The American Studies Gazette

---

The American Studies Gazette November, 2018

Volume 1, Issue 1

SSHS juniors learn what it takes to become journalists See JUNIORS page 8

Homeless population struggles to survive and make a living in Missoula

Refugees continue seeking asylum in Montana communities Kara Good

Terra Bertsch

The homeless population in Missoula, Montana has recently been decreasing. However, it is still the largest within the state. Missoula is home to an estimated 300 plus homeless people. According to the Missoulian, these people are veterans, seniors living off social security, kids aging out of the foster care system with no place to go, families living in cars, high school students couch surfing, and people with mental health issues. This is 23% of the homeless population in all of Montana. Missoula offers more resources for the homeless than the more rural surrounding towns like Seeley Lake. The Poverello Center, a homeless shelter in Missoula, provides food and shelter to people who are homeless in the Missoula area. This is the only warming shelter in Missoula so during the cold nights some people are displaced. Last winter, there were 204 people staying on the highest night. This year they are enforcing a cap which means that the maximum number of people who can stay at the shelter is 175 people per night. There aren’t many other options for people if they find themselves without shelter on a cold night. However, having these resources in place isn’t the only reason for Missoula’s high homeless numbers. See HOMELESS page 3

SSHS junior American Studies class left to right: Jace Laymen, Cecilia Ruppert, Ella Batchelder, Dakota Wood, Caleb Maughan, Terra Bertsch, Addie Anderson, Kara Good, Emma Stevenson, Korinne Treser, Taylor Dillree, Amber Springer, Jayla Kauffman, Blake Lindemer, Ashly Alexander, Melina Davis, Levi Reinitz not pictured: Avery Smith

Native women still facing injustices Emma Stevenson

On June 17, 2018, twenty-three year old Jermaine Charlo disappeared without a trace outside of a grocery store in Missoula, Montana. Twenty-year old Ashley HeavyRunner Loring of the Blackfeet Reservation went missing and was last heard from on June 8. As disturbing as these cases sound, this is not a recent epidemic. In 1979, seven year old Monica Still Smoking went missing after school and was found frozen on a mountain, dead. Native American women have been targeted for crimes relating to rape, assault, murder, and kidnapping. Many of them have been found dead anywhere from a recycling depot to a frozen mountain side. More than 4 in 5 Native American women have experienced assault, and more than 1 in 2 have experienced sexual assault. This epidemic isn’t just happening in Montana, this is a continental issue. Native women

in Canada and all over the US have been going missing with no resolution for hundreds of years.

The women above are protesting Loretta Saunder's death after she was murdered in Canada in 2014.

Twenty-four year old Alberta Williams of Prince Rupert, British Columbia was murdered in 1989 and found dead on a highway. For twenty-nine years her case has been unsolved. Cheyenne Antonio from the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women stressed, “Our sisters are constantly targeted and criminalized for being Native, and the reason why is this country was founded on genocide.” Because of this, Antonio believes Native lives have always been seen as having less value. See NATIVE WOMEN page 2

Over 65 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced from their homes and less than 1% of those people are resettled across the globe. As of 2016, Missoula, Montana has been one of the few places accepting refugees for resettlement in the US. Resettlement Director of the International Rescue Committee, Jen Barile, says “Since its opening in 2016, we (IRC) have been able to resettle around 240 individual refugees in the Missoula area.” The IRC in Missoula is one of only nine resettlement offices in the United States. Once a refugee is accepted to live in Missoula, the IRC is responsible for providing US State Department Core Services. Some of these core services include: providing a ride from the airport, assigning a caseworker from the IRC who secures housing for the refugee prior to their arrival, signing them up for a social security card, providing necessary public benefits and healthcare services, and enrolling the children (if any) in school. The IRC also provides them with access to employment specialists who can help them find work; most refugees get jobs in retail or hospitality, depending on their level of the English language. The IRC is partnered with Missoula Federal Credit Union to provide financial literacy classes for all refugees that come to live in Missoula. See REFUGEES page 4

Victims uprotected from sexual assult in Catholic churches Cecilia Ruppert and Ella Batchelder

