Volume 74, Issue 24

The R’Garden Referendum will save the garden

The R’Garden Referendum is here again during ASUCR Election Week — if it doesn’t pass this year, the R’Garden will close permanently.

AYE AYE HTET

I am a third-year sociology and education student at UCR. I have been working closely with the R’Garden as president of the Gardening Club and as the point of contact for the R’Garden Referendum submission this year. Reach out to me if you have any questions at ahtet001@ucr.edu.

If the R’Garden Referendum does not pass, it will close. Currently, the R’Garden is running on temporary funding from the Provost and CNAS at about 75% capacity. But next year, this funding will not continue. That means losing one of the few campus resources that directly help with student food insecurity and provides a space for agricultural learning outside the classroom and paid student jobs. It would also mean no more free campus-grown produce, no more internships and no more space where students can connect around food, sustainability and community.

The loss of these resources will have a significant impact because the need for something like the R’Garden is big. At the University of California, Riverside... food insecurity is a serious issue. Previous data show that 62.5% of students experienced food insecurity, and more recent reporting still shows that over half of undergraduate students continue to face food insecurity.

to know that we are here to stand together.”

AFSCME claimed that they are protesting over the “University’s failure to settle contracts addressing the cost of living and affordability...

The Gardening Club’s mission to give back to their roots

Gardening Club helps students touch grass for the first time in a while.

SANJANA THATTE, Features Editor

NOLA PERIFEL Assistant Features Editor

Gardening Club found its beginnings with the University of California, Riverside (UCR)’s R’Garden and has since expanded and supported the singular plot of the agricultural space on campus. Helping students connect with nature and having fun while doing so has been their message for years, and this year leadership plants focus on reconnecting with their roots and helping support the dying project.

Aye Aye Htet, third-year sociology and education major and president of Gardening Club, joined as a freshman for a dream catcher making event that they had. She found herself attending more club activities and joined their board first as an outreach coordinator.

Htet went on to describe the club’s origins and her goals as club president, stating, “Gardening Club started as a way to help the R’Garden....

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“[Hidden Eats is] a club that focuses on spotlighting small businesses within the Inland Empire, specifically food, coffee, sweet treat sports, basically just trying to get people who maybe aren’t as familiar with the area, a little bit more familiar with the options”

“We recently did a collaboration with Luna Sunday cafe, the cafe spot that’s in the Moreno Valley Mall. Their banana cream matcha is really good”

“Get outside of your comfort zone. I think everything is going to feel a little bit intimidiaitnf, a little bit scary at first. There’s a lot of options we have on campus, and the resources can be a little overwhelming at times. That could make you a little apprehencce of reaching out or trying new things. But honestly, not everything’s gonna work, but some things will, and you have to keep trying. You can’t beat yourself up if something doesn’t work out, if whether that be with getting involved in orgs, clubs, whether that be friendships, whether that be classes, whether that’s even your own major”

“You’re gonna have to get comfortable facing these obstacles consistently and just rolling with the punches and not letting them beat you down”

“Coachella was so much fun. My friend invited me a couple months ago. We stayed with a friend in Palm Springs. We got barricade for Sabrina Carpenter, for Pink Pantheress, we saw Addison Rae, Justin Bieber, Karol G”

ASUCR

ASUCR Senate Meeting

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE ADDRESS, COMMITTEE REPORTS AND OTHER BUSINESS.

On April 15, 2026, the Associated Students of the University of California, Riverside (ASUCR) meeting began at 7:07 p.m. and adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

During the public forum, Legislative Director Joseph Anastacio provided a brief update on the University Terrace Homes project. He shared that a printed copy of the previously passed ASUCR resolution on the project was delivered at the previous night’s City Council meeting.

During new business, President Pro Tempore (PPT) Jeevan Rao delivered an address, noting he would like to voice concerns about ASUCR’s current state. PPT Rao further emphasized that while he names elected ASUCR officials in his speech, his doing so is not intended to be a personal attack.

PPT Rao spoke of the previous week’s Senate meeting, expressing concerns over CHASS Senator Tildin Young Jin Han’s response to SBS26-001, a Senate Bill authored by Executive Vice President (EVP) Mia Rose Tu’ifua to honor late CHASS Senator Ezadeen Issak’s life and legacy following his death in August 2023. PPT Rao deemed CHASS Senator Han’s comments insensitive, insulting and disrespectful.

Furthermore, PPT Rao expressed grievances toward all three branches of ASUCR, emphasizing that accountability for students is a shared responsibility, especially from their positions as paid elected officials.

During committee reports, two Senate Bills, two Green Campus Action Plan grants and Finance Budget Hearing #16 minutes were all unanimously approved by the Senate. SBS26-002 would amend Chapter 16

bylaws to reduce discrepancies and increase the quarterly limit of GCAP grant applications from $4,000 to $6,000. SB-S26-003 aims to streamline ASUCR’s social media processes and serve as the first step to future initiatives.

One of the GCAP grants was approved to fund a biodiversity-oriented planting event set to occur in May, while the other is to provide further funding for the SustanUsBurg event on April 16.

State of the Association (SOTA) reports were delivered by Office of the Personnel Director, Office of the First-Time College Student Director, GCAP, Office of the VP of Finance, Office of the Elections Director and Office of the VP of Marketing and Promotions. Occurring amid an active ASUCR elections and campaign cycle, the SOTA reports generally emphasized transition of roles to next year’s elected officials and overall restructuring.

CHASS Senator Benjamin Min

shared plans for a resolution to advocate for at least one dining hall on campus to operate during breaks and a resolution addressing recent antiblack sentiments on college campuses.

VP of DEI Brandon Edward Dunbar made a public comment that many “people don’t take ASUCR seriously because we, [the officials], don’t take ASUCR seriously,” acknowledging that while many individuals make an effort to show up every week, those who don’t often are also the ones that aren’t showing up to Executive Cabinet meetings.

Chief Justice of the ASUCR Judicial Council Vaneet Pani made a public comment that ASUCR officials should not hesitate to file complaints to the Judicial Council, especially as the council is unable to do anything unless they are formally made aware of an issue.

R’Garden efforts towards passing their referendum

THE R’GARDEN WILL CLOSE PERMANENTLY IF REFERENDUM DOES NOT PASS.

After 14 years of providing a student and community resource center, The R’Garden, a University of California, Riverside (UCR) community garden located by Lot 30, may be shut down.

Historically, the R’Garden was funded by the UCR Basic Needs Departments with $170,000 per year for operation from 2022 to 2024. This funding was discontinued after the 2024 to 2025 academic year elections, where the original referendum did not pass. While the referendum reached a 70% approval rating among the voters, it failed to meet the 20% voter turnout threshold needed for it to pass.

Some believe that the reason the referendum did not pass last year was due to the university policy that disallowed

the posting of temporary signage in any relation to the ASUCR election. This made advertising and awareness about the bill — or the election at all — difficult.

The garden was going to be disbanded after the previous academic year, but a petition circulated immediately after the results, and received support for bridge funding to continue for another year. This extension allows the R’Garden Referendum to be on the ballot again this year.

The Referendum on the ballot includes an undergraduate student fee of $10 per quarter, not including summer sessions, effective Fall 2026, that goes to the R’Garden. This fee will initiate a stable funding source for the garden’s infrastructure: purchase of

tools/equipment, maintenance, organic necessities (seeds, fertilizer, compost, rodent control, etc.), long term projects (a restroom), a learning laboratory and general increased resources for campus and community involvement. This funding will additionally allow for more workshops, festivals, employment opportunities for students and much more. If passed, this fee will be effective fall 2026, and the proposed duration of this referendum is ongoing, depending on the U.S Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Riverside and surrounding regions. But it will likely not change more than once every three years.

The referendum will be on the ASUCR election ballot in week five, from April 27 to May 1.

Suspects arrested following shooting outside Moreno Valley Mall

ANDREW HAGLER Staff Writer

On Friday, April 10, Riverside Police arrested two suspects involved in an ongoing investigation regarding the killing of a 16-year-old outside the Moreno Valley Mall on Dec. 30, 2025. Officers were dispatched to a business in the 22000 block of Town Circle in Moreno Valley where the shooting took place. They found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound who, despite lifesaving measures, was pronounced dead on the scene.

■ H

OFFICERS ARRESTED TWO 18-YEAR-OLD SUSPECTS FOR THE KILLING OF A 16-YEAR-OLD LAST DECEMBER. ■ H

police served numerous residential search and arrest warrants in Hemet and Moreno Valley, during which the two suspects, 18-year-old Avon Owens and another unidentified 18-yearold, were taken without incident. The latter suspect remains unidentified as his status as a minor during the time of the murder. Owens was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of murder and the use of a firearm during the commission of a murder, while the other suspect was booked into Southwest

Juvenile Hall under the same charges. This investigation is ongoing. If anyone has additional information, please contact Central Homicide Investigator Denham at 951-955-2777 or Moreno Valley Station Investigator Morales at 951-486-6700.

