November 5, 2020

S T U DE N T RU N N E WS SI NC E 1926

THURSDAY • NOVEMBER 5, 2020

Election Splits Congress, GOP Bolstered as Democrats Falter

AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

WASHINGTON (AP) — The election scrambled seats in the House and Senate but ultimately left Congress much like it began, deeply split as voters resisted big changes despite the heated race at the top of the ticket for the White House.

It’s an outcome that dampens Democratic demands for a bold new agenda, emboldens Republicans and almost ensures partisan gridlock regardless of who wins the presidency. Or perhaps, as some say, it provides a rare opening for modest across-the-aisle cooperation.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on track to keep control of the Democratic House, but saw her majority shrinking and her leadership called into question. Control of the Senate tilted Republicans’ way as they fended off an onslaught of energized challengers, though a few races remained undecided Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he’s confident “no matter who ends up running the government” they’ll be “trying to overcome all that and get results.”

One certainty is the upended projections will force a rethinking of polling, fundraising and the very messages the parties use to reach voters in the Trump era and beyond.

CONGRESS page 3

Biden Wins Minnesota

Student Gov’t: Technology Votes Still Being Counted in Other Key States Roundtable BAILEY BRENDEL Staff Writer

Voters stopped by at one of the seven polling locations across Mankato to cast their votes in the 2020 general elections. The Associated Press announced Wednesday afternoon that Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden had won in Minnesota.

JULIA BARTON • Staff Writer Photos by Mansoor Ahmad • Photo Editor Former Vice President Joe Biden won Minnesota against current president Donald Trump as the race to see who wins this year’s 2020 election continues to be calculated.

Joe Biden easily defeated Donald Trump in Minnesota, a state Trump thought he could flip in his bid for reelection to the U.S. presidency.

Biden pulled in 231,695 more votes than Trump, garnering 52.6% of the vote to Trump’s 45.4%. Actual vote counts were 1,694,093 for Biden and 1,462,398 for Trump. The Associated Press officially called the race for Biden Wednesday afternoon. Biden takes Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes; 270 are needed to win the White House.

Locally, Blue Earth County voters favored Biden 51% to 47%. The remaining 2% was split among other third party candidates.

Also The Associated Press announced Sen. Tina Smith, a Democrat, won her reelection bid over Republican challenger Jason Lewis. Results show Smith won with 1,546,810 (48.8%) over Lewis’ 1,378,579 (43.5%).

Representing U.S. House District 1, Republican candidate Jim Hagedorn won a second term after defeating Democratic challenger Dan Feehan for the second time in two years.

With nearly all the votes counted, Hagedorn has 177,941 votes (48.6%) while Feehan 167,035 (45.6%).

In the state senate race for District 19, incumbent Sen. Nick Frentz won reelection over

TIME FOR A IN THIS ISSUE: YOUNG PRESIDENT

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Republican challenger Elizabeth Bangert.

Frentz pulled in 25,983 votes (59.8%) and Bangert pulled in 17,419 (40.1%).

Minnesota House District 19B Luke Frederick defeated Jeremy Loger. Frederick had 11,906 votes (59.6%) and Loger had 8,028 (40.2%).

Also interesting is that about 7,780 Minnesotans voted for Kanye West, running as an independent along with his Vice President pick Michelle Tidball, a Christian preacher from Wyoming.

Election Day is now over as the in-person voting polls closed 8 p.m Tuesday. This, however, is not the only form of voting. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many voted via mail. This form of voting takes longer to analyze and count.

As of Wednesday, still were being counted.

Vote counting could take several days.

According to the most recent polls by The Guardian, Biden has won California which is 58 electoral votes and Trump has won Florida and Texas with a combined electoral votes of 67 — both huge states that contribute the candidate’s race to 270.

As of Wednesday afternoon Biden was up with 253 electoral votes and Trump with 214 electoral votes although some states are still

ELECTION DAY

SERENDIPITY SERIES

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The Minnesota State University, Mankato Student Government held a meeting in the Ostrander Auditorium, Wednesday, Nov. 4. After roll call, they called up presentations.

The first to present was Mark Johnson, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, about the Technology Roundtable, which is how technology information and issues are informed around the University. In his presentation, Johnson talked about the three main focuses of the Roundtable.

The first focus is how the University can assist professors with the new Hyflex program. They want to ensure every professor has everything they and their students need to be successful.

The next is how the University will be starting to implement a combination of D2L and Microsoft Teams moving forward with online and Hyflex classes.

Vice President Arnavee Maltare

Lastly, Johnson talked about the student Technology Roundtable and it’s benefits.

This allows students to discuss problems they are facing with technology and what the University can do to help them reach their full potential.

After presentations came an open forum. In the forum, a representative from Maver-

GOV page 3

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

In Blue and Red States, Milestone Wins for LGBTQ Candidates

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Senator Spotlight: Gretchen Bygd BAILEY BRENDEL Staff Writer

Rep.-elect Mondaire Jones, right, bumps elbows with a supporter after addressing a Protect the Results rally, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in front of the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, N.Y. Jones and Ritchie Torres, both Democrats, became the first gay Black men to be elected to Congress. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NEW YORK (AP) — Across the nation, LGBTQ candidates achieved milestone victories in Tuesday’s election, including the first transgender person elected to a state Senate, and the first openly gay Black men to win seats in Congress.

