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DECEMBER 3, 2021 • VOL. 99 NO. 01 • EST. 1924
CAMPUS
OP-ED
REGION
SPORTS
Students contribute to national research study about squirrels on college campuses.
Moving on after significant loss is a difficult feat. Finding ways to move forward is important.
Greene County prepares for upcoming winter. Weather conditions are expected to be average.
Men and women's basketball teams take on Franciscan for second home game Dec. 4.
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LET THE GAMES BEGIN SPRING 2022
Waynesburg prepares to launch new eSports gaming opportunity LACHLAN LOUDON Copy Desk Chief
The rumors can now be silenced—the announcement has been made via Waynesburg University social media accounts about eSports coming to campus. The unfathomable is happening: video games and school will intersect. In a video clip featuring senior communication major Scotty Miller using the new equipment, the university confirmed everyone’s suspicions. ESports will be on campus as soon as next semester, in the spring of 2022, with a soft launch, according to athletic director Adam Jack. The competition aspect is set to start next fall, while Jack said they are currently conducting interviews for a full-time eSports coach/ director to take charge. As far as the equipment is concerned, 26 stations with chairs, PCs, headsets, monitors and more are being installed. “These gaming rigs are state-of-the art and the number of them that we will have to utilize will give us one of the largest venues in the region,” Jack said via email. “All of this was made possible through a
very generous anonymous donor.” A c c o r d i n g t o Ja c k , equipment will include Alienware Aurora R12 Gaming Desktops, Secret Lab Gaming Chairs, adjustable desks, Bose headsets and curved monitors. All of this and more is to be included in what will be the “eSports Arena.” These renovations should be completed mid to late January 2022. The eSports Arena will be housed in athletics, according to Jack, but it is not yet sanctioned by the NCAA to be a varsity sport. This arena is to be set up in Buhl 205, which was formerly a PC computer lab. Miller recognizes that the eSports setup is “top notch” and “the best of the best” compared to other eSports labs in the region. He also said that as of now, the games students get to play will include “Rocket
League,” “Overwatch” and “Super Smash Bros.” Ultimate. Miller, who is the student featured in the social media clip, has had a crucial hand in making the
project possible. He has served as a student leader assisting faculty in setting up the eSports program. Miller’s work is also part of his senior capstone project for the Department of Communication. Miller, alongside Depart-
ment of Communication Chair Richard Krause are working to televise the eSports events and broadcast them with newly acquired equip-
ment. Since Miller plans to graduate in the spring, he will no longer be a student when his work comes into fruition. “I’m not going to be far away, so if they ever had any questions or anything I’d definitely answer them,” Miller said. “I know they’re hiring for the coach’s position, which I’m not going to be able to get, but if there would be a chance for me to get [involved] I’d
gladly … take on that role to stay to help establish something like this.” Back in July, Student Services Administrative Assistant Mary Woessner sent a campuswide email with a survey asking students about their interest in an eSports pilot program.
Abigail Phillips, The Yellow Jacket
When the eSports Arena opens its doors, students will be given a new opportunity to compete against other gamers. The countdown until the completion of the high-end facility beings.
Region event to give out Narcan RACHEL PELLEGRINO Executive Editor
A few weeks ago marked a milestone in U.S. history. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. exceeded 100,000 annual deaths for the first time, according to new data from the CDC. This week will mark another more local milestone in combating drug overdoses. Waynesburg University, in collaboration with the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission, will host its first Narcan-Distribution Drive-Thru. The event will be hosted Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6000 Town Center Boulevard in Canonsburg. “The drive-thru event is the new way since we’ve gone through COVID-19,” said Breanne Pugh, project coordinator for Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission. “We used to do in-person training and things like that, but we decided that you know just because COVID-19 is going on we still can’t not distribute Narcan.” NARCAN << A4
Admissions Office Santa’s reindeer are coming to town undergoes several Alumna partners with alma mater for service opportunity position changes RACHEL PELLEGRINO Executive Editor
RILEY HOLSINGER For The Yellow Jacket
The Admissions Office for Waynesburg University has recently experienced several changes. Some staff members have moved on, and familiar faces have begun to fill their vacancies. One of the most notable and recent changes to the Admissions Office was the departure of Jackie Palko, the former director of undergraduate and graduate admissions. Robert Barnhart is filling in as the Interim Director of Admissions. “I’ve been working in the Office of Admissions for over nine years, and the familiarity certainly has made the transition a bit easier,” Barnhart said. “Having been throug h [many] recruiting cycles, I have a pretty good idea of the different phases of the process throughout the year, so that will hopefully serve to prevent any unexpected surprises along the way.” Barnhart’s promotion wasn’t the only change in the Admissions Office this year. Five new admissions counselors were hired for this past fall recruiting cycle. Some of the new members to the admissions
team are relying on familiarity with Waynesburg, like Barnhart, as a huge reason for an easy adjustment. Michael Trax and Isaiah Skeete, are recent graduates of Waynesburg and two of the five new admissions counselors. They both find that their experiences as students helped them slide into their new roles. “I think it was pretty easy from the start,” Trax said. “I knew all of the basics about Waynesburg, I just had to touch back up on the admissions process details and everything.” “I’m a fresh set of eyes,” Skeete said. “I’m a recent grad just a couple months ago, so I love answering when families and students have questions about what Waynesburg has to offer.” As a recent graduate, Skeete’s eyes on the University are as fresh as anyone’s eyes in that role can be. Trax completed his undergraduate degree in 2020 and finished his master’s degree last year. Barnhart agrees that recency with the University helps out some of the newer counselors. Even the ones that didn’t attend Waynesburg can make an impact too.
This weekend, Santa’s reindeer will be making a special visit to On Eagles’ Wings Therapeutic Horsemanship Center located in Fairmont, West Virginia. The nonprofit organization, in collaboration with Waynesburg University, will host its first annual “Friends of Rudolph” Holiday Season Open House on Sunday, Dec. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The stables of On Eagles’ Wings will incorporate the sights and sounds of the Courtesy of Casey Conaway season. The barn will be decorated for Christmas, On Eagles’ Wings Therapeutic Horsemanship Center will host first annual Holiday and the horses will tempoSeason Open House Sunday, Dec. 5. Their horses will be temporarily renamed Santa’s rarily be renamed as Santa’s reindeer. reindeer. Holiday music will also be provided by Waynesburg University’s Lamp- would be an opportunity for Wings is to provide equine be possible. lighters Choir. families to be out and en- activities and therapies for “We’re just so grateful for “I would say our event joy the holiday season and individuals with disabilities. people who would give their has a three part objective,” three would be to celebrate This event will not only raise time, talent and treasure to awareness for the services On Eagles’ Wings,” she said. of On Eagles’ Wings, but it Conaway is especially “It’s super special and personwill also raise funds to go grateful for On Eagles’ towards the cost of riding Wings' partnership with al to me to have my professionlessons. Waynesburg University for al career to be able to partner “Most of our general fund their first annual holiday goes toward riders' scholar- season open house. with Waynesburg University. ships,” Conaway said. “The “If it was not for the partThat’s kind of a full circle mocost of therapeutic riding or nership between On Eagles’ ment.” equine assisted learning is Wings and Waynesburg, we about $130 an hour, we only would not be able to pull this CASEY CONAWAY On Eagles’ Wings Director of Develoment ask our families to pay $30, if off,” Conaway said. they could. Essentially, we’re Waynesburg University fundraising 75% of our op- not only played an imporerating cost all of the time.” tant role in the planning of said Casey Conaway, direc- comradery and fellowship Without donations as well the event, but will also be tor of development for On among our volunteers.” as volunteers, Conaway em- assisting at the event itself. Eagles’ Wings. “One would According to Conaway, phasized that the services of ADMISSIONS << A4 be the awareness piece, two the mission of On Eagles’ On Eagles’ Wings would not REINDEER << A4
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DECEMBER 3, 2021 S PJ B E S T A L L - A R O U N D N O N - D A I LY N E W S P A P E R
WINNER: 2004 2016 FINALIST: 2003 2013 2014
OPINION
Finishing strong at the finish line RILEY HOLSINGER
STAFF
Columnist
EXECUTIVE EDITOR MANAGING/OP-ED EDITOR REGION EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS WEB EDITOR DIGITAL NEWS DIRECTOR COPY DESK CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER GRAPHIC DESIGNER WEB DESIGNER SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR MARKETING & ADV. ASST EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS SPORTS ASSISTANTS
RACHEL PELLEGRINO SIERRA MEDINA MICAH LEITH AUSTIN BECHTOLD JARED WIKER REBEKAH VAUGHAN LACHLAN LOUDON BEN CHAMP ABIGAIL PHILLIPS JOSHUA HUGHES IVY ALLEN ROBERT REDINGER ADAM HARTNETT DYLAN WINTERS HALEY CUSTER MARLEY WOLF JEREMIAH MILLER CALEB YAUGER
TECHNICAL/FACULTY ADVISORS: RICHARD KRAUSE KRISTINE SCHIFFBAUER
EDITORIAL
Let’s give thanks Giving thanks should be a lifestyle as the holiday season approaches
The holidays are just about here. With Thanksgiving in the books, we should celebrate thankfulness as we head into the winter season. Thankfulness should be a lifestyle, not just on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah or any other holiday one celebrates this season The COVID-19 pandemic has depleted much of the spirit that most of us had since it struck in early 2020. We are about to reach the two-year anniversary of this dark age. The timing of the virus has unfortunately fallen on top of most of our college careers, which is a significant time for growth and maturity in our lives. Having this taken away, as well as the in-person opportunity of face-to-face learning, was detrimental to our academic careers. As humans adapt, we found a way to adapt to this plague. Returning to our first “normal” year in college has been met with rocky adjustments. Notwithstanding, the virus has taught us another lesson: giving thanks. In 2019, most of us took for granted our 8 a.m. class on the second floor of Buhl Hall. We didn’t realize that the next chilly, rainy football game would be the last one in 16 months. When these returned, one couldn’t help but be thankful for the opportunity to experience the old life again. You never know how good something is until it’s gone. As the holidays approach, this gives us an opportunity to reflect on the amenities we took for granted before COVID-19 stole normalcy. It shouldn’t have taken a world-shattering virus to make us realize what to be thankful for. Constantly, we overlook the value of our lives and those opportunities that come along with it. Something as small as waking up in the morning is worthy of thanks. The Yellow Jacket staff is thankful to be back, and urges everyone to give thanks whenever possible, especially during this holiday season.
