August 31, 2021

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021

MavPODs create new, private study spaces on campus

By JENNA PETERSON News Director

In an effort to bring more students to campus during a time of online classes, the Minnesota State University, Mankato IT Solutions invested in MavPODS, an enclosed room where students can complete a variety of tasks.

Mark Johnson, vice president and chief information officer for MNSU, wanted to build a space where students could easily transition between

in-person and online classes without having to leave campus.

“We thought of the idea of these pods in the beginning of COVID-19.

This isn’t the only solution, but it’s one of them,” Johnson said.

Added Clay, “Some students don’t have reliable access to the internet or a private space to work, and the pod will help.”

With only a small portion of the pods being completely installed, MNSU students are already taking advantage of these spaces to attend class

and complete homework.

Ariel Showers, a freshman, pointed out the benefits of the pods.

“They’re nice to get away and focus on stuff in between classes,” Showers stated. “I like how convenient they are, and the pods aren’t a bad thing if people are using them to study.”

Clay said students were consulted on the plan.

“We talked to students around campus to see what they wanted,” Clay stated.

MAVPODS on page 2 u

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter MavPODs are aimed to offer private spaces to work or relax. There are 100 MavPODs all over the campus.

GREEKIN’ OUT

University Ag program attends Minn. State Fair

By MAXWELL MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

Students belonging to various different on-campus Greek life organizations gathered in the Performing Arts Lawn late Sunday morning to celebrate “Bid Day”. Bid Day, which takes place at the end of a week-long recruitment process, is when new members learn which fraternity or sorority they will be joining, and are then appropriately welcomed by their new brothers and sisters.

Students involved with the Minnesota State University, Mankato Agriculture program attended the Minnesota State Fair in order to get a better grasp on how people view careers in agriculture.

Shane Bowyer, the Director of AgriBusiness and Food Innovation Program, is conducting the research with hopes to examine people’s opinions on careers in agriculture.

Joining the University of Minnesota “Driven to Discover” research facility, the group took up shop on the second day of the fair to get as many people to fill out a survey as possible.

“We are really trying to promote Ag careers,” said Bowyer.

Bowyer, who has been heading up the growth of the agriculture program at the University, was interested in the way that the public perceives agriculture as a career path.

One main aspect of the way people perceive the industry is that it is “rural” or “farm-like”. This perception is something that Bowyer is trying to combat.

Several questions on the survey asked about people’s preferences as far as living situations, working situations, specifically comparing the rural and urban lifestyles.

Baylee Sorensen, a student research assistant working with Bowyer, was among students who attended the event.

Photos by MANSOOR AHMAD • Media Director

AG PROGRAM on page 3 u

2 • MSU Reporter

News

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war ASSOCIATED PRESS The United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending America’s longest war and closing a chapter in military history likely to be remembered for colossal failures, unfulfilled promises and a frantic final exit that cost the lives of more than 180 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, some barely older than the war.

Hours ahead of President Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline for shutting down a final airlift, and thus ending the U.S. war, Air Force transport planes carried a remaining contingent of troops from Kabul airport. Thousands of troops had spent a harrowing two weeks protecting the airlift of tens of thousands of Afghans, Americans and others seeking to escape a country once again ruled by Taliban militants.

In announcing the completion of the evacuation and war effort. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the last planes took off from Kabul airport at 3:29 p.m. Washington time, or one minute before midnight in Kabul. He said a number of American citizens, likely numbering in “the very low hundreds,” were left behind, and that he believes they will still be able to leave the country.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken put the number of Americans left behind at under 200, “likely closer to 100,” and said the State Department would keep working to get them out. He praised the military-led evacuation as heroic and historic and said the U.S. diplomatic presence would shift to Doha, Qatar.

Biden said military commanders unanimously favored ending the airlift, not

MAVPODS Continued from page 1 MNSU senior Samantha Boltz was another student who praised the pods.

“I think if students like a quiet environment, they will definitely use these pods. I’ve been here for the past three hours, so I really enjoy them,” Boltz explained.

To spread the word about MavPODS, Johnson presented the idea at the Student Government meeting last week.

The presentation lasted about 10 minutes. The MavPODs plan was not subject to a Student Government vote, nor did it pass any official resolutions in support. In ad-

U.S. Central Command via AP In this image made through a night vision scope and provided by U.S. Central Command, Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, commander of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, boards a C-17 cargo plane at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, as the final American service member to depart Afghanistan.

extending it. He said he asked Blinken to coordinate with international partners in holding the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

The airport had become a U.S.-controlled island, a last stand in a 20-year war that claimed more than 2,400 American lives.

The closing hours of the evacuation were marked by extraordinary drama. American troops faced the daunting task of getting final evacuees onto planes while also getting themselves and some of their equipment out, even as they monitored repeated threats — and at least two actual attacks — by the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

A suicide bombing on Aug. 26 killed 13 American service

members and some 169 Afghans. More died in various incidents during the airport evacuation.