The landmark wins came not in only blue but also red states such as Tennessee, where Republican Eddie Mannis, who is gay, and Democrat Torrey Harris, who identifies as bisexual, won seats in the state House to become the first openly LGBTQ members of that legislature.

According to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which recruits and supports LGBTQ candidates, that leaves only Alaska, Louisiana and Mississippi as states that have never elected an LGBTQ legislator.

“Torrey and Eddie sent a clear message that LGBTQ candidates can win in a deep red state while being their authentic selves,” said the Victory Fund’s president, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “Their presence in the state legislature can dilute the most toxic anti-LGBTQ voices and lead to more inclusive legislation.”

In New York, attorney Mondaire Jones won in a district of New York City suburbs and Ritchie Torres, a member of the New York City Council, won in the Bronx to make history as the first gay Black men elected to the U.S. House.

Both are Democrats; Torres identifies as Afro Latino.

The two “will bring unique perspectives based on lived experiences never before represented in the U.S. Congress,”

Parker said.

With the addition of Jones and Torres, there will be nine openly LGBTQ members of the House as of January. The seven incumbents all won their races.

In Delaware, Democrat Sarah McBride won her state Senate race with more than 70% of the vote and will become the first openly transgender state senator in the country.

“It is my hope that a young

in Kansas.

Byers, a retired high school band teacher, expressed hope that her victory would encourage other transgender people in conservative Kansas.

“It helps those people who are transgender to reinforce that they are people who matter, they are people who are important and they’re people who can be successful in their lives,” she told The Wichita Eagle.

that students are facing and how I could help with that,” stated Bygd.

Currently, in her position, Bygd is working with the Academic Affairs Committee on how they can advocate more for the students at MNSU. She is also working on getting advisory boards established in every college at MNSU.

Gretchen Bygd is one of the current Minnesota State University, Mankato students serving on the Student Government. Bygd is currently a junior who is majoring in communication studies and disorders.

Outside of Student Government, Bygd is also involved in Young Life at MNSU, a faith-based organization that provides community, conversation, and fun.

Being a part of Young Life allows Bygd to express her religious faith while also creating memories with some of her closest friends. This campus organization has also allowed her to meet many new people she will never forget.

She is also involved in NSSLHA, or National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, through her ma- Gretchen Bygd jor.

This would mean an adviBygd currently holds the position of College of Allied sory board with a dean and Health and Nursing Senator a student representative from and is on the College of Allied each program would get toHealth and Nursing Advisory gether once a month to disBoard. Along with this, Bygd cuss problems they are facing is a member of the Academic in their programs, and what the college can do to help Affairs Committee.

“I decided to become a their students be successful.

“I have loved having the Senator because I really wanted to get a better sense of opportunity to meet so many what was happening around new people and be able to let campus. I also wanted to their voices be heard through learn more about the issues my position.”

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Supporters listen as Mondaire Jones speaks at a Protect the Results rally, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in front of the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

LGBTQ kid here in Delaware or really anywhere in this country can look at the results and know that our democracy is big enough for them, too,” McBride said as her victory was confirmed Tuesday night.

McBride interned at the White House under President Barack Obama and in 2016 became the first openly transgender person to give a speech at a major party convention.

Two other Democrats became the first openly transgender people to win seats in their states’ Houses: Taylor Small in Vermont and Stephanie Byers

Before Tuesday’s election, there were four other transgender lawmakers in state legislatures nationwide, according to the Victory Fund.

In Georgia, Democrat Kim Jackson, a lesbian social justice advocate, became the first LGBTQ person to win a seat in the state Senate. Shevrin Jones, a gay former state representative, accomplished that same feat in Florida’s Senate.

And in New York, Jabari Brisport, a gay math teacher, became the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the legislature.

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News

CONGRESS Continued from page 1 By evening, Pelosi had all but declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner, saying House Democrats “will now have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress” on party priorities — lowering health care costs, providing jobs through new infrastructure and others.

But the dismal outcome for congressional Democrats put in question the ambitious plans for legislative overhauls pushed by the party, eager for a sweep of Washington government.

Even if Democrats capture the White House and a narrowly split Senate, Pelosi’s leverage to force deal-making on her terms will be diminished by her House losses.

If Donald Trump wins another term, his Republican allies particularly in the Senate will likely feel more comfortable sticking with him after escaping an electoral wipeout, though they have yet to outline a GOP agenda.

Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist close to McConnell, said win or lose Trump

ELECTION DAY “reorganized the political parties,” turning Republicans, not Democrats, into the party of “working-class” America.

“Democrats have a lot to think about when it comes to those voters,” Jennings said.

“And Republicans have a lot to think about enacting policies germane to those voters.”

Democrats countered that with Biden on the brink of victory, the mandate for solutions to the coronavirus crisis, faltering economy and other big issues was as strong as ever.

GOV Continued from page 1 ick Adventures talked about how they had a successful event this past weekend.

Here, they had a bonfire in a local park and made s’mores packages for all its participants. They hope to have another event before the end of the semester.

