The Easterner Volume 100 Issue 20

EEasterner The

April 20, 2017

V100 • N1• Independent student journalism SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 V100 N20 Independent Student Journalism

Table TheEasterner of Contents

3 News 8 A&E 10 Features 12 Opinion 14 Sports

one thing you could do to be more Easterner Asks: What’s environmentally friendly?

Staff List Editor-in-Chief Rosie Perry 509-359-6737 easterner.editor@ewu.edu Managing Editor Brad Brown easterner.mngeditor@ewu.edu Web and Social Media Director Jordan Perry easterner.online@gmail.com Chief Copy Editor Colette-Janae Buck easterner.copy@gmail.com News Editor Kristi Lucchetta easterner.news@gmail.com Arts, Entertainment and Features Editor Erin Rebar easterner.aef@gmail.com

Karen Gutierrez freshman “I could recycle more.

When they have the recycling trash cans out I can be more careful to use them.”

Jennifer Baird junior “I would plant more trees. I would dig a hole with my hands and plant a tree.”

Jay Jones junior “Use a solar-powered battery charger.”

Andrew Myers junior “Start with more recycling. It’s something I’m trying to start to do, but it’s kind of weird to get into because I’m not used to it. ”

Mikaela Shomburg freshman “Probably biking and walking instead of driving.”

Andrew Logan senior “Take shorter showers.”

Sports Editor Brandon Cline easterner.sports@gmail.com Art Director Abbi Vance easterner.photo@gmail.com

Featured picture of the week:

Designer Gerald Maib

Submission Guidelines:

Lucyfur Abbi Vance for The Easterner

Content Editor Ian Bouchard

To submit photos, attach the largest file size in an email to the Art Director at e a s t e r n e r. p h o t o @ g m a i l . c o m , accompanied by your first and last name, photo name and no more than 50 words describing your photograph.

The picture does not have to correlate with any content being printed the week of.

All submissions must be recieved

by Monday night the week you would like it to be published. Photos must be appropriate and not include any obsceneties.

While I was home on spring break, I was playing aroud with effects on my phone. I took this picture of my cat Lucy, a.k.a. Lucifer, with the depth effect. You can see, in just the way shes looking at the camera, why we named her Lucifer. Nonetheless she’s a photogenic cat.

Copy Editor Logan Stanley Staff Reporters Riley Baker Kyle Fredricks Logan Stahl Photographer Whitney Bolar Ivone Garza Faculty Adviser Carleigh Hill

About The Easterner

Program Adviser Samantha Armstrong Ash

Our Mission

The mission of The Easterner is to inform the students, faculty, staff and nearby residents of Eastern Washington University of the governance, activities and views of the campus while providing a learning environment for students interested in journalism and related fields. Our main goal is to publish high-quality news content to the community of Eastern Washington University.

Circulation The Easterner publishes a weekly print version as well as web content during the week at http://www. easterneronline.com. The Easterner is distributed throughout the Cheney campus and business district as well as Riverpoint and various Spokane businesses. If you would like The Easterner to be distributed at your business call the Advertising Department at 509-359-7010.

Corrections

The Eastern student newspaper never knowingly publishes inaccuracies. If any error is found, the student newspaper is obligated to correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the source of the error. A consistent location, signature and style for corrections will be used.

Correction: We incorrectly printed Scott Barnes when it should have been Sean Barnes and $75,000 instead of $750,000 in the Old High School Loft Housing story.

Front

Abbi Vance | Art Director This week we chose to place the Grove Assualt case on front due to the recent trials that occured this last week.

One of the suspects has been found guilty of attempted murder and first degree assualt, but the envelope on front remains open just like the case.

Illustration by Abbi Vance

Address | The Easterner EWU, Isle Hall 102 Cheney, WA 99004 Office Line | (509) 359-6737 Advertising Line | (509) 359-7010

2 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

NEWS

Former EWU student Robert Schreiber testified in court Thursday, April 13 against his assaulter John T. Mellgren in Grove assault case | Contributed by Wikimedia

Spokane Jury Convicts Man Who Attempted to Murder EWU Student Kristi Lucchetta News Editor John T. Mellgren, who was found guilty of attempted murder in the first degree and assault in the first degree, sat in the courtroom hearing testimonies from witnesses, the victim, doctors and police officers.

The trial began April 10 and lasted until April 18 when the jury returned with a verdict.

Mellgren faces a 17- to 22-year prison sentence.

Mellgren was accused of brutally assaulting victim Robert Drew Schreiber, a former EWU student, on the night of Oct. 8 at the Grove Apartments.

This assault left Schreiber with multiple skull fractures and bleeding in the brain. His state was equivalent to a dead body, with the lowest possible Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of three, Dr. Travis Dierks, emergency room physician at Sacred Heart Medical Center, said.

Dierks was the physician working the night of Oct. 8 when Schreiber was brought into the emergency room.

“He had significant head trauma and torso trauma,” Dierks said.

Dierks said Schreiber was immediately rushed in the hands of a neurosurgeon once the CT scans showed significant bleeding between the bone and the brain inside the skull.

“That’s horrible,” said Dierks.

“That is the worst-case scenario regarding head trauma.”

Dierks said he was surprised when he heard Schrieber had survived the trauma.

After Dierks testimony on April 13, Schrieber walked to the stand with the assistance from a cane that he said he has to use occasionally since the assault.

