April 11, 2023

A Latinx Fiesta fit for all

By KENDALL LARSON Staff Writer

Latinx Night celebrated Latin American culture with Latin American food, music and language.

Students packed the ballroom Thursday to share their cultural traditions.

“Latinx Night is a yearly celebration at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU). The inspiration this year was Fiesta del Pueblo, which means party in the town,” said Fabiola Diaz, the director of Latinx Affairs.

Although Diaz said planning the event had its ups and downs, Latinx Night was completely booked. Every table was filled with people and students celebrating the Latinx community.

“The event planification had its ups and downs; however, the outcome was outstanding. We had a full ballroom and the most appreciative time was seeing staff, students and community members coming together having a great time,” Diaz said.

Alternatives for the War on Drugs

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he intends to sign legal, recreational cannabis into law. To help Minnesota State students understand the current state laws and what life in Minnesota would look like with legal marijuana use, the Department of Sociology invited Dr. Ryan Steel to give a lecture over Zoom Friday.

The event was co-hosted by Assistant Professor Aaron Hoy and was part of Minnesota State University’s “Research Month” events in April.

Reporter

As a part of Latinx night, a plethora of performances including dancing and a marachi band came together in the CSU Ballroom to celebrate the community and the traditions of each country.

Nights like these are becoming increasingly important because MSU’s diversity is growing.

“Representation is important

as well as continuing sharing and learning with the students and staff Latin American cultur-

al traditions. Also, it is a great way for students to enjoy their

Preparing for Disaster

Steel currently teaches Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Richmond in Virginia as a guest lecturer and used to teach at the University of Minnesota- where he completed his Ph.D in 2022. His research focuses on drug laws and how the notoriously restrictive medical cannabis program in Minnesota is the result of a stigmatizing half-century of criminal prosecution for use of the plant.

According to Steel, “Virtually no social institutions have been untouched by the Drug War, including medicine, criminal justice, the state, corporate manufacturing, the family, labor and culture.”

In his lecture, he talked about the history of medical cannabis, beginning with its bountiful use in the early 20th century United States to the mid-century War on Drugs to the gradual return to legalization for medical purposes.

Minnesota became the first state to legalize THC edibles for adults 21 and older in July 2022. These products must be derived from legally certified hemp, either Delta 8 or Delta 9, and can contain up to five milligrams of THC per serving.

Medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 2014, and possession of 42.5 grams or less is charged as a misdemeanor punishable by fine with no prison time. As for prescribed medical cannabis use, those with illnesses or treatments caus-

JULIA LIN • The Reporter

Minnesota State’s Nursing program conducts this semester’s disaster simulation drill.

LILLY ANDERSON • The

Ending the school year celebrating all things research

Ousted Black lawmaker could soon return to Tennessee House

At MSU, April has been deemed Research Month to celebrate the hard work and projects that have been completed throughout the year.

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

This April, the third annual is Research Month at Minnesota State.

Research Month was first initiated by former MSU President Richard Davenport in 2021 and featured virtual events. This year events are online and in-person and most are free and open to the public.

According to Dr. Teri Wallace, Associate Vice President for Research, April was chosen because the school year is wrapping up and “we’re at a point of celebrating” the work and projects completed throughout the year.

“Research is so important on our campus, from the faculty and the work that they do to the way students get to participate with faculty guidance to really learn that inquiry process, which can serve so many different aspects of one’s life,” Wallace said. “Not only just the research at the institution, but then down the road they’re able to follow that investigatory process that can be super useful for students and graduates.”

The Research Month website has videos of President Inch and academics deans talking about why research is an essential aspect of university life. The site also includes a calendar of events and information about grants and applications.

Throughout the month, students in the Honors program will be presenting their graduating final portfolios that demonstrate Honors skills learned throughout their university careers such as leadership, research and scholarly activities. The portfolios have

examples of experiences that helped the student develop competency.

James Ziegweid, an Honors student graduating in May, was among those presenting final portfolios on April 10.

“I was able to apply the leadership skills I have to something that’s a real life type of thing. So it’s a really good way to reflect on all of the different experiences that you’ve had over the course of your college career,” Ziegweid said.

Ziegweid presented his portfolio to his honors advisor, a member of the Honors Council, and a faculty member of his choosing—speech and debate coach Katie Brunner— who all decide if he passed his honors portfolio defense.

“(Brunner) definitely had a big impact on my life over these past two years so I’m really looking forward to having her in that meeting,” Ziegweid said.

Other events on the Research Month Calendar include various showcases from students and faculty, the Undergraduate Research Symposium and the ART of Equity Symposium on reducing gaps in gateway courses, which Wallace said she is particularly excited for.

“I’m really proud that the institution does this and I hope each year we can continue to expand,” Wallace said.

“I get to work with a lot of wonderful people currently. It takes a bit to put this kind of thing together and make this known to folks so that they can come and participate. It’s building our reputation and letting more people know the fantastic things that happen on campus.”

By JONATHAN MATTISE The Associated Press

One of the two Black Democrats who were thrown out of the Tennessee House last week appeared likely to get his seat back Monday, just days after the GOP exacted retribution against the lawmakers who protested for more gun control.

Nashville’s Metro Council could return Justin Jones to the Legislature immediately when it votes to fill the vacant position on an interim basis.

Jones and another Black lawmaker were expelled by the Republican supermajority for their role in a gun-control protest on the House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville.

The other expelled representative, Justin Pearson, could be reappointed Wednesday at a meeting of the Shelby County Commission in his district.

The expulsions on Thursday made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy and pro-

pelled the ousted lawmakers into the national spotlight.

Members of the Nashville council have said publicly that they want to send Jones back to the Capitol. The vote will happen as state lawmakers hold their first floor sessions since the expulsion votes. Special elections for the seats will take place in the coming months. Jones and Pearson have said they want to be reappointed and plan to run in the special elections.

DOMINIC BOTHE • The Reporter

GEORGE WALKER • The Associated Press

Expelled Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, from left, expelled Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, are recognized by the audience at Fisk University Friday, April 7, in Nashville, Tenn.

Trump’s response to criminal charges revives election lies

Louisville bank shooter kills 4

By DYLAN LOVAN and CLAIRE GALOFARO The Associated Press

A 23-year-old bank employee armed with a rifle opened fire at his Louisville workplace Monday morning, killing four people — including a close friend of the governor — while livestreaming the attack, authorities said.

“Let’s be clear about what this was,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said. “This was an evil act of targeted violence.”

After

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and NICHOLAS RICCARDI

The Associated Press

Legally, the most important words former President Donald Trump said after he was charged with 34 felonies by the Manhattan District Attorney last week were “not guilty.” But, politically, the most significant may be “election interference.”

Trump’s repetition of those words, which have been taken up by other top Republicans, show how he is trying to turn his historic position as the first former president charged with crimes to his advantage.

It’s another example of what’s been a consistent refrain throughout his political career — claiming without evidence that an election is being rigged against him.

After his initial court appearance in the New York case, the first of several in which he is in legal jeopardy, Trump ticked through the varied investigations he was facing and branded them as “massive” attempts to interfere with the 2024 election.

“Our justice system has become lawless,” Trump said as he appeared before supporters at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago. “They’re using it now, in addition to everything else, to win elections.”

WEED from page 1

ing “severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting” can qualify for cannabis use in controlled amounts, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The DFL party currently controls the state senate, house and governorship, meaning more legal cannabis legislation has a better chance of passing and signed into law than it has with past leadership.

Sen. Lindsay Port and Rep. Zack Stephenson, both DFL, began the 2023 legislative session in January by introducing

Trump has made some version of those claims in at least 20 social media posts since March 3, the bulk of which occurred in the last two weeks, accelerating when a Manhattan grand jury appeared to be wrapping up its work and preparing to indict the former president.

Trump declared his latest bid for the White House shortly after the November midterms, in what some in his orbit saw as an effort to head off the various probes swirling around him.

Alleging an election is being stolen from him is a routine Trump tactic, despite no evidence to back up his assertions. When competing for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, Trump claimed his loss in the Iowa caucuses was due to fraud.

When he won the White House that November but lost the popular vote, Trump claimed the only reason for falling short in the latter category was because undocumented immigrants voted.

A task force he formed to find voter fraud disbanded without finding any evidence to back up his claim.

In 2020, Trump began arguing the election would be fraudulent months before voting started.

