Mount Hood

TTPD

Escrito por: Hannah Field | Redactora de noticias

Taylor Swift’s newest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was finally released April 19. During the announcement speech at the Grammy Awards show Feb. 4, Swift held up two fingers in a peace sign — alluding to her double album drop — when announcing her eleventh studio album. Fast forward to meeting Swift at midnight, fans listening to the 16 tracks of “The Tortured Poets Department” were surprised at 2 a.m. when Swift dropped an extra 15 songs.

The production of the album rested in the hands of Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff of the band Bleachers, longtime friends and collaborators of Swift who heavily utilized synths, keyboard tunes and distortion techniques. Track one, “Fortnight,” is sung alongside Austin Post, also known as Post Malone, while Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine is featured on track eight, “Florida!!!”

The album itself appears to be the lovechild of Swift’s last original album release “Midnights” and the pandemic-created sister albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.” While officially being a pop genre album, much of the album is backed by a soft piano and utilizes strong lyricism as Swift sings about various tragic topics, such as heartbreak, abandonment and the nuance of fame.

The 31 songs have topped the charts, being the first album on Spotify to reach one billion streams within a week as well as being the platform’s most-streamed album within one day at 300 million. Despite breaking records, the album has been surveyed heavily in the media — with many fans turned anti-Swiftie and strangers criticizing what they consider to be odd lines, off-beat tunes and a lack of true poeticism, rather antithetical to the tortured poet of “The Tortured Poets Department.”

However, most critically condemned is Swift’s apparent past relationship with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, with multiple songs dedicated to their previous interloping. Although nobody knows definitively which songs are about Healy, many fans presume at least “Fresh Out The Slammer,” “But Daddy I Love Him” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” to be in regards to Healy — with the latter being a direct descriptor of Healy’s behavior during and after their time together.

“The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” the second installment of the album, contains the song “thanK you aIMee,” which, in all capital letters, spells out KIM — which fans presume to be about Kim Kardashian and their nearly decade-long feud.

Overall, the album explores the themes of unrest, misunderstanding, dying romance and Swift’s complex relationship with fame. Very few songs, if any, are considered joyful pop hits, and the most upbeat song of all, “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” is likely one of the most “miserable.” It’s an album for the tortured poets of the world reeling from personal loss in one way or another — and, according to the Swifties, more is coming May 3. Although, in typical Swift fashion, she’s likely got more tricks up her sleeve to keep the guesses coming and the songs streaming.

8/10.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.mail.edu

Saving Salem Public Library

Escrito por: Sierra Porter | Redactora

Social media in Salem exploded amid rumors that the city would be shutting down the Salem Public Library to preserve its police budget, including an expanded team to sweep homeless camps. An outcry from Salem residents, including hundreds of emails to Mayor Chris Hoy, and support from surrounding communities has brought unity and hope that the library will be saved. Here’s what to know about the Salem Public Library budget cuts:

The city of Salem is facing a multi-million dollar shortfall and plans for no new revenue in the next year. Due to this, many plans to cut down costs have been introduced, including the possibility of closing the Salem Public Library. This plan was discussed at a budget meeting on March 21 when Chief Financial Officer, Josh Eggleston, was asked how one could keep all police and fire jobs. Eggleston presented hypothetical options that would balance the budget without additional revenue. Amongst these cuts were positions at the library that would completely reduce hours and many other parks and recreation positions. Salem is taking $1.2 million from the SPL alone. The city claims they have no plans on shutting down SPL completely, but by July, there will be tremendous cuts and changes. 

Public libraries offer affordable or even free access to a world of knowledge and life-long learning opportunities that are affordable or even free. Registered Behavior Technician and Salem resident, Jessie Shull, works directly with children in the community who often utilize the library. Shull says, “It’s going to impact low-income families in the area that use the library for more than just books. These resources are so valuable to children’s education and lives- without this access and sense of community they lose so much.” Shull believes these budget cuts will dwindle the benefits that the public library has to offer and ultimately eliminate many opportunities for those in the community. 

For the moment, Salem claims it will not shut down the library in its entirety, but librarians and residents have still testified at recent budget meetings in hopes of preventing further budget cuts.

The budget committee, which includes the mayor, city council and ten appointed community volunteers, will continue to discuss the cuts in meetings on April 17, April 24, May 1 and May 8, when they will make their recommendation to the city council. In June, the city council will hold a public hearing before adopting the annual budget. 

