By Franchesca Carrera Simpson Rising has been the motto for SU in the past year and a half as many changes have taken place. In the summer of 2019, the Simpson University Grant Center received a large makeover which included the resurfacing of the floor and the addition of two brand new scoreboards. According to an article on the athletics website, this is the fourth major project in the last two years for the facilities within the Grant Center. The renovations to the gym have given fans and players a new experience as one of the scoreboards also has an LED videoboard. In previous years, the athletics department shot videos for the teams, but they typically went unused. However, with the addition of the board, the videos are now put on the screen, allowing the players a sense of pride at being able to see their names and faces in lights, literally. For the six sports that utilize the gym while in season, the upgrades have been a welcome change. “When the gym was being renovated, I felt like we were a priority,” said women’s basketball senior, Alli Ramelli. “The gym gets used for a lot of different things and a lot of professors don’t like us athletes, so it made us feel like the school actually cared about athletics.” But while some teams are enjoying the change to their home others are left wondering where the support for their much-needed upgrades is going to come from. Sports such as soccer, baseball, swimming, and track and field are without equipment that allows them to compete hassle-free. Swimming and track and field can’t even practice, let alone compete, on the SU campus as there are no facilities to accommodate them. Soccer and baseball, on the other hand, have the facilities, but they desperately need fixtures to be added. Head Women’s Soccer Coach, Milton Carrera, explained they aren’t asking for much. “To be honest if [the school] were to fix the practice field, that would be a lot better,” Carrera said. “Lights would make a difference, but then again, the field needs to be addressed.” The needs of the soccer teams are just some of the few things that require the attention of the school. Just above the soccer field is the beginnings of the baseball field, a project that after years of coaches asking, is finally being built. However, it is going to take time and money before the field is ready to go. Head Baseball Coach, Dan Tating, listed what is still needed before the field can be used for a game. “Outfield fence, backstop, dugouts, and a bullpen would be what we need just to be able to play,” said Tating. He’s also willing to work with the school, explaining that while there needs to be stands at the field, the soccer ones will do just fine and will save money. In the meantime, SU has been using Tiger Field, which is about 15 minutes from campus, and comes with a plethora of problems of its own. The biggest problem being it turns away potential players because they don’t get to play on campus and Tiger field is known for the homeless and drug issues. A common theme among coaches with requests was the need for a locker room next to the soccer and baseball fields. Carrera mentioned that opposing teams come here to play and don’t have anywhere to change, other than the basketball and volleyball locker rooms, which are located on the other side of campus. Others have voiced the need for a smaller facility like the gym, to host events such as chapel, awards, and symposiums. This facility could also help with scheduling conflicts between the teams when it comes to holding practices on a daily basis. Having a brand new LED board and flooring is wonderful for the teams that use it, but for those that are still trying to find a place on this campus and money to use, it can be seen as the athletic department pushing them to the side.

By Daisy Brenegan Simpson Athletics has grown immensely this year with the addition of five new teams. One, in particular, has made a big splash. SU’s swim team has set multiple program records this season. Along with breaking records, “They are defying the odds in their inaugural season,” according to the Simpson Red Hawk’s Facebook page. Baseball and softball seasons are just getting underway. Men’s and women’s basketball have about a month left of conference play before their season comes to a close. Upcoming games: Baseball - January 31st at Historic Tiger Field, Redding. 11 AM & 5 PM Softball- February 1st at Simpson Softball Field. 10 AM & 2 PM Men’s basketball - February 1st at California Maritime Academy. 7:30 PM Women’s basketball February 1st at California Maritime Academy. 5:30 PM Be sure to go out and cheer on your Simpson Red Hawks. For more articles and schedules go to simpsonredhawks.com.

