asterner Eastern Washington University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Ragtag Romantics play the mall
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Volume 101, Issue 03
Page 7
Photo courtesy of Tonya Ballman
Let the good times roll
Andrew Watson for The Easterner
“I didn’t walk over there to kill him.”
Page 14 Page 3
Mckenzie Ford for The Easterner
2 | The Easterner
Staff List Editor in Chief Brandon Cline 509.359.7010
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017 3 News | 6 Police Beat | 7 A&E | 12 Opinion | 13 Sports
Easterner Asks:
What do you think the appropriate response by public officials should be in the aftermath of events such as mass shootings?
easterner.editor@ewu.edu
Managing Editor Logan Stanley easterner.mngeditor@gmail.com
Web and Social Media Director Audrey Seda easterner.social@gmail.com
Chief Copy Editor Amanda Haworth easternercopy@gmail.com
News Editor Josh Fletcher easterner.news@gmail.com
Arts & Entertainment and Features Editor Dayana Morales
Esmirna Hernandez Junior “There should be some type of help, whether it is sociological. Hear out the victims. The people who weren’t there cant really speak on how they felt at the time. Hear them out in what they suggest they should do.”
Daniela Saucedo Freshman “Talking about it, knowing to be aware about it, you never know when it’s going to happen to us. It can occur anywhere, anytime.
Ian Lynch Junior “It should be solemn. It was a tragedy and you shouldn’t use it as a platform to push your ideals about gun control or no gun control.”
Tommy Hansen Junior “It should be reverent, it shouldn’t glorify things, that happens a lot. People tend to glorify shootings or at least make a big deal out of them.”
John Collett Grad Student “Partly to be human. To express grieve and emotions and connect with your community this way. That this is a terrible thing. The next step I think everyone likes to talk about is gun control and what to do in that regard stay true to your platform or your community you represent.”
easterner.aef@gmail.com
Sports Editor Michael Brock easterner.sports@gmail.com
Art Director Andrew Watson easterner.photo@gmail.com
Faculty Adviser Carleigh Hill chill26@ewu.edu
Photo of the Week Our Mission The mission of The Easterner is to inform the students, faculty, staff and nearby residents of Eastern Washington University of the governance, activities and views of the campus while providing a learning environment for students interested in journalism and related fields. Our main goal is to publish high-quality news content to the community of Eastern Washington University.
The Best is Yet to Come Multimedia Editor Audrey Seda snapped this photo this past weekend while spending time at Fish Lake. “I just thought the sunset looked so beautiful, and I guess it reminded me that the best is yet to come.”
Circulation The Easterner publishes a weekly print version as well as web content during the week at http://www. easterneronline.com. The Easterner is distributed throughout the Cheney campus and business district as well as Riverpoint and various Spokane businesses. If you would like the Easterner to be distributed at your business call the Advertising Department at 509-359-7010.
Corrections The Easterner never knowingly publishes inaccuracies. If any error is found, The Easterner is obligated to correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the source of the error. The Easterener does not remove any editorial content from easterneronline.com. However, if there is a factual inaccuracy in a story, the editors will run a correction or an update as needed.
Submission Guidelines To submit photos to The Easterner, attach the largest filesize in an email to the Art Director at easterner. photo@gmail.com, accompanied by your first and last name, photo name and no more than 50 words describing your photograph. The picture does not have to correlate with any content being printed the week of. All submissions must be received by Monday night the week you would like it to be published. Photos must be appropriate and not include obscenities.
October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
The Easterner | 3
News
KHQ ‘s Hayley Guenthner sits with Donavon Culps in Spokane County Jail on Sept. 18. Culps has been charged with the murder of Cameron Smith | Photo courtesy of KHQ
In his own words
Josh Fletcher News Editor “I didn’t think about it, I just pulled out the gun and shot him,” said Donavon Culps, in a jailhouse interview. Culps shot and killed Cameron Smith outside of LUCID in Cheney on Sept. 10. Culps was calm, yet remorseful with KHQ’s Hayley Guenthner, where he talked about what happened in an interview leading up to Smith’s death and kidnapping last month. Smith, who was not even inside of LUCID when Culps came in and was turned away for not having an ID, was the target of Culps’ temper. Culps didn’t even know Smith was an employee at LUCID, he just wanted to buy some marijuana from him. “I asked if I could buy a sack,” said Culps. “I figured he bought some weed from the dispensary and I’d buy a sack from him.”
But that’s when things took a turn for the worse and Culps pulled out his Glock 9mm and shot Smith three or four times. “He was trying to get tough, trying to act tough, trying to disrespect, to degrade me,” Culps told Guenthner. Culps also said it wasn’t his intention to kill Smith that day, it was in the heat of the moment when his anger took over. “I didn’t walk over there to kill him. I didn’t walk over there to shoot him. He was disrespecting me,” said Culps, who later admitted he would take back what he did. After Culps shot and took Smith’s car, he dumped the body and the car in Airway Heights, before leaving town. Later that night, an Acura that matched the description of a car registered to Culps was spotted in Yakima, but the driver of that car was able to evade police.
Then, on Sept. 14, Yakima Police said they found Culps and took him into custody in Goldendale, following “a short pursuit ending in a collision.” The next day, Culps was moved to Spokane County Jail, where he was charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree robbery. Smith had a wife and kids who will now have to go on without their father, something Culps could relate to. “I feel for his kids, you know? Because I know my kids are feeling the same,” Culps said while crying. What ended up being just a random act of killing may also be Culps’ plea for help, who wished he died that day. “My life is over... I wanted to die, I wanted to die that day,” Culps said while holding back tears. Guenthner asked, “So instead you killed somebody else?” “So I can die,” Culps said, now in tears. “So the cops can kill me, that’s what I wanted--to die.” •
4 | The Easterner
News
Vegas tragedy has local ties
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Fire drills send students outside
Josh Fletcher News Editor At the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas Sunday night, a gunman killed at least 59 people and injured over 500 when he opened fire from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort. One of those people he killed was Rachel Parker. Parker graduated from Cheney High School in 2002, and lived in California where she worked as a police officer for the Manhattan Police Department. She was 33. Rachel Parker The gunman used his 23 guns he had with him in his room on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay where he was across the street from the concert and had a bird’seye view of the 22,000 concert goers. The three-day Harvest Festival was just about coming to an end when Jason Aldean took the stage. During his performance the shooter opened fire. “It sounded like two firecrackers going off,” said Mark Gray, a writer for the Rolling Stone who was in attendance. “[I] looked up at Mandalay Bay and saw a light flickering, while shots were still ringing out.” Videos taken during the time of the shooting show that most of the people thought the same thing before they realized it was gunshots going off, not fireworks. The incident is now considered the deadliest mass shooting in United States history.
All this week students have had to evacuate buildings due to fire alarm tests. This drill is to make sure everything is in working order, should an event take place. EWU officials said they tested most of the buildings duringthe summer, but still had a few buildings left to test | Jeremy Burnham for The Easterner
Counseling Services offers identity theft awareness Rebecca Pettingill Contributing Writer EWU’s Counseling and Psychological Services put together a workshop on the dangers and consequences of identity theft on Sept. 28. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime not only in the United States, but around the world. Last year, there were an estimated 15 million cases of identity theft reported in the United States. Sreenath Panchagnula from EWU’s Clinical Psychology Program, and Robert Schmitter of the EWU Police Department, put on the workshop to help students
identify the warning signs. Schmitter shared his personal experience with identity theft when his wife’s identity was stolen. Having 12 years of experience with law enforcement and being with the EWU Police Department since 2009, he explained the difficulty of prosecuting these sorts of crimes. Panchagnula expressed that it is important to take advantage of free annual credit reports and making sure to shred or burn documents that include personal information. If you find red flags of identity theft, take immediate action. Being a clinical trainee with CAPS, Panchagnula explained it is important to not get overwhelmed in these cases. The emotional toll
of having your identity stolen can be devastating. Continuing your daily routine will help keep normalcy and reduce some of the added stress. CAPS encourages students to attend their weekly workshops. On Oct. 5, their workshop will focus on first-generation college students. It will provide an opportunity to learn about campus resources and to connect with staff who were first-generation college students themselves. It will be held at noon in Monroe Hall 207. Pizza will be provided.
CAPS events coming up First Generation College Students Monroe Hall 207 Oct. 5 Out at EWU: A Coming out Conversation Martin Hall 209 Oct. 12
Hey Bartender! Martin Hall 209 Oct. 19 Mastering the Art of Cross Cultural Communications Martin Hall 209 Oct. 26
October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
The Easterner | 5
News
Cross-listing: how departments intersect Mandy Nicole Contributing Writer The Women’s and Gender Studies program announced this fall the restructuring of multiple courses that were previously crosslisted with Sociology. Women’s and Gender Studies also created a new course: Genders, Sexualities, and Bodies, which will cross-list in Children’s Studies. “Genders, Sexualities, and Bodies is an important new course for our discipline, and will offer fresh insights for Women’s and Gender Studies majors, as well as other disciplines in the future,” Dr. Sally Winkle, the director for Women’s and Gender Studies said. For the Women’s and Gender Studies program, the change was part of a long tradition of give-and-take between disciplines. During her time in the program, Winkle has seen
course restructuring happen as part of the natural evolution of academia. “When we first became a department back in 1974, all of our courses were cross-listed,” said Winkle. “Over time we have added our own dedicated courses as the discipline grew.” Cross-listing is a common and useful strategy. A glance at the EWU academic catalog shows that a majority of disciplines cross-list with at least one other major or department. The process of approving cross-listed courses can be arduous, but educators know that it provides substantial benefits to students. Dr. David Bunting, an Economics professor and interim chair for the Department of Sociology said, in general, he is a fan of cross-listing. “Resources are scarce,” he said. “[Crosslisting] allows the sharing of scarce faculty resources and allows students to access course
materials that departments might not be budgeted to provide.” Bunting went on to explain that the process of cross-listing is dynamic, and requires good communication between departments. Even with cooperation and compromise, sometimes cross-listing doesn’t stick. One example he offered was a circumstance when a cross-listed class between Economics and Business had to be dissolved. “In that case, the School of Business felt the Economics class was too high-level for what they wanted their students to approach,” Bunting said. The two departments met to try to resolve the issue, but ultimately decided to de-cross-list the course. In the end, Bunting said, the goal is to provide the best education for students. “Programs like to cross-list because it greatly enhances what their discipline offers.”
The technicalities are well worth the effort, however, cross-listing provides a number of benefits to students. Taryn Fletcher, the program director for Business and Marketing Education, explained how cross-listing gives her students flexibility in their courses. Cross-listing also makes double-majoring simpler for students. “Cross-listed courses can be used twice, and count toward different majors. That’s probably the biggest student benefit to crosslisting,” said Fletcher. As students move from class to class in Patterson Hall, small monitors outside classrooms display which course is scheduled for that room next. It’s easy to see, glancing at these digital placards, how many courses are cross-listed. •
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Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Police Beat Josh Fletcher News Editor
Suspicious Circumstance September 27
On Wednesday afternoon, a male student walked into Cadet Hall requesting to take a tactics class. This rose red flags for campus police, because the ROTC program does not offer individual classes, let alone for students not apart of the ROTC program. This is not a crime, but police are keeping an eye on this individual.
Suspicious Circumstance September 28
Police were called to Tawanka Hall for a verbal altercation where a female was petitioning for “De-escalate Washington,” where police would be required to take crisis management classes. Police explained to her that they already take crisis management classes, and that they are mandated by the state of Washington. The female did not know this, and the case was closed with no further action.
Illustration by Gail Powers for The Easterner
Harassment
Criminal Trespassing
Alcohol Violation
Alcohol Violation
On Thursday morning near Sutton Hall, a transgender student called police after a male said “I’m going to kill you,” while passing by. The student was not able to get a description of the male who said it, so police have no investigation to pursue.
Thursday afternoon, police were called to Showalter Hall after a professor noticed two students climbing up the building by his window. The students were on top of the building by the time police got there, and were arrested for trespassing.
Police were patrolling campus during the EWU football game, and noticed a young male drinking from a bottle in the Lot 18 parking lot. When police approached this individual, he denied that the cops saw anything and denied having any alcohol on him. The male, who police noticed was drunk and under the age of 21, finally confessed to police and was cited for Exhibiting the Effects of Alcohol in public.
Early Sunday morning, police noticed a woman in her car and asleep at the wheel outside of Dressler Hall. When the police officer approached the vehicle they noticed there was vomit just outside the passenger door. The woman woke up and told police she was waiting for a friend to drive her home because she knew she was too drunk to drive. She took a voluntary PBT test and was well over the legal limit, and under the age of 21. She was cited for Exhibiting the Effects of Alcohol in public.
September 28
September 28
Stalking
Harassment
A female student got in contact with campus police after she said somebody who she gave her number to would not stop harassing her. The harasser, who is not a student at EWU, would not stop texting her and continued to make unwanted sexual advances. Police say the case is closed with no further action.
A female student was leaving the Rec Center late Thursday afternoon, when she started to feel unsafe after a few males--potentially students--made sexually explicit comments and cat calls toward her. They continued to follow her to her dorm at snyamncut Hall, but were unable to get in after her. The case is closed.
September 28
September 28
September 30
October 1
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October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
A&E
Hump Day Concert Series: Ragtag Romantics Sam Jackson Staff Reporter Eagle Entertainment presents the Hump Day Concert Series featuring the local band, Ragtag Romantics, on Wednesday, Oct. 4. This is the second of three installments for this concert series. The event will be held at the Campus Mall area from 12-1 p.m. Eagle Entertainment is providing more than the live music; Izzy the camel will be making an appearance and there will also be free hot dogs. The entire event is free for students and faculty. Eagle Entertainment plans so far in advance for these events that they began outlining the fall affairs back in the spring.
“The previous Concerts Coordinator held this position for three years, some of the artists that she’s brought have been here multiple years before,” said Shelby Sherman, current Concerts Coordinator. “So, we already have a connection with the artists. Or we go to NACA, which is the National Association of Campus Activities, and we find artists there that are relatively in our price range.” The Ragtag Romantics band members are Beck Shepherd (vocals and trumpet), Tonya Ballan (vocals and keyboard), Kevin Cashion (trombone), Chase Howard (drums), and rotating members including Ash Madison and Zach Cohen (bass).
Local band Ragtag Romantics | Photo contributed by the Ragtag Romantics Facebook page
Some members of the band happen to be EWU alumni. “Tonya Ballman attended EWU, first through the Running Start program and then as a Piano Performance major,” according to the band. “Kevin Cashion attended
Local band Ragtag Romantic performing | Photo contributed by the Ragtag Romantics Facebook page
EWU as a Music Composition major, and Ash Madison has a BFA in bass performance from Eastern.” The Ragtag Romantics are not strangers when it comes to playing at EWU. “We won the 2016 EWU Battle of the Bands competition and since then, we’ve played several shows on campus including a set for the 2016 spring concert series and a performance at Last Blast 2017,” according to the band. The band’s music is a combination of five styles, fluid into a single musical adaptation of third wave ska, pop, funk, jazz, 1960s soul and R&B. “Our style is constantly evolving, but our main goal is to combine our diverse musical backgrounds to create bright, unique, and relatable music for listeners of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy,” said some of the band members. “We love our instruments and we love playing together, so anytime we get to practice or perform, it’s a party!” The band is looking forward to playing at EWU again. “It’s always a privilege to share our music with so many brilliant and unique people at once,” according to the band. “Our hope
is that we can help people set aside the stresses of university study for a bit, get into the moment, and have some fun!” To get involved with Eagle Entertainment and have a voice with their event planning, students are welcomed to join their Street Team. “We are setting up a meeting about the Street Team. Students can help out with our events by setting up, doing promos ... It’s a good way for students to get to know us and what we do,” said William Skinnell, Marketing and Promotions Coordinator. “Also, if they want to get a job with Eagle Entertainment, this would be a good way to transition into that.” For students interested in anything Eagle Entertainment related, their office is located in Sutton Hall room 110. •
8 | The Easterner
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
A&E
Resonate brings Hoedown to EWU students Amanda Haworth Chief Copy Editor When most people think of the word church, they think of a building or an institution. In reality, the church literally means the people. Resonate is all about connecting the community here at EWU together through faith and genuine friendship. Resonate started off the academic year holding their third annual hoedown for incoming freshman and anyone else who wanted to spend their Thursday evening swing dancing on the basketball court beside Dressler Hall. From 7-9 p.m., there was a DJ playing country music, decorative lights illuminating the court, and refreshments under the tent. Resonate began here at EWU three years ago but took root at
Washington State University over a decade ago. When asked about the hoedown as well as other Resonate events, Juan Cuevas, a WSU graduate, shared, “We want to be people who create alternative experiences for college students to engage with each other in really safe environments with people who actually care about them.” Claire Rich, a sophomore at EWU, first came to the hoedown her freshman year. “As a freshman, this was the first thing I was invited to at Resonate. It’s kind of just a party to welcome incoming freshman and everyone else back to school...we do one at the beginning of the year and one at the end...there is nothing in Resonate someone is not a member can’t go to.” The hoedown was not made possible three years ago without the Residential Life Coordinator of Dressler Hall at the time. “We met with one of the resident
advisors a couple years ago. We always help with move in day...We just kind of played around with the idea and she was like ‘yeah, that sounds like it would be really fun,” Alex Winslow, a student leader of Resonate, said. “It’s been around for about 10 years now. I think it’s a misconception that church is the building. But it’s in the Bible that church is just people...What it comes down to is we love Jesus... We let God decide our lives... We just really want students to belong,” said Winslow. “We want to be constantly thinking of new ideas for ways to serve and just help enhance students’ experiences and give college students the best time of their life while they’re here and help the university to thrive. We’ll try to do more fun things like big events like this so students can have something fun to do.” Resonate will be having more
Many students dancing at the Hoedown dance put on by Resonate | Amanda Haworth for The Easterner
Students dancing at Hoedown | Amanda Haworth for The Easterner events this year to look forward to. Some upcoming ones include the Halloween house party, the Christmas gala and the retreats in the winter and spring. Throughout the year there will be a lot more to expect from Resonate including weekly church services on Sunday, villages, and bar-b-ques. “Halloween is our next big push! We’ll throw a Halloween house party, probably really close to campus. Usually hundreds of students come through and it’s pretty fun,” Cuevas said. For those who may not know a lot about the church of Resonate, Matt Steltenpohl, a staff member of the church, described it as, “a community of people that rely on one another, love each other, and obviously since we’re a church, we desire for them to love God as well.” Resonate is a ministry on campus welcoming students and others in the community Juniors Jenny Peden (left) and Amanda Ballard (right) | Amanda Haworth for The Easterner
to genuine fellowship through church services and community events throughout the year. •
October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
EWU student represents
A&E
The Easterner | 9
Cheney at USA pageant Sam Jackson Staff Reporter EWU student, Ashané Davis, is competing for the Miss Washington USA pageant on Nov. 4 and representing the title of Miss Cheney USA. She is a junior, majoring in Psychology and double-minoring in Criminal Justice and Africana Studies. She currently works with behaviorally challenged, developmentally delayed and at risk youth. She really likes her line of work so far and wants to continue in that field after she graduates. The pageant will be held Nov. 4- 5 at The Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, Washington. Davis has an interview over the phone on Nov. 4 and the show begins on Nov. 5. “This is a wonderful opportunity for each contestant to improve upon her inner-personal life success and interview skills needed for today’s demanding goals and challenges,” according to the Miss Washington USA website. There are many reasons why she wants to compete, but Davis has specifically always had Ashané Davis an interest in pageants. “I want to make a difference and having that title is a great way to spread my message and implement my platforms,” said Davis. “I also like the glitz that comes along with it. Even as a little girl, I loved dressing up.” Contestants choose platforms pertaining to causes they care about. Davis’ first platform is ‘loving yourself’. “I want young ladies to know that they are beautiful and that selflove is important,” said Davis. “The slogan I use is, ‘Know your worth. Then add tax.’” This platform continues with Davis’ goal of being a role model. “I want to be the role model that young ladies look up to and think, she’s doing this and so can I,” said Davis. “My main goal is to inspire young ladies to do whatever their hearts desire. They just need to take the first step.” The other platform she is involved with is called GirlTrek, a nonprofit organization. GirlTrek is based out of Washington D.C. but has chapters all over the nation. She is working on bringing a chapter to EWU. “GirlTrek promotes the health and physical fitness of black women across the country,” said Davis. “GirlTrek encourages black women to get together and walk or get active for at least 30 minutes a day because when black women walk, things change.” This organization has over 112,000 members pledging to walk their neighborhood every Saturday promoting others to join as well. “Our mission is to pioneer a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles through walking campaigns, community leadership, and health advocacy,” according to the GirlTrek website. “Even if I don’t win I want to leave my mark, be an inspiration and get my message out,” said Davis. •
Top right corner: Pen and pencil dandelion drawn by Karen Simmons; Bottom right: Oil paiting done by Janet Wilbanks; Left side: pottery piece done by Kay Kingdom | Dayana Morales for The Easterner
Local artists show off at Cheney Library Dayana Morales Arts & Entertainment Editor
Three local Cheney residents will be presenting a free public art event on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Cheney Public Library. It will take place in the conference room from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Their original artwork and prints will be available along with live music by Dan and Andrea Vaughn. The local couple will be playing from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Oct. 28. Kay Kinghorn, Karen Simmons, and Janet Willbank’s art ranges from oil painting, pen and ink, to pottery. Willbanks began creating the oil paintings after she was inspired to become an oil painter the Christmas after she graduated high school. Her parents gave her a brand new set of oils that Christmas. “I jumped into the oils and never looked back,” Willbanks said. She has been doing oil painting on and off since high school. She became serious about oil painting within the last 15 years. “It was more of a hobby before. Then I decided that I needed to knuckle down and get with the program,”
Willbanks said. She chose oil painting because she loves the way the oils blend. “If you make a mistake you can easily cover it up,” said Willbanks. “Oil paintings tend to have a longer drying time, however it works well if you have a couple going at the same time because you always have something to work on.” Willbanks’ favorite thing about being an oil painter is the process of it. “When you paint, you sort of lose yourself, you get so absorbed in what you are doing that everything else goes away,” said Willbanks. “You kind of find yourself at a good place, very peaceful.” Simmons is the pen and ink artist. She also includes some colored pencil art. She has explored watercolor but she usually prefers ink. She retired three years ago once she got into this kind of art. It began from the lessons she would receive from a former art instructor she knew. She just wanted to see if she could do it and went for it. She had a pencil and pen with her on her first lesson so that’s what she used. Simmons likes the challenge of pen and ink drawings. “I like to see if I can do it, to look at something and say can I really make that happen with a pen,” said Simmons. “I am just dipping my toe in the pond.” •
10 | The Easterner
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Events
Courtesy of Pixabay Courtesy of Pixabay
World Party
What is it: A showcase of a wide range of performances from all over the world. The event will feature singers and dancers. There will also be food and info booths with activities to help you learn about different countries and cultures. When: Thursday, Oct. 5 Time: 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Where: Campus Mall
Pizza on the porch What is it: Pizza with Star Search finalist along side performances and your chance to vote for 2017 Oktoberfest Star Search winner. When: Wednesday, Oct. 11 Time: 11 a.m. - the pizza runs out Where: JFK Library
The Easterner Archives Courtesy of Pixabay
Hump Day Concert Series What is it: Eagle Entertainment celebrates the middle of the week with friends, food and live music. When: Every Wednesday Time: Noon-1 p.m. Where: PUB Mall
Courtesy of Nate Jackson’s YouTube page
Comedian Nate Jackson What is it: A comedy show performed by former EWU student Nate Jackson. When: Friday, Oct. 13 Time: 7 p.m. Where: Showalter Auditorium
Courtesy of Pixabay
Oktoberfest
Mt. Spokane mountain bike
What is it: Buffet-style themed meal, beer and wine tasting from the region’s best brewers and vinters. Chance to participate in live silent auctions. When: Satuday. Oct. 28 Time: 5 - 10 p.m. Where: JFK Library
What is it: EPIC adventure day trips. It is a guided tour with shuttle service, bike rental, food, guides, and transportation When: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 - 29 Cost: $5
The Easterner | 11
October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
Entertainment
EDITORS’ PICKS
Comic of the Week
App: brainHQ I first heard about this app after a few news articles came out saying Tom Brady has been using this for over four years now, and he seems to be performing pretty well. For about 20 minutes a day, you do a couple of different games that test things such as your listening skills, or the speed in which you can make decisions. This is the only “brain training” app to be designed by neuroscientists and have studies done to prove it’s effectiveness. I wrote this piece in about 12 seconds, so that’s how I know it is working. (Josh Fletcher) Courtesy of BrainHQ.
Album: “The Hand That Thieves” Toh Kay, the side project by Streetlight Manifesto frontman Tomas Kalnoky, delivers soulful acoustic performances of original songs. His album “The Hand That Thieves,” released in 2013, is the companion album to Streetlight’s “The Hands That Thieve,” mirroring songs with a calmer, more emotional tempo and performed with an intimacy (and slight lyrical tweaks) that, when compared to the Courtesy of Toh Kay Streetlight versions, demonstrates Kalnoky’s range as a songwriter and performing artist. While not typical fare for many music-lovers, fans of acoustic originals will certainly enjoy Kalnoky’s dulcet tones and clever lyrics. (Andrew Watson)
TV Show: “Grey’s Anatomy” Grey’s Anatomy is an American medical drama television series that air’s on ABC every Thursday night at 8 p.m. The series is all about fictional lives of surgical interns, residents, and attending physicians, as they evolve into doctors while of course also trying to maintain personal lives and relationships. This last Thursday was the season premiere of their 14th Courtesy of ABC season. Fourteen seasons may seem boring, but after shedding a few tears after the first episode, I can assure you it is far from it. (Dayana Morales)
Andrew Watson for The Easterner
FREAKY FRESH! FREAKY FAST! ™
WE DELIVER! VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU
12 | The Easterner
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Opinion
EDITORIAL
America the silent The Easterner
Editorial Board In the late hours of Oct. 1 on the Las Vegas Strip, a 64-year-old man began shooting from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. He would continue firing for nearly 11 minutes, before law enforcement located him, and he committed suicide. At least 59 people were killed and over 500 were injured, the majority of which were attending the Route 91 Harvest, a three-day outdoor country music festival. In the direct aftermath of a tragedy like this, politicians will urge citizens to mourn for the victims, and send out thoughts and prayers. Don’t get me wrong—thoughts and prayers are important. These victims and their families will never be the same after such a horrific event. But thoughts and prayers are not what we need most, but rather something to actually change. Because the gun toll on America is simply too massive. In 2014, 11,961 Americans were killed in gunshot homicides, according to the F.B.I. That means the death rate from such homicides is 31 per million people. In all, 27 people are shot dead every day in the U.S. For reference: In Germany, the death rate from gun homicides is two per million people, or as common as being killed by a falling object in the United States. To take it a step further: If we were to wait the proper amount of time to mourn, we’d never get anything done. The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as incidents where three or more people were shot, regardless if
anyone was killed or not. So far there have been 274 days in 2017, and 273 mass shootings. The worst part of the Las Vegas tragedy is the frequency. The most fatal mass shootings in modern US history are: Sandy Hook (2012), Virginia Tech (2007), Orlando (2016) and Las Vegas (2017). As college-age students, that means we have been alive for our country’s four worst mass shootings. That is horrifying. In a way, though, they’re starting to feel a bit normal. And that’s not okay. Gun homicides aren’t supposed to be commonplace. But in America, they are. When a tragedy like this occurs, the response from citizens is to tell each other “not to politicize” the event. This needs to stop. For some, when politics is brought up, an image of talking heads arguing nonsensically comes to mind. But we need to stop using “politicizing” as some sort of slur. Merriam-Webster defines “politics” as “the activities, actions and policies that are used to gain and hold power in a government.” Instead of thoughts and prayers, politicians should be focused on making definitive action. And citizens need to ensure their politicians do so. Politics are precisely what have and will enact change. And there is a question that we all need to be asking ourselves — why is America the only Western nation with this problem of mass shootings? Times like these are when we need to unite, not divide. By merely giving thoughts and prayers, we are doing our country a major disservice. Yes, we should mourn. But we also need to act.
Witnesses of the shooting in Las Vegas walk to the hospital to try and find information on a friend | Photo courtesy of Gregory Bull/AP
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October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
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Sports
Women’s soccer whacks Southern Utah, 4-0 Jeremy Burnham Staff Reporter
EWU women’s soccer added another Big Sky Conference victory on Sunday afternoon, as they defeated Southern Utah University 4-0. Their record now stands at 8-4-1 overall, and 2-0-1 in BSC play. If one were to look at one statistic to tell the story of this match, it would be shots. The Eagles outshot SUU 30-5, controlling the ball for the majority of the game. Of the team’s 30 shots, 13 of
them were on goal. Meanwhile, SUU was able to manage only two shots on goal. SUU’s defense was overwhelmed by EWU’s offensive firepower from the opening kick-off. Senior forward Chloe Williams and junior midfielder Allison Raniere each had a goal for EWU. Junior midfielder Jenny Chavez added two goals in the victory. For Williams, the goal was the 38th of her career, which moves her within one goal of the all-time BSC record. The current record is held by former Idaho State forward Amanda Ellsworth. Williams has already broken Ellsworth’s record
Senior forward Chloe Williams prepares to kick against Southern Utah University on Oct. 1| Jeremy Burnham for The Easterner
Sophomore forward Brooke Dunbar keeps her focus against SUU on Oct. 1 | Jeremy Burnham for The Easterner
for points. Securing the goal record would add the finishing touches to what has already been an illustrious career for the player out of Spokane, Washington. EWU head coach Chad Bodnar realizes how important his senior forward is to the team. “Chloe is a special player,” said Bodnar. “She has done very well over her three and a half years here. I know she just hopes we can keep moving forward and be successful as a team. She’s scored a lot of goals and is definitely someone we are going to miss.” Another highlight of the game was senior defender M’Kenna Hayes earning her first career point with an assist on Chavez’s first goal. Hayes, in her fourth season as an Eagle, came very close to scoring her own goal in the first half, but her shot was just a bit high. Earning an assist instead of a goal was just fine with
her. “I wanted the first half goal, but an assist is great too,” said Hayes. “Just helping my teammates get more points was awesome.” The win wrapped up a 5-1-1 home stand for the Eagles. They now prepare to head to North Dakota on Oct. 6 for their first away game since Sept. 3. In other women’s soccer news, EWU honored one of their former greats. Tiera Como-Irby, EWU’s goalkeeper from 2003 to 2006, was inducted into the Eastern Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday morning. She was a two-time BSC defensive player of the year, and helped the Eagles win their first ever BSC championship in 2006. Returning to Cheney was special for Como-Irby. “It’s crazy being back here, because it’s been a while. My coach f lew in from Ohio, so it was awesome she came back for this,” Como-Irby said.
“We had such a good team in 2006, it just all clicked and came together.” Bodnar, the current head coach, was in attendance as Tiera ComoIrby was inducted. He hopes other players follow in her footsteps. “She’s the first one, and that’s a great thing for our program,” said Bodnar. “Being a two-time defensive player of the year, she was obviously a great player for their team. Hopefully moving forward we have a few more players going into the Hall of Fame.” EWU’s next home match is against Portland State University on Friday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. Admission is free. •
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Sports
Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Junior quarterback Gage Gubrud receives a snap during EWU’s win against Sacramento State. Gubrud was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week for the third straight week | Mckenzie Ford for The Easterner
No. 8 Eagles thump the Hornets, improve to 2-0 in Big Sky play Michael Brock Sports Editor
Sophomore wide receiver Dre’ Sonte Dorton | Mckenzie Ford for The Easterner
As EWU football’s sophomore running back Antoine Custer Jr. stood in the makeshift postgame interview area at Roos Field on Saturday, he uttered a simple yet irrefutable statement. “[It] always feels good to win on The Red.” Roos Field. The Red. The Inferno. No matter the title it’s given, the testament remains the same. It always feels good to win on The Red. On Saturday afternoon, the Eagles did just that. In the first Big Sky Conference home game of the
season, the EWU Eagles clobbered the Sacramento State University Hornets, 52-31. Let’s break it down. After the defense forced Sacramento State into an early punt, junior quarterback Gage Gubrud completed a reception to sophomore wide receiver Jayson Williams, who maneuvered 59 yards to the Hornets’ 11-yard line. A couple short passes, including the six-yard touchdown to redshirt freshman tight end Talolo LimuJones made it 7-0 Eagles. The fiveplay, 73-yard drive took just 1:22. But they were just getting started. On the next EWU possession, Gubrud lateraled to junior running back Sam McPherson, who threw
it across the field back to Gubrud, who used his blockers to take it 43 yards to the house. 14-0, Eagles. Just like that. The Hornets had to punt again and the Eagles humming offense took over. Gubrud threaded the defense for a couple more completions before Custer took a pass 33 yards for another touchdown and the 21-0 lead with 2:20 left in the quarter. However, Sacramento State had no intentions of getting shut out. After averaging just 15.7 yards on their first three drives, junior quarterback Kevin Thomson led the Hornets on a five-play, 75-yard drive that made it 21-7 to end the first
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October 4, 2017 | Volume 101, Issue 03
Sports quarter. Still, it was all EWU at this point as they had already totaled 271 yards. Then the teams switched ends. The Eagles next three possessions went as follows: senior kicker Roldan Alcobendas missed a 32-yard field goal, punt, punt. In the meantime, Sacramento State knocked in a 39-yard field goal and scored a touchdown to close the gap to 21-17. Granted with prime field position, the Hornets were threatening again. But the Eagles defense stepped up, forcing their opposition into a field goal try. And luck was finally back on their side as Sacramento State’s junior kicker Devon Medeiros missed the 22-yard field goal wide right. EWU had to punt again, but the defense held strong and forced their first three-and-out in what felt like forever. That gave Gubrud 1:16 remaining in the half to go 76 yards. He only needed a minute. A 17-yard Custer catch gave the Eagles first and goal and junior wide receiver Zach Eagle’s fouryard reception made it 28-17 just before the half. After two quarters of play, the Eagles had 360 total yards, but just 89 in the second quarter. Seventy-six of those came in the final drive. Sacramento State had 33 rushing attempts for 207 yards in the half, while EWU had 10 for negative three yards. Gubrud was 22-30 passing for 320 yards and three touchdowns. On the first possession of the second half, the Eagles took it 75 yards, capped off by a three-yard touchdown run from Custer, to seize the 35-17 lead. Head coach Aaron Best, for one, liked the team’s resiliency after the brief lull in the second quarter. “We scored late in the second quarter and got on the board again to start the third quarter on our first drive,” said Best. “That’s what Eastern football is about and will always be about.” After a couple empty possessions, Sacramento State’s Thomson faked a
