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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

The Highlander For the week of Tuesday, October 20, 2026

VOL. 75, ISSUE 04

NEWS

A guide to the California midterm ballot propositions

est. 1954

SPORTS University of California, Riverside’s men’s soccer falls 2-1 to CSUN in a physical matchup UCR struck first but couldn’t hold off CSUN’s push.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIK HERSMAN VIA FLICKR

In the first of a series, The Highlander explains propositions 1, 2, 3 and 37. GIOVANNI LANDUCCI Contributing Writer

The Nov. 3 election will allow Californians to vote in new candidates for the state Assembly and Senate, the next Governor and on 14 propositions. The Highlander

will give an overview of a majority of the ballot measures, four of which are explained below. Proposition 1, or “Borrow $11.25 billion for housing,” would allow the state to sell $11.25 billion in bonds to fund a variety of affordable housing programs. $1.25 billion would go toward veteran housing, while the rest would be split between others. The bond is estimated to fund up to 40,000 multifamily rental units and help 40,000

households buy a home. Proponents of the bill argue that it would support homeless or financially struggling residents while opponents argue that it fails to address underlying issues which contribute to the housing crisis. Proposition 2, or “Raise limit on Rainy day fund deposits,” would amend the constitution, allowing the state government to deposit ► SEE BALLOT MEASURES ON PAGE 7

RADAR

Acclaimed filmmakers Luis Valdez and Severa Perez joins the UCR community in honor of Tomás Rivera’s legacies 38th Tomas Rivera Conference engages in a conversation on Chicano cinema. JIHOON KWON, ABIGAIL ORTIZ Radar Editor, Assistant Radar Editor

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“For pre-business, I’m just trying to go into either accounting or finance. Not too sure which one. Probably just whichever one I enjoy the most, which might be finance. “What kind of drew me to it was mostly my brothers. They’re kind of big business type of guys. I come from a low income family, so accounting or finance would be a pretty good, steady job that I could keep to help my family out.” “I am enjoying my time with Delta Chi right now. I’m going to stay in this fraternity next quarter [while] joining another business club.” “[After graduating], plans are obviously to get a job. Hopefully I can land myself an internship somewhere.” “My philosophy class I’m in right now, philosophy of race, is hard. It’s something I have to get accustomed to, but it’s so interesting to me. ... I really like watching Joe Bart. Joe talks about [philosophers] a lot, I think one of them was Aristotle. I’ve read a couple of his stuff. I [also] really like the philosophy of the mind, like how everyone has their own self-perception of themselves. It’s so confusing, but interesting to me.” ““I think something else [I like] is probably football, [I’m a] big football guy, a Chargers fan. We’re kind of in the bucket right now.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

20 Tuesday

Pathway Programs Lunch & Learn 12pm to 1pm School of Medicine Education Building II, 106 SEHE Department Fall Open House 12:30pm to 2pm Humanities & Social Sciences Building, 1500 Tuesday Talks 5pm to 6pm Costo Hall, 245

STEM Career & Internship Fair 11am to 3pm HUB (Highlander Union Building)

Upcoming Events

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23 Friday

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Latinxs & the Environment Seminar Fall 2026 11am to 12:30pm CHASS Interdisciplinary North, 3023 Caribbean Embodied Ethnographies: Sádé Budhlall Lecture 3pm to 4:30pm Arts Building, ARTS 300

Communicate with Confidence: A Practice-Based Public Speaking Workshop 12pm to 1pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 269 UCHRI - The USA’s 250th Anniversary: A Conversation with Eddie S. Glaude Jr. 5pm to 8pm

Hispanic Studies Writing Group 9am to 1pm Humanities & Social Sciences Building, 2423 CEE Seminar Speaker Dr. Wade Zeno 11am to 12pm Winston Chung Hall 205/206

Backrooms 3pm UCR ARTS Men’s Soccer vs. San Diego State 7pm UCR Soccer Stadium

Riverside Youth Orchestra Rehearsals 6pm to 9pm Arts Building, 157

The Highlander Newspaper Writer’s Meeting 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. HUB 101

4 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

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ASUCR

ASUCR Senate Meeting

THE SENATE SWORE IN A SCHOOL OF EDUCATION SENATOR, NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT DIRECTOR AND TRANSFER STUDENT DIRECTOR.

MICHAEL GOI Contributing Writer

On Oct. 14, the Associated Students of the University of California, Riverside (ASUCR) began their weekly Senate Meeting at 7:05 p.m. and concluded at 8:32 p.m. In new business, the Office of External Affairs Vice President Joseph Anastacio introduced the ratification of ASUCR Federal Relations Director and announced that Abigail Tafesse will be UCR’s delegate for the United States Student Association’s National Student Action Council this academic year. The ratification passed unanimously. Office of the Elections Director Joanna Castro then initiated special elections for the positions of school of education (SOE) senator, the non-traditional student director and transfer student director after the Senate had tabled the elections at last week’s meeting. Ariana Gutierrez, a second year education and liberal studies major, was the only candidate to speak for the SOE senator position. In her speech, Gutierrez discussed the importance of education with her KASSANDRA AGUIRRE / THE HIGHLANDER focus being on diversity. Castro then announced that campus. He explained further that his there were two qualifying candidates personal experiences position him as for the non-traditional student director, a good fit for the role as he “know[s] the first to speak being Doruk Dincer. what their experiences are.” As a third year computer science Senators then heard an address major and Turkish international from Carlos Mercado, a fourth year transfer student, Dincer discussed sociology major, who was documented how he used the available resources at as running for the SOE senator UCR to be able to gain community on position but stated he was running for

the non-traditional student director position during the meeting. Mercado talked about the lack of disability representation at UCR and described his own experience to support other non-traditional students stating, “[I] not only represent the people with disabilities, I also represent the hispanics … people of color … so I can

relate with the different [students].” Following another closed session vote, the Senate appointed Dincer to the role of non-traditional student director. Castro then introduced one candidate for the transfer student director position, Athina Bush, a fourth year psychology, neuroscience and philosophy major. Bush, a transfer student herself, discussed how she understood the challenges faced by transfer students and how her experience working with campus organizations allowed her to work with diverse student populations. Following a final closed session, the Senate appointed Bush to the role of transfer student director. The Senate then saw a presentation by Adrianni Silvano, a government relations associate of the University of California Student Association (UCSA). Silvano discussed UCSA’s achievements, such as higher education funding in the governor’s budgets. Among these was the UC Compact which guaranteed increased funding if the UC schools met performance standards and secured $20 million for basic needs and disability services. In committee reports, the Senate reviewed three bills including SBF26-006 or “Adding Scotty Eats Requirement to Senator Bylaws,” SB-F26-007 or “Adding Scotty Eats Requirement to the Office of the President Bylaws” and SB-F26-008 or “Correcting Michael K. Bergler Award,” all of which were unanimously ■H passed.

LA police arrest 23 defendants in Skid Row drug raid ANDREW HAGLER Assistant News Editor

DEFENDANTS WERE ACCUSED OF DISTRIBUTING DRUGS TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION OF LOS ANGELES.

On Oct. 8, Los Angeles police officers and federal agents arrested 23 out of 28 suspects in a series of raids targeting drug dealers operating out of Skid Row, a Los Angeles neighborhood with high rates of poverty, drug addiction and homelessness. Defendants have been charged in federal criminal complaints with trafficking drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and phencyclidine. During the investigation law enforcement searched 20 residences, most of which were outside Skid Row, as well as several tents associated with drug dealing in the area. Officers seized evidence including firearms, luxury vehicles and stockpiled drugs.

First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli described the drug traffickers targeted in the operation as preying on some of the most vulnerable members of the community, promising that “We will use every lawful tool to dismantle the networks flooding Skid Row with deadly drugs. Those dealing drugs are looking at mandatory prison sentences. This operation is just the beginning. More to come.” Prosecutors allege that defendants dressed like members of Skid Row’s homeless population to blend in, operating out of tents and cars. If convicted, defendants would each face a statutory maximum ■H sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

The UC bargaining team and UC-AFT continue negotiations at UCR THE TWO PARTIES DISCUSSED SYSTEMWIDE LAYOFFS AND AMENDMENTS TO JOB CODES.

KASSANDRA AGUIRRE News Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL QUIRK

On Oct. 8, the University Council American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) met with the University of California (UC) bargaining team to review six proposals and heard testimonials from various UC staff. The two parties met from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the CHASS Interdisciplinary Building South (INTS) 113. UC-AFT Co-Chief negotiator and continuing lecturer in writing at the University of California, Irvine Kat Lewin expressed that the union’s focus is currently on amending existing

contracts to ensure protections for UC staff and uphold educational standards, stating, ”We’re ultimately fighting to maintain the quality of education at UC.” Largely discussing concerns regarding increased layoffs, there were eight testimonials given during the session including one from the California Faculty Association Cal State University San Bernardino chapter, staff who had been laid off by the university and graduate students. Among these was one of UCR’s

continuing lecturers in Sociology Matthew Rotondi who’s expected to be laid off by spring. Rotondi expressed frustration with the UC, stating, “I stand here emotionally and financially broken, exhausted, sad, fearful and angry. Yet, I will teach my one class this afternoon with poise and professionalism.” Others echoed the concern, with two longtime creative writing lecturers sharing how job insecurity has led to worry about their ability to support their families, along with student testimony which addressed the UC’s alleged mistreatment of staff affecting student quality of education. The three initial proposals put forward by UC-AFT included amendments to Article 3 or “Academic Responsibility,” Article 9 or “Professional Concerns, Meetings, and Programs” and Article 23 or “Summer Session.” The proposed changes to Article 3 would adjust the language within academic responsibility guidelines from a list of “do not” regulations to “dos,” and cites the American Association of University Professors statement of Professional Ethics in an attempt to emphasize the “dignity” of staff. Amendments to Article 9 aim to increase transparency from the UC system regarding the placement of

residue funding from professional development funds (PDF’s) which are provided to staff to purchase supplemental teaching items. Lewin explained, “One thing we’ve learned on a lot of campuses, including Riverside [which] is actually one of the biggest offenders ... people are granted a certain amount of money, but they don’t spend it all, the university never says where the extra money goes.” Alongside transparency, proposed changes would invoke the UC to increase minimum annual funding for the PDF’s if demands are not being met. Then the UC-AFT team proposed changes to Article 23 that would aim to raise staff’s pay over the summer session to ensure they receive fair compensation for their workload. The UC negotiators also passed proposals regarding Article 1 or “Recognition,”Article 5 or “Contracting Out” and a counterproposal on Article 14 or “Holidays.” The changes largely revolve around unspecified updates to UC Path job codes. Bargaining sessions will continue to be held among the various UC campuses with the next being from Nov. 5 and 6 at UC Merced. The UCAFT will also be holding a statewide day of action on Nov. 17, however specifics have not yet been disclosed.

