April 23, 2019

TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2019

Kelley celebrates Earth Day with visit to MNSU

DAVID BASSEY EDITOR IN CHIEF Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley visited Mankato to celebrate Earth Day on Monday. Kelley toured the MNSU campus, focused on the various renewable energy projects and celebrated the progress that has been made.

First celebrated in 1970 in response to the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Earth Day is a celebrated worldwide to raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire appreciation for the environment. It is a day people show their commitment to a more sustainable world.

John Shrestha | MSU Reporter Minnesota Department of Commerce Commisioner Steve Kelley and President Richard Davenport discuss clean energy concluding a tour of MNSU on Monday.

Earth Day is a creation of former U.S. senator Gaylord Nelson who wanted to raise awareness about air and water pollution. With

demonstrations across America, the first Earth Day eventually led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the

passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Now with over 190 countries celebrating Earth

Day around the world, the pressure is still on for the job of saving the planet.

Kelley told a story about his first Earth Day experience while in high school, going out with his friends and taking a survey on the attitudes related to the environment.

Although they were not sure about what they were to do to help the environment other than picking up litter, he was happy with the efforts made by young advocates on climate change to move toward renewable energy and setting clear goals that would help everybody who is part of the energy system.

Some of the projects Kelley saw are funded by Xcel Energy grants. They included the creation of sustainable

EARTH page 5

YWCA discusses race and gender justice MARIA LY STAFF WRITER Representatives from the YWCA gave a presentation on race and gender justice Friday, April 19 at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Tiffnie Jackson, the Director of Racial Justice, and Erin Kragh, the Women’s Leadership Program Manager touched on many topics of justice, structural power, racism, and women’s issues.

Before starting their presentation, the two gave a little history of the YWCA, their mission of “eliminating racism and empowering women”, and their one imperative.

The YWCA was founded in 1855 and from the start was a

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forward thinking, courageous, justice seeking multicultural organization. From creating a YWCA for native women in Oklahoma in 1890, to having the first interracial conference in Louisville, Kentucky in 1915, supporting Japanese women and families in “relocation centers” after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and seeking

justice for the Scottsboro Boys, etc. The organization has been actively involved in social justice.

Jackson stated, “They have been actively involved over time to ensure that if we are going to empower all women we have to deal with eliminating racism.

Because if we don’t focus on

IN THIS ISSUE: Climate change: a students view ............... Page 3 MNSU hosts 8th annual MUDAC ............... Page 6 Softball continues winning streak.............. Page 7 Halestorm gets “Vicious” in Mankato ..... Page 10

that part, we’re never going to empower all women and all girls. So that’s the kind of history that has begun to shape this organization.”

The YWCA’s one imperative states, “The Association will thrust its collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary.”

The two women then asked the audience to group together and discuss “what justice means to you?”

Answers ranged from equity, democracy, fairness, addressing diversity, acknowledging harms done, accountability, among others.

The YWCA defines justice as the “policies, practices, attitudes and actions that produce equity for all in access, opportunities, and societal power.”

The audience then had time to discuss what are women’s issues, in which audience members responded, “What isn’t a women’s issue?”

Societally, they discussed women’s issues to be things that center around motherhood as reproductive justice, health and wellness, childcare, employment, and

YWCA page 3

WEATHER OUTLOOK: TUESDAY (4/23)

H: 65 L: 46 Some clouds, then sun.

WEDNESDAY (4/24)

H: 75 L: 52 Clouds & sun; warm.

THURSDAY (4/25)

H: 69 L: 43 Partly sunny; shower poss.

FRIDAY (4/26)

H: 67 L: 48 Periods of sun.

SATURDAY (4/27)

H: 61 L: 38 Cloudy, cooler; T-storm poss.

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Email News Editor Madison Diemert madison.diemert @mnsu.edu

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Sri Lanka town known for its What you can do churches is in mourning to help victims in

NEGOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The seaside Sri Lankan fishing town of Negombo has long been called “Little Rome,” a reference to its abundance of churches and its place at the center of the country’s small Catholic community.

On Monday, it was a town in mourning.

Small white flags flew in house after house near St. Sebastian’s Church, a sign that someone who lived there had died. Groups of people visited, paying their respects. On Easter Sunday, a bomb blast ripped through St. Sebastian’s, one of a halfdozen coordinated attacks on churches and high-end hotels that killed nearly 300 people.

At least 110 were killed at St. Sebastian’s, said Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, making it the day’s most deadly bombing.

Charles Fernando, 32, who was among the neighborhood residents walking between houses, pointed to a home where he said nearly everyone had been killed or injured.

“We had war for 30 years but there were no bomb blasts in Negombo,” he said.