The athletic director, Kevin Buisman, also discussed the reopening of sports at MNSU. In his report, he discussed how the men’s hockey season is starting up soon with a limited amount of seating of up to 250 people. The athletic department is also working on trying to start up more athletics, such as women’s bas-

ketball, women’s hockey, and wrestling.

Following this, Senators Wickman, Ruiz, Bejarano, Walfoort, Flynn, Vondra, and Abera all gave reports.

In these reports, topics such as Fraternity and Sorority life getting a monument on campus, the start of the student needs committee, addressing virtual learning challenges, challenges for study abroad students, were addressed and discussed.

To finish up the meeting, a resolution from the Residential Hall Senators and the Residential Hall Association was brought up. This resolution

MSU Reporter • 3

talked about providing unlimited access to the kitchen and lounge areas in the dorms, since this access is currently limited.

The Senator’s believe this will help students who are living with food insecurity on campus, as well as the fact that on-campus students are paying for a service that is not getting utilized by them.

If passed by the Residential Life Administration, the resolution would begin starting Thanksgiving break and go through the spring semester.

The next meeting will be held on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. in the Ostrander Auditorium.

Continued from page 1

Mansoor Ahmad/The Reporter

Thursday, November 5, 2020

being tabulated.

Former Vice President Biden gave a speech in Delaware on election night a couple of hours after the polls had closed in Delaware.

“We’re going to have to be patient until the hard work of tallying votes is finished, and it ain’t over until every vote is counted and every ballot is counted,” Biden said.

“It’s not my place or Donald Trump’s place to declare who has won this election, that’s the decision of the American people, but I’m optimistic about this outcome.”

The last time Minnesota voted in favor for the Republican Party was 1972 when president Richard Nixon was elected President.

Minnesota has been a “blue” state ever since, voting

in favor of the Democratic candidate.

“We were all ready to get outside and celebrate something that was so beautiful, so good, such a vote, such a success,” Trump said on election night. “The citizens of the country have come out in record numbers, this is a record, there’s never been anything like it to support our incredible movement and win states we weren’t expected to win.”

MNSU students were able to let their voice be heard as many participated in this year’s election.

“Yes, I did vote today.

Honestly, I have no clue who’s gonna win, it’s kind of up in the air at this point,” MNSU freshman Kaitlyn Erickson said.

4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, November 5, 2020

FALL 2020 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN

Is it Time for a Younger President? Yes.

NEWS EDITOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu PHOTO/WEB EDITOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Anna Lillie 507-389-1063 anna.lillie@mnsu.edu Yasir Wedatalla 507-389-5097 yasir.wedatalla@mnsu.edu Logan Larock 507-389-5453 logan.larock@mnsu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu

gress is 57 for Representatives, and 62 for Senators.

That is nearly double the minimum age requirement given by the Constitution.

While there is an argument to be made for the “wisdom” that comes with age, that wisdom is becoming increasingly outdated, especially as technology evolves and differences between generations increase.

In the past, the differences between generations were

much more subtle. But now, with the invention of the internet and social media, there is a clear and distinct gap between what it means to be in the older generation versus the younger generation.

There is simply no way for someone 40 years older than us to even come close to knowing what it is like for us to deal with issues that pertain to us.

Growing up with social media, being pushed into mas-

sive student debt, and an-ever changing job market are just a few issues that could be much better addressed by people that are closer to us in age.

Whether they are a Republican, Democrat, or a third party, we need to push to elect candidates who don’t just support solutions to our issues, but candidates who understand them also.

“Do you think age plays a factor in presidency?”

Compiled by Muhammad Ibrahim

PARKER ADAMS, FRESHMAN

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial With voting behind us and the ballots being counted, the results are out of our hands now. All we can do is wait and see what is to come for our nation.

But we must begin to look forward to what comes after this election. Whether it is Biden or Trump in office, one thing is for certain: We should not allow another election like this to happen.

How is it that both of the party’s nominees for the last two elections have been over 70 years old? How is it that the young people’s vote has become one of the most influential demographics, yet we are stuck in a cycle of old candidates?

We, as millennials and Gen Z, have not been accurately represented for quite some time now. That needs to change.

It can be expected that, within the next few election cycles (maybe even in 2024), the balance of voting power will sway away from the “Baby Boomer” generation and into the hands of the millennial and Gen Z generations.

This poses a huge opportunity for us. We no longer have to ride the coattails of the older generations. We can finally get some control of the system that governs us.

The first (and maybe most important) thing for us to do is to elect people who adequately represent us. That starts with electing people closer to our age.

The current average age of members of the U.S. Con-

maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

VESSENIA GAMEZ, FRESHMAN

“No, you just have to be smart “No, I think it’s all about the enough to be elected..” experience you have to be a president.”

LEMLEM WOLDE, FRESHMAN

BALLEY JESKE, FRESHMAN

NAPOLEON VANG, JUNIOR

“No, I think a person who’s “Yeah, kids are willing to vote “Yeah, age matters. You have under 40 will have the ability special the challenge between to be knowledgeable.” to be President.”

Trump and Biden these days.”

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• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, contact Editor in Chief Maxwell Mayleben at maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu.

The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board.

• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a studentrun newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776.