■H

Reusable containers now available at the HUB food court EMMA LI Contributing Writer

UCR DINING SERVICES IS EXPANDING SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES AT THE CAMPUS’S HIGHEST-VOLUME DINING VENUE.

Starting Sept. 21, 2026, the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) Highlander Union Building (HUB) dining service has been providing reusable containers instead of disposable packaging, which will be charged an additional $1, to cut down on singleuse waste and make their operation more sustainable. The HUB has restaurants like Panda Express, Hibachi-San, The Halal Shack, Scoops and Chronic Tacos. UCR produces 1641 tons of landfill waste per year, with a significant portion collected from HUB. Single-use take-out boxes have been recorded to be a primary contributor, prompting the UCR Dining and Hospitality Service Department to cut waste by implementing reusable containers at the HUB as well. Prior to this, the Barn, Market at North District and Scotty’s Grill and Market have all been offering the option to use reusable containers. The plastic containers are available in diverse sizes and colors and

COURTESY OF REUSABLES

each have a unique QR code attached to their sides that allows UCR Dining Services to keep track of them. Customers are given five days to return containers to one of the black bins around campus which can be found at

the Barn, the Student Success Center, the Bookstore, the Habit and the HUB. Failure to do so can result in a $5 fee, but a refund will be issued if the containers are returned within 30 days. According to the UCR Dining and

Hospitality Services Department, about half of all customers choose reusables over disposables and around 95% of the containers are returned to the department. Their research also found that the HUB averages at around 3,900 to 4,500 customers per day, and with a 50% check out rate, thousands of single-use containers can be diverted from the landfill weekly through the initiative. Director of retail and restaurants for UCR Dining Services Kurt Duffner discussed that the program is designed with the intention of encouraging customers to select reusable containers and reducing the amount of waste produced, stating, “We want them to be sustainable, we want the container back so we can continue to be sustainable.” Other campuses such as UCLA and UC Davis have also been pushing similar programs. UCLA’s program specifically has already seen an approxi■H mately 80% participation rate.

6 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

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The RAISE Summit welcomes the artificial intelligence industry SPEAKERS DISCUSS AI RESEARCH, ETHICS AND IMPLEMENTATION. COURTESY OF UCR PRESS RELEASE

ANDREW HAGLER, CHASE LEO SOYLU CHEE Assistant News Editor, Contributing Writer

On Oct. 15, industry professionals and University of California, Riverside (UCR) faculty and students met at the Highlander Union Building (HUB) room 302 for the Riverside Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Institute (RAISE) Summit. Panelists and attendees discussed potential implementations of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, specifically at UCR. RAISE is a campus organization that involves researchers, educators and students which aims to “advance AI research, education and real-world applications.” It works to promote the application of AI and machine learning within education at UCR through research and collaboration. Chancellor S. Jack Hu opened the summit by asking how the campus can “harness AI while preserving the critical thinking and human relationship that defines higher education.” He proceeded to discuss the opportunity that AI has to reshape teaching, research and university operations while noting the future depends on how individuals choose to develop and use AI – not on AI itself. He added that UCR’s current role is to ensure AI advances academics and access while preparing students to lead in a world increasingly shaped by AI. “Our goal is not simply to understand and use AI.” Hu said in closing. “Our goal is to shape how AI will serve humanity.” Among the speakers present at the summit was Google’s Chief Technologist Prabhakar Raghavan. He described Google’s research surrounding AI’s advancing capabilities including solving previously unsolvable equations, analyzing geospatial information and producing research at exponentially faster speeds.

Raghavan described the challenges these developments have created for human researchers, asking, “The research community, whatever field you’re in, is unable to digest and comprehend this … then what’s the point? What’s the incentive of producing them?” The summit then shifted to a “fireside chat” moderated by Chancellor Hu featuring UCR Professor of History Alejandra Dubcovsky and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Amit Roy-Chowdhury, cofounder of the Foundation for Science and AI Research Chuck Ng and the University of Southern California’s (USC) interim dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering and director of the Stevens School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence Gaurav Sukhatme. Dubcovsky emphasized the importance of thinking critically in the era of AI and challenged the notion that its adoption is inevitable, stating, “When we’re told that something is inevitable, the humanities teach us to ask, who is saying that? Who benefits from that inevitability?” Roy-Chowdhury and Sukhatme advocated for students to work to further understand AI technology, with Gaurav proposing a mandatory AI general education course requirement for all students. Dubcovsky expressed support for this idea but also emphasized the importance of maintaining transparency with students regarding AI use, promoting “due diligence and ethicalness.” Ng advocated for greater AI integration, proposing the development of an “AI innovation regional hub here in Southern California” and suggested that UCR could play a key role as a strategic leader, stating that, “We have more than what, 50% first generation, and the fastest part of California

is here at Riverside, so I think there is a lot to offer.” A later panel featured UCR professors including Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Salman Asif, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy Simeon Bird, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics Maziar Raissi and Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Greg Ver Steeg. They described how the presence of AI tools has dramatically altered the process of research within their departments, increasing the amount of papers which can be published. Ver Steeg and Asif described that with a greater volume of research being conducted with AI tools, higher importance is now placed on the quality of research questions themselves, with Ver Steeg stating, “That is something that successful students are all going to have to learn in the near, near, near future is deciding which of those things you really have to put that mental effort into.” Bird reported that using AI to answer research questions allows him to ask his students the questions he thinks will be the most beneficial to their education, but in doing so risks separating students from the process of discovery — “They only do the things that are good for them. They don’t communicate so much in the wider work of the group.” Chancellor Hu stated that UCR hosted the conference to start a discussion, declaring, “Everyone is aware that AI can be transformative. We are in an experimentation stage, so we want to hear from everyone, the speakers, panelists, where we are with AI, so get some awareness across campus.” ■H

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Public listening session hears residents concerns surrounding Sheriff ’s Department oversight

RIVERSIDE COUNTY RESIDENTS DISCUSSED LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, PUBLIC TRUST AND RESPONSIBLE USES OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. AIRIEANNA MURRELL Contributing Writer

On Oct. 13, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc committee held its first in a series of listening sessions at the Riverside County Administrative Center — 4080 Lemon St., — to gauge county residents opinions regarding the potential creation of an oversight body for the Riverside Sheriff’s Department. It was scheduled to run from 6 to 8 p.m but ended at 6:49 p.m. The meeting opened with remarks from Riverside County Supervisors Jose Medina and Karen Spiegel who co-authored the committee. County Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Van Wagenen then reviewed the night’s procedures and guidelines. They explained that each speaker would have two minutes and asked that those attending this meeting not attend the other two following meetings so others would be able to participate. They added that the Board would later hold smaller group meetings with stakeholders where they could further express their opinion. 19 residents spoke during the meeting with the majority raising concerns regarding internal and external evaluation processes, difficulty accessing data from current government websites and an alleged

lack of accountability from the Sheriff’s Department. Rabbi Suzanne Singer, a member of the community group Riverside Sheriff Accountability Coalition, discussed the limitations of the State and Community Corrections Board as well as the District Attorney’s criminal reviews, two of the existing accountability processes for the Sheriff’s Department. Singer asserted

that two processes have been vaguely effective at checking the conduct of the department, leading to results such as deaths within Riverside County jails, stating, “[it] does not necessarily answer whether department policies were violated, supervisors adequate, whether the training worked or an incident was preventable.” Others raised similar concerns but proposed various solutions; the most

common being the establishment of an Office of Inspector General which could more directly monitor conduct across the department. The meeting also saw four residents speak against the implementation of an oversight body, citing concerns it would lead to a waste of taxpayer funds, create unnecessary barriers for the Sheriff and lower available funding for other resources such as deputy recruitment, training or mental health resources. Among the opponents was a Corona resident who expressed concern that the funding of an oversight body could restrict funding for resources for first responders and the Sheriff’s Department, stating, “We should be looking for ways to strengthen their ability to serve our communities, not create additional administrative obstacles that may undermine morale, or interfere with effective law enforcement.” Two other listening sessions will be held on October 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Coachella Valley Water District Steve Robbins Administration Building —75515 Hovley Lane East — in Palm Desert. The final session will be held virtually on October 26 from 6 ■H to 8 p.m.

