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By the students, for the students
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIRST GNAC CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 2005
For the first time in 19 years the Wildcats volleyball team ended their regular season play as Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) champions. They were dominant all season with a conference record of 16-2 and sweeping 11 matchups 3-0. This will carry them into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament which makes 12 straight NCAA playoff appearances for the highly touted head coach, Mario Andaya.
Andaya began his coaching career at Central in 1996 and has accumulated over 450 coaching victories following his 29th season. With the last championship coming in 2005 it has been a long time coming for the seasoned head coach. “We’ve talked about how hard it is to win a GNAC title, it’s spread out through a lot of different teams, and back then I had hair,” Coach Andaya said.
Fifth year libero, Hannah Stires, along with many other players on the team have been working towards this goal for years now and talked about what it took for them to finally hoist the GNAC trophy. “I think we put a really big emphasis this year, more than past years, on being there for each other,” Stires said. “I feel like this year is probably the most selfless team I’ve ever been a part of. I think this year, this was probably the most tight knit team that we’ve had so far.”
Part of the success gone into this
season is the depth the team has, and it is showcased as five players were named to GNAC All-Conference teams. First team included Stires, fifth year middle blocker, Emma Daoud-Hebert, and fifth year outside hitter, Marianna Payne. Senior middle blocker, Morgan Halady, and sophomore outside hitter, Ellie Marble, both were named as honorable mentions for GNAC All-Conference.
Daoud-Hebert had an incredible season, having been named first team all conference for the third season in a row. Doaud-Hebert’s hitting percentage of .446 is the second highest in the NCAA DII. She has two GNAC player of the week awards on the season, one of which was earned after averaging a staggering .621 kill percentage for the week.
Payne earned all league first team honors after a breakout season. Payne set a new personal record of 292 kills this season, an average of 3.28 kills per set. On Oct. 10, Payne put up 14 kills against Alaska Fairbanks, followed by a 20 kill game against Alaska Anchorage just two days later. These two standout performances earned her GNAC offensive player of the week.
The hardware does not stop at the GNAC trophy and All-Conference teams as Stires was awarded GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and Coach Andaya was recognized as GNAC Coach of the Year.
GNAC Championship team picture. (Photo Courtesy of Nathan Herde)
Payne and Coach Andaya hugging. (Photo Courtesy of Nevaeh Capetillo)
Jackson Roberts & Maggie McBroom Sports Editor, Staff Reporter
LETTER to the OBSERVER
Hey CWU :)
It must be weird to see me printed on the page. You may be asking: ‘Who’s this? Where are my precious online exclusives?’ Well I’m usually a behind the scenes kind of guy; I’m copyeditor and scene editor of our paper, but it’s the last week of my undergraduate education and subsequently the very last issue of The Observer I’ll be contributing to, so we decided I should give a proper farewell.
I think back to who I was before joining The Observer crew, and I can’t help but marvel at all the ways I’ve grown because of this fantastic opportunity, and more importantly the incredible people who I’m so lucky to have worked beside.
When I started my undergrad, I had no clue who I was or what I wanted to do with my life. I had always known I was a writer, but thinking beyond that part of who I am, I couldn’t fit the puzzle of what I wanted to do with my life together. I was an English professional and creative writing major, and I had almost finished all of the credits in my major, so my advisor at the time urged me to tack on a journalism minor, and I’m beyond thankful that she did.
With my new journalism minor, I decided to take The Observer as a class to fulfill what was required of my degree, but didn’t expect to fall in love with journalistic writing the way I did. The way I started writing stories was almost like putting together a puzzle. I was most comfortable with creative writing, but I fell so naturally into the depths of journalism.
As an uncomfortably socially anxious person, I was initially nervous to interview people and step out of the comfort zone of silence I had created for myself. When I finally did, I found out the importance of making these connections, telling these stories
LETTER from the EDITOR
Hey, Wildcats!
I hope that you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving break. I know I did. Doing pretty much nothing besides eating good food, watching football and being with good people was as enjoyable as it sounds. Now, as we turn to the final week of school before we all head home for the break, please make sure that your bodies and minds are fueled for the final stretch, and these finals will go swimmingly.
This is a bittersweet letter for me to write, so I’ll keep it short. I’ve been with The Observer for eight quarters to-date, having joined the class the spring quarter of my freshman year all the way back in 2022. Now, it is with a mix of many emotions in my heart – love, exhaustion, confusion, reflection, nostalgia, warmth, but mostly love – that I say farewell. Starting out as a staff reporter, this newspaper felt so much bigger than myself. I felt like I was entering a world that I didn’t belong in, that I had no place in, and all I wanted to do was tread water proving myself to the people I saw as giants.
The Observer completely changed my life. Comparing who I was when I started, to who I was when I was appointed sports editor, to who I am now having been Editor-in-chief for a year… the difference is staggering. My maturity, work ethic, compassion, everything, has all grown tenfold.
The O’ has led me to accomplishing so many things I never thought in a million years I’d be able to do, it’s introduced me to so many people I never in a million years thought I’d be able
and finding the community of people that’s hidden all around us. I loved meeting interesting people from the town I grew up in and creating a link to local artists I found myself looking up to.
