VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 49 • MAY 25, 2022
ARTS & CULTURE
SPORTS
OPINION
Shining a light on unseen tragedy P. 6-7
It’s time for the WNBA to expand P. 8-9
Cracking the baby formula deficit P. 10
WE’RE HIRING Copy Editors & News Editor EMAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM
CONTENTS
COVER DESIGN BY SHANNON STEED COVER PHOTOS BY SEAN BASCOM
NEWS PORTLAND YOUTH STRIKE AT CITY HALL FOR CLIMATE ACTION
P. 3
SPORTS THE WNBA NEEDS TO EXPAND IMMEDIATELY
P. 8-9
INTERNATIONAL THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD
P. 4
OPINION WHAT’S THE FORMULA?
P. 10
ARTS & CULTURE FIND IT AT 5TH AVE: THE HOST
P. 5
CAR THEFT IS ON THE RISE: ARE CITY OFFICIALS HELPING?
P. 11
MILAGRO THEATRE PRESENTS CITY WITHOUT ALTAR
P. 6-7
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PLANTS GROWN IN LUNAR SOIL FOR THE FIRST TIME
P. 12
STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Béla Kurzenhauser MANAGING EDITOR Karisa Yuasa PHOTO EDITOR Sofie Brandt SPORTS EDITOR Eric Shelby SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan McConnell NEWS EDITOR Zoe Edelman ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Tanner Todd INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani
OPINION EDITOR Justin Cory ONLINE EDITOR Christopher Ward COPY CHIEF Mackenzie Streissguth DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tanner Todd MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Olivia Lee CONTRIBUTORS Sean Bascom Camden Benesh Nova Johnson Analisa Landeros Kat Leon Milo Loza Ian McMeekan Whitney McPhie Carmen Peters Isabel Zerr
PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shannon Steed
ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
DESIGNERS Leo Clark Mia Levy Whitney McPhie A Pargett
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez
TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Kahela Fickle George Olson Kwanmanus Thardomrong
STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Vacant To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com
MISSION STATEMENT Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.
ABOUT Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Wednesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.
Zoe Edelman
STUDENTS LEAD A GROUP OF STRIKERS DOWN THE STREET HOLDING SIGNS THAT SAY “OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE” AND “PORTLAND DEMANDS CLIMATE ACTION.” SEAN BASCOM/PSU VANGUARD
PORTLAND YOUTH STRIKE AT CITY HALL FOR CLIMATE ACTION ZOE EDELMAN On Friday, May 20 at 11 a.m., students from Portland State and local high schools, along with other concerned community members, gathered at City Hall to protest the lack of climate action taken on local and federal levels. The strike was mainly organized by high school students from various Portland High Schools—and hundreds were in attendance thanks to their efforts. Portland Public Schools had sent out information to students and parents about the strike, foreshadowing a large turnout from the student body as well as the larger Portland community. Flyers detailing the event were also placed throughout the city and around PSU’s campus. “I think it’s really time for us to unite and to come together as an entire city and [as] an entire global community to come against the climate crisis,” said junior Jacob Glass of Ida B. Wells High School, in an interview with KGW. The purpose of the strike is to toughen the pressure on govern-
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ment officials to demand progress be made concerning climate change mitigation. Strengthening renewable energy, cutting harmful emissions, creating reparations for communities disproportionately affected by climate change and providing a sense of urgency are some focuses of the strike. “The people most directly impacted by an issue should be the ones shaping the solutions, and youth are clearly an important voice in policy making,” said Khanh Pham, Oregon House Representative for District 46 (NE/SE Portland). “I would support lowering the voting age to 16 [because they are] old enough to be impacted by gun violence and by all the other issues like the climate crisis, so they need to be able to have a voice in electing officials that are going to be accountable and responsive to their needs.” Another goal outlined by Glass, as well as co-lead Adah Crandall of Grant High School, is to emphasize the importance of adults in the fight against climate change.
“Calling youth inspiring is not enough,” Crandall said. “Young people are powerful, but young people cannot win this fight on their own.” Halting ODOT’s freeway expansion, divesting from companies like Boeing and Wells Fargo and returning land to Indigenous First Nations are some of the concrete demands of the strike. Youth in attendance were passionate about collective action and mutual support, as well. “We will not let capitalism, corporations and politicians destroy us and our environment because we have a planet to defend,” said Danny Cage, Portland Public Schools Policy Committee member and Grant High School student. “We stand with all movements— from Indigenous people protesting pipelines, working to protect their land, [to] the Land Back movement here in America and all nations. And recognize the climate crisis did not start with corporations burning oil—it started with colonialism and capitalism; it started with stolen people on stolen land.”