A guide to the California midterm ballot propositions IN THE FIRST OF A SERIES, THE HIGHLANDER EXPLAINS PROPOSITIONS 1, 2, 3 AND 37. GIOVANNI LANDUCCI Contributing Writer

The Nov. 3 election will allow Californians to vote in new candidates for the state Assembly and Senate, the next Governor and on 14 propositions. The Highlander will give an overview of a majority of the ballot measures, four of which are explained below. Proposition 1, or “Borrow $11.25 billion for housing,” would allow the state to sell $11.25 billion in bonds to fund a variety of affordable housing programs. $1.25 billion would go toward veteran housing, while the rest would be split between others. The bond is estimated to fund up to 40,000 multifamily rental units and help 40,000 households buy a home. Proponents of the bill argue that it would support homeless or financially struggling residents while opponents argue that it fails to address underlying issues which contribute to the housing crisis. Proposition 2, or “Raise limit on Rainy day fund deposits,” would amend the constitution, allowing the state government to deposit up to 20% of its general fund tax revenue in the state’s reserves and authorizing spending some tax revenue to pay off California’s $20 billion federal unemployment insurance

debt. Supporters say that the bill would reserve money in times of economic gains in preparation for downturns. Opponents say the state’s reserves could potentially be used by politicians as a “slush fund,,” allowing lawmakers to withhold more tax revenue without triggering the current spending limit to avoid refunding taxpayers. Proposition 3, or “Make income taxes on higher earners permanent to fund education and healthcare,” determines if a 2012 tax, set to expire in 2031, should become permanent. It sets the income tax for top earners between 10.3% for individuals with incomes over $360,000 to 12.3% for individuals with incomes over $721,000. 89% of the money earned from the tax will go to K-12 public schools, 11% would go to community colleges and any excess would go to public healthcare. The tax has historically raised between $5 billion and $15 billion a year, making up around 3%-10% of K-12 spending. Proponents see the tax as a vital source of revenue for public schools and its loss could lead to layoffs, program cuts and further reductions. Opponents reference California’s

high income taxes and suggest the bill might lead many wealthy Californians to leave the state, costing jobs and potential revenue. Proposition 37, or “Create low-cost mortgages for homeowners,” would allow but not require California’s housing financial agency to borrow up to $25 billion to help homebuyers purchase newly constructed houses and condos. The loans could provide up to 17% of a home’s purchasing price, leave buyers with a cash down payment of 3% and be repaid in monthly installments to private lenders. Anybody earning up to twice the area’s median income would be eligible and if homebuyers defaulted, the private lenders would be liable. Proponents say that the bill would make home ownership much more reasonable for the middle class and stimulate housing development whereas opponents argue it doesn’t address underlying issues causing housing to be expensive. State officials recommend dropping off mail-in ballots by Oct. 27. On Oct. 31, 22 in-person voting locations will open across Riverside for residents to cast their votes or ■ drop off their ballots. H

8 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Opinions

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Political persecution: a new normal POLITICAL PERSECUTION IS BECOMING NORMALIZED IN THIS COUNTRY. PHOTO COURTESY OF PBS NEWSHOUR

JACOB SEGURA Contributing Writer

Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), searched Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s residence in D.C last Monday for proof of her committing immigration fraud, seizing her phone in the process. The raid followed Omar’s family being subpoenaed days before by the Justice Department. Typically, in the 60-days before an election, the Justice Department enters a “blackout period” where it avoids actions in politically related cases, such as conducting a search warrant, that could be seen as politically motivated. This action by the Trump administration, following years of deportation threats, completely disregards this unwritten rule, being a blatant act of political persecution. It needs to be said that actions like this aren’t isolated cases, but reflect a broader trend of political persecution from the Trump administration. From banning news organizations for supposed bias against him to troop deployment in blue cities, it’s clear that opponents to the administration’s agenda are targeted in these acts of political theater. Ilhan Omar is one of these opponents, being one of the most fierce and vocal opponents of Trump The house representative has called for the complete abolition of ICE along with being outspoken against the genocide in Gaza, being completely at odds with Trump’s pro-ICE and pro-Israel position. In response, The Trump Administration has attacked her status as a naturalized citizen, with Vice President JD Vance, claiming she committed immigration

fraud by marrying her brother to become a US citizen back in March. Trump, who made similar statements at a Pennsylvania rally, has yet to provide any evidence to corroborate those claims. According to alleged sources close to the investigation, there was potential criminal fraud on immigration paperwork that was filled out by her late father when she was a child which wouldn’t make her personally an immigration fraudster like they claimed if this is even true. A Congressperson, one of the most powerful people in the nation, is being openly targeted by the government. This could easily extend to more vulnerable groups, like students and activists, who lack the additional protections that come with public office. Americans have seen this scenario play out multiple times. ICE used a customs enforcement law to gather information on anti-ICE organizations and protestors during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, the State Department revoked 6000 student visas from students who participated in pro-Palestine protests in 2025 along with attempting to deport pro-Palestine student protestors before being struck down by a federal judge on First Amendment grounds. Moreover, Stanford University’s student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration in 2025 after their attempted deportation of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts student Rümeysa Öztürk. Khalil was a negotiator for his school’s Gaza Encampment Protests and Öztürk co-authored a Pro-Palestine op-ed. US District Judge Noel Wise ruled in favor of

The Stanford Daily this August, expressing that the government’s actions had “specifically impacted Stanford Daily by affecting the quality of pieces The Stanford Daily is able to publish.” These retaliatory actions silence and suppress anti-government opposition. Students, a group largely populated by teenagers and young adults, are targeted in these vile acts of political persecution. Educational institutions are a catalyst for political organization and debate; if the government inhibits students’ ability to speak out in these spaces, they minimize the potential for opposition. Political persecution is rampant, and the supposed rule of law in this country is not enough to stop it..The first step in this process is being able to identify political persecution, to call a spade a spade. Rhetoric from politicians about deporting politicians over their political beliefs cannot be seen as normal political banter and should be called out as political persecution. The next step is actually being vocal about political persecution when it occurs. Specific cases, from Ilhan Omar to Mahmoud Khalil to Rümeysa Öztürk, should not be buried in the news cycle and should be an insistent part of the political discourse. Protesting, writing articles, organizing groups in opposition and having conversations should all be done to achieve this end. Students, in particular, need to be at the forefront in this cultural shift since we would be uniquely targeted if the normalization and rise of political persecution persists. ■H

highlandernews.org/category/opinions

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

The Billionaire Tax Act is the only way to protect our healthcare system CALIFORNIA VOTERS SHOULD SUPPORT PROP 40 TO ENACT A “FIRST-OF-A-KIND” WEALTH TAX ON BILLIONAIRES TO PREVENT MEDI-CAL AND HEALTHCARE FUNDING CUTS.

LEO PRETTO Contributing Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

California’s state healthcare assistance program, Medi-Cal, suffered heavy funding cuts due to recent widespread federal budget slashing in the field. These changes bring with them impending fiscal catastrophe for the state government, which is already in a deficit and in debt. Thus, Prop 40, or the Billionaire Tax Act, was brought to the table, as a stopgap measure to address the funding disparity and prevent immediate disaster. It isn’t a perfect bill, with potential side effects largely unknown, but no other viable solution has been found. There is no better immediate way for California to address the issue, and it will bring enough funding in to keep things moving until a more sustainable path forward is brought forward. However, those who would be taxed by Prop 40, the billionaires, are fighting tooth and nail to stop it from being passed. A Political Action Committee known as Building a Better California (BABC) has shelled out over $150 million to fight the bill by promoting Prop 41 and Prop 42 while simultaneously vilifying Prop 40 through statewide advertisement. BABC was co-founded by former top Google executives Sergey Brin and Eric Shmidt. Various other successful entrepreneurs find themselves on the donor list such as Peter Thiel, cryptocurrency investor Chris Larsen and venture capitalist John Doerr, among nearly 20 others. Prop 40 could cost Brin tens of billions of dollars, and posea substantial hit to the net worth of billionaires in California. The tax could weaken billionaires’ control over companies they own stakes in because they’d have to sell their positions to raise liquidity. Their efforts have coalesced around two main counter-propositions which will be on the ballot at the same time, Props 41 and 42. Each of these propositions could essentially nullify the effects of the Billionaire Tax Act by changing state regulations to make its enactment illegal. Critics of the proposition argue that it will lead to the flight of billionaires from the state. However, this is largely overblown. As a

retroactive tax, even those who leave the state before its implementation would still be on the hook for their share of their wealth. And while it may lead to small losses in income tax from leavers, in most cases they paid negligible taxes anyway. Prop 40 also closes a loophole in tax code that allows the wealthy, to skirt income tax. Taking out loans with stock as collateral enables people to report their yearly income as zero, or even as a net loss, a strategy that allows wealth to grow by enormous sums with little or no effect from income taxes. Prop 40 addresses this by being a direct tax on total net worth, a never-before-seen state-level law. This change in methodology is a huge reason why it has Californian billionaires so riled up. Prop 40’s passage or failure will have a huge impact on Inland Empire (IE) healthcare outcomes. Four in ten of the region’s residents rely on Medi-Cal for their health insurance,and Aa eight percent, the IE is above the statewide average for uninsured people. A minimum of 300,000 people would also become uninsured without Prop 40, and about 150,000 of those would be due to undocumented residents no longer being eligible for Medi-Cal. Additionally, more than anywhere else in the state, the IE is reliant on small, community-run healthcare facilities to treat its people. Without California subsidizing them through Medi-Cal, many of these small to medium businesses would likely be forced to shut down. Without the Billionaire Tax Act, California and the Inland Empire would see untold numbers of people lose their health care while those who are able to remain would see a decline in quality of care. Those in opposition have more wealth than could possibly be spent, yet continue to use it to evade state taxes. Props 41 and 42 are blatant attempts to proliferate inequality in the state and protect the few. Show the billionaires that we, the people, are able to fight back, and support the Billionaire Tax Act. ■H

Prop 40: A one-time, 5% tax on Californian billionaires’ total net worth, which would bring in tens of billions of dollars for Medi-Cal. It would be applied retroactively to the first of January 2026, making it very difficult to flee. Props 41 and 42 both have core mechanisms which would entirely nullify its effects. Prop 41: Invalidates any future taxes that are exempt from California’s legal spending limit, which prevents it from spending more than it did last year, adjusted for inflation. Prop 40 would be one such tax, as it would cause the state to bring in many billions of dollars that were previously unearned. Prop 42: Disallows the state legislature from introducing taxes upon personally owned property, and new taxes that apply retroactively. Since Prop 40 backdates wealth calculation to January 1, 2026, it would be neutralized should Prop 42 pass.

