Issuu

THE HIGHLANDER SUMMER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

VOL. 68, ISSUE 00

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

est. 1954

ISSUE

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news-year in review pg. 6-7 FEATURES-CAmpus Spotlight pg.10 radar-summer binge List pg.14-15 sports-year in review pg.20

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

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HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: SUMMER

HIGHLANDER | PHOTO STAFF | ETERNAL

Tuesday

COMPILED BY JIMMY LAI

Wednesday

Thursday

Editor-in-Chief of Cell Host & Microbe, Lakshmi Goyal, visit at UCR 9:00am to 4:00pm UCR Multidisciplinary Research Building 1 (MRB1)

Coffee Chat with Anu ArumugamUCR MBA ‘19 2:00pm to 2:30pm Anderson Hall (School of Business, AGSM), 105

Film: They Shall Not Grow Old 7:00pm to 8:30pm UCR ARTS, Culver Center of the Arts

Friday

“Care for your elders.”

You Dessert It!! 2:00pm to 4:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), classroom kitchen

Surfing: Register by 6/26 8:00am to 6:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), OE Shop

Saturday

30 Sunday

HIGHLANDER STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Jordan Hom

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Monday

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News 4

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

UCR hosts town hall to discuss questions regarding STEM High School

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

On June 6, a town hall was hosted from 12-1 p.m. to discuss the proposed Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) STEM high school. The town hall was a luncheon event with light refreshments and food being served. Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox began the event by going through a powerpoint that he stated he hoped would give people a sense of where UCR is in terms of planning for the RUSD STEM high school. The first slide was titled, “Why Partner with RUSD on STEM High?” The slide stated that partnering with RUSD on a STEM high school aligned with UCR’s values of research, teaching and service. Wilcox also discussed how he believes partnering with RUSD to create a STEM high school demonstrates an active step toward the betterment of Riverside and the Inland Empire. The slide stated that a STEM high school would improve the quality of life for Riverside’s community members, provide opportunities for the highest quality education to people of all backgrounds and income levels and help to develop a diverse and globally constructive STEM workforce. “There is the notion that we can change the economy and the social fabric of the community and I think that this STEM high school is a part of it,” Wilcox stated. Wilcox went on to state that he did not originally think it was wise for a university to run a high school but he stated that the RUSD STEM high school is a way for UCR to work in proximity with RUSD in order to target the pipeline of RUSD students into higher education. Wilcox stated, “We want to be in a place where the community is thriving because of our help.” Former UCR Provost Cynthia Larive then went on to speak on the STEM high school. Larive discussed the creation of a UCR STEM high school advisory

committee that is intended to explore the opportunities, challenges of the STEM high school as well as provide recommendations on how UCR can collaborate with the STEM high school. The committee is also meant to explore how UCR may possibly be able to use some of the facilities of the STEM high school. Larive however pointed out that “there will not be a reciprocal relationship in which RUSD will be able to use UCR facilities but RUSD has offered the possibility of UCR using some of their classrooms or other facilities when class is not in session.” William Grover, an assistant professor of bioengineering at UCR as well as the committee chair of the faculty opportunities subcommittee under the STEM high school advisory committees spoke on the work that his committee is doing. Grover stated the National Science Foundation (NSF) funds between $20 to $30 million on UCR’s campus. He stated, “Anything that helps us become more competitive at winning grants from the NSF is a good thing … they will not fund our research if we do not have compelling and strong plans in place.” Having a STEM high school close to UCR’s campus, stated Grover, “will make it so much easier and more believable to the NSF to say that we will not just work with research and faculty but we will work with a nationally granted STEM high school.” The town hall then moved on to a Q&A session. During the question and answer session, many students voiced their concerns with the timing of the town hall. Students stated that the town hall taking place during week ten made it so many students could not attend because finals week was the next week. One student who did not provide her name then expressed her concern with the fact that the STEM high school would be in close proximity to UCR. She stated, “Why should we have students who are 13 or 14 years old interacting with students on our campus.” In response, Vice Chancellor

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of Planning, Budget and Administration Gerry Bomotti stated, “RUSD has still yet to select a site for the STEM high school. We are a long way away from the beginning of the construction of the site.” Bomotti then stated that the California Environmental Quality Act alone requires at least a one-year process of review before the construction of a site can begin. After more students addressed concerns with the possibility of the STEM high school being in close proximity to UCR, Bomotti reiterated that a construction site has yet to be selected for the STEM high school. Bomotti then addressed concerns over how the STEM high school may impact the finances and allocation of resources at

UCR. He stated, “The STEM high school will have no change on UCR’s finances. We will not be allocating money or resources to the high school. The one thing that we would be giving up is land and space.” In response to Bomotti’s statement, Rick Redak, the current chair of the Department of Entomology stated, “There is nothing wrong with having a STEM high school but why do we want it on our campus? UCR is already increasing our enrollment and yet we are giving away more space and land.” In response, Mary Droser, the oncampus liaison for the STEM high school, emphasized that she believes that the high school will be advantageous for UCR. H The town hall concluded at 1:06 p.m. ■

ASUCR

ASUCR hosts event to educate students on public and campus safety

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

On June 6 from 2:30-4:30 p.m., UCR’s Campus Safety Alliance and ASUCR Internal Affairs Committee hosted a public campus safety forum. A presentation on campus and public safety tips was provided along with lunch and the option of free pepper spray or e-alarms after instructions on how to use the devices were provided. At the beginning of the forum, members of the Campus Safety Alliance, Christian Martinez, Benjamin Ham and David Wong discussed elevator safety, lab safety and

etiquette, campus crisis safety, how to use pepper spray and how to use an e-alarm. The members of the Campus Safety Alliance first guided students who attended the event through a presentation on elevator safety. They reminded students that they should not use elevators during fires. During the presentation on lab safety and etiquette, members of the Campus Safety Alliance explained how to respond in the case of a lab emergency. They stated that if glass is broken, students should not not attempt to pick it up with their

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hands. They also stated that if a chemical spilled directly onto skin, students should inform their professor and wash their skin thoroughly. In the case of a fire, students should stand clear of the area, alert the professor and should not attempt to put out the fire with water. The members of the Campus Safety Alliance then explained how students should react in the event of a school shooting. They stated that during an active shooter threat, students should act out the acronym “RAIN” which stands for: respond, assess, isolate and notify.

They emphasized that students should immediately respond to the threat and not freeze up. They should then assess the threat and identify the suspects physical characteristics, estimate how many people are wounded or unresponsive and assess possible escapes. Students should then isolate themselves by escaping and avoiding danger. They should attempt to barricade themselves and lock all doors if possible. The last step that students should follow in an active shooter threat is to notify police by calling UCPD, 911 or emailing emergency@ ucr.edu. Members of the Campus Safety Alliance then reminded students that they should always silence their phones in the case of an active shooter threat. The Campus Safety Alliance then guided students through a presentation on how to use pepper spray in case they are ever in danger on campus. They presented a video in which Angelica Garcia, a newly elected CHASS senator, demonstrated how to properly and safely use pepper spray. They then showed a YouTube video to demonstrate how to properly use an eAlarm which is a compact alarm that emits an ambulance-level alarm if the pin is pulled. The alarm is intended to notify people in surrounding areas that someone is in danger. After the presentations, members of the Campus Safety Alliance and the ASUCR Internal Affairs Committee distributed free eAlarms and pepper sprays to students who attended the event. Students were required to first sign a waiver before they were allowed to receive the pepper spray or eAlarm. Catered food was then distributed to students who attended the event. ■H

NEWS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

ASUCR

Students received complimentary gold parking during finals week

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

In collaboration with Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), ASUCR provided students with complimentary gold parking during finals week. Lots 26, 30 and 32 were available for students to park in. Students were prompted to register online at the TAPS website in order to receive a parking permit. Daily gold parking permits were available on the TAPS website to checkout free of charge. The ASUCR Office of Campus Internal Affairs worked in collaboration with TAPS to help students upgrade their plans and have access to on-campus parking so that they could focus on getting to their finals on time and efficiently. In an interview with the Highlander, Preeti Juturu, the newly elected School of Public Policy senator and president pro-tempore, stated, “Many students are extremely busy during finals week, and the last thing they need to worry about is finding parking. Students without a parking pass would receive a complimentary Gold permit, and students with existing permits would be able to claim a Blue permit.”

Former Vice President of Internal Affairs Jose Cortez-Hernandez was in charge of the initiative. Juturu stated that as an office, they hoped they could help students have one less issue to be concerned with especially during a stressful time. Juturu emphasized that many students are unable to find proper parking in a timely fashion, much less afford the expensive permit plans offered by UCR TAPS. “By hosting this program, students have the opportunity to at least get parking for their final exam, because some professors do not let students take the exam if they are late or penalise them,” wrote Juturu. Complimentary free parking has been an initiative that has been going on since 2016 stated Juturu. ASUCR student leaders pushed TAPS to collaborate with them for a long time, and they were receptive to this program. Juturu stated that while she believes that the initiative has a lot of potential, she personally believes that, “it wasn’t marketed as well during Spring Quarter. The instructions on how to get a parking permit and where were unclear, so many students were unaware of the program or were very confused.”

Much of the confusion, stated Juturu, lies in the fact that there should have been a place on the TAPS website to claim an upgraded parking permit depending on the current plan. Juturu wrote, “I received many complaints about this issue, so I redirected them to the ASUCR front desk because I was not in charge of the program. Even on ASUCR social media, there were many student complaints because the free parking registration was not on the TAPS website.” Juturu noted that students, however, received no response back and there were no updates after the initial post.

