According to History, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion on Halloween each year, second only to Christmas. So, where did this highly celebrated, secular, commercial holiday come from? The answer is pretty complicated. From Celtic traditions to Christianity to “soul cakes,” Halloween has a long history, and has looked very different from what we picture today. The tradition of Halloween originated 2,000 years ago, with a Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). Samhain celebrated the end of the harvest on October 31st, the day before the Celtic new year. It was also believed that October 31st was when the living and spirit world were the closest. They would set places at the dinner table for deceased relatives and friends, light sacred bonfires, burn crops, sacrifice animals, and wear costumes. After the celebration, they would light their hearth fires from the sacred bonfire to give them protection through the winter. After Celtic lands were conquered by the Roman Empire, two Roman holidays were incorporated into Samhain. Feralia, a day to honor the dead in late October, and a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees, were integrated with the traditions of Samhain. Christianity expanded through Celtic lands in the 9th century. Various popes tried to replace pagan holidays like Samhain. All Saints’ Day, previously celebrated on May 13th, was moved to November 1st. Later, the church made a holiday called All Souls’ Day, celebrated on November 2nd, with some similar traditions to Samhain. People celebrated with bonfires, parades, and (church-approved) costumes. Today, it is largely believed that this holiday was created to replace and try to get rid of Samhain. The name of Halloween began with All Saints’ Day, also called All-hallows or All-Hallowmas, based off of its Middle English translation. The night before was referred to as All-Hallows Eve, which later evolved into Halloween. Just like the name Halloween, the origins of trick-or-treating are also from All Saints’ Day. During the celebration, the poor would go door to door, begging for food. Families would give out pastries called “soul cakes”, and the recipients would pray for their dead relatives in thanks. This was called “going a-souling,” and later children began to do it too, and the treats expanded past just “soul cakes”. To protect themselves, people wore masks when leaving their houses to trick ghosts into thinking they were one of them. Halloween largely made its way to America in the second half of the 19th century, with the help of an influx of Irish immigrants during the Potato Famine. Americans began to trick-or-treat, although they asked for food and money rather than candy. Halloween was also a time of mischief and pranks. In the late 1800s, it shifted to a more community-oriented holiday, and Halloween parties were popular. Halloween became secular by the 1920s and 1930s, and by the 1950s, it began to focus more on children and trick-or-treating was common again. Although Samhain, All Saints’ Day, and everything in between seem worlds away from today’s celebration, when you look at the heart of it, Halloween has always been centered in community traditions. Or maybe it's the tradition of eating good food and treats - who's to say? Whichever you believe, have a happy Samhain, a happy All Saints’ Day, and a happy Halloween! If this has inspired you to celebrate with soul cakes, here's a recipe: Easy Traditional Soul Cakes Recipe. Maybe stick to candy for trick-or-treaters, though! Sources: http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g4607/history-of-halloween/ Image sources: Time Out, Dimitra Fimi, Forbes, and ABC 7 Chicago - Hope Humphreys If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading!
0 Comments
Book of the Month: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller I know, when you first hear the premise of this book, you probably think it sounds really boring. Really? A retelling of a Ancient Greek story? But no. Don’t say that. It is not some stuffy classical analysis of the Iliad: The Song of Achilles literally broke my heart and then put it back together with how beautifully it was written. It is the emotional, triumphant, tragic, and ultimately very human story of Achilles and Patroclus. I swear, however boring you think this might be, it isn’t. If you like the Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series, you will love this. Achilles and Patroclus may be a part of mythology and Western Classical lore, but this book, written by a high school classics teacher, makes them alive and mortal and heartbreakingly lovable. I cannot emphasize enough how amazing this book is. I would also highly recommend Miller’s other major novel, Circe, but The Song of Achilles was my first introduction to her work and it is incredible. I read both her books cover-to-cover separately, and with both sat at the end with my jaw dropped, just stunned and impressed. Seriously, The Song of Achilles is just incredible. Quotes of the Month: "Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other." - Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck “No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.” - The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne “Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.” - Frankenstein, Mary Shelley - Kate Voltz If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! Total Time: 45 minutes Yield: about 8 donuts Ingredients: Donuts
Instructions
- Mya Andrews If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email [email protected]. Thanks for reading!
Bursting with energy and style, Enola Holmes is a fresh, lighthearted film from beginning to end. The creative visual design, witty writing, and strong themes of this movie are apparent, and very enjoyable. Obviously, the standout star of this film is Millie Bobby Brown, well-known for her role as Eleven in Stranger Things. Here, she really steps into her own, fully portraying a character that this writer, at first, was worried would be precocious and annoying. However, the intelligence and wit of Enola Holmes shines through in her energy and the brilliant script, and the energetic, 4th-wall-breaking dialogue quickly assuaged those fears. The supporting cast is excellent as well, with Louis Partridge as her love interest/gentleman-in-distress Tewkesbury, and Henry Cavill portraying her older brother Sherlock Holmes. Helena Bonham Carter (Eudoria Holmes, Enola’s mother) and Sam Claflin (Mycroft Holmes, the eldest brother) round out the main cast. This film’s feminist themes are very apparent, but it also isn’t only a movie about that, either. They are not at all the main purpose of the story, and are handled well, accurately describing what life as a woman was like in that era. It’s an interesting look at a tumultuous time, and is wrapped up in a vibrant and exciting package that makes it an enjoyable watch for all ages. Overall, Enola Holmes is by far one of the best Netflix originals this writer has seen, and marks the start (hopefully) of an exciting new franchise IP for the company. This writer is personally looking forward to more of these films in the future. 4 ½ out of 5 stars - Trevor Winder If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! With the national elections being right around the corner, there is a large push to lower the voting age, specifically in Oregon. More and more Oregonian teens have defended that the voting age should be lowered to 16, pushing legislators to propose an amendment to the Oregon Constitution. There is reasoning behind both sides of the argument, but are they strong enough to create a need for change? There are certainly apparent advantages to lowering the voting age. One such argument states that lowering the voting age will increase voter turnout, and train a new generation of smart, informed, and prepared voters. And data supports this argument: when Takoma Park, Maryland lowered its voting age in 2013, registered voter turnout of those under 18 was four times the turnout presented by age groups over 18. A crucial question to consider is if this data could be translated to the Oregon voting climate. According to state senator Shemia Fagan, “It’s time to lower the voting age in Oregon and give young people a chance to participate at the ballot about decisions that affect their homes, their clean air and clean water future, their schools, and as we’ve seen, their very lives.” There are contentions as to why the voting age should not be lowered, as well. Scientifically, it is proven that 16-year-olds do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, leading to immature and irrational decision making. Another argument is that voting topics have virtually no impact on most 16- and 17-year-olds, as they are still considered adolescents in the eyes of national law. This lack of impact may create less of an incentive for young voters to make informed and selective decisions, posing a lack of comprehension of voting topics and their effects. Oregon Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger, Jr., of Grants Pass expresses his concern in a statement, “People are not legally considered adults in this country until they are 18 years old, and I believe they shouldn’t be able to vote until then, either.” While there is reasoning behind both sides of the argument at hand, Oregonian youth have been voicing their opinions in favor of lowering the voting age to 16, and so far, the government has been receptive. This consideration has gained support from the state government in the form of Governor Kate Brown and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer, and has approval on a federal level, with the additional endorsement of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. In March of 2019, teens all across the state spent their spring break petitioning for a lowering of the voting age in Oregon, and efforts continue with the upcoming 2020 presidential elections. While the future voting age may be lowered, as of now, only those 18 and older are permitted to vote. This is why it is imperative that if you can vote, VOTE! Represent the future generation with your vote, and perhaps someday, 16 and 17 year-olds will also be able to vote. Major source: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/19/politics/oregon-voting-age-16-trnd/index.html - Maya Schwartz If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! Thought American may be embroiled in its own domestic issues and a pandemic, the rest of the world continues to turn, and many other nations face difficult times, tensions. and fighting outside of COVID-19. In recent weeks a conflict has erupted in the already-tense region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia, which has continued to escalate since the first shots were fired on September 27th. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan blamed the other for the start of the conflict. A tentative ceasefire brokered in Moscow between the nations was broken on October 10th, and both sides blame the other for that as well. Already many have died and long-range weapons have fired far past their intended targets. Why a conflict here and now? The region of Nagorno-Karabakh has been in dispute for decades. In 1988, it sought independence from Azerbaijan, starting a years-long conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives. In 2016, there was another, smaller conflict, and again this summer. The whole situation is often referred to as a “frozen” conflict, but it has now thawed again. Though the region may seem small and isolated, it impacts global relations more than you might expect. Between the two nations, situated near the Caspian Sea, they share borders with Turkey, Iran, and Russia. In the past, a coalition made up of Russia, France and America has worked to negotiate an end to the conflicts. But there is now a new variable in the equation: Turkey. Turkey has allied itself deeply with Azerbaijan, whose majority Muslim population is of the same ethnic group as the Turks. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has made it clear that they stand behind Azerbaijan in this conflict; also inflaming tensions is the fact that both Turkey and Azerbaijan deny the Armenian genocide of World War I. Russia, on the other hand, is allied with Armenia, setting the stage for a potential influx of foreign influence in the fighting. Turkey and Russia are already fighting each other in proxy wars in Syria and Libya. In the past, they’ve been willing to work together to put down conflicts, but both Russia and Turkey are getting more aggressive in the Middle East and America is stepping back from the region. This may be the time for Russia and Turkey to show that Western powers are not so relevant in their backyards. The region of Nagorno-Karabakh has no particular significance to the international community by itself, only to its inhabitants. But the regional tensions it affects could inflame many other relationships. In the South Caucasus, where the conflict is occurring, lie important oil and gas lines. Azerbaijan buys arms from Israel. France and the US, among other countries, support Armenia. Iran, on the border to both nations, has ethnic populations from both sides. Armenians in San Francisco, all the way across the world, faced hate crimes at a school and church there. Their freedom of religion, culture, and self-determination could be decided by this war - or it may go back to the same unrestful but at least nonviolent status quo. That’s what many experts hope for, because at least it would avoid a wider war that could draw in Turkey and Russia. It’s possible that the ongoing negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow may succeed, which could improve the situation. Now, let's northwest to Belarus, where ongoing protests have seen further violence used against the opposition to the government and where the president, Alexander Lukashenko, met with his political opponents in jail. Ever since the August 9th “landslide” victory of Lukashenko, which was widely thought to have been rigged, Belarusians have taken to the streets in droves to demand a transfer of power and free and fair elections. On October 10th, the United Kingdom withdrew their ambassador to the country, and on October 11th Romania did the same. The protestors continue to hope that their actions will lead to change, and the government there is also not budging. The largest figure of opposition to Lukashenko, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, announced from exile that if Lukashenko doesn’t step down before October 25th, strikes will immobilize the country. Recently also, Russia announced that Ms. Tikhanovskaya has been put on their wanted list. This further shows that Russia is taking Lukashenko’s side in a country that has for decades stood on a precarious precipice between Russia and the West. Between Belarus and Armenia, it’s clear that Russia is not slacking on its expansion of global power. This summer, Alexei Navalny, the most important opponent of Vladimir Putin in Russian politics, was poisoned with a Soviet-era nerve agent and was taken to Berlin, where he is still recovering. Russia also held a referendum this summer that passed, changing their constitution to allow Putin to serve until 2036. The US State Department has also grown concerned over Russia’s growing influence in Africa. How these stories develop remains to be seen, but we’ll keep you posted. Works Cited "Armenia Azerbaijan: Reports of fresh shelling dent ceasefire hopes." BBC, 11 Oct. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54488386. "Belarus protests: Lukashenko holds meeting with opponents in jail." BBC, 11 Oct. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54496233. "Belarus' authoritarian leader visits his foes in prison." The Independent, 10 Oct. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/belarus-authoritarian-leader-visits-his-foes-in-prison-alexander-lukashenko-leader-kyiv-prison-president-b939332.html. "Belarus: Russia puts opposition's Tikhanovskaya on wanted list." BBC, 7 Oct. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54456608. Higgins, Andrew. "As Both Sides Dig In, What’s the Endgame for Belarus?" The New York Times, 12 Sept. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/09/12/world/europe/belarus-russia-protests-endgame.html. Higgins, Andrew. "The Theatrical Method in Putin’s Vote Madness." The New York Times, 1 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/world/europe/putin-referendum-vote-russia.html. Kotchikian, Asbed. "Nagorno-Karabakh conflict precipitates a new regional order." Al-Jazeera, 8 Oct. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/10/8/nagorno-karabakh-conflict-precipitates-a-new-regional-order/. Kozenko, Andrey. "Navalny poisoning: Kremlin critic recalls near-death Novichok torment." BBC, 7 Oct. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54434082. Kramer, Andrew E. "Why Is Conflict Erupting Again Between Armenia and Azerbaijan?" The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2020, www.nytimes.com/article/armenian-azerbaijan-conflict.html. Makridis, Christos A., and Alex Galitsky. "Azerbaijan's assault against Armenia threatens democracy everywhere." The Hill, 10 Oct. 2020, thehill.com/opinion/international/520437-azerbaijans-assault-against-armenia-threatens-democracy-everywhere. Mishanec, Nora. "3 incidents at S.F. Armenian church, school now considered hate crimes." The San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Sept. 2020, www.sfchronicle.coRm/bayarea/article/3-incidents-at-S-F-Armenian-church-school-now-15591677.php. Neuman, Scott. "Azerbaijan, Armenia Trade Accusations Of Breaking Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh." NPR, 14 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/14/923674768/azerbaijan-armenia-trade-accusations-of-breaking-cease-fire-in-nagorno-karabakh. "Police in Belarus crack down on protesters, detain dozens." Reuters , 11 Oct. 2020, www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-protests/police-in-belarus-crack-down-on-protesters-detain-dozens-idUSKBN26W0IH. "Romania recalls its ambassador from Belarus." 112 Ukraine, 11 Oct. 2020, 112.international/politics/romania-recalls-its-ambassador-from-belarus-55508.html. Ryan, Missy. "Pentagon calls for new cooperation with Algeria to counteract growing Russian influence in Africa." The Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/us-military-africa-russia/2020/10/01/ac53cf66-0415-11eb-8879-7663b816bfa5_story.html. Strength Through Peace. "Eruption of Conflict Over Nagorno-Karabakh." Council on Foreign Relations, 28 Sept. 2020, www.cfr.org/blog/eruption-conflict-over-nagorno-karabakh. Sytas, Andrius. "Belarus opposition leader sets October 25 deadline for Lukashenko to quit." Reuters, 13 Oct. 2020, www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-ultimatum-idUSKBN26Y1KP. "The Trouble in the South Caucasus Extends Far Beyond One Small Enclave." The New York Times, 8 Oct. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/opinion/armenia-azerbaijan.html. "UK temporarily recalls ambassador to Belarus." The Guardian, 10 Oct. 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/10/uk-temporarily-recalls-ambassador-to-belarus. - Kate Voltz If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! - Rain Scarborough If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our virtual meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! With rumors of Shrek 5 on the rise, I decided to take it upon myself to provide an in depth analysis of every single Shrek movie. I have elected to leave out Shrek’s Spooky Swamp Stories, Shrek the Halls, and Scared Shrekless and just analyze the main four films. This is not to say that those shorts are not fantastic themselves, just that they don’t provide true character development and advance any main character’s story further than we already knew. Note: there will be spoilers for the movies below, but I imagine that you wouldn’t be reading this article if you haven’t watched these movies yet. Let us begin with the first Shrek, all the way back in 2001. This is a fantastic film about regaining your land from the corrupt government and finding love along the way, not to mention your best friend. This movie’s overall message is about accepting your own flaws, and realizing that appearances don’t matter. We have the introductions to our favorite relationships, Shrek and Fiona, as well as Donkey and Dragon, and finally Farquaad and death. The soundtrack as well is just immaculate, with the opening song of All-Star and then closing with a Smash Mouth cover of Believer, and a haunting Hallelujah throughout the entire movie. Don’t forget Bad Reputation as Shrek is beating the crap out of some knights to impress Farquaad. Overall, a fantastic film created by animators who referred to being forced to work on this masterpiece of a movie as “getting Shreked”, which means they had to be moved from working on The Prince of Egypt and were essentially demoted to this. Everyone knows that it is impossible to achieve perfection, but in 2004, Dreamworks tried again with the release of Shrek 2, which is the most well-loved Shrek movie. In fact, I conducted an informal survey in the Among Us chat rooms before playing a round, and all five people who responded with actual answers stated that Shrek 2 was their favorite. But why? It could be for many reasons, such as Puss in Boots and his kitty eyes, the amazingly handsome human Shrek and his noble steed Donkey, or maybe even the dinner scene with Fiona’s parents. But, they would be lying if they said those reasons over the main one. The Holding Out For A Hero attack on the castle sequence is a legitimate cinematic masterpiece in itself, with a fantastic mixture of Mongo the giant gingerbread man attacking the tower intermixed with Prince Charming sweeping Fiona off her feet as the Fairy Godmother performs the best song in movie history. In my own opinion, this is the best battle sequence in a movie, beating out the portals scene in Endgame. As far as the message of this movie goes, I would say that it is about accepting who you are, and that you don’t need to change for others. This plotline would prove to be a fan-favorite, which is why they brought back Prince Charming for Shrek the Third. Now we are entering the era of fever dreams. People, when asked if they knew there were four Shrek films, normally nod and say they simply haven’t watched them, or that it was a long time ago. No one really knows the exact plot, so this gave me an excuse to rewatch these two, because I also didn’t really remember the plot. So, just another warning, there will be spoilers for both Shrek the Third as well as Forever After coming up. Shrek the Third begins with the death of Fiona’s father, and thus Shrek and Fiona become the rulers of Far Far Away. Shrek doesn’t want that kind of pressure, so he goes in search of Fiona’s teenage cousin, Arthur Pendragon. Fiona learns she’s pregnant, and Shrek has to cope with