October 5, 2023

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VOLUME 147, ISSUE 2 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023

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After years of wear and tear, city of Davis updates welcome sign The refurbishment was done in partnership with Davis Odd Fellows

BY CHRIS PONCE city@theaggie.org Throughout the summer, the city of Davis renovated the “Welcome to Davis” sign that is located at the entrance of the Richards Underpass. The sign features 12 different medallions of local nonprofit organizations that are meant to represent values inherent to Davis.

“The welcome sign sets a tone and tenor when people come to Davis,” Jenny Tan, Director of Community Engagement with the city of Davis, said when describing the importance of which organizations are displayed on the sign. “It’s an entryway to Downtown Davis when you’re exiting from the freeway right there. So we sort of understood that there is an importance and levity to being on the welcome sign and what it means when people see these agencies on there.”

According to Tan, the decision of which organizations were to be displayed on the sign was decided by the city of Davis after discussion with the Davis Odd Fellows. These discussions determined that in order to get on the sign, organizations needed to be a nonprofit that served the Davis community.

Once an organization is on the

The city of Davis’ welcome sign is located near the Richards Blvd. exit off Highway 80 leading into downtown Davis. The sign was recently refurbished after years of wear and tear. Courtesy Photo. sign, there is a yearly maintenance fee Davis Odd Fellows Lodge, Davis as a there are a lot more nonprofits than of $150 that they must pay in order to Platinum Bicycle City by the American there are spots on the sign, and we remain on it.

League of Bicyclists, Davis Chamber of felt that the Davis Phoenix Coalition “They [must be] Davis-based with Commerce, Davis Downtown Business was a really great example of sort of a strong Davis-focused local presence,” Association, Davis Farmers Market, an organization that is a nonprofit Tan said. “You know, there are some Davis Phoenix Coalition (DPC), that’s working towards social change organizations that are Davis-based International House of Davis, Kiwanis and really working towards inclusivity, but maybe their presence is stronger Club of Davis, Soroptimist International which really matches well with what the elsewhere. Also, they have to reflect of Davis, Rotary International, Team city values and goals are.” the Davis community and also provide Davis and Tree Davis.

Tan shared that during the critical or important services to the “We really wanted to think about COVID-19 lockdowns, there started Davis community.” having diversity on the sign,” Tan said to be more wear and tear on the sign, The 12 organizations that are regarding the decision to include the there sometimes would be tagging on currently on the welcome sign are the DPC on the sign. “Like I mentioned, the signs and that some medallions were

Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden hosts annual fall season plant sales

BY LILY FREEMAN campus@theaggie.org

The police chief shared that the threat included ‘anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric’

BY HANNAH SCHRADER city@theaggie.org

Davis community members browse the first plant sale of the UC Davis Arboretum’s fall 2023 season. The sale featured over 31 thousand plants. (Lily Freeman / Aggie) come from.

“We get a lot of the plants either from other nurseries or trips that some of the horticulturists go on,” Matson said. “They get cuttings, or we take cuttings from the plants here and we process them ourselves. Then, we fertilize them and stick them into our growing trays, growing them there.

They get bigger and bigger, and then we bring them [to a plant sale]. That’s what you see here.”

These sales are held several times a year on a festival-style level, according to Mara Feldman, a third-year environmental science and management major and cocoordinator of the Arboretum Nursery Internship, and they provide the Arboretum with fundraising.

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Davis Police Department responds to fifth bomb threat

The series of sales promotes thousands of plants grown at the Arboretum

On Sep. 30, Davis community members walked into the first Arboretum plant sale of the fall 2023 season. Held by Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, a community group that supports the Arboretum, the sale featured over thirty-one thousand plants, dozens of volunteers, informational booths and a bluegrass group performance.

These sales take place on the oneacre Arboretum nursery and highlight a wide variety of low-water and easycare plants suitable for the region, according to the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden website. Zoe Matson, a third-year landscape architecture major and staff member of the Arboretum Nursery internship, explained where all of these plants

missing. During the lockdowns, the city covered the old sign with a Healthy Davis Together Banner, but once that was taken down the sign had even more damage.

According to Tan, there had been efforts over the years to update the sign. She expressed that there was an effort to remodel the sign when the pandemic started but it was stalled as a result of the health crisis. In 2022, Dave Rosenberg with the Davis Odd Fellows reached out to the city about refurbishing the sign, and a partnership was formed.

“The Davis Odd Fellows are delighted to partner with the City of Davis to bring back our newly upgraded Welcome to Davis sign that had fallen into disrepair,” Rosenberg said in a statement made on the city of Davis website. “This traditional sign welcomes folks to Davis as a community of active residents and organizations.”

While the changes made have been an improvement, Tan shared that the city still hopes to be able to replace the sign with the funds from the featured organizations’ yearly maintenance fees.

“[The proceeds] go to support the Arboretum,” Feldman said. “The Learning by Leading programs that are funded through the Arboretum are also helped by the sales here. They go towards getting more plants, taking care of them and just taking care of our Arboretum.”

The Learning by Leading internship program offers students opportunities to address a wide range of environmental sustainability issues, according to the Learning by Leading website. Students in the program work in the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, working on sustainability projects and propagating the plants that are sold at the plant sale.

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On Sept. 25, the Davis Police Department responded to the most recent in a series of bomb threats which have resulted in a delayed start for local schools. This marks the fifth bomb threat made following a controversial event held by Yolo County Moms for Liberty in late August. Police Chief Darren Pytel shared that the messaging of the threats contained anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric.

“The most recent threat was emailed to several California agencies and media outlets,” Pytel commented in a Facebook statement. “The message shared similar anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric against our schools and community as in the previous threats. It is clear that the sender is attempting to terrorize and disrupt this community to advance their particular hateful ideology, which in itself is outrageous and has no place in Davis or any other city.”

Pytel commented on the status of the ongoing overarching bomb threat investigation that has promoted in the involvement of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Yolo County authorities.

“While we are continuing to work with our regional and federal partners to investigate these crimes, we have not been able to locate the person or persons responsible for the threats,” Pytel said. “The IP addresses on each of the emails have been traced, but so far, their origins are coming back to other countries, including Nigeria. Unfortunately, there is basic computer technology that enables email authors to disguise the correct location of where an email originates.

In some cases, separate emails are sent to senders in other countries so the email does in fact originate in another country.”

Pytel stated that a “particular

ideology” is associated with the threats and that the correlation between the Yolo County Moms For Liberty event and the threats can’t be overlooked.

“The continuing threats originated shortly after a contentious event, hosted by Moms for Liberty, was held at the Yolo County Library,” Pytel said. “The event quickly made national news espousing a particular ideology that is related to the language in the threatening emails. Although there is currently no evidence pointing to any involvement between local members and the threats, the correlation between the two cannot be ignored as part of the overall criminal investigations.”

At the time of publication, Yolo County Moms for Liberty has not made a public statement regarding the fifth bomb threat. However, on Sept.

29, they forwarded the same press release that they made in response to the second and third threats.

“Violence is never the appropriate response,” the press release reads. “Any news reporting that would imply our organizations are in any way associated with or responsible for these threats is wrong and maliciously inaccurate.”

In the statement made by Davis PD, Pytel said that local social media posts have been shared to the Yolo County District Attorney to review for criminal charges.

“While the First Amendment protects certain types of speech, there is certainly speech involving criminal threats and bomb threats that are criminal in nature,” Pytel said.

