Issue 11 Sonoma State STAR Fall 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

COVID-19 European nations are experiencing renewed lockdowns.

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Alumna Spotlight Meet SSU grad and Walt Disney employee Reagan Dowd.

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Election Bay Area sports teams battle together in support of Prop 16.

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SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 3, 2020 - NOVEMBER 9, 2020

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

STAR // Natella Guy A view of the empty Sonoma State campus and a lone reminder to wash hands from the third floor of Stevenson.

Sonoma State dropping in enrollment rates despite an overall CSU system enrollment increase

SEAN KENNEALLY STAFF WRITER

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n a time of uncertainty and nationwide economic downfall due to a global pandemic, educators across the nation assumed that university enrollment numbers would decline. Despite virtual learning and an absence of the traditional college experience, the California State University system defied the national trend and saw an overall gain in enrollment at over half of the CSU universities. However, some universities are still struggling with declining enrollments, such as Humboldt and Sonoma State.

“It got a lot of attention nationally and certainly in California, [as] it provided certainty in a moment of remarkable uncertainty in our society” said retiring Chancellor Timothy White in an interview with EdSource.

Fresno State saw a 5% increase, a historical high, during the pandemic. Director of Admissions and Recruitment for Fresno State Phong Yang attributes the university’s intense outreach efforts to the admission increase. “Knowing that the pandemic could

make the enrollment scenario more concerning for colleges, Fresno State undertook a months-long campaign to ramp up outreach efforts to incoming and current students, emphasizing the value of a college degree, especially in an economy ravaged by COVID” said Yang.

Knowing early on about the transition to virtual learning, Yang and his team executed their efforts in performing online programs and outreach. Yang’s team performed more than 60 webinars for about 9,000 participants, where he discussed topics such as registration, success programs and more.

However, despite the overall success for the CSU system as a whole, Sonoma State suffered a decline in enrollment, with admissions going down 9.7%. According to EdSource, Sonoma State has 7,807 enrolled students for the Fall semester of 2020.

see DROPPING ENROLLMENT on pg. 5

Courtesy // Jeff Marquis on Flickr.com A Santa Rosa High School graduate celebrates receiving her diploma on May 31, 2019.

Courtesy // Victoria Pickering on Flickr.com Scenes outside the Supreme Court and Dirksen as the Judiciary Committee hearings begin for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett on October 12, 2020.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett confirmed to the Supreme Court KRISTINA SCHMUHL STAFF WRITER

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mere eight days before the 2020 presidential election, federal appellate judge and Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to a seat on the United States Supreme Court. She was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 and her confirmation now gives conservatives a 6-3 majority on the highest court.

Barrett replaces the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and is a constitutional originalist and a member of the Federalist Society. She served as a clerk to the late justice Antonin Scalia and is the mother to seven children--two of whom were adopted from Haiti. She is one of the youngest appointed justices in modern history at age 48 and touts a very illustrious resume, having graduated first in her class from Notre Dame law school. see BARRETT CONFIRMED on pg. 4

Sonoma County high school students are failing due to mental health issues ISABELLA SIMONI

STAFF WRITER

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tudents across Sonoma County are all feeling the strain of the last five months of online school, along with the unpredictability that came with the Kincade and Glass fires.

A recent study, published in the Press Democrat, found that nearly 4 in 10 high school students in Sonoma County have one or more failing grades and more than 7 in 10 say they feel deep anxiety about the future.

This finding prompted educators across the county to hold an unprecedented meeting this past Tuesday to find the root of the problem and correct it. They hope to do so before the graduation prospects of thousands of students are endangered. see MENTAL HEALTH WOES on pg. 5

2 Editorial

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

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Vote and let your voice be heard

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:

“Sonoma State dropping in enrollment...”

Read the article on page 1.

Have an opinion?

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.

Opinions

STAR // Kevin Flores

Voting: a civil duty? Harm reduction? A democracy or democratic republic? The United States electoral college for the American presidency, created by a group of old, elitist, white men to prevent the majority’s tyranny and amplify smaller states’ voices, may make Americans feel like their vote is worthless. Nevertheless, in states where there is a historical tendency to favor one party over another, it is. And this is significantly worse in populous states like California, where the American’s voting power is roughly 3.5 times weaker than the voting power in Wyoming.

However, despite the nuances and complexities of the electoral college system, voting is crucial for congressional, state, and local elections -- and in swing states, the presidential elections are of most importance and significance.

Voting was not always a right granted under the Constitution. Various social movements across history attempted to establish voting as a right granted to all. During the Reconstruction Era, there was ratification and passing of the 15th amendment (right to vote despite race). De jure, African Americans who were forced into slavery were given the right to vote, but de facto, Jim Crow laws prevented them from doing so. The highly glorified Women’s suffrage movement was a step in the right direction, but that only allowed white women to vote and was essentially an element of the growing movement of white feminism (women of color were not able to vote until decades after). It was not until the Civil Rights Movement that racial disenfranchisement and government-sanctioned discrimination became de jure illegal, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed.

Moreover, even in modern America, we see stark voter suppression in predominantly Black areas where they are likely to wait longer than voters in white neighborhoods. Some may see voting now as support

for, and extension of, the activism where many civilians fought decade-long battles in order to grant us the right to vote. It is what voting does to ensure policies like the Voting Rights Act pass, though there should not have been voter disenfranchisement in the first place. Although there is still a lot of progress to be made to ensure that equity is seen across the nation, especially when it comes to voting rights, it is crucial that those who have the opportunity and the privilege to do so.

These bodies of government create and pass legislation and ensure the cooperation and compatibility between the private sector and the public. In many cases, local and state governments matter even more. Amidst the pandemic, some governors and mayors across America, despite it being a national crisis, tried to contain the virus while others did not take the same safety measures. To those who did, their efforts proved the effectiveness of voting in non-federal elections and local governments’ legitimacy. They played the leading role between the virus and the health and safety of its citizens. For instance, San Francisco Mayor London Breed adopted medical experts’ recommendations to shut down the city early and enforce physical distancing. As a result, according to reports published by the New York Times, which track the patterns and latest case counts of COVID-19, San Francisco has one of the lowest death rates and infection rates per capita, compared to North Dakota, where the entire state has reached an infection rate of almost 6,000 per 100,000 residents as of November 1st, 2020.

As the corporate media loves to highlight midterm and general elections to stir up polarization within America, it may be surprising to know that elections happen every year at the local level. Voter turnout tends to be lower because there is much less coverage on these local elec-

tions than we get exposed to when the presidential elections arrive. The lack of coverage and marketing for local elections is potentially dangerous as there may not be an active governing body to represent their constituents accurately. In many ways, local governments affect citizens more than the presidential election. For instance, the federal minimum wage remains at an irrefutably, poverty-creating $7.25 per hour. However, cities across America implemented their own minimum wage. According to the Department of Labor for New York City, the state falls at a minimum wage of $15 per hour, while the county and city of San Francisco is $16.07 per hour and changes each year according to inflation. As minimum wage levels fall into the laps of local elected officials’ responsibilities, this reinforces the importance of voting, especially locally, as elected officials affect everyone everywhere.

Talk to those friends who “stay out of politics” or do not care about voting. Now is the time to convince those friends who usually stay out of politics or pay no attention to the everlasting changes that affect us as a whole. By talking to your friends about voting, you can help increase broader civic engagement. Topics like the minimum wage alone help low-income households pay for their necessities and gives college students a higher chance of being able to afford an education. If those same friends do not like any of the candidates, they still have the opportunity to vote for policies and propositions as their votes can still directly impact the issues they care about. Voting matters, even in the toxic bipartisan system and in the absence of the sought-after popular vote for presidential elections. These elected officials enact policy that could help give social and economic mobility to marginalized groups.

