WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 22
drag show plays its hand
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NEWS
THE WESTERN JOURNAL
345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STEPHANIE BLAIR
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NEWS EDITOR JADE RAYNER
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CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR PAIGE SCOFIELD
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ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ASHTON NEWTON journalentertainment@wou.edu
SPORTS EDITOR BURKE DE BOER
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SUBMISSIONS THE WESTERN JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned. Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words. THE WESTERN JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE WESTERN JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE WESTERN JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@ wou.edu. Submissions must be received by Monday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print. All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE WESTERN JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.
One day for one Earth Earth Day 2017 brings many free events dedicated to helping the environment By Jade Rayner News Editor The 47th annual Earth Day will be observed on April 22, 2017. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson; the idea to dedicate a day to focus on the environment was triggered by a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969, according to earthday.org. The creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts all resulted from the many rallies and protests that occurred
on Earth Day 1970. As explained on the EPA’s website, their mission is to protect human health and the environment. In order to accomplish their broad goal, the EPA works with Congress by writing regulations for any environmental laws they create. They will also assist states in making sure they meet national environmental standards when needed. This year, there are many ways that people can be active in the environment on April 22 if they choose to. A common Earth Day activity is planting trees. “Planting trees is one of the simplest and most effective ways of tackling climate change caused by greenhouse gas. As trees grow they absorb carbon dioxide
(CO2), a major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. When communities plant trees they can help to reduce the impacts of climate change in their local area and around the world,” states www.worldvision.com. The Luckiamute Watershed Council is hosting a free event to plant trees and shrubs at the Luckiamute State Natural Area in Albany alongside the Central Lions Club of Independence and Boy Scout Troupe #38. By planting native vegetation, the LWC is hoping to restore the natural area’s wetlands, which is explained in further detail on their website, http://www. luckiamutelwc.org/earthday. The Oregon Gardens in Silverton will be hosting special activities, along with free admission from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Earth Day; however, parking for the event will be $5. Locally, the Monmouth Public Library will be doing free
Earth Day themed crafts from 2-3 p.m. In addition to these events, many cities around the country will be holding a March for Science. “What began as a Reddit conversation has grown into a movement of scientists and science lovers standing up for evidenced-based policy making and inclusivity in the science community,” states www. scientificamerican.com. Corvallis will be holding its March for Science from 1-3 p.m. at the Benton County Courthouse on April 22. More details can be found on the event’s facebook page. For those looking for more ideas on how to help the environment, information can be found on www.earthday.org.
Automobile Association Foundation suggests that “distraction ‘latency’ lasts an average of 27 seconds, meaning that, even after drivers put down the phone or stop fiddling with the navigation system, drivers aren’t fully engaged with the driving task.” “During daylight hours, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cellphones while driving,” reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The regular use of cellphones has drastically increased the number of accident-related deaths. End Distracted Driving reported that since 2014, there has been a 14 percent increase in car accident fatalities, which is the largest increase in the past 53 years.
Despite laws against it, “at least every 3 hours someone in Oregon is injured by distracted driving behavior,” reports the ODOT website. As a state law, Oregon prohibits the use of cellphones while operating a vehicle; except in cases of an emergency. The fine for breaking this law is $142. Though April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, practicing safe driving habits year-round is essential to the safety of everyone on the road. To learn more about distracted driving and how to help prevent it, visit distracteddriving.gov.
Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu
Historically, Earth Day is a chance to race awareness about climate change and pollution. Rallies, environmental service projects and conferences are a just a few of the ways that those who want to be active on Earth Day participate.
