The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: HSU

  • Housing conference weighs homelessness in Humboldt County

    Housing conference weighs homelessness in Humboldt County

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    Chant’e Catt and Mike Barnes, along with the Homeless Student Advocate Alliance (HSAA), are seeking to create a greater connection for students, the university, and the community. Something they plan on doing with the upcoming events after fall break.

    Catt is the founder and president of the HSAA. She said that an estimated 15 percent of students experience homelessness while attending HSU.

    Catt founded the HSAA last September to give a voice to students experiencing homelessness.

    “I eat, breathe and sleep this club,” Catt said. “This club is support for students who find themselves seeking housing.”

    Barnes, who is the current vice president for HSAA, said the three-day event is one of the biggest events they’ve done on campus, especially since they’ve taken on a lot of the event planning and marketing.

    “If I described this event in one word, it would be ‘necessary,’” said Barnes.

    Barnes said there isn’t enough information for students who have housing insecurities.

    According to Barnes, the event will include both student and community led organizations, such as the Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, Inc. (AHHA).

    Nezzie Wade is president of the board of AHHA. Wade said that they have worked with several groups of students at the university on housing-related issues and projects.

    Both Catt and Barnes said this event will open up a dialogue for students and will help bridge the local community with the student community.

    Barnes said that it might be hard to find seating for the first two days of the events because of how much support they’ve gotten from the community.

    ————————

    Day 1 – Nov. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. on the HSU University Quad.

    Afternoon sustainability fair consisting of student innovations and ideas of sustainable living outside of traditional dwellings.

    Housing: Indigenous Insights 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Native American Forum at HSU.

    A night of storytelling featuring Jene McCovey, an open forum for attendees to share their stories.

    Day 2 – Housing: Social Justice Insights Nov. 29th from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Native American Forum at HSU.

    Perspectives on social justice and breaking stigma. Featuring a Native Speaker and Vernon Price, a highly knowledgeable advocate for homelessness rights and co-star in I Am I was Homeless, a featured video to be shown; faculty members from the Department of Social Work, members of the Multi-Cultural Center, Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives and more representatives from HSU.

    Day 3 – Housing: Innovative Insights Nov. 30 from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. in the University Center Quad at HSU.

    The final day of the summit will consist of an idea fair, featuring student, faculty, and community projects focusing on anecdotal solutions to housing insecurity. The workshop will provide opportunities to acquire skills that will help support the lifestyle should you encounter it.

  • MCC vandalized twice

    MCC vandalized twice

    By | Iridian Casarez

    As Joselin Dorado was walking up to the MulitiCultural Center (MCC) on Sunday afternoon, she started to notice that the “Justice for Josiah” posters as well as “Our Culture is Not a Costume” campaign posters had been torn and left in front of the MCC.

    “This makes me upset,” Dorado said. “We try our best to include everyone at the MCC and this vandalism makes it seem like we’re failing.”

    Dorado also found a note that read “It’s okay to be white.”

    Dorado said she was heading to the MCC to work on a Día de los Muertos altar with a couple of her coworkers when she found the ripped up posters. She sent a photo to her coworkers in a group chat to tell them what happened. Dorado picked up the ripped posters and told her coordinator about the incident.

    “This incident was racist,” Dorado said. “They targeted posters with people of color and culture.”

    They contacted UPD and filed a police report. Dorado said that UPD dismissed the incident and said it was because of the Halloween weekend.

    “UPD kind of dismissed it and made it seem like we weren’t going to be able to catch the person,” Dorado said. “They didn’t even offer more patrol.”

    Ana Maria Diaz also works at the MultiCultural Center as the Campus and Community Dialogue on Race Coordinator. When Diaz heard about the incident, she said she was upset.

    “We thought it was a prank until it happened again,” Diaz said.

    The Wednesday after the vandalism occurred, more posters were found torn in front of the MCC. UPD was contacted again, and Dorado said that a different UPD officer was more upset that the incident occurred than the first UPD officer.

    “It’s frustrating, someone targeted a safe house,” Diaz said. “Once is enough.”

    Luz Espinoza, the intercultural intersectional specialist at the MCC said she found the vandalism as a personal attack against the MultiCultural Center and Josiah Lawson’s passing.

    “We have heard complaints about white people not feeling welcomed at the MCC, but that’s not true,” Espinoza said.

    Diaz and Espinoza, with the help of their coworkers Deema Hindawi and Teadja Owings, decided to take matters into their own hands. They decided to stake out the Multicultural Center on Halloween night.

    “We tried our best to make it look like we left,” Espinoza said. “We spent the night hoping to find and confront the person who vandalized the MCC.”

    On the night of their stakeout, the MCC stakeout team didn’t hear or see anything suspicious. They were unable to confront and catch the person who vandalized the MultiCultural Center.

    “If someone has a problem with the MCC, come talk to us,” Diaz said. “We’re open to dialogue.”

     

     

  • Jacks win big in first home game

    Jacks win big in first home game

    The Lumberjacks men’s basketball team won its first home game of the year in dominating fashion by dismantling the Pacific Union Pioneers 110-66.

    Jacks junior forward Jack Kaub was perfect from the field, scoring 15 points on just seven shots while also adding five assists to an all-around great game. “To play like we did today was really good for us,” Kaub said. “It was definitely a confidence booster and if we play the right way and play as a team we can win a lot of games.”

    Junior guard Tyras Rattler Jr. was 92.7 FM ESPN’s player of the game by scoring a double-double with 10 points, 10 boards and added six assists but Jacks head coach Steve Kinder especially appreciated Rattler for his contributions on the defensive side of the ball.

    “His defensive stance out on the floor is as good as anybody that has put on a Lumberjack uniform in quite a while,” Kinder said. “He can really intimidate an opponent just by his stance and his quickness with his hands. That’s a stat that doesn’t show up.”

