Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019
Volume 153 No. 36 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
News
Opinion
A&E
SJSU community garden provides food for students
Student loans are becoming a pervasive issue
“Aloha Fresh” is a traditional Hawaiian dream
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Page 6
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Police storm house on Eighth Potentially armed suspects barricaded themselves in house a block from SJSU campus By Chelsea Nguyen Fleige NEWS EDITOR
San Jose Police officers responded to calls of a possible armed suspect near South Eighth and San Fernando Streets at approximately 6 p.m. Monday night. As of press time, the situation had not yet been resolved. The police established a perimeter blocking off the 0-100 block of South Eighth Street, one block away from the San Jose State campus. As a helicopter circled above and SWAT teams with dogs moved into place around the residence, SJPD demanded over megaphone that the suspects leave the property. At 11:10 p.m., police dogs were seen entering the house with officers. Around midnight, SWAT with canine units began to surround the house MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY
San Jose Police Department officers surround a house on Eighth Street, demanding that the suspects inside surrender.
STANDOFF| Page 2
Director shines light on college scams Local journalist and filmmaker wins Hearst Award for Dan Rather-backed documentary By John Bricker STAFF WRITER
Documentary filmmaker Alexander Shebanow encouraged an audience of San Jose State students, faculty members and journalists to use their voices to tell the stories of the voiceless Thursday night. “It’s our job to give that little bit of justice to the people in a world where there’s a lot of injustice,” Shebanow said. SJSU journalism and mass communications faculty presented him and collaborator Dan Rather with the William Randolph Hearst Award in Yoshihiro Uchida Hall. The two journalists won the award for their work on “Fail State,” a documentary investigating the practices of for-profit colleges directed, written and produced by Shebanow with Rather serving as executive producer. Rather did not attend the presentation; journalism professor Dona Nichols explained he planned to attend but was busy covering the impeachment hearings presenting a case against President Donald Trump. “I can’t believe that they think they’re bigger than us,” Nichols said, prompting laughter from the audience. Before presenting the award to Shebanow, journalism professor Bob Rucker called him a “true and faithful champion of the First Amendment,” whose work will
JOHN BRICKER | SPARTAN DAILY
After receiving the William Randolph Hearst Award on Thursday night, documentary filmmaker Alexander Shebanow answers questions from the audience in Yoshihiro Uchida Hall about his film on for-profit colleges, “Fail State.”
It’s our job to give that little bit of justice to the people in a world where there’s a lot of injustice. Alexander Shebanow documentary filmmaker and William Randolph Hearst Award recipient
remind future generations to stay vigilant. “We believe, here at San Jose State, your service is precisely what the founding fathers intended when they provided for a free press to serve we the people,” Rucker said.
After receiving the award with hugs and handshakes from Rucker and Nichols, Shebanow thanked Rather and his team for taking a chance on “a group of no-name filmmakers” by funding the project and sharing it with a wide audience. “It was such an honor to work with
them and it is such an honor to share this award with you, [Rather],” he said. Rucker described how Rather helped Shebanow overcome slim odds. “Trying to make this project draw national attention was not going to be easy,” Rucker said. “Fail State” premiered in film festivals across the country, receiving what Rucker described as “rave reviews” from the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal and was distributed by Starz, which has 26.5 million subscribers worldwide. Shebanow dedicated his award to the victims of for-profit colleges who face tens of thousands of dollars in student debt after graduating with useless degrees. “I hope that one day we wake up under a new administration in Washington that realizes the debt on their shoulders should be wiped away, and is the responsibility of that administration to protect the next generation of students from predatory colleges,” he said. During the presentation, Nichols told the story of how Shebanow showed her his first film, which he made at age 10. Nichols described how Shebanow set up a home theater in his parents’ bedroom to show her and her husband, fellow journalism professor Ralph Nichols. After the 15-20 minute film had ended, Dona Nichols said Shebanow “looked at us and said, ‘Well, did you get it?’ ” After starting work on “Fail State” in 2013, Shebanow found sources by relying on the internet, which he described as “the only resource I had available as an independent documentary filmmaker.” He said he found students on Yelp, on Facebook and through comment sections below news articles, telling their stories of AWARD | Page 2
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NEWS
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 2019
FOOD INSECURITY
Community garden feeds students in need By Jozy Prabhu COPY EDITOR
Driving by the Joe West Hall dorms on East San Salvador Street, it is easy to miss the small community garden directly across the street from the San Jose State Dining Commons. Nestled between two apartment buildings, the entrance of the more than 6-foot-tall chain-linked fence around the community garden is decorated with a big green banner. It reads, “Welcome to our SJSU Community Garden,” , featuring drawings ngs of squash, pumpkins, ns, beets and other vegetables. This year, the garden yielded a harvest of many fruits and vegetables. “We had a lot of plums this year and plenty of figs and tomatoes,” Luisa Morco, photography senior and program assistant for the community garden, said. The community garden started in 2014 by a student-led initiative, according to the Associated Students website. “The garden was created to provide students a space to gain access to [healthy] food, learn about sustainable organic garden practices and earn service learning hours,” the website stated. Carlina Potthast, an environmental studies senior and former garden volunteer, reflected on the entire purpose of having the garden. “I really love having the chance to participate in the garden because
AWARD Continued from page 1 taking out student loans to graduate from for-profit colleges and then failing to find work. “I came to understand there that they were doing this because they literally had nowhere else to turn for help,” he said. While working on the film during the past six years, Shebanow witnessed dozens of for-profit
I don’t have the space to grow most of the plants I found there,” Potthast said in an email. “Volunteering allowed me to participate while also enjoying the fruits of our labor, literally.” Potthast heard about the garden through her environmental studies class, where she had to complete a certain number of volunteer hours of community action. “I have volunteered [off and on] for the three years I’ve been at SJSU which has allowed me to participate in various activities [ the garden], g [in ” Potthast said. “Volunteers are als also allowed to t take home lots of food.” In addition to educating students on the process of m a i nt a i n i n g their own garden an produce, and st students who face food insecurity have come to volunteer at the garden to take their harvests home. Program assistant Morco said she has met students who volunteer at the garden specifically to meet their food insecurity needs. “We do have a few people who try to get as much as they can, especially during the summer or in the spring,” Morco said. “In the fall it’s a little harder because we’re usually transitioning. There’s things like we just planted some seedlings, so those take a while.” Environmental studies senior Eric McNeil said he has seen students benefit from using the produce. “I do know people who use that
institutions close, including ones discussed in “Fail State” such as Corinthian Colleges and ITT Tech, which he said displaced almost 500,000 college students in the United States. Shebanow said he realized in 2015 his documentary represented “a tower of human misery” that was much larger than the efforts of him and his team. Follow John on Twitter @JohnMichaelBr15
Correction On Thursday, Nov. 14, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “4th St. Power Hour gave me a blackout,” in which the hours for the Friday and Saturday Power Hour should have been from 11 p.m. to midnight. The Spartan Daily regrets this error.
