Beach Weekly S12E8: VITA program, potential TikTok ban & more

Throughout March, support Beach Pantry by donating toiletries and non-perishable food items to the Laurén Chalmers '83 food drive. Donations are accepted at numerous locations on campus as well as the pantry office in Room 116 of the University Student Union. ASI Online Elections voting is open from March 18 until March 20 on the ASI Elections app on the CSULB single sign-on. For an in-depth look at all the candidates and to view their campaign promises, visit the Elections page on the ASI website. Rainbow Cafe, hosted by Counseling and Psychological Services, is a weekly social support group for LGBTQ students on Mondays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. This week’s meeting will be Monday, March 18, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Peterson Hall Room 230. Monday, March 18, at 6 p.m. in the USU Room 205 is a women’s empowerment social event called Together We Rise. Hosted by multiple women-based student organizations, their mission is to create a community dedicated to amplifying the voices and achievements of women. On Thursday, March 21, the LA County Department of Social Services will be at the USU in Room 202 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to assist students in signing up for CalFresh benefits in an event called CalFresh Application Day. CalFresh aims to grant qualifying individuals money for groceries and food. Learn about an array of cultures through food, arts and crafts, and performances at Culture Fest on March 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the USU Southwest Terrace. Sports assistant Alyssa De La Cruz joined Beach Weekly to discuss an on-campus tax assistance program called VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) made specifically to ease the stress of doing both federal and state taxes. Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley sent a campus-wide email on March 13 denouncing antisemitic flyers that were recently displayed on bulletin boards in Liberal Arts buildings 4 and 5. The flyers showed an image of a Long Beach State professor and labeled them a “genocide denier” based on their views related to the Israel-Hamas war. The Long Beach Public Library has gone fine-free, eliminating fines for overdue library books and materials. Fees will still be charged for damaged and lost items. Last Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 352-65 to pass a bill that gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a choice to either sell TikTok within six months or have it removed from app stores in the U.S. The bill will now be voted on by the Senate, with many senators already expressing that they would approve the bill. Host: Lei MadrigalEditor: Julia GoldmanProducers: El Nicklin, Aidan SwanepoelLike, comment, and follow us on your favorite platform for more content! Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-49er-podcasts/id1488484518?uo=4 Google Podcastshttps://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kMzEwMjEwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/4HJaqJep02kHeIQy8op1n1 ⁠Overcasthttps://overcast.fm/itunes1488484518/daily-49er-podcasts