Barley Lewis-McCabe and Nico Patakidis

Another increase in presidential pay across all California State University (CSU) campuses has been approved by the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees in a meeting Nov. 2025. Among a base presidential salary increase as high as 20%, the meeting also saw the implementation of at-risk pay, and deferred compensation. Unlike at-risk pay and deferred compensation, the presidential base pay increases will be paid for using the CSU General Fund, which is composed of state funds as well as student tuition. 

“Our philosophy is to get folks as close to the median as we can get while remaining financially sustainable,” Trustee Diego Arambula said. “What are the ways in which we might do that? Of course, base pay is one. That comes from the money we get from the state, from tuition.”

CSU Trustee Jean Firstenberg introduced the programs to support the retention of presidents and attract qualified candidates. Deferred compensation programs provide an opportunity for university presidents to save an amount of their salary to be received at a later date and defer taxes until the compensation is received. At-risk pay is pay that is not guaranteed, but tied to performance. 

These policies were passed to ensure CSU presidents reach the median pay for a university president in America. The CSU Chancellor’s office enlisted the help of Segal, a private investment firm, to determine a competitive salary and benefits package that would attract a qualified president to head a CSU. Segal found that 18 out of the 22 CSU presidents base salary fell below the 25th percentile of the market median, meaning that the base salary of presidents in the CSU system falls below the median pay of university presidents in the U.S.. Within Segal’s presentation, the market median of base salary was not stated.

“It is based on achievement of specific goals throughout the year,” CSU Trustee Leslie Gilbert-Lurie said during the meeting. “I wanted to also make it clear that it is also linked to our northstar goal of market competitiveness and getting to median… it’s not only based on performance; it’s based on that they are under market getting to market.” 

Reiterated throughout the meeting and within the agenda is the CSU’s goal of attracting competent faculty, staff and leadership through the means of offering competitive compensation. In 2023, the CSU board of trustees approved a multi-year tuition increase proposal in which tuition will increase by 6% until the 2028-2029 school year. The proposal for tuition increases also includes emphasis on the CSU’s goal of providing competitive and sustainable compensation. 

The proposed base pay increases for CSU presidents would result in an additional estimated cost of $1,431,647 spent from the CSU General Fund. While he isn’t eligible for the new pay increases, President Richard Carvajal’s salary is $39,609 more than Interim President Spagna’s, amounting to $435,765. Humboldt California Faculty Association (CFA) President Ryder Dschida weighed in on appropriate uses of the Fund’s resources.

“Can that money be spent better elsewhere? Like, say, improving accessibility on campus, or providing clean, safe, sanitary places to live for students on campus in the dormitories,” Daschida said. “Yes, it should be, it could be better spent on those types of things. On top of the president’s salary increasing by about $40,000, they also get a housing stipend of about $65,000 a year to pay for housing in Humboldt and [$1,000 monthly for] a car. So in reality, his salary is probably closer to almost $600,000 a year.” 

Along with the at-risk and deferred compensation plans, Item 9 also proposed a removal of the 10% cap from salary adjustments for new presidents. Previously, new presidents were unable to receive a salary adjustment higher than 10% of the previous president’s salary. This policy is accompanied by annual fixed compensation increases that are guaranteed for current presidents. However, new presidents will not be eligible for these increases until completing their first triennial review as stated in Item 9 of the Nov. 19 2025 agenda. 

“Our philosophy is to get folks as close to the median as we can get while remaining financially sustainable,” Trustee Diego Arambula said, discussing the third way they plan on increasing presidential funding. “What are the ways in which we might do that? Of course, base pay is one. That comes from the money we get from the state, from tuition.”

The CFA thinks the presentation of these policies were more malicious. Base pay increases being paid for from tuition and state funds were only clarified once during the meeting, in contrast to the at-risk pay and deferred compensation funding source being explained thoroughly,

“These aren’t half-truths; they’re lies by omission, plain and simple,” The CFA wrote in a statement on the meeting released Dec 11. “Despite the emphasis on the policy having nothing to do with students or the state, more than half of campus presidents will now see their base pay increase as a direct result of student tuition and state funds!” 

Associated Students (A.S.) President Eduardo Cruz points out that the language used throughout board meetings can be difficult to follow — even more so for students who may not be familiar with these meetings. As a campus leader and president of A.S., Cruz understands that members can become captivated by the official terminology; they often struggle to account for those who may not understand it. Cruz said that while he can’t speak to the intentions of the board, the information presented was confusing, but overall accurate.

“They should be held to a higher standard of clarity and plain language for that transparency aspect,” Cruz said. “They could have done a better job at being transparent when it came to what they were actually discussing.”

Barley is the opinion editor and an untraditional reporter who focuses on social change and stories with a real human impact. If you’d like to reach him for whatever reason email bl258@humboldt.edu.

Nico is the photo editor with an interest in covering local government and political affairs. In his free time he enjoys hanging out and having fun with his friends. Reach him at np211@humboldt.edu.

by Bodhi Haugen

The warm smell of food and the golden glow of freshly poured beer welcomed Arcata performers and locals to the doors of Humboldt Brews this weekend.

A three-day, all-ages event called Arcata Rising brought together over 50 bands to raise funds for those affected by the Jan. 2 fire near Arcata Plaza. In addition to live music, the fundraiser featured private auctions and community donations to support neighbors and business owners affected by the fire.

The event was inspired by the fire’s proximity to Humboldt Brews. Shelley Ruhl, an owner of the brewery, said witnessing the fire firsthand motivated the decision to host the fundraiser.

“I saw it happening and just really felt terrible for my neighbors and business owners, watching it and not being able to do anything,” Ruhl said. “That night, I said we should do a benefit concert.”

The brewery was busy each day of the event, with organizers highlighting packed crowds and high community involvement. Event organizer Brian Swislow said Saturday reached capacity early in the afternoon.

“Yesterday, we were close to capacity by 3 p.m.,” Swislow said. “It stayed sold out throughout the day, completely packed from 3 p.m until 1 a.m.”

Swislow also spoke about the importance of local artists in Humboldt County and their role in fundraising efforts.

“There are ways to raise funds for the community in multiple areas, and music and culture are big ones,” Swislow said. It would be great to see the community lean on the artists so that we can actually raise money, as opposed to awareness.”

Arcata local Michael Lehaman, who attended the event to see a longtime friend perform, saw how Arcata’s community is supporting one another after the fire.

“I think it’s really great that people are making something positive out of a tragedy,” Lehaman said.

Musicians who participated in the fundraiser praised both the organizers and the diversity of performances. Musician and former instructor of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Marching Lumberjacks Jeremy Cotton, also known as The Wizard, said the event ran smoothly with a concise schedule.

“I was here yesterday from about three in the afternoon until about 10 at night, and I saw a lot of bands,” Cotton said. “The two stages going back and forth, and such a tight schedule, made it super smooth. There was such a variety of music, you can’t beat it.”

Wolf Navarro, singer and guitarist for War Möth, said he was impressed by how well the event came together over all three days.

  “Today, fundraising has been going great,” Navarro said. “I can’t believe how well it’s been organized and how everything just sort of melted together.”

Bodhi Haugen is a journalism major and writer for the Lumberjack at CalPoly Humboldt. Bodhis is on KRFH and enjoys reading, writing, photography, and art. You can reach him at bgh27@humboldt.edu.

by Sadie Shields

The Cal Poly Humboldt Wrestling team finished their season strong with one win and one loss against Simon Fraser University and Vanguard University. Their senior night performance earned them second place overall in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship (MPSF) this Sunday.

On Friday, Jan. 30, the Lumberjacks defeated Simon Fraser with wins in the 125, 133, 141, 149 and 157 pound weight class with wrestlers Joe Anthony Perez and Garen Keshishian dominating their opponent by six points. 

However, the Jacks’ momentum faded during their matchup against Vanguard, losing 18-21. Despite an early win at 125 pounds, where Dakota Sanders scored four points and Darrel Nguyen earned five points, it wasn’t enough to beat Vanguard. Even Sage Adie’s six point victory at 197 pounds couldn’t close the gap.

On Sunday, wrestling travelled to Atherton, Calif., to compete in the MPSF Championship, finishing second overall in conference with 126 points, behind Menlo College. The Jacks claimed victory over San Francisco State University and Vanguard University and lost to Menlo College who earned 155 points, the strongest showing from Humboldt since the championship began last year. Sophomore Josh Neiwert won the MPSF title in the 133 pound bracket, becoming a conference champion. Wrestling earned eight additional podium finishes, including three second place finishes from Darrell Nanpuya, Eric Ruiz-Cornelio and Isaiah Miller, and five third place finishes from Carson Hatch, Joe Anthony Perez, Micaiah Montalbin, Nathan Vasquez and Sam Weinberg.

The men’s wrestling team will be heading down to Golden Colorado for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Super Region IV Championship on Feb. 28. 

by Nick Escalada

Prior to his departure, Interim President Michael Spagna imparted the Lumberjack with optimistic words about Cal Poly Humboldt’s next head administrator. Richard A. Carvajal of Valdosta State University in Georgia was characterized as a cooperative leader — open to peer input in completing the school’s polytechnic transition, keen on successful athletics programs and perhaps most importantly, hip to local culture as a former Humboldt resident.

In a private Lumberjack interview near the end of his debut week, the president divulged more about his upbringing in Humboldt County and his excitement to return to a familiar setting. Born in Los Angeles, Carvajal’s family moved to the North Coast in his early years and held residences in Eureka, Hydesville and Carlotta, before his father eventually found employment in Oklahoma, bringing his family and teenage son with him.

“The only way he convinced me to get in the station wagon and go was that he promised that we’d only be gone for a year or two, and then we’d get to come back,” Carvajal said. “It obviously took me a little longer than that to get back. My mother literally bawled when she found out that I was coming here, because this is personal for my entire family, and so this is a place I love.”

Like many natives, newcomers and transients, Carvajal defines Humboldt by its unique natural beauty. Most of his memories of the region involve recreating in pristine wilderness, which he immediately got back to doing upon his return.

 “As a kid, right on my backyard was the Van Duzen River and [I would be] running through the forest and enjoying the river and fishing and all those kinds of things,” Carvajal said. “The day before I started work here, I’d spent a week just unpacking boxes and trying to move into our place. But I needed one day that I held back so that I could go to the ocean, and then I drove up a little north to the forest and just walked through the redwoods.”

Carvajal arrives at an institution midway through a historic identity shift toward STEM education and hands-on learning. Left with the new expectations of the Cal Poly branding and millions in the state’s transitional funding left to manage, the president envisions a broader approach to finishing this transition.

“Every place gets to define exactly what their version of Polytechnic can look like. Here, I met my wife in the theater. I have a real appreciation for the arts,” Carvajal said. “And so to know that those programs are going to continue to thrive here, while we also grow out our STEM programs and the like, and all of our students, no matter what major they’re in, we’re going to try to make sure that they have an experiential opportunity while they’re here.”

One of Carvajal’s more attractive qualities as a candidate to the administration was Valdosta State’s excellent Division II athletics records under his leadership. Carvajal attended a Jacks basketball game during one of his early campus tours, where he handed out pizza to students and talked shop about sports.

“I was talking with somebody during the course of the night, and they asked me about my past experience. And I said, ‘Well, what you can know about me is I like to win,’” Carvajal said. “It does communicate that championship culture to our public and to our supporters and to our own student body that we’re going to try to be good at what we do, whether that’s on the athletic field, in the court or in the classroom. I want us to have a championship culture in everything we do. I want us to be a place that is about winning.”

Carvajal is the son of a Mexican-American immigrant, and expressed his intent to uphold Humboldt’s hispanic-serving label and assist students of all documentation statuses.

“My wife, our new First Lady… she looks a lot like my mom, actually, she’s very fair-complected, blonde hair. Her family broke off all ties with her for picking me,” Carvajal said. “Does that mean that I understand what everyone has gone through in their own individual situation? No, but I absolutely understand what it’s like to be thought of as less than or different, and to suffer because of it. So while I still have much to learn about what we have done and what we’re going to continue to do, I want us to be a supportive place for our students.”

A major point of controversy surrounding previous president Tom Jackson’s resignation was his heavy-handed response to the pro-Palestine student occupation of campus. Students now hold their breath that their incoming overseer will handle such events more gracefully, a hope that Carvajal acknowledged.

“I love that the CSU and Humboldt are unequivocally committed to free expression here, and so I want this to be a place that is supportive for all,” Carvajal said. “I want all voices to be supported here. I want students to feel that those voices are supported here. What am I going to do? I’m going to be out there. I’m going to be very transparent. I’m going to communicate with folks in the same way I’ve been this week.”

The president’s excursions into lecture halls and out onto the Quad on his first week have undoubtedly been for introductory purposes. However, Carvajal says he wishes to maintain that presence among his constituents until he, as he hopes, retires from Cal Poly Humboldt.

“If I walked across campus, I really couldn’t do so without being asked several times to stop for selfies,” Carvajal said. “I want that experience. I want our students to know who their president is. I can’t do that by sitting in here.”

Nick Escalada is the News Editor of The Lumberjack. He studies wildlife and aspires to be a nature journalist. Find him bouncing between Gist Hall and the science buildings and reach him at ne53@humboldt.edu!

by Serah Blackstone-Fredericks and Jasmin Shirazian

Arcata Fire Department was heading back to headquarters when they spotted a devastating fire that broke out Jan. 2, which left scorched streets and collapsed buildings on the 800 block of 10th St. in downtown Arcata, Calif..

Fire and medical agencies as far north as Trinidad and as far south as Weott came to contain the blaze, resulting in 2.5 million gallons of water being deployed at 9,000 gallons per minute.

There were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters and residents who were displaced from their homes are being assisted by the American Red Cross. The expected cost of damages are estimated to be at least $18 million.

“Preliminary damage assessments indicate that seven businesses, including associated apartments, were destroyed, and at least five additional businesses sustained heat, smoke, or water damage,” the statement said. “Initial loss estimates are approximately $18 million; however, this figure may change as assessments continue.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation as the Arcata Fire District coordinates with the Humboldt County Fire-Arson Investigation team.

