April 8, 2009

El Vaquero April 8, 2009

Andrew Feldman, head of culinary arts

Glendale College

S i zzles

as he helps his students prepare a Tex-Mex meal during the Wednesday lunch program.

Story page 12 Photo by Allan Beglarian

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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NEWS

El Vaquero Glendale Community College

Jessica Bourse

Brandon Hensley

PHOTO EDITOR

Jane Pojawa

STAFF WRITERS

By Jessica Bourse

EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

A

editor in chief

SPORTS EDITOR

Latin Dance Teacher Arrested

Andres Aguila Jesse Gutierrez Claudia Anaya Amy Hirsch Troy Cornell Isiah Reyes Corinna Scott STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Richard Kontas Allan Beglarian Shaun Kelly Production Manager

Jane Pojawa

lex Da Silva, star salsa dance instructor, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of raping four former students. Da Silva, better known for his choreography on the FOX hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance,” was an occasional guest instructor for the dance department.

Da Silva was accused of luring the female students into both of his San Fernando Valley homes, where he allegedly sexually assaulted them. The assaults were suspected to have taken place over the last six years.

In his Tuesday arraignment, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office declined to file the charges against the

choreographer, due to lack of evidence. He was expected to be released from custody as of press time.

“It’s absurd,” said Mario Mason, 21, theater and dance major, who has taken Da Silva’s salsa workshop on campus, “I’m absolutely appalled because when you take a class with him, he is never too ‘handsy’ with anyone.

He’s very informative and very reserved… It’s hard to believe.”

The 41-year-old was arrested at the EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, 20 minutes before the end of his class.

“When it comes to teaching, he’s really good with the ladies,” said Mason, “He’s never all over them or anything.”

“The fact that he choreographs for ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ you can tell the girls want him because he’s famous,” said

18-year-old Renaldo Cho, who aspires to be a lab technician, “It’s so easy to be like, ‘Oh, he raped me.’”

Hip-hop and salsa instructor Alexandra Blackbird said that when she found out about his arrest, she was very surprised.

“I would think, you know, he’s pretty flirty,” said Blackbird, “but at the same time, salsa is very flirty and it just stops at that point…. I’m pretty surprised, and I’ve known him for quite a while.”

According to the Los Angeles Police department, three more allegations have arisen since the arrest, as well as two more accusers, who are deliberating whether or not to file police reports.

Jessica Bourse can be reached at jessica_bourse@elvaq.com

design adviser

Charles Eastman

faculty adviser

Michael Moreau

mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214

advertising

Jeff Smith

jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 1427

El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at editor@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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CELEBRITY CHOREOGRAPHER: Alex Da Silva, who occasionaly taught salsa dance workshops on campus, is being held in lieu of $3.8 million bail for allegedly raping four of his students. Da Silva, publicity photo left, was a recurring guest choreographer on the Fox TV show “So You Think You Can Dance;” his April 4 mugshot, right.

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NEWS

El Vaquero, Insider Win in State Competition

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

G

CC’s El Vaquero and The Insider won 15 awards at this year’s statewide Journalism Association of Community Colleges convention, held in Sacramento from March 26 to 29.

The awards included mailed in stories and photos, bring-in submissions, as well as on-the spot competitions that occurred during the weekend event.

Fabiola Prieto won an honorable mention for her nonprofile magazine feature, which appeared in The Insider. Jane Pojawa, Insider editor-in-chief and El Vaquero production manager, won fourth place for her magazine profile feature on former GCC student Carina Crash.

Richard Kontas won an honorable mention for his feature photo in which he captured a man shooting out of a cannon in the opening of The Simpson’s ride in Universal Studios.

El Vaquero’s front page layout won third place, which included work by Jeryd Pojawa, Graig Agop and Kontas.

El Vaquero won two honorable mentions for inside page layout.

The winning layouts were the Nov. 12 “Macbeth” review by Isiah Reyes and photographs by Agop, as well as the Nov. 6 “Big Jazz Band” story by Brandon Hensley, with photographs by Jane Pojawa.

Anita K. Marto won an honorable mention for her on-line photo story essay on the aviation class at GCC. Fabienne Niederberger won fourth place for her photo illustration which appeared in El Vaquero’s April 8, 2008 issue.

On the spot competitions

Photo by Anttwan Stanberry

FRIENDLY COMPETITION: The Glendale team with a few of their 15 awards. So Cal President-elect Brandon Hensley, left; Claudia Anaya; Insider editor-in-chief, Jane Pojawa; Anita K. Marto; faculty advisor, Michael Moreau; El Vaquero editor-in-chief, Jessica Bourse; Troy Cornell; Corinna Scott, past El Vaquero editor-in-chief Richard Kontas and Isiah Reyes, back.

resulted in an honorable mention won by a bring-in ad by Jessica Bourse, editor-in-chief of El Vaquero and Jane Pojawa, which promoted the journalism department.

Bourse also received an honorable mention for her critical review written within harsh time constraints as well as third place for her opinion writing piece.

Corinna Scott’s savvy editorial cartoon won an honorable mention as well as Kontas’ sports photo and Hensley’s sports story.

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

Have you seen our

new magazine?

Online Exclusives at:

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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NEWS

Brandon Hensley Wins SoCal Presidency

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO Staff Writer

F

ive men entered, but only one could be named victorious.

That man, known simply before as El Vaquero sports editor Brandon Hensley, is now known as the SoCal Regional Student President of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC).

Hensley, along with other El Vaquero staff writers and photographers, attended JACC held at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento from March 26 to 28.

At the event, elections were held for the Board of Directors members for the 2008-09 fiscal year, with Hensley entering the competition.

The state organization is composed of two regional divisions: NorCal, representing colleges north of Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley and Santa Maria on the coast, and SoCal, representing community colleges south of those locales.

Hensley took the stage next to four other participants from SoCal regions who were all eager to win the competition.

When the showdown began,

all five participants stood up front waiting for questions to be asked from the audience. At first glance, it appeared as if only Hensley, wearing a dress shirt and a tie, was running for president, as he was the only one dressed up for the part.

Later on, as the questions rolled in and the participants answered back, the competition seemed to be a tight one. All five of them seemed to be as equally qualified as the next. However, there was just something else about that Hensley guy that seemed to grab the audience’s attention.

What exactly was it?

According to Jessica Bourse, editor in chief of El Vaquero, it could have been attributed to many different things.

“Right off the bat, he did let people know why he was running, what he believed in,” Bourse said. “But he was himself and I think people really liked seeing someone with humor who didn’t seem so robotic.”

Personality seemed to a play an important role in Hensley’s campaign to the top.

Troy Cornell, El Vaquero staff writer and Hensley’s campaign manager, made it clear that to become elected president he had

Photo by Richard Kontas

BASKING IN AWESOMENESS: Brandon Hensley, El Vaquero Sports Editor, won the Southern California Presidential election as well as an honorable mention for sports writing at the JACC state convention in Sacramento.

to connect with his audience.

And so it was Hensley’s character that piqued interest among his constituents. While every other participant focused their attention on how well they’ll do their job if elected president,

Hensley focused more on relating to his hotel room and calling to his audience by showing his home to inform his family of the funny side. election. Although But it wasn’t a bit confused at all just fun first, Hensley’s and games for mom later Hensley. Only understood and being able to congratulated him prepare for on his victory. approximately The first order two hours before of business for the competition, SoCal President Bourse and Hensley is to attend Cornell had to a meeting with smack the prepNorCal President talk hammer Anttwan Stanberry forcefully. of Skyline College They each and State President centered their Michelle Olson of spotlight on a Chabot College. different aspect The president for Hensley’s is responsible performance. for all aspects of — Jessica Bourse, B o u r s e the conference, El Vaquero reminded him i n c l u d i n g editor-in-chief of his past handling the mailleadership in competition experience as a entries, the sports coach for girl’s basketball, workshops, the speakers and and Cornell focused his attention securing the facilities. He must on new technology such as also attend all executive board Youtube, blogging and Twittering meetings and be prepared to to answer those questions about present regional reports at these his future plans as president. meetings.

As the competition came All things considered, Hensley to a close, and as the voting is up to the challenges ahead, had concluded, ultimately it representing SoCal and GCC was Hensley who had won the alike. competition.

At the end of that significant Isiah Reyes can be reached at day, Hensley recalled going back isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

“I think people really liked seeing someone with humor who didn’t seem so robotic.”

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

5

NEWS

Associated Students Appoint New President

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

fter thanking those who attended a surprise inaugural ball, Oavsanna Khachikian, the newly elected president of the Associated Students of Glendale Community College turned her attention to a report on block

scheduling at the ASGCC meeting on March 31.

“The block scheduling taskforce was created as a result of a vote during the March campus executive committee meeting. I serve as the student representative along with one other associated student officer,” said Khachikian.

Khachikian is one of two

students on a task force organized by the campus executive committee, and said the committee decided to look at creating a schedule for fall based on a different set of time blocks for different classes. “Block scheduling is being mandated by the state chancellor’s office for all community colleges by 2010,” she said.

Khachikian became Associated Students president when former ASGCC president Steven Ferguson resigned from the position.

“Steven Ferguson resigned at the end of the fall semester,” said Khachikian.

She explained that at the time Ferguson was running for city council in Burbank. He realized that he either had to concentrate on his campaign or continue with his roles as ASGCC president and student trustee, because doing both would be too much to handle

at once.

According to the ASGCC constitution, there is a line of succession to the presidency.

When there is a vacancy in office, such as when Ferguson left, the executive committee makes a recommendation for appointment.

“The executive committee recommended my appointment to the members of the associated student legislature,” said Khachikian.

On Jan. 20, the appointed vice president of administration called a special meeting, during which Khachikian was appointed as associated student president and student trustee by a unanimous vote. Prior to her selection, she was serving a one year term as the associated students vice president of finance.

“Subcommittees are discussing the best possible scheduling options that would benefit students

the most,” said Tzolar Oukayan, student activites coordinator, “that would include expanding courses we offer and increasing the number of classes.”

Oukayan said that ASGCC is conducting a survey to determine what kind of scheduling will benefit students the most.

In other news, $300 was approved for the Rotaract Club from the campus project support fund to have speakers visit campus for an event.

From the organizational event support fund, $250 was approved for the Creative Minds Club for their enchilada sale.

A free hugs day was held on April 2 by members of the ASGCC in Plaza Vaquero.

The ASGCC meets every Tuesday at 7 a.m. in the student center and is open to the public.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

Fair Prepares Students for Transfer

By Amy Hirsch

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

S

FREE HUGS: Eileen Amirian, 18, business major and senator of campus relations gives a free hug to passing students in Vaquero Plaza.

Open University Increase your competitive edge with easy access to Cal State Northridge

According to Kevin Meza, GCC transfer center coordinator, “those who attain a bachelor’s degree earn approximately $29,000 more per year than someone with a high school diploma.”

He indicated that approximate annual tuition for community college is only $500, compared to $2,800 for CSU, $7,500 for UC, and up to $35,000 for private schools.

Amy Mitchell, regional [See Transfer, page 6]

Classes Begin Tuesday, May 26

Summer 2009

O

pen University enables members of the community to take regular course offerings on a space-available basis without going through the formal admission process. Those enrolled in Open University attend regular day or evening credit courses, participate side-by-side with degree-seeking students, and enjoy the same intellectual challenges and rewards. Students may select from the hundreds of University classes offered in Summer 2009. Credits earned through Open University can be applied to degree work and transferred to other Cal State universities. _ Enhance your professional skills _ Prepare for a career change _ Become more competitive in today’s job market _ Jump start your college career _ Accelerate your move toward graduation _ Improve your grade-point average Cost: $230 per lecture unit (most courses are 3 credits

SeSSion DateS Session 1: May 26 – August 18 Session 2: May 26 – July 7 Session 3: July 8 – August 18 Registration Begins April 14.

For more information, call the tseng College, California State University, northridge (818) 677–CSUn or visit our Web site: http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/openuni.html

GCC_Vaquero_1.4pg.indd

Photo by Allan Beglarian

an Rafael Plaza was the setting for the semi-annual College Transfer Fair April 1.

Dozens of prospective transfer students had an opportunity to obtain information and speak to representatives from numerous colleges and universities.

Schools represented included UC Irvine, UC Riverside, USC, CSU Northridge, CSU Dominguez

Hills, Cal Poly Pomona, Pepperdine, National University and Columbia College of Hollywood. Columbia College of Chicago, a school emphasizing the creative arts, was also present.

In the current economic downturn, more students than ever are saving their limited funds by attending community colleges, such as GCC, before transferring to four-year schools to complete their college education.

The economic benefits of starting at community college prior to transfer can be substantial.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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FEATURES

Relationship Drama Subject of Lecture

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

L

ove, breakups, rejection, online dating, sex and relationships can be tough.

For the students in SR136 Jiwon Moore eases the confusion by teaching “the ins and outs of relationships so that students make less mistakes and are less unhappy.”

Online dating, sexual harassment and May-December relationships, in which traditionally couples have one person in the relationship significantly older than the other, were the topics discussed on March 26.

Moore opened up her Sociology 131; “Sociology of Marriage and the Family,” to visitors as part of the Women’s History Month events that occurred in March. The class is held every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:15 a.m. to 11:47 a.m.

Sexual harassment in the workforce, Moore explained, is typically filed by women, since traditionally they held a lower social status than men. But in recent years, since career women have been in more managerial positions, sexual harassment suits have been filed against them.

Moore also pointed out that it has become more socially acceptable for women to enter a May-December relationship, where the woman tends to be a lot older than the man, when it has been traditionally more acceptable for an older man date a much younger woman.

Demi Moore, 46, and husband Ashton Kutcher, 31, was one of the examples of a May-December relationship.

“We are becoming, especially professional women, much more non-traditional,” said [Jiwon] Moore, who attributes the change to more career women having

more power, the underlying factor of all May-December relationships.

Moore points out that a man does not necessarily have to be rich to date a younger woman.

As an example, she talked about her father-in-law, who is 84years-old, and his wife, who just turned 40.

With the marriage being untraditional, Moore explained the difficulties of accepting a relationship that is out of the norm.

“We don’t have a good relationship,” said Moore about her father-in-law’s wife.

“My father-in-law is Caucasian,” said Moore, who is an Asian-American. Moore said that the linguistic ability of her father-in-law is superior to that of his wife, as well as is his knowledge of the laws in this country and his education put him at a higher social status.

“There are other things

point average (GPA) is still important.

“It’s a lot more accessible to apply as a transfer student – for example 75 percent of our students who applied to UC San Diego were admitted. For UCLA, a freshman needs about a 4.1 to 4.2 GPA, but for transfer students a 3.2 GPA makes them very competitive. For the Cal State schools, a 2.0 GPA will guarantee admission to Cal State LA and Northridge. For other UC schools guaranteed admission requires a GPA ranging from 2.7 to 3.2.”

According to Meza, the most popular schools Glendale students transfer to include: Cal State Northridge, Cal State L.A., UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego and USC. “We provide counseling – that is the main thing, campus tours…arrange representatives from colleges to visit us, college fairs, and in-class presentations to teach the transfer process to students.”

Meza will be leading students on a Northern California college bus tour during spring break to visit UC Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Davis and Berkeley campuses. This year, the tour is filled with 53 students signed up.

In regard to the biggest mistake made by students who want to transfer, Meza said, “A lot of students don’t understand the opportunities they have to gain access to schools that weren’t available to them as freshmen…the mistake they make is that they limit their options. The biggest tip for students is to be sure to take math and English courses early because those classes are important in the college admissions process.”

“It’s never too early to plan, but usually early October is when students need to start preparing their applications if they want to transfer the following fall. Students should come to the Transfer Center as soon as possible to schedule an appointment.”

The Transfer Center is located in San Rafael, 2nd Floor. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

Many additional resources for transfer students can be found through the Transfer Center’s Web site at http://www. glendale.edu/transfercenter/

Transfer [Transfer Fair, from page 5] representative for Columbia College of Chicago said, “It’s definitely important that you get a bachelor’s degree…it’s what you need to get a career in life. By taking your general education classes here you can save a lot of money rather than if you had started as a first year student at a four-year college.”

“You typically have more choices when you transfer from community college,” said Meza. “You are able to get into more colleges that way. The UC and Cal State schools try to accommodate as many transfer students as they can. In terms of grades, it’s easier [for transfer students] to get into those schools than for freshmen.”

“Also for most colleges, you don’t need to take the SAT so it’s just going to be your performance in the classroom,” said Meza, “your grades are going to determine your opportunities. It also gives you more time to explore a bit and see what majors you like.”

While transfer students may have it “easier” when it comes to four-year institutions, maintaining a strong grade-

Amy Hirsch can be reached at amy_hirsch@elvaq.com

besides money that increase a person’s social status,” said Moore.

The May-December marriage is socially unacceptable unless the older person in the relationship has wealth, status, or power as Moore puts it.

The ideal age difference between a couple, said Moore, is two to five years.

Beatriz Napoles, 18-year-old psychology major who attends the class, mentioned that she was uncertain of how she felt about role reversal as women begin to be more in charge but has accepted that it occurs frequently.

Online dating was another topic discussed that day.

Benefits such as being able to cut off communication easily, variety of choices, and an increase of the quality of communication, were mentioned

by Moore.

The drawbacks included disappointment upon face-toface meeting, unable to keep a long distance relationship, and lack of commitment for those who seek it.

Free of charge dating sites that included matchdoctor.com, plentyoffish.com, and okcupid. com were seen as playful Web sites where a person might not find a serious relationship.

Dating sites that charge a fee were seen as more of the serious

Web sites, where a person may find a more serious relationship that the Web sites that are free of charge.

Other topics discussed in the class educate students on “understanding of past, present, and future relationships in regard to any relationship that will lead to happiness - friendship, romantic love, mature love, physical intimacy, gender communication, marriage, parenting, work, management of crises, ‘uncoupling’- getting out of the unhappy marriage or relationship, and remarriage or future relationship patterns,” said Moore.

Napoles enjoys the class, “she [Moore] makes it fun as we learn about marriage, so we know what to expect when we go into marriage. We learn about the different types of love, so we know the differences between real and fake love.”

Moore adds that the class will help each student to examine, learn, analyze, and use, if applicable what they have learned in the class.

“So that they would make least mistakes and stay focused and happy,” said Moore. “In sociology when an individual is happy, their society at large is happy and healthy.”

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

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7

FEATURES / OPINION

‘Women and Economics’ Sparks Debate

By Amy Hirsch

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

“W

omen’s Survival Strategies in Hard Economic Times” was the subject of the 11th Annual Women’s History Month lecture series presented to an enthusiastic audience at noon on March 26 in Kreider Hall.

Lively discussion among members of the audience indicated a great deal of interest in this topic, particularly in relation to the effects of the current economic crisis.

The presentation, part of the humanities/social science lecture series, was moderated by Lisa Lubow of the Social Science department.

The speakers — Hazel Ramos (history department), Francine Rohrbacher (English department), and Fabiola Torres (ethnic studies) — gave individual presentations followed by an opportunity for questions and comments from the audience The talk was intended to focus on the challenge: “The current economic crisis means lowered expectations, fear of joblessness, concerns that basic needs including health care will be unmet. What are the pressures and challenges that a potential economic depression put on women? Are women particularly vulnerable in a worsening economy?”

Ramos began with a historical perspective focusing on the situation of women in the US during the 1930s Depression.

She observed that during the In conclusion, Ramos observed 1920s, women had made steady that although women continue gains in the workplace although to be vulnerable in times of the route was difficult, similar economic downturn, nevertheless “to climbing Mount Everest “there is hope. We have made a while having to negotiate deep lot of gains.” crevasses.”

Rohrbacher followed by With the onset of economic indicating that her perspective depression in the 1930s, the social would be less optimistic. She forces affecting stated “we class and gender now know that brought the many people “Young women expectation that suffer economic who work in women should hardship even be home with when the American-owned the family, while economy is factories are men should doing well.” be treated as Rohrbacher disappearing… the primary stated that she their bodies are breadwinner and would take a given priority more global being found to remain perspective by mutilated, working. discussing issues S i n g l e presented in tortured and women and several works, sexually abused” women of color examining how (still under women are — Francine a system of more vulnerable Rohrbacher, segregation) in times of English Department were particularly e c o n o m i c burdened during hardship. this period since She referred government programs did not to “Nickel and Dimed: On offer the same support given (Not) Getting By in America” by to men and white women with Barbara Ehrenreich, which she families. Eleanor Roosevelt called “a firsthand study on the worked hard to remedy such question ‘is it possible to survive inequalities, but was only able to in the United States on living achieve modest success. wage, not minimum wage’, - you Ramos illustrated her talk with can be pretty sure that her answer historic photos showing people is ‘not really.’” in breadlines. She presented the The second work discussed, famous photo taken by Dorothea “Daughters of Juarez” by Teresa Lange showing the prematurely Rodriguez, describes what is wrinkled and worried face of a happening even today in Ciudad 32-year-old female sharecropper. Juarez, Mexico just over the

border from El Paso, Texas “where young women who work in American-owned factories are disappearing… their bodies are being found mutilated, tortured and sexually abused,” said Rohrbacher.

In the third text mentioned by Rohrbacher, an essay “Life on the Global Assembly Line” by Barbara Ehrenreich and Annette Fuentes, the authors “look at women factory workers overseas and how their jobs affect their lives simply because they are women.”

Rohrbacher went on to discuss several factors causing women to work in low-paying jobs, whether in the US or overseas, making them especially vulnerable.

Women with low-paying jobs “may often have to live in a place that is unsafe… where they are more vulnerable to being preyed upon.”

Another issue is the distance from work to home.

“Most likely you are taking a bus…working early or late hours…walking to a bus stop… many of the young girls working in the factories of Ciudad Juarez were abducted going to and from work,” said Rohrbacher.

Rohrbacher noted that “many women are the primary caretakers of their children… childcare is expensive… if you are late or don’t show up to work, you don’t get paid…. Staying home with a sick child can make the difference with being able to buy groceries or pay the rent… or the worker may be replaced.”

Rohrbacher concluded her

discussion of women needing to work in such difficult circumstances by quoting Gloria Steinem, “women work because we have to.”

Torres then presented a more personal perspective, showing a video of her mother as an example of a woman dealing successfully with economic challenges.

She recalled as a child, “We had the luxury of my mother staying home…mothers were the ones who kept the family together.”

Torres noted that the tough economic times in which she grew up had made her mother “an extremely creative and resourceful woman…she was an environmentalist before this became popular…she used to save everything…and use it.

A peanut butter jar would turn into a storage container” – as a result the family budget was stretched sufficiently to cover the necessities.

Although her mother had little formal schooling, Torres as well as her brother and sister were enabled to achieve a college education.

At the conclusion of the presentations, members of the audience had an opportunity to ask questions and contribute further to the discussion. Judging from the level of audience participation during the limited time remaining, the topic was felt to be of unusual interest for those present.

Amy Hirsch can be reached at amy_hirsch@elvaq.com

Economics and Education: A Need for Clarity

By Troy Cornell

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he economic crisis that we all are consumed by has become the greatest socioeconomic leveler in human history. The instability of the economy has affected Russian oligarchs to the local pizza shop. It has become an international pandemic, a crisis that has manifested itself with greed and recklessness and has jeopardized the American dream. Talking about the

economy has become routine in the lives of many.

With families struggling to cope with credit card bills, mortgage payments and college tuition, there is a need for answers as sure and real as this fiscal crisis. Knowledge at any given time is a great ally. Society has bequeathed upon itself a matter upon which it struggles to cope with, why this is, is simply a matter of understanding where the roots of this catastrophic tree emanated.

The eye of this economic storm

can be traced back to two words: Subprime mortgage, a disaster waiting to happen and it did.

Those who originally couldn’t qualify for a mortgage due to factors such as income, poor credit history or both in many cases, were suddenly granted this opportunity to acquire one. Due to a greater risk of default, the banks slap a higher interest rate on these types of mortgages and limit the number they have on their books.

These loans also were made to be adjustable rate loans,

meaning that the interest rate would increase steadily over time and thus increasing monthly payments. As the housing boom neared its end, equity was in short supply for many home owners and also disqualified them from having the luxury of refinancing their mortgages.

This essentially gave birth to widespread defaulting on these sub-prime mortgages. Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, who had to be bailed out by the government, played a huge role in the secondary mortgage market. Both

purchased original mortgages from banks and then sold themtootherbanksdomestically and internationally. Defaulting and foreclosures discouraged investment banks from purchasing these loans. The end of Freddy and Fannie ushered in a real credit crisis, the worst our country and planet has seen for some time.

Tough economic times have created inequity in just about every way possible.

[See Economics, page 8]

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

www.elvaq.com

FEATURES / OPINION

Fire Academy Cadets Demonstrate Spirit

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

“I

t’s worth it, if I lose my life.

I’ll know it wasn’t worthless.

People live with regret. When I die I’m going to be complete,” said William Correa, 19-year-old fire cadet.

Every weekend and every Thursday for an entire year, the GCC fire academy cadets go through rigorous training with hopes to graduate the fire academy program to apply to a city fire department to continue

Opinion [Economics, from page 7] California’s community college system has fallen victim to this crisis in a way most people would consider, counter intuitive. Many of the nearly 1,200 Community Colleges across America that have served countless numbers of students over multiple generations are experiencing a huge influx of admissions not to mention an inability to cope with a skyrocketing application pool.

To compound matters, since the 2008–09 budget was enacted in late September 2008, the state’s financial health has experienced a rapid decline. Analysts believe that the current fiscal year could end with a $14.8 billion state deficit, which could possibly to rise to more than $40 billion by the end of 2009–10 if state leaders do not revisit and revise expenditure and revenue plans.

Addressing this fiscal crisis could result in spending cuts during the current year, which would further affect the colleges’ ability to serve students. Policymakers will likely consider raising student fees, a move that would backfill the state General Fund.

Augmented student fees will not provide additional funds with which colleges could offer more classes to students.

Moreover, the severity of the state’s fiscal crisis may require the impending enactment of higher fees and overall net cuts that will lead to course reductions.

their training.

“I’m not in this for money,” said Correa. “I wanted to choose a career where I’m actually doing this to make your life better, to save you.”

Correa said he had always heard stories about firefighters getting hurt and how some don’t make it out while on the job.

“If you know your thing you’ll be fine,” said Correa confidently as he explained that in the academy, the cadets learn how to handle fires safely.

Mike Berdrow, 28, is looking

forward to fighting fires. “I’m not scared; I have the training and knowledge now. I’m kind of excited to see how it’s going to be once I hit the real life fire, putting my knowledge and skills into action.”

On Saturday, the cadets began to practice their drills that included bunker drills; putting on all their 20-pound fire protecting gear in 60 seconds or less, immediately running once around the burned building, crawling through a large pipe, and getting back into their positions to do push-ups, all

Consistently rising tuition fees at California’s four-year institutions are siphoning vast amounts of applicants into community colleges, most of which are already laden with freshly laid off adults seeking to strengthen their skills in preparation for the bloodbath that is the current job market and students who choose to attend community college because of the costliness of a four-year institution.

At Glendale Community College, enrollment is up 7 percent for the spring semester and it is likely to continue upward as the country’s economic situation continues its bleak descent. In a personal interview, GCC’s interim vice president of student services Ron Nakasone is finding that increases in the number of students coupled with a meager budget are two things that don’t add up the way the GCC needs them to.

“We’re faced with a situation where we’re not getting additional revenue for serving the students” said Nakasone.

California Community College funding is limited due to a growth cap. Exceeding the growth cap, (.6 percent for GCC this year) presents college administrators with a problem.

Although there is a two percent increase in growth, the school is not receiving additional funding to cope with the rise in students and thus creating a budgetary problem. “From a strictly fiscal point of view, we’re still struggling…not all of the enrollment is funded.” Nakasone said. If GCC were to receive that additional funding, $2

million would be generated in comparison to the half a million dollars in growth revenue the college has made simply off of student fees. To curb the effects of the recession on the school budget, many faculty and staff members have been offered attractive retirement packages as a way for the school to save money and provide the necessary cash flow to balance the budget.

“This has been the worst in my lifetime.” Said Dr. Ricardo Perez Vice President of Student Services. “There’s an issue of equity….We don’t get the dollars we need to provide a wide variety of services.”

What is clear is that a collective choice must be made.

The students who attend our community colleges now are future doctors, lawyers, engineers and laid off adults seeking re-employment.

California and its law makers cannot continue to hack away at an already thinning community college budget in order to manage the state’s budget deficit. The schools must be given the reassurance they need in order to serve their students.

Despite the deteriorating health of the economy, rest assured it will continue to get worse if our lawmakers choose take more and more away from our future. As President Obama so rightly put, “No one has lifetime employment. But community colleges provide lifetime employability.”

Troy Cornell can be reached at troy_cornell@elvaq.com

to get them use to working hard get in the fire academy. in their equipment.

“It helps people get in shape, From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the to get ready for the physical cadets repeated the exercises, requirements for entrance exams,” without knowing what time it said Pedroza. was.

The class is not only for people Corrina Bednorski, 39, the who are looking to get into the only female in the academy at fire academy, said Pedroza. “It’s the time and a great way for battalion chief of people who “You learn that Alpha platoon, want to take a has wanted to be P.E. class, we’ll you don’t have a firefighter since be talking about limits, if you she was 18 but nutrition and was ineligible how muscle think you can’t because of her memory works.” do something, credit.

A n d r e w After getting P a d i l l a , chances are divorced last president of the that you can, year, she figured academy, said his that nothing was father’s captain it’s all in your stopping her. recommended head. You can “It’s a blast, the academy. it’s a lot of fun,” With his father do anything said Bednorski being firefighter, that you set out about the Padilla knows academy.

She what the job to do” likes the danger entails. He feels aspect and that it good about what —Corrina Bednorski, is both physically he will be doing.

Fire Academy Student and mentally “A lot of us challenging. appreciate how “I’m looking forward to getting the public treats us.” a good basis in this academy, Toward the end of the fall getting hired, and starting a semester, the cadets will be career.” executing a search and rescue In the academy, Bednorski drill in which they will have to learned not only future work skills enter a burning building, which is but life skills. She mentioned set up with a fire burning at one that she doesn’t like heights but corner of the house. The cadets realized that “it’s all in your will go in as teams and search for head.” dummies, representing victims, “You learn that you don’t have in the fire. limits, if you think you can’t do With all windows to be something, chances are that you covered, and smoke increasing can, it’s all in your head. You can in the building, the cadets will do anything that you set out to experience some of what they will do,” said Bednorski. encounter in their field of work.

Her advice to those who want From all the cadets that begin to pursue a career in firefighting the academy, 30 percent don’t make is: “Make sure you’re in physical it, said Pedroza. For those who do condition to do it, and go for it.” make it, they probably keep the Gilbert Pedroza, fire academy academy motto in mind: “With fire instructor, says that there will be in our hearts, wisdom in our minds, a new class opening up for the and passion in our veins.” fall semester.

Fire 144 is a preparatory class Claudia Anaya can be reached at for people who are looking to claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

FEATURES

The Verdugo Fire Academy is Burning with Opportunity Photos by

Shaun Kelly

PASSION IN THEIR VEINS: Arin Aghakhanian and Jose Galdamez, far left, hold a two-story ladder as they practice working as a team. Top left, Galdamez practices hose-pulling evolutions. Bottom left, A cadet executing personal protective equiptment (PPE) confidence test. Top right, Patty Cates briefieng Alpha platoon before a training exercise. Bottom right, Class XII Fire Academy reciting the class motto: “Fire in our hearts, wisdom in our minds, Passion in our Veins.�

See related story, page 8

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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FEATURES

Culinary Arts Program Satisfies Hunger

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

[Cover story]

E

very Wednesday at noon, the Los Robles Dining Room sizzles up with flavor as it invites everyone to experience the tasteful appetizers, entrées and desserts that it has to offer.

The main menu is created by Andrew Feldman, department chair of the culinary arts department, who said that he likes to serve food “that’s attractive, tasty and safe to eat.”

The assertion by Feldman is easily achievable by the mere fact that he has a large culinary staff ready to cook up the succulent meals every Wednesday.

“Usually my hands-on process, I have between 20 and 28 students,” Feldman said.

One of those students, Alejandra Henriquez, also a supervisor of the event, said that the reason there’s a luncheon on campus is to give culinary arts students an opportunity to showcase their work by preparing a new menu every week.

The main menu on March 25 7608 Glendale col:Layout 1 consisted of an amuse-bouche

(mouth-pleaser) of chard-filled empanadas, followed by an appetizer choice of marinated chickpeas salad served with kalamata olive tapenade or ground nut soup.

Afterwards, a broa (Portuguese cornbread) was served, followed by the main entrée. The three main choices between the entrées were: a Moroccan chicken tangine; paella (seafood, chicken and sausage); or a vegetarian moussaka.

For dessert, an almond cake was served to each table. All of the people who attended seemed to enjoy the delicacies. Merrilee Ahaus, an administrative assistant in administrative services, was no exception.

“The food was excellent,” Ahaus said. “I think more people should try the food here.

“I try to come every week because they offer a wide variety of different kinds of foods,” Ahaus continued. When asked what her favorite dish was, she replied, “The vegetarian moussaka. That was very good.”

Feldman, who teaches beginning food prep, advanced 3/10/09 4:26 PM Page 1 food preparation, and sanitation

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Photo by Allan Beglarian

GET IT WHILE IT’S HOT: Faculty and students gather for a Tex-Mex lunch, prepared and served by culinary arts students, at the Los Robles building at noon on Wednesdays.

practices, likes to keep things fresh by changing the menu every week. He said that the culinary arts students have one week to practice the recipes for the following week’s luncheon.

For the April 1 lunch, a TexMex style menu was adopted. The starting amuse consisted of mini tostadas compuestas (a crunchy tortilla topped with a meat-chili sauce) and green chili cornbread, served with guacamole, salsa fresca, and homemade corn chips.

The appetizer that followed continued the international flavor by offering a choice between a chicken tortilla soup or jicama and mango salad.

The three main entrées were: country-style ribs basted in a Texas-style barbecue sauce; arroz con pollo (chicken and rice); or chilles rellenos (stuffed chili peppers). The dessert that finished the meal was flan caramelizado (caramelized custard).

The diversity of food was served to all of the tables which were mostly full at both of the Los Robles luncheons.

“There’s a lot people [that show up] and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Feldman said.

The Los Robles Restaurant offers quite a fulfilling lunch every Wednesday, but who are the people who show up?

“We have new people every time, but we do have guests who are there consistently,” Feldman said. “Generally it’s people from the college, whether it’s students, or administrators,

faculty members, or members of the college staff.”

Aside from the variety of food offered at the luncheon, a $15 Mimi’s Café gift certificate and a gift certificate for a free lunch in Los Robles is offered every week to the lucky holder of the winning raffle ticket paid for at the front door ($1).

The Los Robles room is located

near the upper campus parking lots. The price to enter is $8 and the student discount is $6. For reservations, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 3210. Parties of six or more must confirm their reservations by 3 p.m. the Tuesday before the lunch. Parking permits are available upon request.

Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

Photo by Allan Beglarian

NOW YOU’RE COOKING: Andrew Ayers, sous chef at Glendale College’s culinary arts department, helps with food preparation and serving.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Art Gallery Delivers Serene Experience

By Jesse Gutierrez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he new art exhibit, “Let the Trees Decide,” curated by Roger Dickes and Lara Bank, premiered at the art gallery on Saturday.

“I’m so excited about this show” said Dickes as he took out his cell phone and snapped multiple shots of the gallery.

“The exhibition turned great, even though it was different co-curating an event that is so small.”

Co-curator Bank said, “This exhibition is inspired by nature.

I think that’s why Roger asked me to help him curate this event because a lot of the art I show in my space is very inspired by nature.”

Even though they both said it was very different having two curators for a small event, Banks said “We are both very flexible people, so we were both able to see each others side of things when picking the pieces to go in this exhibition.”

The entire atmosphere of the gallery was inspired by nature from each art piece covering the walls of the gallery, to the plants that were running down the middle of the floor.

Steven Hiatt, an observer of the gallery and art buyer for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, said “This is an eclectic show, but I’m particularly attracted to that white piece on the far end of the wall. It’s very abstract and if you look very closely you can see that it’s not only white but there are different shades of off-white and gray within it.”

The piece that Hiatt praised, “Phase Out America, Tears,” was created by Marjam Oskoui.

Oskoui’s piece, at the far end of the gallery, looked like many white tears falling down the canvas. As Hiatt said, at first glance the painting looks just white, but after close observation, different shades of grey and other colors can be seen within the painting.

“I was inspired by my father’s death while making this piece,”

Photo by Allan Beglarian

PAINT IT WHITE: Marjam Oskoui, right, explains her motives in the creation of her painting, “Phase out America, Tears,” to Brad Wright, artist and musician, center, and other gallery patrons.

said Oskoui, “Even though many people associate death with black and nothingness, that’s not true.

Death is more of a transformation.

It’s like a plant – just because it dies does not mean it’s no longer

there. It’s just in a different form.”

Amy Green had two pieces on display – one large piece and a very small one, both untitled and crafted out of felt, both pieces

were painted with multiple shades of green towards the center of the paintings and the outer edges were dotted with vibrant blues, [See Gallery, page 15]

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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‘Fast and Furious’ Sequel Crashes and Burns

By Andres Aguila

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

C

onfusion!

That is the only word that can be said after watching the movie “The Fast and The Furious.”

Pardon, “Fast and Furious.”

“New Model. Original Parts” is the catchy slogan for the new movie, directed by Justin Lin (“The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift,” 2006) and written

by Chris Morgan (“Wanted,” 2008). Of course the slogan is referencing to the new story and returning actors to complete the fourth installment of the Universal Studios street-racing series.

Now, this movie is an “interquel” that is supposed to take place between the second and third movie, even though it would make a little more sense if it took place between the first and second movies because placing it between the second and third movie really takes it off the storyline of the series.

It starts out very entertaining and thrilling when Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, “The Fast and The Furious,” 2001) and his crew are stealing fuel tanks on the highway in the Dominican

Republic.

Toretto, being a wanted man, then decides that it is too risky to be doing anymore criminal activities and decides to leave his crew and hide out in Panama for a while.

In Panama, he receives a phone call informing him on the death of a loved one, which forces him to come back home to Los Angeles.

FBI agent Brian O’Connor, played by Paul Walker (“The Fast and The Furious,” 2001), is then seen chasing a guy through Downtown L.A. The audience learns that he is in pursuit of a cold-blooded, drug smuggling ringleader, Arturo Braga, who is also involved in the death of Toretto’s loved one. Soon enough, both O’Connor and Toretto cross paths while on their own investigations and decide that they have to work together in order to get what they each want.

Throughout the movie there are disagreements, shiny new cars and fine-looking women who fill in the blanks between the action scenes.

In the end, “Fast and Furious” seems more like a love story wrapped around a thin corn tortilla of action, than a “fast and

NOT ‘FAST’ ENOUGH: Paul Walker and Vin Diesel’s new flick will leave viewers both furious and confused.

furious” action-packed neverending car race.

First off, “Fast and Furious.”

Couldn’t anyone come up with a better title? How about this one: “The Fast and I Want my Brain Cells Back!”

The driving scenes, along side the acting and car model choices are quite nauseating.

The shaky camera angles during the racing and car chase scenes feel similar to those in

“Cloverfield” (2008), which makes it difficult to enjoy the thrill of the action.

“Fast and Furious” will excite the average series and street-car lover, but it will disappoint in the end.

The series fan base (mostly guys dragging their girlfriends or wives along) will see this movie only on the basis of wanting to know what’s going to happen next in terms of the storyline.

Keep in mind that when watching this movie, don’t think about the first, second or third films, or else your head will be filled with unanswered questions, leaving you in a state “furious” confusion.

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

 Andres Aguila can be reached at andres_aguila@elvaq.com

A ‘Haunting’ Good Time In Connecticut

By Jesse Gutierrez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

P

eter Cornwell’s “The Haunting in Connecticut” is a chilling, bone-tingling horror movie that rattles to the core.

The film claims to be based on true events of paranormal activity felt by the Snedeker family in the ’80s after moving into a mysterious house in Southington, Conn.

The movie centers around Matt Campbell who is receiving radiation treatment for cancer in a small hospital near there home.

After seeing the effects that the long commute had on Matt, his mother Sara (Virginia Madsen, “Sideways,” 2004) decides to buy a house closer to the hospital.

Without the consent of the rest of the family, Sara rents a nearby house. When the rest of the family

arrives, they learn that the house not only used to be a funeral home, but the host to multiple séances.

Not long after moving in, Matt starts to see visions of the séances that were held in the home including a young boy named Jonah, who was a medium, and Doctor Aickman, the man who used Jonah to channel the spirits during the séances.

Matt’s visions turn violent and he starts to inflict pain upon himself, like scratching the wall till his fingers bleed, or waking up with carvings in his skin.

After these events the family enlists the help of priest to exercise the house but things don’t goes as everyone has planned.

The plot is a little hard to believe — obviously, it can’t [See “Haunting,” page 15]

POSSESSED: Sara Campbell (Virginia Madsen) moves her family to an old Connecticut Victorian home to be closer to her teenaged son, Matt (Kyle Gallner), who has been receiving cancer treatments. He may be receiving psychic messages from the dead as well.

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

15

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Faculty Recital: Short and Oh So Sweet

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

F

aculty from Glendale’s music department took the stage and performed a variety of famous musical pieces, delighting the audience who attended the recital in the auditorium on April 2 at noon.

Getting the show off to a good start was voice instructor Lori Ann Fuller, soprano, with three arias by Giacomo Puccini.

Partially translated in the program were the three arias that Fuller sang: “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from “La Rondine,” “O mio babbino caro” from “Gianni Schicchi” and “Quando m’en vo” from “La Boheme.”

In “Chi il bel sogno,” Fuller sang the part of a woman who had seen Doretta experience her first kiss and is looking toward her own future love life.

Fuller brought the character to life through her singing – a

young excited girl who wants to experience love for herself.

“Alas!/ One day a student kissed her on the lips and that kiss proved to be a revelation : It was passion!/ Mad love!/ Mad intoxication!…Oh golden dream – to be able to love like that!”

As Fuller sang “O mio babbino caro,” she played the part of a young, frustrated girl in love, desperate that her father hear her story and allow her to marry Rinucchio. Fuller clasped her hands together and pleaded: “Oh, God I want to die/ Daddy, have pity, have pity.” Singing about how much in love she is with Rinucchio. “I want to go to Porta Rossa and buy the ring!

Yes, yes, I want to go!”

From “La Boheme,” Fuller sang the aria “Quando me’n vo.”

She played the part of Musetta, singing to the crowd at Café Momus about how admired she is in an attempt to win back the attentions of Marcello.

Movie Review [“Haunting,” from page 14] all be true, but the story feels extremely over-exaggerated for the purposes of the film.

As far as the storyline goes, as a horror film it succeeds in really shaking the audience to the core by showing the graphic images of all that had happened in that house such as the séances and the disgusting things that Aickman did to these dead bodies.

Even though most of the actors in the movie are newcomers, they all do a very great job, specifically Kyle Gallner who plays Matt. It almost seems like he is truly possessed by evil spirits.

Another well-executed part of the movie is the special effects. For example, Matt has a vision of an extreme séance, where an ectoplasmic liquid spews out of Jonah’s mouth.

The entire scene is disturbing, and what happens next is visually impressive.

One part that could be improved upon is the soundtrack. For a horror film, the music isn’t very intense

— most of the time there is either no music at all or some boring piano music, which doesn’t add anything to the film.

Even though this is Cornwell’s first film, it’s very apparent that he has some experience as he brings back true horror to the movie industry.

Over all this was a decent film, but since it is based on a true story it should leave the audience with a sense of fear or even sadness for the events that plagued the family but after I left the theater I did not find myself with any of those feelings.

Even though in the moment it’s quite scary, the movie doesn’t give the viewer something to take with them.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

 Jesse Gutierrez can be reached at jesse_gutierrez@elvaq.com

Photo by Allan Beglarian

FACULTY RECITAL: a presentation by music department features, from left, Dr., Lucy Nargizyan, piano; Theodora Primes, piano; Lori Ann Fuller, soprano; and Dr. Peter Green, piano.

“When I walk all alone in the street people stop and stare at me and my whole beauty everyone looks for me from head to feet.”

Lucy Nargizyan, piano instructor, then took the stage and played two classical pieces with fluidity and grace.

First she played the dramatic, moving “Prelude in G# Minor, Opus 32” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, followed Alexander Scriabin’s hypnotic “Poems, Opus 32.”

Fuller returned to the stage, accompanied by Peter Green, chair of the music department, on the piano.

Together, they performed three

pieces, including “Till There Was You” from “The Music Man” by Meredith Wilson. The piece told the story of a spinster librarian who was missing out on life and romance until she met Professor Harry Hill and fell in love.

The song “If I Loved You,” from the musical “Carousel,” is about a woman who is not quite ready to confess her love to a young man who lost his job because of his attraction to her.

In “What Good Would the Moon Be?” about choosing love over fancy promises from “Street Scene” by Kurt Weill (19001950).

Art Gallery

[Gallery, from page 13]

yellows and oranges. “When I begin a project, I start by falling in love with a material and for these two pieces, it was felt.”

Green also said that even though felt is most associated with crafting, she loves to combine art and crafting to create one piece. She also said that she is very inspired by color, which is why both of her pieces are rich with bright and vibrant colors.

Some of the other artists that are featured at the exhibition

are Frank Chang, John Roswell, Peter Kim, Jill Newman, Patrick Marcoux and Sun Tae Kim, who designed and put in the plants that were on the floor of the gallery.

All spectators agreed that it was an eclectic collection of art and even though each piece was different, they all complemented each other perfectly, From the almost psychedelic pieces created

by John Roswell to the fire like sculpture created by Patrick Marcoux.

Even though everyone agreed that the exhibition was complete Banks said that there were two more pieces that she and Dickes

Pianist Theodora Primes then played “Nocturne in C# Minor” and the dramatic, complex “Etude in C Minor, Opus 25, No. 12,” both by Frederic Chopin. Her style of playing, once described by the late jazz clarinetist Artie Shaw, has immense power and depth.

Her command of the instrument was masterful and graceful.

The audience showed their support with cheers and applause after every piece performed.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

were considering including but at the last minute, decided not to put them in after all.

It is the hope of both of the curators that every piece in the show evoked a sense of the all natural world in whatever direction they took to get to that point.

“Let the Trees Decide” will be up in the art gallery until May 2. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Jesse Gutierrez can be reached at jesse_gutierrez@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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SPORTS

Chris Cicuto: Coaching Is a Family Tradition

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

T

he coach could be found five hours before the first pitch near the third base line, preparing the field by himself under the warm April sun. His cleats and sweat pants dirty, he seemed almost willing to find any excuse to sit down in his cart and talk, to take a break from his momentary job as grounds crew member.

As he lay back in the cart, wearing sunglasses and looking towards the outfield, an easy smile would surface every now and then as he talked about his life and profession. This is Chris Cicuto, the intensely fierce, fire-breather of a head coach for the Glendale Vaqueros? “I can be kind of kick back a little bit when I need to be,” he said. “But who knows?”

Make no mistake, Cicuto, or “C,” as his players call him, has deserved his reputation as a fiery personality since being a Vaquero assistant coach in 2000, and head coach in 2004.

In the locker room, sophomore infielder Yuya Okuda called Cictuo “the best coach.” When asked why, he searched for the right answer. “He’s uh...uh...”

Teammate Patrick Vandehey guessed for him. “Passionate?”

Vandehey said.

“Yeah,” Okuda responded laughing.

And really, passionate might be the word that will go on Cicuto’s tombstone. “I was a catcher,” Cicuto said, recalling his playing days at Agoura High School and UC Riverside. “Being a catcher, you’re in every play.

You’re wearing that gear and getting beat up every single day, you got to be intense.”

It can be an attractive quality, Cicuto’s fire being a magnet that draws players to him and the program. “Some people came here because he’s here,” Okuda said.

“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” said Vandehey, a sophomore relief pitcher. “One of the better things about winning is seeing him pumped up.” Just don’t get on his bad side.

In late March, Vandehey missed a weights session, and Cictuo made him pay by running him from one foul pole to the other 30 times. “It’s not fun,” Vandehey said of running poles. “We were up in Bakersfield actually, so it was like a hundred degrees up there when I was running.”

To Cicuto, 31, baseball is a math equation. A player’s results on the field vary directly with his decisions before the game. Same goes for real life. It’s relational, and Vandehey said his team understands that.

“He likes to make sure you hold yourself accountable for everything you do. He says after

Photo by Shaun Kelly

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Vaquero coach Chris Cicuto, right, is teaching his players more than just baseball at GCC.

we leave a game, ‘Make good decisions tonight. Bad things can happen.’”

Cicuto said his second season as head coach didn’t go the way he wanted it to, and put the blame on himself for not holding players accountable off the field, mainly in the classroom. “Now,” he said, “we take our priorities and put it on the board...our first rule of the season is your faith comes first, your family comes second, school, and then baseball.

Things are relational. You do the right things, you make good decisions, you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen to you if you just continue with that faith.”

Cicuto said he got that attitude from his father John, former Vaquero football coach and current athletic director. “Every meeting I’ve ever heard him say amongst his team for years is, ‘do the right thing,’” he said of John.

John, who calls working with his son “a dad’s dream,” credits Chris with being a ubiquitous presence at school, one that goes around the campus and talks with the classified workers, including the admissions and financial aid offices.

It’s something that has helped Pete Carroll’s image at USC, so it surely couldn’t hurt Cicuto to keep a high profile off the field.

“He’s always maintained a good report with those people, and he’s visible with them....Those are the people that run the school. Those are the people that sometimes are never recognized,” said John.

Cicuto said he was inspired to

be like his father when he was in middle school. He saw a framed poem, one from John’s former players sitting on his desk. It was a poem about the impact John had on that player’s life.

“The last line was, ‘You were the father I never had,’” Cicuto said. Right then, “I wanted to affect kids lives in a positive way just like my dad had and I thought that was so special.”

O.K., so he has the impacting kid’s lives part down. What about the baseball part?

Cicuto is a small-ball kind of coach. The team lacks power (Mike Mendoza leads the Vaqs with just six home runs), so the philosophy calls for “Bunts; get the pitcher off the mound, get him tired, get to the bullpen,” as Vandehey described it.

But micro-managing a game isn’t the toughest part of the job. It’s the personnel change from season to season. “I have to change with the kids,” Cicuto said. “You have to know your kids in and out, as far as what makes them tick, and how to motivate them. That’s the toughest part.”

John agrees with that assessment, and said it’s important to know where the players are coming from. “I think he’s done a great job every year understanding the background of each one of his student athletes.”

Cicuto has the Vaqs in striking distance for a playoff spot, but his concerns are more pressing at home.

He and his wife Kelly are expecting their first child in the fall, and being theVaqueros baseball coach is a “full-time job, with part-time pay,” as Cicuto puts it. Combine that

with a down economy, and well, it’s easy to see where this might be headed.

“It’s just not him, it’s the entire economy. It is all young people that are in Chris’s situation.

They’re suffering as well,” said John, who, with his wife Sally, will be there to support their son.

“I think that’s what parents are for, to help our kids out.”

Cicuto has taken other jobs on campus, including assistant to his dad, football game management chief (sounds complicated, but basically means setup of the field), and fitness lab technician. Hey, it helps pay the bills, he said.

He might be forced to make a decision regarding his future this summer. Or, “Maybe I’ll bite the bullet another year and hang out until something opens up.” He seemed genuinely stumped.

If he’s looking for inspiration, he need look no further than Matt Rueda, who hit the game winning home run last week in a game against Rio Hondo. Rueda hasn’t had as much playing time as he had hoped for this season, but “He’s had a great attitude, and he’s worked hard,” Cicuto said.

“He hasn’t complained at all... you’re just real proud of that kid for staying with the process.”

Maybe that’s what Cicuto needs to do. Stick with the process, with the equation he’s set up for his team and himself. If success varies directly with making good decisions, then the right answer will come eventually.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

17

SPORTS

Ventura Slams Vaqueros in Season Finale

By Troy Cornell

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he men’s tennis team has finally come to the end of a long and trying season. Unfortunately for them, it leaves with a sour taste in their mouths.

The defending Western State Conference champions dismantled the Vaqueros 8-1 on Thursday and improved their own overall record to 13-1 in the process.

Despite the huge margin of defeat, GCC (14-6, 8-2) fought well in singles matches, not rolling over to their conference rivals, armed with a plethora of international talent.

Ryan Stansbury fell to Ventura’s Swiss international Matthias Muster in straight sets 0-6, 1-6.

Vaquero Joey Tresierras lost to Brazilian native Alexandre Rigobello 3-6, 4-6 but did not really believe that his Pirate opponent played that much better than himself.

“I was in there mentally. I kept the ball in; he just didn’t miss his shot.”

Tresierras said.

Both Alex Matevosian and Marko Gortinski fell victim to the Arteaga brothers, who hail from Venezuela.

Matevosian lost to Pedro Arteaga 4-6, 0-6 and Gortinski lost 3-6, 4-6 to Juan Arteaga.

Paul Nagapetyan gave Parisian opponent Romain Scipione all he could handle, forcing a third set tie-breaker in a 3-6, 6-1, 3-6 loss.

The one victory for the Vaqueros came from Rony Yeghnazary who defeated the conference’s top ranked singles players Hassan Abbas 6-1, 6-3.

“I stayed very consistent, very relaxed,” said Yeghnazary. “I just wanted to have a nice time out there.”

Vaqs coach MacKay watched his top player closely and noticed a difference in the way he moved his feet.

“He [Yeghnazary] was right at it…. he didn’t overdo it.” Mackay said.

Vaqueros Track Runs Up New WSC Records

By Andres Aguila

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he sun was shining, the air wasn’t too hot or too cold and it was the perfect spring day — to break some records at Sartoris Field.

And that’s exactly what freshman Samantha Bogatz did in the fourth Western State Conference track meet of the season held on March 27.

Bogatz broke her own school record for the 100meter dash with a time of 11.91 seconds and also helped win the 4x100 meter relay event along side Ashley Baucham, Melani Artoun-Livaskan and Janette Morfin with a time of 47.91 to set another school record.

Bogatz also came first in the women’s 200-meter dash, winning a total of three events.

The colleges that were competing alongside GCC were Citrus, Ventura and Bakersfield.

The Vaquero men clinched the third place spot after winning two events.

Nathan Sellars won the 3000-meter run with a time of

9:00.75 and Johnathan Alpizar won the very close 1500-meter run with a time of 4:03.37, one millisecond ahead of second place winner Cesar Mireles of Bakersfield College, who had a time of 4:03:38.

“It was outstanding,” said track and field head coach Ed Lopez. “There was a good balance.”

While there was a good balance for both men and the women, the Lady Vaqs outshined the men by winning 12 of the 17 events and finishing in first place with a total of 98 points.

There were a total of 17 events for both the women and men, which started after 2 p.m. and ended before 6 p.m.

Bakersfield placed first in men’s by winning a total of nine events with a total of 65.3 points and placed second in women’s with a total of 38.5 points.

The next meet for the track and field team will be at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut for the Mt. Sac relays on April 11.

Andres Aguila can be reached at andres_aguilacan@elvaq.com

With the regular season in the rear view mirror, the next destination for the Vaqueros now shifts to post-season play and with an at-large bid at stake.

MacKay is going to have to sell his team to the Western State Conference board if the Vaqueros hope to receive the necessary three votes to qualify for post-season play.

“We don’t just deserve it, we earned it,” MacKay said, speaking about a chance for an at-large bid.

If the Vaqueros are voted into the playoffs, another vote will decide whether the Vaqueros face off against either Cerritos College or College of The Desert in Santa Barbara for the Western State Conference tournament on April 17 and 18.

The following week, the Vaqueros will travel to Ojai to play to play in the 109th Ojai tournament April 23-26.

Photo by Richard Kontas Troy Cornell can be reached at troy_cornell@elvaq.com

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18

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

www.elvaq.com

SPORTS

Career Ambitions: Academics Beats Athletics

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

A

n astronaut. A supermodel. A rock star. An award-winning author. The president.

I used to have plans when I was a kid – plans for the future.

They were much more than plans, really; they were dreams.

Still, there was that feeling inside of us that when our teachers asked what we wanted to be when we grew up that this selfassurance, this belief in our hearts and minds, would turn into reality someday.

Me? I was going to play guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.

I played basketball in summer leagues, attended camps, and was on organized teams for years. However, I never thought if I played poorly in one game it would ruin my chances for my future...after all, the future was so far off.

When I was a kid, I could only see as far as my arm would stretch after hoisting up a threepointer. Perspective is something most kids don’t have. (Such as, ‘There are 12 grades before you go to college?! How old would that make you? Man, I can’t even figure that out. That’s nuts!’)

By the time of my sophomore year in high school, I realized I wasn’t going to grow any taller, or get fast enough or jump high enough to play college ball, let alone run with Kobe and Shaq in the NBA. The dream had died, like it does for many others everyday.

That’s where writing came into my life.

For as long as I can remember, the sports sections of the Los Angeles Times and Daily News has been a constant companion for me. Sports Illustrated was the first magazine I went to grab sitting in the doctor’s or dentist’s office when I was little. English and creative writing were always my best subjects in school. I can’t begin to describe how much fun my senior poetry class with Ms. Weaver was. That was the first time I realized how much I enjoyed doing something other than playing sports.

So, if playing sports wasn’t going to happen, what about writing about it?

After wandering around aimlessly for a while at GCC, I finally decided to combine my potential love of writing and my

absolute love of sports.

The culmination arrived a couple of weekends ago at the Journalism of Community Colleges (JACC) state competition in Sacramento, where I competed in the on-the-spot sports story contest. JACC is a convention held twice a year for all of the community colleges to gather and compete for awards and bragging rights.

It’s also about networking and preparing oneself for the future, but in the moment, when school A is trying to beat school B, animalistic desire to embarrass one another will always triumph.

The convention had it set up for the sports reporters to cover a baseball game at Sacramento State University, but the school cancelled that game due to budget concerns. At the last minute, they came up with a soccer scrimmage for us to cover.

It was a challenge to cover that event, as our event adviser, Paul Mcleod, even acknowledged, but that’s not the point.

Loading up in front of the hotel before the event, I looked at all those writers on the bus and was taken back almost a decade and more.

I used to travel on a bus filled with athletes as my team, Crescenta Valley, went to play Muir or Hoover High School. I used to take my gym bag (complete with the stitching of my name and ‘Falcons Basketball’ on the side), carrying with me my uniform and team shoes.

Now, I was taking my digital voice recorder, a pen and a notebook, with no name on the side of my black bag. With my new gear, I was long removed from a life I am now trying to revisit using a different door.

As the large group of JACC contestants walked to the stands to sit and watch the scrimmage, it hit me again.

I used to come into the Rosemont Middle School gym and try out for the junior Falcons traveling team. It was me and 60 to 80 other guys battling for 12 open spots. Same goes for my freshman high school tryouts in the old CV gym. I would survey my competition, and hope for the best.

Looking at where I was in Sacramento that day, it was a mixed bag of emotions. I was battling a large number of guys (and a lone woman, as I recall)

to see who would report the best on a group of athletes playing a sport. The same group of athletes I used to be a part of.

I never wanted to be a sports writer. I wanted to be the one written about. And any current sports writer who used to play who doesn’t echo that sentiment is lying.

I’ve seen and practiced with some great players when I was a teenager: Chris Tarne, Jimmy Goffredo, the late James Jenkins.

And I’ve watched our own Markus Monroe and Josh Guillory this year.

Admittedly, it’s been hard watching our Glendale athletes these past seven months. Not that

I think it should be me out there.

Although I am older than most of the student athletes I cover, I couldn’t compete with most of them if I tried, and that doesn’t bother me.

Now, I am a writer. And It feels good to get a story published, to know that at least some people read what you write, and that the countless hours our editor puts in correcting our stories are not in vain.

Being a kid is fun. It’s playing a game on a Saturday afternoon and getting cupcakes and a Capri Sun afterward. It’s team parties at Shakey’s Pizza as you and your friends try and beat The Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

arcade games.

It’s that being compared to CV and University of Pacific great Adam Jacobsen, if only for one measly freshman season, is enough to validate all those jump shots you practiced outside with your grandpa, even when you just sometimes wanted shoot them by yourself.

And then suddenly, it’s over.

The dream dies and I have to grow up. It’s time to look further than my outstretched arm after I’ve swished a three-pointer.

I’m playing for something else now.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley@elvaq.com

Vaquero Sports Summaries Scores Baseball March 26: Lost to L.A. Pierce 11-7 March 28: Defeated Bakersfield 5-3 March 31: Defeated Bakersfield 7-2 April 1: Defeated Rio Hondo 11-10 April 2: Defeated Mission 5-4 April 4: Defeated Mission 4-2 Men’s Tennis: April 2: Lost to Ventura 8-1

Women’s Tennis: March 26: Defeated Santa Monica 5-4 March 31: Lost to Cuesta 7-2 Softball: April 2: Lost to Citrus 11-4 and 7-1 (DH) April 4 (Ventura Tournament): Defeated Chaffey 8-7/ Defeated Taft 6-5 April 5 (Ventura Tournament): Lost to East L.A. 13-0/Antelope Valley 12-1

Upcoming Events Baseball:

Today: vs. Rio Hondo at GCC* 6 p.m.

Thursday: vs. L.A. City at GCC* 6 p.m.

Saturday: vs. Ventua at GCC* 1 p.m.

Saturday: vs. L.A. City at GCC* 1 p.m.

April 14: vs. Citrus at GCC* 2:30 p.m.

April 16: at Citrus 2:30 p.m.

April 18: vs. L.A. Valley at GCC* 1 p.m.

April 21: at L.A. Valley 2:30 p.m.

April 23: at Canyons 2:30 p.m.

April 25: vs. Canyons at GCC* 1 p.m.

April 28: vs. West L.A. at GCC* 6 p.m.

Men’s Golf: April 13: vs. Bakersfield at Rio Bravo Course 10 a.m.

Track and Field: Saturday: Mt. SAC Relays at Mt. SAC April 18: WSC Prelims at Ventura April 25: WSC Finals at Citrus Softball: Thursday: at L.A. Mission 1/3 p.m. (DH) April 14: at Canyons 2:30 p.m.

April 21: at Bakersfield 2:30 p.m.

Mens Tennis: April 17-18: WSC Tournament at Santa Barbara TBA April 23-26: Ojai Tournament TBA Women’s Tennis: April 17-18: WSC TBA April 23-26: Ojai Tournament TBA

* = Baseball home games played at Stengel Field ** = Softball home games played at Glendale Sports Complex, 2200 Fern Lane.

For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/athletics/

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

19

Calendar On Campus information Spring Break — Classes will not be meeting April 13 - 18. Classes will resume on April 20.

events Job Fair — More than 25 employers will have recruiters on campus.

Job-seekers should bring copies of up-to-date resumes. The Job Fair is sponsored by the Student Employment Services. Today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the San Rafael Plaza. For more information, call (818) 2401000, ext., 5407.

Cheer and Dance Try-outs — Cheer try-outs will be held today at 8 p.m. in Burbank at the

Golden State Gymnastics, 1828 N. Keystone St. Dance try-outs will be held Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Sierra Nevada Building. All are welcome to attend. For more information, visit www.glendalecollegespirit.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5556.

Transfer Center — Representatives from Cal Poly Pomona will be on campus to help students wtih the transfer process. Today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Transfer Center, San Rafel Building. To meet with the representatives students must make an appointment.

For more information, visit www. glendale.edu/transfercenter or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5442.

Transfer Center — Representatives from CSUN’s International

program will be on campus to meet with students and answer questions. An appointment is needed. Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Transfer Center, San Rafael Building. For more information, www.glendale.edu/transfercenter or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5442.

clubs Philippine Cultural Organization — Club meetings are held every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in CS 177. All are welcome to join.

exhibitions “Let the Trees Decide” — This group art exhibition features

works by artists Frank Chang, Amy Green, Peter Kim, Sung Tae Kim, Patrick Marcoux, Jill Newman, Marjam Oskoui and John Rosewall. Now through May 2 in the art gallery. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.glendale.edu/artgallery or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5663.

workshops “Successful Interview Strategies” — This workshop focuses on essential resume-writing principles, formats and content.

Thursday from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Career Center, San Rafael Building. For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5407.

“Curriculum Workshop”— Speaker Rory Schlueter will help staff learn how to create a new course or revsise an old one.

Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in SR 313.

“Let’s Talk About Learning!”

— Speaker Roger Bowerman.

This discussion will include innovative teaching techniques and appropriate use of technology.

Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in the faculty and staff dining room.

Verdugo Adobe Tour — This tour includes a walk through Verdugo Park to the Verdugo Adobe located at 2211 Dr. Thursday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The tour will start at 2 p.m. between the AD and CS buildings.

Around Town events Healthy Kids Day — 140 N. Louise St. Presented by the YMCA of Glendale. There will be over 40 vendors offering fitness fun, dental screenings, children’s activites, nutrition, learning activites, giveaways, games, and more. April 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. For more infomation, contact Helena Dannia of the YMCA at (818) 240-4130 or Camille Levee of Glendale Healthy Kids at (818) 548-7931.

UCLA STOMP — 405 Hilgard St., Los Angeles. The Student Transfer opportunity & mentorship Program at UCLA invites all underrepresented community college students interested in transferring to UCLA to attend this conference. Learn about strategies and resources for a successful transfer. This event will also feature different workshops. April 24 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, and to RSVP, visit www.admissions.ucla.edu/stomp or call (310) 206-8118.

National College Fair — Pasadena Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A & B, 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena. The fair allows students to interact with admission representatives from a wide range of postsecondary institu-

tions to discuss course offerings, admission and financial aid requirements, and other information. April 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. and April 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, www.nacanet.org.

The Last Chance — Victory Outreach Church of Eagle Rock, 4160 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles.

This live production follows the life of a man and his past, present, and the choices he must make for his future. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome. For more information, visit www.voeaglerock. org or call (323) 258-7878.

Backstage Tours — Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd. A guide will provide an overview of the venue’s 82-year history, restoration process and current activities and programs.

The guide will explain the background of the architecture, sculpture and other art objects that grace the interior and exterior. April 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Admission for the tour is free but a reservation is required. To reserve your place, visit www.alextheatre.org or call (818) 243-7700, ext. 216.

exhibitions Date and Art: Science and Art in the Age of Information — Pasadena Museum of California

Art, 490 E. Union St., Pasadena.

This exhibition challenges the viewer’s assumptions by exploring the beauty inherent in data and asks them to see complexity in a new light. Last day to see this exhibition is Sunday. Admission prices are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www.pmcaonline. org or call (626) 568-3665.

Franz West: To Build a House You Start with the Roof — Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. This exhibition features objects ranging from early interactive works from the 1970s to large installations comprised of bright aluminum and epoxy objects that dramatize their surroundings with bold colors and oversize scale. Now through June 7. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for students with I.D. Children 17 and under are free. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www.lacma.org or call (323) 857-6000.

Made for Manufacture — The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Los Angeles. This exhibition features designs for three-dimensional objects such as stained glass, small-scale metalwork, sculpture, architecture, tableware, tapestry, and the decorative arts.

Now through July 5. Museum hours vary. Admission is free.

Parking is $10. For more information, visit www.getty.edu or call (310) 440-7300.

The Art of Norton Simon — Norton Simon Museum of Art, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

This film is a thirty minute documentary film by Charles and Davis Guggenheim about the art featured in the museum and its history. Saturday from 12:30 to 1 p.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and free for students with a valid I.D. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www.nortonsimon.org or call (626) 449-6840.

theater “Ghosts” — A Noise Within at 234 S. Brand Blvd. By Henry Isben and directed by Michael Murray. Set in the isolated grandeur of Scandinavia’s fjord country, Mrs. Alving relishes the homecoming of her artist son Oswald. Now through May 9. Ticket prices and showtimes vary. For more information, visit www.anoisewithin. org or call (818) 240­-0826.

music Joshua Bell and Bringuier — Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111

S. Grand Ave. This show features conductor Lionel Bringuier and violinist Joshua Bell. April 23 at 8 p.m. and April 25 and 26 at 2 p.m.. Ticket prices vary. For more information, visit www.laphil. com or call (323) 850-2000.

wellness Meditations for a Happy Life — Shoseian Whispering Pine Teahouse. 1601 W. Mountain St. The Kadampa Meditation Center California presents meditation classes Tuesdays from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. with instructor Ryan Thomson. Admission is $12 per class. For more information, visit www.meditateinla.org.

Free Health Clinic — Open Tuesdays 6 to 8:30 p.m. On a first-come, first-served basis.

Located at 134 N. Kenwood St., third floor, room 330. No job-related physical exams will be offered. For more information visit www.glendaleclinic.org or call (818) 243-2105, ext. 202.

Free Yoga in the Park— Runyon Canyon Park, 2000 Fuller Drive, Los Angeles. Free yoga lessons every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (323) 666-5046.

Compiled by Tina Hagopian

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

www.elvaq.com

VAQUERO VIEWS

Angeles Crest Crash Kills Two A

— Story by Jessica Bourse — Photos by Liah Zirler

big rig lost control while traveling down Angeles Crest Highway on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 12 others as it collided into a busy intersection in La Cañada Flintridge.

Marcos Costa, 43, was driving down the highway when his brakes failed, said officials.

The big rig plowed into a red car, killing the occupants, Angel Jorge Posca, 58, and his daughter, Angelina, 12.

Five vehicles and 200 yards later, the truck smashed into Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse, at the intersection of Angeles Crest Highway and Foothill Boulevard.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking to see the accident and to think this could have been me,” said Liah Zirler, 19, “or my father, who uses ACH everyday during the time of the accident.”

Caltrans issued a 90-day ban on all big rig trucks traveling on the highway, which took

affect on Monday.

Rep. Anthony Portantino and State Senator Carol Liu have introduced emergency legislation to permanently ban trucks on Angeles Crest Highway.

According to Portantino’s office, they are working closely with Caltrans and California Highway Patrol to “formulate legislation to prevent an accident like this from happening again.”

“My prayers go to the Posca family and everyone who was injured,” said Zirler, “I truly thank God and feel blessed that I or my family was not involved in this horrific accident.”

According to officals, Costa’s truck was not in compliance with the highway’s weight restrictions.

Costa awaits an arraignment on Monday for two counts of vehicular manslaughter.

Jessica Bourse can be reached at jessica_bourse@elvaq.com

TRAGEDY ON ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY: Brake failure led to the death of a father and daughter and severely injured 12 others in Wednesday’s tragic accident.