As part of a months-long investigation,

Riverside Superior Court denies Councilmember candidate’s legal challenge

ON MARCH 30, THE COURT REJECTED WARD TWO COUNCILMEMBER CANDIDATE GRACIE TORRES’ CHALLENGE AGAINST OPPONENT ARAM AYRA’S BALLOT DESIGNATION.

As Riverside’s ward two prepares to elect a new councilmember in June, candidates are beginning to assemble their campaigns. On March 20, councilmember candidate Gracie Torres filed a legal challenge against her opponent, Aram Ayrapetyan’s (Ayra) professed job description of “Educator/City Commissioner.” The challenge was ultimately rejected by the court on March 30, and Ayra was not ordered by the court to amend his campaign.

In the official lawsuit, “Torres vs Gause,” Torres alleged that Ayra’s designation of himself as an Educator and City Commissioner on his ballot designation, a document intended to inform voters about a candidate and their platform, was “factually inaccurate due [to] education not being his principal employment.

Although Ayra’s Form 700 Financial Disclosure recorded his recent work as an instructor with the University of California Riverside’s (UCR) Osher Center this past winter quarter, it also noted that his nearly year and a half work as an Associate Director of Development at the nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire paid Ayra a higher salary, suggesting it was his principal employment.

Torres’ legal challenge cited Ayra’s reported employment as conflicting with Elections Code section 13107’s requirement that candidates chose an accurate designation for themselves. The challenge aimed to petition the court for a writ of mandate against Ayra’s designation. A court order which would have ordered Ayra to amend his designation to more accurately represent his

varying employment labels.

Torres also mentioned that Riverside City Clerk Donnesia Gause approved Ayra’s ballot designation after being made aware by Torres team that the designation could be inaccurate, stating, “It’s not [the] Petitioner’s fault that the City Clerk waited until March 19 to make a final determination of the validity of the ballot designation at issue.”

The Superior Court of Riverside recorded under the statement of facts that Gause found sufficient documentation to claim the designation and furthermore that she “has no interest in the outcome of this litigation other than ensuring that the ballot materials were prepared.”

The court further reported, “So long as a candidate provides substantiation of their chosen designation and the wording other side complies … the City Clerk does not have the authority to reject a candidate’s chosen designation,” to explain their reasoning for rejecting Torres petition for the writ of mandate.

In an Instagram post, Ayra called the challenge baseless and criticized Torres’ attempt to challenge his ballot designation, stating,“My opponent chose to try to gain an edge through attorneys and the Courts … When you start building real momentum and challenging the status quo, this is what happens.”

In a press release, Torres stood firm in her action against Ayra stating “We followed the process as directed and brought this forward because voters had legitimate questions about accuracy. While the court has made its decision, I believe it warrants further inquiry.”

North District Phase 3 and new parking structure coming

UCR PLANNING, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION HOLDS A MEETING TO DISCUSS NEW HOUSING

On April 8, 2026, the University of California, Riverside hosted a community meeting to introduce plans for North District Phase 3 alongside major parking structures on Blaine Street. The meeting, led by Melissa Garrety, Senior Planner for UCR Planning, Design & Construction, aimed to inform the community about the proposed expansion and gather public input before construction begins. North District Phase 3 is part of

a long term plan to expand student housing and support facilities.

Garrety estimated the new construction will add approximately 1,200 to 1,300 new student beds, along with amenities such as study spaces, fitness areas and limited retail stores intended primarily for residents.

The Blaine Street parking structure will be a four level parking structure with roughly 2,000 spaces. This parking structure will replace the existing surface parking located

behind North District Phase 1.

According to the project representatives, the expansion is designed to address current housing demand and accommodate future enrollment growth. Garrety emphasized the increasing oncampus housing could reduce overall traffic, as students living nearby are less likely to rely on cars. However this claim was met with skepticism from Ward 2 residents, who cited ongoing issues with students parking on residential streets to avoid campus parking fees.

Residents questioned whether adding more parking spaces would solve congestion if students continue to avoid paid facilities. One resident raised her concerns about spillover effects in nearby neighborhoods, noting that local streets are already heavily impacted. While planners acknowledge these concerns, they explained that parking pricing policies fall outside the scope of their jurisdiction.

Beyond parking, some attendees expressed frustration over a perceived lack of community benefits. In response, planners noted that while some small-scale amenities are planned, the primary focus remains student housing.

Questions were also raised about the project’s scale and its cumulative impact when combined with the other North District housing facilities. Residents voiced concern about increased population density and infrastructure strain in the area. The project representatives stated that future phases are still being evaluated and the total housing capacity is expected to align with previously established limits.

Despite tension, Garrety encouraged residents to provide written feedback about the project. A second community meeting is expected in the coming months, where more detailed design plans will be presented.

OpiNiONs

I AM A THIRD-YEAR SOCIOLOGY AND EDUCATION STUDENT AT UCR. I HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE R’GARDEN AS PRESIDENT OF THE GARDENING CLUB AND AS THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE R’GARDEN REFERENDUM SUBMISSION THIS YEAR. REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT AHTET001@UCR.EDU.

The R’Garden Referendum will save the garden

THE R’GARDEN REFERENDUM IS HERE AGAIN DURING ASUCR ELECTION WEEK — IF IT DOESN’T PASS THIS YEAR, THE R’GARDEN WILL CLOSE PERMANENTLY.

BY: AYE AYE HTET

If the R’Garden Referendum does not pass, it will close.

Currently, the R’Garden is running on temporary funding from the Provost and CNAS at about 75% capacity. But next year, this funding will not continue. That means losing one of the few campus resources that directly help with student food insecurity and provides a space for agricultural learning outside the classroom and paid student jobs. It would also mean no more free campus-grown produce, no more internships and no more space where students can connect around food, sustainability and community.

The loss of these resources will have a significant impact because the need for something like the R’Garden is big. At the University of California, Riverside (UCR), food insecurity is a serious issue. Previous data show that 62.5% of students experienced food insecurity, and more recent reporting still shows that over half of undergraduate students continue to face food insecurity.

The R’Garden directly responds to that need by providing fresh, accessible produce while also educating students about food systems and sustainability. In 2023 alone, the R’Garden was able to distribute 36,756 pounds of free produce, serving 7,350 student visits while running on temporary donations and grants. With stable funding, the R’Garden will be able to accomplish so much more.

From April 27 to May 1, 2026, students will vote on whether the R’Garden should receive permanent funding starting fall 2026. The funding would come from a $10 quarterly fee. Last year, most students who voted supported the R’Garden. However, it did not pass because turnout did not reach the 20% requirement,

falling just 3% below the threshold.

That same rule applies this year and is why UCR students need to vote. If it does pass, the $10 per quarter would allow the R’Garden to expand and better serve students. It would help increase production by fully using all eight acres of land and make more fresh produce available. It would also support more workshops and programs about sustainability, food systems and environmental health.

On top of that, the funding would help hire more staff and expand student internship opportunities. These internships give students real hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture and food systems and they are also paid positions, which helps students financially. The R’Garden also plans to expand educational workshops and opportunities for students with a new position, Faculty Director, who will be in charge of education at the R’Garden, which is funded by CNAS and will be funded by CNAS in the future if the referendum passes.

With this new addition, the R’Garden will be able to expand educational efforts through student-led and faculty supported workshops and classes. The long term goal is to be able to host courses on-site. Currently, we have a class being facilitated by student Nina Haywood, which serves as a foundation for this model. Moving forward, the aim is to continue and grow this approach by having R’Garden student interns lead and support similar educational experiences. If the referendum passes, we will be able to expand these efforts by offering more workshops, supporting student educators and programming more.

Most importantly, in accordance with campus policy, 25% of the $10 quarterly fee, which

totals $2.50, will be returned directly to students in the form of financial aid, helping offset the cost for those who need it most. The remaining funds are reinvested into operations, staffing and programming that directly benefit students.

If the referendum does not pass, the R’Garden will lose funding and likely close. That would mean losing a space that has been part of the campus for over a decade and exists because students fought to create it. Last year, students showed strong support. But support alone is not enough if people do not actually vote.

Ultimately, every vote matters. If you care about the R’Garden, vote when the ballot comes out. Tell friends, group chats and classmates to vote as well. Share @rfarmersatucr posts to spread awareness about the referendum. Visit the garden, get involved and see what the R’Garden does for students. At the end of the day, this referendum is not just about keeping a garden open. It is about keeping a space that feeds, employs, teaches and builds community among students.

Last year, students showed their support for the R’Garden. This year, we just need enough students to show up. Read the full referendum here.

Ballots will be sent to UCR emails during election week (April 27 - May 1) and at least 20% of the student body must vote for it to pass. Student support is essential to the success of the referendum, and we welcome anyone who is interested in supporting outreach and marketing. Please reach out to ahtet001@ucr.edu if you have any questions or would like to get involved.

UCR students should take better care of the campus

GROWING LITTER IS HURTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMALS ON CAMPUS.

NATALIE MARTIN

Contributing Writer

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is one of the most beautiful college campuses in Southern California. I love walking around campus to my classes and seeing all of the beautiful desert plants like cacti, succulents and the tall palm trees. Taking in the beauty of our campus helps calm my nerves when my anxiety is high because of the stresses of college.

