Calling the ‘Burg Home

Story by Jayce Kadoun | Photos by Kassandra Eller & Jayce Kadoun Design by William Yi

Many students struggle with deciding where to live after they finish college. The stress of choosing somewhere to spend a lifetime can be overwhelming.

With so many factors to consider, it’s hard to find the perfect place to stay. For many, Ellensburg fits the bill for the right home.

Some have lived in the ‘Burg their whole lives and others haven’t been here long, but everyone spoken to about living in the town had nothing but positive words of encouragement for those considering moving or deciding to stay here.

The residents of Ellensburg have pinpointed their favorite aspects of living in the small town. The beauty that surrounds it, friends made over the years and fun still waiting to be had are just a few pieces of what citizens love about living on the East side.

Many of those who call Ellensburg home have lived in or around the town for much of their lives. Junior Public Relations major Kassidy Malcolm and her family moved here when she was in fifth grade.

After 10 years in the ‘Burg, she says the town’s small size, the community and her family are some of the aspects of the city that have kept her living here this long. Along with this, she says the scenery would be hard to leave, too.

“The Stuart Mountains, Manastash Ridge hike and the sunsets are my favorite [things] because of the views,” Malcolm explains. “They remind me daily just how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.”

While some students may feel they want to leave and never come back, others find Ellensburg to be a resting place later in life. “I want to travel and see the world. But I want to come back and raise my family here because all my family is here. My boyfriend is from here too and so is his family,” Malcolm explains.

Ellensburg Mayor and city resident since 1988 Bruce Tabb says that before he was elected to city council, he felt that Ellensburg was losing

a sense of community and the opportunity for people to live in neighborhoods where people cared and knew each other.

He explains that he decided to run for mayor and was elected to help create a more inclusive and welcoming community. There are many things about the town that have made people such as Tabb stay for decades.

“The overall feel of the community, the beauty of the surrounding countryside, that you can live in the city, walk to downtown and shopping and still get on a bike or in your car and be in the woods in 20 minutes,” are all reasons to stay, says Tabb. “[Ellensburg’s] proximity to Seattle and urban amenities, CWU — the diversity and artistic and cultural elements which the university draws, the energy of the students” are all appealing elements of the area.

Tabb says getting out on his bike to cruise the farmlands and ranches and enjoying skiing in the winter are some of his favorite activities to do near Ellensburg. He also enjoys putting a kayak in the Columbia River or a local lake during the summer and taking walks along the Yakima River in city parks.

Ellensburg draws in people from all over. For lots of reasons, the city has a way of catching the eyes of individuals across the country. Those that stay here often say the ‘Burg has everything they need to feel at home.

Loryn Ziegler, senior Social Services major and pictured Washington native explains that she decided to return to Washington and settle down in Ellensburg to attend CWU after initially moving out of state for college.

“Before I came to Central, I lived in Arizona and went to [Grand Canyon University]. It was fun but I never really felt at home there. I knew a lot of hometown friends that went to Central so that’s the

main thing that made me move,” Ziegler says.

Several aspects of the city have kept her living here for as long as she has. Ziegler explains how the friends that live here with her and the opportunities that the city provides for them to spend time together are some of the main reasons she has stuck around.

“I really enjoy the nightlife in Ellensburg. There’s a lot of fun things to do with friends if you’re over 21 and I like the fact that it feels safe downtown. I also love how many friends I’ve made here and how close they all are,” says Ziegler.

Certain features of the city make it attractive to visitors, according to Ziegler. She says the low-key

country vibes that Ellensburg gives off is what draws a lot of people into town, and that it’s a nice change from a big city.

“I would tell anyone considering moving here to go for it. It’s such a great place to live and go to college and I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t enjoy it,” Ziegler says.

Jacob Ford, photo editor for the Ellensburg Daily Record and recent Ellensburg resident, says that he was initially drawn into the backdrops and scenery that surround Kittitas County.

“I came here for the views. I spent four years in Odessa as a photojournalist and what I missed most about Alabama after moving away from home (besides family) was water-related activities,” says Ford.

“I spent about two years keeping an eye out for job locations that had the geographical resources I was longing for. I wasn’t disappointed with Ellensburg. Kittitas County is extremely diverse,” he says.

The views aren’t the only part of the area that draws in residents. Ford explains how recreation is one of the biggest attractions for people considering living in the ‘Burg.

He’s sure everyone has a reason why they choose to stay in Ellensburg, but says you’ll never hear someone complain about the lack of recreation here.

“I really enjoy the Yakima River. I used to have a motorcycle and riding the Canyon was a blast. Hiking trails are much more enjoyable here than the ones I used to have in West Texas,” Ford says. “Honestly, I just love to go out with the pup in the car and go for a drive looking for old barns and iconic looking landscapes which seem to be scattered all over Kittitas County.”