For decades, the Catholic Church has been facing controversy over sexual abuse cases, and now more than ever, people are outraged and looking for solutions while churches struggle to regain trust. While there has been a shocking number of abusers, there have been several people complicit in the crimes as well, people that covered up cases and encouraged victims to stay silent to protect fellow clergy. A study from Bob Jones University, an evangelical school in South Carolina, reported that half of the 166 people who had been abused said school officials encouraged them not to go to the police. While this is certainly happening in the catholic church, it may not be not limited this sect. The approach towards victims common throughout the church is referred to as “blaming and disparaging.” This happens when those in power encourage victims to find forgiveness in their abusers rather than go to officials, thus breeding the idea in the victim's mind that they are to blame. Such a response is one of the reasons victims are only now coming out to reveal the magnitude of this scandal. This impression that any abuse was the victim’s fault stays with them well into adulthood. “[This] can be extremely detrimental,” says sexual abuse therapist, Brenna Rae Love of Buffalo Heart Healing, in Missoula, MT. “When a victim of sexual assault is encouraged to stay silent, it can often feel like being raped or assaulted again. The victim can then feel even more powerless, causing further trauma and increased likelihood to stay silent and not seek any further support healing from the trauma.” This was the reoccurring

response to victims and was further implemented by the way accused priests are treated; many are simply moved to new parishes, and few faced any consequences.

Sister Simone speaks at a women’s march in Washington, Jan 2018. She is the leader of Nuns on the Bus, a Catholic advocacy group, as well as a lawyer and lobbyist.

In an NPR interview with an activist nun on this subject, Sister Simone Campbell says “...the hard part in Pope Francis' letter is he acknowledged clericalism and clericalism as being the righteousness on the part of the ordained clergy, that they were always right, that protected them as opposed to caring for kids or for the others who were abused by the clerics,” showcasing another example of the church focusing more on the abusers, protecting them, rather than the victims. And that’s what needs to change within the church in order to regain trust. Love believes the best plan of action for the church to pursue would include background checks on all administrators working with children, the suspension of any accused priests during investigations, permanent suspension of any and all bishops or officials that don’t follow these regulations or cover up reports, and a monetary fund set aside for the healing of victims. These steps would both help the church to regain trust, and, most importantly, stop the victim blaming and prevent future cases of abuse.

The pope addresses the scandal in a letter, encouraging priests not to protect abusers.

system. The tribal system is lacking in many places and needs the government's help to become a Cheyenne Antonio has had first safer and more efficient place to hand experience with the absence live for our Native women. of closure with the handling of Native women cases. On November 20, 2014 her Montana judge grandmother was stabbed 28 times and her thirteen-year old auntie denies the greater was stabbed 13 times, both Yellowstone murdered in cold blood. Antonio's relative’s murderer later took his ecosystem grizzly own life. After the FBI contacted Jace Layman and Dakota Wood the family and gave them the In June 2017, Secretary of the women's clothes, the case was Interior Ryan Zinke proposed for closed. Another reason Antonio the Greater Yellowstone Area believes that injustices occur is Grizzly bears to be delisted from that tribes don’t have the resources the endangered species list. The of other towns and the lack of case was held in a Bozeman, MT, evidence and seriousness is court where the judge rejected the unappealing to many judges. “The proposal. However, this isn’t the things that we see when a [Native first time this has happened. In 2007, the Fish and Wildlife American] woman goes missing or murdered… is we don’t know Services declared that a successful what’s going to happen.” Because population recovery was reached of the lack of a body, they are for the Greater Yellowstone Area. likely of being found not guilty of A federal judge ordered for the murder. In some cases when protection to remain while someone is believed to be dead but biologists studied major food there's no body found, it keeps the sources that were on the decline. case unsolved and the family in a The judge halted the the delisting constant state of unease. Judges due to uncertainty if the that are presented with these cases Whitebark Pine seeds would affect don't usually take them because it the number of bears surviving would be difficult to prosecute the hibernation. In the 2017 attempt, Fish perpetrator because they might have fled the state or there may Wildlife and Parks first addressed not be enough evidence to keep all the potential threats of survival. After addressing all the threats the case open. The lack of ability to solve they ruled that the grizzlies these cases calls for a change. weren’t threatened by the lack of Changing the court system and food sources. Wyoming and Idaho hiring new, younger judges may had a trophy hunt planned for the address the issue. Making term next year. US District Court Judge limits and taking in account health Dana Christensen ruled both the issues like, Dementia, and hunt and the delisting to be halted Alzheimer's should play a role because the USFWS (United when setting term limits for judges States Fish and Wildlife Service) and supreme court justices. had failed to provide substantial Having a fresh new look on the evidence as to whether the cases and the willingness to take delisting would impact other on these tough cases is essential. populations of grizzly bears in the Funding is also a big issue that lower 48 states. The reason for the ruling seems needs to be addressed. With more money, comes some change that conspicuous. See GRIZZLY page 3 we need to see within the tribal

Native women (continued from page 1)

Grizzly (Continued from page 2) Whitebark Pine seeds, which is a grizzly bear’s main food source in the Greater Yellowstone Area, seems to be vanishing, being the same reason they halted the 2007 delisting.

believe that there are enough bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to hold an annual hunt. The last time a Grizzly bear hunt was held in the lower 48 states was in 1991 in Montana. Wyoming and Idaho haven't had a hunt in over 40 years, since they were put on the endangered species list in 1975.

Homeless (Continued from page 1)

Above: A large boar is caught on a game camera near the Rich Ranch. Photo courtesy of Rob Henrekin.

The reason for the Whitebark Pine seed decrease comes from a fungal infection called Blister Rust and Mountain Pine Beetles. Blister Rust is infectious to trees. It stays in them all winter and when spring hits, wind disperses it out into other host plants such as Indian Paintbrush. Mountain Pine Beetles are infectious to trees because they plant their eggs into the bark of the tree and when the eggs hatch, the larvae eats the inner membrane of the bark. The food source isn’t the only reason for bear deaths. “Sadly, management is the greatest cause of mortality. Mistaken identification, roads, and poaching are right up there,” said James Jonkel, a Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Bear Management specialist when asked what the greatest cause of bear deaths was. In response to a huntable population of bears, Jonkel stated, “We have minimal populations of grizzly bears in both the Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.” Jonkel also said that there is a population of roughly 1,000 bears in each ecosystem. He said that the populations are on the rise, but slowly. Fish Wildlife and Parks, the secretary of the interior (Zinke) and some citizens of the state of

Over the years, the cost of living has increased substantially more than income, according to an article in the Missoulian written by David Erickson, “Montana home prices have doubled since 1990 while wage increases sputter far behind.” In Missoula, there is a very challenging housing market. There is a 2-3% rental availability making it difficult to find a place to live even with a full-time job. After an unfortunate incident such as losing a job, and accident or hospital stay people can find themselves homeless. Once someone is homeless it is very hard for them to get out of the situation because there are limited places to stay. Solutions to this problem have recently been proposed. The idea of a 12-unit apartment complex in Missoula has been introduced to help house homeless people. Most resources like the Poverello center don’t accept people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This means that many people with addiction problems are displaced with no place to stay. The hope for these apartments is to find the people who aren't qualified for shelters a place to stay and receive help. Some citizens of Missoula have been trying to reach out by trying to do more for the homeless. In the summer, there is a homeless community that resides

under the Reserve Street bridge along the Clarkfork River in Missoula. In the spring, high water comes and sweeps away any trash that is left behind. To avoid this, volunteers came together to help with the clean up. It is the hope of these volunteers to not only keep the rivers clean but to also reach out to the homeless community. It is important for the homeless to know that there are ways to get assistance in Missoula. There is room for improvement and the city and volunteer groups are organizing to better serve the homeless population in this city. When asked if citizens are concerned with the amount of homeless people in Missoula, Elise Watts, Manager of the Poverello center, replied, “People have been frustrated with some of the circumstances that we find ourselves in and the lack of resources.” People can help out the most by offering jobs to homeless people and be willing to rent to them. Rent would be paid for with the help of housing vouchers, people just have to be willing to rent to them. Other everyday things that can be done are donating things like socks, toiletries, sleeping bags, tents etc… These options are encouraged rather just giving a few dollars to someone on the street. Money can be less helpful to people who are struggling with addiction. Money tends to enable the addiction and not truly help the victim of homelessness. If you are looking for ways that you can help you can find more information at https://www.thepoverellocenter.org/ or call 406-728-1809.

Being the class pet hurts more than some may think Amber Springer

Studies have shown that within the first seven seconds of meeting someone, we have already made up our minds about them. When a teacher starts to play favorites in the

classroom they often do it by accident. A teacher could often invite certain students to eat with them at lunch, or only call on certain students during class. When favoritism starts to become evident in the classroom it creates a sort of class hierarchy. Students who are considered more popular and are liked by the teacher are at the top and most likely have the better grades, while kids who aren’t as well liked by the teacher sit at the back of the class and possibly have subpar grades. In most cases it can cause a student to end up not liking the teacher at all. When they don’t feel supported, students grades could drop. Principal, Dr. Pecora, at Seeley-Swan High School said, “Yes, if I saw someone getting special treatment it would discourage me.” This alone should affect how teachers think of their students. A study, Pygmalion in the Classroom was conducted back in 1968 by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson. The study took two classes and two teachers. Both classes had students that did pretty well in school. The catch was that the teachers were told that one class higher level students without discipline issues, and the other had lower level students with behavior issues. When the teachers were told this they treated the class as such. The “good” class began to perform higher, and the “bad” lower. Often teachers pick favorites by accident. We, as a species, often gravitate towards other people with similar interests. Say a math teacher has an interest in Jazz music, and so does Julian that sits in the second row. They are probably going to have more in depth conversations than that teacher will have with any other kid in the class. Dr. Pecora said, “It’s in human nature to interact with someone with similar interest.” See TEACHER'S PET page

Teacher's pet (Continued from page 3) What a teacher could do to prevent the act of picking favorites could include picking students that they don’t hear from as often. They could also ask other students their opinions on certain topics, or invite a different group of students to have lunch with them.

Local cattle ranchers strive to protect the environment Jayla Kauffman

Food supply and enviromental damage are both issues that will greatly affect the future of our planet. The cattle industry impacts both of these issues. Therefore, it is important to find the best method possible to raise a large number of cattle while still protecting the environment. There are many practices that ranchers can employ in order to do just that. Logan Mannix of Mannix Ranch in Helmville, MT explained that, “ Under proper grazing management I think [grazing] can actually enhance the plant life” By using rotational grazing, which is grazing a pasture until most forage is gone and leaving a long rest period in between, ranchers can cause plants to grow back healthier than before. When the cattle are left in the same pasture long enough, they eat all of the natural forage. This causes the plants to release sugars into the soil which then make it more fertile so that new plants grow back healthier. Moving cattle around frequently, assures that they won’t graze on new plant growth. Cows prefer to eat younger plants so moving them to a new field gives new plants a chance to grow.

A big concern of environmentalists is that runoff from cattle fields can pollute water sources. Manure can contain elements, that in large amounts, are harmful for the environment such as Nitrogen and Phosphorus. These chemicals can harm native plants and animals as well as humans if they get into water sources. On Mannix Ranch, buffers around streams are used to keep cattle away from them. Natural soil in their fields can also help filter out some of the harmful compounds. Cattle receive water from underground pumps that come from nearby wells in order to keep them further away from water sources. It could be argued that raising cattle is a waste of land that could otherwise be used for farming or the grain that is fed to cows could be used for human consumption. However, the grass fed model that most local ranchers use is done on land that wouldn’t be adequate for farming and the cattle eat natural forage unfit for human consumption. By utilizing this land, ranchers provide food from land and plants that would otherwise have no use. Mannix also explained that, “Another really good use of cattle is that if farmers want to improve their soil health the can grow cover crops in between cash crops in really diverse mixtures that add to soil health” The practice of using cover crops entails growing a mixture of plants that help soil quality in between cash crops in order to give the land a break and improve the quality of the soil and the crops growing from it. By grazing cattle on these cover crops farmers can make some money off of them as well as natural fertilizer that will be healthier for the environment. By changing their grazing practices, protecting streams and grazing on land unfit for farming, ranchers can be more environmentally friendly. By using these methods we could

make the cattle industry more productive without depleting natural resources.

Refugees (Continued from page 1) Assistance in applying for Public Benefits such as: Social Security Insurance (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid is provided upon arrival, until they are financially stable; at such time these benefits cease. A common concern held by some Montanans relates to the cost burden on the state of resettling refugees in Missoula. Contrary to this belief, the State Government does not pay for the resettlement. Every refugee that is resettled in Missoula is funded by the Federal Government under the US State Department Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) with enough money for the IRC to cover the resettlement process. “Often times this money goes back to the community,” says Barile. She explains, as refugees begin to build a new life and become part of the workforce in the Missoula community, they are also paying state and federal taxes. The USCRI is also in charge of the vetting process for each refugee seeking asylum is the United States. Each refugee goes through a screening process for 12-18 months before being accepted for resettlement. Some of the requirements for the vetting process include: medical exams, background checks, and extensive investigations by the Bureau of Counter-terrorism, just to name a few facets of this lengthy and thorough process. When asked how the community has responded to the refugees Barile, says “[much of the community] has been extremely positive and welcoming of families.”

There are over 200 volunteers in the IRC and many of those are family mentor volunteers who work directly with families and help integrate them into the communities. “The number of volunteers we have is a direct response to the support we have here,” says Barile. A survey of over 40 students at Seeley-Swan High School concluded that there is a very clear understanding of the definition of refugee. However, this survey showed that there is misconception of the countries of origin of refugees arriving in Montana. Barile stated that most refugees arriving in Montana are fleeing The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. The survey revealed that 78% students support welcoming refugees to Montana. However, when asked if they thought refugees would be welcomed in the Seeley Lake community, 61% said no.

Net neutrality is changing, effects to follow Levi Reinitz

Net neutrality has been repealed. Now, the internet tides are changing as well as the law. In the spring of 2018, President Donald Trump repealed president Barack Obama's open internet order or more commonly known as net neutrality, causing internet disputes to be settled in state courts. Many are unaware of what net neutrality is, or how it’s repeal will affect the internet providers, big and small, and their customers. Net neutrality is a set of laws that ensures the information accessed from both large and small internet providers has equal speed and quality by not allowing them to block or discriminate against any legally acceptable information. See NET NEUTRALITY page 5

Net neutrality (Continued from page 4) However there are drawbacks. Net neutrality has slowed down competition between companies, thus slowing innovation. The biggest fear was that the major providers like Comcast, AT&T and Centurylink would start to discriminate by slowing connections and making a bidding war for faster connections thus inhibiting small providers from being able survive. There is more information on FCC’s page. An interview with Michelle Owen, an employee of Blackfoot Connections, proved reality is a little bit different than what is feared because the provider Owens works for already keeps within the bounds of net neutrality; therefore, its removal from Montana will not affect them. In fact, as she stated “Blackfoot is in favor of net neutrality; Blackfoot supports a bipartisan solution that will ensure a free and open internet. Blackfoot has publically voiced this position.” It is clear net neutrality may not affect everyone but that doesn't mean it didn’t serve a purpose. The whole point was to stop a monopoly from taking hold and controlling the entire internet. The need, or lack thereof, is a toss up of infinite ends and can only be settled in the each state's own courts so that it’s modifiable to each one's own needs and views. States have tried to fight back with varying success. Montana’s try to keep net neutrality ended in a lawsuit from the federal government, California is being sued right now over net neutrality, and other states are firing back with lawsuits to hold on to net neutrality like Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and many others. In the end, people need to decide what is best for them, whether its for or against net neutrality.

Plastic filled oceans open up business owners eyes to implement change Blake Lindemer

In August 2015, marine biologist Christine Figgener videoed the removal of a plastic straw from the nostril of a sea turtle. Now, with over 33 million views, the video has started a global trend of banning single-use plastics in cities, including Miami, Berkley, and Seattle, along with a reduction in their use by larger businesses.

District Sales Manager, James Anglum agrees that FSA “would conform to the laws of the county, state, and federal government as we do now for a very simple reason” if single-use plastics were banned throughout the whole state of Washington. “If a ban or law is enacted and a company refuses to recognize this, the company can be sued in a criminal or civil litigation,” Anglum states. These laws within cities can reduce the impact of the plastic flooding into our oceans every year. Even though plastic straws only make up 4% of the 9 million tons of plastics estimated to enter the oceans annually, the banning of plastic straws and single-use plastics could be a catalyst resulting in the process of banning all plastics.

to capture and marine life will mistake them for food. Sea life, including 90% of seabirds and 30% of sea turtles, have ingested microplastics. The Ocean Cleanup estimates that this new technology will clean up 50% of the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch every 5 years. The larger steps businesses like Starbucks and SeaWorld are taking could lead to a universal reduction in plastic use. Small businesses in Missoula are trying to follow suit by offering an environmentally friendly choice. This hard push to reuse, reduce, and recycle will make it easier to prevent pollution, rather than to clean it up.

A sea turtle mistakes plastic cup as food, as plastic bags float through the ocean. Photo: IC

Five hundred million plastic straws are being used in America every day. Seabirds, fish, and sea turtles are being killed from the effects of plastic pollution, such as plastic straws, every year. Large businesses and organizations including Starbucks and SeaWorld have begun to reduce single-use plastics and even local Missoula businesses including Big Dipper and Five on Black have followed suit. On July 1st, 2018, Seattle became the first city to ban plastic straws and utensils made of plastic. This ban will require 5,000 restaurants to use reusable or compostable straws, utensils, and even cocktail sticks. Food Services of America (FSA) is one of the many food service providers in the city of Seattle, providing access to over 30,000 products including plastic straws and utensils.

An aerial shot of System 001. Photo: The Ocean Cleanup

On September 8th, 2018, an organization based in the Netherlands, The Ocean Cleanup, launched new technology called System 001, to rid the world’s oceans of not only plastic straws but of the five trillion pieces of plastic that pollute our oceans. This technology consists of a 600meter long floater that sits at the surface of the water with a 3meter-deep skirt attached below. Deployed in the San Francisco Bay area, System 001 will attack the largest floating island of plastic, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This 1.6 million square kilometer of plastic located between California and Hawaii, is becoming more dangerous every day. Sun exposure, waves, marine life, and temperature change cause large plastics to deteriorate. As these larger plastics become microplastics, they will be harder

7 single-use swaps that can save the planet. Photo: Commons

Advancements in avalanche safety Caleb Maughan

One hundred and fifty people worldwide are killed each year by avalanches. The average deaths by avalanches in America is 27 per year. However, a trend shows there are less deaths over a 10year period. This could be due to the fact that there are more people being educated about avalanches and safety gear is more advanced and accessible. See AVALANCHE page 6

Avalanche (Continued from page 5)

Graph showing the decrease in avalanche related deaths over a 10-year period

Avalanche transceivers are the most effective tool to track someone in an avalanche. However, for it to be effective everybody in a group is required to have one. There are also airbags which will help one keep afloat or near the surface. Avalung goes in the mouth, and a pipe leads out going down to the feet to keep one from breathing in the carbon dioxide. There is also the basic pole and shovel to locate someone and to dig them out. This gear can be located at www.rei.com. This all may be expensive, but the safety precautions are worth the cost. The worst time for an avalanche to happen is during or immediately after a snow storm. When there is a massive accumulation of snow, Steve Thompson, an Avalanche Safety Instructor, says the best precaution is, “Don’t go out and if you do, stay to the flatter slopes.” The most common slopes that avalanches occur on are slopes that range between 30 and 38 degrees. “If you are caught, I’ll be real blunt, you need to fight like hell to get out of it. You want to swim. Make swimming motions to move your body through” said Thompson. Getting to a side or up to the fracture line, will prevent getting swept away in the avalanche. Oxygen is crucial. Right before the avalanche stops, making a cup in front of one’s mouth will allow room to breath. When the avalanche stops, it is

treatment. The longer that opioids are taken, the more the human body becomes dependent on them. “Opioid dependence causes withdrawal symptoms, which makes it difficult to stop taking them.” According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Addiction occurs when dependence interferes with daily life.” Recent surveys shown by Montana.gov say that more than 15% of high school students avalanche. reported taking a prescription drug despite not having that medication prescribed to them. Medical marijuana There is a vast amount of may combat current research that agrees on one thing; opioids are highly addictive and opioid epidemic dangerous, even deadly, when not used as prescribed by a doctor. Taylor Dillree The lack of research on the effects In 2017, more than 30,000 of long-term usage of medical people died due to opioid drug marijuana makes it difficult to overdoses, according to the determine the dangers of using it National Institute on Drug Abuse. to treat medical conditions, but as Opioids are a group of of 2018, there has yet to be an medications that mostly come overdose caused solely by from the opiate poppy or similar marijuana. However, there are artificial substances and are most still risks when using medical commonly used as painkillers. marijuana. Opioids can be used in the “There can be interactions treatment of moderate to severe with cannabinoids affecting how pain, but are also highly addictive. medications are metabolized Marijuana also comes from a which can lead to patients being plant, the cannabis plant. Medical hospitalized and becoming marijuana can be used to treat the extremely sick” said Jason same conditions as opioids. Schager, a medical marijuana Additionally, medical marijuana pharmacist and manager of is also used in the treatment of Montana Medicinals, a medical Parkinson’s disease, seizure marijuana dispensary in Missoula, disorders, nausea, glaucoma, Post MT. Jason stresses the importance Traumatic Stress Disorder, cancer, of asking questions and talking to neuropathic and chronic pain, your doctor about the health risks Crohn's disease, emesis and more. before choosing medical It is possible to become marijuana to treat your condition. psychologically dependent on In 2004, medical marijuana marijuana, but there are far fewer was legalized in Montana. It is health risks when compared to still illegal for recreational use, opioids. and is still considered a ‘gateway Addiction to opioids such as drug’ and as well as a schedule 1 There are a number of fentanyl, codeine, and morphine drug. medical marijuana have skyrocketed in the past two legal decades. Although opioids are dispensaries in Montana, which the availability of prescribed for the treatment of makes pain, it’s still unclear how marijuana easier for patients. In order to qualify for treatment effective they are for long term using medical marijuana like concrete, making it impossible to move. One must have trust that the group will get there quick. Panicking is the body's natural reaction but one must relax and slow their breathing to reduce the wasting of air. If one does so, the window of time will increase drastically. It is imperative to be prepared and aware in order to survive when caught in an

in Montana, you must be diagnosed by a doctor with one of these conditions: glaucoma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, severe chronic pain, Cachexia, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Medical marijuana can treat nearly every illness opioids treat, and have considerably less side effects and health risks. It is considered a safer alternative to opioids by many people. “The reason why it is safer is because it is far less addicting compared to opiates and it is impossible to overdose when just consuming cannabis, which is not true with opiates...I know cannabis can help alleviate the opioid epidemic that is commonly being discussed in media right now, as there is research to back this up. I have also observed patients be able to decrease their opiate use by substituting cannabis and because of this, I know cannabis can help alleviate the current problem we are facing due to the over prescribing of opiates” said Jason Schager. Most likely, medical marijuana will play a part in the end of the current opioid epidemic. Although it is a controversial topic, Jason Schager believes that if more people were educated on the medical benefits of marijuana, then they would open their minds to this new medical practice. “I think most people would be ok with legalizing cannabis if they were educated about its numerous benefits and if the cannabis industry was properly regulated to ensure patient safety.” There are many medical benefits that come from marijuana, but over many years, the public's view on the use of marijuana has been tainted. “I believe most people who are not in favor of legalizing cannabis have been misled by See MEDICAL page 7

Medical (Continued from page 7) the federal government's demonizing of cannabis throughout the past 50 years,” said Schager. It's up to the general public to decide if these benefits of marijuana are worth the legalization and decriminalization of this Schedule 1 drug.

Research shows concussion effects on mental health in college and high school football Avery Smith and Addie Anderson

Former New England Patriots player, Aaron Hernandez, killed himself in 2017 when he was 27 years old, while he was in prison for murder. After his death, he was found to have a severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Jason Hairston, a former UC college football player, retired from the NFL due to injuries. At the age of 47, Hairston killed himself because of CTE. There are multiple other similar cases. A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is caused by major hits to the head in which the brain moves rapidly back and forth. This can cause temporary unconsciousness and memory loss. Brain injuries cause more deaths than any other sport injuries and a player who gets one concussion is more likely to get another. When a player accumulates more than one concussion they are at higher risk of (CTE).

Brain scans of a healthy brain v. a CTE brain

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) occurs mostly in professional football players and happens when someone gets too many concussions. The symptoms of CTE are depression, suicidal thoughts, impulsive behavior, and difficulty with other cognitive functions. One hundred and eleven NFL football players were examined for CTE and one hundred and ten came out diagnosed positive. People are starting to wonder if the risk of brain injuries is increasing or decreasing. According to the Mayo Clinic, players now are bigger and stronger than they were in the 1950’s. More sophisticated and stronger gear is being developed, decreasing the risk of getting hurt by getting hit too hard. However, players feel that they can hit even harder because they trust the advanced gear, possibly increasing the amount of injuries.

Image via journal of Neurosurgery, Rowson et. al.

Nurse practitioner Stacey Hubbard from Bigfork, MT stated, "Concussions are fairly common and we see them lots in our primary care practice. Severe concussions need to be hospitalized but minor ones can be managed in primary care practice.” She explains how concussions are fairly common at her work space. “People who have had more than one concussion are at a greater risk for developing lasting, possibly progressive impairment that limits function,” stated Hubbard, explaining that having more than one concussion could possibly lead up to a brain disorder. High school students are given the

“Return to Play Protocol” from a doctor if they have a minor concussion and are supposed to follow it very carefully. The list of the return to play protocol includes: no activity to light aerobic exercise, eventually leading to sport specific exercise and participation in normal training activities before returning to play involving normal exertional activity. Jared Crum , a football coach at Seeley-Swan High School, explained his experiences with concussions. Crum had 33 documented concussions and he thinks he’s had over 100. Crum has been diagnosed with early stages of CTE, and a rare form of epilepsy, a common neurological disorder that can cause seizures, as a result of traumatic brain injuries. Crum stated, “It has altered my life immensely. I will most likely either have Dementia, Alzheimer's, or other related issues that will cause my death before I reach 65.” Crum has extensive experience playing football. He played for the Texas Longhorns and even made the practice squad for the LA Rams, leaving him with considerable knowledge of football, and the seriousness of concussions. Crum also is conscious of making sure his athletes fully recover from their concussions before they return to play. “Concussion protocols today are a huge improvement but not a fool proof solution. It sends chills up my back when it happens” stated Crum talking about his reaction when one of his athletes get hit hard, possibly causing a concussion. Coaches do care about concussions, and most coaches are football smart so they know when their athletes need to be taken through the protocol. Concussions take a toll on athletes lives, but over the years concussion protocols have changed for the better to keep athletes safe. Even

in the past 25 years, we as a society, are becoming more medically advanced and safer regarding concussions.

Police officers train to prevent misconduct Korinne Treser

Since the Black Lives Matter movement was founded in 2013, police misconduct has been at the forefront of public and police concerns. Throughout the 840 hours, or 22 weeks of training, a police officer goes through firearms, first aid, criminal law, emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, physical fitness, and report writing training. “Training, its essential and necessary; you must have training from the beginning of your career all the way through,” said Missoula County Deputy Heath Hanson. Some people wonder if police training is like boot camp. In some ways yes, but they are also very different. They both have physical training, self-defense, and firearm training. However, the police academy is more about academics where as boot camp focuses in on physical training. Despite all of the training that police go through before they graduate the academy, there are still some situations that they cannot train for. In those situations it is going to come down to that person's background and their instincts. Some of the situations that police officers find themselves in are pretty intense, and the decisions that they must make are extremely difficult. There is much controversy surrounding police officers and the decisions that they make which can result in “police misconduct.” Police misconduct is defined as: illegal actions or inappropriate conduct done by See POLICE page 8

Police (Continued from page 7) police officers during or in connection with their lines of duty. Not every officer is going to respond the same way. It all comes down to their ethics and how they react to certain situations. “Yes, training is part of it, but as far as misconduct goes, some of that can be taught but some of it you just can’t. It’s just like trying to train a bear not to bite. That’s the nature of the bear, it’s going to bite,” said Deputy Hanson. Which means people are going to have the natural instinct to defend themselves. A person can be taught and trained about good ethics. However, for some it won’t make the required difference, and so when they are in a tough situation, that is normally when police misconduct happens.

Climate change plays role in natural disasters Melina Davis

In the last 50 years, the Earth’s surface temperature has risen 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit. Climate change has affected various types of environmental structures such as temperature, warming oceans, droughts, decreased snow cover, and natural disasters. Some the consequences of climate change are wildfires. Wildfires are increasing because the ground is getting drier and the temperature is getting warmer. While people can take steps to prevent wildfires by not burning in their backyards on windy days and making sure the area is watered, fires are still occurring more frequently because of climate change. Since droughts are occurring more often there has been an increase in wildfires. There was a

significant drought in California during 2014 and 2015. Eighty-one percent of the United States is under abnormally dry conditions. Droughts are caused by increased temperatures. Also, drier soils and diminished plants can suppress rainfall in an already dry area. As the planet continues to get warmer, there will be an increase in droughts and wildfires. Wildfires will most likely be caused by lightning, and because droughts are occurring more frequently, there will be less rainfall. Climate change is happening because of attributions from small variations in the Earth’s orbit that changed the amount of solar energy our planet receives. However, people are speeding up the process by releasing too much carbon in the atmosphere. There has been an increase in greenhouse gas activities in areas such as industries, agriculture and transportation. These are increasing because humans are increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by increased production and consumption of natural resources. The largest contribution is burning fossil fuels and clearing trees. Clearing trees makes it hard for carbon dioxide to be absorbed from the atmosphere. This is causing the earth to heat up at an unprecedented rate. The rate of the climate change has increased from 1.8 Fahrenheit to 3.6 Fahrenheit. Climate in the future is predicted to keep changing. The future climate depends on if heattrapping gases are emitted globally and how sensitive Earth is to those emissions. We need to prepare for the future by preventing unnecessary wildfires from happening and using any type of energy wisely. Some practices include unplugging computers and TVs, making light bulbs energy efficient, installing programmable thermostats and washing clothes in cold or warm

not hot. By practicing these source to obtain strong evidence strategies, we can improve the to support their story. Students future of our planet. spent the next month researching, interviewing, drafting, and editing their final products. When asked what they liked Juniors most about the project, across the (Continued from page 1) board, students said the interviewing process. Terra The junior class at Seeley- Bertsch said, “It was cool to see Swan High School experienced other people’s perspectives.” what some may call, “the month However, most of them also said in the life of a journalist,” this it was the most challenging part of past October. These students are the project. As Taylor Dilree part of an American Studies stated, “It was hard finding an program at the high school that expert that we could interview.” combines both United States Overall, the students learned an history and American literature. immense amount about As part of the first theme of the journalism, but most of them course, The Role of Government, would agree with Dakota Wood the students learned about the role who said, “It’s really stressful of news after watching the movie, being a journalist.” All the President’s Men. With famous journalists Bob Crissina Quinn, American Studies teacher Woodward and Carl Bernstein in mind, the students were able to grasp the importance of having free press. Prior to beginning their news stories, students were exposed to those with first hand experience in the news sector when they welcomed former journalist and current author, John Maclean, and professor of journalism at the University of Montana, Lee Banville. In addition, Nathan and Andi Bourne, owners of the Seeley Lake local newspaper, the Pathfinder, offered their expertise. These seasoned veterans offered advice, insight, and support for the students of SSHS while they investigated the world of journalism. Students explored various aspects of journalism such as news values, journalism ethics, news writing strategies, reporting and interviewing procedures, editing, and creating headlines. Once students narrowed down their ideas to one story, they began the lengthy process of writing a news story. The students were required to obtain an expert source, create questions for their source, and then interview their