“We will never forget this.”

During Sri Lanka’s long and bloody civil war, Negombo, about an hour north of the capital, Colombo, was largely spared the violence that raged elsewhere in the country. The war, which left some 100,000 people dead, ended in 2009.

“It is a safe haven for all,” Ranjith said at a religious conference held in the town in 2016.

MINNESOTA ] An attorney for JD.com founder Richard Liu said Monday that surveillance video showing the Chinese businessman in an elevator and walking arm-in-arm with a woman who has accused him of rape provides a different account of what happened that night.

USA ] A House chairman on Monday subpoenaed former White House Counsel Don McGahn as Democratic leaders moved to deepen their investigation of President Donald Trump while bottling up talk among their rank-and-file of

Sri Lanka

KOLBY SPOMER STAFF WRITER This Easter, Sri Lanka was subject to one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent memory.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

A Sri Lankan government official says a local militant group is responsible for the Easter Sunday suicide bombings. (April 22) Tap to unmute Catholicism is everywhere in Negombo, a town of about 140,000 people with dozens of churches and perhaps hundreds of small roadside Catholic shrines. About 65% of Negombo is Roman Catholic, according to census data, though Catholics make up just 6% of the country.

But the town has also long been known for its tolerance.

The town’s Angurukaramulla Temple is a popular stop for Buddhist pilgrims. Its Grand Mosque is famed for its beauty. The Hindu god Rama is said to have been nearby before his great battle with

the demon-king Ravana.

“I was shocked when I saw the horrible devastation caused at the church,” Ranjith said after visiting St. Sebastian’s, pleading for tolerance in the aftermath of the attacks and urging Christians not to seek revenge. Authorities have blamed the Sri Lankan Muslim group National Thowfeek Jamaath.

But in the first hours after the blasts even Ranjith called on officials to “mercilessly” punish those responsible for attacks, saying “only animals can behave like that.”

impeaching him.

treaty allies Japan, South Korea, Turkey.

] With increased orders from the U.S. military, Northrop Grumman will spend $2 million this year expanding its Plymouth operations. The expansion calls for hiring 60 new workers and converting 7,000 square feet of existing offices into laboratories and testing space for the division ] The Trump administration said Monday that it will no longer exempt any countries from U.S. sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil, stepping up pressure on Iran in a move that primarily affects the five remaining major importers: China and India and U.S.

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it may feel like there is very little you can do to help prevent or rebuild after these kinds of horrid events. Due to this, many just express their feelings on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, sending their thoughts and prayers and calling it a day.

While some may feel like this is enough, others do not.

Others may want to do more, or feel like their prayers are not enough. Personally, I agree with them. For those who feel this way, there is a solution.

“These types of tragedies are becoming all too common in our modern world, and it may feel like there is very little you can do to help prevent or rebuild after these kinds of horrid events.”

Across numerous different locations, including churches during the height of Easter Mass and hotels filled with tourists from all over the world, the death toll has risen to 290 people at the time of writing.

These types of tragedies are becoming all too common in our modern world, and

If you wish to help those affected by this awful tragedy, you can go to the Sri Lankan Red Crosses website, look for any of the numerous GoFundMe’s set up to help right now. If you have a lot of time and money, you could even go to Sri Lanka yourself to try and help the cause at the source.

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WORLD ] Felipe Larraín, the Minister of Finance of the Chilean government, has created a bull to regulate cryptocurrencies and other financial technologies. The bill has considered the regulatory needs of the various business models and has chosen to execute regulations proportionally instead of imposing a blanket ban. ] The British royal family celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s birthday on Sunday, April 21.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

News

MSU Reporter • 3

A student’s view on the reality of climate change

OLAYINKA GBOLAHAN STAFF WRITER Consider the snow storm from Wednesday, April 10.

It brings questions about the authenticity of climate change.

Climate change is caused by the excess release of greenhouse gases like carbon-dioxide (CO2) into the earth’s atmosphere and may eventually result into the decimation of our planet.

The projected effects of Climate Change in the Midwest are and not limited to; “extreme heat, heavy downpour, and flooding which would affect infrastructures, health, agriculture, forestry,

Photo courtesy of Flickr

transportation, air and water quality. Climate change will also exacerbate a range of risks to the great lakes.”

According to GlobalChange. gov, a U.S Global change research program.

YWCA

Continued from page 1 education.

An activity followed suit to demonstrate privilege and race as audience members crumpled a paper ball and tried to make a shot in the basket from their seated position.

“The basket wasn’t going to change, it was going to be placed here no matter what. When you’re talking about who’s sitting up here and who’s near the basket, that’s by design,” said Jackson.

