The Observer, Spring 2023 - Issue 2

OPINION

We found the best taco trucks so you wouldn’t have to Pg. 7

Central Washington Fire Training Academy opens doors for prospective firefighters

A new opportunity for incoming firefighting trainees has become available through Kittitas Valley Fire and Yakima Fire Department. The two orga

nizations combined their spaces and trainings with the creation of Central Washington Fire Training Academy, which was opened in January.

The new program offers a resource to incoming trainees that prefer to stay local, while also getting the same training they would elsewhere for less of a cost compared to the Washington State Fire Academy in North Bend, Washington.

“[It’s] roughly half of what it costs to go to North Bend,” Kittitas Valley Deputy Fire Chief Rich Elliot said.

A typical day training in the Central Washington Fire Academy may consist of classroom courses directed to get the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress certification, as well as live-fire training held in controlled areas in Yakima, according to Yakima Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief DJ Goldsmith. According to Goldsmith, the classroom training courses are held at the Yakima Fire Department.

“The training is going very well,” Goldsmith said.

Only positive feedback has been received from instructors of the academy, including Goldsmith and Elliot.

“My training officers are very happy with it. Our recruits are doing really well. They’re getting a very high-quality structural fire academy, it’s something that we’ll likely repeat.” Goldsmith said.

This academy offers incoming trainees an opportunity to study and practice firefighting as a career, where the opportunity may not have been presented otherwise due to factors such as cost and location.

The Fire Training Academy held in North Bend, Washington State Fire Academy, has been shown to have limited spots, according to East Pierce firefighter and CWU EMT/Paramedicine professor Colin Nash.

“There isn’t enough room for fire academies to host everyone who wants to go,” Nash said. “New academies or more spots benefit everyone.”

Though firefighting may be seen as a volunteer-heavy profession, the increased cost of living and increased certifications have prevented aspiring firefighters from finding the time or ability to volunteer, according to Nash.

Nash said there is a need for more firefighters, because local fire departments are often already on another call when new calls come in.

The reactions from trainers in the academy, as well as feedback from the trainees, has reflected that the academy has been beneficial to the community, according to both Nash and Goldsmith.

“We have nothing but positive feedback from everybody,” Goldsmith said. “It’s awesome watching them grow together as recruits.”

The academy has wasted no time in getting the trainees ready for a career in the firefighting industry, according to Goldsmith.

“Day one of the academy, we hit the ground running,” Goldsmith said. A typical day training in the Central Washington Fire Academy may consist of classroom courses directed to get the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress certification, as well as live-fire training held in controlled areas in Yakima.

“I look for attitude, I look for work ethic, and I look for the ability to make decisions, and probably in that order,” Elliott said.

To be a firefighter requires maximum effort and tactical decision making, according to Elliott.

“This is a job where you have to do your best all the time.”

Making decisions in a quick manner is essential to being a firefighter, and the academy strives to train their recruits to prepare in the right ways.

“People within our agency in Kittitas are coming up to us talking about what a great job, and how awesome it is to see these kids grow and just become firefighters,” Goldsmith said.

When Deborah Wells was the president of CWU’s Ethical Hacking Club, she got a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft as she was wrapping up a club meeting. The scammer said that they could tell she was sitting at her computer and was calling because it was infected with a virus. This is a common form of scam call, where the caller pretends to remove a virus and then asks for payment information. Wells played along with him for a while until the bit ran its course.

According to Wells, scam and phishing calls are one way that people can get your personal data. Another way that your information is collected is through data farming, a technique used by social media platforms. Wells said this creates one source that a bad actor could get a large chunk of data from.

“They have all the data stored in the cloud,” Wells said. “And in this instance the data is attacked, then they take the data and they sell it or they hold onto it.”

Wells said the data that social media collects is typically done with the intent to sell it to advertisers.

“There’s a lot of data that’s gathered that’s not malicious, there’s no mal intent,” Wells said. “It’s used for marketing purposes, they want to sell you things… say we’re talking about a trampoline, and then 10 minutes later on your Facebook feed there’s a bunch of stuff on trampolines.”

She said that the best way to protect yourself from having your information stolen is to make sure to always manage app permissions, such as location services and data. Wells said that everyone should be aware of who they’re giving their information to.

SPORTS CWU softball’s recent venture down the coast Pg. 10

“Sometimes you get these ads…and you’re like I don’t recognize this company,” Wells said. “And it’s not one you normally shop with, it’s not Amazon or TJ Maxx. But you really like the product, well do some research before you start putting your credit card info in.”

Wells recommended avoiding putting your personal information anywhere you don’t need to put it. She said not to enable location services if you don’t need to and not filling out anything past your basic information if you can.

“Just limit your digital footprint by not putting in so much information, just put in the bare minimum,” Wells said.

Have you ever Googled yourself?

Wells said that you can look yourself up to see how much of your information is available online.

“You can do your own forensics,” Wells said. “You can Google your name and see what comes up.”

To test how much personal data could be found on the internet, The Observer conducted an experiment and used two free websites that said they excel in finding people’s information online. To discourage the use of these sites, the names of the websites will not be published.

All The Observer had to do was put in our reporter’s name, and the website turned up with results that included their address and contact information. The Observer team also searched using only their phone number, and the same results appeared.

To further test this point, The Observer staff tried this experiment with friends and roommates with their consent, and it turned up their personal information as well, including home address and the names of immediate family members.

Anna Fridell Staff Reporter

Morgana Carroll News Editor

Personalinformationisoftenobtainedbybadactorshackingintoorginizations’clouds.

Photo by Morgana Carroll

PhotoofKittitasValleyFire&Rescue. Photo by Anna Fridell

When personal information doesn’t stay personal: how your data ends up in someone else’s hands

Remembering Shady Acres: the once ‘peaceful,’ affordable community to be covered by Kittitas County Event Center expansion

Photo by Rob Fraser

Ida Nason Aronica Elementary School is constructing a Native Garden to honor Native American leader Ida Nason Aronica, according to the Daily Record. The garden’s construction was made possible by a $35,000 Local School Plan for Improvement Grant.

For the rest of 2023, there will be construction on I-90 from North Bend to Ellensburg. Due to road maintenance projects, commuters might need to extend journey times. According to Living Snoqualmie, contractors, employed by the Washington State Department of Transportation, will repair bridges, stabilize slopes and replace broken pavement.

The Washington Secretary of State’s Office approved up to $80,000 in election security for the Kittitas County Auditor’s Office, according to NonStopLocal. According to a Kittitas County press release, the grant will pay for upgrades to the elections center’s physical and digital security.

An employee of Louisville’s Old National Bank began shooting, killing five people on April 10, according to AP News. According to the Louisville Police Chief, the perpetrator was live streaming to social media as he opened fire at his workplace. This is the 15th mass shooting this year.

Republicans in Tennessee expelled two Democratic legislators on April 6 as a result of their participation in a protest against gun violence, according to AP News. The two lawmakers had called for stricter gun law reform in response to the recent school shooting in Nashville.

78-year-old woman Bonnie Gooch found guilty for robbing a Missouri bank. According to CBS news, a bank teller on the scene reported that the note she gave them demanding the cash asked for 13,000 small bills and included “thank you sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Letter from the Editor

I do hope you’re staying classy CWU,

I hope for you all to believe in yourselves the way you believe in other people, because that doesn’t have to be reserved just for those other people… you deserve that same treatment too, and sometimes you’re the only one who knows what you need. So don’t deny yourself your needs! Speak up, be loud, tell people what you need, what you want and who you are. Show them your strength through your vulnerability and ability to tell the truth boldly and fearlessly.

In the double page spread on pg. 8-9, we covered the closure of Shady Acres, a local and long-standing community that is set to be demolished to expand the Kittitas County Event Center for potential rodeo RV parking. It was incredibly challenging to stay objective during the reporting and writing of this piece, and I would be missing a piece of the truth if I didn’t acknowledge the implications of the purchase of Shady Acres and how it speaks to the treatment of minoritized communities within our county. With this article, I hope to remind Ellensburg that Shady Acres existed, that the people who lived there mattered and will not be forgotten. Please keep in your heart the importance of caring for our neighbors this week.

With warmth,

Katherine Camarata Lead Editor

Staff

Lead Editor Katherine Camarata

Scene Editor

MJ Rivera

News Editors Morgana Carroll

Megan Rogers

Sports Editor Isaac Hinson

Copy Desk Lead / Opinion Editor

Brittany Cinderella

Assistant Copy Editor Kai Kyzar

Online Editor Madison VanRavenhorst

Assistant Online Editor

Deacon Tuttle

Over 200 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been allowed to return home after a prisoner swap on April 10, according to AP News. According to the Ukrainian Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Russia freed 100 Ukrainian soldiers, and according to the Russian Defense Minister Ukraine freed 106 Russian soldiers.