One part of campus that I love and always makes me feel better is the grass field near Kim Wilcox Drive and Aberdeen Drive. When walking through this area, it feels peaceful looking at the citrus and pine trees providing shade. Listening to music while admiring the beauty always feels very peaceful, especially after a particularly stressful day.

I also love the UCR Botanical Gardens as it is a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of campus. In the gardens, there are so many different flowers like roses, tulips, sunflowers and Native American plants. It is amazing how UCR has a dedicated place on campus for a collection of plants to visit.

However, over the past few months, I have seen a growing issue of trash being thrown all over UCR. What bothers me the most about this is how often I see litter that was clearly intentionally thrown in bushes, grass and in other plants. For example, the other day, when I was walking on campus, I saw a squirrel chewing on a Habit Burger & Grill cup found in the grass. This was deeply upsetting, as we have other animals like donkeys and raccoons that visit our campus. The fact that they are eating trash we have left is harmful and completely neglectful on our part.

We need to appreciate the beauty of UCR and find solutions to ensure it is as clean as possible. Students are lucky to be in a college where there is so much nature around and we are taking it for granted by choosing to litter and acting carelessly with our trash. Studies demonstrate the importance of nature at college campuses, as studying and spending time outdoors can improve mental health and increase productivity. According to Science Direct, school campuses that have more nature can also improve academic scores, further supporting student success.

When I need to study for a final or do some homework, instead of going to my dorm room, I take the opportunity to appreciate

UCR for its true beauty by working outside. It makes me feel more productive and less distracted because when I work in my dorm, I feel trapped inside and isolated. However, going outside, looking at the greenery and feeling the sunshine makes me feel calm and focused.

Beyond the mental health benefits, we also need to take better care of our campus for the environment itself. When people litter on campus, they are degrading the environment and lowering biodiversity. Whether throwing trash in the bushes or overfilling the trash cans, this litter blocks sunlight from entering plants’ leaves. This means that plants around campus won’t be able to stay healthy if we keep littering in the plants.

There are many ways to keep our campus as clean as possible. One of them is getting involved in environmental clubs at UCR. Recently, I participated in a campus clean-up

through the “UCR Green Campus Action Plan,” which is an organization on campus that hosts environmental clean-ups at UCR and hosts educational events to keep the environment clean. When I cleaned up trash on campus with them, it was very fulfilling and opened my eyes about how important this issue is.

UCR should also place more trash cans and recycling bins on campus. Oftentimes, I see trash cans overflowing with cans, bottles and bags being stacked on top of them. If we place more trash cans and recycling bins on campus, this may prevent trash from overflowing and falling onto the ground.

UCR is a special campus with a beautiful environment that should be appreciated more. If students and faculty take the steps necessary to keep it as clean as possible, we can take in all of the campus’s benefits.

Multi-billion dollar corporations must be held accountable now

THE ONTARIO WAREHOUSE FIRE AND THE LUIGI MANGIONE CASE ILLUSTRATE HOW CORPORATE GREED FOSTERS VIOLENCE.

MARIBEL HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

An Ontario warehouse leased by “personal care and hygiene giant” Kimberly-Clark was set ablaze on April 7. At first, it appeared to be an act done in the spirit of protest against mega-corporations’ failure to pay their employees fair wages. However, committing arson or any violent crime should not be a normalized form of protest, as it endangers innocents’ lives and sullies the reputation of peaceful protests.

While this controversial act has caught the media’s eye and raised awareness of the mistreatment of warehouse workers, there are safer alternatives to protesting, including but not limited to strikes, walkouts, marches and boycotting. These can all lead to a loss of revenue for large corporations, demonstrating the need for their workers’ satisfaction to be met while still maintaining a sense of adherence to the law.

In an online video circulating on the internet, a man — suspected to be Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, CA — is seen walking around the warehouse, lighting several toilet-paper products on fire, and is heard saying, “All you had to do is pay us enough to live.” Abdulkarim has been arrested on suspicion of connection with the fire and is currently facing several arson-related charges.

corporation that can afford to pay its employees fairly, but when an employee resorts to setting an entire warehouse on fire to bring attention to this issue, the public must band together to hold big corporations accountable for their actions, lest violence becomes more likely.

For example, in 2024, the world bore witness to the discourse of the Luigi Mangione case, where Mangione was accused of being responsible for the “murder of 50-year-old United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of the Hilton Hotel in Midtown on December 4, 2024,” in response to “corporate greed.”

housing, food and healthcare.

Additionally, referring back to the video of the suspect lighting the warehouse fire, the narrator states, “You know, if you’re not going to pay us enough ... to afford to live, at least pay us enough not to do this.” The audience gets a glimpse into the perpetrator’s mind, where he believes that the company Kimberly-Clark is responsible for forcing him to resort to violence as a cry for help, rather than pure malice.

Again, while the perpetrator’s actions should be condemned, his sentiment of advocating for better pay is reminiscent of many local labor unions’ efforts, including Teamsters Local 1932. The Teamsters are a “labor union transforming the Inland Empire for the underpaid and overworked” and one of their core goals is to improve employees’ wages, working conditions and benefits through collective bargaining.

While the Ontario warehouse was leased by Kimberly-Clark, Abdulkarim was hired by National Freight, Inc. (NFI Industries) which operated the warehouse. Reports allege that the average yearly salary for an NFI Industries Warehouse Operations worker in Ontario is “$58,370, which is 11% below the national average,” explaining Abdulkarim’s statement regarding the low pay employees received.

Low pay should not constitute violent offenses, such as arson in this case, but since the crime has already been committed, the media should focus on shedding light on the lack of accountability from big corporations for not providing fair, livable wages to their employees.

Kimberly-Clark is a multi-billion-dollar

While Magione’s case has blown up in popularity due to its vigilante-like nature, he has not officially been found guilty of the allegations.

Following Thompson’s death, public discourse immediately ensued, where the people either condemned the violent act or resonated with his frustration about the corrupt medical system found in the U.S. today. Health care is oftentimes treated as a business transaction — led by insurance companies — rather than a basic human right.

If big corporations do not take accountability for the mistreatment and underappreciation of their employees, more cases similar to Mangione’s are likely to arise. As “Cabaret (The Musical)” states, “Money makes the world go round,” and without sufficient pay, people are unable to afford basic human needs, including

It’s been theorized that, “If Amazon recognized the Teamsters’ new union and bargained in good faith with them, we would likely see a much smoother, undisrupted holiday shopping season in 2025.” The power of collective action can lead to positive results for all involved, including better working conditions for employees and for consumers receiving better services.

Moving forward, big corporations must be held accountable for their underappreciation of employees. It is not only in their workers’ best interests to be treated well by these companies, but also the corporations’ best interests. If big corporations were more willing to provide their employees with better working conditions and pay, violent offenses reminiscent of the warehouse fire and the Luigi Mangione case are less likely to occur, and, bluntly put, these companies can afford to pay their employees better. Corporate greed harms all in the process, and it must be addressed now, not later.

Democrats may have a chance to retake the Senate

IF DEMOCRATS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY, THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTION PRESENTS A CHANCE TO RETAKE THE CHAMBER.

ALAN LOK Staff Writer

After the Democrats’ disappointing performance in 2024, it seemed like a long shot that the party might win back control of the U.S. Senate at the 2026 midterms. Retaking control of the Senate looked out of sight because the seats up for election in November heavily favor the Republican Party geographically.

The Senate currently includes 53 Republican seats to 47 Democratic seats, so Democrats need to flip four seats. This midterm election, 35 Senate seats are up for election, including 33 regularly scheduled races and two special elections in Ohio and Florida.

The main spectacle is not whether Democrats can compete nationwide but whether they can flip enough seats to eliminate the Republican advantage. The race will likely depend on a small number of competitive states such as Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia and Michigan. Depending on how the race proceeds, Alaska, Iowa and Texas are likely states to be contested as well. This means other factors, such as candidate quality, voter turnout and campaign strategy, are especially significant this year for both parties to maintain or gain a lead in the upcoming election.

Republicans currently hold the chamber, so Democrats would need to hold their seats while also gaining seats in tough battleground states. This makes the race more challenging and important for Democrats, as even a slight loss or setback in one state could jeopardize gains made in another.

The battle for control of the Senate remains one of the most consequential contests, especially as it comes at a time of rising unpopularity over the Trump administration’s policies. Control of the chamber would reshape judicial confirmations, legislation passed and the balance of power in Washington.

Undoubtedly, this midterm is likely a referendum on Trump’s second-term administration, which involves fights over spending, immigration policies and waging foreign wars. The stakes are high because Senate control is paramount and has the ability to shape the rest of Trump’s time in office. If Democrats can win enough seats to retake the chamber, it would stall Trump’s legislative priorities and increase oversight of the White House. Therefore, a lot is dependent on this election.

If Republicans maintain their lead, Trump would maintain stronger legislative authority, but even a minor loss in the Senate would signal that his political grip is waning. The broader fight for the Senate this year is still unfolding, but the map already indicates a fierce and unpredictable election outcome.