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

The collaboration with TAPS, Juturu stated, was successful during fall and winter, but she does not believe that it was during Spring Quarter. Despite this, Juturu stated that she believes the initiative definitely had an impact on the financial burden on students, but it also raises the question as to why students are subjected to financial burden just for getting to and from classes in the first place. “It’s great that we were able to help students at least temporarily, but it’s unfortunate that this is an issue in the first place,” stated Juturu. ■H

Highlander at North Campus and WeHousing reach agreement regarding WeHousing’s failure to pay rent for a number of UCR students

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

WeHousing, a booking company that focuses on housing international students living in the U.S., allegedly failed to pay rent for a number of students at UCR who do business with WeHousing. Recently, WeHousing and the Highlander at North Campus reached a resolution regarding WeHousing’s failure to pay rent for the students affected.

Approximately 23 students contacted Scott Talkov, the assistant director of the legal clinic at UCR and a real estate, business and media litigation attorney at the law firm of Reid & Hellyer, APC in Riverside and claimed to have prepaid their rent through Aug. 15 or 31, 2019. The students were allegedly charged for a full years’ rent at the Highlander at North Campus, however, the students learned that their funds were allegedly embezzled and WeHousing was no longer paying the

students’ rent to the landlord. Talkov spoke with the Highlander in May and stated that he asked Alan Gao, the founder and managing director of WeHousing, to provide him with a report listing all of the students at UCR that have prepaid their rent and the status of the resolution of each case and proof that all of the cases have been resolved. Talkov asked that his report provide a completed or future resolution of the rental deposit for students who paid on a month to month basis. The report, stated Talkov, did not meet with his satisfaction as he provided no definitive resolution with Highlander at North Campus, did not remit the full rent owed for June, July and August, 2019, and appears to be unlikely to remit the rental deposits owed to the students when they vacate their units.” This prompted Talkov to work with Highlander at North Campus on a resolution. The settlement agreement, which was sent to students in an email from the Highlander at North Campus stated

that they were pleased to announce that Highlander at North Campus and WeHousing reached a settlement agreement regarding student’s residency at The Highlander at North Campus. The email stated that student’s rental contracts have been transferred from WeHousing to The Highlander at North Campus. “Going forward, all students previously contracted with WE housing are instructed to now directly engage with Highlander at North Campus for all things regarding your contract and payments of any kind,” stated the email. Students were then prompted to contact the Highlander at North Campus’ office to verify the balance on their accounts. Payments should be addressed to The Highlander at North Campus, and can be made in their leasing office or through their online portal. They then thanked students for their patience while they were able to work out the details with WeHousing. If students have any questions they should contact the Highlander at North Campus office or WeHousing. ■H

Riverside hosts Impeach Trump protest

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

On Saturday June 15, a protest titled “Impeach Trump” was hosted in Riverside and took place on the sidewalk at Trautwein Road and Van Buren Boulevard. The protest was one of many planned throughout Southern California calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. The protest began at approximately 1 p.m. and began with about 20 protestors. Throughout the duration of the protest, the amount of protestors grew peaking at approximately 50 protestors. During the protest, the Highlander spoke with a protestor named Tamara Paul who stated that she was protesting that day because she “believes that we need to impeach Trump. We need to get him out of office. He is harming our country and I want stability in the presidency.” She stated that she is so passionate about this issue because she wants “a better world for my countrymen and for my children and grandchildren.” One protestor who did not provide her name stated that she was protesting that day because “I spent years working as a teacher and saw how

education and facts can make a big difference in everyone’s lives … November 2016 almost killed me. My passion is democracy.” She stated that she is not particularly concerned with seeing Trump be impeached but instead, “I want to see a public inquiry into the things he has done. We can vote him out instead.” Throughout the protest, cars driving by would honk their horns in support of the protest prompting many protestors to wave and cheer to the drivers. One protestor stated that she was protesting to impeach Trump despite the fact that the next presidential election is approaching soon because “Trump can do a lot of damage in the time between now and the next election.” Another protestor stated, “Impeachment proceedings need to begin … It is time for Congress to hold him accountable.” One protestor named Nick who did not offer his last name stated that the protest was important because, “The fact is that he’s in office right now and that to me alone is a threat … he is a liar … Donald Trump is not a leader.” The protest began to dissolve from approximately 50 protestors to about 15 around 2:30 p.m. It dissolved entirely at 2:56 p.m. ■H

MARTIN LOPEZ/ HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

YEAR REVI

BY: AMANI MAHMOUD, S

September

In an “America’s Best Colleges Report” by the U.S. News and World Report, UC Riverside made larger gains than any other university in the United States. According to the 2019 rankings, UCR jumped 39 positions from No. 124 in 2018 to No. 85 in 2019. The University of California announced on Sept. 26 that it plans to pledge more than $7 million every year to expand on its existing programs to strengthen faculty diversity as well as create new programs. The funding will support system-wide programs that enable UC to recruit and retain diverse faculty, like the President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, which provides financial support and career training for talented scholars who are interested in faculty careers at UC. UCR hired the 2017 Physics Nobel Prize winner, Barry C. Barish. On Sept. 1, Barish joined the UCR College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) faculty for the 2018 fall quarter. He earned the Nobel Prize alongside Rainer Weiss, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Kip Thorne, a professor at Caltech University, for their work in enabling the first observation of gravitational waves. Nobel prize-winning chemist Richard Schrock joined the UCR faculty. Schrock, as well as Yves Chauvin and Robert Grubbs, won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2005 for furthering scientific knowledge of the structures and functions of certain catalysts used in olefin metathesis.

October

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November

The University Laboratory Building was renamed the Rochelle and Allison Campbell Hall in honor of the Campbell family. The Campbell family consists of Neil Campbell, Rochelle Campbell and Allison Campbell. A ceremony was held on Oct. 19 to celebrate the building’s renaming. The Early Childhood Services center at UCR received a four-year $1.4 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education, with the goal of meeting the special needs of lowincome students who require adequate child care. Also in November, more than 500 Bird scooters were impounded by Transportation and Parking Services because the scooters violated current policies and were deemed unsafe.

ASUCR held its first meeting of the quarter on Wednesday, Oct. 3, and filled the vacant CNAS senator position with third-year biology major Kenneth Vongdi. During their second meeting of the fall quarter on Oct.10, ASUCR elected Jonathan Thai, a third-year computer science major, to fulfill a BCOE senator position. They also elected fourth-year economics major Laura Pullen as elections director. On Oct. 15, Ivan’s at Hinderaker, once a walk-up window cafe in front of Hinderaker Hall, was reopened as a barista-style kiosk inside of Hinderaker Hall. It was moved indoors to allow the business to grow and include more food concepts than it initially had. A 298-page investigative report was released by the UC Office of the President detailing a pattern of inappropriate behavior in direct violation of the UC’s Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) policy on the part of James Sandoval, former vice chancellor of student affairs.

On Jan. 30 Highlander P with a small a The modular crew as they renovations w two phases. The Offic with ASUCR BigBelly was on UCR’s ca various unive and sustainab

January

On Friday Jan. 11, UCR’s Multidisciplinary Res Building (MRB1) was officially opened for campu following a formal dedication led by Chancellor Wilcox, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Cy Larive and UCR architect Jacqueline Norman. On Jan. 7, Chancellor Kim Wilcox sent out a ca wide email announcing that the search to fill the po of vice chancellor for business and administrative ser (BAS) ended. CFO and Vice Chancellor for Planning Budget Gerry Bomotti was announced to fulfill the pos

LLOYD KAO / HIGHLANDER ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

R IN IEW

Senior Staff Writer

February

0, the grassy area between Subway and Printing Services was fenced off, along area outside of Pierce Hall’s North Wing. rs were for Pierce Hall’s construction y began renovating the building. The will take about two years to complete in

ce of Sustainability in collaboration R and UCR’s Facilities Services ordered ste bins to be placed in multiple locations ampus, including the Bell Tower and ersity parking lots to improve recycling bility.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

April

During an ASUCR meeting on April 3, ASUCR engaged in a debate over a proposed judicial council amendment. Under the proposed new change, the Senate would be able to, with a two-thirds vote, allow for an arbitrator (an outside attorney) to be hired to make a decision that can either override or confirm the judiciary’s decision on the case in question, and the arbitrator would have true finality. On Wednesday April 3, ASUCR senate candidates took part in the annual Senate debates. Candidates focused on providing overviews of their priorities and answered audience questions. On Wednesday April 10, CHASS Senator Julian Gonzalez informed the Senate that as of Monday, April 8, the author of the judicial amendment no longer wished to have the judicial amendment considered. The author struck the amendment and apologized for not having the proper communication with the judicial council about the amendment. On Wednesday, April 10, UCR student candidates debated each other for positions on the ASUCR Executive Cabinet. The debate was held at the HUB Plaza. Candidates tackled issues such as food insecurity, undocumented student resources and funding for Costo Hall resource centers. UCR began construction on Dundee Student Housing and Glasgow Dining Project (Dundee-Glasgow Project) and the North District Project to keep up with a rapidly growing student population. Due to reports of technical difficulties with their voting system, ASUCR announced on Thursday night, April 25 via an Instagram story that the Senate would hold an emergency vote on Saturday, April 27 at 6:15 p.m. to extend the deadline of elections by one day. Andy Plumley, the assistant vice chancellor of auxiliary services, announced that next school year the extra charge for suite-style residence halls such as Pentland Hills will be eliminated and they will instead only have price differences based on room occupancy and dining plans.