A Syrian refugee has been elected mayor for the first time in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg. According to CNN, Ryyan Alshebl, who fled his hometown in Syria in 2015, won the mayoral election in the conservative, rural municipality of Ostelsheim.

Iranian authorities are going to start using cameras in public spaces to spot women not wearing hijabs. According to CNN, women not wearing their hijab will be sent a warning message with details of when and where they were seen without it.

Graphic Design Lead

Glacie Kehoe-Padilla

Assistant Graphic Designer

Brandon Davis

Photo Editor Yohanes Goodell

Senior Reporter

Zileni Milupi

Staff Reporters

Anna Fridell

Ryan Gildersleeve

Tre’Jon Henderson

Charis Jones

Mykah Koke-Filimaua

Hunter Rhea

Beau Sansom

Quincy Taylor

Faculty Adviser Jennifer Green Editorial Consultant

Francesco Somaini

Photo by Yohanes Goodell

ESC spring night market introduces students to traditional foods

The Equity and Services Council held the Spring Night Market in the SURC corridor on April 6, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The event was a way for different clubs and organizations to fundraise by selling cultural foods. Participating clubs included the Filipino American Student Association, African Student Association, the Black Student Union, the Japanese Student Association and more. Other organizations such as the EQUAL club, the First Generation Student Organization and the Asia University America Program were there as well to promote themselves to students.

“I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot more exciting than I thought it was going to be.”

-AjIngberman,senior,nutritionfoodscience andpublichealth

“I think the event is really cool. There’s a lot of different clubs and different groups. I like the community building, it’s friendly and open. Every stand I’ve been to they’ve all been really nice.”

-AidenCollins,junior,lawandjustice

Zileni

Milupi and Yohanes Goodel Senior Reporter and Photo Editor

“I love getting to know people, interact and trying new foods that they’re selling.”

-FranchescaSilva,senior,nutritionfood scienceandpublichealth

“I think this event turned out a lot bigger than I expected for sure. I’ve seen a lot of people having fun.”

-JessicaBerkey,freshman,physics

“It’s very engaging, there’s a lot of students checking it out. So it’s really nice to have people come in and buy food, even if you don’t buy food it’s just a very nice event.”

-AprilYaves,senior,eventmanagement Photos by Yohanes Goodell

Bringing art and communication together with “Roote Worde s”

MJ Rivera

Scene Editor

Seattle-based artist and sculpter

Rob Rhee sat down with CWU’s writing curriculum coordinator and lecturer Matt Martinson at the front of a packed room in Randall Hall on April 6 to discuss his exhibit in the Sarah Spurgeon Art Gallery, “Roote Wordes.”

Appreciation for the land CWU resides on was expressed, along with a brief history about the land and the people who lived here before colonialism.

The event was co-sponsored by the department of English because the exhibit ties poetry and sculptural art together. Largely based around natural forms of blackberry roots, “Roote Wordes” explores relationships and communication found in nature.

Rhee explained that he saw gardeners ripping up blackberry roots, and he started picking them up and putting them in his bag, unsure of what they were for but certain he wanted to explore the artistic possibilities they had within them.

Heather Horn Johnson, the Sarah Spurgeon gallery manager, said that Rhee’s recent works have had a natural theme, similar to “Roote Wordes.”

According to Johnson, Rhee made a collection of sculptures by growing gourds inside sculptural frames that he built.

“It was sort of this self-imposed, man-made structure and this natural form took shape around it and through it,” Johnson said.

“Roote Wordes” is another instance of Rhee’s observation of how connected nature is with the human experience.

“He’s using the [plants] and the natural elements in a way that kind of communicates and intermingles with human communication,” Johnson said.

What she finds most interesting about this exhibit is that it is unique and special because it

there is an epic poem by Rhee that is written with foam on the walls throughout the gallery.

The casual tone set by Rhee and Martinson sitting with their chairs faced towards each other and angled out to the audience allowed for more humorous and serious engagement from the audience.

Emily Jones, a senior studio art major, volunteered to help put the exhibit together and said that the artist talk was unique.

“It was really cool, because rather than just one guy, it was a conversation,” Jones said. “Rob is just super awesome and very good at answering questions and engaging with the audience.”

Jones helped to put the exhibit together by working with the foam.

“I met Rob, and he’s a super awesome dude,” Jones said. “And he was like, ‘this is the poem we’re writing with shaving cream on the wall. Do you think you can do that?’ And I said, ‘yeah, I can do that.’”

According to Rhee, foam models presence, absence, and plurality.

Mandi Griffin, a senior fine arts major, said that she also helped Rhee’s vision come to life.

“[Rhee] decided to change the width of how the writing was put up on the wall,” Griffin said. “So it was just like a spacing issue, it wasn’t going up the way he wanted and so I helped make the template into a little smaller size.”

She said that Rhee was personable and that it was reassuring to hear that learning on the fly is a relatable experience among artists.

Griffin also said that CWU students should take time to observe the little details of the exhibit, such as the cardboard pieces that separate color and words that were originally unplanned.

“I think those little details on how to do it on the fly [are] really essential to making a show

because, as much as you can plan, there’s always going to be something that you might have to change after,” Griffin said.

Junior Art and Spanish Major Tyler Raymundo said that the artist talk was interesting to him because of his interest in languages and existential conversation. He said that there was some overlap between his art history classes and Rhee’s talk.

Raymundo commented on how Rhee’s use of space in the gallery was intriguing, how the poem takes up entire walls, and he liked the implication of the materials that were used, such as blackberry roots and cardboard.

“I think just having it be like a really cool combination of Earthy materials that we know [are] going to fade out over time, I think that’s very powerful,” Raymundo said.

Sandra Rivera, a senior studio art major, said, “my favorite part was just learning about the different materials and the process that the artist goes through to make all of this work.”

Johnson said the exhibit has something for those studying English, so art and design students are not the only people who can get something out of it. She emphasized how special featuring Rhee’s artwork is at CWU.

“I don’t know how many students at CWU have had the opportunity to go to a major metropolitan art gallery or museum,” Johnson said. “I don’t know if any have been to the Seattle Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum, any of those big spaces. We’re hoping to be able to bring some of those leading contemporary artists here so that [CWU students] can see it and experience it- and for free.”

Root sculptures

Photo by MJ Rivera

Rob Rhee with his root artwork

Photo by MJ Rivera

Artist Tarra Hall-Ward mixes chemistry and art to create a chain of reactions

into the pure art side, but I’m still keeping the science element there.”

Chemistry and art are coming together to create a reaction that the whole Ellensburg community can see. Local artist and CWU alum Tarra Hall-Ward will be featuring her work at the Clymer museum in downtown Ellensburg. Her art captures various invisible reactions in chemistry, presenting them through the visual medium of painting.

According to Hall-Ward, she was always interested in the field of art; her love of chemistry was brought out through her time working on her associate’s degree at Big Bend.

“I always knew I wanted to do something in art,” Hall-Ward said. “My first two years of college were at Big Bend community college in Moses Lake for my associate’s degree, and it’s required that you take science classes, and chemistry was the one that sounded the most interesting, and then when I took it I thought, ‘this is really cool,’ and I want to take more so I just kept taking more chemistry classes.”

During her studies, Hall-Ward discovered several potential avenues for her interest in combining art and science. According to Hall-Ward, she considered scientific and biological illustration, but found the focus of such a practice to be geared more towards bio-medicine rather than chemistry.

“My two degrees were basically me trying to figure out how I can combine these together in a way that’s not just pure science,” HallWard said. “I’ve leaned more

When she came to CWU in 2012 to double major in chemistry and art, Hall-Ward stated that she was able to further explore her goals and decipher what she wanted to achieve with

of art Maia Chachava, Chair of the Art and Design department and professor of art Gregg Schlanger and professor of inorganic chemistry Dr. Anthony Diaz.

“When I went to Gregg Schlanger, the head of the Art Department, and told him these were my

called “Entwined.”

“Having two majors is a lot of work,” Schlanger said. “She was very bright and intelligent, she took on challenges and went full force, but she also was a McNair scholar, so that added to knowing what she was capable of.”

Dr. Diaz served as Hall-Ward’s academic advisor and, according to Hall-Ward, a source of encouragement for her pursuits in art and science.

