Mount Hood

Opinion: Why “The Mandalorian” could save “Star Wars”

Sean Martinez  | Copy Editor

So, I’m a huge “Star Wars” fan — and yes, I will even defend the infamous prequel and sequel trilogy — but I can still empathize with the people who are bothered by them. And after Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” essentially rendered the fanbase divided, it seems as if most people have hopped off the Star Wars bandwagon and climbed aboard the Marvel Cinematic Universe express.

However, Disney+, the new streaming service for all things Disney, has just provided “Star Wars” fans with an original series that just might restore fans’ faith in the franchise: “The Mandalorian.”

Rest assured, there will be no major spoilers for “The Mandalorian.” 

The show takes place inbetween episodes six and seven, and follows a bounty hunter — the same race as Boba Fett — as he attempts to retrieve an incredibly valuable bounty. But he becomes a wanted man as every bounty hunter is after the same prize. What’s interesting about the Mandalorian is that he has a reputation to fulfill, but he also has a complicated and complex moral code. 

Now, we’ve only seen the first three episodes of “The Mandalorian,” but each episode keeps us pondering over what will happen next. One of the great things about this show is that it cleverly alludes to the main “Star Wars” films, without overdoing it. 

Just one of the many problems I have with the new trilogy is that it tries too hard to call back to the originals. When they force (no pun intended) connections from the original trilogy into the sequels, it makes the universe smaller than it can be. For instance, Rey’s parents don’t have to be characters we’ve already met. 

But in “The Mandalorian,” the references are subtle and don’t overstay their welcome. They appear on-screen for a few seconds before the attention shifts back to the actual story. 

One of the biggest mysteries in the franchise is actually essential to the story. It remains a constant plot point that drives the series. So, not only does this show allude to previous films, it also expands the universe. 

The other relieving aspect of the Disney+ series is the absence of “Disney-forced comedy.” It’s very apparent that the newer films have a significant amount of jokes and one-liners. It feels very Disney, if that makes sense. Watching “The Mandalorian,” however, does not feel like Disney material; there aren’t a lot of cheesy jokes throughout the series — and that’s a good thing. It genuinely feels like the director, Jon Favreau, takes the matter seriously. 

So if you haven’t yet seen or refused to watch “The Mandalorian,” I implore you to give it a chance. The “Star Wars” franchise can be so much more than just adding onto the Skywalker saga; there’s so many other characters to explore, places to see and stories to tell. There’s so much of this universe we haven’t even uncovered yet. This show can be the turning point in the future of “Star Wars” media. And hopefully, the passionate “Star Wars” fans will be given ‘a new hope’ before they watch the last installment of the current-day trilogy, “The Rise of Skywalker.”

 

Contact the author at smartinez17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Starwars.com

How to become ‘too blessed to be stressed’ during finals week

Rylie Horrall  | Lifestyle Editor

Finals are fast approaching, and with finals usually comes stress for most students. For many classes, the final project or exam can be a deciding factor for grades, so here’s some helpful tips to keep the stress down during prep and finals week.

 

  • Try drinking a warm beverage of some sort — such as tea, hot chocolate, cider or coffee — if an energy boost is needed, especially. For some, a warm beverage can really relax both the body and mind, and could be largely helpful during study breaks.
  • Continuing from the previous point, be sure to take breaks while studying. While it’s nice to finish homework all at once in the span of four hours, study breaks should be taken every hour or so. Smaller breaks — 10 to 15 minutes — should be taken every hour, or about a 30 minute break every two hours. It gives the mind a chance to rest without overloading it with information.
  • Take naps during the day to fully rest the mind as well as the body. After a nap, students can be left feeling refreshed and ready to take on more studying.
  • Additionally, yoga and meditation are the perfect chance for relaxation; yoga is a good way to get in some exercise as well. Even just taking the time to take some deep breaths can help someone calm down and ease the stress they could be feeling.
  • Try going for a walk — or jog or run, whichever works best for each individual person. By getting outside, it can help clear a student’s head if studying becomes overwhelming. The fresh air can feel nice and revitalizing during a study break.
  • If baking is relaxing, try baking brownies; the prepping process can busy the mind so it isn’t focused on schoolwork for a short amount of time, and a sweet treat will be waiting after all the studying is done. Try adding in something to make the brownies special as well, such as chunks of peppermint.
  • If frustrations need to be taken out physically, go to the dollar store and buy some cheap plates. Cover a wall with a tarp and chuck them at the wall and floor. The tarp will make for an easy cleanup, and the shards from the destroyed plates can be used for an art project, like a mosaic.
  • Take a hot bath with bubbles, a bath bomb or bath salts — or all three if desired. A hot shower or a foot soak with epsom salts both work as alternatives.
  • Take a moment to write something; venting stresses from the past days, weeks or months by writing them down can help relax those tense shoulders. If jotting down stressful happenings doesn’t help, try writing a short story or designing a character.
  • Blast loud music and sing to distract the mind from all the chaos swirling around. Do it in the house, or take a drive with the windows down and stereo turned all the way up.
  • Simply watching TV serves as a good break from schoolwork. Find a TV show on some streaming service — Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc. — and just let autoplay do the rest.
  • Find a Humane Society that’s nearby or within driving distance and pet dogs. The pets will have a fun time and the body won’t feel so tense.
  • Finally, going in hand with study breaks, find time to partake in hobbies — like painting, reading, drawing, knitting or baking. Students may lessen their stress levels by setting time aside for themselves instead of constantly worrying about exams and finals.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Rylie Horrall

Hamersly Library showcases [she] A Story of Photographs

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Guest artist Dongna Cai, an Associate Professor at the Beijing Forestry University Art & Design Institute, received Western professor Daniel Tankersley’s guidance for her project, [she] A Story of Photographs, to narrate a story through photos. 

