The Lumberjack -- February 17, 2022

TAKING CONTROL PAGE 9

THE LUMBER JACK FEB. 17, 2022 — FEB. 23, 2022

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FROM THE EDITOR

D

uring a recent “Ask Me Anything” on Instagram with Assistant News Editor Daisy Johnston, I have felt inclined to answer a very important question one of our viewers asked: How does Mark reject all of the women that want him in Flagstaff?

Before I answer this question, I would like to say thank you to our viewers for submitting their questions to me, and to this person in particular for thinking of such an important topic.

To answer this question, I actually have Daisy send rejection letters to the women who throw their hat into the ring of expressed interest in wanting to date me. It’s a hard life, being a news editor for one of the largest publications MARK in northern Arizona, so much so, that I need my assistant to open the large FABERY swath of death threats and fan mail that I receive on a weekly basis.

But it’s not as easy as it looks though. It does look very easy on the NEWS EDITOR internet. “It’s a full-time job and it’s extremely time-consuming and it’s not as easy as it may appear to some people.”

Those are the words of Kim Kardashian and she couldn’t be more spot on about my situation. It is truly such a hard job finding someone who respects my beliefs, such as the belief that mayonnaise is the superior condiment. I know, it’s crazy, right?

It just so happens that I have walked out during dates due to her inability to fully support my beliefs on condiments, that I have truly rejected all of all the women that want me in Flagstaff.

To David: I hope you use this piece as advertising to recruit the next generation of journalists, because being a journalist, specifically for news, is truly awe-inspiring and attractive.

Thank you for reading

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Editor-in-Chief MacKenzie Brower Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Managing Editor Camille Sipple Print Chief Lauren Gomez

Director of Marketing Lydia Nelson

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

ABOR approves NAU’s admissions pilot program Continue reading on Jackcentral.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Copy Chief Kylie Soto Director of Digital Content and Social Media Emily Gerdes

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Mark Fabery Asst. Op-Ed Editor Jessie McCann

Asst. Culture Editor Haylee Sorensen Director of Illustration Brittani Poeppel

Senior Reporter William Combs III

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Asst. News Editor Daisy Johnston

Online News Editor Josh Ostby

Op-Ed Editor Marley Green

Features Editor Hannah Elsmore

Asst. Features Editor John Chaffeur

Culture Editor Katelyn Rodriguez

Asst. Sports Editor Will Hopkins

Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Director of Photography Brian Burke

Asst. Dir. of Photography Megan Ford-Fyffe

Sports Editor Brenden Martin Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

Senior Photographer Madison Easton

Senior Photographer Jonah Graham

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Asst. Print Chief Lian Muneno

ON THE COVER Mother Road Brewing Co. manager, Steffany Swope, pours a draft, Feb. 12.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email MacKenzie Brower at msb389@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat

Compiled by Daisy Johnston

Feb. 7 At 1:04 p.m., NAUPD reported a supervisory alarm at Campus Heights. The area was searched; the alarm was caused by burnt food.

At 2:16 p.m., a bike and skateboard collided, with minor injuries to both students, on the pedway south of Gabaldon Hall. FFD, GMT and NAUPD responded.

At 2:15 p.m., a student reported the theft of their scooter at the W.A. Franke College of Business. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 2:36 p.m., a Drury Inn & Suites staff member found a gun magazine while cleaning.

An Operational Firearms Commander responded to collect the property.

Feb. 8 At 4:06 a.m., a custodian called to request a walk through of the Health professions building as some things appeared to be out of place. NAUPD responded and no criminal activity was witnessed.

At 11:34 a.m., a communications staff member reported the theft of virtual goggles. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 6:44 p.m., a Cowden Hall RA called to report disorderly conduct that occurred between two students. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 6:50 p.m., a Cline Library staff member reported a subject that had passed out. NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded, but the non-student refused medical transport.

At 6:52 p.m., multiple students called to report a car alarm sounding for an extended period of time in Skyview Parking Garage. An officer responded, but no alarm was heard.

At 5:11 a.m., a Southwest Forestry staff member reported a person sitting in a vehicle in front of the building. NAUPD responded. The non-student was identified and then left the area.

At 6:11 p.m., an officer reported checking on a nonstudent off campus, and the non-student was advised against camping.

At 8:07 p.m., a student reported a strong odor from Hilltop Townhomes. NAUPD responded and the odor was found to be from a generator.

At 11:19 p.m., a student reported they thought a device At 10:54 p.m., an officer was tracking a friend. NAUPD reported two subjects yelling responded and found no at him during a traffic stop at device.

San Francisco and Skyview.

NAUPD responded, and was Feb. 12 unable to locate the subjects.

At 4:56 a.m., NAUPD received a call from a blue Feb. 10 light phone in lot 10. The area At 1:07 a.m., an officer was searched and no criminal reported seeing a subject activity was witnessed. inside the Health and Learning Center. The student was At 11:50 p.m., an officer identified, informed about reported witnessing a subject operating hours, and left the litter off campus. One nonbuilding. student was cited and released for littering.

At 11:55 a.m., a Skyview apartments resident reported Feb. 13 harassment. NAUPD responded At 1:56 a.m., a subject and took a report. requested medical attention for an intoxicated student in At 7:50 p.m., a Cline McConnell Hall. NAUPD, Library staff member reported FFD and GMT responded, a non-student passed out. The but the student refused non-student woke up and medical transport and was walked away before NAUPD criminally deferred for minor arrived. in consumption.

Feb. 9 At 1:57 a.m., a student called to report her boyfriend, a student, was following her in lot 62 and creating At 11:19 p.m., a Reilly a disturbance.

NAUPD Hall RA called to report a responded and the parties were resident received a suspicious separated for the night. note. NAUPD responded, but no criminal activity was found.

Feb. 11

At 10:28 p.m., a Tinsley Hall RA reported damage to two exit signs and one emergency light. NAUPD responded and took a report.

Sandbags are located around Flagstaff, this one being located at Grandview Dr. and Linda Vista Dr. Feb. 11. Jonah Graham| The Lumberjack

Deasy reveals plan to replace old sandbags Xavier Juarez

F

lagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy said in a city council meeting Feb. 1 the city plans to begin

replacing sandbags around Flagstaff starting April.

The sandbags are used to divert the flow of water in the event of flooding, causing less destruction than would have originally happened.

Deasy said the plan is to start replacing the sandbags in the first week of April, early enough that the task would not be derailed by the start of the monsoon season. Once the rain begins, it may be too late to properly change out the sandbags, as monsoon storms could make it impossible to resume work safely.

The current sandbags are in need of replacement due to weathering it’s endured since first set out. Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County’s deputy county manager and public works director, said the bags need to be replaced more frequently due to Flagstaff’s climate.

“They typically have around a three-year life, and here in our territory, their life is shortened

by UV exposure as well as the snow and freeze-thaw cycle,” Andreani said.

Due to the nature of prior replacement procedures, not all of the bags need to be changed at once, Andreani said.

“Typically fairly soon we would do an assessment,” Andreani said. “And I think it’s important to also understand that over the last two years, three years … we have replaced bags sequentially, right? So [we] don’t have to go in and replace all of them.”

With an estimate of over 100,000 bags of sand that need replacement, and each bag weighing around 33 pounds, there is at least three million pounds of sand that need to be replaced. The effort to replace these bags will help the community in the case of severe flooding, to prevent a repeat of previous years’ destruction.

Deasy said, while the task will be hard, it is important to get a start on it sooner rather than later since the effort will take time.

“We just need to be conscientious of the time because I don’t want [May] to roll around and ... we start this process up to clear these out and replace them and not have the time and resources to fulfill that before monsoon hits,” Deasy said.

The fire and flood season has been a massive issue ever since the Museum Fire, which burned over 1,900 acres of land.

Just last year, a flash flood tore through the Museum Fire burn scar, resulting in the flooding of homes, closing of roads and over 80 instances of private property suffering from exterior damage.

Residential areas were hit hard by the flood, leading to some homes in the area deemed unsellable after they had been flooded multiple times.

Continue reading at Jackcentral.org

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Telemedicine and the future of healthcare WILLIAM COMBS III

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elemedicine services have become center to the discussion on healthcare in recent years, due to strains on the medical system from COVID-19. While the future of this industry holds many possibilities, experts agree: telemedicine is here to stay.

Dr. Thomas Nesbitt, from University of California-Davis, is an expert in telehealth research. In his workshop summary, “The role of telehealth in an evolving health care environment,” he said the emerging advances in biotechnology will be key to the future of healthcare.

“In the future there will likely be more laptop-based and tablet-based devices used in the home,” Nesbitt said. “In addition, there will likely be even smaller devices used for physiological monitoring. For example, companies are developing wearable, wireless devices that can combine an accelerometer, stethoscope, electrocardiogram and other functions to collect data from continuous monitoring. There may also be watches or rings that can measure blood pressure and heart rate.”

While Nesbitt includes wearable technology in his summary, more strides have been made in the realm of patient monitoring, such as implantable devices.

Technology such as the pacemaker, which is used to control and monitor heartbeats, could be a precursor for what is to come in the future.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink is one such example of futuristic technology which people speculate might revolutionize the healthcare industry. The idea behind an implant in the brain that would act as a direct interface between the brain and a computer is setting the foundation for what is to come.

Dr. Elizabeth Krupinski, associate director of evaluation for the Arizona Telemedicine Program, said new technology, along with improved Artificial Intelligence (AI) will lead to a hybrid healthcare system where most physical visits to the doctor’s office will be unnecessary.

“It is amazing what these new technologies are capable of,” Krupinksi said.

“It is a matter of how we use it and what we do with the data that is going to make it important.”

The problem now is not collecting the data, but rather being able to use it to produce something that is useful to the patients and providers, Krupinski said. With advances in AI, Krupinski said the analysis aspect of patient care could be completely automated in the future, leading to a more specific and impactful healthcare experience.

Krupinski dismisses the assumption that the increase in AI would lead to a robot takeover, but does can envision these technologies playing a large role in the future of the healthcare industry.

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“You can go the George Orwell, or the Arnold Schwarzenegger route and say the robots are going to take over the world,” Krupinski said. “I don’t ever see that happening, but I do see these technologies being implantable and being used to help regulate our various systems, whether it’s chemically or electronically.”

Within the next 10 years, not only could technology improve healthcare, but also models used for patient experience. Blood work and other necessary labs for patient care would all become mobile, and information for analysis transferred to providers via telemedicine. Soon, patients will only need to go into the

Illustration By Daisy Castaneda

doctor’s office when absolutely necessary, Krupinski said.

Jeremy Cox, chief communications officer at Direct2MD, an emerging telemedicine company, said the improvements to telemedicine will make for a cheaper, more accessible and efficient experience.

“With the expansion of new technologies, you will get cheaper peripherals, blood pressure monitors that you can plug into your computer, or your iPhone,” Cox said. “We will be able to connect to your smart devices that already analyze EKG and blood oxygen levels to expand patient care and the overall patient experience.”

By utilizing telemedicine, the companies that Direct2MD offer their services to will pay lower premiums on employee insurance due to less trips to the doctor’s office, Cox said. Furthermore, with their hiring retention model, Direct2MD offers its benefits to parttime employees that would normally not be covered with company insurance.

Cox said once businesses started opening up after the early months of the pandemic, Direct2MD’s services increased by over 300% from March 2021 to Jan. 2022.

He attributed this to the appeal of their hiring retention model.

“We work with businesses that are selff u n d e d insurancew i s e , primarily because claim reductions will help lower their premiums for the next year,” Cox said. “A lot of part-time employees do not get the benefits of healthcare and insurance, and we can onboard these employees regardless of their insurance.”

Improving the current healthcare models is the other piece of the puzzle when it comes to the future of telemedicine. These new models, along with advancements in technology, will lead to a revolutionized experience for patients moving forward, Cox said.

For telemedicine resources and updates, visit the Arizona Telemedicine Program website.

NEWS

Katie Hobbs holds ASNAU town hall

Photo courtesy of Arizona Secretary of State.

Josh Ostby

O

n Monday, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs invited the NAU community to join her in her first virtual town hall meeting held to address concerns about voter security before this year’s election cycle.

Last month, Hobbs announced a joint effort with the #TrustedInfo initiative, a national education campaign that uses their efforts to increase trust in election officials.

According to the official website, the initiative’s mission is to direct voters to election officials’ websites and verified social media pages in order to increase voter confidence and reduce misinformation and disinformation.

“It was critical to host this series of town halls as a way to provide up-to-date election information and discuss voter, education and outreach issues,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs, an NAU alumna and Arizona Secretary of State since 2019, found herself in the middle of controversy during the 2020 presidential election as one of the politicians accused by right-wing conspiracists of state election fraud. The controversy resulted in President Joe Biden flipping the historically red Arizona, blue.

Critics of Hobbs have said that she was complicit in obtaining fraudulent ballots using mail-in and drop box voting as a guise, though these claims have been widely found to be false.

However, right-wing politicians like State Representative Wendy Rogers are using the public tumult to introduce bills into the state senate, such as Senate Bill 1058 passed Feb. 10 that would bar elections officials from installing drop boxes for ballots that voters can use 24 hours a day during the early voting period. Hobbs described these bills as “attempts to suppress our freedom to vote.”

“It is more important now than ever that voters are aware of the changes they should expect this year, and what they need to know to ensure that their voices are heard,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs used the town hall platform Monday to host a series of presentations that were relevant to voting issues such as security and turnout. The first presentation came from Donovan Carr, Tribal

Liaison/Community Outreach Coordinator for the Arizona Secretary of State, who discussed ways to encourage voter outreach.

Carr critiqued bills like S.B. 1058, because voter turnout would be hindered by the reduced voter access.

“We saw students participate in dramatically increased numbers, and it absolutely ties back into access to the ballot,” Carr said.

For the majority of his presentation, Carr demonstrated steps to update one’s voter registration. He also shared the various ways to vote in Arizona such as early ballots or mail-in voting.

Carr then emphasized the importance of varied voter methods.

The inclusion of mail-in ballots has only been an improvement for elections overall, he said.

“There are all these different ways to vote, but by including mailin early voting as well as in-person site voting, it all led to an increase in participation, especially among student populations,” Carr said.

Following Carr, the next presentation featured Information Security Officer Ken Matta who explained the measures Arizona was taking to ensure voter security.

Matta stated that there were four levels of security to consider when dealing with elections: Physical, cyber, procedural and public information security. Physical security involves personnel stationed at voting booths, cyber involves online hacking threats, procedural refers to codes that voting officials must follow when accepting ballots and public information deals with misinformation dealt to the public.

Misinformation, Matta said, is the biggest enemy in the fight for a true democratic election.

“Our greatest threat is the loss of public confidence in elections, and that’s what we all really work to uphold because without that we don’t have a democracy,” Matta said.

Moreover, there was mention of the recent surge in physical threats to election booths, referencing hyper-political citizens and

riots as a main cause for an increase in interest toward physical security.

“Now we’re dealing with things like mass protests and riots,” Matta said. “The possibility of physical violence has increased severely.

The amount of threats we’re receiving about physical violence has incrementally increased beyond belief, and so now we have to be prepared for new threats that we weren’t previously prepared for.”

The methods Arizona election officials will be taking going forward include tamper-evident mail-in ballot envelopes, voter ID showed at the polls, voting equipment approved through testing and no candidates as poll workers.

Matta ensures that the steps the Information Security office is taking are sufficient to prohibit fraudulent voter activity.

However, he states that the responsibility of a clean election still falls on the voter to do their due diligence in research before voting, noting that the battle against misinformation is the most important for democratic elections at this time.

He referenced the controversy surrounding the 2020 election as a reason for trying to get all Arizonans on the “same page” for the next election cycle.

“We’re trying to depoliticize the issues, you know? Honestly, whether or not you believe the election is stolen should not be determined by what party you’re in,” Matta said. “If you’re getting your information you know sources that aren’t trustworthy, that is going to lead to trouble.”

Hobbs is expected to hold more town hall meetings in the near future to address other factors of election security.

Community outreach coordinator and tribal liaison Donovan Carr presents a selection of ways for Arizona residents to register to vote and to eventually vote during the Zoom town hall meeting, Feb. 14. Madison Easton| The Lumberjack

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Legislators’ inaction poses threat to learning Lisa Hall

The Joe Rogan bigotry complex

J

MARLEY GREEN OP-ED EDITOR

oe Rogan has accumulated both diehard supporters and fervent haters since the launch of his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” in 2009.

He’s certainly a personality; I can see why his show would be intriguing to a less educated listener. I understand how people may find him entertaining without any knowledge of his majorly sexist comments, racial slurs or complaints about the silencing of white men.

The problem is that without these sentiments, there would be no Joe Rogan.

His content is contingent on hate speech and conspiracy theories — it has been for

years.

Imagine my shock, then, when I learned of his anti-vaccine rhetoric and COVID-denying guests. This illogical attitude is congruent with Rogan’s signature insensitive remarks.

Last April, he said young people did not need to get vaccinated. Obviously, vaccines are an integral part of preserving everyone’s safety and managing low hospitalization rates during a pandemic.

This past December, Rogan hosted Robert W. Malone on the podcast, who quite literally compared the United States’ pandemic response to Nazi Germany. It should go without saying that, unlike Jewish people and other marginalized groups during World War II, people who choose to remain unvaccinated are not oppressed.

Sure, Rogan is a comedian. I get that comedy is not always politically correct, and I’m not even saying it necessarily needs to be. But the segments in question are not funny, and if they are meant to be, they are extremely poorly executed.

It is also true that he has guests of all different political ideologies on the podcast — including democratic socialist and United States Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Some would say this is commendable of him during such a polarized time, but I’d remind them not to kid themselves and act like Joe “I-hate-woke-culture” Rogan is some kind of beacon of truth, unity and understanding.

All of this is precisely why Spotify should consider taking his content off the platform, or at least demonetizing it. It shouldn’t be so easy for people like him to reap benefits from spewing pure hatred.

I don’t typically advocate for deplatforming creators I don’t like. This is different. His hate speech, awful guests and COVID-19 misinformation promotes tolerance of insensitive behavior. This negatively impacts vaccination efforts and means of activism.

It’s not, as he fears, “woke culture” that will end his career.

It’s simply consequences for his own actions.

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rizona is about to vote on legislation that would result in a 16% budget cut for all public schools. The budget cut could cause closures, faculty and staff layoffs, large class sizes and inefficient administrative processes.

The potential budget cuts are dependent on spending caps created in the 1980s based on school needs at that time.

Not only has Arizona’s population skyrocketed since then by around 5 million people, the pandemic severely skewed education standards — many parents are withdrawing their students from school due to health concerns.

Gov. Ducey addressed the state on Jan. 10, 2022 in regards to education, but failed to mention the upcoming decision. Consequently, Arizona educators have expressed doubt in his abilities to effectively maintain the budget.

State Superintendent, Kathy Hoffman, responded on Twitter to Ducey’s address, stating lawmakers need to take action to “prevent the looming existential threat,” and keep Arizona public schools operational.

Hoffman’s reaction to Ducey’s announcement shows the reality public schools are facing: Closures, layoffs and program failures.

This spending cap targets public schools only; charter schools, although public, were not included in the 1980s spending cap because they did not exist at the time. Therefore, this will create an even bigger divide between low-income, middle-class and upper-class students.

Arizona officials have not yet gone over the budget, but the current allocated funding is over the cap set in the 1980s for Arizona. The only way for educators to have complete access to the budget in place this year is for legislators to approve the spending.

This process is called an expenditure override, where a two-thirds vote in each chamber allows educators to proceed with the budget they have with the funds currently allocated.

This is what they’ve been doing thus far.

All Arizona legislators have to do is approve the budget that schools already have planned. It’s ridiculous that they are considering not doing so.

Ranked 48th in education overall and sitting at last in funding in the United States, Arizona’s education system has faced adversity for a long time. Arizona hitting the spending cap is unheard of in and of itself, because the state already has the lowest spending budget in the nation.

Funding for education is clearly one of the lowest priorities for Arizona officials. If this matter doesn’t take precedence, overall education standards will continue to decrease, youth crime rates will rise and fewer students will be able to graduate high school and become contributing members to society.

In addition to this, seasoned educators, counselors and principals will be fired, and there won’t be a place for them to teach or work with more schools shut down. The same goes for janitorial staff, food servers, bus drivers and student aides.

There are many issues with legislation on budget constraints. Proposition 208 and Title I are both meant to improve education funding but have failed to make an impact.

Voters approved Proposition 208 in 2020, Illustration which implemented an

By Bailey additional 3.5% McVickers income tax on families making over a certain a m o u n t : $250,000 single and $500,000 jointly.

The extra revenue from the tax is to be distributed to education funding across Arizona.

Although Proposition 208 will help improve Arizona’s education system overall, there is no possible way for it to impact the current school year. This is because the bill, passed in 2020, relies on tax revenue. Legislators will vote on whether to override the spending cap on March 1, a point in time where tax revenue will not be readily available for distribution.

Title I is meant to support schools in low-income communities and help students within these communities reach standardized education requirements. This means it has the potential to increase funding but certainly not enough to fully fund schools. It has major limitations on who can receive what.

Title I is only available to students that are burdened “with poverty, homelessness, living in state-run institutions or isolated rural districts, and students still learning the English language.”

Since Title I is federal government legislation rather than state legislation, it results in a more equitable distribution of funds. However, the issue is this funding cannot be used as a substitute; even schools in Arizona who currently receive this type of funding are still at risk of being shut down.

As school officials plan the budget at the beginning of the school year, changing it later on is not conducive — it leaves minimal time to designate which areas of funding can be adjusted.

Shutting schools down in the middle of the year would result in complete chaos. For students, being forced to transfer schools could pose major difficulties such as moving to a new environment, making new friends and being placed into oversized classes that are understaffed. This would exacerbate the already disproportionate student-to-teacher ratio — students could majorly suffer from a lack of individual attention and assistance.

If the spending limit is not overridden, it means the government is taking away $1.1 billion simply because they can. The funds are not properly allocated to different needs in education, so the money will sit and collect interest until the government is allowed to spend more money.

Knowing the consequences of these issues, one can only hope that Arizona legislators prioritize education funding that supports state standards, as well as individual student and educator needs.

OPINION-EDITORIAL

HOW DEPRESSION BECAME TRENDY I

Jessie McCann

n the age of social media reliance, there are many delicate issues that have risen to public attention — mental health is a significant one.

Despite the negative effects that social media has on mental health, people have used it as a forum for awareness.

There are plenty of resources on social media that cover the myths and misconceptions about mental illnesses. Instagram accounts like @realdepressionproject and @mentalhealthcoalition allow users to easily access information about the reality of mental health issues.

The outreach social media enables for this discussion is huge, but where is the line between healthy and unhealthy conversation? While people should feel encouraged to talk about their personal struggles, posting on social media should not be a primary source of relief.

Dating back to when social media apps were first created, people’s day to day experience with mental health has always been a popular topic.

In 2013, Tumblr became the pioneer of selfdeprecation, with sad quotes and satirizing humor taking the app by storm. The ability to post anonymously is a direct cause of users feeling free to express themselves in these ways.

Discussing the connection between Tumblr and depression, pop culture publication The Ringer noted, “Sometimes, you find refuge in a place that accepts your sadness — but other times, the constant rumination and idolization of certain images, quotes and celebs is just negative reinforcement.”

Many people who grew up in the Tumblr age have said they felt they didn’t have a space to talk about their struggles until the app came around. But what once was a community of acceptance of people with mental illnesses quickly became a hub where you have to be seen as unstable to be cool or interesting.

It can be argued that Tumblr and Instagram have a demographic made up largely of teenagers, and, at that age, they will use whatever medium possible to vent and release their angst.

At the same time, however, younger audiences can be

naive and easily influenced by the content that is pushed on social media; these apps have single-handedly formed an entire generation’s perception that depression is a social norm.

Normalizing mental health issues is good in theory, but the conversation has become so convoluted that people are selfdiagnosing mental illnesses based on false and romanticized portrayals.

Just look up #depressed on Instagram and you will find over 13 million posts. A majority of these posts contain dark Illustration By Diana Ortega

imagery and lack color. They are also banned from Instagram guidelines, as they can be seen as encouraging harmful behaviors.

This is depression treated as a trend and an aesthetic at its purest form.

Not only that, but it’s been reported that the hashtag is commonly paired with #dank and #memes, instead of depression and suicide related ones. Humor is a very typical coping mechanism for people who suffer from mental illness, but just because something is seen as typical in society does not make

it any more OK. Suicide jokes are such a prevalent part of Generation Z culture, which just goes to show how much people fail to recognize the gravity of their words. This phenomenon can be extremely triggering for viewers, causing an added strain to people just wanting to scroll through their feeds.

Of course, Instagram should not be banning every hashtag related to mental illness, as that censors the actual educational content there is. How to go about moderating the discussion of mental health can be tricky, but the act of shadowbanning key terms entirely is problematic.

A more recent, insensitive trend is trauma dumping — a term coined by and popularized on TikTok. This is when people share a traumatic experience without permission and, in most cases, to people who do not have the capacity to process said experience.

Trauma is a real problem for many, but when it is displayed this way, it is hard not to question if it’s a grab for attention.

Speaking from personal experience, I have come across various rant-like posts where people give intimate details about their mental state or past trauma. Seeing content like this circulate over the internet is very odd, especially in the fact that the people posting are complete strangers to me.

It is even stranger to witness the likes and follows they accumulate, as well as comment sections filled with seemingly uplifting sentiments and humorous phrases about how they can relate.

For one, people should not feel obligated to respond to trauma dumping in the first place, as this is not a healthy form of expression and takes the listener or viewer’s mental health out of the equation. Secondly, saying how relatable posts like these are in such a nonchalant way trivializes these issues and redirects people from actually seeking professional help. These interactions represent a lack of empathy and, ultimately, do more harm than good.

It’s amazing that people are breaking the stigma and expectation to appear happy on social media, but the way mental health is being presented is a step in the wrong direction.

Depression shouldn’t be seen as a source of validation or an identity place marker, nor should having any mental illness.

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022| THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Pints in the Pines: Flagstaff Michael McClure

B

rewing companies have become wildly popular in the United States, with over 8,700 operations producing beer in the year 2021. Flagstaff is no exception to this trend — the town is home to eight separate breweries — referenced by some as the Craft Beer Capital of Arizona. With this reputation growing, individuals across the state are flocking to town to try the brews themselves. Mother Road Brewing has consistently led the pack as the largest brewery in northern Arizona and third largest in the state.

Mother Road Brewing Company, located on South Mikes Pike Street in Downtown Flagstaff, has been able to achieve measurable success since its opening in 2011. Within the last 10 years Mother Road has been able to achieve consistent success and attain status as a regional brewer with production of more than 15,000 barrels of beer annually.

Founded by Michael and Melissa Marquess, Mother Road is praised as beer enthusiasts’ third space: An area outside of work and home where people can come to unwind and connect over a

Mother Road Brewing Co. manager, Steffany Swope, pours a Lost Canyon draft , Feb. 12. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

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“Flagstaff has some of the most devoted brewers that i have ever seen. it is always a great time to hop from tap room to tap room and see what new creations each [brewery] has come up with since my last time in town.”

– ben drozdowicz pint of their signature brews.

There are four signature beers that remain on the menu yearround with limited releases occurring periodically. Released in 2015, Tower Station India pale ale (IPA) quickly rose to fame as one of Mother Road’s most popular beers and is currently ranked as a top 100 American IPA. In addition, the brewery offers Limited Visibility, a hazy IPA, Daily Driver which is another IPA and Conserve and Protect, a golden ale.

Billy Miller, storyteller for Mother Road Brewing, is in charge of recording the history of the brewery and maintaining public relations. Miller, a recent graduate of NAU, spoke highly of the efforts Mother Road is taking and is thrilled to work for the organization.

“Working here has been a blast thus far,” Miller said. “The hiring process has a ton of thought put into it and our founder Michael [Marquess] treats us extremely well with good benefits and solid bonus options. Our company is based on five core values: Radical hospitality, dauntless, curiosity, puckish and resourceful, and these shape our daily actions.”

Besides having an inviting place to work, Miller mentioned the constant support of other breweries coming together for collaboration projects or to simply offer a helping hand. In a recent dilemma where Mother Road did not have time to print their labels onto cans before production, Miller spoke of the generous help Dark Sky offered.

“Dark Sky [Brewing] offered us their labeler when we were short on cans and time which really helped us get through a pinch,” Miller said. “This really showed us a sense of community.

Knowing that we have each other’s backs is nice.”

Enthusiasts travel near and far to find this sense of community within the eight breweries in Flagstaff. With an annual revenue of $500 million and 5 million visitors from tourist activities, many people travel to the pines in pursuit of these beers.

Lumberyard Brewery is another local option with roots in Flagstaff. Winnie and Evan Hanseth embarked on their beer journey by opening Beaver Street Brewery in 1994. The first brewpub in Flagstaff, Beaver Street Brewing, was well received and eventually grew out of its size, which prompted the creation of Lumberyard in 2010.

Lumberyard is located in Downtown Flagstaff on South San Francisco street, adjacent to the train track crossing. A restaurant, brewery and bar front allows visitors in the area to experience

both food and flagship beers, a collection of brews which can be found both in store and at locations across the state of Arizona.

Ben Drozdowicz, a former NAU student, discussed the beer scene in Flagstaff. Drozdowicz mentioned that he believes Flagstaff to have some of the most diverse and special breweries in the U.S. “Flagstaff has some of the most devoted brewers that I have ever seen,” Drozdowicz said. “It is always a great time to hop from tap room to tap room and see what new creations each [brewery] has come up with since my last time in town.”

Drozdowicz spoke fondly of Lumberyard, mentioning how it was a regular place he would attend when family came to town or as a date location. He also said Mother Road elevated the game for breweries in town.

“Lumberyard is a cool joint and produces quality food with high quality beer,” Drozdowicz said. “But there is no denying the impact Mother Road has had on this town. They are truly ground zero for large scale growth in Flagstaff and their beers reflect that kind of quality.”

Drozdowicz is not alone in this opinion. With notably high ratings online, visitors choose to return based on great

Nick Oberdin feeds his 18 month-old golden doodle “Tucker” a treat on the patio at Mother Road Brewing Co, Feb. 12.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

FEATURES

ff’s booming beer industry service and quality products that Mother Road Brewing is known for. However, they are not unique in this category — many Phoenicians speak highly of the downtown beer scene in its entirety.

Miller also believes the key ingredient to the sustainability of the industry in Flagstaff is everyone being able to benefit from a collective effort.

“When we all get together it is a nice thing to see,” Miller said. “Many of the breweries up here believe in the notion that our success is intertwined which is always cool to see.”

College students new to the craft brewing scene have become an impactful portion of the equation as well, as NAU is named a top 20 college town for its size in the U.S. Junior John Atnip recently turned 21 and has become interested in the craft brewing around town. Atnip said he enjoys going out but would rather stay out of loud and crowded bar rooms, which made him gravitate toward tap rooms and craft breweries.

“I enjoy the people and the work that goes into brewing the beers,” Atnip said. “I don’t like all of them, but the trial and error is fun for me. Everyone I meet is passionate about what they do and I can see it reflected in the [beer] they produce.”

Atnip mentioned he does not find much free time to go out and grabbing a beer is a good way for him to de-stress after classes.

Dark Sky Brewing is another common spot for beer enthusiasts to grab a drink. Having opened in 2014, Dark Sky is the newest brewery in town and prides themselves on creating new and unusual brews. Having crafted over 200 different beers,

large variety is what they believe sets them apart.

Junior Jaxon Apodaca began working at Dark Sky last year, and mentioned the pride he feels for his work. As a pourer or “beer slinger” — as Dark Sky calls it — the diverse crowd keeps Apodaca energetic. He said there never seems to be a dull shift when he is at Dark Sky. “I am lucky that my job is to converse with people, because it is just nice to hear different stories of life,” Apodaca said. “My favorite part of the job is having someone come in who has a preconceived notion that craft beer can’t be good and by the time they leave, they just cannot get enough of the flavors.”

Apodaca said these instances happen more frequently than people would expect. During peak tourism seasons, — specifically the winter months — Apodaca said that crowds of people will leave the brewery with a whole new concept of what craft brewing really is.

“It is kind of crazy to see the change people will go through [after] tasting just a few beers,” Apodaca said. “Guys who have never been into craft [beer] will all the sudden be super into the conversations and wanting to know more about the craft.”

As these breweries progress in their abilities and products, residents and visitors to the area alike are excited to see what comes of it. With Mother Road’s continued growth, the industry will push to bolster economic success for years to come.

Bartender Brian Hoddy brings a flight of beers out to the patio at Mother Road Brewing Co. Feb. 12. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

Mother Road Brewing Co. has merchandise for sale with customer’s favorite beers, Feb. 12.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

Mother Road Brewing Co. manager, Steffany Swope, pours a draft, Feb. 12.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Growth of recreational marijuana in Flagstaff hannah elsmore

I

n November 2020, Arizona passed Proposition 207 which legalized recreational marijuana use. By January 2021, dispensaries across the state began selling products to individuals who were 21 and older. Flagstaff has experienced growth in both medical and recreational marijuana use, and regular users feel the legalization has changed stigmas surrounding regular marijuana consumption.

Before the vote to legalize recreational marijuana passed, the only way to access the product legally — in Arizona — was by having a medical card. At the time, the cost of a medical card was over double what it is now.

Junior Darby Wilson went through the process of obtaining a medical card in 2019. Wilson said she uses marijuana to treat chronic back pain and anxiety.

“I got my medical card around January 2019 when marijuana was only medicinal,” Wilson said. “The card cost around $300, and the process was very quick and professional.”

Wilson said, though the process was easier than expected, it took her a while to save enough money to afford a medical card.

She also believes that it was a lot of money to spend for a medical card in comparison to the low cost of doing so in other states. In California at the time, medical cards legally could not cost more than $100.

She said that she was disappointed to have spent so much just a year before the laws changed, but she was happy that future medical patients would not have to pay such a high price.

“While I am happy that the price of a medical card has dropped, those who use marijuana to curb health complications should be excused from excess taxes and a card fee,” Wilson said.

Wilson is not the only individual who believes that fees should be waived for those who use marijuana for medical treatment. In states like California, these frustrations have resulted in programs that allow individuals to receive medical cards at a lower cost.

Through programs like Medi-Cal or County Medical Services, individuals can qualify for a fee reduction or waive.

“I believe access to marijuana is a health care right,” Wilson said. “It should be a major priority for the Department of Health in Arizona to ensure affordable access.”

Despite these frustrations, marijuana users in Arizona are grateful that the legalization has helped destigmatize marijuana.

Conor Biron moved from Southern California to Flagstaff to attend NAU. He began using marijuana medically when he turned 18, and has been a cardholder in both California and Arizona.

“I feel like Flagstaff has really changed for the better [when it comes to stigmas surrounding marijuana] since I’ve been up here,” Biron said. “Since becoming legal, more and more people I meet are way more relaxed about weed use. More people I have met have started using it themselves.”

Biron said that he noticed dispensaries have been much busier since the recreational vote passed.

“I have noticed that many of the dispensaries in Flagstaff are always busy no matter the time of the day I go in,” Biron said.

This is not an uncommon experience to other medical and recreational marijuana users in the area. Due to such high product

10

demand Noble Herb, a popular dispensary that was previously called Greenhouse of Flagstaff, is opening a second location on Route 66.

Noble Herb is a leading dispensary in town, and many returning customers find it appealing due to the calm atmosphere and friendly “budtenders.” Since recreational sales have started, Noble Herb saw a 150% increase in sales and had to double the size of their staff.

“My favorite dispensary in town is Noble Herb,” Biron said.

“I feel like they have the best deals and prices, and the staff is always so friendly.”

Wilson also said she usually attends Noble Herb for her medical marijuana needs, and has noticed the dispensary to be much busier since Proposition 207 passed.

“The biggest difference after Prop. 207 was that dispensaries that offered recreational weed became a lot busier,” Wilson said.

“Some dispensaries in Arizona still exclusively serve medical patients following the proposition, to make sure medical patients can easily and readily get the medicine they need.”

Wilson said that — though she consumes marijuana medically — she prefers to attend Noble Herb. She prefers the atmosphere in comparison to other dispensaries, and does not want to contribute to the long wait at medical-only dispensaries.

Before marijuana became recreational, Wilson would regularly attend medical dispensaries such as High Mountain Health. After recreational sales began, the medical dispensary usually had a line out the door. Wilson said she believes this is due to a lack of purely medical facilities in town, and medical use of marijuana especially should have less stigma surrounding it.

NAU student, Anton said he believes Flagstaff has become

very accepting of marijuana use. Despite this, he believes marijuana is still heavily stigmatized on the college campus.

“I think Flagstaff as a city feels very accepting of marijuana and those who choose to use it,” Anton said. “The exception would actually be the university as it is still subject to federal legislation.”

Anton understands that universities usually have different rules when it comes to marijuana, but the attitude specifically toward medical marijuana use on campus could change. He said he uses marijuana to treat chronic knee pain and general stress.

The separate laws on campus made it hard for him to treat his pain, because he couldn’t do so on campus.

Wilson also said she believes that there is room for improvement in Arizona when it comes to marijuana use.

“For me, using weed has felt accepted in Flagstaff for a while,” Wilson said. “Especially considering my privilege as a white person and [ability to maintain an] income to support my medicinal needs.”

Wilson believes that her positive experience with medical marijuana use in Arizona stems mainly from her position of privilege. She said this is something that she hopes to see change in the future.

“I believe the fight for equitable health care in Arizona has a long way to go, especially in supporting Native Americans and People of Color who face excess police and court discrimination,” Wilson said. “No one, no matter their race or class, should be locked up for marijuana possession crimes.”

Medical users like Wilson and Anton acknowledge the progress that Arizona has made thus far when it comes to stigmatizing marijuana, but hope that in the future everyone can have similarly positive experiences.

A sign is located outside the new Noble Herb dispensary location on U.S. Route 66, Sep. 27, 2021. Owen Sexton | The Lumberjack

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

FEATURES

N

F CAMILLE SIPPLE

lying can be … terrifying.

Paralyzing even.

But not all the time.

Don’t get me wrong.

I don’t have a fear of flying or any sort of debilitating plane phobia.

But sometimes when you think about it a little too closely…

Like maybe you forgot your ear buds and you can’t drown out the sound of the engines with a well-timed bass rhythm.

Or maybe, you just start thinking about the fact that you are about to be slingshot thousands of feet into the air inside a metal tube that you have absolutely no control over.

ow usually, Mark’s Remarks will feature some of the worst takes, by yours truly. However, as we welcome a new online column to The Lumberjack family, just in time for Valentine’s Day, I have taken the liberty of crowdsourcing a suitable question to prompt the first ever Mark’s Remarks.

An awesome long-time reader of The Lumberjack asked, “Hey Mark, I’m curious about your opinion on Netflix and chill? We gotta know your pros and cons!”

MARK FABERY

Wow I may have just created some new flying phobias among my readers with that one line.

But no, like I said, I don’t have a fear of flying.

Well, as a self-proclaimed feminist, I am inclined to note that the archaic date night ritual of “Netflix and chill” is a horrible dating strategy. I’m all for a movie night with cuddling on the side and I feel as if everyone shares this belief. However, if you’re planning on asking your crush to come over and “Netflix and chill” you have already made your intentions clear.

But sometimes it’s difficult not to think about the fact that you are inside a pressurized tin can with wings that is catapulting you through the clouds, as you see the buildings turn to pebbles below you, minuscule in comparison to your current place in the atmosphere.

I know this, because I’m the kind of guy to list his job title as “Freelance Gynecologist” on Tinder out of fear of people knowing my true identity: News Editor of The Lumberjack.

(P.S. I totally suggest using it on Tinder. It really peaks the ladies’ interests and has worked for me).

I don’t have a fear of flying. I really don’t.

To get into the nitty gritty of such an important question, there are quite a few pros when it comes to convincing a cute girl or guy into coming over to just “Netflix and chill.” The first one being, you can finally have an excuse to watch the cinematic classic: “Bee Movie.” Starring Jerry Seinfeld as Barry B. Benson and Renée Zelleweger as Barry’s love interest, Vanessa Bloome, their characters have an absurd sexual tension, in which you end up rooting for Vanessa to break up with her human boyfriend and be with Barry. A literal bee. How lovely is that? Just think about what will be going through her mind after enduring such a classic film.

MANAGING EDITOR

But when the metallic, flying barrel of people that you’re in jolts and shakes, how can your heart not jump into your throat? How can your mind not immediately race into a panic? How can your hands not automatically death grip the arm rests?

It’s not like I’m currently writing this to take my mind off the fact that my own steel tube is currently shaking and convulsing in mid air. No, of course not.

Because like I said … I don’t have any sort of flying phobia. And neither do you, probably.

Just don’t think about flying or the plane itself too closely. Just ply your mind with music and an endless supply of gum. Sit back, relax and you’ll be at your destination before you know it.

But please keep your arms and legs inside the metal cylinder at all times while being slingshot into the sky. Thank you and have a lovely flight.

NEWS EDITOR

A substitute to “Bee Movie” is definitely the entire “Shrek” franchise. I know, you’re probably wondering: What is romantic about Shrek? Well, if you’re just looking for a one night stand or just a quick fling, let her know by making her sit through the entirety of the four films. Trust me, she will soon understand.

Now, these are for sure some great pros to “Netflix and chill,” but there is a con that really irks me as a man and self-proclaimed feminist who believes in ending the patriarchy. If she stays the night, someone has to cook the breakfast and that ultimately will be you.

I know, I know, sexist right? Wrong. Us men are lost without our mothers, and let’s be honest, we don’t know how to stock up a fridge. I mean, look at me. My fridge is currently empty, save for the endless ice coffee and sauces that my roommate is currently hoarding for the end of the world.

Trust me, your girl or guy is going to surely be turned off by the revelation that you don’t know how to take care of yourself without your mom.

I urge you, in all seriousness, do not let them sleepover, unless you’re totally OK with them learning about your inability to cook a nice breakfast, with a nice side of avocado toast.

As Albert Einstein totally once said at one point in his life: “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man with great taste in movies.”

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

11

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

Brian Burke B

rian is a photographer specializing in action sports and editorial photography.

He is currently the Director of Photography at The Lumberjack newspaper.

Working as a sports photographer, Brian strives to capture the striking, once-ina-lifetime moments. Brian draws inspiration from sports photographers Corey Rich and Joel Marklund. Brian’s favorite style of sports photography is to anticipate the peak moments of celebration and to use movement to show the speed of the action. He started by photographing sports and events in high school for The Sting newspaper at Sedona Red Rock High School. While Brian plans to pursue a career in firefighting and emergency services, his passion for photography will continue to grow by transitioning to photographing outdoor sports in northern Arizona.

12

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Arizona Pride Tour Flagstaff local drag queen Chris Mort raises up a handful of cash from the audience during her performance at the Arizona Pride Tour hosted by The Runway in downtown Flagstaff, Feb. 12..Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

Arizona drag king Geo Johnson, performs a Queen compilation during his performance at the Arizona Pride Tour hosted by The Runway in downtown Flagstaff, Feb. 12.

Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

An audience member makes a heart for drag king Justin Deeper-Love during his performance for the Arizona Pride Tour at The Runway bar and nightclub in downtown Flagstaff, Feb. 12. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Clara M. Lovett Art Museum Pinecone Pastries: Delivering happiness to students

P

inecone Pastries is a local family-owned bakery dedicated to uniting families through homemade goodies. Deborah McGlothlin runs, bakes and delivers these care packages to students all around Flagstaff in hopes to bring a smile to their faces.

My mom has sent me bundles of joy from Phoenix since my freshman year. It has been a fun connection for us and a way she can make me feel HAYLEE loved from 145 miles away. She would specifically SORENSEN send me bundles celebrating my accomplishments and birthdays.

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR My most recent interaction with this company was for my 21st birthday. My mom was kind enough to think of me and send me my favorite cookies. I met McGlothlin outside my apartment where she greeted me with genuine kindness.

Along with birthday wishes, I was greeted with over a dozen peanut butter cookies and her ChillAxe pack. This specific bundle features local business Lumberyard Brewing Company and includes a gift card, commemorative glass and sticker.

Starting with the cookies, they did not disappoint. They were rich in peanut butter flavor and were the perfect size to satisfy a sweet tooth. They were incredibly moist and I had to stop myself from consuming the entire box in one sitting. I set them out during my birthday party and it was no surprise they were all gone by the end of the night.

Along with the treats, I was overjoyed to receive the other accompanying elements. The gift card was an amazing coincidence, as I was heading out with friends for dinner. My mom loved it as she said she was able to buy me one of my first drinks.

Along with the Peanut Butter Cookie Hugs, I have had the privilege of enjoying the Sweet Jack Special: Vanilla Cupcakes, Louie Loves Pine Trees: Pinecone Sugar Cookies, Just Like Home Hug: Chocolate Chip Cookies, A Hug from Grandma Snickerdoodles and Comfort Zone: Rice Crispy Treats.

My favorite part of Pinecone Pastries is how they take a photo of the Lumberjack with their delivered delectables. With consent, they then post the picture to their Instagram and send the captured moment to the person who sent the love.

Pinecone Pastries help people remind their loved ones they are thinking of them. They offer multiple bundles and sweet options that can fit any occasion. Care packages and more information can be found on their website.

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“Portrait of Mental Health, Anxiety” by David Van Ness is an art piece displayed in the second section of the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum in Old Main, Feb. 10. Taylor McCormick | The Lumberjack

Lauren Gomez

T

he Clara M. Lovett Art Museum, located on NAU’s campus, has a new exhibition this semester.

The museum, which resides on the second floor of the Old Main building, will be hosting the 2022 School of Art faculty exhibition from Feb. 8-April 23.

Each piece of art displayed in the exhibition is derived from School of Art faculty members. Museum Curator Ty Miller said whether the piece was specifically crafted for the exhibition or recently made, every faculty member was invited to showcase their work.

“We were considering jurying this exhibition, yet everything that was submitted for the exhibition was of high-quality work,” Miller said. “This led us to display everything we received from the faculty artists.”

Miller said the jury process often takes place with a selection committee when deciding which exhibitions will be put on and what pieces will be displayed at the exhibit.

Since every piece was accepted, a variety of work will be available for the community to view.

NAU Assistant Professor David Van Ness encouraged students to visit the museum. People are often surprised as to what they will find themselves looking at, Van Ness said.

“The arts are very vast and different from what people have an understanding of,” Van Ness said. “I think a lot of people expect to learn what they already think art is, when in reality, art ‘un-teaches’ you those expectations.”

Van Ness currently has four pieces of work on display

at the exhibition. One of his pieces — a seasonal affective disorder light — blinks in Morse code “Do not be selfish.”

His second piece is a 3D printed scan of his head that was combined with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on the prevalence of mental health in America. The third contains three 3D printed scans of his head where a quarter of the data has been decreased to reflect the statistic of Americans who will at one point face mental health issues. The last piece is a 3D printed COVID-19 spike protein.

According to Van Ness, exhibitions in the museum tend to last about a month. However, this exhibition will be running longer to give the community more time to visit since the pandemic has limited the number of attendees allowed inside.

Before the pandemic, the art museum would host two exhibitions each semester, but the pandemic has caused them to reduce those exhibitions to one each semester, Miller said.

Reducing the number of exhibitions did not stop the museum’s success. Miller said the museum received about 540 visitors over three months when they reopened to the public last fall.

While the pandemic has affected operations for the museum, some people have taken inspiration from the pandemic and created works of art.

NAU part-time faculty member George Dorado is the artist behind “Love in the Time of Covid” — a series of paintings ranging from natural realism, cubism and abstractionism, which all represent essential acts of

CULTURE

highlights School of Art faculty in new exhibition

“Altar de Los Santos Desconocidos: El Barroco de encuentra con El Brutalismo”(Altar of the Unknown Saints: Boroque meets Brutalism) by Vincent Caranchini is a set of three art pieces displayed in the the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum in Old Main, Feb. 10.

Taylor McCormick | The Lumberjack

“Vishnu Temple from Moran Point” by George Dorado is an artwork displayed in the second section of the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum in Old Main, Feb. 10. This artwork was made with oil on a canvas and was created in 2021. Taylor McCormick | The Lumberjack

“I think a lot of people expect to learn what they already think art is when, in reality, art un-teaches you those expectations.”

– Assistant Professor David Van ness kindness, Dorado said.

“In a time where human estrangement is at its peak, and in light of an increasing crumbling of the most basic humanitarian values, ‘Love in the Time of Covid’ strives to express the humanistic feelings of love, kindness, caring, empathy and compassion for one another,” Dorado said.

One of the paintings included, a canvas titled “Madeline, Love in the Time of Covid,” was inspired by and dedicated to Madeline Reagan, the School of Art program coordinator.

According to Dorado, Regan used recycled fabric remnants, sewed them into colorful masks and gave them away to other NAU staff administrators.

“Her masks are artistic confessions of harmonious interlocking colors — and like amulets, are meant to shield and protect us,” Dorado said. “It is the art within artists.”

While the community may be interested in visiting the School of Art faculty exhibition,

it is not the only exhibition currently open.

The Aaron M. Macy Memorial Collection also resides in the Old Main building and is open to the public as well. As stated on the museum’s website, the collection contains pieces of art collected by Doug Macy, father to alumnus Aaron Macy, who attended NAU in the late ’90s and later died from leukemia.

The pieces of work displayed in the exhibition are derived from various artists across the Pacific Northwest and other pieces that Macy’s father collected over the years, the museum website states.

