10-16-2019

Wednesday, Oct. 16 - Tuesday, Oct. 22 2019 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 106, Issue 10 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

- Read on page 12 -

SDSU offers $68.2 million for the Mission Valley site

by Michael Cline ASST. NEWS EDITOR

After San Diego State announced it had broken a confidentiality agreement with the city over their Mission Valley discussions, the public negotiations between the university and the City of San Diego over the site officially began when SDSU presented a formal purchase agreement offer to the San Diego City Council.

The university’s formal offer — $68.2 million for the 132-acre Mission Valley site where SDCCU Stadium lies — was presented to the council on Oct 14.

At the council meeting, SDSU President Adela de la Torre said the university was acting in the public’s best interest with its offer.

“We can all agree that the voters of San Diego chose SDSU as the

best steward for this public land because of the clear benefit to San Diego,” de la Torre said to the council. “Today, our offer not only complies with everything in Measure G, we believe it goes above and beyond in providing tangible benefits and physical amenities for the residents of our great city.”

THE PROPOSAL JMI Realty CEO John Kratzer, a member of SDSU’s Mission Valley negotiating team, detailed SDSU’s offer in his presentation to the council.

He said the total value of the public-use development is a $150 million investment by the university.

“We think it represents a fair and equitable package,” Kratzer said.

That $150 million price tag

includes $30 million to build a 34-acre River Park. SDSU will also pay $578,000 annually and in perpetuity to maintain the park, which will remain city property.

In addition to the River Park, the university will construct open recreation spaces and hike and bike trails throughout the SDSU West expansion project.

And as part of its offer to purchase the land as is, SDSU will take responsibility of all existing stadium operating, maintenance and improvement expenses, which currently costs city taxpayers between $7 million and $15 million annually.

SDSU will take on those annual costs upon the sale and transfer of the land.

SEE MISSION VALLEY, PAGE 2

Fire near College Area leads to local road closures, evacuations

by Katelynn STAFF WRITER

Robinson

At 2:40 p.m. university police released a campus-wide email stating they were assisting San Diego fire departments with a fire located off of Fairmount Avenue and Montezuma Road.

Fairmount Avenue was temporarily closed in both directions along with most other roads in the area between the Interstate 8 and El Cajon Boulevard, according to the SDSU urgent alerts website.

There were no threats to the university, SDSUPD spokesperson Raquel Herriott said. Off-campus mandatory evacuations were issued to the areas near 4600-4700 Constance Drive and Natalie Drive in the Talmadge Area,

but all evacuation orders were lifted at 5:50 p.m.

Air quality at SDSU was not impacted and classes remained open, according to the SDSU alert updates.

Officials were notified of the fire around 1:40 p.m. on Tuesday after they received a call that some trees were in flames near the intersection of Aldine Drive and Fairmont Avenue, according to an email from San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Monica Munoz.

She said the department is currently unaware of the cause of the fire, but that investigators from the metro arson strike team will investigate.

No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported, Munoz said.

NASA and allies celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day

by Jadyn Brandt STAFF WRITER

In the United States, the second Monday in October has historically been known as Columbus Day. However, the Native American Student Alliance honored Indigenous People’s Day instead.

On Oct. 14, members of the Native American Student Alliance, local tribes and allies gathered in front of Hepner Hall to commemorate and celebrate Indigenous people across the globe. The rally began with speeches from members of NASA. Members of various tribes in the San Diego area also spoke and performed traditional songs.

The rally focused on the

stories, experiences and history of the Indigenous people.

“Our motives are to make space for us to have our narratives heard, celebrate our resiliency and show the true history and ongoing legacy of colonization here in San Diego,” interdisciplinary studies senior and NASA chair Lane Yazzie said.

Members of NASA passed out fliers to attendees and passersby with instructions on how to be a strong ally of Indigenous students and community members. Listening and learning, showing up to support, acknowledging the land you occupy and investing in Indigenous resources were four ways NASA sought support.

“November is Native

American Heritage Month,” Yazzie said. “That’s one of those aspects of showing up and showing out and supporting us through that. There’s a lot of opportunities to support us in coming to our events, (being an ally) is a continuous process.”

NASA believes the celebration of Indigenous peoples is especially relevant to San Diego because of the city’s history.

“San Diego has the most tribes out of any city in America,” American Indian studies sophomore and NASA secretary Skylar Beasley said.

“19 tribes of people have lived here for thousands of years.

Even in California, there are SEE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, PAGE 2

Members of NASA, local tribes and allies gathered in front of Hepner Hall.

Photo by Jadyn Brandt

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News

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Mission Valley: continued from page 1

And the university will pay the $10 to 15 million stadium demolition costs once its new 35,000 seat, multi-use stadium is complete.

Additionally, the university will ensure at least 10% of its approximately 4,600 housing units at SDSU West are set aside for affordable housing.

The university, at the city’s request, will also take ownership of 2.6 acres of Murphy Canyon Creek, which is estimated to cost the university $125,000 annually, after deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects are completed by the city.

The university also offered a number of provisions to accommodate the Mission Valley Community Plan with regards to public amenities and traffic mitigation.

SDSU offered to reserve an acre of land for the city to construct and operate a civic recreation center.

And the university’s traffic mitigation efforts include constructing the two-lane Fenton Parkway bridge, a project the city has planned for two decades. The bridge is expected to cost between $21 and $22 million.

SDSU said it will front the initial cost and build the bridge after a separate environmental impact review is completed.

SDSU also expects the city to reimburse the university for 75% of the construction costs through development impact fee credits or other reimbursement from the city once the bridge is completed.

The bridge is part of the university’s traffic-mitigation efforts, as SDSU also envisions a transit-focused project.

THE END OF CONFIDENTIAL NEGOTIATIONS But before the university presented their official proposal to, disagreements between SDSU and the city were documented after nearly 10 months had passed since the two sides entered into negotiations.

With SDSU and San Diego officials deadlocked over the sale and transfer of the Mission Valley site, the university decided to end confidential negotiations and bring the debate into the public forum.

In a conference call with journalists on Oct. 10, SDSU Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs and Chief Financial Officer Tom McCarron said the memorandum of understanding regarding the confidentiality of discussions between the city and university was no longer necessary.

He said the CSU Board of Trustees approved the decision because negotiations moved to an open forum with the city council and the draft appraisal is now public.

“It is clear the confidentiality of (memorandum of understanding) is no longer needed,” McCarron said.

THE DISPUTE OVER FAIR MARKET VALUE Despite the confidentiality agreement, news broke on Oct. 7 over key points of contention between the university and city officials. In particular, the two sides disagree over language in the SDSU West ballot initiative, which voters approved in 2018, regarding the fair market value of the land and responsibility for stadium demolition costs.

The city also believes SDSU’s traffic mitigation plan needs work.

SDSU disagrees with the city over costs to demolish SDCCU Stadium and the site’s fair market value.

De la Torre said the land appraiser, hired jointly by the city and the university,

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

appraised the Mission Valley site with costs to demolish the 52-year old stadium. She said the law required the fair market value appraisal to take stadium demolition costs into account.

“Why would we add the cost of the demolition on top of the fair market value price of the land, and pay for it twice?” de la Torre said in the conference call.

City officials contest the $68.2 million figure from the 2017 appraisal. An analysis released by the city’s Office of the Independent Budget Analysis concluded the fair market value could be as high as $91.9 million in 2020 dollars.

And the 2017 value not indexed with deductions for stadium demolition and other expenses is $86.2 million, according to the IBA. That puts SDSU and the city $18 million apart.

The official language of Measure G, the SDSU West ballot initiative, said although the city may make adjustments and deductions to the final sale price, the fair market value must be based on the 2017 appraisal.

“The measure requires the sale price to be based on fair market value as of October 2017, but the price could be adjusted to account for stadium demolition costs, environmental requirements, the cost to develop a river park, and other factors,” according to the full text of Measure G. THE SDSU WEST VISION The Mission Valley site is essential for the SDSU West project that will build a 35,000 seat stadium primarily for SDSU football, the River Park, hike and bike trails and educational facilities that could add a projected 15,000 full-time equivalent students to the university’s population.

Student enrollment at or beyond 50,000 would put SDSU near the top-10

Indigenous Peoples: continued from page 1

The Native American Student Alliance hosted a rally to honor Indigenous People’s Week.

Photo by Jadyn Brandt

more Natives than in any other state so I think it’s really important to celebrate it here on campus.”

Despite a large number of tribes, Indigenous students are an underrepresented group at SDSU. “Native Americans make up less than 1% at the university,” Yazzie said.

SDSU has already begun working with NASA to spread awareness and show respect for Indigenous tribes through banners designed by the association’s members.

“I think that’s really important to acknowledge the land we’re on and the people that lived here long before this

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largest public universities in America by enrollment — among the likes of The Ohio State University, the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University.

De la Torre said the enrollment plan to add 15,000 students would take place over a 15-year period, but the development plan currently in place prioritizes the construction of the stadium and River Park in an initial phase. The university will then develop roughly 4,600 residential units, with a campus innovation district to follow over a 10-year span.

De la Torre also said SDSU would coordinate with departments on how best to expand its enrollment figures through a new enrollment management plan that accounts for both the short- and long-term needs of the university.

While private development partners are part of the university’s Mission Valley vision, McCarron said SDSU was far from announcing any partnerships. He stressed the university has been doing its homework.

“We’re studying models nationally, and I think we have a good sense of where we want to go,” McCarron said.

But the stadium remains the university’s focus as it seeks a resolution with the city.

SDSU hopes to complete stadium construction in time for the 2022 football season. The year marks SDSU’s 125th anniversary, and the Aztecs will host a Pac 12 Conference opponent, the University of Arizona Wildcats, to start the season.

In addition to a debt financing plan with the CSU system, McCarron said the university would finance stadium construction costs through a combination of philanthropic donations, a stadium naming rights deal, seat licenses for season tickets and sponsorships.

In total, SDSU projects the Mission Valley project, at complete development, will add $3 billion in local economic value.

university existed,” Beasley said.

Sustainability junior Norah O’Neill, who attended the event after hearing about it online. said it is the responsibility of schools to properly teach all parts of history, no matter how difficult it may be to accept.

“It is hard to say our country was built on a lot of hate and violence, but it’s part of our history and we need to know that that’s where we came from,” she said.

In order for change to happen in regard to the respect and recognition of Indigenous people, O’Neill said constant awareness of our history is crucial.

“Wherever you are, knowing that the land you are on someone else’s land first. Just having it in the back of your mind, we’re here but someone else was here first,” O’Neill said.

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Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

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Dance Marathon team hosts Miracle Week to raise funds

by Jeanette STAFF WRITER

Giovanniello

The Dance Marathon at SDSU team kicked off their Miracle Week on Oct. 7 to promote fundraising and registration for the annual event.

As the team began their tabling events on campus, students got a taste of what the event is about and what the next six months of campaigning will look like.

Dance Marathon at SDSU is one of many events within the Children’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon, which was made to raise awareness on school campuses across the country to raise money for local children’s hospitals. The event is the largest student-run philanthropic movement at San Diego State, according to the dance marathon website.

The first marathon raised about $40,000. Since then, thousands of students and donors have participated in the organization’s growth and success.

Last year, the event raised $322,219 for the cause, exceeding their goal and breaking previous fundraising records.

The Dance Marathon at SDSU team spent Oct. 7 and 9 to raise awareness and educate students about the event and Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego — the beneficiary of funds raised by the dance marathon.

Another day was devoted to recruitment, which was deemed successful by liberal studies senior and Dance Marathon team member Leah Henry. Over 1,300 students signed up

on the first day, and 200 more were brought in throughout the week, Henry said.

Last year’s dance marathon hosted over 2,000 people total. This included 60 registered teams consisting of campus organizations, residence halls or groups of friends. Students are also welcome to register individually, or even buy a ticket to the marathon to watch and support.

The team’s outreach efforts also included fundraising on Oct. 10. Miracle Week’s efforts lead to $38,144 raised in just one day. The marathon’s total fundraising goal is set to be released next week, and afterwards the Dance Marathon team will keep motivating registered participants and teams to raise as much money as possible until the event takes place in February.

Each participant must raise at least $123 to get into the event, according to Henry. After that first goal is met, the team continues to encourage further fundraising.

The marathon lasts overnight on a Friday, starting at 6 p.m. and wrapping up at 9 a.m. the next morning. The 15 hours of dancing may sound exhausting, but most people stay for the full marathon.

“Our whole message is to stay dancing for 15 hours for the children who can’t, so we try not to even sit,” Henry said.

“Some kids don’t have the option of getting to relax, so the message is just to keep dancing and to keep fundraising for those who need the funds. Once

Aztec Dance Marathon kicked off their Miracle Week to raise funds and awareness of the event.

you’re there you don’t really want to leave.”

Children and families from the hospital attend the marathon every year to share their stories. A talent show is also held at the marathon, giving kids the opportunity to sing, dance and entertain in all different forms. These factors make it easy for people to stay through the entirety.

Speech, language and hearing sciences

sophomore Leila Yashi, first participated in the event last year. She plans on dancing until her final year at SDSU. “I do it because there are 62 kids a minute are admitted to a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital,” said Yashi.

“It’s our chance to alleviate some stress from the children and their families. It isn’t just about them getting to dance, but a second chance for them to live happily and healthily.”

ATTENTION SDSU STUDENTS! Attend an Open Forum on Proposed Fee Increases Your input is needed on 2 proposed fee increases!

Forums begin October 22 Find the open forum schedule and more information at sdsu.edu/alternativeconsult

sdsu.edu/alternativeconsult

File Photo

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Opinion

The Daily Aztec

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Student participation in politics has the power to make a change

by Oliver Krvaic CONTRIBUTOR

One of the travesties of modern electoral politics is the observation that the cohorts of society that are most liable to inheriting the outcomes of ongoing cultural debates and political elections are the same segments that are consistently the least likely to participate in these processes.

Edison Election Polling found voters aged 18 to 29 made up only 19% of the electorate in 2016. Conversely, voters aged 50 and older made up over 45% of the electorate.

Results skew even more heavily when compared by race, where non-hispanic white voters aged 18-29 made up 12% of the electorate, nearly two thirds of all young voters.

These figures are affected by the share of the population that these age groups make up, but collegeage voters are still punching well below their weight. In 2016, only 46% of 18 to 29 year olds cast a vote, in contrast to seniors who voted at rates exceeding 70%.

But let’s not pretend political activism starts and ends at the ballot box. The framework of this conversation needs to be expanded to include all activism and volunteering that takes place in the years between election cycles. These positions, too,

are heavily skewed towards older participation, and the proportions only increase as state, county and city-level campaigns are considered.

The good news is as politics become more local, individuals exponentially rise in importance.

Local elections across San Diego County have been won and lost by single-digit differences in vote counts. Individual impact becomes even more pronounced and disproportionate at the volunteer level, where you are one of dozens or hundreds.

This can be the difference that determines a new majority on your local city council or school board. It can be the difference that determines if high speed rail comes to San Diego, or if San Diego State expands into Mission Valley.

Even more than the presidential election, it’s the decisions made at this level that have the greatest potential to affect individuals and their daily lives. What good is a presidential platform without the congressional majority to implement it?

It’s heartening to see students on campus get involved in nationwide or even worldwide efforts to curtail the effects of climate change or to champion causes for social change that they’re passionate about. It’s easy to encounter discouragement at this scale of political activism

The creative arts have the ability to impact a person’s life more than one could imagine. They can stimulate individuals both visually and mentally in ways other things can’t. They capture our imagination in such a vibrant way that when we don’t have the words to say, the arts offer us an alternative outlet to express ourselves.

With that being said, the creative arts are not just for casual gratification, but they can be used as a remedy for people who have experienced trauma or tribulations.

Art and music therapy — two very valid forms of therapy — can be crucial to a person’s journey to healing. Being a creator myself, there have been times when I have thought about pursuing music therapy both as a career choice and as a part of my personal healing journey.

In doing my research about various types of therapy, I learned that in art and music therapy, therapists use creativity for the treatment and diagnosis of a number of disorders and conditions. It is used in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, private practices and other sites where medical treatment occurs. I also discovered, however, that health insurance carriers do not cover art or music therapy.

It’s disheartening to even begin to comprehend this because it makes me think health insurance companies don’t believe in the power of art and music therapy.

They aren’t willing to take the time to understand how effective these methods can be on one’s road to healing, despite all the evidence to support it.

Both art and music therapy have been apart of the healing process for many people with health conditions that include, but are not limited to, depression, cancer, autism and Alzheimer’s.

Art therapy consists of a therapist guiding the patient in utilizing visual arts as an avenue to communicate their emotions.

Through various mediums such as paint, pastels and pens, the patient will convey feelings that

MANAGING EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Little ASST. NEWS EDITOR Michael Cline OPINION EDITOR Catherine Van Weele MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Alejandra Luna ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Diane Lopez ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ceighlee Fennel SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz

Photo by Jack Molmud

On Sept. 20 students participated in Climate Strike help on campus.

because meaningful change demands an exceptional level of cooperation between all levels of government and civil society.

For the hundreds of students that protest, volunteer and vote, there are hundreds that have been successfully dismayed into inaction. To these, I encourage them to explore local candidates, campaigns and organizations.

If you have strong opinions on the current administration’s policies towards refugees and asylum seekers, your capacity to affect sweeping change at this level is slim, but you can make an exceptional impact working at the Jewish Family Service or the International Rescue Committee

here in San Diego, for instance.

The Greek proverbs that inspired our Founding Fathers say, “Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

We and our posterity have an obligation to break the wheel of cyclical, short-term decisionmaking that has plagued this country across its most recent election cycles and we can do so by overrepresenting ourselves at the most local building blocks of our electoral system.

Oliver Krvaic is a senior studying international security and conflict resolution.

Insurance should cover art and music therapy

by Trinity Bland STAFF WRITER

EDITOR IN CHIEF Bella Ross

may be extremely difficult to express in words. It is often used when dealing with trauma, grief, addiction, stress and anxiety. The benefits of art therapy include conflict resolution, a feeling of selffulfillment and better ways to cope with pain.

I have personally sought after music therapists in the San Diego area and, as a college student it is almost unrealistic nor a wise option for me to pursue at this time merely because of financial setbacks. I don’t have the money to pay out of pocket for regular therapy so thankfully, I have insurance to cover it.

Music therapy has been proven to reduce pain, stress and loneliness, all of which are things I have become accustomed to in my life — especially as an out-of-state

Graphic by Emily Burgess

college student here at San Diego State. I just wish insurance carriers would add music therapy to the wide array of things they cover so I could utilize this alternative route as I heal over time.

With music therapy, the objective goes hand-in-hand with the proven fact that music can be used to improve one’s life. This doesn’t just get the patient involved with listening to music, but they sing, play instruments and write songs as well. Music therapy helps with improving the way the patient communicates.

As someone who is a musician and an aspiring music producer, my everlasting question is this: Why can’t art and music therapy be accessible to a college student like me?

Or more importantly, why can’t art and music therapy be covered by health insurance so a college student like me can continue to work toward obtaining a level of peace that I’ve been dreaming about for a long time?

Health insurance carriers should take this evidence into consideration and actively engage in conversations regarding pushing towards routes they can take to cover art and music therapy fees for the benefits of us all.

Trinity Bland is a sophomore studying journalism. Follow her on Twitter @trinityaliciaa.

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Brenden Tuccinardi PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jack Molmud GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emily Burgess VOLUNTEER COPY EDITOR Noah Goldbloom

STAFF WRITERS Cristian Alvarez Rozana Becerril Trinity Bland Jadyn Brandt Jeanette Giovanniello Shayne Jones Shalika Oza Juniper Perkins Katelynn Robinson Noé Sandoval Devin Whatley SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Kelly Kerrigan Johann Derek Oribello CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Campos Grace Haas Oliver Krvaic Catlan Nguyen Adam Pacheco Reese Savoie ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bryan Diamond ________________________________ 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.

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Opinion

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

5

Schools must do more to help victims of sexual assault

by Shalika Oza STAFF WRITER

Regardless of whether you are in high school, college or wherever you are in life, sexual assault happens.

Recently, Leland High School within the San Jose Unified School District, the high school I attended, has been hit with a lawsuit from a former student whose sexual assault complaint was not handled properly.

The lawsuit arose as the survivor claims the school, specifically an assistant principal and the former principal, failed to do anything to prevent the harassment the person faced after an assault took place.

The survivor’s lawyer noted, although there are procedures and policies in place for this type of complaint, they were disregarded in this case. The school district and specific high school have faced a lawsuit of a similar nature before.

This got me thinking: Are schools – both high schools and colleges – doing enough for survivors of sexual assault?

The objective of Title IX Currently, federally funded universities have a policy statute called Title IX. It does not apply to private schools, but it does apply to San Diego State.

According to Know Your IX, “Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding.”

Since the passing of Title IX, significant changes have been made to how sexual assault cases are handled, including how hearings and cases run by the school are supposed to look.

In 2018, the U.S. Sixth Court of Appeals ruled the accused has the right to cross-examine the accuser.

The University of Michigan had to revise its sexual assault policies to comply, and the ACLU is urging to reverse this change.

Many are saying this practice is unethical as it can bring survivors -- who are often mentally scarred from the experience -- back to a very dark place.

Another law passed in California in early 2016 requires middle and

File Photo

Protestors at Take Back the Night Protest in 2014.

high school students to learn about sexual assault and harassment.

In previous years, California found K-12 schools have failed to stay up to date with Title IX policy, and this 2016 law aims to improve resources for sexual assault survivors.

Unfortunately, this was news to me. The law went into effect for the 2016-2017 school year, while I was still in high school. I never attended any assembly about sexual assault nor was I informed of new policies.

