Mount Hood

Student Loan Borrowers Cautioned About Scams by FBI

Written by Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

As of Friday, Oct. 28, six major lawsuits have been filed by opponents of the one-time federal student loan forgiveness program across the U.S. 

The legal arguments contain claims of harm to borrowers, the program being unconstitutional,   harm due to the devaluation of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and harm to states and state agencies. They also claim that the program violates the Administrative Procedure Act — arguing that the program failed to provide notices of produced and final rulemaking, as well as failing to provide opportunities for the public to comment on notices of said proposed rulemaking.

On Oct. 21, a federal circuit court ruled for the issuing of an “administrative stay,” which would immediately halt student loan forgiveness payments indefinitely until the court rules on the motion for an injunction.

This news came after 22 million Americans applied for student loan debt forgiveness, following the first week of the student loan debt forgiveness beta application becoming available.

In an exclusive interview for News Nation on Oct. 27, President Biden acknowledged the court argument for debt relief, predicting that the issues would be quickly resolved and that students could see their refund checks in the mail within the next few weeks.

In other news, the student loan forgiveness plan has provided a hook for scammers, as an increasing wave of borrowers are becoming victims to scammers with fraudulent offers of help. 

One of the more common scams is a company stating that an individual must pay in order to be eligible for student loan debt forgiveness — which is false. Other scammers attempt to persuade borrowers to provide their personal or financial information as a way to steal one’s identity. In a newly-introduced method, scammers are pretending to be an individual’s loan servicer. 

If an individual is unsure about who their loan servicer is, they can visit studentaid.gov and scroll down until they find the section for “My Loan Servicers.” As a reminder, most borrowers receive an official email by their loan servicer upon accepting government loans. The official federal loan servicers include FedLoan Servicers, Granite State, Great Lakes Educational Loans Servicers, HESC/EdFinancial, MOHELA, Navient, Nelnet, and OSLA Servicing.

To avoid being scammed, unsolicited emails and other messages should be ignored and attachments inside of them should never be opened. Such emails could contain malware and viruses.

Individuals who believe they have fallen victim to student loan debt relief scammers should immediately report to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Education or file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

New Food Truck Opens in Mounmouth’s The Annex

Written by Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

The Monmouth community recently welcomed a new locally owned food truck — Aaron and Jack’s Snack Shack, an “out of the box” diner-style eatery with a dash of cultural delectables. The Snack Shack is now serving customers at The Annex, located near The Donut Bar.

On Oct. 10, owners Aaron and Jack held a soft opening with a starter menu,  including burgers and philly sandwiches. An official grand opening was held on Oct. 13. As they have become more established, Aaron and Jack have broadened their menu options to include ramen, loaded fries and mac and cheese.

Aaron and Jack both have 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, with Jack as a former employee at Jack’s Pub, and Aaron a former employee at Dry Town. According to Jack, the pair have not had the best experiences with past employers, which catalyzed their eventual opening of their own business. 

“We just wanted to bust out, do our own thing, and serve the community good quality food that you can’t get anywhere else,” Aaron said.

Customers’ favorite menu item from the Snack Shack as of late is the philly cheesesteak — a mouthwatering combination of thinly sliced steak, homemade cheese sauce, onions, mushrooms and peppers. Another bestseller is the beef ramen and birria tacos, a delicious Mexican dish. Outdoor seating is provided for customers wishing to dine-in.

The Snack Shack is included as one of the 31 restaurants participating in WOU Wednesday. Students who visit on Wednesday will receive 10% off of their meal when they show their Western ID or show up in their favorite Western gear. Students also receive $1 off when they order a wolf juice, a flavor-infused energy drink. 

The food truck also offers customers the chance to order a new secret menu item on Fridays. To obtain the password for the secret menu item, customers must monitor The Shack’s social media the day of from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Currently, the Snack Shack is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

“Most (businesses) are closed around town (on Monday), so we’re open on Monday,” Jack said. “If you got the late night munchies at 10:30 (p.m.), come by and get some food.”

To check out the menu for Aaron and Jack’s Snack Shack and remain updated on future deals and specials, follow them on Instagram at @aaron_and_jacks. 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Winter Cheer Tryouts are Rapidly Approaching

Written by  Jude Bokovoy

Winter cheerleading tryouts are on Nov. 14 — who’s ready? Interested in a place to work on cheer skills, bond with likeminded people and perform in front of a crowd each week? The WOU Cheerleading Team may be just what one is looking for. Follow the guide below to get a sneak peek of what to expect and how to stand out.

Tryout preparation—- First, follow @woucheerleading on Instagram to get information and register by Nov. 12. Then create a dance routine and Western-related cheer to perform for the individual tryout. Make sure to take care of oneself to ensure one’s best performance — whether it’s going to the gym consistently, practicing jumps, getting back into tumbling or anything else.