    The Jacks did a great job of taking care of the paint and crashing boards, outrebounding the Pioneers by 17. This Jacks team is big and they’re ready to compete this season. Coach Kinder is excited by his squad’s all-around performance and the depth and size of the bench.

    “Just your length on the floor,” Coach Kinder said. “Your ability to get tips, your ability to be in lanes and shorten the court defensively, makes a difference in the game of basketball.”

    The Jacks bench made a huge difference in this game by outscoring the Pioneers reserves by 44 points. Jack’s junior forward Calvin Young II was the first man off the bench and didn’t miss a shot, leading all players with 16 points and adding two blocks.

    The 3-point shot was landing for the Jacks as the team was repeatedly left open by the struggling Pioneers defense. The home team shot over 50 percent from three on 17 shots. Senior guard Ashton Pomrehn made four threes off the bench and junior guard Kameron Curl added three more to the Jacks total.

    These Lumberjacks are high flyers and it was apparent on this night, especially for junior starting forward Davasyia Hagger, who was all over the court dunking on the Pioneers left and right. Hagger finished the game with 14 points and five boards on 66 percent from the field. With the Jacks new added size and athleticism, they should be exciting to watch this season.

    The Jacks get ready this week to host rival Chico State on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Lumberjack Arena in a game that will be televised on ESPN3. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. and Jacks fans are encouraged to wear all white for the “White Out” themed game.

    “I think this game in particular, “ Coach Kinder said. “Playing as hard as we did, taking charges, grabbing loose balls, saving the ball out of bounds, those types of things will generate some focus to prepare for Chico.”

     

  • Let the deceased rest in peace

    Let the deceased rest in peace

    By | Bryan Donoghue

    The Humboldt State University Biological Sciences department rents out four cadavers at a time from UC Davis’s Body Donation Program. John Reiss, a professor of the Anatomy Lab at Humboldt State University explains that cadavers on campus are not allowed to be photographed or shot on video. However, Reiss expresses that he’s seen some interesting things with his class.

    Cadaver Lab-5.jpg
    Skulls of HSU’s Anatomy Lab.

    “Most of the anatomy class here is focused on just learning the normal anatomy, but when something shows up it’s interesting,” Reiss said. “Some of the things we’ve seen are enlarged hearts, associated with congestive heart failure. The heart is extra big.”

    Christopher Mardis-Ruelas is a student who believes in the right to privacy after seeing bodies be dissected. He’s seen some of the private things like an enlarged heart be presented from a donated body.

    “If I was dead, I wouldn’t want people taking pictures of my dead body.” Mardis-Ruelas said.

    Kimberley H. Pipe, the assistant director for the Body Donation Program at UC Davis, talked about why confidentiality is so important. She expresses it in the way of the deceased being a member of your family.

    Cadaver Lab-1.jpg
    John Reiss in HSU’s Anatomy Lab with classroom skeleton. Photo credit: Tyler Boydstun

    “So, think about this. Your loved one, for example let’s say you have a mom who donated to our program, and someone decides to take a picture of your dead mother and then put it up on social media and it’s out there,” Pipe said. “Your deceased mother is, images of her deceased body, are out there on the internet. It’s disrespectful.”

    Videography and photography are strictly forbidden in the

    Cadaver Lab-7.jpg
    John Reiss and Phillip Robinson in the Anatomy Lab at HSU. Photo credit: Tyler Boydstun

    Anatomy Lab. If you visit the lab to see the cadavers, make sure it’s only to pay your respects.

  • The Godmother of wire

    The Godmother of wire

    By | Robert Brown

    Internationally collected and award winning, Godmother of wire sculpture, Elizabeth Berrien opens up her studio to show her latest creations in wire.

    “No one has the body of work that I do, or a track record of fulfilling such big jobs, so I get a lot of them, and it’s fun,” Berrien said.

    BROWN.PROFILE.11.1.2017.IMG_5626
    The Godmother of wire sculpture, Elizabeth Berrien in her studio on C street in Eureka, CA., Oct. 28, 2017. | Robert Brown

    Some of her clients include The BBC, The American Museum of Natural History, The Los Angeles Zoo, Louisville International Airport, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Disney. Her work can be found in Brazil, France, Spain, Sweden, Morocco, Belgium, Australia, China, Japan and in many other countries throughout the world.

    Until recently, wire sculpture was a rare and under-appreciated genre. It started as a folk art thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptians refined metal and drew wire to create hand-crafted wire jewelry and other useful items. Slovakia invented many wire items that are still in use today such as mouse traps, bird cages, wire baskets, and kitchen utensils.

    “All artists do what they like to look at,” Berrien said. “For me, thats animals. I would have loved to be a zoologist. I have done thousands of wire animals.”

     

    Kung Fu fighter wire sculpture by Elizabeth Berrien.
    Kung Fu fighter wire sculpture by Elizabeth Berrien. | Robert Brown

    By exploring wire for over 50 years, she has developed her own unique style, and brought her pieces up to the level of museum quality.

    “They say it takes 5,000 hours for someone to master an art,” Berrien said. “In my case, it’s more like 95,000 hours, and counting.”

    With the extensive amount of experience and knowledge she has gained from working with wire, Berrien designed and released a free Wire Sculpture Tutorial and Lesson Plan on the internet. They can be found at http://www.wirelady.com/berrienwirehowtopage.html. Today, wire sculpture is taught universally in almost every art school and art curriculum.

    “Every year I push it to somewhere it hasn’t gone before,” Berrien said. “A client will show me what they like, or an example, but it’s up to me how to interpret that into wire.”

    Berrien is currently working on two large pieces. One is a 20-foot tall space shuttle for a space center, and the other is a giant wall piece depicting ferns and wildflowers for Kaiser headquarters in Seattle.

    “By the time I get the 20-foot shuttle done, it will have all of the details, the NASA logo, the American flag, all of the little nuts and bolts, and rivets,” Berrien said. “I feel like a detective sometimes having to figure all of the details out.”

