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L I N N - B E N T O N
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C O M M U N I T Y
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C O L L E G E
JAN. 29, 2020
WHERE ARE THE OWLS? See pg. 7
Student Leadership Visits Capitol
Swiping Out Hunger
Remembering Kobe Bryant
pg. 6
pg. 4
pg. 9
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CAMPUS NEWS
CAMPUS VOICE Who was your first cartoon crush, and why? PRECIOSA CANTU BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
“ SHANG FROM MULAN BECAUSE HE’S AN ARMY MAN, AND I’VE ALWAYS LIKED A MAN IN UNIFORM. I’M DATING A MARINE, SO..”
AYDEN SHONK BUSINESS ADMIN.
“PROBABLY THE POWERPUFF GIRLS.”
SAMANTHA SCHMIDT MUSIC EDUCATION
“ YOU KNOW IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HICCUP, JUST ‘CAUSE HE WAS REALLY SWEET AND A GENUINE PERSON.”
LOGAN CHAPO MUSIC PRODUCTION
“JESSIE FROM TOY STORY.”
JANUARY 29, 2020
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Wellness Wednesday STORY BY
LISA HOOGESTEGER
Welcome back to school. Welcome to 2020. Welcome to thinking about Wellness on Wednesdays. I work in the Advising Center but I work beyond advising; my job is to infuse wellbeing concepts into everyday life for students and faculty alike at LBCC. I believe that wellness should - and can - be easy and fun. In my experience of wellbeing, it’s quite broad. It goes beyond individual behaviors, fitness, and nutrition which is the typical default of how to be ‘healthy’ and ‘well.’ For example, I wrote about sleep and its impact on memory and concentration last term. Today, the topic is connection. We are one community at LBCC, sharing space and time in learning and existing; and being seen and acknowledged is an integral piece of community. One of the most central needs of a human is that of being seen and heard. We
all want to feel valued, important and feel like we matter. Being seen is having your existence acknowledged and recognised. It’s about being paid attention to. It’s someone lifting their head and saying hello when you pass by, it’s a classmate who nods their head when you are talking, it’s a teacher acknowledging you when you walk into class. I double dare you to walk across campus and actually look everyone in the eye. Say hello. Give a head nod. Smile. I’ve been trying to do this for the past week and less than 25% (in this highly scientific study) have looked up at all! I think we can all demonstrate support and kindness across campus just by seeing each other. Sidenote: DId you know when you give a “toast” to someone you’re supposed to look them in the eye when you click glasses? Really. It’s another one of those little things that get lost, but can make an impact. Eye contact has positive social effects, is generally polite, and can build your confidence. The next time I see you walking across the courtyard, see me.
IEDI Events
Students and Faculty Host Speakers, Events, and Celebrations
STORY BY
KAREN CANAN
The Institutional Equity Diversity Inclusion’s Director Javier Cervantes and Program Coordinator Heather Morijah both collaborate with their student leaders as well as other departments and professors in the college and wider community. This is evident in their preparations for Black History Month in February 2020 for which IEDI is partnering with LBCC Professor Rhamycia McGhee, as well as the IEDI’s collaborations with the LBCC Anthropology Department and Club and Estudiantes del Sol to host The Undocumented Migration Project’s “Hostile Terrain 94” in April 2020. Cervantes and Morijah encourage students interested in helping create the Migration project to contact the IEDI during open hours.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
WHAT: The IEDI, Institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, 541-917-4297 WHO: Javier Cervantes-Director of IEDI Heather Morijah, Program Assistant for IEDI Tania Mendez, Latino Outreach and Retention Specialist WHERE: Forum 220
WHEN: The IEDI’s doors are open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday
UPCOMING EVENTS 2020 LBCC SPRING SCHOLARSHIPS For more information visit: LBCCscholarships@linnbenton.edu
NICODEMUS FLOTTEN THEATER “I GUESS KATARA FROM AVATAR. SHE SEEMS REALLY FUN TO BE AROUND, AND SHE HAS A VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ATTITUDE MOST OF THE TIME, AND I GUESS I THOUGHT SHE WAS CUTE AS WELL.“
TBA
February 2-April 13, 2020
PREFERENCIA LBCC
BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPEAKERS
This event will focus on reaching out to Latino high school students in Corvallis.
LBCC Professor Dr. Ramycia McGhee is partnering with the IEDI to host five speakers total: LBCC Alumni Raven Womack to speak on February 11 and Albany City Councilor Alex Johnson II to speak on February 19, both in the IEDI, Forum 220. 11TH ANNUAL UNITY CELEBRATION Students, faculty, and community are all invited to awards event to honor those embodying the spirit of unity and social justice. February 27 in CC 211, Fireside Room. DEMYSTIFYING CONFERENCES
STORY AND PHOTOS: REBECCA FEWLESS
hosts an event focusing on supporting women in S.T.E.M. at conferences.
IEDI student leader Catherine Stevens
Spring 2020 THE UNDOCUMENTED MIGRATION PROJECT’S “HOSTILE TERRAIN” Interactive “global pop-up exhibition about America’s humanitarian crisis at the southern border.” FMI or to sign up to help, ask IEDI staff: Forum 220. April -November 2020 DIA DE LAS PALETAS Keep an eye out for this fun event in Spring with Mexican popsicles! Spring 2020
ASTROLOGY
JANUARY 29, 2020
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
Astrology Corner:
Weekly Overview:
This week we enter the waxing phase of our moon cycle: as the moon is physically showing greater amount of brightness, we begin to build momentum with the changes and realizations that were initiated by the New Moon on Friday in our Fixed Air sign of Aquarius.
CARDINAL Signs: Associated with the beginning of each season. Displays natural leadership qualities and an initiatory force. Sets things in motion; The Leaders Aries: Spring Cancer: Summer Libra: Fall Capricorn: Winter
FIXED Signs: Embodies the middle of our seasons, fully rooted and invested in projects at hand; associated with focus, stubborness and disciplined follow through; The Stabilizers Taurus: Spring Leo:Summer Scorpio: Fall Aquarius:Peak of Winter MUTABLE Signs: Signifies shifting of seasons. Associated with change, transformation. Embodies diplomatic tendencies and can be helpful during transitions; can seem inconsistent; The Adapters Pisces:Winter Gemini: Spring Virgo: Summer Sagittarius: Fall
New Moons are often associated with beginnings and endings- it is a time of emptying out and cleaning house so that new intentions can grow. This particular new moon was especially potent because last week we transitioned into Aquarius season on Monday, and ended our week with the first new moon of the decade, also in Aquarius. Just as the Sun moves consecutively through the signs within the Zodiac Band, the moon also follows suit through these symbolic areas of the sky, but at a much faster pace (Averaging it’s change of zodiac sign every two days). As the Sun symbolizes our outer expressions of our personalities, the moon is often the caretaker of our inner worlds. From Monday to Tuesday this week we are held in the Mutable Piscean mindscape which allows us to naturally tap in to our creative and intuitive sides, before entering into our Cardinal Fire sign of Aries on Wednesday. As we move into Aries we will simultaneously be feeling the effects of the waxing moon, giving us the initiatory push to follow through with any revelations and that may have come up with the new moon. * * * Before the moon moves into Aries on Wednesday it will be Void of Course; Take some time on Tuesday night to yourself. Making time to attend to self care and reflection will help keep you grounded through the following week.
Astro Dictionary:
Zodiac Band: The Zodiac Band is an 18 degree width in the sky that the Sun, Moon and other planets visually travel through. In the ancient times of astronomy this area of our sky was created as an organizational tool, giving way to the constellations which we modernly refer to as The Zodiac. Void of Course: Void of course refers to the transitional time period where the moon is no longer in the house/constellation of one sign and has yet to enter the house of the next. In other words, the moon is not being affected by external sources, and there for is having a “quiet time”. STORY BY GEORGIA DUNN-HARTMAN
THE COMMUTER The Commuter is the weekly student-run newspaper for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors. LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Letters Welcome The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” pages to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of
the Commuter staff or the College. Deliver letters to: Address: The Commuter Forum 222 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321 Web Address: LBCommuter.com Phone: 541-917-4451, 4452 or 4449 Email: commuter@linnbenton.edu Twitter @LBCommuter Facebook The Commuter Instagram @LBCommuter
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Our Staff Adviser Rob Priewe Editor-in-Chief Caleb Barber Layout Designer Rebecca Fewless Managing Editor: Davis Ihde A&E Steven Pryor Photography Editor Jakob Jones Web Master Marci Sischo Web Editor Katie Littlefield
Advertising Vicki Ballestero Sports Cam Hanson Photographers: Dhe Yazan Alkomati Cindy Lin Contributors Bowen Orcutt Isaiah Haqq Georgia Ry Dunn-Hartman Arianna Stahlbaum Sabrina Parsons Mckenna Christmas Konoha Tomono-Duval
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CAMPUS NEWS
JANUARY 29, 2020
Swipe Out Hunger
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Swipe Out Hunger is a National Food Aid Program that Takes Place Here at LBCC
STORY BY BOWEN ORCUTT Swipe Out Hunger is a national food aid program currently being run here on LBCC’s main campus. According to Lawrence LaJoie, the Director of Enterprise Services at LBCC, the program normally works by taking funds from a campus’ meal plan program and using them to cover food cards to be handed out to students in need LaJoie came up with the idea of funding the program using the “rounding up” donation that you may have seen at food vendors throughout the campus. Already the program has raised more than $1,500 from rounding up and other donations, LaJoie noted. The biggest difficulty the program faced early on was its original distribution method; at first, students needed to submit a Google form, which would send a notification to four different people for confirmation. The problem with this method, according to LaJoie, was that these four people often weren’t able to respond to the notifications fast enough. As the purpose of the program is to provide students with a little extra money for a quick meal, LaJoie and others spent the rest of last Fall term coming up with a better method. The new one they ultimately came up with is both simple and accessible: Simply go to the First Resort desk in the Learning Center and ask for a food card. After filling out a short form, you’ll receive a $10 card valid at any food vendor on campus as well as contact information for other food aid programs. Abby Grewatz is the First Resort Coordinator in charge of distributing the Swipe Out Hunger food cards. “I think there are a lot of students
PHOTO: CINDY LIN
Students can use their food card all around campus, including the Commons cafeteria located in the Calapooia center.
here on campus who are experiencing food insecurity,” said Grewatz. “Sometimes it feels like there aren’t a lot of things that we can do to help with that.” Few people go to the Learning Center intending on asking for a food card, Grewatz said. Often times she’ll offer it to someone if it sounds like they might need it, when they say things like they haven’t had the chance to get lunch, or that they don’t have the money for it that day. First and foremost, she wants people to feel comfortable with coming in and asking for it, elaborating on how easy the application process is. “We don’t ask questions here,” she said. “If someone comes in to ask for a food card we’re not going to quiz them on anything, we’re not going to interrogate them on anything. If they need a card, we give them a card.”
Grewatz also expanded on how the application process works. The form is a small sheet of paper, on which a person writes their name, the date, and their X-number (this information is only used to keep track of how many people have used the program). After completing the form, students are given an envelope that contains the card and contact information for the other aid programs. Grewatz felt that giving students information about the other available programs was even more important than giving them the food cards. When asked if students could apply for the food card multiple times a term, she said yes, but also said that if a person’s food needs are enough to require it then they should strongly consider looking into some of the other programs. One of these options is called
the “Linn-Benton Lunch Box.” Run by the Student Leadership Council, students can go through a simple application process at the Student Union office, located in CC 213 at the Northeast end of the courtyard, and pick up a certain amount of groceries depending on how many people live in their household. This program is currently available for students to use twice a year. The other option that both LaJoie and Grewatz had a lot to say about was food stamps, otherwise known as SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program), which is a valuable resource that too few students on campus make use of. According to LaJoie, applying for food stamps carries certain stigmas with students. He believes students in need of money for food should feel free to seek out anything that might help them. “They think that them accepting those types of benefits prevents somebody else from getting them, but that’s not true,” he said. “If you’re eligible, you’re eligible; you’re not preventing anyone else from getting those benefits. You’re entitled to them if you meet the criteria.” He also spoke about how eligibility for college students works, saying, “It used to be tied directly to work requirements. It still is, but there’s still an easier way for students to become SNAPeligible without work requirements. If they’re a [current] student, they’re pursuing a degree, and they don’t live with their parents, it’s much easier for them to become eligible for SNAP benefits.” For other benefits available to students facing food insecurities, contact Amanda Stanley, LBCC program coordinator and resource navigator, at the Roadrunner Resource Center in Takena Hall or email her at stanlea@mail. linnbenton.edu.
Krakelen: Pizza Pioneers
From Organic Plates to Fresh Preparation, Krakelen will Change the Way You Think About Pizza STORY AND PHOTO BY KATIE LITTLEFIELD
The annual Corvallis Indoor Market began on January 11 and runs every Saturday until April 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is located at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis. It’s full of delicious in-season vegetables, fresh smoked fish, and hand crafted goods such as smooth wooden bowls or even warm felt hats; but that’s not all this winter ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AT A GLANCE: WHAT: Krakelen LLC, Mobile Wood Fired Pizza Catering WHEN: Every Saturday Jan 11 Apr 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. WHERE: Indoor Winter Market at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis Oregon CONTACT: Facebook and Twitter: @Krakelen and their website at krakelencatering. com
market has to offer. There's plenty of food carts parked by the booths lined up at the Benton County Fairgrounds to choose from. There's plenty of food carts parked by the booths lined up at the Benton County Fairgrounds to choose from, but one establishment stands out. With a bright red wood fired oven emitting a deep smoky aroma, Krakelen LLC is the premier option for delicious slices of oven baked pizza during the Corvallis Indoor Winter Market. The owner of the stand, Lara H’errman, was inspired to create Krakenlen when she was finished with the military in 2017. She decided she wanted to start working for herself, and wanted to do something she was passionate about. So her and her husband Wolf H’errman created their family business Krakelen LLC. Krakelen LLC is a veteranowned food stand that creates their fresh wood fired pizza right in front of you; from tossing the dough for each order to sprinkling parmesan cheese on top while it’s still piping hot. All of their ingredients are prepared the night before, ensuring that fresh taste with every bite. Krakelen also includes mobile
PHOTO: KATIE LITTLEFIELD
Kassandra Babb hand tosses artisan pizza dough to each order.
catering which means you’ll be asked for your phone number when you order your pizza, and they will conveniently text you when your pizza is finished. Because of this, you can keep exploring the market instead of standing around waiting for your lunch. When you pick up your pizza you’ll notice that they don’t use paper plates. Instead they used plates made from palm leaves that have been pressed
into plates. “No trees were harmed in this process,” says Wolf, “and they’re much sturdier than paper plates.” Together the Herrmans have been involved with the winter market for about a year, but they have plans to expand their brand very soon. You can follow their Facebook and Twitter @Krakelen, and check out their catering menu on their website at krakelencatering.com.
JANUARY 29, 2020
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
Calling All Clubs!
CAMPUS NEWS
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Defunct LBCC Clubs Look to be Revamped STORY BY LOGAN HELM-WILLIAMS
With Student Activities Coordinator Barb Horn having left LBCC to pursue a different career and Program Assistant Heather Morijah now working full-time in the Department of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Student Life and Leadership has been left with some big shoes to fill. In the six years Morijah worked as the Program Assistant of Student Activities, she organized countless events based around the clubs and even held meetings with all of the student leaders involved clubs on a regular basis. These meetings often decided how to distribute resources among the clubs and kept clubs in the know about opportunities for them to grow. These meetings became known as the Council of Clubs and while Morijah didn’t create the meetings, she played an important role in shaping how the meetings operate. The Council of Clubs still exists and continues to play an important role in how clubs operate, however Student Events Coordinator Mark Wiebe now
holds the meetings. Wiebe is in charge of ensuring clubs are informed about events, have access to resources, and all of their information is current. With all of the information pertaining to clubs, Wiebe manages quite a bit to say the least. Wiebe also keeps track of which clubs are currently active and inactive. Currently, there are 21 active clubs, including The Black Curtain Society, Chess Club, Poetry Club, Dance Club, and Video Games Club. While there are 21 active clubs, there are 39 inactive clubs. There are several reasons for why a club might become inactive, but they all boil down to one central issue: “So why do clubs become inactive? First of all, because of [a lack of] student leadership and second of all because they are no longer relevant, I suppose, to the students on this particular campus," Morijah explained. She also noted that clubs are cyclical and can quickly fade out, especially when a student leader graduates or moves on to a university. It’s clear to see clubs become inactive and there are certainly reasons for that, but it’s worth noting that inactive clubs can be revived
COURTESY: LBCC NEWS SERVICE
at any time by a student interested in becoming a student leader. Students looking to revive inactive clubs or start a new club can view a fairly recent list of both active and inactive clubs on the LBCC website. Wiebe in the Student Life and Leadership office, just to the left of the Roast Runners cafe, can provide more information about how to go about reviving an inactive club or starting a new club. Wiebe noted how having more
clubs could allow for more volunteers to help staff club events. By staffing more club events, clubs have the opportunity to get new members and possibly earn funds for their club. Clubs also are opportunities for students to experience a new activity with new people, Wiebe added. Wiebe said it best when he affirmed, “To state the obvious, students do better when they have support.”
Inactive LBCC Club List
AAUW Student Club
Everyone Matters
Our Revolution LBCC
Students in Service
ALP Club
Geology Club
Pacific Islanders Club
Swahili Club
Active Minds Anime Club
FM Radio Club Habitat Club
Biology Club
Horticulture Club
Board Game Club
LB Collegiate Secretaries
CPU Club
Machine Tool Society
Black Student Caucus Campus Family Co-op Education Club
Improv Syndicate
Outdoor Adventures Renaissance Club
Sustainability Club Swing Dance Club
Soccer Club
TNT (Thinking Non-Traditional) Club
Sigma Kappa Delta
Visual Arts Club
Spherical Cow
Linn-Benton Legends
Something in Shakespeare
Native American Student Union
Students for Life
Study Abroad Club
Ultimate Frisbee Club Voyager’s Club
Young Democrats
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CAMPUS NEWS
JANUARY 29, 2020
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Mr. Roadrunner Goes to Salem
The group looks out onto the historic murals in the Capitol’s atrium
Student Leadership Engages with Oregon Representatives at the State Capitol STORY AND PHOTOS BY KONOHA TOMONO-DUVAL In November 2019, LBCC Faculty Mark Urista and Eric Slyter as well as six LBCC students headed to Salem with the goal of representing Oregon’s community colleges to lawmakers and showing the face of LBCC. By meeting with legislators, the Student Leadership Council hoped to demonstrate that community college students cared enough about their colleges to support state funding. John McArdle, the Mayor of Independence and a lobbyist for LBCC in Salem, said “When people can hear a real story about a student getting a degree or a certification here, what that does for them and their family, that’s really good.” “Legislators like to hear from students,” says McArdle “because legislators, just like most people in the community, want to support community colleges.” So when a group from LBCC SLC took a trip up to the State Capitol, McArdle gave them a tour of the Capitol Building and they met with several political figures, including State Rep. Shelly Boshart-Davis (District 15, including LBCC), and happened to bumped into State Rep. Dan Rayfield
(Corvallis/Philomath) in the hallway. John Wykoff, deputy director of the Oregon Community College Association, commented that community colleges play an important role during economic downturns; enrollment rises dramatically when unemployment is high, as many people turn to community colleges to learn new skills. In fact, many students wanted to understand politics more themselves. Several public figures provided their own insights into Oregon politics including State Rep. Paul Evans. “It’s really hard for legislators to turn their backs on people who are actually engaged and playing a role [in politics],” said Rep. Evans. Rep. Boshart-Davis suggested three tips for meeting with lawmakers: • Form a personal connection with the lawmaker that you’re hoping to convince. • Be prepared with a good understanding of the topic, including statistics. Lawmakers will generally ask questions and providing an unclear answer damages your case. • Leave a one-page summary of your main points. This allows lawmakers to review your ideas and show them to colleagues.
CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE State Rep. Shelly BoshartDavis (R) representing District 15
State Rep. Dan Rayfield (D) representing District 16
• Capitol Phone:
541-740-7744
503-986-1415 • Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@ oregonlegislature.gov
• District Phone: • Email: Rep.danrayfield@ oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Sherrie Sprenger (R) representing District 17 • Capitol Phone: 503-986-1417 • Email: Rep.SherrieSprenger@ oregonlegislature.gov
Just before leaving, a few students made a souvenir for the SLC office.
John McArdle points out the distinctive carpeting in the House of Representatives chamber. John McArdle and Mark Urista talk on the Capitol Building steps
For the complete list, visit oregonlegislature.gov/house/Pages/RepresentativesAll.aspx
Preciosa Cantu, Mark Wiebe, Patricia Simon, Yulissa Gonzalez, Christopher Byers, Marissa Miles, Jonathon Media, Mark Urista, Eric Slyter.
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
JANUARY 29, 2020
LOCAL NEWS
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Hesthavn Nature Center I
STORY AND PHOTOS BY n 1993, Dale Mitchelle (left) and MCKENNA CHRISTMAS AND Gary Gibson are both active A l a n DHE YAZAN ALKOMATI and dedicated members of and Helen Berg Heathavn Nature Center and donated a 5.75-acre parcel of land volunteered their time for just west of Corvallis to the Audubon the open house providing walkthroughs of the facilities Society of Corvallis. At the time of the as well as informative donation, the property had been used as a presentations. horse pasture, the horses remained on the property until 1997. The Bergs dubbed t h e land Hesthavn, a Danish word meaning "horse haven," a name that stuck even after the Audubon volunteers removed the pasture fencing and cleaned up the barn on the property. T o d a y , efforts continue to restore the original habitat. The barn has been renovated and renamed Hesthavn Nature Center, which functions as an educational facility, a meeting place, and a museum for wildlife specimens. As one of their first open houses, volunteers such as Gary Gibson, Dale Mitchelle, and Marie Martin greeted the people of Corvallis with tours of the facility with presentations, and informative pamphlets about the surrounding wildlife. Despite the facility existing for about 25 years, Mitchelle explains that bigger plans lie ahead for the center. “We're going to start tweaking, start to hold other events, and try and think about other things we might do. Right now it's just an introduction; we’re just opening it up,” said Mitchelle. Volunteers wish to bring more people in with events, such as a birding workshop happening at 10 a.m. o n January 29. Other attractions include collecting macroinvertebrates, learning how to harvest rainwater, and the infamous solar composting toilet. An open house will continue to be held every other Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. where the general public has access to explore the open trails which cover the six-acre property. The land is also overflowing with preserved birds that can be viewed upclose and personal along with different species of bugs, bats, and protected bird eggs. “We want to open it up to let people know what's here, that we are here. We really feel that this is a park that was forgotten.” Mitchelle explains. Volunteers are always needed out in the fresh air as an escape from the chaos of the city. Mitchelle and the short-staffed crew hauled compost, live animals, and wild brush out from the exact spot the nature center was built. They helped develop the oasis with their own ambition with the intent of educating the public. What was once a pile of horse manure has evolved into what is now known as the flourishing Hesthaven Nature Center. Gary Gibson is one of the founders of Hesthavn Nature Center. During Hesthavn’s open house on January 25, Gibson mentioned that the Northern spotted owl is in danger of extinction. This is due to the loss of habitat and especially the low reproduction rate, which is the major reason that drive species to extinction. According to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office: “More recently, competition from encroaching barred owls has accelerated the decline in spotted owls across most of their range. barred owls are not native to the Northwest, having arrived from the Eastern U.S. relatively recently. They are larger than spotted owls, more aggressive, and have a broader diet which makes them more resilient to declines in habitat quality. They compete against and exclude spotted owls from the remaining spotted owl habitat.” The main reason that barred owls were forced to leave the Eastern U.S. and move to the Northwest is climate change. Climate change negatively affected their habitats and forced them to move for survival, and these changes affected a lot of species. There were once more than 120 bird species in the Northwest, but the last time they counted, they only found 97 bird species, according to Gibson.
Located on 8590 NW Oak Creek Dr., the Hesthavn facility will be holding open houses every other Saturday from 1pm- 4pm.
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LOCAL NEWS
JANUARY 29, 2020
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Rave Auto Sales Oregon State Student Breaks into the Auto Sales Market with His Growing Car-Flipping Business
STORY AND PHOTO BY
ARIANNA STAHLBAUM
Established by business marketing major Gabriel Fitzpatrick at OSU, Rave Auto Sales has been providing students in the valley with less expensive and more reliable vehicles since August 2017. Fitzpatrick has been running his business from 4th street in Downtown Corvallis while taking a year off school, as a way to help pay for his college education and receive in-state tuition. His focus of flipping cars is with Honda and Toyota because of how reliable they are, but will occasionally buy from other brands. Fitzpatrick was born in Chippenham, England, then later moved to Napa Valley, California with his family. Growing up, he learned about cars from his uncle, who is a manufacturing engineer, and his grandfather, who owns a shop and shows cars. He originally wanted to go to school for mechanics, but ended up going to OSU for marketing because some of his friends were going there. Since he was sixteen, he has been invested in buying, renovating, and selling vehicles. His first car was transformed with the help of a friend’s mother, who knew how to sell a car. After test driving around fifteen cars, they found one in good enough shape legally and physically to use it. Before this journey, however, he sold socks and iPhones his freshman and sophomore years in high school.
Talon Dennis (left), Chris Castillo, and Gabe Fitzpatrick
He first sold socks to folks on the East Coast by purchasing Nike Elite socks from Footlocker, then would take the receipt, post them online, and sell them for more than triple the amount they were worth. His friends became jealous of his success and one wrote a fake email from Nike, informing him that they were planning to sue, and scared him into deleting everything. Soon after, he started buying phones on Craigslist and selling them
for at least double, depending on the price trends the day he decided to post them. Fitzpatrick had an hour commute to school and the post office was on the way, so every morning he would use this convenience and drop off a shipment. After being cheated by dishonest buyers who would return an empty box after filing a complaint about the phone, Fitzpatrick started delivering the phones in person. His iPhone selling came to an end around the age of sixteen when he got beat up and cheated by two different customers in the span of thirty minutes. After scanning hundred dollar bills at Target, the first customer, “was literally counting them out in front of me and just shoves me back, takes the phone, and sprints to his car.” Being a track athlete, Fitzpatrick sprinted after him, which led to the customer beating him up for the phone in the parking lot. After retrieving the phone, he called another interested buyer and asked to get him away from the scene quickly. Once the second buyer came, he handed Fitzpatrick a stack of fake hundred dollar bills and drove off, leaving him traumatized. Fast-forward to 2020, Fitzpatraick shared that he struggles with a lack of capital - he has no money for inventory, lacks time and resources, marketing, and location. Fitzpatrick is currently faced with moving his business elsewhere, because the owners of the current establishment he uses are selling. He has until June to find a new location, but already has a few in mind, including a lot between Corvallis and Philomath. Despite the upcoming relocation, he plans to grow microgreens in addition to selling cars. His hopes are to sell them to local restaurants and at local markets. Some things he has learned since starting this business is how to tell over the phone if a car is worth checking out. He noted that tone of voice matters, and that enthusiastic and overly-knowledgeable sellers are a red flag. Some things he looks for are a correct vin number, an odometer that has not been setback, and he even drives the car to make sure it would be
enjoyable for customers. “The biggest thing, in summary, to flip a car is knowing obviously if it’s going to be in good mechanical condition or not, because if it’s got a bad motor, it’s not even worth checking out half the time.” Helping run the business is business management major from LBCC, Talon Dennis, and Fitzpatrick’s roommate Chris Castillo, who helps with sales, but will soon help with marketing. Dennis has been apart of the business and helps with the logistics, transporting cars, and miscellaneous tasks, while Castillo has been apart of the journey for about a year and a half and is receiving 6 credits from OSU for being apart of the business. Dennis is glad to be a part of a business where he feels taken care of, and has learned, “So much in the past month has put more responsibility on me. Working with these guys everyday is a new challenge, but it’s really fun because you figure it out, and it’s something we can talk about at the end of the day and laugh about it when everything is wrapped up.” Fitzpatrick hopes the future will bring him business in more college towns in the United States, as well as in RVs and ultimately real estate. He also likes the idea of having a used-car lot in Bend, where he can buy and flip trucks. From my experience recently purchasing a car from Rave Auto Sales and after speaking to Fitzpatrick, Dennis, and Castillo, I can clearly see the dedication and the positive atmosphere that these students create in order to produce not only a good product, but an experience too.
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
SPORTS
JANUARY 29, 2020
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A Moment of Silence Remembering the Life and Accomplishments of Lakers Legend
affected by Bryant and his signature mentality and it’s safe to say he changed the lives of people from all over, and not just people on the court. Sunday his loss was immensely felt across the world, especially inside arenas. In multiple NBA games, the opening possessions for each team were intentional 24-second shot clock violations in honor of the late #24. One player in a different game even switched his jersey number prior to the game from #11 to #8 to honor the great #8. The impact Bryant had on the court with his playstyle, his mamba mentality, and his success was equal to the impact he had off the court by inspiring people worldwide and igniting the flame and desire for people to be their best selves. Kobe Bryant is no longer with us, but his legacy and his mentality will live on forever.
STORY BY ISAIAH HAQQ Sunday, January 26th 2020, the world lost a legend by the name of Kobe Bean Bryant. The impact left on the lives of people from all around the world was truly powerful. All throughout the media there were constant stories and nostalgics of Kobe, the man who touched the lives of millions of people, and not only athletes. His mentality and motivation toward perfecting his craft and being the best possible Kobe Bryant he could be was inspiring to us all. The mamba mentality, the strive for greatness, the will to work to become the best, was instilled inside Bryant, and that’s what he wanted to instill in the world. This type of motivation doesn’t have to pertain to only athletics, it’s just an everyday will and pursuit. Countless people have been PHOTO COURTESY: JOE GLORIOSO
Shaking the Slump Men’s Basketball Team Gets Back into Rhythm with Wins
UPCOMING BASKETBALL GAMES
STORY BY
SATURDAY JAN. 25 (W: @ 5:30 P.M) (M: @ 7:30 P.M.)
CAM HANSON
Linn-Benton men’s basketball finally broke their losing streak this past week, adding two conference wins to their resume against Clark College and Mt. Hood Community College, finally getting in a groove, their first since the beginning of December when they beat Whatcom Community College and Pierce Community College. In the past three games, the Roadrunners have given up an average of 69 points against their opponents, which has improved since gradually entering conference play. One thing you’ll immediately notice with the recent success for the team is their current movement of the ball. In their dry spell, the Runners would hardly get multiple players with double figures, with PG Kyree Davis leading the scoring charge. Now, in their two wins the team has been able to move the ball and get players scoring consistently, and the results have shown. In their 70-63 win against the Clark College Penguins, the Roadrunners had three players in double figures but allowed their hustle defense to dictate the pace. The team had a total 13 steals along with 15 defensive rebounds, led by seven by Kyree Davis. Davis went 5-12 from the field with 15 points and four steals. Kadeem Nelson had another impressive showing with 19 points on 6-12 from the field, 3-4 from three, and capped off by five steals. Freshman Fred Harding added ten points in the post. LBCC went on to face the SW Oregon Lakers on the road, but fell 84-63 despite 25 points from Kyree Davis. The work and dedication to the team in tough times is a taught attitude and resembles Coach Schaumburg well, and it paid off in another team win at home against the Mt. Hood Saint Bernards, winning 62-60 in a nail-biter. Despite only having a limited three reserve
Lane
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Linn-Benton SATURDAY FEB. 1 (W: @ 2:00 P.M) (M: @ 4:00 P.M.)
Kyree Davis
players on the bench, the Roadrunners made due with adjusted starting lineup that included Jaray Thomas at the point. Thomas finished with ten points on 3-5 shooting, but added four steals on the other side. Steals were another huge factor in this victory, with 16 on the night. While the St. Bernards shot better, the Roadrunners got the defensive edge in a game where every move in possession mattered. With these wins the team sits at 8-15 with a 2-5 conference record. The effort was enough to move up out of last in the NWAC south, but it’ll take a huge late season surge to get past .500 overall. With another grueling schedule in Clackamas, Umpqua, and Chemeketa in the horizon, these past few wins will prove to be important for team morale. This is a basketball team that went through a stark change in not only players, but coaches, with a first year college head coach looking to continue success in the program. It’ll take time, but the bright spots of this teams success are in its athleticism and tenacity, flying to the ball and giving it 100% effort. With hardly any reserves and a team full of freshmen, the work being done thus far is impressive, and will be tested as the season winds down in its final month of the regular season.