“Because of this, criminal cases have been forwarded to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office to review for criminal charging regarding some of the local social media postings affecting the community that may constitute criminal doxing (threats or harassing communication via communications including social media).”

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Davis Musical Theatre Company wraps up “Something Rotten!” as their first show of the musical season The company celebrates their 39th season against all odds

BY ZOE SMITH city@theaggie.org

Davis Musical Theatre Company (DMTC) is finishing up their run of the musical “Something Rotten!” underwritten by Georgia Paulo. Next month “Oklahoma!” will be playing from Nov. 3 to Nov. 26.

Co-founders Jan and Steve Isaacson started the theater company on March 1, 1984. They produce 11 musicals each year and are the longest running year-round amateur musical theater company in California, according to their website.

“We provide something that really no other theater company can provide in Davis — Acme Theatre Company is for teens,” Steve said. “We have both a mainstage and a youth program. The mainstage involves all ages, and the youth is seven to 17. So we provide it for the audience, for the actors [and] for volunteers.”

Davis Musical Theatre Company, commonly referred to as DMTC, is a non-profit organization. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the Isaacson’s reimbursed season ticket holders and produced 10 virtual shows free of charge. All members of DMTC are volunteers, including the founders.

“So the fact [is] that nobody is paid, not my wife and myself, nobody except the piano player, not even the orchestra

[...]” Steve said. “We lead by example by not getting paid. I’m not going to ask people to volunteer if I’m not going to do it. We live on Social Security. We prove you can live on Social Security.”

DMTC received the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration due to a 92% loss in revenue from the years 2019 to 2020. During the pandemic, the theater company’s rent went up seven times its normal amount. It is because of this grant that DMTC is still open and producing musicals regularly.

Audience member Linda Beckemeyer comes to all DMTC performances. She runs a group called “Trilogy Broadway Bound” for people living in Trilogy Senior Living in Rio Vista to come watch local theater together.

The group plans to attend all the plays DMTC is showing for their 39th season of musicals, as well as the 20232024 season for the Downtown Theatre in Fairfield.

“I loved it; so much spirit and fun,” Beckemeyer said when describing the show. “It just made me feel alive.”

“Something Rotten!” is the first of the 39th anniversary season of musicals to show. Up next is “Oklahoma!” and soon after “Seussical The Musical” will be playing from Jan. 5 to Jan. 28.

“Fiddler on the Roof ” will have a run from March 1 to March 24, “Into The Woods” runs from April 26 to May 19 and Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” plays

Davis Musical Theater Company recently wrapped their production of “Something Rotten!” They group is the longest running year-round amateur musical theater company in California, opening in 1984. (Zoe Smith / Aggie) from June 21 to July 14.

Cast member and recurrent actress for DMTC Cassie Mosher has been a performer at the company on and off for

10 years. She played the character Bea in “Something Rotten!” Some of her previous roles include Fiona in “Shrek the Musical” and Tanya in “Mamma

Mia!” “They don’t just stick you in a box of just safe shows, we do what’s fun and exciting,” Mosher said.

September city council meeting introduces new “inclusive parks” programming for Davis youth

The new series is intended to increase resiliency in youth through multiple recreational activities will be carried over to run similar programming in winter 2024.

The first program, the Mutual Housing Series, opens up recreational programming to youth residing in Mutual Housing Properties. Adalante and New Harmony, the Mutual Housing sites with the greatest density of children, hosted a “Mad Science and Kids in the Kitchen” program where around 30 children and their families participated. Manor Pool Mutual Housing provided introductory swimming lessons and an open pool day.

The second program, Migrant Center Soccer, partnered with Yolo County Housing to provide a threeday soccer program with over 25 participants and even ended the program with a snow cone food truck and a pizza party.

The last program was an English as a Second Language (ESL) program at the South Davis Montgomery Library where the city partnered with the Yolo County Library to launch a 10-week literacy program held in the evenings to assist adults and their families with learning English. Since the city recognized that childcare could pose a barrier to attending evening classes, they provided onsite recreational programming to the children as well as dinner to each family.

“All children deserve to play and grow in a safe environment with programming that meets their needs,” Parks and Community Services Director Deanne Machado said in the statement. “We will continue to work on dismantling barriers to participation because the inclusion of all children in our programming is a priority.”

BY MADELEINE YOUNG city@theaggie.org

During the Sept. 19 city council meeting, the “Inclusive Parks, Inclusive Hearts: United Communities Through Recreation” initiative was presented: a series of programming that provides free recreation to under-resourced youth as well as their families.

This new series features three programs created with the intent to help increase resiliency in youth through “healthy social interaction, physical exercise, competency building and connection to nature while reducing barriers, such as cost, program awareness, language, transportation, enrollment logistics and timing,” according to a statement made by the city of Davis.

“Recreational programming can provide many benefits to youth and families but it only works when people can access it,” Davis Mayor Will Arnold said in the statement.

“The more we can do, across all our programming, to create equity and inclusion the more our communities can thrive. A huge thank you to our Parks Department for this amazing work.”

The three programs are completely free for youth and their families as these programs were provided, as well as paid for, by the city with the $50,000 from American Rescue Plan funds allocated for the development of inclusive youth programming.

The statement reports that the three programs cost $38,304 and the remaining balance of these funds

WELCOMETODAVIS FROM PAGE 1 “What we hope to do is build up enough funds in maybe the next couple of years or the next two to five years [to] actually [replace] the sign,” Tan said.

“That sign has been out for many many years and even though it’s still in decent condition right now, at some point the city would like to replace it.”

The current welcome sign has been in Davis for decades. Tan said that since the 1940s there has been a welcome sign in the city and that the city still understands the importance of having one.

“Welcome signs can help shape experience, signify greeting and showcase service to communities,” Mayor Will Arnold said in a statement on the city website. “As such, our ‘Welcome to Davis’ sign not only sets the tone and tenor for those visiting Davis, but also gives a glimpse into the values and identity of the city.”

PLANTSALES FROM PAGE 1 Enola Lagrave, a fourthyear environmental science and management major and co-coordinator of the Arboretum Nursery Internship, said that students can volunteer at the plant sales by signing up on the Arboretum website. Lagrave outlined

KELLIE LIU / AGGIE

the Learning by Leading internship as an additional opportunity for students to get involved with the Arboretum and Public Garden.

“The internships we provide here and all the interns that work for the nursery management team are going to be responsible for volunteering at plant sales,” Lagrave said. “You also get to experience the behind the scenes taking care of the plants, through planting or watering and all the background stuff that goes on.”

Lagrave said that students can sign up for these programs with no experience.

Aside from the plants, there were also several informational booths all addressing a wide variety of sustainability issues, promoting opportunities for students to get involved and helping customers find plants suitable for them.

“Make sure to talk to our experts here at the plant sales,” Feldman said.

“They are the most knowledgeable about both our plants and our climate overall, and they can help you decide which plant would be your perfect fit.”

There will be two more plant sales for the fall season, according to the Arboretum website. One will be held on Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and another on Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“I would highly encourage students to come to the plant sales in the upcoming months,” Feldman said. “These plants are affordable, sustainable and support a good cause.

Even if you don’t buy anything,

spending your Saturday morning surrounded by plants, music and people who love plants sounds like the perfect morning to me.”

FIFTHBOMBTHREAT FROM PAGE 1 Pytel closed the public statement imploring Davis community members to resist against those attempting to threaten the Davis community.

