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The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

The independent student media site of West Linn High School

wlhsNOW

Charlie Craft

Charlie Craft, Arts and Culture Editor

Hand-delivering a golden owl to one of your heroes may seem like an impossible dream, but for Charlie Craft, senior, this is a dream come true. Craft’s favorite band, My Morning Jacket, announced a tour before his recent trip to Japan in the summer of 2012. Knowing the band has an obsession with owls and bears, he made it his personal goal to find an item to give to the band. While scouring various markets in Tokyo, Kobe and Osaka, Japan, Craft found the perfect golden owl.

Craft was luckily able to obtain sound-check tickets where he met the singer, Jim James. After briefly talking, he handed James the owl and in return, received an owl of his own. Star-struck, he could do nothing but say “thank you.”

“Owls are my favorite animal,” Craft said, “Because they look funny and are silent killers.”

For now, Craft has to worry about repaying his parents for his Japan trip. Craft works at Bellagio’s Pizza where he is a self-proclaimed “Pizza Insider.”

“A Pizza Insider does everything short of delivering pizzas,” Craft said.

Being stuck in a terrible job is Craft’s greatest fear, which is not the current case. Craft plans to work at Bellagio’s until college. He hopes to attend the University of Oregon, ideally majoring in media studies but he admits it could change at any moment.

The college search process has been “weighing down on” him for a while and Craft is ready to finalize his future plans. Until then, he plans on protecting his coveted owl from his three cats and golden retriever and also “loving” his cat Curry.

All content by Charlie Craft
You’re making ‘a huge mistake’ if you’re not watching “Arrested Development” this weekend

You’re making ‘a huge mistake’ if you’re not watching “Arrested Development” this weekend

Charlie Craft
May 24, 2013

Hardcore fans, an unbeatable cast, and seven years of anticipation: this weekend, on May 26, “Arrested Development” is back. The defunct Fox sitcom that lasted only four seasons (2003-2006) is returning...

An inside look at the May Court election process

Charlie Craft
March 19, 2013

Your 2013 May Court: Princess Sophie Bangs Princess Mary Earp Princess Dominique Evans Princess Sarah Gibson Princess Elisabeth Haffner Princess Leah Henningsen Princess Paige Myers Princess Emmalee...

Vine utilizes innovative technology and a familiar format to grow its following

Vine utilizes innovative technology and a familiar format to grow its following

Charlie Craft
March 15, 2013

Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram are just a few of the social media websites that make up a multi-billion dollar industry that is less than a decade old. Now another social media program...

Depression and confusion actually make for some fun in “Side Effects”

Depression and confusion actually make for some fun in “Side Effects”

Charlie Craft
March 5, 2013

“Side Effects” is one of those films that you walk out of theater thinking about and you continue thinking about for the rest of the day. A masterpiece of the low-action, slow-burn suspense thriller,...

Portland’s vibrant comedy scene creating stars and offering high quality entertainment for cheap

Charlie Craft
December 19, 2012

For a city of only 593,820, it’s impressive that Portland has one of the largest and most dynamic comedy scenes of any city in the country outside of Los Angeles and New York City. Portland has it’s...

Oliver Muggli goes to Africa to fulfill lifelong dream of service

Oliver Muggli goes to Africa to fulfill lifelong dream of service

Charlie Craft
November 30, 2012

Africa: a continent of unimaginable beauty and sorrow, the birthplace of the human race, and a place with some of the lowest life expectancies on the planet. Oliver Muggli, senior, experienced the continent...

Star Wars Episode VII: A New Hope or A Phantom Menace?

Charlie Craft
November 28, 2012

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas made movie making history with his original Star Wars trilogy. Now Lucas is selling his empire to Disney, which has announced plans to make yet another...

“Looper” delivers with heart-thumping suspense and solid plot

“Looper” delivers with heart-thumping suspense and solid plot

Charlie Craft
October 29, 2012

In the year 2044 civilization has gone a little downhill, cities are cesspools of poverty and nearly everyone needs to have a gun to defend themselves and their property. The only people who seem to have...

Students host political forum

Charlie Craft
October 11, 2012

With state representatives and mayoral candidates—students weren't kidding around when they said that they were hosting a legitimate political forum.  On Oct. 9 in the auditorium, students hosted Julie...

A.P. Government students organize political forum

Charlie Craft
October 8, 2012

With state representatives and mayoral candidate students weren't kidding around when they said that they were hosting a legitimate political forum.  On Oct. 9 in the auditorium, students hosted Julie...

