Mount Hood

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

Western to participate in Congress to Campus program this February, two students will act as ambassadors

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, assistant professor of politics, policy and administration, Earlene Camarillo, sent a campus-wide email advertising an opportunity for students to act as Western’s ambassadors during the Congress to Campus event set to occur from Feb. 11–13. 

According to Camarillo, President Rex Fuller and Provost Rob Winningham later collaborated with Dr. Mary Pettenger after discovering the program, stating that it “sounds like a great opportunity for Western, especially in today’s climate of strong partisanship.”

Congress to Campus is an existing government program which provides an “opportunity to interact with former Members of Congress through a program designed to attract young people to public service” and addresses “concerns about the lack of civic literacy among America’s young people and declining participation in politics,” according to its official website at stennis.gov.

Camarillo expanded on the idea of civil literacy, stating that it is “the idea that we engage with one another in conversation,” and that, in a democracy, “theoretically, everyone should feel comfortable expressing their opinions.” The Congress to Campus program supports this by sending one Republican and one Democrat representative to “promote the idea that you have to speak with one another,” said Camarillo.

Camarillo mentioned the media’s role in misinforming the public and framing the government as overly bipartisan, saying that “there is a lack of clarity on how our system actually works,” and citing the statistic that “only 30% of people can name the three branches of our government.”

Throughout the program’s duration on campus, there will be two events held on Feb. 12 that are open to the general student population. One is set to occur at 2 p.m. and will be an alumni panel dedicated to addressing the topic of public service, and the other is set for 7 p.m. and will be a public forum where students and faculty can ask questions of the president and former Congressmen. 

Camarillo hopes that this event will promote interest in public service careers and stated, “we really want to encourage people across all disciplines,” to apply and attend the panels, stressing that the information being presented will be “important regardless of what career you’re going into.” 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

HIVAlliance partners with Abby’s House to combat misinformation about HIV and treatment.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor

HIV has a long history of stigmatization throughout the nation. Partnering with Abby’s House on campus, HIVAlliance came to Western Wednesday, Nov. 20, “to discuss the current status of HIV in Oregon, how HIV is spread and not spread, and ways to prevent HIV, including PrEP,” according to Keith Mathews, a Western Alumni and current PrEP Coordinator for the Northern Region of Oregon.

According to HIVAlliance’s website, hivalliance.org, PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, “a medication taken daily that can be used to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection by preventing the virus from taking hold and spreading throughout the body,” which, “can reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV by more than 90% and can reduce the risk of HIV among people who inject drugs by more than 70%.” 

HIVAlliance helps to educate the public about PrEP, as well as helping PrEP users navigate insurance, providers and financial support services. Additionally, HIVAlliance operates under a harm reduction philosophy which “seeks to empower individuals, remove barriers to accessing the support that they need, and offer pragmatic approaches to risk reduction in a non-judgmental/non-coercive way, that is compassionate and accepting of any positive change,” according to hivalliance.org.

Prior to the presentation, Mathews reached out to Abby’s House himself, saying that, “I knew their missions overlapped with our mission at HIVAlliance to educate about HIV and prevention. In my four years at WOU I heard very little about HIV apart from a few events highlighting awareness so I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to start that conversation at WOU.”

He added that, “despite the perception of lessened stigma around HIV, there is still a lot of misinformation around HIV which continues the stigma to this day.  The best way to receive correct information is to find medically accurate and correct information on HIV and talk to people, especially sexual partners, about HIV status and testing.”

Currently, there are various organizations which offer STI and HIV testing, including Western’s  own Student Health and Counseling Center. Polk County Public Health, Marion County Health and Human Services, HIVAlliance and Planned Parenthood all offer testing within the community.

For more information, visit hivalliance.org. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

After an unparalleled 2018 haul, Western’s Toy Drive hopes to maintain that momentum for the 2019 season

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  |  News Editor

Following a record-breaking year in donations, the annual WOU Toy Drive is once again setting up collection boxes for the Christmas season. 

The campus drive has been operating for the past seven years, and developed “organically” after a foster student named Matthew Burley asked why there wasn’t a holiday program for foster-care and underprivileged students, said Jackson Stalley, a library technician at Western and coordinator for the toy drive. 

After finding campus partners, the drive has “become a part of WOU’s holiday culture,” said Stalley, “it became so popular and successful because of the generosity of our campus … people rely on us.”