However, merely educating people on sexual assault doesn’t magically stop it from happening.

No matter how many mandatory training courses are required, we can never fully prevent this from happening. Rape doesn’t stop because we say, “Don’t rape.”

This is not to say these conversations should not keep happening. The goal is to make sure that sexual assault doesn’t happen, but if it does then there is a solid plan and policy in place to actively help the survivor and hold the abuser accountable.

The implications of new Title IX rules Unfortunately, SDSU will have to update its sexual assault complaint procedures per the federal rules created by U.S. Department of Education head, Betsy DeVos. These federal rules, under Title IX, will give more rights to the accused, including allowing for cross-examination, similar to the Sixth Court of Appeals ruling. BecauseTitle IX is federally

funded, public universities may lose federal funding if they do not comply, including SDSU. This has drawn much criticism. University of California systemwide interim Title IX Coordinator, Suzanne Taylor for the LA Times said, “Proposed changes will reverse decades of well-established, hard-won progress toward equity in our nation’s schools, unravel critical protections for individuals who experience sexual harassment, and undermine the very procedures designed to ensure fairness and justice.”

This policy will most likely discourage students from filing a complaint in the first place. No student wants to file a claim only to be cross-examined and picked apart by the person they are accusing of abusing them.

The mental strength to go through that process is of prolific magnitudes. It is something that will be mentally exhausting for students and may deter them from school work and social activities.

This policy does nothing to help survivors of sexual assault, and without involving properly trained officials to help handle the situation, survivors may face even more suffering and trauma again at the hands of the person who hurt them the in the first place.

In the second installment of a three-part series, The Atlantic dives into the neurobiological changes a sexual assault survivor experiences and the behaviors

they may exhibit. Although this article was written before the new federal rules, it exemplifies why such a law would be a poor idea.

Survivors must be provided with the proper resources While SDSU has not faced many sexual assault hearings, the hearings it has conducted don’t seem to have gone too well, even without DeVos’s proposal.

A case from 2008 shows the injustice felt by a sexual assault survivor at SDSU. In the hearing, the accused individual was allowed to have an attorney, yet the survivor was told she could not have an attorney, only a victim advocate.

The survivor had to fight her own case with no court experience or an attorney to even guide her through the process.

Justice for survivors of sexual assault should be immediate.

This doesn’t mean expelling someone on the spot, but signifies that schools and Title IX coordinators should be able to provide more resources for the survivor, help secure someone for the survivor to aid in the legal battle or even obtain someone to help the survivor in a mental capacity.

SDSU may have given justice to the survivor in the end, but justice does not equal the end of sexual assault.

The survivor had to live through that experience while battling the legal system and school for only a minor consequence of expulsion.

She deserved to have the proper support to guide her through such a draining process and to make sure she was okay. But these resources were not made available and that is not acceptable.

In more recent years, SDSU has made an effort to receive student feedback and data on ways to update and strengthen sexual assault resources.

Still, federal compliance may hinder that.

What about the falsely accused?

While DeVos’s draws criticism, there are still those who agree with it. Some say these kinds of due process protections are necessary given a concern about false accusations.

I am fair enough to admit there have been instances where accusers lied about experiencing sexual assault, but that statistic is staggeringly low. According to the National Violence Resource Center, it is between two and 10% of the cases reported.

The accused are being accused for a reason. From The Atlantic, former attorney general Edwin Meese said, “The thing is you don’t have many suspects who are innocent of a crime. That’s contradictory. If a person is innocent of a crime, then he is not a suspect.”

We need to do more to help survivors Speaking out about sexual assault already comes with many consequences for the survivor, so why would someone want to put themselves through that intentionally.

It is important to understand that many times sexual assault turns into “he said, she said” debate, but why do we immediately jump to disprove what “she said?”

As a whole, we are living in a world that victimizes girls before anything even happens. We tell girls to not wear provocative clothing, to not take a drink from anyone, go to the bathroom with a group, carry pepper spray, don’t walk alone at night and the list goes on.

Instead, we choose to expect people to jump through hoops to not get raped.

As a school, we need to make sexual assault survivors feel they have a safe space on campus and can report a sexual assault instead of implementing policies in place that discourage it.

As a state, we need to be able to examine these federal policies and realize they are not useful and we need to come up with ways to rightfully help survivors.

As a country, we need to destigmatize sexual assault, talk about it and appoint lawmakers who can provide the proper resources and instate policies that give support to survivors of sexual assault.

We need to do better.

Shalika Oza is a sophomore studying journalism.

Patients struggle when Medi-Cal fails to cover prescription costs

by Shyane Jones STAFF WRITER

One in three Californians are Medi-Cal recipients, according to the California Health Care Foundation. Many of these families have members suffering from chronic illnesses that require around the clock care, medication and monitoring.

I happen to be one such family member.

I have a disease called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and I am required to take daily medication to regulate my underactive thyroid gland. I have Medi-Cal, and I recently needed to get my prescription refilled before I ran out of pills. I had to pay out of pocket three times in order to collect my prescription, all while I was supposedly covered by Medi-

Cal. Apparently, California hospitals cannot bill your medication to Medi-Cal unless you are enrolled with a specific provider.

What if I didn’t have the money to pay for the prescription I need on a daily basis? I am fortunate to have the financial stability to have paid for those medications out of pocket, but that’s not a reality for the majority of the 13 million lowincome Californians enrolled in Medi-cal.

I am a supporter of Medi-Cal. I wouldn’t have medical coverage if it weren’t for Medi-Cal, but a service that supports millions of Californians needs to guarantee that it will indeed provide for those people when they need it.

Low-income Californians more often than not, enroll in MediCal and other government aided

programs because they need the coverage and would probably not survive without it.

But if these people are lowincome, how is it fair to assume they can find outside funds to pay out-of-pocket expenses? If what happened to me, happens on a frequent basis to other Medi-Cal recipients, there could be more dire repercussions than people just being out a couple hundred dollars. People could die.

College students are among one of the larger low-income demographics in California. I’m fairly positive that I’m not the only SDSU student who is enrolled in Medi-Cal. On top of all of the other expenses that college students are expected and required to pay every year, they should not be shackled with the insecurity of not being able to afford medical care.

We need Medi-Cal to improve its services. A person’s medical health is not a trivial matter, and it needs to be treated as such.

Deliver what you promise, cover what you’ve promised to cover and try not to leave someone with a bill

they can’t afford to pay. Money is just money.

But a life is irreplaceable.

Shayne Jones is a senior studying journailism. Follow her on Twitter @shaynejones.

Photo by Alexa Oslowski

Outside of Calpulii where students have access to health care resources.

6

The Daily Aztec

News

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

SDSU dockless scooter ban creates problems for College Area residents

by Jack Molmud ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

San Diego State announced a complete ban on all micro-mobility vehicles — e-scooters, e-bikes and any personal electric-powered devices — on Aug. 19.

Because these devices are dockless and can be left anywhere, the university was forced to set up geofencing around campus that partly disables the device whenever it enters campus boundaries, according to SDSU Newscenter.

Scooters taken within campus boundaries will slow down significantly and cannot be parked within school boundaries outside of eight designated drop-off zones, the article said.

Students riding electronic devices around campus now risk a $75 fine, according to signs posted around campus. Those who park a Bird, Lime or other rented, personal micro-mobility vehicles on campus could also face additional relocation fees, as per the companies’ policies.

Since SDSU banned electric scooters on

campus, they can easily be found scattered throughout College Area neighborhood streets because they can no longer be parked on campus.

Martha Johnson has lived in the College Area for 50 years and is a former staff member at SDSU. “They’re thrown down all over … so it’s getting very difficult to walk around anywhere,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the presence of scooters around the neighborhood has specifically increased since SDSU issued the ban. She mentioned she has only seen one the eight official parking station near Tenochca Hall.

Candy Watkins began living off East Falls View Drive this year and said there has been more traffic in the College Area since the school year started, and the traffic blocks her access when using her vehicles.

“When school started (students) left a bunch of them … I have three cars, these two and my truck, and I couldn’t move them,” Watkins said. “(Scooters) (are) in the way. (Scooter delivery drivers) don’t have them charged.”

Aaron Moore works in the college

neighborhood off of Cresita Drive. He said scooter traffic blocks access to his business.

In one instance, he said he found a scooter hanging from a basketball hoop.

“I live right off 55th and Montezuma,” Moore said. “Both where I live and work, (students) just leave them, not even on the sidewalk, but where I park. I’ll have to get out of my car and move them out of the way.”

The amount of scooter traffic in the College Area is prompting some residents to take matters into their own hands.

Liza De Boer, house director for Gamma Phi Beta sorority house, posted signs outside on the driveway. The signs read “no scooter parking” in an effort to deter chargers from dropping scooters off in front of the house, as well as stopping riders from parking them there.

“I put up all the signs so its been better but just this morning I saw five of (the scooters) parked right outside next to the two big signs,” Boer said. “It seems like its been less (scooter traffic), but that’s only because I’ve been diligent about keeping them out of the way of our house.”

Scooters cluttering sidewalks have also prompted a lawsuit to be filed against the city and e-scooter companies. The plaintiff, Alex Montoya, was born with no arms or right leg. He claims the city is not enforcing rules on riding and parking on sidewalks and therefore, neglecting access for disabled citizens.

The lawsuit is seeking a court order that would bar e-scooters from being parked or ridden on city sidewalks.

Though scooters have been restricted to eight parking zones on campus, some have been found abandoned on school property.

Debbie Richeson, director of parking and transportation services, said the scooter companies are required to come on campus and claim scooters at 5 a.m. every morning.

Only one administrative ticket has been given for a scooter rider on campus, Richeson said.

“We definitely can look at more (docking zones) if we need to,” Richeson said. “We are surrounded by a bunch of city streets and the city has an agreement with these companies. They haven’t chosen to do corrals down here like they do downtown.”

Photos by Jack Molmud

(Top left) A group of Lime scooters sit in one of eight designated parking areas on campus. (Bottom left) REsidents of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority house put a sign outside warning riders not to park their scooters outside the home. (Top middle) A scooter lays in the middle of the sidewalk in a College Area neighborhood. (Bottom middle) College Area resident Candy Watkins said she has trouble backing out her car sometimes because scooters will be parked in front of her driveway. (Right) A lime scooter lies parked on a College Area sidewalk.

News

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

7

How the CSSA president spends his busy days advocating for students

by Brenden Tuccinardi ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

From nine to five, political science senior Michael Wiafe is Mr. President.

But his work doesn’t stop then. He is always on the job.

As president of the Cal State Student Association, Wiafe represents and advocates for the 480,000 students attending one of 23 California State University campuses, a job that often takes him beyond San Diego State.

“I’ve been in San Diego for the past three weeks, which is the longest time I’ve been in San Diego straight since January,” Wiafe said. “I usually travel at least once every two weeks.”

Wiafe began his yearlong term in July, just weeks after a state audit revealed the CSU “failed to fully disclose” a $1.5 billion surplus from state legislators and students while floating the possibility of tuition hikes.

“The week before my term started was when the whole audit thing started,” Wiafe said. “That was a pretty big battle from the jump.”

However, things have only gotten busier for Wiafe since then. As president, he oversees several research projects and is in charge of the search for a new CSSA executive director.

He is spearheading other hiring initiatives as well.

“We had a little bit of staff turnover,

File photo

Cal State Student Association President Michael Wiafe advocates for students at all CSU campuses in his position.

so right now I am chairing the executive director hiring committee and working on position descriptions for two of our other senior staff,” Wiafe said. “So a lot of (human resources) battles.”

Nevertheless, Wiafe is undeterred in his mission to advocate on behalf of students, frequently behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.

“The work Michael is doing each day is often left unseen by his peers,” Interim Executive Director of CSSA Brandon Tsubaki said. “Most students will never know the countless hours

he spends advocating for the food and housing insecure, those seeking timely mental health services or those who seek affordable quality education.”

It is not unusual for him to be on the phone when he is not in class or at a meeting, and when he does have a couple of hours of free time, they are often spent at Sunset Cliffs, Underbelly or with friends, Wiafe said.

Yet, his dedication to serving others has not gone unrecognized by those he works with.

Before becoming the president of CSSA,

Wiafe served on the Associated Students executive board as vice president of external relations.

“Michael is a servant leader,” Angie Espinoza, current A.S. vice president of external relations and long-time friend of Wiafe said. “He practices empathy, awareness and community building to ensure that the people working with him are just as excited and confident as him in their ability to accomplish the task at hand.”

This skill has proven to be helpful for Wiafe, who often finds himself being the middleman between power players — a role he said is accompanied by its own set of frustrations.

“I’m the person between students and the chancellor’s office, the person between the (CSSA Board) and our staff,” Wiafe said. “I’m also the person between our executive officers on the board, our staff, the chancellor’s office and advocacy organizations, which can be frustrating.”

However, Wiafe is always looking towards the future. His priorities as president include putting in place measures that ensure the success of future student leaders in his position. He views his term as “the year that needed to happen.”

“There is a lot of change that’s going to happen this year,” Wiafe said. “I really hope to create the most solid foundations for the next generation of student leaders.”

Celebration of life held for former SDSU public relations professor

by Adam Pacheco CONTRIBUTOR

San Diego State recently held a celebration of life event in honor of former faculty member Glen Broom, who died of a heart attack on Aug. 8.

Broom was a public relations professor in SDSU’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, and author of the tenth edition of “Cutlip and Center’s Effective Public Relations.” During the memorial, several friends and family members of Dr. Broom spoke about not only achievements in his professional career, but his personal character.

SDSU psychology professor and Provost Emerita Dr. Nancy Marlin welcomed the audience and described her relationship with Dr. Broom.

“All the years my husband and I lived in San Diego, Glen and Betty lived three doors

down,” Marlin said. “The sidewalk between our homes was frequently tread doing neighborly tasks with one another, but more frequently by getting together for dinners with lots of wine and lots of laughter.”

Gordon Broom, Glen Broom’s brother, shared stories of their childhood and attesting to Glen’s curiosity and enthusiasm.

He said his brother had, “a zest for life and enthusiasm that has left a lasting impression on us.”

Broom said his brother touched multiple lives in both his professional career and personal life.

“It is beyond words the comfort it gives us to know how respected he was,” Bloom said.

Joe Broom, Broom’s nephew, also shared memories about his uncle.

“I will always remember him for his unquenchable thirst for adventure, his limitless capacity for storytelling, and his impossibly immaculate mustache,” he said.

Many former colleagues and friends came forward – notably SDSU professors Dr. Lee Brown and Dr. David Dozier and former students Mary Correia-Moreno and Teresa Siles.

“I remember how proud he was of each and every one of his students,” Siles said.

“He would beam with pride when any of his students would advance to a leadership position, and he was usually the first person calling to congratulate them.”

The closing speaker was Glen’s wife, Dr. Betty Broom. She asked that in lieu of gifts or flowers, well-wishers donate to the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations Endowment.

This endowment fund committed over $50,000 to help establish the Broom Center, and continues to help support students pursuing a career in public relations. The Broom Center was established by Glen in 2012 and based at SDSU.

Photo by Adam Pacheco

Glen Bloom, former SDSU faculty member, died of a heart attack on Aug. 8.

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Sports

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Agnew’s late-game heroics down Wyoming

Photo by Sam Mayo

Senior quarterback Ryan Agnew throws on the run during the Aztecs’ 26-22 victory over Wyoming on Oct. 12 at SDCCU Stadium. Agnew led SDSU on a game-winning drive that resulted in a touchdown pass with 2:09 left.

by Aaron Tolentino SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State senior quarterback Ryan Agnew took a snap out of shotgun from his own 24-yard line with 6:43 left in the game.

For a split second, the offensive line froze, seemingly confused about what to do.

Agnew scrambled left into a pile of Wyoming defenders, and at the last second, made a jump toss to senior fullback Issac Lessard who gained 18 yards before losing his footing at SDSU’s own 42.

Head coach Rocky Long said the play was broken from the start, but the team recovered and made something out of nothing.

“What happened was the ball was snapped before it was supposed to be.

Our quarterback improvised and did a darn good job of improvising,” Long said with a chuckle.

It wasn’t the prettiest way to begin a game-winning touchdown drive, but seven points still came out of that possession.

Agnew recorded two completions to sophomore tight end Daniel Bellinger, which eventually gave SDSU the lead.

On third-and-six from his own 46, Agnew found Bellinger for a 28-yard gain. Five plays later, Agnew worked some magic by scrambling to his left, avoiding a sack and completing a pass on the run to Bellinger for a 12-yard score with 2:09 left.

Wyoming was unable to counter as redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Chambers threw an interception to SDSU senior cornerback Luq Barcoo with 1:20 left. Barcoo notched his fifth pick of the year, which ranks second in the nation.

After Agnew rushed for an 11-yard gain and a first down, the Aztecs (5-1, 2-1 Mountain West Conference) – who outscored Wyoming 20-8 in the second half – sealed the 26-22 victory over Wyoming (4-2, 1-1 MWC) on Saturday

night at SDCCU Stadium.

The victory was propelled by two decisions from Long to go for it on fourth down – both on drives that led to touchdowns.

Midway through the third quarter, the Aztecs were faced with a fourth-and-one from Wyoming’s 17-yard line. Instead of kicking the field goal, Long elected to have senior running back Juwan Washington run for a two-yard gain – which resulted in a 15-yard receiving touchdown on the next play to make the score 14-13 in Wyoming’s favor.

Thanks to a sack by senior defensive end Myles Cheatum, the Aztecs forced a Cowboys’ three-and-out on its ensuing possession.

Cheatum said defensive stops like that helps the offense.

“We both played off each other,” Cheatum said of the two units. “I think (the offense) seeing us have success gave them some confidence to play better as well.”

It showed on SDSU’s next drive when it was on Wyoming’s 35-yard line, and Long was faced with another fourthdown decision.

Agnew, on fourth-and-three, found redshirt freshman wide receiver Jesse Matthews for a 25-yard completion.

Washington followed that up right away with a 10-yard run to give the Aztecs a 19-14 lead with 1:28 left in the third.

Two fourth-down conversions, two touchdowns.

Long said the decisions to go for it on fourth down twice were gambles.

“I don’t know if that was the smart thing to do or not,” Long said. “We’re not here to play analytics. We’re here to win football games, and I thought we needed to make a fourth-down play to win the game, and it ended up okay this time.”

Coming into Saturday, SDSU was ranked first in the nation in rush defense, allowing 45.4 yards per game.

Apparently, Wyoming and its redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Chambers dismissed what the Aztecs have done against the run in their first five games.

In the first half alone, Chambers rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, and sophomore running back Xazavian Valladay had 61 yards on 12 carries.

The Cowboys’ run game was slowed down in the second half with 28 yards, finishing the game with 157 yards.

SDSU was able to counter with a quarterback and running back duo of its own.

Washington had 84 rushing yards while Agnew added 42 of his own to contribute to a total of 120 yards from Aztec ball carriers.

After missing two games with an ankle injury, Washington said he’s getting better by the week.

“Close to (100%),” he said after posting two total touchdowns. “When I’m out there, I feel good. I’m always 100% when I’m out there.”

With Washington on his way to

a full recovery, expect the 5-foot-7, 190-pound back to receive the majority of the carries out of the backfield.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Horton said Washington has progressed to being back to his normal self. ‘‘We’ve increased his workload,’’ Horton said. ‘‘We look forward to – unless there’s a setback – him being 100% by (the next) game because he took a big chunk (of carries) each week.’’

The win puts SDSU in first place of the MWC West Division with a 2-1 conference record. Overall, conference standings have Boise State at the top of the MWC at 3-0 (6-0 overall).

The Aztecs head on the road to San José State (3-3, 1-2 MWC) on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Aaron Tolentino is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @atolent2.

Sports 9 SDSU heads up to The Bay for a clash with San José

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State will travel north to take on San José State on Oct. 19.

While the Aztecs (5-1, 2-1 Mountain West Conference) are riding a two-game winning streak, the Spartans (3-3, 1-2 MWC) are coming off a tough 41-38 loss to Nevada on Oct. 12.

The most notable opponent the Spartans have played this season is Arkansas, who resides in the Southeastern Conference.

The Sept. 21 game resulted in a 31-24 Spartan victory.

It marked SJSU’s first-ever win against an SEC school and the school’s first win against a Power Five conference school since 2006.

The team also has as many wins this season as they did in 2017 and 2018 combined.

Clearly, the Spartans are not the kind of team to back down from a challenge. But its high-powered passing offense – ranked ninth in the country with 326 passing yards per game – now has to face the ninth best total defense in SDSU (who has allowed 270 yards per contest).

Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett said SJSU has been efficient on offense this season.

“They’ve done a great job

Photo by Sam Mayo

Sophomore defensive lineman Keshawn Banks (left) and senior defensive lineman Myles Cheatum (right) celebrate in the air during the Aztecs’ 26-22 win against Wyoming on Oct. 12 at SDCCU Stadium.

of protecting the quarterback, getting the ball out on time,” Arnett said. “They’re also not turning the ball over.”

SJSU senior quarterback Josh Love is the team’s leading passer with 1,823 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Those two interceptions have played a big part in the Spartans’ turnover margin, which ranks first in the country (+2).

“I’m guessing turnovers might play a big part in this one,” Arnett said.

The Spartans also include

freshman quarterback Nick Nash in their offense. Nash leads the team in rushing with 255 yards on 40 attempts and three touchdowns in addition to passing for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

Through the air, the Aztecs have to worry about junior Tre Walker and senior Bailey Gaither. The upperclassmen wide receivers lead the Spartans in receiving: Walker with 31 catches for 447 yards and a touchdown and Gaither with 20 receptions for 389 yards and two touchdowns.

Last season, the Aztecs gutted out a 16-13 home victory over the Spartans.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Horton said the Spartans have played in close games throughout the past year.

