February 2, 2023

Camaraderie in construction

By EMMA JOHNSON News Director

The Construction Management Women’s Association is taking a sledgehammer to break down the walls of stereotypes surrounding women in construction.

CMWA started in 2020 which caused a rough start to the organization due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of starting the club, the construction management program has about 20 girls in it at a time. Senior president Hailey Schwieger said the organization is a way to build friends and put their names out there.

“If there’s only about one or two girls at a time in your class, it’s kind of hard to meet other women in the program. We thought it was better for us to join forces and meet other women going into the industry,” said Schwieger. “By building a community of women in the program and spreading diversity, we also look to recruit girls into our major and into the construction field.”

With construction management having more males in the field, senior administrative assistant Cindy Wuddah said she’s faced challenges on a job site from being a female.

“I’ve walked to a job site and someone has said ‘What are you doing here?’ I think when you talk about construction, there’s a certain group of people that people picture,” said Wuddah.

“It’s important to have camara-

derie with the girls, encourage each other to keep going and just promote women in the program.”

Throughout the year, CMWA does a variety of events including the annual Construction Man-

agement Undergraduate Student Engagement Symposium.

“We have a range of industry speakers come in to talk on a wide range of topics from diversity inclusion to safety to renewable resources. It’s really for our

students to build their professional brand,” said senior vice president Michaela Sylvester.

The construction management major is a production-based major with more projects and job site tours rather than quizzes and papers. Certain classes students may take are 3D design, materials and methods and sustainability. The major also requires an internship of 12 weeks and 480 hours to graduate.

Schwieger said Minnesota State’s construction management faculty has been helpful in getting them the education they need.

“The faculty are constantly checking in if you need any help getting your name out there and they have no problem reaching out to a company if you need a job,” said Schwieger.

Despite construction being a male-dominated field, Wuddah and Sylvester said CMWA wants to change student’s perspectives on entering the workforce.

“People have the perception that construction is for men. To me, No job is gender specific,” said Wuddah.

“I remember when I first told my mom I was switching my major to construction

Community fair promotes networking and volunteering

By AMALIA SHARAF Staff Writer

Last Tuesday, a fair of organizations occurred at MavAve. Students were offered different volunteer opportunities, networking with the local community and various gifts from organizations visiting Minnesota State.

Ten organizations visited MSU with various offers for students, including internships, volunteer opportunities and a simple friendly community.

One of the organizations present was Partners for Housing. According to the executive director, Trisha Anderson, they have two emergency shelters located in Mankato and St. Paul. The organization helps people with housing problems. Anderson said they already have experience working with MSU students.

“We actually get quite a few MSU students throughout the year that need to fulfill volunteer hours and we have multiple opportunities to work at events

or within our shelters,” said Anderson.

She said volunteering is not only crucial for students but helpful for nonprofit organizations.

“I think it’s actually absolutely vital for students to volunteer with community partners, like partners for housing and other nonprofit organizations in the Mankato area. It gives them an idea of community members that are facing housing instability, food insecurity, or other needs throughout our community. Nonprofits rely on the hours and the time commitment from volunteers in order to operate at our fullest,” said Anderson.

Many nonprofit organizations are not only positively affecting members of the local community but also solving ecological problems. One organization that works with the environment visited MSU as well.

Jessica Drummond, education and outreach coordinator at Great River Greening, said the organization has many goals.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

From left, seniors Michaela Sylvester, Cindy Wuddah and Hailey Schwieger started the Construction Management Women’s Association in order to build a community with other girls going into the major.

DOMINIC BOTHE • The Reporter

A variety of community organizations gathered in the MavAve to promote networking opportunities and events that students could volunteer in throughout the surrounding communities.

Black history class revised by College Board after criticism

Anti-Asian hate ‘runs the gamut,’ racist Yelp reviews show

By CHEYANNE MUMPHREY and SHARON LURYE The

A revised curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies downplays some components that drew criticism from conservatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had threatened to ban the class in his state.

In the official framework made public on Wednesday, topics such as Black Lives Matter, slavery reparations and queer theory are no longer subjects to be taught. They are included only on a list of topics that states and school systems could suggest to students for end-of-the-year projects.

The rejection of the course by DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, stirred new political debate over how schools teach about race. Florida officials last month issued a chart that said it promoted the idea that modern American society oppresses Black people, was inappropriate, and uses articles by critics of capitalism.

A spokesperson for DeSantis on Wednesday said the state education department is reviewing the revised curriculum for compliance with Florida law.

The course is currently being tested at 60 schools around the U.S., and the official framework is intended to guide the expansion of the course to hundreds of additional high schools in the next academic year. The College Board, which oversees AP courses, said developers consulted with

 CONSTRUCT from page 1

management, she was like ‘are you sure you want to be with all those guys all day?’ At the time, I wasI just thinking the job sounds cool,” said Sylvester. “You think of construction as some big white dudes swinging a hammer and we’re just trying to change that.”

Schwieger encourages any-

professors from more than 200 colleges, including several historically Black institutions.

The College Board has been taking input also from teachers running the pilot classes as the draft curriculum has gone through several revisions over the last year.

Critics accused the organization of bending to political pressure.

“To wake up on the first day of Black History Month to news of white men in positions of privilege horse trading essential and inextricably linked parts of Black History, which is American history, is infuriating,” said David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition. “The lives, contributions, and stories of Black trans, queer, and non-binary/non-conforming people matter and should not be diminished or erased.”

The course has been popular among students in schools where it has been introduced. At Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana, so many students were interested that Emmitt Glynn is teaching it to two classes, instead of just the one he was originally planning.

Earlier this week, his students read selections of “The Wretched of the Earth” by Frantz Fanon, which deals with the violence inherent in colonial societies.

In a lively discussion, students connected the text to what they had learned about the conflict between colonizers and Native Americans, to the war in Ukraine and to police violence in Memphis, Tennessee.

one who’s interested in construction management to give it a try.

“It’s not as intimidating as you think,” said Schwieger.

CMWA meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. in Wiecking Center 349. Students can receive additional information at cmwa20. wixsite.com/cmwa.

By DAVID KLEPPER The Associated Press

As if running a restaurant during a pandemic wasn’t tough enough, Christopher Wong also had to contend with a racist troll.

“I will not have my dog eat in this place because they might cook him,” read the Yelp review of Wong’s eatery, the Curry Up Cafe in suburban Los Angeles. “The owner works for the Chinese government.”

Yelp removed the review after Wong and several regular

customers complained, but not before it had already been seen by an unknown number of potential customers.

“If one person read that and decided not to come in, that’s someone who could have been a satisfied customer for years,” Wong told The Associated Press.

Last year, Yelp, which is based in San Francisco, removed more than 2,000 racist business reviews before they went online — a nearly tenfold jump over the year before.

It’s a sharp increase that reflects improved efforts by Yelp to combat racist content and shows how even a site known for reviews of restaurants and repair services can become ensnared in America’s ongoing battle over online civility. While the content included hate speech targeting Black, Latino and LGBTQ people, too, the largest increase was seen in reviews denigrating Asian Americans and Asian American-owned businesses, according to Yelp.

PATRICK SEMANSKY • The Associated Press

STEPHEN SMITH • The Associated Press

There’s been a sharp increase in the number of hate-filled business reviews spotted by Yelp’s content moderators.

Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana is one of 60 schools around the country testing the new course, which has gained national attention since it was banned in Florida.

