Video by Bailey Tennery.
Year: 2018
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Swipe right on self-love
Whether you’re dating or single, you should actively practice self-love for healthy relationships and interaction with others.
Dating is complicated. If you’re swiping, texting, snapping or sliding into the DMs, navigating the dating culture requires a lot of time, energy and self-love.
Single and ready to mingle, sort of…
Dating without the integration of social media was bad enough. Now you’re connected and available on multiple platforms.
As a single individual looking for the companionship of others, apps like Tinder or Bumble can place extra pressure on your dating timeline. These apps allow access to a wide range of people with different personality types and preferences. Not everyone is kind or understanding. This often leads to strangers lashing out at you, because your interests or schedule don’t align.
Take some time to remember that you are allowed to say, “No, I can’t hang out this day,” or “I had some obligations and was not able to respond right away.”
Do not ever feel compelled to apologize for being busy or not responding before you’re ready, unless you mean it. Social media has created a demand for immediacy that is not always reasonable.
Self-love can also be very physical and intimate. Masturbation, often a taboo subject, can be considered fulfilling needs and confidence. This means taking the term “self-love” literally and exploring safe options on pleasuring yourself. For the inexperienced or shy, the beginning stages of this could be a research stage for what works. As an article on This Body Is Not an Apology states, just orgasming from masturbation is like “scratching an itch.” Explore other options to pleasuring yourself, and open your mind to considering this method as a form of self-love.
Another option to explore is exercising. Exercising can blow off steam and increase self-confidence. It is also a great way to combat depression and relieve dating frustrations. Incidentally, don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with and take it easy. After all, this is about making yourself feel better.
What’s also available on a local level are workshops designed to promote communication skills between friends and couples.
Humboldt State Health Educator Ravin Craig, who created and runs the Peer Health Education program, said there are several workshops put on through the library that are designed to do just this.
She said one of these is focused on relationships and communications with friends as well as sexual partners.
Taken and confident, kind of…
Even in a relationship, self-love is necessary and promotes positivity in a relationship. Maintaining individuality is important towards promoting self-love and a healthy relationship. This doesn’t mean isolating yourself, but it does mean knowing your boundaries.
Craig said it’s hard to be in an effective relationship where you can give something to someone else, but can’t give it to yourself first.
Self-love is often proven to benefit relationships. According to an article on goodthereapy.org, research has shown that practicing self-love is likely to improve well-being in the context of interpersonal relationships.
Developing positive habits and relationship communication between you and your partner can also lead to self-love. Taking time to be your own person and understand what makes you happy can also promote self-love and in turn strengthen your relationship.
In between and fluid, maybe…
Maybe you’ve mastered the dating scene, but your confidence still gets low. Taking similar breaks and efforts to improve your self-love is important.
Craig said students looking for help with self-love practices should consider Community Care Workshops on campus. During these workshops, students are encouraged to “build their board of directors.”
Craig describes this board as the people you can trust to help guide your relationship when suffering from the dating scene or relationship blues. Finding trusted peers who are able to lift you up and think are important.
At the end of the day, choosing healthy and positive practices of self-love is up to you. Sometimes it takes understanding that you need the help of others, a break or space. Be aware of when dating might be too much and recognize when you need to make some time for yourself.
Utilize on campus resources or turn to your most trusted friends. More importantly, swipe right on self-love.
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Softball team looking to strike in CCAA
Fresh off of a devastating defeat in last year’s Division II National Championship tournament, the young Humboldt State softball team is looking to make a statement as the 2018 season begins.
The Jacks were 44-15 overall last season and boasted a 22-11 record within the CCAA conference, which was good for third place. However, the women’s season came to a close with a 5-1 loss to Armstrong State University.
Despite losing their entire infield to graduation, there is certainly reason for optimism in the 2018 season for the Jacks as they have an impressive new group of starters.
The team was ranked third in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Coach’s Poll.
This Jacks team has not necessarily gotten off to the start that they wanted as they are 4-5 after going 2-2 in a four-game series against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
The Jacks lost their first two games of the series in a doubleheader on Friday by the scores of 5-0 and 9-6. However, on Saturday they responded by winning 4-2 and 13-9 in that order.
The Jacks may have found their stroke during the latter game of their doubleheader, as they exploded for 19 hits and 13 runs against Dominguez Hills despite being down 9-5 going into the top of the seventh inning.
The Jacks put up eight runs in the last inning and were led by third basemen Rachel Barker, who went 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBI.
“Every game we’ve played we’ve gotten better.” Barker said. “Now that we’ve played with each other we know how to motivate each other, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get (our record) under control.”
However, the inning started with designated hitter Micaela Harris doubling in the left-center field gap.
“I think I started the hype of the inning,” Harris said.
The Jacks will look to use the hype from that magical seventh inning to propel them up the standings in the coming weeks.
They will start a four-game series with UC San Diego on Friday, as they play their first game of the series at noon, followed by game two at 2 p.m. The series will conclude on Saturday, with game three being played at 11 a.m. and game four at 1 p.m.
In their series last year, the Jacks split the four-game set with the Tritons down in San Diego. The Jacks will hope that the cold, cloudy weather of Arcata will give them the advantage they need to take the series this time around.
Despite the sluggish start, the Humboldt State softball team is hungry and has the momentum that is crucial in having a successful season.
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Weekly Olympics recap
The 2018 Olympics are underway in PyeongChang, South Korea Feb. 7-24. The United States has shown the world they rule the slopes when it comes to snowboarding and the future for the U.S is bright.
American Red Gerard won his first gold medal of his career in men’s slopestyle and he is only 17 years old.
U.S. snowboarder Jamie Anderson defended her gold medal from the 2014 Sochi Olympics by nailing her first run in the women’s slopestyle final with a score of 83.00.
