Samantha's Portfolio

The Corvallis Advocate • 8th June 2020

Caesar the No Drama Llama Joins BLM Marches, Here’s What Happened

On June 2, Caesar the No Drama Llama went viral again after he and his owner Larry McCool joined the Portland march and “die-in” in memory of George Floyd, and in honor of Black Lives Matter.

Caesar and McCool marched two and a half miles with participants, joined in a moment of silence and die-in on the Burnside Bridge, and attended the Pioneer Courthouse Square protest. The featured photograph shows Ceasar with protestors during the “die in” on the Burnside Bridge.

MUO • 7th September 2022

6 Ways to Stream New Movie Releases at Home

If you want to catch a new release film, you probably don't need to go to the cinema. Using one of these video-on-demand services, you can stream a new release movie whether you simply prefer the comfort of your home or want to save money.

The video-on-demand platforms featured in this list typically offer a mix of new releases and older movies you can buy or rent.

The Corvallis Advocate • 16th August 2020

Interview: City Councilor Ed Junkins Talks Values & Race

Corvallis City Councilor Ed Junkins is at the nexus of some of today’s biggest issues as a physician, educator and parent. Having devoted decades to community service through his practice in pediatric emergency medicine and service on the Corvallis School Board, Junkins became a member of the Corvallis City Council in Jan. 2019 and will serve until Dec. 2020.

The Corvallis Advocate • 13th June 2020

City Offers Street Space to Downtown Restaurants and Retailers

Soon, Corvallis restaurants may have more outdoor dining space thanks to a new program the City of Corvallis is rolling out – and retailers can also participate.

Approved restaurants and retailers will temporarily expand into adjacent on-street parking spaces to provide more outdoor dining, seating, or shopping spaces. The temporary business right-of-way use runs from application approval until September 30, 2020. Businesses may apply for the permit free of charge through the Public Works Depar

The Corvallis Advocate • 29th April 2020

CSA Boxes: Eat Local, Support Small Farms

As spring arrives, so do local Farmer’s Markets and Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions. CSA subscribers pre-purchase fresh produce directly from local farmers, who typically box or package the goods to be delivered or picked up monthly or at regular intervals.

This year, many small farms are relying on direct community support due to economic uncertainties.

The Corvallis Advocate • 11th April 2019

La Familia Cider Wins Corvallis Shark Tank Competition

Representatives from six regional start-up businesses pitched their brands to a panel of entrepreneurs at the Willamette Innovators Network’s (WIN) Shark Tank event this year.

WIN organizers indicated the 2019 Shark Tank is their biggest yet. Previously, they held the event at The Vue and sold out, so for 2019 they moved to the Majestic where they sold over 100 tickets.

The Corvallis Advocate • 15th August 2019

Corvallis' Growth Pressures Neighborhood

In the last month, a camp of 23 unhoused individuals emerged at a church on West Hills Road. Five of these individuals are now housed, as the church and social service agencies partnered together. Conversely, this area along West Hills Road, east of 53rd Street, is a mix of rural residential properties with islands of small suburban neighborhoods — and residents are concernd, not only about the camp, but also about the growth of the city, as a tree farm site is being proposed for a 2,000 unit ho

The Corvallis Advocate • 5th October 2019

Nectar Creek Meadery's Last Day, Saturday

Nectar Creek Meadery has announced they will be closing for good, and they are inviting the public for one last visit.

On Saturday, October 5 they will hold a final celebration at their Philomath taphouse from opening at 11 am through closing time around 10 pm. Throughout the weekend they will also hold a mead sale in the taproom.

The award-winning meadery announced the closure on October 1.

Brothers Phillip and Nick Lorenz founded the business in 2012. In 2015, they swept the session mead ca

The Corvallis Advocate • 23rd November 2019

Board Game Start-up Mountaineers

Imagine climbing a mountain with your friends and family without ever having to leave the comfort of your home. This is the experience that Corvallis game developer Corey Wright aimed to create with his newly released board game Mountaineers.

A mountain climbing themed, three-dimensional board game, Mountaineers was released by Corvallis board game start-up Massif Games, and funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $145,000 with the support of 1,686 backers. According to Kickstart

The Corvallis Advocate • 18th January 2020

Downtown Library Home to New Maker Space

The Corvallis Benton County Public Library has launched a maker space in their downtown Corvallis branch. The newly constructed space will be the home for programs where participants of all ages engage in hands-on activities exploring science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Using low-tech crafting techniques blended with technology, the makers create items ranging from fun to functional.

“The only limit is the imagination. This space offers the public an opportunity to create a

The Corvallis Advocate • 29th February 2020

Coronavirus Emerges in Oregon: Updates, Tips and Resources

The Oregon Health Authority confirmed the state’s first presumptive case of Novel Coronavirus on Friday afternoon February 28. Earlier that morning Governor Kate Brown announced the formation a Coronavirus Response Team to coordinate responses to COVID-19.

“Our first concern is for this individual, to make sure they’re being cared for and is able to recover,” said OHA Director Patrick Allen. “Our next priority is finding out who this individual had contact with and make sure they know about the

The Corvallis Advocate • 27th February 2020

Free Tax Prep Help For Lower-Income Corvallisites

OSU College of Business student-volunteers are offering free tax e-filing assistance to OSU students and non-student individuals or families with a household income of $56,000 or less.

The program runs Saturdays between 1:00 and 5:00 pm. in Austin Hall 126 on campus, the last day is Saturday, March 7. No appointment is necessary, but interested parties should bring their tax-related documents, photo ID, and Social Security card for themselves and their spouse if filing jointly.

“We are offerin

MUO • 26th September 2022

How to Buy Audiobooks on Spotify

Spotify wants to be your one-stop platform for listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks. On September 20, 2022, the service rolled out a new audiobook feature for users in the US, with plans to expand to listeners worldwide.

Audiobooks are a departure from your usual Spotify experience. Instead of ad-supported or subscription-based streaming, you purchase individual audiobooks to stream through the app. Over 300,000 titles are available, including best sellers across genres.

Spotify curate

MUO • 24th August 2022

HBO Max Has a New UI: 6 Changes All Users Should Be Aware Of

You may have noticed the HBO Max interface looks a little different now. That's because Warner Media rolled out a new UI for the HBO Max app on August 8, 2022. The changes are designed to address some stability issues people have experienced while using HBO Max, while also improving the app in noticeable ways.

The Corvallis Advocate • 17th August 2020

The World's Last Blockbuster Offers Retro Movie Sleepover

For three nights this September, the world’s last Blockbuster video is renting their store through Airbnb. The store is located in Bend, Oregon and the sleepover is limited to local households.

“Although Bend is best known for its pristine forests and majestic mountain views, the Blockbuster store is another source of pride in town. The crisp (and yes, rainy) Pacific Northwest weather is the perfect setting to curl up with a classic movie and relive ‘90s memories,” according to the Airbnb listi

The Corvallis Advocate • 30th June 2020

ACLU Sues Portland Police for Journalist Attacks

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon filed a lawsuit against the city of Portland on June 28. Their class-action lawsuit claimed the Portland police attacked journalists and legal observers who were covering protests against police misconduct and the killing of George Floyd.

The attacks alleged by the ACLU include using pepper spray, rubber bullets, and tear-gas, as well as physically beating them.

Portland-area reporters circulated a change.org petition that has collected over 3,700 s

The Corvallis Advocate • 17th June 2020

Florence Opens Exploding Whale Memorial Park

The city of Florence recently unveiled the “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” on the north side of the Siuslaw River. The peculiar name commemorates a historic event.

In 1970, a deceased 45 foot, eight ton whale washed ashore near Florence. The Oregon Department of Transportation used 20 cases of dynamite to blow it up.

According to KATU, the city sought input from community members through a “Name the Park” contest and “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” was the winner.

The new park offers views of

The Corvallis Advocate • 12th May 2020

State Bans Dispersed Camping in Response to Waste Accumulation

The Oregon Department of Forestry announced that they banned dispersed camping starting Monday, May 11 due to problems managing the trash and human waste left behind by campers. They anticipate continuing the ban for several weeks, until they have the extra resources to clean the area and “make them safe for public use again.”

“We have strived to continue to allow as much access to Oregon’s state forests as possible while ensuring everyone’s safety, including our staff,” State Forester Peter Da

The Corvallis Advocate • 1st April 2020

Oregon Guide Prioritizes Who Gets Care in a Crisis

A recent social media leak brought to light a chilling conversation that may be happening in hospitals throughout the world. What if social distancing efforts don’t flatten the curve and the need for urgent care far exceeds a community hospital’s capacity?

The “Oregon Crisis Care Guide” was created years ago and offers guidance to hospital teams to use in the event of a natural disaster like an earthquake or a pandemic. In some ways, the strategies bear similarities to those debated on Twitter

The Corvallis Advocate • 3rd March 2020

Oregon Tried To Quash His Research, But it’s Now Featured in International Guidelines

Within six years, Mats Järlström moved from fighting his wife’s Beaverton traffic ticket to having his research featured in The Institute of Traffic Engineers’ new guidelines for yellow and red traffic light timing.