Beyond the repertoire of wonderful connections I’ve made in the community of Ellensburg, I’ve also made some wonderful connections with all of my coworkers. I want to shout out the ray of sunshine of our office, lead graphic designer Z Morris for being the energetic, funny light we needed on long, stressful design nights. I appreciate all of their unwavering dedication, their crazy artistic talent, and their thoughtful friendship.
Of course, I can’t say goodbye to The Observer without shouting out the editor in chief, oh captain, our captain, Isaac Hinson. His nearly three year tenure at The Observer gave him the perfect experience to lead our team. He was a pragmatic and just chief that brought kindness and hilarity to the room.
I wanted to take this opportunity to say how thankful I am to have been able to travel to New Orleans with The Observer for the Associated Collegiate Press conference that was held this October. It was incredible to have taken a part of that trip, and I made memories I’ll cherish forever. I was so ecstatic to be there after winning third place in the Best of Show category. Our team pours their heart and soul into this paper, and I’m so happy we got recognition for that.
While I could gush about my love for The Observer for pages upon pages, I’ll end this concisely by saying that I wouldn’t trade my time at The Observer for the world, and after I graduate I’ll deeply miss being a part of this incredible newspaper.
Peace out,
Lee Beck
to meet and it’s given me a type of purpose I never in a million years thought I’d have. I’ve met some of my greatest friends, been able to travel the country, compete for and win awards, and attend the most fun events, festivals and games, all thanks to The Observer.
I guess the feeling I’ve been trying to encapsulate this whole time is grateful. I’m just so grateful. Being Editor-in-chief has been the pleasure of my life, and I just can’t put into words how I truly feel about leaving. It honestly hasn’t fully set in yet. I have such fond memories with everybody that I’ve been able to work with at The O’, but I’d especially like to extend my thanks and love to Jacqueline Hixssen, Morgana Carroll, Lee Beck, Megan Foster, Z Morris, Jackson Roberts and of course, Charis Jones.
We have a fantastic issue this week, and I’m very proud of all my writers for their work, not only this issue, but this quarter in general. Every single quarter has its ebbs-andflows, and this team has steered the ship very well.
Once again, thank you. Thanks to Jennifer Green and Francesco Somaini for being guiding lights for me. Thanks to all the friends I’ve made along the way. Thanks to you all for reading.
Have a happy holidays, Wildcats.
Isaac
(Photo by Robin MacArthur)
(Photo by Isaac Hinson)
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
“I think [Coach Andaya] has this ability to inspire anyone he talks to and I truly believe that,” Daoud-Hebert said. “If you look at us from day one and where we are now. Our growth as players, people and leaders has grown astronomically every year. We owe him everything, this program is built on [Coach Andaya] and I hope he knows that.”
Stires had a historical season, earning first team all conference for the third time in a row and defensive player of the year. Stires’s 438 season digs contributed to a total of 1,962 career digs, the 8th most in the GNAC of all time. An average of 5.69 digs per set placed her at 9th in the nation for the season.
To make the ending to GNAC play even sweeter the team clinched the championship the game before senior night meaning the following game was one to not only honor those seniors, but to celebrate the hard work of everyone involved in their success.
“It was a special night for a lot of different reasons. The fact that we got to celebrate on our senior night was just the cherry on top, like what more can you ask for?” Stires said. “We felt so blessed, all our little minions, our underclassmen, they did everything they could to make us feel special but at the end of the day it was about everybody.
Something we talked about in the beginning was that it’s the foundation built on players who don’t always get the recognition so I was glad they felt seen too.”
Coach Andaya credits not only the current players on the roster for getting them to the point they are at now, but the players from the past too. Emphasizing the point of all the great leaders they had to look up to when they first arrived.
“For me personally, when I first got here, I was quiet and didn’t really talk to anybody,” Payne said. “Having so many extroverted and caring people surrounding me helped me slowly start to come out
of my shell and come into the person I am today.”
These seniors went through tough times and adversity as they experienced an unorthodox first year of college with the COVID quarantine. Flash forward five years later and they were able to celebrate their hard work with a championship in front of their friends and family at home. Daoud-Hebert highlighted what that first year with the team looked like and how it may have been different to other classes freshman years.
“We weren’t necessarily playing for games, we were really just training every single day,” Daoud-Hebert said. “Some of us were here every day of the summer and we did not necessarily know each other on a deeper level yet. It was difficult because we were still learning how to build chemistry on the court, but when we did it was so rewarding. It was a really weird time, we didn’t know when we were gonna play.”
With five seniors on their way out, the roster will have some turn around come the offseason. Not to worry for the ‘Cats though as many of their roster saw the court for a duration of time this season as Coach Andaya and the Wildcats look to run it back next year.
“I think we have a lot of great experience coming back. We had a lot of people play this last year. We had true freshman playing, we had redshirts playing for us stepping into starting roles when kids were hurt or sick. They know what it’s like to grind and we’re hoping to continue on to success next year,” Coach Andaya said.
While the GNAC trophy may be in Ellensburg, the team itself has even bigger aspirations as they begin the NCAA DII West Region Tournament on Dec. 5. They travel to Pomona, Calif. to play No. 12 ranked Point Loma Nazarene University where a win will advance them to the round of the Elite Eight.
Daoud-Hebert (Left), Stires (Middle) and Payne (Right) hugging after championship. (Photo Courtesy of Nathan Herde)
CWU ALUM REELECTED AS
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Astor Powell-Pedersen News Editor
The 2024 elections saw Cory Wright, a CWU alum, reelected to his position as Kittitas County Commissioner. Wright first took up this role in 2018 when the former commissioner, Paul Jewell, resigned and Wright was elected to finish the term in 2019. He was reelected and served his first full term in 2020.