The final pullout fulfilled Biden’s pledge to end what he called a “forever war” that began in response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and rural Pennsylvania. His decision, announced in April, reflected a national weariness of the Afghanistan conflict. Now he faces criticism at home and abroad, not so much for ending the war as for his handling of a final evacuation that unfolded in chaos and raised doubts about U.S. credibility.

The U.S. war effort at times seemed to grind on with no endgame in mind, little hope for victory and minimal care by Congress for the way

tens of billions of dollars were spent for two decades. The human cost piled up — tens of thousands of Americans injured in addition to the dead.

More than 1,100 troops from coalition countries and more than 100,000 Afghan forces and civilians died, according to Brown University’s Costs of War project.

In Biden’s view the war could have ended 10 years ago with the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qaida extremist network planned and executed the 9/11 plot from an Afghanistan sanctuary. Al-Qaida has been vastly diminished, preventing it thus far from again attacking the United States.

Congressional committees, whose interest in the war waned over the years, are expected to hold public hearings

dition, there was no official consultation.

One concern with the MavPODs is their price tag. Johnson dove into this question by explaining, “We wanted to invest in something with a positive, long-term impact.

We used the money from federal funding.”

The federal funding comes from a program aimed to help public entities recover from the pandemic.

Added Clay, “Each pod costs roughly $10,000, and this price includes all of the fees added onto it, such as set-up.”

Another concern brought up is the MavPODs’ accessibility challenges.

There is a slight step up

to enter the pod, leaving those with certain disabilities unable to use them. This small space also doesn’t leave enough room for people with these accommodations to comfortably use the pod.

Andrew Johnson, a member of MNSU’s Disabilities Advocacy Committee, said he’s disappointed with this design oversight.

“This is such an insult to those with disabilities. Our University claims to be focused on inclusion, but that isn’t seen here,” Johnson exclaimed.

He said the pods, while small in perspective, still take up a large portion of the hallway and clutter up the space.

“This says those with dis-

abilities are not valued. All of our concerts were overwritten,” Johnson said.

To find one of the 100 MavPODs locations, scan

on what went wrong in the final months of the U.S. withdrawal. Why, for example, did the administration not begin earlier the evacuation of American citizens as well as Afghans who had helped the U.S. war effort and felt vulnerable to retribution by the Taliban?

It was not supposed to end this way. The administration’s plan, after declaring its intention to withdraw all combat troops, was to keep the U.S. Embassy in Kabul open, protected by a force of about 650 U.S. troops, including a contingent that would secure the airport along with partner countries. Washington planned to give the now-defunct Afghan government billions more to prop up its army.

Biden now faces doubts about his plan to prevent al-Qaida from regenerating in Afghanistan and of suppressing threats posed by other extremist groups such as the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate. The Taliban are enemies of the Islamic State group but retain links to a diminished al-Qaida.

The final U.S. exit included the withdrawal of its diplomats, although the State Department has left open the possibility of resuming some level of diplomacy with the Taliban depending on how they conduct themselves in establishing a government and adhering to international pleas for the protection of human rights.

The speed with which the Taliban captured Kabul on Aug. 15 caught the Biden administration by surprise. It forced the U.S. to empty its embassy and frantically accelerate an evacuation effort that featured an extraordinary airlift executed mainly by the U.S. Air Force.

the QR code located on each pod or on the flyers hanging around campus. You can also visit mankato.mnsu.edu/mavpods to find a pod near you.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

News

Ida traps Louisianans, shatters the power grid

STEVE HELBER • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS Rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks brought hundreds of people trapped by Hurricane Ida’s floodwaters to safety Monday and utility repair crews rushed in, after the furious storm swamped the Louisiana coast and ravaged the electrical grid in the stifling, late-summer heat.

Residents living amid the maze of rivers and bayous along the state’s Gulf Coast retreated desperately to their attics or roofs and posted their addresses on social media with instructions for search-and-rescue teams on where to find them.

More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi — including all of New Orleans — were left without power as Ida, one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. mainland, pushed through on Sunday.

The damage was so extensive that officials warned it could be weeks before the power grid was repaired.

President Joe Biden met virtually on Monday with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves along with mayors from cities and parishes most impacted by Hurricane Ida to receive an update on the storm’s impacts, and to discuss how the Federal

AG PROGRAM Continued from page 1 Sorensen’s job at the fair was to bring in as many people as possible. She was brought in through the Student Undergraduate Research Experience or “SURE” program, which was created to give undergraduate students a chance to explore the research world.

“I was getting people to take the survey and explain

Government can provide assistance.

“We are closely coordinating with State and local officials every step of the way,” Biden said.

The administration said more than 3,600 FEMA employees are deployed to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. FEMA staged more than 3.4 million meals, millions of liters of water, more than 35,700 tarps, and roughly 200 generators in the region in advance of the storm.

As the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression Monday afternoon and continued to make its way inland with torrential rain, it was blamed for at least two deaths — a motorist who drowned in New Orleans and a person hit by a falling tree outside Baton Rouge.

But with many roads impassable and cellphone service out in places, the full extent of its fury was still coming into focus. Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for Gov. John Bel Edwards, said that given the level of destruction, “We’re going to have many more confirmed fatalities.”

The governor’s office said damage to the power grid appeared “catastrophic” — dispiriting news for those without refrigeration or air conditioning.

the point of it,” said Sorensen.

Sorensen, a junior at MNSU, is currently exploring what career path to take when she graduates.

“I wasn’t interested before this summer,” said Sorensen, talking about career opportunities in the agriculture industry, “but I had an internship at Farm America and also this research project, and I really think it would be a fun career to go into.”

MSU Reporter • 3

Wildfire evacuees flood Lake Tahoe roads ASSOCIATED PRESS A popular vacation haven normally filled with tens of thousands of summer tourists was clogged with fleeing vehicles Monday after the entire resort city of South Lake Tahoe was ordered to leave as a ferocious wildfire raced toward Lake Tahoe, a sparkling gem on the California-Nevada state line.

Vehicles loaded with bikes and camping gear and hauling boats were in gridlock traffic in the city of 22,000, stalled in hazy, brown air that smelled like a campfire.

Police and other emergency vehicles whizzed by.

Ken Breslin was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from his home, with only a quarter-tank of gas in his Ford Escape. His son begged him to leave Sunday night, but he shrugged him off, certain that if an evacuation order came, it would be later in the week.

“Before, it was, ‘No worries ... it’s not going to crest.

It’s not gonna come down the hill. There’s 3,500 firefighters, all those bulldozers and all the air support,’” he said.

“Until this morning, I didn’t think there was a chance it could come into this area.

Now, it’s very real.”

By Monday night the fire had crossed state highways 50 and 89 and burned mountain cabins as it churned down slopes toward the Tahoe Ba-

NOAH BERGER • Associated Press Michael Posadas packs his truck while preparing to evacuate from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., as the Caldor Fire approaches on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.

sin. Flames came within just a few miles of South Lake Tahoe and residents of communities just over the state line in Douglas County, Nevada were warned to get ready to evacuate.

Monday’s fresh evacuation orders, unheard of in South Lake Tahoe, came a day after communities several miles south of the lake were abruptly ordered to evacuate as the Caldor Fire raged nearby. The city’s main medical facility, Barton Memorial Hospital, proactively evacuated dozens of patients, and the El Dorado Sheriff’s Office transferred inmates to a neighboring jail.

“There is fire activity happening in California that we have never seen before. The critical thing for the public to know is evacuate early,” said Chief Thom Porter, di-

rector of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. “For the rest of you in California: Every acre can and will burn someday in this state.”

The threat of fire is so widespread that the U.S. Forest Service announced Monday that all national forests in California would be closed until Sept. 17.

“We do not take this decision lightly but this is the best choice for public safety,” Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien said.

Overnight, the already massive Caldor Fire grew 7 miles (11 kilometers) in direction in one area northeast of Highway 50 and more than 8 miles (13 miles) in another, Cal Fire officials said.

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4 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

FALL 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

MavPODs needed accessibility and student consultation

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial With the MavPODs beginning to be installed around campus, it’s vital to be critical of some of the glaring questions and issues brought up with their introduction to campus.

The first and foremost issue to address is accessibility.

When it comes to the accessibility, there is no way around it, the MavPODs are lacking.

Due to the small size of the compartments there is very little room for individuals who might need the extra space.

On top of the tiny space, individuals seeking to utilize the pods must take a step up to get into the space, which can also be an issue to accessibility.

If we as a University aim to create a truly inclusive environment, we cannot have such a glaring disparity in an amenity offered for our students that is not offered to all students.

As it stands right now, for a student or faculty member that is living with a disability that wants to have access to a similar service on campus, they would have to go to the Memorial Library, which essentially defeats the purpose of the pods all together.

The second main component that is liable to critique is the amount of money that each pod costs and the lack of communication with students as to the choice to pursue this project.

It seems like an odd solution to a problem that could be solved with a potential-

NEWS DIRECTOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Daniel McElroy daniel.mcelroy@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Baylee Sorensen 507-389-5097 baylee.sorensen@mnsu.edu JENNA PETERSON • The Reporter

ly

less expensive option.

Looking at University of Minnesota, Duluth, they have their first two floors dedicated to be “talking floors”, and they encourage students to do their Zoom classes from these locations, with the use of headphones.

Our own library already implements an acceptable noise level for each floor, calling into question if this was a solution to a problem that was already solved.

Each of the MavPODs costs $10,000, and with 100

units across the campus, that adds up to be around a million dollar investment.

