Enjoying and Caring for Local Waters

For many Sacramento area residents, the ideal summer includes visiting local water spots, lying along the American River, soaking up the sun with a good book, or cooking on a BBQ at Folsom Lake. While these are fun go-tos every summer in the heat, beach goers don’t always clean up as much as they should. If it weren’t for the staff at our parks and volunteers helping to pick up garbage each season, the shores would be littered, and wildlife would suffer. Continue Reading

Coming Back Again: An Alumni Story

The constant bustle of a student seems never-ending. Graduation somehow seems so close, yet so far away. Completing courses from one school opens up opportunities for more at another. Attending commencement isn’t the end because there’s another waiting for you elsewhere until you feel your potential has peaked. There are major aspects that make the years easier, faster, and more enjoyable. This is different for everyone, but for me, it’s friends/connections for one, experience with other students for two, and the teachings at Sierra College as number three.
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Citizen Science: Tracking E. coli in the American River

When the California Humanities Emerging Journalist Fellowship  team at Sierra College started researching the role of water in the community and the American River, one group they came across was the Save the American River Association (SARA). Through SARA, journalist fellow, Madalyn Wright discovered local water caretakers, Bob and Mary Beth Metcalf, who spend their Saturday mornings testing the river water for E. coli bacteria. To learn just how accessible this citizen science is, Wright, their 5-year old daughter, Thea, and their partner Ryan Moskun joined the Metcalfs on May 7, 2022, for a morning of pipettes and learning in a parking lot science lab.

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Local Food Trucks of the Sacramento Area

Sacramento is known as the City of Trees, but it should also be noted as one of the top culinary hot-spots in the United States. From dine-in establishments to vendors, Sacramento has it all. COVID-19 changed the way we eat out and took a toll on dine-in establishments due to social distancing along with forced shutdowns

This knowledge brings one question to mind: What about food trucks? They have the ability to keep customers outside, safely distanced from each other, along with being on the move constantly so they reach an even broader community. According to the United States Census Bureau, food trucks have been on the rise for quite some time now and even more so because of social distancing (Hait).

Sacramento offers food trucks with various international cuisines. From Mexico to the Philippines, these food truck owners give you a taste of home. As you read this article, you’ll see the various options our local areas have available!

Written and photographed by Jessica Shona-Stewart 

Jessica Shona-Stewart is a Journalism major at Sierra College currently working from Folsom. She is preparing to transfer to Sacramento State University for the upcoming spring semester to complete her Bachelor’s degree.

Adrenaline Addiction

rock climber

Rock climbing, snow sports, and anything semi-dangerous was what fueled my childhood. Living in Sacramento allowed my family and I to be just an hour and a half away from some of the coolest places, such as Lake Tahoe and John Muir Woods. Choosing to study at Sierra College allowed me to stay close to amazing places like these, with the opportunity to take classes even closer to the mountains at the Nevada County Campus.

The Environmentally Concerned Organization of Students (ECOS) is a club at Sierra College that I was lucky to join. It helps educate students on the importance of sustainability and the principles of Leave No Trace. Thanks to ECOS, I was able to participate in outdoor activities and meet people who feel just as passionately about the earth as I do.

Alexis Young
Lexi Young in Tahoe National Forest. Young is an Environmental Science and Journalism major at Sierra College. She plans to transfer to San Francisco State in Spring 2022 and continue in her dual major. Photo by Mckenzie Gerbitz.

Written by Alexis Young 

 

Bike Messenger: Tasha Rose

legs of cyclist, Tasha Rose, by pink bike

Growing up around San Francisco, you see messenger bikers constantly. The speed, style, and rebellious nature was always fascinating to me. There are messenger bikers in almost every major city in the world, but none work harder than San Francisco’s. Brutal weather conditions, constant rolling hills, and some of the most hectic traffic on the planet, create a perfect ecosystem for talented cyclists to prove their skills.

I was lucky enough to photograph and speak with some of these messengers for this story, and interview Tasha Rose. Rose is a sponsored cyclist riding for All-City Cycles and King Kog Shop, and a full-time messenger with the Candlestick Courier collective. If there is a single person in the industry that people are inspired by, it is absolutely, Tasha Rose.

I decided to interview Rose due to her local recognition, her amazing attitude, and because she is very well-spoken. She provided me with a lot of information about being a bike messenger, and explained some struggles they face on a day to day basis.

Rose is a strong and inspiring woman on and off the bike, and continues to drive for added support for WTFs; women, transgender, and femme cyclists. She set aside some time to chat with me at her apartment on November 11th. In our conversation, we focus on her work in 2020. 

 

Thomas Edgington is a Journalism major at Sierra College. He plans to continue his studies in documentary and photojournalism.

Written and photographed by Thomas Edgington | Audio edited by Leonor Bright