Mount Hood

Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star create a hit YouTube series and amazing makeup products

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

On Sept. 24, Shane Dawson, a famous YouTuber, released a trailer called, “The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star.”

Shane Dawson started posting YouTube skits in 2008. As one of the original YouTube stars, Dawson has evolved with his channel, growing from inappropriate skits to making mini-documentaries.

Jeffree Star had an even earlier start on the media site; beginning in 2006, his main purpose was posting makeup tutorials, as well as discussing his personal life. 

Star has over 16 million subscribers and Dawson has over 20 million subscribers, collectively making them a powerhouse team.

On Aug. 1, 2018, Dawson posted a video called, “The Secret World of Jeffree Star,” where he showed how Star is not only a beauty influencer, but also has a multi-million dollar makeup company. During this video, Star joked about Dawson creating a makeup brand in partnership with him, but it wasn’t until later that they agreed to go through with the idea.

Starting in Sep. 2019 Dawson’s series, “The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star” shows the entire process of creating an idea for makeup, the money and time that goes into it, and the overall drama in the beauty world.

There are six videos, each running an hour long, that have been released so far, letting the world see the challenges that Star and Dawson went through for work and in their personal lives.

On Oct. 29, a new video revealed Dawson’s eyeshadow palette, “Conspiracy,” and his other products. The name and concepts for each product — even down to the name of each shadow — is connected to memes within his YouTube channel and his life. 

On Nov. 1, Dawson’s makeup was released on Star’s site which struggled to remain functioning for the first hour that the makeup was presented.

Most of Dawson’s products had sold out within a few hours, and the remaining products were there as a byproduct of the site crashing and not making them available until later in the day.

The video shows Dawson and Star trapeze through the complicated world of beauty, and Dawson will continue to produce videos covering their journey of what happens after his product has been released.

Those who would like to buy any of the merchandise released can visit https://jeffreestarcosmetics.com/collections/shane-x-jeffree-conspiracy-collection.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of jeffreestarcosmetics.com

Nightmare Factory: water sprays, spooky maze and endless fun

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

The Oregon School for the Deaf, located at 999 Locust St NE in Salem, has orchestrated a spooky haunted house for the last several years called The Nightmare Factory.
I first went in 2017 and was pleasantly surprised by the low fees and relatively small lines; this year, I decided to go on the day of Halloween in hopes of it being a slower night.
The grand amount of time spent in any of the lines added up to about an hour and a half, and the fee was only $15. For a VIP pass, it would cost $25 which is a relatively good price for what you get. The VIP pass allows customers to skip the line and go straight through to the haunted house.
Once at the actual entrance of the haunted house — or rather school — each group was sent to one of three different hallways. This allows the employees to better monitor the smaller groups of about seven to eight people by letting in one hallway at a time.
The set and props were impressive; every detail was carefully thought out, and the actors were fully committed to terrifying as many people as possible.
While this was a no contact haunt, several actors would act like they were going to touch customers’ faces, just to cause tension. There were also several points where water would be sprayed at those going through the house. The water was quite unpleasant, seeing as it was aimed right at eye level — not a fan favorite.
There may not have been one central theme, but they did have several throughout the night including clowns, zombies and ghosts. Having sets like a scary swamp and a carnival provided an immersive ambiance for the night.
There was a long portion with strobe lights, while the haunt-goers had to weave through a maze, convincing my group at one point that we were going in circles.
After a full thirty minutes of screams and fog machines, the exit led to the chilly outdoors.
Overall rating: This haunted house greatly improved from how it was two years ago; it fully developed into a heightened version of what it used to be. With actors committed to scaring each person, and a set so thorough, it seemed there was no escape — I have no complaints. I highly recommend anyone in need of a good fright to check it out next year.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Emily Hedges

Review: Sequels are hard to do right, “Zombieland: Double Tap” was up for the challenge

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

When “Zombieland” came out in 2009 many were shocked by how fun this zombie comedy was to watch, receiving more positive reviews than not. Ten years later, Reuben Fleischer returned to direct the sequel, “Zombieland: Double Tap.” 

For those who saw the first film, they will know that the sequel title alludes to Jesse Eisenberg’s character, Columbus, rules for surviving in the zombie apocalypse. Shooting a zombie twice to ensure that they are dead — or rather, double tap.

Throughout the first and second film, Columbus is narrating the story in the past tense, delivering punchy one-liners and guiding the audience through the movie.

Along with Eisenberg, the rest of the original cast also starred in the sequel: Emma Stone as Wichita, Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee and Abigail Breslin as Little Rock.

While the only character who looks physically different is Breslin, now a young adult, Columbus’ character development was interesting to see. He was more physically daring and ready to fight the new breed of zombies that terrorize his group. 

Keeping true to the brand of “Zombieland,” the sequel was full of surprises, dark humor and lots of gore. The introduction of a new community of survivors who are weed-loving pacifists was a jab at millenials and earned some hearty laughter from the crowd. 

Zombie movies are a hard genre to nail. After “Shaun of the Dead” (2004), I think a niche for more comedy horror movies emerged. Comedy horror is one of my favorite genres; it takes situations and creatures that normally fill an audience with fear, and turn it into something laughable.

Overall rating: I prefer the first “Zombieland” but when it comes to sequels, they did a great job of creating a new idea while keeping the core elements of what made it successful in the first place. Anyone who enjoys a funny horror film with a great cast of characters should check out “Zombieland: Double Tap.” 

