The Commuter -- September 2023

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Interview with Lewis Franklin

HOSTILE TERRAIN

Yannie Álvarez’s exhibition inspired by the Hostile Terrain Project

WELCOME DAY 2023

Welcome Day scavenger hunt and activities inside!

LETTER EDITOR

nother year has come and gone and another Welcome Day is upon us. Welcome Day means the new academic year is about to begin. Whether you’re a student fresh out of high school, returning for your second or third year, or coming back to school after a break, you’re guaranteed to discover something new at Welcome Day. LBCC has a multitude of clubs and organizations where you can find your niche, find your people, find something that lets you know you’re an important part of our community.

In this edition of The Commuter we wanted to include articles that would help get students new and old to engage with the local community. That’s what Welcome Day is all about, right? Welcoming our students to our community and letting them know about all the opportunities offered in and outside the classroom.

Welcome Day is the best time to really see the LBCC community in action. Last year was the first Welcome Day since covid and the courtyard was absolutely packed with students and faculty. I have no doubt that it’ll be just as packed this year. It’s rare to see campus so busy nowadays with all the hybrid and remote classes. So show up and find a club or organization that peaks your interest, come meet your peers, and get involved. We’re all here to grow and learn together.

I talk a lot about the importance of the college community and getting involved. I may be starting to sound like a broken record at this point but it’s something that’s integral to the college experience. I know from experience that it’s easy to take for granted, especially as an incoming student straight out of high school.

When I first came to LBCC back in 2019, I took our

Acommunity for granted and failed to see the opportunities LBCC was offering me. I was stubborn, I didn’t take my classes seriously, and I thought I could launch into the world without help or guidance from anyone, so I left LBCC. Shortly after leaving, COVID hit and I quickly realized how ill-prepared I was for the real world. I ended up moving to Portland, and spent two years spinning my wheels at a dead-end job trying to go somewhere and getting nowhere.

So I moved back to Corvallis and enrolled at LBCC again. What a change it was coming back to school with a new perspective. Not only was there a clear path laid out for me full of opportunity but the people around me – my teachers and fellow students –actually wanted to see me succeed.

My point is don’t overlook the opportunities you have here at LBCC. Get to know your peers and your teachers, get involved with clubs and student organizations. Not everything you do will have an obvious immediate payoff but the experience is worth it. If you build positive habits, apply yourself in your classes, and keep a good work ethic it will take you far, within college and beyond.

Thanks for picking up this magazine, The Commuter wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for our readers. If you’d like to get in touch, shoot us an email or come up to our office in Forum 222 and say “Hey!” To all our loyal readers, to all our faculty and staff, to all the returning and incoming students, we’re happy you’re here. I hope you grow, learn, meet some new friends, and overall have an awesome year here at LBCC.

Ryan Janowitz Editor-in-Chief

ABOUT US JOIN THE TEAM

the Commuter is the student-run magazine 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” 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.

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.

wanna get together?

words by KACEY MONTGOMERY

photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

south Santiam Hall Room 116 is the graphic design lab. It’s often kind of dark and quiet, filled with drafting desks and light tables. Mechanical pencils, Exacto knives along with bits of paper and prototypes are all over. This is a place of learning and experimenting.

There is a row of offices along one wall of 116, the middle is Lewis Franklin’s office. It’s lined with books clear up to the ceiling and there is a sleepy Clumber spaniel laid out on the linoleum.

I know this lab well, I spent three years of my life in this room, learning a craft. Lewis Franklin is the department chair for LBCC’s Visual Communications program and my former instructor. I found him holding a musubi when I arrived in the design lab, it was his lunch hour. He graciously invited me to sit and talk.

Why did you choose to pursue a career in graphic design? I mean, over every other art medium?

I had done retail management for a really long time and I was bored with that. I sat down and thought of the two things I like to do, which is art and animals. At that point veterinary school was exceptionally long and I would have had to move to Portland so I went with art. And how do you make a living doing art? You do graphic design.

Before you were a designer, you were in the military. Would you be willing to talk a bit about that?

Well, I was also in the National Guard while I was teaching. I had joined the military out of high school, but that was only a twoyear enlistment. After the two years I got out and there was a 10-year break in service, then I rejoined the National Guard right as I started college and did that all the way through.

How did you make that transition from military to design?

I taught for several years at Chemeketa before I taught here at LB. I came to LB to fill in for an instructor who was on medical leave, and after two years of medical leave he didn’t want to come back, so after the standard hiring process I got hired to be a full-time instructor at LB.

Within a week of getting notice that I was hired I also received word that I was getting deployed to Iraq. So the school found a replacement for me for two years while I was in Iraq and then luckily the instructor was still

with Lewis Franklin

around because I was deployed to New Orleans shortly after returning to help with Hurricane Katrina. So the next term I slowly eased back into teaching.

Were you making art while a soldier? Did you draw or doodle? Take photos?

I did! I actually made newsletters that I would hang outside my hooch. I made it so that my fellow soldiers who didn’t have a chance to watch CNN could stay up to date with the news.