“She was one of our majors and had me for quite a few classes,” Diaz said. “The transition metals class was fun because in that class we spend a lot of time talking about the optical properties of metals, and she was totally fascinated by it because she was interested in the other side of it too.”

Since graduating from CWU in 2017, Hall-Ward has been a part of numerous group and solo exhibitions for her work. Given the unique nature of her art, Hall-Ward has looked to both artists and scientists for inspiration.

“There is no still life of chemistry reactions, it’s a very conceptual study,” Hall-Ward said. “I find artists’ work I admire and appreciate, and look at how are they painting, how are they drawing, how are they communicating their work in general and how can I learn from that to bring that communication into my own work?”

her work. With guidance from her instructors at CWU and the McNair Scholars Program, Hall-Ward decided that she wanted to use art to translate chemistry concepts and reactions into a visual concept.

“There were a lot of professors I actually worked with,” HallWard said. “One of the great things about being at Central was there was that room for me to explore these two combinations, and from what I’ve understood at large universities, that isn’t as possible.”

Hall-Ward further reflected on the staff at CWU that had a hand in helping guide her through her journey by offering her advice and direction, such as professor

interests, he told me I need to talk to Maia Chachava,” Hall-Ward said.

“I would go talk in the Chemistry Department… and my advisor Anthony Diaz told me I need to talk to Dr. Peters… and all of them together told me I could do this and do that.”

Schlanger has been an instructor at CWU for 12 years. Schlanger worked with Hall-Ward when she was a student in his senior capstone class where she put together her senior exhibit,

When Hall-Ward approached Diaz about her conceptual art, Hall-Ward stated that Diaz was able to help give her direction due to the nature of his research in optical and luminescent material.

“I got to see some of her work later on and thought it was cool,” Diaz said. “It’s an unusual combination to have those two things. We have had other students who have done similar things, but I would say not to Tarra’s level as far as the success of it.”

Hall-Ward’s artstyle has been labeled as ‘elemental realism’ by Clymer museum curator Matthew Lennon due to her use of elemental foundations to represent real-world concepts.

Hall-Ward continues to grow her skills as an artist through Gallery One’s workshops and exhibit opportunities. Her work can be seen at the Clymer museum in downtown Ellensburg until May 6. The Clymer museum also featured Hall-Ward’s work in their first Friday Art Walk on April 7.

Beau Sansom Staff Reporter

Tarra Hall-Ward and a wall of her work.

Photo by Beau Sansom

“My two degrees were basically me trying to figure out how I can combine these [chemistry and art] together in a way that’s not just pure science.”

- Tarra Hall-Ward

Women still don’t have medical freedom, yet murder for war is fine Legislation continues to highlight hypocrisy

Autonomy is something that’s easy to take for granted, until rights that seemingly should be standard in terms of equality, namely the Roe v. Wade ruling, start to disintegrate before our horror-stricken eyes.

I was raised during an era when reproductive rights had been protected by law for decades, and this was something many citizens didn’t foresee changing until it was already underway (See 2021 Observer coverage “Abortion rights at risk as Supreme Court decides whether to overturn Roe v. Wade.”)

In this week’s news, Texas US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled to suspend the approval of the abortion inducing drug mifepristone by the Food and Drug Administration, as reported by CNN. This is just one more sadly not surprising chapter in the battle for people with wombs to have jurisdiction over their own body parts. According to Pew Research, 61% of American citizens say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, yet this is not reflected by those in power.

On a fundamental level, all humans should be in charge of and responsible for their own human form. If we are not in charge of our own bodies, who is? Law-makers that are run by lobbyists and corporations? Elderly white men who claim that some invisible deity is in charge of morality, all the while ignoring the basic medical needs of those suffering on earth right in front of them?

Abortions are seen as violent acts of aggression, or even viewed as ‘murder’ by those who hold anti-abortion ideolo gy as their credo. However, all too often, the same people who speak out against murder when it comes to women making their own medical decisions are all too keen on murder when it’s hap pening to brown children for the sake of taking their home coun try’s oil and natural resources. Why is violence complete ly acceptable, if not celebrated, when we are bombing inno cent civilians, often targeting women and children, yet when a woman wants to make a re sponsibly guided decision for her own future, all of a sudden, murder is immoral? Why is mur der permissible when it happens

to adults, but removing an unformed cell cluster from our own uteruses is somehow unjust?

Where are these anti-abortion activists when it comes time to adopt the children who can’t be cared for and are forcibly being born right now? When a ten-year-old girl in Indiana was refused an abortion in Ohio, according to NPR, and she had to relocate for medical care, where were the morality mongers to help?

According to the Department

predators who caused these situations to begin with. These issues are systemic and multi-dimensional. Denying abortion to certain women affects all of us; we can’t ignore the pain of others for our convenience, not without blood on our hands. It endangers women who have historically sought illegal alternatives to abortion that are unsafe and may cause death.

Forcing women into this situation by obstructing their access to healthcare is nothing short of

somebody can endure, I have friends who have had them and I know how hard it was for them, mentally, emotionally and physically. The last thing struggling women need is privileged politicians telling them that their striving for survival is somehow immoral. Miss me with that!

The conditions for survival in this world are already deteriorat-

Physical books are far superior to ebooks

Better for your eyes

Readers are faced with one of the most complex decisions: to read a physical book or to read an ebook. Now, both probably have their pros and cons. But, I am here to tell you physical books are far superior to ebooks and as someone who owns over 100 books and a Kindle Paperwhite, I know I am a trustworthy source.

Retain more information

One of the biggest reasons physical books are better is because you actually retain more information when you read a physical book versus reading from an ebook.

According to a study published in The Guardian, researchers at Stavanger University, located in Norway, found “that readers using a Kindle were ‘significantly’ worse than paperback readers at recalling when events occurred in a mystery story.”

I would be devastated if I couldn’t remember the details of my favorite books. I mean, how else can I rant to my non-reading friends?

Physical books are easier on the eyes than ebooks. According to Eden Prairie Eye Care, “Digital Eye Strain occurs when you spend too much time focusing on screens up close and is the leading cause of headaches and migraines.”

After staring at a screen for a long time and trying to focus on small words, my eyes will start to hurt, and reading is no fun when you have a massive headache. So be kind to your brain and your eyes, and read a physical book.

Your sleep will improve

I think we have all heard numerous times that going on an electronic device before bed can negatively affect your sleep.

According to the Two Sides, “A team from Harvard Medical School has found that it takes longer to fall asleep after reading from a light-emitting e-reader, compared to a printed book, leading to a poorer quality sleep and increased tiredness the following day.”

I am a junior in college, I need my sleep!

ery $100 spent at a local business, $68 stays within the local economy.” But when reading an ebook, there is no money that goes to the local economy.

The aesthetic

While this point may hold no scientific basis, I still think it is very valid. I think one of the coolest accessories a person can have in their house is a massive bookshelf filled with a variety of books.

It is my dream to have a massive library and I have already started my collection of both paperback and hardcover books. I could honestly scroll through pictures and videos of people’s bookshelves for hours. Now, this could never be done with ebooks, so go buy a physical book and start your own mini-library.

Katherine Camarata

Columnist

Megan Rogers Columnist Megan’s Bookshelf.

Photo by Megan Rogers

We found the best taco trucks so you wouldn’t have to

There are many opportunities to grab a quick bite to eat in Ellensburg, and taco trucks can be found around the corner of most major streets in town. Observer columnists Hunter Rhea and Quincy Taylor decided to find their favorite street tacos in town. The online Google review ratings are listed, followed by reporter feedback and ratings based on Rhea’s and Taylor’s analysis of the cuisine. The reporter’s ratings were a combination of looking at prices for two street tacos and their overall satisfaction.

The first location that Rhea and Taylor set off to was the Los Chilangos food truck located at 310 S Main St. which features an indoor seating area. The official online review has Los Chilangos sitting at 4.5 out of 5 stars. With two tacos costing $6.45, Taylor gave them a rating of 4.5/5, and Rhea gave his final review of 4/5. The tacos felt dry and didn’t pack much of a flavor punch, but the sauce is what made the tacos stay

the taco stand 4.6/5 stars while Taylor gave them 4/5. The fla vors really popped out, which re ally made El Loco stand out from its competitors.

Fidelinas

The third taco truck for review was Fidelinas, located on 119 W 5th Ave #103, which also offers indoor seating. The indoor space was large and so were their ta cos. The online review had the restaurant sitting at 4.6 stars out of 5. For $7.59 for two tacos, the ratings individually rested below expectation. Rhea gave the tacos a 3.7/5 due to the lack of flavor and the price. Taylor tried their quesadillas and gave them a 5/5 star rating.

