The Orion Vol. 72 Issue 3 by The Orion

Freak Show The Keep Chico Weird talent show featured freak-folk artists, female illusionist and much more. theorion.com/arts

SETTING THE BAR

Local track star vaults over the competition to become a conference champion. see page B1

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Future of

FRACKING

Local organizations seek to plug up any plans for hydraulic fracturing Yessenia Funes

SAND

WATER

Staff Writer

Community-led organizations throughout Butte County are building an alliance to protect groundwater from hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. The Butte Environmental Council, a nonprofit that focuses on education and advocacy, will meet with the Butte County Water Commission Wednesday to discuss a resolution that would protect Butte County from hydraulic fracturing. The policy changes would require corporations to apply for permits calling for environmental review and a public hearing to obtain community feedback, said Robyn DiFalco, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council. The county would not approve any future fracking proposals if the resolution passes. A moratorium would follow the resolution until the final vote in August, DiFalco said. Joni Stellar, treasurer of the Butte Citizen Action Net-

work’s “Frack-Free Butte County” campaign, said she plans to attend the meeting. “It’s taking something that’s not being offered, and doing it in a violent fashion that’s leaving the area ruined,” Stellar said. “That’s earth rape to me.” There are about 260 oil wells in Butte County, said Dave Garcia, a member of the council’s advocacy board. Currently, there are 26 active natural gas wells that produce gas in Butte County, DiFalco said. These wells are conventional, so they don’t require fracking. Oil and gas companies can, however, stimulate the rest of the approximately 234 idle wells by injecting them with water and chemicals, or fracking, according to a document from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources supervises the drilling, maintenance, plugging and abandonment of onshore and offshore oil and gas wells in California, according to its website. California holds about 210,000 oil, gas and geothermal

» please see FRACKING | A4

35,000 wells fracked in the United States.

Butte County has about 260 wells; 26 are active but not fracked. People drink the used water, and farmers use it for their crops. Nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States use fracking.

Services held for deceased students Mozes Zarate

News Editor

Memorial and support services are being held for the students involved in a fatal car crash that occurred on Jan. 26. Services for Bryant Mata-Adams will be held Saturday at 4190 Front St. in San Diego, according to a campus-wide email. The family said it welcomes all visitors to attend, according to the email. Mata-Adams, 19, a passenger in the car, died Jan. 27 at Enloe Medical Center after being in critical condition for about one day. An online fundraiser is being held for Lisa Mata, Mata-Adams’ mother, to help pay for funeral and medical expenses. The fundraiser, entitled “A Grieving Mother,” can be found on YouCaring. Bryant As of Monday, Mata-Adams the fundraiser has 1994 - 2014 raised $13,573, according to the website. Services for Austin Silver, 20, were held on Sunday in Simi Valley, wrote Joe Wills, a Chico State spokesman, in an email to The Orion. Silver, another passenger, died at the scene of the crash, according to the California Highway Patrol. The family of Diego Arriaga-Rodriguez, 18, the driver, created a Facebook support page called “Prayer Chain for Diego.” Arriaga-Rodriguez, who has been in serious condition at Enloe Medical Center since Jan. 30, was set to be transported to a hospital in San Jose, closer to his family’s home, according to a message posted on the page Monday night. Mozes Zarate can be reached at

NATURAL GAS

The Orion ∤ Infographic by ASHLEY O’LOONEY

newseditor@theorion.com or @mzarate139 on Twitter.

obituary

Student remembered as upbeat, caring planned to change his major to accounting. He last spoke to his father on Jan. 23 — three days before the News Editor crash. He was excited about getting books for all his classes, Austin Silver, 20, a Chico State student who died in a car his father said. “He was probably going to take one of his heaviest loads crash on Jan. 26, is remembered as a curious, upbeat and musince he started at Chico,” Steven Silver said. “He was pumped sical individual by his friends and family. Silver, a music industry major, died from severe head trauma up and excited for the semester. He was very optimistic.” Silver said he came up to visit his son on Jan. 12. He helped after the crash, according to California Highway Patrol. his son fix up his house and they had dinner in town after. “He had this ability to light up the room with laughter,” said “I had a great weekend up there with him,” Steven Silver Jake Ball, who was a close friend of Silver’s since they were said. “Just father and son.” both 3 years old. “ He always put a A vigil was held in Chico on Jan. smile on everyone’s face.” 28 outside of Silver’s home. A second He loved to sing, play piano vigil was held Saturday at Royal High and guitar and was an avid fan of School, put together by Ball, where winter sports, said Austin Silver’s around 200 attendees gathered, his friends. father said. Kindness was also a strong suit “He apparently touched a lot of peoof his, said Steven Silver, his father. ple,” the father said. “He was a very outgoing and soChris Silver, his mother, said she ciable person,” Steven Silver said. was clearing out his room when she “He pretty much accepted anybody Steven Silver found a sealed letter in his desk. It was as a friend. He was a kind-hearted Austin Silver’s father written in the spring of 2013 and it guy who seemed to like almost evwas addressed to his parents but was erybody.” never mailed. Austin Silver was born Dec. 7, In the letter, Silver expressed love 1993 in Simi Valley, according to a and gratitude toward his parents, thanking them for everycampus-wide email. He attended Royal High School, where he swam for three thing they provided him, including an education, she said. “It was everything a parent would want to hear,” his mother years and played water polo for four, his father said. “He was always the kind of individual who would strive for said. “It was a total miracle.” Silver is survived by his younger brother Dylan, his father success and always sought out what was the right thing to do,” said Robert Lubell, a high school classmate. “He and his family and mother. “He was a great kid,” his father said. “I miss him sorely. I were a big part of the aquatics community at Royal.” wouldn’t trade him for the world. I wouldn’t trade him for anyHe graduated from Royal High School in 2012 and began thing.” studying at Chico State that fall. “He liked the size of the town,” Steven Silver said. “He liked the layout of the college and the way it felt. It seemed to fit.” Mozes Zarate can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or Austin Silver dreamed of opening an accounting firm that dealt with clients in the music business, his father said. He @mzarate139 on Twitter. Mozes Zarate

