Issue 11

IN THIS ISSUE

Planning for next Fall SSU holds Zoom meeting clarifying what in-person instruction will look like next Fall.

PAGE 11.

Let’s celebrate!

Cultural commencement ceremonies start the week of May 14.

PAGE 9.

The return of sports SSU athletes are back on campus practicing with safety protocols.

PAGE 11.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 11 APRIL 20, 2021 - APRIL 26, 2021

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

COURTESY // Twitter COURTESY // Instagram A group of anti-mask protesters held signs and rallied in downtown Sonoma Square on April 10.

Maskless protest and counter protest at Sonoma Square

ISABELLE BARKEY STAFF WRITER

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f there was one item that symbolizes the pandemic, one item that will forever remind everyone of the year that changed everything; it would be the face mask. When wearing a face mask in public first became required by law, many thought the regulations would not last more than six months. Now, over a year later, wearing a mask has become second nature to most and extraordinarily common to see in public places.

Controversy about the wearing of masks and their effectiveness has been an ongoing battle across the United States since the start of the pandemic. Guidelines from the CDC on mask wearing have been changed multiple times since the outbreak, leaving the general public confused on what information they should trust. This led to the formation of two opposing sides: anti-maskers and pro-maskers.

On April 10, there was an anti-mask protest in Santa Rosa organized by a group called Save Our Sonoma. According to the Sonoma-Index Tribune, approximately 40 people without masks met behind the historic Sonoma Barracks and marched South with signs towards Sonoma Plaza where the Sonoma City Hall is and ended at the Bear Flag Revolt Statue.

The march got “a lot of nasty reactions from very toxic people in our local community,” a protestor told the California Globe. Reports of these comments went viral online as pro-mask protesters discussed bringing rotten foods to throw at their opposers, as well as having ill people attend the march to infect the anti-maskers with COVID-19.

The bulletin board that was put up to advertise the event was the catalyst of controversy for the event.

The group, Save Our Sonoma, was accused of being racist after many drew correlations between their billboard and the confederate flag. The billboard, which featured the American flag criss-crossed with chains, read “End the Lockdown. Save our Freedom”.

“After two days, the billboard company got so many complaints about our flag resembling a confederate flag, that the company had to take it down,” the local protestor stated to the Globe. “Of course, we were accused of being racist!! This looks nothing like a confederate flag, in my opinion.”

Many were extra upset about signs being shown off at the march itself. Many signs were held by the peaceful protestors, one of which spurred more controversy than others.

One woman, wrote Carol Allison to the Sonoma Valley Sun in a letter to the editor, was holding a sign see PROTEST on pg. 5

Amy Gutierrez, a professor at Sonoma State, will become a reporter for the San Francisco Giants.

SSU professor gets new job with SF Giants WILLY LEPORI

STAFF WRITER

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here is some good and bad news about Amy Gutierrez, the ingame reporter for the San Francisco Giants and also a lecturer at SSU, where she teaches in the Media Communications department.

Bad news is that NBC Sports Bay Area did not renew her expiring contract. The good news is that the Giants baseball organization picked her up in free agency and has signed Gutierrez to her new role as the Giants multimedia producer and reporter.

Gutierrez spent 13 years with NBC Sports Bay Area as their in-game reporter where she worked with legendary broadcast duo Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper . She would give updates about giants players and talk about giants community events while interviewing players pre and post game.

The news of her expiring contract came out in March. NBC Sports Bay Area had to make budget cuts and informed Guiterrez that her contract would not be renewed, which led the Giants to bring her onto the team. Gutierrez made a post via Instagram and Twitter to inform her fans about her new career move.

She said, “[My] new job entails continuing my reporting duties for the team such as interviewing players and delivering team updates, but will be on Giants social platforms. A new element will be acting as a team ambassador, hosting events for various departments and helping to brand the Giants in the Community.”

Many fans were shocked to find out that NBC Bay Area Sports let Gutierrez go. But Gutierrez wanted to assure the fans that they will still see her at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, where Oracle Park is located right beside Mcvoy cove. Fans can go to the Giants twitter to see Guiterrez give updates about the ball club. see AMY G BALANCES on pg. 4

STAR // Sondra Ottenstein Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli speaking during an emergency city council meeting on April 14, where other city council members and the public asked for him to resign.

Windsor Mayor refuses to resign but steps back from active role QUINN MCKIBBIN STAFF WRITER

COURTESY // Instagram Protesters in Santa Rosa during the summer of 2020 asked for a defunding of police activities and more focus on mental health services.

Bay Area pushes forward with police-free crisis response teams

GABRIELLA HERMOGENO STAFF WRITER

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he month of April has been an emotional rollercoaster for community members in the town of Windsor. Almost two weeks ago the Mayor, Dominic Foppoli, was accused by five women of sexual assault or rape dating back over 15 years. Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli has been on the Windsor Town Council since 2014. The 38-year-old politician and winery owner has most recently denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him. The San Francisco Chronicle broke the original see COMMUNITY URGES on pg. 4

A

s the nation works hard to overcome the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the year-long events of social injustices against communities of color, cities in Sonoma County and the Bay Area are taking initiative to pilot crisis teams that aim to uplift marginalized communities and to act as first responders towards mental health crises, homelessness and substance use treatment.

The cities of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, San Francisco and Oakland are developing police-free crisis-response teams to actively support non-violent 911 calls as a response to reallocate funding from the government so that it may go towards social services rather than law enforcement.

An article from The Bohemian states, “Activists argue that, because police officers are armed see CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS on pg. 4

2 Editorial THE STAR

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

SSU website slowly comes to life

Editorial Board

Kylie Rose Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief Kristina Schmuhl, News Editor Katelyn Dodge, Opinion Editor Christy Chew, Arts & Entertainment Editor Myles Grabau, Student Life Editor Emily Cripe, Health & Wellness Editor Brandon Sparks, Photo Editor Gil Chaffer, Copy Editor Bryce Gallagher, Distribution Manager Devon Pique, Format Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Callie Adams, Emily Alvarado, Jayline Alvarado, Julia Blair, Kaitlin Breen, Cheyenne Carroll, Katlyn Dodge, Casey Fabbri, Sumiko Fong, Bryce Gallagher, Gabriella Hermogeno, Olivia Hughes, Nancy Insua, Willy Lepori, Quinn McKibbin, Caroline Morales, Samantha Pezzola, Noah Philpott, Anthony Pilotti, Mary Helen Rowell, Matthew Smith, Vincent Spence, Isabelle Barkey, Pammy Meyers, Andrew Savedra

Photographers KC Holtemann, Ileana Aleman, Sondra Ottenstein, Morgan Mitchell, Zena Bounsall

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Telephone: 707-664-2776 Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:

“Coronavirus inspires fashion trends; industries continue to evolve” Read the article on page 7.

Have an opinion?

We’d like to hear from you!

The STAR welcomes letters to the editor at star@sonoma.edu

S

urrounded by vineyards, lush ranges, and flourishing landscapes, resides Sonoma State University. Throughout what has felt like the longest year, all CSU’s made the shift to an online education, transitioning all forms of instruction and communication virtual.

Sonoma State’s host website then became crucial for all interested in the campus.

Throughout the year, students and faculty have found themselves using the school’s website much more frequently. The first thing visible on the homepage are large photos and GIFs of the campus.

Sonoma State’s website has done a wonderful job portraying the beauty of campus and our diverse SSU community, but what lacks is organization and updated designs throughout the website--not just on the homepage. Additionally, on a deeper level, the website seems to be missing the same intrigue that the SSU community has in-person, the thing that makes students want to come to school here.

As students attempt to navigate the website to find helpful documents like the campus map, cafeteria hours, and building information, sometimes the journey leaves students confused.

“During my freshman year, I used the Sonoma State website to find my classes, and at first it was a bit difficult to navigate throughout

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu

the pages to find what I was looking for,” said Sophomore Jewel Frias.

Navigating the website can become tricky, especially with older information and links appearing higher up in the search engine than newer ones.

When trying to find specific information on the website, some students prefer to use Google, because it is more efficient than the school’s search engine. The one on SSU’s website tends to bring up information from many years’ prior, leaving students confused as to where the updated and new information is.

Fortunately, a new creative feature has been implemented, that being the SeawolfChat. “Lobo,” the personal AI, was created to guide visitors through the website. This component is truly helpful, and it would benefit SSU to implement new features like this throughout the entirety of the website.

Another new aspect of the website showcases accomplishments and creativity. Apart from the main page news, are updated “Spotlights,” which broadcast accomplishments throughout departments at Sonoma State.

Dean of Arts and Humanities Hollis Robbins, noticed all the brilliant accomplishments that were happening throughout the university, so Robbins came up with the idea to display these accomplishments online.

“One of my first initiatives

was called ‘outward facing excellence,’ and I asked all of the department chairs to add a spotlight section to their department pages to feature special accomplishments,” said Robbins. Students seeking some inspiration, or who maybe want to read about what peers are up to, can now easily find this.

The SSU website and those who are updating it seem to be moving in the right direction. The implementation of the new Lobo chat feature, department spotlights, and animated GIFs of students on campus are slowly bringing the website to life, but much work still needs to be done.

As the SSU website continues to be the main link between students and the school, especially during this highly virtual moment in history, timely updates and new features are crucial. The website should bring comfort to students and be easier to navigate, show new students what they could experience, and be full of information about the school and each department. It should be intriguing enough to make people want to explore more of it, and it should give viewers an accurate sense of the SSU community and what is so great about it.

