THE
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PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 2, VOLUME 25 - November 18, 2020
A NEW DAY IN THE USA
PV residents showed their support for Biden/Harris. (Left and Center Photos Courtesy of Charlotte Cicero, Right Photo courtesy of Melissa Mollo)
PVHS Students React to Election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (page 6-7) Local Election Results on Page 3
National Results on Back Cover
People celebrated the Biden/Harris victory in Washington, DC (Photo courtesy of Ella Dorst)
NEWS
Home for the Holidays?
By Sierra Namvari photo editor During the holidays, friends and family normally plan to all come together whether that means traveling out of state, college students coming home for the break, or enjoying a Friendsgiving celebration. Due to COVID-19, many of these plans will be limited or canceled this year. College students from out of state have more limits than most others because there’s the concern of an increase in spread of the virus due to students going back home over break, becoming infected, and then returning to college. Many college students, especially students in California, are highly suggested to get tested before taking any actions. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Traveling increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the
best way to protect yourself and others.” Many students were planning to meet with extended family members over the break, but due to restrictions, plans are being canceled. “I have a big family that includes 12 cousins, and we would always celebrate Thanksgiving together for as long as I can remember, and now we can’t this year,” sophomore Brynn Ottolia said. One major concern for health
experts is that holiday parties, whether that may be for college students or even just small Friendsgiving gatherings, could potentially cause a spike in the cases. The information already given by the CDC is that small gatherings, in general, have been the main factor in the spread of cases, but now with the holidays coming up, the number of groups and people all being around each other could cause this issue to be even more severe.
(Photo by Sierra Namvari)
Sea Kings Trek for Tests By John Kim reporter Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rather significant shakeup in the college application process. As large grouping became prohibited in many states (especially in a big state like California with a high number of coronavirus cases), SAT and ACT test centers shut down, leaving those without scores quite anxious and questioning. After the March SAT got canceled just a few days before its date due to the sudden outbreak and despite the College Board’s attempt to hold tests starting August, test centers in California have been continually failing to go through with their plans. Understanding their circumstances, most colleges now are not requiring or not considering standardized test scores. Still, quite a few students from PVHS--and students across the nation--are choosing to take the SAT by traveling to states like Utah or Arizona where test centers are still open due to relatively lax Coronavirus regulation as they seek any sort of competitive advantage in their college applications. Among them are seniors Aidan Forsey, who took the September SAT and Cameron Greene, who took the SAT subject test (Math II with Calculator) in October. Forsey is an aspiring cadet of the US Air Force Academy. “I took the SAT because my top choice was still accepting it,” Forsey said. “I flew on there on Friday and took the test and flew back.” He wasn’t alone in his endeavor. “Multiple other people I was taking it with were from California,” Forsey said.“I would
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UC System Turns a Blind Eye to Standardized Tests By Alycen Kim centerspread editor Standardized tests ring the same bell of dread for most students. Many people can already imagine the blood, sweat and tears that go into hours upon hours of studying and preparation for a brutally long and difficult exam. For many people, standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are the end-all-be-all for the perfect college application: the higher the score, the higher their chances are for getting into the college of their dreams. But, as of 2021, all UC college applications submitted that year will eliminate the standardized test score requirement. On May 21, the University of California Board of Regents passed a proposal to eliminate the SAT and ACT test requirements on applications for all nine UC schools. The original plan was to create a test-optional admissions policy for the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022 and test-blind for the classes of 2023 and 2024. A test-optional policy would mean that students would have the option of submitting their application with or without a standardized test score. Test-blind would mean that the admissions board will not use students’ test scores to make acceptance decisions. On Sep. 1, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman ruled that the test optional policy was unfair to students who lacked access to testing centers or resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the court ruled that the graduating class of 2021 would have “test- blind” admissionsmeaning that no applicants will be required to submit an ACT or SAT test score. Advocates of the test- blind policy argue that it allows for
more equity during the college admissions process. Students who come from impoverished backgrounds may not have all the resources they need to effectively prepare for the exam while students who can afford tutoring programs and expensive books statistically do better. A 2015 analysis found that the lowest SAT scores came from students whose families made less than $20,000 a year while the highest scores came from students whose families made more than $200,000. Test score discrepancies between certain racial groups makes the college admissions board hold collective stereotypes when looking at applications. With the new “test- blind” policy, minorities and disadvantaged students will have an equal chance of acceptance. However, the demolition of this once important admissions tool could spell trouble for some graduating students. The removal of the ACT and SAT requirement is a removal of a vital part of the college admissions process: students now have to focus more on extracurriculars, volunteering, GPA and college essays. “I think the UC schools going test-blind will serve as a model for other schools who are on the fence about the test- blind option,” junior Izzy Farrow said. “Removing the SAT and ACT requirement definitely takes away a big part of the applications process because the tests are really what narrows the applicant pool.” Now, a lot of schools are moving to test optional or testblind requirements for incoming admissions. The UC schools’ decision represents an important consideration for the future turning a blind eye to the flawed standardized testing system and focusing on holistic applications.
Log Into Virtual Spirit By Emily Typrowicz sports editor
(Illustration by Alycen Kim) only recommend it to people whose top choice in college apps still considers it and only if they think they can earn a competitive score.” Greene had his own unique experience with the infamous SAT Math II subject test. “Come October, I saw that Utah had a rare open testing center, and I jumped on the opportunity,” he said. “College applications were only a month away, and I felt pressured to add one more achievement to my resume.” Nevertheless, he feels as though it was not worth it as he did not achieve a satisfactory score. “I’m mildly frustrated at this, and I am sour about the whole ordeal.” he said. “It was stressful.I boarded a socially distanced airplane the afternoon before the exam and
sat there for two hours, inhaling recycled air. “I put my life at risk to cross multiple state borders and come into contact with dozens of strangers. I ran into multiple people that didn’t wear masks and put others at risk. I didn’t contract COVID, but it was scary nonetheless.” Greene personally does not recommend the option to others. “Especially considering the fact that you might not be happy with your score, it’s a bad idea,” he said. At the end of the day, for the class of 2021, standardized test scores are just the icing on the cake. “Seniors this year should rest assured that their applications will be just as strong without any tests because universities are giving students more wiggle-room in the COVID era,” Greene said.
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It’s been eight months since students were last on campus together, and it has been difficult to stay connected with fellow peers. PVHS leadership classes, ASB and BTC, have been organizing virtual school spirit weeks and events. Students are able to participate by posting on their Instagram stories according to that day’s activity/theme. From Yellow Ribbon Week to Homecoming, both programs have come up with themes for each day of these virtual spirit weeks. “I think it is really cool that we have had virtual spirit weeks, it makes the school year feel more normal” senior Emily Drawer said. Even though students are unable to be all together at once, virtual spirit weeks are a good way of feeling connected during the pandemic. During the Virtual Homecoming
week, ASB made plans to have a drive in movie. Unfortunately with COVID-19, some felt it would be unsafe which led to the cancellation. However, students could still participate by posting on social media and voting for homecoming court. “It is definitely much harder to get people to participate this year, but we’ve quickly learned to tailor
(Graphic by Emily Typrowicz) our outreach to the new way of living,” ASB President and senior Daisy Robertson said. While being far apart, the student camaraderie is still just one screen away.
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
NEWS
Propositions on the 2020 Ticket California voters weighed in on key ballot measures across the state.
