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February 23, 2022
Vol. 121 NO. 7
Baseball finishes road game stretch start to season By Evan Couch Staff Reporter CWU baseball completed 13 games on the road with the team starting the season 4-9. For the first time since the 2019 season, CWU has its first full schedule of games ahead of them. For head coach Desi Storey, it’s the consistency of a full schedule that he has been looking forward to the most. “On the coaching side, it’s great,” Storey said. “We actually get an opportunity to get rolling and have a consistent weekend to weekend schedule.” Last season, CWU faced an on and off schedule with eight of their 36 regular season games being canceled due to COVID-19. The uncertainty of each week kept players like junior outfielder Adam Fahsel wondering if they would have the opportunity to play ball. With a full schedule in front of them, Fahsel said knowing they can look forward to getting to work and playing ball every weekend is a good feeling. “In 2020 to 2021, it was up in the air all the time,” Fahsel said. “[In 2022] you know you’re going to be playing ball and there’s really no uncertainty, it’s go time.” For CWU, it is indeed “go time.” The Wildcats finished a 13 game road stretch to start the season. CWU traveled to Caldwell, Idaho where they played College of Idaho. CWU split the series 2-2 before heading to San Bernardino, California to play California State University San Bernardino where they lost three out of four games.
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Inslee announces the next phase of the pandemic Photo Courtesy of CWU, Gov. Jay Inslee announced the indoor mask mandate will be lifted on March 21, except for specific situations.
By Joshua Kornfeld Staff Reporter The state indoor mask mandate will be rescinded on March 21 except for in certain situations, such as public transit and medical facilities. Gov. Jay Inslee held a press conference on Feb. 17 to provide updated guidelines on what the next stage of the pandemic will look like. “The virus has changed significantly over the past two years, and so has our ability to fight it,” Inslee said at a press conference. “While caution is still needed, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic.” It is unclear whether or not the indoor mask mandate will be lifted on CWU’s campus heading into spring quarter. On Dec. 8, 2021, President Jim Wohlpart put out a message stating, “The Executive Leadership Team has agreed to extend this [indoor mask] requirement through the end of the Winter Quarter, to March 19, 2022. We will consider an additional extension for the Spring Quarter and make an announcement by March 1.” A survey was sent out to the College of Arts and Humanities
students on Feb. 22, looking to gather opinions of students, staff and faculty about possibly lifting the campus indoor mask mandate for spring quarter. Kasey Knutson, the special programs coordinator and public information officer for the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD), reported that KCPHD follows the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) guidance but currently doesn’t have any restrictions in place at the local level with regards to mask mandates. The mask mandate is a state requirement that local businesses and schools follow. Knutson said she is unaware of any further local mask mandates when the statewide mask mandate is lifted in March. In the past, KCPHD has been less strict than the DOH in terms of restrictions. Due to the rise of rapid athome COVID-19 tests provided by both state and federal initiatives, Knutson said they are unable to provide a current number with regards to county testing capacity, as these tests may not be reported to local health officials as lab-based PCR tests which are often collected
at doctors offices or community testing sites. Due to local testing shortages, Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) had to temporarily close their clinic in late January, and reopened as of Feb. 10. Kittitas County also no longer provides a COVID-19 dashboard, instead providing weekly COVID-19 reports and deferring to the DOH dashboard, Knutson reported. Knutson said this was discontinued due to limited resources and the DOH providing duplicate case data. “We still have a contact investigation team, and they are still receiving positive reports of COVID-19,” Knutson said. “The difference now is that it’s going to move towards a more targeted approach. It’s not going to be a universal case investigation like it was previously.” The DOH reports a seven-day case rate weekly. As of Feb. 17 Kittitas County had 351 cases per 100,000 population occupying 25% of hospital beds. The state average is 575 cases per 100,000 population. CWU does not publicly release information on current case numbers and instead refers individuals to
local health officials at Kittitas County for current data. Universal case investigation involves contact tracers identifying close contacts of those with a positive test and comparing test results with their close contacts according to Knutson. Knutson said contact tracing is dependent on overall case rates in the community, meaning higher case rates have larger numbers of contact tracers. In comparison to other countries, Our World in Data reported that the U.S. as a whole is completing less contract tracing than other highly-developed countries, such as Australia or Germany. “Previously, if we received a positive result for COVID-19, we would call everybody that had a positive test. Moving forward, that’s going to be more targeted towards people who are over 65 or living in a long term care facility,” Knutson said. With the latest surge in positive cases, Knutson reported that KCPHD was unable to contact every person with a positive case, instead prioritizing those most at risk such as those over 65. Despite COVID-19 receding from the headlines, local health officials will continue their efforts to monitor the situation. “Public health will continue their role in the community, and to understand public health is really about stopping the spread of disease and watching population health in our county,” Knutson said. “It’s not unusual for the Kittitas County Public Health Department to have surveillance and respond to other diseases in Kittitas County, so we’ll continue to provide services like we normally do.” With regards to vaccination, Knutson said, “I think that it’s really important that people have an opportunity to speak to a trusted medical provider, and then make their own decision.” For those interested in getting a rapid COVID-19 test for free, Washington has a website www.sayyescovidtest.org which provides eligible residents with tests. The federal government also provides free COVID-19 tests through www.covidtests. gov. Further resources on the latest COVID-19 information can be found at DOH.
