A&E PAGE 3
Hitbox Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,’ ‘Tears of the Kingdom’
UAA to open first college pride center in Alaska
A project that’s been a long time coming, LGBTQIA+ Seawolves will now have a dedicated space to explore and express their identities.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
UAA’s student union will soon be home to the historic first college pride center in the state.
The UAA Pride Center is something that students, staff and faculty have been asking for, for a long time, said Multicultural Student Services Director Sara Caldwell-Kan.
“UAA is, like most places, a very heteronormative, cis-normative, patriarchal institution and trying to explore and learn about your identity in some of those spaces feels really challenging,” said Caldwell-Kan. Even for those who are not exploring, it can be hard to find spaces where their identity is fully embraced, said Caldwell-Kan.
Caldwell-Kan said that when students come to college, having people and places that affirm their
identity affect whether they decide to remain at that college and is correlated to student success.
The creation of the Pride Center didn’t happen on its own. Instead it’s the result of a large push of LGBTQIA+ affirming programs and groups at UAA.
When Caldwell-Kan was hired in 2021, her position as director at Multicultural Student Services was changed to also focus on LGBTQIA+ students in
addition to her other roles. Since then, some Multicultural Student Services initiatives have included trainings on pronoun use in the classroom, faculty development on LGBTQIA+ success, lavender graduations and the creation of Rainbow Initiatives, which creates LGBTQIA+ events on campus.
Governor’s Cup returns to Alaska
Orphaned polar bear cub rescued and transported to the Alaska Zoo
By Carlee Christensen arts1@thenorthernlight.org
An orphaned male polar bear cub was observed roaming around Prudhoe Bay on Nov. 24, according to a press release by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent a team of polar bear program biologists to assess the situation, who determined the approximately 11-month-old male bear should be removed from the wild population for his own welfare and concerns for potential human-bear conflict.
David Gustine, with the Fish and Wildlife Service, was quoted in a press release saying: “The decision to remove this bear from the wild was not made lightly … Removing a bear is not a good outcome for the individual or the wild population, but we felt it was the best course of action in this situation.”
Given that the bear’s
young age — polar bear cubs in the wild stay with their mothers for up to 2.5 years — it will not be returned to the wild.
The cub was transported to the Alaska Zoo however it is not on public display. It was determined that the cub will remain under observation and be provided care according to the animal’s immediate needs. The bear has overall good health with a few concerns, such as being underweight and small
lacerations on its upper lip.
Future determination on the long-term care of the animal will be made by the Fish and Wildlife Service after considering all options.
The last time a cub was rescued was in 2013 when a male cub — Kali — was orphaned in Point Lay and was initially cared for at the Alaska Zoo, later transferred to the Saint Louis Zoo.
Public and private funds unite to grant $1.5 million to the UAA School of Social Work
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
The UAA School of Social Work recently received a major funding boost in the form of a $1.5 million grant by public and private donors. The announcement of the funds was made on Giving Tuesday, which fell on Nov. 29 this year.
According to a written press release by Thompson & Co. Public Relations, the funds “will significantly increase enrollment capacity; establish a pathway to licensure for graduates; add faculty and staffing; and offer continuing education to maintain clinical licenses.”
With this new funding, the School of Social Work will have an increased capacity to invest in students who will go on to work in the field.
Recover Alaska, an
Anchorage-based nonprofit, helped to secure the grant by facilitating communications between the university and donors, including Premera Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alaska, Providence Alaska, and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. Recover Alaska provided funds as well.
In the press release, these donors expressed the need for an expansion of social worker employment to achieve the long-term goal of elevating the entire Alaskan community.
Other contributing donors were the Rasmuson Foundation, Southcentral Foundation, the Municipality of Anchorage, and the Alaska Department of Health.
According to the press release, UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell expressed gratitude for the grant, saying, “UAA is grateful to receive the necessary
resources to expand enrollment capacity for the School of Social Work, and thankful to the community partners who worked to make this happen.” As with several donors, Parnell said that workforce demand is up for social work professionals.
In the press release, Recover Alaska’s Execu-
tive Director, Tiffany Hall, heralded the work of the nonprofit, attributing the fundraising success to “the incredible thoughtpartnership and creative vision of Recover’s Governance Council.”
Hall said that training more Alaskans in the field of social work will allow for better outcomes in dealing with crises faced
by Alaskans every day, such as alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide. She said Alaskans are uniquely qualified for dealing with Alaskan issues – compared to their counterparts from elsewhere – because of their understanding of the state’s distinctive cultural, economic, and environmental attributes.
