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Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Abbigail Kovac

Abbigail Kovac, News

I am a Fourth-year student at California State University Chico. My major is Journalism with an emphasis on Public Relations and a minor in Political Science.

All content by Abbigail Kovac
headshot of Hikmat Abou Ashahla

College of Natural Sciences student awarded full-ride scholarship to Johns Hopkins University

Abbigail Kovac
May 15, 2023

Chico State’s University College of Natural Sciences awarded Hikmat Abou Shahla, as one of the Student Gonfaloniers for the 2023 Commencement Ceremonies of his class. Abou, as he prefers to go by, is...

Photo taken of detained suspect by Michael Steinberg May 11 at 7:39 p.m .

Violence erupts at Thursday Night Market 

Abbigail Kovac
May 11, 2023

An incident of violence occurred in Downtown Chico during the Thursday Market around 7:15 p.m.  A volunteer police officer said that a fight broke out downtown.  Multiple police cruisers,...

Photo of a mural in front of the local restaurant "La Cocina Economica", taken on May 3, 2023.

A Chicana’s take on Cinco De Mayo

Abbigail Kovac
May 4, 2023

Following Cesar Chavez Day, and with Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I find myself reminiscing about an odd memory. It was a hot spring day in early May. I was serving water at the Los Angeles Country...

Flyer for pancakes for chat event

Pancakes for CHAT

Abbigail Kovac, Reporter
April 4, 2023

Homelessness has been sweeping the nation, and the goal of the Chico Housing Action Team is to help those in the community. CHAT is hosting a silent auction on Easter Sunday, April 9. CHAT has been...

holographic visual behind a DJ set's stage

ESCAPING the fentanyl crisis

Abbigail Kovac, Reporter
March 20, 2023

As I packed my essentials for a two-day trip to Southern California, my friend Mayra blew up my phone with questions.  “What should I bring? Do I need to go to the store? Am I forgetting anything...

hand holding white test strip dipped in small cup of water on table. Also on table is an ID, A pill broken in half and a piece of paper with drug info.

Chico State vs. fentanyl

Abbigail Kovac and Molly Myers
February 28, 2023

Chico State is providing students free naloxone and fentanyl test strips to help combat the opioid crisis within the campus community.  Naloxone is a nasal injection that reverses the effects...

Graphic of four arms grabbing onto each other. Each displaying different skin tones with a Black Lives Matter logo beneath

Memphis police officers face murder charges after fatal beating of Tyre Nichols

Abbigail Kovac, Reporter
February 24, 2023

On Jan. 7, in Memphis, Tennessee, police attacked Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man and father to a four year-old son. He was pulled over for alleged reckless driving. This group of officers were...

Illustration by Melissa Joseph

Chico State: The Harvard of the West

Abbigail Kovac, Staff Writer
March 13, 2020

Coming to Chico was the biggest culture shock to me. I was born and raised in Southern California my whole life and back home, diversity was all I knew.  Coming here, I was so surprised to see very...