The Yellow Jacket | 2.27.20

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FEBRUARY 27, 2020 • VOL. 97 NO. 10 • EST. 1924

theyellowjacket.org

OP-ED

REGION

SPORTS

Negative peer pressure can be detrimental to your future. Know when to say no.

Belding disagrees with Center for Coalfield Justice report on gas industy's impact.

SEE A2

SEE B1

Winter sports continue postseason play, while baseball, softball teams prepare to open season.

SEE B3

Waynesburg to add Chick-fil-A in fall 2020

Illustration courtesy of Waynesburg University

24-hour convienience store, online ordering and flex dollar system in the works ANDREW HREHA

Digital News Content Director

Last Friday, Waynesburg University announced major changes to its dining services, including an oncampus Chick-fil-A, a 24/7 mini convenience store and renovations to the Beehive and its Starbucks.

Waynesburg is currently in a contract with Aladdin Food Management Services, which is set to expire on June 30.

With the expiration in mind, a committee was put together to survey students

and other universities in search of a new contract.

Shari Payne, vice president for enrollment and member of that committee, noted a need for changes to dining options.

“It became quickly apparent that our dining services lack some of the things that students at other campuses were getting,” Payne said.

“For us to remain competitive, we would have to make some significant changes.”

One school in the area, Duquesne University, currently has a Chick-fil-A on campus. TJ Stiffy, a soph-

omore at Duquesne who plans to study information technology at Waynesburg in the fall, is excited that one of his favorite food options will be available at his new school next year.

“I was upset to find out that there wasn’t a Chickfil-A, because Duquesne has one, but now it feels great to have one coming into Waynesburg,” Stiffy said.

T he com m it t e e t o ok feedback from students who were not satisf ied with current food options.

Because of this, they put a focus on access to food and

more convenient times.

“As we began assessing what was available in the community, and what we would want available here, Chick-fil-A just kept coming back to the top,” Payne said.

“It’s a really good mission fit for us as an institution, and their Christian values. Students love it, our athletic teams use it for fundraising already and we hear of students driving half an hour to get it.”

With an understanding of what they wanted to accomplish, the committee began looking at five dif-

ferent dining vendors as possible partners. Aladdin quickly rose to the top of the list, as the food management group recently opened a Chick-fil-A at Fairmont State University and has a good working relationship with Chick-fil-A nationally.

“They were able to bring Chick-f il-A to campus,” Payne said. “ They were so pleased that they gave Aladdin the opportunity to offer us the Chick-fil-A as part of our renegotiation with them.”

A ne w c ont r ac t w a s

signed in January that will last for 15 years.

As a part of that contract, Aladdin will be putting an investment into campus with a provision to enhance other facilities, such as Benedum Dining Hall, at a later date.

Kent Harkleroad, freshm a n nu r si n g m aj or, i s pleased with the planned additions and the variety they will provide.

“I’m really excited about it because it gives more variety in food. Chick-fil-A DINING >> A4

Student directors prepare one-acts Toiletry items free for student use in Stover bathrooms ANGELICA GOOD Editorial Assistant

Waynesburg University will host student-led oneact plays on Monday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 8 in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on campus. Performance times are still to be determined.

One-acts are short student directed plays that only last a single act and are typically popular in attendance. The one-act plays are the primary assignment for the Directing for the Stage course within theatre studies. This semester, there will be seven one-act plays, which will each be approximately 2025 minutes in length.

Elyse Morgan, a freshman entertainment and arts management major with a concentration in theatre, chose her oneact play three weeks ago and has been preparing for her performance ever since. Morgan, along with the other directors held an official audition for the roles a few Sundays ago and is looking forward to the directing experience.

“I have read my script multiple times and marked up my script with notes about blocking, interpretations or notes. I have met

REBEKAH VAUGHAN Editorial Assistant

Photo courtesy of Edward Powers

Seven students will direct one-act plays on the evenings of Monday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 8. with my actors a couple times just to get the feel of the script,” Morgan said.

Although a newcomer at Waynesburg University, Morgan is not a stranger to the stage. Morgan has been on stage many times for dance recitals, church and school plays, choir performances and high school musicals. Morgan was a student director during her junior and se-

nior year of high school and plays the role of Theo in the university’s spring musical, “Pippin.”

For the Directing for the St age class, t aught by theatre professor and d i rector Edwa rd Powers, students are taught each aspect of a production that a director must control. They discuss experiences and focus on problems they have faced

or could face during their productions.

“For part of our grade, we directed a two-minute monologue a couple weeks ago. We are working on our one-acts right now, and then we will do either a duet scene or another monologue at the end of the semester,” Morgan said. “Our actors are PLAYS >> A4

Students at Way nesburg University may have noticed something new in both the male and female bathrooms in Stover Campus Center on campus recently. Baskets with personal care items have been placed on the counters in the bathrooms for students to use as they are needed.

A b out a ye a r a go, a mini g rant was applied for and received by the University’s faculty and staff. The program, called S.U.C.C.E.S.S., was used to provide the university with the funding to purchase hygiene items to place in the local middle schools.

S.U.C.C.E . S. S. st ands for self-g u id a nce, u nder s t a nd i n g, c ou r a ge , community, esteem, selfconfidence and self-acceptance, and was used to combat bullying against students who may not have access to personal hygiene products. This was done for about a year before the university applied for the

grant again and expanded it to include the college students as well. “ We’ ve le a r ne d t h at t here are a number of people in our campus community that could benefit from the hygiene products,” Pat Bristor, interim dean of students, said. “We recognize that our students are in need as well.”

A long with the funding received, there have been donations of money to use to keep everything in stock. With the money from the funding and the donations, the baskets in the bathroom are no longer the only free items available for students to use.

A long with the hygiene products, snack foods are also available in the back hallway of the third floor in Stover. This resource is now being called “the pantry.” This is also where long term items that will not be available in the bathrooms, like toothbrushes and shampoo bottles, can be found and donated.

The baskets in the bathTOILETRY >> A4

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FEBRUARY 27, 2020 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

Two-party system needs abolishing DREW HREHA

Columnist

STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR DIGITAL NEWS DIRECTOR REGION EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS WEB EDITOR OP-ED EDITOR WEB EDITOR ADVERTISING DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

HOLLY HENDERSHOT ANDREW HREHA EDWARD BOICE DYLAN CLELAND JOE SMELTZER RACHEL PELLEGRINO LACHLAN LOUDON IVY ALLEN ELAINA SPAHMER EMMA HERRLE ANGELICA GOOD SIERRA MEDINA REBEKAH VAUGHAN

TECHNICAL/FACULTY ADVISORS: RICHARD KRAUSE SARAH BELL KRISTINE SCHIFFBAUER

EDITORIAL

Peer Pressure Recognizing when you should say ‘no’ Peer pressure is one of the hardest things to resist in life, especially when it comes from friends. People want to be liked, so they want to fit in and make everyone happy.

So, when a group pushes someone in particular to do something, it seems like a perfect opportunity to fit in.

However, those situations are not always the best.

Sometimes, the situation presented is harmful in the short term, long term or both.

A good example of bad peer pressure is a group of friends trying to convince another friend to go out drinking with them. The friend has an important test the next day, has not studied enough and therefore, kindly declines their offer.

This scenario is one example of the friend resisting peer pressure. If the friend were to go, he would not have studied enough and would be possibly hungover the next day.

The combination of both is a good indication the friend would not do well with their test.

The short term consequence would be underachieving for the test. The long-term consequence of getting a less than desired grade in the class could happen as well.

So, what lesson can be learned from this scenario?

From the perspective of the friend, recognize the consequences of falling for peer pressure and weigh them with the benefits of doing what is more helpful. Failing a test to have a night of fun with friends does not seem like a good trade-off.

From the perspective of the group of friends, do not be the friend that pressures others to be irresponsible. Peer pressure is hard enough to resist as it is. When it comes from friends, it becomes harder, since the one friend does not want to disappoint anyone. Friends should support one another, not hurt each other by focusing on self-interests.

There can be peer pressure toward a positive outcome.

Looking at another scenario, one friend is afraid of heights, but the friend group wants to go see the Grand Canyon. The pressure from the group is good because they are encouraging their one friend to overcome their fears to see something spectacular.

Peer pressure can be a dangerous tool. On one hand, it can become a mob mentality and an ugly, negative fight.

On the other hand, it can be used for a push in a better direction to invoke positive change.

Either way, when under the pressure of a group, always weigh the outcomes of each. Be responsible, and look out for yourself primarily. Ultimately, the group does not always have the best intentions in mind.