Tacos Chalito

Next up, the pair voyaged to El Loco at 204 S. Main St. The taco truck is most recognizable by the LED lights. Located by Warrior’s Quick Stop, the business is officially rated 4.5 stars online, but the two wanted to see what the hype was all about. With two tacos sitting at an even $6, the reporters were amazed at how juicy the tacos were. Rhea gave

Fourth on the list of easy bites is Tacos Chalito (location 2), located at 601 W. University Way. Online reviews gave the taco stand 4.8 stars out of 5, so Taylor and Rhea had to see if it lived up to its reputation. For two tacos sitting at only $6, the tacos exceeded both Taylor’s and Rheas’ expectations. Both re porters gave Tacos Chalito 5/5 stars. The most memorable part about this place was not only the price, but how the carne tacos really exploded with flavors with no sauce needed.

Genesis Churro y Tamales

The last taco stand the two visited was none other than Genesis Churros y Tamales, located across from CWU at

Hunter Rhea and Quincy Taylor Columnists

Left: Hunter and Right: Quincy.

PhotobyYohanesGoodell

Los Chilangos El Loco

Genisis Churros y Tamales Tacos Califas

Fidelinas

Tacos Chalito

From the eyes of Shady

What some community members referred to as an “eye-sore,” according to Guadalupe, was seen as a safe and beloved home by many families who dwelled there until they were legally obligated to vacate.

“I lived very happy there,” Margarita said. “We never had problems or issues with the police, no issues with the children, the parents or the adults.”

Guadalupe’s father, Carlos, mentioned with burden in his voice the significance of having a stable and affordable housing option like Shady Acres.

“This was a place that charged rent cheaper,” Carlos said. “I realize that they bought the land to make their parties bigger, I understand that, but the owner who sold Shady Acres didn’t think about the impact on the community, and that was the only place that was affordable.”

Guadalupe spoke highly of the children who lived in the neighborhood and left a lasting impression on her heart.

“I have been thinking alot about the children of Shady Acres,” Guadalupe said. “When I used to look at them, I would see myself and my brothers. I still do. I see all the possibilities that could be their lives.”

Ron McClellan was a resident of Shady Acres on and off since 1994 and had only positive remarks about his former home.

“It just became a home with neighbors who help, and that was one thing I really liked about it, because you got to meet your neighbors and it seems like everybody there was helpful,” McClellan said. “It was a nice community. Everybody was happy.”

McClellan recalled the “horrible” experience of being notified in 2016 that they would need to evacuate Shady Acres.

“It’s really shocking,” McClellan said. “What are we going to do now? Because even though my trailer was an older mobile home,

you know, it needed work. But still, it was a home.”

McClellan reported facing financial insecurity and burden as a result of his eviction.

“I am on a fixed income,” McClellan said. “So it’s been very difficult now, when everything is sky high on prices. I’m paying almost $1,000 a month here and I’m in a studio apartment, not even a one bedroom … I don’t know how I’m going to be able to make it if it keeps going up.

I’ve been accepted for a house from Habitat for Humanity, so that was a big relief for me. But again, we’re still stuck at the same problems, the cost of everything keeps going up.”

The Huitron family mentioned two older trees in the neighborhood that held special meaning to them.

“Outside our house, there were these two trees that provided a lot of shade, and in the summer, we used to have gatherings and invite a lot of neighbors,” Margarita said.

“Even most recently before they closed down, we did one last gathering there in June. Now, we’re

A historic fight for Shady Acres: a battle spanning half a decade

Rows of abandoned trailers in shades of white with lifeless children’s toys scattered across the yards sit vacant where a community once thrived in the Shady Brook Mobile Park Home, also known as Shady Acres, on University Way across from Dairy Queen in Ellensburg.

“Sometimes I still wake up and I ask myself, where am I? I’m not in my trailer,” former Shady Acres resident of nearly two decades who was evicted from her home, Margarita Huitron, said. “It felt like they threw a bucket of cold water on us. It hurts us a lot.”

Shady Acres was a mobile home community of primarily immigrant families that held 34 homes, 24 owned and 10 rented, according to a census taken by the Shady Acres Homeowners Association (SAHA) in 2016. 66 adults and 59 children resided there at the time of the acquisition, nearly an even split be-

tween minors and adults.

The lot was subject to a polarizing legal battle in 2018-2019 between SAHA and Kittitas County, Corp. after the county announced they were purchasing the lot as part of the expansion of the Kittitas County Event Center detailed in their “2016 Kittitas Valley Event Center Master Plan.” The plan stated intentions for the county to turn the lot into RV parking for annual rodeo festivities.

The county’s plan was controversial, and prompted protests, County Commissioner and community meetings, petitions and a visit from Gov. Jay Inslee in 2016. It also led to a court case between SAHA and Kittitas County, in which the judge ruled in favor of Kittitas County.

The Observer spoke to former Shady Acres residents who were evicted, including Guadalupe Huitron and her parents, Carlos and

Margarita, as well as former resident Ron McClelland. The Observer also spoke with CWU faculty involved in the battle for Shady Acres, including former Museum of Culture and Environment (MCE) Director Mark Auslander, current MCE Director Hope Amason and NW Expressive Arts Response founder and former CWU lecturer Nan Doolittle.

The chronological cause for Shady Acres

Community members testified at a series of meetings (video testimonies linked below) in defense of Shady Acres. One such community member, Cheryl Cox, said at a public meeting in June 2016: “You’re taking them [Shady Acres residents] away from being multigenerational in this community … I’m fortunate to be a fourth gen-

eration American citizen whose family crossed over from the other side on a boat, signed their name and moved on. Why can’t these people do that? Why are they different? They’re no different from anybody from Yugoslavia, Croatia, Austria … my family never left Roslyn, they kept their friends. That’s community.”

Auslander was moved to action after the first Daily Record article broke the story that Shady Acres was to be sold in April 2016, so he sent an email to over 100 community members and organized a meeting at the Methodist Church in Ellensburg toward the end of that month.

At this meeting, Guadalupe Huitron, former Shady Acres resident, connected with Auslander, Amason, Doolittle and other community members. These meetings eventually led to the forming of

SAHA and the filing of a court case with help from the Northwest Justice Project. On Feb. 14, 2019, the trial took place in which the Northwest Justice Project alleged that Kittitas County violated the Fair Housing Act.

According to an article published by The Daily Record on March 16, 2019, Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson ultimately dismissed the case.

According to Auslander, the judge ruled in agreement with Kittitas County’s general counsel, claiming that there was no immediate harm done to the Shady Acres community since the lot had not yet been evacuated, despite testimonies presented demonstrating that home and property care in the community was declining as residents worried their investments would never pay off, also disregarding the potential mental turmoil caused as a result of the impending evictions.

“There is absolutely no justification for removing individuals from their homes to provide additional parking for people that may not even be from Kittitas County.”

-GuadalupeHuitron,formerShady Acresresident

ShadyAcresresidentsrecitedprayersatatree-plantingceremonyin2016. Photo by Rob Fraser

ShadyAcrescommunitygardeningoutdoorsinthepark. Photo by Rob Fraser

ChildrenofShadyAcresgatheredontheircommunitybridgeonMemorialDay.

Photo by Rob Fraser

Shady Acres residents -

just communicating every now and then over the phone. It gave me a lot of sadness to have to leave there.”

Guadalupe recalled some of her memories in Shady Acres that also centered around these trees.

“Dad and those two trees outside, he used to hang a hammock when I would come and visit in the summer,” Guadalupe said. “He would hang it for me so I could sway under the trees and the neighbors would stop by to talk to me, and it was this little community within a community, everyone knew each other.”

Carlos said the shift has been “drastic” since Shady Acres was sold and residents were evicted.

“We had to come to Yakima,” Carlos said. “We lived at Shady Acres for about 20 years. It’s a very peaceful town. Sometimes I would go to the store and people would say ‘hello,’ not only within Shady Acres, but within Ellensburg. I go out now here, and nobody says hello to me.”

A census taken by the Shady Acres Home Association (SAHA) and volunteers in 2016 provided

by Guadalupe showed that at the time of the county purchasing the property, Shady Acres held 34 total households, 10 of them rented units and 24 owned, housing 66 adults and 59 children.

