Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Volume 154 No. 17 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
California chooses candidates
Bernie Sanders Joe Biden
Elizabeth Warren Tulsi Gabbard Mike Bloomberg
Eliminated Candidates
ILLUSTRATION BY CINDY CUELLAR
By Mauricio La Plante ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The Golden State may have a more important role in this year’s Democratic primary election, than in previous years. “Having our primaries scheduled in June as it’s been for the last several cycles really makes California kind of an afterthought in the race for president,� said Garrick Percival, the interim political science department chair. “By moving it up in the calendar year, this gives California certainly a bigger voice in the process, but a
voice that’s commensurate with its size and importance.� All voting centers in Santa Clara County are open today, including the one in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters must make it through the door by closing time to cast a ballot for representatives of the California Senate, California Assembly, U.S. House of Representatives, San Jose City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. San Jose voters will also decide on the city’s Measure E and the statewide
Proposition 13. California, 13 other states and American Samoa are holding primary elections for the presidency and the results could mean a revival for the five remaining Democratic presidential candidates who fell behind in the primary election. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard are the remaining major candidates for the Democratic nomination. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was the
latest presidential candidate to drop out of the race Monday after former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg announced the end of his campaign on Sunday. The most recent primary results in South Carolina yielded a big win for former Vice President Joe Biden. However, Super Tuesday could change the tide of the race. Similar to the electoral college’s procedure, each candidate will win delegates who will vote for the candidate at the Democratic National Convention in June,
Election Countdown Candidates aim to edge each other out on Super Tuesday. Page 3 according to FiveThirtyEight. The race determines more than a third of all delegates allocated to each candidate for the Democratic primary.
Coronavirus case count climbs By Eduardo Teixeira SENIOR STAFF WRITER
JESUS TELLITUD | SPARTAN DAILY
Caleaf Coltrin sits on his dad, Brian’s shoulders during the Bernie Sanders rally, Sunday in San Jose.
Supporters pack hall for Bernie Sanders By Vicente Vera
walked to the podium at South Hall in Downtown San Jose. Merchants and campaign Met by a roaring crowd of volunteers sported Sanders buttons, supporters who could be heard from shirts and hats along the walkways blocks away, Vermont Senator and outside the venue. Some supporters Democratic presidential candidate crossed great distances to show their Bernie Sanders made a campaign support for the senator. stop in San Jose Sunday, right before Justin Goldberg said he left his Super Tuesday. retail job in Chicago, Illinois to travel “I’m beginning to think that from city to city and state to state, San Jose is ready for the political RALLY | Page 2 revolution,� Sanders said when he SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
Musicians feel the Bern Artists from across California rally for Bernie Page 5
Nine people in Santa Clara County are infected with the new coronavirus as of Monday, according to a media statement from the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department. The department has not released the names of the patients in order to protect their privacy. Despite the rising rate of infections, San Jose State will remain open until further notice, according to an email sent out Friday by SJSU President Mary Papazian. “Despite the increasing severity of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak globally, at the time of this email on Feb. 28, 2020, there are no reported cases of Coronavirus within the SJSU community of students, faculty and staff,� Papazian said in the email. Barbara Fu, SJSU interim clinical supervisor, said in an email that the health and safety of students is the University’s top priority. “[The University] will be closely monitoring the situation so it can respond appropriately as needed,� Fu said. “The level of transmission within our county is something they will closely track.� Although the campus remains open, students who intended
to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea will no longer attend the trip because of a travel advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State. The SJSU study abroad office also restricted students from registering and paying for any summer faculty-led study abroad programs. Biology freshman Adrian Perez said that he is not necessarily worried about the virus. “It seems intimidating at first because of everything you see in the news,� Perez said. “But when you look at it, you see it really only affects older people, like at age 50 and up.� Fu said that students who are worried they have contracted the virus can get in contact with the Student Health Center. “We do ask that students call first before coming to the health center so that we may take appropriate precautions to protect other students and staff,� Fu said. “As a general reminder, the public health department is recommending that all persons stay at home if they feel sick to limit the spread of illness.� Follow Eduardo on Twitter @eduardo_teix97
Gia Pham contributed reporting to this article.
Opinion
A&E
Sports
Bloomberg represents everything wrong with politics
Soccer Mommy blends sorrow and sweetness
Earthquakes score late to draw in home opener
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
ABOUT The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.
EDITORIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR CHELSEA NGUYEN FLEIGE MANAGING EDITOR BRENDAN CROSS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JOHN BRICKER
MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY
(Left to right) Salinas residents Alexia Magdaleno, Mia Valdez and Victor Santana raise their signs up in support of Sen. Bernie Sanders.
CREATIVE PRODUCER MELODY DEL RIO NEWS EDITOR CHRISTIAN TRUJANO ASST. NEWS EDITOR MAURICIO LA PLANTE PRODUCTION EDITOR MARCI SUELA A&E EDITOR ALYSON CHUYANG OPINION EDITOR CHRIS CORE SPORTS EDITOR JESUS TELLITUD PHOTO EDITOR JOHANNA MARTIN SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR VICENTE VERA SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR KUNAL MEHTA SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR JAILEANE AGUILAR CONTENT EDITOR VICTORIA FRANCO COPY EDITORS OLIVIA BOWMAN ERICA LIZARRAGO COURTNEY VASQUEZ SPANISH COPY EDITOR DIANA AVILA GRAPHICS EDITORS CINDY CUELLAR NATHAN DOYLE
JESUS TELLITUD | SPARTAN DAILY
SENIOR STAFF WRITERS DIANA AVILA KELLEN CONCENTINE PAUL HANG BRIANNA SHEATS EDUARDO TEIXEIRA AUSTIN TURNER
U.S. Rep Ro Khanna (left) introduces Bernie Sanders (right) to the audience Sunday in the South Hall at the convention center.
STAFF WRITERS JOCLYN AGUIRRE BRYANNA BARTLETT BRIANA CONTE ANDREW GLENN SHRUTHI LAKSHMANAN DAN NGUYEN CHRIS PADILLA GIA PHAM BRIAN SO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BLUE NGUYEN PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG
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EDITORIAL POLICY
Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
GIA PHAM | SPARTAN DAILY
Vermont Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders turns to the left as he emphasizes that women have the right to control their own bodies, Sunday at South Hall.
RALLY Continued from page 1 campaigning for Sanders. “I said ‘There’s more important stuff I could be doing right now’ and I quit that job and got on a bus to Iowa City about three weeks before the caucuses,” he said. After canvasing casino workers and union members in Las Vegas, Goldberg said he found fellow Sanders supporters to host him in San Jose, then later in San Mateo. “Now I’m out here in the Bay Area and it’s just been incredible,” he said. “The most fulfilling time of my life has been the last seven weeks, campaigning for Bernie.” The 2020 presidential candidate’s rally was free and open to the public. Security required that attendees go through metal detectors before packing inside the hall, behind an American flag that draped over the entire room. Not even the size of the flag could contain the excitement in the audience, with many cradling their children and embracing loved ones nearby. Opening acts and speakers for
Sanders included the rock band Joyce Manor and The Vagina Monologues playwright Eve Ensler. “And I want to tell you, I’ve spoken before many groups; this is the loudest group I’ve ever heard,” Sanders said, prompting the audience to cheer louder.
JESUS TELLITUD | SPARTAN DAILY
Bernie Sanders’s supporters lift his name among the sea of audience members packed in at the San Jose Convention Center.
even during Sanders’ speech. Music and behavioral science junior Muskan Parashar said she had the afternoon free from schoolwork and was excited to see the candidate she has supported since 2015. “I was pretty psyched but not surprised because, you know, he’s
Now I’m out here in the Bay Area and it’s just been incredible. The most fulfilling time of my life has been the last seven weeks, campaigning for Bernie. Justin Goldberg Bernie Sanders supporter
For every moment that erupted into applause, signs as diverse as the audience flew up in the air and blocked the view of Sanders for anyone deep in the crowd. “Unidos por Bernie,” stated one sign, a Spanish translation of “united for Bernie.” A crowd of supporters congregated around the entrance outside the venue
kind of going everywhere,” Parashar said. “My walk here, I feel like every booth I’ve been to: ‘I love what you’re wearing, I like what your sign says’. Like everyone’s just been so positive and amazing.” However, not everyone was there to support Sanders. Attendee Tom Watts stood outside of the venue, holding up a sign saying,
“A vote for Sanders is a vote for Trump.” Watts said he is a Republican who does not support Donald Trump’s reelection and that he knows likeminded individuals who would vote for any Democratic candidate except for Sanders, as they find Sanders too extreme in his leftist leanings. “Most people in America are moderate. Most people in America are reasonable, whether they’re Democrats or Republicans,” Watts said. Sanders volunteer and Salinas resident Dante Bonetti, said that he had not yet decided on a candidate and is optimistic that his mind will be set after listening to the senator speak. “I’m here to support him and volunteer because what he said has really impressed me, but today’s the last speech I could see,” Bonetti said.
Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter @Spartan Daily
Chris Padilla contributed reporting to this article.
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
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Candidates seek shift on Super Tuesday
Bernie Sanders
By Vicente Vera SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR CALIFORNIA REGISTERED VOTERS POLLED BY YOUGOV FROM FEB. 26 - 28 INDICATED THAT SANDERS, BIDEN AND WARREN WERE LIKELY TO PASS THE 15% THRESHOLD TO RECEIVE DELEGATES, WHILE BLOOMBERG WAS CLOSE BEHIND AT 13% AND GABBARD WAS A DISTANT FIFTH.
Elizabeth Warren
Joe Biden From small-town mayor to U.S. Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders is one of only two members of the Senate with no official party affiliation. While he caucuses with the Democrats, Sanders declares his independence from political institutions and calls himself a democratic socialist. Like his previous presidential campaign, Sanders made health care his hallmark issue and is currently leading in delegates. “I believe that the United States should not be the only major country on Earth not to provide paid family and medical leave,” Sanders said during the Sept. 12 Democratic debate. “I believe that every worker in this country deserves a living wage and that we expand the trade union movement.”
28%
Joe Biden, who served as vice president of the United States under Barack Obama, has been in politics for almost half a century, becoming one of the youngest U.S. senators at age 29. In the Senate he represented Delaware and served as chair of the judiciary committee, overseeing many contentious nominations of Supreme Court judges, including the nomination of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. Obama appointed Biden to head the Gun Violence Task Force to address gun violence after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. “I have no illusions about what we’re up against or how hard the task is in front of us,” Biden said in a 2013 news conference. “The world has changed and it demands action.”
19%
18% United States Senator from Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren started her career as a special education teacher, then went on to become one of the highest paid law professors at Harvard University. During her tenure she continued to research issues such as bankruptcy and personal finance. “I did my very first empirical study, looking at the families who were going into bankruptcy,” Warren said in a 2007 interview with Conversations with History host Harry Kreisler. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, then U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed Warren to lead a panel overseeing the $700 billion bank bailout of 2008. Warren touts her “wealth tax” as the signature policy proposal of her 2020 presidential campaign. It is modeled after her senate bill, the Accountable Capitalism Act, which seeks to limit the spending power of large companies and corporations.
Mike Bloomberg
13%
Before becoming a three-term mayor of New York City, Mike Bloomberg made his billions selling special computer software to people on Wall Street. Known as the “Bloomberg Terminal,” the software delivered its subscribers real-time market data and allowed for stock trading. Bloomberg took office just months after 9/11 and implemented a Wall Street-style open office in the city government while expanding the city’s “stop-and-frisk” program. “We’ve shown the world that New York [City] can never be defeated, because of its dynamic and diverse population,” Bloomberg said at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Changing his party affiliation back to Democrat for the 2020 presidential race, Bloomberg has spent the most out of any candidate on campaign ads and will make his debut appearance on the presidential primary ballot today.
Spartan Daily named best in California By Spartan Daily Staff SAN FRANCISCO — The Spartan Daily took top honors at the California College Media Association’s awards banquet, winning best overall newspaper among the state’s large universities Saturday. The Daily also picked up awards for photography, editorial, social media reporting and news series. “I was thrilled to death,” said Richard Craig, journalism professor and adviser for the Daily. “It felt like validation of not just some really hard work this past school year, but validation of a lot of really hard work people have done for the Daily in recent years to raise the bar.” The first place finish capped off the
most successful awards year for the Daily, following second place awards in the nationwide Hearst Awards, Associated Collegiate Press and Pinnacle Awards. Journalism senior and special projects editor Vicente Vera won best podcast for his Spartan Life episode about conservative organization Turning Point USA starting a chapter at SJSU. “I consider myself a perfectionist, so I would just listen to it over and over again and keep making changes to it, even when I thought I was done,” Vera said.
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Clarifications On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Spartan Daily published a story titled, “REAL ID law draws concern” in which it should have been specified that air travel throughout the United States would be affected by the REAL ID law. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Spartan Daily published an infographic titled, “What documents are necessary to obtain REAL ID” in which should have stated that only two documents out of the three listed are needed to obtain a REAL ID.
Tulsi Gabbard Hawaii Army National Guard major and U.S. Representative for the state, Tulsi Gabbard emphasizes her stance against military intervention throughout her 2020 presidential campaign. “In short, when it comes to the war against terrorists, I’m a hawk,” Gabbard said in a 2016 interview with the Hawaii Tribune-Herald. “When it comes to counterproductive wars of regime change, I’m a dove.” During her campaign, she briefly deployed to do a joint training exercise with the Indonesian military, according to the Washington, D.C. newspaper, Roll Call. Though Gabbard has been absent from the Democratic debate stage since the Nov. 20, 2019 debate, she has steadily floated around 1% in recent polls.
3%
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OPINION
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
Bloomberg’s blatantly buying ballots Austin Turner SENIOR STAFF WRITER
If the Democratic parties presidential candidates involved in the 2020 presidential primary elections have one thing in common, it’s that they desperately want to defeat President Donald Trump. But candidates have an unexpected challenge to face today and in the coming months. They have to beat the left’s mirror image of Trump as well. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg should be any Democrat’s biggest nightmare. If Trump and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spawned a real-life supervillain whose main goal was to be the most unelectable creature in America, it would act a lot like Bloomberg. Truthfully, Bloomberg is the epitome of everything wrong with American politics. Bloomberg has a net worth of $53.4 billion according to Forbes, making him the eighth-most wealthy American. For reference, Trump is No. 275 on the list, with a net worth of $3.1 billion.
Bloomberg’s deep pockets and willingness to use them are the antithesis of what politics should be. Bloomberg self-funded his campaign, like another prominent New York billionaire partially did four years ago during his run to the White House. Despite what you may hear, it’s generally good to selffund a campaign. If you have that kind of money, you shouldn’t rely on donations from working-class Americans. However, Bloomberg’s spending habits cross the line of laudability and teeters into the territory of bribery and corruption. According to The New York Times, he’s spent more than $10 billion on his political career, with most of that money going toward philanthropic efforts. But as Times writers Alexander Burns and Nicholas Kulish wrote, “His political and philanthropic spending has also secured the allegiance or cooperation of powerful institutions and leaders within the Democratic Party who
might take issue with parts of his record were they not so reliant on his largess.” Rather than focusing on captivating the American people with his policies and ideas, Bloomberg is trying to buy the White House, plain and simple. To get his name out there, he’s spent about $415 million on advertising as of Feb. 21, according to a Business Insider article. He dumped the money into advertisements on TV, Facebook and Twitter, among other media. It is the reason for the increase of cringe-worthy memes depicting Bloomberg all over the internet — because apparently the only way to reach youth voters is by posting bad jokes instead of focusing on important issues. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Bloomberg campaign pays $2,500 a month to more than 500 workers to post their support for him on social media and pays popular meme accounts to promote him. Bloomberg’s campaign has been littered with “endorsements.” Even San Jose’s own is involved. Mayor Sam Liccardo, who endorsed Bloomberg in Dec. 2019 and is now California co-chair of his campaign, benefited from grants and a mayoral training program at Harvard at the expense of Bloomberg Philanthropies, according to Daily Democrat and the Times. Bloomberg received an endorsement from Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C. in January this year. Bloomberg gave Bowser’s administration a cut of a $70 million fund to help with climate change efforts, according to Bowser’s own website. Also in 2018, Bloomberg’s political action committee donated $4.3 million to California Rep. Harley Rouda’s reelection efforts, according to Impact2020. She endorsed him for president in January of this year. These “donations” and “philanthropic efforts” became an obvious motive behind Bloomberg’s endorsements. There are many other examples, but you get the point. Now, are briberies disguised as endorsements out of the ordinary in politics? Of course not, but they aren’t typically thrown around with this kind of money. As non-profit and nonpartisan research group OpenSecrets notes, donations from PACs backed by the other democratic candidates have not exceeded $10,000. To top it off, the corruption extends beyond fellow Democratic politicians. In Nov. 2019, Bloomberg gave $300,000 to the Democratic National Committee according to Vice. In January, the DNC changed its own rules, eliminating the donor requirement for debates and allowing Bloomberg to participate in a Feb. 19 debate. Apparently, it’s pretty cheap to pay off the establishment. Bloomberg’s deep pockets and willingness to use them are the antithesis of what politics should be.
