Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2006)
News 2 October L&B's brings class to Willamette restaurant scene L ogan K elly Staff Reporter In the last five years Lil' Cooperstown has emerged" as the destination for restaurant goers in the Willamette area. This month, a group of restaurateurs opened a high class eatery that could possibly enhance the area's restaurant scene. According to owner Shaun Coats, L&B’s Restaurant and Gallery will provide casual yet elegant dining for sophisticated patrons as well as keeping a kid-friendly atmosphere. "Combined we have almost 100 years of experience," Coats said. Along with partners Carol Coats and Dennis Kinsey, the trio are not shy to the business; they have credentials from restaurants such as the Salt Creek Grill in Southern California and the Ruth's Kris, located in Orange County, Calif, and downtown Portland. Opening just blocks away from the popular Lil' Cooperstown the owners are not worried. "It's like comparing apples and oranges," Coats said. Ken Arrigotti, the owner L&B's Restaurant and Gallery is opening in the Willamette area. According to owner Shaun Coats, L&B's Restaurant and Gallery will provide casual yet elegant dining for sophisticated patrons as well as keeping a kid-friendly atmosphere. Photo by Coie Fiala of LiT Cooperstown agrees. "I don't think L&B’s will affect us. We are more of a family restaurant," he said. Lil' Cooperstown has been operating since Feb. 2003 and has grown to about 35 employees. "We've been really blessed," Arrigotti said. Coats and his partners aim to provide cuisine for a totally different group of palates. L&B’s will provide a menu filled with gourmet pasta, seafood and steaks as opposed to Cooperstown's burgers, fries, soups and sandwiches. "Crazy for You" to open in new auditorium on Nov. 2 HilU CiAVARELLO Staff Reporter The Drama Department has been keeping secrets. But with the premier of the newest musical, "Crazy for You," set to happen on Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the newly completed theater, all that is about to change. Cast members Marta Hanson, senior, and Jonathan Binswanger, sophom ore, rehearse for the musical, "Crazy for You." The musical, opening Nov. 2, will be the first held in the new theater. Photo by Malia Chong "The new theater is really cool, and it's awesome we don't have to go to another theater to rehearse and perform anymore," Ian Leslie, junior and cast * member, said of the last two year's trips to Portland Community College Slyvania Campus for after school and weekend rehearsals as well as final performances. "The students and staff are using every inch of what the theater has to offer to make up for the time they’ve spent away. Along with new costume and set building workshops, professional theatre technology helps students and staff have a more advanced workspace than before according to Jessica Murray, Director and Choregrapher. ”1 love it! I think it’s fabulous—it is such an intimate feeling space, but can fit so many people," Ali McDonald, junior and Assistant Stage Manager for the musical, said of the new theater. The cast is a mix of young and veteran performers including Marta Hanson, junior, playing female lead Polly Baker, and Ian Leslie, playing male lead Bobby Child. "It really shows what students can do; students you don't even know can sing and dance and are ready to show you," Murray said. The musical, "Crazy for You," is the story of a well- to-do New York playboy's adventures in the typical western town of Deadrock, Nev., and features high energy comedy mixed with song and dance. "I think students will be able to find something accessible and exciting about this production; it's not just something parents and teachers will want to see. It has something for everyone," Murray said. The management of the new restaurant is aiming to tap into the more affluent and refined tastes in the West Linn-Wilsonville area. With the median yearly income greater than $70,000, Coats believes that his restaurant could become a destination for the area. "Locals don't want to drive downtown, (Portland) they want something close to home," he said. Coats' philosophy for the Willamette area is, "The more the merrier." He believes that with all of the restaurants in the area if L&B’s is full, people will start exploring the ones that are not as prominent, which, he hopes, will also help the local economy. "I see more and more businesses coming in here; it's becoming a destination," Arigotti said. With dark hardwood floors and paintings lining the walls, L&B's aim is to create an intimate atmosphere. They have so far refrained from advertising. "We are relying on the word of mouth," he said. L&B's goal is not to provide competition for Cooperstown; it is to provide an elegant alternative. "I don't think it will affect us in a bad way. In fact I think it could bring in more business for us," Arrigotti said. Tutor Center offers help to students a J acob G ianuzzi ______ Staff Reporter The last thing students attending the Tutor Center want is to fall behind during the first few weeks of school. The solution? Going in most mornings and some afternoons and hitting the books in hopes to keep those grades up. Evan Weisenborn, freshman, comes in some mornings to focus on school work. "My parents don’t have a problem bringing me in early, as long as they know it’s for school work," Weisenborn said. Led by Instructional Coordinator Reidun Lenhart, the Tutor Center aims to assist students in all aspects of their studies. "College students show up for credits occasionally and at least twice a week a teacher, either English or math, shows up to help," Lenhart said. The center is open to all students on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in Room A201. It is also available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Porch F101. Chris d'Autremont, senior, and Sasha Clyde, sophomore, work in the Tutor Center on French homework in one of the morning sessions. Teachers, student tutors, and an occasional college student help students. Photo by Malia Chong Computers are also available for use at the Tutor Center. "It's not like it's embarrasing to come or anything, I'll come even if I finished my homework the night before and read a book while waiting for friends to show up," Weisenborn said. "The Tutor Center is an effective way to handle grades and I just wish more students would come. I think students are intimidated by it and think its only for students who are failing classes, when really its just a quiet and friendly environment to work on school work," Lenhart said. On average five to six people come to the Tutor Center in the morning which is low compared to during testing times. "During testing times around the end of the quarter the Tutor Center is more crowded with people studying. I think people should just come to study anyways and take advantage of this center," Lenhart said. Logging in Camassia closes conservatory R oya elizeh co-Editor-in-Chief Camassia Natural Area, owned by The Nature Conservancy, and located behind the school, is undergoing a logging process to save the natural habitat of the preserve. For the month of October, the 27-acre nature preserve that ranges from the stream near the Tripp Lot to Wilderness Park will be closed to the public in sections. Workers from The Nature Conservancy will be cutting down Douglas Fir trees to make way for the other plants that grow in the area. The cutting of the Douglas Fir trees will create the damage that would have been caused by a naturally occurring fire. "Fir trees are important to the area, but in an area like Camassia, where ancient floods were followed by fire, they just don't belong," Geoff Camassia Natural Area features vegetation that grows in only a few places in the world. The Douglas Fir trees in the area will be cut to make way for the native plants to flourish. Photo by Cole Fiala Bingham, geology teacher said. By suppressing fires in Camassia, the ecosystem slowly changes causing some of the flora to become decreased in their numbers. By logging, it is expected to change back the ecosystem using a safer procedure than a forest fire. West Linn High School's property adjacent to Camassia will not be included in the logging. Bought in 1962, Camassia was the first purchase of land in Oregon by The Nature Conservancy and remains one of the more unique preserves of land. Including lig g iii i i liiia s s ia ____________ a continued on page 3
