A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

A student-operated publication at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The Oak Leaf

The American Flag on the field of Levi Stadium. Fans disagreed over which player would be the better starting quarterback for the team, with Lance fans arguing he had more raw potential while Purdy fans claimed he was the more stable option for the team in its current state as they are in pursuit of a Super Bowl victory.

Opinion: The 49ers did wrong by Trey Lance, and that’s OK

Rosemary Cromwell, Reporter September 10, 2023

It is my wholehearted belief that the end result of this debacle is the best possible result for all parties involved. For the uninitiated, I will try and provide a brief summary of the situation. In...

SRJC student Noah McSweeney writes by using a letterboard with letters that he can point at to spell words his communication partner can write down. Using this format in his SRJC writing classes, McSweeney has learned to write long, in-depth essays and now collaborates with other “spellers” to write songs and poetry.

Autism action comes to you: Guest column by Noah McSweeney

Noah McSweeney, Special to The Oak Leaf April 18, 2023

I am giving myself lots of compassion these days to support my mental health. Today I told myself how far I have come and that I am capable of writing this article. Writing is challenging when I have so...

Angélica Garcia prioritizes connection with students and attention to underrepresented communities at SRJC.

The Oak Leaf endorses Dr. Angélica Garcia to be SRJC’s 6th president

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board March 30, 2023

With Santa Rosa Junior College President Dr. Frank Chong’s retirement looming at the end of the Spring 2023 semester, The Oak Leaf is proud to endorse Dr. Angélica Garcia to replace him in Fall 2023,...

Californians will return to the ballot box on Nov. 8 to vote on numerous propositions that include womens rights, online gambling and the banning of flavored cigarettes.

The 2022 Oak Leaf Editorial Board Proposition Recommendations

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board October 24, 2022

Californians will vote in the California General Election Nov. 8, and The Oak Leaf Editorial Board has researched each proposition and formed our recommendations on how to vote on this year's propositions. Proposition...

Noah McSweeney, 21, is an unreliably speaking autistic student at Santa Rosa Junior College who uses a letterboard to spell his thoughts.

Be an autism ally: Guest column by Noah McSweeney

Noah McSweeney, Special to The Oak Leaf April 28, 2022

Have you ever tried to talk but your words came out different than you intended? Have you ever wanted to share your many ideas but could not? This is my daily conundrum. I like to rise to tell others about...

a screenshot of the battle pass screen in the game Halo: Infinite highlighting the helmet and other paid items alongside a couple free items.

Opinion: Battle passes need to go

Stephen Howe, Reporter April 14, 2022

Ever since “Fortnite” dropped in 2017, battle passes have become a staple in “games-as-a-service” and free-to-play games. Conceptually, they work, but battle passes are becoming more disruptive...

a photo after sunset of the Guardians of the Galaxy tower ride behind a futuristic railway at Disneylands California Adventure.

Disney Genie Plus: Theme park timesaver

Tony Moeckel, Reporter April 7, 2022

Disney theme park fans have lit up social media griping over Disney's new paid line-skipping service, Genie+, but the service is an effective way to save time in the theme parks.  Genie+ debuted Dec....

A shot of the BottleRock main stage during the day as Jimmy Eat World plays to a packed audience.

Opinion: Live music fans, check your venue’s COVID protocols before chasing that long-awaited concert high

La Reva Myles, Reporter October 11, 2021

With COVID-19 variants giving us false starts about when and how it’s safe to get together again in large crowds to enjoy live music, reviewing health and safety regulations at live concerts has become...

A Santa Rosa Junior College Student Health Services sign pointing to where students can receive COVID vaccines.

SRJC’s vaccine mandate was implemented too late

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board October 8, 2021

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board fully supports the Board of Trustees’ Sept. 14 decision to require vaccines for all students, staff and faculty for the Spring 2022 semester, but believe the Santa Rosa Junior...

A photo edit that combines an image of California Gov. Gavin Newsom with a photo of conservative radio host and candidate to replace Newsom, Larry Elder.

The Oak Leaf advises students vote no on Newsom recall

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board September 10, 2021

The result of the Sept. 14 recall election will determine whether California continues to navigate the COVID-19 crisis using science, support public programs like expanded early childhood education and...

Opinion: Pay the players

Opinion: Pay the players

Harvey Rouleau IV, Reporter May 18, 2021

Just weeks ago, UCLA Men’s Basketball played Gonzaga in the Final Four, a particularly sweet accomplishment for a storied program that hasn’t reached the semifinals since 2008. Those particular Bruins...

A person sits at a desk taking notes and watching a lecture on their computer screen.

SRJC should embrace a hybrid digital-and-in-person learning model — in perpetuity

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board March 11, 2021

There’s no return to education normalcy in our immediate future, thanks to an abysmally slow vaccine rollout that at the current rate would take as long as two years to vaccinate everyone in Sonoma County....

All U.S. citizens should be able to pass the naturalization test that is required for immigrants to obtain citizenship.

Opinion: I don’t want ignorant people making decisions that affect my life

Michael Combs, Editor February 9, 2021

A confession: when I started voting, I entered the booth and filled out bubbles because I felt I was expected to. At first, I submitted my ballot incomplete and left what I didn’t know blank, but...

Biden did his part, let’s do ours: How to kick Trumpism to the curb

Biden did his part, let’s do ours: How to kick Trumpism to the curb

Lauren A. Spates, Staff Writer January 20, 2021

Inauguration Day is typically heralded as a beginning and while, yes, this year’s installment represents a welcome change in federal leadership, Americans would be foolish to assume this beginning implies...

What we learned from 2020

What we learned from 2020

Oak Leaf Editorial Board January 16, 2021

As we leave behind 2020, let’s reflect on what we’ve learned from the worst year of the century—so far. The pandemic has forced us to change how we live and while we would love to leave that all...

For his inciting role in yesterdays incident at Capitol Hill, the President must be removed from office.

The President incited a terrorist attack yesterday

Oak Leaf Editorial Board January 7, 2021

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board is vehemently opposed to the events that unfolded on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol Building. Yesterday, the president directly incited an insurrection against the United States...

Opinion: Alex Smith deserves the 2020 NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award

Opinion: Alex Smith deserves the 2020 NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award

Nick Vides, Editor-in-Chief January 5, 2021

After suffering a compound leg fracture on Nov. 18, 2018, Washington Football Team’s Quarterback Alex Smith was facing a life or death battle with sepsis after his fracture became infected.  “At...

Elementary school students are struggling to stay engaged in online Zoom classes.

Opinion: Why online learning is more difficult for elementary school students than college students

Maritza Camacho, Staff Writer December 10, 2020

Since the pandemic started, Sonoma County classrooms have switched to online learning. As college students, we think we have it the hardest by trying to teach ourselves this entire semester while Zoom...

Despite tone-deaf decisions made by the Recording Academy this year, they remain a relevant cultural force in the music industry.

Opinion: The Grammys are (unfortunately) still relevant

Tucker Lang, Staff Writer December 10, 2020

As per usual, people are up in arms regarding several decisions the Grammy Awards made this year. From nominations and snubs to subtly racist behavior and categories, the Recording Academy is getting a...

Left-handed people make up 10% of the worlds population, but the world doesnt make enough accommodations for lefties.

Opinion: The world needs to be more left-handed

Willow Ornellas, Staff Writer December 10, 2020

Living in a right-handed society as a left-handed person has become a physical burden. It’s time to stop instilling myths and discriminatory ideals against left-handed people. Ten percent of the population...

With election results yet to be finalized, Trump fights for a fair and honest election.

Opinion: Trump will concede the election — if results are fair

Priscilla Terry, Staff Writer November 4, 2020

Concern over Trump exercising his presidential authority was a common talking point among the political left, where many believed he wouldn't concede to a peaceful transfer of power if he were to lose...

Opinion: Rep. Huffman ignites fear of fascism at the hands of President Trump

Priscilla Terry, Staff Writer October 30, 2020

During a Zoom endorsement hearing with The Oak Leaf, Rep. Jared Huffman of California’s 2nd District called President Trump an authoritarian leader and instilled the notion that if he wins, it’s because...

When your vote doesnt directly decide the winner of the Presidential election, does your vote still matter?

Opinion: “Your vote doesn’t matter” — A response

Priscilla Terry, Staff Writer October 7, 2020

A former classmate of mine once told me, “Your vote doesn’t even matter. It’s the Electoral College that ultimately chooses our president.” As a young student, I was taken aback. His statement...

Students, faculty and citizens gather outside the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office June 6, just a week after the killing of George Floyd.

Do more: SRJC’s Black community speaks out

James Domizio, Editor-in-Chief September 16, 2020

This is a time of great social upheaval. A time where the world’s most militarized police force is exacting violence on Black people across the country.  During a global movement, it can be hard...

Opinion: A love letter to pre-corona America

Opinion: A love letter to pre-corona America

Jonathan Bigall, Staff Writer September 5, 2020

I never realized how much I loved the American way of life until COVID-19 took away our civility, our mutual respect and our sense of normalcy. When the country does eventually open back up, I will never...

While the Golden State is well-loved for its temperate weather, living in California is akin to playing with fire.

California: Waiting in heaven for hell to arrive

Oak Leaf Editorial Board September 1, 2020

When it comes to pursuing education after high school, everyone wants to be in California. The state is home to a broad assortment of college options both public and private, and California graduates...

Opinion: What I gained from two coronavirus outbreaks

Opinion: What I gained from two coronavirus outbreaks

Riley Palmer, Special to the Oak Leaf June 16, 2020

Getting on a plane from Florence, Italy back to San Francisco wearing dish gloves was not how I thought my study abroad experience would end. At 4 a.m March 11, I arrived at the Florence airport with...

A recent Whole Foods customer caviled to me about how she was one of Amazon Prime Now’s best customers, but now, because the pandemic prohibits her ability to receive delivery times on orders, she has to physically shop for her groceries in-store like some kind of wild animal.

Opinion: COVID-19 — Give me convenience or give me death

Michael Barnes, Special to The Oak Leaf May 14, 2020

As a temporary employee for Whole Foods, working as an Amazon Prime Now shopper, I have a front-row seat to the end of the world, or at least the end of convenience. A recent Whole Foods customer caviled...

Santa Rosa Junior College will not hold an in-person commencement ceremony after the Spring 2020 semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Opinion: Graduating without graduation

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Staff Writer May 7, 2020

I can’t think of an event I have more mixed feelings about than this; the day I finally finish school and walk with my peers, in robe and cap, down the aisle. I can almost hear my friends and family...

Central Santa Rosas back alleys offer walkers a peaceful and calming respite from traffic and paved roads.

Walking Santa Rosa’s back alleys

Mark Fernquest, Magazine Editor April 23, 2020

  I’m a walker. Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s I walked long miles to school and home (by choice) and by high school I regularly walked from my home in the Silicon Valley sticks to downtown...

Grandma is metal as hell. Get her wisdom while you can.

Opinion: 5 things to get from old people before they’re gone

Zane Zinkl, Editor-in-Chief April 8, 2020

The older folks in our life, despite not always being politically appreciative of the plight of their youngers, are an invariable source of wealth, knowledge and culture. Though our time with our elders...