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has spent around $415 million on advertising across social media and TV.
Candidates should be elected based on their ideas, not their bank accounts. Remember your first time watching Barack Obama speak? The “Yes We Can’’ chants and “Hope” posters are emblazoned into every American’s brain. Even Trump was able to galvanize a portion of the country through his rhetoric rather than his wallet, even if said rhetoric was a step backward. Bloomberg doesn’t have a fun catchphrase, packed arenas chanting his name or even clippable sound bites from debates. At best he’s another milquetoast, run-ofthe-mill Democrat unable to inspire Americans through his ideas. The only extraordinary thing about Bloomberg is his wallet and if there’s anything we don’t need more of in the White House, it’s corruption. Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinTurner_
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
JOKIN’ AROUND Where did the stripper go to exercise her rights?
To the polls.
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Strict 6. Fastens 10. Birthday or cheese, for example 14. Oddity 15. Cocoyam 16. Winglike 17. Astern 18. Coral barrier 19. Tastes 20. Diner 22. Tight 23. Brassiere 24. Excrete 26. Enlist 30. Hackneyed 32. Braised meat stew 33. Insurrection 37. School athletic centers 38. Consumer of food 39. Diatom 40. Vital 42. Drive 43. Sows 44. Bent 45. Eyeshade 47. French for “Summer”
48. French for Finished or Done 49. An open letter 56. Therefore 57. Frosts 58. Analyze syntactically 59. A noble gas 60. Tall woody plant 61. Jagged 62. Specks 63. Laughs (slang) 64. Propelled with oars DOWN 1. Stigma 2. Pipe 3. Historical periods 4. Break in friendly relations 5. Famous 6. Latin name for our planet 7. Notion 8. Biblical garden 9. Occasional laundry additive 10. Furnish with turrets 11. Assumed name 12. Not working 13. At one time (archaic) 21. Website address
25. Woman 26. Border 27. Negatives 28. Certain card games or liquors 29. Fixations 30. Test versions 31. Cain’s brother 33. Police action 34. Holly 35. Curved molding 36. An aromatic ointment 38. Forever 41. Prefix meaning “Modern” 42. Roomette 44. Faster than light 45. An small olive-grey bird 46. Metal bar 47. S S S S 48. Ward (off) 50. Beige 51. Seven days 52. Tropical tuber 53. Anagram of “Wort” 54. Anagram of “Sees” 55. Tall woody perennial grass
02/27/2020
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
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Music moves the masses at rally By Bryanna Bartlett STAFF WRITER
“We need to hear you scream your loudest scream,” Las Cafeteras member Daniel Joel Jesus French yelled out to the crowd during the Bernie Sanders rally Sunday. “We need you to dance your hardest dance so that this earth shakes and the world will hear that the people today stood for our future!” Las Cafeteras, a Latinx band from East Los Angeles, joined other performers such as Kitty Kat Fan Club, Jack Johnson and Joyce Manor onstage at South Hall in downtown San Jose. Denise Carlos, the main vocalist for Las Cafeteras, belted out lyrics to an energetic crowd in an effort to encourage people to rise up and move. “For us, it’s all about how we work together, how we make movements in our communities, in our families, in our homes,” Carlos said. “One person isn’t gonna change the world, we all have to change it together.” Carlos emphasized the importance of unity through music and said that performing at the rally was a way to tell the stories of the underrepresented. “The movement can’t move without movement,” Carlos said. After the rally, The Come Up curated a space with local musicians and
resident Justin Goldberg said he had spoken to more than 100 people that day and knew about the space, so he planned to attend. “I had no idea there would be live music when I got here,” said Goldberg. “There’s so many different vibes . . . Different people and what they’re passionate about that I’ve been finding all around Bernie.” While Sanders posters were lit up in red, pink and green colors from the stage, the event flyer encouraged people to come join even if they’re not political or a fan of Sanders. The local band Outliars was invited to the event by The Come Up through Instagram and performed last. Bassist Devin McLendon said, “This is an event I’m happy to support . . . I’m a Bernie Bro.” A few attendees danced MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY in front of the sets, while Las Cafeteras’ main vocalist Denise Carlos sings in front of a lively crowd at the Bernie Sanders rally Sunday afternoon. others occasionally stepped outside to smoke visual art as a second Steady Sun, Thiccricc, or have conversation. “It’s moments like this, campaign fundraiser. Outliars and Triimurtii The Come Up is a local performed with visual in an intimate setting, music collective produced art and sound produced where we can put all the by Isaiah Wilson that by local visual artist hard work that we’ve been doing on the back burner partnered with Basil Saleh, Aidan Delaney. a community relations aide “Bernie Sanders has a for a second and just in Santa Clara County. swell of people’s support,” chill,” Goldberg said. With “Bernie Sanders Wilson said. “With The 2020” plastered on Come Up we really every wall and tables of identify with that in Follow Bryanna on Twitter @brybartlett fundraising forms set terms of justice, equality, out in front of the stage, Daniel Joel Jesus French and civility but also approximately 30 people Mauricio La Plante Las Cafeteras band member collectiveness.” shuffled in and out of the Full-time Sanders contributed reporting to this event until 11 p.m. volunteer and Chicago article.
We need to hear you scream your loudest scream. We need you to dance your hardest dance so that this earth shakes and the world will hear that the people today stood for our future!
BRICKER’S BOPS
‘color theory’ blends sweet and sorrow By John Bricker EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
With her second album “color theory,” Soccer Mommy proves to be one of indie rock’s most promising acts, delivering catchy and honest alternative rock that gets more and more potent with every listen. In 2018, Sophia Regina Allison, a Nashville-native who writes and performs under the Soccer Mommy name, released “Clean,” her debut studio album. The mix of low-key and
ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN BRICKER
intricately produced bedroom-pop songs demonstrated her skill as a singer-songwriter, but kept her vision within a limited, humble scope. With only her second studio album, Soccer Mommy has effortlessly transformed her sound into pop-rock euphoria, with most tracks on “color theory” using massive sounds to craft immersive moods and catchy tunes. “crawling in my skin” instantly establishes a groove much more upbeat than anything
on “Clean” with driving bass, hard-hitting drums, gritty power chords and distorted guitar licks. While the track does not deliver an ambitious composition, the blend of intertwining electric arpeggios and acoustic strumming with Allison’s breezy vocals make the song’s steady build more than worth it. On “night swimming,” Allison’s spacey vocals drift over soft electric guitars, describing a nostalgic scene while layers of strings, bass
and slide guitars create a thicker and thicker atmosphere. The track’s dramatic build on simple, beautiful chords rivals the theatricality of rock epics like Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and makes Allison’s melancholy musings even more potent than on her debut. The production on “color theory” is consistently gorgeous, but what truly sets it apart is Allison’s songwriting and singing, which create sticky hooks from heartbreaking lyrics that get better with every listen. Opening track “bloodstream” sets the album’s topical focus perfectly, with Allison painting a bleak picture of depression and distorted self-image over a gritty mix of rough guitars, steady drums and watery keys. As she croons about struggling to leave her room and hearing voices that say, “I’ll never be enough,” the song perfectly follows her emotive performance, with a distorted and psychedelic guitar solo cutting through the track’s dreamy production. “circle the drain” takes a different approach, contrasting Allison’s despondent lyrics with a cheerful blend of watery electric guitars, punchy drums and clean acoustic strumming.
album review “color theory” Rating:
With soft melodies delivering lyrics about trying to seem strong, getting “tired of faking” and feeling miserable “even when everything is fine,” Allison contradicts the warm instrumentation and bright harmonies on the chorus.
If you like the sound of ’90s hits and when songwriters get personal, start paying attention to Soccer Mommy. This duality might seem a little tone-deaf at first, but her vulnerable performance somehow meshes with the lovely song, transforming “circle the drain” into not only a way to face darkness, but an uplifting celebration of the beautiful strength it takes to confront it at all.