To top it off, 17-year-old American snowboarding prodigy Chloe Kim became the youngest female athlete to win a gold medal in snowboarding as she dominated the competition in women’s halfpipe with an incredible score of 98.25 and Arielle Gold, 21, won the bronze.
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18th annual International Education Week
The 18th annual commencement of International Education Week at Humboldt State occurred last week from Feb. 5 through Feb. 9.
The commencement began with an annual flag ceremony procession that snaked its way from the Feuerwerker House, up around the quad and meandered its way towards the library – all to the beat of an improvised drum line.
The International Education Week was hosted by the Academic and Career Advising Center, Center for International Programs, the College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, the College of Extended Education and Global Engagement, the International Advisory Committee, Library, the Multicultural Center and the Global Connections Club.
The procession was initially just members of the Global Connections Club and international students, but bystanders were invited to select a flag to represent in the parade by Center for International Studies study abroad coordinator, Christiana Frye.
Ana Nihalani, an exchange student from Pakistan, was excited at the prospect of showing off the parade on her Snapchat story.
“It looks so cool!” Nihalani remarked excitedly when shown the video taken of her of the procession. “All of us walking together with our flags on from all over the place!”
Kate O’Connor, president of the Global Connections Club, touched on the purpose of the group as well as the importance of the week itself.
“When international students come to HSU, either for study abroad or the duration of their education here, they can join the club.” O’Connor said. “Along with some domestic students from around here, we all get together and form connections and friendships and volunteer together for events like this.”
The keynote address of this year’s international education week was given by Dr. Teresa Wright, department chair and professor of political science at CSU Long Beach on Feb. 6.
Dr. Wright’s lecture was called “Politics in China: Good Governance Gone Bad?” and focused on the misconceptions many have when it comes to foreign policy.
Wright encouraged to reject any prejudice.
“We need to view regime type as a spectrum, not just democratic equates good, undemocratic equates bad.”
Wright condemned certain actions of the Chinese government over the last few decades. She emphasized that it was fair to be critical of their governance, but not simply because of typical Americanized prejudice that “only a liberal democracy can fulfill functions of good governance.”
The international film festival screening was held in the Kate Buchanan room on Feb. 7. A variety of foreign student-directed and produced films were made available by Humboldt International Film Fest, a student-run film festival organization founded in 1967.
The winner of the 2017 festival was “Memory” directed by Ilirjan Himaj.
“Memory” focused on an elderly Albanian man with dementia trying to find his way home after setting out to buy a toy for his visiting grandson. Despite being only 18 minutes long, the film was profoundly sad and several of the attendants remarked on this aspect when it was revealed that it was this year’s winner.
If you are interested in participating in next year’s International Education Week, are interested in future international program event or thinking about studying abroad, you can visit the Center for International Programs website or Feuerwerker House on campus for more information.
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Bringing culture to HSU
The African American Center for Academic Excellence and Housing & Residence Life brought Mardi Gras to Humboldt State on Feb. 9.
Mask making took place at 7 p.m., and then DJ C4 took over the dance floor an hour later.
To Wayne Brumfield, interim vice president of Student Affairs at Humboldt State, the Louisiana tradition is about “Mardi Gras family and having a good time.”
“I thought it’d be fun to introduce a Mardi Gras type event to Humboldt State University,” Brumfield said. “Mardi Gras is one of those events that is fun. You have a chance to eat some food and dance, so I thought it’d be good for our student body.”
Corliss Bennett, director of the Cultural Centers for Academic Excellence, had a hard time transitioning to HSU. Like many students, she mostly had to rely on on-campus activities to have some fun.
“In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to bring New Orleans to Humboldt,” Bennett said.
Daniel Erb, a biology major at HSU, works for housing and helped put together the Mardi Gras program.
“I really hope that residents can socialize and have a good time,” Erb said. “This event is a good way to show how different celebrations are celebrated around the world.”
Josh Lequin, a business and management major, wished there would’ve been more advertising about this event, because he had a great time.
“I made a mask got some beads and threw them at people who poured themselves out on the dance floor,” Lequin said. “The people who went to the event where the people who wanted to have a good time.”
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A wrap-up of WRRAP’s Zero Waste Conference
The theme of the Zero Waste Conference held this past weekend on the Humboldt State campus was “beyond barriers.”
Hosted by the Waste Reduction & Resource Awareness Program, or WRRAP, their goal is to help make sustainability accessible to everyone.
The event featured different panels during its two-day run.
Friday started with tinker time, where there was a clothing swap and different stations for students to learn how to sew, make their own deodorant or fix a flat bike tire. Later that night, WRRAP hosted a free vegan banquet for students and the community. It featured two keynote speakers.
The mayor of Arcata explained her 10-step plan to transition into a zero waste city. The second speaker was André Villaseñor, an environmental protection specialist for the EPA, who spoke about his specialty of reducing food waste. The night finished with a showing of Anthony Bourdain’s film, “Wasted! The Story of Food Waste.”
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Volunteer efforts in Jefferson Community Park
The Youth Educational Services (YES) held a volunteer event for Humboldt State students on Feb 10. The event was held at Jefferson Community Park where volunteers were tasked with planting a garden for the community.
Dean Shearer operates the volunteer opportunity programs for YES.
“Jefferson Center is a community run center,” Shearer said. “If five or 30 people show up, it doesn’t matter. Any help is much appreciated.”
Not only did the members of YES show up, HSU fraternity Chi Phi showed up to assist Jefferson Community Park with the planting of the garden.
“I‘m here because I love to hang out with my friends and this place is perfect for that,” Chi Phi member Eddie Castillo said.
Another member of the fraternity, Sergio Maciel, said he was involved for the community service aspect.
“I think that it’s great for the fraternity to go out and do something good for the community,” Maciel said.
Members of Chi Phi doing their part for the community. Photo by Luis Lopez. Richard Evans, vice president of the park, lives near the former school building turned community park.
