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See Fall Sports Page 15 Vol. 116 NO. 9
June 3 - June 9, 2020
George Floyd protests reach Ellensburg
Hundreds march against police brutality and systematic racism Photos by Mariah Valles and Nicholas Tucker/The Observer
Mitchell Roland Senior Reporter Chanting “black lives matter” and “no justice, no peace,” several hundred peaceful protestors marched through Ellensburg on Monday, June 1 against police brutality. This was one of several protests that have taken place in Ellensburg over the past few days. On Saturday, May 30, a small protest took place outside of the Ellensburg courthouse. And on Tues-
day, June 2, a protest through campus was led by CWU faculty member Marissa Barrientos. The largest protest so far took place on Monday, June 1, when roughly 500 people met at Barge Hall before marching to Ellensburg City Hall in memory of George Floyd, who was killed in Minnesota on May 25, and others who have been killed by police. Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin while three other officers watched, after
Floyd was falsely accused of writing a bad check. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, and was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Monday’s protest was organized by two local highschool students, who wanted people to take action. Organizer Jenna Callan said it was important for people to say enough is enough. “We thought that being sad and feeling frustrated because of all the stuff that’s happening wasn’t enough. So, we decided
to organize this protest as a way to kind of encourage others to think more about their everyday actions and maybe become more active and more self-aware of their own biases and their own prejudices within their own lives,” Callan said. Once at city hall, protestors gave speeches and read aloud the names of people who have died due to excessive police force.
operate, faced protests from it’s people, applied for expedited reopening and began to lessen restrictions. Before the state health order was implemented, the county health order requiring people to stay at home went into place, signed by Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) Officer Dr. Mark Larson.
By the time spring break started, students, professors, and administrators began to adapt to the apparent looming crisis. CWU has changed it’s operations, from the way classes are held to the way incoming students are welcomed. Fall will see more of these changes implemented. The community has been financially impacted both by the pandemic and measures to combat it. Safety plans for businesses are required by the KCPHD, in an attempt to aid local businesses in remaining open while balancing risk of a local outbreak. In response to financial
hardship, The Kittitas County Business Coalition has held several protests fighting to reopen the county. Kittitas County has had a relatively low number of confirmed cases in Washington State, with 89 cumulative cases as of June 3 and no deaths. Most recently, Kittitas County was one of several counties eligible to apply for a variance on its place in Gov. Jay Inslee’s phased reopening plan. The county now looks to enter phase three.
Where do we go from here? A COVID-19 review
Bailey Tomlinson News Editor As the novel coronavirus pandemic has spread, Kittitas County has had to grow and change to combat the virus. Over the past six months, the county has put health orders in place, seen changes from CWU, changed the way businesses
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