JOZY PRABHU | SPARTAN DAILY
[produce] and make meals out of it,” McNeil said. “Personal friends and classmates.” Besides having the volunteers take back produce, the garden gives a majority of its harvest to the Spartan Food Pantry. “We bring [produce] over to the food pantry, and depending on what space they have, we work in collaboration with them,” Morco said. The amount of vegetables the pantry received reflected the good harvest this summer. “We filled at least 12 to 20 crates full of different things from the tomatoes to the zucchini and the squashes and everything like that,” Morco said. The food pantry manages to find a way to house all the produce with the crates they have for students to fully utilize and access. “What we have, if they have a space for it, they’ll adjust for it,”
STANDOFF Continued from page 1 and demanded two men inside named Xavier James and Anthony Hernandez surrender and come out of the house. Attempts were being made to phone Hernandez inside the house, officers said. Kinesiology senior Jhanelle Cervantes said SJPD officers were in her backyard and partially knocked down her fence to get to the house with the suspect in it. Residents still inside their properties were also asked to leave with police escorts. Residents Michelle Culich and her friend Cesar said they witnessed a suspect entering the house at 36 S. Eighth St. around 5:30 p.m. and came downstairs to see what was going on because they were suspicious of him. Culich said another resident was familiar with the man, who had been a frequent trespasser on the property and kicked out several times. The other resident told the
Morco said. “And they’ll just figure out how to put up with it.” Liberal studies freshman Jessica Traver uses the pantry often, and gets the vegetables that the garden provides. “I go about pretty much once a week,” Traver said. “I don’t have an income right now, so wherever help I can get, I’ll take it.” Traver said that she and her roommates use the vegetables to make stir-fries and salads. “I’ve gotten peppers and the squash, a fruit there,” Traver said. “I’ve gotten melon, the melon was super good, and then recently this past week I got kiwis.” For students who want to take advantage of this opportunity, the regular volunteer hours are Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Top: Luisa Morco, program assistant for the community garden, checks for any vegetables ready to be harvested on Nov 12. Morco said they had a big harvest of tomatoes, figs, and plums this summer.
Bottom: Morco shows how the dried grapes will make good raisins, and said the garden does not waste its produce. A majority of the produce from the garden goes to the Spartan Food Pantry for students facing food insecurity.
Follow Jozy on Twitter @prabhujoanna
person to leave, at which point, he began to force his way into the house by trying to break the door down, before leaving the front porch, Culich said. Culich said she and her friend went around to close the side gate of the house and saw it was ajar and the person was inside the backyard. “That’s when all hell totally broke loose,” Culich said. The person began to beat Culich’s friend in front of her, she said. Culich said she called the police immediately while the assault continued. “Cesar’s grabbing everything he can to defend himself,” Culich said. “He grabbed the bird feeder, the gas lamp. He grabs it. He’s swinging it. The guy’s coming at him. Next thing you know, guy pulled out a gun.” Cesar disarmed the person and threw the gun over an adjacent fence and the person pursued the weapon, Culich said. The police then arrived. Culich said she and the other residents of the house evacuated with their hands up. “While we’re okay now, the guy
came back after he retrieved his gun and broke into the house,” Culich said. Area resident Jennifer Decluette said she got off work around the time of the incident and came home to see the neighborhood taped off. “When I parked [on the San Fernando side] this cop was walking down the street with a gun.” Decluette said it’s “wild” living in this area. “I can’t wait to move,” Decluette said. Eighth Street resident David McCree said he was leaving his home to go get food when he saw a police officer in his back porch area. He said he was unsurprised. “There’s always police around here,” he said. Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter @SpartanDaily Mauricio La Plante, Jesus Tellitud, Christian Trujano, Kelsey Valle and Adam Yoshikawa contributed reporting to this article.
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COUNTERPOINTS
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 2019
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PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY
Should student loan debt be eliminated? Yes, loans are becoming No, the drawbacks will financially disastrous outweigh the benefits Christian Trujano STAFF WRITER
Canceling the student loan debt of students who can’t afford to pay on time will have positive effects for working-class families, people of color and others who face financial struggles. Americans currently owe about $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. That’s about double the current budget for the U.S. Department of Defense and around 22 times the budget for the U.S. Department of Education. About 43 million American adults owe money on a federal student loan, according to NerdWallet. But the burden of student debt reaches deep into communities of color. Increasing evidence suggests it is hampering the ability to build wealth in traditional American ways.
