Vol. 84 No. 13 - May 13, 2016

Time for tea

Familiar face on campus

The pain of the game

Artist Kalee Kennedy transforms her imagination into reality through working with ceramics — page 5

Student Giancarlo Smargiasso opens up about his personal life and discusses his unique image — page 6

While sports injuries are commonly associated with male athletes, female injuries are more frequent — page 8

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Leaving with a legacy

Price to retire after 43 years

May is National Water Safety Month

By DAMIAN LEWIN

dlewin@lmcexperience.com

May 23 to 27 Final exams

May 30

Memorial Day: college is closed

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Appliance Service Technology instructor Leonard Price lectures a group of his students.

Facing the “hardest decision” he has made in his 43 years of teaching at Los Medanos College, Appliance Ser vice Technology instructor Leonard “Len” Price has decided to retire at the end of the 2015-16 school year. While plans to travel the United States are already set for the founding faculty member, he stated his absence from LMC is only temporary.

“I am planning to come back as a volunteer in the appliance

program,” said Price. “I have a group of volunteer aides that have made the appliance program work. I plan to be on call as substitute teacher when needed in the appliance program.”

Hired by the college’s first president, Jack Carhar t in March 1973, Price was one of only three faculty members to begin instructing at the new college in its first semester in the spring of 1974. Along with automotive instructor Mike Miller and welding instructor

Dunking for charity Finals week at LMC is Monday, May 23, through Friday, May 27. Make-up finals will be scheduled on Friday only with advanced instructor consent. To find the examination time for a particular class, locate the day and class meeting time on the top chart and note the letter in the time slot.

Evening final examinations end Thursday, May 26, during the regularly scheduled class time.

Renewal used to raise GPAs

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

Personalizing for graduation LMC is teaming up with Jostens to offer personalized graduation announcements for the May 27 event. For more info visit www.college. jostens.com.

ALLIES ends year with party Experience • Chris Ruiz

LMC President Bob Kratochvil reacts to the cold water after being one of many individuals who was “dunked” during Pantry Project’s two-day Dunk Tank Fundraiser in the Outdoor Quad Wednesday, May 11.

Graduation approaches Class of ’16 prepares to participate in spring ceremony

By ALEXANDRA RIVA ariva@lmcexperience.com

Apply now for aide position

Police Services is searching for applicants 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.

See PRICE, page 7

Students getting a second chance

Spring finals upcoming

The LMC ALLIES club will be having a Pre-Pride Party May 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. on the field in front of the Math Building.

The event will also serve as an end-of-the-semester celebration with a Holi throwing and a water balloon fight. Tickets are $4 or $6 for a ticket and a shirt.

Bob Sysum, the trio began laying the foundation for the newest Bay Area community college.

“There were no telephones or supervisors on campus, just bare walls and few students,” said Price as he described the dif ficulty of there being no additional support for the new faculty. “We had to build our courses from the ground up, which was a great challenge, and I kept saying to myself ‘do you really want to do this.’”

After more than four decades

After work comes reward at Los Medanos College, where another class will partake in the graduation ceremony Friday, May 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the college’s football stadium.

“Graduation is one of the best examples of student

success,” said LMC President Bob Kratochvil in an email. “ Our graduating students have worked hard in their academic endeavors, and the commencement ceremony is a sensational way of celebrating their accomplishments.”

Before the big day, there are a few things those moving

on should be informed of including proper attire and times, all of which will be covered at Student Success Ceremony on May 20 at 3 p.m., in the Recital Hall (Room MU-720).

A cap and gown must be purchased before the ceremony and clothing worn

underneath should be comfortable. Students can pick up their cap, gown and tassel from the LMC Bookstore for $16.80, plus tax.

Keep in mind, high heels are not allowed on the track and those wearing them will be asked to change.

See GRAD, page 6

The Academic Renewal Policy states students can petition to get “D” or “F” grades eliminated from their grade point average. This allows some schools to disregard below average grades that may not reflect a student’s academic performance.

According to school policy, students must complete at least 20 consecutive units with no grade below a “C” before applying for Academic Renewal.

If the renewal is approved, the student will have a note on their transcript saying that Academic Renewal was used.

Los Medanos College Dean of Student Success David Belman said having this policy is beneficial for students and that he has only ever heard positive things about what it has done for students.

“Many students express that they struggle with college at some point in their academic journey,” said Belman. “This policy provides them with an opportunity to demonstrate their growth and development as they progress.”

Belman added that it is important that any student who is considering petitioning for Academic Renewal should first meet with a counselor and then the Admissions and Records Office so that students can be fully informed about the process and can make the best decision for their situation.

Additional procedures require students to obtain a college counselor’s approval within the district. They See GPA, page 10

LMC helps ‘Rock the Vote’ Clubs hold event to promote elections

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

Students gathered in the Outdoor Quad Thursday, May 5 for Rock the Vote to make a bold statement about the importance of going out to vote during the upcoming primary and presidential elections.

Members from Los Medanos College Honors and Transfer Program, Alpha Gama Sigma (AGS), Club Leo and Debate Society got together to help run the event. Booths

were set-up with voter registration papers for students who may not have gone out to register yet but had the chance to do so on the spot. In promotion for it, the club members were giving out hot dogs and beverages to those who were registered prior to the event.

“We lure them with the hot dogs,” joked LMC Honors and Transfer Program member Matt Sutton.

Debate Society Fundraiser Coordinator Israel Castro-Cortez said that Rock the Vote Experience • Beatriz Hernandez is a nice little end of the year activity to let students know that voting matters and to Student Taylor Gonzales prepares grilled items that were See VOTE, page 6

available during the “Rock the Vote” event Thursday, May 5.

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Perspectives

FRIDAY,

MAY

13,

2016

2

“For many, the American Dream has become a nightmare.”

— Bernie Sanders

Kimberly Stelly

Jamie Perlee

SOCIALLY UNWELL

GUEST COLUMNIST

Be aware of mental health

Down with the death penalty

You’re overly self-critical. You spend hours obsessing over physical flaws that may or may not exist. You hate buying or trying on clothes and you loathe looking in mirrors.

You wear excessive amounts of makeup or you wear baggy clothes — out of embarrassment and paranoia, not fashion. Essentially, regardless of which method you’re using, your daily priority is hiding a part of your physical appearance out of shame. Everyone tells you they don’t understand what you’re talking about, but you can see it and that makes all the difference. This sounds like low self-esteem and on the surface, it seems like a correct assessment. But when it starts to hinder you socially and cause constant unending feelings of worthlessness and depression, it might actually be Body Dysmorphia Disorder.

As described by the Mayo Clinic “[BDD] is a mental disorder in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable. But you may feel so ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations.” Low self-esteem might make one avoidant of social situations like parties or romance-related things, but BDD creeps into every aspect of your life.

Common symptoms include changing clothes an inordinate number of times per day, skin-picking, using clothes to hide your body and even making drastic changes to the body like excessive weightlifting and exercising or tanning and bleaching of the skin. It also causes irrational behavior, like seeking validation from people about your appearance as well as avoiding social situations or certain occupational settings out of fear of judgement. Plastic surgery is also a common occurrence amongst people with the disorder. In extreme cases where those negative habits like skin-picking or other forms of body modification occur and can actually make the flaw more noticeable.

It is a serious condition, but there are people out there who consider it to be just another “made-up” mental illness so that people can feel special. This is dangerous because this discourages people from seeking help. There are many studies done on the matter, validating this condition. Healthfund. org says the first reference to it happened in 1891 when Enrique Morselli called the condition “dysmorphophobia” and in 1987, it was officially deemed a disorder.

Research from healthfund.org has found that people suffering from BDD are 45 percent more likely to commit suicide and according to Katharine A. Phillips, MD, those afflicted have a 22 percent higher suicide completion rate than those afflicted with depression only. Though women are more inclined to have BDD, the numbers in terms of gender don’t matter considering the number of people in general are so high. But there are go-to methods in terms of treatment. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, in which the therapist and patient work together to analyze and challenge a certain behavior or thought pattern, is considered one of the best courses of action according to bdd.iocdf.org. One of the other top treatments is the prescription of serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These medications are the same as antidepressants, but their main purpose is to help get rid of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior. Positive affirmation is helpful for those with BDD and esteem-challenged individuals as well.

There is hope. And it’s not as hard to distinguish between low self-confidence and BDD as some might think. If you start questioning your self-worth in direct correlation with how you perceive yourself, it’s time to talk to a professional. Just know, you aren’t the only one.