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THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Ride-hailing, Delivery Giants Win Fight Against Labor Law

In this Aug. 20, 2020, file photo travelers request an Uber ride at Los Angeles International Airport’s LAX-it pick up terminal. Uber, Lyft and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services prevai led at the ballot box in their expensive gamble to keep drivers classified as independent contractors. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — App-based companies like Uber, Lyft and Doordash have dodged a potentially devastating blow to their industry by carving out an exemption from a California law that required them to classify their drivers as employees instead of contractors.

California voters passed Proposition 22 and delivered a stinging rebuke to state lawmakers and labor leaders who were fighting for better working conditions for a growing number of people who drive for ride-hailing and food delivery services.

California has one of the strictest laws in the country for determining when a company must treat its workers as employees with benefits such as minimum wage, overtime and sick days. Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart and others sought to get out of those requirements, and after failing in court, succeeded in convincing voters to give them an exemption from most of the year-old law’s provisions.

A record $200 million spending spree by the companies and their supporters helped them win the vote.

The investment yielded a huge return for Uber and Lyft, whose combined market value climbed by $10 billion on Wednesday.

Supporters applauded the outcome, saying drivers would be able to maintain their independence while accessing new benefits such as a guaranteed minimum wage and health care subsidies.

Don Pruitt, an accountant in Stockton, was relieved by Proposition 22’s passage because it will allow him to continue to drive for both Lyft and Uber, as well as handle deliveries for Postmates and Instacart, as he has been during the past three years whenever he isn’t busy filing taxes for his clients.

“If Prop. 22 had lost, I wouldn’t have been able to

keep doing that to make extra money. I couldn’t work for all of them if I had to be an employee,” Pruitt said.

James Patterson, a Sacramento retiree who drove four years for Lyft but now does deliveries for DoorDash and Postmates, prefers the freedom of being able to make his own schedule.

“You can just work when you want and stop whenever you want,” he said. “And as someone who is retired, it’s nice to get a little supplemental income whenever you need it.”

Others viewed the development as a major setback for gig workers.

“It should be a good wakeup call for us all, across the country, if these companies think they can buy their way out of having to comply with basic labor laws,” said Shannon Liss-Riordan, a labor attorney who has been fighting for employment protections for app-based workers. “I’m worried about what these companies may try to pull off on a national basis.”

The Independent Drivers Guild, which represents more than 200,000 drivers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, called on state legislatures to quickly empower gig workers with collective bargaining rights.

“Proposition 22 leaves California’s gig workers with no representation, no collective bargaining rights, no path to negotiate a livable wage, and no ability to have a real voice in their pay and benefits,” said Brendan Sexton, the group’s executive director.

Edan Alva, a former Lyft driver, stopped driving during the pandemic because he was shelling out for disinfectant, risking his health and barely making money. He was hoping the proposition would fail, leading to better working conditions so he could consider driving again.

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Eta Brings Heavy Rains, Mudslides to Honduras TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Eta moved into Honduras on Wednesday as a weakened tropical depression but still bringing the heavy rains that have drenched and caused deadly landslides in the country’s east and in northern Nicaragua.

The storm no longer carried the winds of the Category 4 hurricane that battered Nicaragua’s coast Tuesday, but it was moving so slowly and dumping so much rain that much of Central America was on high alert. Eta had sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph) Wednesday night. It was 115 miles (185 kilometers) south-southeast of La Ceiba.

The long-term forecast shows Eta taking a turn over Central America and then reforming as a tropical storm in the Caribbean — possibly reaching Cuba on Sunday and southern Florida on Monday.

Heavy rain was forecast to continue across Honduras through at least Thursday as Eta moved northward toward the capital of Tegucigalpa and the northern city of San Pedro Sula.

Before the center of Eta had even reached Honduras, hundreds of people had been forced from their homes by floodwaters.

Early Tuesday, a 12-yearold girl died in a mudslide in San Pedro Sula, said Marvin Aparicio of Honduras’ emergency management agency.

On Wednesday afternoon,

A man walks his bike through knee-deep floodwaters in a neighborhood of Jehova, Honduras, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Delmer Martinez)

confirmation came from Honduras’ emergency management agency of the death of a 15-year-old boy in the central Honduras town of Sulaco. Mayor Edy Chacón said the boy drowned trying to cross a rain-swollen river. That brought the storm’s death toll to at least four in Nicaragua and Honduras.

Aparicio said Wednesday that some 379 homes had been destroyed, mostly by floodwaters. There were 38 communities cut off by washed out roads and five bridges in the country were wiped out by swollen rivers.

Among those rescued from their flooded homes were Óscar Armando Martínez Flores, his wife and seven children. Their home near the Lancetilla river in northeast Honduras flooded. They made it out only with the clothes they were wearing.

“The rains began Monday

and the river overflowed,” Martínez said Wednesday from a sports complex serving as a shelter in the city of Tela.

“The firefighters and police arrived to take us out because the houses were flooded.”

Martínez was already in dire straits before the storm.

A construction worker, he hadn’t been able to find work in eight months since the coronavirus pandemic began there. He has been selling tortillas to keep his family afloat.