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 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 // Free Your Mind and Think

Opinion 3

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Barrett becomes newest Supreme Court Justice, replacing RBG

MAX ROBINSON

STAFF WRITER

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my Coney Barrett is the newest United States Supreme Court Justice after the Republican-controlled senate won the vote 52-48 on Oct. 26, confirming her appointment to the Supreme Court.

With her appointment, the Supreme Court now leans toward conservative politics and values, as six of the nine justices hold conservative values. This conservative majority will heavily affect matters that come to the Supreme Court for decades to come.

Barrett’s appointment comes after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was known for her opposition to Roe v. Wade, which restricted women’s access to abortions. Ginsburg was staunchly liberal, whereas Barett’s values are much more conservative, specifically when it comes to abortion rights.

Barrett served on the federal appeals court in Chicago for three years and worked as a law clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia from 1998 to 1999, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Raegan. Although Scalia primarily voted on the side of conservative values, he sometimes led the liberal position on cases that reached the Supreme Court. In 2000, Scalia voted in tandem with Ginsburg and other liberal justices, ruling that it is up to the jury, not the judge, to decide whether an action amounts to a hate crime.

Barrett says, “If I were confirmed, you’d get Justice Barrett, not Justice Scalia,” according to Emma Green at The Atlantic.

Concern regarding Barrett’s confirmation derives from two main factors.

Barrett has previously mentioned that she wants to change abortion rights for women, opposing what Ginsburg stood for, placing more restrictions on clinics that perform late-term abortions. She also referred to abortion in a 1998 Notre Dame Law School article as “always immoral.” Barrett added that her personal views would have no effect on her rulings as a Supreme Court Justice, but liberals are concerned that may not be the case.

Another reason this appointment upsets many is that it takes place just one week before the presidential election. “This is like the

last gasp by the Republican party to try to lock in their minority rule,” said Christopher Kang, co-founder and chief counsel of the progressive group Demand Justice to David Smith at The Guardian.

Liberal constituents and politicians alike accused the Republican party of hypocrisy, noting that a Republican-controlled congress declined Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016 to replace Justice Scalia after his death.

At the time, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that “The American people should seize the opportunity to weigh in on whom they trust to nominate the next person for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court… rather than a lame-duck president whose priorities and policies they just rejected in the most-recent national election.” but McConnell has now relaxed his view on this, by approving Barrett to the Supreme Court.

The appointment of a supreme court justice is a change that can have effects on our nation and our government for decades to come.

The appointment of Justice Barett is clearly a not-so surreptitious way for the Republican party to keep inf luence over our nation. Under Barack Obama, Republican congress acted to block all nominees, but have now acted faster than ever to ensure their inf luence will last a lifetime. This is an action of quick, cold hypocritical partisanism.

Major tech CEOs discuss Section 230 in hearing

SARAH RAMOS

STAFF WRITER

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reedom of speech, granted to U.S. citizens by the First Amendment, was the subject of the great debate on Oct. 28. The CEOs of three major tech companies, Facebook, Google and Twitter, testified before Congress in a Senate committee hearing held that day.

The purpose of the hearing was to address how these companies evaluate the content on their sites and discuss Section 230, which is part of broader legislation called the Communications Decency Act. Specifically, Section 230 defines the protection internet companies have for when they regulate user content. One component of it is especially important: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” In other words, social media companies are not legally responsible for the information users

post on their sites.

The New York Times reported that the hearing shifted quickly away from Section 230 and on to various such as “antitrust concerns, privacy measures, the demise of local news, and diatribes about politicizing the policies of content moderation.” Nevertheless, it is critical to understand why Section 230 is in place for internet companies and how altering it in haste could negatively affect social media users.

In his opening statement for the hearing, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke about how companies would be inclined to censor more content if Congress removes Section 230 because they will be held legally responsible for it.

Zuckerberg pointed out that there are added benefits of keeping Section 230 in place, saying, “it allows platforms to moderate content.

Without Section 230, platforms could face liability for doing even basic moderation, such as removing hate speech and harassment that impacts the safety and security of their communities.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey echoed Zuckerberg’s view on Section 230 in their respective statements, with Dorsey also adding, “In some circumstances, sweeping regulations can further entrench

companies that have large market shares and can easily afford to scale up additional resources to comply. . . We must not entrench the largest companies further.”

In essence, without Section 230 in place, social media companies explain that they will do what they need to protect themselves from the threat of being sued. The amount of information available to users will be significantly limited, and users’ ability to communicate as freely as they did prior to the removal of Section 230 will also be reduced. Individuals cannot sue these companies if there is no content for the companies to be held accountable for.

It is crucial that Facebook, Google and Twitter continue to moderate user content, but responsibly. Section 230 ensures this and prevents internet companies from censoring content solely because it does not agree with their personal views. Free speech and social media are becoming increasingly intertwined with one another, and changing Section 230 will do much more harm than good if it is not done with care. There is no question that internet companies should not be given free reign to control the public’s speech completely; however, they can not be prevented from removing harmful content, either.

Lockdowns reinforced in Europe

MYLES GRABAU STAFF WRITER

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n the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, Germany was Europe’s prime example of an ‘anticovid’ model. Recently, the country has decided to enforce a one-month shutdown of all bars, restaurants, theaters and fitness centers to cut down on the number of total cases that continue to increase globally. Other European countries are also starting to lock down, such as France, which starts their lockdown on Friday, Oct. 30.

While these shutdowns will not completely eliminate the virus, they will cause immeasurable economic losses and massive public-health damage.

These European countries are ordering people to stay in their homes, which will stop lots of workers from completing their in-person jobs and leaving lots of factory and production jobs paused until the lockdown orders are lifted. According to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, she has recently stated that German hospitalizations have doubled in just 10 days. “Within weeks, we will reach the limits of our health system,” Merkel stated. “It is completely clear that we must act, and now, to prevent a national health crisis.” While hospitals are currently being overworked and overrun, it is imperative that these countries lockdown to avoid a health crisis that is currently growing closer.

While governments have mandated masks and social distancing, these new surges in cases have been a direct result of the virus’s insidious nature, as opposed to mistakes in policies. Many individuals have continued to politicize the virus itself, both on the left and the right, and have even resorted to blaming COVID-related deaths on governors and government officials. Blaming the spread of a virus on others is not only ineffective; it also creates divisions within society and takes away from the fact that we need to work together in order to make cases trend in the right direction. People are only responsible for themselves, their safety, and how they can protect their loved ones around them from being just another case number or COVID death.

The idea that these lockdowns will spark compliance within European citizens is farfetched and unlikely. Governments “going with the flow,” as they have been in the past few months, will prove tiresome for those that are on the front lines, and many will demand changes to happen quickly. As we learn more about this virus, we learn more about what to change for the next wave, but many countries have not escaped the first wave as it is. Restaurateurs, hotel workers, retail workers, and other ‘in-person’ workers have already voiced their frustrations for these late lockdowns, and they are not completely unwarranted. As many individuals have already been acting recklessly during the pandemic, people do not want to change their lifestyle to heed to others’ misdoings.

While these targeted lockdowns will be followed by more in the spring, they are already fueling opposition. Financial compensation is already underway in special cases, and it can already be inferred that there will be an uprising from those who are not compensated. These coming weeks will tell what the next moves are regarding the pandemic, and it is anybody’s guess what types of backlash will come from these European countries.

Proposition 24: California’s data privacy initiative

JAYLINE ALVARADO

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STAFF WRITER

s voters get ready to line up at the voting polls, Proposition 24 is one of the thirteen statewide propositions on the ballot this election.

The proposition would alter the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 or CCPA, which mandated that companies disclose the information they were collecting and how it would be used and give consumers the power to request that information collected be erased and not sold to third-party companies. It would

also broaden it from “selling’ to “sharing” information with third-party sellers. Information can include things like a person’s name, address, geolocation, financial, or even biometrics like a fingerprint or face.

