Sonoma State STAR Issue 7 Fall 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

MLB

Strange Times

TV Changes COVID-19 has altered production schedules and techniques.

PAGE 6.

The Oakland Athletics keep Bay Area baseball fans’ hope alive.

PAGE 11.

SSU seniors have endured four long years, with fires raging every fall.

PAGE 8.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 7 OCTOBER 6, 2020 - OCTOBER 12, 2020

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

STAR // Sarah Gallagher A local memorialized the year on the side of a hill in Santa Rosa after the recent Glass Fire.

The Glass Fire burns over 65,000 acres and threatens thousands of homes

SIEANNA NARINE

@SONOMASTATESTAR

Courtesy // Flickr.com President Trump held indoor rallies during his campaign.

President Trump and first lady test positive for Coronavirus KRISTINA SCHMUHL

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

T

he raging Glass Fire has burned over 65,000 acres and destroyed over a thousand structures.

Additionally, the Shady and Boysen fires have merged with the Glass Fire, and together they have affected both Sonoma and Napa county. This has forced individuals out of their homes to seek asylum in hotels and other safe living accommodations. In an SFGate article, Cal Fire Chief Ben Nichols stated, “[The Glass Fire] has been extremely difficult to contain and fight.”

At 4:00 AM on a Sunday morning, the Glass Fire started by burning 20 acres at North Fork Crystal Springs Road in Deer Park, then expanding to 11,000 acres overnight with 0% containment. By Monday evening, the blaze had tripled in size, scorching 36,236 acres with 0% containment. Flames overnight destroyed several homes in eastern Santa Rosa’s Skyhawk neighborhood, and according to the Press Democrat, this included, “At least a dozen homes on the stretch of Mountain Hawk between Brigadoon Way and Nighthawk Drive.”

Cal Fire reported that 242 structures were damaged and 1,235 structures were destroyed. More than 8,000 structures are threatened by the flames.

The fire received its name from the nearby mountain, Glass Mountain. Cal Fire explained that the cause of the fire was due to “...poor humidity and above average temperatures.”

The planet has heated up continuously since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800s, when the burning of massive quantities of fossil fuels began releasing carbon dioxide that traps excess heat in the atmosphere. According to National Geographic, “Increasing heat, shifts in plant communities, and other climate-related changes have vastly increased the likelihood that fires will start more often and burn more intensely and widely than they have in the past.” The dry vegetation and rising temperatures give the perfect scenario for a blazing fire.

Cal Fire said, in their Monday morning incident report, “A red flag warning is in effect through today for strong and gusty offshore winds, low humidity, and dry fuels. The fire has been at a dangerous rate of spread and has expanded into Sonoma County.”

P

resident Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday Oct. 2, with the president later being transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland out of “an abundance of caution,” at the request of his physician and medical experts. Earlier in the day, he received an experimental treatment for COVID-19, a Regeneron polyclonal antibody cocktail.

With only 4 weeks remaining until the 2020 presidential election, this diagnosis has abruptly overthrown the course of the presidential race. Trump cancelled all campaign events for the weekend, including a fundraiser at his Washington D.C. hotel and a political rally in Florida.

According to the New York Times, a rapid succession of events led to the President’s diagnosis after Hope Hicks, a senior advisor and someone who traveled with him several times that week, tested positive on Thursday after exhibiting symptoms of the virus.

At first, the President tweeted that he would start the quarantine process late Thursday after awaiting test results. There was speculation that he, and many others on his staff, would be vulnerable to exposure after being in close contact with Hicks on Air Force One. Early Friday morning, Trump announced on Twitter that he and the first lady had tested positive and that they “...will begin [their] quarantine and recovery process immediately.” see PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY on pg. 4

see GLASS FIRE on pg. 4

STAR // Sarah Gallagher Santa Rosa police station is facing a hefty fine for improper COVID-19 protocol.

Santa Rosa police fined for COVID-19 protocol violations

EMILY CRIPE

STAFF WRITER

Courtesy // Fred Moon The election cycle is heating up and two presidential debates remain before election day.

Trump and Biden hold chaotic first debate SAMUEL SAYER STAFF WRITER

O

n Tuesday, President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden had the first debate of the election. Due to COVID-19, the structure of the debate was slightly different to previous years.

Rather than the typical large audience, the candidates stood before a small, socially-distanced crowd on the campus of Case Western University, with their podiums a safe distance from one another. Forgoing the traditional pre-debate handshake, the debate began under the moderation of Chris Wallace of FOX News.

The debate almost immediately went off the planned discussion structure, veering from the first subject of the Supreme Court and Trump’s planned replacement. Trump started out speaking on the qualifications of Justice Barrett, and why his White House was planning to nominate a candidate for the Court during the election. see TRUMP AND BIDEN on pg. 4

E

arlier this year, The Santa Rosa Police Department was issued $32,000 in fines by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal-OSHA. These fines were issued on the grounds of a series of health and safety violations that led to nine confirmed Coronavirus cases within the department, as well as the death of a veteran detective.

In a statement released by Cal-OSHA, they explain that, “The Santa Rosa Police Department failed to implement required screening and referral procedures for persons exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms during the month of March 2020, and failed to report to Cal-OSHA multiple serious illnesses suffered by employees who contracted COVID-19.” Specifically, SRPD was cited for not reporting cases in a timely manner, improper PPE, and failure to screen for illness regularly. There was also a claim that SRPD allowed symptomatic officers to return to work without requiring COVID-19 testing.

KTVU news reported that the department claimed the citations, “Were based mainly on events in late February and March, ‘before information about the nature and extent of COVID-19’ was known.” The Sonoma County Health Officer’s Order that laid out safety protocols was not issued until March 31, and was not effective until April 1, according to KTVU. see SANTA ROSA POLICE FINED on pg. 5

2 Editorial

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Profoundly unpresidential precedents

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 Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Taylor Clark, Emily Cripe, Sieanna Narine, Samuel Sayer, Jayline Alvarado, Natella Guy, 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, Isabelle Barkey Photographers Samantha Billingsly, Sarah Gallagher, Sarah Ramos

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:

“California’s Proposition 25...”

Read the article on page 3.

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

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.

O

Courtesy // Jeff Gates

ver the course of this last week, President Donald Trump has had one very chaotic series of events take place. The insanity began with the first presidential debate of 2020 that occurred at Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion in Cleveland, Ohio last Wednesday and culminated with him contracting the COVID-19 virus at the end of the week.

As many people have proclaimed, the debate was indisputably one of the ugliest to ever take place in United States history. With both Trump and Joe Biden interrupting each other every other sentence and not getting to talk about substantive policy, CNN’s Chris Cuomo illustrated the episode as a “shit show” and CNN’s Jake Tapper described it as, “...a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck.” In addition to the juvenile antics of the participants, the moderator, Chris Wallace, was clearly in place to prevent any real discussion of issues that might offend the puppet masters that brought us this illusion of an actual democratic election process.

With election day right around the corner, both candidates had their own way of going about their speaking parts.

Biden was the first person to interrupt Trump, but after Biden started the ad hominem attacks, it seemed as if Trump took it as open season to go after Biden, no matter who’s turn it was to speak for the rest of the debate.

He would begin saying, “no” or “wrong” and go on about his piece about the topic given by Wallace. Trump immediately tried to create a separation between the former Vice President and his left leaning base. Biden on the other hand, attempted to hammer Trump on the factors of his COVID-19 response and his inability to be presidential.

Trump repeatedly called into question payments to the Biden family that resulted as a result of political pressure from the former Vice President, and Biden repeatedly refused to answer direct questioning from Trump, including about whether he would pack the Supreme Court with

left-leaning judges.

With the attempt to win over votes in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, and Arizona, both Trump and Biden are trying to animate their own base and suppress their opponents in a battle to win over small segments of the electorate. As statistics indicate, people are disillusioned with the whole process, and many feel their vote is practically meaningless, as a result of the infiltration of money in politics, career politicians that lack relevance or the proper perspective to actually represent their constituents, gerry-mandering, the electoral college, and a monopolistic twoparty system that prevents the separation of powers that are inherently necessary to a functioning democracy.

According to NBC News, after the debate was over, Biden had gained a commanding, national 14 point lead over Trump on the Wall Street Journal poll.

Biden has a two to one vote by the public that he has the better temperament to be the president of the United States as reported by the Wall Street Journal poll.

Now, Biden has Trump by 53% to 39% compared to his eight point lead in the previous poll before the debate took place.

That being said, polls are virtually worthless in today’s political climate, and as any college student that passed a statistics course understands, these numbers are easily manipulated and distorted. Our poisonous political and media climate have exacerbated these realities, and today fake news and phony statistics are par for the course. The one thing that appears to be undeniable is that the system is rapidly losing credibility, and it will take a massive purge and overhaul of the entire apparatus for many to regain their trust in this broken down, racist, misogynistic beast of a government.