The funds will be al-
located over the next few years and are expected to contribute to many functions of the UAA School of Social Work. Populations in crisis will benefit from the grant and many are hopeful that these benefits will ripple across the community as a whole.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALASKA ZOO. The polar bear cub that was found near Prudhoe Bay.
Progress pride flag by Paul2520, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
PHOTO BY JAMES EVANS,
Snow Day!
By Dylan Flos contributor@thenorthernlight.org
Sledding, snowmen, warm lights and hot cocoa — we all have vivid memories of waking up on a cold winter day with an unexpected day off school. Or perhaps you’re a student new to Alaska, coming from a warmer southern state, experiencing this type of winter wonder for the first time. Either way, most of us probably breathed a sigh of relief last week seeing that campus had been closed for a dayand we’d been given an extra day to study for those ever-pressing final exams.
Last week’s storm wasn’t just another snow day. The National Weather Service estimated total snowfall at 25.4 inches of snow for East Anchorage, with similar totals across the Anchorage Bowl. That number includes the entire three-day snow period from the 5th through the 7th, although nearly half of it came down on the 7th alone. The highest totals were in south-southeast Anchorage, in the Hillside area, coming in at 29 inches.
Although a similar three-day total occurred back in 2018, the last time Anchorage saw this much snow in a single day was in the late 90s - long enough that most students here probably don’t remember it, or weren’t even born yet. His-
torical weather data from Ted Stevens International Airport report that day, Dec. 21, 1999, as having 19 inches of snowfall in a single day.
The amount of snow on the ground made getting out of driveways and parking lots a challenge, and anyone who did make it onto the road was greeted with stranded cars speckled along the roadside with their hazard lights blinking like a grim parody of Christmas lights. The Anchorage Police Department additionally reported 34 collisions and six injuries by the end of the day Wednesday.
All municipally-maintained roads were plowed at least once by the end of the day Wednesday, but that didn’t stop the storm from having a lasting impact on classes through Thursday and Friday. Parking lots were snowed in, roads were covered in ice, and cars were stranded from the day prior.
Classes Thursday and Friday were still relatively sparse — despite campus being reopened — with many teachers migrating to zoom so they and their students wouldn’t have to take the treacherous trip to school.
The Anchorage School District, which also canceled classes Wednesday, canceled school on Thursday and Friday as well.
Federal government to improve consultation with tribal leaders on climate resistance policy
By Jasmine Grant news@thenorthernlight.org
The extreme needs for sustainable infrastructure and energy resources in rural areas in the U.S. is increasingly recognized in government plans for power restoration. This recognition has been accompanied by a higher regard for the inclusion of indigenous peoples and their ideas in plans for environmental restoration.
Sustainable energy infrastructure in native communities is suffering, especially in Alaska where coastal erosion poses a huge threat to native communities.
o the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, around 87% of Alaska Native communities experience coastal erosion from the melting of permafrost and sea ice, with some needing immediate relocation.
Efforts made by the federal government aimed to mediate some of the effects on the energy infrastructure in preservable areas.
The Department of Energy announced a plan in June to partner with 12 remote and island communities across the country as part of their Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. The project aims to strengthen energy infrastructure in communities, reduce the experienced risk of outages and improve future energy sources.
Continued from cover:
UAA’s LGBTQIA2S+ Advisory Committee was the group to formally put together the proposal for the Pride Center in 2019. This fall, UAA’s student government recognized the creation of the Pride Center and passed a resolution support-
Two of these competitively chosen areas are located within Alaska: one in the community of the Igiugig and one in the small town of McGrath, which is only accessible by air.
According to a report for the DOE on Sustainable Energy Solutions for Rural Alaska, about 200 of the state’s rural villages have unsustainably high electric utility and energy costs.
Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will allocate $25 million to the relocation of two Alaskan villages and planning grants of $5 million to four more Native villages in the state.
Implementation of these plans for new infrastructure and relocation will be accompanied by a new expectation of direct consultation with the leaders of tribal lands.
In an address at the White House Tribal Nations Summit on Nov. 30, President Biden told tribal leaders of a presidential memorandum improving consultation between the federal government and Tribal nations signed earlier that day.
Biden said that all relevant federal agencies will be required to receive annual training on Tribal consultation process and “should strive to reach consensus among the Tribes.”
Tribal leaders and members of Alaska Native communities have shown great commitment to mediating the effects of the climate crisis.
ing its creation as soon as possible.
Jessi Saiki is the engagement and belonging coordinator at Multicultural Student Services in charge of Rainbow Initiatives. Saiki has worked with the Rainbow Initiatives team to make the Pride Center as welcoming as possible.
