Election 2024
MEASURE K APPEARS TO BE PASSING
BY JELISSA KING Entertainment Editor
Delta College’s push for a $598 million bond to fund infrastructure projects, including permanent buildings in Mountain House, appears to have passed by a slim margin.
While the bond measure didn’t meet the threshold in Sacramento and Alameda counties, collectively it appears to have received more than the required 55 percent of the overall vote.
“We’re really encouraged by the outpouring of support we’ve received,”said Measure K campaign spokesperson Stephen Reid. “It’s clear how important Delta College is to creating opportunities for local students and lifting up our local economy. There are lots more votes to count, but the trend is very positive and we can tell the community stands with Delta College.”
As of Wednesday morning, voters in San Joaquin County selected 58.24
percent yes and 41.76 percent no.
Delta College Districts 4 and 5 covers a small portion of Sacramento County, in Galt and Herald areas. Voter support for Measure K was 43 percent for and 56 percent against.
A small part of Alameda County’s in District 6, next to the city of Mountain House.
Poll results were updated at 1:03 a.m. on Nov. 6, where only seven votes were counted, five voted nay.
School bond measures need 55 percent of the vote, whether the ballot measure fails in multiple counties. If totaled and averaged, Delta College appears to have garnered a 57.4 percent pass rate for the bond as of the last ballot count update.
A bond survey conducted in Spring 2024 showed that 57 percent of community support was in favor of the potential bond, according to Collegian reporting.
If Measure K moves forward, property owners will see increased property taxes $16 per $100,000 assessed value, annually costing taxpayers $49.
Just 20 years ago, Delta College pro-
The Collegian
The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester.
As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence.
We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.
MORE ONLINE DELTACOLLEGIAN.NET
Read updates to election stories and whether Measure K passes in the coming weeks.
posed Measure L to voters in five counties: San Joaquin, Alameda, Sacramento, Solano and Calaveras. The voters approved the bond measure. The $250 million Measure L funded projects including the DeRicco Student Services Building, the Science and Mathematics Center, renovation of the Goleman Library, and an extension to the Shima Center. Measure L money is also currently being used a second time for reno-
vation of the athletic fields. Also promised in that bond, but not completed: permanent structures at South Campus at Mountain House and an establishment of a North County campus.
Measure K’s website and campaign materials focus on securing a “Strong Delta College” through development of the local workforce, particularly in the health sector, and a push to “maintain and upgrade the classrooms, labs, and vocational equipment, technology and facilities for training the first responders, nurses, and other professionals who protect and serve our community every day.”
The deadline for San Joaquin County to certify the election is Dec. 3, according to the Registrar of Voters office.
Managing Editor/Feature
ZACKARY KIRK-NEWTON Managing Editor/Entertainment JELISSA
Election 2024 3
Three new trustees elected to Delta board
BY DOMINICK DELISE Managing Editor
AREA 1: SHELLY SWANSON
First time runner, mother of three children and retired accountant Shelly Swanson has been elected to the Area 1 seat on the Board of Trustees for Delta, covering south Stockton and Weston Ranch.
Swanson was voted in by 65 percent of voters, holding a commanding lead over her opponent Ralph Lee White, who had 35 percent of votes.
As a new member on the board, Swanson said she will increase community outreach, including working to better inform about technical career trades offered at Delta, which provide an advantage over finding a career out of high school.
“What happens at Delta College matters to me and the people in my area,” Swanson said to Collegian early September. “I’m running because I want Delta College to keep serving my community in all the ways a community college should — not just for transferring to a four-year institution, but also for lifelong learning and personal enrichment.”
Swanson has two decades of experience in community and educational advocacy, the passion and commitment to education advancement are the driving forces behind her victory.
During her run she received endorsements from San Joaquin Delta College Police Management Association, Associated Students of Delta College, Planned Parenthood and San Joaquin Delta College Teachers Association.
AREA 2: DAN WRIGHT
Former Stockton City Councilperson Dan Wright was voted in for the Area 2 seat on Delta's Board of Trustees.
The results show that Wright received 48 percent of votes beating his two opponents; Juile Kay, who earned 30 percent of the votes, and Samuel Anderson, who received 19 percent.
Wright said Delta has a unique advantage in preparing students for the workforce, and because of that he will aim to fund the technical career trade offerings.
“As your Board Trustee, I intend to use my expertise to keep advancing programs and policies that will bring more local, well-paying jobs to our community,” Wright said on his campaign website. “I will work hard to direct funds towards career-technical education across every sector, from lab sciences and ag tech to the building trades and beyond, especially if Measure K passes.”
In addition to advancing programs, Wright said he will also improve Delta's students' basic needs by filling in the gaps for housing, food and internet.
Wright said he will use his past 40 years of experience as an educator to remedy low enrollment rates and increase Delta's student success, addressing declines in both during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wright brings prior experience working with a large school district to Area 2, as he previously worked in Stockton Unified School District in various roles for 25 years, including as acting superintendent. He said he developed a strong relationship with Stockton Teachers Association which helped to increase student test scores. He also said he lessened administrative infighting and ultimately developed a more organized school district.
AREA 2: CATALINA PIÑA
Tracy teacher and first generation college student Catalina Piña has won the
General election poll results of 40.5 percent counted ballots on San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters’ website. Screenshot was taken at 10 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2024.
SCREENSHOT OF VOTER REGISTRAR’S WEBSITE
COVER DESIGN BY JELISSA KING
majority for Area 6 seat on Delta's Board of Trustees. She representing the vacant seat for Tracy and Mountain House.
Piña's win came in at 68.8 percent against Rosario Patrick's 31.1 percent.
Area 6 seat has been empty since the passing of the late Trustee Valerie Stewart Green in early August.
A list of priorities for the Tracy Spanish teacher, as she takes on the responsibilities in Area 6, includes increasing enrollment.
“Although enrollment has improved slightly since the pandemic, Delta still hasn’t fully recovered from significant drops in student numbers,” reads Piña's campaign page.
Piña looks to target low completion rates, which she'll tackle via student resources.
“Students are struggling. I will lobby for additional funding to improve faculty resources, expand student support services, and enhance technology infrastructure. Strong community college support is crucial for student success,” reads her website.
The path to victory saw Piña receiving a plethora of endorsements from local figures, including District 5 California State Senator Susan Eggman, and Mountain House City Council member, Matt Disko.
FUGAZI LEADS SEMI-OFFICIAL RESULTS
BY ZACKARY KIRK-NEWTON Managing Editor
Christina Fugazi, a career educator who has been teaching science for over 25 years, is leading semi-official results in her run as Stockton’s new mayor.
Fugazi earned a 52.43 percent of the vote (24,984) compared to opponent Tom Patti’s 47.57 percent (22,670).
Fugazi has deep ties to Stockton.
A lifelong resident, her family has been present in Stockton for centuries, according to her website.
”The Fugazi family has deep and historical roots in San Joaquin County. They settled in Stockton and Lodi in the mid-1800s,” reads the site.
Fugazi, who currently teaches at venture academy, has been in politics since 2007 when she was appointed as the Stockton City Planning Commissioner, where she opposed a city plan that would allow development north of Eight Mile Road, which, according to her website, “would have destroyed part of Stockton’s last remaining region of open agricultural space.”
Later in 2015, Fugazi won a seat on the city council where she served for two full terms.
“I have said ‘no’ many times in the past when people have asked me to run for mayor,” she said in an interview with ABC 10 in February this year. “But it wasn’t until the current mayor, Mayor [Kevin] Lincoln decided he was going to run for congress, that I said ‘well now’s my opportunity.’”
Fugazi’s campaign has run on a platform of tackling the homeless issue, addressing concerns about public safety, and supporting local businesses.
HOMELESSNESS
“Allowing homelessness to persist is unacceptable,” reads Fugazi’s website. “As Mayor, I’ll take decisive action to address homelessness, enforcing the law with compassion, and effectiveness.”
“Well obviously it’s a multi-faceted issue, if I knew the perfect answer for it the governor would have me on his payroll,” said Fugazi in a KCRA 3 interview from March.
She stressed that while she didn’t have the answers she was keen to find solutions.
“We have to be able to say ‘here’s a program or a project’ and we’re gonna see it through we’re gonna learn things. Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t,” Fugazi said, leveraging her background as a science teacher.
“We just keep moving people from here to there, without addressing the root cause”
PUBLIC SAFETY
Fugazi hopes to achieve a higher standard of public safety through the hiring and maintaining of more police officers.
STOCKTON CITY COUNCIL RESULTS
There are 378,657 registered voters in San Joaquin County. As of press time of Nov. 7 at 12 p.m., 153,496 have been counted.
DISTRICT 2
• MARIELA PONCE, 60.27%
• WAQAR RIZVI, 39.73%
DISTRICT 4
• MARIO ENRIQUEZ, 51.52%
• GINA VALADEZ-BRACAMONTE, 48.48%
DISTRICT 6
• JASON LEE, 56.24%
• KIMBERLY WARMSLEY, 43.76%
“Strengthening our police force will make our streets safer, improve residents’ quality of life, and create a welcoming environment for new businesses,” according to her website.
ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION
Fugazi’s campaign has also put a large focus on
the topic of economic revitalization.
“I recognize the importance of Miracle Mile, Yosemite, Dr. MLK Jr Blvd, and Wilson Way. I’m dedicated to developing and supporting these districts, making them vibrant, safe, and attractive,” according to her website.
Trump wins second, nonconsecutive term
BY ZACKARY KIRK-NEWTON Managing Editor
Following an incredibly tight race between him and Vice President Kamala Harris, Donald J Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States becoming the first president to serve non-consecutive terms since Grover Cleveland.
As of Nov 6. Trump holds 295 electoral college votes compared to Harris’ 226, a lead of 69. Following the wins in most key swing states including Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Trump was able to capture 50.9 percent of the popular vote (72,543,738 votes) with Harris trailing at 47.6 percent (67,861,851 votes).
The reality star-turned-President has had a tough road back to the White House, with multiple legal challenges, bans from social media websites, and an assassination attempt or two in the intervening years since his loss in 2020.
He has faced criminal charges for several cases includ-
ing his hush money trial that has led to 34 criminal counts of falsifying corporate documents in a New York trial. The trial focused on payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his presidential run in 2016.
Sentencing for the trial was scheduled to begin on Nov. 26.
Said legal challenges now enter a strange legal territory, with a July Supreme Court ruling declaring the president immune to prosecution for “official acts.”
Trump seemed to hone in on economic issues on his return to the campaign trail, with a dash of making up lies about immigrants.
Trump intends to impose a tariff on imported goods, according to reports from the Washington Post in February of this year. He wanted to have a tariff upwards of 60 percent.
Trump’s approach to tariff has received criticism
from economists who have claimed that it could end up costing consumers.
“We find that imposing a 20 percent across-theboard tariff combined with a 60 percent tariff on China would cost a typical US household in the middle of the income distribution more than $2,600 a year,” said the report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics from August of this year.
Additionally Trump has taken an even stronger stance than his previous term on the topic of immigration.
“That’s why, to keep our family safe, the Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country,” he said in his speech at the RNC in July.
During his debate with Harris, Trump perpetuated baseless and racist claims made by his running mate in the days prior.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said. “The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
One dead in hit-and-run that damaged Delta marquee
BY ANDREA RIVERA Editor-in-Chief
On Oct. 24, pedestrian Jazmine Floris died after two vehicles were seen racing down Pacific and Yokuts avenues. One of the vehicles lost control, hitting Floris and crashing into the new Delta College marquee.
Floris was rushed to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries. A vigil was held on Oct. 25 in front of the marquee, and Floris’s family has set up a GoFundMe account for donations toward her cremation.
Since the vigil, the Floris’s family GoFundMe page has raised more than $7,000, donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/swd6z-help-uslay-jay-to-rest.
A suspect fled from the scene; however, district Police Sgt. Joseph Delgado quickly responded and detained the suspect.
“He was on patrol, in vehicle, and he heard the traffic come in, and he was initially going to head to the scene, but we knew that ambulance was already on scene…When he knew the victim was being tended to and the radio traffic came that the suspect had fled into campus, he immediately went into campus,” said Police Sgt. Jim Bock.
“He was up on one of the higher floors in the Holt building. He noticed the suspect, and as Sgt. Delgado was walking up the stairs, the suspect approached him, and he could see facial injuries. As he started to handcuff him, the guy jerked away and started running,” said Bock.
From there, Delgado began a foot pursuit. With Delta Police Officer Peter Longero’s aid, the two detained the suspect near the Locke Center.
The electronic marquee that was impacted was installed over the summer.
“Structurally, it appears to be sound; the damage is to the facade around one of the legs. We’ve ordered the materials needed to fix the facade. The screen still works but has been turned off because there also may have been some damage to the power infrastructure that feeds the marquee, so we’re making sure that is taken care of before attempting to turn it back on,” said Director of Marketing and
Communications Alex Breitler.
The marquee is covered by insurance and is being fixed by the Kya Group and Ad Art, which did the original installation. It is estimated to be fixed within the next four weeks.
The original marquees were installed in 2006 and needed an updated look and electronics. It was recommended to the Board of Trustees to “authorize the District to enter into an agreement with Kya Services, LLC. for the base bid in the amount of $375,496.23 plus an additional allowance in the amount of $50,000 for unforeseen conditions… utilizing the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC) CollegeBuys,” according to the board meeting on Dec. 12.
The FCCC operates CollegeBuys, a program designed to help the California Community College Districts make bigger purchases. The administration carried the motion 6-0 to enter an agreement with Kya Services, LLC in the amount of $425,496.23.
BY DOMINICK DELISE Managing Editor
Early Sunday, Nov. 3, a tree fell on two vendors during The Market at Delta in the Budd 4 parking lot Two people were injured and taken to a local hospital.
According to Delta police Sgt. Jim Bock, who was on the scene within the first minute of the incident.
While both people were conscious and active, the woman complained of a head injury before being taken to the hospital.
"There was a complaint of their head being struck by the tree," said Bock.
The man's condition remains unknown.
Bock said police are assuming the cause of the collapse was due to high winds coupled with soaking of the ground from rain the night before.
According to the National Weather Service, there were reports of high winds around the time the tree fell, reaching 17 miles per hour around 10:15 a.m.
Contrary to reports made on Nov. 3, Bock confirmed that it wasn’t two men injured, but a man and a woman.
Tree felled by winds at Delta Market injures two Safety fair promotes jobs
BY JOSHUA SIMAS Staff Writer
On Oct. 31 Delta held a public safety career fair in the quad.
Many agencies attended the fair including the Stockton Police Department, the Army, Child Support Services, as well as many others.
Students were circling the quad browsing possible career paths as well as picking up the various candies and gifts that each table was handing out due to it being Halloween.
“When you want to help out the families it’s actually very very rewarding, cause we’re not only here to help out either one or the other parent,” said Yolanda Cruz, a representative at the fair with child support services.
Cruz was at the child support services tent with her colleague Jessica Garrity helping passing students find jobs with CPS.
“I was looking for a job in the county so I went to the county web -
“Initially, that's what I was informed, but I actually saw the female this morning who seems to be doing well,” said Bock.
Bock also ensured the woman who was injured got released from the hospital the same day, without any visible injuries.
Delta's police department posted a picture of the fallen tree on Facebook after the incident, warning others to take caution and causing online discussion on Delta's landscape maintenance.
Several comments from various Facebook groups in Stockton made claims that the tree looked dead before it fell, others included that the tree was the only one in the parking lot with missing leaves.
Delta's Manager of Custodial and Grounds, Rodney Alvarez, was unavailable to comment on the results of the collapsed tree.
The description of Ground Services on Delta's website lists, removing tree branches as an emergency service, and full maintenance of landscaped areas is specified there as well.
Bock said the tree was removed Monday morning.
site and then that’s how I ended up working for child support services so I highly recommend anybody looking at the county website so they can see all of the positions that are available,” said Garrity.
To add on to that Cruz also said that they were not only there to help students check out their program but also to check out the county openings.
“It’s really good because we get to interact with (students) not only about our positions but also with general county positions,” said Cruz.
The Alameda County Probation Department was present at the fair handing out goody bags filled with candy and informational forms.
“It’s something that you could do long term and retire from, it’s got great benefits, great pay. Also you’re giving back, you’re working with juveniles,” said Michael Rodriguez, a representative with the Alameda County Probation Department.
Memorial for Jazmine Floris is displayed in front of Delta’s damaged marquee sign on Pacific Ave.
PHOTO BY ANDREA RIVERA
DELTA OFFERS RESOURCES IN TIMES OF HUNGER
BY ASHLEY HALLINAN Staff Writer
Gas and groceries consume a large portion of income of students and families. There are many resources available on and off campus to help alleviate the high cost of groceries for those in need. Delta College also has various programs hosting events for students to look forward to for a meal on campus or free groceries coming up.
A recent event was At The Market with Basic Needs Center on Oct. 22 where students could visit booths to fill out their stamp card while collecting fresh produce and information about community programs. After completing a stamp card, students were able to pick up a free meal consisting of aguas frescas and burritos.
Director of Student Life, Dr. Ricky Gutierrez-Maldonado, shared some upcoming events to be on the lookout for from the Associated Students of Delta College (ASDC).
“We will be hosting the annual FriendsGiving event later this month. Thank you to Active Minds and the faculty advisors of that club that started this amazing tradition. We are happy to follow in their footsteps,” Said Gutierrez-Madonado
Invites for FriendsGiving will be sent out to learning communities and various centers on campus so they can invite their students. ASDC will be partnering with Professor Andrew Griggs and the Culinary Arts Program to provide the food.
Mobile Fresh is a grocery haul
event hosted by the Food Pantry on the fourth Wednesday of every month in the Shima 2 parking lot from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on a firstcome-first-serve basis. Students must bring their Student ID card to get groceries. Follow the Food Pantry on Instagram @sjdcfoodpantry to stay up to date on events and extra giveaways.
Also be on the lookout for upcoming information for this year’s Holiday Meal Giveaway that will be later this month.
Delta’s Student Food Pantry launhed its fundraiser “Fueling Futures: Every Dollar Feeds a Mustang!” On Nov.1 and will run through Dec. 31.
