Mount Hood

One Month, One Novel

By: Stephanie Blair 
Photo Editor

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a creative writing Internet sensation started by author and Stanford professor Chris Baty in 1999.

What started as a project undertaken by 30 people has now grown in both renown and participation, clocking in at over 325,000 registered “wrimos” around the world last November. In fact, participants can be found on six of the seven continents.

As stated on the official NaNoWriMo website, NaNoWriMo is “a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing.” However, it’s not just a fun annual event; NaNoWriMo is also a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

While companies such as Evernote, Kindle Direct Publishing, and Nook Press officially sponsor NaNoWriMo, participants are given the opportunity to fundraise for the non-profit programs as well.

NaNoWriMo has three nonprofit programs: Camp NaNoWriMo, the Young Writers Program, and the Come Write In (CWI) program.

The purpose of these, nanowrimo.org says, is “to empower and encourage writing and vibrant creativity around the world.”

Camp NaNoWriMo is a month long “virtual writing retreat” meant to help writers complete projects at any time of year, but with the same support and structure as NaNoWriMo.

“The Young Writers Program promotes writing fluency, creative education, and the sheer joy of novel-writing in K-12 classrooms,” the website states. More than 2,000 classrooms receive free classroom kits, writing workbooks, and other educational materials to assist in this effort.

The CWI program, which had 849 centers last year, is NaNoWriMo’s way to connect neighborhood spaces such as community centers, libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops with “wrimos” to create safe and supportive writing spaces.

CWI locations receive a “Come Write In kit”, which includes a window cling, a poster, and bookmarks to help promote the event. Additionally, NaNoWriMo connects CWI locations with others who are hosting events through an online forum, and local volunteers to help publicize, co-host events, as well as keeping the center informed about other events in the region.

This year, Western’s Writing Center, located on the third floor of the APSC, will be holding weekly meet-ups every Wednesday at 5 p.m. for “wrimos” on campus as a CWI center.

Among this year’s participants are “BookTube” stars Kat O’Keeffe (youtube.com/Katytastic) and Sasha Alsberg (youtube.com/abookutopia), as well as The Journal’s Managing Editor Katrina Penaflor, author of “Under the Surface,” and Staff Writer Emily Pate here at Western.

Although the month has already started, all who are interested are encouraged to join in. NaNoWriMo happenings, and more information, can be found on facebook.com/nanowrimo, twitter.com/nanowrimo, and nanowrimo.org.

Humans of Western

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

“I was a correctional officer for many years, and, uh, I think I stuck with it because I felt like I was perhaps making a difference in people’s lives. If they made poor decisions and they ended up in prison, maybe my role-modeling made a difference to them. But at the end of the day, I felt like I wasn’t making enough of a positive difference, so I wanted to change my life.”

“My mom had been clean and sober for twelve years, and then in April she fell off the wagon … Right now, I go back and forth between being really upset with addiction … and then also thinking about how lucky I was to have gotten to have those times with her in those twelve years.”

“The most memorable thing [about being a correctional officer] for me was an interaction with an inmate … she had made significant changes in the way she saw the world around her, what we call in the system ‘criminal thinking’… she got out, and it was probably about four months later, I saw her in a commercial for Goodwill and she had gotten a job and became a spokesperson for the company, and it touched me.”

Flugelhornist Works Jazz Magic

FlugelBW

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

Renowned flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny came to the Smith Recital Hall on Nov. 4 to perform with a local jazz trio. The trio consisted of Western instructor Dan Gaynor on the piano, Todd Strait on the drums, and Chris Higgins playing the bass.

For those unsure of what a flugelhorn is, Matheny explains, “A flugelhorn is like a trumpet that sounds good.” The response yielded laughter from the audience and helped set a casual mood for the concert.

The four musicians played a light and airy bossa nova by Bruno Martino, as well as “Stormy Weather” by famous composer Harold Arlen. Matheny left the stage for the next song so the trio could showcase their talents.

The trio played “Fried Pies” by Wes Montgomery. Both of Gaynor’s feet were occupied, one busy with the piano’s pedals, the other tapping in time to the rhythm of the song.

An unexpected mixture of breaks and solos characterized the song itself, and the stage came alive as all of the musicians grooved to the music.