It was a project that took nearly half a year — from selecting the narrative content to the actual photography work and development. There are 36 black-and-white photos that portray the lives of five female Chinese exchange students, who stayed in the United States for one year. Cai has broken up this narrative into five stages: arriving, registering, studying, enjoying and leaving.

Professor Tankersley wrote, “… sincere images of [she] open a direct window into the lived experiences of individual women whose time at WOU is characterized by a duality of the remarkable and the mundane.” He continues to write, “Dongna Cai’s photographs remind us to be curious about the people we encounter, to take risks and venture bravely into the unknown… and to appreciate the journey.”

The photos themselves are simple in nature, but the feelings they give viewers is that of  warmness. Seeing five women on Western’s campus by the Maaske Hall, or simply at the library, the bank, the gym or their apartments, brings the viewer on a journey with these students.

The five Chinese exchange students are experiencing something that many have not had the opportunity or the courage to do. It is a unique idea to present the seemingly mundane activities that seem so normal to those residing in the U.S. for years, because they are simple but foreign to those who are new to the U.S..

For anyone interested in checking out the exhibit, it is available for viewing until Dec. 13 on the third floor of the Hamersly Library.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos by Mikayla Bruley

Disney + quietly released the live-action remake of “Lady and the Tramp”

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Released on Nov. 12 comes the remake of a Disney classic, “Lady and the Tramp,” based on the Cosmopolitan magazine story, “Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog,” by Ward Greene. This 2019 remake was directed by Charlie Bean and written by Andrew Bujalski, with Tessa Thompson as the voice for Lady and Justin Theroux as the voice for Tramp.

This film is available only on Disney+, making it the first Disney remake to not have a theatrical release.

Filming for the movie really took off in the summer of 2019 in the sweltering heat of Savannah, Georgia and because the dogs in the film were real dogs, they had to ensure they didn’t overheat. While the majority of the film crew was suffering and sweating, they provided the dogs with refrigerated tents to keep them cool and excited for acting.

Several of the dogs used in the film were from animals rescues, while Lady’s parents were looking to rehome her, and after the completion of the film all dogs have been rehomed and adopted. 

The live-action version was, of course, adorable; a movie packed with dogs is hard to resist. They didn’t make too many changes to the original plot. They did, however, take out a couple songs, replacing or altering them.

Overall Rating: The film was an easy watch, it was fun and highly entertaining, but not as magical as the original. It is quite hard for remakes to surpass their predecessor, but I enjoyed the movie a lot, and anyone who has Disney+ should give it a try for the holiday season. 

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Album review of Coldplay’s 17 album “Everyday Life”

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Released on Nov. 22 was the British rock/pop band Coldplay’s eighth studio album titled, “Everyday Life.” It is a double album, with the first half — songs one through eight — called “Sunrise,” and the second half — songs nine through seventeen — titled “Sunset.”

The album starts with the song “Sunrise,” a melancholic instrumental song that felt hauntingly sad with the gentle violin and somber piano — an interesting way to start the album, but I think it fits the overall theme.

Coldplay touches on some serious issues within their album, with heavy topics that are relevant in today’s society. One such song is “Trouble in Town,” which explains how non-white people are treated in western countries, touching on the hostility that minorities can face by plugging in the audio from Officer Nance in 2013 who was fired for his racist and aggressive behavior. At this point in the song the soft instrumentals reach a fevered pitch that increases the anxiety of the situation and the chaotic atmosphere.

Another heavy hitting topic is covered in their song “Arabesque” which seems to try and make peace in the wake of western fear of Islam with the war on terrorism. They merge together western musical styles with Middle Eastern rhythms.

Continuing on this trend of confrontation and addressing the issues within the world comes the first song to the second half “Sunset,” a song titled “Guns,” that criticizes Americans’ obsession and need for guns. Going deeper into the issue, they sing about how Americans think gun violence will be solved with more guns and push the idea of education and peace instead.

Coldplay doesn’t stop on their mission for exposing issues, continuing with their song “Orphans” which tackles the Syrian Civil War and shows the story of a girl and her Baba — Arabic for father — who are refugees and aided by an archangel. This song pushes the need to accept and aid refugees who are struggling to survive, and emphasizing how they need to be with their family members to achieve happiness.

The album ends with the song “Everyday Life” that ties together the main messages from the band: love, equality, pain, struggles, legacy, humanity, hope and other things in everyday life. The album covers a diverse span of people from different cultures and the different challenges they face, while maintaining the belief that we are all part of the same family on this planet. 

Overall Rating: I think this album is a heavy hitter; it is full of slow and somber instrumentals with songs that cover real world problems. It is more of a sit-down-and-reflect album, rather than a catchy money-making album, focusing on encouraging change and acceptance.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records Press

Turkeys weren’t the only ones taking L’s this weekend, as Women’s Basketball held two home games

 

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

Western Women’s Basketball hosted two teams during Thanksgiving weekend, only to fall to both, Texas A&M International and South Minnesota State University.

Both teams challenged the Wolves, making for an edge-of-the-seat game each day.

Full bellies and families sent the Wolves ready and amped for their game against the Dust Devils — a non-conference game. Wolves fell behind shortly after the whistle blew to start the matchup, with the Dust Devils scoring consecutive three-pointers.

The Wolves didn’t take kindly to this, coming back with multiple unanswered points from the Dust Devils, to put Western ahead — but not for long.

Throughout the second quarter, the Dust Devils dominated over the Wolves, scoring 17 points in a row with no response from the Wolves, making for a hard lead to catch up to.