Buckle up and keep your eyes ahead Rising accident rates determine that driving while distracted could be fatal By Zoë Strickland Managing Editor April is the fourth annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted driving in Oregon has been declared an “epidemic” by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Distracted driving involves driving while your attention is diverted elsewhere, and includes but is not limited to: eating or
drinking, talking or texting and using navigation devices. As society makes strides in advancing technology and things like navigation devices become more of a driving staple, the temptation to drive while otherwise engaged can become more enticing. When a person takes their eyes off of the road for a mere five seconds while driving 55 miles per hour, they travel the length of a football field without looking at the road. Though a distracted driver may only take their eyes off of the road for a short five seconds, a study done by the American
Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS
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The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu
NEWS
Respect the pack
After two issues regarding discrimination in Western’s community, it is key to know what to do By Jade Rayner News Editor In the month of April 2017, two crimes involving racism occurred on campus and off, both towards Western students. One incident, revealed in an allcampus email from President Rex Fuller, “involved a student being subjected to racist language while walking on campus.” The second incident occurred at one of the Wolfpack Village apartment complexes, where sophomore Dwightaye Spears’ apartment door was vandalized with a racist slur on April 10, according to Fox 12. “It was just a really uncomfortable experience,” Spears said in an interview
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017 with Fox 12. Crimes involving discrimination at Western aren’t common. Western’s “2016 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report” crime-statistics show that the last reported hate crimes for campus and the surrounding community within a one-block radius, were two in 2013; the report has statistics for 2013,
Police Department, or local police department where the incident has taken place, Human Resources, Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, and University Housing are just a few of the resources on campus that can take a report.” Chiles offered Western’s Student Health and Counseling Center,
(WOU’s) practices are guided by…equity and inclusion; a fundamental basis in human diversity 2014 and 2015. When asked in an interview what a student should do if they feel they have been discriminated against, Campus Public Safety director Rebecca Chiles explained that, “students can report incidents to Campus Public Safety, Office of Student Conduct, Monmouth
Abby’s House, Veteran’s Services, Multicultural Services and Programs and the Stonewall Center/Safe Zone are resources available to students if they feel they feel unsafe or discriminated against. “For students who are concerned for their safety or want to get support
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when making their way around campus or off campus, Campus Public Safety provides an on campus escort program where an officer can walk students to and from campus buildings; the Wolf Ride is another great resource for students to utilize for getting to off-campus locations,” added Chiles. In the April 11 email sent by Fuller, he reminded everyone on campus that, “(WOU’s) practices are guided by… equity and inclusion; a fundamental basis in human diversity; appreciation for the complexity of the world; and strength drawn from our variety of backgrounds, abilities, cultural experiences, identities, knowledge domains and means of expression.” Anyone with useful information regarding the above incidents are encouraged to contact the Monmouth police at 503-838-1109. Students that would like to contact Campus Public Safety, for an escort or otherwise, can call their nonemergency number 503-838-8481. Contact the author at journalnews@ wou.edu
Date: April 11, 2017 Time: 5:45 p.m. Incident: Public Safety took a report of a hit and run in Lot H.
Date: April 6, 2017 Time: 9:15 p.m. Incident: Public Safety responded to a roller skate theft in the Werner University Center.
Date: April 11, 2017 Time: 10:22 p.m. Incident: Public Safety was contacted about a mental health issue in Cedar Hall.
Date: April 7, 2017 Time: 12 p.m. Incident: Public Safety was contacted in reference to a possible harassment incident on Monmouth Avenue.
Date: April 12, 2017 Time: 8 a.m. Incident: Public Safety responded to Maple Hall due to a motor vehicle accident.
Date: April 8, 2017 Time: 6:15 p.m. Incident: Public Safety was contacted about a possible marijuana violation in Cedar Hall.
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SPORTS
Wolves go big on the road
Explosive offense leads baseball to victory
By Burke De Boer | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM
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The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Wolves baseball scored a collective 32 points against Montana State Billings
Track and field competes in California
Seven NCAA provisional marks made across two meets By Burke De Boer Sports Editor Western Oregon track and field traveled to Southern California, where the team continued to find success in the face of Division I and II competition.
Brock Pradere was batted in for the go ahead run by first-year student Connor McCord. McCord then opened up the scoring in the second game, when he hit a twoRBI double in the third inning. Saint Martin’s went on to tie the game with a home run, but Western took the lead and the win when junior Jacob Martinez scored on a throwing error in the eighth inning. With the two wins early in the week, the Wolves traveled to Montana State Billings to face the Yellowjackets. The first order of business on April 14 was finishing the March 6 game that had been halted due to weather. The Wolves held a 7-0 lead from March. First-year student Torreahno Sweet hit a two RBI double and then was batted in himself by senior Boog Leach to ensure the 10-0 win. The games against Montana State Billings continued in a similarly high
scoring fashion. The Wolves won both halves of the first day of play, with scores of 14-7 and 8-7. Going into the eighth inning of the first game, the Wolves trailed 6-7. Sweet batted in McCord to tie the game up, and a three-RBI double from Nyles Nygaard took the commanding victory. “They brought in a new pitcher and I was in the box just trying to get a good pitch to hit,” said Nygaard. “The pitcher threw two straight balls to me to bring the count to 2-0 so I knew he had to come after me. I was looking for a pitch over the plate and he gave it to me so I put my best swing on it.” Nygaard picked up another RBI in the ninth, when he batted in senior Joey Crunkilton. The second game didn’t start as planned. The Wolves went into the sixth inning trailing 2-6, but Nygaard and Crunkilton picked up two RBIs a
piece in the inning, helping to jumpstart the offense and ultimately win the game. The first game of the second day belonged to the Yellowjackets, who destroyed the Wolves by a score of 2-18. But they seemed to get all their run scoring out of their system in one go and the Wolves were back to winning ways to finish the series. The final game ended 8-3 in favor of the Wolves, who surged to the lead with two runs in the first inning. Senior Trey Smith pitched a complete game, striking out four on the way to his third win of the season. The Wolves advance to 19-9 on the season and 18-6 in conference, and currently sit on top of the GNAC standings.