Did you learn anything while in the military that helps you as an educator?

It helped a bit with confidence building and finding ways to navigate the chaos… but it did some damage, too. But you know, I wasn’t a particularly great teacher when I started, it’s something I had to develop. When I started teaching at Chemeketa they gave me a class time and told me to go for it. When I came to LB I was filling in and teaching someone else's curriculum and that helped me grow as a teacher, and then getting my master’s degree helped me become an even better teacher.

It would be great to hear about what drew you to teaching instead of other career paths for graphic designers.

I think most of us don’t intend on becoming a teacher, it’s just that the opportunity presents itself, and for me that was the case. At that point, I really needed a good job and so I said, “I’m in!”

As a former student of yours, something I remember you driving home was building a library of inspiration. You have students build many Pinterest boards and I didn’t get it at the time, but now I use those boards and that method of research for projects all the time. What/who are some prominent sources of inspiration in your design work?

It comes from everywhere, I’m constantly looking. Things like the graphic arts annuals and just online are the things I often find myself cruising.

What I really love doing is searching out murals in big cities. Austin, Texas was fun for that. And finding textures, unique and interesting textures.

What do you do with your free time? I mean you have summers off, I imagine you take on freelance work.

No, not a lot of freelance work. In a lot of my free time, I end up acting. I mostly do movies and TV series.

How did you get your start in acting?

Dan Stone, former LB theater instructor, he wanted to craft a play about experiences in the military. A lot of the stories were my stories and he really, really wanted me to be in the play but I wasn’t interested. It ended up that hardly anybody ended up trying out, so I said, “Well if no one else gets the part, I’ll do it.” So I came to work one day and there was a bottle of vodka and a script on my desk. Basically saying “You’re it.”

I thought it was fun.

Since then, I worked on season two of Shrill. I found that really intriguing so I started applying for movies and got two offers almost right away. Along with an episodic drama called Symphony.

It was just interesting to me. It’s not as fun as you’d think it'd be though. Now I look at movies and I realize that these actors are saying these lines like six or seven times.

How do you feel about designers specializing in one or two areas of design versus designers that tend to be a jack of all trades? Do you think one has merit over the other?

No. It all depends on what people are comfortable with. Some really can be a jack of all trades and some are good at one particular area. For example, some people are really good illustrators and not as good at the general practice. Some are great at corporate identity, and some others page layout. I don’t think of one as being different or better than the other. It’s kind of like doctors who specialize in general practice or something else, they’re all doctors.

That’s why the program is so general – so you can get a better idea of what you want to go out into the world and do and drive yourself toward that.

What’s a piece of advice that you give to young designers as they’re on this journey to begin their careers?

Have confidence in yourself and don’t take it personally. You may have great work but the creative director may not hire you because you may not be what they are looking for, or maybe you wouldn’t be a good fit, personality-wise with the rest of the team.

Also… remember the people interviewing you poop. You know, they’re humans, don’t be intimidated by them, they’re no better than you.

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From online high school to in-person college

words by RYLAND BICKLEY

photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

ollege had always been in the back of my mind from kindergarten through high school. And as with many things that you look forward to for 13 years, finally getting to it didn’t exactly result in the feeling of optimism and relief that I had been expecting.

Instead, there was an overwhelming sentiment of “Now what?”

Leaving the structure and comfort of high school for the endless options and new horizons of college filled me with equal parts hope and existential dread. I now had the chance to do what I wanted with my life, but the safety net that had always been beneath me was slowly being

The newfound freedom was great, but that also came with the free reign to completely mess up my life. Choosing a college, a major, and a plan for work and living felt like future-altering choices. They were a far cry from the ones I had in high school, where my biggest schoolrelated decisions were five-minute conversations on what new electives I should take each semester.

I ended up being accepted into Oregon State’s Dual Partnership Program with Linn-Benton Community College, with the plan of spending my first two years of college as a Roadrunner. I decided to follow my two biggest passions in life with a major in Music Production and a minor in Applied Journalism. To me, a college degree was the first step towards getting a career and a great way to get hands-on experience in those fields. Beyond the technical education, it was also a way to gain life skills and a chance to break further out of my comfort zone. But breaking out of a comfort zone is never easy, and to me, one of the most intimidating aspects of college was its in-person setting. I had spent my high school years in an online school, and I had always been

unique in that until recently: when COVID-19 struck late my freshman year, my entire generation was sent further into isolation and burgeoning social anxiety. Like so many others, I was stuck inside and learned to thrive in an online environment.

That isn’t to say I spent my high school years locked in my bedroom with a Wi-Fi password. I went on trips, played sports, and worked locally, meeting new people and learning new things. But school was always something I accessed from within the comfort of my home, not something I drove to early each morning, 30 minutes from my room.

The college experience seemed distant and unfamiliar. I was worried that finally going to a “traditional” school would show just how far out of my depth I really was. But I felt strangely at home on the LBCC campus during New Student Orientation. I learned that as overwhelming as the big-picture aspects of college could be, there was comfort in how many of the little things stay the same in the transition from high school.