It stands to reason that with such a large investment, there would be a large level of correspondence with students, to ensure that this is something that adequately serves the student body.

To add to that, there seem to be a lot of issues and kinks that could have been ironed out before the full implementation of the plan, if there had been the extra effort to consult the student population about

their comments and concerns.

Perhaps the accessibility issue would have been brought up sooner, and the pods would have been met with much less harsh critiques.

The MavPODs are seeming to get a warm welcome from the students that have started using them, so the point of this editorial is not to slam the choice to implement, but instead to call attention to the University’s lack of student consultation, which led to large oversights.

“What do you think about the new MavPODs on campus?”

Compiled by Ashley Opina

BREBAN ALANDR, FRESHMAN

MYAH GORMLEY, FRESHMAN

“I think they’re a cool idea.

“I haven’t even seen it around I saw them today in between but i think they’re great for classes and they were all full.” studying.”

SPENCER HARSTAD, FRESHMAN “I like them and they look appealing.”

CAMILLE HART, FRESHMAN

JAKE LOHN, FRESHMAN

“I haven’t used one yet but “They seem good for studying they do seem nice for seclusion but i haven’t used one yet.” times.”

BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MGR.: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

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

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

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

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

• Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation.

The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

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

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

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Tuesday, August 31, 2021

MAVS ROAD TRIP TO THE U.P.

The Mavericks volleyball team will play in the Keweenaw Classic

Athletes sue schools over vaccine rules

By SAM LEIBEG • Staff Writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Despite being picked to place ninth overall in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference by coaches in the volleyball preseason polls, the Minnesota State Mavericks set out to win their first game against Northern Michigan University. The face-off between the Mavericks and Wildcats will begin at 6 p.m on Thursday, September 2 in Houghton, Michigan in the Keweenaw Volleyball Classic, hosted by Michigan Tech.

After missing the 2020 season due to Covid-19, each team is determined to go out and win their first game, however, only one of these two competitors will come out on top. The Minnesota State Mavericks all-time record against the Northern Michigan Wildcats is 1-6. So the Mavericks are looking to make some noise and begin to even out the playing field.

The Minnesota State Mavericks went 18-10 in the 2019 season with a conference record of 11-9. Northern Michigan had a record of 13-16 with a conference record of 8-8. Since those records were calculated two years ago, it is hard to determine how the teams will look this season.

In order to stay in shape, the Mavericks have participated in a few exhibition games including a game versus Gustavus on August 25th. Although they fell short, losing 2-3, the Mavericks were able to gain an understanding on what the next steps are to become successful.

With four returning seniors, leadership is not a problem for this team.

During the 2019 season, these seniors made outstanding efforts in order to help

Four female soccer players at Western Michigan University challenged the school’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for athletes Monday, saying it violates their Christian beliefs.

The lawsuit came days after a Michigan State University employee sued to block its mandate, which is broader and applies to all students, faculty and staff.

The players — Emily Dahl, Hannah Redoute, Bailey Kornhorn and Morgan Otteson — said Western Michigan on Aug. 12 required them to get a shot by month’s end or be removed from the team. They were denied religious exemptions, according to their federal case filed in Grand Rapids, which noted the school in Kalamazoo does not require the general student body to be vaccinated.

“Defendants’ policies violate the First Amendment by punishing students who exercise their religious beliefs in connection with their personal medical decisions,” said the suit, which was brought by the Lansing-based Great Lakes Justice Center on the eve of the athletic department’s deadline. The group has filed various lawsuits challenging pandemic restrictions including masking requirements.

Western Michigan said it has a “compelling interest” in acting to avoid the “significant risk” of an outbreak due to unvaccinated athletes.

“Prohibiting unvaccinated members of the teams from engaging in practices and competition is the only effective manner of accomplishing this compelling interest,” the school said in a statement. It said affected athletes will not lose scholarships and remain students in good standing to pursue their education.

The Michigan State plaintiff is Jeanna Norris, 37, a supervisory administrative associate and fiscal officer who said she has natural immunity — confirmed with two recent antibody tests — because she had COVID-19 last November.

DAVID FAULKNER • SPX Sports via Maverick Athletics The Minnesota State Mavericks haven’t played an official game since the 2019 season, where the team recorded an 18-10 overall record.

their team succeed. Mara Quam recorded 445 digs which ranked 11th overall in the NSIC. Jane Sakowicz appeared in 76 sets and had 119 digs and 19 assists. Dana Schindler appeared in 92 sets recording 850 assists, 181 digs, and 55 kills. Micayla Porter was active in 29 sets and recorded 102 assists.

Although the leadership is there, the team had to adjust to nine new players.

Covid-19 took away the first season for five sophomore players. With anticipation, four other freshman girls will be participating and helping the Mavericks take victory over Northern Michigan

The Northern Michigan Wildcats will be entering the season with four seniors and ten new players. They are led on offense

by Lizzy Stark who recorded 400 kills in the 2019 season. Lauren Van Remortel is the primary setter for the team and has 1,085 assists.

Due to the high number of those who have not participated in the regular season of college volleyball, this upcoming game will be the main determination on how this year will go. Each team will have to get used to new ways of learning, training, and adjusting with limited time.

Maverick Athletics launches app for MSU sports Minnesota State Maverick athletics fans now have a new way to consume their news and everything sports for the university with the newly launched MSU Mavericks app.

When you first launch the app, you have the option to pick each of your favorite teams, where the app will filter out the content to show only the ones that you chose.

The home screen has your rewards profile at the bottom, where you can earn points for attending Maverick athletic games and match up on the leaderboards to other fans and students. The more points you earn, the more prizes will be available to you.

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor

The new app is available to download for Android and iOS

Prizes are available at all levels, from getting a tee shirt just for signing up at 50 points, to getting entered into a raffle for the grand prize at 1750 points. One of the grand prizes available to win is a $250 gift certificate

among other prizes around similar value.

In order to redeem the prizes, the user must be at the facility or site of whichever event they are redeeming their prize at. Some other prizes include a coupon to

Dunkin’ Donuts and a custom bobblehead.

The new app was launched to be more interactive with MSU students and it’s fans.

“We wanted to help expand our second screen experience,” Scott Nelsen, the Director of Marketing and Community Engagement said in an interview Wednesday.

“We want to make it accessible with a click.”

One of the features that Nelsen is most excited for, is the push notifications.

“If there’s lightning at a game, we can send out a notification for fans to seek shelter,” Nelsen used as an example. Other notifications to be sent out include game updates, final scores, and news.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Sports

Vikings fall to Kansas City 28-25; Cousins not as effective as Mahomes

MSU Reporter • 9

Saints working 500 miles from home from displacement by Ida

MICHAEL AINSWORTH • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ED ZURGA • Associated Press Minnesota Vikings running back Ameer Abdullah (31) is brought down by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens during the first half of an NFL football game Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill have talked openly about the Kansas City Chiefs chasing a perfect season.

Well, the two were nearly perfect Friday night.

Mahomes was 8 of 9 for 117 yards and two touchdowns in his only two chances with the ball, including a 35-yard TD strike to the fleet-footed Hill, and the Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings 28-25 to finish 3-0 in the preseason.

Now come 17 regular-season games and, the Chiefs hope, three more in the postseason.

“We didn’t change the script,” Mahomes said, “but we went through that pregame mock week. You had a couple preseason games they had played, and we went through that routine I’ve built. And having that and going against the defense playing a scout-team defense, we came out a little faster and crisper and were able to move the ball.”

Indeed, Mahomes was sharper than he’d been his first two exhibitions, his only miss a throw-away with nobody open. After his touchdown toss to Hill, Mahomes finished his night with a short touchdown pass to tight end Blake Bell.

“I knew going in that we had enough reps — what I thought were enough reps — so it was strictly the comfort the offense had working together, and the defense had,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

“We had some long drives, some good work.”

Mahomes’ counterpart, Kirk Cousins, wasn’t nearly as effective for Minnesota. He led the Vikings to a field goal on his first offensive series but went three-and-out on each of the next two, finishing 5 of 7 for 57 yards. Cousins looked out of sync with his receivers and took a big loss on a sack

by Anthony Hitchens.

Third-round pick Kellen Mond, who appears to have the edge on Jake Browning for the Vikings’ backup job, was 16 of 23 for 196 yards with an interception. Browning was just 2 of 8 for 41 yards.

“We moved the ball well the first drive. We got stopped when we got to the red zone,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “Then we didn’t do much the next two drives.

And defensively we had a few of our horses that didn’t play tonight and you could see that some of these backups need to improve quickly.”

Chiefs backup Chad Henne didn’t play Friday night, so Shane Buechele got plenty of work.

The rookie was sharp driving KC for a TD and a 21-3 halftime lead, but Buechele also threw a pick-six to Parry Nickerson in the fourth quarter.

“Chad’s had enough reps,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

“I wanted to get the young kid some good, extended play time.”

The Vikings’ defense scored two touchdowns during their three preseason losses. Their offense had scored only one until the final minutes Friday night, a 32-yard scamper by backup running back A.J. Rose Jr. in the third quarter.

Derrick Gore answered with a 56-yard catch-and-run to help Kansas City finish its perfect preseason.

“They know they’ve got a good football team coming in here in Cleveland, so you don’t have to say a whole lot,” said Reid, who now must trim his roster to the 53man limit by Tuesday. “They know what’s ahead of them.”

Defensive ends Chris Jones (sinus infection) and Frank Clark (hamstring), running backs Clyde Edward-Helaire (ankle) and Darrel Williams (concussion) and defensive back Rashad Fenton (hamstring) did not play for Kansas City.

Defensive end Everson Griffen, who signed with Minnesota for the veteran minimum this week, joined the team for its final dress rehearsal. He even got some pressure on the quarterback on one of his first chances on the field.

“The times he was in there,” Zimmer said, “he had some good rushes. He hit the quarterback on one. He did good in there.”

It was 91 degrees at kickoff with a heat index of 96, though at least most of the field was shaded.

Those fans sitting behind the Minnesota bench on the north side of Arrowhead Stadium also spent the first half baking in the setting sun.

The Chiefs donated $10,000 to a scholarship fund at Howard University in honor of Terez Paylor, the longtime NFL writer for the Kansas City Star and Yahoo!

Sports who died earlier this year.

Displaced by Hurricane Ida, the New Orleans Saints went back to work Monday about 500 miles away in the stadium of another NFL team.

Coach Sean Payton stood on the star logo in the middle of the home field of the Dallas Cowboys as the Saints stretched out for their first practice since before the powerful Category 4 hurricane made landfall just south of New Orleans. They will practice at AT&T Stadium through Wednesday before a previously planned break leading into the start of the regular season.

“Then we’re going through a ton of contingency plans,” Payton said.

Saints players and staff, along with about 120 family members, relocated to North Texas on Saturday, when their final preseason game was canceled a day before the destructive hurricane made landfall south of New Orleans with winds of 150 mph, and left that entire area without power.

“Left behind are obviously apartments, condominiums,

homes. Those are all physical things. Nonetheless, they’re still home for so many people,” Payton said on a conference call before practice.

“I think to some degree that going out and being able to practice today is going to be good for everyone, because from afar, there’s only so much you can do.”

After the break at the end of this week, part of the number of days off required by the CBA, the Saints are scheduled to resume practice next Monday.

Payton said that it would be unrealistic to believe that would be at their headquarters in Metairie, Louisiana, even though initial reports from people there indicated that the facility handled the storm overall pretty well.

“There’ll be important time for everyone to kind of assess where they’re at. And there’s a good chance when we start up (next) Monday ... that’s going to be somewhere other than Metairie,” he said.

There has been no word yet about the scheduled Sept.

12 season opener at home against the Green Bay Packers that is supposed to be at the Superdome.

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10 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

What does your college backpack says about you?

By JULIA BARTON Staff Writer

You can tell a lot about a person based on what they wear and how they choose to style themselves.

When it comes to accessories in college, your backpack is the one piece that tells a lot about your personality.

Sporty bags Nike Elite - The designated backpacks for athletes. Definitely a bag that carries their sports equipment and maybe their laptop.

If you’re lucky you’ll find a pencil but you’ll definitely find a beat up notebook that they still use from high school.

North Face - This is the Jeep of backpacks. An all terrain bag and can be used for every occasion.

Perfect for sleepovers, packing your school supplies and lunch boxes, going on a scenic hike, and any other outdoor events such as concerts and festivals.

You also can’t forget the hydro flask sitting snug in one of the side pockets.

Stylish bags

JENNA PETERSON • The Reporter These backpacks, which belong to The Reporter staff memebrs, were found lounging around in the Centennial Student Union.

Fjallraven Kanken - A more unique and creative person owns one of these backpacks.

About 90% of the owners of these bags can’t pronounce the actual name and definitely abbreviate the name when

people ask what type of bag it is.

People with these bags have color coordinated notebooks and always have extra sticky notes and pencils.

Jansport - The ultimate and

classic backpack. Someone who owns this backpack has most likely had it since high school and will use this bag until it falls apart.

This is a reliable and subtle backpack that doesn’t stand

out too much and easily blends in with the crowd.

A purse or crossbody bag These types of backpacks are the backpacks that don’t want to look like backpacks. Definitely a more stylish bag and more popular with women.

This is an everyday bag they can easily switch from school mode to going out mode. Both school items and purse items will be found in them such as lip gloss, hair brush, snacks, etc.

This bag is equivalent to the Mary Poppins bag, otherwise known as a never-ending black hole.

Lululemon - This is a very subtle backpack. They are geared towards a more minimalistic style and are usually found in a solid color like black, grey, or brown.

An honorable mention goes to the lululemon belt bag that you wear across your chest.

Boujee bags Designer - Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Channel and more. If you have a designer backpack you most likely care about appearances.

BACKPACK on page 11 u

“Selfhood” allows The 410 Project artists to express themselves

By SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer

The city of Mankato offers a variety of things to do, see, and experience. One of these spaces includes the 410 Project, a volunteer-based community art gallery that was opened by three Minnesota State University, Mankato students in 2003. Currently, the 410 Project is hosting an exhibit titled “Selfhood”, which is curated by Minnesota-based artist Dana Sikkila.

“Selfhood is defined as the quality that constitutes one’s individuality. The state of having an individual identity,” said Sikkila. “We wanted to host and curate an exhibition that allowed Minnesota-based female, femme, trans, and non-binary artists to come into the space and create work that speak about how they persevere in their own identity.”