Most Wolves competed in the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, where junior David Ribich broke his own school record and senior Wesley Gray grabbed Western Oregon’s one event win. A smaller group of Wolves attended the Beach Invitational hosted by Long Beach State. In Azusa on April 14, Ribich proved the fastest of all Division II competitors in the men’s 1,500-meter. His time of 3:42.21 set a new record for himself. His old time of 3:43.41 was the fastest in both Western Oregon and GNAC history. The stacked race against Division I schools put Ribich in a 17th place finish, and automatically qualified him for the NCAA championship competition. Wesley Gray won the men’s triple
jump, going a distance of 14.85 meters. The distance was a Division II provisional qualifier, one of five from the meet. The women’s 800-meter race had three Wolves post NCAA provisional marks, as sophomore Olivia Woods and juniors Suzanne Van De Grift and Megan Rose all finished in the top 10 of Division II runners. Junior AJ Holmberg posted a provisional time in the men’s 800-meter, finishing in 18th place. The following day, nearby in Long Beach, two more provisional marks were set. Olivia Woods grabbed her second of the weekend, as she ran the 800-meter in 2:12.70. First-year student Alani Troutman made the other provisional qualifier,
with a long jump mark of 7.28 meters to a 15th place finish, the best of all Wolves in Long Beach.
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Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu
Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu
Photo courtesy of MARK DREVDAHL
The baseball team went 6-1 on the week, facing Saint Martin’s and then taking a long road trip to play Montana State Billings. Western Oregon met the Saint Martin’s Saints on neutral ground in Newberg after the Monmouth home opener was once again postponed due to weather conditions. The Wolves took both games, with scores of 4-3 and 3-2. Junior Nyles Nygaard hit a homerun in the fourth inning to open Western scoring. Nygaard dinged five fouls in a row before sending the ball out of the park. Later in the inning, junior Garrett Anderson hit a single that picked up two RBIs. The Saints made a comeback in the seventh inning, but the Wolves were able to pull ahead and secure the victory in the bottom half of the inning. After he stole third base, senior
Suzane Van De Grift posted one of three provisional times of Wolves in the 400-meter
The next big step
A look at college football players going pro By Burke De Boer Sports Editor Mock drafts are often made into mockeries on draft day, which is now quickly approaching. The NFL draft begins on April 27, and college players from across the nation will look to make impacts on professional teams. Since 2000, the only defensive players ever taken number one overall have been defensive ends. This year’s draft, according to scouts and projections across the sports media world, will continue this trend.
Conventional wisdom has Texas A&M phenom Myles Garrett being taken first overall. Which some consider a career death sentence, as the first overall pick belongs to the Cleveland Browns. But Garrett’s not shying away from the challenge. He had an interview with “ESPN The Magazine” when his draft stock started blowing up where he issued a warning to the number one team in the draft. “If you don’t draft me number one, I will punish your team for the next 10 or 12 years,” said Garrett. It’s a threat that he can back up. Looking at the numbers, he ran the 40yard dash in 4.64 seconds at the NFL Combine and he leapt to a 41-inch vertical. All this while weighing 272 pounds and standing 6 feet 4 inches tall. But some people do have Garrett
being passed by on the first pick, in favor of North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky’s stock has skyrocketed, which is interesting considering he only started for one year at North Carolina. He had an explosive year, but played in a spread offense that will require him to adapt if he’s expected to play in Cleveland’s system. Two running backs are in consideration to be selected highly in the draft, which is something of a rare occurrence in this modern football era. The top of the draft tends to be reserved for the passing game, either getting it going offensively or getting after it on defense. But Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey are different beasts when it comes to rushers. Which is why some mock drafts have them going in the top 10. Both declared for the draft after
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only three years at their schools. Not only did they leave their old schools behind, they also left their teams hanging during bowl season and sat out their bowl games, as to not risk injury. Fournette rushed for over 1000 yards as a first-year student at Louisiana State and turned in an even better sophomore performance. His junior year didn’t cross the thousand-yard threshold, but he’s still projected above McCaffery. McCaffery led the nation in allpurpose yards in both of his last two years, notably breaking Barry Sanders’ record for most yards in a season. However, the Pac-12 athlete is evidently valued less than the SECraised Fournette, and McCaffery is projected lower all across the board.