    Wire sculpture comes in 2D, an example would be a flat wall piece, and 3D, which would be a stand alone or hanging piece.

    Meitosis wire sculpture by Elizabeth Berrien.
    Meitosis wire sculpture by Elizabeth Berrien. | Robert Brown

    “In 3D you get different dynamics as you move around, shadows shift and change, you get more depth and emotion,” Berrien said. “Not everyone has the room for a 3D piece, but everyone has wallspace, so 2D is having a nice renaissance right now.”

    Two different forms of wire sculpture, closed and open form, are merged together in Berrien’s abstract piece, Mitosis. The blending of neatness and wildness, to depict the perfect imperfection that is the essence of the human body.

    The one and only rule in wire sculpture that has stuck with Berrien since her high school art teacher announced it in class is, “Don’t put your eye out!”

    “There are no rules,” Berrien said. “A client asks me for a technical piece, a polyhedron, twists/no twists, I just figure it out. There are lots of ways to connect wire together.”

    Clients come with requests that allow her to explore new techniques and methods creating with wire. Her series of Kung Fu fighters for a restaurant in Dubai had Berrien watching hours of Bruce Lee movies in order to get it right.

    “I don’t know if I would have done that if it wasn’t for a client requesting it,” Berrien said. “I really got into it.”

    Berrien’s work can be seen every first Saturday of the month during Arts Alive at 208 C Street in Eureka’s Old Town, and on her website at WireZoo.com.

     

  • The Jacks fall to Central Washington

    The Jacks fall to Central Washington

    The Jacks say goodbye to its 2017 season and potentially the Redwood Bowl after a tough loss of 42-28 against No. 7 Central Washington (10-0). The game was aired on ESPN3 and will go down in the books as a game day to remember for both its ups and its downs.

    “That’s a good football team,” Coach Smith said. “They are going to represent our conference very well in the playoffs.”

    Thompson.Ian.Feature-5880.jpg
    Photo credit: Ian Thompson

    Central Washington’s 21-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the game made it difficult for the Jacks to run through the rest of the game.

    At the start of the second half sophomore Davaeon Johnson attempted to turn the game around with a returned 77-yard touchdown picked off of Central Washington QB Reilly Hennessey.

    On the Jack’s next possession of the ball, a trick play featured a backward pass to senior Chase Krivashei which was then thrown to Jamere Austin in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown pass, putting the Jack’s back on the board with a score of 35-21.

    “It was a good momentum boost,” Johnson said, “we scored 14 points unanswered, but it just wasn’t enough.”

    The Jacks needed the victory to have a chance in the Division II playoffs. Central Washington will represent the conference with their likely earned No. 1 seed.

    “Even in this game we were behind,” Senior Alex Cappa said, “but we continued to fight, just like the whole year, and I think that really exemplifies what our team is about.”

    The No. 16 Jacks finished the season with an 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 record in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Despite the road blocks, the Jacks pulled through and had what many would consider a very accomplishing season.

    Unfortunately, The Jack’s football program is looking at a possible cut for reasons several supporters have yet to understand.

    Thompson.Ian.Feature-5855.jpg
    Shamir Geisinger (#29) of the wildcats dives to the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at the HSU Redwood bowl during the November 11 game. Photo credit: Ian Thompson

    “I don’t think anyone fully understands how difficult it has been to function daily with this cloud hanging over our heads,” Coach Rob Smith said. “There is a decision looming, and some people could possibly be very hurt by it.”

    President Lisa Rossbacher spoke to public on Monday, about the facts and prolonged decision of the Jack’s program. She pushed the decision for HSU Football and it’s destiny to December 1. Hurting potential recruiting efforts for the Jacks if the team were able to continue next fall.

    The possible cut made senior night even more bittersweet for the 24 seniors that may never get to return to the Redwood Bowl with the same football spirits.

    “We just tried to stay focused,” Senior Robert Webber said, “there is not much we can do about the outside noise. We try to keep it within the locker room and play for each other.”

    Head Coach Rob Smith continues to feel kindly about the hard work and dedication these boys have put in since January.

    “There is always an end to what you do,” Coach Smith said. “You don’t put in the work that we do unless you truly love what it is that you are doing.”

  • Student veterans get honored

    Student veterans get honored

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    At this week’s football game on Saturday, Nov. 11, three student veterans will be honored during halftime.

    Scott Elsworth will be awarded a thousand dollar scholarship. This scholarship is the first ever at HSU. The money for the scholarship was donated by Sean T. and Robin Baille.

    “It is a nice surprise to be selected,” Elsworth said, “and I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

    Elsworth who is originally from Porterville, California served four years in the U.S. Navy. He is currently in his senior year at HSU majoring in Forestry/Hydrology. Elsworth is an active member of the water resource club on campus and is currently learning to play the violin as a memento of his time in college.

    Former U.S. Navy Fire Controlman James Lamping will be awarded the Veteran Meritorious Award. This award is based on the students’ academics as well as their work with veterans both on and off campus. Lamping’s peers nominated him for this award.

    “I was extremely honored to receive this award,” Lamping said, “I know this is a nomination based award, and those who nominated me, thank you.”

    Lamping who was raised in Irvine, California, served six years in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Higgins. During his time he was deployed three times. Twice to the Persian Gulf and once on an “Around the World” tour. Lamping is currently a Forestry major with an emphasis in forest soils, he is also working towards a minor in Geospatial analysis.

    McKinleyville local Lucas Miller will be awarded the Humboldt Hero’s Award. This award can be awarded to any veteran in the Humboldt County community. Miller will also be playing in Saturday’s game against Central Washington.

  • Vets day at the zoo

    Vets day at the zoo

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    On Friday, Nov. 10 the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation will be opening its doors to everyone for free.

