The Commuter - November 2023 by The Commuter

T H E

L I N N - B E N T O N

VOL. 55 EDITION 4

C O M M U N I T Y

C O L L E G E

NOVEMBER 2023

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM with Andrew Campbell

FORGING A NEW PATH

A Mother of Five Is Breaking Barriers in Pursuit of Her Dreams

ROADRUNNERS READY FOR REPEAT with Coach Jayme Frazier

LETTER EDITOR FROM THE

ABOUT US

he holiday season is here and the fall term finish line is in sight. Due to most of December being winter break, this year we decided to combine our November and December editions into one magazine. This edition is a bit of a grab bag of different topics. We’ve included a holiday recipe to get you in the holiday spirit. An article written by Kacey Montgomery explores the impact the Spring 2023 budget cuts and loss of the library staff has had on library accessibility. Jana Svoboda, one of the authors of the Wellness Wednesday column on the Commuter website, has an article about holiday blues. This edition of the Commuter has something for everyone. This past month at the Commuter we’ve been expanding our digital presence. You can expect to find more content on our website as well as several new columns, which will have some exclusive articles not featured in this magazine. Ryland Bickley, our Sports Editor, has been working on a column titled “This Week in LBCC Athletics” to keep you updated about everything sports going on at LBCC. Sarah Rose Larson, our Photography Editor, has been sharing the work of our Photojournalism students. Jana Svoboda and Lisa Hoogesteger have reintroduced the Wellness Wednesday column you may remember from last year. Balancing exams, final projects, and festivities can be challenging,

but our Wellness Wednesday column offers some valuable advice to help you make the most of your holiday season while keeping your academic goals on track. Mason Wills and Steven Pryor, our review team, have been cooking up plenty of reviews of movies, TV shows, video games, and books. If you’d like to stay updated with the Commuter website content, make sure to subscribe to our email newsletter. We just hired a social media editor, Lithia Foultner, who’ll be in charge of our Instagram page, keeping you updated on breaking news, events, and articles as they are published. We’re gearing up to start next year off with a bang. If you’d like to be a part of our team, reach out! We’re always hiring and looking for new ideas for all kinds of content. As the year comes to a close, I want to thank all our readers, contributors, and the dedicated team behind the Commuter. Your support and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind our success, and we look forward to bringing you more exciting content in the coming year. Happy Holidays, Roadrunners.

the Commuter is the student-run magazine for

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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” section 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.

Ryan Janowitz Editor-in-Chief

wanna get together? We’re really

nice and fairly cool and we’d love to hear what you have to say. Not big on journalism but love to journal? Perfect. Are you a STEM major with major opinions? Let’s hear ’em. Like writing about ’80s film? Local animals? Snack hacks? Maybe you have a hefty folder of flash fiction on your laptop, just dying to be published and printed. Drop us a line. We’d love to meet you, read you, and support you. Think your ideas might be too weird or too niche for submission? Even better. The Commuter is an award-winning publication because of our wide range of contributions and our unique contributors. So reach out. We’ll be staring at our email inbox in the meantime, not an ounce of chill to be had.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RYAN JANOWITZ

DESIGN EDITOR

KAILYN MCQUISTEN

PHOTO EDITOR

SARAH ROSE LARSON

FEATURE EDITOR AVERY JADE

NEWS EDITOR

JOSH CANDÉ

SPORTS EDITOR

RYLAND BICKLEY

MARKETING DIRECTOR

CHRIS PATTERSON

CONTENTS

STAFF

LIBRARIAN CUTS:

Making Students Go It Alone?

Home Alone for the Holidaze

with Andrew Campbell

WELLNESS

BEHIND THE CLASSROOM

FORGING A NEW PATH

A Mother of Five Is Breaking Barriers in Pursuit of Her Dreams

Duane Falls

Ryan Oropeza

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR LITHIA FOULTNER

REVIEWS

STEVEN PRYOR MASON WILLS

SPORTS

Women’s and Men’s Basketball Teams Prepare for New Season

ADVISOR

ROB PRIEWE

CONTRIBUTORS

BRENDA AUTRY KACEY MONTGOMERY JANA SVOBODA

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME HERE? JOIN THE TEAM! cover photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

ROADRUNNERS READY FOR REPEAT

With Coach Jayme Frazier

Harry Potter Film Locations

Recipes, Reviews, & More

THREE ENCHANTING

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

words by KACEY MONTGOMERY

photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

ithout Without a doubt, spring term 2023 brought immense changes to Linn-Benton Community College that few foresaw. The administration announced that the college would be letting go of 11 faculty members, three of which were the faculty librarians in the campus library. Discontinuation of computer science, the criminal justice program, and a sizable portion of the Adult Basic Skills offerings were also on the chopping block. LBCC had been seeing a downturn in enrollment in previous school years. LBCC President Lisa Avery often recounts a time in the mid-past when the in-person enrollment of the college was so high that people had to park on the grass beyond the college’s parking lots. Covid only did further harm to enrollment and in turn, revenue. With a deficit of more than $2 million looming, budget cuts were an unpleasant necessity. Fall term of 2023, LBCC has seen a notable uptick in enrollment. The campus is alive again; students are slowly starting to populate the halls, courtyard, classrooms, and even the mostly librarian-less library. Yet behind the scenes, there are still many unknowns and unanswered questions suggesting a disconnect in communication between administration and faculty. Outwardly, the library is functioning for students with few noticeable differences. The

library is offering most of the services it had in years past and is open Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is also open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. As for instructors, the library is able to accommodate most requests. Online resources created in past years should still be available, and ordering can be accomplished by reaching out directly to Library and Learning Center Director Samantha Hines. For a reason unrelated to the budget cuts, interlibrary loan requests are also to go through Hines for the time being. Faculty instructors last spring were concerned about where students would now go for help and mentorship when working on research, a crucial duty carried out by the former faculty librarians. Some suggest that research librarian-specific information will be hard to come by in light of the lack of faculty librarians. “I do notice students internalizing the feeling that they’re simply ‘not good at research’ when previously they would have received extra support from librarians who could help them gain skills and confidence. It’s like the difference between a student getting tutoring in a difficult class and a student going it alone,” said English faculty Karelia Stetz-Waters. Others were concerned with the ability of the college to continue producing resources for Spanish-speaking students. The faculty librarians had taken on the task of providing bilingual services for equitable access to educational materials.