NEWS
3
THIS WEEK
WORLD
around the
May 16–22
1
2
3
JESSE ROPERS 1
May 16
NUNAVUT, CANADA
After four years of constant litigation, the Nunavut Impact Review Board rejected a request from Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation to massively increase iron mining at the top of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. The proposed iron mine would have taken advantage of the massive deposits of iron in the region, at the cost of potentially destroying the narwhal population in the area— damaging the food security of Inuit people who rely on the animals. The announcement was a pleasant surprise for the conservation activists and Inuits who have been fighting against the company’s expansion. “I actually cried,” said Chris Debicki, vice president and counsel at the environmental protection organization Oceans North. “The case against expansion at this moment was too strong and community opposition
4
INTERNATIONAL
was too loud.” The review board stated it found “significant and lasting negative effects on marine mammals, the marine environment, fish, caribou and other terrestrial wildlife, vegetation and freshwater.” The negative effects were stated to greatly impact Inuit harvesting, culture, land use and food security. According to Arctic marine biologist Kristen Westal, there was an “incredible, statistically significant decline in the narwhal population in this area” since Baffinland began its mining operations in 2015. The most common explanation for the decline is the mining transport ships interrupting the narwhal’s echolocation.
May 17 2
KHARTOUM, SUDAN
After a revolution in April 2019 ousted the country’s 30-year dictator Omar al-Bashir, an interim government was put in place to
transition Sudan to civilian rule. However, in Oct. 2021, the military seized power, dismantling the temporary government and setting up a power system similar to al-Bashir’s. Since then, protesters have been met with brutal tactics used by security forces including tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition. One protestor donning a suit and mask—nicknamed the Spider-Man of Sudan—has become a symbol of protests in the country. “The military and counter-revolutionary parties, they stole Sudan’s revolution,” said Spidey to The Guardian. “They are like the former government of 30 years— there’s no difference between them and [al-Bashir’s] National Congress Party.” According to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, over 95 people have been killed in the protests since October. One of these confirmed deaths was Spider-
Man’s close childhood friend. His friend’s death was the reason he put on the suit, claiming that it is an homage to him, as well as a reference to the spider who spun a web before the entrance of the cave Prophet Mohammed was hiding in, which made his enemies pass by. “The night comes and the night goes, everyday is like this,” Spidey said to The Guardian. “With the will of God, we still come out. Until today we continue to try to liberate the country but we have no fear. The people of Sudan, all of them, will continue to face the security forces and their bullets.” 3
May 19
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
For the first time in its history, Sri Lanka has defaulted on its loans. Inflation rose to 40%, as food, fuel and medicine shortages, along with rolling blackouts, led to nation-
wide protests. The government announced Thursday that it had fallen into pre-emptive default, making it the first country in the Asia Pacific to ever default on an international loan. The loan in question was for $78 million. “Our position is very clear: until there is a debt restructure, we cannot repay,” said Nandale Weerasinghe, the central bank governor, to The Guardian. Sri Lanka’s central bank opened discussions with the International Monetary Fund, calling the details for moving forward “expeditious arrangements…to commence the external debt restructuring process.” The economic upset has been mostly blamed on the combination of COVID-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the financial crisis is only expected to get worse over the next few months before any improvements will be made.
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
FIND IT AT 5TH:
The Host
CREATURE FEATURE EXAMINES INTERSECTION OF CLASS AND ENVIRONMENTALISM SONG KANG-HO AS PARK GANG-DU IN THE HOST (2006). COURTESY OF MADMAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY. LTD.
