Thursday | November 8, 2018 | Volume 89 | Issue 29
THREE PATHS TO CENTER STAGE
JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost
SPORTS » PAGE 6
WILDCATS SWAT HORNETS IN HOME FINALE
NEWS » PAGE 12
’CATS LEARN TO LEAD THE PACK AT WSU BOOT CAMP
2 | MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018
NOV. 8 Weber State University’s 13th annual Native American Symposium will begin with a speech from keynote speaker Matika Wilbur. Wilbur is a visual storyteller. Her speech is free and open to the public, it will be held in the Wildcat Theater beginning at 10:30 a.m.
NOV. 9 Weber State Athletics will open the home season with a basketball doubleheader. The women’s basketball team will take on the University of La Verne Leopards at 5 p.m. The men’s basketball team will take on Bethesda University after the completion of the women’s game. It is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Both games will be held at the Dee Events Center, tickets are free for students. The College of Arts & Humanities is presenting a new show, “Ruthless” that will be held in the Browning Center Eccles Theater. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m., people aged 16 and older are welcome.
By NIC MURANAKA News Editor
1. Midterm elections concluded Nov. 6, with some races still tallying ballots and too close to call. However, the national results were mostly clear by the morning of Nov. 7. Prior to the election, Republicans held a majority in both chambers of Congress. How did the results shake out? a. Republicans managed to maintain their majority control in both chambers of Congress.
a. A political cartoon of the American flag with the line, “God Bless the U.S.A. Sanctions November 5.” b. A movie-poster style image of himself with the line, “Sanctions are Coming. November 5.”
a year-long legal battle. The Trump administration just made what move in an attempt to end the ongoing legal fight? a. Imploring the Supreme Court to step in and decide whether or not the government has the power to end the immigration policy.
c. A political cartoon of a b. Threatening military action nuclear weapon with the line, “No against illegal immigrants in a more bombs. November 5.” scare tactic.
3. At Maywood High School in Los Angeles, a teen yelled racial slurs at a black music teacher and threw a basketball at him. b. Republicans lost majority The teacher responded in what control in the Senate but gained way? it in the House. a. Referring the child to c. Republicans retained majority the principal’s office and the control in the Senate but lost it in discipline officer. the House. b. Calling the child’s parents and referring him to the d. Democrats gained majority principal’s office. control in both chambers of Congress. c. Punching the child in the face. 2. Sanctions against Iran’s 4. The Deferred Action for banking, energy and shipping industries went into effect Nov. Childhood Arrivals program, 5. In order to remind everyone, which began in the Obama administration, was revoked in a President Donald Trump September 2017 decision by the tweeted what image that has Trump administration, sparking since been removed?
c. Pressuring appeals courts to review the decision made by lower courts that concluded ending DACA was either unlawful or likely unlawful. 5. One of the cases that came before the Supreme Court on Nov. 5 was concerned with a three-decade old ban in Virginia on mining what element? The case, which a mining company and the U.S. government backed, hopes to lift the ban. a. uranium b. copper c. lanthanum
NOV. 10 Weber State University’s Veteran Services is hosting a family day celebration. The event will be in the Davis Campus Building 3 Ballroom from 11 a.m until 1 p.m. Voters in Hialeah, Fla., cast their midterm ballets at Precinct 317 firestation Nov. 6
Tribune News Service
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS ON PAGE 13
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By JOVANY BAHENA-ROSARIO News Reporter
A person reported that they could not get in contact with their friend and requested police to look for him to make sure he was okay. He was found at the library, having recently lost his phone.
Police said that they had a student call about frequent out-of-state calls. Police said this is still an active case.
A student found a dog wandering around campus and was worried that it was going to get hit. Police took custody of the dog and located the owner, who came and picked it up.
Police received a call that a black SUV was driving recklessly. An officer tried to locate the vehicle, but by that time it had already left. It was reportedly seen by the A-1 lot by the Administration building, The officer checked around campus for the vehicle but was not found.
A door alarm went off at the ice sheet, and an officer arrived on scene and secured the building. When the officer arrived, there were no doors open. A motion alarm was tripped at distribution services by shipping and receiving. The officers checked the area of the alarm, and no one was found. Police reported that the alarm frequently goes off when the AC turns
on and wrappers move around. An elevator alarm went off at Stewart Library. Police sent an officer who checked all the elevators. No one was found in them.
At around 2 a.m., a vehicle was spotted around campus. Police interviewed the subject. Nothing was wrong; however, any vehicle on campus that early is considered suspicious.
Freepik.com
Someone was taping paper on windows of the Police Office and bulletin boards without their permission, which is against university policy.
A Weber State vehicle hit a valet sign in the W-2 parking lot. It caused damages to the vehicle and was under $1500 to repair the damages.
Police responded to a disorderly conduct call. It was found that a husband and wife were arguing in the A-2 parking lot. The husband left prior to the officer’s arrival, and the wife said no physical harm was done. When the husband was contacted, he corroborated. There were no arrests.
Police were alerted that their mail may have been tampered with. Later, they found that it had not been tampered with, but instead was due to the transportation of the mail.
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BLOOD TYPE IS By ALEN HAJRIC Correspondent
Students got their blood types and blood pressure tested in room 210 of Weber State University’s Marriott Health Building at the free clinic on Nov. 2. Lexi Topham, a student who helped with the clinic, mixed a student’s blood with antibodies on a glass microscope slide to determine their blood type. She explained that mixing the solution for two minutes was required to see if any clumping occurred. “This will determine the blood type for the student with 97% accuracy” said Topham. The clinic was held by students in the Medical Laboratory Sciences for their honors project. “When a lot of people find out you’re in Medical Laboratory Science Program (they) ask ‘What’s my blood type?’ A lot of people don’t know (their blood type). We wanted to do something for Weber State,” Topham said. In an emergency situation where blood type is needed, knowing your blood type is extremely important and can save crucial minutes. For mothers, knowing the blood types of both parents can inform if
Students discovered their blood types during a med-science honors project at WSU on Nov. 2.
they may have complications with pregnancies. “I’m an O-Negative,” said Dallin Fisher, a student who had just finished getting his results back. “This means that I’m a universal donor. It’s very important for everyone to know their blood type because it could potentially save their own life or the life of someone they love.” While O-Negative is the universal donor blood, Type AB-Positive is the universal recipient. Students are also encouraged to ascertain their blood pressure as it could possibly be beneficial for them in the future. While many students are intrigued by discovering their blood types, determining their blood pressures and screening for hypertension are also valuable. Hypertension is caused by high blood pressure. It can injure the heart and cause many complications over time. Taking preventative measures and getting help for hypertension quickly can reduce complications with heart conditions. Copy Editor Miranda Spaulding and assistant News Editor Jennifer Greenlee contributed to this piece. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
ARIANA BERKEMEIER | The Signpost
MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018 | 5
By JAPHETH PLEASANT Sports Reporter
The Velaida Harris era has officially begun. The new head coach of the Weber State University women’s basketball team led her squad to a 93–67 win over College of Idaho in their only exhibition game of the season. NAIA member College of Idaho, coming off an 11–16 record last year, traveled to the Dee Events Center to take on a Wildcat team who lost four seniors following their 21–11 season in 2017-18. Harris emphasized communication and that she wishes her team to play with more defensive intensity. “We held them to 30 points in the first half, and they turn around and score 37 in the second,” Harris said. “The girls were excited that we scored 93. I was like ‘no, no, no, they scored 67’. I think that is the biggest area we have to work on.” Senior point guard Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman agreed with her coach. “She definitely emphasizes defense,” Welch-Coleman said. “We want a lot of our offense to come from defense, and we were able to get a few buckets from applying pressure and getting steals. That’s the most important aspect that we have to improve on as a team.” Welch-Coleman scored 19 points and was one assist away from a triple-double. She was glad to compete against new faces after a long offseason of practice. “It’s a new team, and it has been months of just practicing,” Welch-Coleman said. “It’s hard to really tell what needs improvement when you’re playing against your own team.” The Wildcats started the game slowly on the offensive end, but led by five after one quarter. Senior guard Emily Drake led all scorers with seven points, and added two steals. Weber State owned the paint in the second quarter, going into the half with a 24 to 18 rebound advantage after trailing in that category in the first quarter. Sophomore center Kayla Watkins led all scorers with 11 points on 5-7 shooting, as the Wildcats began to pull away toward the end of the second quarter, finishing the half with a 47-30 lead. The Wildcats gave up 23 points in the third quarter, but finished strong as the Yotes put up 14 points in the final ten minutes of the game. Drake led all scorers with 21 points along with 19 from Coleman and 17 from Watkins. Both teams had three players in double figures. WSU sophomore guard Shianne Johnson said she was impressed with her new coach. “I love Coach Harris and how she coaches,” Johnson said. “I especially can’t wait to run our new offensive sets in games.” The Wildcats will open the regular season against the University of La Verne at home on Nov. 9 at 5:00 Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
HARRIS ERA SHOOTS
OFF WITH A WIN
JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost
6 | MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018
Josh Davis, Wildcat running back, finds his way around the defensive line.
By COLTON PACK Sports Reporter
With three weeks left in the regular season, the Weber State University football team took down the Sacramento State Hornets last Saturday on senior day, 26–14. The Wildcats’ improved to 6-0 at home for the first time since 1997. The team was carried by defense as they held the Hornets to just 170 total yards on the game. The ’Cats’ defense stood strong, holding Sacramento State to 1-12 on third downs and averaging just three yards per play. The offense was in the red zone four times on the afternoon. They scored on all four trips, ending the game with 26 points. Head coach Jay Hill mentioned his team’s execution of the offensive game plan. “Josh Davis went for 7.2 a carry. His backup, Clay Moss, went 5.9 a carry,” Hill said. “The two quarterbacks, between
them, were 26-31. Just so many positives there, just the two negatives.” The two negatives were the two turnovers, a fumble and an interception. The fumble was recovered by the Hornets, which was returned for a defensive touchdown. Weber State got off to a quick start, scoring on their first three drives of the game. Senior wide receiver Darryl Denby capped off the second drive with a 31yard touchdown reception after a 31-yard catch by sophomore Isiah Jackson. Sophomore kicker Trey Tuttle went 2-2 on his field goal attempts, adding six of his own points. Coming out of half, the Wildcats put together two touchdown-scoring drives. Sophomore Rashid Shaheed capped off an 80-yard drive with a 20-yard catch from Constantine. The Cats’ are on a four-game win streak. Since their loss on Oct. 6 against Northern Arizona, the team has been wearing wrist-
bands that read “three strong.” Wildcat senior safety Jawian Harrison Jr. and wide receiver Shaheed mentioned the meaning behind the wristbands. The bands are a reminder of the team’s role in all three aspects of the game, defense, offense and special teams. Harrison Jr. believes that the ’Cats still have another level to them because they haven’t put together a full four quarters as a team. With the Wildcat’s seventh win on the season, all-time records were set. Hill explained the significance of the win. “Another good win, a lot of cool things happened in this victory. Undefeated at home during the regular season,” Hill said. “We just had three seven-win seasons in a row, that’s another deal that has never happened before, and the seniors are going out as one of the winningest senior groups ever.” Before the game, Weber State athletics honored the seniors. Jawian Harrison Jr., Treshawn Garrett, Darryl Denby,
Keilan Benjamin, Parker and Jordan Preator and Jeremy Maxwell are all vital assets to the recent success of the Wildcat football team. The ’Cats have two games left. Up next, Weber State heads down south to take on the struggling Southern Utah University Thunderbirds. SUU has struggled on the season, the team is 1–8, a significant downturn from where they were last year when the Wildcats and T-Birds met in the FCS playoffs. “I’m thinking about the playoffs as well, not to say that we are so immature that we’re not knowing the Southern Utah is a big game” Hill said. “Idaho Sate is going to be a huge game.” Weber State is continuing to climb the FCS STATS poll now at No. 3. The ’Cats are looking to have a first-round bye and play the quarterfinal and semifinal game at Stewart Stadium. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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Quarterback Jake Constantine looks for an open receiver.