Wright and his family have a long history in Kittitas County, particularly in Ellensburg. “My family has been here now for … seven generations,” Wright said. “I was actually born here, went to school here and went to Central.”
After graduating from CWU with his degree in individual studies: youth and leisure activities, Wright attended the California Maritime Academy and attained his license to sail as a commercial marine officer. “I managed port terminal operations and rig toes to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska,” Wright said. “And to the Gulf of Mexico for about twenty years, and then decided I really wanted to come back to Ellensburg.”
After returning to Ellensburg, Wright lived here for six years before becoming a commissioner. “I thought it would be a great way to really become part of my community,” Wright said. “My family has been in elected office here for many years in different areas as prosecutors, city attorneys and court commissioners, so I became another cog.”
“We really are a three-headed CEO,” Wright said. “Meaning that we run the administrative functions of the county, the executive management, human resources, things like that .The Board of Commissioners is responsible as the legislative body of the county, so we manage county finances. We are the final word of budgetary spending. We also pass ordinances for anything from animal control to comprehensive land use.”
In his current term as county commissioner, Wright has several projects he is focusing on. “Right now, this week, I am working on something I’ve been working on for a couple years,” Wright said. “Which is broadband expansion for the whole county. We are in the middle of putting together about a $50 million grant application to get fiber to corners all over the county, so anyone who’s running on a copper wire out in the middle of the sticks will, when this is done, hopefully have a fiber outlet. That’s one of my biggest goals.”
The other major goal Wright spoke about was improving the economy in the county, “Which is very important for college students,” Wright said. “There’s many that come here and love the place, but there’s no jobs, and those that are here really dont pay well. So I am working with various economic organizations to really get a better handle on expanding economic opportunity, but also the infrastructure to support it.”
Wright says there are many opportunities for those looking to get into politics as he did. “Every city and county, we all have these advisory committees and boards,” Wright said. “They all have vacancies. Just in the county alone we have probably over 20 boards and committees, and these vacancies need filled. That’s probably the best way to start the process. Go to the county website, take a look and if there’s anything that looks interesting to you apply, because we need all the help we can get. We just simply do not have enough citizen involvement in the government, and it’s hard to reach people.”
Community involvement is vital to local politics. “I’m actually thrilled that the university is here,” Wright said. “Many, many years ago when we had our great fire in Ellensburg, our consolation prize from the legislature was going to either be a penitentiary or a university. Thank god we got the university because it is a center of research and innovation, and its workforce development. As somebody that’s lived here… for many generations, we all have a stake in the outcome [of local politics and community], so interest and attention to local issues from our students and citizens matters and the more feedback I get, the better the decisions I can make.”
Commissioner Cory Wright (photo courtesy of Cory Wright)
Wright’s basketball photo as a CWU Student (photo courtesy of Cory Wright)
International students reflect on their first quarter at CWU
Kam Schindewolf-Broyles Staff Reporter
Central Washington University is home to students from around the country, but it also has the pleasure of receiving many international students. CWU international students come from all across the globe to join the other students here in the small town of Ellensburg. So, how do these students enjoy it here on campus?
Sorim Woo and Emi Muraki are two international students here at CWU, Woo being here from South Korea and Muraki being here from Japan. Fall 2024 was their first quarter here in Ellensburg.
Muraki reflected on her experience in her classes. “I’m having a lot of fun!” Muraki said. “I… [made] many new friends and they are so nice… This quarter I took 4 classes, two [of which] have assignments and I think this was a good choice.”
Woo spoke on the events CWU had to offer this quarter. “It was [a] really good [quarter],” Woo said. “There were a lot of events at CWU, including international week … Everyone is nice to me and the campus is really beautiful.”
Woo describes one of her favorite memories from Fall quarter was: “[carving] pumpkins for Halloween with my friends. In Korea, it is not usual [to do] some special activity on Halloween so I could feel the American vibe… Also during international week, we made our country’s food and shared [with] each other. I was really happy to have my country’s food and share my food [and] culture to [with] others.”
Muraki remembered her favorite moment being, “I had a choir concert this quarter and my friends came to see me,” Muraki said. “They also brought me some gifts and I was very happy!”CWU’s international students bring a different perspective to the small campus here in Ellensburg. The American students who may have never had the opportunity to go anywhere outside the country get to learn about all these different cultures from around the world and experience different parts of these cultures through the events involving the international students on campus.
Other international students who may also not have been able to experience many cul-
tures outside of their own get the chance to learn from each other as well. Woo found this to be the case when she came to CWU. “I experienced [a] bigger world,” Woo said. “There are various cultures at CWU, [and] I can widen my sights from this quarter here.” Now that the end of the Fall 2024 quarter is upon us, Muraki shares one final opinion about life on campus: “I [just] want Panda Express to be open on weekends too.”
Honoring roots for Native American Heritage Month
Christoph Belford Staff Reporter
The month of November not only consists of Thanksgiving, but it’s also a month where nationally, the United States honors those who have Indigenous heritage.
It’s important to help educate people in the United States on the contributions, traditions, unity and respect towards indigenous heritage.
Alianna Ayala, freshman, shared her experiences growing up in her Indigenous community, the Navajo and what her family appreciated.