March

During ASUCR’s eighth meeting of the quarter on Wednesday, Feb. 28, ASUCR elected Christopher Chebat, a second-year mathematics major, to fill the vacancy left by former senator Josiah Davis, who was removed in part for not attending ASUCR meetings since the start of the Fall 2018 quarter. UCR Mobility Hub announced to be on track for fall 2020 completion. The “UCR Mobility Hub and Central Campus Linkages” project will construct a transit center dedicated for UCR commuters and RTA bus lines in an effort to establish a new dedicated alternative transportation area to the UCR campus. The UCPath system, which has been gradually spreading throughout the UC campuses, paid out more than $162,000 in make-whole payments to student workers who, as a result of errors in the UCPath system, received missed, delayed or less than expected paychecks. ASUCR’s Parliamentarian Jose Rodriguez was dismissed from his position on March 6. During the ASUCR meeting on March 6, Rodriguez informed senators that Executive Vice President Andrea Cuevas had dismissed him earlier that day. When another constituent present at the meeting asked about the dismissal, Cuevas said that employee matters were closed.

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June

Emerbee’s, a new cafe on campus, opened on campus. Emerbee’s will be a panini-focused concept that will serve meals for breakfast and lunch and will open at 7:30 a.m. most days and remain open until 9:00 p.m.

May

ASUCR’s election results were released on Friday, May 3 at 5 p.m. at the ASUCR office in HUB 202. Voter turnout registered at 24.19% by Tuesday evening April 30. ASUCR heard cases on multiple candidates who violated campaign regulations. Candidates faced potential disqualification but the ASUCR Judicial Council ultimately determined that no candidates would be disqualified. In a campus wide email, UCPD announced that at about 12:28 a.m. on May 10, they were notified of a shooting threat sent via Snapchat. The Snapchat appeared on a black screen and read, “I’m shooting up UC Riverside tomorrow.1st Black school shooter going down in History.”

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■H

Opinions

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Trump’s “Freedom gas” might not be as full of hot air as originally assumed

ast month, the Department of Energy gave a press release announcing a further commitment to “U.S. jobs, economic growth and clean energy” in which they mention the Trump administration’s efforts to spread “freedom gas” throughout the world. At first glance, the name freedom gas may seem out of place, but one need only look back to Rick Perry’s announcement back in early May, during which he declared that the U.S. will be doubling its liquefied natural gas exports to Europe by the year 2020, to glimpse the origins of the phrase. This doubling of gas exports comes with a rebranding of said gas exports, with Perry christening them “Freedom gas,” as seen in the press release. Perplexed by the strange rebranding, reporters asked for clarification on the name, to which Perry replied that “the United States is again delivering a form of freedom to the European continent,” and that said freedom will come in the form of natural gas. At face value, it is hard to get past the inherent ridiculousness of the name “Freedom gas.” Surely the new title is meant to inspire a sort of patriotism amongst

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Americans, or perhaps hope in the Belgians and Germans who would be importing the gas, but instead it reeks of propaganda. The name brings to mind the equally embarrassing American use of the phrase “freedom fries” in early 2003 — a label applied to french fries in an attempt to spite France, a country that had openly dissented against the thenupcoming war with Iraq. Much like “freedom fries,” the name “freedom gas” lacks grace and subtlety, but it could be argued that it’s bluster is an attempt to draw media attention. “Freedom gas” is meant to put a pleasant face on the otherwise nasty visage of the natural gas industry. The press release is written to suggest that this is a victory for natural gas infrastructure, and, in fact, it appears as though it is trying to make the Trump administration look pro-energy, calling the exportation of natural gas “critical to advancing clean energy and the energy security of our allies around the globe.” It suggests that Trump is working hard to make jobs for people in the natural gas industry, which is a good way for Trump to appear as though he is fulfilling his campaign promises. In the end, the name only serves to obscure the work that is actually being

done. It is only a marketing technique. Regardless of whether or not the average American finds the name silly, people are talking about it, and after the initial outrage dies down, those importing U.S. natural gas won’t think twice about what it’s called. It is important to look past the name and discuss what this namechange really signifies: the expansion of oil and gas drilling endeavors in the U.S. As bad as such drilling operations sound, freedom gas may be exactly what Europe needs. A large factor in the decision to expand natural gas exports was the fact that the U.S. feels obligated to compete with Russia, and with good reason. Russia is already putting considerable efforts towards building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a pipeline meant to transport natural gas throughout Europe, the construction of which Trump has already threatened with U.S. sanctions. A major fear, and the reason for Trump’s threatened sanctions, is that such a pipeline would allow Russia to leverage the gas exports against countries in Western Europe desperate for fuel. The fear that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would give Russia unchecked power is not unfounded, as Russia has ceased gas exports to Europe

before, most notably back in 2009 during a period of escalating tension between the country and Ukraine, leading to shortages “from France to Turkey.” It is only logical that European countries would rather get their gas from a country that isn’t actively threatening them. If the U.S. chose to compete with Russia for top natural gas exporter — and it very well could compete — then the rest of Western Europe would no longer be beholden to Russia. It is unfortunate that natural gas is a form of dirty energy, but it is worth keeping in mind that the world at large still relies on dirty energy. The clean energy future environmentalist groups are fighting for is not quite here yet, so gas is the only form of energy the U.S. can use to compete with Russia. With time Europe may begin correcting the issue itself. European Green parties are drumming up massive support from voters worried about the planet’s climate. The world isn’t quite on the renewable bandwagon yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever be. It is also worth noting that, while natural gas is still undoubtedly a form of dirty energy, one should take solace in the fact that “freedom gas” is technically better for the

environment than coal and other traditional energy sources. Natural gas produces nitrogen oxides at significantly lower levels than it’s fossil fuel siblings, and, provided precautions are made to prevent methane from leaking out into the atmosphere, switching from fossil fuels will greatly reduce the current total greenhouse effect. There is still hope to be found in the use of natural gas. Perhaps it could act as a bridge between the era of fossil fuels and a renewable, carbon-neutral future. The name “freedom gas” is embarrassing, there’s no getting around that, and it’s always unfortunate to see dirty energy continue to be exported around the world. No matter how vigorously gas companies try to deceive consumers, natural gas will never be good for the environment, but it might be a step in the right direction if it means reducing the EU’s reliance on Russian exports. Dismantling the Russian energy hegemony would be to the benefit of all of Western Europe. ■H

Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

OPINION POLL Compiled by Martin Lopez Staff Photographer

“Do you think the United States is doing enough to address climate change?”

Evan Ismail Political Science Third-year “No, but the current administation does not seem to hold fighting climate change as a priority.”

Colin Carney Political Science Second-year “I don’t believe the the current administration places much importance on the issue due to certain cabinet appointees and planned withdrawal from international agreements on climate change.”

Elaine Chen Political Science Second-year “No.”

Amani Mahmoud Public Policy Second-year

Jordan Hom MCS Third-year

Mark Bertumen Business Second-year

“I don’t think the U.S. and the current administration are doing nearly enough to combat climate change. ”

“No, I don’t believe that the US is doing all it can to combat climate change. There is always more that they can do.”

funny this “It’s is asked right as Bill Gates and the Big Oil companies show support for an in-progress CO2 removal company.”

Censorship of Tiananmen massacre shows China is no less authoritarian than it was 30 years ago

SAMUEL HARRISON Senior Staff Writer

June 4, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square massacre, and the Chinese government’s repeated failure to acknowledge the event for the tragedy that it was indicates that China is no less authoritarian than it was 30 years ago. The massacre was the end result of massive student protests with participants numbering in the thousands. It started as a pro-democracy demonstration, with Chinese youths turning out to critique the Communist Party of China, but the government saw the protests as a mobilized threat, and thus deemed it necessary to use their army to suppress it. While the government would like the events that transpired to be erased from the public conscious, hundreds, perhaps thousands of people lost their lives to the army that day Ever since the June 1989 massacre, it has been exceedingly dangerous for Chinese citizens to speak out about the event. Those critical of the government’s actions are often placed under house arrest with little fanfare and, as the 30th anniversary drew near, the Chinese government made threats to detain those seeking to commemorate the massacre this year. Chinese citizens can’t even go so far as to mention the event on the internet. Those in support of the government might argue that both the protests and the government’s reaction to them are old news, and that there is nothing to be gained from opening up old wounds again. China is not the only country in the world to have committed atrocities

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

without atoning for them. Furthermore, China has, admittedly, been improving in many other aspects over the years, with infant mortality rates decreasing dramatically and their education system receiving a recent overhaul — quality of life seems to be improving across the board for the Chinese. That being said, it is fundamentally impossible to let the Tiananmen massacres go. What happened that day changed China irrevocably. If there is to be any reconciliation to be found between China and its people, it begins with the recognition of events like Tiananmen Square. The reaction to the student protests was an example of textbook totalitarianism. Chinese citizens cannot

be expected to support their government under this pressure. Unfortunately, the government is surely aware that recognizing the event will call into question the legitimacy of their entire regime, so a future of reconciliation seems distant for now. The issue of authoritarianism is only developing further in China. Xi Jinping is continuing to evolve the oppressive regime, and while the country is doing better economically than it has for decades, human rights for many underprivileged groups continue to deteriorate. The mass incarceration of Muslims is particularly alarming, and the defense of the internment camps used to house said Muslims does

not inspire hope for change anytime soon. The voices of the people have been systematically silenced, and the oppression continues to this very day. China’s recent abolishment of term limits so that President Xi can continue to serve seems to indicate that this oppression may continue for many years to come. China is developing at astonishing rates, but none of that development actually matters if the people don’t have faith in their government. In order for there to be change, there needs to be a substantial shakeup in senior leadership. Until that change occurs, China may never see an end to this era of political unrest. ■H

