November 30, 2021 by MSU Reporter

TODAY

Things to do in

45˚

kato over winter page

30˚

Sunny start to the day; gets cloudier later in the afternoon.

STUDENT RUN NEWS SINCE 1926

MSUREPORTER.COM

Police seek publics’ help in vandalism cases By MAX MAYLEBEN Editor in Chief

The Mankato Public Safety is currently looking for suspects involved in two separate incidents of vandalism in the Mankato area. According to a press release from the City of Mankato, the first incident occurred on Oct. 23 in the Highland Hills Apartment complex, with the vandals being caught on film. Two individuals wearing hoodies vandalized five different locations around the Highland Hills Apartment complex. In a video recorded Oct. 23 two caucasian individuals -- a male wearing a dark-colored hoodie, and a female wearing a light-colored hoodie -- are seen outside a Highland Hills apartment. The male appears to be painting graffiti on a wall. In another incident, vandals damaged property near Front and Cherry Streets in the downtown area.

Photos of the suspects involved in the vandalism that occurred on Front and Cherry Streets.

Police released photos of the suspects in the downtown vandalism. These suspects were described as both being white males and may be associated with a Subaru Forester vehicle. It is unclear whether the incidents are related. City officials ask anyone with information to call the Mankato Department of Public Safety at 507387-8725.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2021

Commencement returns to in-person format By JENNA PETERSON News Director

For the first time in two years, Minnesota State University, Mankato’s commencement ceremony will be held in person. The decision was prompted by students who voiced concern over not having an in-person commencement ceremony, as well as the lifting of some restrictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Department of Health. “Mostly it’s what we heard from our students and the students that didn’t get to go through a live graduation. There were requests for students and their families to

have the opportunity to go live,” MNSU President Edward Inch explained. “Based on those requests, as well as hearing from staff and faculty for whom this is also a big deal, it was pretty clear. As long as we could do it in a healthy way and adhere to MDH and CDC guidelines and we didn’t have any unreasonable risk, we thought we would pursue it.” Seniors graduating this semester said they are looking forward to the change back to in-person ceremonies, as they want to celebrate their accomplishments the traditional way. Tyler Haack, a senior majoring in sports management, is one of the many looking forward to this traditional

MADDIE BEHRENS • The Reporter Commencement will be held in-person for the first time since 2019.

celebration. “I’m excited for it, it’s kind of how I wanted to do it from the beginning. I’m more excited that it gets to be

in person instead of how they [the University] were doing it during COVID,” Haack stated. GRADUATION on page 7 u

WINNING IN STYLE Minnesota State guard Quincy Anderson arrived in style before the men’s basketball game against Bethany Lutheran Friday. The Mavs won both their games this weekend by a combined margin of 61 points. Photo by MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter

full story on page 9 u

2 • MSU Reporter

News

French honor for Josephine Baker stirs conflict over racism

MICHEL EULER • Associated Press Protesters gesture during a demonstration against police violence and racial injustice, Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Paris.

ASSOCIATED PRESS On the surface, it’s a powerful message against racism: a Black woman will, for the first time, join other luminaries interred in France’s Pantheon. But by choosing a U.S.-born figure -- entertainer Josephine Baker – critics say France is continuing a long tradition of decrying racism abroad while obscuring it at home. While Baker is widely appreciated in France, the decision has highlighted the divide between the country’s official doctrine of colorblind universalism and some increasingly vocal opponents, who argue that it has masked generations of systemic racism.

Baker’s entry into the Pantheon on Tuesday is the result of years of efforts from politicians, organizations and public figures. Most recently, a petition by Laurent Kupferman, an essayist on the French Republic, gained traction, and in July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Baker would be “pantheonized.” “The times are probably more conducive to having Josephine Baker’s fights resonate: the fight against racism, antisemitism, her part in the French Resistance,” Kupferman told The Associated Press. “The Pantheon is where you enter not because you’re famous but because of what you bring to the civic mind of the nation.”

WE ARE HIRING! The Leo A. Hoffmann Center (LAHC) is a private, nonprofit corporation committed to assessing and providing high quality, outcome-based mental health services for children, adolescents and young adults. These services emphasize respect for each client’s developmental needs and strengths are designed to enhance personal growth, health relationships, family, stability and community reintegration. LAHC has a long history of successfully treating adolescents with sexual behavior problems, many of whom also have comorbid cognitive, behavioral, and emotional / psychiatric needs. In, 2019, LAHC was recognized for 40 years of serving youth, and is recognized for its good standing and relationships with the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Corrections (DOC), and Council on Accreditation (COA). We are currently hiring for the following positions: • Full-Time and Part-Time Registered Nurses • Full-Time, Part-Time, and Overnight Youth Counselors • Full-Time and Part-Time Mental Health Practitioners • Outpatient Mental Health Therapists

CONTACT INFO: 1715 Sheppard Drive St. Peter, MN 56082 507-934-6122 info@hoffmanncenter.org Leohoffmanncenter.org

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Food, gas prices pinch families, inflation surges ASSOCIATED PRESS From appliance stores in the United States to food markets in Hungary and gas stations in Poland, rising consumer prices fueled by high energy costs and supply chain disruptions are putting a pinch on households and businesses worldwide. Rising inflation is leading to price increases for food, gas and other products and pushing many people to choose between digging deeper into their pockets or tightening their belts. In developing economies, it’s especially dire. “We’ve noticed that we’re consuming less,” Gabor Pardi, a shopper at an open-air food market in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, said after buying a sack of fresh vegetables recently. “We try to shop for the cheapest and most economical things, even if they don’t look as good.” Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic impact of the crisis is still being felt even after countries raced out of debilitating lockdowns and consumer demand rebounded. Now, another surge of infections and a new coronavirus variant, omicron, are leading countries to tighten their borders and impose other restrictions, threatening the global economic recovery. Omicron has raised new fears that factories, ports and freight yards could be forced to close temporarily, putting

LASZLO BALOGH • Associated Press Vendor Judit Sos sells eggs in a food market in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 20, 2021.

more strain on global commerce and sending prices even higher. “A new round of infections could further aggravate supply chains, putting even more upward pressure on inflation,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. The economic reverberations are hitting central and Eastern Europe especially hard, where countries have some of the highest inflation rates in the 27-nation European Union and people are struggling to buy food or fill their fuel tanks. A butcher at the Budapest food market, Ildiko Vardos Serfozo, said she’s seen a drop in business as customers head to multinational grocery chains that can offer discounts by buying in large wholesale quantities. “Buyers are price sensi-

tive and therefore often leave us behind, even if our products are high quality. Money talks,” she said. “We notice that inflation is not good for us. ... I’m just glad my kids don’t want to continue this family business, I don’t see much future in it.” In nearby Poland, Barbara Grotowska, a 71-yearold pensioner, said outside a discount supermarket in the capital of Warsaw that she’s been hit hardest by her garbage collection fee nearly tripling to 88 zlotys ($21). She also lamented that the cooking oil she uses has gone up by a third of its price, to 10 zlotys ($2.40). “That’s a real difference,” she said. The recent pickup in inflation has caught business leaders and economists around the world by surprise.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 3

Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, Honduras’ 1st female president? ASSOCIATED PRESS Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, the wife of ousted former president Mel Zelaya, has taken a commanding lead in Honduras’ elections, capping a 12-year effort. If preliminary tallies from the election Sunday are confirmed, Castro de Zelaya would become the Central American country’s first female president. Her victory would also mark the return of her family to the presidential residence that they were ousted from in a 2009 coup. The 62-yearold, three-time candidate has long said, “the third try is the charm.” She grew up in the capital, Tegucigalpa, but moved to her husband’s rural province of Olancho, known for its cattle ranches, when the couple wed. Together they raised four children, and during her husband’s 2006-2009 tenure, she played a relatively minor role, overseeing programs for women and children. But it was after the 2009 coup, which forced her husband into exile, that Castro de Zelaya came to the forefront. With Mel Zelaya running a

sort of government in exile in Costa Rica and later in Nicaragua, it was up to his wife to lead the string of protests demanding his return and re-instatement. By the time Zelaya formed the Libre, or Free Party, Castro de Zelaya’s popularity was evident among followers of the movement. Besides, the country’s Constitution prohibited her husband from running for re-election. Since 2013, the first time she ran, Castro de Zelaya has been the principal thorn in the side of Juan Orlando Hernández, the current president who won elections in 2013, and then gained the blessings of the country’s supreme court to run for re-election in 2017. Castro de Zelaya ceded her candidacy in 2017 to Salvador Nasralla, a TV personality who ran at the head of an opposition coalition, and claimed to have narrowly defeated Hernández. After a protracted election filled with irregularities in 2017, protesters filled the streets and the government imposed a curfew. Three weeks later, Hernández was declared the winner despite the Organization of American

MOISES CASTILLO • Associated Press Free Party presidential candidate Xiomara Castro has her hand raised by her running mate Salvador Nasralla after general elections, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021.

States observation mission calling for an election re-do. At least 23 people were killed Since then, Castro de Zelaya’s movement has focused laser-like on getting Hernández out of office. Hernández became a national embarrassment with U.S. federal prose-

cutors in New York accusing him of running a narco state and fueling his own political rise with drug money. Hernández has denied it all and has not been formally charged, but that could change once he leaves office. Castro de Zelaya sees it as

a campaign to free her country. “Honduras has been described as a narco-state because of the mafia that governs us, and we have also been described as the most corrupt country in Latin America,” Castro de Zelaya said.

4 • MSU Reporter

News

Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states

JEFF ROBERSON • Associated Press Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt speaks during a news conference in St. Louis on Aug. 6, 2020.

ASSOCIATED PRESS A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. The court order said that the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid had no clear authority from Congress to enact the vaccine mandate for providers participating in the two government health care programs for the elderly, disabled and poor. The preliminary injunction by St. Louis-based U.S. District Judge Matthew

Schelp applies to a coalition of suing states that includes Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. All those states have either a Republican attorney general or governor. Similar lawsuits also are pending in other states. The federal rule requires COVID-19 vaccinations for more than 17 million workers nationwide in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. Workers are to receive their first dose by Dec. 6 and their second shot by Jan. 4.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

WHO warns new variant poses high risk ASSOCIATED PRESS The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is “very high” based on the early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with “severe consequences.” The assessment from the U.N. health agency, contained in a technical paper issued to member states, amounted to WHO’s strongest, most explicit warning yet about the new version that was first identified days ago by researchers in South Africa. It came as a widening circle of countries around the world reported cases of the variant and moved to slam their doors in an act-nowask-questions-later approach while scientists race to figure out just how dangerous the mutant version might be. Japan announced it is barring entry to all foreign visitors, joining Israel in doing so. Morocco banned all incoming flights. Other countries, including the U.S. and members of the European Union, have moved to prohibit travelers arriving from southern Africa. WHO said there are “considerable uncertainties” about the omicron variant. But it said preliminary evidence raises the possibility that the variant has mutations that could help it both

MATT DUNHAM • Associated Press People stand holding shopping bags on Regent Street in London, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021.

evade an immune-system response and boost its ability to spread from one person to another. “Depending on these characteristics, there could be future surges of COVID-19, which could have severe consequences, depending on a number of factors, including where surges may take place,” it added. “The overall global risk ... is assessed as very high.” The WHO stressed that while scientists are hunting evidence to better understand this variant, countries should accelerate vaccinations as quickly as possible. While no deaths linked to omicron have been reported so far, little is known for certain about the variant, including whether it is more contagious, more likely to cause serious illness or more

able to evade vaccines. Last week, a WHO advisory panel said it might be more likely to re-infect people who have already had a bout with COVID-19. Scientists have long warned that the virus will keep finding new ways to exploit weaknesses in the world’s vaccination drive, and its discovery in Africa occurred in a continent where under 7% of the population is vaccinated. “The emergence of the omicron variant has fulfilled, in a precise way, the predictions of the scientists who warned that the elevated transmission of the virus in areas with limited access to vaccine would speed its evolution,” said Dr. Richard Hatchett, head of CEPI, one of the founders of the U.N.backed global vaccine sharing initiative COVAX.

NOW LEASING FOR AUGUST 1, 2022 - JULY 2023 3, 4, 5 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AVAILABLE Call 507-345-3342 for a tour Tuesdays & Thursdays between 1:00-3:00 p.m.

ASSISTANT TEACHERS: Various shifts, Monday - Friday. Assistant teachers must have 2 years post-secondary education and at least 1,080 hours of experience with children -ORHigh School Degree and at least 2,080 hours of experience. PART-TIME AIDES: Full-time hours available, 7:00am-6:00pm with ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Aides do not require post-secondary education or experience.

DROP OFF RESUME AND REFERENCES OR APPLY ONLINE. 300 Madison Avenue Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 625-2141

www.mankatolittlestars.com

SPACIOUS 5 BEDROOM, 2 BATH AT COLLEGE STATION ONLY $358 EACH ($1790 A MONTH)

INTERNET INCLUDED IN RENT!

PARKING ONLY $35 FOR ENTIRE YEAR!

ONLY 4 OF YOU? RENT THE 5 BEDROOM FOR ONLY $447.50 EACH AND USE THE 5TH BEDROOM FOR AN OFFICE OR EXTRA LIVING SPACE!

1341 POHL ROAD 507-345-3342 HOURS: Mon.-Fri., 9am-4pm Saturday visits by appointment only!

FAST Application Processing! Get Started Today! Apply Online!

collegestationapartments.prospectportal.com College Station Apartments

LOCATED ON THE BUS ROUTE ON-SITE PARKING LAUNDRY ROOM IN EACH BUILDING

www.collegestationmankato.com

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Talks to revive Iran nuclear deal resume; US stays distant ASSOCIATED PRESS Negotiators in Vienna resumed talks Monday over reviving Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, with the United States taking part at arm’s length as in previous rounds since the Trump administration pulled out of the accord three years ago. Hopes of quick progress were muted after a hard-line new government in Tehran led to a more than five-month hiatus in negotiations. But the European Union official chairing the talks sounded an upbeat note after the first meeting concluded. “I feel positive that we can be doing important things for the next weeks,” EU diplomat Enrique Mora told reporters. All participants showed a willingness to listen to the positions and “sensibilities” of the new Iranian delegation, Mora said. At the same time, Tehran’s team made clear it wanted to engage in “serious work” to bring the accord back to life, he said. The remaining signatories to the nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action convened at the Palais Coburg, a luxury ho-

FLORIAN SCHROETTER • Associated Press The flag of Iran waves in front of the the International Center building with the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, in Vienna, AustriaI, May 24, 2021.

tel where the agreement was signed six years ago. A U.S. delegation headed by the Biden administration’s special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, stayed at a nearby hotel where it was being briefed on the talks by diplomats from the other countries.

President Joe Biden has signaled he wants to rejoin the talks. The last round, aimed at bringing Iran back into compliance with the agreement and paving the way for the U.S. to rejoin, was held in June. “There is a sense of urgen-

cy in putting an end to the suffering of the Iranian people,” said Mora, referring to the crippling sanctions the U.S. re-imposed on Iran when it quit the accord. And there is a sense of urgency in putting the Iranian nuclear program under the transparent mon-

itoring of the international community,” he said. “What has been the norm over the first six rounds will be again the practice in this seventh round,” Mora added. “Nothing new on working methods.” The United States left the deal under then-President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran in 2018. The nuclear deal saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since the deal’s collapse, Iran now enriches small amounts of uranium up to 60% purity — a short step from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran also spins advanced centrifuges barred by the accord, and its uranium stockpile now far exceeds the accord’s limits. Iran maintains its atomic program is peaceful. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and international inspectors say Iran had an organized nuclear weapons program up until 2003. Nonproliferation experts fear the brinkmanship could push Tehran toward even more extreme measures to try to force the West to lift sanctions.

6 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

FALL 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

In-person graduation closes a chapter

MADISON DIEMERT

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial Imagine this, after four years of countless nights studying for exams and thousands of dollars spent on textbooks and classes you are told you are not able to walk across the stage in-person for graduation to receive your diploma. Unfortunately that was the case for hundreds of graduates the past few semesters at Minnesota State University due to COVID-19. Although reasons for not having an in-person graduation ceremony is justified due to this unpredictable pandemic, the importance of a graduation ceremony is crucial for students to feel recognized for their academic accomplishments. With graduation being in-person again this is a time where graduates are able to celebrate with their peers. We as students deserve to be recognized for the years of hard work and persistence we put into our education. After grueling hours and time put into making sure we meet all the credit requirements and internship hours, it’s only fair that students get an hour or two of recognition as we wave goodbye before stepping into the real world. Graduation ceremonies mark a time in our life where we are most likely going to see our peers for one final time. Although reunions do exist, not all, if any, show up. Being able to walk with

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

Courtesy photo

pride across the stage is something that not only you but also your family and friends are able to celebrate. Even though most of them didn’t go through or see the ugly side of things such as those 3 a.m. study nights and buying every study app just to pass the class. Although it can be argued that high school graduation is a bigger deal, with the extravagant grad parties and tons of cash, college graduation is something that not everyone can say they accomplished.

Is it known that the majority of students at least graduate high school, but college graduation is a huge deal as well. It shows you are furthering your education and should be treated as a very big achievement. Graduation is the closing sentence in the chapter of your college experience. Not only is college a time where you figure out what you’re passionate about in life, it also is where students are able to decide what is next for them. You can’t help but look back to freshman orientation

and see how far you’ve come. It can be an overwhelming but fulfilling feeling seeing yourself transform from a high school graduate to a college graduate stepping into full adulthood. We as students know from first hand experience all the struggles we’ve had to overcome for that “piece of paper”. So having a graduation ceremony that is in-person is a necessary and highly rewarding experience that all students who meet the requirements should be able to experience.

“What do you think about graduation being held in-person?” Compiled by Hanna Mun

MANUEL ALANIS, SENIOR “It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments.”

BIRUK MENGESHA, FRESHMAN

BISRAT TADESSE, JUNIOR

“I think it’s a good idea. A “It’s a really good idea to help last chance for everyone to see students feel like they actually each other.” graduated.”

MINJUNG KANG, SENIOR

AMY YANG, SENIOR

“All of my friends are “As long as everyone is being graduating in the same year, safe I don’t see a problem with and I’m excited to celebrate.” it.”

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, November 30, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 7

GRADUATION Continued from page 1

Letter: We need to remove Abe

Haack will be walking at his designated ceremony and is excited to have his family there to cheer him on and honor all he has achieved during college. “I’m just happy that we’re all able to make it here, it’s been a long ride,” Haack commented. To follow the CDC and MHD guidelines, the University has some protocols set in place to keep everyone safe. “We went through all of those requirements related to social distancing, masking, all of the things we’ve been doing on campus all term. We also looked at the area to make sure we would be able to apply social distancing standards to each family pod. Then we’ve reduced the number of seats available per student just to make sure we keep the density relatively low,” Inch explained. Students are limited to bringing six guests to the ceremonies, as this will help control the number of people in the crowd and reduce any risk of overcrowding. Ben Cline, a senior majoring in law enforcement,

With all of the discussion about the removal of confederate statues over the past year we should discuss the removal of other statues with meaning and symbolism relating to genocide and slavery. Minnesota State University, Mankato has two statues of historical figures on campus. Both presidents. Both Abraham Lincoln. While many consider Lincoln to be one of our country’s best presidents, and perhaps rightfully so, he was arguably the worst for the city of Mankato. MNSU currently houses the statue of the man who ordered the largest mass execution in this country’s history. It happened right in the center of the city of Mankato where the downtown library is currently located. The fact that he is the only president represented within this context at the University screams volumes about the University’s attitudes toward Native Americans and genocide. While Lincoln is known widely as the man who freed the slaves across this country, he should also be widely known as the mass executioner that he was right here in Mankato. For years the head of the Lincoln statue currently in Centennial Student Union was constantly removed by vandals until the

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Ben Cline, right, was invited by President Inch to the President’s Suite at the Mavericks hockey game to celebrate his commissioning as an officer into the US Army.

will be celebrating not only his academic graduation but also his cadet commission. “Since I’m also commissioning, my family and my wife’s family will be coming down. I’m commissioned to be second lieutenant in a symbolic ceremony that symbolizes my transmission from soldier to officer. This will be held in the Ostrander Auditorium on December 10, and it’s open to the public,” Cline explained. As far as the in-person ceremonies, Cline has no worries about safety concerns others may have. “I don’t have any issues

with it being in person. I feel just fine and I have no worries regarding COVID. I’m just happy my family will be there.” Cline stated further that he and his family will celebrate his accomplishments with a lunch following the ceremonies and spend the rest of the day relaxing. Commencement will be held 9 a.m. Dec. 11 in Bresnan Arena for the Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Business, and Science, Engineering and Technology, and at noon for the Colleges of Allied Health and Nursing, Education, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

statue was moved into the student union permanently. Perhaps this should have been enough of a sign to see that this statue is a symbol of hate, discrimination and bigotry in this community. Of all places to house a statue of this man, Mankato is not it, especially not in a place of education where discrimination and bigotry are supposed to be discouraged. This all begs the question the University has apparently failed to ask itself: Why is Abraham Lincoln the only historical figure represented on campus in statue form, and why is it near the busiest foot traffic on campus? The city has been trying to reconcile with this past for years. This is a great opportunity for one of the city’s largest contributors to do what’s right and take another step toward reconciliation. The statue should be removed from campus and moved to a historical society elsewhere in solidarity with Native communities everywhere and especially the Dakota community. It would be a step in the right direction toward making our city, community, and university a better, more accepting place. Caleb Chapman MNSU Junior

8 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

ORANGE PARKING PRIVILEGES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR SPRING 2022

LOT 21 NORTH

LOT 20 NORTH

LEASED

PURCHASE HERE

LOT 22 NORTH

MIDDLE ROAD

LOT 20 SOUTH

PURCHASE HERE

LOT 23 “FREE LOT”

MIDDLE ROAD

LOT 21 SOUTH

LOT 22 SOUTH

DOME PARKING

THE EDGE APARTMENTS

MAVERICK ALL-SPORTS DOME

MNSU.EDU/PARKING

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

MSU Reporter • 9

Mavs ranked No. 2 after split with Lakers By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor With their streak broken, the Mavericks pick it right back up with a series split against Lake Superior State over Thanksgiving weekend. The Mavericks played in what was the lowest scoring loss of the season thus far, dropping their contest to the Lakers 1-0. The lone goal came on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity for LSSU’s Louis Boudon. Boudon made a move around Jake Livingstone at the blue line, and went low blocker side on MSU’s freshman goaltender Keenan Rancier. The game was Rancier’s first collegiate start and he made nine saves on 10 shots in the contest. Minnesota State managed to fire off 22 shots on goal. Nathan Smith lead the effort with five of his own, but he could not find the back of the net. Minnesota State took four penalties against the Lakers, including two back to back cross-checking minors from Brendan Furry and Wyatt Aamodt within 1:09 of each other. Ryan Sandelin also took a tripping penalty with 2:20 remaining in the third period, which made it a lot harder for the Mavericks to get one last chance with a 6-on-5 advantage to close the game. The loss marked the first time the Mavericks have been shut out all season, but it wouldn’t be long before they bounced back.

Women’s hoops sweep tourney in San Antonio By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Ryan Sandelin scored the game-winning goal for the Mavericks in Saturday’s 3-0 win against LSSU.

The following night, Minnesota State turned the tide on the Lakers and took away a 3-0 shutout victory. Sandelin was able to avenge himself and grab the 1-0 lead with a back-handed shot in the slot that slipped just past Ethan Langenegger’s right leg pad. Tanner Edwards put the Mavericks up 2-0 at the 7:00 mark in the second period with his first career goal in his second collegiate game. Edwards also picked up the CCHA Rookie of the Week honors with the goal. Reggie Lutz sealed the game for the Mavericks with a third period goal at the 5:35 mark, giving the Mavericks the 3-0 win.

Dryden McKay grabbed the shutout on a light workload, making five stops. Through 15 games, Nathan Smith leads the Mavericks in points with 20, including nine goals and 11 assists, averaging 1.33 points per game. The Winnipeg Jets’ 2018 3rd round pick sits fourth in CCHA in points, while leading the CCHA in plus minus with +14. Five of the top six plus minus players in the CCHA are Mavericks with Julian Napravnik, Sandelin, Cade Borchardt, and Brendan Furry all top of the conference as well. Dryden McKay continues to impress with a 12-3-0 record and six shutouts, which currently leads the NCAA.

McKay leads the CCHA in goals against average with 1.45 and save percentage with .918. Brendan Furry continues to lead the Mavericks in the assist column with 15, and adding on four goals for 19 points and second most on the team. With the series split, Minnesota State dropped down to No. 2 in the USCHO Division I poll, while Minnesota-Duluth jumped up to No. 1 following its sweep of Alaska. The Mavericks will take on the Bulldogs at the end of December, but will have to face Michigan Tech and Bemidji State before that series.

Men’s hoops continues streak By DANIEL McELROY Sports Editor

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter Quincy Anderson leads the team in scoring with 99 points, averaging 16.5 points per game. Anderson also leads the Mavericks in minutes played with 155, averaging 25.8 per game.

What a start it’s been for the Minnesota State men’s basketball team, jumping out to a 6-0 record following its weekend wins against Bethany Lutheran College and Waldorf. Minnesota State made a statement against the Mankato rival in Bethany, taking the 97-66 win over the Vikings. Minnesota State started out with a commanding 12-0 lead, with points from Devontae Thedford, Quincy Ander-

son, Kelby Kramer, and Kyreese Willingham, the freshman brother of MSU’s Malik Willingham. By the end of the half, the Mavericks were in the lead 52-23, with their smallest lead at just a 10 point difference. Although the second half was a lot closer in scoring, and the Vikings managed to outscore the Mavericks, Minnesota State went on to take the victory 97-66. Thedford led the Mavericks in scoring with 18 points, while going 7 of 12 from the STREAK on page 10 u

After starting off the season with an exhibition loss to Division I school Drake, the Mavericks have been on a tear ever since. The Mavs have been on an undefeated stretch to begin the fresh 2021 season, winning its first five games of the season. Each game has been won quite handily for Minnesota State, with their smallest marginal victory coming by nine points. MSU won its first NSIC game of the season against Concordia-St. Paul on Nov. 23 before a quick break for Thanksgiving, before heading south to compete in the St. Mary’s Thanksgiving Classic. The Mavericks arrived in San Antonio, Texas set to play Texas A&M-Kingsville in game one of the Classic. The Mavs came into their first match ready to handle business against the Javelinas, dominating the first half of basketball 38-21. MSU did so behind a decent 44.4% field goal percentage at half, despite only shooting 20% from threepoint range. The Mavericks also did their job on defense, forcing several turnovers in the first half despite the Javelinas shooting 50% from the field. After coming out of the half, Kingsville made some adjustments to hang in the game against an off and running Mavericks team. The Javelinas were able to find a way to get on the board consistently in the second half, but it was not enough as the Mavericks outscored them once again 40-38 to claim their first win of the Thanksgiving Classic 78-59. Sophomore guard Joey Batt and senior forward Mikayla Nachazel both dropped 16 points against the Javelinas, while the team as a whole collected 20 steals in an amazing defensive performance. The Mavericks forced 34 total turnovers against Texas A&M-Kingville, before heading into their final game of the Classic.The MavsheadUNBEATEN on page 10 u

10 • MSU Reporter STREAK Continued from page 9 field, and 4 of 4 in free throws. Freshman Harrison Braudis scored a career-high 15 points while hitting 7 of 11 from the field. Braudis also played 24 minutes, the second most on the team. Anderson came out for 11 points on the day while going perfect on six free throws and grabbing eight rebounds. The Mavericks shot 53.5% from the field, with a whopping 47 points coming off the bench. Minnesota State’s defense came up huge in this contest, holding Bethany to just 1 of 20 from threepoint range. MSU continued this trend in its Saturday contest, taking down Waldorf 103-73. Despite the total domination for the Mavericks, it came with a bit of trouble to start out. Minnesota State didn’t grab its first lead until 11:05 remaining in the first half off of Kyreese Willingham’s jumper in the paint, which made the game 17-15. That was the shot that sparked a 35-11 run for the Mavericks in the last 11 minutes of the first half, giving them the 50-26 lead going into the second 20 minutes. The second half was a bit more even, although the Mavericks still outscored the Warriors 53-47, and pushed the Mavericks to an undefeated 6-0 record. Anderson led the effort for the Mavericks with 18 points and 22 minutes played, and went 7 of 13 from the field. Brady Williams matched his season high in the contest with 17 points, and hit all four free throws. Through six games, Anderson is currently leading the Mavericks with 99 points (16.5 points per game), also good for 15th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Thedford sits right behind Anderson on the Mavericks with 84 points of his own (14 points per game), and good for 24th in the NSIC. As a team, Minnesota State is third in the conference with 89 points per game. With one conference win under their belts against Concordia-St. Paul, the Mavericks sit in first in the NSIC South division.

Sports

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Women’s hockey stumbles at Ohio State By KOLE BUELOW Staff Writer It has already been over a week since the Minnesota State women’s hockey team has seen the ice, and it was definitely a nice break before the team heads back into action versus St. Thomas this upcoming weekend. It was an unfortunate series of events for the Mavericks as they headed east to Columbus, in which the team was given the news that both their starting goaltenders would be unable to play due to injury. After searching for a viable replacement for a tough series against No. 2 Ohio State, the Mavs landed on freshman Avery Stilwell, a three-sport athlete from Litchfeild who is also on the Minnesota State women’s tennis team. Stilwell found herself on the lineup chart for the first time this season against the number two team in the nation. A tough task was definitely ahead for the freshman goaltender, but Stilwell stood her ground. As game one went underway in Columbus, the Mavericks were able to get on the board first as Kennedy Bobyck buried the first goal of the game at 12:18 in the first period. Unfortunately for the Mavs, they were unable to hold onto their lead for long, as Ohio State was able to get

UNBEATEN Continued from page 9 ed into game two facing off against the host team, St. Mary’s University. MSU once again got off to a hot start in the first half, outscoring the Rattlers 47-27.

KIRK IRWIN • Ohio State Athletics Avery Stilwell made her first collegiate start in hockey on Friday, stopping 45 of 51 shots.

two goals in the waning minutes of the period. The remaining two periods of the game were similar territory for MSU, as they were held off by the No. 2 team in the nation despite two third period goals. OSU was able to take down the Mavericks 6-3 in game one, while Stilwell’s first career start for the Mavericks collected her 45 saves on 51 shots. Game two did not go as planned for the Mavs, after hoping to bounce back after a tough loss the night before. Ohio State came out swinging and showed no

The Mavericks dominated pace of play, while also shooting over 50% in the first half to the Rattlers’ 46%. Coming into the second half, all Minnesota State had to do was hold on, but St. Mary’s came out with UNBEATEN on page 12 u

mercy to the banged up Mavericks team. It was a prove it game for the Buckeyes, who definitely made sure their No. 2 ranking would be held up with a dominant win. They did just that, scoring four goals in the opening period of game one and did not stop there. The Buckeyes finished the game with a 9-0 shutout over the Mavs, peppering the Maverick net for the second night in the row with 48 shots. Clair DeGeorge and Jenna Buglioni both got on the board twice for Ohio State in

the win, while Buckeye goaltender Amanda Thiele collected her first career shutout. Minnesota State heads back home falling to 5-9 overall on the season and drops to 1-9 in WCHA play after starting the year off 5-1. This is the eighth straight loss for the struggling Mavericks team, and they get a chance to bounce back against a similarly struggling St. Thomas team this weekend. That will be followed by games against the St. Cloud State Huskies and Bemidji State Beavers before heading into the new year.

NOW HIRING: KITCHEN STAFF/SECURITY

MUST BE AVAILABLE TO WORK NIGHTS & WEEKENDS.

APPLICATIONS CAN BE FILLED OUT IN PERSON OR ONLINE AT ROUNDERSBAR.COM 414 S. Front St., Mankato 507-388-7767

KATO QUICK WASH OPEN 24 HOURS FREE WIFI & TV $ WASH WEDNESDAYS $ DRY TUESDAYS 1395 Lookout Drive, North Mankato

Full-Time & Part-Time Positions Available Call 507-388-5823 for an application & more information!

507-461-2246

www.katoquickwash.com NOW ACCEPTING ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS

1664 E. Madison Ave. • Mankato, MN 56001 Mon.-Fri.: 8am-6pm • Sat.: 8am-5pm • Sun.: 11am-5pm

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Sports

MSU Reporter • 11

Vikes are making the season harder than it needs to be ASSOCIATED PRESS The Minnesota Vikings have been as relentless as any team in the league this year, with all six of their defeats decided by one score. Each time they’ve teetered on the edge of being done for, in a game or in this season, they’ve confidently and defiantly rallied. The problem is they’ve put themselves in most of these pressure-packed situations. There’s not much room left on the schedule to keep proving their resilience — and fewer important players available to help. Running back Dalvin Cook was the latest to be injured. After losing 34-26 at San Francisco on Sunday, the Vikings (5-6) remained firmly in the NFC wild-race race. They’ll also take a losing record into the week for the ninth time in 12 games in 2021. “No matter what happens, nobody’s panicking, nobody’s pointing fingers, nobody’s down,” wide receiver Adam Thielen said on Monday. “Everybody’s just like, ‘All right. Let’s go. It’s time to go. We’ve got to fight.’ It’s pretty cool to see that because, now being nine years in the NFL, I’ve been in situations where it’s not always like that.” The six losses have come by a total of 26 points. The Vikings are one of only 17 teams in the 57-season Super Bowl era of the NFL that have taken

JED JACOBSOHN • Associated Press San Francisco 49ers cornerback Josh Norman (26) is called for pass interference while defending Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021.

a lead of at least seven points in each of their first 11 games. The first 16 teams to do so combined for an .852 winning percentage. None of them had a losing record. The Vikings toyed with contention in 2020 despite starting 1-5, only to be eliminated in their second-to-last game and finish 7-9. “I feel a lot different about this team than I did at this time a year ago,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “They’ve shown they have a lot of heart and fight.

We’ve basically been in every ballgame, could have won several others, so we’ll just play it out and see where it goes.” The Vikings, after holding two straight opponents under 100 rushing yards for the first time this season, had their replacement defensive line trampled for 208 yards on 39 attempts by the 49ers. That was one of those familiar games for Minnesota where Kirk Cousins, who’s by and large been having an excellent season, needed to be near-perfect to

BUYING & SELLING • Diamonds & Gemstones • Sterling Silver Jewelry • Antique/Vintage Jewelry • Genuine Stone Beads • Gold Jewelry - 10 & 14 kt.

• 50s, 60s, 70s Period Jewelry • Modern Costume Jewelry • Bags of Jewelry for Crafts & Repurposing

WE CAN DO SPECIAL ORDERS FOR RINGS, NECKLACES, EARRINGS & MORE! Cash or Credit Card Accepted

109 Houk St. S. Good Thunder, MN 56037

AON

See our items on Ebay!

win — and wasn’t. “We’re right there,” Cousins said, “just didn’t make enough plays.” WHAT’S WORKING Pass protection: Cousins was sacked only once by the 49ers, who took him down behind the line of scrimmage six times in the division round playoff game that ended Minnesota’s 2019 season. The Vikings have the second-best sack allowance rate in the league (3.67% per pass attempt). Rookie Christian Dar-

SNOW REMOVAL

- Starting pay of $15/hour, paid weekly - Reliable individual with transportation

JANITORIAL/CLEANING PERSON

- Reliable individual with transportation - Salary based on experience

Application available online at www.thecaretakersinc.com or call: For the Janitorial Position: Call Linda at 507-388-5384

For the Snow Removal Position: Call Andy at 507-469-0352

"For Auto Glass - Call Kato Glass" • Free Mobile Service • We Bill Your Insurance Company Directly • Chip Repair • Autel ADAS Camera Calibration

ValleyVintage67

TRADING

Just 15 minutes south of Mankato

Open By Appointment Only or Call or Text For Hours:

507-317-7092 or 507-995-4822

risaw’s seamless slide into the starting lineup has given the Vikings a solid young pair of tackles with Brian O’Neill. WHAT NEEDS HELP The defense in the final two minutes of the first half: This is a very specific and seemingly fixable problem, but the 66 points allowed in that situation is the most by any NFL team this century through 11 games. The 49ers reached the end zone with 18 seconds left before halftime after a 15-play, 85-yard drive. STOCK UP Kene Nwangwu: The fourth-round draft pick from Iowa State, who didn’t debut until the seventh game of the season because of a knee injury he suffered in the first exhibition game, has taken two of his eight career kickoff returns for touchdowns. The rookie is the first player in the NFL with multiple kickoff return scores in six years since Cordarrelle Patterson had a pair for the Vikings. With Cook likely out for awhile, Nwangwu could also carve out a role in the backfield behind Alexander Mattison. “I think there’s a chance that he may end up getting some more playing time,” Zimmer said. STOCK DOWN Anthony Barr: The eighthyear linebacker left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, the same muscle that cost him three games in 2018.

www.katoglass.net

VERN SCHUELER - OWNER 227 N. 2nd, Mankato

"Your Locally Owned Auto Glass Professionals"

507-345-7415

or 1-800-642-8890

12 • MSU Reporter

Sports

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Scherzer and Mets agree to $130M, 3-year contract ASSOCIATED PRESS Max Scherzer has shattered baseball’s record for highest average salary, agreeing Monday to a $130 million, threeyear contract with the New York Mets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is subject to a successful physical. The $43.33 million average salary is 20% higher than the previous mark, the $36 million Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole is averaging in his $324 million, nine-year contract with New York. Scherzer would have the right to opt out after the 2023 season to become a free agent once again. Scherzer also receives a full no-trade provision, requiring his approval for any deals. The agreement also includes award bonuses. Scherzer lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, about an hour’s drive from the Mets spring training complex in Port St. Lucie. He was planning to take a physical Monday that is needed for the deal to be completed.

UNBEATEN Continued from page 11 plans of their own. After only marginally outscoring the Mavs 24-22 in the third quarter, the Rattlers got

JOHN HEFTI • Associated Press Eight-time All-Star Max Scherzer is nearing a $130 million, three-year contract with the New York Mets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, the 37-year-old righthander was 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA last season for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him on July 30.

He struck out 236 and walked 36 in 179 1/3 innings, averaging 94.4 mph with his fastball in the final season of a $210 million, seven-year contract that included $105 million in deferred money payable from 2022-28.

He is 190-97 with a 3.16 ERA in 14 major league seasons for Arizona (2008-09), Detroit (2010-14), Washington and the Dodgers. He has distinctive eyes, blue on the right, brown on the left, a condition known as Heterochro-

on a roll in the fourth. The comeback was becoming more and more apparent for the Rattlers as the fourth went on, but the Mavericks were able to hold on despite being outscored 21-12.

With the 81-72 win, MSU now improves to 5-0 on the season including a 1-0 record in NSIC play. After claiming the Thanksgiving Classic crown over both Lone Star Conference oppo-

nents, the Mavs now move into strict NSIC play for the remainder of the season. Batt proved once again to be a pivotal scorer for Minnesota State. She is leading the team with

CIGS • CIGARS • PIPES • CHEW • ECIGS • RYO TOBACCO LARGE SELECTION OF E-CIGS/MODS IN STOCK!!! GREAT DEALS - ALWAYS LOW PRICES!

• Starter Kits • Tanks

• Batteries • E-Juice

CIGS • CIGARS • PIPES • CHEW • ECIGS • RYO TOBACCO

• Accessories • RDA

• Mod Tubes • Mod Juice

CIGS • CIGARS • PIPES • CHEW • ECIGS • RYO TOBACCO

20% OFF 15% OFF ANY E-CIG (Includes Disposables)

ANY MISCELLANEOUS (Includes tapestries, clothing, incense, etc.) *Some exclusions apply.

EXPIRES 12/31/21

CIGS • CIGARS • PIPES • CHEW • ECIGS • RYO TOBACCO

20% OFF 30% OFF

ANY CBD/ DELTA PRODUCT

ANY SINGLE GLASSROOM PURCHASE *Some exclusions apply.

EXPIRES 12/31/21

1130 South Riverfront Drive, Mankato Across from Cub Foods

EXPIRES 12/31/21

507-385-7799

Monday-Saturday • 10am-10pm Sunday • 10am-8pm

mia Iridis. A workhorse who helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series title, Scherzer won the AL Cy Young in 2013 and consecutive NL Cy Youngs in 2016 and 2017. He finished third in this year’s voting behind Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler. He has pitched a pair of no-hitters, in 2015 against Pittsburgh and at the Mets. Scherzer gets $43,333,333 annually. The Mets deal will raise his career earnings to more than $370 million. He joins a rotation headed by two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, who didn’t pitch after July 7 because of right forearm tightness. Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker also return under club control. Noah Syndergaard, returning from Tommy John surgery, left for a $21 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The Mets lost out on left-hander Steven Matz, whose $44 million, four-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals was to be finalized Monday.