Show up, support and save the Salem Public Library. 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

La experiencia militar

Escrito por: Michael Hager | Freelancer

Muy poca gente sabe que puedes servir a tu país mientras obtienes tu título, y que el bueno del Tío Sam te cubrirá la matrícula. Me alisté en la Guardia Nacional del Ejército de Oregón hace cuatro años, cuando cursaba el penúltimo año de secundaria, con la intención de ir a la universidad y obtener una licenciatura. 

Como mucha gente, mi familia no podía permitirse enviarme a la universidad. Uno de mis entrenadores del instituto era sargento mayor del ejército y también dirigía el programa del Cuerpo de Entrenamiento de Oficiales de la Reserva Junior (JROTC) de mi instituto. Me contó que la Guardia Nacional pagaría mi matrícula, y allí estaba yo, con 16 años, con una decisión que tomar.

Siempre quise ser militar: mi abuelo era veterano de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, mi tío también y uno de mis primos ya estaba en la Guardia. No sabía qué quería hacer después del instituto, pero mis padres querían que fuera a la universidad. Acabé eligiendo lo mejor de ambos mundos. 

Me reuní con un reclutador y me explicó que, una vez cumplidos los 17 años, lo único que necesitaría sería el consentimiento de mis padres y podría alistarme en la Guardia Nacional con un contrato de seis años. Esto cubriría mis dos últimos años de instituto y cuatro años de universidad en cualquier escuela de Oregón en la que pudiera entrar. 

Después de intentar convencer a mis padres, casi exactamente un mes antes de la pandemia, firmé un contrato de seis años con la Guardia Nacional del Ejército de Oregón. Pude hacer que un primo mayor me tomara juramento, lo que estuvo muy bien. 

Me enviaron al proceso de entrenamiento dividido: Entrenamiento Básico un verano y Entrenamiento Individual Avanzado (AIT, por sus siglas en inglés) al siguiente, en lugar del Entrenamiento de Unidad en una Estación (OSUT, por sus siglas en inglés) normal que hacían todos los demás. Esto significaba que iría al Entrenamiento Básico de Combate en el verano entre mis años junior y senior, en plena pandemia.

Se suponía que mi Base sólo duraría 10 semanas pero, como fue en plena pandemia, tuvimos que permanecer en cuarentena en nuestros barracones durante dos semanas. Me enviaron a alojarme con 40 desconocidos y el único momento en que se nos permitía salir era para buscar comida. Una vez que todos estuvimos limpios, empezamos a entrenar 

10 semanas después. Unas semanas antes de que empezara mi último año, nos graduamos del Entrenamiento Básico de Combate. Terminé mi último año en Zoom en 2021, y me gradué oficialmente tanto de la escuela secundaria como del entrenamiento básico. Para entonces, ya tenía una buena idea de dónde iba a estar mi unidad, y sabía que quería estar cerca de mi unidad mientras iba a la universidad. Por eso elegí Western: mi unidad se encuentra en Salem. 

Después de graduarme, tenía todo listo para venir a Western en el otoño de 2021, y volví a completar el AIT con toda la misma gente con la que hice el básico, además de otra compañía que también hizo lo mismo que nosotros. 

Al principio fue un infierno. Todos habíamos vuelto al instituto y habíamos perdido toda la disciplina, así que la primera semana más o menos volvió a ser básica. 

Al final, terminamos el AIT y fuimos oficialmente agentes de la Policía Militar, que era nuestra especialidad militar ocupacional. Un par de semanas antes de graduarme, a mí y a otros dos nos dijeron que, cuando volviéramos a casa, la ex gobernadora Kate Brown nos enviaría a la frontera. La gobernadora del estado es la comandante en jefe de la Guardia Nacional. 

Los planes que tenía de asistir a la universidad en otoño se habían acabado, y estaba en una misión de un año. En octubre de 2021, en lugar de prepararme para mi primer año de universidad, me enviaron a mi misión, pero no era a la frontera. Mucho peor, me enviaron al centro de Indiana en invierno para ayudar a procesar y proteger a los refugiados afganos que envió el presidente Joe Biden. 

Había unos 20.000 refugiados que necesitaban hacerse ciudadanos, y nos proyectaron en esta base minúscula con nada más que un Subway y una cafetería 10 veces peor que Valsetz. 