COURTESY OF ARTHUR TSANG

Features TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

Campus spotlight

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

Spotlight on Hope Film Camp shines a light on the creativity of cancer patients

By: Christine Tran, Senior Staff Writer Cassie Nguyen began her masters program at the School of Public Policy at UCR in 2015, and with her she brought her passion for film. She founded and is the current executive director of the student organization Spotlight on Hope Film Camp (SOH) at UCR. Nguyen helped co-found SOH with the purpose to serve as a therapeutic outlet for cancer patients and their families, with Nguyen herself being a 15-year cancer survivor of pediatric brain cancer. “As a 16 year old pediatric brain cancer patient, I felt so isolated from my friends and the world … I just went through a lot and so when I was healthy enough to participate in fun social activities held for pediatric cancer patients, I was thrilled,” wrote Nguyen. “That experience stuck with me and I wanted to bring that sense of relief to all pediatric cancer patients.” Through the SOH Film Camp, cancer patients and their families can collaborate with UCR students to explore different roles within film. The camp is open to anyone from the patient’s family as well, in hopes of creating an environment that will cultivate memorable moments for both patients and their families. Through the SOH Film Camp, participants can write scripts they want to produce, create stop motions, act, edit or work behind the camera. “(SOH) is provided for them to be creative and use their imaginations without any restrictions, like if they want to fly, they can, if they want to defeat an evil villain, they can,” Nguyen said. “The end goal is to improve their mental wellness, increase their sense of self worth and bring laughter and smiles to those that need them most,” wrote Nguyen. Throughout the year, UCR students have the opportunity to further their interest in film and help others by hosting film workshops for the families. Everyone’s efforts and days spent working behind and in front of the camera

led up to their biggest event of the year, the annual red carpet screening. This year, the 4th Annual Red Carpet Screening was hosted on Sunday, June 2 from 5-7 p.m. at Watkins 1000 for all students, patients and their families. The screening began with a short introduction from the club founders and continued on to showcase the films that were produced by its members this year. Following the screening, the featured directors of each film held a Q&A where they answered questions from the audience. SOH Film Camp was focused on giving the participants and their families an authentic experience, so they ended the night off with an awards ceremony. Every member was recognized for the work and dedication that they put into their respective films. “I encourage students to be a part of SOH, so they can improve their volunteer interests, leadership skills, film, health interests, any interests that they would like to pursue further. They also have the privilege of creating workshops for families with cancer and see the happy smiles from all the families,” wrote Nguyen. The SOH Film Camps are held at UCLA and UC Riverside and have recently expanded to the University of Southern California and UC Irvine. They are also partnered with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Make A Wish of South Carolina, Dean Productions, Childhood Foundation of Southern California, the Donald A. Strauss Foundation, GLUCK Fellows Program of the Arts, Berkeley Big Ideas and Associated Students Program Board (ASPB) at UCR. “My hopes for SOH is to be a notable and recognized outlet cancer families can turn to and participate in. I want SOH to be offered statewide and worldwide to serve not only cancer patients, but all who H have chronic illnesses,” Nguyen wrote. ■

LYDIA TSOU / HIGHLANDER

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

Mental Health Faire: a fest of feeling fine through management of the mind By: Mark Bertumen, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

As May 2019 drew to a close, so too did the 70th annual observance of Mental Health Awareness in America conclude, aimed at “spreading the word that mental health is something everyone should care about,” according to the Mental Health America (MHA) website. On the tail-end of the month, and in consideration of mental health in UCR students, the Associated Students of UCR hosted the Mental Health Faire on June 5, 2019 in HUB 302 to provide students with student resources and activities aimed at maintaining healthy minds. The doors opened at 10 a.m. and as students entered the room, they were met with a Lo-Fi music livestream playing at the front of the room and through the speakers. In the middle of the floor was a mug-making station, while the rest of the room was populated with tables hosted by on-campus and off-campus mental health resources, handing out goodies and advice for maintaining good mental health. The Well handed out stress balls while another table handed out tote bags branded with the “Mental Health Faire” icon and the tagline “To Brighter Days,” which were themselves filled with items and a note explaining why they were important to mental health. Inside the bags were “a notebook to write your thoughts and feelings… a marble for when you’ve lost yours… a tissue pack because it’s okay to cry… (and) bubbles because we all need bubbles in our lives.” One off-campus resource on the floor was Cup of Happy, “a mental health outreach program in the county of Riverside, servicing high schools and colleges in the area,” according to psychology major and fourth-year Elisa D’Carpio, who was managing the table as a Peer Youth Specialist alongside UCR graduate in ethnic studies Kamirah Carter. D’Carpio listed off the various activities Cup of Happy hosts to encourage good mental health, such as LGBTQ+ programs at high schools, one-on-one mentoring, and the Speakers Bureau, where members meet to discuss their “personal mental health journeys and how we got through them, in the efforts to destigmatize mental health and mental illness,” according to Carter. D’Carpio has found her time spent in Cup of Happy to be a positive experience for her own mind. “When we do outreach for high school students, we encourage them to be positive and talk to yourself in a kind way,” D’Carpio reflected. “Keeping that positive perspective, for me personally, has helped me get out of my funk and keep my head above the water when it comes to mental health.” D’Carpio’s own journeys in

managing her mental health hasn’t been straightforward; “It’s been more of an oscillating nature, with highs and lows at different points; with finals week coming up, I’m definitely falling back to the low points.” The sentiment may have very well echoed in the mind of Stephanie Chuquipul, a second-year economics and administrative studies transfer student that was visiting the fair. Chuquipul realized she bit off more than she could chew academically in the spring quarter. “I’ve got statistics, math and economics courses this quarter and it’s a lot more than I thought I could handle before the quarter started,” Chuquipul noted. “I’ve been struggling with my grades this far in, and it makes me even more nervous with finals coming up; just thinking about it puts me in a panic.” In her first year as a transfer student, Chuquipul went through depressive episodes after being away from her friends and family back in Peru for so long; it was in this year that she decided to find help on campus. “Looking back, my mental health is way better than how it first was … Getting through it has been hard, but I definitely feel a lot better than how I did last year.” Chuquipul has started talking to the counselors on campus this year, and she finds everyone there to be nice and understanding; “There’s also the organizations I’m a part of,” she said. “I see my friends there and I can just relax and take my mind off of homework and finals.”

While she finds that UCR does a fair job of maintaining mental health on campus, citing that “it’s so much fun playing with the dogs” during the UCR Therapy Fluffies sessions, she also finds that there’s room for improvement, namely in the awareness UCR’s efforts and resources. “I feel like some students don’t know they exist; I didn’t know about The Well until this year, alongside the Therapy Fluffies,” she said. “I know that there are students struggling with depression and anxiety, the same things I’ve been through, and maybe worse; it would be terrible if they didn’t know about where to get help.” Throughout the day different mental health presentations and performances were held at the front of the room, aimed at educating students about managing mental health, and some of which were interactive; one such performance was by fourth-year psychology major Rume Diamreyan, a member of Oceania Dance at UCR. After hula dancing on-stage, she stepped down and invited students to join her in a short hula dance practice session. “When it comes to hula dancing, it’s a very grounded dance style; it’s one where you’re really in tune with your own body, with nature and everybody around you,” Diamreyan explained. “I would like to tell everybody that I know that it’s usually just a Polynesian, Pacific Islander-centric dance but it comes with a very welcoming culture. Everyone is invited to learn from all walks of life, something I would encourage everyone to do, especially with the stresses

of everyday life.” She hopes to leave a lasting mark at UCR by participating in the club, and hopes to continue her experience in hula dancing in the future. Other tables at the event were hosted by the Student Recreation Center, the Student Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services and R’Pantry. Angelica Gonzalez, a third-year political science and sustainabilities double major, managed the R’Pantry table. “Our campus has a very high food insecurity rate, and we work with other peer groups to ensure that students meet all basic needs, including food,” Gonzalez noted. “From physical health to mental health, it all comes back to how well-met those needs are and impacts how much of our potential we reach as students.” Gonzalez pointed out that the end of a quarter is usually where students run low on savings and end up cutting out what the R’Pantry considers essential; “it makes for poor performance, especially with finals week right around the corner,” Gonzalez observed. “What we’re doing is helping them access other resources, such as CalFresh, a government food program that provides benefits to students with an EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card.” Students at UCR can also use an EBT card at Scotty’s and the Glen Mor Market, with other locations opening up soon. The event concluded at 4 p.m., after closing announcements were made H thanking students for attending the fair. ■

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

FEATURES

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

t e e Sw ombfort C

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

Restaurant Review:

The reality of “Insta-famous food items” By: Preeti Juturu, Contributing Writer

Returning to the Riverside Food Lab after visiting Monty’s Good Burger, the next eatery on our radar was Sweet Combforts. Situated towards the front of the food lab in an alcove, Sweet Combforts greets you with its honeycomb-themed decor and the welcoming scent of freshly baked waffles. Originating from Irvine, CA, this “Belgian waffle pop” restaurant rose in popularity during Coachella and has even been featured on Buzzfeed. Well-known for their aesthetics and Instagram popularity, it was worth giving a try. Upon approaching the counter, the manager recommended the Churro Crunch Waffle Pop which is their best seller. Looking at the menu, some items that stood out to me were the Egan Waffle Pop and the Grilled Cheese savory waffle, which I also ordered. Each item was well under $8, so Sweet Combforts was definitely one of the more cheaper eateries in the Riverside Food Lab. The menu also had milkshakes and ice cream, but they seemed pretty standard. The ordering counter was visually appealing, with a handmade sign placed by the register and various honeycomb decorations adorning the eatery’s entirety. On the side of the alcove there were a few bar

stools and a large mural. Seating wasn’t very plentiful, but it seemed appropriate considering that most of the food items were meant to be carried around on a stick. The first item received was the Churro Crunch Waffle Pop. Considering that Sweet Combforts was extremely famous for their “Instagramable” food items, I waited in anticipation as I picked up my order. However, I was slightly underwhelmed by the presentation. The Belgian waffle was thick and warm, covered in crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and drizzled with a white glaze icing, similar to cinnamon roll icing. The waffle was extremely messy and unstable; when lifting up the Waffle Pop, the toppings crumbled off and the icing was dripping everywhere. The Waffle Pop was very messy, which seemed counterproductive for a waffle “pop.” However, when biting into the waffle, I was surprised by the fact that it actually tasted like a churro. It was soft with a perfect cinnamon flavor, and each bite welcomed me with a solid crunch from the Cinnamon Toast Crunch adorning the waffle’s exterior. Though the Waffle Pop

itself was a bit unstable and not very “Instagramable,” the Churro Crunch Waffle Pop was a delicious sweet treat to enjoy. Next, I tried the Vegan Waffle Pop. Upon arriving, it was extremely underwhelming; the waffle was substantially smaller than the previous item, and was super flimsy. It had no toppings, and had a small amount of powdered sugar hastily dusted on top. As far as “Instagram appeal” goes, the only positive aspect was that it was structurally stable and I could lift it upright. However, it wasn’t extremely visually appealing. When biting into it, the waffle was soft and slightly mushy, and it didn’t seem to have any crunch to it. The flavor of the waffle was extremely confusing; it had a light flavor of vanilla, with a hint of something that tasted like low-quality almond milk. I only took multiple bites of the waffle so I could figure out the flavor because it didn’t process the first few times I bit into it. Overall, the Vegan Waffle Pop was not the best option, and seemed as though it was only added to the menu to diversify it. It definitely was not worth the purchase, and if someone was craving a vegan dessert,

Churro Crunch Waffle Pop

Vegan Waffle Pop

9/10

price:

they’d be better off buying one elsewhere. I ended my waffle feast with a savory waffle, the menu item I was most curious to try. The Grilled Cheese savory waffle arrived, with gooey cheese oozing between two crispy Belgian waffles. These waffles were different than the usual Belgian waffles served in that they were speckled with tiny dots and with a golden brown color. They were crispy on the outside and airy in the inside. The cheese was an extremely light yellow, almost like Dijon mustard. When biting into the waffle sandwich, the first thing that you notice is that the cheese is not extremely strong. It’s definitely mixed with an American cheese, because the cheese looks a bit like plastic. The Belgian waffles are hearty and a bit grainy, and they pair extremely well with the cheese. The only complaint I have with this dish is that if you don’t eat it right when they serve it, the waffles and the cheese especially can lose their appeal and flavor. I ate the waffle sandwich when it was slightly cold, so I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would have. However, a coworker of mine ordered one separately,

4.5/10

Ambiance:

and was extremely satisfied with his savory waffle because the cheese was still melted and oozing. As far as visual appeal goes, the savory waffle isn’t extremely “aesthetically pleasing.” It looks exactly as it sounds; a slice or two of cheese sandwiched between two Belgian waffles. It’s great to eat, but isn’t something an “Instagram foodie” would post on their account. Overall, Sweet Combforts is the embodiment of “Instagram foods,” in the sense that they look great online and during their marketing campaigns, but the reality is that they’re overhyped and don’t meet the high expectations of consumers. The items were overall tasty and their Churro Crunch Waffle Pop was definitely worth buying, however, it did not meet the visual standards the company had set, and the dessert was very sweet. The dessert items are very sugary, so if you do not like excessively sweet dessert treats, tread with caution. However, if you want a sweet study snack or an affordable dessert after eating at another restaurant in the Riverside Food Lab, Sweet Combforts is a perfect way to end your day. ■H

Grilled Cheese Savory Waffle

7.5/10 8.5/10

MARTIN LOPEZ/ HIGHLANDER

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

FEATURES

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

campus cope: Taking your time when there seems to be none Mark Bertumen, SENIOR STAFF writer Well, that’s over. The year of 2019 at UC Riverside has ended. First-year students have finally gotten their first taste of the acclaimed college experience, and learned that the grading scale is their best friend; second and third-years are picking up internships; and fourth-years have graduated and probably drank the night away on the day of their commencement. Regardless of which road you walked down this year on campus, be proud that you finally reached the end of it; but forgive me for recollecting that there’s thousands more beyond your sight. And with all of them in mind, everyone in college is susceptible to maddingly dash down every one of them. Yet no matter how far ahead or behind you are of the game, it doesn’t matter as we stand at the year’s end. Rather, remember this while you’re standing at the end of the first of many more finish lines: you’re tired. Forget what the world is telling you to do. Just breathe. Right now, you’re thinking about what went wrong this year, or right, and what you ought to do next, or shouldn’t. But you have spent a year working non-stop for an institution that expects so much out of its students, they label our time spent on campus as part-time or full-time; you thought only jobs would be considered such, and better yet some of us work jobs while being a student. Do you want to keep running your systems non-stop with stress? It’s summer! For just a moment, forget every worry you have and every obligation you’ll be having outside of school, and just make a promise to take care of yourself this summer, in whatever way that might be. Consider what you put your mind and body through this year, especially the most draining of experiences: the late nights of last-minute work, coffee, eye-strain and hunched backs; the hell weeks of midterms covering topics that you don’t remember reviewing; the days when you only ate a piece of white bread for breakfast because you ran out of money. Whether or not those bad experiences could have been avoided, if you don’t remind yourself that they weren’t the healthiest battle tactics, your body will tell you when the exhaustion comes up to shut you down. Organization skills are effective in combating heavy workloads, but you’ll only really be prepared to take them on

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when your mind in a better state than it was throughout the year. However, as you search for what brings you peace, in whatever you do… If you’re not enjoying yourself, hit the brakes. Take another avenue for a bit, or if you have to, simply turn off your engine. What’s the point of doing what you love if you don’t love doing it? It’s our hobbies that give us the opportunity to relieve stress and bring our mind to ease, but you don’t remove toxins by adding more in the process. Getting sick of missing the frets on the guitar? Blow off that steam some other way, your muscle memory will come by eventually. Can’t quite reach those high notes yet? Don’t strain your throat trying to get it all right away, simply take things slow and come back later. It’s a bit ironic that I’m suggesting you find distractions for your distractions. But perhaps it isn’t; doing the same thing over and over and over again will always become a mental strain, without fail, no matter what. It doesn’t matter if you’re working your day job or chasing your

passions, you’ll begin to realize that every day starts looking exactly the same, and there’s no way that you won’t grow at least a bit tired of running the same routes. It’s impossible to think that college students don’t run into this cycle of burnout, and it’s vital that they and the world learn how to break it. Variety is the spice of life: learn how to make life as exciting as it can be, searching for whatever it is that makes you ooze joy. But in finding your happiness, take care to find balance in searching and relaxing. The best pace to take is yours, but be mindful of the extremes. Let the gears rest too long, and rust deems them unrunnable; let the gears run forever and stress warps the metal until everything falls apart. Consider those gears as our mindset; the more often we treat them one way or the other, the more susceptible we think that way is okay. But nothing nature has wrought is meant to remain or continue forever. Rainy skies nourish the land only to give way to calmer clouds, but rain always comes again. Seedlings grow tall only to come back to the

earth in time, yet reinvigorate the soil for it to happen all over again. In the same way, people are built to — meant to — run the cycle of in-betweens. A tree that grows forever reaches the Sun, but then combusts itself and the surrounding forest; you would not want to do such a thing to yourself and your loved ones, working non-stop and destroying your relationships. A sky that never thunders will not water the fields for harvest; you would not want the time spent on this Earth to amount to nothing, letting life pass by. Knowing how tall to grow and how long to let the rain fall comes with practice, but it’s much better to feel things out and gradually become better at managing it all, than to take things too far and realize it too late. So as we’re all trying to figure out what to do next, with the next chapter of our lives right around the corner, know that it’s okay to be unsure of what’s beyond the fog: as long we step forward confidently and consciously, we’ll reach every finish line all the same. H So take your time — it’s yours, after all.■

COURTESY OF PEXELS

RADAR 14

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TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

Summer Binge List By: Highlander Staff

“Game of Thrones”

After eight seasons of political backstabbing and complex character development, “Game of Thrones” has finally reached its conclusion. Beginning in 2011, “Game of Thrones” became a cultural phenomenon as it delivered on complex and captivating stories coupled with top notch set and costume design. Each episode succeeded in transporting the audience to Westeros as they argued over who would eventually end up on the Iron Throne. The show quickly informed the audience that it was unafraid to test the viewers resolve as the showrunners never shied away from killing main characters or providing gruesome deaths meant for mature audiences. As each season progressed, the show’s quality managed to stay high even though many felt the final season failed to live up to expectations. Despite this, it by no means ruined the shows magnificent run. “Game of Thrones” has been a staple of television since its debut in 2011 and now that it’s finally concluded it is readily available to binge on HBO. COURTESY OF WARNER BROS TELEVISION DISTROBUTION

“CHERNOBYL”

Following the harrowing events that unfolded as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986, HBO’s “Chernobyl” delivers on expert storytelling and captivating performances. The show follows several perspectives that range from the Soviet political bureaucracy to the common soldier tasked with rounding up locals for relocation all set to the background of the nuclear disaster. However, the main appeal of the show is the efforts of Valery Legasov, the primary focus of the series, as he tries to beat the clock and avert Chernobyl’s radiation from spreading further despite efforts from the Soviet government to cover up the explosion. “Chernobyl” captures audience interests as it provides great performances with genuinely interesting historical moments. Though the roles of Russians are played by British actors, none of whom attempt a Russian accent, their performances still work and are never phoned in. Furthermore, lesser known aspects of the nuclear disaster are put on display as viewers will learn how the event unfolded and how it could have been much worse. The miniseries includes ﬁve hour-long episodes that tell the unbelievable story of Chernobyl and can be streamed now in full through HBO.