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8 | MyWeberMedia.com| November 8, 2018
Ask la Cour, left, and Unity Phelan, right, perform to Tchaikovsky’s Diamons Pas de Deux.” JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost
By ANITA LICHFIELD A&E Reporter
Professional dancers may not have a set routine when it comes to career planning, but they’re in step with each other concerning one thing: regardless of age, timing and income, dance is meant to move people. Weber State University dance performance student Jonathan Guerra is just beginning to learn this. Guerra came to WSU hoping to gain entrance into the school’s competitive nursing program. After two years, he still hadn’t been accepted. Upon taking ballet at WSU, Guerra’s career path took a turn onto the stage. He had never had formal dance instruction prior to this, and his intention was simply to nurture his curiosity while fulfilling a general education requirement. “I didn’t even know how to tell my right and my left foot
apart,” Guerra said. That didn’t stop Guerra’s instructor from being impressed with his natural abilities and encouraging him not only to apply as a dance major, but to audition for Orchesis, the program’s end of semester recital and dance company. Guerra made it into both, despite his lack of experience. Having such a late start in the industry isn’t an issue for Guerra. He said men tend to get a much later start in professional dance, and he has always been an active person, adapting easily to the physical rigors of full-time dance. Guerra looks forward to a career as a dancer after getting his education, which he plans on using as a backup, in case he doesn’t make it as a professional dancer. He hopes his efforts land him work in Broadway musicals and dance companies. According to Ziprecruiter.com, having a backup plan is wise, since the low end of wages for a dance professional is
at $15,500 per year. The high end swings all the way up to $257,500. In the meantime, Guerra already has a part-time job in dance. He teaches ballet, modern and hip-hop to local youth. For him, dance is not just about technique. He enjoys paying his dance education forward to his young students. “I always tell my kids, ‘you need to be always pushing yourself, asking questions. You never know what will change your life,’” Guerra said. “Dance changed my life.” Looking to change lives with dance is New York City Ballet principal dancer, Daniel Ulbricht. He founded of Stars of American Ballet, a touring dance company that brings ballet to under-served communities across the country. The company held a performance at WSU’s Browning Center on Nov. 2, and Ulbricht, who once trained at the New York City Ballet’s School of American Ballet, taught a master class for WSU dance students.
Ulbricht, who was first encouraged to try ballet by his sister’s dance teacher at 11 years old, emphasized that the most important thing for a dancer to think about when making career decisions is timing. Dancers will never be able to follow a single career path to find success. Ulbricht had to trust his instinct for good timing to start his company. “The beauty of everyone’s path is that it’s their own,” Ulbricht said. There is more than one way to become a professional dancer. Some go straight into the professional world, and some go to college first. Ulbricht believes college might be able offer the opportunity to learn things that the professional world can’t offer. WSU dance professor Amanda Sower echoed this sentiment. She believes that dance majors are able to hone their crafts in a safe environment. College allows dancers to im-
prove their technique, methods of leadership, communication and teamwork. These skills can lead to opportunities outside of just dancing, including the chance to become a choreographer, educator or director. Dancers learn to be punctual, hardworking and team players, which are skills that Sower said can transfer to any industry. Sower used to be a professional dancer. In her late 20s, she noticed that her body wasn’t keeping up with her mind. She decided to go back to school to get her master’s degree in dance education. Brooklyn Farr of Bountiful works as a professional dancer and also goes to WSU as a criminal justice major. She is a member of the first-ever Utah Jazz hip-hop team. Farr has been dancing competitively since she was three. She tried out for the new Jazz team this summer, not expecting to make it. She was one of the 16 who made the cut.
Farr was skeptical of continuing with dance after high school because she perceived it as a short-lived career that would end by her 30s. She knew how much hard work it would take. As a high schooler, she danced competitively for 40 hours a week on top of her studies as an honors student. Since her job with the Jazz is only part-time, Farr said it is fulfilling to be able to dance and also make college work. The physical toll and hard work it takes to dance never goes to waste. Every dancer will use their passion in a different way. Some will follow their dancing to a professional career, while others will pursue education or a different career path. “Dance can have a very important effect on people’s lives,” Ulbricht said. “I get to play every day. I’ve never worked a day in my life, and that’s a very amazing feeling.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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CAMERON GIFFORD Columnist
I’ve been playing video games for over two decades. When I was very young, it was a way to bond with my mom. We used to spend hours playing together. Well, I played. She watched.
It was just a way for us to spend time together. When I got stuck in a particular game, she would offer “The Wisdom of the Mama” and point me toward something I generally hadn’t already noticed. That bond cemented a love of video games that would ultimately shape the rest of my life. The way video games are portrayed in the media has been a topic of much frustration for me lately. Every time there’s a shooting in this country, the media turns to violence in video games. It turns out, the perpetrators
of such senseless acts of hate and brutality have often never played anything more violent than “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Every time this happens, there’s a reoccurring joke within the gaming community of the violent video game argument being “remastered” but still lacking any real content. Logic doesn’t stop the media at large from demonizing an entire genre of artistic expression, and I use “artistic expression” here purposefully. For over 26 years, American lawmakers have tried to justify censorship with
a supposed desire to protect youth from the corrupting influence of video games. For over 26 years, the game industry has been proactively self-regulatory, and the American courts have deemed the industry’s efforts more than sufficient. Over two decades worth of litigation have shown that stricter attempts at legislation would lead to a chilling effect on the artistic expression of the men and women creating video games. Why then, are video games so vilified in the media? Honestly, because it’s easier to target a technology like
youtube
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video games than to look at the actual problems facing our country. Whether you support stricter or looser gun control, it’s clear by the number of shootings that something needs to change. America’s mental healthcare system, which is woefully inadequate, could use a bit more consideration. You need only Google “America mental health” to see hundreds of articles, citing dozens of professionals, saying America is facing a “mental health crisis.” But healthcare is a historically difficult issue to resolve. I don’t pretend to have the answers, but again, something needs to change. Regardless, video games aren’t the problem. The reason I’ve tried so diligently to espouse the value of video games is because I’ve seen the good they can
do. I’ve watched week-long streams of people donating their time to speedrun video games for Games Done Quick. GDQ is a twice-yearly marathon that has raised over $16 million dollars combined for Doctors Without Borders and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Video games have the capacity to be a powerfully positive influence. According to the Entertainment Software Association, over 150 million Americans play video games. Sixty-four percent of American homes have at least one person who plays video games three or more hours per week, and 60 percent of Americans play daily. The average gamer is 34 years old, 72 percent are 18 or older and, in fact, there are more women over 18
playing video games than boys under 18. On top of that, over 70 percent of parents say video games are a positive outlet for their children, 67 percent play with their children and 94 percent make sure they’re always aware of the games their children play. This is to say nothing of the positive influence games have been for me. I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety all my life. Video games have been a lifelong companion; they’ve been a means of escape from a world seemingly intent on the obliteration of any semblance of happiness I manage to scrape together. Before I met my wife, they were the only solace in a world that felt lifeless and empty. My parents were long divorced, all but one of my friends
had abandoned me, my love-life was laughably non-existent and I was stuck in a job that often made me miserable. In a game, I can be a powerful ruler — an arbiter of justice to the subjects of my kingdom. I can be a superhero: swinging, flying, gliding or running through a city desperate for salvation. I can be a ranger in the darkness of Middle-earth, a ruthless outlaw in the American West, a commander of an intergalactic army or just a man trying to safely deliver humanity’s last hope of curing a deadly fungal infection. I can be anything. Who among us has never had dreams of being anything we wanted? Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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JOSHUA WINEHOLT | The Signpost
Top left Director of the GEAR UP program for WSU begins his presentation entitled “Own It.” Top right Signs and places to check in direct people to the various talks and presentations presented during Project Lead 2018. By HANNAH OLSEN News Reporter
Project LEAD, a two-day conference hosted by Weber State University, aims to forge new leaders through keynote speaker series, workshops, alumni interaction and a day of service. The Weber State University Student Association Leadership Vice President Bret Alexander, advised by Sheldon Cheshire, planned this year’s Project LEAD. Cheshire has been in this advisory position for five years. Less than five years ago, the organizers of Project LEAD decided to add a service component, which has now become traditional. This year, the optional volunteer service night was Nov. 2. The keynote speakers, interaction with alumni, and workshops began the following day. Inclusion of the service day wasn’t a sure thing this year, but organizers included it in order to better prepare students for future employers. “We tried stepping away from service this year,” Alexander said. “But a high quantity of employers after graduation want to see involvement in the community.” The WSUSA Service Team spearheaded the service night. Service Vice President Patrick Luo recommended a few of the service chair positions to plan an event. They settled on four in which attendees could
participate. One of those opportunities was with Weber County Elections. Volunteers tried their hand at rewriting children’s stories in the perspective of the villain, so the stories could be retold in classes at DaVinci Academy later. Jenna Thoits, DaVinci Academy student chair for the WSUSA Service Team, said DaVinci’s theme this year is “My Story.” The volunteers helped craft an aspect of that. “Hopefully, they can get a broader perspective about other people’s lives through listening to other sides of these stories,” Thoits said. The goal was that hearing the stories would encourage children to develop open minds, compassion, empathy and the ability to see all sides of one issue when they grow up. One of the volunteer authors for Weber County Elections, Mareille Jewett, noted that service is beneficial for both sides. “Being able to write stories for others to read is therapeutic to me,” Jewett said. The other three opportunities were putting together fire alarm kits for the American Red Cross, playing sports with the athletes for Special Olympics or going off campus to Habitat for Humanity. Project LEAD organizers wanted to limit the amount of time off campus. “It was in our benefit to have only one go off campus,” Alexander said. “It instilled a sense of ‘This is Weber,’ to remain on
WSU grounds.” He did note that it’s in the best interest of the program to have at least one opportunity off campus in order to demonstrate community outreach. All of the workshops and keynotes this year are WSU alumni. “That has helped enhance it and make things more relevant,” Cheshire said. A general theme of leadership is traditional for Project LEAD. This year, WSU alumni Jake Goodell and Alan McEwan, CFO and CEO of Get Air Trampoline Parks, spoke on leadership. However, Alexander and his team were in charge of picking the specific theme, and settled on “Above the Line.” “‘Above the Line’ actually came from a book about leadership,” Cheshire said. The workshops were provided by Weber State University graduates in every field. Utah House of Representatives member Gage Froerer commended Project Lead attendees in his workshop. “You folks could be doing a lot of other things on a Saturday morning, but you’re here listening to people like us tell our stories,” Froerer said. Miss Utah Jesse Craig gave a workshop about leading as an introvert. Doctors, lawyers, politicians and accountants all presented workshops as well. “Some of the details are traditional,” Chesire said. Project LEAD used to take place over fall
break, but due to heavy negative feedback it was moved to a weekend in fall, not homecoming and not fall break. To avoid scheduling conflicts, the fall date is selected the spring before. Planning for Project LEAD starts almost immediately after the positions are elected and appointed in May. However, some conflicts are inevitable. This year, a home football game started at noon while Project LEAD ran until 1:30 p.m. Because of the early scheduling of Project LEAD, the game schedules aren’t finalized yet, which does cause a problem. The date, and the non-sponsored price, $20, are the two fundamental aspects of Project LEAD that Alexander said were not in his jurisdiction. Departments, organizations or programs had the opportunity to sponsor their members and pay that cost to encourage attendance. WSUSA Leaders, the MLS program and others sponsored their members. Assistant to the Vice President of Leadership Erin Dominguez provided the numerical totals. There were 232 total people registered for Project LEAD. 120 came for the service night Nov. 2, and 140 came to the conference the next day. “I think its incredible,” Alexander said. “120 people chose to come volunteer, talk about above the line.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018 | 13
ry elections in eight years,” Taylor wrote on Facebook. “Many American and Afghan troops have died to make moments like this possible. As the USA gets ready to vote in our own election, I hope that we all remember that we have far more as Americans that unites us than divides us.” Taylor was killed by a member of the same forces whose bravery he praised. However, after Taylor’s death, an Afghan pilot wrote to Taylor’s family, asking them not to see the attack as a representative of Afghan sentiments toward Americans. “The one who shot him represents evil and violence,” Abdul Rahman Rahmani wrote. “On behalf of my family and Brent’s friends here in the Special Mission Wing, we pledge to continue to work hard until the end, the day when peace will return to our country and violence and hatred no longer claim the lives of both of our countrymen.” Facebook
Mayor Brent Taylor in uniform, the icon for his facebook page.
OGDEN MAYOR KILLED
IN AFGHAN ATTACK By HILLARY REILLY Correspondent
North Ogden Mayor and Utah National Guard Maj. Brent Taylor was killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 3. Taylor was a husband and father to seven children on his fourth deployment, this time to Afghanistan. His death sent a shockwave of grief through the Ogden community that became national news. Gov. Gary R. Herbert spoke about Major Taylor at a news conference at the Utah National Guard headquarters, calling him, “the personification of love of God, family and country.” In Afghanistan, Taylor trained soldiers of an Afghan Army commando battalion. Before his deployment in January, Taylor posted to Facebook that he was eager to serve his county. “Service is really what leadership is all about,” Taylor wrote.
There are currently 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan. Their main role is to advise and train Afghan forces, not fight the Taliban themselves. The Americans placed in these training roles leave themselves vulnerable to insider attacks, as they are constantly surrounded by armed Afghans. Insider attacks account for nearly half of the American combat deaths in Afghanistan this year, including Taylor’s. Major Taylor remained active on Facebook while he was deployed, wanting to remain connected to his constituents. He alerted the community about events in Afghanistan. On Oct. 28, Taylor posted his final message, encouraging Americans to exercise their right to vote. “It was beautiful to see over 4 million Afghan men and women brave threats and deadly attacks to vote in Afghanistan’s first parliamenta-
As Major Taylor’s body was returned to the U.S. on Nov. 4, Jennie Taylor offered a statement about her husband. “Brent may have died on Afghan soil, but he died for the success of freedom and democracy in both of our countries,” Jennie Taylor said. “It seems only fitting that Brent has come home to U.S. soil in a flagdraped casket on our election day.” Though she said her heart is shattered by Brent’s death, she hopes this will help citizens across the country recognize the selflessness shown by servicemen everywhere. “The price of freedom surely feels incredibly high to all those of us who know and love our individual soldier,” she said. “But the value of freedom is immeasurable to all those who know and love America and all that she represents.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
14 | MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018
QUIZ ANSWERS FROM PAGE 2
1. c. Republicans retained their majority control in the Senate but Democrats took the House, according to the Los Angeles Times. Majority control in either chamber was unclear as of the morning of Nov. 7, with several races still too close to call, but Republicans managed to flip at least three seats in the Senate while losing only one. Final results in all races are expected by Nov. 9. 2. b. Trump’s tweet featured a movie-poster image of himself with the text, “Sanctions are coming,” echoing the phrase “Winter is coming” from the popular HBO show Game of Thrones. The image used similar design features to the series’ marketing material. According to Bloomberg News, HBO quickly responded, tweeting, “How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?” HBO then told CNBC they “would rather their trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes.”
3. c. Teacher Marston Riley punched the student across the face, leading to a brawl between the two, according to the Los Angeles Times and the Independent. The two fought for several seconds before finally being separated. The student was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries, and Riley was arrested and then released after posting $50,000 in bail. Supporters of Riley started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for his legal fees, and as of Nov. 5, the page had more than 2,400 contributors and had raised over $61,000. 4. a. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on the issue in order to attempt to end the legal fight decisively, according to Roll Call. This appeal, on Nov. 5, is the second appeal to the court, which had not made a statement after the first appeal. Justice Department officials have asked appeals
courts to review the decision as well, but the appeals courts have yet to act. 5. a. Virginia placed a ban on mining uranium three decades ago, according to Roll Call. The largest deposit of uranium in the country is in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Three Republican lawmakers, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas and James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, have expressed the hope that the court will rule in favor of the mining company. They have argued upholding the ban could undermine national defense and would hamper national security as development of uranium is at an all time low in U.S. history. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Republicans retained their majority control in the Senate but Democrats took the House, according to the Los Angeles Times.
HELP WANTED
MyWeberMedia.com | November 8, 2018 | 15
FEATURED JOB
OUTDOOR PROGRAM-MARKETING SPECIALIST The position performs the following functions and duties: • The Outdoor Program Marketing Specialist will work solely on marketing and graphic design projects for the Weber State Outdoor Program, a program area of the Campus Recreation Department.
• The position will be assigned tasks by the Outdoor Program Coordinator and Assistant Coordinators. $10.00
Requisition Number: H00035P
FEATURED JOB
TYPEWELL TRANSCRIBER/STUDENT OFFICE WORKER The position performs the following functions and duties: • Provide communication access and notes to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. • The trained transcriber will use sophisticated software on notebook computers to listen to class lectures and discussions and rapidly record
the inforamtion in complete English sentences, to be video simultanelously by student readers. • The transcriber will also voice comments and quesitons posed by deaf students, as needed.
Requisition Number: H00043P
Student Writer Marketing and Communicatons Dir Off $10.00 Requisition Number: H00045P
Operations Office/Access Assistant Bookstore Computer Sales $8.75 Requisition Number: H00499P
WSU Automotive Baja PR Intern Automotive Technology $9.00 Requisition Number: H00555P
Tech Team Leader Student Lab Support $12.00 Requisition Number: H00518P
Statics and Strengths of Materials Tutor Engineering Technology $10.00 Requistion Number: H00512P
Custodian Facilities Management Admin Requisition Number: S00175P
Level 2 Lab Technician Student Lab Support $11.00 Requisition Number: H00517P
Student Office Assistant Chemistry $8.50 Requistion Number: H00152P
Aquatics/Safety-Water Safety Instructor Campus Recreation $9.50 Requisition Number: H00239P
Research Assistant for Chemistry Laboratory Chemistry $8.50-9.00 Requistion Number: H00151P
MLS Lab/Teaching Assistants Medical Lab Science $12.00 Requisition Number: H00036P
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Geoscience Teaching Assistant Geosciences $10.00 Requisition Number: H00074P
Assistant Professor of Localization and Translation Foreign Language Requisition Number: F00042P WSU Wildcat Store Tech Repair Bookstore Technology Services $8.75 Requisition Number: H00494P Technical Support Specialist and Programmer Financial Services IT $12.00 Requisition Number: H00197P
Editor-in-Chief Harrison Epstein harrisonepstein@mail.weber.edu
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The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.
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