    In honor of Veterans Day, the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation with sponsorship from the Times-Standard is offering free admission to the zoo all day.

    According to Ashley Mobley, Events and Marketing Coordinator with the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation, the zoo has been doing this event for the past few years.

    “The zoo is a community asset, it’s important to serve those who served,” Mobley said, “we can do this by giving a free day to everyone.”

    Mobley said that they are able to do an event like this because they have the sponsorship from the Times-Standard.

    Christina Arends, office coordinator for the Times-Standard, said that in the past they have sponsored the Red Panda Day events but this is the first time they are sponsoring the Veterans day event.

    According to Mobley, there will be a variety of different things for guests to experience at the zoo, from animal feedings, petting barnyard animals, a kids coloring contest, and visiting the resident bald eagles Cheyenne and Juneau.

    “There will also be veterans services tables there as well, the Eureka Vet Center will be there the whole day,” Mobley said, “and the Humboldt County Veterans Services Office will be there from 11 AM to 2 PM.

    Mobley said that when the zoo does free events like this, they tend to see an increase in admissions, but it still does depend on the weather if people will come out or not.

    “Free events like this gives an opportunity to people that might not normally come out to the zoo,” Mobley said.

    The Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation opens at 10 AM and admission is free all day.

     

  • A veteran community at HSU

    A veteran community at HSU

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    With a strong sense of community, the Student Veterans Association (SVA) have been helping student veterans since 2008.

    SVA President James Lamping said that the club is about creating an atmosphere and peer to peer support for veterans, dependents, and active service members on campus.

    “We having monthly meetings to help create a community on campus for veterans,” Lamping said. “This kind of club can help with a veterans transitions back to civilian life.”

    Navy veteran and Environmental Science major Heather Navle-Stierley said that when she got out of the military in August of 2015, she had very little support.

    “The SVA has helped me transition into student life,” Navle-Stierley said. “Military life was all I had ever known since I was 18 years old.”

    Navle-Stierley, who is also acting SVA vice-president said that she has always felt welcomed and not judged for being a combat veteran with little civilian life experience.

    According to Kim Hall, Veterans Coordinator as of Fall 2017, there are around 740 veteran affiliated students on campus, ranging from veterans, dependents, and active service members.

    “We have around 180 veterans, 585 dependents, and a handful of active duty service members,” Hall said.

    Air Force veteran and marketing major Myra Hallman is one of 22 registered members of the SVA. She said that being apart of SVA gives her a way to contribute to the community in different ways, and it helps polish her leadership and time management skills.

    According to Hallman, the SVA recently ran a supply drive to help the families in need down in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

    “It’s a small way to help those in need,” Hallman said.

    Hallman said that she feels very fortunate to have an opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest student veterans at HSU through the SVA.

    According to Lamping, the club here on campus is part of a larger national organization called Student Veterans of America.

    “Student Veterans of America helps campuses nationwide create community resource centers,” Lamping said. “We’re opening up one here in Library Room 55, within the next few weeks or so.”

    According to Lamping, the SVA will be going to San Antonio, Texas during the winter break for the Student Veterans of America conference, which brings together thousands of student veterans from across the country.

    “We’ll being driving an RV there and back,” Lamping said. “The RV is gonna have a big HSU and SVA logo on the sides.”

    Lamping and Hallman said that they will be documenting the entire trip and sharing the clubs journey on social media as part of a marketing campaign for Student Veterans of America.

    “We’ve been talking to the marketing and communications team about taking over the Instagram page for the trip,” Lamping said.

  • Student Veterans gains larger community space

    Student Veterans gains larger community space

    By | Lauren Shea

    The community space for student veterans has grown as the support for student veterans continues.

    The Student Veterans Association cafe is up and running again. The café helps fund activities and events for student veterans. The café resides outside the Veterans office on the lower level of the library.

    The food ranges from coffee to organic food and gluten free options. James Lamping, Forestry Major, talked about the type of food they have at the cafe.

    LSSVA2
    Mural inside the Veterans Office in the Lower Library room 58. Photo credit: Lauren Shea

    “We usually try to have healthier options,” Lamping said. “Once we move into the larger community space, we would like to try to create SVA mason jars for students.”

    Lamping is a U.S. Navy veteran where he spent six years in the service.

    “The biggest off-putting factor of going back to school after the military is the huge age gap,” Lamping said. “Being 28 in college with people much younger than me was tough. It helps to find a common ground with people.”

    The Student Veterans Association not only provides resources for student veterans, but a space to build relationships in a familiar community. They’re closely linked with the Student Veterans Association on the national level. They help to represent student veterans with programs such as the GI Bill and their healthcare and give them the opportunity to be heard and represented as a military population in the government but on a school level.

    “The organization really puts a huge effort into creating awareness of the challenges that veterans go through when transitioning back into civilian life,” Lamping said.

    Lamping had the support of the Veterans Resource Center at his community college.

    “The transition wasn’t that insane to me, but I know people that have come out with PTSD and other mental trauma,” Lamping said. “It’s really important to have that community space where you can talk with people about it.”

    One of their main goals is to create and have a community space for veterans to build a support system in a familiar community. They plan to have a soft opening of the space soon and hope to get grant money in the future to furnish it.

    Some of the activities that the Student Veterans Association have are intramural sports. Last year, they played Dodgeball. This year they’re playing Volleyball. Their team is named the Blue Falcons.

    Myra Hallman, the scribe for the association helps plan some of the events for the student veterans. She is also involved with planning activities in the Outdoor Program.

    “The Outdoor Program really helps vets with getting them outdoors and decompressing,” Hallman said. “We’ve done quite a few different activities. Some of the activities we have are hiking, rafting, kayaking and snowboarding.”

    Kim Hall, the Veterans Program Administrator, helps veterans transition, get enrolled and provide resources for their start at HSU.

    “The program is run mainly by student veterans in the program,” Hall said. “We provide them with the sense of community for people transitioning into civilian life.”

    The Student Veterans Association and the Veterans Transition services are closely tied with the Veterans Resource Center in Eureka.

    “I think the support for veterans is important and the program helps bring awareness to community,” Hall said.

    HSU veterans and students in the community will come together on Veterans Day to honor their services.

     

  • Día de los Muertos at the MCC

    Día de los Muertos at the MCC

    By | Ian Benjamin Finnegan Thompson

    Dancing, Mexican food and ephemeral art were all part of the celebration at the multicultural center of HSU last Thursday for the Mexican holiday of Día De Los Muertos. Food was provided free for students by Los Giles and paid for by the multicultural center. Local artist Lilia Valencia Duran created an ephemeral sawdust dye art piece in collaboration with students who wanted to participate. Ballet Folklorico De Humboldt put on a traditional Mexican dance performance. Vice President of the Ballet Folklorico De Humboldt club Daniel Gomez said the dances and attire for the dance performance were from varying parts of Mexican regions including Veracruz, Jalisco and Sinaloa. 

     

  • All-Female Mariachi Flor de Toloache Perform At HSU

    All-Female Mariachi Flor de Toloache Perform At HSU

    By | Robert Brown

    From playing in the subway to performing at mariachi festivals, the all-female band has been nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Ranchera album. Their style is infused with salsa, pop, jazz, hip-hop and rhythm and blues, reinterpreting classic Latin and English language songs.

    Mariachi is a type of folk music that originates from rural Mexico, traditionally performed by Mexican men. Mariachi is passed from generation to generation, and is historically very macho. Feeling a cultural and generational divide, Flor de Toloache set out to create a new type of musical group that represents and empowers women.

    Based in New York City, Flor de Toloache is often gigging three nights a week or more in clubs, theaters, churches and events around the area. The band’s name comes from the toloache flower, which is a moonflower that opens up at night and has been used in love potions since ancient Aztec times in Mexico.

    Shae Fiol, founding member of Flor de Toloache, was born into a culturally mixed family of Cuban and American heritage. Shae is known for her incredible vocal talent and songwriting skills.

    Mireya I. Ramos is of Dominican and Mexican descent, and is a violinist, vocalist, composer and arranger. She founded Flor de Toloache in 2008. Her inspiration is her dad, who was a mariachi and would take her to watch him sing at his gigs and at restaurants when she was growing up.

    Julie “Jewls” Acosta is Dominican, and was trained as a classical trumpeter. She is able to play many different trumpet styles from latin, mariachi, soul, jazz, rock and pop.

    Eunice “Lilo” Aparicio has been playing the guitarron since the age of seven, and provides more than 25 percent of the sound and melody of Flor de Toloache.

    The group played in Humboldt State University’s Van Duzer Theater on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, as part of their Day Of The Dead Tour.

  • What’s your costume?

    What’s your costume?

    By | Iridian Casarez

    IMG_4404

    Bailey Tennery

    Journalism, 3rd year

    Velma

    “I chose to be Velma from Scooby Doo, I have always loved her,” Tennery said. “She was the smartest one.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    IMG_4407John Yu

    Zoology junior

    Monkey

    “All weekend, I was at Halloween parties as a monkey with a bundle of bananas and people kept asking me for them, so I decided to get bananas and started giving them away,” Yu said. “I’m the Monkey King.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    IMG_4410 (2)

    Alycia Padilla

    Wildlife senior

    Steampunk Keyblade Master

    “I’m a steampunk Keyblade Master from the video game Kingdom Hearts,” Padilla said. “I’ve always liked steampunk style and Kingdom Hearts has different Keyblade Masters so I came up with my own.”

     

     

     

     

    IMG_4400
    Photo by Iridian Casarez

    Madeline Lueck

    Botany

    Scarecrow

    “My partner went as a crow, so I decided to be a scarecrow,” Leuck said. “It took days to put it together but I thought it’d be fun.”

     

     

    IMG_4416Ryan Maberry

    Forestry 2nd year

    Elf on the Shelf

    “I’ve been told I look like an elf so I dressed up as the Ellf on the Shelf,” Maberry said. “It took me about two hours to put together.”

     

     

     

    IMG_4419

    Zachary Warren

    Sophomore Econ major

    Ash Ketchum

    “I normally do really bad costumes, I will have an idea and then try to do it myself and it doesn’t work out, so I wanted to be something really cool this year,” Warren said. “Ash is a recognizable character. A lot of people grew up with Pokémon so I thought it’d be really cool.”

     

  • B-The Underwater Bubble Show In Eureka

    B-The Underwater Bubble Show In Eureka

    By | Robert Brown

    The Arkley Theatre was transformed into an underwater world called Bubblelandia on Thursday, Oct. 26.

    Mr. B and the inhabitants of Bubblelandia went on an imaginary journey in an underwater world full of seahorses, dragon fish, starfish, and mermaids, where fantasy becomes reality.

    The plot is based on the modern everyday life of most people, always too busy and filled with stress. Becoming increasingly abusive of modern technology like mobile phones and other gadgets that allow us to make a faster connection, but cause us to lose connection with reality. People need to have a time when they can just let go of everything and daydream.

    The show was inspired by the famous Canadian troupe “Cirque du Soleil,” and is a blend of drama, mimery, dance, puppetry, juggling, contortionism, sand art and magic. Laser technology, soap bubble tornadoes, fog machines and smoke filled bubble machines that create optical illusions along with amazing performers. The show was projected live on a 380 square foot LED screen that became the backdrop for the performance.

  • Celebrating Dia de Los Muertos

    Celebrating Dia de Los Muertos

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    As a little girl in México, MultiCultural Center Liaison Joselin Dorado would celebrate Día de Los Muertos by contributing to her school’s altar, and on Nov. 2, she would go on processions to the cemeteries with her mother or other family members to visit their late ancestors’ graves, take them flowers and spend time “eating with them.”

    Día de Los Muertos is a colorful celebration that dates back over 3,000 years, that is celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Día de Los Muertos, which translates to Day of the Dead, is a celebration of friends and family members who have passed away.

    According to Dorado, the “altares,” or “altars,” are one of the most traditional ways to honor late loved ones.

    “The altars include pictures of loved ones and Flores de cempasúchil (the Mexican marigold),” Dorado said. “The flowers are believed to attract their spirits because of their aroma.”

    Dorado said that altars might also include the favorite food or drink of the people being honored. If a child is being honored, the altar might have their toys. Candles are also placed on altars to help the spirits of loved ones find their way back to the light.

    Psychology major Carolina Gonzalez-Estolano said she is fortunate that she has never lost a family member or close loved one, but she still celebrates Día de Los Muertos.

    “Growing up, we would always go to events at cemeteries,” Gonzalez-Estolano said, “or we would go to family homes for dinner and celebrate the lives of loved ones.”

    According to Dorado, Día de Los Muertos has become more commercialized over the years, and traditional celebrations differ from town to town. It’s celebrated mostly in rural areas by the indigenous peoples of Mexico, while in the United States, Chican@s or the Latinx communities view the day as a take-back or connection to their roots.

    “Día de Los Muertos can have a deep significance,” Dorado said, “but it’s a tradition that gets lost in big cities (specifically talking about Mexico).”

    According to Gonzalez-Estolano Día de Los Muertos are often confused, though they are different holidays celebrated in different ways.

    “Nowadays, Halloween is associated with dressing up, scary things, candy, and trick or treating,” Gonzalez-Estolano said, “Día de Los Muertos is about remembering your loved one, appreciating them and the people they were.”

  • Jacks vs. Alums

    Jacks vs. Alums

    Great players of Humboldt State men’s basketball past came back to play in the annual alumni game against your current Jacks team on Oct. 28. at Lumberjack Arena.

    The now visiting HSU alums put together a talented squad of players to give the Jacks all they could handle, including 14-year international player Austin Nichols. Nichols led the Jacks to the D-2 Final Four in 2004.

    “I like the direction of the program,” Nichols said. “They look really sharp and play well as a team. It’s still early, so they had some chemistry issues but they just gotta stay the course and buy into what [coach] is saying.”

    IMG_5710
    acks junior forward Jack Kaub (32) attempts the floater over the HSU alumni defender. The Jacks beat the alumni 93-82 on Oct. 28 at Lumberjack Arena.

    The Jacks players were able to come out and play at a high level against some stiff competition and showed why they will be a force this season by winning the game 93-82. Coach Steve Kinder was pleasantly surprised by his team’s success.

    “It was a great experience for us to play against great competition and play well,” Coach Kinder said. “You’re playing against guys like Austin Nichols and Kevin Johnson…guys that are still playing overseas professional ball.”

    The players should be confident heading into games next weekend as the regular season is all set to begin. Without much of a preseason, the alumni game is a good way to see where the team needs improvement.

    IMG_5763
    The Jacks Basketball team (white) faced off against HSU alumni (green) on Oct. 28 at Lumberjacks Arena. The Jacks beat the alumni 93-82.

    Jacks redshirt senior guard, Will Taylor is a leader on the court and the alumni game is a sign of the start of the regular season games.

    “We don’t have a ton of preseason games and next week we’re going to play D-II teams,” Taylor said. “This is our last chance to tune up against an opponent other than ourselves, so we take it very seriously.”

    The season kicks off on Nov. 3 in Anaheim but the Jacks first home game is Nov. 13 against the Pacific Union Pioneers.

    Jacks redshirt junior guard, Tyras Rattler is ready for the real games to begin but loves playing against the alumni. Rattler scored 22 points and added five boards in the game.

    “I like meeting the people that played before me, I learn from them and they give me good advice,” said Rattler. “Our goal is to go to the national championship and get a trophy. That’s our goal and we’re gonna try to get that.”

     

     

     

     

  • Thriller dance class

    Thriller dance class

    By | Ian Benjamin Finnegan Thompson

    Center Activities held a Thriller dance class last Thursday in preparation for Halloween. The participants will be holding a flash mob of the dance at 1pm on Halloween at the UC Quad.

  • Halloween at Headwaters

    Halloween at Headwaters

    By | Lauren Shea

    The fog crept in and darkness started to fall as people walked further in the forest listening to the stories of the past.

    Over 60 people came down Elk River road to experience their Halloween weekend in a creative and educational way on Saturday night. Halloween at Headwaters Forest Reserve took you through the forest trail guided by candle light on the sides of the trail. The event was based on the living history of the old logging town Falk that use to make up the area.

    “We’re going on a spooky hike tonight,” said one of the trail leaders. “Where you can hear the echoes of the past.”

    LSHalloween2
    Another character talking about his time in the town Falk. Photo credit: Lauren Shea

    People from all ages walked the trail led by people playing characters that were dressed in clothing that were worn in the late 1800’s. They spoke about their life in the town of Falk.

    There were many people from the park system volunteering their time to the event. Deja Malone who works for the Watershed and Stewards Program talked about her time with the event.

    “Tonight, we are here to celebrate Halloween at Headwaters,” Malone said. “We have a fabulous turnout tonight.”

    This is the secnd time the event is being held at Headwaters Forest Reserve.

    “It’s a great way to educate the public about this town in a creative way,” Malone said.

    LSHalloween1
    One of the characters talking about her time in the town Falk. Photo credit: Lauren Shea

    Noah Falk, the founder of the town Falk, purchased 160-acre parcels and started the Elk River Lumber Mill in 1884. The mill was about an hour away from Eureka by stagecoach, so the town was self-sufficient. The town contained a cookhouse, general store, dance hall, post office and many homes. At one point, there were about 400 people that lived in the town of Falk.

    The Elk River railroad took lumber and people to the town of Bucksport, where the Bayshore Mall is today. The town was only 2 miles away from the “big city” of Eureka where old town Eureka is today.

    Many families went to the event. Erin Ortiz, from Eureka, went with her daughter. She was happy to be able to take her daughter through the trail.

    “It was really great,” Ortiz said. “We learned about how to stay away from rivers and how people lived back in the 1900s.”

    The mill was abandoned in 1937 because of The Great Depression and the town disappear after the 1950s.

    “Deer, bears and cougars started to take over the town after it was abandoned,” one of the characters said.

    In March of 1999, the federal government purchased the land that is now Headwaters Forest Reserve.

    LSHalloween4
    Volunteer telling stories inside the Headwaters Outdoor Education Center. Photo credit: Lauren Shea

    Nicole Hewitt, student at HSU, said it was fun to come out and see the reserve.

    “It was pretty awesome,” Hewitt said. “I’ve never been to the Headwaters Reserve. It was interesting to hear some of the history behind this place.”

    The tour ended at the Headwaters Outdoor Education Center, a building left over from the town that has since been remodeled as an education center. Another volunteer told stories inside the barn.

    The Headwaters Forest Reserve is open all year round to walk the trails and forest of the old remains of the town Falk.

    For more information on Headwaters Forest Reserve, visit http://www.blm.gov.

  • Scary Science

    Scary Science

    By | Juan Herrera

    Haunted houses are scary enough, throw in moving objects and you have a whole new ballgame.

    The Kinetic Sculpture Lab hosted their Haunted Kinetic Lab of Horrors to the Arcata community to give them a pre-scare for Halloween. The Horror Lab consists of a maze of many different projects created by the Kinetic Sculpture team. They are not only terrifying but also move to make the sculptures even scarier. This event has been going since 2009 and always takes place a few days before Halloween as well as the day of. At the event the Dead Drops, a music band, will be live performing as well as a free barbecue for people who survive the lab. This year the event took place on the corner of 8th and N St. in Arcata on Oct. 26-28 and Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to midnight. If your a fan of haunted houses, go on down and see if you can survive.

  • HSU releases 2017 crime report

    HSU releases 2017 crime report

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    With the goal of being open, honest, and transparent, HSU has released their annual crime report. The report includes incidents that happen on the general campus, in the campus residence halls, non-campus locations, and public property.

    CRcrimereport-1.JPG

    The report has been released as part of the Clery Act that was signed into federal law in 1990. The Clery Act requires all federally-funded institutions to release their campus safety information. This report covered all incidents that were reported to the University Police Departments over the last three years.

    “When crimes do happen, we are faithful about reporting them,” President Lisa Rossbacher said. “We owe it to our students and their families.”

    University Police Chief Donn Peterson said that this report gives people the opportunity to see whats going on at the University.

    The 37-page report summarizes the different offenses that have had a report over the last three years. The crime statistics section of the report indicated that there no reported cases of murder, manslaughter by negligence, incest, or statutory rape.

    CRcrimereport-4.JPG

    Over the last three years, there has been a total of five or under cases reported for robbery, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.

    The highest reported offenses over the last three years were either liquor law offenses or drug law offenses.

    “Our numbers are a little higher than other campuses,” Rossbacher said, “but we do have policies in place to help lower those numbers.”

    According to the crime report, the number of liquor law referrals on the general campus and in campus residence has gone up significantly since 2014. On campus, referrals jumped from 19 in 2014 to 87 in 2016. Campus residence referrals went from eight in 2014 to 83 in 2017.

    CRcrimereport-5.JPG

    Rossbacher said that while alcohol is allowed on campus, only students who are 21 and over can drink, and only if they’re in their dorms. They can’t be in the common areas.

    While drug law offenses have started to go down since 2014, the numbers are still high. On campus, both general campus and in the residence halls, there have been over a little over a thousand drug law referrals in the past three years.

    According to Peterson, there is a full-time staff member within the University Police Department that checks the daily calls and reports every day.

    “It’s a system of checks and balances to make sure all of the reporting is accurate,” Peterson said.

    Peterson said that the Clery reporting process continues to evolve. By the time the next report is released, there will be a dedicated team which will involve more stakeholders throughout the University and a director hand picked by President Rossbacher.

    The stakeholders that will be involved in this new team would be representatives from University Police, Housing, Athletics, Title IX, Risk Management, Student Health, Student Conduct, Dean of Students, Public Information, International Programs and Campus Counsel.

    Vice President of Student Affairs Wayne Brumfield said he is working closely with Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to get students’ opinions on campus safety.

    “We’ve started these forums in early October,” Brumfield said, “we want to listen to students and get their perspective.”

    CRcrimereport-3.JPG

    From this forum, the main student concern about safety on campus was lighting. There are a few spots on campus that students don’t like to be because of how dimly lit the area is.

    Brumfield said that after these forums, which are proposed to continue into the spring semester, he will be working with the city of Arcata and the university to see what can be done to make sure students feel safe both on campus and in the community.

    “When students feel safe on campus, they’re in a safe learning environment, which is something that helps with retention rates,” Brumfield said.

    If you are interested in sharing your thoughts on campus safety there are three forums left for this semester. Oct. 31 in the JGC Rec Room, Nov. 13 in the College Creek Great Hall and Nov. 27 in the JCG Rec Room and forums are at 6 p.m.

  • Campus and community dialogue on race

    Campus and community dialogue on race

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    Next week marks the 19th annual Campus Dialogue on Race held at Humboldt State University.

    According to Kumi Watanabe-Schock, library media coordinator and CDOR committee member, the event started in 1998 from an initiative presented by former President Bill Clinton to get colleges and universities talking about race.

    “Over past years we’ve only held events on campus,” Watanabe-Schock said, “this is the first year we’re holding events both on campus and in the community.”

    Each year, the CDOR has had a different topic of focus. This year, the event focus is, “Beautiful Struggle: Love and Care in the Time of Hate and Violence”.

    The different workshops presented will include cultural appropriation vs. cultural appreciation, the Asian American experience and needs, a digital storytelling workshop, and a black and blue dialogue.

    There will also be several film screenings and discussions throughout the week. Films covering topics from American revolutionaries to students promoting institutional equity.

    Watanabe-Schock said that the committee takes around a year to plan, and start planning the next year’s events as soon as the current year finishes.

    “We get input from people on and off campus to see what workshops we should cover and what keynote speaker we should get for the following year,” Watanabe-Schock said.

    The events start on Monday, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. with keynote speaker Melina Abdullah, professor and department chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University Los Angeles.

    To get the full schedule of next weeks events go to humboldt.edu/dialogue/#schedule.

  • Uncomfortable identities explored

    Uncomfortable identities explored

    An event is only defined by its memory or lack thereof. The two-day symposium (Un)Comfortable Identities: Representation of Persecution at Humboldt State University examined the effect of persecution on memory, identity and culture of ethnic groups. The convention held on Oct. 20 and 21 addressed topics of race, sexuality, religion, disability, and gender.

    HSU professors and scholars from across the nation presented research and studies in various disciplines pertaining to displacement, persecution, and memory.

    Organized by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM,) the event is part of an ongoing outreach to bring Holocaust studies into North American education via symposia, lectures, and workshops.

    Since attending a faculty program hosted by USHMM, Humboldt State Critical Race and Gender Studies (CRGS) professor Maral Attallah and Native American Studies instructor Kerri J. Malloy have been working to bring this type of event to HSU.

    “We wanted this to be an opportunity to develop relationships for HSU student internships, for research, and for more faculty to participate in these seminars,” Malloy said.

    W. Jake Newsome of the USHMM says this event has been in the works for almost two years. “[Symposiums] are tailored to the local community, so they can be more impactful,” Newsome said. Speakers were selected per panel to complement each other both by USHMM and HSU.

    “We worked closely with [Attallah and Malloy] to bring on leading experts on race, identity, and activism,” Newsome said. “We brought in educators from across the country to talk about some of the challenges, strategies, and rewards of teaching topics students might find problematic.”

    Ramona Bell, CRGS associate professor at HSU spoke on the persecution of black athletes. “I wanted to show today that they are change agents,” Bell said. “They are resilient and not passive.”

    Bell says that getting these topics to be talked about starts with “a realization of your own code of ethics.” Whatever the issue might be, “do you care?” Bell said.

    The event was open to the public and brought together an audience of local community members, students, and faculty. “Even if this is happening at Humboldt, it’s benefiting a much larger audience,” Malloy said.

     

  • One dollar forward two dollars back

    One dollar forward two dollars back

    By | Curran C. Daly

    Humboldt State has spent more money that it has made in each of the last seven years. This tradition of deficit spending has led to the implementation of a three-step process to address the deficit and reinvest in the university.

    The university is currently in the early stages of planning Phase Two of the budget re-organization. Where Phase One looked to make changes that could be implemented quickly, Phase Two is tasked with making more systemic changes. A January letter from President Rossbacher’s cabinet to the University Resource and Planning Committee outlined the different aspects of the budget reduction plan.

    “To start, we are focused on Phases One and Two to reduce the University’s expenditures by 5 percent to address the deficit,” said the letter. “If any funds remain, begin strategic reinvestment.”

    Instead of making horizontal cuts, in which every department gets cut 4-5 percent, the Provost’s office is looking at making vertical cuts in which some departments take larger cuts than others. How large a cut a department will be asked to make depends on potential cuts identified within departmental budgets.

    Screen Shot 2017-10-24 at 3.29.19 PM

    “We are looking at a 5 percent efficiency,” said Provost Alexander Enyedi. “But we told the colleges to look at 2 percent.”

    The effort to balance Humboldt’s budget is not as simple as increasing enrollment. Even when Humboldt’s enrollment reached its peak in the 2015-2016 academic year, the school still overspent its revenue by $700,000. Humboldt State currently spends more money per full-time equivalent students than any other similarly sized campus in the California State University system. What reached $15,810 per student in the financial year of 2015-2016 is expected to reach $17,904 for the 2017-2018 financial year. This has created an expected deficit of $1,600,000 for the 2017-2018 Academic year.

    Phase Two is now tasked with getting Humboldt State’s budget to a point where the revenue exceeds the expenditures for the first time in nearly a decade. Still early in the planning stages, Dean for the College of Professional Studies Manohar Singh is still not able to say exactly what cuts to expect.

    “We have not identified any specific things because we are right in the beginning of that process,” said Singh. “We are looking at photocopying for example, we are looking at how many papers we print, we are looking at how many telephone lines are in the college, so maybe there are some sources of savings there.”

    Screen Shot 2017-10-24 at 3.23.36 PM

    The largest component of Humboldt State’s expenditures is spent on salaries and wages. What comes out to $67,000,000 takes up 50 percent of Humboldt’s expenditures for the 2017-2018 year. Salaries and wages take up a large part of the budget. There is a possibility that cuts could impact faculty positions.

    “We are also very conscientiously looking at every individual as a human being, so it’s not like we are going to go out and say ‘alright one, two, three, four are out,’” said Singh. “It is going to be a very, very sincere, conscientious effort to respect everybody.”

    One way the school is currently saving money is the elimination of vacant positions. This has lead to the elimination of the position of Dean of Research and has cut down on the number of available custodial positions on campus.

    The university is focused on making budget changes that will lead to a more efficient budget that does not negatively affect student experiences on campus.

    “What we want to do, is we don’t want to impact students,” said Provost Enyedi.