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softball sees success in portland
Wolves go 3-1 in road trip to Concordia, 2-0 in Hillsboro By Burke De Boer Sports Editor
A trip to Portland saw Wolves softball win three of four games against Concordia to continue their climb up the conference ladder. After an additional double header in Hillsboro, Western Oregon extended their win streak to the current longest in the GNAC. The pair of doubleheaders opened on April 13, with a slow start for the Wolves as they lost the first matchup, 1-3. The lowest scoring match of the entire series saw Western take the lead immediately but fail to close the game. The first run came in the first inning, after sophomore Ryanne Huffman advanced to a scoring position by stealing second base. First-year student Chandler Bishop batted Huffman in to
Senior Destiny Kuehl hit 3 home runs against Concordia
take the lead. The Wolves led for five innings. Sophomore pitcher Haley Fabian had four strikeouts over this span, giving up only one walk and one hit. All three of Concordia’s runs came in the sixth inning, on a back-to-back RBI double and home run. The Wolves’ offense had plenty of opportunity to open scoring themselves, as eight hits in the game and led to six runners left stranded. The second of the two Thursday games was more explosive offensively as the Wolves powered their way to a 6-4 victory. Senior Destiny Kuehl had two hits for four RBIs. Seniors Kelsie Gardner and Ashlee Lynch each had three hits. Gardner had three runs from her hits. The game was tied 1-1 after the first, when Emma Alfonso hit a single in the second to bat in junior Zoe Clark. Kuehl singled later in the inning to bat in both Alfonso and Gardner.
The Wolves picked up a pair of wins on the second day of competition, where they won the first game 6-1 and the second 10-1. Kuehl opened scoring in the first game with a three-run home run in the third inning and went on to bat in Gardner in the fifth. Clark hit a home run of her own in the sixth, also scoring sophomore Courtney Lau Hee. Bishop served as pitcher, throwing twelve groundouts allowing only one run off of six hits. “It felt great to get the full seven innings and get the win,” said Bishop. “I am not a strikeout pitcher and rely on my defense greatly, so it’s such a great feeling when I know they have my back before I even pitch the ball. My catcher, Mercedes [Green] also called a great game and I trusted her completely. It also helps when our offense was putting up runs to take a little pressure off of me.”
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Kuehl picked up two more home runs in the landslide second victory. Fabian pitched her eighth complete game of the year, allowing only five hits to improve to an 8-7 record. After the weekend, on April 17, softball won both sides of a double header against Simon Fraser on neutral ground in Hillsboro. The Wolves found themselves trailing 0-7 in the second game after four innings but had a monster rally over the last three frames to pull off a 9-8 win. Senior Hailee Watilo had two runs, while Zoe Clark, senior Ku’ulei Siolo and firstyear student Ashley Doyle each had two RBIs. With the wins, the Wolves advance to a 8-8 conference record. Since the start of April, softball has improved from the bottom of the conference to being ranked fifth. Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu
Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM
SPORTS
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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CAMPUS LIFE
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
“Ace in Wonderland” Photos by ELISSA SORENSON
Triangle Alliance presents its 21st annual drag show By Paige Scofield Campus Life Editor
Bottom left: Marika Hatos and Jessica Gillespie; bottom right: Jeannie Edney, Alayna Oleksa, Jacquelen Sanders, CJ Villacorte and Alyssa Brooke Chiampi Photo by JADE RAYNER
Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu
From left to right: Gabbi Boyle, Jennifer Romadka, Lindsey Hughes and Grace Salud
Design by ELISSA SORENSON
The drag show is an entirely student run show, from the performers to the tech crew. But it’s no small task to create a drag show. Sydney Culpepper, a part of The Force, scriptwriter and stage director of the show, explained just how long the process has been. “This is the biggest event of the year, and that means it takes an entire year to plan. The Force has been working on this show since April of last year,” said Culpepper. “Our choreographers have been working on it since June, our dancers have been working on it since January.” The program for, “Ace in Wonderland,” described it as, “A unique kind of drag show. Here at WOU, we take drag culture and infuse it into a musical-style show with a plot that’s driven by the songs.” Full of energetic, funny and sexual jokes and movements, this year’s drag show did not disappoint. The crowd roared and applauded continuously throughout the performance, showing their admiration and support of the performers and the LGBTQ+ community. The program perfectly explains that, “The Drag Show is a space where people can challenge the norm and challenge themselves. It gives everybody a chance to explore themselves and their selfexpression.”
Photo by ELISSA SORENSON
Triangle Alliance proudly presented the 21st annual drag show in Western’s Rice Auditorium on April 12 and 13. The drag show is known as one of the biggest events on campus, and has been known to sell out the entirety of seats available. This year was no different. The show was created by the collaborative effort of The Force, a group of students who plan and work together to make sure the show can be scheduled and run smoothly, and Triangle Alliance. “It’s really a group effort,” said Casi Healy, sophomore pre-nursing major and Triangle Alliance president. When asked why it’s important that Western has drag shows on campus, Healy said, “I think everybody can learn and experience new things from the LGBTQ culture in general, and I think it exposes people to a lot that they haven’t seen before.” The theme of this year’s drag show was, “Ace in Wonderland,” a play on the plot line of “Alice in Wonderland.” “We’re focusing on the asexual spectrum,” explained Healy. “Our main character, Ace, is going to be the theme of the show talking about asexuality. With the theme of this show, we’re trying to bring out things you haven’t seen before or haven’t heard about. I mean, lesbian, gay, transgender; those are all things that are more well-known in the community. So, this year we decided that we really wanted to teach you more about the community and show you more about the culture.”
