April 5, 2018

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VOLUME 136, ISSUE 21 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

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Graduate students frustrated with university housing matters, lack of transparency

MICHELLE GORE / AGGIE

Administrators disagree, maintain there is transparency

Members of the UC Student Workers Union Local 2865, a union that represents graduate student workers and undergraduate tutors on campus, have expressed concerns regarding mismanagement of funds by university administration, particularly with university housing. One claim is that the university has been taking rent from residents of Solano Park, a university housing community for graduate and undergraduate students with families, and putting it into reserves to fund luxurious housing projects, rather than maintaining current housing or building housing that UAW considers affordable.

“We know from other sources, for example, that the university has used reserves money to build the infrastructure for West Village, which is an unaffordable housing complex that private developers are operating and making money from,” said Caroline McKusick, a Ph.D. student in the anthropology department. “Solano Park has been paid off and residents’ rent has been going into paying for that reserves portion of the Student Housing and Dining budget. This raises some questions about how the university is using the money they are getting from very low income families and students.

They’ve been raising rent here in Solano Park for a long time despite the complex itself being paid off.”

When asked how members knew Solano Park has been paid off, Emily Frankel, a Ph.D. student in languages and literature, said that she was informed by a resident advisor that “it was paid off ” and that Vice Chancellor of Finance, Operations and Administration Kelly Ratliff “never denied Solano Park being paid off ” at a meeting.

In response, Ratliff said via email that the “debt for Orchard and Solano housing is not paid off. The final payments will occur in 2026” and that some funds from student housing revenues “are held in

reserve for major maintenance and facility projects.” She also said that “Student housing funds have not been used for West Village.”

Additionally, Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Executive Director of Student Housing Emily Galindo maintains that the budget for Student Housing and Dining Services is relatively transparent.

“We have our resident hall advisory board that we meet with on a monthly basis where we review all of our budget with students,” Galindo said. “We are a self-supporting auxiliary which means that we are responsible for all the costs associated with the program, so we don’t get funding from the state or campus. Rather, based on the revenue, which is student rent, we have to ensure that we can operate effectively and efficiently, and that’s going to include a myriad of things: salaries and benefits of staff, facilities related expenditures, maintenance that has to happen on an annual basis and we have to plan for the future. We have our website [and] we have the budget documents which are available to anyone who requests them.”

However, according to Ellie White, a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in civil engineering, a major issue that UAW has with university administrators concerns transparency.

“Whenever we ask for information, they tell us it’s already up there, and that we just haven’t looked,” White said. “Or that it’s been on their website and we just haven’t found it. According to them, the budget is online and they’ve been transparent, which is not the case. When we do go and try to find it, there is nothing online for me to be able to see how much goes into Student Housing and Dining Services and how much goes out. It’s such a bold lie. When we’re talking to them at these town halls, it shuts us down because everyone thinks we just haven’t MEENA RUGH / AGGIE FILE

done our homework.”

White mentioned that the only way that UAW can receive information about budgetary concerns is through California Public Records Act requests.

“What we have to do is legally require them to give it to us through CPRA requests,” White said. “I made the request in December [and] they just got back to me about it. They use these bureaucratic methods to stifle us — it’s been a couple of months — and then they give us a 300-page document that we also have to pay for, 25 cents per page. The university’s use of complexity here is to obfuscate, to stop us in talking in opposition.”

Frankel suggested that the lack of transparency with the Student Housing and Dining Services budget is related to UAW’s claim of mismanaged funds.

“There’s obviously a mismanagement of funds,” Frankel said. “We already have seen this with the issue that they’re having with the mental health center. We know that’s happening here with housing. We know this has happened with medical insurance. We know this has happened in other instances. We know that this university, in particular, has a history with mismanaging funds. We know they must be mismanaging the funds here at Solano because we can’t seem to gain any sort of transparency as to what they’re doing with our rent money. Where is our money actually being allocated?”

When asked about RA responsibilities at Solano Park, Galindo noted via email the way RAs are involved in the ticketing of cars parked in the wrong spots.

“As the RAs do their regular rounds, if they see a vehicle that may be in violation of some HOUSING on 11

Sexual violence prevention extends beyond education into personal conduct UC Davis CARE representatives discuss sexual violence prevention

BY G EO RG E L I AO campus@theaggie.org

The Center for Advocacy, Resources and Education at UC Davis assists students and staff who have experienced sexual violence. Sexual violence prevention is an important aspect of the work done at CARE. Sarah Meredith, the director of CARE, discussed how sexual violence prevention extends beyond education and into a greater cultural concern.

“We do a lot of presenting — in the sense of the people that are hearing us are probably going to be the true first responders in those cases,” Meredith said. “We want them to know that they do not have to solve it all. They do not have to do the investigation. They do not have to have all the answers. We want them to know that there are places that they can point this person to and get them to the right place.”

Meredith also said that CARE focuses on bystander intervention, prevention and education.

“We certainly do not discredit risk reduction,” Meredith said. “The programs that talk about self-defense — watch your drink or the buddy system — I think those can be really helpful tools. But if we really want to actually prevent sexual violence, we cannot be just focusing on risk reduction strategies. We really have to start

shifting the culture — getting people to understand that the behaviors themselves are not okay.”

Meredith said that UC Davis community members should know that services and reporting options are available and talked about the most common way in which sexual violence is reported.

“One of the things that we know is that if somebody experiences sexual violence, whether it is sexual assault, dating violence or stalking, the vast majority of the time the person the survivor is going to go to is not usually law enforcement right away,” Meredith said. “It is not really even an advocate [they go to] right away. It is usually somebody who is close to them — a friend, their roommate and maybe a close family member. [A person] they already know and they trust, usually those are the people that they go to first.”

Allyanna Pittman, an education and outreach specialist at CARE and a UC Davis alumna spoke about the sexual violence prevention program which starts when students first arrive on campus.

“I feel like we capture a lot in orientation — we present to 10,000 students [each year],” Pittman said. “What I have been noticing more recently is our student volunteers and the folks who are connected with our office have been a really awesome source of outreach because they are talking to their friends about [the orientation].

I feel like having our students, and the fact that

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they are spreading the word, have been a really big help with our outreach because they are connected to other organizations other than ours.”

Meredith spoke about examining one’s own behavior as part of the work toward sexual violence prevention.

“Without sounding completely flippant about it, the first thing I would say to somebody is to really think about their own behavior first,” Meredith said. “If they really want to prevent sexual violence, sexual assault, dating or domestic violence or stalking, the first thing I would tell somebody is: analyze and assess your own behavior. What would you like in your relationship? Do you ask for consent? Is that something that you prioritize?

And how do you then model that to your peers?”

Meredith added that the issues facing graduate students and staff take on a different level of importance when talking about prevention with their own children.

“For graduate students or for staff, a lot of the times what we will talk to them about are how often [they are] talking to your kids about consent, about bodily autonomy and about healthy relationships,” Meredith said. “If we really want to talk about true prevention, that really starts with us acknowledging our own behaviors and how we are with our relationships. But also, how do

Train fatalities in Davis Victims struck by trains in close proximity to city

BY STELLA TR AN city@theaggie.org

Recently, there have been several train fatalities and incidents in Davis along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks near Second and D streets, east of the Amtrak station platform. One of the victims was a 22-year-old UC Davis student, Krisada Ruampatarasindhu.

Piyaporn Eiamcharoen, who was Ruampatarasindhu’s friend, could only speculate on what happened since she is unsure of the exact details.

“We’re not sure how he was struck by the train,” Eiamcharoen said via email. “We were so shocked because we just met that night at Thai Canteen around dinner time before he left with his classmates for drinks. It was tragic and we cannot do anything for him. We had many questions following by. What had happened? Why was he there near the train track?

What was he trying to do? Or was it perhaps anyone harmed him or robbery? His whole family flew here from Thailand and contacted us. Knowing his personality the best and believing in him, his family couldn’t believe too and that prompted us to investigate the scenes.”

Eiamcharoen, along with another one of Ruampatarasindhu’s friends, Paul Kasemsap, then investigated the scene on their own when they realized what had happened.

“We went to the accident spot where the police reported and were really surprised that such tracks are so closed to the neighborhood,” Eiamcharoen said.

“It’s like you have the tracks in your backyard which is very easy to get access to and walk on the actual track.

There’re only one-side fence between the track and Olive Dr. along to I80 but 2nd and the track, there is nothing. We thought he might try to walk back home in south Davis. He might try to walk back to Richard Blvd but might get lost and ended up at the train station.”

Kasemsap noted how close the tracks were to downtown, and he was shocked at its proximity.

“The night that he was struck by the train, me, Piyaporn and another friend just met him in the restaurant before the accident,” Kasemsap said. “We ended up finding that the train tracks looked surprisingly close to the neighborhood and it was short walking distance from downtown. It was like having a track in your backyard.”

They speculated on what could have happened since the fence they found by the tracks was not very sturdy.

“Another possibility that we assume is that he wanted to take the backroad by using Hickory Ln. towards Olive Dr,” Eiamcharoen said. “This route is even presented on the Google map. We checked this out but there is a locked gate on the fence across Amtrak station. It isn’t sturdy and we heard that some people can skip through the fence and use this shortcut to Olive.

If this was a case, maybe he couldn’t find the way to Hickory Ln. and walked along the fence on the railway to find the connecting lane. You can get lost easily because it was dark.”

As the pair noted that the fence did not seem viable, Eiamcharoen prompted that this issue should not be overlooked.

“We hope the fence is stalled much sturdy than it is now and permanently shut the gate to Hickory Ln. to prevent anyone to use it,” Eiamcharoen said. “More important thing is that the fence is required along the city line and the track, especially to cover the downtown area where a lot of people commute day and night. The city should increase our safety surrounding the train station and the railway because they are just lined to the heart of Davis, just 50 feet away from the TRAIN on 11

CARE on 11

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2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

BY EL I Z A BE T H M E R C A DO campus@theaggie.org

The newly sworn-in ASUCD Vice President Shaniah Branson called the last Senate meeting of Winter Quarter to order in the Mee Room of the Memorial Union on March 15 at 7:29 p.m. Amanda Bernal, the External Affairs Commission chair, was not present at the meeting.

Appointment of a new pro tempore was postponed for the first Senate meeting of Spring Quarter.

Bryan Sykes, the editor-in-chief of The California Aggie, delivered the unit’s quarterly report. Currently, 140 individuals work at The Aggie and decisions for a new editor-in-chief are to be made in mid-April. The Aggie is entering its sec-

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ond phase of a redesign project to update newspaper distribution racks on campus in pursuit of The Aggie’s goal “to be integrated in campus presence.”

David Heifitz, the Business and Finance Commission chair, presented six individuals to be confirmed for membership to the commission. All six were appointed.

Disability Rights Advocacy Committee chair Andy Wu delivered the committee’s quarterly report. Four new members were hired over the course of Winter Quarter. Disability Awareness Week, which was held from Feb. 26 to March 2, was reported as a “great success.” Wu reported plans to communicate with other registered student organizations to increase the committee’s publicity as well as communicating with campus adminis-

UNITRANS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS From anti-war beginnings, student grassroots movement is third largest transit system in California TAYLOR LAPOINT / AGGIE

BY AL LY RUSSE L L campus@theaggie.org

50 years ago, Unitrans began as an ASUCD executive ticket project to prove to administration the extent of student power and capability. Today, Unitrans looks back on its successes while also planning for the future.

In 1966, ASUCD presidential candidate Bob Black envisioned creating a student-run grassroots experiment to show the authority of student vision and voices. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Black won the executive ticket on an anti-war platform and a belief in student involvement as change-makers.

Two years later, in 1968, Black had taken his vision of creating a student-run bus service and turned it into a reality. Beginning with the purchase of two old red double-decker buses that were shipped to Davis from London and the hire of fellow student Tom Madoff as operations manager, Unitrans began to take shape as a UC Davis

trators to establish a position similar to a DRAC chair at UCSD. Rodney Tompkins, a second-year psychology major and the Elections Committee vice chair, reported on the results of the ASUCD Winter Elections. Tompkins reported an election cycle reliant on social media for exposure and encouraged individual word of mouth from the table to publicize future elections.

“People know elections are happening,” Tompkins said. “They need to want to vote.”

He went on to address concerns brought up during what he described as a “contentious election.” He referenced allegations of bias in the elections committee and defended the committee’s courses of actions, which include the disqualifications of Unite! senatorial candidate

Colin Heurlin, a third-year transfer student majoring in international relations and The Golden Slate’s executive ticket, Adam Hatefi, a third-year political science major, and Shreya Deshpande, a third-year cognitive science and sociology double major. Tompkins said the committee’s decision followed the bylaws, citing no official recusals for their actions.

Tompkins advised the table to maintain a level of professionalism and increase their communication with students, committees and the respective communities of senators. He discouraged petty discussion over social media regarding elections.