Por suerte, pudimos volver a casa seis meses después, en medio de lo que habría sido el trimestre de primavera de mi primer año. Pude matricularme en el siguiente semestre de otoño, lo que me sitúa un año por detrás de mis compañeros. 

Empecé a ir a Drill, que es donde nos reunimos un fin de semana al mes y entrenamos para diferentes cosas. Empecé a ir a la escuela y seguí yendo a los ejercicios una vez al mes, y luego me uní al Club de Rugby Masculino. 

Mi horario de entrenamiento interfiere con los partidos y torneos, pero puedo arreglarlo con mis entrenadores y sigo jugando. El entrenamiento, en su mayor parte, no afecta a mi trabajo escolar, excepto durante la semana de los exámenes finales. 

Como estudiante militar, también tengo acceso al Centro de Recursos para Veteranos del campus, que me pone en contacto con otros estudiantes militares y con recursos que puedo utilizar. El Día de los Veteranos organizan diferentes eventos en los que puedo participar; uno de ellos es la carrera anual 5K Ruck 'n Run, que gané el año pasado. 

Este es mi viaje a través de las fuerzas armadas, y varía para todos a través de las ramas. Con todo, la Guardia Nacional es una forma estupenda de hacer contactos, adquirir experiencia y conseguir que te paguen la universidad.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en mhager20@wou.edu

Connor Price

Escrito por: Hannah Field | Redactora de noticias

Sworn in earlier this year, Conner Price, a former Western student, has become one of Oregon’s first licensed paralegals.

Before 2023, licensed paralegals did not exist in Oregon. The licensure was created to establish more resources in-house and family law, which, according to the Oregon State Bar, were “the two areas of greatest unmet need by Oregonians.” Previously, clients had to seek far more expensive lawyers for this kind of aid, but now licensed paralegals may offer less costly assistance for similar work.

The work of a licensed paralegal may follow a wide scope of tasks: represent or assist clients in many legal instances, file documents with the court, review documents with clients and prepare clients for court appearances or other conferences — more tasks are listed by the Oregon State Bar.

Price, however, has not yet passed the Bar exam. To be a licensed paralegal, different exams are required.

“I was going to go to law school directly out of college,” said Price. “But after two and a half years of pandemic learning, I was like, I need a break.”

Price graduated from Western in 2022. Since then, he’s moved to work at a law firm located in Astoria, which, according to him, is “a beautiful little town (with lots of) rich history.”

The law firm, Stahancyk, Kent & Hook, embraced the new Oregon Licensed Paralegal program which Price completed — making him the only licensed paralegal at his location.

The program was tedious, requiring proof of 1500 hours of work, a portfolio thoroughly documenting different categories of work and multiple rigorous tests.

His time at Western prepared him well for hard work — pre-pandemic, Price had a full schedule, usually unavailable until past 8 p.m. every weekday. At times, he was taking up to 22 credits, working 20 hours at Valsetz Dining Hall, participating year-round in choir and performing with Western’s cheer team.

Price graduated with two majors — one in Political Science and the other in Communications — with a minor in History. 

“(Western) is a great little school. What I appreciated most was the small class sizes, being able to get one-on-one time with the professors,” said Price. Today, his favorite professor — his former choir professor, James Reddan — has retired, but Price still, occasionally, plays the piano as a musical outlet.

Regarding his career, Price stated that he hopes to eventually attend law school.

“I don’t know if I’m underselling it — it is a pretty big accomplishment. But it’s not, you know, passing the bar and becoming a full-fledged attorney … I never imagined that I would be licensed to practice law without first going to law school.”

Price looks forward to serving his community — especially with the knowledge that legal aid is expensive but necessary for many. “That’s where people like me come in, where I can charge significantly less and still get them the help they need within the scope of my license,” said Price.

For all interested in licensure, seek out the Oregon State Bar for information.



Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Oregon blooms

Escrito por: Claire Phillips | Redactora de Entretenimiento

If one is on the lookout for dazzling wildlife within Oregon, there are many places nearby to explore. Spring is the peak season to see bright flowers bloom. However, it is important to remember to be respectful of these natural areas. Be sure to follow guidelines, and don’t forget to pack adequate hiking equipment to keep oneself and others safe.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm: Marion County, OR — This large tulip farm showcases its colorful blooms annually, as a sign that spring has arrived in Oregon. One doesn’t have to simply look at the flowers; the farm also includes a variety of activities, such as the Tulip Market, wine tasting and even hot air balloon rides. The farm is currently open to visitors until May 5.