Summer slows students' second semester studies

Summer slows students’ second semester studies

Charlie Craft
June 11, 2012

As summer nears, students are assaulted by a plethora of distractions that may obstruct their ability to study for finals. These are often internal—feeling malaise resulting from all the work put in...

Portlandia returns to IFC, along with innovative comedy

Portlandia returns to IFC, along with innovative comedy

Charlie Craft
April 9, 2012

"Portlandia," the sketch comedy show set in Portland that features odd- ball characters and bizarre catchphrases like: "Put a bird on it" and "We can pickle that" is the most viewed series ever to be featured...

ODS counselors announced

Charlie Craft
March 23, 2012

The senior girl counselors for the Rosemont Ridge Middle SchoolOutdoor School(ODS) are: Emily Axelrod, Hannah Beth Gilbert, Tori Guerchon, Haley Rivet, Blair Hogan, Alyssa Heath, Hannah Morton, Chloe McHenry,...

WLHS National Merit Finalists reap the rewards of their academic excellence

WLHS National Merit Finalists reap the rewards of their academic excellence

Charlie Craft
March 19, 2012

Reed Sturtevant and Miranda James, seniors, were surprised earlier this month when they were informed that they were National Merit Scholarship finalists. James and Sturtevant were notified that they scored...

"Little Shop of Horrors" features big laughs, great music and one moral: "Don't feed the plants!"

“Little Shop of Horrors” features big laughs, great music and one moral: “Don’t feed the plants!”

Charlie Craft
March 8, 2012

Music. That’s what makes a great musical really great, and it’s the awesome songs and underscore that captured all the absurdity, comedy and poignant moments of the West Linn Theatre Arts Program’s...

“Little Shop of Horrors” premieres tonight!

Charlie Craft
February 23, 2012

West Linn High School Theatre Arts Program’s musical “Little Shop of Horrors” opens tonight, at 7p.m. The show is based on a comedy film released in 1960, and its subsequent Broadway and film adaptations,...

Snow on Salamo Road Tuesday

Charlie Craft
January 17, 2012

This footage was shot by Julie Dale, who was looking across Salamo road from Cascade Summit apartments at 9:30 Tuesday morning. According to Dale, her elevation was 648 feet.

West Linn-Wilsonville School District is one of only three in Oregon to achieve honor roll

West Linn-Wilsonville School District is one of only three in Oregon to achieve honor roll

Charlie Craft
January 5, 2012

This year, West Linn High School is one of just three high schools in the state to be named to the College Board’s second annual Advanced Placement district honor roll. Schools qualified if they have...

Operation Christmas Stocking provides homeless with much needed items

Operation Christmas Stocking provides homeless with much needed items

Charlie Craft
December 13, 2011

UPDATE DEC. 16: ASB collected a total of 162 Christmas stockings filled with needed items for homeless people in Portland. West Linn students and teachers donated toiletries and other requested items ...

Tabor food cart serves up home-style Czech food, fast and fresh

Tabor food cart serves up home-style Czech food, fast and fresh

Charlie Craft
December 7, 2011

A monstrous crispy and freshly fried breaded pork loin, sweet sautéed onion, savory paprika sauce, creamy horseradish, and crisp lettuce, with only a Grand Central Bakery ciabatta roll to separate your...

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists represent West Linn’s Arts

Charlie Craft
November 29, 2011

West Linn’s vibrant arts program showed its true colors this year as a hotbed of potential when two students involved in the Arts qualified as National Merit Scholar semifinalists. The National Merit...

Alert! Emergency! The public must know! This is only a test

Charlie Craft
November 9, 2011

Today at 11a.m., the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are jointly testing the Emergency Alert System (EAS), and they want to let citizens know...

“Real Steel” script fails while robot-vs.-robot action wins

“Real Steel” script fails while robot-vs.-robot action wins

Charlie Craft
November 8, 2011

Futuristic robots smash themselves to pieces in an abandoned zoo populated by post-apocalyptic punk fans, yet no new cars have been made since 2011. Enter the bizarre world of “Real Steel.” I went...

“Contagion”: A stark vision of a planet in panic

“Contagion”: A stark vision of a planet in panic

Charlie Craft
October 11, 2011

“Contagion” is the perfect analogy for the approaching overcast of the fall. As opposed to the over-the-top, action packed and generally uplifting summer blockbusters that have invaded movie theaters...

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Charlie Craft