Those who have spent time in Multicultural Student Services may recognize similarities between the spaces.
“We’re emulating, in a way, the comfort and living room nature of MSS,” said
In November, representatives from twelve different Alaskan-tribal communities gathered at UAF for a three-day workshop on Tribal Climate Adaptation training led by Alaska Tribal Resilience Learning Network. The workshop taught attendees a skill set of tools for adapting to climate change to bring back to their tribes.
The benefits of including tribal leaders in policy-making regarding climate resistance have been proven on the global level.
Published on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples last year, an article from the United Nations served as a reminder of the climate engagement efforts made by indigenous peoples.
According to the UN, indigenous communities “help safeguard close to 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity” and hold important traditional knowledge relevant to the climate resistance.
The article acknowledged the contribution of Indigenous peoples from central Africa in adoption of “key climate policy documents” for country action plans at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference.
In another article from Aug. 9, the UN mentioned a number of environmental practices by indigenous peoples that have reaped positive benefits such native tree-planting methods in Nepal and restoration of a sustainable fishpond system by Native Hawaiians (also referred to as
Saiki said they want the space to be a place of “relaxing community,” and will have lots of fun furniture, light, plants, work stations and low-sensory spaces for those who need a break.
The Pride Center will be moving into a space in The Hub, which can be found on the lower level of the Student Union.
When the Pride Center opens, Saiki’s office will be there as well. They said that their role is to support students however
loko iʻa).
The National Park Service has an entire page dedicated to the collection of research highlighting the traditional ecological knowledge of Alaska Natives , such as insight on wildlife migration patterns.
On Nov. 17, in a hearing by the Senate Committee on Natural Energy and Resources for nominee consideration, Sen. Lisa Murkowski advocated for the special and dire needs of Alaska’s energy infrastructure.
Murkowski said she would extend a public invitation to the nominees to visit the state following their confirmation, in particular Oliktok Point and the community of Utqiagvik, which houses the DOE atmospheric observatory The North Slope of Alaska.
“Every time any one of you goes up you realize how much you don’t know about the state because it is just so vast and its needs are so great,” she said to the committee.
Federal agencies can better employ strategies for improved infrastructure and renewable energy by visiting with the inhabitants of rural areas. Not only do Alaska Nativesinhabit the most rural and rough areas of the state but also have insight about the land they occupy.
Consultation with tribes will likely help to affirm the success of future climate efforts made by the government.
they can.
“My office is always open to anyone regardless of what’s going on. I am a listening ear and someone who really cares.”
The grand opening of the Pride Center will be the first day of spring semester, Jan. 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. For the rest of the semester the Pride Center will be open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Saiki.
PHOTO BY DYLAN FLOS.
Historic snow totals fell December 7th, greater than any single day since 1999.
The man behind the moving picture: ‘Exposing Muybridge’
A new documentary reveals the tumultuous life and work of the photographer who captured images of things faster than the eye can see.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
The beginning of modern cinema began with a bet about a horse: what does a horse actually look like while moving? Conventional wisdom at the time was that a horse always had one foot on the ground while moving.
In the 1870s, photographer Eadweard Muybridge was commissioned by race-horse owner Leland Stanford to answer that question. A famous landscape photographer at the time, Muybridge took on the task of photographing something faster than the eye would see in the era of slow wet-plate photography. The photographs that would follow would be the very first sequential photos of motion, and definitively prove that horses had all four feet in the air while in a gallop.
Director Marc Shaffer’s 2021 documentary, “Exposing Muybridge,” goes beyond Muybridge’s motion photography, telling the complicated story of the man behind it all.
Aside from being the first person to create moving pic-
tures, Muybridge lived something of an infamous life.
He married a woman half his age and left her for long stretches of time. He later shot the man she cheated on him with in cold blood. He would tour Europe with his photographic studies of motion, but his work would eventually be stolen without credit – leaving him accused of plagiarizing his own work. He was also later discovered to have manipulated many photos during his career, giving landscapes features they did not have at the time.
The creation of this film was a 10 year endeavor, said Shaffer. He became interested in Muybridge after finding his landscape photography while working on a different project. Before his studies of motion, Mybridge was an accomplished landscape photographer, taking photos across the American West under the name Helios.
It can be challenging to work on a piece where the subject is long dead, said Shaffer, because it leaves nobody to ask what happened next.
Muybridge’s life has been interpreted by scholars, many of whom offer their insights
through the documentary.