“Treat others how you wish to be treated” is a saying we were all taught growing up, but do the rules still apply in situations such as murder?

For many years, the death penalty has been a very controversial issue.

According to death-penalty-info.org, there are currently 31 states in the United States of America where the death penalty is legal, and 19 states where it is illegal.

The death penalty is wrong and immoral for countless reasons, one of those reasons being that not everyone who is on death row is truly guilty.

According to an article written by Pema Levy published in 2014 on Newsweek.com, one in every 25 people sentenced to death in the United States is actually innocent.

That is a lot of wrongly convicted people who are unfairly accused and punished for crimes they never even committed.

Capital punishment is also hypocritical.

It is used to discourage killers. but it recreates the very behavior it’s meant to deter.

Implementing the death penalty is surrendering to the idea that murder is okay, but only if it is handled by the government.

We should not use violence to punish others because it does not change anything or stop other people from using it.

Execution is inhumane.

Purposefully ending a human being’s life makes you nearly indistinguishable from the murderers we loathe.

By using the death penalty, we are just as guilty and have just as much blood on our hands as the person who is being lethally injected.

The death penalty is also racist and biased.

According to deathpenaltyinfo.org, 94.5% of elected prosecutors in death penalty states are white, and 79% of which are males.

The site also states that since 1976, there have been 297 executions involving a black defendant and a white victim, and just 31 executions of white defendants with black victims, rates that don’t match the corresponding murder numbers.

People argue that race has no influence on the death penalty, but it undoubtedly does, the numbers don’t lie.

Don’t get me wrong — I don’t think criminals should get away with their crimes, I just believe they should be sentenced to life in prison rather than be killed. After all, life in prison is cheaper.

Cases without the death penalty cost $740,000, while cases where the death penalty is sought cost $1.26 million. Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a prisoner in general population.

Why pay extra in taxes to execute someone when it would cost less to give them life in prison?

Capital punishment is a waste of money, especially considering that not everyone on death row is truly guilty.

Can you imagine paying to execute an innocent person who was wrongfully convicted?

Execution doesn’t necessarily help the family and friends of murder victims, who are still going to be emotionally disturbed.

Instead of paying extra for death penalty cases, that money should go toward things such as therapy and counseling for the families of the victims.

Not only is life in prison more civilized, but it gives criminals a chance to turn their lives around and work on bettering themselves.

Over 117 nations worldwide have made the death penalty illegal –– unfortunately the United States is not one of them.

Capital punishment is in no way beneficial and should be abolished.

America needs to get with the program and stop killing people and kill the death penalty instead.

Experience • Sarah Gonzales

Editorial

Experience feels the ‘Bern’

T

his June, Californians have the opportunity to advocate for momentous change.

On Tuesday, June 7, we choose between a candidate who embodies nearly every negative aspect of the Democratic Party and a candidate who embraces the best ideals of the party of Roosevelt and the Great Society. It is for this reason the Experience endorses Sen. Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. Sanders has regularly shown himself to be forward-thinking throughout his 25-year stint in the House and Senate, from his support of gay marriage to defending the social programs gleefully cut under the Clinton administration. Sanders has also been an outspoken opponent of the toxic effects of big money in politics — a stark contrast to Secretary Hillary Clinton, who raised more money from Wall Street last month than any of the three Republicans still running at that point. Besides economic and social policies, many polls show Sanders to be the candidate with the better chance of beating Donald Trump in November.

Americans often state their disdain for career politicians, and to put forth a candidate who not only has the Democratic establishment engaging in trench warfare to win her the nomination, but actively promotes the very trade deals which have gutted blue collar jobs in the Midwest seems a dangerous proposition going into battleground states like Ohio and Michigan.

This speaks, too, to Clinton’s quality as a national candidate. In 2008, she lost the nomination to a first-term senator with a name ripe for Islamophobic fear-mongering — something not lost on her campaign, which released photos of then-Sen. Barack Obama wearing a turban on a trip to Kenya. This election, she’s seen a massive lead over an independent democratic socialist rapidly diminish as she’s turned to attacks on longtime liberal goals like universal healthcare and government-funded college, two mainstays of Sander’s platform. Twice she’s had the Democratic nomination presented to her, and twice she’s done her best to blunder it away. This is not the candidate Democrats want to pit against a Republican nominee who has made short work of his billionaire-backed rivals.

That said, with a historically uncooperative Republican-controlled Congress, it’s unlikely either candidate will be able to enact any of their policies, no matter how much they run toward the political center. This means the next President’s role as commander-in-chief will prove to be even more crucial than usual. Sanders, in his voting against the Iraq War and his recommendation of restraint in Syria, again shows the gulf between himself and Clinton, whose enthusiasm for American intervention abroad should serve as a massive red flag for anyone who thinks America’s policies in the Middle East have had less than desirable outcomes.

“When the choice is between action and inaction, she’d rather be caught trying,” said Anne-Marie Slaughter, Sec. Clinton’s director of policy at the State Department. This urge to commit America’s war machine to conflict in Iraq and Libya has led not only to failed states, but hundreds of thousands of dead civilians, thousands of dead Americans and territory for ISIS to operate in. Better safe than sorry, indeed.

Stand tall, be proud of your height The average height for men in America is 5’10” so, being a girl that stands at 5’9” I have felt the need to make myself look as inconspicuous as possible for much of my life. Starting at a young age I felt insecure about my height. I grew like a weed and expected all of my friends to do the same, but they didn’t and soon I was towering over the other girls. Ballet flats were my shoes of choice and I rarely wore skirts because they instantly shrunk several inches in length when I put them on. I would watch all the smallest girls in the class get picked up and hugged by other students knowing that, even if I wanted to be in their place, it would be awkward if it were me. I thought that the other girls were dainty and cute whereas I was the girl the boys asked to play kickball with them.

In my mind I saw myself as the biggest and most gawky girl wherever I went. I didn’t want to be the girl that was asked to help carry a stack of textbooks to the library, I wanted to be the small and ‘feminine’ girl. As a young girl with the height of a grown woman, I was always afraid that boys wouldn’t like me because I was so tall. I worried I wouldn’t be able to wear cute skirts without them looking provocative.

The mentality that I was somehow less girly or appealing than the other girls because I’m

Voices

Alexandra Riva MY TWO CENTS

tall followed me until very recently. I decided that if I’m lucky enough to be tall, I might as well embrace it and make the most out of the situation. Wearing high heels is something I do on a regular basis now because the taller I am, the better I feel. I’m so proud of my height that when someone says to me, ‘You’re so tall’ I reply with a ‘Thank you.’

I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, “Don’t be so fixated on your height. The only person that is worrying about you being taller than other people is you.” Everyone is talking about loving yourself, no matter what your size, but I feel like this more often in reference to weight, not height. Women of above average stature deserve to feel cute and confident, just like women of any other height.

Tall girls, love yourselves, you deserve it.

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience

What is your idea of a dream summer vacation?

Compiled

by

Adria

W at s o n

and

Sarah

Gonzales

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

Member California Newspaper Publishers Association

“Where you’re with your family or friends or loved ones –– wherever you are –– and you’re having a good time celebrating your summer vacation and relaxing with them.”

— Ebenezer Ayoko

“A great summer vacation would be not going to school, traveling and going to concerts.”

— Hayat Romdhane

“My ideal vacation would be a tropical trip to Hawaii and have a fun day and then go to an amusement park too.”

— Ike Orji

“I think I’d like to go paragliding through the Grand Canyon and stay at a hotel at the floor of it.”

— Jessica Moyer

“My dream vacation is a trip to the Mediterranean then onto the beaches in Barcelona, Valencia, chill out and drink wine.”

— Justin Rocha

“I think my dream vacation would be traveling to Europe, more specifically, to Rome.”

— Klarisse Tan

“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.

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Campus Newswatch

‘Slam’ for finals

FRIDAY,

MAY

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“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.”

— Kurt Vonnegut

Trustee ends his term

The Center for Academic Support will be hosting a study slam to help students prepare for finals on Wednesday, May 18 from 3 to 9 p.m. in the Core.

Tutors will be available all day, although the event is first come, first serve. Snacks and drinks will be provided to those participating.

Become an ambassador

Los Medanos College’s office of student life is looking for students interested in developing the leadership skills by becoming a student ambassador. The application deadline is Friday, May 13.

For more information about becoming a student ambassador and the application process contact, Student Life Coordinator, John Nguyen at knguyen@losmedanos.edu

Help select a new chancellor

The Association of Community College Trustees is leading the search for a new Contra Costa College Community College District chancellor.

ACCT will be holding public forums at all three district colleges as well as the district office on May 23 and 24.

The LMC forum will be at May 23 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Library Room L-109.

Make the cut with film club

Have an interest in making films? LMC’s Student Studios is a digital media and video production club. They will hold meetings every Monday and Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m. Location to be announced.

For more information about Student Studios contact Dylan Jones at Dylanjonesvideos@gmail.com.

New English class

A new English course has been approved for Los Medanos College’s fall 2016 semester.

English 124, Children’s Literature is open to all students but may be of special interest to English majors, parents and future early childhood, elementary and secondary level teachers.

English 124 satisfies CSU-GE area C2. The class will be held on Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and will be instructed

by JoAnn Hobbs.

Experience • Alexandra Riva

Bella the dog helped calm students at the hug a pet event last semester.

Come hug a dog

Stressing about finals? No worries. The Los Medanos College Library will be hosting the Pet Hug Pack’s Therapy Pets on Wednesday, May 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Medical club seeks members

The American Medical Student Association Club is looking for members. The club meets every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Science Building, Room SCI-229.

All medical professions are welcome and there is no GPA requirement. Scholarships are available.

Waffles for sale

Los Medanos College’s READ, SACHE and Soccer Clubs will be hosting a joint gourmet waffle sale on Thursday, May 19 in the library, room L-109 fro 8 a.m. to noon.

Allies hold meetings

LMC Allies have meetings every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. in Library Room L-105.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance, provides information, support and community for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer and questioning people in the LMC area, and for their straight family and friends.

For more information, call 473-7861, email the group at lgbt@losmedanos.edu or stop by the Q*Spot at College Complex Room CC1-117.

Counselors ready to assist

Looking to make an educational plan or review your current one? LMC offers counseling at both campuses.

Drop-in hours are offered throughout the week and change on a weekly basis. Students must have a student ID number and a photo ID to meet with a counselor.

Appointments on the Pittsburg campus can be made at the Counseling Department in the Student Services Building, Level 4, calling in at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link.

Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.

Daily cancellations online

Save yourself from making an unnecessary trip to campus for a class that has been canceled.

Professors sometimes cancel classes unexpectedly and often can’t tell their students in person.

The LMC website offers a daily class cancellation page for students to see if their class has been canceled.

For the list of daily cancellations, visit www.losmedanos. edu/classcancel.

The LMC Experience Facebook page also posts class cancellations as well as other campus updates. Visit www. facebook.com/lmcexperience.

What’s lost may yet be found If you have lost an item, check with Police Services, which is located on Level One. Inquiries must be made in person or no pick-up will be made. A brief description of the missing items will be expected by people wanting to pick them up.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Student Trustee Gary Walker-Roberts (standing) at the opening of LMC’s Veterans Resource Center, one of the projects he worked to spearhead during his time as Student Trustee and LMC Student Body president.

Walker-Roberts advocated for LGBT, vets

By CATHIE LAWRENCE Staff Writer

Members of the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board said goodbye to Student Trustee Gar y Walker-Rober ts last month as he wrapped up his term representing students from across the district. They presented him with a certificate at the April 27 meeting for his year of ser vice. Governing Board President Vicki Gordon praised Walker-Rober ts as a “hardworking, caring and involved student trustee.”

“Gary’s upbeat personality lit up every room he walked into and his inclusive leadership style made him extremely effective in bringing diverse groups together,” she said. “I have valued his input and he has contributed to robust board conversations by his inquiry and good observations.”

The governing board makes policies that impacts students’ education across the district, so the position of Student Trustee is critical to integrating the student prospective.

Walker-Roberts also chaired the Student Trustee Advisory

Council where the student government presidents from each of the three colleges brought their respective student body voices to topics on the monthly agenda. He, in turn, reported to the governing board the council’s perspectives on items that were on the board’s agenda.

“It may seem boring, but for me it was amazing,” said Walker-Roberts. “I learned so much about civic leadership and how policies that affect students are created and implemented at the district level.”

Walker-Roberts, who served as president of the Los Medanos College Associated Student Body last year, began his studies at LMC in the fall of 2011. He received two associates of arts degrees, one in behavioral science and social science in 2013, and another in arts and humanities in 2015.

While he was a student at LMC, he was concurrently enrolled at California State University East Bay where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in 2015 in Ethnic Studies: Genders and Sexualities in Communities of Color.

Concurrent enrollment must

agree with Walker-Roberts. He is working on another associates degree at LMC, this one in Spanish, while also pursuing a master’s in English online at Arizona State University. He hopes one day to teach English in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender studies in the district.

“One thing that is being overlooked by the district and by LMC is reaching out to our LGBT youth and partnering with the gay/straight alliances at the high schools to give a pathway to taking classes in LGBT studies,” said Walker-Roberts. “It is important to reach out to new minority groups to bring them into the conversation and into academia at the community college level.”

Walker-Roberts’s interest in advocating for the LGBT community was first sparked

by LMC English professor Jeff Mitchell-Matthews. When he took Matthews’ LGBT-135 class, he learned what obstacles Mitchell-Matthews had overcome on campus in his efforts to advocate for the LGBT community.

“I learned my history about the people that came before me and the struggle to get to where the LGBT community is today,” he said, adding that he is excited by the headway the college is making in the area of LGBT studies, with a new degree likely by the fall of 2017.

Walker-Roberts pointed with pride to several accomplishments during his tenure as a student leader at LMC and in the district.

As student government president, he worked with college President Bob Kratochvil to establish gender-neutral restrooms in the science building.

During the Elevating Diversity Conference Walker-Roberts spearheaded in 2014, members of the transgender community voiced concern that transgender individuals often had to wait for unreasonable periods of time for the privacy they needed to feel comfortable.

He and Kratchovil determined that instituting gender-neutral restrooms was an inclusive action necessary to appropriately address this issue.

See GARY, page 10

Vendor contract up for review

By TYLER MORTIMORE

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College is in the process of selecting a new food vendor for the cafeteria.

The decision-by-committee occurs every two to three years.

Classified staffmember Eric Sanchez created an online survey for students regarding the cafeteria’s current food and service and what they want to see in the future. Respondents reported that they were dissatisfied with prices (only six percent were happy with current prices) and wanted to see healthy food options (87 percent), also noting the current options left something to be desired — only about 18 percent said current options were optimal.

Sanchez explained the survey would See FOOD, page 10

UC caps out-of-state student enrollment

By JOSEPH DELANO

jdelano@lmcexperience.com

The University of California college system has instituted an enrollment cap for non-resident applicants to both UC Berkeley and UCLA. The move follows criticism regarding the mismanagement of its budget, which led to enrollment practices that seemed to favor out-of-state applicants.

A March 28 state audit titled “The University of California: Its Admissions and Financial Decisions Have Disadvantaged

California Resident Students” revealed that admittance standards were lowered for non-resident applicants in order to receive more tuition money.

Tuition of said students reaches almost double that of in-state students — the cost of attending UCLA ranges from $34k to $60k for in-state and out-of-state students, respectively.

The increase of incoming monies seemed a tantalizing prospect, as the acceptance rate of out-of-state students doubled at both colleges over recent years.

University of California President Janet Napolitano refuted the findings, instead alluding that the “softer” practices were a shift into more holistic acceptance procedures. “[The study] makes inferences and draws conclusions that are supported neither by the data nor by sound analysis,” she wrote in a letter to California State Auditor Elaine Howle.

Specifically, the audit showed that over a ten-year period, 4,500 resident See UC, page 10

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Features Marquee

Movies released

FRIDAY,

MAY

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2016

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“Acting touches nerves you have absolutely no control over.”

— Alan Rickman

Students bring ‘Serenity’

n “The Darkness” Rated PG13 Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Thriller n “Money Monster” Rated R Genre: Drama n “Captain America: Civil War” Rated PG-13 Genre: Action, 3D

Campanil events

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 The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, comprised of 45 musicians ranging in age from 15 to 94, will perform various pieces by Mozart Saturday May 14 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $7 for students. n International film showcase presents the Japanese film “Sweet Bean.” A showing will be held Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. n Music group The Diamonds will be performing classic rock & roll with today’s attitude Saturday, May 21 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $27 for adults, $25 for seniors 62 and over and free for youth 18 and under.

