The Advocate - Issue 1 - September 23, 2019

FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS
Volume 54, September 20, 2019
advocate-online.net
OSLAP! ASG
awarded for
leadership
PAGE 2
TRIO: A good
resource for
students
PAGE 4
'IT Chapter Two':
Worth your
time?
PAGE 7
HOW TO SUCCEED AT MT. HOOD
PAGE 5
MHCC combating food insecurity on campus
PAGE 3
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
2019 FIRST PLACE
General Excellence
Pacific Northwest Assoc.
of Journalism Educators

OPINION | NEWS
DEBATING THE
DEMOCRATIC RACE
ADVOCATE-ONLINE.NET
ASG BRINGS IT
HOME
Omar Saradi
the advocate
The 2020 presidental primaries are
coming. So far, the campaign makes the 2016
race look less like an animalistic free-for-all,
but it sure does look a lot more crowded this
time around.
Much like the 2016 debates, the televised
2020 Democratic Party debates have focused
on several prominent characters fighting,
not only for a crowd of support, but also the
policy ideas that they want to implement to
benefit the American people. The unfortunate
part of these debates is that the crowded stage
and poor moderating from the hosts leaves
each candidate with less than two minutes to
explain a whole policy plan.
In concept that’s nearly impossible –
especially if you’re comparing this to Donald
Trump’s debate performances in the past,
where he stole the spotlight and got the
attention of his voters.
In all debates, the three candidates that
have got the most media attention, for better
or worse, are former Vice President Joe
Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Biden is currently the front-runner as he is
running off the success of President Obama’s
administration (although that has got him
into some trouble a few times).
Sanders’s campaign is a continuation of his
2016 race – since then his policy ideas, such
as tuition free college and “Medicare for all”
have become more popular and mainstream.
Warren, like Bernie, is a non-establishment
candidate, running on a variation of his
ideas; she also has proven herself tough in
these debates in the face of her opponents,
corporations and the media – which is
especially hard as a progressive candidate.
In the most recent debates, attention
has caught onto Biden and his decline of
mental cognition – from referring to people
by the wrong name or title, to breaking into
a random, incoherent lecture that avoids
the debate question given to him. On top of
that, he’s been criticized for taking credit for
the positives of the Obama administration,
but denying his involvement in its perceived
negatives, such as mass deportations and
deadly drone strikes in the Middle East.
One promising candidate who has gotten
a big following is tech executive Andrew Yang,
who is looking toward the future in his policy
plans. He is proposing the UBI (universal
basic income) or as he calls “the freedom
dividend” – each person gets $1,000 a month
to purchase whatever they please. The reason
why is because technology advancement (AI,
robots et al.) is going to take American jobs
and so many overrun workers will have to rely
on some sort of income to support themselves.
This policy position at face value sounds
insane. But Yang is looking ahead to a
future America we’ll have to prepare for.
His involvement brings up an interesting
dichotomy in the battle of ideas: Should
candidates focus on issues that that we’ll have
to think about in the far future? Or, should the
focus be on defeating Donald Trump and all
the policy decisions he’s put in place the last
three years?
That answer is gonna be left up to a new
generation of voters, as this election shapes up
to be even more consequential than the last.
ASG President (Collin Lewis) and Vice President (Chelsea Allison) posing with their prize.
Chloe Collins
the advocate
Earlier this month, MHCC’s student
government team attended the Oregon
Community College Student Leadership
and Activities Fall Conference, and they
brought home a trophy.
Hosted by the Oregon Student Leaders
and Activities Professionals each September,
the “Battle of the Campuses” challenges
student leadership from different schools to
think of ways to connect and engage with
students on campus.
For the competition, the 10 campuses
were asked to create a “class rap,” which
usually happens when ASG gets permission
to go speak to classes about important
programs or events coming up. This year,
Mt. Hood’s student government created a
video featuring a fictional student who was
struggling to navigate college. ASG utilized
Photo by Maysee Thao
the video to demonstrate how they could
direct a student toward helpful services
and programs here at MHCC. According
to ASG advisor, Rozina Lethe, the team
decided to feature programs like Barney’s
Panty, the library, and financial aid.
The 10 student representatives attending
had no time to prepare beforehand. They
worked together to determine which
programs they would highlight on campus
and some common sources of confusion for
new students.
The judges of this event were the
ASG Advisors present at the conference,
including MHCC’s own Rozina Lethe.
ASG representatives in attendance at
the conference were Nathan Madrigal,
Madison Higgins, Emmaline Johnson,
Abigail Gillson, Alysha Hipes, Arely
Ramos, Kenny Mendoza, Akota Tilmant,
Collin Lewis, and Chelsea Allison.
For the students by the students
Advisers
Dan Ernst
Howard Buck
Editor-in-Chief
Chloe Collins
Associate Editor/ Opinion Editor
Omar Saradi
News Editor
Chris Barney
Opinions Editor
Sadie Klein
Arts & Entertainment Editors
Eli Rankin
Kurt Larson
Austin Asciutto
Sports Editor
Julia Empleo
Photo Editor
Maysee Thao
Graphic Design Editor
Eli Rankin
Broadcast Editor
Naethaniel Lile
Broadcast Team
Austin Ascuitto
Julia Empleo
Kurt Larson
Positions Open
Graphic Design Team
Leydi Perez Carrasco
Positions Open
Photo Team
Bethy Fallgren
Zarah Escutia
Copy Editors
Corwin Benedict
Positions Open
Web Editors
Positions Open
Ad / Social Media Manager
Kaleb Moring
Staff Writers
Positions Open
Distribution Specialist
Julia MacDonald
@mhccadvocate
@theadvocateonline
@mhccadvocate
PAGE 2

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
HELPING CROSS
PARTY LINES
Corwin Benedict
the advocate
In this contentious time for our
country, tensions are beginning
to rise, divides are growing wider
and it has become easier to hate
someone who disagrees with you
than listen to them. Many persons
are demonized for their beliefs by
the other side, and the chance for
a true discussion where you listen
to the other side, not argue with
them, is nearly gone.
During these tumultuous days,
I took notice of a small group
known as Crossing Party Lines.
Based in Portland, the group was
created by a woman named Lisa
Swallow.
Swallow was a moderate
Democrat who would often have
loud debates with a Republican
relative. Both enjoyed the debating
but couldn’t really see eye-to-eye.
After two days of arguing, Swallow
changed her strategy, instead of
trying to push her views onto
her cousin, she asked questions
about his views. While this didn’t
change anyone’s mind, it did create
an understanding of the other
person’s point of view and inspired
Swallow with the idea of Crossing
Party Lines.
On the front page of its original
website – the hub of Swallow’s
group is online –a paragraph
describes its mission: “All around
the country, folks are meeting with
people of different political views.
We’re breaking bread, sharing our
thoughts and perspectives, and
reminding ourselves that we’re
more similar than we are different.
What we’re learning is that we all
want the same things: fulfilling
jobs, good health, and a safe
neighborhood to call home. We
simply disagree sometimes about
how to achieve these.”
Through the meetings that
are held and lightly moderated by
Crossing Party Lines, discussions
are held on various different topics
that are affecting our country
today. At the local meetups that I
attended, there were people with
all different points of view, holding
a conversation where people truly
listened to each other, and they
moved toward a possible solution
together.
While there, I encountered the
topic of being heard, discussing the
difference between being agreed
with, being understood, and
being heard yet still disregarded.
Participants covered a variety
of other topics, including U.S.
immigration policies, our
relationship with China, and
making sense of political speak.
It may be easy to point at the
other side and call them names for
disagreeing with you, but we do
have the power to create a dialogue
that shows that maybe the other
side isn’t as crazy as you thought –
they just see the world differently
than you do.
If you’re interested in
their efforts, check out
crossingpartylines.com.
HUNGRY? BARNEY’S
PANTRY IS HERE TO HELP
Zarah Escutia
the advocate
As a college student, it can be
difficult to find the time to eat
a real meal. Trying to manage a
busy schedule, the cost of housing,
transportation, and tuition can take
a toll on our eating habits.
Aside from finding the time
to eat, many college students also
face food insecurity due to their
poor financial state. According
to Hunger on Campus (a report
by studentsagainsthunger.org)
50 percent of community college
students and 47 percent of fouryear
college students reported
food insecurity in 2016. Twentyfive
percent and 20 percent
(respectively) had very low food
security.
Another report, Struggling
to Survive – Striving to Succeed
– reported that 8 percent of
community college students with
food insecurity planned to drop out
entirely, while only 3 percent of other
students planned to do so. Students
facing food/housing insecurity
took more developmental writing
(62/65 percent), reading (58/60
percent), or mathematics (71/74
percent) courses than did their
fellow students, the 2017 report
found (luminafoundation.org).
These students felt less on-track,
confident, in-control, focused, or
interested in their school work.
They also felt that college was less
worthwhile, felt less welcomed by
faculty, and felt less engaged both
inside and outside of the classroom,
the report found.
At Mt. Hood Community
College, Barney’s Pantry is here
to help food-insecure students.
Barney’s Pantry partners with the
Oregon Food Bank to help provide
food on campus to students, faculty,
OPINION | NEWS
Look for us in
Room 1369 in
the Integrated
Media building
For the students by the students
Weekly staff meetings
are on Mondays
(12:30-1:30) &
Tuesdays (12-1),
Come join us!
Tuition
Wavers and
Work Study
Available
and staff who are in need. Students
can get two food items and one
snack, or three canned food items
during any one visit. Eligible
students can use this service three
times a week.
If you are in such need, all you
have to do is bring your MHCC
student ID to sign in. There is no
cost.
Barney’s Pantry is a great
community resource to have on
campus and it can help you be
connected with other resources
available on campus, and other
food pantries. Even if you may not
face consistent food insecurity, it
is still a great resource available to
you as a student or your friends
who attend Mt. Hood who might
face food insecurity.
The Pantry is located in the
Student Union and is open Monday
through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Cover by: Maysee Thao / the Advocate
On the cover:
Mt. Hood’s ASG President Collin Lewis, and Vice President Chelsea Allison pose with
Barney on Sept. 17 Student Orientation Day.
GET TO KNOW THE ADVOCATE
Julia Empleo
Sports Editor
Contact us!
E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu
Phone: 503-491-7250
Website: advocate-online.net
Mt. Hood Community College
Room 1369
26000 SE Stark Street
Gresham OR 97030
The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for
publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact
information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate
will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns
should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves
the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room
1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of
publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are
the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.
Julia Empleo is a second-year student at Mt. Hood, currently
working on getting into the Surgical Tech program. She’s looking
to transfer to a university to be a surgical assistant, and pursue
a career in medical work, and travel and volunteer in different
countries. Outside of school, she’s passionate about dance and
sports.
PAGE 3

NEWS
ADVOCATE-ONLINE.NET
STUDENT SERVICES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Chloe Collins
the advocate
Months ago, one college’s
construction team set forth on a
mission that would forever change
the student experience... Returning
MHCC students may recall the
dark ages of trotting up and down
stairs between offices, more than a
few times. But trot no longer: The
Student Hub is complete and you
can now find most vital student
services in one convenient location.
In Room 2253 – marked by the
large Student Services sign – any
new or returning student will be
able to find Student Advising, the
Orientation Center, Financial Aid,
Accessible Education Services,
Admissions, Records, and
Registration inside.
Organizers say the Hub was
created to make the college easier to
navigate. To ensure that their goal
would be achieved, the Associated
Student Government (ASG) at Mt.
Hood was given an opportunity
to pitch in by helping finalize
decisions about the Hub’s design.
According to Doctor Abio Ayeliya,
A photo of the new student Hub, located upstairs in Building 12 (Room 2253).
director of Student Life, the student
government really supported the
idea of consolidating all student
service offices to one location.
Knowing where these offices
are located will be especially useful
for students in the Fall Term as
everyone works out their specific
educational plans. However, it is
also important to know exactly how
these offices can help.
The Academic Advising and
Transfer Center (AATC) is an
invaluable resource for students
Photo by Maysee Thao | The Advocate
who know what their educational
goals are and would like to make
a concrete plan to obtain them.
The AATC can help with general
advising, maximum timeframe
appeals, and Trade Act paperwork.
The Orientation Center can
help students enroll in the right
classes and offer guidance on
navigating the MHCC website.
Accessible Education Services
(AES) is a resource for students with
disabilities. AES offers registration
assistance, personal counseling,
and special career guidance for
qualifying students.
And, of course, Financial
Aid, Admissions, Records, and
Registration are all resources that
can help with anything pertaining
to their self-explanatory names.
Beyond the services offered
in the Hub, another notable
resource is the Career Planning
and Counseling Center, downstairs
in Room 1152, near the Student
Union. This resource can be
especially helpful for students who
aren’t sure what career path they
would like to pursue.
From Student Services to AVID
and TRIO, Mt. Hood has an array
of services and programs that can
make your college life just a little
easier. To learn more about services
and programs that might be helpful,
visit the MHCC website, mhcc.edu.
TRIO HELPS BOOST STUDENT SUCCESS
Chris Barney
the advocate
Enrolling in college can be a
tumultuous task. Between taking
the college placement test, securing
financial aid, and choosing classes,
it’s easy to get lost in the vortex of
registration. Beyond this, there
remains the monumental goal of
completing your education.
In light of this, there are programs
on the Mt. Hood campus dedicated
to guiding students through the
quest called higher education.
One such program is TRIO SSS
(Student Support Services). TRIO
endeavors to aid students in myriad
ways. Among these are advisers,
tutoring, ambassadors, materials,
and outings.
When a student first joins
TRIO, they are assigned an adviser.
This will be the student’s adviser
until graduation. The benefit is that
the student and adviser can get to
know each other, leading to a more
personalized experience. TRIO
also provides a tutor who can assist
students in learning almost any
TRIO SSS staff and students outside the TRIO center, on the mezzanine above
the library. TRIO helps MHCC students navigate their higher education journey.
Photo contributed by TRIO SSS staff
subject. The tutor can re-explain
material and help students to better
understand the curriculum.
Ambassadors, students familiar
with the program, are also available
to chat with students. The ambassadors
will be able to relate well to
students as they are students themselves.
In addition to chatting, ambassadors
can also direct students
to resources that could better aid
them in their area of need. TRIO
also aids students in the financial
arena. This aid comes in the form of
materials, such as textbooks or calculators
which can be checked out
for a term. This is a great way to cut
down on the expenses that college
brings.
Last, but certainly not least, are
outings. TRIO wants students to be
prepared for where they are headed
when it comes time to transfer. One
of the ways they do this is through
outings, outside of Mt. Hood.
Outings are primarily to university
campuses, which allows students
to see and learn about them, while
deciding which one to transfer
to. The other purpose of outings
is cultural enrichment, which
can come through trying foods
from various cultures, or visiting
sites that educate the public about
different cultures.
Overall, the heart of TRIO is the
mission to help students. The staff
knows the challenges of college and
wishes to help those who are now
encountering those forks in the
road.
If you would like to know
more about the program, come
visit the TRIO Student Success
Center in the mezzanine
above the MHCC Library, in
Room 3303 or check out mhcc.edu/
TRIO-SSS/
TRIO SSS
QUALIFICATIONS
If you are planning
to transfer to a fouryear
college and
meet one or more of
the following criteria,
you may be eligible
for TRIO SSS:
• Low-income (qualify
for financial aid)
• First-generation
student (your
parents did not earn
bachelors degrees)
• Have a documented
disability
PAGE 4

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
EDITORIAL
ADVOCATE’S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE
In an era of bogus “life hacks”
online, allow us at the Advocate
to give you some college
information that will actually be
helpful in your life here at MHCC.
Most students know where
to find the essential resources
available to get their college career
on the right track. However, we
realize many students don’t know
about the many other facilities and
services available to them beyond
the strictly academic side of college
life.
For example, Mt. Hood students,
as well as community members, can
utilize the weight room in the HPE
building on campus for free. Open
weight hours are Monday-Friday,
noon to 1 p.m., with an extra two
hours of 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and
Thursday.
Students also have free access
to the swimming pool on campus
during open recreation hours. The
new schedule for the pool during
Fall Term has yet to be released,
but the pool will reopen for use by
Friday, Sept. 27.
Aside from the recreational
facilities on campus, MHCC’s
library has a lot to offer. The first
thing to know about the library is
that you cannot exit at the same
door from which you enter the
library! When you are ready to
leave, loop around the resource
desk and exit behind it. The library
has more to offer than dusty books
about strange or specific topics.
On the top floor of the library
(mezzanine level) students can find
the TRIO office (see story on Page
4), as well as free tutoring. On the
main level, get your student ID
at the resource desk, visit the Rho
Theta office, and utilize the study
tables. Don’t be afraid to ask for
help from the library services staff;
that’s what they’re there for!
Another great place to study
is inside the Student Union. On
one side of the room, you will
find tables around a fireplace that
are great for quiet studying. If
you keep going, past the Fireplace
Gallery art displays, there will be
both a pingpong and a pool table,
a television, and a microwave for
heating up your lunch. Because the
Student Union has a quiet space
to take a break, it could be a great
study spot.
Parking is found all around
the campus, whether it’s close to
the Student Union or behind (east
of) the main academic wing - be
cautious though, parking can be
tough to find right before class, so
account for that on your commute.
What about some of the
logistics of surviving at Mt. Hood?
There are some definite dos and
do-nots involved in college life.
For example, register for classes
as soon as humanly possible. The
sooner you register, the more likely
you will get a seat in all the classes
you want for that term – especially
if you want to take online courses,
which fill up quickly.
Speaking of online classes, do
not take them if you aren’t selfmotivated.
Who knows us better
than we know ourselves? No one.
If you know that you struggle to
find motivation to do school work,
it might be wise to avoid online
classes that require extra effort and
responsibility.
The media sells us an image of
college where people find a new
friend group immediately and
study together often. Instead, you
will find that study groups form
themselves: Usually, whomever
you end up sitting with in that one
super-difficult lab course will be
your study group for that specific
class.
Yes: You do have to re-apply for
FAFSA every academic year – but
not each term. If you are interested
in Work Study job opportunities,
you have to start by emailing
studentemployment@mhcc.edu
and inquiring about your eligibility.
Then, you can find the Work Study
options best for you, and get the
ball rolling.
A final word of advice from us
would be to explore your options. A
good way to explore your interests
and learn more about what you
actually enjoy doing is to join clubs
at MHCC. Get involved on campus
and figure out which causes,
clubs, or organizations you enjoy
committing to.
After you have done some
exploring and learned about
yourself, do some research and
make sure the career path you
are on is the one you want to be
following. And take advantage of
our Career Planning department
and meet with a counselor, in Room
1152.
Make the most out of your
college experience this school year!
G
“THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS NOT
THE ONLY ELECTION THAT MATTERS”
E
Don’t miss the
opportunity to
register to vote
on campus.
Look for the
sign-up table,
11a.m. to 1p.m.
on Monday and
Tuesday.
Election Day
is
November 5th
C
D
B
A
A
A
20
ENTRANCE
IDENTIFICATION
PARKING LOT
IDENTIFICATION
BUILDING NUMBERS
BUILDING LEGEND
1 Yoshide Event Center/
Health and Education
2 General Education
3 GE 201
4 Aquatic Center
ACADEMIC CENTER
Lower / Main / Upper / Mezzanine
10 Student Union/Town & Gown
11 Cosmetology, Transitions/
College Theatre, Performing Arts,
Vista Dining
12 Warehouse, Print and Mail Center/
Bookstore, ITC/Student Services
13 1300s, Planetarium, AVID, TRIO
Integrated Media/Testing Center,
Library, Public Safety
15 1500s, Funeral Services/2500s,
Science Technologies
16 1600s, CAD Labs/
2600s, Business Technologies
17 1700s/2700s, Allied Health,
Dental Hygiene
18 Applied Technologies (IT)
19 Art Gallery
20 Art Mall
21 Early Childhood
Development Center
22 Fisheries
23 Grounds
M1 Modular Building 1
M2 Modular Building 2
HS Head Start
Graphic by Leydi Perez Carrasco | The Advocate
Graphic provided by MHCC
MT. HOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE | GRESHAM CAMPUS | 26000 S.E. STARK ST. | GRESHAM, OR 97030 | 503-491-6422
PAGE 5

OPINION | SPORTS | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ADVOCATE-ONLINE.NET
STARBUCKS TO
FOLLOW THROUGH
ON STRAW BAN
Chloe Collins
the advocate
In 2018, Starbucks made a big
commitment to the environment
and environmentalists everywhere.
“We’re removing plastic straws
in our stores globally by 2020 –
reducing more than 1 billion plastic
straws per year from our stores,”
said a tweet by the company.
So, here we are closing in on the
last three months of 2019, and we’re
wondering if Starbucks is prepared
to follow through on its timeline. It
would appear that it is.
The two most famous tactics
Starbucks has undertaken to combat
pollution are the introduction
of nitro lids, and straws made of
paper or compostable PLA plastic.
There has been some controversy
surrounding the nitro lids as a
greener option because they use
more plastic than the old lid-andstraw
combo. However, many
skeptics about the environmental
impact of nitro lids fail to take into
consideration the fact that a nitro
lid can be recycled, while a straw
cannot. This is because straws
cannot be captured in recycling
streams while nitro lids are big
enough to be processed. So, while
the nitro lids do use more plastic,
they are 100% recyclable, whereas
only the lid from a lid-and-straw
combo can be recycled.
At this point in the game, nearly
every Starbucks store serves nitro
cold brew, and therefore offers the
strawless nitro lid. Seeing as how
Scan the QR Code to check
your Sudoku answers!
Starbucks’s hometown of Seattle
banned plastic straws just before
the company announced its green
goal, it is no surprise that many
stores in Seattle already offer plastic
straw alternatives. Many stores in
central and southern California also
offer alternative straws and updated
versions of the nitro lid. Some
stores in Portland have even moved
on to giving plastic straws out only
when requested, and it is likely
that the trend will be spreading
to all Portland metro area outlets,
including Gresham. The updated
nitro lids should also be spreading
north soon.
As a Starbucks employee
myself, I know many customers
have experienced issues with nitro
lids popping off of the cups quite
easily. Knowing that California has
the updated nitro lids that have
addressed this issue, we hope to see
them in Oregon stores soon.
Nitro lids and alternative straws
are not the only strides Starbucks
took toward being a greener
company in 2018. According
to Starbucks, the company also
committed $10 million to Closed
Loop Partners to create the
NextGen Cup Challenge. The
challenge will allow entrepreneurs
to be awarded with grants when
they are working on ideas that could
lead to more sustainable cups. The
goal is to introduce cups that are
100% compostable by replacing
the traditional thin plastic lining
with a plant-based lining that can
withstand hot liquids. The goal was
to have the cups in stores within
three years.
Within the next couple of
months, it will become clear whether
or not Starbucks is able to ditch
plastic straws by 2020. Hopefully
the NextGen Cup challenge will
also lead to large-scale changes in
the corporate world to benefit the
environment. When one company
takes a stand for the Earth, others
will follow.
Julia Empleo
the advocate
SAINTS DEFROST THE
PENGUINS
The Mt. Hood volleyball team
has started its 2019-20 season
with a 9-5 record and was sitting
in third
place in the
South Region
of the Northwest
Athletic
Conference
(NWAC), in
action through
Sept. 19.
While most
students were
easing back
toward school,
the Saints faced
the Clark College
Penguins
at home on
Wednesday,
Sept. 11, and took a thrilling fiveset
win.
During the first set it seemed
the visiting team had the action
under control after going up, 20-
16. The Saints then subbed in
freshman Katie Saephanh, and
roared back into the lead, scoring
9 straight points and winning the
first set, 25-20. In the second set
both teams went at it, when the
Penguins made a run, leaving the
Saints trailing, 23-16. The home
team tried to get the crowd involved
and get back into the game
but came up short, 25-20.
Clark began to take control of
the match, and won the third set,
25-21. In the fourth set, though,
the home team kept it close and
SUDOKU
Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.39)
7 4 5 1
2 6 5
2 8
3 9 1 8
2 7 9 6
8 1 2 5
7 2
3 7 4
1 2 6 8
Photo by Maysee Thao | The Advocate
fought through. The Penguins
coach questioned some of the official’s
calls and the crowd became
engaged. The home team got an
energy boost, and took the set,
25-21.
In the final
set, both teams
kept the game
close. Clark
was leading
8-6, but the
Saints gathered
momentum for
a final comeback,
pulling
off a 15-13 win.
The Saints
play today at
Rogue Community
College
in Medford,
then play
Southwestern
Oregon Community College on
Saturday, in Coos Bay.
Their next home contest will
be on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at
home against Lane Community
College at 6:30 p.m.
The Saints volleyball team celebrates its hardfought victory over Clark College on
September 11.
PAGE 6
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Thu Sep 19 18:25:58 2019 GMT. Enjoy!

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
IS ‘IT CHAPTER TWO’ REALLY ‘IT CHAPTER
BOOOO’?
Kurt Larson
the advocate
3.5 out of 5 stars
Everyone’s favorite clown is
back in action this September,
eating children and terrorizing the
quaint little town of Derry, Maine.
Directed by Andrés Muschietti,
“IT Chapter Two” takes place 27
years after the infamous Loser’s
Club banished Pennywise to back
from whence he came, sparing the
town of his murderous predilections
for that cycle.
But now that cycle is over, and
IT is once again on the prowl,
looking for delicious, fear-ridden
children to satisfy his appetite.
Thankfully for the citizens of
Derry, however, Mike Hanlon,
played by everyone’s favorite Old
Spice guy, Isaiah Mustafa, has been
living in town and studying this
Lovecraftian horror for those past
27 years, and is getting the gang
back together to kill IT for good.
Not everyone stayed in Derry,
though. And after so much time
away from their hometown, the
rest of the group – Bill, Beverly,
Richie, Ben, and Eddie, played by
James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain,
Bill Hader, Jay Ryan, and James
Ransone, respectively – have
all mysteriously forgotten their
traumatic childhoods and aren’t
so willing to go back and face
Pennywise after Mike informs them
of what’s going on.
Will the Losers Club be able to
find the courage to face the ultimate
evil and end Pennywise’s reign of
terror?
You’ll have to see to find out.
But is this sequel worth seeing?
As many fans of IT know, the
second half of the original TV
miniseries, and even the book,
are notoriously viewed as being
less entertaining than the first half
of the story, and Stephen King is
equally notorious for not having
the strongest endings to his books
in general.
Well I’m happy to report that
IT Chapter Two is undoubtedly the
best on-screen interpretation of the
concluding half of the IT saga.
However, that is not to say
this movie doesn’t have problems,
because it definitely does.
While IT Chapter One found
a fun balance between horror
and “Goonies”-style, coming-ofage
humor, IT Chapter Two relies
heavily on comedy to juxtapose its
frightening moments.
While that isn’t necessarily a
bad thing, its humor really puts a
damper on the horror elements,
especially when you have legendary
comedic actors such as Hader
bouncing one liners and witty
remarks off Ransone for 90 percent
of the run time.
Which, by the way, for IT
Chapter Two is almost three hours
long and is in desperate need of
some trimming down.
This movie really is more of a
horror comedy than anything else,
though, and if you go in expecting
that, IT Chapter Two is actually
pretty fun.
The casting, especially, takes
this movie to a different level. For
the most part, every actor portrays
an entertaining and believable
adult interpretation of the child
characters from the first film. Their
group chemistry is solid, especially
between Richie and Eddie, who
provide most of the best jokes.
Speaking of the kids from the
first movie, a decent portion of this
film relies on flashbacks for most
of the scares, unfortunately, giving
Muschietti a reason to shoot new
material with the now-beloved
original cast.
This isn’t all bad, as the kids
are still just as entertaining to
watch as they were in IT Chapter
One, but their function in this
film is as a series of haunted house
attractions rather than anything
truly meaningful for the plot.
To point out one other
shortcoming, the plot, which
is already fairly fractured and
obtuse due to the structure of this
movie, really isn’t anything too
deep or revelatory. The ending is
exciting, as it should be, but there
isn’t much sense of danger for any
of the characters throughout the
length of this movie. And it all
ends on a somewhat generic note,
capping off the three hours with the
audience having not learned much
of anything about these characters
or even having witnessed many
satisfying character interactions at
all.
There remains plenty to love
about IT Chapter Two, meantime.
As mentioned, the humor works
for the most part and definitely
adds something to the film, as long
as you’re expecting it.
Bill Skarsgard is also a highlight,
and is probably the one thing
keeping this film together.
Skarsgard’s performance as
Pennywise is still one of the most
brilliantly frightening movie
monsters you’ll ever see and his
portrayal in this film is expectedly
magnetic.
As well, IT Chapter Two
maintains a decent flow and
keeps the action coming, upping
the ante on every scare with
superbly intriguing set design and
atmosphere.
On the whole, IT Chapter Two
is a rather entertaining, roller
coaster thrill ride of a haunted
house movie, with some genuinely
funny moments, but if you were
expecting the sequel to maintain
the more truly terrifying, ethereal
nature of the first film, then you’ll
probably be disappointed.
Still, it’s worth a watch, and it’s
more than worthy of being played
in the background while you carve
pumpkins this Halloween. 3.5/5
PAGE 7

PAGE 6
SAINTS VOLLEYBALL
See Zoe Chatterton (#3) and the Saints in action in
these upcoming volleyball events!
VS. Lane
VS. Linn-Benton
VS. Clackamas
VS. Umpqua
Sept. 25 HOME @ 6:30PM
Sept. 27 AWAY @ 6:30PM
Oct. 2 HOME @ 6:30PM
Oct. 4 AWAY @ 6:30PM
photo by Maysee Thao | The Advocate
PAGE 8