After the results of this debate, commission officials have decided that moving forward, they will be muting the candidates microphones to get a hold of the outrageous outbursts and interruptions. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that in

our censor-prone, cancel-culture world, our prospective leaders will be openly silenced, but the need to mute microphones and direct questioning away from legitimate issues is symptomatic of an oppressive system that pretends to allow voters to decide, when the reality on the ground indicates that regardless of which party is in power, the policies change very little and the oppression remains the same.

As if written in by a twisted Saturday Night Live writer, two days after the debate, Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Chris Wallace claimed that Trump was not tested before the debate due to the fact that he showed up a bit late. According to NPR News, organizers relied on the honor system. Although he may be the president of the United States, he should follow all rules and guidelines during a national pandemic. Biden and other officials all tested negative prior to the debate.

Later that day, Trump held a ceremony in the White House’s Rose Garden to announce his nominee for the United States Supreme Court, that being Amy Coney Barrett. All of the guests packed into the outdoor space of the garden. There were many pictures taken there and inside the White House as well. The White House specifically has certain protocols regarding the COVID-19 virus for guests, officials, and different members of the press. Disturbingly, many of the guests were maskless. There have been eight confirmed people that have tested positive for COVID-19 after that ceremony including the president and the first lady. Later that night, Trump even flew over to Pennsylvania for an outdoor rally.

The ironic part of Trump contracting the virus is the fact that he actually mocked Biden for wearing a face mask to Tuesday’s presidential debate.

Trump also claimed that he only needs to wear a mask when he feels that he should or needs to.

“I don’t wear face masks like him,” Trump said to Biden. “Every time you see him he’s got a mask.”

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.

Courtesy // Project Authenticity

Courtesy // Know Your Meme

Opinion 3

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Happiest place on Earth fires thousands

NANCY INSUA

STAFF WRITER

D

isneyland and California Adventure entered their eighth month of being shut down due to the coronavirus. As a result of the shutdown, Disney recently announced the layoffs of 28,000 employees in the United States, 67% of them part-time employees. Disney executives made cuts to both the California and Florida locations regarding the Parks, Products, and Experience branches. Over four hundred people in Disney’s role of “Imagineering” have also been let go.

Since the parks’ initial closures back in March, the corporation has lost billions of dollars over the past months, losing $5 billion in April, May, and June alone. Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney parks, made the following statements about employees’ mass layoffs. “As difficult as this decision is today, we believe

that the steps we are taking will enable us to emerge a more effective and efficient operation when we return to normal...we look forward to providing opportunities where we can for them to return.” D’Amaro expressed frustration with reopening the parks in California as they were initially scheduled to reopen on July 16 of this year. They were then announced to be pushed back indefinitely as cases of the virus continued to rise. “We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.” D’Amaro critiqued California’s Government’s “unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen.” No comments from the governor’s office have been made about Disney’s statements.

In Florida, cast members have started The Cast Member Pantry, a food pantry for Disney workers who were laid off during the pandemic to ensure none of them go hungry and can still provide for their families during this difficult time.

When discussing the now additional

layoffs, their mission is, “‘no cast member goes hungry.’ It’s a big undertaking, especially now, with the news of layoffs and the unknown with how long this is going to last.”

Many of Disney’s laid-off employees are struggling with how to support themselves. Currently, Disney has not made any other accommodations that suggest supporting the workers that are now left jobless. For now, the group has set up a Venmo account and set up an Amazon wish list for people who would like to donate.

One can find further information regarding donations on the Cast Member Pantry Facebook page.

As the pandemic continues and California cases are still at such a large number, it will be months and potentially years until things return to a sense of normality. The job market and how people support themselves have been completely uprooted because of the Coronavirus. With fewer companies hiring overall and now 28,000 unemployed workers, we face new questions of what to do for people in these situations. With a vaccine still several months away, it is time for new changes to be made to ensure all Americans can support themselves in these unprecedented times.

California Proposition 25, replace cash bail with risk assessments referendum

ISABELLA SIMONI STAFF WRITER

H

ad the bail bond industry not called for a referendum on California legislature’s attempt to end the state’s cash bail system two years ago, California voters would not have to brush up on what Proposition 25 entails to criminal suspects today. However, the bail bond industry did, and the attempt to diminish the cash bail system has been on hold since, but voters this year have the opportunity to use their voice and vote for what they believe will be the best option. But what is Proposition 25?

In short, it aims to “replace the cash bail system with risk assessment instead,” says Adrienne Alpert for ABC7 News. Meaning that instead of paying a set amount of money to bail out of jail until your court hearing, you will be let out based on criteria that would need to be met that will determine you either; low-risk,

medium-risk, or high-risk to society.

If you are a low-risk criminal suspect, this means that you are low risk of being a danger to society while you are released and awaiting your trial, as well as at low risk of skipping your trial. Where low-risk individuals get released, high-risk individuals must remain in jail, and medium-risk individuals have the opportunity to be either released or kept; however, it would be entirely dependent upon the regulations of the local governments on the matter.

The idea behind eliminating the need for cash bail systems with Proposition 25 comes from the notion that cash bail is predominantly about the ability to pay the bail, rather than to ensure an individual’s show up for their court date or that they stay in jail as means to protect society. According to the Los Angeles Times, “California has been trying to rid itself of money bail for decades, but every effort has been turned back by the bail bond industry and the insurance companies that support them. A bill to finally eliminate bail — known as Senate Bill 10 — was signed into law in 2018, and of course, the bail bond industry responded with a campaign to suspend the law and let voters decide its fate. That’s where we are now. Proposition 25 would put the long-delayed law into effect, end the bail industry in California and end the use of wealth or poverty to determine whether a person accused

of a crime stays in jail or goes home before trial.”

As stated in BallotPedia.org, “The state’s countywide superior courts were responsible for setting cash bail amounts for crimes, and judges were permitted to adjust the cash bail amounts upward or downward.” Their ability to do so frequently leads to amounts of money set for bail to be higher than what fits the crime. Many times, individuals either have trouble posting bail or just do not altogether.

The idea that the current bail system is in place to ensure citizens’ safety is simply not the whole truth. In reality, the way the current system is run seems to be designed to enrich bail bonds companies while keeping suspected criminals locked uprather than to guarantee the individual will make their appearance in court. The end to the cash bail system gives a fair chance and opportunity for the poor and rich alike, unlike in the current state in which the poor, more often than not, cannot post bail, whereas the rich do it with ease. Though Proposition 25 ballot measure is imperfect, it is a step in the direction of more fair and adequate justice.

Now more than ever, we must use our voice to start changing corrupt and outdated systems in our state and our country—your vote matters; your vote is your voice.

Smoke and ash damage on homes

NATELLA GUY

STAFF WRITER

S

unday night, Sonoma County received many Nixle alerts, urging residents to leave as soon as possible, as there was yet again, another fire plowing through wine country. There were many fires along Los Alamos Road and St. Helena Road. With fires being the new normal for Sonoma County, it may be to your surprise that smoke damage destroys more than you think. Smoke and fire damage effects can be hazardous for one’s lungs as we can’t see all the harmful particles with the human eye. Found on Rainbow International Restorations, “Smoke from any type of fire is composed of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and soot. Depending on what’s burning, many other harmful chemicals also enter the air and are inhaled into your lungs or latch onto walls, furniture, clothing, ductwork, and other areas.”

After a fire has occurred near your home or business, it’s best to start an insurance claim and leave everything how it was before the fire.

As reported on Orange Restoration, “The majority of smoke particles are only about 0.004 microns wide. This means they can work their way into every nook and cranny, from your furniture to the carpet, wallboard, and even the insulation. The difficulty of cleaning up smoke odor and residue increases depending not only on the volume of smoke but also on the kind of smoke that was present during the fire. Smoke from natural materials like wood and paper leaves a black or gray ashy residue that can be easily cleaned up with a vacuum cleaner or dry sponge. Smoke from inorganic materials like plastics and synthetic fabrics leaves a smeary residue that is difficult and dangerous to clean up. To remove all odors and residue, experts recommend having your home professionally deodorized and getting any items you wish to keep professionally cleaned.”

Food spoilage is another effect of smoke damage as cans can expand, and smoke particles can seep through bags and boxed foods.

During a fire, the power is usually shut off so all your food into the refrigerator will go to waste as many of your cupboard items. The smoke is so thick that it ruins all cotton or cloth items, such as clothes, bedding, sheets, blankets, cloth couches, curtains, and much more.

In 2019, most Windsor residents were immediately evacuated due to the Foothill Fire that started in Foothill Park, which borders the Foothill neighborhood. Ashes and embers were everywhere, but, thankfully, first responders were stationed at every house. Fortunately, more homes were saved than not, and the town of Windsor was saved. Due to residents not tinkering with the house when moving back in, inspectors then can see the smoke damage with specific tools. This helps ensure that insurance will cover most of the necessary repairs.

Whenever there is a fire near your house, immediately call your insurance agency and file a claim, as it will be extremely beneficial for you later. Smoke damage needs to be taken more seriously since it causes health issues, destroys land, soil, paint, clothes, filters, insulation and much more.