MILO LOZA MILO LOZA
Find It It AtAt 5th Ave. is is a recurring column thatthatdent at PSU with a degree media artsinand been some of social a Love Story.to 5th Avenue is known and loved for Find 5th Ave. a recurring column reviews, previews “I in saw it first 2010,have when myabout sister gotsort really into struggle,” Bong In addition being a timely ecologically-focused ins reviews, previews and explores running and upfilm from Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts. Johnson said. “For the people who have seen playing foreign films like these, especially filmsHost corre and explores running and upcoming films at PSU’s independent Joon-ho’s movies and she was like, ‘you’ve got to see The Host!’” to the theater’s May lineup, Johnson said The coming films at PSU’s independent movie theater, “I’ve seen this movie probably four or five Parasite, it’s so relevant because it deals really which relate to contemporary issues. movie theater, 5th Avenue Cinema. While completing their associate’s degree in media arts, the with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage “I think [The Host] has a lot of qualities that 5th Avenue Cinema. times,” Johnson said. “It’s all about ecological well with class struggle, and this movie is very animator of The Host’s monster came to the school to talk about Other Asian movies played this year include In the mismanagement by the city government, na- similar in that way. The ones I’ve seen have all a lot of movie-goers like,” Johnson said. “It This weekend,Portland Portland State’s willandhis Johnson the film two more times. Comrades: Almost Love Story. 5th A This weekend, State’s 5th5th Ave-Avenue tionalCinema government theprocess—and impacts of ecologihadrewatched class dynamics involved and sort of deal Love, hasDevdas humor, and tension, action—and theapolitical “That’s on when I was really like, ‘damn this is a sweet movie,’” known and loved for playing foreign films like these, e be The (2006), South Korean directed by nuescreening Cinema will beHost screening The aHost (2006), calfilm disaster and mismanagement people.” with political questions.” themes aren’t heavy-handed. You can really Johnson said. to contemporary issues. Bong Joon-ho. a South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho. Johnson said they were first introduced to “[The Host] is very related to class, but films justwhich enjoy relate the movie.“ Hostfollows followsPark ParkGang-du Gang-du (Song Bong’swho filmsowns through family. through the lens ofspotlight ecologicalafter impact,” There [The are very pre“I think Host]few hasbarriers a lot of which qualities that a lot o The Host (Song Kang-ho) a theirBong was thrust into the international theJohnson sucsawHee-bong it first in 2010,cess when re-Parasite, Kang-ho) who a small snack with bar byhis the continued. people impacted moregoers ventlike,” viewers from enjoying though Johnson said. “ItThe hasHost, humor, tension, act small snack barowns by the Han River father“I Park ofmy hissister 2019got film which“Poor was the firstare South Korean Han River with his father Park Hee-bongof (Byun into Bong Joon-ho’s movies and she was Award drastically by climate change—in thisthe case atheJohnson ofaren’t a grossheavy-handed. scene where the (Byun Hee-bong). When hundreds bottlesally of formaldehyde film to receive Academy recognition. Parasite was also politicalwarned themes You can r Hee-bong). of bottles of formallike,strange ‘you’ve got to see The chemical monster regurgitates a person. are pouredWhen downhundreds a drain which leads to the river, sightfirstHost!’” non-English language film tospill.” win an Oscar for best picture. enjoy the movie.“ Johnson called The Host a film about politidehyde are poured down a drain which leads to While completing their associate’s degree “If you don’t like that kind of thing, if you get ings quickly follow suit. “From my experience, all [of Bong’s films] have been about There are very few barriers which prevent viewers fro the river, strange sightings quickly follow suit. in media arts, the animator of The Host’s mon- cal accountability, and the ways climate and grossed out, I’d say you could pass,” Johnson An amphibious creature is spotted more and more frequently, some sort of social struggle,” Johnson said. “For the people who ing The Host, though Johnson warned of a gross scene w An amphibious creature is spotted more and ster came to the school to talk about his pro- ecological preservation are still not being met. said. as fishfrequently, in the river begin diebegin off. Once creatureJohnson finally rewatched have seenthe Parasite, relevant becauseasititdeals well monster regurgitates a person. more as fish in thetoriver to die thecess—and film twoit’s so “It’s just as relevant was in really 2006,” Johnson The only other thing which would possibly “If you don’t like that kind of thing, if you emerges from the water, Gang-du and his family try to escape with class struggle, and this movie is very similar in that way. off. Once the creature finally emerges from the more times. said. “It feels like governments are failing to the deter someone is the subtitles. Johnson re-get grosse say you could pass,” Johnson said. the riverside to avoid its attacks, but his daughter Hyun-seo (Go The ones I’ve seen have all had class dynamics involved and sort “That’s when I was really like, ‘damn this is a same degree, if not more, as they were 16 years called Bong Joon-ho’s speech when he won the water, Gang-du and his family try