17 points to go along with five steals and one rebound. Next up for the Mavs is NSIC opponent Upper Iowa, who has one win in five games this season.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

MSU Reporter • 13

Here’s how to destress before finals week

What to do in Kato this holiday season

By SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer

This past Friday, Kiwanis Holiday Lights at Sibley Park finally lit up. The light show can be walked or driven though, and runs from now through Dec. 31. The lights are on for viewing from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. The lights sync up to radio stations 90.1 and 88.1. The show consists of 1.8 million LED lights. The light show also offers a Santa visit, a hot cocoa stand, a skating rink, and other amenities. According to their website, the light show, “builds on past traditions and promotes the communities we serve.” The light show is a free event, but encourages cash and non-perishable food donations. All food will be brought to local shelters. According to their website, “Last year, 17 different food shelves collected nearly 14 tons of food, and the Kiwanis Holiday Lights donated over $50,000 to the local non-profit community thanks to these good-will donations.” The event runs off of volunteer work, and since its start in 2012, has had over

Here it comes- arguably the worst, most anxiety-inducing part of the semester for every college student: Finals Week. As the dreaded projects and exams roll up, it is crucial to every student’s mental and physical health to find ways and take time to relax during the tolling week ahead. One of the most beloved methods of relaxation by many students is the Hound Hugs and Kanine Kisses program that is orchestrated by the Centennial Student Union. On the Monday of finals week, The Volunteers with Alliance of Therapy Dogs brings some of their therapy dogs to the Hearth Lounge in the CSU for lunch and early evening stress relief sessions. After signing a waiver, students are able to spend some time petting and playing with the dogs that Volunteers with Alliance of Therapy Dogs brings. Another resource available to MNSU students is the Relaxation Station, located in the Health Education office in Room 100 of Carkoski Commons. The Relaxation Station offers a full-body massage chair, which can be booked in 45 minute time slots. Additionally, the room features a personalized light and sound system, and aromatherapy diffuser to optimize relaxation. The Counseling Center offers a handful of resources for students experiencing stress and test anxiety as well. On Thursday, December 2 at noon, the Center is hosting a Zoom seminar on Overcoming Test Anxiety. The Zoom ID can be found on the Counseling Center’s website- no registration is required. Additionally, the Center’s website offers a multitude of presentations that can be accessed at any time, with topics like stress management, finding balance, and the role of exercise, sleep, and nutrition on mental health. STRESS on page 14 u

By LILLY SCHMIDT Staff Writer

Courtesy photo The Kiwanis Holiday Lights will be available to the public for free until the end of December.

14,000 people volunteer and 108.7 tons of food collected. Mankato has plenty to offer for the Holidays in addition to the light show. Coming up on the fourth, Minnesota State University, Mankato is hosting a Maverick Holiday Carnival in the CSU Ballroom. On the same day, in North Mankato is the Bells on Belgrade on Belgrade Ave. including a Santa visit

and goodie bags, caroling, face painting, horse-drawn trolley rides, and a parade that evening to wrap up the activities. As for seasonal shows, the Mankato Ballet Company will be performing “The Nutcracker”, from Dec. 9-12. After not performing last year due to COVID-19, the ballet is proud to offer something to the community this year.

Furthermore, Mankato Playhouse will be presenting a showing of “Scrooge The Musical’’ from Dec. 3-19. According to their Facebook page, the musical will be using “unique music, dancing and humor. The show tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by a series of ghosts, starting with his old business partner, Jacob MarKATO on page 14 u

Tips for reconciling after a tense Turkey Day By EMMA JOHNSON Staff Writer

So, you decided to mess up Thanksgiving this year. Maybe you said something at the table that made your grandpa drop his dentures in his stuffing. Did you pull the wishbone too hard and bump into your mom pulling the pies out of the oven, causing her to get a second-degree burn? It happens to the best of us. Thanksgiving is not always that picture-perfect holiday. Something has to go awry, but when isn’t there a little holiday drama? However, if you really messed up this Thanksgiving or are trying to prevent this from happening next year, try one of these solutions to make up with your family (if they haven’t already disowned you). First, do what’s asked without even being told. Picking up your grandparents at the airport while your parents

are working? Kudos to you. Forcing yourself to eat the fruitcake that your aunt still makes even though no one really enjoys it? Don’t subject yourself to that torture. Second, watch the cousins for a while. Even if your cousins are the rowdy ones who demand piggyback rides every five seconds, take them away from the adults so they can have time to destress. Know that they probably will talk about you while you are being forced to watch Paw Patrol or play tag. However, if you can convince your cousins to play hide and seek, you might get those few minutes of peace and quiet to get your act together. Third, pay close attention to what everyone wants. Normally, you should save money, but since it’s Christmas, you’ll be getting presents in return so it cancels out (at least you should get presents, but that depends on how bit-

Courtesy photo

ter your relatives are). Does Uncle Jerry want a new toolbox? You better go purchase the cleanest-looking one with multiple compartments. Does Aunt Karen want a new purse? Find an expensive-looking purse that’s still cheap enough to hold all the napkins that she’s written the manager’s numbers on just in case.

Fourth, participate in family traditions, no matter how crazy or wild they seem. If your family hides a pickle in the tree, you better be elbow deep in sap looking for it. Host a Christmas cookie decorating competition and see who could be on The Great British Bake off. Plan fun activities that will TENSE on page 14 u

14 • MSU Reporter

Variety

White House decor honors COVID-19 frontline workers

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 TENSE Continued from page 13 distract your family away from all the horrible things you did a month ago. If all else fails and your relatives still remember what a fool you made of yourself, go around and apologize to

KATO Continued from page 13 ley. The three spirits which follow, the Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come, show Scrooge how his mean behavior affects those around him.” If you don’t celebrate Christmas, there are still several fun winter activities to entertain you. Mankato has several free ice rinks open to the public, and Mount Kato is always

EVAN VUCCI • Associated Press The State Dining Room of the White House is decorated for the holiday season during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Washington.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Holiday decorations unveiled Monday for Joe and Jill Biden’s first White House Christmas honor frontline workers who persevered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses, doctors, teachers, grocery store workers and others are recognized in this year’s gigantic Gingerbread White House, which was made into a 350-pound (158.76 kilograms) gingerbread village with the addition of a school and police, fire and gas stations as well as a hospital, a post office, a grocery store and a warehouse to honor workers who stayed on the job. Fewer people are likely to see the decked-out mansion in person this year, with public tours still suspended because of the continuing threat from COVID-19. But videos, photos and other details are available at WhiteHouse.gov/ Holidays. “Gifts from the Heart” is the theme. In remarks thanking volunteers for decorating, the first lady explained the vision behind her theme, speaking of unity and her view that everyone comes together around faith, family and friendship, gratitude and service, and love for one’s community. “For all of our differences, we are united by what really matters,” she said. “Like points on a star, we come together at the heart. That is what I wanted to reflect in our White House this year. In