Fourth quarter, the Wolves turned it on — catching up and making their score only seven points behind the Dust Devils’ 49 points.

Wolves’ defense put up the blocks and held the team on their backs. Unfortunately, the Wolves’ offense could not find a way to score and break the 50-point mark.

Dust Devils held the rest of the game, scored a few more times and left with a W on their horns, 51-42.

SMSU Mustangs came equipped with their A-game to battle it out against the Wolves.

For the first two quarters, the Wolves and Mustangs were neck and neck, each winning one quarter — with the Wolves taking a three-point lead into the second half.

The Wolves’ defense and offense showed fire and spark coming off the bench into the second half, fit for whatever the Mustangs were about to bring.

Scoring and gameplay seemed to be in favor of the Wolves’ hands during the third quarter, with one point after another — which created for a solid lead. Cali McClave, a first-year guard for the Wolves, hit a wide open three pointer to take the Wolves’ lead even higher by 10 points.

The Mustangs began to catch up until McClave drained another three-pointer with only 30 seconds left on the clock. Western lead 50-47, coming into the final quarter of the match.

Fourth quarter showed for a loud battle, multiple fouls and a final score leaving the Wolves empty handed. Mustangs took the win, 70-62, with an eight-point lead.

Though the Wolves attack game was fierce, it was not dicey enough to beat the Mustangs’ defense — a tough final pre-conference game to send the Wolves into GNAC, ravenous.

Dec. 5 marks the start of the Wolves GNAC conference games, where the Wolves will travel to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to matchup against the Nanooks.

The Wolves face Corban University for their next home game, a non-conference game, on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Hannah Greene

Club Sports signing off

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

The trees no longer have leaves, the ground has been covered by drops of rain and specks of snow — the time for fall Club Sports has come to a close. Quite the season the Wolves had, with titles battled for, championships that were held at home, new faces that joined the teams and outcomes that were never expected.

Men’s Rugby entered fall with a lot of seniors gone, first-years and transfers and the team having to step up to fill any gaps — this didn’t seem to have fazed the team, with everyone working cohesively to find a way to win. The team showed for many exciting games for the spectators and proved themselves to be a tight-knit squad. Their overall record was 5-1, losing their final game during the Championship match against Oregon Institute of Technology. Though Men’s Rugby wasn’t able to bring home the Championship, they did not disappoint.

Women’s Club Soccer came into this season with high expectations and a large target on their backs — being the 2018 Small School Division Champions. The season began with the hardest team in their league, University of Oregon – Gold, a fresh team with a solid mix of returners and new additions. Throughout their season, they were unable to find a way to bring home wins, with consecutive ties that finished each match. Before their season was complete, they headed down to Texas where they played in the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association tournament — where they played against schools five times larger than them. 

Men’s Club Soccer had a filling season — starting off on the wrong foot, but finished strong on the right, to bring home a championship from the Cascade Collegiate Soccer League 2nd Division, or CCSL. The team continued to stay positive all season long, which in turn helped them finish on a high note. Men’s Club Soccer held their defense tight and organized, while their offense took advantage of multiple plays to finish the ball in their opponents net.

Yes, these teams’ seasons are done, but they will have more games come winter. Along with them: Women’s Rugby, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Lacrosse and Rock Climbing. The Dance Team will also be performing at the Varsity Men’s Basketball home games.

Stay tuned come this winter for the Club Sports schedule.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

After months of preparation, Western launched several new program options in 2019.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor

This year, many new majors and minors — as well as degree options — have been added to Western’s official catalog, and future additional options are underway. Three additions in particular have opened up new pathways for student success: a master’s in Organizational Leadership, an Applied Baccalaureate in Liberal Sciences and the new major of English Studies. The following will offer descriptions about each program and detail the benefits related to obtaining a degree through these new options. 

 

M.A. in Organizational Leadership

 

As an interdisciplinary program unaffiliated with any one academic department featuring instructors from a variety of related fields, obtaining a master’s in Organizational Leadership would benefit “anyone who wants to enhance their leadership skills and be prepared to effectively lead in any type of setting,” as stated by psychology professor David Foster. Continuing, he said that the program “is designed to help people build the behavior, cognitive and social competence necessary to be an effective leader,” developing qualities sought after by human resources.

After first developing the organizational leadership minor with fellow professors Nick Baccus, of communication studies and Paul Disney of business, the three collaborated to design the master’s degree program which co-adhered with President Rex Fuller’s plan to “expand WOU’s graduate offerings by developing programs that would be appealing for people living in Salem,” said Foster. While taking courses based at the WOU:Salem campus targeted towards working adults, students have the ability to gain Operational Leadership and Executive Leadership certificates, furthering their workforce qualifications. 

“(Businesses) need programs like ours to help their people develop the competencies they need to be effective leaders,” said Foster. For more information about this program, students can follow the link to the graduate program’s page through Western’s webpage. 

 

Applied Baccalaureate in Liberal Sciences

 

Also offered at Western’s Salem campus, the Applied Baccalaureate in Liberal Sciences degree was created to provide further education to adults who have already acquired an Associate of Applied Science degree. It’s designed to give working adults the advantages of a four-year degree without them having to repeat coursework, letting them build upon their previous education. Students will “complete foundations courses, dive into the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, explore interests, and tie it all together in small seminars with fellow students,” stated a video published by wouTV titled “WOU:Salem: What’s Next.” The video also describes the program as essentially an “upside-down degree,”  giving students who have already mastered specific trades the ability to take broader educational classes. 

