The Observer, Fall 2025 – Issue 2

NewsEdi t or Ky l eyGl enn

Page 03

October 9, 2025

CELEBRATIONS START BEFORE KICKOFF: Tailgating Before Wildcat Football

Lucas W. Pierron Staff Reporter

(Photo courtesy of Envato)

H

ours before the night’s festivities were set to begin, RV’s started to trail into the surrounding gravel lots and out emerged folding chairs, portable TVs, generators, grills, barbecues and a feeling of school spirit that is sure to kick off the academic year with vim and vigor.

talked about his experience of the game, the first CWU game he has ever attended. “I saw a big group at the front line [...] C.A.T.S painted on their front chests…” Kjellesvik recounted. “They were doing the national anthem, and he stopped – mid track – just put his hand to his forehead and saluted that flag [...] That was an image that I will live with forever.”

This past Saturday on Oct. 4, Tomlinson stadium erupted in activity as CWU students enjoyed their first football game of the season to take place during the academic school year.

The Wildcats of Central Washington University duked it out with the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico University, and tailgating ensued.

Kjellesvik continued, “This is my first time being to a tailgate, and I had a lot of fun. I was by myself, and I found some people, and they were very, very welcoming.” Looking past the fun and games of it all, Blake finished by describing the sense of community and providing us with a call to action: “We don’t have a lot of time left here [...] so just to be able to meet these people and enjoy the time that we had, that was honestly what I needed for tonight to keep me going.”

On game day, students and fans all did their parts to make sure operations ran smoothly. Members of other fall sports teams stood outside the tailgating lots, helping out: “Track and Field is here for a fundraiser for parking so that anyone for $10 can help us buy new Javelins, Shot Puts or Blocks,” said Freshman Blessing Ayodeji, an athlete from the Track and Field team who helped volunteer. Blessing and her teammates directed game-goers into proper spots and asked for donations to help support the team. Her teammates Joy Ayodeji and Keira Fleenor continued with the good vibes: “Shout out all of fall sports. I wish them a great season [...] we believe in good humans, good athletes here at CWU!”

Beau Phillips catching pass. (Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics)

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The tailgate parties continued right up to the beginning of the game, where a group of fans showed their school spirit by painting ‘GO CATS!’ on their bare chests, each fan donning one letter of the phrase. Blake Kjellesvik, a senior English major, CWU Observer

@CWUObserver

The next home game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18 against Texas A&M-Kingsville. Come see for yourself what Central Football has to offer, whether you are looking for a good time or just a sense of campus pride.

Fellow Wildcats tailgating before the game.

(Photo courtesy of CWU Athletics)

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Page 04

October 9, 2025

Vigils on Main Street and the protestors behind them

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Tage Dayton Staff Reporter

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early every week, Ellensburg Indivisible meets to protest the current administration and share their message with the town. The political protest group holds these weekly “vigil” protests on the corner of Main St. and Fifth Ave. Professor of Accessibility Studies at CWU and member of the protest group Dr. Naomi Jeffery Peterson, talked about why the group protests every week. “We’re by the courthouse. We stand to express our concerns about issues that are going on politically,” Peterson said.

According to Peterson, Ellensburg Indivisible had a wide range of issues that they were trying to bring awareness to. “The people who started this … are the Justice for our Neighbors group and they are advocates for people who are caught up in immigration raids,” Peterson said. “They provide a lot of support for people who can’t speak english or don’t know how to navigate the system and that was before this latest ramp up. And so what they do is they watch ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids and tell people.”

Brian Ray, an aircraft maintenance engineer who is also a part of the protest group, discussed why he joined the Indivisible.

“Fascism and tyranny are the norm today, and I think far too many citizens don’t acknowledge that, don’t understand it, don’t want to understand it, maybe don’t realize it. ” Ray said. “Whatever the case may be, we’re simply out here trying to raise awareness, whether it’s for the homeless, for the disenfranchised LGBTQ, for people that are going to be losing their benefits. Whether it’s Medicaid or Medicare, but right now, we’re focused on the fascist regime that is trampling all over the Constitution.”

Even though Ellensburg Indivisible protests for many different reasons, specific events have specific goals, Peterson stated.

“Sometimes there is a definite focus,” Peterson said. “For instance, on John Lewis’s birthday, it was ‘make good trouble.’ (So) sometimes there’s a particular focus if an event comes up, but events have been happening so quickly and broadly, I have one that I feel strongly about, that government is for the people not profits. For a time there was a lot of focus on Elon Musk and DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and then it shifted, so it’s a moving target.”

Although peaceful, the protests are not always without resistance.

“Lots of times people will do the ‘carbon stomp’ so that we can get blown with gas and fumes and the ‘middle finger salute,’” Peterson said. “But the biggest concern we have is that there’s a lot of money in the people who are resisting and you can see that in the signs. They’ve invested a lot in the political signs supporting their candidates.”

Ellensburg Indivisible mainly operates out of a members only facebook page, and hold various public meetings for those interested in the organization. They plan to participate in the upcoming “No Kings” protest on Oct 18.

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“Fascism and tyranny are the norm today,

and I think far too many citizens don’t acknowledge that, don’t understand it,

don’t want to understand it,

maybe don’t realize it.”

- Brian Ray, member of Ellensburg Indivisible

@CWUObserver

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Page 05

October 9, 2025

So the government ‘ shut down... now what?

Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief

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t the time of this article’s publication, the U.S. government is in a state of shutdown, and has been for almost a full week. While that may sound scary, and for many it is, the actual effects of a government shutdown are more specific than most might think. So with healthcare, government jobs, military paychecks and more on the line, one simple question is left in most Americans’ minds: “What does a government shutdown mean for me?”

One quick update, is that at the time of this article’s publication, in a massive breaking of convention the Trump Administration has stated that some federal employees do not “deserve” back pay, leaving thousands of workers unsure about if they will be receiving compensation for their furloughed time away.

How did it start?

Before we get into the effects of the shutdown, let’s briefly touch on the why of the whole situation. Congress is faced with the yearly task of passing an “appropriations” bill that dictates federal funding for a variety of government programs across the country.

When Congress is unable to come to a majority vote, which requires at least some level of bipartisan support, the bill is unable to be passed and federal funding is unable to be distributed to these aforementioned programs. This lack of funding distribution is the primary cause of a government shutdown, meaning the shutdown will continue to last until Congress can find majority support for a bill and unjam the flows of funding that are currently being withheld.

The reason that this year’s bill was unable to pass is that in a very divisive partisan split, almost every Democratic member of Congress voted against the proposed bill, with almost every Republican member of Congress voting in support, drawing a clear partisan line and making it impossible for a bipartisan majority vote to be garnered for the bill.

There are two main issues that caused such a wide partisan split on this bill. The first is whether or not this new bill will include an “extension” of multiple tax credit programs which if not extended would in some cases double the cost of health insurance for millions of Americans. The second is whether or not President Trump’s cuts to Medicaid will be upheld or reversed in the new budget.

The Democrats in congress are holding out for the extension, and for the reversal; Whereas the Republicans in congress want to discontinue the tax credit programs and uphold the cuts to Medicaid.

Government contractors could lose or regain backpay funding depending on how the organization they were contracted through decides to handle their payment once the shutdown is resolved. The longer a shutdown is in effect, the more these effects could be exasperated.

Economic data collection also stops during the duration of shutdown, which makes federal institutions like the Federal Reserve have to rely on outdated data and old estimates, which could have severe impacts on the economy if data collection is withheld in the long term.

How will it end?

The shutdown will only end if Congress is able to pass a version of the “appropriations” bill that is able to garner bipartisan support, something that could take as little as a few days or as long as a few weeks. As of the time of this article’s publication, the partisan split that caused the shutdown is still holding strong, and blame is being thrown in both directions by officials on both sides of the divide.

There are no concrete estimates as to when this shutdown will end.

What are the immediate effects?

When the government shuts down certain organizations are hit harder than others. Museums and national monuments are most often the first to shut down, as many people who work at the sites are sent home without pay.

On top of this, federal workers stop receiving paychecks during the entire time the shutdown is in effect, with many essential workers being required to continue their jobs without pay. This leaves many government institutions either on leave or under smaller working staff.

What are the long-term effects?

A prolonged shut down could have more harmful effects on the economy and institutions that would typically be able to maintain their services even during the first days of a shutdown.

Many lower district courthouses could run out of reserves and have to temporarily close during a prolonged shutdown, significantly affecting the timeliness of court proceedings.

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Page 06

CONstructio

acROSS CW Ethan Kennedy Scene Editor

F

or over 50 years, the Language and Literature (L&L) building housed CWU’s English, History and even some Philosophy courses. In 2024, the L&L building was torn down due to its ‘effects on the environment around it and aging infrastructure,’ with construction starting shortly after for the new North Academic Complex (NAC).

Now, with new buildings on the horizon for CWU, faculty are gearing up and getting ready for this expansion. Dr. Mary Radeke, associate professor of psychology, spoke on the excitement arising amongst the staff. “I think the general idea is that we are pretty excited that it’s coming, it’s going to be a new place for students and faculty …

I think it’s needed,” Radeke said.

With the building expected to be completed by early 2026, students and staff are looking forward to what the NAC has in store. However, some complications did arise when construction on the geothermal wells near the psychology building began.

“Early on, it affected the South and East sides of the building, when they were drilling the thermal wells … that caused a pretty significant vibration on that end of the building,” Radeke said. “We could hear it on the North and West sides, but it was pretty pronounced to the point where it was rattling doors … when we brought it to the attention of the facilities and folks who were working on it, they adjusted to the best of their ability, so that helped, but it was still pretty significant early on.”

Any courses previously held in the old L&L building are currently being held across a few different Halls on campus; Those being Samuelson Hall, Black Hall and the Psychology building to name a few.

The NAC will be more environmentally friendly, which would provide a greener environment for CWU’s community. The previous L&L building was taken down due to poor infrastructure, cramped spaces and complex routine maintenance. Focused more towards general education classes, a majority of freshmen will have courses in the new building.

This new building will allow for larger class sizes, with 21 classrooms, and a lecture hall that will hold over 240 students.

Delano Palmer, the Director overseeing the Capital Projects and Planning team, spoke on the challenges that came with the construction of the NAC. “The pandemic increased the cost pretty significantly, from somewhere about $85 million to $108 million … it no longer included a library as part of the design. Some of the lessons that we’ve learned from geothermal well technology is that it takes a lot of footprint to be able to put in a well … what we had to do was close down the Southeast lawn of the Psychology [building],” Palmer said.

Currently, construction is right on schedule for the building to be open for use in Fall 2026. This

will be the first building under CWU President Jim Wohlparts’ leadership, working with the projects and planning team since the conception of the project. Palmer also noted that the geothermal wells will contribute power to multiple buildings across campus, and plans for an emergency backup plan, allowing for CWU to sustain operations in the case of a power outage.

Not only is the NAC entering its final phase of construction, but a few renovations on campus are also wrapping up. Palmer spoke on the multiple projects expected to be completed in 2026.

“2026 is a very exciting year for CWU. First, Black Hall’s renovation will be complete, which will [house] the Multicultural Center and all sections of it will be open. Fall 2026 will be the North Academic Complex, then we’ll be into heavy portions of the design for the aviation degree expansion up at Bowers field,” Palmer said. “The three projects that we’re hoping to be able to step into is, first, a ‘student first center’, which would be a renovation of Boullion Hall … The second is an Arts Education Complex, which would be a replacement of Randall Hall and Michaelson Hall as it stands today. And the third would be a behavioral health building as a replacement for the psychology building.”

For the NAC, the capital projects and planning team was granted $108 million, approximately $10 million for the aviation degree expansion, $6 million for Black Hall renovations, $16.4 million for the second geothermal plant, $4.5 million for energy efficiency projects, $11.7 million for emergency backup and currently just under $9 million for both the design plans for the Art Education Complex and the behavioral health building, totaling out to $174.5 million.

Palmer noted that there is also a plan in place for geothermal sustainability, which would lead into the projects and planning teams’ decarbonization plan over the next 15-20 years. This type of environmental care will provide a healthy and safe space for all.

Overall, the consensus towards the NAC is positive, with faculty anticipating with excitement on what CWU has in store for the future of their campus.

Construction site of the new geothermal plant.

(Photo by Ethan Kennedy)

“I think the general idea is that we are pretty excited that it’s coming, it’s going to be a new place for students and faculty … I think it’s needed.”

- Dr. Mary Radeke, assistant professor, psychology

Page 07

on and Projects Team The Capital Planning

WU

prepares for a big year Money granted for planned budget Budget provided by Capital Projects and Planning Director, Delano Palmer.

projects finishing/starting 2026 North Academic Complex

$108 million

Aviation degree expansion

$9.9 million

Black Hall renovations

$6 million

2nd geothermal plant

$16.4 million

Energy efficiency projects

$4.5 million

Emergency backup

$11.7 million

Art education complex design

$9 million

Behavioral health building design $9 million

West Side of the North Academic complex under construction.

(Photo by Ethan Kennedy)

Total - $174.5 million

Page 08

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

HOST THEIR FIRST

BINGO NIGHT DESIGN BY RIELEY IVERSON

Mulholland Dunlap

C

ampus Activities ran a well-attended Bingo Night at the Student Union and Recreation Center (SURC) Ballroom.

The one and a half hour event only had 200 different Bingo cards, but an additional 50 people watched everyone play Bingo over the course of the event.

When the doors to the Ballroom opened, 15 minutes before the game started, students felt very excited as they waited in line to get checked in for the event. Graphic Design student Thea Batch and Media and Journalism student Floyd Lentz were especially eager to get started.

Batch said she decided to go to Bingo night because “I did the promotion for it. I made the posters for it. So I decided to be here because I wanted to see the event that I was marketing.” Batch added that she likes Bingo because, “it’s completely random. And I like that it’s luck-based, anyone can win, and it could be me tonight.”

Lentz, on the other hand, was excited to try and win big. “I heard about the prizes, and I thought the prizes were an awesome opportunity,” Lentz said. “I am seeing on the table in front of me, there’s laundry soap and fresh fruits and vegetables, which I think is important for college students to have a lot of their essentials that they might not know that they need for living on their own for the first time.”

When the game started, many of the players were screaming with excitement. Grace Pearsons, the program manager for Campus Activities, served as the primary host for the Bingo Night. She called out the numbers while one of her Special Events Coordinators, Music Education student Nina Soetamin, randomly rolled the numbers out of the Bingo cage.

Everyone’s goal was to get a regular Bingo, in which you had to mark five numbers in a row, for all the prizes. These prizes included CWU swag, school supplies and other college essentials donated from several campus clubs.

Campus Activities gave the prizes in a specific order so that they could save the most costly and special ones for last.

Paramedicine student Malia Tewey was especially excited about those prizes. She said that her favorite part of the event was “seeing all the prizes that kind of varied from different … sponsors, if you will, sponsorships from different areas, like the Hype, the Student Rec, Multicultural, all that variety. So it kind of helps you know a little bit more about what this campus can offer.”

Special Events Coordinator and Business Administration and Wine Studies student Lesly Cadena noted that her committee was careful to choose prizes that were relevant to a typical college student. She said that she wanted to help host a Bingo night because “it’s fun and it’s a great way for people to find community here in Central Washington. It gives them the opportunity to win prizes that are essential to their day-to-day life.”

However, participants were mostly excited about the grand prize and the ‘grandest’ prize, which were the last two prizes that Campus Activities gave away. To win those two big prizes, participants had to get a Blackout, in which their entire card was marked.

The first grand prize was a water ping-pong table, which Primate Behavior and Ecology student Parker Merlan won. Expressing visible joy, Merlan said, “I got two prizes. I got some hand towels, which I need for my dorm. Me and my

roommate are going to be very happy about that. And then I got a table for our dorm, which also I wanted because who doesn’t want a table in their dorm, because you want somewhere to eat in your dorm. I got some really great prizes.”

The second grand prize was a Danny DeVito cutout, which Malia Tewey won.

She said she was so happy to get a life-sized picture of Danny DeVito because “He plays Mr. Wormwood, Matilda’s dad.” She continued, “Matilda was one of the first movies that I re-watched multiple times. I probably watched it over 100 times. But I love how independent Matilda is as a person.”

Over the course of the event, Pearsons found nothing but success. She said, “Everyone that came, you could just tell they were having a really good time. You could hear the collective gasp when someone was close to a Bingo. You could hear the groan when everyone had to clear their cards. And it was just this really fun buzz in the room that you could tell people were having a really good time. And after the success of tonight, I think we’ll definitely try and do it again in the future.”

“I love meeting people at these events because we never usually get the same turnout at every event,” Soetamin said. “And every event, I’ll always meet somebody new. I also love seeing the connections people are making with just people they’ve never met before, or being there with their friends.”

Photos courtesy of Kyley Glenn

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Page 09

STUDENTS WEIGH IN WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER Asia Long

Staff Reporter

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ibraries are a place of comfort for students eager to engage in intellectual study and learning with one another. The James E. Brooks, with places like the Fishbowl, the learning commons and the wildcat pantry, has many resourceful spots for wildcats to receive the best study experience.

On Friday Oct. 3, an exclusive tour of Brooks Library was hosted showing students the many areas in the library and their different uses. One area in the library that many students go to is the learning commons. At the learning commons, located on the first floor, students are offered a study space, free tutoring and other academic support.

Students looking for sweet treats or a savory bite to eat can check out Jimmy B’s cafe just a few steps away. Also on the first floor, you can get sweet drinks, snacks and food as you study. Across from that is the Wildcat Pantry. The Wildcat Pantry is available to all students, and completely free. If you are running low on food, snacks, or toiletries, the wildcat pantry has all of that to offer and more.

One student who attended the library tour gave their take away from it. “I took away the hours the archive was open,” Brent Van Landingham, a junior majoring in creative and professional writing with a minor in library sciences, said. Landingham also stated what resources they felt were the most helpful pertaining to studies. “Honestly, the computers.

I don’t want to lug one around and it’s nice to have computers that I can check out and use here.”

The second floor of the library has spaces for relaxation and studying, such as the Fishbowl and the Student Commons. There is also an Archives and Special Collections room where official and unofficial artifacts related to Ellensburg’s history can be found.

Audrey Keler, a freshman majoring in mathematics secondary education as well as the STEM program, talked about their key takeaways from the tour. “What I took away was that the archives room was pretty cool. I liked seeing all of the old things, even the Wellington mascot head was kind of cool,” Keler said.

Keler said that the maps were the most helpful resource the library provided to them. “I think that might be nice for history classes, those would be really beneficial.”

The third and fourth floors of the library are considered quiet spaces. Areas like the government publications, journals and magazines and general collections. The fourth floor has even more to offer, the main attraction being the attic, a spot to study in with retro design and a record player.

From cozy study spots to cafes, Brooks Library has it all. The library is open Monday through Sunday, 7:30 a.m. through 12 a.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. through 12 a.m. on Sundays.

DMAC PROVIDES FREE LATE-NIGHT RIDES FOR CWU STUDENTS Kyley Glenn News Editor

I

n partnership with the DMAC Foundation, Lyft and Rainier Taxi will be offering CWU students free rides from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting this fall.

Students will be able to use the code WILDCATSRIDESAFE to receive this offer as long as they are within a five mile radius of the CWU campus. The goal is to help students get home safe without driving under the influence or walking from downtown Ellensburg to residential areas.

Diego Garza died on Feb. 18, 2023 in a single vehicle accident during his time at Gonzaga University. His mom, Brooke Beaty, and dad, Steve Garza, created the foundation with the hope that other students or families would not have to experience what they did. They soft launched the foundation in April of 2024 at Gonzaga, where they shared the story, goals and resources they provide. Support during this period was prevalent from the school to the family.

Since the initial launch, the program has aided in over 1,800 students’ journeys home.

“It just felt like the next right step to do was to give back and to see what we can do about making sure that every kid can get home safe without fear of recourse or any obligations of talking to their parents or faculty, because that can be kind of a hindrance, right,” Garza said.

To help with managing this project from their hometown, Lakewood, the family has assigned five student ambassadors to help ensure that things go as expected. One is Ryan Atterberry who had been best friends with Diego Garza.

“What we have found so far is that the peer to peer relationship and information sharing is a lot better than you know us as older people… saying ‘hey, you’re gonna go out and have fun let’s be responsible about it, right?’

We’ve chosen ambassadors that will preach the responsibility aspect,” Steve Garza said.

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This expands to their other project, #Project22, which focuses on resources and education on fentanyl and overdose. This is in honor of a friend of the Garza family, Spencer Dubin, who died on Oct 22, 2022 to an accidental fentanyl overdose. #Project22 is an authorized distributor of Naloxone which combats opioids and blocks their effects. They will be partnering with the Student Health and Wellness Center to supply this to students.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call or text 988.

As for a crisis or current overdose, call 911.

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Page 10

October 9, 2025

SUDOKU

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CWU CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

JACKIE CRUZ AS SEEN ON ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK ®

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THURSDAY

OCT 09

2025 6:30 PM

6:00 PM DOORS OPEN FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Q&A TO FOLLOW

© 2007 - 2025 Education.com

SURC BALLROOM

CWU CAMPUS

Born in Queens, New York, and raised between Los Angeles and the Dominican Republic, Jackie’s journey to stardom is as compelling as her on-screen presence. From being homeless at 16 to surviving a life-threatening car accident at 17, Jackie transformed adversity into artistry.

Her music, including the autobiographical track “Sweet Sixteen,” and her acting career featuring a series regular role on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” as Flaca, reflect a deep well of lived experience and emotional truth.

Sponsored by Central Washington University, Yakima Downtown Rotary, OIC of Washington, Heritage University, YWCA Yakima, CWU Multicultural Center, Campus Activities and Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement.

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ppgwni.org 866-904-7721

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