The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: HSU

  • Editorial: Cutting College

    Editorial: Cutting College

    The Trump budget rejects low-income students

    By The Lumberjack Editorial Board

    The 2018 Trump administration budget is an utter catastrophe for college students. If you thought a 5 percent tuition fee increase was worrisome, well, look out. The cuts to the Department of Education alone will have you rethinking the decision to attend college altogether. 
    While the White House is holding up the promise to increase defense funding, the budget slashes programs that help college students. When you analyze the full impact of these cuts, things aren’t looking pretty for the low-income students.
    The budget slashes funds for the Federal Pell Grant, also known as FAFSA, by $3.9 billion. FASFA is the largest federal grant program according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The FAFSA program helps students and families making less than $40,000 a year. Because the FAFSA is a grant, students don’t have to repay the money or incur student loan debt. 
    Students count on the FAFSA to not only help with educational costs but also for their livelihood. For some, the Pell grant can mean anything from affording school supplies or food, to housing. Without the aid of FAFSA low-income students aren’t left with many options to fund their education and seek a better life. 
    If you were hoping to find help through the other programs within the educational system, unfortunately, the cuts don’t stop with FAFSA. In the Trump budget, the Department of Education stands to lose a total of $9 billion. The reductions concentrate on all of the programs intended to support low-income students. The budget eliminates the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program – another federally funded grant programs meant to help low-income students. The budget also reduces funding for the Federal Work-Study Program allocation and various college scholarship programs for both STEM and humanities majors.  These aren’t even the cuts that are going to cut funding to primary education. 
    College students with children are most impacted by the proposed cuts to federally funded after-school programs. The cut eliminates $1.2 billion from the budget allotted to the 21st century Community Learning Centers program which is responsible for before-and-after school programs. 
    On top of all of these cuts, the passing will mean that Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will succeed in getting taxpayers to fund charter schools and private school vouchers. The budget adds a $168 million for charter schools and puts away $250 million for “new private school choice program.” 
    If this Trump budget proposal is an initial outline for what could be, students and future generations should worry about the affordability of higher education. Without education, the low-income are left to rot in the bottom of the barrel. America was and is made great by the ability for those without money to become educated and seek the same life as those born into privilege. Taking away the only way many low-income students are able to attain education is paramount to erasing the American dream and replacing it with chains. 

  • #LJspringbreak

    #LJspringbreak

    By Curran Daly

    Humboldt State’s spring break just ended. Some Lumberjacks submitted pictures via Instagram to show what they were up to over their #LJspringbreak.

    Daylight_hallucinations Does anyone know if Hogwarts has a Grad school Program? I’m desperate!!! #ljspringbreak #springbreak#harrypotter #hogwarts #socal #ravenclaw#losangeles #gradschoolproblems Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Hollywood
    Adam.tricomo
    Flowers for daysss 🌺😎
    Location: The Flower Fields, Carlsbad, California
    Kor_g
    HIGH-5 to this stud who just hit an automatic qualifying time for NCAA National Championships in the 400m hurdles. Beyond proud to call you not only my teammate but my best friend 🏃🏼‍♀️ #running #humboldt #teammates#bestfriend #roommate #humbuildt #ccaa #running #ljspringbreak
    Location : Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, California
    Aaronpudlicki
    Got to see rocks 2 billion years older than this planet (6,000 years) today
    Location: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
    Baileyyboyd Sad Spring Break is coming to an end, but also excited because Thailand is only a month and a half away!!! Here is a recap of my Spring Break: #JPhlip #FernCanyon #HumboldtHikes#GoodFriends #Elk #LJSpringBreak#NoBadDays Location: Humboldt County, California
    Xsession
    Day 72! Don’t mind the face. I was nervous
    Location: Hammond Trail Bridge, Mckinleyville, California
    Ishouldvebeenabear
    Here’s to what felt like the shortest vacation ever 🍻 #findyourpark #archesnationalpark #ilovebears #saverbearsears #girlstrip #springbreak
    Location: Arches National Park, Utah
  • Tips to Get Back Into Study Mode

    Tips to Get Back Into Study Mode

    By Domanique Crawford

    Illustration by Joe DeVoogd

    Monday morning hits and you are dreading rolling out of  bed. The alarm has already gone off twice and you know your days of sleeping in, free afternoons with no  back-to-back hours of homework, and evenings when you actually have time to cook a decent meal is over. A one week break hardly feels like enough.

    However, playtime is over. It’s time to scrape your eye boogers, lace up your boot straps and hike hardcore obstacle course that is disguised as the Humboldt State campus and get back to work.  

    There are only have seven solid weeks of work left. Then you can go back to relaxing and hanging out with friends. Forget about the first half of the semester. Forget about whether you were crushing it or just hanging on by a thread. Look at spring break as a reset button. Here are some tips on how to refresh after spring break and finish with a successful semester.

    1.     Get Back on a Sleep Routine – Make sure you get the full eight hours of sleep but don’t overdo it. Oversleeping is just as bad as not getting enough sleep. Besides a whole host of physical illnesses,  oversleeping can cause depression and anxiety. Be sure to get the proper amount of hours so that you can function properly.
    2.     Hydrate and Energize – Keep a clear head and make sure you are fueling your body with enough water and foods that give you energy so that you can make it throughout the day. Try eating a healthy breakfast packed with fruit.
    3.     Plan It Out – Don’t lose sight of your goals. If you want to succeed make sure you have a clear destination. It would be good to write out your goals and create a schedule. You don’t have to micromanage your schedule. However, glance back at it at the end of every month and make sure you are staying on point.
    4.     Have Some Fun – If you are feeling burnt out this semester, that’s because you didn’t take time to have fun.  Fun doesn’t have to only come around with school allotted breaks. Schedule time, at least one day of the week, to relax and de-stress. Do something as simple as going to tea with the your homies, plan a game night, or  even Netflix and chill. Do something that gets you relaxed and refreshed so you can continue your work without feeling depressed and overwhelmed.
    5.   Review – Bonus points for the A+ student who review their notes before school starts again. Refresh your knowledge. If you don’t use information everyday, you tend to forget about. Just do a quick breeze through of your class notes so that you remember were the class left off.
  • Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    By Curran Daly

    While school stopped for students over the past week, not everyone was given a break. A few of HSU women’s sports teams had a busy week.

    Women’s track and field competed at the Hornet Invite in Sacramento. With multiple standout performances.

    Most notable was track athlete, Alyssabeth DeJerez. DeJerez ran the 400m hurdles in 58.84 seconds. Her time automatically qualified her for nationals and improved on the Humboldt State record that she already held in the event. DeJerez was named CCAA student athlete of the week.

    This was not Dejerez’s first great performance of the season. Earlier in the season DeJerez was also named the CCAA Female Track Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Kim Duyst Invitational at Stanislaus State.

    “I got to Humboldt with this determination to make a name for myself,” DeJerez said. “I kinda sacrificed a lot. I don’t go out on the weekends, I build my diet around how I want to perform, I have to prep my body and roll out.”

    Humboldt State Women’s track and field team is ranked number two in the country. Coach Scott Pesch believes it is his runner’s hard work and his fellow coaches that have helped the women’s program reach its number two ranking.

    “I gotta thank my coaches,” Pesch said. “I can’t do this alone that’s for sure.”

    Women’s track is not the only nationally ranked women’s team on Humboldt’s campus. The Humboldt women’s softball team has been ranked number one in the nation in recent weeks and the Humboldt Women’s Rowing team opened the season ranked fourth in their pre-season poll.

    Women’s rowing had a very busy spring break competing in Sacramento, Davis, and then spending the rest of the break in Newport Beach training before racing in the Berg Cup this past Saturday. Overall, the women’s team spent nine days on the road a busier spring break then they are used too.

