Transfer Day at LMC
RENT opening nears
Soccer comes together
College representatives take to the Indoor Quad for Transfer Day. Story inside — page 3
The Drama Department seeks to wow with residence at the California Theater. Preview inside — page 4
Shutout victory over Contra Costa College instills confidence in struggling team — page 5
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New site draws concern
BART delays action on Brentwood
November is Transgender Awareness Month
By CASSIE DICKMAN
cdickman@lmcexperience.com
Nov. 2
Daylight Savings Time — Turn your clocks back one hour at 2 a.m.
Nov. 10
Veteran’s Day — Campus closed
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
LMC President Bob Kratochvil speaks during the BART Board meeting.
Blood Drive to come again
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In a tension-filled meeting last week the BART Board of Directors and members of the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board discussed a proposed controversial letter from BART to the college district about the future site of the permanent Los Medanos College Brentwood Center. The letter, which was written and placed on BART’s Oct. 23 meeting agenda by its President Joel Keller, expressed concerns that the current location approved by the college governing board violates state and federal laws, deprives a disadvantaged group of minority and low income students access
to public transportation, and has significant and unavoidable impacts on the environment. In the end, action on the letter was delayed until the next BART meeting, but not before opinions were aired by representatives of both boards. Keller was not present at the meeting but his fellow board members said he asked them to adopt the letter and officially send it to College District Governing Board President John Marquez, who attended the meeting at the last minute to respond to the letter which, he said, he had only received word of that morning. “I’m hurt and angry actually that there could be any concern
Honoring the dead
Student Life & Blood Centers of the Pacific will be hosting another blood drive on campus. The drive will be held Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Library. For more information or to schedule your donation appointment visit Blood Centers of the Pacific website at www. bloodheroes.com click on “Donate Blood” and enter sponsor code = losMC. Student Life can be reached at 473-7554.
Spooky night draws youth By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
President Bob Kratochvil will continue his Campus Conversation series with these upcoming dates: n Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Brentwood Center, Room 11 n Monday, Dec. 1 from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Library, Room L-105 The informal meetings offer the opportunity to have an idea heard by the president. Questions and feedback are encouraged on current LMC issues. Meetings with the president can also be scheduled one-on-one by calling Senior Executive Assistant Jennifer Adams at 473-7302 or emailing her at jadams@losmedanoscollege.edu
The Los Medanos College Puente Program hosted the first annual Dia de los Muertos celebration Oct. 29 in the Indoor Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day focuses on remembering loved ones who have passed. The celebration traditionally takes place over a period of three days, starting on Oct. 30. Participants of the festivities were treated to facepainting, sugar skull decorating, food sales and altar displays. The displays were encouraged to be made by each department. Above, artist Cynthia Viera paints a skull mask on student Marcus Green. The display, left, was part of the days decorations.
Photos by Katrina Butler • Experience
The 5th Annual Soup Cook off will be held Tuesday Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until supplies run out) in the Indoor Quad. The event is a fundraiser for the Classified Senate. Pricing is $4 for a bowl with a slice of bread, and $1 for each soup shot. Call Linda Maniscalco at 473-7502 for more information.
See BART, page 6
2.6 billion spent on festivities
LMC2 to bring idea exchange
Soup cook off needs chefs
about my district and me to be discriminatory in any way toward our students,” said Marquez at the meeting. “Mr. Keller spoke of cooperation and working together but his actions say otherwise.” Keller attended the Sept. 10 meeting of the college governing board to express his concerns with the new Brentwood Center site. Along with Marquez, Governing Board Vice President John Nejedly, LMC President Bob Kratochvil and attorney David Suldany, who represents the district in legal matters, also made hasty arrangements to attend the meeting to voice their disapproval of premature action on an official letter. They urged
Debating propositions
Team skirmishes over worth of Prop 2 By JOSH WOOD
jwood@lmcexperience.com
Pittsburg Civic Center hosted the LMC Debate Team’s debate Wednesday night on Proposition 2, a measure on the upcoming Nov. 4 ballot to reallocate the budget to ensure the government saves money into a rainy day fund and increases school spending. The debate was held in the Pittsburg City Council Chamber and Debate Coach Kasey Gardner said that the
team “couldn’t be happier to keep partnering with the city.” Unlike a competitive debate, where the team would only have had 15 minutes of prep time, a public debate allows the team two weeks in advance to prepare and develop arguments. “We had 50 people here,” to view the debate, Gardner Experience • Cathie Lawrence said, “and a great discussion Opposition Whip Sergio Ramirez makes his afterward.” One of the defining features presentation during the debate. Teammate Brianna See PROP, page 6
Klipp listens as her partner makes his case.