What to expect at tryouts —-  Arrive a few minutes early to the upper level of the New P.E. building to introduce oneself to the coaches, team members and the people one will be trying out with. Once everyone has warmed up and stretched, the individual tryouts begin. One by one each person trying out will be called back into the gym to perform their own original dance to their song of choice. After this, they will demonstrate their two best jumps, perform their custom cheer and answer a few questions from the judging panel. Tumbling is encouraged, but optional. 

Once everyone has completed their individual tryout, cuts will be made. 

Next, those who are called back will stunt with returning team members. This is one’s time to shine. Open mindedness is a quality that the WOU Cheer Team greatly values. After everyone has been able to perform to their greatest abilities a halftime-style dance routine and cheer will be taught. 

Everyone will be split up into small groups to perform the dance and cheer for the final portion of tryouts.

To stick out among the group, volunteer to call the cheer, be loud and rally one’s heart out after both the cheer and dance. 

What is it like to be a WOU Cheerleader? —- Being on the team is a great experience that will push limits and create lasting friendships. The team is curated based on skill and personality to ensure the safety and enjoyment of each member. For the winter team, practices are held twice a week. There are zero to four Basketball games each week, and with the likey addition of competing in Anaheim California, a WOU cheerleader’s schedule is quite full. 

Completion of the workout circuits assigned by the athletic trainers will be required twice a week as well. Practices require physical and mental preparation to try a new stunt is always a necessity. Cheerleaders are expected to learn halftime routines within two practices to perform later in the week, so focus is a required quality. Although cheerleading is a big time commitment, the majority of the team is able to maintain being full time students, employees, and cheerleaders harmoniously. 

Being a WOU Cheerleader is an experience unlike any other. Experienced cheerleaders are preferred, but those with no experience are welcome to try out. 

If one has any questions or needs any assistance related to tryouts or WOU Cheer, Coach Caitlin Masterson is happy to assist. To do so, reach out to her via Instagram @woucheerleading.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Passion for the Passage

Written by Jude Bokovoy

Wanting a place to display one’s creations? Whether one’s interests lie in writing, art or photography, The Northwest Passage has a place for it all. The Northwest Passage is accepting submissions until Nov. 4 for their fall 2022 issue. 

What is The Northwest Passage? Each term, students from Western get the opportunity to submit all of their artistic creations for the chance to be featured in the latest issue. During the weeks leading up to and following the deadline, the Editor-in-Chief will create a shared Google drive containing all submissions, which are voted on anonymously by the publication’s editorial board. Once voting is complete, the Editor-in-Chief will format the booklet — including all of the chosen pieces. After designing, editing, and reviewing, the issue will be ready to print. The finalized copies will be distributed at campus locations, as well as some businesses in downtown Monmouth. 

Contributing to The Northwest Passage is a great way to get one’s name and work out into the world  while building one’s resume. Having published works of any kind looks great on applications. One of the best things about The Northwest Passage is that one can submit classwork to be featured. Submitting classwork requires little to no extra work on the part of the author or artist that is submitting. 

To submit one’s most treasured pieces for a chance to be featured in this term’s edition of The Northwest Passage, email submissions to northwestpassage@wou.edu. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

You are Much More Than Your GPA

Written by Jude Bokovoy

Welcome to midterm season. For some students, this season is just as stressful as a typical week, but for many it can be one of the most stressful parts of the term. It can be easy to allow grades to have a chokehold on one’s life or identity, whether it’s from massive amounts of homework or one’s ideal final grade for a course. Let these affirmations ease one’s outlook on the college grading system.

One’s not alone. It is incredibly easy to fall into putting one’s self worth into their grades. In the college setting, most people want to get “good” grades, usually an A or a B depending on the person. But in reality, a “good” grade should only measure whether one is truly learning. Enjoying oneself should be a part of the learning experience. When getting an eight out of ten, people naturally gravitate to the incorrect answers instead of acknowledging the ones they got correct. 

It’s good to be challenged. There may be some terms where one doesn’t get on the Dean’s list and that is okay. It can be hard to remember that college is not supposed to be easy. College is the ideal time to challenge oneself by taking hard courses, and that could mean that one will barely pass. This is okay. Some of the most enjoyable courses can end with the worst grades. Don’t be petrified by a hypothetical bad grade. Take the daunting course. 

Grades do not measure how much one understands the material. Most times, professors are unable to memorize each of their students’ preferred learning styles. Sometimes one will get a bad grade on an assignment in their favorite class. This does not mean that they don’t understand the material, it just means that the assignment wasn’t formatted in a way that matches their understanding. 