“I had the advantage of a historical figure who had been chewed over by lots of writers. So I could see what they had done,” he said, “so I didn’t have to do all of the original research.”
Shaffer said he saw similarities between himself and Muybridge; that he and Muybridge were people who told stories with cameras and that was interesting to him.
“Did I see myself in Muybridge? The answer is yes, I did. That was a big appeal to me.” Shaffer also said Muybridge’s subversiveness, independence, and resilience were qualities that attracted him to this project.
Muybridge also had a tendency to “hijack” his commissions, finding ways to tell stories the way he wanted to, something Shaffer said he has also done many times in his career. Before this film, Shaffer had been working in journalistic television and film for decades before becoming disillusioned with the industry, feeling more like “a cog in the machine” than useful. This film is his first independent project, something he is proud of.
Shaffer said that a main theme of the documentary is the truth; how it can be distorted and changed. It’s something he’s experienced throughout his career.
“I was so self aware of the power [of the pen and the power of the camera] to shape people’s perceptions, and how it was used
and misused to do that, and how I was party to it.”
Exposing Muybridge was screened at the Anchorage Museum for the public on Dec. 1. The documentary can be found on Prime Video, Youtube, Apple TV, and Google Play. Shaffer says that sometimes the availability of the documentary changes, but it can always be found with an internet search.
Hitbox Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,’ ‘Tears of the Kingdom’ preview
Nintendo will release “Tears of the Kingdom,” the sequel to “Breath of the Wild,” May 12, 2023.
By Zach Christensen layout@thenorthernlight.org
Release Date: March 3, 2017
Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development Platform: Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Link wakes up after one hundred years since Calamity Ganon took control of Hyrule. Having forgotten nearly all his key memories, he must relearn what happened to Hyrule and his purpose: defeating Ganon.
Ganon controls the four divine beasts that were originally made to destroy him, and it is up to Link to gain control of them in his quest to defeat him.
I might be late to the party, but this is my first time playing the critically acclaimed “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” This has been one of the best games I have ever played.
Open-world has never been brought to the Legend of Zelda on this scale before. The land of Hyrule is completely explorable from the start, which gives breathtaking views and no re -
strictions on how the player wants to progress in the game.
For someone who is newer to the series, it was exciting to see the game create personalized opportunities to reach objectives. For example, I missed the traditional road that takes you to Gerudo Town. I ended up spending forty-five minutes trekking through a mountain range be-
fore I ended up at my intended destination.
The game encourages creativity. If I had wanted to, I could walk up to Hyrule Castle and attempt to defeat Calamity Ganon and beat the game from the beginning. I would not recommend it since it will likely be game-over after one hit from any enemy in the castle. That leads to the next point I like about this game.
Players can leave a difficult location to get better gear and increase Link’s attributes to get
through difficult sections of the game. Getting stronger also does not feel like grinding through enemies to level up in traditional role-playing games. It’s solving puzzles in shrines and completing side quests, which can give Link different advantages in battle. The gameplay does not get old, and the player can choose how they want to play.
The next iteration in the series is “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” which is set to release on May 12, 2023.
I would expect this game to be better than “Breath of the
Wild.” According to statistical data, “Breath of the Wild” has sold 27.79 million units as of September 2022, the most of any Legend of Zelda game. That means Nintendo has the money to make the next iteration that much better. Also, “Tears of the Kingdom” has been in development since 2017, much longer than any other game in the series.
There’s a lot of mystery surrounding it. The iconic Master Sword is deformed. The game features floating islands, dungeons, and temples. Ganon or some evil force has been resurrected. There are three layers to the map: the sky, ground and underground layers. Using the same map as “Breath of the Wild,” “Tears of the Kingdom” will be a far larger game to explore.
If Nintendo can perfect the story for “Tears of the Kingdom,” then this game might be the best game in The Legend of Zelda’s history.
All of this contributed to the most-anticipated game award of 2022 presented by The Game Awards that “Tears of the Kingdom” received this year. This game is going to have all of what “Breath of the Wild” had to offer and then some. I think that it is safe to say that this will be a game worth spending hours in. Get a copy on May 12, 2023.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART.
Exposing Muybridge promotional poster at the Anchorage Museum.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NINTENDO.
Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom cover art.
UAA Getaway
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
The Seawolf Sports Complex was transformed Thursday night into a warm-weather paradise for the UAA Getaway. Students and community members who attended the event were treated to a taco bar and ice cream catered by Wild Scoops. They had much to do among the club
and business booths present –the henna tattoo and caricature booths being particularly popular. For live entertainment, local singer Emma Hill \performed in the main event area and DJ Spencer Lee was spinning tunes at the pool.
