The Orion Volume 80 Issue 9 by The Orion Publisher

GREEN HOUSES

Give new home to thousands of plant species Page 16

theorion.com

Wednesday March 28, 2018

Vol. 80, Issue 9

First copy free, additional copies 50Â¢

COVER STORY

INSIDE Vol. 80, Issue 9 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 American Totem Screening . . . . . 4 Chico Gun Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Blood Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Arts #trending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Spring Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ‘Love, Simon’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Writers’ Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Artist of the Week . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Blotter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Greenhouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Sports MLB California Preview . . . . . 22 Baseball Key to Success . . . . . . 23 Track and Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Wildcat of the Week . . . . . . . . 25 Opinion O Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 April 4 Protest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Gun Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Minimum Wage . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Nebula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

ALEX GRANT - THE ORION

Give new home to thousands of plant species Page 16

COVER PHOTO OF MARK LEIGH BY ALEX GRANT

An array of exotic plants from different climates moved to a new home this week. Two new greenhouses will now house tropical, desert and temperate plants that will help biology students learn about plant diversity.

PAGE 16 CORRECTIONS

CONTACT | EDITORIAL Phone: 530.898.5627 Email: editorinchief@theorion.com

The Orion staff strives for accuracy in all it publishes. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat every error very seriously. If you feel a correction needs to be made, please email the editor-in-chief at theorioneditor@ gmail.com

WEATHER

Editor-in-Chief Kayla Fitzgerald Content Managing Editor Julia Maldonado Web Managing Editor Amar Rama Art Director Connor Gehrke Chief Copy Editor Piper Loring Assistant Chief Copy Editor

Ruby Larson

Copy Editors Natalia Marcus Kolbie Johnson Katya Villegas Holly Kraeber Robin Cripe News Editors Natalie Hanson Alex Grant Opinion Editor Kendall George

Sports Editor Justin Couchot A+E Editor Nicole Henson Multimedia Editor Caitlyn Young Calendar Editor Alina Bringsjord Designers Andrew Weech Anthony Carini

CONTACT | BUSINESS Phone: 530.898.6919 Email: orionadvertisingmanager@gmail.com Advertising Manager Marisol Rocha

Public Relations Director Carly Campbell

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BRIEFS

Wednesday March 28, 14, 2018

New bill promises to end student loans Tisha Cheney Staff Writer

A major bill aiming to reduce student debt was announced Thursday. According to Michael Inacay, communications director for Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, the legislation will make college more affordable, eliminating the need to take out student loans. The bill proposes to accomplish this through a partnership with states. “States would receive a one-to-one federal match to state higher education appropriations in exchange for a commitment to help students pay for the full cost of attendance without having to take on debt,” according to the proposing document. The first year investment would be $80 billion meeting the debt-free goal to 10 states. The goal for national debt-free for all is $95.4 billion. Beyond helping students, 10 percent of these incentives will be available to finance improvements to the institutions and programs as necessary. “In California, there are 4.2 million student loan borrowers that carry more than $1 billion dollars in debt,” Inacay said. “As a former student, I know how tough it is to carry this debt after you graduate and understand the possible impacts it can have on families and even students considering college.” The Debt-Free College Act aims to meet their goal within the next five years. Tisha Cheney can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @orionnews_TC on Twitter.

CARD hosts annual spring celebration Tisha Cheney Staff Writer

Kites were soaring high Monday at Chico’s annual Kite Day. Families and friends gathered to celebrate the coming of spring with music, food and, of

course, kites at 20th Street Community Park. The vision of this day was originated in 1985 by Bob Malowney, owner of Bird in Hand in downtown Chico, according to Ryan Arnold, event coordinator and spokesperson for Chico Area Recreational & Park District. Once teamed up with CARD, the day consisting of kids and kites came to life. “It’s basically just an invitation for people to come and play in the park,” Arnold said. The event featured music provided by local radio station Bob FM and food from the Truckaroni and Slyderz Grill food trucks. One could also spot some familiar princesses roaming around taking pictures with children and volunteers in popular character costumes making appearances. “It reminds you that it doesn’t take much,” Arnold said. “Just a simple toy and a nice day to make a child smile.” Tisha Cheney can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @orionnews_TC on Twitter.

Protesters of gun violence marched through downtown Chico Saturday.

Students organize Wildcat Food Pantry March for Our Lives in Chico hosts open house Alejandra Fraga

Josh Cozine

Staff Writer

The Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry will be hosting an open house this Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. The open house will consist of pantry tours and food. The food pantry was first established in Kendall Hall and was then moved to Siskiyou Hall and has now been relocated to the Student Service Center. A news release about this open house event stated, “Thanks to the hard work and generous support of many, the Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry has successfully relocated to a newly remodeled location in Student Services Center, Room 196.” The pantry was brought to campus in 2013 and is open to every student on campus. “We’re here to combat food insecurity and help our students get the food that they need,” said Zoua Yang, Food Pantry Program Assistant.

Roads were blocked off through much of downtown Chico Saturday as students and community members streamed into the city plaza to protest gun violence. They were participating in the March for Our Lives national movement. The march and gathering for the Chico area was almost entirely organized by high school students. Rose Miller, 17, a senior at Pleasant Valley High School and head coordinator for the event, spoke prior to the march. Before addressing the crowd, she requested 17 seconds of silence one second for each student killed in Parkland, Florida in a school shooting last month. “I was born after Columbine,” she said, and went on to explain that she and any high school student today has never known a time before the fear of possible mass shootings in the schools they are forced to attend. Those gathered then headed out, signs in

Alejandra Fraga can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @alifragster on Twitter.

JOSH COZINE - THE ORION

hand, chanting phrases like, “No more silence, end gun violence,” and, “This is what JOSH COZINE - THE ORION democracy Rose Miller speaks to a crowd looks like.” of thousands in the plaza. The crowd stretched several blocks as they marched through downtown Chico. Two students, Emily Schroeder, 18, a senior at Pleasant Valley High, and Bailey Christiansen, 15, a sophomore at Chico High, each prepared heartfelt poems. The poems described their fear and anger felt at the lack of response to the issue, which they stated they feel powerless to change. Concluding the event, Miller implored everyone to contact their local legislatures and national representatives to demand change. Josh Cozine can be reached at Josh Cozine can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @joshcozine on Twitter.

Find more breaking news stories at theorion. com!

NEWS

Wednesday March 28, 2018

POLITICS

American Totem

Sue Hilderbrand, Alan Gibson, Gayle Hutchinson, Darin Haerle and Adam Irish all listen to an audience member comment.

