The push for supporting local businesses as well as enjoying handmade creations in partnership with local artists has recently been in the Sonoma spotlight. With vaccines continuing to roll out, there is now a safe way to support local creators and their work amidst the pandemic. Visiting the Sebastopol Makers Market has become a popular activity for many locals to enjoy on a day where many choose their settings differently.

Sonoma County has officially moved into the orange tier and is now offering fifty percent or 200 person capacity, whichever is lower as indoor dining capacity. Now, after many months, live bands have started to plan their musical performances for their indoor dining partners.

There have been a variety of virtual events this semester, some to inform and some to simply have fun. This unique Esports tournament is a consistent event that has been put on since the pandemic started. On April 17, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. Sonoma State Esports held a virtual tournament for players and students alike on both Discord and Twitch. The tournament was open to all Sonoma State Students with free access and opportunity to watch or play in various games.

One attraction gaining popularity in the Northern area of Sonoma County is that of exploring sculpture trails which allow visitors to admire creativity in a tangible way. There are various exhibits that document historical moments in people’s lives and their communities.

Many people dream of producing famous film projects and seeing their vision come to light right in front of them. Sonoma State alumni, Alex Bretow has made that dream a reality. His perseverance and out of the box thinking has set him apart and been developed through and after his time at Sonoma State.

With many people staying home, more people have been purchasing to-go alcohol at a fast rate and the industry is booming. Consumer behavior is quickly changing and there are simultaneous benefits for all sectors in this scenario. Primarily, restaurants are able to charge fair prices for their premium cocktails, and consumers are set up to feel like they are inside the establishment from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

March is Women’s History Month, a time that celebrates women and their contributions to American history and society over time in a range of areas. The National Women’s History Museum states that the month originally began as Women’s History Week, the holiday fought for more recognition and declared March as Women’s History Month in 1987. Each year, the organization chooses a theme, this year’s being, “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.” Sonoma State University is aiding students to celebrate virtually this year with various events ranging in subject matter to celebrate female figures.

On Tuesday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced that they will no longer be publishing six titles due to racist imagery that the late author’s supervisors do not agree with. NBC News details some of the disturbing images portrayed, including in “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”, a white man is depicted as using a whip with a person of color in the illustration. Additionally, “If I Ran the Zoo” showcased a white boy holding a gun while standing on the heads of three Asian men. These stereotypes are not only harming people, but they are negatively affecting children’s perceptions of others, their developing morals and what constitutes right and wrong.

The Pfizer-Biotech and Moderna vaccines have begun to roll out in large quantities, with the CDC reporting that providers are currently administering around 1.7 million doses every day. New York Times outlines that in Florida, vaccines have been administered to over 2 million healthcare workers as well as those 65 and older or otherwise eligible for the vaccine. The majority of the population remains ineligible to receive the vaccine, and many are anxious to seek this long-awaited defense Two women, age 33 and 44, disguised themselves as old women wearing bonnets and mittens, in an attempt to receive the vaccine in their home state.

In the midst of a hectic ice storm, Texas has been experiencing rolling power outages and blackouts, affecting people in similar ways as last year’s California wildfires. Both situations have left people without electricity or gas, proving major energy companies are unprepared for extraneous circumstances. Climate change as well as natural disasters force states to reconsider their priorities. These states have experienced similar things because of extreme temperatures, both with a lack of power and water.

Industries such as entertainment are having to make major cuts in their networks in order to stay afloat with the current economy. This week, Walt Disney announced the popular animation studio Blue Sky awaits shutdown after economic downfall from this year. All areas of business have had to change but this was an unexpected closure for the brand to bear only a year after the cancellation of their last film Nimona.

On Dec. 9, 2020, California State University sent out a press release announcing an expected return to in-person instruction for the fall of the 2021 school year. In high spirits, CSU Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro said, “We are approaching planning for the 2021 fall term with the goal of having the majority of our on-campus experiences returning.” This vague statement is the only viable source of information all CSU students have to reference. CSU has 486,000 students who can and will be affected in a multitude of ways by the future of this choice, depending on their proximity to campus, as well as other factors throughout this unprecedented time.