The Lumberjack -- March 4, 2021

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THE LUMBER JACK MAR. 4, 2021 – MAR. 10, 2021

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

A

phrase my mom uses perhaps too often is, “All I ask is for you to do your best.” Growing up as a first-generation American wasn’t difficult. My family and I were comfortable and, somehow, we always managed to laugh until our bellies were sore. Of course, things change, life happens and my mom raised my siblings and I alone. Still, the memories of golden summer days spent outside dance in my mind ever so often.

Now, I’m in college, in a healthy, nearly five-year relationship with a wonderful man. I yearn to be with family more than ever, hoping and praying that none of my loved ones will be affected by COVID-19. My classes are not nearly as immersive as they once were and, quite frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine safely going back into a classroom full of my peers. As Zoom fatigue sets in, all I can think about are my mom’s words, “All I ask is for you to do your best.”

I perceive “my best” in various ways: My best academic performance, my best mental focus and my best self image. One thing that has kept me going is writing and reading. I’ve made a goal for myself to read every single one of Jane KYLIE SOTO Austen’s works by the end of the year. I’ve begun writing a Regency-era novel ASSISTANT OP-ED and I’ve returned to an old flame of mine, theatre. To top it all off, I have been & ONLINE NEWS shocked by how much I actually love and accept myself.

EDITOR Thankfully, I have also had the privilege to work for The Lumberjack during these hard times. I have picked up not one but two editor positions, online news editor and op-ed assistant editor. I’ve learned so much about my skills, strengths and weaknesses, and my ability to manage my time accordingly. Granted, it can be a lot of work, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

I’d just like to thank the entire executive team and the faculty supervisor, David Harpster, for believing in me since my first day in the MIC during my first semester of freshman year. I’d also like to thank my fellow editors, Camille Sipple, Mark Fabery and Trinity Archie for their everlasting support and patience with me as I navigate this new territory.

It is these people who have helped me to reach “my best” both inside and outside of our weekly section meetings.

Continuous local and campus covid-19 coverage available at jackcentral.org

Online at Issuu.com Latest Edition & Archive Social media

Thank you for reading.

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

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 111 ISSUE 8 Editor-in-Chief Scout Ehrler

Managing Editor Nathan Manni

Copy Chief Nayomi Garcia

Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Print Chief Jacob Meyer

Director of Digital Content Ash Lohmann

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board Director of Social Media Maddie Cohen

Op-Ed Editor Trinity Archie

Culture Editor Katelyn Rodriguez

Sports Adviser Rory Faust

News Editor Camille Sipple

Asst. Op-Ed Editor Kylie Soto

Asst. Culture Editor Kyler Edsitty

Director of Illustration Aleah Green

Asst. News Editor Mark Fabery

Features Editor Olivia Charlson

Sports Editor Cameron Richardson

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Maddie Cohen

Online News Editor Kylie Soto

Asst. Features Editor Emily Gerdes

Asst. Sports Editor Brenden Martin

Senior Photographer Michael Patacsil

Senior Reporter Molly Brown

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Director of Photography & Multimedia Shawn Patti

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Senior Photographer Brian Burke

On the cover The Lumberjacks celebrate with the Grand Canyon trophy after defeating SUU, 34-33, in the last two seconds of the game at Walkup Skydome, Feb. 27. 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 Scout Ehrler at see86@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Feb. 22 At 5:11 p.m., a student reported a sexual assault that occurred approximately two weeks ago at a party off campus. NAUPD responded and referred the student to Flagstaff Police Department (FPD), as well as the NAU Title IX Office.

At 7:00 p.m., NAUPD received a call from a blue light phone at Mountain View Parking Garage. The area was searched, but no criminal activity was witnessed.

Feb. 23 At 8:15 p.m., NAUPD issued a warning for required headlamps, no proof of insurance and no proof of registration at Knoles Drive and Dupont Avenue.

At 9:10 p.m., NAUPD received a supervisory alarm from Wilson Hall. The area was searched and the alarm was determined to have been caused by burnt food.

Feb. 24 At 3:10 a.m., FPD requested information on a fraternity. NAUPD provided information.

At 10:14 a.m., a student at McConnell Hall called to report feeling ill. NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded and the student was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

Compiled by Camille Sipple

At 8:10 p.m., a student At 11:18 p.m., NAUPD at Skyview called to report issued a warning for expired suspicious activity. NAUPD registration and a stop sign responded and took a report, violation at lot 66. which is open and pending for first-degree trespassing.

Feb. 27 At 12:30 a.m., staff At 9:22 p.m., a student at Reilly Hall reported an called to report two subjects intoxicated student. NAUPD, fighting at San Francisco FFD and GMT responded.

Parking Garage. NAUPD The student deferred for minor responded and the parties in consumption of alcohol and were separated. NAUPD took was transported to FMC. a report, which is open and pending for domestic violence At 2:41 a.m., a nonstudent and disturbing the peace. reported a student seizing in lot 44. NAUPD, FFD and Feb. 25 GMT responded. The student At 4:11 p.m., a student was transported to FMC. at South Village Apartments reported a lost dog. NAUPD At 5:12 a.m., a student responded and the dog was called to report a dog inside located. a vehicle at lot 16A. NAUPD responded, located the animal At 9:45 p.m., a student at and found it was not in distress.

San Francisco Parking Garage called to report the theft of Feb. 28 property from their vehicle.

At 9:06 a.m., a student NAUPD responded and took at Pine Ridge Village called to a report. report bags of trash repeatedly being left outside their door.

Feb. 26 NAUPD responded and took At 5:45 a.m., a student a report. at Roseberry Apartments reported feeling threatened.

At 3:48 p.m., a student NAUPD responded and a at Sechrist Hall reported report was taken. experiencing abdominal pain.

NAUPD, FFD and GMT. At 11:03 a.m., staff at The student was transported to Reilly Hall reported graffiti. FMC. NAUPD responded and a report was taken.

At 6:13 p.m., an employee at lot 1D called At 2:29 p.m., staff at the to report a secured building Science and Health Building to be unsecured. NAUPD reported an odor of gas. responded, cleared the building NAUPD and FFD responded. and notified work control of a No odor was present upon broken door. officer arrival, and the scene was declared safe by FFD.

Coconino County COVID-19 Dashboard data

Community transmission Case rate Positivity percentage Cumulative cases

Substantial 149.9 per 100,000 pop.

8.2% 16,471

Flagstaff Medical Center COVID-19 Resources

In-house COVID-19 patients Hospital capacity Critical care capacity

Positive: 15 | Pending: 2 222/300 38/55

NAU Student Cases

Current student cases

55

At 1:00 p.m., a staff member at Gillenwater Hall called to report the odor of gas.

At 9:54 p.m., an employee NAUPD and FFD responded at Drury Inn & Suites reported and Fire Life Safety and a suspicious nonstudent.

Grounds were notified.

The subject was arrested and booked into Coconino County Detention Facility for possession of dangerous drugs.

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Illustration By Tonesha Yazzie

A new emergency rental relief program coming to Arizona Tess Spinker

T

he Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) released an emergency rent assistance initiative that is directed toward renters and landlords residing in 12 Arizona counties, including Coconino County, which took effect Feb. 23.

Gov. Doug Ducey made the announcement Feb. 9, explaining renters and landlords can apply for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) on the DES website, according to the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH).

The program will provide support for the following counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Navajo, Santa Cruz, Pinal, Mohave and Yavapai. According to DES, larger counties like Maricopa, Pima and Yuma are receiving federal funding not within the program and will be launching rental relief programs in mid-March depending on the metropolitan area, according to ADOH’s website.

Eric Peterson, public affairs director for Coconino County, said requests for rental assistance within the county have been in high demand since the pandemic ramped up in March 2020.

“This is a hardship to many residents as the pandemic has lasted almost a year with

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high unemployment and assistance that helped to cover one to three months of rent or utility when more months remain in arrears,” Peterson said. “The number of individuals applying for assistance surged over the past year.”