“Selfhood” brings LGBTQ+ artists and allies in to create works in a shared space. Each artist is encouraged to share their experiences of growth, trauma, and identity.

“With the works being large-scale and permanent in

Photo courtesy of 410 Project Art enthusiasts gather to view the artwork on display in The 410 Project art gallery in downtown Mankato, MN.

a sense, we hope viewers can understand the weight these experiences can have on our lives,” Sikkila added.

The artist also noted how the timing of the exhibit was intentional, with South Central Minnesota Pride coming up in early September.

The exhibit features the art-

work of different artists using all artwork mediums to truly capture the different experience each person has.

“One of the goals of this exhibition is to give artists a chance to create something on a larger scale that they wouldn’t be able to do when working in their studios. To

take over the gallery walls and just focus on the artwork and not the surface they hang on,” Sikkila stated.

When the exhibition is complete the works will be painted over or removed.

“Over the years we’ve had artists create work directly on the walls and it eventually gets

layered over. At the end, these murals will be added to the history of art that sits under the wall paint,” Sikkila said.

The works will remain a part of the space long after the ending of the exhibit, even if they are unseen.

MNSU junior Becca Stark noted she heard about “Selfhood” from friends in art classes. “I’m excited to go to the exhibit because it looks interesting,” Stark noted.

Jonathan Mor stated similarly, “I’ve heard good things about it, but I have not attended yet.”

One of Sikkila’s hopes for this exhibit is to create new energy for the space after attendance and for future shows.

“Even with having shows this last year, this exhibit, I feel, is igniting the walls again to what they once were before the pandemic. We hope this energy continues into the following year bringing new voices to the space,” Sikkila stated.

The “Selfhood” exhibit is open at The 410 Project from Aug. 27 through Sept. 11 with gallery hours open Wednesday through Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

China limits children to 3 hours of online gaming a week ASSOCAITED PRESS China is banning children from playing online games for more than three hours a week, the harshest restriction so far on the game industry as Chinese regulators continue cracking down on the technology sector.

Minors in China can only play games between 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, weekends and on public holidays starting Sept. 1, according to a notice from the National Press and Publication Administration.

That limits gaming to three hours a week for most weeks of the year, down from a previous restriction set in 2019 that allowed minors play games for an hour and a half per day and three hours on public holidays.

The new regulation affects some of China’s largest technology companies, including gaming giant Tencent, whose Honor of Kings online multiplayer game is hugely popular globally, as well as gaming company NetEase.

Tencent’s stock price closed down 0.6% at 465.80 Hong Kong dollars on Monday ahead of the regulator’s announcement.

Its market capitalization of $573 billion is down more than $300 billion from its February peak, a decline equal to more than the total value of Nike Inc. or Pfizer Inc. New York-listed NetEase’s stock was down about 9% at the market’s open.

The gaming restrictions are part of an ongoing crackdown on technology companies, amid concerns that technology firms — many of which provide ubiquitous messaging, payments and gaming services — may have an outsized influence on society.

Earlier this month, Tencent said it would limit gaming time for minors to an hour a day and two hours during holidays, as well as ban children under the age of 12 from making in-game purchases.

The company issued the curbs hours after a state-affiliated newspaper criticized the gaming industry and called games “spiritual opium.”

Variety

MSU Reporter • 11

Ex-Iowa anchor hopes her age bias lawsuit changes TV news ASSOCIATED PRESS As a prominent reporter and anchor at one of Iowa’s biggest local television stations, Sonya Heitshusen was known for doggedly investigating injustices and holding the powerful accountable.

A year after WHO-TV in Des Moines abruptly let her go, she is turning those skills on her former employer with a lawsuit challenging what she calls a widespread practice of removing older, female staffers from the air because of their looks.

Heitshusen filed an age and gender discrimination lawsuit Tuesday against WHO-TV’s parent company, Nexstar Media Group, Inc., which calls itself “America’s largest local television and media company,” with 199 stations.

The lawsuit alleges Heitshusen, 54, was “thrown out to pasture” because she was no longer seen as camera-worthy, after years in which she saw her male colleagues receive better treatment from management.

“Where are all the women who are in TV broadcasting over 50? You don’t see women on TV with gray hair and wrinkles. It has to change.

Women are relevant after the age of 50. They have a lot of great ideas. They are hard workers and can make a difference.”

She said she was bringing the lawsuit to help spur a “cultural shift” in the industry that makes discrimination no longer acceptable.

Nexstar spokesman Gary Weitman declined comment, “as this is a matter of pending

BACKPACK Continued from page 10 You also most likely enjoy elevating your outfits

SONYA HEITSHUSEN • Associated Press Sonya Heitshusen is pictured on July 29, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa, on one of her last days as a reporter and anchor for WHO-TV, an NBC affiliate.

litigation.”