“Lastly, we ask all community members to stand firmly against hate and to continue to denounce those who have placed Davis in harm’s way by placing their ideology on the national stage and bringing these threats to our community.”

On Sept. 25, Anoosh Jorjorian, director of Yolo Rainbow Families, responded in a Facebook video to the threats by leading affirmations. The video was meant to keep spirits up and provide levity in response to the bomb threats, according to a Facebook post by the Davis Phoenix Coalition (DPC).

“Maybe you, like me, woke up to some pretty nasty LGBTQ language this morning,” Jorjorian said in the Facebook video. “So to counteract that toxicity, let’s do some affirmations. Ready? ‘My joy makes haters miserable. Every day that I look into the mirror and go ‘damn I look good’ I give haters indigestion. My very existence and every day that I’m alive, haters can die mad about it.’”

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ARTS & CULTURE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023 | 3

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more

BY CHRIS PONCE arts@theaggie.org Album: “Wild Heart” by Current Joys (2013) As what is definitively their best album, “Wild Heart” by Current Joys is the perfect record to put on shuffle as you explore campus and downtown. Much of their music — and especially this album — celebrates the feeling of nostalgia and growing up. The songs on this album remind me of late nights spent with friends when we all lose track of time. Songs like “New York City” capture the exciting feeling of being in a new place while songs like “New Flesh” portray the spirit of the youthful angst we all experience at times. Discovering this album feels like uncovering something new and special yet familiar at the same time.

Book: “Tender is the Flesh” by Agustina Bazterrica (2017) Content Warning: cannibalism “Tender is the Flesh” is the perfect book to kick off the fall season. Bazterrica’s novel gained recent popularity on “BookTok” for its disturbing content and brutal depiction of its dystopian society in which animals have contracted a deadly virus from humans. As hinted at by the book’s title, the story portrays a world where cannibalism is legalized. I wouldn’t recommend it if horror isn’t your thing. However, if you’re willing to give it a chance, it won’t let you down.

One of my major concerns before reading the book was that it might be another story that relies on brutality rather than a compelling story and message — this is not the case with “Tender is the Flesh.” Through this extreme and what might even seem unrealistic society, Bazterrica tells an important message that critiques our structures of class and culture — and beyond its social critique is a story of grief and detachment. “Tender is the Flesh” is the type of book that will have you turning every page like you are binging a Netflix series. Its message will stick with you regardless if you agree with it or not.

TV Show: “The Good Place” (2016) “The Good Place” was the show I binged on Netflix this summer. Before the school year gets too hectic (if it isn’t already), you should too. This show depicts four humans shortly after their deaths as they enter the afterlife. While covering heavy subject matter, the show still manages to be hilarious and heartwarming.

Its balance between philosophy and comedy is what makes it so profound. It is a unique show, not following traditional character arcs, but every character still manages to be well-written and compelling. The show is only four seasons long, so it is a relatively quick binge. The season finale might be one of the best of any sitcom, giving closure for every character and story thread. Once you finish the show, it will be difficult to say goodbye to any of the characters that you’ve grown to love.

Movie: “Stand by Me” dir. Rob Reiner (1986) It doesn’t matter if you’re a “film bro” or only watch a movie every now and then, everyone needs a comfort movie, and that’s what “Stand by Me” is for me. Based on the Stephen King novella “The Body” (which I would also highly recommend), the movie follows four young male friends on their journey to see a rumored body of a missing local. The setup is grim but the story presented is one about childhood friendships and the difference they make in our lives.

Most people can likely remember their childhood friends, even if they were only there for a brief period of time. That’s the type of friendship “Stand by Me” explores and celebrates. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I watched the movie and read the book and my first reaction was that I wished I had seen this movie as a kid. In our culture of toxic masculinity where affectionate male friendships are often discouraged, “Stand by Me” portrays the boys’ youthful love and support for each other responsibly. This heartwarming movie can really make your day, and I can’t sell it any better than that.

Are you a twenty-something like me and confused about everything? I recommend reading some nonfiction Here are three of my favorite memoirs that have kept me and my existential thoughts company this year

BY SONORA SLATER arts@theaggie.org I was your typical 12-year-old voracious reader, leaving the library with a precarious stack of “Percy Jackson,” “Keeper of the Lost Cities” and “Warrior Cats” novels and flying through them a day at a time. I never cared much about having a refined or intellectual reading taste, or stocking up on my knowledge of the classics (apologies to my English major mother), and I still don’t really — I’m currently on chapter three of the new (new!!) “Percy Jackson” book.

But as much as reading has always been about escapism for me, it’s also become something else as I’ve entered my 20s. It’s been a way to help me navigate real life, a way to learn from other people with other life experiences and perspectives and a way to make me feel less alone.

Good, honest nonfiction helps me remember that other people are also grappling with big life decisions, career goals, relationships and friendships, anxieties, uncertainty about the future, figuring out who they want to be and what they value — you get the picture.

Because of this, if you were to pull up my StoryGraph page from this year (I abandoned Goodreads… traitorous, I know), you would see I’ve been mixing some nonfiction into my steady stream of fantasy, young adult

and, yes, romance novels. Specifically, I’ve been reading a lot of memoirs. So, without further ado, here are my three favorite memoirs that I’ve read this year, and why reading about these authors’ lives and thoughts has stuck with me.

“The Anthropocene Reviewed” by John Green (2021) Yes, that John Green — the one who wrote “The Fault in Our Stars” and taught you most of what you know about U.S. history via his “Crash Course” series on YouTube. If that alone doesn’t convince you to give this book a chance, maybe the fact that it somehow combines “The Penguins of Madagascar,” facts about geese and musings on the complications of human life, love and loss will.

The concept of this book is pretty straightforward: The Anthropocene is the current geological age we’re living in, marked by the impact human activity has had on shaping the planet. Each chapter is a separate essay in which Green “reviews” various aspects of society or the world today, such as the QWERTY keyboard or air conditioning, and then gives it a rating out of five stars.

But at the same time, he weaves in stories about his life and his childhood and his brother Hank, his reality during the pandemic, when he wrote the book, periods of darkness in his life when he struggled with his mental health or battled illness, and periods of light when he spent time with his wife and kids

appreciating the beauty of the world.

But mostly, this book is about hope; finding hope, losing it and finding it again. I debated between a lot of quotes from “The Anthropocene Reviewed” that I thought might give you a taste of its themes, but ultimately I decided that this one describes it best: “Hope is the correct response to the strange, often terrifying miracle of consciousness. Hope is not easy or cheap. It is true.”

I give “The Anthropocene Reviewed” five stars.

“I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy (2022) Jennette McCurdy was a child actor, starring in iCarly after being pushed into the television industry by her overbearing mother who insisted on living her unrealized acting dreams vicariously through her daughter.

Throughout the book, McCurdy recounts struggling with addiction, eating disorders and the extreme perfectionism that she learned by trying to earn her mother’s praise, writing about these experiences in an unflinchingly honest way. Still, her wry humor and insightful reflection on how she’s worked to create a new life and identify for herself as an adult keep the book from getting too dark and give a purpose to the story. Here’s one quote from it that stuck with me: “I’m trying every day to face myself.

The results vary, but the attempts are consistent.”

Educated, recounts author Tara Westover’s journey to receive an education despite her Mormon upbringing. (Maia Zhu / Aggie) “Dinners With Ruth” by Nina Totenberg (2022) The subtitle of this book adds some important context: “A Memoir on the Power of Friendships.”

This book is about more than just NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg’s life; It’s the story of how she and former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg became friends, and then stayed friends, through loss, disagreement, professional conflict of interest and many, many years. It also touches on other friendships she was a part of or witnessed, including those

between people who held very different political views, or different perspectives on life.

In college, I think we’re all learning about complicated friendships — ones where you care about the other person deeply, enjoy spending time with them and learning from them, but you also disagree on certain things that are important to you. Some of my most powerful friendships in college have been the ones where we trust and respect each other enough to disagree.

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UC Davis celebrates Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month Various centers and groups around campus collaborate to give students a month-long celebration of their culture, heritage and identity

BY ELIZABETH WOODHALL features@theaggie.org The UC Davis community is gearing up for a celebration of Chicanx/ Latinx Heritage Month where students can expect events hosted by campus centers and organizations to recognize the Latinx and Chicanx community in Davis. Specifically, events will be celebrating Latin American countries’ independence.

Some of the centers and groups involved include the Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success, the Center for Educational Opportunity Program, the Latinx Staff and Faculty Association, Sol y Luna (from the Student Recruitment and Retention Center), Hispanic-Serving Institution and the UC Davis Cross Cultural Center. The lineup of events is available on the Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success’ Instagram page, @cclass.ucdavis.

Lina Mendez, the director of the UC Davis Hispanic-Serving Institution, or HSI, said that these centers have been in close collaboration with each other to put on these month-long programs.

“We were all able to come up with a very robust calendar,” Mendez said.

“There is a national movement called HSI Week, which is a Hispanic Serving Institution, and it’s usually the week of Sept. 15. There is also a national movement called Hispanic Heritage Month, which goes from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and because we are on the quarter system, it works best for us to take the longer month, so this year, for the very first time, the Chicanx and Latinx community from UC Davis decided to put together a calendar of different events or activities that involve the promotion of Latinx/Chicanx history, arts or different areas like that.”

Even though this month of celebration is referred to as Hispanic Heritage Month, Mendez said that the Davis community was vocal about their disapproval of this title. Instead, they moved towards a term that was more inclusive of the Latinx and Chicanx experience: Latinx and Chicanx Heritage Month.

“We were very intentional with the name; our community did not want it to be called Hispanic Heritage Month, and they felt like we were moving backwards,” Mendez said. “We had a poll and the Davis community had the opportunity to vote and chose the title of Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month.”

With these events lined up, Mendez said that there is an importance in having students feel welcomed on campus as Latinx or Chicanx.

“UC Davis is currently an emerging Hispanic serving institution,” Mendez said. “It’s important for students to feel like they have things on campus that remind them of home, that give them a sense of belonging, that make them feel like they belong to our UC Davis campus. And we’re happy to start the quarter with this celebration.”

Rodrigo Bonilla, the director of the Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success, said that these events are meant to showcase the Latinx and Chicanx community.

“This year, as a community we decided to have a centralized calendar of events from all of the different units on campus that directly support Latinx students,” Bonilla said via email. “We are all hosting various different events that celebrate our culture, heritage and history, and we wanted to make sure that they were all in one place, making it easier for students to find [us]. One of our very own students created the design for our calendar that showcases our community. Additionally, another one of our students from SOL y LUNA also designed and created a website where you can find all of the events that can be added directly to your Google calendar.”

With this celebration of Chicanx and Latinx students and their community, Bonilla said that these events are essential for the celebration of their culture.

“It is very important to have these events to celebrate, acknowledge and provide visibility of our community on this campus,” Bonilla said. “There is so much richness that our beautiful community contributes to this institution, and Heritage Month is so much more than just a celebration. It’s who we are.”

This celebration is not just about Latinx and Chicanx Heritage Month;

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it’s about creating a space for Latinx and Chicanx students to feel seen and welcome. Bonilla said that the center should be seen as a “home” — a space that is supportive and welcoming to the community. Additionally, Bonilla said the center wishes to “support [students] as a person, scholar and future professional.”

Anahi Reyes-Atristain, a third-year mathematics and Spanish major and the community leader at CCLASS, invites students to come into the center, or El Centro, and check out all the exciting events coming up. She said

that these events should foster diversity as well as be educational to Latinx and Chicanx students — and anyone who is interested in learning about their heritage. The center is located on the second floor of the Memorial Union.

“We also have Bienvenida, which is happening on Sept. 30,” Reyes-Atristain said. “These events are there to foster a kind of community and build that community for anyone in general, but especially for the incoming students, whether it be transfers or freshmen, we just want to make sure that everyone feels welcome here.”

The festivities started on Sept.

15 with a celebration of Mexican Independence Day and will come to an end on Oct. 24 with an honorary celebration of Dia de Los Muertos that welcomes Lilia Downs, an artist from Mexico with palpable influence in Latin America. Whether it’s celebrating good food or hosting laid-back movie and game nights, the centers and groups involved have created a line-up of events that welcome everyone to come and celebrate Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month.

Mind and body health through the eyes of Davis yoga teacher Tamara Vodovoz Yoga can improve both your physical and mental health

Students work out at Studio B and C, where yoga classes are usually held. (Shanna Punzalan / Aggie)

BY YASMEEN O’BRIEN features@theaggie.org

An atmosphere of calm surrounds each student scattered across the padded yoga studio. Some sit still with their eyes closed, others are already beginning their stretches. Tamara Vodovoz, a yoga teacher of 14 years, stands in the front of the room setting up her blanket and yoga bricks. She begins by instructing the class to find a comfortable seating position, her voice soft and low.

Vodovoz leads the group in what is called “relaxed mindful movement,” which combines yoga, mindfulness meditation and restorative stretching.

“I never used to think of yoga as exercise, I thought it was basically just meditation,” fourth-year environmental science major Lindsey Gaul said. “But every day I see how

yoga has improved my flexibility, made me stronger and helped lower my stress.”

It’s true — practices like these have been shown to have numerous health benefits including the improvement of diastolic blood pressure, upper body and trunk muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, perceived stress and health perception.

“Yoga gives us permission to feel.

It gives us permission to connect with all parts of our body. It wakes us up,” Vodovoz said. She explains that yoga is not about being able to put your leg over your head — it’s about the way your mindset is altered.

Her connection to the mental benefits of yoga goes back to her early experiences with the practice.

At the age of 17, she was introduced to yoga by her mother, who took Vodovoz to her first yoga class. She was immediately fascinated by it. They attended the class every week and started practicing at home

as well. Vodovoz was also interested in meditation as a teenager as “kind of a personal exploration.”

Vodovoz became a yoga teacher in the late 2000s as part of an expat women’s group in the West African country of Senegal. The group expressed their desire for yoga classes but had no one to teach. As someone who had been practicing yoga for years, she volunteered her services and started guiding yoga practices for the group. When Vodovoz returned to Davis in 2009, she signed up for her first yoga teacher training.

She lays on her side, propping her head up with her wrist, and fidgets with blades of grass. Her warm, brown eyes beam at me as she says, “Yoga has always been something I’ve been drawn to.”

Vodovoz was a graduate student at UC Davis, where she obtained a master’s degree and Ph.D. in veterinary medicine, but this career path quickly burned her out. In 2012,

she decided that as soon as she finished her Ph.D. she was going to do what she had always wanted to do: travel the world, take yoga and massage courses, complete her teacher training and more.

“Every day, we think that we have to be better, we have to work harder.