Schreiber said he doesn’t remember anything from the night of Oct. 8. The most recent memory he can recall up to that night is

from the day before when him and his mom went shopping in Spokane at a North Face store. He then remembers waking up in the hospital being in immense pain.

“It was horrible,” said Schrieber. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever had in my whole life. I wasn’t able to communicate at all, verbally or physically.”

Schreiber said he woke up blind and very confused. He could only hear what was going on around him but didn’t know why he was there. He also had to have a piece of his skull removed twice, which Schrieber described as more pain than he could ever have imagined.

Once Schreiber was released from the hospital, his physical and mental state still needed a large amount of improvement. He said he has to take at least 50 pills a day, and that some medications can leave him completely debilitated.

He said the medication makes it challenging for him when planning

his daily activities around which pills he takes and when. He also sees a doctor, on average, every other day.

When asked about other medical conditions, Schreiber described his vision as being 50 percent visibility and said he suffers from short term memory loss, stomas, numbness on certain parts of his body and has trouble sleeping.

“It’s like my brain doesn’t go to sleep as well but my body is exhausted,” said Schreiber. “I teach myself how to nap.”

Schrieber said he is just thankful for being alive and is trying not to take anything for granted.

“I want to do as much as I can,” Schrieber said.

Schreiber said he is currently taking an education class online and has software downloaded on his computer to communicate the textbook to him because he cannot read.

Cheney Detective Justin Hobbs then took to the stand. The prosecution team and defense lawyer asked questions regarding the process of the investigation, in which the defense expressed concerns.

When asked if the third male who was with Mellgren and suspect Damian Dunigan Jr. the night of Oct. 8 was questioned, Hobbs said that he didn’t reach out to him for an interview.

Hobbs also said he didn’t think it was necessary to test the DNA on the weapon used, which was the baseball bat, for suspect Dunigan and the third male’s fingerprints.

“I couldn’t prove [the fingerprints] were from that night,” Detective Hobbs said. •

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 3

ASEWU Candidates Begin Their Campaigns Kyle Fredricks Staff Reporter ASEWU candidates took to the campus mall on Wednesday to give insight on campaign goals and improvements for EWU. Topics ranged from student involvement to education.

As ASEWU elections begin, a Q&A Panel was held so students could get to know the candidates and ask them about their goals. This panel also gave students the chance to express thoughts about events happening at EWU. Gaige Baisch, ASEWU presidential candidate, said that after two years as a cabinet and council member, he slowly started realizing the impact he could have on EWU by increasing the representation of the student body.

“With only 12 members in the ASEWU, it’s can be difficult to give every student representation,” said Baisch. “I really want to improve the communication between the students and faculty, help them understand that they do have a voice and educate them on how the ASEWU can help them succeed.”

The relationship between ASEWU and the student body was a common goal among the candidates. Each candidate explained how their position would impact the student body.

Baisch said that if elected, an improvement he would make would be requiring ASEWU members to periodically attend club meetings so each club, regardless of size, would have a voice that would be heard.

Kole Musgrove, candidate for legislative affairs, said that government in general is a passion of his, and he would be honored to serve the students.

“I’m the type of person who listens to NPR for fun,” said Musgrove. “I think this is a very important position, and everything revolves around the student voice. We need to get students involved at the beginning of fall quarter and throughout the year.”

Benjamin Rowe, who is running for reelection as a legislative affairs representative, said that he spent winter quarter lobbying in Olympia on behalf of the EWU students. This taught him how diverse a student body is and how every student matters.

“This experience really taught me how many issues students face,” said Rowe. “I learned how politics worked, how to improve our legislative services here at EWU, and it’s helped me give back to the students, whether it’s working with disability students, transfer students or informing students about how to register to vote.”

While ASEWU is concerned with giving the students a voice, the candidates are also focused on improving the opportunities students have.

4 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

Maddisen McNeill, candidate for academic affairs, said that this election is a chance to become more involved in EWU and make an impact. Her goals are to expand the PLUS program so there are more tutors available to students, as well as to help younger students figure out majors and offer them opportunities to figure out their major.

Haley Risley, who is running for re-election as legislative affairs representative, said that it is important to educate students on the resources they have available to them. One of her goals is to focus on programs that helps educate K-12 on sexual assault.

“We always want to work on our relationship with students, “ said Risley. “That way we know what is important to them. All the student involvement drives us to be more competitive and brings out the best in us.”

On April 24, Housing and Residential Life will be joining ASEWU for a barbeque on the Louise Anderson Hall lawn from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Following that, the first primary election will be on April 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with results being released April 26 at noon.

Another panel with Housing and Residential Life will be May 3 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Snyamncut Great Room, and one last debate on May 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Hargreaves Library. The general election will be held, with the results coming in the following day at noon after being approved by the current ASEWU council. •

(left to right) ASEWU presidential candidate Jaime Olguin and acadmic affairs candidate Jevion Knox listen to candidates speeches | Brad Brown for The Easterner

(left to right) ASEWU presidential candidate Geoffrey Bluechel, ASEWU director of finance candidate Chris Ryckman and ASEWU presidential candidate Gaige Baisch conversing | Brad Brown for The Easterner

EXTRAS Kristi Lucchetta News Editor

‘Spring Day of Service’ Organizers Ask Students to Get Involved The Spring Day of Service event is taking place this Saturday at 8:30 a.m. to noon. Those who particapate will get the chance to help with the Cheney Clean Sweep or Turnbull Spring Planting. Lunch will be provided for volunteers at the campus community garden following these events. To sign up, students can go to org sync and search for the Spring Day of Service.