For example, when visiting a website like Vogue or any other site, a pop-up will appear asking to opt-out of data collection or having to scroll to the very bottom of the page and have to click on a tab that states “Do Not Sell My Information.” Alternatively, when one searches on their phone for a new product to buy and suddenly when scrolling through Instagram, and see that product advertised. Medium.com best explains it as, “When you visited the site and clicked on the Charles Dickens book collection link but didn’t buy it, the cookie on the site stored this information as a potential future purchase.” The cookies are pieces of information collected and made to follow the consumer as a reminder to purchase the product.

According to The New York Times

Opinion article by Greg Bensinger, “Notably, it gives Californians the right to seek to prohibit sharing of their data, as opposed to just prohibiting its sale — a loophole tech firms have been using to keep distributing personal information.” However, it would make it an even more tedious process to optout of data collection, having to go through multiple steps to avoid personal information collection.

The Drum.com states, “[The CCPA’s] definition of personal data includes purchase information, geolocation data, online identifiers, IP addresses, and even inferences drawn from such information to create consumer profiles” and “give consumers explicit notice of – and allow them to optout from – the selling or sharing of personal consumer data.” The “ sharing” is the crucial part because a company might not sell your information but “share” it with a third-party.

However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation also argues that Proposition 24 would “exempt “loyalty clubs” from the CCPA’s

existing limit on businesses charging different prices to consumers who exercise their privacy rights,” and “Allow a business to withhold a discount from a consumer, unless the consumer lets the business harvest granular data about their shopping habits, and then profit on disclosure of that data to other businesses.”

There is a saying that if something is free, then the person is the product. It is a grim reminder that as someone uses Google to research and inform an opinion on this topic, companies collect information on what websites people are visiting, compiling this information to form a picture of who someone is, and selling it to a third party. Though someone might not have total control over what is done with that information or how it could be used regardless if it is harmless or not could be a scary feeling.

However, it is essential to be aware of how to change this and be informed and vote on laws to catch up to how technology and privacy are rapidly changing.

4 News

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STAR // Isabelle Barkey A Sonoma County citizen, now homeless, lives in his tent that is set up along Santa Rosa Avenue on October 17, 2020.

Homeless youth in Sonoma County battle with COVID-19

MORAGH GRAF

STAFF WRITER

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lthough Sonoma County residents are struggling with a global pandemic and intense fire season, homelessness in local youth is declining.

Last year, the amount of people under the age of 25 experiencing homelessness was almost double the amount it is now. With the help of organizations, such as Social Advocates for Youth, that number has decreased significantly--but, not completely. After a surge this summer in the amount of youth experiencing houselessness, there are still around 300 homeless young people throughout the county.

“I can share from first-hand experience how much sweat and compassion have been invested (alongside those vital dollars) in reaching vulnerable youth and families across the county. And I want to stress that ‘vulnerable youth’ means so much more than the 300 who are on the streets. We’re also talking about young people who don’t have workready skills, who are experiencing mental health challenges, or who are barely making the rent from month-to-month even with two minimum wage jobs,” said SAY board member Susan Barnes in an article by the Sonoma County Gazette.

SAY has helped 1,200 homeless youth receive mental health care, find jobs, and more, in 2020 alone. Unlike last year though, SAY will not have the proper funding to provide resources for these young people like they have before. Funding has been cut due to the economic stress put on the county from wildfire season and COVID-19.

Back in June of 2019, Sonoma County experienced an increase of about 29% in homeless youth from the year before. This increase resulted in a houseless population of around 650 youth.

“There were really quite big shifts toward ‘housing first’ initiatives just in the last year, and that means we have been getting chronically homeless [people]...off the street, in a way that’s been making a dent in that population,” said Executive Director of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, Margaret Van Vliet in the Argus Courier.

According to the Argus Courier, people under the age of 25 are “the most challenging population to try to house.” There is often a lack of consistent funds and other resources to help this population, and many people believe that compassion is hard to come by when it comes to those experiencing houselessness.

“You know, as a community, if we were just to think about, ‘what’s the life experience that’s happening to each one of those young people as it get dark every night?’, it’s really worth our attention and understanding the factors, and then going to work on understanding what we can do about it,” said CEO of Social Advocates for Youth Katrina Thurman.

This past August, it became apparent how drastically COVID-19 was affecting these populations. Aside from youth, there are collectively about 3,000 Sonoma County residents who do not have permanent housing. Due to shelter-in-place orders, housing people became that much more difficult.

Though there is still a great amount of youth and people in general without permanent housing, many statistics allocate focus on the decrease of houselessness in the county, over time.

According to the Healdsburg Tribune, “The current homeless picture across Sonoma County may differ by statistics, but the daily physical conditions are familiar.

With...bed and shelter shortage for the vulnerable shelterless population, the incidents of unauthorized encampments persist, as does the routine rousteing and removal of the camps as they grow bigger.”

SAY accepts donations and thanks to their 3-40 campaign, donations will be matched up to $100,000 by the John Jordan Foundation, the Do-Gooder Fund, and St. Joseph Health. To find out more about SAY, the 3-40 campaign, and how to help, visit: justgiving.com/campaign/3Forty.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett confirmed continued from pg. 1

Courtesy // The White House Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s death allowed Trump to fill another empty seat on the Supreme Court, giving conservatives a 6-3 majority.

Barrett stated, “If we are to protect our institutions, and protect the freedoms, and protect the rule of law that’s the basis for the society and the freedom that we all enjoy—if we want that for our children and our children’s children—then we need to participate in that work.”

Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, also appointed by President Trump, were both considered young for the lifetime appointment, being 49 and 53 prospectively. The average life expectancy in the United States is 78.5 years old which means that many of Trump’s appointees could serve around 30 years or more. This could shape the court and its decisions for generations to come.

Her appointment for Supreme Court is the third in just four years of Trump’s presidency, but her appointment particularly stands out because of its controversial nature. Her appointment and confirmation hearings all took place less than one month before the election and soon after the death of Ginsberg. Four year ago, with about 300 days to the 2016 general election, Senate Republicans blocked a vote on President Barack Obama’s Supreme court nominee, Merrick Garland, refusing to give him a hearing “...so close to the election.”

Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer pointed out the hypocrisy of the situation. “Nearly every Republican in this chamber led by the majority leader four years ago refused to even consider the Supreme Court nomination of a Democratic president on the grounds...that we should wait until after the presidential election because the American people deserve a voice in the selection of their next justice,” he said.

Mitch Mcconnell, the Senate Majority leader, defended his actions in a press release saying, “Since the 1880s, no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president’s Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year. By contrast, Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise. President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.”

The press release from Mconnell was published only hours after the death of Ginsberg.

With the confirmation taking place so close to the election, there have been concerns that a president and senate who do not represent the will of the American voting population have successfully pushed through the confirmation.

Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, was one of the 48 individuals who voted against the confirmation of Barrett. She said, “They stole another Supreme Court seat just eight days before the end of the election, after tens of millions of Americans had already cast their ballots...The reason the Republicans were willing to break every rule to jam through an illegitimate nomination eight days before the election is that they have realized a truth that shakes them down to their core: The American people are not on their side.”

News 5

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sonomastatestar.com

Dropping enrollment affects budgets and student programs continued from pg. 1

Interim Public Information Officer at Sonoma State Robert Eyler stated that COVID-19, and the risk of travel and the virus itself, is the main reason Sonoma State saw such a dramatic decrease in enrollment.

In addition, the cost of off-campus housing continues to defer students from attending state universities outside of their home region. Both Eyler and Yang noted that northern California schools depend on outer regions or out of state students for enrollment. The Bay Area is one of the most expensive areas to live in the United States, and many students do not have the resources to afford housing.

Another issue that Sonoma State faces is student retention. There has been an ongoing lack of student retention, for whatever reasons, and it continues to plague Sonoma State. SSU is aiming to improve advising resources, in order to defeat this issue, said Eyler. These drops in enrollment are a major factor in budget cuts and shortages.

In the EdSource.org article, Eyler mentioned that each department across campus was asked to cut 12% of their budgets, and the university saved over $1.3 million by delaying checks or cutting back staff hires. Without proper funding, programs, classes and resources are cut from universities; however, some campuses found a way to circumnavigate their funding issues through extended education courses. From EdSouce.org, these extended education programs allow extra income for universities, and they provide better opportunity and stability for full-time working students or parents.

Despite cuts and COVID-19, Sonoma State remains optimistic about the future Spring semester and beyond. Eyler mentioned that the strategic enrollment management, SEM, team is implementing new strategies and techniques to increase enrollment. Most notably, “[SSU] is lifting impaction for first-time, first-year students, and the university is focusing outreach and recruitment efforts more strategically with an emphasis on SSU’s six-county local service region (Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties),” said Eyler.

Like the rest of the state and country, SSU hopes it can open its doors sooner, rather than later. However, with the CSU system already declaring an online spring semester, the college experience will be postponed for now, along with the international desire of normalcy in higher education.

Courtesy // Yuxuan Xie from EdSource Table depicting the enrollment rates of the 23 CSU campuses in 2020.

Courtesy // Jeff Marquis on Flickr.com A Santa Rosa High School graduate receives her diploma with family by her side to congratulate her on May 31, 2019.

Mental health woes detrimental to Sonoma County students

Courtesy // Fabrice Florin on Flickr.com Protestors at a Tax March in San Francisco asked Trump to release his tax returns on April 15, 2017.

Concern around Trump’s tax returns persists

continued from pg. 1

“Data from the county’s 10 public high school districts revealed that 37% of students have one or more failing grades, up from 27% this time last year. Among freshmen, the rates have spiked from 27% a year ago to 40% this year. Failing grades among sophomores have climbed from 31% a year ago to 40% currently; among juniors it was 27% last fall and 37% today; and 31% of seniors have at least one F, up from 23% a year ago,” reported the Press Democrat.

The transition to online school in itself was strenuous, as students struggled to find a balance between distanced class, homework, and home life.

For many, the notion of doing online class in the confines of their home was, and has been, arduous. Due to multiple factors, Sonoma County has seen a steady decline in the grades of local high school students.

For many students, the time that they have spent at home has also been used to assume responsibilities in their parent’s absence, such as babysitting younger siblings and helping them with their schoolwork at home.

This new responsibility, in tandem with the recent fires, has left students grappling with how to properly divide their time.

Fiona Affronti, a senior at Healdsburg High School, stated in an article for the Press Democrat, “What’s the point? Why does this matter in the grand scheme of things when my house may not be here tomorrow, when my grandma is now at risk because she has to go to the Petaluma Fairgrounds or something to evacuate and you can’t keep 6 feet of distance there.”

Online learning has proved to be a demanding way to learn for many, specifically for the Latinx population in Sonoma County. In an article for the Press Democrat, Kerry Benefield quotes Windsor Unified Superintendent Jeremy Decker, “Our Latinx community is seeming to be significantly more impacted than other students, so that is obviously concerning.”

The article also specifies that “...more than 70% of the more than 4,500 local high school students who answered reported that ‘feeling anxious about the future’ was the No. 1 impediment.”

Many teachers have spent their time, not only teaching, but also offering some form or another of emotional support to students during these difficult times. “A lot of my office hour time is a lot of talking to them and checking with them emotionally as much as it is with helping them with math,” states Montgomery High School teacher, Jim LaFrance for the Press Democrat.

The schools across Sonoma County have tried their best to make accommodations for students, so that their workload can be lightened. The article states that many have taken to switching class days, so that students don’t have to sit through six consecutive classes every day. Instead, they have three a day, and switch throughout the week.

There is no telling just how much longer students will have to endure online learning, but until the day things return to normal, students and teachers alike will have to do their best at adapting and relying on each other for support throughout these continued unprecedented times.

NANCY INSUA

STAFF WRITER

P

resident Trump’s taxes have remained a hot topic for years now and he has continued to neglect to release his tax returns. A recent article in the New York Times has shown that Trump had over $270 million in debt forgiven from a Chicago, IL hotel project. Trump has defended his actions tweeting, “I was able to make an appropriately great deal with the numerous lenders on a large and very beautiful tower. Doesn’t that make me a smart guy rather than a bad guy?” This commentary has sparked further debate around his taxes and whether what he has done, regarding his taxes, is ethical.

In 2016, Trump widely proclaimed that he was a self-made business man and gained lots of support from voters seeking a President who was not a career politician, but rather, a businessman.

Trump is now struggling to keep his tax information concealed, as the New York Times is slowly uncovering more than 20 years of Trump’s tax returns that he fought so hard to hide. It became more clear that his rise to riches was through tax avoidance, taking huge tax write-offs, and getting money from his father.

The result of these huge write-offs and generous loan forgiveness results in a bigger gap between the lower and upper class and proves that the burden of taxes falls more heavily on the middle class.

In 2016, a New York Times article reported, “Newly obtained documents show that in the early 1990s, as he scrambled to stave off financial ruin, Mr. Trump avoided reporting hundreds of millions of dollars in taxable income by using a tax avoidance maneuver so legally dubious his own lawyers advised him that the Internal Revenue Service would most likely declare it improper if he were audited.” Trump was well aware of the sneaky maneuver he was taking. When pressed about the tax maneuver that year, while running against the Democratic candidate for President Hillary Clinton, Trump asked Hilary why she didn’t try to change those laws so he couldn’t use them when referring to tax loopholes available to billionaires.

It is a long standing tradition for Presidential candidates to release their tax returns. Trump’s competitor for Presidency, Joe Biden, has released over 20 years of his tax returns. This is something Trump has neglected to do year after year, and the American public is wondering why. At the most recent and final Presidential debate of the 2020 election, Biden told Trump to release his tax returns if he has nothing to hide. Trump responded by vaguely claiming that he has been trying to release them for years. He didn’t say when he would eventually publish them.

In 2016 and 2017, Trump paid only $750 dollars in taxes, which is far less than what the average American family can expect to pay. Trump was able to get away with paying so little through these loopholes and essentially utilizes the aid his companies receive from the government. The New York Times explained Trump’s actions by stating, “Mr. Trump had $22.7 million in General Business Credit, much of it carried forward from prior years, that he could apply. The credit is a smorgasbord of tax incentives and givebacks to business owners, and in Mr. Trump’s case, they ranged from credits of $322,926 for Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on employee tips.”

It is important for U.S. citizens to understand how Trump is manipulating the system for his personal financial gain and for the profit of his companies, before voting in our rapidly approaching election. Trump has continued to use his role as a politician and a business owner to benefit himself financially, and Biden is urging citizens to question whether we want someone so untrustworthy and manipulative in charge of our country.

6 Arts

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Classic Peanuts specials removed from televison

KATELYN DODGE STAFF WRITER

A

local tradition is being removed from its seasonal airing for the first time since its original television debut on CBS in 1965. The classic Charlie Brown holiday specials have been a staple for people of the Bay Area.

The creator of the Peanuts character and comics, Charles M. Schultz, was a local artist and the years he spent here have long cemented Sonoma County as the home of Peanuts.

CBS held these airing rights until 2001, when they were handed over to ABC, but as of this year, the Peanuts specials have been sold to Apple TV+.

This pulls the beloved animated specials from television and moves them onto the streaming platform for the foreseeable future. This includes the rentable versions from other websites, such as Amazon, that have all been removed in favor of Apple TV+.

Despite these specials being behind a paywall now, Apple has been generous to make sure families can all continue their traditions. The Peanuts twitter page tweeted out a comforting message, “‘It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. Watch it for free from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 and get ready for more Peanuts specials this holiday season.” A few days before every holiday linked to the original classics, “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”, and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be made available for free on Apple TV+ for anyone to watch.

No subscriptions are needed to view these classics during the holiday season.

