04-12-2018

Wednesday, April 18 - Tuesday, April 24, 2018 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 104, Issue 31 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

Photo by Kelly Smiley

420 I SSUE

Pot Problems:

Legalized, not Expresidenta decriminalized: de Brasil

Got munchies?

Turley talks:

State, Feds clash on weed regs

State pot law leaves many behind bars

Dilma Rousseff visitarĂĄ SDSU

Cannabisinfused menus

Ex-NFL and SDSU Aztec talks pot

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News

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Will Fritz, news@thedailyaztec.com

Cannabis use at SDSU: here are the rules

by Lauren J. STAFF WRITER

Mapp

Marijuana may now be legal for recreational use in California as of Jan. 1, but it’s still illegal on San Diego State’s campus.

Following the passage of Proposition 64 during the 2016 election, adults 21 and older can buy marijuana from state-licensed recreational dispensaries, with a daily purchase limit of up to one ounce or edible products containing no more than eight grams of cannabis concentrate.

But federal laws require that SDSU — which receives federal research funding and student financial aid — prohibit the use, possession and distribution of marijuana on campus and in the workplace, university spokesperson Jill Esterbrooks said in an email.

“SDSU students and employees who violate the university policy may face discipline, including a maximum penalty of dismissal,” Esterbrooks said.

And since both medical and recreational marijuana are illegal under federal law, FAFSA eligibility can be revoked if a student is convicted of marijuana possession while receiving federal aid, although federal agents have been historically unlikely to to target individual marijuana users.

Even under state law, marijuana

Illustration by Noah Callahan

cannot be used in public spaces, similar to restrictions on alcohol.

It also cannot be used in vehicles by drivers or passengers.

And it remains illegal to take marijuana on a plane or transport it between states, even if both states have legalized it for recreational use.

Film sophomore Cameron Hill said he believes that students

over 21 should be able to use cannabis in their dorm rooms to ensure that they have a safe place to consume marijuana.

“It’s everywhere, so why even try to push harsh and strict limitations on something that is so frequently seen? I’d rather see people smoking marijuana in their dorms, in a place that’s safe,” Hill said.

It’s worth noting that students who live on campus are typically underclassmen, and thus tend to be underage.

Though he said that he feels other political issues are more important, SDSU College Republicans President Brandon Jones believes that the legalization of recreational marijuana highlights the conflict

of federal rights vs states’ rights.

“This is going to be an issue that will probably end up in the Supreme Court very soon,” Jones said in a message. “It’s a classic example of a struggle for power between federal and state governments.”

This story was originially published in The Daily Aztec on Jan. 17, 2018

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News

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Will Fritz, news@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

3

Conflicting federal, state and university marijuana regulations pose unique problems

by Bella Ross SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Four months after the implementation of Proposition 64, which legally permitted adults over 21 years old to use marijuana in the state of California, students at San Diego State spoke on their feelings towards the new policy.

“It’s more natural medicine than using pills or other narcotics that have a lot of other chemicals that mess with your brain chemistry more than

marijuana does,” undeclared freshman Mikayla Howell said.

The state of California joined nine other states in legalizing recreational marijuana through a ballot measure in November 2016.

However, the substance remains illegal both at the federal level and on SDSU property.

Howell, a medical marijuana card holder and dorm resident, said she would like to see this change.

As somebody who has anxiety and pain from a childhood surgery, she said campus

policies forbidding marijuana use in the dorms have been an inconvenience.

Kinesiology junior Nathan Florida agrees that students who need the drug for medicinal purposes should have a way they can use marijuana while on campus.

Florida said he supports medicinal use of marijuana but still holds concerns regarding the potential normalization of more dangerous drugs in the future.

“The pro for it is that it is available for people that need it,

as in medical and psychological (uses),” Florida said. “On the other hand, it’s building a gateway to other more harmful drugs along the line to become something that’s looked at like it should be free on the market.”

As for the future of medical marijuana use on campus, change is unlikely.

According to the WellBeing and Health Promotion website, the Drug-Free Schools and Community Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act both federally prohibit SDSU from allowing drugs on campus if

Photo by Kelly Smiley

the university seeks to continue receiving federal funding.

Business administration graduate student Autumn Robinson said she finds it most reasonable to prohibit marijuana on campus, even in light of its legalization, due to SDSU’s commitment to maintaining a smoke-free environment.

“If it’s a non-smoking campus, they shouldn’t go back on that just because it’s legal now,” Robinson said.

Robinson said she personally has no problem with the legalization of marijuana, although she thinks marijuana use on campus could compromise the comfort of nonsmokers.

Criminal justice sophomore Ximena Violante said she found the legalization of the drug unexpected, but that she is not opposed to the new law since she said it doesn’t affect her.

For those who do choose to use marijuana, she said she hopes they’re using it for the right reasons.

“If (marijuana users) are just trying to go with the trend, then I don’t think that’s smart to do,” Violante said.

Sarah Mercado, academic advisor for the Graduate Business Program said she agrees this would be something that should be looked at and considered depending on the crime committed.

For Mercado, she said the most important consideration with the recent legalization of recreational marijuana is that people are using the drug safety.

“I think the fact that there are still laws and controls for it is probably a good thing,” Mercado said.

Mercado said she doesn’t have any issues with the new marijuana policy. Similar to alcohol, she said people just need to be considering how to be “safe and aware” when using marijuana, especially when it comes to driving and similar activities.

Students face conflicting rules when it comes to marijuana. It’s legal on the state level, but prohibited federally — and because SDSU receives federal funding, it’s banned on campus, too.

Crime report: Underage marijuana possession, burglary

by Amal Younis STAFF WRITER

BURGLARY A car’s passenger seat window was reported smashed between noon March 24 and 10:45 p.m.

April 1 at Parking 4.

Another vehicle’s passenger side window was reported damaged, and a backpack with wallet and laptop were reported stolen from Parking 3 between 3 and 8:40 p.m. April 6.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION A non-SDSU student was arrested and taken to detox for public intoxication at Trader Joe’s just before 8:15 p.m. April 7.

Another non-SDSU student was arrested and taken to county

jail for public intoxication after flipping people off and refusing to pay his tab at Eureka! at about 8:50 p.m. April 7.

A man was reported for yelling profanities at Campus Green. He was arrested and taken to county jail for public intoxication at 11:45 p.m. April 10.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES At about 11:30 p.m. April 2, an SDSU student was cited for possession of marijuana under the age of 21 at Parking 3.

A non-SDSU student was cited for possession of a controlled substance at Alvarado Road just before 4 a.m. April 4.

Another non-SDSU student was released with a misdemeanor citation for being under the

influence of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia at Calpulli Center just before 2 p.m. April 6.

THREAT At about 1:40 p.m. April 10, an SDSU student was reported to police for saying that his former friends have threatened to kill him and are calling and telling him not to come back to school.

THEFT A computer bag with a laptop charger, computer mouse and glasses were reported stolen from the patio area between Starbucks and Chipotle around 4:30 p.m.

March 31.

Shoes were reported stolen from University Towers

Residence Hall between 4 p.m.

March 23 and 10 p.m. April 1.

Another laptop was reported stolen over spring break from the Administration building.

A non-SDSU student minor was cited for petty theft of earphones, lightning cable and T-shirt from SDSU Bookstore at 12:45 p.m. April 3.

A bike was reported stolen between 11 p.m. April 2 and 3:10 p.m. April 3 from Zura Residence Hall.

At about 12:20 p.m. April 4, a non-SDSU student was cited for petty theft of two clothing items from SDSU Bookstore.

An SDSU student was cited from SDSU Bookstore for petty theft of a jersey just before 5:40 p.m. April 5.

A backpack was reported stolen from the Geology Mathematics Computer Sciences building around 10:30 p.m. April 5.

A gold necklace was reported stolen from the basketball court area in the Aztec Recreation Center on April 6.

An SDSU student was cited for petty theft of makeup items and a pen from SDSU Bookstore at noon April 10.

A skateboard was reported stolen from Aztec Recreation Center’s skateboard racks between 7 and 8:30 p.m. April 10.

A laptop and cell phone were reported stolen from an office at Nasatir Hall at about 7 p.m.

April 11.

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Opinion

The Daily Aztec

April 18-April 24, 2018 EDITOR: Dana Tsuri-Etzioni, opinion@thedailyaztec.com

‘A Quiet Place’ can pave the way for people with disabilities in Hollywood

by Dana Tsuri-Etzioni OPINION EDITOR

A Quiet Place was released into theaters with rave reviews. While the film is an excellent thriller and is not an overly-stereotypical alien movie, the reviews lacked the core concept that made this movie so great.

The fact that a young girl with a hearing disability was cast to play a girl with the same disability — and she was the heroine of the movie.

While casting Millicent Simmonds, an actress who is deaf, to play a deaf character seems like the obvious choice, it unfortunately has not been the case in Hollywood’s history. In Stronger, Jake Gyllenahaal plays Jeff Bauman, a man who lost his legs in the Boston Marathon bombing. Rather than casting an actor who actually does not have both limbs, Hollywood opted to cast a well-known actor who

does. Directors and producers would rather use CGI than to cast an actor who uses a wheelchair.

In Blind, Alec Baldwin plays a man blinded in a car crash. Baldwin is not blind in real life. Hollywood prefers to continuously cast famous actors than to give people with disabilities a chance to portray a character that has the same disability as them.

Rather than let people with disabilities have a platform in Hollywood, and rather than let them live their dreams, Hollywood takes the easy route of using actors known to bring in an audience. With this cycle, people with disabilities will rarely get a chance to make it in the industry.