Student Help Desk technician Jaden Christoson said, “We lost three or four of our bilingual library staff.” Later, Hines confirmed that there are actually no Spanish-speaking bilingual staff currently working in the library. To the trained eye, changes have been noticeable. Hines gives praise to the current staff while also noting that from the inside of the library, they are feeling the strain after the loss of former colleagues Richenda Hawkins, Bryan Miyagishima, and Douglas Hambley, who had created an infrastructure and countless resources the library is still relying on. As of December 14th 2023, the Faculty Association and College Administration have reached a mutually agreeable resolution to help nullify the grievances of losing three faculty librarians. The agreement was to restore a fulltime faculty librarian, Scott Gallagher-Starr who will start January 1st of 2024. Richenda Hawkins and Bryan Miyagishima have waived their rights to be recalled to that position, and all parties support the confidential settlement. The former faculty librarians’ reach stretched past the confines of the library walls. The librarians were key in assisting instructors develop and maintain web resources for their classrooms, teaching students about information literacy, and assisting students in their research. With the faculty librarians gone in an age where it is easier than ever to find false or misleading information, it begs the question, how are LBCC students getting the information they need to find and identify correct and reliable information sources? “I’d go to Wikipedia and use article reference links as research resources,” said mechanical engineering student Ben Canterero. “I can’t think of a place to go on campus for help.” While there is not currently someone equipped to visit classrooms or help instructors maintain their web resources for their classes, students can visit Richard Kearney, part-time research assistant at the Albany campus on Mondays and Saturdays, and at the Healthcare Occupations Center in Lebanon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “My location in Albany is at the Reference Desk on the first floor of the Main Library across from the Circulation Desk and in front of the Writing Center (you can’t miss it). My location at the HOC is in the HOC Library on the first floor straight ahead as you enter the building,” Kearney wrote in an email. Kearney encourages students to drop in or make an appointment for his assistance.

▲ From left to right: Vivian Bratsouleas, Damon Mann, Brandon Caldwell, Juno Benencio Casales

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However, Kearney notes that few students are requesting his help and he is seeing only one or two students per week at the main library along with a modest handful of emails and chats. While a reference assistant is an effort to provide help, based on the traffic, students seem unaware of this service. An elementary education student said they’d go ask the First Resort about how to get help, and several other students mentioned they’d try the Learning Center. A part-time reference assistant bridges some of the gap between students and the college. The librarians’ work in visiting classrooms was a welcoming and warming touch to the institution, inviting students out of the classroom and into the library. “The relationships that the visiting librarians created with my students helped my students get comfortable with the idea of reaching out for help with their research and helped them build the confidence they needed to complete their classes and persist as students at the college,” said English faculty Chris Riseley. “I’ve had to readjust many of my materials in the absence of librarians so that my students can continue to encounter the high-quality materials that the librarians used to help them find. The real pity here is that my students have lost the personal connections with the college that the librarians provided,” said Riseley.

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Locally, students looking for reliable resources can visit the library’s website for books, articles, streaming videos, research tools, featured resources, and online magazines. “OSU does provide borrowing privileges for community members,” said Stetz-Waters, though she worries that some LBCC students may not feel comfortable asking for research help at OSU’s library. “I have no idea who I’d ask for research help at LBCC,” said LBCC/OSU dualenrolled animal science student Jen Lindeman. “I’d probably use OSU’s database.” LBCC students can also use an online librarian chat service. When using this service, accessors are asked to provide a question and then connected with a librarian somewhere else in the world. Within minutes a real person, and qualified librarian, is linked into the chat. For the research of this article, I was linked to a librarian in Philadelphia who confirmed that completion of graduate school was required to qualify to work for this service. At this point in the school year, it is hard to have exact numbers related to traffic in the library. Hines speculates that the amount of student traffic in the library is similar to last school year, though the library still isn’t as busy as school years before COVID-19.

Home (or Home Alone) for the

Holidaze words by JANA SVOBODA

“Having a family is like having a bowling alley installed in your head”-- Martin Mull

hristmas and Hanukkah are boom times for therapists. What is it about holidays that cause so much trouble? There’s the obvious: extra activities to cram in too already crazy busy lives, financial strains, and unhealthy overindulgence. There’s also the poignant, sometimes painful difference between pictures of ideal family and friend reunions vs. the reality of messy humans coming together with their messy selves. We spend our teen and young adult years struggling to develop identities that resonate with our souls. Part of that journey involves turning away from familiar sources of safety and nurturing in order to discover ourselves. And then the holidays come. And with them, questions. Can I be different and still belong? Where do I belong? Can I be true to me and still be loved by you? isiting home or reuniting with relatives, we bump into our younger selves. We may feel more dependent, less competent, or locked into family roles we’ve tried to leave behind. We may struggle to see others’ growth as well. Reunions work best when we notice our thoughts and judgments, and remind ourselves they are impressions and projections, not facts. When we can rise above ourselves for a wider view, we gain understanding and compassion. We get that at any given moment in time, we are acting with the limitations with us right then-just like everyone else. Sometimes at

holidays we are very limited. We snap and complain out of tiredness, or confusion from being out of our routine and stretched past our resources. We try too hard, hoping we’ll be shown the love we need. We isolate, fearing we don’t belong. We still want acceptance, or at least recognition of our validity. If you find yourself with loved ones trying hard to conjure up some love, see if you can show them acceptance for who they are. Even, or especially, if you disagree with their choices. In between reminiscing about the sweetness or horror of how things used to be, remember to be curious about how things are now for them, and who they are becoming. Relinquish your internalized limitations for them. Maybe they’ll do the same for you. nd what if you have no family to go to? Or can’t get there? Loneliness during holidays can be particularly painful. Make sure to schedule some activities so you’re not just spinning in it. Book an online date with a friend to play a game or share a meal over the miles. Volunteer at a pet or

person shelter (for other volunteer opportunities, visit VolunteerMatch Where Volunteering Begins ). Do some art or reading in a coffee shop. Go for a hike, take in a movie or play, visit a faith community that resonates with your beliefs, or check out the events calendar for your town. Show up at one of the dozens of area trivia nights and sit in with a group (smaller ones are usually very happy to have a volunteer addition). Flyers with opportunities for connection are also posted around campus, on town library community bulletin boards and outside many stores. You aren’t the only lonely out there—go out there and connect! And if things get too hard, remember LBCC has a 24 hour crisis line where you’ll always find someone to talk with - 541-917-4666. Looking for more wellness content? Check out the Wellness Wednesday column by Jana Svoboda and Lisa Hoogesteger on the Commuter website! Have more tips? Email them to me: svobodj@linnbenton.edu May the holidays and the new year find your heart ever expanding.

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beyond the

classroom: with Andrew Campbell

words by AVERY JADE photos via ANDREW CAMPBELL

What motivated you to begin teaching? Practicality, right? A lot of the artists I see and know can keep up studio practices without relying on art as their primary income. So teaching as a primary source of income is something that I saw a number of people whose practices and careers I respected were doing. During school that was something I kept in mind as an option because I was seeing people in similar situations, with kind of the same set of base resources as I had, following the teaching track pretty robustly. It was encouraging to see artists I know using teaching as a way to keep their studio practice alive.

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Who would you say are your top three favorite artists? And do you have any that you specifically gain inspiration from? That first question was so easy and the second one was so hard! One of the household names that I go to is Egon Schiele’s sketchbooks. I love his drawings, I love his pencil work, I love his sketchbooks, I love them more than his paintings. I am actually attached to Egon Schiele; as for his works on paper I think that he shaped some of my decisions on how I do my drawings. Edie Fake is wonderful. I came across their work casually, through a comic bookstore and was picking up their zines. Sort of like seeing the ephemeral work that they were doing there. Edie I think is a good name for me to reference the DIY scene and the queer to punk origins of a lot of things. I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve done that I can’t trace directly back to a queer, punk graffiti history. Shirley Jackson has come up a lot in the past for me too. That’s all literature. But I do pull a lot from music and literature. So along those lines also the musician Lotic is on in my studio a lot. I do like to listen to music as a way to sort of imagine visual problems or to visualize aesthetics or something. Just to help how I’m thinking about shapes and patterns and form.

Aside from photography, what other mediums of art do you enjoy? I should put out there that photography is not my primary output these days. I haven’t really done just a straight-faced photograph in a couple of years. In 2010 I had hung a series of these uncomplicated, direct photographs, and that was probably the last time I worked with photography alone and everything else has been mixed and combined. Since then, I’m doing a lot of fiber work. I do a lot of piecing, quilting, and applique. I use a lot of embroidery and piecing to build images in textile traditions that way, fiber traditions. I’ve also been playing with weaving and using a loom to create my canvases more or less. I don’t paint traditionally, but I do like to weave up a surface that I then paint on top of. Honestly, embroidery is very, very important to me as a concept. Just this idea of this one simple tool, that just the needle with the thread and all the things it can do, it can bind things, it can draw on things, conceptually is like this really, really powerful tool to me, just the needle and thread. So that’s where a lot of my work is at.

a good 115, like an intro to 2D design. I’ve done that at all the schools that I’ve worked at a couple of times. In my undergrad school, we had a studio class that was just about research strategies. We had a research studio class where we were designing our own research strategies for making art and connecting art. It was basically

What do you enjoy most about teaching photography classes? And would you want to teach another class or a different class? I love my photo class because I love photography and I love cameras. The camera as a tool is really fascinating. I love teaching photography because photographs are so pleasing and they’re so accessible. I really think that everyone should be able of their own volition to make something beautiful, regardless of whether or not you’re studying art for a career track or anything. I think it provides everyone with agency to make something beautiful that they’re proud of. In terms of other classes, I already do teach a number of other classes. Just not as regularly as I teach photo. At the end of last year, I had the opportunity to teach a version of understanding art that was hyper-focused on camp aesthetics. We just used the question of “Is this camp or is this not camp?” as an organizing principle to that class. And that was really great fun for me.This term, I’m teaching a woven structures class, which is a collegelevel weaving class. I’ve taught stitch work strategies, which is more like a sewing and stitch-based class rather than weaving class. I’ve also taught classes like intro to fiber arts, which is a broad intro to fiber crafting, and also screen printing. And I do love teaching

▼ “A Disco Agony”, aka “Teresa Hits the Floor and

▲ “Crowns On, Guns Out” circa 2020, textile tapestry.

Throws Elbows” circa 2021, textile tapestry.

What is your favorite way to get comfortable before grading class work? That’s a funny question. I have some key playlists that are important for grading. One of them is the same playlist that I use for reading theory. There’s definitely my own personal collection of focused vibes. It’s very heavy with Brian Eno and DJ Spooky, but there’s a lot of other stuff in there. I also keep myself in check about how my personal state is before grading, like how my ADHD is and stuff because I don’t ever want to come into a grading session in a bad way because I’m not going to be giving good feedback. So I do like to get myself comfortable with music. And then depending on the time of the day, there’s a comforting beverage, usually warm, and either coffee or tea. Do you have a favorite class project to assign? I like a lot of them, some of them are just more technically driven, which is important and I shouldn’t throw it under the bus, but it’s less fun. But one project I love is this week. We’re just about to do a quick collage workshop that I think is a lot of fun and generally produces great results. Oh, I do have a short, like one week assignment where we do a museum challenge, where I ask people to photographically recreate a famous image, whether it’s a photograph or a painting or something, but creating a famous piece of artwork out of household items. That one is always a good game and it just gets good results. It’s a fun day in the classroom when we look over those. Those are two that I like a lot. Do you have something you enjoy to do outside of teaching? Yes, I try to enjoy most of the things that I do. Hopefully I’m enjoying outside of teaching as well. It’s a struggle but I do try to keep a robust studio practice up. It’s very, very difficult. I’m currently in a period where it’s very much slowed down because of other things requiring my time, but defending my studio time is my second hobby. I’m also a big fan of horror movies. My partner and I have been going through and doing a little October horror movie binge where we just find one a day that we’ve never seen before.

being like, no, we need to read some stuff, we need to collect some materials and research. Instead of having my ideas coming from the ether and from my heart. And I would love to teach a research studio class. I think that those are really fun and I think I’d really enjoy that.

