The Torch // Volume 54 // Edition 6

THE

TORCH - JAN 16, 2019 - VOLUME 54, EDITION 6 - EUGENE, OR -

LCC news / pg 2

Editorial / pg 6

Sports / pg 8

Dancing in the dark El Salvadoran national brings dance and music to Northwest Trayse Riggle Reporter With the extreme amount of clouds this time of year brings to Eugene, gloom inevitably follows. The team at Salseros Dance Company attempt to spice things up through dance.

Founder of Salseros Dance Company, Jose Cruz, originally from El Salvador, has been dancing since the age of 12. He founded Salseros in Eugene and he and his team expose locals to South American culture through dance and music.

Cruz also plays piano for a local band, Descarga 54. The band comes to the studio the first Friday of every month for an intimate presentation of salsa music.

Lane Community College student, Paula Tomczak, was the head instructor for the first Salsa Friday of January. She started the night off with an hour of beginner salsa training for a group of roughly 30 people with ages varying from early teens to late sixties. Attendees seemed overjoyed by the evening.

Along with the Salsa Friday, Cruz started the annual Eugene Salsa Festival back in 2014. The sixth annual festival is taking place next month. Those interested in experiencing the culture for themselves can join the team this February for the upcoming festival. photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

Liandy Jimenez Otero and Mike James Calvez Jackson, members of Descarga 54, an 11-piece salsa band based in Eugene, performed Friday Jan. 11 at Salseros Dance Studio. They perform the first Friday of each month at the weekly salsa night held above the Eugene’s Veterans Building.

New president to pick up the pieces Keough takes stage following last year’s conflicts Sabrina Piccolo News Director Nick Keough began this term as the student government’s new president after a tumultuous couple of months that concluded 2018 for the Associated Students of Lane Community College. Keough enters the arena after former president Keely Blyleven’s resignation at the end of last year. Tensions between student government members rose last October and November, leading to impeachment threats and resignations. Keough now faces the challenge of moving ASLCC forward after the arduous events of last term and the new makeup of the student government.

Keough, who began his work in student government as an intern for the Oregon Student Association, made the sudden transition from president pro tempore of the Senate to vice president when former Vice President Dan Good abruptly resigned in October. Good’s resignation followed rising unease amid members of ASLCC regarding the behavior of Senator Diego Wilson.

In a meeting on Oct. 25, Good argued that Wilson violated ASLCC’s constitution and bylaws with his blatant “misogyny, sexual discrimination, emotional and verbal abuse and ableism.” According to Good, Wilson repeatedly misgendered individuals, interrupted fellow ASLCC members and was dismissive of mental health disabilities.

Good and Blyleven proposed the the impeachment of Wilson due to complaints from the student body, including documents from LCC students that remain anonymous, and concerns from other members of ASLCC that Wilson, according to Good, “has consistently made spaces feel unsafe through his attitudes and actions.”

Good resigned mid-meeting after Wilson dodged impeachment, leaving Keough next in line for vice president.

Amid the turmoil, Blyleven faced impeachment threats from a senator who wished to remain anonymous. The day before winter term of 2019, Blyleven officially resigned as president. Keough was next in line for president.

According to Blyleven, she had began discussing her resignation with Keough soon after Wilson was failed to be impeached.

This unsuccessful impeachment combined with the tension and harassment she experienced in the student government in 2018 led her to resign, Blyleven said. According to continued on page 3

continued on page 7

The Torch’s official study-place guide James Croxton Reporter Here at The Torch, we want to do our part in aiding the success of LCC's students and have created this official off-campus study-place guide in an effort to do so. Now, we all have to study. There's no doubt about that, but not all of us can - or want - to study on campus. Thankfully, we live in a college town and there are plenty of options.

These student- and study-friendly locations were all graded out of forty points based on four criteria: Comfort Drink/food accessibility Help/tutoring Quietness Continued on page 4 are our eight picks ranked from the best to the not-as-great.

illustration by Quentin J. Piccolo / illustrator

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NEWS THE

TORCH THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THE STAFF Editor-in-Chief Marek Belka

Production Manager/Art Director Anna CK Smith

News Director Sabrina Piccolo

Copy Editor Janelle Dutton

Reporters Dylan Bennett James Croxton David Galbreath Trayse Riggle Sioux Sternath positions open

Illustrators Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence Quentin J. Piccolo Prenapa Techakumthon

Cartoonist Emmett Crass

Photojournalists Matthew Merchant Jason Petorak Selina Scott Elizabeth West positions open

Business Director Jason Petorak positions open

Multimedia Evan Curby Zach Lyons positions open

Web Designer Ian Kersey

News Advisor Charlie Deitz

Printer Oregon Web Press Albany, Oregon

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POLICY • The Torch is editorially independent and reserves the right to publish at its discretion.

All web and print content is the property of the Torch and cannot be republished without editorial permission.

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Food Service cut again, again Elimination of department possible James Croxton Reporter The signs posted on the first floor of the Center Building state that the school has once again shortened food service hours, much to the dismay of students and staff. Food service workers especially.

There is no longer anything available - other than the Titan Store - after 3 p.m. There, students can get only a

photo by Evan Curby / multimedia

What was once Stonefire Pizza, admired for its specialty pizza and subs, remains vacant in the corner of Lane’s food court.

handful of items to eat that aren’t prepackaged.

While this may itself seem alarming enough, it’s not.

Currently, there is a sustained effort by the administration to shut down Food Services, the Titan Store and the Bookstore entirely.

For those that don’t know the history and those that weren’t on campus when the food court was introduced, in a Torch article from Oct. 9, 2014 it was highlighted that “the college is transforming the high school style cafeteria into something more upmarket.” Nearly a year later, in June 2015, The Torch published an updated article, this time naming the restaurants that would occupy the food court: Lime Fresh, B&D’s Country Kitchen, Raw Berry, Five Spice, Stonefire Pizza, Crush Burger (now Campus Burger), and the upstairs coffee shop, Blenders. Now, only three remain with the more recent addition of New Leaf.

According to LCC Food Services Manager David Ferris, the reasoning for these cuts, and possible closure, is money.

“LCC Food Services has been operating in the red for the past five years,” Ferris said. The figures are consistent and the department has been losing an average of roughly $447,000 annually over the last five years. For 2018 alone, the department took in $731,409, but, after covering its operating expenses, had a loss of $496,796.

Current Food Service projections for 2019 include an estimated sales revenue of $550,000 and an overall loss of $525,000 after operating costs. However, while there is no doubt that they will once again be in the red, the current Food Service team refutes these figures as overinflated.

This is not the first time that major cuts have taken place in an effort to be “less of a financial burden upon the general fund,” as Ferris put it. The first major cuts to the Food Service department occured in 2016. Then manager of Stonefire, Josh Hardison, said that “we’re trying to run a profitable business here so if we are not seeing sales at the later hours, they’re just going to cut us off at those later hours.”

Many argue that Food Service is exactly that: a service.

David Ferris said “It’s not their job to be profitable. It’s their job to feed students and faculty is the response often given when those are asked about how their feelings about what’s going on.” The team behind Food Service is in agreement with this. Ferris said “it’s in the name” and “it’s even in the mission statement - ‘we provide comprehensive, accessible, quality, learning-centered educational opportunities that promote student success’ - ‘accessible’.”

Speaking to the board members present during the January 2019 Board meeting–President Margaret Hamilton, Lisa Fragala, Susie Johnston, Matt Keating, Melanie Muenzer, Rosie Pryor, and the school’s legal counsel–many expressed their opposition to, and concern with, the threats of department cuts.

Bruce Barber, a cook often seen at Campus Burger, stood in solidarity with his coworkers in the Food Service department and their asking of one more year to organize, make its own changes, and, hopefully, show more improvement from before.

The board currently has until June 30 to decide what will happen.

Former ASLCC Vice President, Dan Good, got up and expressed that “if not for food service, I would not have had a job for the first two years of my time here [at LCC].” He continued by adding that the proposed cuts “isn’t going to do anything to actually help enrollment” and that LCC “will lose happy students.”

The school has lost students. Enrollment for this Winter 2019 term is around 7,000 students and is down from this time last year, according to a KMTR report. One of those former students, Victoria Richards, said that “it’s unreasonable that they’re cutting a program we already pay for” and that “cutting the programs affects the culinary students too.” Another former student, Connor Miller, said that “having a food court with good options was sometimes the only way to eat” and asked if “certain fees drop if the food court is removed?”

Anybody concerned about the state of Food Services and those who would like to comment are asked to attend the next board meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14 in the boardroom inside Building 3.

EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST OF A THREE-PART SERIES EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF BUDGET CUTS ON THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF AT LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. CHECK OUT EDITION 7 FOR A REPORT ON THE TITAN STORE.