“Accountability shouldn’t have to be a platform,” Tompkins said. “It should be inherent that everyone shows up and does their job.”

institution. Under Madoff ’s management, the two old buses were brought up to code and student drivers were hired and trained.

On Feb. 28, 1968, Unitrans began with the original A and B routes. The original routes look very different from current routes today. In order to maintain Unitrans operations, in 1972 ASUCD and the City of Davis formed a partnership to expand Unitrans operations.

For the next decade, Unitrans continued to operate and was solely student-run until 1978, when the first Unitrans career staff was hired. Today, 15 career staff work for Unitrans, while the day-to-day operations remain controlled and operated by students.

In the late 1980s, UC Davis students voted to pay student fees to help Unitrans grow in exchange for allowing students ride for free.

“From there, ridership doubled,” said Jeffrey Flynn, the general manager of Unitrans. “It went from 600,000 to over one million by 1990.”

A staple of Davis life, Unitrans has grown to become the third largest transit system in the state, and remains in the top 20 in the nation. Today, Unitrans has 18 bus lines, 50 buses, employs 250 students and has remained an institution operated by students and for students.

The salaries of Flynn and other career staff members are paid for by the City of Davis while student fees are used exclusively for the continued maintenance of Unitrans.

“All student fees we get go back into student pockets,” Flynn said.

Students from all majors make up the Unitrans team, helping transport passengers around the city and campus.

Jack Breault, a third-year mathematics major, works as Unitrans’ human resources director. Over the last year, Breault has moved from the position of bus driver to a director.

“A big role I have in the company is in bringing new faces into Unitrans and helping old faces take on new responsibilities,” Breault said.

Third-year electrical engineering major Skye Ann DeVelasco works as a student mechanic and ad saleswoman. DeVelasco works alongside fellow student mechanics as well as professional mechanics. Along with rewarding career-building experiences for the future, DeVelasco has also found a tight-knit community of students at Unitrans.

“Shop also has a great group of people that can have fun together while we work and when we’re off the clock,” DeVelasco said.

With 50th anniversary celebrations underway, Unitrans can reflect on its successes while also planning for the future. In the mid90s, Unitrans transferred to compressed natural gas in the hopes of making the institution more sustainable. Today, Unitrans plans to have 50 percent of its buses run on electric energy by 2022.

Tompkins addressed Senator Andreas Godderis’ quote in a recent article published by The California Aggie regarding bias toward slates and candidates already involved in the association. Tompkins advised the table to “reach out to those who can make our words beneficial.”

Godderis asked Tompkins about his position on slates’ contribution to ASUCD elections, questioning their value. Tompkins said he is open to suggestions from Godderis and the table for stricter regulation on slates in the future.

When the meeting moved into public announcements, David Heifitz abruptly announced his resignation as Business and Finance Committee chair after only just being re-appointed as chair five SENATE on 12

Police Logs: How did the cat get stuck in the storm drain?

March 19 “Male who sent threatening emails in 2015 is now recontacting company members via email. Concerned subject is decompensating.”

March 20 “Repeat call, transient male and female yelling.”

“Occurred 9 minutes ago, delivery vehicle was parked and driver stepped out and vehicle was driven away.”

“Reporting party has shotgun shells he wants to turn in for destruction — shells are in the vehicle.”

March 22 “Male was sleeping in front of store, woke up and entered store and threw items around, now outside.”

“Occurred overnight — vehicle taken from driveway, garage door opener inside vehicle.”

March 23 “Reporting party saw two subjects in black hoodies appeared to be trying to break into the storage units in the back parking lot. When the reporting party walked passed the subjects turned their faces so the reporting party couldn’t see them.”

March 24 “Male subject has come into store repeatedly, yelling and threatening customers.”

“Returned home and noticed light on inside apartment, reporting party sure she turned off all lights before leaving this morning, housemates are all gone for the weekend, reporting party standing by in complex gym.”

March 25 “On the bike path directly behind residence; cat stuck in storm drain.”

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MOTION TO CONSTRUCT TWO DOWNTOWN PUBLIC BATHROOMS | Public bathrooms on G, E streets will benefit homeless population KAYLA ROUNDS / AGGIE

BY HANNAN WALIULLAH city@theaggie.org

In a unanimous vote, the Davis City Council approved the construction of two downtown public bathrooms during its meeting on March 20. The public bathrooms will be open 24 hours a day and will primarily be for the homeless population of Davis. While the proposal

was initially for a bathroom located on the G St. Plaza, the city council extended the motion to include a possible second bathroom near the E St. Plaza.

According to deputy innovation officer Sarah Worley, while the initiative for a new public bathroom in the city of Davis has been wanted for a couple of years, it truly came into being in 2017.

The project is a part of the city’s Capital

Improvement Project, which aims to improve the experience of downtown Davis.

Four public bathrooms already exist in the city of Davis, located in City Hall, the Bike Hall of Fame, the Amtrak Station and the north end of Central Park.

However, none of these locations are open throughout the night. The Amtrak Station bathroom is open the longest, from 4:15 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. If a homeless person in Davis wanted to use the bathroom outside of those hours, they would have to resort to other options. In an online survey conducted by the Davis Chamber, 83 percent of 31 businesses located downtown had an incident near their business due to an absence of a public bathroom.

“The downtown is very important to the community and enhancing the downtown and undertaking the improvements that enhance its vitality are important to the city,” Worley said. “It had been brought to the attention of the council on more than one occasion that there was a need for a public restroom for the hours after business establishments were open — so after the bars closed.”

The team went through multiple designs before settling on their current design, dubbed as the “Portland Loo.” During the Town Hall meeting, chief innovation officer Diane Parro noted that the design was the most favored in their outreach. It was said to be secure, observable from the inside, modular, one piece and easy to install.

The team also looked at multiple locations to find the ideal spot to install the bathroom. While there were initially over 24 locations considered, the team eventually narrowed it down to five, which included South Central Park, the Depot building, E Street Plaza, the intersection of Second and H streets and the G St. Plaza.

There were many factors that were considered when looking for the ideal location. The team consulted Alta, a design engineering company, for more help and research. The bathroom needed to be on public property, be in a safe area, be clearly visible and be where it was most needed. After much deliberation, the G St. Plaza was found to be the location that best fit these requirements.

“At the beginning of outreach a num-

ber of comments were made about us making it hidden so it would not be an eyesore to the public and we’ve come completely away from that,” Parro said in a presentation to the city council. “It needs to be well-lit, it needs to be accessible and easily monitored.”

Each of the two Portland Loos is set to cost between $230,000 and $280,000.

Since the project was only recently approved, the dates for the construction of the two bathrooms are still unclear.

However, Worley hopes that the bathroom will be finished by the end of the calendar year.

“We have a large number of folks from all walks of life who need to have accessibility to a restroom — and it’s all through the day, it’s not just during business hours and it’s not just for folks in our community who are living without a roof,” said councilmember Rochelle Swanson during the City Hall meeting. “ It’s really been wanted by everyone in the community and I think that it’s been equitable to have it in both plazas so we’re not just saying here’s one location — both locations also warrant having [a bathroom].”

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 | 3

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BLURRED LINES BETWEEN TWO WORLDS Environmental Law Symposium highlights growing intersection between humans, environment

BY MA RLYS JE A N E features@theaggie.org

On March 9, authorities from a number of professional sectors filled the seats of the Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom at the UC Davis School of Law. This annual event is known as the Environmental Law Symposium and focuses on bringing people together to listen, learn and discuss environmental hot topics.

“Each year as a team we are in charge of picking the theme of the event, and traditionally the event will feature four panelists that are centered around the event,” said Bridget McDonald, a second-year student at the UC Davis School of Law. “The goal is essentially to bring together practitioners, policymakers, students, academics, [practicing attorneys], any sort of professional authority that is interested in learning more about the subject matter.”

In the past, the symposium’s themes have covered topics like climate change, the future of the California Environmental Quality Act, sustainability and agriculture and the changing California coastline. This year, McDonald and two other student organizers selected a theme that explored the growing intersection between humans and the world around us. The event was titled Humans and their Environment: Protecting our Planet and Its Inhabitants.

“In choosing the theme, we really wanted to broaden the scope to look at the ways that humans interact with the environment and the environmental crises actually impacting human communities,” said Ellen Simmons, a second-year

student at the UC Davis School of Law and a co-organizer of the symposium.

“It wasn’t completely narrowed down to environmental justice in particular, that’s just an important facet of the way that humans relate to the environment [and] the legal challenges that have been emerging in the last couple decades.”

The event featured four panels that addressed diverse topics, including public health effects in the era of climate change, environmental justice in the Central Valley, the lessons learned from the recent California wildfires and Native American land restoration.

Two of the panels were organized by the symposium’s co-sponsor, the Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies at King Hall. According to director Mary Louise Frampton, the multi-disciplinary research center partnered with the Environmental Law Society to provide programming related to environmental justice at the 2018 symposium. One of these panels was that for environmental justice in the Central Valley, whose low-income communities of color face environmental and health burdens as a result of agriculture, topography and politics.

“California’s San Joaquin Valley is a study in contrasts,” Frampton said. “It generates a great deal of wealth but is one of the poorest regions in the country. Its history is one of inequality and discrimination. It is also one of the most polluted regions in the country — it has the worst air quality, the most severe drinking water problems, and is home to the majority of the state’s prisons, hazardous waste dumps and garbage facilities. Not every-

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one in the CV experiences the effects of those environmental harms. Research shows that low-income communities of color are more likely to live near and be harmed by environmental pollution, with some studies indicating that low-income people of color die 20 years earlier than white people in the CV.” According to Frampton, many decision makers and lawyers do not know about those inequalities and their racialized impacts. This symposium is one avenue for these pressing issues to come to the forefront of environmental conversations within the state.

The other panel organized by the Aoki Center concerned environmental justice for Native people, entitled “Restoring the Balance in Indian Country.” According to the student organizers, there are many legal implications tied to Native American affairs and other impoverished communities, including property rights, water rights, land-use rights and more, which is why it was important to include in this year’s symposium.

“My impression is that it really was important to focus on a group of people that doesn’t usually have their problems explored, in the media that’s not really a subject that gets a lot of attention,” Simmons said. “[The symposium was about] going to the deepest roots of how humans interact with their environment, it made a lot of sense to have a panel that looked at Natives, who have been interacting with the environment for a really long time, and had had the way that they did so completely changed by development and colonization, and just their struggles moving forward as they’re adjacent to completely different kinds of development.”

The law school has a number of avenues that aim to steer the conversation toward that of the human influence and impact on the integrity of the environment as well as related social justice issues. For example, the Aoki Center hosts a Seminar Series every Tuesday that brings scholars from across campus to discuss issues of racial and environmen-

tal justice. There are a number of other programs as well, according to Frampton.

And on April 12, the Center will launch a Tribal Justice Project to enhance the sovereignty and capacity of tribes by training tribal court judges.

Another resource provided by the Aoki Center is the Water Justice Clinic, the first of its kind in the country. The clinic aims to combine law, policy advocacy and research to aid in the security of clean, safe and affordable drinking water for low-income California communities.

“I’ve been participating in [the Water Justice Clinic] for the past year,” Simmons said. “It’s really a great opportunity to help disadvantaged communities use their technical assistance funding that they have received from the state to do water supply and quality projects. This is a new and substantial way the school is involved in environmental justice. It’s been awesome to be involved in it.”

The Environmental Law Society itself is a long-standing student organization that helps students pursue environmental matters, the symposium being one of several events the society hosts throughout the year that bring under-discussed topics to the forefront of political and scientific conversations. The 2018 Environmental Law Symposium was specifically designed to help bring attention to a number of relevant but under-discussed topics, ultimately with the intent to highlight the significance of the blurred lines between human activity and the natural world.

“Now more than ever, we need to keep environmental justice at the forefront of our policy discussions,” Frampton said.

“As the federal government abdicates its responsibility to protect the environment, it’s important for Californians to address environmental injustices. We hope that the symposium encouraged environmental lawyers, law students, and policy-makers to integrate racial justice into environmental conversations and helped them understand the serious impacts of environmental policies on vulnerable communities.”

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BREWED BY AGGIES, FOR AGGIES Introducing Gunrock Lager, the official beer of UC Davis

BY G R AC E SI M M O NS features@theaggie.org

Just in time for the warm weather, UC Davis is introducing Gunrock Lager, the school’s own beer.

Developed by the UC Davis Brewing Program and UC Davis athletics in partnership with Sudwerk Brewing Company, the beer will be served at athletic events, local restaurants and at the Sudwerk Dock Store in Davis starting this spring.

Trent Yackzan, the operations manager of Sudwerk Brewing company, has worked closely with the university in developing Gunrock Lager.