We have to strive to become this ideal that our parents or our society expect us to be. You can stay in that rat race until the day you die and never ever be happy with who you are, what you have or the relationships you have in your life,” Vodooz said. “Yoga really teaches us to love and accept everything exactly as it is right now.

Happiness is available right now. And that anxiety of the rat race is a f***ing lie.”

She went on to share that her practice has really helped her with this mindset.

Not to mention, yoga has been proven to help you manage your stress. Yoga practices downregulate

the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Essentially, this means that yoga reduces the cellular response to a molecule because of a decrease in the number of receptors on the cell surface, which suppresses our response to a stimulus.

For example, when presented with a stressful situation, consistent yoga practice tells our brains to limit our response to stress chemicals, like adrenaline or cortisol, being released, which would reduce feelings of stress and other bodily stress responses.

Vodovoz embodies this result.

“After I take one of [Vodovoz’s] classes I can feel my stress and anxiety about school melt away,” said fourthyear ecology student Simone Haggerty.

“Yoga helps me keep my peace.”

Vodovoz is no stranger to struggle.

Her paternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Romania who immigrated to Colombia when her father was three years old. Her mother is Indigenous Colombian — which also includes Spanish and West African heritage.

Her parents moved to the United States where her father attended graduate school, and the pair went on to get married. Vodovoz was born in the U.S., but moved to Colombia as a young child and grew up there. She attended veterinary school out of high school before coming back to the U.S. for graduate school. She has lived in Davis since 2005 and visits her parents in Colombia frequently.

“I’m an oddball,” she laughed.

“I’ve never been married. I’ve never had children. Probably won’t do any of those things.”

She shares that her life has been fulfilling in other ways, yoga being one of the most important. The mental peace it gives her is unparalleled.

“I don’t have a particular mantra,” Vodovoz said, “But I’ve had times where I do. Nowadays, honestly, it’s just ‘get up and do my best.’”

When she returned from her year of traveling after her Ph.D., she applied to lab and veterinary medicine jobs, but each interview left her feeling empty, inadequate and dreading the day she’d have to work there.

One day after talking with an old professor, she walked by the ARC and decided to ask about a yoga teaching job. Within a couple of weeks, she was doing just that.

“We can sit here and imagine what could have, should have been. But I think that we have to make smart choices to take care of ourselves first,” Vodovoz said. “Yoga was the way I knew how to take care of myself.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023 | 5

OPINION Meet the Editorial Board

Find out which one of us once wrote an entire magazine about mashed potatoes and whose Roman Empire is the 2014 lifestyle YouTube era WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Ahem. *Clears throat to begin the spiel we tell near daily to friends, family and anyone else who gives us even half a chance to speak* The California Aggie is the official student-run newspaper of UC Davis and, at a university without a journalism major, is the best way for students to gain hands-on experience in written journalism. It also, alongside fellow student media groups KDVS radio and Aggie Studios, offers great opportunities to learn photo, video, design, layout and audio editing skills. We publish a weekly print newspaper on Thursdays and post articles on our website five days a week.

And that’s the cool part about The Aggie — none of us are majoring in journalism, because, well, we can’t, and some of us are even STEM majors.

Many of the students at The Aggie don’t plan to pursue a journalism career post-graduation. And yet, in between studying for the MCAT or working in a lab, attending discussion sections and trying to cobble together some semblance of a social life, everyone here has decided it’s worth it. The late nights, the long meetings. We all think it’s worth it to dedicate time to learning about and informing the Davis community.

That’s especially true of the editorial board (that’s us!): the nine people who manage all of the written content produced by The Aggie and collaboratively produce two editorials each week in which we address topics and issues that we think are relevant to the Davis community in a thoughtful and nuanced way.

You’re going to be seeing a lot of us this year — so we thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce ourselves and share a little bit about how we ended up at The California Aggie.

Sonora Slater, Editor-in-Chief It’s sappy senior time. I thought I had until at least the beginning of spring quarter before nostalgia hit me hard, but writing an introduction to my time at The Aggie and what it’s meant to me feels impossible without a little overdramatic reminiscing on the past

three years.

I joined The Aggie as a volunteer copy editor in October of my freshman year, a.k.a as soon as I possibly could, after discovering a love for journalism in high school. Unfortunately, that was the fall of 2020, and we were all in our Zoom Era. But that didn’t stop me from reading every article that came through our shared Google Drive and starting to learn a little about the people, places and activities that make Davis what it is, even while my physical arrival in Davis had been delayed.

In the spring, I applied to be a writer on the science and technology desk, where, more than anything, I learned something new every single week. I also met editor Maddie Payne and fellow writer Brandon Nguyen, two of the kindest and smartest people I’ve met in my time at UC Davis. That trend only continued as I took on the role of campus news editor my junior year — through helping to cover graduation cancellations, a UC-wide strike, fatal stabbings in the city and, of course, the six-hour-journey that is a weekly ASUCD Senate meeting. The writers on my desk and the other members of the editorial board continuously surprised me with their hard work, kindness, nuanced perspectives and willingness to learn.

I know some of those aren’t traits commonly associated with the media industry, but trust me, something must be in the water at UC Davis because they are true of the people working for The Aggie. I am so excited for this year, and so grateful for all the people who make The Aggie what it is.

My Roman Empire: The California Aggie (it’s sad but true) Clara Fischer, Managing Editor As I sit down to write this introduction, I can’t help but feel a bit sentimental — as Sonora said, it may sound cliche, but your college years really do fly by. Like many of my fellow class of ‘24 students, my first year wasn’t exactly what I had expected it to be. In a year of uncertainty — uncertainty about the pandemic, uncertainty about whether or not I would like Davis, uncertainty about whether or not I could even survive living on my own — I made a promise to myself that no

matter what, I would put myself out there and take advantage of anything and everything my new campus had to offer. So, with no previous journalism experience under my belt besides a love for “Sex and the City” and “Gilmore Girls,” I joined The Aggie during spring quarter of my freshman year, not knowing if I would stick with it.

Spoiler alert: I stuck with it.

Now, as I head into my senior year, I’m feeling pretty grateful that The Aggie has been a major part of my college experience. I’ve learned everything from how to write a decent article the night before it’s due to how to plan a Couch Concert (Good luck, Ana!), but I have to say that I’ve learned the most from the people I’ve worked with.

The Aggie employs some of the most driven, dedicated and passionate people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Everyone, from our volunteer writers to our EIC, somehow finds time in their jam-packed student schedules to deliver high-quality work. I’m beyond excited to work with all of them this year in my new role as managing editor, and I hope that their talent impresses you as much as it has me.

My Roman Empire: The 2014 lifestyle YouTube era Lily Freeman, Campus News Editor Walking into my interview to become a writer at The Aggie about a year ago, I would’ve considered myself lucky to be hired. Looking to contribute to the UC Davis culture, I applied with zero journalism experience, however, a profound love for writing and Rory Gilmore. I now believe in miracles as I write to you as an editor.

I still remember the thrill and pride that I felt picking up the paper and flipping to my first-ever article, which covered the annual Arboretum Plant Sale. Ever since, pursuing a career in journalism has become more and more enticing. Writing for the campus news desk was special as it allowed me to chat with dozens of passionate students and organizations about their work on campus, to discuss various underlying social issues at school and to cover the drama of countless ASUCD Senate meetings.

ED 1 on 6

HUMOR

Massive upset at Davis Freshman Draft The sports teams may not participate

The Tercero Services Center and Dining Commons. (Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL almarshall@ucdavis.edu The 2023 Freshman Draft, the 37th edition of the University of California, Davis’ annual draft, was held on Oct. 1, 2023, at the U Center.

In accordance with the traditional rules, the least recognizable organization receives the best odds of receiving the first pick. A survey of 600 undergraduates showed that 80% had no idea UC Davis had a newspaper; The California Aggie received first pick. They chose the already-stoned

Rob Anderson (Fremont High School), who did not hear his name called, busy writing poetry in the margins of a copy of “Catcher in the Rye.” Both the UCD Marching Band and HackDavis team had their secondround picks revoked for violating UC Davis’ tampering rules. HackDavis treasurer, Bryce Gagnon, tried to rewrite the code that determines the order of picks, while the marching band was accused of “aggressive and coercive trumpeting.”

As usual, Greek life dominated the coverage. Alpha Koopa Lakitu welcomed their first-round pick, Ryan

David (Sacred Heart), with a Gatorade shower that ended up fracturing his ankle. The sororities, on the other hand, played it cool. Psi Qi continued their bait-and-switch tradition by first offering their pick to Darla Huang (Independence) before retracting and picking her prettier friend, Janice Kim (Lincoln). Unlike in traditional drafts, Greek picks must pay $20,000 to their orgs on the announcement of their admission.

With no less than 17 Christian groups, Davis’ partial piety was loudly heard. Said new recruit Karla Joplin (DaVinci Charter), “I’m actually Jewish,

but the whole youth pastor thing is kinda hot.”

In the biggest upset of the last decade of drafts, Jared Lego (Oakland Tech), a Delta Omega-3 legacy of four generations, went to the Davis Modern Dance Company. This is particularly surprising, given that Delta’s last Picnic Day celebration was such a success — over 20 distinct cases of alcohol poisoning.

“I feel free. I can’t live my father’s life any longer,” Lego said. The fraternity’s president was later seen attempting to light the MU grass on fire.

The Davis College Democrats and

Davis College Republicans missed the draft to stage a cage fight in the ARC parking lot. The inadvertent winner was second-year Lily Poleski, who didn’t bother to check her mirrors before backing up into a spot.

The Transfer Draft was held on Oct. 3. Often called “the WNBA of the Davis Draft,” it was covered only by reporters who misread their calendars and wandered into the room.

Disclaimer: (This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.)

6 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Genomic studies in canines pave the way for human cancer treatments

The Canine Tumor Genome Atlas can store hundreds of gene samples that contain mutations in tumor gene expressions

BY KATIE HELLMAN science@theaggie.org

Courtesy of National Cancer Institute’s Integrated Canine Data Commons.

Through comparative oncology, which is the study of translating animal cancer research into human models, scientists are working on developing innovative cancer treatments.

“Canines are excellent models for comparative oncology since they

MEMOIR FROM PAGE 3 I think that’s why this book spoke to me, and why I think it might speak to some of you. Totenberg is 79 years old, and the perspective of her age made her reflections on friendship stand out to me because she is someone who has clearly cultivated the kind of friends that are with you through decades, through celebrations, loss and illness. That’s the kind of friendship I want to learn how to build and hold on to — especially female friendships like the one between Totenberg and Ginsberg.

But as Totenberg reflects on in her book as she describes several of the close friendships she’s witnessed between very different, strongly opinionated people, that’s not always an easy thing to do — especially now.

“In our current climate, could [friendships like the ones she’s seen between very different people] ever take root and thrive?” Totenberg writes. “And what does the answer to that question mean for all of us?”

The world is wide, and people have lived so many lives in different places and times than our own. And yet, there is so much that connects us (I’ve never had a unique experience in my life, if you know what I mean).

If you, like me, sometimes feel generally unqualified to be the one at the helm of your life decisions, maybe it’s time to pick up a memoir. Absorb some advice from someone older and wiser or someone who’s gone through the same things you have or someone who’s led a wildly different life from your own and might be able to give you a new perspective, and remember that we are never really alone.

ED 1 FROM PAGE 5 Now, turning in my first article of the school year as the editor of the campus news desk, which coincidentally also covered the Arboretum Plant Sale, I am feeling the full-circle moment.

From writing about bus stop updates to mental health conferences and projects towards combating climate change, I finally feel immersed in all things UC Davis. As an editor, I am excited to now give this feeling back to both Aggie

spontaneously develop the same types of cancers as humans,” the Experimental and Molecular Medicine journal states. “The histological types of these cancers are similar between dogs and humans. There is strong evidence that canines and humans

share similar genes and pathways involved in tumorigenesis.”

The National Cancer Institute launched a Canine Tumor Genome Atlas that stores gene samples from dogs with osteosarcomas, oral melanomas and gliomas, which are

writers and students across campus, and I am forever grateful to be doing so alongside this talented group of nine.

Let me finally give a special thank you to the previous campus news editor Sonora Slater (who is now editor-in-chief, you go girl!). Sonora, thank you for bearing with my late night texts and teaching me everything I know.

My Roman Empire: Rihanna Super Bowl halftime show

brave souls before me: Calvin, Eden and Owen, you live on in our hearts and also in real life, which I know because I am stalking you on LinkedIn. Sorry for continually and incessantly pitching a satire Instagram account for The Aggie, but good news! If you are reading this, you can follow The California Gaggie (@thecaliforniagaggie) and make a little 21-year-old girl’s dream come true.

My Roman Empire: Appalachia

Chris Ponce, City News Editor As we stumble back into fall quarter, I am beginning my second year as city news editor. I have learned so much in a year’s time, from the difficulties of covering unexpected breaking news to the value of having a dedicated group of writers. I’m struggling to believe that I’m already a third-year — I didn’t realize that “the best four years of your life” would fly by so fast.

I’m beyond grateful that I have been with The Aggie for so long. I became a staff writer for the city news desk in the winter of my first year, and I fell in love with the desk. Working as an editor has allowed me to be more involved in The Aggie and also expand what the city news desk can do. Over the last year this desk has covered an array of important stories from city council elections to the work of activists in our community.

None of this could be possible if it weren’t for my desk’s consistent writers who go above and beyond every issue.

I’m so excited for what we will be able to do this year.

My Roman Empire: Stephen King Books

Yasmeen O’Brien, Features Editor There are essentially two things I’ve always known about myself: I love talking to people and I love writing.

What better combination of these two passions than journalism? When I came to UC Davis as a freshman I was a biology major with dreams of becoming a doctor, or rather, dreams of dreaming of becoming a doctor. I had written for the school newspaper in high school, but thought of it as a hobby and nothing more. My freshman and sophomore years consisted of math, chemistry and biology, alongside tears, confusion and a nagging pit in my stomach; I was not in the right place. One day, seemingly out of the blue, I had a “eureka!” moment and realized that of course, it was writing. Since I was very young I had always expressed myself in the truest form through writing.

I just never thought I could actually pursue it in a professional sense. After reconciling this truth within myself — and scheduling lots of calls with my advisor — I changed my major halfway into college to Anthropology and added a minor in Professional Writing.

I joined The Aggie last fall as an opinion columnist and thoroughly enjoyed my experience there. It gave me the freedom to write about anything I wanted: self-reflection, live music, murder-mystery, love, lying, my late grandmother, respecting indigenous land, travel, ‘70s music, meditation, learning to trust yourself, beautiful strangers. It was the perfect way to get back into writing. But taking journalism courses under the University Writing Program made me miss the thrill of interviewing sources and writing about current issues, and I decided it was time to shift. A feature article delivers news with a human angle, giving the reader a deeper connection to the story. The reporter is not just a reporter, but a storyteller. I am so grateful to be able to empower and support Aggie writers in telling these stories as the features editor this year — my fourth and final year at

Annabel Marshall, Opinion Editor Is it my- Oh, no you can go! Are you sure? Okay, haha. It’s me, Annie B, coming at you through print and/ or online, putting the Op-Ed in the Opinion Editor. I joined The Aggie during my freshman year out of the fear that if I kept twiddling my thumbs they would fall off. Now, I’ve been granted enormous power over the coolest kids at the newspaper: cartoonists, humorists and column writers. Yipee! I’m thrilled to work with them, as well as the rest of the fantastic editorial team.

Becoming an opinion editor is karmic retribution for my three (!) years as a so-called humor writer, in which I wrote not a single joke but spent plenty of time torturing my editors by trying to sneak things into the newspaper that would get us sued. Thank you to those

three cancers that behave similarly in people. The research initiative, funded by a $115,000 grant from the cancer center, is being led by John McPherson, deputy director of the cancer center, and Christine Toedebusch, assistant professor in surgical and radiological sciences at the UC Davis veterinary school.

“These genomics studies will show how tumors mutate and what’s driving those mutations in the cancerous cells,” McPherson said during an interview with UC Davis Health.

The Canine Tumor Genome Atlas will gather biological samples from canines that contain mutations in tumor gene expressions and sequence the tumors’ genetic makeup. Through this approach, abnormal gene variants can be identified and tracked.

“Our canine companions share genetic and environmental complexity with us and have an intact immune system, unlike laboratory mice,” Toedebusch said during an interview with UC Davis Health. “Many canine tumors progress similarly and share many features with human tumors. While laboratory mice are vital to initially understand and test mechanisms of cancer progression, they have repeatedly demonstrated limited success in therapeutic

translation to human cancer patients.

Naturally occurring canine cancer may serve as a bridge for therapeutic translation between rodents and humans.”

Gliomas, for example, are the most common type of brain tumor, and high-grade gliomas may cause death in both humans and canines within 18 months. With the Canine Tumor Genome Atlas, canines can serve as a translational model for the same brain tumor in humans.

“It has been more than 20 years since a new therapy has been effective at extending this meager survival time in humans,” Toedebusch said. “ [This] creates funding opportunities to study canine disease, allowing for the possibilities of breakthroughs in treating canines and humans.”

UC Davis. When I’m not working at The Aggie, I’m most likely in the sun with my wonderful friends, camping, dancing or playing music.

My Roman Empire: The John Muir Trail

Sure enough, it worked. We found where we were meeting the campus tour group and were only slightly late. Only at the last newspaper stand did I actually pick up a copy and read it. It mostly talked about campus and city events — but more importantly, it had an article about how a professor was doing an experiment on sheep and noted that the sheep would be around campus to watch and maybe even pet. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a part of The Aggie and come to UC Davis for my undergraduate education.

As my second year starts, I am so excited to be joining The Aggie team as the sports editor. I started writing for The Aggie last spring quarter and though it definitely kept me busy, I loved it. The whole team was so nice and I enjoyed being able to write about all the different sports on campus, whether it be club or Division I teams. There are definitely some big shoes to fill following all the brilliant sports editors before me, but I look forward to learning and working with all my writers and fellow editors this school year.

My Roman Empire: Any and all rom-com books

Ana Bach, Arts & Culture Editor Hard to try and top my fellow editors, but I’ll do my best to keep up with their instinctive wit and sensational banter. I will never quite forget when The Aggie’s previous managing editor Katie Debendetti asked me for book recommendations at the beginning of fall quarter last year. Instead of just sending her to my Goodreads list, I proceeded to talk her ear off about “Normal People” and my personal opinions on the show’s adaptation of the novel. After rambling on, she suggested that I write for The Aggie, specifically (you guessed it) the arts and culture desk!

As I look back on that moment, I realize it wasn’t that long ago that I was a baby in The Aggie community, trying to find a voice and sense of pride within my writing. Thanks to the community that stands before me as well as many others, I could not be more grateful for the position I now hold as well as the experience I have gained on the arts desk. The creativity from my writers who consistently bring new ideas to the table never ceases to amaze me. I hope readers can feel the enthusiasm in our writing and also find comfort in a space where many voices are shared.

Hopefully it gives you the confidence to share yours too.

My Roman Empire: The Hunger Games (book and film adaptations) Megan Joseph, Sports Editor The first time I ever heard of The California Aggie was in April of 2022 on my college tour of UC Davis. I didn’t know anything about the school, what a bike circle was or that a recycling bin could have so many separators.

When my family and I first got off the Russell Boulevard exit and parked we were already lost. We couldn’t find anything or where we were supposed to meet for the group tour. All we could find were these small and sometimes crazy-looking newspaper stands for The California Aggie. I just remember thinking, “Okay, these newspaper stands must be at all the ‘important places’ on campus. So, if we look up where all the stand locations are, then we will find where we need to go.”

Katie Hellman, Science & Tech Editor In sixth grade, I spent a whole hour coming up with a plan to be the creator/writer/editor/manager of a newspaper for my elementary school.

I quickly realized that no one would trust an 11-year-old to be their only source of information, and I forgot all about my journalism pursuits. Save for developing one issue of a “magazine” (a few stapled pages) solely dedicated to mashed potatoes when I was in middle school, I hardly ever wrote for fun.

Fast forward to last year, my freshman year of college, and I decided to major in biology. I hadn’t yet joined any extracurricular activities and wanted to be a part of something that would allow me to combine my interests in both science and writing, so I applied to be a science desk writer for The Aggie. I’ve loved researching topics like innovative advancements in healthcare and pressing issues in zoology, in addition to being able to interview professors and medical professionals about their work. I’m very excited to be a desk editor this year and to continue reading and writing about new scientific developments happening in Davis and around the world.

My Roman Empire: Capybaras

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023 | 7

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces.

Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Answer to previous puzzle 9/28/23

reduce. reuse. recycle.

The aggie Crossword Answer to previous puzzle 9/28/23

8 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

UC Davis men’s soccer team has its first at-home win

The Aggies defeated San Jose State on a hot Sunday afternoon

BY MEGAN JOSEPH sports@theaggie.org The UC Davis men’s soccer team felt the heat on Sept. 24 with a fully packed stadium and a rival team.

Nevertheless, they delivered a three-tozero win against the San Jose Spartans that marked the Aggies’ first home win of the season. After a long wait, the team’s ecstatic behavior showed how much this win meant to them.

The game started off strong with the Aggies holding the lead and showing their relaxed and powerful gameplay. The other team took a more aggressive approach, with the San Jose State team receiving two yellow cards within the first three minutes of the game. Even so, it did not stop the Aggies from scoring with second-year Cason Goodman receiving a perfectly placed ball from fourth-year Ryan Dieter. Cason then shot it into the top of the net for the Aggies’ first goal of the game in the ninth minute.

Cason’s constant pressure on the defense and his ability to win possession of the ball from the other team made this a great game for him.

He, along with the rest of the Davis offense, kept the San Jose defense on their toes. His brother, second-year Luke Goodman, played the entire game in the defense.

Luke also played very well in the game, successfully stopping the other

JOANNE SUN/ AGGIE team from making breakaways and passing the ball through the defense.