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Copyright © 2018 Waynesburg University 51 W. College St.Waynesburg, Pa. 15370

Everyone who knows me knows I hate the two-party system.

Recently, it has become clear that both parties exist to serve and protect each other, not the American people.

Issues such as abortion, our nation’s border and economic and foreign policy will never be resolved.

If both parties work together to solve them, they have nothing to rile up their bases once election season rolls around.

The American public has become more in-tune to government inefficiency, growing angrier every year.

Yet, every election, the same two parties emerge and battle for control.

With this glaringly obvious paradox present, it is clear that while the goal of both parties is to defeat the other side, the ultimate goal is to make sure, even if you lose, you are still in

a position to take control next election.

They do this with gross electoral finance laws, ballot access regulations and absence of term limits, to name a few strategies.

So how do we, the American people, break this?

Given the right circumstances, I believe a strong libertarian candidate can seize control of the White House and shock the system.

It has to occur in an extremely contentious election.

The libertarians also have to win at least one state to hold any sort of leverage.

For example, if the libertarian candidate wins New Hampshire and the state’s four electoral votes, they could potentially hold power.

If the democrat and republican parties each split the remaining 534 electoral votes, both candidates sit at 267.

So how does a candidate with four electoral votes win an election?

Well, if there is no major-

ity in the electoral college, the presidency is decided by the House of Representatives.

However, the electors meet for the actual vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, more than a month after election day.

With the increasingly polarized political climate of America, especially at the national level, political opponents are beginning to be viewed more as evil wrong-doers rather than simply adversaries.

In o u r hy p o t h et i c a l scenario, the libertarians would have over a month to convince one of the two parties’ electors to vote for their candidate, mainly to keep the candidate they deem “evil” out of office.

This is easier if there is a clear disadvantage in the house for a particular party.

In the situation we are currently in, if the libertarians offered a strong, fiscally conservative like Larry Sharpe to the republican electors over the democratic candidate,

when the republicans know they will not win an election decided in the House, they are most likely going to take the side of Larry Sharpe to keep someone such as Bernie Sanders out of the White House.

In many states, electors can be punished for not voting for the candidate that won a majority in their state.

However, the likelihood an elector would accept punishment to do what they think is “best” for the nation increases as we further divide ourselves along party lines.

If the libertarians could pull this off, it would completely change America’s political landscape.

On their first day in office, a libertarian candidate signs an executive order reshaping campaign finance laws and ballot access.

The libertarian president works with both parties to pass legislation that works for America.

Wi th that hopefully, America will be free of the two-party system.

First HD production was successful DYLAN CLELAND Columnist

Last Saturday became a monumental day for the Department of Communication and the Waynesburg University Sports Network.

The first full-scale production in the new remote production trailer was a success, and students from the Department of Communication and sports broadcasters alike were able to watch as a year of preparation for the upgrade came to fruition.

To get to this point, there was a lot of assistance. I’d like to personally thank all of those who helped make this possible.

From my peers to those who made donations and

everybody in between. We experienced something truly special this past weekend as a group of aspiring sports broadcasters.

Some of the highlights are still gleaming after almost a full week since the first HD production.

Putting on the Headset When I came to Waynesburg in Fall 2017, I knew I wanted to announce for WUSN one day.

This past fall, and during the winter, I had the chance to announce for the one-camera production, which we held in lieu of the full production.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to announce the first game on Saturday with the new equipment between the Bethany and Waynesburg women’s basketball teams. It was awesome.

From the time I put on my headset and began communicating with the other crew members in the trailer until the time we were told to wrap up and send it to the post-game show, a smile didn’t leave my face.

I had a different feeling on the broadcast, and my excitement level was second to none.

The oppor tuni t y I ’d wanted since my freshman year was delivered, and I, along with my peers had the chance to do a fullscale professional broadcast with new state-ofthe-art equipment.

Student Participation As an upperclassman, I’ve experienced a gameday production routine on the crewing and announcing side. However, many of our underclassmen haven’t

due to the transition period we had between standard definition and high definition.

On Saturday, we had excellent participation from seniors down to freshman.

Everyone worked together to learn the new equipment and put new initiatives into effect. The overall attitude from students was extremely positive and exciting.

What’s Next At the end of the productions, we all had a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Everyone involved with the broadcasts knows there is still a lot of room for growth, but after two production days, there’s no doubt WUSN is back stronger than before, and will be for many, many years to come.

NEWS

In the news: Five notable headlines EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a synopsis of a recent topic trending in world or national news.

RACHEL PELLEGRINO Op/Ed Editor

1. New York jury convicts Harvey Weinstein with multiple charges After days of deliberation, the jury in New York came to a verdict on the Harvey Weinsten case Monday, Feb. 24. Weinstein was convicted of third-degree rape of Jessica Mann and criminal sexual act in the first-degree against Mimi Haley. The jury found him not guilty on two accounts of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape against Mann. Due to these charges, he will be facing five to 25 years in prison.

2. New post-9/11 identification law to go into effect in October Set to go into effect Oct. 1, a new post-9/11 security law will make two-thirds of U.S. state driver’s licenses unviable identification to fly. These Americans will need to acquire a “REALID compliant” driver’s license before that date or use a different form of identification to travel domestically. Other viable options for identification include a passport or a U.S. military ID. If you can not produce these acceptable

Photo Courtesy of Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Bernie Sanders is currently leading the democratic presidential primaries. The next primary will be underway Feb. 29 and will occur in South Carolina. identifications then U.S. airport’s Transportation Security Administration will not clear you to fly.

3. Bernie Sanders leading democratic primaries Sen. Bernie Sanders, 2020 democratic presidential candidate, continues to lead the democratic primaries after winning the popular vote in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Pete Buttiegeg follows closely behind along with Joe Biden, as the next primary will be held in South Carolina and commence Saturday, Feb. 29.

4. The United States is taking precautions to prepare for possible pandemic The number of confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus are rising every day. The confirmed cases in the United States alone have risen to 34. Due to these rising numbers, the United States will be taking a number of precautions in the upcoming weeks, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday, Feb. 21.

5. Texas girl dies after drowning in a septic tank A two-year-old girl died Wednesday, Feb. 19, after falling into a 15 foot septic tank at an RV park in Texas. The young girl, Carleigh Nicole Nelson, had been walking on the lid of the septic tank before it buckled underneath her, leaving her to fall in, helpless. The Rockport Volunteer Fire Department attempted to pull her out of the septic tank using ropes, but she had already been trapped for about an hour. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

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Fall housing applications are now available to students DYLAN WINTERS For The Yellow Jacket

Starting Friday, Feb. 28, the housing selection process will begin for the upcoming fall semester.

Students will have the opportunity to pick where they want to live based on credits earned as of December 2019.

Matthew Pioch, resident director of Thayer Hall and on-campus housing, elaborates on the first step of being able to participate in housing next fall.

“In order to pick where you want to live next semester, you have to start out by filling out a housing contract form which will open up on Feb. 24,” Pioch said. “All roommates have to fill out that form before selecting.”

Once the housing contracts are submitted, you are then eligible to apply for housing next fall.

“On Friday, Feb. 28, on-

campus housing forms are available on the resident life tab on myconnect and they will be sent by email,” Pioch said. “The requirements to get an on-campus house are a 2.8 minimum GPA and a minimum of 36 credits for every roommate as of December 2019.”

Matthew Pioch, Kelly Hardie and two resident directors will look at submitted forms that close on March 13 and will pick the best candidates on March 16.

Chris Hardie, assistant dean to Student Services, works closely with resident life detailed on requirements for the house.

“If selected for an oncampus house, you are required to have 6 hours of service per semester within the house,” Hardie said. “That is the Waynesburg University policy since we are a faith-based school.”

From there, the suite

Rachel Pellegrino, The Yellow Jacket

Pictured above is one of the female upperclassman residence halls available for selection during the application process. style doubles application will open on March 16 and will stay open until March 20.

“When the application closes for the suite style doubles, you will then get a notification via email

on March 23, where you will then get to pick your room,” Pioch said. “This is new this year for the doubles, you will come into Student Services the next day on March 24 to pick exactly what room

and floor you want.”

This goes for both the men and women’s dorms such as Willison, South, East, West and Pollock.

“The suite style triple and quads application will open up on March 23 and

will close on March 27,” Hardie said. “People who completed this form will be notified when they can pick on March 30 and the day after on March 31 will be the selection night.”

L astly, you have the traditional hall doubles registration that opens up March 30 and runs through April 3.

