Mount Hood

Six Oregon waterfall locations to visit

Dozens of waterfalls within driving distance of Western

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Creeks and rivers grow to roaring currents in the wake of winter rain and snow, fueling waterfalls to their full power. Brave the cold and get out to see these waterfalls less than an hour and a half drive from Western. 

Silver Falls State Park (56 minutes away): Home to eighteen waterfalls and the 7.2-mile Trail of Ten Falls hike, Silver Falls State Park is a nature lover’s dream. Pay a $5 day-use fee to spend hours immersed in the lush forest surrounding Silver Creek. Not up for a hike? Some falls — including North, South and Winter Falls — are a short walk from parking lots.

Scotts Mills Falls (59 minutes away): While only possessing a 10-foot drop, Scotts Mills Falls is very accessible in the small park of Scotts Mills. Visit during the summer and go for a swim in Butte Creek.

Shellburg, Ayers and Stout Creeks (1 hour 2 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes away): Accessed via gravel roads and obscure trails in the Santiam Canyon area are six waterfalls: Shellburg, Lower Shellburg, Ayers Creek, Upper Ayers Creek, Horseshoe and Stout Creek Falls. As of Jan. 26, this area is closed due to damage from Sept. 2020 wildfires.

Alsea and Green Peak Falls (1 hour 11 minutes away): Right off the parking lot of Alsea Falls Recreation Site is the 30-foot Alsea Falls. Take a 2.5-mile roundtrip hike to see the even more impressive 45-foot Green Peak Falls with a $3 day-use fee.

Niagara and Pheasant Creek Falls (1 hour 12 minutes away): Oregon boasts its very own Niagara Falls in the Siuslaw National Forest. These two waterfalls, each with over 100-foot drops, are both within a two-mile hike. Pack a lunch and enjoy the roar of the falls from a nearby picnic table.

McDowell Creek Falls County Park (1 hour 15 minutes away): A self-proclaimed hidden gem, McDowell Creek Falls County Park harbors two major waterfalls — Majestic and Royal Terrace Falls — as well as three minor falls. Be prepared for stairs, but the viewing platforms offer beautiful photo opportunities.

For even more waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest, check out waterfallsnorthwest.com and get exploring.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

Monmouth welcomes a smokin’ new food truck

The Loaded Grill deli and barbecue shop opens in Monmouth

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

A new food truck has opened in Monmouth — The Loaded Grill, a barbecue and deli-style eatery, is now serving customers at The Annex next to the Donut Bar. Owner Eric Brown and his wife held a soft open on Jan. 12. 

Brown decided to open another food truck alongside the Donut Bar to support Limitless Ministries, the church that helped Brown acquire The Annex lot.

“I feel this obligation, because the church … did a lot of it for me and my business,” Brown said. However, Brown said the pandemic conditions have made it difficult to bring other food truck owners to the lot. After seeing a need for fresh food in the community, he and his wife opened up a place to serve sandwiches and barbecue.

Brown built The Loaded Grill himself and designed it with the customers in mind. The truck has a large awning as well as counters that provide a safe amount of space between staff and patrons. Plus, while waiting for an order, customers get to watch exactly what goes into their meal through the pickup window.

Already, fan favorites from The Loaded Grill include mouth-watering pulled pork nachos, hot meatball subs and perfectly prepared pulled pork sandwiches ⏤ which I can personally recommend. The shop also offers entire meals for an affordable price, and on certain days during the week, they sell Traeger-smoked full chickens that can feed a whole family or a single person for a few days. 

For the time being, The Loaded Grill is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., though Brown hopes to be open on weekends by the end of February. As for future plans, Brown wants to continue giving back to the community as much as he can.

“I’m going to utilize my networks to the best of my ability,” Brown said. “Once we settle in and get a little bit of consistency going, then we’ll ramp up the new year with more stuff — more fundraisers, more giveaways.”

Find The Loaded Grill at 191 Monmouth Ave N, and follow them on Facebook @The Loaded Grill to stay up-to-date with deals and offers. Call or text them at 503-798-1328 to place an order and inquire about deliveries.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

This week in completely made up horoscopes

The Western Howl Staff

Theme: De-stressing tips!

Aries 3/21-4/19  

A clean work space equates to a clean mind

Taurus 4/20-5/20

Sleep, just go to sleep.

Gemini 5/21-6/20 

go for a run or walk, the pain u feel in ur lungs will make u forget abt stress 🙂

Cancer 6/21-7/22

Take a break from your tasks to do something you love

Leo 7/23-8/22

Spray some oils

Virgo 8/23-9/22

Dig a hole in your garden. You know what to do next :D.

Libra 9/23-10/22

Honestly just sit in an empty room and scream. Or it can be a full room. Doesn’t matter.

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 

Meditate for an hour or so

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

Go out and experience nature. Maybe be one with nature? Meow?

