Risk of coronavirus spread low in California among seven confirmed cases

Luke Morrow, News Editor

February 11, 2020

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 situation. There are 13 confirmed cases in the US, seven of which are in California: two in Santa Clara Coun...

“It’s not terrible out here, but it sucks”: The youngest couple on the Joe Rodota Trail 

Edgar Soria Garcia, Magazine Editor

January 31, 2020

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 character, are Zayin and Aurora, who are believed to be the youngest on the trail.  Zayin, 20, a...

The sounds of the Joe Rodota Trail

James Domizio and Alex Fuller, Oak Leaf Staff

January 30, 2020

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 down Highway 12. “CHOP! CHOP! CHOP!” screams a helicopter as it flies overhead. The Joe...

What do trail residents want?

Nick Vides and Alden Nichols

January 30, 2020

Planned removal of homeless on Joe Rodota Trail delayed

Zane Zinkl, Editor-in-Chief

January 29, 2020

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 halt.  When armed officers of the Santa Rosa Police Department and Sonoma County Parks and Recrea...

Owning a house pet — without the house

Kayla Beaton and Jonathan Bigall, Oak Leaf Staff

January 29, 2020

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. After moving in together, they road-tripped cross country to California. Now they live together on the J...

Carefully Constructed: Trail residents build meaning into their shelters

Ian MacGregor, Sports Editor

January 29, 2020

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 primary goal is to build a safe and comfortable structure, residents’ creativity shines through in th...

Humans of the Joe Rodota Trail: Chayo

Lauren A. Spates, Editor

January 28, 2020

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 one prayer she’ll say for the homeless. “See how dirty that penny is?” she asked. “But it’s...

Humans of the Joe Rodota Trail: Seth

Mike Combs, Staff Writer

January 28, 2020

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 as he shares some of his life with us, from going to kindergarten with Eddie and Alex Van H...

Humans of the Joe Rodota Trail: Steve

Oak Leaf Staff

January 28, 2020

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 feels that no one cares about the homeless or listens to them. Steve hates the idea of living in...

Humans of the Joe Rodota Trail: Tina

Jacqueline Gutierrez, Staff Writer

January 28, 2020

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, “You need it as much as it needs you.” She named her Little Momma because the dog barked after Tin...

County readies services, 60 temporary houses for homeless on Joe Rodota Trail

Luke Morrow, News Editor

January 28, 2020

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 to officials who opened the site for media tours last week.  The homes were built on an empty lot at what...