Learning from the past: Sonoma State’s evacuation shelter

KATELYN DODGE

STAFF WRITER

S

ept. 27, 3:48 a.m., a fire erupted on Howell Mountain in Napa county, and from there, it spread. The fire gripped the countryside, surrounding Calistoga, wrapping around Angwin, and spilling into Santa Rosa.

This quick-moving blaze, now named the Glass Fire, spread itself into Sonoma County within a day. By Sept.

28, 12:19 a.m., evacuation orders were encroaching into Santa Rosa; citizens were to leave immediately or risk being caught in the firefight. In the middle of a pandemic, an estimated seventy thousand people are trying to find a place to stay. That is when Sonoma State took a stand for those in need. It has not always been like this, though.

The college has received some heat from students and staff through the years as the fires continued to push into Sonoma County time and time again.

The history of recent Sonoma County fires began in 2017, as the Tubbs Fire raged through Santa Rosa, destroying 5,200 homes. The Sonoma State campus was closed for classes, later shutting down completely; students and staff left to their own devices. Most students left campus in fear with only a few hours to gather their items and go. The school was not officially evacated, despite the flames closing in from behind on Petaluma Hill Road. President Judy Sakaki mentioned making her harrowing escape from the fire in Fountaingrove, her family losing their home, and evacuating onto Campus as students fled. The sudden emergency left little to no time for anyone to react as it destroyed lives instantly.

In 2018, the Camp Fire decimated the town of Paradise, the entire town burning to the ground. The smoke drifted town wind and blanketed Sonoma County. According to AirNow.gov, a website that tracks and records the history of air quality in the United States, the air quality in Rohnert Park sat firmly in the Unhealthy category, 151-200 on this scale, on Nov 15, 2018. It even tipped into Very Unhealthy, 201-300, with little to cancelation on school activities throughout the week. This category states the air is too unhealthy to breathe and a significant threat to people with breathing problems.

Sonoma State University did not close, nor did they bat an eye at this. As they tweeted on the same day, the school acclaimed, “According to @AirDistrict (http:// baaqmd.gov), the Air Quality Index has been below 100 since 6 p.m. Wednesday. The most recent AQI for our region was 93 at 7 a.m. today.” Yet, Sonoma State lied about the air quality and refused to offer more than an N95 mask for students.

In 2019, the Kincade fire rapidly grew in size, threatening to rage over Healdsburg and Windsor. A stagger-

ing 200,000 people packed up their cars and raced to get out of town while firefighters went on the defense. Even with Sonoma State not in danger, they still reacted, canceling classes, closing the dining halls, and encouraging students to leave. No evacuation zones or help was offered from campus, but with the smoke in their air, who knew what was going to happen.

Administrators clearly revised their approach, as Sonoma State University offered a great helping hand to evacuees of the Glass Fire. As smoke shrouded the sky, Sonoma State University officially offered its empty dormitories to families in need, as well as using the parking lot of the deserted Green Music Center as a temporary evacuation point. In an email to students and staff from Missy Brunetta, the director of emergency services and associate risk manager, the university explained its offerings during the Glass Fire. “The California Office of Emergency Services has asked Sonoma State University to establish a Referral Center to house up to 250 individuals evacuated due to the wildfires. The shelter will be in our Residential Community of Cabernet Village and will be managed by Sonoma County Emergency Management. We are proud to provide assistance to the California Office of Emergency Services and the North Bay community during this difficult time.”

If you are personally in need of assistance or a place to stay while evacuating from the Glass Fire, Sonoma State is now a place to check. The Cabernet Dorms that would typically be filled with student residents are now a lifesaver for people in need. Though it took a few years to make the right response, students can stand proud that their college helps out emergency responders and makes Sonoma County a stronger community.

4 News

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Courtesy // Flickr.com President Trump and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force discussed COVID-19, without wearing masks, at a press briefing on March 20, 2020.

President Trump and first lady test positive for Coronavirus continued from pg. 1

On the same day that Hicks tested positive, Trump spoke at the 75th annual Al Smith Dinner saying, “I just want to say that the end of the pandemic is in sight, and next year will be one of the greatest years in the history of our country.”

Much of this year, Trump has downplayed the severity of the virus, going as far as repeatedly calling it a “democratic hoax” and claiming that he “...felt no vulnerability whatsoever” when it came to contracting the virus. He claimed the virus would disappear “like magic” and, according to the New York Times “could be seen mocking the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to wear masks. “Trump openly refused to wear a mask or participate in social distancing in public settings. Many of his campaign rallies were held in packed arenas, both indoor and outdoor.

While in Ohio last Tues. at the first presidential debate against his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump said, “I don’t wear masks like [Biden]... Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from me, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”

It is unclear if additional presidential debates will occur with ongoing uncertainty about the state of Trumps’ health. There are 2 more debates slated to occur on Oct. 15 and 22. The Vice presidential debate remains set for Oct. 7 in Salt Lake City, with updated rules on the distance between candidates.

Multiple people in Trump’s inner circle have contracted the virus, including former Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway, Secret Service agents, Trump’s National Security Adviser, Robert O’Brien (a Sonoma County native), and 8 members of his campaign staff who worked an indoor campaign rally held in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Over 200,000 Americans have died in a little under 7 months, at a rate of around 1,000 deaths per day, since the nation-wide closure of businesses and mass quarantine on March 16. Since then, 7 million people have tested positive for the virus in the United States, with over 34 million people testing positive across the globe. 1 million people have died of complications from the virus worldwide.

Trump is in multiple high risk categories for COVID-19 complications,

including his older age and underlying medical condition of obesity. Trump is 74 years old and at 244 lbs., he has a Body Mass Index(BMI) of 30.5. Any BMI above 30 is considered obese. According to statistics from the CDC, 8 out of 10 COVID-19 related deaths reported in the United States have been among adults aged 65 years and older. The CDC also states on its website, “Having obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19.”

At this time, there is no certainty of how or when the President and first lady contracted the virus, although the President had a busy schedule during last week, and was in contact with many people.

Moderator of the first Presidential debate, Chris Wallace, conveyed that he did not see Trump, his family, or his staff wearing masks at the event in Cleveland.

“People in the hall noticed that they weren’t wearing masks and everybody else in the hall was wearing a mask,” Wallace said. “When the debate ended, Mrs. Trump came over, walked past me, she was not wearing a mask. Mrs. Biden walked past me to her husband and she was wearing a mask. So there was a difference in the way the two families and their camps treated the health safety regulations inside the hall.”

He also added that when safety personnel offered the Trump family masks, “They were waved away.” Sources close to the President reported he had also wanted more people in attendance at the debate.

In a new poll from ABC News and Ispos released on Sunday, 72% of respondents said, “Mr. Trump had not taken the risk of contracting the virus seriously enough,” and the same number of respondents also said he had not taken “the appropriate precautions when it came to his personal health.”

The American public and the world will be watching for updates on Trump’s condition. If he does not recover, or becomes too sick to fulfill the duties of the office of the Presidency, an unprecedented situation could occur with Vice President Mike Pence stepping up temporarily. While this has happened before, it has never occurred a month before the November election.

continued from pg. 1

continued from pg. 1

The Glass Fire burns over 65,000 acres and threatens homes

With the red flag warning in effect, officials from local law enforcement agencies and emergency services were skeptical to give residents in Oakmont and other communities in east Sonoma County a timeline to return to their homes. Cal Fire Chief Ben Nicholls said, “As we get deeper into the fire perimeter, that’s going to take a longer time for those public safety tasks to be completed before those homes can be reoccupied.”

Although the Glass Fire remains only 30% contained, many residents are urging their local officials to lift the evacuation ban. Only 4,500 Sonoma County residents were allowed to return home by Friday, October 2. Public safety officials said that the danger of the fire was still too high to determine when the remaining 14,520 residents will be able to return home.

Courtesy // Flickr.com AQI map depicting the numerous fires in northern California on September 9, 2020.

Trump and Biden hold chaotic first debate

When Biden was given the floor to speak, his replying comments relating to the Court and it’s upcoming ruling in regards to the Affordable Care Act, Trump began to interrupt his points with contradictions. From then onward, the debate followed a similar pattern. Biden struggled to get a word in edgewise, as Trump fired off multiple personal attacks on Biden’s past, family, and education.

Topics of the night included the response to COVID, Trump’s tax situation, issues of race, and others. The issue of systemic racism brought heated remarks from both sides, with Biden promising to address the systemic issues in law enforcement.

In contrast, when asked if he would denounce the Proud Boys and other white supremeacist groups, Trump responded with “Stand back and stand by,” before turning his attention to the loose organization that is Antifa.

California was also a point of discussion, as the topic of climate change came onto the floor. Trump held his position from previous years, skirting a definitive answer on the effects of human-produced emissions and calling for a more aggressive stance with forest management, and raking the dried matter from the grounds. Biden spoke more to the national implications of an increase of global warming response practices, promising new jobs to help convert the US to a more green presence, as well as a rejoining of the Paris Agreement, which Trump previously pulled the US out of in 2017.

The final segment of the debate focused on election integrity, mainly the security of absentee voting--specifically voting by mail. Biden accused Trump of his hesitation being rooted in trying to suppress votes, and encouraged all Americans to vote safely both through mail and socially-distanced in person. Trump responded with an assurance that he planned to involve the Supreme Court, and that “[He’s] counting on them to look at the ballots.” He expressed concern over the potential wait time for ballot results to be processed, and refused to give a specific assurance that he would encourage his followers to calmly await the possibly delayed results, stating, “If [he] sees tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, [he] can’t go along with that.” The next scheduled debate is the Vice Presidential debate on Oct. 7, with the next presidential debate set for Oct. 15.

Courtesy // Flickr.com Political street art in Shoreditch from September 12, 2020.

News 5

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Courtesy // Flickr.com Life is imitating art at this point, as the current political climate resembles the the Jon Carpenter film ‘They Live’ .

JAYLINE ALVARADO STAFF WRITER

A

Errors in New York absentee ballots

s the presidential election draws closer and ballots are being sent out, New York mailed out as many as 100,000 voter ballots that have in some way been deemed defective. An absentee ballot is a ballot for someone to vote by mail because they’re unable to go vote in person. In New York, as many as 100,000 people have received misprinted mail-in ballots.

The New York Post reported that people had received ballot mailing envelopes with the wrong name and address. Some even received ballots with neighbors’ information who lived two blocks away. “It’s a major problem. This is not stoking confidence in the election system,” said Brooklyn Heights resident Jiong Wang, who received a return envelope for his ballot with the name and address of a voter who lives a half-mile away.

The New York Times reports that the results of the June Primaries weren’t announced until August due to “...technical issues like missing postmarks, missing signatures or improperly sealed envelopes.” This led to thousands of ballots being thrown out.

However, new ballots have been sent out and are expected to arrive before Nov 3. The people who have been impacted by the incorrect ballots will receive a voting kit in the weeks ahead. The votes that have already been submitted with the defective ballots will be invalidated by the second ballot that voters were sent. Election Commissioner Frederic M. Umane stated that in order to differentiate the two ballots, “The second ballots will be distinguished by a red mark that will be picked up by the board’s ballot-processing machines.”

Governor Cuomo opposed the sending of a second ballot, suggesting that they should be sent the correct mail-in envelope rather than an entirely new ballot altogether, according to The New York Post. However, the Board of Elections is a

separate entity to that of the governor’s office.

“Even so, his aides suggested to the board that the vendor should send affected voters only new inner envelopes known as oath envelopes--which contained the actual printing errors--but not new ballots.” This led to speculation that Governor Cuomo may be attempting to disenfranchise voters.

Likewise, Brooklyn wasn’t the only county who faced this challenge--781 voters in Nassau County, also in New York, have received faulty ballots in the mail.

Long Island’s News 12 found that the vendor was the link between the incorrect voter ballots in Brooklyn and Nassau County. NBC New York reported that the vendor was Phoenix Graphics, and they refused to comment. “The Rochester-based printing company, which was founded in 1985 and calls itself the state’s largest supplier of ballot materials, is urging those who call its offices about absentee ballot issues to contact their local board of election.”

President Trump used this as fuel for his argument on voter fraud. He tweeted on September 30, “‘Wow! 100,000 Mail In Ballots in New York City a total MESS. Mayor and Governor have no idea what to do. Big Fraud, Unfixable! Cancel Ballots and go out and VOTE, just like in past decades, when there were no problems!’”

Not only has this propagated Trump’s theory of voter fraud, but it also has forced people to go out during the pandemic instead of mailing in their ballots. “At this point I’m like, do I just chuck the absentee ballots and try to vote early in person?” said Caty Bennett Gray, a resident of Williamsburg. “But that’s not ideal, because I have a 3-week-old.”

Voting by mail is projected to be at an all time high, due to the pandemic. It’s yet to be seen whether this will be a repeat occurrence in other states, as well.

continued from pg. 1

Santa Rosa police fined for COVID-19 protocol violations Courtesy // Flickr.com A May Day solidarity march for social justice, human, labor and immigrant rights.

Gov. Newsom vetoes bill to aid lowincome immigrants

KYLIE LAWRENCE

NEWS EDITOR

T

his past week, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have authorized California to provide low-income immigrants with $600 in financial aid, in order to purchase groceries. The program would have given low-income immigrants a one-time payment of $600, loaded onto a debit card. The card could have only been used at retailers that sell groceries.

Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, a Democrat from Los Angeles, created the bill. When explaining the reasoning behind it, he said, “Kids and families are starving during this pandemic.”

Newsom, in his veto message, claimed, “It has been my firm commitment that my administration would support all Californians during the COVID-19 crisis. To that end, my administration has advanced efforts to provide relief that is both inclusive of and directed to undocumented Californians.”

Although he previously supported a bill that provided immigrants with financial assistance during the pandemic, Newsom vetoed the bill created by Santiago because of its “... significant General Fund impact.”

The bill was supposed to authorize the program, but it did not offer funding for it. The bill requested that the Legislature or the governor pay for it, by using his access to emergency funding. Newsom reportedly has access to a $2.6 billion special fund for emergencies. Critics speculate that he could have used some of that money to pay for the program. It’s unclear how much the program would have cost, but a Los Angeles Times article estimates it would have cost up to “tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Earlier this year, Newsom established the Disaster Relief for Immigrants Project. It gave up to $500 to low-income people living in the country illegally. Newsom put $75 million into the program, and all of it was spent. When he established the project in May, Newsom said, “Undocumented workers are essential.” He went on to explain that immigrants are keeping California afloat, through their work in health care, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and more.

But now, a few months later, Newsom vetoed a similar bill that would provide essential workers with money to keep themselves alive and to feed their families. There are around 7.6 million unauthorized workers in the United States who are struggling with the impacts of the Coronavirus. Although they paid over $2.5 billion in local and state taxes last year, they do not qualify for unemployment insurance, nor the $2.2 trillion stimulus signed by President Trump.

This means SRPD had very few guidelines on how to handle COVID in the workplace at the time of the detective’s death. This, however, does not account for the cases that followed the health officer’s order.

Santa Rosa Police Detective Marylou Armer, 43, died from the virus on March 31 after working for the department for 20 years. Cal-OSHA disclosed that she was exposed to a symptomatic colleague at work, and Cal-OSHA was not notified of her death until two weeks after the fact. According to the Press Democrat, “Armer was the first known California peace officer to have died from complications of the disease, and her loss marked a heart-wrenching and anxious period for Santa Rosa police.”

Following her death, many of Armer’s colleagues proceeded to contract the virus, sending the department spiraling towards an outbreak. “In March and April, some police department employees with virus symptoms were allowed to go to work despite orders from state and county health officials that recommended employers tell such workers to stay home,” explained the statement released by Cal-OSHA regarding the fines issued for the SRPD.

Police Chief Rainer Navarro explained that the department still needs to review the allegations suggested by Cal-OSHA before making any decisions regarding whether to appeal any of the fines or not. SRPD has 15 days from the time they received the citations to submit a review, according to the Press Democrat.

Seven other Bay Area workplaces faced Cal-OSHA fines for safety and health violations on September 22, but the SRPD was the largest of them all, the Press Democrat reported. SRPD was the only cited organization in Sonoma County.

There have been no positive cases at the SRPD since the initial nine reported in March, and Navarro stated, “This is something that we have not seen in over 100 years and this is really new to all of us, so we’re all learning. We’re putting our best foot forward.”

Courtesy // Flickr.com A Santa Rosa Police vehicle parked outside of the Santa Rosa Memorial

6 Arts

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Cruisin’ North Car Show comes to Bear Republic MAX ROBINSON STAFF WRITER

S

ince 1987, Cruisin’ North has

public house ale for $14. If you bring a

been hosting car shows to show

car to show off for the event, you get a

off some of the incredible Ameri-

$4 discount to the order, bringing the total

can cars that have aged like fine wines.

to just $10. The bear Republic Brewery is

The goal of the Cruisin’ North car club is

also open for anyone that wants to order

to share the history of classic American

from the full menu.

cars with families in the area that have

There are a total of 54 parking spots

never had the opportunity to see these

available at the event, so almost everyone

classic vehicles in person.

attending should have no trouble finding

There are many car shows going on

a place to park their car. If need be, there

in the near future, and each of them bring

is overflow parking just across the street

an opportunity to take a closer look at

from the brewery, with plenty of spots for

some exciting pieces of American history.

all attendees.

The United States has a well-documented

Cruisin’ North is also holding anoth-

history of holding car shows across the

er car show, which they’re calling the

country, and Sonoma County is certainly

Third Annual Cruisin’ North Car Show

no exception to this long-lived spectacle.

for a Cause. The show will be taking

The first event is the The Cruisin’

place Oct. 17, from 10 a.m until 4 p.m at

Bear Republic Car show, which takes

the Plaza North shopping center in Peta-

place Oct. 11 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The

luma. The proceeds generated from the

event is being held at the Bear Republic

car show will go towards the Alzheimer’s

Brewery located at 5000 Robert Lakes

Association.

Courtesy // INSTAGRAM Bear Republic will be hosting Cruisin’ Bear Republic on Oct. 11.