“College is supposed to be tough.” I overheard this quote a few weeks ago from Lanny Frattare, my mentor and former voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, when I walked past his classroom. He has a great point. College is supposed to be difficult. Students aren’t entitled to a degree for just paying the price of admission. Colleges like Waynesburg University are not designed for students just to walk out of a place without a challenge. Some of those current challenges being dealt with are dealing with a heavy workload, attempting to live a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and sleep, keeping a balance between life and
academics, COVID-19 restrictions and especially burnout. Student burnout is almost inevitable. According to an article written by George Citroner on July 25, 2021 for Healthline.com, student burnout rates went up from 40% to 71% over the course of last school year. As a Resident Assistant in Willison Hall and dealing with residents on a common basis, one of the most apparent reasons for student burnout is the lack of breaks. I’m not only just mentioning a shortened fall break, but also by not getting breaks from schoolwork during the weekends. Some students, like myself, have to stay essentially working seven days a week just to stay afloat from drowning in schoolwork in fear of falling behind. That’s not to make excuses though. College gives us an incredible opportunity to embark on
one of the greatest journeys of our lives. It provides students with a chance to open up the gates to their future professions or chase out a childhood dream. While college and life may be tough, we’re tougher. In the end, all of the long nights, weeks, months and semesters of grinding away to stay ahead of the curve will pay off. If you don’t give up, you will be proud of your hard work by the time you reach the end of the semester, college career or reach your future profession. Challenges will not only be thrown at you in college but also in life. “You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward,” is a quote from Rocky Balboa that best summarizes the trials of life.
There are going to be obstacles in every facet of life. Despite what you may be dealing with now, it is all about how you can bounce back from the adversities that you’re dealing with. As we may be dealing with our own adversities, it is critical to find a way to persevere and push through them. Stay strong mentally, believe in yourself and your abilities. There is a plethora of incredible and beautiful opportunities in life to be taken advantage of and to appreciate. While this semester may be challenging for a lot of students, there is still another week left. Don’t give up now. Now is not the time to start slacking. Now is the time to be as focused as ever to finish the semester strong to be proud of yourself for all of the hard work you’ve put in. Our work is not done yet; finish strong at the finish line.
Moving forward ... but not moving on REBEKAH VAUGHAN Columnist
EDITOR'S NOTE: Previously published on theyellowjacket.org. Over the summer, I experienced something that I never thought I would. A death in the family is always hard, but when it’s your own mother and from something as awful as cancer, it changes you. It changes the way you view the world and other people. My mom had breast cancer for the first time when I was in second grade. I was too young to understand what was happening. Death wasn’t exactly a conscious fear then. All I knew was that mom was sick and that other people were helping out with the cooking. The second round of cancer was found right after Christmas 2020. She tested negative for COVID, but the fluid in her lungs tested positive for cancer, the family was scared. But there was still hope. Oral chemo
medicine could slow down the progression. We could possibly have many more years with her. I went back to college for the spring semester. She wanted me to. We didn’t even know if the medicine was working or not, so I continued my studies. I moved back home at the beginning of May for summer break. I worked long days at my local park to make money. Summer was progressing as it should. But the cancer was progressing too. The next PET scan lit up like a light bulb. I was told the doctor said the cancer “exploded.” The oral chemo wasn’t working. The next option was IV chemo. Mom decided to stop treatments then. I don’t remember much from the months of May and June. I’ve read online that being a caregiver to an ill person can be considered a form of mental trauma. The brain subconsciously deletes all the bad memories. It’s taxing, but you do it for the people you love. And it was incredibly taxing.
As mom got worse, I had to be home more often. She couldn’t be alone because she depended on us for everything, so dad and I took shifts in the house to make sure she was alright. If I wasn’t at work, I was at home helping to keep mom comfortable. Mom passed away on June 21, 2021. With all of that being said, life does move forward. My mom knew she was dying. We all did. She told me so many times, “Rebekah, life goes on.” But it doesn’t. Life feels like it’s frozen in time. Like I’m stuck on June 21, 2021 and that anytime I think I’m making progress, I’m pulled back to that day and everything resets. No, life doesn’t “move on.” Life moves forward. Moving on means forgetting, ignoring the past. You move on from a bad relationship. Moving forward means acknowledging what happened, remembering every moment to the best of your abilities and living with
the joy that your life timelines just happened to cross paths. I went back to school for the next fall semester. I kept working every day after her passing. Moving on means forgetting. Moving forward is working towards the future but never forgetting. It also means continuing the loved ones' philosophies of life by learning from their life experiences. My mom never got to retire. She never got to enjoy life after work, and she worked incredibly hard every day of her life. The last month of her life was spent telling me not to do what she did. My new philosophy in life is all because of her. Work to live, don’t live to work. Enjoy life now while you still can. Yes, still work hard, but don’t make work your entire life. So while this summer was very difficult, so will the many years to come. I’m getting through it by remembering who my mother was and not trying to ignore what happened.
NEWS
In the news: Three notable headlines EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a synopsis of a recent topic trending in world or national news. MICAH LEITH Region Editor
TO THE READER In order to provide better coverage in a more timely fashion, The Yellow Jacket focusses on an online-first format. Online coverage for campus, region, Op/Ed and sports can be found on our website, theyellowjacket.org. Due to this change, the print publication has been condensed to eight full-color pages for limited printing.
ABOUT OP/EDS
Editorials in the left-hand column represent the views of the Yellow Jacket. Letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements on the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the position of this newspaper and university.
NEWSPAPER POLICY
The Yellow Jacket is the student-operated newspaper of Waynesburg University funded by student fees and advertisements and is intended for the entire college community. The Yellow Jacket is produced by the student staff on a weekly basis during the academic year. The office of the Yellow Jacket is located in room 400 of Buhl Hall. It is the right of the Yellow Jacket to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off the record" information will be accepted.
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Anyone wishing to advertise in the Yellow Jacket should email the advertising director at jacketads@waynesburg. edu. Ads must be submitted by the Monday before publication date and not conflict with the university mission. Copyright © 2021 Waynesburg University 51 W. College St.Waynesburg, Pa. 15370
1. Omicron COVID-19 variant emerges The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has prompted new travel restrictions in countries around the world, according to the Wall Street Journal. Israel has closed its borders to all foreigners, while Australia and the United States are restricting entry for travelers from some southern African countries including South Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the Omicron variant may be more transmissible than other COVID-19 strains. The Omicron variant has around 50 mutations, some of which could potentially render the vaccine less effective. So far, Australia, the Netherlands, Austria, and Canada have reported positive tests. 2. Ahmaud Arbery case concludes Three defendants have been found guilty in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery last year. Travis McMichael and Gregory McMichael were both found guilty of four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, false
Fusion Medical Animation via Unsplash
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 emerges as a more transmissible strain of the infamous virus (World Health Organization). imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony, according to court documents. Travis, who fired the shot that killed Arbery, was also found guilty of malice murder. The third defendant, William Bryan, Jr., f ilmed Arbery’s murder and was charged with three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony. The sentencing date has not been set, and the defendants’ attorneys said that they will appeal the ruling, according to Newsweek. 3 . U. S . e c o n o my i s improving as holidays approach Weekly jobless claims
have hit a 52 year low as the United States economy continues to rebound, according to numbers released by the Department of Labor. Jobless claims have been falling since September and correspond with high levels of job openings. Meanwhile, consumer spending is increasing as the holiday season continues, according to the Commerce Department. However, in-
flation continues to be a problem, and the Federal Reserve is warning that there is no clear answer as to when it will begin to lessen. It is also considering raising interest rates as a way to reduce the impact on the economy. Meanwhile, supply chain issues still plague the global economy, but the gridlock is beginning to improve, according to the Wall Street Journal.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the editor are encouraged as a method to bring issues of concern into the public eye. Letters should be typed, limited to 300 words, signed and include a phone number for confirmation. Letters may be submitted to 400 Buhl Hall, sent to the Yellow Jacket via campus mail or via email to jacket@waynesburg.edu. Letters may also be sent to Yellow Jacket, 400 Buhl Hall, Waynesburg University, 51 W. College St., Waynesburg, Pa. 15370.