Francisco Argeñal chief of meteorology at Honduras’ Center for Atmospheric, Oceanographic and Seismic Studies, said he expected more of the country’s rivers to jump their banks.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast that parts of Nicaragua and Honduras could receive 15 to 25 inches (380 to 635 millimeters) of rain, with 40 inches (1,000 millimeters) possible.

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News

Trump Backers Demand Michigan Vote Center ‘Stop the Count!’

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Jackpot! Expansion of Gambling in the US Wins Big at Polls

People wanting to be election challengers yell as they look through the windows of the central counting board as police were helping to keep additional challengers from entering due to overcrowding, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Dozens of supporters of President Donald Trump chanting “Stop the count!” descended on a vote-tallying center in Detroit on Wednesday, as Americans on both sides of the political divide vented their anger and frustration over the undecided presidential contest at scattered protests around the country.

The Detroit protests started shortly before The Associated Press declared that former Vice President Joe Biden had won Michigan.

Video shot by local media showed angry people gathered outside the TCF Center and inside the lobby, with police officers lined up to keep them from entering the counting area. They chanted “Stop the count!” and “Stop the vote!”

Earlier, the Republican campaign filed suit in a bid to stop the count, demanding Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state allow in more inspectors. Trump has repeatedly insisted without evidence that there are major problems with the voting and the counting.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, insisted both parties and the public had been given access to the tallying “using a robust system of checks and balances to ensure that all ballots are counted fairly and accurately.”

On Tuesday night, scattered protests broke after voting ended, stretching from Washington, D.C., to Seattle, but there was no widespread unrest or significant violence.

Quake Toll Rises to 116 in Turkey; Rescuers Finish Searches ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The death toll in last week’s Aegean Sea earthquake rose to 116 on Wednesday as rescuers in the Turkish city of Izmir finished searching buildings that collapsed in the quake.

All but two of the victims were killed in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city. Two teenagers died on the Greek island of Samos, which lies south of the epicenter of Friday’s earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey registered the quake’s magnitude at 7.0, although other agencies recorded it as less severe.

Mehmet Gulluoglu, head of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, said search and rescue operations had been completed at 17 buildings that fell in Izmir.

The rescue operation has been roaring at full tilt since Friday, pulling 107 survivors from the rubble.

Of the 1,035 people injured in the quake, 137 remained hospitalized on Wednesday,

A worker walks past as others demolish a building that was damaged at the Oct. 30 earthquake in Izmir, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.

(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

the agency added.

Following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged not to give up until the final person was recovered. Rescuers’ spirits were raised Tuesday when they pulled a 3-year-old girl from the wreckage of her family home 91 hours after the quake.

A woman plays a slot machine at the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City, N.J. on July 2, 2020.

(AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The U.S. gambling industry won big at the polls Tuesday, with three states authorizing legal sports betting and three others either approving or expanding casino gambling.

Maryland, South Dakota and Louisiana approved sports betting. That sets up a situation in which by the end of next year more than half the country could have legal sports betting, less than three years after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for all 50 states to adopt it if they chose.

Virginia approved casino gambling in four locations, Nebraska authorized adding casino games at its horse racing tracks, and Colorado expanded the number and type of casino games it can offer, along with eliminating some wagering limits.

“It appears that Americans are becoming increasingly comfortable with legalized gambling,” said David Schwartz, a gambling historian with the University of Nevada Las Vegas. “The addition of casinos in Vir-

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ginia and racetrack casinos in Nebraska indicates that casino-style gambling is on the upswing as well. We have reached a point where voters seem satisfied that legalizing gambling will offer positive returns for their state.”

The American Gaming Association, the casino industry’s main trade group, hailed the expansion votes.

“As a result of successful ballot measures in six gaming states, more Americans will have access to much needed job opportunities, dedicated tax revenue, and safe, regulated entertainment options closer to home,” said Bill Miller, the organization’s CEO. By the end of 2021, at least 25 states and the District of Columbia could have legal sports betting in place.

Voters in four Virginia cities — Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth and Norfolk — approved ballot measures authorizing casinos.

Caesars Entertainment released a statement thanking voters for approving the Danville proposal.

“We look forward to ful-

filling the trust the voters have placed in us by bringing 1,300 good-paying jobs, tourism dollars and economic development to the city, and we are incredibly excited to begin construction,” CEO Tom Reeg said.

In South Dakota, the ballot question allows the Deadwood casinos to add in-person sports betting. For now, mobile sports betting, the largest and fastest-growing part of the industry, would not be permitted.

Sports betting will become legal in Louisiana parishes that approved the measure; over three-quarters appeared to have done so.

Nebraska allowed casino games at racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus and South Sioux City.

In Colorado, casinos in Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek can do away with limits that restricted maximum bets to $100.

They also will be able to offer new games including baccarat, keno, and a spinning wheel.

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Thursday, November 5, 2020

US Sets Record for Cases Amid Election Battle Over Virus

Artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg walks among thousands of white flags planted in remembrance of Americans who have died of COVID-19 near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Oct. 27, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

New confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. have climbed to an all-time high of more than 86,000 per day on average, in a glimpse of the worsening crisis that lies ahead for the winner of the presidential election.

Cases and hospitalizations are setting records all around the country just as the holidays and winter approach, demonstrating the challenge that either President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden will face in the coming months.