It didnt take long for students to start pushing the boundaries on Zoom. This internet famous bong-ripper is a solemn warning to those who think Zoom and distance education is an adequate replacement to real learning.

Opinion: Why your classes are a joke now

Zane Zinkl, Editor-in-Chief April 6, 2020

The rise of Zoom and the steady decline of the empire have forever changed the face of collegiate learning. As the world fails faster than we can keep up with the news, distance education is here to stay.  But...

A hippie survivalist fooding in its favorite environment.

Opinion: Confessions of a hippie survivalist

Mark Fernquest, Magazine Editor April 3, 2020

It’s difficult being a hippie survivalist. I should know. I have a foot in each camp, but belong to neither. It’s like this: I go to the shooting range and I meet friendly and capable people,...

Opinion: Postponing the Tokyo Olympics is a reasonable — and perhaps beneficial — choice

Opinion: Postponing the Tokyo Olympics is a reasonable — and perhaps beneficial — choice

Kayla Beaton, Sports Writer March 30, 2020

The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday that the Summer Olympics will be postponed to July 23, 2021. While this news is surely heartbreaking to many athletes whose strict training schedules...

SRJC alumnus Armando Garcia speaks at “Light the Torch,” an SRJC student-organized rally downtown to inspire students to push for an immigration reform and allow DREAMers to share their stories.

Opinion: Every California resident must participate in the 2020 Census

James Domizio, Editor-in-Chief March 15, 2020

Every 10 years, the U.S. government counts the country’s population to determine federal funding and congressional representation for every state. Californians — a word that for the census means...

Opinion: Four reasons why the U.S. isn’t ready for coronavirus

James Domizio, Editor-in-Chief March 12, 2020

Coronavirus has arrived in America, and America isn’t ready. COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, has canceled the remainder of NHL and NBA seasons, closed Disneyland and forced most major universities...

Senator Bernie Sanders embraces a loving fan at a recent rally in Richmond, CA. The energy in the crowd is electric as Sanders takes the time to shake hands and hug fans at the front of the audience.

The Oak Leaf endorses Bernie Sanders for President

Oak Leaf Staff February 26, 2020

The Oak Leaf Editorial Board, considering the interests of Santa Rosa Junior College students and faculty, endorses Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont to be the 46th President of the United States because...

The San Francisco 49ers Katie Sowers is the first female to coach in the Super Bowl, taking the field against the Kansas City Chiefs as an offensive assistant.

Opinion: Why female coaches matter in male professional leagues

Kayla Beaton , Staff Writer February 25, 2020

History was made earlier this year when women made headlines on  coaching staffs in two professional sporting leagues. On Jan. 9, Alyssa Nakken took her place as the first female full-time coach in Major...

Wrecked at 51 — five decades of damage, or five decades of metal?

Opinion: Why my 50s are my metal years

Mark Fernquest, Magazine Editor February 11, 2020

I’m 51. This is my Metal Decade and I have the scars to prove it. They might not all be visible, but I assure you it took everything I’ve ever had for me to make it this far in life. I’ve been...

The Joe Rodota Trail homeless encampment is unofficial home to over 200 people.

Opinion: Let’s help the homeless

Mark Fernquest, Magazine Editor January 28, 2020

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...

A county bus sits idle waiting to ferry homeless residents, who acquiesce to the county’s requests, to their new outdoor camp at Los Guilicos.

Opinion: Los Guilicos is a lie

Zane Zinkl, Editor-in-Chief January 28, 2020

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...

Firefighters, police officers and Healdsburg city staff gather Friday, Nov. 8 at the Healdsburg Plaza on the night of Coming Together in Gratitude, days after the Kincade Fire.

Evacuating Healdsburg: My experience fleeing home during the Kincade Fire

Jose Gonzalez, Staff Writer December 12, 2019

I had tears streaming down my face and my hands were shaking — I feared what would come next. Healdsburg was under mandatory evacuation. I wondered if it would burst into flames and if I would return...

The challenge is to go 24 hours without digital devices and internet access to test capacity for a disconnected life.

The digital detox diary: My 24-hour device-free diet

Mark Fernquest, Co-Magazine Editor December 12, 2019

The rules: my digital diet will last 24 hours, during which time I will forgo cell phone, laptop, internet, debit/credit card and electronic key-fob usage. I will, however, use analog technology as usual,...

Carceral state: The prison industrial complex wasn’t the solution for my mom

Carceral state: The prison industrial complex wasn’t the solution for my mom

Jesse Kapukui, Co-Features Editor December 12, 2019

The first time my mom was incarcerated — for vandalizing public property — I counted the approximately 730 days until she’d get out. Every weekend I got used to the dehumanizing routine. I checked...

A forgotten stuffed animal sits alone at a gas station during floods that crippled Guernville in February of 2019.

Climate Changed: Time to change our habits

Oak Leaf Editorial Board September 29, 2019

It’s in the back of our brains, omnipresent as we walk from building to building, the unusually torrid October breeze slapping against our skin. Climate change is real. It’s happening all around us...

The world is out there waiting.

Better to burn out than to fade away: A right and proper response to the climate crisis

Zane Zinkl, News Editor September 20, 2019

Note: This story contains vulgarity  Nothing we do in this college, in this society, with the approval of old and evil people will save the world. But they were never going to save the world. They...

Learn while you can, party when convenient

Learn while you can, party when convenient

Riley Palmer, Co-Editor-in-Chief September 20, 2019

I did not want to jump, yet I wanted more than ever to feel the crisp Oregon water swallow me whole. The rocks were uneven, my feet’s grip on the perforated cliff shaky and apprehensive. My heart raced...

Analogue cigarette machines (nondigital) are still present in Portugal.

Top 10 cigarettes I smoked in Europe

Zane Zinkl, News Editor September 4, 2019

              WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS CHEMICALS KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER...

Lessons I learned from my autistic brother

Lessons I learned from my autistic brother

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer May 14, 2019

My brother Julian and I have completely different minds. He is fascinated by the world of 1980s VHS tapes and has shelves upon shelves of colorful cardboard boxes, while I am more of a Netflix person....

Secession is the only credible course of action for a state as cool as California.

In favor of secession

Mark Fernquest, News Editor March 7, 2019

I may not surf, smoke pot, be transgender or ride a skateboard, but by Goddess I’m as Californian as you can get. I spent my privileged and misguided youth hiking the open, Oak-studded coastal foothills...

How to do Valentines Day on a budget

How to do Valentine’s Day on a budget

Edgar Soria Garcia, Illustrations Editor February 14, 2019

Just because you’re broke doesn't mean your heart has to be. Valentine's Day is here, along with the opportunity to have a great day with your sweetheart. There’s just one issue: Your brain says...

Santa Rosa resident Jasmine Rosas buys herself a box of chocolates for Valentines Day.

Single people rejoice, you are alone this Valentine’s Day—and that’s a good thing.

Staff writer, Raul Ojeda February 13, 2019

Valentine’s Day is fast-approaching. With so much love in the air you may ask yourself, “Why am I still single?” But honestly: it’s not that bad. Every year I hear the same complaints from...

Back in the saddle again

Back in the saddle again

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer December 13, 2018

Abraham Fuentes Returning to college after several decades in the work world can be tumultuous and often a little crazy-making, to put it mildly, especially after earning a Bachelor of Science in media...

College students survival guide for living at home

College students’ survival guide for living at home

Riley Palmer, Staff Writer December 13, 2018

Olivia Mulligan You unload an enormous backpack, shoulders throbbing and head pounding from another day at Santa Rosa Junior College. Before you can dart into your room unnoticed, your parents are already...

Eileen Rodriguez endures the harassment so common to female gamers.

Don’t call me an e-girl: What it’s like being a woman in the gamer world

Eileen Rodriguez, Reporter December 13, 2018

“Slut!” he called me. I’d only been logged in for a minute. “You suck at this game because she takes no skill to play,” he taunted, after I chose the character I wanted to be. “You’re teaming...

Thanksgiving: the best time of year

Thanksgiving: the best time of year

Mark Fernquest, Staff writer November 22, 2018

Thanksgiving week is the best week of the year. Not because of Black Friday. Not because of the short work week. Not because of the long weekend. But because of Thanksgiving Day itself. That’s right--Thanksgiving...

“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is a fantastically boring entry to a beloved franchise

“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is a fantastically boring entry to a beloved franchise

Jordan Allums, Staff writer November 19, 2018

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is nowhere near as fantastical as its predecessor nor its legacy. The movie moves at a snail’s pace without any resolution in sight as it follows the...

Fear of Fake News in Trump Era

Fear of fake news in the Trump era

Abraham Fuentes, Photo Editor November 6, 2018

This is a simple question with a seemingly simple answer: to inform a community. Why then, am I asking this? My answer is that I am afraid to be a journalist. I wanted to be a physicist—to study the...

Oak Leaf Endorses Incumbent Mike Thompson for House

Oak Leaf Endorses Incumbent Mike Thompson for House

Lauren A. Spates, Features Editor November 1, 2018

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s native understanding of California’s 5th Congressional District and his broad institutional knowledge of Washington position him to best represent Santa Rosa Junior College...

John Kelly: Board needs new eyes

John Kelly: Board needs new eyes

Oak Leaf Editors October 31, 2018

Before we explain our reasoning for endorsing John Kelly for Sonoma County Junior College District Board of Trustees Representative Area 1 (East County), The Oak Leaf editors would like to thank and congratulate...

Trustee Battenfeld has student interests at heart

Trustee Battenfeld has student interests at heart

Staff October 30, 2018

Sonoma County resident Dorothy Battenfeld is running unopposed for re-election to her seat on the SRJC Board of Trustees. The Oak Leaf endorses Battenfeld to serve Santa Rosa Junior College students,...

Board President Fishman: a valuable ally to students

Board President Fishman: a valuable ally to students

Staff October 30, 2018

Maggie Fishman is running unopposed for her second term as a Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees member and wants to continue pushing SRJC to serve student concerns. The Oak Leaf endorses her...

Jared Huffmans stance on abortion, education and global emissions make him an invaluable member of Congress.

Oak Leaf Endorses Huffman for House

Ian MacGregor, Co-Sports Editor October 30, 2018

The midterm elections are next week, and Democrat Jared Huffman of California’s 2nd Congressional District deserves your vote. Huffman has served as U.S. Representative for Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte...

Biking in Santa Rosa: A Survival Guide

Biking in Santa Rosa: A Survival Guide

Brandon McCapes, Opinion Editor October 25, 2018

Getting around in this sprawling conurbation that fills the collection of valleys and highways we call Santa Rosa is difficult and dangerous on a bike, but there are ways to survive and—hell—even thrive...

A no vote on Prop 6 ensures roadwork continues in Sonoma County

Yes on 6: A potential step back for Sonoma County

Ian MacGregor, Co-Sports Editor October 25, 2018

Though road construction can be annoying, isn’t it worth it to drive on freshly laid pavement? If yes, then it’s imperative to vote “No on 6” this November. Proposition 6 proposes to repeal...