“We actually did a version of the beer a couple years ago, a limited release called Aggie Lager,” Yackzan said. “It was the first collegiate brewed beer in America, super successful, but we grew apart from making it. We wanted to bring it back with a new label and a new recipe.”

This project was a collaboration between Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences Charlie Bamforth, UC Davis alumni Doug Muhleman and Jack DeWit, UC Davis athletics and Sudwerk Brewing Company. Bamforth is currently out of the country and was unable to interview for this article.

Doug Muhleman, the former vice president of Anheuser-Busch brewing operations and technology, a Sudwerk partner and a UC Davis alumnus, formulated the recipe for Gunrock Lager.

“First, we wanted to come up with a beer that was refreshing, the kind of beer you think about when you go to a football game or a basketball game,” Muhleman said. “We wanted to make a beer that was appropriate for a sporting event.”

The main goals of Gunrock Lager were to develop a beer that gave back to the university and the community while sourcing local ingredients. Alumnus Jack DeWit, who is a local Yolo county rice farmer, donated the rice needed to brew the lager.

“We decided to make a classic American-style beer with the main ingredient, barley, and a small percentage of rice as part of the total recipe,” Muhleman said. “That produces a beer that’s a little lighter on the palate, great for refreshment for going to a game on a hot day, that kind of idea.”

Yackzan explained the reasoning behind choosing a lager for the university beer.

“The main two types of yeast beer are ales and lagers, [Sudwerk] focuses primarily on lager beers,” Yackzan said. “Lagers are generally fermented low and slow, lower temperature, slower fermentation time. From the day we brew to the day we package [it’s] upwards of like 35 days. Ales on the other side are a seven to 14-day beer and are fermented at a warmer temperature over a shorter period of time.

Ales are bolder in flavor whereas lagers are more subtle, crisp and clean.”

Muhleman used his classic 15-gallon home brewery to test and develop the recipe.

“I utilized the yeast we use to make Sudwerk lager beers, a special strain of yeast, and I made several different batches until I was happy with the result,” Muhleman said. “The beer itself is made with North American malting barley, Yolo county rice and some classic German hop varieties. It’s a lager, so it’s aged in cold temperatures for several weeks before it’s filtered and packaged.”

Muhleman completed his undergraduate and graduate education at UC Davis before entering a career in brewing.

“I’ve been involved with UC Davis really since I left as a student,” Mulheman said. “It has been a lot of fun working on something like this and taking it back to campus. I don’t expect for Sudwerk, from a commercial standpoint, that this is a big money maker for us. It’s really more an opportunity to continue our collaboration with UC Davis and give back to the local community.”

Sudwerk has been in partnership with UC Davis’s brewing science department since 1995 with the creation of the world-renowned Master Brews Extension Program.

“The UC Davis master brewing course is held every year in the Sudwerk brewing complex,” Muhleman said. “So we work with the students at that level and then we collaborate with the folks on campus with brewery projects, and have been over the years.”

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4 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

April Events Calendar

Femikit: making zero waste easy A monthly subscription box you don’t want to miss out on

BY B E CKY LE E arts@theaggie.org

Accumulating a mere 16 ounce jar-full of trash in the course of two years is an achievement most people can’t fathom. While Youtuber Lauren Singer’s lifestyle might seem unattainable, there are feasible ways to minimize your environmental footprint — in this case, one subscription box at a time.

Nicole Garcia, a fourth-year communication major, used her passion for zero waste, graphic design and business to found Femikit, a brand new start-up with curated items to help women develop environmentally sustainable habits.

“Our goal is to connect women with resources to live zero waste,” Garcia said. “I really wanted to create a product that helps women understand how to live zero waste and not have to compromise their lifestyles too much. Another aspect that’s important to bring up is that [Femikit] isn’t just intended for women, even though that’s one of our main audiences. We really want to make it as inclusive as possible because it’s something that everyone can benefit from.”

Garcia is actively involved in UC Davis organizations such as Aggie Reuse, Davis Women in Business and PERIOD. Drawing from her experiences with these organizations, she was able to make her dream come to life.

“Working with young women has shown me that it’s really important that someone addresses this need,” Garcia said. “I think my time at Aggie Reuse has been the most informative part of college because it’s the first taste I had of zero waste and sustainability. I’ve been able to experience how difficult of a business model that is to work in, but at the same time, it’s something that’s really fulfilling and necessary.”

Femikit launched its first box focused on food and grocery shopping. It includes Bee’s Wrap, a Baggu grocery bag, a Hummingbird glass straw and brush and two Leafico produce bags. By carefully selecting these items from small businesses, Femikit demonstrates how waste reduction can be chic and doable.

“We did a lot of research in terms of different suppliers and vendors and ultimately decided on the products we have now because they meet a certain criteria,” Garcia said. “All our items are plastic-free and made from local and family-owned businesses. These products do last over the longterm, so we really want to emphasize that you’re not buying something that’s temporary.”

Garcia admits living completely zero waste is nearly impossible, and that living sustainably doesn’t necessarily mean fitting years worth of trash into a mason jar. According to her, the first step is to look at the products you currently buy.

Then, choose products from ethical companies and reduce your plastic.

To Miuccia Halim, a fourth-year managerial economics major and Femikit’s director of business development, zero waste is a step-by-step process.

“Zero waste is a journey,” Halim said. “For me, it means making efforts throughout the day and over the months to reduce my waste. I first started out by simply eliminating the use of plastic bags, so whenever I go to the grocery store, I have my

Voices, conversations, sounds in the month of April

BY CA ROL I N E R U T T E N arts@theaggie.org

Film: “Two Rivers” Where? Quaker Meeting House When? Friday, April 6, 7 p.m.

What is it? A screening of the film will take place as well as a discussion led by the filmmaker Paula Palmer, a longstanding advocate for indigenous rights in Costa Rica and director of the nonprofit Global Response in Boulder, Colorado.

Choremo and Phantoms Where? Ace of Spades When? Sunday April 8, 7 p.m.

What is it? Returning to Sacramento for the first time in two years, the Canadian electro-funk duo will be headlining the show alongside another electronic duo, Phantoms, as the opener.

Fleet Foxes Where? Crest Theater When? Wednesday, April 11, 7 p.m.

What is it? Known for their folksy, instrumental music, Fleet Foxes takes the Sacramento stage as part of their current tour. The concert will precede their show at Coachella Music Festival.

J.D. Vance Where? Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center When? Wednesday, April 11, 8 p.m.

What is it? Best selling memoir author comes to the Mondavi Center to discuss his most recent book, exploring the status of the white working-class families in America. A conversation about classism and privilege in the making.

SOB x RBE Where? Ace of Spades When? Saturday, April 14, 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 15, 7 p.m.

What is it? The Quintessential Bay Area rap group will be taking the stage for two nights of serious hype. Meet-andgreet tickets are available for the April 14 show. alt-J Where? Pavillion When? Monday, April 23, 8 p.m.

What is it? ASUCD Entertainment Council outdid themselves (again).

After bringing Chance the Rapper to the same location, alternative-electronic United Kingdom group alt-J will bring some serious groove to Davis.

high quality, reusable shopping bag. These small changes really create impacts on communities.”

To make eco-friendly living more attractive, Femikit’s primary marketing strategies are design and social media. The team connects with millennials through use of graphics, photos and videos on Instagram, ultimately reframing the meaning of zero waste. By implementing visually appealing methods, the start-up is able to effectively deliver the concept as something desirable as opposed to boring or stagnant.

“We’re definitely looking at people around the ages 17 through 30 because these are the people who are getting independent lifestyles and learning how to do things on their own in terms of what to purchase and how to live,” Garcia said. “It’s important to start there so we can start forming those eco-friendly habits before they get into adulthood.

We’re the generation that’s responsible for solving climate change. We need to start making decision as individuals and as a community about what we can be doing better.”

So far, Femikit has evoked positive responses from its targeted audience. Lois Kim, a second-year environmental policy, analysis and planning major, also aims to make environmental change on campus by being chair of ASUCD’s Environmental Policy and Planning Committee and Vice Chair of The Green Initiative Fund. At home, Kim alleviates her environmental footprint by using public transportation and as little plastic as possible. For those like Kim, Femikit is an innovative product to look forward to.

“I think that Femikit is an amazing way to kick-start people into becoming a little more environmentally conscious,” Kim said. “Femikit makes it a really approachable process and it makes it an appealing one because everything is so cute and affordable. That’s a subscription that I never thought was necessary, but now I think it really is. I’m excited to see what Nicole will add to Femikit.”

Another objective for the subscription start-up is to create a community full of supporters and to inspire leadership in women.

“We’re definitely looking to build and foster a community around zero waste because it’s something that’s difficult to do on your own,” Garcia said. “You really need people around you to get there. We want to make sure that we’re forming strong ties with people that support our mission and connect those people with each other so they can help each other and hold each other accountable to living zero-waste.”

Additionally, Femikit strives to educate, provide and build communities. In turn, it brings real-life business skills to the table. Femikit proves there are no limitations — that zero waste and female leadership are not just plausible, but definitely possible.

“If you believe in your cause, just go for it,” Halim said. “Find mentors and create a supportive environment where you can accomplish your goal. [...] There are so many resources out there. If someone has an idea, they can always reach out to people like Nicole for advice. There are so many people out there that will be happy to help someone else’s dreams, especially if it makes a positive impact.”

Purchase your first kit at femikit.com.

Isle of Dogs: A Review Wes Anderson’s newest undertaking reaches new imaginative heights

ALLYSON KO / AGGIE

BY SY DNEY ODMAN arts@theaggie.org

Unlike anything of its kind, Isle of Dogs is uniquely imaginative, enthralling audiences into the world of its fictional dystopian-esque Japanese land. True to form, Wes Anderson delivers a cinematic experience full of hilarity, deadpan wit and emotional charm. As Anderson’s second venture into the realm of stop-motion, the cinematography of Isle of Dogs is impressively detailed, with every scene mapped out with expert-level precision.

The star-studded cast of the film bring Megasaki City’s inhabitants to life, featuring iconic voices from actors such as Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Scarlett Johansson, Liev Schreiber and more.

Following the outbreak of a massive canine flu, all dogs of Megasaki City are exiled to Trash Island by the authoritarian regime of Mayor Kobayashi (played by Kunichi Nomura). In an attempt to rescue his lost canine, Kobayashi’s young nephew Atari (played by Koyu Rankin) embarks on a journey to Trash Island to save the banished pups. Adventure ensues as Mayor Kobayashi’s rival searches for a cure to the epidemic, Atari seeks out his lost pup and then attempts to save the entire species of dogs before it’s too late.

While watching this film, what struck a chord with me the most was Anderson’s use of Japanese culture as one of the most centermost aspects of not only the story’s narrative, but also the logic of the film itself.

From a Western point-of-view, many audience members are not aware of the intricacies that lie within Japanese culture, myself included. This allowed Anderson to take creative liberties with the plot and setting of Isle of Dogs — a tactic the director has often demonstrated in his past projects — whether that be to further the story along, smooth over plot holes, or simply allow for the film to evolve within its uniquely crafted and bizarre sphere. However, this also has raised the question amongst many critics of whether or not Anderson has accurately depicted Japanese culture in its rightful form.

Granted, although it is a fantasy film about talking dogs, Anderson does indeed stretch beyond the limitations of what may be considered politically correct, from the mainly American voice cast to the Japanese puppets utilized within the animation.

But Isle of Dogs does not solely exist to entertain with its stop-motion animation and a few laughs. Although it does just that, there is also a deeper, if not simpler, overarching aspect of the story itself surrounding the corruption that can occur amidst the ranks of good and evil. Although they’re only dogs, the characters undergo a very human level of internal struggle, while battling against Kobayashi’s sinister plot to destroy them.

And there lies one of Anderson’s greatest skills as a filmmaker: his ability to tap into humanity’s greatest universal flaws. So, whether you’re a die hard Wes Anderson fan, an indie movie aficionado or you simply love dogs, Isle of Dogs will not disappoint, leaving you with some thought-provoking insight by the end of its adventure.

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6 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

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Opinion editorial board

the California Aggie EDITORIAL BOARD

Say his name: Stephon Clark

BRYAN SYKES Editor-in-Chief EMILY STACK Managing Editor

Protests erupt following shooting of unarmed black man

HANNAH HOLZER Campus News Editor KAELYN TUERMER-LEE City News Editor TARYN DEOILERS Opinion Editor GILLIAN ALLEN Features Editor

On March 18, 22-year-old Stephon Clark was fatally shot by two Sacramento police officers when reaching for his cell phone, which the officers believed to be a gun.

This marks yet another black man who was killed as a result of police brutality and, in light of the ongoing investigation, it appears that the Sacramento Police Department would be content if this case joined the other five Sacramento cases in which a black man was shot and killed with no questions asked.