“It is called registration for people who are already living in the traditional halls that don’t have enough credits to move to an upper dorm,” Pioch said. “You will be notified on April 17 with a tier number and a selection number. Then on April 18 will be the selection night.”

“Say you are tier one [and] pick 10. You will pick before a person that has tier two [and] pick 20,” Hardie said. “Both roommates need to be at the selection nig ht, if one can’t be there then they have to email myself or Matthew Pioch.”

Leaving fingerprints in Guatemala Bonner program Students will attend annual service trip in two months prepares to select incoming students JESSICA OAKES

For The Yellow Jacket

“After you go once, it changes you,” said senior nursing major, David Shannon, as he describes the impact that Waynesburg University’s Guatemala mission trip has had on him throughout the three years he has attended the trip.

The Guatemala mission trip is the longest standing international trip at the university.

On May 4, a total of 18 students and faculty members will be traveling to Patzun, Guatemala to impact the community through various service projects.

Students will get the opportunity to teach English at the schools and nursing majors will be able observe surgeries, assist with the post-operation process, clean wounds and give shots.

One of the highlights of the team’s impact is loving neglected children at a center run by Fransiscan nuns in Patzun.

This center cares for the children by helping them financially and giving them an opportunity to fulfill their dreams of becoming teachers, nurses, accountants and other professionals. “ These children are brought in by their parents because of financial reasons. Some of them are brought in because single parents cannot raise these children,” said Pat Bristor, interim dean of students.

“The fingerprint that we leave for the children is that love, hope and know-

Photo Courtesy of Nicholas Burgess

Students attend local church service in Guatemala, during last year’s mission trip. ing that people do care for them.”

This will be Bristor’s 13th year partaking on this trip.

“Some of the children don’t get to interact with college students every day, and they are going to love the fact that someone just wants to be there and spend time with them,” said first-time participant and biochemistry major, Harrison Scott.

Scott explained that being involved, present and giving his attention solely on them will be a testament of God’s love.

Lexis Zeiler, freshmen nursing major, is grateful for this opportunity to show the children God’s love the way it was shown to her when she lived in Guatemala.

“I am from that country, so for me to be able to serve the way that people and the Americans have served me when I was

down there is very significant and important for me,” said Zeiler.

But the team does not just leave their fingerprint of unconditional love on the community, this love is reflected back.

“I believe that it is the children who help us.

They help us see life from a different perspective.

They help us to love unconditionally,” said Bristor.

“They help us to not look at things so materialistic, to be happy and have gratitude for the things that we have.”

The Guatemala trip has received support through their lunch-ins, fundraisers, spaghetti dinners and with the trip being only three months away, there are still plenty of ways to support the team as they prep for this life-changing experience.

Megan McElligott, a junior psychology major and third-year participant of

the trip, wants people to not just support the team financially, but she wants other students, faculty members, staff and families to support the team by being educated on their mission for this trip.

They can do this by attending the Guatemala luncheon happening on the third floor of Stover Tuesday, March 31.

“You can hear our stories. There will be student speakers who are going on the trip as well as those who have gone on the trip. Learn about our expectations, what we have learned, how the children have affected our lives and how the mission has affected us as well,” said McElligott.

“This is how you can support us, and it is really just a nice way to learn about Guatemala in a full sense.”

Supporting the trip by donating will help benefit projects the team will be carrying out.

The funds support the children at the center and help provide scholarships for their education.

New shoes will be donated to the children with the money raised.

In addition, the funds will go towards covering the cost of shipping for all the supplies needed throughout the trip.

“Support us by praying for safe travels and prayer for the children,” said Bristor. “This is an opportunity that God has set up for us to be humbled, to see how selfish we are and to truly get an appreciation for the things that we have.”

Security hires another female officer VICTORIA ZACZYK For The Yellow Jacket

Waynesburg University welcomed a new campus security officer this past December named Beth Shriver. She started working at Waynesburg Dec. 15.

“I have done in-home health care for nine years. I just needed a change,” Shriver said. “[I] saw Waynesburg needed a security officer, and I thought I would give it a shot.”

There was no main reason for Shriver to become a campus security officer.

It was more of trying something different after working in health care.

“I don’t have many expectations coming in as a new campus security officer;

given the fact I didn’t really know what this job was about,” Shriver said.

Carin Camp has been the only full-time female employee for Waynesburg’s Department of Public Safety for five years.

“It’s wonderful to have more than one female officer,” Camp said.

Having another female campus security officer on a different shift than Camp is very helpful. When the Department of Public Safety is dealing with an incident with a female student they tend to rely on female officers.

“They now can talk to Carin and myself now,” Shriver said.

Waynesburg's student population is predominant-

ly female. Having another female security officer on campus would let that population feel safer to ask for help.

“Female students are more comfortable talking to a female officer,” Camp said.

“So, now there is a second one available on campus.”

Shriver also said that having two female officers will help other females feel safer.

For some females they are not comfortable talking to males if an incident happened.

Having a one-on-one conversation with another female helps them open up more.

Camp noted, “Shriver is also a mother so those instincts instantly come out.”

The Department of Public Safety considers the students as their own children, so when an issue does come up they can be very protective of all of the students.

“She is definitely going to bring the motherly instinct here on campus,” Camp said.

Shriver has only been here for a few months now, but overall her experience has been favorable.

“This is an awesome job, everyone here has been so polite and helpful,” Shriver said. “[The] students and faculty that [I have] came in contact with [have] been very welcoming to me.”

With Shriver there are five other campus security officers, and she has fit right in.

EMMA HERRLE

Social Media Director

Admitted students day this weekend occurred Saturday, Feb. 22.

It had campus a buzz with potential freshman becoming acquainted with campus life and competing for scholarships.

One of these scholarships, the Bonner Scholarship, broug ht in 35 applicants Saturday to interview for a chance to receive one of 15 spots.

“This weekend provides such an exciting day,” Kelley Hardie, assistant dean of Student Services said.

“We get to interview future Bonners and future students meet their incoming class.”

dents can get everything in in an hour and a half.”

Interviewees are assessed based off of an individual interview followed by a group interview and activity.

This activity is also an addition that can be accredited to White.

He introduced a LEGO building activi t y that he got from Crossroads youth group.

“We have an activity that is going to be a little more fun for them and should ease their nerves,” White said. “We are going to give them the task of something to build and they have to complete that as a group.”

The second round of the activity will include

“The bottom line is we look at the right fit for the program, and that is someone with a servant’s heart.”

KELLEY HARDIE

Assistant Dean of Student Services

Interviews take place every year on admitted students day for incoming recipients of the Bonner Scholarship.

It is a scholarship that encompasses a key component of Waynesburg University’s mission, service.

“The bottom line is we look at the right fit for the program, and that is someone with a servant’s heart. But we must take into account other factors to abide by the foundations rules,” Hardie explained.

This year, the interview process experienced a few new twists thanks to Avery White, a Waynesburg Graduate Assistant, who has been able to contribute his educational skills and experiences.

White constructed a brand new rubric that was used to assess individual interviews in order to maintain consistency and eliminate any discrepancies or discrimination. He used his degree in business management and human resource skills to create this product.

“Something I learned in HR is that you have to have a consistent process to show proof that you are doing the same thing for every single person,” White said. “The group interview process has also been streamlined so stu-

a challenge that the students must overcome in order to complete their assigned building task.

This could be anything from losing the use of their dominant hand or losing their ability to talk.

“We want to see the followers rise to be leaders.

We are really using it to see how they communicate and how they handle stressful situations,” White said.

Current Bonners assisting with facilitation of the interview process this weekend said competition this year was tight.

“This is when we decide our incoming class so these few days are critically important in the future of our incoming Bonner class,” Hardie said.

Recipients will be chosen and notified within t h e u p co m i n g wee k s .

Those associated with the Bonner program hope to see it continue to grow and flourish thanks to the students who represent and carry its title. “ I ’ ve re a l ly e nj oyed w o r k i n g w i t h K e l l e y, Adrienne and college students,” White shared.

“I hope to continue updating the expectations of the program. We should keep being real about what we expect from incoming students and what we hope they will grow to be.”

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FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Public Relations Week approaching Dining Continued from A1

EMMA HARDACRE For The Yellow Jacket

“How important are our alumni to current students, and how do I reach them?”

These are the questions Adrien Barnhart, PRSSA chapter secretary and Public Relations Week manager, asked herself as she began to plan PR Week for March 16-20.

PR Week is an annual celebration organized by Waynesburg University’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter.

During this event, professionals come in to speak to students on lessons they learn in class and how those lessons relate to the real world.