Meeting new people, making schedules, taking classes, having conversations, learning … The list goes on, full of things I’ve already done countless times throughout my life. And college will just be more of that – just this time, it’ll be painted in a blue-and-yellow color scheme. Still, there were and are some lingering unknowns, but when the little things started to feel familiar, the big things seemed less like possible failures and more like opportunities for growth.

Life isn’t lived in the terrifying big picture but rather in the small, present moments. And while you’ll have to forgive the occasional instances of existential dread, I couldn’t be more excited to spend my next few years of little things here at Linn-Benton Community College.

JUMP ON IN!

Looking for a good fit outside of the classroom? Check out LBCC’s options for clubs and co-curriculars! Meet, join, socialize, share. And if you’re still not finding the exact club you’re after, this might be the neon sign you need to start your own!

ACTIVE MINDS

Sonya James jamess@linnbenton.edu

Thursdays @ 12pm

The Active Minds club is a chapter of Active Minds, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization promoting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Together, we can change the conversation about mental health.

CHI ALPHA

Beth Lyons lyonsb@linnbenton.edu

We reconcile students to Christ, equipping them through Spirit-Filled communities of prayer, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and mission to transform the university, the marketplace, and the world.

CREATIVE WRITING CLUB

Dio Morales moraled@linnbenton.edu

Tuesdays @ 3pm

Our goal is to create a friendly community for writers of all levels to grow through practicing their craft with writing prompts, collaborating on projects, and sharing work.

GENDER & SEXUALITY ALLIANCE

Anne Magratten magrata@linnbenton.edu

Strength in diversity! Friendship and support among the LGBTQ+ community and our straight allies.

GRAPHIC VISUAL ARTS CLUB

Lewis Franklin frankll@linnbenton.edu

The LB Graphic Visual Arts club supports Linn-Benton students interested in Visual Arts on and off campus to further their long-term creative goals and aspirations.

PEER EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

Chris Riseley riselec@linnbenton.edu

Tuesdays @ 4pm

Our mission is to provide a safe space for reflection, expression, and support for the various struggles and successes associated with college.

POETRY CLUB

Chris Riseley riselec@linnbenton.edu

Tuesdays @ 3pm

To expand and renew the vigor for, and community engagement in, the art of poetry; To encourage poets, both expert, and amateur alike, and to establish a welcoming space for the literary expression of all.

SOTA

Emily Lorang lorange@linnbenton.edu

The Student Occupational Therapy Association raises campus and community awareness of the Occupational Therapy profession.

STUDENT VETERANS CLUB

Ken Dickson-Self dicksok@linnbenton.edu

Tuesdays @ 3pm

To provide a welcoming atmosphere to all military veterans through peer support, advocacy, and community involvement while enabling every member to succeed in higher education and beyond.

TABLETOP GAMING CLUB

Amanda Mendell mendela@linnbenton.edu

We believe that tabletop games are some of the most positive and engaging forms of social interaction.

SOCCER CLUB

Jess Winans winansj@linnbenton.edu

Our goal is to promote health while being outdoors and taking a break from classes! We want to create a fun and exciting club for other students to participate in, hoping to start a new sport that the college endorses!

graphic by STORYSET VIA FREEPIK

HOSTILE TERRAIN

On May 18, new artwork by student Yannie Álvarez was unveiled in the Calapooia Gallery, in place of the Hostile Terrain Exhibition. Many gathered, including a number of Álvarez’ family, as she presented three emotionally moving pieces.

Álvarez was one of the volunteers who helped prepare 3,400 toe tags in memory of immigrants who died crossing the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Being greatly affected by this experience, she didn’t hesitate to say “yes” when asked if she would help to create a reminder of the impact left by Hostile Terrain. When presenting her work Álvarez shared how important her family had been as she created these pieces and how inspired she is by the sacrifices they have made.

As she shared the details of the first painting, Alvarez’ eyes brimmed with tears, as did the eyes of most of those in the room. One of her family members ran to Álvarez with a tissue, reassuring, “As promised I’ve got you.”

The painting depicts a silhouette of a woman carrying an infant close to her chest with the desert stretched around her. As she was preparing toe tags, Alvarez recalled, they found a young boy and an older man with the same last name. Their bodies were found near each other, leading them to the conclusion that this was a father and son. It was conjured images like this while filling out toe tags that inspired Álvarez to communicate such grief in her work for the exhibit.

Ávarez shared more of her family story and how they informed her creative work on this project. For Álvarez, the story of MexicanAmerican immigration is not a far-off concept.

You say your family was an important influence as you created this artwork, and you thought of their sacrifices. What are some of the key sacrifices that come to mind?

I think some of the key sacrifices that I thought of were the fact that so many of my relatives came in search for a better future for their kids. Many of them, like my mom, left their childhood home, a safe village, and their homeland to give me and my sister a better chance at life. So many of them had to leave memories behind in the form of pictures, homes, family, and pets. Many came here unknowing how it would go for them. Would they get the chance to see their family again? If so, how many years would it take? Would they even get the chance to go back?