to escape the Ah-sung) is avoid snatched by the beast. film follows Gang-du as ofsaid. deal with political questions.” only other whichbarrier wouldprevent possibly deter sweet movie,’” Johnson ago, when it comes to handling environmental The riverside to its attacks, but hisThe daughOscar: ”Don’t let thing the one-inch Bong was thrust international disastersto that directly people.” yousubtitles. from seeing movies.”recalled Bong Joon-ho’s spee terattempts Hyun-seo to (Gosave Ah-sung) is snatched by the he his daughter from the monster while theinto the “[The Host] isspotvery related class, butimpact through the lens is the Johnson lightcomes after the success 2019 film Parasite, beast. The film follows Gang-du as hedeadly attempts In addition to being a“Poor timely ecologically-foButthe Johnson praised Thelet Host a great start Oscar: ”Don’t theasone-inch barrier pre government tries to control a new, virus that with it. ofofhis ecological impact,” Johnson continued. people are he won toThis save his daughter fromwas the monster while which was the Andi first South Korean film to receive cusedbyinstallment to the theater’s lineup, forseeing people movies.” wanting to get into film. impacted more drastically climate change—in thisMay case a from monster movie chosen by 5ththe Avenue Cinema’s government tries to control a new, deadly virus Academy Award recognition. Parasite was also Johnson said The Host corresponded with Asian But“It’s come up in school inHost a few as different chemical spill.” Johnson—a history student at PSU with a degree in media arts Johnson praised The a greatconstart for peo that comes with it. the first non-English language film to win an American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. texts, so if you’re like ‘I’ll never go to film school and film from Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts. Johnson called The Host a film about political account- ing to get into film. This monster movie was chosen by 5th Oscar for best picture. Other Asian movies played this year include In but I want to see movies that they show,’ maybe “It’s come up in school in a few different contexts, so “I’ve seen this movie probably four or five times,” Johnson said. ability, and the ways climate and ecological preservation are Avenue Cinema’s Andi Johnson—a history stu“From my experience, all [of Bong’s films] the Mood for Love, Devdas and Comrades: Almost The Host is one,” Johnson said.
“It’s all about ecological mismanagement by the city government, national government and the impacts of ecological disaster and mismanagement on people.” Johnson said they were first introduced to Bong’s films through their family. PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
still not being met. “It’s just as relevant as it was in 2006,” Johnson said. “It feels like governments are failing to the same degree, if not more, as they were 16 years ago, when it comes to handling environmental disasters that directly impact people.”
like ‘I’ll never go to film school but I want to see movies show,’ maybe The Host is one,” Johnson said.
ARTS & CULTURE
5
MILAGRO THEATRE PRESENTS
CITY WITHOUT ALTAR
A PERFORMANCE ACKNOWLEDGING TRAGEDY AND CELEBRATING LIVES LIVED
ORLANDO REYES CABRERA, SHALEESA MORENO, LIZ KECK, FALYNN VICTORIA BURTON, BIANCA JORDAN CHA-CAMP AND EMMANUEL KYEI-BAFFOUR IN A SCENE FROM CITY WITHOUT ALTAR. KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD
“One of the most important things is for people to tell their stories and not let those stories be silenced or suppressed.” 6
ARTS & CULTURE
KAT LEON History is written by the victors—an adage which often seems to ring true. Whether you agree with this statement or not, there are most definitely stories throughout history which go untold. Portland-based Milagro Theatre’s current production, City Without Altar, tells one such story. The play, which runs May 13–28, details the events of the Parsley Massacre, which occurred in the Dominican Republic in 1937. Despite the importance of the event in both Haitian and Dominican history, the tragedy is under discussed outside of the country where it happened. Si Mon’ Emmett—the San Francisco-based theater educator, actor, arts activist and director of City Without Altar—admitted that she herself wasn’t aware of the event until she read the script for the play. “I did not know [about the massacre] at all, and that is such a common experience for people,” Emmett said. “Anyone who has asked, ‘What is City Without Altar?’...I explain to them the Parsley Massacre of 1937. They have no idea that this is some-
thing that happened.” The Parsley Massacre happened on the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Oct. 2, 1937. Although tensions existed between Dominicans and Haitians before 1937, the border was more of a formality, and the lives of both peoples were closely intertwined. This ended in 1937, when Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo demanded that his troops kill Haitians—and Dominicans of Haitian descent. According to the San Francisco Bay View, “any person who was dark-skinned or ‘looked’ Haitian, who could not pronounce ‘perejil’ (Spanish for parsley) was killed.” Armed with machetes to maintain the facade that Dominican farmers were driving out Haitian cattle thieves, Dominican soldiers killed thousands of Haitian men, women and children in a genocide which lasted up to eight days. The author of City Without Altar, Jasminne Mendez, highlighted the importance of bringing light to the event.
