Daily Forty-Niner; April 23, 2024

A GRAND WEEKEND

on us.

when

you open a Long Beach State Checking account.

BeachCU.com

* Membership is subject to eligibility. All new accounts will be veri ed through ChexSystems and are subject to credit approval. A primary share savings account is required for each new Membership with a minimum deposit of $25. Existing Southland Credit Union primary account holders do not qualify for the promotional o er. The promotional o er is available to anyone who establishes membership and opens the Long Beach State Checking account at the campus branch. $200 reward will be deposited to the Long Beach State Checking account on the next available business day upon receipt of rst direct deposit or rst bill payment made. Quali cations must be met within the rst 90 days of account opening to qualify for rewards. Quali cations include direct deposit of at least $200 or recurring use of ePay/Bill Pay, and the Long Beach State Checking Account must maintain a positive balance. If these quali cations are not met within the rst 90 days of account opening, rewards will not be paid. Promotional accounts must be closed in the campus branch. Accounts closed within six months of account opening will forfeit the $200 reward. The account can be converted to a di erent checking account after six months. Limit one rewards promotion per account. There is no minimum balance requirement to earn rewards. O er is subject to change at any time, other terms and conditions may apply. Rewards earned are considered interest and will be reported on a 1099 to the IRS.

Monday, April 15, 2024

copy@daily49er.com

photo@daily49er.com

socials@daily49er.com

video@daily49er.com

podcast@daily49er.com

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State already has issues with parking availability and placement, but by fall 2024, students will face an increased payment for parking on campus.

Navigating changes: updates on future campus parking fees

Long Beach State is raising parking fees for students to $259 per semester beginning in the fall.

BY NATHANIEL MARSHALL Staff Writer

The Long Beach State parking pass a necessity for any student with a car on campus. The cost of the pass is set to cost upwards to 250 dollars a semester or 500 dollars for the whole academic year.

A motorcycle will cost half the price at 125 dollars a semester.

Ellie Creighton

Lei Madrigal

"I do have the full year parking pass right now, the increase personally won't hurt me as much because I am a little more middle class, but I am sure for other students who are lower class or struggling with income I am sure this will affect them," Colby Vu, a third year psychology major student said.

To alleviate the financial strain, LBSU offers a monthly payment option of 55 dollars, providing an alternative option for students unable to afford the upfront semester or yearly costs.

This option is particularly beneficial for students who rely on campus facilities for academic and extracurricular activities.

"I pay the monthly 55 dollar fee for parking. The increase in the permit will make it harder for myself as I need to be able to park frequently at school in order to work at the SRWC as apart of ASI," Dominic Nguyen, a graduating senior in ki-

nesiology and fitness major said.

The increase of the parking pass is a result of following the standards of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI is used as a benchmark for assessing the rise in the overall cost of goods and services, including those related to operating and maintaining parking facilities.

By aligning the parking pass cost adjustment with the CPI, the parking fee keeps pace with the general increase in prices in the economy.

"I believe commuting behavior, both driving or taking one of the many forms of sustainable transportation to campus, will be largely unaffected by this change," LBSU Project Manager Chad Keller said.

As students prepare for the upcoming academic year, the increased cost of parking passes adds to the financial challenges associated with pursuing higher education.

The adjustment prompts a reflection on the accessibility and affordability of essential services for the student community.

For the fall 2024 semester, students can expect to pay $259 for a pass. Passes will be available for purchase Aug. 1, 2024.

For further inquiries regarding the LBSU Parking Pass, students can contact:

Phone: (562) 985 - 4146

Email: ParkingGeneral@csulb.edu

Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.

We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.

We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.

BY LISBETH CORTES-GUTIERREZ Staff Writer

Between 2022 and the first months of 2024 the parking lots where two thefts occurred were, G4, E8. Places near and parking lots in which one theft occurred were, the Housing office, Hillside, Academic Services, Fine Arts 4, Kinesiology, the Vivian Engineering Center, Engineering Technology, the softball field, Fanwood Avenue, the Palos Verdes North parking structure, G13, G14, E6, E9, E10, G1, G2, G5 and G8.

In 2022 the most susceptible location to motor vehicle theft on campus was the Pyramid Parking Structure with three vehicles stolen. John Brockie, Chief of the University Police Department said in his 26 years of experience he has noticed there were more vehicle thefts and or break-ins in parking structures.

“I don’t know if that’s because in an open lot the people that commit the crime may feel like they’re more exposed, as opposed in a parking structure if you’re on a floor you can kind of see what’s going on, but that is a trend that I’ve seen over many years,” Brockie said. University police are always out patrolling and although that can help deter thieves, UPD recommends making sure to lock the car, roll up the windows and to not leave items in the car that can be stolen.

CSULB is a large campus with most students being commuters, so almost any car model can be found here. According to Brockie, the latest trend for stolen vehicles have been Kias. However, the model of cars have changed over the

Motor vehicle thefts throughout campus decreased from 2022

LISBETH CORTES-GUTIERREZ / Daily Forty-Niner

In 2022, 15 motor vehicles were stolen around campus and in 2023 the number of thefts decreased to 11. So far in 2024 two vehicles have been stolen.

years. Some examples were Toyota Camrys, Honda Accords and Chevy Pickups. The process for finding stolen vehicles varies. Some vehicles have been found within a couple hours.

Green Generation provides conservation opportunities for all

BY JACK HASLETT Staff Writer

Business, art, nature and community all intersected this past Thursday, April 19 in the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden as the 2024 Green Generation Showcase displayed the best and brightest ways to sustain and protect the environment devised by CSULB students and community organizations around Long Beach.

The event, organized by CSULB Sustainability, began in 2012 as a mixer in the garden organized by a student group as a way to both display projects they had each made and to commemorate Earth Day. April is Earth Month and the showcase serves as the marquee Earth Month event for CSULB.

After those original student organizers graduated, interest for the event remained and in 2014 the position of Sustainability Coordinator was created and Holli Fajack was tasked with keeping the event going. The event has since grown and added opportunities for local environmental organizations to attend the event alongside the student projects featured.

The Sustainability Project Showcase remains the focal point of the event. Over 260 students across a mix of 90 individual and group projects participated

in this year’s showcase. Students from any major could participate and projects from previous semesters were still eligible for entry.

“All the hard work that we put in, just seeing it here all printed out is really cool,” said Chelsea Garcia, a CSULB student who submitted a project in the Business or Marketing Solutions category on the impacts of plastic pollution by major corporations. “It took us a long time to find all the information and even design it, so it’s just really great seeing it out here.”

Garcia’s project was originally done for a Marketing 405: Sustainability and Green Marketing class and submitting it to the Green Generation Showcase was a part of the class project itself, according to Garcia.

Visitors were greeted with the project displays upon entry. Submission ranging from proposals on walkable cities and government climate policy to art projects expressing interpretive messages about the environment. Entries in Technology and Design/Concept Categories proposed innovations like seaweed-derived plastics and various concepts on reducing and repurposing food waste.

The varying categories encompass a wide variety of disciplines and areas of study and highlight the event’s message that the environment can affect or be affected by anything.

“Our message is that sustainability

tention of the law enforcement officer,” Brockie said.

One of the first steps for law enforcement is to enter the information about the theft into the Stolen Vehicle System or SVS.

“That sends it out to, or makes the information available to, every law enforcement agency in the country. So if your car was stolen here and someone took it to New Mexico or Montana and a law enforcement officer ran that plate, it would come back as a stolen vehicle from California. If the plates are still on it right, if they don’t change the plates,” Brockie said.

There are multiple ways to find stolen motor vehicles. Some areas on campus have cameras, so when vehicles disappear the footage can help investigate who took it. Then there is also the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN which according to Brockie newer cars have stamped on numerous places. The VIN helps identify stolen cars that have been taken apart.

UPD police cars have license plate readers that are connected to the SVS and automatically alert law enforcement if they drive by a reported stolen vehicle. Brockie said many police agencies have them to find stolen vehicles that are still driving around.

Although there are multiple resources to find stolen vehicles Brockie did explain that not all of them are always found.

“That’s usually when they have been partially stripped and then dumped somewhere, so you know, it’s on a random street somewhere and the wheels are missing and that’s what gets the at-

“Sometimes we never find them, they’re stripped or who knows what, taken out of the country, they just disappear sometimes or they’re in a building somewhere where they’re not moving around so we can’t find them,” Brockie said.

is and should be part of what everybody does. It’s not part of one niche of environmental studies or engineering,” Fajack said.

The event also hosted a table for Campus and Community Partners table that allowed people to find volunteer and internship opportunities within environment sustainability as well as for organizations to raise awareness about their own causes.

Featuring groups that range from Long Beach Utilities promoting water-saving measures all the way to the Long Beach Urban Beekeepers promoting their organization, groups find that the Showcase attracts people who are already conservation minded and eager to listen to their proposals.

“We love being here because this is our target audience,” said Jason Gallup, sustainability specialist with the city of Long Beach with a table at the event.

“These are the people that would want to engage … and come out into the com-

munity and help us do Citizen Science and plant trees and do all that stuff we’re engaged in.”

A key element to the growth of the event has been the introduction of sponsors for funding. While the event receives funding from the university through the President’s Commission on Sustainability, the ability to host the event at its current scale and cater everyone in attendance comes from the support of sponsors Edison International and, more recently, the Port of Long Beach, according to Fajack.

“The environmental progress the Port of Long Beach has achieved in the last two decades has been a story of partnerships with our business stakeholders and the community,” said Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach. “We are proud to support this event through our Community Sponsorship Program, which funds groups to make Long Beach a better place to live and work.”

JACK HASLETT / Daily Forty-Niner

Chelsea Garcia in front of her group project, Plastics Unwrapped: Navigating Our Way Out of Pollution, her project submitted in the Business and Marketing Solution(s) category.

ASI Big Event

another year with opening musician La Gabi, who matched the crowd’s energy by jumping around, singing and smiling; Swae Lee headlined ASI’s Big Event with around 100 students showing up with light sticks and phones in their hands at the Walter Pyramid. During the pre-show, Elbee danced with students before the headliner, getting students excited and eagerly anticipating the artists’ performances.

Swae Lee gives ‘Unforgettable’ performance at ASI’s Big Event concert

Performing his top hits “Unforgettable,” “Sunflower,” “Black Beatles” and more, Swae Lee’s energetic performance marks an end-of-school-year celebration.

BY LEILA ALARCON Arts & Life Assistant

As the clock hit six on Saturday night, students filled the Walter Pyramid as it was booming with music so loudly you could feel the bass in your bones.

Excitement and anticipation were palpable as students danced, waved light sticks and watched their wristbands change color to the beat of the opening act, DJ Steria.

Students patiently waited for headliner Swae Lee, the Grammy-nominated rapper, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his work as Rae Sremmurd, a duo act he has with his brother Slim Jxmmi, and his work co-writing Beyoncé’s single, “Formation.”

His songs “Unforgettable” and “Sunflower” made him a popular choice for ASI’s Big Event and he was eventually selected among many artists for students to enjoy.

“We work in a team to figure out research and see who would be a great option to bring to campus that would help create this new electric feeling,” Marvin Flores, program manager, said. Flores said he wanted to ensure the electric feeling would excite people into finals.

Planning for ASI’s Big Event starts as soon as the previous year’s concert wraps up, with the program committee considering the music taste of students, an artist’s accomplishments and how much an artist would cost.

Swae Lee proved to be popular with students, who began lining up to get good seats as early as 3:30 p.m.

“I grew up on his music. So, I mean, yeah, I’m excited to see him,” Annelise Licata, a third-year student and one of the first attendees in line, said. “I know a lot of his songs, so it’s going to be fun to see him perform.”

Before Swae Lee, students were hyped up by reggaeton artist La Gabi. La Gabi sang and showed off dance moves with her backup dancers.

She even had enough time to perform the crowd-favorite song “Wao” for a second time.

“I’m nervous, but, like, it’s a good nervous. You know what I mean,” La Gabi said before taking the stage. “I’m excited to share my music to people... make you vibe with me.”

Finally, at 8 p.m., students cheered as Swae Lee took the stage, beginning his hour-long performance with the hit song “No Type.”

The energy from Swae Lee and the crowd shook the Walter Pyramid from the top of the bleachers to the bottom of the floor.

“I usually try to keep all my songs like positive type ‘cause I don’t really try to make my music depressing,” Swae Lee said after the show. “We going through enough stuff in real life.”

“When you listen to my music, I want to make you feel like you the shit. I want to make you feel like you’re that guy or you’re that girl...Every song is like a different message.”

Swae Lee also performed Rae Srem-

murd’s songs “No Flex,” “Come Get Her” and “This Could Be Us” from the “SremmLife” album.

The most anticipated song of the night was “Black Beatles,” with students asking for Swae Lee to sing it in between his other songs.

When the beginning beats of “Black Beatles” played, everyone froze as an homage to the 2016 mannequin challenge, when people would freeze in place while the song played in the background.

Swae Lee joined in on the fun of having everyone freeze in place for the chorus of “Black Beatles.” He also sang “Calling” and “Sunflower” from the “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” franchise albums, his popular collaborations and his most recent releases like “Airplane Tickets.”

As the ASI Big Event ends, preparation for the next one begins. Students looking to contribute to the selection of next year’s artists can attend the Beach Pride Events meetings on Mondays at 4 p.m.

Photos by SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner

Clockwise from left: From pointing to the crowd, to taking videos with the Long Beach State fans on the floor, Swae Lee left concert fans with a breathtaking experience. ASI’s yearly Big Event brought together Lee and the headliner La Gabi at the Walter Pyramid; ASI held

for

Fans flock to Thunder Thursday at The Pike

Motorcycle stunt performers participated in a competition with each other where the audience picked the winner from the group.

MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner

From race displays to motorcycle stunts, Long Beach’s Thunder Thursday brings people together to experience it all at The Pike.

BY SAMUEL CHACKO Managing Editor

The 49th annual Thunder Thursday showed racing fans what to expect for the highly anticipated Acura Grand Prix, which began Friday and ended Sunday.

Hundreds rushed to The Pike to see

the different colored sports cars and hang out with some of the drivers.

Among those drivers is Rome Charpentier, who drives in Formula Drift 1 for the 2024 season.

“Since I was born, my parents took me every year to the Long Beach Grand Prix,” Charpentier said. “It was my dream as a young kid to drive in Long Beach, and it’s so surreal to be on the other side of it.”

Free to the public, attendees from

far and wide went to The Pike to view the different cars.

The rides at Thunder Thursday varied from sleek-looking race cars to sports cars and live music from The Moon Jays and Manuel The Band played while audience members danced into the sunset.

Food booths were packed with energetic and excited fans, many of which talked with drivers and had a chance to get autographs.

The action continued throughout

Thursday evening with the crowd huddling near the front gate to see daring tricks such as pit stop competitions and motorcycle stunts later in the night.

With every trick the motorcyclists pulled off successfully, the audience’s “oohs” and “ahhs” echoed in the packed bleachers.

Thunder Thursday brought together Long Beach residents and willing travelers to enjoy what they like most: cars and daring tricks.

MARK SIQUIG / Daily Forty-Niner Thunder Thursday is hosted at the Pike Outlets downtown along Shoreline Dr. to warm up automotive fans before the Grand Prix.

MARK SIQUIG / Daily Forty-Niner

The Michelin Mascot takes a picture with a couple of visitors at Thunder Thursday at the Pike Outlets.

The carnivore diet goes against the

grain of nutritional science

BY CAITLIN MELGAR Staff Writer

Jessie Orozco, a 21 yearold resident of Burbank, stands in line at the Ralphs self-checkout line with five items in his hands: hamburger patties, pork sausage links, thin-cut beef sirloin, ground beef and a packet of American cheese singles. Orozco is about to embark on the latest diet fad, the carnivore diet.

“I didn’t feel good after eating highcarb foods,” Orozco said. “I would feel tired and have stomach pains.”

Orozco restricts his diet to animal products and stays clear of plants. Advocates of the carnivore diet, such as Shawn Baker, author of The Carnivore Diet, claim this diet aids weight loss, regulates blood sugar and improves mood.

Instagram has over 2 million posts with the hashtag #carnivore and over 113,000 posts with the same hashtag on TikTok. While this fad soars in popularity, it is not met with the same support from dietitians.

“Fad diets don’t work,” Amanda Sauceda, a dietitian and a nutrition and dietetics professor at Long Beach State, said.

Lack of nutrients is a primary concern with this diet. Although meat is a great source of iron and B vitamins, most adults in the U.S. experience a deficiency in potassium, dietary fiber and calcium, according to the U.S. government’s 20202025 Dietary Guideline for Americans. The easiest way to get these nutrients is through fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods.

These nutrient deficiencies can be linked to almost 90% of the U.S. population failing to meet their recommended vegetable intake and 80% failing to meet their recommended fruit intake, according to the U.S. government’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guideline for Americans. Nutrient deficiencies can negatively impact digestion, energy levels and mental health.

Meanwhile, almost 70% of the U.S. population exceeds their recommended meat, poultry and egg intake, which are at the center of the carnivore diet.

The carnivore diet does allow multivitamins to fill in the nutrient gaps, although it is not reliable and lacks FDA regulation.

“[About 44% of] multivitamin and mineral supplements analyzed in 2020 by ConsumerLab.com were found to have quality problems, such as having more or less of the vitamins and minerals than their labels claimed,” according to a consumer reports article about vitamins. “Some may even contain contaminants.”

Not everyone is consistent with taking vitamins either.

“I feel like I don’t need [multivitamins] but I still try to take it a couple times a week,” said Orozco.

Primitive eating can be well intended by trying to eliminate processed foods, but Kia Octaviano, a registered dietitian at Long Beach State, says extreme dieting can develop into eating disorders.

According to Octaviano, low-carb diets also amplify negative stigmas about carbs even though they are the preferred source of energy for your brain.

“It’s definitely hard because you start to crave carbs a lot,” said Orozco.

Instead of restricting foods, Sauceda and Octaviano recommend a personalized approach focusing on moderation, affordability and adding more nutrient-dense foods for a healthier diet. This can look like a plate with a juicy steak paired with plant-based foods, such as lentils, plantains or a cucumber salad.

“[Diet fads] make you fearful of food or shameful that you’re eating them,” Sauceda said.

Long Beach State students can schedule an appointment with Octaviano through student health services to speak about their health goals and dietary needs.

“A lot of diets are the same variation of a low-carb diet,” said Octaviano. “So if they truly did work why do we have to keep reinventing them.”

Although meat is a great source of iron and B vitamins, most adults in the U.S. experience a deficiency in potassium, dietary fiber and calcium. ”

A Centrum Men’s multivitamin capsule sits on Orozco’s nightstand. Many multivitamin brands are unable to ensure their products will properly bridge the nutritional gap of people following the Carnivore diet due to lack of FDA regulation and third-party research.

Photos by CAITLIN MELGAR / Daily Forty-Niner

A pack of hamburger patties, sausage links, beef sirloin, cheese singles, ground beef, and a pack of Celsius sit on the Ralph’s self-checkout counter. While there are some grey areas for people who follow the carnivore diet, there is still a strong refusal to eat plant-based foods.

Scott Dixon takes a turn during the NTT IndyCar Series Race in the annual Acura Long Beach Grand Prix. Dixon would win this race for a second time, the last time being almost ten years ago in 2015.

Photo by NAOKI GIMA Daily Forty-Niner

BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant

The topic of athletes and gambling has sparked debate and controversy recently. While there are legitimate concerns about the potential risks and implications of athletes betting, it's crucial to recognize that gambling, like any other personal choice, is ultimately up to the individual.

Acknowledging that athletes have the right to manage their finances and make decisions about how they choose to spend their money.

If an athlete chooses to gamble, whether it's on poker, blackjack or even betting on games outside of their designated sport, it's their money at stake.

They earned it through their hard work, talent and dedication to their sport. They are not jeopardizing their financial stability or engaging in illegal activities, so why should we dictate how they should spend their earnings?

Take the example of Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan was known for his competitive spirit both on and off the court and he was no stranger to high-stakes gambling.

While his gambling habits garnered media attention, it is essential to note that Jordan's gambling never interfered with his performance on the basketball court. He continued to dominate the NBA and solidify his legacy as a basketball icon.

Another NBA icon, Charles Bark-

BY THEODORE TAYLOR III Guest Writer

As a fourth-year journalism and theater performance major, I wanted to try something different for my final semester, so I spent 85 days studying abroad in the United Kingdom.

From the culture to the history, people, food and sports, my time in the U.K. may have been short, but it was surely impactful.

One of the coolest things that I did while traveling abroad was take the Eurostar train to Paris. It was truly the greatest week of my life.

Paris was rich in culture and experience. I got to see the Mona Lisa and walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I also visited the Sacre Coeur, explored Disneyland Paris and got to enjoy some delicious food. The vibes of Paris were truly immaculate. Even just biking through the city at night in the rain was beautiful.

I also had the opportunity to take an eight-hour bus ride to North England to watch Manchester United play at Old Trafford.

Manchester United is my favorite “football” club. It had always been a dream of mine to see them play at their home stadium, so I am extremely glad that I got the chance to experience that.

My first two weeks abroad were a challenge, however.

ley, openly admits to having a gambling problem and has lost millions over the years.

“I’m not going to quit gambling because it’s my life and it’s my money,” Barkley said in an interview.

Despite his struggles with gambling, Barkley remains one of the most beloved figures in basketball. His career on the court has not been overshadowed by his off-court activities.

A recent example of a gambling situation is with the Dodgers baseball player Shohei Ohtani and his translator Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara was fired for placing bets on professional games using Ohtani’s money.

While this incident raised eyebrows and led to disciplinary action for Mizuhara, Ohtani himself was not involved in the gambling. Mizuhara took more than $16 million from Ohtani and Ohtani did not know Mizuhara was taking his money.

Gambling can be addictive and lead to financial problems for some individuals. It isn't fair to generalize and assume that all athletes who gamble are in danger.

Many athletes are responsible gamblers who know their limits and understand the risks involved. Their gambling habits should be viewed as a personal choice and an individual responsibility.

As long as athletes are aware of the risks, adhere to sports betting regulations and ensure that their gambling does not interfere with their sports performance or integrity, they should be able to do what they please.

After all, it's their money, their choice.

Athletes and gambling: Their money, their choice

If it is not our money and they are not doing anything illegal, do we as observers have a say in how athletes' money is spent?

From the Beach to the Brits

With this semester being my last, I made the bold decision to study abroad in the United Kingdom. It ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made.

This was the last day of DRAM6100, which became one of my favorite classes in all of college.

from Boston that ended up becoming one of my best friends throughout my time there.

I met her in one of my favorite classes, a theater class dealing with biographical work and collaboration.

The class featured an interesting collection of people. I jokingly refer to that class as the “World Cup” because there was such a multitude of nationalities within it, including American, Canadian, Swedish, Chinese, South African and English students.

The varied personalities and backgrounds along with the fun professor made that class one of my favorites in all my four years of college.

I would say one of the biggest highlights of my time abroad was getting to be a part of the school's production of “The Great Gatsby.” I was lucky enough to be casted as the main character, Jay Gatsby.

Throughout that process, I began to form some great friendships with my castmates and we ended up putting on a wonderful show.

Eighty-five days is not much time, but there's a saying that goes, “I'm here for a good time, not a long time.”

One thing that shocked me was how cold the weather was. I have lived in Compton for most of my life, so a cold day to me is mid to high 50s. When I landed in London and had to deal with weather in the low 30s and 40s, it was brutal.

anyone. This was a unique experience for me, especially because I consider myself to be an extroverted and social person.

Another struggle was the fact that this trip was my first time since second grade going to school without knowing

During my first two or three weeks out there, I had only made one friend. She was another study abroad student

Doing a show, performing stand-up, making lasting connections, clubbing, sports matches at the bar and seeing landmarks all within this limited amount of time makes that quote ring true for me.

As I return home and prepare for graduation and the future, the time I spent abroad will always be life-changing and unforgettable. Cheers, bruv!

Graphic by ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ / Daily Forty-Niner

Sports gambling has taken a huge impact for athletes and how they use their money. Athletes and gambling has been a big topic of contention and have some of the biggest athletes in the world receive suspensions for gambling.

THEODORE TAYLOR III / Daily Forty-Niner

Pit stop perfection: Scott Dixon emerges victorious at Long Beach Grand Prix

The Chip Ganassi driver shocked spectators by winning the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after qualifying eighth.

BY KRISTINA AGRESTA Director of Business Operations

In a shocking race, Scott Dixon in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, won the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 21.

California native Colton Herta and teammate Alex Palou ended their races in P2 and P3 respectively.

Dixon started the weekend with midgrid performances. With 15th and 12th place finishes in the practice sessions, the New Zealander did not have the pace to clinch a spot in the Firestone Fast 6, missing out by 0.0112 seconds and qualifying 8th for Sunday.

Front row starters Felix Rosenqvist in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda and Will Power in the No. 12 Team Penske Chevy looked confident at their chances to win, with Power hoping to end his history-making winless streak.

At the start of Sunday’s race, Power took the lead while Rosenqvist fell down the grid. Dixon was quiet, consistently holding positions around P8 and P6.

On lap 15, IndyCar rookie Christian Rasmussen in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevy went into the wall at the exit of turn four, causing a full-course

yellow caution after he also pinned Jack Harvey.

This triggered Dixon to make a pit stop for new tires on lap 18, causing him to have a major fuel-saving race as he opted to pit only once more in the next 67 laps.

Dixon overtook then-race-leader Power on the restart but Josef Newgarden took over the lead when Power pitted on lap 31.

In the closing laps, the leaders, Dixon, Newgarden, Palou, and Herta, ran into traffic. In the chaos, Herta hit Newgarden on the back, causing him to go into anti-stall mode.

This allowed a chasing Palou and Herta to pass Newgarden, who could not

recover from the contact and was out of win contention.

"I had good speed all weekend and good strategy, so happy with fourth, but I'm just not sure about the Herta deal; I think they should look at that differently," Newgarden said.

Race control penalized a similar incident between Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O'Ward and Alexander Rossi earlier in the race.

Dixon confidently led 42 of the 85 laps of the race, fighting challenges behind Newgarden, Herta, and Power and went on to secure his victory.

With this win at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Dixon extends his career record wins to 57.

After winning, Dixon praised the Honda team, his engine supplier.

“Huge shout out to everyone on the Honda team. It’s their home race here with over 100 employees, and I had a fun time driving my Honda today," Dixon said.

During the post-race press conference, Dixon talked about how unique Long Beach is to the IndyCar calendar.

"I think what we really enjoy as drivers and teams is the atmosphere, man. This place is wild. It's got a lot of energy. It's a lot of fun. That's what we need to be doing," Dixon said. "We always say we hope we can have more events like Long Beach or the 500 or Nashville, places like that. This one's tough to beat, man."

Photos by NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Scott Dixon gets showered with champagne after his second Acura Long Beach Grand Prix of his career. He beat out Colton Herta and Alex Palau to get first place in the NTT IndyCar Series Race.

Tom Blomqvist makes a quick turn during a NTT IndyCar Series Race at the Acura Long Beach Grand Prix. Blomqvist would finish 22nd out of 27 in the race with Scott Dixon taking first place.

Acura Long Beach Grand Prix attendees sit in the stands to watch the NTT IndyCar Series Race to watch some of their favorite drivers take part.

Women’s tennis celebrates Senior Day in style, blanks UCI 7-0

BY ETHAN BROWN Staff Writer

The Long Beach State women’s tennis team dominated UC Irvine on Friday afternoon at Rhodes Tennis Center and blanked the Anteaters 7-0 on Senior Day.

The Beach did not lose a set in what was arguably its most dominant team win of the year, building steam for the Big West Championships next week.

“It was a really strong team performance,” head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello said. “We really came energized for our seniors.”

The seniors comprised a hefty chunk of The Beach’s production this year and came up big again on Senior Day. Number one player Rhona Cook, number two player Justine Dondonay, number four Sarah Medik and number six Mathilde Tranberg are all seniors.

First, the women eased their way through the doubles matches, sweeping UCI with no trouble to earn the first point of the afternoon.

Cook and junior Peppi Ramstedt blew past Emily Fowler and Kayla Meraz in the first match, 6-1. Cook and Ramstedt have gone an impressive 22-9 together this season.

Turkish sophomore Doga Akyurek and Dondonay, the only native Californian on the roster, tamed Anteater duo Carolyna Fowler and Asha Gidwani 6-2 in the second match.

Completing the sweep was Tranbjerg and sophomore Paulina Franco Marti-

nessi, winning 6-1.

As the afternoon rolled on, the six singles matches commenced.

In the last conference match of her career, Cook was back at it again, handling the sweeping topspin from UCI’s

number one player Jenna Schlatter en route to a 6-3, 6-3 victory in two sets.

Dondonay got another crack at Gidwani and bested her again 6-3, 6-1 on .

The fellow senior had a standout day as her shot variation made her borderline

unreturnable.

Ramstedt moved to court three to take on Fowler and prevailed 6-3, 6-1. Fowler was verbally frustrated at some of the line judge’s calls, but the result rendered them null.

After sitting out the doubles matches, Medik got one final conference singles win, beating Amanda Perez 6-1, 6-1 with a finishing shout that delighted the patrons.

Akyurek had no problem dismantling Irvine sophomore Larissa Teramura on court five 6-1, 6-1.

In the final match to finish, Tranberg outlasted Haily Huynh 6-4, 6-4 on court six to conclude an amazing afternoon for The Beach women’s tennis.

The LBSU team this year has players from Turkey, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Paraguay, Austria, Finland and Denmark.

When asked if she seeks out international talent while recruiting each season Hilt-Costello responded, “I’m just looking for people who fit for Beach tennis.”

With this strategy working at the moment, LBSU now shifts their focus to the conference tournament starting this upcoming Thursday at the Barnes Center in San Diego.

Hilt-Costello believes to make the NCAA regionals, the squad will have to take the Big West championship, meaning they must win out. “We’re looking at UCSB as the team to beat,” Hilt-Costello said.

Slotted as the potential No. 4 seed, The Beach enters the quarterfinals with a clear goal in mind: win three matches.

Cal State Long Beach’s junior tennis player Peppi Ramstedt returned a serve from UC Irvine during a doubles game. Ramstedt and her doubles partner senior, Rhona Cook had an overall record of 22-9 on the year.

Photos by DEVIN MALAST / Daily Forty-Niner LBSU’s tennis team celebrated their seniors on Friday, April 19 at the Rhodes Tennis Courts. Seniors Rhona Cook, Justine Dondonay, Sarah Medik and Mathilde Tranberg were honored and celebrated.had an overall record of 22-9 on the year.

No. 7 LBSU comes up short in overtime thriller against UCI O

A dramatic evening at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center ends in heartbreak with the rival Anteaters stealing an overtime victory on the road.

BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assistant

n a night filled with emotion where The Beach bid farewell to seven graduates on senior night, Long Beach State fell short 14-13 in a back-and-forth contest that went beyond regulation to decide the winner.

The overtime loss locks in The Beach as the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Big West Tournament in Davis with their opponent yet to be determined.

Down 2-1 in the final minute of the first quarter, senior utility player Lara Luka scored one of her three goals on the night to tie the game at two at the end of the first frame.

The trend of tying the game in the dwindling minutes of the quarter appeared again in the second quarter following one of junior attacker Martina Cardona’s team-high four goals.

The Beach failed to capitalize on some sizable advantages in the box score. Long Beach State had its fair share of looks at the goal, attempting 14 more shots on goal than the Anteaters.

Defensively, LBSU caused havoc for the UCI offense, winning the steals battle by a margin of 14-6, with sophomore attacker Elisa Portillo tallying a season-high four of her own.

Two of UCI’s three third-quarter goals came from power plays, which in-

cluded a six-on-five advantage on the offensive end and LBSU getting baited into penalties that proved costly in a tightly contested affair.

Those two power-play goals lead to an 8-7 Anteater lead at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter would be an unforgettable experience for the fans as these Big West rivals continued to exchange goals on both ends, setting up a memorable close to the game.

With the two teams even at nine apiece, UCI freshman attacker Lauren Hett scored what looked to be the dagger as she gave the Anteaters a 10-9 lead with 13 seconds remaining.

LBSU would have one last response in them in the final second of regulation with Cardona striking again with her fourth goal of the night to send the game into overtime at the buzzer. The goal sent fans of The Beach into a frenzy on the bleachers in celebration of what they had just witnessed.

The Anteaters would ultimately prevail in the overtime periods to escape with the victory. Luka scored in the final minute to bring the deficit back to one, but The Beach was unable to net the equalizer.

Long Beach State looks to make noise at the Big West Tournament after finishing the year with an overall record of 20-8 and a 5-2 conference record while UCI has a record of 17-10 and a 5-2 against conference play.

Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics

Long Beach State women’s water polo celebrates the contributions of seven graduating seniors at the conclusion of a spirited 14-13 overtime loss. This included Lara Luka, Anne de Kleer, Rachael Kowalchick, Mariah Walker, Amanda Price, Kathryn McCullough and Nadja Novakovic.

BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant

The WNBA regular season kicks off on May 14 and all eyes are on the Walter Pyramid, where a constellation of young stars who are set to make their mark on the league will be playing.

Leading the charge is the dynamic Caitlin Clark, whose arrival with the Indiana Fever has been nothing short of electrifying.

Clark, a scoring sensation from the University of Iowa, has been turning heads with her jaw-dropping performances and fearless approach to the game. Her deep-range 3-point shots, playmaking ability and competitive fire have drawn comparisons to some of the game's greatest players.

It's not just her on-court skills that make her special, it's the impact she's poised to have on women's sports as a whole.

However, students may not get the chance to see Clark since tickets start at $230 due to the Pyramid being significantly smaller than the Crypto.com Arena. The Crytpo.com Arena can seat up to 19,000 guests, versus the Pyramid's capacity of 4,000.

The Los Angeles Sparks' first five home games are being played at the Pyramid due to renovations being made to the Crypto.com Arena. The Fever will face the Sparks at the Walter Pyramid on Friday, May 24, 2024 at 7 p.m.

The question then leads to "Where would they play?" Possible venues could

Clark Fever is on the way to Long Beach

Dan Monson returns home to Eastern Washington

SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner

Former Long Beach State head coach Dan Monson motivates his team after a timeout during The Beach's game against CSUN at the Walter Pyramid where they'd lose 68-84. The Beach parted ways with Monson before the NCAA tournament and Monson recently got a job with the Eastern Washington Eagles as their next men's basketball head coach.

be Kia Forum, Dignity Health Sports Park or Long Beach Sports Arena.

With that being said it is now reported that Clark is "projected" to play at the Pyramid. There is a chance that the game needs to relocate to a different venue due to the high demand for tickets.

Thankfully, students can get the chance to see Brink, Jackson or Edwards as the tickets to their games are going for a reasonable price of $14 and up.

Clark is not the only promising player coming to the Walter Pyramid in May. Stars from the 2024 WNBA Draft Class Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson from the Sparks, Aaliyah Edwards from the Mystics, French star Carla Leite from the Wings and Alissa Pili from the Lynx will also be at The Beach.

The following are the other games set to be played:

• May 15 Atlanta Dream vs. LA Sparks at 7 p.m.

May 21 Washington Mystics vs. LA Sparks at 7 p.m.

• May 26 Dallas Wings vs. LA Sparks at 6 p.m.

June 5 Minnesota Lynx vs. LA Sparks at 7 p.m.

“It's amazing the Sparks are starting their home games at the Walter Pyramid…hopefully this gets more students interested in watching since it is local,” CSULB student Soleil Cardenas said.

Nevertheless, the women joining the league this season are a symbol of progress and empowerment for young women everywhere, challenging stereotypes and breaking down barriers in a traditionally male-dominated sport.

BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant

Eastern Washington University announced the appointment of Dan Monson as the 20th head men's basketball coach in program history, marking a significant new chapter for the Eagles and Monson.

After 17 seasons at Long Beach State, Monson was fired before the season finished, leaving many people wondering if he would retire or receive another chance.

“That guy does not deserve that. He’s a great man,” Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He deserves another job, another opportunity.”

A press conference was held Monday for Monson at EWU and jokingly Monson said how during the NCAA press conference, he was working for free and did not have to answer any question he did not want to. Now, he is being paid and will take all the questions the media asks.

"Eastern Washington University is a huge part of Spokane County and our region. It was important for us to identify a head coach who represented this area," said Tim Collins, associate vice president and director of athletics at Eastern Washington in a press release.

Monson is no stranger to the Washington area; his ties to Spokane County

run deep, having previously coached Gonzaga during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

He grew up there and he consistently said he loves to cherish these moments, especially with his parents.

Monson is coined as the coach that kickstarted the consistent success of the Gonzaga men's basketball program.

“Everybody has made a big deal about coming home but it is a big deal… my dad turned 91 on Thursday and I was able to be here,” Monson said. “A lot of great things at my age that you really cherish.”

Monson said Washington feels like home for him and said his son Maddox Monson is committed to playing for his father at Eastern Washington.

“Between me accepting the job and putting in the family thread that we were to Eastern, within three seconds Maddy (Maddox) said ‘I’m committed,'” Monson said. “I got my first commitment.”

He said he would not trade the experience and memories he has encountered within the last month for any other job.

Monson affirmed that after he was let go at LBSU, he knew deep down that he would continue his leadership elsewhere and expressed he is too competitive to let any opportunity go.

“Long Beach State was a great situation for me,” Monson said. “It couldn’t have played out any better […] it was meant to be this is where I belong.”

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Caitlin Clark playing in the Big Ten Championship against Nebraska. Clark is set to play her sixth regular season game with the Fever against the Sparks on May 24 at the Walter Pyramid.