The Signpost: VOLLEYBALL BRINGS HOME CHAMPIONSHIP

Tuesday | March 23, 2021 | Volume 94 | Issue 45

VOLLEYBALL BRINGS HOME CHAMPIONSHIP >>>PAGE 8

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

OPINION » PAGE 4

SCIENCE » PAGE 8

MASK MANDATE MADNESS

ALZHEIMER LECTURE GIVES PERSPECTIVE ON THE BRAIN

BROOKLYNN KILGORE | The Signpost

ISRAEL CAMPA | The Signpost

2 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS?

By JOSHUA KAMP Reporter

1. Gov. Spencer Cox will open vaccine eligibility to all Utahns 16 and older on what new date, which is earlier than previously expected?

2. On March 22, violent protests erupted in the early morning hours in Bristol, U.K., leading to the injury of 20 police officers. What new legislation were the rioters protesting?

3. Over the weekend, a state of 4. The U.S. and Canada have emergency was declared in what joined the U.K. and EU in sancU.S. city due to out-of-control tioning which country over human crowds of street partygoers, attract- rights abuses? ed by the news of the area being “open” from pandemic restrictions? a. China

a. March 24

a. Tax cuts for the wealthy

a. Long Beach

b. Russia

b. March 29

b. New police powers

b. New Orleans

c. North Korea

c. April 1

c. Extended lockdown periods

c. Las Vegas

d. Egypt

d. April 5

d. Mandatory vaccinations

d. Miami Beach

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COVID-19 tests were administered at Weber State University on Nov. 10.

BREANNA HART Columnist

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our lives for a full year now. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, their houses, their security, their loved ones and their lives.

The CDC recommends people wear masks in public settings and anywhere that they will be around people. From the very beginning when this guideline was put in place, people have been fighting it tooth and nail.

We’ve all seen the viral videos of the people in supermarkets refusing to leave the store to put on a mask, and some of these incidents escalate to physical assault on employees just trying to do their jobs and enforce the rules and guidelines that have been put in place.

There have been various posts about how wearing masks “violates” someone’s constitutional rights, to which I roll my eyes.

Now, I understand why people don’t like wearing masks. Personally, I think they can be uncomfortable and annoying, but what I don’t understand is the blatant disregard and disrespect for those around you. The masks aren’t necessarily for your protection, but for other people’s protection. As much as I don’t like the way masks feel, I still wear mine every time I’m around people I don’t live with because I

don’t know if I have COVID, and I don’t want to give it to someone else if it just so happens that I’m asymptomatic.

Just the other day I was in a coffee shop, and there was a man who was walking around the shop, visiting with other patrons, marketing his business by handing out cards. When he got to me, I noticed he wasn’t wearing a mask, which I found annoying but also didn’t connect right away. I let him go ahead of me in line and overheard the barista telling him she could not serve him if he didn’t have a mask on.

He proceeded to argue with her, claiming he had “just forgotten it in his car” and “couldn’t she just hurry and make his drink, he wouldn’t be in the shop long.” She again told him he needed to wear a mask, or he wouldn’t be served. He didn’t like this answer so he continued to argue. It wasn’t until another barista came over and told the man to leave, or he would put in a report that the man stopped arguing. Finally the man turned around, looked at me and said “you can go ahead, they’re harassing me.”

This whole situation was ridiculous. The man knew he needed to have a mask on; there were signs everywhere saying the coffee shop required them. We’re a whole year into this pandemic. Putting on a mask isn’t that hard, and it doesn’t harm anyone to wear one.

This scene, only one of many across the country, made me realize, though, that with the rate of vaccines going up and the amount of cases going down, we’re going to start seeing this behavior even more often, especially

because Gov. Spencer Cox is most likely going to go forward and sign a bill that would end the statewide mask mandate on April 10.

States all across the U.S. have been lifting their mask mandates as more people are getting vaccinated, and Utah is slated to be one of the latest ones to do so. The Utah legislature has already passed this law and is just waiting for Cox to sign the bill. Originally, the mandate would have been lifted immediately after Cox signed the bill, but Cox told Deseret News he pushed for April 10 as it allowed more people to be vaccinated.