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BIANCA JORDAN CHA-CAMP AS CENALIA IN CITY WITHOUT ALTAR. KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD
“One of the most important things is for people to tell their stories and not let those stories be silenced or suppressed,” Mendez said. Emmett, the play’s director, added that even in the region where it occurred, the story is still suppressed. “It is a moment of history that has been brushed under the rug,” Emmett said. “Even in the Dominican Republic where it happened, it is not talked about. There is no tangible commemoration of what has happened.” Intentional or not, Emmett said ignorance of the event underscored the need to bring it to light. “[The lack of acknowledgment] speaks to the urgency and need for this play [City Without Altar] to happen here and to happen now,” Emmett said. Emmett became personally involved in the project in 2021, when she was invited to direct a Zoom reading of City Without Altar. In late 2021, Milagro Theatre decided to move forward with a full production of the play, and asked Emmett to return to direct it. With a clear vision of the story she wanted to tell, Emmett took the job. Milagro Theatre, which staged the production, has a rich story of its own. The theater company was started by José Eduardo González y Salazar and Dañel Malán, in 1984. In 1989, González created the Hispanic Cultural Festival, and in 1992, the Theatre dedicated itself solely to producing Hispanic works of theater, art and culture—a mission that it remains dedicated to today. Milagro’s commitment to making space for Portland’s vibrant and beautiful Latinx community makes it an ideal platform to tell the story of City Without Altar. In addition to raising awareness of this hidden tragedy, it also recounts the stories of the Haitians and celebrates their lives in this great cultural center. Mendez said that this is an essential part of the play’s mission. “[We try] to not only remember [one’s ancestors] by their traumas and their grief,” she said. “But to remember the wonderful, beautiful lives that they lived—the whole lives that they lived.” Emmett similarly acknowledged this aspect of the production.
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“That is the point of this work—to say their names [and] to acknowledge and celebrate the life that was in this community, so that we don’t forget,” she said. “So that we remember the importance of…building an altar; to ask what happened, why did this happen, how do we move forward and how do we begin to heal.” Altars play a significant role in the meaning of the play. While they have different uses across cultures and religions, in the Latinx community, altars are most commonly built for Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The purpose of an altar in many Latinx cultures is to honor and celebrate the lives of one’s ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. In City Without Altar, the symbol of the altar speaks to the tone and purpose of the show. Besides providing education, the production also honors and celebrates the lives of those killed and affected by the Parsley Massacre. “We are telling the story of lives of people, and we are bringing into this space the act of creating our own altar of this stage being our offering—of this story being our offering,” Emmett said. “Being able to do that as an artist…is very fulfilling.” Emmanuel KyeiBaffour, a D.C.-based actor who plays a part in the play, also em-
phasized the need to keep memories alive. “One way to keep [those that have passed on] alive, and to honor them, is to remember them,” Kyei-Baffour said. “To say their names and tell their stories. And this [production of City Without Altar] is an opportunity to do all those things. I hope people will keep that in mind.”
