Mount Hood

This week in completely made up horoscopes

The Western Howl Staff

Theme: Family conversation starters for Thanksgiving

 

Aries 3/21-4/19  

Look Uncle Rob, I’m going to need you to stop sending me all lives matter memes on Facebook. 

 

Taurus 4/20-5/20

Mom, dad, I have something to tell you … I’m gay. 

 

Gemini 5/21-6/20 

*silently drinks cranberry juice during the entire dinner*

 

Cancer 6/21-7/22

I’m going to quit and get the fear.

 

Leo 7/23-8/22

I’m never going to another family dinner party. EVER

 

Virgo 8/23-9/22

Boycott Amazon.

 

Libra 9/23-10/22

Listen up aunties, stop asking me if I’m in a relationship. Tinder is rough around here. 

 

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 

So how about them uh. SpOrts huh? Haha

 

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

So uhhhh.. I lost my virginity.

 

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

I’mfailinghalfofmyclasses so April how’re the kids?

 

Aquarius 1/20 – 2/18

So I’m a BIG supporter of pineapples on pizza. Anyone else???

 

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20

How about we discuss the rise and fall of capitalism?

The IFC makes preliminary funding decisions

The IFC faces threats of funding withdrawal and being denied consultations for applying a fee

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Over the course of several months, Western administration and the Incidental Fee Committee have been in debate over the IFC’s Incidental Fee.

For winter term, it was discussed in the committee’s Oct. 29 meeting that President Rex Fuller would potentially be supplying another $1 million stimulus from the online tech fee — similar to funding supplied in fall term. IFC members briefly discussed applying a flat rate fee of $25 in comparison to their current fee system: students with one to five credits pay $265, and students with more than six credits pay $395.

In their Nov. 5 meeting, the committee announced that President Fuller changed his $1 million offer to $415,000 on the condition that the committee does not attempt to make any mid-year fee modifications and maintains their two-tier system approved back in spring 2020. 

In an email sent to ASWOU President NJ Johnson, President Fuller projected IFC expenses totaling $900,000 due to winter term being less expensive. Fuller cited that remaining funding for winter term would come from the $100,000 carryover from fall term, $85,000 from the current IFC fee and $300,000 from the $1.3 million in IFC reserves.

Despite Fuller’s conditions, the IFC has opted to carry out its normal governing processes — an extensive list — protected by OR statute 352.105.

“(There are) serious problems making our committee rely on online fee,” said junior philosophy English double major and IFC member Nick Denning in the fourth meeting transcripts. “No control over the amount of money we receive, administration is doing that all on their own and they decide what to charge and where money goes. All of a sudden we are reliant on online tech fees. (We) cannot criticize it because (our funding) will go away.”

Following their own timeline and deciding to not rely on Fuller, the IFC approved all preliminary budget proposals in their fifth meeting held on Nov. 12. Although the IFC requested areas to present budget proposal reflecting 50% funding, areas such as Student Media received an additional $1,500 to meet their needs, so they would not need to pull money from their reserves; Campus Recreation was given an additional $5,000 to increase workers to full time; Creative Arts received an additional $1,000 for student employment; ASWOU’s budget was given an additional $4,452 to allow Office Coordinator to be 1.0 FTE; Athletics requested funds for both winter and spring term in preparation for plane ticket purchases if travel is allowed.

After approving budget proposals, the committee discussed potential fee prices; in their deliberation, the IFC agreed to two possible fee scenarios. The first scenario involves all students, regardless of whether they are taking an online class, paying a flat rate fee of $150 and around $360,000 would be taken from reserves if the committee is not able to convince the Board of Trustees to lower the online tech fee. In the second scenario, if the IFC can bring down the price on the online tech fee, then all students, regardless of whether they are taking an online class, would pay a flat rate fee of $175 and around $250,000 would be taken from reserves.

Additionally, newly elected IFC Chair Makana Waikiki announced that although she attempted to request a Dec. 16 emergency meeting with the Board of Trustees, Chair Betty Komp did not reply to Waikiki. Instead, Komp only replied to ASWOU President Johnson, saying that she couldn’t endorse an emergency meeting.

At this time, due to the unwillingness of the Board of Trustees to meet with the IFC and President Fuller’s plans to withdraw funding if IFC continues its process, the committee intends to submit an appeal to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to have the IFC’s situation discussed at their Dec. 10 boarding meeting. Until then, the IFC is continuing to the next phase of their fee establishment process: open hearings being held via Zoom on Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. During these hearings, members of the community can voice their concerns on fees or advocate for more funding in various areas. To participate in the hearings, visit https://wou.edu/ifc/.