Daily new confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. have surged 45% over the past two weeks, to a record 7-day average of 86,352, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Deaths are also on the rise, up 15 percent to an average of 846 deaths every day.

The total U.S. death toll is already more than 232,000, and total confirmed U.S. cases have surpassed 9 million.

Those are the highest totals in the world, and new infections are increasing in nearly every state.

Several states on Wednesday reported grim numbers that are fueling the national trends. Texas reported 9,048 new cases and 126 deaths, and the number of coronavirus patients in Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma hospitals set records. About a third of the new cases in Texas happened in hard-hit El Paso, where a top health officials said hospitals are at a “breaking point.”

Public health experts fear potentially dire consequences, at least in the short term.

Trump’s current term doesn’t end until Jan. 20.

In the 86 days until then, 100,000 more Americans will likely die from the virus if the nation doesn’t shift course, said Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, echoing estimates from other public health experts.

“Where we are is in an extremely dire place as a country. Every metric that we have is trending in the wrong direction. This is a virus that will continue to escalate at an accelerated speed and that is not going to stop on its own,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health expert at George Washington University.

Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, said there are things Americans can do now to help change the trajectory.

“Regardless of the outcome of the election, everyone in America needs to buckle down,″ Bailey said.

“A lot of us have gotten kind of relaxed about physically distancing, not washing our hands quite as often as we used to, maybe not wearing our masks quite as faithfully. We all need to realize that things are escalating and we’ve got to be more careful than ever,” she said.

Polls showed the public health crisis and the economy were top concerns for many Americans.

They are competing issues that Trump and Biden view through drastically different lenses.

Trump has ignored the advice of his top health advisors, who have issued increasingly urgent warnings in recent days about the need for preventive measures, instead holding rallies where face coverings were rare and falsely suggesting that the pandemic is waning.

By contrast, Biden has rarely been seen in public without a mask and made public health a key issue. Whether his voice will carry much influence if Trump is declared the winner is uncertain.

“President Trump has already made clear what his strategy is for COVID-19, which is to pretend that there is not a contagious virus all around us,” Wen said. Trump has been touting treatments and vaccines, which won’t be available to all Americans until mid-2021, she noted.

News

MSU Reporter • 9

Four Italian Regions Put Under Lockdown ROME (AP) — Four Italian regions are being put under “red-zone” lockdown, with severe limits imposed on the circumstances under which people can leave home, Premier Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday night.

What he called “very stringent” restrictions begin on Friday for Lombardy, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta in the north, and for Calabria, which forms the southern toe of the Italian peninsula.

The lockdown is aimed at tamping down a surge in COVID-19 infections and preventing hospitals from being overwhelmed with cases.

Lasting at least two weeks, it will involve some 16.5 million of Italy’s 60 million residents and include the country’s financial capital, Milan.

Barring very few exceptions, no one will be able to leave or enter the “red zone” regions. People there must stay home, except to go to work or shop for essentials.

They can also exercise near their homes and while wearing masks.

After days of consultations with regional governors, Health Minister Roberto

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte leaves after announcing new restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus, in Rome, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. (Angelo Carconi/Pool Photo via AP)

Speranza decided which regions received the “red-zone” designation.

“I know that these choices will mean sacrifices and difficulties, but they are the only way to bend the (contagion) curve,” he said in a statement.

“United, we can do it.”

Barber shops and hair salons can stay open, although other non-essential shops in the “red zone” must close.

Less severe restrictions on movement were decided for southern Sicily and Puglia, where people will be able to leave their homes, but can’t travel between towns or re-

gions, and cafes and restaurants can only do takeout and delivery.

While classrooms are open in the rest of Italy except for high schools, which must do remote instructions, in the “red zone,” only nursery, elementary and the first year of middle-school will still have in-class instruction.

The latest crackdown was supposed to start on Thursday, but Conte said it will begin instead on Friday to allow time to organize. Designations will be reviewed every two weeks.

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10 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, November 5, 2020

ART, MUSIC, FOOD, MOVIES, SPORTS, GAMING, & ALL THE REST

Serendipity Series Brings Local Musicians to Campus JENNA PETERSON News Editor At Minnesota State University, Mankato, the Serendipity Series has been a great way to interact students with local Minnesota musicians. This tradition has been ongoing for years, and while COVID-19 has definitely slowed it down, it hasn’t stopped to bring live music for the campus community to enjoy.

“We slowly started our series early in the school year, and because of COVID-19 we decided to hold off to know more of what our protocol was going to be and how we could approach things safely,” stated Lenny Koupal, Communications Coordinator of the Centennial Student Union.

There have been performances earlier this school year to help students feel a connection on campus, with some being held outside because of the warmer weather. This also allows everyone to be safer with COVID-19 precautions.

Many precautions the program is taking are ones already expected of students. Face masks are required, especially inside, to keep everyone safe.

When there are performances in the Hearth Lounge in the

HELLEN AKINYI Staff Writer

The Mae Simpson (Photo courtesy of Mae Simpson)

CSU, the seating is spread out to ensure social distancing.

Koupal continued with more precautions in regard to the performers.

“We have the stage set up so that it gives more than

ample amount of distance between the performers and the audience. This setup also allows the performers to choose whether or not they want to wear a mask, since there is so much distance between every-

one.”

One event Koupal was excited to announce was the Hip-Hop showcase Nov. 5,

SERENDIPITY page 11

What is the Future for Live Music in Mankato?

AMANDA FILREIS Staff Writer If you are craving a musical experience but have a hard time locating live performances, there are other means of filling that void. Before the world of COVID-19, some locations such as the Wine Café and the Coffee Hag hosted live music shows for the customers while they enjoyed their delicious food and beverages.

Nowadays, many locations aren’t allowing such performances anymore, but rest assured, there are other options to choose from.

While live music is relatively hard to come by in today’s climate, due to social distancing guidelines, restaurants such as Busters Sports Bar and Grill work to keep the live music scene alive.

“I love the relaxing and soft music that’s played,” commented MNSU student Leah Johnson when asked about her overall thoughts on live music performances in bars and

Some Indoor Activities for the Cold Weather

Mankato musician and world record holder Tanner Peterson performing in Downtown Mankato in September 2019. Due to COVID-19, live music isn’t as common as it used to be. (File photo)

restaurants.

Despite the lack of live performances for everyone to enjoy, there are streaming services such YouTube and iTunes that are available to almost anyone. One question that plagues some people’s minds is how these things can be found.

Artists can continue to entertain their fans through Spotify and Twitch, which is typ-

ically used for gamers to live stream their games. Twitch has also partnered with SoundCloud to help provide easier access to the tunes we crave.

There have even been rare instances where people stumble upon live performances when they’re not even looking.

This was the case with MNSU student Troy Springis.

“We happened across it a

while ago but I loved watching the blues performances at Famous Dave’s with my family,” said Springis, “You just never know what to expect sometimes.”

Places around the country are trying various different means to bring people socially distant alternatives to live music performances. One option being used is a “Concert in Your Car” platform.

At these events, the stage offers a sound system similar to that of a drive-in movie theatre. The music would then come out through the speakers of the individual cars with massive LED video monitors picking up what’s going on up on the stage.

While there may be a drought of live performance in the Mankato area, students are eagerly awaiting more viewing opportunities.

“I miss the live music around town,” said Madison Railton, a student at MNSU, “I’m excited to see how it’s going to come back to ’Kato.”

Winter is slowly approaching, and with social distancing there are few activities that people can take part in to have fun and stay sane.

Although it has been difficult to adjust from doing in-person activities, many Minnesota State University, Mankato students have been getting creative throughout quarantine.

“We can’t really have parties, so my friends and I have been having Netflix watch parties,” MNSU student Najat Nin said.

Nin continued to explain how her and her friends use the Netflix watch party in order for all of them to watch the same movie together on all their accounts. Through this, they are also able to chat on the side while watching the movie.

This method is a great way for people to be able to hang out with their friends while still being socially distancing, since everyone will be in the comfort of their own room and spaces.

“Some days we decide to have themes, just to make it fun,” added Nin. Virtual game nights have slowly become the top entertaining activity to do during quarantine, and now that the cold is here, no one thinks it’ll stop. Games like Among Us, where anyone can play as long as they have a stable internet connection, are gaining popularity.

MNSU student Jai Jerbich talked about how he makes Tik Toks for entertaining himself and his friends. “Making Tik Toks is pretty fun and you can even do it without having friends over. Y’all can just duet each other’s videos or make transitions.”

Despite being in quarantine for months on end, online activities are still keeping students entertained.

ACTIVITIES page 11

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Variety

MSU Reporter • 11

Maverick Spotlight: Reggie Lutz DANIEL MCELROY Staff Writer For the Minnesota State University, Mankato hockey forward Reggie Lutz, when it’s not about the puck on the ice, it’s about the people.

“The people that the team has brought in have been awesome. There are some lifelong friends that I’ve made here,” Lutz said.

Lutz is a senior majoring in sport management with a minor in marketing and his eyes on a national championship. It wouldn’t be possible without his start in hockey in Elk River, Minnesota.

“I fell in love with hockey in Elk River as soon as I started skating,” he said. “I was very fortunate to grow up in Elk River and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

It wouldn’t be the same playing hockey in Elk River without his Maverick teammate and lifelong friend Jake Jaremko. The two forwards have been on about every team together since they started playing youth hockey. In fact, there are only four years they

Senior forward Reggie Lutz (Photo courtesy of Maverick Athletics)

did not play on the same team between then and now.

Lutz would not be the same person without the people who surround him. Whether it’s his teammates, classmates, fans or friends, he is always thankful for the people in his life.

“My favorite thing about campus is the people I’ve met.

The opportunity to meet new people and expand that way is great,” Lutz said.

When he’s on the ice, his teammates and he are all after the same thing, a national championship.

“One thing we haven’t

done yet here is win a national tournament game, so that’s something we as a senior class and a team as a whole want to leave behind. We want to make some noise at a national tournament.”

This goal isn’t just for himself, but for everyone that follows his footsteps when he leaves.

“Coach Hastings always preaches about leaving it better when you leave than when you got here, so that’s something that I’ve been thinking about for the past four years.”

SERENDIPITY Continued from page 10 which will feature three hiphop artists from the Twin Cities. The performance is scheduled to take place in the Hearth Lounge, but because of the recently warm weather, it could be moved outside to the campus mall.

To wrap up the Fall 2020 season, Mae Simpson will perform Nov. 19.

“We’ve been trying to get Mae and her band to come for a long time. She was actually scheduled to perform right before COVID came, and we’re happy to finally have her,” stated Koupal.

This event will be livestreamed on the CSU’s Facebook page, and will be held in the Ostrander Auditorium with a limited audience.

Koupal also talked about the purpose of the series and why it’s important to the campus.

“The whole idea behind the Serendipity Music Series is the idea of a ‘street-corner serenade.’ It’s not meant for people to sit down and listen, although we do have that option available. It’s all about the passer-bys, who are wait-

Netflix: What’s New, and What’s Leaving SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer Following their monthly ritual, Netflix has released its list of shows coming to and leaving the streaming platform. The leaving lineup for this month is rather extensive, spanning many genres.

All six collections of the classic game show Jeopardy! are leaving this month, with no return date in sight. Similarly, The Bachelor appears to be leaving the platform, as season 13 has finished up.

2007 crime drama Zodiac, featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. Is leaving the platform come the end of the month, along with heist trilogy starring George Clooney Ocean’s 11, which will only have been added to Netflix on November 1, Ocean’s 12, and Ocean’s 13.

3D adventure film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl also leaves Netflix on the 30th, which surprises some Minnesota State University, Mankato students. Matt Trenne, an MNSU student, expressed his shock by saying, I loved that movie as a kid, it’s a good nostalgia movie.”

Additional films leaving Netflix include The Addam’s Family, West Side Story, Spaceballs, Silence of the Lambs, and Zathura.

AP Photo

To combat all the content leaving the platform, Netflix is bringing many new options for their viewers.

These new movies and shows include Boyz in the Hood, a 1991 film, follows Tre Styles, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., who is sent to live with his father Furious Styles, played by Lawrence Fishburne, in Los Angeles.

Here, he is surrounded by the neighborhood’s growing gang culture.

A Clockwork Orange is also being added to Netflix this month. The film uses uncomfortable images for a dystopian future to raise awareness on youth gangs as well as other social subjects.

V for Vendetta is another political dystopian film being added to the streaming platform this month. This film is

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set in a future where a fascist totalitarian regime has taken control of the United Kingdom. The film focuses on V (Hugo Weaving), who is an anarchist and freedom fighter who attempt to create revolution through terrorism.

MNSU student Lexi Verhage said that there are a couple shows she watches “that have new seasons coming out that [she’s] really excited for.”

Additionally, joining the queue will be teen drama-comedy Easy A, Kevin James comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop,1994 The Next Karate Kid, which gender-flipped a major franchise by starring Hilary Swank, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey featuring original songs by John Legend, and new weekly episodes of The Great British Baking Show.

ing for the bus or grabbing lunch and hear the music as they walk around,” he said.

Koupal said surveys show students love the music series. Because of this, he said, they’re finding new ways to advertise these events and let students know when they’re taking place.

“With COVID, it’s almost non-existent to have live music anymore,” he said. “We’ve really made an effort to try to have these performances offered to the students.”

Koupal said they’re looking forward to setting the series up for the spring semester, and that they’re always looking for new acts and feedback from students.

“This program is close to my heart,” he said. “I love music and I love to be able to spotlight music, especially upcoming musicians. … Almost all of these performers are Minnesota based, and that’s one of our missions here in the program. We want to spotlight Minnesota musicians and give students an opportunity to see different genres of music.”

ACTIVITIES

Continued from page 1 Virtual parties, especially over Zoom, have also gained popularity over the months. With disco lights as well as most students have LED lights in their rooms, making the environment seem like a club. So they still get to have fun, but safely and still stay warm.

Another activity for students can be a virtual studying session with other friends or classmates. This helps people stay inside during the colder weather and focus on their schoolwork, which can be difficult during this time.

All of these are great to distract your mind from everything going on, and it also allows you to connect with friends while being COVID-19 safe.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Variety

Thursday, November 5, 2020

This Week’s Crossword:

Government

DOWN 1. An article added to the U.S. Constitution 2. Leader of the U.S. executive branch 3. Term used when something is in violation of the requirements of the constitution of a nation or state 5. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution 6. The 2020 U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate nominee 8. The introductory statement to a constitution 9. Term for a government based on religion 11. A member of a community that has political rights and responsibilities 13. Public officials elected to the legislative branch of the federal government; two per state 14. The branch of U.S. Government that carries out laws and is comprised of the President, Vice President, Cabinet, and most federal agencies 19. Term for a country ruled by a king or queen ACROSS 4. Advisors to the President 7. The 2020 U.S. Republican Presidential candidate nominee 10. A document setting out the structure and main principles of a government

12. The branch of U.S. Government that makes laws and is comprised of the House of Representatives and Senate 15. The branch of U.S. Government that evaluates laws and is comprised of the Supreme Court and other courts

16. An idea for a law that has been written down 17. Public officials elected to the legislative branch of the federal government; Amount depends on population of the state 18. A country ruled by the people

BY DESTINY KEMPF | STAFF WRITER