Nexstar, which has characterized Heitshusen’s firing as a reduction in its workforce, has faced other lawsuits in recent years from female reporters and anchors. Company statistics show that nearly 80% of its managers last year were men.

Heitshusen, now public information officer for the Iowa State Auditor, got emotional recounting how the firing ended her award-winning journalism career. She said she was devastated last August when she realized she could not report on the derecho, the powerful wind storm that ripped across the state.

Heitshusen left WHO-TV last summer after what the station called a remarkable 17-year stint in which she was

a hard-hitting news reporter and an anchor also known for softer segments on fitness. In farewell segments, the NBC affiliate did not mention any reason for her departure.

Heitshusen said she was blindsided in April 2020 when the station’s news director, Rod Peterson, informed her that the station was exercising a clause in her contract to fire her without cause as a “business decision.” She said she was told the company valued her and might be able to find her a lower-paying digital position, but nothing on the air.

“I thought, ‘I’m good enough to work here but I’m not good enough to be on camera?’” recounted Heitshusen, who was the oldest female anchor in the station’s history. “The only thing that

signaled to me was that it’s my appearance.”

Heitshusen is represented

by Des Moines civil rights attorneys Tom Newkirk and Jill Zwagerman, who specialize in showing how implicit biases can impact the workplace and have won landmark cases in the past.

The lawsuit alleges that Heitshusen faced numerous “micro-aggressions” over the years, as her bosses treated male anchors more favorably and her age ultimately became seen as a liability.

The lawsuit recounts an incident in which she told the newsroom that Heitshusen had a reaction to the shingles vaccine but that others need not worry because only her “advanced age” caused her to need the shot in the first place.

and want to look good while studying, which you often achieve.

Herschel bags - Stylish and luxurious, this backpack is good quality although the

price is questionable.

If you have this bag you most likely have the newest edition of AirPods and like matching your socks and underwear.

Overall the backpack you choose to wear and carry your things in doesn’t matter nearly as much as the item you choose to put into them.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Advertisement

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

TAILGATING at MINNESOTA STATE Minnesota State University permits tailgating that includes consumption/possession of alcohol in designated parking lots only. Lot 7 (located directly west of Blakeslee Stadium) requires a season long permit (or paid one-day permit when available) and is a reserved pregame area for Maverick fans.

Limited handicap parking is also available free of charge in the same lot.

A free, general public tailgate experience is also available on game day in Lot 20 just east of Blakeslee Stadium. Alcohol will only be allowed in the designated area of Lot 20. Tailgating activities without alcohol, such as grilling and games will be allowed in areas outside of the designated area.

TAILGATING IS RESTRICTED TO THE FOLLOWING TIMES: Tailgating may begin three (3) hours before game time. Tailgating must end within (1) hour following the completion of the game. Once admitted to the stadium, there will be a “no pass out and return” policy during halftime or at any other point in the game.

ALLOWED IN LOT 7 & BARRICADED AREA OF LOT 20:

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is allowed but must conform to MSS 340A.503 legal consumption permitted for individuals over 21 years old.

Consumption of alcoholic beverages is only allowed in designated areas (Lot 7 & Lot 20A).

Gas grills with a maximum propane cylinder size of 20 pounds, as well as any outdoor fire pit/heater that runs on propane.

Tents and awnings that do not require the use of stakes, block adjacent parking spaces, or impede drive aisles.

Smoking or open pit fires (Minnesota State is a smoke-free campus).

Glass containers of any kind, including bottles and drinking glasses.

Kegs, party balls, drinking game accessories that promote excessive alcohol consumption or large quantities or common source containers of alcoholic beverages.

Couches or large furniture items that cannot be easily set up or taken down.

Promotional or marketing activities without prior and appropriate authorization from Minnesota State Athletics.

Sale of products, food or beverage without prior and appropriate authorization from Minnesota State Athletics.

Occupying more than one parking space (unless approved by Minnesota State Athletics).

Obstructing adjacent parking spaces, drive aisles, or reserved spaces.

Portable outdoor furniture.

Portable generators.

SPECIAL NOTE: For Lot 7 only, no vehicle traffic (in or out) is permitted within 60 minutes of game time (exception for handicapped parking access). *All guests must obey State of Minnesota Statutes, Mankato City Ordinances, and University policies while on campus or will be subject to eviction and/or arrest.

TAILGATING IS ONLY ALLOWED IN: BARRICADED AREA OF

LOT 20

< < < < < MSU STU DENT ACCESS

NOT ALLOWED IN LOTS:

(FOR STUDENTS) &

LOT 7

*requires a season long permit (or paid one-day permit when available) and is a reserved pregame area for Maverick fans.

MSU STUDENT ACCESS > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Tailgate/Permit Holders Only Tailgate/General Public & MSU Students

< < < < < MSU STUDENT ACCESS