“My family really emphasized the importance of food and well being,” Ayala said. “Growing up, we always made sure that we put good energy into our food, and we always cooked with love. We cherished our time with each other.”
Ayala spoke about challenges that she faced growing up as an Indigenous person and how to navigate those problems. “As an Indigenous person going through a public school system, I found that it was really hard to connect with
teachers,” Ayala said. “And I realized that it was that I didn’t have as much opportunity as the other kids because of who I was and how I grew up, especially growing up in a lower class family. So throughout that, I just focused on my studies and pushed through and now I’m here.”
Alaya’s role models also had a part to play in her life growing up, which helped build influence and connections with her Indigenous roots.
“My grandma was one of [my] role models,” Ayala said. “She was awesome. She really influenced me on never forgetting where I come from and always taking pride in my culture. Taking pride is what I’m doing here and to prove people wrong about the stereotypes that they have about my people.”
Alaya had thoughts on how social media and government policies impacted her understanding of indigenous identity. “Growing up in the Navajo Nation, we had our own council Jonathan
Nez, he was really impactful during COVID,” Alaya said. “He made sure to put his foot down on curfew and social distancing. Which really inspired me because he just wouldn’t take no for an answer, despite what the state might have said or what these outside governmental influences.”
This month is a time to honor Native American heritage and acknowledge the contributions and traditions Indigenous communities foster and the challenges Indigenous communities face. Ayala’s story highlights the importance of family, cultural pride and perseverance. Growing up with limited resources, she overcame challenges in school and found inspiration in her grandmother and community leaders like Jonathan Nez. Her experiences remind us of the need to respect and understand Indigenous cultures, ensuring their voices are heard and their history honored.
An MMIP (Missing Murdered Indigenous Peoples) event. (Photo by Christoph Belford)
Should I stay or should I go? Holidays for students on campus
Hayley James Staff Reporter
On Nov. 21, The Wildcat Pantry hosted their annual Friendsgiving event. They set up a meal for students to come and enjoy with other students and their friends. The line stretched from the doors of The Bistro past Black Hall as students waited for their meals. The Wildcat Pantry provided roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, pumpkin pie and a pop-up pantry with canned foods, beanies, socks and scarves for students to take home. There were many students in attendance for dinner. “I think it’s really cool,” Colin McCann, freshman business administration and personal financial planning major, said. “I mean, I have zero dollars on my food card, so I was like, might as well take the opportunity to get a free meal. It’s really cool for people like me who do not know how to save their money.”
This event is great for students to see their friends, meet other students and have a good meal. “I’m here with all my friends I made throughout the couple of past months,” McCann said. “It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve been chatting it up kind of like we’re a family. It was nice.” In addition to the meal that was served, CWU Sustainability was there with an interactive sustainability quiz for students to participate in while they ate.
With the break right around the corner, many students have different plans for how they spend it. “We typically go over to my grandparents or my house and we all just get together and do karaoke, and eat ham and turkey,” McCann said. “It’s a good time.”
Some students don’t have the luxury of choosing how to spend their break, depending on their ability to travel, their work schedule and responsibilities. “My job is dependent on me being there, so I have to stay in Ellensburg,” Bryce Jacobsen, senior business administration major, local UPS warehouse employee, said. “It’s not really an option to go home.”
With it being the holiday season, this is their busiest time of year. “As we get into Christmas time, I’m working a lot more because we have the option to work more, as you know, people order stuff for Christmas,” Jacobsen said.
Another Central student spends their holiday season in Ellensburg, quite a ways away from home. “I am from Korea but lived in Vietnam for almost my whole life,” Goeun Choi, a graduate law and justice major said. “Living here during the holidays feels so empty because most of the people here that I realized were students just leave when it’s time for special holidays.”
With being away from home and their families, students find other ways to spend their holiday break. “I try [to] leave,” Choi said. “And either have fun with one of my friends that are in Seattle or maybe other friends here that are either people who live here or other international students so we could all hang out together so that I am not so lonely.”
A Friendsgiving platter. (Photo by Brandon Mattesich)
A candy corn guessing game. (Photo by Brandon Mattesich)
Students experience financial difficulty during holiday season
Bunta Shimmori Staff Reporter
During the holiday season, many students return to their hometowns and spend time with their families or friends. Meanwhile, people can expect that there will be many expenditures like food, travel expenses and especially presents. However, it’s getting more difficult for students to afford things in the holiday season because of increasing tuition, and cost of living.
Students may face uncertainty as to whether they’ll even choose to participate in the holidays. “I’m not sure yet,” Alberto Cuevas, freshman CWU student, said. “I’m working here at Panda Express. I do get a little money, but it’s not that much… [If I had money, I would] probably buy some flowers for my mom.”
In a survey of six CWU students on their financial circumstances during this holiday season, participants were divided into two groups, one of people who answered they received money financial aid, and one of people who answered they received money from families or friends.
In that same survey, the question “How comfortable do you feel financially?” was answered with a scale from 1 to 5. All of the people who answered “Getting financial aid.” in the first question answered 2, which means they feel less secure financially. On the other hand, people who answered “Money from families or friends.” answered 3 or more, which means they feel more secure financially.
