Mount Hood

Gov. Tina Kotek signs ban on Styrofoam food containers into law

Written by: Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

Beginning in 2025, restaurants and food vendors in Oregon will be required to ditch the use of styrofoam takeout containers under a new law passed by the Oregon Legislature. 

On Monday, May 8, Gov. Tina Kotek signed a ban on plastic polystyrene foam containers into law — making Oregon the ninth state in the United States to ban the usage, sale and distribution of the plastic foam containers.

The fight towards the ban on polystyrene foam containers was a long time coming, according to  lawmakers. On Wednesday, Apr. 26, Senate Bill 543 cleared the House with a 40-18 vote. On Monday, Apr. 3, the bill was passed by the Oregon Senate with a 20-9 vote. 

The recently signed Senate Bill 543 would phase out the common polystyrene foam used for takeout containers, which advocates claim is quick to break down into small particles and pollute the ecosystem. The new law would equally prohibit businesses from using and selling foam packing peanuts, as well as single-use foam coolers. 

The new law joins Oregon with the likes of Colorado, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Washington in outlawing the use of polystyrene. Meanwhile, the cities of Ashland, Eugene, Florence, Lincoln City, Medford, Milwaukie, Newport, Portland and Silverton have already passed ordinances prohibiting the sale of polystyrene foam for prepared meals.

The history of bans outlining environmental concerns have been abundant throughout the state. 

A similar bill suggesting a ban on styrofoam takeout containers was rejected by the Oregon Senate in 2019, with a 15-14 vote out of the 16 votes required. In 2020, stores and restaurants became strictly barred from providing single-use plastic bags, replacing them with paper bags and the option for a more ecological form of a plastic bag for a small charge. In 2019, an additional law was imposed that forbade restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer. 

Over the years, both environmental activists and advocates of the ban have brought up a multitude of issues surrounding the use of single-use styrofoam takeout containers. For one, styrofoam containers are not accepted in curbside recycling. 

Furthermore, styrofoam containers contain poly-fluorinated substances — known as “forever chemicals” — which are used by restaurants and food vendors for grease and waterproofing. These chemicals accumulate in abundance in the environment and have been linked to reproductive issues, cancer, high cholesterol and immune system suppression

“Polystyrene is a threat to the health of our communities and our land,” said Senator Janeen Sollman, a chief sponsor of Senate Bill 543. “This is a step towards a more sustainable and mindful approach to consumption and a commitment to preserving the health, beauty, and diversity of Oregon for generations to come.” 

Senate Bill 545 was signed by Gov. Tina Kotek alongside Senate Bill 543, which directs the Oregon Health Authority to create rules and regulations for vendors regarding personal reusable food containers for takeout and leftover meals. This second law makes it legal for the public to utilize their own reusable takeout containers.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Peacock Festivities

Written by:  Mikayla Coleman

The first annual Monmouth Peacock Festival will be held May 20, at Monmouth Main Street Park from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The city will be coming together to celebrate the wild peacocks present in Monmouth’s residential neighborhoods. Admission to the festival is free. 

The purpose of the festival is stated on their website, “The Peacock festival is an opportunity to celebrate Monmouth Oregon’s uniqueness and to bring enjoyment to the attendees through art, craft, entertainment and education.” 

The festival will have live entertainment and demonstrations, arts & crafts vendors, community groups and children’s activities — as well as a Finders Keepers art rock hunt.

The festival will also include The Running of the Peacocks — a 5k and 1k fun run for all ages and abilities. The run will begin and end at the Main Street Park Amphitheater, circling through Western’s campus. Registration is required and costs $10 per person, children under 12 are free of charge as long as they are accompanied by a paying parent or guardian. Each participant will be given a commemorative pair of peacock-themed socks, while supplies last. 

There will also be a Peacock Calling Contest at 2:00 p.m. on the amphitheater stage. Peacock calls will be judged on tone, cadence, pitch, volume and overall accuracy. Participants are encouraged to pre-register online and there is no cost to enter. The winner will be awarded a prize. 

The Peacock Festival seeks to appreciate the area’s natural resources and celebrate community engagement. 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Be Our Guest

Written by: Jude Bokovoy

The Etiquette Dinner is back, reigning annual tradition at Western, now returning after its brief hiatus in 2020-2021. The Center for Professional Pathways has brought it back with a new fashion twist. This event is provided for all Western students and sponsored professionals. Bring enrolled friends, family and even a date to this wonderful night. 