In addition to the immediate electoral implications, the 2026 Senate races may also indicate bigger changes within both major parties. For Democrats, success or failure in these midterms could dictate the party’s strategic direction going into the highly anticipated 2028 presidential election. A strong performance would indicate that their messaging on established issues such as economic inequality, healthcare access and

democratic institutions resonates with voters even in contested states. On the contrary, underperformance could lead to further internal debates regarding the party’s leadership, policy priorities and its focus on targeting working-class and independent voters.

The midterms will test the strength of Trump’s influence over the Republican Party and its voters. While Trump retains his position as a dominant figure, this could reveal whether the shaky MAGA coalition can maintain long-term electoral success, particularly in swing states. At the same time, if the Republicans succeed, it would reinforce the party’s current direction and solidify Trump as the dominant figure in the party.

Ultimately, the 2026 midterms are not merely about control of the chamber, but rather a race over the direction of the country. Whichever party succeeds will largely shape the remaining two years of Trump’s second-term administration. Democrats have a possible but uphill fight to retake the Senate in 2026.

The map may favor Republicans defensively with many red-state seats contested, but polling indicates Democratic strength in key battleground states amid Trump’s slipping approval ratings on economic issues like gas prices and tariffs. They just need to take advantage of the opportunity.

Features Horoscopes

As the sun enters Taurus, here’s a list of dos and don’ts.

23 – Oct. 22):

Lots of misunderstandings are taking place lately. Let’s try to communicate our feelings this week.

– Jan. 19):

You’ve been so busy taking care of everyone else, you seem to have forgotten about yourself. This week, make it all about you!

Aries (March 21 – April 19):

You can expect a slow week. You peaked this past month, time to give it a rest.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22):

Time to focus on what matters most to you. Stop taking what others say too seriously.

Nov. 21):

You’ll meet someone who will test your patience, but hey! Character development is never lost on you.

Feb. 18):

You’re gonna make an impulsive decision this week. Let’s cross our fingers and hope it’s a good one.

(April 20 – May 20):

This week is full of new opportunities for you, don’t screw it up. You tend to do that when you’re stressed …

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22):

Time to put all those plans into action. Procrastination is a no this week.

HOROSCOPES DOS AND DON’TS

Dec. 21):

Motivation is high so don’t let it go to waste. It’s also a good time to ask for their number sometime this week.

March 20):

You’re feeling a little emotional this week. Transform this emotion into gratitude for those who have been with you through it all.

(May 21 – June 20):

Patience is a virtue; do something creative to put your mind at ease.

(Aug. 23 – Sept. 22):

Let’s do some meditation. What you shouldn’t do is spend $100 on a pair of shoes you don’t need. Money is low, and inner peace is up.

The Gardening Club’s mission to give back to their roots

GARDENING CLUB HELPS STUDENTS TOUCH GRASS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE.

Gardening Club found its beginnings with the University of California, Riverside (UCR)’s R’Garden and has since expanded and supported the singular plot of the agricultural space on campus. Helping students connect with nature and having fun while doing so has been their message for years, and this year leadership plants focus on reconnecting with their roots and helping support the dying project.

Aye Aye Htet, third-year sociology and education major and president of Gardening Club, joined as a freshman for a dream catcher making event that they had. She found herself attending more club activities and joined their board first as an outreach coordinator.

Htet went on to describe the club’s origins and her goals as club president, stating, “Gardening Club started as a way to help the R’Garden. It was started by the R’Garden interns as a way to help fight food insecurity [and] to get more funding.”

In recent years, focus has shifted away from the R’Garden, but now that the project is in danger, Htet wants to shift the focus once again. With that goal in mind, Htet has made significant strides towards reconnecting the club to the R’Garden by “being more involved, getting to know the leadership at the R’Garden and

trying to show up when they [need] volunteers.”

The club’s president also mentioned wanting to host more events at the R’Garden plots at Lot 30 where people plant and de-weed together. Htet stated that events on campus get more turnout due to their arts and crafts activities and their closer proximity to students. However, the club has been working towards hosting more events in Lot 30. For their event on April 18 at the R’Garden, the club provided free shuttles from the Pentland Hills roundabout to Lot 30 making their event more accessible, all the while keeping the club connected to its origins of sustainability.

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The club’s board meets on Monday evenings at 8 p.m. at the Thomas Rivera Library, but mostly holds doit-yourself events for members not on board. In the past, they have had events that have ranged from flower crown making to cement block painting. They have an upcoming recycling and pot painting event planned for Earth Day on April 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Highlander Union Building (HUB) 260.

Htet also described the way that R’Garden works, explaining that they have plots that people can use to plant various types of plants, fruits

and vegetables, with Gardening Club having their own plot. Htet went on to explain that “every quarter, we try to do [something] with new plants. Right now we’re planting tomatoes, corn, watermelons and bell peppers. So every time we go there, usually, we end up de-weeding.”

The club has faced struggles specifically in regards to the R’Garden and getting enough attendance and turnout for events. Because the R’Garden is far from the main campus, very few people show up to events situated there. The club is brainstorming ways to arrange transportation and get more people to be exposed to the garden.

Htet explained that she hopes club members learn leadership skills as they practice planning for events, speaking in meetings and continuing their mission of advocacy. Gardening club often collaborates with other clubs and departments with events such as lip balm making and avocado tasting.

The club’s atmosphere is very close and collaborative as board members are friendly and welcoming. Htet herself encourages anyone who wants to try gardening to take the plunge: “I would advise them to just do it, because if you are researching, [it] is important too, but it will push you to research when you have a plant right in front of you.”

Htet emphasized the community nature of the R’Garden and Gardening Club, “it is started by students, for the students, and then it has been around [for] many years. We started [it] to help the student(s) which one of our mission(s) is sustainability, food insecurity, community gardening.”

The R’Garden referendum will be up for vote in this year’s ASUCR elections, and the Gardening Club’s mission will put it and the students body’s efforts to the test.

SPOTLIGHT NORM’S NOOK

UCR’s greenhouses

Happy Earth Day, Highlanders!

In honor of the celebration of our beloved planet, it seemed only fitting that we spotlight the greenhouses that gather along Kim Wilcox Drive. These research facilities aim to study numerous plants and citrus crops, with projects ranging from observing pollination patterns to experimenting with different environments and climates. When you walk past these greenhouses during

EARTH DAY

an arduous hike up to the School of Business, you might notice condensation pooling on the glass and green leaves resting against the windows. Take the time to appreciate the work that the Department of Agriculture and the researchers of botany and plant sciences are doing to improve crop growth and understand the inner workings of nature. ■ H

31. Media exec Roger

32. Major Calif.-to-Fla. route

33. Popular recycling slogan abbreviation 36. Narrow inlets

37. Male soulmate, in Turkey Patio furniture maker

39. ManhattanNew York neighborhood

40. ___ and tonic

41. Glassmaking material

42. Ed of “Up”

43. refers to a variety of ecosystems

46. Author Robbe-Grillet et al.

By K Staff

49. Onassis and others

50. Single use products

53. Pres. after GWB

56. “As I Lay Dying” father

57. Victoria’s Secret merchandise

58. “... bombs bursting __ ___”

60. Turned right

61. Bern’s river

62. Nick of “Cape Fear”

63. Grub

64. Hwys.

65. Eco-friendly DOWN

1. She, in Salerno

2. Aleutian island

3. Corner piece

4. OMG or RFK, say 5. Straight people, informally

6. Studio with two of the top five highest-grossing films of all time

7. Disney show “____ Mack”

8. Scorch

9. Classifier

10. Line in old Apple ads

11. Domesticated

12. Put ___ to 13. Methods: Abbr. 22. Puppy’s bite

23. German refusal

24. Greek god of war

26. Helgenberger of “CSI”

27. Unusual clock number

28. Extended family

29. “____ a stinker?”: Bugs Bunny line

30. Sault ___ Marie

33. Rice-A-____

34. Orator’s prowess: Abbr.

35. Actor Calhoun 37. Goalpost part 38. Help

Flat tire sound 41. Dry Spanish sherry

Stemming

43. Humans, e.g. 44. Some Ravel works 45. Before, poetically 46. Saw

47. Top of a form, perhaps

48. Plus

51. “I smell _ ___!”

52. Unadorned

53. Bundle of hay 54. Sexologist Shere 55. Opera conductor Daniel 56. Neither’s partner ■ H

Carrot cake bread

By: Haley Klein, Staff Writer

Prep Time: 3 hours

A healthy twist to your sweet treat.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, carrots and yogurt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix!

3. Grease a loaf pan and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Halfway through baking, loosely cover the pan with foil to prevent the top from burning.

4. Once done baking, let the loaf cool completely in the pan while set on a wire rack.

5. Optional: Make the bread into muffins instead! Pour batter into a 12-count muffin tin and bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tray for 10 minutes and then on a wire rack until ready to eat.

Servings: 20-24

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups shredded carrots

• ½ cup yogurt

SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY: EASY

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Which earthy part of campus are you?

Quick quiz that will pair you up with an earthy place on campus!