By Franchesca Carrera With the lack of lighting across the Simpson campus, students and staff alike seem to be saying, “Hello darkness, my old friend.” Once the sun goes down every day, it is a fight to see when walking on campus. This can be dangerous for everyone, especially during winter weather conditions. As the rain drops, so does the ability to see. It is already difficult in several parts of the school grounds, as there is little to no lighting. For the most part, the only well-lit place is the pathway right in front of Owens near the clocktower. Besides that, lights line the walkways very sparingly. This increases the chance of someone falling, running into something, or getting hurt in some other way. This is only part of the problem. There is talk around school from many students about feeling unsafe on campus at night, especially from women. “I try to park my car in very specific spots on campus because they do have lights, but they don’t get turned on,” said senior, Jacelyn Wedman. “The little stand lights, half of them are broken and the other half don’t turn on. If you’re walking around in the dark, it’s a little creepy.” Not many students take night classes, meaning if something were to happen, there wouldn’t be anyone around to see or hear it. Walking to and from the parking lot and in between buildings is a risk because of the nonexistent lighting. Women are vulnerable. However, campus safety says they are working on the problem. “The lighting issue has been a concern of ours over the last 3 years but due to the budget restrictions we have not been able to address it out of our operating budget,” said Paul Davis. He also mentioned they are specifically concerned with the areas around academic buildings, as well as some resident halls and parking areas. There is some good news for the SU community as progress is being made with light installations. On top of campus safety working to add lighting, Student Government is also planning a ‘night walk’ with members of the department in order to fully understand the student side of the situation and make sure the lights will be placed where they are most needed. Adding lights to the campus won’t solve the problem entirely, however, it is a step in the right direction and the added visibility can help prevent any future safety incidents.

By Ariana West We asked these seniors the following: What was your favorite and least favorite part about Simpson? What are your plans after graduation? Austen Salcedo Communications Major “The best part about Simpson for me was the teachers and my baseball coaches.My least favorite part would have to be the inconsistent cafeteria food and the mandatory chapels which would always conflict with my busy schedule.” “My plans after graduation is to go back home, work on being a DJ, produce music, and work as a personal coach for baseball.” Alex Cooper Business Major “My favorite part of being at Simpson was being apart of the women’s basketball program. They were my second family and I have always felt welcomed there. Every person I played with taught me something about myself I didn’t know before. My least favorite part is the lack of diversity we have at this school. It was extremely difficult attending a school where there were not always a lot of people who looked like me.I always felt like people’s eyes were on me because of the way I looked and carried myself.” “After graduation I plan on getting my real estate license and staying in Redding for a year or two.” Spencer Scofield Business Major “I love the community at Simpson University, my favorite part would have to be the relationships I have built here. My least favorite part about Simpson is that everyone knows you, so don’t do anything embarrassing or everyone will know.” "I plan to get a sales job while I start my own business. I plan to open ecommerce stores online and use that money to invest in real estate so that I can retire early.” Ashley Oakley Psychology Major “My favorite part is that it was a new adventure to me and so far I haven’t regretted moving here. My least favorite part was leaving behind my best friends and family behind.” “After graduation, I plan on continuing on to get my masters in counseling, but I’m not sure if I want to stay at Simpson or find a new adventure yet.”

By Simpson U News editor REDDING, Calif.—Simpson University’s bass fishing team took home top honors Jan. 26 in its first college tournament of 2020 on its home waters of Lake Shasta. The team of Nathan Phillips and Chase Sherman topped the field of 14 teams at the Wild West Bass Trail College Series, which included anglers from Chico State, Fresno State, and Oregon State universities. Their five-fish limit weighed in at 10.78 pounds and included the biggest catch of the day, a 2.45-pounder. Simpson University had three teams on the water. The team of Sheldon Reese and Taj White placed fifth, with a weigh-in of 9.52 pounds. Ryan Beaty and Luke Blanchard came in 11th, with a 6.91-pound weigh-in. Overall, the fishing conditions were tough,” coach Alex Thiemann said. “That being said, our guys fished hard and put together a winning pattern. I was proud that Nathan and Chase got the win, but equally proud that our other teams put themselves in a position in which victory was only a bite or two away.” As first-place winners, Phillips and Sherman earned $1,000. Phillips, along with Beaty, has already qualified to compete in the FLW Yeti College Fishing National Championship in Leesburg, Fla., Feb. 26-28. At the weigh-in at Bridge Bay Marina, Phillips and Sherman talked briefly about the Simpson University bass fishing program, new this academic year. The six-person team comprise a new club sport for the university. “It’s an awesome program,” Sherman said. Phillips talked about the unique opportunity to attend college and pursue fishing with scholarship support and generous donations from local businesses, including Black Bear Diner, Harrison’s Marine & RV, and Phil’s Propeller. “Their support is the reason these guys will be able to travel to Florida for the national championship,” Thiemann said. “We are so thankful for their generosity.”

By Ariana West Imagine having to pick up needles left by the homeless everyday before practice. This is reality for the Simpson Baseball Team. Despite being one of the oldest teams here on campus, and an official NAIA team for twenty years, they are just now making some real progress on building their own field. Currently, the team has their home games at Tiger Field in downtown Redding. Going to this field, you will see lots of homeless people and possibly some heroin needles. According to Head Coach Dan Tating, when leaving the field at night, it is not unusual for homeless people to yell or even throw things. Last year, not only did the team have games at Tiger Field but practices as well. Coach Tating explained that another downfall of having to practice off-campus was having to be creative with practice times in order to get everyone over there at the same time. It was also common for players to miss dinner almost every night because of having to practice off campus. Senior infielder Chris Brue mentions that getting over to Tiger is very inconvenient, and for those without cars, finding a ride can cause added stress for players. This year, the school did not pay the rent money for the team to continue to practice at Tiger field, so they have been practicing on campus despite having very limited facilities. The on campus field is lacking a backstop, outfield fences, dugouts, and field lights. Basically the team is playing on a grass field with a pitcher's mound. If the team would like to practice after sundown, their only source of light, is generator powered construction lights which the team had to acquire on their own. Unlike the other teams on campus, the baseball team and team staff do all their own field maintenance. Every other field such as; the soccer and softball fields, are maintained by Simpson facilities. A high priority of Simpson this year is to increase student enrollment. “With the biggest roster on campus,” Coach Tating stated, “we are increasing enrollment more than any other team.” Yet they are treated like an outsider of Simpson Athletics. Senior Chris Brue also explained that, “The team does not get enough attention, despite the immense growth of the program over the last couple years.” Tating and Brue both agreed that it is hard to recruit quality players for this program when the facilities are lacking. The team has had to get creative and has begun raising their own funds to build themselves a field. Their most recent fundraiser was a silent auction dinner where guests were served a meal by the team and got to listen to MLB star Michael Lorenzen speak. Coach Tating said that the dinner was very successful and they raised about $13,000 which he thinks will be enough for a backstop if he can get the labor donated. In order for the field to be game ready, Tating thinks they will need around $200,000. While this may seem like a lot of money, the team is hopeful that they will have a field up and running fairly soon.

By Daisy Brenegan Redding, California. A small town surrounded by mountains. Full of beautiful lakes and some of the best sunsets you have ever seen. Named one of the top 10 Fishing Towns in North America according to Forbes magazine. Redding is full of so many sights to see. Here are some of the best spots in the Redding area to check out: Burney Falls (less than an hour outside of Redding) WhiskeyTown Lake Trinity River Shasta Lake Turtle Bay Park & The Sundial Bridge The Bluffs Lassen Volcanic National Park Sacramento River Trail Water Works Park Lema Ranch Freshman, Ryan Beaty says “My favorite place to go to in Redding is Shasta Lake because you can catch a bunch of fish there and you have a chance to catch a big one.” Another student Senior, Connor Rowe says “My favorite place to go is Heart Lake over by Mount Shasta. It has a nice place to hike too that overlooks the entire lake. The lake itself is super pretty.” Are you bored on the weekends? Do you want to do something fun but don’t want to spend money or drive too far? Take a break from homework and go check out some of these spots.