 

English Studies Major 

 

Nine years in the making, the English studies major features a core of linguistics, literature and writing classes and offers students a way to virtually design their own program, while limiting the amount of credits needed to graduate. 

“We saw a pattern … that the average English major was graduating with 211 credits. That’s a lot … we were really creating barriers for our students” stated Katherine Schmidt, an English professor and the director of the Writing Center at Western. 

The English Studies program is now made of mostly classes counting as upper division credits and has gotten rid of the two-year language requirement consisting of 24 credits. The program also boasts a common core curriculum of 41 credits, allowing for students to take more electives specific to their interests. 

“Instead of being a mile wide and an inch deep, we’re encouraging students to go a mile deep and an inch wide … to do what (they) love and to spend most of (their) time doing that,” said Schmidt, providing an example of a student writing historical fiction taking history classes relevant to their craft. Although, of course, students still have to justify the course’s complementary connection to the program. 

In the future, the program is planning on reinstating a publishing class, and providing a Professional Writing Certificate, which will launch next year. The Professional Writing Certificate is 20 credits and is targeted towards “people who already have their degrees,” stated Schmidt. 

“Students have shown a desire to specialize in professional writing and we want to give that opportunity to them,” said Schmidt, citing the full grant-writing class offered Winter Term as evidence. 

Classes for the certificate will be based at WOU:Salem, and is “complementary to an Organizational Leadership degree,” said Schmidt.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Multiple new changes made to Western’s various technology outlets, a focus on security cited as cause.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor 

Recently, students have received multiple emails regarding changes to Western’s technology including student access to their portals, Adobe Creative Cloud and an upgrade to Windows 10 for all campus computers. Many of these changes have been initiated to reduce threats to security. Director of University Computing Solutions, Bill Kernan, said, “current news talks about election hacking, corporate attacks, and data breaches … It’s so easy to fall into the trap that is being set … Having another layer of protection that uses something the hacker can’t access is paramount.” 

To increase security, Western is installing the Duo program, which will act as a two-step verification process that works by sending push notifications to one’s smartphone asking for authorization. By accepting the notification, students are able to access their information; if they are not the ones attempting to gain access, they simply have to press “deny.” For students, Duo launches in February, and Kernan assures that it “doesn’t require any additional passwords … the only information Duo stores is username and the phone number associated with that username, so that authentication can work correctly.”

Similarly, Adobe has changed their login system “in attempts to protect their assets from abuse,” according to Kernan. Many individuals and departments across campus rely on Adobe for their jobs. Now, “users that use Adobe products will log in with their username@wou.edu which will redirect (them) to WOU’s portal,” stated Kernan. 

Switching to Windows 10 also benefits the university from a security perspective. According to Kernan, Windows 10 provides enhanced security through its operating system and access to improved software and apps, while also being mobile friendly. 

Kernan also said that students have the ability to learn about additional security procedures through the Information Security Training Tool that automatically notifies students through portal when there is a new lesson available. The lessons are three to five minutes long every two weeks, making “information easier to attain,” stated Kernan. 

“The training will include topics like SPAM, phishing, encryption, etc…” and, “ is totally responsive, so everyone can view it easily on phones, tablets or laptops” Kernan concluded.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

An Accessible Pedestrian Signal has been implemented after conversations about accessibility for Monmouth’s DeafBlind community were sparked.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor

As the DeafBlind population increases within Monmouth, discussion about accessibility has increased, and small changes have been implemented to promote that accessibility. One such change is the addition of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) at the intersection of Main Street and Highway 99, which was made possible through the advocating of several parties, including Jelica Nuccio. 

Jelica Nuccio is a DeafBlind individual who moved to Monmouth a year ago from Seattle, Washington, bringing her business “Tactile Communications” with her. Tactile Communications focuses on, “providing education to individuals that are DeafBlind as far as adaptive skills and reading in Braille. 

“For many people, if they’ve grown up visual, then when they become DeafBlind, they need to incorporate touch-based strategies to get information. So, we do a lot of training…” Nuccio said, likening the training to learning how to drive a car. 

Training also includes learning how and when to cross the road safely — now made easier through the APS system.

Nuccio credited Amy Parker, the coordinator of the Orientation and Mobility program at Portland State University, with garnering support from the City Council and the Department of Transportation to implement the APS system.   

“It became much more complex than originally anticipated,” Nuccio stated.

Despite this beneficial addition, there are still more ways to improve accessibility in the community. Nuccio mentioned adding additional APS systems along Main Street, more stop signs to increase driver awareness, bumps on the road serving as tactile markers, English and Braille combined menus and mats in front of doorways acting as signifiers as improvements that could be made. 

“We’re hoping that with more visibility, that will create more awareness, and that will create a more unified front and we can actually start making some of these significant changes, but they haven’t happened yet,” said Nuccio. 

Despite the need for improvements, Nuccio relayed feeling welcomed in Monmouth, saying that “there’s a different kind of patience here … people are just very welcoming, and they’re immediately talking about what they can do to change the community and make it more accessible.” 

She said that she moved from Seattle to Monmouth after visiting Monmouth for work-related purposes where she was surprised to enter a restaurant and have a waitress immediately begin communicating with her in protactile. 

“I immediately felt so comfortable and comforted in knowing that people understood that I communicate through touch,” Nuccio said.

For students interested in learning about DeafBlind culture and protactile communication, Nuccio recommended they take Professor CM Hall’s class in Winter Term and Nuccio’s own class taught in Spring Term, which is entirely taught in protactile. 

“Protactile is not the same as hearing a language or seeing a language — there’s no book on it. You can’t write a book on how something feels or how to communicate tactilely, so it would be very difficult to explain even in a video. So, all of the instructions has to be done in person,” Nuccio said.