However, A Quiet Place could be revolutionary for people with disabilities. Casting Simmonds as a main character can open doors for her and other people with disabilities in the future. But, only if Hollywood follows in A Quiet Place’s footsteps and decides to do

the same.

What made this movie even more remarkable than the casting choice, was that it made the daughter the hero of the movie.

She was the fearless older sister and was the one that figured out the aliens’ weakness — something no one else on planet earth was able to do. She was the one that made her disability her superpower.

Hollywood needs to realize making the logical casting choices is the route they should take. But, while it’s been proven that these choices were successful in the past, the buzz quickly faded.

In 1986, Children of a Lesser God came out and generated a lot of positive feedback. In the movie, Marlee Matlin plays the role of Sarah Norman, a custodian who is deaf that works at a school for those that are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Matlin is an actress who is deaf, and is the first person with a hearing disability to win the Academy Award

for Best Actress. Following the release of the movie, the reviews raved about the great choice of casting someone with a hearing disability. According to an article in The Washington Post released in 1986, “The choice of actors (and nonactors) who are actually deaf makes it more intimate, particularly the casting of Matlin.”

Unfortunately, after the buzz surrounding the movie faded, so did the conversation about casting people with disabilities.

As an audience, it is our job to not let the conversation fade this time. With the era of social media, it should be easier to continue the discussion and make it apparent how important it is for the audience to see people with disabilities fairly represented in the media.

Dana Tsuri-Etzioni is a sophomore studying journalism and communication, with a minor in interdisciplinary studies. Connect with her on Twitter @danatsuri.

University public spaces SDSU graduation rates represent growth need a transformation

by Cassidy McCombs SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Many seniors have their eyes locked on graduation, juniors are debating the final planning stages of their last year and other San Diego State students are continuing to build their resumes with internships and work experience as the semester comes to a close.

As semesters go on, summers result in less downtime and become a period of growth between academic calendars.

Despite what anyone ends up doing this summer, no one has more to reflect on than graduating seniors.

While some seniors are not graduating this year, all are reaching a transition in their lives.

SDSU boasts a continual rise in graduation rates, according to the SDSU NewsCenter. New data from SDSU states that as of 2017, more than 73 percent of incoming freshman in 2011 graduated in six years or less, and 50 percent of transfer students in 2015 graduated within two years.

SDSU’s investment in student success has shown through their achievement of providing students a timely education. This growing graduation rate reflects positively both on the university and on graduating seniors.

CSU’s 23 campuses educate an ethnically diverse population of about 460,000 annually at a lower cost to students and the state.

This puts CSU schools in a unique position of providing opportunity to their underrepresented students.

By having SDSU’s graduation rates increase, the university

represents an improvement for the CSU system as a whole and for efforts to advocate an affordable education for diverse populations.

Seniors represent alumni from a university that cultivates a curriculum of success for their students. Graduation rates allow more students to leave with an education to better impact their future. While this new data is a success, SDSU and CSU are not done improving graduation rates.

University of California campuses and private schools do not have the same diverse population of students as CSU. College graduates are an asset to San Diego and students with degrees generally have better salaries and health outcomes.

By increasing SDSU’s graduation rate, college graduates in San Diego will be of a more diverse population, capable of making a bigger impact in other underrepresented groups in San Diego.

This not only allows San Diego to grow in diversity, but will increase the amount of lower income students able to receive a much deserved and affordable higher education.

So while SDSU faces other groundbreaking changes, it also faces a period of growth as their graduation rate increases and their alumni become more diverse.

SDSU is not finished in its efforts, but it does deserve to be praised by its students as graduation comes closer.

Cassidy McCombs is a junior studying journalism and media studies. Connect with her on Twitter @Cassidy_McCombs.

Tim Briggs

The university has ambitious plans for the future of the San Diego State campus. San Diego voters vote on a ballot initiative authorizing the sale of the former Qualcomm Stadium site to SDSU in November. If the initiative passes, SDSU plans to develop “SDSU West” as a riverfront campus.

While SDSU West represents a complete re-envisioning of the future of the campus, recent development reveals that SDSU is transitioning from an auto-oriented campus to a more urban environment. A new residence hall is currently under construction.

New buildings such as the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union and South Campus Plaza have added essential dining, housing and activity space on campus, but they also include courtyards for students to gather. These public spaces can be a vital part of campus life. As the university continues to add new buildings, we must ask ourselves if the campus is meeting student needs by providing great public spaces.

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces by William Whyte offers criteria for examining public spaces. He advocates that plazas and courtyards include ample sittable space, natural elements, food, and a strong relationship to the street.

The Goldberg Courtyard in the Aztec Student Union satisfies all of these elements. The courtyard embraces the street, or in this case, the flow of foot traffic through campus. Rather than being closed off from pedestrian flows, the courtyard is open to the movement of students between the pedestrian bridge and the rest of the university,

MANAGING EDITOR Lilly Glenister NEWS EDITOR Will Fritz ASST. NEWS EDITOR Jasmine Bermudez OPINION EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Jocelyn Moran ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Cami Buckman SPORTS EDITOR Abraham Jewett ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Alex Piscatelli PHOTO EDITOR Kelly Smiley MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Mirella Lopez ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Tristi Rodriguez SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR David Santillan

VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Brian del Carmen Katherine Cooke GRAPHICS ASSISTANT Maritza Garcia CARTOONIST Adriannah Esparza

SPECIAL COMMENTARY

by

EDITOR IN CHIEF Andrew Dyer

creating a constant buzz of activity. The courtyard is one of the best places on campus to sit and people watch, a telling sign of its success as a public space.

The open space at South Campus Plaza tells a different story. While providing sittable space, exposure to the sun and trees, the plaza is mostly empty.

The few users of the plaza, however, could all be found sitting on a ledge facing the steady flow of pedestrian traffic. This is not a coincidence.

Whyte tells us that the presence of other people is what attracts people to a place. So it is no surprise that people chose to sit in the one place where they could watch students moving to and from campus as opposed to the empty space in the middle of the plaza.

These spaces teach lessons about how to improve public spaces on the SDSU campus.

By providing seating and considering natural elements, the Goldberg Courtyard and South Campus Plaza offer a pleasant setting to pass time. But, the design of public spaces must also take into account surrounding activity. Existing spaces are not doomed though. Food trucks, or student-run carts, in the empty space within South Campus Plaza can transform the area.

Whether SDSU continues to build up Montezuma Mesa or expand into Mission Valley, public spaces will play an important role in how well the campus meets the needs of students. By engaging in a dialogue about what works when it comes to public spaces on campus, my hope is that we can change it for the better.

Tim Briggs is a graduate student in the Master’s of City Planning.

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Julianna Ress Cassidy McCombs Nicole Badgley Sofia Bert Kayleigh Venne Bella Ross STAFF WRITERS Amal Younis Cammille Dejoras Paulette Villicana Kyle Betz Julie Cappiello Lauren J. Mapp Kemi Giwa Stephan Early Kelly Kerrigan Justin Wylie Cole Hanson STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Kayla Asencio Weicheng Han Cole Hanson ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Connor Brooke SALES MANAGER Peter Saridakis ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES George Saridakis John Weil Josh Diaz Rauda Valerie Barrientos Miguel Souza Kaden Cowles ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Tyler Burnett Meah Mapp ________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER/ADVISER Jay Harn GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela ________________________________ EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition every Wednesday throughout the semester WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com QUESTIONS/COMMENTS letters@thedailyaztec.com ________________________________ The views and opinions expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.

April 18-April 24, 2018 EDITOR: Dana Tsuri-Etzioni, opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Opinion

The Daily Aztec

5

Double standards and hypocrisy cloud legal recreational marijuana landscape

by Julie Cappiello STAFF WRITER

by Kemi Giwa STAFF WRITER

Marijuana is now legal for recreational use, yet people are sitting in jail for marijuanarelated convictions.

The legalization of recreational use in nine states and decriminalization in 13 is not enough to fight the racial disparity in marijuanarelated cases.

A problem with legalization is that it is not the same as decriminalization.

Decriminalization means the state changes its legislation to remove legal restrictions and eliminate criminal penalties, while legalization does not eliminate penalties.

Minorities are more likely to be arrested for marijuana-related crimes. Proposed policies can promote racism and the amount spent on incarceration. Weed is not decriminalized federally because society uses weed as a way to criminalize minorities.

Under Prop.64, people serving or convicted of marijuana charges may be eligible to petition for resentencing or dismissal of their charges. People who qualify for petitioning must fill out applications, undergo screening, have a hearing and the original judge must review the application.

A reduced sentence relies on the type and the quantity of weed that was possessed at the time of the crime. Twenty-two states and D.C. have decriminalized small amounts of weed, and most of the penalties are small fines.

San Francisco has dropped and dismissed thousands of marijuana convictions as far back as 1975, but the issue is that decriminalization laws vary from state-to-state.

Under the Trump administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions proposed a federal policy that leaves it up to state attorneys to decide whether to go after people for the cultivation, sale or use of weed. Sessions proposed policy allows local U.S. attorneys in the states where weed is legal to perpetuate stereotypes against minorities and their marijuana use.

There is a racial disparity in marijuana-related arrests. Black

by Concordia University. The government would rather spend more on incarceration than prepare young generations for their futures.

This would not be an issue if weed was at least federally decriminalized.

In multiple studies cited by National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, decriminalization showed little to no impacts on marijuana use.

Marijuana can be decriminalized and legal for adult use in all U.S. states, but it is the racial disparity that holds it back.

Since the legalization of marijuana in California and states across the country, stories about cannabis businesses and yoga-friendly weed activities have spread through the media. While the legalization of marijuana is long overdue, I can’t jump for joy while millions of black men sit behind bars for smoking the same drug that only becomes innovative and celebrated when hip, white yoga enthusiasts smoke it.