The event was put on by UAA Student Activities as a way to allow students to unwind during the finals crunch and relieve
themselves of the dark Alaskan winter.
UAA Getaway’s main coordinator was Selma Casagranda, who said that she and her team had been planning for roughly four months to ensure that everything went smoothly and that those in attendance would enjoy themselves.
“We just really wanted it to be an event for students to be
able to relax. Especially during this time of year, when it’s the darkest and coldest, we decided on a getaway theme so that people could relax and have fun,” Casagranda said during a tour of the UAA Getaway setup.
She showed off the booths, pool decorations, pop-up massage parlor, and bungee run set up by Tons of Fun Entertainment.
To make the event a reality, “It’s honestly been a group effort,” Casagranda said – gesturing at the team of Student Activities workers bustling about.
Students appeared to be pleased with the work of Student Activities as they enjoyed their taco dinners, laughed at the caricatures drawn of themselves, admired their henna tattoos — body art drawn on with temporary dyes — and participated in contests that had $25 gift cards
on the line. Contests included trivia, a Squishmallow toss, and a water chugging challenge.
Other than ice cream and Mexican food, students helped themselves to the available refreshments. Warm coffee and cans of Red Bull — both essentials for caffeine lovers during finals week — stood at the event entrance.
Overall, the UAA Getaway provided a warm Thursday night, even with all of the snow received days before. The decorations and the light-hearted conversations heard throughout the evening made you feel transported to the warm shores of the tropics.
To stay up to date on future events, be sure to follow UAA Student Activities on social media.
The world’s greatest detective returns in ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’
The return of the “Knives Out” franchise also marks the first time all three major U.S. theater chains have agreed to show a Netflix film.
A fashion designer who can’t seem to stay away from a scandal. A men’s rights streamer with a love of guns. An influential scientist behind a massive breakthrough. A governor with a platform on green energy. A diverse cast of characters with only one thing in common: their friendship with billionaire Miles Bron.
The scene is set for the second film in the Knives Out franchise: “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” Directed by Rian Johnson and starring Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe and a full cast of other well-known actors, “Glass Onion” is not just an interesting film because of its mystery, but also its unusual limited release before becoming available on Netflix.
It’s no small feat to try to make a sequel that lives up to the original, especially in the wake of the success of 2019’s “Knives Out.” Ranked as the 21st highest grossing film of 2019, “Knives Out” brought in over $165 million in the domestic box office and has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%.
Meanwhile, “Glass Onion” received only $15 million in the box office, but there’s a good reason for that. The film only had a one week theatrical release from
Nov. 23 to 29, and was shown in only 600 theaters in the US. An interesting move, considering a wide release of a movie usually has around 3,000 theaters, but also a historic one, according to AP News, as this was the first time all major U.S. theaters played a Netflix release.
After its global Netflix release on December 23rd, “Glass Onion” rocketed to the top of Netflix’s charts. For the week of Dec. 19 to 25 alone, “Glass Onion” was already number one with over 82 million hours viewed. Meanwhile in Netflix’s number two spot, “The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari” had
only 25 million hours viewed.
Daniel Craig returns as the lovable southern detective Benoit Blanc, the world’s greatest detective — the words of everyone else, not him, he insists. The rest of the cast is completely new, with big names such as Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, and Dave Bautista.
Instead of a mansion, “Glass Onion” takes place on Bron’s private island in Greece, and instead of an unhappy family, it’s the tenuous ties of unbalanced friendships that are tested.
It’s an entirely different mystery, and that’s the point, said di-
rector Rian Johnson in an interview with Variety. He was frustrated that “Knives Out” was even in the title.
“I get it, and I want everyone who liked the first movie to know this is next in the series, but also, the whole appeal to me is it’s a new novel off the shelf every time,” said Johnson.
If the cast and location has changed, then what’s stayed the same? Just like “Knives Out”, “Glass Onion” was about more than just a murder mystery.
At its core, the burgeoning Knives Out franchise creates stories about holding those in power accountable and giving
the underdogs the means to do it. Benoit Blanc — the only unifying character between movies — acts as a helper for the person who has been damaged by an unjust system. He is a medium for others to achieve justice by revealing the truth, and it’s a satisfying story to watch every time.
In all honesty, I liked the original “Knives Out” movie just a bit more, though I think above all else, “Glass Onion” fell prey to my own high expectations. That prevented me from really recognizing some of its cleverness the first time I watched it.
