Issue 13 Sonoma State STAR Fall 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

Theatre Arts

Alumni Spotlight

‘The Connection Collection’ makes the best of media opportunities.

PAGE 6

SSU business grad Rami Najjar offers advice to students.

PAGE 8

Stepping Up The Sonoma State lacrosse team is leading by example.

PAGE 11

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 13 NOVEMBER 17, 2020 - NOVEMBER 23, 2020

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

STAR // Isabelle Barkey El Rancho Taqueria, a local favorite among students, is one of many small businesses that have been impacted by the Coronavirus.

Local businesses suffer from lack of SSU students on campus

MORAGH GRAF STAFF WRITER

S

mall local businesses have taken a huge hit since the closure of Sonoma State University’s campus. What used to be a largely student-based community, is now left to survive without the financial income that students tend to bring to nearby businesses.

Rohnert Park’s small businesses must now depend solely on permanent residents, many of whom don’t fit into the usual consumer demographic.

With school being closed, local coffee shops and restaurants aren’t getting their usual lunch and dinner rush of SSU students. Most Seawolves have set up camp in their hometowns to finish out online schooling, and the few who reside in Rohnert Park are less frequently going out due to COVID-19 restrictions.

El Rancho Taqueria, owned by Javiar Barragan, is a Mexican food restaurant in University Square. It is typically very popular among students.

“Initially, it was rough because COVID-19 hit right before spring break. It was tough because all the students were gone to start. Luckily, local families came back, and

the students that returned helped us out. We were almost out of business during summer because neither SSU or Rancho Cotate was open. Luckily, now, with some SSU students back, we get a steady dinner rush like usual, but not like before,” said Gerardo Barragan, an employee at El Rancho.

Some establishments, however, aren’t having as hard of a time with the lack of students. Shige Sushi, a restaurant in Cotati, is mainly burdened by the town’s changes due to COVID-19.

“As a sushi restaurant that has a higher average price point than other local sushi restaurants, our customer base doesn’t rely too heavily on college students. We have, however, felt a big impact when it comes to alcohol sales. They have gone down substantially, due to us not being able to serve draft beers. The bars being closed impacts our business hours due to people being out not as late,” said employee Gina Salvato.

see SSU STUDENTS VITAL TO LOCAL ECONOMY on pg. 4

Courtesy // Marco Verch on Flickr.com Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has announced a vaccine for COVID-19 that is said to be over 90% effective

STAR // Isabelle Barkey A Rite Aid in Santa Rosa offers free COVID-19 testing.

Sonoma County asks state for COVID-19 restriction readjustments SEAN KENNEALLY STAFF WRITER

I

n the past week, multiple counties across the state, from San Diego all the way to Siskiyou, digressed in combating the COVID-19 virus. Within the Bay Area, Sonoma County continues to lag behind, remaining in the ‘purple tier.’

Since August, when the colored tier system was implemented, Sonoma County has been stuck in the ‘purple tier,’ which is the most restrictive. As a whole, Sonoma County is the most “restricted” county in all of California, with 11.1 people infected in every 100,000 cases.

“Just as every vote should be counted, every test should be counted and we want to get credit for all the testing that we’re doing,” said Dr. Sundari Mase, Sonoma County’s health officer, on the topic of non-electronic lab results in a Press Democrat interview. Mase is requesting the state to incorporate non-electronic test results. These non-electronic results are often not part of the state database, thus they delay Sonoma County progressing in tiers.

According to Mase, in the Press Democrat article, the state evaluates counties every Tuesday for pandemic control. see SONOMA COUNTY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS on pg. 5

Pfizer announces their COVID-19 vaccine could help life return to ‘normal’ by next winter

NANCY INSUA

STAFF WRITER

T

he pharmaceutical company Pfizer has announced a vaccine for COVID-19 that is said to be over 90% effective. How fast the Federal Drug Administration can approve the vaccine will determine when it will become accessible.

The Trump Administration said, “Roughly 20 million people could be vaccinated against the Coronavirus in December...Americans can expect that about 25 to 30 million people could be vaccinated each month afterward.”

The vaccine is to be administered in multiple rounds, with effectiveness increasing after each dose. Protection from the virus is expected 28 days after the second dosage of medication.

The race to find a vaccine for COVID-19, test it, and distribute it, has been in full effect all year. Health experts have speculated whether or not a vaccine would be available anytime soon, despite the Trump Administration’s claims that there will be one available soon.

More data explaining the specifics of the effectiveness and availability of the vaccine is said to be available within weeks. see PFIZER’S COVID-19 VACCINE on pg. 4

2 Editorial

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Joe disappoints with propaganda chief

THE STAR Editorial Board

Travis Gillmore, Editor-in-Chief Kylie Rose Lawrence, News Editor Maria Pineda Contreras, Opinion Editor Christy Chew, Arts & Entertainment Editor Devon Pique, Student Life Editor Noah Philpott, Sports Editor Brandon Sparks, Photo Editor Taylor Clark, Digital Editor Kevin Flores, Editorial Cartoonist Isabelle Barkey, Distribution Manager Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Taylor Clark, Emily Cripe, Sieanna Narine, Samuel Sayer, Jayline Alvarado, Sarah Ramos, Katelyn Dodge, Isabella Simoni, Nancy Insua, Edgar Zavala, Max Robinson, Myles Grabau, Moragh Graf, Amanda Koba, Rachel Gonzalez, Kristina Schmuhl, Vincent Spence, Ryan Weiner, Eliseo Fragoso, Sean Kenneally, Sarah Gallagher Photographers Isabelle Barkey, Natella Guy, Samantha Billingsly

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:

“Local businesses suffer from lack of SSU students” Read the article on page 1.

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We’d like to hear from you!

The STAR welcomes letters to the editor

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.

W

hile the transition of power is currently stalled amid legal wrangling, Status Quo Joe is wasting no time in living up to his moniker, and ensuring very little real progress will be made, with the recent selection of Richard Stengel as a leader in the administration’s “U.S. Agency on Global Media.”

Stengel is a former editor for Time Magazine, and his speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, in which he argues in defense of propaganda, has gone viral after being featured on Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now program on Fri. Nov. 13.

Stengel told the CFR, “My old job at the State Department was what people used to joke as the chief propagandist job. … I’m not against propaganda.

Every country does it, and they have to do it to their own population. And I don’t necessarily think it’s that awful.”

The statement is a ridiculous notion to all that believe in a decent, democratic society, and all that have read William Cooper’s book, “Behold a Pale Horse,” will find it highly ironic that Stengel made this highly authoritarian statement while surrounded by his ilk in the octopus-like political powerhouse Council on Foreign Relations.

The appointment of Stengel is especially concerning given the fact that the Obama/Biden Administration repealed the Smith-Mundt act in 2012. This piece of legislation from 1948 served to protect the American people from the propaganda efforts of the Department of Defense and the American government.

The Obama/Biden Administration essentially made it legal for the government to lie to its own people, and now Biden

Courtesy // ae911truth.org

has appointed an individual that well fits the intelligence agency formula, and believes in propagandizing the people, to a position that oversees media policy.

This is an unconscionable act that indicates an intention to lie to the public, and any objective observer would find it difficult to argue that this is a benign or coincidental appointment.

Stengel is also on the record opposing free speech. In an oped published in the Washington Post that raises serious questions, he wrote, ““All speech is not equal. And where truth cannot drive out lies, we must add new guardrails.”

In addition to Stengel, a number of media professionals are leaving their positions to join the Biden Administration. MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuade is now on Biden’s legal review team, and the network’s health expert, Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, is joining Biden’s Coronavirus task force. The implications are astounding. Media executives and operatives are incentivised to provide coverage that favors one candidate or the other, in hope or in recognition that their favors will be repaid.

Combine these facts with what is known as Operation Mockingbird, the CIA’s attempt to influence the public by placing assets in high-level media positions, and you have a media environment that serves authoritarian interests while subjugating the citizenry.

While the agency likes to decline involvement with the secretive operation known as Mockingbird, publicly available Senate Intelligence Committee records from 1996 are titled, “CIA’s Use of Journalists and Clergy in Intelligence Op-

erations,” and it is well known that intelligence agencies have numerous operatives working at various media organizations.

William Colby, former director of the CIA, famously said, “The Central Intelligence Agency owns everyone of any significance in the major media.”

A fellow CIA director, William Casey, said, “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”

And now the upcoming administration is preparing to shield itself with master manipulators and seasoned veterans of the disinformation industry.