Students just don’t have the money to pay off their debts. Two analysts of released federal data on student loans reveal serious default problems for African American borrowers. When placed in default status, it means a student did not make a payment in over nine months. This means students now have to pay the entire loan as well as collection fees and interest all at once. Meaning your theoretical $40,000 loan now jumped up to a $50,000 loan. In 2017, the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics published a report on patterns of student loan repayment for two groups of borrowers who first enrolled in college in 1995-1996 and in 2003-2004. The two resulting analyses found a troubling picture for black students who take out loans. Nearly half (49%) of all black borrowers in the 2004 group defaulted on at least one loan within 12 years in a for-profit school. That default rate was more than double that of white students (20%) and more than four times the rate of Asian students (11%). But even speaking in general, college students are taking out more student loans and are taking longer to repay their loans, placing them
in default status, meaning they now have even more debt to pay off. With the bulk of graduations coming up next semester, many students will have to face that fear of paying off those expensive student loans and the massive debt they have accrued. But with the current job market and competition, not all students will be at a high paying job, which might lead to them not being able to pay on time. Again, many of these would be black students according to a CNBC article published in October. With so many people of color being affected by defaulting on their student loans, it makes sense to help by eliminating those loans to help families who are struggling to send their kids to school. But critics of mass debt cancellation plans fear that these proposals would benefit well-off Americans the most. That’s because the people who take out the largest loans do so to pay for costly graduate degrees. Some economists might even argue that wiping out debt on a wide scale could contribute to the rising cost of college if students take out loans expecting debt forgiveness down the line. Already pricey colleges would have no incentive to keep pricing affordable. But in a speech last year arguing that higher education faces a crisis in the U.S., Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pointed to eyepopping numbers from the federal student loan program. Only a quarter of borrowers are making progress paying down their loans, she said, while 20% are either delinquent or in default. More than a million borrowers default on their student loans each year, and the problem is growing worse not just for black students, but for everyone. The government could reallocate the $1 billion it spends on debt collections annually to more direct assistance to borrowers when they first start to struggle repaying their loans. Eliminating default would also allow borrowers to keep their access to federal aid like Pell Grants and continue making progress toward a degree. At the end of the day yes, free doesn’t really mean free and somehow the U.S. is going to have to find a way to pay off this student loan debt, but it has to come from the government. Students just don’t have the money to pay off their debts.
Follow Christian on Twitter @ChristianTruja2
Erica Lizarrago STAFF WRITER
I am incredibly fearful of the day I’m told I need to start repaying the debt I accumulated after receiving my degree. I am not the only 20-year-old who owes thousands of dollars in debt to the government because of student loans. In fact, I’m one of 45 million college students, according to a 2018 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Federal Reserve of New York also found the total amount of student loan debt is $1.47 trillion as of the end of 2018 – more than credit card or auto loan debt. Statistics from Market Watch found that the average price of an undergraduate degree increased by $63,973, or roughly 161%, since 1987. This means more Americans have had to borrow money through loan services in order to afford the cost of higher education. But eliminating student loan debt is not the answer. U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have made headlines over their recent plans to help with this impending crisis. They want to forgive all student loan debt and make public university tuition free. Student loan debt has caused a plethora of problems for graduated millennials and the incoming college graduates of Generation Z. The Wall Street Journal found in early 2019 that such debt has discouraged buying homes and starting businesses. These actions are incredibly valuable to our economy and the $1.6 trillion dollar student debt crisis has inhibited them. First off, “free stuff ” is never truly free. In a recent interview, Warren admitted that her plan would cost $1.2 trillion over ten years – a tab taxpayers will be expected to pick up on top of other additional taxes. Sanders’s plan calls on taxing Wall Street trading to pay for loan debt and free higher education. This is something that Adam Michel, senior policy analyst for the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget said will not generate enough revenue to pay for all of America’s student loan debt. This will end up damaging the economy, leaving America’s middle class to pick up the rest, Michel said. Loan forgiveness and free public college tuition would also mean that financing higher education would land in the hands of federal and state governments deciding how much they want to put into school. “Knowing that the students they take in have easy access to money that they will likely not have to repay could motivate schools to accept more students, or offer more programs, even in the absence of value,”
Brandon Renfro, professor of finance at East Texas Baptist University and financial planner, said. This would make obtaining classes and degrees even more difficult with an influx of students. “By awarding blanket student loan forgiveness, students may have no incentive to head into desired majors or fields of study which would be more in line with the needs of our economy,” financial analyst Riley Adams said. This means colleges leave smaller room for students who want to obtain degrees and will contribute to society, and more room for students who have little incentive to pay back to the public. Not everyone needs to go to college and many without college degrees contribute to our economy greatly, including the public service sector like firefighters or police officers, Adams said. Adams said many crucial roles also do not require a college education to begin with. “By granting loan forgiveness to anyone, it can make college the default choice when it does not necessarily need to be,” he said. He said this will make a bachelor degree less prestigious because they would be much easier to attain, forcing degree earners to have to pursue higher degrees or even more education. People who owe student loan debt are also generally those who obtained a college degree. These are individuals who have a better shot at getting a higher paying job than with someone who just has a high school diploma. “Those who are pursuing higher education are already generally better off financially,” financial attorney Leslie Tayne said. Should we not use more of our tax dollars to fix our skyrocketing homelessness and drug epidemics? Loan forgiveness would also mean that students who were financially frugal, went to less expensive schools and made their loan payments on time would be given the same benefits as students who decided to go to expensive private universities they couldn’t pay. This seems ideal but in reality falls flat because it dismisses low-income individuals or students who decided to avoid higher costs of college. Students who decide to take a more affordable path toward higher education should be rewarded, not given less encouragement. Yes, college is expensive and only continues to get more costly as everyday Americans still struggle to figure out how to pay it off. However, the real solution begins with uncovering the costs of tuition and demanding that institutions lower them, but not erase them. Eliminating student loan debt entirely and making higher education free hurts our overall economy more than it benefits it. Follow Erica on Instagram @erica.lizarrago
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 2019
SJSU needs extra places Provide additional help to hang out on campus for homeless students Dear Editor, I think that many students on campus can relate to the problem of not being able to find a place on campus where they can sit, study for their homework and lounge. The Student Union is full of students who are eating, studying or both, and finding a table in there during the day is almost impossible. The MLK Library offers the upper floors, but they’re quiet studying floors only. The lower levels are open to the public, and it’s just not the most ideal place to hang out. Other spaces that I’m familiar with are the computer lab in Clark Hall, yet half of the students in there are not even using the computers, they’re just using the sitting space. Another space is the Student Wellness Center, which again, is also always packed to the max. The new Spartan Recreation and
Aquatic Center features some areas for students to study and lounge, but not enough. What the school needs to do is create more lounge areas for students to relax, work on homework, and hang out with friends. The Transformation 2030 project for the school has been underway, and it even includes a section called “Rebuild and Renew.” Why doesn’t the school build some more study spaces for students? As the school is crowded with students, you would think that building some more study spaces for students would be a top priority. My suggestion is for the school to include a new lounge area for students as a part of the Transformation 2030 project.
Dear Editor, It’s really upsetting knowing that so many students on campus are homeless, and have to struggle with finding food and shelter while juggling school, and a possible job. There are even some professors who are homeless and have to live out of their cars. San Jose State has the resources to do something about this issue to help out their students and staff, but still hasn’t done anything about it. As a result of student homelessness some students are left with no choice but to drop out and try to make ends meet. Some students even use the library as a place to sleep during their free time.
I believe San Jose State is spending a lot of money on new buildings like the recreation center and the science building, but should, however, put that money and effort into building affordable housing, and providing food for students and staff in need. I also think that San Jose State should offer free and overnight parking for those who live out of their cars. Lastly, the school should have workshops or event about this issue so that students who are homeless can learn how to deal with homelessness and how to take the right steps to overcoming it. Sincerely, Nida Faizi communication studies senior
Sincerely, Jacqueline Cavazos communication studies senior
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CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
– send a letter to the editor – Letters to the Editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209 or emailed to spartandaily@gmail.com to the attention of the Spartan Daily Opinion Editor. Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, year and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be considered for publication. Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
JOKIN’ AROUND Which weighs more, a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks?
Neither, they both weigh a ton!
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Gale 6. Jail (British) 10. Exchange involving money 14. Terrace 15. Emanation 16. Nile bird 17. Be 18. Angers 19. In order to prevent 20. Evil 22. Fit 23. Couch 24. Chemical cousin 26. Anagram of “Meat” 30. Destroy the inside of 31. French for “Water” 32. Analogous 33. Holly 35. Former Hungarian money 39. Refined 41. Not western 43. Notions 44. Cravings 46. Blue-green 47. Petrol 49. A parcel of land
50. Countercurrent 51. Get back 54. Sweeping story 56. Distinctive flair 57. Sorrowful 63. Short skirt 64. Within 65. Book of fiction 66. Midmonth date 67. Newbie (slang) 68. Something to shoot for 69. Check 70. Container weight 71. 100 to a dollar DOWN 1. Gush 2. Cab 3. Ear-related 4. Hazard 5. Particles 6. In a profitable manner 7. Golden 8. Mining finds 9. Famous dog 10. An outline of a solid object 11. Perpendicular to the keel
12. Fine thread 13. A chemical compound 21. Motherless calf 25. Exhausts 26. Wise men 27. Barely managed 28. Prong 29. Rival 34. He fears foreigners 36. Require 37. Alumnus 38. Unique 40. Brother of Jacob 42. Active 45. Voter 48. Broken bone support 51. Send, as payment 52. Leave out 53. Flogs with a stick 55. Faultfinder 58. Dwarf buffalo 59. Style 60. Baking appliance 61. Chair 62. L L L L
11/14/2019
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SPORTS
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 2019
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Tigers press Spartan defense in win By Chris Core STAFF WRITER
San Jose State’s men’s water polo team lost to No. 4 University of the Pacific, 13-8, Saturday in a Golden Coast Conference matchup. The Spartans (7-18, 1-4 GCC) had a tough time keeping up with the different play style the Tigers (16-3, 5-0 GCC) brought to the game. Junior driver Justin Pickering said the Pacific TIGERS played a specific defense called Japanese p r e s s t h a t SPARTANS c a u s e d immense pressure on SJSU’s offense. T h e Japanese press style is performing intensive pressing on defense and causing counter attacks that cause oneon-one plays, according to Waterpolo Development World. “We practiced [adjusting to that style of defense] for a few days in practice, but as you can see from our first half we weren’t really ready for it making us go down 7-1,” Pickering said. The Spartans looked excellent in the first quarter of play, holding the Tigers to only two goals making it a 2-1
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CHRIS CORE | SPARTAN DAILY
Senior driver Ashley Castle squares up for a shot on goal during a Saturday game against the University of the Pacific.
game in Pacific’s favor. The initially close game took a turn, however, when SJSU’s offense collapsed in the second quarter, putting up no goals to match the five that the University of the Pacific tallied. Head coach Bruce Watson said that the plan for the game was to counter the Tigers’ shooters, but it was more difficult than it seemed. “We had to come up with a pretty specific game plan because they have the best shooters in the country and it was difficult to shut them all down,” Watson said.
We can’t put ourselves in a hole because in a conference game that’s going to be a whole lot harder to dig ourselves out of. Justin Pickering junior driver
The high-intensity shooters from the Tigers helped pave the 5-0 quarter win for the Pacific, but the Spartans also fell into foul trouble during the second quarter. “In the second quarter we had some difficulties with exclusions and peo-
ple in danger of getting third exclusions which means you’re excluded for the whole game, so we had to be careful,” sophomore 2-meter man Niels Hofmeijer said. The second quarter struggles ended up being the downfall for the Spartans.
SJSU outscored the Pacific 3-2 in the third quarter and tied 4-4 in the final quarter. If the second quarter had ended 0-0, the game would have been tied after the fourth quarter. “We played almost even with them in the third quarter and that made us back in the game for the fourth quarter,” Hofmeijer said. Hofmeijer said the defense was not at peak performance in the second quarter and that the blame needs to be shared. “For me I need to work on my defense
and don’t give away both sides too quickly so we can put on more pressure and make them tired, which will make us more successful on offense as well,” Hofmeijer said. Although SJSU had struggles, head coach Watson said that there were plenty of standout performances on the team including from sophomore goalkeeper Yahav Fire. “Our goalie played really well and kept us in the game and allowed us to come back,” Watson said. Fire finished the game with a total of 13 saves, keeping the Pacific in check despite the offensive pressure they had all game. The upcoming games will not be easier for the Spartans with conference play matches starting Friday in Malibu against No. 8 Cal State Long Beach. Driver Ju s t i n Pickering said that to succeed in conference play, SJSU needs to be more balanced in its performances. “We can’t put ourselves in a hole because in a conference game that’s going to be a whole lot harder to dig ourselves out of,” Pickering said.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, NOV. 19, 2019
READ UP, EAT UP
Poke bowls bring island flavors to SJ Alyson Chuyang COPY EDITOR
There is always that one dish you take one bite of and it transports you to an unforgettable memory or place. With the cold weather approaching and the semester coming to a close, all I need is some relaxation and memories of the summer. For me, a colorful bowl of poke is that one meal that can bring me out of a slump and put me on a warm beach in Oahu. Poke, pronounced “poh-keh”, is a dish that dates back to native Polynesian times and is traditionally served in Hawaiian markets and grocery stores around the islands.
brought poke to the mainland, and many poke restaurants put their own twist on the traditional dish. From California to New York, poke places have established themselves, serving non-traditional and “trendy” bowls that include ingredients such as avocado, crispy onions and even hot cheetos. Every so often I indulge in the poke bowl craze of adding as much as you can into a bowl that contains about 20% poke in it. But I recently tried a poke spot that brought the focus back on the fresh-cut fish. Located just a fiveminute drive or electricscooter ride away from campus, Aloha Fresh serves authentic poke bowls with 14 different poke styles to try as well as other Hawaiian dishes. The small shop is tucked in between a pet boutique and a streetwear clothing store, so it can be easy to miss, but once you walk in, you feel as if you’ve stepped backward into summer. Music from Hawaiian artists like Kolohe Kai and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole play and a large, refrigerated glass case draws attention It is chopped-up seafood to all the colorful poke that marinated in sesame oil sit within the black trays. and soy sauce, which is Kukui Nut Ahi Poke then mixed with seaweed and Spicy Shoyu Ahi and onions. Poke are the restaurant’s Its popularity has top sellers, so my friend
There were so many poke options to choose from to narrow it down to two, and I am intrigued to taste more.
ALYSON CHUYANG | SPARTAN DAILY
Aloha Fresh serves colorful poke bowls with tasty sides and refreshing drinks such as Lilikoi passion tea.
and I decided to try those two along with Spicy Salmon Poke. This spot also serves filling sides with the poke, which includes dishes such as macaroni salad, lomi lomi salmon (a tomato and salmon salad) and seaweed salad. Upon my first bite of the poke, I was instantly reminded of a time I went to a small grocery store on the North Shore of Oahu and ate their version of the Kukui Nut Ahi Poke. It is hard to find ahi tuna poke with “limu” seaweed and kukui nuts in it on the mainland, but it is found almost everywhere in Hawaii. Japanese salad and ginger were also in my bowl, which I didn’t mind eating with my poke because it didn’t
food review
Rating:
Cuisine: Hawaiian Location: 225 Jackson St., San Jose, Calif. Price: $$
overload the bowl with flavor, but it added a refreshing crunch. What attracted me about this place was the emphasis on the poke and less on the mix-ins other local poke shops serve. According to Aloha Fresh’s website, its fish is flown in from Hawaii and is never frozen or treated with carbon monoxide, thus making their fish fresh and authentic in flavor. Along with the bowls,
customers can purchase poke by the pound which starts at $22.50 for salmon, shrimp and scallops. Sides can be ordered by the pound as well and starts at $9.50 for macaroni salad and $11.50 for seaweed salad, kimchi cabbage or pickled onions. I know I’m going to grub at this place again. There were so many poke options to choose from to narrow it down to two, and I am intrigued to taste more.
“Aloha Fresh”
Aloha Fresh also serves tasty desserts on Friday and Saturday such as Lilikoi Butter Mochi, Guava Butter Mochi and chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies which already have me marking on my calendar to have a date with Aloha Fresh this Friday. If you are a pokeenthusiast or have never tried it yet, I recommend this spot. Not only is it affordable and fresh, but it will also have you dreaming of warm sand beaches and listening to Hawaiian radio for a whole week. Follow Alyson on Twitter @AlysonChuyang Read Up, Eat Up appears every week on Tuesday.
Posthumous Lil Peep poses as genuine By John Bricker STAFF WRITER
Lil Peep’s second posthumous album “Everybody’s Everything,” released on Friday, is a boring, inconsistent and depressing reminder that this emo-trap star never lived up to his full potential as an artist. After breaking into the mainstream in 2017 with his debut album, “Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1,” Gustav Ahr, who went by Lil Peep, died later that year from an accidental Xanax overdose. Instead of the musician’s death halting his artistic output, Lil Peep has become even more prolific in death, with two out of three of his studio albums being released after his death in November 2017. Although close collaborators like producer Fish Narc and rapper Lil Tracy guided much of his latest album, “Everybody’s Everything” stands as a reminder that posthumous music almost never lives up to the artist’s legacy. The album has 19 tracks and lasts 57 minutes, a runtime that makes Peep’s longest album feel uninspired and unfinished, often giving the spotlight to featured artists to pad out short songs. Over the warm bass, bright electric guitars and
ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN BRICKER
snappy beat of “Fangirl,” Peep performs one of the album’s best hooks, complementing a simple melody with his gritty vocal tone. Sadly Peep’s hook only appears at the beginning and at the end of the two-minute song, with featured rapper Gab3 filling the midsection with a mediocre verse. “Text Me” sees Lil Peep getting upstaged on his own album again, with guest singer Era taking over the middle with his airy harmonies over clean electric guitars. Peep’s hook is underwritten and repetitive, featuring some of the album’s most melodramatic lyrics,
album review “EVERYBODY’S EVERYTHING” Rating:
making his contribution to the song even more forgettable. Moments where Lil Peep’s voice as a singer and songwriter shine are present, but very uncommon on “Everybody’s Everything.” “Moving On” stands out as a somber, power reflection of Peep’s troubled mental state,
Artist: Lil Peep Release Date: Nov. 12, 2019 Genre: mumble rap
where his lyrics characterize his drug addiction and an abusive relationship over reversed acoustic guitar samples and trap drums. Hearing him scream, “Man, it’s gettin’ real, it’s the pain pills,” in the track’s outro feels uncomfortably appropriate, knowing how he eventually died.
Lil Peep bares his soul again on “Belgium,” where he expresses his guilt for mistreating past romantic partners over more grungy guitars, grimy bass and trap beats. Peep’s voice breaks up and cracks with emotion in the final seconds of the track as he mumbles, “I was on my own for the past two months, I haven’t seen a friend’s face in too long.” These moments of intimacy are powerful, but they seem a little manufactured with the knowledge that Peep was most likely long dead before other musicians assembled these tracks.
The album’s act as an authentic new release from Peep completely collapses in the second half, where most of the tracks sound completely unfinished. In the opening seconds of “Live Forever,” the song instantly proves its demo quality by barely letting you hear Peep’s rough and breathy vocals, drowning them out with poorly mixed bass and obnoxious trap drums. On “cobain,” muffled guitars are completely drowned out by tinny drums and all-consuming thumps of 808 bass. After Lil Peep’s underperformed hook, Lil Tracy makes the track even worse with an uninspired and off-beat verse. The album’s closing track, “Walk away as the door slams – acoustic,” sums up the entire album’s experience. Peep’s gritty performance over simple acoustic strumming sounds artificially touched up with overbearing reverb and layering, followed by yet another boring and misplaced performance by Lil Tracy. As an overall experience, “Everybody’s Everything” feels just like this disappointing ending: a fake, unpolished and neutered serving of Lil Peep’s leftovers. Follow John on Twitter @JohnMichaelBr15