LMC concerts

n A student recital will be performed at the Recital Hall located at Room MU-3720 Tuesday, May 17 from 1 to 2 p.m. n There will be a combined concert featuring the Baroque Ensembles including bassoon, trumpets and flutes joining the strings. They will also be joined by special guests from Pittsburg High School. It will be in the held in the Recital Hall Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the event is free.

Photo by pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com

Promotional art for the latest drama at the theater.

‘Normal’ showing

The “Normal Heart,” a drama following the story of Ned Weeks, a gay activist enraged at private and public indifference to the AIDS plague premieres tonight, May 13 at 8 p.m. at the California Theatre, located in Pittsburg at 351 Railroad Ave. It runs through Saturday, May 14 at 2 and 8 p.m. and May 15 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 to $25. For additional information call the theater at 427-1611.

Art fair at ‘Park’

STS Academy’s “Arts Education Program” in partnership with the PUSD Afterschool Program presents the eighth annual Pittsburg World Music and Art Fair Saturday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket prices are $2 for adults, $1 for youth 5 and up and free for children under 5. The event takes place at Small World Park located in Pittsburg at 2551 Harbor St.

Experience • Beatriz Hernandez

From left, Devareay Williams, Sergio Ramirez, William Pinnell (filling in for Jose Acosta-Campos) and Anise Gonzalez rehearse for the directing class’s student-led play “Project Serenity” Wednesday, May 4 in Room L-109.

Directing class original drama impresses

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

The Los Medanos College drama department’s production of “Project Serenity,” is able to convey its message of perseverance, despite minor issues with its writing and execution.

The directing class put the show together after being inspired by a pair of virtual reality goggles brought in during an exercise in class.

The show is set in a mental institution that uses virtual reality technology on its patients to control them.

The play follows the journey of a man named Allarick, known more

commonly as Al, (Sergio Ramirez) who when “accidentally” sent to the mental institution uncovers a way to glitch out of the virtual reality systems the patients are kept in with the help of Annie (Anise Gonzales).

Together along with Eva (Priscila Rodriguez) and Goggles (Devareay Williams), they find the connections between each others worlds and figure out how to break the system they are stuck in.

Although difficult parts of the show were executed in creative ways, such as the choice to use light and sound effects to make it look as though the characters were swimming, at times it felt as though the play should be

REVIEW

produced as a film rather than an on-stage production.

Additionally, at the beginning of the show a few of the actors stumbled over their lines and emphasized awkward portions of their dialogue making it hard at first to connect to their characters. However, as the show went on, the actors seemed to settle into their roles and grow more comfortable on stage.

The explanations of each characters’ past traumas and why they were sent to the institution made the characters feel more real.

Although each character had moments where they shined, Jazmin Brehaut, who acted as the virtual

New thriller is an instant classic ‘Green Room’ is a well-oiled machine

By TYLER MORTIMORE

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

We’re living in a golden age of gruesome genre films with stylish art-house aesthetics.

Jeremy Saulnier’s “Green Room,” a Punks-versus-Nazis siege tale, is another film inspired by the early works of John Carpenter. It packs interesting questions — how important is my identity when I have a knife in my gut? — into an absolute rocket ship of a thriller.

The Ain’t Rights (Anton Yelchin, Alia Shakwat, Joe Cole and Callum Turner) are a punk band perpetually on the brink of total poverty. A canceled gig puts their delicate financial status — and their ability to get home — in peril, until a friend suggests a potentially well-paying gig.

The downside: The show is at a remote Nazi compound in the Oregon woods. Gas money is gas money.

The band plays a rousing cover of the Dead Kennedys’ “Nazi Punks F— Off” to a less-than-receptive crowd before heading back to the titular green room, only to find a whole lot of Iron Eagle neck tatoos, knives, White Power stickers, a Confederate flag and a girl on the floor with a screwdriver in her temple. The band is invited

REVIEW

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Joe Cole and Callum Turner in the film “Green Room.” to sit in the green room until further notice.

“We’re not keeping you,” says one Nazi. “You’re just staying.”

For reasons both obvious and obscure, the owner of the club (Patrick Stewart) doesn’t want the band to leave — at least not alive.

Saulnier’s tidy 95-minute film doesn’t waste a single scene dawdling about. Even earlier scenes of the band on tour — the usual banal scenes of long van rides, rural roads and unusual sleeping

arrangements — are pieced together at a furious stitch by editor Julia Bloch. As the band enters enemy territory, Saulnier brilliantly ratchets up the tension until the first burst of brutally visceral violence.

Like his last film, “Blue Ruin,” Saulnier — who wrote both films as well — creates characters who are not at all accustomed to the violence they’re forced to witness and commit. Though they may

Radiohead return

By MICHAEL MARTINEZ Staff Writer

Promotional art for the latest show “A Little Princess.”

‘A Little Princess’

The story of “A Little Princess” is put on by the Stage Right Conservatory Theatre and will be shown at the Nick Rodriguez Center at 213 F St. in Antioch with 7 p.m. showings June 10, 11, 17 and 18 and Sunday matinee performances June 12 and 19 at 2 p.m.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

After five years, I once again have the experience of listening to a new Radiohead album. “A Moon Shaped Pool” is the follow up to 2011’s “The King of Limbs,” an album that left a sour taste in my mouth as it felt short and ultimately un- cathartic.

With that in mind, I was wary in approaching this album, fearing Radiohead was in creative decline.

I couldn’t be any more satisfied in being proved wrong; in fact this may be their best release since “In Rainbows” The opening track “Burn the Witch” is a promising start as we are reintroduced to the sorrowful and evocative vocals of Thom Yorke as he croons about the hysteria associated with social media “witch hunts.” Instrumentally, the arrangements here are pieced

together artfully as the strings are played over a gliding and understated percussion section.

Next we have the track “Daydreaming.” We are greeted with soft piano melodies while ambient soundscapes float weightless in the background.He cries out about the disconnection from reality that occurs when one prefers to live within the sanctuary of their own dreams.

These opening songs set the tone for the rest of the album.

The song structures are linear but progresses in a manner that can tug the heartstrings and draw emotion from the listener.

Those not accustomed to the later portion of Radiohead’s discography may find this structure to be off putting as some songs border on being tedious and underwhelming such as “Tinker Tailor Soldier...” which meanders

See GREEN, page 10

Collaborative play festival to show work

‘Pool’ adds to band’s legacy

Photo courtesy of srctgrp.org

reality system able to adapt to each world, captivates with her abilities to morph into each character, particularly in her role as Annie’s mother.

Still, as a student-led production, this play is able to show the drama department’s directing class’s expertise. Even though it has slight issues, the cast and crew’s abilities to write and produce a creative production in just a semester is impressive.

There are only a few more chances to catch the show” including tonight, May 13, 14 and 16 at 7 p.m.

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

By TAYLOR STROUD

tstroud@lmcexperience.com Courtesy of rollingstones.com

Cover art for the album “A Moon Shaped Pool.” for about five minutes while cloudy keys drift about. The song leaves more to be desired after it un-impressingly fizzles out.

The later moments on this album are satisfying. The acoustic melodies on Present tense are beautiful and filled with life in an otherwise dreary and melancholy song.

“Numbers” takes the form of an almost protest-esque song as the band serves a refreshing slice of folk rock. The songwriting See ALBUM, page 10

The Los Medanos College drama department’s annual New Play Festival will be returning for its seventh year May 23 through the 25 – the first three nights of finals week.

The Festival features short one act plays written mainly by students in Professor Greg Brown’s Creative Writing class, but submissions were also accepted from the English and drama departments. The play writing is incorporated into the Creative Writing class, and Drama 21 and 23 students will be performing the plays as part of their final exam.

“We all got to decide which characters we want to play,” said drama student Adeeb Nazam, “but [Head of Drama] Nick Garcia decides which plays are performed.”

“I direct, but everything else is by the students,” said Garcia, noting that the students See PLAY, page 10

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Features A teapot takes shape

FRIDAY,

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“Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul — and you answer.”

— Terri Guillemets

“It was all random. I let it start out on the wheel and let the form just happen.”

— Kalee Kennedy

Kalee Kennedy is using the butt of a needle tool to create and form the spout for a teapot she is making for one of her classes with Ian Bassett.

W

hen Kalee Kennedy wants a cup of tea, she makes her own teapot first. Kennedy, a communications studies major, has been doing ceramics for two years, lives in Antioch and graduated from Deer Valley High School before enrolling at LMC. She plans on attending Sacramento State in the fall. But before she goes, one of her last projects this semester is creating a unique stoneware pot.

Teapots became popular in the mid-1700s because of the importance of teatime and the tea ceremony in England. A mainstay of ceramicists in the 18th century was the teapot. Kennedy continues this long-standing tradition.

One of the major steps in creating pottery is forming and shaping clay.

Kennedy works on a potter’s wheel similar to those used as early as 6,000 BC in Mesopotamia to accomplish this vital step. The potter’s wheel is ideal for creating symmetrical and balanced designs.

But even after a ceramic work has been completed on the wheel, details must be attended to. Trimming and cleaning are needed to ensure the finished product functions as intended and is professional looking.

The piece must be designed, sculpted and fired. Delicate decorating with paint or enamel creates artistic designs to bring the work of art to life.

Proper glazing techniques protect the beauty of the design. So for artistic ceramist Kalee Kennedy, teatime is no simple task.

Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience

Above, instructional aide Martin Guzman discusses glazing techniques with Kennedy.

Far left, she uses a needle tool to cut the lid to fit the inside rim of the teapot. Left, Kennedy examines the lid before attaching the handle to the pot.

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“When we are judging everything, we are learning nothing.”

— Steve Maraboli

The man behind the mystery ‘Russian’ guy revealed

his inner circle.

Mikey was obsessed with auto repair and he He is immediately recognizable to any often spoke of owning his own repair business student who has passed through the College in the future.

His style and ambition had a lasting effect Complex building. He puts great effort into his signature wardrobe of polished gray on Smargiasso.

During high school Smargiasso came across leather boots, a freshly pressed shirt and tie, a crisp replica-style German naval officer coat, a used set of turn tables a neighbor was thrownumerous gold signet rings and bands on his ing out and he took them home and began to fingers and his unmistakable Russian ushanka teach himself how to DJ. Smargiasso’s hope was that he, along with hat, complete with hammer and sickle emblem.

He is referred to as “The Russian Hat his classmates, could film a music video and Guy” among students, but a few know him as use it to sell party balloons but the venture did not take off.

Giancarlo Smargiasso.

“People were judgmental of us because we For someone so distinctly defined by his style, Smargiasso’s clothes have less to do were in special ed,” he said.

Undeterred, Smargiasso grew ever paswith a passion for Russia and more with his personal connections to the articles themselves. sionate about operating his own business. He The hat was given to him by a good friend would often hike in the hills by his home in Pittsburg, where he frequently came across from Russia enlisted in the Special Forces.

The coat is a replica style of the one his old abandoned machines.

“That’s what got me into wrenching on things” uncle wore in the German Navy during WWII. And the boots, he admits, are a joke to tie said Smargiasso, “I use to go up in the hills the ensemble together. Considering that he is and take apart old cars, TVs and computers. actually German and Italian, perhaps the joke It just gave me something to do.”

Smargiasso quickly developed a technique is that his hat is most out of place.

When you speak with Smargiasso, his passion for dismantling the machines, each time learnand intelligence for mechanical, computer and ing more and more about how they were put together. appliance repair is He claims to apparent. have scrapped It is his favormore than 48 miite subject and crowaves and 65 he can speak at televisions since length about wire he began and has schematics and not once been motor control electrocuted by boards in applithe numerous ances that he capacitors which can map out with can store danexpensive engigerous amounts neering-grade of electricity — software. surely a testaSmargiasso, 24, ment to his abilhas been enrolled ities in Los Medanos Friend AnthoCollege’s appliExperience • Jose Pantoja ny Salazar said ance repair proSmargiasso has gram since late Giancarlo Smargiasso sits for an interview, “always had drive 2012 and loves it. above. He stands at attention, left, explaining “I think it’s a how his outfit bolsters his businessman image. and self-determination,” and great program to be in,” he said. “I learn something new compares him to “a walking almanac of information.” every day.”

Smargiasso hopes one day to take that Smargiasso’s ability was not always recognized, however. He was placed into special storehouse of information and bet on his education from the time he was in preschool talent in Nevada.

“My main goal is to move out to Las Vegas up to and throughout high school.

“I had a little bit trouble reading but other and become a slot machine technician,” said Smargiasso. than that everything was fine,” he said.

Smargiasso graduates from the appliance The trouble did not affect his ability to learn. From the time he was five years-old, repair program at the end of the current his favorite television programs were History semester and hopes to become a teacher’s Channel war documentaries and his favorite assistant in the class he is currently taking so he can continue to hone his technique while reading material was National Geographic.

Smargiasso was so infatuated with history at saving up money for the move.

In the meantime, Smargiasso is happy to a young age that for a fifth grade project about anyone he would like to meet, living or dead, offer his services to anyone looking for a he chose to do an in-depth presentation on the repair technician.

His business is what he likes to talk about WWI fighter pilot, The Red Baron.

His classmates did not recognize the man. and he said his clothes are part of his image “All they knew was that he was the guy on as a businessman.

“It’s supposed to be an eye-catcher to market the pizza box,” Smargiasso laughed.

In a more reserved tone, Smargiasso spoke my business,” Smargiasso said, “but it’s also about how he experienced occasional bully- to show people I’m not a bum off the street ing in school but that he had the help of an who doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Smargiasso is noticeably proud of his abilities. influential friend.

“I am a good hard-working businessman, and “In middle school Mikey Galvin was always there if I had problems,” Smargiasso said rev- I don’t mind getting my hands dirty,” he said erently. “He would pat me on the back and tell adding, “My motto is I do not refuse work.”

Smargiasso can often be found on the third me I was going to have a good day.”

Smargiasso recalled that Galvin always floor of the College Complex all day Tuesdays wore a purple suit and people called him “The and Thursdays, or in his appliance repair class Boss,” a name which Smargiasso has adopted in Room CC-503 working on his passion.

By JOSE PANTOJA Staff Writer

Experience • Luke Johnson

GRAD

VOTE

“To provide a safe experience for faculty, staff, and students no high heeled shoes or chewing gum will be allowed in the stadium. If you wear high-heeled shoes, you will be required to remove your shoes as they will damage the track and field. If this occurs, you will be graduating in bare feet,” the LMC website said.

When students walk across the stage, only one degree, which they have earned, will be announced.

For students with honors, they also have some extra recognition coming.

“Students with a 3.5 GPA as of Fall 2015, including transfer units, will be eligible for honors designation at graduation. The honors tassel may be purchased at the bookstore for $4.60, plus tax,” said the graduation newsletter.

For those graduating, MESA Director Nicole Trager and chemistry professor Mindy Capes offered inspiration.

“Work hard, find a community and keep going after your dreams,” said Trager.

Capes added, “We are very proud of them for following their dreams.”

encourage students to get more involved in politics.

“We understand that voting for college students is important because we know not a lot of students push themselves to get involved, “ said Castro-Cortez. He added that students are the ones capable of making a change if they want to go out and do so.

“You can’t complain if you don’t vote,” said Colleen Bacchus who is also an active member of LMC’s AGS club.

Collin Brown from the Debate Society was in charge of the event this year. He also helped run it last year, but felt that they did not get a lot of people to come out and be a part of it.

“I think it’s important for everyone to go out and vote,” said Brown. “The more people who go out and choose the best person for the job, the likelier they are to get that person.”

He said the event went phenomenally. They had a goal to get 100 people to come out to register and towards the end of the event, they had 75 new voters registered.

From page 1

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— Kimberly Stelly contributed to this story

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“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Student artist proves talent Gomez shines with artwork

By JAMIE PERLEE Staff Writer

Staying up until 4 a.m. working on a piece of art due to sudden inspiration is what LMC art student Stephanie Gomez considers a “perfect night.”

Gomez is majoring in studio arts, fine arts and liberal arts at Los Medanos College, where she is a part of the Honors Program and Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society, and will be transferring to UC Berkeley in the fall to work toward getting her bachelor’s degree.

Gomez was raised in Brentwood and said she knew she was going to be an artist since she was young.

“I first expressed my interest in art as a toddler when I colored on the walls of my house,” she said. “From the moment I won first place in the yearbook cover design contest in the fifth grade, I anticipated becoming an artist, and my relationship with fine arts had emerged.”

“The way you present yourself is important, I want to show symbolically that I am an artist,” Gomez explained while wearing a chic floral shirt, high-heeled boots, flawless lipstick and perfectly winged eyeliner, Gomez wants to express she is an artist through her makeup and wardrobe, but all you need to do is look at her particularly short nails and paint and graphite-covered hands to know she is, indeed, an artist.

When Gomez was first becoming serious about her future in art, she knew she had talent, but lacked “a strong foundation of understanding of the basic techniques for creating cohesive compositions.”

As a junior in high school, Gomez enrolled in a summer art program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She said there, under the direction of instructors, she began to develop formal skills and refined techniques.

Gomez has already accomplished quite a bit.

At 17, she became the youngest member of the Art Guild of the Delta, an East Contra Costa

Photos by Jamie Perlee • Experience

County nonprofit art organization sponsored by the Brentwood Art Society.

She has sold art at the Delta Gallery of the Arts and the annual Art Wine and Jazz Festival and displayed art at the Brentwood City Hall.

And at the Delta Gallery of the Arts, she also completed an internship where, she said, “I learned how to run an art gallery.”

In the future, Gomez sees herself getting her master’s degree from either UCLA, Yale or NYU, then working as a fine arts professor at an institution of higher education.

“I hope to influence and inspire future artists who share as deep a connection to the visual arts as I do,” she said, adding she also hopes to “help them find their artistic purpose and identity.”

This year, Gomez faced what she called her most challenging task as an artist yet. She was commissioned through the City of Brentwood to design and paint a utility box to help beautify the city. Gomez said when designing the box, she wanted Brentwood to have a public work of art that illustrated the playful youth and culture of the community.

Her design — a little boy holding a bucket, facing a “U-Pick Cherry” farm — was inspired by her childhood memories of going cherry picking at a local farm on the outskirts of Brentwood. She also added some black and white swirls on the side of the utility box, which

Artist Stephanie Gomez, left, kneels while painting a utility box as part of a beautification project commissioned by the City of Brentwood. An example of Gomez’s work is shown above. can be seen on the corner of Sand Creek and O’Hara in Brentwood.

“I committed myself to serving my community by producing this public art display, which allowed me to understand for the first time what it feels like to work under pressure, knowing that a work of art needs to be completed by a deadline under certain regulations,” she said. “This experience took me way out of my comfort zone, as it was my first time painting publicly and it helped me acknowledge that sometimes my work has to meet others’ standards in challenging work environments.”

What makes Gomez so passionate about art is that it is created through visual self-expression.

“An artist interprets and expresses their ideas and thoughts about society and culture through visual art. No words can begin to and represent my sensibilities and creativity.”

LMC graphic design instructor Curtis Corlew describe the feeling I get when I step back and view my art work when it is completed,” said he enjoys Gomez’s artwork and admires said Gomez. “It amazes me how I am capable her dedication.

“It is always fun to have students like of transforming blank canvases into cohesive See ART, page 10 compositions that consist of images that will last

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in employment with the college, one thing is certain — he did.

During his many years on campus, Price went beyond his title as an instructor teaching appliance repair to a variety of other titles, including, Academic Senate President, as well the first faculty president of the California Community Colleges Association of Occupational Education.

While additional titles on and off campus did give him recognition not only in the college community but the surrounding areas, including being named “Outstanding Vocational Educator” by the California Community College Administrators of Occupational Education in May 1989, his long running profession as instructor in the appliance repair program has contributed to his many successful contributions to the college.

“Len has been an exceptional faculty member, and has been the source of success for hundreds of students who have gone through his program,” said LMC President Bob Kratochvil.

It’s those many students who have helped drive the instructor through the many years at LMC. “One of the fun things that happens is when you hear from a former student and find out about a job you didn’t know they had,” said Price. “Students never forget being a student here and always are calling you when they learn about something new you might want to use in the appliance program.”

Knowing of the successes of former students is only one of the “rewards” Price considers to outweigh the monetary values earned from pay-checks collected during his employment, the ver y understanding that a student gets during his lectures is also something Price has prized as a teacher.

“I will have to say if it were not for my age I would continue to do what I love doing — and that is teaching,” said Price, expressing his overall passion working as an educator. “The rewards you get are not in a

pay check but the ones you get seen to its appliance prowhen a student says I finally gram, it is the school itself understand, the light just came in which the decades long on, or you get a call and they instructor holds much resay I got the job. When you see spect for. With his own family you’ve helped someone change having passed through the halls their life and get ahead, that of LMC, it’s with great pride that he describes the college as havis the real reward.”

It’s the hard work of this ing “the best community college longtime instructor that has education available anywhere.”

“All of my children have gone helped change so many students lives throughout the to school here,” said Price, stat43 years of his LMC career, ing many of his family members constantly adapting to the having graduated from LMC, ever-changing technologies including his grandchildren. involved with the lessons in “My youngest grandson will be graduating from LMC in his course as well.

“Technology in the ap- May with four AS degrees and has been pliance field is accepted to UC always changing Santa Barbara’s and every manengineering proufacture has a gram. What can different way of I say — LMC building the apeducational propliances, which grams are tops.” makes this field As Price preso interesting,” pares to complete explained Price. his final semester “This means to at Los Medanos stay up to date College, he you are always looks back at changing your all he has done lesson plans for the many daily to prepare “Regardless your students to of what career iwnhd oi v i dhuaavl es be current in the you choose, do par ticipates in work place.“ It’s this under- it because you his courses and of fers all curstanding of this love doing it, rent and future constant changing that has not not just for the students final words of advice only assisted the money.” instructor in aid— Leonard Price in pursuing their careers. ing his students “Regardless of what career with their lessons, but also help to gain par tnerships you choose, do it because you between LMC and many well love doing it not just for the known companies in the in- money,” explained Price. “I see so many people on their dustry.

“My goal when I star t- way to work that don’t look ed teaching here was to be happy, or someone saying I the best appliance teacher only have to work eight more I could and have the top years to retire. I will have to appliance program in the state. say that is something I never Well, I think we have achieved thought about before deciding that,” said Price. “The LMC to retire.”

As the college preAppliance Program is nationally known to be a leader in training pares to say “goodbye” to appliance students. We were one of its founding faculty the first Maytag training cen- members, those who have come ter on the West Coast. Since to know “Len” throughout the then we brought in industry to years offer their thoughts to t r a i n h e r e f r o m S e a r s , the man who has been a legacy Whirlpool, BOSCH, GE, at LMC. “Congratulations and very Frigidaire/Electrolux and, best wishes to Len on behalf of recently, LG.” While Price may have the faculty, staff and students personally had his hands in at LMC,“ said President Kramany gains the college has tochvil. “He is one of a kind.”

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Trivia

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FRIDAY,

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2016

Photo courtesy of Matt Davis

Before injury: At Clayton Valley High School, pitcher Matt Davis going into his pitching stretch over hand.

8

Which player has the most Super Bowl rings?

A: Charles Haley

LOS

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

After injury: At Los Medanos College, pitcher Matt Davis going into his pitching stretch side arm.

Overcoming injury scare LMC pitcher changes his throwing technique

By RENEÉ SMITH

rsmith@lmcexperience.com

For athletes, the thought of a season ending injury is disheartening and places fear that that any game could be their last. However, for Los Medanos College pitcher Matt Davis, it was a minor setback for a major comeback.

Davis faced Ulnar nerve damage the summer before his junior year of high school and missed his entire junior season.

“I threw one pitch and I knew right away that something was wrong. I had a sharp and numbing pain in my elbow to my fingers,” said Davis.

The Ulnar nerve is a single nerve that arises from a group of nerves that runs down the inner aspect of the arm all the way down to the hand supplying sensation to the muscles of the forearm and hand.

After the injury, he sought opinions about what was wrong from various different doctors.

“When the injury happened doctors didn’t really know what was wrong so treatment started as just resting,” said Davis.

“After a while it wasn’t improving so I went back to the doctors and it was decided I needed surgery.”

The news of surgery was hard to digest.

Davis was upset over the injury and thought his baseball career would be over. However, this would not be the case.

With the support of his family, friends, and coaches, he went into Ulnar nerve relocation

surgery on April 25, 2011. After surgery, Davis was in a cast and sling for two weeks.

“After that I went to physical therapy for about three months. I was throwing a ball again two to three months after. All in all it took about seven to eight months after surgery,” said Davis.

He recalled that missing all of that time from baseball was like being lost in a forest saying, “I didn’t know what to do with myself. Baseball was all I knew so missing time was a big change for me.”

Once cleared, Davis was thrown right into physical therapy.

“Rehab was no joke. My physical therapist, Pam, was ver y tough on me and pushed me. It was tough, but I knew I had to push through it,” said Davis. “I did a lot of arm biking, lots of stretching, band work, and light weightlifting.”

Coaches were elated to have Davis back on the field. He noted that he thought the coaches appreciated how hard he worked to get back on the field and were relived to see him play again.