Proposition 15
Proposition 16
Proposition 15, one of the most controversial propositions on the 2020 November ballot, failed to pass by a vote of 52% no to 48% yes. If Proposition 15 had passed with a majority vote, it would have increased property taxes on any commercial real estate in California that is worth more than $3 million. Prop. 15 would not have had an impact on private real estate properties like homes and small rental properties. Prop. 15 would have made new assessments on commercial property worth $3 million or more. Supporters claimed that since the 1970s, public schools have not been properly funded in California and that by reassessing the property taxes for commercial real estate, new and large revenue sources could have been made by taxing the people that can afford it, large business owners and corporations. The state estimates that Prop. 15 would have generated between $8 billion and $12 billion in new revenue for California every year. These new revenues would have been given to local governments and public schools. Opponents have claimed that the proposed tax increases to commercial real estate would have raised our cost of living. Businesses claim that small business owners, including Black-owned busnesses could have been driven out of business as well.
Proposition 16 failed at the ballot box, with “no” votes outweighing “yes” votes 56% to 43%. The failure of Prop. 16 means that Proposition 209, which was passed in 1996, is upheld. Prop. 209 states that government and public institutions cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to people based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin when it comes to public enrollment, public education, and public contracting. At its core, a no vote on Prop. 16 marks the defeat of affirmative action - a topic that has been at the center of heated debate as the voters have re-evaluated race relations in this country and in California after a summer of protests. For students, Prop. 16 most greatly affects them through the University of California school system. Both UC President Janet Napolitano and UC Regents Chair John Perez were in support of Prop. 16, stating that its failure would uphold barriers to higher education for students of color. However, proponents of a no vote on Prop. 16 viewed the defeat as a rejection of political correctness and identity politics, keeping public institutions “colorblind,” according to the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board. In a largely liberal California, the failure of Prop. 16 may serve as a warning for future court battles surrounding affirmative action and its divisive nature.
by Mia Harley reporter
by Jonathan Liu reporter
Proposition 17
by Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor The debate over whether one’s right to vote is restored after completion of a state or federal prison term, including those on parole, has been passed with 58.6% for Proposition 17 and 41.4% against it. In 2016, California passed legislation allowing the incarcerated in country jails to vote. Prop. 17 addresses state/ federal prison, in which supporters argue that those on parole have paid their debt to society, and should have their rights restored as citizens. A vote allows a citizen to make sure their voice and opinion is heard.The passing of Prop. 17 could open up voting for 50,000 parolees, altering the course of future elections. Those against Prop. 17, who want to maintain the United States common practice of making felons ineligible to vote, argue that parole is made for offenders to prove rehabilitation, and that “Voting is a right that offenders should receive once they demonstrate they have been rehabilitated; not before” (CalMatters). The fiscal impact of Prop. 17 includes the annual county cost and one-time state cost, which will supply for voter registration cards and ballot materials. This cost could amount up to 1,800,000 dollars. California joins 16 other states and the District of Columbia in restoring the voting rights of the formerly incarcerated.
PV Peninsula Votes for School Board, Elects Two Members by CJ Haddad reporter and Frances Stott reporter Linda Reid was one of the four candidates for the position of board member on the PVPUSD School Board who won one of the two available seats. Reid is currently on the school board and was re-elected by voters. She has been a member of the school board since 2014. She has also been a College Admissions Advisor since 2015. One of her main priorities is to return students back to school safely after COVID-19. She hopes to continue to provide a depth of academic work. Reid also wants to alleviate some of the stress put on families caused by COVID. Reid wants to ensure that PVPUSD remains one of California’s top-performing districts. Jeff Frankel is another one of the two candidates for board member on the school board who won election. Frankel is a member of the PVPUSD Budget Advisory Committee. He is also the Superintendent of Special Education Parent Advisory Group and the Vice Chairman of the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. Frankel wants to reopen the
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
Proposition 18
Proposition 22
If Proposition 18 had passed, 17-year-olds would be able to vote in primary elections if they will be 18-years-old by the general election in November. With the majority of votes counted, the state of California has voted ‘No’ on Proposition 18. 56% of Californians voted against this proposal. The California Democratic Party emphasized their support for this proposition. Those who support this proposition believe that if an 18-year-old is allowed to vote in the general election, then they should be also permitted to vote in the primary election and determine which candidates they will later be able to vote for on the November ballot. Supporters also believe that allowing 17-year-olds to vote in the primary elections may increase participation in voting. The California Repulican Party opposed Prop 18. These individuals who do not support this proposition believe that 17-year-olds are not legally adults, so they are not mature enough to be given the privilege of being able to vote. It is also argued that 17-yearolds can be heavily influenced by their parents, teachers or counselors. Since Prop. 18 would increase the number of people who could vote, more money would need to be spent sending out voter information and counting ballots. Every election would cost up to $1 million more statewide if Prop. 18 had passed.
Proposition 22 passed with 58% of the vote on Nov. 3. The passage of Prop. 22 means that app-based rideshare companies like Uber and Postmates can hire drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Gig workers would be able to dictate their own hours and where they drive, but will not get the standard benefits and protections that companies are required to provide employees. Under Prop. 22 are provisions for the creation of mandatory anti-discrimination and sexual-harassment policies, training programs and criminal background checks. However, critics of the measure say it weakens current protections for both consumers and drivers facing harassment and alleviates the obligation to investigate harassment claims. Prop. 22 also includes benefits that would take the place of the benefits that employee status would provide like health care subsidies. An alluring feature of Prop. 22 was its promise of a 120% minimum wage. However, this is only guaranteed for engaged driving time. Due to the amount of time it takes to wait for ride or order requests, it was found that guaranteed wages would decrease to $5.64, well under the current minimum wage of $13 dollars an hour for employees. According to gig companies, the passage of Prop. 22 is a win for the freedom of independent contractors, but to its opponents, it is an infringement on workers’ rights and protections.
by Syndey Lyle reporter
Progressive Ousts LA County District Attorney by Aidan Sun news editor
The view of the PVHS parking lot on Nov. 2 as voters cast early ballots. (Photo by Aidan Sun) schools safely and reimagine education post-COVID. Another one of his priorities is to inspire students to reach their full potential, including special needs, struggling and GATE, as he has a special needs daughter.
He says that he is committed to maintaining a balanced budget as achieved in the 2019 to 2020 school year. Candidates Joseph DiLeva and Aura Imbarus did not recieve enough votes for a win.
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by Sarah Liu editor-in-chief
The current Los Angeles County District Attorney, Jackie Lacey, was ousted by progressive challenger, George Gascón with over 53% of the vote. Gascón is a former police chief and district attorney from San Francisco and has been endorsed by many progressive activist groups including Black Lives Matter Los Angeles Gascón also had the backing of prominant politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris who’ve embraced his progressive ideas. Lacey, the first Black woman to be elected to her position in L.A., has often been accused by activists of being too complacent when it comes to police brutality and rape cases. Activists during the height of Black Lives Matter protests gathered at city hall chanting, “Jackie Lacey must go.” This came after the March Demoratic primaries when Lacey received just shy of half the votes. During that primary, Gascón received just 28%. However, after the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery
and Breonna Taylor, things began to change for the district attorney as she faced challenges to her record as a prosecutor. Former supporters, like Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-28) pulled endorsements, siding with protestors. As cries for justice increased across the country, so too did support for Gascón, who promised to address police brutality. He also has promised to curb violent crime and reform L.A. County’s criminal justice system by reducing racial disparities and ending mass incarceration. Since being elected on Nov. 3, Gascón has already taken steps to differentiate himself and Lacey despite being from the same political party. On Nov. 9, Gascón met with Black Lives Matter leaders and families of those lost to deadly encounters with Los Angeles county’s police officers. Attendees of the meeting warned Gascón of consequences if he betrayed his supporters’ trust. “The day that you don’t think I’m doing my job I’ll leave and you can find somebody else,” Gascón told them.
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FEATURES
Online School Makes Brains Go Offline
By Claire Hardesty editor-in-chief Online school has become a part of every teen’s regular schedule, and it has begun to display its negative attributes on mental health. Online school is something everyone has adjusted to and students have found difficulty in maintaining their mental health in this environment. Students have battled through the tougher beginning parts of the adaptation process and have developed ways to keep themselves focused in school while also maintaining their mental health. “Online school has definitely impacted my mental health. At first it was very hard to stay positive and adapt to a whole new daily routine. As the days went on I’ve learned to look at the brighter side and stay more positive, so I’d say my mental health has become stronger,” junior Jenna Leone said. Counselors in the school’s Wellness Center have noticed significant changes and impacts of online school on student’s mental health. “[Online school] can be a mixture of both, but it seems to be more negative than positive in a lot of cases. Positive because the workload for some students has decreased, which has been beneficial for their mental health. Negative because most students need to be able to interact with others; it helps with managing
our negative thoughts when we have outside interaction…,” student support specialist Kelli Washington said. A primary difference that has been noticed by many students is that it seems as if workloads have increased in online school. “I do think the course work has increased because teachers think that since we are home we have more time to do the work. The problem is that once the students get off of their Zoom or Google Meet calls, we are tired. But then, we are given a pile of work to do back on the computer,” senior Ella Frost said. The lack of personal connections between students and students but also students and teachers is a prominent issue in online schooling; break out rooms can only connect us so much. “The biggest difference for me is just the lack of relationships and connection. I think our school prides itself on the faculty and student relationships, so without it, school feels very impersonal. I go to my classes, and I don’t even know if my teachers know my name because classes are packed and the only thing they see of us is a tiny square,” Frost said. Along with the struggle of losing in person school connections, students’ mental health has simultaneously been impacted by the loss of sports, extracurriculars, and ability to visit friends. “The change from in-person to school online has had a
During such a stressful time, Sea Kings find unique ways to unwind. (llustration by Sarah Liu) significant impact on students’ mental health. Without the balance of peer interaction, sports, extracurricular activities, and the socialization that comes with being on campus, students are struggling,” Washington said. Students offered up their ideas and suggestions based on their own personal experiences with the current system, for faculty, admin, and the school board to consider in terms of making any new calls about the workings of our online school platform. “If we called Wednesdays,
‘Wellness Wednesdays’, students could take the day to sleep, recover, do homework, or go to the teacher’s office hours. By doing this, the students don’t feel like every day is the same and they also feel like the school cares about us. Right now, we don’t feel heard because of the schedule we are given and we don’t feel like a part of the school,” Frost said. As this situation is out of students’ control, it is in their control to keep their heads up and remain focused during this
time. It is extremely important to care for one’s mental health during a time like this and prioritizing it to the maximum. The Wellness Center remains open virtually for any students who feel as if they need someone to talk to. “If you find yourself overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, we are happy to help you guys through this ‘new normal.’ Talking about how you’re feeling can be really helpful,” Washington said.
The Hybrid Learning Haven Sea Kings Explain why they Chose Hybrid Learning
Wanke uses his free time from hybrid learning to catch some waves. (Photo courtesy of Karsten Wanke) By Natalie Tholan reporter Karsten Wanke is a 15-yearold sophomore who is an advanced surfer and hope to continue to do distance learning to further perfect his surfing.
“During the quarantine I have been able to focus a lot of my time and energy into surfing and it has really been a blessing in disguise,” Wanke said. He also has been able to surf locally through the week. On the
Editors-in-Chief Claire Hardesty Sarah Liu Adviser Cynthia Mindicino
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weekends, he would go down to Orange County and San Diego to surf again. Wanke has taken this time to dial his equipment and improve everything. Wanke has been working with many sponsors such as Hurley Clothing, Chilli Surfboard, and Smith Optics Sunglasses to ensure every part of his equipment is in peak condition. Wanke works with his shaper, a person who makes surfboards, to make better boards to improve his surfing skills. He also trains to by watching film and improving his technique day by day. Brianna Kunich, a junior, is an athlete like Wanke, but Kunich is on the varsity cheerleading squad. She chose to do hybrid learning, too. “I miss cheering on the sidelines very much with my friends. I also miss having my family come watch me cheer Editors News: Aurora Khatibi Garrity, Aidan Sun Features: Lucia Ruiz Centerspread: Alycen Kim Opinion: Kaylie Harley Sports: Emily Typrowicz Photography: Sierra Namvari Online: Curtis Liu Social Media: Sydney Lyle
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at football games, basketball games and at pep rallies,” Kunich said. “Another reason I chose to do hybrid, hoping we would go back to school, was that I feel that because I did similar above my grade levels classes last year, I have learned that it is much easier and more beneficial to me when I am in person for my many harder classes that I take,” Kunich said. Kunich is also taking multiple AP and honors classes such as AP English 3 Language, AP Psychology, AP Studio3D, Marine Biology Honors and AP Research, along with many clubs she is a part of, and being part of the “Pep Squad” counts as that. “It is a lot of work but manageable as long and you focus and don’t procrastinate,” Kunich said. Gigi Cole, a sophomore on
the junior varsity cheerleading squad, has also chosen to do hybrid learning. “Being on the cheer team for the second year in a row has been very exciting but when we didn’t go back to practice for a while, I started to miss it. I miss seeing my teammates, learning new dances and cheering in front of the student section at games, my friends and my family,” Cole said. In addition to missing cheerleading, Cole also misses other aspects of her school life. “I miss being in a classroom and with my friends. I don’t like sitting at home for most of my day,” Cole said. However, online school also has a few perks that she did not want to give up. “I wake up five minutes before my class starts and then join my Zoom class,” Cole said.
Staff Andrew Carpenter, Vikesh Dheeriya, Alexa Dox, Cristen Haddad, Mia Harley, John Kim, Ethan King, Jonathan Liu, Mallory Meyer, McKenzie Olsen, Frances Stott, Natalie Tholan, Mathew Valero
Follow us @pvhspoint!
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
Special Holiday Traditions
By Alexa Dox reporter
Davryn McDuffie
(Photo courtesy of Davryn McDuffie) Sophomore Davyrn McDuffie and her family love to go to new places over Thanksgiving break. “My family makes sure to explore a new place with fall foliage. We all love adventure, so it is important to us that we travel and experience new things,” McDuffie said. Traveling and dressing up in holiday costumes and caroling for retirement homes are her favorite holiday memories. “Even though our singing was not very good, those living in the facility were always very excited that we were there. Seeing the smiles on their faces is always one of the highlights of my holiday season,” McDuffie said. A McDuffie family tradition includes hosting a family barbecue. “This is so fun because everybody is happy, stress-free, and excited for Christmas,” McDuffie said. Amy Byrne
(Photo courtesy of Amy Byrne)
French and Spanish teacher Amy Byrne says that Christmas at the Byrne household is
packed with many fun and festive activities. Each year on Dec. 1, they start putting all the Christmas decorations on their tree. They decorate the tree as a family and each family member has personalized ornaments that they put on the tree. The Byrne Family also has an elf that visit them on the Dec. 1. “She keeps an eye on the kids throughout the month and ‘spies’ on them from various parts of the house”. Mrs. Byrne loves to incorporate baking in her holiday traditions. A French dessert that the family enjoys is Bûche de Noël.
FEATURES Today’s Special: Tomatillo The Point reviews a favorite small business with good taste
Olivia Schnel
(Photo courtesy of Olivia Schnel) Throughout the eight nights of Hanukkah, sophomore Olivia Schnel and her extended family come together to celebrate the holiday season. “My favorite tradition over Hanukkah is to teach my younger family members and friends, who have never played, how to play dreidel,” Schnel said. The Hanukkah season brings back happy childhood memories for Schnel including forced family photoshoots and festivities at school. “When I was in elementary school, my mom would come and teach my class about Hanukkah and the reason behind the Menorah,” Schnel said. “It’s really nice to [celebrate] and make lifelong memories with my family,” Schnel said.
(Photo by Lucia Ruiz) By Andrew Carpenter reporter Tomatillo is a family-owned restaurant with great-tasting, authentic Mexican food located in the Golden Cove Center. The owners of Tomatillo are Carlos De Alba and his wife, Rosa De Alba. Carlos De Alba moved from Guadalajara, Mexico with his family. Initially, he purchased a small Mexican restaurant in the back of the Shell Gas station on Hawthorne and Granvia Altamira. This was a small place, but de Alba and his family worked hard to make good food. They
later purchased the Golden Cove location to upsize and gain more customers. Unfortunately, they did this right before the pandemic hit and the consequences came soon. However, loyal customers came to his aid. “The community helped keep my business open, I had a few people come in and tip $100,” De Alba said. De Alba said that Tomatillo lost 80% of business during the early stages of the lockdown. De Alba is constantly looking to grow his business. He worked in hospitality in Guadalajara, Mexico and wanted to own his own restaurant. He hopes to buy a larger restaurant in the future.
“My favorite item on the menu is the chile relleno,” said De Alba. A chile relleno is a fried chile stuffed with cheese. His second favorite item is the burrito, which is crafted to your liking. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with warmth and gratitude. For example, after their first ever customer tipped with a lucky two dollar bill, they took a picture and framed it. That same picture still hangs on the wall. This restaurant is a local favorite go-to because of the great quality food and friendly atmosphere. If you are looking for some really good tasting and quality Mexican food on the hill, look no further than Tomatillo.
Tofurkey Season: Vegans & Thanksgiving By Sydney Lyle social media editor Thanksgiving is known for delicious food, and while some Sea Kings experience Thanksgiving a little bit differently, it is no less delicious. Veganism means that a person no longer consumes meats, eggs, or dairy. While this puts restraints on most Thanksgiving dishes, many vegans are able to adjust and develop new dishes to still join Thanksgiving dinner. “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I am able to have delicious food and still be vegan,” senior Leilani Fonoimoana said. Fonoimoana and her family altered traditional meals by using vegan ingredients. “I have been able to modify them to be vegan-friendly by using vegan milk and butter for the mashed potatoes and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for the gravy,”
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Fonoimoana said. Fonoimoana and her mom are both vegan and her accepting family has made the transition easy. Every vegan has their own unique story of how they changed their lifestyle initially. Some change their diets due to health concerns, some to save the animals, and some to benefit the environment. “I first became vegan in 2018 because my grandfather passed from Alzheimer’s along with many other relatives. I decided to take initiative and change my lifestyle in order to prevent or decrease my risk of this appalling disease,” sophomore Alina Montalvan said. With the help of her family, Montalvan was able to see how beneficial becoming vegan would be in the long term. “My cousin was vegan with
me for about a year and both my dad, my grandma and my uncle are vegan as well. Most of the
(Photo by Sydney Lyle) food prepared in my household is vegan,” Montalvan said. Since she is constantly surrounded by many vegan dishes, Thanksgiving is no different.
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“I love eating mashed potatoes, congri (a Cuban rice with black beans) and chia seed pudding. Traditionally, congri has bacon, which we just leave out,” Montalvan said. When surrounded by family who shares the same dietary needs, veganism can seem simple, but the reality is that being vegan can often be very difficult. Restaurants aren’t always accommodating and eating out with friends who aren’t vegan is not always easy. “I never feel like I’m missing out because my house is usually where we have family gatherings, so my mom always makes vegan options. When I am not in a situation like this, it is definitely difficult to eat. I will usually bring my own food to other functions,” Fonoimoana said. Senior Whitney Todosiev said she “made the switch to vegan
when [her] acne started to get progressively worse.” After visiting her dermatologist and researching online, she decided that going vegan was the best option for her health. Todosiev was also inspired to become vegan after taking the AP Environmental Science class offered on-campus and learning so much new information about her impact on the environment. “Going vegan has made me experiment way more in the kitchen and find joy in cooking good food for myself and family members,” Todosiev said. Being vegan can be challenging, but overall the health advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages. Veganism doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite foods. Thanksgiving can still be a holiday filled with delicious food, family, and friends, just make certain to stock up on your vegan butters and dairy-free milks at your local grocery store.
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Bye Trump,
What does the new Biden admi See students’ reflections on the recent
“Biden has concrete policies that he can definitely follow through on. For example, his healthcare plan. He’s got an outline of what it will be like, and he has a concrete plan to tackle climate change and create new jobs to improve the economy. I think the biggest policy Biden is supporting is his extensive plan from shifting away from fossil fuels and implementing a lot of green energy while also providing high paying jobs and improving employment. He wants to revamp our infrastructure to make it more green, retrofit a lot of buildings and homes, and get close to 100% reliance on clean energy. It’s a win-win situation because he’s improving the economy with a lot of jobs and he’s also looking out for the environment.” - Kapil Dheeriya, senior “I think Biden is the best candidate for our country because he is an empath. He is truly invested in the success of each and every American citizen. I think his morals and leadership skills make him very trustworthy and easy to believe in. Biden wants the best for everyone and I like that he never discriminates against any race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender. One issue, in more recent matters, is the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In my opinion, the pandemic was not being handled well. Biden announcing that he was going to bring in a team of doctors to help solve this was such a breath of fresh air. He doesn’t just care about the economy or his ego, he cares about us.” - Charlotte Cicero, junior
By Aidan Sun, news editor Build back better. That’s President-Elect Joe Biden’s plan for America. Build back better by tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, by rebuilding the economy, by investing in infrastructure and science and public health and schools. Build back better by restoring our nation to one that is united, not divided. Building back a country that is strong and healthy and secure and compassionate. Building back better by restoring the soul of our nation. And it seems that soul, at least
in part, was very much restored on Nov. 7 when major news outlets declared Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) the winner of the 2020 election. There was dancing, honking, singing, shouting, crying, laughing, smiling and banging on pots and pans as thousands took to the streets in major U.S. cities to cry out in joy and collectively release a sigh of relief after four years of, in their minds, nearchaos. From a policy standpoint, Joe Biden’s plan for America is nothing short of what we expect from a moderate Democrat
in today’s day and age. He’s likely to bring about significant reforms and strong leadership while limiting the amount of firmly progressive ideas he follows to distance himself from frequent conservative punching bags like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) or Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Already, Biden has promised a series of executive orders that he plans to sign on day one of his presidency. The first of these stems from Biden’s firm commitment to combatting climate change. Biden plans to sign an executive order immediately
upon his swearing in to rejoin the United States to the Paris Climate Accords which the U.S. formally exited under the Trump Administration on Nov. 4. His other first day signings will include an executive order to reverse President Donald Trump’s “Muslim ban” which has banned immigration from many Muslim-majority countries since Jan. 28, 2017. He also plans to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO) and reinstate protections for DREAMers, people brought to this country by their parents illegally as children. Biden plans to rejoin the
international community and reaffirm American commitment to our allies. President Trump has repeatedly alienated leaders of foreign countries with good relations with the United States and embraced authoritarian adversaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin or North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. The president-elect has already made several calls to foreign leaders in Europe promising that the United States will once again be a leader of globalism and trans-Atlantic cooperation. Further down the line, Biden plans to take significant action against some of President
Biden is Back
inistration mean for America? t election and opinions on the candidates
(Illustrations by Alycen Kim) “I think Trump has our best interest in mind. He really cares about the American people. The way he talks is a little bit vulgar, but he speaks what’s on his mind and he’s not afraid to call things out. I like how he’s made America energy independent, so we don’t have to rely on other countries to get our energy. He built the best economy in the world, and he made the US super strong, and I think that’s really awesome. I think the biggest problem we have right now is government spending, and just waste, and a lot of taxation. It’s really hard for businesses to survive, and I think it’s good how Trump has been cutting taxes for corporate companies so they can do business in the US and they won’t move overseas. We are in debt so much, and he’s cutting down on programs that are really unnecessary and doing so many good things that will help our country not spend so much.” - Aidan Elliason, senior “I would vote for Donald Trump because I agree with many of his policies regarding businesses, stopping trade with China, and defending the Second Amendment. He is a strong and confident US president, who defended the policies stated in the last election and fell through with the wall initiative. I think Mike Pence is a good running mate as he shares many of the same ideals and policies as Donald J. Trump. When a vice president agrees with the president on subjects, it allows more to get done within that president’s term.” - Max Behzad- Asiri, freshman
Trump’s other controversial policies. One of those is Biden’s plan to repeal tax cuts given to corporations and the wealthy and replace it with higher taxes that will help fund some of his other plans, those of which include his plan to expand the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) to provide individuals with a quality public option when it comes to healthcare. Because of current timelines, a Biden administration would likely oversee the bulk of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. This, on top of the expected rise in cases and deaths this winter, puts the start of the Biden
presidency at a difficult time for Americans. To help address the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden plans to instate a national mask mandate citing scientific evidence that masks can significantly slow the spread of the virus. Additionally, Biden plans to invoke the Defense Production Act, which the Trump administration has been reluctant to use, to source vital PPE directly from the United States. Increased funding for vaccine and cure research, money for reliable and free rapid testing and economic stimulus and and unemployment benefits are
expected as well. Beyond policy, Biden’s victory comes at a tumultuous time. Not only is the pandemic ripping through the lives of every single American, but so is the increasing polarization of the country. Whether you agree with his policies or not, President Trump has been a divisive figure in America who’s rhetoric has undoubtedly starkened the contrast between liberals and conservatives in our country. A major job of the next president will be to reunite and heal a nation that has appeared at times in recent years to be on
the verge of tearing itself apart. Restoring the soul of the nation doesn’t stop with reversing the policies of President Trump. It goes beyond. President-elect Biden has already shown his ability to unite the country by choosing a history-making running mate. Vice President-Elect Harris is by all standards a moderate progressive. She was chosen not only for her extensive experience as California’s Attorney General and junior senator, but also to give every individual in the U.S. regardless of political beliefs, a victory.
Someone who will be setting the stage for generations of female presidents and vice presidents to come should be seen as a universal win for American democracy. As we’ve seen in the last week, the transition process will be far from easy with President Trump refusing to accept the results of the election and proceeding to file frivolous lawsuits across the country. However, hopefully, as we transition into the Biden administration, so too will we transition into a time of cooler political temperatures and move on from the divisive nature of the past four years.
OPINION
Black Friday Frenzy- Pandemic Edition
By CJ Haddad reporter Hordes of people already stood outside the doors of the Walmart at 6:00 a.m. Not even a deadly virus, rampaging through the air and attacking loved ones, could deter Americans from that flat screen TV deal. What were they going to do, shop for it online? Absolutely not—this was the in-person holiday shopping experience they’d been planning all year for. That’s right: it was Black Friday 2020. The store would open at 8:00 and, as the minutes ticked by, the crowds drew tighter, with people pressing up against the glass doors the same as any other year of this national shopping craze. At 7:45, people packed themselves against each other like sardines. Then, as the doors finally opened, the feeding frenzy began. The crowd toppled over each other as they split off in different directions. Many pulled down their masks to their noses or chins as they sprinted across the linoleum floors. Some were seen wiping visible sweat from their shirt sleeves. Other even foamed at the mouth, putting real rabid animals to shame. A few decided to employ MarioKart-esque tactics by throwing other products—the insignificant, regularly-priced products—on the floor to slow down those
(Illustration By Alycen Kim) behind them. A woman emptied a pocket-sized hand sanitizer— the official favorite beverage of the pandemic—onto the floor to make someone slip as she raced towards the discounted stereo systems. A man well past his forties
Can’t Take That Short Semester Stress By Mia Harley reporter For the first time in PVUSD history, the school board has voted to end the semester before winter break this year. Theoretically, this will give students a break from school work, but there is a noticeable problem in making the first semester only approximately 16 weeks long while the second semester encompasses 23 weeks. The short first semester will create more stress for students who may wish to have more opportunities to bring up their grade in a class they struggled to adapt to at the beginning of the year. Though ending the semester before winter break was supposed to help students’ mental health, I believe it will have the opposite effect. “The shorter semester is going to impact my grades because, if I end up getting a grade I wasn’t satisfied with, I am going to have less time to fix it,” senior Avery Simonian said. “In addition, applying to college during the short semester has been extremely nerve-racking.” Sophomore Cherise Stoll is also concerned about what this means for second semester.
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nipped a children’s bicycle from the recreation section and pedaled full-speed towards a stack of ping-pong tables. What else was he supposed to do? The deal included the paddles and balls with it. With their expectations for a
quieter Black friday shattering more quickly than a glass vase in a house with a toddler, the employees stood dumbfounded at the scene in front of them. They looked like presidential debate moderators as they struggled to rein in the growing
chaos, and the increasingly angry shoppers demanding whatever was left in the back...But it was just a dream, I remembered, waking up in a cold sweat. Although knowing that local Walmart, it might become a reality.
Thanksgiving Word Search
“The longer second semester will definitely be a challenge,” Stoll said. “It will definitely be difficult pushing through the last weeks of school.” Since students normally struggle to keep up participation towards the end of the school year when summer is right around the corner, it seems a longer second semester would worsen student motivation. Although most students would like a break from school work, the real issue is about the inequality of time for each semester. The old traditional academic calendar of beginning school at the end of August and finishing in mid-June was originally intended to give a break to students throughout the country from overheated classrooms during hot summer months. This is not as relevant for Southern Californian classrooms, however, as we normally experience the hot weeks around October. The best solution for next year would be to even out the semesters by starting a few weeks earlier in August. Most students that were interviewed said they would be willing to start the school year earlier if it meant a stress free break and even semesters.
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NOVEMBER 18, 2020
OPINION
Limits vs. Life-Terms By Curtis Liu online editor With the recent nomination of Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court Justice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a controversial debate between citizens of the United States has reaggravated: should there be a term limit for Supreme Court Justices? As it currently stands, a Supreme Court Justice serves for his or her lifetime. Since Justices are appointed around the age of 50, this leaves about 30 years of direct influence under a single Justice. Some claim that this is too much power yielded to one individual, and the general consensus suggests a term limit of 18 years. There are several benefits in implementing a term limit. First, judges of younger ages may possibly be elected. If the “for life” term is lifted, younger Justices could be chosen to represent the younger generation without the risk of them holding their position for more than half of a century. This directly benefits the youth of America because their perspectives will be reflected in Supreme Court decisions. Second, there will be no politically motivated retirements of Supreme Court Justices. Justices may choose to retire during a presidency in which the President has similar viewpoints
as the Justice, therefore the Justice could retire and let the President appoint a new Justice with virtually the same viewpoints. If the current President has an opposing viewpoint, the Justice can just wait until a President of similar viewpoints gets elected and retire when a suitable replacement is found. Lastly, the term limits would better reflect the viewpoints of the American people. In theory, this is similar to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “dynamic conservatism” principle. His principle claims that political agendas should fit the current timeline instead of a timeline of the past. This allows for a little more wiggle room in terms of acting on what the American people desire. One con to having term limits on Supreme Court Justices, however, would include the fact that the Judicial branch of the United States may become more politically driven. The Constitution originally sought for a subtle role for the Supreme Court, which was only to interpret the Constitution. However, the term limits may cause Justices to play the retirement game, as mentioned previously. With all of these points considered, I believe that there are more beneficial incentives for the American people if term limits were to be applied.
A Letter from the Editors Joe Biden wants to usher in an era of American unity. Before that can begin, we need to understand how we got here. Other than apple pie, the only thing as deeply American is the guaranteed political discourse at Thanksgiving dinner. And, while election night is behind us, the scars of a divisive four years still remain. Politics have become a touchy subject for many people. Now more than ever, politics are impossible to escape, as they permeate all of our in-class discussions and social media feeds. Simply because of differences in political beliefs, family discussions are made uncomfortable and friendships are ended. People have different beliefs; that will always be a fact. However, our focus should be on utilizing our own political beliefs to benefit society as a whole, building up from where we are today. Especially in the last four years, politics have deepened the ravine between people on opposing party sides, mostly due to the controversial behavior of our
president. Although Presidentelect Biden made the call for unification in his victory speech, that isn’t exactly a feat that can be accomplished overnight. Both parties would need to see each other’s perspective and understand why such blunt division began in the first place. Unification is essential to the furthered success and rebuilding of America, but we must also realize moving forward does not mean pretending the past four years never happened. We now live in an era where conservatism is largely conflated with “Trumpism.” With Trump leaving office, now is the time for the Republican party to divest from the President’s undeniably harmful rhetoric and policy decisions marked by cruelty, like his administration’s policy of family separation at the US-Mexico border, and his tolerance of white supremacy. However, there is still healing to be done on both sides of
the aisle. Distrust in the media is as prevalent as ever, with disinformation spreading rapidly on the internet. Media literacy and critical thinking shouldn’t be a rarity, especially for our generation who are just now entering voting age. We need to escape the echo chamber that social media provides, and be willing to listen to reputable sources from multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, it seems like more and more of our nation is plagued with blindly following their pundit or news outlet of choice. Whether you lean left or right, an empathetic mind that is open to facts and civil discussion benefits us all. It is safe to say Trump will not concede anytime soon, but we can have a head start. Let’s acknowledge the loss as the end of cruelty and divisiveness. We echo the words of Presidentelect Biden: “Let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end - here and now.”
Don’t Touch my Lunch! “Asian-inspired” trends perpetuate lunchbox bullying.
People’s Pronouns are Important By Frances Stott reporter While it might not seem like such a big deal, misgendering someone can leave a negative impact on a person’s life. If a teacher constantly misgenders a student by calling them the wrong pronoun, it could make that student feel less important compared to their cisgendered classmates (people whose gender identify matches their assigned sex at birth). High school is often a time in which people learn and come to understand certain aspects of themselves. Although students’ pronouns do not affect anyone besides themselves, many transgender teens experience bullying and harassment from their peers because of it. According to Director of Research for the Trevor Project, Dr. Amy Green, transgender youth are two times more likely to report seriously considering or attempting suicide compared to cisgendered teens. Additionally the Human Rights Campaign Foundation said that two-thirds of transgender students have depression, with 77% of transgendered teens reporting feeling depressed over the past week. Only 5% of students report that all of their teachers are supportive of the LGBTQ+
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community, and only 50% are allowed to use the bathrooms that align with their gender identity. It shouldn’t have to be up for debate: everyone deserves to have their pronouns respected. It only takes a few seconds to ask someone for their pronouns, but it can make such a difference on that person’s life. Cisgendered people can help transgender students feel more welcome by normalizing putting their pronouns in things such as their zoom name or Instagram bio. If someone who is transmasculine, for example, has ”he/him” in his zoom name to prevent misgendering, he might feel isolated from all other cisgender students. In order to be entirely inclusive, people should stop using “he or she” to describe someone they do not know the gender of. Instead, the singular pronoun “they” should suffice, as a person could also be non-binary. Although we often take it for granted, gender is something really important to many people, and feeling accepted in your gender identity is extremely validating. As a school of progressive and accepting thinkers, we should make it our mission to love and support every student on campus.
(Illustration By Kaylie Harley) By Kaylie Harley opinion editor “Ew, what are you eating?” When growing up in the USA, many Asian Americans face this ignorant question. Whether you’re Thai, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, or any other ethnicity from the Asian continent, you can count on someone leaning over your shoulder to question the “disgusting” thing you are eating. As someone from a halfJapanese household, I’ve had my fair share of incidents when it came to lunchbox bullying. Immigrant families have to go to extremes in order to fit into American society, so it’s heartbreaking when the very things they’re made fun of becomes trendy. Oftentimes, the same kids who find your food gross are the ones who jump for joy when their parents pack Pocky Sticks or
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orange chicken in their lunch. Cultural appropriation is defined as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society,” by Oxford Languages. It’s sadly true that, in a predominantly white country, most Asian cultures residing in America have had their cuisines turned into something more “comfortable” for the majority to enjoy. In the professional cooking scene, famous “Asian” recipes are often created, and applauded, by white chefs. One example would be Lucky Lee’s in New York. This restaurant was created by a white woman named Arielle Haspel and named after her Jewish-American husband, Lee. Haspel claimed her take on Chinese take-out would be “more ‘clean’ and less ‘oily,’ ‘salty,’
and ‘icky’ than anything else available,” according to Eater New York. Although Haspel’s restaurant shut down after eight months of backlash for its clear appropriation of Chinese food, the insult towards Asian culture due to her feeding into horrible stereotypes perpetuated the idea that Asian food is dirty and unhealthy. “Asian-inspired” recipes are especially offensive because there a total ofw 48 diverse countries in Asia that deserve to be individually respected. You would be lying if you said that the rich spices of an Indian curry is anything like the kimchi fried rice in Korea, or tempura and udon from Japan. Rather than carelessly grouping these cultures together we should be uplifting authentic cuisine across America rather than substantiating stereotypes that make Asian food taboo.