The Halloween market is increasing. The average American consumer spends $75 per person up from $30 in 2005. The increase can be attributed to people ages 18 to 25. Over the past several years, there has been an increase in young adults celebrating or partaking in Halloween celebrations. Many people think of Halloween as a holiday for children but statistics compiled by various companies and websites suppor t the fact that young adults spend more money and par ticipate in certain festivities even more so than children. According to a creditdonkey.com survey, 1076 people over 18 were surveyed and 78.7 percent planned on partaking in Halloween celebrations. According to data compiled by the National Retail Federation, more than two-thirds of the American population will spend an estimated 7.4 billion dollars on Halloween and specifically, 2.6 billion dollars on costumes, with the majority of that money being spent on adult costumes. Honors Director Jenifer Saito said “It’s the only holiday for children and adults – who doesn’t want to dress up?” Some attribute these numbers to a melancholy reason; young adults are afraid to grow up. For some the celebration acts as a catalyst for nostalgia. Music major Marcela Zaragoza thinks young adults still celebrates the holiday because “We don’t want to think about growing older yet so we get once a year to dress up and act like kids again.” Other people like Music major Lauren Dunn think college students still celebrate Halloween so they have an excuse for dressing provocatively, getting drunk and partying. This does correlate See NIGHT, page 6
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“Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on”
— River Phoenix
Reiko Kubota
Kimberly Stelly
GUEST COLUMNIST
SOCIALLY UNWELL
Problems with Proposition 2
Self-mutilation is on the rise
When I first heard about Prop 2, my skeptical side thought, “Really?” This was followed by, “It’s about time.” Good - saving the state’s money by planning and by reducing interest costs is a good thing. But then, from Statistics, Biomedical Ethics, English, Business Management, Economics and every other training-in-critical-thinking and how-to-learn class came: Is it logical? How do you know? Is it reasonable, true or even useful? I hadn’t suspended judgment about it – hadn’t asked any real questions or allowed time to percolate Prop 2 through past-, present-, or future-checking. If you’ve taken any of Prof. Pearson’s Management classes, you’ll have heard that listening to public radio is a good habit. I’d like to share potentially useful information - first heard in an NPR, Sacramento broadcast and followed up on their website after Monday’s ICC meeting. Not only is there opposition to Prop 2, but also failure to support from groups that one might have expected the reverse: “statewide associations that represent California school boards and administrators are remaining neutral on Prop 2.” Why? Because apparently after Prop 2 qualified for the November ballot, there appeared new words to “cap school districts’ reserves in any year the state puts money into a new and separate ‘rainy day fund’ for schools that’s created by Prop 2 … unless a county superintendent grants an exemption.” It seems Prop 2 was supposed to include promises to help schools, but later, the state’s budget was passed with wording that would rescind promises of help unless districts have restricted efforts to help themselves. Is that a good argument for not creating or adding to a reserve fund just in case there might be available help that year? Or when enacted, as opposed to what people have been told would happen when Prop 2 passes, would district emergency funds already in existence invoke the “cap” and block access to state funding? Who could we ask three days before the election? According to Capitol Public Radio, Jennifer Bestor of the non-profit parent volunteer group “Educate Our State,” explained, theoretically, they don’t object to a “rainy day fund,” but do object to how the cap happened: “It simply appeared out of nowhere at the 59th minute of the eleventh hour. And we couldn’t believe that something so blatantly wrong – such a power grab – would come out of Sacramento at a time that they were touting local control.” Who wanted the provision? Why was it important? What did they promise to get support for making what looks like a suspicious and self-contradictory decision? If the state had not been pulling money for itself out of local funding, school districts might not have to care about Prop 2’s consequences. From the NPR website: “Supporters of the provision argue that the districts ought to spend the money in the classroom – not store it in an unreasonably large reserve.” Is that a reasonable, responsible or merely enlightening statement? Can we expect reasonable decisions from supporters who rationalize capping district reserves while touting state savings and use a word that would probably mean different amounts to every group involved? Can we even trust them to support a state reserve fund? A final nauseating quote: “They’re counting on the governor’s promise to revisit the issue next year.” Why would I want to vote into California’s Constitution something that is already known to need “revisiting” if it passes? I give the supporters one more year to get it right.
One trend that’s been increasing in recent years among our nations youth is self-mutilation which is defined as purposeley inflicting injury on one’s own body without obvious suicidal intent in ways that aren’t socially acceptable. A common but misguided belief is that self-injury is done with intent to kill ones self, the fact is though, that it is actually a preventative measure to keep from committing suicide. When a person feels they are no longer in control of their life and that they have no one they can turn to, that can manifest itself in dangerous and unhealthy ways. According to research by headspace. org, self-harm is more common in females than males. Over 41 percent of the people surveyed started between the ages of 17-22. A survey done by researchers affiliated with Princeton and Cornell University concluded that roughly 17 percent of college students engage in self-harm. 75 percent reported that they’ve hurt themselves on more than one occasion. The practices most common among college students are scratching and cutting. Other common practices are biting, punching, carving words into one’s body parts, burning and pulling one’s own hair out. And though it’s expected of young adults to drink in college, there is a difference between alcohol dependency and just drinking to have a good time. If you are habitually using drugs and alcohol as means of dealing with stress, it is considered self-harm. More extreme behavior likely to have permanent consequences includes the removal of teeth, self-castration, setting oneself on fire and consuming household chemicals like bleach but luckily, these cases are rare. A serious problem with the increase is that researchers aren’t sure why it’s on the upswing. Pop culture fixtures such as Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Princess Diana and Russell Brand have all admitted to selfharm. Some suspect that bringing attention to the problem especially through the use of social media might make it appear trendy. In fact, there are Tumblr blogs dedicated to providing methods of starving and injuring one’s self. Written into the terms and conditions on most social networks, admins who run the site are supposed to take down graphic images of this nature. Unfortunately, users find ways around this. Though for most people, self-injury is a temporary coping mechanism lasting for only a few years, there are still a lot of people who continue these dangerous practices for decades therefore making it more unlikely that they will stop. “The figures showing that 90 percent have stopped by the time they reach their twenties should not seduce us into thinking that self-harm is just a phase that young people will grow out of,” said Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE. We’re going to have to look out for our youth. If you suspect anyone of intentionally harming him or herself, the worst thing to do would be to scold them. It will make them feel worse since what often ensues after self-injury is regret. Some signs of self injury include wearing long sleeves even in the heat, bloody shirt sleeves or tissues, unexplained bruises or scars, the possession of multiple sharp objects and negative statements pertaining to one’s self-worth or existence. There has to be more mental health ser vices and workshops. There have been flyers for workshops around the Los Medanos College campus before, but it’s still a subject people appear to be ignorant about. For self-harm support and info, visit selfinjury.com.