However, when we compare these groups in terms of “How much do you budget for presents each holiday season?” it is a little bit hard to find the linkage that works between their situations and the answers for that. Most people who feel less financially secure answered$0 or $100 but one of them answered $200. On the other hand, of the people who feel more financially secure some answered like $150, or $300 but one of them said $20 to $60, which is a comparatively small amount of money.
Now, we try to speculate the reason why some of them were different from the tendency by thinking about the perspective from the personal situations of each of them. One who feels comparatively financially insecure but can spend $200 answered, “How much would a certain gift really mean to the person?” to the question, “How do you determine your holiday budget? What do you consider?”
From this, we can determine not only financial problems but also each student’s personal thoughts or priorities. The person who feels comparatively financially secure but spends around $20 to $60 answered “How much would a certain gift really mean to the person.” to the same question. From that, we can presume he or she might give some presents to only some special people and the budget was comparatively less than others. Therefore, we have to consider personal situations but basically, we can say the financial situation affects the budget for holiday presents.
Christmas displays in Leavenworth. (Photos by Bunta Shimmori)
ARCHIE THE DOG
celebrates his fourth
Nalanie Pecora Staff Reporter
Friday, Nov. 15, was the birthday of CWU police dog Archie. He is now four years old. Archie is a yellow lab that walks around with his handler Mackenzie Erickson, a CWU police officer here on campus. “This is only the second year that I’ve been able to celebrate,” Erickson said. “So I did buy him a cake, and [a] puppy dog cake last year as well. I think we were on night shift last year and the theater group asked us to come out one night, and so we did, and they had everyone lined up on stage, and they sang Archie, happy birthday, which was super cool. But yeah, we just kind of, you know, this year we had the office here singing him happy birthday.”
Outside of his job here on campus, Archie has a very full schedule of sleeping and relaxing with his family. Due to his work, Archie needs the rest just as much as anyone else. “He likes to sleep…” Erickson said. “He’s a professional Napper, so on our off days, he does come home with me and he gets to just be a normal dog. That way he can relax, play with my dogs… he’s able to distress as well. Because, you know, when he does come here to work, he does see a lot of people, and I do think he kind of takes on some of that, the stress from people, and so it’s, I can definitely tell when he’s had a long day. So it’s nice that he gets to go home and just relax, take the vest off, you know.”
Archie comes from Dogs For Better Lives. He was there his whole life before coming to the campus at around two years old. Dogs For Better Lives is one of the few national Assistance Dog organizations that trains dogs to be service dogs. “So they had him until he’s about two and a half years old,” Erickson said. “So he was go-
ing through training throughout his whole life. Because the company dogs for better lives. They hire essentially puppy raisers or other volunteers. And these people will raise these puppies and train them to have basic commands and manners. And then they go through the actual train of becoming a facility dog, like him. So when Archie was donated to us, they sent a dog trainer to train me for a week. Thankfully, you know, I’ve had dogs my whole life. And so I’m pretty familiar with training dogs, and thankfully, it came fairly natural, other than having to learn what his skills were and how to use that within the workplace.”
Archie wasn’t always going to be a facility dog. Originally Archie was going to be a hearing assistance dog before coming to campus. “He actually originally, this is what Dogs For Better Lives told me,” Erickson said. “He originally was supposed to be a hearing assistance dog. But they said that he lacked motivation, so they turned him into a facility dog, and he does great at that job.”
Archie is a rare, but helpful resource at CWU. “He’s a great resource as well for not only the university but the entire community of Kittitas County,” Erickson said. “He’s the only dog here that’s in Kittitas County, and so he is open to be used by the sheriff’s office, the Ellensburg police department, the fire department has reached out and asked us if they could use him for debriefs on mass casualty incidents.” Archie is a huge help to the students of CWU and those outside of the university, which shows how much Archie works to ensure those around him are doing the best they can.
“I really do think he helps the students out with anxiety and stress of
what’s going on here, and also being separated from home and their own dogs and family,” Erickson said. “And he’s just kind of like a little reminder, maybe a little bit of a piece back home, or at least some comfort to have around here.”
The other officers on campus recognize Archie’s abilities as well. “I feel like he senses when I’m kind of stressed,” Scotland Vise, another officer at CWU, said. “I feel like he’s drawn to that. Sometimes, if I’m having a bad day, he would just come next to me. I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah.’”
Vise is a CWU alumni and had a different view of the police before coming to CWU and meeting the CWU police. “I’m from Tacoma, Washington,” Vise said. “And I just had a really negative perspective on law enforcement, until I came to Central Washington, and I remember in Hitchcock, I walked in and all the cops were playing pool with students, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is weird.’ And they’re like, ‘Hey, you want to play with us?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ And then they start talking to me, and I’m like, ‘Oh, dude, they’re cool.’ This is what I want to do.”
Due to Vise being a former CWU student he also recommends the students, “During finals week, … contact Officer Erickson to see if they could meet with Archie,” Vise said. “You know, just to distract them from what’s really going on.”
“He’s a great morale booster within our department,” Erickson said. “You know, there are scientific studies out there that show that if you even just pet a dog, it lowers your blood pressure, and reduces your cortisol levels. And I mean, here at the police department, we’re a 24/7 agency. We all work, days, nights, weekends and holidays. We’re away from our fam-
ily a lot. We do encounter some hard calls, especially if we’re helping, you know, the city or the county, and so sometimes we do take on a lot of extra stress. So it’s nice to come back and have Archie here pet him.” According to Erickson, Archie has helped out many different people throughout his time here starting with students, to firefighters, to our very own CWU police.