However, he wasn’t out of the woods

just yet. He faced a relapse warming up for a Fall game before his senior season.

“My arm was in pain and I didn’t throw again for a month. Luckily it wasn’t as bad as the first time,” said Davis.

Even though he was able to get back on the hump on the baseball diamond, Davis knew something still didn’t feel right. The injury had affected his grip on his right hand due to the pinching nerve on his elbow.

“After the surgery I wasn’t throwing as hard as I was before,” said Davis.

“After the surgery throwing over hand never really felt the same to me.” at LMC af— Matt Davis terOnce graduating high school, he discussed his injury with the coaches and found a new solution; try pitching sidearm.

Although the idea was out of his comfort zone, Davis decided to try it out and sure enough the suggestion shaped him into the pitcher he is today.

“It was hard at first but after I found the right arm slot, side arm felt good,” said Davis.

Looking back, he recalls that he threw harder overhand, but with tireless practice and effort,

“It was a dramatic experience at first but now that it’s behind me, I feel good about it .”

Safety a concern in football today

he has gotten better throwing side arm and says he is getting closer to throwing as hard.

Davis has recently ended his career at Los Medanos College after the baseball team made it to the first round of playoffs. In his sophomore season he ended with a 4.91 earned run average with 4 strikeouts and only 6 hits.

After his experience with the injury, he realizes that it is not a lesson unlearned.

“It was a dramatic experience at first but now that it’s behind me, I feel good about it. I’m lucky to have had everything turn out well,” said Davis. “I think I have grown as a person and a player from the whole injury process.

It has made me a more patient person and I think it has made me appreciate things in life.

Since I’ve been through all of this I try to help other guys so they don’t have to go through what I did.”

He notes that the game is what kept him going, along with the endless support he received from his mother.

“My mom without a doubt was my biggest supporter through the entire process,” said Davis. “I love this game, I want to keep playing for as long as I can. It has brought me great life lessons and knowledge.”

He added that the game has also brought great friends he will have for a long time and he’s grateful the game has brought him that.

“I am hoping to keep playing at the four year level,” said Davis. “Whatever happens after, happens.”

Women more at risk in games

Is it wise to have children play?

JARED AMBUEHL

jambuehl@lmcexperience.com

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, otherwise known by the sports and football world as CTE, is defined by www.bu.edu as a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic sub-concussive hits to the head.

This disease is the NFL’s worst nightmare right now, as it proposes a threat to the game, and has already made several notable players in the league retire early for the safety of their health. Chris Borland and Patrick Willis were among the players a year ago to retire early citing health purposes. For Willis, he made his money, well, enough at least to go out on his own terms.

He did pass up a boatload of money to quit, but the guy has a story. If you have ever seen the movie The Blind Side, it is said that Willis had a very similar story to that of Michael Oher’s.

Borland, however, was perhaps the biggest surprise when he quit because he had just completed his first year of football a year ago, and he was amongst the best linebackers in the league already. This caused quite the stir, and the movie Concussion just

kept stirring the pot. Brian Powelson, the trainer at Los Medanos College, had an interesting perspective on whether or not kids should be able to play contact football at a young age.

“I have no problem with letting kids play football at any age” Powelson said. “I have a problem with the poor coaching and teaching that is being done at the lower levels. The sport needs to do a better job of teaching and emphasizing the fundamentals of tackling and blocking, as opposed to the big hits that have been highlighted on video.”

The real problem is just that we do not yet know enough to make any conclusions or take any sort of action in the NFL. Powelson acknowledged that this was the case.

“How much football do you have to play to be at risk of acquiring CTE?” Powelson asked. “The link between football and CTE has been established, but we do not know to what extent.”

It was just the other month in March that the first NFL official announced that playing in the NFL and attaining hits to the head (repeated head trauma) provides a direct link to CTE. According to ESPN.com, “The admission came during a roundtable discussion on concussions convened See CTE, page 10

JASON FIERROS

jfierros@lmcexperience.com

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

LMC Athletic Trainer Brian Powelson works on a student.

When it comes to the ability to participate in sports, males and females are equally competent. When it comes to preventing and becoming injured, though, it isn’t quite the same.

The first thought that may come to mind is that males are more likely to get injured, probably due to the gruesome injuries often televised from major leagues such as the NFL, NBA and MLB. Despite this, studies show both genders are susceptible to certain types of injuries.

Take the anterior cruciate ligament — more popularly known as the ACL. Several studies show female athletes involved in sports with sudden movement changes — such as soccer — can be up to eight times more likely to injure this ligament than males.

In her article “Sports Injuries: Are Women More At Risk” for the Pharmacy Times Jeannette Wink shows that it is actually linked to the skeletal structure differences in both genders.

The leading theory as to why feSee INJURY, page 10

L O S

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C OL L E G E

Sports

Quotable

E X P E R I E N C E

FRIDAY,

MAY

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9

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

— Babe Ruth

Pitcher Spencer Vincent, left, and Matt Davis are moving a mat that was used during practice to protect the turf between the pitcher’s mound and home plate.

Before the ump yells ‘Play ball!’

B

aseball was developed more than 150 years ago in the northeast and is now America’s No.2 favorite sport based on TV viewing records. But before the fans hear “Play ball!” from the head umpire, much has to be done whether you are playing in the major leagues or at Los Medanos College.

Both the field of play and the players taking the field must be ready for game time.The field must be cared for and prepared. Grass needs to be watered and soil raked. Large canvas tarps protecting the field must be rolled and removed. The field needs to be striped and the pitcher’s mound strengthened with fresh turf material.

Players must also be prepped to be at their competive best. Pitching skills must be developed and fine-tuned since games are often won “on the mound.”

The finer points of batting skills must be honed by each player. Basics such as catching fly balls and fielding grounders must be reinforced.

Injuries must be treated with sound physical therapy techniques but better yet prevented by warming up with stretching exercises during practice and before a game.

The players, through their confidence gained by hours of practice, must adopt a winning attitude before the first pitch is thrown.

So before the fans arrive to fill the stands, a lot of baseball has already been played out behind the scenes.

Above, Mustang baseball players Matt Davis and Alec McCauley put in the lines for home plate. Right, team members cover the grass with a tarp to protect it while they practice.

Photos by Cathie Lawrence l Experience

Clockwise from left: Baseball teammates move the batting cage — known as the “Bubble” — off the field before a game. Players warm up with stretches before practice.

Assistant Coach Chris Bodishbaugh collects baseballs after pitching drills. A team member adjusts one of the sprayers that shoots water beyond the covered pitcher’s mound to centerfield.

L O S

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Faithful sounds

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

ALBUM From page 4

on the album, describing a relationship in which Thom feels he must compromise and suppress himself in order to feel reciprocated love. It›s a depressing finale to a beautiful and well-constructed album that featured some of the band›s best songwriting to date.

While this album is a must listen for fans of the band, I would be cautious in recom-

mending this to someone unfamiliar or new to Radiohead’s music. The slow paced and ambient nature of this album may be unrewarding for the casual listener but those who know what to expect will undoubtedly enjoy this album for the ethereal moments that shine through even the most bleak moments on this record.

Men” for Scientific American.

Not only are women athletes concussed at a higher rate, but it has also shown that it takes longer for them to recover and their symptoms are often more severe.

However, it is not just females that are more likely to get injured. According to the American Academy of Orthope-

dic Surgeons, males are three times as likely to suffer from fractured metacarpals – the bones in the palm of your hand.

While both genders have susceptibilities for some injuries there are some that are equally common between both sexes. Some of these would be plantar fasciitis and ankle sprains.

INJURY From page 8

males injure this more frequently is because female knees are angled differently than those of males, and landing may cause their knees to bend inward.

Another injury that appears more commonly in females that often goes unrecognized is concussions, wrote Bob Roehr in his article “Concussions Affect Women More Adversely Than

CHOOSE YOUR DOCTOR

more

options When it comes to good health, your doctor is your coach, partner, and ally.

So it only makes sense that you have one that you connect with and can trust.

Our doctors are caring, supportive, and highly respected in their fields. And with more than 800 Kaiser Permanente physicians in Central and East Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley area, it’s easy to find one that’s right for you.

To learn more, visit kp.org/diablo.

M AY

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GARY

GPA

ART

As student trustee he promoted increasing the student voice at the district level by having three student trustees on the district board instead of just a single trustee that rotates ever y three years among the three colleges. He also advocated for an additional student to serve as an alternate on the selection committee to replace Chancellor Helen Benjamin, who will be retiring in December.

He was also instrumental in establishing Veterans Resource Centers at all three district campuses, the first Veterans Resource Center opened April 28 here at LMC. Gordon said Walker-Roberts demonstrated his leadership as a student trustee by “working with Sentinels of Freedom to help support our military veterans and bring veterans centers to our colleges.”

Walker-Rober ts, whose husband Jason is a retired Marine, first got involved in the veterans center initiative as student government president at LMC. Veterans returning to college after service approached him with their concerns about the lack of places to study on campus.

This resulted in the formation of a Veterans Task Force with the help of veterans Diane Ferguson, an employee, and Stuart Wadsworth, a student.

Kratochvil, who Walker-Roberts has worked closely with as a student leader, said he is impressed with his enthusiasm and engagement, and added, “he certainly has his student interests foremost in mind.”

Contra Costa College President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said she appreciated his willingness to visit all three district colleges and engage in conversation with students. He “understands there are differences among the three colleges. Gary has a real knack for being able to share varying points of view in a very effective way.”

Although his top priority is to complete his master’s degree in English, his experiences as a student leader have shown him he can make a difference.

“Politics is at the forefront of my mind and I want to help give back to the community in which I live,” he said.

Those who have worked with him value his contributions and believe his ability to connect with people will eventually lead to a career in politics.

“I am sorry to see him move on, but I am sure we will see him around,” Gordon said. “It would not surprise me to see him continue in the political arena.”

When thinking of the day that he leaves LMC behind to begin a life of teaching and advocacy, Walker-Roberts said he would take with him “many great memories including knowing that LMC is where my passion for advocating for underrepresented student populations started.”

need to complete a form for each college they have attended, turn the completed form(s) into any college within the District, and have their official transcripts on file at the schools’ Admissions & Records before submitting Academic Renewal to said office.

According to policy, there is no time limit for Academic Renewal, but students may only utilize this once within the district. The renewal can be applied to a maximum of 24 units and each college must adjust the ademic record for courses completed at that location. A request form for Academic Renewal should be submitted at each college and courses that have already been removed from the overall GPA based on course repetition will not be “renewed” in this process.

LMC Counseling Department Co-Chair Sophia Ramirez said that students are able to apply for Academic Renewal throughout the district with all three colleges. Transfer students are not the only ones who can benefit from this policy –– Ramirez said every student could benefit, and that the counseling department has seen it help a lot of the returning students.

“I feel students are taking advantage of this policy. When students come and see an academic counselor, this is a topic we usually discuss,” said Ramirez. “If the student has had previous coursework that does not need to be repeated, they can qualify and benefit from it.”

If you have any fur ther questions about the Academic Renewal, schedule an appointment with an LMC counselor.

Stephanie who put their heart into their work,” said Corlew.

When Gomez isn’t creating art, she enjoys singing, listening to all forms of music, and doing community service. She loves to explore art galleries in the Bay Area — specifically San Francisco — and is excited about the upcoming reopening of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art this month.

Gomez is versatile with many mediums, but her strength is drawing, and though she loves all colors equally, she tends to lean toward warm colors when producing art because she believes them to be more inviting.

Over the past few years, Gomez has not only “gained a stronger foundation in art,” but also has become a “better-rounded individual” through the opportunities she has had as an artist.

“Being creative is a strong quality I have always possessed.

However, an even stronger quality that grows each day through my obstacles and experiences is my self-determination and perfectionism,” she said. “They have allowed me to strive for excellence as I am strong-minded and a highly driven individual that strives for perfection to distinguish my identity and purpose as an artist.”

From page 3

Music instructor Silvester Henderson plays the piano while leading the LMC Gospel Choir during its performance inside the Recital Hall Saturday, May 7.

here almost evokes the spirit of early Neil. Young with its tone regarding the people and their relationship with the planet The lyrics on this album are a major strong point. The extraterrestrial imagery on «Decks Dark» is an interesting motif to introspect on the nature of humanity. “True Love Waits”, is one of the most heart wrenching songs

FRIDAY,

FOOD From page 3

help guide the committee’s decision-making process when selecting the vendor.

“My goal is to see how the students and staff replied and try to put that into perspective when selecting bids,” said Sanchez.

The college is selecting from a pool of regional businesses that run the cafeterias in a number of local schools, hospitals, government agencies and businesses.

“We look at the contractor’s experience, their ability to manage an account of this scale, we review if they have an understanding of food service regulations, financial stability, if they offer a variety of food options, if the food they offer is healthy, whether they want a commission and their pricing,” listed Sanchez.

One of the health-focused paths the college is looking at is calorie counts next to dishes on the menu, similar to what you’d see in a fast food restaurant.

Other considerations include the possibility of student employment, whereas the current model uses a contractor.

“Think about it like a franchise,” explained Sanchez.

“At a Subway you have the marketing, advertising and contracts done by corporate.

Then it gets subcontracted to a manager.”

The vendor will be selected imminently and will be in place by the start of the fall semester.

From page 1

GREEN From page 4

be nihilistic punks, the mere idea of shooting someone is inconceivable, never mind the sight of a sloppy knife attack.

There’s no glorification of violence here. You get the feeling that these are the simple, deeply unpleasant facts of the matter — this is the result of combining a boxcutter and flesh.

Despite being heavily influenced by the works of Howard Hawks and Carpenter, “Green Room” repeatedly subverts expectations. Characters survive and die at moments when ever y instinct predicts the opposite, and it does so in a way that doesn’t feel cheap like many of the so-called twists in “Game of Thrones.” Even as the protagonists approach the Final Showdown, it isn’t clear if they’ll ride off into the sunset.

The performances in the film are all fairly stellar, from the clear-headed Cole to the warbly Yelchin to frequent Saulnier collaborator Macon Blair’s second-thoughts-having Nazi janitor, but the standout performance is from Sir Patrick Stewart. The renowned Shakespearean actor brings a tremendous gravity to the part of Darcy, the compound’s owner and the leader of the white supremacists. His unmistakable voice — even when speaking softly through the barricaded door — drips with menace, though credit is once again due to Saulnier for creating a wholly unique character for Stewart to inhabit.

Like “Blue Ruin,” “The Guest” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” before it, “Green Room” is the newest in a line of films that take inspiration from the schlock of yore and recasts it in gold. Who doesn’t like an artfully murdered Nazi?

CTE From page 8

by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce. Jeff Miller, the NFL’s senior vice president for health and safety, was asked by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., if the link between football and neurodegenerative diseases such as CTE has been established.”

“The answer to that question is certainly yes,” Miller said.

This admission, although it came way too late from the NFL, is the first step into a better future and a more safe future for NFL players.

If you asked me though, I would just tell the NFL to make players wear leather helmets, as they would not be leading with their heads anymore.

From page 7

PLAY From page 4

are in charge of writing, acting, set design, sound, lighting and more.

Continued Garcia, the New Play Festival is “a full-campus collaboration” among art, English, drama, journalism and graphic design students. The three-night event will feature seven new plays each of the first two nights with the third night being an improv comedy performance.

“Each night you come you’ll have a totally new experience,” said Garcia.

There is great range in the content of the plays, but be advised when it comes to bringing children, because according to Garcia the majority of the plays are “mature in content.”

In the words of Garcia, some of the themes will include “a lot of murder, betrayal,” some horror, one in the style of The Twilight Zone, one reminiscent of an 80’s teen movie, and many more. One or two are expected to be more lighthearted and child-friendly, though.

“I’ve attended a couple rehearsals and it’s amazing to see what’s being done,” said Brown.

Of all the plays his students wrote for the festival, the one he said he’s most excited about was one written by Konnor Heredia. “His play is ver y funny … he writes very funny dialogue.”

The Festival will take place at the Little Theater. The shows all start at 7 p.m. with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be $5 each for everyone – students and non-students alike.

UC

From page 3 applicants were rejected, despite having test scores higher than non-resident applicants who were accepted.

Acceptance of in-state students has fallen one percent over the same period of time.

While the system has put a cap in place in order to quell criticism of recent practices, it is not allowing for increases to in-state acceptance.

“UC is not in a financial position” to allow more California enrollees, said Napolitano at an Assembly budget subcommittee hearing. Effectively, she said, the colleges are being told to “keep their enrollment of California students flat.”

In a response to the state audit, the UC system issued its own repor t. It stated that the increase in non-resident students was in response to a budget shortfall.

UC spokeswoman Dianne Klein said that a 30 percent funding cut lead to the increases.