Barnhart is working to get several professionals to come and speak at this year’s PR week: Anastasia Barr, who will speak on the nonprofit panel; Abby Pittinaro, who will be holding a workshop on how to get your dream job; and Jesse Serra, who will be speaking on improving writing.

The list also includes Nick Paradise, director of public relations at Kennywood Amusement Park in Pittsburgh.

Barnhart said she knew she wouldn’t be able to reach out to all of the alumni

Photo courtesy of Nicole Tobias

Like last year, professionals will share valuable lessons during PR Week. on her own, so she used resources from PRSSA chapter networks, chapter president Nicole Tobias, chair of the Department of Communication Richard Krause and PRSSA Pittsburgh, as well as David Floyd, manager of alumni relations at Waynesburg University.

“Waynesburg has a rich history, and our alumni are one of the main reasons for that,” Floyd said. “If a current student is looking for an alumni speaker with a certain background or in a certain profession, we will do our best to reach out to alumni through our office.”

Barnhart’s job before PR Week arrives is to determine what speakers will

present, what events will occur throughout the week and creating the schedule.

During PR Week, her job is to make sure the speakers get to campus safely, their materials are all ready for them and that they feel welcomed.

Deanna Nagel, junior PRSSA chapter coordinator, said when she went to the event last year she was not sure what to expect at first but knew that she was going to learn a lot about the field and what the typical dayto-day jobs look like.

“Taylor Pieper, an alumna of Waynesburg University, stood out to me because of her bubbly personality and how much she loved PR,”

Nagel said.“She talked about her time here at Waynesburg University, what she was doing in her field and how she used what she learned here in her job that she has now.”

This year, Nagel is looking forward to hearing Paradise speak.

Barnhart said she needs to make sure that her team knows when things are going to happen, as PR week has so many intricate details that are sure to make the event special this year.

Barnhart encourages students of all majors to attend the events and speakers, as they will teach lessons beneficial to all areas of study.

Toiletry Continued from A1 room showed up in the last week of January to let students know where they can find the other products that are in the third-floor back hallway.

Above the baskets there are signs to direct students where to go if more products are needed.

“The response is going very well in the bathroom,” Bristor said. “The plan is to eventually move some baskets into other buildings. We’re going to be looking at doing that by the end of this month.”

The baskets will also soon be found in Miller, Buhl and Stewart. From there, the baskets will continue to ex pand if the need is there and the students are using them properly.

“I think the key right now is making sure students understand that it’s here and that it’s free and they can definitely come up a nd get what t hey need,” Bristor said.

Holly Hendershot, The Yellow Jacket

Toiletries are avaiable in Stover Campus Center bathrooms, as well as on the third floor for students who have need of them.

W h i le t he pro duc t s in the baskets and pantry have been purchased w ith the g rant money and donations, monetary gifts aren’t the only thing keeping the products in the bathrooms.

Students and faculty are welcomed to donate physical items, such as deodorant, sanitary products, other hygiene prod-

Career-focused.

THAT’S THE POINT.

ucts and even snacks to Student Services and the pantry.

“I think that Waynesburg does a wonderful job at helping the community through a variety of programs, but I think it’s equally important that they recognize that sometimes students are struggling to provide for the basic things,” Bristor said.

If t his exper iment a l phase goes well, the pantry might expand to include items for students to use during interviews, like dress shirts and items to do laundry.

For now, the baskets and pantry will operate on a system of trust. Take what you need, leave what you can and pay it forward when you are able to.

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is always reliable,” Harkleroad said. “I just smiled and laughed at the rest of the reactions. I’m excited to see where the university goes from here.”

Payment changes will accompany the additions next school year. Meal plans will stay in-tact, with the addition of a flex dollar system. The flex dollars will be assigned per semester based on students’ meal plans and can carry over to the spring semester if unused.

“With the meal swipes, you still have the option to do all-you-can-eat in Benedum, and the flex dollars can be used at any facility,” Payne said. “Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, the 24/7 mar-

Plays Continued from A1 voluntary, and we thank them so much for making room in their schedules to help us.”

Morgan chose to direct the play “Almost, Maine,”

by John Car iani, af ter Powers introduced her to it.

“I fell in love with it immediately,” she said. “I will be doing two funny scenes from the one-act.”

Connor Hoffman, sen ior bibl ic a l m i n i st r y major, decided to direct a one-act he wrote himself. He began w r iting the show last spring, after which he had many people read t he show and help him edit it. He wrote many drafts of the play before he said it was finally finished.

“I liked the idea of finding a new creative outlet, and the story I came up with was one that I felt passionately about and felt needed to be told,” Hoffman said.

Morgan plays a supporting role in his play and said she is “excited to be a part of his masterpiece.”

Because he wrote the show himself, Hoffman said he definitely has high expectations for it.

“I don’t believe it is going to be exactly how I’ve envisioned, but I know it’ll be done to the best of the ability of everyone involved,” he said.

So far, Hoffman said his rehearsals are going well and his cast are quickly getting acquainted with their characters.

The student directors would ultimately like the s t u d e nt s , c o m mu n i t y members and other attendees to have a night to sit back and enjoy some entertainment.

“My personal goal is

ket or the Beehive pick-up.”

Brad Milko, freshman nursing major, plans to frequent the new Chick-fil-A in the fall.

“I was scrolling through Facebook when I found it on the Waynesburg page and I was definitely excited that we are adding another food source to campus,” Milko said. “If it pulls through and there’s a Chick-fil-A on campus next year, I’m utilizing that to my full potential.”

Payne noted that these changes are a response to the desires of students and that future decisions regarding dining will be made with the same student-first mentality.

“This decision was student-driven,” Payne said.

“Every decision we were making was with students in mind, based on the feedback we were getting from students.”

to ma ke t he audience forget about their finals and projects that they have and be relaxed. We want people to come out and support the arts. We also want the students to appreciate the other students as actors and directors a nd not t he person they sit beside in math class,” Morgan said.

“My one-act is a romantic comedy, and I want people to know that love outdoes all other emotions.”

T he most rewarding part of this experience for Morgan is being able to personally pick out her script and cast members.

Morgan also believes having the independence to choose whatever details to por tray on st age is powerful.

“Whatever I decide to put on that stage is mine and my creative thought process. I have to find the props and think of my actors’ costumes. I think of the interpretation of dialogue and their blocking. It is so cool to see something on stage that I created. The most challenging part of this is that I have never done this before, and three people are depending on me to tell them what I want them to do,” Morgan said.

These plays mean far more to the student directors than meets the eye. These opportunities help s t udent s u nderstand the different jobs and perspectives that can add to the success of the theatre productions.

“We have learned what it takes to pick the script, cast the actors, schedule the practices, figure out how we want our actors to stand and interpret their lines. We’ve picked the costumes, lights and props. Please come and se e wh at t he st udent directors have created because we have worked hard to become directors.” Morgan said.

PUBLIC RELATIONS WEEK “Puzzle Pieces of PR” March 16-20 Join the

Waynesburg University PRSSA Chapter for presentations, programs and advice from award-winning professionals!

region SECTION B

FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

SOUND SOLUTION OR RISKY INVESTMENT? While the natural gas industry has been a staple in Greene County, the Center for Coalfield Justice released a report reading that the industry is harming the county. County Commisioner Mike Belding disagrees with the center's report.

The Center for Coalfield Justice published a report questioning the economic future of natural gas in Greene County and the surrounding area and warns that the oil and

gas industry is not as economically sound as it may seem. According to pa.gov, the oil and gas industry was Greene County’s third largest source of employment and the second highest paying industry in the county. The industry provides between $5 million to

$6 million in Act 13 funding to Greene County every year. According to the CCJ’s report, this is a cause for concern. The oil and gas industry faced difficulty in 2019, particularly in the Appalachia region. Natural gas prices remain low as production outpaces demand,

and extraction companies have struggled to produce positive cash flow for the past six quarters.

In a filing for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, EQT, the country’s largest producer in natural gas according to statista.com,

Web Editor

announced that it will likely write-down $1.4 billion and $1.8 billion in assets.

Meanwhile, Chevron, which lost $6.6 billion in the fourth quarter and is selling its natural gas assets in Appalachia, said in a REPORT >> B2

JUUL >> B2

Belding and Coalfield Justice report disagree on gas industry's impact MICAH LEITH

LACHLAN LOUDON Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania attorney general filed suit against Juul Labs Inc. for “unscrupulous marketing tactics.” According to a recent newsletter, Pennsylvania Rep. Pam Snyder is highly in favor of the crackdown on Juul.

“Too many of our youngsters are using these vaping devices,” Snyder said. “Many of them, and their parents, may not know just how dangerous they are.”

Snyder visited every school district within Greene County to discuss the dangers of vaping for children. “... But the reality is, just like in the 1970s and 1980s when Camel cigarettes had

Graphic By Edward Boice

For The Yellow Jacket

Snyder backs Juul Inc. lawsuit

Waynesburg police have increased traffic enforcement EDWARD BOICE Region Editor

Since the beginning of 2020, the Waynesburg Borough Police Department has increased traff ic enforcement in the Waynesburg area.

“It’s been productive all the way around,” Police Chief Tom Ankrom said, “making the stops on people and seeing what's going on. Just trying to eliminate problems — one being the traffic, and two being the drug issues we deal with.”

Althoug h Ankrom is unsure if additional enforcement is the cause, the number of vehicle

accidents has decreased since its implementation.

Sergeant Shawn Wood said he expects the numbers to stay down, but acknowledges that “correlation does not mean causation.” “ We p ro b a b l y av e rage about 10-12 crashes a month, roughly. It’s over 100 a year, somewhere around 100 and 120,” Ankrom said. “By enforcing the speed more, that number from the first month was three.”

Wood said when the department first initiated the increase of traffic enforcement, there was a spike in speed violations.

“Our numbers initially went up in reference to

violations for speeding, but it seems like they plateaued now,” Wood said.

“People are now coming into town not as fast as they used to.”

The speed limit on East High Street and Greene Street is 25 mph.

While they have been patrolling more, Ankrom said that officers are not giving out speeding tickets to every person they pull over. Wood said he has not changed his judgment with ticketing. “[Officers] don’t need to cite everybody,” he said.

“Pulling over an 80-yearold woman who’s going to POLICE >> B2

Edward Boice, The Yellow Jacket

Sergeant Shawn Wood believes more traffic enforcement prevents incidents that could happen in the future, such as theft and vehicle crashes.

Bridge named after Brian Tennant EQT Corporation grants money for tech at Flenniken LACHLAN LOUDON Web Editor

Thursday, Feb. 27, will mark one year since former Greene County Sheriff Brian Tennant died at age 35. Pennsylvania Rep. Pam Snyder proposed House Bill 2088 in November that would name a bridge and two roads after three local fallen heroes, including Tennant. This bill passed the house unanimously on Jan. 21 and now sits in the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee.

According to H.B. 2088, the Department of Transportation will name the interchange of the MonFayette Expressway with Exit 22 in Redstone Township as the Pfc. Joseph Frank Duda Memorial Interchange, the interchange of Market Street and Spring Street in Brownsville as the Cpl. Denny Ray Easter Memorial Interchange and a bridge on South Porter Street over the South Fork Tenmile Creek in Waynesburg as the Sheriff Brian A. Tennant Memorial Bridge.

“I am honored and humbled that my colleagues unanimously approved my bill to honor these local heroes,” Snyder said in a recent news release. “Each one of them deserves the utmost recognition for their service and sacrifices to our community and to our country.”

Duda served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World

SIERRA MEDINA Editorial Assistant

Edward Boice,The Yellow Jacket

The Sheriff Brian A. Tennant Memorial Bridge is part of South Porter Street and runs over South Fork Tenmile Creek.

War II and Easter served as an infantryman in the Vietnam War. Both of these men died in the line of duty.

“This bill is a way that we can pay tribute,” Nathan Regotti, chief of staff for Snyder, said. “Those guys went overseas as young men and never got to come home and see their family again.”

Among the three men honored, Tennant is the outlier with his the more recent and local death. Regotti said that Tennant’s is the first transportation memorial Snyder’s office has proposed that was not for a veteran killed overseas.

“Sheriff Tennant was the first [memorial] we’ve done that wasn’t for a veteran,” Regotti said. “But we thought that he has done plenty of work for our community as a

police officer, as a firefighter and as our sheriff.”

In 2010, Tennant was hailed a hero when he saved several lives in a house fire in Waynesburg that killed two children, according to the bill. He was elected sheriff in 2013, then re-elected in 2017.

Regotti said Tennant was a personal friend of both himself and Snyder. His family, friends and community all wanted Tennant to be honored in some way.

“His mom really wanted something done just so her son could be remembered, and her grandsons could drive by [the bridge] some day when they’re teenagers and look at that sign and remember their dad,” Regotti said.

The bill also dictates that signs be erected to display

the name of the memorial to both sides of traffic.

“So this, just naming something after them, it’s not enough by any means,” Regotti said. “But it’s one way that we can honor what they have done.”

These three locations will be given a name for the first time once the bill is put into action, and will stay memorialized in the men’s names forever.

“Whether on foreign soil or in their own communities, our brave men and women have put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of their friends, families and neighbors,” Snyder noted in the memorandum. “There are no words or deeds that can fully express our deepest gratitude for their service and sacrifice.”

A grant request for $15,000 was approved by the EQT Corporation for use by the Flenniken Public Library located on 102 E. George St. in Carmichaels.

The grant will be utilized throughout the year for a series of events and classes focused on helping children develop technological knowledge and skills. The first event, Augmented Reality Discovery Day, will occur Feb. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“The Discovery Days are designed for the public to have hands-on experience to get to know the new technologies available,” said Nicole Mitchell, director of the Flenniken Library.

Flenniken will have workshops and classes on app and video game design and modeling, creating virtual worlds, basic coding, stop motion movie making and film production and editing.

“This informational event is important because it gives the community access to these technologies that they might never have,” Mitchell said. “My hope is that it will inspire patrons to sign up for future workshops for more in-depth experiences and possibly spark a love of

technology.”

The grant request was submitted in August 2019 for approval at the September 2019 meeting. All grant requests were held over to the December 2019 meeting where they were approved and the check was received in January 2020.

This is the fourth grant the library has received since 2017. The other grants provided a 3D printer, computers and Makerspace clubs.

According to eqt.com, since the foundation’s creation in 2003, it has awarded over $57 million to nonprofits in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia.

There are four grant cycles a year on the first of February, May, August and November available to nonprofits “that make a difference in the lives of the individuals and families they serve.” Foundation Manager for EQT Ellen Rossi said EQT funds projects that meet the criteria of their priority areas and that fall within the geography of their giving footprint.

“We will only fund programs that benefit areas where EQT Corporation has business operations,” Rossi said. “For us, that’s Greene and Washington counties in GRANT >> B2

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

PAGE B2

Frying for funds

Fish fries provide Greene churches and fire departments with essential income EDWARD BOICE Region Editor

Every Friday between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, churches and fire departments across Greene County host fish fries. These fries are fundraisers to provide a source of income for these organizations. According to people affiliated with St. Marcellus Church, Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department, Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department and the St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus Council, their success with fish fries are essential to their financial security.

For St. Marcellus, The Rev. Francis Frazer said their fish fry is a social event that brings the church and Jefferson, Pennsylvania closer together.

The church has hosted their

Report Continued from B1 press release that it expects a write-down of $10 billion to $11 billion in assets. Despite the dismal outlook for many of the big natural gas companies, Mike Belding, chairman of the Greene County Board of Commissioners, doesn’t think that Greene County’s economy will be harmed in the long term.

“I think that specific industry players like Chevron and Exxon have little impact on Greene County’s oil and gas, and I say that because it’s a commodity that will always be required to be taken out of the ground,” Belding said.

“Regardless of the market price, there will always be a player in the natural gas industry in southwestern Pennsylvania.”

The natural gas industry has gotten aid in the form of government subsidies. According to PennFuture, the natural gas industry was given $3.2 billion in subsidies in 2012-2013 alone.

Veronica Coptis, executive director of the Center for Coalfield Justice, thinks that this is cause for concern.

“The industry is not as financially stable as the companies’ own narrative says,” Coptis said. “From our analysis, if they’re able to lobby and get additional subsidies and corporate giveaways, then yes, they will still be able to operate. But the way that our analysis is looking, the industry cannot sustain itself in the long-term without assistance from the government.”

fish fry for around 16 years, Frazer said. Since the church joined the St. Mathias parish on July 1, the fry is the only major fundraiser the church hosts.

“We could make do without it, but it’s a big help,” Frazer said.

For 15-16 years, the Knights of Columbus Council at St. Ann’s Church has hosted their fish fry. Barry Nelson, the financial secretary for the council, said the money goes into the council’s general fund. During the fish fry, the council sells pasta fazool and donates the earnings to the Heart and Sole organization. “[The fries’ income] is almost a third of our annual budget,” Nelson said.