“It used to be a school that was closed down in 2012,” Evans said. “The community was tired with the city not doing anything with the building so we bought it and now it’s a park for the community to enjoy.”
The Jefferson Community building contains many resources for people to utilize. There is a certified kitchen for the public to use, space to hold public forums and a playground for children.
“The community wanted change for the closed down school,” Mark Weller, the deputy director of the Jefferson Community Park, said. “Events like this are open to any student from HSU who are outside of YES house.”
Heidi Benzonelli (far left) and Mark Weller (center) helping volunteers put soil on the truck bed. Photo by Luis Lopez. Heidi Benzonelli is the president of the Jefferson Community Park.
“[It was] another awesome day, way beyond what we expected,” Benzonelli said. “The park is coming into shape with the outpouring of volunteers.”
For people who were not able to attend this event, the community park is always looking for volunteers to help with the park.
To volunteer or learn more, you can visit jefferson-project.org or follow facebook.com/Jefferson.Project on Facebook.
All the volunteers who came in to help the Jefferson Community Park on Feb. 10. Photo by Luis Lopez. -
HSU scrambles for new head coach
Humboldt State University football is in shambles once again as interim head coach Cory White stepped down. White has accepted a tight end coaching position at the University of San Diego, leaving HSU players confused and hurt.
“It’s always a shocking feeling, but I won’t guilt trip him,” player Isaiah Hall said. “The man has to do what he has to do.”
White, a Humboldt alumnus, served as the HSU offensive line coach during the 2016 and 2017 seasons before being promoted as the interim head coach.
Prior to joining HSU’s coaching staff, White was the director of football operations at New Mexico State University from Aug. 2015 to July 2016.
Division I in National Collegiate Athletic Association football in University of San Diego has gotten a hold of White yet again. He served as the Toreros offensive line coach during the 2013 season, and the tight ends coach during the previous 2012 season.
“I think people first became aware of this when Football Scoop announced White was offered and accepted the tight ends job at (University) of San Diego,” strength and conditioning coach Drew Petersen said.
Petersen started the strength and conditioning program at Humboldt State in 1991 and has always been a notable leader to the football players. He continues to push them to be the best they can be, both on and off the field.
“I always tell [the players] they have to enjoy the process and keep working,” Petersen said. “We have to block out the external noise.”
White was named the interim head coach of the football program on Jan. 29 and planned to implement a 30-60-90 day plan for the program from that day forward. White’s colleagues worked right beside him ready to build and produce a stable program for the Jacks.
“He was establishing his way of being head coach and building a new foundation here,” player Ereon Nash said. “Now that he is leaving, I don’t really know what to expect next.”
Jim Redd is a 1969 alum and booster in the community who helped save HSU football in the winter. Redd would like to see this program and its players prosper as best as possible.
“[Former football head] coach Smith put Humboldt State football on the map,” Redd said. “This is a desirable place to be. The search committee should move forward and hire a head coach as soon as possible. They need to give that head coach as much support as they can.”
With spring football on the way, HSU players have a lot of speculation about what is to come. They continue to wake up at 6 a.m. three to six days a week and perform to the best of their ability on the field and in the weight room.
“The biggest thing is about the boys, not us,” coach Wheeler said. “We need to continue to build in the weight room and as a team.”
Community members, players and alumni alike are looking forward to hearing about the next step with Humboldt State’s football program.
“There is going to be adversity no matter what program you are at,” coach Wheeler said. “They’ve got to learn to just put their head down and grind.”
White informed the boosters and interim athletic director Duncan Robbins of his plans to leave last week, but was not available for comments.
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Nurses knock on McKinleyville doors to promote healthcare for all
Members of the California Nurses Association and volunteers gathered at Pierson Park in Mckinleyville on Feb. 10 to inform residents about the Healthy California Act SB 562, and urge them to call state assemblyman Jim Wood.
The bill guarantees healthcare coverage to all California residents, but was shelved by assembly speaker Anthony Rendon.
Humboldt State University student Jacob Stockwell is having trouble getting health insurance. He needs PPO insurance, but his is HMO.
“I have a polyp in the brain,” Stockwell said. “I have to get an MRI and go down to Santa Cruz. It’s an eight-hour drive… it’s not even worth it.”
Member of California Nurses Association Patricia Kanzler has openly criticized Wood on different committees before for not taking action on SB 562.
“He’s a hypocrite,” Kanzler said. “He says he’s for single-payer healthcare, but there’s a bill right out there. If he’s so enthusiastic on single-payer, then why the hell isn’t he working on it? That really pisses me off.”
Political science professor Kevin Murray volunteered in support of the California Nurses Association.
“We’re not selling anything,” Murray said to residents after hesitantly opening their doors. “If we all share our horror stories, we’d realize this system is rigged.”
Canvass volunteer Margy Emerson wore a metal button on her jacket that read ‘Healthcare is a human right’ in support of the cause. Emerson said the bill is important morally and economically.
“I’m convinced that if one state gets it, the rest of the states will follow,” Emerson said.
Volunteers met Mckinleyville resident Wilford Ward in his driveway while he worked on his car.
“This needs to be fixed,” Ward said. “I’m paying $1,000 a month. It’s unconstitutional. There is something wrong when you’re talking about inequities. The rule of government is to protect its citizens. I’m getting screwed over.”
Originally, Fred Brewster thought he signed up to volunteer, but ended up hosting a canvass. Brewster has been able to have health insurance on and off by working seasonal jobs.
“I’ll have health insurance for part of the year, and then not for part of the year,” Brewster said. “It’s always a constant fight and worry to make sure I had asthma medicine.”
Canvass host and College of the Redwoods journalism major Fred Brewster assigning volunteer Margy Emerson door-to-door SB 562 campaigns in McKinleyville on Feb. 10. Photo by Bailey Tennery. Brewster created a petition in the past to stop Starbucks from opening in Yosemite National Park, but he has never hosted a canvass before.
“Going door to door puts a face to the movement,” Brewster said. “It allows [for] a more personal interaction with the people. It is not some distanced thing.”
Organizer Phil Kim used Territory Helper, a website created by Jehovah’s Witness congregations for their canvassing, to print maps of Mckinleyville neighborhoods for volunteers.
“They do a lot of door-knocking,” Kim said. “It’s kind of funny they’re helping us out, [because] we’re using the program they created. It helps to coordinate where everyone is walking, so people aren’t knocking on the same doors. It’s a way of dividing the maps in little sections.”
Healthy California Act volunteers speaking with a McKinleyville resident. Photo by Bailey Tennery. Anne Olivia Eldred is a part of the California Nurses Association. She said it’s better to take care of people before they get sick, rather than waiting until they need immediate treatment that is expensive.
“I see what not having access to healthcare looks like,” Eldred said. “There are people who are dying every day, because of lack of access, and that’s ridiculous.”
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Mr. Humboldt 2018
Video by Stephanie Mcgeary.
Panties were strewn across the stage at the Arcata Theatre Lounge on Feb. 10 where eager event-goers crowded in to find out who would be named Mr. Humboldt 2018.
The fifth annual fundraising event invited nine contestants to show off their wits, talents and body in competition for the highly coveted crown.
Jeff Mason, winner of Mr. Humboldt 2015, also known as Mr. Dairy Man, was impressed with this year’s contestants and felt they were all bringing their A-game.
“They are not holding back,” Mason said. “My job as a past Mr. Humboldt is to cheer everybody on.”
The nine contestants consisted of Mr. Culprit, Mr. Hans Buckethead, Mr. Fashion, Mr. Science, Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Breakfast Daddy, Mr. Chameleon, Mr. Shakespeare and Mr. Edible, a cardboard cutout of a gingerbread man.
Mr. Rabbit competing at the 2018 Mr. Humboldt pageant at Arcata Theatre Lounge on Feb. 10. Photo by Patrick Maravelias. They were all competing for not only the crown and title, but a donation to the charity of their choice.
One contestant who had huge support in the audience was Shayne Sines, or Mr. Science. Sines is an HSU graduate who teaches special education at Morris School in McKinleyville.
“I love giving to the community,” Sines said. “As an HSU alumni, I’ve got to.”
This year’s panel of judges included Arcata mayor Sofia Pereira, KHUM DJ Bayley Brown, Eric Hall, also known as Captain Awesome, the first ever Mr. Humboldt, and Eureka City Council member Austin Allison. The judges scored each contestant in the categories of question and answer, swimwear, talent and formal wear.
Equally entertaining were the swimwear and talent portions. Audience members were entertained by science experiments, rollerblading, body waxing, bacon, ukulele, weightlifting and an eye full of flesh.
Ryan Howe, also known as Mr. Hans Buckethead, is a 20-year-old Dell’Arte student. Having moved to the area recently, it was Howe’s first time experiencing the pageant. He had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised.
“It’s so excellent,” Howe said. “It could not have been anyplace else in the world.”
Howe was one of three contestants who made it to the finals, along with Mr. Fashion and Mr. Breakfast Daddy.
There were, however, some awards for those who were eliminated. Mr. Rabbit was named “Mr. Congeniality” and Mr. Shakespeare was given the annual “Cougar Award,” presented by local public figure Alex Stillman.
Though all the contestants were entertaining, there could only be one Mr. Humboldt.
In the end Nathan Davis-Floyd, Mr. Breakfast Daddy, proudly took the title and crown.
Mr. Humboldt 2018 champion, Mr. Breakfast Daddy, also known as Nathan Davis-Floyd, at Arcata Theatre Lounge on Feb. 10. Photo by Stephanie McGeary. Davis-Floyd, 28, is an HSU philosophy student who has lived in Humboldt County for 10 years. Davis-Floyd felt he was finally worthy of the honor of being Mr. Humboldt as he felt the title should go to a long-time resident.
“I was never comfortable calling myself a local,” Davis-Floyd said. “At least I can call Humboldt my home.”
Davis-Floyd chose to donate his winnings to True North Organizing. One of the services provided by this local nonprofit is the Humboldt Rapid Response Network, which responds to calls about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
In his acceptance speech, Davis-Floyd stressed the importance of donating whatever you can to nonprofits like True North or Planned Parenthood.
“Even if its five dollars a month,” Davis-Floyd said, “you spend that on beer in a day.”
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How neutral are the gender neutral restrooms?
Critical race, gender and sexuality studies majors have the daunting task of climbing to the top of the Behavioral & Social Sciences building. This is a battle most Humboldt State students know too well.
Anybody who has made the hike up would hope there is a place for them at the top to relieve themselves, regardless of their gender identity.
However, the BSS building has been left out of the loop when it comes to gender-neutral bathrooms on our campus.
For students who don’t feel comfortable using the gendered restrooms, the closest one to the BSS is in the CCAT building, which is not very close.
“It is not possible for students to have to go across campus between classes and still be on time,” HSU professor Loren Cannon said.
Cannon’s office is on the fifth floor of BSS. He was confused as to why there was not one gender-neutral bathroom in the building.
“There are at least four bathrooms on every floor. I don’t think it would be very difficult for the school to put one here,” Cannon said.
The BSS building is not the only building on campus to lack a gender-neutral bathroom. The library, forestry and natural resources buildings have also been left out.
However, the BSS is home to HSU’s critical race, gender and sexuality studies department located on the third floor.
Many alumni from this department were in favor of bringing gender-neutral bathrooms to our campus in the first place. If these existed, the gender studies department would be able to accommodate those of all genders comfortably.
Bridget Santana is a student majoring in CRGS. She doesn’t like how HSU’s CRGS department advocates for inclusion, yet does not have a gender-neutral bathroom in the department’s building.
“It’s as if we keep trying to make some moves, but end up just speaking about it without creating action,” Santana said.
Elizabeth Whitchurch of facilities management explains why this is the case.
“The single unit bathrooms have always been part of our campus,” Whitchurch said. “They just weren’t specifically labeled.”
Whitchurch said there were recent talks of opening a “test” multi-unit gender-neutral bathroom, but that project has not moved forward.
“I honestly think this is kind of contradicting for the CRGS department, since we advocate about these situations and how we should be inclusive towards non-binary and non-gender specific people,” Santana said.
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Humboldt Marble Weekend lets the good times roll
Tropher Reynolds, chief promoter of Humboldt Marble Weekend, got the marble rolling with his inaugural, off-the-beaten-path event.
46 glassblowers showcased their handcrafted marbles at Humboldt County’s first marble show over the weekend.
Reynolds, owner of Copious Glass in Eureka, is also one of the participants of Humboldt Marble Weekend.
“We’re all independent artists,” Reynolds said, “and there are a lot of collectors [in Humboldt].”
Reynolds, originally from Iowa, says he has travelled around the country for 10 years networking with fellow glassblowers. In due course, he realized Humboldt has a remarkable marble scene that justifies a proper show.
Humboldt Marble Weekend kickstarted its event with a meet-and-greet party at Siren’s Song Tavern in Eureka on Feb. 8. Marble artists, collectors and hunters from all over the country gathered for an evening of celebration.
The main marble exhibition and glassblowing demonstrations were held at Redwood Acres in Eureka on Feb. 9 and 10.
Robin Culbertson, daughter of esteemed glass artist Dinah Hulet, demonstrates her family-taught glassblowing techniques using a bench burner, or glass working torch, outside the event hall. Culbertson prefers making marbles with a bench burner because it offers more precise control over forming her intricate works of art.
Robin Culbertson demonstrates her marble making techniques at Humboldt Marble Weekend on Feb. 10. Photo by Matthew Hable. On the other hand, Ember Sernovitz of Humboldt Glass School favors the furnace.
“I like it because I get to move than sitting too much,” Sernovitz said.
The furnace is a heat-resistant container called a crucible that is filled with molten glass. Then, a glassblower dips a rod into the furnace, cools the exterior of molten glass by rolling it onto a flat surface and shapes and cuts them into marbles.
Ember Sernovitz of Humboldt Glass School behind her booth at Humboldt Marble Weekend on Feb. 10. Photo by Matthew Hable. Santa Cruz-based glass artist Kaj Beck, who was an unannounced glassblowing demonstrator at Humboldt Marble Weekend, says he got his start in the field in 1996 when he was offered $60 an hour to make glass pipes.
“Making marbles was just another product, another option,” Beck said.
In addition to the marble displays and demonstrations, Humboldt Marble Weekend hosted a marble scavenger hunt on Feb. 11. The interactive event, dubbed “Massive Marble Hunt,” involved four marble hunting Facebook groups that posted clues to the whereabouts of marbles throughout the community. These groups include Humboldt Magical Glass Adventure and Humboldt Heater Hiders & Hunters.
If the evaluation process proves Humboldt Marble Weekend was in fact a hit, hopefully it will become an annual event.
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Sturgeon visit the HSU hatchery
The Samoa aquaponics facility is a captivating place with plentiful research opportunities for students, fresh air and the sound of bubbling water. Last semester, the fisheries department brought the wonders of sturgeon aquaculture to the Humboldt State campus hatchery.
Sturgeon are an important commercial fish.
“Sacramento is the caviar capitol of the United States due to the success of aquacultured sturgeon,” HSU professor Rafael Cuevas-Uribe said.
Angelo Perez, a fisheries major at HSU, helped move the sturgeon from the Samoa facility to the HSU Fish Hatchery.
“We were trying to build a better system for the fish,” Perez said. “When they came from Samoa, they were ill and we nursed them the best we could.”
Students and faculty of the HSU fisheries department learned a lot from the sturgeon and enjoyed having them there.
“It was a painful experience, but we learned a lot,” HSU fisheries student Jason Long said. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I learned more from my failures then I could have ever learned from success alone.”
Aidan Belleau, an environmental science major had an aquaponics system in his living room he made himself from a goldfish tank.
“It cost me $60 and I had plenty of lettuce for salad,” Aidan said.
If the hatchery brought in sturgeon long-term, it would be the first time the hatchery diversified the species they have. Currently, there are two different species of rainbow trout, cutthroat and steelhead from the same stock since the late 1980s.
Sturgeon would be a significant addition to the fisheries department and the community in regards to research and education.
“Sturgeon have a wide spectrum of research,” HSU freshwater fisheries student said. “They go back and forth from rivers to the ocean and live to be over 100 years old.”
The benefits of HSU’s aquaponics facility stretch out to people of Humboldt County. Eureka, Arcata and Hoopa share the aquaponics facility harvest. With the aquaponics facility up and running, the abundance of greens is so great that Food for People is able to supply families with the freshest, nutritious greens from HSU for free.
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Opinion: A man’s perspective on healing between the sexes
I believe love is on the horizon.
The voice of the #MeToo movement exposes sexual predation in the workplace. This dark force of man has been preying upon and shattering the lives of innocent women for a long time.
The testimonies of rape and sexual misconduct will hopefully encourage others who are wronged to come forward and right the wrongs inflicted upon them.
No one has the right to disrespect anyone else.
The act of sharing oneself intimately is sacred. The emotions and sensations that arise are spontaneous. There could be infinite uncertainties and misgivings for both mates. At no other time in our culture have we begun to consider, address and follow the requests of a mate in a sexual interaction.
The consent movement has given us the ability to acknowledge ourselves and vocalize intimate needs.
The intrigue and mystique of women is a form of enlightenment for some of us men. The chemical signals and euphoric feelings elicited by women linger on long after the actual encounter. Even if the encounter was brief and lacking physical contact, the wonderings and fanciful dreams playfully await a reunion with such a figure of passion.
The time has come to look beyond the dreams and realities hinging upon the opposite sex. Now there is an opportunity of healing between the sexes. Strong support for women advancement and control of society is needed. Women’s hard work and struggle is how we all got here.
If women are happy, then men will be happy, too. Give women the honor they deserve, always be a gentleman and respectful of others. When we move toward the greater good together, our world is a better place.
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EDITORIAL: Lend a helping hand
It’s Monday morning and you have class at 9 a.m. You get out of bed and hop in the shower, get dressed, do your hair in the bathroom and brush your teeth. You get ready in the comfort of your home and go to school, hopefully grabbing breakfast along the way.
Whether you live on or off campus, you’re able to get to school without having to think twice about where you got ready, if you got to shower or where you woke up. For homeless students, these are luxuries that come with having a stable living situation. These students are your friends you see in class every day as a someone with a stable living situation, and there are ways to help your peers and colleagues even when you feel you don’t have too much to offer.
President of the Humboldt State University Homeless Student Advocate Alliance, Chant’e Catt, gave some bigger picture suggestions on how students can help their fellow students.
1. Get political
One of the ways a student can help is by being involved with and voting for local legislature that promotes help for homelessness.
To do this, students should update their voter registration address so they are eligible to vote in Humboldt County. To do this, you can register online at the Department of Motor Vehicles website or in person at the DMV as well.
Catt said after changing voter addresses, students should “vote on local policies that restrain housing development and other student issues so we can create legacy for students to come.”
Attending city council meetings and sharing opinions at these meetings is another way to influence change. Arcata city council meetings happen several times a month. You can find the next one at the city of Arcata’s website.
2. Get involved on campus
Homeless students are encouraged, at their own discretion, to participate in any research studies on campus by sharing their stories and experiences. Catt said by participating, suggestions based off these stories can be made to the CSU system to help others in the future.
For example, Oh SNAP! is a student food program run by students that provides help for food insecure students. Visit their website at http://hsuohsnap.org to discover more of their resources and find out how you can help.
Students can also spend two hours a week participating in clubs and programs like the HSAA, the Youth Educational Services or becoming a part of the Associated Students executive board to promote change and support for homeless students. Y.E.S. also facilitates a homelessness network that offers resources to homeless families in Humboldt.
3. Get involved in the community
Looking for local shelters and finding a way to volunteer time and support to these shelters could potentially give back to students utilizing them. You can find a list of shelters in the area at https://www.shelterlistings.org and by searching for Humboldt County.
Catt suggested students get involved in the Raven Project Street Outreach Program. The Raven Project is put on by the Redwood Community Action Agency which owns rentals as housing options, offers connection to crisis assistance, home repair assistance, some transportation options and other resources for homeless families.
The Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives said they work with the community on both long and short term goals to help find housing for the homeless in the area. They accept multiple forms of help and donations.
Even if these local options don’t seem student oriented, remember that most students are above the age of 18 and are technically adults. This means local homeless adult resources might be their only option.
4. Check in with each other
One of the best ways a student can support other students who might be homeless is to ask them how they are doing. Checking in with each other could make a world of a difference.
Catt said students should ask each other how they are and share resources and information more often.
“Be more open to sharing just a few hours helping each other,” Catt said. “Absolutely every study I find on resiliency says mentors, council, friends are the key to success. Networking creates a safety net in the community.”
In some cases, the ability to admit you need help might be the hardest thing to do. By looking out for your fellow students, you might discover someone who needs your help.
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The health of the ocean is in our hands
Waves with mist trailing off of their crests, sea gulls crying, fishing boats on the horizon, the rewards of enjoying life by the sea are vast. But along with the rewards comes danger. There is a threat to sea life that can change all of our lives, ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification will either cause adaptation or extinction for most marine life.
Stephen Palumbi, a professor in marine sciences from the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, says that we have gone from an overabundance of marine life 100 years ago to there being no marine life 100 years from now.
Robert Matthews, a criminology major at Humboldt State, had never heard of ocean acidification and learning about it shocked him.
“Ocean acidification is a big problem, it’s bad enough there is a trash vortex,” Matthews said.
Carbon dioxide absorbed into the ocean helps reduce greenhouse gases in the environment, but this results in ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification is when the carbon dioxide levels in the ocean change the chemistry of the seawater. Fossil fuel carbon emissions are also changing the chemistry of the ocean.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the oceans have absorbed 25 percent of the carbon dioxide produced since the beginning of the industrial revolution and humankind’s industrial and agricultural activities.
Biochemistry professor at HSU Jenny Cappuccio has been involved in a project with University of California, Berkeley by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the ground.
“I never expected to be involved in rocks, it wasn’t in my background. It’s great to learn new things,” Cappuccio said.
Cappuccio’s work on the project had to do with bacterial microbes converting carbon dioxide gas to carbon dioxide solid.
“Ocean acidified seawater has shifted [seawater] equilibrium to dissolve marine calcifying organisms, shells and corals, rather than build them,” Cappuccio said.
“Calcifying organisms like shells sequester carbon dioxide,” O’Shea said.
Oceanography professor Danny O’Shea has hope that we will be able to turn it around.
“Things are getting better faster than they are getting worse,” O’Shea said. “People like us are going to school and making positive changes out there.”
At HSU, students, staff and faculty are working to combat ocean acidification. HSU marine lab technician and student Kindle Murie has put her education and future into ocean acidification research.
“Lab work is paying off,” Murie said.
Murie is looking forward to a new research project on the effects of ocean acidification in kelp forests, both in the ocean and in the marine lab.
HSU has grown with knowledge and funding for ocean programs enabling students and faculty to do more research.
“Water gets more acidic the further you go down,” oceanographer Hal Greer said. “It is getting harder on the ocean and its organisms to buffer the affects of carbon dioxide.”
At the HSU marine lab, undergraduate and graduate students work together with professors making new research discoveries.
According to Grant Eberle, the HSU marine lab equipment technician, ocean acidification is currently a “hot topic.”
“We have a unique upwelling of reduced pH ocean acidic seawater in Trinidad,” Eberle said.
This unique setting gives students a good opportunity to research ocean acidification.
The oceans absorb more carbon dioxide and heat from the atmosphere every day. The importance of this research demands our attention.
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Valentine’s Day gifts for a good cause
Anyone stressed about Valentine’s Day has a last-minute chance this weekend to find that perfect something for that perfect someone while supporting a good cause. The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will be holding Hearts Together, a Valentine’s Day-themed event and auction from 4 to 8 p.m on Feb. 10.
Event coordinator Edie Jessup says all the funds raised from this event will go towards Humboldt Unitarian, a congregation that is dedicated to helping others.
“We do a lot of community work,” Jessup said. “We’re very social justice-oriented. ”
Humboldt Unitarian donates to one local non-profit each month. These have included Food for People, Planned Parenthood, Humboldt Edge, Betty Chinn and Arcata House. In addition to their help with non-profits, the Fellowship is also a sanctuary congregation.
“We are available for families in threat of deportation,” Jessup said. “Because we are a church, police are less likely to interfere.”
Front entrance of Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bayside, Feb. 7. Humboldt UU Fellowship is hosting their annual auction fundraiser on Feb. 10 from 4-8 p.m. Photo by Matthew Hable. For a suggested donation of $10, attendees can help and have a good time.
The price includes all-you-can eat soup, bread and dessert. In addition, there will be beer and wine available for purchase, a Valentine’s gift store and both a silent and live auction. This is the first year the event will feature a live auction, hosted by local actor, Mack Owen.
All of the items were donated by local businesses or individuals and will include dinners, nature outings, collectable items, classes, art and more.
Free childcare services are offered during the event for those who reserve ahead of time.
Jessup says they try to keep this event affordable so that all members of the community, including families and students, can attend.
“We’re really welcome to HSU students,” Jessup said. “This might be fun for them.”
For more information, contact Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (707) 822-3793 or by email office@huuf.org
Or visit the event Facebook page for Hearts Together Auction
Childcare can be reserved with Jen at jkw23@humboldt.edu or (707) 668-1848
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Pick it up, Humboldt
We are socialized not to throw garbage on the ground and are ingrained with anti-littering campaigns throughout our entire lives. However, it’s clear that these catchy slogans didn’t stick.
Everyone knows not to litter, but somehow there’s still trash all over Humboldt’s natural spaces.
These photos were taken over a series of days in three different locations throughout Humboldt County: The Arcata Community Forest, Mad River Beach and Strawberry Rock in Trinidad.
Most of the trash seen is either recyclable or compostable.
Samantha Stone, compost director at HSU’s WRRAP, explains that orange peels and other organic waste do not naturally break down in a forest environment.
“It definitely breaks down slower than if it were in a compost bin that generates heat and has other green and brown wastes,” Stone said. “There’s also the thing of food scraps inviting nonnative critters into the woods.”
A natural space is not designed to properly decompose our trash. In fact, most of what is littered will never actually break down.
The U.S. National Park Service says that it can take five years for a cigarette butt to biodegrade, up to 40 for clothes, a million years for a glass bottle to disappear and a styrofoam cup will be around forever.
Reagan Hester, recreation administration major at HSU, described how disappointed she feels seeing trash in our national parks.
“Properly disposing of trash is such an incredibly easy thing to do,” Hester said. “Even the littlest scrap creates a distraction from the natural beauty of a national park… this is entirely unnecessary. Not to mention the depressive effects on the wildlife and their natural habitat.”
Anjelica Yee, wildlife major at HSU, thinks a huge part of it is the hierarchy of man versus nature that Western culture emphasizes.
“It feels as though people disregard the fact that this is habitat for hundreds of different native species,” Yee said. “Humans act superior to other animals and by throwing our trash in their home, it just shows that blatant disrespect of nature.”
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Laundry machines on campus that rarely work
When it comes to the Humboldt State University campus laundry rooms, students are never surprised when they spot an “Out of Service” sign on one of the machines.
HSU senior Robert Matthews is accustomed to seeing that sign when he walks into the laundry room.
“I’m never really surprised to see at least one or two machines that are broken down when I’m doing laundry,” Matthews said. “It does get annoying to have a machine that is broken down, and all you can do is call the company in order to have it fixed. Even if you call them, it would take a long time for the machines to be fixed.”
Many students who live on campus are irritated when they cannot do laundry due to broken machines. This is especially annoying when on-campus laundry rooms have limited machines that need to serve over 2,000 students who live on campus.
Stephen St. Onge, the Housing & Residence Life director, explains why the laundry machines stay broken for a long time.
“The company that we bought the machines was from a company called Wash, which is located in San Francisco,” St. Onge said. “When a machine would break down, we would call the company to send someone down to fix the machine… but sometimes it would take awhile for someone to come down here at Humboldt.”
According to St. Onge, the contract with Wash ended this year.
“With the contract ending with Wash, the school now owns all the washing and drying machines on campus,” St. Onge said. “What this allows us to do is to self-service the machines ourselves. Students will eventually notice the improvements in laundry machine maintenance in the future.”
St. Onge also expressed plans to make washing and drying free for students living on campus in the future.
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This week in sports
Feb. 6, 1994 – Ice skater Nancy Kerrigan is injured by an attack by rival skater Tonya Harding’s bodyguard. The injury forces Kerrigan to drop out of the U.S. National Championships, which Harding would win two days later.
Feb. 6, 1970 – The NBA expands to 18 teams for the 1970-71 season. The new teams added were Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.
Feb 8, 1936 – First ever NFL Draft is held. Jay Berwanger from University of Chicago was the first pick by Philadelphia Eagles.
Feb. 9, 1895 – Volleyball was invented by W.G. Morgan in Massachusetts. Morgan, a graduate of the Springfield College of the YMCA, designed the game to be a combination of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball.
Feb. 10, 1992 – Mike Tyson convicted of raping Miss Black America pageant contestant Desiree Washington in Indiana. At a time when the issue of date rape was entering the country’s consciousness, Tyson’s attack became a national sensation.
Feb. 12, 1934 – Legendary basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell was born in West Monroe, Louisiana. Russell played center for the Boston Celtics from 1956 – 1969 and had a career average of 15 points and 22.5 rebounds. In his 13 year career, Russell won 11 NBA championships which is still the most all-time.
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Turner Twins outshine the competition
To great athletes, the big moment is never too big.
For twin point guards Tyla and Tyra Turner, dealing with pressure comes naturally. The twins grew up in a sports family with an astonishing seven pairs of twins.
“Everybody in our family was involved in some type of sport,” Tyla said.
From the time they were 6 years old, the Turner twins were turning heads with their athletic abilities. Tyla started with basketball, while Tyra started dribbling with her feet on the soccer field.
It wouldn’t be long until the sisters were dominating together on the court at Cajon High School, where coach Mark Lehman recognized their on-court chemistry right away.
“They know each other like the back of their hand,” Lehman said.
The twins’ high basketball IQ also creates ways for them to work around problems on the floor, like their 5-foot-5 height.
“They are so smart,” Lehman said. “They make up for their size disadvantage with intelligent play.”
Years of playing together and next-level skills were the reasons Tyla and Tyra helped Cajon High win its first state basketball championship in 2016.
Moving on to play college basketball was automatic for the pair, but the dynamic duo split up at first. Tyla went to California State University, Long Beach and Tyra came to Humboldt State University.
After a season apart, Tyla saw new dimensions in her sister’s style and skill that made her take notice of Tyra’s training at HSU.
“There was a big change in my sister’s game,” Tyla said.
“When she came back, she had this different type of game that nobody really sees in her. I need that push, because I didn’t feel like I was pushed as much in Long Beach.”
Tyla decided to join Tyra and transfer from CSU Long Beach to Humboldt. The reunion had their mother, Marqueta Turner dreaming of the possibilities.
“I knew when they came together at HSU, it would be something special,” Marqueta said.
Parents Tyrone and Marqueta Turner have always supported their daughters athletic lives. Their mother would drive them to practice and travel ball, and their father would push them to train and constantly improve.
Now, training style is something that both Tyla and Tyra appreciate about Jacks head coach, Michelle Bento-Jackson.
“I like that she talks about this is not about basketball, anything that we learn can be helpful as a tool in life,” Tyra said. “It’s definitely a big thing for us.”
There is no doubt that the Turner twins’ athletic standards are high, but their aspirations outside the spotlight are admirable as well. The Turners have instilled humility, and a team-first attitude in their daughters that carries over into their studies.
Tyla is a criminology and justice major and talks with passion about her goal to educate others about the law.
“A lot of people are very limited of what they know about what is going on in the government and about their rights. I feel like I need to know about that, because it’s really important,” Tyla said. “We need to know what’s really going on in our world. not knowing is the worst, but knowing is our power.”
Tyra is a psychology major that wants to employ her degree as a correctional psychologist. Her inspiration for working inside the legal system comes from her mother, who has worked in corrections, parole and probation.
“We need to start looking at this future generation, and I think me trying to help kids now will really make a difference,” Tyra said.
Empowering others on and off the court has become a way of life for the twins.
“Remain humble even when great things are coming your way,” Marqueta would say to the twins. Tyla and Tyra’s mother told them to keep their potential in perspective as lessons learned in the gym through blood, sweat and tears are brought out into the world.
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Women’s basketball rolls over Cal State Monterey Bay
HSU women’s basketball team rolled over the California State University, Monterey Bay Otters 64-42 at the Lumberjack Arena on Feb. 3
The game started off as a low-scoring defensive battle, but the Jacks took control in the second quarter. By halftime, the Jacks led by the score of 40-23. Their first-half charge was led in large part by junior forward Isamar Conde, who had 15 points in the first half.
“Sometimes I’m not really the hot hand,” Conde said. “But today, I made one early, and I just kept shooting.”
Humboldt State University, led by coach Michelle Bento-Jackson, did not take their foot off the gas after that, as they shot an impressive 57.1 percent from the field in the second half, while shooting a perfect 2-2 beyond the arc.
“I’m most pleased with our defensive effort. Especially in the first half,” Bento-Jackson said. “We wanted to come out and get the first punch and really send a message on the defensive end.”
Conde definitely had the hot hand, as she was 3-4 on three-point attempts and finished with 19 points. Another notable performance for the Jacks was sophomore guard Tyla Turner, who ended up with a double-double (18 points and 12 rebounds) and four steals.
The Jack’s defense was stingy all game, as they held the Otters to a 21.4 shooting percent from the field. Their intensity was visible throughout the game, and they did a great job of setting the tone early on.
The victory moved the Jack’s current winning streak to three games, and their conference record to 12-5, while their overall record is now 13-9.
The Jacks are now in second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association standings, and four games behind University of California, San Diego, which has a conference record of 15-1.
Conde and her teammates understand the importance of home court advantage with the tournament rapidly approaching.
“The top four teams get a game at home, and we want to be at home.” Conde said.
With home court advantage on the line, the Jacks will look to keep their current momentum going and finish the regular season strong.
There are five games remaining for Bento-Jackson’s team before the CCAA tournament, starting with a February 10 match up on the road against California State University, Stanislaus.