These are extremely dangerous times, with power being usurped at all levels in the name of national security and the health of the people.

It is easy to become focused on an individual, such as Trump, as the source of problems, but when the issues transcend administrations and continue to affect quality of life, there is clearly a deeper source of the trouble, and if we are to overcome the obstacles facing us, it will take a non-partisan approach that is capable of recognizing alternative courses of action and accepting responsibility for decisions made in the past.

While it is understandable that people feel a sense of relief that a new Administration will be taking power, it is imperative that critical analysis of the agendas and actions of both parties be thorough and objective.

War crimes, inequality, lies and propaganda should never be tolerated from our elected officials, regardless of their party ties. We do not have to settle for the lesser of two evils, instead we must demand democratic leadership that respects civil liberties.

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.

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 // ae911truth.org

Opinion 3

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Biden’s COVID task force blocked by Trump

MAX ROBINSON

STAFF WRITER

P

resident-Elect Joe Biden announced a team consisting of 12 members to act as his Coronavirus task force. The team will act to combat the virus during Biden’s transition into the presidency and after he takes control of the executive branch.

The board is co-chaired by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, an associate professor of internal medicine, public health, and management at Yale University; Dr. David Kessler, former FDA commissioner under George H.W Bush and Bill Clinton during their presidencies; and Dr. Vivek Murphy, the surgeon general under the Obama administration.

Other notable members include Dr. Rick Bright, a Trump-administration whistleblower who criticized Trump’s response to the coronavirus as “dangerous and reckless,” adding that “it’s causing lives to be lost every day,” according to CNN. Bright released an 89-page

whistleblower complaint charging “an abuse of authority or gross mismanagement” against the Trump administration. In response, the Trump administration transferred him to the National Institute of Health, where he said he was sidelined.

The administration said he was “politicizing” the response to the coronavirus because he did not support hydroxychloroquine, an antimalaria drug not yet proven to be effective against the coronavirus,” according to Fox News.

According to The World Health Organisation, there are currently more than 10 million cases and 240,000 deaths in the United States.

The United States presently has more cases and deaths than any other nation, and the number of cases has been slowly increasing since Oct. The Trump administration has blocked Biden’s coronavirus response team from accessing government offices, secure communication lines, and classified coronavirus briefings, an action that has prompted responses from several Republican senators, exhibiting divergence within the Republican Party. “I don’t think they need to know everything,” said Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, according to the New York Times.

Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, said, “President-elect Biden should be receiving intelligence briefings right now - that is really important.”

Biden’s team’s inability to access crucial coronavirus-related

information will hamper his ability to oppose the coronavirus once he comes into office effectively. To circumvent the imposed roadblocks, Biden’s team has been using Signal, an encrypted messaging app that will keep foreign rivals from accessing the information passed around by the Biden team. The team has also been meeting with government officials in public locations.

The Biden coronavirus team has expressed concern due to a lack of communication regarding Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s division assigned to distributing a coronavirus vaccine. “We’re preparing to govern and lead this country on day one, but the lack of ascertainment presents a hurdle and delays those things, and prevents some unnecessary challenges that harm the American people,” a source close to the transition process told CNN. The roadblocks created by the Trump administration are costing lives in the United States every day.

Blocking an incoming team from being able to continue the work of the Trump administration because the president does not want to accept the election results is a political gesture that comes at the time of a pandemic that does not discriminate. The coronavirus will infect and kill more people as this unnecessary power struggle continues. Working together to curb this pandemic can not happen unless the Trump administration agrees to open communications to Biden’s team.

Defense secretary latest casualty in Trump administration firings

SARAH RAMOS

STAFF WRITER

P

resident Donald Trump is cleaning house once again— with just over two months left in office. The latest government official to be fired? Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Trump tweeted about the abrupt change in advisors on Nov. 9, stating, “I am pleased to announce that Christopher C. Miller, the highly respected Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (unanimously confirmed by the Senate), will be Acting Secretary of Defense, effective immediately.” He very briefly acknowledged Esper’s removal in a secondary tweet: “Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.”

According to the New York Times, Esper and Trump have been at odds over several issues over the past year, including deciding whether to send U.S. troops to handle the protests that occurred in June— which Esper did not support. The New York Times explained that Esper was aware that he would likely

be fired, and that he had already prepared a resignation letter in anticipation of it.

In his letter to the president, Esper wrote: “It has been a distinct honor to once again serve our great nation and fellow citizens, this time as the 27th Secretary of Defense for the world’s premier military force.” He further added: “I serve the country in deference to the Constitution, so I accept your decision to replace me.”

In addition to Esper, there is also the possibility that Trump will fire FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director Gina Haspel, top government officials who both have been criticized by the Trump administration, according to CNN. Trump’s decision to remove Esper with the end of his term nearly at hand is seemingly pointless. It represents yet another questionable leadership decision by the Trump administration. It strongly reinforces the idea that Presidentelect Joe Biden is needed to restore order and predictability to the U.S. government—two things that Trump has upended over the past four years.

Politico reported that several democratic government officials are worried about Trump removing a top national security official during a presidential transition.

They quoted House Armed Services Chair Adam Smith, who said, “Dismissing politically appointed

national security leaders during a transition is a destabilizing move that will only embolden our adversaries and put our country at greater risk.” Smith added in his statement that, “President Trump’s decision to fire Secretary Esper out of spite is not just childish, it’s also reckless.”

Reflecting this sentiment, The New York Times described how Trump notified Esper that he was fired just minutes before Trump posted the announcement on Twitter.

Trump has created an image for himself as a chaotic and unpredictable leader. This image is further aided by the fact that Trump has refused to concede the election. In contrast, President-elect Joe Biden campaigned on being a solution to the problem that is President Donald Trump. If Trump continues his erratic behavior, will that further entrench Biden and his desire to be everything antiTrump? Will it prevent Biden from being willing to make waves and enact social change the U.S. so desperately needs?

It is unclear if this will be the case. However, in the wake of a massive pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, devastating wildfires resulting from climate change, a conservative majority in the Supreme Court, and threats to same-sex marriage, one thing is certain: the end of Trump’s term cannot come soon enough.

Donations marked

“election defense” will instead go to the President

MYLES GRABAU STAFF WRITER

I

n the past couple weeks, President Donald Trump has worked tirelessly in an effort to discredit the election results, as Vice President Joe Biden has pulled ahead in many states.

Trump’s campaign team has recently bombarded his supporters with emails, with ‘critical requests’ for donations to Trump’s Official Election Defense Fund.

These emails were blatantly pressuring his supporters, saying things like, “We are keeping up the fight against the Democrats’ attacks on a fair election, but we can’t do it without YOU.” While these claims about the “Democrats stealing the election” and “mailing in ballots increases voter fraud” have both been disputed, the president continues to push these claims onto the public recklessly.

When reading the fine print of these emails, it becomes apparent that most of the donations that Trump will receive will go towards other priorities, not directly to the Election Defense Fund. A donor would have to give over $8,000 before any money goes toward the fund, and any amount below that will go toward “Save America,” which is a Trump leadership political action committee, PAC, as well as the Republican National Committee, RNC. In America, these types of leadership PACs are set up by political figures to spend money on other candidates and pay for personal expenses like travel and hotel stays. These regulations would allow Trump and the RNC to funnel these donations into other political causes and campaigns, like the two January Senate races in Georgia. These races are likely to determine control of the Senate and are set to rank among the most expensive political races in U.S. history.

Scrolling down Trump’s solicitation website, the top of the page greets readers with a banner that reads “OFFICIAL ELECTION DEFENSE FUND” followed by “CONTRIBUTE NOW.” The fine print shows that donations are split between “Save America,” which gets around 60% of the money, while the RNC claims the other 40%. This is where the legalities come in because none of the money goes into the “recount” committee fund until Save America reaches the legal contribution limit of $5,000. For example, if a Trump donor gave $500, only $300 would go to Save America, while $200 would go to the RNC, while nothing would go to the election defense fund before a donor would donate over $8,000.

It is important to be up-front with donors because, at first glance, this type of solicitation looks severely misleading. Donald Trump seems to be taking advantage of his supporters, assuming they will not read the fine print and donate small amounts to him, knowing that this money will not go directly to where it is advertised to go. Trump knows that he can “give his approval” for just about anything, and his supporters will buy into it, which is a prime example of this strategy, unfortunately working to his benefit. It is terrifying to have someone in power who is this comfortable with misleading the public for his own gain, and there is hardly any way that one can twist this story to make it seem ethical.