Photos of white women smoking weed and doing yoga have garnered the attention of popular media outlets. For example, Vogue covered the intersection of cannabis and wellness, emphasizing its status as a lucrative business.

Rather than highlight the millions of fathers and sons the War on Drugs has taken from inner-city communities and given long hard sentences to, they’ve reported cannabis as some new, trendy phenomenon.

This goes to show that society’s perception of cannabis changes when the person smoking it is black.

Cannabis use amongst white and black people is nearly equal, yet the criminalization of black people for the drug persists.

Where black people are seen as lazy weed-smoking criminals, white people are seen as freespirited hippies.

Cannabis is a trend, one that for white people, is used to relax and unwind, but for black people renders them as criminals. A miracle drug when smoked by white people, but a loser, lazypeople drug when black people indulge in it.

We should celebrate the legalization and business of cannabis, but, if we’re glorifying cannabis-based businesses run by white people, we should also work on providing black people with a platform to celebrate the drug they have long been outlawed for.

Julie Cappiello is a sophomore studying journalism and media studies. Connect with her on Twitter @juliecappiello.

Kemi Giwa is a junior studying public relations with a minor in political science. Connect with her on Twitter @_KemiG.

Illustration by Adriannah Esparza

people were nearly 4 times more likely to be arrested than a white person. However, black and white people consume marijuana at almost the same rate, according to ACLU. African Americans are only 12.5 percent of drug users, but they comprise 29 percent of the arrests for drug offenses and 33 percent of those incarcerated on drug offenses. African Americans and Hispanics make up 56 percent of those incarcerated in 2015, according to the NAACP. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports does not specify ethnicity, so the data on whether Latinos have a higher rate of marijuana-related charges than whites is lacking, according to ACLU. The lack in data hides racial disparity in arrests and considers

Latinos to be white. This creates less awareness on the effects it has in Latino communities. The ACLU suspects that Latinos have the same rate of arrests as black people.

In 2010, 52 percent of all drug arrests were for marijuana, most of which were people in possession of small of amounts of weed.

With more than half of the drug arrests being for weed, the war on marijuana is becoming costlier for the U.S. government.

In 2010, federal and state government spent more than $80 billion dollars on prisons and jails, according to The Hamilton Project. In the same year the U.S. Department of Education spent $63 billion dollars on public K-12 and college education, according to research published

Letter: Politicians should be treated with respect I am not writing this to support any political candidate. I am writing this to make a point about something that needs to change in our country.

After taking a hiatus for a few months, an anonymous/ nameless Twitter site is up again and is insulting, mocking and trying to humiliate a political candidate for U.S. Congress ,who I do not support. It is called “Fake Rachel Barnhart.” This kind of thing really bothers me

and offends my sense of human decency, fairness, respect and justice. I am known for having a good sense of humor, but I find nothing funny about publically mocking, insulting someone and making accusations such as that she has “an outsized ego” —as if that is some kind of rarity among political candidates — and is somehow a “prom queen.” No one deserves to be treated like this, whether or not the accusations are valid and

justifiable. This mocker and insulter should at least put his/ her name to this rather than being anonymous and nameless.

That seems cowardly. I am putting my name to this letter.

Why doesn’t this person do the same?

This is not how we should be treating each other in this country. Surely, we are better than this.

Stewart B. Epstein

The Daily Aztec accepts letters to the editor.

Email opinion@thedailyaztec. com to have your letter published. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity.

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6

News

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Will Fritz, news@thedailyaztec.com

Dispensaries — some more straighforward than others — cash in on legal weed

by Angelica STAFF WRITER

Wallingford

When marijuana became legal in January there was an exponential growth in dispensaries in and around San Diego catering to medical and recreational use.

Just typing in “marijuana dispensaries San Diego” in Google will lead you down a rabbit hole of Yelp reviews, a never-ending list of websites and a constantly updating map of dispensary locations.

“There’s always a couple of new spots opening up around the city,” John Anderson, a medical marijuana user said.

“But I’ve found once you found one you like, you tend to stick with it.”

Some businesses have misleading names that cash in on the natural healing craze, incorporating such words such as “holistic” in their company names, while others rely on sometimes-humorous slang terms or play on words.

Many of them don’t have signs clearly stating what kind of business they are.

The huge green numbers indicate if you’re looking for your fix, chances are you’re in the right place.

However, while dispensaries

are seemingly everywhere, it’s important to note that while most of them are legal establishments, there are some that operate less than reputable shops that sell drugs aside from marijuana.

“You can always tell which ones are following the laws and doing things legally,” a dispensary employee who asked to be identified only as ‘Mark’ said. “They look super seedy and you can just tell by walking in they have other motives.”

Names aside, legal dispensaries maintain cleanliness, organization and record keeping.

They record all their customers by making copies of ID’s and double checking customer’s medical marijuana prescriptions if they have them.

Other than that, they have products similar to a grocery store.

They have drinks, food, various accessories, organic and non-organic options, oil, flour, etc. — except that all of these products are infused with cannabis oils.

“The selection they have is pretty amazing and surprising,” Rudolfo Castro said. “I had no idea that half of these things even existed let alone that there’s stuff for animals.”

Illustration by Maritza Garcia

Old and young gather at the dispensaries where they can fill their prescriptions and products for recreational use.

The staff inside is usually nice and knowledgeable and will guide clients through the vast array of products available and provide recommendations based on the clients needs and wants.

“It’s just like any other business, honestly,” Mark said.

“We have to know the product to sell it to the customers.”

Dispensaries are either located in dense shopping areas

or industrial warehouse parts of the city. That’s not by accident.

Laws and regulations dictate where they can operate, how much product they can have on premises, business hours and number of dispensaries allowed in a certain radius, according to the Shouse California Law Group.

“Dispensaries have a lot of regulations and most establishments do a great job in following them,” Mark said.

“For example, there’s multiple security (guards) at different locations of the building at all

times and we always make sure to keep record of everyone that walks in.”

Dispensaries have proven that they could be a money-making powerhouse for the local economy. KPBS reported that in just the first month of legalized marijuana sales brought in over $350,000 in revenue under the city’s cannabis tax plan.

The city of San Diego estimates that the figure is slated to grow to $9.9 million by 2020, according to the city’s five–year financial plan.

Perceived cannabis use unchanged since legalization, some say

by Paulette STAFF WRITER

Villicana

San Diego State students say they have seen no change in the occurrence of recreational marijuana use since the drug was legalized at the beginning of the year.

SDSU is a recipient of federal funds and therefore is required to maintain a drug-free community, prevent illegal drug use and discipline students and employees who unlawfully

possess, use, or distribute illegal drugs on university property, according to an email from Dean of Students Randy Timm at the beginning of the year.

University police spokesperson Raquel Herriot said that there have been only two marijuana citations this year.

Journalism freshman Hayley Richmond, who lives in University Towers, said the odor of marijuana is ever-

present on her dorm floor.

“My floor always smells like weed,” she said. “We’ve had cops come in multiple times but I don’t know if they (students) get in trouble or not.”

According to the SDSU Police Department evidence inventory, the amount of marijuana collected in the first three months of 2018 is significantly less than the amount collected in the first three months of 2017.

University police have

collected a total of 179.3 grams of marijuana between the months of January and March 2018. Last year, there were 687.06 grams of marijuana collected by police between during the same three months.

Criminal justice junior Melissa Ramirez said she sees cannabis use just as often now as she did before legalization.

“I’ve seen (people smoking marijuana) inside the parking structures but not really around buildings or during school

hours,” she said.

Cooper Doty, a television, film and new media production senior, said while he doesn’t think legal marijuana has led to an increase in its use, he has seen an increase in vape pen usage.

“I definitely don’t see an increase in weed but an increase in vape pens everywhere, which is nicotine, that’s actually been more of a rise on campus I think everyone has one of these now,” Doty said.

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Invitations have been sent to 7,000 students, randomly selected to participate in an online health survey. If you received an invitation, we hope you will participate in this important survey. Those who participate will be entered into a drawing to possibly receive a SDSU Bookstore gift card of the following values: 1-$100, 4-$50, 8-$25. One additional student will be selected to receive a $150 gift card to Starbucks. We estimate that between 700 and 750 students will participate in the drawing, making the odds of winning a gift card averaging approximately 1:55.

If you did not receive an invitation but would still like to be included in the drawing, mail a postcard or a letter stating your desire to be part of the “Health Survey Drawing” with your name and email address to: Well-Being and Health Promotion Attention: Health Survey Drawing 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-4705 POSTCARDS/LETTERS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE APRIL 26, 2018 TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DRAWING. SURVEY SPONSORED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH ASSOCIATION (ACHA)

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Will Fritz, news@thedailyaztec.com

News

The Daily Aztec

7

A.S. holds grand opening for new media studio, names it after historic concert venue

by Bella Ross SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Photo by Bella Ross

A.S. President Chimezie Ebiriekwe speaks at the grand opening of The Backdoor Room, the university’s new media studio.

San Diego State’s new media studio, The Backdoor Studio, plans to make highquality media equipment accessible to students from all majors.

On April 17, students and faculty gathered in the student union to celebrate the grand opening of the new media studio. Associated Students President Chimezie Ebiriekwe said the studio may even be the first of its kind.

“We believe that this one is (one of) the first, if not the first, media studio located in a (university) student union,” Ebiriekwe said.

According to the A.S. website, The Backdoor Studio features equipment and software for audio and video recording, editing, green screen filming, professional headshots and other media-related activities. These services are available to all students who make a reservation though the A.S. website.

A.S. Executive Vice President Vanessa Girard said this project has been three years in the making and was largely a student-run operation.

