January 14, 2021

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

THURSDAY • JANUARY 14, 2021

ASSOCIATED PRESS President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House for a historic second time, charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the U.S. Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office.

With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent proTrump loyalists stormed the Capitol, egged on by the president’s calls for them to “fight like hell” against the election results.

Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration Jan. 20.

Trump is the only U.S. president to be twice impeached. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998.

The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nation’s history of peaceful transfers of power. The riot also forced a reckoning among some Republicans, who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi implored lawmakers to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign “and domestic.”

Students Reflect on Businesses Reopening Amidst Pandemic

By ASHLEY OPINA Staff Writer

As the clock struck midnight on December 31 of 2020, many let out a sigh of relief and welcomed the new year with open arms.

The start of a new year does not mean that the problems of the previous one will suddenly disappear, but many cling to hope that 2021 will be better than its predecessor.

Among those people are the ones that work at restaurants, as their industry has suffered in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Many of them were left with less scheduled hours, or even jobless, as restaurants across the nation were instructed to close their dine-in options in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

As a result, some restaurants were forced into bankruptcy, and their employees cut their losses.

The restaurants that were lucky enough to get by were forced to reduce their staff and alter their work environment all together which affected everyone on their payroll.

Now, restaurants are back in business and their employees have much to say on the

File photo

Trump Impeached, Again, after Capitol Riot

Rounders, and other local restaurants have now opened back up after Gov. Walz’s new orders, loosening restrictions on restaurants.

matter.

One in particular is Kitara Krueger, a senior at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Krueger works at The Tavern Grill located in Woodbury, Minn. as a front-ofhouse server.

“I couldn’t find a job for the life of me right when the restaurants first reopened back in June,” said Krueger.

“I finally scored a job in Au-

gust and have been there ever since.”

She was asked about her experience working in a restaurant during a pandemic, and her response was detailed.

“The Tavern Grill prides themselves on their so-called work cycle,” said Krueger.

“They really grind it into their employees brains to work as a team.”

By this, Krueger meant

that all employees are taught that they are responsible for a handful of tasks in order to keep everything running smoothly, such as delivering food and beverages to other servers’ tables rather than just their own.

“We have to present ourselves as polished casual dining,” said Krueger.

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University’s Response to Summer Ransomware Attack

By JULIA BARTON Staff Writer

A ransomware cyber attack at a South Carolina-based data management company resulted in the loss of private information from Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Foundation.

The MSU Foundation had contracted with Blackbaud, a company that was hit with ransomware attacks between February and May. The company notified MSU of the breach in July, and MSU notified the university community of the breach in December.

The MSU Foundation used Blackbaud to store fundraising information.

The cyber criminal who hacked Blackbaud’s system attempted to lock the users information and data until a ransom was paid. Accord-

IN THIS STUDENT GOV ISSUE: MEETING

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2

File photo

ing to a statement issued by the university, breached MSU Foundation data may have included: country of birth, gender, last four digits of social security number, marital status, birth date, TechID, high school and years of attendance, ethnicity, and status

MAVERICKS TO TAKE ON LAKERS

as a first-generation college student, contact information, dates of birth, demographic data, philanthropic interests and donation history.

“We take this very seriously and have spent months investigating this and making sure we knew what exactly was af-

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fected,” Michael Menne, chief information security officer at the University stated.

Blackbaud said it had regained access to the breached data after paying the ransom to the attackers. Blackbaud also stated it had the cyber attackers remove the information stolen from them with a strong belief they have no reason to believe that any of the data breached went further than this specific incident and cyber criminal.

Current students and those who had graduated in the fall semester of 2020 were not affected.

Thomas Shelby, a freshman at MNSU, said, “Cyber attacks can be so dangerous especially now with everyone putting their information onto

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GOOD THUNDER RETURNS

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

Thursday, January 14, 2021

PAUL SANCYA • Associated Press

Flint Families Welcome Water Student Gov Holds first Meeting of Semester Crisis Charges, seek Healing

ASSOCIATED PRESS “I literally could have cried,” said Hawk, sitting in her car after learning former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and others in his administration were expected to be charged in a water crisis blamed with causing learning disabilities in scores of children and other medical problems among adults in the majority Black city about 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.

Her son, Sincere Smith, was 2 years old when Hawk noticed something wasn’t right with the family’s tap water. Sometimes the water they drank and used for cooking and bathing was discolored.

COVID

More concerning was when it gushed out brown.

It wasn’t just her home, but all across the former manufacturing hub that for decades had turned out some of the best cars and trucks produced

by U.S. automakers.

Residents had been complaining about the discolored discharge as early as 2014 after the financially strapped city — while under state oversight — switched from water pumped from Detroit to the Flint River to save money.

State and some city officials insisted the water was safe to use — until a group of doctors in September 2015 urged Flint to change its water source after finding high levels of lead in children’s blood.

Continued from page 1

“So when COVID-19 hit, they [the restaurant] immediately made sure that the team went above and beyond to follow FDA protocols.”

According to Krueger, The Tavern Grill puts the safety of their guests and their employees first.

“We [as employees] are required to wear gloves and change them out consistently,” said Krueger. “We are also required to wear masks, wash our hands frequently, disinfect surfaces, and make sure that tables and guests are socially distanced.”

The Tavern Grill also installed around 10 FDA air purifiers in the front and back of the restaurant in all of their locations.

Krueger said that she feels a great deal of pride in working at a place that takes COVID-19 seriously.

The only downside was becoming unemployed when restaurants in the state were instructed to close.

“I filed for unemployment in March which didn’t feel right at only 21 years old,” said Krueger. “During the second shutdown, I didn’t file again due to tax reasons and just toughed it out.”

Krueger added that although it was a struggle for

her, she was grateful that she only had herself to worry about.

“There are family members and friends that I know that have children, a mortgage, or a business to run that had more to worry about than I did,” Krueger said.

When asked how she felt about the reopening of restaurants, Krueger said, “I’m actually not that excited about it.

I want everything to go back to normal just as much as the next person, but I really do think that some people are acting selfish.”

She said that she had witnessed many people in other restaurants disregarding the pandemic and she worried that another peak in COVID-19 cases would result from it.

Krueger also said that she agreed with the Minn. State Governor, Tim Walz, on shutting the state down to help ease the burden of healthcare workers, especially during the holidays and flu season.

“Just stay home and party with your quarantine crew,” was Kruegers advice.

In contrast, Cameryn White, a junior at MNSU, shared her opposite experience and differing opinion.

COVID page 3

File photo

Ariana Hawk is shown at the Flint River in Flint, Mich., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

By BAILEY BRENDEL Staff Writer The Minnesota State University, Mankato Student Government held their first meeting of the semester Wednesday, Jan. 13. After roll call, they called up presentations.

The first to present was Cynthia Janney on the room and board rates for the 20212022 school year. In her presentation she brought up the costs of this past year with a net COVID-19 cost of $2.9 million due to Thanksgiving break refunds and Spring semester contract releases.

After Janney talked about this past year, she discussed the budget and room and board rates moving into next year, and said they are still in the processing information for the next year’s confirmed rates.

The next presentation was from Henry Morris on the Maverick food pantry. Located in the Carkoski Commons just down the hall from the Student Health Services on campus, the Maverick food pantry allows students who might be struggling with food

insecurity and helps to combat that.

This service allows students to come in once a week to pick up food from the pantry. The pantry is currently looking for more ways to minimize the costs of the service and for more ways they can give to students through this program.

The next presentation was from Alexandra Kearly and McKenna Hogan on the Student Ambassador program. In their presentation they talked about encouraging students to join the program for numerous reasons.

Kearly and Hogan talked about how the program includes a diverse group of students who are positive about their experiences at MNSU. Some benefits students in this program are able to receive include 20% off textbooks, 50% off at the bullpen, and many more.

If you are interested in joining, be sure to fill out the application on the Engage website.

After presentations, the meeting moved to an open forum.

Assistant CIO for Academ-

ic Technology Matthew Clay talked about FlexSync classes and how the University is working on updating more classes to fit the FlexSync format. This in turn will help students stay safe while still getting the education they deserve.

Dean of Students and Residential Life Director Cynthia Janney talked about updates that were made to the internet connection in the residential buildings, following issues in the past semester.

Lastly, Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management David Jones talked about COVID-19 updates and how they are hoping for the vaccine for health care workers and at risk people on campus first in late March and early April.

A Senator position for the College of Allied Health and Nursing as well as two new Residential Life Senators and an Off-Campus senator position is open! If interested check out the Student Government Engage page.

The meeting of the Student Government concluded after all topics were discussed.

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E N D TS! U T S

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Calls to Reopen Classrooms Grow as Teachers get Vaccinated

ASHLEE REZIN • Chicago Sun-Times/Associated Press A pre-kindergarten student washes his hands at Dawes Elementary in Chicago, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Chicago Public Schools students began their return to the classroom Monday as school doors opened to thousands of pre-kindergarten and some special education students after going remote last March due to the pandemic.

ASSOCIATED PRESS State leaders around the U.S. are increasingly pushing for schools to reopen this winter — pressuring them, even — as teachers begin to gain access to the vaccine against the raging pandemic.

Ohio’s governor offered to give vaccinations to teachers at the start of February, provided their school districts agree to resume at least some in-person instruction by March 1. In Arizona, where teachers began receiving shots this week, the governor warned schools that he expects students back in the classroom despite objections from top education officials and the highest COVID-19 diagnosis rate in the nation over the past week.

“We will not be funding empty seats or allowing schools to remain in a perpetual state of closure,” said Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

“Children still need to learn, even in a pandemic.”

The U.S. recorded an alltime, one-day high of 4,327 deaths on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The nation’s overall death toll from COVID-19 has topped 380,000, closing in fast on the number of Americans killed

BREACH

in World War II. Confirmed infections have reached about 23 million.

President-elect Joe Biden initially pledged to reopen a majority of the nation’s schools in his first 100 days but recently revised the goal to most of the country’s K-8 schools. He has said teachers should be eligible for vaccinations as soon as possible after those who are at highest risk.

Meika Mark, a ninth-grade English teacher in Orange County, New York, got vaccinated Tuesday at a hospital, using a link a friend texted her.

“It’s just word of mouth: ‘Here’s a link and hopefully you get a slot,’” said Mark, who contracted the virus in March and spent the rest of the school year teaching remotely. “I know of a woman who had her husband sit in front of a computer literally all day and just click the refresh button until an appointment came up.”

Mark, 34, is now doing some in-person teaching and is grateful for the added layer of protection.

An estimated 10.3 million Americans have received their first shot of the vaccine.

Continued from page 1

the internet through social media and other forms.”

“I think anonymous hackers are the most dangerous because no one knows the purpose and intentions of what they want,” Ahmed Abbasi, freshman at MNSU stated.

Information that may have been taken is information that is mostly available to the public already such as phone numbers, email, address, and name. The only private non-public data that may have been leaked is date of birth.

“Social security numbers and banking information were not contained within the breached Blackbaud sys-

tem. Therefore, we can confirm that your social security number, credit card or bank account information were not breached,” stated under the Blackbaud Security Incident on the MNSU website.

MNSU continues to work with Blackbaud to ensure the safety of the Foundation’s data security and privacy in hope these types of incidents will remain limited or not at all.

MNSU was not the only Minnesota state college affected by this data breach.

South Central College was also part of the ransomware data breach.

News

MSU Reporter • 3

COVID

Continued from page 2 White is a server at Rounders, a sports bar and grill located just five minutes off campus.

“I’ve been working at Rounders since the summer of 2019,” said White. “I was hired as a server but I also did food runs and hosted from time to time.”

In the summer of 2020, White was promoted as a bartender.

“I would say I spend equal time serving and bartending at the moment,” said White.

She was also asked to share her experience working in a restaurant during a pandemic, but hers was not as good as Kruegers.

“Working during COVID-19 has not been fun,” said White.

Unfortunately for White, a former coworker of hers tested positive for the virus.

“We found this information out through a video posted on Facebook by that former employee,” said White. “This took place back in March last year when COVID-19 cases were first being heard of in Mankato.”

According to White, when news spread of a former employee of Rounders testing positive for COVID-19, the restaurant, along with the rest of the town, went into a frenzy.

“As soon as staff members, the manager, and the owner were notified, we shut the restaurant down,” said White.

The entire staff was encouraged to get tested for the virus, and those that made possible

contact with the former employee that tested positive were required to quarantine themselves before returning to work.

Rounders also took the necessary precautions before opening back up by bringing in sanitizing equipment and implementing new rules in order to keep their guests and employees safe.

“Once we were able to open back up again, every employee had to wear a mask and practice social distancing,” said White.

White continued on to say that, “Even though everyone at Rounders reacted to the situation the best they could, the media still had a lot of negative things to say about us.”

When asked to elaborate, White said, “Any person who tested positive for COVID-19 immediately reported that they caught the virus from Rounders which gave us a bad reputation in town.”

White recalls even being afraid to tell people that she worked at Rounders because The Mankato Free Press and The Star Tribune published stories about COVID-19 being linked to her place of work.

“Following all the drama with the media came the closure of bars and restaurants which was hard on us,” said White. “Even after the closure ended and we opened back up, Rounders hasn’t been the same.”

The once popular and bustling bar has gone quiet, and sales have been down ever since.

“It’s only gotten worse since Gov. Walz imposed stricter regulations,” said White.

“I blame COVID-19 for all of it.”

Not only did Rounders take a hit, but White did as well.

“Less customers means less money for the business,” said White. “That means less hours and less tips for the workers like me.”

A decrease in White’s income means an increase in her stress levels.

“I’m an aviation major and it’s not cheap,” said White.

“It’s been hard for me to support my living and education costs.”

White, being an extrovert, also enjoyed the social aspects of her job. Without it, her social outlets have decreased as well.

“Being stuck in the house with no job, income, or socialization has definitely had a negative effect on my well-being,” said White.

When asked how she felt about the reopening of restaurants, White was all for it.

White believes that the closure of restaurants hurts those that work in the industry more than it does by remaining open.

“There are many people who are employed in the restaurant business,” said White. “A lot of them are college kids who already face financial struggles.”

She also believes that it should be left up to the individual to decide what’s best for them.

“Those that aren’t comfortable going to restaurants at this time can stay home,” said White. “The restaurant itself shouldn’t have to close its door.”

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4 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, January 14, 2021

FALL 2020 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN

Peterson: Which Zodiac Sun Signs Don’t Pass the Vibe Check

maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Opinion

By JENNA PETERSON News Director Astrology is one of the many things where people either think it’s completely fake or completely true. I am one of the many people who will judge others based on their zodiac signs and will hold severe and genuine grudges for no other reason than their star chart.

As an astrology “expert” who has gained an immense amount of knowledge within the past year, I can confirm with every fiber of my being that my opinions on this subjective matter are objective facts.

To stay on a broader spectrum, I’ll be observing only the sun aspect of one’s zodiac lineup. The sun sign is what makes up one’s identity and personality. This is the sign most people associate themselves with, since it’s the one based on your birthday.

Beginning with friendship, Virgos are people I typically don’t want to spend too much time with. They tend to look down on other people and will always believe they’re in the right, there’s no convincing them they’re not. While they might seem to have the best intentions in mind they will always drop others the second they’re no longer needed. Virgos are also the sign I see to be the most fake.

Sagittarius people can go either way for me, they can either be really great or really terrible, there’s no inbetween.

When expressing their feelings they can come off as harsh and

NEWS DIRECTOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Daniel McElroy daniel.mcelroy@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Anna Lillie 507-389-1063 anna.lillie@mnsu.edu Logan Larock 507-389-5453 logan.larock@mnsu.edu Photo courtesy of Flickr

rude when really they’re just being straightforward. They’re not afraid to tell it how it is even if it means hurting other people’s feelings. The Sagittarius sign can also be strong willed for what they believe in.

Rounding up my strong thoughts on zodiac signs, Leos can be great friends to hype you up and make you believe in yourself. With their all too common god complex, they truly don’t care much about other people’s opinions or expectations. Leos will know their self-worth and make sure you know yours as well.

Their adventurous personality makes for a great friendship.

On a relationship aspect, Leos can also be the worst.

Their large ego can make them feel invincible and take actions they may later regret. Leos will also put themselves first, which isn’t a bad thing, but can also harm other people without realizing it (or maybe they do and just don’t care enough).