Democracy is dying, unless the youth vote

Democracy is dying, unless the youth vote

Web Editor, Brandon McCapes October 22, 2018

Yep, we’re telling young people to vote. If you’re reading this article right now, stop and register to vote. Right now. Go to this website and take five minutes to register to vote. Today is the...

Nashville’s Legends Corner mural showing some of country music’s biggest stars, including Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.

Why not country music?

La Reva Myles, Staff Writer September 25, 2018

  So you say you don't listen to country music? I've got a question for you: why not? If you don’t respond right away, is it because you’re unfamiliar with country music? Could it be that...

Voting and registration by age in California, 2016; courtesy Current Population Survey, Voting and Registration Supplement, United States Census Bureau.

SRJC groups to encourage voter registration on campus

Lauren A. Spates, Features Editor September 13, 2018

Student Government Assembly (SGA) member Sean Young puts it plainly, “Voter apathy is not an option. We know what’s been happening in this country for the past two years or even further. Whatever side...

Homer Simpson likeness courtesy of FOX.

If you can’t help being that guy: The heartless act of bandwagoning

Isaiah Cappelen, Staff Writer September 11, 2018

There is absolutely no reason, excuse or rationale for being a band-wagoner. They are disgraceful and an utter disrespect to all true sports fans. Bandwagon fans are defined as “sports fans” who...

Taylor Swift performs her 2014 single Bad Blood to an audience of 6,000 on May 11 at Levis Stadium.

A Swift show-stopper

Dakota McGranahan, Co-Editor-in-Chief July 8, 2018

It started with a click. And $150 later I was off to see Taylor Swift at Levi’s Stadium. What felt like years in the making had transpired into the anticlimactic click of a keyboard. In the...

Ask SRJC: New Burbank Auditorium, new name?

Julia Modell and Michael Barnes May 18, 2018

Luther Burbank was an innovative horticulturalist who lends his name to buildings throughout our community. He was also the secretary of Santa Rosa's Chinese Removal Project. As Santa Rosa Junior College...

Illustration by Rachel Edelstein

Ask more: on having consensual sex

Rachel Edelstein, Managing Editor May 18, 2018

Many sexually active people do not conform to a gender and may have sex outside of the heteronormative encounters referred to in this article, and that sexual coercion happens to these groups as well....

Graphic by Rachel Edelstein.

The Bark: Menstrual cups

May 17, 2018

Welcome to The Bark, The Santa Rosa Junior College Oak Leaf student media podcast. This episode is about menstrual cups. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k0pfcTDujY 5 women and 1 man sit down to...

Wargaming: Strategic military operation play

Wargaming: Strategic military operation play

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin , Staff Writer May 3, 2018

Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40k, HeroScape, BattleTech and War Machine are games I heard about but never touched. I got into wargaming after I found a number of fan fictions and was offered an army from...

Profanity: Read between the lines

Profanity: Read between the lines

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor April 29, 2018

The word “bitch” ran in one of my recent Oak Leaf opinion articles, and it sparked controversy and conversation. What was said has been said. Judge but only the writer for her diction. But, averting...

Ask Willow: Safe sex

Ask Willow: Safe sex

The Oak Leaf Staff April 26, 2018

Dear Willow, How do I ask a new sex partner about their sexual history and request safe sex practices? -Safe Sex   Dear Safe Sex, Don’t shy away from bringing up this conversation...

On Friday and Saturday, more parking is available to students who take weekend classes as opposed to peak hours during the week.

Parking predicament: What’s in store for the future?

Dakota McGranahan, Co-Photo editor April 24, 2018

Parking on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus has caused many difficulties for students and there have been too few solutions to solve it. Now students are asking the age-old question: what next? According...

Dori Elder

Find Dori Elder at the head of SGA

Brandon McCapes, Editor-in-Chief April 20, 2018

*This is an opinion article endorsing a candidate for student government president. Although the author is the co-editor-in-chief of The Oak Leaf, this endorsement is a personal opinion and does not necessarily...

In the 1870s, Santa Rosa’s Chinatown took up a couple blocks along the creek in between where D Street and the Roxy Theater now sit.

Centennial Series: New Burbank, new name?

Julia Modell, Features Editor April 19, 2018

*The Oak Leaf incorrectly listed Burbank as secretary of the Anti-Chinese Committee based on information from Gaye LeBaron’s Press Democrat articles published in 1999 and 2004. Since this article was...

Reina Underwood composes a letter to the Santa Rosa Junior College students of 2118.

Centennial Series: Dear SRJC students of 2118

Reina Underwood, Staff Writer April 19, 2018

2018 was a tumultuous year for our community, our nation and our world. We would like to inform you of the oppressions, disasters and the suffering we survived during the 100th year of this college’s...

Former SRJC President Dr. Robert Agrella (left) abused school funding in a more reprehensible manner than his successor and current SRJC President Dr. Frank Chong (right).

Centennial Series: Not every SRJC dollar makes sense

Michael Barnes, Co-Editor-in-Chief April 18, 2018

Santa Rosa Junior College named an art gallery after the school’s fourth president, Dr. Robert F. Agrella when he retired in 2012. However, in the spring of 1996 the only art former-SRJC President Agrella...

Illustration by Julia Modell.

I am one of the 800,000

Anonymous, Contributing Writer April 17, 2018

I was eating breakfast on April 2 when I saw on my phone that President Donald Trump tweeted “DACA is dead.” Anger and fear grabbed ahold of me. I felt lost and hopeless. That day has haunted me since....

Gun control is once again in the national spotlight, but other related issues deserve recognition.

Gun control: Not the only solution

Oak Leaf Staff April 3, 2018

Guns are an easy target for activists. They’re loud, scary-looking and they account for just over 70 percent of multiple homicides. But the issue of school shootings stems less from guns, and more from...

Pexels.com

Sonoma County drivers have me flipping a bitch

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor April 3, 2018

Bad driving. Tailgating. Middle fingers. All can be found on any city road. However, Sonoma County drivers take it to the extreme. Driving in the area’s hazardous traffic, brought on by mindless...

Illustration by Rachel Edelstein

Summer cuts or ulterior motives?

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor April 2, 2018

Editor’s note: To receive updates on stories like this, please download the Oak Leaf mobile app for Apple or Android. For many Santa Rosa Junior College students, the recent announcement of proposed...

Vegans grind my gears grinds my gears

‘Vegans grind my gears’ grinds my gears

Taylor Marek Seprish, Staff Writer March 29, 2018

A quick disclaimer before we start: I am not fully-vegan. I’m vegetarian, though I avoid dairy and make sure that the few dairy products I do eat are sustainably sourced.  This response talks about...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Scared for a suicidal friend

The Oak Leaf Staff March 27, 2018

Dear Willow, How do I help a suicidal friend? -Scared   If you or a friend are experiencing suicidal tendencies, please seek professional advice immediately.   Dear Scared, Helping...

Sacrifice convenience for sustainability

Sacrifice convenience for sustainability

Adeira Sherpa, Co-Photo Editor March 17, 2018

What do we want? Coffee. When do we want it? Now. Starbucks churns through 4 billion disposable cups globally per year. Fast food restaurants feed 50 million Americans daily. Twenty percent of all...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Frustrated Group Worker

The Oak Leaf Staff March 15, 2018

Dear Willow, How do I get through group work without losing it over my lazy partners?  -Frustrated group worker Dear “Frustrated group worker,” Group assignments are the bane of many...

Chadwick Boseman in the Black Panther.

Marvel’s ‘blackbuster’ is off the hook

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer March 6, 2018

It will come as no surprise to me if every African-American in this country goes to see Marvel’s new “Blackbuster” film, “The Black Panther,” which has a nearly complete black cast. That’s...

Photo illustration by Andrés Pimentel.

Diversity of opinion

Andrés Pimentel, Staff Writer March 6, 2018

Our ability to debate and defend, argue and counter argue has boiled down to a tribalistic extremism. Like so many issues today, there’s a general consensus to disagree based on political affiliation....

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Alone

The Oak Leaf Staff March 6, 2018

Dear Willow, I don’t like online dating, but I’m trying to find someone. How do people meet each other in real life these days? -Alone   Dear Alone, Although online dating is...

Hollywood says Times Up to sexual harassment

Hollywood says ‘Time’s Up’ to sexual harassment

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor March 4, 2018

The #metoo movement was a full-fledged storm in 2017 and fueled a new fire in 2018 with just two simple words: Time’s Up. However, the fiery passion and determination that was prominent at the Screen...

Carmila has overcome hardships and stigma to open a restaurant in her neighborhood. Photo by Gabriel Guptill.

Israeli Arab love

Gabriel Guptill, Staff Writer March 1, 2018

During last year’s winter break I went on a mind-bending trip to Israel to discover perspectives of life. One of the many places I visited was an Arab village about 45 minutes outside of Jerusalem. The...

Vegans grind my gears

Vegans grind my gears

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Staff Writer February 27, 2018

The vegan diet is similar to a vegetarian diet, but excludes dairy products and any animal by-product. Veganism has been marked as the animal-friendly diet, as it’s made up of plant-based products. The...

Bullying: It’s more complicated than you think

Bullying: It’s more complicated than you think

Luke Benson, Staff Writer February 27, 2018

Two months ago, Keaton Jones brought bullying into the national spotlight. His heartbreaking video went viral and his words were shared by thousands across the country. Many celebrities spoke on the subject,...

Millennials are 23 percent more likely to travel abroad than their older counterparts. They are also willing to budget more for trips, with Millennials on track to spend $1.4 trillion on travel each year by 2020.

Why millennials travel

Adeira Sherpa, Staff Writer February 22, 2018

Louis Vuitton or a plane ticket? I’d opt for the latter. I thought I was a unique snowflake, but apparently I’m just a millennial. Seventy-eight percent of my generation chooses experiences such as...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Afraid of being left behind

The Oak Leaf Staff February 14, 2018

Introducing “Ask Willow,” a new advice column from the Oak Leaf Student Media. To send your own question to Ask Willow, email [email protected]. You will remain anonymous.  Dear Willow, How...

Illustration by Brazilian Artist Lossi.

Happiness: Here and now

Pedro Braga, Staff Writer February 14, 2018

You do not need to succeed to be happy, but you need to be happy to succeed. But what do we need to be happy? The answer is much simpler than it seems. Happiness is about making good daily choices. Happiness,...

Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde in Tarantinos 1992 debut, Reservoir Dogs.

Tarantino: Stuck In The Middle With You

Michael Barnes, Co-Editor-In-Chief February 14, 2018

It’s clear. Hollywood has a problem with racists and rapists. One thing I would like to make clear: Quentin Tarantino is not one of them; despite what the growing fervor surrounding the director would...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Confused text-flirter

The Oak Leaf Staff February 14, 2018

Introducing “Ask Willow,” a new advice column from the Oak Leaf Student Media. To send your own question to Ask Willow, email oaklea[email protected]. You will remain anonymous.  Dear Willow,...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Just the Tip: The “R” word

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor February 14, 2018

Dating sites offer instant gratification, especially if one is looking for casual sex. While I wade through a sea of endless potential matches, whose primary desire are no-strings-attached encounters,...

While some may love it, others rather do without it.