Saddle Mountain State Natural Area: Clatsop County, OR — Saddle Mountain is known for both its height and beloved wildflowers, with trails beginning in a picnic area and ending at the rocky peak. Saddle Mountain formed during the Miocene and served as a reserve for a variety of plant species during the Ice Age. This area is a fantastic place to see rare plant and animal species.

Cone Peak: Linn County, OR — Cone Peak is full of over 300 different wildflower species throughout spring. Not to be mistaken for the Cone Peak in California, Oregon’s Cone Peak is a six mile loop trail located near Cascadia. On the trail, hikers can expect to see volcanic craggy rock in addition to the wildflowers

Silver Falls State Park: Marion County, OR — In addition to the flowers the “crown jewel” of Oregon State Parks provides, Silver Falls is home to 10 stunning waterfalls. Silver Falls includes picnic areas, campgrounds and hiking trails for anyone interested in nature. Visitors might see blooms of yellow, purple and pink as they explore the park in spring. “Twilight” fans may even spot Bella and Edward in the lush treetops.

Tom McCall Preserve: Wasco County, OR — This natural preserve is named after Oregon’s late governor, Thomas Lawson McCall, who was dedicated to preserving nature in the state. Rare plant populations are monitored by ecologists, and in the spring, volunteers lead interpretive hikes. The preserve looks over the Columbia River Gorge and is filled with striking wildflowers from February to July. 

Marys Peak: Benton County, OR — Located in our very own Willamette Valley, Marys Peak never ceases to amaze visitors year-round. It has been designated as a Scenic Botanical Area due to its wildlife and plants. Peak wildflower bloom in Marys Peak occurs typically around mid-May to the end of June but has extended from April to July in some years.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlentertainment@wou.edu

Oregon cat transmits plague to its owner

Escrito por: Claire Phillips | Redactora de Entretenimiento

In February of 2024, an Oregon resident was diagnosed with the bubonic plague. New cases of the plague always cause a small panic, but this case hasn’t been the first in the last decade. 

The patient, who was treated with antibiotics in Deschutes County, was speculated to have been infected by their pet cat. 

The plague is on the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s long list of nationally notifiable diseases because a single case can prompt the need to check for other cases. Other nationally notifiable diseases include cholera, Lyme disease, smallpox and measles.

Due to the plague’s gruesome history of death and destruction, public panic is another reason for concern. While the bubonic plague can spread among a population with drastic effects, in modern times, there is not much reason to panic. 

The Oregon resident was diagnosed and treated quickly, meaning they posed little risk to their community. Additionally, the bubonic plague is not transmissible between humans — only between an animal and humans. 

The bubonic plague wiped out a third of Eurasia during its initial outbreak. There are an average of seven cases a year in the United States. The association of the word “plague” sounds scary, but there are now methods of fighting back — bloodletting, leeches and religious cures have been left in the medieval ages.

Two methods used to combat the bubonic plague are quarantining and social distancing. Post-COVID, it’s no wonder Americans are worried about the spread of the plague. However, it’s safe to say that the bloody history of the plague can be left in the past.

Seven hundred years ago, humans were living among rats and fleas. They had no access to the treatments modern society has now. Health experts discourage the hunting of rodents by cats so Oregon residents don’t have to worry about their beloved pets.

In Oregon, the most common transmitter of the bubonic plague are squirrels, and officials warn against feeding one’s local squirrels to avoid future outbreaks.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlentertainment@wou.edu

Weapon epidemic

Escrito por: Hannah Field | Redactora de noticias

Advertencia sobre el contenido: this article contains mentions of gun violence and death

Across 13 school districts in Oregon, 48 students were disciplined for bringing guns on school grounds in 2023 — an uptick of more than double the cases reported during the 2018-2019 school year, the last before the pandemic. That year, only 18 cases of guns on campus were reported.

The school districts of Centennial, Corvallis, Crook, Glide, Greater Albany, Jefferson, Medford, North Clackamas, Oregon City, Pendleton, Portland, Reynolds and Salem-Keizer reported student possession of a handgun, shotgun or rifle. The Oregon Department of Education released these records after a request for information filed by KGW. Four out of all 48 cases were middle schoolers.

