May 2018 – Page 9 – The Western Howl

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Thirty-one years ago, the Oregon sanctuary law was put in place to prevent Oregon law enforcement agencies from “detecting or apprehending” individuals solely based on federal immigration law violations. A new initiative petition seeks to place a measure on the November ballot to repeal this law and remove Oregon’s sanctuary state title.

“I believe it’s something that would put a lot of communities under attack and fear,” explained Unidos Vice President and sophomore Monica Ortiz.

Western’s Unidos Club strives to act as a “support system to everyone who identifies as undocumented and/or are DACA recipients” according to the Unidos OrgSync. The club hosted an informational workshop on April 26 which aimed to educate students about the proposed ballot measure.

The main organization behind the campaign for IP 22 is Oregonians For Immigration Reform, or OFIR. According to their website, OFIR “works to stop illegal immigration as well as reduce legal immigration to a more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable level here in Oregon and across the United States.”

Unidos President Cristina Garcia, however, believes that the measure would only incite hate in Oregon.

“It would cause more division,” Garcia stated. Because the ballot measure would allow law enforcement to stop individuals on the basis of citizenship, she believes that it would lead to an unsafe environment.

“People of color wouldn’t feel comfortable walking around, because they’d be targeted by police,” explained Garcia.

The workshop explained the purpose of the initiative, the organizations such as OFIR that are behind it and ways that students can get involved such as voting and telling others what IP 22 is.

Garcia encourages students to get informed on the initiative petition; “We’re trying to let people know that this is what it is, don’t sign it.”

In addition to the informational workshop, a timeline of immigrant rights history with significant events including the signing of the federal anti-immigration bills in 1996 and the Oregon sanctuary state law passing in 1987 was displayed. Ortiz believes that Oregonians can create positive changes for the future.

“I believe that now is the time to do something about changing the timeline, doing something positive and helping pass something that is helping communities, not bringing them down and in fear,” expressed Ortiz.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: LATimes.com

The Western Howl

Home »

Packing for a picnic

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

As the sun begins making a more regular appearance, now’s the perfect time to take advantage of every second of sunshine you can fit into your day. Unfortunately, for many, finding time to just hangout and bask in the warmth isn’t exactly an option. An easy way to make some time, even if only for 30 minutes, is by bringing your regular indoor meals to the outdoors.

By setting out a blanket on the grass, bringing a couple friends with you and making some yummy recipes, you’ll have the ingredients of a perfect picnic. While you can ultimately bring whatever dishes you’d like, packing your meals in Mason jars makes for an environmentally-friendly, simple and aesthetically pleasing meal. Follow the instructions on some of these quick and easy Mason jar recipes that will leave your mouth watering and have you begging for another break in the sun.

Black Bean Salad

At the bottom of your jar, pour about ¼ cup of your favorite salsa. On top of this, add 1 ¼ tsp of sour cream (this can be substituted with Greek yogurt for a lighter meal). Dice half of a tomato and add this on top, then follow it up with about ¼ of a chopped red onion. Next, add about ¼ of a can of drained black beans on top of that. Purchase corn, and add about ¼ cup on top of that. Top all of this with half of a sliced avocado, a sprinkle of jack or cheddar cheese and some chopped romaine lettuce. Leave divided to keep the produce as fresh as possible, but mix together before eating.

Inspired by organizeyourselfskinny.com

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

In a bowl, combine a single serving container of Greek yogurt (any flavor you’d like), with 2 tsps of milk, ⅓ cup of granola and 1 tsp of chia seeds. Once mixed together, scoop half and put it at the bottom of your jar. Top this with your choice of mixed berries, which can be fresh or frozen. Top this again with the yogurt mixture, and cap it off with the last of your berries. Refrigerate this overnight for best results.

Inspired by iowagirleats.com

Apple Pie in a Jar

This one is less of a recipe, and more of an easy way to transport a classic dessert that can be easily altered to save room to top with ice cream or whipped cream. Purchase a frozen apple pie (such as Marie Callender’s), and bake as instructed, but don’t add the brown sugar topping. Once cooked, scoop it into oven-safe jars. Don’t worry about keeping it intact, as it will become more of a crumble pie. Add the topping and bake for another 10 minutes. Bring any toppings with you that you’d like.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Caity Healy

The Western Howl

Home »

Review: “KOD”

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

J. Cole’s “KOD” arrived on April 20 and, while he’s progressed and improved as an artist, his new project regressed towards the end.