Rd. in Rohnert Park. Attendees can ex-

The event is for anyone and every-

donations at the event that will go towards

driving American cars for more than a

pect to see some exciting vintage Ameri-

one, and guests of all ages are invited to

finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

century. Cruisin’ North gives everyone

can cars and hot rods.

come and join in on the fun. There will be

Masks and social distancing are required

the chance to look at an important piece

The event is for people of all ages,

vendors at the event selling memorabilia

at all times at this event.

of American history, and attendees of the

and admission to see the car show is en-

and snacks, so everyone has the chance

Car shows can be a great way to learn

Cruisin’ North Car Show for a Cause can

tirely free. There is food available at the

to leave with a souvenir. This car show

about an important aspect of American

feel content knowing that they are con-

event too. Anyone attending can get a

will have a raffle that all are invited to

history. It is sometimes an overlooked

tributing to a good cause around their

burger, an order of fries, and a Bear Re-

enter, and attendees are invited to make

part of our culture, but people have been

community.

Television production in the age of COVID-19

MYLES GRABAU STAFF WRITER

F

rom a threatening pandemic to

safely continue. Production of the show

raging fires, there is disaster at

relies on a lot of machinery, computed-

just about every corner. While

generated imagery and location-based

many are stuck inside, whether it’s due

scenery, a lot of which can’t be accessed

to quarantining or bad air quality, televi-

from home. However, with masks and

sion and streaming services seem to be

other safety precautions, AMC was given

the main source of entertainment. It’s

the go-ahead to continue production for

not uncommon to wonder how much of a

the following seasons. They were deter-

backlog of pre-COVID-19 television that

mined to take the precautions seriously,

hasn’t aired yet, and how production has

“We have a former military infectious

truly changed during this time in our his-

diseases specialist on the ground with us

tory.

and an epidemiologist and all of that,” ac-

Shows like AMC’s “The Walking

cording to Kang. These types of precau-

Dead” were forced into a hiatus when

tions have proven to become the new nor- The Walking has begun show production during COVID-19.

production was halted during the start

mal, as it has almost become universal

of the pandemic. According to Angela

for production companies to have these

Kang, showrunner of AMC’s hit show,

types of medical officials on set.

“We were deep into post-production on

Production companies hardly have

it when everything shut down. And we

any control over whether or not they can

literally couldn’t finish it, because there

continue filming and production, and it

were post processes that we couldn’t

is almost entirely up to the health ex-

do in person when everybody was sent

perts to decide if things can continue

home.” “The Walking Dead” had only

to move forward. Elsa Ramo, an enter-

one more episode of season 10 left to

tainment lawyer, owns a law firm that

film, and they weren’t allowed to finish

manages 100 films and 30 TV shows per

up production until recently. The show

year. A lot of her work has changed due

is coming to a close in 2022, and the

to the pandemic, and her job has taken

pandemic truly forced them to rethink

on a brand-new sense of urgency due to

their endgame before production could

the new safety precautions. When asked

Courtesy // PODKNOX

about the biggest challenges in produc-

must be tested for COVID-19 before they

tion, Ramo stated that, “There still isn’t

can continue filming.

any insurance to cover COVID claims,

While much of production has

so whether liability rests with the stu-

changed for almost all of these sets,

dio or financiers has to be assessed on a

it doesn’t mean that it has completely

production-by-production basis.” It’s no

stopped. As they say in show business,

surprise that COVID-19-related claims

“the show must go on,” so that’s exactly

aren’t fully covered by many insurances,

what entertainment will do during this

because of how cases have been rapidly

time in our history. On top of that, new

growing in the United States.

content has to come out in order for the

It’s apparent that television and mov-

US population to stay entertained and

ie production sets are now required to

engaged during this pandemic, including

have epidemiologists and medical profes-

lots of new content on Netflix, HBO, and

sionals on set during filming, and stars

the Food Network.

Entertainment 7

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Courtesy // CROMMELINKCLAR Billie Eilish is set to release her documentary on Apple in Feb. 2021.

Apple announces Billie Eilish documentary, ‘The World’s A Little Blurry’

EDGAR ZAVALA

STAFF WRITER

U

nless someone has been living under a rock

Pop Vocal Album for her debut album “When We All

using their platform to urge her fans to go out and vote

for the last couple of years, the name Bil-

Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”

during the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Eilish

lie Eilish has been heard. The 18-year-old

Eilish also made the opening song for the new

participated in a video on National Voter Registration

Grammy award-winning pop star has taken the world

James Bond movie titled “No Time to Die,” a huge

Day, Sept 22., for WhenWeAllVote, a website made

by storm with her soft voice that captivated the mu-

honor for Billie. “It feels crazy to be a part of this in

to raise voter knowledge and help voters register, in

sic industry. Now the talented teenage music icon is

every way”, said Eilish. She went on saying, “To be

which she told her followers to not waste any more

moving to the silver screen with her new documentary

able to score the theme song to a film that is a part of

time and go vote.

titled Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, com-

such a legendary series is a huge honor.”

Fans are very excited to see this documentary as

Now Billie is taking on the movie industry with

Eilish has one of the most prominent fan bases in the

The film is directed by R.J Cutler, who has also

her new documentary of her life through her record-

music industry. Eilish just released her new single ti-

worked on films such as “Belushi” and “The Septem-

breaking years. The documentary team have been film-

tled “My Future,” where she speaks on her hopes and

ber Issue.” This documentary is coming off a huge

ing Eilish since 2018, so there is a lot to see including

dreams for the world. She was not able to complete

year for Eilish as she capped off her 2019 with a gi-

her award season sweep and one of the biggest world

her massive world tour, as the pandemic forced her to

ant $25 million-dollar documentary deal with Apple’s

tours of the last decade. However, the Grammy win-

stay at home as she was just starting her incredible

streaming service as well as being named Billboard’s

ning artist claims to have not seen the final product.

career. Even with all the crazy things happening this

ing to both Apple Music and theaters next February.

2019 Woman of the Year, a coveted award for women

Eilish said in an interview, “I’m terrified. I’m

year as well as uncertainty for the future, Eilish stated

everywhere. Eilish also became the first woman to win

freaking out. They’ve been filming since like July of

that she is looking forward to her future with the new

all four major awards at the Grammys, including Al-

2018...Who has that much footage of them that they’ve

documentary coming next year. Viewers and fans can

bum of The Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist,

never seen? I’m terrified.”

watch the trailer on Billie’s YouTube and twitter ac-

and Record of the Year, as well as taking home Best

Eilish has also recently joined a bunch of artists

count.

Netflix’s Latest Trending film ‘Enola Holmes’

ISABELLE BARKEY

N

STAFF WRITER

etflix’s latest trending movie, starring

a Sherlock Holmes fan, then it quickly loses its

the internet’s favorite Millie Bobby

charms,” Said one of the many reviews on IMDB.

Brown, and directed by Harry Bradbeer,

“The new Netflix movie “Enola Holmes,” based

is wowing viewers across America. Enola Holmes,

on “The Case of the Missing Marquess,” stars a de-

Sherlock’s teenage sister, is played by the young ac-

lightful Millie Bobby Brown in a saucy 1900-set pas-

tress Millie Bobby Brown, who rose to fame after star-

tiche with a modern feminist spin. Enola — who likes

ring in the successful Netflix original series, Stranger

to point out that her name is “alone” spelled backward

Things. “[Brown is] the bright, sustaining spirit of a

— is bright, clever, curious and, above all, resolute.”

film that surrounds her with a fine cast and lovely

The LA Times states.

The young Enola also spends the whole movie fighting gender norms, “whether they be marrying a man or wearing a scratchy hat. And though there is an abundance of stories set in the late 19th century, rarely do viewers see a strong, disobedient woman in search of something greater than courtship (and who doesn’t end up getting married anyway because they finally met the “right” man),” Insider remarked about the film.

“Although it’s tempting to size her up to Sherlock

trappings in a pleasantly twisty detective story that’s

Henry Caville, however, received negative re-

due to their shared moniker, it’s important to realize

elevated by the exuberance of Enola’s detecting,” stat-

views for his performance. Many claimed that his

that “Enola Holmes’’ isn’t about a young woman fol-

ed Joe Morgenstern from the New York Times.

portrayal of an emotional Sherlock Holmes was inap-

lowing her brother’s path. Rather, it’s about Enola’s

propriate. The scandal even got him into a bit of legal

quest to carve her own,” also commented Insider.