This time is not business as usual.

Protesters flooded all areas of Sacramento following the shooting that took place in Clark’s grandmother’s backyard, leaving no room for the incident to be ignored.

Blocking I-5, protesters demanded that passing cars say his name and not allow Clark’s case be diminished to just another black man on the list of police victims.

A march that began at Sacramento City Hall made its way to the Golden 1 Center, where the Sacramento Kings were scheduled to play. Protesters blocked the entrances to the game, leaving attendees outside. This occured not just once, but twice, putting the Sacramento Kings in a tough position. Faced with the echo of chants outside and various Kings players vocalizing their discontent with the franchise’s reaction, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive addressed the crowd and expressed the teams solidarity with the protesters. The

ALLY OVERBAY Arts & Culture Editor VERONICA VARGO Sports Editor HARNOOR GILL Science & Tech Editor

CHIARA ALVES New Media Manager BRIAN LANDRY Photo Director CHRISTIE NEO Design Director AMY YE Layout Director MAXINE MULVEY Copy Chief OLIVIA ROCKEMAN Copy Chief JAYASHRI PADMANABHAN Website Manager ALEX GUZMÁN Social Media Manager MADELINE ONG Newsletter Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

team then decided to join the Black Lives Matter movement in the Build. Black. Coalition.

The Editorial Board commends the actions taken by protesters who have refused to let this national issue be swept under the rug when an unnecessary 20 rounds were fired at an unarmed man.

Clark’s murder is a reminder that these injustices are not just happening in Baton Rouge where the police officers who shot a pinned-down Alton Sterling got a slap on the wrist instead of a sentence. They’re also taking place right in our backyard, whether or not they are covered on the front page.

The urgency sweeping the diverse streets of Sacramento is much-needed and well-executed. Protests taking place at city hall meetings, the mayor’s office, sporting events and highways are no different than the demonstrations held on the steps of the Memorial Union. The Sacramento community is addressing issues that match a growing frustration toward a police-exempting America.

Despite what the White House says, this is more than just a “local issue.” The Editorial Board encourages those actively protesting to maintain peaceful relations, continue to seek area of influence and pressure policymakers to effect change.

The Editorial Board asks you to say his name.

Making Sense of #MeToo PUSHING BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA TESTIMONIALS

BY R EBE CC A BI H N-WAL L AC E rlbihnwallace@ucdavis.edu

I’m 19 years old, and I can’t stop talking about #MeToo. Understand, this is not a confession or a testimonial of any sort.

The lines between right and wrong, between equality and sexism, are not drawn clearly, as they usually are. They’ve been blurred, erased, even redone, in the midst of internet rants, social media storms, public outrage and mockery.

A few months ago, the national dialogue about sexual assault and harassment and everything in between was sporadic at best and dismissive at worst. Following the revelation of Hollywood’s troubled history of sexual assault, however, some things have changed. But it’s not enough. Or perhaps it’s that the #MeToo approach — social media testimonials and the like — may not be beneficial in the long run.

Initially, the appalling stories recounted by men and women

alike were empowering. Finally, people were talking about the ubiquity of sexual assault and harassment. Finally, victims were being taken seriously. It was a movement that began with the best of intentions.

And yet the fearless honesty and public confessing of hundreds of women over the past six months is backfiring. Instead of giving voice to women — as it very much intended to do — the #MeToo movement has rendered us voiceless, has othered us.

I am fortunate enough never to have experienced sexual assault. I am one of the lucky ones. I am glad that women are finally telling their stories. And yet I fear that, because of their frequency, we will become inured to them. Frequency too often becomes acceptability in the public sphere. Isn’t there a sense of sexual satisfaction that stories like these offer to some people? Isn’t there a lingering sense of guilty pleasure over the confessional nature of the #MeToo movement, a public obsession that moves far beyond genuine outrage and into morbid fascination?

The other factor is that the stream of stories, while initially empowering, has unintentionally painted women as inherently delicate beings, as perpetual victims. While we are much more likely to be raped, to be harassed, to be passed over for promotions for unfair reasons including gender and physical appearance, the narrative of victimhood is a frightening regression to the female identity of yesteryear, in which women were portrayed as constant and helpless victims of the caprices of men.

I’d like to think — or at least to hope — that we have more power than that. Maybe we don’t. Maybe my expectations are too high. That said, I’ve never had a particularly rosy view of gender relations. But instead of passively nodding our heads as yet another headline about the devastating effects of sexual assault comes out, we need to do something. Let’s tell our stories, yes, but let’s also put theory into practice. Otherwise, the #MeToo movement will hardly change things for the brave women who spoke out and for those whose stories have yet to be told.

Religion needs an organizational reformation DIVISION AND COGNITIVE DISSONANCE OFTEN STEM FROM RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

BY H A N A D I JO R DA N hajordan@ucdavis.edu

Religion can be a saving grace for some — a gleam of hope, a source of comfort, enlightenment and guidance. But it can also be the source of guilt, division and cognitive dissonance — which is derived from the organization of religion.

Ironically, for a system of belief trying to explain a confusing universe, religion often asks followers to turn off their brain or ignore science, logic and even compassion and humanity.

Religion has a hierarchical structure of every individual’s role. In religious communities, the clergy, such as priests, imams and rabbis, are at the higher end of the spectrum, with followers at the very bottom. Rather than the religion or clergy conceding that they are just humans who are not ordained with some secret knowledge — that they have ideas and thoughts and theories, but in the end they are as lost as the rest of us — they talk with authority and certainty, and tell followers what is and what is not permissible. Empowering clergy to this extent often requires that followers ignore basic science and logical evidence in support of evolution and embrace ideas for which there is no evidence, save scripture or personal ideologies.

As a progressive society, we’ve embraced the fact that men and

women are, and should be treated, equally — and yet religion has failed to progress alongside us. The organized religions that we adhere to can very much shape the way we interact in the world beyond our religious communities. In mosques, men and women are separated, with women sitting in the back, covered. This shapes the way Muslim men and women view gender roles, creating a culture in which women are always secondary, rather than equal.

As a member of the Muslim community, I’ve witnessed firsthand the manipulation that can take place among preachers and religious followers. While living in Qatar, my father and brother would visit the mosque (a Sunni mosque) from time to time. On one particular occasion, the preacher argued that it was necessary to rid the world of the Shia sect — and no one protested.

The issue with organized religion is that a man like that particular preacher can say something so heinous to a room full of people and face zero backlash. This is because we, as religious followers, actively give these people legitimacy by subscribing to the way in which they systematize religion. Rather than reading the scripture or determining answers through our own morals and compassion, too many people readily accept extremist notions due to the dogmatic mentality that many organized religions have established. If an individual whom you hold in high regard is telling you something — and you already believe everything he says to be

true — then you’re going to have a difficult time disregarding what they’ve advocated for, even if it’s something you may not have accepted coming from someone else. Most people take things with a grain of salt, but when they’re spoken in a religious setting, it’s as if God himself was relaying a message directly to his followers.

This creates a culture of incurious people who comply with teachings, laws and rules without question. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar suffer from extreme inequality between men and women, and a reversal of such gender norms will likely not be found within the mosque or from preachers in that region.

The same logic can be applied to those who attend the Westboro Baptist Church; I too would find it hard to believe that frequenters of that church are unaffected by the hate speech espoused within that building.

Religion was intended to be a personal matter, yet we’ve allowed ourselves to become sheep to religious organizations that should’ve been serving us, encouraging us to seek answers and guidance. Priests and preachers of all religions have the power to shape the way total strangers view the world and what kind of values and morals they hold. People should form a more intimate relationship with religion, rather than rely on a third party to tell them what is right and wrong or depend on rituals to guide the way they view life.

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

HUMOR

DMV loses race for the happiest place on earth, again

NEW DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES STUDY LEAVES RESEARCHERS FLABBERGASTED

BY J ESS D RI V ER jmdriver@ucdavis.edu

For the sixth year in a row, the Department of Motor Vehicles has failed to rank as highly as the Anaheim-based amusement park, Disneyland. A new study reveals a shocking 83 percent of people would rather go to Disneyland than visit their hometown’s DMV — or the slightly better DMV in the next town over.

A whopping 74 percent of people found that the DMV’s fluorescent lights, dingy cubicles and mysteriously sticky linoleum generally made them feel anxious, depressed and really edgy.

“Going to the DMV gives me heart palpitations and diarrhea,” said Ellen Funk, a student at UC Davis. “That never happens at Disneyland — even after I eat three giant turkey legs.”

What’s more perplexing, a mind-blowing 68 percent of people say that they would rather smell Disneyland’s vanilla-scented main street than the body odor of the guy standing in front of them at the DMV. Millions of people are dumbfounded.

“We really tried this year,” said Yvette Derp, a DMV employee. “We used to give custom-

ers the stink eye — a lot. It was kind of our thing. This year, we tried to increase customer satisfaction by switching to the blank stare, but people seem more infuriated than ever.”

Sadly, the study reports that most people were unsatisfied with their results of standing in line at the DMV. 97 percent of participants complained that the line did not conclude with a 15-minute thrill ride or dole whip. The remaining 3 percent of the participants became trapped in a never-ending line and either gave up or set up camp to wait, building lean-to shelters constructed from the DMV’s plastic chairs and restroom toilet seat covers.

“I’ve been waiting for them to call number C42 for 36 hours,” said Phil Low, a DMV customer, from the toilet-seat-cover porthole of his structure. “I could really use a churro right now.”

While it’s hard to say “what the hell is taking so long” at the DMV, this reporter did identify a group of DMV employees lounging in a partially hidden cubicle, toasting one another with soggy microwave corn dogs. This reporter also can neither confirm nor deny that the employees stood smirking over trampled mouse ears.

Validation

BY ARI EL HI LO ME N abhilomen@ucdavis.edu

Unitrans 2018-2019 Service Change Proposals Unitrans is seeking input on fare and service change proposals to increase revenue, reduce costs, and reinvest resources on lines with high ridership and poor reliability (see pamphlet on buses or website for full proposals).

FARE & PASS PRICE INCREASE • Cash Fare: $1 to $1.25 • Davis Community Transit (Regular): $2 to $2.50 • Pass prices increasing by 20% • Student fees are NOT increasing

ROUTE CHANGES B Line Extended & C Line Discontinued T Line Changes

• Modified to serve North and East Davis to provide more service to Holmes Jr. HS

Proposed DHS/Holmes West Davis Line:

• Proposed new line to provide more service in West Davis (neighborhoods adjacent to Shasta Dr. and North Davis) via Anderson Drive to DHS and Holmes Jr. HS

SERVICE CHANGES Amtrak Shuttle Discontinuation On Sunday Evenings Weekday Midday Service Reduction

• D/G/J/W/V lines reduced to twice per hour between 10am and 3pm

Public Open Houses & Hearings: April 9, 2018 | 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM Davis Senior Center, 646 A St. April 10, 2018 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Memorial Union, 2nd Floor, Garrison Room April 19, 2018 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM City Hall Chambers, 23 Russell Blvd.

Comment by calling (530)752-2877 or email comments@unitrans.com *If approved, changes would be effective in July 2018

UNITRANS AS UC D

DISC L A I M ER: Th e vi ews a n d op in i o ns ex p re ss e d by i nd i vidu al colu mn ists be lon g to th e col u m n ist s a lon e and d o no t ne ce ss ari l y i n dicate th e views an d opin ion s hel d by Th e C a lifo rni a Ag g i e. Le t te rs to t h e e ditor can be addre sse d to opi n i on @t h ea g g ie.o rg .

ISSUE DESIGNED BY AMY YE | CHRISTIE NEO | CINDY CHEUNG |JONATHAN CHEN | PATTIE CHEN | SHEREEN NIKZAD | LILY LEAVESSEUR | GENESIA TING

CI TY

OF

DA VI S

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SCIENCE+TECH CAITLYN SAMPLEY / AGGIE

DR. RANDY HAAS / COURTESY

Cave Art and Human Evolution UC Davis study looks at human evolution through the lens of drawing ability

BY KR I T I VA RG HES E science@theaggie.org

Neanderthals, unlike modern humans, have not been credited with artistic abilities, specifically because of the lack of cave art dated to when they existed. Richard Coss, a professor emeritus of psychology at UC Davis, authored a paper that proves his hypothesis that the lack of cave art by Neanderthals is connected to their ability to hunt. Coss conducted two studies to develop the hypothesis that humans experienced evolutionary changes due to an arms race with increasingly wary sub-Saharan African game.

The first study was a comparative study of wild horses and zebras with then-graduate student in psychology Alexali Brubaker, who is now research coordinator for the Third Millennium Alliance.. This study showed that wild horses in Nevada could be approached on foot more closely than zebras living near settlements in East Africa.