10 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Features

FEATURES

highlandernews.org/category/features

Horoscopes Constellation weather forecast WEATHER IS COMING! ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL WEATHER UPDATE?

MARIA MARTINEZ Contributing Writer

Aries (March 21–April 19): “A Quiet Place”

The scariest thing right now is not the monsters that are hunting you for making noise, but rather your fear of losing progress. Have faith like the Abbott Family and slowly adapt to your life’s pace.

Taurus (April 20–May 20): “The Boy”

You’re feeling stuck like the boy in the walls. Your biggest fear is judgement from others, but remember that your loved ones aren’t here to harm you, but to help you.

Cancer (June 21–July 22): “Lisa Frankenstein”

Love yourself! Follow what it is you truly want, even if it means raising the dead from the grave like Lisa Frankenstein.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22): “It”

Just like Stephen King, you understand the message of power and strength. Like the movie “It,” you must keep being fearless to overcome your obstacles.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22):

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21):

“Buddy”

“Get Out”

It’s good to have goals, but be careful not to fill them with too much fantasy, as you might not realize you’re stuck in your own imagination until it’s too late.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19): “Annabelle”

Your bond with others is strong, and your creative side is what makes you survive the horror of life itself. Like in the movie “Annabelle,” let your bonds help you keep negative energy out.

Your financial status seems unstable, so maybe you need to consider your relationship with money. Look into the deeper meaning of your actions to get out of

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18): “The Conjuring”

There’s a feeling of injustice within you. Don’t let outside forces influence how you deserve to be treated. Like ”The Conjuring,” don’t let the malignant entities disturb your peace.

Gemini (May 21–June 20): “Saw”

The clock is ticking just like in the movie “Saw.” The only way to pursue a perfect escape with your tasks is through team work.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22): “Insidious” Endless stress and frustration for something that is keeping your mind busy. “Insidious” is the perfect movie to realize that all your anxiety will come to pass.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21): “10 Cloverfield Lane” Maybe it’s time to step back and see what you can achieve on your own. Maybe family or friends are clouding your judgment like in the movie “10 Cloverfield Lane.”

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20): “When the Lights Went Out”

You’re lacking focus on matters that need your urgent attention, which is making you forget important details that are important for your success. Don’t let the lights go out, because that’s when things become unclear.

■H

highlandernews.org/category/features

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Singing through culture at Raaga ANDREW HAGLER Assistant News Editor

UCR’S SOUTH ASIAN A CAPELLA COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPACT.

University of California, Riverside (UCR) is home to numerous South Asian cultural clubs dedicated to preserving desi heritage and providing a home to South Asian students. One of the most animated of them is Raaga, UCR’s South Asian fusion a capella team. Performing at UCR for eight years, Raaga combines Western music along with contemporary and classical South Asian songs, celebrating a unique South Asian American cultural identity. As part of the Association of South Asian A Capella (ASA), Raaga competes in a national circuit hosting competitions and showcases spanning 74 collegiate teams across 23 states. This includes All American Awaaz, the national a capella championship hosted by the ASA where top schools compete for the first place trophy. Sruthi Vutukuru, a 4th year business administration major, is captain of the team and music director. She first joined Raaga as a freshman in order to continue pursuing music after singing throughout her life and recalls meeting some of her closest friends on campus through the club. She explains, “We kind of try and blend our cultures with our fusion music and perform that to other schools and other students. Our goal is kind of just to build a community and establish a place where everyone

feels safe expressing their culture and … continue their passion for music.” Vutukuru added that Raaga’s practices take place two to three times a week and usually consists of a quick warm up section before team members split into their sections: soprano, mezzo, alto, tenor and bass. The performers practice separately before coming together to work on their blend, harmonies, practice songs and incorporate choreography. Their competition season is in the winter quarter, stretching from January through March. Raaga performs songs ranging from Bollywood, Tollywood and Mollywood along with classical music including Carnatic and Hindustani styles fused with Western melodies. Last year they performed “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus and “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons along with two Hindi songs, “Bhare Naina” from the film “Ra.One” and “Duaa” from the film “Shanghai.” The club has performed in languages including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit and English. Along with other South Asian performing arts clubs like Aag, UCR’s South Asian singing club collaborates with the South Asian Federation (SAF), a club which hosts events emphasizing South Asian culture.

Sahana Balaji, 2nd year biology major and outreach captain, described the club’s primary goal as connecting students with their culture. She explains, “It’s definitely a different experience growing up in the U.S. But then our parents are from South Asia, so we don’t feel as connected or we don’t know whether we fit in here or there and it’s kind of this in-between space, so I feel this gives us an opportunity to learn more about our culture and be more involved in our community.” While the club focuses on South Asian culture, students of all backgrounds are encouraged to join. The club is open to beginners, so no prior singing experience is required. Recruitment takes place during fall quarter, which the club trains throughout in order to compete in the winter. ■ H

PHOTO COURTESY BUCKEYE LAYA/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH ASIAN ACAPELLA (ASA)

“We’ve been here a long time, and we’ll be here for a long time” THE QUEER ALLIANCE IS A SPACE THAT FOSTERS INCLUSIVITY AND COMMUNITY. MALINI JOSEPH Features Editor

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is home to many student organizations. There are those that promote art forms from all ethnic backgrounds. There are professional organizations that provide you with the networking opportunities you need to be successful in your career. There are organizations that provide students the comfort and safety to express themselves, to be themselves. One such organization is the Queer Alliance. Queer Alliance (QA) is “the longest standing queer org on campus since the 1970s,” copresident River states. “We’ve existed before the [LGBT Resource] center.” This longstanding club has worked hard to foster a safe space for its queer students. Not only were they the ones to establish the resource center, they have also advocated for queer courses within UCR’s curriculum such as Bio 030 and a professional staff that can advocate for queer students. “It’s a very nice, friendly, loving and welcoming community…You can even hear it outside right now,” Lin, the other co-president, said. Just as they said, the meeting during this interview was full of vibrant life as people got to enjoy each other’s company while they played pictionary with clay. Each of their meetings combines socializing with a craft. Giving people something to do

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with their hands is an excellent way to take the pressure off meeting new people and simply focus on having fun. “We’ve done paint and sip…button making, flag making…thrift flip, which is [when] we bought thrift clothes and then people could customize them,” Freya, the treasurer, lists. Natalie, co-social media, adds, “I think everybody is stressed out, and it’s just nice to have an hour to do a craft or an activity where you can just relax and talk to other queer people and feel safe.” These meetings are also when QA gets input from their community on the details of their big events. These events happen once every quarter. Fall quarter is the Coming Out Dance, winter quarter has the Coming Out Monologues and spring quarter hosts the Dragalicious Drag Ball. The Coming Out Dance is fast-approaching with the date finalized for Nov. 5 at the Alumni Center. This dance is “basically like a redo of prom,” Gab, co-social media informs, “where you get to be your true queer self because not everyone got to be in that high school environment.” “This event is very tailored to the community,” Lin adds. “Everybody gets to be a part of the planning, which is what I love.” As a community, QA decides the theme as well as all the activities during this event. This year’s

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Coming Out Dance is masquerade themed, just recently announced on their Instagram: qa_ucr. Their Instagram is also where you’ll find their club meeting information such as when, where and what craft they’ll be doing. The most recent meeting was spooky bracelet making and each meeting continues to introduce new, fun crafts. If you want to join a club that encourages your self-expression and gives you the space to indulge in fun activities, come out to a Queer Alliance meeting! They’ll welcome ■ you with open arms. H

EDDY BASURTO / THE HIGHLANDER

12 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

FEATURES

highlandernews.org/category/features

NORM’S NOOK SPOTLIGHT Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Facility

BENJAMIN WRIGHT/THE HIGHLANDER

MALINI JOSEPH Feature Editor

After roughly two years of construction, the Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Facility (UTLF) building opened its doors for the first time for the fall 2026 quarter. This building rests between the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) Interdisciplinary Buildings and Skye Hall. UTLF expands the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR’s) learning space, offering more general classrooms, labs for the physical and natural sciences and a new dance studio!