“They’ve been in some tight battles,” Horton said. “I remember a year ago we had to fight our tail off to win by (three points). So they’ve been playing up there and they’ve had good success.”

This time around, the Aztecs have new faces leading the team.

Sophomore wide receiver Kobe

Smith and redshirt freshman Jesse Matthews lead the Aztecs on offense with 631 combined receiving yards.

And against Wyoming, SDSU’s offense saw another player enter the scene.

Sophomore tight end Daniel Bellinger was the second-leading receiver against the Cowboys with two receptions for 40 yards, including the 12-yard gamewinning touchdown reception.

On the other side of the ball, the Aztecs have two underclassmen starting on the defensive line.

Sophomore Keshawn Banks and redshirt freshman Cameron Thomas – alongside senior Myles Cheatum – totaled a combined 17 tackles against the Cowboys.

The unit has heavily contributed to the Aztecs’ success against the run. SDSU is fourth in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (64).

But in order to halt the Spartans’ offense, Arnett said SDSU’s defense must put pressure on Love.

“You can get (the quarterback) more concerned with the guys rushing him and get his eyes off looking downfield at routes,” Arnett said. “If you can get consistent pass rush, that allows you to do a whole host of things.”

Kyle Betz is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @ KyleBBetz.

Men’s soccer edged by No. 7 Stanford 1-0 in defensive battle

by Cristian STAFF WRITER

Alvarez

San Diego State men’s soccer lost 1-0 to No. 7 Stanford on Oct. 13 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

The Aztecs (3-7-1, 0-5 Pac12) found themselves in a defensive battle against a topranked opponent in the Cardinal (9-1-2, 3-1-1 Pac-12), with a breakaway goal in the 58th minute by Stanford freshman forward Ousseni Bouda being the difference.

“At the end of the day, it’s one moment and at this level, when you play top-10 teams, the game plan has to be nearly perfect,” head coach Lev Kirshner said.

“And we were nearly perfect today.”

Kirshner added Stanford’s only score in the match came as a result of an unforced error from the Aztecs.

“We threw a long ball which isn’t something we normally do in games,” he said. “No one was fighting inside the box and we couldn’t get to the ball. Our lines were open, we didn’t foul and let (Bouda) make a run to score a ‘golazo’ on their side of the field.”

The Aztecs have lost three games in a row while conceding 10 goals over the span.

However, SDSU applied pressure and tightened up spaces, making things difficult for the Cardinal.

“We’ve been bleeding five goals, four goals here and there so things in the backline had to change,” Kirshner said.

“Fortunately, my decisions showed to be pretty productive.”

Photo by Luis Lopez

Freshman midfielder Blake Bowen attempts to get past two Stanford defenders during the Aztecs’ 1-0 loss to the Cardinal on Oct. 13 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

In five games of Pac-12 play this season, the Aztecs have yet to come away with their first victory.

“It’s tough not getting any points, but we’ll just have to move forward and build from this game,” sophomore midfielder Arturo Chavez said.

The Cardinal limited the Aztecs in scoring opportunities throughout the match.

SDSU earned just seven shots and five corners compared to

13 shots and 16 corner-kicks in their previous match against the Golden Bears.

Despite their offensive efforts, the Aztecs have been unable to show any goals for it.

“I felt like we could’ve been a little sharper in those moments,” Chavez said. “It easily could have led to one or two goals with the kind of opportunities we had.”

SDSU has not recorded a goal since its 5-2 loss against UCLA on Oct. 6.

Chavez said the team focused on cleaning things up defensively in the past two games, but have to be solid on both sides of the ball moving forward. “(In) this game our defense came out and performed,” he said. “We have to put our offense and defense together in order to get a result.”

Even with a loss against Stanford, senior midfielder Pablo Pelaez said this game helped boost the team’s confidence.

“It was a good stepping stone for the guys to bounce back after a couple of tough losses,” he said.

“I liked the effort from the team, but at the same time, we are not happy with losing.”

Next, the Aztecs take a pause from conference play to face Marshall on Oct. 18 at the SDSU Sports Deck.

Cristian Alvarez is senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @AlvarezTheViper.

10

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Aztec alum bring footvolley to San Diego

by Reese Savoie CONTRIBUTOR

Athletes took to the sand this past Saturday, Oct. 12, to participate in a daylong footvolley tournament hosted by the Footvolley Club of San Diego.

The event took place on the shores of Mission Bay as players kicked, bumped and headed a soccer ball over a volleyball net, all in an attempt to outscore their opponents and keep the ball airborne on their side of the court.

Sound familiar?

The objective is extremely similar to beach volleyball: Each team must get the ball over the net and try to ground it on the opposite team’s end. However, there’s a catch: absolutely no hands are to be used. Instead, players must rely upon their heads, shoulders, chest, legs and feet to get a soccer ball – instead of a volleyball – up and over the net.

Footvolley originated in Brazil, but has since made its way to the United States, and is now beginning to make a name for itself right here in San Diego. The Footvolley Club of San Diego is owned

by Daniel Gaspar, a Brazilian native and an SDSU alumnus.

Gaspar, who grew up surrounded by footvolley in Brazil, said he’s excited about the sport’s local growth.

“I think it’s amazing,” he said. “When I first got here, we didn’t have enough players to play, and now, seeing how it’s grown, we have a lot of players that started with us, and we can see more

people playing the sport.”

Cecilia Zaccarelli, another SDSU graduate, is also part of the Footvolley Club.

Zaccarelli grew up in Brazil and attended SDSU on a swimming scholarship. She said seeing footvolley grow in San Diego holds personal significance.

“It’s so special,” Zaccarelli said. “It’s sports-related, and that’s how I came to the U.S.” “If it wasn’t for SDSU, I wouldn’t be here today,” she added about popularizing footvolley in the city.

Along with integrating Brazilian culture into the United States, footvolley also helps bring people together and creates a community built upon the players’ love for the game.

Beesan Abder-Ruhman is another member of the Footvolley Club of San Diego. She graduated from San Diego State’s Sports MBA program in 2007 and lived in Brazil for four years. Her time abroad allowed her to immerse herself in footvolley, and seeing everyone come together and play speaks volumes of the sport’s significance.

Abder-Ruhman said no matter what part of the globe someone is from, footvolley is a language that can be spoken and understood amongst all players.

“Sport is always one of the biggest ways of communicating and getting to know each other,” she said. “You’ll never really understand a place until you talk to people and get to know them, and sports is just one of the best ways of doing that.”

Zaccarelli added that footvolley helps to

Photo by Reese Savoie

Jovan Obradovic (left) and Beesan Abder-Ruhman (right) attempt to send the ball over the net without the use of their hands during a footvolley tournament on Oct. 12 at Mission Beach.

unite people of all different backgrounds.

“If it wasn’t for footvolley, I wouldn’t know (the other players),” Zaccarelli said.

“They are my best friends. They’re like family to me.”

Zaccarelli hopes to see footvolley continue to flourish here in San Diego and said one day, it can be introduced into collegiate athletic organizations.

“This can get really big,” she said.

“This sport has potential to be playing in schools one day.”

Her alma mater would be an ideal place to start, Zaccarelli said.

“We wanted to start to spread the word at SDSU, just because that’s how we came to the U.S.,” she said.

For more information about footvolley, check out the organization’s Instagram account (@footvolleyclub) and Facebook page.

Reese Savoie is a junior studying media studies. Follow her on Twitter @ReeseSavoie.

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Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Alejandra Luna • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Mundo Azteca

11

The Daily Aztec

Ofrecen cursos culturales para una experiencia internacional en Tijuana por Noé ESCRITOR

Sandoval

Uno de los requisitos necesarios que muchos estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de San Diego deben de cumplir para graduarse es una experiencia internacional.

Mientras muchos intercambios requieren planificación y ahorro, hay un curso que ofrece una experiencia más cercana y barata que descubre la ciudad vecina en otro país: Tijuana, México.

El Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos de SDSU ofrece tres clases, LATAM 320, 350 y 550, donde estudiantes viajan a Tijuana para tomar clases en una universidad de la ciudad.

En estas clases, estudiantes pueden explorar la ciudad de Tijuana y aprender de su historia y su cultura diversa.

Los cursos LATAM 320 y 350 son ofrecidos en inglés y están disponible para estudiantes de cualquier enfoque académico, como también LATAM 550 que es instruida en español y es para estudiantes graduados.

La coordinadora de intercambios para el Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos, Amelia Torres, ayuda a estudiantes con la matrícula de estos cursos.

Según Torres, las clases son una oportunidad para tener un experiencia internacional sin tanto costo.

Estudiantes sólo pagan 60

Foto cortesía de Chad Dean

Estudiantes de SDSU cruzan semanalmente a Tijuana para tomar clases como experiencia internacional.

dólares para un seguro de viaje que la universidad ofrece.

Torres también expresa que a través de las clases, estudiantes pueden conocer las diversas culturas que tiene Tijuana ya que representa la entrada a Latinoamérica.

En estas clases los universitarios cruzan la frontera semanalmente y van juntos de excursión a diferentes partes de Tijuana.

El profesor Víctor ClarkAlfaro, quien ha hecho sus estudios en crimen organizado,

inmigración, trabajadores sexuales, las comunidades indígenas y LGBT en México, ofrece las lecciones a los estudiantes.

El profesor Clark-Alfaro ha instruido estos cursos desde 1999, lo cual han servido como una gran enseñanza sobre la cultura tijuanense para estudiantes de la universidad.

“Estos cursos son oportunidades para abrir horizontes”, dijo Clark-Alfaro.

“Es la forma más ilustrativa para enseñar (estudiantes) la ciudad

de Tijuana y su cultura”.

Asimismo, el profesor ClarkAlfaro cubre varios temas en sus clases impartidas en Tijuana, tales como la inmigración, el turismo, el comercio, entre otras y son incluidas en el currículum de los cursos.

Las tareas y los trabajos de los estudiantes varían pero tienen un gran valor para aprender de las diversas culturas que la ciudad fronteriza.

Por ejemplo, estudiantes de los cursos han visitado la Universidad Autónoma de Baja

California en Tijuana, UABC, donde tienen una plática con alumnos de esa universidad sobre varios temas de la vida y diferentes percepciones de cada uno de ellos y su cultura.

Los estudiantes también han platicado con inmigrantes que han venido de pandillas y han llegado a Tijuana.

Además, han visitado la Zona Norte para investigar la prevalencia de trabajadores sexuales, la cual los estudiantes entregan ensayos al profesor y se basan en la reflexión de sus experiencias en Tijuana.

El propósito de estas clases es para exponer a alumnos de SDSU a la realidad.

Según el profesor Clark-Alfaro muchos alumnos podían tener cierto estigmas y prejuicios sobre la ciudad de Tijuana.

De acuerdo con el currículum de las clases, se espera que los estudiantes aprendan los contextos sociales y urbanos de la ciudad, y también de su población.