Ford suggests potential movers to the area buy snowshoes for winter hiking, consider adding a roof rack to their cars for things like mountain biking, camping, skiing and kayaking, bring a fishing pole, a camera, invest in good hiking boots and a cowboy hat. “I’d say a cowboy hat isn’t required but probably encouraged,” says Ford.

Story by Taylor Johnson & Madeline Wilson Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Krista Kok

‘Eeeeeeeek!’ You squeal with fear as your friend and avid rat owner tries to convince you to hold her pet rat. While some people may find rats unappealing or occasionally terrifying, others such as Tara Pillai, Central BFA alumna and rat owner of six years, have found rats to become an integral part of her family.

Since she was not allowed to own live rats, Pillai explains, “I liked to collect stuffed animal rats … [Later], my friend had rats and that was the first time I was able to hold one. It was this little creature that I emotionally connected with. It’s really unexplainable.”

For some, owning rats creates the same attachment as other animals. While many people believe that rats are animals typically found in garages or sewers, they are actually very clean.

“People think of them as dirty, … gross or aggressive. But honestly as far as small animals go, rats are the least likely to bite and the most clean,” explains Jacob Jastrow, employee of Pet Works Inc. in Longview, Washington and rat owner of over two years.

“They’re also … cleaner than a lot of other animals. When they poop it’s covered in a very thin layer of a membrane that hardens once it touches oxygen,” says, Dylan Withrow, rat owner of over eight years.

Similar to other animals such as dogs and cats, their eating habits are fairly clean and easy to manage. According to Pillai, rats typically eat dry food but can also partake in some human-like eating habits.

“Their dinner is spaghetti, cooked peas [or] pizza crust. In the morning I’ll have cereal [and] give them one [piece] each,” she explains. Also, Jastrow adds that he discovered that his first rat had a spicy, guilty pleasure snack — Cheddar Jalapeño Cheetos.

Even if they aren’t directly given snacks, they are able to find sneaky ways to get some junk food in their diet. “Rats are almost always … wanting to get into something [such as] finding that bag of chips you could have sworn you tossed out,” explains Sidne Matthias, merchandise operations leader at Petco in Everett, Washington and rat owner of almost two years.

There are many other qualities to rats’ personalities that differentiate them from other pets. “Rats are one of the few animals that have emotions like us, just because of how close they are in genetics and the way their social structure works,” explains Withrow. “You can see it in their face … If you learn, you can slowly figure out what a slight eye droop means.”

Rats are also able to display emotions much like how humans use non-verbal cues to determine how to interact.

Withrow adds, “They also speak a lot through body language … Rats are one of the few animals that have difficulty hiding their symptoms when they’re not feeling good. Unlike a dog [that] can mask pain.”

Similar to how a friend comforts you during a breakup, rats can also sense their owner’s emotions. “They sense your mood. When I’m upset they will realize that and come to me and snuggle with me,” says Pillai.

According to Withrow, rats are supportive animals even without the formal training usually needed to sense emotions.

So, even without training, what exactly is the financial impact of owning rats as pets? Withrow explains that owning rats has virtually no financial impact. He adds, “The most expensive thing you will ever end up purchasing for a rat is their cage,” aside from if you choose to purchase specialty rat food.

Another financial aspect to keep in mind when owning pets in general is the potential health-related costs that may arise.

“Almost every one of [my rats] have had respiratory illnesses that we’ve had to fight with antibiotics,” says Matthias. “I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on vet bills, medicine and procedures for these tiny little creatures.”

Pillai also explains that she has lost many rats to tumors or she’s “had some that have only lasted months because they’ve had neurological problems.”

Many say that one of the major pitfalls of owning rats is that they have short lifespans. According to Withrow, “The biggest drawback is that they don’t live very long. They live to the maximum … [of] about five years. Most of our rats have lasted about two and a half to three years.”

For new rat owners, this can be difficult to handle but Pillai advises, “I just take the time to remember them. I do also [recognize] that there’s nothing I could have done,” especially if the rats die traumatically.

There are some ways to improve and possibly lengthen the life of pet rats. “They’re very social animals. If you don’t socialize with them it will cut down their lifespan really quickly,” says Withrow.

Jastrow adds that rats work best when they are in pairs. So, if you are interested in joining the community of rat owners, do your part by giving them the friend and basketball opponent they deserve.

Rats are very adaptable to learning tricks and, according to Jastrow, you can also teach rats how to play sports such as basketball.

Watch out Air Bud, there’s a new player on the court and he’s here to dunk on your previous misconceptions and become man’s new best friend.