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SPORTS
Getting Back in the Groove
(Photo courtesy of Brad Sharp)
By McKenzie Olsen reporter Palos Verdes High School is not only well known for its academics, faculty, and location, but also its dominant sports programs. In typical years our sports programs would be in full swing between training frequently during their class periods, on their own, and even venturing out as a team to compete together in pre-season tournaments in hopes of bettering themselves and getting more prepared for their prospective seasons. Pre-season sports are normally a busy time filled with the hours of hard work that counts. Teams and individuals getting themselves physically and mentally ready to excel at their sport or sports of choice.
However, 2020 is no normal year; gone are the group workout sessions and multiple tournaments. Such familiar routines have been replaced by largely working out individually or in small pods. Multiple out of state tournaments have been replaced by single in state tournaments. Student athletes handle their “zoom” schedule as they try to improve on the sports they love. With all the delays and guidelines everyone has to follow in order to return to our sports safely, PVHS athletes have learned this year more than ever to adapt and navigate around these crazy times while continuing to get better at their craft. With these continued restrictions, our sports teams are working the best they can to prepare for the season.
Striving for a sense of normalcy, many PVHS sports are signing up to compete in pre-season tournaments like they do every year, while others are finding it too difficult due to COVID-19 and its roadblocks. “Our coach has mentioned that he signed us up for tournaments that could possibly happen if we get cleared but for now we are not [cleared],” sophomore varsity girls basketball player Mafalda Corral said. “But with the circumstances I don’t think we will be able to play in as many tournaments this year, if we can even go back,” she said. Even spring sport teams are starting to think they too won’t have a pre-season. “Right now we are signed up for two but I don’t think they’ll actually happen. One is supposed to be in California
(Photos courtesy of Stella McKay) and the other in Arizona,” senior varsity lacrosse player Brad Sharp said. Many athletes at PVHS whose team competes in these preseason tournaments believe that doing so helps prepare them greatly for their seasons. “Definitely, we have to get locked in the zone if we want to do good in season,” Corral said. Many other athletes agree. “I think they do, it challenges us and prepares us for in-season games,” junior soccer player Stella McKay said. However in pre-season tournaments, sports teams are allowed to compete as a group as long as they aren’t affiliated with the school because they aren’t in season. “We wear our practice jerseys and compete as PV Lacrosse Club,’’ Sharp said. Not only do pre-season
tournaments help sharpen their game, but allows for team bonding which provides benefits on and off the field. “The trips there and back are really fun, and losing really brings us all together,” Corral said. Nonetheless, 2020 has been a year of uncertainty to say the least and with COVID and its setbacks many athletes are left feeling unprepared for the season. “I do think we are underprepared, but I guess everyone is; so everyone’s in the same boat,” Sharp said. However, over quarantine many athletes have been training individually or with club teams unrelated to high school sports. “I feel pretty underprepared, but at the same time myself and others are doing a lot of club stuff too,” McKay said.
Dodgers Take Home the Win! The Next Steps for First Championship Since 1988 the NBA in 2021
By Ethan King reporter
The MLB season was set to begin on March 26, but like almost everything else it was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early July, the league made plans to begin a “restart” with regular season games starting on July 23. Baseball was back, but with some significant changes. The schedule changed with teams playing only 60 games instead of the usual 162. Fans were replaced by cardboard cutouts and some new rules were introduced. “I think they made the best of the situation, but there should have been fans,” sophomore Raymond Moll said. Throughout the early part of the season, the league battled with COVID-19 outbreaks. The Miami Marlins had 20 people within their organization test positive and the St. Louis Cardinals had 17 people test positive. These outbreaks seriously put the season in jeopardy. The commissioner remained steadfast though and the league continued to play. The MLB was able to reschedule the games
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primarily using double headers want Snell to face the Dodgers and increased testing was lineup a third time. The implemented to try to prevent Dodgers immediately mass outbreaks. scored and went on to win the “I think the MLB handled game. the season decently well, but This choice ultimately handed the fans in the World Series the World Series to the Dodgers, should’ve been spread out more “I am really excited that the from what I saw,” senior Riley Dodgers won the World Series. Skinner said. They have been good for a The Los Angeles Dodgers couple years, but haven’t been finished first in the National able to pull through,” senior Eric League, while the Tampa Sheng said. Bay Rays finished first in the After years of disappointment American League. Both teams the Dodgers finally surmounted advanced to the World Series the World Series. This was the making it only the second time first since 1988 and Dodgers two number one fans could not be more excited. seeds faced each other. The Dodgers led 3-2 going into Game 6. The Rays had won a wild Game 4 in walkoff fashion that had kept their championship hopes alive. In Game 6, the Rays starter Blake Snell was pitching a shutout through the first six innings and with the Rays winning. Surprising everyone, the Ray’s manager decided to pull Snell from the game because he didn’t (Photo courtesy of Bob Fullerton)
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By Mallory Meyer reporter The NBA’s board of governors have had meetings to discuss future plans for the 2021 season. Hoping to start as soon as Christmas Day, though this would cause many conflicts, the season most likely won’t take off until sometime in January. Most of the governors want to wait for fans to be permitted and fill the arenas. NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the goal is to play a standard 82-game season and playoffs in home arenas in front of fans. The NBA is currently working on resetting the 2021 salarycap and luxury-taxes based on financial projections for the upcoming season. Giving the teams, agents, and players a chance to prepare for the impact it will make on the league. The NBA draft is scheduled to be November 18, 2020, which has been pushed back as well as free agency, training camp, and possibly the All-Star Game. Arena-based revenue makes up 40% of the league’s income.
By not having fans in the stands will affect their profit greatly. The league is not planning to wait for a COVID-19 vaccine and are looking for other ways to ensure the safety of fans. “What makes the situation challenging is the arena is an indoor space, whereas the NFL and MLB stadiums are outdoors,” senior Griffen Puhl said. Aside from financial struggles in the new season, for the eight teams that had not participated in the 2020 Bubble, how they played could be affected in the upcoming season. “The teams that didn’t play in the playoffs last season are at a disadvantage. They will have to work a lot harder to match the other teams’ performance,” senior Will Engstrom said. The season will unlikely run into October, this would cause complications for NBA players planning on attending the Tokyo Olympics. There is still a lot to be figured out and decided. The NBA is making an effort to have as close to a normal season as possible.
