Equity Arcata’s Home Away From Home Potluck is an event that happens four times a year. There are two during the spring semester and two during the fall semester. The purpose is to bring together all students, community members and local businesses and make them feel welcome within the community while enjoying a free meal.
It’s about that time of year when empty seats and sniffles become a daily thing in class. Hopefully everybody is taking care of themselves during the winter, because the common cold or even the flu can creep up on you. I asked students and staff what home remedies and tips they use when they feel a cold coming.
Allan Jones is one of three candidates in the running for Humboldt State University’s next athletic director. While speaking to open forum attendees, Jones said investing in the community and working with the community members are some of the keys to making a successful athletics program.
“We’re going to be heavily involved in this community asking for support,” Jones said. “But in order to do that we need to be invested as well. Not just our student athletes, but our coaches, our administrators, our staff.”
Jones, originally from a small community in Conyers, Georgia, pointed to his additional work in the Waco, Texas area as an example of what he would hope to bring to HSU.
“There’s a reason why I’m on the Rotary Club of Waco,” Jones said. “Why I’m on the little league board for baseball and softball in Waco and why I’m on the Museum Association Board of Waco, and it’s because I need people to know that when I’m out in the community asking for their support, that there’s a return on that investment.”
“I want to bring those best-in-class practices and successes we’ve seen and measure those to scale here with Lumberjack athletics.”
Allan Jones
Jones comes to the table with 20 years of experience in college athletics, most recently working with the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco as the president and CEO. Jones has also held positions at Arizona State University, University of North Texas, University of Louisville, University of Maryland and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Coming to HSU having held positions at several major universities, Jones was confident that his experience there and at smaller schools would help him improve the programs at HSU.
“I want to bring those best-in-class practices and successes we’ve seen and measure those to scale here with Lumberjack athletics,” Jones said. “So I think those experiences at the bigger schools and bigger institutions mesh with having been at places that were smaller, that were rural as well my background having grown up in the second smallest county in the state of Georgia.”
“Let’s figure out, is there a Band-Aid approach that gets us through this next three to four months? And then let’s have the best softball complex between San Francisco and Portland.”
Allan Jones
On the subject of HSU football, which was cut under the previous administration, Jones was open to having the conversation of a return in the future, but he stressed being able to support athletes as a whole.
“I’m comfortable having a conversation down the road about football,” Jones said. “But what it needs to be is a very open, honest, transparent discussion as someone who’s actually brought a sport to a full time NCAA status, understanding not just the scholarship cost, but recruiting, travel budget—all the other things that go in.”
In regard to existing programs on campus, one big facilities issue that Jones sees at HSU is the condition of the softball field, which often becomes unusable when it rains. He said the softball field would be at the top of his list of things to address if he is hired.
“As I understand, left field has got an issue four feet down that it won’t drain,” Jones said. “Well, why would we put $1 million into that when we’re going to have to go back four years later and build a brand new stadium? Let’s be strategic. Let’s figure out, is there a Band-Aid approach that gets us through this next three to four months? And then let’s have the best softball complex between San Francisco and Portland.”
There are five apps you should download this semester to help with organizing your school life and keeping your mind at ease. While not all of these apps are accessible on all types of phones, they’re typically compatible with phones that host Google Play or the Apple App Store.
1) Google Drive
The Google Drive app is one of the best apps you can use as a student. It hosts all of the accompanying Google Drive features like Google Sheets, Slides and Docs. You can download each app individually for more convenience, but thankfully they’re still accessible through the Drive.
2) Canvas
The Canvas app is helpful for doing assignments on the fly or for getting in touch with classmates for projects. Don’t turn off the notifications for this app because you could miss important class reminders from your professors. This app allows you to submit assignments from wherever you have a WiFi or data connection. It’s also compatible with Google Drive, which makes submitting assignments simple. You can check the to-do list to stay on top of your work and review the app calendar to see upcoming deadlines.
3) The Transit App
The Transit app is essential for any student who commutes to campus. This free app will save you time and stress by showing you local transit routes, schedules and live updates. A helpful feature on this app is the ability to locate the closest route from wherever you are, as long as your GPS is on and active. Not only does the app display bus routes, but it also shows rideshares in the area like Lyft.
4) Humboldt State Mobile:
The Humboldt State Mobile app is a useful tool for checking the school directory, campus life events and other school-related information. You can register or drop classes, check your student center and browse semester class schedules. There’s even a campus map with marked locations for print kiosks and dining services. Although the app can be glitchy, it’s still a valuable and free resource that the school offers.
5) Music streaming apps:
According to a report on the neuroscience of music published by the United States National Library of Medicine, several studies found that listening to music can be therapeutic and may provide stress relief and improvements to cognitive function. Throwing on a study playlist might help you decompress while you review material. Check out Spotify, Pandora or SoundCloud for free music streaming services. Premium versions for music apps are also available if you wish to upgrade your music accessibility. The next time you sit down to study, turn on some tunes to help your cognitive functioning.
NBA legend Kobe Bryant died last Sunday in a helicopter crash at the age of 41, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others.
Humboldt State University’s Alexia Thrower, a star player on HSU’s women’s basketball team who leads her team and conference in scoring and rebounding, admired Bryant not only for his mentality and approach to the game, but also the advocacy he had toward women’s basketball.
“I loved the way Kobe played,” Thrower said. “He was always in attack mode, regardless of if he missed shots or made mistakes his foot was always on the pedal and that’s how I play. He had four daughters and Gigi was a baller so he had a real passion for women’s basketball and really respected us as basketball players too, and that means everything coming from one of the greatest basketball players ever.”
There’s a saying in the world of sports: “Heroes come and go, but legends never die.” This saying was challenged in the early morning hours of Jan. 26 when Bryant died. His death sent shockwaves around the world, and athletes and celebrities mourned him on social media.
Longtime teammate, fellow NBA legend and self-proclaimed big brother Shaquille O’Neal was one of many left heartbroken. O’Neal took to Twitter to speak about Bryant’s death.
“There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with the tragedy of losing my niece Gigi and my brother Kobe, you will be loved and missed,” O’Neal said. “My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. I’M SICK RIGHT NOW.”
Bryant was a 20-year NBA veteran who played entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers. Over the course of his career he became a five-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, league MVP, two-time Finals MVP and finished his career ranking third all-time on the NBA’s scoring list. By the end of his career, he was widely considered one of the greatest players to ever set foot in the NBA.
Bryant influenced generations of future basketball players, including boys, girls and student athletes like HSU freshman Isaiah Sampson, who plays on the men’s basketball team. Sampson viewed Bryant as a role model.
“The way he worked inspired me and helped me change my whole mindset to achieve my goals. He was a role model for me,” Sampson said. “Everyone has their time, but you hate to see someone with his impact go so soon and tragically.”
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa Bryant and three daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri.
Dr. Cornel West will be at Humboldt State University Friday, Feb. 7 to celebrate Black Liberation Month as the keynote speaker of a series of events.
West advocates for race, gender and class equality. West’s social and political activism goes back to his days at John F. Kennedy high school where he marched for civil rights and protested against the lack of diversity and black studies classes offered at the school.
West went on to become class president of his high school before attending both Harvard and Princeton Universities. He is known for infusing the world with academic inference, intelligence and philosophical reflection.
The event is hosted by HSU’s African American Center for Academic Excellence and HSU Brothers United.
West’s lecture will focus on topics from his 1993 book, “Race Matters.” Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Kate Buchanan Room.
The first 100 students through the door with an ID will receive a free copy of “Race Matters.” Additional copies can be found at Northtown Books at 947 H St. in Arcata.
Tickets are free and available at the University Center Ticket Office at HSU, which can be reached at (707) 826-3928.
When a war with Iran suddenly seemed imminent in early January, the people of the Internet reacted the only way they knew how—they made memes. The memes, whatever you think of them, helped people approach a difficult discussion through humor.
President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3. When Iran retaliated by attacking United States Army bases in Iraq with missiles, talk of World War III went on the rise.
Many of the resultant memes revolved around the idea of men between the ages of 18-26 getting drafted to go to war.
If the United States did go to war, there is a possibility that a draft could take place. In World War II, about 20% of men were drafted.
While serving in the United States military has been voluntarily since 1973, an act of Congress could call for a draft. Male U.S. citizens between the ages of 18-26 and immigrants who are living in the U.S. still must register for the Selective Service System.
Of course, no one wants to think about a draft. Instead, people address the issue through jokes. This might not be ideal, but at least people are talking about it.
Should we joke about the hundreds of thousands of people who might die going to war? No, but we should be talking about it and this is a start.
Using humor and memes to talk about what’s going on in the world isn’t a bad thing. Choosing to only laugh and failing to educate yourself on the issue you’re laughing at is where people go wrong.
The memes could even be deemed as parody news. From what I learned in a parody news class last semester, people use humor to talk about serious topics without making them sound as serious, so that people can digest what’s going on. Parody news is often described as taking real subjects and making a joke out of them to get people laughing and thinking.
The draft memes ranged from how women were going to try to get out of the war by being a housewife, to men offing themselves before they got drafted, to how to distract Iranian soldiers so your friends can get away. There were even meta memes about these memes that went something like, “Me laughing at war memes even though it’s probably going to happen.”
Memes are as prevalent as ever. There seems to be a meme regarding every aspect of this possible war, and for almost every bit of modern life. If it makes news, the memes will follow. Everyday on social media you see memes regarding the upcoming presidential election, climate change, health care and more.
Often times, I see memes about current events before I even see news coverage. I found myself laughing at the memes about WWIII before I even knew what was actually going on. When I saw the memes, I decided to research why people were saying we were going to war. The memes were my first point of contact on the events with Iran—they informed me.
Using humor and memes to talk about what’s going on in the world isn’t a bad thing. Choosing to only laugh and failing to educate yourself on the issue you’re laughing at is where people go wrong. The problem isn’t on the people making the memes. It’s on the audience failing to educate themselves and do more with a meme than laugh.
In the face of climate change, all scales of society, from government to corporations to individuals, are looking for ways to emit less and sink more carbon. The internet latched onto the tree-planting solution, but it’s important the right trees are planted in the right place at the right time.
The climate crisis is the dominant issue of this decade. According to Robert H. Socolow and Stephen W. Pacala, who wrote the article “A Plan to Keep Carbon in Check” in 2006, the world must avoid emitting about 200 billion tons of carbon over the next 50 years.
To make the problem manageable, Socolow and Pacala turned the required reduction into one-billion-ton “wedges.” The paper contained strategies that could be scaled up by 2050 to reduce carbon emissions by one million tons per year. For example, a wedge would be achieved if the number of miles traveled by the world’s cars was cut in half or if global deforestation was halted within 50 years.
Tree planting has become one of the most popular solutions in popular culture. Ecosia and Team Trees are two internet campaigns working to plant millions of trees.
A consistent goal in climate science is net zero emissions. In other words, the volume of greenhouse gasses going into the atmosphere needs to equal the volume coming out. With a record 37 billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted in 2018, that’s a daunting task. To achieve this goal, society needs to emit less carbon and increase nature’s carbon sinking, or the natural process of turning carbon dioxide gas into solid matter.
Top minds of the world are putting their heads together to come up with solutions, ranging from modernized public transportation to alternative energy technology to lifestyle changes toward less consumption. Beyond that, policy makers and scientists are working closely with everyday people to educate, inspire and solve the crisis.
Locally, Humboldt State University, the City of Arcata and Humboldt County have prepared climate action plans. In the spring of 2019, five public workshops were hosted by the county to get ideas from community members on an action plan. The primary goal of these plans is to reduce emissions to pre-1990 levels by 2030.
2030 is the nearest milestone in climate policy. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming, global emissions will need to fall 45% from 2010 levels by then to be on track for the net zero emissions goal for 2050. This ideal timeline would limit global warming to the best-case 1.5 degree Celsius increase in average temperature, a goal which still brings with it real climate change.
Tree planting has become one of the most popular solutions in popular culture. Ecosia and Team Trees are two internet campaigns working to plant millions of trees. A number of science-based YouTubers have published videos explaining the project, including SmarterEveryDay, Mr.Beast and Aspect Science.
Trees are a valuable ally in the battle against climate change because they sequester carbon. A tree’s bark is made out of carbon. During photosynthesis, plants turn sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into glucose. The glucose molecule, along with other essential nutrients, turns into plant matter like leaves, branches and roots, effectively storing carbon in a solid state.
For this ordeal to be successful, it’s essential the people planting trees understand the silvics of those trees. Silvics is the study of the life history and characteristics of forest trees, and without understanding it, the newly-planted trees are more likely to die.
With the Earth at a critical time in its life history, the top minds of the world are opting for some deep breaths, planning and deliberate, well-informed environmental action.
Those attending Humboldt State University who smoke marijuana regularly may want to rethink their habit.
Marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States, and a large part of its popularity as a recreational narcotic comes from the perception that it has very few, if any, long-term health effects. There are, in fact, several positives that are associated with the drug, such as help with depression or anxiety, easing of muscle soreness and a reducing of the number of seizures experienced by people with epilepsy.
“When you combust any plant, you’re creating significantly more carcinogens.”
Dr. Jeffrey Chen
However, despite its positive effects, a recent study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association has identified a link between marijuana use in people with male reproductive organs and an increased risk of testicular cancer. The study explained that burning marijuana (which is necessary to smoke it), like burning any plant, triggers the release of carcinogens, which, in this case, may lead to testicular germ cell tumor.
“When you combust any plant, you’re creating significantly more carcinogens,” Dr. Jeffrey Chen explained to Science Alert.
The study also analyzed potential connections between recreational marijuana use and lung cancer, oral cancer and head and neck cancer. However, JAMA did not find any connections to any of those cancers.
The meta-analysis in the data collected by JAMA is specific to white men, leaving out a large part of the global population. Many of their findings also date back as far as 1973.
There also isn’t a direct causality from marijuana to cancer over a wide range of the population. The American Association for Cancer Research has identified many of the victims of cancer as having used marijuana heavily. However, there is still no evidence of other variables, who else might be at risk or other drugs that might increase or minimize said risk.
These studies so far are limited in the information they provide, and should not be taken as the final word on any and all links between cannabis and cancer. However, it does contribute to the ongoing discussion of the health effects of the drug, and those who do use it may want to sit up a little straighter and take some notice.
In the last three months, three Humboldt State University administrators jumped ship. A game of musical chairs has since taken place as staff have shuffled around to fill the gaps.
Since November, HSU has appointed a new interim provost, interim college dean, Title IX coordinator, Student Health Center director and Human Resources staff recruitment manager.
While it’s unclear how the changes will affect HSU, the shifts appear in line with data suggesting high turnover rates among college administrators.
The changes began in November, when Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Alex Enyedi left HSU to become the 11th president of the State University of New York, Plattsburgh.
Enyedi served as HSU’s provost and vice president of academic affairs since 2015 after leaving Western Michigan University, where he served as a biology professor and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Enyedi left WMU amid controversy as his contract expired despite a petition of support with 1,300 signatures, according to reporting from the North Coast Journal. Enyedi said he believed his contract was not renewed due to his requests for raises for female college employees. WMU pointed to enrollment declines and budget adjustments—familiar phrases for HSU—as the cause of his departure.
“The turnover rate for deans or directors of education topped the list at 22%, while the rate for provosts sat second-highest, at 21%, according to the analysis. Presidents or chancellors came in third, at 18%.”
Data from Higher Education Publications
HSU announced Dean of the College of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Lisa Bond-Maupin as interim provost on Nov. 26. While Bond-Maupin serves, HSU said it would search for the next provost.
“There will be a national search for a new Provost, with opportunity for input and participation from individuals across campus,” the Nov. 26 announcement said. “Details of the search plan will be shared when they are finalized.”
HSU then appointed Spanish Professor Rosamel Benavides-Garb to take Bond-Maupin’s place. Benavides-Garb previously served as associate dean of CAHSS and chair of the World Languages and Cultures program.
On the same day as the Enyedi announcement, Nov. 20, HSU announced Executive Director of Student Health and Wellbeing Services Dr. Brian Mistler had resigned and taken the job as Chief Operating Officer of Resolution Care in Eureka.
In Mistler’s place, Associate Vice President of Student Success Stephen St. Onge now leads the Student Health Center alongside Dr. Karen Selin and Dr. Jen Sanford. The Nov. 20 press release noted that the plans for the future of the SHC’s leadership would be revealed in January. In the meantime, the release made a promise to students.
“In honoring HSU’s commitment to our students, we are looking into opportunities to expand hours and services for students starting the Spring 2020 semester,” the release said.
HSU then announced the departure of Title IX Coordinator Marcus Winder on Dec. 5.
“Marcus has been an invaluable team member and has served HSU, with his many years of experience, during a time of great change and uncertainty for Title IX departments across the country,” the release said.
Taking Winder’s place is Human Resources Staff Recruitment Manager David Hickcox. Hickcox worked for HR and as an investigation officer for the Title IX Office for the last two and a half years, according to the release.
Recruitment Manager Nicole Log, who, according to the release, has served HSU for five and a half years in the HR department, then took Hickcox’s place.
Finally, Interim Director of Academic Resources Holly Martel got to remove the “interim” from her title on Nov. 18. Martel, who served as the interim director since 2017, has worked at HSU for 24 years in a variety of roles, from financial planning to personnel management.
According to 2016 data from Higher Education Publications, a company that publishes college data in its online Higher Education Directory, college administrators experience high rates of turnover compared to other administrators.
The turnover rate for deans or directors of education topped the list at 22%, while the rate for provosts sat second-highest, at 21%, according to the analysis. Presidents or chancellors came in third, at 18%.
A summary of the analysis gave a variety of possible causes for the high rates.
“When compared to other administrators, the cause for such high-level turnover can be linked to many diverse issues such as growing financial, faculty, Board and political pressures,” the summary said. “Also, traditionally colleges and universities have made leadership selections from within, minimizing risk.”
However, the analysis did not list the administrative turnover rates with which it compared college administrative turnover rates. The Lumberjack has reached out to Higher Education Publications and will update this story online when we receive a response.
Yet for a rough comparison, according to a Jan. 2020 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total separation rate (turnover) for all recorded employees—not just administrators—for Nov. 2019 was 3.7%.
The Lumberjack has also reached out to HSU for comment. We received word that HSU Associate Vice President of Human Resources David Montoya and his team are gathering turnover data and will have a comment at a further date. We will update this story online when we receive said comment.
An HSU memo sent out Jan. 21 revealed results from a spring 2019 Great Colleges to Work For survey conducted at HSU. The national survey, intended to inform institutions about workplace culture, sheds some light on the status of the HSU administrative staff.
Across 15 categories, the HSU results came back most positive in the job satisfaction, compensation, pride and supervisors or department chairs categories. The results came back most negative in the senior leadership, policies and faculty, administration and staff relations categories.
HSU will hold two presentations in Goodwin Forum, one on Jan. 24 and one on Feb. 4, to further discuss the findings with faculty and staff, according to the memo.
Thirty-three months after a black HSU student was murdered in the city of Arcata, a circle of family, friends, students and community members huddled together, clasped hands and shouted his name.
“Justice for David Josiah Lawson,” the group said loud and clear over and over from the steps of the Arcata City Hall. The sun had set hours ago, and a winter wind was biting at those gathered in attendance, but weather wouldn’t stop the crowd.
“The vibe itself is very upbeat considering the weather,” said attendee Andre Ramos, who wore a heavy winter coat and a beanie pulled over his ears.
Every month since the murder of David Josiah Lawson, a crowd has gathered around Charmaine Lawson, the mother of Josiah Lawson, and together they demand justice for Josiah. Lawson remains steadfast in her belief that justice will happen. She makes the journey all the way up to Humboldt from her home in Southern California to remind those in power that she will make it happen.
“It will happen,” Lawson said. “I serve a mighty god. As long as I have breath in my body I will continue to be here.”
“There are beautiful, amazing, wonderful, compassionate people here. There is love within this community, but there is evil and darkness here.”
Charmaine Lawson
To Lawson, this was an open and shut case. The original suspect, former Mckinleyville resident Kyle Christopher Zoellner, was apprehended the night of the murder. Lawson said the murder weapon was also found. She said DNA evidence should presumably solve this case.
“Why we’re still here? Dumbfounded,” Lawson said.
As the months go by, more and more students move to Humboldt to attend Humboldt State University. Yet Lawson is concerned these students don’t know the situation they’re moving into.
HSU has a much higher population of people of color than the surrounding community. Most HSU students come from Los Angeles or the Bay Area and the small-town culture of Humboldt is different from what they’re used to. Lawson wants to ensure that all students who start the next step of their lives in Humboldt make it out again, but she feels that students of color simply aren’t welcome.
“If you’re a student of color, be careful,” Lawson said. “There are beautiful, amazing, wonderful, compassionate people here. There is love within this community, but there is evil and darkness here.”
Kwame Achebe, a San Diego native, agreed. Achebe has attended every vigil since the murder, but his voice still shook when talking about what happened. He chose his words carefully but spoke with a grim humor when recounting one of his first experiences in Humboldt.
“What’s funny is in San Diego I’m pretty light skinned,” Achebe said with a laugh. “In San Diego I’d have to be convincing people I was black. I didn’t need to convince anybody here. My first day at Arcata High I was greeted as ‘the nigger,’ OK? I was greeted as ‘the nigger.’”
Achebe said his experiences in Humboldt have told him that this isn’t an aberration.
“For us not to have justice 33 months after the murder of a young black man? It’s not out of the norm at all,” Achebe said.
Achebe said the elected leaders of Arcata don’t care about what happened to Josiah Lawson, so it’s up to the people.
“I’ve been out here from the very beginning. I see the look on their faces when they’re addressing us. They have no souls in their eyes,” Achebe said. “They don’t care.”
Part of the goal of the Justice for Josiah movement is justice in the form of political change, not just for Josiah Lawson, but for the whole system. Lawson vowed to keep working to elect people who she thinks will be able to uphold justice.