 

Contact the at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of zombieland.com

Women’s Club Soccer team continues to raise funds for their first-ever national tournament

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Disclaimer: This is a firsthand account of the attempt at raising funds for the Women’s Club Soccer team expenses for the national tournament. Being that I am on the team, I was in the loop of what was going on but not in every process or agreement made. Below is an account/summary of information I received from all parties involved, the Co-President Sarah Texter, Andy Main and President Rex Fuller. I, myself, am very grateful for all the support this team has received since the announcement of us going to compete in the NIRSA tournament.

 

On Oct. 4, the Women’s Club Soccer team was selected to participate in the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association tournament in Round Rock, Texas. This was one of the rare times any club or intramural team from Western Oregon University has ever been selected or invited to something this big. It was also the first time a women’s club team would attend a national tournament. 

Women’s Club Soccer is not a varsity team, therefore funding is not equal or advantageous for these types of tournaments. Since the entry fee was paid and the team was given the “okay” to pursue their chance at a national tournament, they have been faced with several roadblocks and setbacks. With that being said, there have been enormous amounts of help and support to get these women on a plane to Texas.

Monmouth is a small community, but a large supporter of anything associated with Western — especially when it comes to athletics. The Women’s Club Soccer team wanted to take advantage of this and before doing so reached out to the WOU Foundation to follow the steps correctly in asking for sponsors or money. The WOU Foundation returned saying the team was not allowed to ask Monmouth businesses because they already donate to Western Oregon University, and to be sponsored or funded it had to come from direct donations or through “people you know.” Many, such as the co-presidents and some team members, thought this was strange because club sports don’t see any of the money donated by Monmouth businesses; most funds are distributed to support the school and varsity athletics.

This didn’t stop the women’s team and a GoFundMe page was created; families, friends and community members donated, and REBuild Salem gave some sponsorship money as well as a tour and test of the new facility and equipment.

“The amount of money the Women’s Club Soccer has raised in such a short amount of time has been incredible. It’s really a testament to how organized and motivated they are. They continue to exceed expectations both on and off the field,” said Andy Main, the assistant director of campus recreation intramural and club sports, about the team finding ways to fund their way to Texas.

As of Oct. 18, the team had raised $4,109 of the $11,500 total needed for the tournament. This money was raised through generous donations, a bake sale and the money given from the Incidental Fee Committee for travel funds.

The team continued to show gratitude and perseverance, taking every step necessary and never overstepping boundaries or rules, making for an easier but longer process.

This was when Co-President Sarah Texter, a returning player from last year, reached out to President Rex Fuller for funding. Initially, communication was rough due to delays and miscommunication from President Fuller and his staff in regards to this matter. Ultimately, in the end, Texter met with President Fuller and he apologized for the delays and discussed how this experience has been a learning opportunity for both sides.

“This process has been very long and frustrating, but in the end all the hard work we have put in to make this trip happen will be worth it,” said Texter after receiving a response from President Fuller.

On Friday, Nov. 1, an email was received stating that President Fuller would support the Women’s Club Soccer team and give them funding matching the amount given by campus recreation.

“I am very grateful to receive a generous amount of support from the school,” said Texter shortly after the email from President Fuller was received.

“They’ve faced some obstacles along the way, but everyone from family members, the IFC travel sub-committee, and even President Fuller himself have stepped up to help out,” said Main after hearing the news of funding from President Fuller. “It really makes me proud to be a part of the WOU community.”

Women’s Club Soccer continues to trudge forward and raise money for the tournament, grateful for any donations given to them. The roster has been set in stone, the plane tickets have been purchased and the team is hyped and ready. The NIRSA tournament will be held during Nov. 21-23 in Round Rock, Texas. Come out and support these women at their next home game against the Beavers on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 4:30 p.m.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

A feast for the Wolves, Bearcats are main dish as the Men’s Rugby team leave everything on the field to take home the semi-final win

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Teeth were sharpened, growls were exchanged and the Wolves were ready to start their semi-final match against the Bearcats.

The Men’s Rugby team came into the game with a 4-0 winning streak after already beating Willamette University in the past. 

At noon, Saturday, Nov. 2, the Wolves came locked and loaded, a score made by senior Riley Bardes within the first three minutes of the game .

Not even 10 minutes after, Keegan Echevarria, a first-year, scored the second try of the game. The Wolves were heating up and scored their third try after Levi Jenks, a returning senior, crossed the endzone. The two points were then completed by sophomore Braedon Eltagonde. The Wolves were ahead 17-0 in only 20 minutes — and they weren’t done yet. Trever Kahunahana, a returning senior, scored another try, and moments later, Bernard Barber, another returning senior, scored too, making the score 27-0. 

Three minutes later, Willamette retaliated with their first completed try, making the score 27-5. This didn’t even phase the Wolves; they knew they’d score again, and Wylie Cossitt, a returning sophomore, took it upon himself to get the momentum back, scoring a try and adding five more points. Following this jump, Robert Cummings “RC,” a transfer, scored the seventh try of the game — followed by Eltagonde’s two-point kick, leaving the fans and the Bearcats with a halftime score of 39-5.

The second half allowed the teams to build momentum. RC snagged the first try of the half and his second try of the game, giving the Wolves an extra little oomph. But the Bearcats weren’t ready to give up just yet; scoring their overall second try of the game gave themselves double digits but not enough to keep up with the Wolves. 