Matheny rejoined the stage for “Red Reflections,” a song off his album “Sagebrush Rebellion” that they played as a double-timed samba. The song was inspired by sitting in traffic during a rainy day.

“You’ll see the reflections from the taillights of the cars in front of you, and on the pavement,” he explained. “You can get stressed out about that, or you can think, ‘Oh, this is a hip vibe.’”

The highlight of the night was when they played Eclypso, a piece arranged by Matheny’s former teacher, the late Art Farmer. The song was a fast tempo ditty that rang throughout the hall, but something was missing—dancing.

“Jazz has always been a social thing, people should be dancing to music like this, always,” mused Nick Nielsen, a bassist, and junior music major.

Emily Lowry, senior business major, had been unsure about whether she would enjoy a jazz concert, as she had expected that jazz would be far slower.

“The faster and upbeat tempo was unexpected. It makes you want to dance,” Lowry remarked.

The night ended with a bang as the jazz trio and Matheny performed their rendition of “Golden Lady” by Stevie Wonder.

Missed this show and feeling sore? Come hear Spanish Song Treasures in the Smith Recital Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Check out the Music department’s website for even more events and ticketing information.

Endangered Poetics

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Peter Sears, Oregon Poet Laureate, introduced Dr. David Hargreaves and Dr. David Lewis, who presented about endangered poetics in the Werner University Center on Nov. 2.

Endangered poetics is a term for the disappearance of a language due to colonialism or hostility toward a home language.

Dr. Hargreaves is a linguistic professor at Western. His presentation focused on his translations of poetry written in Nepal Bhasa, a language that is in the process of dying out.

The Blossoms of Sixty-Four Sunsets by Durga Lal Shrestha has been translated before, but only for its accuracy, not for its inherent beauty of rhythm or sound. Dr. Hargreaves said that translators often use language “for data” and that “language never gets treated as art itself.”

He showed how he utilized rhyme and rhythm in his translations; his recitations of the poems in the Nepal Bhasa language showed there was a distinct melody and sound pattern to the lines uttered, which he tried to convey in his English translations.

Dr. David Lewis, who has his Ph.D in anthropology and is a direct descendent of Chief Santiam, presented next. His focus was on the translation and adaptation of a Kalapuya poem.

First, Dr. Lewis presented a version of this text as translated and made popular by Jerold Ramsey. The text describes a shaman who has a dream that foretells of a time when the white men would come and destroy the land.

However, Dr. Lewis has doubts about the accuracy of this translation. “Does this [translation] really have that native perspective?” He queried.

While there are earlier translations of the prophetic poem, Dr. Lewis wanted to have a fresh perspective to work from.

Kalapuyan, the language of the original text, is an extinct language, so Dr. Lewis reached out to two linguists to decipher a fresh translation of the text.

Dr. Lewis found that Ramsey had added in aspects of the poem that were not there originally, such as calling the whites “iron farmers.” In doing so, Ramsey changed the overall meaning of the text, altering the poem’s native perspective in the process.

Jasmine Trujille, a junior ASL Interpreting major, said, “[Dr. Lewis] shows us how there’s meaning in reanalyzing a poem … it shows more about the time period than the text.”

Much can be learned from the translations of the poetry, and, likewise, much can be lost if the language dies.

Dr. Hargreaves stated that translating texts is a “contribution to what beauty is in other places of the world.”

He continued, “If it’s not translated, not made accessible, no one would ever know.”

NaNoWriMo Update

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By: Katrina Penaflor
Managing Editor

NaNoWriMo Update : I am completely behind and writing will be what puts me into an insane asylum.

Melodramatic? Yes. Is this somehow even harder than I expected it to be? Absolutely.

With a daily word count goal of approximately 1700 words I’m finding it almost impossible to make the time to write enough to make that quota.

Sunday was a breeze (coincidently it was the first day). I had plenty of extra time on my hands, and I casually wrote while watching a documentary series on HBO. The rest of the week, I’m barely making a fourth of my daily goal.

I’m finding that realistically looking at it by “I need to type 1700 words a day” is not going to work into my schedule. I now need to focus on taking three or so days out of the week where I have more time, like weekends, and focus on filling those days with as many words as possible.

Currently I’ve written 3377 words (I’m writing this on a Thursday) and by the end of the week I need to have written 12,500.