Oregon takes measure for the decriminalization of drugs

JAYLINE ALVARADO STAFF WRITER

A

s the war on drugs continues, the election marked a milestone for states like Oregon, fighting for decriminalization or even legalization of hard drugs.

As of most recently, with the acceptance of Measure 110, Oregon decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, which reduces the penalties for the possession of more massive amounts of drugs.

Executive Director of the advo-

cacy group Drug Policy Alliance, Kassandra Frederique, states that “passage of the measure showed that voters were eager for a new approach on drug policy to handle it as a health issue and prioritize treatment.”

According to the Washington Post, the most notable drug is marijuana and its legalization by states like Arizona, Montana, and New Jersey for recreational use, unlike Mississippi, which legalized it for medical use.

That same Oregon proposal would also tax marijuana sales and allocate it toward drug rehabilitation centers.

Frederique stated that “We have been criminalizing people for at least 50 years, and what we know is that it hasn’t gotten us any closer to having our loved ones get the care that they need at the scale that it requires,” and that criminalizing drugs has not functioned as a deterrent.

New York Times writer Kirk Johnson expresses that the proposal “would be one of the most radical drug-law overhauls in the nation’s history, elimi-

nating criminal penalties entirely for personal use amounts of drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.”

However, the use of psilocybin or “magic mushrooms” in Oregon would also be used for medical treatment because “Studies have shown that psilocybin could be used to treat major depressive disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health.”

Opponents of the decriminalization of drugs argue that if the threat of criminal charges is removed, addicts would be less incentivized to seek treatment.

Johnathan Reiss for Rolling Stone states that Oregon’s Measure 110 states that “Going forward, a person caught with a non-commercial amount will receive a fine of up to $100, a fee they can forego if they opt to seek treatment.”

Kevin Sabet, the founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, argues that “Legalization can empower people to abuse drugs without fearing legal jeopardy,” and that “The threat of criminal prosecution can be a powerful incentive

for people to seek treatment.”

In the same New York Times article, the champion of Measure 110 in Oregon, Peter Zuckerman, argues that “Drug addiction is a health issue; it deserves a health response.”

Montana’s proposals would allocate half of the tax revenue towards public lands and “has brought in powerful new political allies, including the Montana Wildlife Federation and the Trust for Public Lands, both of which have signed on as supporters.”

Another reason that supporters rally behind the legalization of drugs in New Jersey is that it would “save tens of millions of dollars and allows police officers to focus on more serious public safety threats.”

It remains unclear whether the production and sale of drugs would continue to be criminalized. Nevertheless, hard drugs continue to remain illegal under federal law, but Oregon could set a precedent for other states and the federal government’s position on marijuana legalization.

4 News

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Natella Guy Two Santa Rosa police officers responded to an alarm that went off at Redwood Credit Union.

Sonoma County Sheriff upset with the passing of Measure P ISABELLA SIMONI STAFF WRITER

A

fter long and arduous struggles from Sonoma County residents to gain some semblance of police reform in the wake of the recent election, voters showed support for Measure P this past Tuesday.

The passing of Measure P allows for transparency between citizens and the police department, and the initiative would expand the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach by providing more funding and authority. While Measure P gained immense support among activists and residents, it also received immense opposition from the Sonoma County Police Department, as well as the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

The newfound authority that the Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach has gained due to the passing of Measure P allows for more thoroughly reviewed cases of misconduct in the Sonoma County Police departments.

According to an article for the Press Democrat, the measure was added to the voter ballot in August, in response to the murder of George Floyd by ex-officer Derek Chauvin. In addition to more funding, the independent office would also be allotted more access to integral pieces of information regarding misconduct, such as body camera footage, access to evidence, and the power to issue subpoenas for witness testimonies.

While it may come as no surprise that the measure is not favored by the police departments, and those in support of law enforcement, The Press Democrat wrote, “Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick....publicly questioned the legality of the measure and has criticized supervisors for placing the item on the ballot without more robust

discussions with his agency about the changes it would trigger if passed.”

Sonoma County officers did not provide any comments to the Sonoma State Star.

While those opposed feel that the measure is invasive to the Sonoma County Police Department, those in favor appreciate that Measure P holds the police accountable.

Sonoma County resident and Sonoma State Senior Makayla Vanslyke stated, “It’s about time that people--specifically police-- are held accountable for their actions. Police are the people who hold civilians accountable when they mess up, but who holds them accountable when they mess up? Measure P is good because it does just that, it makes them responsible for their actions.”

The initiative passed on Tuesday with 67% of the votes in favor of the measure. The Press Democrat asserts, “Kimmie Barbosa, an activist who has overseen phone and text banking efforts for supporters of the measure, said the early support for the measure signaled to her that there could be an appetite for broader police reform in the county.”

The measure would also increase resources for auditors, as stated in the article, and would make it a requirement for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to allocate a budget of about 1% of what the Sheriff’s Office annual budget is. And most intriguing of the changes to be made with Measure P is the “publication of body camera footage on the IOLERO website” as stated in Ballotpedia.org.

While it may be some time before residents can see the effects of the measure, it is safe to say that a large majority are eager to see what Measure P will do for Sonoma County. The hope is that with this initiative, the public’s trust in the police department will strengthen.

continued from pg. 1 continued from pg. 1

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is said to be 90% effective

STAR // Isabelle Barkey El Rancho Taqueria employees have been working hard through the pandemic.

SSU students prove to be vital to local economy

Many Sonoma State students flock to the cheaper, hole-in-the-wall food spots throughout Rohnert Park and Cotati, with the exception of a few splurge locations.

The decrease in consumerism isn’t the only thing affecting these businesses, though. Many of these independent locations employ students and have had a difficult time finding new hires since the pandemic hit. Cotati Coffee Company in downtown Cotati has struggled with finding new employees, as well as maintaining revenue.

“We pretty much only hire students. Mostly some Sonoma State students and occasionally JC students, and our business has definitely been impacted since the schools have gone online and a lot of students didn’t return to Sonoma County this year. We’ve seen a drop in sales,” said Isbell Adamson, an employee at the coffee shop.

Food establishments aren’t the only businesses feeling the effects of the student-less town. Various boutiques and beauty spots are located around the school, including a nail salon called Nail Poetry.

“We have seen a huge drop in business because of the students being gone. Especially during recruitment time when all the girls come in for their nails. It was a big loss for us,” said an employee at Nail Poetry.

The small, locally owned businesses of Rohnert Park struggle significantly more than any chains or largely known establishments as it is, and now with COVID-19 restrictions, it’s more difficult to stay afloat than ever. The pandemic alone creates great obstacles for independent business owners, but being in a college town with no student population only increases those obstacles. The establishments that are popular among students, such as El Rancho, Cotati Coffee, and Nail Poetry, have been impacted immensely.

As businesses anxiously await the return of Rohnert Park’s student population, all other residents are graciously welcomed. Without the independent businesses in the area, Rohnert Park would lack its feel of unique community and charm.

Rohnert Park’s small businesses show great appreciation for the student population, which only goes to show how vital students are to local businesses.

Moncef Slaoui, co-lead of Operation Warp Speed, has projected that it will take months to even vaccinate essential populations, including health care workers and the elderly.

While Pfizer is the first company to make significant progress on their vaccine, it is projected that other vaccines from many other companies will be available in the near future. This is promising news, given the current rise of COVID-19 cases. In California, three counties have reverted back to the governor’s tiered system plan, with suspected future restrictions to follow in other parts of the state. The rate of infections in the state has nearly doubled since cases of COVID-19 began to increase in mid-October.

Concerns involving the safety of the vaccine are prevalent, considering how quickly Pfizer was able to move the vaccine from the initial testing phases to being administered widely to Americans. Pfizer’s website addressed the concerns about potential health risks from the vaccine, saying, “The DMC has not reported any serious safety concerns and recommends that the study continue to collect additional safety data as planned. The data will be discussed with regulatory authorities worldwide.”

Critics of the vaccine suggest there are still too many potential risk factors to vaccinate people at such a fast rate. They claim that we would not understand the effects of the vaccine on the human body until years have passed.

The pool of participants for the testing of this vaccine was very diverse. This is increasingly important when we look at the statistics of which communities are being infected by the Coronavirus at the highest rates, which are racially and ethnically diverse populations. Pfizer disclosed that “...