The building also provides more study space with giant whiteboards for those who aren’t able to find space at the Student Success Center. If ever you’re bored and near the building, take a trip to the third floor where you can watch the soccer games. With its proximity to the field, they’re practically the best seats in the house. ■ H

PUMPKIN PATCH

HALEY KLEIN / THE HIGHLANDER

By Haley Klein, Staff Writer

ANSWERS

(DON’T PEEK!) ACROSS 1. Studying last minute for a midterm 5. Laundry problem 10. Military satellite communications (acronym) 14. Blood prefix 15. Come up 16. Smoothie berry 17. Post-hayride beverage that might be served with a cinnamon stick 19. Break the fourth ____ 20. Tres plus cuatro 21. Lively, alert 22. Londoner, e.g. 23. “___ Game” (1986 Hugo Award winner)

25. “You Gotta Be” singer 27. Before long 29. Killer whales 32. Grain used in Asian cuisines 35. Meet, as a challenge 39. 1990s Indian P.M. 40. Suffix with ranch 41. Resolves out of court 42. Magic, on scoreboards 43. Corn unit 44. Marked down 45. Site of Ikea’s hdqrs. 46. Fender imperfections 48. Prefix meaning “within”

50. Nearsighted people 54. Wisconsin observatory 58. Blacken 60. “I cannot tell ___” 62. Laughing 63. Seep 64. A farmyard meet-ngreet 66. Salon supplies for color 67. Petri dish gels 68. Spanish greeting 69. Simplicity 70. Greek U-shaped instruments 71. Perfectly (3 wds)

DOWN 1. Go after 2. Adjust, as a brooch 3. Super stoked 4. White lap dog 5. Cul-de-___ 6. Stumble 7. Helped 8. Grenoble’s river 9. “Phooey!” 10. Pam of “Mork & Mindy” 11. Cornfield “guard” 12. Riverside’s state, to some 13. Delta deposit 18. Architect Saarinen 24. Philosopher Kierkeg-

aard 26. Aussie hoppers (colloquial) 28. Quibbles 30. Swiss river 31. Auctioned off 32. Marsh plant 33. “Dies ___”: hymn 34. Technically edible labyrinths 36. Amtrak stop: Abbr. 37. Vogue rival 38. Itsy-bitsy 41. Mediocre 45. Spot-on 47. Gibson of the “Fast & Furious” films 49. Gull relative

51. Vatican-related 52. Mournful poem 53. Indian lute 55. Instrument that doesn’t need tuning 56. Sherlock’s teen sister 57. Weasel cousin 58. Secret language 59. Boxer Oscar De La ___ 61. Raison d’___ 65. Orbiting research facility: Abbr.

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FEATURES

highlandernews.org/category/features

Spam musubi bowl Rachel Ko, Assistant Features Editor A perfect mix of sweet and savory. Instructions: 1. First, prepare the rice by washing it at least four times, or until the water runs clear. Pour 1 ½ cups of water and cook it using either your stove or rice cooker. 2. While the rice cooks, prepare the musubi glaze by mixing the sugar, soy sauce and mirin together. Microwave it for a few seconds to dissolve the sugar if need be. 3. Cut up the Spam into little cubes and fry them over medium low heat until nice and crispy. You can use cooking oil to make it crispier, but the fat from the Spam is usually enough. 4. Pour the glaze over the Spam and lower the heat significantly. Cook until the sauce thickens and sticks to the Spam. 5. Grab a bowl of rice and pour however much Spam you want on top. Top it off with either some furikake or a fried egg and enjoy! You can also cook up some veggies in the leftover glaze.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes Servings: 5

Ingredients:

• • • • •

1 can of Spam ½ cup of sugar (preferably brown, but any works) 3-4 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, depending on your preference 2 tablespoons of mirin (rice vinegar works as a substitute) 2 cups of rice

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SUDOKU

DIFFICULTY: HARD

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

TEST YOURSELF! What day in the gym are you?

Take this quiz to find ouT! By: Jazzy Nguyen, Opinions Editor 1. What kind of bender from Avatar the Last Airbender would you be? A. Air B. Water C. Fire D. Earth 2. Which is your worst nightmare situation? A. Google Calendar goes down and that There’s something I need to be doing right now feeling evaporates B. You wake up and everyone but you is down 30 IQ points. C. The art of complaining is lost. No one gripes about doubled-up scooters, small portions, and people who wander campus in their lab coats like they used to. D. Zombie apocalypse. You and your family just need to survive 4 months before they find a cure, but guess whose dominant hand just went missing? 3. What kind All-You-Can-Eat customer are you? A. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. The whole menu is getting sampled. B. The All-You-Can-Eater. You go plate for plate with the rest of the table, and you’ll put money on it. C. Meat. Fish. Dumplings. AYCE is about maximizing on stomach space and making back the money you spent. Turning a profit here is ideal. D. The sink disposal. Your table is not getting the food waste upcharge if you have anything to say about it.

answer key

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If you got “A” the most, you most resemble Cardio day. Whoa! What’s with all the activity? If we hooked your treadmill up to a powergrid, UCR could have clean energy for the next decade. Whether it’s hyperactivity or anxiety is for you to know, and the rest of us to dodge the hurricane before it sweeps us away. You move fast– constantly. Which absolutely has its productive moments, but as midterm season approaches, remember to take a second and breathe. Vienna waits for you or whatever.

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If you got “B” the most, you most resemble Chest/ Back/Ab day. Underrated, or is there a little something off about you? Kidding! You’re a little particular, there’s personality there, and a love-hate dynamic is not a new concept to you. You do the necessary work, and when it sucks, you go doubly hard out of spite. Why the need to win when the competition doesn’t even exist? If you got “C” the most, you most resemble Arm day. So, you have a special interest. And everyone in your life hears about it. In the same way a gym freak could explain each head of the bicep, tricep, and how to optimally train it for hypertrophy, you have your area of expertise. Passionate, direct, maybe your word of the week can be diversify. If you got “D” the most, you most resemble Leg day. Sturdy, reliable, you’re ride or die for your people. You like being the one who’s there, and that people know you for it. Complex, much? We know you are happy to do the heavy lifting, so maybe let the people you care about take a few things off of your shoulders.

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14 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

FEATURES

highlandernews.org/category/features

A love letter to west coast sunsets SOPHIA UCROS Staff Writer

THEY CALL US THE BEST IN THE WEST FOR A REASON.

Something about a Southern California (SoCal) sunset hits differently. Is it the pink and orange hues? Or is it maybe the summer warmth as it hits the palm trees? The sunset is like a toasty blanket over SoCal and provides so many welcoming experiences underneath it. There’s first dates, last dates, picnics amongst friends, weddings, dancing and crying. A SoCal sunset creates an overcast of color like no other, but I think the events underneath it are what make them so special. SoCal sunsets make moments into memories. Whether it’s those sports practices that feel just a little too tiring until you look up, or those days that feel like your last until you see a color in the sky you didn’t even know it could make, something about looking up at a SoCal sunset makes everything feel just a bit better even if it’s only for a moment. But I think sometimes we don’t realize the beauty in it. The same way we don’t acknowledge that the sky is blue every

ALEXANDER WONG/THE HIGHLANDER

day, we don’t always appreciate the colors it turns when the sun begins to set. It’s something we’ve seen so many times that we almost forget to look up. We get caught up in everything going on around us and forget that there’s something beautiful happening right above our heads. So next time you’re walking home, driving around or simply spending time with your friends, take a second to look

up and appreciate it. We don’t always realize it in the moment, but sometimes the smallest things end up being the memories we remember most. When I look up at a SoCal sunset I get that warm, fuzzy feeling, and I hope you guys do too, Highlanders. Take a second to look up, appreciate the colors and feel the warmth of SoCal surround you. ■ H

They’ll bust your kneecaps MALINI JOSEPH Features Editor

BEWARE THOSE WITH CONNECTIONS.

The smack rang through the house. Echoing. Pulsing. My head had turned involuntarily with the force of the slap and I just held it there, frozen. I could feel tears welling, but a second feeling interrupted. All-consuming. I slowly returned my head back to its normal position, eyes burning coals. I’ve never felt such violence. Such rage. My partner’s hand was still outstretched, but his eyes were wide. “Baby–baby, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—” I sucked my teeth, feeling the way my skin still stung. Adding embers to the flame. “I’m gonna give you seven seconds—” I reached my hand out to the knife I’d left abandoned on the cutting board— “to leave this house. I’ll mail you your stuff.” “Wait, baby, please—” “Seven.” I start twirling the blade. “Isn’t this a little bit of an

overreaction?” “Six.” The heft of the blade was a little heavier than my throwing knives. “Baby, stop. This isn’t funny!” “Five.” But it should be fine. A minor angle correction. “Are you crazy?” he screams. “Four.” He still isn’t running. Something within me isn’t satisfied by this. I step forward. “I’m calling the police!” he shrieks, finally stepping back. “Three.” The audacity this child of a man has. “I said I’m sorry didn’t I? Can’t we talk about this?” I stop moving, cock my head to the side. “Talk? That’s what I’m doing. You spoke with your hand. I am speaking with the blade. How is what I’m doing different? Two.” “Please, baby. You’re scaring me.” He continues to scurry away like the little rat he is. I allow a small smile. “One.”

I step away from the slowly growing pool of blood and pick up my phone. He answers on the second ring. “Hi, daddy,” I say sweetly. “Johnny’s made a little mess on my floor. Would you mind sending the boys to clean this up?” “Of course, sweetheart. Don’t forget dinner this Saturday. You know how your mother gets when your sister’s out of town.” I roll my eyes, grinning. “Of course, daddy. Don’t worry. I’ll be there.” “Thank you, sweetie. The boys’ll be there in three.” “Thank you, daddy.” Hanging up, I step away from the body and turn back into the kitchen. This really puts a dent in my day, I think as I fix myself a glass of wine. Definitely not my cleanest job. It…I sigh. It wasn’t even my most satisfying. He should’ve suffered a little longer. ■ H

highlandernews.org/category/comics

Comics

COMICS

Fluffy - Susanna Wu

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Lil’ Pumpkin - Natalie Marquez

MAIN ST Chatito: Baking - JUXWAH

ORANGE ST Creative Cosplay - Adelia Urena

16 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

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Radar

RADAR

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Acclaimed filmmakers Luis Valdez and Severa Perez joins the UCR community in honor of Tomás Rivera’s legacies

38TH TOMAS RIVERA CONFERENCE ENGAGES IN A CONVERSATION ON CHICANO CINEMA. JIHOON KWON AND ABIGAIL ORTIZ Radar Editor and Assistant Radar Editor