We students see a lot of promise in our website, but also know that it could use a great deal of work and attention.

Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions

Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it considers to be of particular relevance to the campus community.

Letters to the Editor

Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 400 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Friday before the publication date. Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts.

The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication.

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu

Editorial Policy: The commentary expressed in the unsigned editorial represents a majority opinion of the STAR Editorial Board on a topic facing the campus community in keeping with journalistic precedents of other major newspapers, and may not be shared by all staff writers. The board encourages readers to write letters to the editor about all topics, including the editorial.

Opinion 3

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Japan plans to release radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean

SUMIKO FONG

STAFF WRITER

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n Tuesday, the Japanese government made the decision to release 1.3 million tons of water that has been contaminated with radiation into the Pacific Ocean. The radioactive water has been accumulating since 2011 due to the massive earthquake and tsunami that occurred in March of that year. It is currently being stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and its storage is expected to reach capacity in the next year.

The decision to release the contaminated water has been in conversation for years. Due to the safety concerns and backlash from neighboring countries and residents, the plan to release the water was postponed until now. Although the amount of protest to this decision is still just as prominent as it was years ago, Cabinet ministers in Japan concluded that the ocean release is the only feasible solution.

According to NBC News, the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, stated that since the decommissioning of the power plant is expected to take decades, the release of the contaminated water is unavoidable. Suga has also guaranteed that the Japanese government will do everything possible to ensure the safety

of the water to prevent possible damage that could be inflicted on local fisheries and agricultural sites.

Even with the pledge from the Prime Minister and the government, local residents and business owners are still upset about the decision and believe that it is extremely unsafe and illconsidered. The pledge that was made is extremely vague and gives no details on what exactly is going to be done to prepare the water for treatment. By not disclosing specific details it seems very secretive and confusing.

In order to ease the public’s concerns, Tokyo Electric Power Corporation, the nuclear plant’s operator, has come out with a statement. They state, “tritium, which is not harmful in small amounts, cannot be removed from the water, but all other selected radionuclides can be reduced to levels allowed for release.” Tritium is a naturally occurring radioactive form of hydrogen that is produced in the atmosphere when cosmic rays collide with air molecules. The other radionuclides that can be reduced have not been specified.

China and South Korea have entered the conversation about this decision. China has criticized the idea of dumping radioactive water into the ocean. South China Morning Post states the Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China should, “adopt a responsible attitude,” considering they had not taken into account the health concerns of neighboring countries. According to NBC News Associated Press, the Minister of South Korea’s Office for Government Policy Coordination, Koo Yun-cheol said the plan was “absolutely unacceptable” and urged Japan to disclose how the water is treated and its safety is verified.

Even with the statement from the plant’s operator and government of-

ficials, the decision to release the water into the ocean that is populated with fish is irresponsible. It must be considered that the long-term effects on the environment with the exposure to radioactive water are still unknown, according to scientists, this decision could cause future problems that they are not currently aware of. The amount of radioactive nuclides, which are distinct types of atoms, remaining in the water after the levels are lowered is still unknown to the public.

Environmental groups, as well as residents and fisheries, believe that the disposal of the water is “ignoring environmental safety and health, while adding a further blow to Fukushima’s image and economy from the water discharge that will continue for decades,” stated NBC News Associated Press. The chairman of Japan Fisheries Cooperatives, Hiroshi Kishi had met with the Prime Minister a week before the decision had been made. Kishi thinks the decision is unacceptable and it tramples on the fishing industry because their concerns were not taken seriously.

With the outstanding amount of backlash from the public and other countries, this decision was made without taking their concerns into full consideration. The Japanese government has stated that their plans to release the radioactive water will not begin for another two years. The Japanese government should take this time to do more research on other possible solutions to treat and find a proper way to dispose of the water. However, if this truly is the only way out they should at least release an official disclosed statement on what exactly is being done to this water to ensure that it is safe. The public and other countries are clearly not aware of the treatment details and fear that this could endanger more than just their diets.

Lingering drought and impending fires in Sonoma County

ANTHONY PILOTTI

STAFF WRITER

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onoma County’s rainfall levels are at historic lows. After some of California’s largest wildfires and consistently low rainfall, Sonoma County’s water supply has been drained. According to Sonoma Water, the current year 2021 is being compared to Ukiah in the 1976/1977 drought.

Rainfall recorded was 16.12 inches as of this year, and Ukiah received 3.88 inches less.

As of this year, Santa Rosa has received 0.64 inches more rainfall than its driest year on record. According to the County of Sonoma, officials have begun inflating a rubber dam on the Russian River near Forestville to supply increasing water demand during dry conditions. When the rubber dam is raised, fish ladders allow fish to get through while simultaneously allowing the water to fill off-stream infiltration ponds, which then are siphoned for public use.

Amidst the depleting resources though, there are rapidly expanding vineyards, buildings, and other projects that continue around Sonoma County. Many of these projects are just rebuilding what has been destroyed in the past 4 years of fires.

However, water is an essential part of life and our watersheds must be protected. It was not long ago that the Glass Fire ripped through Napa Valley on the other side of Vacas Mountain, burning it all down. All that was left were the remnants of a small stream, burned trees, and concrete. This is not an uncommon occurrence for Californians anymore, as they have seen seven of the top 10 largest wildfires in the state’s history since 2017 alone.

In 2018, the Little Hoover Commission reported “During its review, the commission found that California’s forests suffer from neglect and mismanagement, resulting in overcrowding that leaves them susceptible to disease, insects and wildfire.” Commission Report #242 also states “As part of this collaborative effort, it calls upon the state to us more prescribed fire to reinvigorate forests, inhibit firestorms and help protect air and water quality.”

In 2018 Sonoma County Water updated its Water Supply Strategies Action Plan (WSSAP), to include seven strategies. These strategies, which seem to be a proactive checklist in saving Sonoma County water included: protecting drinking water, natural sand and rock filtration along with efficiency

and efficient use campaigns, utilizing regional planning to increase water supply resiliency, maintaining and improving the reliability of water transmission, adapting to climate change, improving energy efficiency, increasing emergency preparation and response to natural disasters and seeking Federal and State funding assistance.

So far in 2021, Sonoma Water has the minimum 25 cubic feet per second release of water from Lake Mendocino.

Along with inflating the rubber dam on the Russian River, Sonoma Water has been highlighting the need to conserve.

Currently, Sonoma County is at a 37% reduction in water use at 107 gallons per capita per day which is ahead of California’s required 20% reduction per capita per day. Sonoma County’s conservation of water resources highlights the emphasis and importance of maintaining a stable water supply, especially in dry years.

It is necessary that Sonoma County citizens take steps to be aware of their water consumption and use water wisely. In an area such as Sonoma County, where the hills roll with life and growth, it can all easily be hindered by destruction and drought. Sonoma County Water seems to be preparing for the future to work alongside fire season. It is of the utmost importance that Sonoma County is well prepared not only for the impending drought and fire season but also for its community to supply the basic necessity of water.

Opening sports arenas brings back a hint of normalcy

RACHEL GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

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onoma County is now considered to be in the orange tier, which means indoor businesses like gyms and movie theaters can open up to 25% to 50% capacity, while bars, professional sports, and theme parks can operate outdoors. Places like Rohnert Park are already seeing the newfound, restriction-less advancement as soccer and baseball players fill the public parks. Other locations in California are also opening up their professional sports, like San Francisco and Los Angeles.

On April 9, Major League Baseball fans were welcomed back to Oracle Park by the San Francisco Giants. According to Amy Hollyfield, a reporter for ABC7 News, Friday’s game was not only the Giant’s first home game of the season, but it was also their first game to be watched by fans in the stand since the global pandemic began last March.

Though San Francisco is allowed to let fans watch baseball games in person, those who wish to attend games have to either show a negative COVID-19 test or proof that they have been vaccinated for at least two weeks. In addition, Oracle Park has a limited capacity set at 22%, meaning only a certain number of fans can attend games. “...it’s absolutely imperative that people take the extra step to get tested, or show they’re fully vaccinated, because you know it’s not just what’s going on in the ballpark, it’s the surrounding community and we want to make it a safe environment for everyone,” said Giants spokesperson Staci Slaughter to Hollyfield.

San Francisco is not the only place opening up sports arenas in California. According to Victoria Hernandez, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, the Dodger Stadium, located in downtown Los Angeles, is also opening its doors to the public with strict guidelines.

Fans at the Dodger Stadium will also be assigned a zone where restrooms and concessions will be available. However, to ensure social distancing, those who are interested in ordering from concessions will have to do so from their phones. Only once they receive a message stating their food is ready are they allowed to go retrieve it. Dodger Stadium also announced that they will be cashless this upcoming season; “All concessions and merchandise must be paid for with debit or credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.” wrote Hernandez.

Hernandez also mentions that masks will be required for those of ages two and up and that the mask must be covering the fans’ nose and mouth. Hernandez warns the public that bandanas and neck gaiters will not be accepted as proper face coverings. The stadium also has the option to provide appropriate face masks for those who simply forgot or who may be unaware of their face mask policy.

With places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and even Sonoma County being allowed to open back up, one cannot help but be excited about life returning to normal; life before a pandemic. However, it is important to not completely disregard the guidelines that are being set in places like Oracle Park or the Dodger Stadium; wearing masks or social distancing when possible.