Artist: Soccer Mommy Release Date: Feb. 28 Genre: Alternative/Indie
Despite “color theory’s” powerful highlights, the album isn’t perfect. Soccer Mommy pushed the most memorable and catchy songs into the first half, leaving the LP’s 10 tracks and 44 minutes to feel a little bloated by the end. But “color theory” features some of the most cathartic and lovely songs you can find in indie rock, like the 7-minute odyssey “yellow is the color of her eyes.” By the end of its patient journey through passages of delicate guitar licks, tragic vocals and massive swells of distant drums, “yellow” reaches moments of deeply affecting art you can’t afford to miss. If you like the sound of ’90s hits and when songwriters get personal, start paying attention to Soccer Mommy. If Allison continues on this artistic trajectory, she’ll be making gorgeous albums filled with gut-wrenching songs for years to come. Follow John on Twitter @JohnMichaelBr15 Bricker’s Bops will appear every Tuesday.
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SPORTS
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
Earthquakes force late draw in home opener
Defender Oswaldo Alanís marks his San Jose Earthquakes debut with a last-minute free kick goal, forcing a draw against Toronto FC in the team’s home opener Saturday afternoon.
New signee Oswaldo Alanís scores a late free kick to force a 2-2 draw
Story and photos by Jesus Tellitud SPORTS EDITOR
Down 2-1 in their 2020 season home opener, the San Jose Earthquakes had one last free kick in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to force a 2-2 draw against Toronto FC. A defeat seemed imminent, but defender and new signee Oswaldo Alanís stepped up to bury it in the top corner to earn a point for San Jose in his Earthquakes debut. The Quakes overcame a two-goal deficit after Alanís’ goal to end the game in a 2-2 draw against Toronto Saturday afternoon to open their 2020 campaign.
I practiced free kicks over the week. I like free kicks and even though I’m a defender, I feel I can bring offense to the team. Oswaldo Alanís defender
“It’s not the best free kick I’ve taken,” Alanís said. “I practiced free kicks over the week. I like free kicks and even though I’m a defender, I feel I can bring offense to the team.” Alanís signed with the Earthquakes on loan in the offseason, as a transfer from Liga MX team Chivas Guadalajara, to reunite with head coach Matías Almeyda. “I’m happy with the team performance, even if we didn’t tie,” Almeyda said, through head of coaching communications Agustin Zalazar. “I love the
reliance my team showed in the first game.” San Jose was down two goals after Toronto forward Alejandro Pozuelo converted a first-half penalty and defender Richie Laryea doubled the lead after 51 minutes. After Toronto went up two goals, the Earthquakes Stadium atmosphere was bleak until forward Andrés Ríos struck back with a goal for San Jose only two minutes after Toronto scored. TORONTO FC Ríos took advantage of a Cristian Espinoza pinpoint cross, placing it past the Toronto keeper for his first career MLS goal. QUAKES Ríos’ goal cut Toronto’s lead in half 2-1 and the Earthquakes began to rally back. “I thought we showed great character to show some fight,” forward Chris Wondolowski said. “It’s never good to go down 2-0, especially at home, but the response from [Ríos] to bring us back in the game was huge.” Wondolowksi came on as a second-half substitution for the Quakes Saturday. After 15 seasons in MLS, the San Jose captain has played his last opening day, after indicating he will hang up his cleats at the end of the season. “It’s going to be one of those things [where] I’m looking back at it and think how special it is,” Wondolowski said. “Right now, being in the moment, it’s so much fun being out there with the guys.” Alanís’ last gasp goal marks a memorable MLS debut for the Mexican international and a dramatic opening game for the Earthquakes. The 2020 season looks to be a breakout year for Matías Almeyda and the San Jose Earthquakes. The team was one win away from making the MLS playoffs in the 2019 season. San Jose takes on Minnesota United FC at Earthquakes Stadium Saturday as the team searches for its first win of the season.
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Fan Carlo Melluso passionately celebrates with his friends as the Earthquakes rally back from a two-goal deficit to force a 2-2 tie and earn a point in the last moments of the game.
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Second-half substitute forward Carlos Fierro (center) leaps in the air to head the ball in Toronto’s penalty box. San Jose began its comeback after forward Andrés Ríos scored 53 minutes in.
A member of the San Jose Earthquakes Ultras cheers on from the stands with other fans as the Earthquakes score on the last kick of the game, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.