It’s safe to say we can expect to see a lot of good plays from these brothers in future games.

Not long after, the Aggies saw their next chance to score as Cason

and fourth-year Sean Bilter passed the ball up to first-year Ian Ngonethong.

Ngonethong shot the ball in the box and put the Aggies two points ahead of San Jose in the 16th minute of the game. As new Aggies, the first-years have already started showing their

potential and abilities on the team.

Many of them have had a lot of playing time in recent games, highlighting the team’s need for fresh new talent.

On the other hand, team captains and veterans Bilter and fourth-year Ethan Hoard played outstanding

games. Bilter did a great job sending the ball up to the forwards and supporting his teammates where it was needed. Hoard also played in the back and did a good job at being the first to the ball, while continuously making tackles against the opposing team.

Starting off the second half of the game was a bit slower. Both teams were fighting for the ball and attacking, but neither were successful in their finishes and the score remained two to zero. In the 71st minute of the game, Dietier saw his opening in the defense and took it. He took his shot in the lower right corner that the goalie wasn’t fast enough to save, putting the Aggies three ahead of San Jose.

Following this third goal, the Aggies started playing much faster and regained their rhythm. They started attacking and taking more shots against the Spartans. No goals were scored in the remaining 19 minutes of the game, but the Aggies took 12 shots on goal in the second half, which was four times as many shots as San Jose’s three.

Overall, the Aggies had an incredible game that made it one of the most exciting games to watch, especially for fans. This season is going to be a tough one, but the Aggies might have what it takes to go all the way and win it all.

Padres beat Giants on the Bay Area team’s home turf in San Francisco

Logan Webb and Blake Snell face off for the Cy Young award

BY MEGAN JOSEPH sports@theaggie.org The San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres faced off this past week in three intense all-out games. With both teams having a complicated season, it was a toss-up on which team would come out on top.

The first game that took place on Sept. 25 started off slow for both teams. The Padres scored early on in the first inning making the score one to zero. For most of the game, this held as they struggled to put up any more runs. The Giants changed the pace when they finally made a comeback in the eighth inning, delivering a two-run single by Michael Confronto.

With these two points serving as momentum, the Giants took the lead over the Padres and won the first game of the set. Despite this win, both teams weren’t putting up their best batting averages in the end.

In the second game that took place on Sept. 26, the Padres started to find their groove. This game began the same as the previous, with the Padres scoring a run in the first inning against the Giants. However, they didn’t stop there. The Padres proceeded to score three more runs and beat the Giants four to zero in the second game of the set.

Following this hard loss, the Giants tried to start the third and final game off strong by scoring a run in the second inning of the game. After that, both teams were fighting for the lead with the Giants and the Padres both scoring a run in the fifth inning. With the four remaining innings in the game, fans were on the edge of their seats to see who was gonna win the set.

Tying up the game, the Padres had an impressive hit that earned them a run in the seventh inning. This tie

proved to be a disaster for the Giants, forcing the teams into an exciting tenth inning in which the Padres scored three more runs. The game ended in defeat for the Giants with the final score being two to five in favor of the Padres.

Although the Giants had a rough day, their pitcher Logan Webb played a good game. Even though Webb has had 23 other quality starts this season, the first game of the set was only the second complete game that Webb has pitched this season. His curveballs caused the other team to strike out and secured his spot for future games.

Webb’s first career complete game was on July 9 when the Giants played the Colorado Rockies and had a shutout win. Webb threw 10 strike-outs in the game which definitely put him on the map as a player to watch out for in the future. His current stats for this season are strong, pitching 216 innings and only allowing nine hits on 110 pitches.

On the other side of the game, the Padres’ pitcher Blake Snell has had many impressive starts in the past. In this set, Snell tossed shut-out innings against the Giants that added to his already impressive stats. His skill as a player has gained him a lot of recognition, with him even receiving the Cy Young Award in 2018.

The Cy Young Award is given to the best pitcher in the National and American Baseball leagues, with each league honoring their own pitcher.

This makes the award very meaningful for baseball players, as they now carry the title of being one of the best pitchers in the baseball league — an impressive feat for any player.

As this season is starting to come to an end, there has been a lot of talk about who is going to receive the award and whether it belongs to newcomer Webb or past-winner Snell.

In an interview with ESPN, Webb explained what he thinks the outcome

Fans watch as the San Francisco Giants play the Padres in a three-game series in late September. The Padres ultimately won the series in a close matchup. (Megan Joseph / Aggie) will be. “[Snell’s] going to win the Cy

Young,” Webb said. “He’s the best pitcher in baseball. It’s always a

pleasure watching him.”

Dolphins, 49ers and Eagles lead the start of the NFL season

A record 10-touchdown game comes within the first few weeks of the season

BY MEGAN JOSEPH sports@theaggie.org The start of the National Football League (NFL) season has been a shocking combination of good and bad for many of the teams. The Miami Dolphins, recognized as an underrated team in the past, have shown their true potential this season with the impressive numbers they have been putting up so far.

The Miami Dolphins’ best asset this season has been their offense, shown through their amazing stats.

The offense has averaged 0.8 more points per drive than the next closest team and has averaged 2.2 yards per play. Considering how many teams are in the league, this is a memorable accomplishment they achieved in only the first few weeks of the season.

Coach Mike McDaniel has done a great job so far in the season by keeping the other teams on their toes.

McDaniel has been known in the past to create extraordinary plays that no team has ever seen before, but this year it’s been taken to a new level. He’s been changing the style of play so that every single game is unexpected and

impossible to plan for.

The Dolphins’ offense and coaches aren’t the only strong part of the team. Their defense has had some outstanding plays recently, even while missing a key player in their lineup.

Jalen Ramsey, the Dolphins’ starting cornerback, has been out with a knee injury for a couple of weeks and won’t be back in season for a while. As one of the most important players in the defense, many people were concerned with how this would affect the rest of their season, however, the Dolphins quickly shut down any concern with their performance in a game against the Denver Broncos.

In this game, the Dolphins put up 70 points (10 touchdowns) against the Broncos’ mere 20 points. No team has put up as many points and touchdowns in a game since 1966 when the Washington Commanders defeated the New York Giants. It’s safe to say we can expect a lot from the Dolphins this year, especially with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa favored to win league MVP. Another team that has shown their potential to dominate the NFL league this season is the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have had a steady start

to their season by scoring a decent amount of points every game and staying undefeated.

This is in part due to new running back Christain McCaffery who was drafted by the 49ers halfway through the 2022 NFL season. 49ers Coach Kyle Shanahan has no regrets with this decision to give up draft picks for McCaffery as since his arrival on the team and his performance in games this season the 49ers have scored at least 30 points in every game.

This gives them an immense lead over the next-closest team in their league for total points scored and has them favored to win their sub-league.

The last team this season that has kept their undefeated record is the Philadelphia Eagles. They have kept their total winning percentage along with the Dolphins and the 49ers.

Wide Receiver A.J. Brown has done a great job keeping his team on top so far with his incredible passing game.

The Eagles should be able to keep up this gameplay and stay six and zero for the next few games, but the Dolphins are supposed to come to town on week seven, undoubtedly presenting some challenges. The Dolphins are the more favored team to

win, making it a very important game for both teams.

Overall, the start to the NFL season has been very successful for the Dolphins, 49ers and Eagles. We

JOANNE SUN/ AGGIE

should expect to see a lot to come from these teams and their respective star players throughout the season.