CONTACT theTorch Lane Community Collegte 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene OR 97405 (541)463-5655 @lcctorch @thetorchnews Emails: editor@lcctorch.com letters@lcctorch.com advertising@lcctorch.copm tips@lcctorch.com

photo by Evan Curby / multimedia

Tim Hannigan takes the helm of Lime Fresh, a popular place to get food on campus.

Lime Fresh is one of the last remaining food options for students at Lane Community College.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

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NEWS Meeting students’ needs

... continued from front page

New president to pick up the pieces

the former ASLCC president, even LCC’s President Margaret Hamilton and the college both failed to support her. Hamilton “refused my request to meet,” instead directing her to Vice President Paul Jarrell, and the college chose not to act upon her filed complaint for harassment and discrimination, she said. Blyleven views the events of 2018 as opportunities for self-growth, but admitted that her mental health and wellbeing took a toll due to these experiences.

“It was not a sustainable situation for my success as a student,” she said, “With all the stress, my anxiety disorder worsened and unfortunately turned into depression. I had a mental health crisis and did poorly in my classes because of it.”

Further commenting on her resignation, Blyleven added, “It is in my best interest to focus on my schoolwork rather than put all my effort into something that did not support and value me.”

Blyleven hopes to continue being a resource for ASLCC, and has confidence in Keough’s capability to be an effective leader.

“I have high hopes for Nick,” the former ASLCC president said, “and trust he will do

illustration by Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence / illustrator

great things for students with the rest of the year.”

Keough was unable to respond with details about his plans for his term as president by time of production.

It remains unclear what goals Keough has for ASLCC this year and when the next student government meeting will be.

Donations keep students warm and full during winter term Sioux Sternath Reporter As the winter chill blows in, it’s warming to know that The No-Cash Clothing Stash has students covered with their recent coat drive.

Run by the Associated Students of Lane Community College, the Clothing Stash is located in the basement of the Center building. LCC students, faculty and their families are welcome to pick through the racks of clothes and take home up to five items per week. New coordinator Amanda Blaeuer said that as she was learning the ropes in her new position, she met John Brakebill, “the creative brain that got the coat drive going last year.”

Blaeuer and Brakebill collaborated on ideas to make the service the best it could be.

Both ASLCC President Nick Keough and former president Keely Blyleven expanded the idea to include buckets placed around the school. LCC students were encouraged to donate their coats, hats, sweaters, gloves and other warm clothing to less-fortunate students. In addition, ASLCC has expanded the Clothing Stash to include a wider variety of items, including makeup and menstrual products, to address students’ needs.

No-cost clothing is only one resource for students who need help getting through the winter. The Rainy Day Food Pantry allows students to take home a box of food every week. Since many students rely on the food pantry to supplement their grocery shopping, the food pantry is being currently overhauled by the ASLCC to increase refrigerator space and fresh food options.

Both the No-Cash Clothing Stash and the Rainy Day Food Pantry are currently operating on seasonal hours, but they plan on posting their new hours by the start of week three on ASLCC’s Facebook page. illustration by Quentin J. Piccolo / illustrator

Everyone deserves warmth LCC provides center for cold winter nights Dylan Bennett Reporter For individuals who have suffered from difficult times and have lost their homes, the winter season can be unbearable.

Oregon’s homeless population has increased by 6 percent from 2017 to 2018, according to the Point-In-Time report done every year. The Point-in-Time count works to record both sheltered and unsheltered homeless people to provide a snapshot of homelessness in the United States.

The Egan Warming Center is a coalition of community members and companies that are working together to keep the homeless warm on nights where the temperature drops below 30 degrees between Nov. 15 and March 31. Lane Community College recently partnered with the Egan Warming Center to provide another location and more shuttles to and from the warming center.

The motivation for the Egan Warming Centers comes from Major Thomas Egan, who passed away at the age of 60 from hypothermia. Egan was a decorated major in the National Guard, receiving many awards throughout his military career. Egan received awards such as the Oregon Superior Unit Ribbon, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Egan retired from

the National Guard at the age of 43 after two decades of service. A vigil is held every year on Dec. 17 to honor him.

As many retired veterans do, Egan had difficulty transitioning into civilian life. Veterans often have a hard time shifting back into everyday life and holding down jobs after many years in the service. There are over 1,300 homeless veterans sleeping on the street in Eugene on any given night, according to Oregon’s Point-In-Time report. Egan’s passing will be remembered as an inspiration for both his time and what he has provoked in the community.

Oregon has tried to combat these numbers by providing drop-in centers where homeless veterans can come by and wash themselves and their clothes, take part in rehabilitative activities and take shelter during the day. There are many organizations in Oregon that help these veterans find employment, such as The Homeless Veteran Supported Employment Program, which provides job development and placement and ongoing support to improve employment outcomes.

LCC is one of the many organizations around Lane County that are a part of the Egan Warming Center coalition of volunteers. Churches, rehabilitation centers, food donation centers and transportation businesses all work together to keep homeless people safe and warm on nights when the temperature drops below freezing.

The EWC has been set up and active for a total of six days this year and will continue to operate until the end of March. The EWC relies on volunteer support and donations

illustration by Quentin J. Piccolo / illustrator

to keep the organization running, and the support continues to grow as time moves forward.

EDITOR’S NOTE: MOST OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE, AS WELL AS DETAILS ABOUT WARMING CENTER LOCATIONS AND HOURS, CAN BE FOUND ON THE EGAN WARMING CENTER WEBSITE.

Want to improve your eating or exercise habits?

Would you like to receive $175?

Young adults aged 17-20 are invited to participate in Project Health, a paid research study involving lifestyle coaching groups designed to promote healthy habits!

For more information and to see if you’re eligible, visit

www.ProjectHealthORI.com

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NEWS

The Torch’s official

... continued from front page

<33/40 Points> Townshend’s Tea House 41 W Broadway Ave, Eugene, Oregon | Open 9am - 10pm

Between the Broadway Metro independent movie theater and Starbucks Coffee in the midst

Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibility: Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

of all the hustle and bustle downtown lies this gem of a study-spot which also doubles as a

Jackson St

and lounge chairs make for a more-than-ideal situation. When not studying or doing homework,

Van Buren St

rotating art gallery. Open daily and, more importantly, closing late, Townshend’s comfy couches

you can take a break and order a tea, a kombucha or delicious munchies. What makes this

Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibilit Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

W 3rd Ave

W 4th Ave ir B Bla lvd

spot even more accomodating is that it wouldn’t be too hard to find another student or pro-

W 5th Ave Willamatte St

Olive St

Charnelton St

also a location in the EMU at the University of Oregon.

W 6th Ave

Lincoln St

Washington Ave

fessor sitting nearby that could be of some help. For those who may be dual enrolled, there’s

Comfort Drink/Fo Help/Tu Quietne

W 7th Ave

<31/40 Points> Eugene Public Library 100 W 10th Ave, Eugene, OR Monday - Thursday 10am - 8pm; Friday - Sunday 10-6 ; First Friday: 10am - 8pm

Located downtown is the Eugene Public Library. If you haven’t visited it yet, you really should.

E Broadway

It's conveniently across the street from Titan Court and the Downtown LCC campus. They will E 10th Ave

almost always have that book you’re so desperately wanting to read in stock and, more impor-

Comfort: Drink/Food Acce Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

tantly, is an excellent place to catch some study time. There are dedicated silent areas and plenty of comfortable seating. The library also hosts a variety of workshops and classes which can certainly be informative. Oh, and if you get those study-munchies, you’re within a few minutes

E 13th Ave

walk away from Townshend’s Teahouse or Sizzle Pie.

Comfo Drink/ Help/ Quiet

<31/40 Points> Public House 418 A Street, Springfield, OR Beer Hall 11am-10pm; Whisk(e)y Lab Daily 4pm-10pm; Arbor Bar Daily 4pm-10pm, open until 11pm Friday-Saturday

Located in Downtown Springfield and occupying the building that used to be the First Christian Church is Public House, a large beer hall and eatery. Inside, there is a beer hall with 20+ rotating

E1

<26/40 Points> Bier Stein 272 Van Buren St., Eugene, OR Monday - Wednesday 12pm - 9pm; Thursday - Saturday 12pm - 10pm; Sunday: 12pm - 9pm

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taps and several eateries, including a bakery, a German restaurant, a Mexican restaurant and The Bier Stein, located downtown, is another great late-closing study spot. Not only are there BBQ. You can sit wherever you want and it’ll be brought to you. Also making this spot an ideal one 30 taps and more than 1,000 bottles of beer, cider and craft sodas, there is also ample tables for studying is that it's not that loud even when busy and you can often find someone already and chairs. Conveniently, food can be ordered from your phone and brought to your table. In studying or doing homework nearby. terms of noise, it can get a little loud during the busier hours, but it’s pretty quiet otherwise.

<30/40 Points> Vero Espresso House 205 E 14th Ave, Eugene, OR | Open Daily 7am - 7pm

Fortunately, the Bier Stein is already known among many University students, so finding someone to study with is certainly a possibility.

Downtown and near campus, located in an old home, is the appropriately named Vero Espresso House. Inside there are counters you can sit at and also plenty of tables and chairs. There’s outside

<25/40 Points> 5th St. Public Market Corner of 5th and High, Eugene, OR | Most places open daily 7am - 7pm

seating, too! Plenty of coffee and tea choices are on the menu to choose from for that caffeine The 5th St. Public Market is a great place to drop in, grab a quick bite from one of the fix. College students have already claimed this spot, so help won’t be too far away. many eateries - ranging from Greek to burgers - located inside the indoor courtyard and get some studying done. There are plenty of tables and chairs to be found inside and it’s hardly ever loud. However, while it has all of these accommodations, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone around to help or study with.

A St

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NEWS

l study-place guide

<24/40 Points> Elk Horn Brewery 686 E Broadway St., Eugene, OR | Monday 11am - 9pm; Tuesday - Thursday 11am - 10pm; Friday 11am11pm; Saturday 9am - 11pm; Sunday 9am - 9pm

Just down the street from the University of Oregon is Elk Horn Brewery, a known college student-friendly spot. They've got a wide selection of beers and ciders on tap, and a decent

ty:

amount of southern-themed items on the menu - such as the huge Bavarian Pretzel, a favorite Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibility: Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

among many. Making this place even more appealing to students is their popular “student deal” - a burger and a beer for $9.95, or a burger and a cider for $11.95. When there isn't a major

High St

Pearl St

sports game on, it's pretty quiet and can be a good spot to get some studying done whether sitting inside or outside on the patio.

t: ood Accessibility: utoring: ess:

<21/40 Points> Elevation Bouldering Gym

Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibility: Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

348 Lincoln Street, Eugene, OR | Daily 9 am - 11 pm

Need to get a fun workout in and some studying? Look no further than purchasing a Day

Hilyard St

essibility:

Pass - $13 for students, $15 for adults - to the Elevation Bouldering Gym off of Lincoln Street.

Better yet, if you find that it’s a good fit for you, there are monthly passes available for $65.

There, you can visit many of the amenities they have to offer, including more than 9,000 square

Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibility: Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

feet of climbing terrain, a separate fitness area, coffee, shower rooms and, most importantly for us students, there is an upstairs lounge to study at. One Yelp reviewer commented that this area is especially “fabulous” and that “you're likely to see someone on a laptop at a table.”

ort: /Food Accessibility: /Tutoring: tness:

<20/40 Points> Ninkasi Brewing Tasting Room

16th Ave

272 Van Buren St., Eugene, OR | Monday - Wednesday 12pm - 9pm; Thursday - Saturday 12pm - 10pm; Sunday: 12pm - 9pm

Springfield

Whenever one hears of Ninkasi Brewing, they picture Eugene. Their Total Domination IPA has

Comfort: Drink/Food Accessibility: Help/Tutoring: Quietness:

become a hit nationwide and can be found in almost every beer-carrying store you can think of.

FREE event for all students! Learn about campus and community services, such as:

Open relatively late hours daily, this mainly outdoor venue can be a refreshing place to catch up on some work. Food can also be ordered from nearby restaurants.

4th St

Pioneer Pkwy E

• Scholarships

illustration by Anna CK Smith / Production Manager

• Centro Latino Americano

• Health Clinic

• Cooperative Education

• Library

• Counseling

• Financial Aid

• Dental Clinic

• First Year

Experience

• Tutoring

• TRiO/TRiO STEM

Win

e z i r p

y o j n s, e

• Food for Lane County

nd more! a s k c a n s free

Wednesday, Jan 23 FREE event for all students! Learn about

11:00am - 2:00pm Center bldg. 2nd Floor

campus and community services, such as:STEM Hosted by First Year Experience, Financial Aid, TRiO and TRiO

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

EDITORIAL On border walls, shutdowns and mental health After 10,000 years, it’s still us against them Marek Belka Editor-in-Chief Originally, this editorial was supposed to be about Donald Trump and the ongoing battle over the government shutdown and his long-promised border wall. After Trump’s nationally-televised address from the Oval Office on Tuesday, a temper-tantrum in a meeting with Congressional leaders on Wednesday and a tasteless public relations stunt in Texas on Thursday, I knew I had plenty of material to work with.

So, in the early hours of a chilly Friday morning, not long after the drunks came home to roost, I began to draft a scathing condemnation of the 45th president.

I described him as a petulant child and an incompetent fascist. I noted that his refusal to reopen the federal government was putting families on food and housing welfare programs at risk of losing their benefits. I highlighted the 800,000 federal workers–over a third of which are veterans, according to the Office of Personnel Management–who are furloughed or working without pay and the thousands of government contractors who will never get paid for their lost hours. I wrote with horror that the Food and Drug Administration was suspending inspections of foodprocessing facilities, putting everyone at increased risk of being poisoned by our food. I furiously typed sentence after sentence about the blatant stoking of racial fears in his address to the nation–he described would-be asylum seekers as “vicious coyotes” and claimed that Black and Latinx communities are particularly vulnerable and threatened by undocumented immigrants.

My fingers–illuminated only by the glow of my laptop screen and the Christmas lights I still haven’t taken off my porch–trembled as I admitted my deep, existential fear that Trump would give two tiny middle fingers to Congress and declare a national emergency to build his stupid wall,

finally succumbing to his worst authoritarian impulses.

Of course, that was the original plan. But, by the end of that Friday–after a hellish first week of classes, little restful sleep and no less than three different conversations about the true meaning of stress dreams–I realized an important truth.

I’m tired.

future to waste on the neutered nihilism I picked up as a teenager and continue to lug around with me. I love people too deeply to be this distrusting and cynical. I’m reminded of a line from a song that I once scrawled on a bathroom wall in thick black permanent marker: “Cynicism isn’t wisdom, it’s a lazy way to say that you’ve been burned.”

I know I’m not alone. We’re now in the third year of a collective American nightmare; a reality suddenly and inexplicably distorted in a funhouse mirror. Creeping existential dread has evolved into a psychological horror that would make Rod Serling’s voice quiver. Our national mental health–already on shaky footing long before Trump’s Taj Mahal went bankrupt–is being rapidly eroded by a

"Depression is now an aesthetic, anxiety is haute couture, paranoia fits us like our favorite pair of jeans."

illustration by Emmett Crass / cartoonist

I’m tired of writing, hearing, talking and thinking about Donald Trump. I’m worn out from the endless parade of scandals, the televised campaign rallies, the rambling speeches and the abhorrent, racial fear-mongering. I’m bored of Robert Mueller and his investigation, of Russia and Vladimir Putin’s electioneering, of tepid and spineless opposition from Democrats that somehow still believe they can achieve some sort of compromise with an unhinged con artist with fascist sympathies.

I am so, so sick of Twitter.

I’m too young to feel this jaded. I’ve got too much of a

firehose of poorly-written tweets, executive orders and televised partisan bickering. Depression is now an aesthetic, anxiety is haute couture, paranoia fits us like our favorite pair of jeans.

We’re so desensitized to mental and emotional turmoil that schools aren’t even sending students home after shootings anymore–as Cascade Middle School here in Eugene demonstrated just last week. After all, one in 13 Americans will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their lives, so why not give the kids a head start on their mental illnesses?

There’s hope, though. There’s always hope that this nightmare, like all nightmares, will soon come to an end.

We’ll wake up suddenly, drenched in sweat, heart pounding, bloodshot eyes stung by the cold inside our room. Dazed, we’ll sit up, wait for our eyes to adjust to the darkness and take stock of our surroundings. If we’re lucky, the person next to us in bed will pull us in close and whisper something calming in our ears: It was just a bad dream, it wasn’t real, nightmares can’t hurt us.

This one felt so real, though.

Eugene leads state in hate crimes Broader hate crime categories may have influenced results Dylan Bennett Reporter The Federal Bureau of Investigation classifies any crime against a specific group of people with obvious bias as a hate crime. While this definition of a hate crime has been the same for many years, as communities grow and become more diverse, so do the type of hate crimes.

Hate crimes have been occurring since as early as the first World War and most are no different today than they were so many years ago. Task forces, outreach groups and laws have all been put into place to combat these hate crimes and the federal government works every day to control this issue.

At the start of every year, the FBI releases a report compiling hate crimes in every reporting district. Oregon reported having a total of 146 “biased-motivated” crimes in 2018, up from 104 reported in 2017. Eugene recorded the highest number of hate crimes in the state, being responsible for 72 of the 146. Portland had the second-highest hate crime count, with 18 reported hate crimes.

Most victims of hate crimes in Oregon were targeted because of their race. 84 incidents, over half of all reported hate crimes last years, were motivated by racial bias or hatred.

There were also 29 hate crimes motivated by religious reasons and 24 because of sexual orientation. The number of hate crimes has spiked in the last three years–even though the overall violent crime has fallen in America. According to The Washington Post, hate crimes rose by 17 percent in 2017.

Not only has the number of reported incidents risen in previous years, the classification as to what exactly is considered a hate crime has also become more inclusive. The number of racial crimes rose by 18 percent and religiously-motivated crimes rose by 22% between 2016 and 2017. Though many people have attributed the rise in hate crimes to an increase in radical partisan politics, law enforcement agencies have also began to include more groups into their definition of hate crimes. Most recently, law enforcement agencies included sexual orientation as its own category, ras the LGBTQ+ community has become more visible in American society. illustration by Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence / illustrator

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FEATURES ... continued from front page

Dancing in the dark

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

Instructor Paula Tomczak, registered nurse and part of Lane’s Health Professionals department, demonstrates a salsa position for a group of beginners during Friday’s salsa night at Salseros Dance Company.

Raul Smith, trombonist, plays to a crowd of roughly 30 beginner and intermediate salsa dancers. Participants were encouraged to dance with a someone they didn’t come with and switch partners while learning the basics a of salsa in preparation for the highlight of the night, Descarga 54, a latin dance music band.

Laundry spins punk funk Local band puts fans through the spin cycle Trayse Riggle Reporter They told me about this band, Laundry. They failed to mention their music would take control of me and force me to dance my way through the night.

It was a Saturday evening and I was anxiously waiting for my time at work to come to a conclusion so I could head to the show. Once the clock struck 9 p.m. and work began to slow down, I started my usual closing routine of begging my manager to let me leave.

After about the third or fourth round of begging, my manager gave in and I immediately sent my roommate (who was at the show) a text asking how it was going. He responded by saying, “Pretty packed but cool as hell.” Exactly the response I needed.

I could hear the self-described “groovy and smiley music” from my parking place a block away and saw the crowd of people immediately. As I made my way toward the small, unassuming High Street house the music got louder and louder.

And that’s when the magic happened.

My walk morphed into dance, my brain was taken over by their funky bassline and Red Hot Chili Pepperesque sound, and their vibe connected with me on more than a musical level.

Turns out my roommate was right, the show was “pretty packed,” and definitely “cool as hell.”

Laundry is made up of four musically-inclined college students with Riley Somers playing guitar, Kiki Paroissien-arc also on guitar, Cal Fenner strumming the bass, and Nik Barber banging the drums. The members all attend the University of Oregon and are currently trying to balance their evolution as a band with studying for their various college courses.

The four of them met in the laundry room of Spiller Dorms, hence the name. They formed in September 2018 and have played around 70 house shows since.

The group has also gone on two tours, both of which took them to Portland and back down through California.

Naturally, being a part of a young band has some difficulties.

photo provided by Marissa Willke

Laundry members Riley Somers and Cal Fenner belt out lyrics at local house show.

photo provided by Kevin Burleigh

Laundry guitarist Kiki Paroissien-arc shreds guitar at house show.

While they spend several hours a week studying for classes and working, they also manage to fit in time to practice and create new music.

Though the creation of music can be very time-consuming, small-scale bands like Laundry rarely earn a significant income.The members of this particular band, however, don’t seem to be overly concerned with making a profit.

“With the houseshows that's not really why you do it at all,” Somers said.

“It's one of the most fun things we do in life right now,” Barber said.

With performing being as enjoyable for them, it makes sense that they are willing to sacrifice their time without making money.

This group has honed an alternative sound that is increasing in popularity, and has been somewhat dominant in the local Eugene college scene.

While the group is often compared to The Strokes and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, they consider themselves to be more of a “funk punk” band.

“Funk punk is a very specific 80s genre much more hardcore than we are, which is not what we are at all. We just kinda made it up and stuck with it,” Kiki said.

They don’t seem to be too concerned about genre Fenner explaining that “funk punk is more of a mindset than a genre.”

They got the opportunity to open a show for Mild High Club, and with them being a relatively popular band the experience was somewhat surreal for Laundry.

“We’ve looked up to Mild High Club for so long and it was just weird to actually meet someone who’s influenced you in such a direct way,” Somers said.

With Laundry’s return from their second tour, the group plans on making more music for people to connect to in 2019. Keep your eyes and ears out for this local band and get ready for some new music. The group will be playing live on nearly a weekly basis. For more information on their tours, you can visit their instagram and/or facebook. You can also find their first album,“The Quandary”, on spotify, band camp and more.

8

stories that matter

theTorch // www.lcctorch.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

SPORTS Lane unshaken in neck-andneck games Men’s basketball has shown stability under new coach David Galbreath Reporter The Titan men beat the Portland Panthers on Jan. 12 at Titan Court, giving the Titans a conference record of 4-1. Lane is entering a crucial part of the season to establish a spot in the postseason. Overall, Lane is 14-2, proving themselves as top competition in the region.

Portland played strong against Lane but came up short on offense. Lane made 51.3 percent of their field goals to Portland’s 43.2.

The team was led by shooting guard Lucas Wilson with 25 points, making 10-11 field goals, and shooting guard Tarik Cool’s 23 points. Cool is carrying an average of 25.4 points per game and has the fourth most points in the region with 356 on the season.

Portland was able to out-rebound Lane 43-37 and took 37 free throw attempts.

Ultimately, Lane stood strong and outscored their opponents 111-99.

The season is getting heated as teams are playing conference rivals and sorting out the playoff bracket. The Titans are in position to make a playoff run. Currently Lane is third in the Southern Division and as long as they can stay in the top four, they will make it into the playoffs.

“We’ve just got to do what we do in games, and business will take care of itself,” shooting guard Will Graves said. Graves said the team is sticking to the “day-by-day” mentality to make it to the playoffs.

This time last season, the Titans were 4-12 overall. Playoff hopes were dismal as Lane was in last place.

But something is different this year.

Among many roster changes, new head coach Joe White has begun building a winning culture.

“We have to continue to get better at

photo by Elizabeth West / photojournalist

Portland Panthers’ forward Nautica McMurry struggles to score during a devastating first half on January 12th. The Titans earned their 16th win by demolishing Portland by an impressive final score of 96 to 38

Making it look easy Women’s basketball defeats Portland, placing first in the conference photo by Elizabeth West / photojournalist

Freshman Titan Cody Mathis outstretches Portland’s Tabor Bosco during the opening tip-off of their matchup on Jan. 12. The Titan men have exceeded preseason expectations, notching a 14-2 record heading into conference play.

what we feel is going to give us an opportunity to win a conference championship,” White said, looking forward to the March 17 NWAC championship.

There is a one game margin for first place between five teams in the Southern Standings. Lane’s next 12 games will be against Southern Conference rivals. The next game will be against Mt. Hood, who lost their last three games, on Jan. 19 at Titan Court.

photo by Elizabeth West / photojournalist

Lucas Wilson soars past the competition on his way to another slam dunk.

The Portland Panthers struggled to block the 6’5” powerhouse, who recorded a season-high 25 points and 9 rebounds in the Titans’ victory over the Panthers.

David Galbreath Reporter While most of the Lane community were on winter break, the women’s basketball team defeated their competition earning a 16-1 overall record. Lane hosted the Portland Panthers Jan. 12 and did not show mercy with their conference rivals.

It didn’t take long for Lane to take a commanding lead.

Starting guard/forward Megan Fossen drained two three-pointers to begin the game.

Lane outplayed their opponents in every mechanic of the game. By the end of the first period, the Titans were up 32-3.

The onslaught did not slow down throughout the game. Lane held a 20 point lead the entire game. The Titans connected on 49.4 percent of their shots to the Panthers’ 26.2 percent.

Lane won 96-38.

“It’s not just one person,” guard Emma Jones said. “The team has a positive mindset, we see ourselves winning the NWAC.” “Our team has a common goal of wanting to win a championship, and having the same mindset and effort is what puts our team above,” Fossen said. Fossen ended the game with 18 points, and 6 rebounds.

The Titans are currently averaging 85.6 points per game, the highest in the league.

This is nothing new for Head Coach/Athletic Director Greg Sheley. By the end of last season, Sheley had 635 wins since 1999.

“Our confidence is pretty high, but it’s a guarded confidence. This Saturday will be a tougher game,” Sheley said. Sheley gives all credit of the success this season to the quality group of women the coaching staff was able to recruit.

Lane will have a chance to prove their superiority over division rivals, Mt. Hood, on Jan. 19 at Titan Court. Mt. Hood is currently ranked behind Lane in second place.

“So far we are 16-1, and I think we can keep our winning streak going until the finals.

The plan is to take NWACs,” Fossen said.

Entering the final stretch of the season, Lane holds a 12-game win streak, the largest streak in the region. The next 12 games will be conference game, the Titans are 4-0 in conference play.

photo by Elizabeth West / photojournalist

Mya India Thomas, Titan guard, intercepts a Panther pass during the second half of their game on Jan. 12. Lane’s impenetrable defense has pushed the Titans to a 16-1 record and first place in the NWAC South region