I miss him sorely. I wouldn’t trade him for the world. I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

Index

Inside

Corrections

Sports

Weather

Directory

Police Blotter

Features

Opinion

Sex Column

TODAY

55 60 38

The Orion ∤ Photograph Courtesy of Steven Silver

Remembrance Austin Silver, 1993-2014, is remembered as a caring, upbeat and sociable person. Silver died at the scene of a car crash from severe head trauma Jan. 27. More than 200 people attended his vigil in Simi Valley Sunday.

Sports

Features

Opinion

Student athletes and MakeA-Wish Foundation awards $5,000 to a 15-year-old Chico boy with kidney disease.

Sex columnist Michael Karp recommends spicing up your sex life with a few kinky tips for the bedroom.

Adjust your new year’s resolutions so you don’t give up on them.

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Learn what culture shock is and how to deal with it from Michelle Manera who is currently studying abroad in England. theorion.com/features

The Orion ∤ Photograph by TJ Carter

POt Predicament Medical marijuana patients will be limited to growing 12 marijuana plants in Shasta County.

Clamping down on cannabis cultivation Shasta County has tightened up restrictions for marijuana growers and Butte County may follow suit “There are two sheriff ’s deputies and one code enforcer officer that are available to make sure patients are compliant,” he said. Butte County is in the process of tightening its medical marijuana laws as well. On Jan. 28, the Butte County Board of Supervisors passed new regulations to restrict the amount of land medical marijuana patients could use to grow, rather than the number of plants. “We have three code enforcers for Butte County, and their job is to check all code violations,” said Sang Kim, a Butte County deputy administrator. “They are not focused entirely on medical marijuana violations.” In Chico, a patient is limited to 50 square feet to grow on as long as they have more than a half-acre of property, Kim said. The area increases for individuals with larger properties. Patients with more than five acres will be able to grow for other patients in a co-op situation, Kim said. The updates to current laws will also change regulations on how complaints are handled. Before the change, a person that wanted to file a complaint had to live within 1,500 feet of the property they were reporting on. The new regulations allow for anyone to complain, Kim said.

TJ Carter

Staff Writer New and more restrictive medical marijuana regulations have been adopted in Shasta County and Butte County is not far behind in implementing similar changes. The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 28 to limit medical marijuana patients to grow 12 plants on their property regardless of how many people an individual is growing for. Marijuana patients will be required to cultivate their crops in an enclosed, detached outbuilding that is separate from the main house, said Richard Simon, director of the Department of Resource Management in Shasta County. If patients are not compliant they risk receiving fines of up to $1,000 per day, per violation or misdemeanor charges, Simon said. Patients will have a certain amount of time to become compliant and it is up to the enforcement code officer to determine how severe the fines will be. Patients that have been found non-compliant were fined $15,000 under current laws, Simon said.

Photo by KAsey Judge

Opinion columnist Prin Mayowa reveals why lying can improve the quality of a person’s life. theorion.com/opinion

photo Courtesy of Chico Performances

Laxson Auditorium will host a performance showcasing the history of blues music Feb. 13. theorion.com/arts

New regulations in Butte County may restrict the amount of land patients could use to grow medical marijuana.

The Orion ∤ Photograph by TJ CArter

New LAws Butte County may vote to limit the amount land that can be used to grow marijuana.

The final vote for the new amendments will be held at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 11. If approved, they will become effective in March. TJ Carter can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @tjcarter on Twitter.

photo by Salahadin Albutti

The men’s rugby team dominated against San Jose State this past weekend. theorion.com/sports

Student Academic Senate proposed by Associated Students “It’s hard to track down students that are disure that the senators are chosen democratically rectly knowledgeable of the issues facing their through the annual elections as opposed to being Senior Writer programs,” McAllister said. selected through appointment, McAllister said. Ideally, student repOn Monday, a surThe Associated Students is seeking to expand resentation on the Acavey was dispersed student influence on academic affairs through demic Senate can be inthrough the univerincreased representation. sity email system The Student Academic Senate would exist to creased over time, said asking students about advise the A.S.’s director of university affairs on A.S. President Taylor Herren, addtheir academic experihow to serve student interests at the ing that the ence and how the A.S. university’s faculty and staff-led Acsenate would should be involved. ademic Senate. help in the The survey may “The Academic Senate was built NIcole McAllister meantime. help students see on the idea of shared governance,” A.S. Director of University Affairs Under the connections between said A.S. Director of University Afdraft proposal, themselves, their acfairs Nicole McAllister. “It’s time we seven annually ademic program and as students were allowed an equal elected senators representing a specific student representatives, Herren said. seat at the table.” college would advise the director of Hopefully students will feel more invested in While the A.S. is capable of repreuniversity affairs on academic issues. their academic programs at Chico State through senting students on the system-wide Nicole Each senator would sit on councils of increased representation, McAllister said. level, the current structure lacks an MCAllister varying sizes based on the different “If we are looking to create a culture change, entity capable of adequately serving A.S. Director of majors and programs housed within this is a very important step,” she said. students in academic and universiUniversity Affairs the college. The A.S. Board of Directors will review the ty-specific policies, McAllister said. The councils would be comprised of proposal for the senate on Monday. With only two student positions on college-specific representatives, such as the presthe Academic Senate, the A.S. is hard-pressed to offer an effective communication bridge between idents of academic clubs. Nicholas Carr can be reached at By structuring the senate as part of the A.S. as newseditor@theorion.com or the senate and students in the wide spectrum of opposed to the university, student leaders can en- @theorion_news on Twitter. academic programs, she said. Nicholas Carr

It’s time we as students were allowed an equal seat at the table.