Juvenile probation officer, Kyle Kinion, has worked closely with West Albany High School for 17 years, holding a unique position in Oregon as the school’s resource officer. West Albany High School sits in the Greater Albany School District, one of the listed 13 districts having reported guns caught on campus. “The (kids) that I work with haven’t shown up with weapons at school because they want to be the bad guy. It’s because they feel that they’ve been pushed to a certain point — (like) they need to protect themselves,” said Kinion. “So much of being a kid, unfortunately, is fear.”

May 2024 will be the upcoming 26th anniversary of the Thurston High School shooting, an Oregon shooting preceding Columbine by nearly a year. Fifteen-year-old Kipland Kinkel was suspended on disciplinary action due to his admission of keeping a stolen handgun in his locker. Following the suspension, he shot his parents, supposedly because of the shame he felt, and, one day later, open-fired in the school cafeteria — killing two students, Ben Walker and Mikael Nickolauson, and wounding 25 others.

Kinkel entered Thurston High School with two knives, two pistols and a rifle, with more than a thousand rounds of ammunition. After firing into a crowd of more than 300 students, it was reported that Kinkel was taken down by his peers — screaming, “Just kill me!” as he fell.

The story has been a grim reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and school disciplinary action — leading to action across Oregon in schools.

“There’s always plans in place. I sit on it — it’s the School Threat Assessment Team, STAT team. Most school districts, communities, or counties have this and this was put in place after the Kip Kinkel Thurston shootings,” said Kinion.

Former Western student Julius Hardman was attending class at Parkrose High School in Portland his junior year when a classmate entered the school with a shotgun under his trenchcoat — loaded with only one bullet intended for himself.

Hardman was in the B-wing of the school when a peer burst through the door shouting that they “gotta go right now.” Upon being asked by the teacher to calm down and explain the situation, she stated that “there was a guy with a gun.”

“She was too serious to be faking,” said Hardman. “Two minutes after she came in, there was an announcement on the intercom saying this is not a drill. (After that) there was a convoy of dudes in army camo.”

The student with the weapon was allegedly heartbroken after his split from his girlfriend, a fellow student. He was disarmed effectively before anyone was hurt — going on to live a relatively normal life after receiving psychological help, while leaving hundreds of former high school students possibly traumatized for life.

“I know that girl who busted into our classroom — she was in the room that (the gunman was in),” said Hardman. “She was f——g terrified.”

Skylar McNett, a current Western freshman, experienced a lockdown in their high school due to a call that there was a shooter on school property. Little did the school know, it was a hoax.

“We’re (all) sitting in lockdown, completely unaware, with the doors barricaded. Some of us have scissors in our hands and books, stuff like that, in case a person tries to break in, because we don’t know what’s going on,” said McNett. “We check online, and all we see is that three people are dead and that there was an active shooter. And it was so terrifying.”

They watched as SWAT officers passed by the windows, securing the perimeter with “giant assault rifles.” Two hours passed before it came out that it was a false call — the perpetrator of which was never discovered.

“I want to be a teacher,” said McNett. “I’m going to have to deal with school safety and be responsible for the lives of like thirty students in (situations) that I can’t control.”

The hoax followed the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting in McNett’s hometown of Roseburg — an event of which McNett knew the victims.

“Somebody saying something to me in the hallways — because I’m a grown man — isn’t going to be the same as a fifteen-year-old who’s in the throes of puberty, with all these things going on in their head. On top of some mental health issues they are going through,” said Kinion. “ … We need to make sure that the community is safe. We need to make sure that they’re safe also. That’s the double-edged sword — making sure we do what’s best for the youth, but also make sure they’re going to be safe and that people around them aren’t going to be harmed.”

Kip Kinkel had his own query in 2023: “How could I have gotten to this point at 15 that all these things came together — where my humanity collapsed, and I did this horrific thing to people I loved and to people I didn’t know?”

The fear Hardman and McNett felt has been resounded by thousands of students across the nation as shootings have become a well-known travesty.

Yet, in 2023, 26 years after the Thurston High School shooting, 48 kids were disciplined for bringing guns to Oregon schools — a statistic emphasizing hundreds of kids’ fears. 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu.

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