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FORGING A NEW PATH

words and photo by BRENDA AUTRY

eing a full-time student is not an easy task. Figuring out schedules, attending classes and managing homework and deadlines can all take their toll. For many students, this responsibility comes on the heels of learning to be on their own and managing their own lives for the first time. Non-traditional students, students who didn’t start college right after high school, can face their own unique challenges when it comes to getting an education. Many non-traditional students are trying to balance full-time work, career changes, raising children, caring for other family members, and many other situations that can present obstacles they must overcome in order to achieve their educational goals. Jessica Ingram is a non-traditional student who just began her first year at LBCC this term. Ingram, 37, is the mother of five children ages 13, 10, 9, 7 and 1 years old. In addition to juggling the responsibilities of being a mother to a large family and a newly enrolled full-time student, Ingram has chosen a degree and career path that not many other women choose – she enrolled in the Pipe Welding Program. “Welding is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Ingram said. “My uncle was a welder, and he was one of my favorite people, so welding was something I was always interested in. I can’t really explain it… It just feels like it’s my calling.” After high school Ingram worked several different jobs to support herself. She eventually started a career as a banker, which she enjoyed and did well at. After having children she took several years off to be a stay-at-home mom. She went back to working when her children were in school, but after baby number five came along, she made a decision. “I had waited long enough,” said Ingram. “It was time to stop putting my education on the back burner. So, I started college.” Ingram lives in Albany with her children and her partner, Aaron McKinnon, who is a graduate of the Heavy Equipment Diesel program at LBCC. McKinnon took several welding classes while working on his degree and really enjoyed them and the welding faculty. “He really encouraged me to go back to school after the baby was born,” said Ingram. “He told me how great the welding program was and said I should just do it.” McKinnon now owns and operates his own business as a mobile diesel mechanic. Since his job has a flexible schedule, he is able to stay home with the couple’s 1-yearold while Ingram attends classes. “I get up around 6 every morning and feed the baby, I’m still breastfeeding,” Ingram said. “Then I come home on my lunch break to eat and feed the baby again. But Aaron takes care of everything else. He takes all the

A MOTHER OF FIVE IS BREAKING BARRIERS IN PURSUIT OF HER DREAMS

other kids to school and picks them up. I really couldn’t do this without him.” “For the most part, me going to school works just like having two parents who are working,” Ingram continued. “I get home and make dinner and we all do our chores and homework and spend time together. My kids are so proud of me. My oldest and I have an ongoing joke about homework. I’ll ask if they have homework and they’ll answer back, ‘Do you have homework, mom?’” As far as her classes go, Ingram said she’s really enjoying the program so far. “I love welding, and I’m actually doing really well at it. Also, it’s not as hard as I thought it was going to be. The teachers make it really great. They’re all so encouraging and they give you every resource and tool you need to succeed. The hours are also great, and It really makes me feel like I can succeed.” According to LBCC’s institutional data, just 20% of the students who have declared a major in Welding and Fab Tech identify as female. Ingram knew going into the program that being female in a male-dominated industry would be something she would be dealing with. “I knew going in that it would be different. That I was going to stick out as a woman,” Ingram said. “I knew I was going to have a little bit of a struggle fitting in. But I do feel like I belong here. Yes, I’m a woman, but I’m also just a person, and I don’t want anyone to think they have to treat me differently just because I’m a woman.” Ingram said there was one other female in her cohort, and that has been nice to have another female in her classes. But what’s been more challenging for her than being a female, is being older than the other people in her program. Just 30% of students in the Welding and Fab programs are over the age of 25. The data doesn’t specify beyond that, but department chair Marc Rose confirms that the numbers are far less for students over 35. “It feels kind of a little bit lonely because it’s not like everyone is lining up to work with me because I don’t have a lot in common with the other students,” Ingram said. “I feel welcome, and I’m looking past it but the age difference sometimes can be a communication barrier.” Ingram isn’t letting any of the barriers she’s facing get in the way of her dreams of becoming a welder though. She is working hard every day and says she’s “treating school just like a job.” After graduating she wants to go into business with her partner or possibly live out a dream of returning to Texas where she’s from and working as a welder on the pipe lines. For other women, especially mothers, who are thinking about a career in the trades, Ingram has these words of encouragement: “Even though I’m a mom, and I have five kids, and life can be out of control sometimes, you can still pursue your dreams and work hard and get dirty. There’s nothing wrong with a desk job, but women can do hard jobs also. We can do hard things and put our bodies through hard work. It’s good for you. I just want to be a good mom and a really hard worker.” COMMUTER

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

DUANE FALLS interview by MASON WILLS photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into the culinary program?

I originally came down here to Linn-Benton to play baseball. I was introduced to the engineering program within the first couple of weeks. It turns out it wasn’t for me and I saw that there was a culinary program. I knew I loved cooking from a really young age so I just decided to pursue it and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. What’s your favorite thing about the culinary program at LBCC?

Probably the camaraderie and support throughout everybody, whether it’s the students supporting each other or if it’s our chefs. The extracurricular activities that we do and all of the resources that we have, whether it’s at the library or our chef ’s firsthand experience, I just think there isn’t a better program that you could have. How did you earn the scholarship and what is it for?

So the US Foods scholarship is a culinary scholarship, it is strictly for a couple schools around the United States and Linn-Benton has two candidates that they can submit. We had to write a short essay, send a nice headshot, and show why we wanted to be in the culinary industry. I wrote an essay about how I want to eventually own a cafe or bakery, as well as becoming a private chef on the off time. I was awarded it at the end of August of this year. What made you fall in love with cooking?

Growing up it was just me and my sister in the house and our parents were always working so one of us had to cook. She relied on me quite a bit even though she was my older sister. So we got in the kitchen and we experimented from the ages of about seven to fifteen. Fifteen is where cooking really just blew up for me. Where do you see yourself after graduating?

In the offseason, like the summers, I go fishing in Alaska. But after that I plan on starting my career off with personal chef work in, hopefully, Big Sky Montana and also go and do contracted work in other states and be a travel chef. What’s your favorite meal to cook?

Traditionally, it’s a Northern Thai dish called Khao Soi, it’s a noodle based curry with your choice of protein, mainly chicken. It just has all five flavor components. The salty, sour, savory, umami and the sweet. It pretty much hits all the landmarks of flavortown. Anything else you would like to add?

Anyone who’s looking into wanting to try culinary, come in and do a tour. It’s awesome. It’s been a life changer for a lot of people. We have a lot of people in my class that travel to come here every day. So it’s definitely worth it if you truly love cooking.