CORRECTIONS In Vol. 72, Issue 2 “Softball brings veterans back to the playing field” the team did go 24-24 last season but what was omitted from the story was that the team went 2-8 on neutral field.

The Orion staff strives for accuracy in all it publishes. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat every error very seriously. If you feel a correction needs to be made, please email the editor-in-chief at editorinchief@ theorion.com

Connect with us at : facebook.com/theorion twitter.com/theorion_news @theorion on Instagram

| College of Communication & Education | California State University, Chico | Chico, Ca 95929-0600 CONTACT | EDITORIAL Phone: 530.898.5627 Email: editorinchief@theorion.com Editor-in-Chief Katrina Cameron Managing Editor Ernesto Rivera Art Director Liz Coffee Chief Copy Editor John Riggin Video Editor Emily Bertolino

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scholarship Federal aid application now New helps middlerecognizes same-sex parents class students Financial Aid

of same-sex parents were unable to file the application properly, said Kentiner David, Staff Writer associate director of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office. The Free Application for Federal StuNow, much of their paperwork has been dent Aid has been updated to feature lanupdated with notes to indiguage that is more inclusive cate the change, he said. of those with same-sex par“What they’re trying to ents. do is to capture the family’s Previously, students could ability to pay for college,” he only list one parent on the said. “If the family is a sameapplication if their parents sex couple, both of their famwere in a same-sex relationily information must be proship, married or otherwise, vided.” according to a press release The change to the docon the federal aid website. umentation is not wholly The U.S. Supreme Court beneficial to the affected stustruck down Section 3 of the kentiner dents, David said. Defense of Marriage Act on david While the changes do recJune 26, 2013. Associate director, ognize the marriage of sameStudents in that situation financial aid office sex couples, it also means must now list both parents if that the expected family conthe parents were married in tribution of the student rises a state that recognizes sameas well, which could mean sex marriage or if both legal fewer grant awards and subsidized loan parents are of the same sex. offers. Before the language changed, students Enrique Raymundo

“Now they have to provide information for both parents,” he said. “So it leads one to believe that this new process will not benefit that student.” Kory Acosta, Associated Students vice president of facilities and services, said he was pleasantly surprised by the change, but that there are still problems with the system, specifically for students disowned by their families. “I think that those changes are good but it’s still not enough,” he said. “Any change that is made, yeah, we should applaud that and we should celebrate the fact that we’re moving forward — but there’s many more changes that need to happen.” California has recognized same-sex marriages for its state grants since 2003, but the federal awards did not, David said. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office will begin processing 2014-15 applications sometime in February, David said.

Staff Writer

A new sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, will be joining Chico State in February. Chico State has been looking for a new sorority for about a year, said Malcolm McLemore, program coordinator for fraternity and sorority affairs. Once the decision was made to add a new sorority, a call went out to the National Panhellenic Conference, an organization of 26 nationally acclaimed sororities. Alpha Omicron Pi won the bid and will begin rushing new members immediately after the rush week of Chico State’s established fraternities and sororities. Chico

State’s rush week starts Wednesday and Alpha Omicron Pi will begin its rush on Tuesday. Members from the national council of Alpha Omicron Pi will come to Chico to choose members for the new chapter. “It takes a special maturity to be a part of starting a new chapter,” McLemore said. Alpha Omicron Pi does not yet have a house but they have plans to acquire one and are in the process of searching, he said. Greek life has been on a steady rise over the last five years. The average number of members in a sorority is 106, while the average for a fraternity is 33, McLemore said. Chico State has approximately 1,200 stu-

the bill may affect the farming community differently. The bill could create a livestock disaster program and has rewritten parts of the crop insurance provisions which would assist farmers in drought conditions, much like the conditions California farmers are experiencing now, Fox wrote. However, the farm bill has only passed in the House, so the impact it will make on Chico State or in the community will not be known until it passes in the Senate as well. For now, Chico State’s College of Agriculture will have to remain optimistic on the bill passing in the Senate, Fox wrote. “I am relieved the bill has passed the House and am awaiting the final bill before uncrossing my fingers,” Fox wrote. Madison Holmes can be reached at

Nathan Lehmann can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

Enrique Raymundo can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @ERaymundoCV on Twitter.

TUITION AID

dents in all 18 Greek organizations. McLemore said he expects that Alpha Omicron Pi will meet the average number of members. “I think that because Chico has a number of leaders, they will not have a problem coming close to or matching that number,” McLemore said. Alpha Omicron Pi was founded on Jan. 2, 1897, at Barnard College, New York. The sorority has over 190 chapters across the country with about 155,000 members. McLemore said. Steven Verstelle can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

Farm bill may nourish agriculture program Madison Holmes

Staff Writer

Additional funding may come to Chico State’s College of Agriculture after a farm bill was voted through the House of Representatives on Jan. 29. The bill comes after a two-year impasse between the Democratic and Republican parties and authorized $1 trillion in spending on farm subsidies and nutrition programs. The faculty in the College of Agriculture will be eligible for up to $4 million of grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture,

wrote Jennifer Ryder Fox, dean of the College of Agriculture, in an email. Previously, two Chico State professors have received $300,000 in funding from the the federal government and additional funding would be a major achievement for Chico State, Fox wrote. “There is also funding for specialty crops, farmers markets, local food promotion programs and organic research, which can have positive ramifications for some of our faculty and the community,” Fox wrote. In terms of the Chico community as a whole,

The faculty in the College of Agriculture will be eligible for up to $4 million of grant funding.