There was so much about “Glass Onion” that impressed me, though. Janelle Monáe’s performance was both masterful and moving, and the return of Daniel Craig’s terrible southern accent was a constant delight. Not to mention, I’d been dreading the day when films would start attempting to tackle Covid, but “Glass Onion” walked the line perfectly, keeping it light and giving a real insight into the personality of each character.
The movie is not just a visual delight, but also a comedic one, and there’s never a boring moment throughout the film.
“Glass Onion” may not be exactly like “Knives Out”, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s not only a different story, it’s a different kind of mystery from “Knives Out”, which is important to remember going into the movie.
If you can take that and run with it, it immediately becomes so much more fun to watch.
“Glass Onion” is witty, surprising, and still filled with just as many twists and turns that the audience has come to want from a Benoit Blanc mystery.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX.
The cast and characters of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART. Bungee Run.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART.
Dunk tank with UAA Hockey.
Governor’s Cup returns to Alaska, UAA hockey falls to UAF
By Avery Williamson sports@thenorthernlight.org
The first Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup in over 1,000 days was held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Dec. 9 and 10. The tournament ended indefinitely on Feb. 29, 2020 after UAA’s hockey team was suspended because of budget cuts.
The Governor’s Cup is an annual award given to the winner of the most games for the entire season between instate rivals UAA and UAF. In all-time results, UAF leads 16-8.
This year, UAF is looking for their 12th straight victory and UAA hopes to win their first Governor’s Cup since the 2008-2009 season. Unfortunately for the Seawolves, they were defeated 5-2 and 7-2. The Nanooks now lead the series 2-0.
The Dec. 9 game featured tight defense by both teams in the opening period. A little over seven minutes into the game, Carson Kosobud was penalized for holding, and UAF entered a power-play. Seconds before Kosobud skated back onto the ice, the Nanooks scored the first goal.
Two minutes later, UAA entered their own power-play. However, UAF was able to keep the visitors on defense and prevent them from scoring. The Nanooks led 1-0 at the end of the first period.
Ben Almquist won the faceoff for the Seawolves in the second period and the team quickly set up a play. One minute into the game, Max Osborne fired a shot,
but it was saved by UAF goalie Matt Radomsky. A minute later, the Nanooks scored again to lead 2-0.
Down by two points, the Seawolves refused to give up. With about 15 minutes left in the second period, Caleb Hite fired a shot. Radomsky deflected the puck to prevent a goal, but Almquist fought to secure the puck and fire it past the goalie for his fifth goal of the season and to bring his team within one point.
A little over a minute later, Kosobud was sent back to the penalty box for tripping. The Nanooks were able to score in the power-play again to lead 3-1. Kosobud responded by scoring a goal of his own shortly after he returned to the ice.
With four minutes left in the second period, UAF connected with the goal again to lead 4-2 going into the final period.
After a scoreless five minutes, Jarred White and Jamie Collins were sent to the penalty box for UAA along with UAF’s Connor Mylymok. Despite having a 4-3 player advantage, the Nanooks were unable to score.
Down and with three minutes left in the game, the Seawolves took their goalie out of the game so they could put another offensive player on the ice. However, UAF was able to skate past UAA’s defense and score on an empty net, winning the game 5-2.
The Seawolves returned to the ice the next day with hopes of splitting the series. Almquist won the faceoff for UAA, but the Nanooks stole the puck back and made two shot attempts in the first of the opening period. UAA goalie Jared Whale
Women’s basketball defeats Seattle Pacific
By Avery Williamson sports@thenorthernlight.org
The UAA women’s basketball team defeated the Seattle Pacific Falcons at the Alaska Airlines Center on Dec. 3. By playing impressive defense throughout the game–including letting SPU score only three points in the second quarter–the Seawolves secured a 62-52 victory.
The Seawolves weren’t in control for the entire game, though. Ten minutes in, UAA trailed 20-13.
They then locked down defensively and held SPU to 1-of-9 shooting and forced 10 turnovers in the second quarter to grab a 30-23 point lead entering halftime.
The three points scored by SPU in the second quarter broke UAA’s program record for fewest allowed in a second quarter.
UAA took their largest lead, 45-33, when Rachel Ingram drove baseline for a layup with two minutes left in the third quarter. The Seawolves stayed ahead for the remainder of the game.
The Falcons crept up to 47-41 after drilling a three-pointer with nine minutes left in the game, but UAA responded with two free throws by Vishe’ Rabb and back-to-back baskets from Anaiah Moore and Kate Robertson to secure their lead.
The Seawolves won the game 62-54.
“We got back to doing what we needed to do defensively tonight, and it paid big dividends,” said UAA coach Ryan McCarthy to Nate Sagan with UAA Athletics.