“I will continue to call people in power out that are elected officials who are not doing their jobs and make sure we get people with integrity and love and compassion in seats,” Lawson said.
Over the course of the almost three-year history of this case, it has faced numerous setbacks. The case against Zoellner was dismissed in 2017. In 2019, a criminal grand jury decided not to indict anyone for the murder of Josiah Lawson, and the California Attorney General declined to take the case.
“Justice for me is having Kyle Christopher Zoellner arrested for the murder of my son David Josiah Lawson and held accountable for his actions,” Lawson said.
The history of the case shows that a system that could bring about the justice that Lawson wants is not the one Humboldt has, but Lawson is convinced it will one day. Until then, Lawson is concerned for the students of color in the here and now.
“Don’t go anywhere alone in this town,” Lawson said. “Stick together so someone can tell your story if you’re not able to.”
Residents of Humboldt, Mendocino and Lake Counties should prepare for possible power outages during the winter storm rolling in Wednesday evening, according to a press release from Pacific Gas and Electric.
“PG&E meteorologists are expecting the cold front to move into Humboldt County tonight and will work southward into Mendocino and Lake Counties,” PG&E Spokesperson Deanna Contreras said in a press release sent to The Lumberjack. “We are expecting power outages due to wind and rain and also on Thursday due to snow accumulation in the upper elevations.”
The release said PG&E will mobilize crews to remain on-call throughout Wednesday night to respond to any outages. The release also noted that PG&E plans to activate its Operations Emergency Centers.
The release went on to provide a number of safety tips during the storm, which is forecasted to last at least into Thursday, with “unsettled weather” possibly lasting into next week.
Tips included not touching downed wires, avoiding the use of candles and turning off appliances to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. See the press release copied below for the full list of tips.
PG&E Alerts Customers: Have a Plan for Cold, Wet and Windy Weather
Potential Outages Are Possible Due to Approaching Weather
EUREKA / UKIAH / CLEARLAKE, Calif.—With unsettled weather expected to return to its service area this week, PG&E is asking customers to have a plan for inclement weather and be prepared for unexpected power outages.
PG&E meteorologists are forecasting a change in the weather pattern over Northern and Central California later this week. The most impactful storm of this pattern will start on Wednesday afternoon with wind, rain and mountain snow and last into Thursday. Unsettled weather may continue over the weekend and into the following week.
“An impactful winter storm is on the way and we’re asking customers to have a plan to keep themselves and their families safe. Our team of meteorologists is closely tracking the weather system and working with our employees in the field to stage resources and ensure we’re prepared to restore power safely and quickly,” said PG&E senior meteorologist Evan Duffey.
PG&E is closely tracking the weather system and will be mobilizing crews and materials into areas expected to feel the brunt of the storm, so they can get to work and restore service to impacted customers more quickly.
PG&E’s meteorology team has developed a Storm Outage Prediction Model that incorporates real-time weather forecasts, historical data and system knowledge to accurately show where and when storm impacts will be most severe. This model enables the company to pre-stage crews and equipment as storms approach to enable rapid response to outages.
Storm Safety Tips:
Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, pets and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup.
Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer.
Secure outdoor furniture: Deck furniture, lightweight yard structures and decorative lawn items should be secured as they can be blown by high winds and damage overhead power lines or property.
Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 811 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.
Other tips and more information can be found at www.pge.com/weather.
Each week we answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.
Dear Evergreen,
Is driving to Eureka for Costco gas worth it?
Dear Fretful Fueler,
Gas prices in California are some of the highest in the nation, with prices often spilling over $4.00 a gallon, but Costco offers some of the cheapest gas.
Costco is a popular gas supplier, and here in Humboldt we are fortunate to have one locally. But although Costco gas is an option in the area, it’s not accessible to all.
To get gas from Costco you must have a membership or a Costco gift card. As someone who doesn’t have a Costco membership, I can’t say for certain that Costco gas is the best alternative.
For those who can afford the $60 yearly subscription, it makes sense to go to Costco if you’re already using their other services. However, if you plan on getting a membership just for a gas discount, I wouldn’t suggest it.
If you aren’t a heavy commuter then Costco gas definitely isn’t a good source for fuel. According to Business Insider, the price of a membership won’t be paid off with your gas savings until you gas up around 37 times.
Costco gas stations are also notorious for having chaotic waiting lines and times. If you do consider Costco gas, be mindful of the time of day you head over, as rush hour times are often busier. It would be counterproductive to wait upwards of 10 minutes for gas while idling in your car wasting fuel.
If you aren’t inclined to fuel up at a Costco gas station, there are other places you can gas up at. You can find local gas prices with the site and app GasBuddy, which can help you shop around for the best option.
In Arcata, the cheapest gas can be found at the Patriot station for $3.87 a gallon on Giuntoli Lane. In Eureka, the most affordable gas is from the Costco station which is currently $3.49 a gallon.
Happy gassing!
Sincerely,
Evergreen
If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.
Enrollment numbers are down and Humboldt State University is looking for ways to keep them stable. With just 6,900 students enrolled in 2019, administration and faculty are exploring recruitment strategies and program changes to stimulate growth on campus.
Vice President of Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether is on the front lines of the enrollment situation.
“We’ve lost well over 2,000 students in the last four or five years,” Meriwether said. “It’s a symptom of a few things. We’re graduating larger classes and our graduation rate has gone up. So that does have an impact. Part two is from a recruitment standpoint. There have been a number of things in place that have changed this year to get us to be a viable recruiting option.”
Meriwether divided the recruitment efforts into three elements. First, the school got rid of barriers to campus visitors like fees for preview day, parking and lunch. Second, the Division of Enrollment Management is focusing its efforts to draw students from local communities to the campus. Third, the school is using data-driven strategies to make enrollment and engagement decisions.
“We’re using data analytics to mine our top feeders and where we’re getting most of our applications,” Meriwether said. “And we’re using that type of data to make decisions about where we put our time and our energy for the maximum benefit for HSU. We want the community to know HSU is a first-choice university.”
“I think that budget component has overshadowed the fact that we still have students here to serve.”
Casey Park
Former chair of the University Center Board of Directors
Historically, HSU regarded low enrollment in a more negative light. A decrease in student enrollment was correlated with a decrease in campus revenue, and campus policies reflected the budget deficit. Casey Park, former chair of the University Center Board of Directors, offered some insight.
“I think that budget component has overshadowed the fact that we still have students here to serve,” Park said. “And the narrative for the last two years was that we just didn’t have enough.”
To help staff make decisions based in reality rather than through hypothesis and conjecture, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness provides data and information to faculty and staff. Lisa Castellino, the associate vice president of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, acknowledged student resources being out-of-date with the current demographic.
“We have a student demographic that has changed over the last five to seven years,” Castellino said. “It has become more diverse. There are more first generation students. It’s more low income. It’s the institution’s responsibility and priority, and it has been the last five to seven years, to help students, because going to college is complicated.”
Thus, on-campus resources are evolving. With low enrollment, Molly Kresl and the Clubs and Activities office said they are being more deliberate and intentional with campus programming by engaging students in a way they prefer.
Meriwether and Enrollment Management said they are promoting HSU’s educational experience to potential students in Humboldt, Siskiyou and Trinity Counties as a first choice rather than a backup. Beyond administration, academic departments are attempting to provide quality education for their students, regardless of enrollment numbers.
“Often during times of change is also our greatest opportunity for growth,” Kresl said. “We stop doing things that really aren’t working that we’ve just done forever because we’ve always done it that way, and we start saying, ‘Okay, then why are we doing this?’”
Press at any capacity in the United States is protected by the First Amendment against federal censorship of speech. The government cannot make editorial decisions, retractions or content suggestions. Student press publications in California are protected not just by the First Amendment, but also by the California Student Free Expression Law of 1977, or California Education Code 48907.
When a government entity such as a state university interferes with the press by policing publications on what is appropriate to publish, it inhibits the independence of the press.
Recently, Humboldt State University administration sent out a school-wide email regarding material printed in a student parody newspaper, called The Dumberjack, found in an insert in the Nov. 20 issue of The Lumberjack.
The public announcement accused the students in the parody news class that produced The Dumberjack of reinforcing rape culture and gender-based discrimination through a photo that depicted a “sexist ‘riddle’” which was displayed on a sign in a window of an all-female room at the College Creek Apartments.
The school administration held The Dumberjack staff responsible for a joke on a sign they did not create nor stage. A student-journalist outside of the parody news class observed and documented campus culture with this photograph. The parody news class simply featured it in the paper and in no way amplified any perceived gender-based discrimination with the story that ran alongside the photo.
Parody facilitates the palatability of relevant information through comedy.
No one in The Dumberjack class or on The Lumberjack staff supports gender-based discrimination or wants to reinforce rape culture. But journalism, of any kind, is not public relations. The publication of a photo of a sign on campus does not represent endorsement of what the sign says. Journalism draws attention to troublesome realities by documenting them and showing them to the public. When a publication reveals a sign that a university finds offensive, the university’s focus ought to be on the sign, not on the journalists who documented it.
Administration officials invited the class to have a conversation to “discuss the impact and implications of the cover photo.” The meeting was intended to be an open dialogue surrounding the development of “critical lenses.”
Instead, on Thursday, Dec. 5, the class became the site of a direct act of administration intimidation.
Two school officials—only one of whom had been momentarily invited—came to the class and lectured journalism students on how to make editorial decisions. Chair of the Sexual Assault Prevention Committee Kim Berry and Dean of Students Eboni Turnbow, both of whom are government employees, reprimanded a class of students educated in journalism ethics.
The administration is demonstrating unprofessional behavior of questionable legality by attempting to contain this incident and filter what student press can and cannot print. The administration cannot tell student media what to publish.
Parody writers take real world situations and use a critical lens to highlight a topic in a juxtaposed way. These satirical pieces can sometimes be offensive, but the key is that the subject matter is still being discussed.
The goal of parody is to create a dialogue on topics that are either overshadowed or too controversial to be discussed openly. Parody facilitates the palatability of relevant information through comedy.
The First Amendment protects speech, including satire and parody. Satire and parody are used as impressionistic language that aim to create commentary on sensitive issues through the use of humor, absurdity and exaggeration. Utilizing these writing tactics serves as a more approachable way of tackling uncomfortable yet prominent issues.
Journalists aim to relay information in the most accurate and concise manner as possible. Censorship defeats that purpose. The government censoring the media is illegal and obstructs the transparency of journalism. It creates bias and subjectivity, as journalists become fearful of backlash for what they print.
When censorship appeases a specific group of people, it’s a domino effect. Censoring one thing for a single group leads to censoring all material to please everyone. That defeats the purpose of journalism as an independent eye intended to expose overlooked issues.
In today’s political climate, journalists are constantly under fire. The fourth estate, journalism, is as vital to uphold as the fifth estate, non-traditional media like parody news. When federal figures undermine the editorial freedom of a publication, even a parody news publication, a slippery slope follows in which government infringes upon the freedom of the press.
A new $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will be placing Masters of Social Work students at Humboldt State University in Eureka City Schools and Del Norte County schools as stipend workers.
“The grants themselves are funding positions at Eureka City Schools and also the Del Norte Unified School District,” Director of Field Education at HSU’s Department of Social Work Yvonne Doble said. “It’s actually a full time benefited position that’s being brought on at the school side to support our students.”
Announced Nov. 20, the funds will come from the U.S. Department of Education Mental Health Service Professional Development Program.
Nearly $1 million of the grant will be going to Humboldt State to help support the students and get them prepared for applying for the Pupil Personnel Services Credential, which is necessary for social work students to be hired by schools.
“A large portion of that is coming specifically for the stipends for the students,” Doble said. “We plan to offer a class for stipend recipients, where they will receive faculty guidance and support regarding school social work practice.”
The grant will be placing Masters of Social Work students at HSU in varying levels of schools throughout Del Norte and Humboldt Counties.
“It looks like we are going to have eight students this next fall, maybe more, and that will move up to 13 to 15 students by year four of the grant,” Doble said.
Locally, students face higher than normal rates of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Humboldt and Del Norte.
“Our region, for a number of reasons, has California’s highest ACEs rates in Humboldt and Del Norte County,” Jack Bareilles, the Northern Humboldt Union High School District grants administrator and an author of the grant, said. “You’re looking at approximately a third of all kids are being raised in families with four or more of the ten ACEs. So there is just a real need for that here, and I believe that’s one of the reasons we got funded.”
ACEs can include things like alcohol and drug use or violence in the home, housing insecurity and food insecurity.
“Locally, there is a real need for support for students and support for families,” Bareilles said. “Social workers are uniquely qualified to provide, and that being said, we actually have a real shortage of social workers in the schools. It’s just something that we haven’t had before.”
Bareilles said the shortage comes from the lack of PPS credentials for students, and also because social workers, which are different from counselors and school psychiatrists, are mainly used in larger cities. Now, the PPS credential will be offered at HSU.
“Kids and schools and families will be helped, and when push comes to shove, that is the most important thing.”
Jack Bareilles
“The role of school social workers is to really help address social and emotional needs of our students,” Doble said. “It’s not just about academic counseling. It’s about providing resources to children and families. It’s about providing opportunities to developers, opportunities to repair harm that’s occurred.”
Bareilles said doing social work in school systems differs greatly from social work in other categories because the public schools operate under different processes than normal organizations.
“Having these interns work two days a week for a whole year working in a high school or middle school or elementary school, they will emerge from their MSW program with a real sense of, ‘Oh this is how schools work,’” Bareilles said. “So whether or not they are employed as a school social worker or some other child-serving social worker, they will really have a better ability of connecting the dots and getting kids what they need.”
Bareilles said the grant is a huge win for mental health support in Humboldt County and will help provide many troubled youths with the resources and personnel that they need.
“Kids and schools and families will be helped, and when push comes to shove, that is the most important thing,” Bareilles said.
Humboldt State University has been abuzz in the last few weeks with speculation about a photo of a joke written on a sign by women. This photo, taken by myself, was printed in a parody newspaper, The Dumberjack. The Dumberjack, while produced as parody of The Lumberjack, is created as part of a separate class.
The stated intention behind the sign was to poke fun at the Humboldt County climate by relating the rainy weather to female genitalia. Six girls, Caroline Voorhees, Marian Porter, Rashell Martell, Sabrina Ott, Shannon Coburn and Whitney Burns, live in a College Creek apartment together. The original creator of the sign was Caroline Voorhees, but all of the girls have their own take on the sign’s meaning.
Question: What are your feelings toward the sign?
Marian Porter: “I personally thought it was funny. There definitely were no negative intentions for the sign. Before Caroline puts out a new sign, we all give our consent to what is being represented to our dorm.”
“I guess I am sort of happy the school takes things seriously, but they should focus on other things because there are other things more important than a dorm sign.”
Rashell Martell
Caroline Voorhees: “I felt bad that I might have hurt someone’s feelings and hurt their day. Being the person who wrote the sign, I never would have thought about it as being non-consensual. I wouldn’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel like I was making light on their bad situation. That wasn’t what I was trying to do, I was trying to talk about sex culture and have fun.”
Whitney Burns: “I also think anyone can read anything and take it in a wrong way which shouldn’t stop people from making jokes.”
Rashell Martell: “I was actually the one to find out our sign was the one being talked about in the email and I mentioned it to everyone in our group chat. More or less I found it funny. Even though I didn’t make the sign, I gave consent for the sign to be put out. I guess I am sort of happy the school takes things seriously, but they should focus on other things because there are other things more important than a dorm sign.”
Shannon Coburn: “I didn’t think anything of it and I thought we had so many worse signs. I could see how you can take it that way if you wanted to, but it was weird that they focused their time on a sign and not things that are actually happening on campus.”
Sabrina Ott: “It seems like they blew things out of proportions and it doesn’t seem like something people are focusing so much on. I also felt really bad for the newspaper. We were more worried that the newspaper took fault for something we did.”
Question: Did you think the sign meant what HSU administration decided it meant?
Caroline Voorhees: “When you are in a frame of mind to read something negatively you will. Whoever misinterpreted my joke must have been having a bad day, or had a friend that had a bad encounter, and that wasn’t the purpose of the sign. I feel bad for those people who are going through something in their life in order for them to think that statement was negative, because it was a positive statement.”
Question: How did you personally come up with the joke?
Caroline Voorhees: “It started off as just a joke living in Humboldt where it is raining all the time, but the other part came about because I did a paper on sex positivity and culture about sex and how it is not talked about often. It is definitely shamed, for women especially. So I tried to incorporate that with the weather and being sex positive and how you should enjoy yourself before you have sex with someone and how everyone should be happy all the time.”
A message from the whole dorm: “We do take people’s opinions and complaints seriously and we are sorry that we hurt anyone’s feelings, but that is not going to change our sense of humor and we will try to be more mindful in the future.”
With winter right around the corner, it’s important that less fortunate and displaced individuals have access to food, shelter and basic necessities.
Humboldt County has among the highest rates of homelessness in the state. With the steep temperature decline of the winter, coats, socks and warm clothes become an extreme necessity.
Robert Lohn, the founder of Coats for the Cold, one of the largest coat drives in the county, spoke on the need for warm clothes during the upcoming months.
“There’s a flock of families, individuals and couples who go to food banks and can’t afford food,” Lohn said. “Let alone warm clothing.”
Lohn started the movement 12 years ago with just 20 coats. Since then, the movement has gained major recognition from across the county to help collect, clean and store clothes that are redistributed to underprivileged children in schools. The amount of jackets received has greatly increased over the years, but Lohn still prioritizes spreading the word.
“The big picture is to show other parts of the community what we do, how we did it and how the other areas could do it as well,” Lohn said.
Coatsforthecold.org provides a lengthy list of drop-off locations ranging from McKinleyville to Garberville. Drop-off boxes are distributed at the beginning of December through to January.
“If anybody is in desperate need of a pair of pants or some shoes, and we have it, we will get it to them.”
Steven Thompson
St. Vincent de Paul Employee
A drop-off box for warm clothes was placed on the first floor of the Behavioral Social Sciences building on Monday, Dec. 2 and will remain there through January. Warm clothes to donate include: jackets, sweaters, pants, hats, blankets, socks and gloves. Backpacks are welcomed as well.
Another place to donate is the at the Third Annual David Josiah Lawson Coat Drive, which takes place on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. on the Arcata Plaza.
The St. Vincent de Paul non-profit organization in Old Town Eureka is also a great resource for people who would like to donate, or are in need of daily necessities. They provide bag lunches and free clothing. They are open seven days a week, besides the first two weekends of the month.
Steven Thompson, a worker at St. Vincent’s, says there is no specific criteria needed in order to receive the items that are offered.
“If anybody is in desperate need of a pair of pants or some shoes, and we have it, we will get it to them,” Thompson said.
Not only do shelter and coat drives work for donating, but Angel’s of Hope Thrift Store is another place where people can donate their warm clothes.
According to employee Jasmine Oakshotte Angels of Hope is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oakshotte says that they have plenty of warm clothing, but it is the process of getting it out to the public that makes it difficult.
“It’s just about man power for us because we are a small group,” Oakshotte said. “There’s only four of us that price the stuff. So getting through it all, like we have bunches of it, it’s just that we have to get it out.”
Volunteers are more than welcome and will receive store credit by volunteering for the thrift store. They also have deals throughout the week for enrolled HSU students, including receiving half-off clothing Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
If you’re in need of warm clothes this winter, consider using the above organizations and stores around Humboldt County that provide them at either no cost or for very cheap.
On Nov. 16, the Humboldt State Logging sports club held its annual Logtoberfest. This year they got to compete against schools including University of California, Berkeley, University of Nevada, Reno and Shasta College.
In previous years, Logtoberfest was more of a practice session for HSU logging sports. This year HSU decided to make their event an open invitational and welcomed other university logging sports teams.
Sounds of axes chopping and chainsaws revving echoed as those involved gathered around to show off their woodcutting skills. But the event was about more than just cutting wood. Logging athletes and their familiarity with each event provided entertainment while still ensuring safety.
Vice President of the club and HSU forestry major Sophia Ackerman was in her third year competing in Logtoberfest. She was happy to see the arrival of the traveling schools and the growth of her logging team.
“Our team has gotten bigger,” Ackerman said. “Logtoberfest in the past has been more like practice scrimmages against ourselves to get ready for competitions really early in the season.”
Ackerman spoke highly about one event in particular: the obstacle pole. This event required an individual to carry an active chainsaw up a tilted log and cut off a portion of it.
Another event called the horizontal chop involved a person positioning their feet on a log as they land multiple strikes until it breaks. Feet are exposed, but an important safety feature includes metallic footwear and chain-mail shin guards, so that in the event a contestant misses their intended target, no one is seriously injured.
“Because it is extremely dangerous, if you glance out you can chop your leg. You gotta be comfortable with chopping and really good with the axe.”
Jace Hunt
Ackerman participated in the horizontal chop event and wasted no time chopping the log against her Shasta College opponent. Upon completion, Ackerman sat and took a break as she watched and cheered on her opponent to finish strong. Sportsmanship among the logging athletes has allowed them to form a bond of endless support for each other.
Wildlife conservation major Jace Hunt competed in an event called the vertical chop, and after multiple swings from his axe, Hunt delivered a final blow to the log sending wood chips flying in every direction.
Despite constant sawdust and wood chips flying everywhere, maintaining an uninterrupted line of sight was a goal the athletes thrived for. However, there were some participants that saw the flying chips as a motivational obstacle.
Not only does swinging an axe demand physique but it demands discipline to assure that team members avoid inflicting bodily harm. Although this is Hunt’s second Logtoberfest, he did not compete in last year’s axe-wielding events.
“You have to be on the team for a full year before you can do the vertical chop,” Hunt said. “Because it is extremely dangerous, if you glance out you can chop your leg. You gotta be comfortable with chopping and really good with the axe.”