However, both wild horses and zebras, when not

ANDREW ENGILIS JR. / MUSEUM OF WILDLIFE AND FISH BIOLOGY

Birds Bounce Back in Putah Creek Habitat restoration improved populations of 27 out of 41 bird species since 1999

BY G E O RG E UG A RT E ME NDIA science@theaggie.org

The Putah Creek Riparian Reserve has rebounded significantly over the last 20 years since the Putah Creek Accord restored water flow to the area. A team of wildlife biologists publishing in the journal Ecological Restoration have shown that bird populations have more than doubled in that timeframe, with insects, fish, turtles and river otters also returning to the recovering ecosystem. Kristen Dybala analyzed much of this collected data as a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology.

“We hoped that we would see some growth in the riparian species,” said Dybala, the first author of the paper, who now serves as a senior research ecologist at the conservation nonprofit Point Blue.

“We wanted to know that the efforts on the creek have been providing the specific habitats for the riparian bird species.”

Members of the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology have been collecting population data of more than 40 bird species along Putah Creek since 2000, when the annual flow to the creek was increased. The creek had suffered in the 1990s from droughts and low water levels, which caused population and wildlife loss. The creek’s flow was significantly altered by the creation in the 1950s of the Monticello Dam, which formed Lake Berryessa. Concerned citizens of Solano and Yolo Counties were able to force an agreement with the Solano County Water Agency to restore some flow from the dam to assist the native fishes.

To monitor how the creek was responding to cold water flowing into the ecosystem, 14 sites were chosen along nearly 25 miles of Putah Creek, from the outflow near Monticello Dam to where the creek spills in to the Yolo Bypass. Riparian birds, which flourish along the river, were counted along with woodland birds such as woodpeckers and syn-

exposed to humans, were much more wary when approached on foot. This finding showed that wild horses could adjust to humans sufficiently well for taming quickly, while zebras routinely exposed to humans retained considerable wariness, precluding their domesticability.

“The theoretical argument for this incomplete habituation is that human ancestors in sub-Saharan Africa hunted game relatively consistently for more than 1 million years,” Coss said. “As African game became progressively warier of ancestral humans, maintaining larger flight distances, ancestral humans compensated initially by throwing spears and later by adopting longer-range bow and arrow.”

The second was a study done with Vivek Thuppil, a doctoral graduate in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group at UC Davis, on ways to mitigate crop raiding in southern India. What they observed was that Asian elephants can be tamed relatively quickly for working, while African elephants were

anthropic species such as crows, which live near human settlements.

“If you start at the upper part of the creek above Winters, the bird life there is influenced a lot by the surrounding landscape, lots of oak woodlands and chaparral in the upper canyon,” said Andrew Engilis, the curator of the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology and one of the authors of the paper. “The bird life tends to be anchored by the woodland habitat. As you move down the creek toward Davis, you enter an agricultural landscape.

The dynamics of the birds begin to change. By the time you get to the end of the creek, you get the more riparian-dependent species.”

To make accurate bird counts, staff and students ventured to the 14 sites along the creek and listened to the bird calls. Skilled bird watchers can identify birds by the notes in their songs, and the sight of a yellow warbler in a tree or an Anna’s hummingbird buzzing by the site serves as a visual confirmation.

“Some silent birds are too poorly seen to be identified and some notes heard cannot confidently be assigned to species,” said John Trochet, a research affiliate at the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology and one of the authors of the paper, in an email interview. “But the repetition of the surveys in space and time leaves large, significant numbers of identified birds allowing for trend assessment.”

Nearly all the birds included in the study increased in population density between 1999 and 2012, including riparian, woodland and synanthropic species. Riparian birds weren’t the only species focused on during restoration efforts along the creek. Nest boxes were installed on trees in the reserve, creating homes for birds which use cavities in trees to nest and breed. Woodpeckers normally create these cavities when they are carving out holes in trees searching for food. The populations of birds which use cavities while nesting enormously improved during the study period. Multiple restoration efforts combined together created better outcomes.

“Restoration projects targeted both terrestrial and aquatic environments,” Trochet said. “Much of the creek below Monticello Dam is incised and confined by levees. In some places along the creek, however, the valley flats are set back enough to do some stream course modification. Logs were set in the stream to create deeper pools for anadromous fish (like chinook salmon) to hole up en route to spawning in the creek. A meandering stream course was engineered in a few places, better mimicking what the channel likely looked like before the dam was completed in the 1950s. Gravels were added in places as spawning beds, because with the dam in place, that was the end of natural migration of gravels from upstream of the dam site.”

RESTORATION on 12

difficult to tame and remained dangerous. This observation led to the theory that African elephants are more naturally aggressive toward humans as a by-product of being hunted persistently for a long period by ancestral humans. This is in contrast to Asian elephants experiencing relatively recent hunting by modern humans after they left Africa.

Coss’ study proposes a causal relationship between an evolved ability of anatomically modern humans to throw spears accurately while hunting and their ability to draw representational images from working memory. Neanderthals did not have to hunt increasingly wary game like archaic and anatomically modern humans did, and therefore could use close-range thrusting spears. Archaic and anatomically modern humans in sub-Saharan Africa adopted longer-range hunting practices using hand-cast spears because they couldn’t get as close to the animals as Neanderthals could. This difference in hunting style led to progressive enlargement of the parietal cortex during human evolution, the part of the brain that integrates visual imagery and motor coordination. Such enlargement is evident in the globular shape of the human cranium, whereas the Neanderthal cranium is flatter.

Soon after this paper was published, another paper, written by Dirk Hoffmann, a post-doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and his colleagues potentially disproved Coss’ argument.

“Professor Coss wrote a brilliant article in which he tried to explain why the Neanderthals were not known to produce the well-known art seen in the caves of Southwestern Europe,” said Dean Simonton, a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at UC Davis. “This failure [to produce well-known art] is attributed to the different hunting practices of the Neanderthals in comparison to the modern humans who showed up later — and who had already started to produce such art in Africa before their migration. “ Simonton believes that the cave paintings referenced in Coss’ paper were incorrectly dated using the traditional radiocarbon technique; the relatively accurate uranium-thorium dating method puts the painting at about 20,000 years before the arrival of modern humans.

“By default, that means that the Neanderthals

must have been very good artists after all, which throws an unanticipated monkey wrench in his argument,” Simonton said. “To be sure, he concentrates on a particular cave in France, whereas the [study by Hoffman] looks at three caves in Spain.

But even if modern humans produced the former — the modern [uranium-thorium] dating has yet to be applied — they could not have created the latter.”

However, the paper may not completely invalidate Coss’ research. According to Nicolas Zwyns, an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at UC Davis, to invalidate Coss’ model, there would need to be proof that a significant portion of the Paleolithic figurative cave art was made

by Neanderthals.

“The paintings [in Hoffman’s study] include a red painted speleothem, a hand stencil and some linear motives [and] would predate the first H. sapiens occupation in the region by thousands of years,” Zwyns said. “With the same method, the team dated a putative red pigment container at Cueva de los Aviones. This object would have been used for body painting activities pre-dating the oldest known example from South-African example. Consider as whole, these testimonies would suggest that Neanderthal would engage in esthetic and perhaps symbolic behaviors. Furthermore, the implications would only confirm a use of pigments or abstract drawings by other members of the genus Homo that is already suspected. It doesn’t demonstrate a non-H. sapiens production of figurative art and therefore, it would not invalidate Dr. Coss’s hypothesis.”

The debate about Neanderthals and cave art has been ongoing.

“Were Neanderthals thinking the way we do?”

Zwyns said. “For a long time, a debate opposed scholars who consider Homo sapiens as an exception to those who suggest that Neanderthal and modern human cognitive skills were alike. Among the numerous and unambiguous material testimonies of H. sapiens symbolic thoughts documented for at least 40,000 years, is the spectacular cave art.

In comparison to this rich record, the evidence for such behavior among Neanderthals and the other members of the genus Homo is scarce and often debatable.”

ELLEN DEAN / COURTESY

Herbarium exhibits plant species significant to Hmong Exhibit shows scientific and cultural roots of plants used by Hmong

BY MAT T MAR CUR E science@theaggie.org

In January, the Herbarium at the UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity hosted a botanical tea event with an exhibition of Hmong plant specimens for culinary and medicinal use. A follow-up exhibit was given at the Herbarium on Biodiversity day in February.

The exhibitions were arranged by Herbarium curator Ellen Dean and Mai Xiong, a fourth-year sociology and Asian American studies double major who has worked at the Herbarium since her sophomore year, with additional help from Herbarium staff. The specimens on display were culled from a collection of over one hundred different plants from earlier university projects, explained Dean.

When Xiong came across this fairly extensive collection, she was inspired.

“Because Hmong is an ethnic group that is not well known, it surprised me that there was a collection of Hmong plants,” Xiong said. “I was inspired by the fact that while these plants were being documented important parts of the history of my people were too.”

Xiong, a member of the Hmong Student Union at UC Davis, was inspired to work on the project so as to explore and represent the Hmong cultural roots of the plants. As part of the preparation for the events, she took Dean to Hmong New Year, bought and cooked traditional Hmong food and asked Hmong students to participate.

“I want people to learn how plants are culturally used, in general,” Xiong said.

Bringing the cultural history to bear on plants is a type of study referred to as ethnobotany. But

what does that really mean?

“I favor a broad definition of ethnobotany as the study of direct relationships and interactions between people and plants,” said Daniel Potter, a professor in the department of plant sciences who teaches a course on ethnobotany at UC Davis.

“This includes studies of how people use, manage, perceive and describe plants.”

On the exhibit, Potter was enthusiastic.

“I think it’s a great contribution to understanding not only traditional plant-people interactions but also how they may change,” Potter said. “One of the reasons I like the broad definition of ethnobotany described is that it encompasses studies of migrations of people, movements of plants and cultures, and how cultural and biological changes affect people’s interactions with plants.”

This is especially significant for the Hmong culture, which has had only an oral language for most of its history. Without a formalized written language before the end of the 19th century, a lot of personal history has never been documented. The plants, then, serve as a type of text that hold the historical and cultural stories of the Hmong culture.

This aspect of the exhibition was important to Xiong, and through her research, it even brought her closer to her parents and to her culture. As a child, she never really cared for the plants her parents grew in their home garden, she explained. To this day, she says, her parents grow and collect plants that have been passed down for generations in their family.

“I began to have more conversations with my parents about plants,” Xiong said. “Those conversations usually turned into a mixture of HERBARIUM on 12

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 | 9

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

HE WAS CLEARLY GOING TO BE THE RESPONSIBLE ONE...

BY T E RRY HUDSON

It’s never like the movies. Tom knew this much as he unlocked the door to his second floor dorm room in Segundo. He found his roommate already settled on one not very decorated side of the room (the side that Tom would have preferred, but it wasn’t the end of the world). Tom’s overly enthusiastic mother introduced herself first and hugged Tom’s roommate, who introduced himself as Paul once Tom’s mother stopped restricting his airway.

Tom knew that every depiction of college he had seen on TV and in movies was complete bull, but that somehow, he’d find a way to have fun in cow town — on his own terms.

Tom is from Los Angeles and contemplated turning back several times on the long road up The 5 (not “I-5,” to be clear). Tom is from a beach town in south county, and most of his décor is clichéd and very telling of his nautical upbringing.

However, his lack of care wasn’t because it reminded him of home — he just never cared.

Both families went to the dining commons to eat together because everyone was in the mood to talk to each other after a long day of traveling. No one knew what to get, so they all stuck to the salad bar and pizza. Tom and Paul said goodbye to their parents (that they would be seeing at every possible break) and awkwardly walked back to their dorm. Tom forgot his ID, but Paul didn’t. He was clearly going to be the responsible one. They both plopped on their beds. Paul pulled something out of his pocket and offered it to Tom, but Tom couldn’t see what it was behind the desk shelf and he learned forward to catch a glimpse.

Next week: There were two of him

Sudoku Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain one of each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

ARTS & Culture Jenn Im: 4.1 million and counting UC Davis alumna succeeds as content creator

A DAM R I N DY / CO URT E SY

BY CEC I L I A M O RA L E S arts@theaggie.org

Among the diverse list of notable, accomplished alumni from UC Davis, Jenn Im is a shining stand out. A Korean-American Youtube fashion, lifestyle and beauty vlogger, digital influencer, fashion designer, and collaborator, Im’s reach (and talent) is expansive and continues to arrive at new heights.

Often, conflicts surrounding genuinity come into play with content creators and those with large followings on social media. Im attempts to break through that by really being as true to herself as she can be. This standard of authenticity she holds for herself characterizes everything she does, recommends, says and posts about while promoting a message of positivity at the root of it all.