The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) to the south.

That state’s governor and his wife also had friends killed in that shooting.

Police arrived as shots were still being fired inside Old National Bank and killed the shooter in an exchange of gunfire, Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said at a news conference

“The suspect shot at officers,” the police chief said. “We then returned fire and stopped that threat.”

The chief identified the shooter as Connor Sturgeon, who she said was livestreaming during the attack.

“That’s tragic to know that that incident was out there and captured,” she said. “We’re hopeful that we can have that incident removed, that footage

removed.”

Nine people, including two police officers, were treated for injuries from the shooting, University of Louisville Hospital spokeswoman Heather Fountaine said in an email.

One of the officers, a 26-year-old who had graduated from the police academy on March 31, was in critical condition after being shot in the head and having surgery, the police chief said. At least three patients had been discharged.

An emotional Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he lost one of his closest friends in the shooting in the building on East Main Street not far from the minor league ballpark Louisville Slugger Field and Waterfront Park.

“These are irreplaceable, amazing individuals that a terrible act of violence tore from all of us,” the governor said of the victims.

It was the second time that Beshear was personally touched by a mass tragedy since becoming governor.

In late 2021, one of the towns devastated by tornadoes that tore through Kentucky was Dawson Springs, the hometown of Beshear’s father, former two-term Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. Andy Beshear frequently visited Dawson Springs as a boy and has talked emotionally about his father’s hometown.

Beshear spoke as the investigation in Louisville continued and police searched for a motive. Crime scene investigators could be seen marking and photographing numerous bullet holes in the windows near the bank’s front door.

As part of the investigation, police descended on a neighborhood about 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of the downtown shooting.

two bills legalizing cannabis with regulations — SF 73, and HF 100. They are both currently being reviewed by the legislature.

Walz entered January’s legislative session by tweeting his goal on Jan. 5: “It’s time to legalize adult-use cannabis and expunge cannabis convictions in Minnesota. I’m ready to sign it into law.”

Hoy said the full lecture will be posted on the MSU Department of Sociology’s YouTube page alongside his March 30 lecture on the Fight for Marriage Equality.

EVAN VUCCI • The Associated Press

his initial court appearance in the New York case, the first of several in which he is in legal jeopardy, Trump ticked through the varied investigations he was facing to use in his election race.

TIMOTHY D. EASLEY • The Associated Press

A Louisville Metro Police technician photographs bullet holes in the front glass of the Old National Bank building in Louisville, Ky.

Made in China: He has risen

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

Alicia Reed Sports Editor Dylan Engel Photo Editor

The benefits of a healthy diet

Being that Minnesota State just had their annual free farmer’s market, it felt only fitting to discuss the positive aspects of eating fresh, healthy foods. Eating a proper, balanced diet can help you maintain your health – not just physically, but mentally, too. We as students should put in that extra effort to eat better.

As a college student, it’s often the first years of your life where you’re in charge of buying and preparing your own food. There usually isn’t a person in your life trying to force you to eat your fruits and vegetables anymore.

There’s nothing easier than grabbing a frozen pizza from the freezer and giving it a good ol’ toss into the oven. You get to sit there as it cooks and the result tastes great. However, there are many risks that come with it when this turns into a regular occurrence.

Taking care of your body is a big responsibility and is not prioritized enough at this age. Following a healthy diet has a number of benefits that may not seem important now, but they will be as you get older. The younger you start these healthy habits, the easier they will be to follow as an adult.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease has been the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Nearly half of American adults have some kind of cardiovascular disease. However, the simple task of eating well can help reduce blood pressure and keep your heart healthy.

Along with maintaining a healthy heart, it’s also important to try and maintain a healthy weight. However, the meaning of healthy weight varies from person to person. While this by no means has any relation to body shaming, a person who is at risk of obesity is also at risk of further health concerns.

On top of physical health, your mental health also has a direct relation to the food you consume. Eating too much sugar or processed foods can cause the brain and body to swell, contributing to mood disorders. If you’re looking to improve or protect your mental health, focusing on adding more food like fruits, vegetables and nuts to your diet are the perfect start.

While eating a balanced diet is one of the best things you can do for yourself, it can come at a cost, literally. Unfortunately, fresh foods tend to cost a great deal more than processed foods. It also can take much more effort to prepare a nutritious meal.

These negative factors that go into a balanced diet can be somewhat discouraging and inconvenient for college students with a lot on their plates. It may take some time to adjust, but starting to slowly make changes now will set you up for a happy and healthy future. Nevertheless, it is really just short term pain for a long term gain.

Pulse

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

This past Sunday, millions around the world celebrated Easter, also known as the resurrection of Christ. Christians used that day to reflect on their faith and Jesus, who was raised from the dead after being cursed. Being a symbol of light defeating death, many use Easter Sunday to rejoice in new beginnings.

As someone who grew up under the Christian faith in a Lutheran Church, Easter Sunday is a special holiday for me and my family. However, growing up, I wasn’t always religious. My family went camping every weekend during the summer in Waseca at a place called Kesler’s Camp Ground, so we were never home Sunday morning in time for church.

When I was 13 years old, I started getting back into

church classes. Before then, I never went to church regularly. The last time was probably when I was baptized. During sixth grade, my parents enrolled me in confirmation classes so that down the road if I happen to marry someone who was Catholic and wanted to be married in a traditional church, I’d be confirmed by the church and be deemed good to go.

Little did I know at that time I’d meet so many important people in my youth and start a faith journey that is everlasting. Fast forward to many Wednesday youth groups later, I was confirmed at 15 years old and had the option to either start high school youth group or never have to come to classes ever again.

As a 15-year-old entering high school with roughly 500 students per class, I didn’t have many friends at the beginning of the year. New

Compiled by Carly Bahr

friend groups were forming and I felt lost many times. Church was the one place where I always felt seen and included.

Church became my sense of community and fellowship. I ended up continuing youth group every Wednesday and became a youth mentor for the younger kids and volunteered my summers during vacation bible camps. I also attended the summer high school mission trips that took me to places I’d never been before like Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee. During these trips, I learned so much about myself and others.

Then things took a turn. Entering my senior year of high school, one of my favorite pastors and the youth leader announced they were leaving our congregation and accepted a job elsewhere. This absolutely broke my

“I definitely would love to go to Switzerland and enjoy the nature there.”

MEBRATU, FRESHMAN

YAFET HABTAMU, FRESHMAN “Skydive.”

LAUREN PROBST, JUNIOR

SUMIN SEO, SOPHOMORE

TAKUTO KOSEKI, SOPHOMORE

HARPER ESTENSON, FRESHMAN

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

Ilhan Omar embarks on new path no longer defined by ‘firsts’

Graphic version of Anne Frank book removed by Florida school

By FARNOUSH AMIRI The Associated Press

President Joe Biden was winding up for a speech at a Minnesota clean energy facility when he spotted a lawmaker in the crowd whom he wanted to recognize.

“I want to thank you for being here,” Biden said, gesturing toward Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar during his recent visit. “You never stop working to level the playing field for everybody.”

For Omar, the quick flash of praise from Biden — who was neither her first nor second choice to be the party’s 2020 White House nominee — was more than just a courtesy shout-out during a presidential visit to her suburban Minneapolis district.

It was a recognition of

heart.

I looked up to my youth pastor, he was not only a mentor to me, but also someone who turned our whole church youth program around. From what were roughly 80 kids per night grew to hundreds over the short five years he spent serving our church.

To put it into perspective, during his first year less than 10 high schoolers were on the mission trip to Chicago. After he was there for a year, over 30 joined to travel to Denver, Colorado.

He was such a light in our community and it was absolutely heartbreaking that he was leaving during a time when I and many others needed him.

During my senior year of high school, I was lost. I didn’t know where I was going to col-

how far Omar has come after a rocky start to her political career that at times made her standing with Democrats appear tenuous.

As she settles into her third term, Omar is no longer defined by the “firsts” that accompanied her arrival in Congress: one of the first Muslim women in the House, the first refugee from Africa elected to the House, the first lawmaker to wear a hijab while on the House floor.

In interviews with nearly a dozen Democrats in the House and Senate, lawmakers portray Omar as a serious legislator who in the past four years has earned admiration for giving voice to marginalized groups often forgotten on Capitol Hill.