JIHOON KWON/THE HIGHLANDER

The 2026 Tomás Rivera Conference was a celebration of storytelling, specifically in cinema. As a Chicano literary storyteller, Tomás Rivera made way for many others to follow in his footsteps. The conference featured Severo Perez and Luiz Valdez, two influential Chicano filmmakers, who implored the audience to keep storytelling alive. Tomás Rivera was the first Mexican chancellor in the University of California system, holding the position up until his death in 1984. Since 1988, the University of California (UCR) has held an annual Tomás Rivera conference in his honor. On Oct. 15, 2026, the Tomás Rivera conference Cultura y Resistencia: The Legacy of our Stories was held in the University Theatre. Luiz Valdez is the director behind films such as “La Bamba” and “Zoot Suit.” Both films include themes of struggles faced within the Chicano community. Severo Perez is well known for his film “…And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him” which is an adaptation of the novel “...y no se lo trago la tierra” by Tomás Rivera. The conference opened with a welcome from CHASS Interim Dean, Steven Helfand and was followed by a Tomás Rivera Tribute from Alex Espinoza, The Tomás Rivera Endowed Chair. Afterwards, there was an acknowledgement of the work Concha Rivera, Tomás Rivera’s wife,

had done to make the conference possible. Before Valdez and Severo were presented, Estella Acuña presented the Tomás and Concha Rivera scholarships to seven students. Luiz Valdez and Severo Perez then had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Dr. Richard T. Rodriguez to answer inquiries about film and cinema in regards to the Chicano experience. The Q&A session was followed by the screening of Severo Perez’s “...And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him.” Perez, after having read Tomás Rivera’s novella, immediately “saw the film I wanted to make” as he was “moved by the fact that it spoke in the language that I grew up with, the syntax, the phrasing [and] the words were of a culture that felt very familiar to me.” The film offers a painful account of systemic injustices and hardships that Mexican-American communities faced in the mid-20th century through the lens of a 12-year old boy Marcos (Jose Alcala). The film carries a surreal, contemplative atmosphere as mirroring the book’s unconventional structure, the film is told in fragments. This imbues a sense that the audience is exploring the interiority and the memories of Marcos. The theme surrounding the disillusionment of religion further heightens this quality as the

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daily struggles Marcos finds himself in overweighs the spirituality. Similar to the communities it depicts, Chicano cinema itself has been facing significant oppression, particularly from mainstream Hollywood as they limit the opportunities and creative control while simultaneously exploiting it. “I put the deal together at Universal Studios that got Zoot Suit made, and the reason that Luis [Valdez] could not get a deal to produce the film before was because they kept telling, ‘well why don’t we put John Travolta as the main character?’ and Luis was saying ‘thats against what I want to do.’ So the deal I put together was that he could choose the cast, he would direct [and] he would write but the budget would be low. But what happened was that it made a lot of money for them, but they still didn’t get the idea that they should make more films like that. They did try to do more Latino films, but it was certainly not something for a Chicano audience. In fact, it didn’t reach American audiences either.” Perez emphasized that the issue has to be combatted “by numbers. There’s only one Spielberg, and at least 5,000 other people trying to be a Steven Spielberg, and some of them are just as good and even better, but he got the name, he got the place, he had the timing and all those kinds of things. So it comes down to numbers and desires.” Luiz Valdez and Severo Perez are both filmmakers who have helped Chicano stories be shared with others who are not part of the community. Through their ability to direct and write the struggles, hardships and emotions felt by Chicanos, they are able to emphasize how important it is to share one’s own stories with others. As Valdez stated during the Q&A, “Every culture, every community, every generation needs good storytellers and not just in film, but in music too tell me a story and give it to me because I want to know where I am.” Storytelling keeps culture alive by retelling traditions and cultural customs. Films help people see themselves represented in places where they are usually not welcome. Music allows everyone to audibly enjoy any story that the storyteller chooses to share. ■ H

20 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

RADAR

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“The Paper”: A comedic relief from the seriousness of employment SEASON 2 OF “THE PAPER” BRINGS COMEDY TO THE WORKPLACE. ABIGAIL ORTIZ Assistant Radar Editor

*Contains Spoilers* “The Paper” might be one of the most underrated comedies of 2026. As a spin off of the beloved TV series “The Office,” the show takes place in an office setting and follows a group of co-workers navigating life as new journalists. The show has love, drama and a cliffhanger that all starts in a newspaper office. The Toledo Truth Teller is the newspaper where the cast is currently employed at, Although it has a very small staff and most of the people working there are not journalists, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson) is able to turn it into one of the most successful newspapers in Ohio. With a lot of hard work, encouragement and motivation, he is able to win over his staff all the while reinstating the respectability and credibility the paper once had. Season 2 mainly focuses on a previously established romance between the main protagonist Ned Sampson and Mare Pritti (Chelsea Frei) and how they unsuccessfully attempt to hide their relationship from their co-workers at “The Toledo Truth Teller” newspaper. The season reveals the challenges of hiding a relationship from co-workers, especially because it is between a boss and an employee. It ultimately leads to Mare having to find another job because of Ned and being forced to navigate a relationship that was once fueled by their close proximity. The season also develops many inoffice friendships such as Adelola Olofin (Gbemisola Ikumelo) and Travis Bienlien (Eric Rahill). They are complete opposites, but their constant journalistic partnership brings them closer together. On the other hand,

characters such as Esmeralda Grand (Sabrina Impacciatore), who constantly preyed on the downfall of the newspaper in Season 1, had many unforgettable moments such as being demoted and finally feeling repercussions for her negative behavior. The character’s individual qualities were also shown more in the second season versus the first. The audience learns more about Marv (Allan Harvey), the CEO of the company that runs the newspaper and how dynamics are shifted, such as Ned and Mare, once he becomes more involved. Similarly, the audience learns how the breakup between Nicole Lee (Ramona Young) and Detrick Moore (Melvin Gregg) changed their characters. Nicole, although initially not wanting to be with Detrick, felt his absence after the breakup and spent the majority of the second season trying to regain his attention. On the other hand, Detrick, who was once obsessed with Nicole, did not feel those intense emotions anymore and completely disregarded his relationship with her. The dynamics between characters create humorous and memorable moments and really that sets “The Paper” apart. Aside from moments when characters break the fourth wall or set up a funny joke, the relationships between the characters are what complete the show and amplify the comedy. Screenwriter and actor Alan Cooper, who plays Alex Edelman in the show, revealed that there have been several moments in the show that are pulled from real comedic moments behind the scenes. In an interview with The Highlander, Cooper stated “sometimes the way somebody acts that is annoying will find its way into a character.” He

then also added an anecdote from his own character, Adam, and stated that while developing his character, the idea was that “at home Adam doesn’t get to play because he has kids, so the office has become a place with a lot of toys” he is able to play with. Additionally, something unique about the cast of the show is how much of their own personality is included into the show. As Cooper stated, the director Greg Daniels sometimes has the cast work on set as if it was a real office and because of this “you wind up with really real moments when you are messing around and lose yourself in the character a bit.” This layer of reality adds authenticity to the show that is really easy to pick up on by audiences. Oscar Nuñez then stated in regards to personal qualities being attributed to the characters, “As the show goes on what Alex is talking about will happen and they will incorporate them into the characters.” The actors then concluded the interview stating how hopeful they are for future seasons to continue being better than the last and characters having the opportunity to have more personal comedic moments. “The Paper” can be fun to viewers of all ages, regardless of if they’ve watched “The Office” or not. Comedic moments were created behind the scenes and were showcased to the public and they were received well. Since the show is still in its early stages, the characters still have a lot of room for growth and the story possibilities are still endless. ■ H

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RADAR

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

“Frequency of Love”: Smash or Pass? VICTORIA MONÉT PROVES SHE’S READY FOR SEX AND LOVE IN ALL FORMS IN HER NEW ALBUM “FREQUENCY OF LOVE.” KAREN BARRIOS ESPINOZA Contributing Writer

One would probably be lying if they claimed that they have never listened to Victoria Monét before. Monét first got her start writing demos for other artists, working closely with Kendrick Lamar, Fifth Harmony and, most notably, her close friend Ariana Grande. From there, Monét’s influence only continued to grow, slowly coming into her own and releasing her own projects. Her most recent project, “Jaguar II,” landed Monét seven Grammy nominations, taking home three Grammys for Best R&B Album, Best New Artist and Best Engineered Album Non-Classical, becoming the first black woman in Grammy history to win in the category. Coming fresh off accompanying Bruno Mars on his sold out world tour, Monét officially announced her highly anticipated second studio album “Frequency of Love,” officially released Oct. 2. Standing at a whopping 22 songs long, Victoria Monét delivers over an hour of smooth, easy listening interspersed with high energy tracks with harmonies that could make the best choir

in the world jealous. Additionally, Monét brings forward several extremely prominent features such as SZA and Bruno Mars while continuing her trend of vulnerability in her music as she incorporates her daughter Hazel into the album, emphasizing her love for her. “Come Back to You,” the second track of the album, unveils the sheer love she holds for her daughter and highlights the sacrifices that come with being a working mother. She starts the song exchanging “I miss you” with her daughter before going into the first verse explaining how she continues to strive for more while working as hard as she can to be able to provide for her. However, Monét highlights how much of a struggle this is for her, as she wishes to provide for her daughter everything she’s ever dreamed of, yet the second she leaves all she can think of is how much she misses her daughter. Although her daughter is provided for is it worth the cost of missing the important moments in her life? It’s a struggle Monét still hasn’t found the answer to, but coming home to her daughter always makes it worth it for her.