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Based on the book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, “Good Omens” follows an angel and a demon who have each spent their entire lives on Earth ever since they ﬁrst met at the Garden of Eden. However, the two have grown to enjoy their lives on Earth and must work together to stop Armageddon from beginning after one of them accidentally misplaces the antichrist. As this description implies, the show is humorously absurd and wildly fun. A parody through and through, “Good Omens” is reminiscent of several classic pieces of British comedies such as “Monty Python” and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” The show offers a faithful adaptation of the source material and is coupled with great performances throughout, especially from its two leads played by Micheal Sheen and David Tennant. Audiences will immediately fall in love with Sheen’s fussy angel Aziraphale and Tennant’s bad-boy demon Crowley. More importantly, viewers will undoubtedly be entertained by the duo’s hilarious chemistry as the two constantly clash despite a mutual admiration for each other. This latest Amazon original miniseries consists of six hour-long episodes and makes for a fun and worthwhile binge.

“BODYGUARD”

This British action thriller follows war veteran William Budd as he is assigned to protect the controversial British Home Secretary. Budd is then tasked to protect her as she becomes the target of several assasination attempts due to her political positions as he himself becomes compromised by his views towards the Home Secretary. “Bodyguard” is a thrilling Netﬂix miniseries that is guaranteed to keep viewers at the edge of their seats throughout the shows six hour-long episodes. Filled with political intrigue as conspiracies unravel as well as several intense assassination attempts and terrorist attacks throughout. Even more so, this show does not hesitate to introduce the audience to the intensity of the show as the opening scene involves a stressful event that forces Budd to talk down a suicide bomber. The series contains several impressive performances, such as its lead Richard Madden. Each episode will leave viewers dying to see what happens next as “Bodyguard” makes for the perfect binging experience as the entire series can be found on Netﬂix. COURTESY OF ITV STUDIOS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

“ON E P U N CH M AN SE A S O N 2 ”

“One Punch Man Season 2” is a great addition to the already great anime series by J.C. Staff. The action comedy is an amazing pick for any anime fan and is sure to impress viewers with its creative storytelling. Season two follows Saitama and his gaggle of followers as he defends Japan from daily destruction. Saitama is a hero for fun and sees his job as a chore that he is delegated to because of the sheer strength of his punches. Season two explores new and exciting elements that season one had failed to capture. With a new exciting cast for fans to enjoy, the show shakes up the original formula which adds some well deserved ﬂavor to the new season. As always, Saitama’s robotic sidekick Genos returns with his creator Doctor Kuseno. Now with the introduction of the hero association, more heroes join Saitamas following such as the S class hero Tatsumaki and her younger sister Fubuki. As they battle their way through both constant monster attacks and the minutiae of life, the show is sure to give a laugh and deliver on epic ﬁghts. Overall the series is a great pick for any summer binging and can be streamed in its entirety on Hulu. COURTESY OF VIZ MEDIA

™Attack On Titan∫ Season 3: Part 2 (S3P.2)

COURTESY OF KODANSHA USA

“Attack on Titan”’s ﬁrst season was a breakthrough in 2013 for the American anime group with its shocking visuals and enthralling storyline. Over the next few years, Wit Studio would work hard on producing the next few seasons alongside animating new series. Now Wit Studio has committed to the production of “Attack on Titan” and it shows with their newest season. Much like the show’s previous seasons, we follow the 104th Survey Corps class as they constantly struggle with the titan threat. S3P.2 delivers on the show’s history of gore and nonstop action by cranking it up to its maximum and widening the world of the show. Bringing together the most ludicrous events that ties the best visuals and best story the show has covered before. Following Eren Yeager’s journey to discover the secrets of the titans and lead the survey corps to victory. As all returning characters get their time to shine, we get to understand key characters like Levi and Mikasa Ackerman. As “Attack on Titan” reaches its climax, the impressive visuals and stunning story is sure to impress fans and non fans alike. The plot and characters still manage to deliver a satisfying experience that ﬁts well tonally and narratively as the show moves towards bigger and better things. It’s no better time to jump back into this series with much more content since the initial blow up in 2013 and available on Crunchyroll.

“ CAT C H - 2 2 ”

Based on the 1961 novel by the same name, “Catch-22” follows Yossarian, a roguish young man who finds himself fighting as a bombardier in the Second World War — a war he has long since stopped caring about. Despite the conflict clearly reaching its conclusion, every time Yossarian nears the end of his mission count, his colonel raises it by another five missions, trapping him in an insurmountable cycle of risking his life for no reason. It is from this loop that the show derives most of its humor, as the absurdity of Yossarian’s situation leaves the audience unable to do much else but laugh. When you do find yourself laughing at the absurdity of it all, tragedy strikes and Yosarian is forced to watch as his fellow bombardiers are shot down in combat. For as much of a joke as “Catch-22” makes the bureaucracy of war out to be, it is quick to remind the viewer that war itself can be a very scary and very sad affair. To top it all off, the show itself looks fantastic with an aged, tannish color pallette that can only be described as “handsome.” This Hulu original provides a fantastic viewing experience for anyone interested in tragicomedy.

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“BLACK MIRROR” The hit Netflix show “Black Mirror” is now in its fifth season, released June 5, 2019. The three-episode season hosts impressive and compelling episodes that break away from the typical tech dystopia and explores the weaknesses of the human will. The first episode, “Striking Vipers,” chronicles Danny Parker who finds a respite from his dull family-oriented life in an affair with a friend in a hyper-sexualized virtual reality game. In the second episode “Smithereens,” a ride-share driver kidnaps an unsuspecting intern in order to avenge a death he blames on the eponymous social media site. The third and final episode, “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” follows the life of pop sensation Ashley O, her aunt’s monetization of her personality in a robot for lonely teens and her dedicated fan Rachel. The three-episode season spans a wide spectrum of emotional and psychological questions that make it a compelling and entertaining watch for the summer. ■H

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

BATTLE AT THE BOX OFFICE “TOY STORY 4,” “SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME” AND “THE LION KING” COMPETE FOR SUMMER DOMINANCE BY: COLIN CARNEY, SENIOR STAFF WRITER Now that summer has officially begun, so can the summer movie season as well. This summer is set to bring several heavy hitters in terms of box office appeal as well as several films that bring a great deal of fan anticipation. However, among these films only one can win the box office and I intend to break down the summer’s biggest films and speculate which one will likely take the box office by storm. First up is the latest and final entry in Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story franchise, “Toy Story 4.” This film’s initial announcement was met with a healthy degree of skepticism from fans when taken into account how well received “Toy Story 3” was. Furthermore, the series was considered concluded as the third film had wrapped up the series nicely and had ended on a heartwarming note with Andy growing up and passing his childhood toys onto a new child. At first, the announcement of “Toy Story 4” seemed like an obvious cash grab and a vain attempt to keep the series going; but, over time that sentiment began to change due to cast interviews and overwhelmingly positive early reviews. Currently, the film sits impressively at a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently tracking to open with $260 million global opening weekend. However, this number could easily beat $300 million if the domestic box office overperforms as was the case for Disney with both “Avengers: Endgame” and “Aladdin.” With current box office tracking and the wave of good reviews ahead of its release, “Toy Story 4” is looking to be a heavy hitter at the box office. The second big release hitting theaters this summer is the final installment in Marvel’s “Phase 4,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home” which hits theaters July 2. Following fresh

off the heels of “Avengers: Endgame” and its overwhelming success, SpiderMan is looking to capitalize off its successor’s box office haul. Presently, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” is tracking to open at over $170 million surpassing “Spider-Man: Homecoming” which opened at $117 million with roughly the same release date. Though it is highly unlikely Spider-Man will receive the same box office treatment that “Endgame” had, it is still likely to capitalize on the films success. This is abundantly obvious from the films marketing campaign that includes trailers that directly address certain spoiler plot points from “Endgame.” Likely attempting to compel general audiences to see the film in order to get the whole story set up in “Avengers: Endgame.” Additionally, Marvel plans on rereleasing “Avengers: Endgame” in theaters with additional footage, likely to boost its own box office numbers in order to beat out “Avatar” as the highest grossing film of all time (“Avatar” holds the record at $2.78 billion with Endgame close behind with $2.74 billion). With Avengers returning to theaters and the minds of general audiences, SpiderMan is likely to benefit from this move as it will only increase public anticipation of the film as a direct followup to Endgame. Furthermore, Spider-Man had a successful year in 2018 as Sony’s “Venom” and “Into the Spiderverse” were both well received by fans and did fairly well at the box office. Additionally, early Twitter reactions from critics who have seen the film have nothing but positive things to say about the wall crawler’s latest outing. Hoping to capitalize on the recent success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sony’s recent Spider-Man films, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” is touted to have a big box office run with

the potential to blow away expectations. The third big summer release comes out July 19 and is none other than Disney’s latest live-action adaptation “The Lion King.” This film comes fresh off the heels of Disney’s “Aladdin” which outperformed box office predictions and earned the studio $270 million domestically. To many fans, the original animated “The Lion King” ranks as the best classic Disney animated film causing many to cautiously anticipate this newest adaptation. With a star studded cast lending their talents to the film, such as Beyonce as Nala and Donald Glover as Simba, as well as being directed by “Jungle Book” and “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau, “The Lion King” has the potential to be a truly remarkable film. Furthermore, anticipation for Disney’s latest adaptation has been growing despite many vocal concerns over the necessity of a remake. Current long range box office tracking has “The Lion King” opening anywhere between $180 million to $230 million domestically. This huge opening would beat the previous record for Disney’s live-action remakes (previously being 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast” at $174 million). If “The Lion King” manages to match, or more likely surpass, “Beauty and the Beast” at the box office (which took in a total of $1.2 billion), it could easily dominate the summer box office this year. Based on positive reactions from the films recent marketing campaign, coupled with the preexisting love for the original, 2019’s “The Lion King” is undoubtedly going to be Disney’s biggest box office success among its live-action remakes. With all these factors going for it, “The Lion King” will likely earn the most at the box office this summer. Though “Toy Story 4,” “Spider-Man:

