Mary Geanelli Bernardo, Author at The Western Howl

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Wolves athletes traveled to the conference indoor track championship at Boise State’s Nampa facility. They came home with conference titles, new school records and NCAA qualifiers.

Junior David Ribich won two conference titles, claiming top spot in both the mile race and the 3,000 meters.

“After last year’s finish, I got second by 0.01,” Ribich told GNAC TV. “I just wanted to come out and run my own race. If I was going to come out and get second or third it was going to be because of me.”

Senior Josh Dempsey recorded another Western Oregon championship, winning the 800 meter contest.

Sophomore Dustin Nading was second in the mile, behind teammate Ribich. Ribich crossed at 4:10.01, while Nading finished right behind him at 4:10.93.

Dempsey was joined by two Western Oregon runners on the 800 meter podium. He won the race with a time of 1:52.47, and was followed in short order by Nading at 1:54.32 and sophomore Michael Chin at 1:54.94.

Sophomore thrower Brandon Bowen posted a personal best in shot put with a throw of 14.9 meters.

The points racked up by the Wolves lead the men’s team to a second place finish, pulling 82 points on championship Saturday.

The women’s team also performed well, totaling 25 points on their way to winning ninth place.

First year student Grayson Burke, sophomore Olivia Woods and juniors Megan Rose and Suzanne Van De Grift made up the 4×400 team that came in fifth place and set a new school record time of 3:51.18.

Van De Grift also had an NCAA provisional time in the women’s 800 meter, finishing at 2:13.92 for fifth place.

The Saturday finals came after a Friday of qualifiers, in which Van De Grift set a new school record at the 800. She ran it in 2:10.88, coming in second place, on the first day of competition.

Junior sprinter AJ Holmberg also set a Western Oregon record, running the 400 meter in 48.40.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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Protesting in peace

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

On Sunday, Feb. 19, an estimated 1,010 people gathered in front of the Oregon State Capitol building in Salem for the Immigration Rally: part of the Immigrants’ March on all 50 State Capitols protest that took place on President’s Day weekend.

According to the event’s Facebook page, the purpose of the rally was to empower all citizens, foreign or native, and to stand “in unity and solidarity with all immigrants.”

In contrast to the pouring rain and heavy wind that lasted for the duration of the event, both the speakers and attendees alike held their heads and their signs high to spread the message that they, immigrants, weren’t going anywhere.

Western students Gabe Heredia, a senior community health/education major, and Madelyn Hay, an interdisciplinary studies major were two of the many students attending the rally. When asked what brought them to the event, Hay replied that, “One of the biggest reasons we wanted to come is Gabe’s family is actually immigrants … that’s something that kind of struck with us. Like if this had happened 50 years ago, we never would have met … they were given their chance and we think everyone deserves their chance.”

Salem resident Taylor Emery was also among the many who stood in protest.

“I’m here today because this is something that I passionately believe in, and I wasn’t able to go the Women’ March … so I’m here to support the immigrants that supported me at the Women’s March,” Emery explained.

“I want to try and be involved as I can … this is just something that I think shouldn’t even be an issue. Diversity is needed.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

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What are your pronouns?

By: Keith Mathew
Photo Editor

Students or members of Western’s community have most likely heard the query, “what are your pronouns?” Students may immediately respond, some may freeze in confusion. The question is referring to whether a person uses he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs or any number of other options.

In my social circles asking for pronouns is a typical thing to ask, but for some it may be a weird question. In an effort to create inclusivity for trans individuals, the asking of pronouns has become a common occurrence in most LGBTQ+ spaces, however, we must remember not everyone knows what it means.

For those that do not know, pronouns are what are used in place of a thing, in this case a name. I use the pronouns he/him/his or they/them/theirs. Even though I am a cisgender male I accept they/them/theirs because it is a way to move towards gender inclusivity and gender neutrality.

A lot of the time, pronouns “match” the gender of the individual but not always. For example, a woman can use she/her/hers most of the time but that does not mean other pronouns cannot be used. A person who is neither a man or a woman can use they/them/theirs or the lesser known xe/xem/xir, however, like in all cases the individual can choose whatever pronouns they want.

Using correct pronouns is important in all cases because it makes the person feel respected and it avoids misgendering. Assuming people’s pronouns based on looks can also lead to misgendering. Misgendering is the misuse of a person’s pronouns. This typically happens to trans people because they may not have the typical “look” of their gender.