Set in 1884, the movie follows Enola Holmes as she wakes up on the morning of her 16th birthday to

trouble recently.

discover that her mother was missing. Her brothers,

The New York Times wrote, “The film, which

Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, whom she had been

scored a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, also has an area of

left with try to send her off to a school “for proper

feminism about it many viewers praised it for. Brown,

young ladies” until she escapes to find her mother and

as Enola, steals the spotlight from Sherlock Holmes

starts living by her own rules.

as the hero of the movie. Over two months she had to

“On the surface, “Enola Holmes” is about a young woman in search of herself, but the film’s value comes

undergo training for the many chase and fight scenes throughout the story.”

from a deeper investigation of power, familial bonds

Looper.com stated, “While Brown has spent years

and the risks of changing a world determined to stay

tasked with making her telepathic and psychokinetic

the same,” Morgenstern states.

abilities seem real to the Netflix series’ audience, it’s

Sherlock is played by Henry Caville, who has

also required her to put on a realistic American ac-

been criticized since the movie’s release for his per-

cent. In an interview with Express, Brown revealed

formance.

that after four years of doing that accent, going back

“Enola Holmes is absolutely wonderful, quirky and charming. You’ll absolutely love it, unless you’re

to her own proved to be more difficult than she anticipated.”

Courtesy // NETFLIX Enola Holmes is now streaming on Netflix.

8 Student Life

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma State seniors struggle through four years of fire S TAYLOR CLARK

STAFF WRITER

onoma State University seniors have dealt with some form of a fire affecting their education and college experience every single year of their attendance.

During their freshman year, Seawolves were welcomed with not one, not two, but three ongoing fires, the Tubbs fire, the Nuns fire, and Pocket Fires, which lasted for 23 days. This brought a tremendous amount of smoke, evacuation orders for all of Santa Rosa and parts of Rohnert Park, and a week off from classes for SSU students. Sophomore year, the Camp Fire erupted in the small town of Paradise several counties away. Smoke descended into Sonoma County, entering dorm rooms, walkways, and classrooms making it difficult to see a few feet in front of you. Students were advised to start wearing face masks while walking to class. Many ignored this advice at the time. And to top it off, the same day that the Camp Fire started on Nov. 8, 2018, the Woolsey Fire also began and threatened the lives and homes of thousands in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Many students that attend SSU are from Southern California, which made students feel unsettled about the safety of their new found home and their hometown. During their junior year, they were faced with the Kincade Fire, which they would soon realize was the biggest fire of the 2019 season and the largest fire to burn in Sonoma County.

Now with the infamous year that is 2020, what were once baby freshmen have now become seniors and they are having to endure the worst fire season in history, among other things. With the onset of COVID-19 forcing many schools to partake in remote learning, SSU students are scattered across the state. Many are still living in Sonoma County, trying to grasp at the last remaining ounce of their college experience. The LNU Lightning Complex Fires started one day before the first day of instruction at SSU. These were created by a mixture of hot and dry weather, lightning, and bad luck. Little spark fires began and ended up getting out of control morphing into one another. The CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned away a large portion of the Santa Cruz mountains, so much so that Big Basin State Park will likely be closed for at least a year. The El Dorado fire started in Southern California from a gender reveal party gone wrong and burned more than 10,000 acres. Now the Bobcat fire has threatened those in Southern California, and is considered one of the largest in Los Angeles County history by burning over 100,000 acres. Not to mention the Glass fire at our own backdoors.

Sonoma State senior and Biology major, Craig Zschach, recalls being woken up in his dorm freshman year at 4 a.m. from constant amber alerts. It was 90 degrees out that day and smokey according to Zschach. Gas stations had hour long lines and fires were becoming more visible on nearby hills. Zschach attended Rancho Cotati High School and is a Rohnert Park native. When evacuations were put in place he did not have a far away home to escape to. Instead, his parents were evacuated and his family and himself resided at his grandparents home on the far side of Rohnert Park away from the Tubbs and Nuns fires.

Zschach remembers working at Outback Steakhouse when the evacuations were lifted for Rohnert Park, but not Santa Rosa, and he worked his longest most difficult shift that night. The Walmart parking lot near Outback Steakhouse was an evacuation zone for residents and everyone decided to eat at Outback while they were there. He remembers serving 20 tables at one time, due to so many employees having to evacuate. After being asked if the fires over the years have had any affect on his school work, he said that it “hasn’t affected me much, teachers started to plan ahead and plan for fire season.”

Kelsey Venuti, Sonoma State senior and Business Marketing major, was evacuated during the Tubbs and Nuns Fires. She recalls “I’ll never forget waking up at 7 a.m. my freshman year, when I heard we were being evacuated. Once I walked outside and saw there was ash everywhere, I was immediately scared because I knew the fire had to

STAR // Sarah Gallagher A glimpse into the destructive forces seniors have had to deal with for four years.

be close.”

She continued by saying that every time there was a fire near Rohnert Park there also happened to one near her home in LA. The Tubbs and Nuns Fires in Sonoma County erupted her freshman year and soon after the Thomas Fire erupted near her home. “It wasn’t nearly as bad there, but it was still a very unsettling feeling having to live in an area that may not be safe at the time,” Venuti emphasised.

And her sophomore year, when the Camp Fire started in Sonoma County, the Woolsey fire also started in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties forcing her mother to evacuate. Watching the news year after year featuring so many California fires made Venuti sad, she prayed for families affected but at the same time hoped the fires would not reach her. Venuti has learned to appreciate her home and everything she has because she does not know when it will be gone. She concluded, “I definitely do not like being evacuated and I hope that I won’t have to again.”

Chris Tessier, Sonoma State senior and Geology major, remembers Rohnert Park being deserted his junior year when everyone

was evacuated during the Kincade Fire. Tessier feels “More confident with dealing with fires.”

He feels like what was once a chaotic scene is now “Normal.” With COVID-19, most are wearing masks and Tessier points out that “We were already wearing masks anyways so we were more prepared to deal with smoke.”

Natalie Gutierrez, senior and English major, states that she is less and less surprised every year a fire takes place, “I almost expect it at this point.” She even goes on to say that after each year she would start bringing less things with her to school so she would not have to bring so much back when forced to evacuate. Gutierrez stated, “People are crying in my classes and venting in discussion boards about their lives being threatened by a virus and now their homes again because of the fires. It’s becoming a tradition as a student for SSU, one that shouldn’t be repeated,” concluded Guiterrez.

While this is a small snapshot of some of the experiences seniors have had to endure, it provides enough evidence to support the claim that a pattern has been made regarding the continuous appearance of fires in Sonoma County.

SeawolvesLead: identity, social justice, and intersectional leadership AMANDA KOBA

STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State University alumni gathered with students to discuss life after college and how their time at the university has helped them find a career path at the SeawolvesLead discussion. The topics covered included identity, social justice, and intersectional leadership.

The event was held Oct. 2 from 6 p.m to 7:30 p.m, and was the third discussion of a webinar series hosted by Hannah Thomas, the leadership programs coordinator. Students were invited to attend this leadership conference where SSU alumnae shared their experiences of navigating life in their career fields through a panel discussion.

Thomas said, “SeawolvesLead is a series of programs designed to help students develop leadership skills while at Sonoma State that will equip them to become leaders in their respective communities and careers upon graduation.”

The event was created by Thomas with a, “...desire to develop a partnership with SSU alumni and the need to adapt our leadership program for the remote learning environment,” since the remainder of the school year is virtual.

Panelists gave a brief introduction of themselves, stating their names, graduation year, current careers and their involvement at SSU when they were students.

When asked why the alumna chose to participate, Erina McCoy Tandy said, “I wanted to reinforce to students that the things they do outside of class at Sonoma State are just as important as the things they do in the classroom.When you attend events with alumni or other leaders, ask questions, network and connect you gain access. These

events give you the cheat codes, the keys, the VIP passes that will clear the way for your next steps.”

The first topic that was discussed was intersectionality. Each panelist described what intersectionality was in their own words as well as how it has shaped their own identities. A majority of alumnus included how race and gender intersected.

Jamila Dozier, an SSU alumna said, “I feel like my identity kinda has always been decided for me...going to Sonoma State helped me decide my life for me and understand what my identity meant for me in terms of how I moved through the world,” in response to the question.

Similarly, other panelists agreed with how SSU really helped define their identities.

In the beginning, alumni mentioned their inSTAR // Sarah Ramos volvement on campus. When talking about SSU alumni described how important self-care is for people who do social justice that topic, all included their student leaderwork. ship roles that they held and how it shaped them, as well as what it did for them. Some munity organizations where the staff that I am on is five people.” She advised that volunteer of the clubs and organizations they were inwork in the community and having familiarity in it would benefit their chances of working volved in included: Join Us Making Progress in a smaller organization.

(JUMP), Residential Life, and Peer Advising.

Other questions came after such as, “What are some leadership skills that students Tandy said, “Student Leadership and inshould try to develop during their time at SSU?” or “How Seawolves can provide leadership volvement created a foundation for my caor support for social movements or identity groups with which they don’t directly identify reer.” with?”

An audience questioned followed. The Answers varied from resilience, constantly learning, understanding your limits, active student asked, “Was it intimidating looking listening, accountability, transparency, and keeping an open mind. All panelists gave their for work at a non profit community or organianswers based on what they learned in their careers and personal experiences. zation and what were some of the challenges The event focused on leadership in regards to identity, social justice, and intersectionalyou encountered?” ity, and had all panelists involved all working in a field where these topics were consistently Elizabeth Esparza gave her experience discussed. This was to promote different paths students could take after their time at SSU. and said, “..it depended on the nonprofit,” and These events are held biweekly and all focus on different topics. The next one will be Oct. 13 followed by saying, “...the kind of nonprofits I from 6 pm-7 pm and will discuss leadership in education. have worked with are small, grassroots com-

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

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Student Life 9

Courtesy // UN DRR

It is important to plan for the event of a fire and evacuation.

Resources aimed to help those affected by the fire can be found all across the county

MORAGH GRAF

STAFF WRITER

I

t’s wildfire season here in Sonoma County, and with it the threat of possible evacuations. The Glass Fire, which started around 4 a.m. on Sept. 27, has burned about 63,000 acres of land in the Sonoma and Napa counties. Sonoma county has been impacted by the fire with worsening air quality, red-flag warnings, and looming possible evacuations.

For students, this means weeks of up-in-the-air plans while navigating the stress of midterms and online learning. This can be even more stressful for on-campus residents, as some Seawolves may not have many options outside of on-campus residence. The county, as well as Sonoma State University itself, has a multitude of resources for students in this trying time.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when planning to evacuate is to be prepared. It can be difficult to know what to pack and what not to, especially if an individual has never been in this kind of situation. Luckily, the SoCo Emergency website has lots of important information on how to be prepared and how to stay in the know about everything going on in your area. Some of the most important aspects in being prepared are staying up to date with county updates, making a plan that involves medical information and maps a route of escape, and building a “go-bag” full of everything you’ll need. Important documents, tools, medications, flashlights, and first aid kits are among the essentials. Food, water, and extra clothes should provide “a minimum of 72 hours worth of essential supplies” as well.

There are also Neighborhood Programs organized in Sonoma County that help citizens prepare for and cope with emergencies in their areas. Some of these include Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies, Map Your Neighborhood, Listos, and Fire Safe Council. SoCo emergency also has resources and information available for those with access and functional needs.

Sonoma county has many temporary evacuation points (TEP) and shelters prepared for uncertain moments such as this. According to SoCo Emergency as of Oct. 2, Petaluma Veteran’s Memorial Building and Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building are being utilized as shelters and TEPs. As for the Sonoma State Campus, Cabernet Village is being used as a Non-Congregate Shelter only. Shelter and TEP lists are updated daily on the SoCo Emergency website as some shelters become full or have a change in plans.

Sonoma State University emailed students and faculty on Oct. 2, with more resources regarding fires in the county. According to the email, the faculty is offering for students who may need additional assistance to reach out to the Care Team, in which students will be able to fill out a Care Report and be guided in finding resources on and off campus.

The email has a link attached which opens Sonoma State’s Basic Needs Initiative, which has countless resources for students including: food services, emergency housing and cash, mobile showers, immigration assistance, and more. The email also includes a link to a “3 Days Checklist” which lists everything an individual should pack for a three-day period in the event of an evacuation.

Sonoma State also provided a link in the email to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in which individuals can find tips and information on all kinds of natural disasters and emergencies. Homeland Security details what to do before, during, and after a wildfire evacuation. These tips include knowing your evacuation zone and route, what supplies to pack, and how to safely return home after it is okay to do so.

For more information on emergency resources in the area, visit socoemergency. org/prepare or studentaffairs.sonoma.edu/basicneeds. To stay up to date on evacuation centers, visit socoemergency.org/emergency/wildfire/evacuation-centers.

The Campus Recreation Center celebrates its 16th birthday

RACHEL GONZALEZ

STAFF WRITER

I

n celebration of the Campus Recreation Center’s “16th birthday”, Seawolf Living announced that starting Mon. Sept. 28 that the Instagram page for the Sonoma State University Campus Reaction Center,@ssucampusrec, will be hosting a digital spirit week that involves themes such as Mindful Monday, Team Support Tuesday, Workout Wednesday, Trailhead Thursday, and Flashback Friday.

These interactive posts are not only celebrating the 16-year-old campus building, but it also provides chances to win a T-shirt for one of the participating students.

The Campus Recreation Center was created in 2004, where it now offers a variety of programs that involve adventure, aquatics, fitness, wellness, and intramurals.

According to the campus recreation website, Sonoma State students have a paid membership, through their tuition fees, which allows them to experience the entirety of the Recreation (Rec) Center. The experience includes a fitness center, an indoor track, a climbing walk, cardio equipment, game room, inMotion group fitness classes, and much more.

Due to the pandemic, the Rec Center has been closed for the semester of fall 2020.

The Rec Center can be a place of opportunity for memories for the students at Sonoma State University, especially for upcoming undergraduates.

SSU alumni Jack Ellman says that the campus recreation center helped him find a sense of peace when he attended Sonoma State.

“It helped me find a therapeutic place to put my earbuds in, blast my music and work my stress of whether it was from classes, my social life, or anything else, ‘’ said Ellman.

The recreation center even allowed Ellman to find a group of friends during his first year attending Sonoma State.

“My first week at school, I met with a random group of people that had gathered outside of my dorm. We ended up going to the Rec Center lobby area to hang out and in that group was my soon to be girlfriend, who I’ve now been with over 2 years.”

Director of Campus Recreation, Shelbi Long, says that she believes that students are missing connections and activity with the Rec Center being closed.

“When a student is involved in any extra-curricular activity, it helps them succeed in the classroom. The benefits of going to the Recreation Center are endless but I think overall students are missing that outlet that allows them to feel better and connect with their peers. A student’s over-

The Campus Recreation Center was built fall semester of 2004. all physical, emotional, and mental health is improved when we are in the facility participating and connecting,” said Long.

Amanda Danter, a front desk associate at the Rec Center, shared her positive social experience, building connections with those who utilized the Recreation Center.

“When I saw the same recurring participants, I would learn their name and start to have conversations with them while they were checking in,” said Danter.

Danter also shared that the atmosphere of the Rec was friendly and fun by not only offering a place to work out, but also providing relaxation and entertainment from a sauna, ping-pong tables, a pool, and the rock wall.

Long explained that the Rec Center team was approved for making improvements before

STAR // Sarah Ramos

COVID-19 and that they are hoping to get those completed at some point before opening, whenever that may be.

“We just received new equipment this past year in the cardio alley and are looking to do some innovative programs. We would also like to continue to provide virtual classes and workshops to make all of our programs accessible to our students,” shared Long.

Though the Rec Center may be closed, they are still pushing to pursue the student community through social media and following their purpose of supporting students by making them feel connected to one another. Clearly, Seawolves are looking forward to is reopening.

Students can become more involved with the campus Recreation Center by following them on Instagram at @ssucampusrec.

10 Sports

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

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Florida State football coach continues coaching through COVID-19

SEAN KENNEALLY STAFF WRITER

M

ike Norvell, Florida State’s head football coach, tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 19. He is the first head coach to miss a game because of COVID-19. In an interview with ESPN, Norvell said he was not surprised by the result and, “[he] will remain involved remotely as much as possible to help our team continue to prepare.”

In his time away, Norvell did everything he could to stay connected with the team. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Norvell, “is grateful that technology is helping him stay connected with the Seminoles daily… [and the] FSU video staff for providing multiple camera angles that allow him to monitor practice in real time and relay guidance to his staff directing the team.” However, despite all Norvell and his staff’s efforts, the Seminoles lost to inter-Atlantic Coast Conference, ACC, rival University of Miami, Florida, Hurricanes, 10-52, on Sept. 26. After the game, Norvell commented, “Those are my guys, and to be sitting at home and not being able to have an impact throughout the course of the game, it was a tough night.”

Seminole players felt a large hole on the sideline with Norvell’s absence. Camren MacDonald, senior tight end, in an article for ESPN, noted, “You always feel like the situation is under control when Coach Norvell is there. It’s significant but it wasn’t insurmountable.”

In this recent week, Norvell returned to the practice field on Sept. 29. “It was good to be back on the field,” Norvell mentioned in a post-practice news conference. The Seminoles prepared for Jacksonville State this week, for their competition on Oct. 3. Norvell is expected to be on the sideline as well, after passing medical

Courtesy // Florida State University Florida State Seminoles head football coach, Mike Norvell, contracted COVID-19 and participates remotely.

examinations by the ACC. Norvell stated, “This is a critical week to go out there and put ourselves in the best position to be successful.”

Florida State defeated Jacksonville State, 41-24, to notch their first win of the season.

This win is also Norvell’s first win at Florida State. Norvell post-game stated, “It was great to be back on the sideline with [his team],” and “Proud of the way the team fought back while facing a 14-point deficit.

Outside Florida State, there has been frequent game cancellations and player, team infections. Since Aug. 26, over 20 games have been cancelled, according to AP. In addition,

notable playoff-contending and blue-blood teams have seen huge spikes in infection.

From Notre Dame, Texas Tech, former national champion Louisiana State, and more, all have seen infections to some degree from their players.

Overall, the college football world has fallen to the struggles of COVID-19. From players opting out of season, conferences on the fence of not playing, and avoiding infection as a whole. Public opinion about the sport sways on both sides of the spectrum.

However, as of Oct. 4, all ‘Power Five’ and ‘Group of Five’ committed to functioning seasons, now or postponed.

The Tennessee Titans contract the NFL’s first COVID-19 outbreak ELISEO FRAGOSO STAFF WRITER

A

fter three weeks of COVID-19 free football, the NFL has announced that the Tennessee Titan’s are the first team to have a COVID-19 outbreak this season. The news was first announced after three players and five staff members tested positive for the virus after their week three game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Titan’s did not release the name of the players that tested positive, but they did place long snapper Beau Brinkley, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, and practice squad tight end, Tommy Hudson, on the reserve or COVID-19 list.

The Vikings did not receive a positive test result with any of their players or staff, but they suspended in-person activities this past Tues. There were a few more players and staff that eventually tested positive for the Titans as the week went on.

The league released a statement saying, “Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments.”

This resulted in the Titan’s upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers being postponed, as it was announced that the game will be rescheduled for either Mon. or Tues.

The Steelers Head Coach, Mike Tomlin, told ABC News, “We’re going to trust the medical experts, If they deem it safe for us to proceed, we’re going to go down there with the intention of playing and playing to win.” The league ultimately decided to cancel the game, and both teams will have to play later on this season. It is the first time since the summer when the league announced that preseason games were going to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

NFL’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Allen Sills, along with Jeff Miller, the league’s exec-

Courtesy // Creative Commons The Tennessee Titans obtain the NFL’s first virus outbreak of eight cases.

utive Vice President of Communications, wrote in a memo, “It is essential to wear a face covering, maintain physical distancing at all times and practice healthy hand hygiene,” according to the memo. “There is one simple rule to remember: act as if every person you come in contact with has a COVID infection and take appropriate precautions.”

Before the season, the league set up protocols for all teams to follow in order to prevent such outbreak which included: players being tested daily during the regular season except for when they have games, but if a player or staff member has an inconclusive test result then they will be tested again and must have a negative test

two hours prior to start of game. If a team gets a positive result, then the first thing they will have to do is check whether the person has symptoms of COVID-19 or is asymptotic.

For the players that are positive and showing symptoms, they cannot return until ten days after the symptoms first appeared then have to be evaluated by Dr. Sills. The players with a positive result but no symptoms cannot return until ten days have passed since the first test or five days have passed since the first positive test and the player tests negative in consecutive PCR tests.

Other new rules that were implemented were that players and staff are not allowed to leave their cities during their teams bye week.

Sports 11

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

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The red hot Oakland Athletics move on to round two

Courtesy // Creative Commons The Oakland Athletics move on to round two of the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

RYAN WEINER

STAFF WRITER

T

he Oakland Athletics hosted the Chicago White Sox as part of a three-game wild card series in the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland. The A’s had plans of ending their postseason futility in what was a nail-biting game three between these two high scoring offenses. The A’s were powered to victory behind the bat of Chad Pinder, as he hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the fifth inning and by the A’s bullpen, which has been stellar this season. The A’s were able to hold off White Sox bats and rally to a 6-4 win in game three on Thurs. They will face their rival Houston Astros in the American League Division Series, which begins Monday in the Southern California playoff bubble.

For the first time since 2006, the Athletics won a playoff series to move onto the next round, snapping a streak of six straight eliminations over more than a decade.

The A’s have been preparing for this moment, “When we came into spring training we expected to be in this spot, we have to have the confidence to have success, and that has shown this year, we are confident,” said Manager Bob Melvin.

The first game of the series did not go as planned for the Athletics. Lucas Giolito, Chicago’s starting pitcher, had a perfect game through six innings and ended up limiting the A’s to two hits in seven-plus innings. As the White Sox were able to rough up Oakland‘s pitching staff, they would cruise to victory in a rather easy fashion, topping the A’s 4-1.

The Athletics did not want to disappoint fans and themselves with a game two loss, so they flipped the script and were able to find their true form in a thrilling and suspenseful victory. The A’s got a brilliant starting pitching performance from Chris Bassit, who was originally drafted by the White Sox and then traded to the Athletics in 2015. “This start was special for me because it was kind of like playing against my

friends, it was fun, a different dynamic,” Bassit explained. He went seven-plus innings and gave up one run. The A’s lineup scored early and often, getting out to a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. The A’s bullpen was able to hold off a late White Sox rally and take game two of the series with a 5-3 win.

The third and final game of the series had what every baseball fan could ask for, monster home runs, back and forth scoring, and all-around competitive, thrilling baseball. Chicago was able to strike first in game three, rookie outfielder Luis Robert, hit a massive 487-foot home run off of Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers in the second inning. The White Sox were able to tack on two more runs in the third inning, putting them up 3-0. Both squads took out their starting pitchers early and relied heavily on their bullpens. Neither starting pitcher completed two innings and the two teams combined used 17 pitchers total.

In the fourth inning, the Athletics offense exploded with four runs of their own, but the White Sox were able to quickly tie it in the fifth at four runs a piece. In the bottom half of the fifth, the As delivered the ultimate blow. Chad Pinder smacked a go-ahead two-run single to bring the score to 6-4. This clutch hit from the outfielder was enough for the win. The bullpen was lights out the rest of the way as closer Liam Hendricks held the Sox scoreless in the ninth inning, completing one of the most intense games for the franchise in recent memory. Bob Melvin praised his squad, “We want our best and toughest guys in the lineup in these types of games, and that was shown today.”

The A’s next game is Oct. 5 at 1 p.m., where they will be facing the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium as part of Major League Baseballs’ playoff bubble.

The Los Angeles Lakers seek their seventeenth finals championship

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

T

he 2020 NBA season will always be one to remember because of COVID-19. But for Los Angeles Laker fans, it means much more. The 2020 season has been dedicated to the late, great Hall of Fame basketball player, Kobe Bryant.

The Lakers started off the extended season in the bubble a little slow with a 3-5 record, but once the playoffs started they rolled through. The Lebron James led team went 4-1 in the first round against the Portland Trailblazers.

During the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers commemorated their Hall of Fame shooting guard by having Kobe Bryant day.

The team debuted their all black mamba jersey’s in honor of Kobe’s persona of the “Black Mamba.”

On ESPN after the game, Lebron James said, “When I looked up and saw we were up 24-8, I was like, okay, he’s here in the building. It’s a beautiful, beautiful night for our franchise and something we will always remember - this moment.”

The Lakers went on to win the series and go on to steam roll the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets on their way to pursuing their 17th Finals NBA Championship.

After the Nuggets game, Lakers center Dwight Howard said in an interview with Bleacher Report, “It’s simple. The job is not finished.” That quote came from a Kobe Bryant quote in the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic he said, “What’s there to be happy about? The job’s not finished. Is the job finished? I don’t think so.” The Lakers were up 2-0 in the series and Kobe Bryant showed his inner mamba and described how the job is never done until the final whistle.

The 2020 Los Angeles Lakers have used

this mentality throughout the playoffs. Players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company have constantly described how they are not finished yet. The entire season has been dedicated to Kobe Bryant. The Lakers are undefeated when wearing the new blacked out mamba jerseys.

The Lakers are currently up in the finals series 2-1 against the Miami Heat. Lebron and teammates have made quick work out of the opposing team. Anthony Davis has led the charge with 30 or more points in the first two games. Game three was a different story with AD and Lebron being held in check and superstar of the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler putting up 40 points along with a triple double.

If the Lakers win the 2020 NBA championship, Lebron James will become one of three players to win a championship with three different teams. This will be Lebron’s fourth championship and if he wins, in some people’s eyes, he could be regarded as the “GOAT” over Michael Jordan, although those that remember Jordan in his prime beg to differ, and many argue that the game has changed as a result of hand-check rules, and there is no comparison between the two widely differential talents.

Lebron described his line in the ranking of best player of all time when he talked about his win over the Warriors in Cleveland. “That one right there made me the greatest player of all time. That’s what I felt. I was super, super ecstatic to win one for Cleveland because of the 52-year drought. ... The first wave of emotion was when everyone saw me crying, like, that was all for 52 years of everything in sports that’s gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped, I was like -- that one right there made you the greatest player of all time.”

Courtesy // lukeharold Lebron James is on a quest to bring another title to Los Angeles.

12 Photo

OCT. 6 - OCT. 12, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Fires leave Santa Rosa hillside scorched

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

The remains of Soda Rock in Healdsburg are still an iconic memorial from the Kincade fire on top of the new winery.

The vineyards at Hanna Winery, still scorched from fires.

STAR // Sarah Gallagher The hills of Santa Rosa were burned over last week due to the Glass Fire, with the cities’ residents finally returning home this week.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly Police cars that are waiting to be on duty sitting in front of the SRPD downtown. The station was fined for improper COVID protocol.

STAR // Sarah Gallagher The world famous sign that invites wine lovers all over the world to come and see what it is all about.

STAR // Sarah Ramos The Recreation Center celebrated its 16th birthday this year, yet there is no way to visit it due to COVID-19.

STAR // Sarah Gallagher Joseph Family Vineyards in Healdsburg are growing their grapes for the new season of wine, inviting patrons to their tasting room with enhanched safety protocol.