The Puyallup Post | Volume 24 | Issue 1 | October 2018 |

VOLUME 24 // ISSUE 1

OCTOBER 22, 2018

Opportunity and industry:

the making of a campus president Steven Gonzalez Editor-in-Chief

Darrell Cain never had plans for a higher education, and he certainly had no intentions to work in that field, yet here he is. Dr. Cain, the new Puyallup campus president, is no stranger to adapting to changing circumstances — it became all too common with being raised in Gary, Indiana.

Founded by the

United States Steel Corp. in 1906, the city was created for industry. With a history of civil unrest that revolves around the rise and fall of the steel industry grew devastation due to disinvestment and a wide economic inequality gap. Dr. Cain’s own hardships were not that of a state outlier.

Although Dr. Cain felt supported by his mother, hg education was not essential in the Cain household. Dr. Cain was raised under a roof that prioritized careers and such a prioritization was expected of him as well.

As he matured, Dr. Cain become enamored with the idea of the college experience. Shows like “A Different World” and movies like “School Daze” piqued his initial interest, and before long he was on the track to becoming a first generation college student.

Beginning at Indiana University, Dr. Cain earned a bachelor’s degree in arts and humanities.

He then acquired a master’s degree in college student affairs administration at Ball State University. By the time Dr. Cain made it to Virginia Tech University, the appreciation of the culture of college had become an adoration. Yet even as he was enthralled in the activities on campus, a new feeling began to overtake him. Once he earned his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies at Virginia Tech in 2005, Dr. Cain had decided that it was time to use his education to

Dr. Darrell Cain hopes to use his new position to create opportunities for students. Victor Filion photo.

make a contribution to society.

Dr. Cain credited his decision to work in the field of helping others to the loved ones around him.

Although the household that raised him was more work-oriented than education-oriented, the motivation from those who pushed him along the way made the journey simple in execution. Dr. Cain spoke about how many of his decisions and ventures felt aimless in their overall direction; college broadened his horizons to a point of shock.

“It kind of exposed me,” Dr. Cain said. “I felt vulnerable at times: not knowing what I could do.”

With the support of family and friends, Dr. Cain felt as though he started to see where he fit into the picture of contributing to society.

At Pierce College Puyallup, Dr. Cain was a member of the final four prospective candidates to be the new campus president. Dr. Cain remarked on the prestige that Pierce College carries and began to list many of the recent accomplishments tied to the college. The most recent and notable achievement that garnered Dr. Cain’s interest was Pierce College Fort Steilacoom being one of the 10 finalists for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence award .

“Our students have tremendous opportunities,” Dr. Cain said. “Knowing that you have individuals that care — this [Pierce] is very genuine and authentic here.”

The awards and status of Pierce College garnered Dr. Cain’s interest, but that alone wasn’t enough to completely uproot his family. Dr. Cain said a colleague who already lived in Washington influenced his decision as well.

A personal testimony on the opportunities Washington had to offer made the state an option Dr. Cain had to strongly consider. Having heard many complimentary things associated with living in the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Cain was hard-pressed to come up with reasons why he should not pursue the campus opportunities before them.

He hasn’t lived in Washington long, yet Dr. Cain has already taken to the state with ease. Dr. Cain felt an inherent love of water and the overall cli-

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Pierce and environmentalism: room for improvement Dawn Hammer Reporter

Pierce College Puyallup was recognized in 2015 as having demonstrated a substantial reduction in its overall energy use.

In a letter to the Chancellor, the Washington state Department of Enterprise Services commended the facilities staff for its hard work in delivering efficient and accountable facilities.

Some of the campus-wide improvements made at that time included automatic sensors on all toilets and sinks, low-flush mechanisms on all toilets and occupancy sensors for lighting in some classrooms and offices.

Despite the recognition, the Puyallup campus facilities and operations divisions seem to

OCTOBER 22, 2018

have failed in following it up with any efforts to further their environmental stewardship.

Part of that could be due to the fact that the departments have been without either a director or assistant director to make decisions or facilitate conversations regarding Pierce’s environmental impact since spring 2018.

Daniel Timmons, building and grounds manager for the Puyallup campus, says that the absence of such leadership results in many people trying to fill in the gaps of knowledge needed to manage such a big operations system.

Several other factors contribute to the department’s inability to move forward with more aggressive pursuit of sus-

tainability and environmentalism.

The metering systems in place that should help Timmons monitor energy and water consumption are complex. They require year-round management by technicians who are trained to work with them, which Pierce currently doesn’t have on staff.

Part of the problem is that, as a public entity, Pierce can’t offer the competitive wages that journeymen level contractors are used to making in the private sector.

As a result, some of the functionality of the meters – ostensibly in place to help Pierce respond to high levels of water and energy output – is lost. For

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THE PUYALLUP POST

CAMPUS LIFE the price paid for presidency Steven Gonzalez Editor-in-Chief

It’s been several months since the Pierce College Puyallup campus president was selected.

Having had time to let the ripples of the decision wane, Vice President of Administrative Services Choi Halladay was able to break down the amount of funding that went into the search for a new campus president.

The costs altogether, in Halladay’s words, would depend on what one considers to be a part of the search.

There are, of course, the expected things that would come to mind when considering the search: like travel expenses.

Halladay remarked on how it is very common for colleges to hire outside consulting

companies, but Pierce College’s administrative team chose to forgo that option.

“The search itself was actually fairly low in overall cost,” Halladay said. “Other than the fact that, obviously, lots of staff time went into getting everything coordinated; doing all the interviews and that kind of stuff.”

Halladay mentioned that the contract signing for a new president entailed a relocation expense reimbursement that was approximately $12,000. Counting the additional expenses from the contractual reimbursements, Halladay estimated that the total costs for the presidential search would be somewhere between the $18,000-$20,000 range.

The presidential search is costly when

Printing: $235.20 Advertising: $5,094.00 Food: $1,123.38 In-State Lodging: $715.72

Milage: $387.02 Travel: $308.05 Out-of-State Lodging: $133.80 Out-of-State Airfare: $483.60

compared to other positions in the school district, and Halladay credits that to the entire scope of the search. Halladay considered the time spent vetting during the process to be more complicated than most administrative positions.

Halladay provided the example of a vice presidential position to convey that most positions would be more likely to have local candidates: this would make travel expenses less of a factor.

The money for the search came from a contingency fund that the college main-

tains for emergency situations. Being unable to have the forethought to predict when positions will need to be filled, Halladay explained that having a budget on hand to fill needed positions just isn’t a valid option.

Due to the funds not being transferred until the overall amount was accrued, there are no residual funds from the presidential search. Dr. Darrell Cain, the new campus president of Pierce, has long-since made the move to Washington and is currently in his second quarter on the job.

Total: $8,480.77

A stumbled start Eleise Ashley Senior Reporter

The Running Start program has a presence that can be felt on the Pierce College Puyallup campus. Running Start students make up 35 percent of the student body; approximately 1,600 students.

The question remains what the Running Start program provides the institution, in conjunction with the benefits students gain from the program.

Running Start is a dual-enrollment program that gives high school students the opportunity to enroll in college before graduation and work toward an associate degree. Pierce College was one of the pilot schools for the program, first offering it in fall 1993. The program was a success from the beginning and has continued to grow over the years.

Running Start students are unique because they are still in high school – some are as young as 16 years old – and have a lot of personal growth ahead of them. Yet the college environment that requires a certain level of maturity and responsibility for the students. Fortunately, many Running Start students have succeeded and found a balance between college and high school.

It is important for students of all ages to remember that college is a responsibility and that one has an inherent obligation to their professors and fellow stu-

Running Start students come from 24 districts and over 45 schools. Seo Kim photo.

At the end of the quarter, the college creates a bill that has every Running Start student on it. The bill is then sent to the districts where the students are from and the college is reimbursed.

Halladay described the Running Start program similar to a business that is providing a service. Like a business, the Running Start program will provide a service before they are paid.

“When you go to a doctor, they bill you later,” Halladay said. “They provide the service right then but you don’t pay it until later. We are like that with running start.”

On paper, the process makes sense;

dents. Whether the tuition is paid for out of pocket or with financial aid, someone is paying for the degree; it seems only fair to ensure the money is not wasted.

According to Choi Halladay, Vice President of Administrative Services, the school district pays for the Running Start students who attend college.

It is the Office Superintendent of Public Instruction – the organization that covers all the K-12 districts – that distributes the money to the school districts. This organization receives money from legislature that is allocated to the districts.

When high school students attend college, the college will pay for the tuition.

front load the cost and get paid back later.

What about students who do not meet the expectations of a college student? Should taxpayers be stuck paying the education of someone who is not attending class or turning in assignments? Not only is this a disservice to the student, it is a disservice to fellow Running Start students who must face the stigma of being a high school student at college.

The Running Start program has had a positive impact on the students who are enrolled in it. The program provides extra support to those that need it and an opportunity of higher education for young students Running Start manager Valerie Frey explained that many workshops are geared to inform high school students and their parents about opportunities for more college experience. One such experience is an informational workshop on transferring to University of Washington Tacoma.

By providing high school students a chance for higher education at a young age, the Running Start program can offer those who wish to succeed a chance at personal growth, and this is something that may not have been achievable outside of college.

The Running Start program helps the institution make a bigger impact in the community. By providing more learning opportunities to its residents, the college is better able to provide higher education to a much more diverse group of people.

The Puyallup Post is produced by students attending Pierce College Puyallup.

The publication is intended as a public forum. Published materials are the sole responsibility of the editors, reporters, photographers, and graphic designers, and are not intended to represent the college’s policies.

A person commits the offense of publication theft when he or she willfully or knowingly takes more than one copy of The Puyallup Post.

The newspaper is distributed on the Puyallup Campus.

For information on advertising rates, or how to submit a letter to the editor or story ideas, email sgonzalez@pierce.ctc.edu or use the submission form on The Puyallup Post website.

The student newspaper office is in room 218 in the College Center.

Advisor: Teresa Josten, tjosten@pierce.ctc.edu Newspaper racks are located throughout the Puyallup Campus.

www.puyalluppost.com @thepuyalluppost

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Some images and information printed in this newspaper may be from Internet sources and are used under the fair use doctrine, which allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders for such uses as commentary, criticism, news reporting and scholarship.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

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THE PUYALLUP POST

CAMPUS LIFE IS COLLEGE SUCCESS CLASS WORTH IT?

College Success. Whether you love it or hate it, you’ve been required to take it and for good reason. Students often complain that College Success is unnecessary, a waste of time or useless to their education.

The statistics say otherwise. Data from the Institutional Research Department, produced in 2014, shows that students who complete College Success have a retention rate 4.4 percent higher than students who did not, and even score a point or two higher in grade point average. This might not seem like a huge difference for many, but if taking College Success can bump a student from a 2.8 to 3.0, or a 3.8 to 4.0, it’s worth paying attention to.

How does College Success actually shape student success? As a former College Success student, even I was unsure, but the purpose of the course is found in the details.

As it should, it starts with the student.

For years, Pierce has researched and asked, what are the needs of the student?

Amber Baillon, professor and coordinator of college success, believes the course is an investment. By exposing students to a learning mindset and by providing resources they may not have been aware of, College Success helps students realize the importance of everyday education. Baillon described that amount of research and development put into College Success in order to make it the best option for students. Pierce has been providing some form of College Success since 1993 and is considered a gateway school for implementing the program.

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Professor Amber Baillon likened the Pierce College Puyallup College Success course to an investment.

The payoff in this scenario would be the successful futures that students taking College Success would theoretically have after they pass the class. Ideally, College Success sets the groundwork for every action a student takes on their college journey. Using College Success as a springboard, students would be able to operate independently and efficiently as they accomplish all the tasks between them and their degrees of choice.

There’s an argument to be made that College Success is doing exactly what those behind its inception wanted it to be doing. Baillon suggested that there is evidence that ought to help convey how pivotal the course is to student success.

According to Baillon, completing College Success yields an increase in grade-point average and student retention. With a high student retention rate, the returning students of Pierce College would be walking, talking spokespeople of the efficacy of College Success.

There’s something about College Success that keeps me from believing in its message — the price of admission.

I’m not going to argue about the supposed numbers that explain how effective College Success is, but I will argue that the intent of the personal investment is dampened by the course being mandatory One could say that if the course was optional, it might affect attendance and leave students without aid that would

Pierce has stressed passion for the subject from the professors. While all professors have a required curriculum, Baillon believes that instructors help their students far more when focusing the coursework around the overall needs of that class. Some College Success courses center on completing assignments well, while others put more effort into growth mindset. The course simply remains focused on the student.

With five and three credit options respectively, along with hybrid and online classes, College Success provides various opportunities for students to be involved in the process. Through the course, students also gain access to tours of the library, meetings with faculty counselor advisors and educational planning.

Still, students are often unsure about the point of College Success. For students coming back to school, or taking a few extra courses, College Success can seem unnecessary. It’s true, College Success is oriented for students who are first time college students. Regardless, the support and guidance offered by College Success can relate to any student and their path. Baillon encourages students to go into College Success with an open mind. Students don’t know how College Success will benefit them until they’re in the class. College Success – love it or hate it – has something there to benefit every student.

—Maddie Ashcraft

No

benefit them, but shouldn’t that decision be theirs to make? College is regarded as the rite of passage that separates childhood and adulthood, and hand-holding lessens the effect of that transition.

It doesn’t matter how effective College Success may or may not be in this scenario; what matters is that it would be more effective if it wasn’t force-fed to students with a price tag attached.

The Institute for Higher Education Policy reported in 2017 that 95 percent of American colleges are too expensive for the majority of low-income students. The concept of college can be a daunting one for many, and a paywall preventing someone from moving forward can easily be enough to turn many off to the idea of college altogether. A program put into place to show students the ropes is trite in its design and relies heavily on the execution of its message.

What is the message of College Success? A partner of College Success like Baillon would probably speak about the stock being placed in students’ futures, and I would agree with such a sentiment.

Funny thing about investments though: usually an investor has the complete say in the future of their investment. I’d compare the message to less of a stock exchange, and more to a child being given change for their piggy bank. I guess that’s the difference between being told that students are treated like adults and actually being treated like an adult.

—Steven Gonzalez

Plans for more campus parking are underway Kiara Anderson Photojournalist

The parking lot voted for in the spring is still in the early stages of development.

Vice President of Administrative Services Choi Halladay explained that the parking lot is still in the very beginning stages of preparation. There is a long process to go through before funding is approved and construction can begin.

“The most ideal scenario I could envision, if everything goes exactly right, is that we could open the parking lot for spring quarter 2020,” Halladay said.

With the students having voted on the parking lot’s construction in the first place, it stands to reason that the students of Pierce College Puyallup find the parking lot’s construction to be vital to the campus as a whole.

Building a parking lot is a relatively small project as Halladay explained it. The two major time consumers of the project are getting funding approval, which will take months, and the weather. Halladay said that once the logistics are dealt with, the administrative team can begin pulling any necessary funds for the project.

The real planning process begins after the funds have been acquired. Many questions are finally answered at this stage in the game: the location of the parking lot, its

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Every spot is filled in the parking lots during class hours. Victor Filion photo.

overall size, the time constraints and whether or not there would be any potential advancements further down the line.

“Right now there’s a couple of ideas that are out

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there. One involves us actually having to buy more property,” Halladay explained. “But the other plan was to create a 100 to 120 stall parking lot on the other side of the HEC [Health Education Center] in that area.”

The parking lot is projected to be roughly three quarters the size of Parking Lot B. Halladay elaborated on the issue that finding land not considered designated wetland that the school can legally build upon is a factor in the timeline of the construction of the parking lot.

Roughly 30 percent of the school property is designated wetland areas. There are few spots of land to choose from and consideration of future plans for new buildings and other additions is necessary as well. Halladay explained that the area between the Arts and Allied Health building and the existing parking lot was thought of as a good area for parking, but it may be reserved for a new building.

Other plans the administrative team has been thinking about is the addition of a parking garage.

“There have been some thoughts about that,” Halladay said. “Parking garages are very expensive.”

Until the parking lot begins construction, the certainty lies in one statement — Puyallup campus students will have further parking options in the foreseeable future.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

CAMPUS LIFE college offers class variety at new location Maddie Ashcraft Managing Editor

Since fall quarter 2016, the Pierce College Graham location has offered students another option for higher education. Located at Graham-Kapowsin High School in the Bethel School District, students can take classes towards their degree in a more convenient location.

While GK remains a high school during the day, it becomes a college once school gets out. Pierce offers a variety of courses Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Just before its inception, a research project was conducted under the guidance of the state board in the hopes of providing additional higher education options for residents of South Pierce County. After a year of studying data and demographics, GK offered its first classes in the fall of 2016 as a trial run. Three to four classes were offered and the turnout was successful. Deborah Davolio, project manager for Pierce at Graham, estimated that the GK location has already served 400 students since beginning in 2016.

While no classes were offered over the summer, Pierce at Graham grew a marketing platform to encourage students from Eatonville, Spanaway, Graham and Puyallup to participate in classes offered.

Canvas announcements, billboards and signage in the area were all part of building community recognition and stabilizing the future.

Four to five classes are now offered each quarter during the school year, ranging from English to Philosophy. Faculty from both the Puyallup and Fort Steilacoom campuses come out to teach the courses, and especially those that live within the Bethel school district. Each quarter offers different courses while also including a College Success and English 101 course for new students. Following the pattern of Guided Pathways, students who attend Pierce at Graham can earn their associate degree almost entirely, barring a few classes online.

Tutors, faculty, counselors and advisers attend multiple times a quarter to work with students and assist in academic needs. A temporary writing center is also open to students three nights a week.

Students can easily take classes at multiple campuses. Davolio adds that students who live closer to Graham or Eatonville often take a few courses on the Puyallup campus and drive to GK for one more class before heading home.

Pierce at Graham helps alleviate some of the packed classes at the Puyallup campus, which is always at full capacity.

Pierce at Graham has a strong connection with both Bethel School District and Pierce College; sharing resources to best fit students needs. For the College Success class at Graham, students take a trip over to the Puyallup campus for the first part of the library assignment. Later on in the quarter, librarians

come to the Graham campus to teach students about resources located at GK. Despite the classes being held in a high school, the demographic of Pierce at Graham is diverse. While nearly half of the students are Running Start, the other half are community members, parents or families. Several parents of GK students attend the night courses at their child’s school.

Pierce at Graham has seen substantial growth. In the last two years, the program has grown to serve over 400 students — providing the community with a closer option for higher education. Plans are in place to add more courses and resources for students at GK. Davolio added that Pierce at Graham is just the beginning of added sites for Pierce College. The beginning stages of adding more high school campuses are in the works with thoughts of expanding to Spanaway Lake High School.

There has not been large advertising for Pierce at Graham and many students may still be unaware of the program, the site is growing.

Nutrition, political science, college success and English classes were offered last quarter with over 30 students registered for each class. Davolio says many students comment on the easy-to-access location and relationships built with faculty.

“It’s really a terrific opportunity for the community,” Davolio said. “I think the students really appreciate it.”

The adversity with the Athletic Department's audience Samantha Allred Reporter

The Pierce College athletic department can’t find an audience. The Director of Athletics, Duncan Stevenson, says that the majority of students struggle even to get to a game.

“I don’t think students, or even our employees who have been here a long time, come to games,” Stevenson said. “But they’ll go home and watch the Mariners, they go home to watch the Seahawks. They don’t really understand how good this level is.”

During a recent women’s volleyball game held at the Fort Steilacoom campus on a Wednesday evening, a ticket sales employee reported that 37 adults, four kids and 25 Pierce College students attended the game.

This isn’t the first time the athletic department has had trouble finding an audience. Stevenson has come to the realization that creating posters to advertise for sporting events has not improved the size of the audience coming to games. Instead, he considers their best options are to advertise more abundantly through student email, the office of student life, the athletic website — pierceraiders.com — and the athletes themselves. Student athletes are encouraged to engage in other events, like theatre productions or a concert, to show support to other students. In this way, the athletes might also gain a similar amount of support from their surrounding classmates.

Most of the athletes’ devoted time to their sport is taken up with practicing, including commuting, at least six days each week. The practice routine includes the coaches as well. There are seven head coaches for the whole department, yet only one coach works full time. The other six work other jobs in the community such as part-time police officers and teachers.

“It’s a big commitment and we don’t pay them [coaches] a lot of money.” Duncan said.

Commuting can take a large chunk out of an athlete’s time: the facilities available on the Puyallup campus are in need of improvement and others are completely non-existent. Health Education Center Operations Manager Brian Kovacevich feels that this contributes to the overall issue.

“I think for us to kind of complete the athletic department as a whole, it would be great to have an expanded presence on this campus as well as Fort Steilacoom,” Kovacevich said.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

The women’s volleyball team competes at the Fort Steilacoom campus on Oct. 3. Kiara Anderson photo.

Both the Fort Steilacoom and Puyallup facilities were improved 10 years ago when the Health Education Center buildings were opened on their respective campuses. The inclusion of the buildings increased athletes’ abilities to practice with proper equipment.

There are still no home courts for men and women soccer teams, the women’s softball team and men's baseball team.

Instead, these teams play at fields off campus in Heritage Recreation Center and Mount Tahoma high school. Kovacevich expressed that there are future plans for the Puyallup campus to gain a field complex. He stated that the map of the field is already in the footprint of the college.

The Pierce athletic department offers seven out of the 15 sports the Northwest Athletic Conference offers. The NWAC is a sports association for 36 community colleges participating in sports. The colleges

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in the NWAC competition range from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia.

Pierce College manages to have an average of four of their seven teams make it into the playoffs every year. In the last 14 years, the men’s basketball team has played in the conference championship games three times. The women’s volleyball team won the West Region title in 2017. Last year, 51 percent of the Pierce College athletes graduated in two years compared to the general student body graduation rate of 29 percent. Of those athletes, 63 percent gained scholarships to play in other four year universities.

Stevenson alluded to this type of statistic as a point for those who view the college athletic department as more of a minor league.

“I would love to see that gym packed for them because they deserve that support. They deserve that cheering racket.”

THE PUYALLUP POST

CAMPUS LIFE Smart cards aid parking problems Kiara Anderson Photojournalist

SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 1

instance, it is currently unknown exactly how many gallons of wastewater the Puyallup campus produces annually.

One way Timmons and his crew regulate water consumption is by monitoring irrigation practices. The sprinklers run in increments of 5-10 minutes and only in zones that have been determined to absolutely need the water.

Another environmental impact that Timmons has tried to address in the past is the use of pesticides in landscaping.

He says that he tries to avoid using Round-Up, acknowledging known controversies over the use of the weed-killing product. One application of Round-Up wipes out weeds. The comparison is notable due to BurnOut, an organic weed-killer he once introduced, and the fact that it has to be reapplied every three days.

Timmons concedes that it would be nice for Pierce to be all-natural in its campus maintenance but also feels that the labor intensity of either hand-pulling weeds or reapplying organic compounds so frequently is not feasible for his small staff.

Timmons has been speaking with the campus president regarding opportunities for addressing the environmental issues brought about by current lack of staffing.

Some of the proposed ideas include hiring more parttime staff, asking for volunteers from the student body and employing a work-study program using students from a local environmental studies program.

When asked about how quickly some of these changes may be brought about, Timmons hesitates.

“I think eliminating pesticides will be sooner rather than later,” Timmons said. “Monitoring and metering projects will take someone at the director level to champion that, every day, until it gets done.”

DR. CAIN

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mate of Washington. Although the Midwest he considers home is a hot and humid landscape with cold winters, Dr. Cain always preferred the season of autumn. The cooler weather Washington provides coaxes Dr. Cain to go outside more: he recently took a hike through the Chambers Bay trail.

With the difference in the landscapes provided by Indiana and Washington respectively, Dr. Cain reflected on the variety of outdoor activities at his disposal.

Although he always considered himself a purveyor of fresh air and sunshine, Indiana activities typically entailed bike riding and walking along flat terrain. The ability to experience glaciers, mountains and other features unavailable in Indiana have Dr. Cain eager to get outside. Taking the time to try new things isn’t a foreign element for Dr. Cain however.

Dr. Cain held many other jobs in his lifetime. He laughed as he recounted his high school job working as a cook at McDonald’s. He couldn’t picture current

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This quarter marks the beginning of free ORCA cards being offered to students due to lack of parking available on the Pierce College Puyallup campus.

ORCA cards are smart cards for the Puget Sound area that enable those who ride public transit to use them in lieu of coins.

Money usually needs to be added to the card to give it value, but the cards offered at Pierce were previously paid for.

Anyone taking at least one class at Pierce College Puyallup qualifies for an ORCA card.

“This was actually paid for by student life, so this is for students, by students,” says Gregory Kronlund, campus safety assistant.

Finding a parking spot at Pierce is a challenge for students: usually resulting in many students circling the parking lots and arriving late to class. Most students end up arriving at school early to avoid the frustration of searching for a parking spot minutes before their class starts.

Kronlund said that the ORCA cards will benefit students because they could conceivably cut down on parking issues.

“So if we get a few less cars parked because people are taking the bus, everybody benefits,” Kronlund said.

Parking at Pierce has been sparse during the day, so if more spots are available, the problem can be alleviated.

Kronlund explained that Campus Safety was given a

Students are advised to bring bus fare the first couple of rides in case of problems with the card. Kiara Anderson photo.

basis of 200 cards and that an estimated 60 have been given out.

Some of these students may or may not have been taking up parking in the first place. It’s unknown whether these students were drop-offs, previous users of the transit system or drivers.

Kronlund said that even a small number of available spots will benefit the students.

An extra lift for students in the area Paige Proctor Reporter

The rideshare program, Lyft, is offering a new service that will be cost-effective for Pierce College Puyallup students. Students will now have access to a free, last mile from public transit, through Lyft.

The new program, Limited Access Connections, is sponsored by Pierce County Transit, Lyft and Pierce College. This program has been implemented to provide students who may have lack of public transit options in their area, and to ensure that students can make it home safely even after regular transit hours are over.

Grant funding has been used to

provide this opportunity to students and covers the expected cost associated with the free ride. The program has four zones with four different pick-up sites across Pierce County.

One site will be directly on the Pierce College Puyallup campus, in the same location as the current bus stop. The specific service offered for students is the Guaranteed Ride Home. Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Students who enter the code 18RAIDERS on their Lyft app will have access to a free, last-mile ride within the east Puyallup and Sound Transit Center. This service is meant to be an extra safety precaution for students as well as creat-

loved ones correlating the image of Dr. Cain built up today with the high schooler working at McDonald’s.

When he attended Pasadena City College, Dr. Cain stayed in California with his aunt. Considering a future in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Cain’s aunt urged him to give it some thought before signing his name.

While studying in Pasadena, Dr. Cain had a job as a security officer. One of his fondest memories was a time in which he was able to work an LA Clippers game. Sitting behind the players’ bench, Dr. Cain was tasked with guarding the athletes from anything that could potentially distract their focus. A rowdy fan began causing a ruckus, and Dr. Cain tried to calm him.

When that didn’t appear to be working, one of the players went up to the fan to deal with him personally. Dr. Cain estimated the player to be about 6-foot8-inches and 240 pounds.

The player set the fan straight and assured the fan that disrespect to security officers wouldn’t be tolerated. There weren’t anymore problems for young Security Officer Cain after that incident.

Dr. Cain also spoke about working at the Boys and Girls club and the impact it had on him. Recognizing the potential in that workplace left Dr. Cain with a

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ing a high level of education opportunity equality. By providing more access to and from learning institutes, students may be more likely to succeed on campus.

desire to hold himself to a higher regard and work harder to help his fellow human beings.

“It just kind of reinforced what I wanted to do,” says Dr. Cain. “I think it’s just giving back, recognizing and helping others to be better.”

Dr. Cain remarked on how many people live their lives without knowing who cares about them. The concept of unfostered potential left Dr. Cain with a desire to affect those around him positively.

Dr. Cain said the college employees have made him feel welcome ever since he brought his family to Washington.

Nicole Cain, Dr. Cain’s wife, was no stranger to moving at this point in her life with her husband, but their children didn’t exactly have a grasp on the distance difference. Noah Cain, the couple’s 14-yearold son, focused on the chance to experience something new. Nilah Cain, their 13-year-old daughter, was more hesitant to move away from her friendships, but the entire Cain family was excited by the prospect of new opportunities that awaited in Washington.

Opportunity is something that drives Dr. Cain.

Seeing life in different perspectives is a refreshing source of inspiration for him.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

HEALTH & SAFETY

Behind the Badge Dawn Hammer Reporter

Officers of the Puyallup Police Department share many traits: commitment to the community, a sense of family and solidarity within the department and a certain pride in their work.

Pierce College is yet another commonality among many PPD officers. Several started their higher education at Pierce and cite their experiences there as instrumental in helping to shape their choice in careers.

Patrol officer Chad Pearson is one such alumnus. He began attending classes at the Fort Steilacoom campus in 2003.

Of all his classes at Pierce, Pearson says his favorite was psychology. He doesn’t recall the name of the professor — what impacted him instead was the material.

His continued interest in psychology drives the career choices he makes today: Pearson recently voluntarily certified as a crisis intervention specialist with the National Association of Anger Management.

Pearson says crisis intervention is both the most rewarding and challenging aspect of his job.

“Dealing with people in crisis is difficult because you don’t know what to expect,” says Pearson. “If you can try and understand where they are coming from, then it helps you respond a little bit differently.”

Pearson admits it was sometimes a struggle to juggle the conflicting demands of classes, full-time employment and a growing family.

Having the option to sometimes take only one class per quarter and return to his studies at leisure allowed him the flexibility to complete his transfer degree at his own pace.

Pearson is a first generation college graduate. Rather than seeing that as a challenge,

he used it as a motivating factor in earning a master’s degree, which he accomplished in 2015.

For Corrections Lieutenant Ed Shannon, a 35-year veteran of the PPD, Pierce College offered the same flexibility. Just as importantly, he was offered exposure to classes and topics that he may otherwise never have pursued.

“I took an introductory music class. To this day, I can listen to some classical music and know the period of the composer,” says Shannon.

He remembers getting to listen to a famous composer rehearse in Benaroya Hall in Seattle, which is an experience he says he would have missed had he not had the opportunity to enroll in that class.

Shannon was a student at Pierce College before it officially housed a campus. He recalled taking evening classes in a strip mall in the ‘80s.

Shannon eventually transferred to Southern Illinois University, which had a branch at the Pierce College Joint Base Lewis-McChord campus. The university worked in conjunction with Work Force Education and Development, which is a program Shannon encourages any Pierce student to explore for the support services it offers.

Regarding his role at the PPD, Shannon also encourages pursuit of corrections as a career that is rich in both rewards and benefits. He said he enjoys good pay, excellent retirement and received tuition reimbursement for his college courses.

Patrol Sergeant Tamera Pihl, who has been with the PPD for 22 years, echoed her colleagues’ enthusiasm for both the profession and her Pierce College education.

Pihl attended Pierce from 1991-93. She earned a degree in Law and Justice via the Central Washington University extension

Officer Jordan Tungsvik conducts his routine patrol near the Washington State Fairgrounds. Victor Filion photo. housed on the Fort Steilacoom campus.

One of the most influential professors Pihl said she learned from was a Pierce county prosecutor named Hugh Birgenheier. She cited his mentorship as the first among many of the benefits provided to her by the college.

“Pierce set the foundation and work ethic [for me] to be successful,” Pihl said.

Community Outreach Officer Jeff Bennet also recalled his Pierce college experience as impactful, though for different reasons.

Bennet, who has been a member of the PPD for 14 years, said he was not a great math student. He took a statistics class and learned more about math there than he had in his five prior years of high school and college.

Bennet first attended Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in 1991. He returned to Pierce in 1998 to finish his associate degree after deciding on a career in law enforcement.

He said jokingly that it took him eight years to finish a two-year degree, but he acknowledges that many students need that time to sort out what they want to do in life.

He views Pierce as a vital part of the community.

“It’s five times bigger now than it was when I was there. It’s cool that we have that [as a] community learning center.”

Community is a large part of what keeps Bennet engaged in his career. His current role with the PPD developed over the years because of his work with the increasing number of homeless.

Bennet acts as a liaison between homeless people and the services they may need in order to get out of the often cyclical nature of homelessness. He sums up his job as one that provides equal parts giving and receiving.

No matter their current role within the PPD, these four Pierce College alumni share more than just their former alma mater. Each has demonstrated a commitment to bettering their community.

Community is the driving force for a lot of the officers, and this includes Officer Bennet.

“You do get a lot of benefit by giving.

There is not a person in this building I believe isn’t an integral part of giving back to this community.”

free career workshop series available for students Paige Proctor Reporter

Pierce College will offer a free Career Workshop series this quarter focused on helping students find a career path.

Bret Burkholder, the faculty counselor advisor who is leading the project, said the workshops will give students the opportunity to explore their options.

The three-part workshop includes a personality test, career information and a look at students’ passions and needs. This will be the first session in many years, which Burkholder credits to the college’s new push in helping students determine their plans after graduation. Burkholder hopes to see this workshop continue once a quarter.

During the sessions, a personality test tool called The Self Directed Search will be administered to registered students. Burkholder refers to it as the grandfather of all career development tools. This test will give insight to students as to what type of career they are fit for, places they will excel and finding exactly what their passions are. After taking this test, Burkholder and fellow faculty counselor advisor Vicki Howell-Williams will work individually with students and help determine exactly what they are looking for in their future careers.

While these sessions are offered to all students, Burkholder suggests that the students best fit for these sessions are the ones feeling a bit lost as to their next step.

These sessions will provide students with the chance to ask questions and have access to resources they may have been lacking before.

Students must register for the workshop and to commit to all three sessions.

The morning sessions are 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 13-15 in Room AAH 130. The afternoon sessions are 2-3:30 Bret Burkholder p.m. Nov. 13-15 in Room AAH 130.

Contact Burkholder at bburkholder@pierce.ctc.edu (253) 840-8432 for more information.

Student safety is part of the local construction plan Samantha Allred Reporter

A $100,000 plan is in the works as the first step toward making Puyallup students’ walking routes more secure.

The project is set to be finished by February 2019. According to the city of Puyallup’s Comprehensive Plan, at least 70 percent of the city’s streets have sidewalks.

Yet, for Councilwoman Julie Door, that isn’t enough.

“As a parent, I’m keenly aware of the situations students are facing when they’re going to school,” Door said.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

“There are some areas with no sidewalks and it’s concerning.” Door has pressed for safer walking routes for Puyallup students since 2015.

Fehr & Peers, a company founded in 1985, is the transportation consultant enlisted to work on the Safe Routes To School project by creating a Top 10 priority list for the areas involved.

This isn’t the first time Fehr & Peers has worked for the city of Puyallup.

The company also contributed to the Active Transportation Plan and the Comprehensive Traffic Plan recently.

The company had data on most of the

city streets beforehand and this caused the council to have more preference for the company than other consultants.

Public Works Director Rob Andreotti considers it a time consuming process for the company and people involved.

With a large scope of area to cover, Fehr & Peers will be expected to do site visits, mapping of school areas and remapping others.

“As long as we have our council prioritizing this we should have a pretty good success with it,” Andreotti said.

The plan for safer routes will mostly

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concern schools that serve the city and surrounding areas. Elementary schools like Fruitland, Karshner, Maplewood Stewart, Sunrise and Wildwood.

The other schools involved are Ferrucci Junior High, Aylen Junior, Kalles Junior High and Puyallup High School.

To make it so safer routes are more easily built in the future, the city will require frontage improvements.

Frontage improvements will be implemented when a new school is built.

The school will then be required to improve the surrounding streets around the building as well.

THE PUYALLUP POST

HEALTH & SAFETY Puyallup approves zoning standards for homeless Eleise Ashley Senior Reporter

The Puyallup City Council met withresidents early this month to discuss a new ordinance that will restrict where homeless shelters and day centers can be located.

The ordinance is attempting to enforce a 1,000 foot buffer between homeless services and what is considered “sensitive areas” such as schools, libraries, daycare centers and other similar businesses.

Puyallup City Council member Cynthia Jacobsen elaborated on this subject via email.

“This is consistent with the 1,000 foot buffer that the state requires for marijuana selling operations,” Jacobsen said.

“And with the 1,000 foot buffer required as a ‘drug free zone’ around schools.”

Jacobsen spoke on the council’s desire to be consistent with the state guidelines. She went on to write that homeless centers are connected with increased violence and crime: a complaint that many Puyallup residents had at the town meeting.

Other complaints included aggression, property damage and theft by homeless individuals.

Patty Denny of the Puyallup City Chamber talked about her personal experiences with the homeless in a

Councilmember Robin Farris says she fears the new ordinance on homelessness will get the city sued.

Kiara Anderson photo.

recording of another city council meeting.

“I can remember when homelessness first started, I was at the chamber office and I felt very unsafe down there simply because they would walk in the door and they would yell at me,” Denny said.

“Now I can go down there and I feel safe. There’s a different climate in downtown Puyallup now.”

Tim Mellema, a Puyallup business owner, was another in the recording who approved of the new ordinance.

He called the 1,000-foot buffer a great compromise and applauded the city’s willingness to work with providers who pitched locations that did not meet the 1,000 foot criteria. Mellema went on to urge the city council members to not allow bullies to destroy the city.

Despite the approval of some residents and business owners, there are others who feel differently.

One is Robin Farris, who has been working on the Puyallup City Council

for the past three years. Farris was one of the two who voted against the new ordinance.

During her interview, Farris talked about other cities who are going through homeless problems. She primarily used Boise, Idaho as an example.

Six homeless people sued Boise for banning sleeping in public spaces. Stating the homeless community had a right to sleep outside if they had nowhere else to go, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided against the city.

“What that means for us is that we can’t tell people to move if they are sleeping somewhere out in the open,” Farris said. “We can say, ‘Not in parks’ (and that’s) what we have done, but we can’t say, ‘You can’t sleep in Puyallup.’”

Despite the new ordinance, the New Hope Resource Center is set to be grandfathered: they will be unaffected by the new restrictions this ordinance is set to enforce and will continue to provide homeless services.

Not only have residents voiced disapproval of this decision, but many have complained about criminal activity in the resource center’s surrounding area.

Puyallup and its residents continue to voice their opinions in the face of evident change.

Puyallup’s Economic interest in The washington state fair Dawn Hammer

Reporter

Beyond the time honored traditions of cattle drives, Fisher scones, giant teddy bears and 4-H horses, the Washington State Fair brings a seeming inundation of one important economical resource: revenues.

According to the fair’s 2017 Annual Report, almost $1 million in admission fees and taxes was paid to the City of Puyallup. In addition, Pierce County received more than $1.2 million in property taxes.

Some information requested of the fair was not obtained, such as answers to questions regarding the number of Puyallup residents visiting the fair compared to people from out-of-town. Inquiries were also made as to how many of the reported 7,500 people employed during the fall and spring fair are Puyallup residents.

Stacy Van Horne, public relations manager for the Washington State Fair Events Center, said the fair is considered a private non-profit, which means that some statistics and figures are not publicly shared.

While data is not yet available for the 2018 Washington State Fair, information contained in the 2017 Annual Report shows an increase of $1.6 million in total revenue and almost $2 billion in net assets from the prior year.

No one will explicitly say what this means for Puyallup.

In reply to an inquiry made on Sept. 20, Finance Director for the City of Puyallup Cliff Craig said he was only qualified to estimate the taxes received by the city.

Craig said, due to confidentiality laws of Washington state, individual taxes paid by the fair cannot be disclosed. Craig referred further inquiry to the City of Puyallup Public Relations Officer Brenda Fritsvold.

Fritsvold stated that she wouldn’t be able to provide any economic information beyond that already obtained by the finance division. She did, however, supply the compensation agreement that was made between the City of Puyallup and the Washington State Fair Association for the 2018 Fair.

It’s stated in the agreement that, in addition to the aforementioned property and admissions taxes, the Washington State Fair Association also pays the City

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The Washington State Fair has been operating at some capacity since Oct. 4, 1900, causing a significant financial impact on the community Seo Kim photo. of Puyallup an annual business license fee of $50,000.

The agreement reads that the fair, which is the largest event in Washington state, brings in more than one million visitors annually.

It’s acknowledged that this places increased demands on city services: police, public works and utility operations.

In the 2018 compensation agreement, the Association promised to reimburse the city $7,000 for work conducted by the Public Works Department for the annual rodeo parade and cattle drive.

The fair also pays for the extra staffing of the Puyallup Police Department, which provides both traffic direction and patrol services outside the fairgrounds.

Dave McDonald, deputy chief of the Puyallup Police Department, says that during the fair an aver-

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age of 20 officers are on duty at any given hour, in contrast with the five or so typically on duty during non-fair times.

McDonald works concurrently with the state’s Department of Transportation, traffic sergeants and fair association employees to constantly monitor the flow of traffic and parking around the fair.

Although the City of Puyallup estimated $45,000 would need to be paid to the officers by the Washington State Fair Association in 2018, McDonald said the pay, which comes out of an allotted overtime budget, totaled $186,000 in 2017.

The Washington State Fair doesn’t receive government subsidies; proceeds are invested back into the fairgrounds, its facilities and the programs it offers.

How the city of Puyallup invests fair revenues is a question not yet fully answered.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

LIFESTYLE Tolmie Peak Paige Proctor Reporter

On a normal Saturday, the idea of waking up before 9 a.m. is awful, and I would never even consider it. But this time was different. Jumping out of bed at 6 a.m., lacing up my hiking boots and grabbing my backpack full of snacks, I headed out the door for the Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout hike that awaited me.

Right in the backyard of an over-crowded Puyallup is Mount Rainier, and all of the wonderful trails it has to offer. I am fortunate enough to live just a 40-minute drive from the Tolmie Peak hike, but even if coming from the Pierce College Puyallup campus, the drive is only about an hour and a half. Many of the best hiking locations require a bit of a drive, but that usually means they are just far enough out of day-to-day society that the views are unsullied by the traffic and congestion of city areas. While the drive may seem excessive, I find the views are always worth the extra few minutes on the road.

After picking up my friend and a cup of coffee, we began the long drive from Puyallup out to Carbon River Road: the home of many different Mt. Rainer trail entrances. While you don't need a high clearance vehicle to make it down the 17-mile gravel road filled with potholes the size of small children, I would recommend driving something you don't mind getting dusty. You are required to stop and get your National Park Pass at about mile 11 if you don't already have one handy. I conveniently forgot mine, so I ended up paying for the $30 week-long pass; the price was well worth it in the end.

My friend and I arrived around 9:30 a.m. and were able to park near the trailhead. With a sense of adventure, and pepper spray, we were ready to start our hike.

Luckily for my directionally-challenged self, the trail was very clear and easy to follow. At the first pronged fork in our path, a small sign pointed us in the direction of Tolmie Peak. The journey would sadly begin and end up a steep hill. Tolmie Peak is about a 7.5-mile hike round trip with an elevation gain of 1,100 ft. I'm not sure how it’s possible, but it felt like the entirety of the hike was uphill.

The scenery made the entire hike an absolute joy.

The Pacific Northwest greenery was on full display, and with it being right at the beginning of fall, the path was littered with orange leaves. My friend and I were fortunate to have perfect weather for the excursion: brisk air and sunshine peeking through the forest treetops created exceptional hiking conditions. As we wandered along the path, some areas were rocky and required special attention to where I stepped, and others were just narrow dirt trails. As my friend could attest to, I struggled to maintain my balance through even the flattest of ground.

We arrived at Eunice Lake after about 2 1/2 miles.

Clear, vibrant blue water fills the lake and it was impossible not to stop and take in the calm, serene atmosphere.We were able to look up and see the fire lookout from the lake, which made the last mile even more daunting: it was all elevation gain.The view at the top made it all worth it. I would hike twice that distance, if it meant getting to have that experience.

The view was breathtaking from the fire lookout.

Mt. Rainier stands tall, seemingly at eye level with all hikers. Looking down, the view of Eunice Lake is even better than before. We were able to catch a faint glimpse of Mowich Lake in the distance. All of Washington's best features were on display.

Thankfully, my hiking partner needed just as many breaks as I did, which made the hike much easier for the both of us. We filled our time talking about our great appreciation for the outdoors and the earth we live on. By the end of hike, even though we were exhausted and tired, I felt immensely grateful for the experience.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

An apple a day takes your money away Kiara Anderson Photojournalist

The new iPhone Xs and Xs Max have been available for purchase since the middle of September. Now that they’ve been out for about a month, people have been comparing them to previous iPhones as well as other smart phones. iPhones are famous for their minimal aesthetic and modern design, and the new iPhones are no different.

The phones are offered in gold, space gray and silver.

Some of the newest features include the bionic chip, wireless charging and stronger glass protecting the iPhone from damage.

Reviewers have mixed feelings regarding the upgraded camera which allegedly offers the most control that any iPhone camera has been able to thus far. The camera allows users to change depth of field, and mimic multiple styles of lens with improvements to the portrait mode. Others have noticed that the camera does not show imperfections of the skin like previous cameras in other iPhones. Some people on the internet are calling it a constant beauty mode. Customers are split on whether or not this is a desired feature; there are complaints by many who don't want to look like they've just edited away all their natural features.

The iPhone website claims that their phone is incomparably unique even though phones such as the Google

The A12 chip is the defining factor in the newest version of iPhones. Kiara Anderson photo.

Pixel 2 have similar features: wireless charging, waterproof systems and high-quality cameras.

The only thing really setting the iPhone apart from other phones is the A12 bionic processor. Apple is marketing this as the “smartest, most powerful chip in a smart phone.”

The A12 bionic chip seems to really be what customers are buying with these new iPhones. The new chips allow the phones to work 15 percent faster and use 50 percent less power. Ranging from $999 to $1,099, one has to decide if the new iPhones are worth their money when similar phones are a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Upsie warranties protect a variety of electronics. Kiara Anderson photo.

The Transparency of Upsie Samantha Allred Reporter

Clarence Bethea, CEO and founder of Upsie, says people are getting scammed.

This entrepreneur started his company in 2015, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“I saw a fragmented market where consumers were being overcharged,” Bethea said. “[Consumers are] offered no transparency with terrible service. We want to change that.”

The service of Upsie provides warranties for a diverse amount of electronic products on its website.

It offers warranties on appli-

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ances, tablets, video game consoles, portable audio, cameras, wearable technology and other sundries.

Upsie doesn’t just provide average warranties; the company offers warranties that are at least 70 percent less when compared to other retailers and smart phone carriers.

On Upsie.com, comparisons are drawn of the prices of warranties with other companies. Upsie offers a twoyear warranty of a Samsung Galaxy S8 for a price of $79.99, while Best Buy offers a warranty

for $199.99 and Verizon asks for $264.00.

It is possible to cancel any purchased warranties within the first 30 day period and a full refund can be received. To cancel any warranties, an Upsie representative must first be contacted. After the initial message, the representative will send a confirmation email and issue a prorated refund after receiving a response.

For Bethea, starting his new business had its challenges. As he was trying to gain support, he struggled in finding an insurance partner and getting the right team on board. Once those pieces fell into place he managed to launch the company.

As a company, customer service is significant to Upsie. Bethea claims that the Upsie team will have their staff answer the phone personally and not via utilizing a machine. The Upsie team holds to the standard that they will provide the information on whether or not a claim is covered on the very first call; the only exception to the rule is if photo evidence is required.

The Upsie team promises to reimburse a purchase in at least ten days if a warranty is canceled. If canceling after 30 days, any refund will be assessed.

“We saw a broken and dishonest industry and had to change it.

Upsie was created to give you an honest, convenient and affordable warranty option,” Bethea said.

“We are literally here to serve you and we want you to know that.”

Upsie is available to answer any questions and can be reached through email, phone or their Contact Us page on the Upsie.com website.

THE PUYALLUP POST

ENTERTAINMENT The right to take a stand Steven Gonzalez Editor-in-Chief

Colin Kaepernick has been back in the media spotlight this past month for his Nike advertisement, but people haven’t forgotten Kaepernick’s last controversial move. With every action made by celebrities under heavy scrutiny, Kaepernick’s initial protest has called to question the idea of whether or not it’s even appropriate to protest like he did.

It was during a 49ers preseason game when Kaepernick decided to protest the injustices people of color face in the United States of America. Kaepernick felt that the problems in the US had reached a point where he could no longer ignore them, so he remained seated during the national anthem. It wasn’t long after that initial protest that former Seattle Seahawks player Nate Boyer reached out to Kaepernick in August, 2016, with his own opinion on the matter.

Boyer’s advice led to Kaepernick’s decision to begin kneeling during the anthem.

Boyer’s piece to the puzzle is an important one because it debunks the initial claim against Kaepernick’s decision. The initial backlash against Kaepernick’s kneeling was due to the opinion that it was disrespectful to the sacrifices made by service members, yet Boyer’s advice on kneeling was offered to respect service members. Kneeling is something soldiers in the Army do to

pay respect to fallen comrades. One of Kaepernick’s teammates, Eric Reid, likened the act of kneeling to a flag at half mast.

There are a lot of mixed opinions on the kneeling protest: regardless of the disrespect or lack thereof, many wonder if it’s an effective means to make the statement Kaepernick claims to be out to make.

The National Broadcasting Co. held a poll in April 2018 that showed a total of 54 percent of registered voters disapproved of the kneeling protest— regardless of purpose, they found it inappropriate to protest during the anthem.

One of the founding principles that built this country is the first amendment that governs the people’s right to peaceful assembly. The first amendment lets the US hold itself accountable through utilization of the newspaper and free speech, and yet people often disregard the right to peaceably assemble.

America’s history is filled with protests whenever the country hit a turning point.

From Women’s Suffrage to the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, protests have always been the precursor to change.

People can think what they want — there’s an argument to be made on either side of the conversation.

Sifting through the mass of opinions will reveal one truth however: Kaepernick was within his rights as an American citizen to protest. The initial pushback from the National Football League left the debate prominent in its discussions, but they’ve since rescinded their punishment of policy violation.

The NFL kneeling protest has been one of the most divisive controversies to take hold of the country since beginning in 2017. Though the NFL’s most recent policy update has clarified the official stance the league takes on the national anthem protesting, the only certainty is that the protest controversy won’t be ending any time soon.

review: science dome edutains audiences Eleise Ashley Senior Reporter

Up until last month, if someone had asked me what the Science Dome was, I would have said I had no idea.

After attending the presentation on the planets and moons in our galaxy, I have discovered a part of Pierce College that I had largely overlooked.

The Science Dome is a digital planetarium at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, tucked away in the Rainier building.

The inside was nicely furnished with clean carpeting and reclined theater seating that, according to the Science Dome website, can seat 58 attendees. The most striking part about the planetarium is found on the ceiling, which featured a 38foot domed screen.

The domed screen has two projectors — one in the back that projects onto the back half of the dome, and the second projector in the front that projects on the front half of the dome. I found this to be a unique setup that prevented me from feeling disconnected and forced me to actively participate in a way I wouldn’t have with a standard front and center screen.

According to Hillary Stephens, science dome coordinator, the planetarium has software that allows the audience to explore the universe.

“Basically, it has the model of the universe and we can go anywhere in space and time we want to as long as it’s the known universe.”

Stephens said. “But we can do a lot

The Science Dome is a digital planetarium at the Fort Steilacoom campus. Photo courtesy Hillary Stephens.

of other things with it too.”

One of many features the Science Dome provides is an interactive show for children. This took place at the beginning of the event I attended. The children were asked basic questions about space, followed by a short exploration of the universe. The latter was popular with the audience and especially the young children.

The show lasted about 15 minutes before leading into a video that would last the rest of the event.

The video introduced exoplanets: planets that are beyond our solar system.

The movie explained what they were and how many have been discovered over the years. The soft-

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ware used to play this video was phenomenal, but may cause problems for those prone to motion sickness. While I have never been one to complain about motion sickness, I could feel a headache toward the end of the video coming on from the quick movement of the movie.

In general, I found this to be a pleasant experience. I would recommend it for families, however it is important to note that some of the content may be difficult for young children to understand. The software used and the dome screen proves to be an exciting experience for people of all ages.

The Science Dome has movie showings every Friday at 7 p.m., welcoming people of all ages.

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point defiance park Maddie Ashcraft Managing Editor

Ah, the weekend. Despite busy schedules, work deadlines and school assignments piling up, I miss taking a moment out of my normal routine to enjoy the simplicity of life. It’s time to take a moment for an adventure day.

This one takes place in the lovely Tacoma Point Defiance Park. While most find it home to zoo-goers and couples taking engagement photos among roses, the park has much more to offer.

To make my adventure most worthwhile, I take the scenic route, driving along Ruston Way. Besides the Puget Sound views, Ruston Way offers a sweet little coffee shop: Jewel Box Cafe. I stop in for a quick americano and a peek at the jewel-adorned furniture and feel the soft enthusiasm of the days-gone-by atmosphere.

I enter Point Defiance Park a few minutes later. To one side, views of Puget Sound greet me, with pagoda and rose gardens opposite.

I stop for a moment to take a few photos of the flowers and quaint park area; it’s the perfect spot for a photoshoot or chasing a few geese.

I soon come to an entrance for the Point Defiance Zoo. Resisting all urges to relive my childhood joy, I anxiously peek at views of children and brightly colored buildings as I drive past.

Soon, I’ve come to the true purpose of this adventure: Nisqually Park. Driving through the forest, I feel as though I’ve entered a land full of woodland creatures, along with a little whimsy. The trip takes about ten minutes, and also allows for more forest exploration along Five Mile Drive.

Continuing on, I take a quick stop at Owen Beach.

Commonly packed with young families or birthday parties, Owen Beach offers scenic views of Puget Sound and the perfect photo opportunity. A snack shack is provided along with places to rent canoes or kayaks.

This is a great place to take a moment to breathe in ocean air and have a deep conversation with your fellow adventure buddies. Being the photographer that I am, I rope my friend into a mini photoshoot, and I enjoy the ocean views.

After finding my car in the densely-packed lot, I continue the hike through the beauty of the forest. Just when I feel like I’ve lost myself in the woods, my favorite spot appears: Fort Nisqually.

A replica of the real Hudson Bay Co. settlement in the 1850s, Fort Nisqually is known as a living history museum. With half a dozen buildings built and decorated to look exactly like the settlers’ establishment, it feels like I’m stepping back in time. Staff members wearing 1850s garb portray characters, and guide tours around the fort for groups interested in the details and history.

Feel free to roam around, discovering watchtowers, period kitchens, and outhouse toilets from 200 years ago.

Admission is only $8 for adults, and children 17 and younger are $5 per ticket. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. I run around the fort, visiting the watchtower, the settlers’ cabin and the general store.

Even better than visiting alone, Fort Nisqually hosts several events during the year, with dozens of period actors and activities to fuel a time traveling experience.

Fully satisfied with renewing my sense of awe for the past, I take in one more view of Puget Sound from the lookout right outside of Fort Nisqually.

It’s time to go. I settle back into the car for a quick drive through those magical woods and back to the reality of modern life.

Whether looking for a quiet moment, a place to reconnect with a friend, or an out-of-the-box experience, head to Point Defiance Park for the next adventure and let time itself stop for a worthwhile moment.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT Aries (March 20-April 20)

That restlessness you have been feeling might be a sign that it is time to leave your current job. Just remember to follow your instincts and do what you love. Use your natural talent and skill to lead the way

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)

Your giving-and-receiving ratio has been imbalanced. If you have been giving more than receiving, you may be feeling drained or worried someone is taking advantage of you; if you are receiving more than giving, you may be feeling guilty or depressed. Don’t worry! Do some selfreflection and find a healthy middle ground to put things back into order.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)

It’s time to ground yourself. Lately you have been focused on socializing and excitement, which has led you to become ungrounded. It is important to balance work with play or you may risk suffering further down the road. Work first and you’ll find that you feel much more accomplished.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

walking away.

You are in an unhealthy relationship that you have been afraid to let go of.

Don’t be afraid of the truth. Instead, see it as an opportunity for change and growth. It is important that you take care of your health, even if that means

Leo (July 23-Aug 22)

There is someone close to you who could use a little inspiration and motivation. Now is the time to let your passion and dramatic flair shine to help lift them. By watching your natural leadership and creativity, they will feel empowered by your energy. Go on with your bad self and shine.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)

You have been much too hard on yourself lately and it is important that you give yourself the chance to unwind.

Don’t forget that it is okay to make mistakes and that you are only human. Forgive yourself for any wrongs you feel you might have made and be willing to leave the past where it is: behind you.

Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22)

It appears a new relationship may be headed your way! Pay close attention to the new people that come into your life and keep yourself open to new beginnings. This person may be a new work partner, friend or romantic interest. Keep yourself open to new possibilities and let the relationship flow naturally.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21)

You have been working really hard lately and others have noticed. Keep doing what you are doing and soon it will pay off. When the time comes, remember to stay humble and help others who may have been where you once started.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21)

Lately you have been feeling cooped up and restless. Now is the time to take a break and enjoy the fresh outdoors.

Take that day trip you always wanted, enjoy a walk in the park or walk through the forest. Adventure doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation. Find adventure in things around you and you will soon find yourself feeling much better.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19)

There is big change coming your way. Your instinct may be to fight it, but it is important that you don’t.

Instead, work with this change and you will find the outcome is much easier on you and those around you. Although this is easier said than done, remember that change doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18)

Don’t be afraid to let others in. You have kept your guard up and it has prevented relationships from blossoming into their full potential. Don’t be afraid to let those around you see your unique personality. Once you let your guard down, people may surprise you with their response.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Lately you have been feeling unheard and this has had a negative impact on your mental and emotional health. Don’t be afraid to be assertive and fight for your needs. Remember to be calm yet firm in your needs, things will follow from there.

Creepy Legends crossword Across

2. She is known as the Wicked Witch of Monroe.

4. _______ is a creature that consumes the blood of animals.

5. A thin, unnaturally tall man who preys on children.

8. A hairy, ape-like creature that is believed to live in the wilderness.

9. A government facility that is believed to be associated with aliens.

10. A creature that is reported to inhabit Southern New Jersey. It moves quickly to avoid contact and let’s out a blood-curdling scream.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

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Down

1. People report that they have been picked up by this _______ only for the driver to vanish later without explantation.

3. A female ghost that is believed to be betrayed by a husband or fiance.

6. Say her name three times while staring into the mirror.

7. A hybrid creature that is from Point Pleasant, Virginia. It is blamed for the collapse of the Silver Bridge.

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ENTERTAINMENT High as Hope

spider-man

by florence and the machine album release date: aug 10 Length: 37 min 57 sec

by insomniac games game (PS4) release date: sept 7 length: 20 hours

Paige Proctor Reporter

Steven Gonzalez

Florence and the Machine has always been a favorite band of mine. Once their new album, “High as Hope” was released, I had some pretty lofty expectations. Previous albums like “Lungs” and “Ceremonies” were rambunctious and melodic, filled with an energy completely unique to Florence Welch, lead singer and composer for Florence and the Machine. “High as Hope” was intended to be the mellow and minimalistic album of the discography. While still maintaining quality, less emphasis was placed on a big production.

Within the first two minutes of listening to the opening song “June,” I knew I was in for an emotionally vulnerable and poetic album. The second song on the track, “Hunger,” opens with the lyric: At 17, I started to starve myself.

The lyrics leave the listeners to take in all of the raw emotion expressed by

Welsh. After the album released, Welsh posted on Instagram saying that the song was never even meant to be one.

“Hunger” was written as a poem that she later composed to music. This theme of poetic stanzas turned to relatively choppy lyrics continues throughout the entire album.

Many critique “High as Hope” for the seemingly disorganized song formatting and the inconsistent flow, but I find both of them charming and unique to Florence and the Machine as they’ve never been a conventional band to begin with.

Leading the Indie-Pop genre, they have rarely fallen into over-formulaic musical styles.This album is just another example of their nonconformism to the genre. Florence and the Machine used this album to fuse composing styles, experiment with poetic lyrics and use the idea that less is more.

Bojack horsemAn season 5

claw his way to relevancy once again while also juggling his many vices.

The characters of “Bojack Horseman” are growing season by season, and fans weren’t sure what to expect after the season four finale.

Many shows suffer from having to top their own work, but it seems as though the directors behind “Bojack Horseman” have chosen to eschew this issue.

Season five is the exhale of relief after season four put fans in a vice grip and forced them to hold their breaths in anticipation for what would come next.

Bojack is an arguable success once again, but he has to grapple with the smallest issue fans have seen him face thus far: addiction. While that may seem laughable after the crazier stunts he’s pulled over the years, it makes for a compelling and realistic dynamic we haven’t seen from Bojack thus far.

“Bojack Horseman” continues to deliver, and season five maintains the pace of excellence. If the first five seasons are any indication, the sun won’t be going down in Hollywoo anytime soon.

by Raphael Bob-Waksberg tv series release date: sept 14 Length: 5 hours 21 min Steven Gonzalez Editor-in-Chief

Bojack Horseman is my spirit animal. I started watching Raphael BobWaksberg’s irreverent comedy this year and consumed every season available within the first month of finding out about it.

Will Arnett plays the titular character, Bojack Horseman, as he tries to

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Editor-in-Chief

Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment partnered together to give the people something they haven’t had since 2004: a proper Spider-Man video game.

Riddled with cynicism, I doubted their ability to do so, but I changed my tune pretty quickly once I got my hands on the Playstation 4 exclusive.

Protecting New York has never been easier — the combat in SpiderMan is a fun take on a combat style gamers have gotten to know ever since Batman: Arkham Asylum.

It’s been nine years since gamers first experienced the rhythmic combat style perfected by Rocksteady Studios.

Many gamers have expressed a concern that the overuse of this combat style has made it a tired pastime, but Insomniac Games has done a good job of making it feel fresh once again.

the handmaid’s tale season 2 by margaret Atwood tv series release date: july 4 Length: 11 hours 55 min Paige Proctor Reporter

The new season of Margaret Atwood's “The Handmaid's Tale” had been high up on my to-watch list ever since the end of season one.

The dark series left me in deep contemplation after every episode, and the second season was no different. The dystopian society depicted has sparked

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The story is well-written and feels as though it would be fit perfectly in a Marvel comic book.

With it not being his first time voicing the wall-crawler, Yuri Lowenthal is phenomenal in the role of Peter Parker.

The game is loaded with side quests, but they’re introduced incrementally as players handle the main storyline. As a result, side quests don’t feel so typical and monotonous.

Spider-Man games aren’t truly great until their web-swinging is put to the test, however, and this game’s web-swinging is amazing. Bounding across New York has never felt so effortless, yet involved.

The game is by no means perfect, yet it’s still a wonderful time. The money was spent, the game was completed and I have no regrets.

controversy about our current government, and viewers have been waiting in anticipation to see the fate of the handmaids and the bleak civilization they belong to.

The ending of season one left viewers full of hope that would later be crushed only minutes into the first episode of season two.

The real juxtaposition that stood out to me between the two seasons was the use of background music. While the first season was still very dark, common popular songs were played in the background to lighten the mood. Those songs were not present in season two, and the already haunting moments became even more intense.

I didn't think that The Handmaid's Tale could get any darker, but with the rest of the season filled with growing tensions between June and the Waterfords, scenes of the colonies and the political battle between two countries, season two reaches all new levels of candor and shows the resilience of the human spirit.

Each episode was so dark that I needed to take a break between them. It took me over two months to finish the season for this reason.

OCTOBER 22, 2018

OCTOBER 22, 2018

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