Mount Hood

New bar livens up Main Street

Dry Town Tap Station now serving food, drinks and entertainment

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor 

The Dry Town Tap Station is now open to serve the not so dry town of Monmouth. What used to be a gas station has transformed into a destination for good drinks and great company in the IndyMo area.

Co-owners and sisters Ashley Dornhecker and Abigayle Tilby held a soft opening on April 30. Even without publicly advertising the event, Dornhecker described the night as more successful than they thought it would be.

“Everybody just wanted to be there,” Dornhecker said. “We were turning people away because we were at capacity.”

Their soft opening was accompanied by local band, Way Walkers, on Dry Town’s very own stage; Dornhecker said they knew how to draw a crowd. Already, Dry Town has hosted two other artists — David Brinker and Nathan Myers as well as Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys — and the restaurant is looking to continue working with more local artists. Upcoming performers include Zach Abee and Jessie Leigh; more information about these shows can be found on their Facebook page, @Dry Town Tap Station.

Not only does Dry Town know how to entertain, they also know how to serve up a good meal. Chef Aaron Henderson serves a rotating menu of delicious entrees from their food truck.

“He’s creating an amazing menu,” Dornhecker said. “Street food from around the world I guess is a way to put it.”

My friends and I can personally recommend their fish and chips, birria tacos and Wellington burger. Be on the lookout for two new food carts that will also be coming to the lot soon to serve the community an even greater variety of dishes.

Of course, who could forget about their alcohol menu? With 20 taps that serve a wide array of local ciders and beers, patrons will be sure to find something to love. Not to mention, their mixed drinks ⏤ like the Ruby Hound and 76 Lemonade ⏤ are also splendid. Belly up to the bar indoors, or take the refreshing drink to the outdoor seating area.

The Dry Town owners know how to serve up a mean drink. One of the sisters’ other businesses, Craft Bar West, has been making and perfecting drinks since 2019. They expanded their restaurant reaches when what was once a 76 gas station became available for leasing.

“I’ve always loved the building where Dry Town is,” said Dornhecker. “When the opportunity came up to do something with it, we jumped on it.”

Though COVID-19 caused some delays in opening, Dornhecker was grateful for the opportunity the extra time presented. They were able to make the venue that much more refined, focusing on details such as wood work, refurbishing the entire floor and creating murals. On top of that, Dornhecker enjoyed having a more laid back process and getting to spend more time with family throughout.

In the upcoming months and years, Dry Town hopes to be a place to host festivals and more year-round performances. The Monmouth community can also look forward to themed nights, such as a college night and an industry night for late night workers.

“Our goal with Dry Town Tap Station is to make Monmouth, Oregon a destination,” Dornhecker said. “There’s no reason why people shouldn’t be taking a detour down here to visit all the local shops in Monmouth and Independence. It’s just too cool of an area not to share with others.”

Anyone and everyone can enjoy Dry Town Tap Station at 180 Main St. E in Monmouth. Their current hours are Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 10 p.m. and Sundays 12 to 9 p.m. Keep up to date by following their social media: on Facebook @Dry Town Tap Station and on Instagram @drytowntapstation.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

This week in completely made up horoscopes

The Western Howl Staff

Theme: Hot girl summer tips!

Aries 3/21-4/19  

ur hot already

Taurus 4/20-5/20

Sleep. Nothing else.

Gemini 5/21-6/20 

Disagreeing with Virgo, avoid the sunscreen and get toasty

Cancer 6/21-7/22

Live life to the fullest and don’t be afraid

Leo 7/23-8/22

Your fire’s a little low babe, it’s time you take it back

Virgo 8/23-9/22

Wear sunscreen with at least SPF 30!

Libra 9/23-10/22

GTL; Gym, tan, laundry! #jerseyshore 

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 

be queer invoke fear

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

hydrate

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

Cry twice a day, it’ll clear your skin up to make for some killer photos

Aquarius 1/20 – 2/18

Act “cultured” and order a “Ban(h) Mi” that’s actually just a chicken sandwich

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20

Turn up the heater?

WOU announces plans to require COVID-19 vaccine

Western leadership creates incentive program for vaccines

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

As of May 11, a total of three private and four public universities in Oregon have announced requirements for students to be vaccinated for COVID-19 for the next school year.

Western became the third public university to announce its plans to require students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated for the upcoming school year during a virtual town hall meeting on May 10.

“I wanted something that rewarded students for doing the right thing,” said Johnson, “and I also wanted to push us to have a more safe opening in the fall.”

The incentive program was initialized by Associated Students of Western Oregon University President NJ Johnson to further encourage the community to be vaccinated against the virus. Under the program, people who have received their first dose of the vaccine qualify to receive a $25 WolfStore voucher that can be used for textbooks, Western merchandise or other miscellaneous items found at the bookstore. To receive the voucher, a vaccine card and student ID must be presented to the Werner University Center information desk.