Jackson then went on to explain the history of socioeconomics in our country, discussing the history of slavery, the demonization of slaves, and the domination of land and how that’s had an impact on today’s conflict of structural power.

To have structural power, according to the YWCA, is “to create and shape the rules, policies, and actions that govern multiple and intersecting institutions or an industry.”

Structural power and racism go hand in hand as “racism is the combination of prejudice and power to exert an outcome upon another based on that person’s or group’s racial identity.”

Kragh explained, “Power rests in the white community by design and perpetuation.

And there are instances where people of color have power, but they’re temporal, situational, and not overarching.”

She continued, “Some people might argue, ‘Well he’s wealthy. He’s got the power of wealth.’ And yeah, he might have influence, but that’s not structural power, that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about power that lets laws be made by the white majority, that are upheld by the white majority, and interpreted by the white majority.”

The discussion ended with differentiating being racist, non-racist, and antiracist.

Jackson explained, “When we’re talking about gender justice being expanded to ensure that we’re dealing with issues of racial justice, we have to commit to becoming anti-racist vs. non-racist.

Our culture cultivates nonracism, it’s kind of the comfortable racism right now unfortunately.”

The pair left the audience with a quote from Maya Angelou to encourage students to join the fight for gender and racial justice, “Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better.”

I personally believe climate change is real due to evidence presented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on climate change. For example, from annual earth vital readings and global warming measurements from NASA, it relives the earth’s surface temperature. It has

risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, with 2016 being the warmest year on record. This increase is not easily digestible by many people because I doubt if an increase by an average of 1.62 is noticeable by the human body.

These findings by NASA

validates research from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that shows statewide temperatures in Minnesota have increased 1-3 degrees Fahrenheit and an average low temperature have risen more quickly than an average high temperature, especially at nighttime lows by a result of human activities.

Another evidence of climate change has to do with precipitation. According to MPCA, the total precipitation amount increased by over 20 percent (5.5 inches) in the Twin Cities as some of us might have noticed.

It also gave projections of increase in precipitation in autumn and spring months and decrease in summer months, which would result to drier summers and snowier or wetter winters. According to satellite observations from NASA, the amount of spring to snow cover in the northern hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades

CLIMATE page 5

4 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 EMAIL THE EDITOR IN CHIEF:

DAVID BASSEY

How to handle end of the semester projects

david.bassey@mnsu.edu

Ways to get the best grade while minimizing stress

JOSHUA SCHUETZ STAFF WRITER I have written before about the extent to which large projects and papers tend to be concentrated in the latter half (often latter third, really) of the semester.

Of course, I advocate against that spacing, but the question remains: How do students navigate it?

The best thing to do is to look at what you need to do in advance, and set out scheduled times in which to do it. There are two methods: first, work on multiple assignments a day, allotting an hour to three hours each.

Or work on one assignment over the course of a day or two, allotting as much time to it as you are able. I tend to do the second one, since I dislike shuffling from subject to subject in a single day.

Now, look at your assignments. Are there any that you can get done quickly and efficiently? Do these first.

Dedicate a day or clearing up all of the easier, shorter, or smaller assignments that you have on your plate. Work

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ahead a bit if necessary, and if the professor permits it.

So, you are now left with a couple big projects. You

sure to do your research for a paper first, and make sure that your professor approves

“The best thing to do is to look at what you need to do in advance, and set out scheduled times in which to do it.” can split them in either of the ways I described above, or do it your own way. Always make

your sources, so that you don’t lose any points over something relatively easy to

fix.

If your professor offers help with rough drafts, try to get projects for those professors done first and turn them in as rough drafts. Set aside another day to edit them, and focus on your other projects. If you do this, then you can dedicate some time to editing your rough drafts according to your professor’s comments. In many cases, submitting and receiving feedback on a rough draft can give you an excellent idea of what a professor is looking for on a given assignment, which is very useful.

Use whatever studying techniques suit you best. Do better working with a group?

Set up times to study with them! Get more done alone?

Find time to isolate yourself with your work.

Also, make absolutely sure that you get enough sleep, as well as enough to eat and to drink. A lack of sleep in particular can ruin concentration, making academic work borderline impossible.

These are just a few tricks that I’ve used. You may find that, depending on your field of study, some work better for you than others, and some may not work at all.

Nevertheless, remember to take care of yourself, avoid procrastination, and keep a clear eye on your deadlines.

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“How do you manage project deadlines?”

GABRIELLE PROEFROCK, NURSING

ERIN FAGIN, UNDECIDED

JARON PRO, AVIATION

WILLIAM SCHENDEL, UNDECIDED

“I’m a nursing student, so I don’t.”