Experience • Joey Fajardo
Editorial
Transferring is important
T
he idea of transferring while you’re going to a community college can be stressful. Even when you get the degree and graduate from a community college, you don’t necessarily have your plans set in stone for the college you are transferring to. However, it is extremely important you explore your options. Los Medanos College has a transfer rate of less than 20 percent. Special programs enacted here at LMC like the Transfer Academy, Umoja, Puente and Honors are trying to increase the number of individuals transferring out. Community college is a baby step between high school and university. It’s time to branch out to another campus where it’s possibly more suited to meet your educational needs. Many schools offer various options and choices of majors whether it’s nursing, criminal justice, or computer science. Going to a 4-year college can be overwhelming, but it’s worth the challenge if you want to succeed in life, and earn a lot of money. Starting at a community college prepares you for a university, and it eases the stress. The various universities benefit us by visiting community college campuses and giving us valuable information. You go to school, not only to get a job also so you can make your own career and create a legacy future generations can be proud of. You are exposed to a lot more tools by spreading out to different places rather than staying in your comfort zone and settling. Transferring is one of those things that will take a lot of consideration because it will impact your future. Graduating from a university would add more credibility than if you just came from a community college. It is a highly important destination that we stop at on our way to our pursuing our ultimate dream. It’s important to make sure students have the right tools to get to where they want to be.
Letters to the Editor
Other medical issues ignored DEAR EDITOR: I am very pleased with what Los Medanos has agreed to. I think it’s wonderful that they have agreed upon title IX. Young pregnant teens shouldn’t have to put their education on hold when they are aiming to better their future. However, if a student was enrolled in a class and in the middle of the semester had delivered their baby, how would that affect their grade in class they were enrolled in – would it change anything? Or would they continue from where they left off on their education or would they get the opportunity to start the class again with a clean slate? In a recent article, you state the DSPS program is helping to support the expecting
mothers, yet who is providing the money to do all this? Why is it that if a pregnant woman is in labor, then has to watch her child afterward and miss school, where is the leniency for the other students with medical issues? Why are they not offered the same decency as well? They too are also engaged in some sort of medical issue going on. So why is it when someone who probably was involved in an accident, has to deal with a withdrawal “F”? I’m totally all for Title IX but I am also concerned that other students with different medical issues are not offered something like this program. — Mayra Vasquez
Reader Opinion Policy
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
Why are so many young adults still invested in celebrating Halloween? C
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Member California Newspaper Publishers Association
“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
Editor-in-Chief ..................... JOSEPH DELANO Perspectives Editors......... JAZMINE GORDON and KIMBERLY STELLY
“It gives them a chance to be someone new. They’re still finding themselves.” — Konnor Heredia
“I think it’s the fear of growing up and losing their innocence.” —Sable Horton
“It gives them a chance to feel young again.” — Thomas Kluzek
“I think a lot of them just like to dress up.” — Kayla Obdullah
“They do it for the candy and to dress up.” — Nabeeh Blackburn
“It’s the one day we can pretend our lives don’t exist and be kids again.” — Arionna White
Campus Editor ....................CASSIE DICKMAN Features Editor ....................... DAMIAN LEWIN Sports Editor .............................STEVEN LUKE Photo Editors................... CATHIE LAWRENCE and BERTHA AGUILAR Associate Editors....................... JOSH WOOD and SUZZANNE SPERRY Web Editor ..........................BRENDAN CROSS 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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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
— Plato
Help with apps
Center informs
By JORDAN ARANDA
jaranda@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Katrina Butler
Student Kunal Khanna speaks with Lucie Lombera, a representative from CSU East Bay during the LMC Transfer Day event Monday, Oct. 27 on Level 3 of the College Complex.
Students explore options ‘4-years’ on campus
By ARIANA MACKSON
amackson@lmcexperience.com
Following a Transfer Rally held Oct. 24, students were able to explore their options for higher education during Transfer Day Monday, Oct. 27 on level 3 of the College Complex from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Many representatives from state colleges and universities were available to further explain the benefits of transferring to their schools. A majority of the colleges that were included in the event are located in California, however, a few out-of-state colleges attended, including the University of Idaho and Sierra Nevada College. “I attended it because I want to further explore the majors of different colleges,” said student Marcus Green. “This gives me a chance to learn about several out-of-state colleges that I can’t take a campus tour to.” The event helped students who are looking to obtain more information about their majors, as well as find schools that would offer similar programs. “The three D’s,” said Michelle Prior-Alameda on what students need to transfer from Los Medanos College. As a representative for The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising,
Prior-Alameda knows that if students have the “Dreams, Desire and Determination,” they can successfully transfer to the college of their choice. There were a variety of schools at the event that were able to fit the needs of students with varied interests and majors. Social work major Nisa Lacey and Zoology major Wendy Zelaya were both able to find schools that provided programs for each of their fields of study. “Students should look for a fit,” said St. Mary’s College Representative Erik Coloma, “a school they feel is the right one to go to.” Located in Moraga, the private liberal arts college is known to be a small community, with only 4,000 students. This creates smaller class sizes, creating attention toward all students. For those students who decide to stay in California, such as Markeisha Beckham, many options were available to help make the deciding process less difficult to begin. For her, schools that offer computer science degrees as well as daycare alternatives for her son are something she looked for. “First year here at LMC,” said Beckham, “I did a tour of University of San Francisco, and decided to stay at LMC for 2 years and then transfer
Students deal with time issues
Experience • Bertha Aguilar
Student Andrew Olender talks to Alexandra Ball from San Diego State University during College Night, Oct. 27 in the Gym. there.” For students more interested in attending out-of-state colleges, representatives such as Amanda Hotinger from the University of Idaho said their college offers diverse programs for students and has small classroom sizes to help accommodate all those students. “The best thing you can do is ask questions as soon as you pick a couple of schools,” advised Hotinger. Planning to transfer in the fall of
2015, kinesiology major Jarell Calvin took advantage of Transfer Day and met with various representatives to help answer questions he had about pursuing a career as an athletics trainer. “I had questions about fixing my application,” said Calvin, “they were all answered.” As students met with the various representatives from the colleges visiting the campus, many were offered pieces See DAY, page 6