But the biggest sacrifice my family did that I kept holding onto while painting was leaving home. Home, like for many others, is so important to me. It's where you feel safe, comfortable and can be your true self. Unfortunately, they had to drop everything and leave. Had to learn a new language, assimilate, to try to make a decent living. So many of my family members are people who have worked in the fields picking fruit and vegetables, and I will forever be grateful that they sacrificed their dreams of being teachers, nurses, business owners, doctors, etc. just so I could have a chance at following mine.

What do you think motivated those sacrifices?

My people and my culture are a heavily community/family-based culture. I strongly believe that that was the ultimate motivation. It is the

art by YANNIE ÁLVAREZ words and photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

motivation to work hard and not give up, to be able to send their future kids to school, to get a decent job, and to just get ahead in life whatever that looked like. However, I think that many of them wouldn't have made it without the support of relatives during their trip and along the way in life.

For example, growing up my mom went to college from when I was about 4 years old to 10 years old. Along the way, there wasn't a single relative who wouldn't say no to taking care of my sister and me for a few hours. There wasn't a moment where my mom would worry that we weren't safe or worry about paying for childcare because we were with family and that's what family does. This certainly wasn't a one-way street either. Whenever my cousins needed to be babysat or taken care of, my mom would open her home and heart to take care of them because we are family.

What lessons or awareness do you hope people will gain from your exhibit?

I hope that people dig deeper into the exhibit and what it really means and don't just glance at it. I hope people are heartbroken by our story and our truth. Many people don't realize that a family having to sacrifice everything to find a better life to survive adds to the generational trauma we have that stems from colonization. I hope they are angered by what the system does to people of all ages when all they are trying to do is find a better future. Then realize they need to be a part of the fight to change the system because we can't do this alone.

On the flip side, I hope that parents and grandparents see that my generation (first-gen Mexican-American) doesn't take for granted their sacrifice of leaving everything they've ever known and loved behind. We appreciate it, but I hope they realize that we can't fully appreciate something we never knew happened. I hope that it sparks conversation, no matter how hurt or

how hard it might be. It's a start. That is how I found out a little bit more about my family's story and even though it wasn't much, I can fully appreciate the little details more and know that I have a purpose here.

Above all else, my wishful thinking is that people pass by this and are kinder to one another, especially to immigrants, because I know they are the backbone of this country. The US was built on the backs of immigrants when it first started and continues to be held together piece by piece at the hands of immigrants. But they are constantly overlooked and instead discriminated against, yelled at, and told to "go back to your country."

I see this in the legislation that's currently happening in Florida and the increasing amount of hate crimes toward street vendors, especially in California. I hope that I can at least change one person's mind and show them that we are human and we are here to stay.

Anything else you want to say?

I will forever be thankful to Anne (Magratten), Lauren (Visconti), and LBCC who held the space for this exhibit to happen and for nominating me to commemorate the exhibit. For the past few years, I had continually struggled in finding my voice, and my identity. It's hard to be tri-cultural and bilingual in the US when you're constantly labeled instead of just being seen as a human being with a different story.

Making this project grew my pride in being Mexican-American, in my family and their sacrifices, and most importantly has opened some conversation within my family and with friends. I hope someday it inspires another family to do the same. I can feel a shift in my work coming as an artist and am so excited to continuously see the impact this incredible project has had on me as a person and an artist.

With the Hostile Terrain Project now disassembled, it has been lovingly packed in boxes and is still available for view. Along the hallway off the gallery are displayed some of the toe tags from which students created beautiful artwork. They are also available for continued viewing.

LBCC’s student gallery coordinators Kayley Martinez, Avery Jade and Asia Bowen created seed packets of native butterfly mix and marigold blossoms. These packets were available for guests to take home and spread in memory of those who have passed away.

Visual Art faculty Anne Magrratten, mentor for the student gallery coordinators, shared what is next in remembering those who have passed away while migrating over the Mexico-US border. Some ideas mentioned were a plaque, tree, or even a garden.

The exhibition featuring the work of Yannie Álvarez will be on view in the Calapooia Gallery throughout fall term. Magratten said, “It is a permanent artwork for LBCC so it won’t leave our campus.”

DINING on campus

As students are returning to LBCC campus for the fall, they might be wondering what kind of good affordable food is available on campus. Luckily, there are a few popular places to get food when you're studying between classes.

LBCC's bookshop is a good place to stop by if you need something quick like a snack, soda, or gum for focusing and they are open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are located in the Calapooia Center right next to the Business Office and near the Learning Center.

In Takena Hall, directly connected to LBCC's quad is the Courtyard Cafe. They will be open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast is served 9-11 a.m. and lunch the rest of the day. This year, they plan on streamlining online

ordering for students and managing online and in person orders for everyone. They also plan to have their espresso machine up and running again so they can restart selling specials like their white chocolate mochas. If you need a hearty meal and a lively spot to study or hang out with friends while it's raining outside, be sure to visit the Courtyard Cafe which is located in Takena Hall. Their breakfast menu includes some popular items such as breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, french toast, and biscuits with gravy and their lunch menu includes different types of savory sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. The cafe also offers a selection of salads and soup. If you're looking for a coffee shop vibe to help get you motivated to study while drinking a fancy drink, Roast Runners Cafe is for you. They are located in the Forum right next to the Student Union facing the quad. They will be open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the entire term. Popular options on their menu are matchas, raspberry white chocolate mochas, the lavender latte, vanilla chai, and passion fruit mango Red Bulls. Their fall specials include the pumpkin spice latte, spiced vanilla latte, and a butterscotch mocha. They have a selection of snacks as well as energy drinks and juice as well.

All of these dining options are hot spots for new and returning students. Be sure to visit one and make some friends!

words by AVERY JADE

photos by SAMANTHA MARSH AND LOGAN HANNIGAN-DOWNS

Really Really Free Markets have been popping up all over the world since the 2000’s, and have been gaining traction in the last couple years in places like Oregon and California. There are a few markets that have begun in our own area, in Corvallis, Albany, and even one in Jefferson. Really Really Free Markets exist as a community organized effort to normalize the exchange of basic necessities while not expecting any monetary exchange for things like food, clothing, hygiene products. Free Markets also create communities where there’s a culture of caring for one another without the expectation of exchange. The concept of this type of care is called ‘mutual aid’. Through mutual aid, we can nurture one another and create a destigmatized environment where we can ask for and receive assistance. This means we create stronger communities and normalize protecting everybody through acts of care.

Albany’s Really Really Free Market will meet the first Wednesday of September and October at Hackleman Park from 1-4 p.m. You can bring donations of clothing, food, hygiene supplies, bedding, shoes, and more. They will be back to LBCC in the months of November and December. If you live in Corvallis and want to check out Corvallis’ Really Really Free Market, they set up at Central Park every Friday from noon to 4 p.m.

If you have questions for the Albany Free Market or are interested in getting involved, you can message their Instagram, @RRFM_AlbanyOR. You can also email them at RRFMalbany@gmail.com.

words by AVERY JADE

photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

Floating in Albany skies

words and photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

the Northwest Art & Air Festival is an annual event held in Albany. This year's event Aug. 25-27 at Timber Linn Park drew large crowds each day. Throughout the three-day weekend artists feature their work in booths, food and brewery trucks line the pavilion, a stage features musical acts, a family fun zone provides activities for kids, and awards are won during the festival’s car show. The main attraction, however, is featured each morning of the event, when (weather permitting) hot air balloons take flight.

One popular attraction at the event was provided by Pacific Power linemen, who offered free bucket truck rides, taking attendees up some 100 feet into the air. This was an excellent vantage point to survey the festival spread across Timber Linn Park. The neighboring Albany Municipal Airport holds flight-inspired events throughout the weekend.

One of the well-attended Art & Air events is Friday Night Lights. After sundown, hot air ballooners light up the evening. On this year's Friday night a few of the crews piloting balloons for the festival set up their baskets and envelopes (the balloon part of the aircraft) in a field surrounded by spectators. While tethered to the ground, the balloons were inflated. Pilots activated their gas jets, creating a glow that filled the envelope. Led by the evening’s DJ, the pilots performed patterns, and even coordinated their flares to the live music.

If weather conditions are favorable, pilots and crews ready their balloons in a large field at 6 a.m. each morning. For a fee passengers are able to join the crew for flight. On Friday of this year's event, the risk of a thunderstorm and other conditions prevented flight. Saturday and Sunday mornings, however, the Linn County skies were filled with colorful hot air balloons.

Pilots come from all over to attend the festival and are assisted by a crew to pull off their voyage. As balloons take off, ground crews stay in contact via radio, searching for safe fields to land in. The crews race to catch up with the aircraft and scout out potential landing spots. The ground crew pulls an enclosed trailer with the balloon’s logo on top so the pilot can easily spot them, and navigate to a meeting point, where the crew will assist in a safe landing and help pack the balloon and basket back into the trailer.

The Art & Air Festival is run by Albany Parks & Recreation, which relies on local sponsors and a large number of volunteers who cheerfully serve at the event. The festival has been going on for more than 20 years, only canceling once during 2020. Each year Albany Parks & Recreation encourages the community to get a frontrow seat through one of their many volunteer opportunities. Events that Parks & Recreation host can be found on their website and a wide range of community activities are listed on the Albany Visitors Association site.

▼ LBCC student Riley Bond and her mother Rebecca Bond enjoy the morning launch.

words by RYAN JANOWITZ

photo by JOSIE NOTEBLOOM

WHAT IS SKATE CLUB?

Skate Club is a group of mutual friends who have come together to build off of each other, enhance each other skating and find a community where they feel accepted and welcome amid the wide range of communities at OSU and I firmly believe that Skate Club has created a place where members feel like it's family and can expand on their skating passion efficiently and safely in the presence of their family. We have weekly skate meetups. The location of the sessions changes week to week so you’ll want to follow our instagram @skateclubosu to stay up to date.

HOW DID SKATE CLUBS START?

Skate clubs started originally with something called Slide Max, which was a group of downhill longboarders in Corvallis who started hosting sessions. One random summer and kept hosting sessions every Wednesday for about two years before we had realized that there were more street skaters and rollerbladers at our sessions than longboarders and realized that with the 30 to 60 members that we had, that there needed to be some more organization to facilitate that many people. And we wanted to work with the school so that we could expand our network and bring more people into the community, as well as host larger and more official events.

WHAT IF I SHOW UP AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SKATE?

Well, it's great because we have coaches that can teach you to skate. We provide boards, PPE, and pick safe beginner-friendly locations for our sessions so that members can very efficiently progress in skateboarding and do so safely.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR SKATE CLUB THIS COMING YEAR?

I hope that we can curb a lot of the stigma surrounding skateboarding at OSU and in the greater Corvallis area. By integrating more with the community, hosting large events that incorporate a lot of different communities and getting our name out there so that skaters or people that are looking for a place to belong, know that we exist and can come to us.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR?

So this is kind of on the down low, but in the Spring we plan on, in addition to the normal weekly sessions, having one massive game of SKATE competition. SKATE is a game similar to HORSE in basketball where skaters take turns challenging each other to land certain tricks. Every failed attempt grants you a letter. If you get all five letters and spell SKATE, you lose. Skaters from PSU and UO would come to OSU and get to meet with the OSU skaters to facilitate the larger community and also compete for prizes. It’ll have local music, local food, and a whole good vibe.

IF YOU’D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH SKATE CLUB, CONTACT COLIN PANNIKKAT PANNIKKC@OREGONSTATE.EDU OR FOLLOW THE OSU SKATE CLUB INSTAGRAM PAGE @SKATECLUBOSU

IN THIS INTERVIEW WITH CARTER JAMES, A 2023 OSU GRADUATE AND FOUNDER OF SKATE CLUB, WE DISCUSS WHAT SKATE CLUB IS, HOW IT STARTED, AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED.

photo by KRISTAPS MEDINS

When the leaves start to turn, the summer heat fades, and school goes into session it signifies the return of fall. It also means another season of Linn-Benton Volleyball is upon us. The Roadrunners come into the 2023 season as defending back-to-back Northwest Athletic Conference champions.

Last year the Roadrunners were led by an array of experienced sophomores, including three AllAmericans, and two NWAC Baden Players of the Year. This year brings about a different tale, with only five returning sophomores. The defending champions will rely on 10 incoming freshmen from all over the state of Oregon.

“Seeing all the 10 freshmen come in and grow already in the short time we’ve been together, has been amazing to see,” veteran sophomore Stella Barber, a Newport native said. “It makes me excited because, If we can continue to grow, it’s going to be special what we can do this season.”

Special would be an understatement for what the Roadrunners have been able to do so far this season. In non-conference competition, the Beaks remain undefeated with a record of 11-0, five of those wins against top-10 ranked teams.

The Roadrunners have been headlined this season by sophomore Grace Boeder, along with freshmen Brooklyn Willard, Grace Lutrell, and Maddy Hellem. Hellem earned NWAC Offensive Player of the Week in August. Freshman setters Avery Hughes and Meah Carley both received co-setters of the week in the south region for the first week of September.

“I would say we are go-getters, once we wake up we go after it. We’re energetic during games, and we like to surprise people,” sophomore Lexi Eldridge said.

The Roadrunners will face a series of challenges this year in conference play. They open conference play at Clackamas Community College, then travel to take on Chemeketa Community College. The first ranked team the Beaks will face is on their conference home opener against the #10 ranked Lane Community College Titans. The Roadrunners will also wrap up conference play against the Titans on Friday, Nov. 3 in Eugene.

If the Roadrunners finish first in the NWAC South Region they will host an NWAC Championship Tournament Super Regional. The winner will advance to the NWAC Championship Tournament at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington. The tournament will take place Nov. 17-19.

“We have so many talented players on our team, it’s just a matter of building chemistry. We’re capable of anything and any challenge or team that comes our way,” Lutrell said.

photo via MICHAEL SCHMIDT

words by CARSYN MEYERS

Anthem of the Month

New Orleans: A Destination With Deep Roots and Musical History

This summer I had the privilege of spending a week in New Orleans, Louisiana. The first thing to hit me when I walked out of the airport was the heat -- a hot, sticky, heavy heat emanating from the ground, from the trees, from the bustling bodies. The second thing that hit me was the all-encompassing sound of music, a brass band was playing a lively song right outside the airport doors. The sound of music was a wonderful way to start my journey into a city with a rich and utterly influential musical culture. A place considered the birthplace of jazz.

What is jazz, exactly? You may be asking yourself this very question. There is no concrete answer. Jazz can be an exhibit of brass instruments (trumpet, saxophone, trombone, etc.), piano, bass, and clarinet. Jazz is not a specific set of chords played over and over. It is an amalgamation of history, musical talent, and tradition.

Let’s start at the beginning. The roots of jazz lay in the rich cultural diversity of its home city. New Orleans was founded as part of a French colony in 1718, before Spain took ownership of the colony in 1763. In 1803, it was returned to the French and eventually found itself as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The port city quickly became a hustling hub of different cultures and communities all living in close proximity to one another. The city was also a vital part of the American slave trade, even after the ending of the North Atlantic Slave Trade in 1808. By the early 1800s, enslaved African people made up more than 50% of the population of New Orleans. This melding of cultures and people coming to the city, both willingly and forced, created a continuously transformative environment.

Jazz as we know it today can be traced back to “Congo Square,” a location in

what’s now Louis Armstrong Park. Congo Square served as a community gathering space for enslaved and free people of color to meet, to host markets, and to dance –to preserve culture. This preservation of typical drumming, rhythm, and beat was instrumental in creating the songs that pioneered modern jazz.

By the late 1800s, ragtime and brass bands were becoming increasingly popular and an opportunity for local musicians to explore musicality and community. Within the throes of creativity rose prominent artists such as Charles Bolden and Kid Ory’s Creole Band, both integrating the goal of creating dance music with testing the boundless limits of musical creativity. Louis Armstrong was brought to the forefront of the jazz scene through Kid Ory’s Creole Band and later made records with the likes of Ella Fitzerald and Billie Holiday. These leading bands created conditions ripe for experimentation and with the pressure of younger audiences wanting more “collective improvisation” was born. This refers to the tendency of musicians to play improvisationally, “by ear” instead of sight-reading pre-composed music. By adapting musical styles, audiences could be better provided with music perfect for the moment, for the mood.

From jazz grew styles such as R&B, rock, and hip-hop. There is no doubt that the formation of jazz has shaped our modern world. The pop-culture phenomenon that we experience day-today has been influenced by the music of the past. The modern landscape of jazz is one rooted in the culture and history of New Orleans and the music born of it.

I enjoyed my time in the city and am grateful for the music gifted to us all.

“Luv(sic) Part 3” by Nujabes and Shing02 considers the roles music can play in your life. In one’s day-to-day routine, it can bring life to some of the most mundane tasks. While on a larger scale, it can put the chapters of one’s personal journey through life in perspective and provide comfort and courage through all the highs and lows you’ll encounter as you find your place in the world.

The Commuter Recommends:

Luv(sic.) pt3 (feat. Shing02)

Nujabes, Shing02

Colors

Black Pumas

Eternal Summer

The Strokes

Figure 8

Paramore

Texas Tea Post Malone

Hello (Reggae Cover)

Conkarah, Rosie Delmah

Eldorado Overture

Electric Light Orchestra

Deep Green

Christian Kuria

Forever, Always

Judah & the Lion

It’s Called: Freefall

Rainbow Kitten Surprise

You Seemed So Happy

The Japanese House

words by CODI WOOD

photo by KEN COOPER VIA PEXELS

TheCommuter

Monthly music recommendations to keep you inspired.

playlist also available on Apple Music

What

Did you know that LBCC has a student app?

Download LBLIVE HERE:

*Interact with peers and create study groups

*Participate in weekly contests

*Check out the student feed

*Check out campus resources

*Upload your LBCC virtual ID

*Search for student jobs

*Check out event details

*Check out club meeting times

*Keep your classes and assignments organized

*AND MORE!!!

Are you ready for the first LBLIVE contest of the school year?

Download LBLive. Then, scan this code using the QR scanner in LBLive (top left corner of homepage).

Submissions end on Wednesday, September 27th @ 12PM. One random draw will be rewarded a mystery package with a $15 gift card value.

Need to know how to scan in LBLive? Watch this:

words by MASON WILLS

of the summer

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie released in July 2023 to critical acclaim, quickly becoming one of the highest grossing movies worldwide in 2023. Firstly, the story is a lot more meaningful than what one would imagine when thinking about a movie about a Barbie Doll. It deals with the negative effects of both patriarchal and matriarchal societies along with finding your own individuality. Even with this somewhat heavy subject matter it is wildly hilarious. The nearly flawless balance of these two tones is in no small part due to the star studded cast with the likes of Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera. It would be a travesty to not see this movie and experience the glory of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie

OPPENHEMIER

From the director of Interstellar and Inception comes Oppenheimer, a gripping biopic about the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Following him from his college days to his persecution by Lewis Strauss in the 1950’s. The performances from stars like Cillian Murphy, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr. bring the characters to life on screen and make the experience unforgettable. Other than the performances, the first atomic bomb testing is one of the most breathtaking scenes that can be seen in a movie this year because of its realism and masterful composition. Although it is quite long at three hours you would really be missing out if you skipped this one, especially if it’s still in theaters.

ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse, the sequel to what many claim to be the best superhero movie ever released, is a wonderful continuation of the story of Miles Morales. The combination of dozens of beautiful animation styles creates distinct visuals for almost every character in the movie. These distinctive styles lead to kinetic fight scenes and are topped off by the amazing performances from Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Issac, and many more. The movie tackles struggling to define yourself in a world of similar people and creating your own destiny. Across the Spider-verse is a must watch, especially because part two Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse will be releasing in the next couple years.

BLUE BEETLE

The most recently released entry on this list, Blue Beetle follows the namesake DC superhero on his first adventure with the Scarab. Xolo Maridueña of Cobra Kai fame gives an amazing performance as Jaime Reyes, the new inheritor of the Scarab. The story deals with the effects of newfound responsibility along with themes of family, immigration, and displacement. Blue Beetle is by far one of the best movies DC has released in a while because it feels like the director really cared about the character rather than it feeling like the movie was an excuse for cameos. It also stands as a sort of landmark for superhero movies as it is the first Latino led superhero movie released by a major studio. Although it may not make as much money or gain as much buzz as the other four movies on this list it is still definitely worth your time.

TMNT: MUTANT MAYHEM

The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie since Michael Bay’s live action adaptations and the first animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie released theatrically since 2007’s TMNT. This movie acts as a retelling of the origin story of the Turtles, but with a modern twist. This movie also marks the first time all of the Turtles are voiced by teenage actors with Nicolas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Brady Noon, and Shamon Brown Jr. all giving great performances. Much like this year’s Across the Spider-verse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is animated with a comic book-like style that imbues every scene with creativity, especially when it comes to the fights. Creating something new and entertaining in a decades old franchise is never easy, but this movie hits it out of the park

BODACIOUS ANIMATED REBOOT A

MOVIE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

DIRECTOR: GJeff Rowe (Based on the graphic novel series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird)

STARRING: Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, John Cena, Giancarlo Esposito, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd and Ice Cube with Ayo Edibiri and introducing Nicholas Cantu, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr and Brady Noon

RATED: PG

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an animated reboot of the franchise, and the first to see a theatrical release in seven years. Marking a new incarnation of the series, director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells VS The Machines) and “permanent teenager” Seth Rogen (who serves as co-writer, co-producer and the voice of Bebop) have crafted a film that ranks among the best movie installments of the franchise to date.

Though the film remixes many aspects of the lore from previous adaptations as well as the original graphic novel series from Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the core concept remains the same. Fifteen years before the main story begins, a vial of radioactive ooze is doused all over a rat and four turtles. In the present day, Leonardo (voice of Nicholas Cantu), Donatello (voice of Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (voice of Shamon Brown Jr) and Raphael (voice of Brady Noon) must balance the day-to-day pitfalls of teenage life with the looming threat of a mutant army led by the massive insect Superfly (voice of rapper/actor Ice Cube).

Much like how the original graphic novels poked fun at the superhero tropes of the time they were published (with the Frank Miller run of “Daredevil” being a specific source of inspiration), this film has a balance of

both humorous sendups and genuine affection of its source material and the genre as a whole.

In a similar vein to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel, the film has a distinctive blend of techniques from both CGI and 2D animation. By the filmmakers’ own admission, the imperfections of their teenage notebook drawings are key to the film’s visual flair. Everything from cars driving around the streets of New York to Pizza Hut boxes to even stop lights have small details such as pencil shadings and ruler marks to help the artwork stand out. A relatively modest $70 million budget is used to great effect from the opening vanity plates to the final battle against Superfly in Times Square.

The film is also aided by a soundtrack that perfectly compliments the story’s energy. In addition to a musical score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross; the movie features a number of vintage rap songs including DMX’s “Party Up,” Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” and “Can I Kick It” by A Tribe Called Quest.

Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is easily the best film in the series in years. It’s a highly-recommended "pizza power" treat for newcomers and longtime fans alike. You can kick it- yes you can.

words by STEVEN PRYOR photo by TMNT OFFICIAL

SUDOKU

Complete

ACROSS DOWN

ACROSS DOWN

1.

1. Propose, as a price

2. Chutzpah

3. Elm and oak

4. Alternate response for 35D

5. "Don't drink and drive" ad, e.g.

6. Berry touted as a superfood

7. Ear-piercing site

8. Supreme Norse deity

9. Pronoun for a boat

with

rind

“In One's Nature” by Steve Faiella

short

33. World-weary sound

34. Kinks song set "down in old Soho"

30. Bit of mischief

31. One of the U.S. Great Lakes

32. On the boxing ring mat for good, for short

33. World-weary sound

34. Kinks song set "down in old Soho"

35. Response to "how many sugar cubes in your tea, marm?"

39. Chorus syllables (Usually preceding "La La's")

42. Fencing equipment

44. Explosion sound

45. Abrupt inclination

47. Boss pleasers 48. Jar covers 51. Shaped like an egg 52. Amend an atlas section 53. Striped house cat 54. Furniture store that also sells Swedish meatballs 55. Nashville or New Orleans 56. Pants holder-upper 57. Person from Tulsa, for short 58. Young Scottish woman 62. "Livin' Thing" band, 1976, informally 63. Small-sized batteries

The Student Leadership Council invites you to join us... for a FREE Laser Tag event

Saturday, October 7th

Join

Tuesday, October 10th

12-1PM

Wednesday, October 18th and

Thursday, October 19th

Please stay tuned for more Student Leadership Council sponsored events.

You can check out the campus calendar for more details.

https://www.linnbenton.edu/maincalendar/calendar.php