“Whether it’s a mansion or whether it’s a trailer, the sense of ownership should not be diminished by it being one or the other in the sense of meaning that it has for the purchaser,” Guadalupe said.

Shady Acres was widely populated by immigrant farm workers and their families, according to Guadalupe.

“What is this telling us about the perception of the LatinX community in Kittitas County?” Guadalupe said. “Especially people like my father who came as a young man to work the lands in Ellensburg and then brought us to live here. He was the oldest male in his family, so he didn’t get to go to school to learn to read and write. Today, this same man has three children who together have earned three bachelors and two masters degrees. My father did his best to provide us a safe home,

An outpouring of community support

just like all of the other parents at Shady Acres.”

Guadalupe continued: “Ellensburg in many ways is nice and welcoming, but in other ways there’s an undercurrent of inequality and racism that showed up with the commentary made about the purchase to justify the purchase. ‘The fairgrounds are historical, they’re cultural,’ but at the cost of another community that has a culture.”

Auslander, Amason and Guadalupe all mentioned that the county’s plans for the lot have fluctuated over time and lack clear direction, and all reported that community members proposed using the Shady Acres space to house “swine” or other livestock for 4-H instead of being used for RV parking.

The Observer reached out to the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners for comment but did not receive a response prior to the time of publication.

According to current Director of the MCE Hope Amason, the city of Ellensburg commissioned an external firm to do a housing survey of Ellensburg in 2017 and the results showed 0% occupancy rate in Ellensburg, so Amason and her colleagues were very aware of the threat looming over Shady Acres residents when they faced eviction.

The MCE hosted an exhibit featuring Mexican folk art in 2016, and one section of the exhibit served as a space for those impacted by the Shady Acres acquisition to create shrines and other crafts. Amason, with the help of some of her Museum Studies students and Doolittle, offered childcare to Shady Acres residents during their community meetings.

Doolittle spoke about her experience attempting to preserve Shady Acres and giving testimony at County Commissioner meetings.

“I would collect petition signatures at public events, many people made signs, residents and community members, saying ‘Salva Shady Acres’ which means ‘Save Shady Acres,’ and those would be at what is now Unity Park,” Doolittle said. The Huitron family expressed gratitude for the help of community members in their fight.

“Thankfully, there were university professors that came together to help us get more time because they only wanted to give us a year,” Mar

loss of the Shady Acres lot, the experience brought out the power and goodness in their community.

“There was the most amazing transformation in the Shady Acres community,” Auslander said. “They came together, they knew themselves as a community, as a voice.

It was life transforming,” Auslander said. “I think of some of the remarkable young people, especially young women, who were tweens at that age, but who really became quite active in retrospect to vote, and so I’m trying to look for a few silver linings.”

Doolittle mentioned the implications of displacing communities from their homes.

“Maybe the neighborhood itself wasn’t living up to the prevalent white standards of what housing should look like, but the people were living in houses that they could afford to create,” Doolittle said.

Doolittle emphasized that this is not just a community of white people, and efforts to be inclusive of all families here are necessary.

Guadalupe said she hopes Kittitas County will continue working with Doolittle to relocate the memorial tree, and that leaders will find a way to address the lack of affordable housing here.

“What happened with Shady Acres is shameful and will forever taint the history of the fair and rodeo,” Guadalupe said. “There is absolutely no justification for removing individuals from their homes to provide additional parking for people that may not even be from Kittitas County … A recognition from county leaders that what they did was wrong would also be nice, but I don’t have high hopes for that.”

Full Story Online

“Of course, this was ludicrous,” Auslander said of the ruling. “These families were living under threat of imminent eviction. It wasn’t just a question of individually housing people, but the fact that it was a mutually self-sustaining, nurturing community that was being misrepresented … as a drug-filled den of criminality.”

Auslander claimed that help from the Northwest Justice Project allowed residents five years before their eviction was finalized; their final move out date was in Aug. 2022, and the closure of the park happened in Dec. 2022.

A general contractor evaluated the homes of Shady Acres at the request of the Plaintiff and estimated that “a Shady Acres resident would incur $12,200 for all of the costs involved in relocating a single-wide mobile home to a new location

and a total of $16,800 to relocate a double-wide mobile home … The cost of moving many of the mobile homes at Shady Acres exceeds the fair market value of the homes, often by more than double … only two of the privately-owned mobile homes at Shady Acres would retain any value if moved.”

The Kittitas County Board of Commissioners announced plans to offer $6,000 compensation to evicted Shady Acres residents, less than half of what it would cost to relocate one of these homes.

According to Guadalupe, her parents received the $6,000 payment from the county, and it is her understanding that other residents also received the money, however she is unsure if some residents received less than others. She expressed confusion about how the county arrived at this figure.

“Shady Acres residents were also encouraged to apply for funding from the Department of Commerce through the Manufactured/ Mobile Home Relocation Assistance Program,” Guadalupe said. “This program gave residents additional assistance based on the size of their homes. However, I do know that not all residents were able to receive this assistance because they did not meet income guidelines, meaning their income was above the threshold they set.”

Kittitas County had plans to acquire Shady Acres since at least 1997, according to the court case documents available through Casetext.

The “2016 Kittitas Valley Event Center Master Plan” stated: “The County has made an offer on [Shady Acres] and is currently conducting due diligence on the condition of the site and the assis-

tance that would be necessary and appropriate to relocate the low-income tenants.” Sources expressed concern that this intention was not fully actualized.

“I don’t think there was a complete understanding of how it would be to be from a different country, from a different culture, and have created this incredible neighborhood,” Doolittle said. “It was culturally supporting to that community.”

According to Carlos and Margarita Huitron, former owner of Shady Acres Jerrold “Jerry” Barton had claimed that he would give multiple years of advance notice if residents were to be evicted, and the Huitrons did not feel this expectation was honored.

“Jerry did not give any notice when he sold the property, so Shady Acres found out when the

Ellensburg Daily Record ran a story [in 2016],” Guadalupe said.

A silent vigil and tree-planting ceremony was held in June 2016 to honor the Shady Acres community after the decision to sell the lot became public. Prayers were tied to a scarlet oak tree that was planted by residents and community members, according to coverage by The Daily Record. One of these residents was Lily Ibarra, a then-8-year-old, who tied a note to the tree that read: “I will see you, every day,” as reported by The Daily Record. Ibarra’s note only rang true for five years until the residents had no choice but to abandon the lot.

According to Doolittle, conversations are currently in progress with the county about moving the scarlet oak tree to a city park in remembrance of Shady Acres, before the lot is demolished.

MobilehomesattheShadyAcrespark standvacant,awaitingdemolition.

Photo by Katherine Camarata

Illustrations by Glacie Kehoe-Padilla

CWU softball stays sunny in California

Charis Jones Staff Reporter

As spring season sports hit full stride, CWU softball traveled down to Turlock, California from Mar. 31 to Apr. 2 to compete in the annual Tournament of Champions. Over the course of their three-day showdown, they played in five games and emerged victorious in three of them.

“While we came out of the tournament with a winning record, we did not perform the way we wanted to and are capable of,” senior infielder Harlee Carpenter said. “We hold a very high standard for ourselves and we have a lot of talent, but I don’t think we showcased that this weekend. The good thing is that these were non-conference games, so we can work on some things that were exposed this weekend before we get back into GNAC play.”

While some may look at 3-2 as an overall win for the weekend, senior infielder Myiah Seaton argued that “the standard is always 5-0, especially with how much talent this team possesses.”

“Our offensive side of the tournament was disappointing with the lack of production,” Seaton said. “The discipline at the plate was not present, which led to leaving multiple runners on base. Our pitchers are dealing with multiple barriers at

the moment which led to frequent leadoff walks, which have a high percentage of scoring that inning.”

Though the Wildcats may not feel that they performed to their maximum potential throughout this tournament, both Carpenter and Seaton acknowledged some strengths that were evident regardless of the outcome of the games.

Carpenter praised the dugout’s performance for being the team’s consistent source of pride not only during the weekend but throughout the season as well.

“Our dugout as a whole really stood out to me this weekend, and is something that we have prided ourselves on all year,” Carpenter said. “Regardless of the score, we always have a crazy amount of energy and the cheering is nonstop. It’s really great to feel that energy and support behind me when I’m up to bat and on the field.”

Meanwhile, Seaton conveyed her pride in one of the freshmen players on the team.

“I’d like to start by saying that I’m extremely proud of our freshman, Peyton Kessler, for getting her first complete game and holding the win,” Seaton said. “It’s easy as a freshman to be scared on the mound, but she always keeps her chest high and works harder than her opponent.”