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Cover photo by JADE RAYNER
CAMPUS LIFE
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Serving the underserved students On-campus lecture discusses math as a civil rights issue
Photo courtesy of THECHRONICLE.COM
By Jasmine Morrow | Staff Writer
Man protests new immigration crackdown
On April 11, Western mathematics instructor and developmental math coordinator Dr. Sylvia ValdésFernández gave her presentation, “Math: The New Civil Rights Issue.” Though the presentation was only an hour and a half long, attendees of the event were given something to think about regarding underserved students in math courses. Valdés-Fernández and her father co-founded the Valdés Math Institute in San Jose, California; a seven-week program, that helps underserved students with mathematics, which was honored by the Obama administration with the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. Valdés-Fernández believes in creating fair and understanding classroom environments for students who feel that they’re treated like they can’t understand math. According to Dr. Valdés-Fernández, underserved students have a more difficult time when it comes to math literacy. They are told that they can’t do well in this area and that it’s their fault when something is hard to understand. When Valdés-Fernández was asked
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why math is important to her, she responded, “To me, it’s not so much about the math, but it’s about what math affords people. Jobs, a position in society. It opens up a lot of doors, since there are so many careers that are closed to you if you don’t have a certain amount of math literacy.” Everyone should have a chance to learn something that’s going to be very crucial to make a living. One of the problems about achieving equity that Dr. Valdés-Fernández mentioned was the “belief that not all students can learn math.” If educators keep looking down on students who have difficulty understanding math, then the students are just going to give up. When a student is having difficulties, the educator can’t make the whole class simpler, but they should be able to accommodate for all students. “Math needs diversity for new ideas,” concluded Valdés-Fernández. Contact the author at jmorrow16@ wou.edu
A night of culture, food, music and dance Hawaii Club hosts 11th annual Luau
Photo courtesy of PAIGE SCOFIELD
By Paige Scofield | Campus Life Editor
Students of the Nesian Club performing hula
This year, Hawaii Club hosted their 11th annual Luau on Western’s campus. A night of culture, food, music and dance, the Luau is one of the most popular events on campus. This year was special, according to the Hawaii Club President Nolan Arasato: “This is the first time in history that the Luau has sold out all of its tickets.” On April 15, the Luau began in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center. Event goers were piling up waiting for the doors to open so they could get some Hawaiian food. While participants were eating, Western’s female a cappella group, Suspended, performed a few songs and members from the Hawaii Club had a jam session for people to enjoy while they ate their dinners. When asked why the Luau is an
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important event to have on campus, Arasato replied, “I think it’s important to learn about other cultures. I think that we can benefit from each other, and being that WOU is big on diversity, the Luau is a great cultural program for people to watch.” Once dinner was finished, the crowd moved to the New P.E. building to grab seats for the Polynesian performances, such as Hula, Fijian, Tahitian and Samoan dances. “I love watching my peers dance onstage,” said Cassidy Bek, senior exercise science major and Luau helper. “All of my friends, you know, they’re so pretty and I just love watching it. It’s a beautiful art.” “They’re telling a story in their dances, and I think that’s something that we often look past, they’re telling a story, it’s not just a dance,” Bek added, “They’re speaking through their motions.” All performances were performed
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ENTERTAINMENT
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Blast from the past
Monkees singer Micky Dolenz hits the stage at Rice Auditorium
Photo courtesy of HUFFINGTONPOST.COM
By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor
Music icon Micky Dolenz
What’s Western Watching?
There was a lot of energy in the audience as Micky Dolenz, lead singer of The Monkees, took to the stage at Rice Auditorium alongside the American Metropole Orchestra as part of the Smith Fine Arts Series. The April-15-concert packed the auditorium for a night full of laughs and music. The night began with a tune from the orchestra and an introduction from music director Keller Coker, before Dolenz took the stage. Dolenz is not only the lead singer of The Monkees; he’s a beloved actor, director and producer, whose music and personality has helped to shape television and rock and roll. Throughout his career, Dolenz had many different people write songs for him. During the concert he made a point to dedicate each song to the individual who wrote it. He performed songs written by individuals like Carol King and Neil Diamond. Two songs from the Monkees movie “Head” were also performed. The tunes were met with much applause from the audience.
Between songs, Dolenz entertained the audience with stories of his career, his family and meeting The Beatles. Each song performed had a story alongside it, most of which were met with laughter. “This is the song that got me the gig!” yelled Dolenz as he played Chuck Berry’s “Johnnie B. Goode,” which he sang at his Monkees audition. The concert ended with the fan favorite “Daydream Believer,” in which the audience’s singing almost overpowered Dolenz’s booming voice. Some members of the crowd were up and dancing as Dolenz finished out the night with “I’m a Believer.” “Don’t forget, I was singing this song long before ‘Shrek,’” joked Dolenz. The Smith Fine Arts series will finish out the season with Danilo Perez and The Western Hemisphere Orchestra on June 10. More information can be found at wou.edu/smith/currentseason/. Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu
“I’ve been watching ‘The Arrow’ since it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it. They’ve got five seasons on [Netflix] so it’s pretty good.” Gael Maren-Valdez, exercise science, junior
“Workaholics for sure. It’s hilarious.” Samantha Lindsey, interdisciplinary studies, senior
“‘13 Reasons Why.’ It was super good. It was crazy, I bought the book because it was that good.” Kameron Acebo, early childhood education, sophomore
“’The Walking Dead’ because it’s just entertaining.” Daniel Monrroy, business, sophomore
By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor
What tv shows would you recommend right now?
Photos by PAUL F. DAVIS
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ENTERTAINMENT Photo courtesy of JOHNMAYER.COM
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Review: “The Search For Everything” John Mayer’s album hits an average note
Photo courtesy of LATIMES.COM
By Alyssa James Staff Writer
In 1999, John Mayer made his way onto the scene with his EP “Inside Wants Out.” Over time, he became one of the musicians that had a noticeable presence within the music scene with such songs as “Daughters.” Mayer had not released any new
Jonah Ray and Joel Hodgson of “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return”
Review: “Mystery Science Theater 3000”
Fans can really just relax – the “Mystery Science Theater 3000” revival is a wonderful return to form By Darien Campo Designer Everyone’s a critic these days. The fine art of “riffing” – or making fun of bad movies through biting commentary – is still alive. On the internet there is no shortage of critics and reviewers all vying for attention on the digital stage. But we must be careful not to forget the original show that taught us how to make fun of movies; the critics who inspired a thousand riffers.
Netflix sure hasn’t, and on Friday, April 14, they released the longawaited return of cult-classic “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” For those not in the know: “Mystery Science Theater 3000” was a cult sci-fi comedy series in the 90s about a man and his two robot pals trapped on a spaceship, the Satellite of Love, where evil scientists force them to watch the worst movies ever made. In order to keep their sanity, the three resort to riffing on the terrible onslaught of lowbudget films. Watching “MST3K” was akin to
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music since a single in 2014, “XO,” until April 14 when he released his new album, “The Search for Everything.” He partially released this album through two smaller EPs, “Wave One” and “Wave Two.” For not hearing any new music from him for three years, his style of music has not changed much. It’s not to be expected though, as he is categorized in multiple genres, such as: pop, blues, jazz, country and rock. Despite that, it is definitely an album to listen to in order to chill out and relax. The first song he released was “Love on the Weekend,” a more country song. It seemed like a weird choice of a song to introduce this album when compared to the rest of the tracks. Having a more a country sound is what set it apart from the other songs, but not necessarily in a good way. It came across as overdone and common. Through listening to the whole album, the song that stuck out the most was “Emoji of a Wave.” The title in and of itself is an eyecatcher and it added to the song because it incorporates something very familiar to young people: emojis. Along with that, the song builds extremely well for being
such a melancholy song. Not once was I bored from listening to it. One of the more upbeat songs from the album is “In the Blood,” a heartfelt song about the ability to change in life. Along with that, the song “Moving On and Getting Over” has a jazzy feel that would definitely be heard in the back of the coffeeshop. The album has a total of twelve songs and, when driving, it’s a quick listen. The album ends with the song “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me.” There’s quite a bit of whistling in it, which is reminiscent of Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from “Toy Story.” It feels cliché which ultimately left the album on a lower note. While the album is not the worst, it’s not the best. Other artists experiment and produce albums that have never been heard before, but I think Mayer missed the mark and created an album that is something we have all heard before, and that’s what makes it lacking. The album isn’t bad, it just does not offer anything new, making for a more colorless listen.
hanging out with a group of friends and watching the Syfy channel late at night just so you could add your own commentary on top of the movies. Netflix’s revival and next season of the show focuses on a new human subject, Jonah Heston, played by Jonah Ray, co-host of “The Nerdist Podcast.” Original creator Joel Hodgson personally picked Ray to host the show, while giving him the choice over who would be the new voices of the show’s robot co-hosts, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot, voiced by Baron Vaughn and Hampton Yount, respectively. Mad scientists Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank are replaced with their descendants, played by Felica Day and Patton Oswalt. The show’s format hasn’t changed over the last 30 years, and still focuses on the three hosts riffing on a cacophony of film flops interspersed with short, goofy segments. Yes, the invention exchange is back. I was amazed at just how similar the revival was to the original. The sets look cheaply made, the segments have a very loose “first-take” feel, some of the jokes are too obscure for anyone to get – it is everything that “Mystery Science Theater 3000” ever was and more.
For returning viewers, you’ll feel right at home from the silhouetted theater to the numbered hallway. For brand new viewers, jokes and references aren’t 30 years old anymore so you can actually follow them, but luckily they never feel like they’re referencing modern pop culture in a pandering manner. I only have minor gripes with the new season. I, and other viewers, have noted that the speed that riffs are delivered is way faster than it was in the 90s. We’re not given as much time to absorb the film itself, and the rapid-fire jokes break the illusion that these three characters are improvising on the spot. But for a modern audience’s short attention span, it makes sense. The “Mystery Science Theater 3000” revival is a perfect blend of recreating the original show’s campy feel while bringing modern humor to a new audience. This is not just for returning fans, I invite anyone who loves bad movies to take a look at season 11 of “MST3K” – exclusively on Netflix. Keep circulating the tapes.
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Contact the author at ajames16@wou. edu
Contact the author at dcampo13@wou. edu
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Harper Lee’s posthumous masterpiece Lee’s estate releases previously unpublished novel “Go See The Watchmen” By Darien Campo Literary Critic It’s barely been a year, and readers around the world are still mourning the tragic loss of literary giant Harper Lee. In only two books, Lee opened the hearts and minds of generations to a world of honesty and raw humanity. Harper Lee’s writing truly changed the face of the modern novel – and even in death, she’s about to do it again. Last week, Lee’s estate announced they were releasing her third, unpublished, never-before-seen novel, “Go See The Watchmen.” “She considered it her magnum opus,” Lee’s counsel told Time magazine. “All she ever wanted was for people to read this book.” “Go See the Watchmen,” a 251 page rave review of Zack Snyder’s 2009 film “Watchmen” has been met with adoration from critics around the globe. “Beautiful,” said James Wood, professor of the practice of literary criticism at Harvard University. “Absolutely gorgeous. The prose in Go See The Watchmen is leading today’s literary slop by miles. No other author even stands a chance in the shadow of the late and great Harper Lee.” Lee, after seeing “Watchmen” in theatres in 2009, was reportedly transfixed by the film. She praised Larry Fong’s cinematography as a “wonderful feast for the eyes – truly every frame a vast feat for the world of film!” She applauded
Continued on page 12 Photo courtesy of PBS.ORG
HUMOR
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
This week in completely made up horoscopes Compiled by Western Journal Staff
Aries 3/21-4/19
Taurus 4/20-5/20
Gemini 5/21-6/20
It’s time to replace those Childish Gambino lyrics in your Twitter bio with something a little sweeter, Aries.
Either embrace the beginning of wedding season, Taurus, or delete your Facebook to maintain your sanity.
Too...sick…. Come up with your own horoscope.
Cancer 6/21-7/22
Leo 7/23-8/22
Virgo 8/23-9/22
The oft-quoted, “you eat 8 spiders in your sleep per year,” fact is actually false. It’s per night.
You know, Leo, the sooner you clean out your closet, the sooner you can justify buying new clothes.
Make sure you tell someone how great they are today. Promptly look in a mirror, and repeat.
Libra 9/23-10/22
Scorpio 10/23-11/21
Sagittarius 11/22-12/21
Embrace spring, Libra. Order a London Fog with a shot of lavender this week.
So, I hear you’re a scorpion. How are you holding this paper in your little pinchers? Great work.
The next time you go shopping, treat yourself; buy that graphic tee that says “Eat me”.
Capricorn 12/22-1/19
Aquarius 1/20-2/18
Pisces 2/19-3/20
Don’t pull that loose thread on your jeans, Capricorn. You’ll unravel the whole pair.
Just because you’re constantly surrounded by water, doesn’t mean you don’t need to stay hydrated. Carry one of those gallon bottles around.
Don’t be a fish out of water, or do that it’s fine. I mean, I didn’t get in a relationship with you to make me happy anyways, we both know you’ve never done that.
Illustrations by ELISSA SORENSON
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EDITORIAL
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
The importance of foreign language With budget cuts inbound, protecting foreign language should be a priority By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor isn’t only about the language; it’s about the culture, too. Having a better understanding of other cultures around the globe creates more wellrounded and culturally understanding students. Western’s announcement that departments are seeing 5-10 percent budget cuts across the board puts the foreign language department at risk of seeing some serious upcoming cuts. Western offers Spanish, American Sign Language, French and German. With French and German being the two smallest departments of the four, they’re at risk of being cut. My experiences with foreign language at Western aren’t the only positive ones. Jill Ketcham, sophomore early childhood education major, is currently in her first year of German and it has
lot about English as well. You learn a lot of vocabulary, you learn about a different culture, you learn about different ways to think about things. What’s useful professionally isn’t always what’s useful for you personally. People are different and they need to have different possibilities.” said Professor Maguelonne Ival, who teaches second and third year French at Western. According to the American Council on the teaching of foreign languages, learning
foreign languages to study is great for Western students’ opportunities to gain insight into other cultures and increase their success in other classes. Protecting French and German from being cut is important for the university’s international programs. There are many study abroad opportunities available through studying French and German, which only require a year or two of studying the language, that would be lost with a cut as well.