Staff Writer

A new financial aid scholarship geared toward helping students from middle-class backgrounds is in early stages of development for implementation in the next academic year. Undergraduate students attending a California State University or University of California are eligible for the Middle Class Scholarship program. It provides financial aid to students whose parents have an annual income of $100,001 to $150,000, said Dan Reed, the director of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office at Chico State. For the first year, the 2014-15 academic year, applicants will be eligible for financial aid covering up to 14 percent of tuition at a state school, Reed said. The maximum eligibility will increase every year until the 2017-18 academic year, when the scholarship may support as much as 40 percent of tuition, Reed said. Students will apply for the program through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, Reed said. Eligibility information from the application will be compiled by universities and Eligibility for scholarsent to the ships increases every Califor nia year until 2017 Student • In the 2014-15 acaAid Comdemic year, up to 14 mission, percent of tuition the adminwill be covered istration • By the 2017-18 organizing academic year, the scholarup to 40 percent ship. of tuition will be The comcovered. mission will calculate the potential population in need and will begin funding the scholarship. The campus does not have the income information of many middle-class students, Reed said. Many families do not submit the federal application because they are not eligible for need-based support. “I also don’t know what the funding is going to be,” Reed said. “The Middle Class Scholarship is dependent on the state budget.” The commission will work with the state to obtain funding for the scholarship, but the legislature needs to know how much state revenue is available before allocating funds. In May, the legislature re-evaluates the budget set in January. The commission will then be given the amount of money it can dedicate to the scholarship program. “This is the first year, we don’t have any baseline figures,” Reed said. “It’s a new thing.”

New sorority to join Chico State Steven Verstelle

Nathan Lehmann

Surveys, safety responsible for commencement changes emergency plans for situations ranging from rain to a derailed train, she said. Asst. News Editor Through past surveys, students have sug gested large video screens and speakers in Graduating student surveys and the Puborder to make graduation better for their lic Safety Advisory Committee’s safety confriends and family, Anderson said. cerns take priority over keeping a traditional Students said their parents couldn’t see commencement. them from the bleachers, and as a result the Surveys from graduating students and video screens were implemented, in addiChico State’s Public Safety Advisory Comtion to online streaming of the mittee’s safety concerns led to the event. decision to cut the number of comAfter the commencement, mencement guests allowed. a final survey was sent to the Three to four times each year, a graduating students. The stunewsletter is sent to graduating student surveys before and after dents providing an online survey graduation only featured openabout what they would like to see at ended questions, so answers their ceremony, said Sue Anderson, from students were anecdotal, director of alumni and parent relaAnderson said. She looks at the tions and chair of the commencePaul survey answers and considers ment operations group. Zingg the ones from previous years. “One thing we do with the survey President, Chico “Consistently, students tell is we incentivize people to do it,” AnState us they want fewer speakers,” derson said. “We draw a winner and she said. “We’ve cut back on they could win something like $50 to things, like shortening the speeches. The Target.” Anderson handles the logistics of the surveys don’t help to necessarily set policy commencement. She makes sure there are but it helps me operationally make improvements.” enough seats, enough portable toilets and Christine Lee

Student attacked outside Holt Hall Enrique Raymundo

Staff Writer

A Chico State student was sexually assaulted on campus late Thursday night, according to University Police. The female student was walking near Holt Station when she heard a man call her first name. The suspect identified himself, and the student thought he was someone she knew from an online chat room. The suspect attempted to kiss her and grope her sexually. The man was described as “approximately 5’08” tall, 200 pounds, dark hair with facial hair and wearing a dark black hooded sweatshirt.” The investigation is ongoing, and University Police have asked anyone with information to contact them. University Police can be reached at (530) 898-5555. Enrique Raymundo can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or

@ERaymundoCV on Twitter.

The student survey answers combined with the Public Safety Advisory Committee’s concerns ushered in the administration’s new regulations, Anderson said. The overcrowding at the commencement ceremony led to conflicts in the past, said Ryan Patten, chair of the committee and criminal justice coordinator at the political science department. “There have been fights in the stands with families trying to save seats,” Patten said. Members who sit on the committee include police, risk management, facilities management and Associated Students officers. “Some families partake in the Riley’s tradition, which opens up at 6 a.m., so they’re in the stands intoxicated,” Patten said. People have been escorted out of the stadium for fights and there were concerns about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Patten said. “I can appreciate that students are upset, but safety is more important than hurt feelings,” Patten said. Eventually, the university will start splitting the seven colleges so each could have separate commencements and eliminate all safety concerns, Patten said.

“The venues might be able to be inside, where there’s conditioning and the ceremony takes a shorter amount of time,” he said. “The only drawback from smaller commencements is that it goes away from tradition.” Taylor Herren, senior animal science major and Associated Students president,said she prefers a smaller ceremony. Herren will be graduating from the College of Agriculture, which will be having its own ceremony at Laxson Auditorium. The commencement will be more intimate and she’ll get more guest tickets, she said. “We are heading to a more decentralized, more personal approach to commencement,” President Paul Zingg wrote in an email. “And the college of ag is showing the way.” Planning takes a long time and plans to have seven separate commencements are still under way, Anderson said. The College of Agriculture is a test drive to see how this year goes, Anderson said. Christine Lee can be reached at

klee@theorion.com or @leechris017 on Twitter.

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Police

Blotter

Thursday, 6:12 p.m.: Hit-and-run involving a bicyclist at Second and Chestnut streets. “Victim responded to University Police Department lobby and advised he was hit by a bicyclist. Both parties exchanged information but the reporting party is complaining that he lost consciousness and is suffering from a headache. Medics on scene.” Friday, 11:52 a.m.: Elevator malfunction in Plumas Hall. “Still stuck in the elevator on the first floor. Electrician is on the way. No medical, elevator panel lost power. Electrician is on scene and waiting on elevator serviceman to arrive.” Friday, 7:15 p.m.: Theft at the University Police Department office. “The ‘I’ is missing from the University Police Department sign on the exterior of the (police department building).” Saturday, 6:04 a.m.: Verbal disturbance on the third floor of Whitney Hall. “Resident woke up to male subject in the room. Apparent visitor of roommate but roommate is not present and male subject is verbal with the female resident. Male subject is sitting in the third floor lobby, male, white tee shirt, jeans. Male subject sent on his way home. No crime, verbal only.” Saturday, 12:31 a.m.: Fight on the first floor of the parking structure. “(Officer) out with group (fighting) each other. Parties separated and (no further assistance needed).” Saturday, 10:31 p.m.: Narcotics violation on the 1300 block of Nord Avenue. “Smell of marijuana. Case taken for property for destruction.” Sunday, 3:15 a.m.: Possible vehicle burglary on the 400 block of West Fifth Street at the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. “Reporting party advising a male wearing a hoodie possibly attempting to break into their vehicles. Reporting party advising it is dark and unable to get further description. Reporting party advising subject is currently between Honda CRV and possibly Mitsubishi on the corner of Fifth Street and Normal Avenue.”

Chico Police

The police blotter is a selection of information cited directly from Chico Police Department and University Police Department.

University Police

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Saturday, 5:27 p.m.: Subject drunk in public on the 1100 block of Warner Street outside of Warner Street Market. “White male adult purchased beer, sat outside and drank it, turned around to come back inside and ran into the door. Suspect is now just sitting on parking barricade in front of store, appears too intoxicated to move. Reporting party looked outside for clothing description and suspect is gone.” Sunday, 12:43 a.m.: Threatening with a knife on the 200 block of West 17th Street. “Occurred approximately 30 to 60 minutes ago. Unknown subject pulled a knife on a guest at a party. Subject was taken home by another friend. Reporting party does not have the subject’s info but will be getting it from another friend that was on scene. Incident occurred over the subject wanting different music at the party.” Sunday, 1:49 a.m.: Fight inside Arabian Nights on the 100 block of Broadway Street. “Approximately 20 (subjects) involved. Unknown (if subjects have weapons). All (subjects) inside. Reporting party is bouncer and is outside. Unknown (if requires) medical attention. Additional reporting party advising large group fighting inside. Reporting party doesn’t have anything further, he is trying to contain the crowd outside.” Sunday, 1 p.m.: Disturbed subject on the 1100 block of Sherman Avenue near the Butte County Library. “South end of parking lot. Male smashed a bottle on the ground. Another male standing with him. Reporting party not sure if subject is angry, or just littering.” Sunday, 1:45 p.m.: Hit-and-run victim on the 100 block of Humboldt Avenue. “Reporting party states he was hit and the vehicle left. Reporting party was riding his bike and was hit by a vehicle. Suspect vehicle stopped, they got out and talked to reporting party. Reporting party told them he was OK so the driver left. Asked reporting party for description of driver, reporting party replied, ‘He’s wearing clothes and driving a car,’ then disconnected.”

-compiled by Nicholas Carr

FRACKING: Activists question claims from oil companies » continued from A1 wells, according to the division’s website. About 88,500 of those are still in use. In 2012, 4,680 new wells were drilled in California. The website doesn’t specify which wells employ fracking. The division does not keep track of these wells, their locations, the status of the wells or where drillers dump waste water, according to Clean Water Action’s website. Garcia said he witnessed this firsthand at a commission meeting when the commission’s board questioned a representative from the division about fracking in California. The representative said he did not know anything because state legislation doesn’t require it. However, the division’s website claims that fracking has been happening for more than 30 years without reported damage to the environment. DiFalco and Garcia say otherwise. “Now we know that it is happening in California, and given the horror stories we’ve seen in other communities, we want to make sure we have local protections in place before we have a horror story here,” DiFalco said. Kern County Kevin Killion farmer Fred Butte Starrh experiEnvironmental enced damage as a Council result of fracking, as reported by the Bakersfield Californian in 2012. He won an $8.56 million settlement after a decade-long trial against Aera Energy, one of California’s largest oil and gas producers, for contaminating his groundwater with fracking waste water. Though he might have won in court, Starrh lost all his crops. Oil and gas companies are fracking in Sutter, Glenn and Colusa counties, all within 90 miles of Chico, according to the Center for Biological Diversity’s website. Fracking technology is evolving, making it easier to gather the remnants of idle wells, said Kevin Killion, Associated Students sustainability education and outreach coordinator and member of the Butte Environmental Council. “All the good, easy stuff ?” Killion said. “That’s gone.” Community members can attend Wednesday’s 1:30 p.m. meeting of the Butte County Water Commission at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, located at 25 County Center Drive in Oroville.

All the good, easy stuff ? That’s gone.

Yessenia Funes can be reached at

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Chico State’s Independent Student News Source since 1975

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5, 2014

Sexual assaults still scar campus Appallingly, a student was sexually assaulted Thursday. The attack occurred at 10 p.m. near Holt Station, a time or place almost any student could be on campus. It is unbelievable that this event happened in a well-lit area with an Emergency Blue Light within sight. University Police did a commendable job responding to this incident. Police filed a report and released a statement the next day, notifying the campus community. But in terms of prevention, more could have been done to keep this woman safe. University Police claim that the safety of Chico State’s students is a top priority, but this incident illustrates a disparity. This attack happened at a time when dozens of students can be seen on campus — an appropriate time for University Police to be keeping a close eye on student safety. There’s a larger issue looming behind this attack. This assault is a part of the rape culture that is pervasive on college campuses and in their surrounding communities. Students should know and feel that they are safe walking on campus at any time of the day or night. This attack brings that safety into question. How effective is the Emergency Blue Light system and other measures in place? Is it time that the University Police found a different way to reduce the occurance of sexual crimes? These are serious questions but the student body can contribute to finding solutions. A California state auditor is currently reviewing how Chico State prevents and responds to incidents of sexual violence and harassment. In a campus-wide email, the auditor asked students to participate in a survey. Every student should participate and be honest about the culture here on campus to truly assess our situation. If sending an email seems like too much work, just think about the women and men affected by sexual violence.

Students should know and feel that they are safe walking on campus at any time of the day or night.

The Orion ∤ ILLUSTRATION by Rachel Dugo

editorial

Autocorrect: ruining America, saving time Matt Murphy

Opinion Columnist 1993 was a momentous year, and not just because it’s the year that I was born. It was also the first year Microsoft Word included the autocorrect feature. Once the first iPhone was released in 2007, autocorrect became a key selling point for the device and others like it. I’m not so sold on it though. Has there been a more maddening invention in this generation? Half the time it saves time, the other half it leaves users wondering why it changed “tight” to “right,” as I often do. Can you believe there was a time when one had to type out each letter of a message to completion? The phone didn’t guess what the end of a

word might be and finish it with the tap of a finger. A user had to complete (sometimes) grammatically correct sentences without aid. It makes you wonder how anyone survived the early 2000s. There is no doubt autocorrect has saved the iPhone generation countless hours that can now be filled with tweeting, posting on Instagram and using Facebook, but is that such a good thing? It’s no secret that the U.S. is not at the top of lists of national school test scores. Now the youth have a device that spells words for them and keeps them from adequately practicing what they learn in school. Is the time saved from not having to type out every letter of “sandwich” really worth the lack of thought? I’ll admit, I’m guilty too. Half the time my messages get sent with multiple errors because the words are close enough to what I

Can you believe there was a time when one had to type out each letter of a message to completion?

wanted to say in the first place. Writing and speaking with correct grammar and spelling are skills that permeate every aspect of life. Why turn the practice of this particular skill over to a machine? Because it’s quicker and easier. These two adjectives have driven American ingenuity for the past 100 years. Humans invented cars because they made getting somewhere quicker and easier than using horses. Fast food was made available because grabbing a quick bite from a drivethru restaurant is quicker and easier than cooking for ourselves. We made autocorrect because it is quicker and easier than typing our thoughts for ourselves. Slow down. Write words on a page. Write a letter. Take pleasure in crafting and creating the words for yourself. Turn autocorrect off for a week — it is possible. See if it affects the way that you write in other mediums. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easily words will come to you. Matt Murphy can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@matthewcharlesz on Twitter.

Adjust abandoned New Year’s resolutions Kevin Crittenden

Opinion Columnist

New Year’s resolutions usually start off strong. But by the end of January, most have withered away like a forgotten goldfish. We all know the feeling of excitement on New Year’s Eve. No other holiday carries quite the same kind of anticipation as the turning of the calendar on Dec. 31. It’s a shot at assessing the trajectory of our lives, letting go of the past and allowing space for new story lines to emerge. Usually this chance for change is embraced with the fullest sense of optimism — for a week or so. Then the momentum of habit tends to steamroll our vows to improve ourselves. The goldfish that looked so lively before is mistaken for being dead, not worthy of resuscitation and flushed into the ocean of apathy. Don’t give up on New Year’s resolu-

tions. Adjust them so they make sense. As the first week of February rolls in, I’ve had time to evaluate my progress in meeting my resolutions. As usual, I set the bar ridiculously high. I chose a fitness goal: to gain 20 pounds of lean muscle mass in four weeks. Now, in the final week of this experiment in my personal physiology, I weigh only five pounds more than when I started.

The Orion ∤ ILLUSTRATION by Liz Coffee

| EDITORIAL BOARD | Spring 2014 Editor-in-Chief Katrina Cameron Managing Editor Ernesto Rivera Art Director Liz Coffee

News Editor Mozes Zarate Opinion Editor Zachary Coyl Sports Editor Sharon Martin

I knew going into this regimen I would not feel healthy. I was prepared to overfeed to the point of feeling sick to see what is possible in terms of physical transformation. I was trying to satisfy my own curiosity about the physical potential of my body’s growth. If bigger is better, I was going to find out. But it turns out lugging around a bigger body has its drawbacks if you’re not naturally built that way. I followed the words of Timothy Ferriss’ book, “The Four-Hour Body.” “Treat eating as your job,” he states in the book. I did. I ate a ridiculous amount of chicken, protein bars, potatoes, sausage, more protein bars and clumpy whey powder milkshakes. Walking around feeling like the Michelin Man wasn’t really my idea of a life-enhancing change. I thought the bloating would fade as my body adjusted to the increase of lactose and caloric intake. It didn’t. Not only did I feel less energetic, I had to make frequent stops to the bathroom to vacate my overcrowded intestines.

Feeling like a walking nuclear reactor is a harrowing experience. Tuna, chili and macaroni and cheese are not so fun to eat together, or much fun on the way out. I don’t want to be a gym monkey so swollen with muscle that I can barely put a T-shirt on. Instead I’ll be looking for the middle ground b e t w e e n Incredible Hulk and string bean, eating more broccoli and drinking less milk. Better yet, New Year’s resolutions may as well be made every day. There’s no particular reason why we need to wait until January to care enough to make changes that matter. Don’t flush that scraggly goldfish down the toilet. It might grow into a koi if given a chance.

Don’t give up on New Year’s resolutions. Adjust them so they make sense.

Kevin Crittenden can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@theorion_news on Twitter.

The unsigned Orion editorial is the collaborative opinion of the editorial board.

Features Editor Risa Johnson Arts Editor Nicole Santos Photo Editor Kasey Judge

Video Editor Emily Bertolino Chief Copy Editor John Riggin Public Relations Director Jessica Barber

OPINION

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Sidewalks, dignity are taken from homeless

WedneSday, FEB. 5, 2014

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THUMBS

The Orion ∤ ILLUSTRATION by Rachel Dugo

Thumbs up to the new Middle Class Scholarship program. It is nice to see help going to those who need it second most. See A2.

Thumbs down to another six weeks of winter. It’s unbelievable that an oversized squirrel is the most accurate tool we have for determining this.

Zachary Phillips

Opinion Columnist

In “Purgatorio,” part one of Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy,” the fourth level of purgatory is reserved for those afflicted by sloth — a lack of action in response to others’ needs. The men and women occupying this terrace are eternally tasked with constant movement, damned to never again have a moment of rest. Return to this worldly plane with Alighieri’s biting, albeit extreme, commentary in mind. Envision downtown Chico, the center of a growing controversy in regard to the “homeless problem.” The city has recently made several attempts to rectify this problem, including: 1. Providing armed guards to patrol the streets after dark. One time a man asked me to give him some spare change for a sandwich. Luckily, a guard with a stun gun, baton, pepper spray and gun intervened. I celebrated by treating myself to a sandwich. 2. Passing a Sit and Lie ordinance that outlaws loitering in any sort of prostrate or downcast manner adjacent to downtown businesses. No citations have been issued so far, possibly on the grounds that the Chico Police Department has too great a sense of compassion. 3. Demanding that organizations like Food Not Bombs and Orchard Church move their outreach programs to the Chico Municipal Center, rather than the City Plaza. Not sure where the municipal center is? Exactly. For those who are unfamiliar with Food Not Bombs and Orchard Church, these organizations devote one day each weekend to feeding the homeless. Narrowly avoiding having their meals disbanded altogether, they have instead been moved out of the public eye, where their efforts at dignifying Chico’s homeless population won’t offend onlookers’ eyes. As a town centered around its college campus, Chico is home to one of the most privileged groups of people nationwide: the college student. With the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree and more, the American college student finds his or herself within a system that cuts several rungs off of the ladder to success that everyone is so quick to climb. Within an arm’s reach of these students is Chico’s homeless population. These individuals find themselves within a different system entirely: poverty. Poverty is not a line that one stands above or below, with simply a lack of sufficient food or clothing. Poverty is poor health and education, poor sanitation, a lack of physical security, a lack of voice and a lack of opportunity to better one’s life. In the case of those men and women who used to break bread with Orchard Church and Food Not Bombs on weekends, it means a lack of humanity. Maybe it was the decline in business. Maybe it was the feelings of insecurity and danger. Maybe it was the conviction that strikes the soul when one passes by another whose possessions are contained within a trash bag, forcing one to ponder why life’s proverbial sunbeam shines on some but not others. Whatever the reason, Chico decided that while they still deserve to eat a hot meal, homeless men and women don’t deserve to share the same space as the rest of its citizens. This dehumanizing act may seem extreme, but it is no more so than the derogatory language used against the homeless each day. We privileged students tend to look upon these individuals and assume that their destitution is a result of their own efforts. “They chose a life of transience. They aren’t working for change. They brought this upon themselves.” These are often falsities, fluttering through the minds of those who are privileged enough to believe them. We rarely stop to think about each individual life. Why not ask, “Why is this person here? Where is their family? What have they lost?”

Within an arm’s reach of these students is Chico’s homeless population.

Zachary Phillips can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@ZachSPhillips on Twitter.

The Orion encourages letters to the editor and commentary from students, faculty, staff, administration and community members.

Thumbs up to the first week of February. You can finally snag an elliptical at the WREC now that many New Year’s resolutions have been abandoned.

Thumbs down to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death. If you don’t care, you’re not a human being or haven’t seen “Along Came Polly.”

Success for students stems from choosing to snooze Kristina Martinez

Opinion Columnist

Those last few minutes of sleep after hitting the snooze button is some of the most precious time in a college student’s day. As important as sleep is, it is often one of the last things on our minds. Getting a full night’s sleep has become hard for most students to achieve. It seems impossible to make sleep a priority in a world that never stops. Ask anyone and they will probably say that they did not get enough sleep last night. According to the College Student Journal, more than 75 percent of college students do not get enough sleep on five or more days each week. The problem is not that college students do not like to sleep, the problem is that they are constantly choosing not to instead of managing their time better. I love to sleep, and when I lose rest I notice the change in my body. I can always tell when my body needs a break. Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice some things for sleep, instead of surrendering sleep for other things. But what good is going to class if I can’t even keep my eyes from closing every five seconds? Most people acknowledge that sleep is important but college students, knowing this, still sacrifice sleep in order to get other things done. Sleep affects mood, weight, mental alertness, productivity and creativity. Not getting enough sleep does more to a body than causing bags under the eyes. Sleep replen-

ishes the body, for morning people and night owls alike. A good night of sleep is key to more than being able to make it to an 8 a.m. class on time and prepared. Our bodies need the right amount of sleep to function properly during the day. Adults should be aiming for about seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Loss of sleep will eat away at the body over time. A good night’s rest needs to become a part of more students’ daily schedules. Maintaining a sleep schedule is just as vital to a student’s health as attending exam days is key to succeeding in classes. College students stress over everything and some rest, as simple as it sounds, can help alleviate this problem. Losing sleep can cause stress. Take the time to log off social media earlier and flip off the TV and lights 30 minutes before going to sleep. It will allow the mind and body to begin relaxing as they prepare to go to sleep. Attempting to get more sleep and actually getting some rest is, unfortunately, easier said than done. Students need to keep time management in mind in order to make it happen. Have set times to nap or sleep, and create time for sleep in the same way everything else gets scheduled. Avoid frantic late nights and last minute assignments you think are worth loss of sleep. Allow the body to rest when it needs to. Finding and sticking to the right balance between studying and sleeping is important to succeeding in classes.

It seems impossible to make sleep a priority in a world that never stops.

Kristina Martinez can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@orion_news on Twitter.

Attend class to help pass Julianna Eveland

Opinion Columnist

Congratulations! It’s halfway through the third week of school and we’ve successfully crossed over to February. To some, this is enough time to decide whether a class seems worth attending or if it can be easily passed with infrequent visits to the classroom. To me, every class is always worth attending because I’m paying $372 per unit as an out-of-state student and I’m not a fan of wasting money. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way, as many students do. As an incoming firstyear student, I fooled myself into thinking college was going to be a breeze. I was so naive to think not showing up would somehow be OK when finals came around. So naive to think I could chill while missing class, which only perpetuated my stress later. So naive to ignore the sinking feeling of possibly having to repeat a class, or worse — tell my parents about it. I did have to tell my parents about my poor grades in the end, of course. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. I got a job in construction, learned what I did not want to do with my life and came back to school. It was a completely new experience. I had made my mistakes and was ready to learn. My mom always says 90 percent of the battle is showing up. Even though that statistic is subject to change, she’s right. The work we do in college builds on itself. Not showing up to class means missing serious parts of the groundwork that comes

before the grades. There will always be the temptation to miss class. If it’s raining, if I have a cold or if it’s Thursday and my friends don’t have Friday classes, of course drinking beer sounds better. And there’s always, “I’m not going — my professor doesn’t take roll and we’re not doing anything important today.” But what am I here for? Absolutely nothing? I’m one of the privileged few who make it to a university. What am I here for if not to actually attend classes? Regardless of whether a professor takes roll or not, showing up will make all the difference. I earned the highest GPA of my college career last spring. My secret? Going to class. Like anything done frequently enough, it can become a habit. Starting off the year by avidly attending classes will carry on throughout the semester. Every time I miss a class there’s an underlying feeling like I’m supposed to be somewhere. Then I realize, “Oh, I am supposed to be somewhere!” Consequently, a slightly guilty feeling sets over me. Another way I avoid missing classes is by developing relationships with my professors. If I feel the urge to leave early, the thought of their stink eye will often keep me in my seat. But most of what keeps me showing up to classes throughout the semester is the amazing feeling that comes when it’s over. I know I finished out the semester well, and I know I worked my ass off to do so.

Regardless of whether a professor takes roll or not, showing up will make all the difference.

• Letters and commentaries may be delivered to The Orion, Plumas Hall Room 001. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters are also accepted by e-mail and go directly to the opinion editor at opinioneditor@theorion.com

Julianna Eveland can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@theorion_news on Twitter.

• Commentaries should be limited to 500 to 700 words and are subject to editing for length and clarity. Please include your phone number.

TALKING POINTS

The Orion ∤ file photo getting involved Associated Students President Taylor Herren discusses issues that affect students.

In this year’s Associated Students election, students might have the opportunity to elect representatives to the Academic Senate. This is important as A.S. currently represents the student body on a systemwide level, but has no say in academic and university-specific policies. Ironically, the student body and their elected officials have not been a part of these decisions.

Photograph BY JAKOB STEINSCHADEN VIA FLICKR Like This Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talks shop.

Facebook launched their new app, Paper, on Monday and it looks pretty slick. But what does it really do? The app looks like any other news aggregator, like Flipboard, but sends users’ friends’ status updates as well. Paper is part of Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to make Facebook “the best personalized newspaper in the world.” That’s a nice dream but quality journalistic stories are rare on Facebook’s news feed anyway.

STUDY BREAK

Photograph by Brothers Le via Flickr Treasure Bruno Mars’ halftime show was the highlight of an otherwise uneventful Super Bowl blowout.

Bruno Mars and his eight-piece band, The Hooligans, electrified the stage Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. during the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show. A choir of young children held hands and sang the lyrics to the popular tune “Billionaire,” which led into an upbeat drum solo by Mars himself. The entertainer performed with style in a metallic gold suit as he sang multiple chart toppers, including “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Treasure.” Mars never let the energy die. Not only were his vocals on point, he incorporated choreographed dancing with his band and excited the crowd with the occasional splits. The show intensified when the Red Hot Chili Peppers came to perform their hit “Give it Away,” with Mars providing backup vocals. While their outfits, or lack thereof, surprised many, the biggest shock was their limited contribution before returning the stage to Mars for the finale. Mars delivered the perfect ending vocal with a smooth rendition of “Just the Way You Are,” accompanied by a dedication video from the armed forces to their families and a beautiful firework display resembling the American flag. - Nicole Santos

• Letters to the editor should be limited to fewer than 300 words, must include writer’s name and phone number (for verification) and are subject to condensation. Please include your year in school and major, or your business title.

• The Orion does not publish anonymous letters, letters that are addressed to a third party or letters that are in poor taste. The opinions expressed by The Orion’s columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Orion or its staff.

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WedneSday, Feb. 5, 2014