Ron Virgili, a volunteer at the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department, said their fish

fries’ earnings are used to keep the department operational. Virgili said, since volunteer fire departments have trouble financially, their fish fry benefits the Jefferson Fire Department.

“A lot. I don’t know how much per se. It does help us,” Virgili said. “It takes a lot to keep the doors of a volunteer fire company open.”

The Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department, much like the Jefferson Department, relies on their fish fry, explained Kimbery Rohm, captain of the Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department.

Rohm said the department uses the funds to purchase equipment and help pay bills.

“We have other income, of course, but it helps a lot. I would say about 50%,” Rohm said.

The CCJ’s report cites a census statistic showing the population growth in Greene County has decreased by 5.6% despite an overall increase in Pennsylvania.

However, Belding doesn’t think the oil and gas industry is the primary cause of the decline.

“In the western side of the county, the coal industry has bought up a lot of surface property as they continue longwall mining underneath that. So, they have displaced a number of families, and it is a large number of families who have decided to move out of Greene County,” Belding said. “The other phenomenon that we see is that individuals that work in Greene County don’t work in Greene County. 62% of our workforce commute into the county.”

To Belding, the natural gas industry has affected the population decline in a small way. Belding said there are some people who receive natural gas royalties for their farmland and choose to leave Greene County and receive their check in the mail instead of staying and continuing to farm. He doesn’t think, however, these oil and gas subsidies are the primary reason for the decline in population growth.

“I would caution people that equate the population decline directly to the natural gas industry,” Belding said. “I think it’s a combination of several different reasons, and at least not significantly caused by the natural gas industry.”

According to a report from the Journal of Urban Affairs, the Pittsburgh area gained 7,000 extraction

jobs, while manufacturing lost 10,000 jobs. Belding doesn’t think that this trend will extend to Greene County.

“Greene County doesn’t really hold a lot of indus-

Mike Belding tries other than the coal mines and the natural gas industry. It’s not like we are manufacturing vehicles or something like that,” Belding said. “We don’t have empty warehouses sitting around that used to have businesses in them and now no longer do.”

Coptis explained a viable alternative to the natural gas industry is the service industry.

“The biggest sector of jobs in the county is the service sector,” Coptis said.

“I think there could be a lot done to advocate at the state level to raise the minimum wage, which would significantly increase the access to good-paying jobs for residents in the county.”

Coptis also mentioned Greene County’s location in a major transportation corridor as a potential avenue to improve Greene County’s economy. Unlike many other coalfield counties, Greene County has access to major interstates, and Coptis said improving infra-

St. Ann's Knights of Columbus Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

St. Marcellus

Lunch: 12:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Dinner: 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Also serving April 10

Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department 3-7 p.m.

Also serving April 10

All Fish Fries are Feb. 28, March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3

structure such as schools would encourage people to move to Greene County and commute to more urban areas to work. Belding said Greene County’s location will be advantageous to Greene County’s economic future. “ W hen you look at Greene County, we are in a transportation corridor that is almost unmatched,” he said. “As far as the transportation corridor and the opportunity to move material and freight goes, we’re right in the best place you could be.”

Overall, Coptis said it might be risky for Greene County to focus on natural gas in the long-term.

“Is there going to be a role for oil and gas to play in the next 10 year time frame? Potentially, but we can’t do what we did and put all of our tax infrastructure and economic job opportunities in a boom and bust industry,” she said. “We know that boom and bust cycles are not healthy for our economy.”

Although the natural gas industry as a whole has struggled as of late, Belding explained the industry will remain stable in Greene County.

“I think the natural gas industry here is level as far as activity goes and as far as the labor force that is going to be required. The boom is over, and now we are on to sustainment and increasing the infrastructure to get the assets out of the area so that it can be shipped overseas or moved to a facility that is going to use it,” he said. “I think the natural gas industry is level in Greene County and will remain that way for the next 20 or 40 years.”

Police

Continued from B1 ‘Joe Cool’ and it was marketed to young kids to try and get them to smoke cigarettes, Juul is doing the same thing now with e-cigarettes and vaping,” Nate Regotti, chief of staff for Snyder, said.

Regotti explained the issue with Juul’s marketing attempts towards younger generations. Regotti said Juul places over 50% of their advertisements online and on social media platforms, which are viewed heavily by younger audiences.

The advertisements also feature young people using the product and offer a variety of flavorful, tasteful options that may appeal to the youth.

“They are not marketing to an 80-year-old person trying to quit smoking by buying social media ads,” Regotti said. “They are clearly trying to entice young people to use their products.”

Towards the end of 2019, President Donald Trump announced a nationwide ban on these fun-flavored e-cigarette products.

“What you may not know is just how easily these devices can mimic flash drives, making them easy for youngsters to hide from their parents and caregivers,” Snyder said in a November news release. “Even though scientists are still trying to fully understand the myriad of health impacts surrounding vaping, what we do know is that it can have serious health conse-

Grant Continued from B1 Pennsylvania…”

Rossi said once an organization receives a grant, the relationship remains

Continued from B1 church on a Sunday morning, she probably doesn’t need a ticket. Just telling her to slow down will probably work. So the officers have discretion on how they’re dealing with things.”

Most police stops occur during the day, explained Ankrom and Wood. Ankrom said the most violations usually occur between 5-8 a.m. “ There’s less traf f ic on the roads, but there’s less parking on the sides [at that time], and that’s when people are coming into town fast,” Wood said.

Ankrom said he wanted increased traffic enforcement ever since he entered the role of police chief in August 2019.

After discussions with the department officers,

Juul

Graphic

By Edward Boice

quences.”

Snyder has offered a brochure to help combat this new addiction titled “Vaping and E-Cigarette Information: What You Should Know.” This provides a resource to children, adults and parents to help inform them of the risks.

“I want to ensure parents, teachers and youngsters are aware of the health dangers, but also know where to go for additional information in the community,” Snyder said.

Also to combat vaping, the state departments of Conservation & Natural Resources and Health announced a ban in February on all forms of tobacco, vaping and e-cigarettes within 30 feet of state park playgrounds. The state park playground ban aims to eliminate children’s exposure to secondhand smoke at 135 locations in the state’s 121 parks, according to a recent newsletter by Snyder. Recently, the smoking age was raised nationwide from 18 to 21. According to Regotti, this will make it more difficult for minors to get a hold of these products. Regotti said it is more likely for a 16 yearold high school student to be friends with an 18-year-old than a 21-year-old.

“We believe the attorney general is correct when he says [Juul Inc.] lied to the American people about the way they've promoted their product as safe and manipulated consumers into thinking that this is a way to stop smoking,” Regotti said. “There are no studies, no proof that juuling or e-cigarettes are safer or a good way to get off of actual cigarettes.”

assist in the creation of the workshops and programs within the Flenniken Public Library and to help with running them.

Rossi is heavily invested in the communities and nonprofits that EQT assists and is passionate about those same programs applying

“The Discovery Days are designed for the public to have hands-on experience to get to know the new technologies available.”

NICOLE MITCHELL

Director of the Flenniken Library Melissa Keith , The Yellow Jacket

Waynesburg Police Chief Tom Ankrom and Sergeant Shawn Wood both believe that the increased traffic enforcement will decrease vehicle accidents and crimes. he decided more enforcement was needed.

“I try to use their opinion on what needs done and then base my decision on what they tell me,” Ankrom said.

Wood and Ankrom said they believe the increase in traffic enforcement will

make roads safer in the long term.

Both explained that this type of enforcement helps in preventing problems more consequential than speeding, such as crashes and theft.

“I think that because you enforce that kind of stuff,

it cuts down on [other violations] you would have had,” Ankrom said. “For example, if we start being proactive with drug issues, if you get them [with traffic enforcement], then you may avoid burglaries and thefts you would have had with the same people.”

transparent and progress is tracked regarding spending.

“I believe it’s important for the nonprofits we support to show us what impacts they’re having,” Rossi said.

Mitchell is interested in partnering with education and computer science majors from California University of Pennsylvania and Waynesburg University to

for grants that can provide those opportunities.

“I have made remarkable friendships and am so proud of the programs EQT has funded over the years,” she said. “I believe we’re making change with every dollar invested.”

Rossi can be reached at erossi@eqt.com or 412-5537703 for further information on applying for grants.

sports PAGE B3

FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

On to the NCAA Regionals

PA C T O U R N A M E N T W E E K

Women advance, Men fall early in postseason action JOE SMELTZER ADAM MORGANTE Staff Report

Ty McEliece, For The Yellow Jacket

Senior Dan Verhovsek and four other seniors could possibly make their final appearance in orange and black at NCAA Regionals this weekend.

Jackets aim to send multiple weight classes to nationals RILEY HOLSINGER For The Yellow Jacket

The Waynesburg University wrestling team looks to put a disappointing f inish at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships behind them at the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional Championships this Friday and Saturday at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

The road to the NCAA D- III National tournament begins and ends for many wrestlers at regionals.

For a Yellow Jacket wrestler to advance to n at i o n a l s , t h ey m u s t finish in third place or

higher. Waynesburg will be one of 20 teams competing at Messiah this weekend.

Seniors such as Dillion Charlton, Matt Lascola, Zach Mackall and Dan Verhovsek might wrestle in their final matches this weekend, something that will be emotional to handle.

“It’s going to be a bittersweet feeling,” Verhovsek said. “Making it throug h four years wasn’t easy, but it was something I really enjoyed so if I don’t make it to nationals, I am going to miss it.”

Ve r h o v s e k , w h o i s co m i n g of f of a PAC championship title at the 184 weight classification,

believes having nothing to lose is an advantage for him.

“We talk a lot in practice about when you don’t want to be done wrestling, you have an advantage to let it all fly,” Verhovsek said. “I’m kind of in that situation.

I want to be wrestling for a couple of more weeks.”

Verhovsek, the Richland wrestling product, has one goal in mind for regionals.

“I really just want to get on the podium really badly,” Verhovsek said.

“I’ve never done it and it’s always been one of my goals since I’ve been here.”

Nationally ranked freshmen Colby Morris

and Rocky McGeary also have a strong chance of advancing to nationals and making a splash.

“I’d love to get an AllAmerican status,” McGeary said. “That would kind of relieve the pressure off of me.”

According to waynesburgsports.com, former Jacket Shaun Wilson is believed to have been the only true freshman to capture All-American status in the program’s history.

Last year, Waynesburg sent Ken Burrs and Jake Evans to nationals and has sent a wrestler to the tournament every year since 2017.

NCAA >> B4

Women's Basketball Two minutes into the fourth quarter of Monday night’s first round Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament game against Bethany, Waynesburg coach Sam Jones had to take a timeout.

Everything was fine on the scoreboard. The Yellow Jackets led by eight. The problem was, just a minute earlier, the Jackets had their hands on Bethany’s throat, and now had allowed the Bison room to breathe.

Waynesburg led by 15 points with 9:17 to play, but moments later, a Bethany basket cut that lead to single digits.

Jones let his team take the ball up the floor, and then called timeout. “[I told them] Just to settle down and make sure that we got back to doing what we needed to do,” he said. “We cleaned up a couple things defensively, changed how we were guarding for one specific player. But really, it was just about getting our minds right, letting them have their little run and then putting an end to it.”

Whether that time out was the key or not, it put an end to it.

The next basket made by either side was an Erin Joyce three-pointer that pushed the Jackets’ lead to 11, and from there, sixth-seeded Waynesburg [8-18] led by double-digits for all but 17 seconds and kept its season alive with a 79-63 win, beating seventh-seeded Bethany [6-20] for the third time overall and second time in just over 48 hours.

The women traveled to Westminster Wednesday night for the quarterfinal round.

Men's Basketball Waynesburg put themselves in a difficult spot by being down 21 points at halftime to the defending Presidents’ Athletic Conference Champions.

However, Waynesburg

started the second half on a 11-0 run, cutting the Chatham lead to 10 points. The Jackets trimmed the Cougars lead to four points, three separate times, but that was closest Waynesburg would get. Chatham held on for the 72-64 win in the quarterfinal round of the PAC tournament.

“We didn’t play very hard in the first half,” coach Tim Fusina said. “They made shots in the first half. We couldn’t really have an answer for them. Credit to our guys to cut it to four [points].

Given the whole we dug ourselves in the first half is what hurt us.”

Senior Cam Auld said the coaches still believed in them at halftime.

“The coaches talk at halftime was, ‘we’re in control of our own destiny’ and that’s how we played the second half,” Auld said. “We gave ourselves a shot and that’s what we talked about in the locker room and we did just that, so I’m proud of the guys.”

Chatham was hot from three in the first half shooting 52%. Freshman Elijah Sutton was perfect from beyond the arc scoring 12 of his 14 points from three.

Junior Malik Potter shot 50% from three in the game and scored 24 points to lead Chatham.

Senior Brennen Smith tallied 26 points to end his college career which led Waynesburg.

Sophomore Isaiah Alonzo added 19 points, and senior Frank Bozicevic chipped 12 points in his final game.

Fusina noticed the adjustments.

“We played harder, we went to the glass, we blocked out,” Fusina said. “We made some shots, we committed to getting the ball inside.”

The men's team finishes 2020 with a 6-20 record.

Chatham hosts Geneva at 7 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals.

The result of the women's game was past print deadline. Check the Yellow Jacket online for more coverage of the 2020 PAC Tournament.

Lacrosse wins opener, seeks to improve each week JARED WIKER

For The Yellow Jacket

After getting its first win in 46 tries on Sunday, there is a lot of optimism around the 2020 women’s lacrosse season.

The team will welcome in six freshmen, which is the biggest recruitment class in ten years.

Coach Gennaro Bonaventura, and assistant coach Shannon Morgan return to lead the team in 2020.

Additionally, the new players will look to make up for the loss of four seniors after the 2019 season.

“I want to see us improve each week and keep working hard and get better,” Bonaventura said. “We had a good fall ball and preseason so far leading up to our first game. We have a good mix of freshman and upperclassmen, and I’m excited to see them take the next step. We need to get some wins, and when you have a confident team, you never know what can

Photo Courtesy of Gennaro Bonaventura

On Sunday, the women's lacrosse team snapped a 45-game losing streak in its season opener against Thomas More.

The Jackets will return to action on March 10 when they host Muskingum University. happen.”

Bonaventura also talked about his goal for the new season, after finishing winless last season for the third season in a row.

“The goal for lacrosse this year is to just win a game,” Bonaventura said.

One game in, the Jackets have already accomplished that goal, with a 7-5 tri-

umph against Thomas More University Sunday afternoon.

Junior Riley Yoder will begin the season as the team’s goalkeeper after

starting every game in 2019.

“She has done a good job so we will see how it goes and take it week by week.”

Bonaventura said.

Senior defender Christina Bauer and junior midfielder Bre Martini return as captains for this season.

Bonaventura spoke highly of Bauer, Martini and the rest of the Jackets upperclassmen.

“We have really good leadership qualities that the freshman can lean on besides the coaching staff,” Bonaventura said.

“I think we are very lucky and blessed to have that as a team.”

Senior attacker Jackie Adler could also be added to that list during the season.

“She has done a really good job for us so far leading by example,” Bonaventura said. “She is one of our better players and she has been very committed this year.”

The Jackets’ next game will be after spring break, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 10.

Waynesburg will be at home for the first time in 2020, as the Jackets will host Muskingum University at John F. Wiley Stadium.

PAGE B4

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Baseball to kick off 2020 campaign in Central Florida MITCH MONTANI For The Yellow Jacket

The 2019 season for the Waynesburg baseball team brought many bright spots.

The team had a 15-9 conference record, and made the Presidents’ Athletic Conference playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Looking to have another winning season, Waynesburg will get it’s 2020 season underway in the early part of next week.

The program will make it’s annual trip to play in Florida for the Russmatt Invitational.

“We’re playing a tough schedule down there,” coach Mike Humiston said. “There’s some teams that are traditionally very good. I’m interested to see how we compete.”

The Jackets will play 10 games over a six-day span. Their scheduled opponents are Ohio Northern, Concordia (MN), John Carroll, Albion, Mitchell, and Mount Union.

Waynesburg will also have just 27 players on their 2020 roster, but for Humiston, this could be a

benefit.

“We’ve got a smaller group this year,” Humiston said. “But that just means that more guys are going to get to play. There’s an expectation.”

This means that every player on the Jackets roster will have a job to do, and some players will be depended on for several different responsibilities.

“A lot of our guys will be playing dual roles,” Humiston said.“I’m interested in seeing how they handle those different roles.

Based on what we’ve seen so far, I think we’ll be a lot better off than some people may think we’re going to be.”

For Humiston, the trip provides an opportunity to get a good look at the pitching staff.

He’ll be able to see his pitchers compete in games prior to conference play.

“It always helps us with our pitching rotation and who we’re looking at,” Humiston said. “We’ve got guys in mind, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to go down there and set the world on fire.

We’re excited to see how they’re going to react and

Photo Courtesy of Emily Nordstrom

Senior pitcher Mason Miller is coming off a junior year when he posted a 1.89 ERA with 97 strikeouts, and an 8-2 record. He will lead the Jackets' pitching staff in 2020. how they’re going to perform.”

The pitching rotation will be led by senior Mason Miller.

In just under 70 innings of work, Miller collected 97 strikeouts last season.

He had an 8-2 record, and an ERA of 1.86. Waynesburg will look for Miller to replicate those numbers

this season as well, if not top them.

“He had a great year last year,” Humiston said. “But he has to expand on that.

He has to be better this year than he was last year.

That helps us get better and helps him get better looks. He’s working as hard as I’ve seen him work in the last three years.”

Miller is the unquestioned anchor of the rotation, but behind him, Humiston feels the pitching staff will be able to hold its own.

The staff will have underclassmen serving as solid support pieces.

“We have a couple of younger guys that I think we can spot in certain sit-

uations,” he said. “When we need three outs or six outs they’ll be able to do that.”

Another element to the 2020 season will be the team’s outfield, which has gotten a lot younger.

The team lost two longtime starters over the offseason, Tyler Godwin and Mitch Nordstrom. Humiston mentioned Evan Homison, Carter Uzzell, Vinny Monico and Ryan Mills as players who could see outfield time.

“I think the outfield is going to be better than what we anticipated,” Humiston said. “We have guys that can hit, run and play the outfield.”

Vinny Monico, Johnny Kutchman, Justin Buberl, Mason Miller, Carter Uzzell and John Przybylinski make up this season’s senior class.

Humiston expects them to be leaders on the team, but says that it’ll be a collective effort.

“That’ll be all seniors,” Humiston said. “We expect [leadership] to happen. But it’s an all-handson-deck kind of situation for us to be successful and make the [PAC] tournament.”

Softball to open season in Myrtle Freshman Morris hopes to make run to nationals CHACE JOHNSTON For The Yellow Jacket

Last year, the Waynesburg University softball team started off the season going 2-6 at the Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic.

The team then went on to finish the season 8-26. This year, the Jackets look to improve upon those eight wins.

The 2020 team returns six players from last season and adds seven freshmen.

The freshman class features Lauren Lober, Brin Hunter, Kaylee Stewart, Hayley Livengood, Reghan Benschoter and Mackenzie Carpenter.

While the returners include Rachel Skon, Alexis Beauregard, Hann Batovsky, Emily Schafer and Cheyenne Wasko.

Second-year coach Brett Sminek is excited about each of these new players, and how they can contribute to the upcoming season.

“Each of these freshmen that we have are all very talented,” Shimek said. “Mixing them in with the upperclassmen that we have now, things look very bright this upcoming season, but we will see how things go.”

With this new look team, Waynesburg still brings back key pieces from last year, such as junior pitcher Emma Kubalak, who appeared in 19 games last season, and started all of them.

Along with Kubalak, returns senior catcher Rachel Skon, who has started in 98 games over the last three seasons, and has been firstteam All-PAC the last two.

“These two have been big for us the last few years,” Shimek said. “They are going to be great for us this year.”

The team also added a

NCAA Continued from B3

In Coach Ron Headlee’s tenure at Waynesburg, he has shipped at least one wrestler to the big tournament nine times in 12 seasons.

Not every Jacket at regionals will qualify for the national tournament, but for nothing else, this weekend will be another chance for seniors to perform on the mat, possibly one last time.

“I still love it,” Ver-

wrestle for the University. Verhovsek won his first individual PAC ChampionG r o w i n g u p , C o l b y ship this season at the 184 Morris didn’t pound weig ht like wrestling. class. Although Around middle Verhovsek is in school, Morris year four comstarted to enjoy pared to Morris’ the sport. year one, he feels It’s worked out that the freshwell for him, and man has made now, as a colhim better. lege freshman at “We practice Waynesburg Unitogether a lot versity, Morris is Morris and I think he already making a was a big reason name for himself not just for some of my success at his school, but nation- this year,” Verhovsek said. ally. D3wrestle.com has Hopefully I was able to Morris ranked 20th in the help him as well.” nation for his weight class.

Morris appreciates his Morris [25-5] has won relationship with the sethree tournaments this nior both on and off the year, including the 157 mat. pound PAC Championship, “We wrestle just about and is looking to make it every day. He’s a great past the regional tourna- practice partner,” Morris ment and wrestle at U.S. said. “He works hard and Cellular Center in Cedar makes things fun, too.”

Rapids, Iowa, where naFor Headlee, a big key to tionals will take place.

Morris’ success has been “Hopefully eventually [I his mentality, as well as his can] win a national cham- laid back personality. pionship,” Morris said.

“He’s real loose. He has “Hopefully I can do it this a good demeanor,” Headlee year.” said. “He works really hard Morris’ head coach, Ron in the room. He has a really Headlee is optimistic in good work ethic.” the potential Morris has Morris is calm whether over the next three years. he’s wrestling or not, and “I definitely think he has stays this way by lying All-American potential or down on the mat in benational champion [poten- tween rounds, or lying on tial] if he just keeps work- the bleachers. ing at it,” Headlee said.

“I just try to stay reHeadlee was first in- laxed,” he said. “[I] never terested in Morris’ older put any pressure on me. I brother Caleb. The older call it more of meditating. I Morris decided to go in sit there, peace and quiet, a different direction, at- with headphones in while tending West Virg inia listening to music.”

University for engineerPart of the reason for ing, but Headlee was able Morris’ success in colto get Colby to stay in his lege is making technical hometown. improvements in his style “It’s a big goal for us from his high school days. to try to keep local guys “I think I’m more conhere,” Headlee said. “It’s sistent in a way of scoring good for our program.” points and getting riding Morris has drawn a time,” Morris said. plethora of fans to keep Morris has also grown up to date with the wres- as a person, in addition to tling team. Many people growing in his skills on the from Waynesburg attend mat. the matches to show their “Headlee really strives support. to make us better people “ It ’s n i ce , t h e m o re on and off the mat,” he people that come, get the said. team a little more popuMorris will be wrestling lated,” Morris said. “It’s just at the NCAA Southeast Recool to be around home.” gional Championships in Senior Dan Verhovsek is Mechanicsburg this weekhappy Morris decided to end for a chance to punch stay in Waynesburg and his ticket to nationals.

HUGH O’NEIL

For The Yellow Jacket

Mitchell Kendra, For The Yellow Jacket

Junior Hannah Batovsky led the Jackets softball team in stolen bases (8) in 2019. She is set to be one of six returners from last season. transfer this year, that played at Marietta the previous two seasons.

The transfer is Kayla Alderson, a junior from Chartiers-Houston that led Marietta in batting average, (.353), slugging percentage, (.481), homeruns (3) and RBI (19) while starting all 36 games.

“Kayla is going to help us a lot this year,” Shimek said.

“She adds a powerful bat in our lineup that I’m very excited to see.”

To start off this upcoming season, the Jackets will travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

They’ll play in the Fast

hovsek said. “I’m going to do everything I can to make it not my last week of wrestling and to try and qualify for nationals.”

Wi th that said, the Jackets are aiming to send at least a few wrestlers to Nationals which is set for March 13-14 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

First tournament up though will be at Messiah College and will begin Friday morning.

It'll continue through t h e d ay, a n d re s u m e on Saturday before the event concludes later on that evening.

Pitch Dreams Spring Classic for the second consecutive year.

The team will play teams such as Otterbein, William Peace, Wesley, Wilkes and Hilbert College on the trip.

“Right out the gate we're going to get tested,” Shimek said.“The teams that we will play down in Myrtle Beach, some of them won 20 plus games last year, some of them qualified for the national tournament, so we will get a chance to play against some great teams while we’re down there.”

Waynesburg was picked to finish last in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference,

the same place it finished last season.

However, being picked last lights a fire under Shimek.

“Being picked last gets me excited because we have the opportunity to prove something and prove people wrong,” Shimek said.

Waynesburg opens up the 2020 season Wednesday, March 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the Fast Pitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Jackets will take on Otterbein.

“We haven’t been a .500 team for a long time, we as a team and coaching staff want to get Waynesburg softball back to where it once was.”

Ty McEliece, For The Yellow Jacket

Freshman Rocky McGeary has a 32-3 record with 13 pins and will represent the Jackets in the heavyweight classiciation this weekend at NCAA Regionals.