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Artist Spotlight:

Ryan Oropeza interview and photo by AVERY JADE

H ow did you get involved with music and what inspires you? So I got involved in music sometime around third grade with the guitar. My dad is in several bands, so I was inspired by him initially to start playing music. He showed me the ropes a little bit, but I kind of took my own route and taught myself a lot. As for the next part of your question, my inspiration is always evolving whenever I meet new people or discover new things. I’m a collective of all the people I’ve interacted with. The natural world inspires me a lot and so does my partner. I write a lot of songs about us being bugs, and I really see myself as more of an earthling instead of being limited to a human. Are there any musicians you find inspiring or just like listening to? I love to listen to music that’s more abstract and finding music by underrepresented artists. I really like weird music and innovative artists, just those bands that not many people really know about, a lot who are more marginalized and create music that’s unique. While I still have a soft spot for bands like The Beatles, I think it’s important to admire and appreciate the bands and artists who were the pioneers. Music has been immensely whitewashed and I think we should actively counteract this. There would be no Beatles without artists like Chuck Berry, Odetta and Little Richard, y’know?. Anyways, I just love the sound of artists like Love, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, The Kinks,

and Odetta. Odetta was really the beginning of punk in my opinion. She’s definitely one of the most influential artists of all time. Other groups that inspire me are The Residents, Moondog, and some 80s hardcore punk like Black Flag and Dead Kennedys, and definitely 90s indie like Sebadoh, Eric’s Trip and Ween.

Are there any people or things that have influenced the music you write? My main muse is my partner, Skye. They are just really forthright and free and I just am inspired to make honest music because of this. They taught me a lot about being free flowing and more careless when creating. I have learned being insecure is ok but like sometimes an unperfect piece is better than none at all. Before meeting them I’d definitely consider my music less explicitly political. Now I think me and my music has just become more radical and unique. How many instruments do you know how to play? I know some ukulele, drums, guitar, bass and a little bit of mandolin. I am the most practiced with guitar and bass though. For me, it’s a lot easier to process words and certain feelings with the guitar. But some emotions can only be expressed through the aggression percussion enables me to unleash. I like to drum everywhere, with my fingers and pencils, but there is definitely a limitation on how much emotion I can express with drumming. Drumming can be an enlightening experience and feel very liberating. I don’t really like to consciously follow anything, per se, I enjoy just

trying things and letting my feelings guide me. Some people use a lot more music theory than me but it’s not really my cup of tea. Because I feel like it can dehumanize music when used wrong and limit folks. For me, it’s kind of like the gender binary. I just don’t want to be in any kind of box; I feel like I’m trapped in a box when I have to adhere to a gender and music theory is a lot like that. People, like artists, need absolute autonomy. I do know of artists that learn it mainly so that they can just break the rules though like Frank Zappa, and most do a really good job with it. But I have played with so many people that have been forever tainted by it. I think knowing a certain level of music theory is helpful like harmonies, octaves and some basic chord names. In the end the only thing that matters is that it sounds good and is not void of emotion, unless that’s what you are going for. When I write songs I have noticed I cannot force it, but rather just have to let it come to me.

What are other forms of art that you enjoy? Is there anything you’ve been wanting to try or get better at? I enjoy making collages with radical themes to it. I’ve made collages for shows and really really free markets. I also like to decorate succulent planters, make jewelry, and sometimes I write poetry and paint. My partner is the one who does a lot of paintings and jewelry, they’re very talented. I really wanna get better at textile art. So I like crochet and sewing. I wanna learn how to crochet things like frog socks and hats and leg warmers. I also really wanna get better at using oil paints and also photography. My partner did a couple of really rad oil paintings of these orange sun people. And it turned out really good with awesome texture. We also used to have a camera but it was really expensive and broke pretty fast. I kinda wanna get back into it though because I have so many moments I just wanna have photos of.

BOOK SWAP PARTY

NOV 17 | 1-3PM ROASTRUNNERS CAFE (FORUM-127)

ARE YOU A BOOKWORM AT HEART? COME HANG OUT WITH FELLOW LITERARY AFICIONADOS AT OUR BOOK SWAP. SIP HOT DRINKS AND MUNCH ON DONUTS WHILE YOU BROWSE AND CHAT. WHO KNOWS? YOU MIGHT JUST FIND YOUR NEXT FAVORITE AUTHOR.

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“OUR GOAL IS TO WIN EVERY DAY!” Linn-Benton Men’s Basketball Season Preview words by RYLAND BICKLEY photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

s fall term begins to wind down, basketball season is just starting up. Linn-Benton men’s basketball enters the 2023 season surrounded by optimism following a promising 2022 campaign. Last year, the Roadrunners finished second in the NWAC South en route to a playoff berth. Led by first-year head coach Todd Zimmermann, it was the team’s first time in the tournament since 2017, and the Roadrunners had two players receive All-NWAC South honors. A first-round exit in the playoffs put a damper on Linn-Benton’s success, but the season’s result still laid a foundation the team is excited to build upon in 2023. “I think everyone on the team last year came in knowing how the previous years had gone, and I fully believe that each and every one of us wanted to play our part in the turnaround… we really wanted to set up a culture for the team and program,” said TJ Zimmermann, a sophomore forward for the Roadrunners. 2022’s roster was led by veterans such as forwards Ayden Foster and Jace Mills, guard Tyson Parker, and guard/forward Grant Dunn, all of whom have moved on from Linn-Benton. Now, it’s up for players like Zimmermann, who led the Roadrunners with 21 points per game last year, to take on more of a leadership role. “There were certain leaders on the team last year that we all held a ton of respect for,” said TJ Zimmermann. “Those guys truly helped build the culture in their final year. I’m looking forward to being able to lead and continue on what we were able to accomplish last year.” The Roadrunners enter the 2023 season unranked in the NWAC preseason coaching poll, receiving nine votes overall. They share a division with the fifth-ranked Clackamas Cougars and will face top-ranked Columbia Basin twice in their first 10 games. However, the Roadrunners still have high expectations heading into the season. “Our goal is to win every day! Whether it’s weights or conditioning, practice, or a game, our goal is to win,” said TJ Zimmermannn.