There is currently no admission fee to attend either exhibition at the Clara M. Art Museum or Aaron M. Macy Memorial Collection and students are encouraged to attend, Miller said.

However, reserving a time slot is required before attending. More information about the exhibitions, the artists’ work and how to reserve a time slot can all be found on the art museum’s website.

“Portrait of Mental Health, Depression” by David Van Ness is an art piece displayed in the second section of the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum in Old Main, Feb. 10. This piece is made with 3D printing and was created in 2021. Taylor McCormick | The Lumberjack

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

15

SPORTS

Rodgers’ future could be in Denver

T

he Denver Broncos have struggled to find their edge in winning games since their visit to the Super Bowl in 2015. Most people blame it on coaching and the lack of a decent quarterback on the roster. However, with head coach Vic Fangio parting ways with the Broncos, and the Packers’ Nathaniel Hackett getting hired as the new head coach, it brings the question of KRISTEN CHANCELLOR Aaron Rodgers coming to Denver.

Rodgers has been with the Packers WRITER since being drafted in 2005. Over the last few seasons, Rodgers and the Packers have been at odds, as the veteran quarterback seems to be looking for a new place to play come the new season. Rodgers has been advocating for Hackett to get a coaching position and Denver was one of the teams Rodgers had looked at prior to the 202122 season.

With looking for a new team, would seeing a familiar coach persuade Rodgers to come to the Broncos?

Hackett has worked for the Packers for three seasons, joining in 2019 after working with the Jaguars. However, he has 13 years of experience coaching in the NFL and college. When working with the Packers as an offensive coordinator, the offense stayed right below the top 10 teams in offense and fought to the playoffs but got eliminated. With an offense that is good at finding routes and paving the way for success, a quarterback is bound to want to stay and win games. The Packers, however, lack offensive depth across the field aside from a few positions.

Looking at the Broncos, the offense has fallen subpar with Fangio as he was focused on becoming a defensive heavy team.

The strength on the offense is overlooked and hard to showcase with no quarterback to run the plays successfully.

With the potential for Rodgers to come to the Broncos, he would have the depth of an offense, especially with rookie players who are beginning to make a name for themselves such as Javonte Wiliams and Patrick Surtain, who would be great components with an experienced and well-versed quarterback such as Rodgers.

While Hackett has continued to bring over staff from the Packers to be part of the new Broncos coaching staff, he has also looked at the current quarterback situation between Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater played the majority of this past season for the Broncos while Lock sat on the bench; however, Hackett has looked closely at Lock in the role.

Fans are curious if it is just a ruse to hide if a new quarterback could be gearing up to be on the Broncos. That quarterback could be Aaron Rodgers.

16

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WoMen’s Basketball

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NAU vs Montana Thursday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAU 60 - Montana 59

NAU @ UArizona Friday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m.

Tucson, Arizona LANELLE ROBSON TENNIS CENTER

Men’s Tennis

NAU vs Montana State Saturday, Feb. 12, noon Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAU 77 - Montana State 83

NAU vs UC San Diego Friday, Feb. 18, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Aquatic and Tennis Center

Men’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

NAU @ Montana Thursday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.

Missoula, MOntana Dahlberg Arena Final: NAU 72 - Montana 67 (OT) NAU @ Montana State Saturday, Feb. 12, noon Bozeman, Montana Worthington Arena Final: NAU 70 - Montana State 72

Men’s Tennis NAU @ UArizona Saturday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Tucson, Arizona Lanelle Robson Tennis Center Final: NAU 0 - UArizona 7

NAU Vs Southern Utah Monday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome NAU Vs Idaho State Thursday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome

WoMen’s Basketball NAU @ Southern Utah Monday, Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m.

Cedar City, Utah America First Event Center NAU @ Idaho State Thursday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m.

Pocatello, Idaho Reed Gym

SPORTS

The making of NAU’s cross country dynasty Katelyn Rodriguez

T

he NAU men’s cross country team has worked its way up to become a running dynasty. The team won another NCAA championship in November, which marks its fifth championship over the last six seasons. The team consists of 21 members and is led by Michael Smith, NAU director of cross country and track and field.

Smith credited the university, the Flagstaff community, recruited athletes, as well as the coaching and support staff as the team’s support system and the key pieces to the Lumberjack’s win.

Additionally, each member of the current team has competed at the NCAA championships during previous seasons.

“There’s no race that rewards experience more than the NCAA Cross Country Championships,” Smith said. “Their experience was one of the greatest factors that influenced the team title win.”

Last season’s win only solidifies the NAU men’s cross country program’s rankings. However, before Smith led the pride of Lumberjack country, it was former coach Eric Heins who helped put NAU on the map, with its first NCAA championship title during the 2016 season.

Heins worked with the NAU cross country team for 13 seasons and served as director of cross country and track and field at NAU from 2009-2016. During this time, Heins not only led the cross country team to its first NCAA championship, but also led both the men’s and women’s teams to 26 Big Sky Conference titles. Additionally, the men’s team placed fourth at the NCAA championships in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014, while they placed second in 2013.

Heins said winning NAU’s first NCAA championship wasn’t an easy accomplishment and credits the runners and staff involved with the program.

“I do believe it was only a matter of time,” Heins said. “So I think when the team broke the barrier and won, just like with many barriers, they showed future teams that it’s possible.”

Heins said he stepped into a program at NAU that had been built up by the two previous coaches, John Hayes and Ron Mann.

Hayes served as head coach for men’s and women’s cross country and assistant track coach from 2004-2007.

During his tenure, Hayes had 17 NCAA qualifying runners who broke 10 school records and earned six NCAA titles and nine first-team All-American honors. Prior to Hayes, Mann served as the cross country head coach from 1980-2004. He led the team to 58 Big Sky Championships and 16 of the 103 athletes he coached finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships.

In 2018, Mann was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.

Heins explained that winning NAU’s first NCAA Championship meant a lot to him — he didn’t want to let any former coaches or runners down.

“There has always been a strong tradition at NAU and respecting the past is a tremendous part of the program’s success,” Heins said. “It validated what a lot of supporters of the program believed — NAU could win a national championship.”

Heins left his position at NAU at the end of the 2016 season

NAU men’s cross country celebrates its fourth national championship, Mar. 15, 2021. Adrianna Caldelaria| NAU Athletics

after his wife was given an opportunity to work at Space Center Houston, which is the visitor center and museum for the NASA Johnson Space Center.

He said, due to the fact he was leaving, he felt there was a burden placed on the team in addition to the expectation to do well. Instead of focusing solely on winning a national title, Heins said he began focusing more on what the team was doing on a day-to-day basis.

“I was an intense coach and my style was not for everybody, but I found during that year the team was extremely focused and did not need any added pressure from me,” Heins said. “I think that helped them enjoy that year and run relaxed.”

After his tenure at NAU, Heins went on to act as senior admissions coordinator for NAU in the Houston area. He currently serves as the assistant coach for cross country and distance at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

Two members of the 2016 men’s cross country team are alumni Tyler Day and Matt Baxter. Both Day and Baxter were pivotal members of the cross country team during their time at NAU and now run professionally for HOKA NAZ Elite Running Team.

Day said his time on NAU’s cross country team was a life-changing experience. During his tenure at NAU, the cross country team won three NCAA Championships. Individually, Day received six first-team All-American honors and he managed to set the American collegiate record for the 5,000-meter indoor run at 13:16.95. He said everyone on the team got along and that the coaches treated everyone with respect. However, the team faced its share of challenges each season.

“We were faced with the unique task of defending a national title year after year,” Day said. “Also, being on top of our game meet after meet due to all the talented teams that wanted to break our three-peat streak [was challenging].”

Other challenges the team faced were injuries. Baxter said while he had few injuries that affected his season, sometimes fellow teammates who were in the top seven would get hurt,

which caused doubts to arise regarding nationals. Despite this, he said there was always someone on the team that would come forward and take their place.

However, the main challenge for the 2016 team was the coaching change after Heins announced he was leaving.

“We won in 2016 with a fairytale ending to Coach Heins’ career at NAU, but we did carry a lot of pressure going into that national meet,” Baxter said.

Despite Heins replacement by current coach Michael Smith, the team also went on to win the 2017 NCAA title. Baxter finished second individually and Day came in third, which Baxter called his proudest moment while on the team. He said he and Day had been pushing one another during practices all season.

They knew they won in 2017 when their fifth man crossed the line, Baxter said, whereas in 2016 they waited 15 to 20 minutes after the race to find out if the odds were in their favor.

Baxter and Day said that helping build NAU’s cross country dynasty is something they’re both proud of — Day even compared it to winning the lottery.

“Being part of an NCAA winning team shows that dreams do come true,” Day said. “Oftentimes, we work so hard just to come up short. So to see the hard work actually turn into the one thing that you wanted is totally amazing.”

The team has to give credit to NAU men’s and women’s cross country teams who came before them and helped pave the way for its current success, Day said. If they hadn’t stuck it out, there likely wouldn’t be any national championship-winning teams.

All current team members of the men’s cross country team, except senior Ryan Raff and redshirt senior Aldo Marquez, are underclassmen. The members of next season’s team are wellversed in competing at the national level, and the team appears to be set up for another run at an NCAA title. Several All-American athletes are leading the team, some of whom received their second All-American honors during the 2021 season.

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

Recapping the 2021 N Evan McNelia

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after posting a 3-2 record in the spring 2021 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) season, its first winning season since 2017, NAU was looking to follow that up in fall 2021. With a nationally noted signing class, NAU was able to witness the group in action after getting a brief glimpse with a couple of players eligible to play during the spring.

However, the season did not play out the way many in the NAU program had hoped for.

NAU finished the season 5-6 — with five of those losses coming against FCS playoff teams.

The Lumberjacks faced a tough schedule, starting immediately in week one. NAU opened the season hosting the defending FCS champion, Sam Houston State. In week two, the Lumberjacks went on the road and played South Dakota, which made the FCS playoffs. In week three, NAU was on the road again, this time against UArizona. Three of the teams NAU played during its conference schedule were nationally ranked and each made the FCS playoffs.

In total, NAU played one game against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team, four games against ranked teams and five against playoff teams. Right as the team seemed to gain momentum, a quality opponent would set the Lumberjacks back.

“We needed to be more consistent,” NAU head coach Chris Ball said. “My expectations were that we’d be a little further along than what we are, but we had some great young players that really stepped up.”

Despite the up and down season, NAU showed a lot of upside with a relatively young roster.

After graduate starting quarterback Keondre Wudtee suffered an injury in the season opener, redshirt freshman Jeff Widener stepped into the game. Widener demonstrated he could move the offense, but struggled with turnover issues.

In week three against UArizona, NAU recorded a 21-19 upset victory, their first win over the Wildcats since 1932.

Special teams and defense won the game for NAU, but a great showing on the ground from freshman running back Kevin Daniels kept the NAU offense moving throughout the game.

Graduate punter DJ Arnson punted nine times in the game, averaging 51.6 yards per punt, with a long of 62 and three downed inside the 20-yard line. The field position dominance via special teams set up the defense in good situations to get stops.

Arnson was awarded Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.

Graduate linebacker Harrison Beemiller received Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors for recording 10 tackles, 4.5 for loss and forcing a fumble.

“Probably just starting off against three great opponents” redshirt junior defensive back Morgan Vest said about the toughest part of the season. “I think we learned a lot, not only as a

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NAU Football runs out of the locker room prior to their game against Sam Houston State University, Sept. 2, 2021.

Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

defense, but as a team during those first three games. Defensively after those first three games is when we really hit our stride, we started playing lights out, super great on third down, took the ball away a little bit more, giving it back to our offense, and you saw the results.”

Freshman quarterback RJ Martinez made his first appearance of the season and his collegiate career in the second quarter against UArizona and never looked back. After getting the upset win, the starting position was his to lose.

It wasn’t until the Lumberjacks returned home in week five against Idaho State that Martinez’s true potential was seen. After a tough loss on the road against Northern Colorado the week before, Martinez threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for nearly 60 yards and had a touchdown on the ground.

He was awarded Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week in the 48-17 win.

NAU doubled up on Big Sky Players of the Week again, this time Vest earned Defensive Player of the Week. Vest picked off Idaho State twice and recorded two tackles.

NAU’s next game came after its bye week and was another huge offensive explosion against rival Southern Utah. NAU scored 59 points and earned the right to keep the Grand Canyon Trophy in Flagstaff for the next seven years. Southern Utah will leave the Big Sky and join the Western Athletic Conference at the

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start of next season. The next scheduled match-up between the schools is not until 2028.

“Idaho State was RJ’s second start,” redshirt sophomore wide receiver Coleman Owen said. “He was getting comfortable back there, we were getting comfortable with playcalling, and kinda knew who our guys were, who we needed to get the ball to, everything like that. When it’s working for the offense, from the offensive line, to the running backs, to the quarterback, receivers, tight ends, whenever we’re working together, like we were in those two games, we know that we’re unstoppable.”

Martinez finished the season as the Big Sky Freshman of the Year. NAU’s last winner of the award was quarterback Case Cookus in 2015. In just eight games, Martinez threw for more than 1,700 yards with 14 touchdowns. He completed 61.8% of his passes and threw just two interceptions, finishing fourth in the Big Sky in QB efficiency. Martinez was also second on the team in rushing with 187 yards and five touchdowns.

Alongside Martinez, Daniels had a successful freshman year in NAU’s backfield. He ran for 1,146 yards and seven touchdowns — in just 10 games. Daniels was NAU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015. He earned two Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week awards, his first for his performance against Idaho and his second in the final game of the season against California Polytechnic State University(Cal Poly).

SPORTS

NAU Football Season The Lumberjacks pose for a photo with the Grand Canyon Trophy after defeating the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 59-35 at the Walkup Skydome, Oct. 16, 2021. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

Against Idaho, Daniels rushed for 177 yards but was unable to find the end zone. His teammates were able to finish the drives and helped secure NAU’s 38-31 roadwin. Vest registered another two-interception game, and for the third and final time of the season NAU doubled up on players of the week.

In the final game of the season against Cal Poly, Daniels averaged 10 yards per carry on his way to a 280-yard day. He also ran for five touchdowns in the 45-21 victory. In every NAU win of the season, Daniels ran for at least 100 yards; in every loss he was held under that mark or didn’t play. Daniels was named to the second team All-Big Sky along with Vest.

Vest picked off five passes in 2021, the second-most in the conference. His 106 tackles were the fifth-most in the Big Sky. He also recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and had five pass breakups. No matter what was happening on the defensive side of the ball for NAU, Vest remained a solid anchor — cleaning up plays on the back end and getting takeaways. Vest has the versatility that allows him to carry out a lot of different defensive assignments, making plays in almost any defensive situation.

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Jonas Leader was named to the All-Conference third team. Just like his last name suggests, he’s the leader of the offensive line group and was a major piece in NAU’s offensive success, especially on the ground.

NAU had six players named as Big Sky honorable mentions.

Sophomore wide receiver Hendrix Johnson and redshirt freshman wide receiver Coleman Owen were a dangerous deep threat tandem all season and both earned a Big Sky honorable mention. Owen led the team with 43 receptions, 713 yards and six touchdowns. Johnson followed with 509 yards on 28 receptions, averaging the second-most yards per catch in the Big Sky with 18.2. He hauled in five touchdowns.

Graduate defensive lineman Carson Taylor also earned an honorable mention nod. Taylor led the team with six sacks and nine tackles for loss. Taylor recorded 30 tackles and also forced two fumbles.

Graduate linebacker duo Harrison Beemiller and Tristen Vance were also named honorable mentions. Vance was second on the team in tackles with 84, his career-high. He also recorded 5.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, a forced fumble and a sack. Beemiller had 77 tackles with 7.5 for loss, he forced two fumbles and had a 50-yard rushing touchdown on a fake punt against Idaho.

Arnson, the Big Sky honorable mention punter, broke the school punting record in his final season. Arnson punted for 3,136 yards, averaging 43.6 yards per kick. He had downed 21 punts inside the 20 with only five touchbacks.

A lot of decorated players departed the program following the 2021 season but the potential shown by the younger players

across the squad leaves a lot of hope for the future.

“We can’t use us being a young football team anymore,” Ball said. “All these guys have played a lot of football, on paper we’re still young, but as far as reps and everything else is concerned we’re not.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for NAU, but the experience gained this season will offer the program growth allowing it to be better prepared for next year. NAU signed the largest early signing class in the Big Sky and continues building up the program.

“The future is bright,” Ball said. “We’ve got some great players coming back that we can really build this thing around.

We’re having a great offseason so far, it looks like we’re going to have a normal spring, for the most part, we haven’t really had one yet, so we’re really looking forward to a normal fall, a normal spring, and a normal summer which I think is really going to help our guys.”

FEB. 17, 2022 – FEB. 23, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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