IN THIS ISSUE
Love is Blind
Women’s History Month
Contestant on Netflix’s reality show stirs up controversy. PAGE 3.
10 women artists showcase their work at the University Art Gallery in the library. PAGE 5.
Women’s Golf Women’s golf team makes a record breaking comeback after rocky start. PAGE 10.
SINCE 1979
VOLUME 86 // ISSUE 5 MARCH 8, 2022 - MARCH 14, 2022
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
@SONOMASTATESTAR
Failure to update change of address could result in a hefty fine for students
ANA FINGERSON STAFF WRITER
oncerns revolving around the rights of drivers who are university C students in Sonoma County are rising. Students and residents have been reporting getting pulled over by California Highway Patrol and
getting fix-it tickets for not having their addresses updated. These drivers were pulled over for other traffic violations but the address issues were noticed during the traffic stop. Fortunately for these people they were let off with a warning for the initial violation but did face consequences for not having updated information. Those given a ticket were shocked because they had not known how much of a priority it was to do the address change once moved from their parents’ home. California drivers do not seem to be educated enough on this issue, as it’s proving to be persistent within college students. Every year, college students ages 17 and up are moving away from STAR //Noah Clarke somewhere they have always known as home and creating a new life for The Fillipino American Association proudly representing themselves in themselves in an unfamiliar place. Most students are still receiving mail at the Seawolf plaza. their parents/guardian’s or wherever they resided before moving to school. Younger students and new residents are navigating their new lives and aren’t familiar with how soon the law says they must update their address. California Highway Patrol suggested going onto the Department of Motor Vehicles’ website and reading up on how to change your address or even going into the DMV and getting it done there. “If your mail is being sent somewhere else, wouldn’t you like to know ADDISON SMITH about it?” said an officer in response to being asked whether a university STAFF WRITER student legally needs to update their address or not. The same officer also advised if a student were to be pulled over withere at Sonoma State University, there are plenty of opportunities for see STUDENTS PULLED OVER on pg. 4 new students to get involved and help strengthen the bond of the community as a whole. With events such as the Careerfest, hosted March 7 - 16 in the Seawolf Plaza, there is no shortage of events that offer students, faculty, staff, and alumni a chance to enjoy the beautiful campus and connect with other students along with the community. One of the biggest events on campus right now is the annual Careerfest which, according to their website, is an event that, “includes two weeks of events designed to help Seawolves get career-ready and find jobs, internship opportunities, and volunteer opportunities.” The Careerfest is the best way for Sonoma State students to get real feedback on resumes, interview practice and practicing an “elevator pitch” for potential employers. Each week brings new and exciting opportunities such as a “Tabling and Drop-in Resume Reviews with Employers with Community Action Partnership Sonoma” event on March 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Seawolf Plaza. This event is available for current SSU and Alumni students who want to gain a professional opinion on their resumes. After the first week activities are over with, the second week
Careerfest and other events help students get involved
H
see CAREERFEST on pg. 4
COURTESY // nhlawoffice.com A police officer speaking to a driver after getting pulled over to the side of the road.
Feeling poisoned by nature? You’re not alone
WILLOW ORNELLAS STAFF WRITER
not COVID, it’s just allergies,” can be heard all over Sonoma County It’sasEvery many people feel their allergies are worsening. year, people catch themselves complaining that the current al-
STAR // Montana Lahey Working together in Darwin, these students are diligently wearing their masks while inside.
Mask mandate lifted for K-12 schools OLIVIA DOANE
STAFF WRITER
U
nvaccinated citizens are no longer required to wear masks in public settings as of March 1, according to updated health guidelines stated by California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom. Newsom announced in the beginning of February that California’s case rate has decreased by 65% since the Omicron peak and hospitalizations have stabilized across the state. However, vaccinated individuals weren’t able to go mask-less for another few weeks, beginning February 15th. Dr. Julie Anselmo, a pediatric doctor working for Central Coast Pediatrics, has seen firsthand how school aged children react to the virus, “We need to consider that younger children are unable to be see K-12 MASK MANDATE on pg. 4
lergy season is progressively worse than the previous year’s. Emma Molloy, a 24-year-old Communications and Media Studies major said about this year’s allergy season, “This winter they started earlier. I’ve also been having weird nose, ear and throat stuff for months but the doctor says everything looks normal so I think it’s just allergies.” The Bay Area is notorious for having high rates of allergy sufferers and Sonoma county, specifically, is covered in many native plant species that produce high levels of pollen so it’s no surprise people are suffering from sneezing and watery eyes as Spring begins. Stanford University School of Medicine conducted an 18-year study that discovered climate change has lengthened the allergy season by about eight to nine weeks. This isn’t because there’s more pollen in the air but rather increased temperatures from climate change are leading to plants and mold having an extended growing season which results in pollen and mold spores being airborne for longer. Longer exposure to pollen and mold spores leave people suffering from their seasonal allergies for longer, making them appear ‘worse’. SSU immunology professor, Dr. Joseph Lin provided some insight into why people may be perceiving their allergies as worse. “Climate change is one of the hypothesis people have been focusing on because it’s been making our allergy season start earlier because trees are coming into bloom earlier and making more pollen earlier. The biological behaviours of pollen producing plants has been changing and that would be one of the explanations why people are suffering from allergies at an earlier point,” Lin said. Lin went on to explain that something being ‘worse’ is all about perception. It’s easy to perceive an allergy season as worse without taking into consideration the other factors that could be contributing to a person suffering from their seasonal allergies more than they would consider normal. For example, someone who never had allergies when they were younger but have been experiencing hay fever in recent years might assume the allergy season alone is ‘worse’, when in reality, that individual is leading a different lifestyle. For instance, they may be doing more gardening, walking, or hiking than they did during previous allergy seasons which would see ALLERGIES on pg. 4