According to Johnson, the program is currently being funded by the General Fund and anticipates it costing around $100,000. The intent is to eventually have the program funded by the emergency relief fund, however, due to the ambiguity of what emergency relief is permitted to be used for, the university is still working with the federal government to determine if the program is legally permitted to be funded this way.

Western intends to provide students with the opportunity to take in person classes next term. During the virtual town hall meeting, the modalities were presented as follows: in person classes will make up 53% of Western’s curriculum, 22% hybrid, 19% online asynchronous and 6%  online synchronous; departments were not specified.  For students planning to live on campus next year, Tina Fuchs announced reduced capacity in the residence halls. Ackerman will be filled to 85% capacity while Arbor Park will be filled to 100%. Barnum and Landers will be assessed on a need basis. 

The COVID vaccine is not the only required vaccination by the institution; according to the Student Health and Counseling website, all admitted students are required to have the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before coming to campus. Exceptions include being born before Jan. 1, 1957, religious beliefs and specific nonmedical related issues that are provided by the state of Oregon. Western is still currently researching exemptions for COVID.

“Many of the details remain unfinished,” said Western Vice President and General Counsel Ryan Hagemann, “and that’s because we have to speak to our community.” 

Hagemann went on to say how the university is making this a priority and is trying to get it right.

“This really relates to the idea that we should be able to have a safe community,” said President Rex Fuller during the May 10 virtual town hall meeting. “We know that being together in face to face encounters with careful safety planning, we have a better educational experience for all of our students, faculty and staff.”

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

WOU softball enters GNAC championship as alternates

Wolves softball team place third overall in GNAC championship

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

A rise in COVID-19 cases in the state of Washington caused the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s original fourth seed — Central Washington — to drop out of the softball championship being hosted at Western.  

As a result of the Conference’s bylaws, the Western Oregon Wolves softball team — fifth seed — was promoted to the fourth seed position and entered into the championship game for the eighth consecutive year.

Similar to years prior, GNAC formatted the championship game as a double elimination tournament. The first round winners went head to head in a second round, and the losing teams from the first round played in a second round match to determine the competitors for the third and final championship match. 

In the first round of the tournament on May 6, Western lost to first seed Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks 2-1. The following day, Western competed against third seed Saint Martin Saints; the team gave the Wolves several walking opportunities to fill the bases, leading to a 7-6 victory for the Wolves. Western advanced to face off again against the Nighthawks, only to lose 9-0 in five innings, bringing an end to the softball season. With this, the Wolves placed third in the GNAC conference. 

After the game, the Wolves commemorated the senior members of their team that will be graduating in June. Head Coach Lonny Sargent commented on how proud of the team he is after having such a hectic year. 

“It’s such a great group of kids,” said Sargent. “We have a lot of young kids … they just (want to) go play.”

Going forward, Sargent is excited about the upcoming season and what the next year will bring.

“The players we have and the players we have coming in, we’re building another great program for next year,” he said.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Anti-protest bill in Oregon to be conscious of

Important protest bill to keep on the lookout for heading into summer

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

A national debate over peaceful and violent gatherings has sparked U.S. lawmakers to engage in writing “anti-protest laws.” 46 states have currently proposed or passed bills.

In Oregon, there have been three bills presented; two of them have been defeated or expired, while one known as House Bill 3329 — introduced on March 2 — is currently under review by the House Committee On Judiciary.

The proposed bill, sponsored by Representative David Brock Smith of  District 1, introduced a new felony charge to peaceful protesters who block traffic.

Under the bill, vehicles or people blocking roadways would be classified as a Class C felony. Convicted of the felony, people could expect to serve up to five years in prison and pay around $125,000, done during a ‘violent or disorderly assembly,’” according to icnl.org. 

Additionally, the legislative proposal introduced a Class C felony for “engaging in threatening or intimidating conduct” in public, which disqualifies people from receiving financial aid from the state if convicted of these charges. In addition, it prohibits immediate release if arrested for rioting or for “violent” behavior, and gives protection to police if a person filing a civil claim was “grossly negligent.” More information about the specificities of the bill can be found at incl.org.

Associated Students of Western Oregon University President NJ Johnson said he believes the bill is in direct response to People of Color in Oregon after a full year of using their voice to protest.

“Whether we want to admit it or not, the state of Oregon has a history of trying to silence the voices of People of Color,” said Johnson. “This is obviously a bill (that) if passed is going to be implemented largely to punish and silence People of Color for speaking out against racial injustice. I want to make it clear (that) a lot of this violence that we see and blame on protesters is incited by law enforcement.”

To follow the bill’s movement, community members can visit olis.oregonlegislature.gov or email Rep.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov to learn more.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Pandemic Baby — growing up not seeing faces

Being born when voices are known and faces are unrecognized

Hannah Greene | Guest Contributor

I found out I was pregnant in July of 2020, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. I was laid off from all three of my jobs and for some reason or another didn’t qualify for unemployment — but that didn’t matter, I was only filled with pure joy and excitement. 

Keeping the pregnancy on the down low was easy, especially while having to quarantine  — it was refreshing, being able to focus on my own health and happiness to let my body do its thing. 

Because of the pandemic, a lot was different — rather than going into the doctors for my first appointment it was over the phone, and once “real” appointments started, I had to check in on the bottom floor, get my temperature checked and get a badge to the correct floor that I was going to. This happened again once I checked in for the actual appointment. At first, it was interesting and totally different, but after four or five appointments it seemed normal and habitual.

Besides the new way of appointments, businesses being closed and everyone wearing masks, life didn’t feel that much different.

Fast forward to the birth of my darling little one — on March 15 I went into labor, but stubborn little girl didn’t want to arrive until the 18 — I was administered a COVID-19 test that I had passed, so I was able to have my mask off during the delivery, and luckily rules weren’t as strict as when the pandemic first started, so my partner was able to be there the entire time and even my mom was given permission to visit us after the birth. 

The realness of growing up in a pandemic hit when I was thinking back to the delivery of her; rather than getting to see smiling faces and hear happy voices about a new baby entering the world, my daughter was welcomed by masks and muffled words. Her first sight of her dad was with a mask, as well my midwife’s mask, nurse assistants’ masks and so on — the only one without a mask was me, and it wasn’t until a couple hours later that she got to meet her dad without a mask. 

Thinking about growing up in a world where people’s faces are covered wherever you go is so new and not something I had to do, but makes me question how children will develop with this gap of interaction, no matter the amount they get at home.

One positive to being a new mom with a new baby in a new world is not having to worry about people crowding her stroller to look at her, bother her, breathe on her, etc. Now, people are distant, respectful and allow me to be in control of who my daughter meets, how she meets them and when. Throughout my whole pregnancy, I was told how annoying it gets when you’re constantly being bombarded by people when you have a new baby, and how their manners go out the door. Luckily, this was not the case. I feel comfortable leaving the house knowing when I go on a walk with her, people will cross the street or step to the side to let us pass and never bother to put their heads close to hers to see her. I don’t have to worry about bringing her to restaurants or grocery stores knowing that rules are set in place and no one will not be wearing a mask around her.

Of course, this is only right now, and she doesn’t have daycare or school and isn’t involved in sports; I can only cross my fingers that things go back to “normal” when she starts to enter these stages of life. Until then, I’ll do my best as her mom to make sure she’s getting regular interaction to develop her social skills, seeing how her mom and dad interact with each other and the outside world.

Contact the author at thehoneyhannahgreene@gmail.com

Turn up the volume on these albums in May

Upgrade your summer playlist with these artists 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Summer is all about taking a load off and relaxing with a playlist that sets the mood, which is why it’s so important to find the latest jams. New music is released constantly on multiple platforms, and it can be difficult to stay up to date with all of the latest up-and-coming artists. Ranging from old favorites like Aly & AJ, twenty one pilots and St. Vincent, there’s more than one artist to add to the summertime playlist. Between Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, music lovers everywhere can enjoy these albums released in May. 

May 6: 

  • “Convocations” — Sufjan Stevens 

May 7:

  • “Ashlyn” — Ashe
  • “a touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun” — Aly & AJ
  • “Better Mistakes” — Bebe Rexha
  • “Blood Bunny” — Chloe Moriondo
  • “Here And Now” — Kenny Chesney
  • “Latest Record Project: Volume 1” — Van Morrison
  • “The Marfa Tapes” — Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, Jon Randall
  • “Tuck Me In EP” — boy pablo  
  • “Van Weezer” — Weezer

May 14: 

  • “Be Right Back” — Jorja Smith 
  • “Daddy’s Home” — St. Vincent 
  • “Delta Kream” — The Black Keys
  • “High Dive” — Shaed 
  • “The Off-Season” — J. Cole 
  • “parallel universe pt.1” — Alania Castillo
  • “Unbothered” — Lil Skies 
  • “Why No Why” — Mob Rich 

May 21:

  • “All I Know So Far: Setlist” — P!nk
  • “Amidst the Chaos: Live at the Hollywood Bowl” — Sara Bareilles
  • “Body Language” — Blake Shelton 
  • “Circle of Days” — Hippy Death Cult
  • “Harmony House” — Dayglow
  • “Long Lost” — Lord Huron  
  • “Nightmare on Elmfield Road” — CLOVES
  • “Scaled and Icy” — twenty one pilots  
  • “Sour” — Olivia Rodrigo 
  • “WINK” — CHAI 

May 28:

  • “Are You Kidding?” — Nicole Millar 
  • “Bloom EP” — Of Mice and Men 
  • “Cavalcade” — black midi
  • “Drinking With My Smoking Friends” — Allday
  • “Hi” — Texas 
  • “Reprise” — Moby 
  • “The Resurrection” — Bugzy Malone 
  • “The Voice of the Heroes” — Lil Baby and Lil Durk 
  • “You Hear Georgia” — Blackberry Smoke

Contact the author at ndean17@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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