If anyone needs me Friday through Sunday, I can be found with my hands glued to my keyboard.

EMILY UPDATE

  1. How many times have you done NaNoWriMo?

This will be my fifth time doing NaNoWriMo.

  1. How did you first find out about NaNoWriMo?

I first found out about NaNoWriMo in 2011, during my first year at Western. A friend encouraged me to give it a try, and I’ve participated every year since.

  1. What was the name of the first novel you attempted with NaNo?

The first novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo was called Larkspur.

  1. Give us a 1 sentence summary of what you’re writing this year.

In a fantasy version of the 1850s, city states struggle for dominance while trying to contain mages, river pirates, and the rising anger of the masses towards the people in power.

  1. Why do you love writing?

I have always believed strongly in the power of stories, and writing is a way for me to channel that. There are books I’ve read that have fundamentally shaped me as a person, and I want to be able to cause that same change in someone else through my own writing.

​6. What makes NaNoWriMo different from writing any other way/time?​

NaNoWroMo is different because it makes a writer accountable for actually producing work. Writing every day is important, but it’s easy to push this to the side when there are so many other things that take up our time. During NaNoWriMo, I make a promise to myself to write at least 1,700 words a day. This is difficult, but it also gives me more practice with writing then I get any other month of the year.

As someone who wants to be a professional writer, NaNoWriMo gives me experience in having to produce a lot of writing within a set time frame.  It also gives sense of community, knowing that other writers are also attempting this massive project.

Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday during which families honor their deceased love ones and help guide them back to the mortal world from the afterlife.

Western celebrated its own Dia de los Muertos on Oct. 28.

The presentation, held in the WUC, began with live music and offerings of hot cocoa. Dr. Jaime Marroquin Arredondo presented a short slideshow, which highlighted the history of Dia de los Muertos and its connection to Halloween.

The tradition of Dia de los Muertos began prior to the Spanish invasion. It’s now celebrated as a combination of All Saints’ Day, a Spanish holiday where the dead are remembered, and the traditions and religion of the native inhabitants of Mexico.

In modern day Mexico, Dia de los Muertos is celebrated by making altars for the dead and building arches covered in flowers to help guide their way through the living world.

Death is presented as a woman, the most notable representation being La Catrina, a skeleton wearing a feather and flower adorned hat, designed by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada.

Sugar skulls are another famous image that originates from Dia de los Muertos.
They are colorful decorations made from sugar and clay. Making sugar skulls is a tradition that dates back to the 17th century, when local residents were taught by Catholic monks how to make them. These skulls were used to adorn churches and gravestones. They can be made to represent a deceased individual, often having a name inscribed on the forehead of the skull.

Dia de los Muertos is intended to bring families and friends together. Dr. Marroquin stated, “It’s community, it’s a familiar thing … It’s a family celebration, you have to drink and enjoy.”

The event was attended by a large and diverse group of spectators, including those who have celebrated this holiday before, and those who were unfamiliar with it.

Sandra Dominguez, senior education major, said, “It’s something from my culture, so it’s nice to see on campus.”

Those in attendance were offered pan de dulce—a sweet, sugary bread, the taste and texture being similar to a doughnut or sugar cookie—and tamales. Emily Lowry, senior business major, said, “I have never been to these kind of events before … I thought it was well organized and thoughtfully put together.”

Overall, this holiday is meant to celebrate the living and the dead. This holiday is not intended to be for mourning, but festivities and bringing community and family together.

“It would be considered something rude to be sad, so you have to drink your tequila … It’s a happy celebration,” Dr. Marroquin said.

Ghost hunter scours campus

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

Washington based ghost hunter Ross Allison has spent over 25 years researching the paranormal.

He now bears many accomplishments in his field: he is president and founder of Advanced Ghost Hunters of Seattle-Tacoma, founder of the Seattle Death Museum, tour guide at Spooked in Seattle, lecturer, and author of three books.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, Allison visited Western’s campus to lecture and to lead a ghost hunt.

Allison began his visit with a lecture entitled “Ghostology 101” to give the audience an overview of the history of his field. To be a successful ghost hunter, he explained, one must have passion, devotion, and patience, because finding a ghost is no easy task. Ghost hunting is tedious work, so it can be hard for some not to rely on gimmicks for publicity.

“You don’t need to make up stories to convince people,” Allison stressed before entering the second half of his lecture.