A LOOK BEYOND
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February 23, 2022
Editorial: Avoiding self-censorship The fourth annual Student Press Freedom Day is Thursday, Feb. 24. This year, the theme is “Unmute Yourself” with a focus on recognizing and rejecting self-censorship. “Student press freedom requires fighting prior review and overt censorship, of course. But it also means understanding when we are engaging in self-censorship. We must push back against our inclination to avoid or dilute tough stories,” the Student Press Freedom Day website stated. The Observer is proud of our work recognizing and rejecting self-censorship over the past year, reporting on stories involving COVID-19 policies, vaccinations, sexual misconduct, teacher misconduct, school finances, enrollment and more. We strive to pursue tough stories involving controversial topics. It’s important for us, as student journalists, to fight self-censorship and provide stories that need to be told. We hope you’ll continue to read The Observer as we continue to push back against self-censorship.
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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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February 23, 2022
NEWS
CWU student to release book featuring autistic main character By Morgana Carroll Staff Reporter Emily Holyoak, a senior in professional and creative writing, signed a book deal with publishing company Includas for her book “Newfangled,” set to be released in fall of 2022. According to the Includas website, “Newfangled” is a young adult book about Dinah, an autistic teenager trying to navigate her way through highschool as dilemmas, such as a new therapist and a new crush, greet her at every turn. Holyoak said she thinks there needs to be more representation of autism and general disabilities in books. According to Holyoak, in a lot of aspects the world of literature has become more inclusive. The queer book section at book stores is constantly growing and there are more stories from authors of color than ever before. She said she hopes that literature by disabled authors, with disabled experiences front and center, can experience the same kind of treatment in the world of literature. Holyoak said, “As an avid reader I felt that there was not enough representation of autistic people or protagonists.” Holyoak said the inspiration for this story primarily comes from her two daughters, who both have au-
tism. Holyoak’s oldest daughter often gets sensory overload, Holyoak said. She copes with this by wearing comfy clothing and headphones to lower the amount of noise from the world around her. Holyoak said her youngest daughter seeks out stimulation, often running as fast as she can to get the sensations and sound of wind rushing through her hair and past her ears. Holyoak said her inspirations for the main character come from her daughters. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a neurotypical kid, and others don’t know what it’s like to be me,” Holyoak said. “That was really why I wanted to write this book, to show people my experiences.” Another major inspiration for Holyoak comes from her time at CWU, specifically her time in the classes of Professor Maya Zeller from the English department. “It was the first time that I felt that I wasn’t producing really great content,” Holyoak said. “[Zeller] was trying to push me beyond my boundaries to see what I could actually write.” According to Holyoak, Zeller is one source of inspiration that pushed her to get her writing out in the world. Another inspiration came from the Holyoak family service dog, Bowser. He is the inspiration for the main character’s service dog, Hig-
gins, to show how big of an impact service dogs can have for those that need them. Not only did the dog inspire a character, but had a hand in the idea for the story itself. “The idea popped into my head one day as we were sitting and watching my service dog,” Holyoak said. “I said this story must be told.” According to Holyoak, she got rejected by 108 different publishing companies and agents before Includas, a publishing company primarily centered around publishing books featuring disabled characters, offered her a book deal. Holyoak said the publishing process can be stressful. “I didn’t think it would be like trying to become a rockstar, “ Holyoak said. “I didn’t want to become famous, I just wanted to publish my book.” According to Holyoak, some agents will take a look at the contents of the book and reject it without any comments. ”I didn’t get a lot of feedback either, just them saying ‘sorry, no thanks,’” Holyoak said. “Thirteen times it went into an agent’s hand and they said ‘I just don’t feel like I’m the person to champion it.’” When an agency does consider a draft, there can be months in between the time when the client sends in a manuscript and the time the agency gets around to reading the pages, Holyoak said.