Though this may seem a small foot towards returning back to life before the pandemic, at the same time is a big step for communities, like baseball fans to regain social connection, which was significantly missed across the country and the world.

20 years later; Biden pulls all troops from Afghanistan

ANDREW SAVEDRA STAFF WRITER

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n Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced that he will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before September 11. This decision comes just in time for the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001.

Biden explained that the war in

Afghanistan has been going on too long and no longer aligns with U.S. priorities.

“We were attacked. We went to war with clear goals. We achieved those objectives… Bin Laden is dead and Al Qaeda is degraded in Afghanistan and it’s time to end the forever war,” Biden said during his remarks from the White House Treaty Room.

On Sept. 11, 2001, a terrorist group named al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes and crashed them into the Pentagon, World Trade Center, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 American civilians. On Feb. 17, 2009, Barack Obama announced that he would send 17,000 troops to the war zone, which was mainly in Afghanistan at the time. In January 2009, there were a total of 37,000 troops in Afghanistan. By Dec. 1, 2009, Obama committed 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, on top

of the 68,000 total American and NATO soldiers already there. In 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed. After his death, Obama committed to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Obama initially planned to withdrawal all troops by 2014 but was hesitant because he was not sure if Afghanistan could secure its own government. Unfortunately, U.S. forces have left a lot of unnecessary damage emotionally and physically for families in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The war in Afghanistan has also cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.

In 2008, at the height of the Iraq war, taxpayers shelled out a total of 162 billion in total to support the U.S. in Iraq. In 2012, at the height of the Afghanistan war, taxpayers paid the government $113 billion in that year alone.

After the United States killed Osama bin Laden, the war was mostly over, ac-

cording to the objectives first identified

by Bush when the U.S. first decided to join the fight. The war against terrorism in Afghanistan was noble at first but turned into an unneeded long-term stay.

During this war, countless innocent Afghan civilians and American soldiers were killed unnecessarily. Taxpayers have paid billions of dollars to the military for this war, which could have been used for something more productive. Instead of tearing down other countries, the U.S. could strengthen the infrastructure on our home ground.

Biden made an intelligent decision to remove all troops from Afghanistan.

68,000 troops deployed in a country with a mediocre terrorist group is overkill by a longshot. Prolonging this conflict would mean more lives lost and more money going to an unworthy cause. It’s time for us to leave Afghanistan.

4 News

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Facebook The company CAHOOTS in Eugene, Oregon has begun implementing crisis response teams with paramedics and mental health professionals to respond to 9-1-1 calls.

STAR // Morgan Mitchell The Mayor of Windsor was barred from entering any of the town-owned buildings by the town manager after sexual assult allegations.

Community urges Mayor to resign in explosive Zoom meeting continued from pg. 1

story of sexual abuse on April 8 after intensely investigating the claims of four women. Two additional women stepped forward in the coming weeks.

Foppoli claims that one of the SF Chronicle reporters, Alexandria Bordas, orchestrated a targeting political attack on him because of his affiliation with conservatve politics. Foppoli spoke to the Press Democrat about the allegations and said, “I am far from a person without faults, but I am not a rapist nor have I ever pressured any female to engage in sexual conduct with me.” Foppoli went on to explain that the accusations are targeted political acts by a group of people.

Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki said, “The allegations brought against Mr. Dominic Foppoli are deeply disturbing. The accounts presented by the women who have accused him of sexual assault should be believed. My heart goes out to the women who have come forward to share their story and I applaud their courage.”

She went on to say, “as President of a major California university, and a woman, a wife, a mother, and a member of this community, I feel we cannot accept this kind of behavior from our leaders and from anyone in our community. We must do better.”

Soon after the several allegations were made against Mayor Foppoli, multiple members of Sonoma County’s political establishments have called for the recognition of Foppoli. Sonoma county has nine towns total, and all eight towns other than Windsor have demanded Foppoli to step down.

Five county supervisors, multiple North Coast state legislators and two U.S. congressmen that represent Sonoma County have also demanded that Foppoli to step down. Foppoli’s brother also recently came out with a statement urging the Mayor to step down from his position. According to NorthBayBusinessJournal, “Joe Foppoli, Chief Operating Officer of the family’s Healdsburg winery, told reporters Sunday morning that he has taken steps to remove his brother as both CEO and co-owner of Christopher Creek Winery and is urging him to resign as mayor.”.

While Dominic Foppoli still sits in the mayor’s seat, steps are being taken to remove him as mayor and as CEO of Christopher Creek Winery by his brother.

During a Town Council meeting that took place on April 14, Foppoli said the Town Council meeting will move on ‘business as usual’ because he hasn’t been criminally charged with a crime, he also said he should have due process before opening up comment to the public. One woman at the meeting, who identified herself over Zoom as Carson Davis, said, “I have experienced and seen some of this behavior firsthand and I have to say that I am so sorry. I have had my butt grabbed by him and I have seen some of the things that people are referring to. And we just should have taken this more seriously. I’m just so sorry to these women that it didn’t come out sooner.” Sonoma County residents who attended the meeting further expressed how they no longer trust the city of Windsor and its Town Council, multiple residents said they no longer feel safe with Foppoli as mayor. Members of the public stressed that the city council knew of his behavior towards women and took no additional steps in combating the problem.

Attendees at the meeting did not hold back with their disapproval of the situation calling Foppoli “delusional”, “a sociopath” and “a gross joke”.

Fellow town council member Debora Fudge also urged the Mayor to step down saying, “If you love Windsor as much as you say you do you need to resign tonight.”

The Mayor has not formally resigned but did say after the explosive meeting that he would “...step back from [his] active roll.”

Mayor Foppoli came out with his statement of denial after a fifth woman pleaded sexual assault against him. The alleged sexual assault cases go back all the way to 2002, ranging all the way to as recent as 2019. The first sexual assault allegation comes from a member of Foppoli’s Assembly Campaign from 2003. Foppolis second sexual assault case happened in 2006 with a member of his dance class. His third allegation occurred in Reno in 2012 at a Civic Club meeting. And the fourth sexual assault allegation happened in 2019 to an intern at his winery, who said Foppoli forcibly touched her.

Crisis response teams implemented locally in Santa Rosa and Petaluma continued from pg. 1

and are not mental health professionals, they respond in ineffective and often dangerous ways to people experiencing mental health crises. Statistics support the activists’ argument.”

According to a study conducted by the CDC in June 2020 reveal data which states, “25% reported increased substance use to deal with the stress in the U.S. and nearly 11% had suicidal thoughts with the largest group of communities among Black and Latinos.”

More recently, the CDC conducted a study this year which reports, “During Aug. 2020 to Feb. 2021, the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%, and the percentage of those reporting an unmet mental health care need increased from 9.2% to 11.7%.”

Based on these trends and statistics, Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Oakland are each developing teams that emulate a similar structure as the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS), a community-based public safety system based from Eugene, Ore. and owned by White Bird Clinic, a non-profit organization offering medical health care and mental health services for the community.

In the Bay Area, San Francisco and Oakland were the first to initiate resolutions to put action towards their crisis team last year in Nov. Both cities are specifically collaborating with their city’s fire departments due to its ability to provide emergency services and fire inspections.

According to an article published by KTVU, Zac Unger, president of the Oakland firefighters union stated, “They’re looking for cultural competency and a strong brand in the community. We go into every kind of neighborhood and demographic.”

On the other hand, cities in Sonoma County are utilizing different ways to pursue the development of their own crisis teams.

Santa Rosa Police Captain and a Board of Director of National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Sonoma County, John Cregan, managed to get White Bird Clinic involved in a contract with the City of Santa Rosa to guide the program’s development for this upcoming July.

“At first, the service will operate 10 hours per day, seven days a week. Two teams will be established, each composed of a paramedic, a mental health professional and a homeless outreach specialist. The team is dispatched through 911, when dispatchers assess that it’s appropriate and safe to send this unarmed team of specialists,” according to The Bohemian article.

“The two teams will overlap on Wednesdays, so they’ll have meetings that day and also be able to provide extra support and services, following up with people who they’ve interacted with throughout the week,” Cregan says.

Although Petaluma announced their intention to create a CAHOOTS team after Santa Rosa, they are similarly planning to launch their program in July with one vehicle operating 12 hours per day, seven days a week.

The funding for these new programs are still being determined, but it is possible they will benefit from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed by President Joe Biden in March.

Alexis Wood, a second-year nursing major at Sonoma State University explained how these upcoming services will create a positive impact in the community.

Wood stated in an interview, “It’s impressive to see that communities are asking for these services and action is being made to implement these programs especially during this unprecedented time. I think once it’s fully developed, it will be beneficial for people in need of these services.”

SSU’s ‘Amy G’ balances teaching and reporting in new role continued from pg. 1

In a statement, Team president and CEO Larry Baer said, “...for two decades, Amy has served as a key link between our fans and the Giants through her exceptional work.”

Gutierrez reported for all three of the Giants World Series wins this past decade: 2010, 2012, and 2014. She has been with the Giants through the bad and the good always giving her best to the Giants fans.

Gutierrez was there for Buster Posey horrific ankle injury and was at the ballpark when Travis Ishkawaw hit a three run walk off home run that sent the Giants to the 2014 World Series.

While Gutierrez is starting a new job, it is with a familiar friend in the San Francisco Giants ball club which has her excited for the opportunity. “I did the same thing for 13 seasons. It’s fun to shake it up and try something new, but it’s also nice I get to do it with people I know and have worked with for years.