Western’s Toy Drive operates separately from the Student Veterans of America’s Toys for Tots, and is the primary donor of holiday gifts to local organizations such as the Sable House, DHS and the Liberty House in Salem — organizations that provide services to those in the foster care system and to families experiencing domestic violence, as well. 

The first year that they delivered the toys, one of the organizations had about eight presents prior, Stalley recalled. Every year, “it’s stunning how happy (people) are to receive the gifts,” Stalley said.

This year, Stalley hopes to “keep the momentum” from the previous year, and wants to remind students and community members that they’re “more than just toys and gifts.” For some, “the idea that some stranger out there cared was a reminder to be hopeful,” said Stalley. 

Students and faculty wanting to donate have until Dec. 9 to do so and can find more information as well as a wishlist through Stalley’s email sent out on Nov. 12 or by contacting him directly at stalleyj@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Dig a little deeper, Women’s Volleyball take home win to conclude their season

Hannah Greene  |  Sports Editor

Last week, Nov. 19 and 21, the Women’s Volleyball team played in their final games of the season. 

The Wolves started by playing against Concordia University — a team that beat them previously in season on Sept. 17.

Western’s only offense depended on their hitting, their percentage one of the best this season. During the first set, the Wolves gained a lead but fell shortly after, and the Cavaliers took the lead and carried it throughout the rest of that set.

Although the Wolves lost, there were multiple pivoting points throughout the match that gave the Cavaliers a run for their money.

The second set saw the Wolves hold the Cavaliers — until the Cavaliers broke out and scored 8 of the 10 points. Western had a hard time scoring due to Concordia’s strong defensive wall that continued to challenge the Wolves throughout the game.

Highlight player for the Wolves was Sianna DeCarli, a junior outside hitter, who had 11 kills — an attack by a player that is not returned by the receiving opponent, which leads directly to a point — the only Wolf that night to get more than four kills.

The second game was a sweet sendoff for the Wolves’ only senior player, Allyson Crisp.

Western took on Montana State University Billings on Nov. 21 for the Wolves’ senior game, and final game of their 2019 season.

Not only did this game end the Wolves’s season with a win, it sent their senior player, Crisp, to the Western Oregon record books.

The first set the Yellowjackets took the win, but not without the Wolves making a great comeback. The second set was a pepper of a match, with the Yellowjackets gaining and then falling to, to end with the Wolves ahead and their first set win.

The rest of the game saw the Wolves winning to have the Yellowjackets follow with a win — but in the end the Wolves dug dipper and pulled through to bring home their fifth win of the season.

An overall rough season for this Women’s Volleyball team that challenged and tested them every game — but a wonderful finish to leave the Wolves howling.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Opinion: In response to “It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving”

Caity Healy  |  Managing Editor

I’d like to preface this by saying, yes, I am listening to Christmas music as I write this. But also, I’m looking at the Thanksgiving decorations up around my house, too. Because holiday mixing is a thing, folks. With that, let’s jump into this response.

In Issue 7, my editor-in-chief published an opinion piece titled “It’s beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving,” where she asserted that we should not jump straight from Halloween to Christmas, bypassing Thanksgiving. Let me say, the author is a wonderful and kind person, and I have the utmost respect for her and her opinions. That said — sorry Cora, I’ve got to disagree. Well, kind of.

Look, I love Thanksgiving. When I think of the holiday, I remember my childhood; I remember the tradition of my dad putting Christmas lights up on Thanksgiving morning so that it would be ready by the time guests arrived for dinner. I remember Christmas music playing through the house as the aroma of my mom’s cooking flooded our home. I remember getting up early to turn on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, watching with twinkling eyes as Santa waved to the crowd in his float.

Thanksgiving is what you make it. To my family, it was never a day completely separate from Christmas. My childhood memories of the two holidays blur together — and I love that. I love the warmth of celebrating both holidays at once; I love letting spirits ring for as long as possible.

Aside from my anecdotal experience, studies show that putting holiday decorations up early can actually make people happier. Psychoanalyst Steve McKeown told Unilad that “In a world full of stress and anxiety, people like to associate two things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of childhood.” 

Now, I do have some issues with this — it’s not always the feeling of childhood that people love, and the holiday isn’t always Christmas — but he gets the point. People often associate this time of year with happy memories or feelings, so let them. His statement has been confirmed by other scientists, such as psychologist Deborah Serani.