Seaton also credited players such

as junior infielder Taylor Kai “TK” for her productivity in tense situations at the plate, junior outfielder Jillian Hampson for her consistency in getting on base, and junior infielder Laney Kaysner for her speed and power-slapping abilities.

While the team may not have gotten the outcome they preferred, Seaton highlighted important elements that the Wildcats aim to improve on before their next matchup.

“Hitting is number one on the list,” Seaton said. “Aggressiveness at the plate to back up our talent is integral to our success. Letting the pitchers or umpires determine the outcomes of our at-bats has been a frequent occurrence and we have been doing team building and mindful training this week to get over the mental barrier and take charge so we can play how we are supposed to.”

In contrast to the Wildcat’s performance during the tournament, their focus on enhancing offensive abilities can be seen in their season-long statistics. Notably, players such as senior outfielder Allie Thiessen have accumulated six doubles and a .333 on-base percentage (OB%), senior catcher Alyssa Benthagen has recorded four home runs and tallied 25 runs batted in (RBIs), and Carpenter has earned three triples and 38 total bases (TB)

all to date.

With about a month left of play for spring sports, Carpenter ex pressed her faith in this team’s abilities as well as her enthusiasm for the rest of her final season here at CWU.

“I have a lot of confidence in this team and if we play to our poten tial, I know we can go far,” Carpenter said. “The goal for this team is obvious ly to make it to the postseason, but to do that we have to take it one game at a time. If we focus on what we need to do to win the game at hand, we’ll do great things. I’m really excit ed for the rest of the season and regardless of what happens, I just want to enjoy my last month of softball with my teammates.”

CWU softball’s next face-off will take place at their home field in Ellensburg at Gary & Bobbi Fredrick Field against the Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) Nighthawks on Friday, Apr. 14 at 1 p.m.

Racing around the globe: CWU Track and Field competes in Oregon and California

Staff Reporter

CWU Track & Field competed in four meets in from March 30 to April 1. Lauryn Chandler and McCall DeChenne performed well for the Wildcats earning conditional qualifying times.

Head Coach Kevin Adkisson spoke on his team’s performance after the meet concluded.

“We love the way we see people compete,” Adkisson said. “They’ve been making the most of every opportunity we get, so that was cool to see. We had people weather some tough weather, literally, and competing hard and not giving up.”

There were Wildcats who had stand out performances, including jumper Tehya Moore who long-jumped 15’7’in the finals, a new personal record which put her as a top competitor at the meet.

”Coach pushes us every day to be better athletes. The work we put in all year was not for nothing; if we want to be our best, we must dig deep,’’ Moore said.

“It is great to see that people’s hard work is paying off and getting their opportunity to go out and compete.’’

At the Pacific Open, Erica Cabanos added a pair of wins to her catalog with wins in the long jump (16’3) and triple jump (36’8.25’).

“For me, it is just my last year so honestly, I just need to remember to have fun and enjoy it.’’ Cabanos said. “My body is much stronger than it used to be, so I just need to trust in the training I have been doing since September and have fun with it.’’

At the Mike Fanelli Classic in California, 100-meter runner E’lexis Hollis won her event with a time of 11.89.

“It is exciting that everyone can compete at a variety of meets that can help push us to our best.’’ Hollis said.

‘’As a team I think we have a pretty good chance at winning GNAC’s. We have strong athletes in every event group. so I think if we all just focus on our respective events we could definitely put some pressure on teams in the GNAC,’’ Hollis said.

Tre’Jon Henderson

EricaCabanosmid-jump. Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Senior infielder Myiah Seaton. Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Graphic Illustrations by Glacie Kehoe-Padilla

CWU baseball prepares for final stages of season

Ryan Gildersleeve Staff Reporter

The CWU baseball team has struggled early in their 2023 season, but after a sweep of Montana State-Billings (MSUB) over the April 1 weekend, the team appears ready to ride their new found momentum into the later half of the season.

The Wildcats currently sit at a record of 14-22 on the year, with their wins being evenly split at six in both home matchups as well as away bouts. Prior to the beginning of the ongoing homestand, the Wildcats had dropped seven of their previous 10 matchups and had only secured two home victories on the year.

Heading into the homestand, the Wildcats were in search of a much needed string of wins. The beginning of this homestand would end up proving well for the Wildcats as they would not only secure the sweep over MSUB, but also give themselves a much needed boost of momentum heading into the final stages of their season.

Before returning to Ellensburg to begin the homestand, the team had only played six games at home as opposed to their 21 games played on the road. Wildcat Starting Pitcher Brayde Hirai had a bit to say regarding the importance of playing at home.

“Being able to prepare and sleep in your own bed every week definitely adds a lot of value,” Hirai said. “The atmosphere of protecting the house brings a lot of comradery within the team.”

With the team playing well at home through the first leg of the homestand, consistency was on the mind of Head Coach Desi Storey.

“We started to show signs of being fairly consistent last weekend, which is huge,” Sto

the grind of a 50 game season and continuing to improve dayto-day, game-to-game.”

With improvement on the mind, the Wildcats found vital help in their bouts against MSUB. Austin Ohland won Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) player of the week honors for his contributions to the sweep of MSUB, but still has his head set on team success moving forward after a weekend where he hit successfully in eight of his seventeen atbats and drove in 7 RBI’s.

“We just want to keep rolling, and keep doing what we were able to accomplish last weekend,” Ohland said. “Nobody’s giving up whatsoever, no matter where we are, we’re going out and playing, trying to beat somebody.”

As the team prepares for their final stretch of the year, the players seemingly are set on bringing a level of success to the team that hasn’t been reached in quite some time. Ohland commented on the team’s motivation heading toward the end of their year.

“There’s definitely a motivation there to go win and get to the GNAC’s,” Ohland said. “As far as this year, we had a bit of a slow start, we’ve had a couple of things stacked against us in the offseason and none of us are letting that effect us. We’re just trying to push through and really show that it doesn’t matter what happens, it’s just what you do down the stretch.”

With motivation at a high point for the Wildcats, every game to end the season will be a must-win for the team. They currently hold the 3rd seed in the GNAC and are slated to face Eastern Oregon University on April 11 at home in their next matchup.

Sports Spectated

By: Isaac Hinson

With the Trail Blazers season over, I get to flex my muscles writing about other teams for the rest of the quarter (at least until the draft lottery.) The NBA playoffs start this Saturday, and there is no clear top dog heading into the spring. Even the two teams from last year’s finals - the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics - look extremely mortal. Golden State cannot win a game on the road, with an away record of 11-30. Boston went 13-7 over their last 20 games, which is probably closer to .500 than they’d like to have gone. Superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have both been in-an-out of the lineups, with them each playing 72 and 67 games respectively. Perhaps most importantly, defensive anchor Robert Willams III only played 35 games the whole season, with Boston going 24-11 in those games.

Among other teams in the playoffs, I really really like the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks. Which is a shame because they’re going to be facing off against each other in the first round of the playoffs. But, that series is bound to be electric, and maybe the best of the entire first round. And, sadly, I do really believe in the Los Angeles Lakers. They’re 14-6 in their last 20, and LeBron James is averaging 28/7/7 in his last five games. He’s playing his best basketball at the right time.

On the baseball side, the Mariners are still middling, but it doesn’t look nearly as dire as it did to start the year. Primarily, outfielder Jarred Kelenic has been playing lights out this season. Is it too early to say he’s better than Barry Bonds ever was? Definitely. He will obviously never be nearly as good as Bonds. But that won’t stop me from retweeting tweets saying he is.

April 8

Win 3-2

Baseballvs.Eastern Oregon

April 8

Win 12-3

Baseballvs.Saint Martin’s

April 11

Win 7-3

SoftballatWestern Oregon

HeadcoachDesiStoreyinthehuddle. Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

AustinOhlandcelebratingonbase. Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

AustinOhlandhittingagainstWhitman. Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Unraveling the deeper message of The Firebird: Dr. Salvosa’s interpretation through music

Mykah Koke-Filimaua Staff Reporter

Dr. Ross Salvosa, a lecturer of piano/piano pedagogy at CWU, uses the transcription of the firebird, the chosen mascot from Russian folklore that symbolizes rebirth, beauty, and magic, to inspire people to begin their self-discovery journey.

“I believe that each one of us have a basement in our spirit where we’ve locked a lot of parts of us from our very young years and now that those parts of us have grown, they’re going to be hungry, angry, lonely and if you open those doors up,” Salvosa said.