Despite rumours regarding a gas leak, Chief Emmons confirmed in a special meeting held by Arcata City Council that the gas leak came later. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) took action as soon as it was safe to turn off gas and power lines to prevent further damages. 

By declaring this a local emergency, the county can determine if they have the resources to support. If not, the case moves onto the state so that funding can be found to clear the debris. In a special meeting, Arcata City Manager Merrit Perry shared that the focus has now shifted to debris, how to handle them so as to not release more toxins. .

Local resources from the community continue to pour out to those impacted by the tragedy. Moss Oak Commons, for example, offered a Fire Relief Clinic, which provided emotional and mental support for all who attended but especially those who experienced the fire hands-on, including volunteers, supporters and spectators. 

Marta Lapczynski, owner and proprietor of Good Day Shop, decided to start a grassroots effort to support the community. 

“It was right here,” Lapczynski shared “People want to help. They don’t want to feel powerless.” 

Lapczynski initiated a database and coordinated support for those who lost their homes, beloved pets and businesses in the tragedy of the fire. Lapczynski encourages the community to remain mindful of those who may still be in the midst of crisis.

Meredith Maier from the Arcata Chamber shared that business has since slowed for the entire block.. Maier also mentioned that plans for art are already under consideration, and that a mural will happen when a permanent fence goes up.

Dandar’s Boardgames and Books, one of the businesses demolished by the fire, co-owner Doranna Gilkey shared that there are Magic the Gathering game nights, which were previously hosted at their store, are currently being offered at Septentrio. 

“Show up and play and keep the word out. If you have ever been curious, it is a great time to learn,” Gilkey said. “We are focused on our community building, third space role.” 

10th Street Artist Collective is grieving differently. Decades of curation destroyed in what felt like an instant, according to owners Peggy Rivers and Van Shields 

“I had a show scheduled for spring of 2027,” Rivers said. “It was really shocking and overwhelming.  “One of the things that was devastating about the fire and the supplies was [losing] the future.” 

Serah Blackstone-Fredericks is a cross-disciplinary anthropology major, minoring in arts in health and narrative medicine. A multidisciplinary artist, mother, and multilingual global citizen, you can find her prancing in her garden or in her kitchen baking, fermenting, and exploring natural dye via experiments. Her work explores storytelling from a perspective of cultural humility, ever curious on shaped connections and how we live and heal. Feel free to connect with her at sb625@humboldt.edu.

Jasmin Shirazian is the curly-headed copy editor of The Lumberjack. A locally and nationally published scribe, she dabbles in beats from breaking news to entertainment. You can catch her jumping continents in her free time, so try digitally through email: js760@humboldt.edu. 

by Sadie Shields

An atmospheric river brought weeks of heavy rain to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, dumping record-level precipitation in some areas and pushing rainfall totals above seasonal averages, according to the National Weather Service.

Over 10 inches of rain were reported in Eureka from mid-December to early January, while Honeydew in southern Humboldt County has seen nearly 70 inches of rainfall since mid-October, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob Boomsna.

“An atmospheric river is a narrow band of moisture that usually brings moisture in from the tropics — long-lasting and intense,” Boomsna said. “Usually when we get those, it’s heavy rain and lots of precipitation.”

Unlike hurricanes and typhoons, which are tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters with a defined center of low pressure and rotating winds, atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of moisture that transport water vapor from the tropics or subtropics toward higher latitudes. They don’t have wind-speed classifications, though they can still bring strong winds. According to Boomsna, Cape Mendocino on the Lost Coast recorded wind gusts near 100 miles per hour during the recent storm.

The prolonged rainfall led to widespread flooding, especially in low-lying and river-adjacent areas of Humboldt County. Deputy Raleigh Willoughby, lead swiftwater rescue technician for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, worked rescue operations during the December atmospheric river event.

“During this most recent atmospheric river event, the areas that were most affected tended to be low-lying regions, river corridors and locations with poor drainage,” Willoughby said. “Communities near the Eel River, Freshwater Creek, Mad River, Elk River, Jacoby Creek and smaller tributaries experienced flooding, roadway impacts and rapid rises in water levels.”

Rural roads, agricultural areas and locations where creeks cross under roadways were particularly vulnerable. Willoughby added that even areas that don’t usually flood can be impacted during prolonged or intense rainfall.

With floodwaters moving quickly, officials stress that personal safety should always come first.

“The most important advice is to prioritize personal safety and avoid taking risks,” Willoughby said. “If you are in a vehicle, do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Moving water is extremely powerful and can easily sweep a vehicle away.”

Willoughby warned that if people become stranded, they should stay with their vehicle if it is safe, move to higher ground if necessary and call 911. Entering moving water on foot is also dangerous.

“It takes very little depth and current to knock a person off their feet,” Willoughby said. “When in doubt, stop, wait and seek help rather than trying to self-rescue. If you cannot clearly see the bottom or determine how deep the water is, it should be treated as dangerous and avoided.”

Warning signs include fast-moving water, muddy or opaque floodwater that may hide debris or washed-out roads and rising levels that cover familiar landmarks. Both local responders and weather officials emphasize preparation and patience during major storm systems.

“Flooding and swift water incidents are some of the most dangerous situations both for the public and for first responders,” Willoughby said. “Many rescues are preventable if people slow down, plan ahead and respect the power of moving water.”

Boomsna noted that while Humboldt County is currently experiencing a short dry period, there’s no cause for concern yet.

“The [previous and recent] precipitation brought us above normal,” Boomsna said. “The little dry spell Humboldt is currently having is not something to worry about. There’s still plenty of time for more rain — hopefully not all at once.”

Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt as well as an intern for the Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics Social Media team. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

by Barley Lewis-McCabe

President Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 18 delivering a recommendation from the Health and Human Services department (HHS) to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regarding marijuana. HHS recommended that cannabis be moved from a schedule I drug, or a highly addictive substance with no medicinal use, to schedule III, meaning it is significantly less abusive, and has legitimate medical usage. This executive order extends from a 2022 request from the Department Of Justice (DOJ) and HHS by President Biden to review how marijuana was scheduled. 

There isn’t much of a difference between the two practically, rather it makes the federal government’s stance widely known, and brings attention to the debate.

“​​The order to start it came from Biden, and the order to get on with it comes from Trump,” said Dominic Corva, former cannabis studies program lead. “The actual outcome, again, is going to be tied up in this long and fairly political process that involves multiple different government agencies, not just the DEA, right? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a lot of power here. The health bureaucracy has some power here, HHS, pharmaceutical lobbies… honestly, it’s the same but different. It doesn’t really move the needle on anything.” 

As per the executive order, the main intention of rescheduling marijuana is to increase access to medical marijuana products and increase research potential, but it could have a ripple effect throughout the cannabis industry at large. 

“Loosening of the federal definition of cannabis and the classification of cannabis could allow for greater tax protection for businesses,” said local cannabis farmer and owner of Herb and Market Humboldt Chrystal Ortiz. 

Cannabis businesses are usually taxed under the 280 E tax code, which stops businesses that engage in commerce of Schedule I and II controlled substances from being able to deduct business expenses. This means cannabis companies can’t write off things that other businesses can, such as rent, employee wages, and office supplies. Ortiz hopes that cannabis being reclassified to schedule III could lead to these tax burdens being lifted. 

“[It] would be a huge benefit for retailers, distributors, manufacturers and other people in the supply chain,” Ortiz said. “Other potential benefits are more access to grant monies, more access to research trials, universities being able to access it easier… with the acknowledgment that cannabis has medicinal value.”

Some of the federally recognized medicinal uses for cannabis are pain relief, assistance with nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients, as well as anorexia related to certain medical conditions. There are more holistic medicinal uses of cannabis such as sleep aid, anxiety relief, bath bombs to reduce stress and muscle pain, as well as skincare. 

University Communications Specialist Melissa Hutsell commented on the possible reclassification of marijuana leading to a change in disciplinary procedure surrounding students found in possession of marijuana, even for medicinal usage.

“At this time, it’s too soon to know whether any reclassification will result in any policy changes for the California State University (CSU) system,” Hutsell said. “CSU and campus policies remain unchanged, and the university continues to operate under existing federal and state laws.”

Associate Kinesiology Professor Whitney Ogle researches how cannabis interacts with exercise. But due to restrictions around cannabis research on campus, her not being allowed to provide marijuana or bring inebriated people to campus, she relies on consumption lounges for her human research, although she’s unable to take university equipment off campus. Ogle hopes that the new administration will be more open to cannabis testing.

  “Humboldt County has been kind of the epicenter of cannabis for a long time, and so it would be really great if the university can support us to be able to get that research out from Humboldt,” Ogle said. “It should be coming from Humboldt and, so that’s what I hope happens, is that the university is supportive of doing more Cannabis research.”

Barley is an untraditional reporter, photographer and opinion editor who focuses on stories about social changes that have a real human impact. If you’d like to reach him for whatever reason email bl258@humboldt.edu.

by Nick Escalada

Cal Poly Humboldt’s newest president, Dr. Richard A. Carvajal began his work this past Tuesday with a series of introductory appearances throughout campus. He kicked off the day by greeting students and faculty in the quad next to a tantalizing table of free donuts, before dropping in on several departments’ classes to spread the energy indoors.

Carvajal’s debut culminated with a talk at the semester’s first University Senate meeting, where he divulged more about his connection to Humboldt and his intended approach toward leading the institution. He led his speech by expressing its personal significance to his life.

“I told my wife about it, and she said, ‘do you realize that that will be the last first speech you ever give?’” Carvajal said. “And the reason I say that is because this is the final job I will ever have. I will retire from this position. In so many ways, this position is the culmination of my career. It’s such an honor for me to be here.”

Carvajal was previously the longest-serving president of Valdosta State University in Georgia, where he stated he had no intention of leaving until he listened to a Humboldt forum expressing a desire for a new president to understand the local area. Despite hailing most recently from the South, Carvajal spent a portion of his childhood in Humboldt County and attributes his understanding of the campus community to his ties to the region.

“After being born in Los Angeles, we left when I was really young. We came here and so this is the place that made me, me. I was here through middle school… I still wish we could have stayed.”

At the climax of his speech Carvajal explained his leadership philosophy being rooted in the community he directs. 

“What I bring is a process in which I firmly believe that if you have a group of people who know a place, who love a place and they’re working together, moving in the same direction, there’s almost nothing that they cannot accomplish,” Carvajal said.

After a series of enthusiastic “Go Jacks,” Carvajal ended by addressing one of the major issues facing the university.

“Why is enrollment such an issue? Because there is this thing called the demographic cliff. We know back to the Great Recession, in 2008 we can track it for the first time in America, we started having less babies,” Carvajal said. “Why? There are financial reasons for that, but we know year over year, that’s the case. And so here we are, 18 years later, because you can’t inject more babies back into the population, right? Once, when you clear a year, you clear the year. And so what we have to do to be successful? Well, we got to figure out a way to get a higher and higher market share and percentage of that smaller 18 year old class to come. And we’ve got to figure out a way to reach non-18 year olds, people who have some college and no degree and help them get to a finish line.”

Nick Escalada is the News Editor of The Lumberjack. He studies wildlife and aspires to be a nature journalist. Find him bouncing between Gist Hall and the science buildings and reach him at ne53@humboldt.edu!

by Sadie Shields

An atmospheric river brought weeks of heavy rain to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, dumping record-level precipitation in some areas and pushing rainfall totals above seasonal averages, according to the National Weather Service.

Over 10 inches of rain were reported in Eureka from mid-December to early January, while Honeydew in southern Humboldt County has seen nearly 70 inches of rainfall since mid-October, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob Boomsna.

“An atmospheric river is a narrow band of moisture that usually brings moisture in from the tropics — long-lasting and intense,” Boomsna said. “Usually when we get those, it’s heavy rain and lots of precipitation.”

Unlike hurricanes and typhoons, which are tropical storms that form over warm ocean waters with a defined center of low pressure and rotating winds, atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of moisture that transport water vapor from the tropics or subtropics toward higher latitudes. They don’t have wind-speed classifications, though they can still bring strong winds. According to Boomsna, Cape Mendocino on the Lost Coast recorded wind gusts near 100 miles per hour during the recent storm.

The prolonged rainfall led to widespread flooding, especially in low-lying and river-adjacent areas of Humboldt County. Deputy Raleigh Willoughby, lead swiftwater rescue technician for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, worked rescue operations during the December atmospheric river event.

“During this most recent atmospheric river event, the areas that were most affected tended to be low-lying regions, river corridors and locations with poor drainage,” Willoughby said. “Communities near the Eel River, Freshwater Creek, Mad River, Elk River, Jacoby Creek and smaller tributaries experienced flooding, roadway impacts and rapid rises in water levels.”

Rural roads, agricultural areas and locations where creeks cross under roadways were particularly vulnerable. Willoughby added that even areas that don’t usually flood can be impacted during prolonged or intense rainfall.

With floodwaters moving quickly, officials stress that personal safety should always come first.

“The most important advice is to prioritize personal safety and avoid taking risks,” Willoughby said. “If you are in a vehicle, do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Moving water is extremely powerful and can easily sweep a vehicle away.”

Willoughby warned that if people become stranded, they should stay with their vehicle if it is safe, move to higher ground if necessary and call 911. Entering moving water on foot is also dangerous.

“It takes very little depth and current to knock a person off their feet,” Willoughby said. “When in doubt, stop, wait and seek help rather than trying to self-rescue. If you cannot clearly see the bottom or determine how deep the water is, it should be treated as dangerous and avoided.”

Warning signs include fast-moving water, muddy or opaque floodwater that may hide debris or washed-out roads and rising levels that cover familiar landmarks. Both local responders and weather officials emphasize preparation and patience during major storm systems.

“Flooding and swift water incidents are some of the most dangerous situations both for the public and for first responders,” Willoughby said. “Many rescues are preventable if people slow down, plan ahead and respect the power of moving water.”

Boomsna noted that while Humboldt County is currently experiencing a short dry period, there’s no cause for concern yet.

“The [previous and recent] precipitation brought us above normal,” Boomsna said. “The little dry spell Humboldt is currently having is not something to worry about. There’s still plenty of time for more rain — hopefully not all at once.”

Bio: Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt as well as an intern for the Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics Social Media team. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

Tom Jackson: the highest paid professor who hasn’t taught a single class

by Mia Costales

Dozens of police officers in riot gear arrived at the scene on night one of Cal Poly Humboldt’s pro-Palestine encampment in April 2024. They moved in on the protestors, threatening them with pepper balls and rubber bullets. Sitting in the university’s highest office was a man many students and faculty held largely responsible for the riot police presence that night — Cal Poly Humboldt’s former president, Tom Jackson Jr.

The summer following the protest, Jackson announced he would be stepping down from his presidency into an instructional faculty position. In a public records request obtained by The Lumberjack, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jenn Capps maintained her support for Jackson’s retreat to tenured professorship.  

“This right allows for you to retreat to a solely instructional faculty position, subject to the terms set forth in the attached document,” Capps said via an email sent to Jackson. “Should you choose to exercise your retreat to an instructional faculty voluntarily, or be asked to leave your position as president, your salary would be adjusted to correspond to the maximum salary level for Instructional Faculty — Academic Year (Classification Code 2360) at the rank of Professor in the College of Professional Studies in effect at that time.”

Jackson’s retreat to tenured professorship

As of fall 2025, Jackson is not listed as faculty or staff under the School of Education or the College of Professional Studies website. Jackson is not listed as having ever taught a class at Cal Poly Humboldt despite retreating to his tenured professorship working with the College of Professional Studies and the College of Extended Education & Global Engagement. He is also not listed anywhere on the PeopleSoft database for instructor schedules under Campus Solutions, which tracks all instructors’ courses and assigned time for non-class activity. Every faculty member who has ever taught a class at Cal Poly Humboldt is listed. According to the spring 2026 course catalogue, Jackson is not projected to teach a course next semester either. 

Despite his absence on campus during both his presidency and his tenured professorship, Jackson made $479,880.79 in 2024 according to Transparent California, with 2024 being the year he stepped down from his presidency. In 2023, he made $450,360.72 which is considerably less than the following year, even though he was president for the entire year. Jackson’s current instructional faculty compensation is $182,532.00 according to Marketing and Communications Specialist Melissa Hutsell, the highest amount possible that an instructional faculty member can earn per year. This makes him Cal Poly Humboldt’s highest-paid professor. 

Hutsell explained that Jackson’s current role on campus is to support the International Service Learning Program in addition to developing coursework for Leadership Studies. 

“Jackson transitioned into his faculty appointment after the fall 2025 semester had commenced,” Hutsell said. “His workload includes assigned time for [the International Service Learning Program and Leadership Studies]. Because faculty workload is entered by departments at the beginning of the term, Jackson’s Peoplesoft entry does not accurately reflect the true assigned workload. Because websites are updated manually, departmental sites commonly lag behind personnel changes.”

Faculty and staff call for “immediate removal and termination” of Jackson

On April 29, 2024, over 100 officers in riot gear arrived in vans and buses to the Cal Poly Humboldt campus at around 2:30 a.m., the final night of the pro-Palestine encampment. Ordered by Jackson, police detained protestors with zip ties and arrested about 25 people. Several hours later, a letter signed by 320 faculty and staff was sent to Chancellor Mildred Garcia, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State University Board of Trustees, calling for the “immediate removal and termination” of Jackson and Chief of Staff Mark Johnson. 

“We, the faculty and staff of Cal Poly Humboldt, urgently demand the immediate removal and termination of President Tom Jackson and Chief of Staff Mark A. Johnson from their positions at our institution,” the letter read. “Their repeatedly extreme and reckless actions in response to recent campus protests have systematically endangered students, staff and faculty, undermined the principles of shared governance and shattered any remaining trust in their leadership.”

This letter followed a vote of no confidence in President Jackson on April 25, in which the general faculty of Cal Poly Humboldt stated they had no confidence in the leadership of Jackson or Johnson. 

Jackson announces plans to step down

In a letter sent to Chancellor Mildred Garcia on June 10, 2024, Jackson announced his decision to step down from his acting role as president of Cal Poly Humboldt. 

“It is now time for me to step away as the president at Cal Poly Humboldt, and it is my request to do so prior to the start of the 2024-2025 Academic Year with my suggested last day being August 11, 2024,” Jackson said via email. “I look forward to speaking with you in the coming days to discuss my participation in the Executive Transition Program II and my transition to my tenured faculty role in the future.”

However, Jackson had plans to step down from his position as president to tenured professorship as early as June, 2023. In a memo of correspondence between Dean of the College of Professional Studies Shawna Young and Co-Chair of the School of Education James Woglom on June 26, 2023, Woglom supported the recommendation of revising Jackson’s retreat rights to a tenured professor in the College of Professional Studies in the School of Education and Leadership Studies. Provost Capps, kinesiology professor Chris Hopper and associate professor Jill Anderson also shared their support for Jackson’s retreat in 2023. 

The Lumberjack reached out to Young and Anderson about Jackson’s current role on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus, however they both declined to comment. The Lumberjack also reached out to Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs Kimberly White who also declined to comment on Jackson’s current role.  

The future of Jackson’s role on campus

The future of Jackson’s role on campus is something that many faculty, students and community members continue to question. It is uncertain whether Jackson will teach a course in the future, but some faculty remain committed to working with him despite past controversies.  

“We started to work with Tom Jackson on a course in the summer of 2025, but those were preliminary, exploratory meetings and nothing has developed since,” Director for Center for Learning and Teaching (CTL) Enoch Hale said. “If Tom Jackson is slated to teach a course sometime in the future and he approaches the CTL, we will work with him as we do any educator at Cal Poly Humboldt.”

Mia is a senior journalism major. She hopes to give a platform to underrepresented communities through her writing and provide the public with thoughtful and informed stories. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading and playing the violin. Contact her at mdc140@humboldt.edu.

by Nico Patakidis

Associated Students (A.S.) held their last Board of Directors meeting of the Fall 2025 semester on Dec. 5, following the impeachment of the previous Officer of External Affairs and Officer of Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion. 

Throughout the semester, the A.S. sub-committee on bylaws has been working on updating various policies to be more clear to those who may not be familiar with the terminology used. A.S. Board Coordinator Chelsea Belden has been working on these policies and said that their goal is to remove outdated practices, update language to be more inclusive and ensure that the bylaws and policies align with one another. 

“These policy updates are not new initiatives,” A.S. Executive Director Kendra Higgins said. “They have been listed as priorities for at least the past two years, but previous boards lacked the capacity to thoroughly review them. Now that we have an active board and functioning committees, we can move this work forward.”

As seen in the 2025-2026 directors tracker, many policies being updated were assigned on Nov. 7 and forward. Higgins said that the process of deciding which policies are updated begins with the most straightforward and outdated policies. Many policies and bylaws are intertwined, meaning that they cannot be updated in a linear manner. Instead, groups of policies are reviewed and updated congruently. 

Belden highlights the importance of updating the A.S. bylaws and policies as well as the importance of members’ compliance with them. The California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office recently audited CSU Northridge (CSUN), finding inadequate compliance with CSU policies and procedures. Mentioned in the audit was the need for CSUN’s A.S. to update their bylaws and policies to reflect current practices.

“The recent events within our A.S. have absolutely no bearing on this project, but the findings of this audit have certainly highlighted for us the importance of being compliant,” Belden said over email.

Following the A.S. standing committee reports were board reports, in which Administrative and Finance Vice President Nate Heron shared progress on a survey regarding A.S. sub-committee member compensation. The survey aims to capture the ideas of students and current sub-committee members regarding potential forms of compensation. Heron said that he also wishes for the survey to highlight other values and reasons for joining a committee.

“I’m going at it [through] a lens of the conversation surrounding committees, because I don’t want it to be strictly on the compensation focus,” Heron said.

While the survey has been sent out to current A.S. committee members, it is available for all students to complete. The survey is not currently posted anywhere, however Heron mentioned that committee members are free to forward it to anyone interested in taking it. Heron said that should this survey lead to committee members receiving compensation, the money would come from the $68 Associated Student Body student fee included in the cost of enrollment, as the A.S. budget does not currently have somewhere else to pull money from. Despite this, Heron notes that if there is a strong response to the survey calling for compensation, work would be done to ensure students are compensated. 

“Implementing compensation would require adjustments in the next A.S. budget cycle, as there is no existing line item that could absorb this cost,” Heron said. “Realistically, allocating funding for compensation could require reducing funding for other A.S. programs and services that students currently rely on.”

Next semester, A.S. board meetings will be held on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in NHE106 every other week, beginning Jan. 28, 2026. 

Nico is a sophomore journalism major with an interest in covering local government and political affairs. In his free time he enjoys hanging out and having fun. Reach him at np211@humboldt.edu.

by Nick Escalada and Jasmin Shirazian

Throughout the school year and in the summer, many Cal Poly Humboldt students rely on the Cal Poly Humboldt Student Health and Wellbeing Services (SHWS) as their only source of medical assistance. Already limited services are worsened in the summer when staff is reduced, leaving students in urgent situations without many solutions. 

For students without reliable transportation, seeking help off-campus can be an obstacle. The Student Health Center’s (SHC) accommodations fell short for sophomore archeology major Nick Howell, who injured his rotator cuff while working on-campus this past summer. Even as a student throughout the academic year, Howell was not able to receive any emergency care due to not being enrolled in summer classes.

“I was working eight hours on campus for this position. I wasn’t in a class, but I was right there. I was in Nelson Hall, 10 feet away from the Health Center, that had these big signs,” Howell said. “I spent about 40 bucks on an Uber back-and-forth to go to Redwood Urgent Care, and then it was a $50 charge to [be seen]. At the end of the day, it’s nearly 100 bucks that could be free if I was allowed to be seen.”

The Student Health Center acts as the outpatient medical facility located on the university campus. There are two sides to the medical services provided by the SHC: one for scheduled care and one for acute — sudden — conditions, as Executive Director of Student Health & Wellbeing Service Jennifer Sanford explained. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are also available to students during the school year, though it is a different sector of the Student Health and Wellbeing Services. During the summer, however, both medical and mental health services are reduced for returning and summer students alike. 

Even during the school year, the SHC is limited in its ability to treat all students’ needs, according to Sanford. While the center has an X-ray lab, other, more severe conditions must be referred to Mad River Community Hospital or other urgent care centers in the surrounding area. Only 14 medical professionals, ranging from physicians to medical assistants as listed on the SHWS website, worked at the center this past semester. Come summer, staff numbers are even lower, thus the already limited resources are unavailable, such as X-rays.

“We see a lot of sprained ankles, broken bones, upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, [gastrointestinal] stuff, rashes, issues with ears,” Sanford said. “It’s all kinds of stuff on the acute side. On the scheduled side, we do a lot of mental health, reproductive health care. What we would recommend [is that] students keep a primary doctor for things like diabetes or other chronic, ongoing conditions that should continue to be managed by their primary doctor.”

Senior criminology major Lanna Moor had been experiencing flu-like symptoms when the Student Health Center deferred her to off-campus resources. She said this made her feel dismissed and resulted in her paying out-of-pocket for a doctor’s visit and medication at Redwood Urgent Care in Eureka.

“I expected them to run a test, maybe a [COVID-19] or flu test, or anything really. Instead they handed me a sheet of paper saying that I should go buy some ibuprofen,” Moor said. “My expectation was to get something that I didn’t already know. I know that I can just go buy ibuprofen from the store. So, I was expecting maybe a little more help and resources and addressing why I was sick so that I could get back to class. Definitely made me feel like I was incompetent.”

Issues with Student Health and Wellbeing Services extend past the Health Center and physical ailments. Encounters at CAPS have left patients unsatisfied or unserviced, like senior critical race & gender studies major Rubyana Ashman, who has endured weeks and even months-long periods without therapy due to the program’s semesterly eight-session limit.

“It’s just a prevalent thing in our generation. I feel like most people our age have mental health issues or physical health issues that they need taken care of,” Ashman said. “I feel like [an improvement could be] making it easier for people to go more often without it being taxed, like having a limit on how many times someone can go to the Health Center.”

An alternative mental health resource offered by the university is TimelyCare, which is offered over the summer to students enrolled throughout the school year. Students like senior psychology major Mia Fikes, however, would not recommend this outlet to students unless absolutely necessary.

“TimelyCare often felt like gambling with your mental health,” Fikes said. “You would either receive a friendly voice of reason to help you see your problems in a positive light or someone audibly dismissive who made things worse. Chances were about 50/50.”

Sanford is hopeful, however, that as more students come to the university and with the new Housing, Dining and Health Building set to rehome SHWS, issues with the Student Health Center will improve. 

“I think having space will allow us to broaden our reach and actually offer more services,” Sanford said. “Because right now, we’re just out of space and we’re spread out in three locations. Eventually, when we have our new building, all of that will come together. I think as the student population increases, we will really listen to students about what services we don’t have that they might like.”

by Mia Costales

Every fall, community members gather in Old Town Eureka to celebrate Día de Muertos Festival de Altares, a community event celebrating the two-day Mexican holiday that honors the lives of deceased loved ones and celebrates their souls’ return to the overworld. Ofrendas line the gazebo, full of cempazúchitl, pan de muerto, copal, food and gifts. Mariachis perform classics like La Llorona and La Bruja. Most importantly, families come together to honor their culture and pay respects to the ones who came before them. However, this year was different — the celebration was canceled due to concerns that undocumented attendees could be targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

Somos Medicina Collective is a non-profit organization founded by Xochi Quetzalli, with the goal of organizing events celebrating Latiné culture. The collective has been responsible for hosting the Día de Muertos Festival de Altares in Eureka every year since 2019. On Oct. 27, Quetzalli released a statement on Instagram announcing that this year’s event would be canceled. 

“With a heavy heart, we have decided to cancel our Day of the Dead Festival of Altars celebration this year,” the statement read. “In short, we feel that we cannot bring our people together safely at this time, when we are being targeted and kidnapped. We thank you for understanding and wish you a beautiful celebration con sus muertitos at your altares in your homes.” 

 Heightened instances of violence directed towards Latinos in the past months have caused many to be wary of celebrating publicly. On Oct. 30, Carlos Jimenez, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen, was shot and critically injured by an ICE officer in Ontario, Calif. According to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, 59,762 people are being held in ICE detention facilities as of Sept. 21. While there are still no confirmed cases of ICE sightings in Humboldt County, some Latino locals are taking precautionary measures such as avoiding public events such as Día de Muertos.

Despite the cancellation of hundreds of Día de Muertos celebrations throughout the country this year, Centro del Pueblo remained one of the few organizations that continued with their celebration. Centro del Pueblo Executive Director Brenda Peréz stressed the importance of showing up for her community even in times of struggle.

“We decided to continue with our event because we work with the purpose of revitalizing our culture,” Peréz said. “We wouldn’t have that if we interrupt. We decided to be firm with the decision of sharing our culture because that’s a statement of who we are. We are here to stay, and such an amazing time like Día de Muertos has to be protected by everyone coming together.”

Anna Martinez, a senior political science major with a law and policy concentration, was one of many Cal Poly Humboldt students who celebrated Día de Muertos and put up an ofrenda to honor her grandpa. 

“Whenever I go to events like that, I’m reminded of the community around me,” Martinez said. “I think it goes back to feeling sort of disconnected to my community here in Humboldt, it being so isolated. Having those events really shows us that we’re not alone. We have a lot of events with our community about like ‘know your rights’ and ICE and stuff like that, but sometimes it’s just nice to have an event where we can all just come together and sort of be happy and dance or watch people dance.”

Centro del Pueblo’s Día de Muertos event was held in the Eureka Theatre. It featured performances from Cal Poly Humboldt’s Mariachi Mar Pacifico, Danza Azteca and Ballet Folklorico, as well as ofrendas from community members and clubs such as McKinleyville Highschool’s Latinx club. 

“[Día de Muertos] in my opinion, is also a strong piece of advocacy [for] practicing our rights, our human rights,” Peréz said. “So, when someone cancels, that really affects us immigrants. When someone cancels it, it’s a message of sometimes censoring our culture.”

Mia is a journalism major and the Editor in Chief of The Lumberjack. She hopes to give a platform to underrepresented communities through her writing and provide the public with thoughtful and informed stories. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading and playing the violin. Contact her at mdc140@humboldt.edu.

by Bodhi Haugen

On Nov. 3, Cal Poly Humboldt sent a student-wide email addressing campus resources for food insecurity following the government shutdown across the nation. Due to the continued shutdown, the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been impacted for the month of November, a resource many students rely on. The email detailed the swipe assistance program, meal pickups beginning the second week of November in the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center, emergency grants from the Dean of Students’s office, and the Oh SNAP! Food pantry in room 122 of the Recreation and Wellness Center.​

As stated in a recent NPR article, “SNAP benefits will restart, but will be half the normal payment and delayed.”

The Trump administration announced that SNAP benefits for November would return with limited funding and delays, as only $5 billion in emergency funding was appropriated, while the total needed is $8 billion. 

It is unclear exactly when SNAP balances will be reloaded for recipients. Students are urged to reach out to the Dean of Students’s office at dos@humboldt.edu with any further questions.

by Nico Patakidis

A free New York Times (NYT) subscription will potentially be offered soon for all Cal Poly Humboldt students, courtesy of the Associated Students (A.S.). The most recent bi-weekly board of directors meeting on Oct. 31 discussed this item, which included feedback during public comment and a presentation given by Todd Halverson of NYT. 

NYT offers a variety of resources such as news articles, recipes for many different lifestyles, product recommendations and games. However, users can only view a certain amount of articles each month without a subscription. On Oct. 24, A.S. released a survey to determine how many students would be interested in receiving a free NYT subscription. The responses to the survey were a majority in favor of bringing free NYT subscriptions to Cal Poly Humboldt students. Out of the 72 respondents as of Oct. 31, 97.3% said they would be interested in the subscription. 

The presentation given by Todd Halverson, who has been with NYT for over 19 years, illustrated the different use cases that students may have with an NYT subscription and how the program can benefit Cal Poly Humboldt students. Halverson highlighted the resources that NYT has to offer apart from news, such as the cooking section where users can find low-cost recipes that are easy to prepare and can fit into a students schedule. Halverson said that the main goal of the program is to support students and stimulate educational, social and cultural wellness of the community. However, Halverson acknowledges that without a subscription, the resources offered by NYT are inaccessible. 

“What about those without the means to do so? So, where does that leave them?” Halverson said. “And where does that leave our society?”

Following the presentation and viewing the current student input from the earlier survey, A.S. Executive Vice President Ayan Cabot confirmed that the Board of Directors would continue discussing the offered NYT subscription program. As the discussion continues, the A.S. survey for NYT will continue to accept responses from students. 

Nico is a sophomore journalism major with an interest in covering local government and political affairs. In his free time he enjoys hanging out and having fun. Reach him at np211@humboldt.edu.

by Eli Farrington

As a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient and low-income student dealing with chronic illness, Gus Dorman understands — more than most — how important food security can be. 

Before coming to Humboldt, Dorman studied culinary arts at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area. She is used to cooking for large groups of people and appreciates the positive impact that it can have on the community. When she saw her community struggling, she was inspired to roll up her sleeves and spring into action. 

“It’s important to me because I know what it means to be hungry, and I know what it means to be without [food],” Dorman said. “What’s happening right now is not okay. We don’t always have control over what’s happening outside our community, but we do have control over how we affect change while we’re in it — and this is the way I can do that.”

For Dorman, her fellow students and her professors in the art department have become her chosen family. As an older student and a mother, she views many of the younger students as her adopted children. 

Senior interdisciplinary studies major Ro Meisler designed the flyers for the event, and plans to help Dorman with Wednesday dinners going forward. Meisler has lots of love for the wider Arcata area and sees it as an incredibly unique place where a tight-knit community allows for mutual support networks to thrive. She also believes that the university often falls short when it comes to serving the basic needs of students, which inspired her to help Dorman bring this project to life. 

“There’s a bunch of different projects like this that are really successful already,” Meisler said. “Just having a web of people included in making a difference, so that so much burden doesn’t fall on any one person, is really helpful.”

Meisler and Dorman plan to connect with a network of local farms and grocery stores to source the food for their Wednesday night dinners. They have already partnered with several local farms and gardens who have agreed to donate produce, including Blue Lake Rancheria’s Daluviwi’ Community Garden, Goosefoot Farm in Arcata and Red Cedar Gardens in Fieldbrook. They are also accepting donations from the community in the form of monetary contributions through Cash App, as well as canned goods. 

This week’s menu includes vegan chili, meat chili, braised pork, cornbread, chips and salsa, salad, and bean and cheese burritos provided by a local community member. Community members are encouraged to bring their own cooked dishes to share and volunteers are welcome to join in on the mutual aid. 

“Our students are already pressed when this kind of stuff is not happening,” Dorman said. “The number of homeless students, the number of food insecure students, the number of displaced and ignored students — it’s a problem. I think the more we address it this way; it’s a kinder approach, and we’re asking people to be involved.”

Both Meisler and Dorman are passionate about social justice and advocacy for disenfranchised communities. They want their Wednesday dinners to help feed the campus community, but they also want to address the issue of food waste by connecting with more local grocery stores, bakeries and farms to make use of good food that would otherwise be thrown away due to imperfections or aesthetic reasons. 

“We have so many injustices in our own country and in the world,” Dorman said. “There’s not a lot of safety that people can trust in, but one thing is certain across every culture — that if you can sit down at the table and eat together, change can happen. It’s a really powerful way to have conversations that are difficult in other respects, and food bridges those gaps often. 

Eli Farrington is a senior journalism major and Managing Editor for The Lumberjack. He has a passion for social justice, and hopes to use his writing to shed light on underrepresented local communities. He can be reached at eaf62@humboldt.edu.

by Will Bishop

Outside the North Coast Co-Op, protesters spilled in from all directions — brandishing signs, flags and all manner of costumes, eager to voice their dissent and join their fellow citizens in peaceful protest. This past Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. on Oct. 18 in downtown Eureka a Humboldt Democracy Connections organized No Kings march made its way up 4th Street. They planned to join the main group of protesters outside the Humboldt County Courthouse.

No Kings is an international protest campaign intended to oppose the Trump Administration and fascism as a whole. The stated message, as seen on the official No Kings website, is as follows, “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.” An estimated five million Americans attended the previous protest in June, and this time the count was even higher, putting it around seven million.

The march started slowly as the sidewalks struggled to meet the capacity of the growing crowd. Still, the protesters remained orderly and respectful, with hardly a single person spilling out into the street. Finally, the march arrived at its destination, adding their numbers to a crowd estimated by some to be around 3,000 strong. The second No Kings protest was just getting started.

Protestor Gabe Vallee attended the No Kings march, his spirits high and expression joyful. This sense of optimism and camaraderie was frequently seen across the individuals in attendance. “These are all excellent Americans, you can tell,” Vallee said. “They got up here on a Saturday morning to be with their friends and to say, ‘we need to get rid of that guy.’”

Larry Passarini, a graduate of Humboldt State University who received his masters in education as well as a teaching credential from the institution, echoed Vallee’s sentiment. Passarini, as many others did, remarked on the sheer size of the crowd.

 “I’m lovin’ it here,” Passarini said. “There’s tons and tons of people, more than the last time. About two, three months ago we had another one about three or four thousand people. There’s gotta be a lot more than that here now.” 

Corbin Solomon, a veteran and longtime local, wore a Palestine banner around his neck and an Uncle Sam top hat on his head, and attempted to get a count of his own. 

“I’ve been in Humboldt County for 40-something years, it’s the biggest crowd ever,” Solomon said. “I can’t move on the sidewalks. I tried to count the thinnest corner over here and I counted three hundred people and then I stopped.”

Upside down U.S. flags, Palestinian flags, Ukrainian flags, pride flags, peace flags and One Piece flags stood among the litany of causes held high in the air. Repeated signs were few and far between, with the vast majority of those in attendance electing to make their own. There were costumes abound, at times resembling a politically-charged early Halloween party. Upon noticing a dinosaur in the crowd, one attendee jested, “Are you a member of the Republican party?” 

A small fleet of The Handmaid’s Tale cosplayers standing on the corner gloomed outward at the cars passing by. Their signs all followed the same template and highlighted the duality of our First Amendment rights, being used to both ensure that this assembly could freely take place and allow naysayers to offer their words of dissent. 

“Because of the Constitution, you have the right to call me a nasty woman,” one sign read.

Democratic officials nationwide have begun to take more aggressive steps to combat the Trump Administration. Some of these steps, such as California’s upcoming special election on Proposition 50, have been met by certain citizens with a degree of hesitation — but today, support for Prop 50 was proudly on display.

Beverly Kummerling, a dedicated advocate with Prop 50 sign in hand, has been personally committed to ensuring it passes. 

“I created a flier with all the points off of the website,” Kummerling said. “And at every protest I’ve been talking about Prop 50. I’ve been going door to door, I’ve been postcarding, I’ve been phonecalling and people are getting it.” 

Still, with the vote’s deadline looming on Nov. 4, Kummerling was quick to address the difficulty of communicating its benefits to her fellow voters. She believes strongly in the measure, and doesn’t feel that arguments against it are made in good faith. 

“It’s leveling the playing field, not gerrymandering. We didn’t want to do this,” Kummerling said. “Newsom gave Texas so many opportunities to back down and they didn’t. So, we’re gonna get this and we’re gonna win big.”

Community solidarity was strong. Music reverberated over the crowd and each time a group of cars drove by, hands waved out windows and palms jammed on their horns. A food drive held by Food Not Bombs, who co-organized the event, had a table at the base of the courthouse steps. 

Elizabeth Abbott, one of the volunteers working the station, strongly encouraged anyone interested in the organization to reach out. 

“We’re just out here collecting food that we can cook up and give people that are hungry as a free meal,” Abbott said.  “We are by the Bayshore Mall by Applebee’s Mondays between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Anyone who’s hungry is welcome, regardless of their housing status or anything else.”

Protestor Mary Ann Loch spoke on the importance of the occasion while her husband nimbly played an acoustic bass in the background. 

“There’s such power in assembly, and when we come together peacefully, and creatively, mountains can be moved,” Loch said. “Many hands make light work, so we don’t have to feel the burden of trying to change things overnight or immediately. But through enough assembly and policymaking, and voting with our dollar, mountains can be moved. And I think we are going to persevere.” 

Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks, he can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

compiled by Barley Lewis-McCabe

Tuesday, Oct. 14

16:57 – 4:57 p.m.

Garbage Dumping/Littering

Occurred at Upper Playing Field 

Report of miscellaneous property dumped behind the upper play field. A work order was submitted for removal.

Wednesday, Oct. 15

16:03 – 4:03 p.m.

Emergency Elevator Button

Occurred at the Library on Sequoia.

911 from the north elevator, elevator noises heard and a male subject answered and then disconnected.

The officer was unable to locate any emergency.

Disposition: Rims Documentation only.

18:12 – 6:12 p.m.

Public intoxication – alcohol

Occurred at College Creek Marketplace on Harpst St.

Report of a male subject flagging people down on Rossow for a ride to Eureka and was in possession of alcohol.

Thursday, Oct. 16

11:28

Medical Aid

Occurred at Founders Hall on E Laurel Dr.

911 — 24-year-old female reported having vertigo and was laying down.

Subject was transported by ambulance. 

Disposition: Assisted.

Saturday, Oct. 18

00:40 – 12:40 a.m.

Welfare Check

Occurred at Cypress Residence Hall on Granite Ave.

Reporting person received concerning Instagram messages from a possible student. Officers were unable to locate the student of concern. Disposition: Report/Case Taken.

Sunday, Oct. 19 

11:59 a.m.

Suspicious Circumstances

Occurred at Upd on Rossow St. 

Email report of an assault, unable to identify or contact the reporting party.

Suspicious Person

Occurred at Library on Sequoia.

Reporting person requesting subject attempting to conceal himself behind book shelves be contacted.

Officers contacted the subject, negative laws violated.

Disposition: Unsubstantiated.