Santa Rosa Junior College Student Support Manager Hilleary Zarate was arrested Monday on drug trafficking charges with her son and a man suspected to be her boyfriend, according to a Santa Rosa police...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly discussed plans to rename Thanksgiving break and worked on creating representative positions for each of SRJC’s five campuses at its Dec. 6 meeting. Vice...

Representatives from 15 Santa Rosa Junior College student groups weighed in on how supportive campus culture is for them at the Student Government Assembly’s “Is SRJC Ready For Me?” event Dec. 6...

The Santa Rosa Junior College PEERS Coalition hosted an event Nov. 17 that discussed the mental health pros and cons of remote learning. The Zoom session, titled “You are Not Alone: Reflecting Together...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s student body president encouraged attendance at two upcoming student events and the Student Government Assembly’s vice president of finance stepped down at Monday’s SGA...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly officers and assembly members unanimously voted for a new Santa Rosa vice president of clubs and received a B-CARE update from the dean of students...

The Oak Leaf won 14 awards including first place in three categories and second place in two on-the-spot contests at the Journalism Association of Community College’s 2021 Virtual Fall Conference Nov....

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly approved at it’s Nov. 1 meeting $1,000 for giveaways at its upcoming Sleep Out event.  To bring awareness to increasing homelessness in Sonoma...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation is inviting members of the SRJC community to provide input on a new campus mural in a virtual conversation with the artist from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 10. John...

For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, Santa Rosa Junior College opened study spaces for limited hours. Starting Oct. 25 and through Dec. 17, students can use indoor study spaces with...

Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong and retired, returning adjunct instructor Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks announced during SRJC’s Indigenous People’s Day celebration Oct. 11 that the JC...

The first two weeks of Santa Rosa Junior College’s in-person coronavirus vaccination mandate were largely a success, despite some technical difficulties and the occasional angry student. “Overall,...

Content warning: this story contains discussion of child sexual abuse allegations. Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong responded in an email Saturday to allegations that a Board of Trustees...

Nearly twenty years after demolishing its first student housing, Santa Rosa Junior College broke ground for construction of new and affordable on-campus dorms able to house 352 students on the southeast...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s outdoor learning lab Shone Farm will remain closed through Monday Oct. 25 due to weather conditions and increased risk of flooding, according to an email SRJC President Dr....

NPR recognized the work of four Santa Rosa Junior College journalists by publishing their podcast “Chronic Catastrophe” to NPR.org Monday, making it The Oak Leaf’s first nationally syndicated podcast. Current...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly approved three new hiring committee positions, two for advisor of student affairs accounting and marketing and one supervisor for COVID safety,...

Santa Rosa Junior College students spoke in favor of the Student Government Assembly resolution to include students on faculty hiring committees, and the Academic Senate approved a new executive committee...

The Santa Rosa Junior College PEERS coalition hosted this semester’s first Well-Being Wednesday on Zoom on Oct. 6 to talk about positivity, thankfulness and good memories of 2021. At one point, the...

Starting Oct. 18, Santa Rosa Junior College will require all students taking in-person classes to obtain virtual CLEARED4 access passes confirming their coronavirus vaccination or negative test status...

Chronic Catastrophe is a four-episode podcast about the impacts of cumulative climate change-induced disasters on our minds, bodies and spirits. Ultimately, we ask the question: Is it worth the risk to...

Santa Rosa Junior College's Photo Club announced the winners of its first annual "SoCo Clicks" photo competition, with $1,000 awarded to Michael Kemp, an SRJC student who won Best in Show for his stunning...

Part 4: Is it worth it? In our final episode, host Rebecca Bell asks some important questions: Given the fact that climate change is affecting our minds, bodies and spirits, is it worth it to live here?...

Part 3: The Spirit Episode 3 examines how losing everything — or packing and preparing to lose it all — affects the spirit and identities of individuals, families and the community. In this episode,...

Part 2: The Body Hosted by Lauren Spates, episode 2 looks at the impact of more-fierce fire and flood on our immune system, our lungs and our brain. We talk to scientists, doctors and other experts...

Part 1: The Mind Our first episode looks at the impact of repeat catastrophes on our mental health. Hosted by Maritza Camacho, our first episode asks whether PTSD is the most accurate diagnosis for...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Health Services and Santa Rosa Intercultural Center co-sponsored a COVID-19 vaccine Q&A webinar with multicultural medical professionals for students and faculty Sept....

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to appoint Guerneville native, board-certified psychologist and former SRJC student Dr. Michael Valdovinos as provisional trustee...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly approved a resolution supporting students’ presence on faculty hiring committees and appointed a new officer and new honorary member at its Sept....

Whether you’re taking classes on campus or online, COVID-19 has complicated the back-to-school experience. To continue your smooth transition into the semester, The Oak Leaf staff prepared this guide...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees unanimously voted Sept. 14 to enact a vaccine mandate for students and employees on SRJC’s campuses for the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters. Students...

With approximately 61% of ballots counted, Gov. Gavin Newsom will remain in California’s governor’s mansion, according to the Associated Press. Newsom beat the recall handily, with nearly 70% of...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly officers voted 6-1 in support of a vaccine mandate for everyone on SRJC’s campuses after discussion of safety and ethics at its Sept. 13 virtual...

Whether you’re taking classes on campus or online, COVID-19 has complicated the back-to-school experience. To continue your smooth transition into the semester, The Oak Leaf staff prepared this guide...

The Podcast Chronic Catastrophe is an NPR-syndicated four-episode podcast about the impacts of cumulative climate change-induced disasters on our minds, bodies and spirits. Ultimately, we ask the question:...

Santa Rosa Junior College will offer 806 in–person sections this Fall 2021 semester after offering about 100 in spring, according to SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong. The remaining 1,635 sections will...