CWU has a great resource with Archie. “So he’s pretty awesome, and we’re very fortunate as a university to have him and have the support from the President to have this dog here…” Erickson said. “Because what Archie is actually skilled in is called pressure therapy. And so, say we have someone that’s going through some sort of trauma or is very anxious. Archie can come in and lay across their lap and create that pressure, kind of like a weighted blanket. And what that actually does, it’s like a hug. It releases feel-good feelings in your body, like dopamine and serotonin and it just helps people calm down, and relax. And it’s super cool. It’s really cool science. And it’s great that Archie can do that for a community.”
The CWU police encourage students to say ‘Hi’ to Archie when they see him. Though he is a working dog, he is open for everyone to pet and be around him in their time of need. His job is to be there for the students of CWU. Archie is here for everyone.
DOG birthday
Archie enjoying his birthday treat
(Photos courtesy of @cwu_k9archie on Instagram)
Decking the halls
e llensburg celebrates the holi D ays
Photos by Brandon Mattesich
Renovation and reopening of the Fitterers store
Catherine Bell Staff Reporter
Kelly and Adam Rynd purchased the Fitterers building in hopes to bring new life into the downtown Ellensburg community. On Oct. 24, the reopening of Fitterer’s took place. With shops open to the public, including a candy and ice cream shop for kids and families to get together, and a men’s shop with a barber, and a whiskey bar, and a new restaurant to bring some new menus to Ellensburg, and more to come as the Rynds continue renovating the second and third floor to bring even more establishments that the town needs.
“[The] Ellensburg Downtown Association”... had done a survey and asked the locals ‘What would you like to see in the valley?’” Kelly Rynd said. “And so, one of the things was toy stores, and one of the things was a men’s shop, and then restaurants.” Kelly shares their later plans for continuing to build space upstairs into event rooms that will be hosting game nights, birthday parties, story time, and other gatherings.
When purchasing Fitterer’s, the Rynds not only respected the history of the store, and the legacy of the Fitterer family, but considered what the community wanted and needed.
“We looked at the space and just thought how could we develop this to where it almost became like a one stop shopping place,” Kelly Rynd said. “[We] wanted to create something that was fun for the locals and obviously tourists too, but the locals to have a place to hang out.”
The Rynds are not new at renovating spaces. “We have a store in Chelan as well, a toy store, and that’s been super successful,” Kelly Rynd said. “I just love creating a space where people of all ages can enjoy themselves.”
Kelly Rynd considered activities for the locals in town while deciding what the stores would sell. “Obviously the toy store was one of the things people were excited about, and a place for families to, you know, just enjoy being indoors.”
She continued, hoping they could “Host events like, lets just do a moms night out, and moms can just come and chat.”
Adam Rynd is the owner of multiple Woody’s men’s shops all over the central Washington area, along with a couple of other businesses. All Woody’s man shops have similar aesthetics
“The blue and brass or gold for the accent color,” Adam Rynd said. “We have the consistent in all our stores. We have a lot of dark woods. All our stores feature a bar of some size, and all of our stores have a barber and cigars and men’s clothing and gifts and personal care products.”
Adam Rynd decided to make the one in Ellensburg a little different however.
“This is our first location with a full whiskey bar,” Adam Rynd said. “And we’ll be adding that to our Chelan and Wenatchee stores in 2025… We have on the menu in Ellensburg now we have 60 different whiskeys, including American bourbons, American rise, Irish whiskeys, some scotch, some Japanese whiskeys and even a few hybrids.”
Another difference in the Woody’s men shop in Ellensburg than in the other Woody’s shops is that Adam Rynd partnered with Mark Pickerel to sell some of Pickerel’s branded Levi’s from his clothing collection.
“[We] connected with Mark [Pickerel] early on in our process for acquiring and renovating the building,” Adam Rynd said. He continued, sharing how the collaboration came about. “Mark [Pickerel] has a great line for pre-owned clothing,” Adam Rynd said. “So he has a variety of different products that we thought were great compliments to the store.”
Adam Rynd shared some backstory on why Pickerel’s Levi’s were such a perfect fit for this shop.
“One thing that is interesting about [the] Fitterer’s building is that we found a ghost sight,” Adam Rynd said. “It is from around pre-1905 with the original Levi Strauss brothers and company right here. So, there is a three-story tall billboard that is painted on this brick wall, and you can see the original Levi’s logo down at the end here. And that is the area where Mark [Pickerel] has his vintage Levi’s for sale.” Adam Rynd continues on the history. “[We] were excited to celebrate the heritage of the Levi’s brand,” Adam Rynd said. “And [we’re] partnering with Mark [Pickerel] to provide some great, interesting new products.”
The Rynds were very considerate in their choices of renovation. While making this building new and different, they kept the history of what it once was.
“We were very conscious of honoring the Fitterer family legacy,” Adam Rynd said. “[The] Fitterer family was among the first and earliest white settlers in the Kittitas valley and the furniture store began in 1896. As I recall, this building was constructed between 19061908 and it served as the Fitterer furniture building and the primary store locations for I guess 115 years, until they closed the furniture business in December of 2022. We were excited about the opportunity to reinvigorate the building. [To] reinvest in the downtown community and try to breathe some life back into downtown with a diversity of businesses. And we were excited about honoring the Fitterer’s family legacy. They have been very, very, supportive… John and Brad [Fitterer] and their wives have been fantastic supporters throughout this whole process.”