Overall, I get what Cora’s piece was saying. I just think it should be tweaked a little. My opinion is simply let people celebrate what makes them happy. If you prefer going all out for Thanksgiving, do it. If you prefer treating Thanksgiving as a pregame to the holidays, you do you. In a time when there’s limited opportunities to take time and do what actually makes you happy, I think we should let people take advantage of this opportunity. Let people celebrate holidays in a way that truly makes them happy.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Opinion: The right time to die

Rachel Hetzel  |  Designer

One of the crucial aspects of science and technology is to extend the human lifespan. Being born in the 1800s meant one could expect to live to a maximum of about 40 years. In the U.S. today, the average lifespan is 90 years and rising. According to the National Institute of Aging, our lifespans are increasing by about three months every year. 

Now, living longer may sound great to most people — and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad this is being researched and developed — but I think we need to consider the changes in quality of life, and what this means for elderly generations. 

According to the National Council on Aging, 80% of the elderly have at least one age-related disease, and 77% have two or more. Some of the most common ones are Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, dementia, depression and heart disease. Age is the main risk factor for many of these diseases; the older we grow, the higher our chances are of developing one or more of these problems. 

So what I’m getting at here is that maybe we shouldn’t be focusing on living longer. Personally, I’d like to die before I’m 80 — I want to die naturally, with my mind and memories intact.

My great grandma suffered from alzhemiers, dementia and other illnesses. We would visit her once a week over the course of several years. Eventually, she stopped remembering the last time we had been over. She would ask how deceased family members were doing, and wouldn’t really know or remember who we were. We would write her letters so she would have something to read and remember us by, but she would need someone else read them to her. I’m very thankful that I got to know my great grandma, but seeing her decline as she aged made me realize that I don’t want to have my life end in that state.

There comes a point when we need to decide if keeping someone alive is more cruel than helpful. And if it is cruel, that person needs to have options available to help them get out. Death with Dignity is an option for those who are terminally ill. It allows the patient to request  medication that will safely, and humanely kill them. Currently, the Death with Dignity law states that one must be terminally ill, and expected to die within six months in order to request the medication. I think this should be changed to also be available to people who are 80 or older. Suicide is alarmingly common amoungst seniors. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, seniors make up 12% of our population, and 18% of suicides: which does not account for silent suicides, like starvation and overdose. 

Now, obviously not all seniors are miserable. Some have loving families, and live happily to the end of their lives. But for those who don’t, there needs to be an option. We should start focusing on improving the quality of life rather than length of life. Society views death as a negative thing or something to be avoided. But reality has shown us that there is indeed a right time for it, and perhaps we should try to embrace that rather than fight it.

 

Contact the author at rhetzel18@wou.edu

Campus Voices

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

 

Derian Hallberg (Major: ASL Studies, junior)

I’m thankful for how much progress I’ve made emotionally, mentally and physically. I grew a lot since my first year; I was a completely different person from today and never thought I’d get this far. So I’m thankful I was able to do that.

 

Darby Olsen (Major: ASL/English Interpreting, sophomore)

I am very thankful for my amazing family. Without their support, I would not be here at Western pursuing my degree and following my dreams.

 

Nick Denning (Major: English/Philosophy, sophomore)

I’m thankful for the foggy mornings because they’re very beautiful. I’m thankful for living in a place where there are so many nice people around, so you can have people to walk in those foggy mornings with you. Also that the term is almost over.

 

Josh Pautler (Major: English Studies/Writing, sophomore)

I am thankful for supportive parents, lovely classmates, and lit classes. 

 

Claire Graves (Major: Undecided/Exploratory, sophomore)

I am thankful for my mom, and for having such supportive friends that help me get through such hard stuff and build me up. I’m also thankful for french fries.

 

Carrie Thompkins (Major: ASL/English Interpreting, sophomore) 

I’m thankful for my friends’ and family’s support through all the rough times. I am also thankful for being able to have a roof over my head and food while maintaining my education.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Rylie Horrall

New Thai food truck joins food annex — Sav’s Thai Kitchen

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Sav’s Thai Kitchen is the latest addition to the growing food annex in Monmouth. Located at 152 Main St W, the new food truck has only been open since Nov. 9. It is owned and operated by Savannah Randolph, who initially started out with a Thai food blog and no kitchen.
Randolph originally worked in a pharmacy, but has always had a desire to have her own food truck or a small café. Recently, a possibility arose for her to open the food truck, and she seized the opportunity.
“I found out that my job was closing the company at the end of the year, and it was my wake up call to either try and start my business or just apply for another pharmacy job,” Randolph said. “So, I decided to take a chance with the food truck.”
She chose to open in Monmouth because she had just moved to the area but was disappointed that there were no Thai restaurants nearby. Randolph also loved the feel of the food annex, which solidified her decision to open here.
The decision to serve Thai food stemmed from Randolph’s time in Thailand as a child; she lived there for four years, and began cooking and perfecting her own Thai recipes since then.
“I really wanted to show people what authentic Thai food was like,” she said.
Currently, the menu at Sav’s Thai Kitchen does not rotate, but Randolph intends to once the truck has been open for a longer period of time. The plan is to keep the menu simple and change it every couple of days or so with new daily items. By doing this, Randolph believes that customers will then get a chance to try different kinds of dishes.
For first-time customers, Randolph recommends the Khao Man Gai, which is Thai marinated chicken over garlic ginger infused rice served with chicken broth soup and a special homemade sauce.

“(You) just can’t go wrong with it and you won’t see it at any other Thai restaurant nearby. In Thailand there were specific street food stalls that only sold this one dish,” Randolph added, due to the fact that the dish was so good.
The signature dish at the food truck is the fried rice, which can be bought regular or spicy ⏤ Khao Pad Gai or Khao Pad Krapow, respectfully. The Khao Pad Gai is jasmine rice with chicken, Chinese broccoli, onion and egg, while the Khao Pad Krapow is jasmine rice with chicken, chopped green beans, Thai basil, onion and chilies. Randolph recommends adding a side of Nam Pla Prik — fish sauce with chili peppers — because it adds to the dish.
Currently, Sav’s Thai Kitchen is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., or until the truck is sold out. Starting in January, the food truck’s hours will be changed and will most likely be open Tues–Sat.
Sav’s Thai Kitchen can be found on Facebook and Instagram at the handle @savsthai, along with their website savsthaikitchen.com.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

A sick care package to prevent illness during winter

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

Winter is coming, and the weather isn’t the only cold thing that comes with it. When the temperatures drop, sickness season picks up, so here’s a sick care package to make for yourself, or as a gift for someone else, in case of illness.

 

  1. The easiest thing to throw in is a few cough drops, if not a small bag. You can toss in one brand, or mix it up with a variety of flavors from fruity to minty. 
  2. To solve any congestion issues, add in some anti-congestion or cold/flu medicine. Usually allergy medicine can work as well, but it entirely depends on how your body reacts to it. Either way, at least one of those options is best to have in there.
  3. Tissues are another must-have, as most illnesses include a runny nose in their symptoms. A little travel package works and doesn’t take up much space, however feel free to use a whole box of tissues if there’s enough room.
  4. Vitamins help to boost your immune system, so oranges would be a good inclusion based on the amount of vitamins in the fruit. Plus, if the sickness is hard on the stomach, the citrus fruit isn’t too acidic that it will upset an already distressed stomach. If fruit isn’t your forte, a can of soup for later is a good substitution. Orange bell peppers are also an acceptable substitution for a source of vitamin C.
  5. Finally, put in a beverage of your choice, whether it’s juice, packages of tea, Sprite or just plain water. Hot tea will feel nice for a sore throat, but juice works just as well for those who aren’t fans of tea. For those wanting something fizzy to help with an upset stomach, Sprite ⏤ or 7Up, Sierra Mist, pick your poison ⏤ aids in fixing an upset stomach.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Rylie Horrall

Try these inexpensive thrift stores nearby Monmouth

Rylie Horrall  |  Lifestyle Editor

For many college students, money can be a burden that weighs heavy on minds. Because of this, finding cheap options for household items and clothes is a welcome relief. For me, it feels rewarding to find thrift stores that sell these items at a reasonable price, and luckily there’s a few options near Western.

Help and Hope to Others, more commonly known as H2O, is located in Dallas at 451 SE Maple Street. It’s a secondhand non-profit thrift store that accepts donations from the surrounding community. It then sells everything they receive at much lower and affordable prices, and their stock is constantly changing based on what is donated.

Their mission statement expresses that they wish to help those in need, and the store itself has a few ways of helping the community. For example, they have food boxes available for families in need to pick up, and also have a Helping Hand program to provide household items that struggling families and individuals are looking for; both are programs that volunteers can help with. H2O is open from Mon–Sat from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

In Independence, there’s a thrift store located at 150 C St called Fashion Sense. It was initially open in Monmouth for about a year back in 2016, but moved into a larger space in Independence in 2017. In addition to clothes, Fashion Sense also buys back various furniture and home decor. They try to buy items from customers as much as they can, but due to the limited amount of space, try to pick out items that will sell the quickest. In addition, clothes that are being sold can be brought in bags and don’t have to be on hangers, but all commodities brought in should be cleaned and washed.

Everything that’s sold in the shop is at a low price point, and can be shipped once bought or held in store until it can be picked up. Fashion Sense is open from 12–6 p.m. on Monday and from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. on Tues–Sat. 

Robin’s Roost is a store located at 283 S 2nd St in Independence, but, according to their most recent post on Facebook, have begun closing their doors after nine years. They still remain open on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.–6 p.m., and on Saturday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. to clear out inventory. Offers can still be made on their remaining stock; if one of their signs is out on the corners of the street, then they are still open.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Student actors performed with passion in the production of “It’s a Wonderful Life”

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

Directed by one of Western’s theater faculty members, Professor Kent Neely, comes “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.” This classic Christmas tale is based on a short story called, “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern published in 1943. Later on, it became a film, and then adapted into a play — Western’s performance is based off Joe Landry’s adaptation of the screenplay.

Landry’s adaptation is a radio show reading, where the actors on stage are acting like they are actors for a radio. This brought some much needed comedy into the somewhat sad play, with silly ads for dandruff and dirty car windows sung to the tune of classic Christmas carols.

Emily Hedges, an interdisciplinary studies senior at Western said, “I’ve seen the play before, but never as a radio show; it made it a very unique and interesting performance.”

Watching the student actors perform, I was pleasantly surprised with their quality and dedication throughout the performance.

With only ten actors, and one accompianist, it was an intimate cast with each actor playing more than one role. This is where the talent of the cast shone through; certain actors would speak in a heavy Irish accent one minute, then a tough east coast accent within the next breath, never missing a beat.

An interesting aspect of this production was also the use of a live sound effects board containing many objects for two cast members to create realistic noises without technology. The objects included a belt, marbles, a wooden box, a whistle and so many more. Like dropping objects into a box during a scene where they were collecting money.

The two cast members who managed the sound board, Trina Schwabauer and Sara Wright, had other roles as well, juggling the sound effects and their characters. This added another element of interest for viewers, since there were no props for the story of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” they were on a set, but not interacting with anything — staying stagnant in front of their microphones. 

Overall rating: the actors in this production did a great job, jumping around from character to character, all with interesting facial expressions and compelling dialogue. It was an all around enjoyable performance.

 

Cast List

Jake Laurents ……… Matthew Ramage

Sally Applewhite ……… Lea Sheldone

Betty Smith ……… Selena Moreno

Lana Sherwood ……… Citlalli Castaneda

Freddie Filmore ……… Jacob Fritts

Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood ……… William Evans

Homer Duncan ……… Steven Cummings

Opal Ferguson ……… Sara Wright

Sharon Cook ……… Trina Schwabauer

Patricia Dowd ……… Lexie Warner

Accompianist ……… Devin Desmond

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Mikayla Bruley

Review of the unsettling film “The Lighthouse”

Never Retallack  |  Entertainment Editor

There are films that require more than one viewing — and then there are films like “The Lighthouse.” Those like the latter require at least 10 viewings to fully grasp what happened on screen. 

The drama-horror movie directed by Robert Eggers — the same man who brought the fan-favorite “The VVitch” (2015) to life — stars only two cast members: Willem Dafoe as Thomas and Robert Pattinson as Ephraim.

“The Lighthouse” was unique as soon as it started — switching from widescreen trailers to old-fashioned fullscreen, the entire film was in black and white. This set the dark and somber tone of the film before meeting the characters.  With just two men on an isolated island, maintaining the lighthouse becomes a lot more challenging as strange events chip away at their sanity.

The movie is set in the 1890s on a mysterious island in New England. Thomas is the “wickie” or lighthouse keeper, and when Ephraim arrives to do grunt work on the island, he becomes Ephraim’s cruel boss.

Without spoiling too much of the plot, there are several odd elements to this movie that viewers should know about: obscene amounts of masturbation, lots of tentacles, sirens and violence against seagulls.

Throughout the entire two and a half hours of the film, I felt a general discomfort and unease in my stomach, struggling to watch or fathom what I was watching.

A challenging element of the movie was the thick sailor accent that Dafoe spoke with, making most of what he said unintelligible. It would be beneficial to rewatch the film but with subtitles provided; there was so much symbolic imagery — I can’t imagine what I missed in the dialogue.

The film only gets more complicated when the audience doesn’t know who to trust — both Thomas and Ephraim tell completely different tales, and with no clear clarification, it becomes hard to know what is reality in this twisted nightmare.

Between endless amounts of drinking, constant yelling and general distrust, the relationship between Dafoe and Pattinson’s acting was captivating and disturbing. 

Overall Rating: I think the film alludes to a much bigger picture that I could not grasp, but I highly recommend this movie to anyone looking for something unique and challenging for the brain.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Senior send-off for Wolves football, brings home a sad loss

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Football came to an unfortunate end last Saturday, Nov. 16 when the Western Oregon University Wolves fell to the Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds — a game for the seniors, but an outcome to leave them wishing for more.

Opportunities were endless, but completion wasn’t matching up. The Wolves’ defense continued to carry the team on their backs, which forced the Greyhounds to punt on multiple fourth downs. 

The Wolves’ offense couldn’t find a way to stay connected and maintain their possession or capitalize on scoring moments. The Wolves’ special teams had a difficult time making smart decisions during play, making the defense spend more time on the field.

Though the Wolves had a difficult time finishing, they created many great plays that kept the fans on their edge of their seats. No. 23, sophomore Omari Land, made two chunk runs to get the Wolves into a great position to score. The Wolves were in the redzone on fourth down and went for it, but quarterback, Ty Currie, of the senior class, got sacked for a turnover on downs.

Before the half ended, Western had the ball — it snapped back by Jacob Pruitt to Currie, who threw an ill-advised pass into triple coverage (three opposing players covering one teammate) which resulted in an interception by the Greyhounds.

The half ended with ENMU in the lead, 28-7.

The second half started with the Wolves getting a quick score and their defense held the Greyhounds to a three and out — three plays and a punt.

Western had the ball again with 11 yards to go on fourth down, but failed to convert and the possession went to ENWU. 

Eastern’s triple offense posed as a large threat for Western’s defense to stop.

The third quarter ended with a solid run by No. 3, junior Curtis Anderson.

During the fourth and final quarter, action and suspense filled every second. A one-yard run by number seven, senior Nico Jackson, made the score 35-20, with the Greyhounds still in the lead with 11:40 left.

Western’s defense continued to make harmful plays against the Greyhounds to keep them from scoring. Number 32, Nate Proctor of the senior class, sacked the Greyhound quarterback for a significant loss in yards and resulted in 4th down. ENMU wasn’t able to score.

The Wolves continued to push forward and not give up, but failed another conversion, giving the Greyhounds possession with seven minutes left in the game.

Western’s defense held up a barrier and didn’t allow for an attack from Eastern New Mexico. With the Wolves’ offense back on the pitch, a touchdown was on the horizon.

A dart was thrown by Currie in the endzone, which was caught by No. 11, sophomore Thomas Wright, to complete a touchdown. The Wolves were now within eight of the Greyhounds.

The Wolves attempted to take an onside kick with No. 96, Andrew Gross, a junior, slamming the ball into the side of a Greyhound players helmet — but the Greyhounds gained possession over Western. 

The game concluded with a 35-27 score, Greyhounds won. 

Western left the gridiron with their heads down and their season done. It was a great game from the first minute to the last, but not quite the send-out the seniors had hoped for.

Congrats to the seniors — Braelan Evans, Tyler Reid, Nico Jackson, Ty Currie, Joey Roos, Derek Parnell, Nate Proctor, Aaron Turner, Joseph Gonzales, Anthony Kennison, Court Hammond and Tyrell Cummings— for an overall great 7-4 season.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Hannah Greene

Western Oregon University

Facebook  Instagram  YouTube LinkedIn

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
345 Monmouth Ave. N.
Monmouth OR 97361

503-838-8000 | 1-877-877-1593

Tools

Bookstore
Campus Maps
Canvas
Find People
Portal
Technical Support
WOU Email
Technical Support

Resources

A-Z Index
Accessibility
Academic Calendar
Class Schedule
Net Price Calculator
Jobs at WOU
News
Explore WOU
Partnerships
Student Services
Freedom of Expression
Immigrant Resources

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Accessibility    Public Records    Privacy    Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.