Students are often their own worst critics. The only person that is affected by one’s grades is oneself. No one asks about grades in the workplace, not even one’s accumulated GPA. It is one’s personal responsibility to set their own goals — whether it is barely sliding by, driven by the saying “D’s get degrees,” or shooting for presidential honors. College is already hard, try not to make it any more difficult by oneself to unachievable standards.

Get some distractions. Encouraging words may not be enough to get one’s mind off of their current assignment scores. Getting occupied with one’s passions is the perfect way to decompress. Distractions could be anything from joining a club to doing something spontaneous. Whatever it is, it is much better than wasting time worrying about one’s grades.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

It’s Ok to Buy That One Dress From SHEIN

Written by Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

The allure of clothing brands like H&M, Shein and Forever 21 can be tempting to many consumers. With their cheap prices, trendy clothing and wide display of styles, fast fashion clothing brands have become increasingly popular amongst social media influencers or so-called “trendsetters.”

It is a generally undisputed fact that fast fashion is bad for the planet and ethically immoral — but what some need to acknowledge is that, for many people, it can be their only option. 

Many environmentalists opposing fast fashion argue that it is worth it to spend the couple more dollars needed to buy something that will last. But when it comes down to using that last paycheck to buy an expensive pair of jeans or save it for healthier grocery options, most would choose the latter. High end and sustainable clothing is sometimes just not an option, especially for college students, who are often living paycheck to paycheck.

Perhaps it’s time to stop dumping all the blame on those who shop fast fashion, and instead look at the systems businesses employ that encourage this behavior from their consumers. Today, an individual cannot scroll through Instagram without seeing a Shein ad urging them to buy that baby blue mini dress — regardless of the fact that it’s fall and they would probably freeze to death trying to wear it.

While there have been various attempts to boycott fast fashion companies, the reality is that it would take an enormous portion of consumers to make enough of an impact for prominent companies to even consider changing their ways. 

Cutting out fast fashion from an individual’s lifestyle choices can be difficult for many; however, it is possible to be an ethically responsible and conscious consumer. 

Shopping fast fashion does not necessarily have to result in the disposal of such large amounts of clothing after a short period of time. Fast fashion is often not the stereotypical “wear once and throw away” notion that many people seem to believe. 

If shopping fast fashion is an individual’s only option, being a more sustainable consumer can simply mean: “buy what you need and wear what you buy.” If properly maintained, a clothing item from Shein could last up to four years. 

Furthermore, depending on the condition, used clothing can be consigned, lent to others, or donated to second-hand shops. In recent years, shopping at thrift stores has become more normalized. Some popular Oregon second-hand stores include Salvation Army, St.Vincent de Paul and Goodwill.

The verdict is this: above all, one should be conscious of their shopping habits. In the end, giving in to buying that Shein dress from an Instagram ad every once in a while is not going to make much of a difference in the vast, unethical world of fast fashion. What will truly make a difference is what one decides to do with that piece of clothing down the road. Will one throw it away after a single use? Or will they consciously maintain it so they can wear it proudly for the next four years?

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

DC: Mr. Steal Ur Gurl

Written by Gretchen Sims

Oct. 20 will go down in history as the day “Black Adam” took audiences across the nation by storm. This latest DC movie blew every fourth-generation Marvel project out of the water. 

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars alongside a star-studded cast in the latest installation of the Shazam universe. 

Popular characters from DC comics are pitted against Johnson as he fights to recognize the hero inside. Released from a prison of his own making, this weapon of mass destruction has a second chance to prove to himself that he is worthy of his power. 

This movie was different from most superhero films — Black Adam is not your typical hero. He does not spare his enemies and promotes violence, yet he will still do whatever it takes to protect his family. 

One of the most impressive parts of this film was the cinematography and visuals throughout the movie. The vibrant colors and crispness of every scene were unparalleled. However, some of the CGI was unimpressive and some lengths of clips were questionable. 

This movie started off slow, and the plot seemed rushed and uninteresting for the first hour. Still, just when the movie seemed like it was going nowhere, the plot arch redeemed itself — making “Black Adam” one of the best superhero movies to be released since the end of the Marvel CinamaticUniverse. 

This movie touched on popular contemporary issues while tying these issues back to systemic abuse of the past. This movie’s storyline of oppression will be familiar to audiences, while giving hope for the future. “Black Adam” pursues the trope that common people are the true heroes — from which real change begins.

Overall, this movie did not deserve the low rating it received on Rotten Tomatoes. The loveable characters and quick-witted humor vastly overshadowed the clumsy CGI and roller coaster of a plotline. “Black Adam” is the beginning of a bright future for the DC Shazam universe. 

Marvel better watch out. 

8/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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