On the flip side, Monét makes it clear to the world that despite having an abundance of love to give to the world, she’s also always down for a wild ride. There are a couple songs on the album that highlight this, but none more so than “Almost,” a song completely dedicated to how badly Monét needs to get laid. Complete with heavenly harmonies and explicit lyrics, Monét holds absolutely nothing back as she pleads for her partner, stating the sex was so good it “almost doesn’t count.” It’s cheeky and fun, but still holds incredible production value and demonstrates just how intentional Monét is with her music, even when the song itself isn’t as “serious” as other tracks on the record. The vulnerability and openness in which Monét speaks about love, in all forms, combined with her incredible production and lyricism, leave the audience wishing the album could be even longer. “Frequency of Love” is an absolute smash hit, and definitely not something you should pass up on. ■ H

Troye Sivan is the Best

TROYE SIVAN’S FOURTH ALBUM “SHE’S THE BEST” IS IN A SEXY SOUNDTRACK FULL OF LONGING AND LONELINESS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO FEELST TOO MUCH AND LOVE TOO HARD. MAIN STELA NOELLE ABASTA Contributing Writer

On Oct. 9, pop star and queer icon Troye Sivan released a studio album titled “She’s The Best,” three years after the release of his last album. The album is a blend of dancepop and house with experimental elements. This was found to be unsurprising to fans who listened to his last album as it already seemed that he was testing out a newer sound then. “She’s The Best” is Troye Sivan bearing his soul and letting listeners into his deepest thoughts and desires. The first and title track of the album, “She’s The Best,” includes Sivan speaking in rhyme over an experimental beat. It is jarring to many listeners as it seemingly comes out of nowhere and is so different from Sivan’s iconic hits. A love letter to the women in his life, Sivan’s delivery is unsatisfying, while the thoughtfulness behind it is present.

melodic vocals. Fans of The 1975 might find this to be a favorite as it has a similar vibe to the band’s. It’s sensual but not exactly in a lustful way; it feels beautifully intimate. Sivan begins with whispered desires, the lyrics reflecting his want of this “cowboy.” Despite sounding hopelessly romantic, the audience realizes on a deeper listen that this relationship is almost toxic. Sivan is so obsessed with the other that he claims “there’s no chance [he’s] getting away” when the cowboy calls for him. Unlike the title track, the speak-singing is well-executed in the bridge of this number. This gives the song a sadder undertone; Sivan craves love so much that he’ll cling on to the intimate parts of a situationship despite there being no love in it.

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Standing out for its noticeable title, “Sex Star” is a dreamy but melancholic track Fifth on the tracklist, “Cowboy,” is a sexy, that is reminiscent of the yearning found laid-back number with guitar, piano and a bit in “Cowboy.” It’s softly sexual, but don’t of violin creating the background for Sivan’s be mistaken, it is not a dirty song by any

means. Outwardly, it may seem like Sivan craves bodily pleasure, but all he truly wants is to be loved enough by someone who will always come home to him. He wants to provide pleasure and be a useful partner, which is likely why he finds himself with cowboyswhodon’t treat him right. The chorus of this number is the best part of the song, which is saying a lot as the verses are endlessly catchy. At the end, Sivan almost begs, singing, “Baby, I’d try everything,” which could translate to, “I’d do anything to have someone to love.” This track is a heavy hitter and tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who has longed for love, making it one of the best, if not the best number on the album. Verdict: This album is for the people that go through all kinds of emotion at the function—from love to lust to loneliness. If one is looking for sensual sounds with sad undertones, “She’s the Best” is an ideal listen after skipping a few tracks. ■ H

22 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

RADAR

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“Other Mommy”: When the quality doesn’t meet expectations

DESPITE CLEVER MARKETING STRATEGY AND SPARING MOMENTS OF BRILLIANCE, THE FILM ULTIMATELY FAILS TO SATISFY THE AUDIENCE. LEANA KEO Contributing Writer

*Contains Spoilers* Early previews for “The Odyssey” showcased a secret trailer that not only left a startling impression on audiences, but also confusion from its non-existence on the internet. A genius marketing tactic managed to garner immediate attention because of its jumpscare catching viewers off-guard. Eagerness only heightened after an official trailer released on July 21 through feelings of eeriness and unsettlingness it portrayed. Rob Savage’s “Other Mommy” is based on Josh Malerman’s novel, “Incidents Around the House.” Young Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) belongs to a family struggling with marital issues and befriends an entity who she calls “Other Mommy” from its uncanny resemblance to her own mom. Over time, happiness and comfort grow into desperation and torment as the entity threatens the family’s safety due to an unanswered question. The cinematography anchors towards a single character. This simplistic plot tries to replicate the narrative perspective of Bela by exclusively showing audiences what she sees, what she feels and how she interprets it.

It’s illustrated well as one can easily perceive her acknowledgement of the disconnection between her parents throughout the film. The choice in perspective demonstrates an intriguing view of a struggling family through a child’s eyes. Similar emotions and turmoil are experienced by both the character and viewers alike as it tackles themes of secrecy, manipulation and safety. Fear is felt through Bela’s suspicion towards her mom Ursula (Jessica Chastain) and Frank’s (Arian Moayed) affair. This vulnerability allows Other Mommy to trick her into believing Frank’s departure will benefit the family, giving it permission to unknowingly kill him. However, the film suffered immensely from its fast pacing and weak narrative. The thrilling hook of exposing the entity was an excellent attention-grabber, but it starts to fall short because it feels as if scenes are missing. Many plot points are abrupt with little to no development in reaching the climax of the film. Despite established knowledge of a failing marriage, there are sparse hints to shock audiences when Ursula confesses to Bela that she is the daughter of a previous

marriage, making Russell (Jay Duplass) not her real father. Confusion and confliction may arise in viewers from this unexpected, yet lackluster needle-drop confession. Marketing for the film also contributes to the immense hype surrounding its potential. High expectations were established when social media exploded from a comment mentioned by director Rob Savage of an approximation of 50 jumpscares in the 93-minute film . With the resurgence of cinema, especially horror thanks to blockbusters like “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” alongside perfect alignment to the horror season, a desired adrenaline rush was definitely anticipated by moviegoers.Unfortunately, the film was not able to meet expectations set by audiences upon first viewing due to feelings of incompleteness and confusion. Verdict: “Other Mommy” doesn’t meet audience expectations, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. Despite a weak narrative and promised adrenaline rush, moments of creativity and visual storytelling shines through the film’s imperfections. ■ H

The competition to buy Letterboxd

SHOULD STUDIO GIANTS CONTROL A PLATFORM THAT GIVES INDIE FILMMAKERS AND SUPPORTERS A VOICE? HANNAH KLOPPING Contributing Writer

Disgusted by the potential exploitation of Letterboxd to gain more power over a narrow industry, users of the app are fighting head-to-head with Hollywood bigwigs to protect the voices of independent filmmakers and cinephiles. If indie filmmakers are constantly under strain created by a monopolized Hollywood, and Letterboxd breeds opportunity for newer films to gain traction, why can’t big studios step down and allow small filmmakers a place in their own community? Letterboxd should not become a marketing tool for thriving studios to push their films’ visibility above that of an indie. Letterboxd harbors a space for everyday moviegoers to nerd out and become movie critics, especially with indie films. Through community engagement, the site serves as a paramount place for those films to discover and build new audiences in an industry that is impossibly hard to break into. When big

production companies express interest in buying this stepping-stone platform, they are fueling the flames indie filmmakers jump through just to stay relevant. Intrinsic Entertainment Collaborative, a public benefit company founded by screenwriter Elizabeth Joyce, is advocating against the involvement of any big studio or corporation through their Letterboxd4All campaign. The campaign represents a community-backed bid, aiming to give film lovers and makers a starring role in the future of the platform. Unlike corporations that potentially view the acquisition as a tool to rise above competitors and see users as monetary value, the campaign recognizes the importance of users as they are the main component of what makes Letterboxd valuable. Netflix, A24, Skydance Media and Sony Pictures are joined by The New

York Times in the bidding war. Aside from Letterboxd4All, The Times proves favorable as a corporation due to the fact that they aren’t a production company. The risk of a studio overshadowing new indie films with their produced blockbusters would be reduced. However, corporate ownership could still remain a threat to the accessibility of the platform by implementing paywalls that could decrease the benefits small filmmakers receive from the engagement brought forward by a community eager to participate. The fact that Letterboxd thrives off of its sprawling demographic of indie filmmakers and supporters who do not wish to be controlled in their safe space, should spark concern for interested studios as they are a main contributor to the struggles indie filmmakers deal with while trying to create their belonging in an impossible industry. ■H

RADAR

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Radar Tuesday, October 20, 2026

EVENTS THIS WEEK 10/19

Monday Carillon Recitals @12pm at UCR Bell Tower

10/20

Student Disability Union @ 12pm to 1pm at Costo Hall, 125 Afro-Punk @ 7pm at Culver Center of the Arts

10/21

Caribbean Embodied Ethnographies: Sádé Budhlall Lecture @ 3pm to 4:30pm at Arts Building, ARTS 300 MESC 13th Birthday @1pm at Costo Hall 111

10/22

Black Convocation @ 11am- 2pm HUB 302 North Dispatches from the Field: A Conversation on Douglas McCulloh and the Art of Chance @6pm to 8pm at UCR ARTS

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COURTESY OF CHASS MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS VIA DENNIS CHA

24 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

Sports

SPORTS

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The Los Angeles Chargers need to rebuild THE CHARGERS “SHOCK” THE NFL WITH AN 0-5 START.

SAMUEL MARTINEZ Contributing Writer

The AFC West looked like one of the most competitive divisions going into this season. The Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers both made it to the play-offs with double digit win totals. The Kansas City Chiefs missed the play-offs but with Mahomes coming back, it’s expected that they will return to the play-offs. While the Las Vegas Raiders were the worst team of 2025, earning the first overall pick Fernndo Mendoza, their rebuilding era is almost over and is expected to start contending.