Against the Corban Gold squad in a training scrimmage earlier this year, the Roadrunners featured a starting five of sophomores TJ Zimmermann, Kamana Lapina, Bennett Bos, and freshmen Cade Smith and Michael Lundy. Reserves Liam Spencer, Micha Young, and Mesziah Ford each saw over 20 minutes of playing time as well. Linn-Benton won the game 93-65, with freshmen Young and Lundy leading the team in scoring with 17 and 14 points, respectively. “We have more depth than a year ago,” said Coach Todd Zimmermann. “We have more flexibility because of that depth.” Coach Zimmerman added that he’s excited to watch Linn-Benton’s new-look team this season. “Every season is a gift, and like all good gifts, unwrapping them is as much fun as actually using what you find inside,” he said. Roadrunner fans will get to unwrap this year’s gift soon, as Linn-Benton begins their season with three straight home games. The Roadrunners will face Linfield JV, Lower Columbia, and Multnomah University JV on November 17, 18, and 28. All three games will start at 7:30 p.m. “It meant a lot to be able to do what we did last year and make the tournament,” concluded TJ Zimmermann. “It didn’t end how we wanted it to, but that team has set the standard for what Linn-Benton basketball wants to be moving forward.” Check out lbcommuter.com for the full interviews with TJ and Todd Zimmermann.

COMMUTER

NEW TEAM,

SAME GOAL Linn-Benton Women’s Basketball Season Preview words by JOSH CANDÉ photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

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he Linn-Benton women’s basketball team has a new coach this year, but their goal remains the same: take home an NWAC title. With a slew of freshmen, Head Coach Leslie Reinecker has five sophomores returning, hoping to improve upon last year’s loss to Peninsula Community College in the Sweet 16 of the NWAC women’s basketball tournament. The departures of Brooklyn Hankwitz and Kathleen Hale will be difficult to replace, considering that Hankwitz was named First Team NWAC South and Hale was named to the Second Team, as well as the All-Defensive Team. With freshman six-footers Natalia McBride and Molly Goeckner, the Roadrunners hope to improve upon rebounding and scoring margins. They will have to replace Hankwitz’s 14.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as well as Hale’s 6.9 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. In total, the departing sophomores are taking 56.5 of the Roadrunners’ 64.3 points per game with them plus 35.6 of the team’s 37.2 rebounds per game. The sophomores of 2022-2023 averaged just over three-quarters of the team’s minutes per game. The additions to the team include guard Daiana Rodriguez, guard/forward Lily Hayashida, guard Katelynn Weaver, guard Hannah Berschauer, guard BettyAnn Wilson, forward Anabelle Davidson, and guard Avery Spikerman. The Roadrunners will continue to play their home games at the Activities Center in Albany on Linn-Benton’s campus, where they compiled a 10-2 record in 2022-2023. Their only losses were to Lower Columbia (who also lost in the Sweet 16) and eventual conference champion Lane. In the 2022-2023 season the Beaks finished with a 21-7 record, finishing 11-5 in conference play, good for a fourth-place finish in the NWAC South. Returning players include sophomore guard Laney Snelling, guard/forward Hallie Romig, guard Brooklyn Walters, guard Cienna Hartle, and guard Muriel Jones-Hoisington. The Roadrunner season is set to tip off on Friday, November 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Eugene at the Lane Titan Classic. The Beaks’ final game is at Lane Community College on Friday, February 28 in Eugene at 5:30 p.m. Linn-Benton fans are encouraged to show and help propel the team to another incredible season with their cheers and goodwill.

ROADRUNNERS READY TO REPEAT words by JOSH CANDÉ photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

Editor’s note: This interview was completed following the Roadrunners’ victory over Clark in October. The statistics referenced in the article reflect that date.

ith the NWAC regular season drawing to a close, The Commuter interviewed Linn-Benton head volleyball coach Jayme Frazier about the incredible season her team is having. The Roadrunners are defending NWAC champions, having finished the 2022 season with a 34-1 record alongside their conference trophy. While fans are hoping for a repeat, Coach Frazier maintains her focus on the present. After 23 games in 2023, LinnBenton remains undefeated, having been taken to five sets only once. Propelled by returning players from the 2022 title team, such as Grace Boeder, LinnBenton fields a slew of freshmen who have stepped in to pick up

where departing players left off. Named head coach of the Roadrunners in 1993, Jayme Frazier has been leading LinnBenton’s volleyball team every year except 2000. Frazier’s successes with the team are numerous and Roadrunner fans are hoping the ride continues. I’ll start with the obvious, are you thinking about an undefeated season? We are not actively focused on the outcome of perfection or an undefeated season. Our mantra has been to focus on the details in practice, bring maximum energy and effort each practice and match, and control what we can control – and the outcome takes care of itself. Going back to last season, Linn-Benton has won 42 consecutive matches, too. What qualities of the team do you credit for such an amazing winning streak? The sophomores always do a good job of bringing into the next season what they enjoyed or felt would be important in order to maintain excellence. They are open to leading by example and the freshman class has added more athleticism, growth mindset, and competitive spirit to the mix. Your statistics this season include a 24-set winning streak starting with Edmonds and ending with Skagit Valley; what does that do for the confidence of the players? I believe that they understand that they are a target and have to work to improve every single practice. They know they can’t be satisfied with what we did last month or even last match. Every team watches film and prepares. What makes your practices so effective? We focus on the basics: competitive effort, teamwork, ball control and then specific skills that seem to need the most attention at that moment. Additionally – the layer that so often gets

overlooked is that we have to stay strong and healthy in order to be effective on the court. The team has been working on strength and conditioning in the weight room with Jake Forshey since the start of season. Russell Yap is our athletic trainer who assists in keeping them on the court with therapy and everything that goes along with maintaining a healthy practice and competitive environment. What words would you use to describe your players? Driven and spirited, and honestly so open to learning each day. I see this on the court and in their study habits. They work hard to succeed in classes and help each other study or understand concepts when they are struggling. How has the team evolved over the season and since last year? Every year and every team brings its own challenges. That is what makes it so interesting. It is always a puzzle for me to figure out how to help the team come together to achieve these common goals on the court and in the classroom. This year we had many new players come to the program since so many sophomores graduated last year. I knew the biggest challenge was to get the freshman to figure out the culture and then add their own strengths and personalities all while building confidence that they too could compete and continue this tradition of excellence here at Linn-Benton. What would another NWAC South title mean to this team? It is always great to win the region title. The NWAC South is a strong competitive region year after year and always competes well in the NWAC tournament. It is special for any team to be at the top.

hile Roadrunner fans are ecstatic with such incredible successes on the court so far in 2023, they can only be left wanting more. As the NFL’s 2007 Patriots taught sports fans, a title trumps an unbeaten regular season – and Linn-Benton faithful would be wise to keep this mind as the regular season plays out. With razor-sharp focus, talented players, and a thirst for victory, LinnBenton fans are excited to see the rest of the season unfold. Frazier reached 700 career coaching wins this season following a September 30 victory over Rogue, a tremendous achievement for any coach of any sport.

Study Tips From Your SLC Team

Schedule study time so you know you have the time to get your work done. -Rachel Biscoe, President

I’ve always done well with “brain breaks” as in do homework for 45 minutes and take a 15 minute break and then go again. Adjust time as needed. -Travis Overvig, Vice-President Stay on top of your homework, it’ll make studying easier when you’re not playing catch-up. -Audrey Moyo, Finance Director Actually study your homework and notes; and be sure to highlight. -Peeta Arenas Galicia, Volunteer Coordinator Find a comfortable and well-lit study spot, free from distractions, to boost your focus and productivity. -Krystal Overvig, Campus Outreach Director Make sure to have good meals and good sleep. -Kayla Goodwin, Event Planner If you want to actually learn the material, don’t just study it once. Come back 24-hours later and study again and it will help you retain it long term. -Gracie Morgan, Event Planner Do not procrastinate and get lots of sleep. If it comes to sleep vs cramming, choose sleep. -Alex Loveday, Event Planner Don’t overdo it and study at least an hour a day to stay on top of things. -John Smith, Event Planner Environment is everything; take yourself to a space that is conducive to studying. Physically going to a location can make all the difference. -Garrett Merchant, Judiciary Board Member Study with other people to stay focused and for extra help. -Roxy Briggs, Intern

Join us for our Fall Term Study Jam!

Albany Campus Saturday December 2 10am-6pm Sunday December 3 12pm-4pm Benton Center Saturday ONLY 10am-4pm

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Three

Enchanting Harry Potter Film Locations words and photos by BRENDA AUTRY

he enchanting world of Harry Potter, with its wizards, witches, and breathtaking magical settings, has captured the hearts of fans around the globe. Many people, myself included until recently, don’t know that you can visit several Harry Potter filming locations in real life! On my recent trip to England, I was lucky enough to visit a few of these Harry Potter filming locations and get a taste of the magic for myself.

Gloucester Cathedral Cloisters, aka Hogwarts’ Corridors

This hall served as the inspiration for Hogwarts’ Great Hall, where students gathered for meals and memorable events in all the Harry Potter films. The similarities between the halls are uncanny. From the imposing wooden tables to the stunning stained glass windows, you can really imagine you’re standing in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The dining hall is actually used for student’s meals, and is closed during meal times. Can you imagine taking your meals here as a student?

3. The Mirror of Erised The first city I visited was Gloucester. Located in the south-western part of England, Gloucester is a charming town steeped in history and surrounded by picturesque countryside. Though Gloucester is a rather large city, I only visited the area around the cathedral, which had a lovely high street and several shops and eateries to stop at. Gloucester Cathedral stands as a testament to centuries of faith and craftsmanship. This masterpiece of medieval architecture dates back to 678 AD and boasts exquisite Gothic features, soaring vaulted ceilings, and intricate stained glass windows. The cathedral is free to enter, but there is a recommended donation of £5. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Gloucester Cathedral’s cloisters became the location where Harry Potter first encountered the Mirror of Erised. Additionally, the cloisters were featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, during Professor Lockhart’s dramatic introduction. Walking through the cloisters really does feel like you’re walking through the corridors of Hogwarts! The cathedral can get crowded, so it’s best to visit early.

Christ Church Dining Hall, aka The Great Hall at Hogwarts

Perhaps the most famous, and most impressive of all the Harry Potter filming locations I visited (which ironically isn’t a filming location at all) is the Christ Church College’s dining hall.

Lacock Abbey Chapter House aka

At the end of the cloister’s entrance hall, you’ll find The Chapter House. This room was used to film the scene where Harry discovers the enchanted Mirror or Erised. It is actually a rather sad scene. After Harry removes his invisibility cloak he sees his mother and father in the mirror. Dumbledore later explains the mirror to Harry which helps him to stop Voldemort from returning.

f you’re traveling through England and want to add a little magic to your adventure, I highly recommend visiting some or all of these Harry Potter filming locations. From the awe-inspiring cloisters to the grand halls and quaint villages, these places have etched their mark on the wizarding world and continue to captivate fans and visitors alike. Whether you’re a devoted Harry Potter enthusiast or simply appreciate the beauty of historic architecture, these locations offer an unforgettable glimpse into the magic of cinema and the wonders of our world. For a longer list with more locations, view the full article on lbcommuter.com

COMMUTER

Anthem of the Month

Holiday

Monthly music recommendations to keep you inspired.

Gingerbread Cookies

November Has Come Gorillaz ft. MF DOOM

1. Mix dry ingredients - flour,

“November Has Come” by Gorillaz and MF DOOM uses the changing of the seasons as an analogy for a downward turn in the hip hop industry. The industry isn’t dead but its best days are in the past. November has come and It’s almost December, or in other words, our time of fame has come and gone.

ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar in

large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix. Gradually beat in dry mixture until well mixed.

3. Press dough into a thick, flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. When ready, preheat oven to

The Commuter Recommends:

350 degrees F.

TheCommuter

5. Roll dough on a lightly floured

surface to a 1/4 in. Cut with cookie cutters. Place gingerbread men 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Homesick Noah Kahan

Untitled

6. Bake until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Interpol

Concorde Black Country, New Road

Animal Instinct The Cranberries

7. Decorate as desired!

Lovefool The Cardigans

cookie graphics by FREEPIK

For the full playlist, scan the QR code at the top!

(Note: This review is based on the current version of the games available as of this writing. Your experience may be different depending on the version you’re playing.)