FALYNN VICTORIA BURTON, BIANCA JORDAN CHA-CAMP AND SHALEESA MORENO IN A SCENE FROM CITY WITHOUT ALTAR. KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD
ARTS & CULTURE
7
THE CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA BEFORE THE GAME. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
THE WNBA NEEDS TO EXPAND IMMEDIATELY PREDICTED CHOICES FOR THE LEAGUE ERIC SHELBY The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) needs to expand immediately. There’s no better time than now to do so, as its ratings are up by 51% and investors are willing to invest $75 million in the league. There are currently 12 active teams in the league, and there have never been more than 16 teams in one season because of teams folding and relocating. The WNBA’s most notable team was the four-time champion Houston Comets, a founding team in the WNBA’s inaugural season of 1997. They won the first four WNBA championships and folded in 2008, eight years after their championship run ended. The league has not expanded since the Atlanta Dream was es-
8
SPORTS
tablished that same year. Of the eight WNBA teams that started off the inaugural season, only four are still active. One of those four teams, the Las Vegas Aces, have rebranded from the Utah Starzz to the San Antonio Silver Stars before becoming the team we know today. During its inaugural season, the WNBA’s rival was the American Basketball League (ABL)—which, at the time, did better than the WNBA because of the ABL’s access to star players coming out of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The ABL was able to recruit multiple gold medalists from the USA team, such as Portland native Katy Steding. The ABL folded in 1999, and the WNBA expanded its teams with the Seattle
Storm and Indiana Fever. The league also expanded when former players of the ABL joined the WNBA’s teams. Now, the WNBA has had a dormant 12 teams in the league since 2010, including the relocations of the Tulsa Shock to Dallas, rebranded as the Dallas Wings, and the San Antonio Stars relocating to Las Vegas, becoming the Las Vegas Aces. Since there are 12 teams in the league, each team has 12 roster spots—and of those 12 spots, five are starters. 12 teams and 12 spots on each team means that there are only 144 spots in the whole league, coming out of a WNBA draft with options from 353 NCAA Division I schools. 42% of the players drafted since the league started in 1997
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
never actually made the roster. There are also no reserved spots on the roster for injured players. These and other obstacles make it hard for young, talented players to secure a roster spot. On the other hand, the NBA has 15 spots on each team, with 20 in the offseason. There are 30 teams in the NBA, so there are 450 players in the league. If you don’t make it to the NBA, there is also the G League, a minor league for young rising talent. The WNBA does not have that, so prospects who don’t make it have to take a chance overseas playing with European teams. Current Washington Mystics forward Alysha Clark was a star for Middle Tennessee State University when she was in college, and then was drafted as second-round 17th pick in 2010 with the San Antonio Stars—but never got her start. Clark was lucky enough to play overseas until she started with the Seattle Storm in 2012. The WNBA has expanded many times before and has seen a lot of teams come and go. Its commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, announced that she wanted to expand the league with two more teams within the next few years. Expansion could follow in a few different footsteps. The Connecticut Sun, formerly the Orlando Miracle, moved to Connecticut because of the success of UConn, a team that had a regular season conference win-streak of 145, the longest in NCAA women’s basketball history. The Sun was the first ever
franchise in the WNBA to not share its market with an NBA team, and has been steady ever since. The Seattle Storm is the second team without a shared NBA market since the relocation of the Seattle Supersonics in 2008. There are several other cities that could thrive with WNBA expansion. For instance, the Houston Comets were the WNBA’s first-ever dynasty, winning the first four championships and producing superstars like Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson. Houston is a sports city and has a team in almost every major league, along with a metropolitan area of 2.31 million people. The Comets were one of the founding teams in 1997, but folded in 2008 due to new ownership and relocation to another arena. The new owner of the team, Hilton Koch, put the team for sale—but no one bought them. Portland could also benefit from expansion. The Portland Fire was a team in the WNBA that existed for just three seasons from 2000–2002, without making the playoffs—one of the shortest lived teams in the league. With the rise of popularity in women’s sports such as the Portland Thorns soccer team, which leads the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in peak attendance with an average of 14,391 fans per game, women’s basketball in Portland could be much more appreciated today. The WNBA shouldn’t just be limited to the U.S., either. Rapper
and Toronto native Drake said he wanted a WNBA team in his hometown. Drake is already an ambassador for the Toronto Raptors NBA team, and with Drake’s platform, he could make noise in the city up north. The Toronto Raptors already have a massive fanbase as they are the only NBA team in Canada, so the whole country could be behind the new WNBA team. The Bay Area is also a good basketball location, no doubt. The Golden State Warriors unite the Bay Area with championship runs and stars like Steph Curry. With the Warriors finding a new home at Chase Center in San Francisco, it would make sense to have a WNBA team that can match the energy of an established fanbase. The Bay Area was in the forefront of the league’s mind when the late Sacramento Monarchs were on the brink of folding, but no deal was made. Having a WNBA team in San Francisco could also rival the Los Angeles Sparks and continue the LA-San Francisco sports rivalry. All of the cities listed above already have an NBA team that they can share the market with. Columbia, South Carolina does not. However, the University of South Carolina women’s team is a powerhouse in basketball. Having a WNBA team in the same metropolitan area as a team that produces talent like USC alumni A’ja Wilson—currently with the Las Vegas Aces—could be good for the sport.
THE SEATTLE STORM FLAG BEING WAVED BEFORE THE GAME AGAINST THE MINNESOTA LYNX. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
THE SEATTLE STORM FACING OFF AGAINST THE MINNESOTA LYNX. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
SPORTS
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WHAT’S THE FORMULA? FAMILIES IN DESPERATION FROM SHORTAGE CAMDEN BENESH Families all across the United States are being left without the proper formula to feed their children, and keep them full and healthy. In the midst of the pandemic and the consequent economic disruption with inflation, the global supply chain just couldn’t keep up. While there is high demand, according to Bloomberg News, a delay in shipping and shortage of labor has really affected the scarcity of baby formula—but more so the recalling of a particular formula. Abbott Laboratories’ powdered instant baby formula was recalled due to reports of bacteria growing inside and making babies sick. This tainted formula could lead to meningitis and sepsis—precisely what you don’t want your kids to experience at such a vulnerable age. The shortages are wreaking havoc, especially for families with specific baby formula needs. Imagine your child needs a certain formula due to an allergy—things aren’t just bad, they could be dire. Finding the right formula is crucial. As Ashley Maddox, mother of two, told The Guardian, she navigated this troubling time by creating a Facebook group for people in her area. By connecting with parents and other concerned people, she’s able to find the right formula in a timely manner. “I connected with a gal in my group and she had seven cans of the formula I need that was just sitting in her house that her baby didn’t need anymore,” Maddox explained. “So I drove out, it was about a 20-minute drive, and picked it up and paid her. It was a miracle.” With the power of the internet and social media, parents are to connect and overcome the worry about shortages at stores.
While social media can induce a perpetual sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), it can also bring together people in need. While some parents have been lucky, being resourceful in this instance might not always be a good thing. Diluting baby formula can actually be harmful due to the lack of nutrients going into the baby’s system. While it may seem like the right thing to do in this survival situation, it is less likely the baby will be healthy, happy and ready for the next time they eat. It seems like Congress is already tackling this headfirst. One bill passed in the House would provide $28 million in emergency funding to help speed up the production process, though 12 Republicans voted against it. The bill was passed 231-192, but it is clear some are against a bill that will supply baby formula on short notice to families in dire need. The bill not only speeds up the whole process but will also work with the FDA to ensure that future shortages don’t happen. It will also prevent potentially harmful products like the initially recalled formula from entering the U.S. market again. Other bills are still in the works, but, all and all, this is great news on relatively short notice. However, with the recent response from the Republican Party, the road to getting more bills passed for the baby formula shortage might be a bumpy one. Having a fast response to this crisis is definitely a breath of relief for many families. I like to think that things in life can’t get any crazier, yet it seems I’m proven wrong every day. If you are a parent out there and are struggling with finding any baby formula, rest assured because the formula—quite literally—is on its way. WHITNEY MCPHIE
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OPINION
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
HOT WHEELS
CAR THEFT RISES, ARE CITY OFFICIALS HELPING?
LOOKING OVER CARS AND GRASS ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER. CAMDEN BENESH/PSU VANGUARD IAN MCMEEKAN Picture this scenario: you just got off work and walked down to the parking garage where you left your car this morning. When you got there, much to your dismay, your car was gone and you didn’t know what to do. In recent years, this has been a frequent problem in Portland. According to Willamette Week, last September 903 vehicles were reported stolen in Portland. The number rose to 1,031 for the month of October. In the past year, 11,161 vehicles were reported stolen by the Portland Police Bureau, though the data has not completed the quality control process. The number of stolen cars has risen significantly since the beginning of the pandemic, and concerned Portlanders have researched what our city officials are doing about this dire problem. Willamette Week also reported that, according to data provided by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors reject more than one-third of auto theft cases presented to them by police. This rate remains
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
essentially unchanged, despite the passage of House Bill 2328—a 2019 law aimed at making it easier to prove a car was stolen. These rejections are due to a loophole in the law that states that there must be proof that the person stealing the vehicle didn’t know the car was not their own. This is further supported by the District Attorney’s spokeswoman, Elisabeth Shepard. “When you overcome those obstacles on the policing side, new obstacles arise on the prosecution side,” Shepard said. “Even with the new legislation, the burden of proof from the state still relies on the defendant knowingly taking a vehicle without the consent or permission of the victim beyond a reasonable doubt. We simply cannot rely on circumstantial evidence alone to say that someone stole a car. That’s how the law works.” Despite this law being in effect, it is not enough. Existing loopholes harm victims of car theft so changes need to be
made. As of right now, it seems not much has been done to correct this flaw in House Bill 2328. Meanwhile, cars are getting stolen, and people are getting away with it. This is unacceptable—our city officials are supposed to keep this from happening. It is literally their job to make and enforce laws to keep this sort of thing from occurring. We need to urge our city officials to do more about this. At the minimum, a provision of the law should be added to state that if you are found driving a vehicle without a license that matches the name on the registration, you must return the vehicle after the owner is found. Perhaps this is already codified into the law, but as of now, it hasn’t been applied. We can’t continue to have cars stolen without a functioning mechanism of justice to challenge it. If the law were fixed, perhaps you wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not your car stays in the parking garage when you leave it there before work.
OPINION
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PLANTS GROWN IN LUNAR SOIL FOR THE FIRST TIME APOLLO SAMPLES GIVE BIRTH TO PLANT LIFE
A PLANT GROWN IN THE EXPERIMENT PLACED INTO A VIAL FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS. TYLER JONES/UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
AN ARABIDOPSIS PLANT GROWN IN LUNAR SOIL. TYLER JONES/UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
RYAN MCCONNELL The University of Florida succeeded in growing the first plants exclusively in lunar soil samples. Published May 12, this ongoing research has been funded by NASA since the Apollo samples were collected 50 years ago. Now, scientists can officially confirm that plants can grow on regolith, the dusty lunar surface. Regolith resembles a fine powder of rock that was crushed or melted over billions of years due to micrometeorites hitting the moon’s surface. Micrometeorites don’t typically exist on Earth because the Earth is protected from these speckles of debris by our atmosphere—the very same atmosphere that’s being damaged due to climate change. The Apollo samples taken and those used for this recent study had key differences between them. For example, samples from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 missions were collected deeper inside the moon’s surface than those from Apollo 11. The first organic species to successfully sustain itself in the lunar soil is known as thale cress, a common weed found across Eurasia and Africa. These plants are highly adaptable and often able to grow in vastly different environments due to simple genetic mutations that differentiate populations across the world. Their short life cycle and small growth habit, combined with the genetic variety, make them perfect candidates for genetic research, enabling them to be modified to grow in strange environments. Thale cress grew in three different Apollo samples: Apollo 11, 12 and 17. The Apollo 11 sample was considered the closest to the outer surface of the moon, which included more iron particles and more exposure to dangerous phenomena— such as solar winds and cosmic rays, a form of radiation scattered throughout the universe. After 20 days of growth, the scientists harvested the plants
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SCIENCE & TECH
right before they flowered and ground them to study their RNA, to understand what kinds of genes were expressed between the organism’s cells. This technique measures a plant’s stress levels—the more stressed a plant is, the more stress-induced genes it passes on through its RNA. Unsurprisingly, the plants grown in lunar soil showed clear signs of stress in their RNA and physical structure. Samples closest to the lunar surface showed the most signs of stress, including slow growth, low leaf volume and slight discoloration—and passed along 465 stress-related genes. Samples from deeper inside the moon’s outer crust seemed to indicate fewer stress levels, but were still stunted compared to the controls. Plants grown in the Apollo 12 sample produced around 265 stress genes, while the Apollo 17 sample produced only around 113. Lunar soil found deeper within the moon’s surface is therefore more sustaining of plant life than the material found directly above its surface. Simply growing these plants in lunar soil doesn’t mean they can be dropped off on the moon to grow and expand on their own. Plants, like all living things on Earth, depend on many of the features that we rely on ourselves. Water, sunlight, pressure and carbon dioxide are still necessary for a plant to sustain itself. Without an atmosphere, heat and gas particles can’t be contained long enough. Developing structures on different planets or moons that can provide life-sustaining features would mean plants could grow and adapt to the local soil itself. This kind of research only marks the beginning of a long, arduous process to form life on other planets. However, knowing plants can live on other forms of soil—different from the Earth’s crust—means projects like inhabiting Mars are still possible.
PLANTS GROWN IN VOLCANIC ASH (BOTTOM) AND PLANTS GROWN IN LUNAR SOIL (TOP) AFTER 16 DAYS. TYLER JONES/UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
PSU Vanguard • MAY 25, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