Kathryn Sinor, a junior anthropology major and aspiring ghost hunter said, “I appreciated that he wasn’t like, ‘I’m not going to convince you,’ just, ‘here’s the evidence and take it as you will.’ That was neat.”

For those in need, Sinor seems interested in starting a business of her own.
“If anyone has ghost problems, come to me,” she said.

After the lecture there was a ghost hunt in Campbell and Todd Hall.

Todd Hall was the first stop where Allison handed out equipment to a few students to aid in the ghost hunting. This equipment included a thermal camera, laser grid, compass, dowsing rod, and ping-pong balls for ghosts to manipulate.

While in Todd Hall, there was some commotion when a cold spot appeared near a group of students. The compass swung between south and southeast, refusing to find north, all while the dowsing rods crossed. Allison explained during the lecture that these were all signs of ghost activity.

While the hunt remained inconclusive about the presence of a ghost, the students that were in attendance were told to check their phone recordings for possible Electronic Voice Phenomenon, the term used for when the voice of a ghost is picked up on recording devices.

The rest of the night remained quiet and seemingly absent of paranormal activity.

Humans of Western

HoW

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Perrin Dean, sophomore, Pre-ASL interpreting major
Jackson Fryer, transfer student, ASL Studies major

Dean: “We actually just like met randomly in the music hall, and he, I don’t even know what you asked me-”

Fryer: “I was like, hey I’m looking for people to play music with”

Dean: “And I was like, ‘hey, I play music!’”

Fryer: “And one thing lead to another, and here we are.”

Fryer: “Well, usually [we sing together], though most of the time it’s me singing and me trying to get her to sing. But she’s a f—ing amazing and talented singer and musician, but she just don’t think that herself.”

Fryer: “At least for me, if the whole ASL thing doesn’t work out, then you know … I guess, it’s more like if the music thing doesn’t work out, then I have the whole ASL thing to fall back on.”

Fryer: “Have we only known each other a month?”

Dean: “It has not been long! We bonded really quickly … We should make a friend-iversary.”

Fryer: “Can you bake a cake? I like cake.”

Fryer: “I was in band, so my teacher was like, ‘Hey Jackson, you want to play an instrument, right?’ and I was like ‘F— yes!’ Instruments equal cool, equal friends, you know? So then he was, ‘Yeah, so the tuba …’ And I was like, ‘That’s f—ing genius!’ So I started playing the tuba … I quickly realized that any instrument with a spit valve is not a cool instrument, so I switched over to the guitar, and it’s been, you know, love at first strum.”

The Story of a Hiroshima Bomb Survivor

By: Emily Pate
Staff Writer

Ed Kawasaki, survivor of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima, came to speak at Western this past Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The talk, in conjunction with the Black Rain, Sadako’s Story, Hiroshima Ground Zero, and Never Again art exhibits in Hamersley Library, builds awareness of the aftermath of the bombing.

Kawasaki was born in 1929 in Hawaii to Japanese immigrant parents. When he was 11, his family moved back to Hiroshima, Japan.

On Aug. 6, 1945, when Kawasaki was 16, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He happened to already be in the hospital for a ruptured appendix he suffered prior to the blast.

A few days previously, his father had called a surgeon at Shima Hospital. The call could not connect, so Kawasaki went to a different hospital two miles from the epicenter of the bomb. This move saved his life, as Shima Hospital was ground zero for the explosion.

“What a lucky twist of fate,” Kawasaki said about his survival. “I sometimes feel as though I’m living on borrowed time.”

Will Edwards, a junior Geology major, has always had a passion for WWII history.
Through a reenactment and education group, he has met many veterans, but never anyone who was in Japan during the bombing or, as he called Kawasaki, a “primary source.”
“To be able to know something that happened first hand is pretty cool,” Edwards said. “It definitely puts nuclear war into perspective.”

Juneau Singleton, a first year with an undecided major, also attended to hear a firsthand account.

“I thought it was really unique that a real survivor was coming,” she said. “You never really hear that perspective. You hear that they dropped the bomb, but not that the next time he went to school half his class was gone.”

Kawasaki said that Americans should not be ashamed of their nationality because of the atomic bombs.