“I cry into my pillow and once I get all my anger out I can start.”

“There’s no such thing as managing project deadlines.”

“I don’t know, I just do it.”

CLAIRE JONS, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE “I just try to keep myself as organized as possible.”

Compiled by Maria Ly

LARA NIDAY, POLITICAL SCIENCE “I do a little at a time.”

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

News

EARTH

JOSHUA SCHUETZ STAFF WRITER U.S. homebuilding reached a two-year low recently, and it’s worth investigating why.

Simply put, despite low mortgage rates and a strong economy, fewer homes are being built.

Labor shortages are a serious problem in the construction industry, but they are largely regional in nature. In some areas, there is a serious dearth of workers, while there might be an excess in another area.

Still, there don’t seem to be enough workers to do the job.

Wages need to be commensurate with the risks and hours associated with a particular field for workers to view a job, especially one as dangerous as construction, as being worth pursuing.

Another issue is the lack of technical education, which I have written about recently.

But there exists a much more basic issue: a lack of productivity. We build houses in more or less the same fashion as we have for the last 30 or so years. There has been no “disruption” of the homebuilding industry.

Much of that, in turn, has to do with regulations passed by local governments and homeowners associations which make alternative forms of housing impossible to build.

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Continued from page 1

“microgrid” power systems led by Dr. Jianwu Zeng, and the optimization of placement of vertical axis wind turbines led by Dr. Patrick Tebbe.

Graduate student Jon Richter explained the need for improved VAWT efficiency with the reduced land availability demonstrating how the group uses the water channel to obtain velocity data around 3D printed replicas.

In an Elements article, Zeng explained, “Electric power is capable of being stored in the microgrid and exchanged among different houses.” His goal is to design the power converter with a more compact structure while achieving higher efficiency.

With farmers being challenged by lower prices, the opportunity rises for lots of people to own a piece of the future energy systems.

Kelley’s visit expressed Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan’s One Minnesota Path to Clean Energy.

Minnesota leads the way in the Midwest, having met its renewable energy standard goal of 25 percent by 2025 using wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.

“It is important to bring those pieces together but without the technical and research work that the students are doing, we won’t know what our options are,” said Kelley, commending the college on the importance of research work to the advocacy efforts and policies set forth by the state government.

“We need more examples like that tried out in a lot of places.”

President Richard Davenport spoke on the

CLIMATE

Continued from page 3 due to early melting.

Although I have not necessarily observed this early melting, scientific observers from the National Snow and Ice Data Center validates this point of early snow melting, which is one of the results of the high sea levels.

Evidence from changes in the depth and temperature of the ocean also validate that climate change is real.

According to NASA, “The top 700 meters of ocean showing of more than 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969 and the global sea level rising about eight inches in the last century.”

MSU Reporter • 5

This is an evidence of climate change that has been experienced in Minnesota, with the suggestive and significant loss of fish habitat for many prominent species, including trout and walleye due to high ocean temperatures.

Other evidence of climate change includes: glacial retreats, shrinking ice sheets, declining artic sea ice, ocean acidification and more.

After reviewing all this evidence and not finding any evidence that strongly suggests otherwise, it is safe to say I believe in climate change and its effects.

John Shrestha | MSU Reporter Minnesota Department of Commerce Commisioner Steve Kelley visited the university and discussed with students at the Heritage room to celebrate Earth Day

strides that the University has made to reduce its carbon emissions with a 7-8 percent reduction, a loss of 4,161 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. MNSU has also received various awards via its energy-sustainability projects with savings of over $400,000 annually.

The bill, sponsored by senator Nick Frentz, DFLNorth Mankato, establishes the Clean Energy First Act. This bill proposes the desire of the state to be 100 percent carbon free generation by 2050, requiring electric utilities to meet resource needs using clean energy

resources. With the bill set to hit the senate today, an expansion will be made on the state’s energy savings policy goal and Conservation Improvement Modernization Act of 2019, and perhaps the creation of more clean energy economic opportunities.

International Student Endowment Scholars 2019-2020

Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Gladys B. Olson International Endowment Scholars The Elizabeth Kearney Endowment Scholarship Liya Yemiru

The Kuhn H. Lee Endowment Scholarship Rohil Kayastha

The Carole & Dwain Petersen Endowment Scholarship Oluwapelumi Solomon

The Louise Steele Syverson & Linda Steele Endowment Scholarship Samya Gelal

The Florence Sponberg Endowment Scholarship Dominik Drabent

The Gladys B. Olson Endowment Scholarship Ruksha Rayamajhi

The Beatrice & Joseph Moosally Endowment Scholarship Shrasta Koirala

International Endowment Scholarship Mohammad Bhuiyan

The William Olszewski Endowment Scholarship Raj Manandhar Dr. Abo Habib & Hanna Amin Scholarship Nchang Anye

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International Endowment Scholarship Minahil Khan The Waldo & Jean Jaax Endowment Scholarship Syed Peerzada The Viola Holbrook Endowment Scholarship John Shrestha

6 • MSU Reporter

News

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

MNSU hosts eighth annual MUDAC conference

DAVID BASSEY EDITOR IN CHIEF Minnesota State University, Mankato hosted the eighth annual Midwest Undergraduate Data Analytics Competition (MUDAC) the weekend of March 30, 2019.

