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LUMBERJACK WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST AUGUST 28 28 && SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 4, 4, 2019 2019 || VOL. VOL. 135 135 NO. NO. 11

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Piecing together the president Meet Humboldt State University’s new President Tom Jackson

By Skye Kimya SEE PRESIDENT PAGE 3

Index News...............3 Life & Arts.....5 Science...........9 Sports............10 Opinion...........11 Calendar.......12

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THE LUMBERJACK

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

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THE LUMBERJACK

NEWS

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

PAGE 3

PRESIDENT

I

FROM PAGE 1

t’s not everyday you meet a University President who has the tenacious intention of changing their student body’s perspective beyond their educational experience.

Tom Jackson, Jr., Ph.D. began his incumbency as Humboldt State University’s eighth President in June 2019. In his second university president position, Jackson plans for more than just the future of the university, but also for the success of the current and future students.

“The students I want to gain are important,” Jackson said. “But the students we have now are more important.

They are the ones that we want to see succeed and want to see finish now.”

With 11 professional positions under his belt, Jackson is far more than familiar with holding an administrative position at a university. From Assistant Director of Residence Life to Dean of Students, Jackson has worked at campuses across the United States, including the University of Southern California, Texas A&M University, University of Louisville and more recently as the president of Black Hills State University.

Aside from his educational work, Jackson spends his free time riding horses, scuba diving, flying planes and watching college sports.

The last 21 years of his life, however, have also been spent raising his now 21-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter with his wife, Mona Jackson.

“I can’t have too many expensive hobbies,” Jackson said. “And being a pilot and plane owner is a very expensive hobby, particularly when you add in being a father of two college-aged students.”

When asked about the number one lesson that could be taken away from his previous presidency position at Black Hills State University, Jackson replied with the idea that he has based every administrative position around providing students with a positive, educational and meaningful experience.

“It’s the focus on our student body,” Jackson said. “It is really simple. The arguments all go away when we connect the importance of what we’re doing to what students are aspiring to do.”

Acknowledging the ups and downs of education as a meaningful practice creates for a positive outlook on day to day life. It is this similar thought process that Jackson hopes to bring to light as the new president of HSU. Over the past few semesters, students have been searching for support and protesting about issues that are important to not only the student body but the surrounding community as well.

“If you had a positive day and you learned something that links to your educational experience, you’ll be just fine the next day.” Jackson said.

“If you wake up angry at the world, then you’re not starting off the day in the most positive state of mind.”

With the murder of David Josiah Lawson and the verdict declining to indict any person a part of his stabbing, students have felt pain and worry as they continue their education at HSU. Feeling safe on campus and in the community is important for students and

Photo by Skye Kimya Humboldt State University President Tom Jackson, Ph.D., poses at his desk for a photo. One of Jackson’s goals as HSU president is to change the student body perspective beyond educational experience.

Photo by Collin Slavey Humboldt State University President Tom Jackson socializes at the Staff Family Picnic on August 23 at the UC Quad.

“

Another goal is to strengthen our relationships in the community and connect our student body to the community as one. Tied to that is branding ourselves in a different way.”

- Tom Jackson, Ph.D. Humboldt State University President

their parents, and Jackson thinks so too.

“We have to be able to provide our students a controlled opportunity to figure it out for themselves,” Jackson said. “It is no different than what our parents tried to have us do... if they were that type of parent.”

In July 2018, an HSU press release stated the final decision made to cut the football program after the end of the season. Students, faculty and community

members were outraged and disappointed with the decision.

“There is no secret that football is expensive,” Jackson said. “To keep a football program usually means you have a student body that is willing to pay a pretty good price to keep it here because that is where the source of funds comes from along with the donors.”

Jackson talks about the recent knowledge of head injuries in the sport of

football and how it can add to the perspective of why so many universities cutting their teams may be a positive change. He asks the question, “Is keeping a football program the most responsible thing we could be doing today?”

According to Jackson, the Saturday evening excitement that comes with supporting a football team is an emotional experience that most students and community members look forward to.

“We’re missing that

excitement on a Saturday that brings people together,” Jackson said. “That is what we have to revisit as a university.

What is it that is going to bring us together today?”

With the loss of football, came the conversation of a potential diversity decrease that may result from losing the program.

Although Jackson accepts the intention behind that conversation, he mentions his rejection to the argument.

“In its simplicity, that is saying that football was about diversity,” Jackson said.

“That’s troubling because there are other ways to have diverse conversations.”

One of Jackson’s many goals for students is to be able to comfortably have diverse conversations on campus without having to go out of the way to do so.

In the coming years, he hopes to create a community where diversity is not just based upon the color of your skin, opinions on complicated subject matters or what you look like, but the person that you are.

Jackson is also focused on the improvement of HSU’s retention rate through marketing and outreach, which links to enrollment.

He mentions that the cost of off-campus student housing may be the biggest limiting factor the school has involving enrollment.