By Hayley Wylie On Friday, November 15th, Simson University hosted their second ever Hawkman. Hawkman is a parody of a male beauty pageant, where men all over campus come together and compete to be crowned the official Hawkman. The event took place in the Grant Center and involved seven competitors. The night was hosted by Kevin Alcosiba and Lynsey Sullivan. The competition began with a sandwich-making competition. Each man was paired up with another and had to make the best sandwich with the weird ingredients they were given. These ingredients included things like chocolate and sriracha. Dr.Orr, a professor at Simpson University and a self-proclaimed “foodie”, tried one of the sandwiches and gave it a thumbs up. Following the short competition was a talent portion. Starting off was Regan Ong, who did a cover of Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. Joey Uhl followed Ong with a stand-up routine that mostly consisted of “dad jokes.” Next was Kyle Thompson who did a cover of Waving Through A Window from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hanson. Brandon Cervinia followed Thompson and showed off his mixed martial arts skills. Andrew Huss also did a cover on his ukelele of La Vie En Rose. Ending the night was Logan Friesen, who ate an entire In N Out double-double cheeseburger in just three bites, leaving the crowd in shock. Following the talent portion, each male returned to the stage to show off their formal wear and their escorts for the night. The competition ended with each contestant being asked two questions in the questions and answers portion. At the end of the night, a panel of judges came together and crowned Logan Friesen the winner of the Hawkman Competition. When his name was announced, the entire swim team stood up with body paint covering their chests that spelled out Logan’s name. The rest of the contestants also picked Logan up and shouted with joy. When asked how he was going to celebrate, Frisen replied, “I’m going to In N Out!”

By Charisma Anderson The A.S.B.S.U, which stands for Associated Student Body of Simpson University, has exciting plans for campus in the near future. The A.S.B.S.U staff consists of Luke Williams the Student Body President, Jacelyn Wedman the Executive Vice President, Franchesca Carrera the Chief Marketing Officer, Ethan Wulfestieg the Chief Student Finance Officer, Naomi Hollgarth the Chief Residence Life Officer, Dylan Lum the Chief Athletic Officer, Priscilla Lupe the Chief of Student Activities, and Antonio Junior the Chief Spiritual Life Officer. According to Luke Williams the team has been working really well together despite going through some change in the A.S.B.S.U structure. “Jacelyn and I have been working to figure out a structure that works the best to fit the campus, and we also meet with the entire team every week. ” Said Willaims. In the duration of this semester, the A.S.B.S.U has worked very hard to put on events that they are very proud of. “Tent America, the 50 hours of worship was a joint Spiritual Formation and Student Government led event. I thought it was amazing and everyone loved it. We also started the Spirit Club this semester, and we have plans to unveil the name of the spirit section soon and will hopefully have some T-Shirts coming in. This year we were also able to open up the concession stands for our team to use, and other clubs to use in their fundraising. This is a big deal because for the last three years it mostly hasn’t been open.” Said Willaims. Although Luke has many projects he’s passionate about, he is most passionate about bringing athletes and non-athletes together. “It’s been a big passion of mine to keep Intramurals alive, as I believe it helps bridge the gap between athletes and students. It’s especially important now as we have more sports teams in our school. Another event that helped bridge the gap between athletes and students was Humans vs. Zombies, as we had a lot of athletes and non-athletes participate and it turned out to be a blast.” Said Williams. A.S.B.S.U also has some exciting things planned for the future of Simpson. “Our biggest thing right now is we are trying to bring back the Senior Gift. After surveying some seniors about what they would like to see on campus, we found out they would like to see water fountains and water bottle fillers in the dorms. That is one thing we have been working on, and will probably start fundraising for pretty soon. We are also looking into the Student Union and how we can get that set up.” Said Williams. The future of Simpson University is looking bright, as the A.S.B.S.U has many special plans up their sleeve.