Clark-Alfaro aclara que porque muchos hallan a Tijuana como desconocido, las clases pueden servir para un mejor entendimiento y visión de la ciudad.

“Cada viaje a la ciudad de Tijuana es como una nueva página de un libro que es la realidad”, mencionó ClarkAlfaro.

Esto es una gran oportunidad para los que no pueden realizar un intercambio fuera de EEUU.

Perspectiva de una latina sobre el sabor de los tacos por Diane López ASIST. DE EDITORA

Cuando escucho la palabra tacos, lo primero que me imagino son tacos de adobada con extra salsa, guacamole y un agua de horchata. Lo que tradicionalmente se conoce como taco ha sido culturalmente cambiando.

El 4 de octubre fue el Día Nacional del Taco y vi unos tacos con macarrón con queso y otra con salchichas, por supuesto esto me confundió porque esto no es lo que alguien en América Latina consideraría un taco.

Yo crecí en una casa mexicana tradicional donde mi mamá me enseñó a cocinar platillos mexicanos.

Cuando salgo a comer a algún restaurante, prefiero no comer comida mexicana porque usualmente no sabe como la que hacemos en casa.

Muchos restaurantes según mexicanos casi siempre están americanizados, muchos de ellos alegan que son auténticos, pero muchas veces no lo son.

Todo tiene que ver con la comida, las bebidas, y las recetas.

He visto gente y restaurantes donde venden tacos, enchiladas,

pozole y otros platillos, lo cual dicen tener el sazón mexicano.

Soy de las personas que acepta las diferentes culturas y que ha probando cosas y comidas nuevas pero la lechuga, crema y queso americano no van en los tacos, al menos en los tacos reales no.

Cuando estaba en mi último año de la secundaria, trabajé en Taco Bell. Una de las preguntas que me hicieron en mi entrevista fue porque quería trabajar es ese lugar.

Para ser honesta jamás había comido ahí, pero quería trabajar.

Entonces les dije que me gustaba la comida de ahí y porque no era mala idea trabajar para un lugar que te gusta. Al final me ofrecieron comida, y me puse nerviosa porque según yo me encantaba Taco Bell, miré el menú y ordené un “taco”.

Nunca en mi vida había comido un taco de tortilla dura con sabor a Doritos. Me pregunté a mi misma cómo alguien puede creer que esto es comida mexicana.

Muchas veces escuché a la gente decir que su restaurante mexicano favorito era Taco Bell y esto siempre me daba vergüenza.

Recuerdo que una vez una persona trató de justificar su

compra en Taco Bell, diciendo que quería comida mexicana falsa hoy.

Hablando de comida mexicana falsa, el restaurante Chipotle tampoco es mexicano.

Lo que muchos no saben es que el burrito tampoco se considera comida mexicana aunque lo venden en casi todos los taco shops de San Diego.

Los tacos para mi llevan carne, salsa, guacamole, cilantro y cebolla, este no es el caso de los tacos de Taco Bell. Empecemos con la carne que usan, no es carne fresca y es molida, la tortilla es dura con crema, lechuga, tomate y queso rallado.

No estoy diciendo que no vayan a disfrutar un taco americanizado, pero si quieren saber lo que es en verdad un taco, entonces vayan a un lugar popular aquí en San Diego. Tacos El Gordo ofrece tacos auténticos, mucha gente dice que este es un lugar sobrevalorado, pero las líneas son largas, por lo que los tacos deben estar buenos y no llevan queso americano.

Al estar tan cerca de la frontera hay muchos restaurantes mexicanos auténticos en San Diego. Lo único que tienes que saber es identificarlos, uno de ellos es la Taqueria Revolución.

Foto por Diane López

Tacos El Gordo vende tacos auténticos de Tijuana, sin necesidad de cruzar la frontera.

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The Daily Aztec

Arts & Culture

For this issue, our writers went out and covered all types of foods both close to home and a little further off campus for students with cars.

They covered bars a n d

restaurants they found to be unique.

Here’s what’s on the menu: There’s a tiki bar mixed with a speakeasy called The Grass Skirt.

A pizza place and bar right on campus called Oggi’s Pizza Express.

Eureka! is on the way with beer and food, also on campus.

The Broken Yolk is a couple doors down serving breakfast food and cocktails.

Next, is the wing place down the

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

way. Epic Wings N’ Things has wings, obviously, and beer on tap.

Trader Joe’s provides food for students and others in their grocery store.

55 Thai Kitchen is another must hit spot on campus neighboring the new Flavors of East Africa.

Both on our menu.

JuneShine makes and appearance for their kombucha, along with delicious coffee from Ultreya.

The Fish Pit down College serves up fresh fish close to cmapus.

Then the face off between Tacos El Gordo and Tacos El Panson.

We need help deciding!

Read descriptions on the back page.

The Grass Skirt combines speakeasy vibe with tiki bar fun

by Catlan Nguyen CONTRIBUTOR

People passing by may think The Grass Skirt is just a small poke restaurant, but those who venture further will find out that there’s more than meets the eye.

When the Grass Skirt opened three years ago, it combined the tiki bar theme with a secret speakeasy illusion.

First-time customers follow the hostess through a freezer door in the “Poke shop” and find themselves transported to an alluring, island getaway. It’s most known for its creative and delicious drinks, but it also serves a variety of Asian fusion dishes.

The Grass Skirt is dimly lit and decorated with island decor such as hula girl lamps, colorful glass lights wrapped in fishnets and even a grand totem pole fireplace. The booths and bar have a dried grass roof, and the whole bar has accent lights sprinkled throughout, which change colors. The lights also flash in sync to the beat of the music.

With its colorful, mysterious ambiance, the Grass Skirt attracted a fairly sizable crowd for a Wednesday night.

Regular customer Kayla Parrish was there celebrating her 35th birthday, and recounts how the Grass Skirt quickly became her and her husband’s favorite bar after first discovering it.

“If there’s any bar I want to be a legend at, it’s this one,” Parrish

said. “We just love the vibe. I’ve never liked the whole bar or club scene, and I think that’s why I love tiki bars because they’re so relaxed and fun. I’ve come here now for two birthdays.”

Parrish also notes how the staff is always friendly and greets customers like they’ve known them for awhile. Favorites of hers from the menu include the porkbelly sliders, the fries and the Painkiller: an old traditional drink commonly associated with Tiki bars and has a rum blend, lime, pineapple, passionfruit and coconut.

“If they had a little more variety (on the menu) and a little more house favorites, that’d be really cool,” Parrish said. “Their drinks are dialed in. They’re on point, so adding more food would be the icing on this place.”

Prices are moderately expensive but are definitely worth it for some of their more unique, exclusive drinks. One drink, called Professor Feathers, has a unique parrot glass with leaves sticking out the top of it to resemble feathers. It mixes jamaican rum, overproof rum, pimento dram, lime, pineapple, coconut, banana, cinamon and mango together. I tried a virgin Pina Colada, because I’m not of age yet, and pork belly and shortrib bao buns. The pork belly bao bun will melt in your mouth due to the softness and tenderness of the meat. Both were seasoned fairly well. However, the overall flavor was a bit overpowering and salty.

The Pina Colada was the perfect amount of sweetness and was blended evenly. The garnishes included a tall leaf and Hawaiin flower on top, which made the drink aesthetically pleasing. It was $8 while the bao buns were $5 each.

Bar Manager Tony Coxum believes what sets the Grass Skirt apart from other places is the focus on ingredients, the creativity of each drink or dish and the fun environment.

“My favorite part of working is doing the creative parts for events,” Coxum said. “My least favorite part is babysitting other employees.”

Coxum has been working at the Grass Skirt for about three years and helped with the concept of the Tiki bar and speakeasy theme combo before it opened. Must tries on the menu for him include all of the bao buns, the bao bun burger, the poke bowl, wontons and the fried rice. For drinks, he recommends the Painkiller and the Mai Tai. Bartender Jonathan Vila said his favorite part about working at the bar is how its helped him improve his bartending skills and learn more about craft cocktails and rum.

“I met all these guys and we have a great chemistry,” Vila said.

“It’s awesome to work here and the crowd is pretty cool. I work at a different bar too and it’s more of a younger club and it gets kind of crazy. I enjoy the atmosphere here and what I’ve learned so far.”

On Oct. 20, they will be hosting their Third Annual Tiki Luau to celebrate the anniversary of their opening. The event will have a band, hula dancers, prizes, roasted pig, drinks and an outside bar and stage.

The Grass Skirt is located at 910 Grand Ave. and is open Monday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Photos by Catlan Nguyen

Nguyen tried the bao buns, left to right: pork belly and short-rib, with a virgin pina colada. The buns were salty, but the drinks redeemed them.

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The Daily Aztec

Arts & Culture

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Bar crawl basics for a safe night out on campus

by Johann Oribello SENIOR STAFF WRITER

San Diego State has a lot to offer if you’re looking for a drink after class or if you’re living on campus. If you’re looking to have a little barcrawl adventure with friends, but have no car, don’t worry.

There’s plenty of options available on campus for a safe bar crawl that’ll spice up your weekend.

First up is Oggi’s, located in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union next to Aztec Lanes. This is one of the few locations on campus that serves craft beer on tap.

According to their website, their microbrews won 60 awards in regional, national and international competitions.

The Oggi’s bar carries more than 35 different brews and 10 of them come from Oggi’s own brewery. Oggi’s house craft beer ranges from light and sweet to dark and bitter to satisfy every beer lover.

A great brew to try is the California Gold Cream Ale, which is their lightest beer on tap. This brew won numerous awards for its crisp, clean taste such as the silver medal in the L.A. County Fair in 2013.

Another great option at Oggi’s is their newest addition to their personal lineup, the POG Project Blonde ale. This brew sports a fruity taste from its passion fruit, orange and guava infused flavors. Those who enjoy a sweeter drink will definitely enjoy this brew.

Their happy hours go from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 8 to 10 p.m. from Monday to Friday. With their sports bar environment that features four TVs broadcasting different games, Oggi’s is the perfect place to start off

Graphic by Emily Burgess

an on-campus bar crawl.

The next stop is Eureka, located in South Campus Plaza. Besides being a full-service

Trader Joe’s tours promote well-being and healthy eating

by Roxana Becerril STAFF WRITER

In a nation where the cuisine is arguably dominated by fast-food chains, committing to a diet that is both nutritious and affordable might sound like a challenge.

The Well-Being and Health Promotion department at San Diego State has responded to this task with a number of initiatives including cooking classes, nutrition presentations and most recently, an interactive tour of the Trader Joe’s in the South Campus Plaza.

A Trader Joe’s tour is a 20- to 30-minute nutrition course wherein two peer health educators navigate through the aisles while sharing tips on how to eat healthier and shop smarter.

According to nutrition senior Alexandra Geer, the Well-Being and Health Promotion department has been hosting its weekly Trader Joe’s tours for a year now. “(The purpose is to) give people an understanding of how to shop better and how grocery stores affect what you buy,” Geer said. “It’s a nutrition-based tour where we tell you how to look for healthy foods, how much protein you should be eating and how to read nutrition labels, almost like a nutrition one-on-one.”

Beginning in the front entrance where Halloween-themed foods currently reside, the tour commences with a brief recognition of the store’s promotions and highly advertised products. Tour attendees are then guided through the areas that house the main food groups: fruits and vegetables, grains, protein and dairy.

“There is a USDA standard called My Plate and it shows what type of food you should be eating,” Geer said. “Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables, one fourth should be protein and one fourth is for grains.”

Peer health educators share the

recommended daily serving amounts and nutrition values for each food category throughout the entirety of the tour. They enlist healthy and affordable options as well as tips on how to read nutrition labels. While in a refrigerated section, nutrition major Kalaya Paul stood in front of an array of milks, cheeses and yogurts while explaining healthy doses of each product. “(Dairy) is your source of calcium,” Paul said. “You want to get at least three servings per day of dairy products. An example could be one cup of milk, yogurt or 1.5 ounces of cheese.”

Another thing to note about the tour guides is their inclusivity and awareness of guests with vegan, vegetarian or dairy-free diets.

“If you’re dairy-free or don’t consume dairy, other sources (of calcium) can be almond milk, alternative milks, broccoli, beans, almonds, soy milk or tofu,” Paul said.

“You want to try to aim for the fat free or low fat options.”

Although the vegan and vegetarian section of Trader’s Joes isn’t an official stop on the tour, peer health educators like Geer and Paul like to take a few minutes to address alternative, plant-based products that are equally healthy. The tour concludes with a breakdown of how to shop for canned goods and a walk to the front of the store where attendees are thanked for their presence with a Well-Being and Health Promotion reusable shopping bag.

Nutrition services offered by the department include one-on-one nutrition counseling for students and C.H.E.F. (Cooking Healthy Eating Fresh) cooking classes with health educator Tyler Rolling.

Rolling advises students to sign up for the free hands-on cooking class by clicking on the “C.H.E.F. Cooking Classes” link on the department’s website. Those who participate in the class will cook a full meal and receive a free kitchen starter kit.

restaurant with delicious burgers and dishes, they also offer a wide variety of drinks in the bar that includes a rotating list of beer taps

and whiskeys. With more than 40 mostly local craft drinks on tap, the selection is endless.

A great drink to try is the Samoa Cookie Milk Stout from Black Plague Brewing. The rich bold flavors mixed with milky chocolate is perfectly encapsulated by its name and makes this drink a standout craft beer.

The establishment features their special deals throughout the week from a daily “Hoppy” Hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and again at 9 p.m. until they close at midnight.

Besides their Hoppy Hour deal, they have other promos on designated days such as on Thursdays when they host live music night.

Afterwards there’s The Broken Yolk which is also located on South Campus Plaza.

Unlike the other restaurants, they do not serve craft beer on tap but instead have drinks such as mimosas and bloody marys to try.

The breakfast spot even offers mimosa flights featuring four different flavors, including hibiscus and pomegranate mimosa, for $6. It’s a great offer considering a single mimosa can cost $5.

The last stop is Epic Wings N’ Things located on College Avenue. This spot features a large bar with many places to sit and large TVs that have a variety of sports games playing. With more than 10 different local beers on tap, Wings N’ Things marks an ideal spot to end a bar crawl since wings can be ordered with a drink as well.

Overall, these spots are all ideal to hit up for a safe night of bar crawling. They all offer great choices and options to drink, and make the adventure a safe one since they’re all within walking distance of campus.

14 Arts & Culture Authentic Thai food lives on campus Flavors of East Africa

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Juniper Perkins STAFF WRITER

Nestled between Cream and College Avenue lies 55 Thai Kitchen, a restaurant serving affordable, authentic Thai cuisine to the College Area community since May last year.

Their motto? “Thai food for the community.”

The name 55 Thai Kitchen actually translates to “Haha Thai Kitchen” because the Thai word for five is pronounced “ha.”

55 Thai’s menu boasts a variety of customizable salads, plates and soups. Most meals start at $8.50 - or less - and include a choice of protein such as vegetables, tofu or chicken.

Alternatives like beef, shrimp or fish are also available for a dollar extra. Customers can choose their spice level from a range of mild to medium to hot.

“Thai food is cheaper than a therapist,” one of their posts reads, implying their food is good enough to cure any and all of their customers’ ailments.

They’re not far off.

Classic pad Thai noodles are stir-fried with eggs, scallions, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and crushed chili, evoking savory flavors with a kick of spice.

Dinner can never go wrong

with fried rice, and Thai-style fried rice is no exception. The jasmine rice is stir-fried with eggs, tomatoes, onions, Chinese broccoli and scallions. Its sweet, savory flavors enrapture the senses.

Their yellow curry is homemade with coconut milk, potatoes, bell peppers and serrano peppers. It’s served with jasmine rice that soaks up every last drop.

House specials include spicy basil chicken and massaman chicken curry, both for $8.75.

Thai-style fried eggs can be added to the spicy basil chicken for $2.

Their massaman chicken curry is made with slow-cooked chicken thighs, potatoes, bell peppers, serrano peppers and homemade curry. It can be served with a cucumber salad that refreshes the palate between bites of sweet curry and salty chicken.

The restaurant offers halfoff teas for students who show their RedID, bringing the cost to $1.50. Flavors range from classic Thai tea to Thai iced coffee and flavored green teas including mango, passion fruit and peach.

Boba can be added for an extra 55 cents.

If 5157 College Ave. is too far to walk, 55 Thai Kitchen is available for delivery on both

DoorDash and PostMates.

Customers can also order ahead to avoid long lines and ensure their food is as fresh as the restaurant’s ingredients.

55 Thai Kitchen was founded by owner and head chef Vijit “Jit” Pipatkhajonchai and his family.

Originally from Bangkok, Jit worked in his family’s restaurant as a teenager and developed his love for cooking at an early age.

He opened his first restaurant at 19 in Bangkok, and now operates multiple locations in the San Diego area.

Jit opened the first 55 Thai Kitchen in Golden Hill in 2017.

Hidden by the San Diego Market, the restaurant’s aromas could be smelled from the street. The restaurant can also be found in East Village and, most recently, Pacific Beach. He also owns J&T Thai Street Food in Linda Vista and Turmeric Thai Kitchen in La Jolla.

With 55 Thai Kitchen, Jit strives to give back to the community and has hosted multiple events offering free food to kids in San Diego. His long term goal is to set up a program that provides financial support to underprivileged children in Thailand.

55 Thai Kitchen is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

offers cultural experience

by Stephanie CONTRIBUTOR

Campos

The Flavors of East Africa is now serving San Diego State students from their new restaurant right on campus.

Offering authentic African cuisine, they pride themselves on their healthy options that include a variety of vegan-friendly plates.

The owner, June Owino, was born and raised in Kenya, but moved to San Diego in 2001.

He is an accountant who wanted to share African cuisine with the local community.

The Flavors of East Africa started as a small company that later came to SDSU’s campus in 2010 for the weekly farmers market. Their most popular dish is the jack chicken, a campus favorite.

“We chose San Diego State because of its large number of students,” Owino said. “We have had loyal customers for over eight years, which is when we decided it was time to settle down here more permanently.”

There are not many campuses that can say they have African food as an option.

Having this diversity allows students to learn about different cultures and indulge in the many

flavors it has to offer.

Passing by the farmers market stand, students will find the workers of Flavors of East Africa smiling and having a good time.

“Hiring people for this job is one of my favorite parts,” Owino said. “I choose to hire people with the same traits. Having good communication and respecting their space helps make this place feel like home.”

There are more than 42 valleys in the Kenya region of Africa, each being unique in their own way.

Being able to have a little piece of their world right on campus, allows students to be a part of something that the people of Africa hold close to their hearts.

Political Science sophomore Aly Rajecki is conscious of her own family’s culture and how important it is to be close with other cultures.

“My family is from a different country, and I know my culture is really important to who I am,” Rajecki said. “Learning about other cultures is one of my passions, and The Flavors of East Africa has definitely given me a new favorite food to add to the list.”

The Flavors of East Africa’s website said that every Monday and Tuesday night you get 15% off of your bill when you dine in and show a valid college ID.

Serving Lunch, Dinner and Weekend Brunch

Happy Hour Monday through Friday 1/2 off Bites and $1 off drafts, well and wine (*all night Monday)

18 ice cold beers on draft and a full bar Must be at least 21 short trolley ride from campus please do not drink and drive

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

15

JuneShine starts quirky industry trend

by Kelly Kerrigan SENIOR STAFF WRITER

You can no longer go to a bar or grocery store in San Diego without finding hard kombucha on the shelves.

The distinct flavors and potent taste of kombucha masque the strong taste of alcohol that makes the consumption of the beverage easy and enjoyable. It is hard to deny the influence of the San Diego-based company JuneShine in the success and obsession with this drink locally.

JuneShine, a hard kombucha brand, was founded in 2018 by two University of San Diego graduates who combined their adoration for health and sustainability with kombucha. Since then, JuneShine has opened two breweries, located in North Park and Scripps Ranch, and has earned their spot in grocery stores and bars around the country.

CEOs Greg and Serrao and Forrest Dein explain on their website where they got the idea for hard kombucha.

“A year ago, we were wandering the aisles of our grocery store and noticed there was a sustainable, transparent option in nearly

every consumer category–except alcohol,” the website said.

The beverage itself comes in a sustainable can that clearly lists all the ingredients, none of them being artificial or processed. The brand by people who share a passion for changing the world and the alcohol industry.

When walking into a JuneShine brewery in either North Park or Scripps Ranch, visitors can immediately sense the wholesomeness of the company. The cozy and trendy tasting room, designed by “Solstice Interiors,” is filled with calming colors, comfortable couches and exceptional decor.

The current flavors to try are Blood Orange Mint, Acai Berry, Midnight Painkiller and Honey Ginger Lemon. When drinking the kombucha, you can distinctly taste each special ingredient that makes drinking the alcohol incredibly enjoyable.

Although the brand’s main product is the alcoholic beverage, they prioritize the responsibility of taking care of the environment. The breweries make a point of only using glassware to reduce singleuse plastic and the 6-pack now features cardboard packaging. The company is also aiming to plant as many trees as equivalent

Photo by Kelly Shae Kerrigan

JuneShine offers people a varity of kombucha flavors in a calm atmosphere. There are couches and plants all over.

to the paper they use.

The breweries host many events with local San Diego companies like Surfer Mag and Van De Vort, ranging from philanthropy to social gatherings. Some past events include “JuneShine Plants Trees” and “Barre & Booch.” It is not surprising how successful JuneShine has grown because the passion the company started from is obvious in every endeavor made by the

team. Hard kombucha allows people to drink alcohol without worrying about what bad ingredients they might be consuming.

“JuneShine was born from our desire to enjoy tonight … and tomorrow,” the CEOs said on the website.

JuneShine has changed the alcohol industry and distilled the idea that you can drink and still feel good about yourself and the environment when doing so.

Take a journey with Ultreya’s Hole-in-the-wall spot near coffee towards a relaxing day campus serves up fresh fish

by Devin Whatley STAFF WRITER

Photo by Grace Haass

Walking through the door, visitors are greeted with the quote, above, on the left wall. Under are photos of journies.

by Grace Haass CONTRIBUTOR

The word “ultreya” is a Latin greeting meaning “journey onward.” That is the phrase you’ll find painted in large letters at the coffee shop Ultreya, local, small business right down the street from campus.

The store stands out in the small shopping center with a small patch of grass with two lawn chairs inviting customers to take a seat, as well as a sign advertising “coffee, acai and good vibes.” Those three things, and more, are exactly what the shop provides.

The owner Danielle Riggins opened the store with the hopes of its contrast to the area resulting in success for the business.

“I wanted to create a positive, beaming space of light in a corporate area,” Riggins said.

She has been in the coffee business for 15 years, previously managing the Lazy Hummingbird shops -- another local coffee business that has locations in both Pacific Beach and La Mesa. Riggins thinks coffee shops are meant to create a community for people to meet, relax, share good news and bad news and overall connect with one another.

The inspiration for the name, Ultreya, came to her while she was reading the book “The Camino,” a story about one woman’s journey along Spain’s Camino de Santiago.

The book mentions how the word “ultreya” is used as a greeting between hikers passing each other along the route, to wish the other good fortune on their journeys.

With such close proximity to campus, about 60% of the shop’s customers are SDSU students, and Riggins wants to tie these two ideas together.

“Since SDSU is such a transient area, I wanted the store to be a space to wish people well,” Riggins said.

Customers love the store not only for the laid-back atmosphere, but for the food, specialty drinks and, of course, the coffee.

Ultreya is appreciated by many for its vegan nut “mylk” alternatives, like macadamia and oat milk. Customers also like the simple, local ingredients used in the drinks and snacks. The menu includes catered paninis, many vegan pastries and a variety of lattes, teas and other drinks.

SDSU psychology junior Natalie Valentine raves about the acai bowls, as do many other customers.

“The acai bowls here are so good because unlike most places that blend them with liquid, Ultreya’s are thick and creamy, and you can pick from a variety of superfood toppings,” Valentine said.

Having been open a little more than a year, Riggins and staff will be holding a one year anniversary party for Ultreya on Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The party will include pop-up tents from other local vendors out front of the store, located on the corner of College and Adams Avenue. Guests can enjoy all the amazing menu items from the shop. There will also be live music.

Whether you’re a regular customer, or have yet to try Ultreya, the event is a perfect time to visit.

Tucked away on College Avenue is a restaurant that despite being small, packs an abundance of high quality and fresh seafood to go with an intimate and relaxing atmosphere.

The Fish Pit, opened in 2016 by Zach Stofferahn, is a small restaurant featuring fresh sushi, fish burritos, tacos, poke bowls and more. Stofferahn decided to open his own restaurant after working in the restaurant business for many years in both San Diego and Utah.

“I’ve always wanted to start a restaurant,” Stofferahn said. “I’ve made sushi for over 15 years and I knew that poke was pretty popular. I knew a lot about fish, and so it connected for me.”

The Fish Pit has attracted new and longtime customers in its three years of existence. Two of those longtime customers are Alex Houston and Jeff Moore.

“We have been customers here since the first weekend,” Moore said.

Moore has many reasons why he and Houston have become longtime customers at The Fish Pit. “We live right around the corner from here, and the fish here is amazing,”Moore said. “The poke bowls here are great, and it is one of our favorites because it tastes delicious and its fresh fish too.”

Houston and Moore both agree the restaurant is a spot people should try to visit.

“We like the owner, the people, our kids like coming here, and it’s convenient because you get a casual and open environment with fresh seafood and BYOB,” Moore said.

Despite that, Houston admits even though the environment is very intimate, it can be a downside sometimes.

“It can be a downside because since it is so small, when it gets crowded and the seats are full with a long wait, we usually don’t come,” Houston said.

One of the popular dishes is the Pit Nachos, which are tortilla chips served with fresh sliced tuna topped off with salsa, guacamole, house sweet sauce, sriracha, cilantro avocado cream and chipotle creme.

The Pit Nachos provide a mixture of everything in a small package convenient for a quick meal. The meal combines fresh seafood with the tuna and a combination of

spiciness and creaminess with the mix of sriracha, cilantro creme and avocado creme.

The meal is a delicious treat packing all the fixes of a poke bowl in the style of nachos at an affordable price of $10.

Another dish to try is the Fishpit-style Poke Bowl. Featuring your choice of tuna, salmon, tofu, or seasonal catch, this meal combines fresh fish with avocado, coconut, mango, pears and seaweed. It’s a delicious and nutritious bite to go with some spice from the sweet chili sauce. Ultimately, Stofferahn said it feels great to see his restaurant rise in popularity in just three years.

“It’ll be our third anniversary on Oct. 25,” Stofferahn said. “I’ve always wanted to put something here and it just turned into a small shack on College Avenue.”

Stofferahn also hopes to expand.

“That is a goal for me these next two years is to expand The Fish Pit all over San Diego,” Stofferahn said.

Overall, The Fish Pit is more than just a shack tucked away on 4632 College Avenue.

It’s a place worth visiting if you want to try fresh fish and seafood for affordable prices.

16

The Daily Aztec

The Back Page

Oct. 16 - 22, 2019 Editor: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

The taco battle is on and it’s time to take sides What started as fun office banter, soon turned into an all out war between two established taco shops.

Two of our own editors hashed it out between Tacos El Gordo and Tacos El

Panson, and they took the quarrel to the back page to settle it once and for all.

We also need your help decide who wins, Tacos El Gordo or Tacos El Panson? Comment on our Instagram

Tacos el Gordo

Photos by Aaron Tolentino

post and we will shout out the winner.

To win over the office, they brought in a whole spread of chicken tacos from Tacos El Panson during a late night work session. However, Tacos El Gordo

wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Unfortunately, Tolentino didn’t bring tacos into the office for Taco Tuesday, which did cost him some points amongst the hungry staff.

Tacos el Panson

Photos by Michael Cline

The abodada taco, photo, from Tacos El Gordo comes with spicy pork, cilantro, onions and a creamy avocado sauce.

Abodada, carne asada and pollo asada are popular tacos at Tacos El Panson. They also have a salsa bar for people.

by Aaron Tolentino SPORTS EDITOR

by Michael Cline ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

There is a general consensus for those who live in or visit San Diego that Tacos El Gordo is the area’s must-hit spot for tacos.

Well, the hype is real.

The spot’s hype lies in its three locations: two in Chula Vista and one in San Diego.

While Tacos El Gordo serves quesadillas, tostadas and fries, folks come through those doors for one thing.

Tacos.

Tourists and locals can try nine different types of meat in their tacos: suadero, cabeza, buche, lengua, tripa, azteca, chorizo, carne asada and adobada.

Tacos El Gordo has a unique setup where there are multiple lines inside the restaurant, each separated by the customers’ choice of meat. Once the customer collects all the tacos they want, there is a separate counter to pay for a world-class taco experience.

However, almost always, the lines of carne asada and adobada are the longest.

And for good reason.

The carne asada tacos come in a soft corn or flour tortilla topped with chopped onion, cilantro, salsa and most notably, guacamole. The guacamole is the perfect complement to the juicy grilled steak.

No extra salsa needed.

The same goes for the adobada tacos.

Abobada is spicy pork topped with onion, cilantro and the signature creamy avocado sauce.The consumer can add a squeeze of lime to cap off the perfect taco experience, along with a side of pineapples for no extra cost.

There is a split within the Tacos El Gordo fanbase of which meat choice reigns supreme. At any Tacos El Gordo location, customers will notice how the packed lines inside vary from day to day.

The abobada line will be ridiculously long one day and the carne asada line on the next.

To top it off for college students, they can get Tacos El Gordo pretty much whenever they want. The taco shop is open until 2 a.m. every day, and the Broadway location in Chula Vista is open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Whether you think Tacos El Gordo is the best tacos you’ve had in San Diego, there’s no denying its popularity.

The first Tacos El Gordo location was in Tijuana in 1972. Then in 1998, the first location opened up in San Diego.

Twenty-one years later, it has become the signature taco shop in San Diego. With the immense popularity of the restaurant, it expanded to Las Vegas when its first location opened in 2010. Now, there are three total locations in Las Vegas.

With the authentic flavor of Tijuana, Mexico inside a soft tortilla, Tacos El Gordo has grown to be a staple for anyone who is in San Diego looking for an amazing taco experience.

No salsa needed.

For San Diego State foodies in search of the best taco joint north of the border, one restaurant in particular is deserving of their undivided attention.

Tacos El Panson is nestled in the heart of San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood — a 10 minute drive from SDSU. But their tacos are worth a commute ten times as long.

Founded in 2005, Tacos El Panson has been a staple in San Diego for 15 years, but in the diverse City Heights community, full of numerous d i n i n g options and cuisines from around the globe, it can be hard to stand out Graphic by Emily Burgess from the crowd.

Luckily for Tacos El Panson, the restaurant is preceded by a reputation for delicious food and a friendly atmosphere.

The family owned restaurant has a menu complete with mulitas, tortas, tamales and burritos, but it’s their tacos that steal the show. Tacos El Panson has relied on freshly made corn tortillas and quality, tasty meats — from flavorful pollo asado to perfectly seasoned adobada — to establish themselves as the premier San Diego taco destination.

E

US O H N OPE 2019 ct 16, o , d we

Free entry during regular hours with your SDSU Red I.D.

arc.sdsu.edu Photos by Aaron Tolentino

The carne asada taco, photographed, at Tacos El Gordo includes grilled steak, onions, cilantro, salsa and guacomole.

Their carne asada and pollo asado tacos come decorated with a solid serving of guacamole, onions and fresh cilantro.

When served on a hot, freshly prepared corn tortilla, the flavor speaks for itself.

In addition to the classic carne asada, pollo asado and adobada, Tacos El Panson serves carnitas, chorizo and birria meats for the same low price of $1.99 per taco.

The menu also features seafood options like pescado and camaron, and if none of those pique your interests, try the buche, tripa or cabeza tacos.

Their daily special, three tacos served with rice, beans and a drink, is a go-to option for first-time patrons. With a low price of $7.95, SDSU students looking to dine on a college budget can rest easy.

Tacos El Panson also maintains a salsa bar with spicy and chunky red salsas and salsa verde, along with fresh slices of lime and radish.

Luis, the son-in-law of the restaurant’s owner, has worked at Tacos El Panson since 2009. He said the freshly prepared ingredients, particularly their tortillas, are inspired by the family’s roots.

“Our authentic tortillas intend to remind people of the culture from our hometown, Mexico City,” Luis said.

So for SDSU students in search of fresh ingredients, healthy portions and affordable prices, look no further than Tacos El Panson.

The restaurant is located on the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and Highland Avenue in City Heights.