As the one-year anniversary of the October 2023 PCH crash approaches, important changes are happening on PCH. This, while loved ones reflect on the what the past year has meant to them without Deslyn Williams, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart and Asha Weir.
With the November election just around the corner, the Graphic highlights important races and a guide to voting locally.
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor Design by Betsy Burrow | Lead Designer
p c o m i n g e v e n t s . . .
Oct. 11-14
Fall Break
The Pepperdine community has a four-day break from classes to rest and recuperate.
Oct. 17
Women’s Volleyball vs. Saint Mary’s Cheer on the Women’s Volleyball team as they compete against Saint Mary’s in Firestone Fieldhouse at 6 p.m.
Good News: It’s good to reconnect with family
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
Growing up, every holiday took place at my grandparents’ house in Stockton, Calif. — halfway between my cousins and I.
The drive from my hometown to my cousins’ is three hours, but with busy schedules, this drive was rarely made. This left Thanksgiving and Christmas to be the only times our family was reunited.
Stick-or-Treat
Oct. 24 Correction:
The Pepperdine community is invited to SWAB’s annual flu shot clinic. There will be a ramen food truck, merch for the first 100 people, games and a raffle.
In the August 19 issue of the Graphic the date of the expected completion of The Mountain was incorrect. The Mountain is expected to be complete during the fall 2026 semester.
Yet, this all changed this summer, when my dad decided to move back to the Central Valley where he grew up. Soon enough, my grandma would move there too, putting our entire family within a 15-minute drive of one another.
Before I knew it, my dad and I were stopping by their houses to drop off items or baking a cake to bring to family dinner — concepts that were unfamiliar to me throughout my childhood.
As we blow out each additional candle on the cake, it is scary to be told tall tales about this “real world” and all that it possesses. Growing up is scary, and it is easy to feel like you’re “too old” or that it is “too late” for certain things.
Yet, through the past four months, I have come to learn that it is truly never too late for anything.
I spent my summer with many obligations, but the best thing that came from it was
exploring the connection with my family I was never able to growing up.
At a birthday celebration for my dad, my cousin Jeremy and I played guitar together while my uncle Jim instructed us, who is just a baton short of being considered a music conductor.
As the Olympic games were beginning, my cousin Elizabeth and I exchanged a quick look when my dad mentioned watching the opening ceremony — our minds were both greeted with the memory of my dad forcing us to watch it in 2012, which we still joke about to this day.
I was presented with a list of new coffee shops to try by my cousin Cameron, who shares the same love for coffee as I do. My dad and I made it our mission to find the best
Caught you fizzin’!
“Pepperdine Graphic Media (PGM) is an editorially independent student news organization that focuses on Pepperdine University and the surrounding communities. PGM consists of the digital and print Graphic, a variety of special publications, GNews, Currents Magazine, social media platforms and an Advertising Department. These platforms serve the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion. PGM strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. PGM participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service. Although PGM reports about Pepperdine University and coordinates with curricula in journalism and other disciplines, it is a student (not a University) news organization. Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.”
iced vanilla latte with oat milk in town.
Aside from discovering this new connection with my family, this gave my dad and I a chance to seek out new things. Whether it was walking through the Friday night farmer’s market or walking through my dad’s old high school, this summer allowed us to explore a new area together.
Being so far apart in age and distance, it was easy for me to overlook the possibility of my cousins and I having a close relationship throughout my adolescence. Yet, what I came to learn this summer is that it truly never is too late.
amanda.monahan@pepperdine.edu
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Address: Student Publications Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu, CA 90263
Photo courtesy of Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor Amanda Monahan (middle) with her grandparents as a baby in June 2006. Monahan discovered an even deeper connection with her family this summer.
Pepperdine drops to No. 80 in rankings
Rachel Flynn News Editor
The U.S. News & World Report released their 2025 list for Best National University Rankings on Sept. 23. Kendra Killpatrick, senior associate dean of Seaver College, explains Pepperdine’s ranking and how Seaver College is addressing ranking measures.
Christian mission and academic excellence are the twin pillars Pepperdine clings to despite Pepperdine’s recent drop in U.S. News & World Report ranking, said Kendra Killpatrick, senior associate dean of Seaver College and professor of Mathematics.
Pepperdine is committed to bettering students’ education through a variety of high-impact practices, Killpatrick said. Despite the U.S. News & World Report changing their measuring system in 2023 for determining the Best National University Ranking, Pepperdine is not all too concerned with improving their ranking just to move up in number.
“They’re [U.S. News & World Report] not the only measure,” Killpatrick said. “There’s lots of things that a U.S. News & World Report can’t measure about a school.”
Last Year’s Ranking
When the U.S. News & World Report released their 2023-24 rankings, it was calculated by a new set of measurements, according to previous Graphic reporting. Pepperdine dropped 21 spots from No. 55 in 2022-23 to No. 76 in 202324.
The research category carried more weight in calculating ranking, according to the U.S. News & World Report. Citations per publication and citation impact began influencing ranking.
“We rank lower on the research metrics, which I think is what you would expect when we focus on teaching,” Killpatrick said.
This Year’s Ranking
This year, Pepperdine dropped again, this time a smaller drop from No. 76 to No. 80 out of 436 national universities. Again, the measurements changed ever so slightly to drop first-generation graduation rates and first-generation graduation rate performance, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
However, in reality it’s a one-ranking drop. Universities that tie in rankings aren’t assigned a consecutive number, rather they are grouped together in a ranking, Killpatrick said. In this year’s U.S. News &
World Ranking Report, California Institute of Technology, Duke University, John Hopkins University and Northwestern University all tied for No. 6 in Best National University Rankings. The next ranking spot is recorded at No. 10 with University of Pennsylvania.
Last year and this year, Pepperdine tied with four schools, Killpatrick said. Following last year’s ranking the universities tied with include: Clemson University, Rutgers University and University of Illinois, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
None of the schools below us have catapulted over Pepperdine, since last year’s ranking, Killpatrick said. However, schools below us have since tied with us.
“It’s all pretty stationary,” Killpatrick said. “You know, people move a little bit, but not a lot.”
Prior to this year, first-generation students receiving the Pell Grant carried a 2.5% weight in the rating, according to the U.S. News & World Report. The graduation performance of first-generation Pell Grant recipients was tracked and calculated as a percentage adding and slightly increasing Pepperdine’s rating. However, since a universal definition of first-generation students does not exist, this rating component was dropped, Killpatrick said.
Since identifying oneself as a first-generation student is self-reported data, the U.S. News & World Report no
Art by Sarah Rietz | Staff Artist
longer includes it as a measure in its ranking.
Killpatrick characterizes this as a “negligible change.”
“When you go up a little, you go down a little,” Killpatrick said.
An area Pepperdine experienced a drop is in the first-year retention rate. This measures first-years enrolled from one fall to the next on a four-year average, Killpatrick said.
“We dropped out a class in the four-year average that had a 91% retention rate, and then our most recent class that was pulled in had a 86% rate,” Killpatrick said.
The 91% retention rate belongs to the 2018 cohort, Killpatrick said. The 86% retention rate belongs to the 2022 cohort.
Breaking Down the Data and Finding Trends
Over the years, Killpatrick said she’s worked on breaking down the data and locating any trends and patterns she finds. So far, there hasn’t been anything consistent enough to act upon, she said.
“It’s nothing that holds from year to year,” Killpatrick said.
Her team searches by gender, ethnicity, athletics, international students, distance from campus and financial aid, she said.
Since Pepperdine’s drop in U.S. World & News Report 2023 ranking, Seaver hasn’t made any drastic changes to
Killpatrick said.
Schools can receive 5% of their ranking from incoming students’ SAT and ACT scores, but that requires a high percentage of students submitting their scores in order to be counted for this percentage, Killpatrick said. Pepperdine doesn’t receive enough submitted test scores to be counted.
Ranking Categories
Pepperdine is Excelling in
In the Pell Grant graduation rate category, Pepperdine ranked No. 47 and Pepperdine’s overall graduation rate is ranked at No. 58, Killpatrick said. The financial resources per student which calculates how much of the budget is going to student’s experiences is ranked at No. 60, Killpatrick said. Pepperdine ranks No. 11 in study abroad programs and No. 45 in best undergraduate teaching, according to the U.S. World & News Report.
Addressing the Communities’ Concerns
keep up with the new measures introduced, Killpatrick said.
Understanding the Ranking
Since the U.S. World & News Report measurement changed last year, they moved away from school reported data to publicly available data, Killpatrick said. Pepperdine excelled in the category of small class sizes because it was self reported, otherwise class size data is not publicly available.
Pepperdine has stayed consistent in prioritizing its 13 to 1 ratio of faculty to student, according to Pepperdine’s website. That is hard to find at larger research schools with grant supported faculty who are teaching large lecture hall classes, Killpatrick said.
“We have committed to looking at the metrics that we have always looked at and making sure that those metrics, the ones that really measure the undergraduate experience, are not changing,” Killpatrick said.
Each year, Pepperdine ensures they stay at this 13 to 1 ratio, Killpatrick said.
It was brought to her attention, following the ranking release, in a meeting with the Student Government Association that upperclassmen worried the drop was a result of the incoming class, Killpatrick said.
“There’s nothing in the rankings that measures the quality of the incoming class,”
Killpatrick said she encourages any students or community members concerned about the fall in ranking to focus on the student experience instead.
“What is the hallmark of a Seaver education?” Killpatrick said. “It is small class size. It is academic excellence. It’s commitment to the Christian mission. It is strong student faculty relationships.”
From this perspective, Pepperdine isn’t changing, Killpatrick said.
Pepperdine isn’t interested in changing its identity to fit a certain standard, but Killpatrick said they are always looking at ways they can improve college education.
“The rankings are one measure of a school’s experience for undergraduates, but it is not the only measure,” Killpatrick said.
It’s hard for the U.S. News & World Report to measure the standard that Pepperdine has set for itself, Killpatrick said. A measurement that looks at the number of students engaged in undergraduate research, internships and other important high impact practices, Killpatrick said.
“We care about it because we want the students that we bring here to stay here,” Killpatrick said.
Areas that Pepperdine is looking at improving include academic measures and retention ratings, but the focus isn’t just to improve a ranking, but to benefit student’s academic experience, Killpatrick said.
Bohm appears in court for Oct. PCH crash
Gabrielle Salgado Managing Editor
The L.A. County Superior Court will continue the preliminary hearing process Nov. 13 in the case of the October 2023 PCH crash that killed four Pepperdine students — Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.
Fraser Michael Bohm, the driver who struck and killed the four students Oct. 17, 2023, appeared in court Wednesday morning, along with an entourage of about 20 people — including his parents and sister. Niamh’s parents, Tracy and David Rolston, also sat inside the courtroom for the proceeding.
Bohm faces four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Bohm pleaded not guilty on all charges after being released on $4 million bail Oct. 27, 2023.