the knowledge that he will have to be a father soon. This movie really highlights that growth with his relationship to Arthur. While this is the least well-known Shrek film, I think that this is the most pivotal to his character development. In the other movies Shrek lives his life like everyone should adjust to his needs, but now Shrek becomes more considerate of his actions towards his friends and family. As far as the villain goes, Prince Charming is back again - not to try and woo Fiona again, but to start a revolution with the rejects and villains of society, like the witches and cyclops. In a cinematic parallel, Fiona has to save Shrek from being slain, similar to how he saved her. This movie ends with the apparent death of Prince Charming being crushed by a tower on set, and Shrek and Fiona having triplets as Arthur takes the crown. The theme of this movie is more about learning how to be a father. While this movie doesn’t have a huge amount of fantastic scenes, the best running joke out of the whole film is when Puss and Donkey magically switch bodies through a mix-up of Merlin’s magic. Finally, we have Shrek Forever After, where Shrek makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin and accidentally signs away his entire life as he knows it. Shrek has to journey through a world where Rumpelstiltskin is king, witches terrorize the world, his best friend doesn’t know him, his wife doesn’t know who he is, and his kids don’t exist anymore. And who could forget the fact that Shrek will die in 24 hours unless he gets True Love’s kiss? This movie is all about falling in love again and appreciating what you had before you lose it. This Shrek film has the most climactic ending, with Shrek only getting his True Love’s kiss as he is slowly fading from existence, until he vanishes, destroying this reality until we return to hours before the deal was made. This movie shows that true friendship can transcend different realities, similar to how the Avatar can be friends with the same people in different lives. As for why this movie gets skipped over by so many Shrek fans, I would say that it is just because people didn’t like the fact that instead of expanding the Shrek universe, they told a new and different story, which I applaud them for doing. This movie is underrated, and I believe that it is considered the worst Shrek film because it has to compete with Shrek 1 and 2. Overall, these four fantastic films are the epitome of an animation film series, due to the fact that they work for both adults and kids. The bottom line is, if you even have the smallest sense of humor, Shrek is one of the best franchises, and I personally believe that it deserves more than a 4D ride at Universal Studios. Hopefully after the release of Shrek 5, this will be a reality. - Vincent Bottaro If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! Hello Raiders! It’s been quite the year and we’re almost a month away from election day: November 3rd. Regardless of whether or not you’re eligible to vote, it’s important to be informed on the candidates who will be on the ballot. In the last few months, there has been a lot of focus on national politics which is incredibly important, but critical change can also be made locally in our community. Many times, the futures of those who can’t even vote are on the ballot. This can discourage people from trying to make change politically, but there are so many other ways to participate. For example, during COVID-19, phone banking is an outlet to increase voter turnout and campaign for candidates you want to see in office. Petitions and writing letters to your representatives is another great way to put your interests on the ballot. Most importantly, if you can vote, do it! Candidates work on issues that will benefit their next election, and in order to do that, will tackle issues their voters find most important. If you want your politicians to address issues that are important to you, vote! There are dozens of candidates that will be on the ballot this year for Benton county but there are some general trends that will need to be addressed regardless of political standing. With the pandemic and OSU students returning to in person classes, our community has seen a renewed rise in COVID cases, which will be important for our elected officials to grapple with. Benton County’s State Commissioner position for Position 2 and 3 will both be up for election through ranked choice voting since there are three candidates. State representatives from Districts 15, 16 and 23 will be up for re-election as well as state senate District 12. Two out of five of our US representatives will also be up for re-election from Districts 4 (Hoffay, DeFazio and Skarlatos) and 5 (Rix, Courser and Schrader). Important dates: Age to register to vote: 16 Voter Registration (OR): October 13th Absentee or mail-in ballots must be mailed by: October 28th (Oregon is NOT having in person voting this year) *If you’re interested in phone banking, you can contact Laura: her email is [email protected] More information about registering to vote can be found on this document (use your school account): docs.google.com/document/d/1cDhGGZVN6l4TXVsiM72jV9UKGMYLh5U7Y92FvJp2Voo/edit?usp=sharing - Laura Jost If you want to write for the Crescent Crier, we would love to see you at one of our meetings, which are every Wednesday at 1:30pm! To come to a meeting, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TrQ5PqFcDqeE2yiB9, and we’ll send you a link ASAP. If you would like to submit a single article - or anything else like creative writing, an opinion, an art piece, photo or photo series, or something else entirely - then you can do that using this form: https://forms.gle/WAHSoWJuVwK3q5du6. If you want to contact us for any reason, you can email
[email protected]. Thanks for reading! |