SlutWalk Protest Hits Campus Mall A transitional movement called SlutWalk will be going on in the campus mall April 27 at 2 to 4 p.m. Generation Action, MeChA, NASA, PRIDE, BSU and Scary Feminists Club will be organizing the walk.

This is a protest against explaining or excusing rape on a males behalf, or when referring to any aspect of a woman’s appearance as an excuse.

Spokane Regional Health District Leaders are Selected for a National Cohort Two leaders from the Spokane Regional Health District, Torney Smith and Heleen Dewey, were chosen as a part of the national cohort in order to transform the role of public health departments in their communities. They were chosen for Kresge’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health initiative for their energy, passion and commitment to public health, according to a press release from public information officer, Kim Papich.

Resume Blitz Comes to Campus Just in Time Logan Stanley Copy Editor Resumes, they are an essential aspect in any job interview. But what does a sufficient resume actually look like? That, and any other questions related to resumes, will be answered at the Resume Blitz hosted by EWU Career Services on April 27 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Monroe Lounge.

During the session, students can drop by to have their resumes reviewed by employees of career services. Any student can stop in, and there is no fee associated for attendance. For 10 to 15 minutes, an EWU career advisor will sit with students and check for any changes to be made on resumes.

“Resumes are kind of the thing where everybody needs to have one and everybody sort of assumes that somewhere along the line, someone taught you how to [make a resume],” said EWU career advisor Ryan Weldon. “But for most people, that’s not true, and most people don’t actually do it very well.”

Weldon said there are certain things one must avoid doing when it comes to resume building; most tend to make their resumes autobiographical, which is something to shy away from.

Essentially, a resume needs to be minimal while also being thorough, short, simple sentences that get to the point right away. Weldon said that is one of the points career services attempt to make at the event.

“Here’s how you can direct this, make it easier for them to get them the information they want and make it relevant to them so that you’re more likely to get an interview,” Weldon said, referring to how they help at the Resume Blitz.

When a resume comes in, Weldon said advisors look for a few things: -Good organization and design content -Neutral colors (vibrant colors recommended against) -Spelling and grammar -Displaying yourself in the best light This year’s Blitz comes at a time where it could be useful since next week is EWU Career Week, and there will be potential employers on-campus.

Career Week will consist of workshops and panels with employers where students can ask questions and directly interact with the panel. •

Resume Building Tips from Career Services: -Focus on action and activities: what did you do at that your previous job that is going to prepare you for the next job?

-It’s not about roles and titles: employers do not care if you were a manager or assistant manager -- they care about what you did.

-Do not use a template: the ones provided are usually made poorly. Create your own.

-It is a process: Your resume is going to go through multiple edits. It is fine if it the resume is not perfect at first try.

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 5

EWU Brings Sexual Assualt Safety Events to Campus Kyle Fredricks Staff Reporter As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, EWU has scheduled events to help educate students about sexual assault and to inform students on the resources available to those who have been affected.

Michelle Helmerick, student support and advocacy manager, said that part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is educating the students about who to talk to in case of an event, and that those who have gone through an experience aren’t alone.

“We really want students to know that we are here for them,” said Helmerick. “This is a very important issue and a college campus is the best place for education and action.”

These events range from films, discussions, and workshops with guest speakers. All of these events have the goal of promoting awareness on how a student can seek help, get medical assistance or how to take the next step in recovery.

“We really want to establish a great relationship with each student that comes to us,” said Helmerick.

“We really want to earn their trust, so we work with them from the second they sit down with us all the way until graduation. This could be sitting with them during a police interview, help with classes, or whatever it may be to help give them to confidence to face their problem.”

Other resources that are available to students are the EWU and Cheney police, private counselors, as well as community services that come to meet with the student.

“It can be very difficult sharing this information,” said Helmerick. “That’s why we want to give students as many resources as possible to help make them comfortable. We have community services that come to campus once a week for students to talk to. They are very flexible with students, meeting them where they feel most comfortable and at a time that works for them.”

Beyond giving students the resources they need and educating them on how they can help themselves, Helmerick said that another primary focus is how to help a friend.

6 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

“We believe this week is very helpful because a lot of students think that something like this could never happen to them,” said Helmerick.

“Teach them how to listen and believe in them, and helpful things to say to them. It’s important for them to know that they aren’t by themselves.”

Educating students about general safety and teaching students about things to do in social situations or at events can help prevent attacks is also a big part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Clery Compliance Officer Jennifer Miller said that EWU hasn’t seen an increase in attacks over the last year.

Helmerick said that a safety tip covered is for students to look out for their friends. If students are with friends at a party or event, don’t leave without them. Also, when with a group make sure to stay with them or wander off alone and to always keep drinks protected.

In an effort to help improve EWU’s safety, Jack Zandi, a partner at Capptivation and creators of the smartphone app, Reach Out Editions, is introducing the app to EWU. Zandi said that the goal of Reach Out Editions is to create a safer campus community at EWU, and that the app seeks to empower student survivors with information on options for support both on-and-off campus. The information on the app is campus specific and ensures that users are anonymous.

The app is available for download in the iOS app store as well as the Google Play Store, and once the app is downloaded, students can enter Eastern Washington University to be taken to EWU’s homepage. •

AS WE CELEBRATE OUR OUTSTANDING STUDENT LEADERS AND STAFF AT THE

2017

Student Leadership ANNUAL RECEPTION & AWARD CEREMONY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 5:30PM-8PM | SHOWALTER AUD **RECEPTION TO FOLLOW CEREMONY**

CHECK EAGLESYNC FOR MORE INFORMATION OR CONTACT SAIL AT 509-359-2514.

POLICE BEAT

Abbi Vance for The Easterner

Kristi Lucchetta News Editor

Suspicious Circumstances

Suspicious Circumstances

Driving while license Residential Burglary suspended April 13

An EWU female employee reported her ex-husband, who she has not spoken to in several years, showed up to her work to talk to her.

She then received a check in the mail from him, which she thought was odd. Officers gave her the option to return the check back to him. No further action was made.

Officers responded to a report of a conflict between students.

A female student said another female student slept in her bed, which she wasn’t happy about. The student said she was going to block the other female student’s phone number and that she did not want her to contact her further. They were both referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Around 9 a.m., an officer observed a non-student female looking at her cellphone while driving. When the officer made the stop, he discovered the female’s driver’s license had been suspended. She was issued a ticket and is required to appear in Cheney Court.

April 10

April 12

April 13

CAs in Dressler Hall were told by students that the east side entrance door had damage. When officers made contact with the locksmith in Dressler, they said it appeared to them that the door had been forced opened with a crowbar. Officers said it is possible someone was able to get in, but there were no reports on any other damaged or stolen property in the building. This investigation is still pending.

Anyone who has any information on a pending investigation please call EWU Police Department at (509)359-7676 or the Anonymous Tip Line at (509)359-4286.

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 7

A&E

The campus garden is ready to sprout through its protective winter covering of straw | Erin Rebar for The Easterner

Time to Grow

The EWU campus garden provides students with more than food Erin Rebar A&E and Features Editor Spring is finally here and the EWU garden, located behind the Red Barn and diagonal to the Townhouse apartments, is ready to bloom.

“The EWU Community Garden was started in 2011 by the hard work of a group of students and a true dedication of time and effort by Dr. Robin O’Quinn and Dr. Laurie Morley,” said Erik Budsberg, EWU’s sustainability coordinator. “In recent years, Dining Services joined the garden team and has employed students to help maintain the garden and organize volunteering events. The Office of Sustainability is starting its second season supporting the community garden.”

The food from the garden is grown by student volunteers, but anyone is welcome to stop by for a visit, said Emily Sherman, EWU senior and student sustainability coordinator.

8 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

“I plan on hosting several garden work party days this quarter, which will be open to all students,” said Sherman. “People can stay up to date on what’s going on in the garden by following our Facebook page.”

What is gathered from the garden is used at campus dining locations such as Baldy’s and Tawanka, Sherman said. There is a wide variety of crops growing in the garden currently; what is planted each year changes with the seasons and more crops have been added as the garden expands.

“Some of the plants already growing in the garden or soon to be planted include: peaches, apples, hazelnuts, blueberries, chives, squash, peas, carrots, cucumber, beets, green onions, basil, mint, parsnips, spinach, chard, kale, romaine lettuce, arugula, quinoa, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, eggplant, green peppers, and tomatoes. We will also be getting honey bees in the very near future,” Budsberg said.

Robin O’Quinn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the EWU biology department and one of the garden’s founders says she believes that the campus garden provides students and the EWU community with an invaluable experience to grow together and learn about the process of cultivating crops.

“Gardens and gardening are about making community a real thing,” said O’Quinn. “We can come together to learn about growing food, get our hands dirty, make some new friends and either contribute to our campus food supply, as we currently do, or contribute to our own food supply and those of folks in our community who cannot. Initially, the garden was conceived of by students who were interested in learning how to grow their own food and in having a place on campus where that could happen and they could promote ‘real’ food and a real food culture among their peers.”

Working in the campus garden gives students the opportunity to participate in

something larger than themselves, and to learn about sustainability and the environment in ways they otherwise would not.

“Culturally, we’re losing touch with the natural environment at an unprecedented rate,” said O’Quinn. “Urban areas are growing by leaps and bounds, rural communities are shrinking and with them the connectivity that we as humans have traditionally had to our food supply. If this trend continues, people really will grow to think that a pill can supply them with the nutrition their bodies need and that the natural environment can be accessed digitally. Everyone should know how to grow at least some of their own food and everyone should know something about how their personal choices affect the health and well-being of the planet.” •

EVENTS

Courtesy of the President’s Forum

Animal Intelligence Explored Listen to a lecture by Frans de Waal, Ph.D., a Dutch/ American biologist, who will be discussing topics from his novel, “Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?” Courtesy of EWU Student Affairs

Documentary: Tickling Giants Attend a free screening of the documentary “Tickling Giants” and meet the filmmaker Bassem Youssef as he talks about his work. Youssef is a cardiologist turned comedian and a spokesperson for the nation’s political revolution.

Snacks will be provided.

When: April 25 Where: JFK Auditorium

Courtesy of AAF Spokane

When: April 25 Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Martin Woldson Theater Spokane, WA Cost: Free

Time: 7 p.m.

Cost: Free

Courtesy of Custer’s Sale

Courtesy of H.O.M.E.

The Heart of a 21st Century Editor

Custer’s Spring Antique and Annual H.O.M.E. Spring Tea Collector’s Sale

Listen to a presentation by Rob Curley, editor-in-chief at the Spokesman Review. Curley will be discussing what “Spokane looks like to tech-savy newcomers.”

When: April 20 Time: noon Where: The Spokesman Review Cost: $30

Check out the largest indoor antique and collector’s sale in the Inland Northwest.

When: April 21-23 Time: Friday 4-9 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: 404 N. Havana St. Spokane Valley, WA Cost: $6 for the weekend

Attend Helping Ourselves Means Education’s (H.O.M.E.) annual tea event, which is focused on raising money for EWU student childcare and scholarships.

When: April 25 Time: 2 p.m.

Where: Monroe 205 Cost: Varies

Gerald Maib for The Easterner

Military Heroes Pancake Feed EWU Kappa Sigma will be hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake feed at Eagles Pub on first street. All proceeds will be donated to support the Military Hero’s Foundation.

When: April 23 Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: 414 First St. Cheney, WA Cost: $12

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 9

FEATURES

Rebecca Brown (top left) worked on the Elwha River with graduate students Jaime Kenney, Olivia Morgan, Marissa Medina and Cody Thomas (bottom right) in 2016 | Contributed by Rebecca Brown

A Free Flowing River EWU professor researches effects of the nation’s largest dam removal on the Elwha River Erin Rebar A&E and Features Editor Rebecca Brown, Ph.D., has devoted her life to protecting and studying the watery areas of the nation. A professor and researcher at EWU, Brown specializes in riparian restoration and ecology.

According to the Natural Resources and Conservation Service, riparian

areas are the sections of land that occur along rivers and streams, including stream beds and floodplains. These areas are often partially or fully submerged for some of the year because of the natural flooding and flux around the borders of the water bodies they line.

Some researchers consider riparian zones to occur only at

10 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

the edges of running water, while others have expanded the definition to include the land around lakes and ponds, Brown said during an interview with Spokane NPR in 2010.

Brown’s career in biology began at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she received an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science. After graduation, she worked for a year

at American Rivers and then moved on to graduate school in North Carolina. There, she studied riparian vegetation in the Southern Appalachians.

Brown has a long history with kayaking, which she said eventually brought about her fascination with riparian ecosystems. As a biologist, she often uses kayaks to access her study sites, which allows her to

study areas that are seldom — or never — observed.

After finishing her degree, she got the opportunity to work on dam removal on small dams with the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

“That led me to doing work on the Elwha. Around the same time I applied to a job position at Eastern and got that job position,” said

Brown. “I love it [here]. I grew up around Baltimore, I spent time in Philadelphia. I like mountains and rivers and there’s lots of those here.”

At EWU, Brown teaches general biology, ecology, botany, research design, and literature and riparian ecology. Recently she was awarded a 2016-2017 Faculty Research Grant for her ongoing research monitoring vegetation changes after the dam removal on the Elwha River, located on the Olympic Peninsula.

The Elwha River flows from the Olympic mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Port Angeles.

It had two large dams, the Glines Canyon dam and the Elwha dam. In 1992, the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act was passed, allowing for the removal of the dams.

Though the dam removal was approved in 1992, the removal process did not actually begin until 2011. According to the National Park Service, the removal of the Elwha dam took place over six months and was followed several years later by the removal of the Glines Canyon dam.

The removal released around 22 million cubic yards of sediment into the lower and middle reaches of the river, Brown said, and though the release was done gradually, the impact of that much sediment, rushing downstream, was not insignificant.

“Usually we are trying to prevent sediment from going down rivers, and here we just [had] this huge amount going down,” said Brown.

“All the beaches downstream had eroded and so the sediment is recharging those beaches. But, sending that much sediment down the lower river all at once has an impact. Since the dam removal there’s been these sort of transitory sediment packs. [The ecosystem] has to return to equilibrium before it can recover the plant species.”

According to an indirect quote of Brown’s in a 2014 National Geographic article detailing the removal, “the release of so much sediment in such a short time has created an ecosystem that’s distinctive and likely to stay that way.”

Before the dams were removed, there were about 45 percent fewer plant species downstream from the dams. Dams fragment a river’s ecosystem; they prevent seeds from

flowing downstream and they change the structure of the river, which can prevent certain species from establishing themselves. Brown expects that once an equilibrium has been reached, the plant diversity in the lower and middle reaches of the Elwha river will gradually reestablish and the ecosystem will once again be as healthy as it was before the dams were built. “[The Elwha river dams are] significant because it’s the largest dam removal that has ever been undertaken,” said Brown. “It is going to provide a lot of baseline research for other dam removals. In this country many of the dams were built in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and they have a designed life expectancy of about 50 years.”

This includes the Oroville dam, which was recently in the news after 18,000 people living near the dam were ordered to evacuate when a crater in the dam’s spillway, which had been discovered earlier in the year, had grown to dangerous proportions, according to an article in The Atlantic. At the time of the evacuation order, the crater had reached a depth of 45 feet and was 300 feet wide and 500 feet long.

According to the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, thousands of the country’s dams are in serious need of renovation, lingering dangerously close to dozens of repeats of the Oroville incident.

“Right now, over half the dams in the country are older than their designed life expectancy,” said Brown. “[This] means that they have to go through a new permitting process to make sure they are safe.”

Fixing the dams and bringing them up to current safety levels is extremely expensive, and more and more, it is being decided that dam removal is the better option.

“Frequently what happens is that it is too expensive to maintain and continue to operate the dam, so they remove it, just because it’s old and not producing enough electricity or the ecological impacts are too high or it’s not safe,” Brown said.

Brown’s project is unique, not only because it studies the effects of the largest dam removal to be undertaken, but also because of the long term data it is producing.