Associated Press

Calls for police reform at Tyre Nichols’ funeral

By AARON MORRISON and ADRIAN SAINZ The Associated Press

Tyre Nichols ’ family and friends remembered him with songs of faith and heartfelt tributes Wednesday, blending a celebration of his life with outraged calls for police reform after the brutal beating he endured at the hands of Memphis police.

Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, fought back tears as she spoke lovingly of her son.

“The only thing that’s keeping me going is that I truly believe that my son was sent here on assignment from God. And I guess now his assignment is done. He’s gone home,” she said, urging Congress to pass police reform.

The Rev. Al Sharpton and Vice President Kamala Harris both delivered impassioned speeches calling on lawmakers to approve the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a broad package of reforms that includes a national registry for police officers disciplined for misconduct, a ban on no-knock warrants and other measures.

Harris said the beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, by five Black police officers was a violent act that violated the stated mission of police to ensure public safety.

“It was not in the interest of keeping the public safe, because one must ask, was not it in the interest of keeping the public safe that Tyre Nichols would be with us today? Was he not also entitled to the right to be safe? So when we talk about public safety, let us understand what it means in its truest form. Tyre

Nichols should have been safe,” she said.

The beating of Nichols happened after police stopped him for an alleged traffic violation Jan. 7. Video released after pressure from Nichols’ family shows officers holding him down and repeatedly punching him, kicking him and striking him with a baton as he screamed for his mother.

Sharpton said the officers who beat Nichols might have acted differently if there was real accountability for their actions. He also said he believes that if Nichols had been white, “you

wouldn’t have beat him like that.”

“We understand that there are concerns about public safety. We understand that there are needs that deal with crime. But you don’t fight crime by becoming criminals yourself. You don’t stand up to thugs in the street becoming thugs yourself. You don’t fight gangs by becoming five armed men against an unarmed man. That ain’t the police. That’s punks,” he said, to applause from the crowd.

Family of other Black men and women killed by police — including George Floyd, Bre-

onna Taylor, Botham Jean and Eric Garner — also attended the funeral and Nichols’ mother called on officials to prevent more tragedies.

“We need to take some action because there should be no other child that should suffer the way my son — and all the other parents here have lost their children — we need to get that bill passed,” Wells said. “Because if we don’t, that blood — the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands.”

Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, who was fatally shot by a Houston police offi-

cer in 2022, sang a rendition of the classic gospel standard “Total Praise” to rousing applause from the congregation and Nichols’ family.

“All of the mothers all over the world need to come together, need to come together to stop all of this,” Rachal said.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Nichols’ family, referred to the graphic video showing the officers punching, kicking and beating Nichols, even after he lay helpless on the ground.

“Why couldn’t they see the humanity in Tyre?” he asked.

Tyre’s sister, Keyana Dixon, said she felt a pain like she had never experienced before “when those monsters murdered my baby brother.” LaToya Yizar, whose mother was Nichols’ godmother, read from a poem she wrote titled, “I’m Just Trying to Go Home,” invoking Nichols’ words to the officers.

Sharpton said he took his daughter Ashley early Wednesday to the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Martin Luther King. Jr. was shot on April 4, 1968.

He noted that King was in Memphis to support a strike by city sanitation workers, most of whom were Black.

“The reason why ... what happened to Tyre is so personal to me, is that five Black men that wouldn’t have had a job in the police department, would not ever be thought of to be in an elite squad, in the city that Dr. King lost his life, not far away from that balcony, you beat a brother to death,” Sharpton said.

ANDREW NELLES • The Associated Press

Flanked by Rev. Al Sharpton, left, her husband Rodney Wells, second from right, and attorney Benjamin Crump, right, RowVaughn Wells speaks during the funeral service for her son Tyre Nichols.

FBI searches Biden’s vacation home; no classified documents

Winter storm causes 3rd day of danger

By KEN MILLER and JEFF MARTIN The Associated Press

A deadly storm system lashed a large swath of the southern U.S. with bands of sleet and snow for a third day on Wednesday, grounding an additional 2,200 flights, leaving hundreds of thousands without power, forcing school closures and making already treacherous driving conditions worse.

By ERIC TUCKER, COLLEEN LONG and ZEKE MILLER The Associated Press

The FBI searched President Joe Biden’s vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday without turning up any classified documents, the latest turn in an extraordinary series of searches of his and his predecessor’s properties. Agents did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden’s time as vice president for review, just as they had when they searched his Wilmington home last month where they also found classified items. Investigators searched his former office at a Washington think tank that bears his name in November, but it isn’t clear whether they took anything.

“Great River Greening does ecological restoration work. We are mainly working with farmers who have portions of their land that they want to restore to prairie or historical ecosystems that existed pre-European settlement,” said Drummond. “We do different types of work in the Mankato area and then the North Central Region. It just depends on what the ecological need is.”

Freshman Grace Whaley said she finds this volunteering opportunity interesting and helpful.

“This is something I’m interested in because, for a few years, I went to a school called the School of Environmental

The Biden searches, conducted with his blessing, have come as investigators work to determine how classified information from his time as a senator and vice president came to wind up in his home and former office — and whether any mishandling involved criminal intent or was merely a mistake in a city where unauthorized treatment of classified documents is not unheard-of.

Law enforcement searches of property are a routine part of criminal probes, but there is nothing ordinary about the FBI scouring a sitting president’s home, even as Biden and his aides have sought to contrast his actions with those of his predecessor.

Former President Donald Trump is facing a special counsel criminal investigation into his retention of several hundred classified documents.

Studies. And there I learned about my passion for the earth,” said Whaley.

Volunteer opportunities and networking are the experiences that allow students to broaden the horizon of their education and personal skills such as communication and leadership. Drummond believes it is not only a good addition to a resume but also a life-changing experience.

“I volunteered as a student and you get a lot of experience out of it. They always say ‘it looks good on a resume,’ which it does, but it also adds value to you as a human along with educational opportunities,” said Drummond.

Watches and warnings about wintry conditions were issued for an area stretching West Texas’ border with Mexico through Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, and into western Tennessee and northern Mississippi. Several rounds of mixed precipitation, including freezing rain and sleet, were in store for many areas throughout the day, meaning some places could get hit multiple times, forecasters said.

“It actually looks like it’s going to be getting worse again across Texas, it is already a pretty big area of freezing rain across western and southwestern Texas,” said Bob Oravec, a lead National Weather Service forecaster based in Camp Springs, Maryland.

Oravec said the icy weather is expected to move northeastward across parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas into western Tennessee and northern Mississippi before it starts to dissipate.

“By later in the day on Thursday it should be pretty much done, and all the … precipitation will be well downstream across parts of the South and where it will be mostly heavy rain,” Oravec said.

By late Wednesday morning, 2,200 U.S. flights had been canceled, including three-quarters of the flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and more than two-thirds at Dallas Love Field, according to the flight tracking service FlightAware.com. Dallas-Forth Worth International is American Airlines’ biggest hub, and Love Field is a major base for Southwest Airlines.

Many flights were also canceled at other airports, including in San Antonio, the Texas capital of Austin, and Nashville, Tennessee, compounding frustrations caused by the nearly 2,000 cancellations on Tuesday and roughly 1,100 on Monday.

Because of the storm, the Detroit Pistons were unable to fly home following their game Monday against the Dallas Mavericks, and the NBA postponed the Pistons’ Wednesday

night home game against the Washington Wizards.

Nearly 260,000 power outages were reported in Texas, including more than 130,000 in the Austin, according to PowerOutage, a website that tracks utility reports.

Pablo Vegas, who heads the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, vowed that the state’s electrical grid and natural gas supply would be reliable and that there wouldn’t be a repeat of the February 2021 blackouts, when the grid was on the brink of total failure.

As the ice and sleet enveloped Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis-Shelby County Schools announced it would cancel classes Wednesday due to freezing rain and hazardous road conditions. The school system serves about 100,000 students. The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis also closed due to the weather.

Wh er e Yo u Li ve!

SHANNON MCNAUGHT • The Associated Press

The FBI is conducting a planned search of President Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home as part of its investigation.

JAY JANNER • The Associated Press

A multi-vehicle fatal accident occurred on the Ben White Boulevard on ramp at South First Street, in Austin, Texas, during an ice storm.

Omaha police fatally shoot armed man in Target store

By JOSH FUNK The Associated Press

A man with an AR-15-style rifle and more than a dozen ammunition magazines opened fire inside a Target store in Omaha, sending panicked shoppers and employees scrambling for safety before he was fatally shot by police Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The white man in his 30s, who has not been identified, fired multiple rounds as he entered the store but it wasn’t clear if he fired at anyone, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said.

Target employee Lauren Murphy had just started her break when she heard the shots, and was in the store’s front restroom. She got a text telling her to either run or stay put — so she hid in a bathroom stall, lifting her feet off the ground, and began texting her family and friends to say she loved them. A child next to her was crying.

“I was scared that this is how I might die at work,” said Murphy, 21.

“I was just clutching onto the side of the toilet getting my feet off the ground, making sure I wasn’t visible,” she added.

Another 21-year-old employee, Samuel Jacobsen, was filling a personal shopping order when he heard the first gunshot. But he wasn’t sure what the sound was, and kept working.

“Then my coworker ran by and she said, ‘He’s got a gun, get out!’” Jacobsen said. “I was like, ‘Oh this is real. I have to get out, I have to get out, I have to

get out.’”

He hid behind the store, texting coworkers to make sure they were OK.

Cathy Mahannah, a customer, said the scene inside was “sheer panic.”

The 62-year-old grandmother was near the store’s entrance picking out Valentine’s Day gifts for her family when she heard a banging sound. She thought something had fallen, but then saw a mass of people running for the exit.

A shopper told her there was an active shooter, and she ran.

She heard at least one more gunshot in the store and a few more when she was outside.

Mahannah was so rattled she initially couldn’t find her car and jumped into a vehicle with a stranger.

“The moments in that parking lot were terrifying when I heard the shots and thought, ‘Where do I hide? I don’t know what to do,’” she said.

At least 29 calls to 911 came in around noon, and the city’s police chief said officers were at the store within minutes. The first officers on the scene includ-

ed Omaha police officers and a Nebraska State Trooper.

“The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect and shot him dead,” Schmaderer said. “He had an AR-15 rifle with him and plenty of ammunition.”

Police said the officers gave several loud commands for the man to drop the rifle before an Omaha officer shot the suspect, who died at the scene.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives happened to be nearby and helped get victims

to safety, bureau spokesperson John Ham said.

The ATF is tracing the weapon to determine where it came from, whether it was acquired legally and whether it has been used in other crimes, Ham said.

Target spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said in a statement that all shoppers and employees were safely evacuated from the store, which will remain closed indefinitely.

Lt. Neal Bonacci, a police spokesperson, said officers are trained to enter such scenes quickly to prevent mass casualties.

“We’ve learned a lot from other jurisdictions, other areas, other cities that have unfortunately experienced this,” he said. “We enter right away. We’re trained to do so. Whether it’s one officer or 10, we go inside and neutralize the threat.”

Several other shootings have taken place at stores across the country in recent months, at a time when mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis.

In January, one woman was injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Evansville, Indiana. Police said it could have been much worse if not for heroic actions by an employee and police.

Officers arrived within minutes and fatally shot the gunman.

A Walmart manager in Chesapeake, Virginia, killed six people in November when he began shooting wildly inside a break room. Six others were wounded. The gunman shot and killed himself before officers arrived.

CHRIS MACHIAN • The Associated Press

A U.S. Marshal is pictured on the scene of a reported shooting at a Target store in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Omaha Police Chief Todd R. Schmaderer says city police confronted and shot a man with an assault rifle.

The adventures have officially begun

Julia Lin Editor In Chief Emma Johnson News Director Joey Erickson Variety Editor

Alicia Reed Sports Editor Dylan Engel Photo Editor

The importance of Black History Month

February just started as of yesterday, effectively putting into motion the beginning of Black History Month.

Taking place throughout the entirety of February, this month serves as an annual celebration of the groundbreaking achievements by African Americans, as well as a reminder of the central role they played in the history of this country.

Black History Month celebratory origins date back to 1915, when historian and author Dr. Carter G Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

Through this organization, Woodson initiated the first Black History Week in February of 1926.

It wasn’t until 1986 that the week was lengthened to a month by President Gerald Ford, as he urged Americans to “recognize the important contribution made to our nation’s life and culture by black citizens.”

Black History Month was finally officiated by Congress in 1986, leading many to take it more formally.

This celebration wasn’t that cut and dry, however. Whether or not they went about it overtly, many people, both then and now, disagreed with the holiday, claiming that the celebration was nothing more than a declaration that all other people are insubordinate compared to African Americans.

Others raised the idea of having a White History Month, since Black History Month was proving so popular. But what we have to understand is that White History Month will never happen, because it already happened, happens, and will happen; not just throughout all the other eleven months excluding February, but year round.

This nation was founded on white people and white values. Everyone is already required to learn a white-washed version of history.

We all learned about the Founding Fathers and their importance to American history, but there were Indigenous, Black and other people creating history at the same time – with a fraction of the attention compared to their white compatriots.

More food for thought: white people are still seen as the “default race.” July 4th is considered the biggest All-American holiday in the country celebrating its independence.

However, the Declaration of Independence was only applicable to its white citizens; it didn’t hold much value for the black people still being enslaved and Indigenous people being forced out of their homes at the time.

We need to understand that when people complain about a lack of a White History Month, they’re really just finding a way to ignore the fact that inequality still exists in the country.

Pulse

By ANDREA SCHOENECKER Staff Writer

My adventures in Wyoming have officially begun. I have been very busy exploring my surroundings and beyond Laramie. There is so much that has happened since I got here, but one of my favorite things is that I have officially found my goto coffee shop.

It is a small local shop that is located under a bookstore. The coffee is amazing, and the ambiance is filled with pure calm of the people within.

Every time I move somewhere new, I always make it my goal to find a local coffee shop to call my favorite spot. For me, coffee shops are a good relaxing environment to do homework, hang out with friends or just hang out

alone. Finding a place to feel relaxed outside of my dorm room has been beneficial for my well-being.

As I had mentioned in my last article, I wanted to explore and adventure as much as possible, I have been exploring campus events hiking trails and visiting neighboring towns.

On campus, they host many student events much like MSU does. My roommate, Sophia, has a talent for finding when they are and ensuring that I attend. We went to a Union After Dark event, where I planted a succulent, whom is now named Fredrick, decorated cookies and made a bracelet. We also attended a basketball game where UWyo played Colorado State in a boarder war game. This was one of the most intense

Compiled by Dylan Long

games I have ever attended. I have also attended a session for the observatory on campus where I learned about bioastrology.

I feel that I am doing more on campus here than I normally would do at home. These events have kept me busy and helped me experience the environment to its fullest.