For those seeking a creative, immersive experience, a PT play will be held on Dec. 14.

“In protactile theater everything is communicated by touch, so you don’t see anything or hear anything — this is a brand new thing that has just occured in our community and it’s blossoming,” said Nuccio.

Those interested can RSVP at TcPTPlays@gmail.com.

To conclude, Nuccio stated, “I’m just as human as everyone else, I just have different means of communication. But different, doesn’t mean separate. We can all communicate with each other.”

For more information on who Jelica Nuccio is and what she does, visit https://www.tactilecommunications.org/.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

Thanksgiving Controversies: An Opinion on Sarah Miller

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

From the get go, we are told that Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together, have quality time, catch up and eat a lot of food. Sounds like a solid plan, but this plan was based on false customs and false history. Meeting up with family and friends to cook together and enjoy each moment can be a beautiful thing — so why do we only “celebrate” this once a year? Why aren’t we making a Grateful Holiday to be a few times a year? The world may never know.

According to the History Channel, the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated ages ago in 1621 where Native Americans joined the Pilgrims for their first harvest, which lasted three days during October. Thanksgiving became a national holiday during President Lincoln’s time in office, that was to be held every November. The original story presented throughout adolescent education makes the holiday seem bright and cheerful, but in reality it masks the bloodiness of the time between the Native Americans and the settlers.

This day was constructed on lies and stories of “positive” exchanges of pilgrims and Native Americans. The pilgrims learned from the Native Americans about growing crops, harvesting those crops, how to hunt and fish from the foreign land and “became friends” with each other. Though the settlers did learn — quite a lot — from the Native Americans, it is in fact “false,” in the voice of Dwight Shrute, that these people were friendly among each other. What the bright, happy story covers up is the bloodshed, battles, rape, murder and disease the pilgrims brought upon the Native people.

Rather than celebrating a holiday based on the pain and suffering of people native to this land, let’s acknowledge what our past pilgrims have done, how the Native American people helped propel us to where we are now, and have rememberance in the destruction of the Native American culture and the taking/raping of their land and women. By turning a blind eye to these events, without respecting the Native American people, we continue to be those same selfish pilgrims. 

Enjoy the food, create new memories, try to not let Suzie bring up politics and RECOGNIZE what our forefathers did and how this affected Native Americans then and continues to today. Mourn for the fallen, for the raped, for the murdered and give thanks to selfless acts of the Native Americans in aiding the new settlers on this land and teaching them their ways of survival.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Climate change — NIRSA Soccer Tournament in Round Rock, Texas

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

Women’s Club Soccer was selected to participate in the 2019 National and Recreational Sports Association tournament, in Round Rock, Texas — a first for the team and a huge step in advancing club sports and getting the Western Oregon name out there. The tournament took place during Nov. 21 through Nov. 22.

The journey began when the team left Monmouth and headed to the Portland airport to catch a flight down to California, and a second flight to Austin Texas. From 5 p.m. to almost 2 a.m. the Wolves traveled and made it safely to Round Rock. The time change is two hours ahead which definitely affected the team’s sleep and eating schedules — a few players had upset stomachs — but overall, they adjusted quickly.

The first day the team headed to the Round Rock Sports Complex to get their lactic acid out and get some touches on the ball before their games the next day. 

A team dinner was held at famous Buca di Beppo, where the team shared a family meal consisting of lots of greens and lots of carbs — fueling them for the games to come.

Thursday morning at 8 a.m. was the starting moment for the National tournament and a long day for the team. This game the Wolves played against University of Iowa, a team they would never play during the regular season, and a team that definitely gave them a run for their money. They lost 4-0 — the Wolves made many opportunities with no completion. Wolves let the game go and rested for their next game. 

The humidity and climate change played a huge role in how the team could perform, as well as having to travel for an entire day and regulate the time change.

The Wolves took on the University of Vermont Catamounts, another name for the American mountain lion.

Though tired from the game before, with little rest between the first and second game, the Wolves stepped on to the pitch ready and excited. Multiple injuries from the first game cost the Wolves with little to no subs, making the field players work until absolutely no more gas was in the tank.

It was a tough battle, with multiple players from the Catamounts playing dirty and hacking, the Wolves hung in and kept pushing. The first half of the match, the Wolves controlled and put extremely high pressure on the Catamounts defense, but had no luck in finding the back of the net.

Before the first half concluded the Catamounts finished a lucky and hard-to-reach goal, making the score 1-0.

The second half, the Wolves level of play dropped, having no more fuel to keep the fire going — especially with the Catamounts consistently subbing more than five players every five minutes — fresh legs for the Catamounts versus the tired and exhausted legs of the Wolves.

The game finished with no more goals from either team, but another loss for the Wolves.

Off the field and back at the hotel the team was feeling every ache and pain, icing and resting as much as they could before their final game on Friday — while also trying to finish school assignments. This posed to be quite difficult for multiple players due to being in a different state, sleeping schedules flipped upside down, being 100% exhausted from playing and being in the humidity and sun all day, traveling and all around having fun bonding and getting closer.

Friday, Nov. 22 was the final day for soccer for this women’s team. At 8 a.m., the team stepped onto the pitch and began their warm up to face Central Michigan University. 

Whistles were being blown across the soccer complex, initiating the start of all the 8 a.m. games, and the final game of the NIRSA tournament for the Wolves.

The air was cold, the wind was rude and the clouds started to sprinkle the field and players with mist — this kept the Wolves on their toes and the subs cuddled together to stay warm. 

Concentration and one goal in mind kept the Wolves playing fast and their pressure high — though legs were tired, knees were swollen and bruised, injuries held players out of the game, the team didn’t stop. 