A diverse coalition of Santa Rosa Junior College student groups gathered Saturday on the Santa Rosa campus front lawn at Unity Through Community, an event designed to unite students of diverse cultural...

Watching Derek Chauvin murder George Floyd lit a revolutionary fire in many Americans, but not all were immediately prepared to take to the streets. Musician-turned-activist Amin Cooley was one who...

Lauren Vuong promoted empathy towards refugees by sharing her journey of finding the captain who rescued her family after they escaped Vietnam in a screening of her film, “Finding the Virgo,” April...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Asian Pacific Islander Staff Association hosted a panel where mixed race students and faculty shared their experiences in light of Asian American Pacific Islander History...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly closed the semester May 17 with a reminder for self care during finals week, approval of revised bylaws and an appointment to the hiring committee...

Now is the time to be a revolutionary, agreed three poets who spoke at an SRJC Libraries online poetry reading April 16.  The three poets, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, Angel Dominguez and Tongo Eisen-Martin,...

Students spent the first weekend of May creating video games from scratch and promoting creative thinking at Santa Rosa Junior College’s HackJam 2021. This year's theme was to create a new game or...

Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees addressed the Black Leadership Association Collective and the need for updated virtual teaching for Fall at its May 11 Zoom meeting. Leaders from BLAC and...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly discussed how to balance campus reopening and safety with President of Student Affairs Jane Saldana-Talley, approved next year’s budget and continued...

Theatre Arts Production Specialist Ari Eden Poppers resigned from Santa Rosa Junior College’s theatre arts department, according to an email from SRJC Interim Vice President of Human Resources Sarah...

Acclaimed musician and film director Boots Riley spoke to Santa Rosa Junior College students about how labor strikes add teeth to protests March 16 over Zoom.  Riley, frontman of Oakland based hip-hop...

Santa Rosa Junior College will offer as many in-person classes as possible for the Fall 2021 semester, according to SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong and Jane Saldana-Talley. This represents an expansion...

Santa Rosa Junior College Black Leadership Association Collective (BLAC) is staging a "BlackOut" walkout during the Academic Senate meeting at 3:15 p.m. May 5 on the front lawn of Santa Rosa Junior College...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly invited speakers to discuss the May 5 racial justice walkout, appointed members to hiring committees, discussed next year’s budget and shared their...

“Enrollment fee, $920.” Expensive, but seems important. “Parking fee, $60.” Overpriced, but I need to park. “Textbooks and materials, $400.” Ridiculous, but necessary to pass the class. "Health...

Student presenters at Santa Rosa Junior College’s third annual Climate Action Night called on attendees to channel their climate-related anger and anxiety into action by pressuring state and local officials...

Alexander Valley Film Society hosts its annual student film competition at 8:30 p.m. May 1 at the Healdsburg Community Center in partnership with the Sonoma County Office of Education, Film Fest Petaluma...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly approved a May 15 Unity Walk, collected student concerns about campus reopening for SRJC leadership and hosted community members who spoke about social...

Chicanx educators encouraged the 50-plus attendees at April 8’s “Última: La Curandera” Zoom event to reconnect with the traditional healing knowledge of Chicanx and indigenous elders in their lives. “In...

More than a dozen current and former Santa Rosa Junior College students claim embattled theatre arts staff member Ari Eden Poppers harassed them or their peers on and off campus dating back almost a decade. In...

Standing in the dry lakebed of Lake Mendocino, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday to improve the state's drought preparedness and declare a drought-caused state of emergency in Sonoma...

Sonoma County climate activists hung banners in various locations across the county Thursday morning to mark Earth Day and push for immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Activists from Sonoma...

Student Government Programs Coordinator Zack Miranda announced results from last week’s Student Government Assembly elections and the student body president previewed a unity event to close out a challenging...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees passed resolutions to eliminate a Petaluma managerial position, renamed an on-campus museum and supported policies to reduce climate change at its April...

Barry Brodd, the use-of-force expert who testified for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s defense in the George Floyd murder trial, taught a variety of police training courses at Santa...

Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts Technical Director Ari Eden Poppers is on administrative leave and under investigation by the Santa Rosa Police Department for allegedly engaging in sexual communication...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly introduced diverse new therapists from Student Health Services (SHS), appointed an executive vice president of legislation and approved a letter supporting...

The announcement that online instruction will continue into the Fall 2021 semester on April 8 evoked another round of mixed reactions by Santa Rosa Junior College faculty and students. SRJC President...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Our House hosts its annual We The Future virtual conference 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 16 on Zoom. This year’s keynote speaker is Boots Riley, acclaimed musician...

Fall 2021 courses will mostly be held remotely with some in-person labs and courses, Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong announced today in an email to students and faculty. Student...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Association discussed how to support racial minorities, announced a new mental health service and rejected a proposed change to SGA bylaws. Sitting members...

The Oak Leaf won 14 state awards and two national awards, including first place in two publication categories and two on-the-spot contests at the Connect2021 Spring National College Media Convention March...

Yes, this may read as if it is a click-bait article, and if you thought that, you are correct.  As former Editor-in-Chief Zane Zinkl's “Top 10 cigarettes I smoked in Europe” hits over 93,000 views,...

During her talk “Radical Women in the Burned Over District: Antebellum Religious, Racial and Gender Challenges Along the Erie Canal,” esteemed historian Anne Donegan lectured attendees on the power...

Santa Rosa Junior College hosted a screening of Ciani Rey Walker’s “Misfits,” a short film that celebrates the Black female voice and promotes an understanding of the Black Panther Party, in a Zoom...

While COVID-19 has limited spring break again this year, there is plenty to explore in the vicinity of Santa Rosa Junior College or in the safety of your home. Sonoma County is a natural playground with...

Early childhood education researcher Michelle DeJohnette called on teachers to be anti-racist and acknowledge the diversity of their students rather than taking a “colorblind” approach that treats...

