Giving Thanks, Nov. 23, 2021

Lewiston High School, DTEC 409, 3125 Cecil Andrus Way, Lewiston, Idaho, 83501

The Bengal’s Purr

Since 1927

College inflation slows, page 3 Cover photo by Rylie Reagan

Vol. 94, No. 2

Thanksgiving gives back, pages 8-9

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

Lewiston honors veterans, pages 10-11

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

News 3

Jesse St. Onge wins as class of 2022 Mr. LHS

By Madeline Gibson Features Assistant

Jesse St. Onge

Jesse St. Onge won the “Running into ’22” Mr. LHS competition, out of eleven seniors.

The pageant, held in the old LHS auditorium Nov. 15, brought in significant funds. From 58 sponsors and the tickets themselves, these funds go to the cheerleaders, who were the choreographers for the men.

The pageant started with an umbrella dance segment to “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls. Then they split the men into two groups for fitness and swimwear, which included their reimaginings to the songs “Cruisin for a Bruisin” and “No Easy Competitors swing umbrellas during a dance. Photo by Madeline Gibson.

Way Out.” They then transitioned to the talent competition, a segment with their mothers, interview and composure events, and the awards.

The winners were St. Onge for fitness, Thor Kessinger and Mason Spears for swimwear, and Justin Alder and St. Onge for talent. Dalton Laney won for composure, Sean Carper for interview, and Noah Schmidt for spirit.

District, state, Tuition rates at an all-time low city report COVID-19 numbers

By Cecelia Thomas Website Manager

By Hannah Shoffitt News Editor As of Nov. 19, there were no students and no staff members reported with cases of COVID-19 at LHS. According to Lewiston Superintendent Lance Hansen, a total of six students and one staff member were infected in the Lewiston School District at the time.

Since the beginning of the school year, 70 students have returned from quarantine, as well as 14 staff members, according to the school district. The district total for COVID cases since the school year began is 191 students and 61 staff.

According to covidactnow.org, Idaho has the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate of all 53 states (including District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.) As of Nov. 19, 50.1% of Idahoans had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 44.7% were fully vaccinated.

Over the last week, the Lewiston-Metro area averaged about 591 new confirmed cases every day. As of Nov. 13 Idaho hospitals reported being at an average capacity of 80% with COVID-19 hospitalizations.

a good rule of thumb when finding annual college inflation is to assume that tuition rates will increase at twice the rate of general inflation. Tuition tends to grow at about 8% a year. When looking at the college inflation rate, that means that the rate of inflation will double every nine years.

Colleges have recognized that lots of suffering has occurred throughout this pandemic, and many people are second-guessing college because of the world’s current issues. Universities have begun taking action to make college more accessible during this pandemic. According to Higher Ed Drive, many comprehensive fees have been completely waived. Room and board costs have been cut by 15%, and financial aid fees have been cut by 15%. Several colleges have made statements announcing that they understand families are experiencing financial difficulties and that tuition inflation shouldn’t be an increased stressor.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the ways that people interact with schools, jobs, friends and family. With this, colleges seem to be acknowledging that many people’s lives have been turned upside down in these times. Throughout the pandemic, many people lost jobs or were unable to take the medical risk of going to work.

One of the major expenses for Americans these days is college tuition. Since the 1980s, inflation of college fees has gone up 213% in all public institutions. In the 1980s, annual tuition cost was $4,210; in 2018, the average cost of tuition in the U.S. was $20,700. That same year, 72% of undergraduates were assisted with financial aid, according to collegeatlas.org.

The price of college tuition per year is equivalent to a new car. So many people choose not to attend college or drop out due to the financial aspect of college.

Many high school graduates want to know what the true college experience is like, but not everyone can afford that experience.

Society frowns upon those who don’t attend college after graduation because of the idea that college equates with success, with no other alternatives. The above graph shows college inflation rates coming to a minimum. Graph created by According to Fin Aid,

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THE BENGAL’S PURR

News

LHS arts groups present and compete

BAND PREPARES FOR PERFORMANCES

By Hannah Shoffitt News Editor

The LHS band performed at the Veterans Day Parade Nov. 13 on Lewiston's Main Street. They will also make an appearance at the Christmas Parade at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in Clarkston. The holiday concert for the LHS band is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 13 in the LHS auditorium.