Approximately 42% of global participants and 30% of U.S. participants have racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds.”

Trials will continue in the coming months, as effectiveness of the vaccine continues to be monitored.

News 5

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Courtesy // Flickr.com Trump and his supporters have claimed that the election was stolen or rigged, despite a lack of evidence of voter fraud.

No concession from Trump, as Biden acknowledged around the world as next president

KRISTINA SCHMUHL

STAFF WRITER

O

ver one week after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, there is still controversy stemming from Donald Trump’s campaign team and Trump administration officials who refuse to acknowledge the defeat and are moving forward as if Trump will be serving a second term in January.

Biden has still yet to receive a presidential intelligence briefing, as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has not interacted with the Biden campaign. The General Services Administration, overseen by Emily Murphy, has blocked federal funding access and declined to acknowledge Biden as president-elect.

A Fox news reporter questioned Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on whether the State Department is preparing for a smooth transfer of power, whether they are preparing to work with the Biden transition team, and whether a delay could become a national security risk. Pompeo said, “There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.”

Other senior Trump administration officials echoed Pompeo’s rhetoric, facetiously denying that there will need to be a transition at all. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, in an interview with Fox News, dodged a comment from Fox Business host Stuart Varney who commented it “would look pretty bad” if Trump did not attend Biden’s nomination. In response she said, “I think [President Trump] will attend his own inauguration...He would have to be there, in fact.”

A historical election cycle during a pandemic concluded with Biden prevailing over Trump, winning both the popular vote and winning the electoral college vote, narrowly clinching key battleground states, like Arizona and Wisconsin.

Biden leads with more than 5 million votes in the form of the popular vote and currently has 290 electoral votes, comfortably passing the 270 needed to win the presidency, with another 16 slated to be added to his total after a recount assures he won Georgia.

Robert McNamara, a professor at Sonoma State University, shared his concerns about the lack of concession coming from Trump. He said, “The presidential transition is politics at its worst. Donald Trump lost the presidential election, and his refusal to concede to president-elect Joe Biden, who won 306 electoral college votes, only goes to show how Trump lives in a parallel universe where his ‘reality’ is all that matters.”

McNamara had no doubt that Biden would be the 46th president of the United States, but questioned the long term cost of Trump’s actions. In an email he said, “Ultimately, Joe Biden will be assuming the office of the presidency. The question remains... how much collateral damage will the nation suffer as Donald Trump and his Republican supplicants continue to erode our democratic principles. Meanwhile, the United States continues to set new daily records with the pandemic (181,194 new COVID cases on November 13), with no leadership from the White House.”

Although Trump campaign officials and members of both his administration and inner circle are contesting the results of the election, according to the New York Times, “A group of federal, state, and local officials working with a Department of Home-

land Security agency declared flatly that the election was the most secure in the nation’s history.”

Lily Adams, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, said, “It has always been clear that this election was free, fair, and secure, and now even Trump’s own Department of Homeland Security has fact checked his lies.”

World leaders had accepted the official election results and moved to congratulate president-elect Biden this last week. The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, did not mention Trump but said he was excited to “...Advance peace and inclusion, economic prosperity, and climate action around the world.”

Former President George W. Bush, in a letter, said, “Though we have political differences, I know Joe Biden to be a good man, who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country. The President-elect reiterated that while he ran as a Democrat, he will govern for all Americans. I offered him the same thing I offered Presidents Trump and Obama: my prayers for his success, and my pledge to help in any way I can.”

French President, Emmanuel Macron, said on Twitter, “The Americans have chosen their President. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris! We have a lot to do to overcome today’s challenges. Let’s work together!”

President-elect Biden received the most amount of votes of any election--over 78 million votes. Trump won the second highest number of votes, at 72 million. These record breaking numbers can partially be attributed to a high number of absentee voting done in an effort to avoid in-person voting, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Because of COVID-19, mail-in ballot votes accounted for over 65 million votes that have been officially recorded, thus far. In the state of California, a trend towards absentee voting has already been on the rise in the last 12 election cycles, mail-in ballots accounting for 72% of the total vote this year.

Trump often spreads baseless conspiracy theories, warning his base to avoid mail in ballots in the months leading up to the election. He said that “...ballots are out of control” and a scam, when asked if he would accept election results. He also said if states got rid of ballots, there would be a “very peaceful continuation” of power, insinuating he was already planning on serving a second term, regardless of the results.

In response to Trump’s rhetoric, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “the steady drumbeat of misinformation … will contribute over time to a lack of confidence of American voters and citizens in the validity of their vote.”

In a project from the Brennan Center for Justice titled, “The Myth of Voter Fraud”, they found that Americans were more likely to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud.

Trump finally admitted that Biden did in fact win the election. He tweeted early Sunday and said, “He won because the Election was Rigged.” At odds with the President, top elections officials have declared that this election was “the most secure in American history,” and that, “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”

continued from pg. 1

Sonoma County asks for less restrictive COVID-19 guidelines

Mase argued the non-electronic votes will lower the county’s transmission rates in all the state’s metrics. With the new results, Sonoma County will upgrade to the “red tier,” which requires less than seven infections per 100,000.

“[The county] would have succeeded earlier. [It is] now on the cusp of purple and red, especially with [the] enhanced testing…” said Mase. Robert Eyler, professor of economics at SSU, performed a study in August that estimated Sonoma County could lose up to $6.157 billion in Gross Regional Product (GRP) and up to 20,000 jobs over the next three years. It is especially difficult for Sonoma County to recover with its high housing costs and its economic reliance on tourism and restaurant revenue.

Outside the GRP and non-electronic testing, county officials worry about the upcoming holiday season. With Thanksgiving next week, and Christmas and New Year’s a month later, there is controversy over how to conduct festivities. While many want to travel, county and Bay Area officials are urging residents to limit travel by holding virtual meetings or hosting a max of 12 people if in contact. If one does travel, officials ask travelers to quarantine for two weeks as soon as they return.

However, recent actions by Gov. Gavin Newsom sparked controversy among citizens over the implication of coronavirus policies. Newsom recently attended a friend’s birthday dinner at the famous French Laundry in Yountville.

“I should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” said Newsom.

Even though Napa County is not as restricted as Sonoma, people are criticizing the governor’s leadership and standards.

New results will be released today to determine the county’s health.

As of Nov. 13, the state itself has over one million confirmed cases, and Sonoma STAR // Sarah Gallagher County itself has 10, 679 confirmed cases, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Playground swings tied up in caution tape due to city safety procedures to try to prevent largest outbreaks stem from Santa Rosa and Petaluma, with 4,853 and 1,401 cases, the spread of COVID-19. respectively. Rohnert Park is third with 764 cases. Mase hopes that Sonoma County will finally emerge out of the ‘purple tier’ and catch up to the other Bay Area counties.

6 Arts

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

STAR// Isabelle Barkey “The Connection Collected” premiered on Nov 12. and ran through Nov. 15.

STAR// Isabelle Barkey The opening scene to “The Connection Collection” on Nov. 15.

SSU Theatre Arts presents ‘The Connection Collection’

SAMUEL SAYER

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STAFF WRITER

ith COVID-19 dominating the entertainment industry over the course of 2020, many different mediums have been forced to adapt. Modified film and television shoots, voice acting being done from home, virtual concerts, the list goes on. However, one particularly affected type of entertainment has been theater. Between the lack of opened theatres and the risk of in person contact, live theater has been struggling to maintain a presence this year, with major theaters like Broadway putting shows on hold until May at the least. Local fans of the theater need not worry about a lack of content, however, as Sonoma State University’s own Theatre Arts and Dance put on a pandemic friendly performance this weekend entitled, “The Connection Collection”.

The Connection Collection was a series of scenes, done entirely through Zoom and streamed to the SSU Theatre department’s website. Despite the obvious limitations brought on by the pandemic, the performances made use of the technology to the fullest, with a clever

mix of real props, zoom backgrounds with functional video green screened in to simulate others being on screen, and positioning of said Zoom screens to allow for actual blocking to take place, despite those on screen not actually sharing a stage.

Technical production aside, the scenes themselves were all centered around the concept of “Connection” as implied by the name. Each different scene had a unique take on the concept of connection in our lives, all framed by the first scene, “A Monologue for the Living”. This monologue spoke on the effects of “the plague” on everyone, and set the tone for the rest of the scenes, only for another “Monologue for the Living” to close out the collection at the end of the evening. The theme of “Connection” was explored in multiple contexts, with Director Danielle Cain explaining, “we share a yearning for connection. So, I started looking for plays about plague times, and the social constructs that separate us, and for situations when we so badly need to touch someone.” The collection’s scenes were equally influenced by the other

events of this year, including the murder of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter movement.