Holyoak said she feels happy to be working with the Includas team. Holyoak had another pending offer from a publishing company when Includas extended an offer to her, and she chose Includas because she felt like that’s where her book belonged. “It belongs with a diverse and neurodivergent group of people,” Holyoak said. Another challenge that Holyoak said she didn’t expect to encounter came in the form of sensitivity readers. While going over the draft, the sensitivity readers found some words and concepts that were outdated, according to Holyoak. This was a hurdle that Holyoak had not expected to have to overcome, but said overall she is glad they corrected her. Such concepts included the autistic community not agreeing with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), and replacing the puzzle piece with the rainbow infinity sign, according to Holyoak. Holyoak has lived in multiple states, including Wisconsin, Utah, Montana and currently California. She said her family has to move often because her husband is in the U.S. Air Force. Having moved around so often, she said she has had the chance to experience what it’s like to be the mother of children with autism in different states. From her experience, she said Wisconsin is a great place to raise
Photo courtesy of Emily Holyoak.
an autistic child. She said the community where she lived was very supportive, and many facilities were very inclusive, such as the local movie theater one day out of the week doing a night where, while showing a movie, the sound was a little lower and the lights were still turned on, and these small gestures really helped with those who can be easily overstimulated. “It was great to see, as a community, people so aware, versus different states that I’ve lived in,” Holyoak said. This will be Holyoak’s debut novel, but she said she intends to write more novels in the future. “I definitely want to explore my imagination and push forward and publish more books, because this whole experience has been a dream come true,” Holyoak said.
Ellensburg Public Library introduces new technology options By Ty McPhee Staff Reporter The Ellensburg Public Library unveiled new technologies for the public to utilize, including three mobile hotspots, six laptops and wireless printing added Feb 9. Patrons 18 years of age and up are able to use any of the technology. Three of the laptops are designated for inhouse use and won’t be allowed to leave the library, while the other three can be taken home for up to a week at a time. The hotspots are also available for one week at a time. Back in 2020, the library introduced movie and documentary streaming through the service Kanopy and is now looking into more options. These new options are available because of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) which was created to help funding during the pandemic. Adult Services and Reference Librarian RJ Woods said while this is the one of the first steps they have taken toward the technology they want at the library, there aren’t any immediate next steps. “We start small and if it’s successful, we build from
there,” Woods said. Woods mentioned how in-house checkout for laptops is most common in libraries, and because of the smaller population here in Ellensburg, it’s something that’s more feasible. The wireless printing is something that Woods said he had been wanting for the library both because he understood it was a need and because patrons requested it frequently. “The wireless printing was really high on my wishlist,” Woods said. The library also has a mobile lab with laptops Woods estimated to be 10-12 years old so with the new laptops, he said he hopes they can loan them out to patrons. The hotspots were included to give people who needed to work or learn from home the ability to do so. “We’ve had really good success early on, we’re pretty excited,” Woods said. These services are available at the references desk in the library with wireless printing available at https://ci.ellensburg.wa.us/144/Library.
Members of various clubs mingled after the show.
Written by Katherine Camarata Senior Reporter Students from every corner of the globe wore brightly-colored clothing, stood at tables representing cultural clubs, made new friends and enjoyed live entertainment during the Parade of Nations: Watch Us Rise event in the colorfully-lit SURC Ballroom on Feb. 17. Events like this are important to coordinators at the Diversity and Equity Center (DEC) because they provide an outlet for students of all backgrounds to make connections, according to Jaeda Nelson, a senior in business and student initiatives coordinator at the DEC. “We wanted to have some sort of call to action for students who are not as aware of a lot of the cultures on this campus that have been creating a lot of legacies, and working so hard to disrupt the normal ways of thinking at a predominantly white institution,” Nelson said. “We wanted to provide a space where they can share themselves openly and be able to be celebrated and invite other people into those spaces.” The event began vibrantly with a fashion show, where participants wore garments to represent their culture on stage while hosts Roberto Chavez and Judith Brewer introduced each group. “I am Filipino and very much proud of wearing my traditional dress, wearing my filipiniana,” Andrea Mendoza,
an exchange student majoring in English Education who walked in the fashion show, said. “What I’m wearing right now is a symbolism of the power of being a woman, especially here at CWU, where being a Filipina is not just being a woman but a powerful and strong one.” Following the fashion show, four members of the Central African Student Association (CASA) performed an energetic AfroBeats dance. Other CASA members sat at a table to connect with event-goers. “The impact that I hope to have is to let students see that CWU is diverse,” Vice President of CASA Anderson Nsabanga said. “Some African students that are here tend to only spend time with African students, but it’s always good to meet new people that are from different countries. It’s the best feeling ever.” The show shifted and next featured Yuheng Chen, a music student representing the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA). Chen sang a soothing song while playing guitar, based on one of the most popular poems in Chinese called “Prelude to Water Melody.” The poem reminded students that they don’t always have to be so critical. Two students representing the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) performed an enchanting traditional folk
CASA members hosted a table.
Photos by Dylan Hanson Photographer dance while passing a white handkerchief between them, standing with their backs facing each other and performing choreographed steps. Director of the DEC Janette Chien proceeded to take the stage with an original story representing her heritage. Chien’s story encompassed various stages of growing up, posing questions to her mother in Chinese like, “Will it hurt, mama?” and “Can I help, mama?” as she experienced coming-of-age challenges such as beginning to menstruate and mature, learning to strip baskets and peel tomatoes and using makeup that was too light for her skin. “I was thinking a lot about what it means to become a girl then become a woman and reach adulthood and how the relationship with my mom changed through that and how, even as an adult now, when I’m with her, I feel like a child again,” Chien said. “When I think about my culture, I think about my mom and all of the gifts that she gave me and the things she taught me.” After Chien’s story, senior in communications and The Observer News Editor Star Diavolikis performed the Jingle dance created by the Native American Ojibwe tribe. Diavolikis wore traditional black and red regalia with silver metal pieces adorning the bottom of the dress; the metal created a sound reminis-
cent of rain when she moved and the dance has healing properties, according to the event’s presentation. To round out the evening, junior in history and student event coordinator at the DEC Roberto Chavez shared a Mesoamerican poem in a Mesoamerican native language, by one of the Tlatoani of the Mexica Empire Nezahualcoyotl. The last lines of the poem translated to: “I love the color of jade and the drowsy perfume of flowers; but more than these, I love my fellow human beings.” Chavez said he hoped to provide a new perspective from an older time to students in the audience. “I hope that people will have an interesting view of what was the definition of beautiful back then in those ancient times,” Chavez said. Throughout the evening, attendees were invited to grab drinks like Jarritos, socialize and learn about new cultures at tables representing various clubs. “My personal favorite part was being able to get our names written in Japanese,” junior in psychology Sam DeSmith said. “Each culture that we’re apart of is only a small piece toward a much bigger puzzle. There is a great sense of need to not only understand, but to mingle more with all different types of cultures, to break down the
stereotypical biases that have plagued us.” Chien said she hopes students gain new perspectives and a deeper connection to the community. “I hope that it helps them think about claiming what culture means for them, that it doesn’t necessarily have to fit into a box, that it’s okay to not speak the language of that culture, that there are new ways of doing language, there’s Chinglish or Spanglish,” Chien said. “Being in a predominantly white town and institution, it can feel like loss and disconnection with culture, so whatever ways that you or I can feel connected, that’s meaningful. Whether it’s telling a story, being in community or enjoying the little rituals that you build for yourself.” According to senior in political science/public policy and programmer/community liaison at the Equity and Services Council Judith Brewer, the event aimed to make students of all cultures feel welcome. “I feel the university can be an empowering experience, but it can also make students very intimidated,” Brewer said. “I really want to encourage students to use their voice through events like these. Yell, scream, sing. Whatever you want to do. The only way we’re going to make change is by making those conversations happen.”