The best example of this came in early February when every single House Democrat voted against a GOP resolution

lege, all my friends were decided except for me and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life or what to major in. I needed guidance.

Then the pandemic came. All in-person service stopped and I felt further from God than ever. Feeling cheated by the closure of an important chapter in my life, I just moved on. I ended up choosing Mankato State out of financial reasons and I never felt interested in joining a church group here.

Until Easter Sunday. I went back to my hometown church and after Covid, it never felt the same as it did during my youth.

I sat in the pew with my family and listened to my childhood pastor preach. He was the only one left out of the three original pastors I remember listening to and a rush of nostalgia rushed back to me. His message about

to remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee over her past comments critical of Israel.

“I think we’ve been successful in making the Democratic caucus, Democratic Party, Democratic establishment to get to a place where they are able to see me fully, for all of the multiple identities I am a first for and not just to see and celebrate it but to defend it,” Omar told The Associated Press.

In the debate over her committee seat, many of Omar’s fellow Democrats, including those of Jewish descent, spoke out in the chamber about what they said was hypocrisy from the new Republican majority.

“I don’t need any of you to defend me against antisemitism,” said Rep. Jan Shakowsky, D-Ill.

new beginnings during the resurrection of Christ and what this season symbolizes resonated hard with me.

If you’ve been reading my columns, you would know how anxious and scared I am to enter this new chapter in my life post-graduation. But after listening to him speak, all of a sudden I felt so at peace with everything. All the worries that have been plaguing my mind for the past few weeks were washed away instantaneously. On the ride back home, I blasted my worship playlist I made years ago and I was met with an overwhelming sense of emotion. I knew at that moment everything was going to be okay.

I don’t normally speak about my faith, but this testament was too uplifting to keep to myself. He has risen, he has risen indeed.

By MIKE SCHNEIDER The Associated Press

A high school along Florida’s Atlantic Coast has removed a graphic novel based on the diary of Anne Frank after a leader of a conservative advocacy group challenged it, claiming it minimized the Holocaust.

“Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” was removed from a library at Vero Beach High School after a leader of Moms for Liberty in Indian River County raised an objection.

The book at one point shows the protagonist walking among female nude statues.

The school’s principal agreed with the objection, and the book was removed last

month.

Under the school district’s policy, if anyone disagrees with the book’s removal, the decision can be appealed to a districtwide committee.

But no one has challenged the removal, and there was no record of the book ever being checked out, Cristen Maddux, a spokeswoman for the School District of Indian River County, said Monday.

Vero Beach is located 105 miles (169 kilometers) southeast of Orlando.

Other books about Anne Frank and copies of the published diary she wrote chronicling her time hiding from the Nazis with her family and other Jews in German-occupied Amsterdam remain in the school systems’ libraries.

JOSE LUIS MAGANA • The Associated Press

DAVE CAULKIN • The Associated Press

In interviews with nearly a dozen Democrats in the House and Senate, Rep. Ilhan Omar is portrayed as a serious legislator who in the past four years has earned admiration for giving voice to marginalized groups.

Dr. Otto Frank holds the Golden Pan award, given for the sale of one million copies of the famous paperback, “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

 COLUMN from page 4

Next abortion battles may be among states with clashing laws Rutgers faculty go on strike, picket outside classes

By GEOFF MULVIHILL and JOHN HANNA

The Associated Press

Abortion is banned in Idaho at all stages of pregnancy, but the governor on Wednesday signed another law making it illegal to provide help within the state’s boundaries to minors seeking an abortion without parental consent.

The new law is obviously aimed at abortions obtained in other states, but it’s written to criminalize in-state behavior leading to the out-of-state procedure – a clear nod to the uncertainty surrounding efforts by lawmakers in at least half a dozen states to extend their influence outside their borders when it comes to abortion law.

At the same time, Democrat-controlled states are advancing and adopting laws and executive orders intended to shield their residents against civil lawsuits and criminal investigations related to provid-

cultural traditions, food, and music,” said Diaz.

Latinx Night featured seven talented groups representing the culture and history of Latin America.

“This year, the Mariachi Guachinango and México Lindo represented Mexico, Ecuador Manta represented South América (Colombia, Bolivia and Perú). Maverick Latin Dance group danced Bachata and Salsa, bringing the flavors from Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico,” Diaz said.

Besides featuring some talented musicians and dancers, Latinx Night had two student speakers.

Fabio Castel Garcia and Da-

ing abortions for women from states where there are bans.

But there is no legal precedent giving good guidance about whether states can influence their residents getting abortions outside their borders.

“If red states pass laws saying, ‘We can go after people for X, Y and Z,’ and blue states say, ‘You can’t,’ we’re in uncharted territory,” said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at the University of California, Davis School of Law.

Arguments about the laws could be rooted in key clauses of the U.S. Constitution that could contradict each other in this case. One clause requires states to respect the laws of other states while another recognizes the right to travel among states and a third restricts the ability of states to impair interstate commerce.

Legal experts say that no prior cases are exactly comparable, though state laws have conflicted in weighty ways in

vid Mesta talked about their experiences with being Latinx and attending MSU.

Garcia talked about discovering his Latinx identity, the disconnection he faced growing up and immigrating, and the steps he has taken to find who he is.

Mesta talked about his time as a first-generation Mexican American college student and his work to support and empower students to get involved to succeed in college.

Diaz said it was essential to have these speakers because “They represented the Brazilian history and culture as well as the Latino student leadership at MSU.”

Many of the students in attendance were in awe of the

the past.

In the 1840s and 1850s, it was with questions over whether fugitive enslaved people in free states remained the property of slaveholders. In the 1857 Dred Scott decision, frequently cited as the worst ruling in U.S. history, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that they did.

More recently, before the nation’s top court recognized a right to same-sex marriage in 2015, state marriage laws were a patchwork.

Some states did not recognize marriages that were legal elsewhere, and all the protections that go with them, including hospital visitation rights and even the ability to divorce. The federal ruling largely resolved those legal conflicts.

The effort to restrict abortion in far-reaching ways is an outgrowth of last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a nationwide right to abortion.

performances and culture they found themselves surrounded in.

Emily Knier said, “I really enjoyed the food, and the music was such a vibe.”

Anna Claire Nelson said, “It was a fun night. My favorite part was definitely getting to see the culture recognized and seeing everyone enjoying the different aspects of the Latinx Community.”

“This event portrays just a taste of Latin American culture and its beautiful language, Spanish,” Diaz said. “Nevertheless, the purpose was and continues to be that all students come together as a MSU community, sharing history, music, dance and food that brings us together.”

Thousands of professors, part-time lecturers and graduate student workers at New Jersey’s flagship university went on strike Monday — the first such job action in the school’s 257-year history.

Classes were still being held at Rutgers as picket lines were set up at the school’s campuses

in New Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark and Camden, though students said some had been canceled due to the strike.

Union officials decided Sunday night to go on strike, citing a stalemate in contract talks that have been ongoing since July.

Faculty members voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike last month.

SARA DIGGINS • The Associated Press

SETH WENIG • The Associated Press

Abortion-rights protesters march down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin, Texas following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Friday, June 24, 2022.

Thousands of professors, part-time lecturers and graduate student workers at New Jersey’s flagship university have gone on strike.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 LATINX from page 1

Leaked documents a ‘very serious’ risk to security: Pentagon California storms hit beekeepers, but honey outlook’s sweet

By TARA COPP and LOLITA C. BALDOR The Associated Press

The online leaks of scores of highly classified documents about the Ukraine war present a “very serious” risk to national security, and senior leaders are quickly taking steps to mitigate the damage, a top Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

And as the public airing of the data sends shockwaves across the U.S. government, the White House said there are concerns there could be additional leaks.

Chris Meagher, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, told reporters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin first became aware on Thursday that a number of classified briefing slides detailing the U.S. military efforts in the Ukraine war and intelligence involving other nations were leaked.

In the days since, Austin has reached out to allies, held daily meetings to assess the damage and set up a group not only to assess the scope of the information lost but review who has access to those briefings.

The department is looking closely at “how this type of information is distributed and to whom,” Meagher said.

A defense official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters said the Pentagon has now taken steps to reduce the number of people who have access to those briefings.

The official said the Pentagon regularly reviews access lists to weigh who has a need to know and have access to classified material.

At the White House, Na-

tional Security Council spokesman John Kirby was asked if the U.S. was bracing for more online releases.

“The truth and the honest answer to your question is: We don’t know,” he said. “And is that a matter of concern to us?

You’re darn right it is.”

Kirby said at this point, “we don’t know who’s behind this, we don’t know what the motive is.”

And he said as U.S. authorities go through the documents that were posted online, they are still trying to determine their validity, but have found that at least some of the papers “have been doctored.”

He and others would not go into detail, but at least one of the documents shows estimates of Russian troops deaths in the Ukraine war that are significantly lower than numbers publicly stated by U.S. officials.

Under a section titled “Total Assessed Losses,” one document lists 16,000-17,500 Russian casualties and up to 71,000 Ukrainian casualties. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said publicly last November that Russia has lost “well over” 100,000 soldiers, and Ukraine had lost about that many also.

And those estimates have continued to climb in recent months, although officials have stopped providing more exact numbers.

At the State Department, spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters Monday that U.S. officials “are engaging with allies and partners at high levels over this, including to reassure them of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and the fidelity of securing our partnerships.”

The U.S. officials declined to provide any specifics, including about the expanse of the release, how it happened and to which country leaders the U.S. has spoken.

Patel added that there is “no question” the documents’ release present a risk to national security.

Investigators who specialize in tracking social media, including at the journalism organization Bellingcat, say the documents may have been circulating for months in private internet chats on the Discord discussion platform.

Asked if the Pentagon has contacted Discord, Meagher referred questions to the Justice Department, which has opened a criminal investigation into the leaks.

The slides, which eventually were distributed on more mainstream sites such as Twitter, detail U.S. training and equipment schedules to support Ukraine, assessments of losses, what the U.S. is monitoring on key allies and strategic partners, and what moves Russia may be taking to undermine those relationships.

While the Pentagon has been careful not to authenticate the information contained in any specific document, overall “they present a very serious risk to national security and have the potential to spread disinformation,” said Meagher.

“We’re being very careful and watching where this is being posted and amplified.”

The documents are labeled secret and top secret and in some cases resemble routine updates that the U.S. military’s Joint Staff would produce daily but not distribute publicly.

By AMY TAXIN The Associated Press

The challenge is one of many faced by America’s beekeepers following the unusually wet winter that ravaged California’s farm country, which feeds much of the nation. Most commercial beekeepers send their bees to California early in the year to help pollinate its

$5 billion-a-year almond crop, then move them elsewhere to pollinate commodities ranging from avocados to cherries or to the Midwest to produce honey.

The state was battered this winter by at least a dozen atmospheric rivers — long plumes of moisture from the Pacific Ocean — as well as powerful storms fueled by arctic air that produced blizzard conditions.

Courtesy Libkos

TERRY CHEA • The Associated Press

A Ukrainian APC seen on the road on the frontline in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, April 9, 2023. An online leak of documents about the Ukraine war present a serious risk.

Beekeeper Gene Brandi said he had to feed his bees twice as much as usual during almond pollination as they make sage honey.

Preparing for

MSU nursing students partner College to be ready

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

Minnesota State’s Nursing program conducted this semester’s disaster simulation drill. Aiming to prepare their students for anything, this semester’s students took on the aftermath of a bomb explosion.

This simulation forces their students to critically think and make decisions quickly. Ranging from all different types of disasters, last semester students underwent a shooter simulation. However this time, the wounds varied from severe burns to broken bones from fallen debris.

Tapping into their creative side, the first-semester nursing students were able to make up their patient names and conditions.

Jada Richardson, a first semester nursing student at MSU, suffered from lacerations and abrasions on her arm from ceiling debris falling on top of her.

“I think the third-semester nursing students did well. They knew what they were assessing for based on vital signs and our appearance,” Richardson said.

To make matters more complex, the patient she created also had diabetes so the nurses had to keep in mind her glucose levels so she wouldn’t lose consciousness.

“It will be fun to see where we are now and how much knowledge we will gain to confidently be able to do this when I’m a third-semester student,” Richardson said. Her patient also had a child who was missing after the explosion.

Expanding the community, this drill also includes first-year paramedic students from South Central College in North Mankato.

“It’s important to keep your focus. Everyone can be screaming around you. It’s quite a chaotic scene, but you have to be able to focus on what you’re doing and not lose your train of thought,” Farah Warner, a first-year paramedic student at South Central College said. “You have to keep an eye on where your partners are and what they’re doing because you never know when they need help.”

Getting to assess many different injuries, the instructors made sure if there were too many of one injury, they would reassign the patient’s conditions.

The patients (first semester nursing students) went through makeup and prosthetics to get in to role of their patients condition. Different abrasions and broken bones were placed on the patients.

The patients then began the simulation and were assessed by the paramedic South Central College students on the scene. The different colors represented the different levels of severity the patient underwent. Green meaning less severe and red being the most severe.

The paramedic South Central College students transported the patients to the hospital where the third semester nursing students then took over.

 DISASTER from page 1

Photos by JULIA LIN

for Disaster

partner with South Central ready for anything

“Once we got like a flow of what we were triaging we all got in a role so it was good as soon as everyone recognized what they needed to do,” Clare Stuewe, a first-year paramedic student at South Central College said.

One challenge they faced on the scene was not being able to help multiple patients at once, even though many were “in pain.”

“Being able to communicate what your assessment findings were and what treatment you gave to the people transporting was important also so they knew what to tell the hospital,” Stuewe said.

When it came to actually treating the patients and deciphering the best course of action, the third-semester students were met with feelings of being overwhelmed.

“The most difficult part is honestly not knowing what you’re coming into,” Kelsey Carels, a third-semester nursing student said. “We definitely weren’t confident in ourselves coming into it. But the more patients came, the more confident that I felt our team was able to care for them.”

The progress first-semester students make by the time they reach their third semester in the program is significant.

“It is night and day. I remember just the chaos and thinking how I would never get to the point that I would be able to, like triage and calmly take care of patients,” Carels said. “Nothing works without communication. So I feel like we avoided a lot of chaos just because we did a lot of communicating.”

Anna Mauss, a third-semester nursing student at MSU, can attest to how important communication and knowing what to look for in this field are.

“Back then (first semester of nursing school) you didn’t realize the importance of vital signs. Now that’s what you’re looking for, like blood pressure and heart rates,” Mauss said. “It was hard to triage patients on the spot. The paramedics would just blurt out a bunch of stuff and it was difficult to decide if they should go to an in-patient or emergency room and figure out what beds were available.”

The disaster simulation is just one exercise that raises awareness and prepares the nursing students at MSU for whatever life throws at them.

The third semester nursing students ran different tests and assessed the patients they received. Looking at their vitals and conditions they had to critically think and communicate to each other on what the best course of action was.

Some patient’s conditions were more complex than others. The patients’ conditions varied from a wide range of possible outcomes for when an explosion or bombing situation could arise.

Not all patients were in the bombing scene. Other’s were patients already at the hospital when the bombing and explosion occurred. This patient was in labor at the time of peak chaos.

SPORTS S

Mavericks announce new men’s hockey coach

By KARSON BUELOW Staff Writer

Yesterday morning, the Minnesota State Athletic Department announced that Ohio State assistant coach Luke Strand has been named the fifth head coach in the Minnesota State men’s hockey program history.

“I am extremely happy to have coach Strand on board and ready to lead our team to the next level,” said Minnesota State president Dr. Edward Inch. “His record of success and leadership is exemplary, and I look forward to all that he will bring to Mankato and our men’s hockey program.”

The record of success as defined by Inch is evident with Strand. Strand helped lead the Buckeyes to a 21-16-3 overall record this past season before dropping their NCAA tournament second-round contest to the eventual national champion Quinnipiac.

From 2017-22 Strand led the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers as head coach and their director of hockey operations.

In his final season with the program, Strand helped foster an impressive 41-16 record before capturing the Clark Cup as the league’s playoff champions.

In addition to his time spent with the Buckeyes and Musketeers,

Strand has worked in a multitude of positions and leagues including the NHL, AHL, and additional NCAA teams.

“Being a head coach is my drive, it’s what I do,” said Strand. “Like

everybody here, I’m into the banners and into the rings, but I’m into the people that will make sure that happens together.”

Strand’s message is one that will surely excite the community of

Mankato, but his agenda and road to a national championship is extremely long after the departure of several key players.