DECEMBER 3, 2021
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Colleges campuses are going nuts about squirrels RACHEL PELLEGRINO Executive Editor
Waynesburg’s campus is home to two things: students and squirrels. This fall semester, Waynesburg University students participated in a national research study to learn more about their college counterpart. The national study, conducted by Squirrel-Net, looks into the behavior of squirrels across North American college campuses. The study, which started in 2017, provides undergraduate students an opportunity to participate in scientific inquiry. “[Squirrel-Net] is a group of mammalogists around the world … who are passionate about undergraduate education,” said Christian Hayes, assistant professor of biology. “And they have all these programs that allow students to learn about squirrels, and then they do research to try to understand squirrel behavior.” Squirrel-Net is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Their goal is to gain long-term data about squirrels. Hayes’
ecology class contributed to this goal through their semester-long project. “Squirrels in particular have a lot of interesting behaviors and squirrels on college campuses tend to get acclimated,” Hayes said. “The squirrels around here tend to behave differently than if you were going to go up to the mountains and hangout with some squirrels.” According to Hayes, the aim of the project was to understand how squirrels respond and gauge risk. The optimal foraging theory played an important role in the project. “We wanted to understand how squirrels behave differently,” Hayes said. “You can look at optimal foraging theory where you look at how far a squirrel is willing to go and how much danger they are willing to experience in order to get food.” The project consisted of 16 trays filled with measured sand and sunflower seeds. Four trays were placed in each of the four parks surrounding the University. Two trays were placed closer to the tree.
Two trays were placed farther away from the tree. After a few days, the sand and sunflower seeds were measured and the difference between measurements was calculated. “In general, the squirrels tended to eat more from the closer one, but there wasn’t enough data to say that it was significant,” Hayes continued, “that is statistically to say that.” Even though the results did not provide significant evidence of squirrel behavior, the project was more than just collecting data about squirrel behavior. The project provided an opportunity for students to learn about ecological science. “We used new technology that I don’t think we’ve used before at Waynesburg. So it was really interesting and it was the stuff they use in the field for biology currently. So it was a good learning experience,” said Breanne Hunter, junior biology major. In addition to training students in ecological science, the project also benefited Squirrel-Net. After the completion of the experiment, Waynesburg’s data
Rachel Pellegrino, The Yellow Jacket
Fall 2021 ecology class studies the behaviors of squirrels to understand their important roles in the ecosystem. was added to the organization’s growing database. “The students get valuable experience doing the research, and then the data actually goes to a group that can use it to better understand squirrel behaviors changing across the United States’ college campuses and other areas,” Hayes said. Additionally, Hunter said,
it was a fun opportunity to work with the notorious squirrels of Waynesburg. “It was fun working with the squirrels because they’re the things you see around campus every single day,” Hunter said. “You know that they’re good enough with people that you could just hold out a french fry, and they’ll come and take it. So seeing them in a more
scientific standpoint was really interesting.” Hunter and Hayes both said they are hoping to expand upon this experiment in the future. “We could definitely expand onto that,” Hunter said. “That’s the funny thing about science. Once you finish one experiment, you have 13 more to branch off from.”
Sierra Medina, The Yellow Jacket
Christmas bells are ringing in Waynesburg’s chapel REBEKAH VAUGHN
Digital News Content Director
The sound of jingling bells and the smell of hot chocolate are about to fill the air on the campus of Waynesburg University. On Saturday, Dec. 4, the Lamplighter Concert Choir and the Symphonic Band will be joining forces to put on the Music Program’s Christmas Concert. The concert will feature holiday songs from movies such as “Home Alone”, “Charlie Brown Christmas”, “Rudolph'' and tunes from “Glee”, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and other popular songs. The choir will be performing first in the concert. Diamond Price, president of the Lamplighter Concert Choir, will be performing a solo in the piece “White Christmas.” “I have been singing since I was young, maybe around age 5, in community choirs, and then in school choirs,” Price said in an email interview. “At Waynesburg, I have been a member of the touring choir and the concert choir for four years now. I joined when I was a freshman and now I am a senior.” Price said that although she doesn’t handle too much when it comes to the concerts, her role as presi-
dent of the Lamplighters was to make sure that the other singers were prepared to go on stage. “I am responsible for making sure everyone is comfortable and prepared for our concert,” Price said. “I try to contact people who are absent and really connect with everyone to see how they are feeling.” The creation of the concert did not come without challenges for the choir. “The hardest part of putting together this concert is the time,” Price said. “We had a few moments where we wondered if we were ready or not and we had to do the hard thing and cut a few challenging pieces.” And although a few pieces were cut, Price is still excited to perform. “I am most excited for “White Christmas” because I have a solo in it and “Somewhere in My Memory” from “Home Alone” because it is so beautiful,” Price said. After a brief intermission, the Symphonic Band will take to the stage for their portion of the concert. “The band’s going to do everything from TransSiberian Orchestra, to The Carpenters, to a really nice arrangement of “Do You Hear What I Hear” that was featured on “Glee”,”
Ronda DePriest, professor of instrumental music and director of the music program, said. President of the Symphonic Band Hannah Jobes worked alongside DePriest in preparations for the concert. “I have worked on making sure the other officers as well as musicians have
the holiday season!” During the band’s portion of the concert, a faculty trio will perform featuring Scott Elliot, Jim DePriest and Camilo Jauregui. Lyrics for the singalong portion will be printed in the program and will be projected on the screen in the Chapel. “They’re going to do
“This concert is bittersweet to me, as it will be my last Christmas concert at Waynesburg. I am so grateful to have been a part of this choir since freshman year, and I cherish the moment and the people.”
DIAMOND PRICE
President of the Lamplighter Concert Choir
their folders, instruments and a musical mindset to work through concert practices,” Jobes said in an email interview. Jobes, who will be playing the flute, said that the holiday season is one of the reasons for her excitement surrounding this concert. “I am most excited about being able to celebrate the holiday season along with my peers,” Jobes said. “It is always a great way to end the semester and kick off
some internal pieces and some things that the audience can sing along to,” DePriest said. Annually, the band and choir share the stage for the Christmas concert and the final concert in the spring. The band has been practicing and preparing for the concert since midterms. “Even though it’s going to be a fun thing, the band’s going to be working a little bit,” DePriest said.
Jobes said the band strove to stay one step ahead in order to work past the difficulties. “The most challenging part of putting together this concert was figuring out ways to stay one step ahead of our semester plan so that we could incorporate new ways and sounds into this year's concert,” Jobes said. DePriest said that with COVID-19 still providing difficulties, she wanted to stretch the band with a few difficult pieces. The other pieces, including the faculty trio, are included to make the concert less stressful and more fun for student players. “I also want the student population that comes to understand that they can take lessons, they can be a part of that kind of thing here at a liberal arts university,” DePriest said. “I want them to kind of meet the faculty.” By including the faculty trio, DePriest hopes to not only inspire other students to join, but to also support musicians who might have taken a hit from COVID-19 shutdowns. “They missed out on a whole lot of income there for a while. So for me, I just thought, ``If this is the year I’m going to feature faculty, I need to do it now’,” De-
Priest said. On Friday, Nov. 2, the night before the Christmas concert, the music program will be holding the annual Tuba Christmas concert. The concert will be a Christmas carol singalong with tubas and euphoniums. “We started about 10 years ago; we had four players. Two euphoniums and two tubas. Last year we had 36 playing and the audience singing,” DePriest said. According to DePriest, Tuba Christmas brings in a lot of community members. “We get a lot of community in for that and a lot of tuba and euphonium instructors from the area come and play and kids all the way down to junior high. It’s a really neat time,” DePriest said. Tuba Christmas will perform in Roberts Chapel at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Christmas concert will start at 7:30 p.m. in Roberts Chapel on Saturday. “This concert is bittersweet to me, as it will be my last Christmas concert at Waynesburg,” Price said. “I am so grateful to have been a part of this choir since freshman year, and I cherish the moment and the people.”
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DECEMBER 3, 2021
Goodbye COVID-19 wellness days, hello spring break JESSE CAIN
For The Yellow Jacket
There is one week left of the semester and we’re already springing into the next. The 2022 spring academic calendar is officially completed and posted on Waynesburg University’s website. After the 2021 fall semster ends next week, the University’s undergraduate programs will begin a month long winter recess period. Undergraduate students will be back on campus Jan. 10, which will mark the official start of the 2022 spring semester. Looking at this year’s spring calendar, a major difference from last year’s calendar is the return of spring break. “It’s going to be so nice to have a week off to help refresh and recharge,” said Cal Kildow, junior education major. The 2022 spring break kicks off Feb. 26. This entire week off from classes is a switch up from last
year’s Keep Waynesburg Well protocol. “Wellness days seem to be a thing of the past, as the University, its students and the Student Senate have been wanting more normal breaks to return,” said Student Senate President Luke Diel. “We know many students and faculty were upset in the previous year.” Even with the return of spring break, there are just as many instructional weeks as the 2021 spring semester. Comparing last year's calendar on Waynesburg’s website to this year’s calendar, both semester have a total of 16 instructional weeks. Despite the same amount of weeks, the addition of spring break means students return to classes Monday, Jan. 10, a few days earlier than last year. This would be different to last year’s spring semester, which began virtually on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. “I feel spring break is a good way to break up the semester,” said junior jour-
nalism and public relations major Gwyn Napier. “I think I do better mentally when we have breaks every couple of weeks.” Another break built into the upcoming semester is for the Easter holiday. Classes will be paused starting Good Friday on April 15, through Monday, April 18 until 6 p.m. This break comes just a week before final examinations of the spring semester, April 25 to 29. From Diel’s perspective, these changes to last year’s spring calendar were difficult for students. “Unfortunately, over the course of the past year the University has had to change the length of these breaks in the hopes to mitigate the risks of students going off campus for extended periods of time,” Diel said. “These measures, while difficult for students, were taken so the risk of COVID-19 spread could be low and students would not have to be tested.” As for the students,
they’re just happy to have spring break back.
“I’m already planning my trip for the spring,” said
Lachlan Loudon, The Yellow Jacket
Chase Espen, junior finance major.
Reindeer
Admissions
Continued from A1
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“Not only was our office [Center for Service Leadership] involved with bringing this idea to life, but we have many student volunteers who are preparing materials and dedicating their time to decorate the day before the event,” said Angelica Good, graduate assistant for the Center for Service Leadership office. “In addition, they are looking forward to serving the community during the event itself and assisting with cleanup.” Conaway graduated from Waynesburg University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s of Science in biology. During her time at Waynesburg, she was actively involved in service leadership as a Bonner Scholar. She continued serving Waynesburg for two years after graduation through her work in the Admissions Office. He r c o n n e c t i o n t o Waynesburg made it the perfect partner to execute her idea. “It’s super special and
Narcan Continued from A1 This is the fifth year t h at t h e Wa s h i n g t o n Drug and Alcohol Commission will host a Narcan distribution event, but it is the first time the organization is collaborating with Waynesburg University at the Southpointe location. “I thought this would be a great opportunity for Waynesburg University to partner and to be able to have student involvement in service for individuals who are looking to get involved in these types of community initiatives to help support and really combat the overdose epidemic,” said Dr. Kelley McNichols, assistant professor of counseling. According to McNichols, the collaboration is a direct result of the Staunton Farm grant, r e c e n t l y aw a r d e d t o Waynesburg’s Graduate and Professional Studies Program. “A part of that grant was to engage in harm reduction and overdose prevention so this is one of those initiatives to help support that,” McNichols said. According to data reported by the CDC in a
personal to me to have my professional career to be able to partner with Waynesburg University. That’s kind of a full circle moment,” she said. Conaway wasn’t the only one excited about the partnership. Good said the Center for Service Leadership was excited to bring more service opportunities to students and community members. “Casey mentioned that she had this idea for a while but needed the hands and encouragement to make it a reality,” Good said. “Our office loved her passion for On Eagles’ Wings and believed in the thoughts she shared with us.” Both parties hope their relationship as well as this event continues to grow in the future. “We recognize how truly blessed we are as we reflect on how much closer we have become with this organization this season,” Good said. “We hope to grow this relationship further and extend opportunities to the community in the future.”
November Press Release, the number of drug overdose deaths increased by 30% during the pandemic in 2020. The main culprit of t h o s e ove rd o s e s wa s opioids. Due to these statistics as well as the upcoming holiday season, McNichols said the event was absolutely necessary. “ We i nt e nt i o n a l l y planned this for Dec. 4 recognizing that the holidays are a very stressful time for individuals who suffer from substance abuse disorders and also for their families and loved ones,” McNichols said. Those in attendance will be provided an overdose prevention kit with Deterra and Dispose Rx (Drug Deactivation Bags) and protective equipment, as well as additional resources. Na l oxo n e ( Na rca n) , which will be distributed in these kits, is a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Pugh wants people to know that this medication is available to anyone, free of charge. “Most people still don’t know that you can get Narcan. They don’t realize that you can just go up to the pharmacy and request it,” Pugh said. “So one thing is being able
Courtesy of Casey Conaway
Casey Conaway poses with one of On Eagles’ Wings Therapeutic Horsemanship Center’s horses. Attendees will be able to drive-thru the stables to see the horses.
“It definitely helps to have counselors that are familiar with Waynesburg University and that have had that experience,” Barnhart said. “It makes it easier to truly share their experiences with prospective students and their families. But it’s also been very interesting to work with some of our new counselors that did not graduate from the University, as they bring great observations and perspectives to the table as well.” As some of the new counselors on the corner, Trax and Skeete didn’t foresee themselves in the roles that they are in now due to them already obtaining jobs post-graduation. Skeete was working for Adult Probation in Wasington County and was a Graduate Assistant for Student Activities. Trax was working full-time at PNC Bank in Bridgeville, Pa. After not fully enjoying their previous jobs, both of them are excited to be back with Waynesburg as admissions counselors.
“My thing is that I want to do what gets me up in the morning and energizes me. This opportunity definitely does,” Skeete said in a prior WCTV interview. “It’s a place I love,” Trax said. “I was very grateful to get [the position].” It isn’t uncommon for the Admissions Office to hire graduates from Waynesburg. Seven out of the nine admissions workers obtained their undergraduate degree from Waynesburg, something that the office benefits from. “All of us can speak to what the University really has to offer since most of us were former students here, which is really cool,” Skeete said. Whether they're a Waynesburg graduate or not, the admissions counselors have strong feelings for the University. “Obviously all of us love Waynesburg so it’s definitely cool working with a [University] that all of us are passionate about,” Skeete said. “We have a great team down here.”
Courtesy of Breanne Pugh
Waynesburg University partners with Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission to host Narcan Distribution DriveThru Event. The overdose prevention kits will include drug deactivation bags and protective equipment. to get the word out, letting people know that it is available; we’re able to provide it free of charge.” In addition to prevention and awareness, the event aims to eliminate the stigma commonly associated with substance abuse. “Stigma is the cornerstone of what keeps people in active addiction,” McNichols said. “So, to be
able to offer these types of kits I think is a great way to counter stigma and to show and demonstrate ongoing advocacy for harm reduction and overdose prevention.” Pugh emphasized that the event is open to everyone, not just those affected by substance abuse. “A lot of people that come through our events
are just people that want to be prepared, you know,” Pugh said. “People that might not even know anyone that are using substances, but they were just people that want to be able to make a difference.” Since the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission began distributing Narcan in 2015, the organization has distrib-
uted over 6,000 overdose prevention kits. As Pugh puts it, they’re just tr ying to do the greater good. “It’s just a way of us being able to connect, make relationships and let you know individuals that are using substances as well as their family members know that they’re not alone, that there’s help out there,” Pugh said.
region SECTION B
DECEMBER 3, 2021 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG
Annual Christmas parade set for Saturday
Greene County Chamber of Commerce to hold reverse parade at fairgrounds REBEKAH VAUGHAN Digital News Director
Santa Claus is coming to town this year in the style of a reverse parade. The Greene County Chamber of Commerce will host the 83rd Christmas parade at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m. The parade is underwritten by the First Energy Foundation and organized by the chamber of commerce. The event is free to all spectators, but donations are being accepted by various organizations. The chamber of commerce is a private nonprofit organization not associated with any government entity. The chamber does not receive any tax dollars and is privately funded. The chamber has partnered with WANB Radio to put on a live broadcast with WANB’s Crazy Dougie Wilson. Upon pulling into the fairgrounds, spectators will be instructed to tune into WANB to listen to the broadcast as they travel through the route. Wilson hosted the live broadcast for the reverse
parade last year, but in years before that, he was still very active with the Christmas parade festivities. “In years past, I have been one of the Masters of Ceremony for the parade when it was a normal parade,” Wilson said. In his role as a Master of Ceremony, Wilson would announce all of the floats and marching bands as they marched down the street. Wilson will fulfill his role this year from the radio station playing Christmas music for the two hours that the parade is set to run. He will also be making reminders and announcements. Melody Longstreth, executive director for the chamber of commerce, said that even last year, the easier thing to do would be to not have the parade until COVID-19 calmed down, but felt that it was not the right thing to do. “We had to do something, even if it wasn’t our traditional parade, so we’re going to have a big party and hope that everyone comes out and enjoys it,” Longstreth said. Wilson had a similar reaction to the idea of having a
reverse parade for the first time last year. “I thought, you know what, with what was going on at the time, I thought at least we’re going to be able to do something, even though it might not look like what we have done in years past.” The idea of having a reverse parade was introduced last year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a reverse parade, the displays are stationary while the cars drive past them. “It was on the fairgrounds last year because of everything being shut down,” Longstreth said. “We worked this year to get it back on High Street and there were just a lot of factors that ended up making this the best choice for this year. Hopefully then next year we’ll be back at it’s home on High Street.” Last year, 33 displays were set up and just over 250 cars drove through the parade. According to Longstreth, they have already exceeded the 33 displays for this year so far. The response from last year's reverse parade was very positive, which con-
Courtesy of Greene County Chamber of Commerce
This the parade's 83rd year and will be held at the Greene County Fairground from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday tributed to the idea to have it again this year. “I’m excited to do it,” Longstreth said. “We had a really good time with it last year. Being on the fairground, it enabled us to do things that we are not able to do on a traditional parade route. For instance, the collection of the items for Toys for Tots and the Foodbank. Those things just can’t happen on a traditional parade route.” According to Wilson, last year’s event went longer than planned due to the large turnout. The gates
were left open to make sure everyone in line could get to drive through. Spectators should arrive at the East gate of the fairgrounds on Route 21. They will then be greeted and put into a line to start through the parade. Entertainment will be provided for spectators as they wait in line. Spectators will then drive through the arena barn. Upon entering the barn, spectators will have the opportunity to donate to the Salvation Army and the local Corner Cupboard Foodbank.
Monetary donations will be accepted by the Salvation Army, and money donations and food items will be accepted by the food bank. Spectators will not have to leave their vehicles, and volunteers will retrieve any donations. Displays will be set up in the arena barn along with local high school bands playing popular Christmas music. As of Monday, Nov. 22, Waynesburg Central High School and West Greene PARADE>>B2
Winter Weather Preview Broadening broadband Snow removal crews in Greene County access in Greene County are preparing for the upcoming winter
ALEXANDRA MORAR
prepared for a variety of winter weather. “Our drivers have already gone through training, and we have plenty of material on site so we are pretty much ready for any type of winter weather that comes,” he said. “Obviously, it could change from day to day, but whatever does come, we are prepared in Greene County,” Ofsanick added that PennDot prepares for the severest of conditions even if they do not occur. “ We a n t i c i p a t e t h e worst, and we are prepared for it to be a winter like that or a more mild winter, but right now we are prepared to take on all the different weather events as they come,” he said. According to Ofsanik, PennDot operates a tot a l of 2 8 p l ow t r u c k s in Greene County. The Waynesburg Borough adds four more plow trucks of its own. “We have three dump trucks with plows and we have one [Ford] F-250 with a plow, and we mostly
I n S e p t e m b e r, t h e Greene County Commissioners' application for grant funding from the Appalachian Reg ional Commission (ARC) was approved. The commissioners also applied for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grant and are hopeful for a positive outcome with this one as well. “We’re in a pretty good light to be looked at to be awarded that grant,” McClure said. “We are hopeful that we will get that grant.” Specifically with the ARC grant, Greene County was awarded $2.5 million for the broadband project. In addition, they obtained a $2.7 million partner match. As for the NTIA grant, if awarded, Greene County will receive $8 million for the project. With the grant, the company Windstream even offered to provide a $6 million match. “We want to make good sense with the money we have,” McClure said. McClure intends to get as much money as possi-
MICAH LEITH Region Editor
Snow removal crews around the area are preparing for the upcoming winter weather. According to a press release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Greene County area will experience slightly more precipitation than average, along with slightly warmer temperatures than average. The forecast is also playing a part in the snow removal preparations. Bryan Cumberledge, street department manager for the Waynesburg Borough Public Works Department, expects the winter weather to differ from area to area, but ultimately be average. “I think that all depends on where you live and that kind of thing,” he said. “It might snow in one area and not in the next.” Preparations aren’t limited to preparing for the predicted forecast. According to Jay Ofsanick, PennDot’s spokesperson for District 12, PennDot is
use the F-250 for parking lots and alleys, where it’s smaller and places that its hard to get through with the eight to nine foot plows on the dump trucks.” Ofsanik said that PennDot used 905 tons of rock salt last year, and Cumberledge said that the Borough itself uses 300 to 400 tons of salt each winter. “ We g e t o u r s f r o m American rock salt, and it’s on a me-too agreement,” he said. “The state of Pennsylvania makes agreements with salt vendors, and we are allowed to piggyback on those to get the best price.” According to Ofsanik, PennDot wants drivers to be cautious on the roads and to give the plow trucks some extra space to put down the salt. “When we do have a snow event and they see our trucks out there, to give them a little bit of room. Don’t follow them too close,” he said. “Even though the salt and antiskid that we put down doesn’t bounce very far, WINTER>>B2
For The Yellow Jacket
Micah Leith, The Yellow Jacket
ble from these and other grants, that way the use of local tax dollars for the project is limited. She mentioned how she has worked with Belding since their first day in office to address the Broadband issue. She is thankful the work is beginning to pay off. Belding was also grateful that their efforts were finally seeing some reward. “There’s still a lot to be done,” Belding said. “But we’re very thankful for the grant.” McClure described how the county often receives less funding because of the smaller population. However, it often costs more money to provide internet access in spacious, rural
areas. She feels the state needs to recognize this. “In Greene County, it takes much more,” She said. “A smaller population doesn’t mean it costs less; it costs more.” Both McClure and Belding described the need to attract residents to Greene County. Both hope to reach the nearly 1,000 county residents that are either underserved or without internet entirely. They feel that easy access to high-speed internet is one of life’s essentials. Belding even raised the concern over the internet for school children. Especially during the current BROADBAND>>B2
Rebekah Vaughan, The Yellow Jacket
PAGE 2B
DECEMBER 3, 2021
SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE
Hilltop Packs owner opens Hilltop Coffee Company MICAH LEITH Region Editor
The very first thing that greets you when you walk into the building that Hilltop Packs and Hilltop Packs Coffee Company share is a wooden cutout of bigfoot holding a stand that dispenses hand sanitizer. The walls are filled with pictures of owner Ben McMillen on numerous hiking trips, various wooden coffeerelated decorations, and a Hilltop road sign that McMillen said was sourced from a yard sale, although McMillen doesn’tknow where in the US it was o r i g i n a l ly from. Overlooking it all is a wooden silhouette of a bear next to a display featuring one of Hilltop Packs’ signature bear bags, a bag that backpackers use to store food high in the trees to keep bears out, and the smell of coffee permeates the air. The atmosphere is an eclectic mashup of the two businesses that inhabit the building. Although Hilltop Packs and Hilltop Packs Coffee Company occupy the same building on East Greene Street in Waynesburg, the two businesses are technically separate entities. McMillen is the
Parade Continued from B1 High School have been confirmed to play so far. After exiting the barn, spectators will travel from the arena barn towards the other end of the fairgrounds. Displays will be set up outside as well during this portion of the parade. When spectators arrive at the far end of the midway, they will drive through the North Pole exhibit. Within that building, guests will be greeted by the parade's grand marshals, the current Miss Rain Day, Emily Bennett and the Chamber’s Distinguished Service award winner George “Bly” Blystone. This building will also feature a g ingerbread house display from the Early Learning Resource Center. Helpers dressed as elves will be handing out treat bags to children, and Santa will be there with Mrs. Claus. Mrs. Claus will be accepting letters from the children to make sure they make it back to the North
sole owner of Hilltop Packs and the co-owner of Hilltop Packs Coffee Company with his aunt Bridget Vilenca. Although he said that some family members have trouble working together, he said that he and Vilenca have had a smooth working relationship.
“There’s a lot of family that can’t work together, whether that it’s ployee p l oye r
e m and emor whate v e r. A big issue is trust,” McMillen said. “I’ve known her my whole life, she’s a hard worker. Trust is everything. “ According to McMillen, Hilltop Packs was established at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the coffee roastery was launched in July of 2021. Despite both businesses being in operation for less than five years, McMillen said that both businesses have done well. Hilltop Packs has established a respected place in the ultralight backpacking community, Macmillan says, and the Pole for Santa. The treat bags are filled with candy donated by numerous organizations, a book donated by the Early Learning Resource Center and a small gift from Washington Health Systems Greene. The Christian Motorcycle Association Highway Soldiers will be present with motorcycles on display and will be accepting donations of monetary value or toys for Toys For Tots. After exiting the final building, spectators will head towards the west gate and exit out of the fairground. Volunteers from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department will be at both gates to ensure spectators get in and out safely. As for community events such as the Christmas parade, Wilson thinks they are important to continue whether or not they look the same as they did before COVID-19. “Let's take care of the here and now, and the here and now is a reverse parade that I think is going to be just as much fun, if not more fun, than it was last year,” Wilson said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, I really do.”
gear that they sell has been featured on l prominent backpacking YouTube channels, such as Dan Becker and Darwin on the Trail. “[Ben McMillen] is the owner of a company called Hilltop Packs. And Hilltop Packs makes those super cool, Dyneema printed bear bags that everybody is using now,” Dan Becker, a backpacking influencer with over 111,000 subscribers on Youtube, said in a video posted on Feb 9, 2021. According to the brand’s website, Dyneema fabrics are “available as composites, denim, knits, wovens and hybrid fabrics for composite reinforcements” and are both lightweight and fifteen times stronger than steel. Hilltop Packs utilizes Dyneema fabrics for a number of its products, along with recycled materials for its string backpacks. All of the products sold by Hilltop Packs are made by McMillen and his employees, including the sewing and the printing, which is done with equipment from McMillen’s photography business. McMillen said that this cuts down on his overhead cost. “We make literally everything. The straps, shoulder pads, we make everything here,” McMillen said. In addition to support within the backpacking community for Hilltop Packs, McMillan and Vilencasaid that there has been a lot of local support for the coffee roastery. Part of this is because of
Broadband Continued from B1 pandemic, he believes all children must have reliable internet. Children are behind as it is with the pandemic,” Belding said. “The ones without internet are hurting the most. Even thinking about college in the future, internet is needed. And this Broadband project will help with that.”
Weather Continued from B1 if you are right on the tailstem, the material could be something that comes into contact with the car and we don’t want that to happen. So give them a hundred to two hundred feet of clearance, give them time to keep the roadways clear.” The PennDot website mentions that drivers should make sure that their vehicle is prepared for the winter. The website also states that drivers should carry an emergency kit and cell phone, be
the lack of other coffee roasters in Greene County and renewed interest in shopping local, he said, and the roastery supplies coffee to businesses like Fruition Bowls and Brew on High Street. “There’s coffee roasters in Washington County, in the Morgantown area, but there aren’t any here in Greene County,” he said. “It’s local. People are more interested in going to local businesses than, I think, ever before.” One of the biggest components for the businesses is the policy of free cups of coffee for anyone that walks in. They also invite people to use their space to meet, including students at Waynesburg University. “We have guest wifi, so if kids want to come down and do some work and have some coffee, we’d love to have them,” Vilenca said. The roaster that McMillen
and Vilenca currently own is capable of handling 10 pounds of coffee beans in 14 minutes for each batch. Vilenca said they can roast 40 pounds of coffee beans per hour, and the process requires careful attention. “It’s really not rocket science, but you do have to pay attention to time and temperature,” she said. “Every batch we make we try. If it’s not good then we can do something different next time.” Trial and error is an important part of the process, so much so that it found its way into the motto that McMillen and Vilenca have displayed on a sign, which says “Be brave enough to suck at something new.” Both said that developing a new variety of coffee requires lots of taste testing and adjustments, and the process was new to them. “Neither one of us had much experience with coffee
prior to this, before I would just go through McDonalds and get a cup,” McMillen said. There are currently 20 different varieties of coffee listed on the business’s website, including flavored coffees and seasonal offerings like Pumpkin Spice, which Vilenca says is constantly selling out. Every coffee has its own name, like High Street, a medium roast from beans grown in Indonesia and Ethiopia, and Bucktown elbow, a Sumatra and Ethiopia dark roast that references a well-known local saying, according to McMillen. For McMillen, one of the best parts of running his own business is not having to depend on someone else to get paid. He says that he appreciates the freedom and responsibility that working for yourself brings. Editors note: story initally published online September 25, 2021
Micah Leith, The Yellow Jacket
Hilltop Packs and the Hilltop Coffee Company share a home on East Greene Street in Waynesburg McClure and Belding also both addressed the potential of bringing in new community members with the internet. With county wide accessible internet, Americans can live in a rural environment while working a job remotely. “The overall division is to bring broadband to the area so that people can move here and be able to access the internet no matter where you live,” McClure said. She wants Greene County to “be able to be modernized.” cautious around bridges and other wet surfaces and allow more time for stops and starts. Ofsanik echoed the website’s recommendations as well as encourag ing people to take their time. “We always try to tell p eo p l e i f yo u k n ow a snow event is coming in the morning, maybe give yo u r s e l f a n ex t ra t e n minutes to get to work, 15 minutes. Most people get themselves into trouble trying to drive too fast in snow because they didn’t give themselves that extra time,” Ofsanik said. “Leave a little early, be prepared to drive a little bit slower and drive carefully when a winter event happens.”
“Children are behind as it is with the pandemic ... The ones without internet are hurting the . most. Even thinking about college in the future, Internet is needed. And this broadband project will help with that. MIKE BELDING
Chairman of the Greene County Commissioners
Rachel Pellegrino, The Yellow Jacket
Greene County begins to experience winter weather as the holiday season approaches.
Commissioners Meeting Recap: Thursday, Nov. 18 ALEXANDRA MORAR For the Yellow Jacket
Recycling savings, changes to the Wisecarver Project and a new juke box at the Mon View Roller Rink were some of the main topics discussed at the Nov. 18 Greene County Commissioners meeting. Commissioners Mike Belding, Betsy McClure, and Blair Zimmerman were all present and met at the fairgrounds. At the meeting, the commissioners addressed news about the county’s recycling program. They approved a lease agreement between Greene County and the United Mine Workers of America Career Centers, INC regarding the Ruff Creek recycling center. The new agreement will save the county nearly $47,999 each year. “The original term of that agreement was $48,000 per year,” Beld-
ing said. “And we have it down to just $1 per year for the next five years.” A savings on recycling was not the only important matter mentioned at the meeting. During the discussion on funding, alterations to the Wisecarver project were raised. The commissioners issued a change order, allocating new funds to revised planning and new construction. The total order will cost $51,100, with Engineering and Construction Management Services. The E & S plan for a borrow site is 10,000, $6,000 is for the revised scope of work, and $35,000 is for additional inspection services. “When you’re doing a project, the one thing you don’t want to have is change orders,” McClure said. “It always adds to the cost.” McClure explained the need for the change
order was due to adjustments with Engineering and Construction Management Services. She hopes this is the only time a change order will be needed. “Moving forward we hope we don’t see too many of these,” McClure said. Despite the change order occurrence, McClure reassured the public of the commissioners’ commitment to the program, stating, “But it is a project that we are committed to seeing done. We are excited and feel economically it’s going to really help Greene County.” To benefit the community, the commissioners approved a lease between the county and G & G Coin LLC for a new juke box service. The juke box is located in the Mon View Roller Rink, located in Greensboro. McClure described problems with the previous juke box,
saying that it was difficult to choose what songs to play. She believes the new system will simplify the song selection process. McClure also views the rink as a way to attract community members, and sees the service as a way of furthering that. “I think that the young kids that go down are really going to enjoy it because they’re going to be able to select their music,” McClure said. “[The rink] is bringing out quite the large crowd on the weekend now, averaging 100 skaters a night, so I think this is a good addition.” As a note for small businesses, Belding encouraged the public to apply for the remainder of the Forgivable Advance for Small Business Assistance (FASBA) program. The commissioners approved an allocation of $35,516 for the Pennsylvania Livestock Auction.
More funding is still in existence to be offered to businesses in need. “There is still funding available,” Belding said. “So if organizations qualify, they should apply.” The commissioners also made motions regarding the 2022 county budget. The commissioners approved public inspection of the proposed 2022 budget to be set for the next 20 days. The chief clerk, Jeffery A. Marshall, will review the budget on Dec. 16. McClure pointed out that the budget is still not finalized; final numbers are dependent upon taxes and other income. McClure thanked Judy Snyder, Greene County’s Budget Director, for all of her efforts. “It’s a bit nerve-racking at times,” McClure said. “We thank her for all of her hard work.” In addition to the
funding proclamations and motions, the commissioners approved Nov. 8 to be set as Greene County’s Parents as Teachers Day. McClure expressed her gratitude towards Greene County’s family center. “I thank our family center for all that they do for our parents, our children, they do a tremendous job,” McClure said. With Thanksgiving in mind, Belding remarked on how appreciative he was of the community and his fellow staff members. “I wanted to express my appreciation for everyone I work with,” Belding said. “We get to work with a lot of really great people in the county.” The next commissioners meeting will be held Dec. 3. As a public announcement, Greene County’s “Breakfast with Santa” will be held at the fairgrounds on Dec. 4.
sports PAGE B3
DECEMBER 3, 2021 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG
Keeping the WIN in Wingeart
Courtesy of Emily Reifsnyder
Wingeart still succeeds away from Waynesburg RILEY HOLSINGER For The Yellow Jacket
Aubrey Wingeart has created a storied career as a runner at Waynesburg University. Located in that story book contains her being a two-time national qualifier, 2019 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Runner of the Year, and a key member of four-straight PAC Championship teams. “It is really cool,” Wingeart said of her accomplishments. Wa y n e s b u r g c r o s s country head coach Chris Hardie is amazed with Wingeart’s success. “I ’m really proud of her,” Hardie said. “She was one of the best 300 runners in division three.” Her path to success didn’t come without adversities. Last year, her junior season was shortened and thrown into uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wingeart spent this season at Coastal Carolina due to the structure of being a marine biology major at Waynesburg. Despite her being almost nine hours away from 51 West College Street, she was able to suit up in a Waynesburg uniform for four meets this season. “I was really happy that I got the chance to compete with the team,” Wingeart said. “I really missed them so much. It was fun to go back up and compete with them even if it was for a couple of times.” Wingeart had to train all season alone without any coaches or teammates to be by her side. Despite that, she was able to qualify for nationals for the second time this season. “I know it was a hard road for her,” Hardie said. “There were just some workouts that she really had to fight through herself since she didn’t have
teammates around her and pushing her.” While training alone, Wingeart had some help along the way but her dedication helped her stay focused. “It was diff icult because I had to stay motivated,” Wingeart said. “Coach Hardie stayed in contact with me every Tuesday and would make a phone call with me to talk over the training plan, so it was nice to stay connected that way.” Hardie believes Wingeart’s path to nationals was impressive this year due to her unique situation. “It is neat to think that the way that she trained this year by herself really helped her prepare for nationals,” Hardie said. She was even shocked with how well she did this year. “I was very surprised,” Wingeart said. “I did not go into this season thinking I would qualify for
nationals or run as well as I did at PACs or anything.” Wingeart got into running to create friendships and close bonds. This Waynesburg team kept those bonds with her strong even though she was 544 miles away from campus. “The team’s group chat was a great way to stay connected as well,” Wingeart said. “I am grateful that I got into running a while ago. [Running has] definitely been a big part of my life and that’s how I met a lot of my friends. I don’t think I would’ve made as many friends at Waynesburg if it wasn’t for running.” Despite having another year of eligibility, Wingeart is contemplating on competing next year. If she decides to hang up her shoes, she will leave behind a stellar legacy as one of the best runners in Waynesburg history.
Injury Bug Stings Jackets Wrestling BROCK OWENS
For The Yellow Jacket
The Waynesburg University wrestling team is set to hit the mat today for the first time in nearly two weeks at the Messiah Petrofes Invitational today and tomorrow. But it’s likely not many Yellow Jackets will take the mat. Injuries have been a problem so far for Waynesburg. One of the most notable injuries was to Garrett Cook. Cook was a highly touted transfer from Division II West Liberty, but injured his shoulder in his first match of the season at the Ned McGinley Invitational. Alex Coppolo is one member of the team that may not be able to participate in this tournament. Dylan Winters is another, who has had an impressive season thus far. Winters started the season hot with a 6-2 record. The senior 133-pound wrestler said he started to notice something was wrong during Thanksgiving break. “There was a little bulge in my bicep,” Winters said. “It started to hurt a little bit. I didn’t think anything of it, but I did go to the doctor.” He was given antibiotics at that appointment, but they did not work. A followup appointment showed a potential tear. Several other appointments will indicate Winters’ next steps. As a worst case scenario, Winters said that surgery is a possibility. For the wrestlers that are able to compete, the competition will be stiff with 22 teams in attendance. Alvernia, which beat Waynesburg 51-0 at the Waynesburg Duals, will be there. Messiah and Mount Union also
present tough competition. Waynesburg head coach Ron Headlee gave his young wrestlers a vote of confidence now that they have some college experience. “A goal should be for them to be placing now,” Headlee said. “That’s what we need them to be looking for.” As an upperclassmen on this team, Winters pointed out a few underclassmen to look out for this weekend. “Seth Evans. He’s been right there,” Winters said. “He’s made a couple mistakes here and there, but I’m looking for him to do well.” Winters also mentioned Damion Finnegan will likely take his place at the 133-weight class. “That’s the weight he should be at,” Winters said. “Maybe he could get a couple wins under his belt.” Headlee did not just want to enter this tournament for the competition, it was for the sole reason of getting a two-day tournament on the schedule. “We don’t do it very often,” Headlee said. “We like to try it at least once a year because once you get to regionals that’s what it’ll be like.” Harley Constable and Rocky McGeary missed some time this season but are back on the mat now. Each wrestled a pair of matches at the Waynesburg Duals a couple Saturday’s ago on Nov. 20. “Those two, they have high aspirations,” Headlee said. Constable went 2-0 at the Waynesburg Duals. McGeary went 1-1. Headlee is excited to get those two back in the lineup. “We’re looking at this tournament as a fresh start,” Headlee said.
Jared Wiker, The Yellow Jacket
Women’s basketball tips-off PAC schedule Saturday AUSTIN BECHTOLD Sports Editor
The 2021-22 regular season has been anything sort of sunshine and rainbows for the Waynesburg women’s basketball team, looking to find its stride beginning conference play. The Lady Jackets (0-5, 0-1 PAC) dropped their first five games, all out of conference, including four matchups on the road. Waynesburg began Presidents’ Athletic Conference play November 27, falling on the road 72-67 against St. Vincent. After facing Grove City for the team’s fifth-straight road contest, Waynesburg returns to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse to host winless Franciscan (0-5, 0-1 PAC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. Franciscan has struggled to deliver a complete team effort, losing four-of-five appearances by 10 or more points. The Barons are a combined 1-14 over the past two seasons and have lost 11 games in a row. Despite early season struggles, senior forward Brooke Fuller has seen positive signs throughout the program. “This year we have many
leaders on the team,” Fuller said. “That has helped us throughout all the games this season. Everyone is willing to contribute whether that be offensively, defensively, or just being a positive teammate.” The Hampton native leads the Lady J’s in points (14.8), rebounds (9.8), and blocksper-game (0.8) while bringing senior leadership to a primarily young team. She thinks Waynesburg has what it takes to turn the season around and move forward in a positive direction. “We need to be able to play a complete four quarters,” Fuller said. “We definitely have the ability to. As a team we just need to stay more focused. Once we start putting together a full game we are going to pull out wins.” Sophomore guard Avery Robinson also notices subtle improvements, noting the importance of a strong mindset no matter the result. “Lately our team has been communicating a lot better and working well together,” Robinson said. “We all need to stay positive even when the outcomes aren’t what we want or expected.” Robinson, a Ravenna, Ohio native, is averaging 13.8
points-per-game and shooting over 40% from behind the arc, firing up significantly more three pointers than any other player. The one-two punch of Fuller and Robinson has guided the Yellow Jackets through the early portion of the season, but will need contributions from others trying to establish themselves as valuable two-way players. Fuller is ready to take on the PAC for one final season as a Yellow Jacket. “PAC play has always been really important to me, but as a senior I’ve been trying to just take everything in and have fun,” Fuller said. “It’s hard not to be stuck in a sad mindset realizing it is my last season, so I’m really trying to focus on finding the positives everyday.” Either Waynesburg or Franciscan will come away with its first victory of the new campaign and potentially set a new direction for the winning program. Conference play is the ultimate factor on how the season will be judged with every game a challenge. “There will be no easy games,” Robinson said. “But if we stay focused, things will start to go our way.”
Courtesy of Maddie Sasfy
Senior center Brooke Fuller records 20 points and 12 rebounds in a 90-62 road loss against Otterbein on Nov. 23.
Rachel Pellegrino and Jared Wiker, The Yellow Jacket
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DECEMBER 3, 2021
From Cleveland to Waynesburg, Kirkman battles adversity CALEB YAUGER Sports Assistant
Life is funny, isn’t it? Things happen, people come and go, but sometimes, we just simply end up somewhere we never thought we’d be in the first place. For Waynesburg graduate student Nijon Kirkman, a six-foot-five-inch forward on the Yellow Jacket men’s basketball team, life has gone somewhat along those lines. Growing up in the Cleveland, Ohio area, 23-yearold Kirkman grew up in a single-parent home, living in a low-income housing system. “My mom pretty much was the only person in the house that took care of me and my brother,” Kirkman said. “All she did was work.” The television always had WWE playing on the screen, or even baseball, his favorite sport as a child. Ironically, basketball wouldn’t even enter his life until he became a teenager. At the age of 12, Kirkman moved to the west side of Cleveland, where he men-
tioned that he received more opportunities and where the violence wasn’t as prevalent. There was a building called the Merrick House near his new home. It was a community center that contained a weight room and gymnasium, but it ultimately served as an outreach to help underprivileged kids. This is where Kirkman met the man affectionately known as “Rocky,” the man who ignited Kirkman’s love for the game of basketball. “Rocky [Melendez] is one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen,” Kirkman said. “[He] taught me how to play the game right and how to be humble about it.” And Kirkman would play countless games at the Merrick house basketball court. “All we had was that gym,” Kirkman said. “I still remember days where I was the youngest playing against 16, 17-year-olds in open gyms [in] games to 100. There [were] no games to 12. You had to play to 50 or 100.” Kirkman proceeded to play for his junior high
Courtesy of Maddie Sasfy
Graduate transfer forward Nijon Kirkman drives to the basket against Otterbein on Nov. 23. Kirkman has been a quality addition to the Jackets early-season success. team at Scranton. At James Ford Rhodes High School, he started for the varsity team before transferring his senior year to John Hay High School. Before going to John Hay, however, Kirkman did not receive any college offers. But that would all change at a showcase. “I played outstanding,” Kirkman said. Offers rolled in from
Wooster, Ohio Wesleyan, and his eventual choice, Allegheny College. Kirkman decided to major in Communication at Allegheny and played four years for the Gators, averaging 5.1 points-pergame and 4.1 reboundsper-game for his career. But the journey wasn’t over. Kirkman still had one year left of eligibility due to COVID-19.
Waynesburg head coach Tim Fusina and assistant coach AJ Uhl got in contact with Kirkman to try and have him become a part of the Yellow Jacket program. “They pretty much contacted me every day,” Kirkman said. Kirkman came to visit the campus with his mother, Nicole Jones, in the spring of 2021, and after talking with Waynesburg
faculty, he could pursue a master’s degree and continue to play basketball. “It was a great fit because of our MBA program and the ability for him to come in and help us out right away,” Fusina said. Waynesburg has been a perfect fit for the kid from Cleveland. “He’s just a great guy to be around, and he’s also a great leader on the court,” senior guard Matt Popeck said. “ Being able to have another experienced guy like him in our program has really made a difference. It really makes us a better team.” Life hasn’t always been easy for Kirkman, but life has taught him some extremely valuable lessons along the way. “Everybody has their downfall where they’re just stuck,” Kirkman said. “One thing that I was always taug ht from my mother, Rocky, and my grandma was that life is not a smooth road. You’re going to have your bumps and bruises; it’s just how you take it.” And through it all: “I just kept a smile.”
Popeck records Men’s basketball prepared for PAC play 1,000th point, WU tops Bearcats JARED WIKER Sports Web Editor
CALEB YAUGER Sports Assistant
History was made at the Carey Center on Saturday, Nov. 28. And it was a threepointer from the left wing. Matthew Popeck, senior guard for the Waynesburg men’s basketball team, surpassed 1,000 career points and has officially made it into the Yellow Jacket history books. “A lot of hard work went into that,” Popeck said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, my coaches, my whole support system, [and] just Waynesburg University in general.” Popeck’s squad also got the 74-48 road victory against the Saint Vincent College Bearcats, a team that defeated the Yellow Jackets twice last season. The biggest factor that aided Waynesburg was defensive stops, only allowing 18 points in the first half. “Defensively, we wanted to keep them out of the paint,” Waynesburg head coach Tim Fusina said. “I think we executed the defensive gameplan about as well as we can in November.” A 41% field-goal percentage also helped the Yellow Jackets put 74 points on the board, the most that the team has put up so far this season. “I thought we got good shots all night,” Fusina said. “Some didn’t go in,
No Saint Vincent player made it into double figures in points. Leading the scoring for the Bearcats was sophomore guard Osyon Jones with nine points. After putting up 25 points in the previous game for Saint Vincent, Freshman center Ethan Dunsy only put up eight points but was able to haul in 13 rebounds. Speaking of rebounds, Waynesburg sophomore forward Antone Baker had a game-high 16 boards along with seven points. The leading scorer for the game was none other than Popeck: 36 points, nine rebounds, 14-24 for field goals, 3-4 from the free-throw line, and 5-10 from three-point range. “[He] has been a leader, he cares, he plays hard,” Fusina said. “Every possession, he plays with an intensity that our guys feed off of.” From sitting out the entire 2019-20 season due to a blown knee, to putting in hours of work behind the scenes, to making program history, Popeck is truly seeing his hard work pay off, earning PAC Player of the Week honors. “Even when people counted me out, I was able to overcome” Popeck said. “I think overcoming that adversity made the moment even more special.” The Jackets ended their five-game road stretch with another conference
“Even when people counted me out, I was able to overcome. I think overcoming that adversity made the moment even more special”
The Waynesburg men’s basketball team has had early success on defense and some struggles on offense so far in the 2021-22 regular season. Waynesburg head coach Tim Fusina has focused on the team’s defensive play all season. “The strength for us has been our defense,” he said. “Our guys are bought in on that side of the floor, and they play hard and make it hard on their opponent.” The men’s team has a record of 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). The Yellow Jackets lost 45-42 in the opening game of the season to Oberlin College. Waynesburg has gone 3-1 since that game, and each of those games has been on the road. . Two of the team’s wins came in overtime thrillers against Penn State Behrend and Hiram College. The wins have shown that even though they ares very young with only two seniors and one graduate student, they find ways to win and overcome inexperience. One of the seniors on the team is Matt Popeck, who is relied upon as a leader and the team’s main offensive threat. Popeck is confident in the team’s play and looks forward to future PAC games. “We’re confident and we work hard every day,” Popeck said. “We know we can make some noise in the conference and we know how good we can be. We can't let our focus waiver, we have to keep getting better.” Early success in
Courtesy of Silas Mays
Junior guard Ryan Felberg attempts a shot in the Yellow Jackets 45-42 season-opening loss to Oberlin on Nov. 9. Waynesburg's first conference game against Saint Vincent gives a lot of promise heading into the game at Grove City. The team then hosts Franciscan (3-2, 1-0 PAC) at home on Saturday Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. Both teams have an identical record, so the game might be another close one. Waynesburg is currently the second best defensive team in the PAC for scoring defense, only averaging 59 points allowed per game through five games. Waynesburg is also the best team in the PAC for three point defense, only
allowing teams to shoot 27% from the arc. “If we continue to defend we’ll give ourselves a shot every night,” Fusina said. “Not that we’re not good enough to win games or not good enough to score, but if you can keep your defensive effort at a high level... those nights that you’re shooting the ball poorly or not having great offensive possessions, you're gonna be in that game.” Popeck also voiced his confidence in how the team has played defensively, crediting coach Fusina. “When we are prepar-
ing and getting ready for games, coach [Fusina] has a game plan about how we're going to guard,” Popeck said. “We’re able to execute that, and we also play really hard defensively.” The main success for Waynesburg’s offense has been the team’s free throw shooting, which is the second best in the PAC through five games at 74%. The Yellow Jackets only trail a Chatham College team that is shooting 75%. “I think we do have sometimes where our youth and inexperience shows… but I think we are improving,” Fusina said.
MATT POPECK
On Scoring His 1,00th Career Point
some did. I thought we had some good offensive possessions.” Saint Vincent was missing its leading scorer in sophomore forward Anthony Dillard, who averages 15.3 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per game. The Bearcats only shot 32% from the field, going 3-18 from beyond the arc.
m at c h u p a g a i n s t t h e Grove City Wolverines on Wednesday, Dec. 1. “We can’t let our focus waiver,” Popeck said. “They’re going to do what they do, so we just [have] to just trust our gameplan, go out there and play hard, bring the energy on the road again, and hopefully come out of there with a dub.”
Rachel Pellegrino and Jared Wiker, The Yellow Jacket