The sense of a familiar surrounding made it easier to make the leap into a new chapter of my career.”

On top of Gutierrez’s new gig with the giants she is also a lecturer at SSU where she teaches in the Media Communications department. She always had a special connection with SSU where her mother went to school. Gutierrez teaches a public speaking class and a sports boot camp class at SSU. Gutierrez also has a podcast with UCSF health and is launching a Instagram live show called ‘GCast’ where she interviews a special guest each week. Gutierrez has to juggle all of these jobs and activities while also being a wife and

COURTESY // Twitter Amy Gutierrez is taking on a new job as multimedia producer and reporter for the San Francisco Giants. also a mother of two children.

“It’s like eating an ice cream cone in the middle of the summer and one side starts to drip so you clean that up just in time for another side of the cone to start dripping. It’s exhausting at times to keep cleaning up the cone, but it sure does taste good! At the end of the day I ask myself, “did you do the best you could today?”, more often than not, the answer is “yes” and then I can fall asleep for a few hours before it all begins again,” said Guiterrez talking about how she juggles her family and her crazy work schedule.

The San Francisco Giants kicked off their season on April 1, against the Seattle Mariners. While many fans will miss Gutierrez on the sideline talking with Kruk and Kuip, they can be grateful that she is not going anywhere outside the Giants family.

News 5

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Natella Guy A burned car from the Kincaid fire, which threatened over 90,000 structures and forced mass evacuations. Sonoma County prosecutors filed charges last week against PG&E for their role in the Kincaid fire.

PG&E slacks on trimming maintenance ahead of fire season BRYCE GALLAGHER

STAFF WRITER

P

acific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) has come under fire once again over claims that they had been neglecting maintenance on multiple power grids, which inevitably led to some of the worst wildfires California has ever seen. This backlash comes after Sonoma County prosecutors filed criminal criminal charges last week against the company as a result of the Kincade fire in 2019, which burned more than 77,000 acres and destroyed nearly 400 buildings.

A commission audit done by PG&E in 2020 showed that the company hadn’t even completed 5% of tree trimmings around their most at-risk power lines. Because of this, The California Public Utilities Commission(CPUC) has ordered PG&E to create a plan for how to prioritize maintenance in these highrisk areas.

If the commission feels like PG&E has failed to adhere to their 6-step “escalating regulatory enforcement process,” they run the risk of losing their operating license, which could lead to the state forcing the company into becoming a nonprofit public benefit corporation.

“My concerns arose from what appears to be a pattern of vegetation and asset management deficien-

cies that implicate PG&E’s ability to provide safe, reliable service to customers,” said CPUC President Marybel Batjer in a letter to the Chief Financial Officer at PG&E, William Smith.

Receiving f lack like this isn’t new to PG&E, as last year the company pleaded guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter following the Camp fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company was also responsible for more than 1,500 wildfires spanning from January 2014 to December 2017.

“PG&E’s conduct continues to be something of great importance and controversy for a lot of us,” Commissioner of the CPUC Clifford Rechtschaffen said in a comment to the San Francisco Chronicle, who added that the plan will be, “one aspect of many tools that the commission has to keep PG&E accountable.”

PG&E seems to be well aware of the concerns facing themselves, as they’ve admitted to multiple infractions, while also working to make amends for them.

In a statement of PG&E’s website regarding public safety, the company said, “PG&E’s efforts to keep the public safe range from comprehensive programs

COURTESY // Instagram @Masksonoma on Instagram hands out free masks and water to encourage Sonoma locals to continue wearing masks.

to train our workforce to investments in our gas and electric infrastructure to enhanced record-keeping systems.”

They went on to say, “With the increased wildfire threat our state faces, PG&E is also enhancing and expanding our efforts to reduce wildfire risks and keep our customers and communities safe.”

While PG&E wants to move towards better service and less overall fire-risk, critics continue to slam them for their negligence over the years, calling the company’s management weak and some even going as far to say that without proper regulation, they have “a license to burn.”

With California’s fire season quickly approaching, those keeping PG&E in check are hoping the company will step up and improve on that which has been so heavily criticized for the sake of public safety.

“The CPUC continues to make customer safety a top priority and expects leadership from PG&E to execute on its safety responsibilities,” Batjer said, “When PG&E is unable to do this on its own, we have used, and will continue to use, the tools and authority at our disposal to hold PG&E accountable for these responsibilities.”

COURTESY // Instagram Two Sonoma Valley residents raised signs to support the continued wearing of masks.

Anti-mask protest spurs criticism and counter protests continued from pg. 1

at the march that read in big black letters: “I Can’t Breathe”, a Black Lives Matter phrase that became popular following the death of Eric Garner in 2014 and later George Floyd in 2020.

The slogan has become familiar to anyone following the reports of police brutality across America. Allison claimed in her letter that she witnessed this sign being stepped on by the anti-mask protestors and jokes being made about “stepping on George Floyd”. She continued to describe the activists’ laughter at this and one even saying, “I wanted to write ‘George Floyd’ on it [the sign], but I thought that might be too much.”

Another anti-mask protester took the opportunity to comment his beliefs on why wearing face-masks should not be required by law, “ATTENTION some people genuinely shouldn’t be wearing masks and THEY CANNOT BREATHE WELL ENOUGH IN THEM thus [the] event was to advocate for those with disabilities and trauma related psychological issues with masks that they have been required to wear in order to be a part of the community which is discrimination and your prejudice remarks are worse than what you claim they said.”

Carol Allison refuted, “You claim their cause was just to advocate for those with disabilities and trauma who cannot wear a mask – not true. Their signs say ‘Masks Don’t Work’, ‘Take Off Your Face Diaper’, ‘Masks = Currency of Control.’

There was far more going on than what you say.”

Another comment challenged Allison’s statements, “Carol, your reporting was biased before you even began your interview. You twisted and inserted information that wasn’t shared with you...Our tyrannical governor is extending a ‘State of Emergency’ when there is no longer an ‘emergency.’ Not only can some not wear masks for health reasons, most of us don’t want our faces covered for political reasons of control — this is what is meant by wanting our personal freedoms.”

The Save Our Sonoma group mission statement says, “Our group seeks to inspire and empower Sonoma County residents through disseminating evidence-based information regarding the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and future crises that we feel will continue to unfold. It is our belief that the long-term effects of the lockdown harms, over time will be far more devastating”.

Their website goes on to continue to explain the group’s point of view on the pandemic, “From the ocean to the vineyards, the lockdowns and closures have damaged children, business owners, restaurant owners, and isolated individuals.

Yes, Covid-19 exists, but we are not being told the full truth.

We need transparency. We need responsive leadership that does not hide behind a computer. And, we need your help to reopen and return Sonoma County to its former glory.”

The Save Our Sonoma website also offers those browsing links to many articles both for and against the wearing of face masks. Among the links was an article written for the American Institute of Economic research, discussing evidence gathered by Dr. Roger W. Koops supporting the claim that “there is no clear scientific evidence that masks (surgical or cloth) work to mitigate risk to the wearer or to those coming into contact with the wearer, as they are currently worn in everyday life and specifically as we refer to Covid-19.”

In support of the wearing of masks, the website included a link to a New York Times article. The article goes into explaining how masks work and that “masks of all kinds vary in filtration efficiency based on their shape and fit”. According to this article, certain masks with valves do little to protect those around you but if those around you are wearing masks, then the combined filtration efficiency increases.

Evidence both in support and against wearing masks in public are overwhelming and both sides are becoming increasingly passionate about their beliefs. David Eichar, one of many people offended by the march, commented on the Sonoma Index tribune article, “To me, wearing a mask to protect other Americans is about as patriotic as you can get.

Not caring if other people get sick and die is a selfish act. If everyone wore masks, the pandemic would be over sooner, meaning the lock down would end sooner.”

6 Arts

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma State students conquer the gaming world

JULIA BLAIR

STAFF WRITER

T

here have been a variety of virtual events this semester, some to inform and some to simply have fun. This unique Esports tournament is a consistent event that has been put on since the pandemic started. On April 17, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sonoma State Esports held a virtual tournament for players and students alike on both Discord and Twitch. The tournament was open to all Sonoma State Students with free access and opportunity to watch or play in various games.

This tournament held games for Overwatch, League of Legends, Super Smash Brothers, and Rocket League, where players fought to the battle for the top spot on the esports scoreboard. Winners are still yet to be determined. League of Legends, a popular game invented in 2009 has seen a massive growth in regular players.

According to writer Brian Crecente from the Washington Post, the game has seen exponential growth, “Where 20,000 players seemed unreasonably high in 2009, League typically has 8 million playing on any given day in 2019.” Places like online worlds in games that bring millions of people to collectively gather for the same purpose are one of a kind.

Like many of the university’s virtual events, this is an interactive way to have fun safely outside the classroom in less than normal circumstances. This virtual tournament is providing a place for a community to join in their shared interest in these games.

Although many members miss the in person tournaments where they felt they could truly collaborate with their teammates, students are staying positive and still enthusiastic about adapting to this virtual platform. Any opportunity to share a passion or interest with others is significant for many people right now, in what has been an unprecedented time.

In addition to accessing the Esports tournament, the Seawolf Living Events page is a helpful resource for all students interested in upcoming virtual events ranging in various different topics.

The University is committed to the wellbeing of their students and being able to provide different resources regardless of circumstances. The programs are taking pride in serving students and aiming to impact their virtual learning experience.

The collaboration of students and faculty to put on

STAR // KC Holtemann

STAR // KC Holtemann SSU Esports puts on a 3v3 tournament in Rocket League, for a chance to win $300.

virtual events that serve multiple purposes for the community has been dynamic since the pandemic began.

The Esports tournament is entirely student run and is open to all students, and an outlet to meet people in a socially distanced environment in lieu of in person gaming.

Many students are excited for future events and the possibility of the event returning to the Student Center, where it was previously held annually for all interested participants and players to join. There is anticipation as things change, but the virtual tournaments continue to be a mutually beneficial source of fun for students outside of their schoolwork, and other responsibilities.

Many are interested to see what will come next for the Esports tournaments and event plans as different restrictions begin to change and campus rules adapt to the new normal. Only time will tell how and when this and other events will be safe to return to. To check out more upcoming Esports and virtual events head to the Seawolf Living page. Sonoma State Esports is also active and posting updates on their Twitter and Instagram pages.

Fierce competition on the virtual battleground is underway as Sonoma State E-Sports team battles Rockford on the game Overwatch.

Academy Awards this Sunday

CHEYENNE CARROLL STAFF WRITER

W

hether you love it, hate it, or have absolutely no opinion, The Oscars is easily one of the most coveted social institutions for the film and movie industry. The fancy gowns, daring fashion, and red carpet are iconic. This year’s Academy Awards will be held next Sunday on ABC. Due to the pandemic, the awards show will continue with certain safety measures in place. An article by Bryan Alexander for USA Today outlined some of those safety measures, which included all attendees, including nominated stars, guests, and presenters, getting COVID-19 tested and quarantining before the event. The red carpet aspect of the show will be largely reduced.

One of the producers for the awards show Steven Soderbergh said, “...masks are going to play a very important role in the story of this evening… If that’s cryptic, it’s meant to be. But that topic is very central to the narrative.”

An article by Lisa Respers France for CNN summarized this year’s nominations, and explained that more women were nominated this year than have been in the past.

“Seventy women received a total of 76 nominations,” including two female Directing category nominations, Emerald Fennell and Chloe Zhao. Zhao, nominated for directing her film “Nomadland”, is the “first woman of color to be nominated in the category,” wrote Respers.

The Oscars have come under scrutiny for their lack of diversity in recent years, a fact not lost on students at SSU. Former student Meg Nguyen said, “Honestly I haven’t really kept up with the Oscars and don’t think a lot of the past awards really matter because there’s a lot of history of only certain people of certain races or backgrounds receiving awards and it feels like a big demographic of people aren’t considered.”

While the institution has a lot more work to do to include underrepresented communities in film and entertainment, the awards show released a statement last year explaining how they have been taking steps to be more inclusive of women and people of color, a promise the Oscars originally outlined in 2016.

Danielle Greene, a fourth year Kinesiology student at SSU pointed out how films, actors, and directors in the horror genre generally don’t get the same kind of attention or recognition as films in other genres.

“Toni Collette’s performance in ‘Hereditary’ was insane yet she gets zero recognition. I also think ‘Get Out’ was nominated for a couple of things and it only won like best screenplay or something like that? ‘Get Out’ is such an influential film and sparked so many conversations about race (and it was Jordan Peele’s directorial debut) yet it only won best screenplay.”

“Get Out” was the only horror-genre film to be nominated in 2018, and Peele’s other horror film “Us”, released in 2019, received no nominations. When going through the Oscars archives, not many true horror films have even been nominated in the last few years.

While the Oscars have been problematic in past years, other awards shows like the Grammys have been boycotted by musicians like The Weeknd due to lack of voting transparency and racial biases.

Corey O’Driscoll, a fourth year psychology student, said, “The Oscars have seemed to be less of a popularity contest than something like the Grammys; the fact that foreign films can grab a title like Parasite did last year and that there is a section devoted to foreign films in general makes me feel like whoever’s pulling the strings might have actually done their research.”

COURTESY // Instagram The Academy Awards will be hosting their iconic yearly event to highlight recent films.

COURTESY // Instagram The award show will be hosted on ABC, live on April 25 at 8 p.m.

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment 7

STAR // Zena Bounsall

STAR // Zena Bounsall Liz Lerman expressed her graditude by thanking singers, basket weavers, poets, and others.

STAR // Zena Bounsall

Weidong Yang, of Kinetech Arts in San Fransisco, enjoyed time shared with students, despite the distance.

Theatre Arts and Dance Department Chair Christine Cali began the Zoom session with fellow artists.

it means to connect remotely with someone else and what choreography can look like despite all the new challenges. “Finding the presence and the trust that you have that connection with people even though you are not in the same space,” said De Silva.

Lerman shared a similar sentiment as she explained that she has found new ways to not only connect with other artists, but to also connect with her students on a deeper and more personal level. “I have found, during this period of time, that, actually, my scale is very small. The nature of the way I’m making a community is much closer to one on one… In a way, time doesn’t exist, days, months, weeks, weekends, night, day, it’s kind of all the same and I find myself in many intense conversations with my students oneon-one at different times than I probably wouldn’t do under other circumstances.”

For Langois, a musician who is used to traveling and performing, isolation provided a new and unexpected outlet for creativity.

“I think the biggest thing that changed… I internalized all this creative energy and it kind of pushed me over a creative ledge, in a good way. You have to

deal with, instead of all this energy going out, all this energy has to go somewhere because it still exists and it kind of turned inward on me and created a bit of an avalanche of creative things that I probably would ever come across if we weren’t in lockdown,” said Langois.

The last year has presented new challenges that none of us ever dreamed would happen in our lifetimes. A global pandemic erupted, international travel was shut down, thousands of lives were lost, and the world went into lockdown in what felt like the blink of an eye.

“It just reminds us that we as human beings are really good at thinking incrementally. Like today we get one, tomorrow we get two, the day after we get three, we’re really bad about thinking in incremental change,” Yang said, and continued... “And that’s also a reminder to us that a lot of the time when we do our artist practices, we keep doing the same thing in the same environment over and over again. But when this kind of extreme situation happens, it’s really put us out of our comfort zone and in a way, it takes away a lot of tools that we had but on the other hand, it’s forced us to explore the space we never thought to explore before.”

rials that are, “made with 50% recycled content.” They also have a Nike Refurbished program that resells shoes that have been returned after a couple days that are “like new, gently worn, and slightly worn.”

Fourth year student Izabella Durham stated that, “Nike becoming more environmentally conscious was bound to happen,” and “is glad they’re finally doing it,” but that, “it’s a cash grab towards people who are conscious or want to feel good about environmentally friendly items.”

Another student, Jhery Mae Monteza agrees that Nike “becoming environmentally conscious because the fast fashion companies play a big role in climate change,” but “lowkey think it’s a cash grab in order to persuade people products but that it’s a good thing they’re doing it.”

Both students agreed that they prefer to shop in store rather than online so that they can see how clothes fit.

LesJour, a relatively new brand started by Australian actress Phoebe Tonkin, was started with the intention of being a sustainably made brand whose clothes can easily transition from a Zoom meeting to everyday life and marketing itself as a work-from-home uniform, made with renewable material made in Los Angeles.

Tonkin was inspired by, “wishing for a new uniform— something chic enough for a Zoom meeting, comfy enough to wear during a 6-hour true crime binge watch in bed, and easy enough that I didn’t have to think about it,” according to the LesJour website.

The coronavirus also has also inspired fashion trends. It started with the Zoom shirt; the shirt that could be used for all sorts of Zoom meetings rather choosing outfits every day. One trend that had its moment recently was the cold-shoulder top. This came after more people were eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Most notably seen wearing the cold-shoulder top was Dolly Parton while being vaccinated in a video on Instagram. According to the New York Times, “Lyst, the fashion search and shopping platform, has seen searches for cold-shoulder tops increase 21 percent since the start of March, according to a company spokeswoman.”

The newest fashion moment and another 90’s throwback being the return of the sweater vest. Max Berlinger for the New York Times described the sweater vest as a piece of clothing to “embody this liminal moment” between “lockdown and freedom, winter and summer, this fence-straddling garment is sublimely attuned to these strange, in-between times.” They’ve been sported by the likes of Harry Styles and Tyler the Creator.

A conversation on art and human connection during a period of unprecedented challenges

MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER

T

he Green Music Center and Sonoma State University’s Dance Program co-hosted a free virtual event, “Lessons Learned: Artists’ Stories About Technology and Human Connection,” over Zoom last Thursday. The free event began at 7 p.m. and welcomed a panel of four artists to join in a conversation processing what has changed over the last year, both in life and art, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was led by SSU Associate Professor and Chair of the Theater & Dance department, Christine Cali, who was joined by choreographer Liz Lerman, Daiane Lopes da Silva and Weidong Yang from the dance and technology organization, Kinetech Arts, and musician and film designer Matt Langois.

In the last year and a half, everyone across the globe experienced a collective shift in daily life, impacting how we connect as humans and leaving us all struggling to navigate a new and unfamiliar period of isolation.

Da Silva shared her story of struggling as a dancer who is used to working closely among others, and how to find ways to create art with other individuals. The isolation prompted her to think differently about what

Coronavirus inspires fashion trends; industries continue to evolve

JAYLINE ALVARADO

STAFF WRITER

A

midst a pandemic, fashion continues to evolve.

Masks have become an essential part of going out, and as people venture back to the outside world, the fashion industry has restarted after coming to a screeching halt.

One big impact COVID-19 has had is that people were no longer able to shop in stores, and as a result many shops closed down. This disrupted the supply chain; inventory was no longer constantly changing in stores and clothes aren’t being mass-produced, leading to the demand for clothes to change drastically.

Now, it’s all about online shopping. Online shopping had already disrupted the in-store shopping experience, and the Coronavirus merely exacerbated the issue. According to Business Insider, H&M is closing 350 stores to focus on its online sales instead. CNBC found that the Mastercard Economics Institute reported that consumers spent $900 billion on online shopping.

Local businesses have also moved to online e-commerce. According to Sonoma Magazine, Oliver and Grace Estrada opened their store in Healdsburg The Barlow only for it to close once the pandemic hit.

Another thing brands are now looking to do is to go green. Nike is looking to be a sustainable brand by introducing their shoes that are made with sustainable mate-

COURTESY // Cityswift Many storefronts around the state have reopened after a long pause of closing during the pandemic.

COURTESY // Tim Dennell Masks with fasionable designs have become quite popular throughout COVID-19.

8 Student Life

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Asian Contemporary Art Sonoma State begins celebrations of Asian-American & Pacific Islander History and Heritage Month for the month of May, largely focusing on the violence against the AAPI community.

Sonoma State celebrates AAPI History and Heritage Month

KAITLIN BREEN STAFF WRITER

T

his Thursday, Sonoma State University kicked off Asian-American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) History and Heritage Month with an opening ceremony. The keynote speaker for the event was Margaret Huang, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

Huang is an advocate for human rights and racial justice. Prior to working for the SPLC, she served as the executive director of Amnesty International USA. With this role, she was responsible for leading campaigns to protect the human rights of migrants and refugees, torture survivors, gun violence victims, activists, and protestors across the globe. She has also worked with the U.S. Congress on many key pieces of legislation.

AAPI History and Heritage Month celebrates the achievements, contributions and history of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. Although AAPI Heritage Month takes place in May, Sonoma State University celebrates it in April in order to accommodate the academic calendar, as well as providing a full month to recognize our Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

The opening ceremony focused largely on the increase of violence against the AAPI community, and the advent of the Stop Asian Hate activist movement. Jerlena GriffinDesta, Ph.D., who is the Chief of Staff & Vice President of Diversity and Strategic Initiatives, gave a statement on behalf of SSU at the beginning of AAPI History and Heritage Month. Griffin-Desta stated that, “while Sonoma State University leadership condemns the violence, we know that pronouncements are appropriate and necessary, but not sufficient...students, staff, and faculty are partnering with community agencies to address anti-Asian racism, as part of our broader work to dismantle the structural racism leveled at communities of color.”

Huang talked with faculty, staff, students, and community members from SSU and Santa Rosa Junior College to talk about the important issues addressed by SSU. Much attention was brought to the broader movement, which calls to defund the police and end state-sanctioned violence against communities of color. Participants at this event were given the chance to ask Huang questions, as well as share thoughts, ideas, and opinions

on these complex subjects. The conversation did not stay focused solely on hate crimes faced by Asian-Americans in the United States, but critiqued and discussed matters that impact prejudices. Topics of this discussion includes U.S. foreign policy, the fetishization of Asian women as sex-workers, and the structural barriers that work against all people of color in the United States.

Huang said, “There’s no way to talk about issues of racism and discrimination in this country without acknowledging that there are so many stories that make that up. We cannot talk about racism without understanding the original racism against Indigenous people on these lands. We cannot talk about the cultural appropriation of all of the different communities that have had to give up their history and their culture and their beliefs and practices, as they have been forced to integrate and assimilate into the U.S. experience. This is widespread.”

The widespread nature of this issue is exactly why Huang went on to emphasize that the AAPI and other communities of color should find solidarity and allyship with each other. Huang added that “the AAPI community will never achieve racial justice if we aren’t unified with other communities of color in our struggle.”

AAPI History and Heritage Month at SSU will take place over the month of May, with a total of fourteen events. These events will range from film screenings, in conjunction with seminar-style discussions following the films, to guided meditations and virtual cooking classes. All of these events will aim to celebrate the culture and history of the AAPI community.

The AAPI History and Heritage Month Opening Ceremony was an insightful gathering of students, faculty, and staff. Huang ended the event by reminding participants that everyone has something to learn, saying that the AAPI community can learn from each individual’s experiences. Huang finished by stating that “our community is not monolithic. We probably have as many stories in our community as there are across the country; it is a diverse region, it is a diverse experience, and there is so much we have to learn from each other as AAPI folks.”

Student Spotlight of the Week: NOAH PHILPOTT STAFF WRITER

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Tori Millendez

s a fourth year undergraduate student, Tori Millendez remains determined to reach her goals within her education, as well as in her social life, throughout her college career. No matter what university Millendez ended up attending, her main goal was to leave a lasting impression on everyone that she came across.

Planning to graduate from Sonoma State University in Spring 2021, the 21-year-old senior is majoring in Communications, as well as serving as the Vice President of the Native American Progessive Student Club (NAPS).

This is the first year that NAPS was affiliated with SSU as a club, with Millendez helping to charter it. “It has been a work in progress, as well as a challenge to build community and connect with people virtually. But, the fact that we even chartered a club and created a presence of general knowledge that NAPS exists has been very exciting and gratifying,” Millendez stated.

Millendez was hired by SSU through a grant called Graduation Initiative 2025. It is a part of a CSU-wide initiative, seeking to close achievement gaps for Native and indigenous students at the university. There is also work being done on campus for men and women of color, first generation students, and low-income students through the Center of Academic Access in Student Enrichment (CAASE). Millendez was able to receive this grant due to being an intern at the HUB. As Vice President of NAPS, Millendez is in charge of the communication aspect. She acts as the point of contact for the club, creating most of the marketing, and collaborating with the President and board to keep the club organized as a whole. Millendez is also the one in charge of social media and she runs the Instagram page, @ssunaps.

“Tori is passionate and works above and beyond what anyone expects.

She is so gentle, but fierce in the way she connects with students, gets events together, and educates others while learning. I read Tori’s editorial on the HUB newsletter, and every single time I learn something new about myself.

I probably wouldn’t be so motivated to learn about Native and indeginous culture if it wasn’t for her. Tori is a leader and helps others find this part of themselves,” NAPS Secretary Erika Diaz Ramirez said when asked about Millendez.

Millendez’s inspiration for starting the club stems from her dedication to serving her community and others around her. All of the work that Millendez is doing with NAPS is important for those of marginalized communities to be able to tell their own stories. “I really think storytelling is a key part of motivation and inspiration. I think there is a lot of power in the telling of stories, especially for Native and indigenous people. Those stories may have been silenced, written out of history, or totally misconstrued. So, it has been important to uplift and amplify indiginous voices on campus,” Millendez said.

With Social Justice week taking place last week, Millendez was recognized and was awarded the Seawolf Commitment award. This award demonstrated Millendez’s commitment to making our school, community, and world, more equitable for all individuals. Millendez has demonstrated that she is committed to enriching the lives of the SSU community and is some-

COURTESY // Gina Petersen During Social Justice Week, Tori Millendez was awarded with the Seawolf Commitment Award. one who embodies the Seawolf Commitment and Social Justice Week values.

“I don’t do what I do for the recognition, but it is such an honor to be recognized. There is so much unseen labor behind the scenes. It feels so nice to be appreciated and seen for the hard work I do. Receiving this award was way more than I anticipated or asked for. So, I am just really thankful and it is super reenergizing after a year of virtual community building and putting together events,” Millendez said.

After graduation, Millendez is excited to take part in the new opportunities that may come her way. She does not have any specific plans for her career, but hopes to obtain a job related to her Communications major.

At the moment, Millendez currently works at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse aside from being affiliated with SSU NAPS. Aside from school, work, and her affiliation with NAPS, Millendez likes to read, write, garden, and hang out with her friends and family. Throughout the rest of her college experience, Millendez will continue to serve as Vice President for NAPS. She is looking forward to furthering her passion with Native and indiginous students and work with high hopes to take what she has learned outside of SSU.

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Student Life 9

Cultural commencement ceremonies set to continue despite the pandemic MATTHEW SMITH STAFF WRITER

S

tarting the week of May 14, Sonoma State will be hosting a series of cultural commencement ceremonies via Zoom for graduating students that identify with their own represented communities. For context on what a cultural graduation ceremony is, the SSU website gives a brief description of what they are. “Cultural Graduations are annual celebrations to honor [various] communities. We invite all graduating students who are a part of these communities and want to participate in these free celebrations to do so.”

There will be a total of four ceremonies representing four different ethnic groups, separated into certain groups in order to properly acknowledge the different cultures and backgrounds. According to the Sonoma State website, “there are four virtual ceremonies this May: Black grad, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern grad, Rainbow grad, and Raza grad.”

Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern grad will take place on Fri-

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu Graduating students will be able to celebrate commencement and graduation via Zoom with their own represented communities.

day, May 14 at 6 p.m., and that will be the only one happening that week.

The following week, the ceremonies will begin with Raza Grad on Wednesday, May 19 at 6pm, and continue with Rainbow grad on Thursday, May 20th at 6pm, and Black Grad on Friday, May 21 at 6pm.

Interim Director of the Educational Opportunity Program, Khou YangVigil, was able to talk specifically the Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern Grad, stating that “while there are multiple cultural graduations for different groups, what sets the Asian/Pacific Islander (API) and Middle Eastern (ME) Graduation apart is that it is an annual celebration to commemorate the graduation success and achievements of specifically our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern students here at Sonoma State University,” she said. “It recognizes the achievements of our students and brings our communities together.”

Yang-Vigil went on to say that, “it is important to be able to honor and recognize the identities and cultural heritage of our students and their families who identify as Asian, Pacific Islander, and/or Middle Eastern. We have a very small percentage of students at Sonoma State University who identify as being part of this community and creating that sense of belonging, a community with other students who have shared experiences, and something to look forward to as our students complete their milestone accomplishment earning their Bachelor’s degree is key.”

Among other social gatherings, the pandemic has greatly impacted how these ceremonies take place. In years past, the ceremonies were held in person with “a reception following the individual ceremonies, welcoming all cultural graduation participants, friends, allies and families to celebrate this momentous occasion with a dinner buffet and performances from ensembles representing the different cultures in attendance,” according to the Sonoma State website.

While they used to have receptions and buffets after the ceremony, they have had to switch to online and remote celebrations. “Although we are not able to be in person to celebrate, we still want to honor and recognize our graduating APIME seniors and by hosting the online Zoom event we are able to provide a space where students and their families (from all over the country and world) can be in community with our Sonoma State campus community to celebrate their achievements,” Yang-Vigil said.

Even with the ceremonies being different this year, certain aspects of the celebrations may be used in future years. “Each year A/PI & ME Cultural Graduation Celebration has a committee that is made up of staff and student representatives and we come together to discuss and assess the previous years ceremonies to help us with the planning for the next cultural graduation celebration.” Yang-Vigil said. “I am not sure what the future of the graduation celebrations will look like post-pandemic, but I am sure we will incorporate some of the new things we have learned during the pandemic into the future celebrations.”

Whether the cultural commencement celebrations happen in person or virtually, they are a great way for students of different cultures to come together and celebrate their success with other students of similar backgrounds. To find out more and to register for one of the cultural commencement ceremonies, head over to hub.sonoma.edu/cultural-graduations-2021.

VP of Administration & Finance transitions to new role at Western Washington University SAMANTHA PEZZOLA STAFF WRITER

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oyce Lopes, vice president of administration and finance at Sonoma State University, will be exiting her tenure at the university and moving to Western Washington State University, taking on the role of Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs as of July 2021.

Her time at SSU has been nothing short of eventful, as she was the overseer of vital roles on campus such as managing human resources, budgeting and accounting, Title IX services, and other programs during her time at SSU. Her scope of work and responsibility with crisis management on campus has been successful. She was at SSU during the 2017 Tubbs Fire, and gave aid to students who were undocumented and needed additional emergency services provided by the school.

Lopes said, “I joined SSU just a couple months before the Tubbs Fire of 2017 and was so impressed by the campus response to the emergency…. we had an acute awareness of the long-lasting disparate impacts for the less socio-economically privileged in our community once the rebuild efforts started. We heard first-hand from our students that undocumented victims experienced disproportionate loss given the difficulties they had accessing aid from FEMA and other agencies.”

President Sakaki shared her positive experience working with Lopes and her successful efforts on campus, “All of us appreciate her many contributions to our Seawolf community. She did her best work facing some of the toughest challenges, and we are better for having her on board. I know she will continue her commitment to student and faculty success in her new role.”

During her time at SSU Lopes spearheaded an effort to raise funds for students by creating the NomaCares donation. That fund went towards helping students negatively impacted by fires, COVID-19 or experiencing other timely hardships.

Lopes said, “From the initial efforts overseeing the Emergency Operations Center and securing and distributing donations via our NomaCares campaign…I am proud to have had the opportunity to lead recovery efforts [during those times] of crisis.

Lopes teamed up with over 300 individuals who are a multi-division of staff during her tenure and executed emergency financial aid for SSU’s undocumented population integration of, “ fire ecology into our curriculum and research priorities to the acquisition of workforce housing and plan for expanded student housing.”

COURTESY // Facebook She also notes the significant impacts and challenges past fires and Joyce Lopes will be taking a new role as Vice President of Business and Financial AfCOVID-19 has had on people of color and says she worked on “providing fairs at Western Washington University beginning next semester. access, resources, services, and support to our diverse student, faculty and staff populations.”

Lopes hopes that her experience at SSU will help with her new job at for students in need of resources during times of emergency.

The Vice President hopes to build on the lessons learned during her Western Washington University. She expects to transition knowledge of time at this CSU and is eager to integrate them into her new title at Westbeing a leader at a university during crisis and emergency situations and ern Washington University. infuse Sonoma States’ core values into the strategic implementation of aid

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Health

COURTESY // Instagram Throughout the month of April, Disability Services for Students is hosting a multitude of events geared toward creating a more accessible campus experience for disabled students.

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Instagram Some of the events DSS is putting on include workshops on creating more inclusive advertisements around campus.

Disability Awareness Month at SSU

EMILY ALVARADO STAFF WRITER

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pril is being recognized as Disability Awareness Month by Sonoma State University’s Disability Services for Students (DSS). To celebrate neurodiversity and students with disabilities at Sonoma State, DSS is hosting a number of themed events that started April 5 and will continue through April 28. The events are all virtual and cover a variety of topics.

In a couple of events that have already happened, DSS explored neurodiversity, talked about disability in the workplace and gave online study tips. Disability Awareness activities will continue through April with a lesson on creating accessible flyers and several panels of students with disabilities speaking about their experiences.

DSS works to provide students with equal access to university services and programs.

The DSS website is chock full of resources for students with disabilities and faculty looking to learn how to make their classes and materials more accessible. On the DSS website students can find information on assistive technology like closed caption TVs and text-tospeech software as well as forms and requests for a multitude of services. Students registered with DSS can request dietary, housing and furniture accommodations and get information about interpreting services for deaf and hard of hearing students. Note taking, priority registration and test taking accommodation information can be found there as well.

In order to register with DSS, a student must have an official diagnosis of a disability.

These official diagnoses require more formal assessments and can be quite expensive. There are no services on campus that offer these formal assessments, but Laura Williams, PsyD of the Counseling and Psychological Services director said, “While we do not see students for the sole purpose of providing a diagnosis, we are able to provide a diagnosis to DSS if we’ve been working with a student in therapy for a sufficient amount of time to assess.” If a student needs an official assessment, DSS can refer the student to outside doctors. DSS Director Brent Boyer said that the program is looking for possible resources that may be able to help fund psychoeducational assessments for students that do not have insurance or cannot afford an assessment.

In order to truly help students with disabilities at Sonoma State, DSS includes student representatives on several advisory committees such as the DSS Advisory Committee, the Accessible Technology Initiative and the Academic Technology and Instructional Spaces Subcommittee.

Michelle Jones, an English major at SSU, is a student registered with DSS. Later this month on April 26, Jones will be a panelist in Understanding Our Experience: A Fireside Chat With Students With Disabilities. When asked about her experience with DSS, Jones said, “DSS is excellent about approving necessary accommodations… I also find their responsiveness to email to be very prompt and their genuine desire to find what will work best for the individual student to be very reassuring.” Jones mentioned one thing that she hopes DSS can work on is adapting books into PDFs or other document types more quickly. She said that it can be quite stressful to be unsure of when she will receive her learning materials.

Jones graciously offered some advice to SSU students unsure of how to better understand or even help fellow students with disabilities. While Jones generally prefers personfirst language (e.g. student with a disability instead of disabled student), she said that if her disability is relevant to the conversation she has no issue with identity-first language. DSS also gives the advice of defaulting to person-first language and asking an individual what their preferences are. To students who are unsure of how to approach students with disabilities, Jones said, “I think a general rule of thumb to follow is to approach the conversation after you’ve already established some decent level of relationship and to inquire from a place of compassion rather than abject curiosity…”

In celebration of Disability Awareness Month and striving for inclusivity all times of year, students and faculty really just need to listen to students with disabilities. As Jones said, “I am not going to crumple into tears or suddenly explode at you for being honestly empathetic.” If you aren’t sure of something, it may be best to just ask. To find more information about DSS and Disability Awareness Month activities, students can visit the website or the Seawolf Living webpage.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution paused after blood clot concerns CALLIE ADAMS STAFF WRITER

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he United States paused distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 after six women who received it said that after the vaccine, they developed a rare blood clotting disorder. Though approximately 7 million people have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and the blood clot disorder is considered extremely rare, officials from the CDC felt it would be prudent to take precautions and assess the issue before continuing. The pause was initiated on April 13, according to the CDC, though it may have taken effect at later dates, depending on the region.

Of the six known blood clot cases, all were in white women between the ages of 18 and 48 years old, according to data from ABC News. One woman has been discharged from the hospital already, five are hospitalized with two in the intensive care unit, and one woman has died. It is unknown whether or not the Johnson & Johnson vaccine directly caused the blood clots, though it seems to have at least played a role in the development.

The pause should not last indefinitely, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“I believe that this is going to take days to weeks, as opposed to days to months,” Fauci said in an interview on NBC News.

He added that he thinks the pause, “...is not something that is going to drag out,” and was done, “...out of an abundance of caution.”

In fact, officials worry that the pause will cause undue harm to the reputation of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has otherwise been an extraordinarily beneficial development for the fight against COVID-19.

Before the pause, 52% of Americans said they viewed the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as safe, a reasonable number considering many Americans have expressed reservations about receiving any COVID-19 vaccine.

Since the pause, the level of public confidence in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine dropped to only 37%, with 39% of those polled saying that they think the vaccine is “unsafe,” according to a public poll from The Economist and YouGov. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam feels that people may be overreacting. The vaccine, after all, has so far been safe for millions of people, and the link between blood clots

COURTESY // Flickr.com Following six cases of a rare blood clotting disease appearing in individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the United States has halted distribution. and the vaccine is still disputed.

“I took the J&J, a lot of my staff did. The number of individuals that had these issues is a small number. Close to seven million doses of J&J have been given. So we’re going to rely on the guidance of the CDC and the FDA. They will obviously investigate this,” Northam said in an effort to dispel public concerns.

Sonoma County issued a statement on the vaccine pause as well, reminding residents to have patience.

“While the immediate impacts of this delay may be minimal in our area, we recognize that this will make finding vaccination appointments all the more difficult particularly at a time when eligibility will be opening up to everyone age 16 and over starting on Thursday,” Dr. Urmila Shende said on behalf of the county.

Shende also noted that Sonoma County was handling the pause well.

“The County is supporting a drive-through clinic today at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building that was scheduled to administer J&J vaccines to about 100 people,” Shende announced, “Our health team was able to quickly switch gears this morning, and that clinic was allowed to go forward as scheduled using the Moderna vaccine instead.”

But not everyone is able to swap their Johnson & Johnson vaccine appointment out for another approved vaccine.

Some Americans worry that since the blood clot cases are quite literally one-in-a-million, we should not be halting doses at a time when COVID-19 cases are rising once more.

While the pause seems to have come at the most inopportune moment possible, with rising case numbers and soaring demands from increased adult eligibility, it will soon be behind us. The pause is the result of an abundance of caution, and is a clear sign that health officials are working their hardest to make sure everything is safe.

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Campus Health and Safety Zoom Panel provides clarity for students

CASEY FABBRI

STAFF WRITER

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onoma State students are anxiously awaiting more updates from the university in regards to plans to return in person for the Fall 2021 semester. In the time before decisions are formally made, various departments on campus are providing students with the opportunity to ask questions and gain insight on the projects that are in the works for next semester.

This past Wednesday, Residential Education and Academic Housing (REACH) hosted a COVID-19 and Campus Health and Safety Resources Panel via Zoom. Students were encouraged to attend to hear from officials from the Student Health Center, Emergency Services and Risk Management, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and the University Police Department. Each department explained their current services and their plans for outreach to students during the Fall 2021 semester. The presentation was followed by a Q&A segment for visitors to clarify information and ask questions.

Each department prioritizes the safety and well-being of students during this uncertain time.

SSU junior Abby Kyriakides said, “With my senior year starting in the fall, I am hoping to be back in person as much as we can.

I am eager to see what the University has put in place for the future.”

Kyriakides, along with other Sonoma State students, joined the Zoom panel last Wednesday night. Housing and isolation programs, vaccines, and building reopenings were all hot topics for the meeting.

REACH explained that for students living on-campus, they will be offering students the “Seawolf All-Inclusive Experience,” which includes money towards learn-

ing materials, free drip coffee, free parking, and more. The housing villages will be running at 80% capacity to provide space for isolation and quarantine spaces as needed.

Students will have the option of a single or double room; triples will not be available.

REACH is planning to provide proper quarantine spaces for students who have tested positive for COVID, as well as roommates or others who may be exposed. The only difference that REACH expects for the Fall semester is the role that vaccines will play in the policies implemented. As of now, REACH will continue to follow guidance from the state of California, the CSU, the CDC, and Sonoma County Public Health.

Along with opening of housing villages, the Student Center dining venues and the library will be reopening for the Fall semester, if conditions remain the same. Director for Emergency Services and Associate Risk Manager Missy Brunetta explained that all staff and students on campus are required to wear masks and complete daily wellness checks.

Campus will continue with a slow process of reopening as the pandemic continues to move in the right direction. One topic students were eager to hear Student Health Center Interim Director Tracey Eaton comment on was the availability of vaccines for students and how vaccines may affect future campus operations.

Eaton explained that beginning in March, the Student Health Center was no longer eligible to distribute vaccines because Blue Shield required vaccination sites to serve all Californians. She explained that, “At the Student Health Center, we are funded by your student health fees and we are serving the students, so we can’t open

STAR// Zena Bounsall The recent COVID-19 resources Zoom panel allowed students to ask questions about what campus will look like in the Fall.

up our health center to every Californian. So we could not get an agreement with Blue Shield.” Eaton encouraged students that are interested in getting the vaccine to book appointments at sites in Sonoma County, until the Student Health Center meets the regulations or comes to an agreement with Blue Shield.

On the topic of vaccines, students at the panel were eager to know if vaccines would be required to return back to campus. Brunetta responded, “Speaking from what we know right now, there is no plan to require vaccinations for students of the university.” She continued, “That being said, there are conversations about what vaccines may allow students to do that may be restricted for other students, or may require testing for other students.”

The uncertainties of the Fall 2021 semester are becoming clearer with virtual events, like this COVID and Campus Health and Safety Resources Zoom Panel . Students are able to gain a better understanding of the future by asking questions to the departments on campus.

While students and staff alike are still left with many questions and uncertainties, these panels have left many feeling more educated. Kyriakides said, “I am happy that Sonoma State is hosting events like these to keep students in the loop of what we should expect in the coming months.”

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Team members of the Sonoma State Softball team have been meeting to practice while wearing masks and social distancing.

STAR // Sumiko Fong The Sonoma State Cheer Team has been practicing witih masks and preparing to return to the sidelines.

In-person sporting events slowly return

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

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he return of in-person sporting events has been one of the most anticipated moments of the entire reopening process. With rising vaccination rates and falling case numbers, athletes can strap their gear on again and practice in person, and fans can dust off their favorite jerseys in preparation for stadiums to open back up in the near future.

Major League Baseball (MLB) started its season on April 1st, allowing teams to play eachother surrounded by crowds of mainly cardboard fans.

California teams, the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s in specifically, were both allowed to fill their stadiums to 20% capacity, allowing around 9,000 fans inside. Fans allowed in the stadium are required to follow proper CDC guidelines, including social distancing and mask wearing.

In an interview with ABC News, Larry Bear, the CEO for the San Francisco Giants, expressed his excitement about fans returning to the stadium and provided some details about what COVID-safe sports will look like for the fans: “We have something called FanSafe. It’s gonna involve sanitizers, it’s gonna involve checks, it’s gonna involve pod seating. We’re gonna have menu items that will be familiar but we’re going to be really careful as to how they’re delivered. A lot of delivery to the seats, more so than going up to the stands. Baseball is about energy, baseball’s about relationships, and you go with your parents, or you go with your children, or friends or your spouse and that’s what baseball is and to not have that energy in the ballpark it feels different. I think people would say it feels rather hollow without the fans” Other professional sports have followed the same criteria, such as the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season started early November and arenas didn’t allow fans inside at any capacity until California moved into the yellow tier.

Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), allowed states to make their own decision when deciding if fans will be in the stands. On March 30th, after an NFL owners meeting, Goodell came out and said in a press conference, “All of us in the NFL want to see every one of our fans back. Football is simply not the same without fans, and we expect to have full stadiums in the upcoming season.”

Goodell went on to describe that the NFL will follow state guidelines when it comes to stadium seating. The goal is to have fans back, but safety is still the number one priority, and the state officials will make the final decision.

Sonoma State and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) are also extremely eager to get back to the fields and courts as well.

Sonoma State golf has been able to play rounds socially distant, but other than that, no other sport has gotten the opportunity to play. There are positive speculations around sports being able to come back in the Fall with some modifications and restrictions in place.

As Sonoma State prepares to return to in-person instruction for the Fall semester, student athletes and spectators remain hopeful that they will be able to participate in some in-person events soon.

Starting goalie Derik Engebretsen, a senior for the men’s soccer team, talked about looking forward to playing in the fall: “It was a huge let down not being able to play our Fall season because of COVID-19. We started practicing a couple weeks ago and it has been great to be back. There has been quite an adjustment the team has had to make because of the pandemic because of masks as we play and trying to be as socially distant as possible. As of now it looks like we will be able to play our whole season in the Fall and I couldn’t be more excited. We are ready to get started and win some games.”

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2021 sonomastatestar.com

Students enjoy the spring season outdoors

STAR // Ileana Aleman From left to right: Isabel Cassano, Tonya Jones, Mia Calsada, and Monet Scheller enjoy the weekend on campus by spending time with each other and exploring more of what campus has to offer.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Trinity Foster ejoys the scenery outdoors at SSU while getting her school work done.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Tais Hernandez likes to relax by taking walks on Sonoma State’s campus.

SSU sports teams resume practicing on campus

STAR // Ileana Aleman Desmond Gates and the men’s SSU baseball team get back into their practice routine throughout the week and finished the week off with a nice scrimmage.

STAR // Ileana Aleman From left to right: Nichole Sara, Skylar Linnane, and Reagan Hunt go back to practicing regularly, allowing them to resume their routine as college athletes.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Rylee Nishimoto (left) and Natasha Ochoa (right) do conditioning at a distance to help keep themselves and others safe.

STAR // Ileana Aleman Nichole Sara on the women’s SSU softball team works on conditioning to get back into the groove of things now that sports have gone back to practicing.