While the pandemic itself has raised many issues for the theatre world in general, SSU’s presentation of the “Connection Collection” was in actuality very accessible to attend, as it was broadcast live and for free on the Theatre Arts and Dance homepage once a day from Thursday Nov. 12-Sunday Nov. 15, even offering an alternative time on the final day for those who were unable to attend at the prior 7 p.m. showtimes. Despite the lack of an inperson venue, the performance was able to reach both the local community as well as provide a familiar experience for SSU students who may be quarantined further from campus.

Once America, along with the rest of the world, has managed to overcome the pandemic, whenever that may be, live theatre will eventually find its way back into the spotlight. But until then, the art will be carried on by those like SSU’s Theatre Arts and Dance, reminding everyone to remain connected, however they are able.

Alex Trebek dies at age 80 KATELYN DODGE STAFF WRITER

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n March 2019, Alex Trebek came forward to the public about his diagnosis with stage four pancreatic cancer, and since then, support has continued for the 80-yearold “Jeopardy!” host. Despite the well wishes, treatments, and a hard-fought battle, Trebek passed away on Nov. 8.

This comes as a shock for the “Jeopardy!” family, though his legacy will live on. His final episode will air on Dec. 25, which was a final wish from Trebek.

“Just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now, normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working, and with the love and support of my family and friends — and with the help of your prayers, also — I plan to beat the low survival-rate statistics for this disease,” Trebek stated when he was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 20 months ago.

With this announcement, Trebek fought for months, including working through multiple chemotherapy treatments. Moving from treatment to treatment while writing his own memoir, entitled “The Answer Is ... Reflections on My Life”. The book released on July 21, and quickly became a New York Best Seller as the world gripped onto this for hope. Inside, readers were surprised to hear about the struggles he was going through. Trebek mentioned his fatigue and struggles, and the book was written in the Courtesy // Instagram midst of a failing treatment he explained on the “JeoparAlex Trebek, host of Jeopardy for many years, succumbed to cancer on Nov. 8 2020. dy!” Twitter.

The tweet from Trebek featured an image with the message, “I feel the need to clarify my quote that, if my “Jeopardy!”, and millions followed the beloved host and lowing tweet ended up on the home page and trending bar course of cancer treatment does not continue to work, I hoped for the best. Despite changing treatments and con- only a day after the election was called.

“Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek would consider stopping treatment. That quote from the tinuing to fight, his health continued to decline. In a comment to the New York Times, Trebek mentioned the pain passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surbook was written BEFORE my current regimen, and I was going through some bad times. My current numbers are this disease was causing him. “‘I feel like I want to die.’ rounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.” Read a very good, but we will have to be patient with this new im- There comes a time where you have to make a decision as tweet from the “Jeopardy!” team.

Alex Trebek helped to create a strong community and munotherapy program that I am on. But, if it were to stop to whether you want to continue with such a low quality of life, or whether you want to just ease yourself into the next to that, we here at the STAR newspaper thank him for his being successful, I would return to my previous chemo work and send condolences to his family. 35 episodes retreatment -- NOT stop all treatment. I apologize for any level,” Trebek explained.

Throughout 30 long years as the host of “Jeopardy!”, main to be aired, each one airing up to Dec. 25, Christmas confusion, and want everyone to know that I am optimistic about my current plan, and thank them for their concerns.”, Trebek remained a knowledgeable man that captivated au- Day, 7 p.m. every night on ABC. With his book published, Trebek continued to host diences everywhere. It was a shock to many when the fol-

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Entertainment 7

Local market brings hope to small business owners

RACHEL GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

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ocal businesses across the country have been struggling to stay af loat as the pandemic sweeps across the nations and causes chaos in not only personal lives, but work lives as well. Dealing with restrictions, orders on whether or not businesses can open, or simply being able to afford staff during these hard times have been a constant difficulty for local businesses since March of 2020.

However, there has been support during these unprecedented times from not only customers themselves but from local business owners helping out other local business owners. Bow N Arrow Boutique is one example.

On Nov. 14, Bow N Arrow planned to make that struggle for Sonoma County local businesses less difficult. Mercedes Hernandez, owner and creator of Bow N Arrow Boutique, hosted her second community market called ‘The Soco Market’.

The Soco Market took place in downtown Cotati, from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m., in front of the Bow N Arrow Boutique itself. Masks are required for those who would like to attend the event.

The small business market catered towards locally, millennial owned businesses in Sonoma County. This month, Hernandez will have 23 vendors involved with the market. These vendors include ‘Golden Finds’, ‘Mel Vintage Thrifts’, ‘Endless Vintage’, ‘Doll House’, ‘Honey Co Boutique’, and much more.

The Soco Market will be offering a wide variety of businesses, from Vintage clothing to home decor.

The market will also be offering food at its event.

Hernandez’s first Soco Market was in Sept., where she had only half the number of vendors compared to the Nov. market. The STAR was able to interview some new and recurring vendors at the Soco Market.

After expressing to Hernandez that she wanted to join the second local business market after experiencing the first one, Kylie Sloan, owner of Honey Co Boutique, was invited to the November market even after all the vendor spots were filled.

Sloan explained to the STAR why this local business market was important for the vendors that were participating.

“I think that it’s really important because it’s really good networking. Even if you don’t make a lot of sales, you can still meet a lot of people and get your name out there. It’s good advertisement.” said Sloan.

According to Alicia Adamczyk, a money reporter for CNBC’s Make It, the pandemic has caused a great amount of damage to small, local businesses like Bow N Arrow and the vendors participating in the market.

When asked about advice for other local business owners that are working through the pandemic, the owner of MilliGem, Emiliana Rivero expressed that perseverance was key.

Rivero said, “...try not to get discouraged when things don’t seem like they’re going great. Don’t give up and stay strong.”

STAR //Natella Guy Bow N Arrow was one of the few business in support of the local market.

“Almost 100,000 small businesses in the U.S. have closed permanently since the pandemic began, according to a recent Yelp analysis,” reported Adamczyk.

Adamczyk reports the personal loss business owners have gone through during, what feels like, robbing times.

“Many small business owners poured their life savings into their companies to get them off the ground originally. Most don’t have more than a month or two of cash on reserve” wrote Adamczyk.

Companies across the country are experiencing this tumultuous battle with the pandemic and the new restrictions that play a significant role in the current reality of California. Though California has opened a lot more businesses as time progressed, Sonoma County businesses continue to battle with limited capacity restrictions and other pandemic protocols all while attempting to keep their businesses operating in a successful, but safe, fashion.

The Soco Market is a stepping stone for local, millennial businesses to keep persevering through such challenging times. Providing not only business for them, but the Soco Market is also providing advertisement for the businesses and posting the vendors on their Instagram to not only show what customers can look forward to at the market itself but to support the vendors and promote their businesses.

For more information about the Soco Market, you can visit their Instagram page at @thesocomarket.

STAR // Natella Guy The local small business market happened on Nov. 14 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Movie making during a pandemic TAYLOR CLARK

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STAFF WRITER

ith the pandemic upending everything we know and love, film sets are being pushed to their limits. Productions are being pushed and pulled by taking extreme costly precautions in an attempt to keep their crew safe. With that being said, many have still had to shut down for several weeks due to crew becoming sick with COVID-19.

Movies have become more expensive and also more time consuming, and thus more expensive again. A winter surge in COVID-19 cases has not helped either, forcing many countries to go into lockdown allowing only essential businesses to operate.

“Jurassic World: Dominion” just wrapped up filming in the UK on Nov. 7, after 18 months, spending $165 million, enduring a shut down, and providing 40,000 COVID-19 tests for their crew. Director Colin Trevorrow said in an interview with Deadline, “It has been remarkable. Our crew and our cast have been so resilient. All producers have worked around the clock to make it the best it can be. It has been inspiring.” According to Deadline, the studio spent around $6-8 million on safety protocols.

Alexandra Derbyshire, executive producer on “Jurassic World: Dominion,” stated to Variety, “Social distancing is the hardest part because the nature of filmmaking is so collaborative. It’s quite difficult to speak to someone at two meters.”

The cast and crew ended up staying at a UK hotel away from their friends and family for four months. They created this safety bubble where they, “ate together, told stories, shared our fears and hopes, played Frisbee on the lawn… there was a lot of laughter at a time when it has been hard to find things to laugh about,” explains Trevorrow.

The second season of “The Witcher,” starring Henry Cavill, has been in production this past year, just outside of London. They too, have had their own problems regarding positive COVID-19 cases. They received four positive cases recently, none of which involved the main cast. Those who tested positive are in isolation. This is the second time they have had to shut down, the first was when actor Kristofer Hivju tested positive back in March.

“Don’t Worry Darling” starring Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, and Harry Styles has also been shut down due to the pandemic. They just started filming in Los Angeles a month ago.

Several weeks ago, “The Batman’s” very own Robert Pattinson tested positive resulting in another shutdown. They have since resumed filming and are on set to finish in Feb. of 2021. Their original release date was supposed to be during the summer of 2021 but has

Courtesy // Pixabay Movie production has been much more difficult during COVID-19. now been pushed to the summer of 2022 in order for post-production to perfect the film.

The pandemic is slowly, yet all at once closing in on a full year. Film sets are showing their tenacity by coming to terms that their sets will continue to look quite different for the foreseeable future. With the announcement of a possible vaccine in the works from Pfizer, studios are hopeful and are beginning to see a very faint light at the end of the tunnel

8 Student Life Alumni Spotlight of the Week: Rami Najjar H

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

EMILY CRIPE

STAFF WRITER

ere at Sonoma State University, students have created a community in which past, present, and future Seawolves alike strive to help and motivate each other. Class of 2017 graduate Rami Najjar is a perfect example of Seawolves helping Seawolves, as he has helped mentor and advise many students towards successful careers, mainly in sales careers.

When Najjar arrived at SSU, he was 22 years old and entering his third year, making him the oldest student in nearly every class. Instead of allowing the age difference to isolate him from his younger peers, Najjar took it as an opportunity to mentor his classmates and share his optimism with those around him.

“I befriended so many amazing people that I wanted to teach. I openly talked about how life after college might look for me, in the hopes that I would spark curiosity in some of my friends,” Najjar said. He then explained , since graduating, he has had multiple people from Sonoma State reach out to him for advice and guidance. He went on to say, “I’ve mentored countless students, specifically toward sales roles post-graduate.” Najjar continuously mentors and advises SSU students towards success through LinkedIn and is always willing to give advice where it is needed.

Najjar completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in May of 2017 after transferring to SSU from West Valley College in 2015. He was involved in intramural basketball and soccer and was a very active member of the Sonoma State community. When asked how these activities helped him get to where he is today, Najjar said, “My involvement at SSU pushed me to be even more social and be open to many different types of people, which only helped me going into my career.”

Like any sales professional, Najjar began his career at the entry level working at 24 Hour Fitness as a sales representative. He then graduated and began working at BlueWhale Research, a business technology company that helps buyers and sellers connect, as a sales development representative.

Today, Najjar is a commercial account executive at App Annie, a competitive app intelligence solution that allows companies to see what their competitors are doing differently in order to maximize productivity and profit.

He explains that, “My day to day includes fostering new business opportunities and leads to target, while making connections along the way...I work hand in hand with product, operations, and marketing teams in order to position our product correctly, to the right personas.”

When Najjar isn’t working, something he enjoys in his free time is watching and playing sports. Though he did play bas-

COURTESY //Rami Najjar Although Najjar came to SSU as a transfer, that did not stop him from connecting to many Seawolves both during and after his Sonoma State journey.

ketball and soccer in school, he claims to be a massive hockey nerd. He also tries to stay active by participating in sports and working out.

“I try to stay active consistently and am always trying to come up with a new business idea. On the side, I am a peer mentor who is always willing to help those around me grow,” Najjar said.

Many of Najjar’s past co-workers and mentors have found him to be energetic, motivated, and optimistic. Jessica Jia, a sales engineer at Mixpanel and former coworker of Najjar’s, said, “Rami brings a ton of energy and is a joy to work with. He always goes out of his way to make sure I have the info I need to be successful.”

When asked what advice Najjar has for students looking to graduate soon, Najjar said, “As a senior in college, you’re absolutely chomping at the bit to get out of school and take on the world. I would temper that and grow as much as you can while you have the ability to make mistakes.” He also mentioned that students should start building their LinkedIn networks while in school so they can connect with people they know and begin understanding the job market within their chosen career. One of the main things Najjar said he always tells the students he mentors is, “Follow the three C’s. Be someone who is naturally curious, be coachable, and be confident in yourself and your education.”

The future of Greek Life philanthropy during COVID-19

AMANDA KOBA

STAFF WRITER

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ith 20 chapters on campus Greek Life makes up a 10% of Sonoma State University’s student population. The mission statement of Fraternity and Sorority Life states, “We cultivate the life-long bond of brotherhood and sisterhood through community involvement, service, and philanthropy, all while living the Seawolf Commitment of Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Responsibility.”

As one of the four pillars that make up Greek Life, philanthropy is one of the events that their members hold. Each chapter on campus has a philanthropic partner that their organization works with to raise money for. Members of Greek Life raise money for a particular cause or organization that the individual chapter partners with throughout the year with events. Most chapters would hold philanthropic events that were interactive for all students and made small competitions for other fraternity and sorority members but these in-person events have had to find ways to move online.

Skylar Mittlestead, Philanthropy Chair of Kappa Delta Zeta said, “Philanthropy events are crucial to Greek life because they allow us to use our platform and connections as a way to help our surrounding community. They help our members grow as people and show the community one of the most important aspects of Greek life which is selflessness and service.”

A majority of the philanthropic events that are hosted by these fraternities and sororities are participation based where students can join and also compete. Most

students would recognize the giant teeter totter that sits between Ives Hall and the Student Center that Phi Delta Theta uses to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations. Other events that had been held in the past that students might recognize include: Alpha Gamma Delta’s “Lip Jam”, where other fraternities; sororities and clubs compete against one another by performing a lip sync routine based on a theme or Alpha Xi Delta’s “Xi Man”, which is essentially a male pageant where fraternities compete to win the title of Xi Man. Kaite Breen, President of Phi Sigma Sigma said, “Philanthropy is such an important aspect of Greek Life...it is our responsibility to use our platforms in order to donate to a worthy cause...we are all passionate about our causes, so when we show up for each other, and they show up for us to support the different philanthropies,” when asked why philanthropic events were so important to Fraternity and Sorority life.

Unfortunately with things moving online chapters are having to navigate how to continue hosting events to raise money for these organizations.

Cloe Marchant, the Philanthropy Chairwoman of Gamma Phi Beta said, “Typically in a normal school year where we’re in person, in the fall semester we host a volleyball tournament called Moon Ball...and the spring event we do is Wishing for Beta,” and added that this past week they hosted a virtual silent auction where individuals were invited to place bets on baskets because they were “adamant on raising money for Girls on the Run”, their

COURTESY // Sonoma State University Although it isn’t clear how all chapters plan to adapt their philanthropy to the new social distance protocols, some have found a way to still raise money. philanthropic partner.

The switch from in person to online hasn’t stopped Greek Organizations from continuing to raise money for their philanthropies. Rachel Sheriff, the Vice President of Philanthropy for Alpha Omicron Pi said, “We actually just had our virtual strike out last weekend on November 7th...girls in our chapter posted a venmo fundraiser on their instagram stories and many friends/families donated to the cause. Our chapter all together took $1000 out of our philanthropy budget and donated that to the Arthritis foundation as well,” when asked about how her chapter planned to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation.

Though events were forced to make the transition to online, members of Greek Life have found a way to continue to host virtual events to raise money for their philanthropies. It’s unclear how some fraternities and sororities plan to adapt to these new changes however, though some chapters on campus have figured out a way to raise money despite the social distancing. If you are interested in supporting these foundations you can find information on the Fraternity and Sorority Life Instagram page @ssu_fslife.

Student Life 9

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

STAR// Isabelle Barkey

Panelists were invited to talk in ASP Presents: Concerns, Conversations, and Covid-19

ASP gives students an interactive way to learn about COVID-19

SARAH GALLAGHER STAFF WRITER

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n Nov. 12th, Associated Student Productions (ASP) held a virtual Zoom lecture and interactive event for students to learn more about COVID-19 and how it is affecting campus and the county.

ASP created this informative event for students to get involved with a Kahoot with questions about COVID-19 and what is true and false. Then ASP prepared a question and answer seminar with a carefully selected panel of qualified staff members here on SSU’s campus. Lastly, students got to voice their concerns, issues and problems by asking the panel questions about the virus and potentially receive answers they have been wondering about, like the future of the university.

The panel that was selected to speak to students and answer questions, was made up of Associate Director of Residential Education and Campus Housing; Elizabeth Chelini, Interim Director of Sonoma State’s Student Health Center; Tracey Eaton, Senior Director for Risk Management and Safety Services; Tyson Hill and lastly, Nurse Epidemiologist Certified in Infection Control; Kaci Hickox.

Timothy Willbur is one of the ASP coordinators that put this together as well as a member of the panel of educated staff members. When asked about why this event was so important for students to attend and become educated on COVID-19 Wilbur said, “For students, we just wanted to emphasize the importance of wearing a mask and not gathering.

We know that students want to party and have their ordinary college lifestyle and we wanted to show how to be safe during this pandemic.”

With the Kahoot game students were able to join and see how much they knew about COVID-19. The idea of the Ka-

hoot game was to clear up and educate students on potential rumors they have heard about the virus; like drinking household cleaning products will cure you if you come into contact with COVID-19, which is definitely false. It helped viewers see what’s true and what is false.

After the online game, ASP had pre-selected questions to be answered by the panel. Questions about housing, how Sonoma County is doing in regards to the amount of cases and even what groups are qualified to help if there was to come off an emergency.

Timothy Willbur also commented on why it was so important to have a panel that was able to answer any type of questions related to housing, the virus itself, how SSU is handling the cases on campus or even questions about the future.

When picking our panelists, we wanted professionals who would be able to answer a wide variety of questions we knew students would ask. So when picking we picked from issues that we thought students are worried about such as housing, school operations, and how the health center still services students’ comments Wilbur.

Each panelist answered questions and assumptions students have and how they are working to make SSU the safest and healthiest it can be to return to in person classes sooner.

When talking about housing they talked about how there are new regulations put in place to keep on campus residents safe and control regulations implemented by the university.

Chelini, one of the panelists, talked about one of her sayings that revolves around housing and their main goal of getting students involved. Chelini also focused on how the housing community and Residential Advisors (RA’s) are keeping

Seawolves safe. Some things she specifically mentioned were how masks are required to be worn outside of the dorm, social distancing events for students were made for Seawolves to safely enjoy and even how students are supposed to be taking a wellness survey to keep up with if they have been exposed or not.

Kaci Hickox talked about how to avoid the 3 C’s: crowded settings, close contact, and confined spaces. Students were told to do the 3 W’s: wearing a mask, washing hands and watching your distance.

“This is something simple that students can think about when going out if neccesary,” said Hickox.

Hickox also talked about how this virus is not black and white, and that there truly is no cure to this. “The importance for college students is a lot of lessons learned. That community events can impact those around you and on campus” Hickox explained. She emphasized the importance of social distancing and watching who you interact with.

Finally, the Sonoma State Health Center let students and faculty know that if they start to feel like they have symptoms and might have been in contact with the virus, to call them and have an on the phone meeting. Then, if needed, students on campus or living near the campus can come and get tested to see if they contracted the virus or if they live out of Sonoma County, the nurses and medical advisors can help them find resources around the area they are in.

With all of this information, Seawolves seem to be more educated on COVID-19 and hopefully with these steps and more informational Zooms this is a step closer to stopping the spread on campus and in the community.

REACH hosts a Sakaki meet and greet

SIEANNA NARINE

STAFF WRITER

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ith distance learning in full effect this semester many students are losing connections with the supportive community at Sonoma State University. On Nov. 10, students logged on to their computers and got to know their president at Sonoma State University, Judy Sakaki. The Residential Education Campus Housing (REACH) held an event for students who attend SSU or are thinking about applying to be able to get to know who makes the big decisions that keep the school running smoothly.

President Sakai had hosted an event early in the semester through Associated Students Productions, which gave students the ability to ask Sakai any questions that they had about the semester or what is happening on campus with everyone gone. The event held with REACH was directed towards more information about what President Sakai did at Sonoma State and the things she did before she even stepped foot on campus. Throughout the event, President Sakai talked about her determination to put herself in college with many determined to discourage her from even going. Even her counselor told her that she would be “...better in retail.”

She pushed herself to apply through the CSU system and got into Cal State East Bay. There, she got her Bachelor’s in Human Development and her Masters in Educational Psychology. Afterward, she attended UC Berkeley where she received her PHD. in Education. Before she stepped foot on campus, she served as vice president of student affairs for the University of California System. She then took a position as vice-chancellor of student affairs at UC Davis. Her last position was at Fresno State as vice president and dean of student affairs.

Sakaki is a first-generation student, meaning that she is the first out of her family to attend higher education.

During World War II, Sakai’s parents were sent to an internment camp even though they were born U.S. citizens.

This gave Sakaki even more ambition to make a name for herself and her family as a Japanese-American individual in the United States. Having such struggles against her to succeed in her educational career, she makes it her goal to make getting an education at Sonoma State University affordable.

President Sakai loves having the ability to connect with the students on campus. “When I speak to students, I talk about the responsibility to lift as you climb,” said Sakaki.

Sakaki hopped on to a Zoom to chat with residential students.

STAR // Sarah Ramos

“I’ve been so impacted by people who believed in me—probably even before I believed in myself.”

She feels a responsibility to the students on campus to be a positive and uplifting inf luence that directs them to the best path for them. President Sakai speaks about the ability that she has an educator to, “...make a difference in a student’s life.”

President Sakai was delighted to talk to the students that attended the Zoom and thanked them for tuning in to get to know her and to hear her story that may inspire students to keep working hard through the tough year that 2020 has been. REACH gave current and future students the ability to learn and give a face to the person who leads the university to greatness every day.

10 Sports

NOV.17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Rohnert Park plans to bring back Little League baseball in Spring

Courtesy // Creative Commons President Nick Neisius and organization devised a plan to bring back the youth baseball season to Rohnert Park.

RYAN WEINER

STAFF WRITER

R

ohnert Park Cal Ripken could have some big news soon. As the COVID-19 caused a major standstill in our world nearly eight months ago, Babe Ruth baseball fields in Rohnert Park were abandoned and now stand desolate. Many kids in Rohnert Park have been locked up in their homes with nothing to do, but Nick Neisius, league President of Cal Ripken Babe Ruth, is eager to change that. Neisius, and his committee of volunteers, have teamed up and discussed a plan in order to conduct a baseball season in the spring of 2021.

Neisius is a big believer in youth sports. “It is important to be outdoors for kids,” he explained. “Social interaction, learning, and physical activity play major roles in kids’ health, not only physically, but mentally as well.”

In his first season as league President, Nick stated his goal is to get a season up and running by the end of January. “Our hope is to start. I am hopeful, but we need to make sure it is safe first and foremost for the parents, players, coaches, and volunteers,” Neisius discussed. Nick has been involved in Cal Ripken Babe Ruth for the last nine years, and the previous three years Nick has held a position as Vice President of the league.

As families may not have the funds necessary to put their young athlete on the diamond, Nick does not want anybody to be turned away or not to be able to play. “We offer scholarships,” he mentioned. “We are able to offer these scholarship opportunities through the generosity of community donors and supporters.” If a family wants to participate in Cal Ripken Babe Ruth, but is facing

a financial situation, the family can fill out an application form in order to obtain a scholarship. Nick feels very proud that he is able to provide this service for families. “I want everybody in the community involved in our league, Babe Ruth is a great way for families to come together and connect,” he added.

Not only are donors playing a key role in powering this league, but the league also would not survive if it wasn’t for the volunteers.

According to Neisius, he is most proud of the persistent efforts and endless dedication from the volunteers. “Our volunteers put in maximum effort and time into our kids and that makes me very proud. We often refer to ourselves as a baseball family. I have seen so many people celebrate each other’s highs and rally behind others in time of need,” stated Neisius. Nick also noted that some volunteers, such as coaches, do not have kids that play in the league.

“That just shows how much our volunteers care about our community’s youth,” Nick expressed.

If the planned spring season is postponed or canceled, Neisius already has a backup plan. Nick has explored options for hosting baseball camps that follow COVID-19 guidelines, to help get kids back out onto the field. “These camps will be instructional and fun.

I want the kids to enjoy the sport of baseball once again, in a safe environment of course,” Neisius said.

Nick and the Board of Directors at Cal Ripken Babe Ruth are in the process of devising a registration plan. All updates are and will be posted on the league’s website and Facebook page, @Rohnert Park Cal Ripken/ Babe Ruth Baseball.

Masters in November

Courtesy // Creative Commons Tiger Woods fell short in his attempt to win his sixth Masters tournament at age 44.

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

D

ustin Johnson secured his position as nunmber one golfer in the world with a win at the Masters. Johnson shot four consecutive rounds under par ,and finished with a 65 on Sunday to win by five strokes.

On Thursday, Tiger Woods teed off to compete in his 23rd Masters Tournament.

Woods has won the tournament five times, with his last win coming last year, his first since 2005. He is attempting to be the player with the most green jackets, and he is one below Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus.

Tiger returned to glory last year, winning by one stroke. The massive crowd went crazy watching him bask in his winning and hugging his son. Avid golfers will remember Tiger hugging his dad after his first Masters win 12 years earlier on the same hollowed 18th hole of Augusta National Golf course.

Woods, now at the age of 44 competes to win his 16th major championship, which is second all-time, only behind Jack Nicklaus with 18.

In an interview with golf.com, Jack Nicklaus said, “I think Tiger was really taught well by his father, he was taught to play with the old equipment so he could play more shots,” Nicklaus said. “He was sort of the transition. He takes what he learned about how to play the old clubs and the old shots and still uses that with the modern equipment, which makes the game really easy for him.”

Tiger’s road to glory was anything but easy. Woods had multiple surgeries on his left ACL and lower back. He missed multiple tournaments and even collapsed

out of pain on the 13th hole of the Honda Classic.

“I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple of years ago,” Woods said. “I could barely walk. I couldn’t sit. Couldn’t lay down. I really couldn’t do much of anything. ... To have the opportunity to come back like this, it’s probably one of the biggest wins I’ve ever had for sure because of it,” said Woods in an interview with CBS. The first day of the Masters looked different, as does everything in 2020.

With no fans in the stands and Tiger lining up on the first tee box, it is hard not to reminisce about all the astonishing shots he has made over the years. His chip at 16 at the 2005 Masters, eagle shot a number seven in 2010, and of course his tournament clinching putt at 18 in last year’s tournament.

Tiger shot four under in the first round on Thursday with birdies on hole one and 13. Also, back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 put him in an outstanding position by ending the day three shots back of the leaders.

Friday rolled around with Tiger teeing off later in the day at 11:30 because of light, he was only able to get through 10 holes finishing the day with even par.

Tiger has put himself in a good position to receive his sixth green jacket, but he imploded with a four-over 76 on Sunday to finish tied for 38th.

Known as a gorgeous course with tricky approach shots, scores at Augusta national were lower across the board this year, as a result of slower greens.

Sports 11

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

SSU Lacrosse dedicates their time to better the community

ELISEO FRAGOSO STAFF WRITER

T

he school year has been quite different for Sonoma State’s Men’s Lacrosse team, being one of the many programs that has been postponed until the school deems it is safe for them to be able to return to campus activities. But, that does not stop them from helping out in their local community.

On Nov. 18, the Seawolves are dedicating a few hours of their time to help better the community that each player lives in.

Head Coach Ben Hewitt really strives for student athletes’ to help their community, on and off the field. The first Day of Service took place last year and what the Lacrosse team did was going to help out the University Elementary at La Fiesta school by building them a new garden. Service means a lot to the team, especially for a few of the current players who have served in the armed forces for multiple tours.

Hewitt says, “It’s a way of participating in the local community that promotes positive engagement and gets the guys doing something that makes them feel good for doing it.”

Now, because of COVID-19, some of the players have moved back home and others have stayed near SSU. Coach Hewitt commented on how the team is adjusting, saying, “Obviously this year is different.

Each of the guys are having to choose their own service activity such as volunteering at a local food bank or helping to clean up the neighborhood in which they live.”

The whole team decided to do this event around the time before Thanksgiving, and they wanted to give thanks to the communities and people that had supported them.

The players were asked to take photos at the service event they were at to show each other afterward, and also to discuss what impact it had on them individually

Courtesy // Redwood Empire Food Bank SSU Lacrosse package onions at the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

and their local community. Hewitt said, “Usually the impact is very positive and the guys experience a sense of connection to the community they served and a greater sense of purpose as a student athlete. I know that last year of elementary school was very grateful for the work the boys did, which was pretty awesome.”

Second year midfielder Charles Wilson said, “The day of service means a lot to me. It is great to make others in the community happy while doing something good.

For the day of service this year, my

teammates and I are doing a beach cleanup in our home city of Seal Beach. The beach is known to not be the cleanest and cleaning it up so others can enjoy it is a good thing to do.

Coach Ben has three core values that he implements on the program: accountability, integrity and humility. Hewitt always mentions to his players that it is a, “privilege to play at such a high level and go to a fouryear university, so we wanted to reinforce that the players know their roots and pay respects to those that helped them get there.”

Emily Harrington rises to the top of El Capitan

EDGAR ZAVALA STAFF WRITER

S

port rock climber Emily Harrington became the first woman to free climb El Capitan, Yosemite National Park’s 3,000 foot summit that takes most experienced climbers at least a couple of days to get to the top. Not for Harrington, as she became one of the select few that have been able to get to the top of the strenuous climb in less than a 24hour period. It took Harrington a total of 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51 seconds to get to the top, using only her hands and feet to scale the giant monolith.

This was not an easy accomplishment for Harrington, as she even got injured in the process. Her head was split open when she crashed her cranium into some rocks leaving a bloody mess that impaired her climb. Harrington said that she felt like giving up at this moment, but then remembered all she had worked for to get to this moment.

“There was part of me that wanted to give up and the other part of me was like, ‘You owe it to yourself to try again,’” Harrington said. “Then I just had one of those attempts where it was an outof-body experience, like, ‘I can’t believe I’m still holding on, I can’t believe I’m still holding on,’ and then I was finished with the pitch.”

Harrington completed the arduous climb in four total attempts in order to become the fourth person in the world to free-climb El Capitan using the Golden Gate Trail in less than a day, and the first woman.

Harrington is 34-years-old and is a California native, coming from Tahoe City. She has always been a climber, as she started sport climbing since the age of 10. She is a two-time North American rock climbing champion and a five-time sport climbing U.S national champion. Harrington has scaled Mt. Everest and Mont Blanc eight years ago in 2012, as well as climbing the infamous Ama Dablam in 2013.

Harrington stated that El Capitan is one of the

Courtesy // outsideonline.com Harrington split her head open and still managed to finish the 3,000 foot climb in just over 24 hours.

most difficult climbs she has ever done. In order to free climb El Capitan, one needs a tremendous amount of strength, stamina, and skill as well as the physical capacity to endure a whole day of rigorous climbing. No one really knows how many people have been able to free climb the 3,000 foot granite edifice that attracts climbers from all around the world, in less than a day. According to the American Alpine Club, a climbing organization, it is estimated that a total of 15 to 25 climbers have been able to reach the

summit in less than a day. Free-climbing is very much a male dominated sport.

Harrington said in an interview, “I always received so much advice from men, people telling me how I should do things, how I’m doing it wrong, but in the end I just decided to do it anyway despite the fact that a lot of people felt that maybe I couldn’t or maybe I didn’t belong there.”

Nevertheless, she completed the climb when many other men and women had failed. This is a huge accomplishment for the athlete and will always be a climb that she remembers.

12 Photo

NOV. 17 - NOV. 23, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Bow N Arrow hosts market for small businesses

STAR// Natella Guy Many people shopped at Bow N Arrow market that was held from 12-3pm on Saturday.

STAR// Natella Guy Goldenfinds is a Bay Area company that sells vintage, hype and streetwear.

STAR // Natella Guy Bow N Arrow Clothing is known for offering bohemian style clothing and accessories

STAR // Natella Guy Bow N Arrow market hosted an artist event that included jewelry.

Measure P forms office to oversee police in Sonoma

STAR // Natella Guy With bad weather on Friday, many accidents happened on southbound HWY 101 at exit Hearn Ave., making police constantly have to direct traffic.

STAR // Natella Guy Police spoke to a suspicious male at Doyle Park Saturday afternoon.

STAR // Natella Guy Measure P being passed formed an office that oversees the police in Sonoma County.