CHOIR HEADED TO STATE CONFERENCE

By Hannah Shoffitt News Editor

Members of the LHS Gold Voices jazz choir have been selected to perform at the All-State Music Conference for the first time in LHS history. Justin Alder and Caedmon Leister are also set to perform in the All-State ensembles. “It’s so cool to be selected to be in All-State because only the top performers in the state are selected," said Justin Alder. "I got to be one of two drummers, and I play for the jazz choir."

Alder added that teachers Julie Burke and Brendan Burns have worked hard to prepare the LHS students who qualified for All-State.

“It is a great opportunity, and quite humbling to be selected to perform for the State Convention for Idaho Music Educators," Burke said. "I am excited for the students to show teachers from around the state what kind of music we sing, and give those teachers opportunities to try some of the music we perform.”

DRAMA STUDENTS COMPETE AT DISTRICTS

By Madeline Gibson Entertainment Assistant

Twelve LHS drama students competed at districts Nov. 20 in Coeur d’Alene, and three of their performances qualified for state-level competition.

The original play, "The Devil All the Time, but Not in 2020," qualified for state. Its author, Cale Wilponen, presented the play with Lane Riggs, Zach Steadman and Rune Marcy.

Also advancing to state is Rachel Hughes, with her solo musical piece, "The Song that No One Likes." Olivia Reynolds qualified for state with a solo audition featuring monologues from The Importance of Being Earnest and Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?

Other students competing included Nam Bui for costume design; Sarah Kammer and Kate Pernsteiner for serious ensemble; Allison Remacle, Piper Rickman and Cale Wilponen for solo musical; and Rickman and Anikka Wilponen for serious original play.

State competition will be Dec. 3-4 in Boise.

Bands from Lewiston schools march at the Veterans Day parade in downtown Lewiston. Photo courtesy of Mindy Pals.

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Sports 5

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 LHS SPORTS WINTER PREVIEWS AND FALL RECAPS Compiled by Josie Sager and Josh Tatko.

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WRESTLING LHS had its first wrestliing practice Nov. 15. On Nov. 24 at 6 p.m., the wrestling team will hold its varsity wrestle-offs to determine the varsity lineup for the season. They are holding a T-shirt fundraiser as well.

SWIM STATE RESULTS At state-level competitions, the Lewiston boys swim team placed 11th out of 16 teams. Luke Mastroberadino completed a 100 backstoke in 58 seconds, placing fifth. In the 50 free style, he placed third with a time of 22.23.

The girls swim team placed 16th out of 18 teams. Grace Qualman placed eighth with a time of 1:04.05 in the 100 backstroke. With a time of 26.06, she completed the 50 free style, placing ninth.

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CHEER The LHS cheer coaches, Heidi Hagen and Josh Rodgers, are preparing freshman, junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders for the winter sports season. For this season, there are 11 freshman cheerleaders, 12 JV cheerleaders and 25 varsity cheerleaders.

An LHS cross country runner sprints along the path. Photo courtesy of Joann Poulsen.

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CROSS COUNTRY STATE RESULTS With a time of 16:26.48, Kobe Wessels placed 19th at state, followed by James Stubbers (56th, 19:12.36), Elijah Sabo (73rd, 17:53.08), Nick Grimm (78th, 18:12.02), Jordan Poulsen (18:39.75), Michael Jenko (83rd, 18:45.38), and Nicholas Remacle (84th, 19:20.80).

For girls, Tabitha Ames placed 66th with a time of 20:47.64.

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BASKETBALL The Lewiston girls freshman, JV and varsity basketball teams had their first games Saturday, Nov. 20 at Sandpoint under coaches Demi Randall, Madison Stoddard (JV), Kendall Teichmer (JV2) and Karlee Stefanchik, respectively.

On Dec. 7, the boys basketball team will compete against Pullman in an away game. This will be followed Dec. 10 by another away game against Lakeland.

Jenika Ortiz and Karli Taylor volunteer with the girls basketball team at Rivaura Vineyard. Photo courtesy of Lewiston Girls Basketball on Facebook.

To view scores as the winter season continues, visit idahosports.com.

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Opinion

THE BENGAL’S PURR

Thanksgiving: Should we abolish or celebrate it?

Point: Thanksgiving promotes cultural erasure

By Ariana Flaig Features Assistant Thanksgiving is a holiday that people celebrate all over the U.S. It is supposed to connect giving thanks and time with family, with the remembering of the pilgrims’ feast with native groups of this continent.

However, the fundamental belief about Thanksgiving being a joyful event is a lie that has spread into the fabric of America and into the belief systems of Americans.

Thanksgiving’s true history has been hidden from the mass public for too long. The true story, according to dosomething.org, is that the Wampanoag people were never invited to the feast in the first place, even though they are the people who were said to feast with the pilgrims. They were only at the feast because an army was sent at the sound of gunshots, which were part of the pilgrims’ celebration.

The Wampanoag people suffered immensely because of the pilgrims. When they had their first encounter, the pilgrims stole the tribe’s winter provisions. According to Wamsutta Frank James, a Wampanoag activist and an organizer of the National Day of Mourning, “The Pilgrims had hardly explored the shores of Cape Cod for four days before they had robbed the graves of my ancestors and stolen their corn and beans.”

Illustration by Aydann Long.

The alliance between the pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe only occurred because the tribe was ravaged by diseases brought by European colonizers in the years prior. Any partnership was purely about survival. To repay the native people, the pilgrims seized their land and imprisoned, enslaved, and executed them. The future “Thanksgiving” celebrations marked brutal victories over the native people, such as the Pequot Massacre of 1636 and the beheading of the Wampanoag leader Metacom in 1676.

The history of Thanksgiving is marked by the brutality towards natives of this continent, as well as by the promotion of white supremacy. There is little discussion about the truth of Thanksgiving due to the erasure of native history.

Those who celebrate Thanksgiving are diminishing the native identity. While many believe that it is a day to spend with family and friends and share what they are thankful for, this is not the true meaning of Thanksgiving. It is a version made appropriate for children and to cover up the racist truth of Thanksgiving.

If Thanksgiving is a time to come together and celebrate, this could be done another time without the negative connotations of the holiday. There are many other dates available that have no tie to the erasure of native people. A new holiday could be created similar to Thanksgiving that focuses solely on family connection (if people so desire this).

Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday solely for commercialization. According to HuffPost, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day a week earlier to give Americans an extra week to shop before Christmas.

Every aspect of Thanksgiving is commercialized,

from decor to food to even family gatherings. If there is a way for a company to make money off of it, then it’s happening. There is no significance to Thanksgiving in the modern day; it’s only a precursor to Black Friday and Cyber Monday -- events for businesses to amass wealth in the greatest quantities possible.

For those who argue that Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what one has, please reconsider.

Thanksgiving’s true purpose in modern America is for businesses to take advantage of consumers by offering deals that are too good to pass up.

Counterpoint: Tradition celebrates family

By Danica Keane Opinion Assistant Thanksgiving can be seen as imperialist or too commercialized. But people can still enjoy the holiday with their families, and this is why Thanksgiving should be celebrated.

November 1621 was the pilgrims’ first corn harvest.

The pilgrims’ invited their native American allies to celebrate with them. This is remembered as America’s first Thanksgiving. Although the history behind this holiday includes friction between the native Americans and pilgrims, times have changed, and Thanksgiving is now a beautiful holiday.

Thanksgiving is even celebrated in other countries, not just in the United States. Thanksgiving is celebrated in Canada, Grenada, St. Lucia, Liberia, and many more on different dates. For example, according to All That’s Interesting, China has a Chung Chiu Moon Festival on the 15th day of the lunar cycle each year.

Chinese families come together and have a three-day feast. Families watch the moon while singing or reciting poetry about it. Sometimes long-distance couples watch the moon at the same time.

Germany celebrates Erntedankfest, which translates to “harvest thanksgiving festival.” Erntedankfest is an opportunity for farmland cultures to give thanks and honor their harvest. There isn’t a specific date that they celebrate, but it’s usually celebrated in mid-September or mid-October. Both Germany and China have a beautiful way of celebrating.