“We all have to realize that war is hell,” Kawasaki said. “Yes, we could question ourselves whether it was OK or not OK to have used the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But if you are asked about the atomic bomb by a foreigner, as an American, I would say, ‘I am sorry that it happened.’”

“Let us forgive each other for the war,” he said. “Let us all pray for eternal world peace. And then we should just move on.”

Violin, Viola, Vielle — & friends

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

English Professor Dr. Marjory Lange showcased her violin, viola, and vielle skills in the Smith Recital Hall on Sunday, Oct. 25.

The concert began with a piano trio composed by Clara Schumann. Dr. Lange played the violin for this piece with Christopher Wicks on the piano and adjunct faculty member Katherine Parks on the cello.

The two pieces that followed were unique in their own way – a whimsical sonata that Wicks composed himself (which Dr. Lange played the viola for), and movements from Bach’s Two-part Inventions that was transcribed for the violin and cello.

Bach was a fun piece that many audience members bobbed their heads or tapped their hands to.

Then the concert moved to a real treat for history and music lovers alike, featuring a series of songs played on Medieval and Renaissance period instruments – the vielle played by Dr. Lange, and the douçaine by Aage Nielsen.

Both instruments were minimalist designs of their junior counterparts – the vielle looks similar to a violin, while the douçaine resembles its woodwind cousin, the bassoon.

The first two historical compositions they played were traditional works from the 13th and 15th centuries. In contrast, the duo’s third song, “Four Strong Winds” is by modern day Canadian singer-songwriter Ian Tyson. This may seem like a strange inclusion until Nielsen explains it.

“During the big folk boom in the 60s, we had a lot of traditional-inspired songs show up,” he said. “This is when the singer-songwriter boom took place.”

Their final song, ‘Estampie,’ an anonymous composition from the 14th century, was a long and virtuosic piece that showcased the range of the instruments.

While there seemed to be a large number of faculty, friends, and community members in the audience, there was also a distinct lack of students.

Lange spoke about the importance of pursuing hobbies, saying, “Students tell me they used to play an instrument and I ask, ‘Why did you stop?’ It’s necessary for intellectual growth to keep a hobby or two.”

There are several upcoming events for students to attend at the Smith Recital Hall.
The next concert will be Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015 when jazz flugelhorn player Dmitri Matheny will perform with his trio of musicians at 7:30 p.m. Western students get in free with I.D.

Promise Mediterranean promises excellent eats

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Baset Shagrun, co-owner of the food cart, is an international student from North Africa, who came to Western with his brother, the other co-owner.

Shagrun said he had difficulties finding a space to lease for his restaurant, so he decided to use a food trailer.

They are open until 3 a.m., meaning they stay open the latest out of the restaurants in Monmouth, which will serve night owls and late night partiers alike.

I purchased the lamb shawarma for $7, due to all other meat options being sold out.
They packed the pita, a soft flatbread, full of tender and savory meat to the point where I couldn’t feasibly bite into it, and it was hard to pick out pieces and eat them before being able to enjoy the meal in its entirety.

I also had and order of their hummus, which was as delicious as the main course.
The shawarma came with tomatoes, lettuce, and tahini sauce, though I asked for a side of tzatziki sauce- a cucumber, yogurt, and herb mixture- that was on par, if not better, than other tzatziki sauces I’ve had.

As the only food cart in Monmouth, Promise Mediterranean drew a lot of attention from local residents and students, successfully introducing the food cart trend that has been popularized in Portland.

On their opening day, they even had the mayor of Monmouth come out and sample their dishes.

Every time I have passed the trailer, there have always been people milling around, waiting for food, or sitting on a picnic bench and enjoying their meal.

Shagrun said, “We want to have great prices for students … because we are students as well.”

They wanted to open up a Mediterranean food cart to bring something new and different to Monmouth, and it seems they have succeeded.

New restaurants sure to please

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Monmouth is getting a flavor facelift after three new restaurants recently moved into town.

The Urban Deli tucked away on Church St., the Promise Mediterranean food cart next to the park near Main St., and Casa Burrito on Highway 99W all offer a new, wider range of tastes and aromas to entice Western’s students and staff.

While Monmouth already has options for Hispanic food, the Urban Deli and Casa Burrito provide an alternative to Koyotes, Muchas, and taco Tuesday at the Pub (if that can even be included in this list).

Urban Deli specializes in tortas and fruit juices, while Casa Burrito makes traditional Hispanic food, including tacos and, obviously, burritos.

Promise Mediterranean brings Monmouth some excitement; not only is it the only food cart in Monmouth, it serves food that other local eateries don’t, including gyros, shawarmas, and hummus.

Marimba player leaves Monmouth wanting more

By: Rachael Jackson
Freelancer

On Sunday night, Oct. 19, 2015, marimba player Dr. Wei-Chen Lin performed at the Smith Recital Hall.

Dr. Lin received his doctorate of Musical Arts from Boston University in 2006 after moving to the United States.

Trained as an orchestral musician, Dr. Lin is a distinguished marimba player that has traveled and performed in places like Taiwan, Russia, and Australia.

The marimba is much like a xylophone, but is made with wooden bars instead of metal. The tones it produces are warm, the notes lingering long after the initial staccato of the mallet strikes.

The marimba’s richness of sound can be attributed to the tube-like resonators that hang below the instrument.

He began the concert by playing two pieces alongside his peer from Boston University and the Director of Percussion Studies at Western, Dr. Christopher Whyte. The two musicians hopped behind their instruments, every now and then synchronizing rhythm in unexpected ways.

The second song they performed together, “Skylark Orange Circles” by Gordon Stout, was a virtuosic Japanese piece, an ode to the color orange and the rapidly paced song of an ascending skylark.

Dr. Whyte left the stage while Dr. Lin continued with two Brazilian songs. The second solo piece was a five movement work titled “La Populaire Brasillienne” by Heiter Villa-Lobos that was adapted from guitar music to the marimba by Dr. Lin himself.

“The marimba produces deeper sounds better than the guitar, of which loses depth quickly,” Dr. Lin said, explaining his decision to adapt this song to marimba, “I play on here and you get a much fuller sound. You can hear the resonance.”

His final song was another guitar adaptation, this time from “Fantasia on Themes from La Traviata” by Francisco Tarrega.

This romantic piece used famous tunes from La Traviata, an Italian opera. When crossed over to the marimba it became a delight to experience with its whimsical and rich sound.

Faith Osterlund, sophomore and Contemporary Music major, said she drew inspiration from hearing music similar to “Fantasia.” “I’m a classical singer,” Osterlund said. “So if I was to do something from this particular concert, I would choose something along those lines.”

The Music Department is hosting a number of events in the next months. Don’t miss the next concert on Sunday, Oct. 25 in the Smith Recital Hall at 3 p.m. It is titled “Violin, Viola, Vielle, and Friends” and is free to Western students that bring their ID.

Humans of Western: Bethany McWhorter, senior, English Literature major

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

HoWbethany

“I love writing, I love the power of words and how they can make an impact … I use poetry as a coping mechanism for a lot of things. My nephew recently died and he was two months old. And so I was able to dig really deep and find the beauty in this tragic situation, and kind of process my pain that way. And it helped a lot of people, because my family read it and it helped them kind of see things in a different perspective.”

“I was a sophomore in high school and my family was going through a really difficult time … I had no motivation, no drive to do anything. And I was sitting in my third period class, this is how well I remember this, I got a call, my teacher came back and said, ‘You need to go to the office right now.’ Like, I didn’t do anything, I’m a good kid. So, I go to the office and my dad is sitting there and my dad’s got tears in his eyes…He’s like, ‘We gotta go right now, we got to get to the hospital.’… So he rushes me out, we get down the stairs and he starts laughing. He goes, ‘I had to get you out, we’re going to the coast for the day … I had to throw in all the dramatics, because if this wasn’t Grammy award winning, I don’t know what is.’”

“I used to be really hardcore, just pro-life, anti-abortion, but then I started talking with people, people who have had abortions, who’ve been through this, who’ve lived it. We talked about regret, all of the emotional stuff that goes along with it. And I believe that they should have a choice. I’m still pro-life, just for the record. I still believe that, you know, if abortion can be avoided, it should be. But I understand the value of choice.”

Delectable delights at Urban Deli

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

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Urban Deli specializes in tortas, fresh squeezed juices, and natural milkshakes, which are akin to smoothies.

Tortas are a type of flatbread sandwich, which are piled high with a variety of fresh ingredients.

The tortas cost between $5 and $7 and include a choice of meat, tomato, avocado, refried beans, onion, mayo, and the option of added jalapenos or chipotle sauce. Their juices and milkshakes run between $4 and $6 and are made fresh to-order.

David Valencuela, one of the owners of Urban Deli, originally hailed from Los Angeles, California. He wanted to open a Mexican deli in Monmouth to get away from the hustle and bustle of LA.

In response to asking why he chose to make tortas, he responded, “I’ve never seen this kind of food in this place.”

I bought a chicken torta, for $5. The torta came with all of the previously listed ingredients, squeezed between two slices of rather fluffy flatbread, and breaded chicken breast.

It was tasty, if a bit rich, due to the fatty ingredients of avocado, beans, and mayonnaise. On another day, I purchased a tuna melt for $6, which was also hearty, filling and full of flavor.

If you are craving the ingredients present in Hispanic food, or want an alternative to Subway, this is definitely a good option. It certainly filled me up; I could have saved half of the sandwiches for another meal.

The restaurant itself is located close to campus, behind the picnic table by Koyotes.
Its decor is an interesting mashup of industrial and urban, featuring aluminum siding and parking meters. Right now, the restaurant is run by Valencuela’s family, though there are plans to eventually hire on local chefs and workers.

The service is quick and, while you’re waiting, you can watch the food being made.

Casa Burrito brings the heat

By: Brianna Bonham
 Staff Writer

Casa Burrito is a bright orange building off Highway 99W, taking the place of Big Town Hero; it’s hard to miss it.

When walking up to the restaurant, the customer has two options: the faster option, in which you eat outside where burritos, tacos and quesadillas are served, or eating indoors for a sit down restaurant style service.

The building, on the whole, is colorful and filled with music.

For the outdoor option, there is a student discount. If a student shows his or her student ID, they can get $5 burritos or $1.50 tacos. Casa Burrito is working on implementing a senior special.

The service was fast, friendly and very helpful. They offer a wide variety of meats, toppings, sauces, and salsas. There are options for everyone. The restaurant was very clean, comfortable and accessible.

The food was excellent, truly authentic Mexican food.

I sampled five different tacos, shredded pork, marinated pork, steak, chicken, and carne asada. Each meat was grilled along with jalapenos and onions until they were caramelized.

The chef then dressed the tacos with sauces, onions and jalapenos. There were radishes and limes on the side to help cut the heat of some of the spicier salsas and sauces.

The meat was nicely seasoned, and cooked well. The marinated pork was my personal favorite. It was topped with lime juice, cilantro and fresh onions.

The manager, Miguel Garcia, said, “It’s a good location, good food, good service, reasonable prices and a student discount … [this] makes it good for college students.”

Across Borders: Reaching out to Refugees

By: Emily Pate
Staff Writer

This past summer, Eriqa Hermen backpacked across most of Europe, where she saw the Syrian refugee crisis first hand. On Oct. 19, 2015, she hosted a talk at Western entitled Across Borders: Europe and the Syrian Refugee.

Though originally Dutch and Finnish, Hermen has recently become a Swedish citizen. She spent the 2013-14 school year in an exchange program at Western.

While visiting this month, Hermen was asked by Dr. Gudrun Hoobler, a German professor Hermen met in her time at Western, to share her experiences of the refugee situation.

“I want people to see the other side of it, so to speak,” Hermen stated. “I want to show you these are the human beings who live there, who are not part of the [Islamic State], who are just trying to have a life.”

After listening to Hermen speak, Alyssa Chiampi, junior Public Policy Administration major said, “It was really eye-opening … to get information that was real and raw.” After hearing about first hand experiences, she said, “[It] made the issue a lot more real.”

Jena Liebscher, first-year and ASL Interpreting major, also stressed the importance of awareness. After listening to Hermen’s talk, she said that the best way to help is to “find out exactly the facts and information about the situation.”

Hermen showed Seeking Asylum, a “60 Minutes” clip that aired Oct. 18, 2015, which documents refugees’ experiences. The video can be found on CBS News’ website.

On the United Nations Refugee Agency’s website, it states that there are 4,180,631 registered Syrian refugees as of Oct. 19, 2015. The UN estimates the funding requirement for the refugee crisis at just over $4.5 billion, but states that they have only received 41% of what is needed.