By: Kimberly Viera, Contributing Writer

1. In a public setting, would you consider yourself more …

A. Outgoing

B. Just there

C. Reserved

2. In your free time, you would rather...

A. Go out, shop and try new cafes

B. Hike, run, go to the gym and explore new places

C. Read a book, color and solve a puzzle.

3. What flower do you prefer?

A. Orange blossoms

B. Wild flowers

C. Orchids

4. Do you tend to get assignments done…

A. A few days before its due

B. Last minute

C. Well before the due date

answer key

If you got “A” the most, you most resemble the Citrus field. You are joyful and uplifting and you can always find the bright side of situations. You are bright — the room lights up when you walk in. As a bundle of energy, you love a good laugh. People naturally gravitate towards you. You are not scared to meet or talk to new acquaintances, and you would consider yourself an extrovert.

If you got “B” the most, you most resemble the Botanical Gardens. You have an enchanting personality. People are naturally drawn to you. You have a peaceful energy to you. Though you may be mysterious at times, when you get comfortable, you are wild, free, loud and talkative. You usually tend to let go when you know you won’t feel judged.

If you got “C” the most, you most resemble the Green Houses. You have a curious personality, always trying to learn about everything. You are studious and detail oriented and you prefer to have every assignment out of the way before you have fun. You are gentle and quiet but you sure know how to unwind.

How to deal with a roommate squabble

DON’T LET ROOMMATE CONFLICT RUIN YOUR DORMING EXPERIENCE.

CAMILA ROSALES

Contributing writer

The school year is almost over and you realize that you and your roommate never really got along. You are polar opposites. They make some decisions you are not too happy with and vice versa, and it is honestly ruining your whole living on campus experience. There are a lot of problems and you have no idea how to resolve them.

You guys don’t seem to be on the same page about many things. Things have gotten awkward and the environment has shifted. You start to dread going to the dorm, because when you walk in there, there is always something going on that you are not so happy about. Here are a few common problems that could occur with roommates and the approach you could take.

“Hey, can we talk about who washes the dishes?”

This approach is simple but also direct. Try to avoid phrases like “you always do this” or “you never do anything,” which will inevitably start an argument. You want to stay calm throughout the conversation. Explain to them how you feel, but also listen to them. Do not just think about yourself, as they also have a life and unexpected things can show up. At the end, come to an agreement that benefits and works for both of you.

“Hey, can we set quiet hours?”

For this one you would have to be more specific. “Quiet” can easily be misinterpreted. Clarify if

you mean no guests after a certain hour or just a low voice. Set rules together, but also make sure these rules are reasonable. For example, if gaming after 10 p.m., wear headphones and whisper. Set specific hours so that there is no confusion and no further arguments and disagreements.

“Hey, could we have a shower schedule?”

This approach is very simple but effective. You would need to share your schedules with each other. Talk about the time you both shower, for example, if you shower in the morning or in the evening. If you guys both shower at the same time of day this is okay, but set a reasonable time limit and decide who showers first. If someone is not going to shower that day let the other person know, just in case they want to shower a bit earlier.

Your housing experience shouldn’t be bad just because you and your roommate couldn’t set up some simple rules. Make rules that are beneficial to both of you guys but also realistic. Do not set up rules that are going to be hard to follow. These approaches are examples to some conflicts that may show up, but if there are any other conflicts remember to always stay calm, do not get worked up and also listen to your roommate. Do not just think of your own benefit, think about them too. Remember, the best way to resolve an issue is through communication.

Negotiating with myself

THE ONE CASE I’LL

NEVER WIN — AND I’M OKAY WITH THAT. OVI

MATHIVANAN Assistant Opinions Editor

I face the podium — present and poised, or at least I try to be.

The aspiring lawyer has mastered the art of speaking evasively.

A closed book, intentionally lacking clarity.

Deliberate words, practiced answers, discarded feelings filed away amid a cabinet of dusty case files.

What’s professionalism and protection to me is aloof and impersonal to others.

They don’t see the arguments I’ve lost with myself long before I speak atop the stage and long before I face the courtroom.

I cite logic like precedent. In fact, I cling to it like a weighted safety blanket. Something to keep me grounded when every stability I’ve known has left.

Even in law, there’s poetry.

It’s tucked between deadlines, ambition and for the most whimsical of lawyers, behind control.

Yet surely, it’s there.

Not the pretty poetry with rhymes or embellished language. It’s something much quieter, but it’s still mine to hold.

And so, the aspiring lawyer has learned emotion — the beautiful, the ugly and everything in between — feels safest when touched vicariously through the eyes and hearts of others.

The aspiring lawyer sees emotion as liability.

As mere technicality; the result of procedural error, a failure to follow the code.

Something to be corrected and cautiously locked away in a cabinet, one which even I’ve lost the keys to.

But never a case to be won nor a case to be dismissed.

Guide to apartment gardening: A garden right at home

EARTH-WEEK-INSPIRED GUIDE TO GROWING YOUR OWN AT-HOME GARDEN.

AMRITA ASHOK

Contributing Writer

Do you love the idea of having a garden but don’t have the space or the time? Whether you want a garden or a few herbs by the windowsill, having an apartment garden is a quick and effective way to enhance your space while valuing eco-friendly practices. This Earth Day inspired guide can help you cultivate anything from accent plants to your very own vegetable garden.

One of the first things to look out for when thinking of having an at-home garden in your apartment is the location. Where do you envision your garden to be? Is it indoors or outdoors? What space will you choose to place your garden which you will care for? This step is very important in order to determine what plants you want, as each plant needs different amounts of sunlight, and needs to match the environment you place it in.

Then take some time to assess your current environment. Is there anything you need to change in order to successfully grow these plants? Assess what you are willing to do, including watering and consistently caring for the plants. If you travel a lot, try to keep that in mind as you may need to settle for more

low-maintenance plants.

Now go on to actually research and observe. Look for the kinds of plants you would like to keep in your mini garden. Get creative with this, and don’t be afraid to test out different types and varieties.

Good houseplants for those just starting out are pothos, snake plants, ZZ plants and jade plants as well as mini succulents, leafy greens and tomato plants. If you want outdoor plants for your balcony, try California native plants, mediterranean herbs and perennial plants. This is most entertaining, because you get to observe different varieties of plants and use your creativity and imagination.

Gather the necessary materials, including soil and your chosen plants, and set up your garden — maybe you want to start with grown plants that you select from a market or you would prefer to get seeds from local public library seed banks or hardware stores. Write down everything you need for the plant growth and try talking to an expert about it if you are lost.

Now that it’s planted, there is still more to

be done! Check on the garden everyday and allow it to grow. Your own little garden will grow into something extraordinary and you will have your own pocket of nature right at

home. with a beautiful scenic floral area that reminds you of the miracles of life.

So you forgot you had a midterm

ALL OF A SUDDEN, LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE PART OF THE SYLLABUS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

So you forgot you had a midterm. You may land anywhere on the spectrum of calmly accepting your fate to having a panic attack in the bathroom. Either way, right now, that one dog meme of the house burning around him and him pretending to be ok is a little more relatable than you’d like to admit. That being said, it’s not too late to do something about it. Whether you have five minutes before your test or five hours, here are some things you can do to boost your chances of success and maintain a level head.

Deep breaths

Breathe. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Inhale for 10 seconds and exhale for the same amount of time. Do this until your thoughts stop racing and your chest feels a little less tight. Your panic, while completely valid, is not going to help the problem. Let yourself feel the anxiety, and then use it to fuel the high intensity cramming session you are about to launch into or to sharpen your mind before you step into that lecture hall. What is done is done and now all you can do is your best. Try to stay calm, and trust yourself to be able to handle what comes next.

Get Some Food

Listen, I know eating might be very low on your list of priorities right now, but if you don’t keep your body fueled you will inevitably do worse on that exam. Adrenaline can only take you so far in an exam setting and that study session is not going to be very productive if all you can focus on is your stomach growling. Grab a meal, take a nap and study your heart out feeling refreshed and energized. If you don’t have time for that whole routine, ask your roommate for a protein bar and a banana and start munching. I personally indulge in hotpot and a good night’s sleep before starting to study the next day.

Make a Plan

This might seem counterintuitive if you have five seconds before the test opens up on Canvas but I still think it’s a little useful. If you make a mental note of what you know, you can skip ahead to those questions and spend more time on the ones you don’t know. Psychological research also shows that if you sit in the same seat that you attended a lecture in, you will remember more when you take the test. If you have more than three seconds to prepare, consider making a study map of all the topics you need to know for the exam and tackle everything from eas-

iest to hardest. Cold recall through flashcards and generating practice tests are a great way to round out that last minute study session to see how much you know. I have a feeling that it is more than you think.

Give yourself some grace

It’s really easy to beat yourself up over mishaps like this. Life can get hard quickly and it’s easy for things — big or small — to slip through the cracks. You committed to going to university to set yourself up for success and because you care about your future. Your forgetting to look through the syllabus does not throw all of that away, so go easy on yourself. You got this.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2025

EVENTS THIS WEEK

4/214/26 4/22 4/23

Amazing Stories: A Century of Science Fiction (Exhibit) @ Rivera Library from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Amy Coddington: How Hip Hop Became Hit Pop (Florence Bayz Music Series) @ ARTS 157 from 12 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.

ME Week: Culture Show @The Barn from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Infinity Loop (Dress Rehearsal) @ARTS 166 at 3:30 p.m.

Radar Replay: The Lorax

“HOW CORPORATE GREED WILL BE THE END OF US.”

ANTHONY ASCENCIO-CARVAJAL Staff Writer

On March 2, 2012, “The Lorax” was released in the United States. Produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, its inception was initiated by Seuss’ widow Audrey Geisel, who previously worked with the founder of Illumination, Chris Melendandri, on “Horton Hears a Who!”

The film is based on the 1971 children’s book written by Dr. Seuss under the same name. It centers on the figures the Once-ler and the Lorax, discussing the impact the destruction of the “truffula trees” has on the environment. It personifies figures involved in capitalism from the industry players responsible, environmental activists and the environment itself to educate children.

Actors casted to voice the characters included Danny Devito for the central mystical orange bushy mustache figure of the film, the Lorax. Zac Efron voices the protagonist Ted and Taylor Swift voices the female protagonist Audrey. Ed Helms was cast as the antagonist of the film, “The Once-ler.”

“The Lorax” is set in a dystopian future in which the townspeople of Thneedville live in a hyper consumerist society. They not only purchase genuinely basic necessities such as air, but due to the effects of environmental harm, they manufacture artificial plastic trees and bushes to create the facade of nature within their city. The cheerful opening musical note overshadows the unnerving themes lying underneath to present a concerning future far from today. The number is done in a catchy upbeat style so the viewer could

question whether this is a happy song about a happy town or not.

The protagonist Ted ventures outside of Thneedville to attempt to find a seed to plant a real truffula tree for his love interest Audrey. He discovers the Once-ler and the small pile of rocks that says “Unless.” He tells Ted the story of what happened to the truffula trees, the Lorax and why his past actions make him responsible for how Ted’s city lives in the dystopian reality of paying for air to breathe and plastic pieces of nature.

The Once-ler was a capitalist whose idea of making an invention for profit ignited his journey. He discovers the beautiful landscape of nature filled with “truffula trees” where he would eventually meet the Lorax after chopping down one to use for his all-purpose “thneed” invention. His presence in the film and book provoked the peace of the animals and trees to the point that they wanted payback. They purposefully orchestrated his farewell trip by sending him off a waterfall, but ended up saving him since a fellow little bear was with him.

What follows is a mass destruction of the beautiful landscape as far as the eye can see in the name of profit. In the end, the last truffula tree is cut down, and the reign of the Once-ler is once and done. The birds all flew away from the smog filled skies, the fishes walked on fins to find new clean water sources and the bears all migrated far away leaving behind the home they’d always known.

The Once-ler’s story finishes once the Lorax

grabs himself by his behind, and lifts himself up into the sky, leaving behind a pile of rocks that says the word “Unless.” The child in the book who listens to the Once-ler resembles Ted from the film. The Once-ler tells the young child, “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” Ted in the film does just that. He cares enough against odds from his town and the corporate giant that stands in his way, to advocate for the environment and speak for the trees he’d plant. Eventually, the Lorax comes back and nature starts to heal.

However, the main point of the story from the book is that no one knows what the future holds for the environment. The effects of industrialization, consumerism and profit have caused lasting damage that is only growing. There is no Ted to come save everyone. The people have to find it in themselves to be Ted and learn from the mistakes of the Once-ler, who, despite having only one reign, can be found in many different places where profit holds priority over people and the planet.

Verdict: Where the film may fall flat at capturing the source material, it makes an enjoyable family friendly adaptation to teach the youth about caring for the environment. One could have only asked for more Danny Devito and Taylor Swift to be included on the soundtrack.

‘The Ending Writes Itself’ novel review

THIS META-MYSTERY NOVEL SERVES AS A BITING COMMENTARY ON THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.

OVI MATHIVANAN Assistant Opinions Editor

The very title of the mystery novel, “The Ending Writes Itself,” by Evelyn Clarke, begins with a titular mystery: Evelyn Clarke isn’t real. She’s actually two people. The novel is framed as the writer’s debut, but is secretly the work of experienced writing duo Cat Clarke and Victoria Elizabeth “V.E.” Schwab.

The duo has been friends for 15 years and revealed how the novel came about in an interview with National Public Radio host Scott Simon. Clarke, a screenwriter who had left publishing in 2018, co-wrote the book with Schwab — who once vowed to never cowrite a novel — in an unlikely partnership. By publishing under the pseudonym of Evelyn Clarke, the duo created distance for themselves, allowing themselves to depersonalize the writer-novel connection and produce a voice that is uniquely Evelyn Clarke, rather than solely Clarke or Schwab.

Six struggling authors — the classic starving artist trope — follow an undeniable exclusive invite for a retreat to a desolate private island in Scotland. When they arrive, the writers instead find themselves with the challenge to write the ending to late literary legend Aurther Fletch’s manuscript with 72 hours on the clock and are locked away in a castle on the island. While not the relaxing spa getaway the writers may have looked forward to, it still seems like an opportunity too good to be true for floundering writers.

Framed as six writers representing the different genres they write personified, among them are romance, horror, science fiction, murder and young adult writers, and a married duo writing thriller novels under a united pen name. Drawing a similarity between the characters and authors of this novel, making for seven people on the island.

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The novel, while representing the voices of the two authors united, is split into an even six parts, each part highlighting one of the “six” writers.

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As would happen on a private island far away from home with restricted contact to the outside world, what started as a good time on the writers’ 72-hour getaway promptly becomes unpleasant. With seven tired, struggling humans packed onto an island with their future as writers on the hot seat, the ugly and often unseen pains of the publishing world continuously begin to show.

struggles navigating the publishing world versus that of the writers on the island.

The characters are highly unlikeable, and their behavior and dialogues become even more headache-inducing as the novel progresses, but maybe they’re meant to be that way. The struggling authors were never meant to be liked, only to be understood and serve as commentary on the good, the bad and in between in the life of an author.

From the outside looking in, the life of an author may seem nothing short of glamorous. But “The Ending Writes Itself,” in all its Agatha Christie-esque glory, shows that the publishing world is unforgiving and full of vitriolic individuals waiting to drag fellow writers down to get even the hope of an opportunity.

Everything in the book comes back to the lives of its very authors, seeing as Schwab is a published yet struggling author, and Clarke has renounced publishing for the screenwriting industry.

That said, the book progresses slowly at times, and its title doesn’t fully explain itself until its very end. Even then, the authors’ consistent use of ambiguity and love for leaving the reader guessing have left readers with the question of whether the ending was written or made by circumstance.

For a novel intended to be a thriller, the ending is provocative and elusive, and while the underlying murder plot may be a bit too extreme to be realistic, it certainly serves as a scathing commentary on the “killer” realities of authors. Life as a writer is constant life and death — whether dramatized and hyperbolized for the sake of a thriller novel, or experienced in the lives of the two writers behind “The Ending Writes Itself.”

Verdict: An astute, cognizant and masterful satire of — as well as a comforting love letter to — the publishing industry woven with thrilled crime themes, “The Ending Writes Itself” is a strong next pick for one’s to-be-read list this spring.

The Audacity of Failure

BVRNT/ TOUR Jakobs

11/20 Arts and Letters: Susan Student Performance

With Clarke and Schwab having frontline experience as authors themselves, there is without a doubt parallels between their own

Coachella: Music festival or fashion show?

An influencer competition for the best-dressed.

Each year, come April, masses travel across the Inland Empire to get to the most anticipated music festival of the year: Coachella. The event that took off as a way to showcase a blend of popular and emerging musical artists has become an opportunity for festival-goers to showcase their best outfits.

Serial Coachella-attendees such as “Queen of Coachella” Vanessa Hudgens — became memorable for their looks with the aid of social media in the 2010s. It was then that Instagram became an outlet for non-celebrities to become their own paparazzi. Since that point, a Coachella wristband has become the equivalent of a Met Gala ticket.

The headliners dazzled the stage like crowning jewels in Coachella Week One. Sabrina Carpenter and Karol G stunned with their countless wardrobe changes in sparkling sets. Karol G’s final look was a blue long sleeve top decorated in rhinestones and red appliques with matching boots. Her lively skirt was tiered in red, yellow, blue and green tassels that mimicked the feathers of a Macaw bird.

Carpenter’s simplest outfit may have been her most memorable look for her night: a royal blue turtleneck sweater and sheer black tights layered over a barely-visible black leotard. Justin Bieber took the nonchalant route wearing long barrel shorts and a hot pink hoodie from his clothing brand, Skylrk. His Loewe Bobby boots demand a double take with their bag-handle cutouts.

The Coachella crowd looks have generated its own identity. Famous for its boho and western inspired fashion, attendees typically resort to earthy beiges and browns with airy

fabrics like lace and mesh. Big belts, scarves and high boots are other Coachella staples. This year was no different as the looks didn’t stray too far from what the festival is used to, but some looks were more maximalist than they’ve ever been: more sequins, more rhinestones and even more jewelry.

In contrast, the celebrity attendance took the casual, nonchalant route to festival wear. This minimalist vs. maximalist route becomes a sort-of class indicator amongst Coachellagoers. Kendall Jenner was seen sporting a simple white tank top and shorts set, accented with a black belt.

Meanwhile, her sister, Kylie, sported a glittery white fringe top with a pair of jeans. Everyday items were common amongst this crowd, favoring comfort over eye-catching looks. For celebrity attendees, Coachella is yet another leisurely luxury they can sit-back and relax at. For the average Joe, this is an occasional indulgence that they’ll want to show-off and embrace.

Assembling a Coachella fit is like a masterclass in textured layering and extreme accessorizing. Going all out is encouraged, emboldening attendees to test out experimental combinations. It inspires D.I.Y.-ers to put their skills to the test from knitting, sewing to hot-gluing. The craftiest outfits are typically the most elusive in a pool of trendy getups. Otherwise, there is a group of Coachella go-ers that pour their earned money into designer splurges. Some influencers have revealed that they hired personal stylists for this occasion, burning upwards of $1,000. Curating Coachella outfits began as a way of heightening the festival experience, but

has the dedication to serving looks gone too far? Has Coachella turned into a best-dressed competition?

The opinion on Coachella fashion is wavering. Older generations have expressed disappointment in the recent fashion choices that no longer capture the essence of the “golden years” from the 2010s. Hyper-critical content haunts Coachella headlines as best/ worst dressed rankings roll out. There’s a simultaneous comparison to past looks and other attendees that online spectators have cultivated a highly competitive environment with no real prize to be won. It’s a gamble between online praise or scrutiny. With comments calling outfits either basic or too much, it’s no wonder that there’s an extreme pressure to curate the perfect look.

It seems like the public has started to grow tired of online creators making trips to Coachella solely to make trendy content. Over the past decade, the festival has gained a public reputation of being a pool of influencers. It’s not just the already bankbreaking ticket prices and housing costs that attendees have to worry about — wardrobe is another expense that needs to be factored in the budget that takes up money, time, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. Despite the Vegas-level productions and household-name headliners, the festival seems less appealing as the years go by because of its performative, taxing culture. Hopefully next year, fashion can take a backseat role so Coachella attendees can focus on the music.

Everything to know about styling outfits in spring

THIS IS THE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL THINGS STYLING THIS SEASON.

Pack away that black hoodie and seasonal depression, because spring is here. The sun is out, Aberdeen-Inverness Knoll is crowded with couples picnicking and Spring Splash is right around the corner. With the weather heating up, the intensive layering for fall and winter will no longer do. But do not fear, as this guide will be more than sufficient for staying stylish this season. Throw on some Jack Johnson and lock in to all things spring clothing.

Graphic tees

While these graphical prints may have poked out under a blazer or jacket during fall, spring is the perfect time to go full “graphic-tee-mode.” Graphic tee-shirts are the perfect opportunity to flex all the niche concerts or fringe media one is interested in. From comedic graphics on vintage shirts to cool aesthetic photographs reminiscent of Terry Richardson, there is so much that a graphic tee shirt can encapsulate. And for a little bit more fun, venture to explore the world of vintage ringer tees. With a higher cut and taper in the sleeves and a reinforced contrasting fabric around the neck, ringer tees are casual tee shirts with enough spice to make any outfit feel playful and exciting.

Patterned shirts

From the nautical styling of breton-style striped shirts to gingham button-ups, spring is the season of patterns. The business of a print that covers an entire garment creates just enough visual intrigue in an outfit that one does not have to layer much more, which matters a lot when it feels too hot to go outside. Which, due to the inconsistency of Southern Californian weather and climate change, might be more often than not this season.

Chambray shirts

Though most may be acquainted with denim, fewer know of the jean fabric’s easy-going cousin chambray. While similar in its weave and appearance as denim, chambray is a much more breathable fabric that’s perfect for hotter climates. 2016 may have owned the slimfit salmon-colored chambray shirt, but 2026 is the perfect time to reclaim the 1990s style loose-fit blue chambray shirt that was seen on everything from a Ralph Lauren mannequin to John F. Kennedy Jr.

Linen pants

A great pair of jeans can unquestionably serve somebody all year round. Occasionally one might want to venture to explore more breathable alternatives when the trendy darkindigo selvedge denim is too heavy for any day above 80 degrees. Enter linen. While most associated with lighter-color semi-sheer pants

COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

with elasticated waist-bands and drawstrings, there are many more styles of linen pants one can explore. From cotton-linen blends in jeans to darker-colored linen trousers, the possibilities are endless.

Chinos

Most people may be familiar with jeans or slacks, but it seems that what’s fallen out of vogue in recent years is the classic wide-leg chino. This, however, becomes an issue when it’s day 50 of wearing the same pair of blue jeans everyday and one is no longer able to differentiate the days of the week. Coming in a host of colors, the classic fuller-cut cotton chino is the perfect pant for its versatility. From vintage army chinos with their beautiful faded olive-green cotton twill or pleated sandcolored chino pants, there are a plethora of options one can explore in this realm. Stores from J. Crew to UNIQLO offer this ivy staple in a variety of colors available for incredibly affordable prices.

Sandals

Socks and sandals may be a sin, but sandals themselves can actually be a great shoe option for the hotter months of the year. Especially when done right, sandals are the perfect transitionary option for keeping one’s dogs ventilated. The espadrilles shoe is one of the most infamous sandals being seen on a plethora of ivy icons and is perfect for the person who finds issues with the typical velcro situation most sandals come in. Leave the flip flops in the closet till the summer and take this time to explore the sandal.

Vests

Whether it be denim, leather, tactical or fishing, there is so much that can be done with a simple vest. While perhaps it would not be advisable to wear an old suit’s waistcoat as a casual vest which invokes the feelings of a suburban magician, the more casual vest is the perfect piece for spring because of its light weight. Throw one over a blank tee shirt and suddenly one is serving singer Dijon from his album “Absolutely.” If they’re good enough for Keith Carradine in “Nashville,” they are good enough for everybody else too.

Neck-ties

Alan Grant might not be a central form of inspiration for most people interested in science, but he certainly is for fans of heritage clothing. The bandana neck-ties the dinosaur scientist wears in “Jurassic Park” are instantly iconic and a perfect example of spring accessorizing. Whether silk or cotton, the bandana or scarf being tied around the neck is another avenue one can add visual intrigue to an outfit without adding practically any weight. While questions may be asked like “Why do you look like a cowboy?”, all that needs to be reinforced is that cowboys look awesome!

In the end, what matters more for spring styling is how pieces are adjusted for comfort. Roll up the sleeves, tuck shirts in and combine vests and neckties in the same outfit. Fashion should be fun at the end of the day and spring is the perfect time to have some fun!

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” fails to reach for the stars

THE FILM DISGUISES A LACKLUSTER PLOT BEHIND STUNNING VISUALS AND NICHE CAMEOS.

How “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was able to be greenlit for a sequel despite its mediocrity has to be one of God’s greatest mysteries. Albeit being faithful and bearable enough to digest by audiences both old and new to the series, the first film undoubtedly faltered when telling a cohesive and noteworthy story.

With all of the advantages that come with having a sequel, one would’ve expected to see a more fleshed out story befitting of such a vibrant and story-rich universe. But like its predecessor, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is an almost plotless drivel of a film weakly held together by barely recognizable references and pretty visuals.

Going into the film, audiences will notice the passion the film has when it comes to replicating the “Super Mario Galaxy” games. From the visually stunning sceneries such as Space Junk Galaxy and Comet Observatory to the presence of familiar utilities such as launch pads and power ups, the film does an excellent job at bringing the original games to the big screen. Other than that, the film does nothing in terms of plot.

The story is as basic as it gets as Mario and Luigi go off to save another princess. Many of the characters,

such as Yoshi and Wart, are there not to provide any meaningful purpose other than either support or hinder their rescue. Yoshi in particular, despite being hyped up in the first film, is nothing more than a measly comedic relief.

Although deriving most of its story direction from “Super Mario Galaxy” and “Super Mario Galaxy 2,” the film synthesizes other games throughout the franchise such as “Super Mario Odyssey” and even “Super Mario Maker.” This ultimately poses an interesting question: why are these games incorporated into the film when they could be used instead for later sequels?

“Super Mario Odyssey” in particular, with its fleshed out world and story, could’ve definitely been given the full feature film treatment. The film succumbs to pitfalls akin to movies like “Deadpool & Wolverine” in which the plot hinges on cameos and references that everyone is expected to understand.

The film seems as if it’s trying to cater to as many fans as possible, Mario and Nintendo connoisseurs alike. Older fans of the Mario franchise are greeted with the presence of characters from past video games such as Wart from “Super Mario

Bros. 2” as well as references to the levels from the first “Super Mario” game. Nintendo fans are also treated to fan service, particularly with notso-subtle inclusions of characters such as Pikmin, Mr. Game and Watch and Fox McCloud from the “Starfox” series.

The film’s noticeable failure to balance out references gets even worse when considering the fact that McCloud has a more well-developed backstory and more screentime than some of the more prominent characters. Despite its noble attempt to ensure that all viewers remain engaged and feel seen, the mishmash of references creates an issue in which both generations of Mario fans are left bewildered when it comes to understanding these various allusions, making it a lose-lose situation for everyone.

