american river
current Vol. 65, Ed. 12 • May 7, 2014
Students For Life protest abortions CLUB SPEAKS OUT FOR “PRO-LIFE GENERATION” By John Ferrannini jferr1995@gmail.com They can be seen standing on sidewalks in Sacramento and across the country with signs, literature or dangling prayer beads. At Women’s Health Specialists clinic on Ethan Way in the ArdenArcade area of Sacramento, students from the American River College Students For Life club joined other anti-abortion protesters participating in 40 Days for Life last month. Katheryn White, the club treasurer, said she has “always prayed about it” but that “coming to American River College became (her) opportunity to become involved in the pro-life movement and actually do something actively.” White said that while past antiabortion protesters focused on chanting, the new generation of activists focuses on providing a “prayerful atmosphere” and “alternate resources.” “We can’t go inside the parking lot, but we stand (on the sidewalk) and hold our literature and
SEE 40 DAYS, PAGE 2
STEAMPUNK PRODUCTION SEE PAGE 7
‘I’M ALONE MOST OF THE DAY’ THROUGH FRUSTRATION AND DISABILITY, A HOMELESS ARC DANCE STUDENT FINDS HOPE IN HER SEARCH FOR COMPANY AND CONNECTION, STRENGTH AND BALANCE By Brooke Purves brookempurves@gmail.com
W Photos by Brooke Purves / brookempurves@gmail.com
ARC student Spiritdancer Donaldson uses dance as a way to deal with the obstacles and loneliness of PTSD and homelessness.
SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 10
ARC tennis wins big in Big 8 FIVE PLAYERS NAMED ALL-CONFERENCE, AND SINGH RANKS SECOND IN THE STATE By Jorden Hales halespersonal@gmail.com American River College’s men’s tennis club finished its season a decorated group. In addition to some historic performances at the Individual Regional and State Championships, five members of the club were named to the Big 8 All-Conference Team. Lovedeep Singh, freshman; Kevin Valentine, sophomore; Jimmy Giovannini, freshman; and Adam Duong, sophomore, were all named to the first team. Nick Cardoza, a freshman, was named to the second team. In addition to these honors, Singh competed in the individual singles final, making him the
ARCurrent.com
INDEX
hen asked how she is doing, Spiritdancer Donaldson said, “It’s getting warmer,” with a bit of a forced laugh. The weather is important to Donaldson, not because she’s looking to get her “bikini body” back for the summer, but because it means she won’t have to bundle up quite so much at night when she is sleeping in her car. Donaldson, a former Marine and current American River College dance student, is homeless. Several months ago, Donaldson suffered what she calls a nervous breakdown, a mental condition she believes aggravated her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She began having frightening sleep-walking episodes that negatively impacted her relationship with her husband. “He was just so overwhelmed,” Donaldson said, speaking of her husband, that she left the home they shared.
second-ranked player of 80 in the tournament. Not since Larry Hall won a state championship to clinch the top rank in 1966 has a member of ARC’s tennis program ranked so high in singles play. Singh was also named Rookie Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, and is the first Beaver since Hall to compete in the state final. “That was an exciting result,” said head coach Bo Jabery-Madison, who won Coach of the Year honors this season for the second time during his tenure at ARC. After winning the award, Jabery-Madison took time to review the nominees, and took pride in learning that voters
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News pages 2 & 3 Sports pages 4 & 5
Feature page 6 A&C pages 7 & 8
Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
Freshman Jimmy Giovannini was one of five American River College tennis players to be named to the Big 8 All-Conference Team, an honor given to only 12 people in the six-team conference.
thought him a worthy candidate for more than his team’s performance in actual competition. “They did talk about the winning record and all that, but they
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Scene pages 9 & 10 Opinion page 11
ESL STUDENT PAGE 9
also talked about the way our players carried themselves,” Jabery-Madison said. “(They talk-
SEE TENNIS, PAGE 5
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Student from overseas, Peter Sukhin, experiences a new enviornment while conflicts develop in his homeland.
May 7, 2014
Page 2
News
Rise in bathroom graffiti CUSTODIAN SUPERVISOR URGES ARC STUDENTS TO KEEP THEIR ‘ART’ OFF THE STALLS By Melissa Hurtado hurtadom73@gmail.com Hundreds of manhours and thousands of dollars go into cleaning the graffiti plastered all over the bathroom walls and stalls on campus. According to Preston Harris, the custodian and receiving supervisor, American River College spends $5,000-$10,000 cleaning up restroom vandalism each semester. “I would like to see young men and women, as well as old men and women, become an active part of taking care of the facilities,” said Harris. “We spend a lot of money of graffiti. A lot.” Harris said he wishes students took more pride in their school. “When the facilities are free of a lot of graffiti and markings they tend to look better,” he said. “People tend to have a different perception, (the facilities) tend
Sarah Scott / scott.sarah8@gmail.com
Students at ARC occasionally write on bathroom stalls around campus, costing the school money in maintenance and upkeep.
to smell better and overall, (people) tend to treat them better.” Harris, a former ARC student himself, said that graffiti has always been an issue on campus, but over the last few semesters he has seen it increase, especially in the women’s restrooms.
“We don’t mind cleaning, and it’s a lot easier to clean rather than when we are trying to remove graffiti, remove paint. Those kind of things tend to slow us down,” he said. He also believes keeping bathrooms clean and graffiti-free
increases the overall safety on campus. “It makes people feel a little bit safer when they go to a place that’s well kept,” he said. “So it helps with the security, the safety and also it fosters a better learning environment.” Bisi Makinde, a nursing student, was a victim of graffiti in her own home when her fence was tagged. Makinde believes people who write on stalls “have too much time on their hands,” and while some may view it as being artistic, she personally does not like it. “You shouldn’t be painting on someone else’s wall,” Makinde said. “That cost me a lot of money to have that paint removed.” Harris hopes the campus expansion will inspire students to have enough pride and respect to refrain from expressing themselves in the bathroom stalls.
40 Days: Students For Life ‘present’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Courtesy of Jorge Riley
Katheryn White and Daniel Madrid, members of the Students For Life club on campus, protest abortion ouside of Women’s Health Specialists clinic on Ethan Way in Arden Arcade.
