The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Deija zavala

  • The Lumberjack Takes Home 14 Media Awards

    The Lumberjack Takes Home 14 Media Awards

    Humboldt State student newspaper wins four first place California College Media Association awards

    The Lumberjack won 14 California College Media Association Excellence in Student Media awards for a variety of work in 2019. The Lumberjack took home four first place awards, seven second place awards and three third place awards at the CCMA awards banquet Feb. 29 in San Francisco.

    Deija Zavala won Best Photo Series, Phoebe Hughes won Best Cartoon Illustration, Megan Bender won Best Illustration and Chelsea Wood won Best Non-News Video.

    Megan Bender took second in Best Newspaper Front Page Design and Best Photo Illustration, Jose Herrera took second in Best Arts and Entertainment Story, Jett Williams took second in Best Newspaper Column, Liam Warner took second in Best Sports Story and Thomas Lal took second in Best News Photograph. James Wilde, Chelsea Wood and Collin Slavey took second in Best News Video.

    Freddy Brewster came third in Best Headline Portfolio for three different headlines and third in Best Breaking News Story, while Tony Wallin took third in Best Feature Story.

    • Vanessa Flores (top left), Tony Wallin (bottom left) and Jose Herrera look through awards won by HSU journalism students at the California College Media Association Excellence in Student Media awards banquet Feb. 29 in San Francisco. | Photo by Megan Bender

    HSU’s bilingual, monthly student-run newspaper, El Leñador, won 12 awards, including three first place awards. HSU’s student-run semesterly magazine, Osprey, won three awards, with a first place award to Megan Bender for Best Magazine Inside Page/Spread Design.

    The Lumberjack is the independent, student-run online media publication and newspaper established in 1929 at Humboldt State University.

    View the full list of HSU student award winners below:

    CCMA Winners 2020:
    FIRST PLACEPUBLICATIONSTUDENT(S)
    Best Photo SeriesThe LumberjackDeija Zavala
    Best Editorial CartoonThe LumberjackPhoebe Hughes
    Best IllustrationThe LumberjackMegan Bender
    Best Non-News VideoThe LumberjackChelsea Wood
    Best Newspaper Inside Page/Spread DesignEl Leñador Celeste Alvarez, Jose Herrera
    Best Newspaper Front Page DesignEl Leñador Kylee Conriquez, Jose Herrera
    Best Non-Breaking News StoryEl Leñador Jose Herrera
    Best Magazine Inside Page/Spread DesignOspreyMegan Bender
    SECOND PLACE
    Best Newspaper Front Page DesignThe LumberjackMegan Bender
    Best Arts and Entertainment StoryThe LumberjackJose Herrera
    Best Photo IllustrationThe LumberjackMegan Bender
    Best News VideoThe LumberjackJames Wilde, Chelsea Wood, Collin Slavey
    Best Newspaper ColumnThe LumberjackJett Williams
    Best Sports StoryThe LumberjackLiam Warner
    Best News PhotographThe LumberjackThomas Lal
    Best IllustrationEl LeñadorKylee Conriquez
    Best EditorialEl LeñadorBrenda Estrella
    Best Special Issue/SectionEl LeñadorJose Herrera, Vanessa Flores
    Best Overall Newspaper DesignEl LeñadorJose Herrera, Celeste Alvarez, Cara Peters, Ash Ramirez
    Best Social Media ReportingEl LeñadorVanessa Flores
    Best Magazine Cover DesignOspreyMegan Bender
    THIRD PLACE
    Best Headline PortfolioThe LumberjackFreddy Brewster
    Best Feature StoryThe LumberjackTony William Wallin
    Best Breaking News StoryThe LumberjackFreddy Brewster
    Best NewspaperEl LeñadorStaff
    Best Interactive GraphicEl LeñadorCeleste Alvarez
    Best InfographicEl LeñadorCara Peters
    Best Arts and Entertainment StoryEl LeñadorLora Neshovska
    Best Magazine Photo SeriesOspreyJett Williams, Megan Bender
  • Fires Still Burn as PG&E Implements Mass Outages

    Fires Still Burn as PG&E Implements Mass Outages

    Largest intentional blackout in California history keeps millions without power while the state burns

    Over two million people across Northern California were without power on Sunday. Pacific Gas & Electric is working to restore power, but the company has scheduled another Public Power Safety Shutoff, this time for Tuesday morning.

    Despite the shutoffs, fires are burning across the state. The Kincade Fire, a 66,000 acre fire in northern Sonoma County, was only 5% contained as of Monday at 3 p.m. Located just northwest of Santa Rosa, the Kincade Fire has forced more than 180,000 people to evacuate, including the towns of Windsor and Healdsburg. 

    There are no casualties or missing persons reported as of yet, but 80,000 structures are at risk. Firefighters from as far south as Pasadena and as far north as Oregon have reported to the scene to try and stop the fire from pushing west across Highway 101. 

    PG&E’s shutoff is an unprecedented intentional blackout, and is the largest intentional blackout in history, according to the Los Angeles Times. The utility’s goal is to prevent high winds—which have reached upwards of 100 miles per hour in some parts of Sonoma County—from sparking wildfires.

    In a PG&E press conference on Saturday, CEO and President of the utility company—but not the entire corporation—Andy Vesey said the company’s goal is safety. 

    “Right now we have a big, historic event coming at us,” Vesey said. “We have two and a half million customers being impacted. There’s a real threat to public safety and that’s why we’re doing this.”

    Yet, across the nation, media outlets are questioning PG&E’s shutoffs. 

    Articles from Time, The Nation and ProPublica have claimed that PG&E’s shutoffs may not actually reduce wildfire risk. The shutoffs could prevent debris from sparking fires from electrical wires, but that is not the only cause of wildfires. Abraham Lustgarten for ProPublica points to cigarettes, barbecues, generators (which are used extensively during shutoffs) and cars as other common fire starters.

    “The blackouts solved nothing, of course,” Lustgarten wrote. “De-energizing the electrical grid is a bludgeon: imprecise, with enormous potential for collateral damage as people deal with a darkened world. It doesn’t even eliminate fire risk.”

    To Lustgarten’s point, a structure fire on the east side of the Arcata Plaza erupted Sunday afternoon, likely caused by a generator at the Big Blue Cafe, according to reporting by the Times Standard. While firefighters contained the blaze and no injuries were reported, initial estimates for the damages are as high as $2 million.

    “It’s more than just climate change. It’s about the failure of capitalism to address climate change. It’s about decades of mismanagement. It’s a story about greed.”

    Gavin Newsom, California Governor

    In some instances, it seems the shut offs weren’t implemented in time to prevent electrical lines from sparking fires. PG&E admitted that it registered a failed jumper cable at one of its transmission towers near the possible ignition point of the Kincade Fire right before the fire began. The area of the fire was set for a Public Safety Power Shutoff, but it didn’t begin until 28 minutes after the fire started.

    The outages have pressed some government officials to speak out against the corporation and its tactics. California Governor Gavin Newsom called out PG&E for greed and mismanagement in a press conference on Thursday. 

    “It’s more than just climate change,” Newsom said. “It’s about the failure of capitalism to address climate change. It’s about decades of mismanagement. It’s a story about greed.”

    Vermont Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders tweeted that it was time to think about public ownership of utilities.

    Amidst the outages, PG&E’s stock has plummeted to all-time lows. On Saturday, Governor Newsom encouraged Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway to buy PG&E. 

    In the Saturday press conference, Vesey declined to entertain questions about PG&E’s tainted image. Vesey said those discussions can come later as they will focus on the public’s safety for now. 

    “No matter how much we focus on the past, it will not help us at all today or tomorrow,” Vesey said. “We take lessons learned, we take actions, we put in our programs and we work responsibly.”

    For now, California is under a statewide declaration of emergency by Governor Newsom, who has promised to hold PG&E accountable.

    “We will hold them to an account that they’ve never been held to in the past,” Newsom said in a press conference. “We will do everything in our power to restructure PG&E so it is a completely different entity when they get out of bankruptcy by June 30th of next year.”

  • Blackout Preparation

    Blackout Preparation

    Our first PSPS was a wakeup call, now it’s time to go into the next blackout more ready than ever

    In early October, Humboldt County residents trailed around the block at gas stations hoping to fill up their tanks and stripped local grocery stores of food, water and battery operated lights. The Public Safety Power Shutoff made us realize how often we take electricity for granted, and how we use power for most of our daily activities. Simple tasks like cooking, cleaning, eating, working and watching television all require some form of electricity.

    Some locals were fortunate enough to have gas-operated stoves to make and warm food, but most of the LJ staff didn’t. Many of us rent apartments or live on campus and have electric stoves, so something as simple as warming a can of beans was nearly impossible.

    With the lights out, it felt like we time traveled back to the 1800s. The usual ways of entertainment were off the table, and when we went shopping in preparation most of us didn’t consider buying board games or downloading movies to a laptop. When it came down to sitting in a dark room with nothing to do we made a pact that the next time we would be better prepared.

    Having a bag prepped for extreme situations could be lifesaving, and with a little forward thinking, your bag could be ready in minutes.

    Here some items we think you should grab from the store or make sure you have before the power outage:

    • Flashlights and batteries. An obvious choice, but oil or battery-operated lanterns work great, too.
    • Candles and matches/lighters. This is Humboldt, so we wouldn’t be surprised if most people had a lighter on hand or nearby, but if you don’t you should look into easy means of lighting candles (or that oil lamp) to have some light once the sun goes down.
    • Cash and gasoline. When the electricity is down, systems are down. This generally means that stores –if open– can’t take cards because they have no way of charging them. This can also include gas stations. We recommend filling up and taking out some cash just in case you need to buy something or drive during the blackout.
    • Water. You need a minimum of one gallon of water per day per person. We recommend having even more and making an effort to conserve. During the initial PSPS, the City of Arcata urged residents to minimize sewer use and conserve water to the best of their ability. That’s a good rule of thumb, and especially smart if the power outage last longer than before. 
    • Ice. You’ll need lots of ice if you’re interested in trying to save any of the food that was already in your fridge or freezer. We also recommend moving expensive perishables to the freezer and using gallon baggies filled with water as makeshift ice packs to help keep food cold. A cooler filled with ice is also a great option. If you have the money and the storage space, buying a cooler for emergencies like these and any future camping trips could really come in handy.
    • First Aid kit. You may already have one hanging around. If so, check the the kit to make sure it’s well-stocked and move it to a central place in your home. Communicate the new location with any family or roommates so it’s accessible for any who may need it.
    • Canned goods. Think of foods you wouldn’t mind eating cold. There’s no need to buy something that will make you gag when you’re trying to stay fed.
    • Fruit. Apples, bananas and oranges are just a few options. Fruit doesn’t need to be refrigerated and it can help keep your blood sugar up as well as making sure you have some daily fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
    • Non-perishable snacks. Crackers and chips make an easy snacks but they don’t replace an actual meal. If you have means of warming up water, we recommend grabbing some potato flakes and pasta to keep that stomach from grumbling.
    • A French press and some pre-ground coffee. If you’re a coffee drinker then we would highly recommend grinding some coffee today. Your future self will thank you. Thankfully a French press doesn’t require electricity, but it does require hot water. If you have an electric stove, instant coffee may be your best bet to get that caffeine fix.
    • Beef jerky and granola bars. For all you meat eaters, jerky is a great way to keep your protein levels up if you despise cold beans. Granola bars are also great. They’re convenient and versatile, and depending on the bar, they can be a good source of fiber and protein.
    • Applesauce, puddings and fruit cups. Your pick. But if the power’s out for a while you might get sick of Saltines and canned corn. To keep your mood up, give yourself a treat with a chocolate pudding, or enjoy a sweet, but semi-healthy snack with an applesauce or fruit cup.
    • Playing cards and boardgames. Whether it’s just you or a group, a deck of cards could most definitely come in handy. Playing cards or boardgames is a great way to pass the time. We recommend a regular deck of cards to start before moving into heavier, emotional games like Uno or Monopoly that could take a toll on your relationships.
    • Sleeping bags and blankets. It may not be the coldest time of the year, but if you’re used to having your electric heat on, then you’re in for a wake up call. Sleeping bags and blankets, as well as sweats, long socks, hoodies and beanies will help you stay warm while your heater can’t. It’s also good practice if you’re looking for ways to lower that pesky PG&E bill.
    • An emergency radio. If you’re lucky, you’ll never need to use one, but having a weather radio on hand can be lifesaving. Radios can help you find hot coffee, hot food, shelter or even a place to charge your phone. Some weather radios even double-up as lights and backup chargers.
    • Portable chargers. These are a great investment. We recommend having one fully charged at all times. If anything happens you can make sure your phone doesn’t lose its battery. If cell towers are active or have backup generators during a blackout, having enough phone battery to call family or friends to keep them updated or ask for updates can be essential.

    While all of these items are helpful and important, it’s vital to try and stay calm when the outage hits. Extreme situations can cause mass chaos, and it often becomes more dangerous and stressful than it needs to be. Check our website for updates, sign up for Humboldt County alerts to stay in the know and remember to only call 9-1-1 in emergency situations.

  • Power Outage Update: 850,000 PG&E Customers Could Be Affected

    Power Outage Update: 850,000 PG&E Customers Could Be Affected

    The upcoming blackout is expected to affect 36 counties across Northern California and last longer than before

    The extreme weather at the heart of the upcoming Public Safety Power Shutoff is expected to begin Saturday early evening and last until midday Monday, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.

    Despite original calculations that included only 32 counties and 640,000 PG&E customers, new information from the utility estimates the shutdown could impact 850,000 customers and possibly affect 36 counties across Northern California.

    PG&E Corporate Spokesperson Deanna Contreras confirmed the updated calculations in a phone interview.

    “This time there are some distribution lines that are in the PSPS scope,” Contreras said. “Whereas last time the PSPS was in transmission lines coming from outside of Humboldt that provide power here.”

    Contreras emphasized that she wanted customers to understand the reasoning behind the shut-offs.

    “I want people to understand why we’re doing this,” Contreras said. “It’s not just because it’s windy. I want people to understand that this is because there are serious wildfire risks during these weather events.”

    Contreras’ tone matched that of the latest PG&E press release.

    “The weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades,” PG&E’s statement said. “With widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.”

    According to Contreras, PG&E is working to minimize the shutoffs and is already working on a restoration plan for when the weather subsides. Contreras said the utility giant has requested help from other energy companies to speed inspections and repairs.

    “These crews are expected to be staged and briefed on the restoration plan by Sunday evening,” Contreras said. “If weather progresses as expected, restoration could begin in some portions of the affected area as early as Monday afternoon.”

    In response to the likely shutdown, Humboldt State will close campus from 9 a.m. Saturday through the end of Monday, Oct. 28, and encourages faculty and staff to grab belongings from offices and classrooms before buildings lock for the weekend.

    During the outage HSU Dining Services will offer free meals at the J after 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday evening for staff and students that bring their HSU identification. To help prepare residents for the PSPS, Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services also posted a list of nine power outage tips to its Facebook.

    “Have food for 2-3 days on hand that doesn’t require refrigeration and can be cooked on a camp stove or outdoor grill,” OES said in its post. “Remember though, never use a camp stove indoors.”

    The PG&E press release is copied below:

    Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today said it continues to monitor a potentially powerful and widespread dry, hot and windy weather event expected to begin impacting the service area Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. and lasting until midday Monday.

    PG&E will need to turn off power for safety several hours before the potentially damaging winds arrive. It’s important to note that as this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central Californiawill feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary, as well.

    The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is expected to affect approximately 850,000 customers and may impact portions of 36 counties across portions of Humboldt, the Sierra foothills, Western Sacramento Valley, North Bay, and across the greater Bay area, Monterey Bay and northern Central Coast on Saturday, Oct. 26. Customers in the southern-most portion of PG&E’s service area in Kern County could have power shut off for safety on Sunday, Oct. 27.

    Predictive data models indicate the weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades, with widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour (mph) and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.

    Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread. The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events.

    Given the forecast and conditions, PG&E is advising its customers of the potential for a widespread PSPS lasting several days, intended to prevent a catastrophic wildfire. As this intense weather event approaches the service area in the next 24 hours, PG&E’s forecasts will offer sharper detail, noting that the scope may continue to change on the number of customers who will be affected.

    This article was updated at 5:15 p.m. Friday.

  • Power Outage: Prepare for Up to 4 Days Without Electricity

    Power Outage: Prepare for Up to 4 Days Without Electricity

    Once again, PG&E did not initially include all of Humboldt in its outage prediction. But according to OES, all of Humboldt County will be affected.

    Due to possible extreme weather conditions and fire risk, all of Humboldt County is expected to lose power when Pacific Gas and Electric implements a Public Safety Power Shutoff early Saturday afternoon.

    “The latest information from PG&E is that all of Humboldt County is now in scope for this PSPS power outage,” a Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services Facebook post said on Thursday evening.

    PG&E began notifying specific customers of the possible outage on Thursday evening and will continue to do so. The utility also told OES that their online address look-up tool wasn’t up to date as of Thursday night, but will be updated soon.

    According to a post from the Humboldt County Government’s website, the outage is expected to last longer than the previous, which was only 28-hours, and residents should prepare to be without electricity for up to four days. The county also said the length of the outage and estimated time power could return is completely up to PG&E.

    OES also made a post with nine tips for preparing for the outage. The list is copied below.

    Are you prepared in the event the PSPS affects Humboldt County? There is still time to gather supplies and take steps to be ready if the power shuts off.

    Here are some tips to help you get prepared.

    1. Have food for 2-3 days on hand that doesn’t require refrigeration and can be cooked on a camp stove or outdoor grill. Remember though, never use a camp stove indoors.

    2. Have 1 gallon of water, per day, per person for drinking and cleaning.

    3. Have flashlights, battery operated lanterns or candles in a convenient location. Remember, if you are using candles, never leave them unattended, within reach of children, and keep them away from flammable items.

    4. Keep your refrigerated items cold by freezing water bottles. When the power goes out, transfer the frozen bottles around items in your fridge to help keep them cold. You can also transfer items to the freezer once the power is out to keep them cold. Remember to only open your fridge when absolutely necessary and make it quick. Don’t open your fridge to check to see if it’s cold.

    5. If you are getting close to needing a refill on prescriptions, do it soon.

    6. Fuel up your vehicle.

    7. Have cash on hand. When we lose power retailers may lose the ability to run debit and credit cards.

    8. Remember to check on your neighbors. We are all in this together and we strengthen our community by pulling together.

    9. Sign up for Humboldt Alert, Humboldt county’s emergency notification system. We will send out notification alerting you to any emergency that may affect you, not just a PSPS event. Click our link at the top of our Facebook page or visit Humboldtgov.org/alerts to sign up today.

    For more information on preparedness, visit Ready.gov.

    This story is ongoing and will be updated. For more information go to PG&E’s website or use their address lookup tool.

  • Protesting Climate Change

    Protesting Climate Change

    AHS and HSU students strike to advocate for climate action

    Video by James Wilde & Collin Slavey | Editing by Chelsea Wood

    Anxious and irritated with the lack of governmental action against climate change, masses of young people and students from Arcata High School and Humboldt State University took to the streets surrounding the Arcata Plaza on Friday as part of the Global Climate Strike.

    Inspired by the International Youth for Climate Action, the Humboldt Sunrise Movement in association with the Extinction Rebellion and students of AHS organized and executed the local school strike protesting climate change.

    Students were excited to show how strong their voices could be when used in unison. Maddie Marriott, a member of Extinction Rebellion, said the organization was aimed at gathering people for peaceful protest and that is what they hoped to achieve.

    • Maddie Marriot stands out in the crowd of demonstrators as she walks down I Street on Sept. 20. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Locals with an interest in helping the environment and pushing the government toward action participated in the youth strike too. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Maddie Marriot and Vanessa Argonza march down I street, shouting out chants and slogans on their way to the plaza. | Photo by Collin Slavey

    “We dance, yell, sing and chant to show our energy,” Marriott said. “This shows we are cheerful and hopeful and happy in the face of this threat. It is rejuvenating and these friends are empowering. Now we have to wait and see if our voice is being heard.”

    Marriott ended up agreeing to hold a sign that said “Protect Rainbow Ridge, our forests and our climate.” Ecological protection is one of the main goals of the movement, but Extinction Rebellion as a national organization demands governments tell the truth about climate change and act now to prevent species loss and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

    Vanessa Argonza, a Humboldt State student and member of the Extinction Rebellion, said speaking out and advocating for action is important. Change requires people to care and be passionate about an issue, while also realizing we can come together to create change.

    • Members of the Extinction Rebellion stand and watch the demonstrations on Sept. 20 in the Arcata Plaza. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Creative signs were a centerpiece to the demonstrations. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Maddie Marriot walks down I Street on Sept. 20 on her way to the Arcata Plaza. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Demonstrators gather in Arcata plaza, carrying with them a blow up planet earth. Hundreds of people were in attendance. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Signs help spread messages aiming to educate and advocate for action. | Photo by Collin Slavey
    • Vanessa Argonza leads the crowd of young people standing against climate change on Sept. 20. | Photo by Collin Slavey

    “In moments of injustice you must speak out because if you do not, you are part of the problem,” Argonza said. “The youth is well aware and willing to be part of the change because it affects them. We can come together and make change. You just have to be aware of your footprint and educate yourself before you speak out.”

    The protest did run into some technical issues as it spilled out into the Arcata Plaza. Unfortunately, the strike organizers failed to bring a speaker system that was loud enough for all of the attendees to hear, causing the message to fall flat. Joanne McGarry, a local supporter of the Environmental Advocacy and self-prescribed ‘gadfly’ suggested better planning in the future for a more impactful demonstration.

    Jene L. McCovey delivers a powerful, emotional speech about the threats to the Earth faces. | Photo by Collin Slavey

    “I am more than happy to let young people lead, they just have to lead well,” McGarry said. “Having music is important when you’re walking into the plaza, during the demonstration and as you exit the plaza. Having a speaker that is loud enough for the entire crowd to hear is unbelievably important.”

    The Sunrise movement was originally created as a youth advocacy group to show support for the Green New Deal, a stimulus package proposed by politician and activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in February of this year. The Sunrise Movement intends to work within ‘the system’ while actively changing the system, in pursuit of environmental and social justice through nonviolent and direct action. They are building an army of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.

    Tribal elder Jene L. McCovey began the rally in the plaza with a song called “Feeling Sorry for My Womenfolk,” a somber tune that spoke of hate and woe. She went on to tell stories and sing more songs to give purpose to the actions of the demonstrators.

    “The stumps are really big- that is all we have left of the old forest,” McCovey said. “Clear cutters, defilers, denude the land down to the earth and they burn it. Wherever you find your trials, be that healer. Be that person that walks with people in that good way. Be the water protectors.”

  • Hold Those in Power Accountable

    Hold Those in Power Accountable

    We all need to be aware of the consequences of our mistakes. And that means owning up to them, too. 

    You learn by your mistakes. This doesn’t mean you intentionally make mistakes in your everyday life, but it means that you learn from them and try your best to own up and do better the next time around. We must take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves and others accountable.

    The Mueller Report was recently released, detailing Donald Trump’s campaign involvement with Russia. But instead of holding himself accountable to his actions, he has instead chosen to go back to his original tactic of tweeting and vocally voicing his denial of the report and the related evidence. Trump has intentionally diverted attention away from the Mueller report by calling it “politically motivated,” and painting himself as the victim.

    Despite the years of investigation that went into the report, many are in denial of its authenticity. Some supporters have gone as far as writing the report off as “written by Angry Democrats and Trump Haters” while they downplay the damning evidence that says otherwise.

    It’s important to acknowledge those who are in denial of the mounting evidence and to acknowledge those who claim the report is incorrect or untrue despite the evidence proving the opposite.

    With Lisa Rossbacher’s departure looming and the announcement of the next Humboldt State University president, we want to highlight some of the issues brought up when it comes to those not taking into account the effects of their actions. On the president’s webpage, it claims that she wants to focus on key areas, “supporting student success, providing a welcoming environment for our diverse community, ensuring we have the resources needed to fulfill our mission and expanding partnerships, both on- and off- campus”.

    While that may be the case, there are multiple things that President Rossbacher has done that show otherwise. She had significant involvement in shutting down the football program, there has been a complete lack of acknowledgement of the racism in the school and campus community and the majority of anti-immigrant rhetoric on campus. To top it off, Rossbacher and the committee decided to gut KHSU without warning and the Arcata community isn’t too happy either.

    We are all human. Every day we make decisions and their consequences may not be immediately known to us or others. There can be immense pressure on an individual to make a decision in the heat of the moment, but when the consequences of that decision come to reality, it is important to acknowledge any mistakes, own up to them and work to rectify the issues.

    A bit of modesty can go a long way, because mistakes and failures are a natural part of life. As editors, we see and make plenty of small, seemingly irrelevant mistakes: misplaced commas, poor grammar and spelling errors. When a writer at the Lumberjack hands in an article, they have tried their best to catch their own mistakes but it is a show of modesty to allow us editors to mark up their work so the final presentation is handsome and polished. Even then, mistakes slip through the cracks and we try our best to see to them all.

    We should hold those in power to the same standards. If we at the Lumberjack expect our writers and editors to edit their work and try their best to catch their mistakes, then the Humboldt State community needs to hold Lisa Rossbacher accountable for her inaction just as much as the country needs to hold Donald Trump accountable for his. People in power should not get a pass simply because of their position.