Although Thanksgiving has been commercialized from The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Black Friday, this is not the only commercialized holiday.

The commercialization of Christmas started with the Coca-Cola Santa Claus marketing campaign in 1931.

Holidays are going to be commercialized, especially in this day in age. This isn’t a valid reason to abolish Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a day to come together. Many organizations give back to the homeless by providing free food for them during the holiday, which gives another reason that to be thankful and celebrate Thanksgiving. The holiday should be celebrated and not abolished.

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

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Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

Spotlight

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

By Madeline Gibson Entertainment Assitant

Dawson Crane, sophomore: “Everyone from my family brings something to a big feast at my grandparents’ house.”

Tré Grittner, sophomore: “For Thanksgiving, my cousins and I have a big tradition where we play a football game after our Thanksgiving feast.”

Katelyn Holm, freshman: “We usually invite over family and all cook something individually, then combine the foods together to make Thanksgiving dinner.”

How Thanksgiving became a national holiday

Settlers and Native Americans share food in this illustration of the first Thanksgiving. Image courtesy of huffingtonpost.com.

By Chayton Brewer-Burgin Features Editor

The story of Thanksgiving is well known -the story of the Native Americans and the New England settlers breaking bread as a demonstration of peace and understanding.

In earlier times, Thanksgiving was known

as a peace treaty among the colonists and Wampanoag. Each side shared food such as venison, fish, duck, turkey, eel, shellfish, and geese. This was a day of celebration with both sides speaking broken English and Wampanoag. They signed the peace treaty in 1621 and it lasted until King Philip’s War (1675-1678). Several hundreds of colonists and thousands of Native Americans lost their lives due to the bloodshed in this war.

Continuing from then, after the war, New England colonists became accustomed to the idea of spending time with relatives and loved ones for one day out of the year.

So when the Constitution was ratified, the founding fathers pushed for Thanksgiving to be added into the national holidays.

However, even though many northerners wanted the holiday to be celebrated nationally, many southerners didn’t agree with the idea, fearing that previous Thanksgivings were held under the influence of Great Britain. Many were worried that the holiday would spark more controversy than it would produce unification.

Thanksgiving was not established as a national holiday until the mid-19th century and was finally made a national holiday Oct.

3, 1863. In the middle of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 26.

From there, each year the president proclaimed when Thanksgiving was to be held, and many presidents established it as the last Thursday of November, with few exceptions such as Teddy Roosevelt. He wanted to extend the Christmas shopping season by holding Thanksgiving on the third Thursday of the month. Many states didn’t agree to this, so in 1941 Congress established that Thanksgiving would be held on the fourth Thursday of November.

As time progressed, Thanksgiving became more meaningful, as families started to move further and further from each other. Thanksgiving shifted to a day to bring families back home for the celebration. This gathering tradition continues in many ways. Some people spend the holiday with family, and some with friends.

Others spend time watching football, and some spend it as a reason to cook endlessly. All in all, Thanksgiving can be whatever you want it to be; it’s all about what you choose to be thankful for, and that’s what makes Thanksgiving special.

Spotlight

Ways to give back in 2021

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By Sydney Ball News Assistant With the holidays coming up, it’s important to find ways to give back to the community. One of the best ways to do this is by volunteering.

Some places that are open to volunteering are food banks, animal shelters, and other non-profit organizations.

Lewiston’s food bank is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is always in need of volunteers to help organize, donate and hand out food.

Another option in the local area is L-C Valley Habitat For Humanity. This nonprofit organization has many locations and resources for volunteer work. There are two second-hand stores in the valley that are open to donations and volunteers. Habitat for Humanity often holds events for the community, such as fundraisers. All information for upcoming events is available on their website.

Another way to give back is by starting or participating in a food drive for families in need. Individuals can also visit nursing homes, write letters to senior citizens, donate clothing, or look for ways to help the people around them this winter.