On May 22, attendees will enter the Werner University Centers’ Pacific Room to be greeted with a mocktail and the opportunity to find a seat at an elaborately decorated table. Attendees will then watch a fashion show hosted by Stitch Closet, to give ideas and inspiration for professional attire. On each place setting there will be a card to provide an opportunity to win a gift by matching each model to the provided professional settings before the etiquette dinner begins. 

Once the show concludes, Sabra Jewell, the Communications Coordinator for the City of Monmouth, will lead the audience through a three-course dinner. The french inspired meal will include a salad, an entree and dessert all with vegan and gluten-free options. Each member will learn proper dining etiquette for each course, conversation cues and anything else that would come up during a work dinner. 

This event is for those who want to learn more about how to conduct themselves at a formal dinner with their future boss and colleagues. Everyone will be dressed in formal attire, ready to learn and have a great evening with the Western community. There will be professionals to sit with as well as ones friends, fellow classmates and enrolled guests. Every student is welcome to attend free of charge. 

For more information, follow @woucpp or @stitchcloset.wou on Instagram for the menu, updates and polls. The event is filling up fast, make sure to register. Use the QR code provided in the newspaper, the student email or on a poster around campus. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Bird flu outbreak enters its second year

Written by: Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

It has been a year since the outbreak of the avian influenza, which rocked egg inventories and raised wholesale egg prices. In January 2023, Oregonians saw the prices of eggs spike higher in percentage than any other food item, such as chicken or turkey.

The avian flu, also known as the bird flu, had a devastating effect on flocks of hens across the country, forcing farms to kill more than 43 million hens by the end of December 2022 to limit the spread of the disease and costing the government roughly $660 million. The outbreak hit in two separate waves, from February to June and from September to December.

The avian flu is a highly contagious virus, spread easily through wild bird droppings and nasal discharges, making it incredibly difficult for farmers to contain the spread of the disease. 

Though this specific virus does not significantly pose a threat to human health, as a reminder, poultry should be cooked to 165℉ to ensure any present viruses are eliminated.

The outbreak, combined with soaring inflation, fuel and labor costs are grounds for havoc from consumers. Amid a national supply shortage, grocery stores in and around Oregon are continuing to face struggles with meeting the market demand for eggs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Investigation, the consumer price of eggs rose 8.5% to an average price of $4.82 per dozen this past January.

The limited supply of eggs is prevalent for many individuals, including college students. 

At Western, Valsetz Dining Hall — students’ main source for easy, on-campus dining — had to resort to charging diners for the difference in supply and demand. At their registers, a sign has been put on display informing diners of the raised prices for meals containing eggs.

Currently, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately for consumers, there is no guarantee that egg prices will go back to being one of the cheaper, more nutritious food options.

However, new flocks of hens have begun repopulating farms, which may indicate a significant advancement toward replenishing the United State’s egg supply.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Degree Tracks gets a New Look

Written by: Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

DegreeTracks — the system that Western uses to track student degree progress and verify completion of graduation requirements — received a new interface on Apr. 13. 

The new interface will serve the same functionality as the former, meaning that all information needed to view degree progress remains accessible. For example, a feature that is there to stay is the “what if analysis,” which allows students and advisors to get a glimpse of their degree progress with the inclusion of future classes and/or different areas of study.

However, there are quite a few differences and new features that students should be aware of for a smooth transition between the two interfaces.

Color

The new interface no longer uses highlighting and color-coding to illustrate which requirements have been completed and which requirements are currently in progress. Instead, the new interface presents a simple and modern appearance through the white — and a hint of green, red and blue — color combination. The green, red and blue are used to indicate to users which section requirements are complete, incomplete or in-progress through a single box at the top of each block. 

Registration Checklist

There are two formats in which students and advisors can look at their academic degree progress — through the dropdown menu under “format.” 

The “student view” format is the default format. This format allows students a more detailed view of their degree progress, displaying specific information regarding unmet degree conditions for a particular block. 

Meanwhile, the format “registration checklist” allows the user to view their progress in a checklist format. This format is an option for students who may be nearing completion of their degree, and merely seek an easy, simple way to view their few remaining block requirements.