But Strand remains confident and adamant that the group of

individuals that stayed and the incoming freshman can continue to accelerate the program to new heights in the coming years.

“These guys stayed; that’s a gift,” said Strand. “We’re gonna fill in the blanks, but I’m very confident there are people that aren’t committing here now that want to be here.”

And Strand’s confidence and excitement has carried through to the same group of players he referenced as being a gift.

“Obviously he has really big shoes to fill but he seems like a stand-up guy and a really good man,” said senior forward Sam Morton. “Excited to get to know him more.”

Morton began his senior year this past season on pace to break numerous personal records and was named the Mavericks’ assistant captain before he was sidelined for the remainder of the year with a knee injury after Minnesota State’s first series with St. Thomas.

But he looks to continue with being the leader he was last season under the new bench boss.

“It’s exciting and I’ve learned a lot under the leadership that’s come before me,” said Morton. “But at the end of the day I’m just trying to be a good person and help others learn the culture of our program as well as grow as individuals.”

MSU keeps UMD Bulldogs baseball on tight leash

By CHARLIE GROEBNER Staff Writer

The streak of dominance continues as Minnesota State Baseball scratches another name off their list. They swept the University of Minnesota Duluth in a best-ofthree series on Friday and Saturday.

Entering the series on a twogame win streak, the Mavs squared up with the Bulldogs on Friday in a doubleheader. Finally able to play in the Mankato area, they looked to take on another hungry NSIC team, the Bulldogs. As the season hits the midway point, Head Coach Matt Magers has ensured that the group focuses on adjusting even when playing with their backs to the wall.

“We have played a ton of onerun ball games and close games. Everyone knows their job is and later in the game, we were able to execute it better. We always talk about having the opportunity to win and I think that is what we saw when going into the second half of the ball game. We were able to make the timely hits and steals to complement our pitching to get the win,” said Magers.

Things started out rocky for the Mavs in game one, as the Bulldogs launched a home run in the third, then followed by an unearned run to put them down 2-0 out the gate. The Mavs then responded with

an RBI single from junior Adam Schneider to give them their first run of the game. While the Bulldogs scored another run in the fifth, The Mavs added a sacrifice RBI from sophomore Brock Johnson, followed by an RBI double from freshman Louis Magers to give the Mavs a 4-3 victory in game one.

Following an intermission, game two got underway with more action in the contest. The Mavs struck first with an RBI single, RBI double, and RBI triple, to give them a 3-0 lead in the first. However, the Bulldogs did not go away quietly as they scored off a wild pitch and ground out to first base and made it a one-score game. The Mavs wasted no time scoring four more runs in the sixth off an RBI single from sophomore Aiden Bryne, a sacrifice RBI from junior Jackson Hauge and a wild pitch and error allowing junior Nick Baker to make it a score of 8-2. While the Bulldogs would attempt a late seventh-inning comeback after an RBI single, it would fall short after four more runs concluded the game with a final score of 13-3 to conclude the day.

Entering the final game of the weekend, the Mavs set the tone early with two runs scored in the first inning. They followed it up with a home run from Jackson Hauge, and two more RBIs to give them a

7-0 lead entering the fifth inning. While the Bulldogs attempted a late-inning comeback in the seventh, the Mavs scored six extra runs to give them a 13-5 victory and completed the sweep. Head Coach Magers thought that his group real-

ly stepped up in this week’s contest after last week’s struggles.

“Anytime you can get three wins in a series is great, it’s one step closer to the playoffs at the end of the year. Certainly, playing at home

I felt was an advantage for us, but I think we got solid pitching and helped set the tone for the weekend. Making sure that they couldn’t run up the board on us and keep us in the game even when down,” said Magers.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

MSU Men’s Hockey newly hired head coach, Luke Strand (above), is welcomed to the Maverick family after a press conference Monday.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Freshman, Louis Magers (above), won the first game Friday night with a walk-off double to win 4-3. The Mavericks went on to sweep Minnesota Duluth in the three-game home series over last Friday and Saturday.

Mavs were the

Birds,’ secured the worm

By MOHAMED WARSAME Staff Writer

The Minnesota State Men’s and Women’s Track teams come away from the weekend with plenty to write home about, regarding their efforts at the USD Early Bird Invitational. The Mavericks made fans proud with a number of outstanding performances in the two-day event.

The event took place April 7 and April 8 in Vermillion, South Dakota.

The men had a fantastic start to the competition.The Mavs got things going with two fast finishes in the steeplechase event. Junior Carter Owen earned himself a sixth-place finish with a time of 9:54.50, while sophomore Adam Bohm was right on his tail with a time of 9:57.62, which earned him eighth. These were personal bests for both athletes.

The 4x100 relay team of sophomores Prince Nti, Steven Marks and Ezekiel Clark along with junior Armondo Colome, set the event ablaze. The quartet finished with a time of 41.07, placing them second. Their tremendous outing ranks them top 30 in the nation, along with tying for 13th on the MSU all-time list in the 4x100 event.

The finals of the 400m dash featured three Mavericks, each with an extremely impressive performance. Junior Rashion Walker took home first place with a time of 47.92, which became his per-

sonal best. Walker’s performance landed him eighth in the MSU alltime list, along with a top 25 ranking in the nation. With freshmen

Qai Hussey timing a 48.70 and Kenry Atubel timing a 49.23, they saw themselves join Walker on the podium with fifth and seventh place finishes, respectively.

The 110m hurdles saw the Mavs sprinters keep the pace. Senior Abel Christiansen placed second with a time of 14.28. This ties him for eighth on the MSU all-time list. Senior Ronald Pierre was just a whisker behind as he finished with a time of 14.29 to finish third. This was Pierre’s personal best and placed him tied for ninth on the MSU all-time list.

The running events weren’t the only things that the Mavs were shining in. Junior James Gilbert placed first in the long jump with a personal best jump of 7.77 meters. Gilbert now finds himself first in the nation and second on the MSU all-time list. Sophomore

Slade Heald joined Gilbert on the podium with a jump of 7.44 meters. This personal best jump for Heald earned him a fourth-place finish, as well as tying for eighth on the MSU all-time list.

The women’s team saw senior Amanda Montplaisir start out the outdoor season with a bang in the 3000m steeplechase. She finished with a time of 10:26.77, which now ranks her fifth in the nation. Junior Makenna Thurston finished second in the 1500m race, with a time of 4:33.79. This was a personal best for Thurston, earn-

ing her the sixth spot on the MSU all-time list for the event and a top 30 ranking in the nation.

Junior Eilika Lane and sophomore Emma Borowicz found the podium in the 400m hurdles. Lane earned herself a fourth-place finish with a time of 1:02.44, with Borowicz close behind finishing in sixth with a time of 1:03.68. The teammates stormed their way into 14th and 30th respectively in the national rankings.

The 4x100 relay team of freshman Norah D’Almeida and juniors Denisha Cartwright, Rose Cramer and Makayla Jackson finished in second with a time of 45.66. This provisionally qualifies them for nationals and places them fourth in the nation. The squad also moved into fourth on the MSU all-time list of outdoor performances.

The Mavs continued their dominance with Cartwright in the 100m hurdles. With a run of 13.11, she claimed top spot in the nation, along with breaking her personal best to increase her already top MSU all-time leader status. Junior Roxan Foster and senior Quanterra Harrison joined Cartwritght in the 100m hurdles with fourth and sixth-place finishes respectively. Foster holds the seventh-place ranking in the nation, while Harrison ranks within the top 50.

The Mavs will have no time to rest on the laurels, as they head into the weekend with various invitationals and relays on the horizon April 13-15 in California, Iowa and Nebraska.

Gusties defeat Mavericks for the first time since 1986

By ALI REED Sports Editor

Ever since 1986, Minnesota State’s Baseball team has been a dominant force over Gustavus. However, in shocking fashion

Monday evening, the Golden Gusties were victorious over the

Mavericks. In one of the Mavs’ first home games, Gustavus defeated MSU 11-7. This marks the first time they were able to overcome the Mavericks in 37 years.

Despite the suprising loss, the Mavs have the opportunity to bounce back when they take on

Upper Iowa at home Wednesday. After their historic win, the Golden Gusties will have to keep their focus in order to keep the good times rolling. They will be on the road Wednesday against the struggling Augsburg University Auggies.

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

Southwest Minnesota State University proved to just be another traffic cone for the MavBus to run over Saturday.

In another short weekend, the Minnesota State women’s tennis team took care of business in Owatonna, defeating the Mustangs 6-1 and extending their win streak to eight.

Before their match Saturday, the Mavs appeared on the first edition of the NCAA Central Region Rankings. The Central Region is made up of 27 teams. 12 from the NSIC, nine from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and six from the Great American Conference. The first edition is released in alphabetic order, so the Mavs do not yet have a number associated with their team.

Eight other teams made the final cut, including the Augustana Vikings, who the Mavs will have to go through in order to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Central Region Tournament in May.

Despite receiving this honor, the Mavs still had a match to play, which began with a doubles sweep.

Senior Lois Page and sopho-

more Avery Stilwell kicked it all off with a win over the Mustangs’ Courtenay Leonard and Gabriela Almeida 6-4 in the No. 1 doubles match. Senior Chiarra Carnelutti and sophomore Freia Lawrence skunked Faith Mdikwe and Roz Oye, 6-0, in the No. 2 doubles match, but the No. 3 doubles came down to the wire. Sophomore Elizabeth Felderman and freshman McKenna DeMarce had their hands full, earning a hard-fought 7-6 win to secure all three matches for the Mavs earning the doubles point.

On a quest for three more points, the Mavs went above and beyond, winning five of the six singles matches.

Page took the No. 1 singles match 6-1 and 6-4, Lawrence won 6-1 and 6-1 in the No. 2 match, and Carnelutti won 6-2 and 6-3 in the No. 3 singles. With those matches in the books, the Mavs defeated the Mustangs. However, Stilwell won 6-0 and 6-3 in the No. 4 singles match, and freshman Daria Podmogilnaia won 6-3 and 6-1 in the No. 5 singles match. To end the night, Muara Wiens defeated DeMarce 7-6 in the first set, lost 6-1 in the second, and won 1-0 to secure the seventh and final point.

For her efforts Saturday, Page was named the NSIC Player of the

Courtesy MSU Athletics

The MSU Women’s Tennis team continues their winning streak to eight after defeating Southwest Minnesota State last Saturday with a 6-1 score.

Accomplished Mavs team has more to look forward to

TENNIS on page 12

File photo

MSU Track and Field returns home after competing in Vermillion, South Dakota for the USD Early Bird event.

‘Early

Akervik and King compete for Team USA roster spots

OPINION: LeBron versus the Timberwolves

By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer

A National Team roster spot is one of the most coveted achievements in all of sports.

From March 26 to March 31, Minnesota State seniors Charlotte Akervik and Kelsey King competed in Team USA’s Senior World Championship Selection Camp in Blaine, Minn.

The finalized roster began competing in the 2023 Women’s World Championship in Brampton, Ontario April 5 in the preliminary round and can earn the chance at a Women’s World Championship gold medal on Apr. 16.

46 United States players were invited to the camp in Blaine, and 25 were named to the final roster. Players invited to the camp competed in two practices and three inter-squad games.

Outside of ice time, the players watched film, learned how to maintain a healthy and performance-based diet and were taught the USA Hockey system of playing world-class hockey.

From college to pro, the best in women’s hockey competed for a chance at being a world champion.

From the likes of Hilary Knight to Amanda Kessel and long-time USA goaltender Nicole Hensley, the Americans always bring a top roster to the World Championships. There’s a lot to learn from

TENNIS from page 11

Week. She is the second Maverick to receive this award this season. Lawrence was named Player of the Week back in March.

the USA Hockey legends and decorated staff, and Akervik couldn’t say enough about her time at the camp.

“It’s a complete honor to get invited to any of these camps. I always feel like wherever I return to play, I learned something new that I can apply there,” explained Akervik.

Akervik continued to say, “Getting the invitation, you’re really excited. But then the nerves always follow. I think at that level there’s a sense of mental toughness that you have to achieve. You have to understand you’re there for a reason and continue to play to the best of your ability.”

The Mavericks have had recent success in sending players to camps, including the likes of junior Jamie Nelson and senior Anna Wilgren, and a few have made roster spots in the past. For Akervik and King, this wasn’t their first experience competing for a roster spot on USA Hockey’s National Team.

Akervik spoke on the success Minnesota State has had in sending players to USA Hockey events saying, “Having players invited to these camps establishes our credibility and builds a stronger resume for our program. We play in the best college women’s hockey league by far, the WCHA, so we play against the girls that are being invited to these camps almost every game.”

“You’re going to get exposure

The Mavs have a busy week ahead of them. Three matches in six days, beginning with the make-up game against St. Cloud State in Rogers Tuesday. Three

to the best of the best regardless of what team you’re playing. The presence of the Mavericks in the USA system has made us credible and will only grow from here.”

Despite neither Akervik nor King making the final roster for the World Championship, the two returned from the camp with knowledge of how to grow their game and potentially make a roster in the near future. What’s important is that their names are out there and they will continue to be competitive at camps in the future.

Akervik explained that personally, she is working on, “Maintaining my confidence level. Regardless of what game I’m playing in or what jersey I’m wearing, I have to continue to play confident and play my game.”

On top of that, Akervik knows in order to maintain her confidence level, she must prepare herself from start to finish.

“It all starts with preparation,” said Akervik. “Coming back from camp, a fire is lit under you. You want to get better. You see all these skilled players and what they have in their bags and it shows you how you can improve.”

Akervik continued saying, “It comes in how seriously, I mean top to bottom, how much focus and energy you are putting into hockey. In every aspect of your life, you need to be doing the right things at the right time and if you are able to do that and maintain it, you can achieve your goals.”

and four days later, the Mavs will travel to Bemidji to take on Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston for their final two matches of the regular season.

By LUKE JACKSON Staff Writer

The Timberwolves made the playoffs…kinda. They made the play-in tournament for the second year in a row. This year, they’re faced with playing LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, this one is a hard choice for me.

As a kid from Minnesota, I love all MN sports. I can never abandon them. The thing is, it gets hard when you watch every Minnesota sports team waste away talent due to the lack of winning. As a kid, you keep your loyalty to your failing teams but you gain a love for other teams and players. Ever since I can remember, my favorite player was always LeBron. I watched all of his playoff appearances since I can remember, I always used him

in NBA 2K and I grew to love the beauty of his play style. You can say this is a complete bandwagon move, but I think if you’re a Minnesota sports fan, you can understand switching sides.

Liking LeBron and cheering for him was a perfect move by me. He always played in the East whether it was for the Cavs or the Heat or the Cavs for the second time. This meant he had no impact on what happened to the Wolves especially since we all know they weren’t making it to the Finals where they could finally play him in the postseason. But for some reason, late in his career, he abandoned the Cavs once again for the most historic team in NBA history… the Lakers.

Now he is on the opposite side and is in the west with the Wolves. They play each other more now

LEBRON on page 13

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

MARK J. TERRILL • The Associated Press

Senior, Charlotte Akervik (above), was one of two players invited to Team USA’s Senior World Championship Selection Camp.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James smiles after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game.

OPINION: The Hawks will be 2023 NBA Champions

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

Sunday marked the last day of the 2023 NBA regular season.

Rudy Gobert punched Kyle Anderson, Jaden McDaniels fractured his hand punching the wall, Payton Pritchard had a 30-point triple double and Kenny Lofton dropped 42 points. What a bunch of random things happening, right?

Well now, things are about to get serious. Before the playoffs begin, there will be six play-in games played to determine the 7 and 8 seeds for each conference. Four of which will be happening in the next two days. Here is my expert analysis and predictions.

No. 8 Atlanta Hawks @ No. 7 Miami Heat

Easy win for the Hawks, hypothetically speaking. These teams faced off last year in the first round, where the Heat won in 5. But this year is a different story. The Heat have been crusin’ for a bruisin’ since the trade deadline, and the Hawks are Captain Bruisin’. This season, the Hawks have Dejounte Murray taking some of the pressure off of Trae Young, and even if Young has a bad game, the Hawks

and for the first time, they affect each other’s playoff chances. It’s such a hard choice picking between my childhood idol and my home-

offense will be able to stay afloat. On the other hand, Miami’s offense is awful as is. The team who is less offensively challenged will win this game.

VERDICT: Hawks secure the 7 seed and move on to face the Boston Celtics in the first round.

No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves @ No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Dear Evan and Jaegar,

For Timberwolves fans like yourselves, this game is going to be a tough one. I regret to inform you that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player on the planet and he will not lose to a team that hates each other.

Jaden McDaniels was the piece holding this team together, and without him, they will struggle to contain LeGoat. LeDominant will prove his worth, and DLo will have his revenge game.

With love, as always,

Hayden

VERDICT: Lakers continue their post-trade deadline surge and take the 7 seed. Grizzlies are up next.

No. 10 Chicago Bulls @ No. 9 Toronto Raptors

Honestly, who cares. The Bulls are trash unless Lonzo plays, but

town team. I’m either choosing to cheer for the most historic team ever or the underdog, pitiful Timberwolves who might be one of the worst franchises in all of sports.

Dread it, deny it, run from it, but Trae Young’s hair is coming back. I’m predicting a mullet by 2025. (I screenshotted this on my PlayStation.)

he is not. Yawn. The Raptors get carried by Pascal Siakam every night, and that will likely have to happen again if they are going to win this game. Although they are underwhelming and boring, the Bulls have more starpower than the Raptors, and that alone should help them get out of this game. I think this game is a toss up, honestly.

VERDICT: The Bulls escape a close one in the 6. Drake cries and tells DeMar DeRozan “This isn’t you,” as he leaves the arena to ‘write’

Seeing King James be cemented as the greatest of all time is something I want to see in my lifetime. The last thing I want is to hear all the Bron haters talk about how ter-

another mid song. Bulls @ Heat for the 8 seed.

No. 10 Oklahoma City Thunder @ No. 9 New Orleans Pelicans

I’m pissed that one of these teams has to lose. However, if I had to pick, I hope that the team that loses is the Pelicans. The Thunder have the talent to steal this game, but it all comes down to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Progressing into a superstar this season, SGA is the best player on the court in most games, but es-

rible his teams played in the end of his career and how he’s a crybaby and all the other nonsense that pours out of their mouths. I think I’ll watch Tuesday’s game with an

pecially in this one. He has playoff experience with the Clippers, but will he be able to perform as the no. 1 option? If he does, the Thunder will have at least one more game on their schedule.

VERDICT: Ultimately, I think that the Thunder will take this game. It will be close, but I think that the Thunder are trending up while the Pelicans are trending down without Zion Williamson, who would make a huge difference in this game if he was healthy. The Thunder move on to take on the division rival Timberwolves in the battle for who gets swept by the Nuggets.

With only one game to decide their fate, teams will be putting their blood, sweat and tears into these games.

If you are not a fan of the NBA because you think that players don’t try, then you should probably consider watching these games. With superstars like LeBron, Anthony Edwards, Trae Young, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, SGA, and more taking action in the play-in, something crazy is going to happen.

In other news, I’m thinking about starting a construction company. DM me if interested. Skol.

open mind and let it roll out. It’ll be a big range of emotions. To see the potential GOAT get knocked out or my team beat a powerhouse. It’s a win-win I guess. Or is it a lose-lose?

 SCHAFER from page 1

 LEBRON from page 12

VA RI ET Y

Dessa concert returns to campus

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

Dessa returned to Minnesota State last week for an appearance in the Minnesota Storytellers series.

Minnesota Storytellers is a program in the music department that invites inspirational performers to campus. Music Industry graduate Jada LaFrance opened the show.

Dessa has built a career out of breaking expectations and bending genres. Her musical background includes appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra, concerts at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury and co-compositions for a 100-voice choir. She said performing at these events was “exciting, nervousy and electrifying.”

Even though she is a singer now, Dessa did not start in music. She began as a slam poet. Slam poetry is a form of performance poetry that combines elements of performance, writing, competition and audience engagement.

“I had aspirations of becoming a writer, and I wasn’t trying to get published. My best friend encouraged me to go to a poetry slam and compete,” said Dessa.

“From there, I ended up connecting with musicians in the Twin Cities.”

Some of Dessa’s musical in-

fluences are musical artists she grew up listening to around the house. They are a mix of genres and can be heard in her music.

“The songs we had at home are part of my influences, like what was played when I was a little kid. That’s like Tina Turn-

er, Michael Jackson, Sade,” said Dessa. “But also, I was listening to Tracy Chapman, and I loved Lauryn Hill too, and she was a super big influence on me.”

Dessa said she hoped everyone who went enjoyed her performance and was able to listen to her lyrics and hear what they needed to hear.

“A lot of the songs that I write are based on true stories, and in some ways, I don’t presuppose that I know exactly what people will get out of them. I write them because they felt like important moments in a human life, which just happens to be mine,” said Dessa. “I think I share those stories hoping that people will know what resonates with their own experiences, but a secular worldview is part of it.”

Dessa encourages those who want to pursue a music career to go for it.

“Even if it’s a really humble setting, go for it. If it’s somebody’s birthday party, do it. Or if it’s an open mic night. Those are both great places to start and then build on from there.”

To learn more about Dessa, you can follow her on Instagram at @dessa, on Twitter at @dessadarling or on her website at https://www.dessawander.com/

410 Project art show sheds a light on local talent

By JOEY ERICKSON Variety Editor

Spring has finally sprung in Mankato, and with it comes another art installation at the 410 Project, a nonprofit focused on showcasing local artists.

On the roster this week is Dana Sikkila, executive director of the 410 Project’s Community Art Space.

Sikkila’s artistic portfolio spans many topics and many mediums, from printmaking and mental health to sculpture and social activism. Although she has many connections in southern Minnesota, Sikkila’s works have been viewed and appreciated all across the state, such as the Minnesota Museum of American Art and the Minnesota Children’s Museum.

Sikkila’s work as a creative leader has also earned her many accolades, such as the “Outstanding Women in Business”award from the Mankato Free Press in 2016, 2015 Mankato’s YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, and 2015-2016 Art Educators of Minnesota “Distinguished Service Outside the Field” Recognition.

Sikkila’s life wasn’t always abundant with the arts, however. Growing up as a farm kid in

a rural town, opportunities for creative expression could be few and far between.

“Back then, in those rural communities, there wasn’t a whole lot of arts and culture. I grew up working on cars and building things out of wood, because that’s what you did in the country,” Sikkila said. It wasn’t until college when Sikkila was introduced to the arts on a first-name basis, and fell in love with it. Her passion for art eventually blossomed into a Master’s Degree in art, a job as an art educator on campus at Minnesota State, and an executive position with the 410 to showcase more local artwork.

“The Moving Light”, Sikkila’s art collection, specifically showcases her experiences navigating life as a woman in a man’s world, frequently with the use of insect imagery, such as butterflies or bees. Despite the innocent appearance of the imagery, the symbolism retains a much deeper impact.

“I use the imagery of the moth in my work a lot, that holds the symbolism of the mysterious or unseen. Butterflies and bees symbolize the transitioners and the makers, and that’s how I see myself. It’s cutesy images when you first look at them, and

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

“The Moving Light,” Dana Sikkila’s most recent art exhibition, is far from the first time she’s worked with the 410 Project. Sikkila has been working as the Executive Director of the 410’s Community Art Space for years.

then you start to dissect them,” Sikkila said.

The art collection is a multimedia project, with printmaking, painting and mixed media

all incorporated. Printmaking is a personal favorite for Sikkila. According to her, utilizing printmaking as an artistic medium opens the doors to reams of self

expression.

“That idea of being able to repeat, get obsessive, printing, printing, printing. (It’s) the ob-

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Dessa (above) has performed all over the world, from the Minnesota Orchestra, to stages in Glastonbury, to the Lollapalooza festival.

Women’s Center makes consent sexy

Al Jaffee, longtime Mad magazine cartoonist, dead at 102

By MERCEDES KAUPHUSMAN Staff Writer

One out of every five women you see on a college campus will experience sexual assault.

With April serving as Sex ual Assault Awareness Month, finding the root cause of this statis tic inspired the Women’s Center at Min nesota State to put on the event “Making Consent Sexy” Thursday after noon.

The stigma around consent is prevalent, es pecially within youth. Consent is a taboo top ic some see as an awkward conversation that is unnecessary, or even an interruption to the activity.

On the other hand, consent is mandatory both morally and legally. In order to break some of the stigma, the Women’s Center hopes to make consent compelling rather than tedious.

Some may say consent is not sexy — it is necessary. But according to BriShaun Kearns, “I think it can be both.”

Kearns, a graduate assistant at the women’s center, put together the event and navigated the conversation with students and faculty. They describe consent as, “getting permission.”

“Consent often is given in the specific context of sex, but really, I think those are interchangeable,” Kearns said.

At the beginning of the academic year they held an event called “Consent in the dark.”

 ART from page 14

sessiveness of anxiety, the constant internal in your head, no stopping point. So I think that the process of having the neverending endpoint can also tie

The Women’s Center noticed students had limited knowledge on consent and wanted to expand on the topic during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“What I personally wanted to do was talk to people about how to get continuous consent and what continuous consent looks like, and ways that they can make it part of sex that is enjoyable,”

Kearns said.

The conversation highlighted general ideas of consent, legalities and the impact of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is common among college students and, inevitably, heightens the risk of foul play.

“The sheer number of people who do not realize that when you are intoxicated, you legally cannot give consent, is hot,” Kearns said.

Preventative measures only go so far, however.

“A lot of the work that we do is afterwards (sexual assault). We have a lot of resources for people when they have been assaulted, and what to do and advocates and things like that, but there aren’t a whole lot of resources to prevent that,” Kearns said.

The Women’s Center provides a non-judgmental support system; it houses the violence awareness and response

CONSENT on page 16

together to the concepts of my work,” Sikkila said.

The art exhibition “The Moving Light” is up now for viewing at the 410 Project, and is available until April 15.

By HILLEL ITALIE The Associated Press

Al Jaffee, Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” has died. He was 102.

Jaffee died Monday in Manhattan from multiple organ failure, according to his granddaughter, Fani Thomson. He had retired at the age of 99.

Mad magazine, with its wry, sometimes pointed send-ups of politics and culture, was essential reading for teens and preteens during the baby-boom era and inspiration for countless future comedians. Few of the magazine’s self-billed “Usual Gang of Idiots” contributed as much — and as dependably — as the impish, bearded cartoonist. For decades, virtually every issue featured new material by Jaffee. His collected “FoldIns,” taking on everyone in his unmistakably broad visual style from the Beatles to TMZ, was enough for a four-volume box set published in 2011.

Readers savored his FoldIns like dessert, turning to them on the inside back cover after looking through such other favorites as Antonio Prohías’ “Spy vs. Spy” and Dave Berg’s “The Lighter Side.” The premise, originally a spoof of the old Sports Illustrated and Playboy magazine foldouts, was that you started with a full-page drawing and question on top, folded two designated points toward the middle and produced a new and surprising image, along with the answer.

The Fold-In was supposed to be a onetime gag, tried out in 1964 when Jaffee satirized

the biggest celebrity news of the time: Elizabeth Taylor dumping her husband, Eddie Fisher, in favor of “Cleopatra” co-star Richard Burton. Jaffee first showed Taylor and Burton arm in arm on one side of the picture, and on the opposite side a young, handsome man being held back by a policeman.

Fold the picture in and Taylor and the young man are kissing.

The idea was so popular that Mad editor Al Feldstein wanted a follow-up. Jaffee devised a picture of 1964 GOP presidential contenders Nelson Rockefeller and Barry Goldwater that, when collapsed, became an image of Richard Nixon.

“That one really set the tone for what the cleverness of the Fold-Ins has to be,” Jaffee told the Boston Phoenix in 2010. “It couldn’t just be bringing someone from the left to kiss someone on the right.”

Jaffee was also known for “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” which delivered exactly what the title promised. A comic from 1980 showed a man on a fishing boat with a noticeably bent reel. “Are you going to reel in the fish?” his wife asks. “No,” he says, “I’m going to jump into the water and marry the gorgeous thing.”

Jaffee didn’t just satirize the culture; he helped change it. His parodies of advertisements included such future real-life products as automatic redialing for a telephone, a computer spell checker and graffiti-proof surfaces. He also anticipated peelable stamps, multiblade razors and self-extinguishing cigarettes.

Jaffee’s admirers ranged from Charles M. Schulz of

“Peanuts” fame and “Far Side” creator Gary Larson to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who marked Jaffee’s 85th birthday by featuring a Fold-In cake on “The Colbert Report.”

When Stewart and “The Daily Show” writers put together the best-selling “America (The Book),” they asked Jaffee to contribute a Fold-In.

“When I was done, I called up the producer who’d contacted me, and I said, ‘I’ve finished the Fold-In, where shall I send it?’ And he said — and this was a great compliment — ‘Oh, please Mr. Jaffee, could you deliver it in person? The whole crew wants to meet you,’” he told The Boston Phoenix.

Jaffee received numerous awards, and in 2013 was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame, the ceremony taking place at San Diego Comic-Con International. In 2010, he contributed illustrations to Mary-Lou Weisman’s “Al Jaffee’s Mad Life: A Biography.”

The following year, Chronicle Books published “The MAD Fold-In Collection: 19642010.”

Art was the saving presence of his childhood, which left him with permanent distrust of adults and authority. He was born in Savannah, Georgia, but for years was torn between the U.S., where his father (a department store manager) preferred to live, and Lithuania, where his mother (a religious Jew) longed to return.

In Lithuania, Jaffee endured poverty and bullying, but also developed his craft. With paper scarce and no school to attend, he learned to read and write through the comic strips mailed by his father.

By his teens, he was settled.

STEPHEN MORTON • The Associated Press

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter

Mad Magazine cartoonist Al Jaffee attends an event to honor veteran contributors of MAD Magazine at the Savannah College of Art and Design and the National Cartoonists Society on Oct. 11, 2011 in Savannah, Ga. Jaffee died Monday at the age of 102.

The Women’s Center, pictured above, is the home to many campus-hosted events, centered around human rights and activism.

MERCEDES KAUPHUSMAN The Reporter

Show stopper: Singalong fans ejected, ‘Bodyguard’ halted

Hilary

Swank gives birth to twins, shares 1st photo

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A British performance of “The Bodyguard” musical ended in unrequited love for some audience members who couldn’t refrain from singing along to the anthemic finale.

The show at the Palace Theatre in Manchester screeched to a halt Friday when two unruly patrons were ejected for joining the lead in singing “I Will Always Love You,” the soaring, emotional ballad made famous by Whitney Houston.

It was not supposed to be a singalong. Ushers carried signs saying, “Please refrain from singing” and announcements were made in advance that patrons would have a chance to join along at the end but not to sing during the show, said Tash Kenyon, an audience member.

During the closing number, somebody shouted, “Does this mean we can start singing now?” Kenyon said. A tonedeaf voice projected from the balcony and competed with the vocals of Melody Thornton, a

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former member of The Pussycat Dolls.

Laughter then turned to anger and confusion, Karl Bradley told the Manchester Evening News.

“The stage then just went black again and that’s when it really started to kick off on the higher tier, you could really hear screams and audible gasps,” Bradley said. “Everyone starting standing up and looking over. There was chants of ‘out, out, out’ to get them gone.

By NARDOS HAILE The Associated Press

Hilary Swank has given birth to twins — a boy and a girl.

The 48-year-old “Million Dollar Baby” actor posted a photo of her and her twins looking at the sunset on Instagram Sunday evening with the caption: “It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it.”

 CONSENT from page 15

program, one of three confidential advocates on campus, so it is there to help victims process information, and guide them through the available resources on campus.

“They have the resources, they have the knowledge, it’s not going to be something

She added on Instagram that she’s “posting from pure heaven.” She and entrepreneur Philip Schneider have been married since 2018.

Over the course of her pregnancy, Swank had been filming her new ABC show “Alaska Daily.” She shared in an interview in October that when her pants didn’t fit during filming, she cut them open and put a jacket on to hide her bump.

that’s on their plate that’s too much for them,” Kearns said.

Students can confide in faculty at the Women’s Center if desired, as well as attend the remaining events that live up to April’s theme, such as, “Take back the night,” 5-7 p.m. April 25 in the Ostrander Auditorium.

WEST • PA via AP

CHARLES SYKES • Invision via AP

The show at the Palace Theatre in Manchester screeched to a halt Friday, April 7, 2023 when at least two unruly patrons insisted on joining the lead Melody Thornton in singing “I Will Always Love You.”

Swank has given birth to twins — a boy and a girl. The 48-year-old “Million Dollar Baby” actor posted a photo of her and her twins.