Wednesday’s proceeding comes after Bohm did not appear in court for the Aug. 28 preliminary hearing. Judge Diego Edber required Bohm to appear in-person Wednesday.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Edber said he received a letter from Bohm’s defense attorney, Michael Kraut, earlier in the week. In the letter, Kraut asked for the court to be recused, with concerns of fair-
The L.A. County Superior Court continued the preliminary hearing process in the case of the Oct. 2023 PCH crash Wednesday morning at the Van Nuys West Courthouse. Bohm appeared in court with family members and friends.
ness to a preliminary hearing.
Kraut responded, saying he did not ask Edber to be recused from the case, but rather is concerned about discriminatory action and made a motion to request discovery of evidence.
The cause for discrimination was members of news media in the courtroom, Kraut said. He claimed the court did not properly notify him about press being present in the courtroom during previous appearances.
Edber said there is no evidence of discriminatory action and denied the discovery request.
At the Aug. 28 preliminary hearing, Kraut motioned for the discovery of additional evidence — crashes where the driver was charged with murder with no foreign substances in their system as well as the fatality reports on PCH from the past 10 years in areas patrolled by the Lost Hills Sheriff’s De-
partment.
Kraut said Bohm has never received a traffic citation and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.
The Court will reconvene Nov. 13 for a preliminary hearing at the Van Nuys Courthouse.
The trial is expected to begin in January 2025. Kraut said he may not be able to commit to any January date due to ac-
Families of the four girls and Carlos Solloa, a Pepperdine senior who was injured in the crash, filed individual lawsuits nearly one year after the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) collision that took the lives of four Pepperdine seniors, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.
These lawsuits were filed separately, some with different firms, but all asking for the same outcome, Alex Behar, the attorney of one of the lawsuits said.
“This is a call to action that we are not going to stand for this any longer,” Behar said.
The lawsuits, filed by the families, argue that the State of California, the Los Angeles County, City of Malibu, Caltrans and the California Coastal Commission are negligent for the collision that occurred Oct. 17, 2023.
The families of the four girls argue that as a direct result of the unwillingness to fix and acknowledge the dangers of
PCH, they suffered injury, loss of companionship, wrongful death, expenses and financial support of those who passed, the lawsuits state.
The families argue that the defendants were aware of the dangers of PCH and specifically the 0.8 mile stretch where the collision occurred, known as, “Deadman’s Curve,” long before the accident.
In 2015, the city of Malibu allocated $28 million for safety improvements on PCH. To date, only seven of these measures have been completed, according to the lawsuit.
This proposed safety plan acknowledges that the city has recognized these issues, and had not moved forward with renovation, Behar said.
“What the study just continues to reiterate, for decades,” Behar said, “Is just the knowledge that the state actors have had of the problems with this roadway.”
Caltrans declined to comment on the lawsuits filed. The City of Malibu declined an interview request and shared their statement on the lawsuit filings acknowledging their
support and continual fight to see change on PCH.
“The City of Malibu remains committed to collaborating with state and county agencies to expedite necessary safety improvements,” a portion of the City of Malibu Statement reads. “We have continuously supported enforcement efforts to reduce speeding and reckless driving along PCH and will continue to push for further safety enhancements to protect both pedestrians and drivers.”
These lawsuits are meant
to make a lasting change on the dangerous roadway, Behar said.
Michel Shane, who lost his daughter, Emily Shane to a speeding driver on PCH in Malibu in 2010, said he chose not to file a lawsuit because the risk was too high.
If we lost the lawsuit to the state, then we would be responsible for the costs, Shane said.
Lawsuits of this nature can take anywhere from 18 months to three years to be settled, Behar said.
“Going through the trial is
going to be emotionally draining,” Shane said. “But on the other side, maybe having the lawsuit will give you strength and hope that the deaths weren’t for nothing, and that’s really what it comes down to.”
jenna.parsio@pepperdine.edu
Oct. 2023 PCH crash
Photo by Jenna Parsio | Guest Contributor
Malibu City Council Member Paul Grisanti displays his truck in the parking lot on PCH and Webb Way. Signs such as these are seen up and down the highway encouraging drivers to slow down.
Best friends remember their sisters
Nina Fife Head Podcast Producer & Assistant Sports Editor
Editor’s Note: The Graphic chose to refer to Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams as girls. While they all were over the age of 18, the Graphic chose to use the term girls because “our girls” is how the community has lovingly referred to them.
It has almost been a year since the Oct. 17 crash claimed the lives of four Pepperdine students – Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams. Those closest to the girls who are still on campus said their lives have never been the same since.
“Every corner of campus and every spot in Malibu was a reminder of the life we had with her and the life we lost,” wrote Mackenzie Thomas, Asha’s sorority little sister and senior Alpha Phi member, in a statement she shared with the Graphic.
The past year has been full of grief and healing for several of the girls’ friends. Many of them said they have found ways to honor their friends through daily routines, special items or music.
Charlie Robinson, Peyton’s sorority little sister and senior Alpha Phi member, said she has adopted a tea routine.
“I started drinking tea, which I used to not like tea, but I’ll turn on a show or read a book and drink my tea. And I’m like, wait, this is such a Peyton thing to do,” Robinson said.
Hannah Allen, senior Alpha Phi member, said Deslyn was her best friend. The pair spent every day together, and Allen was the last person Deslyn talked to before the crash happened.
Memories of Deslyn can be seen all throughout Allen’s apartment. After the crash, Allen said Deslyn’s parents allowed her closest friends to have some of her things. Allen has two of Deslyn’s bedroom lamps, a majority of her wardrobe and uses her ottoman as a coffee table.
Some of Allen’s most cherished memories with Deslyn were the little moments when the two would sit on Allen’s balcony and talk about their lives and futures. The day after Deslyn died, Allen taped a postcard on the chair Deslyn
would always sit in labeled “Deslyn’s Chair.”
“It’s just always been a thing where it’s her chair, and no one could sit in it other than me,” Allen said. “If she were here, she’d be sitting here.”
Many wear jewelry to remind them of their sisters.
Georgia Puckett, senior Alpha Phi member, wears one of Deslyn’s necklaces and emerald earrings for Asha’s birthstone. Allen wears a necklace with a ‘D’ on it.
Thomas said she found her necklace on Lana Del Rey’s website, with the letters standing for the artist’s song “A&W,” which is supposed to stand for “American Whore.”
“It is so funny, because that was like nothing what Asha was like at all,” Thomas said. “But I feel like sometimes, just like wearing this necklace, it makes me feel like she’s closer.”
Music is a main source of comfort for Thomas to feel connected to Asha, she said. Asha was one of the biggest Taylor Swift fans and would always make Thomas listen to her songs; despite Thomas’ dislike of the artist at first.
Thomas said before Asha died, she compiled a playlist of a bunch of Swift’s songs for Thomas and even gave Thomas a list as to why she added each song. Asha convinced Thomas to give the playlist a try, because she believed Thomas could relate to the lyrics.
“Now, I make it a point every day to take some time to just listen to those songs. And when I do, I can feel her presence around me—bouncing, singing, and telling me, with all her joy, how amazing this music is. It’s like she’s still there,
sharing the moments with me, her spirit alive in every lyric and melody,” Thomas wrote.
The friends also said they use pictures to remember their sisters daily. Whether they are in their apartments or their camera rolls, their friends said these images can serve as a source of comfort for them.
“I have a picture in my car of us two at formal together,” Alpha Phi President Hannah Schendel said of her and Niamh. “It’s a reminder of her.”
Schendel said every time she looks at the picture, she is reminded to drive safe and be grateful for the life she has.
As Oct. 17 approaches this year, there are many services of remembrance that will occur that day. Alpha Phi will have a private service, but will also have a flower bouquet and letter writing event before the
University puts on their own service. Schendel said the City of Malibu is also planning to host a memorial service at the Ghost Tires Memorial site.
nina.fife@pepperdine.edu
Bridget Thompson reflects a year later
Editor’s note: Bridget Thompson was a sorority sister and close friend of the four Pepperdine students who lost their lives in the Oct. 17, 2023 PCH crash. Since then, Thompson has been an advocate for increased PCH safety measures. The Graphic invited her to contribute the following piece.
It’s been a year without you and my heart still feels just as empty. The day I lost you, I lost four huge pieces of my heart. I lost my everything. Life without my best friends is a life without the brightest lights this world has ever seen. Life without Deslyn is a life without my confidence on the days I’m feeling insecure. Life without Asha is a life without peace on my hard days. Life without Niamh is a life without the shoulder I always cried on. Life without Peyton is a life without the person who always picked me up when I was
down. Life without you is a life without the girls I turned to in every situation, good and bad. I miss all the perfect things you brought to this world. I miss waking up to your smiles every morning. I miss couch time. I miss your laughs, I miss your smiles, I miss your advice and when you told me exactly what I needed to hear. I miss everything that you four were. A year has gone by and I still can’t understand how you’re not here. Every day, I try to be a little more like you four were. I try to be loyal and confident like Deslyn. I try to be wise and gentle like Asha. I try to be joyful and kind like Niamh. I try to be driven and selfless like Peyton. I try to be exactly who you were — because the world needs you. The world needs Deslyn Williams, Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart. Looking back at the amazing years I spent with you it’s hard not to cry, but it’s even harder not to smile. The memories we made will last a
lifetime. I will hold on to them until I don’t have to anymore, until we meet again. I can’t believe I was lucky enough to wake up to your smiles every morning and go to bed to the sound of your goodnights every night. So although I may seem unlucky to have lost you, I’m so lucky — lucky to have known you and even more lucky to have been loved by you.
Deslyn, Asha, Niamh and Peyton, I miss you more than words can say. I will never figure out how to live a life without you. My heart is so broken but I’m still doing everything for you sweet girls. I hope I’m making you proud. I will never stop fighting for you, and I will never let you die in vain. The angels are so lucky to have you. I can’t wait to see you again. You are forever my everything, and I will always carry you with me wherever I go. I love you, with everything in me. The most perfect souls I’ve ever known, you’re so greatly missed.
Senior Alpha Phi members Katia Steadman (left) and Mackenzie Thomas (right) pose for a picture with Asha Weir (middle). Asha was Steadman and Thomas’ sorority big sister.
Photo courtesy of Bridget Thompson Bridget Thompson (far right) poses with her sorority sisters (left to right) Coco Crandall, Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Deslyn Williams and Aubrey Lewis. Weir, Rolston, Stewart and Williams tragically lost their lives in a fatal PCH crash last October.
Bridget Thompson Guest Contributor
Photo courtesy of Hannah Allen Hannah Allen and Deslyn Williams hug overlooking the ocean.
Art by Skyler Hawkins Former Creative Director
Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Thomas
History of PCH’s many controversies
Emily Chase Former Staff Writer
Editor’s note: Emily Chase graduated in April and is a former staff member of the Graphic. The reporting and writing of this story was complete before graduation.
Malibu provides a scenic backdrop of the Pacific Ocean coastline to problems like speeding, lawsuits, land use and maintaining rurality. Ben Marcus, Malibu Times writer and local historian, said the coastal paradise is not just a hot tourist destination but a place filled with chaos and controversy since its beginnings.
“Call it, ‘21 Miles of Controversy,’” Marcus said. “There’s been a lot of controversy right now because of all the accidents and death, but the controversy goes back more than a hundred years with a lot of court cases to complete the last link in the Roosevelt Highway.”
The Founding Family
Starting in the 1880s, Frederick Hastings Rindge arrived in Malibu from Boston and purchased all the land stretching from where Duke’s Malibu is today, up to the current location of the seaside restaurant Neptune’s Net, according to the book “Images of America Malibu” by Marcus. Frederick Rindge and his wife, Rhoda “May,” settled their family in Malibu and developed their own little haven.
In 1907, after patriarch Frederick Rindge died in 1905, the 13,300 acres of what is now Pacific Coast Highway, better known as PCH, belonged to the family and was heavily sought after by the state of California for over a decade, Marcus shared. The state desired the highway’s prime location next to the coast and potential to become a major roadway for travel, Marcus said.
Frederick Rindge’s dying wish, according to Marcus’ research, was to protect the land he bought for his family, and with his passing, Rhoda Rindge was doing everything she could to fulfill that desire.
David K. Randall, author of “The King and Queen of Malibu,” said Rhoda Rindge was a fighter, and one cannot understand PCH without understanding her fight.
“She [Mrs. Rindge] was willing to sacrifice what would be the equivalent of a billion dollar fortune in today’s money for her dream,” Randall said. “PCH is one of the symbols of Southern California, but it has a tragic backstory.”
Federal agents tried writing Rhoda Rindge checks to buy the land, Marcus said, but she ripped them up in retaliation.
Agents tried paying visits to her home in Malibu, Marcus
A collage of news headlines announcing the biggest controversies in Malibu from the 1930s to 2010s, including the Malibu Times. L.A. Times was the primary source of news for residents in Malibu before The Malibu Times, and it was first published in 1946.
said, but Rhoda Rindge pulled a gun on the agents who paid her a visit, demanding they remove themselves from her property.
Rindge even went as far as to blow up the access road to her property to ensure no one could trespass on her property, according to “The King and Queen of Malibu.”
In 1923, one of the many lawsuits Rhoda Rindge filed finally made it to the Supreme Court, Marcus said. The federal court was not as much concerned about the financial gains but about the “access to beauty,” Marcus revealed, and Rhoda Rindge was left to fight the battle.
“The Supreme Court case argument wasn’t entirely interstate commerce, or traffic/public transit, she [Rhoda Rindge] was denying the public access to beauty,” Marcus said. “Access to beauty is a pretty weird Supreme Court argument, but it worked, and she ultimately lost, and that was the beginning of the end.”
Highway of Hell
Rhoda Rindge lost the Supreme Court case, and the state began constructing the Roosevelt Highway until its official opening June 29, 1929, according to the L.A. Times issue published that day.
“For the first time in more than a century, the general public was today given access to the scenic wonders of the famous Malibu Ranch,” the L.A. Times wrote.
That excitement for the highway was short lived, wrote James Cain, author of Vanity Fair’s “The Widow’s Mite.” A fire broke out from defective wiring at house No. 83 right next to the highway Oct. 26, 1929, Cain said. The fire de-
stroyed 29 houses in total.
The pain did not stop there for Malibu residents, or the whole country for that matter, as two days later the Stock Market crashed, according to the Federal Reserve History.
After fires, crashes and lawsuits, the Roosevelt Highway was up and running, but now the Great Depression was setting in, and Marcus said the war years were arriving quickly.
WWII on the California Coast
During World War II, Malibu was by no means to be an exception to the war effort.
The historic Adamson House — which belonged to the Rindge family before transferring ownership to the state of California — and the Malibu Pier, which opened to the public in 1935, were used as U.S. Coast Guard bases from 1942 to 1945, according to “Images of America Malibu.”
All of Malibu suffered the consequences of war, including a lack of safety. In February 1942, Los Angeles invoked a citywide blackout in response to a warning about a potential Japanese attack, according to History. This blackout included people driving at night and with that followed the potential dangers that come with driving on PCH, Marcus said.
Per Contra and Parallels of Past and Present
The once grass, rancho setting is gone, and the Rindge family is no longer reigning. Malibu gained its city status in 1991, according to the city’s demographic page on their website.
From WWII until today, though, not much has changed in the way residents take pride
2” (2010), “The Big Short” (2015) and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019), among others.
Aside from the prime filming location and glamorous lifestyles of Malibu residents today, Marcus said the same concerns that plagued Malibu in the past affect the city today.
“People still drive like idiots here,” Marcus said. “Lawsuits over property are still present. Like, the guitarist from U2 — he’s spent 14 years in a legal battle trying to build on land and lost just like Rindge did.”
Amidst lawsuits, safety or concern for the community, mudslides, floods and fires, one thing remains constant: PCH’s backstory is filled with controversy and tragedy, both Marcus and Randall agreed.
in their land, despite the growing Malibu population, Malibu Mayor Steve Uhring said.
“People are still very protective of their neighborhoods,” Uhring said. “Ordinances are in place to protect them.”
Ordinances like the Dark Sky Ordinance seem very reminiscent of war time in Malibu, Marcus thought aloud — severe safety concerns and all.
Marcus said the parallels further continue in the entertainment industry with Malibu’s status as a hot movie star hangout and prominent filming location.
The movies filmed in Malibu before, during and after WWII became so popular that 20th Century Fox decided to open their own ranch on Malibou Lake in 1958, according to “Images of America Malibu.”
Today, the location of the former ranch is now part of the California State Parks company, but Malibu itself, PCH and the surrounding beaches are still being used as filming locations to bring entertainment to the masses with films like “The Notebook” (2004), “Iron Man
“I think the biggest issue is that the road, in many ways, should have never been built,” Randall said. “It’s dangerous, too narrow and too susceptible to elements. You could make an argument that all of Malibu would be much better suited to be a national park, as May Rindge once proposed.”
Whether it’d be a national park, a rural neighborhood or a tourist-attracting city, Malibu’s PCH will forever remain, “the most iconic ribbon of asphalt,” in California, according to Route Magazine.
emily.chase@pepperdine.edu
Infographics by Emily Chase | Former Staff Writer
Strides taken but still so far to go on PCH
Rachel Flynn News Editor
There isn’t one tool that will fix the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
The City of Malibu has taken strides with progress made on the traffic synchronization project that is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and the signage of SB 1297 bill by Gov. Gavin Newsom. This bill grants Malibu permission to install five speed cameras along PCH, according to the city’s website. It’s a start, but there’s still an overwhelming feeling that there’s still so much to be done.
“And I don’t know that any one thing is going to be the key to unlock the door for that,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said.
Traffic Synchronization Project
The undergroundings that will make up the traffic synchronization project, are expected to be completed in December, Councilmember Paul Grisanti said.
The city is looking into replacing metal standard poles with new ones, Grisanti said.
The standards are the metal poles seen arching over the
traffic lights that allow the fiber-optic cables to run through the lights, Grisanti said.
The traffic lights will get cameras monitored by CalTrans. The new system will include timers with the ability to be monitored from a distance.
The traffic lights will no longer require service workers to come out every time there is an issue with the timer, Grisanti said.
With the new traffic synchronization system, the lights will be set on a timer for a specific speed, Grisanti said.
“It just means that you’re going to get to the next light, and it’s going to be red for a while,” Grisanti said. “While everybody you passed is going to catch up to you.”
It’s taken seven years since the city applied for the traffic synchronization project to be approved by CalTrans, Stewart said.
“It’s a multi-tool toolbox,” Stewart said about the traffic synchronization project and the speeding camera bill passed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It’s taken years despite the city providing the funding, Stewart said.
SB1297 Bill Permitting Usage of Speed Cameras
Newsom signed into order
SB 1297 allowing Malibu the usage of five speeding cameras Sept. 27, according to the City of Malibu website.
“I think my eyes welled up in tears when I heard that it passed,” Captain Jennifer Seetoo, of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department. “Just true excitement.”
The bill contains quite a few hurdles that the city is working to comply with, but it’s going to take time, Stewart said. It takes time to get permits and proposals for the cameras, Stewart said. The city is moving as quickly as possible sending out their first request for proposals last week.
“And it’s not that we don’t have the money,” Stewart said. “We’ve got the money allocat-
ed for the initial work.”
In the next 30 to 60 days, the city will be receiving proposals from companies to sign a contract with, Grisanti said. The money has already been set aside by the council for the cameras, but they will likely need to hold a special council meeting once there is a contract they are serious about signing, Grisanti said.
We got to solve the problem. We’d love for a speed camera at every intersection.
Jennifer Seetoo
Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department Captain
“We are further actually further along in the process than the people who were authorized to do this in the original legislation,” Grisanti said.
Realistically, Stewart said he believes the cameras will be implemented in the second or third quarter of next year.
Some of the capabilities Grisanti said the council is looking for in the new cameras is license plate readers and a 360-degree view. This wouldn’t just be helpful in identifying speeders but criminals passing through Malibu, Grisanti said.
Beverly Hills has already implemented these license plate reader cameras on their streets and have been able to stop criminals, Grisanti said.
Camera with the 360-degree angle would be able to read cars in northbound and southbound lanes, Grisanti said.
“The objective is to get people to obey the law,” Grisanti said. “It’s not to crank out more tickets.”
With the implementation
of speeding cameras will come sign postage communicating to drivers that they are entering a city monitored by photo radars.
“If people get used to the idea that if they’re coming to Malibu, they’d better mind their p’s and q’s, maybe they will actually do so,” Grisanti said.
Seetoo said the city’s sign postage communicating an approaching speed camera is comparable to an officer pulling up behind a driver. It will automatically get people to check their speed, she said.
Seetoo and the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department are still catching people speeding over 108 mph, Seetoo said.
“We got to solve the problem,” Seetoo said. “We’d love for a speed camera at every intersection.”
What Can Be Done Now
The progress made is a step in the right direction, but there’s things we can be doing now, Seetoo said.
“Those two things [traffic synchronization and speed cameras] are not going to solve our problems,” Seetoo said. “We still need to do education, we still need to do engineering.”
Seetoo and the Lost Hills Sheriffs Department work closely with the Emily Shane Foundation, she said. Michel Shane lost his daughter Emily to a speeding driver on PCH in 2010. Seetoo speaks in local schools to students about PCH safety precautions and Seetoo is also approaching parents.
“I keep saying this but maybe not give your kids the keys to the Lamborghini,” Seetoo said.
There are now apps that allow parents to keep track of how fast their children are driving with apps such as Life 360, Drive Smart and TrueMotion Family Safe Driving.
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Pacific Coast Highway is known for the death of 61 lives. Safety improvements are happening to the highway.
Infographic by Rachel Flynn | News Editor
Infographic by Anezka Liskova | Currents Editor
5 candidates run for Malibu City Council
As the Nov. 5 election approaches, the five City Council candidates share their reasons for running for the three open seats and the issues important to their campaign.
The five city council candidates running for election this season are Bruce Silverstein, Steve Uhring, Paul Grisanti, Haylynn Conrad and Channing Frykman. Silverstein, Uhring and Grisanti are incumbent candidates seeking re-election. Conrad and Frykman are newcomers to the City Council scene.
“Recently I realized how important local politics are because where I live is what I come in contact with every day,” Conrad said.
Each candidate discussed why running for City Council is important to them and the issues they want to focus on if elected. Some of which include public safety, relationships with outside organizations and school board issues.
Haylynn Conrad
Conrad’s reasons for running include setting a good example for her children and wanting the opportunity to make a difference, she said.
“The ‘why’ is, why not? The why is because I can and because I want to,” Conrad said. “I want to effect change and help my neighborhood.”
Another important issue is the current situation with the Pacific Coast Highway(PCH), Conrad said.
“I think PCH is pretty criminal in the way in which it’s been governed and maintained and operated,” Conrad said.
“I think that unfortunately we can — we haven’t changed it but we could change it.”
Conrad is friends with Michel Shane, whose daughter died on PCH in 2010, making the issue all the more important to her, she said.
Conrad also touched on the issues of homelessness in Malibu, the RVs parked along PCH, the Malibu school separation and the preservation of Malibu’s natural beauty.
“I hope I can help the city unite with each other and to stop so much fighting,” Conrad said.
within Malibu, she said.
“The overarching theme of — of the campaign is — is this: the one mission,” Frykman said.
“Health, safety and commUNITY, with an emphasis on unity. That really captures my heart and prayer for Malibu.”
Bruce Lee Silverstein
Bruce Lee Silverstein has lived in the Malibu area for 13 years and believes that his perspective as a lawyer is necessary for the Malibu City Council, he said.
“If I didn’t have that additional value [as a lawyer] added, I wouldn’t be running,” Silverstein said.
Silverstein has worked as a lawyer for 37 years, he said.
Paul Grisanti
Paul Grisanti has lived in Malibu for 46 years and has seen his fair share of mistakes, he said.
He hopes he can use his knowledge to prevent us from repeating history.
“I met my wife here, I did — I raised my kids here — all of those things make me want to, at this stage of my life, to work hard on trying to fix some things that obviously need to be fixed,” Grisanti said.
One of the issues Grisanti feels needs to be resolved is the school district split between Malibu and Santa Monica, Grisanti said.
Grisanti also wants to improve Malibu’s relationship with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), he said.
Grisanti touched on the issue of PCH safety as well.
“Unfortunately those people [the four Pepperdine women] were killed and there was another person injured,” Grisanti said. “That actually was horrendous enough that the state finally got behind us on changing Pacific Coast Highway to make it safer.”
After the accident almost a year ago, more highway patrol officers were hired to assist with traffic and speed control, Grisanti said.
“That has been successful,” Grisanti said. “We’ve had over a 30% reduction in accidents
after they started enforcing the law more diligently.”
Steve Uhring
Steve Uhring has been active in the Malibu community for more than 30 years, Uhring said.
Uhring’s activism began when a former Malibu City Council provided a permit for a shopping center on Legacy Park, Uhring said.
“We thought that was a bad idea,” Uhring said. “So myself and a couple of other friends got together, we put a ballot initiative together, we got the voters to vote against it and then we went out and raised a half a million dollars to help them buy the property.”
Through Uhring’s campaign he is continuing to advocate for public safety, he said.
“Whether it’s safety on PCH, whether it’s fire safety, I mean I think the primary goal of the City Council is to protect the residents,” Uhring said.
Preserving the quality of life for the community is also important, Uhring said.
“People moved here for a way of life,” Uhring said. “I think doing what we can to try and preserve that, I think, is a very important component of what we should be doing.”
Code enforcement is another issue that Uhring would like to bring attention to, he said.
Uhring also wants to find ways to make the planning
department more effective, he said.
“If I can get those things done, I’ll be very happy,” Uhring said.
Channing Frykman
Channing Frykman has lived in Malibu for around 10 years and her husband grew up in California, she said.
“I feel called to serve and protect our community,” Frykman said.
Frykman’s family has been involved in a number of PCH accidents, making PCH safety close to Frykman’s heart, she said.
“As I had just recovered from my pedestrian versus vehicle incident in 2020, my husband had a cycling crash in July of this year and that coincided with the nomination for City Council,” Frykman said.
“And it was just instantaneous. I knew that that was my assignment.”
Another issue that Frykman feels that her campaign stands for the importance of disaster and emergency preparedness, she said.
“There’s no physician or healthcare professional on the City Council,” Frykman said.
Frykman also wants to focus on the school board split between Santa Monica and Malibu, environmental stewardship, reviving the planning department and smart growth without commercialization
“I reluctantly agreed to run, viewing it as a civic responsibility,” Silverstein said. “And I’m running again basically for the same reason.”
The issues that are important to Silverstein are public safety, protecting and preserving Malibu’s fragile environment, the public school separation, appropriately using the vacant land throughout Malibu, transparency in Government and fiscal responsibility.
“I view my role as currently on city council and if re-elected as to be to help the balance of the city council achieve our collective objectives, whatever they might be,” Silverstein said.
Bottom Line
All five candidates hope to address issues that they feel are important through their campaigns. Some of these issues include public safety, PCH improvement, the public school separation and restoring the kindhearted nature of Malibu.
For those wanting to get involved, the closest voting center location to the Malibu area is located at Malibu City Hall, according to the LA County Vote Centers webpage.
Mackenzie Krause News Staff Writer
Photo by Mackenzie Krause | News Staff Writer
Malibu City Council candidates Bruce Silverstein and Steve Uhring hosted a meet and greet Sept. 22 at the Point Dume Club to discuss their re-election campaign and the recent change in ownership of the club.
Haylynn Conrad
Bruce Lee Silverstein
Channing Frykman
Steve Uhring
Paul Grisanti
Errors appear on the SMMUSD ballot
Kelsie Patterson News Staff Writer
The November 5 election for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will include a race for the Board of Education and several bonds pertaining to local schools. However, voters will encounter several errors on the ballots, which local officials are taking steps to address.
The upcoming election on Nov. 5 will include several votes pertaining to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD). However, voters will encounter errors on the ballot, relating to the race for the Board of Education and two bonds seeking approval.
All three candidates up for election for the SMMUSD Board of Education are incumbent: current president Jennifer Smith, vice-president Jon Kean and board member Maria Leon-Vasquez. Sole challenger Christine Falaguerra withdrew her candidacy in September, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.
“I have decided to withdraw my candidacy from the School Board election,” Falaguerra wrote. “Please let me know if there are any further steps I need to take.”
Since there are three open seats and three candidates running for election, the race is uncontested, meaning it would usually be removed from the
ballot. However, ballots were finalized the week before Falaguerra’s withdrawal.
The Santa Monica Daily Press stated that “local election code has no procedure to remove a candidate at this late stage unless they were to die prior to the election.”
Although we cannot modify the voting materials at this stage, we will ensure that only votes cast by eligble voters within the defined SFID boundaries are reported and certified.
Dean C. Logan L.A. County Registar Recorder/County Clerk
The race, including Falaguerra’s name and candidate statement, will still be included on the ballots when votes are cast, according to the City Clerk’s office.
Also appearing on the ballot
will be measures QS and MM, which are general obligation bonds benefitting Santa Monica and Malibu public schools.
Measure QS would allocate $495 million to schools in Santa Monica, School Facilities Improvement District 1, for facility work that would include repairing leaky school roofs and outdated wiring, as well as other various classroom upgrades.
Measure MM, targeted towards Malibu schools (SFID 2), similarly seeks to authorize $395 million to remove hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead and improve classrooms and libraries.
“For many of these projects, architects, designers, and/ or builders have already been contracted with the school District, and the projects are ready to begin, pending only funding approval,” said the Santa Monica Daily Press.
While each measure is intended to be presented to voters in its respective SFID, a ballot error noticed by voters in early October presented both measures across the entire school district.
The measures were “inadvertently presented as district-wide contests and are both listed on the ballots being presented to all voters within the entire School District,” said the office of Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean C. Logan in a press release.
“Although we cannot modify the voting materials at this stage, we will ensure that only votes cast by eligible voters within the defined SFID boundaries are reported and certified,” said Logan.
For measure QS, only votes from eligible voters within the city of Santa Monica will be measured. For measure MM, only votes cast from voters within Malibu and adjacent areas will be counted.
The RR/CC is working with the SMMUSD to “ensure all corrective actions are accurate and that they uphold the integrity of the election process,” said the press release.
Both measures will require 55% of the vote to pass.
The 2018 election saw similar bonds approved, measures SMS and M, with 72% of the vote in Santa Monica and 70% in Malibu.
In response to the ballot error, “notifications to voters are being prepared and distributed to explain the situation and the corrective actions taken,” said the office of the RR/CC. “Voters with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the RR/CC at(800) 815- 2666.”
kelsie.patterson@pepperdine.edu
Debate heats up over Measure G
ly serving over 10 million residents, according to the board’s website.
In a pivotal moment for Los Angeles County, the Board of Supervisors has approved Measure G for the November ballot — a bold charter amendment that could overhaul Los Angeles County’s governance structure.
If approved, Measure G would introduce several key reforms to the L.A. County Charter. Notably, it proposes establishing an elected county executive officer, moving away from the current system where supervisors appoint a nonpartisan CEO. Additionally, the measure aims to restructure county districts to support the expansion of the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members, as detailed on the Measure G website.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors — one of the most influential local governing bodies in the nation — gathers every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Downtown L.A. This five-member board oversees a complex network of 38 departments, collective-
Each supervisor represents approximately two million constituents, playing a vital role in proposing legislative items regarding emergency response services, homelessness, social services, public health and the overall operation of county government among other things, according to the Board of Supervisors website. Additionally, the board can pass laws for the county with a majority vote and will collectively manage the county budget of around $43 billion, according to the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors.
For the 2023-24 term, the board is composed of: Hilda Solis from the 1st District, Holly Mitchell from the 2nd District, Lindsay Horvath from the 3rd District, Janice Hahn from the 4th District and Kathryn Barger from the 5th District.
Following L.A. County elections in March, the three supervisors who were up for re-election have won their district by achieving the necessary thresholds articulated by the California Secretary of State.
This positions the board to continue their work in addressing the needs and challenges faced by their constituents, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
The board is facing the proposal of Measure G, also known as the“Los Angeles County Government Structure, Ethics and Accountability Charter Amendment”, which seeks to reform the governing structure of the Los Angeles County Charter.
On July 9, Supervisors Hor-
vath and Hahn presented a motion entitled “Increasing Effectiveness, Responsiveness, and Accountability of County Government Through Charter Reform.” The motion directed the County Counsel to draft the necessary documents, including an ordinance, for a proposed Charter amendment that would be placed on the November ballot. The motion passed with a 3-0 vote, with two abstain votes.
On July 23, the County Counsel reported back to the
board with analysis of the motion in their letter to the board.
On July 30, the second reading of the proposal was approved in a 3-2 vote.
As the election approaches, the implications of Measure G have sparked debate among residents and officials alike regarding its implementation, cost and effectiveness– highlighting the ongoing discussions about governance and
jacqueline.justiss@pepperdine.edu
Jacqueline Justiss News Staff Writer
Board of Supervisors for Los Angeles Country (2023-24). Pictured from left to right: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Supervisor Chair Lindsay Horvath, Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Supervisor Holly Mitchell.
Photo courtesy of L.A. County
Swing state voting laws impact election
George Davis Sports Staff Writer
Swing states passed new election laws since the 2020 election.
The raft of new legislation includes a voter ID law, cutting absentee ballot options and requires ballots to be hand counted. Yet, other states enacted laws which expand access to voting and ease the process according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
The 2020 election took place during a global pandemic. Mail-in voting expanded significantly due to Covid precautions and the slow counting process meant the election was not called until four days after the polls closed, according to CNN.
Polling places saw armed protests and election workers received death threats in the tense days of counting. The false belief of widespread voter fraud and election rigging from former President Donald Trump’s supporters led to an attack on the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s second impeachment.
Voter rights, access and integrity have become major issues in states across the country. Republicans have sought to implement more stringent voter laws, while Democrats have focused on making permanent many of the pandemic-era laws, according to U.S. News.
Polling aggregator five thirty eight suggests the election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will come down
to seven states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Harris and Trump require a different combination of these states, but at least three of them to reach the winning 270 electoral vote threshold.
Arizona
Arizona passed 12 new election laws, according to the Brennan Center. Four of these laws create more requirements to vote. They include making it more difficult to correct absentee ballot signature defects and requiring more documents to prove citizenship. Another four impose criminal penalties on election workers for what the Brennan Center calls “routine election related activity” like sending a mail-in ballot to a voter who did not affirmatively request one.
Another four laws were passed that expand voter access such as longer poll hours for early voting and eliminating the two-year waiting period for people with multiple felony convictions to register to vote, according to the Brennan Center. The biggest change is election workers will have more time to process mail ballots.
Georgia
Georgia gained national attention for its stringent new election laws. SB 202 has cut the window to request a mail ballot by more than half, established new voter ID laws
restricted drop box locations and hours.
Recently the state election board approved a rule requiring the hand counting of ballots, according to the Associated Press. The state’s controversial new rule will no doubt delay its results. The state was decided by just over 10,000 votes in 2020, which means any new law could be the difference in November.
Michigan
Michigan passed 10 laws that greatly expanded voter access in the state, according to the Brennan Center. Five laws make it easier to vote by mail, two make it easier to register to vote and three improve voter access.
The Brennan Center said the new vote by mail laws “permit individuals to register online for a mail ballot, it creates a permanent mail voting list, implements a ballot curing process and requires prepaid postage on mail ballot applications and return envelopes, increases drop box access and extends the mail ballot receipt deadline for uniformed or overseas voters.”
The other five laws include opening up preregistration to 16-year-olds, widening access to same-day registration, allowing nine days of early voting, expanding the list of acceptable voter IDs and repealing a prohibition on people hiring transportation to take voters to the polls, according to the Brennan Center.
Nevada
Nevada has greatly expanded voter access most notably by implementing universal mail-voting, according to the Washington State Standard. The state has expanded access to voters who live on Native American Reservations, individuals in a city or county jail and expanded automatic voter registration, according to the Brennan Center.
North Carolina
North Carolina has passed only two election laws since the previous election, according to the Brennan Center. One is a requirement to move the mail ballots deadline from three days after election day to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. It will speed up the counting process, but could reject thousand of votes. The second new law is a 2018 voter ID law which will take effect for the first time. It requires all voters to have a photo ID to vote according to the North Carolina Board of Elections website.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has enacted only two new election laws since 2020, according to U.S. News. The Commonwealth passed a bill automatically enrolling voters to the state voting rolls when getting a new driver’s license easing access. It also passed a bill that requires absentee ballots to be turned in by election night rather than
the 2020 rule of only postmarked by Election Day. Pennsylvania took three days to declare a winner in 2020. One hope to remedy this was to copy a Florida law allowing election workers to process absentee ballots before polls close, according to WPTV. However, the Commonwealth failed and now risks a repeat of the mayhem of four years ago, according to the Associated Press.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has no new election laws. The Democratic governor vetoed proposed election laws and a recently elected liberal State Supreme Court Justice was the deciding vote that blocked a law banning drop boxes, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.
What it Means
The 2024 election is likely to come down to thousands of voters in just a few states. The impact of the new laws alone could decide the race depending on the margin of victory. As election law changes take effect, they will not only impact the results, but also test the resilience of American democracy amid a fractious political environment according to Foreign Policy.
george.davis2@pepperdine.edu
2024 Pepp voter registration survey
In a survey of 140 Pepperdine students, the Pepperdine Graphic measured voter registration and the states in which students are registered to vote. Out of 140 students surveyed, 124 are registered to vote, with the largest percentages registered in California (44.1%), Texas (7.6%), Colorado (7.6%) and Washington (5.9%). Of those who filled out the form, 88.5% of Pepperdine students are registered to vote.
Absentee voting helps out-of-state voters
Alicia Dofelmier News Assistant
The election season is approaching with elections taking place Nov. 5. Absentee voting is one possible voting option for students for this election season.
This year’s first-year class here at Seaver College has 47% of students from outside of California, Elizabeth Richter, Manager of Administrative Services, wrote in a October 8 email to the Graphic. These students would need to use an absentee ballot in order to vote.
Absentee voting provides a way for voters to cast their ballots without needing to be in-person to vote, according to the U.S. Vote Foundation.
“If you’ll be absent from your polling place, either with or without an excuse or reason, then you can vote by absentee ballot at a more convenient time,” according to U.S. Vote Foundation.
To vote absentee, there are a few steps voters need to take.
“Ensure you’re registered to vote and check your state’s voting options to see if it offers
all-mail voting, no-excuse absentee voting, or absentee voting with an excuse,” according to U.S. Vote Foundation
Voters can check their registration status on USA Gov.
There are 16 states that allow you to only vote absentee with a qualifying excuse, according to U.S. Vote Foundation. Ballot Pedia provides a list of states paired with their voting laws.
Examples of qualifying excuses include being out of the country for elections, being hospitalized or having a disability would prevent you from showing up in person to vote.
Going to school in another state is counted as a qualifying excuse in certain states, according to the Connecticut General Assembly article.
Vote-by-mail Ballot
There are also some states who have vote-by-mail voting for everyone, according to U.S. Vote Foundation. Some of these states include California, Oregon, Washintong and Utah, according to the U.S. Vote Foundation. “In these [vote-by-mail] states, election
officials automatically send all registered voters a ballot in the mail, without waiting for the voter to submit an extra ballot request,” according to U.S. Vote Foundation.
In California, anyone who is registered to vote can use a vote-by-mail ballot in place of going to the polls, according to the Secretary of State-California article.
Sean Sieczka, Caruso Law student and President of the American Constitution Society, was in charge of tabling on Main Campus for voter registration.
When registering to vote, voters are able to opt-in to mail-in ballots, Sieczka said. There are also some states like Washington and Colorado where they automatically enroll you for mail-in ballots.
“In order to receive a mailin-ballot in California if you’re registered to vote elsewhere, you have to de-register from the state you’re registered in,” Sieczka said. “Then you go and register to vote in California and opt in to main-in ballots.”
Register to Vote California provides access for people wanting to register to vote.
Once voters have completed their vote-by-mail ballot there are four options to submit it, according to the Secretary of State-California article. Voters can mail it to their county elections official, return it in person to a vote center, drop their ballot off at a ballot drop box or authorize someone to turn in their ballot for them.
CA Early Voting provides information about where voters can drop off their vote-by-
mail ballots.
“I am planning to vote absentee,” first-year Dani Cutler said. “I still feel the need to vote, despite not being in my home state, because I want my voice to be heard, and I want to show those around me that I care about the future of our country through voting.”
alicia.dofelmier@pepperdine.edu
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
A ballot drop box is outside the Malibu Public Library. Ballots can be turned into the drop box before Election Day. Infographic
PERSPECTIVES
Staff Editorial:
Vote locally to influence safety changes on PCH
Graphic Staff
Editor’s Note: PGM staff members decide on the topic of a staff ed together. The staff as a whole provides opinions and content included in this staff ed to provide thoughts about and shed light on solutions for happenings at Pepperdine.
As college students, we oftentimes hear about the world around us and all the problems it possesses. We constantly hear about unsolved problems, pointing the finger at who should be responsible for solving them.
In many cases around the world, we would be powerless and completely dependent on our leaders. However, we live in the United States of America and college students here at Pepperdine can have a direct impact on the changes important to us.
An issue prevalent to students across campus and Malibu is dangerous speeding on Pacific Coast Highway, especially after the tragic crash that took the lives of four of our own: Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston, Deslyn Williams and Peyton Stewart.
“Given the dangers of PCH, the community’s indifference is unacceptable. We’re all busy, but ensuring our safety demands more effort. It’s not up to someone else. It’s up to you. If we don’t speak up for our future, we lose the right to complain when problems arise,” wrote Michel Shane, Malibu resident and co-founder of the Emily Shane Foundation, to
The Malibu Times. Since the crash, Malibu City Council has declared a local emergency for PCH speeding and reckless driving. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September to install five speeding cameras along PCH.
Newsom’s actions are a direct result of the community outcry following the Oct. 17 crash, starting at the city level
heard. Sure, it may be inconvenient to go to the polls or scary for first-time voters, but our generation has proven that inconvenience or fear will not stop us from making change happen.
Though we are not all from California and therefore some of us are unable to vote here, there are still ways every student can participate in important change. Advocating for change and talking to friends or other students who can vote here is an easy yet difference-making step. Further, Go Safely PCH is a resource kept up to date on PCH changes and ways for the community to get involved.
As students, we study changemakers and hope to be changemakers of the future. Voting is the way we can make change happen now. As students, we should exercise our power and right to vote to encourage change locally.
Michel Shane Co-founder of the Emily Shane Foundation
and working its way through the state legislature to the highest office in the state. Though a tragic example, voters who make their voices heard have the power to make significant changes.
Elections are the most effective way to make our voices
THE PGM STAFF
Art by Sarah Rietz | Art Editor
Vote in local elections
Caitlin Murray Assistant Perspectives Editor
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Local elections are often overlooked, especially when they happen simultaneously with federal elections.
Local elections have a lower voter turnout than federal elections, according to an article from the National Civic League. Sixty-six percent of the eligible voting population voted in the 2020 presidential election, according to the Pew Research Center.
In contrast, 32% of the voting-age population vote in the council elections, and 28% of the voting-age population vote in the mayoral elections on average, according to the Public Policy Institute of California Survey.
Low voter turnout in local elections is probably due to factors such as a “lack of campaign spending, low voter mobilization and the consequent decrease in media coverage,” according to a Harvard Politics article.
Media coverage can be especially influential toward the outcome of an election. Millions of voters do not have access to reputable local news outlets. Additionally, some of these voters live in “news deserts,” counties that do not have a local news outlet, according to the Brennan News Center.
When the public is not educated on local issues, it is difficult for them to develop a passion for problems within their community. It is challenging to incentivize people to vote if they do not want to change their neighborhoods.
An increase in local news coverage, especially local news, could fix low local election turnout. News outlets
could inform the public on local governments.
Local governments are responsible for a variety of factors that impact citizens’ daily lives. They oversee areas such as “parks and recreation services, police and fire departments, housing services, emergency medical services, municipal courts, transportation services (including public transportation), and public works,” according to an article from the White House.
Additionally, many Americans lack vital education on the powers of local government.
Many Americans lack vital education on the powers of local government.
Caitlin Murray Assistant
Perspectives Editor
Johns Hopkins University performed a 2018 study to survey Americans’ civic knowledge, specifically relating to government jurisdictions. Twenty-five percent of participants did not know whether federal or state government controlled law enforcement. Thirty percent of participants did not know who was responsible for creating and enforcing zoning laws, according to a Harvard Politics article.
I have first-hand experience with the importance of local governments.
The past two summers, I interned at the district office for a California state senator. I served constituents as well as observed government workers’ genuine efforts to help the public.
Eliot Cox Perspectives Assistant
TransparencyItem:ThePerspectivessectionoftheGraphiciscomprisedofanadvicecolumnbasedon newtopicsandrotatingwriterseach time.Thisistheopinionandperspective of the writer.
Hey Waves,
Election night is very important. It’s not just political teams hashing out — it’s something much more existential. Nov. 5 is a day that will define the United States not only for the next four years, but beyond. Decisions may be made by the chosen president or officials that echo into the fabric of this country.
And, though any citizen can vote, we unfortunately cannot control the outcome. That night, some people will be jubilant and some people will be miserable, and though it isn’t random, it’s certainly above our pay grade.
Contrary to popular belief, I observed the employees in our office actively working to improve conditions in our county. They worked tirelessly after standard working hours and on weekends. I was inspired by their determination to fix problems for hopeless people.
Common state senator casework includes aiding constituents in applying for Social Security and applying for U.S. citizenship, according to an article from the Congressional Research Service.
These cases, alongside many others, can have life changing effects for constituents. When our office obtains people’s social security money, we ensure they have the necessary funds to live. When our office assists someone in applying for citizenship, we make it possible for them to permanently live in the United States.
The constituent services team at the office I served at specifically solved many cases with the Employment Development Department. During the Covid-19 pandemic, our office assisted 4,000 families in cases with EDD.
If I was in the position of one of these constituents, I would care more about who my state senator is than who my president is because my state senator is the one who directly ensures I have a job, a place to live and food on the table.
Unfortunately, many constituents are not aware that our office performs these tasks. People are often dissatisfied with government services because they do not know where to look to find relief.
Voter education will increase turnout for local elections. Additionally, people taking advantage of local governments’ resources can increase local government voting participation.
caitlin.murray@pepperdine.edu
But there’s better ways of dealing with the fear, anger and anticipation than just sitting in front of an election map. In fact, that’s the last thing I would recommend that you do. If you feel your heart beating out of your chest, or you want to punch something — get up and get active.
Over the summer, I would “take out the trash” — go on a long walk without music and process everything that had happened in the day. You really don’t realize how much your experiences affect you until you think them through, digest them and leave residual tension behind.
So, if on election night — or during election season — or if you’re just overwhelmed by life — I would recommend leaving work and worrying behind for a little bit. Set your phone aside, and go walk somewhere, watch the sunset, lay in the grass or look over the ocean.
Don’t be afraid of anxiety, since what you’re worrying about matters. But think it through or talk it through with friends. Take out the trash, because without realizing it, you’ll be carrying too much of a load. Despite what it feels like to be a college student, you don’t need to carry the world on your shoulders.
If what is happening ever feels like too much to handle, it is. But, from my experience, finding peace in a calm night reminds me that there is always something bigger than the big things going on.
Rest, exist, take care of yourself — your mental wellbeing is important.
Sincerely, Send
Art by Faith Oh | Comic Writer and Artist
Take out the trash
Rant and Rave: Horror Films
Iwas 14 when I watched my very first horror movie: “Ouija.” I remember being absolutely terrified but simultaneously excited to find my next horror movie to watch.
Over the next couple of years, I continued to fall more and more in love with horror movies.
Now when I see a horror movie I want to watch, I’ll make note of it and watch it as soon as my schedule permits. I love horror movies because they can provide an escape from reality and all the assignments and work I have to do.
Most horror movies are so far-fetched that they’re humorous in addition to being scary.
Another reason for my
love of horror movies is the fact that they force me to face my fears.
Now, I don’t mean literal fears because a child-eating clown isn’t just going to appear in a sewer, but rather psychological fears. I tend to second-guess myself a lot and freak myself out over the littlest inconveniences.
However, horror movies force me to put aside my instinct to immediately worry when something doesn’t go quite as planned because otherwise, I’d never finish a horror movie.
I’m also a huge fan of horror movies of different genres. There are comedic horror movies, psychological horror movies and even horror movies based on true stories. Suffice it to say
but there is definitely a horror movie for everyone.
I am a firm believer that horror movies are a Halloween staple and taking that a step further, I see no reason not to enjoy horror movies year-round.
Inever fully understood the appeal of horror movies. As the spooky season approaches, my friends beg me to watch something scary, and I always respond with, “Why?”
Why would anyone willingly put themselves in a position to be scared? I have been in some actual scary situations in my life, and I have never thought, “Yes, I want to go to a theater and watch a movie that will give me the exact feeling I’m feeling right now.”
That never made sense to me because I still get scared. Half of the time, the build-up frightens me more than the actual scare.
The thing is, despite my strong hatred for this unnecessary genre, I wouldn’t say I’m a “fearful” person. I absolutely love doing stereotypical “daredevil” things.
But I think the reason why I love those thrillpacked activities and hate horror movies is because those activities always end. Horror movies never end for me.
alicia.dofelmier@pepperdine.edu
When I express my strong distaste for horror movies, many people automatically respond with, “but you can always see the scare coming.”
When “It” came out in 2017, I remember leaving the theater terrified. I left those doors fully expecting a child-eating clown to attack me. During that time, there was also a random influx of clowns
terrorizing the neighborhoods in my city. That, combined with my brain’s strong conviction that all clowns are kin to Pennywise, formed an unshakable fear of clowns that still hovers over me to this day. I will never walk near a sewer ever again. Horror movies are all too real to me. I know it’s all Hollywood. Yet my brain has convinced me that there are some very real aspects to it. If you want that thrill that horror movies give you, that heart-wrenching, what-did-I-justwatch feeling, without fearing for your life, just watch “Five Feet Apart.”
shalom.montgomery@pepperdine.edu
Horror movies can help audiences process fear
Idid not grow up with horror movies, and before I started exploring the genre, I thought I would hate them. I figured horror movies were mostly unrelenting sequences of jump scares and intensely disturbing images, and I didn’t want to give myself any new fears.
However, I still had a distant interest in creepy stories, and as I got older I started getting out of my comfort zone with the movies I selected. “The Sixth Sense,” “The Silence of the Lambs” and “The Conjuring” franchise were some of the first movies I checked out, and I was surprised at how much I ended up enjoying them.
In my opinion, horror movies are much more varied than they seem. They cater to a wide variety of preferences, sometimes playing on suspense, the paranormal, mystery, humor, startling effects, shocking violence or psychological thrills.
It surprised me to realize that some horror movies don’t scare me as much
as I anticipated they might.
The frightening events keep me in suspense the whole time, and they might make me jump with a well-timed scare, but their creepy effects don’t linger in a bad way after the screen has gone dark.
Even though this response might seem to defeat the purpose, I appreciate horror movies that allow me to briefly confront fear and the unknown.
They have been a useful tool in helping me understand what I’m really afraid of.
“The Sixth Sense” left me thinking years after I saw it, not only due to its haunting atmosphere but also because of its story and characters. I think horror movies have a reputation for being fairly superficial and silly, but I find they are often written with precise attention to detail and characterization.
Most horror movies attempt to create strong fear in the audience, but they also rely on inducing strong empathy for the characters. I think they can also be a potential exercise in coping with fear in a safe environment.
There’s no right or wrong way to be a horror fan, and it is fine to try them out at one’s own pace. Everybody has different preferences within the genre, and I don’t think somebody is less or more of a fan because of their comfort level.
Lots of horror movies don’t scare me, but lots of them do in a way that I do not find beneficial. Personally, movies that feature very graphic violence or body horror are difficult for me to watch, and I try to avoid them because they tend to put me in a bad mood. This genre is rich in explorations of the human experience, and as it changes over time, I think it will continue to offer something valuable to many people.
Art by Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
Art by Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
Alicia Dofelmier News Assistant
Alyssa Johnson Perspectives Assistant
Art by Faith Oh | Comic Writer & Artist
Shalom Montgomery Pixel Editor
Art by Cara Tang | Staff Artist
LIFE & ARTS
Art by Bohuen Tong | Life & Arts Staff Writer
Fall into fashion: Seasonal style change
Bohuen Tong Life & Arts Staff Writer
As the Malibu sun begins to set earlier and the breeze cools, students across campus are trading in their beachwear for cozy layers and fall essentials.
Whether it’s chunky sweaters or stylish boots, fall fashion at Pepperdine brings a season of comfort and creativity through fashion.
Coastal Style Meets Cozy
This season, students said they like transitioning into fall by blending simple closet staples with new pieces, accessories and styles.
Junior Kate Elise Norris said one of her favorite ways to layer is with any sort of cool jacket.
“My go-to is the Canadian tuxedo, so usually jeans and an oversized denim jacket,” Norris said. “It is super easy to throw on and it always gets a ton of compliments.”
Whether it’s adding a statement jacket or mixing textures, students are finding many creative ways to embrace the season.
Junior Chloe Gill said she likes to elevate her autumn style by incorporating new textures into her fall wardrobe.
“There is always a fun way to style an outfit for colder weather,” Gill said. “I love a simple tee with a thick,
heavily textured knit on as my top layer. The cherry on top is a big scarf wrapped around my head.”
Both Norris and Gill said they appreciate the way a fall staple can enhance a simple outfit. They said it’s simple to transform a laid-back outfit into a fun, stylish fall look with minimal effort.
Fall Inspirations
Student fall fashion inspiration comes from various sources, whether it’s observing other stylish individuals or tapping into personal feelings.
“My inspiration for fall outfits comes from the sixties in London,” Norris said. “Everyone was wearing a mix of different textures and patterns, lots of velvet.”
My
inspiration for fall outfits comes from the sixties in London.
Kate Elise Norris Junior
Gill said she is also starting to incorporate more colors into her wardrobe due to the idea of “dopamine dressing.”
Dopamine dressing refers to the concept of using bright colors and expressive clothing to enhance mood and promote happiness, according to Harper’s Bazaar.
“As much as I love fall, seasonal depression is real so I am trying to truly dopamine dress to the fullest,” Gill said.
Gill said she likes how dopamine dressing encourages her to explore personal associations with color and wearing what brings her joy, rather than conforming to specific trends or colors.
Cozy Season on Campus
Campus fashion sometimes gravitates toward similar styles, creating a collective movement that reflects both comfort and the shared campus culture.
Norris said she notices a campus trend of wearing sweat sets as a way of staying warm. She said that while these outfits are perfect for cooler weather, it’s possible to still look polished and express personal style with a sweatshirt and sweatpants.
“I think a matching set looks more put together,” Norris said. “I did get kind of into Aviator Nation since coming to Pepperdine because a lot of people wear it, there’s a store right down the road and I like the vintage vibe of the brand.”
Norris describes herself as a vintage fashion lover and finds ways to incorporate her
retro aesthetics into the Malibu culture while staying warm and comfortable.
As much as I love fall, seasonal depression is real so I am trying to truly dopamine dress to the fullest.
Chloe Gill Junior
Trend Predictions
As autumn approaches, students anticipate some trends that will arise with the new season. Bold colors and textured materials are expected to make popular appearances.
“Cherry wine red, honey yellow, dark denim, studs, suede and worn-in leather are definitely taking over fall 2024,” Gill said, highlighting the rich hues and timeless fabrics that will shape this season’s wardrobe.
Norris said she predicts patterns will have their moment this fall as well.
“I definitely think stripes will be in this fall too,”
Norris said. “Personally, I like to pair my stripes with polka dots because I think it’s fun. I also think that gingham will carry on from summer into fall, just in more jewel tones.”
Norris said she enjoys experimenting with new trends and fabrics to have fun with her styling. However, other students prefer sticking to their existing style, choosing not to follow changing trends.
Junior Cade Swearingen said he prefers a more consistent approach to his wardrobe, regardless of shifting trends.
“I feel like people will be wearing layers as well and heavier stuff,” Swearingen said. “I feel like my style stays the same, so I don’t necessarily fall into the trends on campus, but I do enjoy seeing the changes.”
Whether students are embracing bold new trends or sticking to their signature styles, the diversity of fall fashion on campus reflects both creativity and individuality.
The seasons changing brings new ways to balance warmth and style while showcasing new expressions and personal styles.
Fall at Pepperdine isn’t just about staying warm — it’s an opportunity for students to make every outfit their own.
Audiences howl with laughter at PIT show
Henry Adams Assistant Life & Arts Editor
Keeping in tune with annual tradition, Pepperdine Improv Troupe brought nonstop laughter to students and their families alike at this year’s Waves Weekend alumni show, held in Elkins Auditorium on Oct. 5.
The troupe’s director of improv Isabel Klein (’19) hosted the comedy show, guiding 11 current troupe members and seven troupe alumni through various theatrical games and improvised scenes, most of which relied on audience-given prompts.
In one scene, three performers acted out a love triangle in Waves Café. In another, four performers rotated through four two-actor scenes, each of them hastily swapping between playing two different roles.
“We have no idea of what’s going to happen, and then we just roll with it,” PIT President Nico Heard said.
Heard played the keyboard to comedic effect
throughout the hour-long show. He played a hip-hop drumbeat during a team-based rap battle game and a ballpark organ tune whenever performers lost an improv version of “Categories.”
Between each scene, Klein asked audience members for input. For instance, the crowd was solicited for a “breaking news” story to be explained in a broadcast news segment. Klein settled on a scene suggestion where two Pepperdine students miraculously found parking on campus.
At another point in the show, a female audience member shouted “You’re hot!” at three performers before another audience member in the back then shouted “Not you, Kayla!” — directed toward one of the troupe’s alumni who was about to perform. He then explained his comment was poorly timed and unrelated, to which the cast integrated the moment into a musical number, drawing uproarious laughter from the crowd.
One of the games, called “new choice,” forced actors to reconsider their words in
a criminal trial against a dog owner whose canine ate the defendant’s tube of chapstick.
The presiding judge, played by 2023 alum Sam Brock, said a doctor would be required to get it out. Klein yelled “New choice” repeatedly until Brock declared there would be no solution unless the dog pukes it up. Cole Wagner, the 2024 alum who played the dog, proceeded to mimic vomiting.
The show was the 2024 PIT crew’s first of the academic year. They currently have 14 members — the typical
Stress and schedule: Students face midterm season
Karla Suzuki Life & Arts Staff Writer
Every semester, when the halfway mark rolls around, Pepperdine students are faced with midterm season. Students are tasked with the challenge of juggling seemingly endless academic and extracurricular responsibilities.
The overwhelming pressures arise from the intense workload, sophomore Isabella Morton said.
“I am a Finance and Economics double major,” Morton said. “During midterms, all the workload from my classes accumulates and it can get stressful.”
Pepperdine athletes — who have packed schedules with class, practice and competitions — find ways to manage their stress while still making time for their other commitments, according to sophomore Ava Maly, a member of the Pepperdine track team.
“During midterms, our schedule is hectic,” Maly said. “I try to plan the exact times to do my assignments, to eat and sleep as I start my day early with 6:30 a.m. practices.”
Students said the most important aspect of maintaining balance during midterms is managing time effectively.
“I have an on-campus job and am part of a community service club too,”
Morton said. “I try to be very organized and am very committed to my activities.”
Using planners and time management apps are essential tools that help students ensure a healthy balance between time spent studying and prioritizing oneself, sophomore Emma Deljanin said.
“My favorite thing to use is my planner,” Deljanin said. “I write everything down and create to-do lists so I don’t miss anything.”
Students said another method they find extremely helpful when studying for midterms is study groups. Morton said leaning on other students and classmates helps alleviate the stress of tests, projects and papers due during this time.
“I learn a lot from my classmates,” Morton said. “Having study groups holds me accountable for the content I have to study.”
Students have access to several resources to help reduce stress levels during this intense time. Among the most popular options on campus are the fitness center and Campus Rec’s fitness classes.
Students said getting off campus during midterm season can serve as a great mental break and a way to refresh in between studying.
number, Heard said — including Heard and junior and Vice President Reece McDaniel.
“If you don’t know what PIT is, just come see it,” Heard said. “I think you’re gonna love it from the track record. Most people just don’t know that it’s as cool as it actually is, and that it’s as funny as it actually is, and also, laughter is good for your soul.”
Improv was introduced to Pepperdine in the mid-1990s, class of 1987 alum Dean Noble said. Shows were initially performed at university events by actors from Los Angeles Theatresports, now known as Impro Theatre, thanks to Noble’s planning as the group’s college outreach chair. It became a student organization in 2000.
PIT’s next show will be Halloween themed and held Oct. 25 in Elkins Auditorium. Admission will be free, as always.
henry.adams@pepperdine.edu
study in groups
“I am a fan of the Good Point pilates classes,” sophomore Isabella Alvarez said. “I try to go at least once a week and recharge.”
Pepperdine encourages spiritual well-being as part of its mission. Faith gatherings like The Well and on-campus church services are some of the activities that students take advantage of that provide them with a sense of community and calm.
“When I want to destress, I go to The Well because the sense of community uplifts me,” Maly said.
Midterms can be daunting, but students said that with the right strategies, it is possible to manage stress and maintain a balanced life during such a hectic time.
PIT members Johnathan Hodges (left) and Brooklyn Courtney-Moore (right) play news anchors in a broadcast news scene Oct. 5. Alumni Kayla Bryant and Cole Wagner played witnesses in the story. Director of Improv Isabel Klein said having troupe alumni was great for boosting the new members’ confidence.
Photo courtesy of Nico Heard
Photo by Rachel Flynn | News Editor
Students
at Payson Library on Oct. 8. Sophomore Isabella Morton said she greatly benefits from studying with others during midterm season.
‘A built-in best friend’:
Twins share unique experiences
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
Being a twin comes with the same stories everyone has heard — twin telepathy, not being able to tell twins apart, sharing clothes and more. Yet, the most overlooked part is the friendship that comes with growing up and experiencing life together.
“It’s like having a built-in best friend who you can also base yourself off of,” sophomore Gordy Nilsen said.
Separation and Reconnection
Gordy and his brother, sophomore Rowan Nilsen, are identical twins. The two have always been best friends, and both run cross country and track for Pepperdine. However, they were separated for their first semester of college.
“He was at Loyola Marymount,” Gordy said. “Their team sadly got cut, and then our coaches recruited him and he was more than happy to come here.”
The Nilsen brothers were reunited again for the spring semester, and Gordy said he paid his former roommate to switch rooms so his brother could move in upon his arrival in Malibu.
Senior Matthew Covaci is also a twin. Similar to Gordy, Matthew was without his lifelong best friend, his identical twin brother senior Albert Covaci, during his first semester at Pepperdine.
“It just felt like a piece of me was missing,” Matthew said. “I felt like half of myself.”
The Covaci brothers were reunited for the spring semester of their first year. Matthew said being back with his brother made his life feel right again.
Identical Confusion
Now that the two have been at Pepperdine together for three years, Matthew said there is often a lot of mix up between the two of them. Though their closest friends can tell them apart, he said most people cannot.
Matthew further explained he
believes this happens because they usually don’t tell people they are twins. He said he finds joy in letting people figure it out themselves, and even has fun messing around with people.
“Teachers think I’m Albert and I just say ‘What’s up?’” Matthew said. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘I’ve never met this person in my life,’ but I just go along with it.”
Gordy said he also does not tell people he is a twin, because it usually doesn’t come up in conversation. He said it was a weird transition meeting people individually his first semester, then having his brother come into the picture later on.
“It’s been crazy from me having my own year here myself,” Gordy said. “People see us now and they’re like ‘There’s been two of you this whole time?’”
It’s like having a builtin best friend who you can also base yourself off of.
Gordy Nilsen Sophomore
Gordy said his brother shares the same sentiment Matthew experiences, as people he has never met often walk up to him.
“My friends who he hasn’t met will come up to him, and he’s like, ‘I have no idea who you are,’” Gordy said.
As a mother of 12-year-old identical twin daughters, Professor of Psychology Jennifer Harriger said she understands the confusion that comes with being a twin.
“When I first brought my daughters home from the hospital, I was worried I would mix them up,” Harriger said. “They were so identical, and I didn’t ‘know’ them yet.”
After taking off their hospital bracelets, Harriger said she painted one of her daughters’ big toenails pink. After a few weeks, she said she knew them so well that there was no chance she could mix them up.
Now that her daughters are grown up, Harriger said they are mixed up daily, and very few people can tell them apart.
“One of their teachers said that they are the most ‘identical’ set of identical twins she has had in her 30 years of teaching,” Harriger said. “Many people call them ‘the twins,’ which is very frustrating to my daughters, as they are individuals.”
A Built-In Competitor
Being an athlete, Gordy said his brother is not only his built-in best friend, but also someone he can always compete with.
“If he does something really well or runs really fast in a race, I know I can push myself to that level,” Gordy said. “There’s someone that you can always strive towards, but they can also push off of you to get better.”
Gordy said he especially feels lucky to have his brother during the summer months, as the team is separated and therefore do not get to train with one another. The two trained together every day over the summer, and Gordy said it felt like they were back in high school again.
Though they don’t play soccer anymore, the Covaci brothers spent many of their childhood and teenage years playing together. Matthew said he loved playing a sport with his brother, and also viewed it as a way to have someone to constantly compete with.
“It was a bit of a competition, whether it was on the field during practice or for a spot in the starting lineup,” Matthew said. “There would sometimes be a bit of electricity and tension between us, but it was never personal — it was just a thing to make us better.”
A Unique Relationship
When these sets of twins are not in competition and pushing one another to be the best they can be, they said they find immense comfort in knowing they always have someone there for them.
“The most defining quality of being a twin is having a forever best friend,
and there is no loneliness,” Matthew said.
Gordy said one of his favorite parts about being a twin is having someone so similar to him, in ways beyond just their identical appearance.
“I’m lucky because I know a few twins that have complete different hobbies and interests,” Gordy said.
Gordy said him and his brother share the exact same interests, and especially enjoy surfing, skating and of course, running, alongside one another.
The most defining quality of being a twin is having a forever best friend, and there is no loneliness.
Matthew Covaci Senior
Speaking on the common myth of twin telepathy, Matthew said he truly believes him and his brother share some form of telepathic communication with one another. Furthermore, he finds their understanding of one another to be extremely unique.
“He gets me in a way that no one else ever will,” Matthew said. “The level of understanding is deeper, especially on a telepathical level. I know what he’s thinking most of the time.”
Even through the cliché nuances and mix-ups that come with being a twin, Matthew said he would not trade it for anything.
“It’s super super sacred — there’s nothing like it in the world,” Matthew said. “It’s such a lucky feeling, like a lottery. I’m very fortunate.”
Sophomore twins Rowan Nilsen (left) and Gordy Nilsen (right) pose in their cross country uniforms for media day Aug. 21. The two said they have always pushed one another to be the best they can.
Photo courtesy of Gordy Nilsen
Photo courtesy of Matthew Covaci
Senior twins Matthew Covaci (left) and Albert Covaci (right) pose for a groomsmen photo during a wedding in Chicago on Aug. 31. The two said they often get called by the wrong name due to their identical appearance.
Gonzaga to depart from WCC in 2026
Shane Stephens Sports Staff Writer
Gonzaga University announced Oct. 1 they will depart from the West Coast Conference following the conclusion of the 2024-2025 season, leaving 12 teams in the conference for the start of the 2026 season, according to multiple reports.
The decision comes after Gonzaga announced their plan to join the Pac-12 in 2026, becoming the eighth team to join the conference after 10 teams left the Pac-12 following the 2023-2024 season.
“It’s kind of a shame that Gonzaga will be leaving the WCC because we won’t be able to compete with them anymore,” Isaiah Dean, sophomore Pepperdine Men’s Basketball guard said. “Especially since they were kind of a key piece in keeping the WCC as high of a prestige as it is now.”
Gonzaga made this decision with hopes of more revenue and coverage, as they has been a top five seed in March Madness eight of the last nine years, along with success in other sports such as cross country, soccer and rowing.
With the Pac-12 being particularly weak in men’s basketball as of late, Gonzaga’s
Michael
drives against
program looks to be as dominant as they were in the WCC, where they made the past 16 WCC championships, winning 12 of them.
On top of dominating the WCC, Gonzaga has made the past 25 March Madness tournaments, with two finals appearances in 2017 and 2021. Gonzaga looks to repeat their success with four Pac-12 teams making March Madness last year, with the most successful being University of Arizona, who made it to the Sweet 16.
Gonzaga also hopes to rebuild the Pac-12 conference to
Photo by Riley Haywood | Staff Photographer
what it once was for basketball, with Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould praising the Bulldogs for their incredible successes for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Since the start of the 20192020 season, the men’s and women’s teams have amassed a win percentage of 86.7, with the men’s boasting a 66.7 win percentage since the team’s creation in 1943, according to Sports Reference.
For the WCC, 11 teams alongside Pepperdine will be members in 2026, including: Oregon State University, Wash-
ington State University, Seattle University, Grand Canyon University, Loyola Marymount University, University of the Pacific, University of Portland, Saint Mary’s College of California, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University.
“It could be an opportunity to rise in the conference but at the same time we still have to win,” Dean said. “We still have to beat teams like Saint Mary’s, San Francisco and LMU, but they also added Washington State and Oregon State recently.”
The clear favorite for men’s basketball is St. Marys, as they have dominated alongside Gonzaga, winning last year’s WCC championship against Gonzaga.
The WCC losing its most profitable team may have a large blow to funding and revenue, but the plan to add two more teams that have had success in both sports and academics can prove to help the conference keep its standard.
Grand Canyon University and Seattle University are joining the WCC in the 2025-2026 academic year, announced in May earlier this year, keeping the conference competitive and fair in size.
PGM NFL 2024 week 6 predictions
Justin Rodriguez Sports Editor
Transperency Item: This is the opinion and perspective of the writers.
Thursday, Oct. 10, at 5:15 p.m., PDT
49ers at Seahawks
Niners: Tony, Shane, Amanda, Jade
Seahawks: Justin, Hunter, Shalom, Gabrielle, Nina, Nick
“Niners have not played well against the rest of the NFC West.” – Hunter
“I feel bad because the Niners about to get demolished. Sorry Amanda.” – Shalom
“Long Beach State got their 49er mascot taken away so down with them all.” – Nina
Sunday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m., PDT
Texans at Patriots
Texans: Justin, Shane, Hunter, Shalom, Gabrielle, Nina, Amanda, Jade, Nick Pats: Tony
“Just put the fries in the bag, Jacoby Brissett.” – Shane
“Texan? What’s a Texan?” –Tony
“Nothing patriotic about the Pats being in last place of the AFC East.” – Nina
the Gonzaga defense Jan. 18 at Firestone Fieldhouse. Washington local Ajayi transferred to Gonzaga after one season with the Waves.
Art by Sarah Rietz | Art Editor
Savannah Broadus excels as a Wave
Megan Harkey Sports Staff Writer
In the final set point of a qualifying match for the 2024 ITA Women’s All-American Championships, the crowd is silent as a serve is up in the air. A rally ensues as both sides try to keep the ball in their lines. With a final swing, a winner is named in the third set of the match.
An extreme sight to watch, but it is just another match for senior Pepperdine Women’s Tennis player, Savannah Broadus.
“I’ve never been one to look too much at rankings,” Broadus said. “I’m just a player that’s like, ‘I’m gonna go out and ideally kick butt.’”
Broadus is a three time All-American in doubles, an All-American in singles, the 2024 WCC Player of the Year and has recently fought for a title in the ITA Women’s All-American Championship in hopes of adding to her milelong list of achievements.
Broadus was raised in an athletic family as her mother, Sheila Broadus, was a tennis player at Texas Christian University and her father, Ron Broadus, was a football player at Prairie View A&M.
To begin her own historic tennis career, Broadus had a classic sibling rivalry with her brother, Grayson Broadus. Grayson played at Notre Dame from 2016-2020 and was a role model for Savannah in her ju-
nior training years.
“He showed me that you don’t have to be pulling these crazy shots out of nowhere,” Broadus said. “Being solid and being reliable is probably one of the biggest assets in college tennis.”
In Broadus’ younger training years, her family guided her journey into the sport until age 10. Around age 12, she began working with Dave Licker, the director of Juniors at the Lakes Tennis Academy in Dallas.
“She was almost 15 years old and she made a pretty big breakthrough in her tennis,” Licker said. “That was kind of the turnaround where I was like, ‘Wow, this girl can really play.’”
This player and coach connection flourished as the two had known each other previously from a connection through Sheila Broadus.
“In so many ways, he helped me grow as a person and just become more mature,” Broadus said.
Today, Broadus still relies on Licker for advice and coaching even when she is looking for help off the court. She said he’s constantly reminding her that tennis is not the entire world, but rather a game to play.
“There are bigger things than tennis and when I don’t stress out too much about tennis I actually play a lot better,” Broadus said.
Licker was able to grow her into an elite juniors player before Pepperdine Women’s Ten-
nis Head Coach Per Nilsson began recruiting her for her services at Pepperdine.
“I’ve known [Nilsson] for a long time and I thought it’d be a great place for her,” Licker said. “[I told her] that’s one of the places you should really consider.”
In her freshman year at Pepperdine, Broadus learned what was necessary to become a college tennis player in the weight room, classroom, tennis court and even the track.
“There’s a huge adjustment period for everybody coming into college,” Broadus said. “I haven’t met any freshman that hasn’t struggled. It’s just a part of it.”
Like many elite tennis juniors, Broadus took her high school years online to have time to train and travel to get recruited by schools like Pepperdine.
“I don’t know if I was more nervous for my first practice or my first in-person class in over four years,” Broadus said.
The adjustment took time as she said her first few months at Pepperdine were some of the hardest of her life, however, she had a partner by her side. She had Pepperdine alumna Janice Tjen (‘24), and the pair worked together to get through every conditioning session, weight lift and extra early morning to get to the level they are at today.
“I went through so many hard days in the fall semester, and it paid off in the spring,” Broadus said. “I started to do really well.”
When they began to play together, the pair quickly clicked into sync. Broadus and Tjen
said they just knew what the other was thinking without needing to communicate everything.
“We knew each other inside and out and it was almost like a dance on the court,” Broadus said.
In her three years at Pepperdine so far, Broadus has only played four doubles matches without Tjen by her side. Tjen is now playing overseas professionally and is hoping to play with Broadus again once her time at Pepperdine is over.
“I mean, we want to play together on the pro tour,” Tjen said. “I think it would be amazing.”
In their first year as Waves, the pair went 20-5 in doubles for a .900 winning percentage and became second place in Pepperdine history for number of wins at the two position, according to Pepperdine Athletics. Broadus and Tjen were named an ITA All-American in doubles which she said is one of her proudest achievements to this day.
“At every school you have a list of All-Americans at the facilities and it’s really special to know that my name will be up there for the rest of time,” Broadus said.
Off the court, Broadus continues her All-American status in the classroom and in her representation as a student-athlete at Pepperdine.
Broadus has won multiple academic awards including WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention in 2023 and 2024 and Pepperdine Scholar-Athlete in 2022 and 2023.
Broadus has also been a part of Waves Leadership Council
for three years. The WLC is a student athlete advocate group that works to advocate for student athletes and create a better environment for them to thrive at Pepperdine.
“It really helped me work on my communication skills and know that everyone is different in how they respond to things,” Broadus said.
This year, Broadus has started off strong at the ITA Singles National Championship and is looking to extend herself even further to leave her legacy at Pepperdine. One of her main goals is to repeat WCC Player of the Year, while also teaching the next generation of Pepperdine Tennis what it means to be a Wave.
“I am a leader and I really appreciate the role because the leaders that I’ve had have helped me so much and I want to do the same for those girls,” Broadus said.
After her last year, Broadus aspires to be a professional tennis athlete.
“I’ve seen some of my friends are doing really well on tour right now, and it motivates me to push really hard this season,” Broadus said. “When I do finish college the plan is to play professionally.”
Even with a professional career on the horizon, Broadus is still excelling in her collegiate career. She recently quawlified for the NCAA Singles Championship and will be playing in Waco, Texas on Nov. 19-24.
Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Senior Women’s Tennis player Savannah Broadus celebrates after a point against University of Michigan at Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center on May 17. Broadus and her doubles partner, alumna Janice Tjen (‘24), secured the doubles point for an overall 4-1 win.
