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Q&A with Dexter producer Tim Schlattmann

NEWS 'On the Road' tour comes to Bellingham. Page 6

CO2 breakdown is easier, cheaper

By Lydia Love A discovery recently made by a Western graduate student was published in the science journal, Inorganic Chemistry. Zach Thammavongsy spent three years in the lab researching how to inexpensively break down carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using iron, Thammavongsy said. The discovery he and his three-person team made in the lab is significant. Before their work, this reaction was only done with expensive metals such as rhenium, niobium and uranium. We have shown that you can convert carbon dioxide to usable carbon monoxide with the cheapest metal on earth, iron, he said. Assistant professor of chemistry at Western, John Gilbertson, and Thammavongsys research adviser, said that because iron is

Western student makes revolutionary discovery

"literally" dirt cheap, this is a beneficial discovery. Zachs discovery is quite significant, as it is the first report of the reduction of CO2 and subsequent release of [carbon monoxide] utilizing iron, Gilbertson said. Gilbertson is a coauthor of the study published in the journal. This discovery will have a positive impact on the environment, Thammavongsy said. But with the positive, there could be some negative consequences as well. Carbon monoxide has a foul reputation in regards to our bodies and carbon monoxide poisoning, he said. Carbon monoxide is more reactive than carbon dioxide and is more useful than harmful, Thammavongsy said. Gilbertson also said this is an important discovery because of the fuel production
SEE

Friday September 28, 2012

The Western Front

westernfrontonline.net

FEATURES Northwesterners break world records. Page 8

SPORTS Western men's hockey looks to defend title. Page 13

Volume 161 Issue 1

Front website revamped The new version of our online edition launched Thursday and is now available to readers.

New attraction at SPARK Museum: On Oct. 13, the museum, located on Bay Street in downtown Bellingham, will unveil its new Electrical Extravaganza Show in a weekend-long event. Visitors wearing a mad scientist costume will be given free admission to the 6 p.m. electrical show. Fall Blood Drive coming to Western Oct. 16-18: The donation location will be at the Viking Union 565 and also at the Mini Mobile in Red Square near the Humanities building. There is no longer a oneyear wait period required after receiving a tattoo if it was acquired in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho or Montana. Whatcom County voters' pamphlet now available online: The audio version of the pamphlet will be available online Monday, Oct. 15. The pamphlet provides detailed information about state and local ballot measures, as well as other important details. AS Productions held a screening of Marvel's The Avengers on the Communications lawn on Tuesday night: The event yielded the highest turnout in the history of AS Productions.

Western grad student Zach Thammavongsy examines a reaction vessel containing a solution vital to the published reaction. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe.

CO2, PAGE 5

Shannon Point recieves large grant for new vessel

By Nathan Dalla Santa The National Science Foundation has awarded a $162,300 grant to Westerns Shannon Point Marine Center, according to a Western press release. The grant will allow the SPMC to purchase a new vessel for their aquatic fleet. The new ship will be used for water quality measurements, analysis of nutrient dynamics and food web interactions, said SPMC Director Stephen Sulkin. The vessel will also be used for studying the causes and effects of algal blooms and ocean acidification. We just started the design phase and analysis of what we can get, then it has to be built, Sulkin said. Maybe by fall quarter of next year, but that may be optimistic. The SPMC is hoping to build a vessel between 28 and 30 feet long,
SEE

Western scores stellar rankings

By Alisha Foster Western is the highest-ranking public, masters-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2013 U.S. News & World Report college rankings. Western has consistently received strong rankings in the magazines surveys of colleges and universities in the nation. Western also ranked third among top public masters-granting universities in the West, a region
SEE

GRANT, PAGE 5

RANKINGS, PAGE 3

Photo by Laura Going

2 | News

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Cops Box
Bellingham Police
Sept. 27
Bellingham Police arrested a man for urinating in public after he defecated in the 300 Block of W Champion Street.

Sept. 25

Bellingham Police contacted two WWU students, regarding a loud gathering they were hosting in the 500 Block of E Myrtle St. Upon seeing police arrival, 30-40 youths ran from the home. The youths cooperated and had the remainder of the party goers leave their home.

Compiled by Daniel Pickard

Western students (left to right) Brenna Gould (in blue), Danika Roberts, Austin Abendroth, Melissa Batten and Kayla Erickson perform in a Gangnam Style flashmob at the Red Square Info Fair, Tuesday. The popular music video Gangnam Style by South Korean artist PSY, holds the Guinness World Record for Most Liked Video on YouTube. (For more local Guinness World Records see our story on page 8) Photo by Laura Going.

Western Front
The
Western Washington University Communications Facility 251 Bellingham, WA 98225
Editor-in-Chief Sarah Aitchison Managing Editor James Kozanitis News Editors Mike Lydon Daniel Pickard Features Editors Ana Karen Perez Guzman Brooke Warren Sports Editor Alex Bigelow Opinion Editor Joella Ortega Photo Editor Laura Going Online Editor Mike Gore Copy Editors Jules Guay-Binion Taryn Knudsvig Jessica Pain Illustrator Annie Gaines Cartoonist Owen Whitcomb Editorial Department Newsroom: 360-650-3162 Communications Facility 222 Letters to the editor: westernfrontonline@gmail.com Press releases: wfpress.release@gmail.com Faculty Adviser Jack Keith, Jack.Keith@wwu.edu Advertising Department 360-650-3160 Skip Gibson, advertising manager Alethea Macomber, business manager
The Western Front is published every Tuesday and Friday in the fall, winter and spring quarters, and once a week in the summer. The Western Front is the official newspaper of Western Washington University and is published by the Student Publications Council. It is mainly supported by advertising. Opinions and stories in the newspaper have no connection to advertising. News content is determined by student editors. Staff reporters are involved in a course in the department of journalism, but any student enrolled at Western may offer stories to the editors. Members of the Western community are entitled to a single free copy of each issue of The Western Front.

Biology department chair chosen for national leadership role

By Mason Cheung Westerns Biology Department Chair Joann Otto was chosen Sept. 5 as one of the 40 Vision and Change Leadership Fellows to take part in a national year-long initiative. The Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education program makes the selection each year. Their mission is to improve the education of biology for undergraduates. However, convincing institutions nationwide to follow along could be her biggest challenge, Otto said in an email. The Leadership Fellows are made up of chairs, deans and other directors of biology from institutions spanning from community colleges to large research universities throughout the nation, Otto said. She said there is a great deal of work to do. Western already uses many of these strategies, but they have not been adopted by many departments, Otto said. Otto has been an active member in the biology department at Western since 2004. Jeff Wright, Dean of the College of Sciences and Technology. said her skills where she is seen as a role model, an asset and a valued member of the Western community and amongst the Leadership Fellows. Its a tremendous achievement for us and for her," said Wright. "These are very accomplished people that were chosen for their vision and wisdom on the subject. The document, Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education A Call to Action, is the joint product of the participants from a 2009 national conference. The participants at the conference spoke on how the education of life sciences is taught to undergraduates in colleges and universities nationwide. The document features strategies specifically aimed to better the way students are taught about life sciences, and the barriers that stand in the way of implementing them, Otto said. To address these barriers, major national organizations such as the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health and Howard Hughes Medical Institute formed the partnership. After joining together, they began to call on a team of 40 Leadership Fellows to take on the task of choosing which strategies work best, and convincing colleges and universities nationwide to adopt them, Otto said. By July, the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education had received all its applicants and began their review process. When Otto learned she would be joining the top 40 applicants she said she thinks the biggest challenge will be persuading faculty members nationwide that less is more." Many institutions prefer to cover the core concepts of biology literacy in exchange for an in-depth understanding of the major core concepts of biology, Otto said. There is a well-entrenched mindset in faculty of all ranks and ages that these numerous topics must be covered so students are prepared for upper-division courses, Otto said. This mindset will be very difficult to change. The Leadership Fellows will be meeting in October to go over effective strategies, and give recommendations to each other on strategies to implement over the next year. I hope that my involvement will help Westerns reputation when the high-quality education that we offer students becomes better known, Otto said.

Corrections

The Western Front strives for accuracy and will correct errors of fact promptly and courteously. Please notify us of any factual errors at westernfrontonline@gmail.com.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

News | 3

Lincoln Creek and Fairhaven routes extend evening hours

By Erika Anderson Whatcom Transportation Authority recently expanded its bus services in Bellingham for the second time since a 2010 tax hike. WTA is adding evening service to route 196 WWU/Lincoln Creek and route 401 Fairhaven, to enhance service to Western's campus as well the Lincoln Creek Transportation Center Park and Ride. Sunday services have also expanded. They will begin an hour earlier and end an hour later on all routes with the exception of route 105 Fairhaven. A new route to Squalicum Harbor was also created to provide service to Bellinghams waterfront. WTA traffic research shows a demand for this new route, which provides weekday morning and evening service to Roeder Avenue, according to Transportation Benefit District No.1 records. To keep all routes on schedule, routes 14

WTA changes service schedule

Fairhaven, and 105 Fairhavenwhich both run from downtown through Western and South Campushave changed arrival and departure times. Expansions are primarily the result of funding from Transportation District No.1; a municipal corporation formed by Bellingham City Council. These Transportation Benefit Districts have the authority to impose taxes, which provide funding for transportation improvements around the city.

Routes changed: 14, 105, 196, & 401 ridewta.com

Illustration by Annie Gaines

A student boards a WTA bus outside the Viking Union on campus. With the new route expansions, students will see more late-night access to the busses. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe.

The tax hike, which was approved by 58 percent of Bellingham voters in the Nov. 2010 General Election, increased the sales tax by 0.002 percent. The additional money funds Transportation Benefit District No.1. Jack Weiss, a City Councilmember said the priority for the Transportation Benefit District was to restore Sunday bus services, which was cut as a result of the recession. They had to do a lot of cuts, Weiss said. Some of it had to do with the evening hours, some of it had to do with Sunday service." The Sunday service, which was gone for almost a year, was partly restored due to Transportation Benefit District funding. This year, however, the Transportation Benefit District found leftover funds that would allow them to further pursue the expansion of WTA services. The funds left them $425,000 of additional funding.

RANKINGS: U.S. News names Western best masters-granting university in the Pacific Northwest
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

stretching from Texas to the Pacific. Rankings by U.S. News are separated into categories for national (doctoral-granting) universities and liberal arts colleges. Rankings are based on a variety of criteria including academic reputation, student selectivity and retention, faculty resources, peer assessment and financial resources. According to Forbes Magazine annual list of Americas 650 Top Colleges Western has an overall ranking of 353, behind the University of Washington (87) but before Washington State University (464). Paul Cocke, Director of the Office of University Communications, said in an email students should be proud that Western is ranked so highly by a national publication. Rankings are indicators of excellence but the true measure of Westerns success is with the success and achievements of its students and alumni, Cocke said in an email. Part of a survey completed by the Career Services Center on Westerns campus gathered information from 2010 bachelors and masters degree recipients about employment after graduation. Data was collected from 45 percent of the 3,045 students who received bachelors degrees and 61 percent of the 320 students who completed masters degrees. Bachelors degree recipients reported 75 percent

employment. Those who received a masters degree reported having 82 percent employment. While we are pleased to be recognized by this and other national rankings, the true measure of Westerns excellence is the quality of our programs and, consequently, the caliber of our graduates who are highly sought after by employers and who become leaders in their fields and communities, Western's President Bruce Shepard said in a press release. Our students realize their aspirations because of our dedicated, gifted and inspiring faculty and staff. You actually get to know your professors, said Annie Marchion, a sophomore majoring in Elementary Education. Some of the reasons students enjoy being at Western include the excellent academics, a caring campus culture where people watch out for each other and talented, inspiring faculty who often include students in research projects more commonly

found at doctoral programs at other universities, Cocke said. Lots of people underrank Western, Irena Lam, a sophomore at Western studying business said, Ive liked all of my professors and some of my friends who are at [the University of Washington] havent. According to U.S. News, as many as 1 in 3 first-year students dont make it back for sophomore year in the U.S. Western has an average retention rate of 84 percent. Lots of people overlook Western, Marchion said. Western is ranked highly in part because of a collaborative campus community where students can achieve aspirations while developing interests and talents Cocke said. The small-campus feel and diversity of majors brings lots of kids here, said Alicia Lathrop, a senior majoring in design production said. People come here to experience a non-traditional college. We have a great school, Lathrop said. Thats what sets us apart.

4 | News

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

WWU Astronomer tackles galaxy clusters

Research sent to top journal
By Annika Wolters Ken Rines, assistant professor of astronomy and physics at Western, submitted research on gravitational patterns of galaxy clusters to the Astrophysical Journal, the foremost research journal on astrophysics in the world. Rines said he began researching galaxy clusters for his PhD thesis at Harvard University. This [research] gives us a peek into the far future of the universe, Rines said. Riness research attempts to answer how much mass the clusters have as well as determine the number of galaxies a cluster is able to capture in its gravitational pull. Galaxy clusters are the largest structures in the universe, and are composed of hundreds of thousands of separate galaxies, grouped together by their mutual forces of gravity, Rines said. Rines said he has been observing a sample of 58 galaxy clusters. He is able to determine the mass of a cluster and predict its potential size when the universe doubles in age. Individual galaxies inside clusters interact with the gravitational pulls of other galaxies either moving closer to the dense center of the cluster or farther toward the outskirts, some escaping altogether. At the center region of clusters are hundreds of massive, old galaxies held together by their mutual pull, Rines said. At the outer edge of a cluster, the galaxies are spread out and the pull of gravity is less influential. The outermost galaxy is thus more likely to escape, beginning an independent journey through the cosmos, Rines said. The mass of a galaxy cluster can be determined by measuring the speed of several of its member galaxies, Rines said. To measure the mass, one needs access to a MMT telescope, with a colossal 20-foot mirror, located at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Arizona, where Rines earned his PhD. Using this telescope, light from up to 300 galaxies is captured in spectrum. The position of colors on the spectrum then determines the speed at which the galaxies are moving. Rines said this information helps determine which galaxies are going to be torn away and which ones are going to be captured and pulled deeper into the cluster. The more mass a galaxy contains, the stronger gravitational pull it has; making the galaxies within the cluster move faster, Rines said. Over time these galaxy clusters will grow farther apart. Individual galaxies are pushed away from each other by dark energy, an unknown force that causes the expansion of the universe to speed up, Rines said. A tug of war then is created between individual galaxies under the influence of conflicting forces of gravity, pulling inward and the outward force of expansion. Any research submitted to the Astrophysical Journal must be peerreviewed by experts in similar fields before it is accepted and published, which could take months. If Riness research is printed in the journal, it will provide detailed information on 20,000 galaxies. However, Rines is determined to continue uncovering the hidden secrets of the universe. There are more discoveries yet to be made, Rines said.

Assistant Professor Ken Rines displays galaxies Thursday in Westerns planetarium. Rines teaches astronomy and physics. Photo by Rachel Howland

Veterans find opportunity, comfort on campus

By Ashley Hogrede Western was recently ranked in the top 15 percent of military friendly schools by G.I. Jobs, a website dedicated to military-to-civilian transition employment. The ranking criteria is based on nine categories, including academic credit for military service, veteran graduation rates and military support on campus, according to the G.I. Jobs website. Lucas Coffey a student and veteran who works for the Veterans Services Office on campus, found Western to be veteran-friendly from the beginning of his college experience. I was taken under other veterans wings right from the start and was introduced to veteran-friendly staff, Coffey said. According to the Veterans Services Office, there are more than 150 military veterans on campus. We are kind of the unseen Veterans Services office Old Main 365 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 360-650-3324 Veterans Outreach Center Viking Union 530. 360-650-6115 minority because we blend in with everybody else,said Noah Stuth, administrative assistant for the Veterans Services office. Western has two offices on campus dedicated to assisting veterans: the Veterans Services office and the Veterans Outreach Center. The Veterans Services Office can give tips and tricks on how vets can make the best of their time, Coffey said. Veterans can often feel out-ofplace in a college environment. Transitioning from military life to college life is not the easiest thing, especially when you are older," Coffey said. Being a 31-year-old on campus with 18 and 21-year-olds can be as much of a culture shock as going from civilian to military life Coffey said. The offices also seek to provide a sense of community by putting on service projects and social events throughout the year. Veterans that come here are a little bit older and a lot of them have families, so they are at a different spot in their life. They dont go to the dorm, Stuth said. Feeling older and apart many veterans try to form a community among each other, Stuth said. A lot of veterans when they get out, myself included, dont want anything to do with veterans, Coffey said. Coffey encourages veterans on campus to take advantage of the resources and opportunities Western provides. I did my time and I was done and wanted to do my own thing for a while. Thats perfectly fine, but I encourage vets to get involved a little bit, or at least stay connected to other veterans on campus, Coffey said.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

News | 5

CO2: Student's new method uses iron in place of more expensive metals
research is still far from complete. I will likely be gone before this project reaches its full potential, he said. However, knowing my project will continue on, possibly in the hands of undergraduate Western students is encouraging. Thammavongsy wants to inform undergraduate students about opportunities for research within the chemistry department. We are doing basic science and not currently investigating the scaling up or commercialization of the technology, Gilbertson said. There are still other scientific hurdles the team has to overcome, such as what to do with the other oxygen atom from carbon dioxide once it has been removed to make carbon monoxide, he said. Research is still in progress, Thammavongsy said. However, I can say the impact our discovery can have on our world would be truly priceless in the preservation of our environment.

From left to right, Western seniors Andy Breuhaus and Darren Veit stand next to grad student Zach Thammavongsy and John Gilbertson in one of the chemistry labs on campus. This team, among others, recently published their work in a science journal.detailing a complex reaction that converts carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

and

from carbon dioxide carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is a very useful fuel, he said. It can be reformed into diesel fuel. So our process has the

potential to replace coal as a feedstock and utilized CO2 instead to make [carbon monoxide], Gilbertson said.

Even with the recent publication in Inorganic Chemistry, Thammavongsy said their

GRANT: New ship to be used for oceanic research

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Former Western prof. sentenced to four years

Gave false statements in connection to the purchase of a firearm
By Hannah Leone, guest writer Hannah Leone was the editor-in-chief of the Welcome Back edition of The Western Front A former Western professor was sentenced to four years in prison on Sept. 6. Colin Reedy, who taught industrial design at Western from March 2002 until June 2004, was sentenced in United States District Court to four years in prison for buying a gun for another man to murder a man from Grove City, Ohio, according to a press release issued by the Department of Justice on Sept. 6. Reedy, 46, was also fined $5,000 and ordered to serve 300 hours of community service as part of the ruling. Reedy plead guilty on Dec. 20, 2011 to one count of making false statements in connection to the purchase of a firearm, according to the press release. According to U.S. District Court documents from the Southern District of Ohio, Reedy knowingly made a false statement and representation to Butchs Gun Shop in Seattle in November 2010, when he falsely represented that he was buying a KelTec nine millimeter pistol for himself. He actually purchased the firearm for transfer to another person, according to U.S. District Court documents. The pistol was used to kill the man from Grove City, Ohio on March 10, 2011 and the murder trial is pending, according to the Sept. 6 press release. Reedy was asked to buy the pistol for a college friend who wanted to kill his business partner in Ohio, according to the press release, and Reedy mailed the gun to his friend from New Jersey. Director of University Communications Paul Cocke said Reedy was employed at Western as a lecturer now known as an adjunct instructor and taught one class in engineering technology in the spring quarters of 2002, 2003 and 2004. Law enforcement coordinator Fred Alverson said according to information Reedy provided to the court, his career includes teaching technology and industrial design courses at several colleges in addition to Western.

with a cruising speed of 18 to 22 knots, said Manager of Academic Support Services Gene McKeen. Were going to try to get the biggest boat we can, based on what we need to put on it, McKeen said. Its a rough framework, but well know more once we sit down with our team this fall and talk to boat builders. The SPMC is located in Anacortes, Wash., and is comprised of a 78-acre campus, as well as waterfront property on Mosquito Pass on San Juan Island. The center currently owns a 19-foot, 26-foot and 32-foot boat. The academic fleet is housed in nearby Skyline Marina, about one mile from the SMPC campus, said Sulkin. The NSF has a long history of supporting the SPMC. NSF funding has kept the SPMC afloat for 25 consecutive years, most recently providing $400,000 in 2011 to continue the program for another five years. The three other vessels already owned by the marine center were bought with grant money from the NSF dating back to 1995. The SPMC was awarded a $170,000 research grant in 2008, according to a Western press release. They fund most of the research activity and the work with our undergrads, Sulkin said. We have to have ongoing research and a significant proportion of that is

We're going to try to get the biggest boat we can, based on what we need to put on it.
Gene McKeen, manager of academic support services
The Marine Science Scholars program offers a specialization in marine biology for Westerns biology and environmental science majors. Marine science scholars receive free food and housing, provided by the SPMC, as well as reduced tuition rates for non-resident students. The SPMC also offers the Multicultural Initiative in the Marine Sciences, offered in winter and spring quarters, and the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, offered during summer quarter. Students enrolled in these programs receive a $4,500 stipend, as well as housing and a travel allowance. These expenditures are also paid for by the NSF.

funded by the NSF. The SPMC has several instructional and scientific programs available for students both at Western and nationwide, in addition to educational opportunities for K12 students as provided by public education initiatives, according to the SPMC website.

6 | News

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Center for Missing Person visits Whatcom

Woman, 23, vanished near B'ham in 2000
By Lacey Pittis Detectives, volunteers and family members gathered outside the Whatcom County Sheriffs Department on Monday morning raising awareness of people who have disappeared across the country. On the Road to Remember tour is an organization that started in 2004 by the Center for Missing Persons (CUE) originally created to find a young woman, Leah Roberts, but grew to help finding missing people all across the country. Leah Roberts was last seen in Bellingham on March 13, 2000, while on a cross-country road trip. She was 23 years old at the time. She explained in a letter that she left North Carolina to follow in the footsteps of her idol, Jack Kerouac, who wrote On the Road. Her Jeep was found abandoned down an embankment on a logging road near Mount Baker. Several of her belongings were in or near the car including her passport, money and mothers engagement ring. Detective Collins and Detective Smith were assigned to the Roberts case almost six years ago. Police discovered the Jeep was tampered with, fingerprints were in the inside of the hood, and male DNA on an item inside the car. Despite a few leads, the case went cold and Roberts was never found. Kara Roberts came to speak about her sister. The hardest part, is just not knowing, Kara said. Its been twelve long years. Kara was last in Bellingham eight years ago, when the CUE originally started the tour. This year the, On the Road to Remember tour stopped in cities in California, Oregon and Washington state. They were representing sixty missing people, four unidentified and three unsolved homicides. Aside from the tours, CUE distributes flyers, searches by foot, organizes awareness programs for people who are missing and answers calls from families trying to find their loved ones. CUE came to Bellingham to remind the public about Robertss story.

Kara Roberts, of Durham, N.C., signs a banner for On the Road to Remember, an advocacy campaign that brings awareness about missing persons across the country. Roberts sister Leah disappeared from the Bellingham area in 2000 during a cross-country road trip. Photo by Laura Going

Getting that story back out and making sure we try and reach that one person who may still know something [is important], CUE Founder Monica Caison said. She said there is never any closure for families of missing persons, but if the community works together a resolution may be found for that family. The center works with law enforcement and families to find answers for the people who are missing, but needs the community to help raise awareness the missing can be found. Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo believes the story of Robertss disappearance in the community, raised awareness on how vulnerable everyone is. The Whatcom County Sheriffs Department, CUE and Kara encourage people to call if they know any information about Roberts Its a cold case, but not a forgotten case, Kara said.

Kara Roberts, left, speaks with Bellingham Sherriff Bill Elfo at the On the Road to Remember gathering outside the Sherriffs Office, Monday. We are working to give the family some peace and help them get some closure, Elfo said. Photo by Laura Going

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

News | 7

Proposed bill pushes back against voter ID laws

By Elena Edington A Whatcom County representative is advocating for legislation that would inhibit restrictive voter ID laws. Fourteen members of Congress, led by Rep. Rick Larsen (D), have introduced a bill to combat voter disenfranchisement across the United States. As of Sept. 14, the America Votes Act of 2012 was referred to the House Committee. If passed, the America Votes Act of 2012 will allow qualified voters who do not have the required identification documents to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity at their polling place, enabling them to cast their vote, according to a Sept. 18 press release from Larsens communications director. As many as 1 in 4 African American voters, more than 1 in 6 Hispanic voters and 1 in 10 eligible voters overall do not have a current and legal government-issued the America Votes Act of 2012 would be to remove hurdles being put in place that currently prevent legally registered citizens from voting, Larsen said. We need to do more to expand the ability of U.S. citizens who are registered to vote to actually vote. If passed, the bill will allow low-income, elderly, young and minority citizens who do not have formal identification documents required by their state to partake in elections, as according to the fact sheet for the America Votes Act of 2012. If this bill doesnt pass this year it will be important for the next election, and the election after that, Larsen said. Objection has been raised over the issue of taking away voter ID laws. Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson upheld Pennsylvanias new law requiring voters to show photo ID on Aug. 15. He ruled that the plaintiffs did not establish that disenfranchisement was immediate or inevitable,

Voters at risk of being ineligible

1 in 4 African American voters

Rep. Rick Larsen

More than 1 in 6 Hispanic

identification, according to research conducted at the Brennan Center for Justice. Despite these statistics, in the last two years, 11 states have passed new voter ID laws to strengthen existing policies and restrict voting. In 2012, more than 30 states have considered following suit, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. I think the first effect of

1 in 10 eligible voters overall

Source: Brennan Center for Justice

Freshmen Hannah Johnson, Tamir Amitai and senior Christopher Smith update their voting registration Wednesday, outside of Wilson Library at the Western Votes table. Western Votes is an organization on campus to ensure students are registered and knowledgeable about voting. Photo by Rachel Howland

according to Simpsons 70page order. States such as Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin all passed new voter ID laws in their 2011 or 2012 legislative sessions, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. As of 2012, Tennessee no longer considered student IDs an acceptable forms of identification, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Unlike students in Tennessee, Western students, along with all eligible voters across the state, do not need to visit the polls to vote. In Washingtons Voteby-Mail system, each voter signs an oath attesting to their identity upon sending in his or her ballot, according to Washingtons Secretary of State Sam Reed. The signature is then examined against the signature in the voters registration file, further authenticating the voters identity. I dont think the bill itself will increase political

involvement in younger people here, even if it would make it easier for people in some places, Patrick Stickney, Vice President for Governmental Affairs at Western said. Political involvement is more than voting. Regarding the current political involvement of Western students, numbers are on the rise, according to Cait Huntsman, the Associated Students Voter Education and Registration Coordinator. At Western there is a good awareness in general, Huntsman said. At this moment I have 1,862 registrations that have been updated and are new, which is a huge increase, because last year we only got about 900. Huntsman said there has been a great effort by the AS to include people in conversations, and also how student participation is increasing. Students are beginning to become more interested and more proactive in seeking voting information, Huntsman said.

8|

Some of the world's b

ECORD R
ORLD W

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Featu

By Olivia Henry From its origins as a slim volume of pub trivia to a contemporary global media franchise, the Guinness World Records is an international distinction with more than a few local titleholders. The newest member of this superlative society is Bellingham showman Justin Therrien, who on Sunday, Sept. 23 received his official Guinness World Records certificate in the post. He now holds the record for the longest string pulled through the nose and mouth in one minute. The certificates plain, blue-and-black motif gives little hint to the more fantastic nature of its recipients. Therrien is in the company of other area record-breakers including worlds longest seesaw marathoners, a Blaine man who inflates balloons with his nose and a pastor who organized the worlds largest hayride.

OCAL L

of bygone travelling fairs and gruesome circus spectacle. His classic feats of body horror include eating glass light bulbs, swallowing swords and laying on a bed of nails. Before his world record attempt, Therrien even considered drenching the spaghetti-like tube in pasta sauce before dragging it through his sinuses. With his Guinness title secured, Therrien wonders if his future exploits can top the record. A stream of rehearsals for his solo act, group work with the Bellingham Circus Guild and stint with Seattles quirky cabaret Teatro ZinZanni will carry him through the fall. In the meantime, Therriens daily to-do list puts him at no risk of getting bored. Im going to get cinder blocks broken on top of me, Therrien said. Theres juggle club tonight, and then I fix my truck.

John Walton

Justin Therrien

Therrien is a 28-year-old sideshow performer whose signature bowler hat, septum ring and hair-raising stage antics made him a fixture in the local circus scene. By passing 255 feet, 2 inches of plastic tubing through his nose and out his mouth a sensation he likens to the feeling of having a frog in your throat the redheaded Californian well surpassed the previous record of 59 feet. You grow up hearing, Theres always going to be someone better than you, Therrien said. But now I have a certificate that says there isnt. Therriens vaudeville theatre act is both whimsical and bizarre, reminiscent

HOL D ERS

Bellingham magician and beverage distributor John Walton did not need illusion to pull off his Guinness distinction. Walton practiced for three years to master the faro card shuffle, a difficult move that involves splitting the deck in half with 26 cards stacked in each hand, then interlacing each card from opposing decks like a zipper to achieve a perfect shuffle. Professional cardsharps use this weaving technique and some accompanying mathematics to stage seemingly telepathic tricks without sleight of hand. Walton said most magicians dont even attempt the precise maneuver because of the amount of practice involved. [The faro shuffle] is considered the Holy Grail of card shuffling, Walton said. In August 2009, the local trickster set his skills against the previous Guinness World Record of approximately 1,200 shuffles in 12 hours. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., crowds gathered at the Magic Castle in North Hollywood, Calif. to

Western student Justin Therrein demonstrates his world-record-holding string pulling act. Therrein shattered the previous length of tube pulled through the nose and out the mouth record of 60 feet with a string 255.22 feet recorded. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe.

best in the Northwest

watch Walton execute 2,784 perfect faro shuffles. Official witnesses scrutinized the flying cards for the smallest mistake. Walton described the experience as exhausting. The main thing was I could not miss. If two cards went in instead of one, it was over. But, as Walton is quick to remind, I never missed. Walton said he held his title until British magician David Willmott overtook him in April 2010 with 3,200 perfect shuffles. Today, in addition to slinging soda and performing his magic act, Walton sells a specialized deck of cards that helps beginners learn the faro technique.

ures

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28 2012

|9

Brandi Petz and Natalie Svenvold

In a 1971 episode of The Brady Bunch, Bobby and Cindy Brady attempt a world record for longest time teeter tottering. The children spend much of the episode bobbing on the Bradys AstroTurf, but succumb to sleep before the finish line. The episode made a lasting impression on former Western assistant track and field coach Brandi Petz, who realized the Brady babes unfulfilled dream when she teetered her way to a Guinness at the 2003 Puyallup Fair. Petz along with Western alumna Natalie Svenvold, hold the title for longest seesaw marathon. The two women overtook Guinness required 24-hour benchmark and ultimately clocked 75 hours and 10 minutes. Their record still stands. Nine years later, Petz remembers her feat of playground endurance fondly, but said the record is only a reluctant conversation piece. Once every few years, you have to tell someone something interesting about yourself. The person next to me will bring it up, Petz said. Id rather say I have four kids.

World-record hopefuls Brandi Petz and Natalie Svenvold find a comfier position on the teeter totter during their attempt at the longest time spent on the toy. The pair went on to defeat the previous record with a time of 75 hours. Photo courtesy of Brandi Petz.

Fair administrators had tasked Taylor months earlier with breaking a mass participation record. Taylor selected the event because it communicated the regions agricultural spirit, but also chose the fairground favorite for its relative simplicity. Everyone can sit on a bale of hay and ride in a circle for a minute, Taylor said. Lets do that. Of the thousand people who gathered for Taylors gargantuan hayride, only 649 could squeeze onto the trailers, a bottomto-bale ratio that more than doubled the previous record of 249 riders. An official Guinness adjudicator flew in to judge the event the price tag for Taylor put at about $10,000 declared the Western student Justin Therrein shows off his official Guinness Book of World Records certificate. attempt a success. Photo by Austin Tyler Towe. Taylor said he considered beating another record at this years fair, but for now is content to rest on his claim-to-fame. He has since fielded several calls from Guinness hopefuls seeking advice about their own group record attempts. Apart from their shared world records, many of the local Guinness contingent expressed a common love of place. While Taylors event was a testament to local character, sideshow performer Therrien hoped to draw attention to area artists with his record. Though their passions run hot and their talents shine, the worlds best in feats of length, strength and speed chose to live in a city whose weather is wet and its excitement subdued.

Andrew Dahl
Andrew Dahl started his first quarter at the University of Washington, but the Blaine-bred collegian is still happy to be known for the exploits of his teen years. My friends here [at University of Washington] have introduced me by telling about my record, Dahl admits. It is kind of fun to talk about. Dahl first developed his odd ability at the age of six or seven to cope with backseat boredom. Years later, a shaggy-haired, 14-year-old Dahl piqued national interest in 2008 when he broke a record with his remarkable if bizarre talent: the youngster puffed his way to fame by blowing up 213 balloons with his nose within one hour on the floor of the Blaine Public Library. He broke his own record five months later on the Live! with Regis and Kelly show, inflating 308 balloons with his left nostril. In 2010, Dahl appeared on an Italian television program to earn his second Guinness World Record. This time, he nabbed the title for most nasally inflated balloons in 3 minutes 23 in total. Dahl said he wants to beat his existing records in the future, but is taking a break given the extensive verification process required by the Guinness World Records. He is considering expanding into other Guinness categories, however. I was thinking of doing the bobbing for apples [record], he said.

How to Authenticate a World Record

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Think of an awesome record to break or create Send a proposal to Guinness World Records about the world record being attempted Guinness will approve or reject the proposal in four to six weeks Once approved, a package with evidence of the record is sent to Guinness Six to eight weeks later a notification from Guinness will arrive approving or denying the record If the record is successful, Guinness will send a certificate in recognition of the recordbreaking or creating achievement Brag to friends and family

Sean Taylor
On a clear morning in August 2011, two tons of hay, 10 semi truck trailers and one snow plow waited to take Northwest Washington fairgoers into Guinness World Records history. Organizer Sean Taylor, the youth pastor at Lyndens North County Christ the King Church, attempted to stage the worlds largest hayride.

Source: Guinness World Record website. Illustration by Annie Gaines

10 | Features

A Burning Man sensation:

alumna and four-time Burning Man participant. Last year, more than 53,000 people flocked to the desert for the event, according to the 2011 After Burn Report. The idea of Burning Man is to create a totally radically self-reliant and self-expressive place full of music, art, people and nature working in unison, Bigwood said. Last year, Burning Man sold out for the first time in its 26-year history. In an effort to distribute tickets fairly, they were assigned through a lottery system. Participants pre-registered for the lottery, Western senior Nikki Chaves said. Many participants had friends and family sign up for them, creating a demand that exceeded supply, she said. For the first time, people who had been going to Burning Man for years were at risk of being denied entry. Only 20-25 percent of art installation and theme camp organizers received tickets through the lottery system, according to a blog written by Burning Mans Director of Business and Communications. Tickets can cost $160-420, according to Burning Man's Ticket Information, but for those lucky enough to acquire a ticket, almost everything is free after entering Burning Man. Only ice and coffee are sold in the city, Bigwood said. While self-reliance is necessary, the community relies heavily on a gift economy. Nowhere on Earth have I experienced such selfless gifting

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Growing population makes tickets scarce

By Ashley Hogrebe Teddy bears in red wagons zip down dusty roads, a 26-foot-tall metal octopus breathes fire from tentacles and tens of thousands of people gather to watch a wooden structure of a man engulfed in flames. This isnt some desert mirage; this is Burning Man.

Alumna Elizabeth Bigwood walks past an art installation at Burning Man in September in Black Rock Desert, Nev. Bigwood says each piece of art was designed and built by a team from a different U.S. city. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Bigwood

An aerial view of Black Rock City, Nev. looks like a piece of art. For one week every summer, the two-mile-wide city appears on a prehistoric lake bed. Photo courtesy of Google Earth Every year, the week before Labor Day, Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno, Nev., is transformed into an eight-day popup society called Black Rock City. The city is created by Department of Public Works volunteers weeks before participants arrive and is dismantled after; leaving no evidence the bustling community ever existed, said Elizabeth Bigwood, Western

with no expectation of return, said Tate Petersen, Western junior and first-time "burner." This community teaches all who experience it the beautiful art of sharing. Burning Man is an event of extremes. Daytime temperatures can be more than 100 F and reach below freezing at night, according to Burning Man FAQ. But the harsh weather does not deter attendees from making the most of Black Rock City. Theme camps, created by participants, are scattered throughout the desert. They are dedicated to everything from passing out pancakes to providing dance music

to accompany the sunrise. When the sun sets, solar power, batteries and generators are used to light up the night. Black Rock City is brighter and crazier than Vegas, Bigwood said. The city is a virtual playground. First time participants are encouraged to do their research before attending, but veteran "burners" say nothing can truly prepare you for your first Burning Man experience, Bigwood said. My advice to a first-time burner would be to have no expectations, Petersen said. Bring enough to share and not to worry about a thing. Youre home.

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

Viking Launch eases freshmen into college

Features | 11

By Alexander Bevier Classes for most of Westerns student body began this week, but some students began last week. Viking Launch is a program that allows freshmen living in Fairhaven complex to move to Western a week early, acclimate to college culture and take classes to earn two credits before the quarter starts. Freshman John Hathaway discovered the program online. He found it was a great way to begin his college career. It felt like you were easing into college as opposed to showing up and getting started right then, he said. It was really helpful because you get this close group of people youre living with and get to know them really well before the actual pressure is here. Viking Launch is an optional program, costing $800 per student. Hathaway said it was worth the money, and he feels bad for students who arrived this week because hes already familiar with the area. Steven VanderStaay, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, is the director of academic first-year programs and the creator of Viking Launch, which began in 2010. He said the purpose of the program is for incoming students to have small class experiences. The seminars are designed for students to experience the themes and general concepts that are explored in a variety of different majors, Marlene Harlan, director of extended education and summer programs, said. Ten seminars were available and designed to have approximately fifteen students each. We have a lot of nonresident students who will come to Western to be marine biologists, but they cant take a marine biology course until their junior year, VanderStaay said. With Viking Launch, the idea was to launch students toward an academic major with an intense field-based seminar. Western freshman Allison Anders spoke highly of her experience with Viking Launch. The education class she took during the program

Western freshman Alexa Jones harvests carrots at the Bellingham Food Bank Farm as part of Viking Launch. Western offers the early enrollment program to incoming freshmen to provide a head start for their first year. Photo courtesy of April McMurry had her working with children at Larrabee Elementary and she said she has professors who are already happy to help her get internships. It was a good way to figure out Am I for teaching? Anders said. Western freshman Samuel Ferrara took a class on technical and creative writing, which included a

tutorial on using Adobe InDesign. The biggest benefit I got out of it was going forward knowing that your writing is up to college standard, he said. It gives you a lot more confidence with anything you have to write. Some sessions during Viking Launch help students meet other students. A popular session during the week was the introduction of Westerns planetarium. Harlan said the students ended the week by participating in a service-learning program. We work with the Center for Service-Learning and they provide the venues for students to choose from, she said. In the past, venues have included Habitat for Humanity and the Harlan Society. The idea for Viking Launch was inspired by a program at the University of Washington where freshmen can start taking classes a month early to receive credit in their desired major. Since Western uses the quarter system and other schools are already in session, VanderStaay said he found Viking Launch gives Western freshmen a chance to start earlier, too. The option to participate in Viking Launch is exclusive to Fairhaven residents. VanderStaay said this is because its the only residence hall available for living the week before general move in. They shut down the steam plant, so for part of the week theres no heat to campus, he said. Theres only heat to Fairhaven. Fairhaven has one of a highest returning rates of students living in the residence halls after their freshman year, he said. VanderStaay said Viking Launch hosted fewer students this year, attributing this to the campus failure to get advertisements out on time. In student evaluations taken this year, all but one student would recommend Viking Launch to other students, he said. At the end of the program a student told VanderStaay, "Im not as nervous [about college] because I know a professor, I know what the work is like, I already have friends, I know where to find things and Im ready for class."

12 | Opinion
Opinions of the Editorial Board

Friday, Spetember 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Frontline

guest column
Says public nudity acceptable
This is a revised version of an article previously printed in spring 2012. Why is there no great body of radical literature dedicated to the question of clothing? Love or hate seeing or being someone naked, the single fact remains: it is illegal to be the way we all were born (in public). Something is fundamentally backwards about natural ever being illegal. I wasnt born in cargo pants and a sweatshirt. It is common sense that it is not acceptable to discriminate against people who are born with colored skin, disabled mind or body, differing creed, orientation or some hated combination of those but nearly no one bats an eyelash about a law discriminating against the way every one of us were born. You likely dont care either (yet); but I ask you to feel the cold kiss of freedom on your seldom-kissed regions and come back to me and tell me you dont want more. I am not promoting orgies or even promiscuous sex. The naked body, relaxed and flaccid, should be allowed to simply for lack of a less funny phrase, hang out. Why is it so unquestionably illegal to be the way I was born? Everyone should be able to be as naked as the day they were born. If no one had clothes to hide behind, would we all hide a lot less from each other? If you or a friend are interested in trying out clothing-optional recreation, consider joining Westerns very own Students of Optional Clothing club! The club provides a safe, comfortable and non-sexual environment for students to get together, wearing as much or as little clothing as they feel comfortable, share food and talk. Well be meeting a few blocks from campus for weekly potlucks and also plan on going on several outings to the local nude beach and a weekend trip to the hot springs. "Like" WWU Students of Optional Clothing on Facebook or join our email list by emailing: wwusoc@gmail.com. We wont spam you to death! D. Chasse Gunter, Western senior

Monday night's NFL final call should not be blamed on replacement refs
Managing Editor James Kozanitis was not involved in the editing of this piece. The ending to Monday nights football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks has stirred up a public controversy within the sports world. Eight seconds left, final play of the game, Seahawks behind by five. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw the football toward Golden Tate. The question is did M.D. Jennings intercept the pass? Or did Tate catch it to score a touchdown? The final call, made by replacement refs, was in favor of the Seahawks 14-12. The official referees returned Thursday night. Although the call was finalized, in the public realm the debate continues. The controversy has divided our newsroom, creating a constant argument between managing editor James Kozanitis and sports editor Alex Bigelow. Kozanitis believes the touchdown was deserved, Bigelow does not. We put five minutes on the clock and asked each to present his case. It was just wrong, he clearly had two hands on the football, Bigelow said. The rule says for it to be simultaneous possession that both players have to catch the ball at the same time. M.D. Jennings caught the ball! He was loving up on that football! Im not denying that. Kozanitis said. It was in the air, he had two hands on the football. Its not ruled possession or a catch until the catchers feet have hit the ground." While the debate continued, both agreed the only reason this particular game received so much attention was because the call was made by a replacement ref. Generally, the blame is placed on the replacement refs. Had the regular refs made the call, there would probably be less public discontent. A similar play occurred September 11, 2011 during a game between the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. Although this was not the final play of the game, official refs made the call and there was almost no controversy as a result. In the world of professional sports, it is unusual to question a refs call with as much vigor. This editorial board believes had official refs made the call instead of replacement refs the fall-out would not have been as significant. It is unfair to place blame solely on replacement refs, when any referee, official or not, could have made a similar call. This call could inevitably cause the Packers to miss the playoffs. Listen to the full debate online @ westernfrontonline.net The editorial board is comprised of Editor-in-Chief Sarah Aitchison, Managing Editor James Kozanitis and Opinion Editor Joella Ortega.

Opinions from around campus

Viking Voices

What class are you most excited for this quarter?

Compiled by Paul Grzelak

Advanced vehicle design, you basically get to design a car. Vehicle Design Junior

Keith Jones

Minerology, I get to study rocks on a level I've never studied before... a really small level.

David Brown
Geology Junior

Front Funnies

submissions
policy
The Western Front publishes submitted opinion items on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit for length, spelling, style and grammar. Submit letters to the editor, rants and raves, Hey Yous and guest columns, along with your name and title (such as Western sophomore) to westernfront.opinion@gmail.com. Anonymous letters or those containing hate speech will not be published. Word count limits Rants and raves, Hey Yous: 50 words; Letters to the editor: 250 words; Guest columns: 400 words

Cartoon by Owen Whitcomb

Hockey begins title defense

Fresh faces, strong returners usher in 2012 season
By Jeffrey Graham Following a 23-2 campaign last season, Westerns hockey team hits the ice Friday against Portland State University in a match that will test both teams. Head Coach John Dougan said 11 of the 23 players are new, which makes it tough to keep the team in sync early in the season. Were going to be ragged to start, he said. A lot of guys are learning new stuff. Dougan said he is hopeful the team brings what it learned in practice to the games Friday and Saturday. Western opens the season with two games against Portland State University. Cam Bulger, a Western player, said Portland State is one of its biggest rivals. This weekend is going to be a table-setter, he said. Its going to be a really fun test. It will be difficult to repeat the 23-2 record from last season after losing key players, Bulger said, but the team can still compete for another championship. Were going to go into the conference tournament with some cockiness and some swagger, he said. Western was voted national champions for the 2011-12 season. This season will be the first where the champion will be crowned by way of a national tournament and not by vote. One of those key losses is Bulgers older brother, Jeff Bulger, who recruited him to

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

Sports | 13
Key Numbers
Save percentage of senior goalie Tyler Zetting last season

.932 75 17

Goal differential favoring Western last season

Freshman Duncan Hack, center, skates up ice followed by his twin brother Aaron Hack, right, and senior Matt Parsons during a practice scrimmage Tuesday in Bellingham. Western opens their season Friday against Portland State University at 10:15 p.m. at the Bellingham Sportsplex. Western finished last season with 23 wins and 2 loses. Photo by Nicholas Gonzales

play for Western. He was probably one of the best players Westerns ever seen, Bulger said of his older brother Jeff. Also lost is top defensemen Kellen Charpentier, who Bulger said was a rock on defense. Even after losing Charpentier, Dougan said defense will be a strong point for Western with goalie Tyler Zetting returning. Zetting, a senior at Western, carried a .932 save percentage during the 2011-12 season. Zetting said hes had the privilege of playing behind some of the best defensemen he has ever seen.

Good stats for goalies always start with really good defense, Zetting said. [Coach Dougan] does a really good job of putting defense first. Dougan said Zetting is one of the top goalies in the league and will be a key returner for the team. This will be Bulgers fifth and final year playing for Western. He said he hopes to take a year off and do some recruiting for the team and possibly even return as a coach. Ive always been more of a coach than a player, Bulger said. I dont want to think about it, but Ill miss the game and Ill miss the boys and I want to give her one

more go here. Western is in its second year as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Hockey. Dougan said the goal is to get to the national championships regardless of the uncertainty surrounding player turnover from year to year. Dougan is in his fifth year as head coach and said the goal for the program is continued growth. When Dougan started, the team had nine players. Now it is up to 23. The goal is to build a solid program where you arent worrying if you have enough players to play the next year, he said.