Another zodiac sign I hold some strong feelings to are Aquarius. People who have this sun sign are typically seen as creative and idealists, which is true in a sense. I’ve had both friendship and romantic encounters with this sign, but both fell through for the right reasons. This sign is stubborn and unpredictable, leaving others unknown to what can happen.

It wouldn’t be right for me

to bash other zodiac signs without criticizing myself, so here’s what I think about Libras, which is my sun sign.

We are known as the peacekeepers within the zodiac, but when someone wrongs us we will strive for revenge.

Libras are also way too indecisive, so who knows if that planned revenge will actually fall through. As much as I’d like to deny it, Libras are also abrupt liars, making it difficult to know when they’re being truthful.

This is only a light insight to the zodiac signs and to not be taken too seriously. Each sign holds their own unique aspects and balance each other with their differing traits.

“Do you let people’s Zodiac sign influence your perception of them?”

Compiled by Kjerstin Hall

ABUZAR IQBAL, SENIOR “No, because I don’t believe in horoscopes.”

TYANNA WASHA, SENIOR

LAUREN GOTH, JUNIOR

KOLBE O’BRIEN , SENIOR

SARAH JOHANSEN, JUNIOR

“No, I don’t follow zodiac signs.”

“No, I know my own sign but I don’t know anyone else’s or what they mean.”

“No. I don’t even know what my zodiac sign is.”

“No, I do not. I know my own and a few of my friends but that’s it.”

Baylee Sorensen 507-389-5097 baylee.sorensen@mnsu.edu Olivia Haefner 507-389-1079 olivia.haefner@mnsu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

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

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

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

Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.

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

Thursday, January 14, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Uber, Lyft Drivers Sue over California Ballot Measure ASSOCIATED PRESS “Prop. 22 doesn’t just fail our state rideshare drivers, it fails the basic test of following our state constitution,” said Bob Schoonover of the Service Employees International Union. “The law as written by Uber and Lyft denies drivers rights under the law in California and makes it nearly impossible for lawmakers to fix these problems.”

Drivers bringing the lawsuit have several hurdles to clear, but their arguments are compelling, said Mary-Beth Moylan, associate dean of McGeorge Law School in Sacramento.

The first challenge is getting the California Supreme Court to take the case instead of kicking it to lower courts to weigh the facts, which could delay the case for years. To do so, the high court would have to find the arguments are legal, not factual, and there is urgency to decide the issue, Moylan said.

The second challenge is that courts have generally granted

DAMIAN DOVARGANES • Associated Press Travelers request an Uber ride Aug. 20, 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport’s LAX-it pick up terminal. Drivers for app-based ride-hailing and delivery services are suing to overturn a California ballot initiative that makes them independent contractors instead of employees eligible for benefits and job protections.

broad deference to voters to pass such initiatives.

“Generally speaking, courts in California don’t like to overturn the will of the

people,” Moylan said. “But the petitioners’ claim is that the people did not really have the power to do what they did.

There are instances where the

California courts have come in and said ... it’s nice that this is what the people wanted to do, but our constitution doesn’t permit the people to do this.”

The lawsuit is the latest round in the high-stakes fight between labor and the titans of the gig economy, all based in San Francisco.

Proposition 22 was written

by Uber and Lyft and supported by DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart to challenge the landmark labor law AB5 passed by Democrats in 2019.

The law expanded a California Supreme Court ruling that limited businesses from classifying certain workers as independent contractors.

The measure granted the delivery services an exemption from the law that would have required providing drivers with protections like minimum wage, overtime, health insurance and reimbursement for expenses.

Under the measure, drivers remain independent contractors exempt from mandates such as sick leave and workers’ comp but would receive “alternative benefits,” including a guaranteed minimum wage and subsidies for health insurance if they average 25 hours of work a week.

What’s next after Impeachment Vote ASSOCIATED PRESS President Donald Trump has been impeached by the House days before leaving office, becoming the first American president to be impeached twice.

The previous three impeachments — those of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Trump — took months before a final vote, including investigations in the House and hearings. This time it only took a week after Trump encouraged a crowd of his supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol.

Democrats and 10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump on one charge: incitement of insurrection.

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Senate will not begin a trial until next Tuesday, at the very earliest, which is the day before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as president. It’s unclear, for now, exactly how that trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump.

Even though the trial won’t happen until Trump is already out of office, it could still have the effect of preventing him from running for president again.

A look at next steps: Once the House votes to impeach, the speaker of the House can send the article or articles over to the Senate immediately — or she can wait a while. Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t yet said when she will send them, but many Democrats in her caucus have urged her to do so immediately.

Pelosi has already appointed nine impeachment managers to argue the case against Trump in a Senate trial, a sign that she will send them sooner rather than later.

Once the articles are sent over — that is usually done with an official walk from the House to the Senate — then the majority leader of the Senate must start the process of having a trial.

The Senate is not scheduled to be in session until Jan. 19, which could be McConnell’s last day as Senate leader. Once Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in, making her the president of the Senate, and Georgia’s two Democratic senators are also sworn in, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer will take charge and determine how the trial will proceed.

McConnell said he will not bring the Senate back on an emergency basis to start the trial.

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Thursday, Jan

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8 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Mavs Postpone Home Series, Travel to Face Lakers

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

The Mavericks men’s hockey team (5-1-1) gets set to travel to Lake Superior State University (6-1-3) where they will face off against the Lakers in a two game series.

The No. 5-ranked Mavericks last played two weeks ago in Marquette, Michigan where they took a two-shutout sweep over Northern Michigan.

Their series from last weekend against Michigan Tech was canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Huskies program.

MSU is 23-3-1 all-time against the Lakers going 9-1-0 in their last 10.

The Lakers have had a great start to their season, only dropping one game to Bemidji State University. In a season where only WCHA teams play each other, the Lakers won two of their six games against Adrian College, a Division III school, in the only non-conference series of the year for the Lakers.

The Mavericks, also off to a great start in the year, lost their only game of the season to Michigan Tech, in a series that head coach Mike Hastings said “both teams could’ve won either game,” in a series that they split on the road.

One of the key players to watch in this series is freshman

Leading point scorer Cade Borchardt (28) looks to improve Mavericks’ record in breakout season.

and two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week, Akito Hirose. Hirose has a stat line of 1-6-7 in seven games on the year, proving that he deserves to belong here.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Hastings praised his skill and ability. “He’s a freshman coming in, but he doesn’t play like a freshman.

We’re OK with putting responsibility on his plate,” said Hastings.

Another standout player for the Mavericks is goaltender Dryden McKay. The reigning

WCHA Goaltender of the Year has had a phenomenal year for himself, recording four shutouts in just six games, including not allowing a goal in over the last 172 minutes of play.

McKay holds a conference leading 1.01 goals against average on the year, and a .953 save percentage, good enough for second in the league just behind Michigan Tech’s Blake Pietila who holds a .957 save percentage.

A player to watch from the Lakers is junior forward Ashton Calder. Calder leads the

team in goals and points with a 5-6-11 stat line in just 10 games. This line is also good enough to tie for fourth in the WCHA, behind three Bowling Green players.

Senior goaltender Mareks Mitens holds a 1.64 goals against average and a .941 save percentage, with a 3-1-3 record on the year.

The Mavericks take the 10hour road trip to Sault Ste. Marie for a 6:07 p.m. puck drop on Friday, and a 4:07 p.m. puck drop on Saturday.

Mavericks Look to Continue Win Streak Against Wayne State Wildcats MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor The Minnesota State men’s basketball team is getting ready to travel to Nebraska where they will take on Wayne State for their first road series of the season.

MSU (3-1) is coming off three straight wins, including a sweep last weekend against Augustana University, with their only loss coming from their first game of the season against Bemidji State University in a non-conference matchup.

Wayne State College (2-2) looks to continue their win streak after sweeping Concordia-St. Paul on the road last weekend.

Both teams start conference play with a record of 2-0. “It’s big time,” head coach Matt Magenthaler answered how important that start was.

The Mavericks are 26-4 all-time against the Wildcats, while only dropping one game

Mavericks host Wildcats in Home Opener

Sophomore guard Quincy Anderson led the Mavericks in points against the Augustana Vikings on Friday, Jan. 8.

in the last 15 meetings between the teams.

Minnesota State leads the NSIC in offensive rebounds with 172, averaging 43 per game.

Maverick leading point scorer Quincy Anderson looks to continue his hot streak, as he led the team in points in three of four games played this season. Anderson leads

the team in total points scored with 64, averaging 16 points per game Junior guard Devonte Thedford has come into his own in his first season as a Maverick.

Thedford played two seasons at Kirkwood Community College, where he held a 55-10 record and won a NJCCA Division II National Championship.

Thedford was also named to the National all-tournament team as a freshman. Thedford sits just behind Anderson in total points scored on the Mavericks with 51, averaging 12.8 per game.

Freshman forward Brady Williams also had a breakout series for himself against the Vikings, scoring nine on Friday, and 17 on Saturday, setting his career high in his short time at Mankato.

Williams sets the team high for 3-pointers made in a single game, making 5-7 in Saturday’s win at home. Williams is looking to continue to cement his spot on the roster in the upcoming series against Wayne State.

The winner of this series will potentially hold the number one spot in the standings, leading the southern division of the NSIC. Tip-off will be on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

The MSU women’s basketball team (2-2) is looking forward to their home opener against Wayne State College (1-3).

The Mavericks are 11-19 all time against WSC, but come out on top in recent history winning the last four straight meetings. The last matchup between the two teams, the Mavericks scored a whopping 93 points. In this matchup, Tayla Stuttley scored a career-high 21 points, going 7-16 in field goals, and 5-9 in 3-pointers.

The Mavericks are coming off of a split series against the Augustana Vikings, their win coming in a close overtime battle.

Joey Batt highlighted the series for the Mavericks, scoring a career-high 28 points, and 38 total over the weekend. Batt leads the Mavericks in total points scored with 74 through four games. Batt also sits at fourth in the NSIC in points per game with 18.5.

The Wildcats are going into this road series after taking a pair of losses from Concordia-St. Paul, allowing almost 200 points over two games.

Senior Tayla Stuttley stands at second in points behind Batt, with 57 total points scored, averaging 14.3 per game. Stuttley scored a season high 18 points in Saturday’s loss against Augustana, and followed it up with 17 points in Sunday’s overtime win.

Senior forward Brooke Tonsfeldt leads the Mavericks in rebounds, with 12 offensive and 24 defensive for 36 total. This is good enough to average nine rebounds per game over four games.

Leading point scorer for the Wildcats, Erin Norling, will be a key player to watch in this series. Norling sits just behind Batt in points per game at fifth in the NSIC. Norling has 72 points in four games, averaging 18 points per game.

As a team, the Mavericks have scored 298 total points over four games, averaging 74.5 points per game. The Wildcats, on the other hand, have scored 280 total points, averaging 70 points per game.

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Sports

Mavs take on the Vikings

Maverick Athletics

Wild Aim to Rebuild with Russian Rookie Kaprizov Leading the Team

MSU Reporter • 9

Kyle Rathman helped lift the Mavericks to victory over Minot State last weekend.

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor

MATT SLOCUM • Associated Press Russian athlete Kirill Kaprizov (77) celebrates after the semifinal round of the men’s hockey game against the Czech Republic at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, in this Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, file photo. Olympic Athletes from Russia won 3-0. The Minnesota Wild, who have not won a playoff series in six years, seek to capitalize on the spark created by Russian rookie Kirill Kaprizov and lean on stalwarts like Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon to make strides in this abbreviated season.

ASSOCIATED PRESS For the first time since the Zach Parise-Ryan Suter era began eight seasons ago, the Minnesota Wild have made major changes to the roster.

Perhaps the renovation will prove to be just what the Wild needed to skate out of the middle-of-the-pack rut they’ve been in for the majority of their existence.

Or maybe Kirill Kaprizov is himself the jolt they’ve been lacking all along. The 23-yearold right wing from Russia has finally entered the picture.

“You can definitely see his skill level. You can see he’s got a knack for scoring,” Parise said after the team’s first practice on Monday. “He’s going to be an exciting player for us for a long time.”

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Kaprizov, who was drafted in the fifth round all the way back in 2015, tallied 113 goals and 117 assists in 293 career regular season Kontinental Hockey League games. At the Olympics in 2018, he scored in overtime to win the gold medal match against Germany.

Kaprizov has become Minnesota’s most-anticipated prospect since Marian Gaborik debuted for the expansion franchise in its inaugural 2000-01 season, the type of game-changing player who has long been missing here.

Gaborik remains the only player in Wild history to post a one-point-per-game average, having met that mark three straight years from 2005-08.

“Our expectations are that he’s a great teammate and he

works his butt off every shift.

We know he’s going to have a special talent, a special skill level, and we’re obviously excited about that, but we want him to conduct himself like we ask of anybody,” coach Dean Evason said.

TRANSITION COMPLETE Evason, the interim replacement when Bruce Boudreau was fired last year, was given full-time status by general manager Bill Guerin when the Wild returned from the pandemic pause. Though this will be another virus-altered season, with only a 10-day training camp and no exhibition games, Evason has more leeway to fully implement his preferred fast-tempo, puck-possession system.

“The other way wasn’t working,” said Parise, who has won only two series in the playoffs with Minnesota and none since 2015. “So I think we’re all excited about a new style, an upbeat style.”

FOLLOWING FIALA With Parise and Kaprizov the leading candidates to flank the first line, Kevin Fiala will also be tasked with producing at a top-six level. He led the Wild last season with 54 points in 64 games and scored three times in their four-game qualifying-round loss in the expanded playoffs.

Over the last 18 games before the COVID-19 outbreak, Fiala had 14 goals and 12 assists.

“He doesn’t have to be the focal point. We want him to be a very good player and a big piece of the puzzle, but we need everybody to do that,”

Guerin said. “I think Kevin realizes how good he can be, and we’d like to see him do that within the game plan that Deano sets forth.”

BANGED UP Right wing Mats Zuccarrello is recovering from offseason surgery on his arm, making his status uncertain. Goalie Alex Stalock will likely be sidelined longer, with an unspecified upper-body injury. That will leave free agent addition Cam Talbot as the main man in the net, with Kaapo Kähkönen next in line for duty with nine sets of back-to-back games on the schedule.

NEW LOOK Five of the top 15 players on the points list for the Wild last season have departed, with Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu the most glaring absences.

Guerin added three veterans to help fill the void at center: Nick Bjugstad, Nick Bonino and Marcus Johansson.

SCHEDULE WATCH When the NHL temporarily realigned to manage continuing COVID-19 restrictions with division-only competition, the Wild were placed in the West Division with fellow Central rivals Colorado and St. Louis. Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles, San Jose and Vegas are the other members.

They’ll start the 56-game season in Southern California on Jan. 14 for the first of two games against the Kings, followed by two more against the Ducks. The home opener is Jan. 22 against the Sharks, commencing six straight games at Xcel Energy Center.

After a very strong start to their shortened season, the Minnesota State wrestling team is ready for their next match against Augustana University.

MSU is 26-20 all time against the Vikings and 3-2 in their last five, losing the most recent match 24-13 last February. Kyle Rathman was the first to put the Mavs on the board but an early 12-0 deficit ended up being the decider for Augustana to take home their second straight win against MSU. With that being said, the Mavericks are coming out with something to prove tonight in the Taylor Center.

Rathman, the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the nation, is looking to improve his season record to 2-0 and his all-time record to 79-19. Rathman will compete in the 149 weight class, against No. 10-ranked Hunter Burnett from Augus-

tana.

Burnett is wrestling in a weight class one higher than he did last year (141), and ended successful in his first dual against University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s Nathan Hensley.

The Mavericks and Vikings both roster two more ranked wrestlers in No. 3 Trevor Turiff and No. 10 Trenton McManus for MSU, and No. 11 Steven Hajas and No. 12 Daniel Bishop for AU. McManus took the first win of the season for the Mavericks, in his match against Oscar Nellis in a 2-1 decision, to push MSU to a 3-0 start.

Turiff beat out Noah Gallardo in a 12-1 major decision in the 174 pound class, giving the Mavericks a 28-3 lead.

Hajas comes out on top over Rodsean Graham in a 4-1 decision to give the Vikings the 21-17 victory.

The meeting will begin tonight at 7 p.m. in the Taylor Center.

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10 • MSU Reporter

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Good Thunder Series Back with Bennett, and More

By JENNA PETERSON News Director After a successful fall season, the Minnesota State University, Mankato Good Thunder Reading Series is ready to gather students and community members once again for the spring lineup.

Despite the numerous complications that have popped up due to COVID-19, Good Thunder Reading director Candace Black was still able to provide this escape to literature for all to enjoy.

Black explained, “With the new restrictions, we are still giving the authors a choice of coming to campus or doing everything through googlemeet and all of them have decided on the online option. Even with the vaccine slowly being released to the public, I believe all of the authors lined up for this semester will still host their sessions online.”

The online format works much like the in-person style where the author will host a workshop, a questionnaire, and a reading session of their latest work. Black even noted, “Doing this program online is easier in a sense because the authors and participants can easily share their work on the screen for everyone to see. This also provides a closer feeling to the author.”

Even though the transition online was easy, there are still

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Courtesy photo Novelist Brit Bennett is one of the speakers scheduled for the Good Thunder Reading Series at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

some small complications to keep the community engaged.

“With the online format our attendance isn’t as good, but it’s healthy,” Black commented. “It’s easier for students to join in and participate since they’re used to doing so for their classes, but we’re still having some issues engaging the older Mankato community members who might not understand how it all works.”

To help advertise these events, Black and her team use multiple forms of media to

spread the word. This mostly includes posters hung around campus and local shops and social media posts on Facebook and Twitter to engage a wider community.

“We know there are people of all ages with different literature interests who come to our events, and we want to be able to cater to everyone’s interests,” commented Black.

She further explained this process by saying the authors are chosen months, and sometimes even years, in advance

to ensure a great selection of authors. The series mission, as stated on their website, also strives to incorporate as many Minnesotan writers as possible to help local authors.

“We want to look at new writers and give them the publicity opportunity to spread the knowledge of their work,” Black explained.

Be sure to join in on the

THUNDER page 11

Rare Tintin Comic Book Art Set to Sell for Millions in Paris

MICHEL EULER • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS Not even the coronavirus can get in the way of intrepid Belgian reporter and comic book legend Tintin.

Comic book lovers and tourists alike can catch a socially distanced glimpse of a Tintin drawing by Herge in Paris before it goes under the hammer Thursday, estimated to sell between 2 and 3 million euros and possibly break the record for the most expensive comic book art in history.

The 1936 work in Chinese ink, gouache and watercolor, was destined as a cover for The Blue Lotus, the fifth volume of the Belgian journalist’s adventures. But it never sat on any book store shelves because it was rejected for being too expensive to reproduce on a wide scale - a victim of its own rare craftsmanship.

“They had to do a four color process printing, with an

Review: ‘MLK/ FBI’ Exaplores the Roots of an American ill Will

The Chinese inked on paper original of the comic character Tintin and his dog snowy as a pirate made for an advertising and drawn

by Belgian creator Herge, is displayed at the Artcurial auction house in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.

additional color. (But the publisher) thought that the comic albums were already expensive. Reproducing this cover art would increase the production costs,” said comics expert Eric Leroy at Art Curial auction house by the Champs-Ely-

sees avenue.

As the name “Blue Lotus” suggests, the art work places Tintin in Asia. A huge red dragon appears on a black background by the Belgian reporter’s petrified face. It is a prized addition to the universe

of Tintin, the subject of recent shows in London and Barcelona, a 2011 Hollywood adaptation, a videogame and an app.

In “Blue Lotus,” Tintin travels to China during the 1931 Japanese invasion to investigate and expose - along with his dog Snowy - Japanese spy networks, drug-smuggling rings and other crimes.

But the huge interest in this work has raised a host of questions among French media regarding the work’s provenance - whether it was a gift to the son of Tintin’s printer or a drawing simply never returned to the artist.

There is no question, however, of its authenticity. On Thursday, Hergé, whose real name was Georges Remi, could break the record for the most expensive piece of comic book art at 2.6 million euros that was previously set by himself.

There’s an iconic photograph of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that was taken as he triumphantly boarded one of the first integrated buses in Montgomery, Alabama.

It was 1956 and King looks out a window, firmly at the front of the bus, almost gazing toward his movement’s next big social hurdle. The image was taken by Ernest Withers, a key chronicler of the civil rights movement — and an FBI informant.

That the FBI wanted someone close and watching King is at the heart of director Sam Pollard’s engrossing documentary “MLK/FBI,” a film that artfully explains how the two sides of that slash came to be enemies.

Pollard is a veteran producer and filmmaker who co-directed two episodes of “Eyes on the Prize” and earned an Oscar nomination for editing Spike Lee’s blistering 1997 film “4 Little Girls.”

In “MLK/FBI,” Pollard explains how J. Edgar Hoover used the full force of his federal law enforcement agency to attack a progressive, nonviolent cause. That included wiretaps, blackmail and informers, trying to find dirt on King. “I think this entire episode represents the darkest part of the Bureau’s history,” notes former FBI Director James Comey.

There is nothing terribly new in the telling, no huge revelations or bombshells.

Most of the details — including King’s infidelity and the use of Withers as an FBI informant — have been known for years.

But that’s not Pollard’s interest. His canvas is large, stretching back to post-Civil War Jim Crow, exploring how notions of Black sexuality were turned into social weapons and the way agents were shown.

Pollard is patient, leaning his film on David J. Garrow’s book “The FBI and Martin Luther King Jr.: From ‘Solo’ to Memphis.”

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Variety

Doug Liman Made the Ultimate Lockdown Movie in Lockdown

MSU Reporter • 11

SUSIE ALLNUTT • Associated Press

Delayed Kennedy Center Honors to be Rescheduled for mid-May

This image released by HBO Max shows Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor in a scene from “Lockdown.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS Director Doug Liman was on a call with screenwriter Steven Knight and producer PJ van Sandwijk in July when they started wondering what it would be like to make a movie about the current moment IN the current moment.

Liman makes films about characters in extraordinary situations: An assassin with amnesia (“The Bourne Identity”), a military officer caught in a time loop (“Edge of Tomorrow”), an unhappy married couple who are also secret killers (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”).

The lockdowns, the economic stress and the isolation of quarantining, he thought, could be the perfect backdrop for one of his films.

And in four months, in the middle of a pandemic and widespread shutdowns, he and his team wrote, shot and edited a glossy Harrods heist movie in London with Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The result, “ Locked Down,” comes to HBO Max Thursday.

“For the next 50 years, people are going to be making movies about what we’re all going through,” he said.

He wanted to be the first and to use the chaos of the moment to capture something true. Besides, he’s a filmmaker who thrives on the impossible.

His next film is literally taking him to space with Tom Cruise.

In the process of making “Locked Down,” possibilities emerged where they never would have before. They got major movie stars and financing with only a quarter of the script. Harrods, the luxury London department store that does not often allow film and television sets on their grounds, agreed to let them shoot there. They told them there was no plan B. If there

THUNDER

was no Harrods, there was no film. A few days later, they had a yes. In other words, it’s a movie that could only have been made during the pandemic.

“Filmmakers, certainly myself, are known for being optimists and proposing outrageous things, and then producers and the adults in the room rein them in a little bit,” Liman said. “This is a situation where there were no adults in the room.”

Hathaway’s agent told Liman he’d better at least talk to her and describe his vision if she couldn’t get a full script. A few minutes in, Hathaway told him to save his breath: “I’ve read it, I love it, and I’m in,” he recalled.

Within weeks, they were filming.

Liman decided that they’d shoot the 180-page script in 18 days. It was a self-conscious choice: He’d shot his debut, “Swingers,” in 18 days too.

“I equated what we were doing trying to pull this film off to matching what the characters on screen are trying to do robbing Harrods,” Liman said. “These are both completely crazy and audacious plans.”

It required everyone to be on their toes. Once he had to shift to a nine-page dialogue scene that neither star had prepared for. And they made do, taping Hathaway’s dialogue anywhere they could including, but not limited to, Ejiofor’s body and a calendar she draws on.

“When she said she was in, she was IN,” he said. “I got some of the most honest performances I’ve ever gotten on screen because Annie and Chiwetel could see how far out on a limb I was going and they went out there with me.”

CHRIS PIZZELLO • Associated Press Actress/choreographer Debbie Allen accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 42nd Annual Gracie Awards Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel June 6, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Five months after they were postponed because of the coronavirus, the annual Kennedy Center Honors are coming back in May, possibly in a series of small events, organizers announced Wednesday.

This year’s recipients of the lifetime artistic achievement awards are country music legend Garth Brooks, dancer and actress Debbie Allen, violin virtuoso Midori, folk music icon Joan Baez and actor Dick Van Dyke.

The centerpiece event for Washington’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts normally happens in December, but it was postponed last year amid the pandemic. Now the center plans to hold some sort of commemorative event or series of events in mid-May. Planners envision “multiple events for physically distant audiences” across the center’s campus, according to a statement, which said there would be filming from May 17 to May 22. The entire campus “will come alive with small, in-person events and re-envisioned virtual tributes.”

The awards program typically centers around a gala in the Kennedy Center’s main

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theater that includes tributes and performances that are kept secret from the honorees. But even with COVID-19 vaccines gradually rolling out across the country, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter knew the usual concert would not be possible in May. “We’re clearly not going to have 2,000 people in an enclosed space for three hours,” she said. “But I think we’ve come up with some really great ideas.”

The official announcement leaves plenty of room for improvising and last-minute adjustments. It simply states that “the viability of additional in-person events will be considered as COVID-19 safety protocols evolve over the upcoming months.”

For this year’s honorees, it’s a chance to be part of a historically unique ceremony, and some hoped it would prove therapeutic to participants and viewers. The event will be televised on CBS on June 6.

“I think it will feel like a return to something — not total normality, but something,” Allen told The Associated Press.

“It’s normally such a festive event, and I’m sure that will come across.”

Brooks is no stranger to the

Kennedy Center Honors process. He has performed as part of tributes to James Taylor, Loretta Lynn and Billy Joel.

His wife, Trisha Yearwood, performed last year in 2019 to honor Linda Ronstadt.

“Just getting the call was such a thrill,” Brooks said in an interview with AP. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be cool.”

Midori said she’s “truly curious” to see what programmers come up with and hopes the event “represents a step toward normality.”

Van Dyke joked that the Kennedy Center “just made it” by granting him the honor at age 95.

“I’d certainly love to go in person,” he told the AP. “I ain’t leaving without that medal.”

Baez said she hopes circumstances allow for “a gathering of actual people” and that this will be the first ceremony in four years that includes participation from the president.

The election of Donald Trump threw the event into turmoil, with multiple honorees threatening to boycott in 2017 if Trump were involved.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump generally stayed away from Kennedy Center events.

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Continued from page 10

fun with the first session being hosted by novelist Brit Bennett from Jan. 26 to Jan. 29. Registration and link to the event can be found on the MNSU

Good Thunder Reading Series website, as well as a list of the other authors lined up to present their work.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Variety

Thursday, January 14, 2021

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