Misgendering is like when two siblings where the parents use the wrong name for each child. When the wrong name is called often the child will be upset because they were not called the correct name. That is what misgendering feels like, except worse.

From stories trans people have told me, asking for pronouns is one of the best questions they can be asked. Asking shows caring and interest into wanting to know the person and to be respectful of them. Messing up on pronouns shouldn’t be a big deal though; the best thing to do is to not make a scene and just correct yourself.

Pronouns are becoming a more popular topic to talk about and are being more involved in schools, like here at Western. Knowing the uses of personal pronouns and why they are important can get you far. Hopefully people will become more understanding and observant to pronoun use and no more will you be frozen in confusion when asked, “what are your pronouns?”

Contact the author: kmathew14@wou.edu

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Community spotlight: My Mom’s Basement

By: Ashton Newton
Entertainment Editor

It’s difficult to drive down Main Street in Monmouth without seeing the blue building with the words “My Mom’s Basement” on the front.
Within walking distance of Western, My Mom’s Basement is both a game store and a gathering place for people to come and play card games or board games together.

“We just had our seventh year anniversary last month. We’ve been here serving the community for all that time.” said Michael Haynes, owner of My Mom’s Basement.

“Magic the Gathering is the most popular game in the store,” said Haynes. “They have over 20 million people across the world playing this game. We offer a wide variety of singles and packs for the game and we also offer both sanctioned and unsanctioned events for people to come in and play, and we have regularly scheduled games that we play every week.”

Magic the Gathering is the world’s most popular strategy card game. My Mom’s Basement does weekly “Friday Night Magic” events every Friday at 6 p.m. For those interested in Magic the Gathering, there is an online version of the game called “Magic Duels” available for iPhone, PC and Xbox One to learn the ropes. My Mom’s Basement also offers a free welcome pack for those who’ve never played but it’s first come first serve.

“We also sponsor ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ on Wednesdays. That is the number one role-playing game in the world currently. We offer games, books, dice and all the accoutrements that go with it,” said Haynes. “We’re also entertaining other games that are gaining in popularity like ‘Yugioh’, ‘Pokemon’, a game called ‘Force of Will’ and other board games and card games.”

For those who have never played these games before, My Mom’s Basement is a friendly and welcoming place to come in and learn.

“We’ve pretty much always got somebody here that’s willing to sit down and play and teach, so just walk in the door,” said Chad Harrington, Western graduate and My Mom’s Basement staff member.

“We actually have games for people to come in, sit down and play. We have demonstration games. People don’t want to spend $80 and find out it’s a crappy game. They can come down here and say ‘I’ve always wanted to try that’, pull it off the wall and see if they like it,” said Haynes.

Haynes also stressed that My Mom’s Basement is a social place where people can get together and play. Coming with a group of friends is encouraged.

“A lot of these games get a bad reputation because there’s a whole thing of ‘nerds are so secluded and reclusive’,” said Haynes. “They have this really bad reputation of being non-social and that’s not the truth at all. All of these games, you have to be social.”

“You wouldn’t believe the kinds of people who want to come in and sit down,” added Harrington. “There are people from all walks of life here. We have firefighters, paramedics, people from all walks of life can get together and join in some kind of a fantasy.”

My Mom’s Basement opens at 12 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

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Time to dance your heart out

By: Shaylie Pickerel
Staff Writer

The students of Western asked and the Student Activities Board delivered. When planning events, SAB likes to take into consideration what students enjoy doing or attending to ensure optimal enjoyment. On Feb. 16, the “Love is in the Air Dance,” was SAB’s fun and creative way to providing an enjoyable event for students on Western’s campus. Pink and red hearts decorated the Pacific Room while the disco ball glittered off the walls and all the dancers.

Not only was there a live music performance by the Icarus Account, but there were also some throwback hits that created a nostalgic feel that everyone enjoyed. When asked what the reason for the event was, Matthew Ciraulo, the coordinator of the dance and a member of SAB, explained, “Freshmen were sad about not having a homecoming dance, so this was our effort to reach out.”

SAB concluded that this dance was a success. It was a very laid back event, with many people coming and going. Many students enjoyed the live music so much, that there was a line to get pictures taken with the band.

When asked about the music choice, Ciraulo said “When we went to NAKA (an event for SAB), they were playing and we were like ‘oh my gosh’ we have to have them.” His choice to have live music at the dance appeared to be a hit with those who attended.