As more information is released, the story will be updated.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

WOU food pantry continues to provide services despite COVID

Western’s Food Pantry remains open despite the year’s circumstances

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

At Western, there have been university-wide layoffs, budget cuts and projected program reductions. The Board of Trustees have coined the term “right sizing” for the university. Due to COVID-19, the “adjustment” has been amplified.

Despite the financial circumstances the university is facing, the Western Food Pantry has remained available to community members.

Back in March, when COVID was first documented in Polk County, grocery stores in Monmouth and Independence were cleared of sanitization products, personal hygiene goods and produce. Dissimilarly, Western’s Food Pantry shelves were filled with products for the community.

According to senior applied math major and student coordinator of the Food Pantry Josh Salsbury, the Food Pantry’s “source” — Marion Polk Food Share — donated enough food to roll over into fall term after Oregon’s Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus passed their fourth policy proposal. This proposal was designed to fund food banks. 

At the time of the food bank donation, students had mostly vacated campus; however, Food Pantry services are not exclusive to students. The Pantry welcomes all who are in need regardless if they live in Polk County or aren’t associated with Western, Salsbury explained. 

After Oregon released its COVID safety guidelines, Salsbury reported that the Food Pantry hastily adapted its services to abide by Oregon law.

“It was a really difficult transition,” said Salsbury. “To illustrate that, during winter term of last year, the Food Pantry had 30 weekly volunteers keeping it open and helping with our services. Due to COVID guidelines and because we weren’t really sure what COVID was going to look like because of how scattered the information was, we went from having 30 volunteers to having maybe four or five.”

In addition to reduced volunteers, it took two attempts to establish an effective COVID-compatible food acquisition system.

“At the start of COVID, the system we had at the time was very rushed because we were trying to make sure we had a COVID-compliant system,” said Salsbury. “We had prearranged bags or food boxes. We had three different options of bags to still accommodate the choice.”

Salsbury explained that the Food Pantry didn’t like the first system because of the fewer options a customer had when they chose from prearranged bags.

Around the beginning of summer, the Food Pantry switched to their final and current system that Salsbury referred to as the “restaurant style” system. When customers currently go to the pantry, instead of the pre-COVID “grocery style” system, they order food off a menu and a worker packs the requested food, rather than allowing the customer to peruse the shelves. This ensures social distancing and limits the amount of people touching the food.

Despite these unusual circumstances, customers have reported the Pantry is maintaining quality service during this time.

“The transition from normal to COVID was pretty smooth,” said community member Shannon Howard. “They did a really good job; I was impressed. They stayed open when I thought they would close.”

Howard reported that although the Food Pantry is receiving only 50% of its funding and reducing staff, he still has access to all the food he needs.

“(It’s a) real big help for me, especially the fresh milk, eggs and cheese,” said Howard.

Howard also commented that prior to COVID, the pantry was actually prepared, citing that the pantry provided sanitizer.

Going forward, the Food Pantry hopes to continue to provide for their community and destigmatize using the pantry. For information on Food Pantry hours and how you can donate, visit https://wou.edu/foodpantry/.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

 

Men’s rugby competes virtually in rugby competition

Men’s rugby participates in COVID-19 friendly competition

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, club sport organizations like men’s rugby are not able to function under normal pretenses.

However, the rugby team found a creative alternative to normal game play: a virtual competition against other rugby teams. 

In order to compete in the virtual “season,” men’s rugby earned points by performing various challenges in workouts and training. 

“We competed in competitions against other teams to see whose times were better, who had a better push up per minute, who had a better sit up per minute and it was just basically a statewide competition,” said freshman physical education major and men’s rugby flanker Sangato Letisi. 

In addition to the physical aspect of the competition, the virtual showdown awarded teams points for self promotion as well as community service. During the event, the rugby team reached out to Western’s Food Pantry after viewing their own promotional video, and asked if the team could make another one.

“It wasn’t part of any specific task,” said senior exercise science major and men’s rugby lock Spike Ripley. “It was just we as a team decided to be more active in the community. We are actually trying to change how Western Oregon’s rugby team is looked at. This is a positive way (to) be active and participate in the community.” 

Since the rugby team published their video, the Pantry has received over $1,225 in donations, been shared 108 times (including by the USA Rugby National Team), viewed nearly 9,000 times and has reached over 20,000 people.

“My entire family … (was) asking me how they could help the Food Pantry,” said Letisi. “I told them food and money helps the Food Pantry and they said they would go donate real soon.”

In addition to helping our community, the team reported winning prizes from specific tasks they won during the competition.

“My favorite part, and I think the team’s favorite part, was winning new uniforms,” said Ripley. “We won the uniforms after giving the best answer for how we were able to stay in contact with rugby despite … COVID.”

Letisi added that winning anything during this season was motivational.