What’s useful professionally isn’t always what’s useful for you personally. People are different and they need to have different possibilities. a foreign language has many positive impacts on study habits and learning. Their website, actfl.org, is a great resource about all the benefits of learning a foreign language, including increased linguistic awareness, memory and reading skills and citing scientific journals and studies done over the last 50 years. Having a wide array of
Studying French has been a large part of my college experience, and I’m not alone. French and German are both important departments for Western and I believe that losing them would be a big loss for the foreign language department and the school as a whole. Contact the author at anewton15@wou.edu
German instructor lecturing at the University of Cologne Photo by UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE
I first started learning French as a first-year student in high school. My initial reasons were just because I thought it was cool, but years later, I’ve grown to value the experiences and opportunities that I’ve had from studying French. Through studying French, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people. This summer I hosted a French student named Andrea and it was an extremely valuable experience. I was able to gain insight into another culture that I wouldn’t have been able to without studying French. At Western, I’m on my second year of French and I’ve found the program to be very rewarding. As someone who aspires to travel in the future, having knowledge of French language and culture will be valuable. Foreign language at Western
already made positive impacts on her life. “Considering I went to Germany, it has made me appreciate what I saw more and it’s made me want to learn more about the culture. Now that I’ve been learning it and I have a background, I’ll learn way more when I go back,” said Ketcham. I believe that French and German are both important to Western and have made many positive impacts on students’ lives. Cutting them would result in losing a great opportunity to gain insight into other cultures. With cultural diversity being something Western prides itself on, this would be a great loss. Foreign language experience makes potential candidates for employment much more desirable. Whether it be any of the languages Western offers, experience studying a foreign language can open many doors in the future, especially in the fields of government, business, law, medicine and technology, as those are all fields with a growing international presence. “[Spanish] is more applicable in the US right now, but what I know about French is when you learn French, you learn a
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TAIL-END
The Western Journal Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Harper Lee Though most of the 251 page book is nothing but consistent praise of the 2009 action film, Harper Lee did have one criticism to offer. “Of the many regrets of my life, my greatest will be that I did not get to see more of Rorschach. It is a dangerous opportunity wasted to have underused such a beautiful character, and Mr. Snyder should be ashamed of himself. Or perhaps he could make a Rorschach solo film sometime in the near future. Hopefully before I pass away would be nice,” wrote Harper Lee in “Go See The Watchmen.” When asked for comment, director Zack Snyder replied “Harper who?” Contact the author at dcampo13@ wou.edu Design by ELISSA SORENSON
NFL draft Continued from page 5
Mitch Trubisky’s draft stock has skyrocketed in recent weeks
Additionally, Dalvin Cook is being taken in the first round by many mock drafts. Unlike Fournette and McCaffery, Cook topped 1000 rushing yards in every season he played. His 145 rushing yards helped Florida State topple Michigan in last year’s Orange Bowl.
Both players will prove assets to any team that takes them, but it’s unlikely that either would have breakout seasons like Ezekiel Elliott had with the Cowboys in 2016. The Cowboys had the best offensive lining in the Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu country that they put Elliott behind.
Luau Continued from page 7
of Hawaii Club. At the end of the night, Arasato asked everyone to stand up and hold hands while the Hawaii Club performed a song to thank everyone for participating in the Luau. “The Luau can never be successful without everyone’s support,” stated Arasato, “Mahalo nui loa! [Thank you very much!]”
by students in the Hawaii Club and the Nesian Club. The crowd was constantly filled with cheers and applause throughout the performances. Some members of the audience even threw money on the stage, in a show of support, while the students were performing. There were several different dances, including a Contact the author at performance by the graduating seniors journalcampuslife@wou.edu
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David Hayter and Alex Tse’s bravery in taking the “substandard plot” of the source comic, by Alan Moore and David Gibbons, and “weaving it into something fantastic.” “Even in her last days, all she would ever talk about is that movie,” her caretaker said in an interview with the New Yorker. “‘Annie’ she would call out to me ‘Annie, people have to see The Watchmen, it could change the world.’ She even once woke me in the middle of the night, screaming. She said that she had a nightmare that she was remembered in death for her previous book, the bird one, instead of what she considered to be her greatest work, Go See The Watchmen.” “I told her there was no ‘The,’ it’s just Watchmen. But, you know how they get at that age,” she continued.
Photo courtesy of CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Continued from page 10
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