each room, we tell a story of gifts from the heart.” The first lady, a longtime community college professor, invited Maryland second graders for Monday’s unveiling of the holiday decorations. They were inspired by people the president and first lady met while traveling around the country this year, according to the White House. Frontline workers are also represented in the iridescent doves and shooting stars that illuminate the East Colonnade hallway, “representing the peace and light brought to us by all the front-line workers and first responders during the pandemic,” the guidebook says. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the White House holiday season in other ways, though it remained unclear how parties and receptions may be tweaked to compensate for it. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has said parties will be held, though they will be “different” from years past. Some indication will come Wednesday when the president and first lady and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, light a menorah to celebrate Hanukkah. Emhoff, who is Jewish, helped light the National Menorah on the Ellipse on Sunday. Volunteers who decorated the White House came only from the surrounding area, instead of from all over the United States as in past years, because of COVID-19 con-

cerns. The White House also wasn’t spared the supply shortages that many Americans are contending with. Some topiary trees took a little longer to arrive, said social secretary Carlos Elizondo. The other showstopper of holidays at the White House is the official Christmas tree, an 18-foot-tall (5.5-meter tall) Fraser fir that commands the Blue Room and is trimmed with white doves and ribbon bearing the names of all U.S. states and territories to celebrate peace and unity. More than 100 volunteers decorated the White House, including the Oval Office, while the Bidens spent Thanksgiving week in Nantucket, Massachusetts. They trimmed 41 Christmas trees and hung some 6,000 feet (2,000 yards) of ribbon and more than 10,000 ornaments. Twenty-five wreaths adorn the exterior of the White House, and nearly 79,000 lights illuminate the Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths and other holiday displays. Christmas stockings for each of the Biden grandchildren — Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, Natalie, Hunter and baby Beau — hang from the fireplace mantel in the State Dining Room, which celebrates family, while two trees in that stately room are decorated with framed Biden family photos and photos of other first families during the holiday season. Many of the photos are personal favorites of Jill Biden.

STRESS Continued from page 13 When it comes to personal tactics, MNSU students have a few different methods of staying on task so that they don’t get too stressed out. MNSU Junior Jared Anderson noted that a way that he avoids stress is making sure he knows exactly when all of his tests are. “The finals week schedule is different, and very confusing. Usually your classes’ syllabi will have finals dates on them, but I always make sure to check the bigger finals sched-

everyone, if necessary. Humans make mistakes; that’s just a fact of life. If they can’t accept the fact that mistakes happen to everyone, make sure you sit next to them next year, just close enough to extend your elbow when the gravy boat is in their hands.

an option for winter sports. Their hills are perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. Mount Kato offers over nineteen trails and offers lessons. If participating in winter sports is too much effort, several MNSU sports will still be running over winter break, so you can watch instead! Games include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s hockey, wrestling, and swimming.

ule. Knowing that ahead of time makes life easier.” Jonathan Mor, also a Junior at MNSU, stated that his preferred method of staying on top of things is “making lists. I make a list of everything due for each of my classes for the rest of the semester, just so I have something to refer to and a place to cross things off so that I feel accomplished.” Finals can be an intimidating time, but with the right resources and tactics, it is easy to do your best. Just remember: you’ve got this.

Mankato Location

Full-Time & Part-Time Positions Flexible Hours | Fun Place to Work!

Apply online at: jobs.tjx.com YOUR IT SOURCE FOR COMPUTER SALES, REPAIR & SERVICE New & Refurbished Computers iPhone & iPad Screen Repair Virus & Malware Removal Tune-Ups for Slow Computers • Networking Websites • Email • Business Intelligence Business IT • Data Recovery • Digital Signage

Veteran Owned

507-345-4335 • www.Geeks2uMN.com 620 N. VICTORY DRIVE • MANKATO • GALLERIA EAST

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Variety

Virgil Abloh dies of cancer at 41 ASSOCIATED PRESS Virgil Abloh, a leading designer whose groundbreaking fusions of streetwear and high couture made him one of the most celebrated tastemakers in fashion and beyond, has died of cancer. He was 41. Abloh’s death was announced Sunday by the luxury group LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) and Abloh’s own Off-White label, which he founded in 2013. Abloh was the artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear, but his ubiquitous, consumer-friendly presence in culture was wide-ranging and dynamic. Some compared him to Jeff Koons. Others hailed him as his generation’s Karl Lagerfeld. “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom,” Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH, said in a statement. A statement from Abloh’s family on the designer’s Instagram account said Abloh was diagnosed two years ago with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer in which a tumor occurs in the heart. “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions

THIBAULT CAMUS • Associated Press

that span fashion, art, and culture,” the statement read. In 2018, Abloh became the first Black artistic director of men’s wear at Louis Vuitton in the French design house’s storied history. A first generation Ghanaian American whose seamstress mother taught him to sew, Abloh had no formal fashion training but had a degree in engineering and a master’s in architecture. Abloh, who grew up in Rockford, Illinois, outside of Chicago, was often referred to as a Renaissance man in the fashion world. He moonlighted as a DJ. But in a short time, he emerged as one of fashion’s most heralded designers. Abloh called himself “a maker.” He was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in 2018.

In 2009, Abloh met Kanye West — now called Ye — while he was working at a screen-printing store. After he and Ye interned together at the LVMH brand Fendi, Abloh was Ye’s creative director. Abloh was art director for the 2011 Ye-Jay-Z album “Watch the Throne,” for which Abloh was nominated for a Grammy. Abloh’s work with West served as a blueprint for future border-crossing collaborations that married high and low. With Nike, he partnered his Off-White label for a line of frenzy-inducing sneakers remixed with a variety of styles and Helvetica fonts. He also designed furniture for IKEA, refillable bottles for Evian and Big Mac cartons for McDonald’s. His work was exhibited at the Louvre, the Gagosian and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

MSU Reporter • 15

2021 word of the year: vaccine ASSOCIATED PRESS With an expanded definition to reflect the times, Merriam-Webster has declared an omnipresent truth as its 2021 word of the year: vaccine. “This was a word that was extremely high in our data every single day in 2021,” Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor-at-large, told The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s announcement. “It really represents two different stories. One is the science story, which is this remarkable speed with which the vaccines were developed. But there’s also the debates regarding policy, politics and political affiliation. It’s one word that carries these two huge stories,” he said. The selection follows “vax” as word of the year from the folks who publish the Oxford English Dictionary. And it comes after Merriam-Webster chose “pandemic” as tops in lookups last year on its online site. “The pandemic was the gun going off and now we have the aftereffects,” Sokolowski said. At Mer-

riam-Webster, lookups for “vaccine” increased 601% over 2020, when the first U.S. shot was administered in New York in December after quick development, and months of speculation and discussion over efficacy. The world’s first jab occurred earlier that month in the UK. The Latest: CDC says ages 18 and up should get booster shot EXPLAINER: What we know and don’t know about omicron variant WHO warns that new virus variant poses ‘very high’ risk. Omicron brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity ‘home to roost’ Compared to 2019, when there was little urgency or chatter about vaccines, Merriam-Webster logged an increase of 1,048% in lookups this year. Debates over inequitable distribution, vaccine mandates and boosters kept interest high, Sokolowski said. So did vaccine hesitancy and friction over vaccine passports The word “vaccine” wasn’t birthed in a day, or due to a single pandemic. The first known use stretches back to 1882.

16 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, November 30, 2021