handoff, kept it himself and took it 54 yards for the score to make it 35-24. But sophomore wide receiver Dre’ Sonte Dorton returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards, McPherson broke off a 38-yard run and junior wide receiver Nsimba Webster capped the drive off with a 13-yard touchdown catch to put the score out of reach. A week after throwing for a school record 549 yards, Gubrud put up another stellar stat line. The reining co-offensive Big Sky MVP finished with 447 yards on 35-50 passing and five touchdowns. To top it off, he also added a 43-yard touchdown reception. Custer ended up with 196 total yards and two touchdowns, including 81 rushing yards and five catches for 115 yards. Webster had eight receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown, while senior wide receiver Nic Sblendorio had seven catches for 69 yards. In all, Gubrud had touchdowns to five different receivers. On defense, junior defensive end Keenan Williams had 10 tackles (three solo), while senior defensive end Albert Havili finished with nine tackles (four solo) and junior safety Mitch Fettig had eight tackles (three solo). Senior safety Jake Hoffman picked off a Thomson pass in the third quarter. With the win, the Eagles move to 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. EWU football will travel to Davis, California next Saturday, Oct. 7 to take on UC Davis. “This team knows what it takes to win. We’ve done it three times now, but we don’t want to change up the script too much,” Best said following the game. “We’re in a groove and we want to stay in the groove. We’re going to be on the road, so we have to get in our road manner and mind frame.” •
Andrew Watson for The Easterner
“[It] always feels good to win on The Red.” Sophomore running back Antoine Custer Jr.
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Volume 101, Issue 03 | October 4, 2017
Sports
1992 football team among those inducted into 2017 EWU Hall of Fame class Jeremy Burnham Staff Reporter
While EWU’s current football team was preparing for their would-be victory over Sacramento State University on Saturday, the school took some time to honor some of their winners of the past. On Saturday morning, one team and five individuals were inducted into the Eastern Washington University Athletics Hall of Fame. The football program was highly represented in the Induction Class of 2017. Wide receiver Jackie Kellogg and defensive back Tony Brooks were enshrined as individuals, while their 1992 squad was inducted as a team. Kellogg and Brooks grew up playing for rival high schools. By their senior year, they had become friends. Then they attended EWU together. Their friendship continued long past their playing days, and on Saturday, they joined the Hall of Fame. Like so many other things in their lives, they did it together. As Kellogg tells it, the fact that they were both offered opportunities at EWU played into their decision to come to Cheney. “Tony and I came in from Tacoma together,” said Tiera ComoIrby, standout goalkeeper, was inducted into the EWU Hall of Fame | Jeremy Burnham for The Easterner
Kellogg. “In our senior season of high school, we started talking about where we wanted to go. Eastern was one of the schools giving us the opportunity to come out and play. So we said, look, let’s go to Eastern together.” Brooks says their friendship continued while playing at EWU. “The summer before we came here, we begin practicing together. And from that, we became roommates here at college, and we built a really strong friendship,” Brooks said. Kellogg is grateful to EWU for inducting the two together, while also inducting the rest of the 1992 team. “The school did a really good job with how they did it this year. Putting us in together, two guys from Tacoma,” Kellogg said. “We were always together. To be able to go in with Tony, and the ‘92 team, that makes it even more special, because we could not have done it without the ‘92 team.” The 1992 team was the first EWU football team to win a Big Sky Conference championship. Since then, the program has won eight more. It was their first conference championship since 1969, and their first ever at the Division 1 FCS level. Their final victory of the season was against Boise State
Tony Brooks and Jackie Kellogg with athletic director Bill Chaves| Jeremy Burnham for The Easterner University, clinching the championship. The 1992 team was coached by Dick Zornes, who is remembered as a tough coach by his team. “Coach Zornes is one of the toughest, hardest nosed coaches I have ever been around,” said Brooks. “He will drag greatness out of you, kicking and screaming if he has to.” For running back Harold Wright, coming home meant more than returning to where he played football. “I met my wife here,” said
Wright. “I actually lived on the floor where I met my wife. And now my son goes here. It was a great opportunity to not just learn to play football, but to get an education and get married.” Does Wright have any advice for students at EWU right now? “Just enjoy it. Be present. Don’t look at the next step,” Wright said. “I mean, you’re always going to have that in mind. But make sure you enjoy the time you are in now, because it goes so quick.” Other inductees included basketball players Ronn McMahon and Fay Zwarych-Shaw as well as soccer goalkeeper Tiera Como-Irby. Como-Irby, who graduated in 2007, was a two-time BSC defensive player of the year. She was part of EWU’s first women’s soccer team to win a BSC championship, and is the first soccer player in the Hall of Fame. In 1990, McMahon set the school record with 130 steals averaging 4.48 a game. Zwarych-Shaw scored 509 points in 1983, a school record. She graduated from EWU in 1984, and has not been back to Cheney since. Until today. “It’s been 33 years since I have been here. I drove into town last night. There’s a hotel here now. And traffic lights,” Zwarych-Shaw said. “It’s wonderful to see the campus again. But walking into Reese Court here this morning, it felt like I never left.” •