I still think that April 10 is far too early. Our positive case rate has been dropping significantly, but there are still too many people who haven’t had the chance to be fully vaccinated yet. This will lead to another rise in cases like the one we saw over the winter holidays and are now just recovering from.

Cox said this bill would still make it mandatory for schools K-12 to require masks and businesses can still require them as they want to as well. But still, it would just be better to keep the original mandate and not lift it before the original end date of July 1. This would allow ample time for the majority of people to get vaccinated, which lowers our risk of having a massive spike in cases again and would allow us to better avoid a third wave of cases.

This new bill feels irresponsible and rushed.

I understand that everyone is tired of the pandemic and all the protocols that have been put in place, but we also need to tread carefully about how fast we begin softening these protocols and mandates. If we stop requiring

masks and social distancing too soon, everything will go to Hell, and we will see a huge spike in cases and deaths.

Granted, it might not be as high as it would be without vaccines, but are we really willing to take that risk? Are we really willing to risk spending another year in this pandemic? And are we really ready to risk new variants emerging and killing another half million people?

Right now is a crucial moment in this pandemic. Vaccines are being rolled out successfully; our cases are significantly down. If we become too lax too soon, we’re going to regret it, and it will haunt us just as the holiday season did for months.

Cox has until March 25 to decide if he is going to sign or veto the bill, and while it doesn’t look like he’s going to veto it, he needs to in order to keep all of us safe.

Vaccines for anyone 16 and older are going to be made available starting March 24, so if Cox vetoes this bill, or even pushes the date back a month or two, then that gives us plenty of time to ramp up vaccination distribution and get more out to people, leaving us in a better position.

Over 500,000 people have already died in the U.S. from COVID-19. Isn’t that enough?

Wasn’t one enough? Why does our legislature believe that it isn’t? We should be taking every precaution we can for as long as we can to protect those who have survived this past year and honor those who haven’t.

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BROOKLYN KILGORE | The Signpost

Weber State University nursing student Necia Wallenmeyer administers a COVID-19 vaccination to Lorna Ricks, March 16, in Ogden, Utah.

6 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

WILDCAT SOCCER RETURNS TO PLAY IN OGDEN

Taylor Scadlock and Sadie Newsom fight for the ball, shoulder to shoulder, on the Weber State soccer field on March 19.

By JACE COOK

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

Weber State’s goalie kicks the ball out of her goalie box on March 19.

Reporter

Wildcat soccer has recently returned to Big Sky play and are returning to Ogden to play their home games at Weber State.

The Wildcats have played four games so far with two other games being canceled.

The team has not played in Ogden yet this season. They have only played away games and at a neutral site, which was the RSL Herriman Facility.

Their first game of the season was supposed to be Feb. 6 against Dixie State, but the game was canceled. The team ended up playing their first game on Feb. 14 against the University of Utah at the RSL Herriman Facility. They tied 1–1 that day.

Their next game was at the University of ColGentrey Gibson, 28, dribbles the ball Mylee Broad, 7, gets ready to redown the Weber State soccer field on ceive the ball from her teammate orado on Feb. 20, and the Wildcats lost 0–1.

March 19. on March 19.

Then, the team returned to the RSL Herriman

Facility on March 7 to play against Westminster, and the Wildcats won 2–0 that game.

The team started Big Sky play on March 13 and 14. Weber State were supposed to play two games against Northern Arizona, but the game on March 13 was canceled. The teams did play March 14, and the Wildcats lost 0–1.

In their first four games, Weber State has scored three goals and have let in three goals.

The Wildcats have taken 35 shots with 21 on target. Their opponents have gotten 44 shots with 23 on target.

Weber State gets an average of 8.8 shots per game. The Wildcats’ opponets have gotten an average of 11 shots per game.

The Wildcats have had two assists, by Olivia Barton and Yira Yoggerst, on their three goals and have made 20 saves. Weber State have fouled their opponents 24 times, but their opponents have fouled them 55 times.

The Wildcats have earned 9 corner kicks.

MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021 | 7

all four games. She has played 287 minutes so far and has one goal as well. Scadlock has taken three shots with two shots on goal.

Kinsley Napoli has played 82 minutes between two games and has scored one goal so far. Napoli has taken two shots with one shot PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

They have also gave up 13 corner kicks.

Jasmine Lotey has played and started in all four games for the Wildcats. She has played 285 minutes and has scored one goal so far.

Lotey has taken eight shots with five on goal.

Taylor Scadlock has also played and started

PAIGE MCKINNON | The Signpost

Nixie Hernandez, 8, takes the ball down the field at Weber State University on March 19.

Rylee Tatton, 44, throws the ball to her teammate on the field at Weber State University on March 19.

on goal.

Weber State return to play in Ogden in their next game against Southern Utah on March 26.

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8 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021

WILDCATS BRAINSTORM ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA

By ADAM RUBIN Senior Reporter

Dr. Steven Barger is a national leader on the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease and hosted a Neuroscience Lecture Series Event on March 17 alongside Dr. Aminda O’Hare, director of the Neuroscience Program at WSU. There were 20 students who registered and attended the event.

Barger earned his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in Cell Biology, is the Louise G. Hearn Endowed Chair in Dementia, and the Research Health Scientist, with the Department of Veteran Affairs, among many other accolades earned during his career.

A Q&A session ensued for those who registered to attend which took place after Barger’s Lecture Series speech.

This is designed for students to dive in

deeper into the subjects they and their peers have brought forth to the community, digitally of course.

“Last fall, I personally picked all the speakers,” O’Hare said. “But for the spring, I emailed all the Neuroscience Club students, and I asked them to nominate the speakers — and they nominated the four speakers, including Dr. Barger.”

Barger spoke on issues such as genetics, age, lifestyle, head trauma and much more regarding both diseases. The main aspect the lecture series highlighted were findings of why Glucose delivery to the brain is lessened during Alzheimer’s.

Barger explained to the Zoom attendees of the lecture about the current and cutting-edge state and status of both diseases.

“As this pathology progresses, it moves from the inner-frontal cortex to the hippocam-

pus and then to the other vast regions of the cortex — and we call this Stage 5 Alzheimer’s,” Barger said.

At one point during the lecture, Barger brainstormed how typical brain functions work and how brains with these two diseases function differently. He displayed a digital diagram of what a brain with Stage 5 Dementia looks like.

“It forms in every single one of us by the time we’re 30 or 40,” Barger said. “We’re all ticking down a clock. When it gets to what we call Stage 5, this is coincident to Dementia.

Hopefully none of us ever get there — statistically, most of us will.”

One WSU student, Riley Swain, a senior at WSU who “fell in love” with the Neuroscience Program, explained why it is a no-brainer for students, faculty, staff and anyone who is interested, to register and join in and attend the

Neuroscience Program’s Lecture Series event.

“You’re getting valuable one-on-one time with highly accredited academics in their field,” Swain said. “After the lecture, students have the opportunity to attend an intimate Q&A session with the speaker. These lecture series are an excellent opportunity to speak with professionals about their research or even academic advice.”

O’Hare is in charge of a Neuroscience minor available for all students at WSU who are interested. There is a Neuroscience Club with about 50 students involved. Plus, their lecture series is open to the public, so long as interested individuals pre-register for their spot during the lectures, all the neuroscience lectures are free to attend.

Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com ISRAEL CAMPA | The Signpost

Size and shape is a clear difference between a normal brain and a brain with Alzheimer’s.

MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021 | 9 ISRAEL CAMPA | The Signpost

Dr. Steven Barger addresses how over time, different parts of the brain are affected, which causes Alzheimer’s disease.

ISRAEL CAMPA | The Signpost

The brain scan of a normal brain (left) and an Alzheimer’s brain (right) have differences in regards to loss of brain matter.

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

10 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021

Weber State outside hitter Dani Nay, 12, spikes the ball in a match up with Montana State on March 20 at Swenson Gym.

By JACE COOK Reporter

The Weber State women’s volleyball team won the Big Sky Conference regular season title after spiking Montana State in Swenson Gym on March 20 and 21.

The Wildcats earned the title after winning their match on March 20 at Swenson Gym. The Wildcats won 3–1. Weber State won the first set 25–21 and the second set 29–27. Montana State won the third set 25–15, and Weber State ended the match by winning the fourth set 25–18.

Weber State achieved 55 kills with Montana

State getting 54 kills. There were six aces in the match, all belonging to the Wildcats. The Bobcats had nine blocks compared to Weber State’s six blocks. Both teams were close on assists and digs — the Bobcats had 52 assists and 67 digs, and the Wildcats had 51 assists and 66 digs.

The team leaders for kills were Montana State’s Kira Thomsen with 22 and Weber State’s Dani Nay with 16. Wildcat Ashlyn Power led the match in aces with three. The block leaders were Bobcat Jourdain Klein, who had six blocks, and Wildcat Caroline Clark, who had three blocks. Power led the game in assists with 41. Montana State’s Delaney Shear-

Weber State setter Ashlyn Power, 19, goes up for a block at the net against Montana State’s Avery Turnage, 8.

an assisted 24 times. Power also led with 19 digs, while Thomsen earned 12.

Weber State headed into their March 21 match as regular-season champions.

The Wildcats beat the Bobcats 3–0. Weber State won the first set 25–11, the second set

25–18 and the third 25–20.

The Wildcats earned 42 kills with the Bobcats getting 33 kills. Weber State got 10 aces, and Montana State got two. Weber State also got seven of the nine blocks in the match. The Wildcats assisted 41 times, and the Bobcats

NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost

MyWeberMedia.com| March 23, 2021 | 11

The Weber State volleyball team wins the Big Sky Conference regular season championship after defeating No. 2 Montana State 3–1 on Saturday, March 20.

assisted 32 times. Weber State got 43 digs compared to Montana State’s 37.

Thomsen led the match with 15 kills, and Wildcat Rylin Adams had 14. Clark was the ace leader with seven aces. Bobcats Allie Lynch and Avery Turnage both had one ace. Wildcat Sam Schiess led with six blocks. Power was the assist leader with 34 assists. Lynch had 16

assists. Power, Nay and Thomsen led with 12 digs.

The Wildcats finished the season with 15 wins and one loss.

“I thought we got better as the season progressed,” Wildcat Head Coach Jeremiah Larsen said.

Now that the regular season is over, the

team is focused on the spring championship.

“We’re going to go play our best,” Larsen said. “We’re going to work hard. We’re going to play every ball well, mentally, emotionally and physically.”

Larsen believes they have a chance at winning the spring championship.

“If we compete, then we have a shot,” Larsen

said.

The 2021 Big Sky Volleyball Spring Championship will take place in Greeley, Colorado from March 31 to April 2.

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College got you

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Learn more and see the complete schedule at: weber.edu/CounselingCenter/wildcat-chat.html

virtual

Anxiety Toolbox Group Most of us have some level of anxiety, but we still have to know how to manage it and keep living life. Anxiety Toolbox is a virtual group where you can learn about anxiety. It is not a counseling or therapy group, it is an educational group.

Learn more about the group at: weber.edu/CounselingCenter/virtual-anxiety-toolbox.html

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DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEWS? 1. The correct answer is A, March 24. According to ABC4, all Utah residents over age 16 will be able to register to get the vaccine, but this does not guarantee vaccine doses will be immediately available. More info about how to get the vaccine can be found at http://coronavirus. utah.gov.

QUIZ ANSWERS FROM PAGE 2

2. The correct answer is B, New police powers. This bill would grant officers more power to crack down on protests.

According to the New York Post, the socalled “Kill the Bill” protests turned violent when a mob descended on a police precinct in Bristol, some carrying signs warning of a “police state” and “dictatorship.”

3. The correct answer is D, Miami Beach. According to the New York Times, police struggled to control chaotic, overwhelming crowds and made dozens of arrests. Officials in Miami Beach decided on March 21 to extend an emergency curfew for up to three weeks.

4. The correct answer is A, China.

According to The Guardian, the sanctions come as a response to the mass internment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province. U.K. foreign secretary Dominic Raab called it “the largest mass detention of an ethnic and religious group since the second world war.”

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pixabay.com

The early morning of March 22 saw protests breaking out across the U.K. in response to a new bill.

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