Seconds after, Barber returned the Bearcats try with one of his own, and his second of the game, driving Western forward. 

The match continued to move forward in favor of the Wolves with continuous scoring. More point-grabbers of the game include: Anu Kanoho, a returner and last week’s Man of the Match, Jenks with his second try of the game and Andrew-James Reyes, a returning junior. 

 The Wolves ended the game with a score of 70-10.

Hats off to Willamette for keeping their heads in the game, playing with a total of 15 men. The Bearcats never gave up, even after the Wolves continued to score and add to the board. 

Man of the Match was awarded to Hakam Nagra, a returning sophomore, for his defensive skills and stability, as well as being a player the Wolves could depend on for being wherever he was needed. 

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Emily Prall

OSU Women’s Basketball welcome the USA Women’s National Basketball team to their court for home opener

Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Drums rattled the sidewalk as spectators crowded the Gill Coliseum entry — it was on, the home opener for Oregon State University Women’s Basketball team faced none other than the United States Women’s Basketball team. The feels were real, chills were sent across the bleachers and the support for women’s athletics was roaring.

On Nov. 4, fans from all over came to watch the Beavers take on the USA team, a rare opportunity.

As I stepped into the Coliseum, my eyes began to tear up and my body was filled with an indescribable feeling as the players for both teams were introduced — an image forever ingrained in my head, the epitome of what women had fought for: the right to play sports. Every single player out there was proud, excited, happy and focused, but most of all, they were on the court supporting each other. Before the whistle blew to start the game, the USA players high-fived and shook hands with the OSU players.

Throughout the entire game, the USA team was giving pointers and hints to the Beavers, consistently showing encouragement.

The first half was not dominated by either team, with the Beavers challenging USA to every ball and shot. The crowd continued to cheer only for OSU and the crickets were standing strong every time the USA made points or got the ball. No matter what color shirt was worn, one could only cheer for the Beavers — the underdogs. 

The second half started with USA being the dominant team, and this carried on until the end, with every second entertaining the spectators. The Beavers never gave up, the pep in their step never faltered. The chance to play a national team with professional players would keep any competitor on their toes.

The game came to a close with the USA Women’s National team beating the Oregon State Beavers 81-58, but that didn’t mean the court was filled with grief and disappointment – just pure joy. 

The USA team takes on the University of Oregon Ducks this Saturday, Nov. 10 in Eugene at 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $12 for general admission.

If you get the chance to go to this game, do not pass it up. Whether you are a basketball fan or not, a sports fan or not, these athletes are sure to delight and engage everyone.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

Trick or treating may be over, but the hat tricks aren’t: Women’s Club Soccer bring home a “W” and a shutout to up their standing in league

Max Carmona | Freelancer

As the Women’s Club Soccer team stepped onto the field, all cold and unwanted air was gone. The sun welcomed the team and their smiles welcomed the spectators. The Wolves warmed up with excitement and laughs while the University of Portland Vikings were nowhere to be found.

About 20 minutes before the game started, the Vikings showed up — unorganized, confused and with only a total of eleven players, enough for the field but no subs. The Wolves brought a squad of 19 giving them eight subs.

The start of the half can always tip either way, no matter how prepared or stacked a team may be. The Wolves’ defense held their line and barely allowed for any attack from the Vikings, while Portland’s defense was challenged minute by minute. Multiple opportunities were created by an assortment of Wolves returners including Hannah Greene, Kawehi Taniguchi, Chase Tokita, Haley Willmott,  and Gha Ming NG. 

After countless attacks and attempts on goals, it was surprising that the score did not reflect this. The Wolves disconnected at times, never knowing who was going for the ball first, not talking or communicating when necessary and players hiding from the ball rather than opening up to receive a pass. But, they continued strong plays on their attacking half. 

An injury was sustained on the field for the Vikings. Portland had no subs to cover this player, leaving them down one ‘man,’ and giving Western an advantage.

Quickly after this injury, a shot was kicked and kissed the back of the net by Taniguchi, making the score 1-0. This sent a ripple effect through the Western team, making everyone crave more goals.

The energy was heightened and the Wolves weren’t done; Sarah Texter, a returner, carried the ball up from defense and was able to find the goal — no one could stop her drive and determination — making the score 2-0, Wolves.

The first half came to a close and Western was able to come off the field feeling excited and confident. 

The sun dropped and coolness waved across the field, but the smiles were still there.

Second half started with a new lineup amongst the Wolves, getting fresh players on the field. Even having the new substitutes on the field, the intensity remained and the starters from first half had nothing but cheers and support for their fellow teammates. 

The ball continued to remain on the Wolves’ offensive half, giving the Wolves’ defense many opportunities to push up and get in the attack to try for more goals. By having the forwards stay high, and the midfielders on the attack with the forwards, this opened the playing field up for Texter to take the ball to goal again — and make her second goal of the game, Wolves 3 and the Vikings 0. A hat trick was on the rise.

Moments later, Kaylee Leong, a new player for the Wolves, scored the fourth goal of the game — feat for Leong, and an advantage for Western.

More subs were brought into the game giving the Wolves more ammunition and more chances for scoring. Multiple corner kick chances were given to Western, giving Greene the ball to set up her teammates.

And then, the hat trick moment came. Texter was given the ball again and took it all the way to the goal, scoring for the Wolves. And that she did, making her third goal and the final goal of the game to put the Wolves five goals ahead. The cheers were endless and the big smile across Texter’s face made for a sweet victory. 

The Wolves finished the game strong; they had won their first game, no more tying. A new month, a whole new team. Nov. 2 was a day to propel the Women’s Soccer Club forward.

The next home game for the Wolves will be on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 4:30 p.m. on the turf field against the Oregon State Beavers.

 

Contact the author at mcarmona18@wou.edu

Photo by Tobi Greene

Western’s Dia de los Muertos celebration invited students to a night of fun and remembrance featuring traditional food and dance

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

“Our dead are never dead until we have forgotten them,” said Western’s Multicultural Student Union Representative, Paola Sumoza, during the Dia de los Muertos celebration on Oct. 30. The MSU hosts a Dia de los Muertos celebration every year; the event is free and anyone is welcome to attend and learn more about this important historical holiday.

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an ancient holiday with its roots in Aztec culture. Later, it fused with Catholic beliefs when the Spanish conquistadores began colonizing the Americas. Today, Dia de los Muertos is a two-day celebration strongly celebrated in Mexico, and in some Latin American countries as well. It is celebrated on the first and second day of November; the first day is dedicated to the children who have died and is known as Dia de los Angelitos.

With a focus on honoring ancestors and loved ones, Dia de los Muertos invites the dead to come to the land of the living to reconnect with their families. Traditionally, the families of the dead set up altars — much like the one displayed in the Werner University Center paying homage to culturally-impactful deceased Hispanic and Latinx figures. The altars are decorated with ofrendas, or offerings, which provide ancestors with a safe passage back home. Most ofrendas carry symbolic meaning; while photographs of deceased loved ones are displayed, so too is water for the dead who are thirsty after their long journey and salt for purification.

An important figure representative of Dia de los Muertos is La Catrina, or the goddess of the dead. Donned in a feathered hat typical of the bourgeoisie, La Catrina was originally a political cartoon created by Jose Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s to symbolize that death comes for everyone — even the aristocracy.

Dia de los Muertos was also represented in the 2017 Disney movie “Coco,” a film that gave representation to many people. During Western’s Dia de los Muertos festivities, Sumoza touched on this importance, saying, “now that I have my children, I’m teaching them these traditions and customs that we have and when we first watched “Coco,” something interesting that my daughter said was ‘Look mom, “Coco” celebrates it like we celebrate it.’”

At Western’s Dia de los Muertos celebration, students were invited to participate in cultural festivities, such as consuming pan de muerto, watching traditional dances which featured performances by Ballet Folklorico Tlanese, and getting their faces painted in traditional calavera — or sugar skull — design. It was a bright and colorful approach to processing death and grief, and respecting the ancestors that came before. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photos by Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

Take Back the Night shows support for student survivors and urges a continued conversation about sexual violence going forward

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

Taking place at the tail-end of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Take Back the Night was hosted by Abby’s House on Oct. 26. Take Back the Night originated in the ‘70s after a cumulation of incidents, most predominantly, the nighttime murder of Susan Alexander Speeth. Today, Take Back the Night is usually organized as a march against sexual violence and violence against women. 

This year, Abby’s House invited Jackie Sandmeyer to speak at the event. Sandmeyer is the founder of TIX Education Specialists, an organization dedicated to working with universities, law enforcement, prosecutors and community-based service providers to identify and create some of the nation’s leading models in Title Nine and student victims’ services. 

Western’s Take Back the Night began with time to reflect; a chime sounded off every nine seconds, representing the frequency someone is beaten in the United States. Students were encouraged to walk around and reflect on their own experiences, as well as observe comforting messages written on sticky notes throughout the room.

Afterwards, Sandmeyer began by asking students to participate during their presentation.

“I’m going to ask you today, not to sit here quietly … I find it interesting that we broach a topic that we feel uncomfortable talking about and then we hope that the bravest among us who have experienced the worst among us break that silence,” said Sandmeyer.

Throughout the presentation, Sandmeyer urged the audience to question themselves. Too often, Sandmeyer said, does dialogue end after the victim or survivor has told their story. Sandmeyer would rather everyone reflect on their own accountability as perpetrators, survivors, listeners and bystanders. Sandmeyer also acknowledged their own tendency for violence. After having spent much of their adolescence on the streets, they said that everyday they reflect on “if (they are) doing (their) part to, one, acknowledge that (they) are capable of that, and two, make a different choice.” 

When it comes to discussing violence, Sandmeyer admits that their advocacy makes strategic use of more palatable narratives — predominantly the stories of white women — to initiate change and get people to listen. Of course, that leaves many identities out of the conversation.

“If we acknowledge that violence is about power and control, what we know about people who experience violence comes down to we place different values on different people’s bodies,” said Sandmeyer. 

While it is a well-known statistic that one in five women are assaulted, those numbers steadily increase for minority populations, and don’t include the statistics for other genders. However, Sandmeyer believes that relying on these statistics to initiate conversation can be problematic because “we assign really dehumanizing rates to people who experience violence,” rather than focusing on their successes. They said that, “the more (they) tell college students (statistics), the less people get shocked … we’ve normalized this to a certain point.”

Equally normalized are the ‘accepted’’ and misleading narratives surrounding violence — such as the narrative that it is always committed by a stranger. Breaking free from those confining stereotypes requires talking about consent. 

“Are we having conversations with our partners, our friends, our families, our communities about sex, consent, pleasure, autonomy, agency and so on,” challenged Sandmeyer. 

Although much of the discussion was in regards to proactive dialogue, Sandmeyer finished their presentation by urging the audience to “hold space, compassion, and love for people who choose to remain silent … resilience is not linear and it does not always look the same way … not only is there a certain way that we expect victims to look, but there is a certain way that we expect them to heal.”

This was an affirmation before the speak-out portion of the event, in which the audience members were invited to tell their stories. Later, during the candlelit march on campus, students reflected on a question posed by Sandmeyer earlier that night: “we’ve heard their stories, now what will implementing change look like?”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

UHaul partners with Western to provide additional transportation options featuring rental cars available to students

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

Western is a fairly isolated little campus. Students without a vehicle may find it hard to get from campus to another desired location. Cherriots — the bus system that runs through campus — has sparse hours of operation and doesn’t run on weekends; Wolfride — Western’s shuttle service — only operates from 5 p.m. – 12 a.m. within appropriate distances. Much of the student population, such as international and commuting students, depend on these sources of transportation for success.

Luckily, Western has implemented a new means of transportation for the busy student — UHaul CarShare. It acts as a less complicated rental service; reservations are made on the website and the cars are parked behind the Werner University Center in Lot H for pickup. Students can reserve either a small sedan or a truck depending on their needs. Currently, the daily rental rates are set at $4.95 per hour with a .49 cent charge per mile. 

Emmanuel Marzias, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, commented that “we continue to have UHaul here because of that accessibility component … we don’t have the most convenient transportation options here … (and) it’s important that we have options for students.” 

Unlike Wolfride, UHaul CarShare is independent and does not depend on Incidental Fee Committee funding. Marzias said that the lack of transportation on campus is caused primarily by a lack of financial means from the IFC.

“Our enrollment is down, which makes it difficult … (because) it determines what types of services we can provide to students based on the financial side of things,” stated Marzias.

Marzias encouraged students to go petition to the IFC about their transportation needs, adding that he’s “thankful that students are prioritizing this.”

In the meantime, students can use the UHaul services or reserve the wolfride van for $40 — a lower rate than is charged by the Oregon State Motor Pool — as long as it doesn’t interfere with regular hours. And here’s the best part: “It’s (all) right here in our backyard,” stated Marzias.

For more information, visit https://wou.edu/student/services/ and uhaulcarshare.com.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

Western is faced with a 4.5 million deficit after a 5% decrease in enrollment was reported for fall term

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow | News Editor

After an unpredicted low enrollment turnout, Western is having to financially restrategize in order to minimize the effect on students. Compared to fall of 2018, enrollment is down by 5%. The effects that has on the university is huge — more than 70% of Western’s revenue is based on student’s tuition and fees, while the state provides only 30%.

Currently, Western is facing a $4.5 million deficit despite their success last year in maintaining their objective to avoid tuition increases. 

According to Western’s Vice President of Finance and Administration, Ana Karaman, low enrollment is a nation-wide issue; fewer people are graduating from high school, but those who do find appeal in community colleges, especially here in Oregon where the Oregon Opportunity Grant benefits community college attendees. Karaman explained that Western is working on a plan with local community colleges which will make transferring credits easier and hopefully increase enrollment. 

Another cause of low enrollment is in regards to the international population which has dropped significantly due to the current political and social climate, regards Karaman.

“We would love to see enrollment grow,” stated Karaman, “but we want to take care of the students that we already have.”

That includes plans to become a Hispanic Serving Institution, to cater to the large population of Hispanic students on campus, as well as first generation, underrepresented and low-income students. The most important thing is “providing these students with opportunities,” Karaman said. 

While enrollment won’t affect tuition, it will have an effect on Western’s respective departments and organizations. The plan is to cut the supplies and services expenses for departments that aren’t directly benefiting students. Furthermore, positions in departments will heretofore remain unfilled in order to generate regular savings, which will then be returned to the university to help counter the deficit. 

However, the university is taking a holistic approach in deciding which programs deserve to be cut. The University Budget Advisory Committee is planning an office meeting with every department to “engage with people in conversations,” according to Karaman. The UBAC will present the board with different scenarios and the board will make a determination based on what will provide students with the greatest opportunities.

 “For students, our objectives remain the same — affordability and student success,” assured Karaman. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Opportune locations for autumn photoshoots

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Autumn brings a prime opportunity to take some aesthetically pleasing photos, whether it’s for a holiday card or just for the perfect Instagram post. Here’s some locations that could provide great photo opportunities.

 

Outside of NS (bench) – On the edge of campus lies the Natural Sciences building. In addition to the bench right outside the building, the newly renovated pond provides an opportune photo.

Monmouth Ave Stretch – The street that runs through campus is lined with trees; the changing leaves will be perfect for your fall aesthetic.

Fountain – Near the center of Main Street in Independence, the water glistening from the fountain enhances your photo.

Park near waterfront – Just behind the fountain and near the waterfront lies Riverview Park. The changing leaves and amphitheatre are ideal for both portraits and group pictures.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photos by Cora McClain

Opinion: Is there more to self-care than Netflix and bubble baths?

Ashlynn Norton | Digital Media Manager

For a very long time, self-care felt like a very elusive thing to me. What I heard from the majority of society and my friends was that it consisted of taking bubble baths and binging on Netflix. I didn’t know how to start my journey or what it would look like for me. I tried doing things that I had seen others do: cooking, watching Netflix or drinking tea. Even today, I don’t fully know what works for me. There are so many things out there to try, what if I pick the wrong thing? 

I recently — and by recently, I mean two weeks ago — started to learn one way to perceive self-care. The little sliver of information I have regarding self-care came from my learning seminar class taught by Lizzy Harman. Harman, the Assistant Director of Student Success and Advising at the Student Success and Advising Center, has been studying self-care for a little over two years now. With a master’s in rehabilitation mental health counseling, Harman wanted to see how self-care related to advising students. 

Harman thought she knew what self-care was since she has a background in counseling. She soon discovered that she was wrong, and did not understand the subject as well as she thought she did. 

“It started as a research fascination and then became a personal fascination because it wasn’t going so well for me,” Harman said. “But also it was important to me that we could kind of talk about it in the field of advising because I think it has been seen as a weakness or a shameful act in a lot of ways and I really wanted it to be a part of the conversation of how we train new advisers.” 

Self-care can be defined in many different ways. Harman’s favorite definition is “Any act or experience (that) maintains or enhances your wellbeing.” 

“That’s very highly individualized and based on who you are as a person, and the things that you value and the things that are important to you,” Harman added. “I also prescribe to this belief that self-care is not just about yourself, it’s about the people around you. That the ability to care for yourself means that you are better able to be present and show up for the people around you.” 

Harman also believes that self-care has to be preventative and treatment-based. 

Further expanding on the idea, Harman explains “Where you are doing things to get through stress and challenge, but you’re also taking care of yourself in the long term of building things in your life so that you don’t have to take an escape or take a break from your life,” she said.

Harman has taught me that “escaping” is not the best route to take when life gets a little too hard and you need to take some time for some self-care. Self-care is about creating a strong base (prevention) and then occasionally doing something to realign yourself if you get a little off track (treatment). 

So, for those who are like me and are stuck at the fork in the road not really sure which path of self-care to take, I hope this sheds a little light on the best path for you. As for me, I’m going to stick with my salt baths and regular beach trips. 

 

Contact the author at anorton17@wou.edu

Photo by Rachel Hetzel 

Spice up your pumpkin pie with this recipe

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Family recipes are something that are often protected and cherished – this is true for my family as well. Once fall rolls around, my mom takes the time to start baking fall inspired goodies for the next three months. One dessert she never fails to prepare is a delicious pumpkin pie, here’s the recipe she follows. Happy baking season.

 

PUMPKIN PIE

Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes

1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust

¾ cup of white sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of ground ginger

¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

2 eggs

1 (15 ounce) can of 100% pure pumpkin 

1 (12 fluid ounce) can of evaporated milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F°

Combine the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in a larger bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and the sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Pour the finished mixture into the pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F°. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Do not freeze — this will cause the crust and filling to separate.

 

To create a more festive Halloween pie, try using cookie cutters to create some spooky shapes to place on top of the pie, such as a ghost, bat, spider, or pumpkin. Cookie cutters in the shapes of various leaves are an alternative for a general fall look.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Pick the perfect fall pumpkin patch near Monmouth

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Need to grab some last minute pumpkins to carve? Want to get into a festive fall spirit and potentially decorate for the holidays? Check out these nearby pumpkin patches to satiate that gourd-geous desire. 

 

Davis Family Farm not only has pumpkins galore, but customers can also enjoy hayrides directly to the pumpkin patch and a trip through their corn maze. Located in Corvallis at 4380 NE Highway 20, the pumpkin patch stays open from Sept. 30 to Oct. 31, but stays open further into the year.

Various seasonal fruits and vegetables can be bought after pumpkin season has passed, and are available to be hand picked directly. In addition, it has cider and doughnuts available to purchase. 

Admission costs $4, and can be found on Facebook, on Instagram (@davisfamilyfarm.inc), and Twitter (@RussellDavis4).

 

Vince Woods Farm is located at 6435 62nd Ave NE in Salem and stays open for pumpkin picking during the month of October. Pumpkins, gourds, squash and wheat are available for low prices.

Along with their Pumpkin Forest, the farm has a corn maze and a caboose. The corn maze takes up two-thirds of an acre, and, according to their website, is deceptively simple. The caboose goes in hand with the Pumpkin Forest, and is supposedly “gently haunted,” according to their Facebook page.

Admission for this year is $1 for the Pumpkin Forest and an additional 50 cents for the corn maze. Vince Woods Farm can be found on Facebook and at their website vincewoodsfarm.com.

 

EZ Orchards, open year-round, is located in Salem at 5504 Hazelgreen Rd NE. Pumpkins are located across a field outside of their corn maze adorned with pumpkin-themed decorations.

A shop filled with produce and various Oregon novelties is located outside the field of pumpkins where customers can buy fresh, homemade pumpkin and apple cider doughnuts. Several seasonal crops are available for purchase during and after pumpkin season.

Admission costs $3 per person, which goes towards a discount for final pumpkin pricing; EZ Orchards can be found at their website www.ezorchards.com.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photos by Cora McClain

Spirits you don’t need sheets to see

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Haunted houses begin to pop up once October rolls around, just in time for Halloween. However, there are locations near Monmouth that stayed haunted year-round.

Western’s own Todd Hall is said to be haunted. The legend at Western says it’s haunted by the former Dean of Women and Dean of Dormitories and the namesake of the building, Jessica Todd. According to current and former students, she doesn’t like males being in the building since it used to be a strictly female residence hall.

People have reported hearing footsteps in the hallway and see the lights flicker on and off. Objects such as paper are supposedly moved when no one has touched them.

Todd is also said to move locations to the Cottage, which was where she lived while working on campus according to the Hamersly Library Instagram. Supposedly, she moves there to scare people who have stayed out past dark.

Travel to Salem and visit the Elsinore Theater at 170 High Street SE, where visitors are said to feel an eerie presence when entering the building. It’s considered a historic 1930s landmark, and is a popular location for many modern theater productions.

According to traveloregon.com, there’s a girl in a white dress that is frequently spotted on the upper balcony. She’s said to be the original owner’s daughter, and fell from the balcony where she’s seen. A ‘ghost light’ stays lit on the stage, and workers and visitors have said they see shadows when no one is walking across.

The Bush House Museum is another location in Salem that’s reportedly haunted by Eugenia, the daughter of Asahel Bush II, the one who built the mansion. According to hauntedrooms.com, she’s said to be keeping watch of the building, where her apparition is seen often. Visitors have reportedly said a disembodied female voice can be heard throughout the house.

Salem Ghost Tours offers official history walkthroughs of locations that are considered haunted throughout the year which take place on Friday and Saturday evenings. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for youth aged 7–17. More information and bookings can be found at their website salemghosttours.net. 

Independence hosts a Ghost Walk each year on Oct 5, which tours haunted spots such as the Pink House. Dallas has recently begun the History and Mystery tours of buildings that hold chilling stories throughout the town. It costs $25 a person and takes place Oct 1–Nov 1. Monmouth also hosted their first History and Mystery night this year where they talked about the ghosts of the town.

 NW Ghost Tours hosts a Walk with Spirits tour that takes place in Oregon City from June–December every year, and can be found at their website www.nwghosttours.com.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Check out Haole Island Grill for another food truck option

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Haole Island Grill is located in Independence at 1350 Monmouth St in the parking lot near Roth’s. It’s owned and operated by Christopher Savignard, who started the food truck in February.

Savignard is a graduate from the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, and is a classically trained French chef. He wants to own his own restaurant someday, using the food truck as a step towards reaching that goal. 

Savignard and his wife initially lived in Las Vegas, Nevada before moving to Monmouth in June 2018. He picked the area based on the size of the town and the desire to slow down his fast-paced lifestyle.

“We love small town living and wanted to stay local and offer a unique dining choice for the wonderful people in the Monmouth/Independence Community,” he said.

He got the name for the food truck from a previous term used by his coworkers while he worked in Las Vegas.

“I used to work with quite a few Hawaiians in Las Vegas,” said Savignard. “I would often cook family meals for my crew, and they would say ‘Wow! This Haole can cook!’ They said it with love & affection and I never took it any other way.”

Their menu consists of island inspired dishes; Savignard and his wife had travelled throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia and the Caribbean, which is where he got his inspiration from.

For first-time customers, he recommends a few items based on the customer’s preference or current mood. Usually, the Hawaiian-inspired Haole-Huli Chicken or Mojo Steak topped with homemade Chimichurri sauce is what he recommends. The Haole-Huli Chicken is chicken with Hawaiian-style BBQ, and the Mojo Steak is made with a Cuban Citrus Marinade.

If a customer is craving something with a little heat, Savignard recommends the Jamaican Inspired Jerk Chicken. In addition, he suggests the Tropical Chips and Pineapple-Mango Salsa as a beginning appetizer along with a Marionberry Mock-Mojito as a beverage choice.

According to Savignard, their signature dish is the Haole-Huli Chicken Island Plate on a bed of Coconut Rice with Polynesian Macaroni Salad & Tropical Mango Coleslaw, and he recommends that it be paired with the signature drink: the Marionberry Mock-Mojito. For customers that don’t prefer meat, Haole Island Grill offers a few vegan dishes, such as tofu and Caribbean Spiced Black Beans.

“Our goal is to provide the best of the best while creating something special for our guests,” Savignard said. “Every detail, every component is made with passion and pride in order to craft a delicious meal that will keep them coming back for more. As we like to say, Come and Get Your Grub On!”

Haole Island Grill is open from 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 12–6 p.m. on Saturdays. They also travel for events, which are posted to Facebook and their Instagram at the handle @haoleislandgrill, and can be found on their website www.HaoleIslandGrill.com as well.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Cora McClain

Album review of “Mala Santa” from the impressive Becky G

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Those who are ready for an album to dance to, take a listen to Becky G’s new album released on Oct. 11, “Mala Santa.” 

Rebecca Marie Gomez, known as Becky G, is only 22 years old and was discovered in 2011 while covering songs on YouTube. She initially released songs in English, some well known such as “Shower” and “Can’t Get Enough ft. Pitbull” before she switched to her Latin roots in 2017 and released songs solely in Spanish.

Just this month, Becky G was awarded the Extraordinary Evolution Award at the Latin American Music Awards, a result of the success she has achieved and a prediction of all that is to come from this star.

She is also an actress, starring as the Yellow Power Ranger in the 2017 film “Power Rangers,” and some animated movies as well. Currently, Becky G is more focused on her music.

Her album “Mala Santa” is a reflection of her journey in the spotlight — being signed onto a contract at only 14  years old, she went through that challenge of growing from a young innocent teen to a woman while the world watches.

She decided to name her album “Mala Santa” because she felt as if she is the music industry’s mala santa. In Spanish “mala” means “bad” and “santa” is referring to the concept of “holy” in her lyrics. So in essence she is a singer who is neither bad nor holy, but something in between.

“I think people now understand and see that I am still very much so that sweetheart, that little angel that they first met, I’ve just grown up into a woman,” Becky G said in an interview with Billboard.

Out of the 16 songs on her album, nine of them feature other artists; a great amount of collaboration went into completing this. Every song has a catchy chorus, an undeniable beat, and Becky G’s amazing voice serenading listeners. Most of her songs have themes such as love, drinking, partying, heartbreak and misunderstandings.

While these themes are quite similar among most pop, the catchiness and fast-paced songs are enthralling. Each bop on the album encourages listeners to dance along. 

Her song “ME ACOSTUMBRE” featuring Mau y Ricky is one of my favorites on the album, really showcasing her vocals with bigger runs and more focus on her voice.

The must-listen song will have to be “MALA SANTA” as it is a sensual play discussing essentially her naughty and nice side, which ties to her album cover of her in all black on one side and all white on the other: a balance between her devilish and angelic aspects.

Overall Rating: Regardless of your Spanish comprehension, this album is a crowd pleaser for anyone needing an album to dance to.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of iambeckyg.com

An exploration of the popular haunted house Fear PDX

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Haunted houses —  a Halloween classic, and a way to be terrified that is safer and more interactive than a horror movie. 

I am personally a huge fan of these events and I go to at least two or three different spooks every October. Fear PDX is a particular haunted house that I have been going to for the past few years. Based in Portland, they offer a collection of different themed houses on one site.

We waited approximately 2.5 hours outside before even getting inside the venue. A notable difference this year while waiting in line was the inclusion of a DJ. While that may sound weird or out of place, dancing to the early 2000 bops he was playing, it was a perfect way to kill the time.

There was also a good number of scary actors going around and interacting with the masses — jumping, crawling and revving a chainsaw as they went.

Up until this year, Fear PDX was typically held in the Moda Center and the eager crowds had to wait in a large line for at least an hour before entering the floor where the different themed “houses” were. Then, they’d wait in those individual lines for about 30-40 minutes. 

This year, they held their attraction on Glisan Street in an empty building where they combined all of the themed houses into one seamless walk. The four houses set up were: Doll Factory, Dead City, The Mansion and Dark Carnival.

By far, the Doll Factory was the scariest, with actors delivering each line with an eerie voice and looking at us with unblinking eyes —  not breaking character at all. 

The actual experience of going through the house was full of strobe lights, fog machines, loud sound effects and a lot of screaming, but the amount of time spent walking through each house took a total of 30 minutes.

The general admission ticket cost $28, while the VIP pass that allowed you to skip the lines cost $50. There was a bonus house that cost an additional $8 and was “interactive,” meaning the actors were allowed to grab you. I personally am not a fan of houses such as these so I don’t know how scary this particular portion was.

Overall rating: The spooks provided by Fear PDX were decent enough for the amount paid; the wait time was a little ridiculous — also typical for a successful haunted house. The added touch of a DJ did not go unappreciated, and there was enough happening in the actual haunted houses to keep me jumping in fright and eager to escape back into the night.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of fearpdx.com

It’s not too late to get in the spooky spirit, check out Huluween

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

The staff of the Western Howl recommended our favorite horror movies in Issue 3— accessible to read on wou.edu/westernhowl — and now I want to focus on what the streaming service Hulu has to offer for their Halloween special, “Huluween.”

When on the Hulu website, simply search “Huluween” and there will be a page that has organized hundreds of spooky movies into categories: Hulu Originals, Huluween Essentials, Huluween Film Fest, For the Family, Hauntings & Supernatural and many more.

Seeing as there are hundreds of movies and television shows compiled on these lists, I will cover only the Hulu originals, seeing as they are new and possibly only available for a limited time.

For full length original movies they have created: “Little Monsters” (2019); “Wounds” (2019); “Uncanny Annie” (2019); “School Spirit” (2019)  and “I’m Just F——- With You” (2019).

I watched “Uncanny Annie,” which was a campy teen slasher film, but a highly entertaining and an easy watch. The monsters and jump scares kept me enticed, while some of the cheesy lines and poor acting kept my eyes rolling.

“Little Monsters” was a pleasant surprise; the comedic horror movie was a joy to watch. Featuring a tough kindergarten teacher unwilling to let her class get scared in a highly dangerous situation, singing to them while flesh-eating monsters were only a feet away was the only way to succeed.

Hulu also has a series of horror films all under the category “Into the Dark,” which encompasses full-length films as well as shorts.

Some of the better rated from this anthology are: “Culture Shock” (2019); “Pure” (2019); “They Come Knocking” (2019); “All That We Destroy” (2019) and “Treehouse” (2019).

There are several options available for their Huluween special, and while it is not a free streaming service, it only costs $5.99 a month. You can also try a one week free trial to get your fill of horror instead.

For those interested in trying some new scary films — full-lengths or shorts — the options on Hulu are quite entertaining.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of hulu.com/press

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