Western’s first goal sent adrenaline across the entire team — Kawehi Taniguchi, a returning senior, kicked a picturesque corner kick, where Haley Wilmott, a returning sophomore, was there to connect the ball to the back of the net, Wolves 1, Catamounts 0.

With the first half ending and the Wolves ahead, the momentum was at the feet of the Wolves going into their final half of their time in the tournament. 

During the last 15 minutes the Catamounts returned the Wolves point with one of their own, after Seidree Kealoha-Albarado, a first year, fouled a Catamount and drew her first yellow card. Catamount player kicked the ball over the defensive line and fellow teammate slid to kick the ball into the Wolves goal, 1-1.

Before the final half came to a close, the Wolves popped away one last goal. Defender and left footer, Sydni Manuel, a first year, cleared the ball forward to have it bounce and go right past the Catamount’s goalkeeper — the final whistle blew and the Wolves won their first game of the tournament, 2-1.

Unfortunately, the team had no other scheduled games, but the overall chance to play against division one schools, some being five to ten times larger than Western, in Texas, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

“I loved getting to spend time and get to know my teammates better — traveling brings a team together because you are with them 24/7,” said Gha Ming Ng, a senior defender, about getting the chance to play alongside her teammates in nationals.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Breakin’ ankles, left and Wright — club soccer and rugby player D-Dré isn’t done yet

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

D-Dré Wright, of Women’s Club Soccer and Women’s Rugby, has left flames wherever she steps down. Not only is Wright a two-sport athlete that participates in multiple recreational sports, Wright also refs sporting events around campus and works on campus in the mailroom.

Wright is currently a senior looking to finish with a major in Chemistry and move on to medical school to become a surgeon. Outside the walls of classes and libraries, Wright is breaking tackles to score and blocking opponents to protect the goal — a force to be reckoned with in any sport she tries.

In winter of 2018, Haylie Shinsato started the Women’s Club Soccer team, marking the start of Wright’s career on the soccer field. Having never played before — let alone as goalie — she took on one of the most important and demanding positions in the game. Wright stepped up to the challenge and welcomed it with arms open wide, ready to do whatever she had to to be successful and help her teammates out.

Throughout Wright’s time with the Women’s Club Soccer team, she has gained a lot of valuable attributes to add to her resumé. 

“As a person, it solidified my discipline and time management skills, as well as continuously instilled a hard work ethic, which I use in everything I do,” said Wright about her development through soccer. Wright also said that it “provides an amazing support system and long lasting friendships with my teammates.”

When asked about how the goalie position has impacted her life, Wright had only positives to say about it.

“Believe it or not, but it helps me with split second decisions and working under pressure,” she said. 

The goalkeeper is the last line of defense on the field, holding a lot of responsibility and pressure on the shoulders of anyone in goal — because goalies are the last line of defense, they see “everything” and can use this to their team’s advantage. 

“It has helped me with my communication skills,” Wright said about playing keeper and having to step up and talk to her teammates throughout gameplay.

Fall of 2019 marked Wright’s debut onto the Women’s Rugby team — another first for her, but having a lot of flag football experience to propel her in understanding and playing the game. Wright has been a firecracker on the team, being a key ingredient to their success. 

“Similar to soccer, I use my work ethic and positive attitude to make up for what I lack in experience,” said Wright about her triumphs on the field of rugby. 

With Fall Term coming to a close and Women’s Club Soccer fall season ending, Wright is in full throttle with the Women’s Rugby team, excited and amped to play in more games. Don’t be fooled by her bright smile, Wright has more than a few tricks up her sleeve.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

Giving thanks by giving back

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Thanksgiving is a time generally spent with loved ones, and is a time to think about what you’re thankful for. In addition, it’s a time of giving back, whether it’s donating food to a food bank or volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. If you’re interested in volunteering for the holiday, here’s a couple options nearby Monmouth.

The Union Gospel Mission of Salem provides an opportunity for those in the community to volunteer to serve food to those in need. Volunteers can sign up to distribute food on Thanksgiving day during the main meal time, which takes place from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., and during dinner from 4:30–7 p.m. Along with serving food, they have set-up and clean-up opportunities for the event. According to their website, they have gotten an abundance of volunteers and may or may not need more for serving food. However, certain food items are still needed for holiday meals, and food can still be dropped off and donated from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Men’s Mission (345 Commercial St NE). More information can be found on their website ugmsalem.org.

Meals on Wheels has a branch in Salem and Keizer through Marion Polk Food Share. Volunteers that are interested can sign up to be a driver that delivers meals to seniors and disabled adults in the community. In addition to potentially delivering meals the week of Thanksgiving, participants can continue to deliver meals post holiday season. Drivers would transport nutritious meals between 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday–Friday.

Try asking around as well, because you never know what other opportunities may be around. Happy Thanksgiving and holidays.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Enjoy your food and get crafty at Craft Bar West

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Craft Bar West is, like the name suggests, an eatery that has crafting events each month for its patrons. It opened earlier this year and is located at 157 Main St W in Monmouth.

It’s owned and operated by sisters Ashley Dornhecker and Abigayle Tilby, who owned a sign crafting workshop business for 12 years before opening Craft Bar West. Dornhecker first started working with sign crafts after a friend had asked her to replicate a board with a message on it. Since that first project, she has continued working with custom wood signs.

Dornhecker expanded and launched a workshop to teach others how to paint signs, which resulted in the partnership she has with her sister due to such high demand. 

