1-11-24 Emerald Media Group - Week of Welcome

Week of Welcome Edition

JANUARY 11, 2024

Emerald Media

WRITING

ON THE

How the Oregon men’s basketball program inspired its own revolution

WALL

NEWS: GTFF prepares for potential strike PG 8 • OPINION: Students seeking pets should be prepared PG 14 • A&C: Eugene’s best jewelers PG 21 T H U R S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 4

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6/17/14 1:34 PM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL: HELP SAVE EUGENE WEEKLY Our community needs Eugene Weekly.

Daily Emerald VOL. 125, ISSUE NO. 22

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Lola Tagwerker Cori Caplinger Cooper Gast Taylor Baumgardner

ON THE COVER

The Ducks celebrate with Jackson Shelstad (3) after he makes the game-winning shot. The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team took on the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 2, 2023 in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

For those unaware, on Dec. 28, 2023, the Weekly, announced that it would not send an issue to print, for the first time in over 20 years, after discovering years of embezzlement from a former employee that forced the paper to lay off its entire staff just before Christmas.

Under any circumstances, the news would be shocking and devastating. For Eugene, the end of the Weekly would be a death blow to highquality local news.

In the wake of the announcement, the community’s response has been substantial. Its GoFundMe page has raised well over $70,000 as of this writing. Yet it may not be enough.

That’s why we are urging the UO community to donate to the Weekly — either via their website or their GoFundMe — because we need all hands on deck to save a beloved local institution.

The troubles at other Eugene-area publications, like the Register-Guard, have been well-documented in recent years. But

high-quality local reporting has survived, in large part thanks to the Weekly.

In 2021, the Weekly set out to write obituaries for people who died homeless in Lane County.

The practice has continued ever since.

Last year, the Weekly’s top story was an indepth profile of a local restaurant owner, Sang Joo “Joy” Knudtson of Basil’s Restaurant, who passed away in 2022.

Eugene Weekly is the only local news outlet that provides election endorsements, particularly for niche local races and ballot measures that many voters haven’t tuned into. And they do it every year — even off-years like 2023.

There has been no greater supporter of Emerald student journalists than the Weekly.

Numerous staff members — including several writing this letter — have published their first professional articles in the paper; countless former alumni can recall the Weekly being their first job out of college, or a Weekly staff member taking a chance on an inexperienced student.

The Weekly also regularly publishes investigative reporting from the student-driven Catalyst Journalism Project, including reporting on the city’s lackluster response to homelessness, behind-the-scenes changes at the 4J School District and more.

These are just a handful of the resources and articles that the community would lose should the Weekly shutter. There is more where that came from. These projects aren’t just anecdotal — they’re a testament to how much the Weekly uniquely cares for the community it serves.

The Emerald now finds itself in a strange position. While we are a student publication, whose goal first and foremost is to serve the UO community, we also recognize we are among a dying breed of local news publications. In coming weeks, we will be considering our responsibility to the Eugene community — and how events like this might influence our coverage of the city moving forward.

Make no mistake, though — any increased city coverage by the Emerald will not fill the void the Weekly would leave behind. That’s why we urge the community to support the Weekly however they can, in ways big or small. The city needs it. The Emerald needs it. And UO students need it, too.

The Daily Emerald is published

by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

IN OTHER NEWS

(Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

The Lane County District Attorney’s office is once again prosecuting low-level crimes after a prolonged hiatus.

Among other things, the prosecutions could lower the rates of pre-trial detentions in the area.

(Marissa Willke/Emerald)

Lane Transit District’s Eugene Station began construction in December 2023. The renovations are the first the station has seen since its debut in 1998.

We want to hear from you: Email editor@ dailyemerald.com to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200-500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.

- The Daily Emerald Editorial Staff

THE DAILY EMERALD

Once filled with newspapers, a Eugene Weekly stand that is located in a shopping center is now left empty. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 4

LOOK ONLINE

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NEWS

LOCAL PICKLEBALL CLUB SEEKS $5 MILLION FOR EUGENE FACILITY

BY JOHN OFSTEDAL • DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

Pickleball’s meteoric rise to popularity has local players looking for new places to play The Emerald Valley Pickleball Club first approached the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District in Springfield in 2016 about resurfacing unused tennis courts for pickleball. At the time Eric Wold, Willamalane’s superintendent for parks, planning and facilities had never played the sport.

Seven years later, Wold helped lead dozens of club members to call on the Eugene City Council to support a proposed $5 million pickleball facility at a public meeting on Oct. 23, 2023.

“I’m all things pickleball now,” Wold said in a later interview. “I think you’ll hear people say pickleball changed their lives and it certainly changed mine.”

Wold currently teaches pickleball at the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club and has previously served as the president for the Emerald Valley Pickleball Club.

Today, he’s concentrating on securing public funds for the facility.

Wold’s obsession with America’s hottest new pastime represents the sentiments of several local pickleball club members who believe the 31 pickleball courts found across Eugene and Springfield are not

enough to meet community demand.

“You can go to Meadow Park in the summertime.

The courts will be full, and you’ll see literally 30 or 40 paddles lined up of people wanting to get on the courts,” Wold said in the interview.

The high turnout at the City Council meeting came weeks before the Council reviewed the Regional Pickleball Facility business plan at a work session on Nov. 15, 2023. The plan outlines a design for a regional pickleball complex which would include 24 lit courts, 10 of which would be covered.

The complex would be constructed at Lane Community College, which has agreed to handle security, utilities and restrooms for the facility. The Pickleball Club would be responsible for upkeep, repairs and programming. Benefits of LCC’s location include ample parking and a safe distance from neighbors who may complain about the game’s noise.

Eugene City Councilor Lyndsie Leech mentioned in the Nov. 15 meeting that the pickleball members had a “solid proposal” and that she is “very supportive of putting them on the list of eligible projects” for parks system development charges,

a fund that pays for expansion of parks facilities.

Funding for the facility was further discussed in a work session Jan. 10, with a final vote set for April.

The business plan projects immediate positive annual revenue from the facility through regional tournaments, lessons, youth programs and court rentals. The business plan details the $500,000 voters already granted the project via a parks levy that the public voted on in Nov. 2022, and the $750,000 they seek through Eugene parks system development charges.

“This is a way for them to satisfy or fulfill their obligation for park and rec services through this unique collaborative partnership,” Wold said of the city of Eugene’s pending financial support.

Wold said they are also seeking “multiple hundred thousand dollars from Springfield,” and his former employer Willamalane, which is responsible for Springfield park infrastructure. The Pickleball Club wants $2.5 million in public funding, the rest being sought from private donors.

The Emerald Valley Pickleball Club is a community of pickleball enthusiasts operating in Eugene, Ore. (Lulu Devoulin/Emerald) PA G E 4

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NEWS

GTFF PREPARES TO STRIKE After months of contract negotiations where the union’s salary demands were not being met, graduate employees are preparing to strike during winter term

BY REILLY NORGREN • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

After months of contract negotiations, the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation has announced it will strike if an agreement contract negotiation is not reachedmet with the University of Oregon by Jan. 17.

In a letter posted to its website on Jan. 5 , GTFF said that the university has failed to meet the needs of graduate employees with its wage proposals, such as increasing salary, reducing fees and coverage of special equipment.

GTFF’s members previously voted in favor of a strike in November 2023 when its members participated in a vote.Voters were in favor of a strike with 97% of the vote, with 90% of the members participating.

“We’ve been bargaining with the UO administration since March 2023,” Rosa Inocencio Smith, vice president for member communications at GTFF, said. “While we’ve made some really significant strides in negotiations with [UO], salaries are still on the table.”

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Around 100 graduate researcher employees participated in a walkout demonstration on Nov. 29, 2023 in Willamette Hall.

(Molly McPherson/Emerald)

On Nov. 30, 2023, GTFF “tentatively agreed” to a contract package from UO, but, after reviewing the university’s wage offer, determined the proposal did not meet the “economic stability” demand of their bargaining platform.

Inocencio Smith said that the most recent proposal from UO, to equalize minimum pay rates across all GE experience levels, would leave behind workers at higher levels that have seen the cost of living rise.

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“Our members have been very clear that all GEs need a fair wage increase,” Inocencio Smith said. “We have also been very clear that the university has had plenty of opportunity to avert a strike by providing fair wages for their employees.”

According to an email sent to UO faculty by interim provost Karen Ford, deans and directors of academic units have been working with the office of the provost to create “academic continuity plans”

for a course where a GE is an instructor of record, leads a lab or discussion or provides grading support.

“We respect the right of GEs to conduct a legal strike,” Ford wrote. “In the meantime, our role as a public institution of higher education includes the responsibility of providing the best possible education for our students, despite a work stoppage.”

Inocencio Smith said that a strike would demonstrate the significant contribution that graduate employee labor makes on the university, both in their jobs as instructors but also as research assistants.

Inocencio Smith said that GTFF sees the strike as a benefit to the university community as a whole.

“It’s important to us that your instructors are fairly paid, but they’re not exhausted from second or third jobs, and that they’re not distracted because they can’t put food on their tables.”

The next mediation session between GTFF and UO is scheduled for Jan. 11.

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COX: SOCIAL MEDIA RELATABILITY IS DEAD

OPINION OPINION: Influencers have lost touch with the world around them and, subsequently, their audiences

BY GRACIE COX • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ Ever since the dawn of social media, the most popular compliment paid to likable content/ creators is to describe them as “relatable.” We see people who remind us of our own selves, and are naturally drawn to consume whatever they produce. However, as the lifestyle difference between influencers and everyday people becomes more and more distinct, is it even possible for creators to be seen as “relatable” anymore?

At this point in time, audiences are finding it too difficult to identify with creators for this notion of “relatability” to be true, despite the abundance of content produced.

Let’s take the 22-year-old social media star Emma Chamberlain for example. For the first few years of her career, in which she established herself via daily YouTube vlogs, Chamberlain was applauded for vulnerability in her discussions of mental health, acne and even an everyday fascination with thrifting and coffee.

This attracted an audience similar to Chamberlain: adolescents, primarily female and searching for content creators who weren’t afraid to share the unfiltered reality of life.

TikTok, a video-sharing social media app, is popular among teens and young adults. (Maddie Knight/Emerald)

As Chamberlain’s following grew, her content gradually evolved from goofily-edited vlogs to Vogue-inspired high fashion videos, drearily philosophical podcast episodes and constant promotions of her coffee brand.

This lost a large, seemingly loyal portion of her audience. Chamberlain had evolved from an average teenage girl into a high fashion, #girlboss businesswoman. How is her audience supposed to relate to that?

The same pattern rings true in terms of finances. Unlike the typical person in their mid-20s, Chamberlain has a net worth of $20 million, according to Forbes. While fans can look past great wealth, it’s especially difficult to feel connected to someone who boasts about their lack of financial literacy. As Chamberlain revealed on “The Colin and Samir Show,” “I have infrastructure in place with lots of checks and balances that allows me to never check my bank account … I have no idea how much money I have.”

While her audience largely consists of college students, Chamberlain struggles to comprehend the importance of higher education, often boasting about her decision to not attend college despite

being given the opportunity to. Simultaneously, she fills her podcast, “Anything Goes,” with elementary-level takes on life that would be evolved by exposure to the diverse perspectives introduced on college campuses.

When the life cycle of an influencer progresses them from an average Joe to an out-of-touch millionaire, how can they be expected to maintain the gleam that drew in their audience in the first place? The answer isn’t clear, but some creators have made desperate ploys to regain their initial “groundedness.”

In one unsuccessful attempt, influencer sisters Charli and Dixie D’Amelio posted an ad for their brand, “Be Happy Snacks,” in which they worked at Walmart for a day. While working a minimumwage job is certainly relatable, cosplaying as a retail employee has the opposite effect. Case in point, one comment on the TikTok read, “Watching this after working two jobs… both eight-hour shifts… wish I could just pretend.”

And as times get tougher for everybody else on the planet other than social media stars, contempt with them grows even further. If they fail to resemble their audiences, they better at least try to address the most obvious symptoms of global turmoil.

Again, creators keep falling short of the mark. For instance, TikTok comedian Brittany Broski faced significant backlash for her delayed response to the Israel-Gaza crisis.

In a response from her podcast, “The Broski Report,” Broski said, “There was a lot of fear of misusing my platform … I don’t want to say the wrong thing. This is too serious of an issue.”

A large portion of Broski’s audience refused the apology, frustrated by her current lack of accountability and empathy that gained her following in the first place.

Where does this leave us? In no way am I suggesting that we’re moving towards a world without social media stars, as peaceful as it would be. More realistically, I see content creators completely separating themselves from the relatable standard of years prior and entering a celebrity class of their own.

With this in mind, expect to see more content creators establish themselves outside of social media boundaries with even more songs, fashion lines and award show appearances to look forward to. Who knows, maybe even by the end of 2024, Trisha Paytas will finally grace the big screen.

Cheers to a new year filled with promise!

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COVER

N’Faly Dante (1) high-fives the Oregon student section following the game. The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team took on the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 2, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

THE BATTLE FOR A REPUTATION

BY OWEN MURRAY

For this Ducks team, getting back to the NCAA tournament is a matter of

DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

restoring lost faith, finding an identity and doubling down on what they believe

When N’Faly Dante, the Oregon Ducks’ 6-foot-11 center, was asked in preseason whether he hoped to bring his team back to the NCAA tournament, he had a simple response: “Hope?”

Dante hasn’t played a minute since Nov. 6, 2034, after suffering a knee injury, but for these Ducks, there’ll be no hoping involved.

As their 2023-24 season kicks off, it’s mentality that will drive their headlong sprint to March. It’s mentality that put a list of their goals up on the locker room wall in the bowels of Matthew Knight Arena, and it’s mentality that has them poised, but beginning outside the preseason AP top 25 for the first PA G E 1 2

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time since the 2014-15 season.

This year has been marketed as a “prove-it” season. The Ducks have evidently lost the reputation that kept them in it through disappointing seasons, and it’s up to them to get it back. In preseason, head coach Dana Altman was asked what it would take for Oregon to return to the NCAA Tournament.

His response was filled with traits of a winning team — chief among them “a degree of toughness [and] competitiveness that, for whatever reason, I don’t think we’ve shown for the last couple years.” In order to prove that Oregon deserves to regain its place as a respected Division I basketball school, that mental component needs to return.

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The significance of their current standing isn’t lost on the group. It’s a clear indication that they’re no longer able to rest on their laurels.

Veteran guard Will Richardson, who was drafted fifth overall to the NBA G League in 2023, isn’t around to provide the foundation that Oregon has relied upon through past seasons, and Dante and Nate Bittle, the program’s top two centers, have sat on the sideline essentially since the season began with nagging injuries.

That burden now falls on the remaining leaders — whether that be experienced guard Jermaine Couisnard or rising rookie Jackson Shelstad. At the team’s preseason media day, Dante

reiterated, “You got to be together, like I was telling them, even today … I don’t care what it is, but we just have to do the things we don’t want to do sometimes.”

At media day, many of the players mentioned something that — as Dante encouraged — brought them together. In the home locker room at Matthew Knight Arena, there’s a list on the wall. On it, as Keeshawn Barthelemy said, “We wrote some of our goals on the board: We want to win the Pac-12 regular season championship. The [NCAA] tournament — we’re not afraid of anything. We’re not afraid to say that. We have a good group [and] we can get those things done.“ Bittle followed Barthelemy,

saying, “There’s just a lot of stuff on there that are little things that us as a team can can focus in on during the game and get done which is gonna help us win and — it’s just a little list of things that we look at every day.”

That list exemplifies what this Oregon team is about: the little things. It cares about every shot.

Every pass. Every steal. Each press conference sees the players and their coach say, “This is how we can be better.”

Since the team explained its goals in preseason, it’s been all business. Without its two big men, Oregon (12-3, 4-0 Pac-12) has deployed a guard-heavy lineup that dissects teams bit by bit. It’s joint-second in the Pac12 for steals per game (8.4) and sixth for points (77.9 per game).

In 2022-23, the Ducks finished with 5.6 steals per game and 70.6 points per game.

This team is every player on the

roster — 15 have played minutes in 2023, tied with Cal for second-most in the Pac-12 behind Arizona State (16 players). Two true freshmen, Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr., led the Ducks to their first conference victory of the season over USC with 21 and 22 points, respectively.

Altman shone praise on the two first-year starters after Oregon’s victory over USC in its Pac-12 opener, saying, “If you’d have told me before the season when we had Dante and Nate [Bittle] that they would [play as they have], then I would be surprised, but circumstances are such where they’re getting a lot more opportunities and and tonight they really took advantage of them.”

Shelstad’s childhood best friend, Mookie Cook, will only add to the freshman class. Cook, who battled injury through the nonconference games and made his first appearance for the Ducks against Washington on Jan. 4, was the No.

Keeshawn Barthelemy (9) dribbles the ball as the Ducks set up their offense. The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team took on the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 2, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

40 player in the Class of 2023, per 247Sports. What Shelstad and Evans Jr. have done ensures that he will have the chance to emerge into an environment that has already seen first-year players excel.

It’s not just those rookies who have impressed: veterans have become leaders both on and off the court. Couisnard has emerged as a guiding light in the locker room; after the Ducks’ home win over UCLA on Dec. 30, 2023, Altman said, “[Jermaine] gives us a personality — the freshmen are kind of following him; you know how hard he plays … without Dante out there, Jermaine’s the one guy with experience. You don’t come out as a freshman and know how to handle yourself and Jermaine’s trying to give them some leadership.”

That group can only improve with the return of veterans like Dante — something that appears to be inching ever closer. The everpresent Malian center adds another

COVER

dimension to the Ducks’ dangerous offense, and though his time is not yet, it’s soon. He’s featured once this season, in the opener against Georgia, and posted an impressive 16 points and 21 rebounds, but hasn’t appeared since.

In the meantime, Oregon has begun Pac-12 play with a 4-0 record after finishing nonconference play 8-3, including an undefeated record at Matthew Knight Arena. It hasn’t lost with that list in the locker room, and it holds the same attitude that its players exuded in the preseason.

They’re not worried about — as commentators ask after every win — how good they could be with their missing stars. They’re not worried about what the nation thinks they are. The writing has been on the wall, but it’s right now that these Ducks are ready to fight for their reputation.

Jardian Tracey (22) and Jermaine Couisnard (5) celebrate together. The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team took on the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 2, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald) T H U R S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 4

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OPINION

CORONADO: KEEPING A PET FOR THE LONG RUN

BY JESSE CORONADO • DESIGNED BY GABRIELA MARTINEZ

Moving to a new place is a hardship that many people undergo.

Part of the moving process requires leaving everything you are familiar with and starting fresh in a new town with new people.

Moving can be especially jarring when it is to Eugene, where you begin to live on your own and everyone seems to already know one another.

At the start of this transition, it is very common for students to feel homesick and isolated. On average, 70% of students experience homesickness and feelings of isolation when they move out for college.

An increasing number of students combat these feelings by adopting a pet. However, animals require much more time, love, financial stability and consistency than many students expect.

This discrepancy in judgment leads students to adopt with little consideration, only to surrender the pet to an animal shelter when the school year comes to a close or when the responsibility becomes too large.

Sarah Bouzad, community engagement and events manager at Greenhill Humane Society, helps animals find homes and informs adopters about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

“We have taken in more animals in the shelter due to lost animals, animals being brought in by animal welfare officers and surrenders,” Bouzad said. “We have seen students being very respectful and committed to their pets. Mostly the reason we have seen people surrendering their pets is behavioral issues and lack of housing.”

Although this is the ostensible case for Greenhill Humane Society, smaller animal shelters in Lane County have expressed frustration over the number of students who change their minds about pet ownership when the school year is over, surrendering their pets to the shelter..

For privacy reasons, said shelters have decided to omit an official comment on the issue.

When surrendered, animals can experience trauma from the stressful event.

This emotional trauma can lead them to exhibit behavioral problems like depression, aggression, fear and anxiety.

“Pets absolutely suffer trauma,” Bouzad said. “Pets can suffer mental illness, as well. Just like we can suffer from physical and mental abuse, so can animals … It’s a pretty stressful event when an animal is surrendered.”

The behaviors resulting from trauma often make it difficult for them to find a home because people typically seek well-behaved animals that are easy to care for.

However, when they are rehabilitated and adopted, animals can provide a great sense of love to people who are going through hardship, which is why so many students choose to adopt.

Olive Muller, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, owns a pet Doberman whom she walks around campus frequently.

“He’s pretty much my best friend,” Muller said. “So, instead of socializing, I just hang out with my dog. I think he saved my life. The pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.”

Students at UO considering adopting should know that to own a pet, they must spend a lot of time providing care for them. Like Muller, this often means missing out on social events.

All of the time spent, which remains essential to the well-being of the pet, can seem overwhelming for UO students who lead social, deadline-driven PA G E 1 4

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OPINION: Students adopt pets to reduce feelings of homesickness and isolation — regardless of how prepared they are

lives and tend to leave town during break.

Ultimately, homesickness and feelings of isolation after moving to university lessen with time. So, if a student is thinking about adopting a pet to scratch the loneliness itch they must consider what ownership will entail long term. They should look for support elsewhere or make certain they have the wherewithal to provide before deciding to bring an animal into the picture.

“Animals are so loving and can be so therapeutic,” Bouzad said. “I do caution that it is a commitment, so be realistic with time expectations and if you are going to need extra hands to help.”

Preparation and consistency are essential to giving animals the lives they deserve and avoiding the unnecessary trauma of separation. Students must think about ownership holistically and think about what exactly they are able to offer their pet in return for their pet’s love.

Mango is a 4-year-old Lab mix at the Greenhill Humane Society shelter. She was found stranded alone on an island in the Willamette River. Photo courtesy of Greenhill Humane Society.

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A&C

The Orangetheory Transformation Challenge is an eight-week challenge for those looking to get into shape in the new year. (Lulu Devoulin/Emerald)

READY, SET, GO! THE EIGHT-WEEK TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE GEARS UP TO COMMENCE AT ORANGETHEORY FITNESS EUGENE

BY LAUREN ENGLET • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

From comedy to cosmetics, personal preferences are interwoven within our daily routines. For many in January, New Year’s resolutions can prompt a revamp of old habits.

While bettering oneself is a bold, top-of-mind goal, staying consistent can be easier said than done.

Orangetheory Fitness is looking to do things a little differently to keep members motivated.

OTF, located at Eugene’s Oakway Center, offers high-intensity interval workouts, pushing its patrons to tackle their wellness goals on the rowing machine, weight floor and treadmill. With the help

of thudding bass and a coach donning a Britney Spears-style microphone, the science-backed workout provides a space for mental and physical growth. However, the Transformation Challenge, which commences Jan. 22, offers additional exciting obstacles for newbies and veterans alike.

Members are given the option of focusing on fat loss or muscle gain for the eight-week challenge, and are expected to complete three in-studio workouts for six out of the eight weeks.

“It’s important to note that eight weeks is a great start on building a new habit. So realistically, yes, there’s so much focus put on

these eight weeks. And then after that, it’s like, okay, we crushed it. Let’s stay strong, but we’re not as focused on those things anymore,” Grace Giles, OTF Eugene’s head coach, said.

Above all else, the goal is for proper hydration, in-studio and out-of-studio movement and quality sleep to become a part of one’s daily routine.

Giles, a Eugene native who grew up playing competitive sports, fell in love with OTF several years ago on a visit home from college.

She began as a studio member, later becoming a sales associate at her studio in Glendora, Calif. COVID halted her undergraduate studies, prompting Giles to return to Oregon. When restrictions began to ease, she applied to work at the OTF Eugene studio, and was hired a day later. The rest is history.

“One of the things that I think is really cool about the Transformation Challenge is that it doesn’t start until Jan. 22,” Giles said. “I think there’s just a lot of hype around Jan. 1 and New Year’s resolutions and starting strong and trying to reset everything on the first day of the month, which is great. Like, I’m a sucker for that. I do that every year. And then we all fizzle out, crash and burn. Habits are such a huge thing, and if we don’t change the system of how we live life, we’re never going to build a different habit.”

Members are given 22 days to sign up for the Transformation Challenge, but OTF Eugene has already surpassed expectations. “We have a goal of 200 sign-ups. In four days, we had already passed 100,” Paloma Palomarez, studio manager and OTF Eugene coach, said.

“Members are the best part of my job, and they are bought in. Our community is fitness.”

Palomarez, a UO alum, began her OTF journey as a sales associate in Arizona. Initially a member of OTF Eugene, she felt motivated by the community surrounding her and quickly got in on the action on the corporate side. To Palomarez and the staff at OTF Eugene, the Transformation Challenge is a motivator for many reasons, the front-runner being that it’s an eight-week SMART Goal, or Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Along with OTF Eugene’s coaches and front desk staff, participants are dedicated to helping one another through the highs and lows of the Transformation Challenge, making selfaccountability a given.

“I recently had a friend explain to me that oftentimes we say things like, ‘this is going to be my year.’ In reality, what we’re referring to is we hope to avoid conflicts. We hope to avoid discomfort, but the reality is, change doesn’t come without discomfort,” Giles said. “You never know what could happen if you say yes to something.

This could be a kickstart that changes your life.”

Prospective members can learn more about the Transformation Challenge and becoming a studio member by contacting OTF Eugene at 541-636-0095.

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“At the Y, we embrace an environment where we help people grow and become better.”

—Y Staff

Be a part of our all-star team making magic at the new Y! Eugene Family YMCA | 541.686.9622 | eugeneymca.org T H U R S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 4

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Your BestMed Clinic is Practically on Campus.

13th & Patterson

Walk-in or check-in online. + 4 other Eugene-area clinics!

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Fever & Flu | UTI | Cough & Congestion | Dehydration | Sore Throat | Sprains PA G E 2 0

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A&C

THE BEST JEWELERS IN EUGENE Five great places with high quality jewelry

Bree’s Way Bree’s Way is the ultimate stop for crystal lovers. Bree’s is located at 1231 Alder Street, just outside campus. The store contains plenty of trinkets and clothing, or as the website says, “An array of crystals, candles, alter tools, gemstone jewelry, clothing and more.” The highlight of the store is definitely their jewelry, specifically the sterling silver rings. Each ring has a gemstone in it with plenty of gems to choose from. One of the cases is entirely made by the owner Bree, and various pieces are made by either her or other employees. The jewelry prices range from $20 to $200 — with most pieces falling between $35 and $80.

Fuse Jewelry Collective Fuse Jewelry Collective has a showroom full of its students and employees’ work located at 112 East 13th Avenue. Fuse is a combination between a jewelry studio and a storefront. The jewelry studio offers classes and workshops ranging in length from two hours to six weeks. Fuse exists in between the designer and the casual jewelry. Most of the jewelry in Fuse’s storefront is created by someone in the workshop or an associate of the store. Each artist has their own stylistic direction and theme to back their high-quality jewelry. Prices are equivalent to boutique prices, but the level of work and care in each piece makes for a great gift for a loved one in your life.

All of these stores carry something that will catch any gift giver or self shopper’s eyes.

BY JOSH BERK • DESIGNED BY EVA ANDREWS

GOOD JEWELRY IS HARD TO FIND. THE HIGH-QUALITY STUFF CAN ELEVATE ANY OUTFIT, BUT NOT EVERY STORE SELLS HIGHQUALITY JEWELRY. THESE FIVE JEWELRY STORES HAVE THE BEST JEWELRY FOR BLINGED OUT INDIVIDUALS AND GIFT GIVERS.

Eugene RAVENS

NEWTWIST NEWTWIST is a designer jewelry store located at 296 East 5th Avenue in the 5th Street Public Market. The jewelers carry silver and gold designer jewelry for high spenders. One of the cheapest things you can find in NEWTWIST is the buddha bracelet, costing $40 for three gold bands. But the store’s value doesn’t lie in its cheapest price. The store features collections of international artists and a few local jewelers that put the glam in glamorous. Each jeweler gets their own case or labeled section in a case dedicated to their work. NEWTWIST is worth checking out if you are looking for higher-end jewelry at a luxury cost.

Eugene RAVENS is a boutique in the heart of downtown Eugene, located at 790 Willamette Street. RAVENS has an eclectic assortment from clothing to tapestries with a specialty in jewelry. The store’s jewelry is all custommade, with the materials mostly coming from quarries in Southern Oregon. Some jewelry is also made by the owner or connections the owner has. The store is going out of business soon and looking to expand more into online sales. The median price for a piece of jewelry in RAVENS is around $30 to $50. Some highquality jewelry will fetch more of a price, but the 50% off everything due to closure makes the entire selection extremely affordable.

Goldworks Located at 169 East Broadway, Goldworks is almost the mom and pop of jewelry stores.

The showroom is small and intimate, with a helpful owner and three dogs hanging out in the back of the store. Goldworks has a wide range of jewelry from tie clips to broaches with a range of prices, too. The gemmed-out necklaces fall in the $400 range, but still a few quality gifts can be found below $50.

A selection of charms are $30 and a pair of Oregon “O” earrings are only $10.

NEWTWIST, located in Eugene’s Fifth Street Market, sells numerous pieces of jewelry from artists in different states and around the world. (Alyssa Garcia/ Emerald)

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SPORTS

THE STRENUOUS JOURNEY OF THE CONFERENCE OF CHAMPIONS

BY NINA-GRACE MONTES • DESIGNED BY RYAN EHRHART

Since the beginning of sports history, every team has faced this.

Rebuilding.

After the departures of Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard, Satou and Nyara Sabally, Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers amongst others, Oregon women’s basketball is in a period of reconstruction. While it’s never easy to watch a team go through this, being in the Pac-12 — where four teams are ranked top 10 in the nation — makes it even harder.

And what’s worse? They have faced two of them, USC and UCLA, in the opening games of conference play.

With only four players returning from last season, the court is filled with brand-new faces. The majority of transfers are coming from small schools. It’s the first time most of these athletes are on a national stage and unfortunately, the Pac-12 doesn’t give space for adjustment.

However, that’s what the preseason is designed for.

Through late October leading up to New Year’s Eve, the Ducks played 13 different teams. While they finished with a winning record, there were some shocking losses.

In November 2023, Oregon suffered a 39-point loss against Santa Clara University at home after the Broncos had 16 3-pointers and PA G E 2 2

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went 12-for-15 from the field in the first half alone. During the first two quarters, Santa Clara went on a 25-0 run with six different Broncos making at least one three. That type of deficit was too hard to come back from as the Ducks only produced 20 points in the second half, with six total points in the fourth quarter.

The following week, the University of Portland Pilots handed the Ducks a 31-point loss. Portland forced Oregon to have 14 first-half turnovers which created a 17% shooting. Despite Grace VanSlooten having her second double-double of the season, the game snowballed and eventually got out of control.

Even though it’s a rebuilding period, it’s important to emphasize they still have a winning record.

A lot of that can be attributed to Chance Gray, Phillipina Kyei and VanSlooten. All three are currently leading the team in points, but with two sophomores tasked to lead the team, adversity will be faced — especially in the Pac-12.

It all started with in-state rival, Oregon State. While the Beavers aren’t currently ranked in the AP poll, they finished the 11-game preseason undefeated. Defensively, the Ducks hosted a master class in the first half, holding Oregon State to 15 points total. What held them T H U R S D AY, J A N UA R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 4

With four Pac-12 teams ranked within the top 10, Oregon women’s basketball has a difficult journey ahead

The Ducks starting lineup sits and watches their introduction video. The Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team took on the Santa Clara Broncos on Nov. 18, 2023 in Eugene, Ore. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)

back during the game was offense.

They couldn’t match Kyei’s early 10 rebounds or their defensive ability to keep the Beavers from scoring their first points of the second quarter until the six-minute mark.

The second half is when everything came to a halt.

A 26-5 run that lasted almost 10 minutes created a 46-32 lead for Oregon State with less than three minutes to go in the game.

VanSlooten led the team in scoring with 15, but as a team, they struggled to find consistency as they shot just 30.4% from the field.

The Ducks flocked to Los Angeles the first week of January for one of their toughest stretches this season.

They faced No. 2 UCLA and No. 9 USC –– teams with top players in the country, like the Trojans’ Juju Watkins and Bruins’ Londynn Jones, Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice.

With UCLA first on the list, Kyei was the only player to score doubledigit points for Oregon in the 75-49 loss. The Bruins gave themselves more opportunities to score after grabbing 46 total rebounds compared to the Ducks’ 27. Gray was forced to sit out of the game due to injury, so when the team you’re facing came into the game second in the Pac-12 in scoring with 88.9 points per game and a 49.9% field

goal percentage, losing the starting point guard is going to hurt.

In the last game of the road trip against USC, the Ducks played their best conference game despite it resulting in a loss. The Trojans struggled to make shots early on and Kyei continued to score in the paint, keeping the game close. With Gray back on the court, she kept USC’s Watkins, who coming into this game was second in the nation in points per game, under 20. As the third quarter was coming to a close, VanSlooten scored six straight points to cut the deficit to one. However, to start the final quarter, Oregon went on a field goal drought and couldn’t stop turning the ball over.

Luckily, the Ducks have an opportunity to face some unranked opponents before they face Colorado and Stanford, who are also in the top 10.

While it’s always difficult watching a team you love go through this, it happens to everybody. With the tremendous growth of women’s basketball and the top tier players across the NCAA, teams like Oregon who were National Champion contenders a few years ago have to adjust to the current state of the game. It’s all part of sports — just not the fun part.

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THE PEARL

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