ASBNOTEBOOK By John Ferrannini jferr1995@gmail.com Three members of the Student Senate and two Associated Student Body advisers attended the General Assembly for Student Senate for California Community Colleges last weekend, supporting several resolutions aimed at improving the lives of students. Student Senate President Kenneth Hinton, Vice President Tamara Dunning and Director of Legislative Affairs Ross Rayala joined advisers Tanika Byrd and Dean of Student Services Manuel Perez for the assembly at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. The Student Senate voted April 24 to support resolutions
urging the state legislature to create legislation that would require California Community Colleges to make an Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous program available through their counseling departments, recognize that free speech should not be confined to “free speech zones,” have a districtwide official transcript and to promote alternative energy. While the Student Senate was originally going to finish making official decisions on the resolutions at its May 1 meeting, the meeting was canceled because the board couldn’t reach a quorum. Five members had a workshop to reach unofficial decisions on the remaining resolutions. The Student Senate approved
if they respond positively, open their window, then we can go forward and give it to them and say, ‘Here’s some information about alternative resources,’” White said. Daniel Madrid joined ARC Students For Life, a chapter of Students For Life of America, because of his strong feelings about abortion. “From our perspective, abortion is murder and therefore abortion being legal in the United States is genocide,” Madrid said. Madrid went with other students to the anti-abortion rally March For Life in San Francisco in January where protesters held signs saying, “I am the pro-life generation.” According to a Gallup poll, the number of young people aged 18 to 29 who believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances has risen from 15 to 23 percent from 1995 to today. Wynette Sills is a leading figure in Sacramento’s participa-
tion in 40 Days For Life. “Our presence there at the sidewalk is not a picket, nor a protest, but a peaceful presence based on compassion and a desire to help,” Sills said in an email to the Current. “Students for Life is a huge success story,” Sills said. “Young people are increasingly aware that abortion is the number one Human Rights issue of their generation, wherein the dignity of human life is tragically based upon whether someone is ‘wanted’ or ‘convenient’ or ‘perfect.’” Madrid said that he feels his work with Students For Life is rewarding but that sometimes he wishes he could do more. “When you take a position on an issue like this, your conscience is constantly reminding you (that) you could be doing more,” he said. “I don’t have to be taking classes or spending my time learning music, I could be devoting all my time and energy to this cause and sometimes I feel bad about that, but I do all I can do with the time that I do.”
SENATE MEMBERS ATTEND SPRING GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN LOS ANGELES
up to $7,000 for individuals to go to the assembly. All students could apply to go. According to the ARC ASB requisitions provided to the Current, only $1,368 was spent. According to adviser Tanika Byrd, seven complete applications were submitted. Director of Finance Jorge Riley and Senator Laurie Jones were disappointed that they weren’t chosen to attend the assembly, especially considering they will be Student Senate President and Director of Finance next year respectively, according to unofficial election results. In an email to the Current, when asked if she was concerned about none of next year’s tentative board members going to the
assembly, adviser Byrd said “No” but didn’t elaborate. “The administrators want to be our voice on the student government,” Director of Finance Riley said. Laurie Jones said she expected more students to be able to go. “They were thinking six, or at the least five students would go, and then one adviser,” Senator Jones said. “They didn’t approve Jorge’s application or mine or Milan Fischer’s, so none of the elected officials are going. Now they didn’t know even the unofficial results at the time.” “I feel like they’re working against us, like they’re opposing attorneys looking for legal loopholes. They’re supposed to be advising us,” she added.
american river
current Editors-in-Chief Ed Gebing Emily K. Rabasto
Managing Editor
Jonathan H. Ellyson
News Editor
Melissa Hur tado
Sports Editor
Kameron Schmid
Arts & Culture Editor Adnan Ramic
Scene Editor
Barbara Har vey
Photo Editor Zach Tierney
Design Editor Sarah Scott
Copy Editor
Brooke Pur ves
Web Editor
Brandon Nelson
Advertising Manager Korbl Klimecki
Staff Writers
Shedric Allen John Ferrannini Jorden Hales Kyle Moore Kevin Sheridan Sri Sherrell
Designers
Thalia Avila Walter Jones
Staff Photographers Michael Pacheco Alex Panasenko
Adviser
Walter Hammer wold
Photo Adviser Jill Wagner
PROUD MEMBERS OF THE CNPA & JACC
POLICY The Current is produced by the students of College Media Production, J410-413. All letters are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters appearing in the Opinion section are not necessarily representative of the Current staff or American River College policy. All articles are the property of the Current. Letters must be typed and can be submitted by mail, e-mail or in person at the following addresses: The American River Current 4700 College Oak Drive Liberal Arts, Room 120 Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
News
INBRIEF n COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY: The graduation ceremony will be 7 p.m. May 21 in Beaver Stadium. Caps and gowns are available in the Beaver Bookstore now. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and guests are asked to be on time as the ceremony will start promptly. n RESUME DEVELOPMENT: Workshops will be held 5-6 p.m. today, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday and 3-4 p.m. Wednesday. n INTERVIEW SUCCESS: The last interview workshop will be held 9-10 a.m. Tuesday. Please call the Career Center at (916) 484-8492 with questions or to sign up for the workshops. n REGISTRATION DATES: Registration for summer and fall classes is underway. Priority one students have priority registration appointments until Friday. Priority two and three registration starts are May 12-16. Open enrollment begins May 19. n END OF SEMESTER: The last day of the spring semester is May 21. Finals begin May 15 and grades are due by May 27. n SUMMER/FALL CLASSES: Summer semester begins June 9 and ends August 6. Fall semester will starts August 27. n ARC WINS AT SKILLSUSA: ARC students won big at the SkillsUSA State Conference in San Diego. All 10 ARC students who participated in competitions won medals. The two students who won gold medals will be competing at the 2014 national competition in Kansas City, Missouri, in June. n CSUS REP VISITS: A California State University, Sacramento representative will visits campus 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14. The rep will visit and also have an admissions workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 28 and from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. June 4. Call the Transfer Center for more information or to make an appointment at 916-484-8685.
CORRECTIONS In Volume 65, Edition 11 of the Current, the following corrections are listed: On page 1, Emily Droesch’s name is misspelled. On page 3, prospective ARC president Thomas Greene’s name is misspelled. On page 3, the Transfer Center was listed as the location for resume and scholarship workshops. Those workshops are held in the Career Center. On page 10, Grant Goold is not the dean of the paramedics department. He is the coordinator/department chair.
May 7, 2014
Page 3
The next ARC president
CHANCELLOR TO MAKE RECCOMENDATION AT THE NEXT TRUSTEE MEETING By Melissa Hurtado hurtadom73@gmail.com Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brian King announced April 24 that he will be recommending Thomas Greene for the position of American River College president. Greene is currently president of academic affairs and student services at Lake Tahoe Community College. In an email interview with the Current he said he was “both pleasantly surprised and honored when (he) was offered the job.” This was the only college he applied to in the state. “I wasn’t necessarily looking to leave the mountains,” Greene said, “but when I learned of the opportunity at ARC, I started to consider relocating.” Previously the associate vice president of enrollment and student services at Sacramento City College, Greene said he was familiar with the reputation of ARC and its commitment to students. “My primary focus as president will be to ensure that the best conditions exist for stu-
Are you staying safe on campus?
Photo courtesy of Thomas Greene
dents to learn and achieve their educational goals,” he said. One of those conditions is an environment where students feel safe on campus. In response to the recent sexual assaults
POLICE INCREASING PATROLS AROUND CAMPUS, STUDENTS ADVISED TO STAY CAUTIOUS By Melissa Hurtado hurtadom73@gmail.com The area around the American River College campus has seen a number of attacks and sexual assaults the last few months. ARC and the Los Rios Police Department are working together to increase the overall security on campus. According to Sgt. Michael Olson, the police department increased the number of officers on duty throughout the day. The school has also put up warning signs throughout the Arcade Nature Trail behind campus, where two women have been attacked since March, and has ordered cameras that will be put throughout the trail. However, there is only so much the school can do to keep students safe. The LRPD recommends students use follow the following tips to stay safe: -Stay alert to your surroundings and keep high value items out of sight. -When possible, travel with another person. There is safety in numbers. -Avoid wearing headphones and stay aware of your surroundings. -Carry your cell phone with you. but avoid carrying unnecessary items. -Hold purses, briefcases and packages tightly and close to your body. -If you must travel at night, walk and park in well-lit areas. -Know where you are going. Walk quickly and confidently to your destination. -Have your keys out and ready before approaching your car. -Check both the front and rear seats of your vehicle before entering. Lock the door immediately upon entering your vehicle.
CRIME LOG
A few of the crimes on campus from April 23 to May 6. For a full list, go to the Los Rios Police Department website at https://police.losrios.edu/ clery/crimelog.aspx. Narcotic Activity: A warning was issued for narcotic activity on campus at 12:36 p.m. April 24. Petty Theft: No suspects have been identified for an incident of petty theft in the Science building at 3:34 p.m. April 28. Vehicle Burglary: A vehicle burglary in the parking structure was reported at 11:09 a.m. May 1. Stolen Vehicle: A vehicle was stolen from
and attacks in the area, Greene is looking to work hand in hand with “those directly responsible for day-to-day campus and neighborhood safety to identify opportunities for ongoing improvement.” Whether it be by having better lighted areas at night or increasing patrol, and shuttle services he wants to create “a culture where all of us – students, faculty, and staff – feel safe, welcome, and secure is essential to being able to learn and succeed.” Greene received a doctorate in educational administration and community college leadership from the University of Texas, Austin. In the email sent out to all ARC employees, King said he will be making the recommendation at the next board of trustee meeting May 14. If approved, Greene will begin his duties August 4. In the meantime he will be working to bring a number of projects to a close at LTCC, making preparations for his upcoming move to Sacramento and spending a week or two hiking with his wife.
parking lot A and was reported at 8:38 p.m. on May 1. Hit and Run: A hit and run with no injuries was reported in the parking structure on at 9:46 p.m. May 1. Vandalism: No suspects have been identified in a case of misdemeanor vandalism totaling less than $400 worth of damage in the Health and Education building reported at 4:52 p.m. Monday. Nature Trail Attack Update: According to the Los Rios Police Department, no arrests have been made in the latest nature trail attack incident that occurred April 21. ARC has put up several signs warning students walking in the nature trail and has also ordered cameras that will be placed throughout the trail.
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May 7, 2014
Sports
Emily K. Rabasto / rabastoe@gmail.com
Sophomore Thomas Peterson finished the season with a record of 2-8 and had 36 strikeouts. Peterson was named NorCal player of the week in February, a first for American River College.
Spring sports programs close out seasons By Ed Gebing edgebingjr@gmail.com Many of the American River College spring sports teams are wrapping up their seasons with some making their way to the playoffs. Others are sadly packing it in until next season. The men’s baseball team lost its final home game of the season with a disappointing 11-0 loss to Diablo Valley College. It bounced back to win its final game of the season at DVC 4-1. The team finished with an overall record of 11-24 on the season and were 4-17 in conference. The final nine games of the season were played against three Big 8 rivals. ARC won two of those games. The women’s softball team ended its season with a four-game winning streak and with a record of 17-20. The women went 10-11 in Big 8 conference play, but failed to make the playoffs. The men’s track and field team won the Big 8 Conference Championship, beating out San Joaquin Delta College by 90 points. Freshman Edwin Matthews placed first in the men’s high jump followed by fellow freshman teammate Xavier Howell. Sophomore Michael Mathews placed second in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and third in the 400-meter hurdles. ARC had a trio of freshman that swept the men’s 800-meter with David French winning, followed by Logan Stahl and Alex Chorn. Freshman Robert Ellis won the 100-meter with a time of 10.58 seconds, and the 200-meter with a time of 21.60 seconds. The women’s track and field team finished second in the Big 8 championship
meet, losing to San Joaquin Delta College by five points. Freshman Kandace Compton won the 800-meter with a time of 2 minutes 18.78 seconds. Compton also finished second in the 1, 500-meter. Sophomore Autumn Edgar won the women’s 400-meter hurdles with a winning time of 1:06.94. Rounding out the top four, ARC’s Jocelyn Stillwell finished second and Ashley Stubbs finished fourth. Freshman Gina Wood placed second in the 10,000-meter with a time of 40:15.33, followed by teammate Cheyenne Drury who finished fourth with 42:07.71. Wood also finished second in the 5,000-meter with a time of 18:44.30. ARC had three runners finish in the top five of the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Freshman Mariah Earl finished second with a time of 15.88, followed by sophomore Hailey Cooley, who finished third. Edgar rounded out the top five with a time of 17.14. Sophomore Olesya Khokhlan finished the long jump in third with a distance of 5.23 meters. Freshman Shelby Crider finished fourth in the javelin throw with a distance of 31.03 meters. Sophomore Ariel Maroon won the women’s pole vault with a height of 3.53 meters and freshman Siena Morgan finished third, also with a height of 3.53 meters. The men’s tennis team finished its season with a perfect Big 8 record of 8-0 and overall play with a record of 15-3. ARC was the only team in the Big 8-North to finish undefeated. The last team match of its season was a loss to Fresno, the eventual CCCAA Team State Champions.
Kevin Sheridan/ kevinsheridan56@gmail.com
Outfielder Darian Garnett prepares for a pitch in a game against Santa Rosa. The softball team finished 17-20 this year and missed the playoffs.
Sports
May 7, 2014
Page 5
Tennis: Success on and off the court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Barbara Harvey / barbaraapharvey@gmail.com
Swimmers dive into the pool March 28 during the Sprint Pentathlon, one of two swim meets ARC hosts every spring.
Fourth place finish for both swim teams By Kevin Sheridan kevinsheridan65@gmail.com The American River College men’s and women’s swim teams both finished in fourth place at the Big 8 Championships. The women’s team finished the meet with 424.5 points and fell behind third place Sierra College, second place Diablo Valley College and first place Santa Rosa Junior College, who finished the meet with 827 points. Allison Gargalikis and Kelsey Leonard from DVC won Female Athlete for the event.
Female Performance of the Meet was won by Chrissie Adarme, Allison Gargalikis, Kelsey Leonard and Laura Woods, all from DVC. ARC’s Tiera Kraft won Female Diver of the Meet, the only female swimmer from ARC to win an award, and Santa Rosa’s Jill McCormick won Coach of the Year. The men’s team finished the meet with 362.5 points and fell behind third place Sierra, who finished with 640 points at the meet, second place Santa Rosa
and first place DVC, who finished the meet with 791 points. Male Athletes in this event were John Bing of Santa Rosa, Dominic Baldwin of DVC and Eric Maginnis of Sierra. Performance of the Meet was won by John Bing of Santa Rosa and Dominic Baldwin of DVC. Male Diver of the Meet was won by Brandon Cox of Sierra, and Coach of the Year was won by Rick Millington of DVC. The event took place April 1718 at San Joaquin Delta College.
ed about) their court demeanor, their attitudes, their sportsmanship and also about our team GPAs. The reason that I won that award was because of our team, off the court.” The importance of off-court success is reinforced throughout the tennis program, according to Valentine, who was nominated for the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award. “It’s about being responsible for yourself … It’s about learning life skills, getting your life together and focusing on things that matter, like school,” said Valentine. In addition to the daily teammandated study hour, Valentine spent additional time with Singh focusing on academic improvement, a point of emphasis for Singh this season. Despite exceptional performance in the classroom and several award-winning performances, the program is somewhat disappointed in not having won the Team GPA award in several years. “We’ve had the Team GPA Award three years: 2008, 2009 and 2010. I hope to get it back this year,” Jabery-Madison said. With the season ended, JaberyMadison will now shift his focus to the futures of his athletes, specifically communicating with pro-
“
THEY HAD A PHENOMENAL SEASON AND REPRESENTED THE COLLEGE EXTREMELY WELL.
GREGWARZECKA Athletic Director grams that show interest in them. Duong and Valentine will be spending another year at ARC to complete requirements for their fields of study, which include high-level math and biology courses. Both will be looking to continue their careers at fouryear institutions after transferring. “They had a phenomenal season and represented the college extremely well,” said ARC Athletic Director Greg Warzecka. “I think it’s great. It shows that these students are doing well competitively. We’re also getting statistics in the next month or so that will show how student athletes compare to the general student population academically. That, I think, will be a proud moment.”
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May 7, 2014
Feature
Photos by Kameron Schmid / kameronschmid@gmail.com
Different running uniforms from different eras for the men’s track and field and cross country teams hang in head coach Rick Anderson’s office, with the farthest to the right being the most current.
Consistency like no one else
FORMER ARC STUDENT TURNED HEAD COACH LEADS RUNNING TEAMS TO CHAMPIONSHIPS By Kameron Schmid kameronschmid@gmail.com
The men’s cross country team at ARC has won three state titles in a row under Anderson, and the track and field team has won the NorCal Championships three years in a row.
In total, the cross country team under Anderson has won 13 Big 8 conference championships, seven Northern California championships and three state championships.
In a file cabinet in the shared office of track and field and cross country head coach Rick Anderson and head golf instructor Raye Maero, there are four California Community College Coach of the Year awards. Three of them are for cross country, and one is for track and field. They are all awarded to Anderson. And on two separate walls of the shared office, there are dozens of team awards for both of Anderson’s programs. All of them have been earned in his tenure as head coach. Anderson doesn’t want accolades or awards or attention. He just wants fast teams. And with a consistency that no other athletic program at ARC can match, he’s routinely built them. “We have a tryout at ARC, so everybody that makes our team has the potential to score points at a conference championship. I’d like to say we keep nice guys that aren’t very talented, but this is an intercollegiate track team and we’re kind of limited in our numbers,” said Anderson. Anderson first came to ARC as a student athlete after graduating from Cordova High School in 1982. He competed in one season each of cross country and track and field. But instead of continuing into his second year of eligibility, Anderson enlisted for the Navy, where he spent the next six years. And after his time in the Navy, he came back to ARC, and spent two full semesters working on his academics before finally using his second year of eligibility as a member of the track and field team. In that season, he was voted captain of the team, and was named “Pepsi Scholar Athlete of the Year,” the top academic award that can be given to a CCC student-athlete. After finishing a kinesiology degree at California State University, Sacramento, Anderson was an assistant coach at three high schools in Sacramento before being hired as the head coach of the cross country team at ARC in 1996, and an assistant track and field coach. Several athletes have stood out for Anderson’s squad this year, and he knows them all off the top of his head. “Will Reyes broke a 30 year old school record in the 5000, which is 3.1 miles, he ran that in 14.27. We’ve got the number one and number two 800 meter runners in the state, Logan Stahl and David French. Our steeplechase is number two in the state, Chris Kigar, and then Robert Ellis has been real strong in the 100 and the 200. He’s in the top five all-time here now in both of those events. We have a lot of depth in a lot of events.” The men’s track and field team under Anderson has won the Northern California championships three years in a row, and the cross country program has won three state titles in a row. Anderson attributes this success to the strength of his coaching staff and the recruiting classes the program brings in. “Being able to recruit really good athletes because of our really good coaching staff … just being able to tell those guys and sell those guys that they’re going to get a lot out of this program and be able to transfer on someplace else has been tremendously valuable,” said Anderson. Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams will be competing in the Norcal Trials at De Anza College in Cupertino May 10. State championships begin May 16 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
May 7, 2014
Arts&Culture
Page 7
Steampunk lovers rock the stage By Kameron Schmid kameronschmid@gmail.com William Shakespeare’s comedies always have a wedding, and the American River College Theater production of “Much Ado About Nothing” was no exception. While the main plot device lies in the engagement of Claudio and the lady Hero, there is another marriage on the stage -that of the classic Shakespearean script and the steampunk subgenre. Directed by Pamela Downs with set and lighting designed by Kathy Burleson, and with costumes designed by Gail Russell, the completion of the steampunk ideal was thorough. There were gear shafts and neon lights, and one character was transformed into a robot. The original musical composition by ARC student Jonathan Blum fit exceedingly well and added a layer of sweetness that made one of the final dance scenes a particular highlight. “Much Ado” sets up the stage for the wedding of Claudio and Hero, but the real relationship to watch is between Beatrice, cousin of Hero, and Benedick, an officer to the visiting Don Pedro, prince of Aragon. Beatrice and Benedick know each other well and happily trade barbs throughout, slowly growing closer as events unfold. Playing Beatrice was Ashley Rose, who also appeared in “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” fall semester 2013. In a play with so much emphasis on wit and wordplay, Rose believed the directing of Downs added a layer of humanity that set it apart. “Pam adds a lot of heart,” Rose said. “I think other directors probably wouldn’t have put as much of themselves into the show as Pam did. She lets you have your own creative expression, but she lets you know that you have her heart through all of it.” And Rose isn’t wrong. It’s quite easy to
Alex Panasenko / aypanasenko@gmail.com
Actors Micah Smith (left) and Chris Bogard (right) on April 22 rehearse a scene for the ARC production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”
get lost in the convoluted language of the show’s dialogue. Some quips nail the spot and earn a laugh; others fall out of actors mouths’ like bowling balls with a thud and roll across the stage with nary a notice. But prevailing throughout all of it is a true sense of heart and humanity. The actors pulled you in when the serious moments came (Downs was overheard during intermission saying “this is where it gets dark,” referring to the second half of the play), and held you warmly at the happy ending. Rose herself earned most of the laughs
Cafe Europa delight will treat you right
By Adnan Ramic adiramic@gmail.com Nestled in the parking lot of Century Plaza on Howe Avenue by Nordstrom Rack is a restaurant that brings the palate of Greek and American cuisines to customers. From the moment you walk into Cafe Europa, the scenery conveys a simple and at-home look that makes you feel welcome. The cafe recently relocated to it’s current location in 2010, nearly 30 years after it first opened in the Arden Fair Mall in 1981. Kabob and gyros come with your choice of meat (lamb, beef, or chicken) wrapped in a pita with lettuce, tomato and onion. Entrees such as the lamb kabob come with skewered pieces of lamb over rice or salad with lettuce and tomato topped with feta cheese. Cafe Europa also caters to those who are vegetarian or just looking for a good burger. They offer falafel and veggie pita, as well as a Greek cheeseburger. (Rather than having a bun, the burger is put into a pita.) Cafe Europa caters food for all types of events. The taste of the food is fresh and the seasoning compliments the meat rather than drowning out the natural flavors. The best way to finish a meal is with dessert, and Cafe Europa isn’t lacking in that department. The baklava is sweet and has a hint of cinnamon, bringing it an original and appealing taste. The food at Cafe Europa is not only delicious, but has to be tasted to believe.
