Students from various majors hone their argumentative skills
With winter break fast approaching and students preparing for finals, Humboldt State University’s debate team is pushing through with consistent practice sessions and preparing for scheduled competitions that start as soon as the spring semester begins.
Responding to a topic may seem like an easy task, but compiling synchronized responses with a teammate can be overwhelming, especially when the goal is to not contradict each others’ claims.
“Try publicly speaking about controversial issues, not knowing whether or not you will be speaking for or against your own values until 15 minutes before you have to do so.”
Kimberley Nguyen
Kimberley Nguyen, a philosophy major, is in her third semester with the debate team. She stresses over the challenging lack of preparation time before debates.
“Public speaking on its own is a difficult task,” Nguyen said. “Try publicly speaking about controversial issues, not knowing whether or not you will be speaking for or against your own values until 15 minutes before you have to do so.”
HSU’s debate team is currently practicing the British parliamentary debate method as they prepare for spring. This consists of team members pairing up, debating sides and creating counter arguments.
During one of their practice sessions, assistant coach Olivia Gainer presented the teams with the topic. The topic surrounded the opening monologue of “All the World’s a Stage” from William Shakespeare’s play, “As You Like It.” The four teams proceeded to exit the room to prepare and come back later with their responses.
“The team dynamic is definitely important and affects the way each round goes, it helps balance arguments off each other,” Gainer said. “Right now I’m looking at how well the team dynamic is and will give my input on their performance.”
Research and compiling a strong argument is a must. With evenings being the only time frame to practice their tactics, the debate team optimizes their time wisely to alleviate obstacles in later competitions.
HSU’s debate team is open to all and brands itself as a competitive sport. Exercising one’s mind to develop well constructed argument is as crucial as athletes utilizing their plays to put points on the scoreboard.
Humboldt State Special Collections offers the opportunity for community members to preserve their history
On Saturday the HSU library played host to Humboldt History Digitization Day, an event that gave students, staff and community members the opportunity to take photographs and documents and save digital copies for free.
Digital copies are a great way to save backups of personal documents and photos from deterioration. The cost of a photo scanner can get into the hundreds of dollars, and not everyone has an understanding of photoshop and other programs that can be used to crop and edit the digital copies.
During this event, archivers were available to directly assist in the use of the scanner and photoshop courtesy of the libraries Special Collections division.
Special Collections Instruction Librarian Louis Knecht was available to assist the public in digitizing their documents, as well as share some insight on the impact of archiving Humboldt history.
Knecht saw the event as an opportunity to expand peoples’ digital literacy, as well as a way to archive history.
“If you have any kind of family photos, or documents, that aren’t in digital form, digitize them. That’s your family history, you don’t want to lose that, that’s precious stuff.”
Erin Sullivan
“HSU is a center of technology in what is a relatively rural environment that is Humboldt County,” said Knecht.
Erin Sullivan, an English professor at HSU, stopped by with a thick binder of her family history and was excited to start preserving the past. She had four generations of photographs, from Irish immigrants on her father’s side, to the pioneers on her mother’s side that were living on the plains.
“If you have any kind of family photos, or documents, that aren’t in digital form, digitize them,” Sullivan said. “That’s your family history, you don’t want to lose that, that’s precious stuff.”
She wasn’t afraid to learn the process, and was happy to share her appreciation of the assistance she was given.
“I have never used any fancy digital equipment,” said. Sullivan. “I scan things for teaching purposes, but not high quality scanning.”
Humboldt has benefitted from archiving history in the past, such as recording the protests of the Gasquet-Orleans road, whose inception began in the early 60s.
“I think it takes away HSU as just relevant to students, staff and faculty,” said Knecht. “It opens the door to more community engagement.”
Although areas of Humboldt County have the “all clear” for power restoration, another PSPS may be scheduled for Tuesday morning
Parts of Humboldt have been given the “all clear” to begin line inspections and restorations for the current Public Safety Power Shutoff.
“PG&E notified Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services (OES) that portions of Humboldt County have been given the “All clear” for the weather event and will begin the restoration process as soon as conditions allow,” the latest update from the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services said.
However, PG&E has also notified the county that another PSPS event may affect Humboldt as early as Tuesday morning.
“PG&E also notified OES that another weather event is scheduled for Tuesday 10-29-19 at 6 a.m. which will also result in a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS),” the update said.
OES says it expects “a small window of time” between the two shutoffs, and urges residents to use the time to once again prepare to have no power.
“As always, this information from PG&E is subject to change,” the update said. “Updates will be provided as soon as they become available.”
“These delays in the power shut off are in part because PG&E is trying to limit the time that customers are impacted,” the update said.
PG&E increased the number of accounts within the scope of its latest Public Safety Power Shutoff today from 850,000 to 940,000. Since many accounts provide power to multiple customers, PG&E estimates that over two million people are within the PSPS scope.
PG&E expects to give the “all clear” for the windy weather event by 4 p.m. Sunday for Humboldt. However, the update clarifies that that is not when power will be restored.
“The weather “All clear” time is the time when PG&E personnel can begin inspecting the lines,” the update said. “It can take up to 48 daylight hours from the weather “All clear” time until power is restored because any damage found during the inspection will need to be repaired prior to power restoration.”
In a PG&E press conference at their headquarters in San Francisco, PSPS Incident Commander Mark Quinlan emphasized that the restoration will take different amounts of time for different areas as PG&E works to patrol 31,000 miles of lines.
“The restoration time is a sequence as well,” Quinlan said. “It doesn’t mean that every customer is going to be out for 48 hours. It means that we’re going to begin restoration activities at the times that I mentioned, and we believe we will incrementally restore everyone all the way up and not have anyone out past 48 hours.”
Humboldt Eagles shut down Humboldt State Lumberjacks in a double header on Oct. 13. The Eagles won with scores of 2-1 in the first game and 2-3 in the second.
During the first pitch of the game, Ryin Alexander opened the 1st inning with a double and found himself reaching 2nd base. Other batters approached the plate and managed to send teammates around all bases, but the Eagles managed to secure three outs against the Jacks. However, Alexander ran for home plate putting the Jacks on the scoreboard.
At the bottom of the 1st, Jack’s pitcher Chris Friedley stepped up to the mound, and despite walking a player and giving up a base hit, he kept his composure and pulled three outs from the Eagles. The Jacks were able to keep a 1-0 lead over the Eagles during a heated exchange of base hits and outs.
Stolen bases were a frequent occurrence between the Jacks and Eagles. Despite their efforts to get players around the diamond, the pitching stalemate remained in effect. The exchange of outs was broken around the bottom of the 6th inning.
Hitter Nick Mavrolas strikes out during the Jacks’ second game of the day against the Humboldt Eagles, at the Arcata Ballpark on Oct. 13. | Photo by Skye Kimya
Eagles put a run on the scoreboard tying the game with the Jacks. Both teams now had a common goal for the next inning, scoring first. At the top of the 7th, a base hit by outfielder Lorenzo Hernandez gave the Jacks an upper hand but were routed by outs. It was then the bottom of the 7th and the Eagles were up to bat, but they faced similar challenges with one base hit and two outs.
Up to bat was catcher Parker Johnson and under dire circumstances closed the inning with a walk-off which gave the Eagles a 2-1 win over the Jacks. With game 2 underway, the Jack’s and Eagles faced off in one more showdown.
Martin Gordillo and Alejandro Caravalho helped the Jacks find an early lead on the scoreboard with an RBI. The Jacks had a 2-0 lead heading into the 4th inning, but tides turned when it was time for the Eagles to bat. With two players on base, the Eagles left fielder Miles Standysh hit a solid ball and secured a tie game.
Another battle for a tie-breaker ensued but the Jack’s dropped their second game against the Eagles with a final score of 2-3.
HSU club baseball doesn’t start until Spring 2020. Even though the season is months away, this is an opportunity for players to figure out effective playmaking and overcome obstacles that the team could potentially face in the upcoming season.
For these three athletes, weightlifting is more than just exercise, it’s a lifestyle
While many people are still sleeping or barely getting ready at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, powerlifter Lecsi Prince opens the doors of Arcata Health Sport and walks towards the weightlifting cage.
Prince warms up in the open-air weightlifting area and slides four 45 pound plates, two 25 pound plates and two 10 pound plates onto a bar. She pauses in front of the bar now loaded with 295 pounds. Prince clears her mind, sucks in a deep breath, bounces on her toes, quickly leans in and heaves the weight up onto her shoulders. Keeping her legs stable and her toes pointed out, Prince dips down slowly and up again. After three reps, Prince sets the bar down and exhales.
Kinseology major Lecsi Prince prepares for her morning workout at HealthSport at 8 a.m. Prince is a powerlifter and has osteoarthritis with a dream of changing the lives of people through exercise. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Twenty-three-year-old Humboldt State University student and kinesiology major Prince has four years of powerlifting experience. At 14, doctors diagnosed her with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints. It didn’t stop her from playing tennis in high school, and it doesn’t stop her now.
“I’ll have arthritis flares that will make it hard for me to even hold the bars,” Prince said. “So I’ve hit points where I go to the gym into a bench day and I can’t even wrap my fingers around the bar.”
When her joints are in too much pain and she’s unsure whether to take painkillers, Prince said she decides to not train for a day. Instead, she finds other activities that benefit her health; sometimes she hikes and other times she goes to the sauna as a means of heat therapy.
“On those days, it’s all a mental game,” Prince said. “My thoughts are that I’m so frustrated and I can’t do anything. It’s this draining helplessness. I’m not able to lift, but I can do something else healthy.”
Like Prince, Olympic weightlifter Luis Ruiz and women’s strength and conditioning coach Sierra Lathe are no strangers to overcoming their bodies’ barriers.
The three weightlifters have conditions and injuries they constantly work through to improve their form and records. Ruiz deals with recurring pinched nerves and Lathe has pre-existing injuries she sustained while playing sports in high school. Their injuries become more prevalent if they are not as cautious.
Sierra Lathe, the stength and conditioning coach for womens and mens crew teams, snatches 95 lbs while in the Student Recreation Center at Humboldt State University. Lathe graduated HSU in spring 2019 and now finds herself as a coach teaching athletes how to perform and train well. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Twenty-two-year-old Lathe works as a staff member for the Student Recreation Center at HSU. She graduated spring 2019 with a major in psychology and minor in child development. Lathe has a combined eight years of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting experience.
As a former HSU athlete, Lathe now finds herself on the other side as the strength and conditioning coach for the men’s and women’s club crew teams.
“I still lift, but not as much because I don’t have time,” Lathe said. “Coaching is a whole other ball game. It’s definitely more fun teaching people how to do it now because I’ve done it for so long.”
She explains that Olympic lifting is more precise movements that use different parts of powerlifting together while powerlifting is “getting real big and strong” through three main exercises: squatting, deadlifting and benching. This is something Ruiz knows all too well.
Ruiz, 24, competes in national Olympic weightlifting competitions such as the USA Weightlifting Nationals, USA Weightlifting American Open and University Nationals. Ruiz placed second at the 2019 University National & placed fifth at the Under 25 championship in March. He can back squat 615 pounds and can do Olympic weightlifting movements like the snatch with 319 pounds and the clean and jerk with 405 pounds.
He says the pinched nerves are something that his body deals with on its own.
“I won’t be able to do everything that I need to and I definitely can tell in my body,” Ruiz said. “Part of it is that doing this for five years, ten years, or however long you do it, it definitely will take a toll on your body.”
Injury and pain is something Ruiz knew would be part of the bodybuilding process, but if given the opportunity, Ruiz wouldn’t change a thing.
“My mom thinks it’s a dangerous sport and she wishes that I wouldn’t put my body through what I do put it through,” Ruiz said. “But they’ve never told me that I needed something else to do. They understand that this is how I stay active and happens to be something I’m good at and so I compete in it.”
Prince and Lathe said they experience different issues as women athletes.
Sierra Lathe, the stength and conditioning coach for womens and mens crew teams, holds 110 lbs over her head while in the Student Recreation Center at HSU. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Lecsi Prince places knee wraps on themselves in preparation for 300lb squat. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Kinesiology major Lecsi Prince lifts and readies to squat 210lbs out in the cage at HealthSport during her early morning workout. Prince has osteoarthitis but continues to exercise because it’s their lifestyle. | Photo by Jose Herrera
“You have all these expectations as a woman,” Lathe said. “If you’re too strong, it’s too much. And if you’re too nice, it’s not enough. So, being able to be an athlete for so long feels pretty good.”
Lathe said people, generally men, stare when she trains, but that she’s used to it as a woman in sports.
“Especially if you’re someone who knows what you are doing,” Lathe said. “You’re either judged or not taken very seriously even though you know what you’re talking about.”
There are also moments where men approach Lathe about random things, sometimes assuming she needs help or to make comments that aren’t appropriate for a conversation with a stranger.
But looking past those moments, Lathe says there’s a lot of community and support in the gym environment, especially from women. And Ruiz says that although weightlifting is an individual act, there’s a lot of teamwork behind the scenes from the coaching and competitive aspect of training partners.
“I think it’s super important to have people that you train with because it pushes you to have friendly competitions within training,” Ruiz said. “To have someone who’s in your same level and train with you, I feel like you benefit more because of the little competition that you guys have.”
If anything, I’d give up free time outside of school and my job to be able to train than to have a social experience. Because the gym at this point has become where I met a lot of my friends.
Luis Ruiz, Olympic Powerlifter
Lathe and Prince share the same sentiment as Ruiz and agree that the people you train with and spend time working with to achieve similar goals become your greatest allies.
“If anything, I’d give up free time outside of school and my job to be able to train than to have a social experience,” Ruiz said. “Because the gym at this point has become where I met a lot of my friends.”
HSU Athletics strength and conditioning coach and kinesiology lecturer Drew Peterson works with a variety of students with different skill levels who come through the Student Recreation Center.
Peterson said that Prince, Ruiz and Lathe achieve great feats of strength and he believes physical strength is the key to activity and fitness.
“Anybody can get stronger and change your physique and increase your physical capacity,” Peterson said. “It just takes getting in here and doing a good job being consistent and staying on a structured program.”
Weightlifting comes with a set of drawbacks just like any other sport, but it remains a therapeutic process for Prince, Ruiz and Lathe. And the next day the three of them do what any average weightlifter does to get better – train again.
“I have a different perspective than most because my body does limit me,” Prince says. “For me it’s more of a therapy. It’s more of that I can push my body to this and nothing else in the world matters other than me just in the moment doing what I love.”
A look at one of the key players in the underground Humboldt electronic scene
Twenty-two-year-old Preston Thibo is a Humboldt State studio art major who mixes his own electronic music and throws underground parties, but that’s only a piece of what he envisions for the future of electronic music in Humboldt.
Thibo’s music career sprouted from his passion for throwing “renegades,” a term used to describe underground electronic concerts showcasing lesser-known artists at secret locations. He began throwing renegades a year ago, and soon found himself mixing music for his own shows.
“I wanted to give people a place to dance to electronic music instead of punk, which isn’t for everyone,” Thibo said. “And I didn’t see a scene up here so I created one.”
Throwing renegades was spear-headed because electronic music shows in Humboldt aren’t exactly accessible for people under the legal drinking age of 21 because electronic music shows are often held at venues that serve alcohol.
Thibo relaxing before heading to the stage for his set at The Jam on Sept. 22. | Photo by Jerame Saunders
This drove Thibo to begin working on full-fledged concerts stationed in landmark Humboldt locations. Eventually, he was sucked into becoming one of the showcased artists.
“I think I was on the forefront of making it happen,” Thibo said. “There are a lot of people up here who mix and who create, but there wasn’t really anywhere for them to perform.”
After the first renegade in 2018, the support from the community and fellow artists was substantial enough for him to throw more, all while performing at shows on and off-campus.
“The success in terms of money is not at all,” Thibo said. “Success in the terms of making people happy and giving people a good time, it’s been amazing.”
Preston Thibo plays music with a partner for a small crowd at The Jam on Friday, Sep. 20. | Photo by Jerame Saunders
Thibo was led to Humboldt to escape the urban trappings of Los Angeles and he quickly fell in love with the environment. However, there are still drawbacks to being an artist in such a unique area like Humboldt County.
“Pros are that it’s such a small community that you get to know everyone in it,” Thibo said. “But that can lead to a con as well.”
Thibo doesn’t necessarily consider his mixes as representative of the Humboldt electronic scene, which he describes as trippy, ambient and with deep bass.
“For me, I like to play disco and house music, and what gets people moving on an upper level and not so much on a downer level,” Thibo said.
“[Music] is everything to me. If I didn’t have a platform for me to share my music, I probably wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am today.”
Preston Thibo
According to Thibo, he is constantly striving to improve at making music, by accumulating better equipment and furthering his renegade brand called Esoteric Method with the name Kabbalah, his personal label as an artist. His other passions include stage design, making art installations and transporting people into the worlds he creates.
“I guess my goal is to unite people with similar interests who have awesome nights where they don’t have to worry about work tomorrow, school or class,” Thibo said. “They come and are in the moment and in the now, having fun with people they might not know.”
Thibo uses his creative outlets for social connection and to have a place where his music and art may impact the lives of others.
“[Music] is everything to me. If I didn’t have a platform for me to share my music, I probably wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am today,” Thibo said. “I grew up very shy and to myself. But now being able to play music and express myself through what I listen to with other people, it just makes me content with my every day life.”
To check out Thibo’s mixes, go to SoundCloud of MixCloud under the name “Monsieur.”
When dentists don’t take Medi-Cal, it forces individuals to travel to seek treatment
For any students dealing with dental issues while attending Humboldt State, I suggest you plan out time to take off from your courses and work to go home and have it dealt with. The sad truth is that the proper resources don’t exist in Humboldt County, and traveling great distances to receive medical attention isn’t actually that uncommon.
When I was 11, I ran face-first into a pole and broke my front tooth in half. Followed by days of crying and constant mirror checks, I would switch between laughing at how stupid I felt I looked to uncontrollable sobbing. I couldn’t eat anything cold or my whole face would be met with a violent sensitive reaction. The only option I had as a self-conscious 11-year-old was to replace the broken tooth with a filling and hope it looked as normal as possible, so that’s what I did.
While the sensitivity eventually subsided, a year later the filling fell out. Again, I was hit with overwhelming sensitivity and due to my being a pre-teen, I was also terribly embarrassed. Every time the filling fell out after, it would be remade. I figured it was time to find a permanent fix and my dentist told me I would eventually need a veneer.
Veneers are what Instagram models and celebrities have on their teeth to make them look like perfect pearls. Basically, it’s a thin layer of material that’s placed directly over the tooth and protects the natural tooth’s surface, making your smile flawless.
“The sad truth is that the proper resources don’t exist in Humboldt County, and traveling great distances to receive medical attention isn’t actually that uncommon.”
I was scheduled to receive a single veneer. This is because I only needed one tooth fixed, but in large part because they are terribly expensive. I was told that getting just one was risky, as it has to be perfectly engineered to match the rest of my teeth. I was willing to take the risk.
This past semester I was hit with that same violent sensitive feeling in my tooth but the filling hadn’t fallen out. It seemed that the filling was slowly deteriorating and I began to feel it everyday. The tooth slowly turned a different shade and began to chip away. I knew that I was going to need an even better permanent fix. This meant looking at getting a full set of veneers.
My normal dentist and physician are five hours away. Not a horrible distance, but not next door. I knew for this procedure I would have to leave and miss some days of school, but I wanted to explore my options first.
I went to the campus health center to see if they could help me with my sensitivity or lead me in the right direction to begin services with a local dentist. I was met with two nurses that seemed disappointed to tell me that the center couldn’t help much with dental issues. They prescribed me a numbing cream and gave me a list of local dentists.
Of the local dentists, only one took Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. This was disheartening as it was my only insurance but I made an appointment anyway. The facility was called the Open Door Clinic Dental and was located in Eureka.
The appointment was short and they told me I needed a root canal. Unfortunately, the clinic doesn’t provide the procedure and they gave me another list of dentists, more specifically endodontists, that could help me. As I called around, I realized that none of the dentists listed accepted Medi-Cal either and I was faced with the reality that I was going to have to travel back home to seek treatment.
While I understand that Eureka, Arcata and McKinleyville are small, I think there should be more medical professionals that accept Medi-Cal in Humboldt County.
Medi-Cal is a free state program. It’s what you sign up for if you can’t afford other insurances. Because it’s a state program you’d think it’d be more widely accepted, but it seems to be the other way around. Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?
No pee, hair or spit. One blow is all it takes to show marijuana intoxication levels with new breathalyzer.
Marijuana has been a touchy topic since Colorado and Washington made their first moves to legalize recreational use in 2012. Since then, 29 states have followed and declared marijuana legal for medicinal and/or recreational use.
Tension forms at the discrepancy between state and federal opinion on where marijuana falls legally as a drug. The lack of legal confirmation from the federal government makes it difficult for government employers, especially police officers, to execute and process circumstances surrounding marijuana intoxication. Recent developments in marijuana detection technology suggest a breathalyzer is in the works.
Current marijuana testing requires a hair, urine or blood sample. The test results detect past use up to six months and reports the current THC level in the body. This testing proves to be unreliable as past use of marijuana will distort a current reading of bodily intoxication, which is what law officials care about.
The two technology companies racing to release their version of a more accurate breathalyzer are Hound Labs and SannTek.
Hound Labs was established five years ago and is leading the race with an expected release of late 2020. The Hound Labs breathalyzer operates on a specified time basis. It can detect marijuana if it’s been used in the last three hours. The three-hour window comes from two findings; one, marijuana is only detectable for the first three hours. Afterward, THC levels drop so low and so fast that it becomes virtually undetectable. Second, the initial three hours of intoxication are the most impaired and therefore the most crucial.
The breathalyzer method proves to be more accurate and better suited for law and medical officials, as alternative testing can take hours to produce results. In addition, this method is also beneficial to the participant, as the regulated three hour time interval doesn’t hold participants liable for past usage beyond that time frame.
If this new testing method becomes normalized, the three hours prior to testing will be the most critical, but anything before those three hours is merely tangential. Ideally, someone tested for their marijuana use could not be held liable for their marijuana use prior to the that three-hour window because the breathalyzer would not be able to detect it.
The opposing company, SannTek, and their breathalyzer the SannTek 315 will operate similarly to the Hound Labs breathalyzer. SannTek 315 is still in early development so the company is not providing much information. Like Hound Labs, their product will utilize a time interval to reveal the last ingestion of marijuana and current intoxication.
Hound Labs conducted clinical testing in 2017 in cooperation with University of California, San Francisco. However, no findings have been concluded publicly due to the small sample size. SannTek 315 lacks any formal testing or trials at this time.
Free tacos, a climbing wall and a zip line took over Arcata
The Arcata Plaza was a site of fun and live entertainment over the weekend. On Sept. 6, the 2nd annual HSU Downtown Block Party shut down the streets surrounding the Arcata Plaza.
Music from Chulita Vinyl Club, Mesizto Beat and HSU’s notoriously loud Marching Lumberjacks provided live entertainment and kept the crowd on their feet. The block party was also home to other activities including a 200-foot zip-line and a rock-climbing wall.
HSU students, including seniors Mark Bernan and Adrian Haro, were recipients of an e-mail attachment containing entry credentials to the block party and vouchers for free food. After conquering the zip-line I spoke with Bernan, who is a music major. His main concern was his appetite and not the adrenaline.
Mesizto Beat getting down on the home stage at the 2nd Annual HSU Downtown Block Party. | Photo by Alberto Muro
“I’m looking forward to the tacos, I’m not going to lie,” Bernan said.
For some, zip-lining is on their bucket list. Bernan was already acquainted with going airborne.
“I tried zip-lining in Costa Rica before, but this was fun too,” Bernan said.
With a massive line that stretched from 9th Street towards the center plaza, Bernan and Haro were happy they arrived early.
HSU students and alumni were not the only ones enjoying themselves at the block party. HSU seniors and Native American Studies majors Gabby Encias and Christian Solorio brought their roommate Corey Jankowski along for the experience.
HSU Marching Lumberjacks keeping the crowd energized at the Arcata Block Party on Sept. 6. | Photo by Alberto Muro
Encias and Solorio have lived in the area since they began their studies and were delighted to see the large crowd in attendance.
“It’s nice to see everyone turn out for the event,” Enicas said.
Mass emails were not the only source of invitation distribution. HSU senior Solorio was informed by other means.
“I heard about this event through social media,” Solorio said.
Jankowski heard about the event through Encias and Solorio, but one main contribution to his attendance was the good weather.
HSU booths were present to distribute information about campus services. HSU students Alejandro Ochoa, Makito Takahashi and Alex Bravo represented the Multicultural Center and wasted no time welcoming people to their table.
From right to left: HSU Multicultural Center representatives Alejandro Ochoa, Makito Takahashi and Alex Bravo. | Photo by Alberto Muro
“There’s nice weather out right now and it’s going to start raining in a month so get out there while you still can,”Jankowski said.
The weather is currently a toss-up between overcast and sunshine, and thankfully the block party experienced pleasant conditions.
The Multicultural Center is notable for establishing services such as Scholars Without Borders, a women’s resource center and a kitchen to cook your food. HSU Senior and Biology major Ochoa talked about a new service for students.
“This year we will be introducing a non-binary closet which is open to anyone,” Ochoa said.
The new service offered by the Multicultural Center shows that the objective of campus resources is to improve student lives.
The 2nd Annual Humboldt State Downtown Block Party has come and gone, but don’t fret because the Arcata Plaza is home to a variety of entertainment.
Some coastal redwoods are growing faster than expected and scientists aren’t certain why
Many redwoods in Northern California are growing at unexpected—even record-breaking—rates. While redwoods only remain in a tiny portion of the world, they appear to be in good health.
“People talk about saving the redwoods,” Humboldt State University Professor of Forest Ecology Steve Sillett said. “The redwoods, as long as we don’t cut them down, are doing just fine. The question is, can they help save us?”
The answer is complicated.
“The Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative found that one Del Norte County redwood put on 2,811 pounds in 2014, a record-breaking annual growth.”
The RCCI, a research partnership studying redwood health since 2013, found surprising growth in redwoods located away from dry forest fringes or recent fires.
By estimating tree weight based on the tree’s measured width, height and volume, the RCCI found one Del Norte County redwood put on 2,811 pounds in 2014, a record-breaking annual growth.
The cause of the increased growth is uncertain. Sillett, who sat in his lab beside tree rings which he used to measure age and growth, said climate change may or may not play a role in the increased growth. Sillett said the Clean Air Act of 1970 may have cleaned the air enough to allow more sunlight on the trees.
“What happened is, the air cleared,” Sillett said. “And with clear air, you get more light, and so it could very well be that this increase in growth rate that we see very strikingly in some of these trees, starting in the late 60s and early 70s to present, is just because of increasing air quality.”
Beyond climate and air quality, Sillett said multiple factors likely contribute to increased growth. Sillett also said the growth won’t necessarily last.
“I think that there’s very much a limit to what redwoods or any vegetation can achieve,” Sillett said.
A redwood tree ring in HSU Professor Stephen Sillett’s lab Aug. 28. | Photo by James Wilde
A sudden spread of redwood forest also seems unlikely, Lucy Kerhoulas, an assistant professor of forest physiology, said. Kerhoulas said redwoods already have to work hard to reproduce via seed. Climate change might make reproduction even more difficult.
“Successful seedling germination and establishment might be really challenging under a warming and drying climate,” Kerhoulas said.
In other words, redwoods are doing well, but they’re not about to reclaim their lost forests.
Sillett emphasized that many living redwoods are maintaining their normal growth despite less successful reproduction.
“It’s not the case that they’re responding uniformly,” Sillett said. “But what we do see is that in the prime parts of their range, which is, say, north of San Francisco and relatively close to the coast, the rates of wood production are higher than they were in the not-too-distant past.”
Redwoods store large amounts of carbon, especially in their prime ranges, but Sillett said that won’t offset the carbon dioxide produced by humans.
“There’s not enough land in the world to plant with redwood forest,” Sillett said, “that would allow them to save us from what we’re doing to the atmosphere’s chemistry.”
A hot and bothered rabbit and a troop of acrobats highlight the 21+ circus show
The Rabbit is out of the hat and she wants some action. Animal control is on the scene, face to face with a gang of nihilist bunnies who are ready to pounce. The Flynn Creek Circus was set up in a big, red and white circus tent in the Creamery District of Arcata.
The inside of the tent was warm. The audience’s voices were loud under the tent’s striped skin. The stage lights glowed a harsh, dull silver. A three person band charged with a buzz of anticipation playing a staccato drum, a perpetual accordion and a melodic guitar. A five-foot tall, eight-foot wide, magnificent red hat sat on the corner of the stage, otherwise known as the the magician’s hat.
The stage lights flashed and a hush fell over the crowd. After all eyes turned to the stage, the drum roll crescendoed into a crash as the curtains parted. Out came a sharp dressed man in a red suit who held a deck of cards in his hand.
The Flynn Creek Circus was set up in a red and white striped tent. The ticket booth was the eclectic trailer the left. | Photo by Collin Slavey
“You know what I am going to say next?” he said to the audience with a smile on his face. “Pick a card.”
The mix of sleight of hand, bravado and stage magic was just the start of the show. Popcorn and booze were also on the menu. After the magician’s magic act, Grenda the Science Chick made her appearance on stage with a platter ringed in butter shots.
“The story comes first,” Grenda said. “It’s what makes us different. The art director comes up with a story and makes acts serving the story. It adds a lot to think about. You wonder what’s next and become more invested in the characters.”
That evening was the 21-and-over show. The story was about the magician’s rabbit who had figured out how to get herself out of his hat. Life in a hat is awfully lonely, and she was desperately tense after a solitary life. She was on a mission to do what rabbits do best: reproduce.
“I’ve been in that hat for so long,” the Rabbit said. “Do you know how tough it is to be in a hat your whole life? Oh, my god it’s dreadful! I am so pent up. I have got to find me a carrot to chew on.”
Cue the nihilist bunnies. Animal control was on their tail with malicious intent. The magician’s rabbit was roped into the conflict on stage and the gang decided to make a stand as they whipped out K-bar carrots. Their performance devolved into a harrowing knife act and they were not messing around. The nihilists didn’t have a hare in the world. They made an acrobatic escape, bringing the magician’s bunny with them.
Nick Harden doubled as animal control and ticket salesman. Here he is grimacing after the credit card reader stopped working. | Photo by Collin Slavey
Nick and Wendy Harden played classic opponents: animal control and a stray cat. The duo did a unicycle act with acrobatics and headstands. It was a regular game of cat and mouse around the stage, their faces tight in concentration as Nick wheeled around the stage while Wendy maneuvered over his body in an impressive display of poise and balance. Clearly the duo has put years into their act.
“We were sold out the first night. I hope we can get you a ticket tonight,” Harden said. “Wendy stands on my head during our unicycle act.”
As the show came to a close, the magician performed his final act. It was an arcane rope act where he hoisted himself up and down, suspended 30 feet off the ground. He tied up the loose ends with his rabbit partner and encouraged her to find herself. The magician’s rabbit concluded the show with a descent into general apathy as the nihilist bunnies welcomed her into their ranks.
“Nothing really matters,” she said with a wink. “So I’m going to go get what I can get while I can get it. Know what I’m saying?”
The Flynn Creek Circus is based in Mendocino. The circus tours the North Coast and Oregon during summer, while the weather permits it. The 2019 season is halfway through and August 18 was the final show performed in Arcata this time around. Not to worry though, the next local shows will be in Fortuna on September 5, 6, 7 and 8. Tickets can be bought online or at the door.
A look at the behind the scenes cleaning team at Humboldt State
The grand clock on University Center strikes midnight and its sounds rings throughout the courtyard.
Then, utter silence except for the light rustle of leaves as a breeze passes through. If you look closer or step into any building on campus at this late hour, you’ll likely hear the creaking of wheels, the whirring of a vacuum or the brushing of floors as custodians go through their assignments.
Night custodians begin their shift at 5 p.m. and finish at 1 a.m. the next day. The work is grueling, but the team handles it with ease.
“Custodians that work here are hard-working people,” Student and Business Services Custodian Tiffany Swift said. “They run into things everyday that you’re not really prepared for, whether it be a big mess that you have to clean up or certain messes that take up multiple procedures. They work really hard, rarely any questions asked.”
Tiffany Swift is about to set down a wet floor sign after cleaning the women’s bathroom on the first floor of the Student and Business Services building during her shift on a late Monday afternoon. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Swift’s hair is swept into a ponytail and her bubbly attitude holds just as much power as her cart filled with practical cleaning supplies. She became a custodian almost seven years ago, back in 2012.
Swift was in charge of the Student Health Center, but was reassigned to the SBS building. She giggled and said she had a routine down for the last six years doing, “pretty much the same things,” like vacuuming, dusting and keeping the place sanitized.
She added that when she started at the SBS it felt like starting a new job.
“In this building everyone was welcoming, but it was nerve-wracking because I didn’t know where anything was,” Swift said. “I didn’t know anyone. I was so used to knowing everybody by their names, their family members, friends outside, you know.”
Swift said it was cool that she could go to a different building and be treated nicely. She explained that the best part of her day is getting to see people and interact with them.
Labor rights are human rights. That’s why I like contracts, there’s an expectation to be treated in a certain way.
Carly Demant
“The days where I’ve been left with a bunch of love notes is when my whole day is made. Or if I get compliments on my work that will put me in a good mood,” Swift said. “Throughout the day you’ll just feel this bliss, you feel like you want to come in the next day and do a great job or even a better job, when you feel like what you did was good and people notice.”
Science A Custodian Carly Demant usually listens to punk rock or comedy podcasts, but on a recent shift played sad country music while swabbing the floors with a wild mop.
Demant said the job is great and appreciates that the custodians are in a union.
“Labor rights are human rights,” Demant said. “That’s why I like contracts, there’s an expectation to be treated in a certain way.”
Custodian for Fisheries and Wildlife, Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Game Pens Dan Adams shares the same sentiment with Swift, that appreciation and compliments on his work motivates him to do a better job.
Carly Demant throws away the garbage during their shift of the Science A building. | Photo by Jose Herrera
“I found that if you develop a good rapport and effectively communicate with students in your building, and faculty and staff in your building, it makes your job better,” Adams said.
After being in charge of Founders Hall for 15 years Adams has many stories, like the time a bat flew in through a window, or when he caught a couple kissing late at night in a classroom.
Black-gloved hands, breathable trousers and a grey beard demonstrate Adams’ 18 plus years of experience.
Adams said his job consists of constant multitasking, and emphasized a greater work experience after creating relationships with others. Although each custodian spends hours alone in their buildings, there’s teamwork involved in making sure that the cleaning gets done.
According to Swift and Adams, the budget cuts have affected their department, resulting in a shortage of staff. When someone calls out sick, another custodian takes their assignment and their duties become doubled.
“We work good as a team,” Adams said. “Every custodian’s run is different.”
He said that when a custodian covers another’s run they should reassess the approach because each building is different. There might be cracked floors, loose tiles or foot traffic impact and custodians must decide which chemicals to use and how to set up their cart.
By the end of their nights, there are certain expectations that have to be met. Adams and Swift said that keeping their buildings clean and presentable brings a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Ken McDonald cleans a bathroom mirror in Science C at Humboldt State University on Aug. 25. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Swift let out another laugh and said that something might “look terrible the day before,” but after a shift the place looks nicer.
When their shifts end they go home and change gears.
Swift bakes on the side and recently made 300 cupcakes for a wedding. Adams is an avid music fan who likes to relax with loved ones. Demant goes home to their blind dog and roommate.
Ken McDonald, the custodian for Science B and C, has three years working for Humboldt State and said that when his night is up, he looks forward to going home to his 7-year-old son and wife of 10 years.
“I’m a family man. They’re my life,” McDonald said.
Forest bathing can be the cure to the daily hustle and bustle of student life
Humboldt’s natural areas are world-class, but many students don’t take full advantage of the resources that surround us. Between classes, homework, employment, friends, clubs, housing and family (are you stressed yet?) it can be hard to find time to wander around in the woods.
This column will provide information on my favorite natural areas to visit around Humboldt County. There’s so much to see and with such a low barrier for entry, I feel like more people should be getting out there.
Humboldt is home to many creatures large and small. This Coastal Giant Salamander was found posing in the middle of a trail. Watch your step! | Photo by Jett Williams
Opening your senses to a natural environment is a process called forest bathing, and has been proven to slow heart rates and decrease depression and anxiety.
In the coming months, classroom life and elongated periods of sitting will become the new norm, making any opportunity to go out and stretch our legs extremely valuable.
Most of us are transfers, as only 15 percent of the student body is from this area. I’m one of the 85 percent, having moved here from the Bay last summer. When I first arrived in Arcata, it took me a while to get out of my shell and start exploring.
After a year up here, I’m still finding new spots to check out. The natural areas are so dense and varied, you never run out of things to do.
Deeper in the Arcata Community Forest is Trail 13. One of the standout features of this bike-centered trail is a massive burned log you walk or ride through. | Photo by Jett Williams
For newcomers, some of these spots might seem intimidating or unattractive. We’ve all seen “Murder Mountain,” and heard the stories about Humboldt County’s missing person rate. But these sensationalized tales do little to reflect the true nature of the area we now call home.
The truth is, exploring Humboldt is as safe as exploring anywhere else. A multitude of dark forests and narrow roads give the illusion of being miles from nowhere, but there’s tons to explore within a short drive, bike or bus ride, or even a walk.
Because this is the first week of school and we’re still getting settled into our routines, we’ll start with something close and easy: The Arcata Community Forest.
The Arcata Community Forest’s map looks dense and confusing, but the forest becomes more intuitively navigated the more time you spend under its dense canopy.
This is the most accessible area for the majority of HSU students, as it starts right where the East side of campus ends. A 10-minute walk from anywhere on campus and you’re surrounded by towering redwoods and bright green ferns and breathing humid forest air.
Some majors like Forestry use the ACF as a place to get hands-on training and experience. But students are never required to walk the gravel roads and twisting trails that crisscross the forest’s 790 acres.
Some parts of the ACF have limited cell service, so I recommend downloading Avenza PDF Maps. This app is recommended by the City of Arcata and allows you to download free maps of the local parks. These maps provide you with accurate trail info without relying on a cell signal and are a valuable asset to keep you from getting lost.
Because of its proximity to campus, one of the best ways to experience the ACF is by working it into your weekly schedule. The lower section of the ACF offers a small network of interlaced multi-use trails perfect for a quick walk before or after class. Fill your mid-day gap by taking the access trail from the corner of Union and 14th up to Redwood Park for a picnic lunch!
The terrain of the Arcata Community Forest is unique and varied, and tight single track often gives way to vast open views. | Photo by Jett Williams
More ambitious explorers can climb to the upper regions of the park for a more private experience, but solitude comes with a cost. The coastal mountains gain elevation quickly and will leave you feeling equal parts sore and satisfied.
It’s all worth it, as some of the park’s most scenic trails can be found in the remote Western regions. Road 14, a gated gravel road which starts off of Granite Ave., takes you along the Jolly Giant creek up to a scenic picnic table on the site of the former Jolly Giant Reservoir. From there, you have a multitude of options to extend your route, create loops back to campus or return the way you came.
The ACF is a valuable source of solitude and stress relief for HSU Students, as it couldn’t be any closer to campus. Use this resource to your advantage, and don’t forget to tag #ExploreHumboldt on your next adventure.
The last remaining KSHU staff members resign, join a peaceful gathering of a few dozen held during weekly farmers market
Forty-eight hours after the artery of the community was severed, a few dozen KHSU supporters took to the plaza in protest during the weekly farmers market.
Natalya Estrada resigned her position this afternoon as the last remaining paid staff member of KHSU. Estrada’s resignation came after administrators at Humboldt State University decided to fire all volunteers and terminate all but two paid positions at KHSU on April 11. David Reed was the second of the two remaining employees but resigned on Friday, April 12.
Estrada was at the protest to show support and said staying in the position would not only compromise her career in journalism but affect her overall health.
“There comes a time in life when you need to make a decision in life and I made that decision,” Estrada said. “I knew what I was going to do but I needed to know how and when.”
Local artist Lisa Enge holds a sign in support for KHSU during a peaceful protest at the weekly Arcata plaza farmer’s market on Saturday April 13. | Photo by T.William Wallin
After Reed resigned Estrada was the last staff member running the station. Estrada said when the California Report came on she put on Caroline King and cried at her desk.
“It was very lonely being the last person left,” Estrada said. “It felt like 48 hours on the 405 during rush hour traffic.”
Tom Cairns was one of the volunteers to be let go during the dismantling of KHSU, but he isn’t just any volunteer. Cairns has been with KHSU for 47 years, making him the longest running volunteer at the station.
Community member, Carrie Slack, and former host of Jazz with a Groove, Rob Enge, hold signs in support for KHSU during a peaceful protest at the weekly Arcata plaza farmer’s market on Saturday April 13. | Photo by T.William Wallin
Cairns was at the protest because he felt the way everyone was fired was wicked and shameful. Cairns felt the audit report done on KHSU was just an excuse for firing everybody and HSU administrators were planning this even before then.
“The way they handled it was bold face lies,” Cairns said. “They had checks written out already even before the meeting. They had it all planned.”
In the 47 years as a volunteer Cairns has seen KHSU have its ups and downs but “it’s always continued and was never shut off the air.” Cairns said the unfortunate thing about the station now is it has become a typical NPR station with all news and very little music.
“Basically it’s just another McDonald’s public radio station,” Cairns said.
Public citizens, Mark Mueller and Lisa Hockaday, hold signs in support for KHSU during a peaceful protest at the weekly Arcata plaza farmer’s market on Saturday April 13. | Photo by T.William Wallin
When asked what he felt the biggest loss was Cairns said the community of the station. Cairns said those that work with KHSU are very active in the larger northwest community and engaged in the arts, food, and news.
“The music, public affairs, and local programming is what made KHSU unique and a viable source for the community,” Cairns said.
A few dozen protesters gathered with signs during the Saturday farmer’s market at Arcata Plaza to show support for KHSU on April 13. | Photo by T.William Wallin
Rob Enge, former host of Jazz with a Groove, was a member and sustainer with KHSU for 25 years and agreed with Cairns. Enge said this has been a loss of a community forum where connection was made.
“This was a good place for people to put their energy,” Enge said.
Enge moved to Humboldt in 1992 and the first thing he did was get connected with the local radio station. Enge was an avid listener of KPFK in southern California and said public radio stations are an important way in getting connected with community.
“This has been an erosion of community,” Enge said. “This isn’t social media from out of the community, this is real people talking locally and when we lose that its a shame.”
Community members show support for KHSU during a peaceful protest at the weekly Arcata plaza farmer’s market on Saturday April 13. | Photo by T.William Wallin
Local artist Lisa Enge has also been a supporter of KHSU since 1992 and felt the loss of KHSU was like losing a friend. She said KHSU was a treasure in the community and it was a cruel way that it was cut.
“Cutting volunteer and staff is unconscionable, shameful really,” Lisa Enge said.
Jax Stuber (left) has been listening to KHSU everyday for the last six years and said she will miss all the music and diverse programming. | Photo by T.William Wallin
Lisa Enge said once general manager Peter Fretwell fired KHSU program director, Katie Whiteside, the love for KHSU waned. She said as an artist the radio kept her company while she worked and she didn’t feel so lonely.
“The people, DJs, and programmers became friends,” Lisa Enge said. “It’s like losing a friend, or a family member really.”
Once you’ve completed all the steps you will truly understand what it’s like to give up your life to the never-ending pursuit for something that could be better.
In five easy steps, you can live out your life long fantasy of becoming a surfer in Humboldt County. Before devoting your life to these exaggerated guidelines, remember that surfing is based purely around enjoyment, and that everyone has their own definition of surfing because everyone surfs for their own reasons.
Surfing has a long history, so please always remember to be respectful of the history, the ocean and to all others enjoying it. Let us begin.
Step 1
First head to Craigslist and look for an old surfboard and wetsuit, preferably sold together by a sketchy, but nice mid-50’s man named Rusty who came up to Humboldt 20 years ago to, as he says, “Escape the so-cal crowd bro.”
Get ready to haggle, because there’s no way you’re spending over $80 for what he calls a “vintage” wetsuit and his magic wand from the 80s. Once the purchase is complete, he will enrich you with far-fetched stories of 25 foot Camel Rock, and when he paddled the jetty alone when it was 60 feet. Make sure to smile, nod and be respectful, because you have just been privileged enough to have a conversation with your future self.
Step 2
The next step is to convert your life to surfing. Do this by purchasing roof racks for your car, start wearing sunglasses everywhere you go, stop cutting your hair and most importantly, change up your whole wardrobe to surf attire.
If you manage to come out looking anything like Jeff Spicoli from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” you’re in the clear, ready to mingle and surf where you like.
Step 3
You’re going to need to find a friend or a local who surfs. So for the third step, you should get back in contact with Ol’ Rusty and see if he has any buddies who would be able to show you around.
Of course, he won’t, because he may have never surfed in the first place. So move on and head to Moonstone to look for some friends. You’re looking for someone your age or a little older who has experience.
Finding someone with the ability to shame you into constantly trying to surf better is a plus. They should be, for lack of a better word, an asshole. He, or she, will become your surfing confidant, as they will know how little you know about surfing while promoting you as someone who’s been surfing their whole life. Once you find your Bodhi from Point Break, you will then be able to experience the big storm.
Step 4
This step is all about patience. You must stick with it. Just because people told you surfing is fun and easy doesn’t mean you’re going to be good at it. Surfing is something many devote their lives to, not as a profession, but for the never-ending search of the same feeling.
So make sure to know your place and don’t screw it up for everybody else. Unless you’re a freak, you’re going to suck at first. Stay calm, take advice, and be prepared to embarrass yourself. It’s going to take at least a year of surfing once or twice a week for you not to suck and feel embarrassed. So embrace the year of suck and gather knowledge about spots, surfboards, sneaker waves and the Humboldt coastline.
Always be on the lookout for more old surfboards and wetsuits. Keep one thing in mind during this step. You should go on every wave that you can no matter the size or shape, go, as long as you’re not cutting someone off.
Pull into closeouts, throw yourself over the falls, go through the washing machine and meet Johnny hold down. Try and have fun doing it because more waves always equal more practice. Just make sure you’re safe and not alone, like Rusty when he paddled 45 foot Camel Rock alone back in ‘85.
Step 5
The final step is to buy an 80s conversion van during your senior year and drop out a semester before graduation, because hey, you can always go back when there’s no surf.
Only once you obtain the van will you truly understand what it means to be a surfer in Humboldt County. The world is now yours. You’re free to roam and surf where you like with the ability to tell others you really have goals, knowing you can go back to school for a semester and graduate.
Surfing is a beautiful activity, hobby, sport or whatever you want to call it. Please remember everyone starts surfing at different skill levels and takes their necessary steps to get better, so who’s to say that these five steps couldn’t work for you.
Charmaine Lawson, mother of David Josiah Lawson: In response to APD’s Press Release
Dear Humboldt County Community Members,
I, Charmaine Lawson (Mother of DJ Lawson), was disheartened and outraged at the press release issued yesterday from the Arcata Police Department (APD). For the first time after almost two years of allegedly investigating the murder of my first born son, APD set up a 24-hour tip line and released images of potential witnesses. Why weren’t these actions taken two years ago? And, why is the APD primarily releasing images of African American attendees of the party?
As a Mother who raised two ambitious, amazing, brilliant, outstanding, young Black men (that both went to college), I am deeply disturbed by the recent actions of the APD. When I viewed the blurry images from the press release, all I saw was Black and Brown young people leaving the scene. Why didn’t the officers on the scene that night obtain their names, contact information and statements at the time of the murder? Why – after two years – is the APD just now trying to identify people in attendance at the birthday party? This is beyond negligent.
I was told by the three chiefs of police from APD and a city official that Kyle Zoellner’s DNA is on the knife that was used to murder my son. It is time that Humboldt County residents call out and address the Arcata City officials and Humboldt County DA Maggie Fleming regarding DNA evidence appearing on the knife that wasused to murder a young college student. I cannot bring my son back, but we can help take a murderer off the streets. Why should a murderer walk the streets with your loved ones? If he killed once, he will kill again. Do you feel safer as a result of the actions the APD has taken in connection with this case? If not, then I encourage you to demand answers from your local representatives.
***I demand that the DA’s office hand over a copy of the official Grand Jury transcript to my lawyers.***
This case must be immediately turned over to the CA Department Of Justice (DOJ). DA Fleming has previously called in the FBI and State Attorney General for help during the Sheriff’s Office corruption investigation. Fleming emphasized the urgency of the need for assistance to these outside agencies during that investigation. Why did she not push for the DOJ to take over the investigation of the murder of my son (especially after she failed to present adequate and/or sufficient evidence at both the preliminary hearing and grand jury proceedings)? The DOJ will not decline a county official request.
I have been informed that there are only two major DNA contributors on the knife. DNA does not LIE. But, the DA has decided that in order to take any further action on this case the investigators need to find an eye witness. In other words, District Attorney Fleming wants the public to believe that eyewitness testimony is more reliable than the results of scientific DNA forensic testing. This is beyond absurd.
● Ann O’keefe was 11 years old when she was strangled to death in Southern California in 1973. DNA evidence brought her murderer to justice about 3 weeks ago.
● Anna Hiavka was found murdered in Portland in 1979. DNA evidence identified her killer as Jerry “Animal” McFadden.
● Grim Sleeper, serial killer Lonnie Franklin, responsible for decades of murders, was caught through DNA evidence.
● The Golden State Killer – 13 murder counts from 1970s to the 1980s – was caught through DNA evidence.
These are just a few examples of how DNA evidence can identify a person(s) responsible for committing crimes. How long will I have to grieve before my son’s murderer is brought to justice?
Two years ago, my son and his friends were leaving a birthday party when they were approached by a young woman and her friends about a missing cell phone. My son lost his life over a cell phone. A phone that was later found by Lila Ortega.
I will fight for justice for my son. I will fight for justice in Humboldt County. There are many murder cases on DA Fleming’s desk that she is unwilling to prosecute. I am fighting for those families as well. The failure of the APD to protect and serve this community is an issue that is greater than my son. I will not accept the lack of justice for families (like mine) that have suffered as a result of incompetence, lack of proper training, and/or intentional or negligent mishandling of serious criminal investigations. My son is not the only murder victim whose case has been buried and swept under the rug in Humboldt County, California. Enough is enough. It is time to speak truth to power.
I would like to offer my condolences and heartbreak to the family of Brandon Brocious, for the loss of your son, and miscarriage of justice today. The Lawson family stands with you. Justice for Brandon.
“To be a man is to be responsible, is to feel shame at the sight of unmerited misery” – David Josiah Lawson, my beloved DJ.
REST IN POWER MY SWEET LOVE. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ALWAYS AND FOREVER,
Children danced to uplifting music as the Humboldt Circus made its way to Humbrews to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on a beautiful sunny Sunday. Kids of all ages and their parents were invited to participate in a carefree afternoon playdate.
With fun games and freshly-popped popcorn to keep the kids entertained, the parents relaxed as they watched their kids run around a juggler, dancer, and clown-filled Humbrews. Many parents like Hannah Hirschfeld were smiling the whole afternoon knowing they could sit back, keep an eye on their kids and enjoy a cool glass of beer.
“Not many places where you can drink and watch your kids,” Hirschfeld said.
Cornelius Austin (right) performing a juggling act on stage. March 17. | Photo by Skylar Gaven
Even though they were there to entertain, members of the Humboldt Circus had just as much fun as the parents and kids did. The Humboldt Circus came out to play and goof around while providing a fun-filled afternoon for all who entered. Valerie Dominguez, an active member of the group for five years, said that performing in these types of events really brings out the inner kid in her and in everyone else in the group.
“We all have children inside of us so being able to share that with actual children makes it really fun,” Dominguez said.
The Humboldt Circus group is open to anybody with a happy-go-lucky attitude and a willingness to learn on the fly. Members have a great time performing with each other, as evidenced by their overwhelmingly cheerful demeanor. Everyone in the circus considers each other a family of unique individuals.
“It’s basically just a big family that loves being silly together,” Dominguez said. “We love to laugh, we love running around, and we like colors, rainbows, sparkles, we like all of that together.”
Circus member Devon Burt (left) along with kids took advantage of the cool circus toys scattered around the room. March 17. | Photo by Skylar Gaven
Cornelius Austin has also been a member for five years now. At first he had no idea how to juggle or perform, like many others who join. Austin has seen himself grow as he continues to practice and involve himself with the group.
“It’s been a huge part of my life. It’s my community, it’s been my group of artists, it’s helped me grow in so many ways,” Austin said. “Before I joined the circus I had no idea how to juggle, I had never performed, I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Brianna Juarez is a freshman at HSU who has been a part of the group for almost a full school year. She finds this group to be beyond welcoming and has learned from other members that have been excellent teachers throughout the short time she’s been there.
“It’s been so great. The Humboldt Circus is such a great community, everybody is so welcoming,” Juarez said. “When I first came I didn’t know how to juggle or do anything with the hula-hoop but there’s always so many people that are so talented and are willing to teach you new things. It’s really rewarding.”
No former experience in juggling, hula-hooping, or any other skills is required. This fun-loving group is accepting to all who join their community. No matter who you are or how much experience you have, the circus is where you go to learn and be yourself. Devon Burt, another member who was recruited all the back in 2013, has loved every experience this group had to offer. He also said that you don’t need to be an expert in any of the skills that they participate in.
“Anyone can join. You don’t even have to know how to do anything, you can learn while you’re here,” Burt said.
Meghan Dean (blue beanie) making sure things are running smoothly around the venue. March 17. | Photo by Skylar Gaven
The Circus was an excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon with family. This has been their third gig here at Humbrews thanks to the pub’s Marketing Director, Meghan Dean. With her love for the community Dean and Humbrews Owner Andy Ardell have frequently hosted shows and events such as these to bring something exciting to the relatively small area of Arcata. Dean hopes to host more family-friendly shows and events in the future. Her friendly presence was seen all around the venue, catering to others needs, laughing with parents and sitting back to observe the cheerful environment.
“I love it. I love doing community events like this, bringing in kids is fantastic,” Dean said. “We are really looking to reach out to the community and have more family-oriented events and more community events.”
If you want to experience something new and want to participate or show support for other local groups make sure to check out the HSU Dance Fundraiser on April 1 held at Humbrews.
“We are always happy to work with HSU,” Dean said.
32nd annual dog expo was full of fur and excitement in the air
A flat brush ran through Tessa’s long, golden locks with her son by her side as they both got gussied up for the 32nd annual dog expo. Amid the rowdiness of the crowd in Franceschi Hall at Redwood Acres dogs of all breeds and colors were gearing up to compete for their first or hundredth ribbon.
Tessa, a pure bred golden retriever, is under the ownership of Susan Hutchinson who has been breeding and training dogs since the 90s.
“I got my first golden back in 1990,” Hutchinson said. “I’m on my fifth generation of golden retrievers.”
This is five generations worth of awards and photos, Susan Hutchinson’s life work displayed proudly on this table. | Photo by Cassaundra Caudillo
Having worked with this breed she has learned a thing or two about how she thinks is best to go about training your dog. Hutchinson has formed a close bond with each of her dogs and that was mainly through training them.
“I’m a firm believer in creating team work,” Hutchinson said. “The more you put in with your dog and create a team, the more you’re going to get out and more of an enjoyment you’re going to have.”
4-year old Samoyed, Lala was having a rough day at the expo, no pun intended. She often gets anxious around crowds but this year she handled herself a bit better. | Photo by Cassaundra Caudillo
She’s not the only one who’s been in this game for a while. Bayard Smith has been participating in dog shows and competitions since 1960 strictly with Scottish Deerhounds. Both Smith and his wife Kris work together with these dogs to train them to compete for agility mainly. Being a dog trainer and handler is no small feat, the Smiths have travelled far and wide for some competitions.
“We’ve travelled all over the country, we’ve been to Ohio, St. Louis, Albuquerque,” Smith said. “It’s usually a four to five day road trip.”
This deerhound had quite the winning history. Owned by Kris and Bayard Smith, members of the North Coast Kennel Club. | Photo by Cassaundra Caudillo
Jamye Weseloh has a smooth collie, Cider, who is just eight months old. With her dog being so young she trains him frequently. Cider’s schedule is jam packed with different areas of training to do, especially since his mind is so elastic due to his young age.
“He’s learning nose work, he’s going to start herding lessons, he does obedience and he does show confirmation,” Weseloh said. “Every day we pick one of those and work on it and then later in the day we do another.”
Australian shepherd, Josie just shy of 11 months was a bit skeptical of photos being taken but finally warmed up to the camera. | Photo by Cassaundra Caudillo
Cider isn’t the only one with a tight training schedule. All of these dogs are expected to be at their utmost tip top shape. Hutchinson and Smith train their dogs every day as well and the weeks leading up to a competition it starts to amp up and become stricter.
“We have them in agility, obedience training, barn hunt and our youngest is in scent work,” Hutchinson said.
Not many owners shared that their dog had been involved in barn hunt so when Hutchinson brought it up she explained what it was for those of us who aren’t regular show goers.
“Rats are encapsulated in heavy casing and they have to find the rat underneath hay bails and then it’s up to the handler to recognize their signal if it’s an empty tube or if there’s bedding or a rat in it,” Hutchinson said.
One can’t expect there to be a dog expo without any dog treats. All naturally sourced were these small to large sized knuckles for dogs to gnaw on. | Photo by Cassaundra Caudillo
Walking around the show grounds there were various dogs who were sleeping on plush beds with blankets and pillows. Well deserved rest after a long days work. Congratulations to all of the dogs who took home ribbons this past weekend.
The 25th Annual Social Justice Summit aims to shine light on oppression and problematic narratives
Students Adrienne Bahn and Deema Hindawi want to “break that wall,” which is the title for this year’s Social Justice Summit. The summit starts on Monday, Feb. 25 and will continue throughout the week.
“We were thinking about how the world is so fragile and about the Berlin wall, the Mexican wall, the wall with Palestine and the walls within us and within our societies,” Hindawi said.
Hindawi and Bahn are the coordinators of the summit and have been planning the event since August. The summit will feature a number of speakers and workshops all aimed at bringing awareness to social justice. The keynote speaker this year is Kim Davalos. Davalos will be leading a discussion on Feb. 25 about the book “Alice in Wonderland” and the “intersections of her identity and life,” as well as hosting a workshop titled “Heartwork: love letters and languages.” Bahn attended a previous speech by Davalos and was so moved by it that she decided to invite her to this year’s summit.
“I was inspired and intrigued by her powerful rhetoric,” Bahn said. “It was about embracing our own identity despite the hardships that we have to endure. With every hardship, there is beauty too.”
Adrienne Bahn, student organizer and psychology major, organized the 25th annual Social Justice Summit alongside Deema Hindawi. | Photo by Freddy Brewster
Growing up, Bahn said that she always had the intention to volunteer, but didn’t know what that meant until she got to HSU.
“I became more aware of our political climate, so I decided to actually do something,” Bahn said. “I started to volunteer and joined the Multi-cultural center and the Asian, Desi and Pacific Islander club.”
One of the anticipated events during this year’s summit is “The Other Side of Murder Mountain.” The event will feature a panel discussion about the 2018 Netflix docu-drama that took place primarily in southern Humboldt. The series paints an image of Humboldt county as a place where “vigilante justice and outlaw culture” reign. Deidre Pike, journalism professor at HSU, will be one of the panelists.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”Adrienne Bahn” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”18″]“We are here to dismantle all forms of oppression. We can’t end sexism without ending racism as well.”[/perfectpullquote]
“‘The other side of Murder Mountain’ is about telling a different narrative about the series on Netflix,” Pike said. “People have been calling us and asking if it’s real. As storytellers, we have the ability to change the world, and the folks at Netflix have wide reaching opportunities.”
Pike said that the series pushed out a narrative that doesn’t fit reality in Humboldt, especially when it came to missing people. She pointed out that Humboldt county has one of the highest rates for missing people, but a lot of those cases end up being resolved. Pike also felt that the narrative being pushed in the Murder Mountain series is problematic.
“I have been thinking about the narrative and how it almost celebrates violence,” Pike said. “One of the counter narratives is, if you shine a light on Murder Mountain, people realize that the things they do can end up on Netflix. People thought southern Humboldt was this outlaw, backwoods place and now it is not.”
Pike went on to say that Humboldt has a brand when it comes to the marijuana industry and that Humboldt’s future parallels marijuana’s.
“If we want to be the Napa of the marijuana industry, then we need to cultivate that brand,” Pike said. “Murder Mountain contributes to that narrative, but as an ‘edgy Napa.’”
The summit will conclude on Friday, March 1 with Barbara Curiel giving a presentation titled “Border Walls and Borderland Identities.” Bahn said that she was excited for the final presentation and that the main message of the summit is to bring awareness to injustice.
“We are here to dismantle all forms of oppression,” Bahn said. “We can’t end sexism without ending racism as well.”
The Arcata plaza is a quirky place. The stores that surround it each have their own flare, and no two are alike. Of those stores on the plaza, that definitely screams the image of Humboldt is “Solutions.” Solutions is an eco-store that has been there since 1990 and is owned and operated by Kevin Johnson.
“Everything we have here is the more eco version of a toxic version [of a product],” Johnson said. “Whatever can be made with CBD, we’re trying to have.”
Cannabis has been the talk of the town, especially after legalization, more specifically is cannabidiol, also known as CBD. CBD oils have been proven to be a natural remedy that has started to become more popular. To put it simply, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC are different from each other but come from the same plant. THC is the psychoactive, mind-altering compound of cannabis, but CBD is an extraction from hemp and is anti-inflammatory. According to healthline.com, CBD has been proven to help with inflammation (especially in seniors), controlling pain, nausea and mental disorders.
“What people are doing now is they are taking hemp plant varieties, crossing it with the cannabis and breeding the CBD up and the THC down,” Johnson said.
Because CBD is gaining popularity, the people that grow to make these different products have altered the way they grow the marijuana plant, knowing that many people prefer the non-psychoactive part of the plant.
HSU art history major Sam Oetinger, said he has never personally bought CBD oil but has used it in the past with his lacrosse teammates after games.
“We felt that it helped with muscle soreness and recovery,” Oetinger said.
However, the repeating argument that goes into CBD is that the success stories outnumber the actual scientific evidence. There are many people that swear by CBD and cannabis as a whole, but because it is still so unknown there are yet to be studies done that weigh out the benefits and the drawbacks.
Miles Kinman is an environmental studies major at HSU. Kinman said that his family uses CBD oil as a less expensive alternative medication to help with his sister’s arthritis.
“My sister had side effects from arthritis medication combined with other meds which she doesn’t have to deal with when using CBD,” Kinman said.
CBD comes in many variations; Kevin Johnson explained that Solutions carries lotions, cosmetics, chocolates and some fabrics made from hemp. Despite CBD being a controversy, the plant itself is a more sustainable form of creating these products as opposed to unsustainable factories.
It’s time for the Humboldt community to start supporting black-owned businesses
Humboldt County is a predominantly white community. According to Data USA 75.4 percent of the population is made up of white residents. When it comes to the business ownership aspect the numbers are even lower. While they exist, there is a lack of black-owned businesses. According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2012 only 1,853 minority owned businesses around Humboldt County, meanwhile non-minority businesses make up 10,333 in Humboldt County.
It’s important for us as students to highlight a lack of diverse groups around the Arcata community, as we strive to be a university that prides itself in having a diverse group of students.
There are some black-owned businesses that are around Humboldt County. Over at Eureka there is Dewy’s Beauty Boutique that stocks ethnic hair care products. However, their products are on the expensive side for students who are already on a tight budget. If there were more business that provided this need, it’d be a different reality for many students.
Last month, the Eureka NAACP chapter spoke about how important it is to support black businesses around Humboldt County, as it shows love and support to the black Humboldt communities. There are black-owned businesses like A Taste of Bim, Sistah’s Vegan and Shine Aesthetic just to name a few.
In the first episode of Michael Santiago Render’s Netflix series “Killer Mike’s Trigger Warning,” Render lives three days supporting only black businesses in Atlanta, Georgia. However this proves to be difficult for Render, as there are no black-owned hotels or even foods in some cases, leaving him hungry and sleeping on public benches. The take-away from this episode is to highlight how sparse black businesses are in the USA.
Luckily, there are some clubs, organizations and events to help with diversifying our community. The Multicultural Center at HSU is a student-led organization that helps the diverse student population, while also being open to everyone who is interested. They work closely with the D street community center to hold their events, such as the Home Away From Home Potluck. Also, there’s the African American Center, the Latinx center and the Native American center (ITEPP). All these organizations offer services and plan events for students and the community.
The next locally black-owned businesses coming to campus is Shine Aesthetic and Dewy’s Pop Up. They’ll be on campus Wednesday Feb.13 from 2-5 p.m. at the African American Center for Academic Excellence in Nelson Hall 206. It’s up to us as a community to support them and other black-owned businesses as they come to Humboldt.
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