“We came in many years before the dam removal and did vegetation

surveys to evaluate the effects of the dam,” said Brown. “Since the dam removal, we’ve been doing surveys to monitor how things change after dam removal. We have plots we set up in 2005, resampled in 2010, and then resampled again in 2013, 2014 and 2016. We have several years of data in the same plots before and after dam removal that we can use to track how things change, which is really cool. Not too many studies have that.” •

An old tree stump which was cut in 1912 was re-exposed after the reservoir drained | Contributed by Rebecca Brown

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 11

OPINION EDITORIAL

End the Lollygagging and Make EWU a Tobacco-Free Campus The Easterner Editorial Board Tobacco use is a choice of consumerism and consumption. Much akin to deciding to drink soda or to eat fast food, albeit a more addicting one. The problem with tobacco is that it has tangible and negative consequences for the consumer, bystanders and the facilities involved.

A survey given by ASEWU in 2013 reported that 67 percent of respondents said they were opposed to allowing smoking on campus, and were, instead in favor of a tobacco-free campus. We applaud their continued efforts to make the Cheney campus healthier and safer for all students.

The 2013 survey also showed that 85 percent of respondents reported being annoyed by secondhand smoke, and 90 percent believe that secondhand smoke is harmful. A second poll conducted in 2016 showed stronger support, with 82 percent saying they supported a tobacco/smoke free-policy at EWU. As the policy proposal has now been submitted, EWU is reaching the possible implementation of a tobacco-free campus.

To assuage worries and answer questions, EWU held an open forum where students, faculty and staff had a chance to speak freely about the policy.

The forum demonstrated what both surveys prior to the policy submission

showed -- the majority of campus doesn’t want tobacco on campus. EWU student Geoffrey Bluechel was the first to stand at the forum and bravely played one of the only non-supporters of the policy through most of the event.

Bluechel asked the collective forum if they had come to learn or simply reaffirm their belief in the policy, a valid question, before labeling arguments supporting the policy “pathos,” he also posed the “slippery slope” argument, asking if we take smoking away, where will we stop?

While his concerns were valid from a philosophical or sociological standpoint, they didn’t carry much weight in a grounded argument of smoking vs. non-smoking.

The arguments for a tobacco-free campus are not simply tear-provoking stories of individual struggles with second hand smoke. They are valid health concerns based in statistics and research, which many forum-goers recited for the benefit of the collected audience, and worries over the prohibitive costs that EWU pays concerning tobacco use.

Tobacco on campus brings more than just health concerns. Karen Lincoln from EWU Human Resources expressed that although they have not put a dollar amount

Gerald Maib for The Easterner to the costs associated with maintaining smoking areas, the responsible staff find it unpleasant as well as a fire hazard.

An individual from EWU facilities noted that although the Cheney Fire Department has only responded to two smoking related fires on campus, facilities puts out over a dozen a year. Not only is fire dangerous, obviously, but it is also expensive. Ken Johnson, Cheney Fire Department battalion chief, said that a non-emergency call costs $1,000 and that the cost quickly increases if the fire causes any damages.

Opponents of the policy cite two major arguments against a tobacco-free campus in the online comments section provided for the forum. One, that not allowing people to smoke is a violation of human rights. Two, that it is insensitive to disallow smoking as it is part of some International student culture.

What do you claim entitles your right to consume tobacco in public?

Alcohol use is restricted to designated businesses, events and your own home.

Marijuana is much the same, with both carrying penalties for use in public. With recent health concerns, the consumption and sale of certain sugary products have been banned in many schools. Why would tobacco be any different?

Trish Hughes, wellness director for EWU Health and Wellness, addressed the cultural sensitivity concerns, saying that only nine percent of the campus community are active smokes, and that statistic extends to EWU’s international students.

We are a collective community of students who chose this school, the staff and faculty that work here. And together as a community we have expressed overwhelming support for a campus free of tobacco products and the detriments they bring. •

Letter to the Editor Submission Guidelines -Letters should be 300 words or less and typed, or legibly handwritten.

-Include your full name, signature, telephone number and email address for verification.

-We reserve the right not to publish letters; furthermore, all letters are subject to editing for adherence to Associated Press style.

12 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

-Letters must be received no later than Monday at 10 a.m. in order to be considered for publication the following Wednesday.

-If your letter is in response to a specific article, please list the title and date of the article.

We encourage the EWU community to submit letters and opinion pieces that conform to the requirements listed.

Opinion articles and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Easterner, its staff members or Eastern Washington University.

COLUMN

EDITORS’ PICKS

Style

ATHLETE

Weird Instagram Trends You Probably Should(n’t) Try

The GOAT of men’s tennis just doesn’t stop. At age 35, Roger Federer has found a new wind in 2017, starting the season 19-1 and winning three titles to add to his ever-growing collection.

Federer’s most notable achievement this season has been winning his 18th career Grand Slam title, defeating fierce rival Rafael Nadal in the Courtesy of Roger Federer finals of the Australian Open. This sensational start to the season comes after Federer underwent knee surgery in the midst of the 2016 season, missing five months before revitalizing a career that many had thought was over. But this is Fed, and the only way he’ll go out is on his own terms. And he might just collect a few more shiny trophies along the way. (Brandon Cline)

Colette-Janae Buck Chief Copy Editor The fashion and beauty world is indefinitely geared toward ingenuity and pushing boundaries when it comes to trends and products, but some trends that come from the fashion world are anything but trend-worthy.