Far From Home,” and “The Lion King” are the safest picks for this year’s box office winners, it is worth mentioning other films releasing this summer that will likely steal some weekend earnings from these heavy hitters upon their release. The two films that immediately stand out are the Fast and Furious spinoff, “Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw,” (August 2) and the latest film from writer and director Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood” (July 26). Both films are highly anticipated by fans and each have several good things going for them. “Hobbs and Shaw” is marketing itself as over-the-top action (similar to past entries in the franchise) and riding the audience love for Dwayne Johnson. “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood” recently received overwhelming praise from Cannes Film Festival and audience support for Tarantino will likely see this film succeed. That being said it is unlikely either will rival the three box office heavy hitters this summer. When it comes down to it, I personally believe that “The Lion King” will take the box office this summer. Current tracking numbers place it scoring a record breaking opening which I expect it to continue with throughout its theatrical run. The talent both in front of and behind the camera gives me confidence that this film will be well received, prompting it to do well in the weeks following its release. Furthermore the box office successes of “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast” prove that despite initial fan hesitation to Disney’s live-action remakes, general audiences still show up in numbers to see these films. Regardless of who actually wins the summer box office, the undisputed winner this year is Disney who is distributing each of this summer’s biggest films. ■H

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TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

THE BEST OF THE BEST: THE TOP FIVE VIDEO GAMES OF THE PAST YEAR BY: ADAM ALVERNAZ, SENIOR STAFF WRITER Over the past three quarters, I have played a wide variety of games. The following titles are the top five games I played this year and each stood out to me in a way that separated themselves from their competition. All these titles are must plays and are trailblazers in the current gaming space. While this is only a top five, I chose a variety of games that showcase some of the best work in the industry as it stands.

NUMBER 5: “APEX LEGENDS”

The class-based FPS battle royale slides in as number five as it has consistently improved with time. The game was released earlier in 2019 and exploded in popularity with many fans appreciating its fast-paced tactical combat that separates itself from the competition. Apex has really innovated in its genre providing a satisfying shooter experience that feels fresh and intuitive that comes very natural to many of its players. With the wide variety of weapons, classes and skins, Apex is able to pull a very unique experience that plays with the verticality of first person shooters. Apex has proven itself to be a mainstay in the crowded battle royale genre and still manages to impress with the solid content updates and patches that seemingly will help lay the groundwork for bigger and better things to come. Apex is a great addition to the market of battle royales that diversifies the genre in a beneficial way. Developer Respawn is showing its commitment to the craft which will only improve the game and the growing eSports community for all fans to enjoy. COURTESY OF EA

NUMBER 4: “MORTAL KOMBAT 11” The classic fighting game returns in full form with its newest edition taking the main stage showcasing the most brutal and bloody gameplay in any Mortal Kombat. The 11th game in the franchise brings together new characters with a story that seeks to answer and tie up all loose ends to bring about a definitive end for the series. The gameplay remains the same 1v1 format it has always been and gives players much more customization than ever before with the addition of gear from the Krypt. Despite this feature being plagued with microtransactions, it still offers a great deal of customization which shows the attention to detail Netherrealm Studios did for the fans. While the newest addition does little to innovate in an already saturated market, it still delivers a gratifying experience that follows the footsteps of its predecessors. Netherrealm Studios doesn’t have to innovate in order to deliver a satisfying experience which highlights the best of the series that was made possible by fans. COURTESY OF WARNER BROS INTERACTIVE

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NUMBER 3: “RESIDENT EVIL 2 REMAKE” Capcom’s fabled horror game, “Resident Evil 2” was released in 1998 and shocked players with its terrifying visuals. Compared to today’s standards the game is simplistic, yet when Capcom chose to remake its timeless classic they were able to faithfully recreate the full experience. With today’s modern graphics, the best horror game returns by reinvigorating the horror genre. The game places Leon Kennedy as a newly staffed officer in the desolate Racoon City which houses a huge zombie epidemic. As he traverses the city and recruits other survivors, the epidemic only gets worse with every location becoming more and more infested. The game gives players full control over the situation by offering them great range to explore the city in its fullest. By encouraging this, Capcom was able to faithfully recreate and restore faith in the horror genre with one of the best horror games of all time. Some of the best moments in Resident Evil history are faithfully shown here in full. Capcom outdoes themselves again by proving they can provide great gaming experiences that help revive old games.

NUMBER 2: “MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN”

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Insomniac reinvents the action adventure genre with their take on masterfully crafting a Spider-Man experience. Truly, the game is one of the most faithful recreations of the amazing legacy Spider-Man has. Insomniac Games does everything perfectly with intuitive combat, an expansive open world, satisfying traversal and amazing attention to detail. There’s so much this game does right and it shows a very polished experience that reinvents the super hero game archetype. Players follow Peter Parker who deals with the unfolding gang uprising with supervillains popping up everywhere. Peter’s struggle with his life and Spider-Man’s creates a great dynamic that tells a traditional and rewarding Spider-Man story. The game is as expansive as the player wants to be as the New York City sandbox is huge and always fun to play around with. Boasting some of the best graphics on a PS4, the game also features a great and intuitive photo mode that allows players to capture critical Spider-Man moments. The famed web slinger has never played this well before and the support from Insomniac games shows in great strides. Coupled with short, but fun DLC the game is very much worth its weight and should be a must buy for fans and non fans alike.

NUMBER 1: “SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE”

COURTESY OF NINTENDO

Nintendo strikes back by winning the hearts of many with their newest edition in the Super Smash Bros. series. It’s clear to all that the work done by both Bandai Namco and Nintendo show an extreme amount of fan service by having all veteran fighters return for a true ultimate experience. Smash Bros. Ultimate not only is definitive by name only, but by including some of the best modes and additions to the series we have seen in quite some time. Separating itself from its predecessors, Smash Ultimate proves itself by providing the most content in a Smash game ever. With over 100 stages, 800 musical pieces, over 70 playable characters and 20 different modes Smash has never been better. The possibilities are endless and the gameplay is that same crisp brawling experience fans have come to love. There has never been a better time to play Smash Bros. and with more DLC on the way, “Smash Ultimate” is truly the best title released in a very long time. ■H

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

Several Highlanders make their professional debut JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

Two Highlanders from the baseball team will be moving onto the majors after being drafted into the MLB. Junior pitcher Connor Cannon and senior outfielder Dean Miller were both drafted on the third day of the MLB draft. Cannon was drafted in the 16th round by the San Francisco Giants with the 506 overall pick. During his tenure at UCR, Cannon set the UCR program record for most home runs in a single season with 18. He also broke the record for most home runs in UCR program history with 36. Cannon finished with 150 hits, 105 RBIs and 82 runs in his three seasons. Although the Highlanders didn’t have the record they anticipated during the 2018-19 season finishing with a 20-16 record, Cannon had a strong individual season as he was named to the Big West first team. He was also the first player in UCR history to win Big West Player of the Week, for three straight weeks. Miller was selected as the 737th pick for 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Socks in the 24th round. As an outfielder for the Highlanders, Miller recorded 123 putouts (PO) during the 2018-19 season and 84 PO during the 2017-18 season. Due to his success on the field, Miller was named to the Big West first team along with Cannon. On the offensive side, Miller recorded 14 home runs in 2019, good for second on the team behind Cannon. Miller had 49 RBIs in 2019, more than doubling his total of 23

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in the 2018 season, with a batting percentage of .365. Cannon and Miller add to the list of UCR alumni to make their debut at the professional level. Former UCR Highlander Michael Salazar recently signed a contract with the Houston Dynamo of the MLS. The Belize native last played for the Montreal Impact as a forward. As a Highlander, Salazar was named to the Big West team in both 2014 and 2015. Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was named the Big West Pitcher of the

Year in 2007 as a member of the UCR baseball team. Kelly has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Socks and Los Angeles Dodgers. The highlight of Kelly’s career was winning the World Series with the Red Socks in 2018. Distance runner Brenda Martinez was a three-time All American during her tenure at UCR. In 2009, Martinez was named as the Big West Women’s track athlete of the year, becoming the first Highlander to achieve the honor. One of her notable accomplishments was her third place

finish at the women’s 1500m race in the 2016 Rio Olympics. While UC Riverside doesn’t have the most prestigious list of names to play for their sports program, there are still a solid number of UCR alumni to have performed on a professional stage in their respective sports. The number of UCR athletes that will have a pro career will only continue to rise in the near future, and athletes like Cannon and Miller will be among those athletes that will have made an impact on the sports program in Riverside. ■H

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

NBA offseason speculation and predictions JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