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
Athletes’ Corner:
SPORTS
Aidan Wattson commits to USC for Division 1 Water Polo By Vikesh Dheeriya reporter Senior Aidan Wattson committed to the University of Southern California to play water polo for the No. 2 ranked team in NCAA. Wattson’s water polo career started when he was ten practicing with Palos Verdes Water Polo Club. At 13, Wattson made the Olympic Development Program team and the following year he was named captain of the USA Cadet National team, where he traveled to Montenegro and Serbia to compete in tournaments, placing 3rd in the Darko Cukic Cup in Belgrade. Wattson spent the next three years of high school competing on the PVHS Varsity water polo team. Whether it is in the classroom or in the pool, “If he decides to do something, he is going to put his all into it,” PV High Varsity water polo head coach Patrick O’Brien said. O’Brien has known Wattson since he first started playing, and coached him all the way through high school. Wattson’s dedicated work ethic in and out of the pool has propelled himself to the point where “there is basically nothing in the pool we can’t ask him to
do,” O’Brien said. “Going into my last high school season, we are hoping to win D1 CIF,” Wattson said. Even from a young age, Wattson always knew he wanted to play a sport in college. At 12 years old, “[Water polo] was a real possibility, and something I knew I’d want to do.” Wattson’s first experiences with USC started when he attended the USC Water Polo Summer Camps, where he first spoke with the coaches and players. “The [coaches] have been super-helpful, especially when it came to choosing which college. Knowing the players on the team, seeing the facilities, made it an easy decision for me.” Luckily for Wattson, he was able to go on an official visit right before the pandemic struck. “It was very nice to be able to see the campus, talk to the coaching staff, talk to the athletic director,” Wattson said. “After COVID-19 hit, it was a lot of Zooms talking to the coaches, talking to other schools to figure out what was the right fit.“ Eventually Wattson chose USC as his future college. In order to best prepare and stay in shape for the upcoming high school season during a global pandemic, Wattson had to get creative.
“I lifted 5 to 6 times a week and used a swim machine in my garage,” Wattson said. “Whether it be a neighbor‘s pool, or a small indoor pool, anytime spent in the water was valuable.” Wattson, with the help of his dad and brother, built a whole water polo goal out of PVC pipes, a boogie board, and a few rolls of duct tape, and floated it out at RAT Beach in order to practice his shooting. Being able to persevere through obstacles like the closing of pools and consistently work on improving himself and the team “is one of his best traits,” O’Brien said. “Whether it is a big game or a morning practice, I know he is going to be there everyday and he is going to be giving his maximum effort, and that is all you can ask for as a coach.” For most high school seniors, college is a looming fog of stress and anxiety, but committing to USC has been a “huge weight lifted off my shoulders, I am very happy and excited to be knowing where I’m going for the next four years,” Wattson said. “[My goals] for USC are to excel as much in the classroom, and to do whatever I can to help my team win a championship,” Wattson said.
(Top Photo by Aidan Sun, Bottom Photo courtesy of Aidan Wattson)
NFL Fumbles with COVID-19 This Season By Jonathan Liu reporter “I am concerned. My wife is pregnant. NFL Training camp is about to start. And there’s still No Clear Plan on Player Health & Family Safety. We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones,” NFL superstar Quarterback Russel Wilson tweeted over the summer as the possibility of an NFL season being played was in jeopardy. As the summer came to an end, the NFL decided that they were going to play a season, but with obvious changes compared to previous seasons. There would be no preseason, combined practices, and no fans in the stands for most teams. As the 2020-2021 NFL season began with no crowds to minimal crowds at most, fans from home had no issue with the new changes to the sport due to COVID-19. “I still enjoy it. I’m a fan of the sport. I don’t need to see fans in the stadium to be satisfied,” senior Mateo Poncia said. After two hard weeks of competitive play, the NFL had their first positive COVID-19 test, and a problem regarding injuries. In week two of the season, many franchise players such as running backs such as Saquon Barkley who would be out for the season, and Christian McCafrey who would be out for around
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(Graphic by Jonathan Liu) half the season went down with serious injuries. Members of the 49ers were injured as well, most notably 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Nick Bosa, who was diagnosed with a torn ACL. Fans immediately pointed to the lack of offseason practices and preseason games as a big factor of these injuries. “The lack of preseason games and months of practices definitely have been a factor in the numerous injuries. Football is a violent sport and you have to physically and mentally prepare to get beat up once a week.
When guys aren’t out there hitting each other every day for three months, when they do get back on the field those hits are going to do a log more damage,” Poncia said. As week two alerted fans, week three didn’t get much better. The NFL recorded its first positive COVID-19 test, as a couple members of the Tennesee Titans franchise tested positive for COVID-19. As week three carried onto week four, 11 Titans players tested positive, leading to a postponement of their scheduled game between them and the
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Pittsburgh Steelers. As more positive cases were being reported, fans began to bring up the NBA and MLB’s success compared to the NFL. “Looking at the NFL compared to the NBA and the MLB on top of that, I think that they’re handling [COVID-19] rather poorly and sloppily. You look at the NBA they had a couple positive Coronavirus tests, and then after that, it steadied out,” senior Christian Hokama said. On October 25, Jacksonville Jaguars Running Back, Ryquell Armstead, was reportedly
hospitalized twice because of COVID-19 complications and was set to miss the remainder of the season. “I think that the NFL will find a way to make it to a championship but mainly because of the economic aspirations of the league,” freshman Will Jorczack said. As the year progresses, the NFL will have to adjust on the fly, and figure out a way to get to crowning a SuperBowl champion despite all difficulties of COVID-19.
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NEWS
Swing, Batter, Batter, Swing: Which swing states flipped this election
Electoral College Votes:
Wisconsin 2016: Trump +1.2% 2020: Biden +0.6%
Michigan 2016: Trump +1.2% 2020: Biden +2.6%
*Percentages do not take into account third-party candidates and are correct as of the date of publication.
Pennsylvania 2016: Trump +0.7% 2020: Biden +1.0%
Arizona 2016: Trump +3.5% 2020: Biden +0.3% Georgia 2016: Trump +1.2% 2020: Biden +0.3%
Striking Out:
Where the Senate stands after this election Georgia’s two senate races will culminate in a run-off on Jan. 5, 2021. Democratic challenger John Ossoff will face incumbent Republican David Perdue and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock will face incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler.
Arizona: Republican Martha McSally lost to Democratic challenger Mark Kelly Colorado: Republican Cory Gardner lost to Democratic challenger John Hickenlooper
Balance of the United States Senate
Alabama: Democrat Doug Jones lost to Republican challenger Tommy Tuberville Graphics by Aidan Sun news editor
Who’s Up to Bat for Our Team? Congressman Ted Lieu
For Lieu, a former California State Senator and currently a major in the United States Air Force Reserves, this was Incumbent Democratic Rep.Ted his fourth congressional election since first Lieu beat out Republican challenger being elected in 2014. James Bradley to once again return to Bradley, a Coast Guard veteran and Washington D.C. to represent California’s former healthcare executive, lost to 33rd District in Congress. California’s Lieu only receiving 31.9% of votes. Like 33rd District encompasses much of L.A. much of California’s coastal areas, the County’s “Beach Cities” including Malibu, 33rd Congressional District was safe for Santa Monica, Redondo Beach, parts of Democrats and Lieu’s reelection came to Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. no surprise.
By Aidan Sun news editor
Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi
2012. He has a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a Juris Doctorate from UCLA. Schafer has experience as an Incumbent Al Muratsuchi, a Democrat, beat Republcian Arthur Schaper to serve Organization Director for MassREsistance and is best known for his blogging on California’s 66th District in the State politicalm cultural and eternal topics. Assembly. Muratsuchi has previous experience serving as a board member for Schafer lost to Muratsuchi, receiving 37% the Torrance Unified School District, as a of votes. Muratsuchi says his top priorities are Deputy District Attorney for the California jobs, education, public safety and the Department of Justice and has been an environment. assemblyman for the 66th District since
By Mallory Myer reporter