Herbert, McDaniel seemed like he could be the duo with head coach Jim Harbaugh and Mike mad genius to command this offense to play-off McDaniel, the Chargers are looking in need of success. an organization overhaul. Both of these coaches have yet to prove themselves on a grand stage, Since the season started, the Chargers have lacking play-off success and proper development looked like one of the worst teams in football. of young talent. The team should embrace a The offensive line, that was supposed to be rebuild, and possibly trade some of their older fixed, has fallen apart due to injury and has talent for more draft capital going into next lacked any sort of consistency, let alone success. year. The reality of the rebuild means Herbert’s spot as quarterback should be challenged.

Out of all four of these teams, the Los Angeles Chargers felt like the easiest team to pencil in with a division title or wild card spot due to how consistently this team had won regular season games. Despite regular season wins, the team has had major flaws. During the draft, the Chargers drafted four offensive lineman, which was a clear attempt at fixing the biggest problem: protecting their quarterback. Justin Herbert has been a fanboy’s dream quarterback since PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEPNG he was drafted out of Oregon. Many quarterbacks, most prominently Tom Brady, have praised Herbert as an elite player The defense has looked awful without former at his position. What has plagued Herbert these defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and Herbert past years has been the lack of talent surrounding doesn’t look like half the quarterback he should him. This past season, it was the offensive line be. With one of the hardest schedules in the which dropped the ball against New England in league ahead of the Chargers, it’s easy to see a the play-offs. However, outside of stats, Herbert three or four win season for this team. has not proven to be a top ten quarterback in the league due to losing every postseason game he’s With no team in NFL history being able to led. comeback from an 0-5 start to make the playoffs, what is in store for the future of this During the off-season, the Chargers hired franchise? As the rest of the AFC West has Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. He started with winning records and statement wins, brought the best out of Tua Tagaviloa and when the Chargers sit in last. Although it may be a it was seen that Justin Herbert would be his hard choice to make, this franchise needs to start new quarterback, many got excited for what committing to a rebuild. this offensive could become. With Omarian Hampton and Ladd McConckey supporting With what should have been an electric

Justin Herbert seems to be losing the mantra of “your favorite quarterback’s favorite quarterback” and has become the butt of jokes online. The nickname “If-Man” hasn’t felt more applicable than this season as it seems like things can “never be right” around Herbert. At what point does the blame fall on Herbert, who has failed to bring this organization any play-off victories or any hope of a Super Bowl appearance? This season should be a wake up call for fans and owners that this team has detrimental flaws in leadership across the board. The Chargers are looking to have a top five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. While it’s hard to see this team getting whoever will be the number one prospect, it is easy to see this organization shifting away from Herbert and grabbing a promising young quarterback. While Herbert could possibly stay as quarterback, it’s time this organization finds a proper plan B if he can’t get his game together. Jim Harbaugh and McDaniel should be let go if there is no promise shown from the coaching staff. Although the Justin Herbert era in Los Angeles has been one of regular season success, after this season it’s looking inevitable that a rebuild is coming. ■H

SPORTS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

The Philadelphia 76ers Are Not Finals Contenders ROSTER DEPTH IS NOT ALWAYS THE KEY TO A CHAMPIONSHIP. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL TIPTON VIA FLICKR

LANDON BAYLON Contributing Writer

Super teams are a dying breed in the NBA. The success of the Miami “Heatles” and the Golden State Warriors dynasty are far in the rear-view mirror. Since the failures of the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden-led Brooklyn Nets of the early-2020s, front offices have taken a more conventional approach to team building: putting together a complimentary set of players around one MVP-caliber player. Enter the Philadelphia 76ers. Newly minted President of Basketball Operations, Mike Gansey, immediately provided two of the biggest shocks of the off-season, trading for Jaylen Brown coming off a fourth-place MVP finish and also landing LeBron James via free agency. The two superstars add to a core of AllNBA guard Tyrese Maxey and former MVP Joel Embiid. All four players have put up a 28-or-more points per game (PPG) season within the past four seasons. Now they all have to share touches and shots within a 48-minute window any given night. Obviously, it’s a luxury to have such talented basketball players on one team on paper, but how do the four fit together on the court? The fall of super teams isn’t necessarily

because of the logistics of on-the-court play. Even the Nets were a Durant three-pointer away from a Finals appearance. One reason was the financial aspect and long-term viability. But more importantly, it was big egos and locker room turmoil.

to come by, which could lead to Philadelphia’s half-court offense becoming stagnant.

This is also not a particularly high-powered defense, with Brown likely to be the lone net positive defender in the starting lineup. Edgecombe will have to take a defensive leap Philadelphia has an issue with its roster for Philadelphia to make it far in the playoffs, construction. There are four high-usage, ball- otherwise they’ll be picked apart by the elite dominant players in the starting five who are not Eastern Conference guards. designed to play filler roles. Granted, all four have been second options within the past two The Verdict: This 76ers team has all the talent seasons, though two of these stars will have to in the world, which is going to carry them through play third and fourth fiddle. the regular season, even if James and Embiid miss time with injury. But what matters is how they An easy fix would be to have James, the team’s stack up against their Eastern Conference foes best playmaker, run the offense though off- in a seven-game set. There is no confidence that ball play isn’t how the other three stars thrive. they’ll outlast the reigning champion New York Philadelphia would have to be an isolation- Knicks or the Detroit Pistons. Even the Boston oriented offense to get the most value out of Celtics and Toronto Raptors’ elite defenses could Brown, Maxey and Embiid, which goes against prove to be a difficult challenge to surmount. the recent trend of high-pace, off-ball motion Barring a light matchup, Philadelphia has a offense. chance to fall in the first round in the 2026-2027 season. Where the Sixers will have to make up for their slower pace is in transition, is where the athleticism of James, Brown, Maxey and ■H sophomore VJ Edgecombe really pay off. But in a playoff series, easy transition buckets are hard

26 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

SPORTS

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University of California, Riverside’s men’s soccer falls 2-1 to CSUN in a physical matchup UCR STRUCK FIRST BUT COULDN’T HOLD OFF CSUN’S PUSH. KEVIN REYES Contributing Writer

The University of California Riverside (UCR) men’s soccer team suffered a 2-1 loss to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) on Oct. 14 during Southwest Asian North African Heritage Night. Despite taking an early lead in the second half, the Highlanders were unable to hold off the Matadors, who scored two goals to secure the comeback victory. The loss extended UCR’s winless streak to seven matches. The match began with both teams playing aggressively, as several fouls and heated exchanges interrupted the flow of the game. Players exchanged words following challenges and disagreements with calls, while the crowd reacted intensely to the physical play on the field. UCR created one of its first scoring opportunities in the eighth minute when freshman forward Adrian Villafranco sent a shot toward the bottom left corner, forcing a save from CSUN goalkeeper Bryan Castaneda. The Matadors responded with several attempts of their own, but neither team managed to find the back of the net. As the first half continued, both teams struggled to establish a consistent attack. The physical play remained a major part of the match, with strong fouls and disagreements fueling the tension between players. Despite opportunities on both ends, the teams entered halftime tied 0-0. The Highlanders came out of halftime with an immediate response. In the 47th minute, junior forward Noa Wada scored the opening goal, with credited assists to the defender Ace Tendale and junior defender Ermias Yohannes. Following a review for a possible handball, the goal was confirmed, giving UCR a 1-0 advantage. However, the Highlanders’ lead

did not last long. In the 54th minute, CSUN’s forward Kayvon Monfared scored the equalizer off an assist from midfielder Jorge Solorzano, bringing the game level at 1-1. The Matadors continued to apply pressure, creating additional scoring opportunities as UCR looked to regain control. The turning point came in the 64th minute when CSUN was awarded a penalty kick following a foul by UCR’s center back Ethan Walker. As tensions rose, the crowd reacted intensely, with some spectators moving behind the goal in an attempt to distract CSUN’s midfielder Jorge Solorzano. Despite the noise and pressure from the crowd, Solorzano converted the penalty following a review, giving the Matadors a 2-1 lead. The atmosphere remained intense as fans continued reacting loudly to every foul, save and scoring opportunity throughout the match. The physicality continued into the final stretch of the match. CSUN’s midfielder Dave-Ryan Tankou and defender Abdallah Traore received yellow cards, while UCR’s defender

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Yashir Mimosa was also booked. In the 74th minute, Solorzano received a red card, leaving the Matadors with 10 players for the remainder of the game. UCR pushed forward, using CSUN’s loss of a player to its advantage. Defender Juan Antonio Miranda recorded three late shots as the Highlanders increased their attacking pressure and changed their formation to an all out attack. However, UCR’s attempts to tie the game fell short as CSUN’s defense held strong to preserve the lead. Despite the 2-1 loss, the Highlanders showed determination throughout a close, physical, back and forth matchup against CSUN. UCR continued to fight for an equalizer until the final whistle, creating several late scoring opportunities. Following the final whistle, one Highlander remained seated on the field, visibly disappointed by the loss. Although the result was not in their favor, the Highlanders will look to bounce back and return to the ■ win column. H

BENJAMIN WRIGHT / THE HIGHLANDER

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

RIVERSIDE RECAPS MEN’S SOCCER - OCTOBER 14 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE VS. UC RIVERSIDE 2-1 L

WOMEN’S SOCCER - OCTOBER 14 UC RIVERSIDE VS. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, BAKERSFIELD 2-1 L

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - OCTOBER 16 UC RIVERSIDE VS. UC SANTA BARBARA 3-0 L

WOMEN’S SOCCER - OCTOBER 17 UC RIVERSIDE VS. UTAH VALLEY 3-0 L

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - OCTOBER 17 UC RIVERSIDE VS. CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO 3-1 L

MEN’S SOCCER - OCTOBER 17 GONZAGA VS. UC RIVERSIDE 2-1 W

highlandernews.org/category/sports

24 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026

SPORTS

Be Bold. 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.

The Highlander

MAIN ST

ORANGE ST

KEVIN REYES / THE HIGHLANDER