Adnan Ramic / adiramic@gmail.com
Chefs comprise gyro and kabob sandwiches with meat wrapped in pita and vegetables.
CAFE EUROPA 1537 HOWE AVE. #116 SACRAMENTO, CA PRICE RANGE: $$ «««« You can see the menu and prices at www.cafeeuropasac.com. Cafe Europa is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is closed on Sundays.
with the delivery of her lines and a good dose of physical humor. The character of Beatrice has a lot in common with some of Shakespeare’s other main female characters: modern in her independence, quick with her words and intelligent as any other man in the play, one of the many qualities that sets Shakespeare apart. “I like that Beatrice is very multifaceted,” Rose said. “She’s very complex … She’s not afraid to be herself and be confident and I really admire and relate to those things about her.” Earning another abundance of laughs
was Aaron Bayless, playing the role of Dogberry, master constable. One particular scene starring Bayless was the favorite of the play for Tanner Mets, an undeclared major. Mets liked the play in all, saying, “One word: Really, really, really, really awesome. I didn’t know how well steampunk would fit into it, but it fit in pretty well.” Evan Thorley, who played Borachio, one of the more minor characters, said that his favorite part of the play is, “the part where I eat bread in a scene and I get to talk through it.”
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May 7, 2014
Arts&Culture
Post Production:
Nominees announced By Jonathan H. Ellyson jonathanellyson@gmail.com
Rhyme time at Word Soup ENGLISH PROFESSORS RECITE POEMS TO THE TUNE OF MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND By Michael Pacheco mfpach@gmail.com The arts encompass not only drawings and paintings, but also music and the written word. In this year’s edition of American River College’s annual faculty literary reading, Word Soup, poetry, pictures, and music combine to create a unique experience. Hosted by ARC English professors Traci Gourdine and Harold Schneider, Word Soup started off as a side project for Schneider when he taught at University of California, Davis. He then brought it to ARC, where he has held it annually. “When I held it at Davis, I called it ‘Word Soup’ since it took place during lunch time,” Schneider said. “Then I brought it to ARC where I have been holding it for over 20 years, and it always involved faculty.” The theme this year is “Love and Desire.” The topics covered
Michael Pacheco / mfpach@gmail.com
The annual faculty poetry reading Word Soup is supported by the music department this year, featuring Professor Dyne Eifertsen (center) and others.
include a circle of emotions such as celebration, desire, relationships, loss and renewal. Nearly all of the works read are poems written by Gourdine
and Schneider. To provide atmosphere, improvised background music is performed by Professor Dyne Eifertsen on trombone, music
CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE 110 MEDICAL SCHOOLS 30 PHARMACY SCHOOLS 30 DENTISTRY SCHOOLS 25 NURSING SCHOOLS 25 PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOLS
15 VETERINARY SCHOOLS 25 GRADUATE SCHOOLS 15 PA SCHOOLS 10 PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAMS 10 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROG.
Be apart of the largest pre-health event in the nation.
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MEET OVER 500 ADMISSIONS AND CAREER PROFESSIONALS MORE THAN 300 WORKSHOPS! EXCELLENT NETWORKING AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
major Dominique Salazar-Turner on bass guitar and Eli Aksenko on drums. “I wanted to do something that involves the other arts on campus,” says Eifertsen, “and having done spoken word acts before, I spoke to the dean of English and was told that some faculty will be interested in reading poetry with music in the background.” “Words are music and music are words,” says Gourdine, “so I think there is a nice blend.” Given the subject matter, the poems themselves ranged from serious, such as “Solo,” by Gourdine, to just outright hilarious, like Schneider’s 15 haiku about breasts. The attendance for the event was very high. This may be due to being hosted in the music department rather than in Raef Hall, as in previous years. The audience comprised of mostly English and music majors, and professors.
Most people only focus on the Grammy Awards or the Academy Awards, maybe the Screen Actors Guild Awards or Golden Globes Awards. Fewer people mainstream the Tony Awards, which is unfortunate because it can often be the most entertaining award show of award season. The nominees for the 2014 Tony Awards, which will take place June 8, were announced April 29. Twenty-seven productions were nominated among the 26 categories, with each category having four nominees. Taking the lead is “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” with 10 nominations, followed by “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” with eight. “A Gentleman’s Guide” is a new musical, while “Hedwig,” starring Neil Patrick Harris, is a revival. The biggest names in revivals are “Les Miserables” for musical and Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” for play. “Les Miserables” is still in recent memory from the December 2012 movie, the 25th anniversary tour in 2010 or maybe even the 2006 revival. These are huge names in the revivals category. At this year’s Tony Awards revivals are king, unlike last year when everything was a movie adaptation, including “Kinky Boots,” “Matilda,” “Bring it On,” and “A Christmas Story.” With Hugh Jackman hosting, the production value of this year’s awards is going to be phenomenal. Expect hilarious and awesome homages and performances by nominated casts. There is a high likelihood of Neil Patrick Harris popping in for several guest performances throughout the night.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Medicine: James L. Madara, M.D., CEO, American Medical Association (AMA) Elena V. Rios, M.D., M.S.P.H., President/CEO, National Hispanic Medical Assoc. Andrew Warshaw, M.D., President-Elect, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Joanne Liu, President, Doctors Without Borders Nursing: Deborah Burger, R.N., President, Cal Nurses Association Pharm: Kathy Hill-Besinque, Pharm.D., President, California Pharmacist Association Thomas Menighan, Pharm.D., CEO, American Pharmacist Association And Many More!
OCTOBER 11-12, 2014 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS
May 7, 2014
Scene
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Photos by Brooke Purves / brookempurves@gmail.com
Peter Sukhin and his wife, Lesya, met in Ukraine, when he was a university student and she was a Christian missionary visiting the country. Lesya was born in Ukraine, but immigrated to the U.S. over 14 years ago. Their daughters, Jessica (left), 2, and Jennifer, 8 months, were born in the U.S.
Student adjusts to life in America By Brooke Purves brookempurves@gmail.com
The only person of color in the room. The oldest student in your general education class. The only stay-at-home dad at the preschool roundup. Most of us have had some sort of immersion experience, where we’ve felt out of place, confused and maybe a bit scared. At the end of that experience, though, the person of color, the nontraditional student and the male primary caregiver can often fold back into the familiar and return home. Many of our English as a Second Language students don’t return home, or if they do, they discover something has changed. Maybe it’s the country they left. Maybe it’s themselves. “When I lived in Ukraine, I was afraid to live in America,” said Peter Sukhin, an ESL student at American River College. Sukhin said he had learned from the media in Ukraine that America was “bad.” When he first moved to the states, he said, he didn’t understand why people were smiling at him and saying “Good morning.” Sukhin developed depression, and returned to Ukraine after living here for a short while. But as soon as he stepped off the plane, he felt “like a stranger,” he said. He had changed. Even so, Sukhin said he still identifies as Ukrainian. “I was born in Ukraine. That’s why I belong totally to Ukraine. My values, ideas,” Sukhin said through translator Olga Cuzeac.
International students often have trouble finding a place to live when they come to the states, and need to secure jobs where they don’t have to speak English right away. Many of them have families to support, so economic stability becomes the priority, even if the academic improvement is what prompted them to immigrate. Many also carry the political burdens of their homelands. “Very sadly … we have a lot of students who find themselves in … stressful situations,” said Allyson Joye, ESL professor. “We have Iraqi students who ended up in Jordan in refugee camps for months or years before they were able to get here … some of them left businesses, homes, just everything.” Some students are afraid to return home. Cuzeac said she has purchased plane tickets for herself and her young son to go back to her home in Moldova. The trip will require she travel through Ukraine. “I feel awful,” she said about the conflict in the area. “I’m afraid for my son.” Others, like Sukhin, are caught in the middle of family disputes thousands of miles away. Sukhin’s parents divorced when he was a teenager. Now his father and brothers live in Moscow, while his mother stayed in Ukraine. The family has been emotionally burdened by the recent Russian invasion in Crimea. “Father said to me, maybe two or three months ago, he said ‘Peter, Russia doesn’t need Crimea.’ I said to my father, “But why then
L
CAMPUS PU SE “The economy. I have not been able to find a job in five years.”
-KYLEJOYCE Theater
(did) Russia put their armies in Crimea?’ Father said to me, ‘TV lies. There is no Russian military in Crimea.’” “Two months later the Russian Federation annexed Crimea,” said Sukhin. “After, I said to my father, ‘So what?’ Father said to me, ‘My son, I don’t know what happened, I watch news from Russian Federation, what they said, then, I said to you.’ My father is shocked.” Sukhin said his father doesn’t know who to believe now, and that his cousins and brothers won’t speak to him because of their differing political opinions. Sukhin started having heart trouble, and was treated in hospital for a suspected heart attack. “You … occasionally see stuff like this when someone is terribly distracted,” ESL professor John Gamber said of Sukins’ health problems. “And you sort of have to tease out why they’re distracted … Sometimes it’s simply that the load is too heavy, and if the load is already too heavy, it doesn’t take that much to send you over the edge … Let’s say you’re already just barely keeping track of your work, your family and your school stuff, and now you’ve got one more thing. It doesn’t matter what order it happened in … It’s that last straw.” Sukhin said he is now good to stay here, but his decision to move to America wasn’t without significant consequences. Sukhin met his wife when she was serving in Ukraine as a missionary for her church. She was born in Ukraine, but had lived in
Sukhin is a first-level ESL student from Ukraine. He speaks often with his family in Russia and Ukraine about the conflict in the region.
America for nearly two decades. The two hit it off and started communicating via Skype when she returned to her home. At the time, Sukhin was attending the University in Odessa and as she was making documents to call him to the U.S., he was two months away from receiving his degree in electrical engineering. Sukhin had to choose right away: America or the diploma. “(A) teacher said, ‘Education you can get in America, but if God gets you a wife right now, you have to choose your wife,’” said Sukhin. Sukhin and his wife now have two young daughters. He speaks to his former wife and their teenaged daughter, still living in Ukraine, via Skype. Sukhin hasn’t been completely without support during his stay here. He is one of many Ukrainian students on campus and in the
Sacramento area. “(The) Ukrainian community has been here for a really long time,” said Joye, “and so they have a much broader network and there’s quite a large network of churches that help new immigrants and help them get on their feet.” Short-term counseling is available in the counseling center, and “when there are language issues, we try to match (students) with someone who speaks that language,” said Rod Agbunag, counselor. But, he said, “at the end of the day it’s going to be academic.” Sukhin misses his family and has tried to help his father immigrate. In the end, though, Sukhin said the U.S. won’t open his father’s visa because they don’t want an “old communist.” “My heart is crying,” he said of the conflict in his home country.
Who do you hate? “I would say Joseph, but then he apologized to me so I don’t really hate him anymore.”
-SASSYPARKS Business
“This universe. Everything I see annoys me. I want to punch everything in my path.”
-MATTHEWNGUYEN Business Accounting
“Hate is such a strong word. I don’t hate anybody. I pretty much love everybody. I suffered a lot … I would never wish that on anybody. I just can’t feel those kinds of feelings.”
-JORGERILEY International Tax Law
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May 7, 2014
Scene
Homeless: Dance student struggles to find community CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Donaldson’s PTSD, which she believes is a result from sexual abuse in the military, physical abuse as a child and domestic violence from a previous relationship, has made it difficult for her to maintain steady employment. “I’m looking for what I can do where I don’t have to be around people,” she said. “I can’t be subjugated.” It can be challenging for those with PTSD to get jobs, said ARC counselor Bonnie Miller. Still, Donaldson spends many mornings in the campus computer labs filling out applications and improving her typing speed for employment tests. “A lot of veterans are able to cope because they want to keep their job,” said Daniel Avegalio, enrollment services representative in the Veterans Information Center. “(But) if employers don’t understand what’s going on, they can’t assist” when there’s a problem in the workplace. Therein lies the problem for many with PTSD; it is a disability that not everyone can readily see. “I don’t think when someone looks normal (people) understand,” said Donaldson. She feels like people who don’t know about PTSD think it’s an excuse, and that there’s a general lack of compassion. “They just can’t believe that things are so difficult,” she said. What students like Donaldson lack, said Miller, is consistency with a supportive group of people. “It’s a matter of connections,” Miller said. And it’s a matter of community. For students like Donaldson, there may not be enough strong people around to offer support. In fact, Donaldson was once told by a counselor, “You just don’t have the support you require to succeed.” She bounced around among various organizations, but they couldn’t seem to connect to help her resolve her problems. Aside from feeling lost in the system, Donaldson often feels separated from humanity in general. Most people can imagine the cramped sleeping arrangements, the attempts to keep fresh foods safe in the cooler in the back seat, and a mini-SUV stuffed with worldly possessions. What most of us can’t imagine is the loneliness.
“I’m alone most of the day,” she said. She spends several hours in dance classes, the one tangible way she knows how to process her situation. “Dance is like medicine to me,” Donaldson said. When she has extra money, Donaldson rents studio space and teaches fusion dancing. Music and movement are important to her spiritually; she knows that she needs to be dancing to be healthy. “It helps me, but I don’t have enough music everyday,” she said. “I just have silence. It drives someone like me mad.” Donaldson can stay in her car on campus during campus hours, but at night she must find another place to park. Any unattended vehicle left overnight without prior authorization will be cited, according to ARC Los Rios Police Department Sgt. Mike Olson. “We’re probably not going to cite someone if the car is occupied,” he said. “We’re probably going to knock on the window and ask them to move along.” Still, Donaldson said she’s had trouble with being in her car on campus at night and has been forced to find a place to stay nearby. She doesn’t feel safe and sleeps “like they teach you to sleep in the Marines, one eye open,” she said. The constant sleep deprivation fuels the anxiety from PTSD. Donaldson has found some support through her fellow dancers, several of whom are struggling with stability as well, and through Sunny Smith, dance professor at ARC, who has been a grounding influence for Donaldson through this difficult time. “She just looked at me, and she always knows,” said Donaldson, “and she said, ‘Stop mourning. Look and see it. It’s getting better. Everything’s up from here.’” Smith may be more right than she knows. Donaldson has recently been able to secure a part-time position teaching different types of dance classes, and is being considered for a job as an adult care provider. She feels the position is a good fit; she will be working for someone who has a disability and understands what that’s like. Donaldson is starting to see the growth and promise from her experiences. “Whatever I’ve been through,” Donaldson said, “there’s a point to making me stronger through it. I don’t think that it’s Creator’s fault and I don’t think that’s his way of doing things.”
Kevin Sheridan / kevinsheridan56@gmail.com
Professor Paul Daux (center) gives feedback to students presenting their arguments to the class.
TAKETHISCLASS SPEECH311 By Kevin Sheridan kevinsheridan56@gmail.com Whether you’re going into politics or you just enjoy a good debate from time to time, the ability to make a good argument for your side can be a valuable skill to have. Students who want to learn how to make a strong and structured argument should take Speech 311: Argumentation and Debate. The focus of the class is critical thinking and analyzing logical arguments, according to the course description. Speech 311 also aims to develop organization, supporting materials and delivery of effective arguments. Students will participate in four debates throughout the semester, with emphasis on developing students’ thought processes and students’ ability to put forth arguments as the semester goes on. Each debate will be for either the affirmative or the negative, and students who are not debating are asked to participate by asking questions, contributing to the argument and assessing the critical thinking of the students who are debating. Students are required to write an analysis paper on their arguments or evaluate other students’ argument. “(The class is) a challenge, but it’s worth
“
the challenge,” said Roberto Garcia, a communications major and student in the class. “It has good information. If you’re pursuing a career that involves debate, the structure you learn in the class is essential.” “I like (the class). (Professor Paul Duax is) a no nonsense teacher. He has high expectations, and I think that’s legitimate … There’s no floating through our class. He expects you to participate,” said Rosemary Killingsworth, a communications and family studies major in the class. Duax puts a large emphasis on student participation, and student competence in debating. If either he or your debate partner loses confidence in your debating ability, you will be given a vote of “no confidence” and will receive half-credit for the debate, according to the course syllabus. “It’s about clear thinking and critical thinking and what it means to go beyond an opinion,” said Duax. “(I want students to) ask good questions. Question every assertion, ask questions like, ‘How do you know that?’ … I’m encouraging people to ask more questions.” Speech 311 is offered noon to 1:20 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and noon to 1:20 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is not available during the summer semester.
(Professor Paul Duax is) a no nonsense teacher. He has high expectations, and I think that’s legitimate … There’s no floating through our class. He expects you to participate.
ROSEMARYKILLINGSWORTH
COMMMUNICATIONS & FAMILY STUDIES
Brooke Purves / brookempurves@gmail.com
The brass bracelets Spiritdancer Donaldson wears on each wrist are “like medicine for me, a focal point to remind me to thank my Creator.”
May 7, 2014
Opinion
CURRENTEDITORIAL current@arc.losrios.edu Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brian King announced April 22 that he will be recommending Thomas Greene, vice president of Lake Tahoe Community College, to replace American River College interim President Pam Walker. The editorial board of the Current has some suggestions for Greene to consider when he joins the administrative ranks. Student safety on campus was questionable this semester. Two women were attacked on the Arcade Creek Trail, part of which is campus property. Several P.E. classes use this area for walking or running. A student was slapped by an aggressive peti-
Page 11
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT
tioner. There was a violent fight March 19 in the parking garage, and thefts and hit-and-runs in the garage and in the parking lots. An increase in security is called for, be it through increased campus police or a more alert student population. One way to help is to make available more women’s selfdefense class such as the R.A.D. class that was offered last month. The class cost only $20 for students and was filled to capacity. That’s a good sign that the students would use such resources. Many of our students spend time bouncing around classes, filling their schedules to 12 units to qualify for financial aid, and not having much of an educa-
tional plan and not graduating. In fact, according to The Sacramento Bee, the completion rate of ARC students dropped 6.6 percent from the 2005-2006 academic year to the 2012-2013 academic year, with completion defined as “earned a degree, credit certificate, or 60 units to transfer.” While there are a number of students who know what classes they need and take them in a progressive manner, there are enough who don’t know what they are doing to warrant a more hands-on approach from the administration and the counselors. More availability to and accountability from the counselors would be a positive first step.
Many students go long stretches without meeting with a counselor, often wasting time and money, be it their own or the taxpayer’s. ARC has been working to meet the mandates of the Student Success Initiative; keep the work rolling forward. Finally, ARC is a well-funded, well-maintained and functional community college that does a lot of good for it’s students and faculty, a fact that is largely forgotten on campus and in the community. Reinforcing that with some marketing and outreach to current and future students would be wise. ARC is a great resource for our community. We hope you can make it even better.
My Little Brony: fandom is freaky THE LATEST ADULT OBSESSION OVER A CHILDREN’S SHOW CREEPS EVERYPONY OUT By Emily K. Rabasto rabastoe@gmail.com Generation Y is unique in that members are encouraged to be whomever they want – more often than they are told to be responsible, civilized adults – no matter how shameful or awkward they choose to act. Many parents in the ’80s or ’90s failed to instill values of integrity and accountability properly in their children and, as a result, produced America’s most outrageous wave of immature adults. A prime example of a result of this coddling is “Bronies,” overzealous 20- and 30-something fans of the cartoon show intended for young girls, “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” The show focuses on six different ponies that live in the kingdom of Equestria and learn how to be better friends by the end of each episode by using their individual talents to help others. There is nothing wrong with the show and it is actually wellreceived, raking in a viewership of 4 million per month. However, the strange adult fandom for the show came as a surprise even to the creators. A documentary entitled “Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony,” which recently became available on Netflix, chronicles the lives of a few male fans of the cartoon as they prepare to attend Brony-
nhoneywood71@gmail.com When you think of a ride along with the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department you may think of an episode of “Cops” filled with exciting calls every minute, sirens blaring and arresting drunk criminals. The morning of March 8 I arrived at the department feeling extremely nervous. My legs were shaking and my hands were sweating profusely. As I sat down for the briefing, all around me were deputies taking notes and being informed of any new cases. Although I wasn’t wearing a badge or a gun on my hip, I felt like I was a part of something very special.
PHOTO IN COSTUME MAY BE MISLEADING Dear Editor, For those of you who have questioned the appropriateness of my weird headgear for a Directorelect of Finance, that picture was taken on Club Day in the costume contest for Crazy Hat. (I won!) So it is not something I would wear to a Joint Budget Committee meeting. If you noticed, VP Fisher’s parasol from the funeral procession for Bucky Beaver is also from Club Day. In addition, apparently Jorge Riley’s picture is from Club Day, but he was not in costume and was able to take off his sunglasses. The Current photographer, Melissa Hurtado, was under a tight deadline, so for the women, she just used pictures that she already had. I think they had to take candidate pictures of CAEB President Jeremy Diefenbacher and Trustee Omba Kipuke. I hope that assuages your fears.
Sincerely, Laurie Jones, ASB Student Senator Director-elect of Finance
RETHINK STUDENT’S CREEPY COMMENTS
Cartoon by Emily K. Rabasto
Con, a convention for fans of My Little Pony held in various places around the world. The documentary has come under some criticism by only focusing on the few positive aspects of the adult fandom and mentioning nothing about the subculture of Bronies who sexualize the cartoon. The Internet is a breeding ground for immature and disturbing man-children. Sites such
as 4chan.org and reddit.com provide, on certain boards, fanproduced sexually explicit content depicting pony characters from the show. This sexualization of an innocent children’s show is why we can’t have nice things. These adults can’t seem to allow children to have their own show and enjoy it without spoiling its innocence. The show has to be ruined and corrupted by
the Bronies who think it’s acceptable to pretend that fictional ponies are their non-fictional girlfriends. Thinking that this outrageous behavior is normal is a direct result of a lack of shame from the adult fans due to the enabling attitude of their parents. Adults should not behave so immaturely and childishly. They chose this lifestyle, it didn’t choose them.
A day spent with the sheriff’s department By Natasha Honeywood
LETTERSTO THEEDITOR
Later I was introduced to Deputy Sheriff Jon Ilaga, whom I would be with for a 10-hour ride-along. We went on calls that varied from welfare checks to suspicious activities in the park. Most of the time officers are used as mediators. Jerry Manduca has been a professor at the McClellan Public Safety Center for eight years, and worked at the sheriff’s department for 27 years. Manduca recalls his time on the force as “an awesome job, very rewarding and exciting all at the same time.” He was also a sniper in the Sacramento Good Guys electronics store hostage situation in 1991. Manduca explained the dif-
ference between SWAT and patrol. “In patrol, all the calls are 911 dispatched. They are exciting and chaotic and you are trying to get there quickly and help out,” said Manduca. “SWAT is a more controlled environment; it is still exciting but just a little slower process.” Police officers make mistakes just as we do but, because they are in the public’s eye, are held to higher standard. The sheriff I rode with made sure that he thought every single action through; his heart wasn’t an icebox. The most important thing as a police officer is to figure out what is most important and make split decisions.
These men and women that serve us can work so hard keeping the streets safe that their families may fall apart. Steve Segura, dean of Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center at McClellan, has spent a number of years on the force. “I retired as the deputy chief after 30 years (at) the Sacramento Sheriff Department. I spent time on patrol, special units and undercover narcotics,” said Seguara. “(You can) spend more time at work than at home, especially during the week.” I learned that police are more than just people we call when someone breaks into our house; they are counselors, judges, and most of all, humans.
Dear Editor, Last week I picked my first copy of American River Current. I was pretty shocked to read the first Campus Pulse comment “I would take you home with me, It wouldn’t be crime, you would go.” A student who would like to abduct people? How charming. In a paper with an attempted rape headline on the cover of the paper, I thought this was a rather inappropriate comment. Indeed, the whole Campus Pulse topic was an ill-considered choice. The final student stated that he would commit a violent crime against the president. Don’t you know that people get arrested for making comments like that? Yet here you are publishing it under the guise of “humor” for anyone to read? I really wonder where your sense of responsibility is. You might want to reconsider the wisdom of publishing comments which could get students into serious trouble, especially when the comment is accompanied by a photo and a name. Sincerely, Anne Taylor Nutrition Major
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We accept letters by email and surface mail. Email is encouraged. Copy and paste the letter in the body of the email. No attachments, please. Due to space restrictions we ask letters for publication be no longer than 150 words and refer to an article that has appeared within the last print edition. Letters must include the writer’s name and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. Email the Current at: current@ arc.losrios.edu Mail your letter to: 4700 College Oak Drive Liberal Arts, Room 120 Sacramento, CA 95841
RUN ARC
William Quenga of CRC was the winner of the individual breakdance battle at the tri-school competition. Quenga combines athleticism and character into his style of dancing which made him a hit with the audience and judges.
Nine dance crews from three Los Rios colleges’ hip-hop classes traveled to Cosumnes River College’s Clark Court to participate in the Spring 2014 Hip Hop Competition on Friday. Three different dance crews from American River College competed in the event and all three received awards for Crew Choreography. Jungle Krew, directed by Elias Martinez, won honorable mention; Unique Elements, directed by Richard Jones, won third place; andVoodoo Dolls, directed by Sinporya Allen, won second place. ARC’s dancers and directors represented the school well with their positive attitude and amazing dancing.
Photos by Emily K. Rabasto
American River College dancer Sinporya Allen, director of the dance crew Voodoo Dolls, leans almost completely backwards as she competes in the popping dance battle. ARC’s Voodoo Dolls won second place in the crew choreography battle out of 10 groups.
Break dancer Joshua Johnson from Cosumnes River College slides upside down on his forehead to impress the judges during the individual breakdance battle in the Spring 2014 Hip-Hop competition held Friday.
Ezekiel Washington danced in crews from both American River College and Cosumnes River College and directed the first-place winning dance crew The Mob from CRC. Washington also won the all styles competition against 25 other dancers from Folsom, American River and Cosumnes River colleges.