Salvosa’s journey of looking inward began during the pandemic, specifically during the George Floyd incident. Feeling overwhelmed with anger, instead of lashing out, Salvosa looked at where these emotions were coming from, according to Salovsa.

“It’s that journey of just opening those doors up and listening to all the cries and just sitting with it, learning to

CWU senior lecturer and production manager awarded The Gold Medallion

understand it, learning to love it so that they’re not alone,” Salvosa said.

Salvosa said the importance of spiritual journeys is bravery and confronting yourself even if it seems uncomfortable at first.

“I know it took me to a beautiful place,” Salovsa said.

“I’m half Filipino, and for me, it was like a huge awakening of this whole music side of my culture that I never knew about,” First year music education and performance major Cheyenne Brady said. “I didn’t even know it was a part of me until today.”

First year music major David Badillio said one of the themes they liked was about putting yourself out there and facing your fears.

Salvosa said the message was about looking inward and opening up your subconscious basement doors and to sit with it.

“Learn about it and understand it so that we can truly discover ourselves and become more compassionate, more loving and more kind human beings,” Salovsa said.

Jerald (Jerry) Dougherty, senior lecturer and production manager at CWU, received the Gold Medallion Award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) on Feb. 22 because of his volunteer work with the organization.

“I appreciate being acknowledged for a lot of hard work I’ve been working as a volunteer with the American College Theatre Festival,” Dougherty said.

According to the KCACTF website, the Gold Medallion Award “honor[s] individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the teaching and producing of theatre and who have significantly dedicated their time, artistry and enthusiasm to the development of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.”

Dougherty said he has been volunteering with KCACTF since 2011 and usually helps with the behind-the-scenes work there, like planning, organizing and scheduling the events.

“For the last the two previous years, we did both of the festivals online,” Dougherty said. “Coordinating a week-long online conference slash festival was a huge undertaking and a steep learning curve.”

Dougherty said that with this award, he is humbled that his contributions have been seen because in the world of theater, directors and performers tend to be recognized, but not always the people behind the scene.

“People go in and see the shows, and they see the actors but [don’t think] about, ‘gee, I wonder who figured out how to build that beautiful piece of scenery that’s on stage that everybody’s singing,’” Dougherty said.

Department Chair of the Theatre Department, Head of Design and Professor, Christina Barrigan, said she was happy for Dougherty when he won the award and that it was an amazing recognition.

“He has been working on pulling together the schedule, and that’s the thankless task to be honest, because not only are you pulling together faculty and staff who want to create workshops and experiences from nine different states,” Barrigan said. “But you’re also pulling together probably about a dozen different competitions in acting and musical theater and all of the design.”

According to Barrigan, this task is essential, yet the labor might go unseen.

“We all thought that it was richly deserved, because we all deeply appreciate the work he does to keep that festival together,” Barrigan said. “This wonderful moment of validation for the service he’s put in over the last 15 years doing that job.”

Advising students for the KCACTF

Dougherty said that during his time with the KCACTF, he has helped students at the festival. Caesar Trejo, a sophomore at CWU majoring in theatre studies and Sequoia Good, a junior studying theatre production and design, were two of the students he helped.

Trejo said that he was the prop designer for “Everybody,” a play CWU did earlier in the fall, and Dougherty helped him figure out how he would present props at the KCACTF.

“My presentation had to do with the Lifetime Achievement Award prop that is used in the show,” Trejo said. “Jerry helped me figure out how to make a poster and he helped me further develop the idea a little bit.”

According to Trejo, Dougherty is both nice and knowledgeable.

“Going to him to ask any questions like, ‘hey, how do I do this?’ ‘how do you think this would work?’,” Trejo said. “He always gives me such good feedback.”

Trejo said when he heard that Dougherty won the Gold Medallion Award, he thought it was well-deserved.

“He does so much, not just for the Central, but also for the [KCACTF] Festival,” Trejo said. “I speak very highly of him. He’s always willing to help students out, and I am so glad that he’s part of the department.”

Good’s presentation was on stage management for the production of “Everybody.” Good said she came in not knowing a lot about stage management, but Dougherty taught her a lot.

“For the presentation, he taught me how to put together a prompt book…which is like documentation for the entire show,” Good said. “He stayed after hours to help me put the book together.”

Good said that she wouldn’t be in the theater department right now without Dougherty.

Contributions to CWU

Dougherty said that he has been at CWU since 2005 and primarily teaches production design and production and management classes, but also works as the production manager.

“I coordinate all of the behind-the-scenes stuff for all the shows that we do,” Dougherty said. “I’ve been charged with the schedule and the budget and the planning for all of the technical elements for the curriculum that we deliver.”

According to Barrigan, Dougherty mentors students in different management positions like stage and production and is always very interested in offering students support structures that allow them to find their own way through the experience.

“He’s demonstrated over and over again in the classroom and even in these kinds of more hands-on production roles, that he’s very invested in the success of the students,” Barrigan said.

Barrigan said that he is very focused on safety, which is wonderful because according to Barrigan, not a lot of graduate theater training is centered on safety.

“Jerry [is] amazing in the way that he is constantly focused on how to make our spaces safer,” Barrigan said. “Both physical safety and emotional safety.”

Because Dougherty is a non-tenure track faculty member at CWU, Barrigan said that it is not part of his workload to do service work like it is for a tenure track faculty member.

“He has taken on this role because he believes so strongly in the mission of KCACTF,” Barrigan said. “The strength of his belief in the benefit to our students and to the students in the region of that festival is what has motivated him to take on that work and continue to do that work.”

Before CWU

According to Dougherty, he grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He studied theater and hospitality management as an undergraduate at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania and studied design and production as a graduate at the University of Texas.

Dougherty said it wasn’t until college that he really developed a sense of wanting to do theater and technical theater, because it isn’t a job that everybody knows about. Originally, he said that he wanted to run nightclubs.

“I got a work-study job in the theater building scenery,” Dougherty said. “Once I started seeing all of the processes behind the scenes, I really fell in love with it because it’s problem solving. It’s building things. It’s working with the people.”

Megan Rogers News Editor

JerryDougherty(left)receivedTheGoldMedallionaward. Photo by Frankie Benka/Spokane Falls Community College

Dr.RossSalvosaplayingpiano. Photo by Mykah Koke-Filimaua

Jensen Farms’ Easter Eggfest demonstrates the importance of quality time with family

Laughter and squeals of excitement filled Jensen Farms as children played games and searched for candy-filled eggs during the second annual Easter Eggfest on April 8. The event was open to all ages with an admissions fee of $12 for children between the ages of 2 to 16, and $8 for adults.The entire event was organized by the owners of the farm with a few family friends helping out during the event.

“Easter for me is a lot of fun because for new farmers it’s new crops, it’s baby animals,” event organizer Hilary Jensen said. “It’s just the celebration of the turn of the new season.”

Jensen

Jensen Farms, also known by Ellensburg residents as the “pumpkin patch,” is home to many events and activities in the city. Jensen and her husband, John, have owned the farm for 11 years.

According to Jensen, this year is their second time holding the Easter Eggfest since its conception last year.

A large part of the farm’s purpose is creating memories, according to their website. Jensen explains that while traditional farms would simply grow crops and sell them off, a key aspect of Jensen Farms is agritourism.

“Agritourism, which is what we are, part agricultural part tourism,

involves the people by inviting them to the farm,” Jensen said. “So, for me, it’s all about the experience. I like building things that people can experience. It brings me a lot of joy to see people really enjoying something that I’ve built.”

Jensen also explained that the motivation behind hosting events catered to families stems from wishing she had more time to spend with her children before they grew older.

“It’s really about the memories,” Jensen said. “If I can help families create more time while they still have it, to make those memories and spend time off the computer screens and outdoors and just experiencing things with their families, then that’s what we’re going to keep doing.”

Easter Eggfest

Egg hunts, a sliding mountain, swings and a wall maze game were a few of the many activities that were featured during Eggfest.

According to Jensen, the egg hunt was divided into ages or time slots to let siblings participate at their own pace, which made for a fun experience for the kids.

The farm’s main store and its Sips and Sweets coffee shop were open to attendees. The coffee shop was a popular stand at the event for snacks and beverages such as moon pies and Italian sodas.

Items sold at the main store included plushies and farm-grown condiments and sauces.

As the activities began, children eagerly ran into the fields searching for different colored eggs with candy while their parents took videos and pictures of them.

One of the main challenges Jensen faced when organizing the event for the first time last year was the weather. Jensen explained the farm was covered in six inches of snow a day before last year’s event, which made it difficult to get the grounds set up. “Last year, it was snowing sideways for about

the first 45 minutes of the event,” Jensen said.

Despite the rainy weather throughout the past week, the weather during this year’s event was fairly warm and favorable for outdoor activities.

Parents who attended the event with their kids expressed that it was a great way to spend time with the family. “I feel that it’s definitely a meaningful time for the family,” Yakima School District employee Amanda Bravo said. “This is our second time at Jensen Farms, so they have a little of something for everybody.”

One parent expressed their appreciation for Jensen’s idea to let the kids hunt for eggs on their own time. “This is one of the best Easter egg hunt events we’ve ever attended,” community member Suzanne Delp said. “It’s nice that you can just show up and grab eggs when you want. So that’s a really nice feature of the event.”

BabygoatattheJensenFarmsEasterEggfest. Photos by Yohanes Goodell and Zileni Milupi HilaryJensenhandingItaliansodatocustomer. Earlthebunny

FarmScenery.

Zileni Milupi and Yohanes Goodell

Senior Reporter and Photo Editor

Farms

Keep your eyes peeled for people adorned in caps and gowns all over campus as grad kickoff gets started this week, and be on the lookout for our coverage of the event next week. From portraits to class rings, ready or not students will be mentally, physically and spiritually preparing for graduation in June, and ready or not The Observer’s photo spread special next

Stay tuned for next week’s issue!

ProfessionalPilotMajorGillianWoodsreadytoflyoffafter theevent. Photo by Beau Sansom

ElementaryEducationMajorsMaddyTaylor(left)andOliviaIngram (right)afterleavingthegradkickoff. Photo by Beau Sansom

KatelynKammers(left)andKianAbdlakhani(right)posingwitha bagKatelynwonintheraffle. Photo by Beau Sansom

Circe and Nyx: student-produced play highlights themes of mental health

Quincy Taylor Staff Reporter

Forming a play that’s produced by students can be quite the challenge, yet students who envision themselves as producers and directors rose to the occasion and displayed their talents across campus, showing their audience that they do not need professionals to guide them.

CWU student producers, Seamus C. Smith and Caelyn White, came together for this fantasy setting play that might speak to those who go through troubles and trauma.

White talked about the background of the play and how she and Smith decided to come up with producing a play.

“Circe and Nyx is a fantasy-setting play about a person who was the chosen one and saved the world, and sort of coping with life after that,”

White said. “Sort of like, ‘I saved the world three years ago, and the world doesn’t need me as much anymore.’

I wrote it two years ago, and reached out to Seamus about producing it. The staged version has been in development since like July.”

In this play, a much larger focus is at hand when defining the impact that the play will have on not just the students, but the public outside of campus. White explained how she wanted to bring attention to something more than just a fantasy story.

“The play is a lot about mental illness and recovery from trauma…it also has queer people as the lead, and that is something that is always important to me in what I write and when I present,” White said.

White said they hoped to represent queerness and mental illness without needing to

rely on either of these factors to do so.

“There’s a lot of queer media that is super queer and I love that, but I have to create queer media that’s not focused on that,” White said.

White said playwriting in the theatre world is what she loves to do the most and described playwriting as learning through “practical application” and giving everyone a fair chance.

Smith and White explained that the help of students is very important when it comes to working on the project, so that there isn’t an overload on the faculty who help on the project as well.

According to Smith, 30-35 people collaborated for the project.

“I am an actor first in the program here, and I do directing as well,” Smith said. “Acting and directing is where I see my future, but when it comes

to producing, I’ve loved it. You get to experience it, directing behind the scenes and with all the designers.”

White expressed their own thoughts on the matter.

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, because I’ve had a good time doing this,” White said. “Also, just a lot of time as a playwright. … it’s been really helpful to do this and learn.”

Shyanne Sather, mother to one of the cast members, said one thing she took away from the play was the love story.

“The dragon coming out was my favorite part and how detailed it was made,” Sather said.

According to Smith, the acting of the students glued the audience’s attention to every action in the play. He said he could tell by the looks on the entire crowd that they were into the whole play, which was entertaining to the cast members.

According to Smith, the performance was one of the best their team has done.

“I could feel how much fun the actors were having on stage and I could see the passion during the fight sequence,” Smith said.

White said the performance went incredibly well.

“I am so proud of all the hard work our cast, director, and designers put into this production,” White said.

According to Smith, there were lots of funny moments that made the audience laugh and some really nice emotional moments where the actors made the audience walk away with tears in their eyes.

Smith also added how it is the first time ever for multiple students to do a play like that in front of a crowd.

“[I] couldn’t be more proud of what everyone has accomplished,” Smith said.

Actorssword-fighting. Photo courtesy of Sequoia Good

Actorholdingapropsword. Photo courtesy of Sequoia Good

Actorsengagedindialogue. Photo courtesy of Sequoia Good

Wildcat Words:

“I would buy a new home for my dad and also a dog to keep him less lonely while I’m in college. “

“Because my family has brought me to where I am today in life, I would definitely buy them a house and then afterwards invest the money into something useful. “

“I would love to buy a very fancy car. “

Q&A Q&A

Taneum Bambrick graduated with an MFA at University of Arizona and is now an English Professor at CWU. They are the author of “Vantage” and “Intimacies, Received” and have been granted many awards throughout their career.

Taneum Bambrick

What has been your favorite class to teach at CWU?

Writing and Tenderness 368 is my special topics course, and so far, it has been a truly incredible class to teach. In it, I ask students to keep a kind of “tenderness diary” where they write short two-line poems based on observations they make throughout the week. These observations focus on images the students deem as “tender,” whatever that means to them. We’re reading books on love and eros as theory, as well as poetry, nonfiction, fiction, and hybrid work all centered on the idea of intimacy. I designed this course because my students kept asking me this same, brilliant question: how can we write out of sources of joy and delight? Does creative work always have to fixate on traumatic experiences? Because this question is so big and so urgent, I hoped Writing and Tenderness could act as a space where we can explore it together for an entire quarter.

What drew you into the literary field?

I started writing before I could write, gluing things like dandelion leaves into the pages of a notebook. I think I became a poet in middle school when I was grounded for six months, and my parents were reading my diary. I started using metaphor and the line to disguise my feelings. Ever since, writing has acted as a kind of release for me, but also as a way I challenge myself to be better by thinking more. I have recently started to write nonfiction, and I am always fascinated by how, even when I think I have written something true, if I walk away from that scene for a day or two, I come back to it and see parts of it I invented—little lies I didn’t feel myself make. Nonfiction has been a great ethical challenge for me.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

You are never trying to do too much. Do it all. Be messy. Let yourself have five projects at once. Give yourself years with a single idea. Don’t ever rush.

How has being part of the LGBT+ community changed your experience as an author? As a college professor?

This is such a thoughtful question. I think being queer—especially because I write about how, in my life, I am usually not seen as queer—I have found a lot of community with other people and writers who have experienced that same erasure. Recently, coming into my identity as a gender fluid/queer person, I have been open with my students about that change by asking that they use both she/her and they/them pronouns for me. I hope sharing my experiences has been meaningful for them. It’s vulnerable to talk about gender and sexuality, and sometimes that can feel outside my role as an educator. I have historically shared very little about myself and my writing in order to keep the focus on the course outcomes and on my students and their work. Recently, I’ve started to wonder if exhibiting a little bit of my own vulnerability is actually useful in establishing an inclusive space.

Dimke Soph. Secondary Education and Social Studies History

“I would use the money to travel the world and visit any place that is known for their amazing foods.”

11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. - International Cafe in SURC 137 A/B

4 - 5 p.m. - Resume Building 101 in Shaw Smyser 214

7 - 9 p.m. - Open Mic Night in The Bistro

7 - 10 p.m. -Ramadan Iftar Dinner in SURC 201 & 137 A/B

7 - 9 p.m. - Viva Italia! Opera Scenes Inspired by Italy in McIntyre Concert Hall (tickets on cwu.edu/~music)

National Wear PJs to Work Day

4 - 6 p.m. - Self-Defense Workshop in SURC 137 A/B

4 - 5 p.m. - Volunteer Orientation in SURC 201

5 - 7 p.m. - Plant Yourself in the in Library Learning Commons

7 - 8:30 p.m. - Jazz Band Madness at The Bistro

Giavanna Stanley Jr. Film Production

Grady

National Blah Blah Blah Day

If you were to win the lottery, what would you buy?

Solomon Kairu Sr. Cyber Security

Riko Aoyama Sr. International Relations