The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
Piper Haitsuka

Piper Haitsuka, staff writer

Piper Haitsuka is an investigative news beat writer for The State Hornet. She joined The State Hornet in spring 2020 as an arts and entertainment features beat writer. Piper is from the Big Island of Hawaii and loves to incorporate photography into her work.
All content by Piper Haitsuka
Every week The State Hornet compiles crimes recorded in the campus crime log into a map detailing their location and current status.

CRIME MAP: Police arrest driver with stolen gun on campus

Sac State crime from Nov. 15-28
Piper Haitsuka
December 3, 2020
Sac State’s police arrest driver with stolen gun on campus. Three other non-violent crimes took place on campus over the last two weeks.
Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen gives his testimony about COVID-19s impacts on the university to the California State Assembly Higher Education and Budget Committees. Nelsen discussed Sac States graduation and enrollment rates as well as the digital divide affecting students during this virtual semester. Screenshot taken via Zoom by Piper Haitsuka.

President Nelsen testifies about COVID-19 impacts on Sac State to California State Assembly

Layoffs across CSU system and ‘digital divide’ discussed
Piper Haitsuka
November 12, 2020
Sac State President Robert Nelsen said he is making sure everyone has the resources to move forward with their higher education during COVID-19 while testifying in front of the California State Assembly’s Higher Education and Budget committees Thursday.
Sac State Political Science Professors Kim Nalder, Kristina Flores Victor, Danielle Martin and Andrea Terry hold a question and answer section at the end of a webinar hosted by Friends of the Library on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. They discussed strategies on avoiding misinformation during an election season. Screenshot taken by Michael Pacheco via Zoom.

Sac State professors discuss misinformation in the 2020 election

‘The actual president of the United States is engaging in this disinformation’
Michael Pacheco and Piper Haitsuka
October 30, 2020
Sac State’s Friends of the Library hosted a webinar led by political science professors to help with making sense of the 2020 election on Zoom.
Mulwa James Sumbi poses in front of the Sacramento State Police Department in his graduation robe. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Adorno.

Friends remember the life of Sac State grad Mulwa James Sumbi

‘He was the joy of Sac State’
Michael Pacheco and Piper Haitsuka
September 22, 2020

Mulwa James Sumbi’s friends are all able to recount similar experiences with him: “He had a way to become friends with anyone and make everyone feel like they could open up to him,” childhood...

Sac State Students Joyce Vang, Miguel Forbes and Taylor Hill perform the dance Transfiguration by Bernard Brown in Sacramento/ Black Art of Dance (S/BAD). S/BAD was the last Department of Theatre and Dance performance of the spring semester. Photo courtesy of Bernard Brown.

How Sac State arts students are transitioning to online classes

Many struggle with virtual arts classes
Piper Haitsuka, Dylan McNeill, and
May 6, 2020

Many Sacramento State arts students have reported difficulty transitioning from in-person to online classes due to California’s shelter-at-home order.  Sac State senior Maia Pheng is working on getting...

Starbucks voted ‘Best Coffee Shop’ in 2020 Best of Sac State poll

Starbucks voted ‘Best Coffee Shop’ in 2020 Best of Sac State poll

Does Starbucks have the best drinks on campus?

To no one's surprise, Starbucks was voted the “Best Coffee Shop” on Sacramento State’s campus in The State Hornet’s annual Best of Sac State poll.  Although campus eateries closed in March...

‘She Kills Monsters’ voted ‘Best Campus Performance’

‘She Kills Monsters’ voted ‘Best Campus Performance’

2019 drama production explores the world of Dungeons and Dragons
Piper Haitsuka
May 4, 2020

Themes of acceptance and queer visibility are shown through “She Kills Monsters,” a drama production based on the game Dungeons and Dragons that ran from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3, 2019 at Sacramento State’s...

B Street Theater and the Crocker Art Museum were both forced to close their doors to the public due to statewide shelter-at-home orders. Both have pivoted to offering live events on Zoom with B Street holding live improv shows and the Crocker having live film and art discussions.

Sacramento arts and entertainment businesses adapt to virtual formats

B Street Theatre, Crocker Art Museum offer free entertainment
Olivia Laroa and Piper Haitsuka
April 28, 2020

Two Sacramento arts businesses, B Street Theatre and Crocker Art Museum, made the switch to online events and classes due to statewide orders on March 16 given by CA Gov. Gavin Newsom to close all non-essential...

Bobby Brackins portrait posted on Dec 23, 2019 via his Instagram @bobbybrackins. Photo courtesy of Bobby Brackins

Q&A: Bobby Brackins’s new song unintentionally reminds people to stay clean

‘Wash My Hands’ features Marc E. Bassy, Collett and August 08
Piper Haitsuka
April 11, 2020

Grammy-nominated artist and Bay Area native Bobby Brackins, who also performs under Lata Harbor, released a new song called “Wash My Hands” featuring  Marc E. Bassy, Collett and August 08 last month Since...

Jessica Fong, a Sac State art major, made a poster that says It is okay to ask for help! and raised $375 in total for suicide prevention as part of Sac States ninth annual Out of Darkness Walk on April 9, 2020. The walk was held virtually this year on social media platforms due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sac State’s annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk goes virtual

Participants aim to promote suicide awareness and prevention
Piper Haitsuka
April 10, 2020

Sacramento State’s ninth annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to promote suicide awareness and prevention took place virtually Thursday, using social media platforms as a replacement for an in-person...

Chris Kamas (Romeo) and Harrison Moore (Juliet) perform the closing scene of Romeo and Juliet at a rehearsal on March 9, 2020. The show has been canceled due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

‘Gender-blind’ Romeo & Juliet play canceled amid coronavirus concerns

All theatre productions cancelled for the semester
Piper Haitsuka and Laura Tang
March 19, 2020

Sacramento State’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” was intended to break gender boundaries in a unique rendition of the popular play by William Shakespeare, but it was cancelled in an effort to...

Artist Carmen Tham, a fifth year art studio major and psychology minor at Sac State graduating this Spring. Thams gallery A Deeper Look will be showcased in Kadema Hall March 2-6.

Sac State’s ‘A Deeper Look’ art gallery showcases underwater perspective on adversity

Kadema Hall’s R.W. Witt gallery displays a new student’s work weekly
Piper Haitsuka
March 2, 2020

"A Deeper Look" by Sacramento State student Carmen Tham will be on display in the Raymond Woodrow and Joyce Witt gallery in Kadema Hall Monday through Friday.  Exploring themes of happiness and beauty...

Actors in the production hold signs while chanting during a rehearsal in the University Unions Valley Suite. A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer will be shown in the University Union Ballroom at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Focused on ending gender-based violence, ‘A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer’ returns to Sac State

Performance set for Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
Piper Haitsuka
February 24, 2020

“A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer” will return to Sacramento State for the second year in a row Thursday. Coordinated by Sac State's UNIQUE Programs and The Women’s Resource Center,...

First-year Sac State student Alex Sengbounouvong discusses René Domingos photographs with another visitor at the opening reception of her Neon and Nostalgia exhibit Thursday. The exhibit will last until Feb. 13.

‘Neon and Nostalgia’ lights up as first University Union Gallery exhibition of 2020

Photographer René Domingo showcases Sacramento’s vintage attractions
Piper Haitsuka and Tara Gnewikow
January 31, 2020

The University Union Gallery at Sacramento State held the opening reception for “Neon and Nostalgia” by photographer René Domingo on Thursday.    The exhibition is the first one of the spring...

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