With the conclusion of the 2018-19 NBA season, the offseason is one of the hot topics to discuss. The Highlander sports section is here to discuss some of the big news and make predictions about some of the major storylines happening around the league. This issue will be distributed before the NBA free agency period of July 1. The Toronto Raptors just won their first NBA Championship in franchise history. Do you think that winning the championship will impact Kawhi Leonard’s decision to stay or will he return to his hometown of LA with either the Lakers or Clippers? Jonathan Fernandez: After winning the Raptors their first championship in franchise history Kawhi Leonard can leave Toronto to go play in Los Angeles and still be loved in Canada. And that’s exactly what I think is next for Leonard. He’s a Southern California kid who wants to play for one of his hometown teams. He’s made that no secret throughout the past year. Although I’m not entirely sure which LA team he’ll suit up for next season, I’d put my money on the Clippers considering the Lakers don’t currently have the money to afford him and a LeBron-Anthony Davis-Kawhi lineup always seemed like a longshot. I will admit that the Raptors’ Cinderella run to the title has likely made it more difficult to walk away, but at the same time because he’s given Toronto a championship, he can walk away knowing he gave the country of Canada something they never had before. Jordan Hom: Winning a championship in Toronto should encourage Kawhi to stay. He is already in a great situation with the Raptors and with the Warriors dynasty in flux, they should have another chance to repeat as champions. The Eastern Conference is still weaker than the Western Conference so it will be an easier road in the playoffs. If he decides to stay in Toronto, he has the opportunity to solidify himself as the greatest basketball player ever to wear a Raptors uniform. With the Lakers, he would just be another star in their long list of NBA greats. On the other side of the spectrum, the Warriors are coming off of an NBA Finals loss and the former champs look severely wounded. Injuries to Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins among others proved to be too much for Golden State to overcome and the Warriors are now heading into an offseason full of uncertainty. All three of the aforementioned players have the option to change teams this offseason, and even if all three return KD and Klay will likely miss the majority of next season due

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to injuries sustained in the Finals. Who, if any, of these three players will return next season? JF: Klay Thompson will be back for sure, KD on the other hand has plenty of options. His injury may have changed the landscape of the NBA on so many levels. Before he ruptured his Achilles, I was very confident Durant was headed to Madison Square Garden to breathe new life into a struggling Knicks franchise, but because of the injury I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to the Warriors as they have “unfinished business.” The injury and Golden State’s subsequent loss in the Finals changed the narrative in terms of how much the Warriors needed him. Durant received overwhelming support for the valiant effort he made to get back on to the court to help his teammates reach their goal and that appreciation may persuade him to stay. However, I think KD’s desire to get away from Steph Curry’s franchise and to prove himself on his own team will ultimately lead him to New York. Cousins is honestly kind of irrelevant, but he said he is going to be “at the Warriors’ necks” next season so I’m guessing he’s leaving. JH: Klay Thompson should be returning to the Bay unless he decides that he wants to be “the man” of his own team. But he seems perfectly happy here with the Warriors so he should be staying put. Kevin Durant, on the other hand, remains uncertain to remain a Warrior next season. Durant achieved the rings he sought after so he could explore other options. The Knicks could be a possible option as the biggest media market but New York is in no position to win right now. It is possible that other stars will follow KD to the Knicks if he joins, but I don’t see KD wanting to join a losing team. The other team in New York, the Brooklyn Nets, are a better suited team for KD. The have better management with Sean Marks, who has turned the team around from the failures of the Billy King days. In Brooklyn, KD will be in an environment where he is still in New York but doesn’t have the pressure of being a Knick. DeMarcus will probably leave the Warriors to seek a bigger payday and will join the team that offers him the most money. Someone who has been rumored to play with Kevin Durant next season is Kyrie Irving. What do you think of the current state of the Celtics? Will Kyrie take his talents to New York? JF: The Celtics are in bad shape. Kyrie is definitely leaving. He’s been ghosting them since the season ended and on top of that it’s been reported that their All-Star center Al Horford will also be looking for a new home after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension. Kyrie is most likely going to the Nets, with or without KD, which means we get to see if Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier were worth keeping out of trades for Kawhi and

AD. JH: Kyrie has made it clear that he isn’t happy on the Celtics so it would be a surprise if he returned. A potential destination for Kyrie is the Nets. Although Brooklyn has All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, Kyrie could be a potential upgrade. The Clippers are another possible destination if Kyrie decides that he wants to be in LA without being in the shadow of LeBron and Anthony Davis. Boston might be without Al Horford too as he opted out of his 30 million dollar contract. With Kyrie and Al potentially gone, the Celtics should look towards the future with Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum leading the way. Now going back to the Warriors briefly, with all those free agency implications and possible retirement for core players Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, can the Warriors find a way to reach the mountaintop again or is this the end of the Warriors dynasty as we know it? JF: I think they’ll win one more in the future if KD doesn’t come but if he does resign they’ll win at least two more. If it’s just Klay that comes back I think they’ll win it all again in the 2020-2021 season because the trio of Steph, Klay and Draymond is elite and still in their prime. Next year is going to be tough because Klay is going to be out the majority of the season and when he does come back he’ll likely be on a minutes restriction. I think the following season will be their best chance. I also think Steph Curry is actually very underrated and will be a driving force in ensuring this dynasty isn’t forgotten just yet. People forget that when he won the MVP unanimously in 2016 he was in the discussion for best player in the world, and I think he’ll show everyone again soon. JH: I think this is the beginning of the end of the Warriors dynasty. Klay will be out most if not all of next season with a torn ACL. Even if KD decides to stay, he will be sidelined as well with a torn Achilles. Steph, Dray and a bunch of role players should be enough to remain competitive but other teams in the West should look to overtake the Warriors next season. Because of the uncertainty of the Warriors dynasty the Western Conference appears to be open for the first time in a long time. The Los Angeles Lakers, who are well aware of that just landed one of the top stars in Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James. Will this be the season that the Lakers finally return to the NBA Finals, or is this another season of disappointment waiting to happen? Does the Mike Conley trade to the Jazz make them a legit title contender or do the Jazz still need another big piece to contend? JF: The Lakers will make the Finals next year. I think the timing of the trade was perfect other than the cap space ramifications. The Lakers added another top-five player just as all the top teams are falling apart.

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As I mentioned earlier, Golden State won’t have Thompson and the Houston Rockets’ chemistry is falling apart. While Mike Conley does make the Jazz a better, more competitive team, they don’t have a single topfive player which means they will likely get bounced in the first or second round for the third straight year. JH: The Lakers will not be in the finals next year if they cannot adequately fill out the rest of their roster. LeBron was supposed to take the Lakers back to the playoffs this season but because of injuries, they failed to make the playoffs. LeBron and AD should be enough to make at least the second round of the playoffs but without a third star or a strong supporting cast, the Lakers will not return to the finals this season. The Jazz however, can potentially make the conference finals or even the finals with the addition of Mike Conley. While Rubio is a solid player in his own right, Conley gives the Jazz another talented player to take the pressure off Donovan Mitchell. Paired with Rudy Gobert, the Jazz have one of the top defensive teams in the league and Conley provides enough offensive firepower to make a strong playoff run. On the other side of that superstar blockbuster was the New Orleans Pelicans who got Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a slew of future draft picks for Davis. The Pelicans also recently drafted Zion Williamson number one overall to be the face of their franchise. How do you feel about the state of the Pelicans after trading away franchise star Anthony Davis but landing the top pick in Zion? JF: The Pelicans are looking really good, especially for having traded their franchise player. Zion is coming into a great situation and has good players around him who can take some of the pressure off. Brandon Ingram when healthy flashed the potential to be a go to scorer and was averaging 27 points after the All-Star break before having to sit out due to blood clots. And Lonzo Ball was also finding his rhythm before suffering a grade three ankle sprain that kept him out of action for the final stretch of the season. Ball’s willingness to pass the ball ahead and overall passing acumen makes him an exciting fit next to Zion. Jrue Holiday will also be a steady hand on both sides of the floor that can help prepare the young team for a playoff push. JH: It was only a few months ago that the Pelicans were considered as a team without a future due to the status of Anthony Davis. However, with AD off to LA, the Pelicans got back a pretty nice haul to pair with the 2019 first overall pick, Zion Williamson. In addition to Ball and Ingram, the Pelicans also got a slew of draft picks in the haul. The future looks bright down in the Big Easy and Pelican fans should be excited about the direction of their franchise. ■H

SPORTS 20

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

YEAR IN REVIEW: A TIMELINE OF UCR ATHLETICS’ BEST MOMENTS OF THE 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR

BY: JONATHAN FERNANDEZ, SENIOR STAFF WRITER The 2018-19 school year brought many memorable, historic moments for UCR Athletics. Below are The Highlander’s picks for the top sports moments for the 2018-19 school year.

SEP. 29-30, 2018

Jakeishya Le wins the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic.

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NOV. 10, 2018

UCR men’s soccer captures first Big West Championship in Division I history.

LLOYD KAO / HIGHLANDER

FEB. 15, 2019 Senior Kyle McCann became the all time wins leader in men’s tennis Division I program history.

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MARCH 27, 2019 Men’s tennis team breaks record for most wins in a single season with 17th win.

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

MARCH 13, 2019

The Highlander women’s basketball team advances to the semifinals of the Big West Tournament after a physical win over Long Beach State.

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

APRIL 15-16, 2019 Senior Andrew Spilman of the men’s golf team finishes first in UCSB Intercollegiate.

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

MAY 10-11, 2019 Track and field competitors John Ober III and H Quinn Williams become Big West Champions.■

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS