Friday | March 26, 2021 | Volume 94 | Issue 46
ISRAEL CAMPA| The Signpost
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NEWS » PAGE 4
SPORTS » PAGE 8
EXPANDING THE POWER OF THE VACCINE
SOFTBALL STORMED TO A STOP BROOKLYN KILGORE| The Signpost
MILES SHAW| The Signpost
2 | MyWeberMedia.com| March 26, 2021
By MARISA NELSON Section Editor
The car that cried wolf A car was reported to be parked on the sidewalk by the D2 parking lot on March 17. The officer went to the area but was unable to locate the vehicle. A car at Weber State Davis campus needed a boot removed on March 18. The vehicle owner showed proof of payment to the officer, and the officer removed the boot. No further action was taken.
Play date in the parking lot On March 19, two young males were reported playing on dirt piles at the construction site in parking lot A2. The officer arrived and was unable to locate the individuals. Nothing to smell here A complainant reported smelling marijuana at University Village on March 20. When an officer arrived, they could not smell anything. The officer knocked on the apartment that was reported, and a female student let him into the room where the officer could smell the marijuana. The officer took the student’s information, and she said she was the
only one home. The scene was cleared, and there was no scent coming from the other rooms.
seen taking a hoodie matching the description. The hoodie was returned and the resident did not press charges.
Stealing plates and hoodies On March 21, a theft was reported in the LDS institute parking lot. The complainant reported his rear license plate had been stolen. A theft reported on March 2 was followed up on by officers on March 22. A resident in Wildcat Village reported that laundry had been moved out of a washer and two items were stolen. Officers reviewed footage and saw multiple individuals touching the complainant’s clothes, but one individual was
Fly over A drone was reported on March 17 flying over the information booth on campus. When an officer arrived, there was no drone in sight. The complainant said she saw it over Harrison, continued over the duck pond and beyond, then disappeared. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash
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NIKKI DORBER | The Signpost
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By ADAM RUBIN
Senior Reporter
Public mass vaccination has taken the dedication, resilience and cooperation of local health professionals. As the country moves through this vaccination process together, there are some steps toward progress that many may not be aware of or perhaps just aren’t thinking about. Dalan Hilton is the continuous improvement leader at Intermountain Healthcare and oversees all of Northern Utah and Melissa Call is the marketing and communications manager at McKay-Dee Hospital. Both Hilton and Call are well-entrenched in the frontlines of the ongoing mass vaccination solution here in Utah. There are seven locations throughout Utah that Intermountain Healthcare is using as campuses to administer doses for the public. Depending on how many doses of the vaccine are granted to Intermountain Healthcare from the state of Utah, caregivers and medical providers are administering nearly 1,300 doses per week. “At McKay-Dee, we are scheduling 30 patients every 15 minutes, so we’re doing 120 per hour,” Hilton said. Patients can register online and use the
website to ensure that all communication is efficient between the medical professionals and other caregivers. They fill out a survey with personal health-related questions, select their time, location, get their vaccinations and after a 15-minute waiting period for observation, patients can get back to their normal routines. During the 15-minute observation period, medical staff look over personal information, check for any allergic reactions and make sure that each patient is vaccinated without any medical emergency. Mostly, Hilton explained, there have just been rashes and sight redness from the injection. “I’ve helped with vaccines starting back in December,” Hilton said. “We’ve got to be right around 9,000 to 10,000 now, and I can think of one reaction where we had to have some intervention in the emergency department.” Negative reactions to vaccines do exist, yet medical workers are prepared with anti-allergenics and are able to proceed with the proper protocol for those incidents. As the public depends on medical personnel for the bettering of our community’s health, there are still concerns. People call Intermountain Healthcare with questions regarding the differences between the available
vaccinations, differences between side-effects and other concerns about getting their vaccinations. Call described how the environment, or the climate of concern, has changed since the initial outbreak, and has notes written and posted on her wall by caring members of the community to help keep their caregivers going. “I think the word to use is ‘camaraderie.’ What we saw was our team members pull together and support each other, and then we saw the community do the same thing. It’s really those tender moments that kept the team going,” Call said. Now that people are getting their vaccinations and preparing to move past the experience, there are some things that might be worth considering. “One thing that I’d like people to keep in mind is that vaccines are not effective immediately and may take a few weeks,” Call said. In December at Intermountain, there were several physicians getting their vaccinations, and after having worked with these medical personnel for some time, both Call and Hilton stated that this brought them a sense of optimism about getting the vaccination because they trust them with the healthcare of their loved ones. “It is now time for the younger generation
to get vaccinated, and we hope that they know that it is easy, it’s a streamlined process and that there are medical providers overseeing this. It’s something that will help us all,” Call said. Ryan Perkins, emergency service coordinator at Ogden City Fire Department, works closely with the medical caregivers in the area at Intermountain Healthcare and was the one-man team responsible for mitigation and management of any disaster that may have come the hospital’s way when the pandemic hit. As soon as Perkins started considering COVID-19, one of his main focuses was looking at things like recovery and how to bounce back from a disaster like this. Perkins explained how they are currently seeing people calling around and scheduling several appointments looking for a specific vaccine and not canceling the other appointments that they have made. The vaccines need to be used within a certain amount of time before they are no longer safe for use. “Get the vaccine when you can,” Perkins said. “But make sure you cancel the other appointments for other people.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
BROOKLYNN KILGORE | The Signpost
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Skyler Pyle, emergency services manager, reports that their goal is to get through 60 vaccinations about every fifteen minutes.
BROOKLYNN KILGORE | The Signpost
The Wildcat statue stands in front of Dee Events Center mass vaccination clinic Mar. 16 in Ogden, Utah.
By MILES SHAW
Asst. Section Editor
Home runs and snowflakes followed the Weber State Wildcats when the softball team took the diamond in Ogden to face in-state rival Utah State for the team’s first home game at Wildcat Softball Field since the April 19, 2019 victory over Montana. What started out as a sunny afternoon turned into an all-out snowstorm after two innings of play and a 5–4 lead for the Aggies over the Wildcats. “It felt incredible because this past year, all we’ve wanted to do is play at home,” Mariah Ramire, the Wildcats’ sophomore pitcher, said. “This weather sucks, but it was fun the first two innings.” The game was already higher-scoring in just two innings than the seven the teams played at the Dixie State Tournament on Feb. 27. The Aggies won that game 2–0 in St. George. The game won’t affect the Wildcats’ record, but will instead be entered into to the record Wildcat softball players run to the dugout as snow falls in Ogden, forcing the books as canceled. two innings. After an initial delay, the umpires called the between shortstop and second base. game as snow began turning the diamond’s grateful to even get two innings in.” WSU’s right-hander Kate Donaldson started On a 2–2 pitch count, Donaldson struck out clay to mud. the game as pitcher for the Wildcats, and the USU’s Gabriella Jimenez for two outs. “I think all around we’re just really grateful first Aggie batter hit right to third base, where With Reed in scoring position for the Aggies to be here and be playing softball just with Camarero bulleted a throw to Wildcats’ first after stealing second and third base, DonaldCOVID and everything,” Chloe Camarero, the baseman Ashlyn Visser for the first out of the son pitched to USU’s Kennedy Hira, who hit a Wildcats’ First Team All-Conference senior game. line-drive to third caught by Camarero for the third baseman, said. “We haven’t been able The Aggies’ second batter up, Stephanie third out. to play a home game in a while, but even if The Wildcats brought the power during weather like this happens, we’re just really Reed, hit a single up the middle of the field
MILES SHAW | The Signpost
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March 23 game to be canceled after
their first at-bats. WSU freshman outfielder Mia Rushton bunted and was thrown out at first, but sophomore Katelyn Whiting headed to first base on a walk, bringing Camarero to the plate. On a 2–0 pitch count, Camarero hit the ball out of the park for a two-run homer to put the Wildcats up 2–0 on the scoreboard. “It felt great,” Camarero said of her first in-
MILES SHAW | The Signpost
MILES SHAW | The Signpost
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MILES SHAW | The Signpost
The sun shines down on Wildcat Softball Field minutes before Weber State and Utah State take the field on March 23 in Ogden.
Weber State’s softball home opener is cut short after just two innings due to the snow.
ning home run. “It was great all around to be at home.” After the home run, Visser stepped up to the plate for the Wildcats, hitting a single. With Visser on first, sophomore Lauren Hoe’s hit was scooped up by the Aggies, and Visser was forced out at second base. With two outs and a 2–0 pitch count, Mariah Ramirez hit the ball over the centerfield fence for the Wildcats’ second two-run homer of the game. “It was just amazing,” Ramirez said of hitting a home run in the first home game of the season. Freshman outfielder Noelle Foster grounded out to the pitcher for the third out, ending
the first inning with four runs on three hits for WSU. At the top of the second, the Aggies’ scoring run began with three straight walks. After a baserunner was walked in, scoring for the Aggies, Jimenez hit a two-RBI single. With two outs, USU’s Lexi Orozco hit a twoRBI triple to give the Aggies a 5–4 lead. To end the second inning, the Wildcats went three-up and three-down before the game was ended due to snow. The Wildcats’ overall record is 11-9. The teams played in the Grand Canyon, UNLV and Dixie State tournaments. WSU played tough competition to start the season: Oregon, the University of Utah,
The Wildcat softball field scoreboard shines through the snow minutes before the game against Utah State is canceled in Ogden on March 23.
Grand Canyon, UNLV, Dixie State and Utah State among others. The Wildcats haven’t played a single conference game yet. “This is going to be my first home-opener in conference for me, so I’m really looking forward to what the conference experience really is, because last year got cut short,” Ramirez said. “But we’re all hungry and ready to play.” The first Big Sky game comes when Idaho State arrives under the looming Wasatch Mountains on March 26 for a doubleheader and a single game on March 27. “We’ve been waiting to play, so it’ll be really
awesome to get going again,” Camarero said. WSU’s home stretch at Wildcat Softball Field continues on April 6, with a single game versus Utah Valley and on April 9, a double header against Sacramento State.
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The bridge is located on the second floor of the Shephard Union and is littered with images of valiant women. By KIERSTYNN KING Reporter
A moment for someone to reflect, create a conversation, have their day brightened and recognize inspiration is what the education and empowerment assistants at the Women’s Center hope students experience as they walk down the bridge that joins the Student Services and the Shepherd Union buildings. The theme is all about valiant women refusing to be silent, and the bridge is decorated with posters, topics and pictures of women throughout history to help celebrate women’s history month. The bridge display was put together over spring break and will remain up through the end of March. “When we think about Women’s History, it’s not necessarily viewed as important as our
normal everyday history, which is predominantly dominated by men,” Jazmyne Olson, education empowerment assistant, said. Olson said the Women’s Center wanted to showcase all the different parts of women’s history and the many women who have contributed to what people experience today in the modern world. The bridge is divided into four categories of significant women in history: women from Utah, Ogden and the U.S., along with African American women. Some of the women represented include Anna Belle Weakley, Ida B. Wells, Mignon Barker Richmond, Frida Kahlo, Mae Timbimboo Parry, Alice Kasai, Amelia Earheart, Angela Davis and Zitkala-Sa. At the end of the bridge is a pad of paper along with pamphlets and pens so students
can write down the names of women who inspire them in their lives or in history. Olson’s favorite part of the display is seeing the different names of women that people have written down. “It’s really impactful. There was someone that wrote down their mom,” Olson said. “There are so many women — our moms, sisters, daughters — whose contributions go unrecognized. So having a place in the gallery that could be recognized was very impactful.” Education Empowerment Assistant Nailah Mansa helped create and organize the sections. Mansa also created the artwork for the Black women’s history section and the valiant women poster. “I loved creating the bridge and turning it into more of an art gallery. It’s almost like you’re looking at different artists and their
ISRAEL CAMPA | The Signpost
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work,” Mansa said. Angela Davis is on Mansa’s list of personal inspirational figures for her social justice work, what she’s done for prison reform, her work in various movements and for the Black Panther party. Education Empowerment Assistant Haylee Oyler also helped oversee the display project from beginning to end. “I hope students come to the display and know that we are making change. It’s happening and it is possible,” Oyler said. “We’re part of the group of women that others are inspired by.”
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The WSU Women’s Center is focusing on empowering and educating people about gender equality in an engaging yet informative way.
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By LUCAS MOORE Reporter
ter at understanding the virus and pandemic in general. An example of a topic discussed is that just because the younger generations aren’t dying from the virus, unless they have underlying health issues, does not mean they aren’t now susceptible to becoming long-haulers. Long-haulers are people who have contracted the COVID-19 virus and have long-term symptoms. They could recover and feel better for weeks at a time, only to relapse and feel sick again with old or new symptoms. “As a scientist, it bothered me seeing students and teenagers conjugating in bigger groups and not following CDC guidelines because of the danger they attract for themselves and others,” Hutchins said. This, combined with their want for more people to become interested in immunology,
is what fueled their motivation. The three professors wanted to attract people from different backgrounds, so Clark came up with the idea to design a divided course. “Ground-track” students have no background in immunology and “sky-track” students have some background in immunology. There are quizzes over the weeks, no exams and everything is based on current events and creates a structure where they can be responsive to new things that keep popping up. They plan to bring the course back again for the fall 2021 semester. It is currently completely virtual and available for all education levels. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Weber State University
In the spring 2021 semester, Weber State University offered the HAS 3980 “Immunology of COVID-19” course. In this class, students learn and interpret the hard facts of pandemics, viruses and our immune systems. There are three professors who instruct the class: Jim Hutchins, health sciences and neuroscience professor; Matthew Nicholaou, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences professor; and Daniel Clark, Department of Microbiology professor. Hutchins explained that as staff was planning spring courses, they figured they had a problem: the lack of knowledge of immunology among students and the general public is
not helping the world’s current situation. “I felt it was important to educate future healthcare workers to be able to be experts on this pandemic, and more to come, and to help others become educated as well,” Hutchins said. “This is to help them become advocates for a good public policy.” Nicholaou also wanted to teach a more general audience about immunology. He said he wanted students to be able to understand those deep terms that come with this complex subject. According to Nicholaou, some weeks the curriculum is very technical, and other times, students have discussions such as, “Should this person be required for an immunization?” He also clarifies that the course is constantly refining itself with the new information popping up weekly, and that they are getting bet-
Wide-scale COVID-19 testing for students and employees at Weber State University began on Nov. 10.
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Wildcat Chat College life can be stressful and sometimes you need someone who understands these stressors to chat with or even just vent to. Your fellow Wildcats are here and ready to listen! Learn more and see the complete schedule at: weber.edu/CounselingCenter/wildcat-chat.html
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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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The Pliking Club of Ogden is an organization working to clean up Ogden’s hiking trails. They have held 66 events since Sept. 2018. Their next event is on April 10 at the Trackline Trail in Ogden, Utah. By MACKENZIE DESSIN Reporter
Every year, Weber State University and the Center for Community Engaged Learning award members of the community with presidential awards. Their first ceremony was held over a decade ago back in 2007. The award titles include Community Engaged Faculty Member, Community En-
gaged Staff Member, Community Engaged Student or Student Group, Committed Community Partner and Community Engaged Alumnus. This year, the recipients are to be presented with their awards on April 15. This year’s awardees include the Pliking Club of Ogden for Community Partner, Taylor Knuth for Community Engaged Alum, Joseph ‘Jo’ Blake for Community Engaged Faculty Member, Amanda Gentry for Communi-
ty Engaged Staff Member, and Giovanni Frias for Community Engaged Student. Each award has its own set of criteria. According to the CCEL website, they recognize individuals who have “successfully incorporated community engaged teaching with demonstrable outcomes and/or conducted outstanding community engaged research.” Adrienne Gillespie Andrews received the award in 2009 for Community Engaged Staff
Member. She is currently the AVP for diversity and chief diversity officerin WSU’s own diversity office. Other past recipients include GiGi’s Playhouse, a Down syndrome achievement centerwith locations across the U.S., Catholic Community Services of Northern Utah, which is based in Ogden, and Forrest Crawford, a WSU alumnus.
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THE SIGNPOST TEAM Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Greenlee jennifergreenlee@mail.weber.edu
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Sports Editor Raymond Lucas raymondlucas@mail.weber.edu
Adviser Jean Norman jeannorman@weber.edu Ad Manager KC Sanders kcsanders@weber.edu 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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