It’s finally fall, which means changing leaves, hot chocolate, and college applications. Applications are open and students are now in the midst of the annual application process for transfer. 552 students of the graduating class of 2013 have transferred, and 302 of those to a California State University, this according to Los Medanos College Dean of Student Success David Belman. “While the numbers go up and down each year, the overall trend has been a lot of growth and the numbers have essentially doubled over the past decade,” said Belman. If you plan on transferring and need a place to start this process, then the Transfer Center is the place to go. Interim Transfer Center Coordinator Adé Origúnwà and others got together last spring semester to brainstorm what students are looking for and have provided an easier way for them to access that information. On the new and improved Transfer Center website, www. losmedanos.edu/transfer, you can access transfer news and information about upcoming transfer events. Transfer Center services, and information about workshops, appointments with representatives from transfer institutions, university tours, transfer guarantees, Transfer Day and transfer coaching, are also accessible. The new Transfer Center website also has information about four-year universities, and even how to apply for the Transfer Academy. According to the website, the application process for CSU colleges is underway and applications will be accepted through Nov. 30. The following six tips found on the survivingcollege.com website will help you during this time: n Start writing personal statements and/or essays. See APPS, page 6
LMC resources made available By EVAN DEAN
edean@lmcexperience.com
Midterms season has arrived, which means the semester is coming to an end. During this time, many students struggle with prioritizing. They try to balance work, classes, studying, family and friends. Luckily, there are some easy ways to set up for success. One place that can help with developing good study habits and offers a kind environment to get work done is the Center for Academic Support, which is located on the third floor of the College Complex. “The CORE is a good place to study, it’s designed for exactly that,” said Sandra Mills, coordinator of the Center for Academic Support. It provides reading and writing consultations and peer tutors trained in study skills can also help you out. “Many students wait until it’s too late to make an appointment,” Mills said. She suggests students make an appointment with the center a week before had because “cramming doesn’t work.” Athletics Counselor Michelle Mack suggests students should map ever ything they need to do, how to do it and when it needs to be done by. Add the deadlines to a timeline,
factor in social obligations in a calendar and find something that relieves stress. “Get involved with a club or activity,” Mack suggested to those looking for a stressfree environment on campus. Students should consider some of the more tranquil places on campus. “We have a nice pond, just don’t get attacked by the ducks,” she joked. When dealing with time management, most students struggle with the problem of procrastination. “Give yourself time to procrastinate,” Mack said, because students who procrastinate will procrastinate anyway. Students should delegate some time to “slack off,” so when it is time to get to work they won’t feel as pressured. No one knows the fight of time management better than students themselves. According to the Institution of Education Sciences, “The fall of 2014, some 21 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities” which “constituted an increase of about 5.7 million since fall 2001.” Also, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in October of 2013 that 43.4 percent of full-time students and 82.1
Experience • Bertha Aguilar
Students Elijah Mesina and Mark Villarreal talk to Dan Rosenstrauch, a photojournalist of 40 years for the Contra Costa Times.
Books come alive in Library By JORDAN ARANDA
jaranda@lmcexperience.com
It was déjà vu in the Los Medanos College Library Tuesday, Oct. 28 as books came alive once again and doled out words of wisdom to those who would listen. During an encore performance of Books Alive! event at LMC, more than 14 career-themed human books were available for 20-minute checkout periods. Evila Briones was one of many students interested in checking out human books. One that caught her attention was IT specialist and small business owner, Brian Jacobson. See TERM, page 6 “It was important for me to learn the do’s
and the don’ts of business management and accounting,” she said, adding that is what she is studying at LMC. “A Firefighter Who Becomes a College Dean,” “A Photojournalist from the Contra Costa Times,” “A Nursing Instructor and Modern Dancer” and a “Veteran and Non-Profit Founder” were among the many human books at the event. During the checkout period, book borrowers learned interesting things about their human books of choice, such as: n How a photojournalist from the Contra Costa Times escaped the Vietnam War draft by enrolling at Diablo Valley College and taking his first photography
class. “I never took a picture before that, but I started and I liked it,” said Dan Rosenstrauch. n How a nursing instructor from Belfast, Ireland, who is also a professional modern dancer, loves to teach and performs in class to keep his students interested. Colin McDowell explained that, “a professional is someone the community decides to invest knowledge in.” n How a female firefighter excelled in a male-dominated profession and is now dean of Career Technical Education and Social Sciences. Natalie Hannum recalled the time she first became a firefighter: “I See ALIVE, page 6
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‘RENT’ due soon
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“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” — Stephen King
Show is collaborative effort
By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ
bhernandez@lmcexperience.com
For the first time in history, the LMC drama and music departments are working together with others on campus to bring the musical “RENT” to the greater community. With help from LMCAS and The Pittsburg Arts and Community Foundation, this production will be performed at the California Theatre in downtown Pittsburg, instead of in the Little Theater on campus. The main goal is to help bring the community together through the main message of the story, which is love. “We’re blending depar tments here,” said Arionna White who plays lesbian public interest lawyer Joanne Jefferson. “And we want to help blend the community.” Written by Jonathan Larson, “RENT” was first seen in a threeweek workshop production at New
York Theatre Workshop in 1994 and officially opened Jan. 26, 1996. It has been performed on Broadway, internationally and nationally, and now in downtown Pittsburg at the California Theatre. “RENT” represents equity and diversity, something that Contra Costa College District suppor ts as well. The play is all about love, coming together, and caring about people who come from different backgrounds. “It is important that the actors know the meaning behind the musical,” said Elysse Green, a member of the chorus. “The storyline depicts real life. It is not just an upbeat musical because it also shows how sad and dark life can be.” At the table read, where the actors read the script with speaking parts, drama teacher and director Nick Garcia asked them to read the lines
Singing, stringing and jazzing it up
During the past week, the air inside the Recital Hall was filled with a variety of sounds provided by musicians from LMC as well as special guests. Right, Crystal Maciel plays the violoncello during the Baroque Ensemble’s “Chamber Music from the Baroque Period” Oct. 23. Far right, Jazz Master David Liebman performs with his New York City Group for a special afternoon performance Oct. 28. Below, soprano Natalie Galay sings a solo from “West Side Story” during a Choral Experience Concert Oct. 28.