Apple continued to announce the free dates, “Just in time for Thanksgiving, Apple TV+ will launch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on November 18, and the special will be available for free

from Nov. 25 until Nov. 27. The Peanuts gang will also deck the halls with the premiere of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” streaming exclusively on Apple TV+ on Dec. 4. The holiday special will be available to enjoy for free from Dec. 11 until Dec. 13”, their press release continued.

Despite the free time slots available, this has received backlash from long time viewers and those who participate in the tradition of watching these every season. Sitting at over 221,800 signatures, a Change.org petition was launched asking for the Charlie Brown specials to be added back onto television, a more inclusive way for many to watch. This started the trend of #AppleHatesTraditions, as people spoke out against the purchasing of a long time local tradition.

Apple TV+ has acquired more than just these three specials though, in a press release on Oct. 19 they announced more to come. “New animated “Peanuts” originals coming to Apple TV+ include a second season of the Daytime Emmynominated “Snoopy in Space,” and a slate of brand-new specials that will find the “Peanuts” gang marking Mother’s Day, Earth Day, New Year’s Eve and going back to school – all to be produced

by WildBrain’s animation studio.”

So more holiday specials for the year round are to be announced and released under the Apple TV+ service.

Adding more to the title and making it more than the purchasing of the Charlie Brown specials. If you want to watch them, the windows are slim but they are available for free. Traditions are able to continue but on a new platform for the time being, so viewers are still able to enjoy all Peanuts specials as a celebration to the coming holidays.

Courtesy// Wikimedia Commons The Peanuts specials are moving from television to the streaming platform Apple TV+.

STAR// Shay Daly Lucy Van Pelt greets students outside the library at Sonoma State University.

Relieve pressure with local self-care series N RACHEL GONZALEZ STAFF WRITER

ow more than ever, self- care has been a highly discussed topic while living during a pandemic.

During stressful situations, it’s easy for some to be consumed by their stress and disregard their own needs and care.

Fortunately, there are resources available to help remind those that it’s for the best to focus on ourselves before our stressors.

On Nov. 19, The Press Democrat will be hosting their third and final episode of their three-part virtual series Women in Conversation at Home. The previous two episodes that the virtual series made include episode 1: Your Sustainable Self and episode 2: Honoring Space.

In the third episode, titled Self Care, topics such as self-care and nurturing oneself will be discussed throughout the virtual episode.

The purpose of the virtual series is to provide support through the difficult changes some people have gone through that have been a result of the pandemic.

“We’ve all had to make major adjustments to our daily routines during the pandemic, and through all the change we may have lost focus on ourselves.” wrote the Press Democrat.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation “...more than one in three adults in the U.S have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the pandemic.”

The pandemic has become a major stressor to some. Groups are recognizing

that increase of stress in adults and have decided to want to give something proactive to their readers.

“Self-care is a broad topic, but the key is to practice, paying attention to your body and what it needs. It is about finding nurturing experiences that leave you replenished and rejuvenated, refueling yourself so that you’re not running on empty.” explained the Press Democrat.

Hosting the self-care episode will be an Emmy-winning reporter and producer Amy Gutierrez, founder of BiteClub Heather Irwin, and Executive Director of Farm to Pantry Dustie Estes.

Seawolves may know Gutierrez as Amy G, and as a staff member and Communications lecturer at Sonoma State University.

The STAR reached out to Gutierrez about her involvement with the virtual series.

The Press Democrat approached Gutierrez over the summer, believing that her lifelong Sonoma County residence and large following from covering the San Francisco Giants for 13 years made her a good fit to host this series.

Gutierrez believes that this series is important because it is a form of empowerment for women and can unify women. She shared with the STAR that, to her, the pandemic has caused starvation for positive, uplifting conversation and action.

“The women represented in this series will advise on how to take care of yourself

during this stressful time, but will also share their inspiring stories of finding passion and doing the things they love to do,” said Gutierrez.

In the final episode of the virtual series, ‘Self Care’ will discuss four topics with their viewers. These topics will include ritually drinking tea, drinking gin, breast cancer prevention, and natural

beauty routines.

Those who are interested in participating and or viewing the last episode of Women in Conversation at Home can find a link to register on the Press Democrat website. In addition, previous episodes can also be found on pressdemocrat.com.

Courtesy// Pxfuel The third episode of the self-care series will begin on Nov. 19.

Entertainment 7 Ariana Grande releases ‘Positions’

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

TAYLOR CLARK

T

STAFF WRITER

he queen of scandalous, tongue-in-cheek

layered with presidential themes. Grande is presum-

given that we are in a pandemic. Grande manages

bubblegum pop has returned with a softer

ably the president in the video, she is shown talk-

to keep audiences in awe with her whistle singing,

R&B sounding album. Late last Thursday

ing with the press, working with the postal service,

‘can’t believe she just said that’ lyrics, and her ability

night, Ariana Grande released her sixth album, send-

hanging out in the presidential kitchen, and walking

to remain candid and vulnerable with her fans.

ing her fans, known as Arinators, over the moon.

her dogs across the White House lawn. A plethora of

Fans were delighted to see that Grande once

first-lady-esque outfits were worn by Grande and a

again collaborated with The Weeknd with their new

mostly female cabinet surrounded her.

song “off the table,” with their first song being “Love

2020 has been a quiet year for Grande aside from her collaboration “Rain On Me” with Lady Gaga. It came as a surprise to many, as Grande alerted her

Regarding the album as a whole, if you thought

Me Harder” from 2014. Grande collaborated for the

fans through Twitter by casually saying, “I can’t wait

Grande sang about sex before, wait until you hear

first time with Doja Cat on “motive” and Ty Dolla

to give u my album this month.” Grande sent her fans

this album. The album is chock full of subtle and not

Sign on “safety net.”

into a tizzy with the weeks leading up the release

so subtle nods toward sex. For example, she sings,

“Positions” follows her last album “thank you,

with social media posts hinting at possible lyrics.

“Watching movies / But we aint seen a thing tonight”

next” (2019). Grande’s past rollercoaster of emotions

“Positions” is the name of her latest album and

and “If I put it quite plainly / Just give me them ba-

have been fueled by tears, break ups, and loss. With

the lead single that she dropped on Oct. 23 along

bies” in her song “34+35.” The lyrics are blunt, but

“Positions,” the listener gets the feeling that things are

with a music video that was also released right af-

contain elements of romance throughout. NPR’s

looking up for Grande. She has a new love in her life

ter the last presidential debate. Grande has been very

Latesha Harris, writes that her lyrics “are simple,

who undoubtedly inspired this new album. Hopefully,

outspoken on politics in the past, constantly posting

honest, f lippant and full of desire all at once.”

there will be no tears left to cry in Grande’s future.

information on social media for her young audience

Grande’s new album is not as electrifyingly

Grande manages to create something new along with

to become more educated on the voting process. So

upbeat as her previous albums. But if every song

all of the classic Grande elements that her fans have

it comes as no surprise that her latest music video is

was unbelievably upbeat, it would seem out of place,

come to adore.

Courtesy// INSTAGRAM

Courtesy// INSTAGRAM Grande has released her new album along with a music video as a political tribute.

Grande is collaborating with many other artists on this new album.

Saturday Night Live tackles the final presidential debate

SAMUEL SAYER

O

STAFF WRITER

n Oct. 22, President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden had their final debate of the campaign. Saturday Night Live was quick to respond that weekend with the release of their take on the debate. Alec Baldwin and Jim Carrey reprised their roles as Trump and Biden respectively, with Maya Rudolph joining in the role of moderator Kristen Welker. While the episode that night was hosted by Adele, she was not present in the cold open.

The sketch covered a number of expected topics, ranging from the introduction of “the mute button” which ended up seeing very little use, to Biden’s frequent use of “Come on, man!”. The structure of the opening largely mirrored that of the actual debate, covering COVID-19 and its response, the promised vaccine, race, and a very brief note on climate change.