    “We’ve never trained the entire week of spring break, so this was kinda a new adventure,” Coach Robin Meiggs said. “We raced some of our big division one rivals.”

    Those rivals include UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Long Beach State and Sacramento state.

    The break was an opportunity to get away from cold early morning practices. The team was able to enjoy practices that started at 9 a.m. and enjoyed weather about 15 degrees warmer than their used to.

    On March 25. the women’s rowing team will be participating in the Blue Heron Redwood Sprints Regatta in Eureka. The meet will start at 7:45 a.m. and will end around 10:30 a.m.

  • Jacks Win Streak Snapped by Coyotes

    Jacks Win Streak Snapped by Coyotes

    By | Andre Hascall

    Back to back doubleheaders against Cal State San Bernardino snaps Humboldt Softball’s seven game winning streak. The team had to play in high temperatures in San Bernardino, a harsh difference from Arcata weather. Humboldt Softball is ranked at the top of the CCAA conference. Out of four games this weekend, Humboldt took home one victory. The Lumberjacks are now 14-4 in conference play.

    Senior pitcher Madison Williams, who is still currently leading the conference in batters struck out, added 12 strikeouts to her resume this past week. She now leads the CCAA in strikeouts with 100 in total, 27 more than the second highest.

    “We can be beat by anyone. For me it’s all about improvement, when you go 11-0… you feel like no one can beat you,” Williams said.

    The Jacks had been successful through their first 11 games of the season making them top ranked in the conference at the time.

    With the losses aside, Humboldt ended Sunday on a high note earning their only win of the weekend.

    Second baseman, Sydney Roberts, played a big role in the team’s win this weekend both at bat and on the field.

    “Every ball that came to me just got stopped,” Roberts said. “I feel like I did well. A hit went between Bre [Bejaran] and I, and I dove on it, got up on my knees and threw it to first.”

    Roberts was not the only player who played well in the game. As catcher, Breonna Bejaran hit two home runs in the last game of road trip. Those two home runs tied Bejaran for first in home runs in the CCAA  with nine on the season. She is also first in slugging percentage with .800, slugging percentage being the amount of bases gained by one person divided by the number of times that person is at bat.

    “I was just looking for a base run and it came to me,” Bejaran said.

    Before Bejaran’s second home run, there was a controversy with an interference call that the umpire overturned.

    “I knew the pitcher was coming for me and I had to swing,” Bejaran said.

    Photo by | Andre Hascall

    Even with the tough weekend considered, the Jacks must look forward as the championship tournament is no longer far off in the distance.

    Yesterday at the weekly sports conference at HSU the team’s head coach, Shelli Sarchett, spoke on her team’s recent shortcoming against CSU San Bernardino.

    “Half this team knows what it takes the get there, and we are not doing that. We are going to get refreshed and focused, obviously our focus is the national championship, but how are we going to get there, ride on what we’ve always done or strive to get better,” Sarchett said.

  • Recipe: Mac-n-Cheese Hot Dogs

    Recipe: Mac-n-Cheese Hot Dogs

    By Curran Daly

    Co-created by Terra Hyke

    Ingredients

    1 carton pasta shells or macaroni

    1 cup – sharp cheddar cheese

    ½ cup – parmesan or any other cheese

    2 tablespoons – butter

    2 tablespoons – all-purpose flour

    2 cups – milk

    1 bag – Limon Hot Cheetos

    1 package  – King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls.

    1 package – bacon

    1 package – Hebrew Nationals all beef hot dogs

    Step One: Make the macaroni and cheese.

    Boil the pasta following directions on package. Strain the pasta and set aside. Heat a large pot on medium and melt butter. Make a roux, stir in flour until smooth and then add milk. Cook until thick then remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until smooth and add the pasta.

    Step Two: Prepare the hot dogs.

    Fill a medium pan with water and place hot dogs in the pan. Bring water to a boil turning the hot dogs occasionally. They are done when they have browned and have become darker. Divide the Sweet rolls into groups of two. Slice in half leaving the connected on the edge like a hot dog bun. Butter and toast in a small pan on low heat.

    Step Three: Prepare the garnishes.

    Open bag of hot cheetos. Let all the air out of the bag and then crush the hot cheetos into little chunks. Cook the bacon to desired doneness.

    Step Four: Assemble the hot dogs.

    Take the bun and place it on a plate. Then place hot dog inside bun. Top with your mac and cheese. Garnish with bacon and crumpled hot cheetos for flavor.

    Step 5: Eat!

  • Theatre Arts retrofit postponed – again

    Theatre Arts retrofit postponed – again

    By Andrew George Butler

    The grandaddy of all structures on Humboldt State’s deferred maintenance list will have to wait at least another year before seeing some much needed tender love and care. The Theatre Arts building is set to remain atop the list for another year as recent building code changes forced 2017’s earthquake retrofit plans to be put on hold.

    The Theatre Arts building has been on deferred maintenance for over 15 years. In 2017 the building was supposed to receive the renovations it needed. The money was allocated, the plans were drawn up, and the contracts were signed all before 2016 came to a close. The staff of KHSU and other campus offices located in Theatre Arts all had prepared for temporary relocation, a task itself that took months and planning and scrambling.

    The Theatre Arts building at HSU. Photo by Liam Olson

    David Reed, development director of KHSU, was tasked with much of the preparation for what would have been KHSU’s temporary relocation if construction had not been delayed.

    “It’s frustrating, we spent months preparing to move. We have a large operation, many moving parts,” Reed said. “The only good side is that we digitized much of our paperwork in preparation for the move.”

    Fast forward to the beginning of March, 2017. With less than a week until the retrofit was to begin, the HSU office of Facilities Management realized all the planning that went into the retrofit had been worked around a set of building codes that changed January 1, 2017.

    Traci Ferdolage, director of Facilities Management at HSU is in charge of coordinating the construction funds once they are dispersed to HSU from the CSU main office. According to Ferdolage, the building codes, which are periodically reevaluated and changed about every three years, are calculated independently from outside the California State University system by state officials. Construction plans, such as the ones for the Theatre Arts building are issued by the CSU main office in accordance to the building codes in place at that given time.

    “Once the CSU board allocates us the money for a project, we act,” Ferdolage said. “We don’t take into consideration the possibility of changing building codes.”

    The CSU Seismic Peer Review Board periodically sends an independent reviewer to various CSU campuses to conduct a review of the buildings and deem if any retrofits or other construction is needed. The CSU main office then reviews the reports and grants money to campuses based on need.  

    The Theatre Arts building at HSU. Photo by  Liam Olson

    The Theatre Arts building is currently not yet classified as unsafe for use, the proposed construction is to bring the building up to par with the most modern of structural standards.

    “Facilities Management staff have done a wonderful job at keeping the building operational considering the levels of predicted renewal needs not funded by the State,” Ferdolage said.

    Construction on Theatre Arts is expected to begin in May of 2018 according to Ferdolage.

    There is no oversight board between state building officials and the CSU board to ensure that proposed projects are outlined with the most current building codes in mind. Construction grants are expected to be used promptly. The only way a campus can keep receiving grants is to keep spending the money as it comes in. Part of the money given to HSU for the Theatre Arts project was spent on building plans that are now essentially wasted funds. While the CSU chancellor’s office selectively audits how grant money is spent from time to time, there is not full time office or administrator in charge of ensuring that the tuition and taxpayer money used for campus construction is spent as efficiently as possible. That task is left to the university once the money is allocated. The rush to spend, mixed with a lack of communication between offices may not always lead to error, but it does pose the question: Who is in charge of the money?

    “Projects are managed under fairly complex and defined financial guidelines which help ensure taxpayer and student fee money is handled responsibly,” Ferdolage said.

    Building code officials, CSU seismic peer review board, facilities management, and a set of guidelines, all with no unifying oversight have left the Theatre Arts building in limbo for another year.

  • “Logan” movie review

    “Logan” movie review

    “Logan” is the final story of Wolverine, the claw wielding mutant reprised by Hugh Jackman for the last time. The movie  is based on an original story written by director James Mangold, who directed the previous 2013 Wolverine movie, “The Wolverine.” Wolverine’s final chapter is more like a Western than another installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking a slower pace to show the tragedy of aging heroes.

    The movie shows Logan (rarely ever mentions Wolverine) as a broke and drunk Uber driver in El Paso, Texas that hides out on the other side of the Mexican border with the former leader of the X-Men Charles Xavier (reprised by Patrick Stewart). A former nurse pleads Logan to take a girl up north from the experimenting facility she was raised in, Transigen. The nurse gets killed by the people pursuing the escaped mutant children and wants the girl that the nurse took. It is quickly revealed to be Logan’s daughter Laura (Dafne Keen), who was bred with his DNA. Being chased by Transigen, Logan takes Laura and Xavier on the pursuit for a safe haven for mutants called Eden.

    “Logan” is the second R-rated comic book movie 20th Century Fox released since the release of the largely popular, “Deadpool”. This rating really shows in the fights, often criticized as being sanitized for a PG-13 audience. Instead of deep cuts from the past X-Men movies, “Logan” shows many decapitations, amputation of limbs, and direct head shots. You want claws through the brain? You get claws through the brain. Laura does not spare anything less, being trained as a weapon since birth, and kills many people with her tiny claws.

    Unlike the previous Wolverine movies, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” and “The Wolverine,” “Logan” follows closer to a Western movie. James Mangold has some experience in the Western genre with directing the “3:10 to Yuma” reboot and the Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line.” There is no singular definition of a Western movie, but “Logan” references classic Western tropes. Taking place on the Texas/Mexico border, later on the country road, this movie shows the decline of Logan. He still has great strength, but he gets tired after fights. He is apprehensive of fighting others and has many regrets of all the people he has killed. Logan does not heal as fast as he did in the past, showing his scars and the infected pus where his claws come out of his hands. Xavier is frail and ill, occasionally suffering from seizures that affects everyone within several hundred feet with temporary paralysis. Logan has to help Xavier take his medication and get in and out of his wheelchair. Logan and Xavier talk about the dead members of the X-Men, sounding similar to any mention of dead friends or partners in previous Westerns. Seeing these men fragile, aging, and regretful follows the likes of classics like “True Grit” and “No Country for Old Men.”

    The movie directly refers to Western classic “Shane,” about an aging gunslinger who stays with a family and a young boy who looks up to him. A clip of the movie appears in “Logan,” where Xavier reminisces watching it as a child with Laura. While on the road, Logan, Xavier, and Laura stay with a farming family after saving their horses and truck, similar to the family in “Shane.” If Logan is Shane, then Laura is the young boy who cries out Shane’s name as he leaves into the sunset. That young boy can also be anyone that loves Wolverine, in the story and in the audience. The tragedy is seeing Wolverine, a symbol of masculinity and hero to many people, not being able to fight with his mutant strength that everyone praised him for.

    Comic book fans will enjoy “Logan” as a formal send off of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine after 17 years of donning the claws. People who don’t follow every X-Men movie could understand the characters’ regrets of the past. Anyone who like Westerns, or any movie about the humanity of heroes, will understand and relate to the story and Logan himself.

  • Berning Green

    Berning Green

    Bernie supporters find political similarities with Jill Stein

    By Ali Osgood

    Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spoke to an audience of nearly 400 Humboldt County community members on Wednesday night in HSU’s Kate Buchanan room. Among the crowd were human rights activists, environmentalists, future, past, and present politicians, and a large number of young people. Many of these audience members were also former Bernie Sanders supporters who looked toward Stein when Sanders was out of the running for president.

    “There are lots of Berners who are burning green,” Stein said (a Berner is another name for Bernie Sanders supporters). “The important thing here is not to close your eyes to what history is telling us…If you think we have more time to keep beating around the bush, stay in the Democratic Party. If you don’t? Move on, move forward. The more of us the better.”

    A crowd of nearly 400 gathered in the Kate Buchanan room on Wednesday Mar. 8 to watch 2016 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speak. | Photo by Ali Osgood

    Throughout the night Stein, as well as audience members, tied in comparisons to Sanders’ platform. In the beginning of her speech, Stein addressed that she believes Sanders would have won the presidential election against Trump.

    For Humboldt, Sanders was the top democratic pick in the 2016 primary election with a 40% lead over Hillary Clinton according to the Humboldt County elections office. Clinton went on to become the democratic candidate and many Humboldt Berners went on to support Stein over Clinton. Stein had over 3,500 votes locally, a thousand more than she received when she ran for president in 2012. Clinton had a thousand less votes than president Obama received in 2012.

    Audience member Rob Jensen, Eureka, was one of the Berners who voted for Stein.

    “When the Democratic Party forced out Bernie, I felt that the Green Party had a similar platform to his,” Jensen said. “People have told me I wasted my vote, but for me, Clinton wasn’t a viable option.”

    As Stein covered topics including climate change and corrupt economics, she also discussed the problems with a two party system and how voters are more likely to vote against a candidate. Her campaign manager and 2004 Green Party presidential candidate, David Cobb, helped reiterate this concept.

    “[It’s] a voting system that forces people to feel like they have to vote against the candidate that they hate rather than for the one that they want,” Cobb said.

    Cobb, a Eureka local, saw a spike in Stein support after the 2016 Democratic National Convention(DNC) in Philadelphia where Bernie was beat out by Clinton for the nomination.

    “It’s worth pointing out that even with every single dirty trick that they did, Bernie almost won the Democratic nomination. So it’s really a testament to the hunger that so many people had for the kind of platform that Bernie represented,” Cobb said.

    According to both Sanders’ and Stein’s websites, they do have a lot of common ground in their political beliefs. Their policies on education, climate change, and a single payer health care system are nearly identical. This may have played a part in the 1000 percent fundraising increase Stein’s campaign saw after the DNC.

    Jill Stein covered an array of topics including healthcare, economic corruption, demilitarizing American foreign policy, and the flaws with the two party system. | Photo by Ali Osgood

    The spike in support for Stein, hitting as high as 20 percent in August in Colorado, according to MSNBC, helped get the Green Party ticket on 48 ballots of the 50 states.

    The HSU Greens, a student club of Green Party members, helped organize Stein’s event on Wednesday. The president of HSU Greens worked with Stein and Cobb during the 2016 campaign and helped get Stein to Humboldt State. Aaron Zvirman, HSU Greens treasurer, helped organize the grants for Steins visit and coordinated with other groups on campus for the event.

    “Having someone this high profile to the little town of Arcata is an excellent opportunity for people to play a more active role in politics and voice their opinions to someone with actual political standing,” Zvirman said.

    Audience members showed a great diversity of community members including students, activists, and even a city council member. Stein spoke for 50 minutes and answer audience questions for another hour and a half after her speech. | Photo by Ali Osgood

    After a 50 minute speech by Stein, the microphone was open to audience members to ask Stein questions. Stein was able to answer every person’s question, which went on for about an hour and a half. The crowd trickled out throughout the question panel, but about a quarter remained to see the evening through to its conclusion.

    Stein ended her speech to a standing ovation. She closed with a familiar call to action that’s been heard throughout her 2016 campaign trail.

    “We need a government that’s of, by, and for the people,” Stein said. “The power to create that world is not just in our hopes, it’s not just in our dreams. Right here and now, more than ever, it’s in our hands.”

  • Tandoori Bites Indian Cuisine

    Tandoori Bites Indian Cuisine

    By Bryan Donoghue

    Strong aromas mixing in with contemporary Indian music fill the dining area of Tandoori Bites Indian Cuisine with plenty of charm.  Tandoori ovens are cylindrical clay or metal ovens that are used in many Asian cuisines, and they’re used to create a variety of unique dishes. Typically, marinated meats are put into these ovens on skewers and cooked at high temperatures. It’s an efficient way to cook the meat the thoroughly, from every angle. Indian cooking incorporates these ovens in many of their meals, and recently, I had the pleasure of eating my fill at Humboldt’s own Tandoori Bites restaurant.

    Tandoori Bites is located in Eureka off Highway 101 on Fourth Street. Inside is a natural wooden bar, a row of golden buffet displays, and Indian artwork covering the walls. It provides a peaceful and quiet atmosphere for the person who’s in a hurry, or who likes to stop and enjoy their tea. As the latter, I indulged in a full course.

    Aside from tea, I first ordered my drink, the mango lassi. Maintaining the thick texture of a smoothie, the highlight of the drink is its smooth consistency. The yogurt and cream are pronounced in the flavor of the lassi with subtle hints of the mango pulp. It’s a suitable pairing for anyone who wants contrast to the spice that’s cooked with in Indian food. The mango lassi is $3.

    Mango lassi
    Photo | Bryan Donoghue

    From there, I ordered naan bread. Naan bread is a white flour bread baked in a tandoori oven. It adorns a fluffy texture and is nearly weightless, but Tandoori Bites’ naan is especially complex. There’s an added layer of flavor from the tandoori oven that gives it a smoky taste. The original is delicious in it’s simplicity, as my focus was on the smoky undertones. Although, Tandoori Bites has multiple options on the menu that are centered around naan. I also ordered the keema naan, which uses the same baked bread and is stuffed with spiced minced beef (or chicken). The basic naan is $2, while the keema naan is $5.

    Naan and Keema Naan
    Photo | Bryan Donoghue

    A balanced meal always needs vegetables. Examining the menu, the best option to complement the rest of my meal had to be the vegetarian samosa. A crispy turnover, fried until golden brown and then stuffed with seasoned potatoes and a green pea filling. This dish was the highlight of my experience, as it showcased the complex spice seasoning that went into each dish. Spicy and savory, the samosas alone have plenty of flavor. The component that accentuates the dish are the sauces brought out to be paired with the samosas. One is a dark maroon sauce made from tamarind, and the other is a light green sauce made from mint. Encapsulating almost every type of flavor, this dish loves to play with your taste buds. The vegetarian samosas are priced at $4.50.

    Vegetarian Samosas with the Mint and Tamarind Sauces
    Photo | Bryan Donoghue

    Finally, I ate my main course, the seekh kabab. True to their name, Tandoori Bites cooks many of their menu items in a tandoori oven, and the seekh kabab is one option known for being prepared in such an oven. The kebab consists of minced lamb, onions, and bell peppers that are seasoned with various herbs and spices. It’s served in a similar style to Mexican fajitas, on a piping hot platter, so it’s meant to be eaten immediately. The lamb is set with the perfect balance of spices like coriander and garam masala to even out out the dish, making it intriguing with at every bite. The seekh kabab is $14.

    Not stemming far from tradition, Tandoori Bites improves upon classic Indian recipes and makes them their own. There are plenty of menu options, and their hours of operation actually differ between a lunch buffet and dinner. Lunch buffet is 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. while dinner is from 5 to 9:30 p.m.. You can find Tandoori Bites in Eureka at 1735 4th St. If you’re interested in deep, complex flavors, along with a contrast of subtly sublime flavors, Tandoori Bites is a restaurant where you can reach that equilibrium.

  •  Attempts at a ‘Fake’ out

     Attempts at a ‘Fake’ out

    The new administration feuds with the media

    By| Domanique Crawford 


    You know Larry, right?
    Larry is the man you decide to take a chance on even though his past is sketchy. Larry says he respects woman but cheats on every woman he’s had a relationship with. Larry says he’s not racist but all immigrants are criminals here to steal jobs from hard-working Americans. Larry professes to be one of those hardworking Americans, and yet he’s never worked a hard day in his life. You don’t believe Larry but he sings his own praises with such frequency that you compare his actions to his words and find him lacking. You begin to question Larry. So Larry decides to break it off and tell everyone that you are just a crazy ex-girlfriend.
    President Donald J. Trump is the news media’s Larry except, this Larry is the Head of State, chief executive, and the legislative leader. 

    Every president’s approach in how they try to handle the media is unique. However, there has never been such a determined effort from the white house to discredit news organizations.
    Delegitimizing the media doesn’t stop the watchers from watching. It just makes us more suspicious. The media is considered the watchdog of the government and a tool to keep the public informed. The new administration’s consistent and unwarranted assaults on the media just make journalist more motivated to fact check every accusation they make and encourages the people to be more vigilant in watching both the press and the white house alike. 
    The new administration’s ploy is to make the media outlets that don’t favor them just another crazy ex- girlfriend, to discredit them in having some kind of crazy conspiracy to sabotage the president. 

    The media outlets that don’t fall in line with promoting the new administration’s agenda is classified as fake. The Media’s job is to report fairly and accurately on the facts. 
    Fake news used to be defined as purposely distributing knowingly false information. However, with every appearance of the Trump administration the term “fake news” is any negative news coverage on the presidency and the new administration. 
    The term is thrown around casually in a deliberate attempt to confuse the public. However, it is not the word of the media that has to be constantly checked for propagating false information. 

    From day one with his proclamations of the biggest inauguration crowds ever, to Kellyanne Conway’s criticisms of poor reporting on the non-existent Bowling Green Massacre, Trump and his administration contradict themselves on a regular basis.
    Larry may be able to confuse his short circle of friends that is dazzled by his performance but he is not able to hide the facts- alternative or otherwise. 

  • Editorial: What’s in your coverage?

    Editorial: What’s in your coverage?

    GOP presents the American Health Care Act

    If you are worried about obtaining health care insurance, well… you should be. After House Republicans faced a firestorm of criticisms for hiding away on the Hill to hash out their healthcare reform policies, Republicans finally introduced their version of health care reform last Monday, March 5. 
    The potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act, more popularly known as Obamacare, would leave college students at a disadvantage. We are still allowed to piggyback off of our parent’s insurance (if they have it) until we are 26 years old. However, for those who can’t, this measure creates additional expenses for college students. 
    As college students working in Humboldt County earning a minimum wage of $10.50 per hour, the possibility of affording health care coverage under the GOP’s American Health Care Act is unlikely. Obamacare tried to secure affordable healthcare for all and is by no means perfect, but instead of taking the time to fix the deficiencies, Republican’s “Obama-lite” healthcare system is wasting time and money.  
    While we are waiting for the new administration to learn the ins and outs of health care law, millions of people are at a standstill wondering how they are going to get and stay covered. 
    The bill wasn’t released with an analysis from the Congressional Budget office, and even conservative republicans are worried about the negative impact the measure could cause on the economy. The bill notes four key changes that shifts the fiscal burden from the government back to the people: Refundable tax credits, health saving accounts, block grants, and high- risk pools. These fiscal policies might sound like a dream solution — to those who can afford it. 
    Refundable tax credits is money the government is willing to give back to you. The problem with these credits is that they are based on age unlike Obamacare’s income-based regulation. Age does not dictate the severity of medical care cost. A refundable tax credit is insufficient cushion for the unexpected cost. Under this new bill, young adults are considered the less in need. The bill states just $2,000 are credited to individuals under 30 years of age.
    The new bill risks denying millions in coverage with its proposed block grants that would provide a fixed amount of money to states for their Medicaid programs. A fixed block of money that doesn’t rise with inflation, meaning that states might not be able supply coverage at the amount they have in the past.
    The GOP also sliped in a provision that would defund Planned Parenthood [PPFA]. At least 60 percent of Planned Parenthood patients use Medicaid or some other type of government based insurance according to PPFA. This means that if the program is defunded, all of these women would lose access to affordable health care. 
    Although people with pre-existing conditions will still be protected under the new bill, they will potentially have to pay more if they want to be insured. Insurance agencies will be allowed to increase the premium of those with pre-existing conditions while everyone else’s insurance rates are reduced.
    On top of all these new policies that would drain young adults pockets, the new bill includes a penalty for people who let their insurance lapse. The bill allows insurance agencies to raise their premiums 30 percent. This makes it hard for people to even try to regain coverage after losing it. All of these methods have been tested, tried, and found to be lacking in effectiveness. Obamacare was enacted in the first place as a solution to these problems. 
    While Obama care extended coverage to over 20 million people, the GOP’s health care plan seems to be ripping coverage out of the average American’s hands. The new healthcare reform bill may as well read: The poor, low-income, and persons with pre-existing conditions need not apply. 

  • Who Knew @ HSU? : The Wildlife Museum

    Who Knew @ HSU? : The Wildlife Museum

    Did you know the wildlife building has over 15,000 animal specimens. In this installment of Who Knew @ HSU? we take a look at the Wildlife Museum which offers a way for students to research animals close up.

    Video by Alex Hasenstab

  • Word on the Street: Spring Break

    Word on the Street: Spring Break

    By Curran Daly

    Humboldt State will be going on spring break next week. Spring break is an opportunity for students to travel, relax, and take a break from studies. We hit the streets to ask some fellow Lumberjacks what they are going to be up to next week.

    Photo | Curran Daly

    I’m heading to Red Rock Canyon right outside Las Vegas to go rock climbing. The rock climbing there is world class.

    -Max Kittel, senior, environmental management and protection major

    Photo | Curran Daly

    I’m gonna travel down to Santa Barbara to visit a friend, then I’m going to visit my awesome roommate in Pasadena and visit Joshua Tree and then I’m going home to celebrate my mother’s birthday.

    -Melissa Lozano, freshman, environmental science major

    Photo | Curran Daly

    I’m doing absolutely nothing, I’ll be staying in my dorm. My friend might be coming up from Southern California so we might do some hiking.

    -Kelsey Meusburger, junior, psychology major

    Photo | Curran Daly

    I am going to be staying on campus and researching for a class. I’m going to be researching Tibet and the Himalayas.

    -Quint Migliardi, junior, geography major

    Whatever you’re doing over spring break, have a fun and safe time.

    Going somewhere cool for Spring Break? Or just staying home? Take a selfie of yourself and tag #LJSpringBreak in the caption for a chance for it to be in the next issue of The Lumberjack.

  • Recipe: Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

    Recipe: Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

    Video | Curran Daly & Chelsea Medlock

    Recipe | Curran Daly

    Ingredients

    1 – box Kraft Mac n Cheese

    6 – slices of bacon

    1 – loaf of bread

    1 – Campbell’s tomato soup

    8 – slices of cheese

    ¼ cup – milk

    1 – stick of butter

    Mac-n-Cheese grilled cheese with Tomato soup

    Directions:

    1. Start with the Mac-n-cheese. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Once at a rolling boil pour in the pasta and let cook stirring occasionally for seven minutes. Once done drain the pasta and return to pot. Then add and mix ¼ cup milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, and cheese powder mix. Stir and set aside.
    2. Cook the bacon. Open package and cook to desired doneness in a large skillet. Once done put on plate with paper towels to drain fat. Once dry crumble bacon into small pieces.
    3. Make the tomato soup. Put a medium saucepan on high heat. If you want to get fancy you can saute some garlic in butter and add italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Then pour the Campbell’s tomato soup into the pan and fill the tomato soup can with milk and add as well. Stir to mix and leave to boil. Once boiling stir and cover and move to low heat.
    4. Assemble and cook sandwiches. Put a skillet on low heat and melt 1 pad of butter. Toast one side of two pieces of bread. Begin assembly by putting toasted side of one piece of bread on pan. Then put two pieces of cheese on the bottom, followed by mac-n-cheese, bacon, two more slices of cheese, and the other piece of bread. Flip when bottom piece of bread is golden brown. Remove from heat when cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.
    5. Cut the bread at an angle to make it easy for dipping. Put tomato soup in a bowl, and serve.
  • Don’t Trip, Just Hit the Road

    Don’t Trip, Just Hit the Road

    How to Navigate a Budget Oregon Road Trip

    By Kelly Bessem

    “On a roadtrip? Things rarely go as planned, but that’s part of the adventure,” said Sean Sesanto, a senior Humboldt State University student from Santa Cruz, Calif.

    Stormy roads carved into snow 12 feet tall, trespassed tent sites, and driving directions gone adrift. These unanticipated parts of my recent Oregon road trip made for moments of wariness but enlivened the memories. The key to appreciating bumps in the road is expecting the unexpected.

    “My only road trip preventions = time & money,” said Jenna Kelmser. Kelmser is an environmental science major at Humboldt State. The response reverberates the words of many students and potential road trippers.
    Planning a road trip to Oregon may sound difficult with time and money constraints. Once these are bypassed, obstacles such as car trouble or being generally unprepared may also present themselves.

    I’d never ventured Oregon before my Feb. 2017 trip. I let the aforementioned roadblocks prevent me from setting out despite being just south of Oregon’s border. I’d heard about Oregon’s natural wonders, culinary experiences, and breweries from friends and websites. It took me two years. My suggestion? Don’t wait to go. Oregon’s whimsical wanderings- hot springs, waterfalls, quirky cities- will not disappoint.

    Oregon is a welcoming expanse, with speed your only real limit. Use this Oregon road trip guide to prepare for the road and get out there right now.
    Money
    Total cost of my quintessential Oregon road trip? $280. My strategies:
    -Camp when not in a big city. State parks and national recreation areas are cheap options ($10-20). There’s plenty of free dispersed camping as well. CampgroundsOregon.com maps all of these and has helpful search filters. Just make sure to check the box “redo search when map is moved.”

    -Travel with others and divide the costs
    -Keep eating out and making food at a 50:50 split
    -Have drinks before going to the bars
    -Focus on free recreation possibilities
    -Find free or cheap firewood within your community

    Use a budget calculator to estimate your trip costs. Once you know your total, you can reign in regular spending. Destination photos are great motivators for sticking to this. OutdoorBlueprint.com breaks down road trip planning in a way that people of experience levels can appreciate. Access its budget planner from the “Read” section of the home page.

    Lambs ear plants flock the Valley of the Rogue SP Campground | Photo by Scott McCrary

    Time

    The week before the road trip, make a list of imminent tasks. Then match those tasks with a tentative completion day. It doesn’t have to be exact, but gives the brain a good idea of how to manage within the available time.

    Use TravelOregon.com to estimate travel and activity times. It has excellent graphics and trip ideas. Anything you find on Travel Oregon can be added to a Roadtrippers website account by clicking “add to my Oregon road trip”. Roadtrippers has a page for each thing added with locations, hours, and detailed reviews.

    Weather

    Travel Oregon made an Oregon Weather Compass (OregonWeatherCompass.com) that shows you where you can find sun, snow or rain anywhere in the state. The Oregon Department of Transportation (tripcheck.com) shows all road restrictions, closures, and weather hazards.

    Snowshoeing the Raven Ski Trail at Crater Lake NP | Photo by Scott McCrary

    Car

    -Carpool with others to avoid fatigue. Whether or not you can drive, you can help keep drivers awake.

    -Inspect your vehicle or get it inspected before taking off. This is always less costly and time consuming. Proper tire pressure and fluid levels are included in any car manual. Some auto shops offer a free check with simple servicing, such as an oil change. Others offers inspections for around $20. American Automobile Association (AAA) members get free inspections.

    -Know how to change a tire, jump a car battery, and put on snow chains. In Oregon there can be snow just over 1,000 feet elevation. Instructions are easy to find on YouTube.

    Directions

    -Save maps or directions detailed enough to use when service is lost. Download these to a phone or print them out.

    -Glance at directions beforehand if you are driving to avoid confusion.

    Snow towers over the road to the Steel Visitor Center at Crater Lake National Park | Photo by Scott McCrary

    Gear

    -Borrow gear from friends. Make sure to return it clean and in good condition.

    -Rent items that you don’t use often. (i.e. snowshoes). Humboldt State Center Activities is great for this.

    -Be prepared for the weather, and have a plan if items get wet (such as a laundromat).

    The Trip

    How long did it take me to indulge in the Rogue River, Crater Lake, Umpqua Hot Springs, Toketee Falls, and Portland? Just three days.

    Night 1: Valley of the Rogue State Park Campground

    Day 1: Snowshoeing Crater Lake

    Night 2: BLM’s Susan Creek Campground – closed for winter

    Day 2: Umpqua Hot Springs, Toketee Falls, Portland nightlife

    Night 3: Airbnb in northeast Portland

    Day 3: Exploring Portland, Corvallis pit stop

    View an interactive map and detailed info for this trip.

    https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=ac21a912f5004a829e8c9ef608fafe83

  • Skis Get Degrees

    Skis Get Degrees

    By Ali Osgood

    It’s been a record high year for rain and snow according to N.O.A.A., so to escape the wet coast, students head for the snowy mountains to get their adrenaline fix.

    A group of Humboldt State students load up their cars with warm clothes, snowboards, skis, and sleds as they head 40 minutes out of Arcata to hit the fresh snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Skis and snowboards loaded in the bed of a pickup truck early Saturday morning. Horse Mountain, according to Six Rivers National Forest, hasn’t had a significant amount of snow in a several years, but this year there is about 3 feet of snow. That’s enough to cover rocks and small trees, and allow Humboldt residents to safely play in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood
    Environmental engineering senior, Derek Roelle, gears up to walk a quarter mile down the snowy road to the open slopes. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Clayton Kelley, a senior recreation administration, tries out a new line. He has been skiing since he was five and visits Horse Mountain a few times a month in the winter. | photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Recreation administration senior Sara Schneider values escaping into nature between her busy weekdays. “Skis get degrees,” Schneider said as she looked back at her roommate who just face planted in the snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    HSU alumnus Harry Ward carves into the fresh snow on Saturday. He drove up from Lake Tahoe and was surprised by the quality of snow in Humboldt County. “I thought it was gonna be way worse,” Ward said. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Dylan Fluet attempts to ‘Mary Poppins’ his way off the cliff. “It didn’t work” Fluet admitted. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Marina Marcroft and Jake Campbell watch as Fluet and Roelle try sledding over a drop off into a small creek. | Photo by Ali Osgood
    After sledding out of control into the freezing creek, Fluet poses for a Snapchat. “If you didn’t get a picture, it didn’t happen,” Fluet said. | Photo by Ali Osgood
    Kelley sends a front flip off a jump he built earlier that week. He’s been skiing since he was five and is always looking to push his limits. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
    Marina Marcroft sleds down a short slope while her friends took a break. The sun came out for about 30 minutes between heavy snowfall. | Photo by Ali Osgood
    (From left) Jake Campbell, Derek Roelle, Marina Marcroft, and Dylan Fluet enjoy a hot meal and a cold beer after a long day in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood
    Clayton Kelley hikes up a cliff on Titlow Hill in the Horse Mountain Botanical Area. “Being able to see the ocean and ski is pretty incredible,” Kelley said. “It’s one of the few places in California where it is even possible.” | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
  • Underrepresented minority groups in science

    Underrepresented minority groups in science

    By Iridian Casarez

    HSU science professors and staff organized an event last Saturday, March 4, dubbed “You belong here!” Created for underrepresented minority groups in science, the event served as a community  building function for women in science. The event focused on discussions about what a scientist looks like, how to be a badass scientist and understanding imposter syndrome. Although the event named women specifically, anyone was welcomed to join in.

    Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo is a professor in physics and astronomy at HSU. Rodriguez Hidalgo was a collaborative organizer that helped put the event together with a group of other science professors and staff.

    Rodriguez Hidalgo said students in science sometimes feel like they don’t belong. Women and underrepresented minority groups in the science field often leave the field they are trying to pursue.

    “The percentages of women in science are really low,” Rodriguez Hidalgo said. “We want this seminar to make women and underrepresented groups feel a sense of belonging in the science field.”

    Melanie Michalak is a geology professor at HSU. Michalak also helped organize the event.

    “We noticed in science classes the students consist of 50 percent male and 50 female but the male students often tend to speak up more,” Michalak said.

    Michalak said that women and underrepresented groups often feel the imposter syndrome.

    The imposter syndrome is a condition that any student may feel. Imposter syndrome is when a student feels unqualified and doesn’t feel smart enough to the point that they think they are fooling others into believing they are smart and successful in a class that is challenging to them. In reality, they are not fooling anyone but themselves, according to Claire Till, an assistant professor of chemistry at HSU.

    “A lot of people who feel imposter syndrome are all actually very successful,” Till said.

    Till ran the imposter syndrome workshop at the event alongside another HSU assistant professor Kerri Hickenbottom.

    Till said that the event organizers wanted to let people know what imposter syndrome was a normal thought that exists and a lot of people feel it. Till also said that women and underrepresented minority groups are more likely to feel imposter syndrome.

    According to the university enrollment dashboard, 50 percent of students in the college of natural resource and science are women and 35 percent of those students are underrepresented minority ethnic groups.

    Jenna Schoelkopf is a chemistry major. Schoelkopf said she attended the event because she wanted to know more about imposter syndrome.

    “As I was reading what imposter syndrome was I started crying because I have felt that way since I was 7 and I have that feeling in class,” Schoelkopf said. “It was super weird reading it.”

    Julianne Sison-Ebitner is an environmental resource engineering major. Sison-Ebitner said she attended the event because she wanted to get advice from people who share the same experiences as women in science and how they have overcome the obstacles they faced.

    “I come from a really traditional Filipino family,  the only science my family was exposed to was nursing, so when I told my them I wanted to be an engineer it really confused them,” Sison-Ebitner said. “It’s been a battle to get here.”

    Sison-Ebitner said that the seminar uplifted her and gave her the confidence and reassurance that she is a woman of science.

    “I am a woman of science and that is not going to change,” Sison-Ebitner said.

  • Jill Stein returns to HSU

    Jill Stein returns to HSU

    By Iridian Casarez and Andrew George Butler

    Does it feel a little more green around campus today? Jill Stein, the Green Party 2016 presidential candidate, is set to speak in the Kate Buchanan room at 6 p.m., March 8. Stein, who has made several trips to HSU in the past, will speak on a variety of issues concerning the nation such as climate change, political reform, and grassroots movements.

    Q: Why are you returning to speak at HSU?

    A: This is where the change begins. Humboldt County as a whole is a very forward looking place. The Arcata City Council was the first in the nation to have a majority of Green Party members. Humboldt State has been ahead of the curve for a while now, and I think the curve is finally catching up to us.

    Q: President Donald Trump and his administration don’t believe in climate change or protecting the environment, what can we as students do to save our planet?

    A: This is a critical situation. There are two things we can do. The first is to build a strong unified movement for social change; a movement for people, planet and peace over profit. The second step is to take power. It’s very important that in addition to mobilizing in the street, we seek office and legislative change.

    Q: Do you think it’s possible for the Democratic or Republican party, with their ties to large corporations, to seek and achieve effective climate change reform?

    A: History has been teaching us a lesson here. Under the Obama administration, even with two democratic houses of congress, our emissions and fossil fuel extraction increased. The track record is clear no matter which party is in power the motto remains “Drill Baby Drill.” The Democrats are good at putting a friendly face on their policies of war, climate change, immigration and deportation.

    Q: How urgent is the climate crisis?

    A: It’s as urgent as it gets. We need to realize as a nation that it is time to act. We are out of time. We need to save our skins, and no one in Washington is going to do it for us. There’s an old saying: You can’t teach a man something when his income depends on not knowing it, and that’s the problem.

    Q: Why do you think the platform of the Green Party regarding free higher education and climate change turns away a lot of older voters?

    A: The issue is that young people are living it, and older people have a safer niche socially and economically. Their not gonna be around much longer, so they see the world with less longevity. There tends to be this generational divide between the younger and older generations. It’s always the younger generations that create change. The younger generation is the cash cow in a predatory economy.

    Q: Why do you think the U.S. government and its citizens respond to select natural disasters quickly but ignore larger issues such as global warming?

    A: To my mind the biggest issue there is that the system change is not welcome by corporate media. They do not want to give voice to a real climate mobilization.

    Q: Democratic and Republican parties get the most media attention while other political parties are left in the background with little to no media attention. What are some of the challenges that Green Party Candidates face when running for presidency? How fair do you think our election system is?

    A: Our election system makes a mockery of democracy. It does that in a few ways through no debate time, through media that won’t cover non-corporate candidates, the role of big money in politics, the role of fear, and through voter suppression. All of these things have to be fought and that’s why you need a political party, because if we only fight one issue at a time we are divided and conquered.

    Q: What made you want to be political?

    A: I didn’t get political until I was 50. It was 50 years of experience that taught me it is a losing proposition trying to make change outside of politics. As a doctor, mother, health advocate I was fighting to create cleaner jobs and clean up our coal plants. We wrote proposals to be able to do just that, but it still wouldn’t pass because it’s the campaign contributions and the lobbyists who decide how our elected officials vote. We created a referendum that cleaned up the money in politics, but the democratic party repealed it and that taught me that change wasn’t going to come from the democratic party. I was then recruited by the Green party. They said “well why don’t you keep fighting these social battles but call it a campaign governor and run against Mitt Romney in Massachusetts.” I said to myself, well nothing else is working might as well try electoral politics.

    Q: Will you be running for President in 2016?

    A: I describe myself as a mother on fire. I will do whatever I can do to be most helpful. If there is a need for me to take that role, I could not say no in good conscience.

  • Lumberjacks continue to spread peace

    Lumberjacks continue to spread peace

    By Geneva Peppars

    Humboldt State made the Peace Corps list of Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges for the tenth year in a row.  This year HSU ranked fifth on the list of medium size colleges for its current 33 alumnus volunteering around the world. Since 1961, 841 Lumberjacks have served as volunteers, according to Humboldt Now.

    Kayla Mesangale, graduated from HSU  May 2015, and is currently serving in Timor-Leste, a 15 year-old country in Southeast Asia. She is apart of the first group back in the country since the Peace Corps evacuation in 2006 due to civil unrest.

    “Peace corps was in Timor from 2002 ,when they won their independence to 2006. I’m apart of the first group of volunteers since the evacuation in 2006. We arrived 2015.”

    She graduated from HSU with a degree in child development. Now she works as  a community development volunteer in Timor Leste.

    “Basically we are reestablishing the [Peace Corps] program and building relationships and trust with the locals,” Mesangale said. “Our focus is nutrition, water sanitation, agriculture and business, but we all do a variety of different projects. Really whatever our communities need.”

    Charles Truong also graduated from Humboldt State in 2015 with a degree in kinesiology education and he is currently living in rural Fiji. Truong teaches physical education and life skills at a nearby high school. Truong participated in throwing events for the HSU track and field teams and now coaches track and field throwing events in Fiji.

    Charles Truong said the ability to bring his students outside of their villages is a highlight for him.

    “Seeing the impact it had on all of my students was a proud moment for myself because I know I had sparked something inside of them. Now, in the new school year, I see the students more open and willing to try new things. It makes me proud that I could just be part of their growth,” Truong said.

    Katie Sidel served in Zambia for after she graduated in 2013 with a degree in Environmental science ecological restoration before she returned in March of 2016. Sidel worked as a  forestry extension agent where she promoted income generating activities such as beekeeping. Sidel also educated kids on malaria and HIV and planted trees for multipurpose such as cropping and nitrogen fixation. Sidel knows many HSU alumni Peace Corp volunteers and even ran into one she went to school with at a music festival in East Africa.

    “I met another PCV in Malawi who I went to HSU with”, Katie said. “We randomly met at a music festival in Malawi. [A]HSU alumni who would’ve thought”.

    Kayla’s advice to HSU students or alumni contemplating signing up to volunteer is to not romanticize the decision.

    “Really think about it realistically. It’s important not to romanticize it, because this will be one of the most challenging experiences, from loneliness and explosive diarrhea to harassment and  health problems” said Kayla. “ But ultimately, this will be a worthwhile and life changing experience. The relationships you build with people and the little changes you have an impact on, are worth it all”

    “If you’re willing to challenge yourself and sacrifice many of your privileges to grow, then Peace Corps is for you,” said Charles Truong. “The experience, relationships, and lessons you learn are all worth the hardships”

    If you are interested in learning more about joining the Peace Corps, the Humboldt State recruiter, Barbara Smith will be on campus holding an application workshop on April 21.

  • HSU student affected by Trump ban

    HSU student affected by Trump ban

    By Morgan Brizee

    Mohammad Maleki spent all of his tuition money on multiple boarding passes and then had to catch up on a couple weeks worth of classwork because of Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. The ban is an executive order President Donald Trump issued that prohibits people with passports from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States.

    Mohammad Maleki is a 23-year-old political science major from Iran who came to HSU as a freshman in fall 2015. Maleki was coming back from visiting his family during winter break when he found himself unable to get back to the U.S. for the spring semester. Before he even got his boarding pass to the US, he had issues renewing his visa. There is no American consulate in Iran, so Maleki went to Dubai to renew his visa. He waited weeks in a hotel until he got approved from his background check by the United States.

    “It was written that my application may take days to several weeks[to get approved],” Mohammad said. “They didn’t give me any information.”

    After waiting three weeks, he received his visa and passport. Mohammad then bought his boarding pass in Dubai for a flight to the San Fransisco Airport. He wasn’t alerted that anything was wrong until he went to the gate to board his flight. The security told him that he was not allowed to come to the U.S. because of his nationality.

    Mohammad Maleki, 23-year-old HSU political science major from Iran working on school work in the library.

    “I was in transit in the airport and I didn’t know what to do,” Mohammad said.

    He was told that because of Donald Trump’s immigration ban he would not be able to board. He then had to get another flight but this time to Turkey to figure out what to do next.

    “I couldn’t go back to Dubai and I couldn’t go back to my country,”  Mohammad said. “If I go back to my country I have to go to the military for two years.”

    Maleki was unsure of what was going to happen next. Turkey was the only place he could go without a visa. Then he learned about a judge in Boston suspending Trump’s ban.

    “I got a call from my father telling me to go to Boston,” Mohammad said.  

    In order for him to go to Boston he had to go from Turkey to the Frankfurt airport in Germany because it was only a German airline that was allowing flights to the U.S. despite the ban.

    “Again, from the Frankfurt they didn’t let me get into board,”  Mohammad said. “They said again because of your nationality.”

    So again, he flew back to Turkey to figure out the next plan of action to try to get back. Another judge, this time a federal judge in Seattle, Judge James Robart could temporarily block Trump’s ban.

    “I asked Turkish airline if the news was true,” Mohammad said. “But they didn’t know what was going to happen in a couple hours or tomorrow.”

    So, he decided to take yet another chance and buy another ticket to the United States. This time it worked and he made it past the gate and into the plane on his way to the US. All while this was happening his younger brother Amir was in the United States waiting for his brother’s arrival back.

    “We had a consideration of me going back if my brother wouldn’t be able to come back,” Amir said.

    If Mohammad couldn’t come back both his brother and him would travel back to Iran and join the military. The current President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, made an issue that students with temporary visas elsewhere were able to come back to Iran twice, each time for up to three months without having to join the military.

    “I already used my two chances so I can’t go back,” Mohammad said. “If I go back I have to enlist.”

    Once Mohammad made it back into the United States he had another challenge. Mohammad had to get permission from all his teachers to allow him to join the class after school had already begun.

    Jared Larson is  lecturer for the department of politics. Larson is Mohammad’s teacher for two of his political science classes.  He still remembers getting the email from Mohammad that he was having issues getting back into the United States because of Trump’s ban.

    “I about jumped out of my own damn skin,” Larson said. “I responded saying ‘that I was embarrassed and ashamed that this is happening to you’.”

    Larson along with Mohammad’s other teachers did not have to think much when accepting Mohammad into class late in the semester. They just knew that it was going to take a lot of work for him to catch up.

    Amanda Admire, research associate and lecturer for department of geology, is another one of Mohammad’s teachers that was able to help guide Mohammad in catching up with the class.

    “Once I was contacted I didn’t have an issue with helping him get back in the course and working with him to get him caught up on the material on everything,” Admire said.

    Mohammad took multiple quizzes and assignments all at once in order to get caught up on his schoolwork. But the teachers weren’t the only ones on campus helping Mohammad feel comfortable again.

    Megan Mefford, coordinator of international admission and immigration, was a big factor in helping Mohammad get back into the swing of things.

    “Mohammad and I kept in close contact by email and phone,”  Mefford said. “I was the first one to know about Mohammad and yes, I was worried.”

    Mohammad has now caught up with his homework and tests and is able to focus on current work. However, his brother Amir was unable to get his teachers to let him join classes late at College of the Redwoods. Amir is now talking with a lawyer about getting his I-20 student visa reinstated since it was revoked after not being able to rejoin classes.

    “The more the merrier, the more diversity of identity and of experience the better,” Larson said. “We are a weaker group because of this policy choice.”

  • Humboldt State Softball Pitcher threw a no-hitter on March 6 against Cal State East Bay.

    Humboldt State Softball Pitcher threw a no-hitter on March 6 against Cal State East Bay.

    By Curran Daly

    Maddison WIlliams threw a no hitter in a 6-1 win over Cal State East Bay on Monday.

    Cal State East Bay first batter reached second base on a Lumberjack error, which doesn’t count as a hit. The baserunner then made their way to third after a ground out. Finally they came home on a wild pitch. That sequence left the Lumberjacks trailing 1-0 but meant that Williams hadn’t let up a hit.

    After the sequence Head Coach Shelli Sarchett saw Williams go to work to keep Humboldt in the game.

    “Maddy was just really being her typical maddy. East Bay, looking on paper, they have a really good hitting team.” Coach Sarchett said, “She continued to keep them off balance with her off speed and down pitches.”

    Williams went on to strike-out seven East Bay hitters throughout the game. Keeping Humboldt in the game until a third inning run could tie the game. The game stayed tied until the seventh inning when Humboldt scored five runs to win the game 6-1.

    Williams realized how well she was pitching in the third inning and knew what she had to do to keep her team in the game.

    “I was thinking to myself, I’m not gonna let them score again, if they get on base,” Williams said, “I’m not gonna let them get a hit off of me, I’m not gonna let them beat me on my best pitch.”

    The no-hitter came after Williams and Humboldt first loss of the season to Stanislaus State on March 4.

    “After coming off a loss, her first loss of the season, she really buckled down,” Coach Sarchett said, “she came back and threw the game that we know that Maddy is capable of.”

    This was Williams second no-hitter of her career at Humboldt State. Hard-work throughout her four years have prepared her according to her pitching coach, Hannah Jones.

    “Her hard work, determination, and focus sets her apart from the competition,” Jones said, “and it has been a joy to witness her growth over the years.”

    Hard work pays off and Williams recognizes that time spent during practice and in the offseason helped her grow into the pitcher she is this season for the Lumberjacks.

    “It’s really cool, like having all my hard work pay off,” Williams said, “what you do in practice really does make a difference in the game and it just feels really good that i can help my team out.”

    In typical softball and baseball fashion no one mentioned the potential no-hitter to Williams during the game. Coach Sarchett was surprised to see after the game that Williams had pitched a no-hitter.

    “Maddy comes up to me after the game and said ‘Did i throw a no hitter?’” after looking down at her clipboard Coach Sarchett said, “yup, you did.”

    The Lumberjacks hope to host Cal State Dominguez hills this weekend it what would be their first home game. Due to wet conditions and their normal field being unplayable, the games may be held at Mckinleyville High School. As of right now the games are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. friday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. saturday.

  • Humboldt State Men’s Rugby beats Sonoma State on Freshman’s first try.

    Humboldt State Men’s Rugby beats Sonoma State on Freshman’s first try.

    By Curran Daly

    On a wet and windy March 4, the Humboldt State Men’s Rugby team defeated Sonoma State 24-17.

    From the beginning of the game, Humboldt State was pressing Sonoma. For much of the first half it looked like the Lumberjacks would score the first points of the game. However, a number of defensive stands by Sonoma at their own try zone, rugby’s end zone, kept the game deadlocked at zeros.

    Sonoma’s biggest stand came with seven minutes left in the first half. Soon after, Sonoma was able to break through the Lumberjack line to score the opening try. After a successful conversion Sonoma led 7-0. Justin Herrera, a senior in the lock position, admitted that getting scored on was a bit of a shock to the Lumberjacks.

    “We were kinda a little bit lost at first, we got scored on, then we focused up and got it together,” Herrera said.

    Humboldt came right back and was pushing deep into Sonoma’s end, but were unable to score. The half ended with Sonoma leading 7-0.

    As halftime the weather began to turn. What had been a drizzle in the first half, turned into a full on onslaught of rain. According to Ricky Gomero, a junior scrum half, the shift in the weather caused the Lumberjacks to shift their approach to the game.

    “It started to rain, we know our game has to be a lot different,” Gomero said. “After the first half, we started seeing our guys focusing down, nailing it, and running like good rugby players.”

    The Lumberjacks came out fast in the second half scoring a try after only three minutes of play. A missed conversion left Sonoma in the lead 7-5.

    The game was back and forth, until Humboldt scored again 10 minutes later to take a 10-7 lead. Then, Sonoma scored and missed the conversion to lead 12-10 with 20 minutes remaining.

    The Lumberjacks kept pushing, but could not find a way to put points on the board. At one point the Jacks celebrated a try only to have it called off by the ref. With five and a half minutes remaining the Lumberjacks would not be denied anymore. Freshman winger Cameron Arnold, picked up the ball off of a Sonoma kick and ran through the line to give the Jacks a 15-12 lead. After a successful conversion the Jacks lead 17-12.

    “The turning point of the game was when Cameron scored a try, because that just really put us over,” Herrera said. “He ran it all the way back from the 22, that was the uplifting point, we were like ya we can do this and we had it on lock down.”

    Arnold’s go ahead try was his first try for the rugby team.

    “It was a great feeling, scoring my first try for the team,” Arnold said. “It got the team pumped up.”

    Humboldt went on to score another try pushing the score to 24-12. Sonoma scored on what was the last play of the game and the game finished 24-17.