Mount Hood

Petals & Vines is the grow-to place for plants

Local florist Petals & Vines is blooming with beauty 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌

Family owned and operated florist shop Petals & Vines has been established in Monmouth since April 2007 ⏤ run by the charming and welcoming mother and daughter duo, Maggie Triplet and Martha Zuck. When it comes to the variety of plants and items available, they have all the bells and whistles for any customer, occasion or budget. Martha describes their inventory as having everything from buying flowers by the stem, “big and bougie” trumpet-style flowers, or “low and lush” arrangements with styles in between that can have glass vases. 

Zuck stated, “I’ve lived and breathed flowers since 1995, it’s second nature to me … I love working with my mom, being involved in the small-town community, and watching customers’ kids grow up through the years,” which is her favorite part about working with her mom.

With Valentine’s Day coming up and spring fast approaching, anyone can roam around in the nearly twenty different types of plants in their shop and soak in the greenery. Daily fresh-cut flowers, blooming bouquets, tropical plants, ferns, air and household plants are just a few choices.

“As Valentine’s Day comes up, wedding and proposal season usually comes right after,” Zuck pointed out.

No matter what the event or season, there are plenty of quality arrangements, plants and gifts like decor, cards, candies and stuffed animals. Dedicated to working with customers and their budgets, Petals & Vines has “$10 Tuesdays” where there are various plants and items available for $10. There are other deals that happen throughout the year, and they also do pickup and delivery services. If there’s ever a plant they don’t have in-store, they’re happy to order it. 

Located at 410 Main St W East in Monmouth, patrons should also keep an eye out for JJ, their friendly orange cat that patrols the neighborhood. Additional details can be found on their Facebook at “Petals & Vines Flowers and Gifts,” and Instagram @petalsandvines. For any other questions or concerns, check out their website, petalsandvinesflorist.com or give them a call at 503-838-1773.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

A preseason event and CDL season postponement

Next month will start the second season of CDL

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

It was recently announced that the second season of Call of Duty League will start off with an opening event, taking place Feb. 11 through 14. CDL took a similar route as other competitive game leagues, and switched to an online format due to COVID-19. The regular season has been announced ⏤ although fans will have to wait for the schedule and matchups, as they have yet to be finalized. On Jan. 23 and 24, the preseason Kickoff Classic took place, where six preseason matches were voted on by fans. At this Kickoff Classic, they discussed the upcoming season and the Stage One Group Selection Show. 

There are other new changes to the season that will come next year, such as the switch to PC and their 4 vs. 4 gameplay mode. Among the 12 CDL teams, the Los Angeles Thieves will be taking the place of Optic Gaming Los Angeles. All of the teams qualify for each major tournament, and it should be noted that the prizing system for 2021 was slightly adjusted.

There’s an impressive $500,000 thousand at stake for each Major and a staggering $2.5 million for the playoffs, with a prize pool of $5 million. The Kickoff Classic, the regular season and the playoff games will be broadcasted live and on-demand at the Call of Duty League YouTube channel. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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

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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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