By Andre Alvarez Many people are accustomed to familiar chicken spots like that of Kentucky Fried Chicken(KFC), Popeyes, Chick- fil - a and Church’s chicken. But one familiar spot that people are not accustomed to and is making a splash in the Redding area is The Chicken Shack. The Chicken Shack is a restaurant that does not classify as fast food, but it has affordable prices that will not break one’s bank based on the quality food. The Shack does a significant job of separating themselves from the traditional chicken spots in the area. This separation from other spots is made through their diversity in their menu. The shack is able to incorporate unique meals that include menu sections of chicken waffle sandwiches, brioche bun sandwiches, loaded chicken fries. Chicken wings and buttermilk tenders plus fries. Out of these diverse courses, their chicken waffle sandwiches and their loaded fries have made the biggest splash with students at Simpson University. Students who have tried the shack are impressed with the menu items. Junior Damien Awai, a general studies major says the shack, “it is way different than what KFC is about. They have the one and only fire fries. Chicken shack got that smack.” Said Awai. The shack has been able to attract people with their well-known course of loaded chicken fries that include buffalo fried chicken bites, pepperjack, ranch, bleu cheese crumbles and chives. With these combinations, they have managed to show their variety in their courses of chicken not just throughout their whole menu, but differentiate themselves from other chicken establishments. If you are in the area and want something that is different from the usual chicken spot, stop by The Chicken Shack. They are located at 2586 Churn Creek Rd, Redding, CA. Change it up and give the shack a taste.

By Hayley Wylie Whiskeytown Cemetery is not your typical cemetery. Located just a few miles past the Whiskeytown visiting center is a cemetery filled with unique, quirky graves. According to SFGate, the cemetery was originally intended for the poor. It was a place for people who couldn’t afford a typical burial to be laid to rest. However, the untraditional headstones and serene location have caused the cemetery to attract all sorts of graves. Including those of children, millionaires, and even homeless. Unfortunately, after the devastating 2018 Carr Fire, the fun and peculiar cemetery has become a bit eerie. Upon arrival, it’s easy to see the remaining damage from the wildfire. The giant trees are left black and leafless, no birds or wildlife seem to find refuge in the burnt area. The once grassy area surrounding the graves are brown and brittle, with every step the sound of breakage fills the air. The only thing that seems to be thriving is the small insects. Despite the fire damage, there are still many gravesites that were left unharmed. Many of the most memorable headstones came in the form of benches with the person’s name and death date carved into the wood. There are also two brothers; James Scott Voorhees and Patrick Ronald Voorhees. Both headstones reading “Mom’s Favorite”. Almost every headstone has something memorable about it. Whether it be the handmade iron plaque or the weird toys and quotes placed on headstones. There are clearly many fascinating stories to be told. Although a trip to the cemetery may seem morbid and strange, this one is worth the detour. Whiskeytown Cemetery will provide you with tons of excitement and a memorable time.

By Daisy Brenegan Sometimes a break is needed from the cafeteria food. Sometimes students want to enjoy a nice meal for a reasonable price. Redding is full of lots of varieties of food. From chain fast-food restaurants to little, independent restaurants. There are so many different places to go to. One affordable place is Raliberto's Taco Shop. It is located on 135 Lake Blvd. It is an independently owned restaurant that has some very affordable mexican food. Senior, Bryce De Camargo said, “I go there 1-2 times a week and I always get a carne asada quesadilla. The food is so good and affordable. I recommend it to anyone that loves Mexican food.” Another restaurant is Pasta Pronto. It is located at 920 Hilltop Drive. Senior, Lucas Lula said, “I like Pasta Pronto because it has lots of options on the menu and everything always tastes so good,” Pasta Pronto has reasonable prices and is also does to-go orders and delivery. There are a lot of international students this year at Simpson. Lots of them have never really eaten American foods. After talking to freshman Dimitri Margelis, from Greece, he says his favorite place to eat in Redding is In N Out. In N Out is located 1275 Dana Drive. “In n Out is my favorite place to eat because burgers are my favorite American food,” Said Margelis. Along with these places, there are many other places to check out such as: Snack Shack Mod Pizza El Zarape Mexican food Cinders Wood Fired Pizza New China Restaurant Westside Pizza Manhattan Bagel Niu Hawaiin BBQ Thai Cafe From The Hearth Cafe Country Waffles Five Guys Peter Chu’s Skyroom The Lighthouse The Habit Burger