Eventually, the two found a space in their hometown, Monmouth, that was available for lease, and began hosting their workshops there. Originally, the plan was to just have alcoholic beverage options after the workshop space had been established, and eventually food was added in as well, making the full journey from workshop to bar to restaurant combination.

Craft Bar West hosts painting events regularly each month, and posts about each one frequently. In December, multiple Christmas themed workshops will be held, such as the Christmas Tray Workshop and the Christmas Sign Workshop; both take place within a day of each other — Dec. 13 and 14. In the Christmas Tray Workshop, participants can choose from a variety of stencils — varying from classic “‘tis the season” to iconic movie quotes — while the Christmas Sign Workshop has an even larger selection because of different size options.

Unfortunately, most of the upcoming workshops are full, but updates and new events are posted often on Facebook for customers who wish to partake in the fun. Patrons are still welcome to come in and grab a bite to eat or drink while events are taking place, but should keep an eye out in case there’s limited seating. Craft Bar West is open Wed–Sat from 12–10 p.m., and can be found by searching ‘Craft Bar West by Blissful’ on Facebook.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Mikayla Bruley

What to do when deciding to live off campus

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

By the time the first year of college has ended, some students have decided to live off campus for the next few years. This was a decision I came to myself — granted, I solidified my decision halfway into Winter Term. For anyone that’s thinking of going down this same route, here’s a list of tips for living off campus.

  • By living off campus, there’s more freedom when it comes to choosing a roommate or roommates. Some students choose to place ads on Engage when searching for people to live with, and some pick to hang forms on the various bulletin boards around campus — such as in the library and in the Werner University Center. Choosing to live with friends is also a viable option.
  • Respect between roommates is also important; the space that’s shared is bigger — so it doesn’t feel as cramped sharing just one room between multiple people — which means that there’s also more ground rules to lay out. Establish a system to make sure dishes are clean, laundry gets done and the place isn’t an overall mess. 
  • Communicating with the people you live with is imperative, such as when someone decides to have people over. Like living in the residence halls, giving roommates a heads-up about any potential guest or guests is often important to some people. Setting ground rules is a key factor to effectively living together, both on and off campus.
  • Having a stable income is imperative when living off campus; now that the housing cost isn’t included in the overall school bill, it’s on each person living in the space to contribute to rent. Money stability ensures that there will be less stress when it comes to getting all bills and groceries paid for.
  • Going off of the last statement, food sustainability becomes a major factor to be aware of. Living off campus means not having the dining hall always within reach, so it’s important to ensure the fridge is stocked with something. Grocery prices can be distributed among the roommates evenly, or, if food insecurity is a problem, Western’s Food Pantry is also available.
  • A final tip to keep in mind is to really make the living space comfortable for everyone, because it’s not just a place to live for the school year. It becomes a home, so it’s essential that it’s cozy and brings happiness.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Thanksgiving deal for those who aren’t traveling for the holiday

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

If you’re choosing to not travel for the brief holiday break, but are planning to do a sort of “Friendsgiving” with others, Roth’s has an easy option available to make preparations go a lot smoother. By going to their website — roths.com — and scrolling down, you’ll see their “Thanksgiving Pre-order” ad. Once clicked, it will redirect you to a page that allows you to select various turkey options.

To get a completely pre-packaged meal, click the ad next to it labeled “Delicious Holiday Meals;” this gives both a turkey roast and vegetarian, plant-based option for the shopper. The turkey option includes mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce in addition to the main course. The plant-based dinner has a main entree — smoked apple sage sausage field roast — along with mashed sweet potatoes, a root veggie mash, vegan gravy and cranberry sauce. Both options cost $49.99 and serve between four to six adults. A package of 12 rolls and a pumpkin pie can also be added on for an additional $4.99 and $8.99, respectfully.

After pre-ordering, the meals can be picked up before Nov. 27. Be sure to check if options are still available for each location.

If you’re spending the holidays on your own, or are just opting out of a large dinner, Bi-Mart has a few Thanksgiving deals that last until Nov. 27. A package of Stove Top stuffing costs $1.99, and Idahoan mashed potatoes are available for $2 for packages of three, equalling out to a cheaper alternative but still including some holiday eats.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

“Like Phantoms, Forever”: The Return of My Chemical Romance

Sean Tellvik  |  Freelancer

My Chemical Romance are back from the dead. On Oct. 31, rock band My Chemical Romance announced their return for a one-night show in Los Angeles after a six-and-a-half year breakup. Many fans worried this may have been a one-off reunion event, but with the addition of festival dates in March, it is time to take the return more seriously. 

To fill the empty spaces in their hearts following MCR’s breakup announcement in 2013, fans devised numerous theories about a planned reunion. A band who posthumously released a song called “Fake Your Death” on a greatest hits album titled “May Death Never Stop You” invited some speculation about the permanence of their split. 

The band primarily consists of singer Gerard Way, bassist Mikey Way, and guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro, who have all been working on their own solo projects since the band’s split. However, no individual member of the band has had quite the same level of success as that which they experienced united. Hits like “Helena,” “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” “Welcome to the Black Parade” and “Teenagers” have stood the test of time and circulated many a Spotify “emo” playlist, which brings me to the most slippery issue surrounding the band’s identity. 

Many fans, streaming platforms and articles about MCR identify the band as emo, a term with a messy history and complicated implications. The band themselves have tried to set the record straight that they are not an emo band, even expressing disgust at the term. 

The term “emo” is short for “emotional,” referencing the genre’s often dark or confessional lyrics. Part of the problem is the misconception that emo culture begets self-harm and suicide. On the contrary, the music often acts as an outlet to channel much of the depression and mental health issues that lead to these actions. Especially during the 2000s, the toxic perception of emo culture has spawned violence and brutality against those who identify as emo. But the core of the genre, when separated from stigma, can offer catharsis and a form of identity to its listeners.