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

Eat a gallon of ice cream (unless you’re lactose intolerant then idk)

Aquarius 1/20 – 2/18

I hear breaking things is all the rage right now

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20

Cry (no literally, it actually helps to release your stress)

Western’s Student Engagement hosts the 14th annual MLK Celebration Week

Student Engagement honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a virtual rendition of their MLK Celebration 

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Student Engagement has formatted their week-long Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration to be hosted virtually. This year, the week of commemoration and activities are themed after Dr. King’s “We have come a long, long way, but we still have a long, long way to go” speech.

Service Fundraiser for Emergency Student Aid: Students are facing unexpected financial hardships.The MLK planning committee is asking for donations towards the Western’s Emergency Student Aid fund between now and Jan. 31 at wou.edu/foundation/give-to-wou/ to raise $2,021.

Faculty & Staff Panel: On Jan. 19 from 12 to 1 p.m. via Zoom, students can hear faculty and staff voice their thoughts on social climate for Black and African Americans and then answer the prompt “why the time is always right to do right.”

MLK Keynote Address: On Jan. 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via livestream, Tai Harden-Moore ⏤ Founder and CEO of Moore Consultants ⏤ will speak on strategies to create inclusive environments for all.

Student Q&A with Keynote: Students are invited to join keynote speaker Harden-Moore for a Q&A session hosted by the Black Student Union from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 via Zoom.

WOU Student-Athlete Panel:  In this event, student-athletes voice their opinions on the current social climate for Black and African Americans and answer the prompt “why the time is always right to do right” on Jan. 21 from 12 to 1 p.m. on Zoom.

MLK Video Contest Winners: The winners of the video contest asking students to answer  “why the time is always right to do right” will be announced on Jan. 22 by special guests. Winners will receive WolfStore certificates: $200 for first place, $125 for second place and $75 for third place. Videos can be viewed on wou.edu/mlk.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Congress files for impeachment following Capitol raid in DC

The House of Representatives have passed an article of impeachment against Donald Trump for the second time

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

On Jan. 13, the United States House of Representatives passed Article 1 of their resolution bill, which called to impeach former President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection.

The article, drafted by Minnesota’s 5th District Representative Ilhan Omar, came a day after the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol Building in the District of Columbia. The raid by far-right extremists resulted in five deaths ⏤ four Trump supporters and one police officer.

A press release statement by Chief of Police Steven Sund reported more than 50 United States Capitol Building Police and Metropolitan Police officers had been hospitalized for serious injuries.

Media outlets livestreamed the altercation with police, capturing rioters breaking windows and stealing government property. Simultaneously, groups across the country were organized to raid each state’s Capitol Building to protest election certification after weeks of Trump voicing his beliefs of an illegitimate election.

In Salem on Jan. 6, Oregon State Police declared an unlawful assembly after around 100 far-right extremists gathered to protest the election certification. The protest ended in the arrest of two demonstrators.

In the days leading up to the House’s vote, a total of 14 media outlets suspended or restricted Trump’s presence online. Parler, the platform known for its conservative content, has been removed from the Apple App Store and Amazon has suspended hosting Parler on its servers citing promotion of violent content. 

The Jan. 13 vote for impeachment resulted in 10 republicans breaking party lines and voting for impeachment.

“(Impeachment is) going a step too far,” said Oregon Trump voter Al Ashcroft during a Jan. 18 protest. “You don’t need to pick a fight, and that to me is picking a fight.”

Ashcroft explained he doesn’t approve of Trump’s incitement or claims of voter fraud.

“Show him the door,” said Ashcroft. “He’s gone, let him go.”

Counter protesters at a peaceful gathering on Jan. 18 agreed with the House.

“We’re trying to hold him (Trump) accountable,” said Salem resident Kelly Johnston , “but if we can’t do it in the Senate then I don’t know. Without accountability there is no unity, period.”

Locally, some Oregon officials support Congress on the article of impeachment.

“It shows that our federal government is willing and recognizes that it is unacceptable behavior,” said newly elected State Representative Wlynsvey Campos of House District 28. “That is not how the leader of this country should act.”

However, Campos acknowledges that even with an impeachment, it will not resolve all issues.

“We can’t just say with the inauguration of President-Elect Biden that it suddenly makes everything good again,” explained Campos. “These last four years have shown that there’s quite a division in this country and we need to be putting in the work to make sure folks are coming together.”

The story will be updated as more information is released.

UPDATE (JAN. 26TH, 2021 @ 8:54 PM)

The Senate has announced it will begin the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump during the week of Feb. 8.

According to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, this decision gave the house managers and defense time to prepare. After the article is voted on, Trump is expected to respond by Feb. 2. At this time, Senate Party leaders have not estimated how long the trial will run; Trump’s first impeachment trial lasted around 21 days.

As a result of the delayed start, the Demoratic Party is projected to use the time to swear in more of President Biden’s Cabinet members, according to an article written by The Hill. As stated by cnn.com, the Senate has approved four Cabinet members as of Jan. 26.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Opinion: Schools can do more to protect students from active shooters

Public education needs to improve active shooter safety on campus

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Gun control is an exhausted conversation that ultimately divides people. The arguments lead to more arguments that lead to people being angry and nothing being accomplished. When all is said and done, neither side is able to persuade the other and we are still left with the issue of school shootings. In 1970, the Center for Homeland Security recorded eight students were killed on campus from gun violence ⏤ a 237.5% difference to 2018’s 27 fatalities. My question is, if we aren’t able to come to any kind of agreement on guns, why do we keep on fighting with each other? Let’s talk about the real issue of protecting students and staff from school shooters.

A 2018 USA Today article entitled “How secure are our schools? Since Columbine they are locked tightly, research shows” states that , “The year of the massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., just 19% of schools said they used security cameras to monitor buildings. By the 2013-14 school year, 75% had the devices up and running.”

This statement proves that schools are upgrading security. Additionally, according to GuardianBooth.com, the number of schools implementing school resource officers has grown from 13% in 1994 to 57% in 2018. 

In addition to upgraded security, most schools have implemented lock down procedures. While many schools say that their lock down drills prepare students and teachers for if a gunman were to enter the school, many safety officials argue that existing lock down drill policies are not effective. 

According to an interview conducted in 2012 by ABC News, former SWAT officer Greg Crane stated, “most schools tell teachers to lock their doors and sit quietly until help arrives. We don’t recommend just locking a door because locked doors have been defeated before.”  

When I read this interview, the first thing that came to my mind was the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. The gunman, a former student of the school, was familiar with the school’s emergency plans and rendered that preparation useless with a flick of a fire alarm. This is an example of school safety needing to adapt to situations like these.

At Western we don’t even have lockdown drills. We have fire drills and earthquake drills — why not active shooter drills? I understand that universities are larger than high schools, but the university could randomize a few buildings each month that could practice. At least the resident halls should practice a lockdown drill once a term as they do with fire drills. 

In the emergency procedures pamphlet for Western, there is a whole section dedicated to active shooters, and it lists a procedure known as ALICE ⏤ alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. In their procedures, the plans reflect a high school lockdown, but their plans constitute half a pamphlet page. The other half of the page is dedicated to how the news of the shooting will be relayed to media outlets. Why are we using half of a page to talk about how the information is going to be conveyed to the media? Why not use the entire page to include or expand on plans in the event of an emergency? We could even have video orientations made available on our portal.

My point is, we exhaust ourselves by fighting with each other over gun control when neither side is going to be swayed. We have come a long way since Columbine, and after the Parkland shooting, new gun legislation in Florida was passed because of students marching for their lives. However, the buildings in which these tragedies happened still need to be secure. If we invest a little more time and energy in preparing the places where they happen, maybe it would help students feel more secure.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Dungeon Delving for Dummies: “Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything”

“‌Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything” is Wizards of the Coast’s best source book 

Stephanie Moschella |‌ ‌Digital Media Manager

Out of all the sourcebooks that Wizards of the Coast has written, “Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything” is the best. This book is the newest in a series of Dungeons and Dragons sourcebooks that contain narrated passages from memorable characters in D&D lore. It first began with “Volo’s Guide to Monsters,” creating a reading atmosphere that made these characters more accessible and even playable. However, Tasha not only brings a female perspective into a male-dominated world, but also a charming personality that makes the reader feel like they’re scrolling through Tasha’s secret art Tumblr. 

There are a bunch of new subclasses, making this book a secondary guide for dungeon masters and players alike. Alongside the “Player’s Handbook 5th Edition,” it bumps the character creation to a new level, and helps DM’s stuff a lot more tricks up their sleeve. Even though some information has been reprinted into this book, it doesn’t cause too much of a problem. Considering the limited respect towards homebrew material and the lack of acceptance of Unearthed Arcana, making anything canon with a big official D&D stamp is a step towards unlimited options. 

With group patrons and the plethora of new spells, this book feels and reads like an actual guide, accompanying players through tons of optional class features. For someone that has been playing for years, it’s refreshing to create a ranger that doesn’t need to be a beast master (even though I still won’t ever play one).

For DM’s like myself, this sourcebook is a must-buy. It literally gives readers freebies with tons of puzzle options and magic items including magical tattoos. There is even an expanded set of rules for sidekicks that’ll provide entertaining twists at the table. The book also has official safeguards for DM’s regarding boundaries. From Tasha herself, “establish boundaries. And if anyone crosses them, speak up. If they don’t listen, there’s always cloudkill…” 

Overall Review: This article reads like an advertisement for this book, and honestly, I would do it for Wizards of the Coast for free. 10/10 would recommend to players and DM’s alike!

Contact the author at howldigitalmediamanger@mail.wou.edu

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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.

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