“It’s a simple wish — but I just hope that they [her followers] can get some type of positive influence from it,” Im said. “I try to keep my content as positive as possible, while still being realistic about my own emotions. A lot of people might see me as one-dimensional in the sense that the content I put out is always usually happy or uplifting, but I am just like any other person. I experience grief, pain, and loss — I just sometimes choose not to show that part of my life.”

Inherently, Im pushes a message of inclusivity, shifting societal norms on what is deemed beautiful or even acceptable.

“Growing up, I never saw anyone in traditional media that looked like me,” Im said. “To be frank, I am a petite 5’1” Asian girl and that is definitely not the norm in American society.”

According to Im, Youtube and the Internet at large were able to fill this role of giving her a

free, welcoming platform from which her voice could be heard. In turn, she was given a chance to impact other people’s lives.

“I guess I retreated to YouTube and the Internet because it was there that I found representation,” Im said.

“I’m happy now that girls can find my channel and my content and hopefully see a face that looks familiar.

I’ve never felt treated differently because of my Korean identity, but I do find that in Korea, I am too American.

And in America, I am too Korean. It’s this weird limbo where you don’t feel 100% accepted, but it’s something that I’ve learned to accept and grow with.”

Im’s channel, named “clothesencounters,” originally started off as a collaborative effort between her and a friend from her Los Angeles hometown. After about a year and a half, Im took the reigns and continued the channel alone while attending UC Davis. On how her channel has evolved over the years, Im notes the core of it hasn’t really been altered, but that other production and content related changes have occurred.

“I think the core of my channel has stayed the same — I’m introducing my genuine and authentic interests and passions (fashion, beauty, lifestyle) on a weekly basis,” Im said. “I love to share and make content that can uplift people’s day whether that’s through a vlog or inspiring someone through a lookbook. But of course, a lot has also changed [...] My beauty skills have definitely improved over the years (haha) and the production level has increased a lot as well. I also have a graphic designer and my fiancé, Ben, as my videographer.”

Regarding her style evolution, Im credits to her surroundings as an influence. Her main approach when it comes to clothes, though, has always been having fun with it. Her greatest advice is prioritizing the garments that make you feel comfortable but, most importantly, ensure that you like yourself above all else.

“I think my style is always somewhat influenced by my surroundings,” Im said. “For example, in the bay, it was definitely more vintage and more about mixing high and low. But because Los Angeles is such a hub for fashion, I feel like I’ve refined my style here and in tune with trend forecasting.”

On creativity, the creative process and slumps, Im highlights the importance of just consistently practicing her craft all the time even when creativity seems to be at a low point.

UC Davis TO Host Fourteenth Annual HellaCappella

Mondavi showcase features diverse range of a cappella groups

DI A N A L I / AG G I E F I L E

Hopeful Art for Youth in need

MOR G A N T I E U / AG G I E FI LE

BY NICOL AS RAG O arts@theaggie.org

Houses are sacred locations, meant to protect and foster families within. Yet, when that ideal is not achieved, homes can be dangerous and come with negative influences. Unfortunately, victims to these hardships are often children. Focusing on the Yolo County Juvenile Hall, The Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) at UC Davis aims to motivate such misguided youth onto better paths.

On April 11, YEP will host its annual

art show to promote YEP’s goal and share participants’ art. Vice President Daniela Chavez, a fourth-year Spanish, Chicana/o studies and sociology triple major, explained YEP’s ambition. “[The kids in the program] come from broken families, group homes, abusive households and how many of the times, the kids just need someone to believe in them, someone to listen to them and someone to tell them they can be whatever they desire in life,” Chavez said. “To me, YEP’s purpose is to be the mentor, the friend, that person that gives the detained

BY ISAAC FLOR ES arts@theaggie.org

As students return from a week of rest and relaxation, UC Davis has no shortage of events to keep the fun going well into Spring Quarter. One such event is the 2018 HellaCappella showcase, featuring a cappella groups from all over the west coast.

For the past 14 years, HellaCappella has served as a platform for a diverse range of vocal performance groups. This year, the event is hosted by The Spokes, an all female a cappella group based in UC Davis. They have assembled groups from throughout and beyond the UC system to participate.

From UC Berkeley, Dil Se is an a cappella group which blends the rich musical traditions of Southern Asia with contemporary conventions of a cappella.

“We’re going to be debuting two new songs in our three-set piece,” said Divyaditya Shrivastava, a secondyear mechanical engineering major at UC Berkeley and member of Dil Se. “We’re super excited to show them off.”

The concert will also feature performances from UC Davis a cappella groups including The Spokes and the Liquid Hotplates. The Spokes is UC Davis’ premier all female a cappella group.

“Our most important mission when it comes to

Spring-Inspired FooD

L IZ W EST [CC BY 2.0 ] / F L ICKR

This April, cook dishes with springtime ingredients

BY R OWAN O’CONNELL-GATES arts@theaggie.org

Spring has arrived and, on the coattails of the much anticipated season, with it comes a myriad of exciting ingredients. From asparagus to rhubarb, spring is a time of delicious fresh produce. The Aggie is here to show you not only which spring produce to use, but how to use it.

Gone are the days of the hearty, stick to your ribs winter meals. As delicious as these can be, springtime invites food with the goal of maximizing your day in the sun rather than tiding you over in the frigid winter.

Asparagus is an essential spring vegetable. Along with being great for you, it’s incredibly versatile. Most of us simply grill or saute the green spears but that only scrapes the surface. Mark Bittman of The New York Times has developed a recipe for asparagus pesto. His take on the classic basil pesto is the perfect sauce for spring themed pasta dishes. It can even be used as a spread on toast or served with eggs. Regardless of your pesto usage, this recipe provides a nuanced way to infuse asparagus into your spring meals.

Leeks are another springtime vegetable. These large green stalks are packed with flavor, but often leave individuals stumped as to how to implement them in the kitchen. Look no further than Celia Barbour’s recipe from The New York Times. Her leek, mushroom, and SPRING FOOD on 12

the show is showcasing the best a cappella on the West Coast and this year’s line-up is going to be one of the most talent-filled yet,” said fourth-year cell biology major and co-president of The Spokes, Anusha Suresh.

From UC Santa Cruz, Cloud 9 is an a cappella group which will also be featured at the Mondavi Center showcase. Joining the showcase from Oregon are two a cappella groups: Divisi and On The Rocks.

Founded in 1999, On The Rocks is an all-male a cappella group from the University of Oregon. According to their website, the group has become a success due to its “fun-loving energy, great sound, and charming looks.” They have traveled all over the west coast to be featured in showcases like UC Davis’ HellaCappella.

All of the a cappella groups involved have practiced extremely hard to make this event a success and one that the UC Davis community will remember for years to come.

“We work very hard, and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of something so meaningful and empowering in my college career,” said fifth-year psychology major and co-president of The Spokes, Amanda Beardsley.

The fourteenth annual HellaCappella will take place at the Mondavi Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 6. You can purchase tickets at the door for $22 or online for $17.

UC Davis YEP prepares art from local juvenile hall

youth, some form of hope that will lead them to be successful in this twisted world we live in and help reduce the recidivism rates of kids that return to the facility.”

This goal manifests itself through YEP’s lessons and YEP members’ determination.

“Besides the lesson plans we do with the youth in regards to professional attire for interviews, how to create a resume etc., we simply go in there and try our best to create relationships with the youth and let them know they are not alone,” Chavez said. “We have moments in which some kids are able to graduate high school while detained and they have thanked YEP for helping them, for motivating them and always believing in them. I think moments like these let us know that we are achieving our purpose.”

Marina Kananova, a third-year human development major, explained how YEP’s upcoming art show fits perfectly with their goals as an organization.

“The lesson plans we do with them in the facility — a lot of it is in artwork,” Kananova said. “A lot of the kids, while they’re in there, they like to write poetry, write raps, or draw.”

The art show itself isn’t strictly from the kids.

“A lot of the artwork is [the kids’] artwork that we will be showcasing, but it’s

also the community’s pieces,” Kananova said. “We will be having performers that will be showing art. We actually do have students at Davis that used to be members and they were in the system. So, a lot of them will be showing off their work.”

The president of UCD YEP, Arnie Vega-Palafox, a fourth-year sociology and Chicano/a studies double major, sees Davis students as unique advocators for YEP’s goal.

“As a UC Davis student, we encounter a lot of physical and emotional bumps in our life, yet we’re still at UC Davis, a highly looked at institution,” Vega-Palafox said. “We always tell [the kids] we came from low income communities as well. We had our personal struggles. We had parents who fought. We were surrounded by drugs and alcohol and violence, yet we’re still pushing to better ourselves everyday.”

So, what should Davis students expect at this event? First off, an event with a unique theme.

“We always have a theme and this year the theme is ‘Beauty within the Struggle,” Kananova said. “We came up with a bunch of themes and we actually had [the kids from the facility] vote on it. [...]

‘Beauty within the Struggle’, is something they chose themselves.”

The theme will emerge in the show itn

different ways, including interactive exhibits. This manifests itself through both the YEP members, and their assistance in creating the event, and specifically the art shown by the kids.

“If I remember correctly, we’re going to have this piece that one of the members is working on it’s kind of like a 3D jail cell,” Kananova said. “We were trying to put artwork in there, so people can walk in and kind of experience the tight space. [...]

They can feel like they’re the kids.”

The form of an art show, according to Vega-Palafox, showcases aspects of the children that other forms of presentation can’t.

“It’s unfortunate that we can’t really showcase the kids themselves or showcase any pictures or any video footage of what goes on in the facility,” Vega-Palafox said.

“Actually showing the society, UC Davis students, professors, and anyone else what goes on in the facility is one of our major challenges […]”

This type of art presents the kids’ world in a realistic way, though explicit and painful for some.

“We’ll be showcasing a lot of real life struggles,” Vega-Palafox said. “Instead of showcasing artwork that is displayed in YE PART on 12

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018 | 11

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HOUSING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

sort of parking situation, they tag it and notify TAPS,” Galindo said. “TAPS is responsible for responding, determining if in fact there is a violation, and then citing as necessary.”

White, however, discussed this RA responsibility as “pitting the community against the community” and causing the demobilization of graduate and undergraduate students at Solano Park.

“Immediately, I’m not going to like my RA,” White said. “This relationship of the community with the RAs gets conflicted because of the responsibilities that are forced on them by the administration.”

According to White, the UC Office of the President has only chosen a few developers that the universities “are allowed to contract with,” which has caused confusion regarding the university’s selection process of housing developers.

“We don’t know how they were selected [and] we don’t know why they were selected,” White said.

“No engineering project works like this. You [generally] request for proposals and you get everyone who wants to send a proposal and you evaluate all of them — you have more options. They’re basically creating this kind of a market and there’s no transparency on why these developers were selected. Why was there no affordable housing developer among these people?”

Galindo discussed the process by which these developers were picked.

“We worked with two committees,” Galindo said. “The first committee was chaired by the former dean of graduate division, Jeff Gibling, and they did a pretty extensive review of housing and what graduate student families wanted to see, what was most important to them in a new development. Then, we created a project advisory committee that took that work and developed a request for a proposal for the next version of family housing and we provided some targets for rent. Based on that request for proposal, we gaged the eight developer teams that have been identified from President Napolitano’s housing

initiative.”

Galindo explained that six teams responded from the eight reached out to, and the university interviewed four from there, eventually choosing University Student Living.White said that she was okay with her “rent going to Student Housing and Dining Services.” With the advent of these private developers, however, she said she has a problem with the fact that her “money is going to go into the pocket of a rich developer.”

Frankel emphasized the need for affordable housing on campus for all university students, including international students.

“We know the university can make affordability possible for students,” Frankel said. “We have international students who have whole villages sometimes paying for their tuition just so they can come to the United States and get an education from UC Davis. When we think of this money, we can’t just think about [it] as domestic — we have to think about it as a form of international exploitation. The university knows that students want to come here to get this education and they’re going to do whatever they can do to take that money from that village or that family.”

Frankel also mentioned the difficulties domestic students face who “can’t come to this university because their families don’t have the money to pay for it.” She finds issue in the fact that California residents, who pay taxes that partially go toward public universities like UC Davis, can’t afford to come here because of tuition hikes and limited affordable housing.

White discussed why affordable housing has been an important pursuit of the UAW. “I don’t want to be food insecure to pay my rent,” White said. “My quality of life dropped and I was considering whether or not it was worth it — to put your mental health on the line to pay your rent and to barely get by and not save any money. We are students who cannot afford an emergency.”

CARE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

we talk with the children in our lives about their bodily autonomy? Are we forcing them to hug and kiss their relatives when they really do not want to?

And then what kind of message does that send for them long-term that they really do not have the right to say no or set boundaries for themselves?”

Meredith spoke about intervention in a range of different situations, from potentially dangerous situations to derogatory posts on social media.

“The other thing I would say is that there are sometimes opportunities to intervene in situations where it is not [what] we would consider a high-risk situation,” Meredith said. “By standard intervention, it does not have to be a situation where I see somebody who is really incapacitated, far too drunk and somebody else seems to be escorting them upstairs. That might be a high-risk situation where hopefully somebody will intervene in that situation.

But there might also be opportunities to intervene in situations where somebody posts something really derogatory about a particular gender on their Facebook account and that might be an opportunity to intervene.”

Esther Grace Pillitiere, a third-year psychology major at UC Davis and a student volunteer at CARE, spoke about what brought her to join the program.

“They did the VIP talk at orientation and I was there and I really enjoyed it,” Pillitiere said. “And the thing I loved about the talk is that they were talking about prevention and usually when people talk about prevention for sexual violence they talk about the buddy system, always be with a friend, carry your keys and do not go in dark places. And I remember [Meredith] saying those are good, but that is not prevention. If you want to prevent sexu-

al violence, then do not have non-consensual sex. I really appreciated that, because that is so right. Basically, I was really struck by their approach. I thought it was really genuine, direct and awesome, so I asked if I can volunteer for an internship.”

Pillitiere spoke about how volunteering at CARE has changed her.

“My language and approach have changed,” Pillitiere said. “A lot of the times when people [...] talk about these issues, it is binary — like they kind of picture that a man who is a stranger who is hiding in the shadows who attacks a woman who is walking by herself and they do not know each other.

That is not true. Oftentimes, usually, it is an acquaintance.”

Pillitiere also added that sexual violence affects people of marginalized communities the most and that “anyone can experience sexual violence.” She said that it’s important to realize that “folks with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA community, minorities and other marginalized communities experience sexual violence at much higher rates.”

Additionally, Pittman discussed a challenge of providing prevention education to the large demographic of students on campus, from “different parts of California,” the United States and the world.

“Especially for international students, this is a topic that is completely new for them,” Pittman said. “I do not think even nationally that [sexual violence prevention] is taught in high schools a lot of times. Especially when we are talking about prevention — trying to work on empowering students — that is why we do bystander intervention [training], trying to normalize and instill that into the culture and really send the message that this is how it is done here. This is UC Davis.”

TRAIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

bars and pubs. That is the big deal. We don’t want to see more people take a wrong turn and end up at the railway again.”

Paul also wishes that the city can take preventative measures.

“We hope that the city can provide some measures to prevent people from getting close to the tracks,” Kasemsap said.

Justin Jacobs, the director of media relations for Union Pacific Railroad, elaborated on the investigative process the company takes.

“In regard to when incidents happen at specific crossings, the way those are handled is that our Union Pacific Police Department works in coordination with the local police departments,” Jacobs said. “They basically conduct investigations around what happened during those incidents. Unfortunately, at this location in Davis, we have had some incidents both recently and in the past. Our goal is to get those incidents down to zero and the way we do that is to work with local municipalities, as well as raise safety awareness all across the railroads.”

Nancy Sheehan-McCulloch, the California Operation Lifesaver state coordinator and executive director, explained how the nonprofit organization is taking steps to reduce train fatalities like this in the future. The organization is a safety education and awareness program dedicated to ending collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way in the state of California.

“Every three hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train,” Sheehan-McCulloch said. “The whole United States is impacted and California has many of those incidents as well. It is an ongoing challenge that we face everyday. One of the things we can do to prevent train collisions is to raise awareness. We are finding more and more that people are unaware of the law around railroad tracks, and that they need to know that railroad tracks are private property. You must always obey the law because trains have the right of way. It is more about raising awareness among the community and the public so that they understand what they need to do to be aware and alert around railroad tracks.”

The California Aggie is seeking 15 daring and creative artists to modify 15 of our newly repainted newspaper stands! You will be using recycled bicycle parts donated by the Bike Barn to create whimsical and engaging art pieces that maintain the full functionality of a working newspaper distribution stand.

Artist inquiries and design submissions accepted through:

April 12th, 2018

Completed projects done by:

May 21st, 2018

CA AGGIE

News You

Can Use Pick it up Every Thur sday

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SENATE

GUNROCK LAGER

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weeks prior. He turned in his placard to Branson, scolded the Senate for failing to meet quorum at last week’s meeting and said he would not “serve on the same table as people who are racist, transphobic [or] homophobic.”

After the resignation, Nicole Garcia, the Aggie Reuse Store unit director, delivered the store’s Winter Quarter report. The store reportedly developed new committees including internal events, video, analytics and inventory. So far, it has raised a cumulative $6,073 this school year — $2,675 of that during Winter Quarter. Aggie Reuse is focusing on video production for its marketing and is planning its largest revenue stream from Picnic Day in the spring.

Claire Chevallier, a third-year psychology major, reported on behalf of the Sexual Assault Awareness Advocacy Committee. The committee is requiring risk management managers to go through training to handle sexual harassment cases. SAAAC is also planning a sexual harassment forum exclusively for Greek life. Chevallier and graduate student Jessa Rae Growing Thunder will represent UC Davis in a new UC Student Advisory Board for sexual violence prevention.

They will both begin holding office hours next quarter.

Senators Jake Sedgley and Atanas Spasov were appointed as representa-

tive senators for the Council of Student Affairs and Fees.

A ten minute break was called. It ended at 8:53 p.m.

Senator Danny Halawi re-entered the meeting after roll call.

The schedule moved into consideration of old legislation. Because several authors were not present for consideration, ASUCD Resolution #2 and Senate Bills #48, #49, #50 and #51 were tabled until the next meeting.

SB #52, requiring “the ASUCD Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission (ECAC) Chairperson or Commissioner to advise the Whole Earth Festival (WEF) on issues of cultural appropriation” was passed.

There was lengthy discussion over SB #53, authored by Danny Halawi, calling for closer monitoring of attendance at Senate meetings. Time was spent debating what merits an excusable absence from meetings.

Instead of three absences meritting a closed session, now only two will be permitted. If a senator notifies a presiding officer of an emergency less than 24 hours before a Senate meeting is called to order, the officer must notify them if they are excused before said meeting starts. SB #53 passed as amended.

SB #54, also authored by Halawi, requires adoptive senators of SAAAC to ensure that fraternities and sororities publicly display

ASUCD-provided sexual assault awareness visuals. The bill passed as amended.

During public announcements, newly-elected ASUCD president Michael Gofman commented on the new table’s performance as the smoothest Senate transition he had seen.

Abby Edwards, the Academic Affairs Commission chair, stood before the table demanding improved attendance by senators at commission meetings. She cited “abysmal” records of attendance during Fall Quarter. Edwards reminded the table of their obligations to be present at a minimum number of commission meetings per quarter.

“It’s denying them respect they are bylawfully required,” Edwards said.

Ex officio reports were given, followed by elected official reports.

It was announced that Kelly Ratliff, the vice chancellor of finance, operations and administration, had cancelled her planned attendance at this Senate meeting.

Gofman announced that construction on the third floor of the MU will begin in August and will not conclude until next Fall Quarter.

The Mee Room will be unavailable for Senate meetings during that time, and a search for a new venue is underway.

The meeting adjourned at 11:08 p.m.

KINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Stevenson is hopeful for reforms in policing, but thinks that longterm change is out of reach.

“I’m happy to experience it, and be a part of it,” Stevenson said. “But I don’t think change will happen.”

South Sacramento activist Pastor Les Simmons, of the South Sacramento Christian Center, was calm and focused at city hall where protesters filled the lobby while police guarded the entrance to the council chamber and at times chanted “F-k the police” and “20 bullets, murder!”

“Black pain runs very deep,” Simmons said. “Sacramento needs an outlet, and the community needs to come together.”

Simmons emphasized the importance of multiple communities participating and being aware of racial disparities.

“Everyone needs to come together, including the UC Davis community,” Simmons said. “We need solutions, we need system change, we need policy change.”

Stevante Clark later told ABC10’s Frances Wang that he owes Mayor Steinberg an apology and called for unity to combat systemic issues like over-policing, gang violence and poverty, and further called on protesters to stop demonstrating at the Golden 1 Center.

Stevante Clark wants community resource centers created for at-risk youth to be available 24 hours, and believes resources like video games can attract youth, helping keep them off the streets.

Muhammed Ikharo, a fourthyear computer science major, did not attend the protests, but thinks they were necessary to get public attention.

“If you aren’t affected by [protests], then what would you expect to change,” Ikharo said. “You have to make people uncomfortable, you have to make people start talking about this.”

Ikharo is a basketball fan and believes the advocacy coming from the NBA players is good.

“One thing I appreciate about [the Kings and Celtics] PSA is stressing the idea of accountability,” Ikharo said. “I definitely appreciate the way the Kings are using their platform for positive change.”

Ikharo mentioned that he has tickets to an upcoming Kings game, and if a protest happened, he would not be upset and would join in.

“I am a black man in America… what if this would have happened to me, how would my family be affected?” Ikharo said. “Stephon has all this support and he’s not here to see it.”

The Kings and Boston Celtics issued a Public Service Announce-

ment shortly after the shooting. In it, the Kings called for accountability.

“We will not shut up and dribble,” said Garrett Temple of the Kings, responding to a recent comment made by Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

The two teams warmed up with shirts bearing “Accountability. We are one.” on the front, and #StephonClark on the back, one week after the fatal shooting.

Christie believes it is critical for young people and college students to keep participating in this movement.

“I think more than anything, young folks are going to be the next generation to lead us,” Christie said.

“It’s important that young folks get out and speak, and they let their voice be heard. You see the march in Washington to the marches here, the more we do that, the more we’re heard, the more we galvanize, the greater voice we have.”

The Build. Black. Coalition slogan is “This is a movement, not a moment,” and this is an important moment in history in the struggle to eliminate anti-blackness, according to Berry Accius, founder and CEO of Voice of the Youth, a Sacramento organization aimed at helping atrisk youth.

“This is the breaking point, the moment that people like myself have been talking [about], the empowerment of black people, no longer get looked at like I’m crazy,” Accius said.

“This is a moment where even organizations like the Kings have to recognize this attitude that people have with anti-blackness.”

Anti-blackness has historically dominated the United States, but still pervades society today, according to Accius.

“It’s now happening in real time.

You have the Donald Trump era, Dreamers, you have things going on locally in our schools,” Accius said.

Accius maintains that younger generations and college students have a role to play in this fight for justice and equity.

“Continue to make their voices heard, continue to scream loud, let people know this is not an isolated incident,” Accius said. “They’ve had moments and movements at UC Davis […] for college students, it’s not about looking at this moment as something that’s going to go away, let’s look at this moment as something we can build on.”

UC Davis poet mentors from Sacramento Area Youth Speaks led the “Weapons as Words” workshop, which intended to help attendees explore and improve their writing ability by reflecting on their lives.

SAYS works in areas that are tra-

ditionally marginalized from city resources, including Meadowview, where Stephon Clark was shot.

This type of work is not new, according to Vajra Watson, the director of research and policy for equity at UC Davis and the founder of SAYS. “We consider ourselves part of the community that was struck by the police brutality and police violence against Stephon Clark,” Watson said.

Watson noted the recent emergence of young leaders recently that should be honored, but Watson is concerned that institutions of higher learning do not offer enough courses on community organizing and scholar activism.

“One of my concerns for this generations is how they are being trained, and how do we turn this into a movement, not a moment,” Watson said. “I think the movement aspect of it needs to come with some educational prowess.”

SAYS will be presenting at 2018 annual meeting of American Educational Research Association this month, one of the largest education conferences in the world.

SAYS, according to Watson, has influenced colleagues in the education field.

“A lot of other faculty and colleagues from other universities want to know how they can have a model similar to SAYS at their university or their community college,” Watson said. “Because it’s a really unique way to connect our education and this liberatory pedagogy in a way that holds the university accountable to the community in innovative ways.”

SAYS program coordinator Patrice Hill said that younger generations are taking a different approach to activism and that the use of social media could be a reason.

“College students rely heavily on social media as a basic way to communicate and I also think they’re using social media as a form of activism,” Hill said. “Not everyone can be on the frontline, but spreading that message saying you’re not going to take it anymore, reposting messages, it’s all a part of ending the over-policing of black and brown communities.”

Hill spoke of the demonstrations and protests that followed the police shooting of Clark and contends that the pressure for change is mounting.

“You can see from the [special] city council meeting Tuesday night, there is going to be no more politely asking to be treated to be treated with human rights, we’re going to take those rights,” Hill said. “At the end of the day, people are tired of asking.”

Sudwerk and the DeWit family are giving back to the school in the form of an athletic scholarship.

“The value of the rice given by the DeWit family, means that instead of the brewer paying for that ingredient, they are giving the money to the school directly,” said Rocko DeLuca, the deputy director of athletics. “It’s pretty unique given that there are not many schools that have a branded beer out there. I think it speaks to the importance, to the value that we are trying to insure which is giving back to the school.”

Aside from differing recipes, the key difference between Aggie Lager and the new Gun-

rock Lager is the university branding, which includes the beloved mascot Gunrock.

“We wanted to start something sustainable, over the course of time, something to help build our brand,” DeLuca said. “We just wanted to make sure that we had the right partner and having ‘Go Ags’ and Gunrock our mascot associated with the beer.”

The lager had a soft roll out for basketball season, only being served in draft form. This will continue through baseball season with an official retail release scheduled for late spring, where it will also be sold at local restaurants and grocery stores.

RESTORATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Cold water from the dam creates habitat for California fish, which help keep the waterways healthy and lively. Fish serve as food for some species of birds, which then create nesting habitats for other types of birds. The complex ecosystem of the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve is improving because concerned citizens managed to turn the faucet back on almost 20 years ago.

“When you have more water in the habitat, you have changes in humidity, the vegetation gets affected and becomes lusher, insects become more plentiful, birds become more plentiful because the resources increase,” Engilis said. “It’s all related to the re-watering of the creek.”

Increasing water flow to the creek, install-

ing nest boxes in trees, and improving the surrounding landscape of the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve has significantly strengthened the bird populations in the area. Future work will continue to ensure the whole ecosystem can thrive for years down the line. The Solano County Water Agency will be funding bird monitoring through the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology until at least 2027.

“Ultimately, we want riparian bird populations in the Central Valley to be large enough that they’re going to be resilient and able to recover from the challenges in the future,” Dybala said. “We want riparian ecosystems throughout the valley that are capable of supporting these bird populations and other wildlife and ecosystems processes.”

HERBARIUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

plants, Hmong cultural practices and the religion, which is commonly known as shamanism.”

Xiong hopes that those who have seen the exhibit gain more awareness of the Hmong culture and its complex social history. And

through all her and the herbarium team’s hard work, it seems to have paid off.

“We have an exhibit and tea every January, and this particular exhibit attracted more undergraduates than any previous exhibit,” Dean said.

SPRING FOOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

goat cheese tart perfectly uses the vegetable.

The dish is marked by its student friendly approach. Simply requiring store bought puff pastry, mushrooms, leeks and cheese. Only taking minutes to assemble, this tart will wow guests without any of the expected arduous kitchen work.

Lastly, we have frozen yogurt. After all, no meal list is complete without a dessert. Sherbet, sorbet, frozen yogurt and ice cream are all synonymous with warm spring or summer days. David Lebovitz spent his early years at famed Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, where he honed his skills as a cook. One of his main

areas of knowledge lies within the realm of frozen desserts. His mango frozen yogurt provides the perfect example of the warm weather sweet we all crave. While mangoes aren’t known as a springtime fruit, there are many other fruits such as peaches, strawberries and apricots that could serve as delicious substitutes.

The beauty in springtime dishes is that they don’t have to be complex. In fact as the above recipes have shown, they are often times deceptively simple. Make an effort during these next months to seek out spring specific produce. Both you and your guests will thank you for it.

YEP ART CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

San Francisco museums about indigenous people or artwork that is culturally known.

We’re going to be showcasing artwork that is not too recognized, such as: poverty, the struggles of living in a low income community, the struggles of having parents divorced, the struggles of having parents who are not around for much time, sometimes the struggles of not even having a family, real life struggles that these kids go through.”

YEP may focus on the youth in facilities, but its work also has an effect on the YEP members themselves. Often, members leave the experience with strong memories and a motivation to continue their work.

“Although my visits are amazing, I sometimes have to face the youth that unfortunately will not be out any time soon and it’s very challenging to be okay with what they are telling you in the moment and being able to respond to them in a matter [in which] they know you are still there for them,”

Chavez said. “YEP has changed me and I hope to continue bettering our organization alongside all the members because a board position does not make any of us better at helping the youth. At the end of the day they are our priority and the reason why I partake [in] a role in YEP.” While the content is heavy, Vega-Palafox ensures that the takeaway, from both the program and the art show, is meant to be one of hope. “[The kids] may be going through these struggles, yet they have a bright future ahead of them,” Vega-Palafox said. “Everyone has potential. You make one mistake, that does not define your life.”

As April 11 approaches, YEP prepares to present honest art — art that doesn’t necessarily apply to artistic movements; art that isn’t given a grade; but art that showcases these children’s harsh life and the hope YEP offers them. More can be found out about YEP on its Facebook page.

GIANTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

office went out and signed closer Mark Melancon to a four-year deal worth $62 million.

Melancon will begin this season on the disabled list due to an elbow injury.

In the meantime, San Francisco will have to depend on right handed flamethrower Hunter Strickland to record the final three outs in the ninth inning.

The Giants definitely have their work cut out for them, playing in the ultra-competitive

NL West division that sent a total of three teams to the postseason in 2017. If the club can somehow survive and avoid further injuries until Bumgarner returns in the middle of the season, they could have a shot to make a run towards a postseason berth down the stretch. With all of the moves made in the offseason, the team’s ownership has made it clear that the Giants are still in “win-now” mode.

13 | THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SPORTS KINGS, SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY JOIN FORCES TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR STEPHON CLARK Protesters, activists battle racial disparities through sports platform

BY BOBBY JOHN sports@theaggie.org

The Sacramento Kings teamed up with the Build.

Black. Coalition and the Black Lives Matter Sacramento chapter at “Kings and Queens Rise: A Youth Voice Forum for Healing” to create of an education fund for Stephon Clark’s family as well as a multi-year education fund intended to help youth at the South Sacramento Christian Church on March 30.

Over 500 attendees participated in an evening of lectures from community leaders and a writing workshop with UC Davis poet mentors. There was also a Q&A session with Garrett Temple, Vince Carter and former Kings player Doug Christie.

This coalition was formed following the March 18 shooting of Stephon Clark. Clark, a 22-year-old father of two, was shot and killed by police in Sacramento in his grandmother’s backyard. Officers say they believed his cell phone was a firearm.

Protests took place at multiple locations last week in Sacramento: outside of Sacramento County District Attorney Marie Schubert’s office, at Sacramento City Hall, and on I-5. The protests led to traffic stoppage and a blocked the entrance to the Golden

1 Center, delaying the basketball game’s start time and forcing police to shut the doors to ticket holders twice in one week.

President Donald Trump called the shooting a local issue, but the demonstrations quickly garnered national media attention.

Dr. Bennet Omalu’s autopsy revealed that Clark was shot eight times; six bullets hit Clark in the back.

The Sacramento County Coroner’s autopsy was completed on March 20, but those results are not expected to be released until after the Sacramento district attorney’s office completes its investigation of the shooting.

A Sacramento Police Department statement said that “prior to the shooting, the involved officers saw the suspect facing them, advance forward with his arms extended, and holding an object in his hands.

At the time of the shooting, the officers believed the suspect was pointing a firearm at them.”

The Golden 1 Center was first targeted by protesters on March 22 and again on March 27. No official attendance was given by the Kings, but estimates put attendance for March 27 at around 4,000 out of a 17,600 seat capacity.

TRAV IS W I S E [CC BY 2 .0] / FLI CK R

A’S, GIANTS LOOK TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN 2018 Bay Area baseball teams face similar challenges to stay in contention this season

BY B REN DA N O G B U R N sports@theaggie.org

Both of the Bay Area’s baseball teams, the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants, kicked off their seasons last Thursday afternoon with close victories over their in-state division rivals. The 2018 season marks a big anniversary for both clubs in their time on the West Coast. This year, the A’s will celebrate their 50th year in Oakland and the Giants will honor their 60th year in San Francisco.

B OB BY JOH N / AGG IE

For both days, protesters caused police to close the doors to ticket holders due to safety reasons. Sacramento police worked with the Golden 1 Center to increase security, installing fencing and barricades in anticipation of the March 29 game against Indiana.

“This is going to get everyone’s attention,” said Paul Desrochers, a protester who blocked the entrance to the Golden 1 Center on March 27. “What we want and need, needs to be heard, as black men, black women everywhere, and it’s not just Black Lives Matter, all lives matter. I have a white mom and girlfriend.”

“The police are crooked,” Desrochers said. “They have their own 10th amendment, they have the police bill of rights. They are above everything.”

Activists and protesters also showed up at Sacra-

The A’s enter the 2018 campaign with a renewed sense of optimism toward the future, after seeing some of the team’s top prospects make their big-league debuts last season and experience a good deal of success. In addition, Oakland stirred up some excitement with a red-hot September, winning 17 of their last 24 regular season games.

The team has finished in the cellar of the AL West for the last three consecutive years, so the only direction it can go is up. Despite last season’s struggles, the A’s still played an exciting brand of baseball, bashing the fourth-most home runs in the league with 234 and recording 11 walk-off wins.

Oakland should have no trouble scoring runs once again in 2018, rolling out quite a well-balanced and powerful lineup. They will undoubtedly depend on the long ball once again, but will really need to put the ball in play more if they hope to have sustained success at the plate. The team set a franchise record with 1,491 strikeouts in 2017.

No other player in Major League Baseball has hit more home runs over the last two seasons than left fielder Khris Davis, who has slugged 85 ever since being traded to the A’s in the winter of 2016. Oakland will depend on him to continue being the anchor in the middle of the lineup.

First baseman Matt Olson, who hit 24 home runs in a short stint of 59 games last year, will also look to prove that his early success was no fluke. The former first round draft pick has the potential to be a cornerstone player for the franchise for many years to come.

The biggest question mark for Oakland heading into 2018 is the starting rotation. Right hander Jharel Cotton, who was supposed to be the team’s third starter, suffered an elbow injury at the tail end of Spring Training and will be forced to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the season. At the top of the rotation, opening day starter Kendall Graveman and lefty Sean Manaea are the only two arms on the staff that have a considerable amount of experience pitching in the big leagues. Oakland will hope to that each guy can deliver about 30 starts and give them a favorable chance to win every time out there.

The club will need to receive contributions from some less experienced arms like Daniel Mengden and Daniel Gossett in order to stay in contention throughout the summer.

Overall, the A’s face an uphill climb to compete in the AL West, going up against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros and talented teams on the cusp of contending like the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels. It is vital for Oakland to avoid the injury bug, especially in a starting rotation that lacks depth in the minor leagues.

If the A’s can get a satisfactory performance from their starting pitchers

mento City Hall where a special meeting was convened by Mayor Darrell Steinberg intended to address the shooting of Stephon Clark. Clark’s brother, Stevante Clark, voiced his frustration during the meeting, told Mayor Steinberg to “shut up” and jumped onto Mayor Steinberg’s desk.

At one point, an attendee pulled out his phone and directed everyone in the room to point their cell phones like guns toward city council members. Then council members were asked whether this looked like a cell phone or a gun.

Mayor Steinberg was visibly frustrated, according to Xzavion Stevenson, a Sacramento State student who attended the meeting.

KINGS on 12

everyday, they have a chance to win a lot of ball games with a greatly-improved bullpen and powerful lineup.

The Giants are looking to bounce back in 2018 after finishing last season with the worst record in the National League at 64-98. It was the the club’s first last-place finish in the NL West in exactly a decade.

Rather than tear down the roster and begin a complete rebuild like most teams do, the Giants opted to reload and give their core another chance to get back to the World Series, where they were victorious in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

After falling short in the Giancarlo Stanton sweepstakes, the Giants managed to trade for third baseman Evan Longoria from the Tampa Bay Rays and outfielder Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Both are all-star players in their early 30s and are among the most consistent, dependable players in the game. Together, Longoria and McCutchen have missed a mere 53 games over the previous five seasons.

The Giants still have a extremely talented core of players on the infield with catcher Buster Posey, first baseman Brandon Belt, second baseman Joe Panik, and shortstop Brandon Crawford. The addition of Longoria only makes this an even better infield defensively.

San Francisco recognized the need to overhaul its outfield, after dealing with inconsistency and an overall lack of production in that area last season both defensively and offensively. The acquisition of McCutchen along with center fielder Austin Jackson, who was traded from the Cleveland Indians, should more than address those issues and provide some much-needed stability and athleticism.

Just like their cross-bay rivals, the Giants face some major concerns with their starting pitching, especially after the injuries to star left hander Madison Bumgarner and right hander Jeff Samardzija. Bumgarner fractured the pinkie on his throwing hand during a Spring Training outing and isn’t expected to return until sometime before the All-Star break, while Samardzija will be sidelined a few weeks with a pectoral strain.

Right-hander Johnny Cueto and opening day starter Ty Blach will be forced to carry some of the load early on in the season and ensure that the Giants are still in solid shape when their high-priced arms return to good health.

The Giants didn’t make many moves to upgrade their bullpen other than signing left handed specialist Tony Watson in free agency. The relief corps struggled mightily at times last season, even after the front GIANTS on 12

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