Vol. 84 No. 9 - April 15, 2016

A smart competition

‘Reason’ for a new play

Bidding farewell

Students competed for scholorships during the 11th Annual Academic Competition — page 3

The LMC Drama Department prepares to debut its newest production April 20 — page 4

Women’s softball said goodbye to its sophmore players before playing Mendocino College April 12 — page 5

V O L .

8 4 ,

N O .

F.Y.I. Important Dates April is Alcohol Awareness Month April 29

Last day to drop with a W appearing on transcript

May 21 to 27 Final exams

9

F R I D A Y ,

A P R I L

1 5 ,

2 0 1 6

L M C E X P E R I E N C E . C O M

New police chief hired Carney vows to be ‘prepared’

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

The Contra Costa Community College District has made some big changes to its staff in recent years. The newest member to the district team is Ed Carney, who was welcomed this spring as the new Director of Police, Safety and Emergency Services.

According to an email from Executive Vice Chancellor Eugene Huff, Carney hails from New Jersey and served 25 years with the Cherry Hill Police Department. He spent the last 10 years as the Director of Public Safety and Facilities with Camden County College.

His experience is broad and includes oversight of police train-

ing and special operations units — a SWAT team member, a Hazardous Devices Technician and an Emergency Management Coordinator. Carney also taught at the Community College level, both in the classroom and online.

Carney’s classes covered current topics such as community policing See CHIEF, page 6

Batter up!

The LMC Sustainability Committee will be hosting an Earth Day Festival Wednesday, April 20 in the Outdoor Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature environmental games and activities, guided walks in the Nature Preserve, a plant sale, and appearances from local green organizations and vendors.

Los Medanos a big winner

By ALEXANDRA RIVA ariva@lmcexperience.com

for the Western title of Ms. Wheelchair USA and would be on the radio program “Too Gone Blonde” hosted by Suzy Vincent and Paul Slade this Sunday at 2 p.m.

On Wednesday afternoon, Cal State University Bakersfield Disability Advisor and Outreach Specialist Jason Watkins was invited to speak

Los Medanos College’s debate team traveled to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia for the United States Universities Debating Championship from April 7 to 11. Of the 66 universities competing, LMC was the only community college.

“The competition itself was great, LMC students won several big debates and were competitive with university students from across the country.

In particular, we had big wins against Texas Southern and Ole Miss,” said Kasey Gardner, a speech professor at LMC. Keeping with debate rules, students were not informed of debate topics prior to the competition and were only given 15 minutes to prepare themselves for the hour-long debate. Internet use during the competition was not allowed when preparing, but participants were allowed to use any printed materials they brought with them to help form an argument.

“It was just long days of debating back to back. It has a lot of philosophical underlying themes, like should you do certain things based on the betterment of the community if it harms someone else. It really challenges you on how to communicate effective ideas and concepts,” said Grace Babayan, a member of the debate team.

“You only have your brain and your partner,” she added.

The assigned topics were relevant to today’s issues in the world, ranging from ISIS to immigration to civilian casualties in times of conflict.

“To be honest, some of the controversial ones are the best because they really make you examine your own viewpoints,” said Richard Stanfield, a member of the LMC debate team.

The competition, which was

See DSPS, page 6

See TEAM, page 6

Personalizing for graduation Los Medanos College is teaming up with Jostens to provide students with an opportunity to purchase personalized graduation announcments.

For more information and to place an order, visit www.college.jostens.com.

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Assistant Coach Andre White uses his cellular phone to record a video during a moment of the men’s baseball game between the Los Medanos College Mustangs and the Contra Costa College Comets during a home game Monday, April 11. For the final score and game highlights, see full story on page 5.

Talks see little attendance Police Services is searching for applicants for an available position as a police aide on campus.

For more info on the requirements needed for the position and to download the application, visit 4cd.net/crpa/pd.

Honoring your achievments Those receiving a scholarship for the 2016-17 academic year, or transferring to a 4-year college or university in the fall, are invited to participate in and be honored at the Student Success Ceremony on Friday, May 20 at 3 p.m. in the LMC Recital Hall. To RSVP, please complete and submit the form available online at www. http://losmedanos.edu/success/ default.asp.

— Ed Carney

Atlanta hosts debate contest

Celebrating Earth Day

Apply now for aide position

“I want to do everything possible to make our students, faculty, and staff feel safe.”

Speakers visit both LMC sites to discuss DSPS

— posters about the event were put up around campus, kstelly@lmcexperience.com emails were sent to faculty Los Medanos College and it was mentioned in the hosted a series of speaker-led Experience.

“In the future, I would love events on both the Pittsburg and Brentwood campuses to collaborate with other on the topic of disability departments,” said Ghiselli.

LMC alumna Michelle awareness. Though no one Hernandez, PhD, came to the events the first of on the Pittsburg We’re not was three speakers campus, this didn’t “ visiting this past stop the guests here to put Tuesday. She refrom coming to a label on ceived her docCC-336 to speak you.” torate in Clinical for their cause.

LMC counselor — Jason Watkins Psychology from Alliant University Nina Ghiselli put on the event with Morgan in 2011 and has spoken at Lynn, and the speakers were other LMC events, such compensated with money as last summer’s Elevating from the school’s new equity Diversity conference. Her funding. She said she felt it primary point was about how was promoted well enough important it is for schools

By KIMBERLY STELLY and ADRIA WATSON

Experience • Jazmine Gordon

Counselor Nina Ghiselli talks about DSPS with a group of attendees in Room CC-336 during an event focusing on disabilities Wednesday, April 14. to accommodate students who have different styles of learning.

She spoke earlier in the day at LMC’s Brentwood campus, where there was more of an audience. Because there wasn’t anyone to speak to at the Pittsburg campus, she instead sat in the room and chatted with Ghiselli.

She noted she was running

A smart competition

‘Reason’ for a new play

Bidding farewell

Students competed for scholorships during the 11th Annual Academic Competition — page 3

The LMC Drama Department prepares to debut its newest production April 20 — page 4

Women’s softball said goodbye to its sophmore players before playing Mendocino College April 12 — page 5

V O L .

8 4 ,

N O .

F.Y.I. Important Dates April is Alcohol Awareness Month April 29

Last day to drop with a W appearing on transcript

May 21 to 27 Final exams

9

F R I D A Y ,

A P R I L

1 5 ,

2 0 1 6

L M C E X P E R I E N C E . C O M

New police chief hired Carney vows to be ‘prepared’

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

The Contra Costa Community College District has made some big changes to its staff in recent years. The newest member to the district team is Ed Carney, who was welcomed this spring as the new Director of Police, Safety and Emergency Services.

According to an email from Executive Vice Chancellor Eugene Huff, Carney hails from New Jersey and served 25 years with the Cherry Hill Police Department. He spent the last 10 years as the Director of Public Safety and Facilities with Camden County College.

His experience is broad and includes oversight of police train-

“I want to do everything possible to make our students, faculty, and staff feel safe.”

ing and special operations units — a SWAT team member, a Hazardous Devices Technician and an Emergency Management Coordinator. Carney also taught at the Community College level, both in the classroom and online.

Carney’s classes covered current topics such as community policing

— Ed Carney

See CHIEF, page 6

Batter up!

Atlanta hosts debate contest

Celebrating Earth Day The LMC Sustainability Committee will be hosting an Earth Day Festival Wednesday, April 20 in the Outdoor Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature environmental games and activities, guided walks in the Nature Preserve, a plant sale, and appearances from local green organizations and vendors.

Los Medanos a big winner

By ALEXANDRA RIVA ariva@lmcexperience.com

for the Western title of Ms. Wheelchair USA and would be on the radio program “Too Gone Blonde” hosted by Suzy Vincent and Paul Slade this Sunday at 2 p.m.

On Wednesday afternoon, Cal State University Bakersfield Disability Advisor and Outreach Specialist Jason Watkins was invited to speak

Los Medanos College’s debate team traveled to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia for the United States Universities Debating Championship from April 7 to 11. Of the 66 universities competing, LMC was the only community college.

“The competition itself was great, LMC students won several big debates and were competitive with university students from across the country.

In particular, we had big wins against Texas Southern and Ole Miss,” said Kasey Gardner, a speech professor at LMC. Keeping with debate rules, students were not informed of debate topics prior to the competition and were only given 15 minutes to prepare themselves for the hour-long debate. Internet use during the competition was not allowed when preparing, but participants were allowed to use any printed materials they brought with them to help form an argument.

“It was just long days of debating back to back. It has a lot of philosophical underlying themes, like should you do certain things based on the betterment of the community if it harms someone else. It really challenges you on how to communicate effective ideas and concepts,” said Grace Babayan, a member of the debate team.

“You only have your brain and your partner,” she added.

The assigned topics were relevant to today’s issues in the world, ranging from ISIS to immigration to civilian casualties in times of conflict.

“To be honest, some of the controversial ones are the best because they really make you examine your own viewpoints,” said Richard Stanfield, a member of the LMC debate team.

The competition, which was

See DSPS, page 6

See TEAM, page 6

Personalizing for graduation Los Medanos College is teaming up with Jostens to provide students with an opportunity to purchase personalized graduation announcments.

For more information and to place an order, visit www.college.jostens.com.

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Assistant Coach Andre White uses his cellular phone to record a video during a moment of the men’s baseball game between the Los Medanos College Mustangs and the Contra Costa College Comets during a home game Monday, April 11. For the final score and game highlights, see full story on page 5.

Talks see little attendance Apply now for aide position Police Services is searching for applicants for an available position as a police aide on campus.

For more info on the requirements needed for the position and to download the application, visit 4cd.net/crpa/pd.

Honoring your achievments Those receiving a scholarship for the 2016-17 academic year, or transferring to a 4-year college or university in the fall, are invited to participate in and be honored at the Student Success Ceremony on Friday, May 20 at 3 p.m. in the LMC Recital Hall. To RSVP, please complete and submit the form available online at www. http://losmedanos.edu/success/ default.asp.

Speakers visit both LMC sites to discuss DSPS

— posters about the event were put up around campus, kstelly@lmcexperience.com emails were sent to faculty Los Medanos College and it was mentioned in the hosted a series of speaker-led Experience.

“In the future, I would love events on both the Pittsburg and Brentwood campuses to collaborate with other on the topic of disability departments,” said Ghiselli.

LMC alumna Michelle awareness. Though no one Hernandez, PhD, came to the events the first of on the Pittsburg We’re not was three speakers campus, this didn’t “ visiting this past stop the guests here to put Tuesday. She refrom coming to a label on ceived her docCC-336 to speak you.” torate in Clinical for their cause.

LMC counselor — Jason Watkins Psychology from Alliant University Nina Ghiselli put on the event with Morgan in 2011 and has spoken at Lynn, and the speakers were other LMC events, such compensated with money as last summer’s Elevating from the school’s new equity Diversity conference. Her funding. She said she felt it primary point was about how was promoted well enough important it is for schools

By KIMBERLY STELLY and ADRIA WATSON

Wild spring weather at LMC From frigid mornings to scorching afternoons, Los Medanos College has been facing fluctuating weather conditions.

Source: Weather.com

Experience Graphic • Lissette Urbina Illustration by Sarah Gonzales

3

Experience • Jazmine Gordon

Counselor Nina Ghiselli talks about DSPS with a group of attendees in Room CC-336 during an event focusing on disabilities Wednesday, April 14. to accommodate students who have different styles of learning.

She spoke earlier in the day at LMC’s Brentwood campus, where there was more of an audience. Because there wasn’t anyone to speak to at the Pittsburg campus, she instead sat in the room and chatted with Ghiselli.

She noted she was running

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L O S

M EDAN OS

C OL L E G E

Quotable

E X P E R I E N C E

Perspectives

FRIDAY,

APRIL

15,

2016

2

“The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.”

— Andrew Brown

Nicholas Murphy

Emmanuel Pantoja

GUEST COLUMNIST

GUEST COLUMNIST

A call for help, not for attention

Latino presence in the elections

What does it take for a person to want to end their life? Life may be challenging at times, but doesn’t it seem ridiculous to want to end your own life?

These questions are usually the ones that pop up in our heads whenever the topic of suicide is brought up. What most people fail to realize, however, is that whenever someone even brings up the idea of suicide or seems to be contemplating the idea, it is usually a cry for help — either from the people around them or from professional assistance.

Suicide may seem like it’s the “easy way” out of facing your responsibilities, but we shouldn’t be the judge of why someone would want to end their life. The only thing that we should do is help these people. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents between the ages 15 to 24 and the second leading cause in adults between the ages 25 to 34 — the same age ranges as nearly half the students at Los Medanos College.

Many people dismiss suicide attempts as calls for attention, or just simply being overly emotional. People who want to commit suicide need help, not shunning. Signs that someone wants to commit suicide can include anything from drastic changes to the person’s appearance, giving away objects of personal or monetary value, even social withdrawals or isolation.

Even if anyone says anything about suicide or ending their life, we shouldn’t ignore them — we should make sure they’re OK.The best thing to do for someone that is feeling suicidal is to get help. Whether it’s telling a counselor, or trying to persuade them to talk to a professional. Maybe even hold an intervention of some sort — just let that person know that they are not alone.

We have all faced times in our lives when we have felt completely and utterly alone, but one of the best ways to get out of that feeling is to surround ourselves with those who love us.

Losing someone close to you is probably one of the hardest experiences that one can face — especially knowing that there might have been something that you could have done to stop it. I once knew a person who had gone to more funerals for her friends who committed suicide than she could count. I asked her how she ever got over these deaths.

“You never do,” she said.

It’s true. Experiencing a death is not something we can simply wish away, it stays with us forever. We’re not superheroes, we can’t stop every death from happening, but we can help by being a friend. We have to be there for those who need it. No one should ever feel as though ending their lives is the only way they can be happy. We must show our love, our compassion, our friendship with those we care for.

If you ever feel hopeless or depressed, just remember every day is a new thing to look forward to. Some days suck, but some days are great. Look forward to eating the last Pop-Tart in the box. Look forward to reading the new book from your favorite author. Look forward to that new movie coming out. Maybe have a day where you just “treat yo self.” Just remember there are great things to live for, no matter how small they may seem. Life can be hard, but the little things can make it better.

Never forget the love that is constantly around, even if it doesn’t seem to be there.

We’re all here to live our lives, not for the bullies or the mean bosses, but for ourselves.

If you ever feel like you need help, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800)273-8255.

I would like to address the importance of the Latino presence on this year’s election.

While Latino presence in politics does not affect everyone in the community, it carries a lot of weight as far as decision-making goes.

More and more Latinos are able to vote but choose not to because of the common misbelief that their votes do not count towards making a change. If one person thinks this is true, he or she will create a virus-like mindset — there will be a shift amongst people who surround that individual.

I think otherwise: Now more than ever, the Latino vote will determine the direction America takes with this year’s election.

I am honored to call myself a Latino because of the values I was taught from an early age — to respect one another, to work hard, to bring honor to my family and the community.

As an immigrant to the United States, I know what it’s like to be voiceless and to feel the need for stronger community leaders for the new generation of young Chicanos and Latinos. As a student activist, I find strength and inspiration from leaders like Cesar Chavez, who left a legacy and an impact not only on the Chicano community, but on the nation. New generations must continue to advocate and take action on the social justice issues of today — educational barriers, immigration reforms, poverty and reaching out to disenfranchised communities.

According to the Latino Community Foundation (LCF) “Latinos constitute about 21 percent of all registered voters in California -— but only 34 percent are likely to vote compared to 44 percent of Asians, 57 percent of blacks, and 73 percent of whites.”

Now, whom is this really affecting? You guessed it! Latinos. There is not a strong representation nor presence in politics from this ethnic group. As a Latino, I might complain about the decisions some politicians are making, but my voice is not taken into account if I don’t show up to the ballot to fight against current issues.

Latinos are big in the state of California, but are Latinos only big in California? According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States increased by 43.7 percent to 2.3 million, more than twice the national rate of 18 percent between 2002 and 2007.

People of Mexican origin owned 45.8 percent of all Hispanic-owned businesses.

The USCB also reports Hispanic-owned businesses generated $345.2 billion in sales in 2007, up 55.5 percent compared with 2002.

The number of Hispanic-owned businesses with receipts of $1 million or more increased 51.6 percent — from 29,168 to 44,206 businesses between 2002 and 2007. How can the government dismiss such data?

If the Latino community were better informed, they would take a stand for themselves and go out and vote. Why are Latinos not more informed? Many Latinos did not go further than their associates degree. According to the LCF, 32 percent of Latino youths don’t graduate from high school and only 14 percent have a bachelor’s degree. This means that their college experience is very minimal — a lot of important information is missed.

Disenfranchised communities deserve more attention and help from local leaders to overcome the common obstacles of poverty and lack of secondary education.

A way to achieve this change is through the election of more Latinos to political offices — trustees, delegates, senators, state governors and, one day, president. The first step is to make sure they know the power of their opinions and the value of their votes.

With this knowledge, registering Latino voters — and actually having them turn out and vote — will come easily.

Experience • Sarah Gonzales

Editorial

Employers will be watching

W

e now live in a world where people have much more access due to the Internet. From social lives to professional career networks, nothing remains private and most people nowadays have at least one or two social networks they frequently use. For college students, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are especially popular for networking.

Due to the sheer amount of technologies available and the immediate access that people have to the Internet, young people specifically no longer think about the consequences and permanence of their online activities.

It’s not uncommon to log onto your Facebook account and see a picture of a friend in a compromising position such as drinking, smoking marijuana, taking nude pictures, etc. What people forget is that these posts aren’t just limited to your friends and family, and they don’t just go away when your feed updates.

These photos are available to anyone at anytime, including future employers, current employers, coaches and professors.

This is important to remember, especially for college students who are looking for jobs, because odds are, before you even step foot into your potential employers office, he or she has already previewed all of your social media profiles.

Many professionals have spoken out about this and people have been fired for inappropriate posts. Take for example, Carly Mckinney, Math teacher at Overland high school in Aurora, Colorado, was dismissed in 2013 after mweeting pictures of herself nude and smoking pot.

Penn State’s offensive line coach Herb Hand had tweeted in 2015 about dropping another prospect for the Nittany Lions because of their social media presence, stating he was glad he “got to see the ‘real’ person” before they offered the prospective in question a position on the team.

There is a level of professionalism that employers expect and look for from their current and potential employees. And for college students who are on the verge of starting out their career, a good first impression could be the difference between whether or not you have a job.

Getting an education, making connections with the right people, preparing the perfect resume and interview responses will all be a waste if your image is compromised.

Images have a way of sticking in one’s memory, and it’s important that you exercise all the control you have over the way you are perceived when it comes to your online presence.

Although today’s generation has an obsession with not caring, one can’t practice that same

Letter to the Editor

LMC campus needs more security DEAR EDITOR: The incident that occurred Thursday, March 3 was shocking to all who attend or teach at LMC. People usually think that this kind of crime cannot happen to our small college campus.

We at LMC attend school with pride, and we act as a family.

On campus, you can walk down the halls and be greeted daily by positive passerby’s and the campus in general has a positive and homey feeling.

To hear about this sexual assault on our campus is frightening nonetheless, but it should open all of our eyes to see that it can happen anywhere.

I am glad to hear that the police are searching non-stop for the assailant and making this case a supreme priority, but it makes me think how safe our campus actually is.

I personally feel safe at the campus, but just

because I do, doesn’t mean that everyone does.

After this occurrence, we should take action to heighten security throughout the college.

Security on a campus is a huge deal since students most of the time are defenseless, unless they know or lean some form self defense.

There is a slight solution to the security issue I think. Most college campuses around the nation have inserted “emergency poles”, they are bright blue poles spread around the campus that have an emergency button on them.

These poles are a great investment because if an emergency occurs and no one is at the scene to report or assist, all the victim has to do is push the emergency button and it sends a distress signal to authorities.

Although it might cost a lot to the college, I believe the safety of the students is more important than a little money out of the college budget.

Reader Opinion Policy

— Tyler Williams

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com.

Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

Voices

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience

Do you believe all ethics are relative or universal/absolute and why?

Compiled

by

Yetunde

L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

Ogunleye

Member California Newspaper Publishers Association

“No, there are far too many systems of thought to be so cut and dry.

I don’t believe all ethics are universal, but I do believe that most ethics are universal.”

— Kasey Gardner

“Sometimes culture does influence the way we view ethics. So, yeah it has to be relative.”

— Michael Yeong

“I believe ethics are relative given the fact that there are multiple cultural considerations ...But I support the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.”

— Marie Arcidiacono

“In general I believe they are relative.

Each different culture instills their own view of the world.

You have to think about that when talking about ethics.”

—Joshua Bearden

“I gravitate towards universal. It’s my hope that regardless of ethnicity and race we can have an appreciation for all cultures.”

— Terrence Ivory

“Mostly it’s absolute but maybe there are some relative ethics due to culture.”

— John Schall

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Editors-in-Chief................DAMIAN LEWIN and CASSIE DICKMAN Perspectives Editor......YETUNDE OGUNLEYE Campus Editors...........ALEXANDRA RIVA and TYLER MORTIMORE Features Editor............BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ Sports Editors.....................RENEE SMITH and GARRETT BELME Photo Editor.......................JAZMINE GORDON New Media/Marketing.............JAMARI SNIPES Web Editor..........................KIMBERLY STELLY The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

LOS

M EDA N OS

C OL L E G E

Quotable

E X P E R I E N C E

Campus

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

3 LEO to rock the LMC vote — Abraham Lincoln

FRIDAY,

APRIL

15,

2016

Debate Society cohosts voter registration drive

By TYLER MORTIMORE

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

Experience • Joseph Delano

A group of students participating in Los Medanos College’s 11th Annual Academic Competition play Simon Says in the game round to win Starbucks giftcards, awarded to the final four contestants.

Knowledge put to test Event awards $7,000 in scholarships

By TYLER MORTIMORE and KIMBERLY STELLY

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College students were up bright and early Saturday, April 9 to flex their brains for a chance at big scholarship prizes at the 11th Annual Academic Competition.

The Cinnamon Dragons — a team consisting of Jacob Smith, Garbiel Halladay, Sam Halladay and Todd Hirtler — came away with first place and the $3,000 grand prize.

20 teams of four were met with free

breakfast as they entered the LMC gym at 8 a.m.

In an e-mail sent out by Scott Cabral, he noted they have backup participants in queue. “We have two students willing to help out if a member of your team doesn’t show up or can’t make it on Saturday.”

Students anxiously congregated with their teams as they awaited the beginning of competition.

Astronomy professor Scott Cabral explained the competition rules before unleashing students on the first round of the competition, an English portion

consisting of SAT questions which students had one hour to answer.

Students had a short break to regroup and snack before going back to work on the math section of the competition.

They had another hour to work on the questions, which ranged from simple maths to harder ones.

Student Moses T. Lawson IV from team No-ledge, consisting of other members JR Villacorte, Sandeep Thind and Garauv Thind, said, “The math was the hardest part — I’m pretty sure I only got one

See COMP, page 6

Los Medanos College students interested in shaping their communities and country can take the first step toward action at Club LEO’s Rock the Vote registration drive on the Outdoor Quad May 5.

The event, also sponsored by the Los Medanos Debate Society, is partnering with the Rock the Vote organization, a group founded in 1990 to bolster youth voting.

The partnership will aid in both the branding of the event and the logistical issues that come with registering what Club LEO president Collin Brown hopes is a large number of new voters.

“Last year less than half of [all potential voters] went out to vote for their local officials,” said Brown, who added free hot dogs will be given to students who register.

In an election cycle that prominently features outsiders like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Donald Tr ump promising sweeping change, young voters are key in shaping change, says political science professor Dave Zimny.

“If we’re going to change things, young voters have a very special role. They’re generally the ones least tied into the current system,” explained Zimny. “They’re the ones who can see the ways the system needs to be changed.”

While California has gone blue in ever y presidential election since 1992, many important decisions are made

by voters at the state, county and local levels, many of which are decided by slim margins.

This November, voters will decide on a number of propositions addressing issues ranging from multilingual education in public schools and plastic bag bans to a possible mandated use of condoms in adult films produced in our state.

“The youth in America always have the ability to change the course of history,” said Debate Society president Taylor Gonzalez. “From the Presidential election to city and county elections, using our vote to make a change in the community is of the utmost importance.”

For many LMC students — including Brown and Gonzalez — this will be the first Presidential election they’ll be voting in. Another of the event’s coordinators, LEO’s Israel Castro, is ineligible to vote due to his lack of citizenship, but is taking up the torch of student activism anyway.

“The issues at hand are critical and do indeed need to be addressed and solved,” said Castro. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of something huge and innovative at Los Medanos College.”

Zimny, who just missed out on the opportunity to vote when the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971, stressed the significance of suffrage.

“Telling students how important their vote could be is something everyone who teaches politics should be doing,” said Zimny.

EMTs prep in sun

DON’T SCRATCH THE SURFACE.

BREAK THE GROUND. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2016

New program to help student vets integrate

By JASON FIERROS Staff Writer

STAY ON TRACK.

GRADUATE AND START YOUR CAREER ON TIME. • Small classes, personal attention • $2,000 Los Medanos College transfer award • $14,000 Honors at Entrance Scholarships RSVP for the April 27 transfer information session at smcadmit.com

Saint Mary’s College of California smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu

Experience • Chris Ruiz

William Tucker and Ryan Carpenter stabilize a patient to a spine board on the grass in Lot C during the EMS class April 13. The spine board is used to immobilize patients during transport to a hospital in the event of a spinal injury.

(800) 800-4SMC

For most people going to college, the civilian life is something they are completely used to. For military veterans, however, it can be difficult to adjust to the change in lifestyle and environment after being discharged from their service.

Los Medanos College has recently shared that it has created a new Military & Veterans Research Guide to coincide with the opening of the new Veterans Center Thursday, April 28 to help assist veterans during this process.

“This guide was created to assist veterans in finding resources related to careers and transitioning to civilian life,” said Electronic Resources Librarian Kim Wentworth.

Pew Research reports 27 percent of veterans have difficulty transitioning, and 44 percent of veterans have served ten years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The guide has many links that will provide military veterans with many resources such as,

finding jobs and coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It also contains links to other resources that will help veterans discover the assistance available to them in the area, such as the Concord Vet Center and the Delta Veterans Group.

“It also includes information for those considering enlisting or researching topics related to the United States military,” said Wentworth.

This part of the guide has books on joining the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines.

It also has information on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Board test, a multiple choice examination which gauges the taker’s proficiency in academic and mechanical subjects, a prerequisite to joining any military branch.

For more information on the guide go to losmedanos.libguides.com To find out more information on veteran ser vices, contact the Of fice of Admissions & Records at 473-7500 or email lmcadmissions@losmedanos.edu

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Features Marquee Movies just released

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“Self-esteem is such a challenging issue for young women.”

— Kimberly Elise

Students run new show

n “The Jungle Book” Rated PG Genre: Family, Adventure n “Criminal” Rated R Genre: Thriller, Action, Adventure n “Everybody Wants Some” Rated R Genre: Sports, Comedy n “Barbershop: The Next Cut” Rated PG-13 Genre: Comedy, Sequel

Theater events

The California Theatre is located in Pittsburg at 351 Railroad Ave. For ticket sales and additional information call 427-1611. n “6 RMS RIV VU” tells the story a man and women who find themselves locked in a apartment with a mutual attraction.

The show will be performed beginning tonight, April 15 at 8 p.m. and will also be running April 16 with 2 and 8 p.m. showings and April 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $25. n The Best Intentions will be performing MoTown hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s featuring tribues to groups such as The Temptations, The Four Tops and Smokey & The Miracles Ticket prices for the event range from $25 to $30. n The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West presents The Commander’s Jazz Sextet. This group of trained musicians will be playing a show Saturday, April 30 at 7 p.m. Tickets to this event are free. Seats for the show will be released 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance. However, seating is not guaranteed.

Experience • Chris Ruiz

Professor Jack Nicholaus and student Yessica Morfin demonstrate an acting exercise Wednesday, April 13.

‘Reasons to Be Pretty’ set to premiere

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

Photo courtesy of elcampaniltheatre.com

Promotional art for Nelson Illusion’s Smoke and Mystery tour.

El Campanil shows

The El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W Second St. in Antioch. For ticket sales and additional information visit elcampaniltheatre.com or call 757-9500. n “Last Comic Standing” finalist, Rocky LaPorte, will be bringing his everyman comedic style to the theater tonight, April 15 at 8 p.m. Opening for LaPorte is local comedian Johnny Steele. Ticket prices are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. n El Campanil Children’s Theatre presents the classic story of “The Jungle Book” Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for youth. n Nelsons Illusion will be performing an illusion show Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m. as part of their Smoke and Mystery tour.

Ticket prices are $27 for adults, $25 for seniors and $15 for youth. n A Ray Charles tribute will be performed by a swinging sextet of Bay Area musicians Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. The band features 11-time Grammy Award winning artist Tony Lindsey, guitarist Chris Cain and vocalist Glenn Walters.

Ticket prices are $27 for adults, $25 for senior and $15 for youth.

Photo courtesy of srctgrp.org

Promotional art for the show “Sweeney Todd.”

The Los Medanos College Drama Department is bringing the show “Reasons to Be Pretty” to the LMC community and it will be performed at the Little Theater beginning Wednesday, April 20 at 7 p.m.

Drama students John Dunn and Konnor Heredia will be directing the third and final comedic play in a trilogy written by Neil LaBute.

“It begins in the middle of a fight between the main couple, Greg and Stephanie. Greg makes an insensitive comment kind of playing around with the best friend of the show… about his girlfriend and calls her average,” said Katey Hilton, who plays Stephanie.

The show tackles issues on self-esteem and the effects words can have on other people.

“You’re just going on this journey of Greg becoming a better person and really finding out the kind of person he is and taking responsibility for his wrongdoings,” said Hilton.

Unlike other plays put on by the drama department, this show will be student-led meaning all the decisions for the show will be made

by LMC drama students.

“A group of students went to professor [Drama Department Chair Nick] Garcia and voiced their concerns [over acting opportunities,]” said drama student Stephanie Lutz about how the student-led production came to be.

Directorial skills shine in ‘Special’

Austin Trenholm, who plays the lead, echoed his sentiments.

“Reasons to Be Pretty” will be the first production he will appear in.

“It’s my first show and I’m terrified half to death. I’ve never acted before,” said Trenholm. “I had no intentions of auditioning.”

The cast and crew have advised people to not bring kids to the show, as the content of the production could be graphic for young children.

“Reasons to Be Pretty” opens on April 20 and runs through April 21 and 22 with 7 p.m. showings.

Tickets will be $7 for students or those with military ID, $10 for the general public and $5 for middle school and high school students with an ID.

By TYLER MORTIMORE

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

There’s something about a done-right pursuit movie — the everyman in dire trouble, the cheap motels with slack-jawed attendants, the lone pair of headlights hurtling down a desolate highway, the shotguns, the duct tape — that makes for a magical experience. Jeff Nichols’ new film “Midnight Special,” a pursuit movie informed by early-era Spielberg, is electric.

Writer and director Nichols begins his latest work in a dimly-lit, cheap motel room occupied by two blue-collar men and a comic book-reading boy (Jaeden Lieberher) in swim goggles. Through a combination of local news reports and a police scanner, we learn an Amber Alert has been declared for the boy and that one of the men, Roy (Michael Shannon), is his father. After some careful surveillance through the drapes, Lucas (Joel Edgerton) declares it safe to leave, and the trio drive off into the night in a weathered Chevy Chevelle.

In hot pursuit is the FBI, led by specialist Paul Sevier (Adam Driver), and the Christian cult Roy and the boy’s mother (Kirsten Dunst).

Nichols, the mind behind “Shotgun Stories,” “Mud” and “Take Shelter” — one of the best films of the last decade — proves again that he’s one of the best young filmmakers in the industry, and by far the most skilled at coaxing strong, subtle performances out of his actors.

REVIEW

Photo Courtesy of imdb.com

Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton, Michael Shannon and Jaeden Lieberher in the film “Midnight Special.”

Though “Midnight Special” is more of a genre film than his first three efforts — many correct links to the John Carpenter films of the early `80s have been made — Nichols melds the chase with his previous family dramas to create emotional tension that doesn’t typically exist in other, lesser films.

Nichols continues his symbiotic relationship with Shannon, the anchor of his first two movies and a memorable part of “Mud.” Like Nichols’ low-key ascension, Shannon has quietly become one of the best actors around — just a brief glare from his asymmetric eyes can convey more information than a well-crafted monologue. This is the third time Nichols has made him the embattled, blue collar Everyman, and Shannon continues to prove there is no more

interesting avatar with which to explore and subvert American masculinity and fatherhood.

Edgerton and Dunst are both great, but Driver nearly steals the show as the intelligent but nebbish Sevier, an academic type thrust out in the field.

Spielberg’s early classics — “Jaws,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T.” — grounded their drama in their characters. Fathers wrestling with the responsibility of parenthood, kids dealing with absentee fathers — you didn’t just want them to escape the insatiable shark so they could live, you wanted them to escape so they could live together as a family.

Nichols brings this old-school sensibility to “Midnight Special,” exploring new territory while maintaining his artistic vision.

‘Gore’ plays with a new sound

‘Sweeney Todd’

The story of “Sweeney Todd” is put on by the Stage Right Conservatory Theatre.

It is currently being shown at the Nick Rodriguez Center at 213 F St. in Antioch. with 7 p.m. showings tonight, April 15 and 16 and a Sunday matinee performance April 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for children 10 and under and seniors on Sunday matinees.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

“It didn’t come by chance, it came by actually pushing a little bit.”

A panel of students had the chance to choose a show out of three plays, “Boeing Boeing,” “Reasons to be Pretty” and “Wonder of the World.”

“The themes of the play kind of fit with what has been going on in our department,” said Hilton on why the show was chosen. “There’s a lot of issues with image.”

According to Hilton, there have been discussions within the drama department about the importance of strong female characters and accurate representation on stage.

“The message behind the show is pretty powerful. During this time there’s a lot of body shaming going on with women,” said Dunn.

By ATREYU HINCKLEY Staff Writer

Alternative metal band Deftones has returned with their eighth studio album titled “Gore.”

Prior to its release, the Sacramento natives decided to expand into a more experimental and melodic type of sound — rather than their usual heavy-guitar sound — combined with the melodic vocals of lead singer Chino Moreno.

This did not go without tension between the band members, as guitarist Stephen Carpenter was not a fan of the path the band’s sound was

REVIEW

Photo Courtesy of deftones.com

Cover art for Deftones’ latest album entitled “Gore.”

taking. Carpenter felt that the sound of “Gore” was catered toward what Moreno wanted, focusing more on his vocals rather than the band’s sound as a whole, which is what many fans and critics have come to praise Deftones for.

This is evident in their first single “Prayers/ Triangles,” which goes from a soft verse to a metal-like chorus and bridge. “Prayers / Triangles” heavily focuses on Moreno’s vocal range, from a melodic singing to a haunting scream. However, in the second single “Doomed User,” Carpenter, combining with the high pitch screams of MoreSee GORE, page 6

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Which major league pitcher holds the record for most strikeouts in a row?

A: Tom Seaver

LOS

Mustangs sweep Comets

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Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Los Medanos College player Jason Kreske catches the ball and makes the out at first base during the contest agianst Contra Costa College.

Baseball tied for first place in Bay Valley league

By RENEÉ SMITH

rsmith@lmcexperience.com

The Los Medanos College baseball team recently swept Contra Costa College in their two game series.

The April 7 away game ended 7-2, and the subsequent home game on April 11 at LMC finished 14-5.

LMC’s starting pitcher Jake Brandt went seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits and four strikeouts in the second game.

Catcher Ethan Utler started the game with a bang, sending a first inning shot over the left field fence to put the Stangs on the board with an early 1-0 lead. The Comets would answer back in the second inning

when a base runner scored off of a wild pitch, tying the game 1-1.

Utler doubled during the bottom of the second, scoring outfielder Jon Allen and moving outfielder Deon White into scoring position. White would soon score off of a wild pitch, and Utler found his way home after outfielder Jared Ambuehl produced an RBI single to put LMC up 4-1.

Contra Costa attempted to answer back in the fourth inning, but only managed to score once before being silenced by Brandt and the Mustang defense.

LMC continued to tack on the runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Third baseman Tony Self started

the rally with an RBI double, scoring Allen and advancing Ambuehl to third base. Outfielder Jake Hom kept the heat on CCC, knocking an RBI single that scored Ambuehl. Shortstop Jeremiah Francis made it to first off of a CCC error and Hom quickly found his way to home plate, advancing the LMC lead to 9-2.

LMC’s defense put away Contra Costa for another inning to grab their bats once again.

Allen got on base again with an RBI double scoring White in the bottom of the seventh making it 10-2.

Pitcher Matt Davis came in for the top of the eighth, allowing one hit and no runs along with a strikeout.

He silenced the bats of the opposing team, giving the go-ahead for LMC to continue their rampage.

White singled in the bottom of the eighth, scoring designated hitter Brandon Hutslar and sending second baseman Brandon Gazdar to second and Francis to third. Allen would once again fire up his bat and produce an RBI single, scoring Francis. Ambuehl followed Allen with a two-run RBI double, widening the LMC lead to 14-2.

The top of the ninth inning saw two more LMC pitchers. Nick Marcelli was removed after allowing three runs on one earned hit, and his replacement Austin Herrington went three up, three down.

Veteran players honored

Jared Ambuehl REAL TIME WITH JARED

NCAA should pay the players

Team splits games on sophomore night

By GARRETT BELME

gbelme@lmcexperience.com

The Los Medanos College softball team said goodbye to their sophomores with a two game series split against Mendocino College on April 12.

Before the game, LMC took time out to recognize the four, 2-year sophomores leaving the program. Pitcher Julie Lopez, who has a 3.4 gpa and plans to attend Sacramento State University, short stop Renee Smith, who has a 3.8 gpa and headed to attend San Francisco State University, third baseman Maria Reyes, 3.0 gpa while planning to attend California State University East Bay, and catcher Brittni brown, 3.88 gpa and also planning to attend CSUEB. A ceremonial first pitch and a singing of the Star Spangled Banner followed the ceremony to start the game.

The Mustangs came out hot in the first game. Starting pitcher Abbee Cruz-Lawrence produced just the right amount of pitches in order for the defense to put away the side in three at bats. Lopez would see her time at the plate in the bottom of the first as she hacked away at the first pitch, sending it over left field fence for a 4-run grand slam, 4-0. Mendocino would fail to produce base runners to catch up.

Come bottom of the third, first baseman would join in on the homerun fun and blast a Experience • Cathie Lawrence 2-run bomb over right field fence, 6-0.

Top left: Julie Lopez is transferring to Sacramento State.

Top right: Renee Smith Defensive excellence from the Mustangs is transferring to San Francisco State.

Bottom left: Maria Reyes is transferring to would continue to shut down the opposing side, as their bats remained hot throughout the game. California State East Bay. Bottom right: Brittni Brown is transferring to California See SOFT, page 6

Contra Costa’s offense produced some runs in their last at-bats, but weren’t able to produce enough to tie it up, ultimately ending the game 14-5.

The team’s bats proved stringing together good at-bats with a solid defensive wall are the keys to coming out on top.

“The offense was good, I couldn’t have asked for any more run support,” said Brandt. “My [personal] expectations for the games to come are to have better command of all my pitches and dominate low in the zone.”

As of April 11, LMC is 13-3 in conference, and is ranked 15th in Northern California as of April 6.

State East Bay.

The latest controversy when it comes to money in collegiate sports is whether or not players should receive endorsement deals.

According to National College Athletic Association (NCAA) rules, schools are forbidden from offering any form of compensation beyond a scholarship in exchange for a student’s talents, and students are not permitted to accept endorsement deals of any kind.

Leon Chong wrote an article for gunnoracle. com in 2014 stating, “Teams, like the Texas A&M Aggies who employed the talents of Manziel, profit greatly from televising football; according to USA Today, the university saw $120 million in revenue from its athletic department. Needless to say, schools are making a hefty income off their players. But an issue remains: the players are not being rewarded for their hard work.”

As a player myself, I do not think collegiate athletes should be paid for their talents other than the scholarship they receive to go to whatever grandiose school they decide. This is separate however, from endorsement deals.

“I don’t feel student-athletes should get hundreds of thousands of dollars,” University of Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier said back in 2014. “But like I said, there are hungry nights that I go to bed and I’m starving.”

I am sorry Mr. Napier, but there is no way you went to bed starving back in your days at Connecticut. But, since he was a great college basketball player, this caused a stir in the sports media world over whether or not athletes should receive money. Mathew Lesser, a representative of the players, had an interesting point on cnn.com.

“He says he’s going to bed hungry at a See NCAA, page 6

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question right.” Which was the same sentiment echoed by other participants.

After an extended lunch break — featuring mountains of pizzas provided from LMC’s Associated Students, who hosted the event — participants went right back into it, this time taking on the science section, which was divided between biology and astronomy.

After one last break, teams took on the social sciences test, which covered a variety of subjects from psychology to economics.

A game of Simon Says confirmed what many professors might have suspected — students can be less-than-stellar listeners. The small band of red-faced students who survived a twerking command was awarded Starbucks gift cards.

After scores were tallied, the winners were announced.

Following the Cinnamon Dragons, the Plaidicals (Rebekah Hernik, Daniel Galindo, Monet Ketchum, Devanie Harper) took second and $2000, the Braniacs (Prabhjot Singh, Linda Drum, Reikio Kubto, Cody Smith) took third and $1,000, The Other Boys (Marc Magarin, Claudio Ramao, Kyle McEachern, Jeffrey Johnson) took fourth and $600 and The Boiz (Hoaran Xu, Justin Bullock, Jackson Wise, Timothy Carter) rounded out the top five and split the $400 prize.

Nobody went home empty-handed — all participants took home a $10 gift card to the LMC bookstore and a commemorative t-shirt.

“The atmosphere was cool — very well organized,” said Lawson. “I enjoyed my time competing! I would participate again.”

time when millions of dollars are being made off of him. It’s obscene,” Lesser said. “This isn’t a Connecticut problem.

This is an NCAA problem, and I want to make sure we’re putting pressure on them to treat athletes well.”

Knowing that most schools offer meal plans of some sort, I just do not think there is anyway Shabazz Napier was starving. That is certainly not a word just to throw around.

But nonetheless it did cause controversy, but I still do not think players should get paid to play other than scholarships and endorsements.

As it is now, players are not allowed to get endorsements, and this just does not make any sense. This was ncaa.org’s way of explaining why athletes do not get endorsements.

“If the college-bound student-athlete was chosen to participate because of his or her athletic ability, he or she may not be paid. However, the prospective student-athlete may receive expenses related to the commercial event such as meals or lodging.”

The NCAA is clearly corrupt in many fashions, and it is no wonder why basketball players spend one year in college then go to the NBA. In the capitalistic society we live in, the NCAA needs to catch up with the times and let their student athletes have endorsement deals. Don’t get me wrong, getting a scholarship and helping your parents pay for college is every athlete’s dream, but the players that bring in a ton of revenue for the NCAA should be able to receive endorsements.

Mendocino would get away with a single run in the fourth inning, but the lady Stangs decided to put the game away and bury the Eagles. End of game one, LMC walked away with a 13-1 sweet win.

Game two did not go as swimmingly as game one.

The roles were reversed as the Mustangs were hunted down 2-15.

Lopez started out the second game, allowing four runs in the first inning. Los Medanos would find their way onto the bases but fail to capitalize with r unners in scoring position.

Top of the second Cruz-Lawrence would be brought back onto the mound; however Mendocino was not fazed by the pitching change and tacked on more runs to stretch the gap 0-6.

Bottom of the fifth would show hope for the Stangs as Smith doubled to right field, and was brought home

by Brown, followed by first baseman Jayla Allen who had a sacrifice fly to score Brown, 2-6. This would be the last time LMC scored during the second game.

Top of the seventh inning the Eagles decided to leave their hearts on the field and ended the game 2-15.

“I think that we star ted the first game strong, but we could’ve done better in the second game,” said Reyes.

Despite the hard loss, head coach Tim Rognlien recognized the girls’ fight until the very end and still had high hopes for the remainder of the season. Along with Rognlien, the departing sophomores reminisced on the season and the life long memories they will take away.

“My favorite memor y I would have to say is just the friendships and opportunities LMC softball has given me,” said Lopez. “I want to say thank you to coach Tim and his staff for turning this program around, and also to my team for making my last season one to remember.”

Along with Lopez, Smith shared that her heart will remain on the Los Medanos field.

“The best memories I’ve made are definitely from this season. It’s bittersweet that my last season is my best, and this team is the closest I’ve ever been to a group of girls, but I’m glad we are how we are,” said Smith. “I feel like I’m going to leave a piece of me behind. It’s my last year playing and I know I didn’t want to keep playing when I got to LMC, but looking back I’m glad coach Tim convinced me. It was great while it lasted,” she added.

The last home game of the Los Medanos softball season is April 19 and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

For more information on the LMC softball team visit http:// www.losmedanos.edu/softball

via Skype, but once again, no one showed up. The event continued despite the lack of attendance.

A colleague of Watkins, Jasmine Padilla also attended the event. Her job is to “provide information to all new, incoming students.”

She also works with students with disabilities and came to answer questions regarding CSUB’s Anchor program, which provides services to those with disabilities.

Watkins acknowledged that there is stigma surrounding learning-disabled students.

“There are students who don’t want to identify that way. Other students have this notion of what it means to be disabled and [they] get caught up in what disability looks like and what does disability act like,” said Watkins. Though it’s a long process to try and normalize it, he said that at least “we’ve got students

From page 3

From page 5

CHIEF From page 1

and terrorism.

“I bring a unique set of experiences,” said Carney, “My law enforcement career concentrated on police tactics and officer training. Police response to emergency situations and preparation comes from effective training.”

“Being prepared for critical incidents better protects our community,” Carney added.

He said his focus is to build relationships, facilitate open discussion and educate our community. Carney explained that when it comes to safety on a college campus, the most important partner is the community and that people need to depend on relationships built on trust and interactive communication.

“I cannot make a different to out College District unless I am listening,” said Carney.

Carney has always been interested in moving to Northern California, where he says the diverse cultures and colorful natural landscapes make the area unique from anywhere else in the country. When he spent some time here in the last several years he knew the Bay Area was where he wanted to be.

The district is planning more professional development and informational sessions. The officers have become more accessible to the community over the years and they want to continue to increase their visibility and accessibility — they cannot do their job effectively without the help of students. Carney wants to encourage students to trust their instincts and call police services if they see something suspicious.

“I am very fortunate that CCCD found me to be a good fit for the role as director for public safety,” said Carney.

“I am grateful to the faculty, staff, and students for being so welcoming and gracious.”

Los Medanos College Police Lieutenant Ryan Huddleston and President Bob Kratochvil said they were awaiting the oppor tunity to work with Carney.

Huddleston said he was eager to see what they can improve on as a district.

“We’re looking forward to working with him,” said Huddleston. “I think he’s going to bring a lot of good experience to the department and to the district, so I’m encouraged.”

Kratochvil said the meeting and interactions he has

had with the new director have been great. He said Carney has already exhibited a strong interest in campus involvement.

“He has a keen desire to ensure safe campuses for our students, classified professionals, faculty and visitors,” said Kratochvil.

Kratochvil said he also is anticipating working with fellow colleagues who are taking on new positions within the district, such as Contra Costa College’s new president Mojdeh Mehdizadeh.

“I am looking forward to continuing work with Mojdeh,” said Kratochvil.

“She has been an incredible colleague in her previous position, and I know our working relationship will continue to focus on the students of our district.”

But Carney and Mehdizadeh will not be the only ones given new positions. Soon the district will have to start the process of finding a new chancellor after the current chancellor, Helen Benjamin, retires this year.

According to CCCD Director of Communications and Community Relations Tim Leong, the hiring process at the district level deals with ver y clear guidelines and procedures outlined in both board policies and human resource procedures.

Leong explained there are classified faculty members and community members who are involved in the chancellor hiring process.

“When you are dealing with someone like the Chancellor, there’s a lot of eyes watching and [it’s important to make] sure that all constituents, including the community, has a voice in the decision process,” said Leong.

There are three committees that come together for this decision process —classified community representative, faculty and a student representative group who are all a part of the decision-making process.

Leong said there is a classified senate who gets together to decide on which community and faculty member will be represented and the associated student body presidents — from each of the college around the district — have meetings to decide on who will be on the this hiring committee.

From page 5

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Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com

From page 1

talking about things they don’t normally talk about.”

Watkins wants to change the idea people with disabilities aren’t as smart because students have grown up thinking people are going to put them aside because they might not be excelling at the same rate as other students.

“We’re not here to put a label on you,” Watkins said. “We’re just here to help you get the most out of your education.”

Like Hernandez, Watkins emphasized the importance of accommodation between students and instructors. He told a short anecdote about a student he once had who was suffering with “debilitating anxiety.” He hid it until the end of the semester and Watkins said if he had known, he would have reached out to him.

Students should let instructors know about any concerns they might have and teachers

have to be willing to “work to foster that connection.”

Later that day, speaker Diego Kusnir hosted a workshop for using poetry to understand blindness and disability for success. Kusnir, who is legally blind, attended Berkeley High School, went on to UC Berkeley for his undergrad, and received his masters in psychology at Alliant University. During the workshop, Kusnir showed three videos that related to his struggles and feelings about his own disability.

“The intention was to see people emotionally identify with me — to decrease the stigma towards blind people,” said Kusnir. “Making the blind seem less different and showing there are people who are going through the same everyday issues.”

Songs like “Acid Hologram,” “Geometric Headdress” and “Gore” show the vocal focus Carpenter was talking about.

The sounds of these songs are very bizarre, but it leaves an incredible impression. The album’s tenth traack “Phantom Bride” features Jerry Cantrell, lead guitarist of grunge rock band Alice in Chains. Cantrell delivers a beautiful guitar solo halfway through the song, which continues through the rest of the song.

Although a very calm song, the last fifty seconds of the track ends with one of the doomiest breakdowns of any Deftones songs to date.The album concludes with “Rubicon,” which steps into a more f amiliar Deftones sound. Bassist Sergio Vega continues to improve, shining on tracks like “Prayers / Triangles,” “Xenon,”

“(L)MIRL” and “Phantom Bride.” Vega’s bass work did not show much promise on previous albums “Diamond Eyes” and “Koi No Yokan,” most likely due to being the replacement to the late original bassist Chi Cheng.

Vega’s sound was a pleasant surprise — it shows how much he can assist in Deftones’ sound.

Deftones focused more on trying a new sound while not strolling too far away from their roots, and it makes “Gore” an incredible experience. It is engaging, haunting and arguably one of the group’s greatest releases. It is an excellent follow up to their previous album “Koi No Yokan,” and after twenty-five years, Deftones still knows how to stay fresh and relevant with each new release.

challenges the tournament threw at them. They were in good spirits and made sure to make the best of everything,” said Arcidiacono.

Although most of their time was spent working and competing, there was still time for the students and staff in attendance to enjoy themselves.

“We spent most of the time at the tournament but did have a chance to see the Coke Museum, MLK Jr. National Park, House, and the Headquarters of CNN,” said Gardner.

Although LMC was the only community college in the competition, they were able to hold their own in the competition.

Arcidiacono recalled feel-

ing proud of her debaters, especially after receiving compliments from other schools.

“They represented themselves, the team and college exceptionally well,” said Arcidiacono. “We strive to encourage our competitors to not just bring forth the strongest arguments but also bring forth the highest level of respect for everyone in the round.”

— Sarah Gonzales contributed to this report

GORE From page 4

no, begins immediately with a heavy guitar riff. Arguably the heaviest song of the album, this single is the epitome of what the band’s sound is about, which may lead fans to question what exactly Carpenter felt was wrong with the sound.

The third pre-release single “Hearts/Wires” begins with a minute-long interlude that explores the sound of Frank Delgado’s keyboard and Carpenter’s softer guitar work.

We are finally introduced to Moreno’s vocals, with the standout chorus, “Cut through this razor wire and dine on your heart mine ‘til the end.” The track is a great combination of disturbing-yet-spine-chilling sound.

The album’s eight remaining tracks stand out more than any of the early singles.

TEAM From page 1

several days long, had many ups and downs.

“The event administrators, who were consultants for Morehouse, did a terrible job of running the tournament.

There were unreasonable delays and an embarrassing display of professionalism from the tabulation staff, who were not Morehouse employees,” said Gardner.

Marie Arcidiacono, an LMC Assistant Professor-Communication Studies, agreed with Gardner.

“Debating at a tournament as lengthy as the USUDC, coupled with the delays of the tournament, proves challenging. I was impressed, but not surprised, at how well our students handled all of the