MUDAC is an annual rigorous, high-intensity hackathon competition whose purpose is to help students gain analytic skills and help their professional development. The aim of MUDAC is to “get [students] engaged in some intriguing and complex data analytics problem,” event chair and Computer Science Assistant Professor, Dr. Rajeev Bukralia added.

The activities surrounding this year’s competition was organized by the RSO, Database Resources for Eager and Aspiring Minds (DREAM).

The two-day event featured primarily a 24-hour hackathon with student teams placed in classrooms to be judged by 47 faculty advisors and industry judge pairs from top companies such as Optum, General Mills and United Health.

Over 250 students from top universities and colleges across the Midwest came together aboard the big ideas campus for one purpose – solve humanity’s biggest

Samuel Oluwadoromi | MSU Reporter “Meet & Greet the Data” session at the Ostrander Auditorium on Saturday morning.

problem: water quality.

Some of the participating schools were University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Metro State, St. Cloud State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Data for the problem was provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Water Resources Center at MNSU in the Ostrander Auditorium early Saturday morning.

To solve the water quality problem, students had to gain some domain knowledge of what water quality is and how

Samuel Oluwadoromi | MSU Reporter Bollywood dance at the reception on Saturday evening.

to define it – high nitrate levels or phosphorus in suspended solids.

This enabled them to frame and ask the right questions about watersheds.

During the first night, while the competition was in top gear; students, faculty advisor and members of the industry were treated to performances

by Bollywood dancers and the Maverick Machine drumline.

On Sunday, with the coding getting to its final close, four teams were chosen based on their execution and data visualization.

One of the most important aspects of the data visualization was being able to tell stories. Teams were ranked based of the propensity of their data to be understood by potential clients. MNSU senior Alycia Holwerda commented in an interview with the Free Press as this being a necessary takeaway from the competition Each team was given the liberty to use whatever tool was needed.

“Software tools are just means to an end, and you

have to solve the problem… which is not clearly defined.”

Dr. Bukralia said While the teams waited excitedly for the judges’ decision, student teams could participate in a career fair featuring over a dozen companies with focus on data science, data analytics and IT jobs.

Students such as University of Minnesota, Morris competitor Wyatt Wirth benefitted from this event as it provided him with real world applications while in college Among the victors in this year’s MUDAC were Carleton College (team 43) and UW-La Crosse (team 26) for honorable mentions.

For data visualization, MNSU (team 56) Daryoush Hakimi, Alycia Holwerda, Nayeem Imtiaz, Erik Jacobson, Christopher Zuelsdorf won second place, while University of Minnesota, Duluth (team 52) Tucker Hazzard, Joey Kmiec, Camyrn Monzo, Austin Steinmetz won first place. For third placeCarleton College (team 03) Yuta Baba, Nobuaki Masaki, Saahithi Rao, second placeUniversity of Iowa (team 33) Cindy Chen, Brandon PratherHuff, Shangguan Wang, Stefan Wang, Tianyuan and first place- UW-Eau Claire (team 30) Hunter Hartke, Eric Mallmann, William O’Brien, Isaac Swenson, Lance Tanel.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

MSU Reporter • 7 Have a story idea or a comment?

Minnesota State University, Mankato

EMAIL

Sports Editor Kevin Korbel

kevin.korbel@mnsu.edu

Softball slides past Crookston and Bemidji The team extended its winning streak to seven during the weekend

MEL STRAMM STAFF WRITER The Maverick softball team continued their winning streak last weekend after winning all four games played Friday and Saturday at home.

MSU took the lead in Friday’s games against Minnesota-Crookston early on, with a triple by sophomore Courtney Potter, followed by a single by freshman Kayla Moky which put the Mavericks up 2-0.

A two-RBI single by senior Cori Kennedy, followed by a run for Moky would then secure the lead.

Starting pitcher Mackenzie Ward didn’t allow any runs and just one successful hit against Crookston. She was able to earn a complete game shutout, striking out 10 batters.