Outside of campus, I have gone hiking and visited Fort Colins, Colorado.

Sophia’s friend Lena, who is from Germany, has provided a lot of opportunities to go exploring outdoors. Lena’s roommate took us to Curt Gowdy State Park where we hiked up a mountain and walked across ice to a hidden waterfall. This was one of the most beautiful hikes that I have been on in a while.

NIANA GALMESSA, JUNIOR

“Mint chocolate chip.”

SYDNEY BETZINA, SENIOR “Mint.”

ZOE JENSEN, SENIOR “Superman.”

BECCA STARK, SENIOR “Chocolate.”

DAVID MESTA, JUNIOR “Rocky road.”

NATHAN ALEMSHET, SOPHOMORE “Cookies and cream.”

Photo courtesy of Andrea Schoenecker Hiking through Curt Gowdy State park was one of the most beautiful hikes that I’ve been on in a while.

Editorials represent the opinions of The Reporter editorial board. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the college, university or student body.

War’s longest battle exacts high price in ‘heart of Ukraine’

By HANNA ARHIROVA The Associated Press

Visitors used to browse through Bakhmut’s late 19th century buildings, enjoy walks in its rose-lined lakeside park and revel in the sparkling wines produced in historic underground caves.

That was when the city in eastern Ukraine was a popular tourist destination.

No more. The longest battle of Russia’s war has turned this city of salt and gypsum mines into a ghost town.

Despite bombing, shelling and attempts to encircle Bakhmut for six months, Russia’s forces have not conquered it.

But their scorched-earth tactics have made it impossible for civilians to have any semblance of a life there.

“It’s hell on earth right now; I can’t find enough words to describe it,” said Ukrainian soldier Petro Voloschenko, who is known on the battlefield as Stone, his voice rising with emotion and resentment.

Voloschenko, who is originally from Kyiv, arrived in the area in August when the Russian assault started and has since celebrated his birthday, Christmas and New Year’s there.

This past weekend, Lena, Sophia and I took the opportunity to explore a small portion of Downtown Fort Colins. As a big lover of local businesses, I loved being able to explore new stores and see a beautiful part of the city. I would love to have more time to explore here and see Colorado State’s campus as it is supposed to have some

The 44-year-old saw the city, located around 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Russia’s border, gradually turned into a wasteland of ruins. Most of the houses are crushed, without roofs, ceilings, windows or doors, making them uninhabitable, he said.

Out of a prewar population of 80,000, a few thousand residents remain.

They rarely see daylight because they spend most of their time in basements sheltering from the ferocious fighting around and above them.

The city constantly shudders with the muffled sound of explosions, the whizzing of mortars and a constant soundtrack of artillery. Anywhere is a potential target.

Bakhmut lies in Donetsk province, one of four that Russia illegally annexed in the fall — but Moscow only controls about half of it.

To take the remaining half, Russian forces have no choice but to go through Bakhmut, which offers the only approach to bigger Ukrainian-held cities since Ukrainian troops took back Izium in Kharkiv province in September, according to Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies.

“Without seizure of these

beautiful architecture and hidden gems.

All of my adventures aside, I have finally gotten a hold of the campus layout and taken advantage of study spaces and on-campus food. So far, my favorite spot to get a bite to eat on campus is the poke and sushi shop in the Union.

I feel very lucky to be able to have the mountains as my

cities, the Russian army won’t be able to accomplish the political task it was given,” Bielieskov said.

The deterioration in Bakhmut started during the summer after Russia took the last major city in neighboring Luhansk province. It then poured troops and equipment into capturing Bakhmut, and Ukraine did the same to defend it.

For Russia, the city was one stepping stone toward its goal of seizing the remaining Ukrainian-held territory in Donetsk.

From trenches outside the city, the two sides dug in for what turned into an exhausting standoff as Ukraine clawed back territory to the north and south and Russian airstrikes across the country targeted power plants and other infrastructure.

The months of battle exhausted both armies. In the fall, Russia changed tactics and sent in foot soldiers instead of probing the front line mainly with artillery, according to Voloschenko.

Bielieskov, the research fellow, said the least-trained Russians go first to force the Ukrainians to open fire and expose the strengths and weaknesses of their defense.

backdrop, I feel very comfortable with Laramie and all of the excitement it provides me with. I am still hoping to expand my reach and explore more on the weekends. I have officially added visiting a hot spring to the every growing, long list of things I would like to do. I only hope that I have enough time to see everything that this place has to offer.

Daytime television psychologist “Dr. Phil” McGraw says he plans to end his talk show after 21 years in the coming months, but viewers haven’t seen the last of him.

“Dr. Phil” was the most prominent spinoff from Oprah Winfrey’s show, which once dominated daytime TV.

The Texan’s program debuted in September 2002 after he’d been featured as a regular guest on Winfrey’s.

“With this show, we have helped thousands of guest and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children,” McGraw said in a statement.

“This has been an incredible chapter of my life and career, but while I’m moving on from daytime, there is so much more I wish to do.”

The traditional broadcast TV season ends in spring; there

was no date given for Phil’s final show.

McGraw, 72, said he wants to focus on prime-time programming and is planning an unspecified project for early next year.

In the meantime, while new “Dr. Phil” episodes won’t be made, the show won’t disappear from TV.

CBS Media Ventures, which syndicates his program, said it will offer stations a package of reruns with occasional new wraparound content for future seasons.

That’s a cost-saving path blazed by “Judge Judy,” which aired its last original show in June 2021 but continues to be popular in reruns.

“We plan to be in the ‘Dr. Phil’ business with the library for years to come and welcome opportunities to work together in the future,” said Steve LoCascio, president of CBS Media Ventures.

Courtesy of LIBKOS

ROBERT VOETS • The Associated Press

A local resident walks along a street in Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. The war in Ukraine has taken a toll in the Ukraine city that used to be thriving with life.

Dr. Phil McGraw says he’ll stop making new episodes of his daytime TV show after 21 years this spring.

‘Dr. Phil’ talk show to end daytime TV run after 21 years

The Associated Press

 COLUMN from page 6

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SPORTS S

Women’s basketball learning from past mistakes

By LUKE JACKSON Staff Writer

Minnesota State’s Women’s Basketball season draws closer to an end as they only have three weeks remaining of regular season play. MSU is currently on a three-game win streak and are 17-3. This week, they look for redemption versus Southwest Minnesota State as they were the first team to defeat the Mavs.

SMSU is now 13-8 and is in third place in the NSIC southern division, below Mankato and Augustana. They are currently on a two-game win streak and will be hungry to take down Mankato once again as MSU is on top of the southern division, tied for first place.

On Dec. 17, 2022, MSU traveled to Marshall, MN. to take on the Mustangs. At the time, the Mavericks were on a ten-game win streak and remained undefeated. When they left Marshall, they received their first loss of the season as the game ended 85-88 Mustangs on top.

“We were a different team then and they were too,” said Coach, Emilee Thiesse. “We can’t get caught up on who we played last time, we are a different team now.

I give huge credit to Southwest. I thought they did a great job executing their game plan, we just were not at our best in that game.”

In the loss, the Mustangs had five players score double-digit points with Sam Wall, putting up 25. MSU will need to keep her in

control to find the win this week.

“I think our focus will need to be geared toward us and how we play. If we do that we will keep their

players at bay. We will lose our edge if we only try to focus on prioritizing their scoring,” said Thiesse.

Throughout the year, the Mavs have been running a harsh fullcourt trap that shuts down offenses and looks to dismantle the opposing team’s pace of play. On Friday, they ran it to perfection as they forced over 40 turnovers in one game.

“When we run that full-court press and are dialed in, we can find ourselves more in the driver’s seat in games,” said Thiesse.

The Mavs’ second home game of the weekend is against a weak Sioux Falls team with only three conference wins. With an overall record of 6-16, the Cougars sit dead last in the conference.

The last time MSU faced the Cougars, it was a blowout of 9254. In the game, sophomore guard, Destinee Bursch, put up 28 points in only 21 minutes of play. Mankato also had three other players record double-digit points.

Nonetheless, it is still a quintessential game for the Mavericks to perform and win if they want the best NSIC record.

“As long as we keep playing how we did this weekend, the southern division is ours,” said Bursch.

Girls eyeing revenge in WCHA playoffs rematch

By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer

Revenge sure is sweet, and the Mavericks are eyeing it.

This weekend the RV Minnesota State Women’s Hockey team gets another shot at revenge in their two-game series against No. 7, Minnesota Duluth, Friday and Saturday at 3 pm and 2 pm, respectively. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs got the best of the Mavericks, beating Minnesota State 1-2 in overtime and 0-2 back in October.

Revenge does not necessarily come in the form of the two earlier losses this season, however.

Senior forward, Claire Butorac, who became a Maverick back in 2018, knows all about the growing rivalry between the schools.

“It’s been building up for a couple of years,” explained Butorac. “I think last year was kind of the tellall because they were the four and we were five seed going into playoffs, and then we brought them into that third game of the series last year. It’s always tough when your year ends, and the team that ends your season, you wanna get a game or two on them in the next coming season.”

The Bulldogs have handed the Mavericks back-to-back firstround exits in the past two Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) playoffs. However, making up for the two losses earlier in the season would make it even sweeter for the Mavs if they can

pull off another top-15 upset in the USCHO poll.

“I think this weekend’s going to be really fun for us because we’ve been able to develop everyone on our team. It’ll be a good rivalry weekend. We’re excited,” stated Butorac.

Minnesota State is also capping off a rough stretch of games which first began with an away series at No. 8 Wisconsin. The stretch continued to Columbus for a series against No. 1 Ohio State, and will now be concluded with a home series against Duluth, before taking a break from the USCHO’s top 15. That streak will end with a home series against Bemidji State Feb. 10 and Feb. 11.

Right now, all focus is on what’s ahead and that is the No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. As for what to expect, Butorac explained that the Bulldogs “are going to be physical, fast, and they play really good to their system.” The senior forward also said, “they also have a really good goalie that’s been hot lately, as well as a couple of other big-name forwards.”

Graduate students, Gabby Hughes and Emma Soderberg, currently lead the Bulldogs at their respective positions. Hughes leads Minnesota Duluth in scoring at this point in the season with seven goals and 27 assists, while Soderberg minds the net averaging a mere 1.63 goals allowed per game.

The Mavericks will have to do their due diligence on the two Du-

luth players, but Butorac believes if Minnesota State plays their game, they can come out on top.

“We need to play our game, which is a fast and hard-working game,” explained Butorac. “Coach always tells us we need to be hard to play against, and I think that’s really something we’re gonna have to focus on this weekend. We need to

be gritty at the net fronts and at the blue lines, getting pucks deep, having confidence in ourselves that we can come into a weekend like this playing a top-10 team and come out on top.”

During this series earlier in the year, the Mavericks also lost senior captain and defenseman, Anna Wilgren, to a season-ending inju-

ry. Minnesota State has missed her presence, and Butorac explained that although she is no longer able to be on the ice to help, the Mavs have been ready to step up in her absence.

“Losing Anna was really tough for our team. She is a leader not only on the ice but also off the ice,”

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter

MSU Women’s Basketball aims to keep their winning streak as they play Southwest Minnesota State Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sioux Falls Saturday, Feb. 4 at 5:30 p.m.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter MSU Women’s Hockey team look for wins as they have a two-game home series against Minnesota Duluth Friday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.

OPINION: I can’t wait to watch

Justin Jefferson play...flag football?

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

Yes, flag football. If you haven’t heard, the NFL is changing it up in the Pro Bowl this year, replacing the traditional 11 on 11, fully padded, full-contact matchup with three 7 on 7, flag football games. Let’s break it down.

The teams will still be AFC vs. NFC, as always, but there will be 27 skill position players selected per team. Sorry, linemen. The game will be shortened to just 20 minutes, separated into two 10-minute halves, with a running clock. The length of the field has also been shrunk down to just 50 yards, and each team will begin its possession from the offense’s 5-yard line. Each team will have four downs to pick up 20 yards. If the team picks up the first down, they will have four more tries to put the ball in the end zone.

Scoring touchdowns will still reward the offense with six points. The point after, however, has been tweaked a bit. If the offense can convert from the 3-yard line, it will be rewarded with one point. If the offense goes for two, it can attempt to score from the 10-yard line.

Why did the NFL change it up? If you are asking that question, you have probably never watched the Pro Bowl, and I don’t blame you. The Pro Bowl has been a joke in the NFL for years when it comes to competitive football. Mac Jones was hitting the Griddy at last year’s Pro Bowl, so the NFL had no choice but to change the way the game was played. Fortunately, Mac Jones will be nowhere near the Pro Bowl this year, so I think we’re safe.

Will this be a good idea? To be honest, I do think that this will make the Pro Bowl more fun for players now that they don’t have to worry about taking a helmet to the chin from Budda Baker or Derwin James. However, I am more excited about the skills challenges.

Thursday, Feb. 2, players from each conference will face off in a variety of sports-related challenges. First is “Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball presented by Bud Light.” Even the name is pretty nelk. The second is the Lightning Round, which is pretty difficult to explain, but you may see a water balloon hit Peyton Manning in his enormous forehead. Bud Light is also presenting the third event, “Longest Drive.” In this event, four players from each conference will compete to drive a golf ball the furthest distance off a tee.

In the final two events is where we might see Kirk and Jefferson, as Madden Mobile presents “Precision Passing.” Each conference’s two quarterbacks and one non-quarterback will

Mavericks needing to ‘dial in’

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

Six more games. That’s all that’s left in the Minnesota State Men’s Basketball regular season. This weekend, the Mavs will have two more opportunities to improve against Southern Minnesota State University and Sioux Falls.

After dropping four straight games, the Mavs got back in the win column Saturday against Minot State, but are looking to string together some wins just in time for the playoffs. MSU Coach Matthew Margenthaler admitted sophomore Brady Williams has been officially shut down for the year, and the Mavs will have to keep moving forward without the star forward.

Without Williams and a handful of other players, the Mavs have struggled, but got back sophomore Harrison Braudis Friday against the University of Mary. Although they lost to UMary, the Mavs did come back from 26 down to lose by only two points to the Marauders.

“I thought we played OK last weekend, not as good as we need to be at this point in the season,” said Margenthaler. “We just can’t put ourselves in the position we did to get down big.”

Down the stretch without Williams, sophomore forward, Tyrell Stuttley, has stepped into the starting lineup and played great in his role. But that is also the story with this Mavs team, role players trying to adapt to new roles. Now with

Williams out for good, players like freshmen Chase Bartlett and Dawson Rudolph will get more chances to make plays for the rest of the season.

Healing but still not healthy, Braudis and Willingham are back, and the Mavs are looking to make a statement, starting with Friday’s matchup against SMSU. With a 13-8 record, the Mustangs sit one spot ahead of the Mavs in the South division standings. The Mustangs bested the Mavs earlier this season 62-58, a close game played in Marshall. The Mustangs were able to force 15 turnovers in their last win, so limiting will be a focus for the Mavs heading into Friday’s matchup.

The Mustangs are led by sophomore guard Omot Dunwa, who is averaging 16.5 ppg, and shoots 37% from beyond the arc on about five attempts per game. Down low, Junior Center Jake Phipps has been able to pull down seven rebounds per game, while averaging a block a game on the season. A tough matchup for the Mavs, but certainly a winnable one.

“Right now, with six games left to play, we can still control our own destiny,” said Margenthaler. “We’ve got to be dialed in this weekend.”

After their rematch with the Mustangs, the Mavs will look to another opponent that has knocked them off earlier this season in the Sioux Falls Cougars. The Cougars currently lead the South division with a 16-6 record. The story the last time these two teams

faced off was the Mavs’ offense, posting their lowest point total in a game on the season with just 48, and shooting just 28% from the field with a disappointing 8% from beyond the arc.

Will the Mavs’ offense show up in Saturday’s matchup? It will need to in order to keep up with the Cougars’ offensive attack, led by the leading scorer in the NSIC, guard Matt Cartwright. Cartwright has been on a tear this season, averaging 22.7 points per game and shooting 43% from three. Cartwright truly carries the Cougar offense, as only one other player has been able to keep a double-digit scoring average, so the Mavs’ defense will be a game changer if they are able to hold

Cartwright in check.

“We need to make sure we can take care of some of these home games so we can set ourselves up for a nice seed in the conference tournament,” said Margenthaler.

In order for the Mavs to continue to control their own destiny, these games are must-haves. With a squad that is as healthy as it has been in weeks, this is the time for the Mavs to shine. Tip-off for Friday’s matchup against the Mustangs is 5:30 p.m, and Saturday’s clash with the Cougars will begin at 3:30 p.m.

“We could be number one if we win out, but we could also drop to six or seven if we don’t,” said Margenthaler. “The next three weeks should be a lot of fun.”

Looking to continue win-streak against Tommies

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

Next on tap for the Minnesota State Men’s Hockey team is a date this weekend with the University of St. Thomas. The Mavericks, having enjoyed recent success, come into this weekend riding an eightgame win streak and are 18-9-1 on the season.

The Mavericks have also enjoyed recent success against the Tommies as they are 17-5-0 alltime, dating back to 1985 when both teams were considered division II. Since making the jump to division I last year, the Mavericks are undefeated against the Tommies, which includes two wins to knock the Tommies out of last year’s playoffs.

Though this success is fortunate for the Mavericks, this weekend’s series isn’t one to brush aside and consider an easy sweep. Since Nov. 25, the Tommies have been able to garner up points in every series they’ve played in which includes their first sweep as a division I program.

Junior Tommie forward, Mack Byers, has been a key part to St.

Thomas’ recent success, having accumulated 18 points through 26 games played this season. In addition, Byers currently sits fourth in the CCHA in goals scored at 13, tied with senior Maverick forward, Ryan Sandelin.

Freshman goaltender, Aaron Trotter, has been consistent for St. Thomas in terms of performance and statistics. The Victoria, B.C.

native currently holds a considerable .902 save percentage, despite an underwhelming 7-15-2 record for him this season.

But the Mavericks will be bringing their best this weekend, as well, as they own the CCHA leader in goals and third place for NCAA division I goals per game, David Silye. Silye, who’s been Minnesota State’s most consistent play-

er this year, has had his own recent success against St. Thomas, having put up eight goals in the last five games against the Tommies.

“I guess that’s just the way hockey works out sometimes,” said Silye. “We have a chance to rewrite our season after a tough first half and it just so happens to be against St. Thomas who I’ve had success with in the past. It just adds to how special this weekend can be.”

In addition, both teams will have the added pressure of this weekend’s series being a “homeand-home,” where the teams will get the chance to play on their home ice once during the series. The uniqueness of this type of a series will challenge the players to make a quick mental shift playing in front of two different crowds.

“It’s different and it’s gotta be a quick mental shift,” said Silye. “We’ve had some experience earlier in the year with Minnesota and St. Thomas. So we gotta be ready to go on Friday and then do the same thing up in St. Thomas on Saturday.”

Puck drop for Minnesota State and St. Thomas is set for 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. on Saturday.

DYLAN ENGEL• The Reporter MSU Men’s Basketball team plays a second back to back weekend with SMSU Friday, Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. and Sioux Falls Saturday, Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m.

DYLAN ENGEL• The Reporter

MSU Men’s Hockey team plays a home-and-home series against St. Thomas Friday, Feb. 3 at home and Saturday, Feb. 4 at St. Thomas.

Senior spotlight: Nicole Beckman

Fending off the Pesky Beavers

By ALI REED Staff Writer

With swimming being such a big part of her family, Minnesota State senior, Nicole Beckman, has continued the legacy, nearing the end of her final competitive swimming season.

“I have two older siblings and they grew up swimming, so I would always go to their meets and be up in the stands with my parents,” said Beckman. “I always wanted to get into the water and when I finally did, I fell in love with it.”

Beckman grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and started swimming at the age of seven.

She attended school at Whitnall High School, where she was a division II High School State Champion. She also was a national qualifier for club swimming, as well as a two-time Woodland Conference Champion.

Beckman decided that continuing her swimming career at MSU was a must, immediately after her recruiting trip.

“When I came here from my recruiting trip, I just saw the team dynamic. I wanted to be a part of that because they were just so close,” said Beckman. “You could tell the friendships were amazing and like everyone was so supportive, and I just wanted to be a part of that environment.”

Beckman’s experience with collegiate swimming has differed greatly from her time in high school.

“I feel like high school swim-

ming was pretty laid back for me and then in college it’s like everyone wants to be here,” said Beckman. “Like they had a choice to swim in college or to not swim and it kind of brings us all together. There’s no negative talk.”

Beckman has made quite the splash as a Maverick. She has finished first in many events over the past three seasons, along with being named to the NSIC All-Academic Team/Team of Excellence in 2021.

Being a part of the Mavericks has made a huge impact on Beckman, especially as a senior.

“It showed me how to be self disciplined. Like, be a hard worker and that you can achieve your goals if you put in hard work. You have to earn it,” said Beckman.

Beckman is planning to major in Communication Disorders and attend grad school after graduation this spring. She chose this major due to her own experiences as a kid.

“When I was in third grade, I had to go to speech therapy and I was so embarrassed,” said Beckman. “But I realized that they helped me and even though I was embarrassed, I want to help kids and help them progress toward their communication goals.”

For her last season, Beckman has the utmost confidence in herself and the team.

Our team goal is to win conference again,” said Beckman. “Personally, I’d say to just have fun and enjoy the moment. Also, maybe go best time and qualify for nationals again.”

By CHARLIE GROEBNER Staff Writer

Entering the month of February in the win column, Minnesota State once again finds itself back on home soil. However, there is little time to unwind as they prepare to defend the Taylor Center once again. Under the Thursday night lights, The Mavs will face off against fellow NSIC opponent, Minot State.

In years past, the Mavs have always been a team that shows up against the Beavers. In last year’s matchup, MSU won 26-10 on the road against them. This marked their tenth straight win over the Beavers, the longest streak in their matchup’s history. This time around, the Mavs look to make it eleven straight, while the Beavers look to beat the streak.

However even if they have beaten them in previous bouts, Head Coach, John Makovsky,

still feels there is more work to be done. With most of his starting lineup being underclassmen, it requires them to be experienced when going into matchups.

“I think we have been showing steady improvement. We have got a young team that lacks experience and to keep learning from our experiences to get better and where we want them to be,” said Makovsky.

This year, the Beavers have not been as fortunate as the Mavs. Currently, they are second to last in the conference and ride a threegame losing streak. All three losses were by twenty points or more. However, even for all the frustrations, they are still a team that is looking to gain their second win of the year and upset Mankato in front of the Herd.

One of the key members of the Beavers to watch out for is sophomore Heavyweight and rising star, Jake Swirple. Weighing in at

285 pounds, the native of Livonia, Michigan exploded onto the scene his freshman year. Not only did he play offensive line for the school but compiled a 14-0 record on the mat. Currently sitting at 11-3 on the season, he will be eager to try and seek another win against the Mavs.

With the countdown to Thursday night’s contest underway, all eyes will be on the Mavs as they look to defend the Taylor Center. Coach Makovsky feels this will help dictate the match. Consistency in performance is what matters most in this match; making sure his guys are going out there and competing at the highest level.

“Big thing we are looking for is how important it is to be the best version of yourself on a consistent basis. We just want them to give their best consistently so that their up day is not as far off from their down day,” said Makovsky.

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter

Senior Nicole Beckman nears the end of her final competitive swimming season. She hopes to qualify for nationals again.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

The MSU Wrestling team participates in their second to last home dual of the season against Minot State today, Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m.

Brady’s finale didn’t go as planned

Super Bowl features strong QBs

By JOSH DUBOW The Associated Press

It’s only fitting that the top two quarterbacks in the regular season based on All-Pro voting are the last two quarterbacks standing in the NFL this season.

First-team All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes will take his Kansas City Chiefs into the Super Bowl against second-team All-Pro Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. This marks the seventh time since the merger that the first-team All-Pro quarterback will face the second-teamer for the championship, with it last happening in the 2016 season when second-teamer Tom Brady’s Patriots beat first-teamer Matt Ryan’s Falcons 34-28 in overtime.

By PAUL NEWBERRY

In a perfect world — and so much of Tom Brady’s career was as close to perfection as a football player can get — the first retirement would’ve stuck.

He certainly did nothing to enhance his legacy by returning for another season. And, of course, we’ll never know if that regrettable decision cost him his marriage, as well.

But Brady’s farewell year — he

 REVENGE from page 10

said Butorac. “She wears a ‘C’ for a reason. When we played Duluth last time, we had a lot of young defenders play quite a bit. Kianna [Roeske] and Lily [Ramirez],

announced his retirement again on Wednesday, and this time insisted that he means it — will quickly fade from our collective memories, overwhelmed by the enormity of his accomplishments over an unprecedented career. The seven Super Bowl titles. The three MVP awards. The five Super Bowl MVP awards. The certain spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The unquestioned legacy as the greatest quarterback ever to toss a pigskin.

And Brady being Brady, even his final season with Tampa Bay.

they’re freshmen, and that was their second series in the WCHA. They’ve grown as players tremendously in confidence and in skill, and having them develop so much coming into this weekend definitely helps us out.”

That’s been the pattern in all six of the matchups, with the second teamer coming out victorious each time: Drew Brees over Peyton Manning in the 2009 season, Mark Rypien over Jim Kelly

battle it out in a one-minute accuracy competition, trying to hit as many targets as possible. I swear to god, if Kirk somehow does not hit a target, you will not hear from me for an entire year. Anyways, the last event of Thursday’s festivities is “Best Catch,” where the rules don’t matter and Justin Jefferson will win just by wearing cool sunglasses or something.

On Sunday before the flag football game is played, four more skills challenges will be played. The ‘“Best Catch” finale will be performed, as the top vote getters from Thursday’s contest will come back to perform again in front of celebrity judges. The Gridiron Gauntlet is an obstacle course

(1991), Joe Montana over Dan Marino (1984), Montana over Ken Anderson (1981) and Roger Staubach over Bob Griese (1971).

Both Mahomes and Hurts are among the five finalists for

where six players from each conference will compete in the fourpart challenge. Hey, linemen, this one’s for you! “Move the Chains” will feature two teams from each conference pulling heavy weights using first-down chains. The last event of not is “Kick Tac Toe,” where each conference’s kicker, punter and long snapper will get a chance to be a part of the action.

Let’s go Andrew DePaola.

The skills competitions will have cumulative scoring leading up to Sunday’s flag football games. The winner of each skills challenge will earn their team three points, and the winner of the first two flag football games will earn six points. The points add together to be the score at the beginning of the third

the MVP award that will be announced next week. The winner of the AP NFL MVP hasn’t won the Super Bowl since Kurt Warner did it for the Rams in the 1999 season.

and final flag football game, which will determine the winner of the 2023 Pro Bowl Games.

Cousins, Jefferson, Dalvin Cook (somehow), T.J. Hockenson, Za’Darius Smith, Danielle Hunter, and Andrew DePaola will be the seven players representing the Vikings in this year’s Pro Bowl, so if you want to see these guys play one more time before we all vomit for three straight hours watching the Super Bowl, go check out the Pro Bowl Games! Thursday’s events start at 6 p.m. Central Time on ESPN, and Sunday’s agenda begins at 2 p.m. CT. Oh, also Rae Sremmurd will be performing, if that matters. Skol.

 PRO BOWL from page 11

DARRON CUMMINGS • The Associated Press FILE - New England Patriots’ Tom Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at NFL Super Bowl 51.

The Associated Press

JEFF ROBERSON • The Associated Press Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes works in the pocket against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of the NFL AFC Championship.

VA RI ET Y

NASA Craft Night out of this world

By JOEY ERICKSON Variety Editor

Yesterday the Centennial Student Union was the home of an out of this world activity, as the Multicultural Center hosted a NASA Craft Night for interested students. The evening was dedicated to crafting of all kinds, from home brought crafts to native cultural crafts.

The Native American Student Association, a multi-tribal student organization that serves students who identify as American Indian, spearheaded the event, alongside Megan Heutmaker, the Director of American Indian Affairs on campus.

According to Heutmaker, the activities differ each time a craft night is held, and fully depend on what the student attendees want to make.

“Activities will vary from each evening. These first 2 craft nights, we have been working on beading lanyards. The students are really guiding what crafts we are doing and just because we are offering the supplies for a certain activity, doesn’t mean someone can’t bring their own projects they are working on,” Heutmaker said.

“We have a student who is a very skilled beader, and they

are taking the time to teach their peers about how to bead. I know we have students who crochet, knit, and do all sorts of creative crafting and those are all welcome here at our craft

nights,” Heutmaker continued. Interested students are free to stop by whenever they’d like, leaving their school stress at the door and unwind from the busyness of campus life.

On top of building crafts, the event also serves as a community builder, bringing like-minded students together to bond relationships, stronger than any Elmer’s glue bottle.

“We are hosting these events because they are times to build community with each other and share time doing things we love to do. Often times we are working on projects for family members. And we sit around sharing laughs and talking about what’s going on in our lives. Sometimes we are also watching Reservation Dogs and enjoying the show together,” Heutmaker said.

Minnesota State campus is not a stranger to NASA-hosted craft nights, even opting to go virtual when Covid closed down campus.

“Recently throughout the pandemic, we did virtual craft lunches where we would sit on Zoom and catch up, share what was going on, work on our crafts and have lunch together,” Heutmaker said.

Despite the slight inconvenience, the event is stronger than ever, and not going anywhere.

“We will continue to hold these events as long as students are interested and wanting to connect around this topic. There are a number of creative and beautiful crafts in the American Indian community that students are always interested in making and my job is always to support what our students want to do,” Heutmaker said.

Pieta Brown lights up Elias J. Halling Recital Hall

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

Pieta Brown, Liz Draper and Richard Medek filled the Elias J. Halling Recital Hall Jan. 31 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with folk music. Brown played her guitar, Medek played the drums and Draper played both the upright bass and the electric bass guitar.

This is the 26th year of this concert series. Dale Haefner, the performer series director and a music industry professor, gave insight into how he picks musical guests to come to Minnesota State.

“Part of the process is putting artists on stage that coincide with what’s being presented in our pop music and intro to music classes. The performance series attracts many people from the Mankato community, so it’s regional and not just Mankato, but actually a four-, five-, sixstate area,” said Haefner.

“For the performance series, we usually get about 60 to 75 students. I hope that they get a lot out of these performances. I have always tried to present and curate a roster of artists that represents a wide range and wide variety of artists. That can range from folk, Americana, jazz and even blues.”

Brown, daughter of wellknown folk/Americana artist Greg Brown, is a singer-songwriter from Iowa City, Iowa. She got her start by being surrounded by music at home. Everyone in her family played an instrument.

“I grew up around so much music that playing music was not really like performing for me, so it was kind of a hard thing for me to make the shift,” said Brown. “After I started writing songs, it was like the songs that led the way. So I just started trying to sing at little gigs. I had a little duo with the drummer, a woman named Tasha. We started playing gigs around, and I haven’t stopped since.”

Some of her inspirations are from her family.

“Growing up on so much music, it’s always been kind of a lifeline for me, like just a way of dealing with the world and transmitting how I’m processing things in a way to connect with others,” said Brown. “I also think it’s about connections you make in life.”

During the show, Brown talked about the inspiration for her song “Street Tracker.” It was a motorcycle photo from an email from one of her friends. She also

got the chance to sing this song with Mark Knopfler.

“I don’t know why that sparked this next song that did somehow just this little photo-

graph, and about 10 minutes later, I had this. It made me think about the road, and I had been out on it quite a bit,” said Brown. “I did this album called

‘Postcards,’ and I would send different friends and musicians worldwide. I got to send this song to one of my favorite mu-

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Students can create all different kinds of crafts at the NASA-held craft nights on campus, from beading, to crochet, to knitting, and anything in between.

DYLAN LONG • The Reporter Pieta Brown, pictured above, was born and raised in rural Iowa. The son of two preacher’s kids, Brown was introduced to traditional and rural folk music as a kid by her father, which can still be heard in her music today.

‘Diamonds and Dancefloors’ is a gem of musical genius

Cindy Williams dies at 75

By ANDREW DALTON The Associated Press

Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne on the beloved sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died. She was 75.

Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released on Monday through family spokeswoman Liza Cranis.

By EMMA JOHNSON

glittering spirit that everyone loved.”

Williams worked with some of Hollywood’s most elite directors in a film career that preceded her full-time move to television, appearing in George Cukor’s 1972 “Travels With My Aunt,” George Lucas’ 1973 “American Graffiti” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation” from 1974.

But she was by far best known for “Laverne & Shirley,” the “Happy Days” spinoff that ran on ABC from 1976 to 1983 that in its prime was among the most popular shows on TV.

Almost three years after releasing her debut album “Heaven and Hell,” Ava Max dropped her sophomore album “Diamonds and Dancefloors” Friday, securing her spot in the pop-diva scene. Outdoing her 2020 chart-toppers such as “Sweet but Psycho” and “Kings and Queens,” Max delivered a 40-minute album that throws listeners into a whirlwind of a club filled with ballads, disco bops and catchy beats to get people on their feet.

Max mentioned in a recent “Rolling Stone” interview the album follows the heartbreak that Max endured over the last three years. Fury and sadness aside, the album focuses on growth and recovery following a breakup and finding the beauty in dancing the pain away.

Max dropped several snippets of her forthcoming songs in the weeks leading up to the album’s release, letting fans sample some of the tracks. Working alongside famed producer Cirkut, the album’s production is crisp and compelling.

“Million Dollar Baby” has become a staple on people’s playlists and TikTok videos.

Riffing off of early 2010s songs, this upbeat bop perfectly sets the mood of the album

 FOLK from page 14

News Director sicians, Mark Knopfler, and he ended up sending it back to me.”

Brown said she hoped students got a lot out of her per-

while encouraging listeners to let go of their problems. The lead single “Maybe You’re The Problem” shows just how Max felt about her breakups. Dropping back in April 2022, the single bleeds with anger and angst, giving Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” a run for its money. The revenge continues later on with the falsetto-dripping “Cold As Ice” that has biting lyrics such as “I keep a pistol under my pillow at night/I close the curtains and I sharpen my knife.”

Heartbreak sounds best when paired with lively lyrics and Max does just that through catchy melodies shown on songs such as “Ghost” and “One of Us.” The former song references being haunted by memories while the latter is a begging power ballad about one-sided love and the desire to stay together. “In the Dark” approaches the subject of hookup culture through the lyrics of “the lights turn on/when I wake up, you’re gone/why do you only love me in the dark?”

The bright beats and captivating lyrics almost make listeners forget their pain.

Max ventures into discography by mixing pulsating synths to create an electric atmosphere that deserves to be blasted at the loudest speaker setting. “Sleepwalker” turns to

formance.

“Music is fun, and that music is one of the most open art forms there is, at least in my opinion. I hope they also know that they should be willing to

gritty guitar while “Turn off the Lights” transforms pumping bass into the next club anthem.

“Hold Up (Wait a Minute)” takes ’80s pop and transforms infidelity into indifference with lyrics as “out here pouring wine/so don’t whine/cuz it ain’t gonna wind me up.”

“Get Outta My Heart” continues the party with forcing an ex to repetitively get out of their head, car, bed and heart, the echoing chorus making for a sassy departure of a relationship. The titular track’s opening notes create a mesmerizing, almost galactic entrance and reinvents club music of the future. The invigorating beats echo lyrics Max wrote during the Covid-19 pandemic. When the beat drops, listeners will be begging to be “drowning in glitter and gold” and demanding to find a dancefloor to let loose on. Max sensually closes out with “Dancing’s Done,” shutting off the previous chapter of her life and looking forward to what’s next.

Max has created a spectacle unlike anything been produced the last few years. It’s sexy, it’s fierce, it’s the club everyone always dreamed of attending. Balancing cleverly crafted lyrics along with explosive beats, “Diamonds and Dancefloors” creates an exhilarating intoxication for the senses.

try anything that they feel with music,” said Brown.

For more information about Brown’s upcoming events, go to her website, pietabrown.com and click on the shows tab.

“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a

Williams played the straitlaced Shirley Feeney to Marshall’s more libertine Laverne DeFazio on the show about a pair of blue-collar roommates who toiled on the assembly line of a Milwaukee brewery in the 1950s and 1960s.

“They were beloved characters,” Williams told.

Photo Courtesy of Spotify Ava Max’s sophomore album ‘Diamonds and Dancefloors’ is an upcoming club staple.

CHARLES SYKES • The Associated Press Williams, who played Shirley opposite Penny Marshall’s Laverne on the popular sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023.