“We can’t have an actual season right now, but winning something gives us something to compete for.”

In totality, the team placed second of the 90 teams qualified to compete. Going forward, the team hopes to regain a sense of normalcy and play a real game of rugby after a vaccine is released.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Editorial: Current information keeps our staff and students safe

Increased communication is crucial to the community 

The Editorial Board

It has been a little over nine months since students from Western and around the world have adapted to a new, virtual lifestyle. All things considered, Western has done as much as they can to provide us with a safe environment. However, there is a need for more transparency with information regarding positive cases, and further precautions to be taken on campus.

Some of the controversies started when Western took a long time to announce that fall term would be taught virtually, leaving students abroad scrambling to prepare for another stressful term. And then, Western failed to be clear with their community about the number of COVID-19 cases. 

Information regarding the number of positive coronavirus cases has been notoriously hard to track down due to privacy concerns. However, the university can disclose these numbers while still respecting the patient’s privacy. Plenty of other universities disclosed their numbers to the community, all while respecting the boundaries of privacy. Oregon State University reported a total of seven confirmed cases as of Nov. 4; and, Southern Oregon University has 19 confirmed cases — they even specified if the individual lived on or off campus. Additional information is posted on both of the university’s websites, under “OSU-Cascades Dashboard” and “SOU COVID-19 Cases.”

Eventually, Western followed suit. Now, as of Nov. 16, there are less than 10 confirmed cases in the community. This information, while originally hard to find, is now updated and available at wou.edu/coronavirus/.

While it is reasonable to respect the privacy of positive patients, Western shouldn’t have left their community in the dark for as long as they did. These numbers inform whether or not safety protocols are working or if they need to change.

With those things out of the way, it’s safe to assume that some students of Western appreciate the improved effort. But now, a new problem has arisen in regards to COVID testing for both staff and students. When further researched, it is inconclusive if free testing is offered for staff. 

If you were to look on the COVID-19 webpage — which is ridiculously difficult to navigate by the way — they detail the steps you can take if you are seeking testing. However, the webpage doesn’t help you understand whether or not you should seek a test in the first place. How are students who may be asymptomatic supposed to know what to do? None of this is specified.

The problem is if you check “yes” on the CDC’s survey that you’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive, they will tell you to wait out the 14-day isolation, and if you develop symptoms at the end of that period, you go take the test. While there’s quite a bit of information regarding symptomatic cases, there’s not a lot of specification for asymptomatic cases, which leaves folks uninformed.

Western is a smaller school with already limited funding and budget cuts left and right, so we may be tight on funding, but that doesn’t mean that people deserve to be uninformed. Transparency with Western students and the greater community is what establishes a trusting and close-knit feeling for everyone, especially for a small town like Monmouth.

Students who are looking for information on testing can find it at wou.edu/coronavirus/students. If an appointment needs to be set up, call the Student Health and Counseling Center at 503-838-8313.

Find some cheesy and spooky entertainment on Netflix

Get thrilled and chilled with the latest season of “American Horror Story”

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

To the delight of “American Horror Story” fans, Netflix released the ninth season,, “1984,” on Nov. 13. Although FX released this series back in September of 2019, only now have the episodes been added to Netflix ⏤ just in time to provide some final screams for the fall season.

This latest spookfest pays homage to past horror movies like “Friday the 13th,” which are chock-full of slasher tropes; but like always, the show brings its classic twists. 

Over the course of nine episodes in this season of “AHS: 1984,” the audience follows a group of young adults from Los Angeles who have been tasked with spreading camp cheer as counselors at Camp Redwood — a location that was shut down after a grotesque murder spree in 1970. Over a decade later, after the camp has been reopened, the killer is set on returning to the scene of the crime. These five scrappy youths quickly learn that they must find a way to stay alive or face a grizzly ending. 

Among the twists and turns, people can expect to see some familiar faces in the returning cast ⏤ including Emma Roberts, Leslie Grossman and Billie Lourd. So, fire up the laptop, get some snacks and get those final fall thrills in.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Review: “Terra”

Review of the digital-only album from Eric Alexandrakis

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

A new digital-only album from Grammy-nominated musician, Eric Alexandrakis, is hitting the mainstream. “Terra” has been described by producer, Minoan Music, takes heavy influence from the 1960s psychedelic pop and new wave music. They also build off pop-styles from the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Take all this and mix it with a decent amount of Pink Floyd vibes, and there’s “Terra,” an alternative album that can be enjoyed by many. 

This 28-track album is jam-packed with plenty of alternative songs for anyone who wants to explore new music. The concept for “Terra,” as described by the artist, is inspired by his adventures while traveling and manages to weave in a compelling and poignant narrative of the artist’s life. Compared to his other albums, “Terra” has more of a unique feel with Alexandrakis’ use of an ancient 16-track machine. 

Along with this, the tracks are crafted with the help of bass player John Taylor of Duran Duran. In these multi-layered songs, Alexandrakis takes the listener on an emotional journey with his artistic lyricism — “Terra” will take you for a wild ride from start to finish. 

To follow some of the older stories Alexandrakis has produced, other albums like, “I.V. CATATONIA: 20 Years As a Two-Time Cancer Survivor” and “Hell On Earth” can be found on Apple Music. 

Overall Rating: 7/10, for the musical journey I went on. I would recommend this to people that enjoy exploring innovative music.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Review: “The Best of Me”

David Sedaris’ newest novel ranked second on Amazon charts

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

There’s no doubt a seemingly endless amount of new media is constantly being released; it can be hard to sift through all the latest content to find something meaningful. Plenty of worthwhile messages can be found in David Sedaris’ latest nonfiction book, “The Best of Me,” which gives the reader a peek into the years of Sedaris’ life and career, and his sense of humor.

These collections of stories and essays are arranged as selected by the author and cover various complex situations — the realities of wild family dynamics, encounters while traveling, losing a parent and his sister and how to heal from further hurt and loss. He utilizes his vivid, confessional style of writing to immerse the reader into these experiences, handling hard situations with a sense of humor and compassion. Within the first few chapters, Sedaris at one point quips, “If you read an essay in the Esquire and don’t like it, there could be something wrong with the essay. If it’s in The New Yorker, on the other hand, and you don’t like it, there’s something wrong with you.” 

Through the humor and hearty topics displayed in “The Best of Me,” and countless other popular works, like “Calypso” and “When You Are Engulfed In Flames,” Sedaris constantly displays his unique voice on topics that a lot of readers can relate to. 

Originally published on Sept. 29, the hardcover has been available on Amazon since Nov. 3, and ranked number two on Amazon Charts for “The Top 20 Most Sold & Most Read of the Week” the week of Nov. 8. 

The price of the book ranges from $16 to $26 on Amazon depending on the version bought. Other price points and ways to find his book are available on his website. To keep up with Sedaris and his latest adventures, visit his official site at davidsedarisbooks.com for more information. 

Overall Rating: 8/10, it made me laugh and cry at the same time. I would totally recommend the book to anyone who enjoys hearty, make-your-eyes-tear-up nonfiction and quick-witted, dark humor.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu 

Addressing anxiety by being in the now

Join the Student Health and Counseling Center for weekly mindfulness meditation sessions

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

This fall term has brought a new service to Western students through the Student Health and Counseling Center: mindfulness meditation sessions are being held weekly over Zoom by counselors Emily Horak and Bliss Boutin.

Western’s administration requested that the Student Health and Counseling Center create a group in light of common stressors that students were facing, including concerns about COVID-19. Horak and Boutin volunteered to tackle these stressors.

“Mindfulness is something that we’re both really passionate about,” Horak said. “We heard that there was a need to start a group kind of like this, and the two of us volunteered to form it.”

During these mindfulness meditation sessions, students get time in a group setting to process the stress going on in their lives and understand ways of coping with them. Students not only learn about mindfulness, but they also practice mindfulness exercises. Horak and Boutin said they aim to utilize a combination of group counseling and mindfulness.

“With classes being online we’re really wanting it to feel less like a lecture and more interactive,” Horak said. 

She hopes they will achieve this by expanding their group. Students do not need to have prior knowledge or experience with mindfulness to join these sessions. The goal of this mindfulness meditation group is to help any Western students who may be experiencing stress. Horak and Boutin said there is no pressure for prospective students. 

“We just want it to feel very welcoming and inviting, and it’s not meant to feel formal for anyone,” Boutin said.

The mindfulness meditation group meets every Thursday at 3 p.m. until Dec. 10. It is free for students who have paid the fall term health service fee. Contact the Student Health and Counseling Center at 503-838-8313 if interested in joining.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

 

Say yes to yoga with a sun salutation

A yoga sequence anyone can try

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Yoga is a great exercise that can both energize and relax the body. According to healthline.com, yoga has numerous benefits, including decreasing stress and improving strength and flexibility. Try out this yoga sequence — a sun salutation — whether a beginner or a pro.

Take as much time as needed to perform the first and second cycles of the sun salutation. It’s more important to do each pose correctly than to finish the sequence as quickly as possible.

Warm up for a few minutes by sitting comfortably and just focusing on breathing. Stretch out by rotating the neck, wrists, shoulders and ankles. Once ready, slowly move to a standing position and begin the sequence.

SUN SALUTATION

Mountain pose: Stand with a straight spine and feet shoulder-width apart. Relax the shoulders while engaging the core.

Upward salute: Take a deep breath in and reach arms straight overhead. Keep pulling shoulders away from the ears.

Forward fold: Exhale while reaching fingertips down to the floor. Keep the back flat, and bend the knees if there is too much strain in the hamstrings.

Half forward fold: Inhale and place hands on shins while looking up and straight ahead. Engage the core to maintain a straight spine.

Lunge: On the exhale, move the left leg straight back and keep the right leg bent at a 90º angle to come into a lunge. Distribute body weight equally between each leg.

Chaturanga: Move into a push-up position on the inhale. With the exhale, lower down towards the floor ⏤ first the chest, then the pelvis. Come all the way to the floor if needed, and adjust the feet so that the top of each foot is touching the ground.

Upward-facing dog: Breathe in and press into hands to lift the whole body off the floor, including legs. Keep leg muscles active while pulling shoulders down and back from ears. Look straight ahead or upwards if it’s comfortable.

Downward-facing dog: Exhale and adjust the feet so that the soles are now touching the floor, then push up and back into an inverted V-shape. Straighten the spine and bend the knees if necessary.

Lunge: Take a breath in and move the left leg forward into a lunge.

Forward fold: Exhale and relax into forward fold.

Upward salute: Inhale and reach arms upwards.

Mountain pose: Return to an engaged standing position with an exhale.

Repeat this cycle three to four times, then take a few minutes, either sitting comfortably or lying on back, to cool down and once again focus on breathing.

A demonstration of the sun salutation sequence can be found on our website, wou.edu/westernhowl, and our Instagram @thewesternhowl.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

 

This week in completely made up horoscopes

The Western Howl Staff

Theme: Midterms

 

Aries 3/21-4/19  

The mania that has set in from not sleeping in 3 days will never go away. 

 

Taurus 4/20-5/20

Going to sleep at 5am and waking up at 2pm seems to be working so why change it? 

 

Gemini 5/21-6/20 

Week 8. Is it over yet.

 

Cancer 6/21-7/22

The guy sure looks like plant food to me.

 

Leo 7/23-8/22

I’m going to Mcdonalds, you guys wanna tag along?

 

Virgo 8/23-9/22

The Sands Of Time Have Reached Their End. To Prepare For Your Finals, You Must Transcend.

 

Libra 9/23-10/22

If we all gather at the same time and day on Moodle, could we crash the site? Let’s put the team in teamwork. 

 

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 

Don’t cry because it’s over, cry because it happened

 

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

Don’t mind. Don’t mind.

 

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

Spent all week catching up with my classes only to realize I forgot to do a project, lol what’s good y’all

 

Aquarius 1/20 – 2/18

Procrastinate, stress, cram, forget assignments, cry, rinse and repeat ⏤ it’s week 8 buckos.

 

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20

Week 8? More like breakdown 80. 

Veteran Resource Center participates in nationwide PAVE program

The Veteran Resource Center provides veterans and their dependents with specialized academic advisors

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

In America, the number of veterans and dependents interested in pursuing higher education rose 3% after the addition of Chapter 33: Post/9-11 educational assistance to U.S. Code Title 38—VETERANS’ BENEFITS, reported in a study by Liang Zhang of New York University.

To accommodate incoming veterans, in 2012 an organization associated with the University of Michigan known as M-SPAN — Military Support Programs and Networks — launched a pilot version of their initiative known as PAVE — Peer Advisors for Veteran Education — intending to ease the transition of student veterans from the military to college, increase student veteran retention rates and improve student veterans’ academic performance.

After their successful pilot, M-SPAN launched a nationwide campaign, gaining 42 campuses including Western Oregon University.

“I was initially interested in forming a peer advising program because I was witnessing the success of other mentorship programs,” said Western Veteran Resource Center Director Colin Haines.

Haines reported reaching out to fellow colleges that were already participating in the program; after receiving information on how the program functioned on their campuses, Haines determined that PAVE would benefit Western veterans and their dependents. Starting officially in 2019, the Veteran Resource Center began offering the services associated with PAVE.

“It’s a unique program,” said senior exercise science major and team leader of the PAVE program Adam Dryden. “Incoming veterans or dependents are paired with an upperclassman familiar with Western’s academics and the different Veteran Affairs benefits.”

In years prior, incoming first-year veterans or dependents were assigned to a general university advisor specific to their major. Dryden explained that VA benefits are different from most financial aid, so general advisors may not be as familiar with their structure compared to a member of PAVE.

Additionally, Dryden explained that while advisors are required to be upperclassmen and be a veteran or a dependent, candidates are required to go through a short certification program.

“I think it’s effective,” said Dryden. “It takes a few hours to complete. You run through scenarios and then you get a certification at the end.”