Santa Rosa Junior College students will be shocked when they return to campus after more than a year away. Every JC campus is undergoing a makeover of varying degrees, with some Santa Rosa campus buildings...

Stanford University doctoral candidate Stephanie Robillard explored the importance of students being exposed to Young Adult Multicultural Literature (YAML), held space for inclusive stories told by members...

Jessica Esquivel encouraged inclusivity in the sciences and drew parallels between her life as an Afro-Latina physicist and the transformation of particles in a particle accelerator during her speech Feb....

Children of legendary blues musicians gave advice to Santa Rosa Junior College students about becoming successful Black artists in a white-dominant society at the “Legacy of the Blues” panel Feb. 23.  SRJC...

Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong announced the Sonoma County Health Department approved the SRJC’s athletics department’s transition plan at the Board of Trustees meeting on March...

After immersing herself in the Latinx populations of Texas for over a year, PhD anthropologist, journalist and professor Dr. Cecilia Balli revealed how Latinx voter patterns are tied to deeper social and...

Dr. Abdimalik Buul, an anti-racist activist, spoke with Santa Rosa Junior College students about the lack of a model of equity for students of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in SRJC's vision statement...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s student housing project intended to accommodate 352 students with affordable and sustainable on campus housing was delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with an expected...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Association created an ad-hoc committee of students and faculty Monday to discuss the challenges of virtual learning, the budget timeline and upcoming events. The...

Santa Rosa Junior College officially canceled Summer Repertory Theatre for the second straight year, but some digital content is in the works. In an email to colleagues, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong...

Santa Rosa Junior College CubCard student IDs are now available virtually, the Office of Student Life announced via Bearfacts March 7. The CubCard virtual ID gives students free bus rides within Sonoma...

With a recall looming in the distance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom committed to opening schools safely, tackling COVID-19 and provided a plan for a brighter California during his State of the State speech...

A panel of zero waste experts discussed personal actions that can affect plastic pollution and climate change while offering hope for the future with 50 Santa Rosa Junior College students and community...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Association announced the budgeting timeline for next school year, celebrated a successful food drive, reviewed opportunities to run for SGA as a group and...

Artist Mildred Howard shared her passion for juxtaposition and showcased her diverse art pieces to Santa Rosa Junior College students for Black History Month Feb. 22 over Zoom. Embracing the diversity...

Students who want to run for Student Government Assembly positions can now submit applications for the 2021-2022 academic year, but only after attending a mandatory Zoom meeting explaining the election...

Santa Rosa Junior College is offering laptops, hotspots and calculators through the library to help students with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can request a loaner item at SRJC...

As if saving money wasn’t hard enough in the before-times, the coronavirus pandemic and its shaky economy have made it even tougher. Here are 10 good habits for achieving financial security that will...

The Feed The Bears food program has partnered with Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) to give away free groceries and a $50 grocery gift card to Santa Rosa Junior College students on the first Monday of March...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly cautioned against online test proctoring software before reviewing student elections, health resources and Black History Month events at Monday’s...

Santa Rosa Junior College Black Leaders Association Collective (BLAC) presents "Creating Black Equity: Action Beyond Solidarity Statements," a summit about creating and maintaining an anti-racist campus...

Black disabled individuals have historically turned to art and music because it was the only way to make a living, and it soon became a rich part of cultural history, Leroy F. Moore Jr. shared in his presentation...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Foundation will accept scholarship applications for the 2020-2021 academic year until March 2. The SRJC Foundation offers students an easy way to apply to hundreds of scholarships...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma campus became a COVID-19 vaccination clinic Feb. 9 with nurses traveling from out of state to help administer doses. The Petaluma campus’ fitness center was...

This year, it's easier than ever to celebrate Black History Month from the comfort of your own home. Here are a few ways to give back to and learn more from the Black community this month. Take a virtual...

Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma’s inclusive space Our House hosts its Welcome Back Kickback noon–1 p.m. Feb. 18 on Zoom. Students looking for virtual coziness can share their online learning...

Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees announced emergency funding and the opening of vaccination sites at the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses at a Zoom meeting Feb. 9. The Santa Rosa clinic offers...

The Santa Rosa Junior College PEERS Coalition will be holding “Well-Being Wednesday,” a themed mental health discussion and workshop on the 2nd Wednesday of each month this Spring semester. The...

Dr. Abdimalik Buul, an award-winning professor at San Diego City College, spoke with 65 Santa Rosa Junior College students and faculty Feb. 5 over Zoom about becoming an anti-racist.  Dr. Buul is a...

Santa Rosa Junior College Inter-Club Council showcased a multitude of clubs eager to inform and recruit new members over Zoom Wednesday.  The event featured representatives from the ASL Club, Baha’i...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly discussed this week’s upcoming events and appointed Student Body President Delashay Carmona Benson as Vice President of Human Resources Hiring Committee...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly appointed a new vice president of marketing for the Santa Rosa campus, voiced concerns about educators requiring students to keep their cameras on...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Kay Trieseberg is hosting a donation drive drop-off for those without homes in Sonoma County from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 5 at 3275 Dutton Ave. She will then distribute...

Santa Rosa Junior College Student Life, Equity and Engagement has partnered with Redwood Empire Food Bank to host the last free food distribution and grocery card giveaway of the year from 9–10 a.m....

Santa Rosa Junior College Black Student Union (BSU) will host an open Zoom meeting Friday, Nov. 20 of “honest and difficult community conversations” surrounding justice, racism and law enforcement...

The Santa Rosa Junior College LGBTQ Presidential Advisory Committee will host a free online event Friday, Nov. 20 honoring lost transgender lives in observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance.  The...

Cat Brooks, leader of Black Lives Matter and self-described “radical activist” with a national profile, spoke to more than 100 Santa Rosa Junior College students Nov. 2 about defunding the police and...