Hermen shared her personal experiences of the refugees’ impact on Europe, largely seen in the growing presence of the police, the unreliability of transportation, and protests both for and against immigration.

On her travels, she met people who had given up their apartments or even entire hostels as housing for refugees.

One of the ways Western students can offer aid, Hermen says, is to find and spread knowledge about the refugee situation. Hermen also stated, “You can always give money. It’s cliché, but it’s true.”

Students gather together for bonfire

[metaslider id=1815]

By: Megan Clark 
Campus Life Editor

The annual Bonfire Kickoff to Homecoming Week occurred on the lawn outside the math and nursing building the evening of Oct. 12, 2015.

The bonfire was accompanied by the school pep band, a KWOU DJ, and Western’s cheerleading squad.

The Western “W” shaped effigy fire blazed for a good hour and a half before burning the separate pile of stacked wood to cinders. During the fire, students could watch a pie eating contest and snacks were offered to students at no cost.

Marilisa Peña, a senior forensic science major said, “I didn’t come the last few years, so I thought I’d come out. I think it’s pretty awesome, I don’t normally go to bonfires as large as this.”

The bonfire was a successful way to start off the week, pulling in a large crowd of observers brimming with school spirit.

“I’ll be honest, I’ve always been disappointed in our school spirit, but there’s quite bit [tonight] … I’m hoping we can amp it up,” said Shannon Haas, a senior computer science major.

Barbara Dearing, executive director of intercollegiate athletics, and Arne Ferguson, head football coach, were also in attendance.

Dearing urged students to keep the spirit going for the upcoming football home game against Central Washington, Saturday, Oct. 17 after their huge victory last week over the previously no. 6 team in the nation.

“We need you to come out and root us on,” said Dearing.

Campus is blushing

PANKPANKPANK

By: Brianna Bonham 
Staff Writer

Pink is the official color to promote breast cancer awareness. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, Western decided to name Wednesday, Oct. 14 Pink Out day, on which students are told to wear pink.

According to cancer.org, 231,840 women are expected to develop new cases of breast cancer in 2015, and 40,290 of those cases are expected to result in death.

Many students are affected by breast cancer in some way, and Pink Out day is a day to raise awareness and ask questions about something so insidious and impactful.

“Breast cancer awareness is very important to me because I had a mentor that became ill with breast cancer. It was scary to watch someone I look up to go through that,” said Daniela Diaz Rodriguez, a first year elementary education major at Western.

When asking Brayde Rothe, a first year majoring in public policy, what hope meant for him as his mother went through treatment, he replied “It means survival. I’m glad we have a day for it because I was told by the doctor to give up hope. Never give up hope.”

When asked what advice he would give to someone dealing with breast cancer, either personally or by affiliation, Rothe replied, “Always think the glass is half­full, there’s always the next day and the day after that … As long as you stay hopeful, everything is going to be okay.”

Whirlwind of Buns at Fundie Run

By: Megan Clark 
Campus Life Editor

The annual Fundie Run, where scantily clad runners race through the streets of campus, took place at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, 2015, in front of the WUC.

The racers donated two pieces of clothing each to gain entry into the run, after which they stripped down to their skivvies and sneakers. The clothing will be donated to the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store.

At 5:30 p.m., the runners starting showing up, looking like a normal crowd of college students– some possibly heading to the gym, others seeming to have just come from class. That all changed once six o’clock struck and clothes were removed. Around 30 students, in various degrees of undress, lined up at the starting line.

They raced a mile long stretch that started in front of the WUC, wrapped around the back of campus, and came back through the main thoroughfare.

“What better way to go ‘yeah I’m in college and I’m gonna just have a lot of fun and do something dumb.’ I also appreciate that it’s for a good cause,” said Jacob Howard, a senior education major who has participated in the race since he started at Western.

Students were sure to look their best, picking out their ensemble specifically for the event.

Carter Craig, sophomore history major, showed up to the event with a ‘jammy pack’– a fanny pack with speakers in it. His underwear fit the fun theme of the run as well. Carter said, “They say ‘go nuts’ on them and have pictures of squirrels.”

Howard stated that he color coordinated his headband to his underwear. He also wore socks emblazoned with the school’s initials.

“I always pick out something special, just for the day, you know, for a bit of confidence … anytime I gotta represent this university, I wear my WOU socks,” said Howard.

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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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