While varying styles of instrumentals are constructed, ranging from newly stylized modern trap beats to old-school hip-hop influences, Cole’s narrative is what keeps “KOD” afloat. “KOD,” or “Kill Our Addiction,” is based around Cole learning to cope with some of the problems his current generation is also dealing with. For instance, in the album’s trailer, Cole revealed part of how the album developed, “If I turn on the TV right now, it’s not going to be long before an advertisement pops up that says ‘are you feeling down? Have you been having lonely thoughts?’”

Cole tries to grasp the listener consciously. He touches on multiple addictions his generation has been afflicted by and how they might cope with each: technology, drugs, sex and alcohol. But the messages are deeper and, at times, have a double meaning. Cole engages the listener to closely analyze the problems they may also have faced.

For example, “ATM” is a track about the obsession of money and the American dream, and how the dream consumes people. In the refrain he repeats, “Count it up, count it up, count it up, count it,” then responds sarcastically with “Can’t take it when you die, but you can’t live without it.”

“Photograph,” too, deals with obsession as it’s about a boy’s strong interest toward a girl’s social media account — though he’s never met her in reality.

While I get the many interplaying themes, and completely appreciate the diversity KOD strings together, because hip-hop truly needs an army of poets to talk about different issues — they’re simply outnumbered by the invaders of trap music — at KOD’s core is the current generation’s endless addiction to things. Technology is one “Photograph” spoken of as well as drug addiction that’s layered throughout several tracks.

But “KOD” struggles to hold together until the very end. Cole is so invested in topics related to addiction and unwillingness to heal, it’s not something you can re-listen to, and nod your head until the end. Upon finishing, I found it to be a sad case of an endless cycle of our society’s problem with addiction, especially with drugs and alcohol. It’s only right since Cole displays through the songs what he’s undergoing and how hard it is to overcome. I understand that aspect. But it’s not together because there’s an unfulfilling resolution to “KOD,” which could be due to Cole supposedly crafting the album in short time.

Just as important, the instrumentals became too melancholic for my liking. Even though I dig jazz samples and classic hip-hop rhythms, the beats encoded with the messages didn’t keep me vibing. “KOD” is listenable, attention grabbing through the first seven tracks, but towards the end kept me questioning and hopeless.

Only two tracks I can say are completely catching me by the ear and will get more than a few replays.

The piano sounds from “The Cutoff” are reminiscent of Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents,” an all-time favorite of mine. In the song, he talks about friends he’s cutoff and the stages they went through until their relationship eventually split, something I’ve come to face with recently.

Second, “ATM” has this message and tempo I was hoping the latter half of “KOD” would include more of. As I mentioned earlier, the lyrics are about the sad affair we have with money, but Cole’s beat and flow carries the song. Even though he states things like “without it I’m miserable,” he comes in with a force vocally. I love how he’ll say something like “I’m stacking this paper, it’s sort of habitual,” but while doing, there’s a sense that he’s basically insisting to be conscious about the idea of money, as he states with “proceed with caution, I heard if you chase it only results in, a hole in your heart.”

I’ve only listened to “KOD” two times over. While a step up from his previous release, “4 Your Eyez Only,” “KOD” was a complete miss when compared to his penultimate “2014 Forest Hills Drive” album, but, like Cole says in “The Cutoff,” time will only tell who is on his side, or “KOD”’s side.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: dreamville.com

The Western Howl

Home »

Who taught you how to drive?

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

I can count on more than two hands how many times in the past month I’ve almost been hit on Western’s campus — as a driver, as a passenger and as a pedestrian. I’ve never been in a car accident, but it seems like the drivers in the commuter/staff lots on campus are trying to change that. Add to it the fact that a quick look at the most recent public safety report shows that of the four on-campus calls that CPS received between April 24 and April 28, three were in regard to automobile-related incidents.