Degree Progress Graphs

The new interface includes a visual presentation for the completion of graduation requirements through graphs displaying degree progress. 

In this instance, students have the option to view the progress graphs through different settings by toggling between both in-progress classes — courses that a student is currently enrolled in — and pre-registered classes — courses that a student has enrolled in for future terms. The setting to the system automatically defaults with the inclusion of in-progress and pre-registered courses, which means that courses not yet completed will display on the degree progress graphs.

In order to keep these courses from displaying on the degree progress graphs, as well as in every requirement block, simply unselect the options for “in-progress” and “pre-registered” courses, then click “process.”

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Spring Fitness Classes

Written by: Gretchen Sims

Every term, the Western Campus Recreation team curates fitness classes that are readily available to students. Sometimes coming up with a workout independently is hard, or perhaps the motivation is just not there. That’s perfectly normal and the Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center crew is here to help. With so many options to choose from, there is a little bit of something for everyone.

Here is a comprehensive list of the fitness classes available on campus and free to Western students every week.

Monday

Dance Fit — 4:30 to 5:20 p.m., HWC 201

Tuesday

Body Pump — 12 to 12:50 p.m., HWC 253

Dance Fit — 4:30 to 5:20 p.m., HWC 201

I Mile Social Run — 5 to 5:30 p.m. (Check IMLeagues for location details)

Power + Yoga — 5:30 to 6:20 p.m., HWC 201

Paddleboard Yoga — 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., HWC Pool

Wednesday

Spin — 12 to 12:50 p.m., HWC 201

Pilates — 4:30 to 5:20 p.m., HWC 253

Pump: Weight Training — 5:30 to 6:20 p.m., HWC 253

Spin — 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., HWC 201

Thursday

Body Pump — 12 to 12:50 p.m., HWC 253

Dance Fit — 4:30 to 5:20 p.m., HWC 201

Power + Yoga — 5:30 to 6:20 p.m., HWC 201

Spin — 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., HWC 201

Paddleboard Yoga — 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., HWC Pool

Friday

Spin — 12 to 12:50 p.m., HWC 201

Log in or sign up on IMLeages.com, prior to start time, in order to register for classes. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Celebrating diversity

Written by: Mirella Barrera-Betancourt

April is National Celebrate Diversity Month, a month serving as a period of recognition and observance for the beauty of the world’s unique backgrounds, diverse customs and traditions. 

On Apr. 28, 2023, Western’s Freedom Center will be celebrating the month through a community event, in collaboration with a few clubs and organizations on campus. 

The Freedom Center was opened in the Werner University Center in 2021, and was designated as the campus lounge and hang-out spot for students of color, as well as students of various ethnicities. Moreover, the mission of the Freedom Center is to expand cultural diversity and competency among students on campus and also to serve as an instant student-led advising center for students.

Anali Godinez-Martinez is the co-director of the Freedom Center, alongside Malia Fernandez. 

Martinez identifies as Mexican-American, which allows her to see the month as a beautiful opportunity to become in touch with — not only her culture and heritage — but with the cultures around her and of her peers.

“I think that (diversity month) is honestly such a beautiful month if you take the time to learn about other cultures and (the) backgrounds of other people,” said Martinez. ​​“Maybe you don’t, like, realize how diverse our campus is, and so (the month) is just a good way to get different perspectives and come together.”

The event is scheduled to take place in the Grove on campus — outside, adjacent to Ackerman Hall — and will function as a chill hangout for students, allowing them the opportunity to engage and learn more about the featured clubs and organizations attending the celebration. As of Apr. 18, the organizations featured in the line-up of the celebration include the Multicultural Student Union, Stonewall Center and the Black Student Union. There will be music, as well as entertainment in the form of outdoor table games specific to each club and organization.

Furthermore, the event provides an opportunity for student artists to showcase their artwork. If students were interested in submitting artwork for the showcase, all they had to do was fill out and complete a Google Form. The form has since closed.

Martinez said, “We wanted to give the opportunity for students to showcase artwork that either ties into their cultural background or just any intersectional identity.”

During the event, attendees will be free to walk around the displayed stands showcasing student artwork. 

There is no exact scheduled time for the showcase. The event is merely set to run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m on Apr. 28.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu