imitating our war cries or “performing a rain dance.” You are being offensive. To see my culture being dismissed enough to the point of just being a Halloween costume is harmful to not only Native Americans, but also those who are

Photo courtesy of Star Diavolikis

uneducated on how this is cultural appropriation and inappropriate. Besides being offensive to our culture, normalizing this behavior makes those who don’t know any better believe the costumes are acceptable. These costumes mimic real regalia and headdresses. They may imitate buckskin by using cheap cloth and may use feathers from an arts-and-crafts store to create a fake headdress. The history behind our regalia is much more than something we would just buy from a store. Our regalia is tied to our religions and cultures.

Native American regalia greatly varies, whether it is our powwow outfits, what we wear to our church services or other modernized clothing. For women at powwows, depending on what category of dance they are participating in, they can be wearing buckskin or cloth, have a shawl draped on their shoulders and usually have otter furs wrapped around their braids and have moccasins on. Realistically, we never look like these stereotypes portrayed by these Halloween costumes. Our cultures are more than what you may see on Halloween. We have a few different religions within our cultures, for example the Yakamas have Shaker and the Washat (Seven Drums) religions. We have dance categories at powwows and we have traditional foods. Nobody ever hears or knows about these facts when a girl is pretending to do a rain dance at a college dorm party. This is because our regalia is treated as a costume instead of what it actually is: part of a fully fledged culture. A quick Google search of “Native American costumes” brings up multiple costumes imitating our culture, ranging from children’s costumes to adult ones that have a habit of being sexualized. All of them have the same trend of imitating buckskin regalia, and either a headband or headdress with women having their hair in braids. The implied hairstyles for men with these costumes are either braids or mohawks. All of these costumes do, however, have either face paint or a prop of either a bow and arrow set or a tomahawk. As a Native American from the Yakama Indian Reservation, I can promise

Photo courtesy of Star Diavolikis

Spirit Halloween

you we have not worn face paint or used tomahawks anytime recently. Our regalia is not always created from buckskin, and we are not doing rain dances. My friend shared a status on social media of me saying I dislike when people wear these costumes, and my white friends tried to shut me down with their opinions as to why it is not offensive. One comment in particular said these costumes are not offensive, as they (white people) have borrowed from all cultures, and these costumes are equivalent to using turmeric in a recipe. There is a large difference between a spice that can be used in recipes and a costume that portrays the Native American culture in a sexualized manner while also portraying us as silly, dumb or as savages. Turmeric does not reflect on a culture, while these costumes do. While having a “Cowboy & Indian” couples costume with your boo may sound like a good idea, the great thing about Halloween is that there are endless amounts of costume ideas. You do not have to choose the one that involves a stereotype, you could easily be a king and queen, a superhero and their love interest or a celebrity couple. If you insist on a “historical” costume, you could be a president and his wife. These costumes may not seem like a big deal to those outside of the culture, as it is “just a costume.” However, it is not up to non-Natives to decide whether it is offensive and acceptable or not. These costumes directly reflect on our culture. A role non-Natives can play in this situation is to discourage the use of these costumes and educate others as to why they are bad. There are many resources online that can educate and explain more on this topic, so I encourage everybody to become educated.

October 27, 2020 13

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Sports

Women’s soccer sees return of key players

Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics

CWU Junior forward Makinzie “Mak” Packwood pursues the ball against Seattle Pacific University in 2019. Packwood will be returning for the potential 2021 season after suffering an injury. Gabriel Strasbaugh Staff Reporter The 2020 season for women’s soccer looks to improve on the strengths from last season. Conference success plays to the gameplan Coach Michael Farrand has instilled in his players. The Wildcats ended with a winning 6-51 record in conference play fall 2019, along

with a winning record of 4-3 when defending their home turf. Following the NCAA’s recent decision on cancelling DII and III championships, Farrand said the plans for the season are set for the last week of March 2021. “This will be a little different for us competing over a spring break because we’ve never done that,” Farrand said. “Our athletic [administrative] guys between

Dennis, Gary, Dolby and Tyler, they are working super hard to make all of our sports to come back online and have a successful year.” On the field, the Wildcats sport many returning key figures for the upcoming 2020 season. Makinzie “Mak” Packwood looks to bounce back from her shortened 2019 campaign from her broken leg.

Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics

Head coach Michael Farrand will lead CWU women’s soccer in the potential 2021 season. Farrand hopes to return to the GNAC championships.

“I think Mak’s progress back has been fantastic,” Farrand said. “We get Emily Russell back from ankle surgery. There’s a lot of puzzle pieces we did without last year that are all coming back in the mix and I think that makes us a dangerous threat right now.” Junior midfielder Sophia Keenan continues to make her presence known as one of the GNAC’s top performers this offseason. 2019 was her best to date with her First Team All-GNAC all region player selection. “Ms. Clutch” Bella Brown returns for her third season. Brown’s 2019 season was highlighted by her game-tying goal and two assists in the GNAC championship against Western Washington University. Aside from the field, the biggest challenge for the season remains COVID-19 according to the coach. When asked about the health of the soccer team, Farrand declined to comment on specifics. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to comment on the public health in terms of athletics,” Farrand said. Farrand added that the health of the players remains the top order for the coaches and trainers. “We are very cognizant about it and very aware about it. We test all of our athletes on the way into school and began as good as we could,” Farrand said. Tentativeness still looms for the team and its season. Farrand said it is something that they have to be prepared for at all times. “It’s a pandemic and things change not just on a weekly or monthly basis, but things are changing on a daily basis for ourselves,” Farrand said. “Keep aware of what we need to do to be safe for us.” No players chose to comment on the upcoming season or the situation involving the pandemic.

14 October 27, 2020

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Sports

Straight from the horse’s mouth How the equestrian team has handled the pandemic RachelAnn Degnan Staff Reporter The smell of the hay, the whispers of the wind and the creaking of the barn doors are just a small part of a horse enthusiast’s day. Washington’s horse partisans come in all shapes and sizes, and most of them flock to Ellensburg once a year for the famous Kittitas County rodeo. The CWU Equestrian team was created to provide student horse lovers a chance to compete year-round. The team and club have drawn long time riders like senior biomedical major Rebekah Longmire to its ranks during her time in Ellensburg. “I joined the equestrian team because I wanted to get involved and meet people who love competing with horses as much as I do,” Longmire said. “I loved being able to share my riding skills with others while continuing to work on my own.” The competitions are a predominant part of the equestrian team. “At competitions, we get randomly assigned horses, and it’s really fun watching them warm up and wondering which one you will get,” Longmire said. “There are two divisions of riding, Western and English, and when I was participating in

both, I had competitions almost every weekend during the season.” Owning a horse is not essential to be a part of the equestrian team, however. The team’s vice president, senior biology and chemistry double major Hallie Rasmussen, doesn’t currently have a horse, but that hasn’t stopped her from getting involved. “It is normally completely random which horse I can ride because I am using someone else’s animal,” Rasmussen said. “[This] can be challenging but I enjoy learning how to handle different horses on different levels.” Like a lot of sports and events at CWU, the equestrian team has been negatively affected by the pandemic. Unable to secure a single barn for themselves, the team’s horses are spread throughout Ellensburg. Senior construction management major and president of the Equestrian Club Alicia Mahler was worried about how the season would look. “It was nerve-racking to get the email about not being able to compete or participate in events this year,” Mahler said. “It is hard to practice as a team when our horses are not in the same barn, but we have been trying to take this time to volunteer in our community and bond together.” Even with the equestrian team’s unknown future, Alexa Schmidt, a senior

Photo courtesy of CWU Equestian team

Equestrian team members gathered for a team meeting to discuss future plans and competitions. in the business administration program and the coach and western captain, has continued to be optimistic. “We have taken the year to practice and to focus on coming back in later

years stronger,” Schmidt said. “We can still hold practices and team bonding, and I am really hoping that we have productively used this time to better ourselves and our riding.”

Men’s cross country team looks ahead to future competition despite face covering challenges The men’s cross country team is in a state of limbo right now with no season until at least Jan. 7, 2021. At that time, they’re expected to be cleared to compete again and have their indoor winter track season. According to senior Rajesh Gill, they’re waiting to compete again and have been training since March when they last competed. According to Gill, most runners run on their own rather than with teammates like before the pandemic. However, the team has in-person workouts in the weight room and team meetings

twice a week to listen to what head coach Kevin Adkission says while everyone wears a mask. Gill said despite everything that’s changed, they all still keep in touch with each other, whether on Zoom meetings once a week or outside in person. They check in with each other during the week to make sure they’re getting all their training and mileage in and staying consistent. For Gill, masks do present a bit of a challenge when it comes to running. “It’s not the most comfortable thing because you breathe out of your mouth when you’re running so you have something covering your mouth,” Gill said. Gill said he doesn’t run with a mask on

Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics

Rajesh (Left) competing in a race back in 2019. He is currently training to compete in the future.

outside if he’s on his own. He crosses the “We are all kind of used to running street if somebody comes near him so he as a group and we’ve had to stop doing doesn’t get close to them. that, it’s all pretty much on our own However, when he runs indoors or with and that’s probably the one good thing others, he said the mask makes it challenging. about our sport, we can do it alone,” Another chalAllen said. lenge Gill faces Adkisson also while running is touched on runwearing glasses and ning on their having them fog own instead of as up due to his warm a group like they breath from the used to do. He said mask. He explained because of the panhis glasses fogging demic, they need up makes it hard for to be more aware him to see where of safety now more he’s going. than ever. Senior Trevor One challenge Allen said the team the team is facwasn’t as focused as ing is freshmen he thought they could on the team don’t - Rajesh Gill be when he joined a live with their few years back. teammates so the According to team is doing Allen, the team is now a lot more fo- what they can to make them feel like cused than they were in past years. He part of the team. really likes where this team has come Adkisson said when the news hit that since he’s got here. they wouldn’t have a fall season, it was Allen has been battling a recent inju- a blow and made motivation really difry so while the rest of the team has been ficult since runners worked all summer. running, he’s been on a stationary bike in Adkisson explained how anything the Recreation Center. But unlike those faster than an easy run is just not comrunning outside, he must wear a mask on fortable at all with a mask on. Adkisson the bike. said he even went on a run with a mask “It’s not fun to say the least,” Allen said. to experience what it’s like. Allen said wearing a mask while on the Despite the circumstances and bike is uncomfortable and takes time get- changes with not running together ting used to. Another change the whole and having to wear masks, the cross team has had to get used to is not running country team is ready for when comas a group anymore. petition resumes.

“

It’s not the most comfortable thing because you breathe out of your mouth when you’re running so you have something covering your mouth.

“

Derek Harper Staff Reporter

October 27, 2020 15

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Sports

DI Elite Rugby partners with CRAA for women’s rugby team Sean Bassette Staff Reporter

