Campus Cats:
The Kitty Workforce Committee cares for dozens of cats that call ARC home.
Page 7
Wednesday 02.14.18
CURRENT The
American River College Sacramento, Calif.
WEED LEGALIZED IN CALIFORNIA BUT STILL CRIMINALIZED ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Flu Season:
This year’s influenza strain has experts calling for people to get vaccinated.
Page 3
Vol. 69
Ed. 5
LRPD officer calls for backup after altercation with student By Luis Gael Jimenez luisgaeljimenez@gmail.com
Photo illustration by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Los Rios Community College’s anti-drug rules are hard-set and could see students facing disciplinary action and/or legal consequences for violating them.
New marijuana laws don’t change Los Rios’ district-wide anti-drug regulations By Brienna Edwards & Luis Gael Jimenez briennaedwards@gmail.com luisgaeljimenez@gmail.com Larissa Lopez rolls out of bed, eyes bleary and heavy-lidded. She is tired and she is stressed; her mind is running a mile a minute and won’t slow down. She rubs her eyes, and stares at the floor for a long moment. Her alarm still blares in the background as she stumbles across the room. Lopez, a sociology major at American River College with a nutrition class looming at 9 a.m., has an assignment due and a lecture to sit though. It’s going to be a long day. Her morning routine is a blur of muscle memory. Still half-asleep, Lopez takes a deep-breath before she sits down and lights up a bowl — there’s nothing stopping her since recreational marijuana was legalized across the state on Jan. 1, 2018. She works at a dispensary so she knows it’s the good stuff — the best stuff. It’s not something she does everyday, but it’s something she’s done in the past when she knows she needs to concentrate.
She takes a long drag from the pipe, releases a cloud of smoke, and closes her eyes for a moment. Lopez can feel her mind easing, focusing. She opens her eyes and takes another hit, before she continues to prepare for the day with a newfound motivation. “Sometimes I’ll smoke before class, but if I’m going to smoke, I’m going to smoke a sativa — that’s something that stimulates your mind. It gets you focused on what you’re doing versus someone who comes in who just smoked an indica,” Lopez said. “That’s going to make them sleepy. It’s going to make them want food. It will help out their pain but it’s not really gonna make them like focus on attention and stuff; it’s gonna make them more groggy.” On Nov. 9 2016, Proposition 64, “The Adult Use of Marijuana Act” passed in the state of California legalizing the recreational use and growing of marijuana for personal use. In continuation of Prop. 64, the sales and taxation of cannabis across the state became legal on Jan. 1 of this year. That means that if you are 21 years of age or older, getting access to marijuana is as simple as finding a reputable, licensed dispensary near you.
Illustration by Brienna Edwards
American River College has banned the use of marijuana on campus but that hasn’t stopped students from using cannabis before classes.
This causes a controversy between those who have been smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes, and those who using the drug after its legalization. “Definitely like a whole new different type of people, in the sense that we have people who have never even stepped foot into a cannabis facility,” Lopez said. The ease of access has created a dilemma for the Los Rios Community College Administration and the Los Rios Police Department because, although weed is legal in the state of California, it is still illegal at the federal level. Gabe Ross, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Communications &
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Media Relations for Los Rios Community College, said the problem is one that is out of the hands of Los Rios officials. “There is really no change for Los Rios and [other] community colleges because marijuana, despite being legal in California, is still illegal by the federal government, “ Ross said. “We are governed by a federal law called the ‘Drug-Free School Act’ so there is really no change for our colleges.” The Drug-Free School and Communities Act requires schools to implement a drug prevention program in order to qualify to receive federal assistance. “At the end of the day federal law trumps everything else,” Ross told the Current. According to Ross, marijuana will be treated much like alcohol has always been treated by school officials: as something that only exists off-campus and is heavily restricted within school grounds. The California Health and Safety Code also restricts the use of marijuana to private property and state-licensed premises. The law bans the consumption of marijuana within a thousand feet of a school, daycare or youth center — ARC serves as both a school and a daycare. Weed | Page 2
/ARCurrent.com
REPUBLIC FC Sacramento Republic FC wins
PAGE 4 preseason opener at ARC against Sacramento Gold FC.
Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call for backup from a Los Rios Police Department Officer on Feb. 6 after an apparent altercation with an American River College student inside the Disabled Student Programs and Services Offices. According to ARC Public Information Officer Scott Crow, there is still an ongoing investigation as to the nature of the incident but dispatchers at the Sheriff’s office were able to confirm that a call for backup was placed and several officers in the area responded at 1:20 p.m. One individual was arrested, according to the sheriff’s office dispatcher. The Visitor’s Parking lot on the west side of the campus was closed down temporarily because of the large amount of responding officers from the Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol and the LRPD. In an email to the Current, Crow said that the call for backup is not unusual in situations like this. “A Los Rios Police Department officer did request backup, which is often a standard procedure with law enforcement. The outside agencies were on campus for a few minutes before being released,” Crow said. “I do not have all of the details on the situation as it is still early stages. That is what we know at this time.” The incident was originally categorized as an Emergency Response Notification Icon alarm call on the Los Rios Police Department Crime Log but has since been changed to reclassify the event as involving a “Mentally Unstable Person” on campus. The ERNI alarm is installed on administrative computers across the district and acts as a silent alarm system that administrators can trigger in the event of an emergency. The ERNI alarm was triggered from an administrator’s computer inside the DSP&S Office. DSP&S Supervisor Fong Vang was able to confirm that the ERNI alarm system was used because of an incident but said he was unable to provide further details at that time. The call for backup was broadcast across the dispatch channel shared between the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Sacramento City Police. This article will be updated online as more information becomes available.
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February 14, 2018
News
Weed at ARC
C
The
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In an email interview with the Current, ARC President Thomas Greene said that any student found inebriated on campus faces immediate disciplinary action from either school officials or the Los Rios Police Department. “It depends on the circumstances. It could be a potential student discipline issue or it could be a law enforcement matter, depending on the situation,” Greene said. “The Office of Student Conduct has a wide variety of resources available on this and other issues.” ARC’s official code of conduct outlines varying levels of punishment ranging from suspension, expulsion and/or criminal prosecution, depending on the severity of the infraction. Greene added that carrying cannabis onto school grounds can result in the same punishment — even in liquid or edible form — adding that these laws apply to all Los Rios schools, not just ARC. “All Los Rios colleges are also drug-free zones by district policy,” Greene said. With the school grounds being considered a ‘smoke-free campus’ it seems that marijuana has no place at ARC — or any of the other Los Rios campuses. Ross said that he feels keeping district schools drug-free creates a better environment for everyone. “We want to make sure our campuses are safe for our students and staff,” Ross said. But for students like Lopez, the rules are still a bit hazy. “Well since this is already a nonsmoking facility, I would say it wouldn’t impact anything around here too much,” Lopez said. “ But I still feel like since people don’t know the laws, people will be wanting to try it and maybe bring it to campus.”
URRENT An American River College student-run publication. Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Protester’s stand in front of the California State Capitol as part of the second annual Women’s March. An estimated 36,000 people showed up to the Sacramento Women’s March — 16,000 more than last year’s march.
Sacramento Women’s March on State Capitol draws thousands OVER 30,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROTEST By Luis Gael Jimenez luisgaeljimenez@gmail.com Millions of protesters took to the streets of cities all across the country, including Sacramento, to voice their support for the rights of marginalized populations in the United States on Jan. 20 as part of a national demonstration of equality. While the march was officially called a “Women’s March,” protesters used the event to stage their concerns about issues ranging from the ending of the DACA program to their unhappiness with current education policy. The organized protests were part of the second annual Women’s March, which started in 2017 in response to the election of President Donald Trump. The Sacramento march began at 11 a.m. at Southside Park and thousands of people in attendance marched north up 5th St., down the Capitol Mall and eventually stopped at the west steps of the Sate Capitol Building with
ASB NOTEBOOK
a crowd 16,000 people stronger than last year’s march—an estimated 36,000 according to the march’s youth director, Xochitl Hermosillo. The crowd is estimated to have peaked at over 30,000 people in the streets of Sacramento—10,000 more people than showed up to last year’s march. Mayor Darrell Steinberg walked with protesters as they chanted: “This is what democracy looks like,” and held up signs reading slogans like: “Keep the kids, deport the racists,” or “Women’s rights are human rights.” News helicopters patrolled the skies around the Capitol Park grounds trying to capture the massive crowd as they inched their way towards the Capitol. Once at the Capitol, a rally was held featuring speeches from Steinberg, Councilwoman Angelique Ashby and the founders of We Said Enough, a campaign started in order to overhaul how sexual harassment is reported and treated in the workplace. Members of the Los Rios Col-
lege Federation of Teachers were there supporting their students. Andrea Garvey, an LRCFT member and American River College professor, said she was there to support the undocumented immigrants and other vulnerable student populations. “I’m here for our DACA students, for the LGBT students and other marginalized groups,” Garvey said. “I’m here to represent their voices and I know my colleagues are here to do the same for their students.” English as a Second Language Professor and ARC instructor Ally Joy echoed the sentiment, citing her work with foreign-born students as a key reason for her attending the march. “I’m fed-up with the craziness. I don’t understand how people say we have equal rights. My DACA students and immigrant students don’t have equal rights. Particularly my Muslim students,” Joy said. “The hatred they experience every single day should not be tolerated by anyone. We have to help people whenever we can. That’s why I’m here. I’m here to help.”
Co-Editor-in-Chiefs Brienna Edwards Luis Gael-Jimenez Co-Managing Editors Mack Er vin III Ashley Hayes-Stone Copy Editor Hannah Yates Staff Jennah Booth Alondra Botello Gabe Carlos Cecilia Castillo Juarez Tracy Holmes Alexus Hur tado Michael Pacheco Lily Rodriguez Drake Alexis Warren Faculty Adviser Rachel Leibrock Photo Adviser Jill Wagner Student Worker Mack Er vin III
For weekly coverage of ARC student government, go to ARCurrent.com.
SENATE PASSES THREE BILLS, DISCUSSES COMMUNITY MICROWAVES By Mack Ervin III
“We are the only Los Rios campus where the administration doesn’t provide microwaves for the students.”
me3current@gmail.com
On Feb. 9, the Associated Student Body Senate met to discuss the swearing-in of a new officer, the passage of three bills, and to talk about getting microwaves for students. Senator Alexandrina Chavez was sworn in by President Deborah Hernandez at the beginning of the meeting, bringing the number of board members up to eight. The first bill passed in the meeting was a consent action that allocates up to $300 for the cleaning of a tabletop used by ASB at advocacy events. It passed by a vote of 4-1 with Club and Events Board President, Mariana Topich voting against. The next two motions allocated up to $300 and $350 towards ASB election awareness and office supplies for the board, respectively. Both bills passed with unanimous consent.
Laurie Jones Student Senator
Photo by Brienna Edwards | Co-Editor-In-Chief
ASB Senate discusses their bylaws and how they apply to excused absences during their meeting on Feb. 2.
Topich found the office supplies motion to be a good idea as a comparable motion has come up in CAEB. “We had a consent action similar to this one last semester and it helped us out immensely,” Topich
said about the meeting. The board also held a discussion about the possibility of communicating with the administration about acquring community microwaves. “We are the only Los Rios campus
where the administration doesn’t provide microwaves for the students,” Senator Laurie Jones said. “We’ve bought three so far and two have broken.” Adviser Juan Blanco brought-up the idea that the school should be looking at industrial microwaves instead of commercial ones. “They recommend us to go industrial because of high usage,” Blanco said. “They’re not cheap, they range from $1,000 to $2,000, but they last up to 10 years. [The microwaves in the Student Center] aren’t going to last.
PROUD MEMBERS OF THE CNPA & JACC
PACESETTER AWARD WINNERS JACC STATE CONVENTION 2016
POLICY The Current is produced by the students of College Media Production, J410-413. All opinions are signed and not necessarily endorsed by the Current staff. All letters and articles appearing in the Editorial, Opinion or Forum sections 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 Portable Village Room 613A Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: 916-484-8304 Fax: 916-484-8668 E-mail: Current@arc.losrios.edu www.ARCurrent.com
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February 14, 2018
NEWS
Experts advise people to get flu shot LIMITED FREE FLU SHOTS AT CAMPUS HEALTH CENTER
“I always ask students if they can afford missing two weeks of class or work... that is potentially what you are looking at if you come with the flu.”
By Jennah Booth jennahpage@gmail.com As this year’s flu season tears through the country, the American River College Health Center is advising students to get their flu shot. Michele Arnott is a college nurse at the Health Center and spoke with the Current through an email interview. According to Arnott, the Health Center refers students to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for information regarding the flu and prevention. In response to the recent media buzz, Arnott said that people should be concerned about the flu every year. “This year is really no different,” Arnott said. “The reality is flu seasons vary in severity depending on a number of factors including the characteristics of circulating viruses, the timing of the season, how well the vaccine is protecting against influenza infection, and how many people got vaccinated.” According to the CDC’s website, the most important thing to do in preventing the spread of the flu is to get a vaccination. The CDC defines the flu as: “a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose,
Michele Arnott ARC Nurse
Photo illustration by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Staff Writer Jennah Booth receives a flu shot from American River College Nurse Pam Whipple on Feb. 1. Booth said she opted to get the flu shot after researching preventative care measures.
throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.” “As a [registered nurse] and public health nurse I highly encourage students to get the flu vaccine,” Arnott said. “I always ask students if they can afford missing two weeks of class or work. The answer is usually ‘no’ but that is potentially what you are looking at if you come down with the flu.” Getting a vaccination can also protect those around you, accord-
ing to Arnott, especially those who are more vulnerable. “It’s not possible to predict with certainty if the flu vaccine will be a good match for circulating flu viruses,” Arnott said. “The flu vaccine is made to protect against the flu viruses that research and surveillance indicate will likely be most common during the season.” Recent studies have shown that vaccines can be about 40 to 60 percent effective in reducing illness during seasons when the
shot is a good match to the circulating virus, according to Arnott. Getting a flu shot may also reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms if someone still gets sick, according to Arnott. According to the CDC, the flu is spread through small droplets made when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land on people and objects up to 6 feet away. Arnott said the virus can survive on objects for 24 hours.
Decades-old Liberal Arts Building to be demolished STATE OF THE ART STEM BUILDING TO TAKE ITS PLACE BY YEAR 2020 By Michael Pacheco mfpach@gmail.com The Liberal Arts Building, one of the oldest facilities at American River College, will be demolished in March with a remodeled building scheduled to take its place in a few years. The renovations are focused on turning the Liberal Arts building into a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—or STEM facility. The new building is scheduled to be finished by approximately 2020. The addition of a STEM facility on the main campus comes from increased demand for employees trained in similar fields, according to ARC’s Public Information Officer Scott Crow. “After talking with employers in the region, we realized there was a need for new workforce skills training” Crow said. The original idea of the renovation was to tear down the old building and replace it with an updated building in order to accommodate the demand for new employees, he said. According to Crow, the building itself will be interdisciplinary and include other facilities and general offices. This means that the new facility can be used by other departments on campus. Many of the offices that were in the Liberal Arts area, including the Current’s newsroom, have been moved to different areas on campus, including the Portable
“Routine cleaning of surfaces, frequent hand washing, and coughing into your arm/covering your cough should reduce the chance of spreading the flu,” she said. According to the CDC, anyone, including healthy people, can get the flu. People with chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart disease, people over the age of 65, pregnant women and young children are at a higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications. Carissa Polk is a nursing student at ARC and says she is aware of the severity of this year’s flu season. She got her flu shot in November. “I actually had never gotten my flu shot. Probably as a kid, but as a teenager and adult, I hadn’t gotten my flu shot,” Polk said. Her 2-year-old son also received his first flu shot this year. Polk says while her son hasn’t had the flu this year, her grandma has. The campus Health Center offers a very limited number of free flu vaccinations to currently enrolled students.
Congratulations to Instagram user: Jihyeon Park, for winning the Current’s holiday 2017 coloring contest.
CORRECTIONS In Volume 69, Edition 05 of The Current, the following corrections are listed:
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
American River College students walk by the fenced-off Liberal Arts Building on Feb. 7. The building will be torn-down and replaced with a new STEM building.
Village and the Computer and Mathematics Center. According to Crow, hydronics, a system of liquid heating and cooling similar to a radiator will also be done as part of the project, running through the heart of campus. Now that all of the classes and offices have been relocated, a fence has been erected around the liberal arts area in preparation of the demolition, as part of phase one of the construction, according to ARC’s operations tech-
nician, Matthew Blevis. “Please be aware that you may need extra time for getting to your destination and that you may need to find an alternate route,” Blevis said. “We are sorry for any inconvenience this may put on you and appreciate your understanding.” When demolition and construction begins, access will be restricted between several areas running through the center of campus.
ON THE WEB: To read more about the proposed STEM building and to see the design, visit ARCurrent.com
In edition 04 on page 4, ARC defensive tackle Caleb Tremblay was incorrectly referred to as “Celeb Tremblay.” In edition 04 on page 7, the Current listed Ashley Hayes-Stone as the “features editor” when she was actually the photo editor. In edition 04 on page 7, the Current incorrectly listed Chris Day’s title as “chief of the Los Rios Police Department.” Day is actually a captain within the police force, not a chief. In edition 04 on page 7, the number listed for the Los Rios Police Department was incorrect. The actual number for the campus police is: (916) 558-2221
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February 14, 2018
SPORTS
Men’s basketball falls short against Modesto By Alexis Warren alexis.warren81@gmail.com
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone |Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Sacramento Republic midfielder Villyan Bijev dribbles the ball during a game against Sacramento Gold FC at American River College on Feb. 10.
Republic FC beat Sac Gold 2-1 in ARC-hosted friendly ALEMAN’S 86TH MINUTE WINNER LIFTS REPUBLIC TO 1-0 PRESEASON START By Brienna Edwards briennaedwards@gmail.com On Feb. 10, American River College hosted a friendly between United Soccer League team Sacramento Republic FC and Natioanl Premiere Soccer League team Sacramento Gold FC, during which the Republic came out on top 2-1. The Republic was lead by head coach Simon Elliot, clad in gray and black, while the Sacramento Gold repped the burgundy and white. “I think it’s a good event for the community college, because it gets good exposure for their program,” said Alfonso Motagalvan, a Sacramento Gold player and former Republic teammate, before his recent retirement. “But it was also great ‘cause it was a good environment and the pitch was really nice.” The ARC women’s soccer team was there, conducting a raffle, raising money for their team, all proceeds went to buy new gear and equipment. The first yellow card, a cautionary warning for harmful play, was given to Republic player Jaime Villarreal, in the 10th minute. Republic defender Hayden Partain, took a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, lobbing it towards Republic defender Mitchell Taintor. Taintor headed the ball dropping it to midfielder Villyan Bijev, who then scored the opening goal in the 15th minute. Sac Gold player Kaba Alkebulan was presented with a yellow card in the 26th minute, resulting in a free kick for the Republic. Another yellow was shown 11 minutes later to Gold player
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Don Gibson cheers for Sacramento Republic FC during a game against Sacramento Gold FC on Feb.10 at American River College. The Sacramento Republic won the game 2-1.
Gabe Padilla. The Republic carried their 1-0 lead into halftime. The Tower Bridge Battalion, the Sacramento Republic supporter group, also made an appearance. Don Gibson, a battalion member since its inception in 2013, was leading the chants dressed in a costume which he refers to as “Rave Bear.” The idea for the costume originated “...like any good story it begins with a dead lion,” Gibson said. According to Gibson, he dressed as Cecil the Lion a few years ago for Halloween. Soon after he decked the costume out with flashing lights before eventually realizing that it could double as a bear costume to wear at Republic games. That was two years ago and Rave Bear has been a staple in the Battalion ever since. The supporter group means something different for everyone and for Gibson it means having a
feeling of kinship with others. “It’s having a community and supporter culture of diverse soccer fans in my area,” Gibson said. When the second half began Republic had subbed out all eleven players. In the 57th minute, Sac Gold forward Kaba Alkebulan snuck past the Republic defense and scored the equalizing goal on keeper Rafael Diaz. Minutes later, Sac Gold player Steven Wright was shown a red card, a straight ejection from the game, for a foul that denied the Republic a goal scoring opportunity. Sac Gold was then forced to play the remainder of the game with 10 men, instead of the usual 11. Because of that foul call, Republic was presented with a free kick right outside the 18-yard box, which was missed, the game then restarted with a goal kick by Sac
Gold. The Republic were able to regain the lead with one last goal in the 86th minute, scored by midfielder Keven Aleman. Sac Gold made one last ditch effort to regain an even score in extra time, but Republic keeper Rafael Diaz was able to make the save, sealing the win for the Republic 2-1. Republic trialist Kamron Crow said that there are things the team has to work on, but they know what their strengths are. “I think we definitely had a better share of the ball, I think we could have had a little more dynamic in the final third of the field but over all we are definitely a possession based team,” Crow said. “So we know that is our biggest strength and I just think we need to work on breaking down opponents and having a little more urgency in the final box.”
The American River College men’s basketball team lost 7875 to Modesto Junior College on Feb. 9 after guard Lawrence Smith failed to sink an attempted threepointer within the last few seconds of the game. The game started off with the Beavers winning the jump ball and Smith scoring the first basket. The Pirates had the advantage in the first half as a result of their full court press, which caused many turnovers for the Beavers. The Beavers were struggling offensively to successively answer back. The Beavers ended their first half dragging behind thirteen points, with a score of 34-47. Both teams started off the second half with high intensity and a goal of finishing out the game with a win. The Pirates entered the second half with their same effective full court press against the Beavers, but this time the the team was able to perfect its press break. “After constantly running it we kind of saw what was open, and what not to do just from the first half,” Smith said. The score gap between the Pirates and the Beavers decreased as the Beavers worked well offensively and managed to get the Pirates down to a one point lead, with just one minute and 43 seconds left in the game (74-73). A timeout was called by the Beavers as the Pirates brought the lead up to three points. The Beavers inbounded, and began moving the ball around looking for an open shot. The clock decreased in seconds until finally Smith managed to get an attempted three point shot off, but missed. Smith squatted down, in the middle of the court, in disbelief as the Pirates celebrated their three point victory. The Beavers have two more games left to finish the season off and the players are gearing up for their next opponent, San Joaquin Delta College on Feb. 13. “We’re going to follow coach’s game plan and try to execute it to the best of our ability, and hopefully we can come out with these last two wins,” Smith said.
Photo by Alondra Botello | Staff Writer
American River College guard Lawrence Smith shoots a free throw during a game against Modesto on Feb. 9. ARC lost 78-75.
ON THE WEB Go to ARCurrent.com for more sports stories.
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February 14, 2018
SPORTS
SPORTS UPDATES UPCOMING MEN’S GAMES
UPCOMING WOMEN’S GAMES -February 15: Basketball
-February 15: Baseball
@ Santa Rosa 7:30 p.m.
@ Butte 2 p.m.
-February 16: Softball
-February 15: Basketball
@ Shasta Noon
@ Santa Rosa 5 p.m.
-February 16: Tennis
-February 16: Baseball
@ Modesto 1 p.m.
vs. Butte 1 p.m.
-February 16: Softball
-February 16: Tennis Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
@ Shasta 2 p.m.
American River College guard Lawrence Smith brings the ball up court during a game against Sierra College on Jan. 16 at American River College.
-February 17: Tennis
vs. Modesto 1 p.m.
-February 17: Tennis
@ Dominican University Noon
vs Reedley @ Fresno City College
-February 20: Softball
10 a.m.
vs. Solano 1 p.m.
-February 17: Baseball
-February 20: Tennis
@ Butte 1 p.m.
@ Folsom Lake 1p.m.
-February 17: Tennis
-February 20: Softball
@ Fresno 2 p.m.
vs. Solano 3 p.m.
-February 20: Tennis
-February 22: Softball
vs. Folsom Lake 7:30 p.m.
@ Yuba 1 p.m.
-February 20: Baseball Photo by Gabe Carlos | Staff Writer
@ Solano 2 p.m.
American River College outfielder BJ Baker swings at a ball during a baseball game against Shasta College on Feb. 1 at ARC.
BRIEFS Men’s Basketball
Women’s Tennis
Despite a late comeback effort, the men’s basketball team lost their last home game of the season against Modesto on Friday 78-75, dropping them to 6-17 on the season. The results of their most recent game against San Joaquin Delta were not immediately available.
The women’s tennis team has started their conference championship defense the right way with three consecutive 9-0 wins against Reedley, Mills, and Sequoias. Their next game is on Friday when they travel to Modesto.
Men’s Tennis
Women’s Basketball
The men’s tennis team started their season with a third consecutive win in the Modesto Junior College Invitational with 30 points over 2nd place Foothill. Their quest for a seventh straight conference championship starts Friday against Modesto.
The women’s basketball team lost their second straight game on Friday against Modesto by the score of 65-58. Their record drops to 16-10 and 7-7 in conference. The results of their most recent game against San Joaquin Delta were not immediately available.
Baseball
Softball
After starting the season 1-6, the baseball team won their last two games against Hartnell College by a combined score of 17-2. Christian Murua leads the team with a .400 batting average and eight hits in 20 at-bats. Their next game is away to Butte on Thursday.
The softball team split their doubleheader on Saturday, beating Redwoods 2-1 and losing to San Mateo 7-2, bringing their record to 4-3 on the year. Kayla Grubert leads the team with 10 hits in 26 at-bats with a .385.
Photo by Tracy Holmes | Staff Writer
American River College catcher/infielder Rylee Owen is ruled safe at the plate during a doubleheader softball game against Merced College on Jan. 27 at ARC.
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Sacramento Republican defender Cole Seiler passing the ball during a game against the Sacramento Gold on Feb. 10 at American River College.
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February 14, 2018
FEATURE
Former ARC quarterback tries to make the jump to Division I PEYTON WIFLEY HOPES TO PLAY FOR BYU
By Jennah Booth jennahpage@gmail.com Acts of the Apostles 9:5 reads, “Is it hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” The phrase originated from when farmers would herd cattle with metal pokers. The beasts would kick back against the sharp prods but would never reach their assailants and it would only result in further injury. The phrase is used in the New Testament to describe how resisting God would only result in suffering. This is the metaphor former second string quarterback Peyton Wilfley uses to describe his first season with the American River College Beavers football team in 2014. “That’s kind of how I was,” says Wilfley, “I was trying to do my own thing, I was kicking against the prick and the coaches and the team were going one direction and I was doing it the way I thought it should be.” Since his final game at ARC in November, Wilfley has been accepted to Brigham Young University in Utah, where he now faces spring tryouts with a different mentality than the one he carried with him four years earlier as a college freshman. The nearly 6-foot, 200-pound athlete says he struggled with the transition from high school to junior college football in 2014 despite ARC’s 10-2 record that season. Only after his two-year mission in London, wholly focusing on his Mormon religion and serving others, did Peyton Wilfley learn to stop fighting against his coaches, his team, and himself. Wilfley started football in 2004, when he was 7, and says he played on the Oakmont Jr. Vikings Mighty Mites team with other prominent players like Golden State Bears linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk, University of Southern California linebacker Cameron Smith and Fresno State wide receiver Namani Parker. Wilfley continued to play through his time at Casa Roble High School and straight into community college. Wilfley was raised in the Mormon faith. Wilfley holds a higher position in his church. Wilfley says his coaches were understanding of his dedication to his faith and allowed him to skip Sunday runs so he could recognize the sabbath. Wilfley found support within his team as well, especially from those who he’s closest with. Michael Povey is a wide receiver for the Beavers and a long time friend of Wilfley’s. Povey has played with Wilfley since his sophomore year of high school at Casa Roble. He says they had a “stellar” season Wilfley’s senior year, but come his college freshman season, Povey believes Wilfley may have pushed too hard to play. “It’s huge because that is a twoyear period of your time… and a
“Peyton prepared like a starter... What Peyton did that game, and the next one too, was a testament to his preparation and talent.” Michael Povey
ARC Wide Receiver
Top: Peyton Wifley (#9) hands-off the ball to running back Ish Perez (#28) during a game against Laney College on Nov. 18. (Photo by Ashley HayesStone | Co-Managing-Editor & Multimedia Editor) Bottom: Wifley celebrates with teammate Arthur Jackson III. (Photo courtesy of Peyton Wifley)
very crucial moment, especially for a college football player. I don’t know why he rushed it.” Povey says. Povey says Wilfley’s struggle in 2014 was apparent. He says Wilfley spent around half the season sharing time with another player. According to Wilfley, this was the first season he wasn’t starting and he struggled to watch the offence from the sidelines. “It was just a big mental block for me.” he says. “Peyton’s not used to sharing
time. He’s been a starter his whole life. He’s faced an adversity he’s not familiar with and didn’t know how to handle and as quarterback that can mess up your game,” Povey says. “If your head’s not on right... it’s easy to just be a hair off and when you’re a hair off in a game of inches like this, it doesn’t bode well.” Wilfley says he left ARC in 2015 feeling frustrated. He spent two years traveling to England, dedicated to teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
When he returned, Wilfley found his position had been filled in his absence. Hunter Rodrigues played as starting quarterback for the majority of the 2017 season but playing second string allowed Wilfley to apply his new philosophy better. When he stepped in for Rodrigues during the San Mateo game on Sept. 30, Wilfley helped deliver the 21-20 win. “Peyton prepared like a starter…” Povey said. “What Peyton did that game, and the next one too, was a testament to his preparation and his talent… And that’s what you want from a backup quarterback.” The Beavers finished their 2017 season facing San Mateo again at the Northern California Football Conference championship game in November. A missed field goal sealed the fate of Wilfley’s community college career with a 24-21 loss. “Its was difficult because we probably should have won it,” Povey says. “At the end of the day this is just a sport. You do it because you like it and you have fun.” Months later, Wilfley reflects on what he’s brought with him from his time at ARC. “The biggest thing I could say I learned from ARC, and this is a night and day difference from my freshman season to my sophomore season,” Wilfley says. “My freshman season I was selfish and my sophomore season I was more
about the team. If you have a positive attitude and you’re one hundred percent behind the team, you’ll have more success. And I did.” Wilfley believes playing at ARC allowed him to learn hard lessons at a lower cost. “Community college allowed me to learn that lesson the cheaper way,” he says, “I think going to community college was literally the best decision I could have done.” Wilfley says he was met with resistance from the BYU coaches because of the large number of players trying out in March. “I met with the quarterback coach on the first day of school and he really tried to… dissuade me from trying out.” Wilfley says. Now Wilfley is focusing all of his efforts to fight for a spot on BYU’s team and an opportunity to utilize his newfound mentality. “I’m training everyday for it.” Wilfley says, Wilfley knows he will have to face a harsh reality in March. He will ether have to sacrifice his time and social life to play or give up the game that’s been a prominent aspect of his life since he was 7. “Either way, whether I play or whether I don’t play, it’s going to be hard,” he says, “I have to give up a lot just for one little aspect of my life. On the other hand it’s going to be hard to be like well, I’m done playing football.” Whether or not he plays, Wilfley says he intends to further his religious practice and to carry with him the realization that kicking against the pricks hurts more than putting his team before himself. “The way I’m really grateful for it, looking back, is that is that I was able to waste time on football, on maturing and being the best missionary I could be… to help other people,” he says. “It was actually real life matters, and that stuff has this ripple effect that will go on forever.”
7
February 14, 2018
FEATURE
College cares for cats on campus KITTY WORK COMMITTEE HELPS STRAYS
“It is serious... I want people to know that [the cats are] here and that we take care of them.”
By Cecilia Castillo Juarez
Brenda Baker
ceciliacastillojuarez0@gmail.com
During the daytime, the halls and passageways of American River College host tens of thousands of students eager to get an education, but at night, the campus is host to a whole different kind of population — a much furrier kind of resident. When the last of the students and professors leave ARC everyday, roving gangs of furry felines quietly emerge from their homes and patrol the hallways of the sleepy campus. But these nocturnal cats, as shy as they are, owe their kitty kingdom to the work of the Kitty Work Committee. Founded seven-years ago by Groundskeeper Brenda Baker and a team of colleagues eager to try and control the then out-of-hand feral cat population, the group has helped to limit the growth of these gangs of cats. This group has been responsible for trapping, neutering, and re-releasing the cats found on campus. Baker says it is not a responsibility she takes lightly. “It is serious because there [are] a lot of cats here on campus; close to 20,” Baker said. “I want people
Groundskeeper
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Fluffy-Butt the cat sits in front of Raef Hall at American River College on Feb. 6.
to know that they’re here and that we take care of them.” According to Baker, it was after she was forced to bury four dead kittens back in 2006, that she took it upon herself to try and help control the cat population. She and her husband decided to start spaying and neutering the cats; paying for the operations out of their own pocket. Baker soon realized that the fiscal responsibility of caring for the dozens of feral cats around ARC was an impossible to undertake alone. She brought the issue up
with her colleagues and the Kitty Work Committee was formed. Nowadays, Baker still oversees a lot of the care of found cats. She personally takes them into her own home after the critters have been spayed or neutered. Baker has a dedicated space inside of her garage for the recovering cats. During that time she determines if they can be adopted by judging their temperament towards her. If the cats are still hostile, she returns them to ARC and releases them. The cats released at ARC have
part of their left ears cut-off in order to more easily identify new cats from old ones once they are left to roam the campus. According to Baker, each of the cats have their groups, or clowders as they are officially referred to. She added that she sometimes sees these rival clowders fighting one another. When the cats aren’t fighting one another, they combat ARC’s rodent problem. “Skunks and cats don’t get along, the cats on campus keep the skunks [in the] the creek,”
Baker said. All of the cats at the school are adults, but if a kitten finds its way to the campus, they get taken to Nancy Silva, a professor of theater arts here at ARC. “When I started working at American River College, it was a lot worse because there were lots of kitties and no one was taking care of them and so that means they would have babies,” Silva said. “They would die and it was awful. I was taking kittens out like crazy.” Silva’s non profit group SAKrescue helps the Kitty Workforce Committee by covering the fees for spaying and neutering. The non-profit relies on donations in order to operate. For the cats that have the right kind of temperament, they find themselves at Front Street Animal Shelter awaiting adoption. Shelter Service Manager Gina Knepp has helped find homes for a lot of the cats brought to Front Street Animal Shelter. “Friendly, healthy cats are readily adopted,” Knepp said. She added that people who find stray cats should attempt to take them to a reputable shelter.
Printing supervisor brings eco-awareness to ARC By Ashley Hayes-Stone ashgstone@gmail.com Don Reid walks into the tiny office that he plans to soon call home. The small station consists of gray barren walls, an old desk, a squeaky chair and a dusty typewriter out of another decade. The fluorescent lights cast a sickly green hue over everything. Reid picks up the ancient typewriter and tosses it into the nearest trash can. It is the first change of many to come for Reid and his new role as supervisor for the printing services department here at American River College. As head of the largest print shop in the Los Rios Community College District, Reid has plenty of hard work ahead of him, but over the years, he’s taken upon himself to add even more responsibilities to his workload. He currently heads multiple committees focused around eco-friendly ideas. “I am also an American River College sustainability representative of ARC Buildings Ground and Safety Committee and [I’m] a representative of California community colleges for the [California Higher Education Sustainability Conference] Steering Committee.” With Reid’s efforts toward sustainability and eco-awareness, ARC was designated as an official Tree Campus USA in 2017. Before Reid started his career at ARC, he was working as a graphic designer at the San Juan School District print shop, which had state of the art technology. “We had a lot of vendors who
would bring in their customers and see how we utilize their equipment,” Reid said. One of those visitors was Marnell Nicknig, who was running ARC’s print shop at the time. Nicknig had visited Reid’s work several times to seek ideas to improve her print shop and became good friends with Reid. One day Nicknig informed Reid she was going to retire and recommended Reid to apply for her position, but when he applied he was turned down. Reid applied for the job a second time, but had doubts about getting the position since he was up against 100 other applicants with more experience than him. “I didn’t have the experience of managing a print shop, but what I did have was knowledge on how to future-proof this place,” Reid said of taking over services here on campus. According to Reid, it was his ability to think ahead that eventually landed him the job. He started making more ecofriendly choices such as using organic ink and buying paper that had less chemicals in it, making it more sustainable and also safer for employees of the print shop. Soon Reid began to expand his eco-vision into other parts of the campus. One of his farthest-reaching projects involved getting rid of styrofoam cups in the cafeteria, a possible carcinogen and environmental pollutant that Reid felt could be replaced with a better alternative: recyclable paper cups. His efforts culminated in 2013 when the new cafeteria was opened and it was announced
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Don Reid, American River College printing services supervisor, stands in his print shop — the largest printing press in the Los Rios Community College District.
“If ARC had a Nobel Peace Prize, I would nominate Don. He really does care.” Brenda Baker
ARC Groundskeeper that they would no longer be using styrofoam products. Reid’s efforts got him the opportunity to speak at a California Higher Education conference. There, Reid pitched ARC’s model towards sustainability to representatives from nearly every California university. Reid’s efforts and contribution to campus haven’t gone un-
noticed. ARC President Thomas Greene recently applauded the work that Reid has done for the school and its departments. “Don has done an incredible amount of work supporting sustainability at American River College,” Greene said. “He has been involved in countless college initiatives, including Earth Day, waste diversion and recycling, Tree Campus USA and so much more. American River College is a more sustainable, green campus because of Don’s tireless efforts.” Groundskeeper Brenda Baker, who has worked with Reid on several projects, saw firsthand the work he put into the campus. “If ARC had an Nobel Peace Prize, I would nominate Don. He
really does care,” Baker said. Still, according to Reid, his biggest accomplishment at ARC is, and always will be, his print shop. “We have the highest volume print shop in the district, but we are also the smallest print shop in the entire district,” Reid said. In the 20-years Reid has been at ARC, he has turned the print shop into one of the most state-of-theart and eco-friendly presses in all of Northern California. Under his efforts, ARC has become a model of eco-sustainability for all colleges. “It’s not my nature to see a wall and just stop at it, I like to walk around the wall,” Reid said.
8
February 14, 2018
SCENE
Photo by Jennah Booth | Staff Writer
Clubs face-off in a lip sync battle during Welcome Day on Feb. 8. Welcome Day offered new and returning students information and goods from different departments, clubs and vendors.
Welcome Day showcases departments and clubs EVENT PUTS CAMPUS LIFE ON DISPLAY
By Jennah Booth & Hannah Yates jennahpage@gmail.com whut.hannah@gmail.com American River College held its first Welcome Day of the year on Thursday. Representatives from all aspects of campus life promoted various clubs, businesses and academic departments. Frankie Dotson-Johnson, the Center for Leadership & Development Student personnel assistant, coordinated the event and said one of the main goals of Welcome Day is to get faculty members to
inform students on their respective departments. Kathy Bradshaw is a biology professor at ARC who tended the biology department table during the event. The booth offered various specimens including live cockroaches and millipedes. She informed students on the many different biology classes offered at ARC, including those with an emphasis on fieldwork, such as natural history and marine biology. “The key thing is… these are transfer level general-ed classes,” Bradshaw said. “There is a bit of a field base to them.” In addition to the departments, many different clubs also participated in the event. Isaac Drais represented the Engineering Club and the Design Hub, a class and internship pro-
gram for student creations. The booth displayed a 3D printer and various trinkets made by students in the club. Students can learn how to utilize the Design Hubs 3D printer for their different projects. “We can teach you how to put the filament in the printer, how to slice the 3D model, and if you need extra teaching, we can teach you how to [use] AutoCAD, which is the software we use to make the 3D models,” Drais said. The event also offered students with colorful entertainment including music, dancers and performers and clubs faced off in a lip sync battle. Josh Bonzo was one of the dancers who utilized his skill to promote his club and events. Bonzo is the president of the new For The People club and an
intern for the UNITE Program. “FTP does the same things as UNITE but will be “more accessible for students to get involved,” Bonzo said. The Health and Wellness Center held booths in the Student Center, along with the first official pop-up craft station. The booth allowed students to create and take home their own clay sculptures. Mary Stedman, a SAGE student ambassador from the Center for Leadership and Development, ran the booth. Stedman said the CL&D held a craft station previously, but this was first public one. “A project that I’ve been trying to start is doing more creative activities for students to de-stress,” Stedman said. Students also had the opportunity to learn about different military careers and options.
Sergeant First Class LaToya Bailey represented the Army and said that that students from college towns don’t usually consider the Army as part of their education, despite the financial aid and scholarships it offers. Bailey describes the Army as “just another avenue to help students with their education.” “We’re trying to promote the Army as an option,” Bailey said. “A lot of people who don’t know what their options are, and they’ll look to joining the military as a last resort. We’re just trying to show them that we are out here in the community, … and that we should be their first choice and not the last resort.” Students will have another opportunity to check out ARC’s different clubs and departments on March 8 at 10 a.m.
Take this class: Vocal jazz ensemble (MUP 400) By Alondra Botello
“In this class I have learned discipline through having to be responsible for my own progress.”
botelloalondra7@gmail.com Music stands labeled “ARC MUSIC” wait silently to be placed in a semi-circle around a Yamaha grand piano. From the distance you can hear multiple students warming up their voices before walking into the classroom. The rustling of paper begins to fill the room. With pencils in one hand and fresh, crisp music sheets in the other, these vocal students are ready to sing in order to best prepare for their performance at the end of the semester. This class is Music Performance 400 and it’s an opportunity for students to learn and sing in a vocal jazz ensemble on campus with an added bonus of checking off a California State University general education requirement. The two unit course is designed as an interactive lab with a lot of singing. Lectures are woven into the lesson if a skill requires more demonstration. Although one music genre is the focus of the class, the learning outcomes are more than one. “There are too many skills [learned] to put in an article,” says the class’s professor, Art Lapierre.
Shannon Parish ARC Student
Photo by Alondra Botello | Staff Writer
Vocal jazz professor Art Lapierre teaches his beginning vocal ensemble class at American River College on Jan. 22 .
“I will mention beyond developing a better singing voice, the ability to hear harmony, improve your rhythmic feel, blend and balance.” Lapierre studied voice in college and has now been teaching for 39 years—20 of those teaching years at ARC. Songs are chosen by Lapierre with the help of students and are worked on the entire semester. During a vocal jazz concert stu-
dents get a chance to showcase all of the skills and music they learned throughout the time they worked together. More than that, the class is a team effort and students inevitably learn to be good teammates, according to Lapierre. Stephen Frantz, a fourth semester student in the course, says he has grown both musically and personally.
Students should take this class, “to learn more about being accountable for a team result and the need to work at your highest level even when you don’t feel like it,” Frantz says. Shannon Parish is a psychology major and has been in the class for four semesters. She thinks that people should enroll in the class because of the valuable life lessons it offers.
“In this class I have learned discipline through having to be responsible for my own progress,” Parish says. Skills that are useful outside of a musical environment are also developed in this course. “I have learned that what you put in is what you get out and that applies not only to this class, but every class I am enrolled in,” Parish says. The ensemble is of limited size and the course can be taken up to four times for credit. Lapierre’s hope is that “ taking the class will help ARC students ‘find their own voice’ among so many voices on the campus.” He is looking for students who simply want to sing jazz to be a part of the team. His hope is that more people take the time to sing out. “Singing can free you to become more of you,” Lapierre says.
9
February 14, 2018
SCENE
ARC students have a chance to travel overseas STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM PLANS TRIP TO LONDON
“When [students] graduate and have a full-time job, they will not have the chance to ... experience something [like] this.”
By Alondra Botello botelloalondra7@gmail.com On Feb. 1, Raef Hall was home to a group of eager students looking to spend a semester abroad in the city of London. Pictures were displayed on the projector as stories were told about the way the Los Rios Study Abroad Program changed lives and expanded students’ understanding of the world . Psychology professor Mark Stewart and anthropology and history professor Kristina CasperDenman hosted the College Hour and answered questions about the cost, housing situations and the itineraries of the two London trips happening this year. Stewart, who has been teaching at American River College for about 26 years, is the advisor for the study abroad opportunity in London during the summer. According to Stewart and Casper-Denman, students have an opportunity to earn credits, learn about a new culture and city with professors as well as students from different colleges in the Los Rios district. The summer program is four weeks long and starts May 26 and ends June 24. The cost is $4,525 and may be less if more than 20 people sign up. An application and a $450 deposit are due by March 2. Casper-Denmark, who has been teaching at the college for about
Jasmine Kurre ARC Alumni
Photo by Alondra Botello | Staff Writer
Professor Mark Stewart lectures about the importance of travelling and studying abroad during a Feb. 1 College Hour seminar in Raef Hall at American River College.
20 years, is the adviser for the semester-long trip. The fall program is from Sept. 6 to Dec. 7. The cost is $8,595 based on an enrollment of 80 students. This price excludes airfare. The application for this trip is due by June 13. Both professors said they understand that money is often the primary factor why students don’t study abroad during college. “I didn’t have the money to do [study abroad] when I was younger and my parents were not offering,” Stewart says. “But if [the funds are] there in some way no one ever regrets spending money.” Although, many students do not have enough money on their own, they are often successful fundraising it in different ways. Stewart says he has seen students ask parents, grandparents and friends
for money and be very successful in the approach. He has even watched a student raise about $6,000 by opening a GoFundMe account and posting flyers around campus bulletin boards. Casper-Denmark suggests applying for the ARC scholarships which are open until the beginning of March. A scholarship she recommends is the congressionally funded Gilman Scholarship which offers students studying abroad up to $5,000. The study abroad experience offers classes for college credit. The summer program offers a psychology course taught by Stewart and the semester program offers three classes taught by CasperDenman. Those courses are physical Anthropology, Introduction to Archaeology and World Prehistory
and Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion courses. What makes London in particular so special for educational and personal development is “the history” Stewart says, “the opportunity to be there and see things that they have read about in history books or have seen in movies or other media.” He compared London to New York City. “London is New York City on steroids,” Stewart says, “it is way more happening and way more exciting.” Barbara Kaines, a former student at Folsom Lake College’s El Dorado Center, says she has learned that a study abroad opportunity like this one is something she regrets not doing earlier in her life. “I should have done it years
ago. I didn’t realize how cultured England was and how uncultured and unaware of the world I was,” Kaines says. “Wherever they decide to go, whenever they decide to go,” Casper Denman says, “the most important thing is to ask themselves ‘what will I lose if I don’t go.’” That is the question she recommends students ask when deciding whether or not to give studying abroad a chance. She explains how this opportunity not only looks good when transferring or for grad school but it gives a different perspective of the world. This difference of perspective is a common lesson that both Stewart and Casper-Denman have seen flourish in their students after studying abroad. ARC alumni Jasmine Kurre learned to be “...more self-reliant, independent, [and] open minded,” Kurre says. She is an advocate for seizing these types of opportunities because in her words they only come once in a lifetime. “When [students] graduate and have a full-time job, they will not have the chance to...experience something [like] this,” Kurre says. “Whether you realize it or not, this is the most free time of your
Latin Jazz Ensemble prepares for concert MUSICAL GROUP LOOKS AHEAD TO THEIR UPCOMING PERFORMANCE
“Compared to studio jazz, [Latin jazz] gets the audience more engaged in the music from what I notice when performing.”
By Michael Pacheco
Steven Sharp
mfpach@gmail.com American River College offers a wide variety of music performance ensembles, ranging from orchestra and symphonic band to groups like big band and vocal jazz. One of the less known groups on campus is the ARC Latin Jazz ensemble, led by Professor of Music Dyne Eifertsen. The group is a class offered as a music performance course. No
Tenor Saxophonist Photo by Michael Pacheco | Staff Writer
Members of the American River College Latin Jazz Ensemble rehearse in preparation for an upcoming concert.
experience is required, only a willingness to learn, according to Eifertsen. Eifertsen started the Latin Jazz band at ARC around 12 years ago, in an effort to expose students to
CAMPUS PU
LSE
It was Valentine’s Day weekend. I was skateboarding at a park and I broke both bones in my leg in an attempt to show-off to my mother.
-CASEY DENTON Business
something different from more traditional music courses. Latin jazz is a much different style than more Western style music, with a greater emphasis on the percussion.
“With regular jazz, you can kinda know swing and be OK,” Eifertsen said. “But with Latin jazz you kind of have to dig in, and find out how the rhythms work.” The setlist this semester will include works from the late Tito Puente, a famous New York-based Timbale player who wrote “Oye Como Va,” Wayne Wallace, and
Grammy winner Poncho Sanchez. Tenor saxophone player Steven Sharp, who is on his second semester with the group, says he finds the music enjoyable to practice and perform. “Compared to studio jazz, [Latin jazz] gets the audience more engaged in the music, from what I notice when performing,” Sharp said of the group’s concerts. The first performance this semester for the group will be at the Woodcreek High School Jazz Festival on Feb. 24, in exhibition alongside with the Studio Jazz ensemble, followed by a concert at ARC’s Main Stage Theater on March 8. Postings for future concerts and events will be available on the ARC music website.
What is your most memorable Valentine’s Day? I was dating this girl when I was 16 ... I took her out to her favorite movie, favorite restaurant in Old Sac. and I proposed to her with a Ring Pop.
-SAMUEL OSAGWIMARO Theology/Philosophy
Eating sushi with my girlfriend at home by the fireplace.
-RICKY SAECHAO Computer Engineering
My darling little daughter came into my bedroom with my husband and she and her sister fixed us a beautiufl breakfast.
-NIKKI NIEBAUER Fashion Design
10
February 14, 2018
ARTS & CULTURE
Photo by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
“In the Spirit of Itzpapalotl Venceremos,” by Ruby Chacon, hangs on display in the Kaneko Gallery on Jan.17 at American River College.
Kaneko hosts exhibit that celebrates women By Jennah Booth jennahpage@gmail.com Saturated in its modern femininity, mythological inspiration and academic backbone, the vibrant artwork of two Chicana activists has found a temporary home at American River College. The Kaneko Gallery opened its newest exhibit, “In the Spirit of Itzpapalotl, Venceremos,” Tuesday, Jan. 16. It features photographs and paintings from Utah artists and community activists Ruby Chacon and Flor Olivo. The exhibit is a collection of portraits of the first Chicana editors of the University of Utah’s newspaper, Venceremos. “It’s pretty multifaceted,” Chacon said. “It has many layers
“Each and every one of them is a symbol of Itzpapalotl because she is the driving force that gives us strength to move forward through our work.” Ruby Chacon Artist
because it not only recognizes those women but also the scholarly research Sonya Aleman and Flor Olivo did about Venceremos and what their driving force was.” Chacon is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah and now lives in Sacramento. Although she was
never a part of Venceremos, she is a University of Utah graduate. “I’ve always been doing art since I was a little kid. It was kind of my way to process the world, to make sense of the world,” she said. Creating social change is the inspiration behind Chacon’s work and she believes that it’s important to tell impactful stories through her art. Olivo is a photographer and teaches gender studies at the University of Utah. Although they have never worked together before, Chacon and Olivo knew each other through activism within their community, said Olivo. The project began when Olivo and Venceremos advisor Sonya Aleman, who is featured in the exhibition, researched the history of the newspaper and the women
behind it. “The research … centers around them using their feminine energy to really move the newspaper forward for the ten years that women were editors,” said Olivo. The artist and the photographer’s collaboration began with Olivo’s photographs, which Chacon then painted and collaged from. “Essentially she had me take pictures of the women doing whatever they’re doing in their life now and then we used my research to find the things that she painted in the background or on the women,” said Olivo. Chacon included symbols and images from the fields the women are currently in, as well as the stories the women covered during their time working on the newspaper.
Chacon used bright colors and varying textures to create her paintings and channel the Aztec goddess Itzpapalotl. “Each and every one of them is a symbol of Itzpapalotl because she is the driving force that gives us strength to move forward through our work,” she said. According to Olivo and Chacon, they worked closely with each other and their subjects for inspiration. “We worked through the whole process collaboratively so that if [Chacon] needed an idea for the painting I would reach out to the editor and ask her ‘What do you think about this?’” Olivo said. The exhibit will run in the Kaneko Gallery through Feb. 14. More information can be found on the gallery’s Facebook page.
“Culture II” fails to live-up to the hype of “Culture” By Gabe Carlos legitgmc@gmail.com Well, it took a year for hot hiphop trio Migos to release its third studio album, “Culture II,” since last year when the group debuted “Culture.” The long, but short-awaited “Culture II” dropped Jan. 26. The album release was highly anticipated by critics and rap fans, but there was also some doubt about the album, feeling too rushed and released too soon. That’s what it felt like listening to it; not enough effort, leftover tracks, too similar. This album isn’t the best the group has done, nor, hopefully isn’t the worst. The group was nominated for Rap Performance with “Bad and Boujee” and for Best Rap Album with “Culture” at the 60th Grammy Awards on Jan. 28. The Migos are from North Atlanta and the group -- whose members are all related -- consists of Quavo, Offset and Takeoff. Quavo blew up in 2017 by collaborating with many popular artists, such as hooking up with Travis Scott to make their own album, “Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho,” which was
released just a few days before Christmas. The album did great and even created more promise for “Culture II.” “Culture II” consists of 24 tracks and is about an hour and 45 minutes long. Yes, an hour and 45 minutes long. The album has features from artists like Drake, Gucci Mane, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Post Malone, Cardi B, and Nicki Minaj. The “Bad and Boujee” group doesn’t let down when it comes to ad-libs throughout the entire album. Although the group’s southern trap music, along with autotune can be catchy at times, there are also times when the songs are too lengthy, because all three rappers have verses and the group fits the chorus in between each of them. It’s also significant that Takeoff (who was left off “Bad and Boujee” for Lil Uzi Vert, and who speaks the least when the group is in public) gets the shorter verses because of time. On “Culture II,” there are also a few songs that sound like more or less remakes from their previous album, such as “Open It Up” from “Culture II” and “Deadz” featuring 2 Chainz from “Culture.” Both have
a similar intro to the track and ultimately, have almost the exact same chorus, both by Quavo, but with different lyrics. The album’s opening track “Higher We Go” notes that the group will continue to strive and be at the top in the rap game. “Walk It Talk It,” featuring Drake, is one of the hotter tracks on the album, as Drake raps “We been brothers since Versace bando woah.” He is referencing Migos’ 2013 hit single “Versace”, which was so big that Drake mixed it and ultimately blew up the Migos. Lastly, in the track “Work Hard,” Migos rap about the group’stroubled early life, working hard so they will never have to return to that life, focusing on their music and staying famous. Migos can surprise many listeners with some deep love tracks that switch it up and get away from their trap, sex, and drug use style. A track like “Gang Gang” on “Culture II” has only Takeoff and Quavo providing the lyrics, rapping if Takeoff ran away with a girl but possibly the group too. But then in the chorus, Takeoff says he’ll do anything with his gang. It is an unexpected track on the
Photo courtesy of Capitol Records
Migos’ third album fails to live-up to the creativity of their second release.
album that’s different from what the Migos usually make. Takeoff’s deep, raspy voice going along with Quavo’s autotune fits well on this track. It’s something that isn’t common on this album. Migos came out with a bang in early 2017 with “Culture,” but that’s probably not going to be the case this year. The group put in a lousy performance, and they seemed to have rushed it, too. The lengthiness of the album doesn’t make
it better, at all; it could have been released as a playlist, or a shorter mixtape. Migos could have done better and should have done better.
Rating: 6.2 / 10 Favorite Tracks: Higher We Go (Intro), Emoji a Chain, Too Much Jewelry. Least Favorite Tracks: Crown the Kings, MotorSport, Open It Up.
11
February 14, 2018
OPINION
CURRENT EDITORIAL
V-Day should be about self-love By the Current Editorial Board current@arc.losrios.edu
As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, the public is bombarded with eager merchants desperate to sell their wares. As consumers, we are blinded by the red and pink propaganda that assaults our eyes at every turn. Retail stores from Frederick’s of Hollywood to Walmart, are touting the best deals on lingerie for that ‘big night’. Fashion blogs across the internet are writing articles on what to wear for that ‘special’ Valentine’s Day date. What they should be writing about instead is how to stop the holiday’s incessant degradation of women. The media has set the precedent for how women should look, act and dress which ultimately results in the objectification and sexualization of women everywhere. And that’s not OK. All of this for a holiday whose true origin and purpose was lost a long time ago. “There is a different aspect in which women are sexualized on Valentines Day,” said Elena DeNecochea, president of American River College’s Feminists United Club. According to DeNecochea, even the moniker ‘V-Day’ itself is hinting at the female anatomy. “It does have a lot to do with the commercials you see on television. Like lingerie commercials for example; if you notice, it’s always women who have the same body figure so it’s not really body-positive,” DeNecochea said. The impact of being objecti-
Photo Illustration by Brienna Edwards | Co-Editor-in-Chief
Valentine’s Day is now a day where the over-sexualization of women is the norm.
fied and sexualized due to the variety of media outlets weighs heavy on the minds of women in the United States. According to the American Psychological Association, being exposed to what the media dictates as the preferred body type can lead to increase feelings of body shame and appearance anxiety which often leads to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Another study from the American Psychological Association, shows that approximately 91 percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies, and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. There are constant pressures placed on women to fit into a mold of what they have been programed to consider the ‘per-
fect body’ and on Valentine’s Day that can also mean contorting themselves into complex contraptions of straps and lace because that’s what they have been told men like. Based on 2017 studies by J. Walter Thompson New York Agency and The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, women in advertisements are more likely to be shown in revealing clothing five times more than men. “Women in general are pressured to impress men, especially on Valentine’s Day,” said Sacramento-based artist and activist Xochitl Hermosillo. “It’s an issue women face everyday, but Valentine’s Day capitalizes on it.” The fundamental idea of the ideal Valentines Day date is flawed. Both parties dress to im-
press, the woman is pressured to purchase the skimpiest most revealing lingerie the store has to offer, and then the man is expected to fork out money on an expensive dinner. But that’s not where it ends. Because after that fancy dinner he paid for, it’s heavily implied by society that the night will end with sex. “Consent is important anyday,” DeNecochea said. “But on Valentine’s Day you shouldn’t just assume.” With the increase in awareness regarding sexual misconduct and social actions such as the #MeToo movement and the Women’s March, it is now more important than ever that emphasis should be placed on consent for both parties. “Sometimes we think some-
one is consenting just by like the way they look, or because it’s Valentine’s day and you’ve been dating for awhile,” DeNecochea said. “But you really have to get consent verbally.” DeNecochea went on to say that commercial industry also focuses on herterosexual relationships, excluding those who are a part of marginalized communities. “It’s usually heterosexualoriented commercials. So that doesn’t include LGBTQ or any of their rights,” DeNecochea said. Because Valentine’s Day is the holiday of “love,” women or anyone for that matter should be channeling that love into themselves. Nowhere does it say the only relationships that can be celebrated are sexual. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a day of dubious consent. If you want to buy flowers because you love your mom, do that. If you want to give a box of chocolates to your best friend, do that. And most importantly have an open communication with your partner. Not all women want to have sex on Valentine’s Day, and that’s OK. “Valentine’s Day really can be a pro-feminist day if we choose to make it that way,” DeNecochea said. Women shouldn’t feel that they have to fit into a certain mold in order to be loved or desirable. “We should be teaching women and young girls to be empowered so that they realize that they don’t need to buy into what are being fed,” Hermosillo said.
My blackness during Black History Month A WRITER REFLECTS ON LEARNING TO LOVE HER IDENTITY By Alexus Hurtado alexus09@gmail.com Black History Month brings out a plethora of emotions for black people. The most prominent of those emotions being pride, and I can attest to feeling prideful about my own blackness. However, every black person’s experience is not the same and Black History Month has a different meaning to every person. Fellow ARC student Dronme Davis sees Black History Month as “... an opportunity for black brilliance to be at the front lines.” Black History Month to me is about admiring black people and what we’ve brought and continue to bring to the table as people. February has become a month of reflection on why my self-love as a black woman is important. Loving myself and appreciating the beauty in being black has been a long process for me. It wasn’t until three years ago that
I was able to fully love my blackness and appreciate my roots. Loving my blackness and having that pride and confidence was difficult to do when I was younger. As a kid, for example, I had long, curly hair that I hated with a burning passion. I remember sitting in my mother’s lap while she tugged and pulled at my head to style and tame my hair. I continued to have this disdain for my hair until my adolescence. Middle school was when I began to be ridiculously self-conscious and when I started spending hours in the bathroom straightening my hair. Everyday at school I would envy all the other girls who had bone straight, manageable hair. I had convinced myself that curly hair was ugly and undesirable, thus my blackness to me was ugly as well. Davis shared this disdain for her appearance growing up as well. “I would do anything I could to blend in, tussle with my curls for hours in the bathroom until they were fried into a straight, dry line. [I’d] wear as much as much Abercrombie as I could get my hands on, convinced that a polo shirt and headband was what was separating me from my peers,” Davis
said. Me not loving my blackness went past my looks during my younger years as well, throughout my middle school years I felt as though I needed to disassociate from my blackness to fit in or seem cool. Just as I tried to not associate myself with my blackness to fit in, Davis went through that same turmoil. “Growing up in all white schools with an all white family, I learned how to conceal the color of my skin,” Davis said. Being a biracial woman and identifying as Afro-Latina also complicated me loving myself. Having to walk between not being black enough to other black people or having to defend my latina identity was a huge struggle for me. How I looked at myself as a black woman and what being black meant to me changed once I started high school. The Black Lives Matter movement took off during my freshman year after the death of Trayvon Martin. Seeing this how tragedy brought black people together inspired me to want to get involved with activism.
Photo Illustration by Ashley Hayes-Stone | Co-Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Alexus Hurtado originally grew up ashamed of her naturally curly hair and would try to conceal the color of her skin.
The #BlackGirlMagic hashtag on Twitter gave me the confidence to start wearing my hair naturally to school. It made me feel as though my blackness was beautiful by seeing other black women love themselves for who they are on the outside and inside. Davis also went through the process of loving who she was physically on the outside in high school. “I slowly started growing into my skin, stopped straightening my hair and began educating
myself on where I came from,” Davis said. Today, Black History Month to me, is about accepting and loving every black man and woman from every walk of life. This month to me is also about individually self-reflecting as black people on our past, present, and future as a group. It reminds me that I’m proud to be black and my existence matters.
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February 14, 2018
PHOTO ESSAY
A group of protesters hold up a Women’s March Sacramento sign during the annual Sacramento Women’s March on Jan. 20 near Southside Park in Sacramento.
The
Faces of the Sacramento Women’s March
Photo essay by Ashley Hayes-Stone ashgstone@gmail.com Illustration by Brienna Edwards
On Jan. 20, over 30,000 individuals walked through the streets of downtown Sacramento for the second annual Women’s March. Women decked in pink pussy hats marched with homemade signs hoisted in the air made their way towards the California State Capitol. Once there, the march dissolved into a kaleidoscope of organized chaos accompanied by a brass band. The street in front of the Capitol was filled with vendors, people and signs calling for peace. The protest was part of organized marches across the United States.
Young protesters wave their ‘Girl Power”signs during the 2018 Women’s March.
A man dressed as Jesus Christ poses with his anti-Trump sign in front of the California State Capitol.
A mother and a son hold up a sign in front of the California State Capitol as part of the second annual Women’s March. The marches began in 2017 as a result of the election of President Donald Trump with the purpose of empowering women across the globe.