“The Backdoor Studio was designed by students, for students, and is operated by students,” Girard said.

Theatre, television and film senior Phoebe Williams, who helped get The Backdoor Studio operating, said one of their main focuses in working on the project was making the studio accessible to students from all majors.

“This media studio, unlike any other

studio on campus, is not just geared towards one particular major,” Williams said. “We’ve had aerospace engineering majors, we’ve had business majors, marketing majors and multimedia art majors.”

Recording technology and audio design junior Lydon Quill, who will be working at The Backdoor Studio as a technician, said students will have opportunities to work with many different kinds of stateof-the-art media equipment.

“You can learn all these things for free if you’re a student,” Quill said. “You have access to all this amazing equipment.”

Ebiriekwe said the name “The Backdoor Studio,” originated from a small music venue that used to be on campus.

“Although the venue only fit 250 people, from 1968 to 2011 the Backdoor hosted over 5,500 musicians,” Ebiriekwe said.

According to the Associated Students website, the venue used to host artists like Patti Smith, the Ramones and Metallica.

Throughout its 30 years on campus, The Backdoor became a staple in the local punk scene.

“Our hope is that the Backdoor studio will generate as much imagination, creativity, artistry and moments of pure fun and happiness that the original backdoor did,” Ebiriekwe said.

Williams said she hopes the studio will become a space for all kinds of artists.

“One of my favorite things that one of our staff said is that ‘Artists come in all different shapes and forms,’” Williams said. “Just because you’re not in that major doesn’t mean that you’re not an artist.”

‘Point of Intervention’ sustainability event to feature repair fair, pop-up thrift store, panelists and more

by Camille Dejoras STAFF WRITER

On April 23 and 24, Green Love is partnering with the Post-Landfill Action Network to host their Point of Intervention Tour, a sustainability fair promoting conscious consumerism and waste reduction across college campuses.

For two days, students will have the opportunity to attend a repair fair and other multiple sustainability-related activities, such as a pop-up Swap Shop, career fair, panel event and free musical performance, all held at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

According to Post-Landfill Action Network’s press release, the tour’s focus is to promote using resources more sustainably.

“From resisting pipelines to harnessing renewable energy, this tour will show students that activating their unique experiences and passions is a part of this fight, and that while nobody can do everything, everyone can do something,” the press release said.

Sustainability Commission Representative Sabrina Laut said the event is about more than just teaching students to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“As students, we can intervene in the model and work harder towards zero waste,” she said. “Consumers can start by asking manufacturers where they get their sources from, what kind of materials they use and what kind of energy they use when creating their products.”

Sustainability Commissioner Charlotte Roberts said a big aspect of the POI tour

is the intersectionality of sustainability.

It’s important to show that all cultures are involved in the movement, not just privileged people or those who are affected, she said.

“We all play a role in making the system more equitable, which is why we are trying to engage with cultural organizations to come do activities and teach about their sustainable practices,” Roberts said.

On Mon. April 23, Green Love will host their first ever Swap Shop in the student union from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

They will sell second-hand professional clothing donated by various people around the community.

Students can either purchase items for $1-3 dollars or swap their own unwanted clothes for a new outfit, Laut said.

That same day, E3 Enviro-Business Society will hold their career fair from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Co-president of E3 Travis Freeman said there will be over 20 sustainability businesses present, including Ofo, environmental consulting firms, solar panel companies and non-profit organizations.

Following the career fair, Freeman said students are encouraged to attend Sustainable SDSU’s “Sustainable Shorts” event at 5 p.m. in Montezuma Hall.

He said students and faculty will share their knowledge about sustainability via PechaKucha style, which is a Japanese presentation technique where 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each.

On Tues. April 24, the POI tour will present a panel of speakers who will discuss different forms of intervention and their calls to action.

Panelists include activist Junior Walk, youth climate leader Amira OdehQuiñones, Co-Founder of Detroit Dirt Pashun Murrary and Ahmina Maxey, U.S. and Canada Regional Coordinator for Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.

Roberts also said folk musician Luke Wallace will perform a special concert in Montezuma Hall that night from 6-8 p.m.

“He’s the perfect guy for this event because he’s an environmental activist and

During its regular meeting Mon. Apr. 23, 2018 the Associated Students Board of Directors will vote on some important

BYLAW AMENDMENTS Copies of proposed changes are available to interested individuals upon request from the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union’s Information Booth and the A.S. Office, located on the third floor of the student union.

Comments regarding the proposed changes are welcomed in advance.

619-594-6555 as.sdsu.edu

all of his lyrics are about saving the planet,” she said.

In the press release, POI Tour Coordinator Ansley Pope said there is no more time to wait around and hope for change to come.

“The beauty of this tour’s concept is that there is space for all people to get their hands dirty,” Pope said. “We all have a duty to challenge circular economy, capitalism, and the waste crisis.”

8

The Daily Aztec

Mundo Azteca

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Jocelyn Moran, mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Activista de la comunidad indocumentada y LGBTQ tendrá un discurso en SDSU

Ilustración por Julio Salgado, Foto obtenida de la cuenta de Twitter de CultureStrike

por Jocelyn Moran EDITORA DE MUNDO AZTECA

Julio Salgado, uno de los fundadores de DreamersAdrift y gerente de proyecto de

CultureStrike, estará en el teatro del Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union en la Universidad Estatal de San Diego el 18 de abril para tener una conversación con estudiantes sobre su experiencia

con el activismo.

Salgado, quien es indocumentado y se identifica entre la comunidad LGBTQ, usa su arte para representar a los recipientes de la Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia y describir el movimiento de los derechos de los migrantes.

Christopher Lujan, el coordinador del Centro de Pride dijo que el evento en donde Salgado hablará será dividido en tres partes.

De las 6 p.m. hasta las 7 p.m., estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de ver el arte de Salgado que estará mostrado en el pasío del teatro.

Después, Salgado hablará ante la audiencia sobre cómo usa su arte para participar en el activismo.

“Pienso que lo que es verdaderamente importante es que muchas veces, vemos el activismo en maneras específicas, tanto como a través de los medios sociales o protestando y cosas así, pero hay otras maneras en las cuales puedes conectarte con el activismo”, dijo Lujan.

Estudiantes después podrán diseñar carteles como los que

Salgado hace.

“Estudiantes podrán tomar parte en el proceso que toma parte en respeto a contruyendo estas piezas de arte”, dijo Lujan. “Entonces, tendramos muchos materiales para que los estudiantes puedan conectarse y seguirlos”.

Las ilustraciones de Salgado reflejan los problemas que enfrentan la comunidad latina, como una que fue compartida en Twitter por CultureStrike que resalta la necesidad para ayudar a Puerto Rico después del Huracán María.

De acuerdo con su sitio de web, CultureStrike se enfoca en incentivar la visualización de un mundo enraizado en una humanidad compartida a través del arte.

Otras ilustraciones de Salgado que CultureStrike ha compartido a través de Twitter incluyen uno en donde personas traen camisas con hashtags que han consumido las redes sociales como el movimiento de #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter y #NotYourMascot.

Lujan dijo que el Centro de Pride ha estado organizando el evento desde el principio del

año escolar.

Dijo que las personas que trabajan dentro del Centro Pride se reunieron al principio del año para hablar sobre las necesidades de la comunidad LGBTQ. Fue allí donde empezaron a organizar el evento para poder traer a Salgado a campus.

Lujan dijo que era importante para el Centro de Pride poder asegurarse que la comunidad indocumentada y de LGBTQ puedan tener representación entre el centro.

“En muchos casos, estos estudiantes marginados no pueden conectarse con presentadores quienes vienen a campus,” dijo Lujan. “Como una institución que sirve a los hispanos, sabemos que hay muchos individuales indocumentados quienes son parte de la comunidad LGBTQ en este campus. Entonces, es importante que tengan la habilidad para poder ver a personas quienes pasan por la misma cosa y quienes usan sus voces para hacer cambio que impacte el mundo.

“Entonces, traer esta inspiración a estos estudiantes es muy importante”.

Mundo Azteca

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Jocelyn Moran, mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

9

Expresidenta de Brasil visitará a SDSU para hablar de la democracia de su país por Jocelyn Moran EDITORA DE MUNDO AZTECA

La expresidenta de Brasil, Dilma Rousseff, visitará a la Universidad Estatal de San Diego el 19 de abril en Montezuma Hall a las 4 p.m. para hablar sobre el futuro de la democracia de su país.

Rousseff fue la primera mujer en tomar la presidencia en Brasil y empezó su término en el 2011.

Sin embargo, pasó por el proceso de impeachment bajo el Congreso Nacional de Brasil, y su tiempo como presidenta terminó en el 2016 por presuntamente quebrar una ley presupuestaria.

Ahora, Rousseff está visitando a universidades en California como un intento para obtener apoyo internacional para Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, su predecesor quien ahora está empezando su sentencia de 12 años en prisión por corrupción.

Da Silva, quien es parte del Partido de los Trabajadores, fue presidente de Brasil del 2003 a 2011.

A pesar de estar en la cárcel

ahora, da Silva todavía sigue como un candidato para la presidencia en las elecciones de octubre.

Antes de venir a California, Rousseff estuvo en España hablando de la democracia en Brasil y defendiendo a da Silva.

“Necesitamos solidaridad nacional”, dijo Rousseff en un coloquio en la Casa América de Madrid.

Rousseff también dijo en Madrid que la democracia de Brasil está en riesgo.

Antes de tomar la presidencia, Rousseff fue ministra de energía y después jefa de estado bajo da Silva desde el 2003 hasta el 2010.

Durante su presidencia, Rousseff implementó leyes para reorganizar la economía de Brasil y continuo los programas sociales de la administración de da Silva. A través de estos cambios, ella y su administración enfrentó oposición.

Desde terminar su presidencia, Rousseff ha continuado a pelear por los derechos y defender la democracia en Brasil e internacionalmente Ella ya ha visitado a otras

universidades, incluyendo la Universidad de California Berkeley el 16 de abril.

De acuerdo a el Daily Californian, Rousseff dijo en el evento que su impeachment y el veredicto de da Silva fue un a acción de parte de la oposición.

Rousseff dijo en la Universidad de California Berkeley que el “árbol de la democracia” había sido consumido por parásitos y que usaron su impeachment para deshacerse de ella y destruir su partido, el Partido de los Trabajadores.

En Berkeley, asistieron gente que la apoyaba y gente que no la apoyaba a ella y su partido.

Personas quienes estaban protestando llevaban carteles que leían “Lula traicionó a Brasil”, de acuerdo a el Daily Californian.

Su visita a SDSU fue organizada por la Universidad de California San Diego, el programa de SDSU de J. Keith Behner y Catherine M. Steifel de Brasil y la Oficina del Rector de SDSU. El discurso de Rousseff será en portugués, pero habrá traducciones simultáneamente.

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420 Issue

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Cami Buckman, arts@thedailyaztec.com

Discovering San Diego’s weed themed munchie food scene, one joint at a time

by Lauren J. STAFF WRITER

Mapp

San Diego’s flourishing food scene has a constantly evolving selection of fodder to fulfill an array of munchie cravings.

From potato-topped pizzas to dozens of donut varieties, there is no shortage of food to indulge in on April 20.

Illustration by Maritza Garcia

Some like it savory Hamburger Helper has nothing on the bacon cheeseburger mac from Stacked in Fashion Valley.

Filled with ground beef, chopped tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, onions and melted American cheese, this mac and cheese pairs well with an order of crispy battered and fried onion strings.

With locations in Golden Hill and University Heights, Pizzeria Luigi has a lineup of pizzas by the slice and by the pie, the latter

Healthy under the influence Those trying to be healthy with their snacking habits should try the buffalo cauliflower at Luce in Bay Park. Tossed with a Korean buffalo sauce, ginger, green onions and gorgonzola cheese, Chef Kat Johnson’s roasted cauliflower is both flavorful and nutritious.

these For anyone who wants to indulge in baked goods as soon as they wake, there are plenty of local donut shops peppered throughout San Diego.

Donut Bar is well-known known for unique offerings like the Butterbeer, Homer, grilled cheese and French toast donuts.

Mission Hill’s Copper Top Coffee and Donuts, a newcomer to the local food scene, has a small menu and store, but big flavor in their products.

Copper Top makes their own creamed marshmallow topping for the Campfire donut, and the School Lunch with raspberry jam and peanut butter is reminiscent of childhood snacks.

Other desserts to try in San Diego include the chocolate chip and walnut cookie from Lazy Acres and the “slutty brownie”

Sweet day dreams are made of

SEE MUNCHIES, PAGE 13

of which is available for delivery.

The potato, bacon, cheddar, sour cream and green onion topped Sports Bar and the ricotta-meatball Crime Scene are two local favorites on the menu.

Almost every San Diegan has a go-to taco shop, but ¡Salud!

Tacos in Barrio Logan is one spot that can’t be skipped.

Try the Barrio taco and Califas — a California burrito-style taco with carne asada, guacamole, cheddar and French fries.

Please note that this product cannot be delivered on campus as SDSU is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment. Must be 21and older.

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Cami Buckman, arts@thedailyaztec.com

420 Issue

The Daily Aztec

11

Stoner music buds its way into campus

by Kelly Kerrigan STAFF WRITER

Soundtracks of pot smokers 20 years ago probably consisted of Slightly Stoopid, 311 and Sublime. However since the legalization of weed in California and other states, the music culture that is associated with stoners has been ever changing.

Weed has inspired thousands of songs, has been the center of music festivals and is the focus of many music genres like rap, rock and reggae.

And just like eating popcorn at the movies, there is nothing that goes along better with smoking weed than listening to music.

While “stoners” will forever be stereotyped as drug rug wearing, dreadlock headed hippies, as times change so has society’s acceptance with smoking marijuana.

So what is it with weed that inspired D.R.A.M. to rap the song “Broccoli” or Tom Petty to write “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” or hundreds of other musicians to sing weed centralized music?

That answer is not so simple considering that stoner music is in no way identified with one genre but actually has many that go along with it.

At any music festival —

Photo by Kelly Smiley

A student lights a joint in preparation for 420.

Coachella, Life is Beautiful, Rolling Loud and many more — it is almost impossible to walk around without the scent of pot in the air and while it may seem that the lyrics only focus

on doing drugs, the theme that surrounds these songs tend to be peace, love, relaxation and having a good time. Although there are many, here are some of the most important musical

aspects of weed culture: Albums Although listening to an entire album from cover to cover might seem like a task, there are many

albums that can be the greatest sounds to hear while smoking.

Some of these albums include “American Beauty” by the SEE STONER HITS, PAGE 12

12

The Daily Aztec

420 Issue

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Cami Buckman, arts@thedailyaztec.com

Cartoon by Adriannah Esparaza

Stoner hits:

continued from page 11 Grateful Dead, “Man on the Mood” by Kid Cudi or Shwayze’s self-titled album.

One of the best things anyone can do is purchase a record player and get lost in an album from start to finish.

Genres As mentioned before, there are many different genres that are incordinance with weed smokers. Why? This is because of the variety of people that partake in marijuana. Since the 1960s, weed has been mentioned in many

genres from rap, rock, jazz and even pop showing the growing popularity for the drug across all people and age groups.

Concerts At almost any concert you can find at least one person it the crowd smoking and sometimes you can even find the artist themselves doing so. Getting high at concerts has been popular forever but since the recent legalization of weed, music festivals are popping up around California where attendees can actually bring in and purchase cannabis. Some of these festivals include Chalice in San Bernardino, Hempfest in Seattle, the Dope Cup in Oregon and many more. This

newly legalized hobby is making its way into the live music scene and predicting a new future for marijuana smokers at concerts.

to go celebrate the 4/20 holiday check out these events:

Listeners The stoner music culture is no longer associated with one type of person. The type of music someone likes to listen to while partaking in smoking is widespread.

These listeners all do have one thing in common — their love for getting high, listening to music and snacking.

As the culture associated with smoking weed will continue to grow, so will it’s prevalence throughout music, concerts and artists. If you’re looking for live music

San Diego Guitar Festival - Japanese Friendship Garden

King Krule - San Diego Theatre

Bayked By the Bay Festival - Downtown San Diego Dubloadz x Bassrush - Bassmnt Monsoon - Soma San Diego 4/20 Legalized Concert - Oceanside

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Cami Buckman, arts@thedailyaztec.com

Munchies:

continued from page 10 — layered with chocolate chip cookie dough and Oreos — from Caked Bakery, available at the San Diego State farmers market on Thursdays.

Edible endeavors for the legally-aged With the statewide legalization of recreational marijuana in January, restaurants and bars have begun to embrace the idea of using marijuanaderived ingredients on their menus.

At Madison on Park, there are two cocktails on the menu that feature cannabidiol (CBD) oil — a product that can be extracted from both marijuana and hemp plants. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD does not have hallucinogenic properties, said Michael Belanger, budtender at Urbn Leaf.

Madison’s Mr. Nice Guy uses mezcal as the base liquor mixed with pineapple juice, matcha, coconut milk and lime topped with a marijuana leaf and drops of cannabidiol oil, and the Purple Rain is a sour-style cocktail made with Blinking Owl Aquavit, Giffard Peach Liqueur, Lemon, Butterfly Pea Flower and gold CBD oil.

Juan Carlos Récamier, local chef and owner of Ceviche House in Old Town, recently collaborated with Manny Mendoza and Herbal Notes to host a cannabis dinner.

Through this and other private dinner events, the group hopes to change the way the general public uses and thinks about marijuana.

In preparing for these dinners, CBD oils and other marijuana products are paired

420 Issue with dishes based on flavor profile in a manner similar to beer and wine pairings.

Instead of focusing on recreational enjoyment, Récamier said it is about enjoying the food and benefitting from the medicinal properties in cannabis.

“The purpose of (the dinner collaboration) was to get together, to have a great time, to educate ourselves and to understand how to use it responsibly and without abuse,” Récamier said. “It was also to celebrate that we’re living in a different time where this is a medicine — this is not something that is used just to get high.

There really is a purpose behind this, and if you are responsible and you understand it, it can be very beneficial for everybody.”

When consuming products with elements of cannabis incorporated in them, it is important to take safety precautions.

To ensure the safety of the guests during the Ceviche House dinner, Récamier said guests were required to take a taxi or rideshare service to and from the event, all guests had their identification checked to make sure that they were over 21 and no alcohol was served during the dinner.

Another important tip to keep in mind is that edible marijuana products affect everyone differently based on their body chemistry, weight and tolerance from using the product, Belanger said.

“When you take an edible, it can have a range of effects — everything from being forgetful, being sleepy, enjoying yourself immensely when listening to music,” Belanger said. “Edibles, contrary to popular belief, can give you more munchies, so when you eat an edible, it can actually cause you to want to eat more because of the effects of THC on your (gastrointestinal) tract.”

The Daily Aztec

13

Photo by Lauren J. Mapp

Madison on Park’s Mr. Nice Guy and Purple Rain cocktails both feature floating drops of cannabidiol oil.

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14

420 Issue

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Cami Buckman, arts@thedailyaztec.com

SDSU students share their top movie picks for the best 420 flicks

by Stephan STAFF WRITER

Early

Let he who is without green, choke first, until stoned.

It’s 420, time to take the medicine. Be it burned greens, yummy confections or techy vapor trails, one still needs the right activity for these high times.

Some like the nature-toke.

Others like to get creative.

However, many space cowboys and gals just want to veg out on flicks that understand their particular condition.

Movies about smokers smoking, trippers tripping or just damn funny goodness have become a big part of cannabis culture.

The genre has grown tremendously since Cheech and Chong’s catalyzing classic “Up in Smoke.”

The decision of what to watch is almost as hard as deciding what to smoke — especially when suddenly, everything looks so good “maaan.”

Have no fear, this is San Diego State’s student guide to the most dope movies to watch on the highest of all high holidays.

So, grab those buds, assorted munchies and get comfy.

Here is what some SDSU students had to say about the best movies to blaze through on 420: Pineapple Express “It’s almost a shame to smoke it. It’s like killing a unicorn... with, like, a bomb.” - Saul Silver This film was the common denominator that made it on to

Photo by Kelly Smiley

A rolled joint and piece sit on a table ready to be smoked for 420.

everybody’s list. Smokers and nonsmokers alike were at least familiar with this title.

It’s a movie that is loved regardless of affinity for pot.

There’s just something about a buddy flick where the stakes are high and the laughs are cheap.

“I don’t know, it’s just like a classic movie and really funny” business freshman Nate Auerbach said. “It’s just interesting how the whole Pineapple Express strain stemmed from that movie and now it so big.”

Superbad “McLovin? Were you violating that young girl? Were you violating her with your penis?”

- Officer Slater This coming of age “Porkies” style comedy came in as the second most mentioned film.

In this film, these high school guys go through so much for the unattainable, just to find out they had the goods all along.

The Night Before “You don’t steal on Christmas!

That’s not right! ... She Home Aloned me!” -Chris

This film can do double duty, serving as a 420 staple or a Christmas favorite.

Magical trees and some other substances send three lifelong buddies on one last raunchy Christmas Eve before babies, careers and coming to grips with commitment issues take hold of their lives. Seth Rogen movies seem to be a trend in this genre.

“Basically, any movie with Seth Rogen would be good for 420,” undeclared freshman Gian Nicholas said.

Mac and Devin Go to High School “Some people go to high school. Others go to school high.” - Mac Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa run through as many stoned in school clichés possible in this 80-minute romp about learning the importance of saying “so what?”

“They have the joint talking to you throughout the whole movie,” Auerbach said.

Dazed and Confused “Say, man, you got a joint?”

“No, Not on me, man.” “It’d be a lot cooler if you did.” Wooderson & Mitch This high school slice of life comedy is a film that’s more interesting because of who’s in it, than what it is about. Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey and Milla Jovovich were unknown actors at this time.

There are also some of the coolest lines ever in this flick like McConaughey’s “alright, alright, alright.”

“I loved Dazed and Confused,” liberal studies freshman Mary Rydquist said. “That’s the first one that came to mind for me.”

However not all the movies on the list were comedies.

Some might not be for the faint of heart or those not ready to go weird places in high states.

Illustration by Maritza Garcia

Donnie Darko

“What’s the point of living if every living creature dies alone?” -Donnie Darko This time traveling, tragic hero flick is set in the 1980s where metaphysics and schizophrenia take a misunderstood teen on a truly trippy ride.

“Yeah, that is definitely a trippy flick,” business senior Matthew Murray said.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind “Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating” Joel Barish Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet endure self-induced amnesia and heartbreak in this film.

Weed might be the closest thing to purposefully forgetting your ex, until somebody figures out how to make this movie real.

Here are some surprising non-listers that should be peeped anyway because what stoner movie list is complete without them?

Millennials and Gen-Z-ers can’t be expected to know everything, so here’s a little extra help and some movies to add to that list for 420: Friday, Next Friday, and Friday After Next “And you know this, Maan” Smokey Super High Me “This is the best part of the day, when I get to be fat, on the bed, with my quart of Coke.”

Dude, Where’s My Car? “I don’t want to go down in history as the guy who destroyed the universe!” -Jesse How High “I figure I study high, take the test high, get high scores.”

-Jamal King Half Baked “F--- you...f--- you...you’re cool...and f--- you, I’m out.”

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett, sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

15

Baseball defeats Fullerton to nab series

by Justin Wylie STAFF WRITER

San Diego State baseball used a six-run third inning to defeat Cal State Fullerton by a score of 9-6, capturing the series at Tony Gwynn stadium in front of a lively crowd of 1,203 on April 15.

The Aztecs big third inning consisted of 11 batters coming to the plate, six runners scoring and three different pitchers toeing the rubber for the Titans.

The scoring outburst began with a leadoff home run from senior shortstop David Hensley, which hit the palm trees past the left-center wall to make the score 4-2.

Titan starting pitcher Andrew Quezada then loaded the bases by walking senior outfielder Chase Calabuig, giving up a single to junior first baseman Jordan Verdon and walking junior catcher Dean Nevarez.

Sophomore outfielder Julian Escobedo was able to draw a run-scoring walk, before Quezada was was relieved of his duties by freshman pitcher Tanner Bibee.

As Bibee attempted to work out of the jam, junior designated hitter Chad Bible thought otherwise, crushing a two-run double that carried over the center fielder’s head to

make the score 7-2 with still no outs.

Freshman third baseman Casey Schmitt followed Bible’s double with an RBI single, before sophomore second baseman Jacob Maekawa concluded the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Fullerton sophomore pitcher Dillon Brown would come in to get the remaining outs of the inning.

While the Titans used six different pitchers in the game, Andrew Quezada (1-4) was saddled with the loss for his effort of two innings pitched with seven hits allowed, eight runs given up (six earned) and one strikeout.

The Aztecs offense was quiet for the remainder of the game, relying on their pitching to seal the win.

“Our pitching staff came in and did a great job in minimizing the damage,” Aztecs head coach Mark Martinez said. “We knew it was going to be a kind of rough day for our bullpen, but those guys came in, responded and did a great job,” The Aztecs used four pitchers, including junior starting pitcher Justin Goossen-Brown, who went four innings.

Freshman pitcher Christian Winston (1-0) earned the first win of his Aztecs career, after pitching two scoreless innings.

Photo by Kayla Asencio

Redshirt junior pitcher Justin Goossen-Brown throws off the mound during the Aztecs 9-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton at Tony Gwynn Stadium on April 15.

Schmitt followed Winston on the mound, pitching 2.1 more scoreless innings to capture his third save of the season and second of the weekend.

After losing their last two weekend series, the Aztecs

grabbed a series win heading into conference play next weekend at home against Fresno State University.

Martinez said that the team is hoping to get back on track with more conference series

coming up “We have a lot of home games coming up, so we’re hoping that is the case,” he said.

In its next game, SDSU defeated Cal State Northridge by a score of 3-2 on April 17.

International tennis player chases passion across pond

by Cole Hanson STAFF WRITER

In August of 2016, San Diego State men’s tennis player Rafael Gonzalez Almazan was faced with a decision that would forever change his life: leaving his hometown to pursue his passion for tennis.

Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, the question of whether Rafael would pursue tennis after high school lurked. Would he try to study in Spain, where universities did not combine athletics and studies, ultimately forcing Rafael to quit tennis, or would he venture elsewhere to pursue his passion?

The choice became clearer for Rafael once his best friend and mentor, Javier Pulgar, told him about San Diego State.

Pulgar, also from Madrid, had a successful collegiate career playing tennis for the Aztecs as an all-conference competitor at the top of the lineup in 2009 and 2010. “(Pulgar) experienced the college level here in America, and he told me it was going to be a great experience for me because of my personality and how much I could help the team,” Gonzalez Almazan said.

“He also told me how good it was going to be to learn a new language and culture.”

On the other side, head coach Gene Carswell said that it was a huge advantage having Pulgar let SDSU know what kind of person and competitor Gonzalez Almazan was, since

Photo by Cole Hanson

Sophomore Rafael Gonzalez Almazan prepares to swing his racket during the Aztecs 4-3 victory over Nevada at the Aztec Tennis Center on April 13.

Pulgar had seen him play for years back home in Madrid.

“Having some first-hand knowledge about what (Gonzalez Almazan) is all about and how he fights and competes, I think that goes a long way,” Carswell said. “As you spend more time with the kid, understanding what makes him tick, understanding what he wants to do with his future, it becomes more and more clear that this is a guy that’s going to be a good fit.”

Playing his sophomore

season for the Scarlet and Black, Gonzalez Almazan is an aggressive and fierce competitor, and leads the team with 17 singles wins during his sophomore season for the Scarlet and Black. “(Gonzalez Almazan) is a constant team player, always fighting for the guys. If it comes down to his match, he’s the one you want in there to decide it,” Carswell said. “He has plenty more to grow upon and get better with, which is exciting, because he is winning with

solid play and still room for improvement.”

One thing that Gonzalez Almazan had to work on when he first came to SDSU was the learning curve of playing on a hard court surface.

“In Spain, it is super traditional to play on clay courts. The ball goes slower there and the rallies are longer, the points are longer,” Gonzalez Almazan said. “Freshman year it was kind of rough to go from clay to hardcourt, where everything is faster, serves are

faster, points are shorter.”

Gonzalez Almazan did not shy away from the challenge, but rather adapted his game.

“After being one year here and experiencing the college level, you have to make some changes, so that was my main goal this season, to try to be more aggressive,” Gonzalez Almazan said.

While collegiate tennis players boast a personal record aside from their team’s success, Gonzalez Almazan focused on his team’s 5-19 record when describing his emotions of how the season has gone.

“This season has been kind of disappointing for me, because individually, I feel like I played way better than last season, much better than last season.