“Another goal is to strengthen our relationships in the community and connect our student body to the community as one,” Jackson said. “Tied to that is branding ourselves in a different way.”

Jackson brings a different perspective to light when he talks about the way HSU portrays itself. He alludes to the idea that hearing all of the negativity and baggage prevents people from wanting to a part of the school’s community and believes showing off strengths is more attractive and promising.

“I want us to focus on the good,” Jackson said. “I want us to celebrate the good and enjoy the place that we happen to be at today.”

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THE LUMBERJACK

NEWS

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

And then there was one Union protected employee rehired and the shell of KHSU lives on a little longer

by Megan Bender

Kevin Sanders, a full-time employee who primarily works in Information Technology Services was rehired after his union, the California State University Employees Union, pushed back against the university. Sanders was and is the National Public Radio affiliate’s only broadcast engineer.

“Kevin is employed, working mostly in the Information Technology Services area, but is available to assist with broadcast engineering for KHSU if the need arises,” HSU Communication Officer Grant Scott-Goforth said in an email.

Humboldt chapter president of CSUEU Steve Tillinghast said in a press release that HSU management did not expect the Union to care.

“Or perhaps they did not even realize that one of the employees in the group they terminated was part of a Union and that they would be held accountable,” he said.

“Humboldt realized over the last several months that the chief engineer of KHSU is a critical employee and that the station could not operate, even

in its reduced form, without him.”

KHSU runs with the help of Chico’s North State Public Radio station to air its programming off and on since April.

At the beginning of August HSU signed a short-term interim agreement with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento for programming assistance with KHSU Public Radio. The agreement will keep KHSU running till the end of October.

According to a press release, “the agreement allows KHSU to continue airing national and state programming as the University considers various approaches for KHSU’s future.”

HSU will be assessing ways to ensure KHSU aligns with the university’s teaching missions after an advisory audit report. The audit report, ordered by the previous HSU president Lisa Rossbacher, found the station lacking in the opportunities it was supposed to provide for students.

The report suggested that over time the station had evolved from an exclusive student training ground to primarily a community servicing station. The report

Photo by Thomas Lal Previous KHSU student employee Megan Martin hugs former station manager Lorna Bryant on April 11 outside of the station after the station was gutted.

said the university should assess student involvement at KHSU and determine whether or not to develop more opportunities for students through “employment, internships, academic programs and coursework.”

The advisory team did not, however, suggest laying off employees as an answer to any suggested shortcomings.

For now, the university is considering joining the discussion of a three-way regional partnership with the Chico and Sacramento stations.

This partnership could bring about certain opportunities such as a Public Service Operation Agreem ent, which would formalize

cost-sharing for programming and management.

Structural organization was also an area of improvement listed on the KHSU audit.

HSU President Tom Jackson wants to gather input from faculty and students to learn more about their interest in KHSU before committing to anything further.

Infrastructure updates around campus continue Hot Humboldt summer brings new pathways and updated buildings

by Michael Weber

Lined with ground marks, gravel, orange fencing and machinery, the parking spots of Laurel Drive are no longer accessible to staff and students. Where a tree surrounded by brick once stood, now lies a sectionedoff zone where two workers constructed a new pathway.

Over the summer, Humboldt State staff and students received several updates about on-campus infrastructure arrangements including general maintenance, building renovations and repaved roads.

Humboldt State Project Manager Michael Fisher said these updates are part of a large list of planned and required maintenance.

Parts of Laurel Drive are now closed off for this construction. On the bright side, the Theatre Arts building is now open since its closure in 2018 and will hold classes this semester. The pathway from the Library to Laurel Drive is now open as well.

Gist Hall is also open as of August 12 after the asbestos contamination discovered last Spring.

Starting this semester until December 2019, Laurel Drive and Library handicap parking spaces, as well as pathways, will be redone to provide a path of travel to the Theater Arts Building and Library, respectively. The new path for wheelchair access from

Photo by Michael Weber

Construction worker applies red tape to his project.

Laurel Drive will start at new handicap spaces and lead to the elevator in the Theatre Arts Building.

Notable projects finished over the summer include Wildlife and Fisheries Building roof replacements, repaving of the Library Circle and LK Wood Boulevard left turn, six HVAC control replacements, housing maintenance, refurbished lecture halls, a new elevator in the Natural Resources Building and the nearcompletion of the Theatre Arts and Library seismic retrofits.

Fisher also said portables in the Campus Events Field, which previously held the tutoring center and other facilities temporarily, are being moved out as the relocated tenants return home to the library.

One of the most visible

changes to returning students is the repaved library circle and left turn lane on LK Wood Blvd. Fisher said this new turning lane, built in partnership with the City of Arcata, helps ease congestion and improve bus route times.

Less noticeable improvements are general “building system” updates in HVAC, electrical, plumbing and structural.

“Every component of our built environment has a life cycle,” Fisher said. “That includes streets, roads, sidewalks, our buildings, and our building’s infrastructure.”