“Our shots weren’t falling, but we also did a great job with 11 offensive boards, which led to some critical baskets. I’m proud of the way we responded after a tough loss and we’re excited to keep building on this win.”
Rabb led the Seawolves with 14 points.
Jazzpher Evans and Jahnna Hajdukovich each recorded 11 points apiece, and Moore finished the night with four points.
The Seawolves return to the Alaska Airlines Center on Dec. 10 and 11 to play non-conference games against William Jewell. The Saturday game is at 7 p.m. and the Sunday game is at 5 p.m.
successfully saved those shots, but he was unable to make the save four minutes later. UAF took the lead 1-0.
Six minutes later, the Nanooks connected with the goal again to extend their lead. With a little over six minutes left in the opening period, Almquist and William Gilson were sent to the penalty box. Despite a 5-3 advantage, UAF was unable to score.
Less than two minutes before the buzzer, the Nanooks found the goal again to lead 3-0 going into the second period.
UAF was quick to extend their lead to 4-0, scoring another goal four minutes into the second period. Five minutes later, Maximilion Helgeson put the Sea-
wolves on the scoreboard.
Only 24 seconds before the end of the second period, UAF’s Brady Risk scored, extending the Nanook’s lead to 5-1.
After UAF scored two more points within the first three minutes of the final period, Joey Lamoreaux was substituted into the game as UAA’s goalie.
With a little over eight minutes left in the game, UAA entered a power play. Gilson capitalized on the Seawolves’ oneplayer advantage, scoring a goal right before UAF’s penalty ended.
Both teams were unable to connect with the goal for the remainder of the game, and the Nanooks secured a 7-2 victory over the Seawolves.
Down 2-0 in the Governor’s Cup, the Seawolves hope to tie the series Dec. 16 and 17 at the Seawolf Sports Complex. Support your favorite team at 7 p.m. Friday night and 6 p.m. Saturday night.
PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA ATHLETICS.
UAA plays against UAF in Governor’s Cup.
PHOTO BY SKIP HICKEY.
Elaina Mack shoots for UAA.
Seawolves hockey sweeps Simon Fraser University
By Avery Williamson sports@thenorthernlight.org
After a heartbreaking 0-1 loss to Simon Fraser on Sept. 23, the Seawolves redeemed themselves by blowing out the Red Leafs 6-0 on Dec. 2 and 4-0 the next day at the Seawolf Sports Complex.
On Dec. 2, the Seawolves took an early 1-0 lead only two minutes into the opening period after Matt Johnson broke away from SFU’s defense and fired the puck past the goalie.
Ten minutes later, Ben Almquist took advantage of the Seawolves’ power play. With some fancy stick-handling, Almquist glided past the Red Leaf’s and increased UAA’s lead to 2-0.
The second period featured a quick goal off the stick of Derek Hamelin and two more goals from Connor Cole and Almquist a few minutes later.
The Seawolves weren’t satisfied with a 5-0 advantage though. UAA entered the third period eager to blowout SFU further. With just over 11 minutes left in the game, Dylan Finlay scored the final goal of the game and helped his team win 6-0.
UAA goalie Nolan Kent played a perfect game, stopping all 13 shots by the Red Leafs. The Seawolves outshot the opposing team 26-13.
SFU returned to the ice the next day desperate to defeat UAA, but the outcome was the same. The Seawolves dominated the ice and took the game 4-0.
Brandon Lajoie put UAA on the scoreboard with a short-handed goal eight minutes into the game. Neither scored for the remainder of the first period.
After a scoreless second period, the Seawolves scored three goals in the third, with Carson Kosobud making the first one
by ricocheting the puck off the boards and into the net in the first minute. Cole found the
net four minutes later and Brett Bamber scored the final goal of the night with 11 minutes left in the
game. The Seawolves defeated SFU 4-0.
UAA goalie Joey Lamoreaux made 19 saves
to earn the shutout for the Seawolves. UAA outshot the Red Leafs 30-19.
The Seawolves will travel to Fairbanks to compete in the first of six games in the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup on Dec. 9 and 10. The Dec. 9 game is at 7 p.m. and the Dec. 10 is at 6 p.m. Visit GoSeawolves.com for live links and stats.
Seawolf athletics this spring semester
A list of home games you can attend for free as a UAA student
Basketball
As a student at UAA, you can attend all Seawolf sporting events for free – all you need is your Wolfcard. This upcoming semester is packed with athletics. Here are some home events to add to your calendar:
Jan. 12 – The men’s and women’s basketball teams hit the court to face off against Western Washington. The men play at 5:15 p.m., and the women play at 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 – The women’s basketball team takes on Northwest Nazarene at 5:15 p.m., and the men’s team will play against Simon Fraser at 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 – The women’s basketball team will face off against Simon Fraser at 7 p.m.
Jan. 28 – The women’s basketball team returns to court to face off against Western Washington at 7 p.m.
Feb. 2 – The men’s basketball takes on Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m.
Feb. 4 – The women’s basketball team faces off against Alaska Fairbanks at 5:15 p.m., and the men’s team takes on Central Washington at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 16 – The men’s and women’s basketball teams take on Saint Martin’s. The men play at 5:15 p.m., and the women play at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 18 – The men’s and women’s basketball teams
take on Western Oregon for the last home game of the season. The women play at 5:15 p.m., and the men play at 7:30 p.m.
Gymnastics
Jan. 13 and 15 – The gymnastics team has their first competition of the season against West Chester University at 6 p.m on Jan. 13 and 2 p.m. on Jan. 15.
Feb. 3 and 5 – The gymnastics team competes against William & Mary University at 7 p.m on Feb. 3 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Hockey
Jan. 27 – The hockey team faces off against Alaska Fairbanks at 7 p.m. for the fifth Governor’s Cup game of the season. UAA currently trails 0-4.
March 3-4 – The hockey team will take on Arizona State in a back-toback series. The March 3 game will start at 7 p.m., and the March 4 game begins at 5 p.m.
March 9-10 – The hockey team faces off against Lindenwood in the last home games of the season at 7 p.m. the first night and 6 p.m. the following night.
Ski
Feb. 20-24 – The Seawolves host the UAA Invite for Nordic Skiing at Kincaid Park and Alpine Skiing at Alyeska Resort. The times for these events are to be announced.
Track and field will also have meets throughout the spring semester, but UAA will not host any events.
You can visit GoSeawolves.com for information about away athletic events and live links to watch competitions outside of UAA.
By Avery Williamson sports@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO BY SKIP HICKEY.
Seawolves women’s basketball team welcomes their starting five to the court.
PHOTO BY SKIP HICKEY.
Joey Lamoreaux defends the goal against SFU for the Seawolves.
07
Gingerbread wonderland on display at the Captain Cook
The iconic Anchorage hotel continues a decades-old tradition.
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FEATURES
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
Recent visitors to the Captain Cook Hotel will have noticed a delightful gingerbread holiday display in the hotel lobby. Gingerbread houses abound in a winter wonderland village reminiscent of all things jolly. Within are small sculptures depicting scenes of people enjoying life in the carefree holiday season. Amidst snowy lanes – carolers, bakers, ice skaters and other merry-makers populate the quaint gingerbread town.
All of this was made possible by one of the Captain Cook’s pastry chefs, Joe Hickel. According to the Anchorage Press, this is a 44-year tradition.
What started as a small display in 1978 has grown into a large exhibit of roughly 100 square feet.
The placard describing the exhibit explains Hickel’s methods of using chocolate and gingerbread for structures and white royal icing to blanket the town in snow.
The village is themed after “A Christmas Carol,”
ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS
written by Charles Dickens. All the way from the nineteenth century, Mr. Dickens’ characters can be spotted in the world of gingerbread. The most avid onlookers can find characters such as Scrooge and Tiny Tim hidden within, along with other nonDickens characters, like Santa Clause, making appearances as well.
Hickel modeled other scenes after his family members’ lives and the activities they enjoy, such as a hockey rink. The village’s best real estate – a gingerbread house sitting high on an overlook – is reserved to symbolize Hickel’s wife and is labeled “Our Place.” Even a Toys-For-Tots MarineCorps volunteer is present to represent his son, Cody, who served in the Marines. Odes to other family members and friends of his are dotted throughout.
The gingerbread village — a perfect opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season — is free to view and open to the public through the new year. Plan a visit at 939 W. Fifth Ave, Anchorage.
The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.
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Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a contributor’s opinion piece is 450 words. Contributors are restricted to one published opinion piece per month. Opinion pieces written by staff of The Northern Light are limited to 800 words. An opinion piece that is published in The Northern Light should be written by someone who has authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing.
Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. All letters and opinion pieces must include names, major and/or group affiliation and contact information for verification purposes. The Northern Light will not publish anonymous letters or pseudonyms. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www. thenorthernlight.org. The deadline for submissions is the Friday before publication at noon, no exceptions.
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PHOTO BY KYLE IVACIC
Gingerbread townspeople preparing for the holidays.