DI Elite Rugby, the league in which CWU’s Women’s Rugby team competes in, has announced a partnership with the Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) to improve the landscape of women’s rugby. “The partnership is definitely a good thing overall, not only for the game in this country but for CWU as well,” Women’s rugby head coach Trevor Richards said. Richards pointed out a few key factors that make this partnership advantageous for the team. “The CRAA is a bigger brand and it’s been established for a while, and it’s really shown a lot of growth and promise, and it’s connecting a lot of universities. Coming from the DI Elite side, it’s definitely the toughest competition as far as women’s collegiate rugby is concerned,” Richards said. Play under this partnership will begin in spring 2021. According to Richards, when play begins, one of the biggest immediate effects Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics of this partnership will be more media CWU women’s rugby team members in a scrum against Seattle Saracens back in 2017. Women’s rugby 2021 season is currently pending. coverage. Their games will be played live DIA Men’s Rugby had already part- women’s side of things, and from that Richards certainly wasn’t alone in that on ftfnext.com. nered with the CRAA. The CRAA, DIA, growth comes more opportunities for our Richards mentioned some smaller thought. Senior Prop Haley Abeyta and and DI Elite had partnered for the 2020 student athletes,” Richards said. perks that’ll come from this partnership, junior Scrum Half/Fly Half Maryjane PaThe women’s rugby team will beNational Championships. including more opponents, the oppor- sioles shared the same reaction. gin to play under this partnership in “At the end of the day, it’s about the “I’m excited. tunity to play in spring 2021. growth of the game especially on the We haven’t had bigger events, the much exposure esability for more repecially to differcruiting and highent teams because er-level referees. we’re limited to According to only four teams in Wildcatsports. our league, so just com schools withbeing able to go in the partnership out and play difwill be provided ferent teams and “high-performance see what they have program eligibilto offer to the taity, cross-confer• judges • the postal service ble is exciting,” ence and internaAbeyta said. • CDC, EPA, FEC, more • immigration reform tional play along - Trevor Richards, women’s “I feel like this with other various rugby head coach • housing justice • LGBTQIA rights is kind of like a member services.” stepping stone. R i c h a r d s wasn’t shy about sharing his reaction to This is like the next step to the bigger picture of rugby,” Pasioles said. the partnership. This partnership aligns DI Elite Wom“I was definitely excited about the parten’s Rugby with DIA Men’s Rugby. nership,” Richards said.

“

The partnership is definitely a good thing overall, not only for the game in this country but for CWU as well.

Be a Voter because... you aren’t just voting for president. You are voting for:

“

Kittitas County Ballot Drop Box Locations

LOWER COUNTY

• Thorp Fire Station #1 • CWU SURC • Kittitas City Hall • Kittitas County Courthouse

UPPER COUNTY

• Easton Fire Station • Ronald Fire Station #1 • Roslyn City Hall/Library • Upper District Court - Cle Elum • South Cle Elum Town Hall

Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics

Michel Navarro (Right) breaking away from Seattle Saracens’ defender while running for a try.

VoteWa.gov | KittitasLeague.org | Vote411.org

16 October 27, 2020

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Engagement

The Jack-O-Lantern Maze! Do you think you can find the candy? Or will the hungry spider get it first?

Events Oct. 28 - Nov. 4

Weds. Oct. 28 -

• 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Blood Drive Off Campus Events

• 6 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Disney and Pixar’s Monsters, inc. • 7-9 p.m. Geek Out, Game Out Student Union and Recreation Center Rm 135, 140, 137A, 137B

• 7-9 p.m. Trivia Wednesday - 2000’s Pop Culture Trivia Virtual Location for Online Events

• 8:30 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Disney and Pixar’s Monsters University

Thurs. Oct. 29 -

• 5 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - The Nightmare Before Christmas • 6:30 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Sleepy Hollow (1999) • 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Tell-Tale Gaze

• 9:20 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Hocus Pocus • 11:30 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Ghostbusters (1984)

Sun. Nov. 1 - NO EVENTS Mon. Nov. 2 -

• 12-8 p.m. ASCWU Student Engagement Hub for Nov. 3 Election Student Union Recreation Center Ballroom Rm 215B, 215D, 215C

• 8-10:30 p.m. Monday Movie Madness: Spotlight Virtual Location for Online Events

Tues. Nov. 3 -

• 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ASCWU Student Engagement Hub for Nov. 3 Election Student Union Recreation Center Ballroom Rm 215B, 215D, 215C

Weds. Nov. 4 -

• 3:30-4 p.m. Present Moments Post Election Virtual Location for Online Events

McConnell Hall

Fri. Oct. 30 -

Sat. Oct. 31-

• 4:15-5 p.m. Present Moments: Arts and Crafts

• 6:50 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - The Addams Family (1991) • 8:55 p.m. 31 Nights of Halloween* - Addams Family Values

Black Hall 105-01 DEC

• 7-9 p.m. Trivia Wednesday - Friendsgiving Virtual Location for Online Events

Staff Quote of the Week: “It is never Good.”

*Freeform.com