Despite all of its criticisms, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” manages to excel in a few areas. The performances of some of the characters, mostly those new, are worth making note of. Donald Glover, the same genius behind such introspective works such as “Awaken, My Love!” and “Atlanta” somehow manages to capture the vocal stims of Yoshi down to a tee.

Glen Powell gives a passionate Harrison Ford-esque performance as Fox McCloud that’s worthy of having a full film. Composer Brian Tyler also deserves an ovation in his reinterpretation of one of the most recognizable video game scores out there. That being said, one can only hope that a “Super Smash Bros.” film is in the cards, hopefully with an actually decent story this time around.

Verdict: Despite somewhat enjoyable references and some visually appealing sequences, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” flops when it comes to narrative. Viewers are better off just playing the games instead.

Tackling UCR IM flag football

HOW FLAG FOOTBALL FOSTERS COMMUNITY AND BUILDS CONNECTION.

Intramural (IM) flag football on campus helps students build community, deepen existing connections and make friends while staying active. With both coed and men’s teams, IM flag football represents a fast-paced yet casual environment, and is perfect for anyone looking to learn a new sport, make friends or just have fun.

Unlike competitive leagues, IMs is open to anyone, whether you’ve played football for years or are just starting. Some students join with their friends or as part of clubs, fraternities or sororities, but the games are an opportunity to meet new people as well.

Zach Ott, a UCR student playing for Los Pi’s, an IM flag football team on campus, said he joined IM flag football with members of his fraternity during his first quarter at UCR and described how it’s given him a chance to connect with friends, socialize, and most importantly, have fun.

Like other students, he described how IM flag football is somewhat competitive, but “it’s not intense, it’s college intramurals. You can come here to mess around for a bit and still kind of want to win.” Overall, the atmosphere is casual and friendly, with teams having inside jokes amongst themselves and friendships that extend on and off the field.

After high school, many student athletes miss the experience of bonding over team sports and staying active. IM sports can fill that gap, especially by providing a lowpressure environment in which to do it. Zach describes how he “played in elementary school and middle school,” but he didn’t play in high school. However, since it’s flag football, and no-contact, he can play it now.

Pan Wai Yip, a senior education major, and Lauren Chu, a secondyear computer science and business major, play for Guppies, a co-rec team, as part of the Chinese Student Association (CSA). Pan said they became friends through IM basketball, explaining since , “there’s a lot of teamwork involved in basketball, we just started talking a lot, and then we started becoming a friend group, and we started hanging out outside too.”

The two of them originally started playing IM basketball and volleyball with CSA, but this year expanded to join flag football and soccer as well. Many students from CSA and other on-campus organizations participate in IM sports with their clubs, including flag football.

The games are fully welcoming to beginners, and players like Pan and Lauren have had a great experience, even with little to no history with the sport. While a lot of players join as part of a club, you don’t need to be part of one to play, and you can make friends by joining a team.

In flag football, along with other IM sports, cooperating and communicating to score points gets people talking and opens the door to friendships forming on and off the field. Teams get lunch and dinner together and bond over trying to win and having a good time. Because of this, IM is a great way to form new connections and strengthen existing ones. There’s also lots of passion and emotion being displayed on the field because everyone wants to win an IM championship, which comes with a complimentary shirt.

The supervisors and referees are just as much a part of the community as the players, and help contribute to the friendly atmosphere. Some of

them play IM sports as well, but no matter what, they foster connections among the IM staff and players, and help keep the games friendly and inviting.

Christopher Lin, a fourth-year psychology major, is currently in his first quarter as a supervisor for IM games. His favorite sport to supervise is flag football because of its intensity and fast pace. He said that when he joined the IM staff, he was met with a welcoming community of students and faculty.

“They were easy to talk to. They taught me well,” Lin said. He also explained how the staff works to extend that positive relationship to players as well. “You know, mutual respect, that goes a long way. Even though they see us only as referees, they still know we’re students. If we give them respect, we’re gonna get respect back.”

For students looking to find something new to do with their friends, stay active in a fun way or form new connections, IM flag football provides a great opportunity to do so. Flag football on campus is not only competitive, but it also provides students with a friendly, welcoming environment to bond with one another and form lasting connections.

Walk-off heroics earn UCR’s baseball, Isaiah Hernandez, Student-Athlete of the Week

SOPHOMORE OUTFIELDER ISAIAH HERNANDEZ DELIVERS IN A CLUTCH MOMENT, HIGHLIGHTING HIS GROWING IMPACT IN UCR’S LINEUP

IZZY GRAHAM Staff Writer

After demonstrating a clutch offensive performance at the plate, sophomore outfielder Isaiah Hernandez of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) baseball team has been named UCR StudentAthlete of the Week, showing how trusting the process can truly pay off.

The recognition comes following a standout game against California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where Hernandez delivered a walk-off single to secure the Highlanders’ victory on Saturday, April 11 at the Riverside Sports Complex. In addition to achieving the game-winning hit, the sophomore recorded three hits, two doubles and three RBIs, setting new career highs across the board.

Despite such a high pressure moment, Hernandez kept it simple as he approached the plate.

“My mindset was to just play baseball and have fun,” he stated. “I try to play like I am the best on the field, and the rest will take care of itself.”

Now in his second season with the program, Hernandez continues to build on his development while setting high expectations for himself. Following a rough start during his freshman year, he entered this season establishing personal goals, including improving his batting average and increasing his offensive production.

“Some of my goals were to hit around .330 and reach seven home runs,” he said. “Even with a rough start, I just have to keep myself at a high standard and focus on what’s still attainable.”

While these goals remain in progress, performances like his game against CSUN signal a step in the

right direction as he continues to build confidence and contribute moments.

Hernandez explained. “But at the end of the day, we just need to play baseball correctly. If we do that, we are a hard team to beat.”

As the Highlanders prepare for key Big West matchups, including the upcoming series against Long Beach State and Cal State Bakersfield, the focus for the team remains on consistency and execution.

“We have talked about where we want to be in the standings,”

Alongside the momentum building after the walk-off win, Isaiah Hernandez and the Highlanders are looking to carry that energy into the second half of the season as they hope to push themselves toward conference tournament contention.

“Winning is fun,” he said. “Hopefully that last win gives us momentum moving forward.”

With a season defining moment already under his belt this season, Isaiah Hernandez is proving to be a rising contributor for UCR as the team continues its pursuit of postseason play.

UCR’s Swim Club make a splash at the 2026 TYR College Club Swimming National Championships

LED BY STUDENTS, FOR THE STUDENTS, UCR’S SWIM CLUB CONTINUES TO GROW AND ENCOURAGES OTHER STUDENTS TO COME BE A PART OF THEIR RESILIENT TEAM.

KAITLYN KANG Contributing Writer

The University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) Swim Club on campus brings a renewed atmosphere of community, competition and work ethic. They practice every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center (SRC).

This past year, they attended swim meets hosted by UC San Diego (UCSD), UC Los Angeles (UCLA) and Regionals hosted by UC Irvine (UCI) where club swim teams on the West Coast compete to qualify for Nationals.

Swim Club president Louanne Buan highlighted the growth of the swim team.

“Every year we send more and more swimmers,” “ she explained. “Two years ago, when [Nationals] was in Indiana, we sent four swimmers. Last year, [Nationals] was in Arizona, and we sent about six. This year, we had nine or 10 swimmers that qualified and seven of them went. So every

year [the number of swimmers who attend Nationals] is slowly going up.”

Seven swimmers from UCR Swim Club attended Nationals this year held from April 10 through 12 in Greensboro, North Carolina and they are as follows: Kaitlyn Copeland, Aya Olszewski, Nadia Lui, Aciara Jackson, Michael Zhou, Jackson Miller and Cole Chang.

One notable swimmer includes Nadia Lui who qualified and swam for the most individual events in the team with a total of four events: 100m back, 50m back, 100m individual medley and 50m fly. She is described as a “powerhouse” by Buan and is noted to be exceptional at “all the strokes” including two relays.

Buan also noted that freshmen Kaitlyn Copeland and Aciara Jackson are handling the “big competition environment” of Nationals with “such grace,” despite their relative inexperience. Kaitlyn Copeland

“swam the 50m breast going 33.10, 0.84 seconds faster than her seeded time” as well as relays. Aciara Jackson “went a 34.83 in her 50m breast” as well as swimming in relays.

Finally, Buan highlighted swimmer Cole Chang who “killed it” at swimming “the 100m breast with a time of 1:01.75 dropping a second off his best time.” She stated that Chang was unable to participate in the 50m breast, despite his qualification, due to an event cap.

She explained the pride she feels in all the swimmers in Swim Club, stating, “how they deserve to … compete at the national college level,” showing qualities of determination, strong work ethic and community.

Buan explains her hopes for the club, to “keep building up the team numbers … [and] in the next couple of years … have UCR host the regional swim meet.”

Be Ambitious.

The Highlander Newspaper is a great way to keep up with current events and news around campus. If you are interested in the newspaper’s articles or pictures, we offer opportunities in writing, photography and design. Join us every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.