Peterson said that between March 2020 and mid-February 2021, Coconino County has distributed over $1,132,378 in rent and utility assistance to roughly 1,500 families in the county out of over 8,000 requests for assistance.

“Coconino County will continue to advocate for additional resources to assist its residents,” Peterson said.

The DES advises it will authorize up to $3,500 per month to cover rent and other household expenses with ERAP. Eligible households include those that are susceptible to homelessness, housing instability or unsafe living conditions.

Peterson added that in April 2020 the Arizona Department of Housing launched a program to help college students receive special funding. NAU students were able to apply for aid if they showed proof they received at least a 10% drop of income due to COVID-19-related influences.

Following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has provided similar funding in the form of stimulus packages and lifted any evictions related to the pandemic

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until further notice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While many were eligible for assistance in response to the pandemic, some students never got the opportunity for relief.

Patrick Rooney, a former NAU student, expressed that the university never referred assistance to him or his roommates about any sort of support, finding himself a college dropout in large amounts of debt.

“I couldn’t afford to go on continuing with online classes if I was not getting any actual retention — I’m a visual learner,” Rooney said. “However when I dropped out, my [loan servicer] now has forced me to make monthly payments to my $40,000 in student loans. That, on top of rent, is making it a struggle to get by.”

According to Federal Student Aid, the COVID-19 relief fund is now extended for loans associated with the United States Department of Education, or ED-owned federal student loans, until September 2021.

“I didn’t even know there was anything to help with that stuff,” Rooney said. “NAU should let us know more information about [funding] for those who are struggling.”

NAU will soon receive a second round of $11.7 million of emergency funding to direct toward eligible students who are facing financial hardships for the spring, summer and fall of

2021, according to the Lumberjack CARES Act Grant. Students will be able to apply for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II beginning in March.

Skyview, a student housing complex located on central campus, has had its own battles in response to the pandemic, explained Skyview community assistant Shelby Waite.

“Back in March, when the pandemic first started and many people lost their jobs, we waived all late fees and were very flexible with those that faced financial struggles,” Waite said.

“We understand the frustrating, stressful and difficult time the pandemic has caused our residents.”

Nearly a full year after quarantine first began, Waite said Skyview is currently at 100% occupancy and expects it to remain that way moving toward the fall 2021 semester.

“We are fully occupied, our amenities have reopened with proper cleaning and social distancing practices and we are no longer facing an influx of residents looking to move out and end their lease early,” Waite said.

The emergency relief funding offers extensive help to many residents across the state of Arizona. The assistance aims to heal the state and local community from the financial impacts that were created by the ongoing pandemic.

NEWS

SpaceX plans to bring rural broadband to Coconino Mark Fabery

D

uring a Feb. 2 Coconino County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board entered executive session to discuss and receive direction regarding the use of SpaceX’s Starlink as a rural Internet provider for northern Arizona.

Starlink is SpaceX’s plan to build an interconnected Internet network with thousands of satellites, arranged in a constellation pattern, to deliver high-speed Internet to anywhere on the planet.

Matt Fowler, Coconino County information technology services department director, said the county has been working with SpaceX since October 2019.

“Coconino County is working on several parallel initiatives in an effort to improve services across northern Arizona,” Fowler said. “We have been exploring the use of Starlink’s beta Internet options prior to public release.”

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is reallocating the money from the $20.4 billion in its Universal Service Fund to subsidize eligible companies to help build out broadband infrastructure in underserved areas of the United States through the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.

Starlink was one of 180 bidders who received $888.5 million in federal subsidies to boost high-speed Internet service to the rural U.S. from the first phase auction.

The subsidies are designed to be an incentive for broadband providers to bring service to the underserved and hard-to-reach areas of the rural U.S. Funding will be distributed over the next 10 years with the intended goal of bringing high-speed broadband with speeds of about 100/20 megabytes per second, with 85% of users receiving gigabyte-speed broadband, according to a press release.

A plethora of providers, including satellite companies, cable operators, electric cooperatives and fixed wireless providers were part of the bidding process. However, Geolinks and Starry Connect were the only two providers to join Starlink to bring coverage to northern Arizona.

Although the endeavor will close the gap of inequality when it comes to reliable Internet access, the use of low-Earth satellites, such as Starlink’s and many other startups when it comes to the Internet space race, has led to astronomers sounding the alarm on the impacts.

Jeffrey Hall, director of Lowell Observatory and chair of the American Astronomical Society’s Committee (AAS) on Light Pollution, Radio Interference and Space Debris, said he has had conversations with SpaceX’s Starlink on the effects loworbit satellites have on astronomers, specifically with the highly reflective metal coatings on each satellite.

“The natural night sky is a resource not just for astronomers, but for all who look upward to understand and enjoy the splendor of the universe and its degradation has many negative impacts beyond the astronomical,” Hall said. “I appreciate the initial conversation we have already had with SpaceX, and I look forward to working with my AAS colleagues and with all stakeholders to understand and mitigate the effects of the rapidly increasing numbers of satellites in near-Earth orbit.”

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) expressed its concerns with the reflections from the sun before sunrise and

Photo Illustration By Aleah Green

sunset caused by reflective coatings.

“Although most of these reflections may be so faint that they are hard to pick out with the naked eye, they can be detrimental to the sensitive capabilities of large ground-based astronomical telescopes,” the IAU reported in a statement.

Moreover, SpaceX, which operates Starlink, has said on its website that the company is taking steps to reduce the overall impact the Starlink satellite constellation has on astronomy.

The steps the company plans to take include changing the way the satellites fly to their operational altitude away from the sun, to the process of connecting a deployable visor to the satellite to block sunlight from hitting the brightest parts of the spacecraft and applying a dark coating to the reflective antennae on the satellite’s ground-facing side.

“SpaceX is launching Starlink to provide high-speed, lowlatency broadband connectivity across the globe, including to locations where the Internet has traditionally been too expensive, unreliable or entirely unavailable,” the website said. “We also firmly believe in the importance of a natural night sky for all of us to enjoy, which is why we have been working with leading astronomers around the world to better understand the specifics of their observations and engineering changes we can make to reduce satellite brightness.”

Even though the Coconino County Board of Supervisors has publicly announced its involvement with bringing SpaceX’s Starlink to northern Arizona, the board has not yet revealed the role it will take.

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Flagstaff citizens protest police brutality Camille Sipple

P

rotesters took to the streets Feb. 27 in response to Flagstaff Police Department (FPD)’s use of force against Marvin James, an unsheltered person, on Feb. 2.

According to a media release from FPD, officer Nicholas Rubey and officer Tyler Davids were called to the Flagstaff Mall regarding a theft and assault Feb. 2. The officers were given a description of the individual believed to have been involved in the incident and Rubey observed a man outside a Discount Tire store nearby who matched the description, according to the release. The officers attempted to detain James, who matched the description, but he resisted the officers and as they attempted to gain control of James, he fell forward and his face hit the pavement.

“Officer Davids pushed back on Mr. James, creating space while holding onto his arm and attempting to gain control of him,” the media release stated. “Mr. James also stepped back as well, then suddenly pitched forward, breaking partially free from the officers and striking the ground with his face causing an injury that began to bleed profusely.”

Protesters initially gathered within downtown Flagstaff’s Heritage Square, where those who organized the protest spoke to the crowd of approximately 50 people, dressed primarily in black, and led several chants.

Several FPD officers remained dispersed around the perimeter of the crowd, but did not interfere. As they chanted, individuals within the crowd waved signs and banners with phrases, such as “Stop police brutality” and “ACAB.” This specific protest gained traction after being advertised on the “@ flagstats” Instagram page and shared throughout the NAU and Flagstaff community.

After several group chants, those leading the protest proceeded to use a projector to show videos of the specific FPD brutality instances they were protesting. Shortly after showing the videos, the group took to the streets and began marching throughout downtown Flagstaff.

As the crowd moved, FPD officers, both on bike and on foot, moved with them and escorted the protesters during their march. Beginning in downtown, near Aspen Avenue and San Francisco Street, the protesters quickly moved toward Route 66. They followed this route even as Route 66 curved into busy, traffic-packed Milton Road. FPD blocked off several roads in advance for the march, but also continued to direct traffic as the march wove through the city.

The protesters continued their march along several busy streets like Route 66, Butler Avenue, Milton Road and Aspen Avenue, garnering the attention of countless onlookers who were frequenting the local bar and restaurant establishments in the area, as well as those driving by in their vehicles.

In the last hour of the protest, the group stopped its march in every intersection for several minutes, and never ceased chanting. At the intersection of Route 66 and Beaver Street, the group paused and moved to form a circle within the intersection, halting Route 66 traffic in both directions. In these instances, the group received honks and shouts of support along with animosity from drivers.

After nearly two-and-a-half hours, the protesters made their way to Wheeler Park where a few more chants were recited. The speakers and demonstration organizers that spoke earlier in the evening provided some closing remarks to the group. The crowd then dispersed and ended the night around 8:30 p.m.

Members of the protesting group declined to comment.

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Top: Protesters gather at the intersection of Beaver Street and Route 66, Feb. 27. Bottom: Protesters walk past Orpheum Theater on Aspen Avenue, Feb. 27. The protesters were reacting to an altercation between an Indigenous man and FPD officers on Feb. 27. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

NEWS

Bottom Left: Protesters walk past Orpheum Theater on Aspen Avenue, Feb. 27. The protesters were reacting to an altercation between an Indigenous man and FPD officers. Bottom Right: A FPD officer directs traffic at the corner of Aspen Avenue and Leroux Street while protesters make their way through downtown, Feb. 27. Middle: Protesters gather at the intersection of Beaver Street and Route 66, Feb. 27. Top Left: A protester speaks to police officers while other protesters pauses their march through downtown Flagstaff, Feb. 27. Top Right: Protesters stop at the intersection of San Francisco Street and Birch Avenue, Feb. 27. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

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COMIC SPOT

ARTIST FEATURE

Dominic Davies I

’ve been illustrating for The Lumberjack on and off for four years now, and this is my last semester before I graduate. I particularly enjoy illustrating for this paper because it guarantees my work will be seen and my illustrations draw readers in to read about important news and other topics. I have been drawing practically my entire life, both for fun and for classes while I was young. I am primarily self-taught, with the exception of taking courses related to art as a visual communication major.

When making my own art outside of what I create for the paper, I am inspired by women and nature as I can’t help but be drawn to both. My work almost always manages to depict a darker side of life whether it is through expression or the medium or something else. One of my favorite things to draw are eyes as they are the focal point of any face and can be decorated with expression and makeup. I am looking forward to becoming a graphic designer and continuing to pursue art in both tangible and technological forms. I can’t wait to see where my art may take me one day.

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Purebred dogs make for unethical purchases On top of this, dogs mixed with breeds that are considered hostile or violent, like pit bulls and Staffordshire terriers, live out t is irresponsible to support dog breeders. Aside from a their lives in the shelters because humans have created a stigma person’s blatant disregard for the millions of rescued or around them given they are often used for dog fighting, as sheltered dogs who desperately need and deserve their reported by National Geographic. forever homes, there are a plethora of issues with dogs that come According to National Pit Bull Victim Awareness from breeders. organization, reports from various cities across the United States As animal rights advocacy group PETA has stated, “Nature show pit bulls have consistently bitten people at least twice as didn’t create dog breeds — humans did. There are many health much as the next highest breed of dog. problems that come along with breeding for certain physical However, dog-focused online media outlet Dogtime stated attributes.” in an article that pit bulls remain a popular breed. The article From increased risk of blindness to seizures, as PETA implies that when you have more pit bulls than any other breed, describes, the idea that people are comfortable with, and even this may explain why these dogs would have a higher volume of encourage, the breeding of dogs is unethical considering the incidents. drastically decreased quality of life for these animals.

Online pet blog Petpedia reported pit bulls make up 5.8% The Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of all dogs in the U.S. This means that one dog in 20 is a pit bull.

(RSPCA) bolsters this notion.

Although, TikTok has made a huge impact on the general “There’s much evidence demonstrating that the welfare and view of mixed-breed dogs with pit bull in them. One dog in quality of life of many pedigree and purebred dogs are seriously particular is making waves online. compromised as a result of established selective breeding Bagel the pit bull from the Austin Animal Center in Austin, practices,” the organization stated in an article.

Texas has been trending on TikTok since midBreeding for aesthetic purposes can February and has proven to be one of the leave the animals with long-term health sweetest dogs, despite the stigma placed problems. For example, according to upon her breed. Her love of layering RSPCA, dogs with flat faces like pugs blankets and sweaters has captured the and French bulldogs can have hearts of thousands. breathing issues and struggle with She was adopted Feb. 24 into a loving exercise. forever home.

The organization also called The hashtag #AdoptDontShop out the Kennel Club, which oversees briefly trended on Twitter in 2020, various dog-showing events in as around this time last year the United Kingdom. RSPCA there was an estimated national explained the way to win dog adoption rate of 58% at the shows nowadays, according beginning of March. This to the rules set by the Kennel increased to 85% by the Club, is for the dog to most closely end of the month, as match its breed standard, which reported by Time means these pedigree dogs are bred to magazine. highlight certain physical features.

Se p a r a t e It is this unnatural breeding that from the results in health complications and statistics, there even premature deaths in purebred dogs are millions because of health risks these dogs of mixed-breed commonly have, as supported by rescue and shelter The Pet Health Network. dogs in the U.S. who deserve loving Illustration By diana ortega Mixed-breed dogs, inversely, generally homes, so much so that they could be have less issues in the long run. euthanized if they don’t get adopted.

The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA states on its The Humane Society of the U.S. found 20% of dogs who website that mixed breeds have something called hybrid vigor, enter shelters annually are euthanized. Additionally, mixed-breed explaining that when you mix two or more separate gene pools, dogs make up 51% of dogs in the U.S. the recessive genes that carry the health problems are then Considering all the factors, mixed-breed dogs are the way to buried. As a result, these animals are healthier. go when it comes to finding a furry friend.

Mixed-breed dogs are also one of a kind, as they are not Purebred dogs simply have many health issues which raises bred with the intention of getting a dog with enhanced physical the question of whether it is ethical to support dog breeders given characteristics. the lack of consideration for the animals.

Yet, because they are not nearly as desired as purebred dogs, mixed-breed dogs end up in shelters much more often.

Kylie Soto

I Cruz in Cancún is careless amid a crisis

T

he Texas power crisis, prompted by unexpected winter weather, left almost half of the state’s residents without clean water and millions more without power in their freezing homes.

Texans are facing this crisis along with the ongoing pandemic.

While residents struggle with the effects of the disaster, one politician made attempts to flee these harsh conditions.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — who should be drafting solutions and extending sympathies to his state’s residents — TRINITY decided to escape to Cancún, Mexico for a ARCHIE family vacation.

OP-ED EDITOR This irresponsible and insensitive decision throws Cruz’s carelessness in the face of the millions of Texas residents who are struggling to survive nearly unlivable conditions. These people do not have the ability to simply flee the state.

Cruz’s decision continues the ongoing pattern of immaturity among United States politicians.

He attempted to justify his actions in eye roll-worthy statements made preceding his return.

“With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends,” Cruz said. “Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.”

Yes, the politician blamed the entire situation on his children. Cruz then went on to explain how he supposedly maintained a handle on the situation all the way from sunny Cancún.

“My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas,” Cruz said. “We want our power back, our water on and our homes warm.”

If Cruz were truly concerned about the well-being of his residents, he would have never even thought to vacation amid this disaster. It took a great deal of backlash for the senator to contemplate his return to Texas, where he is now located.

He is still garnering national attention. The media has not slowed down on reporting the details of the situation and its aftermath.

Cruz obviously intended to remain personally unaffected by the crisis by vacationing out of state until he could maintain the life of privilege he is accustomed to.

It is actions like this that give U.S. politicians a horrible reputation among their own people. Now, Texas residents have less faith in the leaders who are responsible for restoring their safety during this crisis.

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Conservatives never cared about cancel culture Marley Green

F

ormer President Donald Trump said it’s “the very definition of totalitarianism.” Rep. Jim Jordan said it’s the most dangerous issue facing the United States today, even during a pandemic that has killed over half a million U.S. citizens.

Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations, said it was “dangerous and just plain wrong” in a speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Cancel culture, conservatives argue, is a pathology troubling the U.S. This is not wrong. Cancel culture, once used to describe a boycott or withdrawal of support from someone who you disagree with, does perpetuate mob mentality.

It ignores the possibility that someone might learn from their mistakes over time. Use of the term cancel culture is a hot debate by itself. Its true definition, whether it works, and whether it is problematic, are all widely contested.

When conservatives are confronted with valid criticisms of their actions or rebuttals to their claims, we commonly hear them claim they have been a victim of cancel culture.

For example, Michael van der Veen, Trump’s defense lawyer during the second impeachment trial, went so far as to call the proceedings a manifestation of constitutional cancel culture.

“History will remember this shameful effort as a deliberate attempt by the Democrat Party to smear, censor and cancel not just President Trump, but the 75 million Americans who voted for him,” van der Veen said during the trial Feb. 11.

This was puzzling to me because Trump’s second impeachment trial happened as a direct consequence of Trump’s own actions, not of any angry mob of Twitter users jumping to conclusions, as is often the complaint associated with cancel culture.

Donald Trump Jr. took to social media to say he was not going to jump on the bandwagon to cancel Sen. Ted Cruz for abandoning his constituents in a deadly winter storm in favor of a trip to Cancún, Mexico.

However, Cruz is not a victim of unfair, raging liberals who cancel anyone they do not agree with. He is rightfully facing criticism for his own actions, which citizens understandably perceived as incredibly selfish.

Actress Gina Carano was recently fired from her starring role in the popular Disney+ show “The Mandalorian” after she shared a slew of insensitive posts on her Instagram story, including one that compared being a Republican in the U.S. to being Jewish in Nazi Germany.

She spoke out following the incident.

“I am sending out a direct message of hope to those living in fear of being canceled by the totalitarian mob … They can’t cancel

Illustration By christian ayala

us if we don’t let them,” Carano told The Daily Wire.

Carano was not fired because she has a different political opinion than others in Hollywood. She was fired because she shared an extremely insensitive post which referenced the Holocaust and compared it to belonging to a political party.

Eleven million people died in the Holocaust, 6 million of whom were Jewish. I am not aware of any mass murders of conservatives in the U.S. The post was anti-Semitic beyond the shadow of a doubt. It is likely that any person who openly shared posts of that nature would be fired by their employer. It doesn’t all of a sudden qualify as cancel culture because Carano is in the spotlight.

If conservatives were truly concerned about cancel culture and the First Amendment, their behavior would be a lot different.

Republicans have seemingly begun to cancel each other.

Ironically, their exact definition of cancel culture is further complicating an already contentious rift within the GOP.

There is clear tension between those who are ready to talk about policy in a post-Trump world, and those who still stand by him and are looking for revenge on those who they perceive as traitors to Trump.

Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. Richard Burr were each censured by members of their own party for voting to convict Trump in the recent impeachment trial. Sen. Susan Collins received a letter of condemnation from the Maine GOP state committee for the same reason.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey faced censure from the GOP state committee as well for not contesting the election results.

So, why do conservatives complain about cancel culture in some cases and not others? The reason is clear: They never cared about the real drawbacks of cancel culture. They care about having to answer for their bigoted actions and complain about it only when its existence is not convenient for their political argument.

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Adventuring on two wheels: End Michael McClure

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hroughout much of the United States, dual-sport riding, or the blend of on-road and off-road riding, has captivated an ever-growing number of enthusiasts. Enduro motorcycle riding is defined by Dirt Bike Planet as riding or racing over challenging long-distance terrain. Although professional racers may push themselves to the limits of their machines, many enthusiasts of the sport take joy in casually riding long stretches of easier terrain.

According to Rider Magazine, motorcycle ownership in the U.S. rose from 6.94% in 2014 to an all-time high of 8.02% in 2018, adding over 1.5 million households that identified as owning a motorcycle, bringing the number to just above 10.1 million households.

Coconino National Forest offers hundreds of miles of offroad terrain, such as the Fort Valley Trail System, Kelly Motorized Trail System and the Casner Mountain Trail, all of which can be found on the off-highway vehicle riding and camping page of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture website for Coconino National Forest.

Enthusiasts of the sport flock from all over the western U.S. in order to enjoy the distinctive biome of northern Arizona where the vibrant red rimrock of Sedona latches onto the never-ending rows of Ponderosa pine trees.

Brett Spann is the service manager at GO AZ Motorcycles in Flagstaff. The motorcycle chain has locations throughout the state in Scottsdale, Cottonwood and Peoria. Per the GO AZ Motorcycles website, the Flagstaff location represents brands like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Can-Am and more. Along with the sale of motorcycles, the store also specializes in the sale of allterrain vehicles and side-by-side utility terrain vehicles (UTVs).

Spann emphasized the enthusiasm of customers throughout the pandemic to buy their new machines and hit the trails.

“We have been making large amounts of side-by-side [UTV] sales and motorcycles are always huge as well,” Spann said. “We have big attractions in east Flagstaff and all of the terrain loops that create a lot of opportunities for people to get out and ride.

A Moto Guzzi motorcycle sits in a student parking garage (bottom left) and a speedometer on a Honda Ruckus sits on display at GO AZ Motorcycles (upper left), Feb. 26. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

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The market is growing very fast and frankly, the pandemic has helped our sales numbers. We have sold so many bikes and sideby-side [UTVs] in this COVID-19 market mostly because people are trying to find ways to get out and socially distance, and by definition trail riding is something that is socially distant.”

Spann is originally from the Phoenix area. He explained how much the political tides have influenced the constantly shrinking land access opportunities in Maricopa County, but felt like Flagstaff riders have a fighting chance.

“Land access has remained largely the same,” Spann said.

“I am originally from Phoenix and during my time living there around 15 to 20 years ago, there was so much access for people to get out and ride wherever they wanted to. Phoenix is getting bad and now with construction, more and more places are getting closed off and requiring different tags and permits, which used to never be a thing. Coconino County has not changed very much in regard to land access, mostly because of national forests locking up a lot of the space around Flagstaff and the rules and regulations for those areas have largely remained the same.”

GO AZ Motorcycles service manager Brett Spann posed for a picture, Feb. 26. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

FEATURES

duro riding in northern Arizona Riders in the area find enduro riding to be a form of relaxation and a healthy way to get rid of stress, even when the sport itself requires a high level of physical exertion. Health Fitness Revolution is a nonprofit movement that aims to spread the message of health and fitness globally. It listed numerous health benefits of dirt bike riding on its website, such as effective calorie burning, brain stimulation and increasing strength, stamina and balance.

Bryan Adden is a Flagstaff resident who has lived in the area for the past two decades and enjoys enduro riding in his free time. Adden said his day job of being a locomotive engineer for BNSF Railway — the major freight carriers who locally run trains through Flagstaff — can put stress on him. During the warmer months of the year and when his schedule allows for it, Adden said he finds himself riding with friends in and around the Flagstaff area.

“We have a ride we love to do which goes around the [San Francisco] peaks and offers such amazing vistas,” Adden said.

“Another very common one we will take usually during late

Off-roading tires are equipped on all off-road vehicles at GO AZ Motorcycle, Feb. 26. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

summer or early fall is the Edge of the World overlooking Sedona.

There are a ton of loops and trails that wind in and around the rim overlooking Sedona, where the viewpoints are second to none.”

A major limiting factor for many fans of the sport is the price of buying and maintaining a motorcycle — not including gear, fuel, travel expenses and unforeseen incidents. Adden said a big reason he did not get into the two-wheeled sport earlier was because of the price tag and other priorities in life. Adden rides a mid-2000s Honda, which he said is a great option for people looking to get into the sport.

“I did not have that kind of money in my youth, and having kids with a mortgage certainly did not make money problems go away,” Adden said. “Now that everything has settled down a bit, I have the time and resources to do it.”

Reid Mirvis has ridden for most of his life but now travels heavily throughout Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado on enduro riding trips with groups of riders and on his own. He said he owns multiple bikes that are fitted for different terrain and weather scenarios to produce the smoothest

rides he can generate. Mirvis said Flagstaff has offered him some of the best trails and views out of anywhere in the Southwest.

“I spend a lot of time riding in the lower Rocky Mountains of Colorado and into New Mexico, but I make a point to spend some time and ride throughout Coconino [National Forest],” Mirvis said. “Driving into these mountains from [Colorado] is such a beautiful sight and being able to get on my bike and ride them makes it so much better. I have been riding the area for many years now and it amazes me how it never gets old. Flagstaff is so unique in terms of the lava rock, red dirt and tall pines.

Definitely a place I will keep coming back to.”

As an unknown sport to many residents of Flagstaff and students at NAU, enthusiasts like Adden and Mirvis highlight a small portion of what enduro riding is like in Coconino National Forest. With growing numbers of riders in the area, more people might find themselves exploring the motorized cycling sport.

A KTM motorcycle (bottom right) and a speedometer from a classic ’80s Honda motorcycle (upper right) sits on display at GO AZ Motocycles, Feb. 26. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

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FEATURES

The SSLUG Garden bears fruits of labor for sustainability Eleana Assimacopoulos

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ffordable organic and healthy foods are sometimes hard to come by for college students. The Students for Sustainable Living and Urban Gardening (SSLUG) Garden was created for students and faculty who are passionate about sustainable food systems.

It helps promote knowledge of community gardening and it educates students about food sustainability.

Not only is the SSLUG Garden used as a community builder, but it also donates the food grown to Louie’s Cupboard, making it easy for students to access healthy food options.

The SSLUG Garden is located between the two Social Behavioral Sciences (SBS) buildings on south campus and over to the south side of SBS West. Sustainable communities program director Peter Friederici said the space was originally a neglected area nobody took care of until some students from the program started to do some gardening. Friederici said he and a group of other professors thought it would give students the opportunity to engage in their

environment and that it was important for the campus to have an organic garden.

Friederici said in recent years, the Office of Sustainability has hired a student gardener and that some professional organic gardeners worked on a part-time basis over the summer. However, because of budget restrictions, a professional gardener will not be hired this summer. Due to this, the garden has been primarily maintained by students, faculty and staff who value the space.

Friederici added that scarcity of resources and time are more complicating factors. He said summer can cause some issues because that is when everything is growing, but is when the fewest students are on campus. Getting volunteers during the pandemic has caused a strain on the garden’s staff.

“COVID has definitely been one of the impacts,” Friederici said. “The more long-term impact, though, has been the lack of resources for the garden. The lack of dedicated time for the garden means that those of us who have been working on it are kind of always scrambling.

There’s never quite enough gardener hours

Flower gardens were added to the SSLUG Garden to attract more bees, Sept. 26, 2019.

MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

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going on in the garden to take care of things and develop things to the extent that we would like.”

Freshman and SSLUG Garden coordinator Sydney Rittershaus organizes the volunteer workers.

Rittershaus said she coordinates all of the volunteer schedules and is the person to reach out to if any students want to volunteer at the garden. She said working in the garden has been stressful at times this past year because of the lack of hands with fewer students on campus.

“In terms of COVID, our volunteer numbers have gone down significantly,” Rittershaus said. “So, there’s more of a demand for more hands in the actual space. That kind of goes hand-in-hand with the funding because our lead organic gardener just got fired because his funding got cut. And so now, NAU doesn’t have a gardener being paid because I’m just the apprentice.”

Denielle Perry, assistant professor in the School of Earth and Sustainability, teaches the environmental sustainability entry-level course. She said the SSLUG Garden needs an expert when it comes to gardening in Flagstaff’s climate.

“Not having someone in the [gardener] position is really unfortunate for our garden situation on campus,” Perry said. “I’m really hoping that this new president will see the gardens as an asset and be willing to invest a relatively small amount of money in hiring someone to be the coordinator of the gardens on campus to ensure that they can be making these really important educational spaces.”

Not only does the program need an expert, but it also needs security when it comes to making sure the SSLUG Garden is supervised and managed properly. Perry said the goal is to grow food successfully and not just do experiments.

Perry explained each semester she has roughly 135 students enrolled in her class and she would heavily use the SSLUG Garden as an educational tool. She said she would take her students to the garden to learn about permaculture design, Indigenous knowledge related to medicinal and food crop production and the purposes of greenhouses.

“It is a comprehensive kind of garden,” Perry said. “I see it as the integrator of a lot of the concepts the students are learning in the class and they love to get out there and get their hands dirty.”

Perry said the SSLUG Garden is like a living laboratory and it is experiential education,

as well as an invaluable asset to NAU students.

However, this semester, the class is completely remote because it is too large to break into groups, which makes it harder to have the students participate in the live space of the garden because some are not even located in Flagstaff.

There used to be classes that involved the SSLUG Garden like Perry’s environmental science class, but because of budget cuts, some faculty were laid off, while others moved onto other projects. However, Perry said she believes that after COVID-19, more people will want to stay in touch with the garden.

“I think that with COVID-19, people hadn’t realized how important the connection to nature really is because it’s been everybody’s escape to get out and do whatever they want,” Perry said. “So, people have really come to have a better connection with nature. I think after COVID-19 we’re going to see that more people are wanting to be in touch and stay in touch with the garden. I think that’s definitely a reality.”

Perry said students should be advocating to maintain the spaces like the SSLUG Garden because they are important spaces for students, faculty, staff and for the community.

Friederici also said working in the garden is a good way to get the feeling of engagement because you can see the results of the hard work you have done.

“It all comes down to food, really, that’s why we’re doing this,” Rittershaus said. “To be able to have the space to grow nutritious food for the community is just really powerful. I’m excited to see where it goes and I just hope that we keep having support.”

The garden staff is also hosting a fundraiser on the NAU Foundation crowdfunding page to help support a graduate student who will be tasked with working in the SSLUG Garden.

To find out more about the garden, visit their website.

The SSLUG Garden is a way to help the NAU community learn about the benefits of food sustainability and Friederici said they are always looking for new volunteers to help maintain it.

“For me, it’s really a space to create handson change and actually affect the community in a positive light, rather than just reading about sustainable food systems in a textbook,” Rittershaus said.

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CULTURE

Shaka King tells the darker side of Black history

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irected by Shaka King and based on a true story, “Judas and the Black Messiah’’ is a heartbreaking movie about the conflict between the Black Panther Party and law enforcement. It also reminds us all how little has changed since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s regarding police violence and racial inequality.

Set in Chicago, the story follows William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield), a Black man who becomes an FBI informant, tasked with gathering information on the Black Panther Party in the late 1960s. O’Neal becomes close to the Chicago chapter’s chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and must choose between his own KYLER EDSITTY personal interests and the interest of the Black Panthers.

Kaluuya, known for his roles in Jordan Peele’s ASSISTANT “Get Out” and Marvel’s “Black Panther,” delivers CULTURE EDITOR another incredible performance that captured all my attention. My favorite scenes are when Hampton gave speeches on racial injustice and the party’s goals.

These moments really resonated with me because it’s clear what he’s talking about still pertains to what is happening in the present, especially since the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement and the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020.

“You can murder a liberator, but you can’t murder liberation,” Hampton said to a group of supporters in the film. “You can murder a revolutionary, but you can’t murder revolution. And you can murder a freedom fighter, but you can’t murder freedom!”

O’Neal is a very complex character who the viewers find themselves rooting for, but also hating because of the harm he is doing to the party. I also wanted everything to work out for him, but I realized his actions were unforgivable. However, his story is still so tragic considering what happens decades after the film’s events.

The movie is filled with devastating scenes that are honestly hard to watch, ranging from police brutality to bombings. These parts aren’t enjoyable to watch, but they show a harsh reality everyone should be aware of.

Throughout the film, I found myself constantly frustrated with the situations the characters found themselves in. From wrongful incarceration to police brutality, the events encapsulate how hard the government — especially J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI — tried to stop the party and Black liberation. It is also inspiring to see these people bounce back after constant mistreatment at the hands of law enforcement.

The film further cemented my thoughts on police abolition and racial injustice. However, it made me want to further educate myself on the Black Panthers and Malcolm X, people who I think are really misrepresented. In my eyes, this picture is perfect for people who seek further education on Black history and for people who may be skeptical regarding Black empowerment movements.

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French language students of various years gathered over Zoom to play Among Us during Global Game Night, Feb. 25. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

A fun night of games and languages around the globe Richard Espinoza

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he NAU Language Club met on Zoom for Global Game Night where students played card, board and video games in breakout rooms. The Feb. 25 event gave students an opportunity to connect with peers who speak the language they are studying in their major.

Global Game Night is an event that represents students who come from different countries and cultures around the world.

The event originally started off as Global Game Day where foreign exchange students would play outdoor games with one another during the spring semester. Global Game Day has been a tradition for the language club for many years at NAU. This social event helps students from other cultures to reach out to one another and to make new friends. The last time the event took place on campus was the spring semester of 2019, according to the NAU events calendar.

Due to COVID-19, all club activities were moved online. Students independently came up with this idea

and met with their instructors to set up games on Zoom for students. Participants in Global Game Night had a variety of games to choose from in every breakout room on Zoom.

Professor Jessica Wood, who teaches German at NAU’s Department of Global Languages and Cultures, said they expected at least 200 students to attend.

“The students that we have been working with really got excited about this idea of playing online games,” Wood said. “We have most of these language clubs that are organizing these games that are simple for a student within their target languages.”

Wood also said that students and faculty came up with the plan to create activities for students to participate in so they can feel connected during a time in which everyone feels isolated.

One of the most popular board games students love to play is backgammon, which had been played a lot during Global Game Day before the COVID-19 pandemic, Wood said.

CULTURE

Left & Right: George Guerrero, a Spanish professor at NAU leads La Lotería over Zoom for students during the Global Game Night on Feb. 25. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

Backgammon is one of the oldest board games, with a history that dates back thousands of years to Mesopotamia.

League of Legends is one of many video games that students played on Zoom. According to The Washington Post, League of Legends was created by producer Jeff Jew and made its debut Oct. 27, 2009. According to gaming website Rift Herald, the objective of League of Legends is that two players from each team pick five powerful champions to face off against each other and destroy their opponent’s base.

Junior Cassidy Korn, president of the French club, talked about how these games have been accommodated for students of their language.

“We have found different games and programs online so that students can play the games they like,” Korn said. “The language club has worked together in finding the games they have interest in playing.”

“I find it fun to adapt to new things, especially playing games online with students which is a whole new word for me,”

– Amy Mckenna, german Club president Some of the games Korn mentioned are Hangman, Fishbowl, Campfire and Among Us. These games are played online and are translated into different languages. Korn also said the French club played a video game in its breakout room called A Plague Tale: Innocence.

Korn said the game is about France’s fight for independence.

According to the website XBOX Achievement, A Plague Tale: Innocence takes place in the year 1348 when the Kingdoms of

France and Britain were fighting during the Hundred Years’ War. The video game Among Us is another favorite game that students played on Zoom.

According to the game website CNET, senior editor Alison DeNico Rayome said Among Us is about trying to figure out which of your crew members is an alien impostor and eliminate them. Rayome said that Among Us has skyrocketed in popularity since its official release Nov. 16, 2018. The game is produced

by Innersloth, according to gaming website Steampowererd.

Sophomore and German Club president Amy Mckenna said this was her first time at Global Games and that she was looking forward to it.

“I find it fun to adapt to new things, especially playing games online with students which is a whole new word for me,” Mckenna said.

The video game Kahoot is one of many fun games that students from the German club like to play. Mckenna said the game is like taking a test in the classroom due to its multiple choice format in which players have to answer the question before the timer expires.

All students who participated in Global Games were able to visit other breakout rooms in Zoom to meet other students. Global Games will make its return next fall semester.

MARCH 4 , 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Actors Edward Peace Jr., James Cougar Canfield and Hannah Fontes spy on another cast member from within the audience during “Twelfth Night,” which was digitally released by the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, Feb. 12. Madison Easton| The Lumberjack

FlagShakes takes on William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ Caroline Travis Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, also known as FlagShakes, is a local theater company dedicated to producing authentic Shakespearian plays.

The company recently released a virtual showing of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, “Twelfth Night,” which follows Viola, a woman who dresses as a man to find a job and becomes a servant to Duke Orsino. Meanwhile, the duke is in love with Lady Olivia, who is crushing on Viola, who she believes to be the male, Cesario. Chaos ensues as characters begin to fall in love with other characters who are all unaware of Viola’s true identity.

“Twelfth Night” has been available for purchase and streaming since Feb. 12, and tickets are still available on the FlagShakes website. The show is directed by Jim Warren, a distinguished Shakespearean director and former owner of the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse, a performing arts theater in Staunton, Virginia that is “the world’s only recreation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater,” according to its website.

Warren and other cast members stress FlagShakes “Twelfth Night” is not like the often dreaded Shakespeare experience felt by students when the plays are taught in school.

“We often have not-so-great introductions to [Shakespeare] in high school when we’re forced to study some of his plays in English class,” Warren said. “We often walk away from those experiences thinking that the language is some kind of weird poetry written in another language. Shakespeare wrote plays to be seen and heard in live performance, not books to be read in

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English class.”

James Cougar Canfield, who is cast in the play as Sir Toby and Antonio, echoed Warren.

“What I want the public to know is that ‘Twelfth Night’ is hilarious and silly as all heck,” Canfield said of the virtual performance. “Sometimes Shakespeare can feel a bit old and stale, but this play and this production is goofy, fun and heartfelt.”

Cadence Lamb, who plays the lead of Viola, as well as Sebastian, emphasized that a Shakespeare play can actually allow for creativity.

“I love acting Shakespeare for a lot of reasons,” Lamb said.

“The craft of acting his text is meticulous and detailed work, but I’ve found it liberating because of its boundaries.”

This was the first full-scale production for FlagShakes since March 2020. Although virtual, the show still encompassed the accurate nature of a Shakespeare play. According to its website, the company upholds Shakespeare’s vision by using universal lighting, cross-gender casting and other aspects like minimal sets and special effects. This all gives the effect of what the play would have been like back in the 1600s.

COVID-19 has impacted the arts all around the country and FlagShakes has been no different. The pandemic has been taken seriously by everyone involved at the company, as seen in the halt of live performances.

“I believe that theater fosters empathy, and this year definitely needed some empathy fostering,” Lamb said.

Although live performances came to a stop, Warren said that he and the entire cast are trying their best to bring the authentic

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experience of the live theater to the online medium.

On top of pandemic safety, other topics like consent and cultural equity are principles the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival upholds.

Actor Edward Peace Jr., who was cast as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, said the cast placed great importance on consent behind the scenes.

“All moments where actors touched were talked about and everyone’s boundaries were established,” Peace said. “We also talked about various moments that could be problematic, such as making comments about my hair, which is an afro.”

Cultural equity is stressed by FlagShakes seen in the list of commitments found on its website, as well as a message of respect toward Native Americans seen at the beginning of the virtual performance.

The message at the beginning of “Twelfth Night’’ acknowledges that this play taking place in Flagstaff means it is taking place on Sacred Space and recognizes the injustices of the Hopi, White Mountain Apache, Navajo and other neighboring tribes. On its website, FlagShakes lists other commitments that it upholds in order to maintain diversity and representation among casts.

“Twelfth Night” kicked off FlagShakes’ seventh season of production in Flagstaff. FlagShakes also has a drive-in performance of “Twelfth Night” May 22 at the Coconino Center for the Arts.

Other performances like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Hamlet” are coming to Flagstaff this summer.

CULTURE

Feb. 22 to 26: Relationships and release dates Katelyn Rodriguez Feb. 22 French EDM group Daft Punk retired after 28 years. The pair announced their retirement on YouTube, in which they posted an almost eightminute video titled “Epilogue.” The helmeted duo is best known for their electronic music, as well as collaborations with The Weeknd on “I Feel It Coming” and “Starboy” and Pharrell Williams with “Lose Yourself to Dance” and “Get Lucky.”

Actor Shailene Woodley of the “Divergent” trilogy and “The Fault in Our Stars,” confirmed her engagement to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during an interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Feb. 23 Singer Ellie Goulding announced she is expecting her first child with her husband Caspar Jopling. The announcement was made in an interview with British Vogue in which Goulding, who is 30 weeks pregnant, detailed how she and her husband found out she was pregnant, as well as how the journey has been for her so far.

Actor and singer Mandy Moore, known for her role on “This Is Us,” announced the birth of her son August Harrison Goldsmith on Tuesday via Instagram.

Actors Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, the cast of Marvel’s “Spider-Man” films, each teased the title of the third installment on their social media accounts Tuesday. Each of

them posted different titles, Holland’s being “Spider-Man: Phone Home,” with Zendaya and Batalon’s being “Spider-Man: Home Slice” and “Spider-Man: Home-Wrecker.”

Feb. 24 The official title of Marvel Studio’s next “Spider-Man” film was announced Wednesday.

The third installment of Holland’s “SpiderMan” films will be called “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and is set to be released Dec. 17.

Disneyland’s California Adventure park is offering a new ticket event called “A Touch of Disney.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, tickets to the event are limited and will give guests the opportunity to experience California Adventure’s shops and restaurants, meet characters and take photos, despite the theme park’s rides remaining closed. Tickets go on sale March 4, and the event is set to take place March 18 to April 5.

Tom Holland revealed he won’t be under contract after “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is released Dec. 17. The actor told USA Today that he will plans to time off to travel, an activity he wasn’t able to prior due to safety concerns while filming. Holland has played the web-slinger since “Captain America: Civil War” in 2016 and has appeared in four Marvel films since, along with numerous other projects.

Nickelodeon announced a live-action “The Fairly OddParents” is in the works, as well as a reboot of the “Rugrats” with the original voice cast. Both of these shows will be available on the streaming service Paramount+. It also

announced the launch of Avatar Studios, which will expand the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” universe with the production of series and films.

Singer and actor Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, was shot Wednesday night while out walking the singer’s three dogs: Gustav, Koji and Miss Asia. The gunmen then proceeded to take the French bulldogs, Gustav and Koji, while authorities were able to find Miss Asia.

The condition of the dog walker is currently unknown, according to BBC. Gaga offered a $500,000 reward for the return of her dogs. The singer is currently in Italy to film Ridley Scott’s new film “House of Gucci” alongside Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Jared Leto.

Feb. 25 Actor Ronald Pickup, 80, who was known for his roles in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “The Darkest Hour” and “The Crown,” died. According to a statement made by his agent, which was obtained by BBC, Pickup “passed away peacefully [Feb. 24] after a long illness surrounded by his wife and family. He will be deeply missed.”

Actor Rachel Zegler is set to join the cast of DC Films’ “Shazam: Fury of the Gods.” While the specifics about who Zegler is playing remain under wraps, she tweeted shortly after the news broke, thus confirming her involvement in the film.

Prince Harry made a guest appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” Thursday. The talk show host took the prince

on a double-decker bus tour of Los Angeles, which featured a visit to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” house before Corden challenged him to a military-style obstacle course.

Feb. 26 Singer Justin Bieber announced his sixth studio album, “Justice,” will be released March 19. Bieber said in a series of tweets that his goal for this album “is to make music that will provide comfort, to make songs that people can relate to and connect to so they feel less alone.”

Warner Bros. announced a new Superman movie is in the works and will be produced by JJ Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Super 8”) and written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. However, it is currently unknown if actor Henry Cavill is set to return to his role as Superman.

Singer Billie Eilish released her documentary “The World’s a Little Blurry” on Apple TV. It was directed by R.J. Cutler and is only available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Singer Taylor Swift announced the cancellation of her previously postponed “Lover Fest” tour via a statement made on her Twitter account and Instagram story.

Lady Gaga’s dogs Gustav and Koji were returned to the singer’s team after a woman brought them to the police station. Gaga’s dog walker is currently in stable condition, according to a statement made by the Los Angeles Police Department via Twitter.

MARCH 4 , 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

Beasts of the East: the Brooklyn Nets

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he Brooklyn Nets are on an absolute rampage, winning eight straight games from Feb. 10 to 27. Among these wins come notable victories against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the Los Angeles Clippers.

The team is thriving despite many criticizing the recent trade in which the Nets acquired guard James Harden. Many argued that Harden is a locker room cancer and that he cannot be a part of a winning team because he is a ball hog. However, we have seen just the opposite. Harden is an incredible team player by leading the league in assists with over 11 per game.

The scariest part is that Harden, with three CONOR scoring titles and one MVP, is not even the SJOERDSMA best player on the team. This title is held by two-time NBA Finals MVP and former WRITER league MVP Kevin Durant. The lanky Durant is often considered to be one of the most prolific scorers in history as he can do everything on the offensive end. Additionally, he is a great defensive player because of his size, experience, and hustle.

The next key piece to the Brooklyn Nets offense is six-time NBA All-Star, Kyrie Irving. Despite his recent absence from the team, he is still one of the best point guards in the league. He is possibly the shiftiest ball-handler of all time and he also has an arsenal of mesmerizing finishes around the basket. It is hard to imagine that he wouldn’t be at least the second-best player on any team, but on this stacked roster he is the third in line.

This is why the Brooklyn Nets are the team to beat. The Nets are simply just too versatile on offense for any team to successfully defend. Let’s say that somehow a team hypothetically shuts down Durant. They would then be tasked with slowing down two of the most gifted scoring guards in league history.

While expectations are high for this stacked roster coached by former league MVP Steve Nash, the Nets look to be virtually unstoppable on offense.

Weekly Game Coverage Online on Jackcentral.org 20

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Logo courtesy of the NCAA

Top five March Madne Sean Clark

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ast season, the NCAA Divison I Men’s Basketball Tournament, better known as March Madness, was canceled after the outbreak of COVID-19 across the world shut down all sporting events for the next two months.

As a result, the 2021 tournament will be the first one in two years, making the Virginia Cavaliers the defending champions after winning in 2019.

Before fans are treated to the grand event of March Madness in 2021, here is a look at the top five moments from the NCAA Tournament over the past decade, spanning each tournament from 2010-2019.

5. Trey Burke’s miracle shot helps Michigan defeat Kansas 87-85 in overtime In 2013, the fourth-seeded Michigan Wolverines took on the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16. After Kansas guard Elijah Johnson missed the front end of a one-and-one from the free throw line with 12 seconds left and Kansas leading, 76-73, Michigan had one chance to send the game into overtime. Michigan guard Trey Burke stepped up and launched

a long-range 3-pointer, burying it to send the game into overtime.

Michigan ended up winning 87-85.

Michigan made it all the way to the National Championship game, losing 82-76 to the Louisville Cardinals. What makes this moment so incredible is the tremendous skill it took for Burke to drill the shot over Kansas forward Kevin Young and the amazing comeback by Michigan, which trailed by 14 with 6:30 to go.

Burke’s shot will go down in history as one of the tournament’s all-time greatest.

4. Texas A&M rallies from 12-point deficit in 35 seconds to beat Northern Iowa in double overtime 92-88 “If I was on Northern Iowa, I would quit basketball,” NBA star LeBron James joked after Northern Iowa’s incredible March Madness collapse.

This quote perfectly sums up how heartbreaking Northern Iowa’s meltdown against Texas A&M in the round of 32 of the 2016 tournament was for everyone who witnessed it. With 35 seconds left, 11th seed Northern Iowa led third-seeded Texas A&M, 69-57, a margin that seemed insurmountable. However, without any timeouts to bail them out, Northern Iowa imploded, by committing four turnovers and allowing Texas A&M to score at will. Led by guards Alex Caruso, Danuel House and a relentless

SPORTS Illustration By Jacob Meyer

ess moments of the last decade Aggies defense, Texas A&M did the impossible and rallied to send the game to overtime.

After Northern Iowa failed to finish the Aggies in the first overtime, the Panthers ran out of gas as the Aggies won the game, 92-88, in one of the most catastrophic collapses in sports history.

It ended what was a great season for the Panthers, especially after they beat the Texas Longhorns, 75-72, on a buzzer-beater two days prior. The sheer shock of the collapse is what makes this moment an unforgettable one in the history of the tournament.

3. Wisconsin defeats undefeated Kentucky in the Final Four 71-64 In 2014, guard Aaron Harrison’s 3-pointer with 5.7 seconds left led the Kentucky Wildcats to a 74-73 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Final Four. A year later, the Badgers, with center Frank Kaminsky and forward Sam Dekker among others returning for one more run at a championship, met Kentucky once again in the Final Four. However, Kentucky came in as the favorites with a perfect 38-0 record and a roster featuring future NBA talents Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Wisconsin was not fazed by the star-studded Wildcats and went toe-to-toe with Kentucky. Dekker made his mark on the game with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:41 left to break a 60-60 tie.

Wisconsin held on and got its revenge on Kentucky, winning 7164 and advancing to the National Championship game.

Even though Wisconsin lost two days later against the Duke Blue Devils, 68-63, the Badgers got their revenge against Kentucky and prevented one of the greatest college basketball teams ever assembled to run the table and go 40-0. It was a wellplayed matchup and a classic example of revenge in sports.

2. No. 16 UMBC stuns No. 1 Virginia 74-54 While filling out March Madness brackets, it is typical to immediately fill in the 16 seed losing to the No. 1 seed. Until 2018, a 16-seed had never defeated a No. 1 seed in tournament history.

On March 16, 2018, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County looked to become the first 16-seed to accomplish this feat after the previous 135 teams failed to do so, taking on the juggernaut Virginia Cavaliers in the round of 64. UMBC came out firing from long distance in the second half, dominating Virginia with aggressive defense and pinpoint shooting. UMBC, to the awe of nearly everyone watching, pulled away and defeated Virginia, making history with a resounding 74-54 victory. This game showed that even a top seed in the round of 64 is not safe, and with the Cavaliers eliminated, it shook up the bracket and

made the first weekend of that tournament one of the craziest in the competition’s history. It was a historic and proud moment for underdogs everywhere.

1. Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater wins the national championship for Villanova in 2016 As great as UMBC’s win over Virginia was, the ending of the 2016 national championship game between North Carolina and Villanova is unquestionably the greatest moment of the decade in college basketball. After a thrilling back-and-forth matchup between the two best teams in the tournament, North Carolina guard Marcus Paige hit an off-balance 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left to tie the game at 74. On Villanova’s ensuing possession, point guard Ryan Arcidiacono passed it to forward Kris Jenkins on the perimeter, who drilled the 3-pointer as time expired to give Villanova their second-ever National Championship.

It is only the second buzzer-beater in a national title game — the other coming in 1983 — and the only 3-pointer among the two. It was the perfect culmination of a great battle between two worthy adversaries, and with two amazing shots in the last five seconds, it was the best moment of the decade in March Madness.

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SPORTS

NAU football looks to continue Evan McNelia

N

AU football started its season with a win Feb. 27 thanks to a last-second 34-33 victory over Southern Utah University.

While the Lumberjacks may have wanted to savor the thrilling win, they have now turned their attention to this Saturday’s game at Eastern Washington University. NAU will travel to Cheney, Washington for a 2 p.m. MST kickoff against the Eagles on the famous red turf of Roos Field.

The Eagles are coming off a 28-21 loss to the University of Idaho and are looking for a quick turnaround in a shortened season. The final score of the Feb. 27 game was not the main takeaway, but rather a 22yard field goal attempt.

Early in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 21, Eastern Washington’s redshirt sophomore kicker Seth Harrison lined up to kick for the lead and successfully put the ball through the uprights.

However, the ball hit the wall-attached scoreboard and bounced back onto the field. The official ruled the kick no good, assuming it had bounced off the uprights. In addition to erasing a made fieldgoal, the incorrect call gave Idaho the ball. Idaho would go on to score a touchdown later in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

The Big Sky Conference has come out and issued an apology via Twitter, explaining the play was not reviewable and that the conference is evaluating where officials should be located during kicks.

Despite the loss, Eastern Washington redshirt senior quarterback Eric Barriere played well, throwing the ball 57 times and completing 39 passes for 339 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Eagles, however, only ran the ball 24 times in the game with an abysmal average of 2.7 yards per carry. The Eagles are a pass-first team, which could prove difficult for an NAU secondary that allowed five touchdowns through the air last week.

NAU struggled on the ground against Southern Utah by only finishin with 42 rushing yards. The Lumberjacks may rely on their passing game heavily this week, which will put the spotlight on redshirt senior quarterback Keondre Wudtee after an impressive first start.

Wudtee recorded the second-highest passer efficiency rating in the conference by passing for 252 yards and completing 68% of his passes. Wudtee tossed two touchdowns as well.

The Eagles, led by fourth-year head coach Aaron Best, finished their 2019 season in third place in the Big Sky Conference. Best, who has a 26-13 career record with the Eagles, will face Ball for only the second time. The first matchup saw NAU fall to the Eagles 66-38.

The Lumberjacks could cement themselves as dangerous competition in the Big Sky Conference with a win over the Eagles this week. After a big transfer class and two years of Ball’s recruiting, NAU’s win last week showed glimpses of an explosive team at all phases of the game. The defense was able to block the first extra point of the game, record a safety on a botched punt snap and score off an interception.

On top of that, the offense was able to strike deep through the air. If NAU can maintain the same playmaking ability this upcoming week people can be treated to another Big Sky shootout.

Fans can tune in on Pluto TV Channel 1053.

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Top: Redshirt sophomore defensive back Josh Marsh celebrates after defeating SUU in the last two seconds of the game at Walkup Skydome, Feb. 27. Bottom: The Lumberjacks celebrate with the Grand Canyon trophy after defeating SUU, 34-33.

Brian Burke| The Lumberjack

SPORTS

e strong start in first road game

NORTHERN ARIZONA: 34 | SOUTHERN UTAH: 33

Top left: Freshman defensive back Trejan Apodaca celebrates after NAU’s last-second win, Feb. 27. Top right: Freshman defensive back Kamdan Hightower (2) races down the field to score a touchdown on an interception return, Feb. 27. Bottom left: Offensive line coach Bob Connelly speaks to his position group after a quick three-down possession, Feb. 27. Bottom right: Redshirt freshman running back Jeiel Stark (21) breaks a tackle from an SUU defender, Feb. 27. Brian Burke| The Lumberjack

MARCH 4, 2021 – MARCH 10, 2021 | THE LUMBERJACK

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