ALL PHOTOS BY ALEX GRANT - THE ORION

The BMU Auditorium was packed wall-to-wall Monday night with about 400 people in attendance. Alex Grant News Editor

i Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society, hosted a pre-release screening and panel discussion of the documentary “American Totem” in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium Monday night. The documentary was broken into six chapters; story, identity, community, security, civil society and the American experiment. In roughly 80 minutes, this film focuses on the communities and cultures around firearms rather than arguing a position on gun violence. To maintain objectivity on the subject, 19 people from different backgrounds, viewpoints and locations were interviewed. The film’s producer and codirector Sue Hilderbrand said the

documentary was locally produced but filmed throughout the nation. “It was filmed in a lot of different places. We went to New York, Washington D.C., LA, Austin, Dallas and San Jose,” Hilderbrand said. “That’s where we went to get our interviews, but all of the people that have worked on it are

Co-director Sue Hilderbrand is also a Chico State political science and criminal justice professor and hosts a radio show called “The Real Issue” on KZFR 90.1 every Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m.

local.” The film also showed the evolution of gun advertisements in American society. According to the film, gun ads from the 1800s explained how to use firearms whereas gun ads from the early 1900s connected a man’s masculinity with owning a firearm. Clips from popular movies like “Dirty Harry” and “Die Hard” were also played to show how mass media shaped public perceptions of guns. Lastly, gun death statistics from sources like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention were also included. Co-Director Dan Carter said that while the film’s interviews were insightful, gun death statistics were needed to give the documentary credibility. “We have people who are

espousing these views and using these statistics,” Carter said. “In order to support them and give them credibility, we go to second sources or (first) sources where the statistics originated.” Roughly 400 people attended the event and got an opportunity to voice their opinions in a panel discussion after the film concluded. The panel included five members; Hilderbrand, President Gayle Hutchinson, three political science and criminal justice professors Darin Haerle, Adam Irish and Alan Gibson. This panel heard questions and comments from 10 audience members. Lindsay Briggs, a Chico State health and community services professor, began the discussion commenting on the film’s title. Briggs spoke on behalf of her

own heritage, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and read a statement prepared by a group she’s part of, the Indigenous Support Collaborative of Northern California. While Briggs praised the documentary for its research and objectivity, she also said the title was offensive to Native American tribes. “The word totem is a sacred Ojibwe word,” Briggs said. “The Ojibwe people speak Anishinaabe and an Anishinaabe word for clan was borrowed and transliterated into English as the word for totem. The use of the word totem in the title of this documentary is inappropriate and an example of cultural appropriation.” Briggs said that while she understood the word totem was

Wednesday March 28, 2018

Mechatronic engineering student Daniel Cross tells the panel that he is a libertarian who strongly supports guns. Cross also thinks this film took one of the most objective approaches to the gun debate topic that he’s seen in recent years. used to be “thought-provoking,” she also noted that “intent and impact, particularly in social justice, are two very different things.” “The image of the firearm leaning against Ojibwe sacred word further reminds us about genocide against natives by early colonists,” Briggs said. “Both the name of the documentary and it’s visual imagery are deeply painful and ignore native narratives and cultural perspectives which are crucial to understanding the foundation of gun violence in the United States. The Indigenous Support Collaborative of Nor Cal request that the filmmakers consider renaming the documentary to remove the harmful and appropriative use of the word totem.” Hilderbrand acknowledged

Briggs statement and told her she would be willing to set up a meeting to discuss the title more. “We did think about this (word) and we can think some more... At this very moment I stand by it (but) I’m happy to talk to you all about it,” Hilderbrand said. President Hutchinson commended Hilderbrand on showing the pre-released film and allowing the public to give feedback. “I want to thank you, Susan, for an incredible opportunity to really see the film in its beginning,” Hutchinson said. “I know there’s a lot of feedback that you received and maybe changes to be made or not made, but what’s important is what we learn.” Hutchinson later added that no documentary could entirely capture the entire gun violence

NEWS

Lindsay Briggs explains why the use of the word totem is offensive and considered cultural appropriation.

issue, but “American Totem” was a great way to open this dialogue. “With this documentary, I can actually see it serving as a wonderful tool for those who are up and coming through activism,” Hutchinson said. “Our young people (may) say ‘You know what, this was not complete enough, I’m going to step and make another (documentary) and do it so I can fuel the conversation further by taking on another piece that we know is there that we have yet to talk about.’” An official release date for the film is yet to be determined but to find out more information on the documentary visit the “American Totem” website. Alex Grant can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @AlexThomasGrant on Twitter.

President Hutchinson responds to a student’s feedback on gun violence dipicted in the documentary.

6 NEWS POLITICS Big Chico Gun Show weighs in on gun debate Wednesday March 28, 2018

Roberto Fonseca Staff Writer

he Chico Rod and Gun Club held their annual Big Chico Gun show at the Masonic Family Center last weekend. Numerous booths showcased self defense classes along with different types of weapons such as shot guns, hand guns and semi-automatic rifles. There was even a booth that called for the State of Jefferson, the 51st American state.

“People are always going to find ways to commit crime. It would be impossible to get all the guns from citizens. There would be a war before that happens,” Blair Snyder Guns are always a national discussion, especially after recent incidents like the Parkland school shooting. Gun owners at the gun show voiced their opinions in light of recent school violence. Chico State students on campus also shared their opposing perspectives. Senior animal science major Roxanna Gonzalez said that gun laws in America should be similar to Australia and New Zealand guns laws. Both countries have heavy restrictions and regulations on guns. However, Blair Snyder, the

BLAIR SNYDER

GUN SHOW MANAGER

manager of the Big Chico Gun show, doesn’t believe that guns are the problem. “People are always going to find ways to commit crime. It would be impossible to get all the guns from citizens. There would be a war before that happens,” Snyder said. “Countries like Australia still have roughly the same crime rates as the U.S.” He also pointed out that the Second Amendment was put into the U.S. Constitution in order to protect ourselves from tyranny. According to Snyder, the bottom line is that the rights of people supersede anything else. Public outcry after each school shooting generally calls for the regulation of guns and the banning of certain guns like the AR-15, the gun used

Snyder also pointed out that the Second Amendment was put into the U.S. Constitution in order to protect ourselves from tyranny. According to Snyder, the bottom line is that the rights of people supersede anything else.

ROBERTO FONSECA - THE ORION

Various guns, gun parts and gun attachments were displayed at the Big Chico Gun show Sunday.

ANDREW OROZCO

STUDENT

during the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Senior kinesiology major Andrew Orozco said citizens shouldn’t have access to all types of guns. “Military type guns should be banned,” Orozco said. “Regular citizens have no reason to own them.”

Snyder believes that the main problem is that there is a failure to report potential threats. “The guy who shot up the church in Texas was discharged by the Air Force and he should have never gotten a gun, but since the Air Force is too worried about not looking like they have a bunch of crazies over there, they let this guy go,” he said. Snyder also believes that there are not enough restrictions on those who are dealing with mental health issues. He specifically pointed out a problem on the buyer application that is legally mandated by the state.

“Item 11F on the form only covers those with mentally ill patients that have been adjudicated,” Snyder said. “This doesn’t cover those who haven’t been to a doctor or treated with anything. It’s hard for us to know who really is not mentally fit to own a gun.” Snyder stressed that sellers at the gun show fear selling their guns to the wrong person and these gun owners take many precautionary measures to ensure they don’t sell to a potential active shooter. Roberto Fonseca can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @rjfonseca13 on Twitter.

Wednesday March 28, 2018

HEALTH

Professor David Stachura examining the zebrafish under a microscope.

KELSI SIBERT - THE ORION

NEWS

KELSI SIBERT - THE ORION

The room known as the “aquarium” where all the experimental fish live.

Chico professor studies zebrafish for blood research Kelsi Sibert Staff Writer

hico State Associated Professor David Stachura is working with Chico State undergraduate and graduate students as well as collaborators from Harvard and UC San Diego to make blood using zebrafish. Stachura has studied this type of blood research for 12 years but this research has existed since the 1950s. “We’re basically trying to figure out all the different ways these cells turn into mature blood, so that we (can) do it artificially,” he said. The basis of this research for Stachura, his students and his collaborators is to test differ-

ent proteins in the body to figure out which proteins work best with certain blood cells. This is where the zebrafish are used. Stachura noted that fish and humans have similar blood. By using the zebrafish, researchers are able to test different drugs and proteins to see how the fish react. “We can (mess) around with basically how (the fish) make blood as an embryo,” Stachura said. “(We’re) able to just look at them under a microscope.” Typical test subjects such as mice develop inside the uterus of the mother and take longer to develop and cannot be monitored under a microscope. But the zebrafish begins to develop within 17 hours and its

growth can be looked at under a microscope. The zebrafish is essentially used as a “model organism” for experimentation to test ideas and concepts to make sure they work before being used on humans. With the findings through this research, Stachura and his collaborators could potentially use the artificial blood to cure blood diseases like leukemia. “Ultimately what we’d like to do is if we can figure out all these gene pathways,” he said. “Then potentially we could make a drug that could allow you to expand blood or cure blood diseases.” Stachura also noted that the artificial blood could also be used during a blood shortage,

especially for people with rare blood types. “You don’t need the blood, you can take a stem cell, you can grow it in a plate and you can make blood,” he said. Chico State graduate student Becca Belmonte has worked along alongside Stachura in this research process since January 2016. Her main focus of this research is on a particular protein called SON. “I’m focused on studying a specific protein and its role in blood development,” Belmonte said. “I’m just trying to establish what role it plays in blood development and how that can tie in with what everyone else is doing in the lab.” Through the research, Stachura and his students are cur-

rently testing four to five ideas that they think might work. “We found a couple genes that we think are important for this process and right now my students are testing them,” Stachura said. Once these ideas are tested on the zebrafish, they will then be sent to the Harvard and UC San Diego collaborators to be tested on human cells. “Really what we’re doing is we’re testing the early things and then we hope that we can move them on to be a drug or a treatment for a human disease,” Stachura said. Kelsi Sibert can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or on @ksibertofficial on Twitter.

ARTS

Wednesday March 28, 2018

TRENDING THIS WEEK AT CHICO STATE See what students & residents are talking about #thisweek

#MARCHFORLIFE

#SPRINGBREAK

Wednesday March 28, 2018

don't forget to take a

ARTS

NEWS BREAK

dAily digitAl coNtENt oN

thEoRioN.com

ARTS MOVIE

Wednesday March 28, 2018

20TH CENTURY FOX WEBSITE’S PHOTO

Nick Robinson plays Simon Spier, a closeted teen who searches for the mysterious classmate under the alias “Blue.”

‘Love, Simon’ inspires people to be themselves Julia Maldonado Managing Editor

t doesn’t get cheesier than a guy searching for his perfect love story. Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) has a seemingly normal life with a loving family in a picturesque suburban home and a great group of friends to carpool with to school every day. However, Simon has “one huge a** secret:” No one knows he’s gay. One day, a fellow classmate who goes by the alias Blue, posts on the school page that he is gay as well. Simon decides to create a

Gmail account and contacts Blue, under the pseudonym Jacques. The rest of the film features Simon writing love emails to Blue and decoding who this mystery classmate is, while trying to avoid being outed by Martin, a classmate who came across Simon’s emails in the library and took screenshots of them. The message behind this movie is the best, and most important, thing someone could take away. In the scenes between Simon and his mother Emily Spier (Jennifer Garner), and Simon and his father Jack Spier (Josh Duhamel), the parents tell Simon that he

can finally breathe and be who he hasn’t been able to be in a long time, and that they still love him. One of my favorite and funniest parts of the film was when Simon’s friends came out to their parents as straight. I thought it was interesting that they had to come out because it’s the “norm” to be straight, but it showed how ridiculous it looked on the other end. It made me think about how much easier it is to be straight because I would never have to tell my parents, whereas someone who isn’t straight has to live in fear of being rejected or someone

exploiting their secret. Some might argue that Simon was already at an advantage since he’s white, lives in an accepting home and quite masculine (“you can’t tell that he’s gay”), but I would argue that it’s beside the point. In the bigger picture, Simon was living in a life where he couldn’t be true to himself and scared to be rejected by his friends and family, which is more relatable than race and privilege. No, this film doesn’t speak for all gay people because not everyone’s friends and family will be as accepting as Simon’s. But what

this film did was allow people to believe that someone else feels the same way they do, which made it easier for them to come out. I think everyone, despite their sexuality, can learn from this movie because introducing their true form to the world can be scary. For the touching message that inspired many teenagers to show their real selves to the world, I give this film five out of five stars.

Julia Maldonado can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @julianewsblog on Twitter.

11 ARTS LITERATURE

Wednesday March 28, 2018

Wednesday march 7, 2018

11 ARTS

NICOLE HENSON—THE ORION

Luke Davies reads aloud his poetry during a Writer’s Voice session in Zingg Recital Hall.

Writer’s Voice showcases established authors Hannah Yeager Staff Writer

eavy writing courses in the English department at Chico State have provided hands-on resources and projects for their students. Ranging from a literary magazine class to in-class workshops, students are trained to be prepared in all writing areas. One of the benefits that students, faculty and community members have provided by the English department is the Writer’s Voice events. Each semester, three to four

established writers of all genres, from poetry to fiction come to Chico State to read from their published works and some even teach classes or workshops for students, according to Rob Davidson, an English department professor. Past visiting writers include Camille Dungy, Brenda Hillman, Daryl Farmer, Fred Arroyo, Nick Flynn, Andrew Lam and, most recently, Ryan Van Meter. On March 15, Van Meter read from his piece “If You Knew Then What I Know Now.” According to Davidson, Van Meter “presents a powerful story about sexual

identity, social awareness and equality.” As a coming-of-age story, Van Meter’s memoir relates to many people who have gone through the struggle of finding a sexual identity and ultimately gave students a look into what it would be like to format a memoir or another piece of nonfiction the way that Van Meter did. “For writing students, meeting an author gives them a chance to ask questions, learn about writing and publishing firsthand, and get valuable advice,” Davidson said. Meeting another writer who

has gone through the process already, has attempted the seemingly impossible, published a piece of writing, and lived to tell the tale, gives students a hope for their own writing careers and a confidence to do the same. By attending workshops, meeting these authors through this 20-year-old program and getting to ask questions and get advice in their own endeavors, the Writer’s Voice is an invaluable resource that more students should take advantage of. “The mission is to bring emerging and established

literary writers to campus,” said Davidson when explaining the program’s purpose. “Each semester we bring three to four poets, fiction writers and nonfiction writers to campus to read from their work, visit classes and meet students, teach master classes and interact with the community.” Hannah Yeager can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @Hannah_K_Yeager on Twitter.

ARTS

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Wednesday Wednesday Oct. Nov. Oct. March 15, 25, 28, 2017 2017 2018 Wednesday Wednesday JAN. JAN. 25, 25,25, 2017 2017

Artist of the week:

Alexis Green Mitchell Kret Staff Writer

Mitchell Kret can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_arts on Twitter.

Alexis Green is a music student at Chico State. Green picked up playing the keyboard while she was in Costa Rica and has brought her sound inspirations back to the states. Once other people started noticing her unique talents she began to produce more music for public audiences.

Who are you? Who am I? I’m not really sure yet, I ask myself that all the time. What I am sure about is that art, especially music and rhythm and melodies, songs that make you dance and feel, that’s always resonated with me. My major is Spanish, I also love culture a lot, I travelled to Costa Rica for a year through study abroad. I’m from Los Angeles, the South Bay: Carson, California.

When did you start to produce music? So I decided to pick up a keyboard so that I could produce beats better. While I was in Costa Rica, I started to be inspired and encouraged by my Costa Rican friends and family to create music. Even if I didn’t master it, I wanted to become familiar. So through my study abroad advisor, they pulled some strings and got me permission to use the practice rooms in the university for both semesters. So when I got back to LA, I bought my own keyboard, brought it up to Chico and I’ve just been practicing. So now I produce my own stuff and make songs that way.

What was the turning point that made you want to take up music as a career? It was a huge point in Costa Rica. I initially started making music as like affirmation to myself, like self-talk. Some songs you don’t hear what you need to and, for me, if something isn’t fulfilling a need that you have, don’t complain about it, do something about it. So I started creating my own songs based off of what I wanted to hear, and most of it was positive affirmation to myself, like talking myself through certain things. When I started uploading it, people started responding to that well. Like stuff that was for me, they enjoyed it and they would encourage me even more. When I started seeing how much of an impact I could have on people’s lives, both in Costa Rica and back home my family would see that I was posting on Facebook, it made me feel ‘wow this could go somewhere,’ like I actually have something.

What are your inspirations? Life and different situations and feelings and emotions based off of the situation that are in my life, that’s where I get a lot of it from, is just what is going on in my life. Also if I hear a song by someone, like Anderson Paak or James Blake or Hiatus Coyote, hearing certain existing melodies. Sometimes if there’s a jam session happening or listening to a song and you hear all these different instruments at once, in your mind you’re hearing a different melody that would go with it. I think ‘I wish this melody was in it but it’s not’ so I just try to use that and run with it. Friends, family, food sometimes inspires me. Anything really, that’s what my notebook is about, writing different stuff, how I interpret different things.

Wednesday March 28, 2018

ARTS

Can you explain the significance of your journal to you? It’s not simply one journal, I go through journals really quickly. I fill them quick because I write in them every single day. I record my dreams in my journal, which helps me in different ways. When I write sometimes, if I’m feeling a lot of stuff I’ll write it down and take a step back to observe it, to look at it from a different standpoint. So when I’m writing a song and I have a melody but no words to put with it, I think ‘well what have I been feeling this entire week’ because I want it to be relevant so I just look back and one word will just inspire me and I’ll expand off of that.

“

Life and different situations and feelings and emotions based off of the situation that are in my life, that’s where I get a lot of it from, is just what is going on in my life. -Alexis Green

”

Alexis Green is a Chico State student whose musical influence comes from the sounds of Costa Rica. ALL PHOTOS BY SEAN MARTENS

BLOTTER

Wednesday March 28, 2018

Orland woman wanted after assaulting and threatening her mother Josiah Nicholl Staff Writer

Call Type: Suspicious Subject Monday 10:43 a.m., Performing Arts Center Suspicious man with no shoes roaming building was identified as a former student. Call Type: Illegal Lodging Tuesday 10:50 a.m., John I. Sylvester’s Cafe Group of people camped out under the bridge with coolers. Call Type: Vandalism Wednesday 2:18 p.m., Yolo Hall A window was broken by what appeared to be a BB gun. Call Type: Directed Patrol Thursday 7:50 a.m., Tehama Hall A man blocked access for two days by sleeping in front of the door with his bike. Call Type: Subject Stop Thursday 8:54 p.m., Colusa Hall A person with an unfriendly dog was on the east side of the building.

Check out our interactive police blotter map at theorion.com!

Chico Police

University Police

The police blotter is a selection of information cited directly from the Chico Police Department and the University Police Department. Call Type: Neighbor Dispute Monday 2:12 p.m., 300 Rio Lindo Ave. Some neighbors argued after one’s fouryear-old child pointed a popsicle stick at the other as if he was going to stab him. Call Type: Disturbance Tuesday 9:39 a.m., 2100 Esplanade A transient with a dog spit on a city employee from a bridge. Call Type: Disturbance Wednesday 4:22 p.m., 2100 Pillsbury Road A hysterical man called the police because a store manager threatened to beat him up, claiming he is a victim of a terrorist threat. Call Type: Neighbor Dispute Wednesday 11:27 p.m., 1000 Poplar St. A man claimed his neighbor was shining a light into his bedroom window for an unknown reason. Call Type: Refusing to Leave Thursday 12:34 a.m., 800 East Ave. A woman was in front of a store harassing customers. Call Type: Theft Thursday 9:08 a.m., 300 Broadway St. A man stole a kite from an unknown store.

Police reported Monday they are currently searching for a woman suspected of assaulting her mother and burglarizing her home. The Orland Police Department reported that they were dispatched to an Orland home around 7 p.m. Friday after Desirae Shoumounejad, 22, was reported for breaking into her 55-year-old mother’s home and violently assaulting her. The Oroville Police Department has not yet released the location of the mother’s residence. Shoumounejad’s mother is also claiming that her daughter, who managed to flee the scene before officers arrived, threatened to kill her. Orland police are actively searching for Shoumounejad, who is wanted on charges of burglary, assault, criminal threats and battery. Shoumounejad has been described as being 5 feet 3 inches tall with green eyes and brown hair. She may have a small white dog with her and was wearing a gray tank top and black leggings at the time of the assault. Anyone with information regarding Shoumounejad’s location is encouraged to call the Orland Police Department at (530) 865-1616.

Josiah Nicholl can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @josiah_theorion on Twitter.

Wednesday March 28, 2018

EDITORIAL

NOW YOU KNOW A WEEKLY FACTOID FEATURE

What are the staff demographics at The Orion?

A: Students from any and all majors can join and work for The Orion, it’s not just journalism.

The staff changes on a semester-tosemester basis. Each semester, the staff ranges anywhere between 30 to 50 student writers and editors.

We have students from different departments including; journalism, political science, communications and more.

We have students ranging from sophomores to seniors with about 25 women and 20 men.

The editorial process is completely student run. Have a question? Email us at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com.

THUMBS Thumbs up to the March for Our Lives movement. Way to stand up for what matters! Thumbs down to spring break ending. Time to go back to class and work. Thumbs up to the good weather over the weekend and no school on Friday! Thumbs down to people celebrating Cesar Chavez without understanding the history. Look it up.

Cesar Chavez Day versus Chico State party culture There is (probably) not one person on the Chico State

That is the most blatant example of disrespect I have

campus who is upset about school being out of session on Friday. This three day weekend will be filled with sunshine, late nights and good friends. Cesar Chavez Day is a very popular day among university students to go out, wear sombreros and drink Tequila. Although I’m always down for a house party and some Margaritas, the real history of this holiday should put any drunk sombrero-wearing student to shame. Cesar Chavez Day was proclaimed as a federal holiday in 2014, according to telesur. This day-off celebrates the legacy of Cesar Chavez, a civil rights and labor movement activist. Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, participated in walk-outs, fasts, created legislative campaigns and participated in activism for workers’ and immigrant rights in California and the U.S. So, as a party culture ridden group of young adults, we honor Chavez’s legacy and work by getting drunk at sunrise and culturally appropriating the Mexican dress.

ever seen. This holiday should be about history, education and volunteer work in honor of this man who changed the lives of so many people around the country, especially in California. I know that doesn’t sound as fun as going out with friends, soaking in the sunshine and dancing to good music all night long. Maybe we can come up with a compromise. It doesn’t make you a bad person to go out this weekend and get drunk at 6 a.m. or dance your butt off until 4 a.m. It does make you look ignorant and disrespectful when you do it with a sombrero on your head, mock Mexican language or post pictures on Instagram of you and your friends blacked out wearing ponchos. Don’t do it.

The Orion editorial is a collaborative effort of the entire editorial board.

COVER Euphorbia lactea crest “White Ghost”

Alludia procera

Haworthia

Pink Anthurium

Provide a sanctuary for Chico State plants

ver 3,000 plant species are in the process of moving to two new Chico State greenhouses. Starting on Monday, various plants were removed from four weathered greenhouses that date back to the early 1970s to two brand new greenhouses that are located next to the tennis courts. Plants from desert, tropical, temperate and miscellaneous environments will be divided into four rooms in one of the new greenhouses. According to Facilities Management and Services Director Mike Guzzi, the two greenhouses will be split between two departments. “One full (greenhouse) is the part for natural sciences,” Guzzi said. “The other (greenhouse) has an area in the front of it that is for faculty research from the science department, but then the back three-quarters of it is for the ag department.” While four old greenhouses were able to home more plants, but the new greenhouses will be more efficient with both lighting and heating. Biology Instructional Support Technician Mark Leigh said that the old greenhouses were made out of outdated fiberglass that has turned a yellowish hue due to deterioration. This yellow tint has reduced the amount of sunlight the plants get. Leigh said the new greenhouses are mostly made of a polycarbonate material called twin wall which lasts longer and insulates better than fiberglass. “It has a lifespan of 25 plus years,” Leigh said. “At night when you lose heat, you want to have a great insulating quality, but yet still need it to be clear for the light during the day.” According to Leigh, a twin wall does both, it’s translucent so it allows the right amount of light into the greenhouses and its multilayered struc-

ture ensures needed heat doesn’t escape at night. Prior to the move there were about 3,500 plant species in the old greenhouses. While the majority of plants will make it to the new greenhouses, some trees that are deeply rooted won’t make the transfer. The new greenhouses simply don’t have room for all the plants, especially the larger ones, so Leigh plans to ship several species to other greenhouses. “Plants that don’t get to come over or that don’t make it, will get to Davis, Berkeley and other universities,” Leigh said. “It’s a huge network, especially among the universities and conservatories.” Part of the construction of the new greenhouses was demolishing two black-top tennis courts that Guzzi said were, “highly underutilized,” and weren’t repaved like the other blue and green courts. He also explained that the old greenhouses were hidden in a corner of campus near the railroad tracks so the new location will hopefully improve accessibility. Leigh said the new location’s accessibility will make it easier to give plant tours to biology classes. These tours provide students with literal hands-on learning, which Leigh said makes Chico State unique. “(A lot of) these plants, you would have to go to another university or conservatory to see them. And they’re just amazing, they’re bizarre-looking things,” Leigh said. “So the fact that a student or faculty member could come over there and actually see this plant, not just a picture from the internet, is pretty cool. It’s really neat that we have that here at this campus.” Alex Grant can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @AlexThomasGrant on Twitter.

This greenhouse these plants wer

STORY Orchid

Orchid

e room used to house several desert plants. Nearly all of re able to make the transfer into the new greenhouse.

Pachypodium lamerei

Staghorn Fern

CALENDAR

Wednesday March 28, 2018

U p c o mi ng

mar. 28 - apr. 3

Wed 28 Speaker Re-broadcast: Scott Hamilton

The Chico State chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success is hosting a speaker re-boadcast with Scott Hamilton. Hamilton is a retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships, four consecutive World Championships and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. Where: BMU 304 When: 2:30 to 4 p.m. Price: Free

Active Shooter Training: 19 Seconds

Do you know what to do in the event of an active shooter on campus? Come learn information that could help protect you and your colleagues. This course provides employees with information on how to best protect themselves in the event of an active shooter on our campus. Where: CLSA 100 When: 10 a.m. to noon Price: Free

Wildcat Leadership Institute Speaker Series: Dr. Vernon Andrews

Stop by the Bell Memorial Union to listen to Dr. Vernon Andrews talk about the leadership skills that we need to succeed. He will be talking about his life in Oakland, how he transitioned to Chico State, his work at Hewlett-Packard Company and his life as a professor in New Zealand. Where: BMU 210 When: 4 to 6 p.m. Price: Free

Thoroughbreds FOCUS FEATURESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PHOTO

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thoroughbreds will be playing at the Pagean theatre this week.

Two old friends reconnect after their lives take very different turns in this satirical comedy. Thoroughbreds is a movie that is sure to entertain. Stop by the Pageant Theatre and kick back and relax for a night, or day, at the movies. Where: Pageant Theatre When: 4 and 7 p.m. Price: General Admission: $8, Seniors $7, Children $6.50

Wednesday March 28, 2018

CALENDAR

END OF THE WEEK PLANS Thu 29

Fri 30

Restorative Yoga

Come on down to the Wildcat Recreation Center to get your yoga on. Yoga helps to make you feel more calm and collected. If you are feeling stressed, give yoga a try. You may discover a new hobby. Where: WREC When: 3 to 4 p.m. Price: Free

Bread & Butter, Autogramm, Mr. Malibu

Bread & Butter are back! Down from Seattle with tour-mates Autogramm in town, this one is for Ranier lovers and dancers alike. Local support from Mr. Malibu. Where: Duffyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tavern When: 9 p.m. Price: Unknown

De-stress: Video Game Night

Stop by The Hub on campus to play some video games. Take a break from all of those tests and research papers and take some time for yourself. What better way to lose focus for a bit than to play video games? Where: The Hub When: 6 p.m. Price: Free

Chico State Softball host Cal State Dominguez Hills (Double Header)

Come support your Chico State softball team at the Wildcat Softball Field to watch them go head-to-head against Cal State Dominguez Hills in this double header. Where: Wildcat Softball Field When: 1 p.m. Price: Free

CALENDAR

Wednesday March 28, 2018

WEEKEND EVENTS Sat 31

Pacific Western Conference Championship

The Pacific Western Conference Championship will be hosted near the Chico State Nettleton Stadium. Chico State will play against Stanford on Saturday, so be sure not to miss that. Go out there and support your local rugby team. Where: Chico State Nettleton Stadium When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Price: Free

Sun 1 Midway of Fun at Mt. Shasta Mall Redding

Looking for something to do this Easter Sunday? Gather your closest friends and loved ones and head out to the fair in Redding. It will be open till 9 p.m. so you still have time to enjoy it after your Easter festivities. Where: Mt. Shasta Mall When: 12 to 9 p.m. Price: $19 if bought by March 29 George Lopez will be performing in Redding March 31.

GETTY IMAGES’ PHOTO

George Lopez in Redding

Just a mere one hour drive outside of Chico, George Lopez will be doing a stand up comedy routine. If you’re looking for something to do this Saturday, this is definitely something you won’t want to miss! Where: Redding Civic Auditorium When: 8 p.m. Price: $85 - $110

Classic Movie Day • Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Come to the El Rey Theater to watch this classic, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Only $5 for adults and $3 for kids, this is the perfect thing to do this Saturday. Where: El Rey Theater When: 3 to 5:30 p.m. Price: Adults $5, Kids $3

Midway of Fun will be in Redding April 1.

ALLEVENTS.IN’S PHOTO

Wednesday March 28, 2018

CALENDAR

START OF THE WEEK Mon 2

Tues 3

Monday Game Night

Looking for something to do this Monday night? Stop by Woodstock’s Pizza to enjoy some games and of course, pizza. Be sure to gather some friends together and have fun! Where: Woodstock’s Pizza When: 6 to 11 p.m. Price: Free

PROPOSED STUDENT FEE ADJUSTMENTS

to Health Services Fee, Athletics Fee, Student Learning Fee

Polls open: Wednesday, April 25 at 8 AM Polls close: Thursday, April 26 at 8 PM Check your email or visit

www.csuchico.edu/fee-adjustments to access the link to vote.

For more information on the proposed fee adjustments, to view the voter pamphlet, or to provide online feedback, please visit www.csuchico.edu/fee-adjustments.

GETTY IMAGES’ PHOTO

The Lil Smokies will be performing in Chico this Tuesday, April 3.

The Lil’ Smokies with Mapache at Sierra Nevada

Stop by the Sierra Nevada Big Room to watch The Lil’ Smokies perform. Their style is acoustic with some bluegrass roots intertwined into the sound. This is something you won’t want to miss. Where: Sierra Nevada Brewery When: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Price: $20

Do You C Me? Colorism in POC Communities

Join the Cross Cultural Leadership Center to talk about how perceptions of our skin can create prejudice, but also how we can navigate such common commentary. Where: MLIB 172 When: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Price: Free

22 SPORTS BASEBALL California MLB teams prepare for the season Wednesday March 28, 2018

Austin Schreiber Staff Writer

ith opening day a week away, it’s time to start thinking about Major League Baseball again. Spring training is wrapping up and teams are making their final roster cuts. With Chico having no professional sports team, many students and locals are fans of teams from northern or southern California, such as the Oakland Athletics, the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Oakland Athletics Strengths: The Oakland A’s have one of the youngest lineups in the league and, typically, that means less injuries. Matt Olson and Khris Davis also provide the A’s with some solid power. Davis hit 43 home runs last year while Olson hit 24 in only 189 at bats. So look for Olson to really break out this year. Weaknesses: The A’s rotation and bullpen are full of question marks. The returning pitchers are not what you would call star caliber either. Kendall Graveman and Sean Manaea both had ERAs north of 4.00 last season, and Daniel Mengden and Paul Blackburn could be promising, but they are both relatively inexperienced still.

BASEBALL 03/23 HOME (14 innings)

CSU San Bern. CHICO

8 9

GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN PETERSEN

New Oakland Athletics outfielder Stephen Piscotty (left) high fives Matt Olsen (right) as Olsen comes in following a home run.

San Francisco Giants Strengths: The San Francisco Giants made a couple upgrades to their lineup this offseason, adding outfielders Andrew McCutchen, Austin Jackson and third baseman Evan Longoria. With Buster Posey, Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford still in the mix, their lineup looks like it will produce a lot more runs this year. Weaknesses: The Giants’ bullpen was their biggest weakness last year and it doesn’t look like it has improved much this season either. If Mark Melancon, Tony Watson and Sam Dyson don’t turn it around

TOP PERFORMERS

2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 SO A. Baleto 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 SO J. Wagner D. Beavers W, 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 SO

this year, the team could be in serious trouble.

Los Angeles Angels Strengths: The Los Angeles Angels have a potentially powerful lineup with hitters like Ian Kinsler, Zack Cozart, Albert Pujols and, of course, Mike Trout. Each of these hitters crushed over 20 home runs last season, so they can only hope that will continue. Trout, the best five tool player in baseball, also needs to be on the field and healthy to ensure a successful season for the Angels. Weaknesses: The Angels’ starting rotation is very much

SOFTBALL 03/25 HOME

CSU San Bern. CHICO

TOP PERFORMERS

11 3

D. Miller T. Stofiel A. Schantz

2-4, BB 2-2, 2B, R, BB, HBP 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 SO.

unproven and their bullpen is not too strong either. Garret Richards has been solid number one, but there seems to be a steep drop off after that. Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs are not exactly prime options and Matt Shoemaker had an ERA of 4.52 last season.

Los Angeles Dodgers Strengths: The Los Angeles Dodgers have the luxury of being one of the few teams with a very talented young roster. Shortstop Corey Seager, center fielder Chris Taylor and first baseman Cody Bellinger are three young superstars in the STAT 'CAT

BASEBALL

BASKETBALL InMEN’S Friday’s 14 inning game, the Wildcats set a new record for walks in a game with 17. The previous record was 12.

making. They are leading the way for the offense behind ace Clayton Kershaw. Weaknesses: After Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ rotation is kind of shaky. Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu currently make up the rest of the roation and they are all very injury prone pitchers. While they all have the potential to be sharp at times, they also have just as much potential to land on the disabled list. Austin Schreiber can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @aschreiber94 on Twitter.

STAT 'CAT

TRACK AND FIELD

MEN’S BASKETBALL The men’s team ranks No. 1 in the nation,while the women’s team is ranked No. 4

SPORTS Assistant Coach talks hitters’ strategy UPCOMING - BASEBALL Wednesday WednesdayMarch Oct. 25,28, 2017 2018

BASEBALL

vs.

Austin Schreiber Staff Writer

Who: Cal State Los Angeles Where: Reeder Field When: March 29 at 6 p.m. Price: $6

nyone who has played baseball before knows that hitting is no easy task. Making contact with a 90 mph fastball is already difficult enough. Throw in pitchers who throw 75 mph change-ups, curveballs and sliders that sweep across the plate and hitting the ball becomes even more complicated. Chico State baseball Assistant Coach Jose Garcia, who has worked closely with the Chico State baseball team’s hitters for the past six years, emphasizes that his players should always have a clear plan when they are at the plate. Garcia talked about how his team works on their approach at the plate in practice. “The one thing that we take pride in is situational hitting,” Garcia said. “That is something we do on a daily basis. We work on sacrifice bunting, push bunts and drag bunting. We get our hit and runs in and work on specific situations... (For example) runner on third base with less than two outs. Whether it’s a ground ball up the middle or a fly ball to the outfield, we work on getting that runner in. That is why we have been STAT 'CAT SOFTBALL

03/25 TURLOCK (6)

Simon Fraser CHICO

vs. Who: Cal State Los Angeles Where: Reeder Field When: March 30 at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Price: $6

Chico State baseball’s Asssistant Coach Jose Garcia coaches third base for the Wildcats. so successful in the past. We find ways to get guys on and get them around.” Manufacturing runs has been a big part of the Wildcats game plan this season with power numbers down overall. When asked if the team has worked on anything different in batting practice lately, Garcia said their approaches have stayed the same. “We don’t go out there and work on hitting home runs, we work on hitting the gaps and hitting hard line drives,” he said. “During the Sonoma series, we hit five balls that got caught at the fence and the wind was blowing straight in that day. Some days you have good conditions and the ball flies a

TOP PERFORMERS

0 8

S. Mulock K. Skowrup

4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 SO 4-4, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R

SOFTBALL 03/26 TURLOCK

little further. That’s when a lot of the home runs come, so it really just depends.” One of the last things that Assistant Coach Garcia emphasizes is the importance of having a good two-strike approach. Being able to produce under pressure is one of the most difficult things to do in any sport and baseball is no different. “When we go out and recruit guys, we look at their strikeout to walk numbers and find guys that have tough at bats and refuse to strikeout,” Garcia said. “We find guys that put pressure on the defense.” Approach is everything at Chico State baseball and the team doesn’t plan on

W. Cardinali CHICO 2 A. Flores WESTERN OREGON 0 H. Gilham TOP PERFORMERS

changing theirs anytime soon. Manufacturing runs has been a key part of their game thus far and will likely continue to be for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats are currently sitting in second place in conference with a 13-5 record. Garcia summed up how he works with hitters, recruitment and the hitters approach. “The big thing for us to hone in on offense is continuing to get on base,” he said. “Find a way to get on base and we’ll find a way to manufacture a run. If we continue to stick to that approach, I think we’ll do great.” Austin Schreiber can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @aschreiber94 on Twitter.

STAT 'CAT

TOP PERFORMERS 2-3, R, RBI, BB 1-3, 2B 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 8 SO

ALEX GRANT — THE ORION

SOFTBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL The Chico State softball team went 5-0 over spring break, winning the Tounament of Champions in Turlock.

UPCOMING - SOFTBALL vs. Who: Cal State Dominguez Hills Where: University Softball Field When: March 30 at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Price: Free

vs. Who: Cal State Dominguez Hills Where: University Softball Field When: March 30 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. Price: Free

STAT 'CAT

282

SOFTBALL MEN’S Head BASKETBALL Coach Angel Shamblin became the winningest head coach in Chico State history following Saturday’s wins.

SPORTS MEET

Wednesday March 28, 2018

CHICO STATE TRACK & FIELD

Elyssa Schall participates in the women’s 800 meter run at the Sacramento State Invitational.

eyes softball with No. 1 ranking of its own

Kyle Medina participates in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Sacramento State Invitational.

Haley Boynton participates in the 3,000 meter steeplechase

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARY TOWNE

Andrew Baumgartner Staff Writer

he Chico State track and field team’s last track meet was cancelled on Saturday at the Humboldt Invitational in Arcata. Even though the meet was cancelled, the Wildcats received news that the men rank No. 1 in the nation and the women rank fourth by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Chico State has ranked first in the nation for the fourth time in five years. The ’Cats have 16 marks in the top 10 of many events this season. Chico State is led by the outstanding performance of Kyle Medina. Medina recently made Chico State history at the Sacramento State Hornet Invitational, placing second all time in the men’s 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of eight minutes and 51.66 seconds.

During that event, the ’Cats controlled the leaderboard, with teammates Connor Fisher and Jack Johnson finishing second and third, respectively. Tyler Arroyo is another athlete that has helped Chico State rank in the top spot. Arroyo had three straight first place finishes in the high jump this season. Other athletes that have constituted national top 10 efforts for the men include thrower Noah Nagle, who did it in the

hammer and the shot put, and Derek Morton in the 800-meter run. The women have been led by Alex Burkhart and Hailey Boynton who participated in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in Sacramento. Burkhart’s finish is currently the top time in the nation in the event. Other top-10 finishes for the ’Cats this year came from Elyssa Schall in the 800-meter run, Jenavieve Turner in the

400-meter hurdles, Melanie O’Brien in the heptathlon and Burkhart again in the 1,500-meter run. Chico State’s next track and field meet is March 30 and 31 when the Wildcats head to the Stanford Invitational and the San Francisco State Distance Carnival. Andrew Baumgartner can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @abaum94 on Twitter.

Wednesday March 28, 2018

SPORTS

Wildcat of the week Michelle holt Track & Field

Michelle Holt is a sprinter for Chico State’s track and field team. Holt is in her sophomore year as a kinesiology major and has had early success as a Wildcat so far this season. She placed first in the 100 and 200 meter dash at the Wildcat Invitational on March 10. She is also part of the 4x400 relay team, which placed first in the Wildcat Invitational.

How did you first get involved in track & field?

That’s actually a really funny story. I played basketball my entire life and then one day my English teacher had a sub, which was the track coach. He was this crazy old man that played the guitar and talked about turtles. He just randomly pointed me out and said ‘I want you to run track’ so I did it and I am still here and still doing it eight years later.

Do you have any goals for this year?

This season I want to get my 200 meter time down to about 23 seconds. I want to run the 200 consistently at 24 and 25 seconds, so by the time I get to conference, I can be a low 24 or a nice 23.

How do you feel about your performance this year?

The season is still very new and my body is still adjusting. I feel a lot stronger and faster than I did last year, but I still have so much to learn from it like everybody else. It’s such a new team this year and I feel like I am learning different things from different players.

Who or what inspires you?

I have a lot of things that inspire me. Specifically, strong black women like Michelle Obama and Beyoncé empower me.

What are your plans after college?

I want to be a physical therapist. That’s where my mind is at this point in my life. I want to help people in the best way possible. Helping people to recover and rehabilitate can be hard sometimes, so being that crutch for somebody is something everybody needs. Have a question for a Wildcat of the week? Email us at sportseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_sports on Twitter. KATE ANGELES - THE ORION

OPINION O FACE

Wednesday Wednesday Aug.March 23, 2017 28, 2018

JAIME MUNOZ — THE ORION

How to survive long distance relationships Grant Schmieding Staff Writer

ong distance relationships are about as much fun as just about every Ramsay Bolton scene in Game of Thrones. After my own long distance relationship, I would rather go shopping for my own coffin than enter into another one.

I would rather go shopping for my own coffin than enter into another one.

Unfortunately, after a year, I consider myself to be a bit of an expert. Just like drawing the short straw, we don’t always strategically choose whom we connect with, even if 3,000 miles of distance makes that connection a pain to cope with. Here are five tips to help push through the unpleasantness.

Have an endgame Long-distance relationships are not sustainable. It is possible to power through the misery but having an endgame is a must.

Knowing what you are working towards will help drive you and your partner to keep going. In the end, for a relationship to work, you need to be together.

Know the next time you’ll see each other Visiting your partner is a must. Even if the distance won’t be over, it helps to know the next time you will see each other in person before you, inevitably, have to leave again.

Getting past the distance is only half the battle

Just because you’re finally back together doesn’t mean things will be perfect. Readjusting, after being apart for long periods of time, takes effort and understanding. It’s still a relationship that requires work.

Trust is key Even though it will be hard at times, it’s important to understand that your partner’s actions are out of your control. Trusting your significant other will make the time apart less painful.

Keep busy Leaving room in your schedule to call or FaceTime your partner is important. That being said, keeping busy outside of that time will help you avoid rolling around in your bed sheets, wallowing in self-pity. Long distance relationships blow and should be avoided, but I know better than most how frustratingly unavoidable they can be. It’s not fun but it can be done. Good luck. Grant Schmieding can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter

Wednesday WednesdayMarch Oct. 25,28, 2017 2018

PROTEST

OPINION

Join the fight, save your wallet

Karen Limones Staff Writer

t’s going around campus like gossip: Students can fight a tuition increase from happening. If you haven’t heard by now, then maybe it’s time you get more involved on your own campus

The best way to support this protest is by continuing to share your stories. Our tuition is increasing by $228 and that’s a lot of money coming out from some student's wallets. According to The College Solution, the most alarming increase right now are being felt at state universities. You may be thinking same old news, what can we do to stop it? The thing is you can make a difference. The best way to support this protest is by continuing to share your stories. We hear that you’re angry. The Orion has shared your stories and when I ask you to trust me, I mean it. I’m a journalist, our policy is to gather the truth and report the truth. As much as our support system at Chico State wants to help with funding, they can’t. We need the help of everyone and we need it soon. Therefore, our leaders should stand alongside students and fight for sustainable funding on April 4 in Sacramento, according to Students for Quality Education. For Chico State to prevent

something from affecting our campus, students and staff, we should all come together and fight it. There is only one way we can try to at least prevent the number increasing so much.

We have to advocate to our governor that we need more funding, so take the time out of the day to share your story and choose to take a stand with other students at the Capitol. This will help gain attention and possibly prevent us from having to come up with more funds that we don’t have. To some, this may not be much coming out of their parent’s wallets. However, for those who are sprouting into the adult world, such as myself, this is another responsibility weighing on our students' shoulders. I encourage all of you to take the day off and put it into something as meaningful as this. We can't afford to continue to sit back and watch. If you believe in fair tuition for all students, get involved. Make your voice heard. Join the protest in Sacramento on April 4. There will be free transportation provided. If you can't attend, please contact SQE to find out how your story can be heard. Just because you can't be there, doesn't mean you can't help. Karen Limones can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter

JAIME MUNOZ —THE ORION

For more information follow Students for Quality Education: Instagram: @chicostate.sqe Facebook: @chico sqe e-mail: csuchico.sqe@gmail.com

Reach out to student leaders:

Academic Senate Office: asunivaffaris@csuchico.edu Associated Student President Alisha Sharma: aspresident@csuchico.edu.

OPINION

Wednesday Feb. March 14, 28, 2018 2018

28 28

Nicte Hernandez Staff Writer

What is your opinion on stricter gun regulations? Guns are dangerous machines. I think we need to treat guns like we do vehicles. You should have to attend a class, take a test, it might be a psychological test, and then interview with a bureaucrat. Then just like a driver's license you are able to now go on buying a car and drive but in this case you are able to purchase a gun.

What do you think of the Parkland students taking this into their own hands and looking to pass gun reforms? It's politics, the definition of politics is resources and who gets those resources as well as those values will get passed to the next generation. It's their right to want to impose their values on our society, so we either reject them, modify or implement them and move on. So for people to say they should shut up or they do not know what they are talking about, first of all, they are exercising their First Amendment which beats the second amendment any day of the week. They should be able to start pressuring their politicians since that is what our society is built on and if people are criticizing them for that, they are idiots and it is ludicrous and infuriates me that adults are questioning the passion of these students. This is how we have discussions and this is the whole purpose of our political system.

Should teachers have the responsibility to protect their students if they were allowed to bring guns to campus? PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CROSBY

John Crosby is a lecturer in the political science department, holds a bachelor's and a master's in political science and international relations and is also a retired major for the United States Army.

First of all, the job of a teacher is not to engage in a gunfight. Their job here is to educate. Secondly, once you start arming teachers, you are going to get more accidental shootings or suicides. If you have a gun around, it is much easier to do that and some teachers if you have a weapon it is going to escalate situations. Also, someone else could get access to the gun and use it wrong. Trump is an idiot and is only suggesting this in order to take attention away from what we really need which is stricter gun regulations.

What experiences have formed your opinions? In the military, there are accidental shootings all the time, the only time I heard a gun go off when I was on a base in Kuwait was accidental. Guns are dangerous. Even people who are trained and know what they are doing say they have accidents all the time and that is insane, we need to treat them with much more respect and limit their availability. So when we say we need to arm teachers, you are opening the door to a whole new set of problems, like accidents and suicide. We need to look at the numbers also; for example, police officers go their entire career not firing their weapon so for there to be 330 million guns in America, that are a waste of money and resources. So I just look at it from a logical perspective and a much broader perspective.

Wednesday feb. march 14, 28, 2018 2018

OPINION

Kayla Tarrant is a senior with a major in social work, a minor in criminal justice and has interned at Community Legal Information Center and is currently working at the District Attorney’s office for Sutter County. NICTE HERNANDEZ—THE ORION

What is your opinion on stricter gun regulations? I believe we definitely need stricter gun regulations like extensive background checks, domestic violence history, drug or alcohol abuse or checks to see if people are just more prone to being aggressive when they’re not in their natural state.

What do you think of the Parkland students taking this into their own hands and looking to pass gun reforms? It is expected after such a tragedy but I don't believe their campaign will do anything. We always have mass shootings, I mean Sandy Hook was in 2012 and nothing has been done since then. We can have all these rallies and marches, but I mean that hasn’t done anything for the Black Lives Matter campaign, police are still killing unarmed black men.

Should teachers have the responsibility to protect their students if they were allowed to bring guns to campus? No, because of accidental shootings. Also, who is to say that teachers won’t have a bad day and will use this against kids who are acting out or known to be troublemakers. I believe we need different protocols like bulletproof windows and doors, metal detectors I mean this will make it seem like a jail or something but I do not believe arming teachers is the answer.

What experiences have formed your opinions? Criminal justice is my minor so most of my peers have a strong opinion on the Second Amendment which allows me to see the conservative side of this issue, which also allows me to see the full picture of owning a gun whether it is for sport, protection or hunting. I am able to see why people want to keep regulations the way they are but that has only made me firmly believe that we need more regulations since guns are so easily accessible. Personally, I do want to own a gun later on in life but it is pretty frustrating to learn how easy it is to buy a gun. I honestly have no background in guns, nor do I know how to use them or what bullets to use. All I literally had to do though was take a 15-minute test that I studied for five minutes prior and that is a bit ridiculous.

OPINION

Wednesday march 28, 2018

MONEY

DIEGO RAMIREZ—THE ORION

Wage gap still exists, slowly diminishing Karen Limones Staff Writer

oney runs our society. We pay so much attention to money but rarely notice the flaws in our economic system. What really needs attention is who is affected in the end when the minimum wage gap falls short: Women. It’s because women represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers across the country and threequarters in some states. According to the National Women’s Law Center, they discovered 10 states with slim

variations between men and women, seven of those were above federally mandated of $7.25-per-hour. This means the typical full-time working women earned 80 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart. One of the things President Obama did to approach the gap was sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, that expanded the statute of limitations on lawsuits over equal pay. But yet, little was done to actually change the gap because the gap stands at 77 cents, the same place since the bill passed in 2009.

Although the gap has narrowed because of women’s progress in education, the workforce and men’s wages rising, it has not fully disappeared. According to the AAUW, at the rate of change between 1960 and 2016, women are expected to reach pay equity with men in 2059. However, will such a slow rate seen since 2001, women will not reach pay equity with men until 2119. The gender gap continues and is worse for black and Hispanic women. Personally, I hate that this affects women. Just because

we make up most of the workforce, shouldn’t mean we get paid less. In fact, I don’t understand why women are being so belittled when they’re choosing to work. It’s understandable in a particular job setting where work positions differ but in a sense where a man and women are taking on similar positions, why are we receiving a different wage. As much as we want equal pay to happen now, it’s still in progress. To move forward, there are a few steps society can take to make the wage gap disappear. One beneficial way to get

started, is to find out if you’re receiving equal pay. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, workers are either prohibited or discouraged from talking about how much they make with their colleagues. Therefore, it should be easy if employers openly talked about their wages and we can start fighting for our own ‘sixfigure’ salaries, too. Karen Limones can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

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OPINION NEBULA

Lead The Orion Chico State’s award-winning news organization seeks applicants for its two top leadership positions

Editor-In-Chief The Orion’s newsroom leader is responsible for all decisions relating to the production of the newspaper and its website, theorion.com. This includes but is not limited to style, content, tone, quality, layout, production and editorial viewpoint. The editor-in-chief establishes and enforces editorial policies and guidelines, recruits and supervises the newspaper staff, and coordinates work on all The Orion’s publishing platforms. He or she also sits on the organization’s management committee. Compensation for the editor-in-chief is provided through a monthly stipend. Business Manager The Orion’s top business leader works with the newspaper adviser to make decisions about the newspaper’s advertising and ad sales, establishes sales policies, solicits advertising, and supervises staff and operations of the business department. He or she also recruits, interviews and hires the staff, coordinates training, and represents the businesss department at newspaper management meetings. Compensation is a weekly salary based on a 10-hour work week. These semester-long positions begin in early August 2018. Applicants should submit a letter of application outlining their education, work experience and vision for The Orion to Adviser Mark Plenke via email: mplenke@csuchico.edu. Deadline is noon on Friday, April 6.