Another three runs from outfielder McKenzie Paap,

Nidia Mariscal | MSU Reporter Senior outfielder McKenzie Paap (4) scores a run during the Mavericks’ matchup with Bemidji State Saturday, April 20.

Moky, and Kennedy followed, leading to an 8-0 victory after a dominant first five innings.

The second game of the day brought about another win for MSU, after Paap started things out by scoring on a throwing error after stealing third.

Redshirt freshman Hannah

Hastings delivered an RBI single to conclude the game and a victory of 2-0.

Saturday would be another successful day for MSU softball with two great wins at home against the Bemidji State Beavers.

The Mavericks were able to go 13-0 in the first game

of the day.

Moky and Kennedy scored the first two runs in the first inning, followed by four more runs in the fourth by infielder Amber Kral, sophomore Emma Schifferle, Potter, and sophomore Torey Richards.

With Moky, Paap, and Kennedy on the bases, Kral hit

a grand slam that expanded the Mavericks’ lead to 10-0.

Another three-RBI home run by sophomore Julia Bastian concluded the very successful fourth inning,

SOFTBALL page 8

Baseball takes two of three against Wayne

Mavericks took two more games Friday before losing to Wayne St. on Sunday

AARON YOUNG STAFF WRITER The Mavericks continued their winning ways against the Cougars of Wayne State, taking the first games of the series Friday before having their winning streak snapped by the same team Saturday.

In the first game against the Cougars, the Mavs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. They scored five runs in the first inning, exploding out of the gate.

Beginning with a single and a double from both senior catcher Tom Imholte and freshman infielder Nick Altermatt, the Mavs scored off an error with senior outfielder

Mansoor Ahmad | MSU Reporter Sophomore third baseman Mitch Frederick (left) tags out the runner at third base during a game against Wayne State Saturday, April 20.

Jordan Hart at the plate.

Starting pitcher Cam Kline brought two home later in the inning off a single to left field,

extending the lead to four.

Junior infielder Teddy Peterson would then score from first based off

miscommunication between Wayne State’s catcher and first baseman.

The Mavs would also

follow up with a run in the second off a sacrifice fly from Kline bringing in Hart. The squad would continue their domination in the fifth inning, putting five runs on the board, and essentially putting the nail on the coffin for any chance of the Wayne State Cougars coming back.

Hart would send both redshirt sophomore Jack Waletich and Altermatt home off a double to right field.

Later on, Kline would triple, brining everybody on base home for the 11-0 lead.

Wayne State did get two runs in the fifth but the Mavs defense didn’t allow anymore.

Kline was the player of the game, dominating on the mound through six innings and going 2 for 4 with 4 RBIs at the plate.

BASEBALL page 8

8 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

BASEBALL Continued from page 7

Junior first baseman Ty Buck (34) hit a walk-off single during the second game of a doubleheader against Wayne State Saturday, April 20.

The second game was too close for the Mavericks comfort, stretching to 10 innings and a rally for the Mavericks. This time through, Wayne State looked to spoil the Mavs chance of winning as they got three runs in the first.

The first run happened with the bases loaded, as freshman Noah Miller got hit by a pitch, before Colin Chick singled, bringing home two runs.

Despite being down three, the Mavericks didn’t give up as they began rallying back

in the third inning as Imholte would groundout to bring home the run.

Later in the fifth, the Mavs responded once again, this time scoring two and tying the game at three apiece.

With the bases loaded, Imholte sent a runner home

SOFTBALL Continued from page 7

off a double play which was followed by a single

by Altermatt that allowed Waletich to score.

Neither team would score until the bottom of the 10th after a single off the bat of redshirt junior infielder Ty Buck that would send Hart home for the walk-off win.

The Mavericks winning streak would come to an end in the final game of the series.

Wayne State scored seven unanswered runs in the first four innings before the Mavericks got within two in the following two innings.

Mansoor Ahmad | MSU Reporter

However, the Cougars proved to be too much for the Mavs in the series finale, securing the win with two more runs in the seventh inning.

Hart and Buck led the team with two hits and two RBIs each, and freshman pitcher Jack Zigan earned the loss after giving up three in the first inning.

Next up for the Mavs is a doubleheader against the Augustana Vikings on the road scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

HOUSE FOR RENT AVAILABLE AUGUST 1, 2019 Nidia Mariscal | MSU Reporter Sophomore pitcher Lexi Schoper (5) received the win in both games she started in over the weekend.

leaving the score, 13-0 score.

The first game on Saturday then ended after the fifth inning.

In the second game of the day, the Beavers scored their first run of the day during the first inning, but MSU was quick to answer with two runs of their own.

After another two Bemidji runs in the second, a score

by Paap, followed by RBIs by Potter and Kral helped the Mavericks establish their lead once again.