My Instagram discover page has been blowing up recently with odd trends coming from the beauty world: namely the so called “feather brows,” glittered undercuts and glossy eyelids.

I’m not against experimenting with different looks and styles, but when you look as though you stepped out of a science fiction movie, you’ve probably gone a little too far. But if you’re into that or are daring to try a new look, be aware. These trends seem a little too time and work intensive to be considered an everyday affair.

Glitter and dyed undercuts are the new kids on the alternative hair scene. Perhaps the most gaudy and time extensive look of the three, the glitter undercuts make you look like you fell into a 1990s bedazzling party face-first.

Individuals will get a regular undercut with a geometric design or pattern cut into their hair. While this is a norm for the regular undercut trend, the glitter or dyed undercut takes the alternative style just a little bit further and applies glitter to the areas of cut hair in various colors and textures. Some tutorials even show studs and sequins being glued in between the shapes that were cut into the hair.

Dyed undercuts take this trend of applying designs to one’s hair by having animals and detailed pictures cut into the shortened hair that are then dyed or colored-in to complete

Roger Federer

ANIME

Toradora

Gerald Maib for The Easterner the look. While this is a little less ostentatious or time-intensive, the haircut still seems purposeless to maintain in the long term. However, when researching this trend, I found way too many images of mermaid scales and neon-colored cats that almost made me back away from my computer slowly and close Google with the intent of getting a dyed undercut myself.

Feather brows, however, is a completely different story. Feather brows are achieved by finding the midline of your eyebrows and splitting the hair, with half of it brushed upwards and the other half brushed down to mimic the look of a feather.

Clear eyebrow gel is then applied to locked the hairs in place. Now, don’t get this look confused with the complete upward brushing of one’s brows to create an ungroomed and messy look.

The object of feather brows is to make your eyebrows look like an actual bird feather. If you’re brave enough to try this trend, be aware that it might make your eyebrows appear a little sparse.

I’ve saved the best of the weird trends for last, glossy eyelids. This look rides the line of weird trend and beauty fad, and can be achieved through many different techniques.

Depending on the amount of money one would want to spend, you can achieve the glossy effect by using a light gloss and applying a thin layer over your eyeshadow. In order to avoid the sticky feeling that comes with using a wet gloss, avoid applying the gloss inside and along the crease. That’s where the sticky feeling comes from.

You can also use lip balm to create a shine effect, but the reflective quality of a lip balm pales in comparison to a full on gloss.

Various makeup brands, such as MILK and MAC, do make eye gloss that dries with a shine to help you achieve your look with minimal stick. These products come in around $22 for just 0.5 fluid ounces, so a do-it-yourself method doesn’t sound too bad. •

My husband and I watched the entire season of Toradora, a Japanese anime based on a light novel of the same name, in approximately two sittings. Despite initial reservations -- the show is obnoxiously over-the-top at times -- it turned out to be one of my all Courtesy of NIS America time favorites. Toradora follows two students and their friends through their junior and senior years of high school, and is full of unrequited love, complicated friendships and some of the cutest romantic elements I’ve ever seen. If you are looking for a short, one-season series that will give you serious feels, Toradora is definitely worth the watch. (Erin Rebar)

TV SHOW

Silicon Valley Google. Facebook. YouTube.

Twitter. Skype. You know the companies and where they’re located -- Silicon Valley. HBO takes on the idea of those tech giants and the culture of the Valley in Mike Judge and Alec Berg’s geniusly-crafted Courtesy of Judgemental Films satirical comedy “Silicon Valley,” which features computer programmer Richard Hendricks and his start-up Pied Piper. Hendrick’s new company is the latest ‘next-great thing’ in the tech world. Dinesh, Gilfoyle, Erlich, Big-Head; these all sound like peculiar names, and they are, but you will come to love them in no time. The show’s fourth season is set to begin Sunday, April 23. Viewers can watch the previous three seasons on HBO if they have access, or stream it through HBO GO. (Logan Stanley)

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 13

SPORTS

Samson Ebukam particpating in the 60-yard shuttle during EWU’s Pro Day on March 28 at Roos Field | Brad Brown for The Easterner

Lights, Camera, Action

Cooper Kupp and Samson Ebukam are two Eagles that could be selected in next week’s NFL Draft Logan Stanley Copy Editor

With the 2017 NFL Draft set to happen next week, teams are visiting with prospects everyday as they prepare for the seven-round, three-day affair. This year’s draft just may see history be made for the EWU football program, as two former Eagles are both projected to be drafted.

In the history of the current NFL draft format, EWU has never had two players selected in the same draft.

Those two players are wide receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Samson Ebukam. Kupp’s name has been floating around the scouting community since his exceptional performance at the

14 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

Senior Bowl back in January. The media attention on Kupp blew up, which was the enabling factor into the rise of Kupp’s draft stock. At one point, he was talked about as a top-three wide receiver in this year’s draft class.

The buzz was somewhat cooled after a subpar showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, where Kupp ran a disappointing 40-yard dash and tested poorly in drills. After a strong outing at EWU’s Pro Day, the final consensus that is being drawn is that it is not a question of ‘if’ for Kupp being drafted but a ‘when’ he will be drafted.

One writer, Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead, noted that after his most recent mock draft he released, in which he had projected Kupp being drafted in Round 3, No. 70

overall, that a NFC team texted him and said there was “no way” Kupp is still there in the third round -- indicating he thought Kupp would be drafted before that.