Baldwin’s portrayal of Trump focused on emulating the “toned down” approach that Trump appeared to be bringing to the final debate, but still fired off several personal jabs about Hunter Biden and about Biden receiving “money from China”. In comparison, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Biden seemed to step away from the friendly and

neighborly approach SNL has taken with the character in prior appearances, instead having an exasperated exterior bely a much more aggressive inner monologue. While maintaining what Welker described as a “Clint Eastwood” expression, Biden held an inner monologue urging himself “Don’t do it Joe, don’t retaliate!”

Trump’s comment about being “the least racist person in the room” also took a center stage role later on in the opening, with Baldwin using the actual quote from the President as a culmination of his running gag of continuously confusing Welker for well known women of color, including Mindy Kaling, Padma Lakshmi, and Hoda, in addition to mistaking her for the waiter rather than the moderator. Choosing to abruptly end the discussion on race, stating that the brief exchange “went about as well as the race section could have gone” before moving onto the climate change section, which was given a whole minute in reference to the frequent lack of attention given to climate change in prior debates. Trump gave a poem about how the wind kills birds, and creates twisters while remaining a love of Biden. Biden on the other hand gave very abbreviated

Courtesy// INSTAGRAM Saturday Night Live covered the debate with Alec Baldwin and Jim Carrey as the two candidates. thoughts on the manner, summing the real Biden’s position up as “Oil no, Wind yes, Fracking depends on what state I’m in”.

The final question focused on both the candidates’ thoughts on what their inauguration day speech will be provided they win the election. Trump’s response focused on a handful of previous incidents of his, including “kids love cages,” a reference to the group Qanon, and a comment about Joe Biden being of

Kenyan origin in a callback to his participation in the birther movement directed at President Obama. Biden instead described himself as seemingly a midrange family sedan who doesn’t have “a golden toilet seat, I have a soft, spongy one that hisses whenever I park my keister,” as a means of parodying Biden’s appeals to the average working American, and how he’s meaning to be more of the “everyman” than his opponent.

w

8 Student Life Alumna Spotlight of the Week: Reagan Dowd

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

EMILY CRIPE

STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State University’s alumni carry their time as a Seawolf with them forever, and this statement rings especially true for SSU alumna Reagan Dowd. Dowd, who currently works for The Walt Disney Company, graduated from SSU in 2018 with a degree in communications and a whole list of extracurriculars under her belt.

Dowd attributes her success in her current position as a coordinator for Disney Channels Worldwide to her involvement in the community at Sonoma State.

She said, “From the second I walked on campus, I knew I wanted to get super involved and establish a community at the school.”

She went on to do just that, getting involved in the sorority Gamma Phi Beta, serving on the Panhellenic Executive Board, writing for the STAR, working with StudioBlue TV, and working on campus as a member of the Associated Students marketing team. “I believe getting involved really set me up for success,” Dowd explained.

When asked why she chose SSU, Dowd said, “I decided to do my own research and found it to be a beautiful school that was just the perfect distance for me to get away from my hometown in Los Angeles.” She said she initially began looking into it because two of her cousins were attending SSU and told her all about it.

Dowd’s current role at The Walt Disney Company involves marketing and social media content creation for the children’s television division of the company. She is responsible for creating experiential events and campaigns, managing partnerships, supporting social media platforms, and strategizing. She helps facilitate the social media handles @DisneyJunior and @DisneyTVA, and her favorite part of her job is being able to bring magic to the digital landscape, especially during COVID when everyone could really use a little magic.

The coolest part of her job, in her personal opinion, is getting to meet and work with a wide variety of celebrities and influencers. She said, “It really is a team effort to make the magic happen!”

One of her favorite celebrities she’s met through her job is Selena Gomez.

Kiley Cardamone, SSU Communications major and member of Gamma Phi Beta, said, “Reagan inspires me to keep chasing my dreams of working at Disney or Pixar one day. To see someone so similar to myself working in the field I’ve been dreaming about my whole life gives me hope for the future.”

Last week, Dowd took over the Career Center instagram story and talked a bit about her life and what she’s been up to since graduation. Aubrielle Russo coordinated the takeover, and when asked why she chose Dowd, she said, “Reagan seemed like the epitome of the perfect person for the Alumni Takeover campaign. Her current position with The Walt Disney Company seemed so intriguing to me and that’s a company I feel many other Seawolves would be interested in.” To watch Reagan’s takeover, check out the “Takeovers” highlight on the Career Center’s instagram page (@ssuca-

Courtesy // Instagram Regan Dowd’s role as a coordinator for Disney Channels Worldwide has allowed her to meet some fun people, including Mickey Mouse. reercenter).

Dowd offered this piece of advice for SSU students who will be graduating soon or are worried about post-graduate success: “Utilize your resources and don’t be afraid to say ‘yes’ to something. It opens doors and leads you to opportunities.” She worked at her first job for

a year before the Disney opportunity presented itself, and now she’s in her second year there.

She continues to say, “Your first job is not always going to be your dream job. Don’t get hung up on feeling like your first career move isn’t a long-term move… build experience, gain relationships, and grow when you’re ready!”

STUDENT LIFE CALENDAR Climber’s Toolbox (learn about the Climbing Wall)

CAPS Election-Related Stress Support Group

Student Involvement Virtual Drop In Hours

The SSU Career Chat: Episode 5

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Wednesday, Oct. 4

Thursday, Nov. 5

12:00 P.M.

4:00 P.M.

3 P.M.

All Day

Instagram @ssucampusrec

Zoom

Zoom

Online Podcast

“Black & ...” HUB dialogue series

Campus MovieFest Info Night

Lobo’s Music of the 90’s Trivia Nite

Jackbox Party Game Night

Thursday, Nov. 5

Thursday, Nov. 5

Friday, Nov. 6

Friday, Nov. 6

12 P.M.

5:00 P.M.

8:00 P.M.

4:00 P.M.

Zoom

Register on SeawolfLiving

Zoom

Twitch

Feasting Friday With the Bible Club

Campus MovieFest gets underway

The Career Center Presents: Fall Virtual Career Fair

Spring Registration Begins

Friday, Nov. 6

Tues. -Mon, Nov. 10-16

Tuesday, Nov. 10

Monday, Nov. 16

7:00 P.M.

All day

8:00 A.M.

Zoom

Sign up on SeawolfLiving

10:00 A.M .

Register on Handshake

SSU portal

Student Life 9

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Alcohol Awareness Week enlightens Seawolves

AMANDA KOBA

STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State University hosted their annual Save a Seawolf Alcohol Awareness Week with intentions of educating Seawolves of the dangers of misusing alcohol. The event filled week brought speakers to address the use, abuse and misuse of alcohol.

Alcohol Awareness is a week modeled after the National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW). The week took place from Oct. 26-30 and consisted of six virtual events. NCAAW is endorsed by the Coalition of Higher Education Associations for Substance Abuse Prevention. The Coalition of Higher Education Association for Substance Abuse Prevention said, “During NCAAW, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of awareness and educational events, all designed by the campus’ prevention partners and leaders to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for current state laws and policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol beverages.”

Sonoma State University holds their week later than the NCAAW because of Halloween. Save A Seawolf is held by the Alcohol and Other Drug Committee (AOD) which consists of multiple staff from different areas of campus such as Chelsea Hennan from the Athletic Department and Leo Serrato from Student Affairs. Mo Phillips, a cochair of the committee said, “It is one of my passions in terms of educating students about alcohol...we realize that alcohol is a challenging thing to navigate…” when asked about why SSU holds this week.

In previous years, visuals played a large role in this campaign.

The Darwin Hall plaza grass used to hold 18,000 red flags that represented the 18,000 plus student lives that were lost in an alcohol related incident. In front of Salazaar a totaled car that was involved in a drunk driving accident was displayed to catch students’ attention of the dangers of drinking and driving. Seawolf Plaza held a wall of different colored bricks that showed students who were impacted by an alcohol related death and were encouraged to write stories or messages of how they were affected.

The visuals that were shown on campus created awareness to Seawolves. With moving to a virtual platform these eye-catching pieces were unable to be displayed but the AOD still wanted to host the week by using online events. The events included “Drinking Culture: A Conversation on How Drinking Behavior Varies Across Different Cultures”, where students who have studied abroad led a panel on how US college students’ drinking habits differ from where they studied and “Alcohol and Drug Use Increase During COVID-19 Pandemic - Making Positive Alternative Choices” where Steve Mac-

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Dr. Joe Puentes talks about drinking facts during his presentation for Alcohol Awareness Week.

Donald discussed making conscious decisions to choose healthy alternative activities as opposed to behaviors that result in negative outcomes is the way.

MacDonald said, “ I think events like this are important because they provide students and faculty with opportunities to receive and give support and education to each other on a variety of topics that may be under represented. I also believe that it is very important for everyone to stay active and practice engagement in every way possible at all times especially when it comes to improving awareness and well-being.”

In her blog post from Seawolf Living, Phillips said, “There are so many things that come up on a daily basis in our world of Student Af-

fairs that we deal with, and then move on. But then there are also things that once we deal with them, we try to move on but we can’t...alcohol use, misuse, and abuse is one of those things that I have never really found a way to move on from; especially when it takes a life, or even worse, sometimes leaves someone in a state of living a life that they never imagined,” when explaining her wishes to Seawolves walk across the stage on Commencement Day. Save A Seawolf Alcohol Awareness Week has aimed to educate students about alcohol use as well as provide alternative activities to do.

Those interested in reading more about Alcohol Awareness Week and other statistics can visit Seawolf Living.

The perfect pinots at Talisman Wine

SIEANNA NARINE STAFF WRITER

I

f any Seawolves are 21 and over and looking for an adventure outside the realms of their house, Talisman’s wine tasting room located in Glen Ellen is the perfect place to stimulate the mind and palette. Scott Rich, the owner of the exquisite and soulful company called Talisman wineries has been perfecting his pinot noirs since 1993. Scott’s experience and intuition about wine and Pinot in particular are ref lected in his wines; they are soulful, deep expressions of the vineyard. The Talisman Pinots are texture-driven, age well, and well worth your attention.

He and his wife Marta, are the CEOs of this company partnering with other vineyards along the Sonoma Coast that work together to hold the best pinot noirs in the wine capital of California. Talisman Wineries’ name was inspired by Scott’s American Indian mother. She once gave him a special charm or talisman; that had been made and blessed by a medicine man. A Talisman is: “an object imbued with the power to protect the bearer from harm.” One of the elements of this talisman is the circle of life. Its special power was not innate but came from being blessed by the man who made it. In a similar fashion, the transformation of grapes into wine comes about due to the hand of the winemaker, after gently ripened by the rays of the sun. From Scott and Marta there are deep roots within themselves that go into their business. They believe in quality over quantity and only ever want to giver wine lovers the best of the best pinot noirs. Sam Doyle, a wine and beer consultant in Sonoma County, comments that Talisman wines hold such value that “it is a breath of fresh air when you can buy a current vintage wine and actually is ready to drink.”

The fifteen wineries that comprise Talisman Wineries are located in Los Carneros, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Green Valley of Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain, Napa Valley, and Yorkville Highlands. When parenting with these wineries Scott’s motto is “Philosophical alignment is paramount, as our growers must also be dedicated to creating top quality, unique, delicious, exquisite wines. Our objectives are to guide beautifully grown Pinot Noir grapes from these various single vineyards into the bottle; to express their individuality — we want all our wines to be different from each other; like children, with a thread of commonality but with very different personalities.”

The pinot noirs produced from the 15 wineries in the company all hold unique f lavors particular to the winery’s brand. Each wine holds sensual notes of f lavor with a powerful kick. The Glen Ellen Tasting Room is home to all these wineries wines and hosts a wonderful menu as well. Food ranging from fish and poultry to savory and delectable appetizers that pair perfectly with each wine. With affordable prices,

Talisman is located in Glen Ellen and is known for their collection of pinot noir.

Talisman works with 15 wineries that help producie their famous pinot noirs.

STAR // Natella Guy

STAR // Natella Guy

these are the kinds of wines that you buy for $60 and they drink as good if not better than $200+ from Burgundy wines.

The Talisman Wines tasting room is located at 13651 Arnold Drive in Glen Ellen and is open Thursday through Monday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Appointments are encouraged. For more information, call 721.1628 or visit Talismanwine.com.

10 Sports

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov announces retirement after an emotional win

EDGAR ZAVALA STAFF WRITER

U

ltimate Fighting Championship legend, Khabib Nurmagomedov, retired after a long career this last Sat., Oct. 24. He finished his UFC career undefeated and as a champion after beating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 only a couple months after losing his father and trainer to a tough battle of COVID-19. This was a very emotional win for the middleweight champion that cemented his legacy and undoubtedly put him into the “GOAT” conversation.

Many call this the greatest performance in Khabib’s career. He fought a hard match against a tough opponent, Gaethje.

Speculations were doubtful as to whether Khabib was going to be able to fight at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi, not only because of the tragic passing of Nurmagomedov’s father, but also due to physical reasons.

According to the undefeated champion’s coach, Khabib had broken some toes just two weeks prior to the main event.

However, he claims that the will to make his father proud was greater than any physical limitations that the fighter might have endured. “A child always wants his father to see what he’s capable of,” said Abdulmanap Nurmagomedv, Khabib’s late father who died from COVID-19 complications in July.

This was one of the most emotional matches for the professional fighter as he sobbed on the mat as soon as the match was called. Before the fight, Khabib consulted only with his mother to see if he was even going to go through with the main event fight. “She didn’t want me to fight without father and I said this is my last fight — and I have given her my word,” Khabib said after the fight. “Be close with your parents, because you never know what is

Courtesy // Creative Commons Khabib ends his career with an undefeated record of 29-0 and goes out in style with his father’s spirit.

going to happen tomorrow.”

This is expected to be Khabib Nurmagomedv’s final fight in an illustrious career.

Khabib has never lost a fight and has four world titles. Many believe that Khabib is the greatest UFC fighter of all time, especially now after finishing his career twenty nine to zero. However, this debate is highly debated even within the fighting community.

Former UFC fighter, Jon Jones, believes that he is, without a doubt, the greatest fighter to step foot in the octagon and even took offense to people giving the “GOAT” title to the Russian fighter. Jones went on his Instagram page to call out fans that think Khabib

is the greatest of all time. “I’m talking to all you Khabib fans out there. Fifteen world titles to your guy’s four. And you guys are really talking about who’s the best fighter ever? You guys are joking right? 15-4. Are you guys kidding me?” said Jones. Khabib has yet to respond to the claim made by the former fighter.

Whether people believe that Khabib is the greatest to ever do it or not, there is no doubt that Khabib has ended one of the greatest careers in UFC history and will go down as one of the greats. Khabib has inspired generations of fans and will be missed in the octagon.

Bay area sports franchises teamed up for Prop 16 RYAN WEINER

STAFF WRITER

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ll the Bay Area professional sports franchises teamed up recently to back up Proposition 16 which is a state constitutional amendment that would return affirmative action as part of the criteria in state hiring, contracting, and college admissions.

On Aug. 21, The Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes, and Oakland Roots voiced their opinions in a joint statement by saying, “If we’re going to live up to our reputation as a golden state with golden opportunities, we can and should do more to remove the systemic barriers that shut out Californians from a shot at a better life. Proposition 16 is crucial to creating a stronger economic future for women and communities of color, and greater economic prosperity for California as a whole,” added Rick Welts, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Warriors.

Two days later, the Bay Area Council issued their weekly e-newsletter and stated they are, “joining these community leaders in officially supporting Prop. 16.”

In late 1996, Proposition 209 was approved, amending the state constitution to prohibit state governmental institutions from considering race, sex, or ethnicity, specifically in the areas of public employment.

If proposition 16 is approved this Nov., Prop.

209 will be repealed.

Supporters of the 2020 proposition such as Brian Brokaw, Yes on 16 spokesperson, are glad that professional sports teams are getting in on the election. “Hopefully, the teams’ involvement will help us reach a lot of voters who might otherwise never have heard of the campaign.” On the other hand, opponents of proposition 16 say otherwise, “to say that we want the government to have greater power to discriminate as the way to get rid of discrimination is a bit

Courtesy// Creative Commons Your local and favorite sports teams take charge in speaking out for prop. 16.

Orwellian,” said Ward Connerly, a political activist who had a big impact on the approval of the affirmative action ban and the leader of the current opposition. Connerly does not believe that voters will be persuaded by the bay area sports effort.

According to Phil Ting, State Assemblyman for San Francisco, he has collected 33 letters in support of proposition 16 and 287 letters in opposition, from his district of mostly Chinese- American citizens. He received 17,396 additional letters opposing the proposition from citizens that reside outside of his district.

Even though the professional sports franchises in the bay area make up for the minor-

ity of support for the proposition, they want to make sure they have an impact on voters that support the change. “This is our collective moment to take purposeful action to build a stronger California for the future,” expressed Dave Kaval, President of the Oakland Athletics. Steve Aldrich, Chair of Oakland Roots professional sports club, added, “Oakland Roots was founded with a purpose - to use the power of sports as a force for social good.” Aldrich wants to do what he can to advance the cause of racial and gender justice and challenge the systematic inequalities that still exist in society today.

For more information on Proposition 16, visit voterguide.gov.

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

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Sports 11

Dodgers win the 2020 World Series with scares of COVID-19

The Dodgers dominate the 2020, 60 game season with key player Justin Turner testing positive in the middle of game 6.

Courtesy // latimes.com

ELISEO FRAGOSO STAFF WRITER

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hat a night it was for the Los Angeles Dodgers who won their first World Series since 1988.

The Dodgers were held scoreless for much of game six

by Rays pitcher Blake Snell, who was dealing early on having nine strikeouts through five innings. Manager Kevin Cash made the surprising move of taking out Snell, which would eventually be a game changer for both teams as once the reliever came in the Dodgers were able to score right away to tie it up.

The Dodgers didn’t stop there as they were able to take the lead in the later innings and a Home Run from Outfielder Mookie Betts in the eighth inning gave the team an extra insurance run. On the mound in the ninth was Julio Urias, who became the first Mexican born player to close out a World Series game.

The Dodgers had great production from their star Shortstop Corey Seager, who had already won the NLCS MVP and also was named the World Series MVP. During the playoffs, Seager batted .328 average with eight home runs and 20 runs batted in.

After the game, Corey told reporters that, “It was absolutely phenomenal. This team was incredible,’’ Seager said. “We never stopped.

We were ready to go as soon as the bell was called. Once it did, we kept rolling. You can’t say enough about what we did this season.’’

Third baseman Justin Turner was in the Dodgers starting lineup at the beginning of game 6. The day before the game, Los Angeles had tested their players and Turner’s test had come up inconclusive during the second inning. Once the lab had completed running the test, the league informed the team that Turner had indeed tested positive for COVID-19. The third baseman was immediately taken out of the game during the eighth inning and was told to isolate himself.

Justin went on twitter shortly after to tell his fans, “Thanks to everyone reaching out! I feel great, no symptoms at all. Just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine. Can’t believe I couldn’t be out there to celebrate with my guys! So proud of this team & unbelievably happy for the City of LA.” Despite having tested positive for the COVID-19, it didn’t stop Turner from going out to celebrate with his team on the field. The veteran made the very controversial decision of having close contact with other teammates. Justin also took a picture with his mask off next to Head Coach Dave Roberts, who is a cancer survivor.

Mookie Betts was asked by Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett what his thoughts were seeing Turner return to the field. Betts responded, “He’s part of the team. Forget all that. He’s part of the team.

We’re not excluding him from anything.”

San Francisco Giants celebrate their 10 year World Series reunion

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

T

en years ago, on Nov. 1, the San Francisco Giants won their first title in 56 years and their first title in San Francisco.

With the Giants arch rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers winning their first championship in 32 years last Tues., it is hard to not think of that historic team from 2010.

The 2010 San Francisco Giants were built off of a bunch of misfit toys that came together at the perfect time. Journeymen like outfielders Pat Burrell and Cody Ross, veterans like Aubrey Huff, Javier Lopez and Edgar Renteria. The Giants had a core that propelled them into becoming a dynasty. That was pitchers like Tim Lincecum, Brian Wilson, Matt Cain, and at the time rookies like Madison Bumgardner and Buster Posey.

In an article with the San Francisco chronicle, closer Brian Wilson recalled his final out ten years ago by saying, “The importance was in closing it out for the city and the franchise. A distant second was for myself. It’s something we wanted to do as a team, and I wanted to do whatever I could do to help get there, if that meant throwing the seventh inning or that meant Tim Lincecum finishing the game. The ring still fits regardless of what inning you pitched in or whether or not you even played. It was a magical season. It had been 56 years since the franchise won it. It was more of a collective win rather than me thinking about what this feels like for myself.”

The Giants went 92-70 in the regular season and beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in a best of five series. The eventual World Series champions went on to play against the two time reigning National League representatives in the World Series, Philadelphia Phillies. San Francisco won the series in six games with outfielder Cody Ross winning the National League Championship Series MVP trophy. He hit .350 with three home runs, three doubles and recorded five RBI’s

in the series.

Giants fans will remember Ross’s remarks after winning the trophy. “I could never imagine being in a situation like this,” Ross said in an article with ESPN. “I’m just going to cherish it. This is a special time for me. I felt like a 10-year-old kid. I was screaming, running and jumping as high as I could. Nobody gave us a shot except ourselves and our fans,” Ross said.

That was the story of the 2010 Giants all year. They were six and a half games out of first place in their division at the beginning of the last month of the season and were underdogs in each series.

San Francisco went on to play the Texas Rangers and again were underdogs. They beat the Rangers in five games with veteran Edgar Renteria winning his second World Series MVP. Renteria batted .412 with 7 hits in 17 trips to the plate, with 2 homeruns and 6 RBI’s.

The organization was planning on having the reunion this season, but with the complications of COVID-19, it had to be postponed to next season.

The decision did come with some complications when the team decided to not invite ex first baseman Aubrey Huff because, “Aubrey has made multiple comments on social media that are unacceptable and run counter to the values of our organization. While we appreciate the many contributions that Aubrey made to the 2010 championship season, we stand by our decision,” said by an official Giants statement.

Aubrey Huff responded by saying, “Quite frankly, shocked. Disappointed.

If it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t be having a reunion. But if they want to stick with their politically correct, progressive bullsh*t, that’s fine,” in an article by the SFGATE.

Courtesy // Creative Commons The 2010 Giants celebrate their World Series title.

12 Photo

NOV. 3 - NOV. 9, 2020

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Local businesses stay alive during pandemic

STAR // Natella Guy Grayson Steele, the shipping manager and guest educator of the Talisman family, had some Talisman pinot noir at the Talisman tasting room in Glen Ellen.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly Rohnert Park’s China Chef have managed to stay in business despite the pandemic.

STAR // Natella Guy Talisman’s next-door jewelry store owner, John Rippe, looked out over Glen Ellen.

STAR // Natella Guy Talisman’s vineyards in Glen Ellen are still growing strong after all of the fires and the pandemic. Their tasting rooms are open for business with new safety guidelines.

STAR //Natella Guy Stevenson Hall, along with most of the buildings on campus, remains empty and uncleaned due to COVID-19.

STAR // Brandon Sparks Sonoma State struggles with keeping its campus well tended during the pandemic.

STAR //Natella Guy Before the quarantine, these signs reminding students and faculty to wash their hands were placed all around campus.