The Puyallup Post | Volume 23 | Issue 5 | February 2018|

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Got pot? How recreational cannabis has impacted Washington state since the 2012 legalization

Pierce Student Ian Lee has been using marijuana for about four years and says it helps relieve back pain and stress. Dana Montevideo photo.

Dana Montevideo, Sydnee Smith and Daniel Pollock Managing Editor, Reporter and Editor-in-Chief The future of legalized marijuana became uncertain after Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the Obamaera Cole memo on Jan. 4. The 2013 memo gave freedom for states to legalize marijuana, which is still prohibited federally. Sessions called this memo “unnecessary,” saying the government’s original restrictions are sufficient. It is unclear what this means for states with legalized marijuana. But six years in, how has legalized recreational marijuana impacted Wash-

ington state? Washington first legalized the drug for medical purposes in 1998 Medical marijuana is used to treat illnesses such as Crohn's Disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and cancer. The National Academy of medicine concluded that the drug relieves pain, nausea and eases post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Washington went a step further in 2012, tying with Colorado as the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. Leshawn Jones, a student at Pierce College Puyallup, sees benefits from smoking cannabis recreationally. “It’s how I function, it’s part of me. I don’t really smoke any more and get

keyed, I don’t do it to be the kid that's all, ‘Oh look at him,’ I do it because it helps me,” Jones said. “The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve started to see the benefits.” Jones also says marijuana motivates him. “If you have nothing to look forward to throughout a day and (marijuana) is the one thing you got to look forward to, (marijuana) is what’s going to drive you to finish that thing that you’re doing,” Jones said. Medical cannabis may have positive effects but some studies show that recreational marijuana use can lead to long-lasting health deficiencies. Continued on page 6

Pierce brings in interim President Jean Hernandez

Nyadeng Mal Reporter Pierce College Puyallup welcomed interim President Jean Hernandez on Feb. 1 to fill in while the college seeks a new Puyallup campus president. Hernandez recently retired from her position as the president of Edmonds Community College, where she served for six years. Hernandez has been in retirement for two months but was ready to get involved in the education community again. “I knew I would have somewhat of a part-time retirement,” Hernandez said. Hernandez has a passion for community engagement and is involved in numerous community programs Jean Hernandez and organizations. “I like to connect with community groups and get involved as much as I can,” Hernandez said. She is a member of the Snohomish County NAACP and a member of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical colleges. Through SBCTC Hernandez spends time at colleges and observes the ways in which institutions can be strengthened and has a holistic view of what the students need to be successful. “I look at where we have gaps in the data and how we can best serve students,” Hernandez said. Hernandez is also involved with Guided Pathways, a research-based approach that helps students make better decisions. Continued on page 8

Pierce Student Alli Lee was empowered by the Time’s Up movement to share her personal harassment story on social media. Sydnee Smith photo.

#Time’sUp: Pierce students speak out about harassment Sydnee Smith Reporter Pierce College Puyallup student Alli Lee was stuck for a year and a half in what she calls a manipulative relationship with her exboyfriend and abuser. “He convinced me to do a lot of things I wasn’t comfortable with and he would guilt trip me and use his friends to guilt trip me,” Lee said. “I just let it go on because I didn’t think I could ever do any better than him.”

After their break up, Lee got messages from her abuser’s previous girlfriend stating she had gone through the same manipulation. Although it was nice to know she wasn’t alone, Lee learned her abuser had acted strange with many other girls, including girls his friends brought to his house. Lee finds comfort knowing people might not bring girls around her abuser now because she has spoken up. Lee cites the Time’s Up move-

ment as an influence for her decision to come forward. Time’s Up is a social movement fighting against sexual assault and harassment, started after the allegations made against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the birth of #MeToo. The “silence breakers” were named the TIME magazine Person of the Year. The magazine cover features Taylor Swift, Ashley Judd, Susan Fowler, Adama Iwu, Isabel Continued on page 8

NEWS

Puyallup residents raise $15,000 for memorial for Special Forces soldier Dana Montevideo Managing Editor Puyallup residents and organizations raised $15,000 for Staff Sgt. Bryan Black’s memorial of two chess tables that will be built in Pioneer Park in Puyallup. He was killed Oct. 4, 2017 in an ambush in Niger along with three other Special Forces soldiers. Black was a Puyallup native, who graduated from Bryan Black Pierce College Puyallup while attending Puyallup High School. Black was an avid chess player at a young age, following in his brother’s footsteps. He went on to win many awards in chess through PHS and Tacoma Chess Club. The Black family got in touch with city of Puyallup officials, requesting community members come together to remember Black. “We knew we wanted to do something,� Deputy Mayor Tom Swanson said to The News Tribune. “We wanted it to be what his family wanted.� The $7,500 first raised covers the price for two chess tables. The City Council will start looking at chess tables to purchase in March. Puyallup resident Therese Pasquier hopes to have the memorial finished by this summer, but suspects it

might be even sooner. She wants to have something by spring. In two weeks, the GoFundMe page was shared 600 times on Facebook. “I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, it keeps going up!’� Pasquier said. Organizers reached their milestone of about $4,000 to purchase one chess table, and they agreed to raise enough for another. “I think what really pulls at people’s heart strings was that he died so young in a country where he was serving our country. And I think people support our military, and the people who donated, I don’t even know them, that’s what we want,� Pasquier said. “And I feel like if I had put the goal higher we would have reached it too, so it feels really good to reach it a lot sooner than expected.� After organizers reached their goal of $7,500 on GoFundMe, America’s Foundation for Chess donated another $7,500 to match their goal. The remaining earnings may possibly go to school-based programs in elementary schools, where a volunteer will teach children chess. “100 percent of the money will go toward building the monuments, to chess tables and whatever is left over we are going to buy more chess boards and pieces to possibly put in a program at the Puyallup schools,� Pasquier said. “We are

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going to be connecting with the school district to see what elementary schools would be interested in having a chess program.� Chess teaches mental skills, critical thinking skills and all the skills children don’t learn anymore because of the phones and video games, Pasquier says. She hopes a school-based program will instill this in young adults and children in Puyallup. “Once they learn about chess, they learn about leadership, they learn about so many life skills that we don’t teach anymore because of the electronic age,� she said. Pasquier cited a news story about a chess club at a high school in the Deep South. “These kids never thought they were going to do anything, or go anywhere, didn’t even think about going to college, but now, most of them are so involved in chess and are thinking of college, and even won an award in the nation when they were competing with other chess players,� Pasquier said. Local charities will donate chess boards and pieces, which will be kept in the library to check out. “I just want to thank our military men and women who serve our country so bravely and so valiantly. We don’t get to know about these stories until a tragedy happens,� Pasquier said. “I’m just very thankful that we

The chess tables will be in Pioneer Park in downtown Puyallup in front of the Puyallup Public Library. Dana Montevideo photo.

were able to do this for Bryan, but there are thousands and hundreds out there that we’d love to do something to honor them but this is our community and this is really huge and I’m very thankful to be a part of that.� Swanson took great interest in the establishment of the monument. He was part of making the decision to start a fundraiser for the chess tables and contacted Pasquier. “The city really got behind this project. Tom (Swanson) called me and asked me if I wouldn’t mind passing the funds we raise through the Puyallup Parks Foundation, which is a foundation I started,� Pasquier said. Black’s family members sent pictures of chess tables they liked and Pasquier researched

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Daniel Pollock

how much they would cost. She then started a GoFundMe with a goal to raise enough for one chess table. Black graduated from Central Washington University at 20 with a bachelor’s degree in business before being assigned to the Third Special Force Group (Airborne). He held the game of chess close to his heart. “His mom said Bryan wouldn’t want anything with his name on it, we’ll do this in his honor for his service, as well as his legacy was chess,� Pasquier said. “What she said he would have loved is actually to teach younger kids to play chess, which is what he did when he was in fourth grade when he learned to play chess. She feels like this would resonate with Bryan and his memory.�

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Dana Montevideo

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Nyadeng Mal

Sydnee Smith

Damien Bamford

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CAMPUS LIFE Board of Trustees approves additional funding for security camera installation for campus parking lots Nyadeng Mal Reporter The Pierce College Board of Trustees approved the additional funding needed to install security cameras in the parking lots on Feb. 7. The Office of Student Life leaders proposed a budget to install security campus in the college parking lots in early 2017. It’s been a goal for this year's ASPCP President Garrett Bown to start the process of installing cameras in all the schools parking lots. Absco Solutions, the company providing the security cameras, Absco was surprised when they walked the campus and discovered that Pierce College had no cameras in any of its parking lots. “They told us we’re one of the few colleges in the state that doesn’t already have these security cameras in all of our parking lots, so we definitely need to catch up,” Bown said. Although the cost of the

security cameras was $255,136.37, The OSL requested $300,000 in case of any overages. The funds were approved by the Pierce College District Board of Trustees and the process began to install cameras in the parking lot. But the project soon hit a roadblock. After the funding for the security camera project was approved OSL discovered that the vendor's quote did not include the cost of making building penetrations and connecting the security cameras to the college’s network. There was confusion and miscommunication between the IT department, OSL and the vendor about who should install the cameras. Because of this mistake, Bown put together a proposal to receive more funding for the camera installations, an additional $33,550. The original OSL plan was to have the cameras installed by summer quarter 2018 and Bown still believes that it still

is an attainable goal. Bown views the confusion about the camera installation as a minor setback. “We still think that it will be summer quarter, hopefully for the next school year we’ll have security cameras,” Bown said. The cameras should cover all areas of the parking lots with little to no blind spots. Absco Solutions recommended that cameras be installed in some locations that were set to get low-quality coverage, that issue has been resolved by moving the location of certain cameras at no additional cost. Despite the mistake in the contract, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to increase funding. The project is set to continue so that cameras will be installed in summer quarter 2018. “It’s very important for students and we want to make sure students have a safe place,” Bown said.

A graphic that shows the areas the security cameras will cover. The cameras are scheduled to be installed in summer quarter.

Chancellor, faculty debate collective bargaining bill

Daniel Pollock Editor-in-Chief Two Pierce adjunct faculty members called on 25th District lawmakers to pass collective bargaining legislation— which would give faculty access to local funds for salary increases—at a community town hall meeting hosted in the College Center on Feb. 17. But Pierce College Chancellor Michele Johnson says the bill will hurt community and technical colleges and testified against the bill on Jan. 15. “Our concern is this (bill) will pit our students and our faculty against one another,” Johnson said to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. “The dollars you are asking us to share are the dollars that we are (using) to serve our students.” The Senate Bill, SB 5993, passed the Committee on Labor and Commerce on Feb. 15. The House Bill, HB 1237, passed through the legislature on Feb. 7, by a vote of 57-41. Sen. Hans Zeiger, Rep. Melanie Stambaugh and Rep. Joyce McDonald answered local residents’ questions at the town hall meeting. Stambaugh was one of the seven Republicans who voted in favor; McDonald voted against the bill. “That funding (for salaries) will fall on the backs of our

students,” McDonald said at the town hall meeting, as local funds partly come from student fees. Zeiger, a Republican from Puyallup, supports the idea of collective bargaining but has reservations with the current form of the bill. The state Senate is expected to vote on the bill soon, at this time Zeiger is unsure whether it will pass. Johnson says the state Legislature won’t be compelled to increase college funding if the bill passes. She compares Pierce’s budget to a pie. Without collective bargaining, the Legislature gives Pierce a pie with a specific slice for faculty salaries. With collective bargaining, faculty members can request a larger slice of the same pie, leaving less for the other programs that need funding. Johnson wants faculty to earn more—but she needs a bigger pie. Beth Norman, Pierce College Federation of Teachers president, also can see how collective bargaining may “let the legislature off the hook.” “I think the legislature may look at (collective bargaining) in terms of, ‘Oh well if the faculty can bargain locally for their salary increases, we don’t have to give them more money,” Norman said.

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But Norman also sees benefits from the collective bargaining system. “There’s a difference in power between the individual employee and the employer. The individual employee doesn’t have a lot of power in asking for things because they could be fired by the employer if they ask,” Norman said. “The idea behind collective bargaining is if the entire group of employees are asking for the same thing together then it would be difficult to fire all of them and still function.” The faculty union president is unsure whether she wants the bill to pass the Senate. “I’m your basic analytical, science-y person, I can see the pros and cons on both sides. I can see the pros, why the union wants to do this. I’ve also heard the Chancellor’s argument and I understand she’d like to keep the legislature on the hook for the money.” Faculty already receive some increases based on living expenses and increments, increases based on the employee’s longevity in a position— but the Legislature won’t always approve these pay raises. Increment pay hasn’t been given in 10 years. “Our wages have been stagnant since the recession,” Adjunct Political Science Professor Rob Stevens said at the

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town hall meeting. Salary may also rise when a professor is tenured, the faculty union negotiated this with the college. “There are some things that we can negotiate,” Norman said. “We just can’t negotiate general pay increases that go to everybody.” Norman said collective bargaining’s impact on Pierce will depend on how high the surrounding colleges raise salaries. Pierce will have to keep salaries high enough to stay competitive. “‘It will help some schools; it will hurt other schools,” Norman said. “I don’t think it will have a huge impact (on Pierce).” State universities have had a form of collective bargaining since 2002. But community and technical college faculty are not able to negotiate for local funds. “Even the K-12 system, their teachers can bargain for pay increases from their district, the universities can bargain for pay increases from their university, so I’m not sure why the community college system is treated differently,” Norman said. Some adjunct faculty can also bargain for their pay, according to Norman. The larger adjunct unions bargain with the governor’s office, not the Legislature.

“As far as I know, faculty are the only group that depends on the legislature to say, ‘Yes, you can have a salary increase, a cost of living increase’ or, ‘yes, you can have increment money,’” Norman said. Johnson and Norman both say the advantage to this current system is that the Legislature will give the funding for salary increases. “Even that hasn’t been necessarily true lately,” Norman said. She uses the example of the last salary rise. The Legislature increased tuition to cover the last salary increase, but tuition wasn’t raised high enough and the college was required to cover the remainder. “We totally support our faculty,” Johnson said. “We know they’re fantastic; we know they’re the core of our student success. They deserve to have salary increases.” But, for Johnson, collective bargaining isn’t the solution. Johnson and Norman both believe the state Legislature needs to increase funding to colleges. “The real problem is the legislature defunding (colleges),” Norman said. “I think the legislature should step up and fully fund the colleges.” Zeiger agrees. “It’s time we make a real investment in our community colleges,” Zeiger said. F E B .

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FEATURE Hunter and Noah Hansen: a forever support system Sydnee Smith Reporter Pierce students Noah and Hunter Hansen have grown up with a support system: each other. They were born in Spokane in fall 1999 and have been close ever since. “Twins can be either your best friend or your worst enemy,” Noah said. “But with Noah and I, we’ve always had a relationship where we’ve supported each other,” Hunter said. Noah and Hunter participated in many of the same activities growing up, which formed a bond between them. The only time they didn’t play sports together was when they were seven; Hunter played in a baseball league, but Noah later decided to join. Hunter also decided to take up wrestling in high school, but Noah didn’t join this time. Noah and Hunter were separated in their classrooms since first grade. Starting in junior high school, they were able to choose what classes they wanted to take but would never be together because class assignments was chosen randomly. Once they entered college, they were able to have the option to take classes together. “We decided we always wanted to be in the same class,” Hunter said. “One, you now have a study buddy that you’re always with. Two, someone to support you and come up with facts that can be from a new perspective, and three it's also cheaper for getting books because you now only need to buy for one person.” They do say that teachers do tend to mix them up in class. Noah and Hunter have also started to wear different colored beanies every day this quarter, so teachers can differentiate them. Noah sports a blue beanie and Hunter wears a green one. “This is what our mom actually made us for Christmas this year because she just picked up knitting,” Hunter said. “My favorite color is green and Noah’s is blue so she decided to create us beanies and because of

that I always wear this now.” Currently, it’s easy for them to share classes because both have to take some of the same prerequisites. Noah is hoping to go into chemistry to become a hydro-chemist. Hunter wants to major in psychology and then pre-med to become a doctor and possibly a surgeon. As they both venture into their chosen career paths, they won’t be able to take the same classes. “For now, we want to spend time together before we have to get out there in the world,” Noah said. They may or may not be attending the same university, as it depends on where they get accepted. Noah and Hunter both applied at Seattle Pacific University and University of Washington. Noah also applied to a school in New Jersey, which he believes has a good chemistry program. As twins, Hunter doesn’t think of themselves as much of tricksters in school. However, they have done the stereotypical twin swap before. “When we were younger, we use to play some tricks on our teachers,” Noah said. “In ninth grade we had a life issues class and one time we just switched seats and when the teacher was having roll call she called my name and Hunter responded and then she just went on, and we went through the rest of the day like that.” They both also enjoy taking history classes. As it is not something they want to go into as a career they both like to educate themselves on the world around them. Noah states as they’ve turned 18 they should begin to educate themselves so they’ve taken political science. Outside of the school setting they both are into sports, for the past six years they’ve been really into bowling. They go every Saturday from August to May when bowling leagues are meeting. They go in the summer as well but less often. “We were bowling when I was six years old and I accidentally threw my ball out in the lane but I acciden-

tally took myself with it and so then I was sliding across the lane and crying,” Noah said. “My uncle just came over picked me up and carried me back. I was like, ‘I could’ve died.’” Besides bowling, Hunter plays in the orchestra at Rogers High School and started a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with ten others. Hunter also likes to work out, mostly with his two dogs. Currently Noah is trying to become a student instructor. He watches web seminars from the American Chemical Society because he might be interesting in joining them one day. Noah and Hunter’s favorite television show is Psych and their mom bought them both box sets of all eight seasons so when they move out they can still watch it. They’re on the fourth season of Supernatural, which they watch with their mom. Then when Noah is out of the house Hunter watches Criminal Minds, also with their mom. They call their mom their other best friend as she's always been there for them. Their mom chose the names Noah and Hunter because she didn’t want them to have nicknames. “I was supposed to be Sebastian, but then my grandma actually wanted to keep on calling me “Sabbi” and (Mom) didn’t like that because it was a nickname so she then switched it to Hunter,” Hunter said. “But Noah was always supposed to have his name.” Hunter says he sometimes thinks as though people are scared to approach them or talk to them because they see them as twins with this strong bond already created. He thinks sometimes people might feel intimidated and not want to compete for attention. They tend to have the same friend group because of this but no matter what they’ll always be each other's best friend. However, as much as they’re similar or each others number one, they are also their own person. “People know us as twins and that's what they’ll remember us by but Hunter and I have very separate personalities,” Noah said.

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CAMPUS LIFE

RHINOCEROS

Pierce College PUYALLUP Theatre presents

FEB. 22, 23 & 24 7 p.m.

The cast rehearses Rhinoceros, one of the first plays the Pierce Puyallup theater department has produced that comes from an already-written script. Nyadeng Mal photo.

Pierce theater to show classic French play, Rhinoceros

Eugène Ionesco’s

Pierce College Puyallup 1601 39th Avenue SE, Puyallup Arts and Allied Health Building Black Box Theatre, AAH 110 $5 general admission. FREE for Pierce students with I.D.

Nyadeng Mal Reporter The Pierce College Puyallup theater department is bringing Rhinoceros to the college on Feb. 22, 23 and 24 in the Black Box Theater in the Arts and Allied Health Building. Directed by professor Sam Sloan, Rhinoceros follows the lives of characters living in a small province of old Frenchtown, and one by one the inhabitants begin to turn into rhinoceroses. The rhinoceroses are meant to represent the metamorphosis the towns people go through as individuals transform and follow the upsurge of fascism and Nazism during World War II. Lindsey Pasquier plays the main character Bérenger and describes the play as a little odd. “It’s absurdist, meant to not make a whole lot of sense,” Pasquier said. The main character Bérenger has a drinking problem and suffers from laziness. Pasquier describes her character as an everyday kind of guy but the play indicates that he has few issues. As the play goes on and characters begin to turn into rhinoceroses Bérenger refuses to conform. “He’s very against it and ends up alone,” Pasquier said of her character refusing to follow the crowd and give into fascism. For Sophiya Galanesi, this play is particularly exciting as it is her first production. “I’ve done directed plays in my church but never in a solid play before,” Galanesi said.

Galanesi describes the play as the story of the rise fascism. “It’s kind of weird, it’s kind of abstract,” Galanesi said. Galanesi sees Bérenger as a laid-back dude who doesn’t really want to get involved until he realizes that becoming a rhinoceros is negative and he refuses to conform. “He realizes it’s like straight up in his face and he has to deal with it,” Galanesi said. Galanesi plays the character of Daisy, Bérenger’s love interest. Daisy is one of the only women working in the time period. T he play happens in an era when women didn’t hold jobs. Galanesi describes her character as soft, stubborn and sweet. “She’s always there for everyone else,” Galanesi said. “She tells the truth, she doesn’t mess around,” Galanesi said Galanesi believes that Daisy is a significant character in regard to women’s rights during the time period. Daisy symbolizes during the time period where women didn’t work or have a voice to be in control of their own beliefs and have opinions, and brings a powerful tone to the play. “Now it may not seem that significant because a lot of women work but back then it was a big deal,” Galanesi said. Both Pasquier and Galanesi expressed excitement to be working on the play and to be working alongside each other and the rest of the cast members.

Tickets available at PierceCollegeEvents.com

For disability accommodations, contact the college 10 days prior to an event. Fort Steilacoom: 253-964-6468 or FSADS@pierce.ctc.edu. Puyallup: 253-840-8335 or PYADS@pierce.ctc.edu. Relay callers, dial 711 to place your call. The Pierce College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age in its programs, activities or employment. Learn more at: www.pierce.ctc.edu/policy

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Lindsey Pasquier (left) and James Joy (right) rehearsing a scene for Rhinoceros. Nyadeng Mal photo. T H E

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FEATURE MARIJUANA

Continued from page 1

Weed behind the Wheel

Studies show marijuana use results in motor impairment, which may lead to higher risks of accidents on the road. “Indeed, federal research has shown that while smoking weed before driving does indeed elevate your risk of crash, it's nonetheless far less impairing than alcohol, which dramatically increases the likelihood of a crash even at small doses,” Christopher Ingraham reported for The Washington Post in 2017. The first driving while intoxicated traffic infraction was issued in 1910. DWIs cover only drunk driving, and the law was expanded to all drugs, thus the name change to driving under the influence. DUIs include driving while under the influence of drugs such as marijuana, any illicit drug and painkillers, such as Advil. Data from the Washington State Toxicology Laboratory gathered that 1,061 out of 1,773 drivers between 2010 and 2014 were blood-tested positive for marijuana, alcohol and drugs— marijuana being the most commonly found drug among the tested drivers. In 2014, the rate of drivers tested for active THC jumped from 44 percent in 2010 to 84 percent. However, the legalization of medical marijuana in 1998 had the opposite effects. A 2016 study shows no drastic change in fatal traffic accidents following the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana. Three years after recreational marijuana legalization, changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were not statistically different from those in similar states without recreational marijuana legalization, The American Public Health Association concluded in 2017. However, another study found that car accidents are at 3 percent higher rate than predicted without legalization of cannabis. More drivers admit to using marijuana, and it is showing up more frequently among people involved in crashes, the Highway Loss Data Institute study said. Though there is evidence from simulator and on-road studies that marijuana can degrade some aspects of driving performance, researchers haven't been able to definitively connect marijuana use with more frequent real-world crashes. The people most commonly involved in fatal drug-related accidents are young adults, from ages 16 to 25. F E B .

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Gov. Inslee says the legalization of marijuana hasn’t increased use among minors. “You gotta know the right people, know the right spots, because you can’t just go and smoke anywhere,” student Ian Lee, a minor, said. Dana Montevideo photo.

Marijuana in the mainstream

Patty Wigington, manager at the Kaiser Permanente medical center near Pierce College Puyallup, has had many experiences with marijuana-related visits. Wigington usually asks patients who use marijuana excessively, “What are you medicating or not dealing with?” She says marijuana use is almost always about the medication of pain, whether it be mental or physical. The stigma that marijuana is a non-addictive drug is highly misleading, Wigington says. She explains that the difference between a cigarette addiction and marijuana addiction is the addiction to nicotine versus the addiction to a high feeling. “It’s more about that addictive personality and an addiction to that feeling high,” Wigington said. “As a patient will tell you, you don’t feel euphoric or feel like you’ve hit that nicotine addiction.” Cigarette companies have admitted their advertising tactics were designed to get users addicted to nicotine. Wigington doesn’t think there is enough evidence to deduce that this is happening with marijuana yet, but it may in the future. “I’ll challenge you to drive any direction five miles from here and count how many places you can buy marijuana,” Wigington said. “Get on state Route 512 and there’s two great big, honking signs telling you to come buy marijuana. I think all of these things make it pretty mainstream.” Regulations on Cannabis advertising in Washington read that ads can’t in any way appeal to children. Jones’ brother introduced him to weed. One student said he was introduced after high school by a coworker. No one cited being peer-pressured or influenced by ads. But Jones says weed’s rising popularity may encourage others to sample the drug. “A lot of people smoke now that it is 2018,” Jones said. “More people smoke now I believe than ever just because of the fact that it is legal so its like, ‘Hey, I kinda want to try it.’”

Some people find marijuana as a way to connect with others, relieve stress or for medical purposes. Marijuana is increasingly becoming an everyday drug, which may be due to the legalization. “It used to be hush hush. All the teenagers were doing it,” Wigington said. “The people who weren’t using it before who were afraid, are going to be able to use it now.” This includes minors. Wigington says the age group where she sees the most trouble and need for help is 13- to 15year-olds. At that age, she says the brain is not fully developed, and the drug can slow brain development, possibly leading to a lower IQ. “Studies are showing that if you begin smoking marijuana at a young age it can impair your executive function—young boys especially,” said Cyndy Jacobsen, a Puyallup City Council member and math professor at Pierce.

Pot in Puyallup

Pot shops are currently not allowed in Puyallup city limits but the City Council began reviewing this regulation at the end of 2017. The council is projected to vote after new council members are seated. Jacobsen doesn’t have problems with adults smoking marijuana, but she doesn’t believe dispensaries should be permitted to retail in the city. “Marijuana is still a federally illegal substance, and I like having respect for the law, so I think having a marijuana shop in Puyallup wouldn’t be the right direction for us,” Jacobsen said. Jacobsen believes the regulations will remain unchanged. “I think that (Puyallup residents) are discouraged about the direction our city is going in terms of handling problems like homelessness, which is sometimes thought of as a problem of drug abuse,” Jacobsen said. “So until we regain the public’s trust that we can enforce laws and tackle this homeless problem head on, I don’t think we need to be putting marijuana shops in our city limits.” Jacobsen added Puyallup residents wanting marijuana still have

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easy access to the substance. “You can go straight out 112th (Street) and find a shop, you can go straight out River Road and find a shop— they’re not needed (in the city),” Jacobsen said. Puyallup voters are almost equally split on marijuana legalization: 50.5 per- Cyndy Jacobsen cent of residents voted in favor of initiative 502 in 2012. I-502 took 55 percent of the vote statewide.

States respond to Sessions

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee responded to Sessions’ action in January, expressing frustration that Sessions wouldn’t meet with him to discuss the benefits of legalization. He also called the rescindment “the wrong decision for (Washington).” “It disrespects Washington voters who have chosen a different path for our state,” Inslee’s statement said, referencing I-502. The purposes of Sessions’ decision remain unclear but state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has been waiting for the federal government to step in like this, according to The Seattle Times. “Our legal arguments have been crafted; we are prepared,” Ferguson said, regarding his legal team. Inslee, along with the governors of Oregon, Colorado and Alaska, sent a letter to Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin last year asking for the Cole memo to stay in place. Sessions responded to Inslee’s and Ferguson’s third letter. “Congress has determined that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that the illegal distribution and sale of marijuana is a crime,” the letter stated. “The Department (of Justice) remains committed to enforcing the Controlled Substances Act in a manner that efficiently applies our resources to

address the most significant threats to public health and safety. I look forward to working with you on these issues.” Sessions also called out Washington’s marijuana regulations and cited a Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area report from 2016. This report found weak regulation of medical marijuana led to black market practices and 90 percent of regulation violations committed by recreational shops involved minors, such as selling to and employing minors. “Please advise as to how Washington plans to address the findings in the Northwest HIDTA report, including efforts to ensure that all marijuana activity is compliant with state marijuana laws,” Sessions said in the letter. Still, Inslee remains committed to legal weed. “Make no mistake: As we have told the Department of Justice ever since I-502 was passed in 2012, we will vigorously defend our state’s laws against undue federal infringement,” Inslee said in his response to the rescindment. Some support the legalization for the fiscal boost it gives the economy. Marijuana sales are projected to bring $730 million into the state budget between 2017 and 2019. The sum is allocated to several programs, with Medicaid currently taking about half. Social programs also benefit from the revenue, such as abuse programs and services for children and pregnant women. Some state lawmakers in January 2017 suggested to direct the funds to public education, thinking this would appease the state Supreme Court McCleary decision. Inslee was open to pursue the idea, but the funds weren’t ample enough and the idea has been pushed aside for now. Jacobsen says the tax revenues aren’t as high as projected, which she heard from a fellow council member.

Student James Joy, who is involved in the Pierce theater program, believes marijuana boosts his creativity, but he stopped smoking after he realized he used the drug as a coping mechanism. Nyadeng Mal photo. T H E

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Cannabis consequences?

Similar to cigarette usage, smoking marijuana may cause lung cancer. “You are still pulling a chemical into your lungs,” Wigington said. “You are pulling a hot substance into it, you are burning it, and you are doing damage.” Alternatives to smoking marijuana include edibles, which are foods that have a high concentration of marinol oil. Edibles are an unpredictable way of consuming marijuana because the concentration of the drug is unknown. “We are seeing more people that have consumed edibles by accident,” Wigington said. “Pets that have consumed edibles by accident. There was a piece on the news not too long ago about how someone left a cookie out and the dog ate it, and the dog died.” Pierce student James Joy hasn’t used marijuana in almost a year. He believes weed had become his coping mechanism. “I felt like I was becoming emotionally—not attached, that's a weird thing to say about a substance—but emotionally reliant perhaps because it got to the point where I felt like I was only sociable, I was only funny, I was only happy when I was high,” Joy said. “I kind of used it as a crutch.”

Student James Wilson works as a “budtender” at The Gallery, a marijuana dispensary. Damien Bamford photo.

Joy’s decision to stop came when he thought about returning to school. He says it wasn’t a decision to never use marijuana again, but a decision to not use it as much. ”One thing I wanted to promise to myself is I wasn’t going to get into a situation where I was going to be doing it by myself,” Joy said. “It's a social thing. I don’t drink by myself, why would I smoke by myself?” Like Joy, some known celebrities have made the same decision to slow down or stop using marijuana. Last summer Miley Cyrus came out stating she had stopped smoking marijuana. Previously Cyrus had been vocal on social

media about her use and support of the legalizations. While there is a lack of evidence of marijuana long-term health effects, short-term effects are common and easier to identify. Along with the risk of addiction, marijuana use can lead to bronchitis, cognitive impairment, impaired short-term memory and association with mental illnesses with long-term abuse, according to a 2017 University of Michigan law school study. Cyclic vomiting is another side effect, which causes people to have fits of vomiting and guttural pain, lasting from a few hours to multiple days and sometimes con-

tinues daily. Wigington says 95 percent of the patients who come into the medical center concerned with excessive vomiting are marijuana users. Some believe cannabis does more good than harm. Pierce student James Wilson works as a budtender at a local dispensary and praises marijuana for its health benefits. “Cannabis, in its whole sense, is probably one of the safest substances therapeutically and just overall in general known to man,” Wilson said. “One of the things is that it's not gonna kill me.” Wilson speaks from a medical point of view; he suffered from chronic pain after a shoulder injury playing football in middle school. “I just recently had the surgery for that and was prescribed a whole bunch of narcotics like vicodin and oxycodone and after that it was right in the middle of the medical marijuana days, so I had a friend of mine that allowed me to be his caretaker, so I was able to have access as well (to medical marijuana),” Wilson said. “I didn’t feel right using vicodins and oxycodones because it just made me feel tired, I couldn’t eat. I found out CBD helped a lot more for my pain in my shoulder and it overall relaxed it without

getting high.” Wilson’s mom also uses cannabis products for health issues. “My mom is anti-weed, antieverything, same as my father, they’re anti-all that, but my mom really loves to use (cannabisinfused) lotion because she has arthritis,” Wilson said. “She doesn’t get high or anything.” Joy says marijuana boosted his creativity. He started playing guitar when he was 16 but later dropped his passion. When he began to smoke, it reignited his creativity, and he would sit in his car and play guitar. It was a way for him to be alone and experiment. When Joy was high, he felt like the ‘logical side’ of his brain was shut down while his emotional side was stimulated— there was so much emotion he found it hard to complete logical tasks. Even though he stopped using, Joy doesn’t view marijuana negatively, he sees the benefits as well as the downfalls. The evidence surrounding the effects of marijuana are limited. Professionals warn that with little knowledge of the drug, users should be cautious. “We just really don’t know what marijuana does,” Wigington said.

Pierce College PUYYALLUP ALLUP Theeaatre Thea tre presents Two special evennts with internationall t y acclaimed perfoormance artist

TTi Miller Tim

Body Maps

R Rooted

performance worrkshop

Miller shares e the stories of his f family tree and the hidden gay histories that live among the branches. “Rooted” is a funny and emotionally motionally charged story of the times es we are living in.

Learn how to connecct with others by sharing you ur own story!

Workshop Re ehearsals: Feb. 26, 27, 28, 6-9:30 PM and March 1, 2, 5-8:30 PM No experience requirred. Space is limited! Email jpotter@pierce.ctc.edu by Feb. 22 to sign up and reserve your spot. Wo orkshop free for Pierce students with I.D D. $5 for the genera al publlic.

Mar a ch 1, 7 PM

$5 general admission FREE for Pierce students with I.D.

Wor o kshop Per e formance:

For disability accommodations, contact the college 10 days prior to an event. Fort Steilacoom: 253-964-6468 4-6468 or FSADS@pierce.ctc.edu. Puyallup: 253-840-8335 0-8335 or PYADS@pier A ce.ctc.edu. Relay ca allers, dial 711 to place your call.

March 2, 7 PM $5 general admission, FREE for Pierce students wiith I.D. Pierce College Puyallup 1601 39th Avenue SE, Puyallup Black Box Theatre, AAH 110

Ticketts available at

For more inffor ormation, visitt www.pierce.ctc.edu/thea atre-upcoming or contact Dr. Joshua Potter-Dineen at jpotter@pierce.ctc.edu u

PierceColllegeEvents.com

The Pierce College Districct does not discriminate on the basis of race, colorr,, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, n, disabilityy,, or age in its programs, activities or employment. Learn more at: www.pierce.c . tc.edu/policy

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CAMPUS LIFE

Emilee Brown and Alli Lee both used Twitter to share their stories of harassment and abuse. Sydnee Smith photo.

previous girlfriend, whom also stated she shared similar experiences of abuse. Lee was tired of living in silence knowing other girls had also faced forced sexual acts by the same abuser. According to the Time’s Up website, nearly half of the working women in the U.S. say they have experienced harassment in the workplace. Emilee Brown shares that experience. Brown is a second year Pierce student who also came forward publicly on her Twitter page after she was the victim of harassment and assault when she was 16. Brown spoke out on the one-year anniversary of her assault. Brown worked for a small family owned business and she and her fellow co-workers thought one of the co-owner’s sons seemed creepy. Shortly after she began working there, the co-owner’s son messaged her on Twitter. He was much older than Brown and married with a child on the way. He asked Brown if she wanted to meet up after work. The conversation freaked out Brown, and she declined. One day while Brown was working, someone had hacked her Facebook page and was telling people to prank call her. “He (the co-owner’s son) knew I was stressed out and I was just really anxious about it. I went to go check my phone in the back and he just followed me,” Brown said. “He was right up next to me like ‘Emilee, Emilee, Emilee,’ and I was like, ‘what, get off me’ and then I went up to my phone and he just put his hands down around my neck from behind and shook me and he was like ‘calm down’ so I turned around and nudged him and went straight into the bathroom.” After that, Brown continued working. She drove home crying that day. Immediately, her parents knew something was wrong. After telling her story, Brown’s dad called the police. It was late at night, but Brown had to go to the police station and file a report. Brown ended up pressing charges and her abuser has now served a year of his probation, with two more to go. If someone else files a report on

him he will have to plead guilty to what he did to Brown and face whatever other charges come his way. “It was mostly forced on me that we were gonna say something but I felt so bad. Like this man has a life, he's got a career, I don’t know if he's going to get fired or go to jail, he has a baby on the way, what about his wife, does she know about this kind of stuff?” Brown said. “But I realized I mostly did it because I knew it would not stop if I don’t say something, it's going to keep going with so many other girls. I was like, ‘I’m in the position to say something.’” Unlike Brown, Lee did not go to the police because at the time she was dating her abuser, and after breaking up she just wanted to forget about everything. “I feel like it can be stressful for victims (to come out about their situation) because they feel like they’re in the spotlight all of a sudden and a lot of people don’t want to be in the spotlight, they just want to make it aware (the abuser) is a horrible person,” Lee said. The official Time’s Up web-

site has now started a legal defense fund for less privileged women who want to pursue legal action against harassment and assault in the workplace. Brown’s female coworkers started to gossip about her. Like Lee, she faced the harsh glare of outsiders looking into the situation. “I just wondered where that stemmed from. I was like, ‘is this my fault? Did it just go on too long? Was I being too playful?’ And honestly everyone goes through the ‘this is my fault’ type thing but it’s not,” Brown said. They both believe without the Time’s Up movement they probably wouldn’t have had a platform to talk about their situations. When both the assaults happened, Time’s Up didn’t exist. Due to the Time’s Up movement and how it has blown up on social media, it has given a platform for people like Lee and Brown to speak up for themselves. “I kind of felt helpless,” Lee said of her experience before Time’s Up. “I felt totally, absolutely helpless.”

chance,” Hernandez said. at During her time Edmonds, Hernandez was involved in youth programs and community organizations and hopes to continue to do the same at Pierce College Puyallup. Hernandez is most excited about reaching out to the student body and meeting some

of the student clubs and organizations on campus. “I recently meet some members of student government and the office of student life and it’s great to see student involvement,” Hernandez said. In her free time, Hernandez likes to spend time with her three dogs. “They’re great and they

keep me busy,” she said. Hernandez also has a love for water and likes to visit the ocean whenever she has the chance. “Something about water, I just love being near it, I like to visit places like Hawaii when I can,” Hernandez said. Pierce College Puyallup is currently conducting a nation-

wide search for a permanent President. While Hernandez’s contract ends in June, she says she hopes to make an impact and serve the students the best she can during her short time at Pierce.

TIME’S UP

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Pascual and an anonymous arm, which represents those who are still unable to speak out. The six women on the cover only represent a small pool of people who have spoken up against sexual assault and harassment. Time’s Up has been gaining momentum through the use of social media and celebrities, who have been showing their support for the movement by wearing black to the Golden Globes Awards and white roses to the Grammy Awards. The movement was put into action after an open letter was published in November 2017 on behalf of 700,000 female farmworkers who said they stood with abused Hollywood actresses, as they understand abuse all too well. The Time’s Up movement was officially announced with a website launched on Jan. 1 2018 with the help of celebrities and activists, who addressed the issue with an open letter signed by hundreds of women in show business. But celebrities and activists aren’t alone in the fight against sexual assault and harassment. Jennifer Maclin, a Pierce College adjunct sociology professor, spoke about relationships while addressing the Time’s Up movement. “Giving in is not consent, it’s a power struggle and abuse of power,” Maclin said. After Lee decided to break up with her abuser, she faced

INTERIM

Continued from page 1 Guided Pathways focuses on helping low-income and first generation students and provides them with the tools for success. “It’s great for students who really just need a second

ridicule. Her friends treated her as though she was a terrible person for ending things with her abuser of a year and a half. In the process Lee ended up cutting ties with all the friends who were still involved with her abuser. Lee is glad the Time’s Up movement has started. She states how she is glad people are more open about their experiences because it shows no one is alone. “Going through that made me feel alone and embarrassed and like I didn’t really want to live with myself because I hated my life,” Lee said. “I feel like people should be able to be open.” Lee feels as though years ago she would have been victim-blamed more and told she was lying, but movements such as Time’s Up has eased that. She says people can now see this isn’t a small problem but a nationwide problem happening to a lot of people. Maclin also stated how #MeToo was much more about the individual person and being able to speak up about harassment and abuse. Time’s Up is much more about collaboration and working together. Maclin says Time’s Up is like the big brother to #MeToo by putting what #MeToo stood for into action. After living in silence for around two years, Lee decided to come forward on her personal Twitter. She posted the messages between her and her abuser’s

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Student Emilee Brown at the Seattle Women’s March in January. Photo courtesy Emilee Brown.

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CAMPUS LIFE As colleges switch to four-day weeks, Pierce remains traditional Managing Editor

Dana Montevideo South Puget Sound Community College in Lacey has taken the initiative to change its class schedule to a four-day week. SPSCC’s Lacey location started the move to a four-day week schedule. The main campus in Olympia has followed that path after officials found success in the block schedule. “It was a big, positive mood... and really get on board for what was going to best for the students,” Kati Sagawa said, communications consultant for SPSCC. Classes still are offered on Fridays, mainly labs, elective courses or special admissions programs, such as nursing or dental assistance. “It’s pretty empty in the parking lots in comparison to the rest of the week,” Sagawa said. Beth Norman, Pierce College Federation of Teachers president, who taught at SPSCC, spoke on Pierce College’s probability of switching to a four-day week schedule. The faculty union president doesn’t think the possibility of a four-day week is in Pierce’s future, primarily because of the limited physical space on the campuses. “In Puyallup, we don’t even have enough space to fit the classes we have, so we are always looking to see how we can adjust schedules to make it so we can offer enough courses for the students,” Norman said. The rise of the Running Start population makes a four-day week schedule less plausible. Pierce Puyallup has the highest population of Running Start students in the state, and state-funded students have dropped slightly.

“But with the growth of Running Start, we haven’t seen a drop in the total number of students,” Norman said. “It’s bursting at the seams, basically.” The Fort Steilacoom campus doesn’t have as large of a population of Running Start students, and more room per student. It has buildings dedicated to science and technology, allowing for more classrooms. Norman says a four-day schedule at Fort Steilacoom is more plausible because of this, but it is highly unlikely one campus would implement the four-day week and not the other. However, Norman mentioned that Fort Steilacoom students are more interested in morning classes because of an afternoon work schedule and a four-day week would conflict because the classes would need to spread out more during the day. A four-day week would eliminate an entire day that could be dedicated to class time for students. Each five-credit class is required to be at least a 50-minute lecture on a daily schedule. If there was a switch made to a four-day week, each class would need to be longer to fit the requirement. There would be a shift to a 10hour day, instead of an eight-hour day. Norman says the negatives far outweigh the positive outcomes for a shorter class week. “Aside from giving students a three-day weekend, I don’t really see the point necessarily,” Norman said. “Because for a lot of courses, the ability to do it over several days give the students more time to think and respond.” Norman mentioned math and

science classes that tend to be two-day schedules, offered usually Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday because it gives students an opportunity to take time to do class work. With a four-day week, schedules would need to change in a way that wouldn’t allow two-day class blocks. She also mentioned there wouldn’t be enough room to get in all classes, especially relating to lab rooms and science courses. For a four-day week to be successful at Pierce College, almost all classes would need to be hybrid, meaning half online. Overall, the schedules would be much more complicated. Pierce’s summer schedule is similar to how an all-year four-day week would model, and Norman has found that the summer schedule is challenging for students. But Norman imagines that a four-day schedule could be used to the student’s advantage. If Fridays were dedicated to student activities or meetings with professors, they could use that time to get caught up on work for the upcoming week. Faculty would need to work on Fridays anyway, so they can work to their 40 hour potential. Norman is uncertain is students would use the extra day to their advantage, or save all their work for Sunday night. “At the current time, I don’t see it offering any clear advantages,” Norman said. “Is it an advantage to put things on four days and then have three days of break, or is it better to spread the learning out over five days, is it an advantage for learning?”

Student Life office seeks parking solutions for Puyallup campus Sydnee Smith Reporter The Office of Student Life leaders have been working to create a solution to the lack of parking at Pierce College Puyallup. OSL leaders decided parking would be one of their goals this year, as it’s thought to be one of the biggest problems for students. “All of us representing students realized this is something we couldn’t ignore, that we had to do something about it,” Garrett Bown, ASPCP President said. They want to see about building a parking lot behind the Health Education Center, which would cost about $1.7 million and start a balance for a future parking garage. Bown plans to put this funding approval to a student vote because, if passed, it would mean an increase in student fees.

“It's a per credit fee for students, which will come out when you pay your tuition,” Bown said. “We’re currently figuring out how we’re going to do that vote.” OSL leaders want students to vote within the next few months, so they can get to work on these goals before the end of the school year. Bown met with former Puyallup campus President Marty Cavalluzzi and together, they came up with the per credit fee students would pay to go toward these parking solutions. OSL leaders want to see if they can make a deal with Pierce Transit, so Pierce College students have access to use the buses for free. Free bus transit for students would cost Pierce a yearly fee and then all registered Pierce students could freely use the public bus

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system to get back and forth from school. Pierce would obtain a loan and begin construction on the parking lot behind the Health Education Center about 2020, or possibly 2022. A parking garage is currently too expensive, says Bown, so Pierce would be opening a balance to save for that expense. Pierce is also currently overcharging for the Health Education Center fee, so the OSL leaders hope to put some of that money toward the new parking solutions. After the student vote, the OSL will take the next steps towards fixing parking, trying to alleviate some of the students’ stress. “We care and we’re trying to find a solution to this because we know it's been a problem,” Bown said. “We’re doing our best to advocate for students and do what's best for our college.”

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SHOUTOUT

Dana Montevideo

Do you think Pierce should have a fourday school week? Antonnette Buccat: “It doesn’t really matter because it depends on the classes you sign up for anyway.”

Ariel Snodgrass: “I think it would be beneficial to students’ health and give students more time to do homework.”

Blake Read: “Yes. Easier for people who have jobs or outside stuff, like family or caretakers. It would be beneficial for balancing time management.”

Danielle Spicer: “Yeah. That’d be cool. Instead of five days, the weekend would give us more time for homework, extracurriculars and family time, which is always important.”

Esteban Amador: “The problem with a four-day school week is it limits availability, especially for those who work. But I do see benefits for people that don’t work. Five-day is probably better than a four-day week.”

Jennifer Kastner: “Four days is pretty good. Longer days are nice, but a five-day week is too much. Students need time for studying and taking a rest.”

Thomas Ide: “I don’t have classes on Fridays already, but it would be a good concept to explore. It would give students more time to study and rest, while still having a social life.”

Lexi Mey: “Yeah. I’d rather not spend time at school and rather be hanging out with friends or watching Netflix. Stuff I would normally do if I weren’t at school. More time to chill.” F E B .

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SYD SAYS Giving up on passions Sydnee Smith Reporter Recently, I have started to devote myself more to my education and future plans, and I’ve noticed a lack of interest in the things I used to be passionate about. While talking to someone for the paper, he mentioned he had given up playing guitar. The simple statement struck a cord inside me (yes, pun intended). A few years ago I got into trying to learn guitar and ukulele. Looking at my guitar and ukulele now, they are both covered in dust. Even if we’re passionate about something it can be easily brushed aside or forgotten in the daily shuffle of life. I know personally I’ve gotten into a routine where I forget to even give myself time to do things I once made time for and enjoyed. So I dusted off my guitar and realized I forgot everything I knew and kind of sucked at it, but I want to try and give myself back that time to do things I enjoy. For winter quarter, I had an elective space I could fill. I decided I wanted to fill it with something I actually enjoyed and had a passion for. I have always loved creative writing but I let that passion also fall through the cracks with the routine I’ve followed since entering college. To try to get that creativity back, I signed up for creative writing II. Having an excuse to freely write again has been so nice. Now I feel like even though I am enjoying myself, I am still getting work done. Finding loopholes and ways to sneak in forgotten passions has helped me a lot. After a long day of school and work I want to relax and sometimes that involves writing or playing my guitar. I think we all make choices and sometimes we unintentionally drop our passions to focus on other things. Even just taking a few times a week or once a week to focus on something you enjoy will help your mood tremendously. We can’t just live in the grind and never take time to ourselves. Even if it is just sneaking off to read or singing in the shower, it's the little moments that add up. Giving up should never be an option. Passion and creativity is what drives us forward and keeps us happy. We all just have to find sneaky ways to fit those passions in. Honestly if you can take a class for your passion, do it. It makes work fun and that's the best part. Just reevaluate if you’re giving enough time to the things that matter. If you’re not, then fix it; sometimes it is hard because of priorities but we should always make our passions a priority. Even if I can only focus on those passions late at night or on the weekends, I will because they matter. I never want to let myself fall back into a routine where I forget about the things I genuinely enjoy and neither should you.

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OPINION Album Review: Man of the Woods by Justin Timberlake Quintessa Waud Online/Social Media Manager Justin Timberlake released his fifth album, Man of the Woods, on Feb. 2. The album is a highly anticipated follow-up to his 2013 record, The 20/20 Experience. While many fans were eager to hear more of the smooth, R&Binspired pop that Timberlake is known for, they were left with a confusing array of country, folk, R&B and pop sounds that often clashed with each other throughout the record. On this album, Timberlake attempts to get back to his country roots, as he was born and raised in Tennessee. However, Timberlake rarely fully commits a song to a country or folk sound, and instead incorporates these elements with loud, trap-inspired beats and funk sounds that work against each other. The album’s opening track, Filthy, can be best described as an imitation of Timberlake’s 2006 hit, SexyBack. They were both chosen as the lead singles for their albums, they have a similar, seductive lyrical style and an irresistible catchiness to them. On Filthy, Timberlake sings “I said, put your filthy hands all over me/ And no, this ain't the clean version.” While the song isn’t quite an instant classic in the way that SexyBack was, it still has a fun, catchy sound that lends itself nicely to

being a hit summer single. It’s in the album’s second track, Midnight Summer Jam, when Timberlake’s country influences really begin to come through. The song’s instrumentation includes a fiddle, a harmonica solo and countryinspired guitars. It’s a big departure from Timberlake’s traditional sound. But it isn’t just a country song. Loud drums and hip-hop influence also appear throughout, resulting in a song with a mashup of sounds that don’t necessarily compliment each other. On this record, Timberlake’s lyrical content seems questionable at times. This is apparent on the album’s title track, as Timberlake croons, “I brag about you to anyone outside/ I’m a man of the woods, it’s my pride.” These lyrics feel a bit corny and awkward in the smooth sounding track. Flannel is another song that suffers from too-cheesy lyrics, such as, “Right behind my left pocket/ That is where you feel my soul/ It’s been with me many winters/ It will keep you warm.” Timberlake’s vocals sound quite pleasant on this heavily folk inspired track, but the lyrics he sings can be cringe-inducing. Montana is a song that shines on the album. It is one of the few tracks where the pop, funk and country sounds play well off each other and create a pleasant tune.

Timberlake’s vocals are smooth and flow in a way that is reminiscent of his throwback hits. It gives listeners a peek into what could’ve been if the entire album actually struck a satisfying blend of complimentary sounds. When looked at individually, there are songs on Man of the Woods that are enjoyable. But when the album is listened to in its entirety, it feels disjointed and cluttered. Not only does it attempt to fuse multiple sounds throughout the album, it often attempts to fuse too many disagreeing sounds in a single song. The sounds on the record never quite reach the sultry danceability of a song like SexyBack, nor the sensitive soulfulness of other hit Timberlake tracks such as Mirrors or Cry Me a River. Instead, it leaves listeners with 16 tracks of mostly jumbled countrypop and uninspired lyrics. We give it: HHIII

Suicide rates rising on college campuses across America Sydnee Smith Reporter Washington State University quarterback Tyler Hilinski was found dead on Jan. 16 from a selfinflicted gunshot wound. This story hit close to home for the many locals in the Puyallup area who have ties to the state school. College suicide rates are rising increasingly and it begs the question why. One reason might be stress. According to a study conducted by the Associated Press and mtvU, “eight in 10 college students say they have sometimes or frequently experienced stress in their daily lives over the past three months.” The stakes for college are higher than they’ve ever been. More students are applying to colleges than ever before, that means more students are receiving rejection letters. Having a college degree is crucial today. More careers require higher degrees from applicants so getting into college comes with high stakes. The cost of college is also a burden; students often leave college due to economic issues. According to the Institute for

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College Access and Success, “average debt levels for all graduating seniors with student loans rose to $29,400 in 2012 — a 25 percent increase from $23,450 in 2008.” Another possible reason for these increases of college suicide is the lack of conversation. According to College Degree Search, statistics show that young men ages 20-24 are twice as likely to commit suicide, compared to young women. These numbers show how lack of conversation amongst men has side effects. Stereotypically, men are often expected to be emotionless and able to deal with their own problems. Especially in sports, men are supposed to remain resilient and tough. However, these stereotypes may have repercussions, as they may be linked to the fact men commit suicide twice as often as women. Men are sometimes told not to seek medical or professional help for their problems, which isn’t mentally healthy. Young men need someone to turn to in these times of need. Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone in any situation. Just because some-

one's situation looks perfect doesn’t mean it is. College suicide is an issue everyone needs to be aware of because depression and anxiety do become prominent during young adulthood and are the leading cause of suicide and suicidal thoughts. With the rise of mental illness and the way the college environment plays into that it's easy to see how college suicide has become an issue. When those struggling feel as though they can’t get help or as though no one cares, they may begin to feel hopeless. The feeling of hopelessness is a huge factor in suicide and attempts. College campuses nationwide have counselors there to help students in need. Students should not be afraid to report a fellow student who seems to be struggling to a counselor or professor. No one should be left to fight alone. Although someone may seem like they ‘wouldn’t be type’ because their life appears good doesn’t mean anything, outward appearance doesn’t determine someone's mental state.

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OPINION Are GMOs beneficial? YES Quintessa Waud Online/Social Media Manager Genetically modifying organisms has been a highly debated practice since the initial rise in the 1990s. GMOs are safe and can do a lot of good for our world. The first myth that many people believe is that GMOs are either not safe for consumption or that they haven’t been around long enough for conclusive scientific evidence. Both are untrue. There have been over 1,700 peer reviewed safety studies published, including reports from the World Health Organization, the National Research Council and the National Academies of Science, Research and Medicine. They all conclude the same: genetically modified crops are no riskier than traditional crops. Genetically modified crops go through rigorous safety testing. Biotech companies developing new genetically modified crops work closely with the FDA to perform extensive allergy and toxicity testing to ensure their safety. Many people also worry about GMOs mingling with and contaminating non-genetically modified crops. In reality, this risk is quite low. Several techniques can be used to decrease this issue, such as barrier areas between crops and staggering planting schedules so fields pollinate at different times. If cross-pollination were to occur, it’s likely that the effects on organic, non-genetically modified crops would be minimal. Foods with the Non-GMO Project label can still be 0.5 percent genetically modified by dry weight. Not only do GMOs pose little threat to people, they can actually do a lot of good in the fight against hunger. An estimation by the United Nations states that the world will need to grow 70 percent more food by 2050.

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Nyadeng Mal Reporter The topic of whether humans should consume genetically modified organisms has been a tough one for scientists and agriculturalists to agree on. The production of GMOs has prompted the development of activist groups against the practice but has also gained a following. Those in support of GMOs argue that the mass production of excess food can stop world hunger. The world's population is expected to expand from today’s 8 billion and with that comes great concern of how to feed the world’s growing population. For some, GMOs are the answer. But since the dawn of GMO production, famine and global hunger have continued to be an epidemic. Currently countries such as Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria and South Sudan are in state of food emergencies. The UN announced that 260,000 people died of famine in Somalia in 2013; thousands are dying of food insecurity every year. The argument that GMOs will stop world hunger has fallen flat on its promise. In America 40 percent of food goes uneaten and wasted, Europe wastes about 89.2 million tons of food yearly. The world has a food waste problem. So maybe the solution is that western countries need to learn how to preserve and properly utilize and dispose of food and work together for proper distribution practices to help food insecure nations. Not only does GMO production fall flat on their promise to feed the world but the production of genetically modified crops can be detrimental to the future of farming. Studies show that the overproduction of genetically modified crops take away the diversity and can lead to the extinction of certain crops if GMOs are relied on too heavily. According to a Norwegian study department, the environmental risks related to genetically modified F E B .

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In order to do this, we must either maximize what we can grow on our current land, or cut down more forests in order to create farms. Genetically modified crops can be a great asset in the goal of maximizing crops on our current land. For example, certain crops such as corn grow nearly twice as much per acre as crops like rice and wheat. This is because they have a more efficient way of photosynthesizing, a method scientists are calling C4 photosynthesis. With genetic modification, researchers are working on C4 versions of rice and wheat, the most commonly consumed crops. This innovation can provide more food to those who are in need. Increased crop output for the future can do wonders for the economy and the lives of people everywhere. Similar to the photosynthesis gene, legumes such as soy and peas are self-fertilizing plants. Scientists are currently working on transferring that self-fertilizing gene to wheat, corn and rice. This would greatly reduce the need for additional fertilizer on the crops, which can be a huge cost burden on many working class farmers. Generally speaking, genetically modified crops are of the greatest benefit to less wealthy, developing countries. Because genetically modified crops have the potential ability to yield larger harvests, repel insects without pesticides and self-fertilize, these assets can be extremely important for impoverished farmers and those who consume their food. This is important because genetically modified crops have the ability to assist where people are the most vulnerable. These promising innovations and the fact that we will require much more food in the future is why people need to be educated on the benefits of GMOs and should encourage the funding and research of genetic modification rather than slow it down. GMOs are useful today but their strong promise of assistance in the future is what makes them critically important to continue supporting.

crops involve the development of herbicide resistant superweeds, non-target adverse effects on beneficial organisms and loss of biological and genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is important because it helps individual species adjust to new conditions, diseases and pests GMOs also harm small farmers who already can’t keep up with bigger farms and corporations. Companies like Monsanto control a huge portion of America’s food distribution. Monsanto owns 40 percent of the genetically modified crops across the globe. And in the U.S., 80 percent of the corn market and 92 percent of the genetically modified soy market, leaving no room for small non-GMO farmers. The GMO movement has prompted the rise of farmer groups such as Farmaid against the practice. When bigger farms who practice GMO crop planting plant, their GMO seeds migrate in a process called genetic drift into nearby farms that don’t practice GMO crop production. This process is inevitable and risk contaminating neighboring farms, according to Farmaid. “Not only is genetic drift impossible to prevent, inadequate regulation also fails to hold seed companies accountable for any resulting damages and ultimately puts the onus on farmers who have been the victims of contamination,” the Farmaid website says. For some farmers, the effects of genetic drift are damaging and result in economic loss due to rejection from certain markets that ban the GMOs which their crops are in contract with. GMO production may have its benefits but so far big biotech companies like Monsanto who have the capability to help the global food crisis seem to only care about financial gain rather than helping those in need. The argument that GMO production will stop world hunger has so far been inconsistent and sounds like political jargon from biotech corporations to further push their agenda and become wealthier. The question is not if GMOs are good or bad, that’s a personal choice left to consumers and the type of diets they choose to follow. The question is whether biotech and GMO production companies are ethical in practice and doing what they can help humanity.

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SHOUTOUT

Dana Montevideo

What do you think of GMOs? Ana Mota: “I don’t have a lot of knowledge (about GMOs). I know that there are a lot of debates about whether they should be in food or not.”

Britney Jahner: “I don’t know what they are. But a lot of people seem to seek out nonGMO foods.”

Chadrick Sene: “I don’t know what they are.”

Emily Skaggs-Berry: “If I get food out of it then it’s good because I like food.”

Emma Goist:

“Due to rapidly rising population around the time when they were brought about, they were definitely something that was required as they boosted crop population and helped support the agriculture industry of the country.” Haley Doscher: “My opinion is I don’t really see any point in putting GMOs in things because they grow just fine on their own, but I don’t care that it’s a thing.”

Lauren Tabor: “I can’t have opinions on things if I don’t know how they work.”

Michael Saunders: “The only thing I’m a little bit leery about is what they are putting in my food and why, the amount of testing as well.”

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CAMPUS LIFE

Casey Marino tries on his prosthetic hand for the first time as Engineering Professor Alan Man (right) looks on. The design is simple to reproduce for future printings. James McCraw photo.

Engineering Club prints prosthetic hand for local man James McCraw Reporter Pierce College Engineering Club had the opportunity to make a prosthetic hand using 3D printing technology. The club worked on the hand for about a year, after a meeting with Casey Marino who had lost his hand in a farming accident almost 11 years ago. It was a chance opportunity for Marino. Marino was a student at Clover Park Technical College and he had a friend who went to Pierce and met with the Engineering Club last year during Clubs Rush at Fort Steilacoom. “I came in, talked with them for about an hour and they took a bunch of measurements and then they were like, ‘cool, we’ll call you when we have a prototype,’” Marino said. Marino said that when he was younger rehabilitation wasn’t really something that was possible due to the severity of the injury. He would go to physical therapy and there was nothing for the therapists to work with. Looking at the idea of prosthetics back then, something as advanced as what the engineering club made would have cost thousands of dollars. Natural Science Professor and Engineering Club Advisor Alan Man said some of the more advanced prosthetics involve attaching electrodes to the body, making it more robotic. Marino said he doesn't remember what it was like to have fingers on that hand and he knows that this won’t be a crutch but a tool to help him succeed in life. When Man and Club President Sean F E B .

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Carda presented Marino with the hand, Marino was floored by the prosthetic and how well it worked for him. “Just the design of this thing is amazing to me. In my wildest dreams would I have thought of something like that,” Marino said. Getting used to the semantics of the new hand is something that will be foreign to Marino. “Having that spacial awareness there is going to be really weird, really weird,” Marino said. Man said that the hardest part of setting up the hand was getting all the fingers to all move at the same time in a fluid motion. “They’re grippier than my thumb is,” Marino said about the prosthetic. “My thumb doesn’t have enough grip.” Marino was contemplating whether or not he was going to wear the hand on his eight hour road trip back home to Oregon. “I’m gonna have to really decide, am I gonna try (driving) with this, or am I gonna have this ready and try a couple of hours, and pull over, try a couple of hours, and pull over?” Marino said. If a part of the hand breaks, Man and the club can print the replacement part for a low cost. The cost of materials needed for the prosthetic was no more than $50. “I can’t thank you guys enough,” Marino said to the club. Man wanted to acknowledge some of the previous members of the club who got the project started. He mentioned students Jacob Carroll, Kevin Curiel, Taran Randall, Nathan Hammermaster and said that this extensive project wouldn’t have happened without them.

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Marino tries holding a baseball cap. The prosthetic took about a year for the Engineering Club to perfect. James McCraw photo.

Scan this QR code to watch a video of Casey Marino receiving his prosthetic hand.

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