MSU was able to score another three runs each in the fourth and sixth, including two RBIs by Kral.

Bemidji scored another run during the fifth but ended up falling short. MSU then concluded the successful

weekend with a 11-4 win at home.

Maverick softball is now on a seven-game winning streak, which they will hopefully continue going into the upcoming games. MSU will face off against the University of Sioux Falls Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m. in Sioux Falls, North Dakota.

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Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Sports

MSU Reporter • 9

CBS Sports signs multiyear deal with WNBA NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA is nearly doubling its national TV exposure with a multiyear deal with CBS Sports.

CBS Sports Network will broadcast 40 WNBA games beginning next month when the season opens.

The Minnesota Lynx vs. the Chicago Sky on May 25 will be the first game on the CBS Sports Network.

“Through our partnership with CBS Sports Network, the WNBA is joining an elite lineup of premium sports programming,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“We thank CBS Sports for making such a meaningful commitment to women’s basketball and for providing another platform to showcase the world-class athletes of the WNBA.” The league, which will begin its 23rd season on May 24, also has a deal with ESPN to show 16 regular-season telecasts, including three on ABC. Last year, the WNBA had a strong regular season with combined average viewership across ESPN2 and NBA TV up 31% over 2018. The CBS deal is the latest in an active offseason for the WNBA with AT&T as a new marquee partner, new uniforms by Nike and a rebranding of the league with a new logo.

All-Star Sue Bird and the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm will make six appearances on CBS Sports Network this season. That includes a WNBA Finals rematch against former league MVP Elena Delle Donne and the Washington Mystics on June 14.

The TV channel will use local broadcast feeds for now, similar to what NBA TV does for WNBA games. The

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

upcoming NBA TV schedule of WNBA games has not been finalized yet, but nearly 50 games are expected to be broadcast — the same as last year.

“We are truly excited to partner with the WNBA, bringing the country’s premier women’s sports league to CBS Sports Network. This partnership is one of the biggest and most impactful women’s sports programming arrangements ever at CBS Sports, offering national exposure of 40 games per year,” said CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus.

“This agreement provides great live content throughout the summer in prime time and on weekends, and aligns two great brands in the WNBA and CBS Sports. We look forward to working with the WNBA for many years to come.”

CBS executive vice

president of programming Dan Weinberg said the WNBA was exactly what CBS was looking for to bolster its schedule.

“We are looking to partner with established brands that are growing with dedicated fan bases,” he said in a phone interview.

“The WNBA checks every one of those boxes. (Playing in the) spring-summer lends itself to our programming schedule. We are clearly and obviously talking about the best basketball players

in the world at the highest level. Associating ourselves with WNBA, it’s a great powerful established brand with popularity across the country.”

The sides are still discussing expanding the coverage to include features and other WNBA programming.

“It’s going to be beyond highlights,” said David Denenberg, who is the Senior Vice President, Global Media Distribution and Business Affairs for NBA Entertainment.

“Whether it’s features we

develop or CBS develops, we want to do more.”

It’s unclear how the WNBA will decide which games will air on ESPN or CBS Sports Network going forward after this year. The league didn’t seem too concerned.

“Suffice it to say we have enough games we think we’ll put together a robust schedule for everyone,” Denenberg said. “We’ll announce the CBS schedule, ESPN schedule. I think we’re going to well serve all our partners.”

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10 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 Have a story idea or a comment?

Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Halestorm gets “Vicious” in their powerful Mankato performance MARK REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER Rock band Halestorm demonstrated that they are a still at the top of their game with a killer show at the Mankato Civic Center Thursday, April 19.

Halestorm was preceded by two opening acts. Beasto Blanco, featuring former Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric on guitar and vocals, started off the night with a face-melting heavy metal set.

The band fully embraces the genre, and they delivered an electrifying performance filled with tattoos, long hair, heavy riffs, and all the wonderful, disturbing visuals that you could hope for.

Palaye Royale, a Canadian rock band, continued the night with one of the most engaging and exciting performances I’ve ever seen.

Everyone on stage was

Mansoor Ahmad | MSU Reporter

filled with crazy amounts of energy, lead by their lead vocalist, Remington Leith. Leith ran around the stage like a madman, singing his heart out and making the crowd

go wild. He even climbed and jumped off the six-foot speakers that were on stage.

With an energy and angst that hearkens bands like My Chemical Romance and The

Struts, Palaye Royale are headed for great success, and they earned themselves another fan.

Finally, the stage goes dark. The air filled with

HALESTORM page 11

“Games of Thrones” episode two recap KOLBY SPOMER STAFF WRITER WARNING: Spoilers Ahead.