rather than sing them to find the meaning behind the words. “Nick’s a great director,” said Tanner Johnson who plays the lead role. “He has this unbelievable talent that finds its way into making us the best we can be.” According to music teacher Silvester Henderson, both singers and actors must become their characters. The music and drama departments involve performances that are expressive in different ways, and having students from both work together is like nothing before. “Every other show has been just our department,” said White. “This production pushes both departments to be better than they were before.” While this is the first time that the two departments have been able to work with each other to bring this particular show to the community, it is not the first time the two departments
Experience • Bertha Aguilar
Actress Zinah Abraha singing “Out tonight” during rehearsal. have worked together. “When you work with really good people,” explained Garcia, “you don’t have to stress as much.” Henderson has collaborated with the Drama Department in two other productions and is now helping teach the songs to the students for “RENT.” In addition to the collaboration between the music and drama depart-
ments, Henderson is also working with several organizational units on campus including the art department, LMCAS and marketing. The speech program is also planning on holding debates before the shows. “RENT” opens Dec. 3 and runs through Dec. 6 with 7:30 p.m. showings. Tickets start at $11 and are on sale at pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com.
Experience • Brendan Cross
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Experience • Bethany Gella
Oh the ‘Horror’
Photo courtesy of www.bawdycaste.org
Members of “The Bawdy Caste” portray the iconic characters Magenta (left) and Riff Raff during the film.
‘Caste’ brings movie to life By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
Wow, you can have a lot of fun with 6 people named Jeff and a strip teasing, age-ambiguous tree-man. This was the kind of fun had the Rocky Horror Picture Show screening at the Pittsburg California Theater last Friday night, Oct. 24. The show started with an expletive laced, but spectacularly entertaining, speech by the Bawdy Caste’s Riff Raff. He clearly had experience working the crowd, going back and forth with the extra cast members who helped set-up.
Normally when a show takes 45 minutes to start, the audience begins to become restless. However, it’s a little difficult not to pay attention when you’re encouraged to dance to bad pop music and the MC tells you to shout profane things and invites you onstage to play “Riff Raff” says. The film itself was great of course, as it is the longest running midnight movie in cinema history. The actors did a great job at re-enacting the scenes with their limited, but still impressive props, while See ROCKY, page 6
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“From the minute I found out about Oscar [Taveras], I said this game was going to be dedicated to him.”
— Yordano Ventura
Soccer back on right track
Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience
LMC shut out Contra Costa College 4-0 at home and is now on a two-game winning streak heading into two road games against the teams at the top of the conference. Amanda Forbes sends the ball back upfield with a big kick as teammate Paola Perez and Comet Gibsy Vilchis turn to follow the ball upfield (top). Devyn Kelly heads the ball away beating Comet Lizette Hurtado to the ball and pushing the ball back on offensive side of the field (bottom left).
Stangs patched up after injuries By STEVEN LUKE
sluke@lmcexperience.com
After dropping four straight games, the Mustangs have bounced back with back-to-back wins including a 4-0 win at home over Contra Costa College. The win gives them six overall on the season with four games left, three times as many as they won all last season. The win was almost expected as the Comets have only won one game all season, but savvy play on defense caused the game to be much closer than it should have. CCC spent most of their time on defense working on forcing LMC offsides, and it worked to kill
multiple runs by the Mustangs. really that sophisticated they were It worked because it’s not some- caught off sides all game long.” thing that the Mustangs have dealt Even though the off sides trap with this season, and although they worked it only slowed down the tried to make halftime Mustangs slightly as adjustments, injuries they still managed to key players caused “She’s to score three goals a mix up in the lineup in the first half, and got a big in the second half. added another one in “We’re not used to kick and it the second half even teams playing off sides. makes a big after Br yant pulled Personally I think it’s two of his star ting crazy to play off sides in difference.” forwards with injury — Mark Bryant soccer,” said LMC head issues. coach Mark Br yant. Those two injuries “You have to be extremely orga- aren’t the only ones that the team is nized, have the right type of players dealing with as they lose defensive and you’ve got to have some speed sweeper Lauren Ayers was out as and because our forwards aren’t she prepares for knee surgery.
With the loss of Ayers, Brianna Farber was moved from midfield to the sweeper position and her big kicks were a key to keeping the Comets off of the offensive side of the ball. “She (Brianna Farber) came back to the center sweeper, and she did a fantastic job back there, she’s got the big kick and it makes a big difference,” Bryant said. “She’s gonna play there until we get Lauren back. I really liked her in that sweeper, but the competition wasn’t that stiff today.” While the game was one sided it wasn’t without it’s surprises. Late in the first half the center judge See BALL, page 6
Mustangs get ready Freshmen try to earn a spot in fall baseball By STEVEN LUKE
sluke@lmcexperience.com
A 10-3 loss to the rival team, the Contra Costa College Comets, would be a tough one to swallow in the springtime for LMC Baseball, but in fall ball the final score is not the only indicator of success. For head coach Anthony D’Albora fall ball is about winning games, but it is more valuable for seeing who is going to step up and take over the roles left behind by the sophomores that moved on. “If it were up to us we’d want to show up everyday and have 20 hits and strikeout 20 guys and that’s great, but in the end what we do in October, who cares, it doesn’t really matter,” D’Albora said. “We’ve gotta see the freshman that are getting some opportunities, or even sophomores that are trying to establish in different
roles, to prove that they’re prepared and ready to compete at this level.” The game against the Comets gave him just that opportunity to see those freshman as six of the nine starting on offense, and three of the five pitchers used, are new to the team or coming off of redshirt seasons. As the score would indicate there was some room for improvement for the group of freshman who are trying to win a spot on the team. “There’s some opportunities we had to get out of a bad inning with someone stepping up and making a play,” D’Albora said. “I think that’s our biggest challenge to improve on. We’re still looking for the guy who can, whether it is fair to ask him to do it or not, that can make the diving catch in the outfield to end a big inning or to come up with a strikeout when you need it.”
The sixth and seventh innings were innings where this was evident as walks and errors kept the innings alive and allowed seven of the Comets ten runs to score. That’s what fall ball is for D’Albora, finding out who can be the guy to put an end to that kind of inning. In the 2014 season the Mustangs had a lot of guys who could make that play or strike out that batter who have now moved on from LMC, and while it will be tough to fill those shoes, D’Albora is sure that someone will step up. “There’s a handful of guys that have shown they are capable of it (stepping into key roles), and the challenge for us as coaches is who is the guy that can do it everyday,” D’Albora said. “We lose a Ryan Lacy who played short everyday for two years, but at some point he was a freshman that had to play his first year and do the things he was capable of doing. Is it tough to replace that guy, sure, but he had to replace someone the year he stepped in.” D’Albora will have plenty of players
Fantasy football corner
Deer Valley golf scores hole-in-one By STEVEN LUKE
sluke@lmcexperience.com
When Deer Valley High School is in the news, it is usually because something negative happened. Students, parents, faculty and staff at the Antioch, CA high school are trying to change the perception of the school buy using the hashtag theother2700 on social media. The Women’s golf team gave those involved with Deer Valley a reason to use that hashtag on Monday, Oct. 20 when the team won the Bay Valley Athletic League Tournament by one stroke, and Danielle French
scored the first hole-in-one by a female in Deer Valley golf history. Any time there is a holein-one, it should be big news but when it is the first in the history of a school it should be even bigger news. Unfortunately because of the bad reputation that Deer Valley has built up over the recent years it is harder for the good news to break through the news of violence on the streets. That is why the hashtag theother2700 has become a staple on local social media as those involved with the school tr y and get news
Experience • Steven Luke
Sophomore pitcher Matt Davis pitched in relief, giving up four runs, two earned, on one hit and two walks against Contra See FALL, page 6 Costa College.
Steven
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Start – Alex Smith against the Jets Sit – DeMarco Murray against the Cardinals Pick Up – Donte Moncrief, Jaguars WR Brendan
Cross
Start – Dwayne Allen against the Giants Sit – Eric Decker against the Chiefs Pick Up – Charles Sims, Buccaneers RB Photo curtosy of Brian Kofford
Deer Valley senior golfer Danielle French removes the ball from the cup following her hole-in-one on the sixth hole See 2700, page 6 in Brentwood.
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Start – Eli Manning against the Colts Sit – Zac Stacy against the 49ers Pick Up – Odell Beckham Jr., Giants WR
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Back Talk
BART From page 1
the BART Board of Directors to not make a decision on the letter until the college district finishes the new feasibility study. “We appreciate Mr. Keller’s interest and comments he made at our governing board meeting and hope that you have seen that we have taken your comments seriously,” said Nejedly. Nejedly is a par t of the college district board’s adhoc committee created by Marquez during its Sept. 10 governing board meeting to address Keller’s proposal. The committee agreed “to fund an unbiased and objective feasibility study at a cost of almost $20,000 to evaluate (Keller’s) idea,” explained Nejedly, asking the BART Board to let the district complete its due diligence and not take action on the proposed letter until the findings from their study are presented at the College District Governing Board’s meeting Nov. 12. With the passage of Bond Measure E in June, Negedly said the college district is ready to break ground on the new Brentwood Center campus, which has been in the planning stages for many years. He told the BART Board he is concerned Keller’s letter could halt construction of the center for decades and exponentially increase costs. “The building of a permanent site is something we’ve been working towards for about 10 years,” said Kratochvil, adding Measure E now “provides us sufficient funds to
build the new center.” He said the site would eventually be served by public transportation, but BART Board Director Gail Murray probed that point. “You mentioned working with Tri-Delta but I’ve seen a letter from Tri-Delta that says they cannot serve your campus,” she countered and asked Kratochvil how that would work for students. Kratochvil admitted Tri-Delta could not currently provide bus service to the site but added, “currently BART cannot provide service to any of the centers either. We are about three and a half years away from the final construction of that and we will be having meetings with them to see if we can change their minds.” The district’s legal counsel underscored Kratochvil’s point. “If you look at what’s going on out in that area, we are confident that the transportation is going to be there when that center is complete,” said Suldany. “As you know, being a transportation agency, service follows demand.” Suldany also addressed concerns about disproportionate impact on students without viable transportation options. “To my knowledge, at no time were any of the issues now raised by Mr. Keller identified in comments or public testimony,” during the public process of deciding where the new center should be built, said Suldany. “There was no evidence in the record that the new campus will have a negative and/or disparate impact on minority or low income residents.” In an interview after the
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of the debate was the open discussion time after the team members made their arguments. Audience members were free to ask questions of the debaters. “Guests brought up great questions to enhance the debate,” said Gardner, adding that the team “did a great job.” Debate Coach Marie Arcidiacono agreed with Gardner’s assessment. “I’m super proud of them,” she said. “Three of our members are brand-new. They’ve been with us 11 weeks and they’re already debating.” Some of the debaters were assigned to argue the side that didn’t align with their viewpoints. Team Member Dennis Tekell was not initially against Proposition 2. After some research, he is now unsure. “Debate wouldn’t be fun if only one side was true,” Tekell said. Each team member raised several fair points about the issue, including Collin Brown, Dyllan Melowitz, Taylor Gonzalez and Vivian Lewis for the Government side. Brianna Klipp, Dennis Tekell, Jenna Elkins, and Sergio Ramirez rounded out the Opposition side. The Government side argued for Proposition 2, high-
meeting, Marquez addressed concerns about being able to fund transportation services to the new center after it is built. Tri-Delta might not be able to go out to the site now, said Marquez, but there is a transportation bond that will be put on the ballot in a few years. If voters approve it, there will be money for transportation to the new site. District Governing Board Member Greg Enholm, who represents Ward 5 where the center will be built, and who has supported Keller’s proposal to move the LMC Brentwood Center from the selected site to an alternative location near the Mokeloumne Trail on Highway 4, arrived late to the meeting. He sat across the aisle from the other college district board members and, unlike his fellow board members, did not speak before the BART board that night. After members of the college district finished addressing the BART Board, there were still a lot of questions and directors were not in agreement. BART Director James Fang said he didn’t know if he could make a clear decision without Keller present to guide the board on his proposal. “I would like to move this issue over to the next meeting so when Joel’s here we can at least talk about it a little bit more,” he said. Murray, who said she wasn’t even aware the college district was conducting a feasibility study to address Keller’s concerns, agreed with Fang about delaying action until
APPS
PROP lighting that it increases school spending without the need for new taxes by redistributing existing funds. The Opposition argued against the Proposition, highlighting that the state doesn’t necessarily know what each individual school district needs to spend and save. Each argument was presented clearly and confidently by the team members. The team has cer tainly stepped up its performance since its first competition in San Diego at the beginning of October. Arcidiacono said that the team “Has taken more ownership” since the last debate “I have just seen their drive to research increase.” The team members have even begun to schedule additional practices beyond the Wednesday night session, as they dedicating themselves to preparing for upcoming competitions. Since World debates focus on current events, teams prepare by researching current events. They also work on compiling stock evidence for various current issues. Team Member Sergio Ramirez said he “can see progress every practice.” Team Member Brianna Klipp echoed his sentiments, as she stated “I feel that, as time goes, we’re taking huge steps in the right direction.”
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Writing a personal essay isn’t essential for CSU’s, but is a must for UC colleges. n Fill in the routine stuff. Remember filling out the basic things to apply to LMC? Well you’ll have to do it again. n Get letters of recommendation. Some CSU’s won’t ask for a letter of recommendation, but UC campuses do. Letters of recommendation from a professor of a course in which you earned at least a B are preferred. n See a counselor. LMC is filled with counselors ready to assist you in transferring. Sociology major Kayla Hopper, with a social service option working on her last semester here said, “Talk to a counselor at least once a semester to make sure you are on track.” Hopper is planning on attending California State University
BOOKS From page 3
started when there weren’t a lot of women so I felt lonely.” Student Hector Roblero, who found out about this event from his political science professor, heard some life-changing advice from his session with Gerald Wilson “J.R.,” who served in the Army from 1990 to 1994, but was injured during an airborne jump in 1993. “He taught me a new idea from learning and moving on from my mistakes,” said Roblero.
ROCKY NIGHT From page 4
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garnering audience participation, especially when it came time to do the “Time Warp.” Staying true to the kinky nature of the film, the cast came out adorned in revealing lingerie, garnering catcalls from the audience. During key points in the film, the Bawdy Caste’s Dr. Frank N Furter would run out into the crowd, straddle, fondle and sing to anyone sitting in the front or in an aisle seat. At the end of the night, the place was littered with playing cards, toilet paper and newspaper . The crowd, who seemed tired but happy, was exited to take pictures with the cast and to give donations. Go see the Rocky Horror Picture Show Bawdy Caste. For upcoming dates, go to their Facebook page under “The Bawdy Caste.” Your hands will smell like latex, but you will enjoy yourself.
with the rising dollar amount spent on decorations, candy and other party supplies. “I think they celebrate it because it’s the day we can dress up and not be ourselves, go to haunted houses or a party, show off how cute, scary or funny our costumes are,” said student Shirlena Sanchez. 16 percent of adult costumes will be pop culture references, likely an increase due to the rising coverage of scandals and adult interest in kid’s movies according to statistics compiled by USA Today. Other than nostalgia, researchers aren’t really sure know why adults seem to be more invested in Halloween than children. “Many cultures have a fascination with death, “ Saito explained. “It’s inevitable and scary and people don’t like to talk about it.” She said talking about death in terms of ghosts is a fun way to deal with it.
Shelly French is not only the mother of the student athlete who knocked in the hole-in-one, but she is also an Instructional Assistant for Special Education at Deer Valley and has been a member of the staff for ten years. Having spent those years working with students Shelly has witnessed first-hand the students who aren’t making the news, the ones who are having a positive impact. This is why she is a part of theother2700 movement. “We’re tr ying to get the positive things that are happening with our students and with the school out there so that people can see it’s not as bad as it seems to be,” she said. “It’s the small majority that are getting all of the bad publicity because that’s what people want to hear.” It’s true, people do want to hear about the negative things in life because they want to know what to look out for.
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F R I D AY,
the next meeting. “I would just like to know more about it and I think Joel can give us more of those answers,” said Murray. In contrast, BART Director Rebecca Saltzman said she was concerned that if they did not take action that night the College District Governing Board might make a decision at its Nov. 12 meeting based on the feasibility study without giving BART the opportunity to weigh in officially. “I don’t know if it will be an action item or not,” Negedly responded, “but it will be discussed whether we need to hold off on breaking ground on our new site and consider this alternative.” He also noted the proposal that Keller presented to the board to relocate the new campus to the Mokeloumne Trail isn’t really an alternative because the BART Board does not have any solid plans for moving forward in Brentwood. “The Mokeloumne station is something that is nebulous at this point,” said Negedly. Saltzman said she was confused about how the college district could do a feasibility study on an alternative location that doesn’t exist. “We have been told … there is a feasibility study, now you’re saying that there is no other site that we’re studying,” asked Saltzman. “That is what’s dif ficult about this process,” replied Nejedly, because the study is being done on a site that does not exist, near an eBART that has not been built. Because the College District Governing Board will have the
East Bay in the spring. n Ask for help. Origúnwà, who is also a transfer coach, explained that many students often feel overwhelmed when thinking about transferring. Origúnwà is there to help coach them through this process. n Turn it in early, even if it’s just a day or two. You don’t want to procrastinate and wait until the last minute and chance that the system might crash with the overload of other applications trying to go through. Don’t rush the process, said Hopper, who has already been through this process. Take your time to check and double check everything, she added. Want to learn more about transferring? Visit the Transfer Center website at www. losmedanos.edu/transfer or visit the Transfer Center located in Room CC2-225. The center may also be reached at 473-7444. Wilson started the Delta Veterans Group, whose main purpose is to help veterans transition from serving their country to serving their communities. You can learn more at www.deltaveteransgroup.org This was the second Books Alive! event at LMC — the first happened last spring and focused on personal stories. A third Books Alive! event is scheduled for spring 2015 when there will be a new set of human books to check out, according to Technical Services Librarian Christine Parks.
People will always be drawn towards the negative because it is news that they need to know, but they also need to know about the positive things, like the first hole-in-one in Deer Valley athletics history by Shelly’s daughter, Danielle French. By her own admission Danielle wasn’t having a very good day on the greens. She was up and down, but on the sixth hole of the nine hole Creekside course in Brentwood her day changed as she hit the ball just right. “I was pretty much speechless. I didn’t really want to scream,” she said because her teammate was teeing off next to her. Danielle will never forget, and neither will the school, as she will go down in history as the first female to score a hole-in-one. While Danielle’s feat is an amazing one on the golf course it is only one of the positive things that are going on at Deer Valley High School.
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new feasibility study findings by its Nov. 12 meeting and could make a decision at that time about whether or not to begin construction, Saltzman suggested the college district’s “goal is to have us not weigh in by delaying this.” Nejedly countered it would be premature for the BART Board to make a decision at its meeting because the study is not complete, and said the district board would be happy to provide BART board members with a copy of the findings once it is done. But BART Director Tom Radulovich said he supports sending the letter. “All we’re doing is sending a letter saying we are concerned the current site is inaccessible to transit and apparently that’s been confirmed by Tri- Delta,” he said adding that comments by the college district representatives during the BART meeting indicate to him a lack of openness to looking at alternative sites. He also said the college district representatives displayed a level of naivety about how public transit really works to think that just because something is built, means the location will be readily served by public transit. BART Director Zakhar y Mallet said he also supported sending the letter on to the college district. “The fact that this is just a letter and the fact that there is all this effort that we not endorse the letter suggests to me that there is something else is going on and makes me more inclined to support the letter,” he said.
TERM From page 3
percent of part-time students worked and attended college. Alena Deryabina, works parttime at In-n-Out and attends LMC part-time. She explained her schedule of school for four hours and work for the other five hours. Her time for completing assignments and studying can only be done in between classes and on the weekends, she said, but added she still needs to find time for herself and friends. She utilizes all of her extra time to study and complete schoolwork by using, “a lot of flashcards and repetition” for
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BAR T Director John McPar tland criticized the approach taken by the members of the college district in presenting their concerns to the BART Board. He said he found the college district’s speakers disingenuous and in conflict with one another. “If you’re preparing to break ground you have already made the decision to move forward,” said McPartland. “If you did your due diligence as you claim, then when you receive the letter can dismiss it.” BAR T Director Rober t Raburn, who is also the BART Board’s chairperson of planning, public affairs, access and legislation items ultimately decided to set the issue aside until a future meeting date due to a lack of information, the absence of Keller, and concern over eroding relationships between the two public agencies. “I don’t believe this is up to us,” he said. Marquez echoed the same sentiment in an interview after the meeting. “We are education, they are transportation,” he said. “You wouldn’t see us going in and telling them what to do.” To watch a video recording of the meeting, check out BART Board TV at http:// www.bart.gov/about/bod/ multimedia. For more information on the new feasibility study, attend the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board Nov. 12 in Martinez at 4 p.m. in the George R. Gordon Education Center located at 500 Court St.
maximum retention. But she advised from personal experience, “I can’t study everything in one night. Break your study time into different parts.”Like many students, Deryabina becomes overwhelmed with the amount of schoolwork. Deryabina says, “It’s very stressful. It takes a lot out of anyone, me included.” “I wish education could be free, so I could dedicate more time to my studies and less time at work.” For fur ther information about the Center for Academic Support, Mills can be reached at 473-7591 or call the center at 473-7590.
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of advice as well as words of encouragement to help aide them in their search for a school in which to transfer to. “If it feels right,” said Nick Anderson, representative to Sierra Nevada College, the only private college in the state of Nevada. “Ninety nine percent of the time it’s going to be right.” In addition to letting LMC students view their options for transferring, students from local high schools also had the chance to meet with representatives of the colleges later that evening. During College Night, those interested in pursuing a higher education directly out of their
FALL From page 5
to choose from to fill each role and fall ball will help him and his coaching staff get a good look at who can fill those roles. For the players fall ball helps in other ways. Sophomore pitcher Matt Davis believes fall ball helps him get prepared for the season by helping with his baseball skills and finding time to get him into the weight room, but the biggest key is time with his teammates. “A big thing for me is fall ball
BALL From page 5
was surprised by a bee and was stung in the face near his nose. Play was stopped shortly while the stinger was removed but he stayed in the game. Farber will get a much tougher test in her new role as the next two games are on the road against second place team Mendocino, and first place
senior year had were able to ask questions and receive the information they needed. Students who are interested in learning more about transferring, or are requiring additional information on colleges of their choice, are encouraged to visit the Transfer Center in room CC2-225.
helped build a bond with my teammates, which is a big piece to being successful during the season,” Davis said. A strong bond among the team was a key to the success of the 2014 Mustangs and building that bond now could be a key for the 2015 team as well. The fall season is officially over, but that doesn’t mean the Mustangs are finished. They will still be seen practicing and playing intrasquad scrimmage games over the winter as they prepare for the season opener Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015.
team Folsom Lake. Both games the Mustangs will be the underdogs. Coach Bryant and the Mustangs aren’t going to give up. He said they hope to play spoiler, and if they do they could possibly knock Mendocino out of playoff contention and ruin what is currently a perfect season in conference for Folsom Lake.