Clackamas
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Linn-Benton WEDNESDAY FEB. 5 (W: @ 5:30 P.M) (M: @ 7:30 P.M.)
Chemeketa
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Linn-Benton WEDNESDAY FEB. 12 (W: @ 5:30 P.M.) (M: @ 7:30 P.M.)
Umpqua
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Linn-Benton = Home Team M= Men's team W=Woman's Team
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A&E
JANUARY 29, 2020
LBCOMMUTER.COM
The Owl House is a Hoot STORY BY
STEVEN PRYOR
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
“The Owl House” is a new Disney animated TV series that debuted earlier this year on January 10 after being delayed from its intended premiere in 2019. As an original series from Disney Channel alum Dana Terrace (whose credits include “Gravity Falls” and the 2017 version of “Duck Tales”), it’s another promising addition to their many acclaimed shows. The story follows a young woman named Luz Noceda (voice of Sarah-Nicole Robles), a 14-year-old student whose flights of fancy are often at odds with her classmates and her school’s faculty. When she’s about to be sent to a summer camp for re-education, she instead finds a doorway into a magical land known as “The Boiling Isles;” leading her to the titular Owl House and its keeper Eda (voice of Wendie Malick). Joining up with Eda and an adorable demon named King (voice of “Gravity Falls” creator Alex Hirsch), Luz becomes an apprentice in a land far beyond anything she’s imagined or read in her fantasy books. Following in the footsteps of “Gravity Falls” and “Star VS The Forces of Evil,” this series furthers Disney’s
commitment to helping high-quality animated series return to TV. Luz’s enthusiasm and imagination are some of the best parts of the show, with the series often taking cues from the story and art of acclaimed anime such as Trigger’s “Little Witch Academia” and the classic “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” Eda is a crafty and unconventional mentor figure that helps lend to the show’s subversive take on fantasy stories. King, despite his demonic origins; is absolutely huggable, with his crown coming from a fast food restaurant in the human realm. The Boiling Isles are a setting rife with intricate details and vibrant color palettes. A marketplace has many earthbound items that fascinate those on the Boiling Isles; with the magical creatures being entranced by a portable TV showing exercise videos. Luz herself has to fend off creatures in one episode with a plastic sword, including a monstrous puppeteer who tries to lure her in with a false front version of Hogwarts from the “Harry Potter” series. With the series already having greenlit a second season before its first began airing; now is the perfect time to enter the world of “The Owl House.” Following in the footsteps of “Gravity Falls” and the acclaimed “Duck Tales” relaunch, it’s a real hoot and strongly recommended.
STARRING: Sarah-Nicole Robles, Wendie Malick, Alex Hirsch, Tati Gabrielle, Isaac Ryan Brown, Mae Whitman, Parvesh Cheena, Eden Riegel and Bumper Robinson CREATOR: Dana Terrace RATED TV-Y7 MY RATING: PHOTO COURTESY: IMDB.COM
Thundercats Flops STORY BY
STEVEN PRYOR
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
“Thundercats Roar” is the third animated TV series centered around the “Thundercats” franchise, which previously saw TV adaptations in 1985 and in 2011. Though not the worst animated reboot in recent memory, it’s still a messy and tonally inconsistent adaptation that pales in comparison to its namesake and has little to offer on its own merit. Originally intended to air in 2019, the series was delayed for a year and has now started this February. The series has also been subject to divisive reactions online with everything from the series’ art design to a more comedic writing style being endlessly debated and often criticized. Many hoped that the series would be able to overcome the backlash it faced. Unfortunately, the series has not only turned out to be disappointing in its own right; the attempts to condense the lineage of both previous TV series into a bunch of comical 11-minute vignettes has gone about as well as one would expect. Seeing the destruction of the cats’ homeworld of Thundera played for laughs feels like a fundamental miscalculation about what would make a parody of the series work. In all fairness, the whole venture seems like it would be a better fit for a YouTube video or sketch on “Robot Chicken” than its own TV series. Series creator Victor Courtright, along with fellow writer and animator Jeremy Polgar (whose credits include many episodes of “Adventure Time” and “OK KO: Let’s Be Heroes,” and
animations for the infamous “Movie 43”) set out to make a series that they would enjoy as much as potential audiences would; so it’s somewhat disheartening to see the final product turn out this way. That said, there are clear issues with the animation and writing. Many of the jokes land with a painful thud, and the divisive art shift from the previous “Thundercats” TV entries is actually the least of the problems with the show’s visuals. On top of the more simplified artwork being an odd fit for the franchise, many of the other choices in art direction are downright baffling. Characters and objects seem to grow and shrink with no clear indication of how scale works. One scene shows a giant Mumm-Ra sitting on a throne that’s as big as a mountain, and the same scene shows the cats to be the size of ants. Hits the heroes deal to mutant supervillains flash onscreen so quickly that an intended homage to the previous versions instead makes the action hard to follow, and a tough watch for potential viewers with epilepsy. Snarf has now become an absurd “Deus ex Machina,” essentially a Furby with chainsaws and laser guns inside whose power runs out at inopportune moments. Whether this is a potential toy tie-in or simply a metaphor for the show itself is not entirely clear. What is clear, however, is that this reboot is an uneven mess; despite the best intentions of the creative team. Other 1980s IPs have been successfully reimagined for a new generation, with newer animated series of “Transformers,” the Nicktoon versions of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and the excellent 2017 reboot of “Duck Tales” being key examples. Though the jury is still out on how the show will fare going forward, it’s
STARRING: Max Mittelman, Erica Lindbeck, Patrick Seitz and Chris Jai Alex CREATOR: Victor Courtright (Based on the TV series by Ted Wolf) RATED TV-Y7-FV MY RATING: PHOTO COURTESY: IMDB.COM evident that the creators have an uphill battle on their hands. Even if the series is not as bad as other animated reboots such as “Mega Man: Fully Charged” (which only lasted a season), it’s still not off to a good start given the cult following of the original 1985 series as well as the shortlived but much-loved 2011 incarnation. Despite the best intentions from
the creators, “Thundercats Roar” ends up having ugly visuals, inconsistent characterization, and a less interesting story than anything a typical housecat might cough up on the floor. Though there is room to improve, the initial impression is less “Thundercats! Ho!” and more “Ack! Hairball!”
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
A&E
JANUARY 29, 2020
Artists of LBCC
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Local Artists Use LBCC as a Vessel to Pursue Their Passion of Creating STORY AND PHOTO BY MEGAN FREITAS
Kaylee Marsh, 17, from South Albany High School, strives to become a tattoo artist. She is still unsure of her exact major, but she knows that she wants it to be art-centered. Her motivation to begin pursuing art derived from her uncle. "My dad wasn't really in the picture at the time," Marsh said. She then went on to explain the connection of art to her uncle. "He watched over me most of my childhood and he inspired me to get into it," she said. Her uncle was an artist himself, which led to her interest. Marsh doesn't intend for her work to have any particular meaning, although some of her pieces could be described as political. Her main ideas for her work are taken from elements of the woods and forests.
As much as her art expresses her own inner ideas and creativity, it also has left an impact on herself in a larger way. "The more effort I put into my work, the more confident I feel in myself,” Marsh said. There are many creators within our communities and LBCC that contribute their creativity in a variety of ways. From artists to actors, their work is displayed in different forms. Some of the art can be seen on campus in various galleries, as well as in the theater. Damian Riley, 19, who is attending college here at LBCC, is in theater with hopes of becoming a voice actor for video games such as Persona 5. Riley will be acting as the scarecrow in the upcoming play “A Scarecrow in OZ,” which premiers on Saturday, February 8 at the Russell Tripp Performance Center. Acting has been something that he has been working on and a part of for about six years. It all began when he
Kaylee Marshe displaying one of her art pieces.
Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.
watched the Spiderman movies growing up. Acting has also helped him find his own path in life. “Acting and theater has left a big impact on me,” said Riley. “I know what I want to do.” There are several open doors offered at LBCC to pursue your dream in visual arts and theater. LBCC offers many options through their Visual Arts degree. Some of the art galleries here on campus can be found in North Santiam Hall, South Santiam Hall, and the Calapooia Gallery. Work of your own can be submitted as well, as they often display student art. Theater is also offered here at LBCC, which can be a pathway toward becoming an actor, director, and many other related careers. It is also a great way to get involved with both the school and community, making new connections with others along the way.
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JANUARY 29, 2020
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Disney+ Guide For New Users STORY BY
STEVEN PRYOR
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
Since the launch of Disney+ this past November, a formidable new platform has entered the emerging market of digital streaming. With the service containing
Upcoming Exclusives The Mandalorian (2019, Season 2 in Production for fall 2020) This flagship series, following the mysterious bounty hunter in the title (Pedro Pascal) is a grand homage to the original “Star Wars” trilogy and a fantastic “space western” on its own merit.host of creative imagery.
Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Fall 2020) Picking up where their arcs in the movies left off, this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sees Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their roles as they search for the criminal Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) looks to be a bold new series to help ring in Phase 4 for the franchise.
WandaVision (TBA 2020) By the same token as the previous entry, this series will have the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and the Vision (Paul Bettany) in a show that homages and parodies family sitcoms of the 1950s.
Modern Hits Inside Out (2015) This colorful and creative look at emotions is one of Pixar’s best films in recent memory, great for viewing again and again.
Moana (2016) This South Pacific princess film is easily one of the most unique fairy tales in recent memory; full of catchy songs and spectacular seafaring animation… as well as Alan Tudyk as a comical chicken.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) The sequel to the 2012 hit “Wreck-it Ralph” is a hilarious and heartwarming follow-up that gleefully pokes fun at internet culture and Disney’s own history.
PHOTO COURTESY: IMDB.COM
the bulk of their content from the past and present; and more to come in the future, here are some selections to help get started for new users.
Overlooked Gems The Black Hole (1979) Disney’s first PG-rated film, this early science fiction effort from the company is an ambitious movie that was among the many released in the wake of “Star Wars” long before they would own the rights themselves.
Return to Oz (1985) While different from the 1939 musical, this fantasy film draws more from the darker elements of the original “Oz” books and contains a host of creative imagery.
The Rescuers Down Under (1990) This sequel to the 1970s film “The Rescuers” is an underrated animated work, taking the concept of the first film and expanding it to the country of Australia as a young man tries to elude a villainous hunter (voice of George C. Scott).
Classic Treasures Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) The first of many animated classics from the studio still holds up many decades later, setting the gold standard for years to come.
The Muppet Movie (1979) More than forty years later, this first theatrical outing for the Muppets is still a fun piece of family entertainment for young and old alike.
Duck Tales (1987) With the acclaimed 2017 reboot entering its third season, now is a great time to revisit the first animated incarnation of the series; complete with its catchy and timeless theme song.