“Our goal is to raise $5,000 to ensure no student goes hungry and everyone has access to nutritious food,” said Valerie Valera, student programs assistant for the Student Food Pantry. “The pantry currently serves over 600 students each week, and this fundraiser will help us meet the increasing demand.”
Several ways students, staff, and the community can participate are through monetary donations, food donations, and wish list donations on Amazon and Walmart. The wish lists highlight high-demand items including
non-perishable snacks, hygiene products, and pantry staples.
The PayBee donation page and wishlists can be found at deltacollege.edu/ foodpantry.
DONATION LOCATIONS
Donations can be dropped at on-campus donation bins found in the following locations:
• Delta Connect Center
• Math and Science Tutoring Center
• Dreamers Success Center
• First Floor Library
• Bookstore
Direct drop-offs can be delivered to the Office of Student Life in Shima 101C or the Student Food Pantry in Shima 101.
Every donation helps to reach goal and goes towards making sure Delta students have access to food.
Increased enrollment causes shortage for Student Food Pantry
BY JELISSA KING Entertainment Editor
Earlier this semester, the Student Food Pantry announced it was experiencing a food shortage due to increased student enrollment. However, the pantry has planned the “Fueling Futures: Every Dollar Feeds a Mustang” fundraiser for the holidays.
Student food pantry Student Programs Assistant Valerie Valera organized the Fueling Futures food drive, which launched Nov. 1. The fundraiser’s goal is to raise $5,000 to help students with consistent access to food by Dec. 31.
“We recently launched our Fueling Futures campaign to address two main goals,” said Valera. “Our wishlist and food donations are intended to help us currently stock shelves, while the PayBee donation link is set up to fund the Spring semester and serve
as an emergency reserve. With a sudden influx of students this semester, these donations will ensure we can keep up with demand.”
Every week, from Tuesdays to Thursdays the food pantry struggles to keep stock, with their monthly budget being $5,000. Where perishable items cost $1,000. This fall semester, the food pantry has served over 1,425 students and weekly visits of 600 returning students, according to their Instagram post on Nov. 1.
“We’ve had a handful of students and alumni reach out”about coordinating donation drop-offs in the coming week, so it’s been great to see the community’s support for the pantry,” said Valera.
Anyone can donate to the food pantry. The pantry’s Amazon wishlist is linked on its website, deltacollege.edu/foodpantry.
The pantry is accepting donations of food such as cereal, boxed dinner, dry beans/pasta, canned goods, juice, food spreads and shelf-stable milk. Donation bins are located on campus in several locations: first floor of the Goleman Library, Delta Connect Center, Dreamers Success Center, Bookstore, Student Life Office, Math and Science tutoring center and the Student Food Pantry.
With grocery inflation, some students still struggle with food insecurity. However, students express their gratitude for what the pantry offers.
“I’m thankful for the food pantry,” said first semester Delta student Sophia Rios. “Groceries are really expensive and I struggle as a single mom. Coming to Delta I learned about the basic needs program and they offer so much and they mentioned the food pantry.”
The empty shelves of Delta’s food pantry in the Shima building PHOTO BY KYLE GOLDSMITH
La Raza celebrates Dia de los Muertos
BY JOHN NYGUYEN Senior Staff Writer
To celebrate Dia de (los) Muertos at Delta, the La Raza Club hosted a mask-making workshop on Oct. 31, in partnership with the Dreamers’ Success Center.
“Dia de los Muertos which comes around Nov. 2, in which our tradition and our culture, we celebrate. I think that in other cultures they think of it as All Saints’ Day, we think of it as Dia de los Muertos – a day in which our ancestors, we celebrate them and the contributions that they made to our lives. It has a deep, resonant understanding with our culture and many of the students understand that, and those that didn’t get exposed to what the culture’s all about,” said Mario Moreno, an art professor at Delta.
The event was overseen by Moreno and Ricardo Aguilar Rodriguez, a Spanish professor. “Art is part of what they do, that comes natural to them … most of them wanted to show up because they wanted to do art and none of them really asked me for extra credit, they were just there doing art making their masks and having a good time,” said Moreno.
The workshop also featured Jesus Barela as a guest artist. Barela is a professor at American River College and Sierra College, who has previously worked with Delta as a guest painter at the Oct. 10 Indigenous Celebration. Barela is experienced with making calaveras of papier-mâché for Dia de Muertos, a skill he learned from the Posada family, descendants of José Guadalupe Posada who popularized the tradition of making paper calaveras for the holiday.
“It’s a cultural thing that we do, but it is a culture from the indigenous past … for 400 years, the Spanish tried to push down the culture … To bring it back is to bring back history,” said Barela. “So it makes sense that when you
celebrate, it’s not that you’re celebrating death. You’re celebrating life. You’re celebrating someone that was alive and also the history that goes with it.”
To start the event, Barela gave a live demonstration of how to create a mask from scratch, using Aguilar as a model to mold cloth off of. The process requires vaseline, rigid wrap and plaster.
“I knew that I wanted to be the model because I want students to experience how you make a mask from your own face. So maybe in the future, some of them could make it and be part of that as well,” said Aguilar.
For the workshop, tables were set up with face and skull masks for guests to take and decorate. Guests could draw using palettes, bottles of paint and markers. Fake flowers, gems, feathers and more were also available for guests to decorate with. Glue sticks and a hot glue gun station allowed guests to attach things to their masks, while string was threaded through the masks in order to be hung up and worn.
“If you look at the masks, you’ll see that the students came from a wide variety of experiences, and it resonated in the differences in the colors that they used and the designs that they put on their masks. The blues, the orange ones, the purple ones and you see the flowers, and the feathers and the sparkles that they put on it,” said Moreno. “So that creativity is inherent in our students and we try to create a platform … and it celebrates
who we really are instead of subverting who we really are.”
Guests sat down at various tables across the Dreamers’ Success Center to decorate their masks, as well as talk among each other. After guests were finished with their masks, the hosts also called for them to take pictures with their masks. At the workshop, bowls of candy were offered for guests to take from, while Halloween and Dia de Muertos-themed Mexican music
was played throughout the event.
“What’s important is that … once you no longer remember the departed person, that’s the true death. As long as you keep remembering that person who passed away … in your heart, or in your mind or in your spirit, that person is with you. But once you forget about that person, that’s when they’re gone forever,” said Aguilar.
Above left and right: Guests at the Dia Del los Muertos painting their masks at the workshop tables. Bottom: Jesus Barela applying plaster to Ricardo Aguilar Rodriguez’s, using him as a face model for the masks. PHOTOS BY JOHN NYGUYEN
Entertainment
Tournament smashes expectations
BY DOMINICK DELISE Managing Editor
On Oct. 24 the Student Veterans of America (SVA) debuted their first club event since before COVID by hosting a last-man-standing, winner-take-all “Super Smash Bros.” tournament in Danner Hall raising money for future events and promoting the club itself.
According to the SVA Secretary Joseph Lopez, they were told that the club had four months to plan an event otherwise the club would be seen as inactive and their funding would be pulled.
“Luckily, the last people who ran the club left money in the account, so we were able to use that to plan this event,” said Lopez.
To participate in the video game brawl, and snack on pizza provided by SVA, players paid a $5 entry fee. Their names were placed into a hat to be drawn for competition. Winners were to receive a $25 Best Buy gift card.
“We were a little nervous about how this would play out,” said Lopez.
Much to the surprise of SVA members and leaders, the event saw more than two dozen people participating.
“We are ecstatic with the turnout right now. This is doing way better than we thought, and it’s a great thing for the club…” said SVA President Kyle Silveira.
The team was, at one point, worried about running out of pizza because so
many people were flooding in, but ended up having enough in the end.
As for the players, most brought controllers from home and were eager to play against people.
“I think it’s cool…,” said Khristian Ngim, a Delta student who played against his friend Erick Gonzalez and won. “I like how the game brings people together whether you’re good or bad.”
Gonzalez took his loss well, saying he wasn’t surprised because Ngim is so good.
“He beat me pretty bad…he just has more experience and is better than me,” said Gonzalez.
The tournament idea was a passion
project from SVA Secretary Rafeal Sanchez, and all members of the club referred to it as his “brainchild”.
“This is my baby and I’m glad to see it going well,” said Sanchez. Sanchez’s passion for video games and commitment to SVA stems from his experience as a range coach in the Marines.
“I love fighting games and I noticed everyone was playing Smash Bros…when I was in the military I used to play Tekken tournaments in Japan. I wanted to host it and see if it pops off,” said Sanchez.
As the idea came to fruition the club needed at least 10 signatures, but according to Sanchez received 30 signa-
tures from people around Danner.
A total of $275 was raised during the tournament. With the money earned, Sanchez hopes to do more for the veteran community.
Everyone involved in the event was passionate. One student, Demitirus Javen Mestayer, volunteered his own microphone and controllers and helped SVA organize the tournament.
With so many people showing up, they had to extend the tournament beyond the original 5:30 end time.
Despite receiving permission from Student Services to go past their allotted time, Delta custodial staff asked the SVA to stop the event and they were unable to move forward.
The tournament had 14 players who participated, and the winner was remained undecided, so as a result they scheduled a second tournament for Oct. 31.
The SVA also raised the prize to $100 cash, a $25 gift card to Best Buy and a fairy tale poster.
Dawn Lopez was the winner of the tournament and praised the SVA for planning the event.
“I still don’t believe it I didn’t think I was going to make it too far, I knew there were good players…it was really fun - I liked how everyone was communicative and listening to feedback. It was very well put together. I can’t wait to see what they do with the next one,” said Lopez.
What’s good for the goose, is good for the gamer
BY GURMAN SINGH Staff Writer
There’sa misconception that video games can be bad for you. This statement can be true, but not in every situation.
Video games can be a way for people to escape reality and enjoy a bit of alone time or even have fun with some of your friends.
Though there has to be limitations and boundaries to this, if your someone who plays video games constantly and it starts affecting your social life, then help is much needed.
Getting stuck in this loop can cause severe damage to your mental health with problems like anxiety and depression. Gaming addiction could also affect your physical health, whereas it can affect you with eating disorders, significant weight gain or loss, to much more serious health problems like blood clots.
Barry Angub, a second year student, gave his perspective on video games.
“I personally believe that there are certain video games out there that are good for my mental health. It can be a way for a person to escape reality and be in their own little world. But at the same time I do believe that addiction is bad, spending a moderate amount of time playing video games can be beneficial. But I do believe that there are games that can be bad for a person, like ones that may be too violent or convey dark themes. But it may depend of the person themselves, like how mindful someone is of what they are playing and the amount of time they put in,” said Angub.
Just like how Angub states, playing video games moderately can be very beneficial to us.
I agree with this because I play games like Madden and FIFA for about 1-2 hours at the end of the day to just enjoy
some personal time and relax from a long of school and work, I’ll also play with some of my friends if I have the next day off.
Having limits on gaming is very beneficial for me and as well as others, because we all have a social life and need to go out to interact with people in some way, whether it may be your job, school,or even ordering food at a restaurant.
Third year student Edgar Santana agreed with that statement, “Yeah if you’re playing like 10 hours straight of COD, then it is bad, but if you’re playing for a few hours then it can be good, you just have to have balance with video games and your social life,” said Santana
Furthermore, studies have also shown that video games help increase gray matter in your brain if played within limits. Gray matter is a tissue in your brain that helps process and portray in your social life, this tissue is
very important for our every day lives in order to interact with others.
Limitations have shown great results from studies due to the fact that you can let off some stress from playing games that is thoroughly enjoyable to someone.
Gaming can also be another way to socialize, especially with things like PlayStation plus, Xbox Live, Discord, etc. Using these tools you can not only play with your closest friends but also connect with other people all around the world.
There has been stories where many people became the best of friends all because they were playing the same game at the same time and just clicked with each other.
This misinterpretation of video games “being bad for you” may be true in some scenarios but with further research and much more importantly, limitations, gaming is a great source of freedom for many people including me.
Dawn Lopez, the winner of the tournament, displaying the spoils of war. PHOTO BY DOMINICK DELISE
WORKSHOP BRINGS NEW RHYTHM TO DELTA
BY JOHN NGUYEN Senior Staff Writer
On Oct. 29, the Stockton Delta Dance Company hosted the Discovery Dance event from 4 to 5 p.m. around Delta’s campus. Dance students and guests at the event toured across campus to learn about and participate in various dance exhibitions and workshops held around various Delta facilities. SDDC toured the campus twice during the event.
“The new thing that I was exposed to is just being able to be put on the spot to just learn a new dance step, and people were able to grasp at that concept. It was just as easy as one, two, three,” said Lovetta Tugbeh, a guest at Delta and member of the Liberia Initiative for Transformation and Enlightenment, a non-profit dedicated to helping Liberians at home, California and West Africa.
For both tours, the SDDC started the event at the bridge nearby the koi pond. At the bridge, the Modern Dance class hosted an exhibition where performers strode across the bridge to Julia Kent’s “Tourbillion.”
“Dance is basically limitless,” said Angela Santana, the SDDC club president. “You don’t need to be a certain way or be a certain thing. You can have your own tempo, your own high, your
own wave. You can be anything, look like anything and just do it.”
After the Modern Dance workshop on both tours, SDDC took the traveling group to the Shima building where the Dance Production class hosted their African-style dance exhibition. Among the performers in the dance were Santana and Tasha Henderson, the SDDC vice-club president and president of the Inter-Council Club. The last time the performers had rehearsed before the event was the Thursday the week prior, and the performers did not have warmups before dancing on the tour.
“In dance, you’re never good because there’s always something you can do better. There’s always something that you can improve on and there’s more to learn. You never stop learning in dance because within every day, we dance these new moves, new creations are being created,” said Henderson. “It’s not becoming perfect … A dancer is always thinking about what they could’ve done better, what more they could have done. In a dancer’s mind, it’s always on a swivel.”
The students and guests then made their way to the Dolores Huerta plaza to see the Choreographed Hip-Hop workshop by the entrance of the Locke building. During the first tour, the traveling group united with a group of
SDDC performers that stayed behind for practice, learning how to shuffle to Cupid’s “Cupid Shuffle” together. On both tours, the traveling group learned how to line dance to Cupid’s “Flex.”
The Choreographed Hip-Hop performances continued where the traveling group toured the Locke Center. At the Delta box office across from the entrance to the Warren Atherton Auditorium, SDDC performers danced to Chris Brown’s “Sensational. On the first tour, the dancers also danced to the remix of Spyro’s “Who Is Your Guy?” featuring Tiwa Savage, while the exhibition danced to Missy Elliot’s “WTF” featuring Pharrell on the second tour. The choreography for “WTF” was considered a “fast and fun warm-up” for the Hip-Hop class that had not been rehearsed in weeks, and there were only two dancers who were not beginners in that set said Patricia Carter, a dance instructor at Delta.
At the end of each tour, the traveling group made their way to the parking lot of the Budd building for dances under the Afro-Carribean class, playing Tyla’s “Water” each time. The Afro-Carribean class held a workshop the first tour where multiple students and guests joined in, while the second tour was an exhibition where professors danced in front of the audience.
“After everything, that breath that once the music stops and you find yourself getting to … that breath of fresh air, that’s what I do it for. I feel like that breath of fresh air is just a reset of the body, of the mind,” said Henderson. “All this poster-making, handing posters, passing them out, walking around the school, dancing all the time, making new routines, being at school for six to eight hours on end ... And then when you present that to an audience and they give you a round of applause, you feel like ‘everything I just did paid off. Like I finally [expletive] did it, I feel great,’ like it’s just a boost of confidence.”
The Discovery Dance tour succeeds the Annual Dance Workshop from three days prior on Oct. 26. The SDDC’s next major event will be their “Limitless” show that will be hosted from Nov. 15 to 16.
“Today, I can say that like maybe that we made a lot of mistakes and not just one time, but both times. Which just goes to show it’s not that we made a mistake but that the fact that our choreography, and our critique and our techniques still needs more work,” said Henderson. “So now that we know that, we can go up there into the studio and put in that work to present a better show on the 15th and 16th.”
An Afro-Carribean dance workshop led near the Budd Center by Nicole Manker shows students. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SICARI-CUARESMA
Balancing health problems while in school
BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN Editor-in-Chief
Ihave days that I don’t want to be bothered, don’t want to get out of bed or go to class due to chronic pain and other health issues.
On top of chronic pain I’m diabetic, with issues with my feet and legs due to neuropathy and pain in my shoulders.
And to top it off I had another toe amputation in September because I had a bone infection and it was too late to save the toe.
The name of the infection I had was Osteomyelitis which is a serious infection that can be acute or chronic. It’s
caused by an inflammatory process that involves the bone and bone marrow.
Keeping the door open while communicating with my professors through emails was a must-do for me.
By letting them know what was going on they gave extra time to do my assignments that needed to be turned in.
While in the hospital I asked Mass Communication Professor Tara Cuslidge-Staiano to update other professors on what was going on with me.
It’s nice to know that Delta has employees that care about their students and wants what’s best for them.
I was in the hospital for a week getting antibiotics through IV after
they amputated my toe. And of course I had to heal and I’m actually still healing.
Coming back to Delta from being in the hospital to being back in class was not easy for me. I have days that my foot is swollen or the pain is unbearable to walk on.
It’s hard having to go back to school and getting back into the groove of school after having surgery.
With all that’s going on with me I’ve to balance all of this while attending Delta with a full load of classes.
The part that’s hard for me is walking across campus for classes and events. It really takes a toll on me.
Walking with a cane, having to
pace myself and take a seat to get off of my foot and elevate it is something I keep in mind on campus.
It leaves me in so much pain during the hours that I am on campus, wishing I was at home in bed with my legs up relaxing.
I know that I have to wait to get home to take my meds for my pain and they’re too strong to take at Delta.
So when I get home, of course I’m taking a pain pill or eating an edible, resting and elevating my feet and legs.
After all of that, I do start my homework so I can have everything turned in or ready to turn in on the due date.
PRIORITY REGISTRATION CONFUSES RETURNING STUDENTS
BY JOE DEMASI Sports Editor
Registration
opened for all Delta College students on Oct. 28, but priority registration opened two weeks earlier on Oct. 14.
Everyone knows the struggle of applying for classes and either getting wait-listed or denied because the class is too full. Priority registration for more students could help the process and make it easier for both students and faculty.
Delta defines priority registration by using three different groups based on the importance of registering.
The first group includes student parents, homeless students, foster kids, or any veteran or active duty service member. The second is reserved for special populations for students like elected officials or student-athletes. Finally, when you reach the third group, you get returning students based on how many units you have taken at Delta.
Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler gave some clarification about priority registration and the reasons why athletes in particular get priority registration.
“Generally speaking, the idea behind priority registration is to give students in certain groups who face certain challenges more equitable access to classes,” Breitler said. “Student athletes in particular have strict practice, travel, and game schedules that make it difficult to fit in classes during traditional times.”
Breitler also spoke on how it can help athletes in the classroom.
“Many student athletes are looking
to transfer and have limited time due to eligibility limits. Priority registration ensures they can get into required courses each term, reducing the risk of falling behind.”
For assistance, you can go to a counselor but you must register online because in-person registration is not available. In your MyDelta you can register by using the steps on Delta College’s website.
Some students think returning students should have more benefits when it comes to registration, specifically over high schoolers coming in for their first years of college.
Business student Teaghan Gallego had a tough time registering last semester because of the priority registration for high school kids coming in and didn’t get into two classes as a result.
“I do think there is a problem with registration. I tried to take an ethnic studies and a history class but it said the registration was closed because it was only reserved for incoming high school students or students with priority registration,” Gallego said. “I think the groups they use are ridiculous. Returning students should be higher than group 3 and definitely should have priority over high school students just so we can get our degrees done quicker.”
Returning students like Gallego shouldn’t have these issues trying to register for classes. Gallego says priority registration is very important and can motivate students to perform better and to do more around campus
like volunteer work or extracurricular activities.
However, some students enjoy priority registration and think Delta needs to add more opportunities for students to earn priority registration.
Anthony Coleman is an EOPS student meaning he is in group one and has priority over all students.
“I was guaranteed a spot in all my classes and I feel that was great, it made registering simple,” Coleman said.
Students like Coleman are more likely to return to Delta than Gallego
because they are assisted more with the registration process.
Coleman agrees with Gallego that it is unfair for high schoolers to get priority over returning students but argues why Delta is doing that.
“I agree that it is totally unfair that incoming first-year students get the same services that I do but I understand why the school does that. It makes it more likely for someone coming out of high school or questioning their choices to register for a couple classes and if they don’t like it they can drop them and not continue,” Coleman said.
ILLUSTRATION BY ZANIEL WALDO, ELEMENTS FROM FREEPIK
JOCELYN MANCEBO TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP
Womens basketball earns second place
BY NADAR WILLIAMS Staff Writer
This past weekend we held the Jocelyn Mancebo Tournament. Mancebo was a point guard who overcame many odds. She was an all-state guard at Delta who picked up three D1 offers as she set her eyes on Nevada Reno.
For the Wolves, as an undersized guard who led the team in assists and was of the top scorers.
She was then diagnosed with Brain cancer. When she was forced to step away from basketball to get surgery, she became determined to coach at Delta while finishing her master’s degree.
Her dedication to her players and the game of basketball made her a beloved figure in the community, and this tournament was organized to honor her legacy.
To celebrate Mancebo’s impact the tournament brought together teams from across the region, including Delta, Cerro Coso, Shasta, Modesto, San Mateo, Laney, Merced and Fresno.
In this first round, Delta faced off with Cerro Coso in the Final of 82- 62.
Isabella Azzolino was the standout performer, scoring 20 points, pulling down 3 rebounds, and dishing out 3 assists in 32 minutes of play. Azzolino was also a major threat from beyond the arc, knocking down 5 three-pointers and displaying her ability to control the game’s tempo.
The girls were sharing the ball like a hot topic with a 5-way tie for assist leader all had 3 assists, Kathreen Noa, Azzolino, Aaliyah Youngblood, Sammy Lang and Grace Brown.
Head Coach Gina Johnson was praising the defensive effort from the sideline and the bench cheered on the team during the whole tournament.
On the defensive end, Fajr Cuthbertson dominated the boards, pulling down 12 rebounds to lead the team.
Marcelina Chaparro also impacts on defense as well, contributing 4 steals and making life difficult for the Cerro Coso guards.
Kathreen Noa and Isabella Azzolino played significant minutes, each logging 30 minutes of action. Azzolino finished the game with 13 points, 2 steals, and 2 rebounds, including 3 three-pointers. Noa was also a major contributor, finishing with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Five Delta players scored in double figures Azzolino, Noa, Kiara Council, Jakayla Gilmer and Grace Brown. Brown came close to a double-double, recording 9 rebounds, Jakayla Gilmer had a stand-out game. She put up 12 points, 4 steals, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
The team’s resilience shone through despite battling foul trouble and a shooting slump throughout the game.
Aaliyah Youngblood led the offense with 15 points, while Fajr Cuthbertson contributed 11 and Jakayla Gilmer added 10. Grace Brown and Cuthbertson anchored the rebounding effort with 8 and 6 boards, respectively and Gilmer dished out 4 assists.
The Mustangs next tournament is called Round Robin and is in Santa Rosa. The Womens Basketball season ends in Feb. with playoffs starting in March. With a 2-1 record to finish the tournament, the team demonstrated significant growth and competitiveness.
MUSTANGS WIN SECOND GAME AGAINST FRESNO
BY JOE DEMASI Sports Editor
Mustangs Women’s Basketball won their second game by beating Fresno in the second round of the Jocelyn Mancebo Tournament on Nov. 2.
Halfway through the first quarter, the Mustangs were in a close battle with the score being 11-5 with 5 minutes left.
The Mustangs ended out strong in the first with No. 1 Kiara Council hitting 2 three-pointers making it 22-10 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Delta played great defense getting lots of steals. They forced three different 10-second violations on Fresno meaning Fresno couldn’t get it passed half-court because of the Mustang’s defense. The score was 38-28 at halftime
Head Coach Gina Johnson praised the team’s defensive effort and is optimistic about the season.
“Defense is our number one, always. We’re always trying to focus on team play and we’re trying to learn different styles of defenses so the girls are aggressive minded but we are still learning so that’s why we had some fouling situations that we have to get better at, you know, hoping we will improve because we’re very
young,” Johnson said after the game.
The Mustangs only have three returning players from the previous season No. 0 Kathreen Noa, No. 1 Kiara Council, and No. 21 Grace Brown.
In the second half, both teams went back and forth with Delta matching the scoring of Fresno. Council hit another three-pointer to end the third quarter making the score 60-45. Delta pulled away in the fourth quarter with good defense and rebounding by Forward No. 21 Grace Brown.
Brown says the team expects her to play her role defensively.
“I just feel like that’s what the team expects of me to play good defense and to rebound and be tough on the glass. I gotta rebound boxout and everything will look up from there because I trust that my teammates will do everything else right.”
Guard No. 10 Fajr Cuthbertson contributed defensively and hit a couple of shots on the offensive end as well. She says they can build off the win.
“We are proud of the win but we can build off this win by pushing the ball up more and moving the ball with cutting, we do good sometimes we’re a little stagnant but we will clean it up.” Cuthbertson said after the game “I feel like we can win the tournament as long as we stay consistent on offense and defense.”
Delta ended up finishing second in the tournament, losing to Laney College in the championship 76-71.
The team is 2-1 on the season and they go on a long road trip their next home game isn’t until Dec. 28 against Santa Rosa.
The Mustangs next tournament is the Round Robin Tournament. They play against San Francisco located in Santa Rosa and it runs Nov. 16th and 17th.
Guard No. 8 Sammy Lang makes layup against Cerro Coso College on Nov. 1 The Mustangs won the game 82-62. PHOTO BY NADAR WILLIAMS
Football loses home game to Laney Eagles
BY JOE DEMASI Sports Editor
The Mustang football team went up against Laney on Nov. 2 and lost the game 35-0.
Delta showed promise in the first half, as the game was 7-0 Laney at halftime with the Mustangs stopping the run well and creating turnovers.
Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t get it going despite trying to run the ball and create yards off short passes.
Quarterback No. 9 Anthony Bridges was under pressure all game and hardly had time to read the Laney defense.
Quarterback No. 4 Ubedei Mcgautha and Wide Receiver No. 1 Link Rhodes were injured and could not play in the game.
Head Coach Gary Barlow praised how the team came out strong in the first half.
“I thought the defense played inspired; they played with a lot of energy and we did some good things slowing down the run game with it being 7-0 at halftime we definitely had our opportunities,” Barlow said. “Unfortunately, [in the] second half we didn’t bring that energy and part of it was the offense struggled to sustain drives and that puts the defense on the field for too many snaps.”
When asked about injuries Barlow said it is part of the game and that like everyone else they have to deal with that.
In the first half, the Mustangs missed 2 field goal kicks after special teams put them in a good position
to score, returning the ball past the 50-yard line.
At the end of the first quarter, Offensive Lineman No. 74 Zoom Wilson went down with a back injury. He was attempting to block on a run play and went down with a back injury that required the medical unit’s assistance. He had to go to the hospital and according to Wilson the doctors told him he had a sprained back.
“They told me I sprained my back but I’m feeling a little better. It was scary for sure to have to stop the game like that but I should be able to play next week”, Wilson said.
In the second quarter, Delta forced 2 turnovers, a fumble that was recovered by No. 33 Linebacker Regan Duffy, and an interception to stop a touchdown by cornerback No. 25 Nadar Williams.
They also had a couple of 10-plus yard runs with running back No.3 Kaiden Merryman.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Laney came out on the first drive and scored a touchdown and it kept continuing.
Linebacker No. 32 Tre Montour had 2 tackles on defense and he praised the defensive effort in the loss.
“I thought in the first half our unit played well but we do have some things to clean up.” Montour said after the game “We just gotta keep executing man you can never be complacent playing football you just gotta keep executing and do all our jobs man.”
Delta’s next home game will be their last of the season against conference opponent Foothill on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
Water polo wins last home game against Fresno
BY ANDREA RIVERA Editor-in-Chief
On October 30, the Delta College women’s water polo team won their final conference game against Fresno City College Rams 14-4 Delta and 20-9 overall in wins this season.
“This was a good win. It’s our last conference game, so we already knew where we stand coming into this game. So it was a good opportunity to try some new stuff and get another game in before the tournament,” said Head Coach Nathan Varosh.
The final conference game started off with a hit. Immediately, the Mustangs scored their first point, assisted by freshman utility Ava Sepulveda and freshman goalie Kylie Richardson.
This was followed by attempts made by the Rams to land on the scoreboard. Still, by the end of the quarter, the Mustangs scored two more goals in the first quarter, including their sophomore attacker Esmeralda De La Torre and Ally Ratto, ending the quarter at 3-0 Delta.
“It was a big help with my teammates just looking around the pool… I like be-
ing under that type of pressure; it’s more of a challenge. I’m always up for a challenge,” said De La Torre.
The Rams started off the second quarter against the Mustangs, scoring three points each from Sade Walls, Taryn Ledbetter, and Mia Coleman.
However, the Mustangs prevailed, and De La Torre made sure to end the quarter with two assisted goals, ending the quarter at 5-3 Delta.
At the start of the third quarter, excitement was in the air as the Rams scored their fourth and final point, making the Mustangs alert and ready to score.
However, goalie Richardson was shortly ejected after a few blocked attempts to score, leaving the goal wide open for the Rams.
“When a goalie normally gets kicked out, everyone returns to the cage. But someone else got kicked out, too, so we were playing four-on-six without a goalie. So three of us went into the cage, and I was just attacking at the top, and if anyone had the ball, I was going after them to try to pressure them,” said Ratto.
Luckily, Ratto said the Mustangs pre-
pared for a situation like this during their practices, making sure they got the field blocks and working as a team to create a wall so the other team wouldn’t score.
Delta ended the third quarter 10-4
By the last quarter, it was a sure win for the Mustangs as they practiced some
new techniques before ending the game 14-4 and on their way to the Big 8 championships. The Mustangs will play Diablo Valley College in Santa Rosa, CA, in a conference tournament that runs Nov. 8 to 9.
No. 19 Emily Jones attempting a shot on goal. PHOTO BY ANDREA RIVERA
Quarterback No. 9 Anthony Bridges completes a short pass to tight end No. 80 Mckye Valdez PHOTO BY JOE DEMASI