I believe so many people attribute the emo genre to MCR because they have validated people’s feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness — you name it — and shown listeners that it’s okay to not be okay. The lyrics to “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” which say “You really need to listen to me / because I’m telling you the truth / I mean this, I’m okay, trust me / I’m not okay,” capture the feeling of masking one’s emotions to conform to an expectation of baseline happiness. I think MCR’s openness about these feelings are what made them such a popular band while garnering them the unwanted emo label. 

One of the band’s most famous lyrics from the song “Famous Last Words” defiantly states, “I am not afraid to keep on living / I am not afraid to walk this world alone.” This message of perseverance contradicts the claim that their music breeds self-destruction. Countless fans have given their testimony to defend that this is a band that saves lives. And I think the world needs to hear their message once more to break down the stigma against mental health issues.

 

Contact the author at stellvik15@mail.wou.edu

An exciting sequel with monsters a plenty: Stephen King’s “Doctor Sleep”

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

Part of the fun when it came to watching the 2019 film “Doctor Sleep,” a Stephen King adaptation based on the sequel of the same name to “The Shining,” is finding all the Easter eggs that are hidden within this thriller.

Fans of the cult classic of “The Shining” can all agree that the film is full of iconic images and scenes, such as the blood filling the hallway, the scary twins, and of course Jack Nicholson sticking his face through the door he hacked a hole into. Mark Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep” provided a new and exciting storyline while managing to revisit its origins and give audience members chills.

The film was originally in the works after the book “Doctor Sleep” was first published, but didn’t develop it until after the popularity of Stephen King’s “It” (2017). Flanagan said that the goal was to reconcile the differences between the novel and film “The Shining.”

The 2019 film stars Ewan McGregor as a grown up Dan Torrence. He is introduced as an alcoholic and troubled man, haunted by his past at the Overlook Hotel. Once on the path to change himself for the better, the audience meets Abra Stone — portrayed by Kyliegh Curran — a young girl who “shines” very brightly.

Those who shine like Dan and Abra are hunted by a group of supernatural beings who survive off of their souls. The film was a rollercoaster, watching the different powers that emerge, giving it a very different feel than that of “The Shining” which was more psychologically scary.

I don’t want to give away too much, but there were several scenes back in the Overlook Hotel that made audience members gasp in horror and delight; connecting back with the origins was my favorite part of the film.

Overall Rating: The actors in the film did a wonderful job, especially Curran in her debut role. I believe it’s challenging for any sequel to be better than its predecessor, and that goes for “Doctor Sleep” as well. The story was interesting, the jump scares were in fact scary, and the Easter eggs were exciting, but I don’t think it surpasses the uniqueness of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of warnerbros.com

Spotlighting Western artist Tonya Bradley: Vocalist and violinist

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

Interested in hearing about a fellow classmate and a choir member here at Western? Look no further than this Q&A to get to know Tonya Bradley, a junior and vocalist at Western.

Q: How long have you been at Western? And what are you studying?

T: I’m a junior, this is my third year. And I’m studying Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Sciences with a focus in Sociology with a minor in French.

Q: And how are you involved in music?

T: Within the Western music department you are allowed to be in any of the ensembles no matter what your major is. I’m in Chamber Singers which you have to audition for either in the spring or in the fall. It’s a lot easier to start in the fall because you have a lot of music to learn.

Q: How long have you been part of the Chamber Singers?

T: I’ve been in Chamber Choir since Spring of my freshman year, and then I was in Concert Choir since Winter Term of that year (first-year). 

Q: So you can be in multiple choirs?

T: Yes, there are three choirs and you can be in all three. The Concert Choir is a non-audition group that is mainly classical music, but can sometimes do some pop stuff. Chamber Singers which is mostly classical, and Voices which is mostly Jazz.

Q: What style of music do you usually prefer?

T: I like the classical because you get to learn a lot of different languages, and there’s a lot of different techniques you get to learn and it is kind of the foundation of every other form of music. I also have done classical for my whole life so…

Q: So how long have you been studying music?

T: I started violin in third grade and took it all the way through my senior year in high school, unfortunately I don’t have time to take string ensemble and choir at the same time, so I don’t do both here (Western).

Q: When did you start training when it comes to singing?

T: I started choir my freshman year of high school, and took voice lessons as a sophomore, but I stopped taking them because they take a lot of time and money.

Q: Do you prefer singing over violin?

T: I do, because I feel like I get to be more creative with it and I don’t have to just stick with what’s already written on the page — I get to do more improvisation. And within the choir I am a Soprano 2.

Q: What is your favorite part about being involved with music?

T: You get to meet so many new people, and it’s a creative release for me and I when I am involved in the choir here (at Western) I feel like it improves my mental health and my school performance. It’s really important for me mentally, to keep me sane taking all my other classes.

Q: What is your least favorite part of the music world?

T: Probably just the amount of rehearsals, and the amount of personal practice I have to do to stay at the same level as everyone else, because I have a lot of trouble with rhythm so I have to spend a lot of my own time to practice. This can sometimes take away from my school work.

Q: If there is anyone interested in joining the choir what would you tell them?

T: I would tell them it’s an awesome idea; we got a new professor last fall and he is amazing. I think the choir has improved a lot and we get to do cool performances, like going to the Capitol — it’s a good experience and I think they should talk to him (Dr. James Reddan).

Q: For those interested in listening to the choir what should they look out for?

T: For Chamber Singers and Concert Choir we have a performance Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Rice and tickets are available now for anyone who calls the box office.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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