Goals Western scored against Central in one game last season

Average amount of losses per season since 2009-10 season

2.3

Average amount of wins per season since 2009-10 season

22.3

Men's soccer cruises to 4-1 win over Saint Martins

By Joshua Hart The Vikings put in a dominant performance against Saint Martins University on Thursday at Whatcom Community College, defeating the Saints 4-1. This was a very important win for us, head coach Travis Connell said. The Vikings controlled the possession of the ball and pressured the Saints goalkeeper with 27 shots, compared to the Saints nine against Western goalie Keegan Rogers. Sujinda Dangvan scored the first goal of the game in the 13th minute. We have had a tough time getting the ball in the back of the net, so it was good to get one early, Connell said. Andrew Weishaar scored the second goal of the game with two minutes left in the half. Preston Sawyer gave a brilliantly placed ball to Weishaar who found the net from 12 yards out. Coming out of the half, Justin Moore scored a goal in the 48th minute, putting the Vikings up 3-0. Uche Ugwoaba netted the final Viking score in the 52nd minute. The ball popped out to me and I saw a defender in front of the keeper and figured if I kept it low, the keeper wouldnt see it, and he didnt, Ugwoaba said. Dylan Gaydosh score Saint Martins only goal. It was good that we could come out here and dominate, Connell said. Hopefully, it will give us confidence heading into a very tough game on Saturday.

Freshman Leonard Kusina plays hard at Thursday's game at Whatcom Community College. Western won the game 4-1. Photo by Rachel Howland

14 | Sports

Friday, September 28, 2012 | The Western Front

Western smacks Saint Martin's

By Alexander Bevier The Vikings volleyball team defeated Saint Martin's University in three sets at Carver Gym Thursday. Coach Diane Flick said she felt like her team played strong, despite possible distractions from the first week of school. I feel like we did a good job of coming out strong and aggressive, Flick said. Western senior Marlayna Geary had 13 kills in the contest. Sophomore Kayla Erickson also played strong, notching 11 kills of her own. I feel like our team, as a whole, played better Saturday, Geary said. But, as long as we play at this consistent level, well be fine. The Vikings will spend the rest of this week preparing for their game against Western Oregon University, on Saturday at Carver Gym. We've got to play a good game against a very Sophomore Kayla Erickson returns the ball during a game against Saint good opponent, Flick said. Martin's University on Thursday, Sept. 27.Photo by Alexander Bevier

Greatest Northwest Athletic Conference Standings

Mens Soccer
Simon Fraser Seattle Pacific Northwest Nazarene Mary Montana State Billings Western Washington Saint Martins Sioux Falls 3-1-0 2-0-2 3-0-2 2-3-0 2-2-1 2-2-1 1-4-0 1-4-0 7-1-0 6-0-2 4-2-3 3-5-1 5-2-1 4-4-1 2-7-0 1-7-0

Womens Soccer
Montana State Billings Western Washington Seattle Pacific Central Washington Saint Martins North Nazarene Western Oregon Simon Fraser 5-0-0 4-1-0 2-1-2 2-2-1 3-2-0 1-4-0 1-3-1 0-5-0 9-0-0 7-2-0 5-2-2 3-4-2 5-4-0 4-5-0 3-5-1 1-7-0

Womens Volleyball
Western Oregon Western Washington Alaska Anchorage Central Washington Montana State Billings North Nazarene Saint Martins Seattle Pacific Alaska Fairbanks Simon Fraser 3-0 4-1 3-1 4-1 3-1 2-3 1-2 1-3 0-4 0-5 10-2 11-2 8-4 9-4 6-6 8-6 3-5 4-9 2-8 2-9

westernfrontonline.net | Friday, September 28, 2012

Despite loss of key freshman, women continue to win

By Alex Peterson A strong start to the season has the Western womens soccer team already in contention for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title. Sitting in second place in the GNAC, the Vikings have been led by a variety of players and a strong team effort. Junior forward Kristin Maris leads the team with six goals and three assists, including two goals in 51 seconds in a 3-1 win over Saint Martins on Sept. 15. Maris is followed closely by standout freshman Catherine Miles, who has four goals and four assists. Miles led the Vikings to victory over Simon Frasier on Sept. 23 with two goals and an assist in a 6-0 Western win. The Vikings will be hurting without freshman Jessica Bertucci after her season ended with a torn ACL. Bertucci had three goals, including two gamewinning goals, in the first five games. You cant really replace a player like Jessica, shes so great one-on-one, Vikings Head Coach Travis Connell said. Were going to have to combine players to create scoring opportunities more often. Western is also anchored on defense by junior defender Brina Sych, who was named the GNAC defensive player of the week on Sept. 17 after victories against Western Oregon and Saint Martins. Also on defense is senior goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs. She has only allowed four goals while posting 17 saves over the first nine games. Arthurs is closing in on the Western record for career shutouts, only three away from tying Teresa Fishs 2003-07 record of 32. Connell is now the owner of the school record for career wins, with 108. Connell broke the previous record of 105 wins by former Vikings coach Dominic Garguile earlier this season. Garguile led the womens team from 1981 to 1990. Its really cool to be a part of Coach Connells record, Sych said. He really cares about us and sacrifices a lot to help us, so its nice to give back. The Vikings lone GNAC loss came at the hands of rival Seattle Pacific University in the final minutes of the game on Sept. 19. Seattle Pacific is currently third in the GNAC, but Western hosts the Falcons Oct. 27 at Whatcom Community Colleges Orca Field and will be looking for revenge against their rivals. [At Seattle Pacific] we learned we can win any game we play, we just have to play to the end, Connell said.

Women's soccer opens 7-2

Sports | 15

Western junior Katie Stauffer blocks the ball from going out-ofbounds Thursday at Whatcom Community College. The women won 4-0. Photo by Rachel Howland

First-half goals lead Western to comfortable win

By Alex Peterson The Western womens soccer team showed its depth Thursday, in its win over Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Northwest Nazarene University. The Vikings were led to a 4-0 win by freshman Stephanie Hamilton, who scored two first-half goals against the Crusaders. Goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs earned her 29th career shutout without recording a single save, thanks to the Viking defense. The victory also helped Western improve its streak of home shutouts to 10. Kristin Maris scored her teamleading sixth goal of the season and Joana Houplin added the final goal. It felt great [to score a goal], I added a little fist pump at the end, Houplin said. I felt like I hadnt been able to score the past couple games, and I was getting pretty frustrated, so getting that goal felt pretty good. The Vikings tested Northwest Nazarene with 16 shots in the game, forcing Crusader It felt great [to score a goal], I goalkeeper Tanya added a little fist pump at the Zickefoose to make end. Joana Houplin, five saves. Western showed its full Western senior depth by bringing in eight substitutes in the game. One of our Western looks ahead to strengths as a team is our Saturdays big game against depth, Connell said. We Montana State Universitycan wear teams down, players Billings, which leads the can come in off the bench and GNAC currently with a contribute and we got that record of 9-0-0, including tonight. Thats an important 5-0-0 in the GNAC and is part of our success. ranked 23rd nationally.

Western is currently ranked second in the GNAC standings. The game is at Orca Field at Whatcom Community College, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. We have to protect the ball, we have to make sure we dont give the ball away in bad spots on the field, we have to keep the energy that weve had the past two games and we have to execute in the final third, Connell said. If we do those three things, well have a lot of success.