But as a team, this season has been worse than last season,” Gonzalez Almazan said.

Freshman teammate Ignacio Martinez said that while Gonzalez Almazan’s skill set is undeniable, it is his character that make him so special.

“He’s always the one pumping everyone up. We are always waiting for his scream to get us going. I see him as one of the main leaders on the team,” Martinez said. “As a friend, he is a very good person and a very big heart. He is very kind to everyone.”

The Aztecs host the Mountain West Conference tournament from April 26-28, and the team will look for Gonzalez Almazan to be a major key to a successful tournament run.

16

sports

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett, sports@thedailyaztec.com

Hensley a familiar face for the Aztecs

by Justin Wylie STAFF WRITER

Senior shortstop David Hensley has been one of the faces of San Diego State baseball for the past four years.

It is not too hard to miss him due to his tall stature.

Hensley stands at 6-foot-5, and has evolved his game from a fringe freshman to a leader on this year’s club as the starting shortstop.

Hensley is a local guy, a Patrick Henry product from just across the I-8 highway a few miles away from SDSU. During Hensley’s junior campaign he led the Aztecs in hitting with an average of .357, and manned right field for most of the year.

Hensley is a special ballplayer, who is able to play defense in essentially every position on the field.

In his time at SDSU, Hensley has played every position except catcher.

This year he was tasked with taking over the shortstop position and hitting in the heart of the lineup.

“Earlier in the year I struggled a little bit trying to manage the two,” Hensley said about separating his offensive and defensive duties. “I took a lot of the defensive mistakes into the dugout and into my at bats.

It wasn’t until recently that I’ve managed to separate the two, allowing me to be successful.”

With shortstop a vital defensive position in the middle of the infield, Hensley had to take his defense more serious than in years past to give the coaching staff the confidence to keep him at the position.

Hensley said his approach to defense has changed due to the transition from the outfield to shortstop.

“The attentiveness that comes with the position, I have to be locked in on every pitch and anticipating the next play at all times,” he said.

Although Hensley scuffled earlier in the season on defense, his footwork, glove actions and his mindset have improved tremendously.

The success is apparent with Hensley hitting .352 on the year ­ — the second best on the team — while currently sporting an on-base streak of 29 games.

Hensley’s bat control allows him to spray the ball to the opposite field as if on command. His bat control also allows him to foul off tough pitches and create quality atbats for the team.

By playing such an important role for the squad, Hensley has prided himself on trying to get the next crop of

Photo by Kelly Smiley

Senior shortstop David Hensley fields the ball during the Aztecs 9-1 win over UC Santa Barbara at Tony Gwynn Stadium on Feb. 16.

underclassmen talent ready for their advancement in roles in the coming years.

“I’m just trying to relay to the younger guys you have to simplify the game, you can’t be antsy because you won’t get the results you’re hoping for,” Hensley said.

This is a lesson Hensley has learned over the past four years he has been on the Mesa, and wishes the underclassmen grow into.

Hensley has had plenty of help from his senior class mentoring the younger players, and while helping season the younger guys is important, the team leaders are still on a mission to close out the season strong.

“We hit a speed bump, but after this weekend (against Cal State Fullerton) it looks like we can turn it around,” Hensley said. “We got a fire that was sparked this weekend

so hopefully we can continue that and get on a roll to win the conference and get to Omaha.”

SDSU won their series against Cal State Fullerton, a definite confidence booster for a team which had lost its last two conference series.

With Hensley catching fire at the plate and his glove leading the defense, the Aztecs are looking to capture their fifth Mountain West Conference title in the last six years.

17

Sports

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett, sports@thedailyaztec.com

Kyle Turley gets candid about cannabis

by Abraham Jewett SPORTS EDITOR

emotions and all of these other things so you need to be able to control to function in society, and I wasn’t able to control that.

I couldn’t go to McDonalds with my kids anymore. I couldn’t be in public with people. Everything bothered me. All of these symptoms that were now what we understand as precursors to Alzheimer’s dementia were starting to surface, and it wasn’t until I found the right strains of cannabis to deal with this that those things stopped. And I don’t have to deal with them anymore.”

“I have been prescribed all these medications, on top of the painkillers then, because I was having these neurological issues keep surfacing, passing out, having seizures and all that. They sent me to these neuropsychologists, neurologists and all these people started prescribing me more drugs… the only thing that saved me from any of that shit was marijuana.”

Kyle Turley is a retired NFL football player who played for San Diego State during the 1993-97 seasons, and was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame back in 2010.

The seventh overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Turley played for three different teams in nine years, before retiring due to health issues in 2007.

Turley now suffers from the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, as well as a seizure disorder and early onset Alzheimer’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2015.

Working with a variety of organizations, Turley is a staunch advocate for cannabis use as a way to alleviate pain and cognitive issues that come from playing contact sports like football.

In 2015, Turley founded the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition, a group of former athletes who attend conferences to discuss the positive effects of cannabis.

The Daily Aztec spoke to Turley over the phone on April 7, when he discussed a variety of topics ranging from his time at SDSU, his health, his time in the NFL and after, his past addiction to painkillers, his use of cannabis and how he hopes to continue championing for a world where cannabis use is an accepted form of medicine for athletes and all individuals.

TIME AT SAN DIEGO STATE “I had a pretty unique experience with cannabis. I went to San Diego State... came out of Moreno Valley, was around it constantly, high school into college, I mean San Diego State, come-on. I refrained. I was committed to playing football, honoring my scholarship, trying to make it to the NFL, that was the dream.”

INTRODUCTION TO CANNABIS “I didn’t use marijuana at all until my second year in the National Football League when a player saw that I was really struggling with some on field pressures… as well as some off field issues that everybody can end up having along the way.”

“What it was introduced to me as was something that could help my mind. I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating, I was being prescribed all these medications from the team doctors, I didn’t want to sacrifice getting kicked out of the NFL.” RESERVATIONS RELIEVED “I’d done all that had work and stayed away from spring breaks and everything else going to San Diego State for five years, that’s a pretty hard feat. I didn’t want to give all that dedication up because of weed. That wasn’t going to be me.”

“It was explained the marijuana policy of the NFL, which was a once a year test, which I didn’t understand because the NCAA is random marijuana testing and the NFL’s a one-time-a-year test. So once you take it at the beginning of the year you can freely use any street drug without

LIFE TODAY “I wish I could have my body of 10 years ago right now, because now I have this mental stability and I have this power to tap into me again. I guess that’s the one thing I can say is that it has brought me back to being me, and I believe that that speaks to the science of the cannabinoid system.”

Illustration by Adriannah Esparza

risk of testing positive.”

DECISION TO SMOKE “I was pretty desperate at the time for some relief, going through (the transition to the NFL) was quite difficult, and being able to manage that stress and leave the onfield persona and the demand to be a violent individual. It was very difficult for me to leave at the job… so it was offered to me as a solution.

A player saw me in struggle and was like ‘KT you’re not sleeping right, you’re not eating right, you’re suffering at work here, we can all tell something is going on.

You need to smoke this weed.’”

CANNABIS BRINGS RELIEF “It’s very cliche, but that seems to be how God chose to speak it to me in the beginning, and it was undeniable the relief that I received, and subsequently went on to All-Pro seasons after that and was able to manage on the field and off the field issues using that periodically, but not enough.

So there still was issues, but cannabis was always there for me... it was very apparent that this was helping me and would heal my brain and help me to deal with things that I could not deal with on a sober mind.”

ADDICTION TO PAINKILLERS “I never used (weed) for

painkilling, I bought into the painkillers. I was unfortunately sucked into that because it was so freely given to us.”

“I wasn’t taking twenty Vicodin a day like some of my friends got up to and were able to do. Literally eating Vicodin like candies. I didn’t have that tolerance to those drugs because those got you really high, and I guess probably because I wasn’t a drinker I didn’t understand or like that real f----- up level.

And I still to this day I don’t use cannabis to get high, I use it to address ailments. I just smoked a joint before talking to you. It allows me to articulate, to stay focused, and not be high.”

BAD CONCUSSION IN THE NFL “I had (a concussion) in 2003 where I was hospitalized, It was a bad one. I was knocked unconscious. I had to get woken up off the field with the ammonia caps, the whole deal. I lost the rest of that day to my memory, I don’t remember much at all, just splashes.”

TREATMENT BY DOCTORS “(Going to the hospital following the concussion) was the first time that I was informed by other doctors that weren’t NFL doctors that something was wrong on this brain scan.

And they were quite concerned.

I stayed the night and then the next day the Rams doctors... took over, I never saw those doctors again from that hospital that were concerned about me.

I was back in the care of the Rams and was back on the field that week practicing through migraine headaches and just felt horrible. Didn’t feel like myself at all, kept telling them that, but I went out to practice and I could show them that I wasn’t going to pass out again and that’s all they really cared about at that time.”

WALKING AWAY FROM THE NFL “I walked away for many reasons, and one of them (was) I couldn’t even hit myself in the face anymore before I went out to the field, or get smacked in the head by anybody. You know how you get fired up playing football you do stupid things like that, but we didn’t know any better. I was making myself almost go into full vertigo just doing that. So it was a fine line to walk, I knew there was some serious cognitive issues that were starting to feel alive, but I didn’t understand the seriousness until that.”

MENTAL ILLNESS AFTER THE NFL “We understand the disease (CTE) now where it affects us and what we’ve done to our brains as football players. That frontal lobe deals with decision making and

CANNABIS AS MEDICINE “There are studies immediately that are ready to come out that prove marijuana can stop the progression of Alzheimer’s and potentially reverse it. We’ve seen what it does for the seizure kids, we understand how its addressing the opiate addiction with soldiers and football players and all these other athletes that are out there dealing with pain and injury and the aftermath of traumatic brain injury, etc.

(They) are benefiting from this, let alone the myriad of other ailments that are being cured.”

CALL TO ACTION “(Athletic doctors) should be in Washington, D.C., lobbying for marijuana reform and the descheduling of cannabis, to get government money to study it, and to first and foremost give their athletes a proper opportunity to recover from injury through the scientifically proven system that we have inside of us that deals with our immune system and our central nervous system like I’ve never experienced.”

GRIDIRON CANNABIS COALITION “I realized that if I put more guys around this it’s not just going to be Kyle Turley up there again hollering about something new to get attention... it was this message of that this plant saved my life, and I can’t deny it, I can’t argue against it whatsoever. It is fact. I’ve stolen the last three years of this life that I’ve lived because of this plant, because what I’ve found in it.”

“Honestly it was just a vision I had, to say look if I rallied more people around this it’s going to turn into something bigger, and it’s going to open conversation up, and that’s what it did.”

18

sports

The Daily Aztec

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett, sports@thedailyaztec.com

Softball falls to Nevada in series finale

by Kyle Betz STAFF WRITER

San Diego State softball fell by a score of 6-3 in the series finale to University of Nevada, Reno at SDSU Softball Stadium on April 15.

With the series split at 1-1 coming in, SDSU (13-26, 4-8 MW) was trying to win its first home series of the season by defeating the Wolf Pack (19-18, 8-6 MW).

The Aztecs led 3-1 in the third inning, but Nevada pulled off the comeback by scoring five unanswered runs to end the game.

Head coach Kathy Van Wyk said that the loss mirrored the team’s season.

“Today was like our season has been, which is extremely streaky,” Van Wyk said.

“We’ve got good things happening...then, we’ll just flop. Its streakiness lends itself to losing confidence, and losing confidence doesn’t help when you’re playing this game.”

Nevada redshirt sophomore second baseman Kwynn Warner got the scoring started after she hit a solo home run off SDSU sophomore pitcher Marissa Moreno in the second.

The Aztecs responded in the bottom of the third when redshirt second baseman Katie Byrd came to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out, and put the team on the board with an RBI groundout.

SDSU added two additional runs in the inning, after Nevada junior pitcher Amanda Geil misplayed a chopper from freshman third baseman Kelsey Munoz, making a bad throw to first base which allowed both sophomore shortstop Shelby Thompson and sophomore center fielder Kiera Wright to score.

Wright, who finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, also made a sliding catch in the outfield to begin the third inning.

Wright said that she was glad to contribute offensively and defensively for the team.

“I concentrate on trying to be a leader for everyone on this team,” Wright said.

“We’ve been up and down this season, but I definitely think keeping the energy is key, and staying positive.”

The Aztecs held onto their 3-1 lead until the fifth inning, when senior pitcher Alex Formby entered the game in relief of Moreno after the Wolf Pack loaded the bases with one out.

A two-RBI single by Nevada sophomore left fielder Sadaria McAlister then tied the ball game at three-a-piece.

Following her single, McAlister stole second, and junior catcher Molly Sturdivant made an errant throw attempting to pickoff Nevada junior pinch runner Ali Tedford off at third. Tedford would score on the

PREPARE

Sophomore Marissa Moreno throws a pitch during the Aztecs 6-3 loss to Nevada at SDSU Softball Stadium on April 15.

play to give the Wolf Pack a 4-3 lead.

Nevada sophomore first baseman Kenzi Goins and Warner finished off the team’s scoring after hitting back-to-back solo shots off Formby in the sixth inning.

Van Wyk said the Aztecs should have utilized more change-ups to prevent the Wolf Pack’s two home runs in the sixth. “(We should have thrown) more changeups. It was my fault; (Formby) has done a phenomenal job all year long,” Van Wyk said. “Her change-up is so effective, and sometimes we overthink things when trying to call pitches.”

After the series finale against the Wolf Pack, the Aztecs held a team meeting in shallow left field.

Senior right fielder Taylor Stewart, who finished the game 1-for-1 with a walk, said that the Aztecs discussed finishing the season on a high note.

“At this point, we have four weeks left of season. Obviously, we’re kind of off to a rough start in conference,” Stewart said. “So basically, we were just kind of talking about just finishing off as strong as we can, just kind of giving it all we got at this point.”

Next up for the Aztecs is a trip up north to play Mountain West rival Fresno State in a three game series from April 20-22.

Wright said that the Aztecs need to keep a positive attitude going forward as they head into the next series.

“Everytime after a game, we’re always negative on ourselves. We never put out the positive things we do,” Wright said, “so I think staying positive, once we go into Fresno, will help us.”

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Photos by Kayla Asencio

Sophomore outfielder Kiera Wright comes around to score during the Aztecs 6-3 loss to Nevada at SDSU Softball Stadium on April 15.

sports

April 18-24, 2018 EDITOR: Abraham Jewett, sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

COLUMN

19

Lacrosse must not succumb to late goals

by Kyle Betz STAFF WRITER

San Diego State lacrosse was sitting at a record of 2-2, just two days after a 17-12 loss against then-No. 20 University of Colorado on Feb. 25.

Junior midfielder Harlowe Steele said at the time that her team had two goals for the remainder of the regular season.

“We want to win more than nine to beat our record last year, and we definitely want to beat a ranked opponent to get on the map,” Steele said.

SDSU currently has a 9-7 overall record, and thus can accomplish both of these goals in its regular season finale on the road against No. 21 Notre Dame on April 21.

A win would also give the Aztecs two in a row going into the upcoming Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, which the team will host at the Aztec Lacrosse Field from April 2729.

The Aztecs will face either UC Davis or Fresno State — the only other two teams in the MPSF — in the first round, with the winner advancing to play the No. 1 seed in the finals.

SDSU is unable to attain the top seed, after splitting

Freshman Julia Sheehan goes for the ball during the Aztecs 15-9 loss to UC Davis at the Aztec Lacrosse Field on April 8.

games this season with a 15-9 loss against Davis on April 8, followed by a 15-11 victory over Fresno on April 15.

The seedings will be finalized following a Fresno matchup against UC Davis on April 21, and if the Bulldogs win by five goals or more, SDSU will be the third seed going into the postseason tournament.

Regardless of their ultimate seeding, one thing in the Aztecs favor going into the championships is that the team holds a 5-2 home record

this season, which will make playing on home turf a big advantage.

On occasion, however, the team has been inconsistent.

The Aztecs have won four out of six games that have been decided by two goals or less.

This statistic is somewhat misleading, as the Aztecs have struggled closing games throughout the season.

Time and time again SDSU has blown a lead, either losing the game or making it much closer than it should have been.

Photo by Weicheng Han

This was on full display on March 6, when the Aztecs defeated Niagara University by a score of 18-16, but succumbed three goals to the Purple Eagles in the final three minutes.

Another example was in a game against Liberty University on March 23, when the Aztecs allowed three goals in the last two-and-a-half minutes, barely holding on to win 11-10.

SDSU was not so lucky in their matchup against UC Davis, allowing a 9-8 advantage

in the second half to turn into a 15-9 loss after the Aggies scored seven unanswered goals to end the game.

Clearly, the Aztecs are no stranger to conceding goals down the stretch.

With just over 11 minutes in their game against Fresno State, however, the Aztecs found themselves in a 11-11 tie.

After scoring four unanswered goals, the Aztecs won by a convincing score of 15-11.

If the win proves anything, it is that SDSU has regained its ability to play a full game.

In addition, the Aztecs have the ability and starpower to beat both Fresno and Davis to secure the MPSF title.

That starpower starts with Steele and fellow junior midfielder Jill Haight, who have led the team offensively.

Steele is the top goalscorer with 34 goals, while Haight is second-best with 32 strikes.

On the defensive end, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Katy Sharretts has been unstoppable in front of the net, where she has the seventhmost saves in the nation with 146 stops.

If the Aztecs are able to play hard until the final whistle, then the team should expect an exciting end to their season.

Rocky Long receives contract extension through the 2022 season

by Abraham Jewett SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State football announced on April 11 that it has extended head coach Rocky Long’s contract through the 2022 season.

Long, the head coach since the beginning of the 2011 season, had previously been under contract until 2021.

“I mean that’s nice that they care and want to do that,” Long said about the extension. “To be honest with you, when we were talking about it, a contract came down and I just signed it. I had

no idea that I’d been extended a year.”

The move assures this year’s freshman class that Long will be locked in as head coach throughout their time at SDSU. “The biggest value is we can recruit, and if they’re coming here because of the way we run the program, they can be assured that the program is going to be run the same way,” Long said.

SDSU athletic director John David Wicker praised Long as both a person and a coach, and how that extends over to the recruiting process.

“That’s the great thing about

(Long) is he is a good person first, or a great person, and then he’s a great football coach as well,” Wicker said. “So he’s going to go out and surround himself with those types of people and get high character kids that can come in here.”

Long originally came to SDSU as the team’s defensive coordinator at the start of the 2009 season, and was promoted to head coach two years later following the departure of Brady Hoke to Michigan.

Long sports an overall record of 64-29 as the Aztecs head coach, and has put together three

consecutive double-digit win seasons.

With a college coaching career dating back to 1972, the 68-yearold Long said that he’d like to continue coaching as long as he can, but that he expects this to be his last stop.

“I plan on coaching as long as they’ll let me coach and I have enough energy to do it the right way. I plan on doing that,” Long said. “There’s nobody else going to be interested in me because of my advanced age, so I would guess this will be my last stop.

One way or the other this is the last stop.”

Head coach Rocky Long Photo by Kelly Smiley

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April 18-24, 2018 Editor: Cami Buckman • arts@thedailyaztec.com

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