Other ways to give back to the community

• Twin County United Way, unitedway.org

• Idaho Food Bank, idahofoodbank.org

• The YWCA, ywca.org

• Habitat for Humanity, l-cvalleyhabitat.org

• The Salvation Army, salvationarmyusa.org • Lewis Clark Animal Shelter, lcshelter.org

The true story behind the pilgrims

By Josh Tatko Sports Editor On Nov. 11, 1620, the dauntless pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, intent on starting anew in the free land of America after fleeing religious persecution in the tyrannical British Empire.

Except that’s not really what happened.

The pilgrims weren’t coming from Britain, at least not directly.

This is because after they left England, they first traveled to the Netherlands, a place that was just as free as the American colonies.

Then why did they leave the Netherlands? It wasn’t because of persecution -- it was because they didn’t like the Dutch. They felt that the Dutch way of life was inferior to their English prestige, and they didn’t want their children to lose the British culture.

So the pilgrims traveled to the American colonies, hoping to begin anew . . . in an already established

colony. They charted a course for Jamestown, but treacherous storms interfered with their course, and they ended up in Massachusetts, near Cape Cod, in an area they named Plymouth Rock.

Of the 102 passengers of the Mayflower, 45 died in the first winter.

If not for the Patuxet tribe, who the pilgrims had stolen food from in order to survive, it is likely that many more would have died the next year.

Tisquantum, better known as Squanto of the Patuxet tribe, was known for teaching the pilgrims effective farming practices for the native crops. This was vital because most of the crops the pilgrims had brought from Europe had failed. Tisquantum also introduced the pilgrims to the fur trade.

Although the pilgrims managed to survive, with descendents still alive today, they faced avoidable issues and suffered unnecessary losses.

The pilgrims and Native Americans shake hands in agreement. Illustration courtesy of huffingtonpost.com.

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THE BENGAL’S PURR

Features

LHS celebrates Veterans Day

by Seyi Arogundade and Jasmine Schmidt

During an LHS assembly in honor of Veterans Day Nov. 11, Captain Douglas Welch spoke to the entire student body. One important message he had was to treat veterans with respect and not blame soldiers for political wars.

Welch shared that while honoring veterans and all military personnel, it is essential to remember that traditions of giving to and respecting those who served in war were not always the same as they are today. For example, during the Vietnam War, Welch said, soldiers were blamed, scrutinized and even physically hurt due to their service in said war.

In visiting with LHS students after the assembly, many veterans who served in Vietnam regaled the hardships they faced as they reentered civilian life. One veteran described his resume being “thrown in the trash” once the employer saw that he had served. Others talked about “being spit on” or “not being acknowledged.”

The annual LHS Veterans Day assembly is to honor those who put their lives on the line for the nation, and to thank them for their service and sacrifices.

Daniel Beyer Daniel Beyer served from September 1974 to 1994 in Korea, Germany and the United States.

He served in the Army, specifically performing the duties of a peacetime soldier. His most memorable and enjoyable experience while on duty was touring east Berlin in uniform in 1976.

Don Erickson

David Jacks

Don Erickson spent 28 years serving in the Marine Corps. He traveled around the world, including boot camp in San Diego, fighter squad tours in Japan, Korea, Philippines, Norway, Spain and Italy. He said that he feels appreciated when people thank him for his service, and when people tell veterans that they’re worth it.

David Jacks took on many roles in the military, including serving in the National Guard, in combat engineer school, as a medic and as a cook.

He started serving in 1964, served through Vietnam, and continued into 1993. The best experience he had while serving was working with the people, he said.

Randy Olson

Marc Gomez

Randy Olson was in the Navy and Marines from 1969 to 1979. He worked with medics in the Navy. Olson said that that the way to move the country forward is to make the right decisions for the right reasons. His favorite memories from being on duty were the fish expenditures.

Marc Gomez was a Marine who decided to start serving to pay for college. He chose the Marines because he wanted to be “tough.” He traveled from California to Japan and Vietnam. Gomez asked that civilians respect the flag and honor the country to thank veterans. He advised that joining the military is a very personal decision.

Boyd Pederson Boyd Pederson was in the Army and National Guard for Idaho during the Korean War. He served because he knew that he either had to join the guard or get drafted, he said. He personally didn’t face too many difficulties, although he remembered feeling homesick. He served for 41 years and said that it’s great to join the military.

Honoring those who served

Photo by Jasmine Schmidt

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Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 Entertainment Eternals proves that Marvel can make bad films LHS drama group presents fun holiday classic Entertainment

The cast of It’s a Wonderful Life performed Nov. 10-12. Photo courtesy of LHS Drama.

By Hannah Shoffitt News Editor Spoilers ahead! (The movie’s been out for 75 years, so that’s on you if you haven’t seen it.)

The LHS drama club performed It’s a Wonderful Life Nov. 10-12. Cast members recreated the 1946 Christmas classic with great skill and expertise.

The play follows the life of George Bailey (Jacob Bigler), a selfless and hardworking man. The audience watches as a young Bailey (Dekin Carney) saves his younger brother, Harry (Lane Riggs), from drowning and stops the town druggist Mr. Gower (Max Schaffer), from the accidental poisoning of a child. A budding romance with Mary Hatch (Rachel Hughes) ensues, and they later get married.

All would go well in Bedford Falls if it weren’t for the distasteful Henry Potter (Hunter Weigand). Potter, who controls most of the small town financially, is extremely greedy and unfair. George, due to many unfortunate circumstances, is the only force rivaling Potter’s power. He shoulders most of the stress and workload alongside his eccentric Uncle Billy (Trace Steele).

On Christmas Eve, George returns from the office and snaps at Mary and their four children. He then has a mental break and attempts suicide by jumping off a bridge. His class-two guardian angel Clarence (Zachary Steadman) saves him to gain his wings and reveals his identity. George conveys his wish never to be born,

and Clarence grants it. George then encounters old friends and family who either don’t recognize him, are dead (Harry), or imprisoned and outcast (Mr. Gower) because he was never born. George then realizes that life is wonderful and worth living, and Clarence takes back his actions, effectively earning his wings. He then returns to his wife and kids with a new zest for life and a rejuvenated Christmas spirit.

Overall, the play was well executed. Prop removals and transitions were snappy, maintaining a good flow. Bigler and Hughes were excellent leads; the time they spent preparing to create an enjoyable experience for the audience was evident.

The same could be said for all of the cast. Characters such as Violet Bick (Allison Remacle), Uncle Billy, and Annie (Chayli Chastain) added a perfect touch of sass and humor. Ernie (Cael Wilponen) and Bert (Lane Riggs) also made for an entertaining show.

Many cast members played multiple characters, which was very impressive.

The Bailey children (Jilian Herr, Haning, Bridger Cahill, and Brynlee Blegen) were highly talented and adorable. The angels watching over the life of George Bailey (Sarah Kammer, Piper Rickman, and Zach Steadman) helped tie the theme into the plot well.

Regardless, there were some faults. Microphones were turned off and on at incorrect times throughout the play and this amplified breathing and other distracting noises. Unfortunately, this detracted from the experience.

> RATING REASON

The Eternals gather in this film released Nov. 5. Photo courtesy of collider.com.

By Declan Cattrysse Entertainment Editor Marvel’s newest movie, Eternals, is based on comic books of the same name.

Director Chloe Zhao released the film Nov. 5. It has a nice runtime of roughly two and a half hours, as well as a reasonably notable cast including Angelina Jolie (Maleficent, Kung Fu Panda), Kit Harington (Game of Thrones, How to Train Your Dragon), Salma Hayek (Grown-ups, Spy Kids), and even an end-scene cameo featuring British pop star Harry Styles.

Eternals starts with a Star Wars-type introduction, with words scrolling on the screen. It is telling a backstory of sorts. Unfortunately, the backstory leaves out a lot of essential details that are vital to understanding at least a little bit of the story.

For example, it talks about Celestials, Deviants and Arishem but doesn’t tell what any of those are. Viewers are left have to figure it out on their own. It feels as if Marvel is saying that fans need to know all of its lore before seeing this movie. On top of that, every interaction between characters feels oddly awkward and forced. And every scene change feels like a jump-scare with a new camera shot.

The movie starts strong with a nice little fight scene, but this eventful start doesn’t last long because it quickly changes to introduce the cast of 11 heroes. These are the Eternals. However, it would be impossible to be sure who they are because the film never explicitly says this. It isn’t until about an hour in that viewers have the capability of learning everybody’s names.

Throughout the first bit of the movie, several confusing jumps in time and location make the story pretty hard to follow. It’s like one minute it’s in 1550 B.C. Macedonia, and the next minute it’s in present-day South Dakota. Another noticeable flaw is that at no point are any of these characters’ powers explained or mentioned. The only time any power is defined is when Sirsi is basically revealed as Jesus because she changes things to and from water.

After getting past the first hour and a half, viewers are in for a treat. This is when the film finally stops changing time starts explaining things. This is when the movie is good. The fights are all excellent, and the little bits of comedy added are surprisingly funny. Even though the film is 2 hours and 37 minutes long, it feels like the filmmakers packed in a surplus of content and story.

> RATING REASON

By Hannah Shoffitt News Editor

By Declan Cattrysse Entertainment Editor

The LHS drama department did an excellent job with this holiday play and they entertained the audience well.

The cast did fantastic work, with Director Mel Syverson and Assistant Director Olivia Reynolds masterfully coaching and directing. Only technical difficulties distracted from the performance. It’s a Wonderful Life deserves a 4.5 out of five.

This film’s ungodly inability to explain itself makes the first part of the story a significant failure. At the same time, the rest is an average Marvel movie.

For its awkward conversations, lack of exciting conflict, and overall mediocre cinematography, Marvel’s Eternals deserves a 2/5.

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THE BENGAL’S PURR

Variety

Turkeys stage hostile take-over

By Matthew Dugdale Photography Manager

FAKE NEWS Turkeys worldwide have gained sentience and revolted against the popular tradition of turkey meat being served on the dinner table. For years, humans have delighted in eating turkey, but as of Nov. 20 (after turkeys attempted an attack on Area 51 to steal alien technology from the planet Toblerone), President Biden has declared war on the fowl.

As the battle ensues, changes to combat tactics surface. New developments in nuclear technology have been unsuccessful and have mutated the birds into 12-foot beasts. Turkeys have gained control of the nations of the world.

New ruler, Emperor Bok-Bok, made his first announcement as emperor, stating, “Bok bok bok bok.

Bok bok bok bok bok bok bok. Bok bok bok bok bok bok bok bok.”

No further information was provided about what he said.

Under Bok-Bok, humanity has surrendered and become enslaved, forced to eat the scraps of the higher-ups. It seems all hope is lost for the human race.

This is all thanks to the human ancestors, who hunted and ate turkeys for centuries. Today humanity is suffering inevitable consequences.

Image courtesy of laststandonzombieisland.com.

What are you most thankful for?

By Madeline Gibson Entertainment Assistant

Katelynn Kjorness, senior “I’m thankful for the teachers here. I know I’m always supported academically, and I know I can always go to them.”

Julie Burke, teacher “There are so many things -- family, friends, life.”

Aron Hastings, sophomore “I’m thankful for my friend group and mozzarella sticks.”

The Bengal’s Purr Lewiston High School 3201 Cecil Andrus Way Lewiston, ID 83501

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Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

THE BENGAL’S PURR

Meet the Staff

Editor-in-chief-- Rylie Reagan Managing Editor-- Chayton Brewer-Burgin Website Manager-- Cece Thomas News Editor & Opinion Editor-- Hannah Shoffitt Features Editor-- Chayton Brewer-Burgin Entertainment Editor-- Declan Cattrysse Sports Editor-- Josh Tatko Photography Manager-- Matthew Dugdale Business & Distribution Manager-- Ariana Flaig Copyeditors-- Lauren Martin, Rylie Reagan, Jasmine Schmidt, Hannah Shoffitt, Josh Tatko Social Media Manager-- Aydann Long Historian--Seyi Arogundade News Assistants--Sydney Ball, Danica Keane Features Assistants-- Ariana Flaig, Madeline Gibson, Jasmine Schmidt Sports Assistant-- Josie Sager Opinion Assistants-- Seyi Arogundade, Sydney Ball, Madeline Gibson, Danica Keane Entertainment Assistants-- Seyi Arogundade, Sydney Ball, Madeline Gibson, Danica Keane Adviser-- Charity Thompson Egland