The Icarus Account really stole the night and some hearts as well. Many students had the ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ attitude under the disco ball and there were participants dancing until the end of the dance. It was an event to remember and was just a peek at some of the fun events that SAB plans to put on.

If students have any ideas or thoughts on future events, or want events to happen more often, make sure to let SAB know. The SAB office is located downstairs in the Werner University Center. Make sure to check out flyers and posters around campus to see when SAB is putting on more exciting events hosted on Western’s campus.

Contact the author at spickrell15@wou.edu

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Paving the road to the championship

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Men’s basketball clinched a spot in the GNAC Championship tournament after a triumphant week in Monmouth.

The Wolves beat two conference rivals, first topping Alaska 68-61 and then Alaska Anchorage 89-71.

The seven point win over the Nanooks came as the result of a powerful second-half performance. After trailing by as much as seven in the first half, the Wolves regrouped. They came out the second half down by five. The Wolves took the lead with a three pointer by JJ Chirnside at 13:45.

Sophomore guard Malik Leaks scored a game-high 17 points, his most points scored in the season.

The Saturday game saw the Wolves take the lead with the opening basket and never give it up.

The 89-71 win over Alaska Anchorage featured four Wolves with double-digit points: Ali Faruq-Bey scored 22, Tanner Omlid scored 19, JJ Chirnside scored 10 and Demetrius Trammel contributed 11 points off the bench.

The high powered win moved the Wolves within one game of Alaska Anchorage’s second-place seed in the Championship.

The last game of the regular season is against MSU Billings on Feb. 25 in the New P.E. Building. The game tips off at 7 p.m.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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Bringing awareness to Western’s campus

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

The holiday Valentine’s Day is often filled with romance and tender moments between partners, but Western’s Abby’s House decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day a different way, with two different events on campus.

On Feb. 13, Abby’s House held an event in the Werner University Center called Palentine’s Day. This event was held for those who wished to show their love in a platonic way rather than in a romantic way to those they care for. Nikki Wood, a senior communications major and Abby’s House volunteer advocate who created the event, said she was inspired by the popular holiday, “Galentine’s Day,” from the hit television series “Parks and Rec” starring Amy Poehler.

“We wanted to be more gender neutral and include everybody for a celebration of friendship, so we called it Palentine’s Day,” said Wood. “I did the table during my office hours, and basically we just had hearts that people could write messages to their friends on and we had chocolate and stuff.”

This event was free to any who wanted to participate in making Valentine’s for those they care about.

“Celebrating friendship and platonic relationships is really important. We put a lot of emphasis on romantic love,” concluded Wood.

On Feb. 14, Abby’s House held the event, “1 Billion Rising: Revolution,” in solidarity against the exploitation of women. The event was held on the Werner University Center Plaza, and incorporated handprints to create a message of support and awareness for women’s issues including: physical or sexual abuse, human trafficking, reproductive rights, intimate partner violence and cultural appropriation.

“1 Billion Rising is an organization that puts on events on Valentine’s Day, to build awareness about different issues surrounding women,” said Hailey Wren, a junior elementary education major and Abby’s House volunteer advocate. “Specifically about how one billion, and rising, women are affected by assault sexually or if they’ve experienced violence in their lifetime. This year we’re talking about the exploitation of women around the world.”

When asked why she thought it was important to have events like this on Western’s campus, Wren answered, “Because it’s something that I feel like we think happens elsewhere, and we don’t realize that it actually happens here, it happens on our campus, happens in our state and in our country.”

Christina Garcia, a sophomore community health/public health major and Abby’s House volunteer advocate, explained why it’s important to hold an event like this on Valentine’s Day: “It’s very significant, because it gives students something to think about. People need to be aware of the issues that go on on campus and around the world,” said Garcia. “1 Billion Rising is something that happens around the world, but we like to hold this event on campus, so we can do a little extra.”

Abby’s House is located downstairs in the Werner University Center and is a open place for anyone to come if they need help or if they just want a place to relax. In the future, Abby’s House will be holding many more events on Western’s campus. If interested in future Abby’s House events, or looking for more information on Abby’s House, visit wou.edu/abbyshouse, call at 503-838-8219 or visit their office.

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

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.

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Wolves impress at GNAC Indoor Track Championships

Protesting in peace

What are your pronouns?

Community spotlight: My Mom’s Basement

Time to dance your heart out

Paving the road to the championship

Bringing awareness to Western’s campus

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