thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college
June 5, 2019
www.thegrcurrent.com
issue 12 volume 54
“It was the best 24 years of my life.”
Green River’s ‘Father of Forestry’, Pat Cummins Pat Cummins
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Danielle Kim | Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
The Current’s Queer and Allies’ Pride Prom Celebrates Identity They had a DJ up on stage a fundraiser during a show for By: Dakota Farnsworth controlling the music, a photo different performers to get pies New EditorOpinion Editor booth with various Renaissance in their faces from the audience Pride Prom allows students props, and a rest area labeled the members. They went into detail of all different sexualities and in-Chief: Black Bear Den. These and the about the setup and the execution genders to have a wonderful various decorations boosted the and how the act was successful. evening and to be themselves. Dakota theme of the event. In between the acts, Lady Gugu The Queer and Allies club Later into the evening, they called the guests towards the stage at Green River College held brought out different desserts for and called out for volunteers to their annual Pride Prom. The Farnsworth the guests to enjoy. They had a perform in a Lip-sync For Your Life. Renaissance-themed event was on
Dakota Farnsworth | The Current
By: Lamar Toppin Staff Writer As the quarter comes to an end, it is time for a new editorin-chief to step up and take charge for next year’s paper. Dakota Farnsworth is a student from Tahoma High School and is planning to graduate next Spring. Farnsworth was the former opinion editor for The Current. Now, they have decided to take the next step forward and take on the role as editor-in-chief for the newspaper. Farnsworth has some experience in the journalism field alongside being the former opinion editor. They have already started their job by shadowing the former editor-in-chief, allowing them to internalize the responsibilities that will be given to them. Farnsworth has mentioned that since they are still a student, they have decided to take on the roles as both editor-in-chief and a fulltime student. In addition, they understand the accountability for being able to handle both. Farnsworth has taken three quarters of the News Lab courses, offered to them at Green River College, as well as the classes Intercultural Communications and Intro to Mass Media. By taking these classes, they hope the skills they have retained. Their work as a yearbook editor in high school will make them a wellequipped and suitable editor-inchief for the college. When asked about The Current’s role and duty at the college as a newspaper, Farnsworth stated that, “We should be a truthful organization with a respectable reputation at Green River College.” Farnsworth will officially be put into office in the fall but has already proven themselves to be a solid and accountable editor-in-chief.
May 31 and went until midnight in the Lindbloom Student Union. The event was open to students and non-students of Green River and had many attendees. “My best friend of three years told me about this and I went with her,” said Autumn Hobbs. Guests were allowed to wear what they wanted, whether it was a nice suit or dress, a costume that fit with the Renaissance theme, or casual clothing. Some people even brought pride flags that they wore as capes to show off their pride. Whatever made them feel comfortable was what they could wear at the event. “[The most important part about Pride Prom is] having a safe space for members of the LGBT community to come together at a prom that is designed for them,” said Anne Hiles, the president of Queer and Allies. Hiles said proms that are not designed specifically for the LGBTQ+ community have a lot of heteronormative customs forced upon members of the community, such as what they should wear and who they can take as a date. “Pride Prom kind of works to not erase that but to accept that as well as other ideals and ways that people want to act,” said Hiles. Members of Queer and Allies spent a lot of time coming up with the theme, deciding what decorations and activities would be part of the event, and setting everything up in the commons.
plate of veggies, chocolate dipped strawberries, and chocolate and vanilla slices of cakes. They also had a master of ceremonies(MC) to host the activities of the evening. The MC was a drag queen called Lady Gugu and he opened up the event by singing the song “Let Me Entertain You” from the 1993 movie “Gypsy”. He also introduced the two acts and drag performers who were part of the entertainment. The performers were Cannoli, a gender-bending performance artist, Elliot Artois, a performer who does androgynous drag, and Monseir Encore, a drag king. After their performances, there was a Q&A where guests learned a little more about them, such as why they started performing and what their favorite story was. Monseir Encore told the audience about how they set up
Six audience members were pulled on stage and performed their best dance moves to RuPaul’s “Sissy That Walk”. Each member showed off what their moves. At the end, everyone was deemed a winner. Many guests enjoyed themselves and had fun at Pride Prom. “It sounded fun and it was really fun. It was something to do and at the same time I was entertained,” said Hobbs. Hobbs would highly recommend this event to others because “it is a new experience, everyone should have it, and the community is open and fun.” Pride Prom gives everyone the opportunity to let them have experiences that other proms would not let them. The open and welcoming community allows everyone to express and enjoy themselves freely while having fun at the Renaissance themed dance..
Chrys Behnsch | Green River College
Green River College 12401 SE 320th St., Mailstop: SU Auburn, WA 98092-3699 NEWSROOM DIRECT LINE 253-288-3457 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Margo Mead thecurrent.editorinchief@ mail.greenriver.edu 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 MANAGING EDITOR A&E EDITOR Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker thecurrent.ae@ mail.greenriver.edu CAMPUS EDITOR Danielle Kim thecurrent.campus@mail. greenriver.edu OPINION EDITOR Dakota Farnsworth thecurrent.opinion@mail. greenriver.edu SPORTS EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHER Christina Praggastis thecurrent.sports@mail. greenriver.edu PHOTOGRAPHER Connor O’Boyle coboyle2@mail.greenriver.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga thecurrent.pagelayout@mail. greenriver.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elsa Finkbeiner efinkbeiner@mail.greenriver.edu
A picture of Green River’s Queer and Allies Club board members at the event.
Pres. Suzanne Johnson Participates in KGRG Car Bash Connor O’Boyle | The Current
thecurrent
Connor O’Boyle | The Current
Connor O’Boyle | The Current
ONLINE MANAGER Taylor Robertson thecurrent.SocialMediaManager@ mail.greenriver.edu STAFF WRITERS:
Abdirizak Abdi, Ana Sanchez, Austin Butler, Autumn Reeves, Dakota Farnsworth, Dalamari Holman, Dmytro Dimov, Hinata Kokubun, Jaysen Bay, Joseph Charrier, Lamar Toppin, Ritwan Abdinor, Ryan Childress, Sarah Dees, Satchit Dahal
Corrections
If you find a factual error or253-833-9111 simply a name spelled ext. 2375 incorrectly, or find us in SA218 please contact us at:
Staff Writer Hinata’s last name - editor@thegrcurrent.com is Kokubun, not Kokobun. - 253-288-3457 The artist of sports graphic was - or find us OEB 17 Abdirizak Abdi’s, not Pixabay . “The Game Room” is in the Evergreen Lounge, not the River Room.
By: Connor O’Boyle A photographic series of President Suzanne Johnson’s swinging in action at the KGRG Car Bash with an audience of student and campus employees. Photographer
Danielle Kim| Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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3 June 5, 2019
Students Observe Ramadan: A Month of Introspection and Abstinence By: Abdirizak Abdi Staff Writer Since the beginning of May, millions of Muslims around the world have observed a month of introspection and abstinence from food and drink: Ramadan. Ramadan is an annual occurrence, which is based on the lunar calendar, that officially begins with the sighting of the new moon on the ninth month. Fasting starts then, and for the next 30 days, Muslims traditionally refrain from indulging in food and drink. Between Suhoor (the meal at dawn) and Iftar (the meal at dusk), nothing, not even water, is consumed. Here, in the Pacific Northwest, this period of internalization translates to almost 18 hours of uninterrupted fasting. On its face value, Ramadan may be likened to detox and radical dieting. Although fasting is an integral part of this month, the ultimate goal goes beyond abstaining from food and drink. Fasting is intended to bring one
closer to God and is seen as a way to spiritually detoxify the soul. It is the soul and exaltation of the mind that is of utmost importance. According to the Quran, the Muslim holy book, fasting teaches the ability to control worldly desires and spend time in prayer and meditation. Therefore, abstaining from indulgence, which is a large part of Ramadan, cannot occur without detoxing the mind. The latter journey is much harder. “For me, it is a month that reinforces my discipline, where I abstain from things that are otherwise lawful during other times of the year,” said Salih Fathi, the vice president of the Muslim Student Association at Green River College. “By staying away from food and other indulgences, I am able to exercise control over my actions and desires.” Green River College is home to a tapestry of Muslim students from all over the world. Among the college’s clubs and organizations is the Muslim Student Association (MSA). It is a student-run
organization that caters to the needs of the Muslim community on campus. In the run-up to every Ramadan, MSA usually initiates a series of events that seek to create awareness and foster togetherness. This year, MSA co-ordinated the Islamic Awareness Week that happened between April 26 to April 28. The association invited three keynote speakers who spoke about Ramadan and other topics of importance to the Muslim community. Among the invited speakers was Turan Kayaoglu, a professor and associate vice chancellor for research at the University of Washington, Tacoma. Additionally, MSA hosted an Iftar (the meal at dusk) night where students collectively broke their fasts and shared meals. “Iftar night was a huge success that brought together both Muslim and nonMuslim students across campus,” said Fatima Juma, the president of MSA. “We were only expecting a handful of people but more than 70 students showed up.” Some faculty members and instructors
at Green River College have actively acknowledged the onset of this month and have sought to create awareness within their classrooms. “Understanding the religious and cultural practices of my students allows me to provide more grace and support,” said Emily Beals, a faculty member of the English department at Green River College. “I have tried to accommodate the needs of my students to ensure that they are able to exercise their spiritual practices in a meaningful way.”
For many Muslims, the purpose of Ramadan is to energize the orientation of the soul and activate what has been lost throughout the year. It is a month of spiritual introspection that emphasizes abstinence from worldly and materialistic attachments. The long rigorous days of fasting and nights of deep reflection are vital in reminding Muslims to focus not on the lack, but the abundance of the world, and the endless bounties that lie within.
Pixabay
Michael Batin: The Tale of Academic Perseverance Commencement Ceremony 2019
Hinata Kokubun | The Current
By: Hinata Kokubun Staff Writer Michael Batin is a student who is attending Green River College and going to graduate after approximately ten years. Batin began to study at Green River College in fall 2008, majoring in a physical therapy assistant program. After he took some classes, he realized that it was not what he wanted to do, so he changed his major to general studies and started working on an Associate of Arts Degree. He had a struggle with his priorities because he was involved with so many things during that time: he was working, going to school, doing club activities and doing outside programs such as acting program and DJing. During 2014 to 2017, he had to stop attending school after having to move out from his parents’ house. He started to work a fulltime job for a telecommunication company to save some money to
live away from his parents. Even though he was still visiting his friends and dance club at Green River College, he did not think about going back to school. However, in 2017, his company went out of business. While he was unemployed, one of the facilitator at the college, who heard that he was looking for his job and knew Batin for a while, offered him a job at Green River. ”I was not expecting that anyone here Green River College was looking out for me, but there are a few individuals who always believing in me,” said Batin. After he got a job at the college, he decided to come back and finish the rest of the Associate of Arts Degree that he left. Since then, Batin has been taking two classes per quarter and working for Gator Grille while also teaching students Arnis, Filipino stick fighting, at the Recreation Athletic Center. “I guess it is unusual for a student to take this long, but here I am now,” said Batin. “I am very glad that I’m close to graduating.” When asked how the last ten years, he mentioned that it was like a big journey. He has experienced so many things through Green River and outside of college within from years and he learned not giving up, setting priority straight and especially balance in his life. “If you do not have a balance, things get chaotic and it would be hard to set your priorities,” said Batin, imparting wisdom. He added that he also would like to think his ten years at Green River is a great example to not give up.
He himself met so many people through his dance club. “Loving dance is understandable, but I always tell them that their first priority is being a student,” said Batin about his care for them. Suzuha Nakadai, a member of the Green River dance club, mentioned that Batin always encourages his fellow students. “He gives us opportunities to try new things and teaches to not give up,” said Nakadai. Green River gave him opportunities to improve himself and his friends and facilitators always helped him. “I’m very blessed all opportunities and everything I’ve learned whereas ups and downs, achievements and failures, they all helped me to shape who I am now,” said Batin. ”I would not trade than anything else.” “If you are able to stay strong, push forward to what you want and work hard, you can do it--no matter how long it takes as long as you believe in yourself,” said Batin.
By: Hinata Kokubun Staff Writer
Green River College’s 2019 Commencement Ceremony will take place Friday, June 14 at the Accesso ShoWare Center in Kent. The ceremony will start promptly at 7 p.m. Graduates may begin checking in at 5 p.m. at the north entrance, but no later than 6 p.m. to pick up graduation cards, get instructions, and dress in cap and gown. The main door will open at 5:30 p.m. for guests. All guests are required to enter at the main entrance of the ShoWare Center on the south end facing James Street. Transportation is available for Green River students on a
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Action shot of Michael Batin dancing.
Pixabay
Event Calendar: Spring Quarter
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Hinata Kokubun | The Current
first come, a ticket-only basis from Student Life located on the second floor in the Student Union building. Buses will depart from the Traffic Circle at 5 p.m. and return campus after ceremony. Student ID is required. Deadline to reserve bus tickets is Wednesday, June 12. The accesso ShoWare Center features free parking on-site and in several lots within close walking distance to the event.
5 14
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Juneteenth with BSU @ SA, Cascade Hall, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Prices: TBD
Existence is Resistance @SU, River Room, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Free Admission and Food
Last Day of Spring Quarter
Commencement @ Accesso ShoWare Center, 7 p.m.
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Danielle Kim | Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Latinx Student Union Hosts Ted Talks Campus By: Ana Sanchez Staff Writer
The Latinx Student Union (LSU) provides a sense of community for students who identify themselves as Latinx and their allies. The LSU meets every Wednesday from 12 p.m to 1 p.m at the Club Room. For their meeting on Wednesday, May 22, the LSU chose to present mock TED Talks about a variety of topics. Presiding over the meeting was Tabatha de la Rosa, who started with her “TED Talk” on Big Latino Families. Her piece was quite comical, as she included pictures and some jokes. Something notable is that most of the meeting was held in Spanglish, a blend of Spanish and English most Latinx people in the United States use. The atmosphere is very laid back with Cumbia music playing in the background as some of the students listening were snacking. “The family dinners, so since we have really big families, you try to fit like, 20 people in a house that is only meant for four, and you have this small table that is meant for eight people tops, and everyone is like no mijito, si cabes, so you are just super uncomfortable. Also, you know you are grown when they ask you to hold the piñata. So that is it, thank you for coming to my TED talk.” said de la Rosa concluding her faux Ted talk, as many of the students present at the event laughed in agreement. The next TED talk was presented by Yara Garcia, and her topic was “Why Costco is Superior”, her piece was also very comical, with many of the students contributing to the
Crime Blotter
Campus Safety responded to the following incidents from May 20 to June 2, among others. All information is from Campus Safety incident reports. Latinx Student Union GRC | Facebook
Students gathered to play games in “The Game Room”, accompanied by snacks. conversation and laughing. The openness and friendliness of the LSU reflect Latino culture accurately. Up next was an improvised TED talk by Mateo Paulson, who talked about “The problems gringos have when speaking Spanish”. As Spanish is not his native language, he talked about the difficulties he has faced when pronouncing some words in Spanish, along with some of his own comical commentary. “Los cinco Dolores..un momento...dólares (dollars), but every time I try to use it in an actual sentence, I end up saying tengo cinco dolores, which means I have five pains. I hate numbers in Spanish,” said Paulson, as many of his colleagues shared their experiences on being bilingual. The rest of the meeting was laid back, students shared funny stories and reminisced on the fun times they have shared this past year. Student Unions are supposed to instill a sense of community and the LSU is no exception. All of the students treat each other like family, which is something Latino culture is known for. The LSU at Green River College is known for organizing all types
of events. Last month they hosted the annual Fiesta Latina, which included food, dancing, performances and other fun activities. They have also hosted potluck style dinners, as well as other celebrations. The LSU also works with the Black Student Union and the Pacific Islander Student Union. The main focus of student unions is to create an environment in which groups, mostly minorities can feel at home. They are used to represent students and their ideas, thoughts, and policies they might want the college to consider. All students are welcome to attend their meetings every week, even if they do not identify as Latinx. As Brazilian novelist Paul Coelho once said, “Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better in their soul, it is easier to overcome the economic and political barriers. But first, they have to understand that their neighbor is, in the end, just like them, with the same problems, the same questions.” If a student chooses to visit the Latinx Student Union meetings or events, they will surely give them a warm welcome by the community.
5/20 3 p.m. CCA Theft
A student reported items were stolen from his apartment over a period of a few days.
5/24 A staff member reported a student drinking 2:44 p.m. alcohol during class. Science Center Liquor Law Violation 5/28 12:30 p.m. CCA Harassment
A student reported being harassed by a non-student.
5/30 11:32 a.m. SH Disorderly Conduct
A student was reported for interrupting classroom instruction.
5/31 9:23 a.m. Science Center Fire Alarm
The Fire Department responded to a fire alarm on campus. Referred to the Valley Regional Fire Department.
5/31 10:30 a.m. Technology Center Disturbance 6/2 3:38 p.m. CCA Burglary
Staff members reported a fight occured involving two students.
A student reported a stolen laptop out of his apartment. Student denied APD assistance.
Phi Theta Kappa Society Ends the Quarter With A Discussion on Future Plans Phi Theta Kappa Website
By: Ritwan J. Abdinor Staff Writer
The Green River Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Society hosted their last meeting for Spring quarter on Friday, May 31, at the Student Union Club Corner. The club had elected a new body of officers earlier this month and so far, have hosted three meetings. They are still getting to know more about their members and trying to incorporate fun activities in the club to familiarize themselves with their fellow members. Its first meeting was an icebreaker and the officers decided to engage
in games with the members so as to get to know each other. The second meeting was about the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) adversity score. The SAT adversity score is an admission tool under the environmental context, that allows colleges to consider a student’s socioeconomic background to contextualize the relevance of an SAT score. This was a relevant topic to the members as the SAT test was scheduled for June 1. They mentioned how environments sometimes do not necessarily dictate someone’s capability.
Members discussed this in full detail and discussed the consequences of this action. Their final meeting was hosted on May 31 and members discussed stress during finals. Finals are in two weeks and the officers wanted the members to be relaxed. By easing the tension, it reduced some anxiety for the upcoming tests. Members talked about their worst and best testing moments, worst and best classes, testing techniques and recommendations on classes they had taken in the past. The members were really engaging and friendly. The meeting generally reflected on what PTK is really about: an environment where people get to know each other, a safe environment where people can experience valuable information and a community willing to learn from each other. The officers recently had a meeting with Vice President Deb Casey proposing to have some
sort of annual event dedicated to community service. The club is widely known for its dedication to community service. They take part in monthly graffiti cleanups in Auburn. This has become a tradition for them, and this also earns them Regalia points. They also do Honor in Action programs that help solve problems in the Green River community. ‘’Honor societies from where I am from, are a group of pretentious people who think they are better because they got good grades but PTK allowed me to become a more useful person in society,” said Radi Akbar, a student and member of PTK. “I started doing more things that help my community so PTK did a lot of things for me.” “For me, I think the community service aspect is what I love most, I love giving back to my community,” said Green River student Justin Hardy. “This is my first year at Green River and most of my friends
go to four-year universities, PTK allowed me to learn more people and I am now pretty close to the officers and wishing to create bonds with the members.” Akbar mentioned how the previous officers “had a very strong bond” and how he hopes that the newly elected officers would strive to do the same for its members. “Club organizers and officers should strive to become one soul,” Akbar said, regarding the group. “Our goal is to be a unified team, over the Summer and Spring we really want to get to know each other better,” said Hardy. Although the officers might face some challenges as the year progresses, they are positively motivated in engaging in projects to help the community. In the future, they plan to offer more workshops for transfer students, to endorse an amicable environment, and promote student involvement in the Green River community.
Danielle Kim| Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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5 June 5, 2019
Pat Cummins: Green River College’s Father of Forestry By: Steve Braun Staff Writer
In a convoy made up of two overloaded passenger vans, a group of first-year forestry students from Green River College head out on a camp trip to the Olympic Mountains. The air buzzes with excitement. Laughter and conversation fill the vans. Students laugh at a joke about a “black haired” deer. The smell of wet wool wafts through the air. The anticipation is undeniable. “Pitch Stop!” yells the lean, somewhat whimsical man behind the wheel of the first van, seconds before it veered right and began to rock and sway, not slowing much as it exited the highway. Looks of surprise spread across the students’ faces. Rumbling to a halt on a dirt road, they found themselves staring at an old-growth, Douglasfir stump. As the enthusiastic man who was leading the expedition chopped into the old stump with an ax, he explained how one can find pitch pockets in these stumps. “Douglas-fir trees can produce a lot of pitch,” said the man, explaining “especially when they undergo some stress, like fire, insects or disease.” With a few more chops, he extracted several chards of sticky resinated wood. “They are great for starting campfires,” he said, grinning, as he passed the pieces around. The fresh “piney” scent of the pitch wood brought a geniune smile to everyone’s faces. It was simple teaching moments like this that ignited the passion of many young foresters for decades. Since the college’s Forestry Technician program began in 1967, the founding instructor, Pat Cummins, has had a profound impact on the lives of many young people, the college, and the natural resources industry as a whole. Although Cummins’ 24-year teaching career did not start until 1967, his adventures in forestry began several years before. In a recent interview he shared a little about his life in the woods.The grandson of an Irish immigrant who went to work on the railroad when he was just 16 and the son of a WWI veteran who became a highly respected lawyer, Cummins was fortunate to have strong role models in his early years. Cummins, who also became an accomplished photographer, caught the “shutter-bug” from his mother. He attributes his first interest in the outdoors to the time when he was in the Boy Scouts, where he was first introduced to mountain climbing. When asked about when he first started working in the woods, Cummins described his experiences. “Well, in 1942 I was 16
Pat Cummins
and going to Roosevelt High School in Seattle and because of the war, all of the men were gone fighting. So the federal and state agencies came to high schools to recruit us boys for fire crews,” Cummins said. “We were all they had at the time. So, me and Roger Colvin, my best friend, signed up.” The two boys were both assigned to the same fire crew and stationed at Capitol Forest that summer. They enjoyed hiking and exploring the outdoors. In fact, Brothers Mountain, on the east side of the Olympic National Park, was one of their favorite climbs. Cummins’ outdoor adventures, however, would be interrupted by World War II. Like many people of his generation, his carefree youth was all too brief. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1944 when he was still 17 years-old. During his electronics training, Cummins acquired a love for classical music from one of his bunkmates, Victor Critchlow. “He was a masterful violist,” Cummins said, joyfully boasting about Critchlow and love for music. “he gave me the gift of classical music that I still have today.” Cummins would be assigned to the USS Bryant DD-665, to replace the ship’s electronics specialist who had been killed when the Bryant was hit by a Japanese kamikaze. Fortunately, the war ended shortly before the crew was to be redeployed back to the South Pacific. After the Navy, he returned to working in the woods during the summers while attending the University of Washington, College of Forestry. In addition to becoming involved with the Society of American Foresters, Cummins worked for the US Forest Service as a fire guard, foreman of a fire crew and a temporary ranger. After graduating from the University of Washington in 1950, Cummins worked for an outfit as a “pilebuck” making $2.29 an hour building log stringer bridges. This required using elaborate pulley systems and man-powered winches to move massive logs into place. In 1951, Cummins went to work for the timber giant Weyerhaeuser Company. One of the first projects he worked on was timber cruising 49,000 acres of old-growth timber.
“All of the timber cruisers had their own unique ‘cruiser mark’ that we would carve into trees for identification,” Cummins said, “Mine was ‘PJ’ because I was named after my grandfather, who was named Patrick Joseph Cummins and they always called him PJ.” Not only was Cummins’ career going well, he also found the love of his life along the way. He married his beloved wife, Jean, in 1952 and they were blessed with four children. Cummins and his wife have spent an active life together hiking, climbing mountains and enjoying many outdoor adventures for the last 66 years. Weyerhaeuser quickly saw the potential Cummins had and sent him to Yale for his masters degree. Sometime after graduating from Yale in 1955, he became a Douglasfir silviculture research forester at Weyerhaeuser’s Centralia Research Center. Already conducting further research of his own, Cummins continued investing and experimenting in this relatively new science of silviculture. During his 16 years as an employee of Weyerhaeuser, Cummins was the chairman and/or committee member of many groups including the Society of American Foresters and high school youth groups. It was through a connection that Cummins made through the White River High School that ultimately lead to him teaching at Green River Community College. In 1967, two years after Green River College first opened, Ray Needham, the dean of instruction, made a call to Cummins. Needham and Cummins had met while Cummins was involved working with youth groups at White River High School where Needham was working at the time. When administrators were developing a plan for a forestry technology program at Green River College, there was no doubt they wanted Cummins for the job. “Ray was a highly thought of man and you wanted to do what he asked you to do and besides I was ripe for teaching by then,” said Cummins. “The board of directors at Weyerhaeuser were businessman, not foresters. I was kind of ready to move on.” Getting that call to teach really
opened a door for Cummins. In spite of the challenges of recruiting students to a new program, Cummins, with the help of his long-time teaching colleague, Walt Scobie, would go on to construct a very hands-on, practical curriculum that was geared towards the world of forestry work. Initially, school administrators were open and very supportive of Cummins’ practical hands-on approach, authorizing him to establish a working program that allowed students an opportunity to conduct real forestry work and get paid for it. The experience proved to be beneficial for the students, as well as the college. Cummins was disappointed when this aspect of the program was eventually discontinued due to liability concerns. In spite of setbacks and challenges, Cummins’ ability to continually adapt the program as technology advanced allowed him to see many of his graduates go on to have long, meaningful careers in the natural resources industry. Tam White, who recently retired from the US Forest Service after 41 years, and Bob Dick, who became the state forester for Alaska, are two examples of the results of Cummins’ work. Alex Kamola, who graduated head of his class from the college’s forestry program in 1975 and later returned as a teaching assistant, said, “Patalways had a good things to say about people, in a way it was kind of invigorating.” He also describes Cummins as having tenacity. At times, he even found that Cummins had too much tenacity, pushing the boundaries of what he could get away with. Jerry Johnson, a current forest practices district manager for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and former graduate, highly regarded Cummins with positive comments. “Pat is a rare and remarkable individual. His passion never shut off. He was all into forestry all of the time. Always going out of his way to make you feel supported,” said Johnson, voicing his look . “It is great that he is able to have a legacy of reaching out and connecting with young people. Green River, as well as the forestry industry in general, are fortunate to have had him. His influence meant so much to so many.” Dick Hopkins, the man who had the unenviable job of trying to fill Cummins’ shoes when he retired from the program in 1991, also had kind words about Cummins. “He always has a smile on his face, twinkle in his eye and a joke to tell you,” Hopkins said. “He was an excellent hands-on educator before it became the standard.
Pat could do stats in his head and present it in a way that made sense. A lot of his teaching came from his experience. You cannot teach well if you have not experienced it.” Rich Rutkowski, who served as the business manager before becoming the longest-serving president of Green River College, remembers Cummins and his impactful contributions. “Part of the beauty of Green River is directly attributed to Pat and to some extent his wife. He was responsible for propagating and planting all of the beautiful rhododendrons on campus. It was uplifting for me, personally, to get out of my office after dealing with people problems or financial matters and take a walk across the grounds, enjoying all of the beautiful spring colors,” said Rutkowski. “Pat had many contributions including developing a program that actually made a profit for the school and gave students vital experience. Pat’s hands-on, business style approach made the school look at the broader component of forestry as it related to the school” Rutkowski also explained how Cummins was also a big part of acquiring the 80-acre Mud Mountain property for the college. The property was eventually renamed the Pat Cummins Managed Forest to honor the program’s founder. The Society of American Foresters recognized Cummins’ achievements and awarded him the Forester of the Year award in 1991. When he was asked what he was most proud of, Cummins answers with a smile, “It is good to have recognition of a valuable program. It was the best 24 years of my life.” Today, the college’s natural resources program continues to carry on the tradition of producing capable, qualified graduates who are prepared to handle the challenges facing the natural resources industry. The enthusiastic spirit Cummins brought to Green River 52 years ago, still lives on today. Staffed with a team of equally enthusiastic and dedicated people, including Chuck Wytko, a former graduate, the program now offers a BAS degree and has grown to more than 130 students. To date, the program Cummins started at Green River College and continually adapted to accomodate the changing demands of the contemporary society. It is difficult to fully gauge the impact that Cummins has had, or his contributions to forestry in the Pacific Northwest. Even so, one thing is for certain. For all his years and work at the college, Pat Cummins is and always will be Green River’s Father of Forestry.
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June 5, 2019
Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Disney+ Brings Marvel, Fox, Pixar, and More to Streaming By: Joseph Charrier Staff Writer
Disney set its sights on the streaming service industry, implementing Disney +, which will provide all of its properties for $6.99 a month. Recently, web services like Netflix are most consumers’ go-to when it comes to television. According to a survey by CNBC in 2018, 57 percent of people are subscribed to a streaming service of some kind. Being a major supplier of media content, the house of mouse is in the process of creating their very own streaming service as an easy source for all things Disney, known as Disney +. Disney’s recent $71 billion merger with Fox already gives them a significant advantage. According to an article from BusinessInsider. com, Disney now owns 60% of Hulu and may seek to control the rest of it. The article’s author, Travis Clark, continues by theorizing that if Disney had full control of the streaming service, the possibility of a
bundling deal between Disney + and Hulu would not be out of the question. If this is true, this would mean that Disney would have complete control of two separate streaming services with different content provided for each. Combine that with the long list of properties Disney also acquired from Fox, and Disney + is looking to take the world by storm. Customers will have access to most of Disney’s library, including many of their classic animated features, everything made in association with Pixar, certain installments of the Marvel superhero line of films, and the extremely popular Star Wars films. This is only scratching the surface of what people can expect on this platform. Thanks to the aforementioned merger, Disney + will also provide access to Fox properties like animated sitcom The Simpsons. However, Disney is not settling with simply giving customers access to preexisting content, as can be seen by the large number of original-Disney+-exclusive series and
Wikipedia Commons
Pixabay
Pxhere
The Magic Kingdom’s Castle at Disney shows the extravagence the company is willing to go to. movies slated to come with the service. Straight-to-streaming-service original content has grown into an industry of its own in recent years, as seen with the success of series like Hulu’s adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which took home eight Primetime Emmy Awards for its first season. Not to be left out, Disney has a multitude of its own projects on the way to Disney+. Among these are shows that take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ome of which focus on individual characters, including Loki, the villainous trickster god played by Tom Hiddleston; The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the popular Captain America supporting characters; Vision and Scarlett Witch, played by Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olson, just to name a few. One of the more notable of these original projects is the Star Wars spin-off series “The Mandalorian,” with its pilot set to release on the same day as the service.
A report from Variety Magazine put this massive catalog of content into perspective: “All told, the service—in its first year—will include 25 original series, 10 original films and specials, 500 films and 7,500 episodes of current and past TV shows.” This prospect seemed to pique the interest of certain students on campus like Hannah Lombardo, who expressed interest due to the lower monthly price, and Dalamari Holman, who said she would be tuning in if it meant she could rewatch older Disney shows that she is familiar with like Zack and Cody. “If all the old stuff was on there, I would pay to watch it,” said Holman. Time will tell if this overwhelming amount of material will dethrone other services such as Netflix, Direct TV, or Amazon Prime, but it looks as though the company will be going all out with this project. Disney + will be available on November 12. Who will be subscribing?
Green River Brings Play Anna Christie (1921) to the Fine Arts Stage By: Dmytro Dimov Staff Writer
Connor O’Boyle | The Current
Two Fine Arts Division actors acting on stage.
The Fine Arts Division at Green River College is directing and performing a masterpiece by Eugene O’Neill: Anna Christie, first brought to the stage in 1921. This is surely going to be outstanding and engaging for everyone who is lucky enough to attend it. While the play has been around for nearly 100 years, the directors of Green River College have found a way to make it appealing by adding their own twists. Originally debuting in 1921, the play Anna Christie received a Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1922 while also getting a film adaptation directed by Clearance Brown. As recently as 2012, the Old Globe Theater starred Jessica Love in their own version of Anna Christie, demonstrating that even 100 years later, there is still much take away from this play. The story of Anna Christie is about a woman who has fallen on hard times trying to find a new life. She reconnects with her father who had abandoned her at the age of five to become a sailor. As she moves to a barge where her father currently lives, Christie ends up meeting a lost sailor from a shipwreck named Mat Burke. As time goes on, Christie ends up falling in love with the shipwrecked sailor—but her
father, unfortunately, is strongly opposed to this love as he does not want his daughter to marry someone like Burke. Eventually, the whole group end up coming to terms with each other and both her father and newlywed husband go off on a journey to Africa together. Christie promises to work hard and do everything in her power to collect plenty of money to help them start off their new life together on the right track. The play is premiering on June 7 at 7:30 p.m., additionally playing June 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. This is not an experience that people would want to miss and acts an exciting way to start off summer. The cast is diverse, full of talented and dedicated actors who truly enjoy what they do and desire nothing more than to share their love for this brilliant story with everyone. This is truly a masterpiece for the ages and is guaranteed to keep attendees at the edge of their seats the entire show and leave them with a powerful message to remember years to come. The admission fees for this play are as follows: the general admission fee is $7 per person while the admission for students and senior citizens is only $5 each. Better yet, if individuals are a student of Green River College, they get the opportunity to enjoy Anna Christie for free.
Unfortunately, tickets cannot be purchased prior to the door, yet they are definitely going to sell out quickly, so those interested should ensure to grab one as soon as they can. Wikipedia Commons
Photo of Constance Ford as Anna Christie.
Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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thecurrent
7 June 5, 2019
Tyler, the Creator’s IGOR Reaches No. 1 on Billboard 200 By: Lamar Toppin Staff Writer Tyler, the Creator, a well-known rapper, released his sixth album on May 17, and fans were beyond excited. Tyler made a name for himself not only in the music industry, but built himself up into as a social icon. Tyler’s album was such a huge hit with fans and non-fans alike that it recently made it to No. 1 on Billboard’s 200 Albums Chart, and eight of the songs from the album have been put on the Hot 100. The first song he had that was put onto the Hot 100 was being featured on “Martians vs. Goblins” with Lil Wayne and The Game in 2011, then again in 2017 with his own song “Who Dat Boy”, and additionally in 2018 with his digital single “Okra”. It is clear from Billboard’s 200 Albums Chart and Hot 100 that IGOR is looking to be the album of the summer as of right now, but is it worth jumping on the bandwagon and listening to it? The album opens with “IGOR’S THEME”, and right from the start, Tyler sets up the calming vibe for the rest of the album. The song uses snares as the main instrument to implement its structure, and as the song continues, voices and other instruments start to come in. The snare makes the song seem energetic, but the vocals add a sort of relaxed feeling to the song. The second song on the album “EARFQUAKE” starts off with a piano and vocals gives off a nonchalant felling from the start. Later into the song, the snare
comes in and adds the hip-hop element that solidifies its elements. The lyrics show that “EARFQUAKE” is about a past relationship that did not work out, but he hopes can fix. “I THINK”, the third song, has a different feel to it from the past two; drums are the first things listeners are introduced to along with Tyler rapping. The song follows a person falling in love and trying to figure out how to tell the person that they love them. “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” opens with a strong bass line and synth to set the expressions for the rest of the song. It maintains the theme of having a significant other, yet he is concerned that their breakup is ultimately imminent. The last track on the album is “NEW MAGIC WAND”. This track is different from the other songs on this album in the fact that its nature has changed. Bass and drums are used heavily in the song and the vocals sound slightly muffled. About halfway through, the song becomes somber, but the tone is changed back again for the second half. IGOR’s overarching story throughout the album is about someone falling in love, and the eventual downfall of said relationship, and trying to fix everything by trying to stay friends. The theme is apparent as one goes back and listens for a second time to the lyrics as the tracks progress. As someone who has heard a few of Tyler’s songs or his features on other songs, IGOR was a pleasant surprise. Tyler has done well to try and match the type of music that teens and young adults find appealing, which helped this track rise to its high status.
Demxx | Flickr
Tyler, the Creator performing at the Creator x Earl Sweatshirt concert at the Fox Theater.
Demxx | Flickr
Crowds swarming, surrounding the stage at the Creator x Earl Sweatshirt concert.
‘Dat Photography | Flickr
Tyler, the Creator rapping at the Creator/Odd Future concert live in Tokyo, Japan.
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thecurrent
8 June 5, 2019
Club Invites Imaginative Writers By: Autumn Reeves Staff Writer The Creative Writing Club is a place for writers and storytellers of any kind and experience level to get together in a community to hone their skills. There are several clubs on campus for people of all different interests and backgrounds. Among these, for the novelist, poets, playwrights, and those with creative minds is the Creative Writing Club. At the beginning of each quarter, the club’s officers hold an open discussion for those attending to get a gauge on what students are interested in. This shows their openness and ability to mold meetings to unique interests. Meetings focus of different aspects of writing to adhere to each student’s interests. Individuals of the club—outside the leaders—have the opportunity to suggest subjects they wish to work on that day or for the next time they come together. A typical meeting of the Creative Writing Club is hard to describe, because each meeting is drastically different than the one prior. Some weeks will be a conversation about certain material in writing, while some will have hilarious activities, such as developing serial stories together or brainstorming superfluous characters. Additionally, the club has opportunities to attend outside events, such as poetry slams or author talks, such as Alice Walker’s presentation on her novel “The Color Purple”. However, some of the most memorable meetings are when the members of the club get to share their own works or talk about topics they care about, such as their favorite genres or methods of writing.
“A lot of people have strong opinions about things, and not a lot of people get to verbalize that, so when they do, it’s really great to see and hear it happen,” Creative Writing Club President Megan Sanford said. The club allows students to be innovative and thoughtful in an infinite number of ways—and have fun doing so. The personal connection that members have to some topics and the bonding moments of laughter contribute to a strong sense of community in this club. “We get to know each other a lot better when we are doing these activities,” Creative Writing Club Secretary, Sarah Kuga, said. “When you get to know people’s writing, you get to know them more.” Not only does the Creative Writing Club give members a sense of community and plenty of fun memories, but it also keeps their writing skills sharp. “When you’re writing creative works, it can be kind of hard if you do not have anyone to bounce ideas off of, and the Creative Writing Club lets us do that,” said Kuga. In doing activities that require inventiveness and wit, it keeps creative juices flowing and gives students a space to improve their skills and perfect their works. “[My favorite part about the club] is honestly getting into a creative environment where everybody is brainstorming… I am super into things like that where we can all be hanging out and we collaborate and create this unique thing,” said Sanford. The Creative Writing Club meets at noon to 1 p.m. every Tuesday in ZC 104. If any students have questions about the club, they should contact Professor Emily Beals at ebeals@greenriver.edu. Creative Writing Club | Green River
Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Students Display Their Course Endeavors
Dakota Farnsworth | The Current
Biology club’s research with honeybees.
By: Sarah Dees Staff Writer Green River Colleges held its first annual student showcase event. Green River College had its first-ever student showcase event this June 3. Over 25 faculty and 30 different classes from all subjects attended from in the Mel Lindbloom Student Union Building. Some 100+ students presented PowerPoints, posters, research papers, live performances, and a real-time painting from art courses. Chitra Solomonson, a physics instructor, and Jennifer Rohan, a librarian, who work on Green River campus, are two of the many people who created and put on the event. “This project has been in the making since December of last year,” Rohan said. The showcase is a new event dedicated to the success of students on campus. It was designed for students to show off their work they are most proud of that they completed in class. The event’s idea also draws people into conversation about different classes and opportunities. This provides students with learning opportunities to learn what is happening in all parts of campus. “The event is really just a way to encourage students to look at different classes offered at Green River and spark conversations about it,” Solomonson said. Green River College has lots of classes to offer, but if someone is dedicated to a specific subject, this event gives them a chance to open their eyes and get new perspective on other offered classes. Instructors receive a different angle on how to express their methods, potentially leading to a partnership to combine ideas. This is a chance to make Green River even better academically.
The event included one of the school’s bands and choirs, doing a live performance, alongside a science class testing their selfbuilt solar cells, live clay throwing from a ceramics class, and many other courses coming together to give a snapshot of their experiences in their respective class. Each hour was a new group of students presenting their work with a multitude of individuals within each section. With more funding, planning time, and using this year as a learning process, attendees of Green River can look forward to student showcase in the future. The hope is for the next “show and tell” to be open to the community for family and friends to celebrate student projects. Solomonson’s goal is to encourage more faculty to bring their students and invite not only students that go to school here on Green River’s campus, but welcome the community next year, so the event will be bigger, more enjoyable, and more inclusive. Inviting students as well as the surrounding community will encourage people to take classes at Green River that they never considered taking. Solomonson believes having those advantages will definitely make future showcases wonderful.
Dakota Farnsworth | The Current
A student showing the evolution of fashion.
Dakota Farnsworth | The Current
A collection of posters showing student work.
studentsubmissions Students may submit short stories, graphics, photos, drawings, poems, etc. Not guaranteed to be published. Must be sent to: thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu We encourage students to submit whatever they wish and to use this as a creative space.
Deadlines: Pending for Fall Quarter
Dakota Farnsworth | Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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thecurrent
9 June 5, 2019
Game of Thrones? More Like Shame of Thrones By: Austin Butler Staff Writer
Game of Thrones was one of the most popular shows in TV history up until its series finale, which finished a few weeks ago. It’s often regarded as one of the best recent TV shows and has been loved by fans for over eight years. However, as the series neared its end, the fan base started to turn against the show. Complaints about the show started getting louder and louder, culminating in season eight, which sparked outrage and debate. Fan opinions ranged from adoration to disappointment to unbridled rage at the fact that their favorite show had been “ruined.” But how do Green River students feel about the final season of Game of Thrones? Over 60 students were asked their opinions, and the results are in. On a scale of one to ten, Green River student opinions of the show averaged 6.8/10. More men gave their opinions of the show than women did, however women were on average much more positive about the show than men were in their reviews. The other question asked alongside their opinions was whether or not students had read the books. Less than a third of people interviewed had read the books, and almost everyone who read the books gave the show a low score.
The most common comments er-Generated Imagery (CGI) being made were that the final season felt very well done. Students accepted a rather rushed, only containing six few lighting and editing problems episodes rather than the regular 10 here and there in the show. of seasons prior. Students who were Other people loved the unusual both satisfied and disappointed narrative of the show. Game of wished that the final season would Thrones has always been different have taken more time to develop. from typical fantasy and subverted “I just feel 10 episodes would have the typical fantasy tropes, and this made for a better story,” said Jacob season does not disappoint. Cowan, a 20-year-old student at However some students felt that Green River. the twists and Some students subversions this thought that the season were not storylines were earned and feel not given time like subversion to develop and for subversion therefore feel that sake, rather - Charlie Dalrymple some of the twists than for the feel unearned purpose of telland forced, with ing a good story. characters making decisions “It just felt like they were trying to that go completely against their keep the audience guessing rather established morals with nothing than making a good conclusion,” but vague foreshadowing as the said Jacob Cowan. This is most development and reasoning. hotly debated issue about Game “Foreshadowing is not character of Thrones season eight, whether development, [spoilers] didn’t work or not the twists and endings of for me because it was completestorylines and characters worked. ly out of nowhere,” said Charlie Even while being interviewed Dalrymple,. Other students would students started arguing with each have liked more development, but other whether the ending to epithink the show made it work. sode three was earned or not. Some students like Gretchen ImWhen asked why they felt the fimel loved the way the show ended, nal few seasons were disappointing, stating that the end of the show the most common answer was the was “everything I wanted.” fact that the content from “A Song Some of the most common of Ice and Fire,” the book series positive comments made were that game of thrones was based off of, the visuals were incredible, with ran out around season five. This the cinematography and Computleft showrunners David Benioff
and D.B. Weiss to work off of story points from author George R.R. Martin rather than full novels. Some students felt there was a significant drop in quality as soon as the show caught up to the books, saying that the show became more repetitive and predictable, blaming the showrunners for not being as good at writing as they were at adapting the story from the books. “I like the show, but the books are way better,” said Dalrymple. “The
show just became so different from the books that there was no way the planned ending for the books would work for the show.” Either way, love it or hate it, the ending to Game of Thrones happened, and almost every single student that was interviewed was still sad to see it go. With a spin-off series in the works and a new book in the series on its way, new content from the world of Westeros is not too far out.
“I like the show, but the books are way better,”
Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current
The Importance of Pride Month By: Dakota Farnsworth Opinion Editor
Pride Month allows people of different sexualities and genders to honor and connect with others who are a part of their community. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, also known as just Pride Month, is celebrated each year in June in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village. The Stonewall Uprising consisted of multiple spontaneous and violent demonstrations in the early morning hours against a police raid of the Stonewall Inn. According to the Library of Congress, the Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. After the uprising, gay activist organizations were formed and the LGBTQ+ community started to gain support for their cause. Pride Month allows members of the LGBTQ+ community to feel comfortable and express their pride in their sexuality and/ or gender. This also allows people outside of the community to pay attention and discover more about the LGBTQ+ community. “People in the community can celebrate themselves without having to be quiet,” said
Anne Hiles, the president for Green River College’s Queer and Allies club. “We can be who we are for everyone to see.” Pride Month is important for those in the community because they have a month where they are being recognized and they can feel empowered. Having a month dedicated to the community gives people a voice when they feel that they do not have one normally. An important part of Pride Month is acceptance. Nobody should be excluded because of their sexuality or gender. And while there are people who are not a part of the community who do not appreciate those different from them, the LGBTQ+ community is full of many accepting people who understand what it is like to feel alone or to be ostracized. Pride Month creates a space in time for those in the community to truly feel welcomed and appreciated by those outside of the community. It is also a great teaching time for people those outside the community to learn more about the different sexualities and genders that make up the community. Pride Month holds importance to those in the LGBTQ+ community because it allows them to truly express themselves in a time dedicated to them.
Photo by pxhere
10 June 5, 2019
opinion
thecurrent
Dakota Farnsworth | Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Raise in Legal Tobacco Age Causes Student Complaints Pixabay
By: Dalamari Holman Staff Writer
Starting January of 2020, the increase in age of those who can buy tobacco and vaper product will rise to 21, affecting businesses and consumers. Many tobacco companies have always tried to target young adults, so this will decrease their ability to do so. The market for these smoking products will tank because people under 18 are currently asking other friends that are of legal age. Others ask their peers to buy these products since they cannot themselves. However, if the age increases to 21, those friends would no longer be able to do so, making it harder for kids to obtain these products. “I am an adult, I pay bills, I should be able to buy and smoke whatever I want and if it affects my health or any other aspect of my life then that is on me. I do not think that is anyone else’s business,”
- Mya Mitchel
Those who are 21 and above usually would not buy kids any of these products, which is why 21 is a better age rather than 18. After talking to a group of six different students on campus, there are some that do smoke and others that do not. Across the campus, there are many different views on this new law that will be in effect next year. “I do not care about the new smoking laws, they do not affect me in any way because I do not smoke,” said Tommy Johnson. “I mean, sometimes I buy cigarettes or swishers and things like that for my friends, but I never really cared for them doing any of that stuff. I guess I would feel a little better since I am not helping them with bad habits anymore.” Green River student Sophie Smith stated that they would “smoke regardless” because they are already under 18 and they just “find other people to buy the products for them”. The only thing that was of concern for this student was that they would have to find people old enough to buy the products for them. This student was used to asking friends but that would not be possible anymore.
“I’m 20 and I turn 21 in July, I can care less if you have to be 21 to buy tobacco products because I will be of age and the age increase will not be any problem for me,” said Michael Shaifer. “I guess it would be good for people under 21 to have a harder time gaining access to this stuff because it would be better for them in the long run.” William Davis said that they have “always been against smoking for people of any age.” “My grandparents would smoke all the time and it eventually affected my grandfather as he started to get sick,” he said. “and I think if it was not for him smoking he would be completely fine, but we’ll never know that because he smoked.” “I am 18 and I smoke vapes, so if the age limit increases to 21 I won’t be able to buy my vapes and liquids myself anymore,” said Mya Mitchel, a student at Green River. “I have friends that are 21. I guess I will just ask them, but it sucks because I really do not want to have to do that.” “I am an adult, I pay bills, I should be able to buy and smoke whatever I want and if it affects my health or any other aspect of my life then that is on me. I do not think that is anyone else’s business,” Mitchel said.
“My
grandparents would smoke all the time and it eventually affected my grandfather as he started to get sick,”
- William Davis
Tre Davis stated that they think that the new smoking laws are “stupid because it should be no one else’s concern for what someone else decides to do.” He said that it was their body, if they want to smoke they should be able to do so. He said that if they want to drink they should be able to do so, along with anything that person wants to do that is not harming anyone else. “I personally don’t smoke, but it is not my business if someone else does.” This new law might make many people unhappy, but it is a stepping stone to ensure the reduction of unhealthy habits and behaviors in younger audiences.
Public Domain Pictures
Christina Praggastis | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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thecurrent
11 June 5, 2019
Different Places To Go Fishing Around Green River College The Hiking Trails
Satchit Dahal | The Current
A beautiful spring sunset is visible over a river near Green River that people like to fish from, taken by Satchit Dahal.
By: Satchit Dahal Staff Writer
Pixabay
The area surrounding Green River College is a great place to go fishing during the summer. A fisherman might be seen equipped with a fishing rod, some bait and maybe even a boat, but what hides in plain sight is their plethora of patience. There are several things you need in order to go fishing: fishing rod, bait, hook, net, and patience. “Patience is definitely a requirement for fishing,” said Jennifer Gile, a student at Green River College who adopted fishing as a hobby. “You’re sitting around the table with everyone and you are eating what you earned and what you have actually worked to get,” added Gile.
Knowing which exact location to settle down to fish from is knowledge that comes with experience. Even though taking a boat in the middle of the river or lake and catching a few trout sounds easy, doing so is another matter entirely. Not only is fishing a very difficult skill to learn and do well at, it is prohibited during all seasons except summer. According to an online forum called “gamefishing,” some of the best areas to go fishing include the Kent golf course area, Soos Creek Salmon Hatchery, Neeley Bridge, Flaming Geyser State Park, Palmer Kanasket Steelhead Hatchery, and many more trails. The easy access roads to these sites and their high population of fish, rank these areas as the best.
However, no matter how good a fishing site is, the rules and regulations must be followed, otherwise fishing will be prohibited there. There are signs, boards, and pamphlets around fishing sites to make visitors aware of these rules and regulations and also of the consequences if they are not followed. There are rules concerning the limit per-person and types of fish that are “catch-and-release” that people need to abide by while fishing in these areas. Fish such as the steelhead, chinook, dolly varden, bull trout, green sturgeon and rockfish are required to be released into the water upon catching unless otherwise posted on signs and boards. According to an informational website called, “takemefishing,” the cutthroat trout might be the most commonly found species in the Green River. Insects and flies are used as bait for these fish and the catching limit for them is a maximum of two-fish per day. The daily limit for coho salmon is a maximum of six with a three adult bag limit, and the daily limit for salmon is two. Fishing is a pleasant hobby for many people, and for any college students who are fishermen, they can find some great catches at any of the water areas surrounding Green River College.
Graduating Students Debate Playing Sports at Universities By: Ryan Childress Staff Writer Sports bring students together as well as promotes good health and would benefit many student athletes if they continued their sport into college. In today’s world, it can be hard to balance the craziness that achieving an education can bring, friendships and occasionally a job. To make a student’s load even more grueling, many Green River students are athletes. To non-student athletes, this workload may seem crazy and unachievable, but these students have explained why they continue to work through the large amount of extra-curricular activities. To some student athletes, the first and foremost reason to be an athlete on top of being a student is that it helps them maintain friendships that could last forever. In a world dominated by screens it is hard to have face-to-face interactions with one another, finding a meeting time that works in between your part-time job and class is even harder. Ronan Klancher, a student at Green River College, said, “…it’s all about having fun and meeting up with friends.”
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Auburn Senior High School’s football field on a nice bright, sunny day with a gathering crowd ready to watch the game. Klancher plays on the Green River College’s baseball team and comments that he has made lots of friends since he joined. Klancher is not the only student who has made friends by being a part of a team, something bigger than school sports. Xavier Bendorf has made many friends through his sports of cross country and the track team. The main reason that Bendorf competes is to achieve his goal. When asked about whether he would do sports in college and why they are important, Bendorf said, “Yes, [people] should do sports in college, but at the same time it depends on the person.” He added, “The reason why I think you should do sports in college is one, you get to compete at the college level and two, you get to achieve a goal that you wanted.”
To Bendorf, playing sports is not just about making friends, but is also about bettering oneself and reaching self-set goals one wants to succeed in their future. Goals and friendship are both amazing reasons why student athletes participate in sports, but there is one more underlying reason as to why they’re amazing. There is a huge health benefit from playing sports. When you go outside and run with your teammates for 30 minutes and then pump iron with them to boost your hitting power, you are getting your blood pumping and strengthening your muscles, which sculptes your whole body into better shape. Athletes know when they have bonded when they see their teammates limits and then see them push past it because they are there to help and support them.
Student athletes who bond with their teammates also have a potential study buddy. How could one better spend their time than shooting 100 layups and then heading back over to a teammate’s dorm to study for that midterm in biology. One does not have to be the best athlete to play a sport, but if someone wanted to play and learn then they would find that their teammates will always have their back. Coaches are sometimes seen as a second parent for athletes; players can confide and look up to these positive role models in their lives that are there to make them the best version of themselves. With the end of school approaching fast, it is the perfect time to sign up for summer leagues or fall teams to continue the awesome experience of playing a sport and working with a great team.
Around Green River College
Connor O’Boyle | The Current
By: Dalamari Holman Staff Writer There are many hiking trails right in Green River College’s backyard that many individuals do not know about. People who enjoy going on a good trail can get to a trail within a few minutes after class or before, that is how close these trails are to the Green River College campus. There are 11 trails in total that can be accessed from Green River. The trails are Foundation, Tie-Thru, Able Loop, Katies, River Loop, Multi-Use, Fenceline, Brush Patch, Sewer Line, West Pond, and Dead Horse Canyon. “Me and my friends heard that there was a trail that lead all the way down to the Green River, so on a spur of the moment we decided to go check it out,” said Ethan Smith, a student at Green River College. “We went and it was super fun, it was honestly a very nice experience.” After viewing a Snapchat of some friends heading down a trail, some other people wanted to join along and have some fun. “We saw a Snapchat of a trail that lead down to the river from our friend Ethan, so we wanted to go to,” said Ericka Johnson. “When we went, we took blankets and snacks and just had an outing in the woods, it was probably the most fun we’ve had in a while.” It would be nice to spread the word about these trails so more students can experience the fun Smith and Johnson’s friends had. There is a website called Alltrails. com where you can see a map of Green River and all the trails there are. The website tells you how long the trails are in miles as well as what trails link up together, which can be very helpful. This website information can be very useful to students and non-students since the trails can be of use to anyone. During summer these trails can be fun with a group of friends. The trails difficulty is entry level, so for someone who has never been hiking before this would be a nice first experience. With summer approaching, these hiking trails could be a great outdoor activity for friends to get together and endeavor together.
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