Candidate information on page10
WWW.THEOAKLEAFNEWS.COM Issue 5, Vol. CXXXIII, April 6, 2015
SRJC will miss Nick Anast
Students mourn loss of beloved instructor JoshuOne Barnes and Faith Gates Investigative Reporter and Managing Editor Beloved Santa Rosa Junior College life sciences instructor Nick Anast devoted his life to teaching his students to use compassion to treat the person and not the condition. Anast died during a kayaking accident in Tomales Bay March 18. Anast, 55, grew up in Southern California; he attended SRJC before transferring to Sonoma State University and then UC Berkeley. He taught at Casa Grande High School and Napa Valley College before coming to SRJC in 2005. He was a fourth-degree black belt after doing Aikido for almost 30 years and loved to travel the world. Anast is survived by his 9-year-old son Cooper. “He was the most loving, accepting person I’ve ever met in my life,” said SRJC student Michael Moore, who took Anast’s class last semester. “He was the absolute best teacher I’ve ever had in my life. Everyone that was in his class became better people because of it,” Moore said. Marin County Sheriff ’s Lt. Doug Pittman said Anast, an avid outdoorsman, was kayaking with a friend when he fell into the water in Tomales Bay in Marin County. Efforts to pull Anast from the water were unsuccessful. A news helicopter spotted Anast
JoshuOne Barnes/Oak Leaf
Life sciences instructor Nick Anast teaching about brains at SRJC Day Under the Oaks in May 2014.
SRJC baseball team loses streak
After a seven game winning streak, the SRJC baseball team loses two straight games to Consumnes River College.
SPORTS, Page 8
in the water at around 6 p.m. He was dead when the Coast Guard reached him. “Nick gave his whole heart in his teachings,” said SRJC student Kellee Ziegler, who had Anast as her physiology instructor. “This was his true passion. He was inspiring, uplifting and he lived what he taught. He was a free spirit that loved life.” Ziegler said she will be forever thankful to Anast and her heart goes out to his family. “I had never met a teacher who was so impassioned, so energetic, so hilarious, and yet, could be all of these things while teaching a complex and vast subject,” said SRJC nursing student Rebecca Hildebrandt. “Nevertheless, he embodied all of these great characteristics, and he pulled it off seemingly effortlessly.” Dawn Michelle Tucker, a nursing student in her last year in the program, said she and her classmates posted on social media to comfort each other after finding out about the loss. Tucker said they are sad, devastated and shocked about losing Anast, whom she called an awesome person. Photo courtesy of The Press Democrat “His passion and curiosity for the natural Nick Anast and SRJC student Aaron Karres working in the Mahoney Library on the Petaluma campus world was totally inspiring and infectious,” in September 2010, putting together the skeleton of the giraffe “Fresno” from Safari West. Tucker said. “He worked tirelessly to lead his students through some of the toughest classes While in the Dominican Republic, Anast’s class, he would have everyone get up at the JC with compassion and determination.” Hildebrandt was thrilled to use what Anast and stretch. He would tell everyone to send That sentiment was echoed by dozens taught her. out good energy to those around. Moore of former students on the website “Nick had also taught us about the power said Anast would tell the class he would be ratemyinstructor.com, a site where of love, of touch and of their roles in healing. sending out good energy to them that night students can compare notes about their I made sure to include that while I was there,” and to look for it. teachers. Comments like “He was the Hildebrandt said. “I thought of Nick’s lessons “He just loved everybody,” Moore said. best teacher I ever had,” “most amazing” to us when I did this, and my eyes welled up Buffo echoed saying she felt his vibe, that he and “life-changing,” affirm how popular more than once when I remembered I’d never loved life and had love for others. the instructor was and how sorely he will get to share what I’d done with him.” SRJC student Erin Lydia organized be missed. Anast was teaching Biology 2.2 this a memorial beach bonfire gathering honoring Hildebrandt took Anast’s Human semester and Susan Wilson has taken over Anast March 21 on Limantour Beach in Physiology class last his class. Point Reyes. SRJC will hold a celebration of semester and kept in SRJC student Taylor Nick Anast’s life April 26 at 11 a.m. on the contact with him ever Buffo was in Anast’s Burbank/Analy lawn. “He was the absolute best since. Hildebrandt was class this semester. She “He was an awesome, awesome guy, and life teacher I’ve ever had in able to take a trip to the said Anast boosted her is fragile,” Tucker said. my life. Everyone that Dominican Republic to confidence to continue Grief counselors are on hand to help was in his class became work at a clinic and Anast nursing. students and faculty mourning the loss of the better people because of it.” donated money for h e r “A couple days into inspirational instructor. trip because of his love for spring break I wanted The 17-foot tall giraffe skeleton, “Fresno,” traveling the world. She met to go to class because I in the SRJC Mahoney library in Petaluma will -Michael Moore, SRJC with him March 16, only missed him. I was driving forever be a reminder of Anast as he took an student two days before he died. in the car when I heard entire summer to clean and assemble it before “When we finally the news and my heart donating it to SRJC. wrapped up our conversation about my dropped,” she said. “We came back to class “The saddest part was that so many students upcoming trip, I added, ‘In case I die, you were and you could just feel the mood. It’s been a will miss out on his class,” Moore said. an awesome teacher and a great friend, Nick,’ really difficult transition.” Hildebrandt once asked Anast why we miss I called to him. I could hear him laughing as Upon returning from spring break, people when they die, to which he responded, the door clicked shut behind me. I chuckled counselors were brought into class to talk “People aren’t just bodies. I believe they are to myself as I walked to my car,” Hildebrandt about the situation. Buffo said there were a lot souls too, and I think we are forgetting about said. “Little did I know that would be the last of tears. the role that love plays in this whole scenario. time I would see him.” Moore and Buffo both said an hour into That can’t be underestimated.”
Student Health Services benefits Student Health Services Center urges SRJC students to utilize free health resources.
FEATURES, Page 13
A life changes in a day An average day, forgettable to most, stands out among all other days of the year when a loved one abruptly passes away.
OPINION, Page 16
Petaluma Cinema Series continues
Petaluma Cinemas Series shows “Almost There,” depicting an elderly painter with a dark past.
A&E, Page 17