The toy variety at The Sweet Spot. (Photo by Brandon Mattesich)
Kelly and Adam Rynd, owners of the Fitterers building. (Photo by Brandon Mattesich)
The logo on the window of The Sweet Spot. (Photo by Brandon Mattesich)
Iwent into “Wicked” knowing absolutely nothing about the musical. The most I had seen about the film came from the one trailer I had seen at a separate screening of “Gladiator II.” However the hype from this film felt impossible to escape and so I knew it would be first on my weekend watchlist. Now having seen it, I can confidently say it lives up to the hype.
Not only did the film exceed my expectations, it pushed me to reimagine the original film in a new light. Ariana Grande’s reintroduction to the world of acting was masterclass, and she nailed the role. At first her vocals caught me off guard, but as I grew to know her character I grew to
WICKED GLADIATOR II A MUSICAL THE THEATERS NEEDED
realize that everything she did with her voice was extremely intentional which was extremely impressive.
Cynthia Erivo absolutely steals the show, every song, every moment and honestly just her screen presence speaks volumes to her talent as a performer. It’s so refreshing to see someone so classically trained nail a role like this in such a major production. Not to mention the makeup team’s amazing job at making the green really come to life on screen. Technicolor may be lost to time in its purest form, but I really appreciated this film’s attempts to harken back to the times of bright blues and magical yellows.
This movie is 2 hours and 40 min-
utes, a fact which I only learned when prompted to look it up afterwards. If you had asked me after we left the theatre how long I thought the film was I would’ve said somewhere around 2 hours. Sometimes movies this long feel this long, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a great example, but “Wicked” does not suffer the same fate. If you are scared of the runtime, don’t be.
Visually the film is pretty average for a film of its budget. It doesn’t push the envelope in any traditional ways, but it definitely does not disappoint. The camera can feel very present sometimes, but it really doesn’t detract from the film at all. The biggest compliment I can
give the film visually is that all of its CGI characters look great on screen. Without getting into spoilers some of my favorite scenes involve the flying monkeys, which are entirely computer generated.
Overall this film is everything you could want it to be. The music is catchy and the new performances hold up really well on the big screen. The acting feels very natural and the film looks exactly like it should for a film of its scale. To “Wicked” fans who have been waiting on this film their entire lives, I don’t think you could really ask for much more. I’m excited to see how successful this film is, and I hope that means they’ll give the sequel even more love.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
Spoiler alert, I was entertained. This film is action packed, full of amazing performances, jaw dropping spectacle and ultimately builds on the legacy of the original without feeling like it was pandering too heavily into nostalgia territory.
From its opening moments it proves that this is not the first film. The scale is much grander and the story features many more characters. Ridley Scott has been on a bit of a hit or miss run lately, and in my mind this is one of his biggest hits. The movie works for me on every level, from its leave nothing to the
imagination action to its slow building yet ever evolving plot you will be left wanting more at every turn, and they will deliver.
This being Paul Mescal’s entry into blockbuster territory feels very fitting and he absolutely nails his role. I wouldn’t say it’s nearly as strong as his performances in films like “All of Us Strangers” or “Aftersun”, but he definitely does the most with what he was given.
It’s hard to talk about this movie without talking about the cast. It was packed with big names like Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Denzel Washington. Specifically Wash-
ington’s character was so fascinating because of the depth the character has behind his choices and actions. He is so flashy and you can tell how much fun he had with this role.
Scott does a great job of capturing the gladiator action and it felt like each action set felt different from the others. Not only did the action scenes vary, it felt that each moment we got to the coliseum there was a different emotional hook to make it much more cohesive on a plot level.
The only thing going against this movie is that it is following up an extremely classic film. However I think it does so successfully. The
action backed up with the political drama side of the film does a good job of showing you the power vacuum of the Roman Empire that the first movie ends with. This is absolutely a worthy successor to the movie before it.
(Photos courtesy of wickedmovie.com)
(Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures)
Brandon Mattesich Columnist
Jackson Roberts & Brandon Mattesich Columnists
OPINION SECTION
GNX THE OBSERVER REVIEWS
hey now: This might actually be my favorite song off the album, the beat is chilling, the vocals are aggressive and then right when you’re least expecting it Los Angeles takes over the song. The west coast synth combined with Kendricks lyrics about “spaceships on rosecrans” is what makes me feel proud to be from California. The back and forth with Dody6 at the end of the song wraps the whole thing up in an antagonistic way that feels like it was simply made for this beat.
heart pt. 6: This is my favorite entry in the heart series. The beat gives classic west coast vibes and Kendricks flow is reminiscent of some of his best songs. The story of Black Hippy and Kendricks own life interwoven into a song about friendship and creative freedom all wrapped up nicely into what can only be considered a classic in Kendrick’s catalog definitely serves as a highlight of the album.
luther: If you somehow still needed proof that Kendrick is one of the most versatile musicians out right now, here it is. His writing combined with SZA’s angelic vocals create one of Kendrick’s best melodic flows to date. The strings in the back accent the lyrics, and provide a perfect setup for the back and forth melody Kendrick and SZA effortlessly slide over the song.
reincarnated: If “hey now” is my favorite off the album to listen to, “reincarnated” is easily my favorite to experience. The direct reference to Tupac’s “Made Ni***z” combined with a masterfully written story jumping from life to life in a cycle of reincarnation. Kendrick speaks to the human experience on almost every level in this song. Not to mention the retelling of the devils fall from heaven from Kendricks perspective, this song is so deeply layered I could write a whole breakdown on just the lyrics alone. All I have to say is make sure you really listen to this one.
wacced out murals: These days, only Kendrick could open an album with a diss track to the entire music industry so soon after beating one of the biggest names in Hip-Hop. Making good on the threats made in his previous track unofficially titled “Watch the Party Die,” Kendrick sets the high-octane ferocity of the album right away as he once again hails himself king of the industry. And with a declaration like this, arguing against him feels like a death sentence.
squabble up: Just when I was losing hope that the teaser song from Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” music video would ever be released in its entirety, “squabble up” shot me from my seat and sent me into the kind of electrifying euphoria only Kendrick can invoke. After months of waiting, I’m happy to say the broccoli more than lives up to the hype.
tv off: As if we weren’t already racing over a hundred, in comes the already iconic beat switch of “MUSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!”
Doubling as a shout-out to DJ Mus tard, the producer behind “Not Like Us” and many other iconic beats, in addition to being everything it claims to be– crazy, scary, spooky and hilar ious, “tv off” is the track I most want to hear performed at his upcoming Super Bowl performance.
dodger blue: The most underrated song on the album, and one I didn’t fully appreciate until a re-listen, “dodg er blue” slows us back down to the speed limit, pops the top open and takes us on a late-night drive through the vibing streets of Los Angeles.
gloria: A slower ending to his speediest album yet, this reflective love/hate letter is made out
to Hip-Hop itself, a role that SZA embodies as she challenges Kendrick’s complicated emotional outpouring. Whether his music is saint or sin, heals or kills, if the mix-tape structure of the album has any common thread, it’s the expression of these contradictions that “gloria” so passionately presents.
Final Review:
For us GNX comes off the summer-long hot streak that began Kendrick’s warpath, cementing 2024 as one of the most integral years of his incredible career. Whatever he decides to do next, and whether or not he inspires the change he wants in the industry remains to be seen, but it’s clear that this is just the beginning of an exciting, new, battle-hardened chapter for hip-hop’s brightest star. This album is a solid piece through and through. It might not be as deep as “To Pimp A Butterfly” or as nuanced as “Mr Morale & The Big Steppers” but brings a certain energy that Kendrick really hasn’t had in any of his works up to this point. It’s extremely replayable, and it’s got a lot of songs I could see becoming mega hits from his catalog. For what he set out to achieve with this album, I think he nailed it. Every track carries so much weight and you can really feel the energy in each and every song. If you haven’t liked his music in the past, this really might be the album to get you into it, and if you have you’ll love it all the same.
(Photos courtesy of pgLang)
Sudoku
WILDCAT WORDS
Designed by Z Morris Divined by Lee Beck
Aries (March 21 - April 19): Travelling during the holidays can be stressful and the weather never ever helps. Next time you’re driving in the snow, remember to imagine a very small snowman guiding your car. Nice list.
Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Money, money, money. That’s what you want this year. You don’t care a thing about the holiday spirit! Well guess what, Scrooge… Though it’s never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, giving gifts has done me good! Naughty list!
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): You want information this year. You’re going around holiday parties getting gossip from everyone who will give it, but Gemini the grapevine shrivels and dies in the wintertime. Naughty list.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): You love your near and dear holiday traditions, Cancer. But, this year with all the tensions and such you might have to ditch them. You can still make the cookies and the snowmen and the decorations but it’s just not going to have the same magic as it used to. Nice list :)
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Wear the butt-ugliest sweater you can find, break out the jingle bell earrings, slap on an elf-ear headband and get to it girly. During this time of year, ugly holiday accessories are your war paint. Naughty list.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): Domestic bliss is over, Virgo. Start as many fights as you can this holiday season and don’t stop until your uncle is kicking, screaming and crying on the floor because you believe people should have rights. Nice list?
Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 22): There’s something deep within you that craves to help the community around you. And what better time to do so than the holiday season?! Go out and give a child a pence to get you an entire goose. Old school. Nice list.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): Santa’s dead and he’s in your yard. But, after you put on his suit, you’ll sign onto a clause making you… the next Santa. It’s up to you to save the season, Scorpio. Good luck. Nice list.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Most of the time you’re just kind of like… How do I say this… Holly jolly. This year, you’re getting serious about the season. Extra ultra serious. You’re giving gifts and baking cookies. Nice. List.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan.19): Start a new side hustle selling those really nasty hot cocoa bombs that are going to sit in someone’s fridge for like a year because they forgot they spent like 10 bucks on two, and to reiterate, nasty hot cocoa bombs. Naughty list :/
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb.18): Set goals for this holiday season. What do you hope to achieve by spreading joy and cheer? What is the purpose behind decking the halls? How fast can they be decked? Naughty list, you know why.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20): YOU HAVE TO SING GUITAR BACKED CAROLS BY THE WARM FIRE ON THE SMALL TOWN TREE FARM WITH COCOA IN YOUR HANDS. It is your “Hallmark” duty. Nice list.
Imaree Lawson Fr. Exercise Science
Legan Fr. Pre-Dentistry
Events page compiled by Lee Beck
