Daily Forty-Niner; February 19, 2024

DAILY FORTY-NINER EST

Vol. XCV, Issue 19

1949

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TIED UP & BOHL-ED OVER

Monday, February 19, 2024

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ON THE COVER NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State Dirtbags sophomore utility player Connor Charpiot celebrates scoring a run against the University of Washington at Blair Field. The Dirtbags would beat the Huskies 10-5 in the home-opener.

NEWS

Community Engagement Editor Director of Business Operations community@daily49er.com business@gobeach.media

Editors News Editor Juan Calvillo news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Natasha Castanedo arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Georgie Smith opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Davis Ramage sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Mary Catipay design@daily49er.com Copy Editor Jazmin Arellano Gallardo copy@daily49er.com Photo Editor Naoki Gima photo@daily49er.com Social Media Editor Maureen Linzaga socials@daily49er.com Video Editor Alina Ti video@daily49er.com Podcast Editor Aidan Swanepoel podcast@daily49er.com

Assistants News Assistants

Arts & Life Assistants Opinions Assistants Sports Assistants Design Assistants Copy Editor Assistants

Photo Assistants Social Media Assistant Video Assistants

Podcast Assistants

Elizabeth Basile Acsah Lemma Anthony Orrico Linsey Towles Samantha Cortes Leila Alarcon Cheyenne Elizarraras Maya-Claire Glenn Matthew Coleman Alyssa De La Cruz Matthew Gomez Luis Castilla Nuelle Obaseki Nick Broadhead Jaylyn Preslicka Khoury Williams Mark Siquig Marlon Villa Maher Basharahil Zachery Durham Steven Matthews Talia Brandon Ellie Creighton Julia Goldman Lei Madrigal

Business Advertising Manager Izzy Ahmed advertising@gobeach.media Creative Director Jennix Bien creative@gobeach.media Web & Technology Manager Leila Nuñez web@gobeach.media PR & Promotions Manager Nicollette Combre beach.pr@gobeach.media Distribution Manager Naoki Gima distribution@gobeach.media

Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner CSULB students and faculty evacuate from the University Library during an all-campus evacuation drill on the morning of Friday, Feb. 16.

Annual campus-wide evacuation drill returns

BY MARIANA RAMOS Staff Writer

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larms sounded Feb. 16 to notify students and faculty to clear classrooms as Long Beach State Police conducted a campus-wide evacuation drill.

Students and faculty evacuated at 10:30 a.m. from every building on campus and went to their designated Evacuation Assembly Areas, known as rally points. There is a designated point for every building. The drill ended at approximately 10:50 a.m.

Alarms and lights went off in every building to announce the beginning of the drill. The BeachAlert Emergency Notification System sent emails, texts and voice messages about the drill as well. Students and faculty were advised to guarantee all contact information was up to date in their Student Center or Employee Center.

For students who were not on campus during the drill, BeachAlert Emergency notifications were still sent, but further action was not necessary.

Participation from students and faculty was required if they were on campus during the drill.

“It is state law that anytime the alarms are going off, even if it’s just a drill, you must evacuate the building. It is completely mandatory,” Allyson Joy, emergency manager, said.

Buildings were inspected by University Police and volunteer groups to confirm all classrooms and offices were clear.

State law requires annual evacuation drills to certify safe emergency protocols are in place.

Alarms, lights, speakers and notification systems are tested to verify they are working. Evacuations are observed to ensure students and faculty leave buildings in a safe and timely manner.

Evacuations take place in emergencies, like fires, where remaining indoors might pose a serious threat to the safety of the public.

Joy said evacuation drills are usually not scheduled for Fridays, but this time it was. Scheduling was changed after feedback from faculty showed the drill was disruptive when conducted during busier school days.

She would have preferred if it had happened during busier school days because it would replicate a more realistic evacuation, but she’s curious to see how the change will go.

As students on campus practiced what to do during an evacuation drill, students off campus were encouraged to familiarize themselves with their own evacuation routes in case of an emergency.

“The best tip in that case is whatever area you find that you’re spending the most time in, have a really good idea of all the exit routes,” Joy said.

Advertising & Business Adviser Jennifer Newton

Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words.

The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists.

The opinons of the Daily Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

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Land Acknowledgment Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.

We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.

We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.

Monday, February 19, 2024

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NEWS

UC, CSU extend admissions deadline following FAFSA delays Rocky roll-out of the new FAFSA form prompts response from admissions.

BY LINSEY TOWLES News Assistant

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oth the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems have extended their deadline for students to accept admission for the fall 2024 school year due to delays with the new federal financial aid form.

In past years, both UC and CSU systems required students to accept or deny an admissions offer by May 1 but due to changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process, the two California education systems have extended this deadline.

For all nine UCs, first-year students will be required to decide by May 15 and all 23 CSU campuses’ have a deadline “no earlier” than May 15. College admission decisions traditionally come out late February into March.

Both college systems have cited FAFSA delays as the reason for the deadline extension, as a new version of the FAFSA form made its debut this year after being announced last year.

Advertised as a faster, more user-friendly way for students to fill out their financial information, the U.S. Department of Education’s roll-out of the new form has seen numerous technical difficulties and glitches.

“We anticipated that there may be challenges as students adapt to the new FAFSA process, but there have also been additional unanticipated delays, which has been illustrated in recent national headlines,” said Nicholas Novello, Director of Financial Aid at CSULB. The new form’s launch date was marketed for December 2023 instead of Oct. 1 as in previous years. The form that was released in December was a “softlaunch,” meaning users could only access the form at certain times when the form was not “under construction.”

The form was not made available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until Jan. 8.

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Graphic by LINSEY TOWLES / Daily Forty-Niner The launch of the new FAFSA form has created delays in the entire financial aid system, leaving countless students frustrated and confused.

With glitches plaguing the new form, FAFSA has had the lowest number of applicants in recent years especially among high school seniors. According to the National College Attainment network,

their parents creating an account for the FAFSA,” said Novello. “Students whose parents do not have a social security number are experiencing roadblocks in completing the online process.”

”

Students whose parents do not have a social security number are experiencing roadblocks in completing the online process.

Nicholas Novello CSULB Director of Financial Aid submissions for the class of 2024 are down 57% compared to last year and the national FAFSA submission rate stands at just 16% through Jan. 26.

“The most common cases reported to us at CSULB involve students and

Students of parents with no social security number are bearing the brunt of the struggle with the new FAFSA form, as the website now requires that a social security number be used. In previous years parents without social security numbers

Monday, February 19, 2024

could print out a form, sign it and send it in but this is not an option now on the website.

According to Novello, the U.S. Dept. of Education has shared that they are “committed to addressing this issue,” though a fix has yet to be implemented.

Additionally, the Department of Education announced that colleges will not receive student financial information until March, two months later than originally planned. Some students may not receive their federal aid package offers from respective schools until April.

“As FAFSA data is usually released beginning of October, this means an extremely tight timeline this year to provide completed aid packages to newly-admitted and continuing students,” said Novello. He added that the department plans to keep the community updated as new developments unfold.

For many, the federal aid that a school offers upon admission is a key factor in deciding where to go to school. With the FAFSA delays pushing the date colleges are able to offer financial aid packages, UCs and CSUs have responded by pushing back their admissions deadlines.

Novello said that the Financial Aid office has created a FAFSA Simplification Page where students can receive updates when released by the U.S Dept. of Education. The deadline to submit this year’s FAFSA is slated on June 30, 2024.

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ARTS & LIFE

Ashes to Amber offers insight into his artistic transformation Also known as Kane Acosta, he first started making music through iMovie. Now, he is a successful musician who recently performed in Malibu.

BY ALEX GRYCIUK Contributor

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ebruary 16, Ashes to Amber and accompanying artists embodied a relaxed energy with not only heartfelt lyricism, but also guitar expertise at the Aviator Nation Dreamland.

With the intention to match the eclectic decorations of the venue, Ashes to Amber’s performance in Malibu brought many fan favorites such as “Iris”, “Outskirts of Infinity” and “Sun Punks” to life.

“If you look into a kaleidoscope, that would be the vibe for tonight,” Kane Acosta said.

The ‘go with the flow’ attitude about music and performing has always been a part of Acosta’s musical career and persona.

“I’ll be playing something weird. And then, I’ll just catch a chord progression.

Inherently, it's not supposed to help me

write songs, but it does,” Acosta said.

Taking great inspiration from psychedelic rock guitarists Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King and Eric Johnson, Acosta creates music with the intent to artistically express emotions and craft interesting melodies without any restrictions.

“It’s contemporarily relic, indie, psychedelic music,” said Acosta when asked to describe what genre of music he makes.

Failed to be confined by one specific genre, Ashes to Amber’s music leaves much to be interpreted by his audience; he also leaves room for a more interactive concert experience that appeals to many concert goers.

“Energy was high, people were lit, the band was lit,” said Max Silver, the music mixer for the concert. He added, “[the band was] super original too.”

Brendan Fong and Dash Brown also added that their love of discovering underground indie and alternative and exploration of unique music lead them to their enjoyable concert experience.

ALEX GRYCIUK / Daily Forty-Niner Kane Acosta, also known as Ashes to Amber, performs in Malibu on Feb. 16. The musician's psychedelic indie music often creates a unique and interactive atmosphere for concert attendees.

“It was phenomenal…worth the money any time of the day,” they said.

It wasn’t always such an easy process making music for the artist though.

Acosta, a music industry and marketing USC graduate, first started making EDM mashups on iMovie and uploading to SoundCloud under the name Steedy Royce.

“Even Iris, that sounds great, I cut the final version in iMovie,” Acosta added, “It’s an Mp4 file.”

After meeting producers in college like TJ Wee, the dream of making music came to life.

“I had songs written since high

school, I just didn’t know how to use production software, like getting from Place A to Place B,” Acosta said.

Now, with more experience and expertise, Ashes to Amber paves the way in his unique musical career as he continues to make rich, deep songs and perform electrifying shows for audiences.

To stay informed on releases of music, merch announcements and concert dates, follow @ashestoamber on Instagram. Ashes to Amber also regularly streams music on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Youtube.

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Monday, February 19, 2024

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ARTS & LIFE Clockwise from right: A Nash Metropolitan parked in a Huntington Beach neighborhood. Kenneth Connor, the owner, is a member of the Southern California Metropolitan Owners Club of America. The unoccupied Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is one of the last Japanese American buildings left standing after the California Alien Land Law of 1913 barred Asian immigrants from owning land. Workers in Irby Park clear an old sick tree. Emily Ashlock, an Edison High School student, celebrates her Quinceañera. Under the Huntington Beach Pier at dusk. The first Huntington Beach Pier was built in 1904, it was a rough pine structure and was washed out to sea in 1912.

Photos By GUSTAVO PEÑA Daily Forty-Niner

This city has a rich history that traces back to the Tongva indigenous people, who first lived on the land. Since that time, the land has been colonized, pillaged for oil and is now home to thousands as a popular sport and beach city.

BY GUSTAVO PEÑA Contributor

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he land of Huntington Beach was originally occupied by the Tongva natives who had a territory of around 4,000 square miles. The Tongva’s territory ranged from the Santa Susanna Mountains in the North, Aliso Creek to the South, the San Bernardino Mountains in the East, then finally the Pacific Ocean in the West. The territory is now known as the Greater Los Angeles Basin.

During the colonization by the Spanish, the Tongva would become known as Gabrieleño and Fernandeño people after the Spanish Missions the Tongva themselves would build, the Tongva being used as slave labor. The current population of Tongva people is estimated to be around 3,000 people.

Interestingly, Cal State Long Beach sits on land that the Tongva believed sacred. The village of Puvungna, believed to be modern-day Rancho Los Alamitos, is where a portion of Cal State Long Beach sits. The Tongva believed that Chungichnish, their lawgiver and God, resided spiritually there. More than a dozen sites have been identified as Tongva villages over an area of 500 acres on or near the Long Beach campus, most of the sites having been destroyed by development.

Eventually, the territory would pass from Spanish to Mexican, then American hands. The city of Huntington Beach would be incorporated in 1909 and be renamed after a railroad magnate, Henry Huntington, nephew of Collis P. Huntington. One of the major investors of the transcontinental railroad, Collis P.

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Huntington would rub shoulders with Leland Stanford. Leland was a fellow investor of the transcontinental railroad and founder of Stanford University.

Oil discovery in the 1920’s would cause an economic boom in the city of Huntington Beach. From that point on thousands of people would inhabit the location. The Bolsa Chica Gun Club would sign an oil and gas lease with Standard Oil Company of California and the rest as they say is history. The population grew exponentially, starting at a paltry couple thousand. The oil derricks used to pump out the black gold were virtually built overnight on the shoreline. Most of those old oil wells are long gone, only visible in old black and white photographs.

The old relics, having been replaced by four hundred wells that still litter Pacific Coast Highway between Goldenwest Street and the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

Today oil has been replaced by sport.

Predictably, the modern culture of Huntington Beach centers around the Pacific Ocean. In 1925 modern surfing from Hawaii, as we know it today, was introduced to the city by Duke Kahanamoku, a fivetime Olympic medalist in swimming.

Ever since then the sport of surfing has ingratiated itself to the people.

As for modern day inhabitants of the territory. The population of Huntington Beach sits a little below 200,000. Compared to Long Beach’s 450,000 population, surprisingly the city of Huntington Beach is about half its size. Huntington Beach is often characterized by some as a sleepy beach town, but statistics and history seems to prove otherwise. With a rich story spanning thousands of years, the land and the people still have much left to do.

Monday, February 19, 2024

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ARTS & LIFE

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Monday, January 29, 2024

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ARTS & LIFE

Photos by SAMANTHA CORTES / Daily Forty-Niner Rap duo LegendariMinds performs at the Black Makers Mart on Saturday afternoon. The event featured other on-stage appearances, including a drum circle led by The Earthlodge Center for Transformation.

Black Makers Mart uplifts Long Beach community

BY SAMANTHA CORTES Arts & Life Assistant

T

he Long Beach community gathered at the Mosaic on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Black culture through energetic live performances, a historical exhibition and local vendors.

Sponsored by Councilwoman Mary Zendejas and other community organizations, the event commemorated Black History Month and highlighted the contributions of Black residents in the city.

Attendees streamed into the African American Migration and Long Beach Harbor Development exhibit, where they learned about the city’s very first African American families who established tightknit communities despite severe racism.

The exhibition was curated by Sharon Diggs-Jackson, a board member of the African American Cultural Center of Long Beach (AACCLB). Diggs spent several months combing through old newspapers, conducting interviews and reading prior research by librarian Claudine Burnett to create a historical timeline from 1880 to 1950.

Growing up, Diggs learned about Black history from her parents, who were active in the Civil Rights Movement. The process of curating this exhibit allowed her to delve further into Long Beach’s history of segregation, discrimination and violence.

“I didn’t know all of the history in-

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volved before I was born,” Diggs said.

“I didn’t know that I lived where I lived growing up because it was the only place Black people could be. That was hard to know.”

The AACCLB curates different exhibits each month, with February's exhibit including the work of Black inventors, portraits of Long Beach residents and a photo gallery of Martin Luther King Jr. Diggs sees each exhibit as an opportunity to learn and teach others.

“My first objective when hosting an exhibit is to educate, then to honor the people or subject matter and then later to inspire,” Diggs said. “Everybody who walked through here can learn something about our city … as well as how the Black community has formed.”

The event’s main stage featured live performances throughout the afternoon, including a community drum circle led by Earthlodge Center for Transformation. Board Chair Yardenna Aaron said that village-style performances empower and bond the community at large.

“We make it our business to be able to connect with children, working-age individuals and elders,” Aaron said. “That’s the way we heal. That’s the way we communicate and the way we keep our legacy going for generations to come.”

Founded by Queen Hollins in 2004, the Earthlodge Center for Transformation provides a sanctuary space for under-served women, children and members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a member of the organization for 13 years, Aaron has participated in its numerous

The Earthlodge Center for Transformation led an African drum circle at the Black Makers Mart on Saturday. Board Chair Yardenna Aaron (center) has been with the organization for 13 years, practicing Black, southern and Indigenous spirituality. community events, ceremonies and rituals that center Black, southern and Indigenous spiritual practices.

Aaron believes that events like the Black Makers Mart are an important way to promote community, learning and diversity.

“Whether it be food, community organizations, music, cultural representation and this beautiful exhibit inside about the legacy of Black people in Long Beach.. there’s a little bit of everything for everybody," Aaron said.

Many attendees were drawn to The Elemental Shop’s booth at the event, which featured assortments of crystals, sage and inclusive tarot decks. Owner Tracy Williams noticed the large racial disparities within the spiritual community, so she opened her own inclusive space to provide educational tools and services for those on their spiritual journeys.

“I know that my culture plays a big part in spirituality, but I wasn’t seeing that show up,” Williams said. “Not only do I think it’s important to see a Black

Monday, February 19, 2024

woman in business, but I think it’s important to see Black women on the books and decks.”

Crzydreamr, founded by tarot reader and spiritual coach Ahriell Johnson, tabled alongside The Elemental Shop.

Johnson had been searching for a Blackowned metaphysical shop in Long Beach and stumbled upon Williams' shop on one of her daily walks. Johnson now does tarot readings at the shop on an appointment basis.

“Finding a shop where I can go in and feel at home with family and very close friends is just a dream,” Williams said.

“Anything that we can do to contribute to our community and just to help in spiritual evolution and growth – that’s what I’m here for.”

Black History Month celebrations will continue throughout February, including a Fourth Fridays: Soul Train Edition event on Feb. 23 and the Museum of Latin American Art’s annual Afro-Latinx Festival on Feb. 25.

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ARTS & LIFE

CSULB rings in the Lunar New Year with on campus celebration The Year of the Dragon made its way to Long Beach State campus for the community to commemorate the Lunar New Year with traditional festivities.

BY JOEL MARTINEZ Staff Writer

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he Office of Multicultural Affairs, the East Asia Subcommittee and ASI Beach Pride Events celebrated the Lunar New Year in the University Student Union Ballroom on Feb. 12. The celebration included Asian cuisine, cultural performances, music and crafts.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is a celebration of the new year under the lunar calendar that uses Chinese Zodiac animals and the color red to symbolize good luck. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon which symbolizes power and luck for the coming months.

CSULB’s Lunar New Year event featured informational tables from student organizations, performances by the music department and the Taiko Student Group and a traditional Lion Dragon dance.

Event volunteer April Castro said

Photos by ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ / Daily Forty-Niner Artist Cheng jian Wang showcases her oil-painted artwork in honor of the Lunar New Year. The event, held Feb. 12 at the University Student Union ballroom, also featured traditional Asian food, performances and dancing. this year’s Lunar New Year celebration felt special because of the collaboration from multiple organizations.

“I think it’s wonderful, the last couple of years I’ve worked here, I’ve heard about past events,” Castro said.

“This year is special because all the other organizations came together with

One out of many decoration tables, students learn how to create origami by using colorful folding paper to celebrate Lunar New Year.

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one huge event. The students seem like they are having fun with all the activities.”

Kristy Nguyen, another Lunar New Year event volunteer, said she enjoyed seeing her Asian American culture being represented on campus.

“It’s a celebration of the new year

in Asian American culture. It includes the majority of Asian ethnicities. We are celebrating prosperity, family and health. We wear red and gold. There’s a lot of traditional stuff like the type of food we use, like noodles representing longevity,” Nguyen said.

Michelle Chang (left), Director of Academic Internships Office and Forrest Alvarez (right), Assistant Program Coordinator for Multicultural Affairs volunteered to serve food, chicken dumplings, for students at the Lunar New Year event.

Monday, February 19, 2024

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OPINION

It’s 2024 and gun violence is still the common norm

BY ADRIAN MEDINA Staff Writer

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ith another gun violence occurrence, is the United States still turning a blind eye to

gun regulations?

No matter how many times I see it on the news, it is the same old story of a new shooting here and there. The result was not any different this past weekend.

Just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, shots were fired at Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston, Texas. The suspect, 36-yearold Genesse Ivonne Moreno, entered the church with her 7-year-old son and was armed with an AR-15, police said.

Two off-duty police officers were outside the church when they spotted Moreno pointing the weapon towards them.

The officers fired at Moreno and she was pronounced dead at 2:07 p.m., according to police.

Moreno’s 7-year-old son was struck in the head from the crossfire. He is currently in critical condition and “fighting for his life,” Houston police chief Troy Finner said.

This particular tragedy struck home with me because I listen to Joel Osteen’s radio show that plays on SiriusXM. I would listen in on these broadcasts when my mother and I drove.

I will admit that I did not want to hear this on the radio at all, but my mom was the one who would recite Osteen’s affirmations to me when times were tough.

In a way, Osteen’s message of living

Wikimedia Commons Located in Houston, Texas, Lakewood Church was the site of yet another instance of gun violence. Besides the shooter, two people were shot and wounded, including the shooter’s 7-year-old son.

BY ILAYDA GERCEK Staff Writer

Touchdown or Tinfoil Hats?

through prayer and keeping God in our hearts kindled a new layer for our relationship.

Once the news broke out, I decided to dive deeper into the state’s gun laws to see how effective they are at maintaining gun safety. Texas is not even close to being the safest.

According to Every Town Research, getting a permit for a concealed handgun in public in Texas is not required.

This alone should tell you how Texas gun laws are being assessed and issued through outrageous legislation. You can

argue that it is a good legislative decision solely based on the idea of self-defense, but who can you trust when firearms are as easy to purchase as candy?

For me, this just raises the question even more. Is the United States still turning a blind eye to gun violence? According to the National Library of Medicine, the United States ranks No.1 on the list of countries with the most privately owned guns, with 101 guns for every 100 individuals.

Whether it be due to aesthetics or self-defense, I believe that the access and

C

onspiracy theories surrounding the authenticity of the National Football League (NFL) have reached new heights, with viral TikTok videos and posts on X, formally known as Twitter, propagating baseless claims of scripting within the league. Some think that the Kansas City Chiefs did not deserve to become the Super Bowl Champions.

It seems that when in doubt, we love to blame things on women, specifically Taylor Swift. Since her romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, started in 2023, she has attended a total of 13 games, including the Super Bowl. People were quick to assume that the relationship was faked for publicity to get the Chiefs further ahead in the football championship.

Leading up to the Super Bowl on January 11, NFL viewers were quick to share their hate regarding Swift’s frequent appearances on their screens. However, in reality, analysis has proven that Swift only appeared for an average of 35 seconds during the 3-hour game broadcasts. That half-minute per game was enough to spark NFL fanatics to detest Swift for supporting her boyfriend.

She is being unfairly targeted and blamed for outcomes beyond her control. It seems that the monologue that actress America Ferrera delivers in “Barbie” still stands true: “It is literally impossible to be a woman. [...] And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.”

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Wikimedia Commons Taylor Swift, Joe Biden and Travis Kelce have formed an unlikely trio at the heart of NFL buzz and conspiracy talk.

Taylor Swift’s presence at NFL games has become a broader issue involving sexism within sports communities, as evidenced by the backlash and derogatory remarks directed towards her. Women are often subjected to unfair scrutiny in the sports world. The resistance to Swift’s visibility promotes a culture of exclusion and ridicule for women.

The desire among some male fans to gatekeep the sports domain was made evident through her. Whether it’s dismissing Swift as a distraction or mocking her fanbase, these actions reflect a deeper resistance to sharing the spotlight with women. Some male fans cling to outdated notions of masculinity, viewing any deviation from the status quo as a threat to their perceived ownership of sports culture. This gatekeeping behav-

ior not only alienates female fans but also perpetuates a toxic environment and culture.

In addition, the high-profile relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift has sparked increased speculations of political interference. Kelce’s advocacy for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines and Swift’s 2020 endorsement of President Biden have made them targets of rightwing politics.

People seem to love calling a game rigged just because their favorite team lost. Instead of accepting that another team played better, they’re now spawning conspiracy theories about outside influences controlling the NFL. By their accounts, the Chiefs needed to keep winning because President Biden set up Swift and Kelce in a fake ro-

Monday, February 19, 2024

commonality of firearms across America should be reassessed.

This can be done by prohibiting the leisurely gun laws that some states possess and running more background checks on future gun owners, anything to at least make a dent in this epidemic of gun violence.

Regardless of where gun-related tragedy strikes, gunfire travels far from where it was shot and we all suffer wounds from it.

mance to garner publicity. In turn, they could use their platforms to further the democratic cause and President Biden’s re-election campaign.

Apparently, the chances that two famous, rich and good-looking people have decided to date of their own volition and are supportive of each other’s professions are simply too unrealistic.

It’s crucial to emphasize that there is no credible evidence to support these outlandish claims. While debatable calls may occasionally arise in NFL games, attributing them to a grand conspiracy are actions of individuals exhibiting irrationality and a lack of coherence.

In reality, the notion of fixing NFL games on a large scale is implausible and unsupported by facts. Even President Biden has joined in the laughable conversation with a recent TikTok ahead of the Super Bowl. The interviewer asks if he was “Deviously plotting to rig the season so the Chiefs would make the Super Bowl,” to which President Biden banters ”I’d get in trouble if I told you.”

The conspiracy theories surrounding the authenticity of the Kansas City Chiefs’ victories and Taylor Swift’s supposed influence reflect a troubling pattern of scapegoating and sexism within sports culture. Taylor Swift’s mere presence at games being this heavily criticized demonstrates how women are often subjected to unwarranted scrutiny and blame in male-dominated spaces. Moreover, the baseless accusations of political interference only serve to highlight the irrationality behind these theories. Ultimately, it’s essential to base our judgments on facts rather than speculation. Let’s focus on enjoying the game for what it is without succumbing to unfounded paranoia.

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SPORTS

The Beach coast to 26-point victory over UC Davis MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner Cheyenne Givens being guarded by UC Davis basketball player Victoria Baker. The Aggies ended their winning streak after their loss against the beach.

The Long Beach State women’s basketball team cruised to their largest win of the season thus far in a 78-52 win over UC Davis.

BY MATTHEW COLEMAN Sports Assisstant

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oming off of back-to-back losses, Long Beach State women’s basketball responded with a commanding 78-52 win over a UC Davis team that had been climbing the Big West standings. The game was arguably their best overall team performance of the year, never once surrendering the lead.

“We talked a lot about not allowing straight-line drives, so we did a really great job forcing them left and making them a little bit off of what their offense is,” head coach Amy Wright said. “I thought we did a good job of our zone and our man, so they couldn’t get any flow offensively.”

The Beach’s defensive intensity led to several game-altering runs that would prove to be the difference in this lopsided affair. An active LBSU team forced Davis to start an abysmal 1-10 from the field as The Beach was on its way to opening up an 8-3 lead early in the first quarter.

A pair of triples from junior guard Patricia Chung in the opening frame would give The Beach a five-point advantage going into quarter number two.

UC Davis would respond with a 5-0 run to tie things up at 17 apiece, and from that point on Long Beach State would again ramp up the defensive energy to

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MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner Defeating UC Davis at the Walter Pyramid, Long Beach State women’s basketball team had the upper hand throughout the whole game. propel themselves to their own 18-2 run.

Redshirt junior Casey Valenti Paea would get things started with her tough finish through contact driving down the lane, sending her to the free-throw line to complete the 3-point play. She would finish with a game-high 17 points giving her a plus-minus of 28.

“I think we executed really well. I think every five [lineup] that was on the floor were on the same page, and that’s ultimately what gave us the win tonight,”

Valenti Paea said.

Throughout the night LBSU often looked like the more physical team, playing a suffocating style of defense, grabbing loose balls and simply out-hustling the Aggies who seemed to be demoralized by offensive outbursts The Beach would go on. This led to a 15-point lead at the break.

Halftime would not cool the scorching hot Long Beach team down in the slightest as they would open up with 15

Monday, February 19, 2024

unanswered points to double their lead.

A timeout by UC Davis head coach Jennifer Gross to attempt to stop the run would fail with LBSU forcing a five-second violation out of the timeout.

Freshmen forward Jada Crawshaw’s energy off the bench was pivotal as she would account for three steals, eight rebounds and 15 points on 50% shooting from the field.

“It all comes down to hustle who wants it more, and tonight we really showed that. We wanted it more,” Crawshaw said.

The final possession of the third quarter would encapsulate the evening for both teams as time winded down. The Big West leader in steals, junior guard Sydney Woodley, would come away with her third steal of the night on her way to a fast break buzzer-beating lay-up to give LBSU a 30-point leading going into the fourth.

The Beach held onto its large cushion in the fourth quarter with the final score being 78-52.

The Beach looks to carry this momentum into their next game on Saturday against Cal State Northridge on a special afternoon, with the team celebrating some of the program’s alumni.

“Saturday is our Super Bowl. Not because it’s for us, but it’s for all the people that help build this place. We have a whole other different type of energy and focus,” Wright said. “We are playing for the people that built this program.”

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SPORTS

Photos by MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner With six kills opposite hitter Danii Hershtynovich played a crucial role in the defeat (3-0) over Central State. Hershtynovich has contributed with eight kills, 10 points and two aces in the team’s success this season.

No.1 LBSU runs away with sweep against Central State

BY JACK HASLETT Staff Writer

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ong Beach State put forth a dominant display in The Walter Pyramid Friday night as they swept the visiting Central State Marauders on their way to improving to 11-1.

LBSU came into the match ranked No. 1 in the nation for the third straight week, but was looking to bounce back from a tough loss against rival UCLA last Saturday.

The Beach opened up set one with a statement, senior outside hitter Nathan Harlan delivered five of his game-high 10 kills in the first set that spurned on a run of six unanswered points for Long Beach to go up 12-3.

Six-foot-five sophomore setter Island Doty was everywhere in set one, as he would have assisted on seven out of 16 kills in the first set and ended the match with a team-high 20 assists.

“We passed the ball really well tonight and that allowed Island the opportunity to run some offense,” head coach Alan Knipe said. “I think he did a good job. He got a lot of guys involved.”

Central State made five service errors throughout set one, bolstering The Beach’s offense that didn’t seem to need

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the extra help. Long Beach State ultimately took the first set by a whopping margin of 25-10.

The second set was a neck-and-neck race early on, with more tie scores and lead changes than the first and third sets combined, all of those scores coming in the first 10 exchanges.

Long Beach State would then go on a scorching 11-2 run to pull ahead 16-7.

The defense was as much of a factor in the second set for The Beach as the offense was in the first.

A series of key blocks and saves kept volleys alive long enough to let the Marauders continue to make mistakes. Seven of the 11 points scored in The Beach’s aforementioned run came courtesy of errors committed by the Marauders.

Senior Mason Briggs set the tone for the Long Beach State’s defense with a team-leading seven digs in the match.

The Beach ran away with the lead once they had it and handily won the second set 25-10.

“We were really trying to be good, attention to detail, really intent with the quality of our first contact,” Knipe said.

LBSU carried their momentum into the third set, jumping out to an early lead and opening a 5-2 run.

While coming close to tying it up, the Marauders never achieved it. A service error by Central State sophomore Tyrone Sands saw the tides shift back

Continuing their good season (10-1) Long Beach State men’s volleyball team smoothly defeated Central State (3-0) at Walter Pyramid on Friday night. toward Long Beach, igniting an unanswered 5-0 run to put Long Beach State well ahead 11-5.

It was a special night for redshirt senior middle blocker Aiden Grosz, a Long Beach native who started the game in the stadium he grew up attending.

“It’s always been a dream, being born and raised in Long Beach, to play in front of a Long Beach crowd,” Grosz said. He

Monday, February 19, 2024

had six kills in the match, tied for second on the team along with four digs.

The Marauders refused to quit and battled for another six points of their own before kills by Grosz and redshirt junior opposite hitter Nato Dickinson helped boost The Beach to the finish and complete the sweep 25-16.

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SPORTS

Photos by NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty-Niner Long Beach State Dirtbags junior Grant Cherry (#35) throws a pitch in the ninth inning against the University of Washington at Blair Field. Cherry pitched through two innings, recording 25 strikes and four strikeouts in the Dirtbags' 10-5 win over the Huskies.

Dirtbags double up on the Huskies in 10-5 opening-night victory

BY MATTHEW GOMEZ Sports Assistant

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o open the 70th season of the Dirtbags, the team came out and showed its recognizable identity and brand of baseball coming back immediately as they generated a 10-5 victory over the University of Washington, Friday night at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field.

“I've never not felt great after a win.

I've never not felt miserable after a loss.

But this one feels good," interim head coach Bryan Peters said after collecting his first win in his head coaching debut.

"Is it different? No, wins are wins. And I'm most proud of the boys."

Sophomore transfer pitcher CJ Hood got off to a good start striking out the first two batters he faced in his Dirtbags debut; but showed signs of the rust having not pitched in a collegiate game since 2022, throwing 12 straight balls to the next three batters to load the bases.

The lapse of control allowed the Huskies to jump out to a 2-0 lead after the sixth hitter of the inning senior infielder Michael Brown plated two runs on a single. A third strikeout would allow Hood to escape without further damage.

Even with the losses of three of the team's top four run producers from 2023, the Dirtbags proved they can score runs in a hurry as well. Plating three of their own in the first inning after a throwing error gave the team their first run of 2024.

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The Long Beach State Dirtbags celebrate their home-opening win over the University of Washington at Blair Field. The Dirtbags would score 10 innings to start off their season and their series against the Huskies.

Senior catcher John Newman Jr. flashed his bat-to-ball skills, ripping an RBI single up the middle, before being the decoy in a stolen base attempt that allowed junior designated hitter Cole Santander to score on the throw to second.

Hood would walk two more in the second but escape damage, before seeing his command continue to wane in the third where he hit a batter, walked the bases loaded for a second time and then hit another batter scoring the Huskies a fourth run.

Back-to-back strikeouts got him out of the inning bringing his total to eight on the night, but after a demanding 84 pitches across three innings, Peters had to go to his bullpen and bring in freshman Josh Donegan.

“There's more in the tank for him.

He had. You know it wasn't his best outing, but he had a lot of strikeouts,” Peters said about Hood's debut.

The move to the bullpen settled the game for the Dirtbags and allowed their offense to once again become the focus, as they would score in the third and

Monday, February 19, 2024

fourth to make it 5-2 Dirtbags after four innings.

Donegan’s line was practically scotfree after three innings in relief, striking out three batters on 30 pitches. In his collegiate debut, the righty earned his first career win and the game ball.

“It felt amazing. I mean, you know when you go out there especially it being my college debut and stuff you kind of like blackout,” Donegan said. “There was about a 50/50 shot that I'd pitch at least an inning because I’m supposed to start on Tuesday. But I mean no I definitely could not have seen it going that way.”

Five runs came across in the seventh inning with freshman Adrian Lopez’s first collegiate hit. Lopez began the scoring with a two-RBI single up the middle, followed by senior Nick Marinconz's second RBI of the game and a double by junior infielder Alex Champagne that plated the final two Dirtbag runs to push the score to 10-3.

“Overall good team win, Donegan came out and shoved for us which was huge,” Marinconz said. “Our offense just saw the ball well and hit the ball well.”

Marinconz would lead the team in hits with his 3-4 performance while also being one of three Dirtbags to record two RBIs alongside the aforementioned Lopez and Champagne.

The Huskies scored a consolation run in both the eighth and ninth innings off of junior righty Grant Cherry before he shut the door on any comeback, cementing an opening night victory for the Dirtbags.

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SPORTS

Cole Santander's late game heroics bring a second consecutive win...

BY NICK COVELLO Staff Writer

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ong Beach State defeated the Washington Huskies 3-2 at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field Saturday night, improving their season record to 2-0 and staying undefeated to start their season.

The Huskies came out strong, scoring two runs in the first inning from a RBI flyout by junior outfielder AJ Guerrero and a bases loaded full count walk from redshirt freshman catcher Colton Bower.

However, they would be shut out for the rest of the game and that allowed junior designated hitter Cole Santander to provide the hit that propelled the Dirtbags to take the lead during the bottom of the eighth inning.

Santander hit a double after Washington relief pitcher Sam Boyle hit two Dirtbags with pitches in back-to-back atbats.

Junior outfielder Kyle Ashworth and sophomore infielder Ty Borgogno would come in to score after they were hit by Boyle's pitch, giving Borgogno his second run of the night.

“We knew we were going to get a chance at some point,” Santander said. “Just had to put some runs up in the board and we were able to come through.”

The Univeristy of Washington would leave six people on base during the game, three of those bases coming in the first inning after freshman right fielder Carson Ohland struck out swinging with the bases loaded.

The Dirtbag bullpen came up huge in relief for the starter sophomore Myles Patton who went a strong 4.2 innings

MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner Infield freshman Adrian Lopez struck out twice and racked in one hit after three at bats. However, the Dirtbags would come back from behind after junior designated hitter Cole Santander's double launched Long Beach State to a 3-2 victory. while giving up two runs and striking out 10 Husky batters. Relief pitchers senior Nick Wallerstedt, junior Jonathan Largaespada and junior Mike Villani all appeared and threw a combined 3.4 innings.

“We’ve gotten behind in the first inning for both of these games so far, and every single guy in that dugout knows that we have a chance to win,” Patton said. “One thing we were just talking

about after the game is that we don’t deserve wins: we need to earn them.”

Villani, after coming in to start the ninth and final inning, struck out all three batters he faced, closing out the game for the Dirtbags.

“When you have a guy like that [Villani], that you believe in so much, we were just excited to see what he could do,” interim head coach Bryan Peters said.

... but the longest Long Beach baseball game in over 50 years ends in 3-3 tie

BY JACK HASLETT Staff Writer

A

marathon matchup between Long Beach State and the University of Washington ended in a 3-3 tie on Sunday Bohl Diamond on Blair Field after nearly 17 innings of play before being called for time so Washington could stay on track with their travel schedule.

The game was the Dirtbags’ longest in over 50 years, since a March 30, 1973 game against San Jose State that spanned 20 innings and also ended in a tie.

Dirtbags sophomore starting pitcher Kellan Montgomery dominated the mound totaling five strikeouts in five innings with just two hits allowed.

The Dirtbags' defense flashed its leather, especially junior center fielder Alex Champagne who made several nice plays throughout the game, most notably laying out for a catch deep right-center field to end the first inning.

“We want to play this smothering style of defense and impose our will on the other team,” interim head coach Bryan Peters said.

Offense was a rarity for both teams as Long Beach's only run in the first nine innings came from a 112 MPH solo home run off the bat of junior designated hitter Cole Santander in the fourth.

The ninth inning arrived without either team having scored a run since Santander’s fourth-inning home run.

Freshman shortstop Adrian Lopez came to bat with a roaring crowd behind him and the winning run on second base but would strike out, sending the game into extra innings tied 1-1.

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SAMUEL CHACKO / Daily Forty-Niner Junior pitcher Alexander Mihalakis showed his emotion throughout the game Sunday against Washington as he pitched around two innings and struck out three batters while only giving one up hit at Bohl Diamond on Blair Field. The Dirtbags would struggle on offense however as the game ended in a tie in the 17th inning due to Washington's flight.

The Huskies took back their lead in the 11th thanks to an RBI single from sophomore third baseman Aiva Arquette, forcing The Dirtbags to have to score in the bottom of the inning.

Senior catcher John Newman Jr. smacked an RBI single into shallow center field, scoring sophomore pinch runner Justin Roulston and keeping Long Beach’s hopes alive. That would be the Dirtbags' only run of the inning, tying the game at two and progressing to the 12th inning.

Washington took the lead again in the 13th after a single from junior left

fielder AJ Guerrero to lead off the inning and an RBI double from redshirt junior first baseman Jeter Ybarra that would score Guerrero.

Senior infielder Nolan Funke pinch hit for the Dirtbags in the 13th and delivered in the biggest way he possibly could, ripping a first-pitch fastball into the left field gap for a rocket double to score Roulston and tie the game at three.

“The first pitch he sees in a Long Beach State uniform he doubles…It’s a rewarding thing as a coach to see our players that have this hunger to help the team win,” Peters said.

Monday, February 19, 2024

Failure to execute with runners in scoring position plagued the Dirtbags in extra innings. They left five runners in scoring position after the ninth inning, including a bases-loaded opportunity in the 16th.

Following an intentional walk with one out to the extra inning hero Funke, the umpires met and concluded that the game was to be called a tie.

The Dirtbags’ next contest is at home against North Dakota State University on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.

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