MASTER COLLECTION VOL. 1 RETURN OF STEALTH-ACTION MASTERWORKS words by STEVEN PRYOR photo via NINTENDO

GAME: Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 PUBLISHER: Konami DEVELOPER: Kojima Productions (Originals), Bluepoint Games (Remasters) PLATFORMS: PS4 (Also available on PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox Series) MSRB RATEING: M OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

etal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 is a compilation rerelease consisting of early installments of the Metal Gear franchise. With this release marking the first appearance of the games on this generation of consoles, it is the ideal way for newcomers to play these titles and for longtime fans to re-experience them. The compilation consists of the bulk of titles that were developed by series creator Hideo Kojima and his company Kojima Productions. The series began with 1987’s Metal Gear on the MSX personal computer (a platform that only saw release in Japan and some countries in Europe). Though the technology may be a product of its time, the game; along with its 1990 sequel Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake laid the foundation for both the franchise and the genre of stealth-action video games going forward. With 25 years having passed since Metal Gear Solid first released on the original PlayStation, its legacy among the many beloved video games to come out of the year 1998 is secure. This release even has the ability to simulate controller swapping and memory card save data from other Konami titles for the boss fight against Psycho Mantis. Both 2001’s Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remain among the most acclaimed titles in the franchise since their initial release on the PlayStation 2. The collection also features a wide array of bonus content. These include a compendium of the series’ often mind-bending (and thoughtprovoking) lore, soundtracks; art books and the complete screenplays for each game. The 1988 Nintendo Entertainment System port of Metal Gear and the 1990 NES title Snake’s Revenge are also included in their entirety as bonus games. The early commercial success of this collection has also generated talk of a second volume of remastered games. Overall, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 is the triumphant return of masterworks in the stealthaction genre; well worth the time and money for newcomers and longtime fans alike. COMMUTER

KILLERS FLOWER MOON OF THE

THE DISTURBING STORY OF THE OSAGE MURDERS

MOVIE: Killers of the Flower Moon DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese STARRING: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, Louis Cancelmi, Jason Isbell, William Bellau, Scott Shepherd, Tatanka Means RATED: R words by MASON WILLS photo via APPLE TV OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

illers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, is an emotional masterpiece of a movie that will leave you thinking long after you finish watching. The movie mainly follows the true lives of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), Molly Burkhart (Lily Gladstone), and William Hale (Robert De Niro). The story revolves around Ernest Burkhart as he is brought into his Uncle William Hales’ plan to systematically murder the Osage Tribe in the area to steal their land, money, and oil. Things start to get messy for Ernest, William, and all the others that were complicit in the murders when the FBI comes to investigate. Largely this film wants to show the heart wrenching story of the real genocide of an Indigenous community. As the main character is Ernest Burkhart we see this genocide through his eyes. There are many drawbacks to this approach as the indigenous perspective is not shown nearly as much as one would wish, but by following the perspective of the perpetrator the viewer in some ways becomes complicit in the crimes being committed.

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This viewpoint also doesn’t allow the viewer to relate their own lives to the struggles of the Indigenous peoples in the movie, but rather the perpetrators and murders, creating an inner conflict outside of the story. Many of the white characters, like Ernest, are shown to be multilayered and sympathetic, but this is juxtaposed with the heinous acts they are committing and complicit in. Every single performance is a powerhouse. Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are amazing, but Lily Gladstone steals the show with her ability to unwaveringly show the emotions that she is facing as her community is murdered one by one. Even characters with relatively little screen time played by actors and actresses, such as Brendan Fraser, Jesse Plemons,

and Tantoo Cardinal give memorable and powerful performances. With its incredible length of 206 minutes the story is quite slow and very quiet. It’s aiming for the viewer to think about what’s happening on screen rather than creating a spectacle out of the events. The murders in most cases are shown directly on screen and it doesn’t shy away from showing the amount of cruelty and violence the Osage people endured during this time. Martin Scorsese didn’t water down the events to better suit a mass audience, but instead focused on the real horrible treatment of this Indigenous group. Although it has less of the Indigenous perspective than most would like and boasts a monstrous runtime it is still a must see. This is a story that everyone must witness, it shows the depravity and dehumanization that greed can create in someone. It shows the reality that all indigenous groups have faced in one way or another during the creation and industrialization of the United States. It’s a movie that will stay with you as you exit the theater and leave you thinking about the greed, violence, and prejudice that this country is built on.

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.

ACROSS 1. Place for public discussion 6. "We could all use a pancake" restaurant 10. "I don't think so" 14. Idiotic 15. Toothpaste holder 16. Part of Q.E.D. 17. Merger of the state capitals of Alaska and Texas 19. Toward sunset 20. Suffix with social or left 21. Right away! 22. "In Cold Blood" author Truman 24. Membership cost 25. Buckeye State 26. Asparagus units 29. Damaging, in a way 33. Gown fabric 34. "___ here long?" 35. Steadfast 36. River to the Caspian 37. Insinuate 38. Rich supply 39. Greek cheese 40. "___ Brockovich" 41. Hints of hunger 42. College newbies 44. "I ___ clearly now . . ." 45. Waistcoat 46. River crossing 47. Impossible response to a roll call 50. Biting pest 51. Investment option, briefly 54. Drain problem 55. Merger of a theme park mecca and the state capital of Delaware 58. GWTW plantation 59. Close in on 60. Clear, as a disk 61. "___ Always a Woman": Billy Joel 62. Brink 63. Jolly holiday visitor

DOWN 1. Pacific island nation 2. Responsibility 3. Deliver a tirade 4. Le Monde article 5. Word repeated in a Shakespeare title 6. ___ plain as the nose . . . 7. Jabba the ___ 8. ___-Wan Kenobi 9. Liking 10. Merger of a RI resort city and the largest city in the state of Maine 11. Creme cookie 12. Beyond 13. Diminutive suffix 18. Salt Lake City collegians 23. Make public 24. Merger of a north Texas metropolis and "Sin City" 25. Neptune's realm 26. Things 27. More refined 28. Fill with joy 29. Arrive, as winter 30. "Reversal of Fortune" star Jeremy 31. Encourage, perhaps 32. Fliers in V's 34. Special Forces cap 37. Opal or onyx 41. Holiday processions 43. Female lobster 44. "Fargo" directors' surname 46. Emergency signal 47. Takes steps 48. Far from exciting 49. Hurting 50. Pennant 51. Dr. Pavlov 52. Take five 53. Length x width, for a "City Mergers" by Allen Vaughan rectangle 56. Inflamed 57. ___ pro nobis

“City Mergers” by Allen Vaughan

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