Another week, another Game of Thrones episode.

As we march ever closer to the end of our time in Westeros, we also march closer to the very probable demise of all our favorite characters.

This is why the episode aired this past week is so important. While not much happened in the way of action or thrills, we got to spend one last night with all those beloved characters before they fight for their and everyone

else’s lives.

Every major character, or at least most of them, get some time in front of the camera.

Jamie finally redeems himself fully, honoring his promise to fight with the Starks against the Night King. Arya got her rocks off with Gendry before they both die. The Hound told Arya he cares about her, even if it was in his own way.

And finally, after a lifetime of being told she couldn’t ever become a knight, Brienne of Tarth finally became a Sir, thanks to Jamie Lannister.

With all of that going on, it’s easy to lose sight of the two most important events of the whole episode.

Firstly, Jon told Daenerys who his parents really are.

Being a male born Targaryen, both Jon and Daenerys know that he has a stronger claim to the throne than her. Since

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

the battle is starting around the same time as this talk, we don’t really know how it will play it. If Daenerys’ initial re-

action is any indication, however, things probably won’t go down very smoothly.

Secondly, and perhaps

THRONES page 11

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

A&E

HALESTORM

Continued from page 10 anticipation. Then, in a burst of lights and sound, Halestorm appeared onstage, followed by a deafening roar from the crowd.

They began their set with “Black Vultures”, the first song off their latest album “Vicious” which was released in July 2018.

The anthemic tune got the crowd in the mood with Lzzy Hale, the band’s lead singer, delivering her iconic, powerful vocals.

They followed with “Uncomfortable”, a fastpaced, empowering song that showcases the incredible skill of Halestorm’s musicians, especially the chest-thumping drumming of Arejay Hale, Lzzy Hale’s brother who has played with her for over 20 years.

Halestorm’s performance captured their messages

of women’s power and strength. Lzzy Hale is a huge advocate for women empowerment, which resonates with her fans on and off the stage. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lzzy Hale discussed the increase of diversity in rock music.

“For the first time ever, we saw this heavy music being completely genderless,” said Lazzy Hale. “And such diversity in the crowd.

Not just female, but a lot of gay pride going on. It comes with that ownership of who you are.”

Halestorm backed up their social positions with an incredible show. The fiery, passionate lyrics from Lzzy Hale supported by the incredible talent from the rest of the band truly engaged the audience.

MSU Reporter • 11

MNSU Theatre presents “Brainpeople” in the Studio

MANKATO – Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Department of Theatre & Dance will open “Brainpeople” by José Rivera on April 24 in the Andreas Theatre at the Early Center for the Performing Arts.

The final play of the Studio season, “Brainpeople” tells the story of a wealthy woman who invites two strangers to join her in a feast commemorating something really special to her. Mayannah has done this every year, but her dark

purpose remains unclear.

All that will change tonight when these two damaged souls find their way to her table. Taking place in a notso-distant future, the sounds of a war-torn Los Angeles fill the air. Tensions rise and the true colors of the characters are revealed.

First year MFA Directing candidate Yaureybo Jordán is making his directorial debut at Minnesota State University, Mankato with “Brainpeople”.

“Brainpeople” runs Apr.

24-27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Andreas Theatre at the Earley Center for Performing Arts, Minnesota State Mankato.

Tickets are $10 regular, $9 for seniors ages 65 and older, children under 16 and groups of 15 or more; and $8 for MSU students.

The Box Office is open 4-6 p.m. weekdays in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center, or buy single tickets online at MSUTheatre.com.

Call the Box Office at 507389-6661.

Photo courtesy of the MNSU Theatre Department

Mayannah (Martha Cubillos) welcomes Rosemary (Samantha Buckley) and Ani (Arianna Rotty) to her table.

Reporter

Mansoor Ahmad | MSU Reporter

THRONES

Continued from page 10 more pressing at the moment, Tyrion learned Bran’s whole story. We didn’t get to see it sadly, but Tyrion did in fact get the whole rundown on what happened to Brandon Stark, and how he turned into what he is now. A very interesting note to make on the episode is Tyrion’s general behavior after this conversation. He goes from “lol we gon’ die fam” to “we gone make it guys, chill” really suddenly, and I think it has a lot to do with what Bran says to him. I think Bran told Tyrion some major thing

about the battle that will save them all.

It seems that the next episode will be the most anticipated “largest battle ever filmed”, and I’d say it’s about time. Not that I didn’t like these final moments, but if they had added on another slow burn episode I think people might have lost their minds. So, here’s to next week. It’ll probably be the biggest thing in entertainment that weekend. Can’t think of anything else that could compete -nothing at all.

brain games

12 • MSU Reporter

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