Santa Rosa Junior College's Transfer Center hosted its annual transfer workshop Nov. 4, where Daisy Cardenas, Candy Owens and Tony Vasquez offered two hour's worth of information to help demystify the...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees acknowledged that SRJC lies on territorial Pomo land by unanimously approving an SRJC land acknowledgement on Oct. 13.  This land acknowledgement is...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Life, Equity and Engagement group joins forces with Redwood Empire Food Bank to host a free food distribution and grocery card giveaway from 9-10 a.m. Nov. 16 at Burbank...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Students for World Peace spoke with a group of 46 students and faculty about peaceful solutions to the violent cycle of racism and civil unrest through the lens of Nichiren...

Día de los Muertos is a time to celebrate and pay respects to deceased loved ones, and this year Santa Rosa Junior College is hosting a Zoom Altar-making workshop for anyone who would like to participate.  Local...

Podcasting Editor Jonathan Bigall is joined by Editor Michael Combs and Staff Writers Maritza Camacho and Emma Molloy come together after watching the last Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and...

Podcasting Editor Jonathan Bigall is joined by Willow Ornellas, Cass Stewart and Michael Combs to discuss propositions on the California Ballot for 2020 in the third episode of our limited series of podcasts...

The evacuation call came at 7:47 p.m. Sunday evening Sept. 27 for Sophia Ginsberg, 18, an environmental science major at SRJC. The Shady Fire had erupted and was approaching the back of her family’s...

Roughly 100 people marched from Putnam Plaza through downtown Petaluma Saturday, Oct. 3 in support of Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement. The march began in Putnam Plaza and moved through...

Podcasting Editor Jonathan Bigall is joined by Editor Mike Combs and Staff Writer Priscilla Navas to discuss the Vice Presidential debate between Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence in...

U.S. House Rep. Jared Huffman visited The Oak Leaf Oct. 6 to answer questions about his platform for reelection to California's 2nd Congressional District. He spent 2 hours with the staff sharing his perspective...

The U.S. Department of Education awarded Santa Rosa Junior College a nearly $3 million grant with goals of increasing academic preparedness and degree and certification completion among Latinx and low-income...

After watching the first Presidential Debate of 2020, Editor Mike Combs along with Staff Writers Maritza Camacho, Emma Molloy and Cass Stewart discuss over Zoom what transpired and shared their personal...

4:50 p.m. Thursday As the Glass Fire continues to rage in Sonoma and Napa counties, residents are urged to stay prepared for evacuation. A lot of students feel anxious, triggered from past fires...

Dakota McGranahan, the recently ousted Santa Rosa Junior College student body president, fought back Monday in a Student Government Assembly (SGA) meeting, alleging the college conducted a flawed investigation...

SRJC officials announced on Aug. 27 that the school would be continuing remote instruction through the Spring 2021 semester, which has evoked strong reactions from students and staff. Several students...

The Oak Leaf: Hi West, thanks for joining us. Can you tell us about yourself and Young Americans for Liberty?  West Below: I am SRJC chapter president and free speech coordinator for Young Americans...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s libertarian student group hosted a Q&A session Sept. 7 discussing the federal and state coronavirus response and whether the restrictions represented governmental overreach...

Fire season is upon us, so it is important to be prepared for what lies ahead.  A lot of students feel anxious, triggered from past fires and the threat of new ones. Having a plan may help alleviate...

Santa Rosa Junior College faculty and staff were outraged Tuesday at an incendiary response sent to English instructor Lauren Servais’s invitation to a justice, equity, diversity and inclusion-centered...

Santa Rosa Junior College announced that classes will continue online only through the Spring 2021 semester due to the coronavirus pandemic, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong said in an email Thursday.  Dr....

The Oak Leaf will provide ongoing updates related to the Lightning Complex fires in Sonoma and Napa counties. Check back here for new information.  Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2:20 p.m. Santa Rosa Junior...

A student in one of Santa Rosa Junior College’s public health and safety programs tested positive for COVID-19, the first positive case confirmed on the Santa Rosa campus, SRJC authorities said Thursday...

A restaurant worker, class valedictorian and a nurse all come from different worlds, but are brought together by one thing: how the reality of their lives and jobs changed during the COVID-19 health and...

The end of May is typically a time when parents and supporters gather on the quad under a bright blue sky to watch Santa Rosa Junior College students walk across the graduation stage, sometimes as the...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Summer Repertory Theater Festival is one of the many programs affected by the pandemic, and although we won’t be getting to see any plays this summer, SRT is not gone for...

In the aftermath of the news Thursday afternoon that Santa Rosa Junior College will be online only through fall 2020, faculty and staff appeared just as blindsided as students by the decision, though their...

Student responses to the announcement that Santa Rosa Junior College classes will be held entirely online for the fall 2020 semester ranged from disappointed to furious. SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong...

As a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the federal government awarded Santa Rosa Junior College $3 million in emergency aid for students in need, SRJC President Dr....

Students with free time this weekend can support SRJC students and other community college students during this pandemic by joining a meditation session or a dance party on Zoom. The next meeting times,...

Santa Rosa Junior College will continue to operate online through the end of the Fall 2020 semester due to the coronavirus pandemic, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong announced Thursday. With fall scheduling...

Santa Rosa Junior College students voted in a new slate of student government representatives  through remote online voting. Dakota McGranahan, current vice president of student life, was elected as...

The Oak Leaf News and Oak Leaf Magazine won a lucky 13 state awards, including a first place statewide in Online General Excellence and a first-time award for Magazine General Excellence from three journalism...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s districtwide movement to ban single use plastics took another step forward April 5 when the Student Senate representing 115 California Community Colleges approved a resolution...

In a nod to gender inclusivity, the Student Senate representing all 115 California Community Colleges adopted last month a resolution encouraging colleges to provide space in student registration portals...

In its first ever virtual board meeting, the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to allow students to switch from letter grades to “pass or no pass” at any time during the...

Now through midnight Friday, Santa Rosa Junior College students can log into their student portals to vote for the college’s 2020-2021 student government representatives.  The election will decide...

Santa Rosa Junior College health services, academic counseling and tutoring, career guidance, financial aid, emergency assistance and more than a dozen other student services as they adapt to online learning.  These...

The California Community Colleges chancellor announced Tuesday that CSUs and UCs will accept for transfer both pass/no pass grading and incomplete credits and that the state will make an additional $300...

California Governor Gavin Newsom discussed the state's multiphase plan to handle the expected peak of COVID-19 cases in mid-May at a press conference in Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena on April 6.  “Phase...

Need a laptop or Wi-Fi? Santa Rosa Junior College and other organizations are providing free resources for students to help with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.  SRJC officials announced...

The students sat in class — or what constitutes class these days — with laptops open on kitchen counters and socked feet propped on coffee tables. Their instructor, a recognizable figure in the North...

A beloved English instructor and influential force at Santa Rosa Junior College whose last name was transformed into a verb describing the effective yet beautiful use of language died after a two-year...

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Santa Rosa Junior College will stay online through the end of the semester on May 23 and has canceled all events through that date, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong announced...

Santa Rosa Junior College will switch to remote instruction indefinitely starting March 30, SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong announced in a press release Friday. SRJC will support the switch to online...

The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) announced Thursday the remainder of the 2020 spring sports season will be canceled, and athletes on spring sports teams will be eligible to...

The grand reopening of Santa Rosa Junior College’s Burbank Auditorium brought students, faculty and alumni alike through inviting doors to celebrate the updated building. “We’re really here, aren’t...

The following musings from The Oak Leaf staff describe life in Sonoma County during the coronavirus outbreak. Check back for rolling updates. Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:30 p.m. Kayla Beaton: I...

In an interview today, SRJC president Dr. Frank Chong discussed the college’s decision to temporarily close the campus and shut down all school-affiliated activities through the end of this weekend and...

How you think about your own body may affect your mental health, according to a March 5 presentation and panel discussion held by the SRJC PEERS Coalition. The PEERS Coalition is a Student Health Services...

The Swedish Entrepreneurship program that brings Swedish exchange students to Santa Rosa Junior College each year has been put on hiatus this spring semester due to rising concerns over the novel coronavirus.  Nineteen...

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19 The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) announced Thursday the remainder of the 2020...

Santa Rosa Junior College informed students and faculty about to return home from the terminated study abroad program in Florence, Italy, that they would be prohibited from returning to campus for two...

The 2020 U.S. Census is coming up, and it can be difficult to participate in a democracy that you don’t fully understand. This Oak Leaf guide explains the U.S. Census, held every 10 years. What is...

Shelves are barren of masks and disinfectants as the ever-growing fear of COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus, has started spreading here in the North Bay. At the Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Sonoma...

Santa Rosa Junior College officials updated the school’s response to a potential coronavirus outbreak within the community Tuesday, a day after Sonoma County Department of Health Services declared a...

Despite assurances last week that the program would continue, Santa Rosa Junior College study abroad students and faculty in Florence, Italy, woke up this morning to the unexpected news that their program...

Santa Rosa Junior College students studying abroad in Florence, Italy learned Tuesday that many of their planned activities, such as museum tours and weekend trips to Venice and Milan, have been cancelled...

Sonoma County Department of Health (SCDH) officials said Feb. 5 that the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in California is low, while SRJC Student Health Services (SHS) continue to monitor the...

Among the homeless residents of the Joe Rodota Trail are a variety of characters; there’s the bike fixer, the guitar player, the runner and the lounger. And among those 260 residents, each their own...

Imagine you’re settling down for a night’s rest after a long day. Your body aches. A foul stench permeates your tent. You’re yearning for a moment of peace. “VROOM!” roars a semi as it barrels...

Protesters from the North Bay Socialists of America coupled with Sonoma County bureaucracy and the realities on the trail brought plans to remove residents of the Joe Rodota Trail Jan. 29 to a screeching...

Nikki and Bailey have known each other for four years, and they are best friends. Bailey showed up on Nikki’s doorstep while she was living in the Midwest, and Nikki has taken care of her ever since....

On the Joe Rodota trail, a strong shelter makes all the difference in the world. In Sonoma County’s largest unofficial homeless encampment, there are dozens of different styles of shelter. Though the...

Chayo Avarez is not homeless, but spends enough time along the trail that residents recognize her. Wearing gloves and galoshes, Alvaro spends hours searching for pennies, with each coin tallying toward...

Seth Hagedon, 58, walks up to strangers, puts his arm over the shoulder, and begins telling jokes. “What do you do with a cow with no legs?...Ground beef!” His outgoing demeanor becomes less surprising...

Steve, 33, is an addict. He says he’s tried AA but “doing crystal meth helped me stop drinking.” He has been to a couple of informational meetings about what to do about the Joe Rodota trail, but...

Three years ago, feeling despondent, Tina, 50, planned to dress in black and walk in front of a semi truck that night. Fate intervened when a friend found a stray Chihuahua and gave it to her, saying,...

Sonoma County authorities and nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul are nearing completion of 60 temporary homes and a support system for the most vulnerable homeless living along the Joe Rodota Trail, according...

I went down to the homeless encampment on the Joe Rodota Trail yesterday and handed out a case of candy bars. It was a good excuse to get out of the house and do something worthwhile for a change. I talked...

The City of Santa Rosa and the County of Sonoma are failing their homeless residents, again. Despite the “hunger for change” and a community that is “on board and invested in solutions,” as...

Coverage of Sonoma County's homelessness crisis and the people who live on the trail.

The third annual Santa Rosa Women’s March brought together a diverse group to rally for reproductive and equal rights for women, advocate for freeing asylum seekers and protest the Trump administration's...

Santa Rosa Junior College received $7.12 million from the Department of Commerce Monday morning to build a vocational training center for careers in construction and related trades on the JC's Petaluma...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Board of Trustees formed an ad-hoc committee Dec. 10 to investigate the conduct of Trustee Don Edgar after the California Bar Association charged him with 14 counts of misappropriation...

Santa Rosa Junior College's Santa Rosa campus and Southwest Center are closed for the remainder of Tuesday, Nov. 26, after the power went out due to a heavy rainstorm blanketing Santa Rosa. The power...

Santa Rosa Junior College Southwest Center was closed 3:30 p.m. Tuesday until the end of the day due to an underground vault rupture in southwest Santa Rosa, according to campus authorities. All classes...

The hills of Sonoma County will be alive with “The Sound of Music” from Nov. 22 to Dec. 8! Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts Department students will perform the classic Broadway musical “The...

Santa Rosa Junior College hired W. John “J” Mullineaux as Executive Director of the SRJC Foundation beginning Tuesday. The SRJC Foundation holds over $64 million, including the $57 million SRJC...

In the last year, 72% of Santa Rosa Junior College students have experienced some sort of basic needs insecurity. This week, SRJC will be hosting a series of events on our campus that aim to raise awareness...

A Santa Rosa Junior College student using an Emeritus Hall restroom Tuesday caught a peeping tom moaning while filming him through a hole in the stall’s door, but police were unable to find and arrest...

Santa Rosa Junior College students took shelter in some classrooms with malfunctioning, broken or non-existent locks during a campus lockdown Oct. 22, despite years of safety committees and administration...

Santa Rosa Fire Department put out a garage fire started by a clothing dryer malfunction today on Gloria Drive in Santa Rosa.  Residents were scared when Santa Rosa Fire Department arrived on the scene...

For more coverage of the Kincade Fire, click here.

Firecrews struggled Thursday afternoon to contain the blazes that stretched along Alexander Valley Road all the way through Dry Creek Rancheria, including a possible hazardous materials fire outside River...

Santa Rosa Junior College students share their thoughts about Kincade fire and its influence on student life. Extra footage by Téa Lindsey and Abraham Fuentes For more coverage of the Kincade...

As the Kincade fire rages in Geyserville, Santa Rosa Junior College students fear for their community yet again. “You can feel the vibe switch instantly,” said Joseph Astobiza. “Everyone goes...

The Oak Leaf will provide ongoing updates on Sonoma County’s Kincade fire. Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1:49 p.m. Santa Rosa Junior College is unable to disburse financial aid funds to financial aid recipients...

The 17-year-old suspect in the Ridgway High School shooting this morning put the gun in a backpack, gave it to a fellow student and returned to class, Santa Rosa Police Department Captain John Cregan told...

Santa Rosa Junior college student and faculty comment on Ridgway High School shooter after campus lockdown.

Santa Rosa Junior College locked down its Santa Rosa campus Tuesday morning after one student at neighboring Ridgway High School shot another, disposed of the weapon, then slid back into class where he...

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office awarded Santa Rosa Junior College $460,000 to expand online pathways for career and technical education and to help create more  fully-online courses...

Santa Rosa Junior College students responded to a second day of aborted fetal imagery by playing games and music in the quad right next to the pro-life activists from Project Truth.  Student Government...

Santa Rosa Junior College District Police arrested a student Oct.15 on battery charges after he kicked a member of pro-life group Project Truth during a verbal encounter. Ethan Hunt, 19 is a Santa Rosa...

Anti-abortion group Project Truth spread their pro-life message and promoted free speech at  Santa Rosa Junior College Tuesday morning armed with posters, signs and literature featuring aborted fetal...

Santa Rosa Junior College kicked off its seventh-annual Shone Farm Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, opening its doors at 10 a.m. with fun-filled rides, games and festivities for the local community.  Guests...

An exhibit at Santa Rosa Junior College, “Beyond Stereotypes: Native Americans Restyle the Comic Book Universe,” opens Oct. 15 at the Jesse Peter Multicultural Museum and will display a compilation...

Linda Lau, instructor of Santa Rosa Junior College’s Older Adult Program, looked deeply into the lives of domestic workers by examining the cultural impacts of the films “A Simple Life” and “The...

Santa Rosa Junior College People Empowering others to Realize Success Coalition (PEERS) will conduct a stress and sleep workshop from 4–6 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Bertolini Student Center to help students...

Santa Rosa Junior College announced an indefinite all-campus closure starting Wednesday Oct. 9 due to PG&E’s announcement of a multi-county power shut-off. The shut-offs start at midnight tonight...

The Santa Rosa City Council unanimously approved a $15 minimum wage that will go into effect for major employers July 1, 2020 within the jurisdiction of the city on Oct. 1 after Santa Rosa Junior College...

Blind Scream Haunted House returns from the dead its tenth consecutive year on Oct. 11 with a new location by Santa Rosa Plaza.  Blind Scream will introduce a new haunted house this year. “Witch...

Young people across the Bay Area skipped classes Sept. 20 and descended upon the streets of San Francisco as part of a global climate strike to demand a habitable Earth and livable future.  A crowd...

Approximately 2,000 people marched at noon Friday on Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa in solidarity with students and activists across the country to demand serious action on climate change. The rally lasted...

Santa Rosa Junior College students and faculty will gather in the quad in solidarity with climate activists across the world Friday, Sept. 20 before marching to Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa. The...

A four-story student housing complex will finally be a reality for 378 Santa Rosa Junior College students campus officials revealed at a Sept. 11 open house.  The project is expected to break ground...

Santa Rosa Junior College District Police arrested a Petaluma man who authorities say assaulted a female student in front of Analy Hall Thursday afternoon as she stood on the stairs with another student. Ernesto...

A special installation featuring the Santa Rosa Junior College art department faculty’s own work will  run from Sept. 16 to Oct. 17 at the Robert F. Agrella Gallery. The opening reception will take...

Free pizza and a live DJ attracted hundreds of Santa Rosa Junior College students to annual Club Day Wednesday afternoon, with over 20 clubs represented. Clubs with interests as diverse as economics and...

Santa Rosa Junior College Professor Jeanette Ben Farhat held the first study abroad meeting for students interested in the Spring 2020 trip to Florence, Italy on Aug. 28.  Ben Farhat painted the vibrant...

Santa Rosa Junior College is getting a facelift with four new and continuing projects for the Santa Rosa campus. Burbank Auditorium, Bailey Field and Zumwalt Parking Garage received upgrades while...

Faculty and students gathered to watch President Frank Chong and Dean of Public Safety April Chapman slice through red ribbon at the opening of a new multi-purpose building at the SRJC Public Safety Training...

Over the summer, Santa Rosa Junior College became the first community college in California to develop a CBD-focused hemp agriculture program on campus with the goal of launching the program for students...

Hidden Valley Lake resident Morgan Lewis, 45, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter during a hearing at the Sonoma County Superior Courthouse on July 9 and agreed to serve four years for his role...

Santa Rosa High School and Santa Rosa Junior College students were placed on lockdown around 10 a.m. Friday after reports that a student was on the high school campus with a gun. SRPD Lt. Ryan Corcoran...

Oak Leaf staff members past and present are mourning the loss of Thomas De Alba, former sports editor and co-editor-in-chief known for his huge heart, fearless reporting and bold, candid and confident...

In a competitively driven workforce college students need as much exposure and experience as possible, but not all college campuses provide a large variety of tools to help their students land their ideal...

Two men robbed and assaulted two Santa Rosa Junior College students last night in the southern parking lot of the SRJC Southwest Campus before fleeing the area in a dark colored SUV. Santa Rosa police...

The Sonoma County Jail released Santa Rosa Junior College student Brandon Cortes, arrested on charges of sexual assault, battery and sodomy on March 14, after prosecutors announced they would not file...

Cross international waters. Stroll down cobblestone pathways at dusk. Clink wine glasses as your eyes wander onto the Ponte Vecchio while the sun takes its final bow. Many college students see international...

Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta challenged people to step into action Monday, speaking to a standing-room-only audience in Newman Auditorium on the Santa Rosa campus. The...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly announced the results of the spring 2019 election in a Bearfacts email to students on Monday. The online poll and in-person voting booths were...

Hands spoke louder than words in the Newman Auditorium as a master American Sign Language (ASL) storyteller engaged the audience with poems and advanced signing techniques. National Theatre of the...

Students piled into Carole L. Ellis Auditorium to listen to UC Santa Barbara professor Dr. Victor Rios, a professor and award winning author, discuss Latinx students and community involvement issues during...

Housing developer Servitas presented to the Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees Tuesday afternoon final plans for a 360-bed student housing building to be completed by August 2022. Representatives...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees approved a 230-unit student housing building and an incremental wage increase to get student-employee wages to $15 by July 2020, Tuesday afternoon in...

Silence filled the room for a brief moment as a group of candle-bearing students and faculty revived Take Back the Night and paused to acknowledge the strength and suffering of survivors of sexual violence....

Faculty across several overlapping departments are hoping the new Digital Media Suites at Doyle library on the Santa Rosa campus will become “sticky spaces”—places where students will hang around...

In a contentious 5-4 vote, the Santa Rosa Junior College Student Government Assembly chose not to pass a constitutional amendment April 1 that would have created a new SGA officer’s position and added...

Not another one. This was the thought Samantha Rivas, 17, had as she first saw flames engulf the upper story of her apartment complex. Rivas has lived at the apartment complex for three-and-a-half...

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) gave Santa Rosa Junior College $50,000 on Feb. 1 to start the Spirit of Entrepreneurship program for students who have taken the BMG 100 Entrepreneurial Business Plan class and...

Update: According to MEChA advisor Rafael Vázquez, the SRJC Board of Trustees will seek to approve their proposal of an increase in student-employee wages, despite MEChA's declination to support the...

Petaluma police arrested a 19-year-old Santa Rosa Junior College student on felony charges of rape, sodomy and sexual battery in Petaluma as he was enroute to SRJC this morning. An SRJC student reported...

Santa Rosa Junior College District Police alerted students and residents near Elliott Avenue of a suspected gunman at a home in the nearby neighborhood late Wednesday night.   SRPD Sgt. Christopher...

A former Santa Rosa Junior College instructor and survivor of sexual assault discussed psychological practices to help victims recover from sexual assault and gave supportive ideas to those who might know...

A  Santa Rosa Junior College’s administrator told Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) the cost to increase all student-employee wages would be too expensive due to current budget cuts. Kate...

Santa Rosa Junior College students can expect a smoother transfer to Sonoma State University thanks to its new reduction policies for impacted majors, SSU staff announced at a meeting Feb. 28 in Plover...

A Santa Rosa Junior College Umoja coordinator captured the attention of a packed house while he passionately engaged them during a Black History Month presentation where he spoke about the rebellious and...

A combination of high living expenses, low student-worker wages and a lack of financial aid threatens the academic future of many Santa Rosa Junior College students. To improve their prospects, student-workers...

The Santa Rosa Junior College’s Dream Center is celebrating its re-opening from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Santa Rosa campus in Plover Hall room 539 and will now offer free legal services as part its...

Sonoma County residents experienced several road closures on Feb. 14 when a super-storm flooded the area. Many locals drove past road closure signs and braved the flooded roads despite Nixle alerts...

A Santa Rosa based photojournalist shared his photos and experiences documenting the lives of a Santa Rosa homeless couple noon Monday in the Newman Auditorium. Fifty students attended the presentation,...

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees unanimously approved Tuesday an early retirement incentive (ERI) in an attempt to trim and balance the school’s budget in the coming year. The decision,...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Santa Rosa student store unveiled an updated look this semester after undergoing its first renovation since 1978, according to the group that operates the store on the JC’s...

Santa Rosa Junior College informed students via email that all campuses will remain open today, despite multiple road closures and county-wide flooding. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office issued the...

Santa Rosa Junior College honored Black History Month by embracing intersectionality Wednesday at the Girvin Student Activity Center for a screening of “The Pushouts,” a documentary flipping the narrative...

Santa Rosa Junior College students have a broad spectrum of new opportunities for digital media creation available through the Doyle library: recording music, creating green screen composited videos, converting...

Santa Rosa Junior College social science instructor Chris Collins explored the connection between 19th century slaves’ resistance to bondage and what we can learn from those slaves during his lecture...

Dr. Frank Chong, President of Santa Rosa Junior College, stressed the importance of learning about one’s cultural identity during the “Porch Talk with the President” held at noon on Feb. 5 at the...

Santa Rosa Junior College District Police arrested an SRJC student Wednesday afternoon after receiving reports he harassed female students in online classes he claimed to be auditing. Police found him...

Students of Santa Rosa Junior College were excited at the possibility of waking up to snow Tuesday morning, for the first time since early 2002, after checking the weather Monday night. Only a select...

Student filmmakers are invited to show off their talent this spring at the 2019 Sonoma County Student Film Festival, hosted by Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma Student Life. Open to students of all...

Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong on Thursday announced new measures intended to protect the JC in the event of future armed-intruder incidents. The improvements include the installation...

In the 25 minutes between an email that alerted Santa Rosa Junior College to a “subject with a gun on the Santa Rosa campus” and the district police’s issuance of an all-clear, students, faculty...

A female student falsely reported Thursday an armed relative was on Santa Rosa Junior College’s Santa Rosa campus “coming to kill” her, police said. After a campus lockdown and the evacuation...

Haehl Pavilion gymnasium was evacuated Wednesday night at approximately 6:20 p.m. when a transformer explosion caused a college-wide power outage at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Santa Rosa campus....

The Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees juggled a full agenda for the final meeting this semester, hearing student concerns over reduced library hours, honoring an employee of the month and saying...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Jessica Mendoza has too much to do and too little time. Between working 36 hours a week at a restaurant in Rohnert Park, taking nine units at SRJC and making time...

Multiple SRJC employees received a threatening email Thursday morning as part of what police are reporting as a global scam. Santa Rosa Junior College District Police Chief Robert Brownlee confirmed...

Skyrocketing rents. Soaring health insurance premiums. Unbridled college debt. Do these trends spell the end of Sonoma County’s middle class? Not if Frank Cuneo can help it. It all comes down to decent-paying...

SRJC’s Student Government Assembly (SGA) approved a solution Nov. 26 to a $14,000 staff salary deficit caused by a recently approved 6 percent staff salary increase. Last February, the Service Employees...

Santa Rosa Junior College student Joshua Torres saw a tractor-trailer arrive and start to unload passengers. The container had been modified to hold a second deck of people, and he counted around 75 climb...

Authorities arrested a Santa Rosa Junior College police academy cadet on Nov. 21 on felony child pornography charges. The arrest was part of a larger regional investigation. Ryan Andrew Imschweiler,...

Student trustee Robert Martinez announced the creation of the Student Trustee Advisory Group, making his mark on an otherwise sleepy Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees meeting. In light of...

Santa Rosa Junior College students have suffered headaches, nausea, fatigue, nosebleeds, asthma attacks and even PTSD over the past week due to smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County. Campus closures...

Santa Rosa Junior College has announced plans to build student housing on the Santa Rosa campus by fall 2022. In August 2017, SRJC established a housing work force to discuss options for providing affordable...

Santa Rosa Junior College is closed Nov. 8 and 9 due to poor air quality from the Butte County fire north of Chico. Director of District and Community Relations Erin Bricker emailed students Thursday...

Democrats secured the House of Representatives and flipped several states Tuesday night in an election that produced a historical amount of voters and elected a record number of minorities into office. An...

School officials spotlighted Santa Rosa Junior College’s role as a community leader in sustainability when they recognized the completion of its 1.8 megawatts solar array project on Nov. 6. The ribbon-cutting...

The Oak Leaf brought home a baker’s dozen of awards – many for online and multimedia content — from the Journalism Association of Community College’s NorCal conference Nov. 3. Some 187 delegates...

Santa Rosa Junior College will launch a Santa Rosa campus-focused app at the start of the 2019 spring semester while also adding new features to the existing Petaluma campus app. The SRJC campus app...

An SRJC student reported that a man grabbed her buttocks in Shuhaw Hall  at 5:49 p.m. on Oct. 29. The woman told police she was leaving the restroom when a man approached her and grabbed her. She...

The Santa Rosa Junior College District Police released the annual Clery Report showing all crimes committed on SRJC’s campuses over the past three years. The federal Clery Act requires all colleges...

Artificial intelligence is no longer a sci-fi movie trope—it’s here and it’s at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution. Businesses are wising up, hiring smart and investing in artificial...

The Santa Rosa Junior College community is mourning the loss of cherished communications instructor Janis Wright, who leaves behind a 27-year legacy of teaching public speaking at the college. After a...

Santa Rosa Junior College’s College to Career (C2C) program leads California in helping intellectually disabled or autistic students attend college and find jobs afterward, according to the agency that...

Faculty members questioned why they were not promptly notified of an armed robbery near Bech Hall Thursday evening that took place when some had classes in session. District Police sent an advisory...

Two male suspects robbed a female student at gunpoint around 8 p.m. Oct 11 near Bech Hall at Santa Rosa Junior College. The student told the SRJC District Police officers the men approached her from...

Community members gathered on a blocked-off Hopper Avenue on Oct. 9 for the “One Year Remembrance Gathering” in observation of the Tubb’s fire that burned more than 5,000 homes and killed more...