CASA members.
“The impact that I hope to have is to let students see that CWU is diverse,”
Star Diavolikis, The Observer’s News Editor.
Anderson Nsabanga
“I love the color of jade and the drowsy perfume of flowers; but more than these, I love my fellow human beings," Translated last line of a Mesoamerican poem shared by
Vice President of CASA
Roberto Chavez student event coordinator
FASA members.
“I feel the university can be an empowering experience, but it can also make students very intimidated, I really want to encourage students to use their voice through events like these ... The only way we’re going to make change is by making those conversations happen,” Judith Brewer community liaison at the Equity and Services Council
Yuheng Chen from the CSSA.
NASU members.
Fashion show featuring each culture.
Washington Spring Program representing Japan.
OPINION SPORTS
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Edith and Ethel: Ask the Aunties By ‘Edith and Ethel’ Columnists Dear Aunties, I don’t know about anyone else, but winter quarter has been rough on me! So rough that I’ve been missing assignments. Like, a lot of assignments. How do I cope with the possibility of failure? Sincerely, – Overwhelmed Senior
Edith: I’ve been falling behind on a lot of my work as well, so I’m not sure if I can provide the best advice possible. This quarter has been rough and overwhelming, I think it’s the fact this is the midway point of the year where we all just want to be done with it.
February 23, 2022
Opinion: Five things I hate about Ellensburg By Katlyn White Columnist Ellensburg is a beautiful place to live. We have beautiful rolling hills, picturesque downtown and CWU’s campus full of historic brick buildings. However, these positives do not hide the underbelly of flaws. They draw students and residents into this town with its sense of community and small-town living. Then once they’re here, the facade starts to slip. Closed Mondays and Sundays The most irritating thing is when I want to go out to eat on Sundays or Mondays and the store is closed. It is 3 p.m. on a Sunday, this is the perfect time to eat lunch. Why
are all of these places closed on Sundays and Mondays? Because they are closed, I wind up at Taco Bell. According to a quick Google search, Ellensburg Pasta Company, Lunchbox Cafe and Fidelina’s Taqueria are all closed on Sundays. The Red Pickle, Crazy Wok, Sugar Thai and Young T and Tea are closed on Mondays. In bigger cities, this would not be an issue because there would be more options. Parking Problems The parking has always been bad here. Either I drive to campus and someone has parked in two stalls or I go into town and it is impossible to park at my destination during peak hours. Everything is parallel parking or
down one-way roads three blocks down. On the bright side, I have gotten superb at parallel parking. Expensive Movie Theater Tickets Now, this is the worst thing I could have imagined. Grand Cinema Theater has raised its prices. What once was $12.50 for a 7 p.m. show is now a whopping $14. This was my favorite pastime, but it now costs more than my Disney+ and HBO Max subscription combined. I will continue to go to support a small business, but I won’t be happy about it. Slowest Town Everyone has said this before, but why are some of these
roads 25 miles per hour? After passing CWU, Alder Street and Airport Road should be 35 mph. Side streets can be 25 mph, that is fine with me. The main roads should not be. Lacking Stores Sometimes people need a bit of retail therapy, but it is impossible in this town. The clothing options are lacking. The small businesses that sell clothes don’t necessarily have everyone in this college town’s style and are expensive on a college person’s budget. Fred Meyer has the worst selection and even worse prices. Buying clothes online can be a hassle, so a drive to Yakima is the best way to get clothes. Ellensburg needs to figure out their flaws and fix them… or else.
Ethel: I’m sorry you’re overwhelmed. I think it’s because of the gloomy weather, and everything going on in the world. I’ve been trying to take extra care of myself, but sometimes I have to end the day in tears and sad girl songs. Edith: I usually sleep it off and that helps for a while. Believe it or not, power naps work wonders when you’re having a busy day. I sneak in a 30-minute nap almost every Tuesday or Thursday, and it has helped tremendously to get through the last few hours of the day. Granted this doesn’t help accept failure, it may alleviate the stress that could cause failure. Ethel: In all honesty, failure is hard to accept, no matter who you are. The biggest piece of advice I have is to not let it get into your inner voice. In other words, no negative thinking! If you start directing negative thoughts towards yourself, it’s time to find someone to talk to. Edith: I honestly wouldn’t accept failure, I would use the fear as fuel. It may be because I was raised with the idea that failure is unacceptable and can be life-ordeath, but I wouldn’t be wanting to fail so close to graduation. I’m forcing myself through the year, which sucks to say, but it is an option. Gotta keep it real here. Ethel: I mean, yeah that is an option if you are in a situation where you can do that. Sometimes in life, failure is inevitable though, so keep that in mind. So, Overwhelmed, whether you can push through it and accomplish your goal, or if you need to step back and let yourself fail, either way, you need to be nice to yourself through this hard part in your life. There is no use in abusing yourself over failing.
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Opinion: The MLB lockout needs to end By Jared Galanti Columnist The Major League Baseball (MLB) owners locked out the players as the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the two sides expired, on Dec. 2, 2021. This is the ninth work stoppage in MLB history and it needs to end as soon as possible. While work stoppages in the past have happened during the regular season and led to missed games, and in the case of the 1994 season the entire postseason was canceled, this work stoppage has been the stupidest one so far. When MLB locked out the players on Dec. 2, MLB commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. sent a letter to fans explaining why the lockout was necessary. In his letter, he states that while he was disappointed in not getting a deal with Major League Baseball Player Association (MLBPA), the best way to get a deal done while not missing any games in the 2022 season was to lock them out during the offseason. “We believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season,” Manfred said in the letter. “We hope that the lockout will jumpstart negotiations and get us to an agree-
ment that will allow us to start the season on time.” It has been over two months since that letter was posted and the lockout is still ongoing. MLB waited over 40 days after the lockout started to make their first proposal to the MLBPA. The MLBPA has not been impressed with any proposal the MLB has given them, and they have the right to be angry. There are three core issues that the MLBPA wants MLB to fix when it comes to the next agreement. Competitiveness The MLBPA has wanted the MLB owners to actually invest in their teams. When teams fall out of their window of contention, it results in a term called tanking. Tanking is trying to lose as much as possible so you can get high picks in the MLB draft and get top talent for very cheap. An example of this could be the 2019 Seattle Mariners. After the 2018 season in which they missed the playoffs for the 17th year in a row, the Mariners decided to trade most of their older and costly players to accumulate prospects for the future. In doing so, the Mariners went from winning 89 games in 2018 to winning 68 games in 2019 and got the sixth pick in the 2020 draft.
The MLBPA wants the owners to actually put a product on the field that fans would love to see play every day. Service Time Manipulation Another big issue the MLBPA wants MLB to fix is service time manipulation. In its current system, teams have the ability to gain extra years of control of a player by simply not bringing him up to the big leagues when he is ready. An example of this is Kris Bryant. Bryant was the minor league player of the year in 2014, in which across two levels of the Chicago Cubs minor league system he hit .325 with 43 home runs and 110 RBI’s. There was no question that he was ready for the big leagues in 2015. However, the Cubs decided to put him in triple A for the first few weeks of the season and then call him up to the big leagues. By doing this, the Cubs gained an extra year of control and allowed them to hold on to him for seven years instead of the usual six. The MLBPA wants the best young players to be in the majors if they are 100% ready for it as Bryant was. More Compensation An outsider watching could think that this is a de-
bate between millionaires and billionaires. However, that is not usually the case. Most MLB players with zero to three years of service time make less than a million dollars in salary. Most make the league minimum at $570,500 for a full season. Most of the players don’t even receive a million dollar salary until they are six to seven years into their career. The MLBPA wants the league minimum raised, so younger players are more compensated for their work. The MLBPA also wants a bonus pool of money to allow teams to give bonuses to players who win awards such as Rookie of the Year, MVP and the CY Young award. The MLBPA has made offers in the $100 million to $115 million range, split among all 30 teams (about $3.3 million per team). The MLB has stated that they want this as well, but have only offered $15 million to split among all 30 teams. The lockout has backfired on the MLB. They thought the players would cave in on the first offer given to them because they know they want the season to start on time. That hasn’t happened yet and we are getting closer and closer to the scheduled opening day on March 31.
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February 23, 2022
SPORTS
Continued from Pg 1 Playing road games to begin the season is nothing new for CWU. The baseball team typically travels for their first couple series due to the weather in Ellensburg early in the season. Storey explained that the expectations for the team remain the same despite being on the road. “The expectation doesn’t really change,” Storey said. “The old baseball adage is you split on the road, but our expectation going in is to come out with a series win and grow.” CWU has yet to capture that series win on the road, however Storey explained that he has seen growth within the team through their first nine games. According to Storey, the goal for this weekend is to continue to learn and improve as a team in order to beat their opponents. “We’ve got good competition we’re playing, and we have to rise to that,” Storey said. Storey explained that the team has been hitting well and the offense has been a standout for this season. CWU has scored 62 runs in their first nine games. According to Storey, they would like to see improvements on the defensive side of the ball. “Pitching is huge in baseball,” Storey explained. “You
Photo Courtesy of Jacob Thompson, Junior outfielder Adam Fahsel is excited for a full season for the first time in two years.
got to throw strikes, you got to challenge the other team, so that’s the biggest place we are looking to improve in the next couple weeks.” Fahsel also echoed the sentiment of making improvements, and said he believes the team can play very
well once they do. Fahsel said the team needs to start executing in all phases of the game. “Once we do that and get it done doing that, I think it’s going to click and we’re going to know how we can win games,” Fahsel said. “I just
think we need to see ourselves do it one time.” Storey explained that making improvements, learning from their mistakes and striving to get better every week are the steps the team is taking to achieve their ultimate goal. Storey said that goal is the same ev-
ery year when they start, and it is to win a conference title. “I think this team has got a lot of potential ahead of it,” Storey said. The Wildcats return home to play the home opener against Western Oregon University on Feb. 26.
CWU announces 2022 football schedule Will face defending champions opening weekend By Jared Galanti Sports Editor
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CWU announced the 2022 football schedule on Friday, Feb. 18. With this being CWU’s first season in the Lone Star Conference (LSC), some intriguing matchups are official. CWU will start the season on the road against Ferris State University (FSU) on Thursday, Sept. 1. This will be the second ever matchup between these two schools. In the previous matchup, FSU manhandled CWU 62-28 in September of 2019. FSU are the reigning Division II champions, going 14-0 last season and winning the championship game versus Valdosta State University by a score of 58-17. CWU will have its home and LSC opener on Saturday, Sept. 10 against Western New Mexico University (WNMU). CWU has won all four of the previous matchups against WNMU, including a 54-29 win on Nov. 6, 2021. After the home game, CWU will hit the road for back to back road games against Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU). CWU has won 35 of 39 matchups against SFU and have won the last 15 matchups, which includes a 70-0 blowout
win on Nov. 13, 2021. CWU has only played ENMU once and it was a 66-24 win on Sept. 2, 2021. CWU will then return home to take on Western Oregon University (WOU) and Midwestern State University (MSU). CWU has beaten WOU 36 out of the last 47 times they have played, which included a 53-21 win on Oct. 23, 2021. CWU has only played MSU once and it was a 30-20 win on Oct. 2, 2021. CWU will flip-flop going from playing on the road to playing at home over the final four games of the season, starting with a road matchup against West Texas A&M University (WTAMU). CWU has played WTAMU five times while losing four of them. The last time these two teams played, WTAMU won 48-41 on Oct. 5, 2019. The next opponent CWU will face will be Texas A&M Kingsville University (TAMKU). CWU has lost three of the four previous matchups, but won the last time these two teams played 34-10 on Sept. 2, 2011. CWU will travel to Angelo State University (ASU) and host Texas Permian Basin (TPBU) to close out the regular season. CWU lost the only game played against ASU 14-9 on Sept. 25, 2021. CWU will play TPBU for the first time in their history.
EVENTS
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February 23, 2022
Wildcat Words: Who is your hero?
Jocelyn Garcia Jr. Sociology
“Rigoberta Menchu, a Mayan activist.”
Yegor Koriavets
Kira Pinkertons
Fr. Psychology “For me, probably my parents. I’m actually from the Ukraine and you’re probably aware of the tensions over there. I’m grateful for them getting me out and bringing me to the land of opportunity. I’m thankful for them getting me out of danger and letting me grow as someone I want to become instead of someone I’m forced to.”
Nick Prestwich
Jr. Supply Chain Mgmt. and Envronmental Studies “My boyfriend because he’s the one encouraging me to do what I want. He’s someone that’s so supportive and he’s always pushing me farther in my studies.”
Sr. Math and Secondary Edu.
“Probably my dad, just because he worked two jobs most of my life so we could get by. He put food on the table and even if he was busy, he would get to my soccer and tennis games and cub scouts.”
“My old high school math teacher, his name was Donald Helvie. He opened my eyes to teaching and I know a lot of people who struggle with math. I want to be that teacher who helps those students.”
QA &
with
L A U R A MORAGO
Meet Laura Morago, the current Editor-in-Chief of the Tribal Tribune, a tribal newspaper owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. An alumna of CWU, Morago graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in English – Professional and Creative Writing. A mother of four, Morago was hired as the new Editor-in-Chief in November 2021, after working for the Colville Tribal Youth Development Program for five years. Q: What led you to becoming EIC of the Tribal Tribune?
A: I’ve worked for the Tribes’ since graduating from college in 2016. Immediately following graduation, I found a great opportunity as a youth advocate with the Tribes’ Youth Development Program. We provided education advocacy, academic support, and summer employment for Native American youth attending schools on or near the Colville Indian Reservation. In 2019, I was promoted to the Youth Services Manager position and led the YDP team until November 2021. As much as I loved the youth work, writing was always my passion and what I wanted to pursue career-wise. Any time there was an opportunity to showcase my writing skills, I volunteered my time to do it. I’ve successfully written grants for my old program and other tribal programs. I’ve written the report informing the entire Colville Tribal membership about what the tribe, their programs, and their enterprises have accomplished over the last year. I’ve re-written policy manuals and successfully implemented them for various programs. Because of this additional work, my colleagues and superiors knew my career goals. When this position was vacated last summer, I was urged to apply and interview. I know tribal program, administrative processes, and team management through my previous manager position with YDP. Coupled with my writing skills, I was hired for the job after two unsuccessful rounds of interviews. Q: What was your favorite thing about Central?
A: My writing professors are my favorite thing about Central. I still keep in touch with many of them. Maya [Zeller], Kathy [Whitcomb], and Lisa [Norris] made me feel confident in my choice to pursue creative writing. They are brilliant writers who encourage and empower students in the most beautiful way. I have always wanted to be a writer. After completing the program, I knew I would be one. Q: Any advice you would like to pass on to current students?
A: My advice to current students is to just enjoy it. I had so much fun, learned to so much, and made great friends. Build relationships with your favorite professors. Some of mine will be life-long friends of mine, I’m sure. A: I have a ton of help from my family, and I have a great co-parenting relationship with my ex-husband. His schedule and mine are opposite, so one of us is always with all of our kids. I am very fortunate that my schedule is flexible and allows for me to be with my children any time I need. The most helpful thing I can say is to never put your work over your family. I have pretty solid boundaries when it comes to work and how it impacts my time out of work. While I love my job, I love my family even more. My children and my family will always be my priority, and my job knows that. I do work a lot still, but I make sure I take any time that I need off, too. Q: If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
weekly events 23 WED
Q: What were some of your strategies to manage a home and school life balance?
Zane Crites
Fr. Undeclared
24 THURS
4-5 p.m. Community Resilience in Times of Change Book Discussion: The Body Keeps the Score @ Brooks Library 288 10-11 p.m. Improv Night The Hot New Jam @ SURC Theater 210 Student Press Freedom Day
25 FRI
7-10:30 p.m. esports Tournament: Call of Duty @ SURC Theater 210 7:30-9 p.m. 2022 Short Works Festival @ McConnell Hall 201
26
National Pickle Day 12-5 p.m. Winterhop Brewfest @ Downtown Ellensburg 4-6 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Seattle Pacific University @ Nicholson Pavilion
SAT
27
National Strawberry Day
SUN
28 MON
1
TUES
6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Monday Movie Madness: “Encanto” and a campus preview of The College Tour @ SURC Theater 210 7-8 p.m. Composition Studio Recital @ McIntyre Hall 174 National Pancake Day – IHOP
A: I would be an eagle because they’re one of my favorite animals and the ability to fly would be incredible.
Photo courtesy of Laura Morago Wildcat Words - Dylan Hanson. Q&A - Addie Adkins
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