Construction outside of Gist Hall

Photo by Michael Weber

THE LUMBERJACK

Life & Arts

PAGE 5

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Hands that clean The behind-the-scenes cleaning team of HSU

by Jose Herrera The grand clock on University Center strikes midnight and its sounds rings throughout the courtyard.

Then, utter silence except for the light rustle of leaves as a breeze passes through.

If you look closer or step into any building on campus at this late hour, you’ll likely hear the creaking of wheels, the whirring of a vacuum or the brushing of floors as custodians go through their assignments.

Night custodians begin their shift at 5 p.m. and finish at 1 a.m. the next day. The work is grueling, but the team handles it with ease.

“Custodians that work here are hard-working people,” Student and Business Services Custodian Tiffany Swift said.

“They run into things everyday that you’re not really prepared for, whether it be a big mess that you have to clean up or certain messes that take up multiple procedures. They work really hard, rarely any questions asked.”

Swift has blonde hair swept into a ponytail and a bubbly attitude that holds just as much power as her cart filled with practical cleaning supplies. She became a custodian almost seven years ago, back in 2012.

Swift was in charge of the Student Health Center, but was reassigned to the SBS building.

She giggled and said she had a routine down for the last six years doing, “pretty much the same things,” like vacuuming, dusting and keeping the place sanitized.

She added that when she started at the SBS it felt like starting a new job.

“In this building everyone was welcoming, but it was nervewracking because I didn’t know where anything was,” Swift said.

“I didn’t know anyone. I was so used to knowing everybody by their names, their family members, friends outside, you know.”

Swift said it was cool that she

could go to a different building and be treated nicely. She explained that the best part of her day is getting to see people and interact with them.

“The days where I’ve been left with a bunch of love notes is when my whole day is made.

Or if I get compliments on my work that will put me in a good mood,” Swift said. “Throughout the day you’ll just feel this bliss, you feel like you want to come in the next day and do a great job or even a better job, when you feel like what you did was good and people notice.”

Science A Custodian Carly Demant usually listens to punk rock or comedy podcasts, but on a recent shift played sad country music while swabbing the floors with a wild mop.

Demant said the job is great and appreciates that the custodians are in a union.

“Labor rights are human rights,” Demant said. “That’s why I like contracts, there’s an expectation to be treated in a certain way.”

Custodian for Fisheries and Wildlife, Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Game Pens Dan Adams shares the same sentiment with Swift, that appreciation and compliments on his work motivates him to do a better job.

“I found that if you develop a good rapport and effectively communicate with students in your building, and faculty and staff in your building, it makes your job better,” Adams said.

After being in charge of Founders Hall for 15 years Adams has many stories, like the time a bat flew in through a window, or when he caught a couple kissing late at night in a classroom.

Black-gloved hands, breathable trousers and a grey beard demonstrate Adams 18-and-half total years of experience on the job.

Adams said his job consists of constant multitasking, and emphasized a greater work experience after creating relationships with others.

Although each custodian spends

Photo by Jose Herrera Ken McDonald changes a garbage bag in the Science C building during his shift at Humboldt State University.

hours alone in their buildings, there’s teamwork involved in making sure that the cleaning gets done.

According to Swift and Adams, the budget cuts have affected their department, resulting in a shortage of staff.

When someone calls out sick, another custodian takes their assignment and their duties become doubled.

“We work good as a team,” Adams said. “Every custodian’s run is different.”

He said that when a custodian covers another’s run they should reassess the approach because each building is different. There might be cracked floors, loose tiles or foot traffic impact and custodians must decide which chemicals to use and how to set up their cart.

By the end of their nights, there are certain expectations that have to be met. Adams and Swift said that keeping their buildings clean and presentable brings a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Swift let out another laugh and said that something might “look terrible the day before,” but after a shift the place looks nicer.

When their shifts end they go home and change gears.

Swift bakes on the side and recently made 300 cupcakes

Photo by Jose Herrera Tiffany Swift wipes the front doors of the Student and Business Building.

for a wedding. Adams is an avid music fan who likes to relax with loved ones. Demant goes home to their blind dog and roommate.

Ken McDonald, the custodian for Science B and C, has three

years working for Humboldt State and said that when his night is up, he looks forward to going home to his 7-year-old son and wife of ten years.

“I’m a family man. They’re my life,” McDonald said.

Attitude is everything

Seasons may change, but your confidence doesn’t have to

by Jose Herrera

Photo courtesy of Megan Thee Stallion

If you don’t already know or have been living under a rock, rapper Megan Thee Stallion dropped her album “Fever” back in May and marked 2019 as the year of: The Hot Girl Summer.

One of her songs, “Cash Shit,” begins with the opening lyrics, “Real hot girl shit.” This along with the album cover, which reads “She’s Thee Hot Girl and She’s Bringing Thee Heat,” sparked the catchy phrase “Hot Girl Summer” among her fans. The phrase soon went viral, trending on social media sites like Twitter and Instagram.

What is Hot Girl Summer?

Well, according to Megan Thee Stallion in an interview with The Root, “It’s just basically about women — and men — just being unapologetically them, just having a good-ass time, hyping up your friends, doing you, not giving a damn about what nobody got to say about it. You definitely have to be a person that can be the life of the party, and, y’know, just a bad bitch.” #HotGirlSummer started as attractive women posting photos on Instagram, but became a mental state of being

“

Anyone, be it man, woman or non-binary folks should embody the tenets of a hot girl.”

- Jose Herrera

or feeling to share online.

Women, men and non-binary folks started using the hashtag to describe their fun summer moments with family, friends or by themselves.

The internet took the phrase and turned it into a meme.

Ironically people would use the hashtag to share not-sogreat moments of summer, like staying indoors for days without seeing another living soul.

Ultimately, the 2019 summer phrase is sage advice that should be lived by. Megan Thee Stallion, the OG hot girl, is someone to aspire to be.

The hot girl knows she’s hot because she’s confident in who she is and knows how to enjoy herself without worrying about

what others around her think.

Anyone, be it man, woman or non-binary folks should embody the tenets of a hot girl.

Whether it’s bravery, confidence, fun or just living in the moment, the phrase encourages us to enjoy times like taking naps, planning protests, laying by the beach, cuddling with your significant other or even hooking up with that one cutie from the bar last night.

Any moment, any outfit, any body can be a part of a hot girl summer, as long as you have the mindset to go along with it.

So be the hottie that Megan Thee Stallion knows you are and don’t forget to share the attitude, because it’s meant for everybody.

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PA TH T

AINT HE TOWN

2 An early reflection on the Eureka Art Festival Photos and story by Andromeda McNelis

Artists from around the world swarmed Eureka with colorful supplies on hand ready to paint vibrant and diverse murals.

The Second Annual Eureka Street Art Festival kicked off July 27 and ended August 3. Last year, organizers brought several artists to paint murals on many of Eureka’s downtown buildings with the intent to beautify the area.

Artists were sponsored by local businesses and the Headwaters Reserve Fund.

The murals painted were put up to benefit the community. It’s been less than a month since the street festival and the official unveiling of these pieces, but an early retrospective was in order to highlight the impact of the pieces on the community.

“I think it’s great and it’s not costing the taxpayers anything,” said Margaret Gibson, a Eureka local when asked about her thoughts on the benefit of having these murals.

Nathan Mathers, who has resided in different parts of Humboldt County for the last 20 years, wishes that the funds that pay the artists for these projects would be used in helping other parts of the community.

“There’s no reason these businesses can’t donate to help the homeless or fix the roads instead of paying people to paint the buildings,” Mathers said.

While the majority of the projects have focused on areas closer to Eureka Old Town, Humboldt natives like Jessica Warren hopes

that in years to come they’ll see murals throughout the entirety of Eureka.

“Why stop at Old Town?

If we want these murals to benefit the community they need to be seen everywhere,” Warren said.

Another local by the name of Sheri Jacobs said she believes these murals will have several positive effects on the community.

“Some people might drive through Eureka and think it’s rundown, but how can they say that with all these vibrant murals hanging around,” Jacobs said. “It might make people want to stop and do their business here but if not, at least we all have something pretty to look at.”

1. Mural sponsored by the Local Cider Bar 2.Mural sponsored by the Eureka Chamber of Commerce 3. Toronto Artist Nick Sweetman’s Mural 4.Mural by Artist Genevieve St. Charles-Monet also known as @Goldsuit 5. Mural by Artist Sonny Wong

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Wednesday, August 28, 2019

THE LUMBERJACK

Life & Arts

Flynn Creek takes you down the rabbit hole A hot and bothered rabbit and a troop of acrobats highlight the 21 and up circus show

by Collin Slavey The Rabbit is out of the hat and she wants some action.

Animal control is on the scene, face to face with a gang of nihilist bunnies who are ready to pounce. The Flynn Creek Circus was set up in a big, red and white circus tent in the Creamery District of Arcata.

The inside of the tent was warm. The audience’s voices were loud under the tent’s striped skin. The stage lights glowed a harsh, dull silver. A three person band charged with a buzz of anticipation playing a staccato drum, a perpetual accordion and a melodic guitar.

A five-foot tall, eight-foot wide, magnificent red hat sat on the corner of the stage, otherwise known as the the magician’s hat.

The stage lights flashed and a hush fell over the crowd. After all eyes turned to the stage, the drum roll crescendoed into a crash as the curtains parted.

Out came a sharp dressed man in a red suit who held a deck of cards in his hand.

“You know what I am going to say next?” he said to the audience with a smile on his face. “Pick a card.”

The mix of sleight of hand, bravado and stage magic was just the start of the show.

Popcorn and booze were also on the menu. After the magician’s magic act, Grenda the Science Chick made her appearance on stage with a platter ringed in butter shots.

“The story comes first,” Grenda said. “It’s what makes us different. The art director comes up with a story and makes acts serving the story.

It adds a lot to think about.

You wonder what’s next and become more invested in the characters.”

That evening was the 21-and-over show. The story was about the magician’s rabbit who had figured out how to get herself out of his hat. Life in a hat is awfully lonely, and she was desperately tense after a solitary life. She was on a mission to do what rabbits do best: reproduce.

“I’ve been in that hat for so long,” The Rabbit said. “Do you know how tough it is to be in a hat your whole life? Oh, my god it’s dreadful! I am so pent up. I have got to find me a carrot to chew on.”

Cue the nihilist bunnies.

Animal control was on their tail with malicious intent. The magician’s rabbit was roped into the conflict on stage and the gang decided to make a stand as they whipped out K-bar carrots.

Their performance devolved into a harrowing knife act and they were not messing around.

The nihilists didn’t have a hare in the world. They made an acrobatic escape, bringing the magician’s bunny with them.

Nick and Wendy Harden played classic opponents: animal control and a stray cat.

The duo did a unicycle act with acrobatics and headstands. It was a regular game of cat and

Photo by Collin Slavey Amelia Van Brunt, the bad bunny, stretching herself out after hopping out of the magician’s hat August 17 at the Flynn Creek Circus.

mouse around the stage, their faces tight in concentration as Nick wheeled around the stage while Wendy maneuvered over his body in an impressive display of poise and balance.

Clearly the duo has put years into their act.

“We were sold out the first night. I hope we can get you a ticket tonight,” Harden said.

“Wendy stands on my head during our unicycle act.”

As the show came to a close, the magician performed his

final act. It was an arcane rope act where he hoisted himself up and down, suspended 30 feet off the ground. He tied up the loose ends with his rabbit partner and encouraged her to find herself. The magician’s rabbit concluded the show with a descent into general apathy as the nihilist bunnies welcomed her into their ranks.

“Nothing really matters,” she said with a wink. “So I’m going to go get what I can get while I can get it. Know what

I’m saying?”

The Flynn Creek Circus is based in Mendocino. The circus tours the North Coast and Oregon during summer, while the weather permits it.

The 2019 season is halfway through and August 18 was the final show performed in Arcata this time around. Not to worry though, the next local shows will be in Fortuna on September 5, 6, 7 and 8. Tickets can be bought online or at the door.

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THE LUMBERJACK

SCIENCE

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

PAGE 9

Pollinator predicaments Climate change affects the lives of birds, butterflies and bees

by Collin Slavey

Pollinators matter! Right under our noses a huge community of ants, butterflies and bees are hard at work to make sure the world gets fed.

The climate crisis is turning up the heat on these poor guys, and our many-legged friends are at risk. Here’s some information on how pollinators are still doing their best to help us out.

Flowering plants and pollinators have a unique relationship with one another.

Ecologists and biologists pay attention to special events in these organism’s lives which mark growth and development.

The science of studying life events is called phenology.

Ideally a pollinator will hatch from its egg or develop from its pupa and leave the hive around the same time its flower of choice blooms. The timing of these life events is important because if a bug emerges too early or late, it may miss a plant’s flowering completely. No flower equals no food, and that’s no good.

After emerging, the pollinator goes searching for nectar. The sweet liquid is energy-packed food for bugs. When a pollinator lands on a flower, it picks up pollen. As it continues to look for nectar, the pollen is shaken off and sticks to other flower’s pistils, the female organ of the plant. Pollen travels down a shaft to fertilize the ovary, which begins to go through mitosis and eventually produces fruit.

Tayloranne Finch and Melanie Honda are two farmers working on the Bayside Park Farm in Sunny Brae who get

to interact with pollinators every day. Without pollinators, their farm would be a bunch of fruitless bushes.

Finch said the farm was working with the City of Arcata to build a permanent solution, a perennial native pollinator garden. The garden would have year-round plants that local pollinators prefer, supporting the local habitat organically.

“We’re installing plants that will be there forever. It makes it easier for pollinators to establish themselves on the farm and it is mutually beneficial for us,” Finch said.

Small changes in abiotic, or physical non-living factors, can alter life events. There are many changes in an ecosystem that can affect how a plant or pollinator does its job. Dr. Rachael L. OlliffYang and Dr. Michael R. Mesler published a paper in 2018 titled The potential for phenological mismatch between a perennial herb and its ground-nesting bee pollinator.

In the paper they investigate how temperature affects the phenology of the silky beach pea (Lathyrus littoralis) and its main pollinator, the ground-nesting solitary silver bee (Habropoda miserabilis).

“Temperature best predicted both flowering and bee activity, although soil moisture influenced the timing as well,” the paper said.

Their findings imply that in the face of the climate crisis, an average increase in temperature may cause the silky beach pea and the solitary silver bee to fall out of sync.

“Comparison of linear

Photo by Rand Rudland A solitary silver bee perches on a yellow flower to drink nectar. Notice the yellow pollen on its legs which it will bring to the next flower it drinks from.

regression slopes of phenology against temperature suggests that bee nesting time is more sensitive to differences in seasonal maximum temperatures, and may advance more rapidly than flowering with temperature increases,” the paper said.

Olliff-Yang and Mesler said that it’s important to understand what factors influence flowering and pollinator activity. Their investigation into the bee and the pea is just an example of a broader issue in the world.

Building habitat is invaluable to local animal communities, as shelter, food, and water are critical needs for every living organism. The most simple thing to do is to plant native plants in the front yard, as this will attract local pollinators.

Local nurseries like Mad River Gardens will be more than happy to teach you about native plants and how you can attract and support our flying friends. As active members of the ecosystem, we all need to do our part.

A painted lady drinks from a butterfly bush.

Photo by Collin Slavey

OUTDOOR COLUMN

#ExploreHumboldt Forest bathing in the Arcata Community Forest

by Jett Williams

Humboldt’s natural areas are world-class, but many students don’t take full advantage of the resources that surround us.

Between classes, homework, employment, friends, clubs, housing and family (are you stressed yet?) it can be hard to find time to wander around in the woods.

This column will provide information on my favorite natural areas to visit around Humboldt County. There’s so much to see and with such a low barrier for entry, I feel like more people should be getting out there.

Opening your senses to a natural environment is a process called forest bathing, and has been proven to slow heart rates and decrease depression and anxiety.

In the coming months, classroom life and elongated periods of sitting will become the new norm, making any opportunity to go out and stretch our legs extremely valuable.

Most of us are transfers, as only 15 percent of the student body is from this area. I’m one of the 85 percent, having moved here from the Bay last summer.

When I first arrived in Arcata, it took me a while to get out of my shell and start exploring.

After a year up here, I’m still finding new spots to check out.

The natural areas are so dense

Photo by Jett Williams The terrain of the ACF is unique and varied, and tight single track often gives way to vast open views.

and varied, you never run out of things to do.

For newcomers, some of these spots might seem intimidating or unattractive. We’ve all seen “Murder Mountain,” and heard the stories about Humboldt County’s missing person rate.

But these sensationalized tales do little to reflect the true nature of the area we now call home.

The truth is, exploring Humboldt is as safe as exploring anywhere else. A multitude of dark forests and narrow roads give the illusion of being miles from nowhere, but there’s tons

to explore within a short drive, bike or bus ride, or even a walk.

Because this is the first week of school and we’re still getting settled into our routines, we’ll start with something close and easy: The Arcata Community Forest.

This is the most accessible area for the majority of HSU students, as it starts right where the East side of campus ends. A 10-minute walk from anywhere on campus and you’re surrounded by towering redwoods and bright green ferns and breathing humid forest air.

Some majors like Forestry use the ACF as a place to get handson training and experience. But students are never required to walk the gravel roads and twisting trails that crisscross the forest’s 790 acres.

Some parts of the ACF have limited cell service, so I recommend downloading Avenza PDF Maps. This app is recommended by the City of Arcata and allows you to download free maps of the local parks. These maps provide you with accurate trail info without relying on a cell signal and are a

valuable asset to keep you from getting lost.

Because of its proximity to campus, one of the best ways to experience the ACF is by working it into your weekly schedule. The lower section of the ACF offers a small network of interlaced multi-use trails perfect for a quick walk before or after class. Fill your mid-day gap by taking the access trail from the corner of Union and 14th up to Redwood Park for a picnic lunch!

More ambitious explorers can climb to the upper regions of the park for a more private experience, but solitude comes with a cost. The coastal mountains gain elevation quickly and will leave you feeling equal parts sore and satisfied.

It’s all worth it, as some of the park’s most scenic trails can be found in the remote Western regions. Road 14, a gated gravel road which starts off of Granite Ave., takes you along the Jolly Giant creek up to a scenic picnic table on the site of the former Jolly Giant Reservoir. From there, you have a multitude of options to extend your route, create loops back to campus or return the way you came.

The ACF is a valuable source of solitude and stress relief for HSU Students, as it couldn’t be any closer to campus.

Use this resource to your advantage, and don’t forget to #ExploreHumboldt.

PAGE 10

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

SPORTS

THE LUMBERJACK

Outside the batter’s box Benjamin Shaeffer’s double life as an HSU philosophy professor and Crab’s baseball announcer

by Liam Warner It’s a brisk June night in downtown Arcata as Benjamin Shaeffer arrives at the ballpark around 6:30 in the evening.

He climbs up the ladder to the media booth, sets his personal belongings down, and says hello to the other people working in the booth that night.

Before the game starts, Shaeffer will usually talk to the others in the booth about world events of that day, philosophical musings, or about how bad the Giants are doing. He looks over the lineups for both teams, noting the pronunciation of the players’ names and he fills out his fielding chart, putting a player’s name in each position on the baseball diamond.

It’s around 6:45 p.m. when Shaeffer gets ready to put his voice on air, connecting to hundreds of radios, phones, and computers across Humboldt County and beyond.

He puts his headset on, waits for the countdown to go on air, then begins the broadcast with, “Good evening Crabs fans around the world and around the block, on the world wide web, and on the radio, it’s time for Crabs baseball!”

Shaeffer is the current philosophy department chair and for almost 10 months of the year he teaches philosophy full time at Humboldt State University. For two months every summer, Shaeffer spends his evenings in the Arcata Ballpark broadcast booth.

Shaeffer grew up in the Southern California city of El Monte, 13 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Journalism was his primary interest as he was the editor of his high school paper and then majored in journalism at Pasadena City College. But it wasn’t long before he started to lose interest in journalism, and it was then that he began to find what he believed to be his true calling in life.

“It seemed like it was more about selling papers than it was about informing people what was going on in the world,” Shaeffer said. “When I discovered philosophy, I realized that these are the questions I’ve been wondering about my whole life, I just didn’t know that you could get paid to ask them.”

Shaeffer went on to get his bachelors degree at UC Santa Cruz and then later received his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara.

In 1998, not long after earning his degree at UCSB, Shaeffer accepted what he thought at the time was a one-year teaching position at Humboldt State University. Like many students and faculty who make the trek from LA to Humboldt, Shaeffer was not sure what to expect and was anxious about living in an unfamiliar place so far from home. He was certain that he wasn’t going to be in Humboldt for long and imagined he would return to his job in SoCal soon.

“I had this image of Humboldt,” Shaeffer said. “I thought I was going to live in the woods and it was going to be quiet like a small town. But when I got to Eureka and saw the Bayshore Mall, I was a little bit upset.”

Aside from his interest in philosophy, a constant presence and a dear friend throughout Shaeffer’s life has been baseball.

Shaeffer does not consider himself a sports fan as he has

Photo by Liam Warner

Benjamin Schaeffer looks out onto the field as he calls the baseball game on the radio.

Photo by Liam Warner

Benjamin Schaeffer fills out his scorebook prior to the game.

never been interested in other popular sports like basketball or football, but when it comes to baseball, he can recall the exact moment he fell in love with the sport.

“When I was seven, at the end of the street I grew up on, there was a park with a little league field,” Shaeffer said. “I remember going down there and just being fascinated by watching these kids plays baseball. I started to play as soon as I was old enough to play, but I didn’t get past little league.”

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Shaeffer discovered the Humboldt Crabs baseball team that played their summers in downtown Arcata.

“I was in heaven,” Shaeffer said.”I started to hang out at the games, and in 1999 there was an opening for a ballpark announcer. I wanted to be the ballpark announcer.”

Although Shaeffer didn’t get the ballpark announcing gig, there was an opening for an official scorer and he took that position. After being the official scorer for a year and hanging out in the booth next to the

“

I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody.”

- Robert “Hoke” Holcomb

radio broadcasters, Shaeffer was given a chance to be on the radio. He would then join Robert “Hoke” Holcomb on the Crabs radio broadcast, and that started a summer tradition that continues to this day.

“So I sat right next to [the radio broadcasters],” Shaeffer said. “I would interject things over the air, and then after the first season Hoke asked me if I

wanted to volunteer. He asked me ‘why don’t you be my color man?’”

Benjamin Shaeffer and Hoke Holcomb would develop both an on-air and off-air friendship that would last 19 summers before Hoke retired at the end of the 2018 season.

Shaeffer and Hoke both came from an academic background, were politically active, but most

importantly loved the game of baseball, and that made for instant on-air chemistry.

“I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody,” Hoke said. “I think he brings enthusiasm to the broadcast without having that enthusiasm drown out what he’s conveying.”

Throughout his summers as the voice of the Crabs, Shaeffer has brought a unique perspective to the sport of baseball, often sprinkling philosophical musings throughout the broadcast.

His philosophical background allows him to view the game in a different light, valuing the slow and building moments of the game rather than the high energy, action-packed moments.

“I think the thing about baseball that is philosophical is its slowness and its meditative quality,” Shaeffer said. “It creates tension and that’s the source of its excitement, rather than speed and things moving really fast. It builds to these moments of tension that have to get resolved.”

Tim “Tres” O’Brien is one of the Crabs’ current ballpark announcers. He worked in the booth back in 2004 and then returned to his ballpark announcing duties in 2016.

Tres has listened to Shaeffer both in the booth and on the radio, and he talked about what made Shaeffer a unique baseball announcer.

“Benjamin, while I think his style is more straightforward, he would have intellectual humor that would come out here and there,” O’Brien said.

“He would ‘mini ponder’ about a certain play, and he would bring this other element to announcing a baseball game.”

Shaeffer’s day job might be teaching philosophy for most of the year, but to him, there is no better place to be during the summer than high up on that perch above the Arcata Ballpark, watching baseball.

“If I find somewhere where there’s baseball, I go,” Shaeffer said.

THE LUMBERJACK

OPINION

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

PAGE 11

Sweet as honey: an ode to summer Guest column contribution by Timothy Rupiper It’s 7 AM. The bags packed the night before wait restlessly by the door while you finish your morning coffee and watch as the world around you is blanketed with new light. You wash your mug in the sink, dry your hands and look to the street outside.

With your friends in tow, the door to the apartment will shut, the car engine will ignite to life and you’ll be off.

As an evergreen backdrop paints your drive, you barrel down the highway, occasionally pulling over to marvel at the vast beauty that is, simply, nature. Gaze upon it long enough and you become shockingly aware of just how microscopic you are in comparison to the trees, to the Earth and to the universe. Leave it to a tree or a mountain to put you in your place.

You continue on past the tar and glass, shortening the distance between you and your destination. Once or twice you stop at an oasis on

the highway where people just like you, from all over, stop to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and do so in comfortable silence. The deafening roar of the highway calls you back.

You listen to your music, indulge in snacks, but something about driving long hours and far distances turns the playlist from the bops you and your friends bump, into the music that made you. It’s a calming background for the passing landscape.

Along the journey, you may stop at a friend’s house to spend the night on a makeshift bed; an old couch or blankets piled on the floor.

You breathe, brush your teeth and get ready for the next day’s adventures. Excited to find things to add to the books of your life and the stories yet to tell.

The drive is exhausting— it tests your patience and the routes seem to blend into each other. Your wallet gasps for air and your body is

exhausted. You long for some alone time. Your suitcase slowly eats away the clean clothes. The endless traveling is terrible but extremely rewarding and completely worth it.

Once you’re home and back to real life, the routines you had before will start up again. All that’s happened will become memories, a distant object in your rearview. These memories will help pass the days and keep you humble while you build anticipation for your next journey.

This—all of this—is summer. A word dripping like honey from your lips each time it’s spoken. This sweetness providing a canvas for the moments that last a lifetime.

Photo by Deija Zavala Road view looking down Avenue of the Giants on August 13.

Opinion

Summertime sadness: seasonal job discrimination

by Delaney Duarte Many students seem to have a hard time finding a summer job. In my experience, those who struggle the most are the students that go to college away from home and return only for the three months of summer. Unfortunately, I am one of those students.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics 81% of part-time undergraduate students are employed at the same time they’re enrolled in school, and a large percentage of these students also look for work during their time off.

These college students often depend on a summer job to help pay for their schooling and basic needs.

To qualify for a minimum wage job, it takes more than just filling out an application and waiting for an interview.

Companies want reliable workers that plan to stay for more than just three months and don’t seem to consider summer seasonal workers.

A lot of companies look at training someone for only a couple months of work as a waste of time. There are some companies that do hire students for the summer but more often than not, they only give you a minimal amount of hours per week. It is almost like they are already

preparing for you to leave as soon as they hire you which creates an uncomfortable work environment.

For me, last summer was tough. I had eight interviews with jobs that paid minimum wage and not a single one hired me. McDonald’s even sent me a rejection letter.

It was at that point that I realized I made the mistake of telling these companies that I would only be around for the summer. But it shouldn’t be that way, I shouldn’t have to lie just to provide for myself during those three months.

Many students not only work to provide for themselves but for their families as well. Some young adults need to support their parents, children and even their siblings.

I think companies don’t understand the dependance that college students have on a summertime job. It is a time for us to worry about work only, whereas during the school year there is more than just our eight-hour shift on our mind.

Companies should come up with plans for seasonal hires no matter the kind of job. Whether or not there is an influx or outflow of individuals, summer is a season of change. Many people use the few months of warm weather as time for

Photo by Phillip Pessar

McDonalds drive-thru.

vacation, families are out for summer and in California summer is prime tourist season.

This summer, I switched up my technique. During interviews, I said I was a new transfer student in the area and sure enough, I was hired in no time. Working all day, every day can be stressful but not being able to find work is a different kind of stress.

Being in an environment where you aren’t welcomed doesn’t feel good. There are college students all across the country who go homeless because they don’t have enough money and then on top of that, can’t seem to find a job.

Though it shouldn’t be this way, it seems the thing to do when applying for a summer

job is to tell the company that you’re there to stay. College students are often young adults trying to get a handle on their responsibilities and it is unfortunate that the world has persuaded us to lie in order to survive.

WANT YOUR VOICE HEARD? SEND YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR: CONTACTTHEJACK@GMAIL.COM

PAGE 12

THE LUMBERJACK

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Weekly Calendar Thursday, August 29

Sunday, September 1

Wednesday, September 4

Saturday, August 31

Wednesday, September 4

Friday, September 6

Oh SNAP Farm Stand 11 a.m.

Outside Recreation and Wellness Building

Intro to Stand Up Paddle boarding Noon Off-campus Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center

Intro to Surfing 9 a.m.

Off-Campus

Escape Room 4 p.m.

Library 205

Escape Room 4 p.m.

Library 205

HSU Downtown Block Party 4 p.m.

Off-campus Arcata Plaza

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