Joining Kupp in the NFL draft conversation is Ebukam, who might be the hottest name in scouting circles right now. After a Pro Day that saw Ebukam unofficially run the fastest 40-yard dash time for any defensive lineman prospect and post measurables that are tantalizing (39-inch vertical, 10-foot-10-inch broad jump and a 3-cone time of 7.07.), the former EWU defensive end has shot up draft boards around the NFL. Those numbers have scouts zeroing in on Ebukam as a “sleeper” prospect, which is a sort of gemin-the-rough player.

This focus has led to Ebukam being very active in terms of team visits. CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang reported on April 17 that Ebukam had recent visits with the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals.

What makes all this attention noteworthy is considering where Ebukam stood as a NFL prospect a mere few months ago. Back in February, HERO Sports had Ebukam with a round seven/undrafted grade, and many scouts did not even have Ebukam on their radar as a prospect. It was looking like he was not going to be drafted at all. Now, that is not the case. The ascent of Ebukam’s draft stock has been rapid. •

Sblendorio Ready to Step Into New Role as Dean of Wide Receivers Chris Valdez

For The Easterner Nic Sblendorio, a name not many EWU football fans may know. Nonetheless, he’s out to prove he has what it takes to lead the Eagles offense and the EWU program to a place they haven’t been since 2010 — the FCS national title game.

“We gotta get a national title,” said Sblendorio. “We’re hungry for more.”

The senior wide receiver is stepping into somewhat of a new role now that former teammates and fellow wide receivers Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Shaq Hill are gone. Sblendorio is now the only senior wide receiver, as well as the only senior on the entire offensive unit.

A few years playing behind such great receivers like Kupp, Bourne and Hill has taught Sblendorio just what it takes to be a top player at the position and what it takes to lead a team to their ultimate goal of winning a national championship.

Sblendorio said he has been able to learn a lot from his former teammates.

“You take little bits and pieces from each person,” Sblendorio said.

Sblendorio said he expects to take over the position group and lead the unit in the right way.

He’ll be using this new role as an opportunity to showcase his talents and just what he’s capable of doing.

Sblendorio feels he’s ready and up for the challenge, and his new head coach feels no different.

Former offensive line coach Aaron Best is in the midst of preparing for his first season as head coach of the EWU football program and said he is aware of just what kind of athlete Sblendorio is.

Best was the coach who recruited Sblendorio out of Skyline High School in Issaquah.

When asked about his expectations of Sblendorio heading into his senior season, Best said

that he chooses standards over expectations because expectations are things that need to be met.

Coach Best said he feels Sblendorio has higher standards for himself than the team does for him and that’s saying something.

“We got pretty high [expectations],” Best said.

Coach Best believes Sblendorio has what it takes to be a great leader; “He’s up for the challenge,” Coach Best assures.

Sblendorio is no stranger when it comes to stellar performances on the football field. On three separate occasions, Sblendorio has put together great performances for EWU. On September 12, 2015, Sblendorio put together a stellar receiving performance against Northern Iowa, reeling in a teamhigh 10 receptions for 158 yards.

A week later, Sblendorio’s stat line against Montana State was three receptions for 120 yards and one touchdown. The season before, Sblendorio had five receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown against the University of Montana.

Sblendorio has shown glimpses of playmaking ability and that he is capable of putting together an efficient and impactful receiving performance. Sblendorio has also shown he has the ability to be great off the field as well. In 2015, he was named to the Big Sky Conference All-Academic Team for the second straight season.

An amazing EWU career for Nic Sblendorio is getting set to start its next chapter; look for Sblendorio to put together a stellar senior campaign this upcoming season.

As the 2017 season gets underway, Sblendorio is ready to step into the spotlight and prove that he can be the next great EWU receiver. •

Airway Heights

10117 W. State Route 2 Spokane, Wa

•The Promise PG-13 Daily (4:00) 6:40 9:20 Sat-Sun (10:45) (1:20) •Phoenix Forgotten PG-13 Daily (3:15) (5:15) 7:15 9:15 Sat-Sun (11:15) (1:15) •The Fate of the Furious PG-13 Daily (4:10) 6:15 7:00 9:15 9:45 Sat-Sun (10:30) (12:15) (1:20) •Going In Style PG-13 Daily (4:40) 6:50 9:00 Sat-Sun (12:10) (2:30) •Smurfs:The Lost Village PG 2D Daily (3:50) Sat-Sun (11:20) (1:30) •The Boss Baby PG Daily (3:00) (5:10) 7:15 9:25 Sat-Sun (10:40)(12:50) Beauty and the Beast PG Daily (4:00) 6:45 9:30 Sat-Sun (10:45) (1:15) Power Rangers PG-13 Daily 6:20 9:00 Kong: Skull Island PG-13 Daily (4:00) 6:30 9:00 Sat-Sun (11:00) (1:30) Logan R Daily (3:15) 6:15 9:10 Sat-Sun (12:15)

Nic Sblendorio scores a touchdown in EWU’s game against Richmond | Brad Brown for The Easterner

www.Spokanemovies.com

The Easterner April 20, 2017 | 15

Apply online at Eagle AXIS by April 28

SCHOOL HOUSE LOFTS live | learn | collaborate

AVAILABLE FALL QUARTER 2017 The Most Unique Student Housing Property in Cheney Old World Charm Blended with Modern Convenience 520 4th Street, Cheney, Washington 16 | April 20, 2017 The Easterner

|

www.schoolhouseloftscheney.com