Instead of the usual calls for alcohol use and bike thefts, our campus has apparently taken to running amok in cars.

The transgressions happening with drivers aren’t ones that would be fixed with a refresher course on how to drive. Rather, people are just failing to pay attention to their environment — or they’re just completely lacking consideration for pedestrians and other drivers.

As a driver, I get it — pedestrians have no problem with walking into the middle of the street at the last possible second. However, in environments like parking lots, last-minute walking is less of a problem. Instead, undefined walking spaces make it so pedestrians can pretty much go anywhere. Because of this, the problem is rooted in both a lack of awareness on the part of the pedestrian and a similar lack of caution while rounding corners or trying to snag an open spot on the part of the driver.

According to research performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding pedestrian accidents, there were 5,987 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2016. Though the NHTSA doesn’t have statistics regarding pedestrian injuries in 2016, their 2015 report stated than an estimate 70,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents. For Oregon specifically, the NHTSA preliminary data for 2017 estimates that there were 1.81 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people in the state, or 75 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents. Frankly, these statistics are absurdly high.

The problem with reckless driving around campus isn’t just a pedestrian-centered issue; though people do need to watch for pedestrians, they also need to watch for fellow drivers. I’ve been in empty lots on campus and have still somehow been nearly t-boned by cars that are speeding around corners. More often than not, this happens when people are first entering parking lots. It can be difficult to remember to slow down from the street, but it’s safer for all of those involved.

For people who are in a rush to make it to their class or job on time, I have some tips for you. First off, when you turn a corner while snaking around a parking lot, know that there is most likely either a car or a person that will be around that corner. Western doesn’t have many students, but it has enough to have moderately populated lots, particularly during the in between-class periods of the day. Second, when you come bounding into a parking lot, try and take a survey of the area and take note of any cars that may be pulling out. I’ve seen numerous people back into other cars as they drive past looking for a spot. And third, for the pedestrians: be smart about when you decide to walk places. Wait until a driver stops before barrelling across the street. We all joke that drivers can ‘pay our tuition,’ but none of us really want that to happen.

I’m sure everyone will agree that they don’t want to pay for hitting another car, so it’s time to weigh what’s more important: making that meeting or protecting yourself and the people around you. As the term begins to come to an end and everyone gets more stressed, try and take a break before rushing around campus — a CPS report shouldn’t be just a catalog of car accidents.

Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The Western Howl

Home »

Western marks 16th straight appearance in GNAC playoff

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

With the GNAC Baseball playoffs quickly approaching, four more in-season games were played on April 28-29. The Wolves secured a playoff spot after splitting the first two games against the Central Washington Wildcats, 14-6 and 5-3. Both teams, having already clinched a playoff seed, continued to jockey for GNAC tournament positioning, but it was the Wolves that defeated the Wildcats two more times: 8-5 and 4-3, with the latter score coming off a walk-off home run.

The hits came and plenty of contribution was divided among the Wolves roster in their first win against the Wildcats. Six players hit more than once in the 14-6 route.

Outfielder Griffey Halle, first-year, was the first on the attack as he put it past the fences for the first two runs of the second inning. Senior Jacob Martinez, outfielder, also provided contribution, running in three that helped add to a 8-1 lead in the fourth inning.

The Wolves ran up the score from then on and the ‘Cats could not make up ground.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Roth earned his fifth win in his five strikeout performance and has not lost a game throwing.

Unable to follow up on the hitting performance, Western had only one player, senior infielder Jay Leverett, hit twice in the rematch. The game was knotted, 3-3, by the sixth, but Central — having led the GNAC in total plate appearances — had just a few more at bats and base runners to earn the victory.

Central kept the appearances on home plate and bases in tact for game three. The Wolves planned to do the same. In the fourth, they ran eight players on bases to bring the game within one, 3-2. Both teams played through the pouring rain and, after a rain stoppage of 48 minutes, the Wolves came back.

Three infield throwing errors in a row from Washington produced three straight runs for a 7-5 Wolf lead. In the seventh, the Wolves scored one more after an unearned Martinez run in from third base.

One more game was played between the two. After having already hit two walks offs for wins within the last 16 days, first-year outfielder Spencer Bennion made sure his third would come again when it was needed in the extra eighth inning. With two outs and the score at 3-3, Bennion hit the ball clear over right center field for the final decider.

The Wolves will face the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks for their final four in two doubleheaders. Each doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. times.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: wouwolves.com

The Western Howl

Home »

WUC changes coming this fall

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Ever since the joining of Wolf Express and Caffe Allegro during the summer of 2017, the space previously occupied by the Wolf Express convenience store has remained empty. But students coming back to Western in fall 2018 will find the space filled by a brand new, reservable conference room and an office and work space for the Student Activities Board.

The WUC Advisory Committee, a group of representatives from all offices within the Werner University Center, created a subcommittee to redesignate the space after it was vacated. An application process invited student organizations and campus departments to apply for the 1,040-square-foot location on the second floor of the WUC.

After an interview process with the applicants and a recommendation by the subcommittee, 60 percent of the space was granted to the Student Activities Board.

“Our whole main goal with that space is to not only create a programming space, but we also want to create a community space, a work space, and storage,” explained SAB director Matthew Ciraulo.

SAB is currently located on the first floor of the WUC and this expansion would almost double their working area. Ciraulo noted that, with the growing number of students attending the board’s events, they are hoping to continue the organization’s growth and get more people involved.

“We really want to make it a welcoming space. We want people coming in, asking questions, and getting to know SAB,” he expressed.

While 60 percent of the area was designated for SAB use, the other 40 percent will hold a reservable conference room similar to the Little D and Rogue rooms in the WUC. The conference room is going to come fully equipped with a flat panel screen, SMART capabilities and room for approximately 14 individuals.

“The conference rooms are some of our most reserved spaces in the building,” explained WUC Advisory Committee chair Patrick Moser. “I think it’ll be really popular.”

The committee is in the process of drafting designs for the space so that the conference room and SAB office will be completed by the beginning of fall 2018.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu.

The Western Howl

Home »

A bike shop made real through passion

Paul Davis | Photo Editor

Turning a passion into something tangible is much easier said than done — often the “what-ifs” or the questions of how to accomplish the goal in mind can block a person from seeing their idea fully through. However, those what if’s were overcome by the owners of The Bicycle Shop Monmouth, Graham Howard and Brendon Gallant.

Howard is a transplant from Michigan who moved to Oregon in 2010 while racing bicycles and has lived in Salem ever since. Gallant was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and moved to Oregon to attend Willamette for undergraduate and graduate school.

“We met while racing in the local road racing circuit in 2010 and we have been friends since,” said Howard.

Not only did they stay friends over the years, but they also discussed how to manifest their love of biking into a potential reality.

“Me and Graham often talked about how can we translate our love for bikes into something real,” Howard said. “Something that can pay the bills.”

And The Bicycle Shop Monmouth has done exactly that: made a love of bikes into something valuable.

From bike chain lube to a new helmet, The Bicycle Shop Monmouth carries everything you could possibly need as a bike rider. And, if you’re not currently a rider, they could get you started with a new bike, ranging from one of their frankenbikes, a bike created from the components of multiple bikes to bring together one higher quality bike, to one of their top of the line racing bikes. But the product they are most excited about is their selection of E-bikes, which allow you to enjoy riding with the assist of an eco-friendly electric motor which means that you can get anywhere with little to no effort and no impact on the environment.

However, their most rewarding and favorite work comes in the form of restorations. One of their most recent projects was an old Merlin bike that was in disrepair, which they then transformed into a modern day high-end road bike with the look of a classic Fixie.

For anyone in search of a new bike The Bicycle Shop Monmouth on Main Street is open and ready for business. Howard and Gallant love to see their customers and help them find a new appreciation for something they hold near and dear to their heart: taking a good, long ride on a bike.

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Accessibility Public Records Privacy Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.

Initiative Petition 22 threatens Oregon immigrants

Packing for a picnic

Review: “KOD”

Who taught you how to drive?

Western marks 16th straight appearance in GNAC playoff

WUC changes coming this fall

A bike shop made real through passion

Tools

Resources