Despite the challenges imposed by COVID-19, PAVE has maintained 36 first-years using VA benefits. Dryden explained that while PAVE is meant to serve underclassmen, transfer students are also welcome to participate in the program.

“We want to help in any way that we can,” Dryden explained.

For more information or questions regarding PAVE, visit the Veteran Resource Center website at wou.edu/veterans/.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

 

An Election Year to remember

Polk County sees almost even distribution of Republic and Democratic voting 

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Last Saturday, Nov. 7, media outlets across the country announced former Vice President Joe Biden as the projected winner of the 2020 presidential election. The Associated Press reported President Elect Biden had amassed over 76 million votes as of Nov. 10, surpassing former First Lady Hilary Clinton’s near 66 million votes from 2016.

Currently, the national popular vote in the 2020 election is separated by 3.3% with mail-in and absentee ballots still to be counted.

Historically known as a blue state, the popular vote in Oregon was separated by 16%, with the Democratic Party nominee receiving 1.3 million votes and the Republican Party nominee receiving around 945 thousand votes, according to results.oregonvotes.gov. 

In Polk County, the voting margins were similar to the national voting margins; Polk County, a predominately red area, had high voter turnout on both the Demoractic and Republican sides, resulting in a purple presidential race. 

In 2020, the Democratic nominees received 47% of the total 48 thousand Polk County votes in comparison to the Republican nominees receiving 49%. In 2016, current President Donald J. Trump received 47% of the total 41 thousand Polk County votes available in contrast to running mate Hilary Clinton, who received 40% of the total votes available in Polk County, with the remaining 13% spread between independent candidates.

Between each recent presidential election year, Polk County saw a 17% increase in voter turnout. Statewide, Oregon saw a 1% increase in voting from the 2016 general election to the 2020 election. Nationwide, it’s been reported that there has been an 18% increase in voter turnout from the 2016 presidential election. Trump attributes this to voter fraud, citing Pennsylvania as his most relevant example. 

“We were up by nearly 700 thousand votes in Pennsylvania,” said Trump in a White House briefing room on Nov. 5. “I won Pennsylvania by a lot and that gets whittled down to, I think they said now we’re up by 90 thousand votes, and they keep coming and coming and coming, they find them all over, our numbers started miraculously getting whittled away in secret.”

However, none of the president’s claims or lawsuits have been contested by any of the courts due to lack of evidence. Currently, Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris are projected to be the next leaders of America come January 2021 ⏤ unless Trump’s team provides evidence of massive voting fraud taking place in the major swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona. 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Student reactions to the presidential election

Western students speak their mind on the results of the 2020 presidential election

Stephanie Moschella | Digital Media Manager

 

“Tbh kind of shocked but I’m not mad”

Name: Kendra Acker

Year: First-year

Major: Education

 

“I’ve cried, cheered, and created an endless cycle of worry in my head.”

Name: Maddie Endicott

Year: Sophomore

Major: Political Science 

 

“THANKGODTHANKGODTHANKGOD”

Name: Abbie Funk

Year: Junior

Major: Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences 

 

“I feel like I can breathe again and I hope for our country. I’m no longer afraid.”

Name: Felicia Martinez

Year: Junior

Major: Communications Studies

 

“Beyond ecstatic, I didn’t know just how excited I was until I heard the breaking news!”

Name: Chris Smith

Year: Junior

Major: Public Policy and Administration

 

“Oh thank god”

Name: Steve Richmond

Year: Senior

Major: Communications Studies

Opinion: The gentrification of Independence-Monmouth

With the popular food trucks in Indy-Mo gone, it brings up questions on gentrification

Stephanie Moschella | Digital Media Manager 

Gentrification is defined by Google as “the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new business, typically displaying current inhabitants in the process,” but I’m sure a lot of people didn’t catch the underlying racist speech in the definition of this word itself.

Poor, urban, Black, drugs, Mexican, Hispanic, uneducated, streets, hood, slums, the projects. The ghetto. 

The shifting of neighborhoods, the betterment of the community, cleaning up the slums. “We’re doing it for the kids!” “We’re making it more appealing for new tenants!” We’re dusting the streets of the people of color that were once there, and replacing them with a year long process of construction. We’re mixing the color of their skin with the cement being poured to smooth and blend out their edges.

We see this pattern repeatedly against marginalized communities. They’re given unreliable scraps of society only to have the rug pulled under them at any given moment to make room for the wealthy, improved and traditionally acceptable. However, this destruction of culture and revenue to the community is only noticed by those who’ve carved a space for themselves through their sweat and blood. 

These renovations deemed for the “betterment” of society only goes to show that the creativity of young, marginalized groups will always be deemed as lesser and disposable. The black square on your Instagram account will never be enough to make you understand, because you will never understand. 

Those that live in the Independence-Monmouth area probably know that the food trucks that were in The Annex left. Whether or not they were kicked out with only a 12-hour notice or asked to leave months ago doesn’t matter — this community has been stripped of a beautifully unique aspect, only to be replaced by “clean” commercial spaces and unaffordable apartments. 

Gentrification colloquially means the process where a neighborhood garners wealth and where the population becomes more rich, more young and more white. There’s no hiding what Indy-Mo is becoming, forcing its residents further and further out. Sure, it’s just Independence to Monmouth, but this exact thinking is what happens when people get too complacent, and eventually, kicked out. 

Contact the author at smoschella20@wou.edu

 

See what Dexter has been up to in the latest upcoming season

Get ready for Dexter’s dangerous comeback in 2021

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

Showtime surprised fans of the well-loved show “Dexter” with an announcement that the series will come back on air for 10 episodes, with the confirmed returning cast of Michael C. Hall and showrunner Clyde Phillips. Although the rest of the cast cannot be listed quite yet and people are still speculating on where the storyline will go, it’s been reported that production will begin early 2021 and the  tentative premiere date is next fall. 

Showtime originally aired “Dexter” in 2006, receiving many Emmy nominations and a Peabody Award throughout the years. In 2010, lead actor Hall received a Golden Globe for his role of Dexter.

During the eight seasons of the show ⏤ totaling 96 thrilling episodes ⏤ fans lost a lot of favorite characters and quite a few of the characters they loved to hate. This upcoming season comes as a pleasant surprise, since the last season left fans bewildered and out in the cold.

Although there’s still a decent amount of time until the newest season is released, one can bet that this series revival will most likely hold even more twists and turns. Hopefully, we can find out what the former Miami blood-spatter analyst has been up to, and see what damage has occurred since the show ended in 2013.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Spoken word poetry by WOU Alum is entertaining and educational

Smash through boredom with spoken word poetry, “Smash the Lense”

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

Big waves have been made in the community with Ty Brack’s latest work, a spoken word album titled, “Smash the Lense.” Brack, a current poet, educator and youth organizer, is also a proud Western alum, gaining his bachelor’s degree in 2007 and his master’s degree in 2013. Brack is used to being immersed in the local creative scene, with experience as the former editor of The Northwest Passage and a former sports writer for The Western Howl. 

Using his artistic talents and experiences, “Smash the Lense” consists of 13 spoken word pieces that manage to artistically capture the current reality of our world. With relevant and expressive titles like, “Liesol Protest,” “Covid-19 Dream” and “Letter from Lockdown,” folks can dive into the smooth synths mixed with meaningful cultural messages. Absorb it any time with exclusive online access on Bandcamp under “Ty.Brack.”

Along with spreading art and the message of unity during tough times, all of the proceeds brought in from “Smash the Lense” will be donated to Talking Ownership PDX — a non-profit organization dedicated to renovating and reviving Black-owned homes in Portland and combating the continuous gentrification in the area. The overall goal is to raise awareness and funds for the community with the help of passionate volunteers and advocates. They aim to raise $500 for Taking Ownership PDX, which equates to 85 full album buys; with the albums priced at only $7 each, anyone can check out this exclusive online album and soak it in. To find updates on the fundraising efforts for Taking Ownership PDX, check out @ty.brack.poetry on Instagram.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu 

 

Say hey to Santa at the online 53rd annual tree lighting ceremony

Enjoy the upcoming holiday tree lighting event online 

 Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

The holiday season and a pandemic don’t make for the most ideal of conditions, but there are still plenty of local holiday events for people to enjoy at home. 

One staple of the holiday season in Monmouth is the 53rd annual tree lighting ceremony, a live broadcast of the massive Sequoia Tree that sits on the lawn of Campbell Hall. For many students at Western, especially first-years, getting bundled up and braving the cold to see the lights is essentially a rite of passage. 

This year, staff and students get to enjoy the comforts of home and spread the holiday spirit since it will be an online event. It will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. and can be found at wou.edu/livestream, or on wouTV. So get a blanket, cocoa or some apple cider to settle in. 

Along with the view of the lights on the tree, both of the mayors from Monmouth and Independence ⏤ along with President Rex Fuller ⏤ will be reading a winning essay by a local Monmouth elementary school student. Don’t forget to catch a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Clause who will be at the event to supervise and say hello, but it has not been confirmed if they will be riding in on the reindeer pulling the sled.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Time to unwind: how to destress in these stressful times

Take it easy with these quick tips for relaxing

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

We’re just over a week into November, and so much has happened already. From election stress to the perpetual class and work load, it’s safe to assume that many of us could use a break by now. Read on for some tips to destress and relax.

One tip that most anyone will recommend is to practice breathing techniques; these can be used any time of day, no matter how busy someone is. Sit, stand or lie down comfortably and relax muscles, then take in a deep, slow breath through the nose. Count to five, then breathe out through the mouth for another five counts. Continue for at least three minutes if time allows.

Getting outside can also reduce stress. Being out in nature can be very calming, and exercising is a proven stress reducer. Take 10 minutes or more to lightly exercise by walking around town. Enjoy the sights and take this time to clear the mind and just focus on the present. Remember to bundle up if the weather calls for it.

On the same track, doing any exercise can be helpful to relieving stress. Do an at-home workout, perform a yoga sequence, head to the gym or go for a jog. An exercise session produces endorphins — stress- and pain-relieving hormones — and allows a break from stressors. 

Another strategy for destressing is to take a break from the things that are contributing to anxiety if possible. This can include social media, news updates, family members or roommates. Let housemates know that some alone time is needed, and spend this time with phone notifications turned off. 

During these social breaks, do something that will reduce stress. For some, this may be catching up on projects, while for others, this might be something totally removed from work and school. Enjoy a favorite hobby — reading, drawing, playing music or watching movies, to name a few — take a nap, meditate, take a bath or try writing about things that are causing stress. Venting in a journal or identifying what is stressing someone out can be a great release of pent-up frustration.

Remember that mental health is something that needs to be nurtured along with physical health. If anyone is really struggling with stress and anxiety, contact someone who can help and provide support.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

 

Monmouth says farewell to favored food trucks

Downtown food truck pod demolished to make way for Monmouth Commons

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

On Oct. 28, demolition began of the Neighborhood Market and Deli and the adjacent food truck lot. To many, this change was sudden, but according to Monmouth Community Development Director Suzanne Dufner, this project has been in the works for a while — at least a year and a half, she recalled.

Nick Dhote — owner of the Neighborhood Market and Deli and the property leased out to food trucks — and Salem real estate brokers Sim Dhote and Baset Shagrun submitted a design review application through Studio 3 Architecture to the city back in March. They proposed a new multi-use building deemed the Monmouth Commons. The ground level is to be commercial space, nearly half of which is already allocated to the Neighborhood Market and Deli. Two more businesses — allegedly a restaurant and a coffee shop — will occupy the rest of the ground floor. There will also be three floors of apartments built above this business space for a total of 27 two-bedroom spaces.

Nick Dhote and partners are enthusiastic about this project.

“We are so happy and excited to bring something new and (exciting) to the city of Monmouth,” Sim Dhote said via Facebook. Those involved in creating the Monmouth Commons hope to meet the demands of Monmouth residents by providing new living spaces and a place for desired businesses.

These plans were approved by Monmouth’s Planning Commission on May 20, 2020. According to Brian Etienne at Tucky’s food truck, the food truck owners were originally informed that they would need to leave by the end of August. Etienne said Tucky’s began looking for a new location at that point.

“We were going to have to move eventually,” Etienne said, “but in some way I feel we were hoping we would be able to get through 2020 and have an opportunity to rebuild what we had lost financially.”

Etienne said Dhote contacted the food trucks on Oct. 26, informing them that the Neighborhood Market and Deli would be moved out by Oct. 28. The next day, Dhote told them they would need to move out that night so demolition could begin.

Both Etienne and the owners of Lonney’s Lunch Wagon say the situation is bittersweet.

“I miss seeing our customers more than anything,” Etienne said. However, both food trucks are embracing the change and are looking forward to the future.

“Even though we had to leave,” Lonney’s said, “(there’s) always other opportunities out there so we always continue to look and work forward, always (pushing) on.”

Tucky’s plans to move their business to Springfield, OR and is in the process of finalizing location details. In the meantime, Tucky’s is offering dinner delivery service to the Monmouth and Independence area. Check out their online store at lunch-menu.square.site to place a dinner order by 3 p.m. Also follow them on Facebook and Instagram @tuckyskitchen to stay updated and get access to deals.

As for Lonney’s, they plan to use their time to renovate their trailer for the winter season and get set up at a nearby space in Independence. While closed for now, customers can get excited for easier online ordering and more Lonney’s merchandise. Follow Lonney’s on Instagram @lonneyslunchwagon to get the latest information.

Taj India Food Cart, the final truck that was located at the food truck pod, has relocated to Independence. Their new address is at the Space Age gas station: 1082 Monmouth St. in Independence. Contact them at (503) 422-8299.

The Monmouth Commons expects to begin construction in July 2021. They anticipate it will take 11 months to finish, though it could take as long as 18 months due to COVID-19 social distancing regulations. 

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

 

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