10 Ways to avoid Valentine’s Day

Meghan Buckman, Brandon McCapes, and February 14, 2018

The following is a satirical article that contains explicit content. Reader discretion is advised.   Let’s face it, some people hate Valentine’s Day. It’s the day couples display their...

Lauryn Gamble, 26, holds a flag representing Lilith in front of the Cry to God demonstration  Feb. 6 in front of Bertolini.

God hates us: why I repented (satire)

Brandon McCapes, Co-Editor-in-Chief February 7, 2018

I was not on campus last December to hear “Cry to God’s” righteous message. I didn’t know what I was missing until, by the grace of God, the group returned on Tuesday to inform students of the...

GIF by Rachel Edelstein

Ask Willow: Forced to live with family

The Oak Leaf Staff February 1, 2018

Introducing "Ask Willow," a new advice column from the Oak Leaf Student Media. To send your own question to Ask Willow, email [email protected]. You will remain anonymous.  Dear Willow, I live...

Cricket flour made out of wheat flour, malted barley flour and cricket powder.

Entomophagy: The next buzz in food

Chelsea Wood, Opinion Editor January 30, 2018

Did you ever think insects would be the next main food source for the world? Insects contain high amounts of vitamins and protein, while their carbohydrate and fat levels are low. They are a sustainable...

SRJC community members of all ages gathered to remember Andy Lopez and also to protest President Donald Trumps threat to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program last semester.

#DefenderDACA

Jose Gonzalez, Staff Writer December 13, 2017

¿Sabía que hay cerca de 11.3 millones de inmigrantes indocumentados viviendo en los Estados Unidos? Se estima que entre 7,000 y 13,000 están matriculados en universidades. Ya sea que crea que...

The second fire

The second fire

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer December 12, 2017

As the Tubbs fire neared my home, I had a close encounter with another episode with fire. When the wildfires broke out, I noticed more and more stories in the headlines, television and radio news reports....

SRJC community members of all ages gathered to remember Andy Lopez and also to protest President Donald Trumps threat to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program last semester.

#Defend DACA

Jose Gonzalez , Staff Writer December 12, 2017

Did you know there are close to 11.3 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States? An estimated 7,000 to 13,000 are enrolled in colleges throughout the U.S. Whether you believe DACA should...

Allegations: why we published

Allegations: why we published

December 12, 2017

Even Santa Rosa Junior College has not escaped the ongoing cultural reckoning in America. Since the news broke around allegations of sexual misconduct by Harvey Weinstein this fall, women (and men) have...

Illustration by Rachel Edelstein.

Breaking the chains of oppression

Chelsea Wood, Staff Writer December 12, 2017

In the era we live in, it’s important to continue on a path of progression rather than one of regression. It’s time to change gender roles and expectations so men no longer expect to get whatever they...

Net Neutrality: The internet under attack

Net Neutrality: The internet under attack

Grant Wetmore and Reina Underwood, Opinion Editor and Staff Writer December 12, 2017

The internet is a marvelous place. With it, access to all human knowledge is at our fingertips. We can express our thoughts and ideas, good or bad, to thousands, if not millions, across the globe. However,...

BSU: where are Y-O-U?

BSU: where are Y-O-U?

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer December 12, 2017

The history of the Black Student Union (BSU) on campus is a story of ups and downs. In the past few years, the group was active with a very significant presence among black students. Now there is only...

What do you consider a culture vulture?

Ali Benzerara, Co Editor-in-Chief December 11, 2017

What do you consider a “culture vulture?” Is it someone who merely partakes in the culture around them? Or is it someone who forms parts of their identity from cultures other than their own? Is it...

I want to worry about spoiler alerts from shows with leading roles for girls, instead of Basic Boys for days. Also, we need to stop calling women Basic Bitches. Illustration by Rachel Edelstein.

Why there aren’t “Basic Boys”

Rachel Edelstein, Web Editor November 22, 2017

It finally feels like fall in Sonoma County. The leaves have changed colors, the temperature has dropped and the word “basic” has resurfaced as pumpkin-flavored-everything season is in full swing. For...

Photo by 
Taylor Davidson.

Rape culture

Reina Underwood-Mironoff, Staff Writer November 16, 2017

Sexual assault and rape are severe problems. Statistics show one in every four women are sexually assaulted in college, women and men between the ages of 12 and 34 are at the highest risk of sexual assault...

After the fire

After the fire

Lenita Marie Johnson, Staff Writer November 16, 2017

For more than a month my life has been consumed by the Tubbs Fire here in California, Wine Country. The initial shock and fear were poignant and soon morphed into disbelief and horror. Many people I know...

The list of sexual predators is long and distinguished.

Individuals can stop sexual predation

Editorial November 16, 2017

Do egotistical people seek power? Or do powerful people become egotistical? When people use their position of power to leverage unwanted touch or an unwilling audience to a sexual encounter, the victims...

The sexual assault of an SRJC student.

#metoo

Anonymous November 16, 2017

I’m in my second year at Santa Rosa Junior College. I see people laughing and playing around in front of the library. Everyone looks normal and comfortable, the same way I looked when I first arrived...

From the ashes we will capitalize

From the ashes we will capitalize

Michael Barnes, Co-Features Editor November 16, 2017

Like every major Hollywood disaster movie, every major natural disaster isn’t complete without an effective tagline. The tagline must be equal parts inspirational rallying cry and shrewdly marketed advertising...

Courtesy of Google Images

A connected disconnect

Chelsea Wood, Staff Writer November 16, 2017

Dating isn’t the same as it once was. In a generation wrapped up with technology and fast-paced lives, it’s no wonder relationships for millennials have morphed. With new apps and dating sites...

Just the Tip: Sexual Assault

Amoura Deering, Co-Features-Editor November 14, 2017

“She was asking for it.” This is a phrase we hear all too often when the topic of sexual assault comes up. In America we live in a male-dominated, hypermasculine culture where we try to protect...

Hunger Pangs, Bear Cub stomachs growl for a palatable solution

Hunger Pangs, Bear Cub stomachs growl for a palatable solution

Oak Leaf Staff November 13, 2017

The administration responded admirably to last month’s wildfires for at least one of the following reasons: it was the right thing to do and/or to prevent mass disenrollment that would devastate the...

Wayward winds of October

Kyle Torr, Contributing Poet October 31, 2017

It was tryin’ times when the red skies came Over the hills, those black ridges of shame And the houses were stripped past their skeletal frames A disaster unprecedented ‘Twas not one hour into...

Trial by fire

Trial by fire

Brandon McCapes, News Editor October 31, 2017

I didn’t believe my roommates when they woke me to tell me we were advised to evacuate on the morning of Oct. 9. When reality set in, I was torn between the desire to follow my friends to safety and...

Two fires in one night, constantly on the run

Two fires in one night, constantly on the run

Reina Underwood-Mironoff, Staff Writer October 31, 2017

It started out as any other normal Sunday. On Oct. 8, I woke up at a reasonable time, ran my normal errands and started my scheduled shift at Hooters in Rohnert Park. Little did I know this would be the...

Roberta MacIntyre, James Wyatt and Albert Gregory don their N95 masks to travel bravely into the fire zones and capture footage. PC  Oak Leaf Staff

Braving the storm: Junior college journalists thrust into historic event, learn on the fly

October 31, 2017

When the Tubbs Fire struck the city of Santa Rosa late on the night of Oct. 8, the city was literally torn apart, thrusting its citizens into peril. The Oak Leaf staff was not spared this terror. Many...

Photo Editor Dakota McGranahan

A week of worry, fire and fear

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor October 31, 2017

I watched in horror as the fire rolled over the hills, ripped through trees and devoured everything in sight. It left nothing but a skeleton behind, the ashen bark, stark against the flames. Sitting in...

Will the love in the air remain thick once the smoke clears?

Will the love in the air remain thick once the smoke clears?

October 31, 2017

Remember the week following 9/11? When it seemed like every car you saw proudly displayed an American flag decal on the bumper? Or how every house had a flag planted in the front lawn? The entire country...

Co-Editor-in-Chief James Wyatt shoots footage of the devastation from a fallen shopping center in Fountaingrove as the ashes still smoldered on Oct. 10.

The fire guided me through the dark

James Wyatt, Co-Editor-In-Chief October 27, 2017

I was depressed with my life before the wildfires reduced a vast majority of Santa Rosa to scorched earth. I questioned whether studying journalism was the right career path for me. My parents are both...

Graphic of student meeting with counselor.

Is The Counseling Department Actually That Bad?

Charlotte Maxwell, Staff Writer October 26, 2017

Many students at Santa Rosa Junior College feel their needs are not being met by the counseling department. I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences with counselors, but the department overall is not...

May 13, 1959: After having their homes destroyed by bulldozers, Chavez Ravine residents Manuel Augustine, left, Ivy Augustine (sweeping), Ira Augustine (baby), Victoria Augustine (woman in doorway) and Abrana Arechiga lived in a trailer.

Dodger blues

Michael Barnes, Deputy Editor October 24, 2017

Congratulations Los Angeles. Your Dodgers finally made it back to the World Series after a 29-year hiatus from Major League Baseball’s fall classic. The same Dodgers franchise that jettisoned their...

A sign warns looters in Sonoma County

I’m afraid of looter shooters

Rachel Edelstein, Staff Writer October 19, 2017

I’ve learned a lot about my neighbors during the North Bay wildfires: I now know they have guns and I’m a little scared. I’ve never owned a gun. I’ve never even held a gun and I’ve never...

Photo by Matheus Ferrero.

#metoo is just another way women bear the burden of making change

Rachel Edelstein, Staff Writer October 18, 2017

Women are posting “#metoo” on social media to indicate they’ve experienced sexual harassment and like every advancement towards gender equality, #metoo is another example of women being tasked with...

Flowers at the Luther Burbank Gardens. PC Rachel Edelstein.

Stop and smell the roses, before they turn to ash

Michael Barnes, Deputy Editor October 15, 2017

Three months ago I was living in Long Beach, California. I made a life for myself in the area. It’s where all my friends and family live. I had my own studio apartment, a girlfriend and the beach within...

Winds pulled down power lines this week, exacerbating the fire danger. 
PC Roberta MacIntyre.

If it’s Predictable, it’s Preventable

Roberta MacIntyre, Staff Writer October 14, 2017

The Tubbs fire is now one of the five deadliest wildfires in California’s history, but may end up being the worst. We live in a world of hazards. There are hazards associated with driving a car. There...

Smoke lies thick over Hidden Valley Lake, CA. Photo by David Andersen, @davidxandersen.

Shall I stay or shall I go

Roberta MacIntyre, Staff Writer October 14, 2017

In Hidden Valley Lake, we watch and wait. After experiencing the Valley Fire in 2015, it isn’t any less distressing to be surrounded by the Sulphur Fire to the north, the Pocket Fire to the west, and...

Dakotas Dictionary: Consent

Dakota’s Dictionary: Consent

Dakota McGranahan, Photo Editor October 5, 2017

Consent is defined as follows in the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “to give assent or approval.” That being said, consent is one word that is often confused or misunderstood; especially in cases of...

Just the Tip: Communication

Amoura Deering , Features Editor October 3, 2017

Any healthy and successful relationship is built on communication. Poor communication can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction, ultimately ending the relationship. Communication and sex go hand in...

Pennywise the dancing clown

Send in the clowns… on second thought, don’t!

Michael Barnes, Staff Writer September 25, 2017

“It” has a whole lot of “It” and not much else. The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel allows the demonic clown to take center stage for the majority of the two hour and...

DACA: Heroes of Justice

DACA: Heroes of Justice

Michael Barnes, Staff Writer September 25, 2017

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Remember posing that question to your friends when you were a kid? More often than not, the answer was invisibility: to be present yet remain unnoticed....

Just the Tip: Exploring Sexuality

Amoura Deering, Features Editor September 12, 2017

Sexuality is part of life. From the moment we are born, we are sexual beings. Our bodies are naturally wired with erogenous zones, areas more susceptible to sexual stimulation, and the brain is filled...

I am Chicano

No Soy Hispano, Soy Chicano

Michael Barnes, Staff Writer September 5, 2017

We’re living in a time of great re-evaluation in regards to nearly everything we’ve come to know in society—and it’s for the best. Transgender people are shaping the way we think about sexual...

Congressman Mike Thompson addresses Trumps threat to repeal DACA

Congressman Mike Thompson addresses Trump’s threat to repeal DACA

Brandon McCapes and Roberta MacIntyre August 31, 2017

  Congressman Mike Thompson (D) says the Democrats will not stand down if President Donald Trump repeals the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program at the Santa Rosa Veterans...

Rent control vote divides Santa Rosa

Rent control vote divides Santa Rosa

Simon Isaksson, Executive Editor & Co-News Editor June 30, 2017

The growing housing crisis is a hot topic in Santa Rosa these days. Rent control is on the Santa Rosa city ballot in a June 6 special election and voters will decide whether or not to pass Measure...

Let’s make a joint effort to be aware

Let’s make a joint effort to be aware

June 29, 2017

What you want may not be what Sonoma County needs, especially when it comes to uncertain cannabis laws. While California celebrated the legalization of cannabis, many voters are unaware they opened...

Ten bucks, brighter future

April 26, 2017

The first step to significant change is unifying Santa Rosa Junior College—but it comes at a price. Bernie Sanders’ demonstration of an effective grassroots campaign with his average $27 donation to...

Autism awareness

Grant Wetmore, Opinion Editor April 25, 2017

As April draws to a close, it’s apparent that I need to remind everyone that April is Autism Awareness Month. This seems necessary because the month has gone by and not a single march or lecture was...

Living with depression

Ruby Zhang, Staff Writer April 25, 2017

I am a student at Santa Rosa Junior College, and I suffer from depression. Sometimes when I tell people that I have depression, they withdraw. They wonder why a 20-year-old woman who appears happy most...

Snoozin’ on America’s pastime

Frank Sumrall, Contributing Editor April 25, 2017

United States’ favorite pastime was defined by a day at the ballpark full of loud vendors, excited fans chugging down beer and the satisfying crack of the bat as a baseball zips through the windless...

Student in the street: Women asking men out

Student in the street: Women asking men out

Ali Benzerara, Sports Editor April 13, 2017

Spring has sprung and you know what that means. As flowers begin to bloom and the sun starts to heat up, the hormones of college students run rampant in attempt for an unforgettable spring fling. But...

Speaking Frank-ly; Time to dismantle college basketball as we know it

Frank Sumrall, Contributor Editor April 11, 2017

After North Carolina head coach Roy Williams made the final cut that separated the basketball net from the rim-an event synonymous with college athletic glory-a thunderous applause broke out. The Tar Heels...

Editorial: Oak Leaf endorse Martinez for SGA president

April 11, 2017

Down to earth. Practical. Experienced. Robert Martinez is the best choice for SGA President of Santa Rosa Junior College. In order to pick the best candidate to endorse, the Oak Leaf asked for the three...

A bathroom isnt enough

A bathroom isn’t enough

Bastian Snow, Contributing Writer April 10, 2017

Sometimes I feel like I know the whole of the transgender community of Sonoma County. This is, of course, an exaggeration. However, there’s no lack of weight to the meaning behind that exaggeration,...

A day without a woman-2017

Women’s equality starts with seven

March 14, 2017

Women’s issues are undeniable. Women aren’t equal and continue to be marginalized politically, economically, culturally and socially. In the United States, Latina women—the most underpaid demographic...

Fear the unknown: The unwelcoming faces of America

Beatriz Verneaux, A&E Editor March 14, 2017

As long as people become entitled to a land, there’s no room for newcomers. Since I emigrated from Brazil, I have been harassed by several demographics in this country. Recently, a coworker asked...

May we live in interesting times

May we live in interesting times

Ali Benzerara, Sports Editor March 14, 2017

Fake news, alternative facts and presidential Twitter wars. It’s an interesting time to be alive in the United States. As the truth becomes scarce, it’s hard to distinguish between real and fake media. As...

Environmental ignorance: Big Oil controls Trump’s America

Chris Ludlow, Co-News Editor March 14, 2017

If the United States is meant to represent liberty, democracy and freedom, then why are private oil corporations able to hold influence on government positions of power? In the century since climate change...

Behind the Wheel: Working for Uber and Lyft

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Staff Photographer February 28, 2017

A few semesters ago, I saw a booth on campus offering free cell phone chargers and wristbands in exchange for learning about a new ride-sharing app. The presenters were also trying to get students to sign...

Quit your day job

Quit your day job

February 28, 2017

It doesn’t matter if you've never cared about politics in the past. It doesn't matter if this your first time voting. It doesn’t matter if you're a professional athlete, an Uber driver or work at...

Self love: A guide to spending Valentine’s Day alone

Molly Scott, Contributing Columnist February 14, 2017

Valentine’s Day. A holiday that is both dreaded and adored comes around again, causing emotions ranging from anxiety to hope and love. When some hear those words they cackle like a giddy fifth-grade...

Transferring woes: Miscommunication between counselors equals confusion for students

Olivia Wray, Staff Writer February 7, 2017

Every student has a different background, story and pathway. Those who graduated from high school and immediately attended a four-year university typically have their educational goals figured out. Those...

Editorial: Divided states of America

Editorial: Divided states of America

February 7, 2017

Intolerance is the greatest threat facing our country. Violent protests broke out in Berkeley Feb. 1 forcing Milo Yiannopoulos to cancel his planned talk promoting hate speech. Yiannopoulos is an editor...

The “Black Friday” experiment

Erin George, Web Editor December 15, 2016

Thanksgiving is a time to give, to be grateful and spend the beginning of the holiday season with loved ones. Not anymore it seems. I decided to do an experiment: Go to the mall at 6 a.m. the day...

Just the tip: Let me be me

Carin McKenna Huber, Opinion Editor December 15, 2016

  The holiday season is stressful, especially when you’re young. It seems every member of your family has expectations of you: “How’s that job search going?” “When are you planning on...

Rethink the vote

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer December 15, 2016

Santa Rosa Junior College is an institution of nearly 28,000 students currently taking a plethora of different majors. The college gives people of Sonoma County the opportunity to attain affordable associates...

Trump demonstrates abuser tactics, encourages bigotry

Trump demonstrates abuser tactics, encourages bigotry

Carin McKenna Huber, Opinion Editor December 15, 2016

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been one confounding statement after another. For women, none has proven more infuriating or frightening than the leaked 2005 video of his declaration that his...

Many children grow up in households where their parents are divorced. Divorced parents often can be a hard issue for children.

Divorced parents, divided holidays

Grant Wetmore, Staff Writer December 15, 2016

For many, the holiday season is a time of joy and reunions with family. Unfortunately, life isn’t a Hallmark holiday movie. For some of us, the holidays are a time of separation and choosing sides. ...

Editorial: Says who? Anonymous accusations do more harm than good

Editorial: Says who? Anonymous accusations do more harm than good

December 15, 2016

We’re living in an age where it’s easy to hide our opinions. We can rant and rave anonymously without taking any accountability for our words or actions. But accountability is key. We’ve seen...

Transferring madness, the ins and outs of getting out

Jocelyn Mobley, Features Editor December 13, 2016

Transferring colleges can be tricky. Generally, before transferring, students must complete a general education pattern along with 60 transferable units. After that, they are qualified to transfer. But...

Obamas Legacy

Obama’s Legacy

Zachary Chew, Editorial Cartoonist December 13, 2016

It’s been a little more than a month since president-elect Donald Trump’s shocking victory over Hillary Clinton, and some people still won’t accept reality. With President Barack Obama leaving...

The physiology of icing

The physiology of icing

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer December 13, 2016

If you have muscle soreness, and you’re having trouble treating it, I want to challenge you to rethink a significant aspect of the way you may visualize how your body heals. It’s not magic. I used...

The Black Friday experiment

Erin George, Staff Photographer December 13, 2016

Consumerism hell in t-minus 24 hours. Thanksgiving is a time to give, to be grateful and spend the beginning of the holiday season with loved ones. Not anymore it seems. I decided to do an experiment:...

Hey Look, a Squirrel!: My Life with ADHD

Hey Look, a Squirrel!: My Life with ADHD

Lachlan Irvine, Staff Writer November 15, 2016

Trying to become a journalist is hard; trying to become a journalist while having ADHD is a thousand times harder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is something I’ve lived with since I was...

American puberty

Travis LaBrucherie, Distribution Manager November 15, 2016

The United States of America is 240 years old. It’s an adult. But with the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, the country is acting more like a teenager, and aren’t teenagers the worst? With...

Feminists united

Victoria Serber, Guest Opinion November 15, 2016

It’s not my selling point, but I am a former member of the Republican Party. What this election has done more than anything is reaffirm my decision to leave an institution that values tradition over...

Donald Trump can’t poison our country if we take action

Thomas De Alba, Contributing Writer November 15, 2016

The hardest part of my election night was sitting at the foot of my mother’s bed, staring through her glossy, tear-burdened eyes and holding her tight, telling her everything was going to be OK. She...

Hope doesn’t equal reality

Parker Dangers Oncken, Senior Staff Writer November 15, 2016

It was like a nightmare unfolding in front of me. Early Tuesday evening, I stationed myself on the couch, tuned the television to PBS and settled in for a long night of political discussion and voting...

Life goes on

Jocelyn Mobley, Features editor November 15, 2016

My loving, accepting and educated mother voted for Donald Trump. Many people see him as an arrogant buffoon who ridicules people just because they come from different races and values. But my mother explained...

America is just another trendy country

Beatriz Vernaux, Co-News Editor November 15, 2016

If being trendy is your thing, be proud. The U.S. is not shying away from the wave of conservatism and bigotry that’s rising once again all over the world.   In the country I am from, Brazil,...

The Germans didn’t think it could happen there, either

Emily A. Schmidt, Adjunct faculty, Philosophy Humanities and Religion November 15, 2016

When I did my master’s degree at Harvard, I studied with Dr. Helmut Koester, an immigrant to America who served in the German military in WWII. Once, he had a meeting with students to talk about his...

Understanding the Other Guy’s Fears

R.J. Skywalker Burks, Guest Opinion November 15, 2016

California is a pretty unique place. For the most part, we feel sheltered from a lot of what happens in Washington D.C. and the rest of the country. At least that's what I've been told by hundreds of tourists...

Understanding America

Rachel Genthe, Assistant A&E Editor November 15, 2016

Finally, this horror of an election is over. But the horror of politics is not. I have never been interested in politics, until recently, because it made me uncomfortable. I’m not pursuing an education...

Frustration is no excuse to riot

Jared Brazis, Contributing Writer November 15, 2016

Love trumps hate. That statement was on millions of bumper stickers, t-shirts and signs of Hillary Clinton supporters all across America. After the riots across the country, it seems to me that, in fact,...

Post election fears no overreaction

Carin McKenna Huber, Opinion Editor November 15, 2016

In the wake of the presidential election you may find many people you know are afraid. They are, or they love, someone who is an immigrant, non-Christian, non-white, LGBTQ+, a woman, low-income or some...

A third party vote

Matt Fowler, SRJC Alumnus November 15, 2016

This election—this reality show—was as fascinating as it was depressing. Fascinating because of the mud slinging rhetoric and disregard for any shred of decency, and depressing because voters had to...

Why I voted for a third party

Matt Fowler, Contributing Writer November 15, 2016

This election—this reality show—was as fascinating as it was depressing. Fascinating because of the mud slinging rhetoric and disregard for any shred of decency, and depressing because voters had to...

Editorial: Electoral College, legal voter fraud?

November 15, 2016

Three days after the United States 2016 presidential election, Google reported 99 percent of popular votes for presidential candidates have been counted. Donald Trump scored 60,072,551 votes. Hillary...

Hope is a decision

Leslie Mancillas, Contributing Writer November 15, 2016

When Donald Trump was elected this week, many of us went into a state of shock and started to feel heavy-hearted.  In connection with the college’s fall 2016 Work of Literary Merit book selection, “Between...

Democracy day

Democracy day

Courtney Kirby and Sylvie DellaBruna November 7, 2016

“We are the only advanced democracy that makes it deliberately difficult for people to vote,” said President Barack Obama in an interview with the student newspaper at Rutgers University. Every...

Oak Leaf Endorsements

October 28, 2016

Call and Martinez for SRJC board of trustees With Measure H funds to spend, a looming homelessness epidemic, and continuing student inequity, Santa Rosa Junior College needs strong leaders now more...

Presidential election 2016

Presidential election 2016

Zachary Chew, Staff Writer October 25, 2016

What does it mean to be “sitting on the fence?” This phrase refers to typically indecisive or “wishy-washy” people. But in this case, the “fence sitters” are the undecided voters in the current...

Just the tip

Just the tip

Genesis Napel, Staff Writer October 25, 2016

Vibrators and handcuffs are common instruments in the porn industry, but after this November’s election, a new prop might be mandatory on all California sets. Proposition 60 requires X-rated performers...

Prop 63 sensibility

Prop 63 sensibility

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Senior Staff Photographer October 25, 2016

A new gun law is on the ballot, and the same players are playing the same old games. National Rifle Association members are screaming, “They’re going to take away our guns!” Gun-control groups are...

Editorial: Vote, damn it!

Editorial: Vote, damn it!

October 25, 2016

California has 17 propositions on the ballot this year along with 23 county and municipal measures. These are not unsavory presidential candidates or local officials you know hardly anything about. These...

Presidential election 2016

Zachary Chew, Staff Writer and Cartoonist October 25, 2016

What does it mean to be “sitting on the fence?” This phrase refers to typically indecisive or “wishy-washy” people. But in this case, the “fence sitters” are the undecided voters in the current...

Just the tip: Polyamory, more than multiple lovers

Just the tip: Polyamory, more than multiple lovers

Genesis Napel, Staff Writer October 11, 2016

Cookie cutter monogamous relationships are running rampant in American culture; The idea of “the one” tricking lovers into exclusive partnerships when there are so many fish in the sea. Some people...

Editorial: If you want to invest in the middle class, invest in education

Editorial: If you want to invest in the middle class, invest in education

October 11, 2016

Both presidential candidates say they want to invest in us. But in reality, they want to invest in a manufacturing economy that's shrinking. They want to invest in a minimum wage that's way behind its...

Advocating for our health: Students explore birth control options

Advocating for our health: Students explore birth control options

Amoura Deering, Staff Writer October 10, 2016

For women on birth control, the medication is part of their daily lives. From their teens until they decide to start a family, they jack their bodies up on hormones to prevent them from doing what they...

Native American performers in traditional dress at Indigenous Peoples Day in 2015.

Indigenous People’s Day vs. Columbus Day

Zachary Chew, Staff Writer October 10, 2016

Since 1937 the United States has been celebrating Columbus Day as a national holiday. However, our nation’s indigenous people—the people here before Columbus’s arrival—have often felt left out...

Editorial: Petaluma campus ripe for the picking

Editorial: Petaluma campus ripe for the picking

October 9, 2016

Students have two choices: a guaranteed state-of-the-art facility or a chance at a sub-par, decaying classroom. Here at Santa Rosa Junior College we face this choice, and we're making the wrong one. The...

Just the Tip: Love in the fast lane

Just the Tip: Love in the fast lane

Carin McKenna Huber, Opinion Editor October 9, 2016

Your life is busy. There’s school, family and maybe work. Finding time to maintain an intimate connection with your lover can be difficult. Here are seven quick tips to help you make the most of minimal...

Kaepernick: The message gets lost in the method

Kaepernick: The message gets lost in the method

Albert Gregory, Sports Editor October 9, 2016

The message and the reasons behind San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest are obscured by the symbolism of the act itself. Kaepernick is protesting the American flag...

The emotionally charged temple burn was felt throughout the crowd as they all gazed at the flames and felt the transcendence of their prayers. The temple is a sacred place for all to come to peace with hardships they are trying to let go of such as passed loved ones and old habits.

Why burn the man?

Genesis Napel, Staff Writer September 20, 2016

Some would say this was not a wise decision. I exhausted my bank account on party supplies and gas. I ditched the second week of school even though I am completing my certificate requirements this semester....

Just the tip: Say what you mean

Just the tip: Say what you mean

Carin McKenna Huber, Opinion Editor September 13, 2016

When it comes to relationship advice, nothing bears repetition like “communication is key.” It’s not just about getting what you want in bed or deciding who cooks and who cleans. One instance of...

Dilma Rousseff, Brazils first female president, was impeached on Aug. 31.

Brazil and US practice dark politics: Act locally to reclaim democracy

Beatriz Verneaux, Staff Writer September 13, 2016

As an immigrant from Brazil, I juggle both American and Brazilian politics, which generally leaves me drained and hopeless. Brazil and the United States share some dark similarities. Both countries were...

Editorial: An unfair choice, an unfair system

Editorial: An unfair choice, an unfair system

September 13, 2016

Our greatest right as citizens of the United States is to vote for our commander in chief. Our voice. Our President. But when this infinitely important decision is reduced to a choice between the lesser...

Editorial: Student affairs office needs to clean house

Editorial: Student affairs office needs to clean house

May 17, 2016

A series of damaging incidents within the student affairs department has snowballed into a catastrophic end to the school year, leaving administrators and student government officers scrambling to tie...

It’s not murder; it’s a choice

It’s not murder; it’s a choice

Nikki Goetz, Features Editor May 17, 2016

It took a pregnancy scare for me to go from pro-life to pro-choice. As a baptized Catholic, I was raised to believe that abortion is a sin. Protesters outside of Planned Parenthood buildings continue...

Just the tip: Genital Herpes

Just the tip: Genital Herpes

Genesis Napel, Staff writer May 17, 2016

A lusty night in heaven can quickly inflict a hellish state of contemplation. Itchy sores unlike any ingrown hair radiate pain and foster fear in your psyche. A few blisters in your crotch will forever...

Photographer Estefany 
Gonzalez 
captures photos to remember moments that she treasures.

A journey through music: After the encore

Estefany Gonzalez, Co-Editor-in-Chief May 17, 2016

I’ve seen hundreds of bands live. I’ve traveled thousands of miles across the states to see bands play in hole-in-the-wall venues because their music means something to me. Music gave me my first...

Gender fear: Women empowerment message enforces idea of fearing men

Gender fear: Women empowerment message enforces idea of fearing men

Lanea Florence, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

It was 1 a.m. – the only time I had free as a busy college student. As I sat in the gym, overwhelming anxiety sprung upon me. Suddenly my mind raced, thinking of escape plans and possible items I could...

Anything but ‘yes’ is ‘no’

Anything but ‘yes’ is ‘no’

Carin Huber, Copy Editor May 17, 2016

There is an unspoken idea in U.S. culture that women owe sex to men, and that men are within their rights to take sex regardless of women’s desires. This is called “rape culture.” This is not to...

Smartphones easily distract students from studying and other academic duties.

I love you, Siri: Smartphones’ impact students’ ability to learn

Sophia Stamoulis, Contributing Writer May 17, 2016

I was standing behind two of my peers when I first heard “lol” used as an adjective. Shortly after, I found myself repeating the same lingo at a party in response to a story told by a drunken friend. “Lol,”...

Editorial: Police brutality not OK in Lemos’ case

Editorial: Police brutality not OK in Lemos’ case

April 28, 2016

A recent police brutality case involving a Santa Rosa Junior College student sparked a heated discussion, prompting Sonoma County residents to question who’s at fault: the civilian or the officer. The...

Just the tip: The final frontier?

Just the tip: The final frontier?

Genesis Napel, Co-News Editor April 28, 2016

Our culture continues to shun the butthole. Yet this taboo part of the body is often the main focus of people’s sexual fantasies and is glorified in porn and rap songs. Yet society imposes the idea that...

Racial and religious prejudice in America: Middle-Eastern student experiences stereotypes

Racial and religious prejudice in America: Middle-Eastern student experiences stereotypes

Amira Dabbas, Contributing Writer April 28, 2016

I am Palestinian. I am American. My family is Muslim. Over the years I have come to realize I am in a world where I constantly have to defend my family’s culture. This feeling of hesitation before I...

SRJC installed gender-neutral bathrooms on campus in January 2015.

North Carolina’s bathroom bill: HB2 law discriminates against transgenders

Eloy A. Delgado, Contributing Writer April 28, 2016

Gender-neutral restrooms are a reality at Santa Rosa Junior College, but in states like North Carolina, using the restroom or locker room for the gender that identifies them is illegal for transgender...

Big fat lies: Body size does not predict health

Big fat lies: Body size does not predict health

Carin Huber, Copy Editor April 28, 2016

Take it from me, there’s not a fat person alive in this country, from infant to ancient, who hasn’t been told they should lose weight to be healthy. This is a lie. Numerous medical studies have found...

Refugees struggle to cross the border into Turkey.

An examination into the war and refugee crisis in Syria

Taylor Fatherree, Contributing Writer April 23, 2016

On Sept. 2, 2015, 3-year-old Alan Kurdi drowned after his Syrian family tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to nearby Cyprus. A picture of his body on a Turkish beach shocked the world: facedown...

Editorial: Minimum wage vs. maximum profits

Editorial: Minimum wage vs. maximum profits

April 12, 2016

A minimum wage increase to $15 sounds great to Santa Rosa Junior College students who make low wages and can barely scrape by. Yet the issue is more complex than a quick pay raise.  Worries about company-wide...

Just the tip: From kinky to casual talk

Just the tip: From kinky to casual talk

Genesis Napel, Co-News Editor April 12, 2016

“Oh baby, f*** me harder! Oh! Oh!!” Phrases like this are probably what you think of when dirty talk comes up. A big-breasted, overly eye-lined blonde and a tribal-tattooed buff bald guy getting...

Obesity: Learn to make the change

Obesity: Learn to make the change

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer April 12, 2016

Science Journal The Lancet recently published a conclusive study revealing shocking statistics about the global obesity epidemic. According to the data collected from 1975 through 2014, obesity rates...

Grief and guilt: The pain of long goodbyes

Grief and guilt: The pain of long goodbyes

Carin Huber, Copy Editor April 12, 2016

In early January this year my father chose to go into hospice care at home. As his only child, I’m his primary caretaker. No one expects the loss of a loved one to be easy, but I was surprised the ways...

Letter to the Editor: Shorter semesters

Letter to the Editor: Shorter semesters

Michael Moritz, Contributing Writer April 12, 2016

After several years of study at Santa Rosa Junior College, it’s grown apparent to me that this institution is different from the average university or community college. If one were to survey students...

Editorial: Forget the mystery, express women’s history

Editorial: Forget the mystery, express women’s history

March 8, 2016

Though we have a full month dedicated to the accomplishments of strong, powerful women throughout history, there is still an overwhelming lack of representation of women in history textbooks. Women’s...

Just the tip: Communication saves relationships

Just the tip: Communication saves relationships

Robert Marshall, Contributing Writer March 8, 2016

Communication: we do it every day. But one place where communication is essential is in the bedroom — wink, wink. It’s something we probably could all learn to do better, including myself. Talking...

Letter to the Editor, Issue 3

Letter to the Editor, Issue 3

Sandra Robledo Cornejo, Contributing Writer March 8, 2016

February 15, 2016 Repeated Mistakes  We’re all human beings. We’re all different in our own ways.No matter whether we have a different skin color or legal status, we’re all the same; therefore...

Just say ‘no’ to pharmaceuticals: Use alternative treatments to cure  physical and mental ailments

Just say ‘no’ to pharmaceuticals: Use alternative treatments to cure physical and mental ailments

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer March 8, 2016

The pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want the public to know there’s a range of treatments for depression, anxiety, insomnia and even muscle pain. These treatments do not require swallowing a pill or...

By the few, for the almighty: Who really runs the country, and how we can change it

By the few, for the almighty: Who really runs the country, and how we can change it

Austin Burmester, Staff Writer March 8, 2016

America is no longer the democracy our Founding Fathers envisioned. This country is no longer a republic — it’s an oligarchy. The United States isn’t “run by the people, for the people,” but...

Editorial: Society needs to stand up against rape culture

Editorial: Society needs to stand up against rape culture

February 23, 2016

While couples celebrated Valentine’s Day, dedicated members of the Santa Rosa community gathered at Old Courthouse Square to march towards Santa Rosa Junior College to speak out against rape culture. A...

From raves to Rx: party drugs from your doctor

From raves to Rx: party drugs from your doctor

Tommy Dennen , Staff Writer February 23, 2016

The Food and Drug Administration is currently trying to avoid descending a slippery slope into granting the pharmaceutical industry permission to research and manufacture a range of drugs to treat the...

Just the tip: Sexual fetishes

Just the tip: Sexual fetishes

Robert Marshall , Opinion Editor February 23, 2016

Feet, legs, bondage, spanking, sexual role-play—we all know these are some of the more common fantasies. But have you heard of formicophilia, emetophilia or stimming? Fetishes are the  stranger side...

Mainstream media sheep: What to consider while choosing media sources

Mainstream media sheep: What to consider while choosing media sources

Austin Burmester , Staff Writer February 23, 2016

Some people call them sheep. Others call them drones. I just call them idiots. To be clear, I am talking about the virus going around that turns humans into mainstream media zombies who get their news...

Vaccine mandates: senate bill 277 under scrutiny of private agenda and severing constitutional rights

Vaccine mandates: senate bill 277 under scrutiny of private agenda and severing constitutional rights

Daniel Medina , Staff Writer February 23, 2016

In July, parents will be forced to allow their family doctors and nurses to inject their children with more than 40 doses of federally recommended vaccines. Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 277,...

Editorial: Pushing the boundaries of a nation’s trust

Editorial: Pushing the boundaries of a nation’s trust

February 9, 2016

A common perception persists among the nation’s informed public: consistently declining trust in federal and state government officials.   While this phenomenon is nothing new, recent public distrust...

Just the tip: Masturbation is key

Just the tip: Masturbation is key

Robert Marshall, Opinion Editor February 9, 2016

Being healthy is important and one thing that is healthy is masturbating. Masturbation is a way to stay healthy for men and women. It can take a few minutes or a couple hours, if you want to go that...

Mosquitos: It’s time to wipe out our smallest, deadliest enemy

Mosquitos: It’s time to wipe out our smallest, deadliest enemy

Tommy Dennen, Assistant Opinion Editor February 9, 2016

The Zika virus is quickly being recognized as a global pandemic. But what is it? The Zika virus is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae, and it’s spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitos. The virus is...

Facts of science over myths of religion

Facts of science over myths of religion

Austin Burmester, Assistant Sports Editor February 9, 2016

God(s) are not real. By God, I mean a supreme being that people believe is the creator of all things. Religion, as a whole, is a way for certain institutions to act as shepherds herding their sheep followers...

Trump: An election joke

Trump: An election joke

Parker Dangers Oncken, Senior Staff Writer February 9, 2016

While many friends of mine like to toss around the, “I’ll move to Canada if Trump gets elected” hogwash, I refuse to go that far. How many of those people actually followed through on their promises...

Are we text robots? Texting taking over lives in the modern age

Are we text robots? Texting taking over lives in the modern age

Daniel Medina, Staff Writer February 9, 2016

Is anyone alive anymore? Are we all paralyzed by fear? Why text when we can just call? How many poor souls have perished behind a “lol”? How many relationships have been severed by the Facebook samurai...

Just the tip: Not fade away

Just the tip: Not fade away

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor December 10, 2015

Casual sex has lost the taboo it once held. Two people can have some sweaty fun, then may not see each other ever again. This is fine, but it doesn’t mean that we should abandon all courtesy. It has...

Editorial

Editorial

December 10, 2015

Surprise! Sometimes college students drink alcohol when they’re not supposed to. In what amounts to predictable circumstances, an inappropriate use of alcohol embroiled four student representatives...

From one to many: Generalizing  religions

From one to many: Generalizing religions

Faith Gates, Co-Editor-in-Chief December 10, 2015

No two humans are the same, yet we continue to treat them like they are. Recently, people treated members of certain religious groups based on the actions of a few. I am Christian, and because of this...

Passers-by pause at one of the sites of the Paris attacks. Many of the terrorists involved in the explosions were French nationals, perhaps reacting to anti-Arab sentiment in France.

Not without reason: French racism sparks aggression

Guillaume Jackson, Staff Photographer December 10, 2015

The Nov. 13 Paris attacks had a greater effect on French society than most outsiders realize. To fully comprehend what fomented these attacks, it’s necessary to understand how Arabs and their varying...

Walking a mile in another girls pants

Walking a mile in another girl’s pants

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer December 8, 2015

You see girls wearing yoga pants a lot. Believe it or not boys, it’s not just for you. So if it’s true that girls don't just wear leggings because they look great to us, I had to figure out why they...

Anti-vaxxers ignore the science

Anti-vaxxers ignore the science

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer December 7, 2015

“Yeah, but I still wouldn’t get a flu shot” she almost needlessly exclaimed at the conclusion of a conversation a friend and I were having concerning her ability to receive healthcare. “WHAT?!?...

Stuck on the JC merry-go-round: running in circles for financial aid

Stuck on the JC merry-go-round: running in circles for financial aid

Arthur Gonzales Martin, Staff Writer December 7, 2015

I’m finally off of academic suspension after two years of dealing with dispassionate office workers, being told to submit, resubmit, then unsubmit missing paperwork that I wasn’t given to begin with...

Just the tip: The one to hold you down

Just the tip: The one to hold you down

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor November 17, 2015

Few people knowingly go into a relationship with a controlling partner. The behavior is subtle, especially in the beginning, and can be hard to spot. Most commonly the controlling person is a man, but...

In the MMORPG “Tera” there is no practical armor for female characters.

Game over for boys club

Devin Schwarz, Assistant A&E Editor November 17, 2015

Thank you Mario, but our independent female character is in another game. Video games have been an integral part of American culture for nearly 50 years and young girls have been enjoying them just as...

High volume turkey production causes serious repetitive stress injury to line workers.

Giving the birds a break: Quitting cold turkey

Amy Reynolds, Staff Writer November 17, 2015

It is a holiday tradition practiced around dinner tables throughout the country.  What are you most thankful for this year? Last year a brave man sitting at my holiday get together very plainly and matter-of-factly...

Weeding out some misconceptions of GMOs

Weeding out some misconceptions of GMOs

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer November 17, 2015

Let’s talk about GMOs for a second. The phrase is becoming ever more of a hot switch in pop culture, because it’s an issue that affects everyone. Everyone has to eat, and with the shocking variety...

Editorial

Editorial

November 16, 2015

A paradox hangs over this country. The United States, the wealthiest nation on Earth, has more capital in its economy than any point in history, yet income inequality now parallels the Great Depression....

Just the tip: Alphabet soup in a rainbow bowl

Just the tip: Alphabet soup in a rainbow bowl

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor October 27, 2015

Most U.S. college students have heard some variation of “LGBTQ.” The acronym commonly stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual and Queer. This is a good start, but there are many...

Despite recent shootings, American’s relationship with guns seems unchanged.

Firearms: A foreigner’s attempt to make sense of American gun culture

Guillaume Jackson, Staff Photographer October 27, 2015

Another gun-involved tragedy has gripped America, this time in Oregon. President Barack Obama communicated disgust in his belief Americans have become insensate to mass shootings in U.S. schools, while...

Undressing a double standard: The male monopoly on the naked nipple

Undressing a double standard: The male monopoly on the naked nipple

Craig Gettman, Senior Staff Writer October 27, 2015

I’m a big guy. It’s OK, I can admit it. I’m overweight. Some would even say fat. That’s not really what’s important here. The important part is: I’m male. As someone who identifies as such...

Attendees register for the 2014 Five-College Queer Conference. Hampshire College in Massachusetts hosts the student-led annual event, which offers a supportive place to explore gender and sexuality, as well as other intersecting issues. For more information about the conference, visit www.hampshire.edu/queerconf.

Understanding gender-neutral language

Rebecca Dominquez, Web Editor October 27, 2015

When we meet someone wearing a dress and heels, it is automatic to think of that person as a ‘she,’ whether or not they identify as a female. This is a problem. With the LGBTQ community getting...

Bill Means speaks of new interpretations of the “discovery” of America, which are upcoming in social consciousness.

Editorial

October 27, 2015

Every fall, Columbus Day controversy stirs a national conversation about the ugly legacy of European colonization. This evaluation does more than address past injustices, it underscores how elusive the...

Peace, love, unity, respect

Peace, love, unity, respect

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer October 26, 2015

Festivals are getting a little overrated. Or are they? Sure, the droves of trailblazers that got these massive musical movements going probably had more fun than any of us ever will (hipster joke),...

Letters to the editor

October 13, 2015

The views expressed in letters to the editor are exclusively those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Santa Rosa Junior College, the Oak Leaf or its staff. Consider other countries’...

Stop the shame

Stop the shame

Estefany Gonzalez, A&E Editor October 13, 2015

I was raised Catholic and told that I should wait until marriage to have sex and that virginity was important. Sorry mom, that went out the window in my teens.  Being sexual was seen as inappropriate...

Personal Privacy Protection Act threatens transgender privacy

Personal Privacy Protection Act threatens transgender privacy

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor October 13, 2015

On April 17 Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office received a proposed initiative for California’s 2016 ballot designed to threaten and shame transgender people. The Personal Privacy Protection Act...

Editorial

Editorial

October 13, 2015

Any morning visit Monday through Thursday will expose a glaring transportation problem at this college. Thousands of students from the reaches of the North Bay and Wine Country flock to the Santa Rosa...

“No catcall zone” signs appear in the streets of New York City.

Cat calling: Harrassing women brings dishonor to guilty men

Haley Elizabeth Bollinger, Features Editor October 13, 2015

An old, unattractive bearded man enthusiastically hollers at me as I walk down the street, “Hey nice ass!” I say, “F**k you,” right back and he excitedly yells from his rusty truck, “What time?” What...

Doctors overdiagnose children with ADHD

Doctors overdiagnose children with ADHD

October 13, 2015

You’re with a couple of classmates in a library study room. You have a political science paper or a math assignment due tomorrow, and three or four of you are working together to power through; amid...

Just the Tip: Beautiful as you feel

Just the Tip: Beautiful as you feel

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor October 13, 2015

Millions of Americans suffer from poor body image. Media reports 70-80 percent of women and 40-80 percent of men view their bodies negatively . Poor self-image is an immense problem and leads to an intense...

Just the Tip: Needful things

Just the Tip: Needful things

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor September 29, 2015

Whether you have an intimate partner or are saving yourself for marriage, there will probably come a time you share physical pleasure with someone. With my 25-plus years of sexual experience, here are...

Editorial

Editorial

September 29, 2015

It comes down to one day every four years, the first Tuesday of November. Election Day. In one simple exercise, millions cast their preference for the presidency of the U.S. That’s all; one day, one...

Students are discouraged to vote because many don’t see the correlation to their community or they don’t think their vote makes a difference.

New voters shouldn’t be daunted

Candler Weinberg, Staff Writer September 29, 2015

At 18, Americans attain permission to vote, among other rights. Voting can be daunting for many. It’s often hard for high school seniors and college freshmen to follow the quick and complicated world...

European countries struggle to support hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants.

The Migrant Crisis

Guillaume Jackson, Staff Writer September 29, 2015

Over the past few months, an overwhelming number of people have braved a perilous journey through makeshift rafts and near-starvation from the Maghreb and Middle-East to Europe, or what many Americans...

Google promotes self-driving cars.

Con: Self-driving automobiles

Candler Weinberg, Staff Writer September 17, 2015

  There is an appeal to autonomous cars. One can simply walk out to the car, get in and go. Yes, they promise to bring safety, convenience and independence. No need to go through driver’s ed,...

Google promotes self-driving cars.

Pro: Self-driven automobiles

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor September 17, 2015

  Self-driving cars, like those being developed by Google, promise to usher in a new age of safety, convenience and independence. While some people lament the loss of control over their vehicle...

Just the Tip: Ask, dont tell

Just the Tip: Ask, don’t tell

Carin Huber, Opinion Editor September 17, 2015

  You may worry that your partner will think you expect too much or they’ll think you’re some kind of freak. There’s only one way to get what you want. Ask. You should find out as soon...

Birthright citizenship is Trump proof

Birthright citizenship is Trump proof

Catherine Ramirez and Luke Heslip September 17, 2015

  Is it fear or sincere ignorance that consumes the mind and actions of Donald Trump? Probably both. The issue isn’t his disregard for critical thinking, but rather that he is leading in the...

Stem cell research: The truth behind the controversy

Stem cell research: The truth behind the controversy

Tommy Dennen, Staff Writer September 15, 2015

What do you know about stem cell research? Does the phrase leave a bad taste in your mouth? Does the concept make you anxious about scientists’ ability to manipulate the human condition beyond the...

Editorial Sept.14

Editorial Sept.14

September 15, 2015

American college culture is at a critical point where adherence to political correctness threatens to undermine the sanctity of free speech, a supreme value of higher education. This conflict intensifies...

Just the Tip: How Will I Know?

Just the Tip: How Will I Know?

Carin Huber, Copy Editor August 28, 2015

Meeting new people can be awkward, and never more so than when you’re trying to figure out whether that cute guy or gal is interested in you. Chances are they’re already telling you, whether they know...

Jordan Panana Carbajal stands with fellow DREAMers during the opening event of the Dream Center.

[Podcast] SRJC Dream Center and Immigration

May 14, 2015

https://soundcloud.com/the-oak-leaf-news/srjc-dream-center-and-immigration

[Podcast] Discussion of #Feministsareugly (Twitter) (OPINION)

[Podcast] Discussion of #Feministsareugly (Twitter) (OPINION)

May 14, 2015

https://soundcloud.com/the-oak-leaf-news/feministsareugly-discussion-the-oak-leaf

Ultron, voiced by James Spader, plots the downfall of the Avengers after Tony Stark builds him and the robot goes berserk.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Critical Review and Discussion

May 14, 2015

https://soundcloud.com/the-oak-leaf-news/avengers-age-of-ultron-critical-review-and-discussion

Alternative rock expires, but classification remains

Luke Heslip , Assistant Opinion Editor May 14, 2015

Alternative rock music is obsolete, drained dry and finished. The genre’s inevitable decay honors a necessity of its temporary nature. The movement’s expiration is essentially a matter of identity....

Snapchat stories promotes politics

Catherine Ramirez and May 14, 2015

“Je suis Charlie! Je suis Charlie!” These are the chants you hear as you watch a 10-second video of young French adults marching in the Place de la République in France through a Snapchat story. Snapchat,...

Editorial May 11

Editorial May 11

May 11, 2015

When Governor Jerry Brown signed the California DREAM Act in 2011, it was a step forward for the U.S. in terms of immigration reform. In 2012, the Obama Administration enacted Deferred Action, designed...

Former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton endures criticism for hawkish foreign policy.

Choice is key:Clinton monopolizes the 2016 Democratic presidential primary

Luke Heslip , Assistant Opinion Editor May 11, 2015

A two-party system is an absurd design of government. Political ideology does not divide naturally into two generalized halves: it’s a nuanced and overlapping array of values and vantage points.  A...

Media hacks childhood innocence

Media hacks childhood innocence

Domanique Crawford , Opinion Editor May 11, 2015

The little girls looked no more than 6 and 8. The youngest one, with her hand on her hip, swayed to the beat as the eldest sang along to the lyrics. At first, their pastime seemed innocuous. It had...

On the hunt for a home

DeAnna Hettinger , Staff Writer May 11, 2015

Recently, in my search for a room to rent in Santa Rosa, I came across a Craigslist ad that made me chuckle. The ad read something like: master bedroom for rent, $1,250…killer home looking for ‘sick’...

An X-ray shows differences between healthy set of lungs on the left and lungs with cystic fibrosis on the right and the damage it causes to them.

In the end all I got were tears

Jarrett Rodriguez , Co-Editor-in-Chief May 11, 2015

I can remember every detail of it. Sitting on her bed in complete silence, staring at her, knowing I would never see this room again. She was talking, but by then I stopped listening. I just couldn’t...

It’s not love, just a crush

Robert Marshall , Sports Editor May 11, 2015

My heart flutters; I feel frustration, sometimes sadness and confusion. I’ve come to realize I have a crush, and it’s something I’ve never felt before. A crush is an intense but usually short-lived...

The current drinking age causes underage young adults to binge drink and consume alcohol in unsafe environments.

To drink or legally drink; that is the question

Faith Gates , Managing and News Editor May 11, 2015

When you turn 18 in the United States you can vote, be in the army, buy a gun, get a tattoo, get married and buy cigarettes, but one thing you can’t do is drink alcohol. Let’s be honest: we all drank...

Craig Gettman at age 13 leans behind the shoulder of his younger sister.

Recovering from abuse

Craig Gettman, Staff Writer May 11, 2015

My name is Craig, and I’m a survivor of sexual abuse. I was 13 at the time. It was that awkward time of life when my voice was changing, my hormones were raging and hair was growing in places I’d...

Bike riders utilize access to California’s highways for transportation and exercise in an eco-friendly fashion.

SRJC should promote use of bicycles

Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec, Staff Writer May 11, 2015

Playing musical chairs to park your car every morning at SRJC should not have to be an inevitability. A more fun and healthy method is possible to start your studious day. Leave your car, take a breath...

Plastic poisons ocean sourced foods

Peter Gatembu, Contributing Writer May 11, 2015

According to the Fisheries of the United States latest statistics, the average American ate 14.5 pounds of fish in 2013, a modest 0.7 percent increase over the 14.4 pounds consumed in 2012. Perhaps fish-eaters...

Measure A: The driving force behind newly proposed road repairs tax act

Dylan Grise, Contributing Writer May 11, 2015

Founding father Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Only two things are guaranteed in life; death and taxes.” It looks like the latter of the two may be on the rise again here in Sonoma County. We’ve all...

Editorial April 27

Editorial April 27

April 27, 2015

Do you think America is the greatest country in the world? For today’s politicians, the answer to this question doesn’t reveal their reflections on American history; it falsely validates their patriotism....

In a race to raise the minimum wage

In a race to raise the minimum wage

Domanique Crawford, Opinion Editor April 27, 2015

For a single adult, the average monthly expense for housing in Sonoma County is $850, transportation is $285, and food is $242. The hourly living wage is $10.69, according to the Living Wage Calculator. The...

American  and Iranian flags contrast much like the nations they represent.

Gambling with national security

Luke Heslip, Assistant Opinion Editor April 27, 2015

Sober diplomacy should be the baseline to all foreign policy; this seemingly obvious and sensible mindset is frequently ignore. Iran is currently polarizing the United States’ leaders on foreign policy....

Teach respect along with prevention and good ethics

Teach respect along with prevention and good ethics

Maci Martell, Assistant News Editor April 27, 2015

It’s a sad state of affairs when it’s basically a requirement for women to carry pepper spray whenever they walk alone. It’s even sadder because I don’t need to tell you the reason why. You already...

False rape accusation stains Phi Kappa Psi’s legacy

Austin Burmester, Staff Writer April 27, 2015

Rolling Stone magazine published an article Nov. 19, 2014 titled “A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA.”  This article, which Rolling Stone later retracted due to false...

Load More Stories

Comments (0)

All The Oak Leaf Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest