Satisfying soups
Show now closed
Serving up competition
The Classified Senate held their 4th Annual Soup Cookoff featuring fifteen unique and tasty creations — page 3
A closing reception was held for the Terrestrial: A Postcard Show art gallery Nov. 7 — page 4
Profile on Kiana Pinkowski, setter for the LMC volleyball team, who leads the team in assists — page 5
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F.Y.I. Important Dates November is Native American Heritage Month Nov. 22
LMC Student Recital, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall, free admission
Nov. 28-29
Thanksgiving, College closed
PTEC offers program info
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Transportation turmoil Effort for new bus pass program in the works By BRENDAN CROSS
bcross@lmcexperience.com
Students who ride the bus to school may soon have the hit on their wallet lighten up. LMC student Quiana Shaw has been spearheading the effort to once again reach an agreement with Tri Delta Transit in order for students to receive discounted bus passes, one way or another. “I got involved because I feel for all the students that are struggling to get to school but don’t have enough money. I am a student that catches the bus
myself so I know how other students may feel.” While it is a definite need for some students, the road to an agreement with Tri Delta may be bumpy. In an interview that Shaw conducted with Interim Dean of Student Success David Belman, he recounted some of the history behind previous talks with Tri Delta. In the early to mid 2000’s, LMC had an agreement with Tri-Delta for discounted passes that eventually went defunct. Belman contacted a Tri Delta representative in 2009 to ask for passes at a discount
that can be sold to students once again, and they declined. Tri Delta was in a bit of a situation as they were just struggling to break even financially and were upping their rates. They also added that they were getting outrage from high school and middle school parents in regards to LMC getting discounts that they did not receive. A survey, put together by various LMCAS members, will soon be released to students in regards to interest in once again upstarting a bus pass program.
A run at the playoffs
New classes offered
The Process Technology Program, also known as PTEC, will hold information sessions beginning this month: Q Thursday, Nov. 21, 6 to 8 p.m. Q Saturday, Dec. 7, 8 a.m. to noon Q Wednesday, Dec. 11, 6 to 8 p.m. A degree or certificate in process technology is useful in several fields, including chemical plant operations, power generation, food processing, and many more. Stop by a meeting to learn more.
Schedule released By SEAN TONGSON
stongson@lmcexperience.com
New play now open
The Government Inspector, presented by the Drama Department, is now open. The play runs through Nov. 25. Contact the Box Office at 4392181 ext. 805 for tickets.
Orchestral performance LMC Concert Band Director Dr. Jonathan Knight will be the featured soloist in the upcoming Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra Concert set, Nov. 23 and 24. The performance on the 23rd is in the Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 to $10 at the door. The performance on the 24th is at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for youth at the door.
Photo by Irvin Trigueros
Mustangs quarterback Adam Nesheim is chased out of bounds by two Yuba defenders during the last home game of the season. The Mustangs were victorious 25-10 and need to win their last game of the season Saturday, Nov. 16 against Contra Costa College to grab a spot in the playoffs. See story, page 5.
Student Life and Blood Centers of the Pacific will host a blood drive at L-109 Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information contact Student Life at 439-2181 ext. 3266.
The class schedule for the 2014 Spring Semester at Los Medanos College has been released, as LMC students are encouraged to take advantage of the schedule and begin planning their classes and educational goals for next semester. Spring 2014 registration for continuing students begins on Monday Dec. 2 by appointment only on WebAdvisor. Returning students are eligible to register beginning Saturday Dec. 14. Following a winter recess from Dec. 21 to Jan. 2, new non-matriculating students (students who have not completed the orientation) are eligible to register on Friday Jan. 3, while registration for all regular college students begins on that following Monday Jan. 6. Students concurrently enrolled in high school or any other special admit students may register via walk-in on Tuesday Jan. 7. Classes for Spring 2014 will begin on Monday Jan. 13, 2014. Additionally, in what can be considered good news for students and staff, there are no plans to cancel or scrap any of the classes currently offered at LMC. A year ago, Math 27 (“Path to Stats”) was closed for Spring 2013, in what was considered a wildly unpopular move. In contrast for spring 2014 however, there will be several new courses offered that have not been previously of fered in the past. LMC See SPRING, page 6
PTEC helps mold careers Program to hold three informational sessions By SUZZANNE SPERRY and JOSEPH DELANO ssperry@lmcexperience.com jdelano@lmcexperience.com
Blood drive upcoming
See PASS, page 6
Los Medanos College offers a variety of vocational training programs geared toward guiding students into a specific field. One such program that is offered by LMC is the Process Technology Program, or PTEC. This program has been helping students to become adept in the petrochemical and refinery fields. The PTEC Program will be holding information sessions on Nov. 21, Dec. 7 and 11 in the Library Community Room L-109. Registration for the sessions may be done online at losmedanos.edu/tec/. Twenty-three-year-old LMC
student Sara Lawson first heard about the Process Technology Program when she worked as a Certified Safety Contractor for Shell Refinery. Lawson is one of the few female students in the program and encourages others to consider it if they are looking for a career, “that is challenging but rewarding at the same time.” Lawson said being a female has its perks, “women are kind of ahead because not very many women want a job that is laborious. It’s a lot of hard work and not very many people can do it. But it’s worth it and the pay is great.” The PTEC Program nurtures the traits and proclivities needed to become a Process Technician or Plant Operator.
The PTEC Program, located in Room CC3-319/320, was developed five years ago in response to local chemical and refining industries’ request for well-trained employees they could hire locally instead of recruiting out of state. The program is fully funded by government grants and donations from the refineries in the Bay Area, and is modeled after a curriculum taught at 43 community colleges and universities around the United States and at two international institutions. LMC is the only college in Northern California to offer this program. “I think it’s a great program. It’s a short period of time to get a good skill set that can provide you with a great job to
Photo by Brendan Cross
A view of the PTEC Outside Laboratory located behind the Science Building. feed your family,” said A’kilah Moore, who oversees some of the Vocational Tech Education Programs. The PTEC Program is a 33-unit Certificate of Achievement program that can be
completed in three to four semesters. Students also have the option of obtaining a two-year Associate in Science Degree. The enrollment fee per unit is currently $46 for See PTEC, page 6
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“Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject.”
— Thomas Mann
Charles Powell
Taylor %URZQÀHOG
CORNER VIEW
GUEST COLUMNIST
Long view in a nuclear age
Take action on police brutality
I do not understand the world I live in. I try to come up with theories, but overall even if I arrive at conclusions, they soon disappear. It is not so much that I need to reverse them, but instead have to concede two completely different and opposing things are both true. Human beings are simply so amazing at being shortsighted and petty. I do not count myself out. At one point, I tried to do some personal accounting on things I should have done, could have done and would have done, but it just goes to show the road of good intentions. There are so many times where people technically know what we should do and know ways we could avoid a fall, yet choose to blunder on. Congress may very well be pursuing such a course in its latest bout of trying to figure out what to do about Iran’s efforts to join the circle of those who possess nuclear power. The nation’s leaders pledge they seek it only to meet the countries energy needs. Meanwhile those in the club who possess nuclear power are not collectively not buying it completely — probably for good reasons. There is a tension associated with nuclear power I have grown up with it as a child born during the waning of the cold war. I got older and became aware of the peculiar balance known as mutual destruction. It is sort of like playing Russian Roulette with two people where all the chambers are loaded and both participants are guaranteed to get off the shot to end it all. The only exceptions to wanton and sickened destruction of the earth apparently being Twinkies and cockroaches. The fact hostess went out of business for a while may mean only the latter survives unless the designers of the video game “Fallout” prove prophetic in which case rad roaches will sustain your life — althogh not happily no matter how you prepare them. For those of you who do not play the game the designers of “Fallout” created a world in which fragments of society do survive an all-out nuclear war and try to scratch out an existence amidst the twisted and ravaged world. There are some who seek to do so with cooperation and others either want to kill you, possibly eat you or control you in a way that promises endless bad days. All the while telling you exactly the opposite. The player gets to tip the scales in one direction or the other, but of course there is the option of being fairly neutral or running the spectrum in between. Congress more and more reminds me of the Enclave, the folks who promise a bright shining world, but ae actually more interested in control than the well being of all. The issue with Iran is efforts at diplomacy are on the table in which some sanctions would be lifted in exchange for them allowing inspectors to come in and verify the nation’s peaceful intentions. The work put it in to get talks to this point must have been phenomenal, but certain elements in congress want to jeopardize these efforts by proposing more penalties for not complying. In some ways this amounts to just about getting someone irate calmed down then kicking them in the shin. I am not at ease with the notion of Iran possessing nuclear weapons or North Korea for that matter. I am not a fan of any nation having them, but it is one of those things once discovered will not ever entirely go away. My greatest concern is that at some point someone with a big enough axe to grind will lose all sense of enlightened self-interest and unleash the true horrors of nuclear war. “Fallout’s” Three Dog is right there is no reasoning with anyone who is only bent on taking without regard for the well being of others. I hope for kindness and sense.
Many of you probably are already aware of the controversy surrounding the shooting of Andy Lopez, but if not I will explain the situation briefly before expressing my feelings on the matter. Officer Erick Gelhaus allegedly mistook the toy rifle 13-year-old Lopez was holding for a real weapon and discharged his firearm multiple times in Lopez’s direction, fatally wounding him. The shooting has been the cause of many protests in Santa Rosa in recent weeks. As reported by Police Lt. Paul Henry, two Sonoma County officers were patrolling the Moorland Avenue neighborhood when they spotted Lopez, who was carrying what was believed to be a real firearm, Lopez was traveling down Moorland from his family’s house to go visit a friend while carrying an airsoft replica of an AK-47 assault rifle. The sheriff’s deputies reportedly demanded Lopez drop the weapon, and one of the two deputies remained in the car while the other exited the vehicle and directly engaged Lopez at 3:14 p.m. His back was reportedly facing them, but as they ordered him to put down the weapon they said he turned toward them. Gelhaus fired at least eight, possibly more, shots at Lopez from his 9 mm pistol. Seven bullets hit Lopez within six seconds, then deputies handcuffed Lopez and he was pronounced dead on the scene. Two women who claim to have witnessed Lopez’s shooting say that deputies only shouted once before opening fire on him and Gelhaus, reportedly stated he does not remember if he identified himself as a police officer before discharging his firearm. Many members of Lopez’s local community have come to his support. Nicole Guerra, whose son was a friend of Lopez was reported to have said about him, “He wanted to go to college and do something with his life. He would not have resisted. No way, no way. He’s not that kind of boy.” It is my opinion that something needs to be done, not just about this shooting in particular, but about police brutality and excessive use of force by police in general. Every year many young men and women are killed when police use excessive force. Stories like these are sometimes not even covered widely and many times the officer gets off scot-free unless the federal government steps in to investigate, as often times the investigations are conducted by the same police force that the offending officer was employed by. Just recently, on Monday, Nov. 4, another teen was shot and fatally wounded by police. Tyler Comstock, 19, of Boone, Iowa had just gotten into an argument with his dad because he did not want to drive him to go get cigarettes. Tyler took the car, and his dad, to teach him a lesson called the police and reported the car stolen. Comstock reportedly refused to stop the vehicle and when the police finally did get the vehicle to come to a full halt police officer Adam McPherson fired six shots into the vehicle, two of them striking Comstock and killing him. Something needs to be done on a large scale. The police department in Rialto, California put cameras on a group of officers and the community saw citizen complaints toward police drop 88 percent, and use of force declined by 59 percent. Systems like this may or may not work when scaled up but we will never know unless we give them a try. We need to better our current law enforcement agencies for ourselves, our families, our friends, and for the future generations of this nation. Police forces are meant to help people but it seems in many communities they are doing the exact opposite.
Cartoon by Kendall Orgorchock and Aishling Doherty
EDITORIAL
Restart bus pass program
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ri Delta Transit should once again work with the Contra Costa Community College District to offer students discounts on bus fare. Considering that a vast number of students at LMC alone utilize the transit system, it would be logical that Tri Delta Transit consider re-envisioning a program that would allow for students to receive a reduced rate for use of the bus system. Historically, there has been a program in place where LMCAS and 511 came together and provided the funds needed, then $28,000, to provide students with free bus passes. That program ran for five semesters and ended abruptly when Tri Delta Transit pulled out of the deal, largely due to the crumbling economical times in which this deal was struck. Going to college costs a lot of money. Even at the community college level, prices for tuition, books and materials can be overwhelming. But these costs do not include getting to class. In order to take classes, you first have to get here. Transportation to LMC, or any destination, is expensive. Unless you bike to school, there are only a few options for transportation: you can drive or be driven to campus, pay for parking not to mention the cost of gas and insurance, or you can take the bus. Both of these options are very expensive, as parking at LMC for Fall 2013 was $40.Tri Delta Transit needs to consider allowing the release of discounted tickets to LMC. If there were some discounted tickets provided to LMC, then LMCAS could help subsidize the cost with monies from their fund. 511 has helped to subsidize the tickets in the past, so it is not out of the realm of possibilities that they could help to reduce the prices even further.For those students who do not have access to a car to get to school, the bus is largely the only way to attend class. At $2 a pop, local rides on the bus can quickly add up, and become expensive for students, even those who work hard to be able to get to their college classes. Tri Delta Transit offers a variety of passes, including: single ride passes for $2, 24-hour pass for $3.35, 31-day pass for $57 and a 20-ride pass for $33. Since classes generally run for approximately five months in the spring and fall, the cost for monthly passes would exceed $250.Your schedule also plays a role in the amount of money that it costs to get to class. If your classes run every day, your would pay more than someone who is just taking a weekly class. If you have classes early morning and late night in the same day, your costs are even more extravagant if you chose to go home between classes. Revitalizing a program once conceived by both Tri Delta Transit and the student government at LMC could alleviate one of the most stressful facets of the college experience, one that people sometimes fail to consider when they start to plan their classes.We aren’t advocating a free pass for students, just some help for those who cannot bear the full cost for transportation to school.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Conference cancellation a shame
DEAR EDITOR: After reading about the cancellation of the Fighting the Fight Against Breast Cancer Conference, and the controversy that has come along with it, my heart is broken. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and should be the month of raising awareness and donations toward the disease. From the Oct. 31 article, it looks as if those involved have lost sight of the true goal that has been set. Breast cancer still has no cure and is taking lives every day. It is a shame that the controversy has overshadowed the meaningful goal. It is also a shame that the event was canceled due to the low participation rate.
Breast cancer affects more than those directly diagnosed with the disease, and events like the Fighting the Fight Against Breast Cancer Conference help all to not only cope but to make a difference. I encourage Los Medanos College students and staff to participate when possible. It is an opportunity we should all be thankful for. Participating can make a difference and encourage others to join in as well. It brings us a step closer to finding a cure, which is a step closer to saving lives. It is important to keep our eyes on the goal and ensure that a controversy like this never happens again with such a delicate and important topic. — Brittney Palsa
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
LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE
What are you planning to take next semester? COMPILED
BY
KYLEE VALENCIA
AND
AISHLING
DOHERTY
Experience L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m
Member California Newspaper Publishers Association
“Taking astonomy and drama next semester.” — Hannah Tatmon
“I know for sure that I’m taking Math 34 but my criminal justice classes remain in question due to schedule changes.” — Erik Castro
“I’m going to be taking all business classes next semester.” — Maddy Bowman
“Math 25 and acting two and maybe ceramics next semester if all goes.” — Peter Forrest
“I’m planning to take G.E. classes such as Art 01, Gender Studies, and a social science class.” — Justine Bangayan
“Next semester, just some general ed classes.” — Mark Machado
“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 .................... BRENDAN CROSS Perspectives Editors......... VANESSA FLORES and JAZMINE GORDON Campus Editors .................. JOSEPH DELANO and ALEXANDRA TAGLIAMONTE Features Editors .......................RATTANA KIM and STEPHANIE PATTISON Sports Editors .......................LUKE JOHNSON and DAKOTAH ZABROSKI News Editor ....................... HILLARY HETRICK Photo Editor ....................... IRVIN TRIGUEROS Web Editor ................................. JESUS CHICO 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
Transfer workshops at LMC
If you’re an LMC student who is interested in transferring to a University, the Transfer Center will be holding a workshop Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the LMC Brentwood Center, Room 9 To better prepare for the workshop, stop by the Transfer Center, room CC2-225, to complete a transfer checklist. It may help ease the transfer process.
LMC is hosting a Blood Drive
There will be a Blood Drive on campus on Nov. 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Library, Room L-109. Appointments can be made by calling the Student Life Office at 439-2181 Ext. 3266. Registration can also be completed by going to www.bloodheroes.com, clicking on “Donate Blood” and entering sponsor code “LosMC.”
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FRIDAY,
Motivation ensues By DAKOTAH ZABROSKI
dzabroski@lmcexperience.com
San Francisco State Professor Jamal Cooks delivered a motivational speech to the Umoja program that students could relate to. Cooks started off in the not-so-nice part of Oakland but overcame adversity and is currently the second African-American professor to be tenured at San Francisco State.
Cooks discusses what he had to overcome to be successful and admits that balancing the line between friends and staying focused was difficult. Cooks discusses the “hood” philosophy and how there were four options for the kids of his neighborhood. The options were to sell drugs, rap, play sports or go to school. Ultimately, he saw what was happening to his friends and
The Transfer center will be hosting some representatives from local universities. Q CSU East Bay: Dec. 5 from 9:40 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Q Mills College: Nov. 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. at the info table and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. for appointments. The representatives will be in the Transfer Center in Room CC2-225. Contact the Transfer Center at 439-2181 ext. 3124 or at www.losmedanos.edu/transfer — compiled from press releases and staff reports
Extinguish household danger Editor’s note: The ‘Word the the Wise’ will be an ongoing regular tip of the week in which safety statements are provided by experts in their respective fields.
WORD TO THE WISE
— Mike Grillo, Fire Technology
Photo by Dakotah Zabroski
Umoja program guest, SF State Professor Jamal Cooks, delivers a motivational speech on Oct. 30.
Senate a bunch of crocks
Photo by Irvin Trigueros
From left, Peggy Peters, Carminda Gutierrez, Rikki Hall and Adrian Williams. Hall and Williams won first and third place respectively for their concoctions.
$842 raised makes CookOff a success By ALICIA ALM
aalm@lmcexperience.com
On November 12, the Classified Senate held their 4th Annual Soup Cook-Off in the indoor quad. All funds were donated to the Classified Senate Scholarship fund to provide LMC students with scholarship opportunities. There were fifteen entries in the cook-off with each soup offering unique flavors. A line of tables allowed hungry students and faculty members to enjoy the culinary creations of those who participated. Linda Maniscalco is a Cashier, with Admissions and Records, who has been using her creativity to find ways to raise money for LMC scholarships, “This is my fourth year running the Annual Soup Cook-Off. The reason we do this is to raise money for scholarships for LMC students. “It all started with the Chili Cook-Off that we do each March and it was so successful I suggested we came up with something else mid-year and soup was a hit. It’s fun, we have a good time,” added Maniscalco. Students gathered around with friends as they tried different soups and discussed which ones they favored. Samantha Lo appreciated that students and
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— Ludwig van Beethoven
Umoja hosts speaker
Meet with a Representative
“According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the lead cause of home fires and home-fire injuries followed by fires caused by heating equipment. U.S Fire Departments responded to 156,600 cooking related fires between 2007-2011 which resulted in 400 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries according to the NFPA. Purchase either a multi-purpose fire extinguisher or a Class K fire extinguisher to place in your kitchen pantry for use when needed. You can obtain directions on how to use a fire extinguisher of any type at www.usa.fema.gov under Home Fire Prevention located under the Citizens tab.”
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“Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup.”
faculty members shared interests with each other like cooking for a good cause, stating, “I find this to be a great chance for students to get to know faculty outside a classroom or office environment. It gives students a chance to see that faculty members are people with hobbies too like cooking. The food was also tasty and it was for a good cause!” Some faculty members decided to experiment with recipes to try something new. Melina Rodriguez is a Secretary for the Workforce Development Program who entered the soup competition with Chicken Soup. “It’s basically the gnocchi from Olive Garden without the gnocchi. I’ve been in all of the chili Cook-Offs and have always placed in them. I decided I wanted to try something new so this is my first Soup Cook-Off” Fifteen entries made the Soup Cook-Off more popular than ever before. According to Maniscalco more departments decided to participate too. Raffle tickets were also available for purchase. Gift baskets, that contained various items, were donated by supportive students and faculty members. All proceeds also went to the Classified Senate Scholarship fund. There were three judges representing different areas of the school to vote who had the best soup. Jeffrey Benford, the Dean of Counseling, also affiliated with Student Support Services, helped judge the competition. The second judge was Classified Staff member Beth Robertson who works in the Nursing See SOUP, page 6
he didn’t want the same fate, eration of future educators, so he chose to educate himself. future doctors, future lawyers “At the end of the day, my and hopefully if my journey can attitude is always what’s the inspire them to get over the alternative? What’s the other hump, or to overcome some option? If the other option or challenges, and to get clearer alternative is not better than about what there career objecwhat you’re already doing then tives are, then I think it’s well you need to just stick at that,” worth it,” said Cooks. said Cooks The audience was moved In his speech, Cooks admits by the speech and felt the to his flaws and mistakes but importance of the message. was motivated enough to “It means a lot to me, I think overcome them. When he it was a great opportunity for attended College at the Univer- them to hear someone whose sity of Berkeley he admitted had a lot of academic success to heavy partying and how it who comes from an area that a affected him. lot of them are To compenfamiliar with,” sate for his “I enjoy the idea said Jamila partying he of being able to Stewart, profinished his gram assistant last semester come and talk for the Umoja taking on 22 to students like scholars prounits as well gram. as working this and help The stua job. motivate people dents felt the “I think impact of the the tough- to be able to speech immee s t t h i n g meet whatever diately and are was staying motivated to on the right their goals and take action. p a t h a n d dreams are.” “It’s ver y being an ac— Jamal Cooks motivating, it ademic, staygives me a lot ing on the right path socially, of inspiration…he gave me a staying on the right path all whole bunch of inspiration the way around,” said Cooks. and to just keep going and After attending Berkeley, not quit,” said Student Renee Cooks wanted to get his Ph.D. Washington. Fellow student so he applied to Michigan, Teniesha Little adds, “It gives Ohio St., Columbia as well inspiration that you can do it no as Har vard. Despite being matter what, no matter where accepted into prestigious Har- you grew up at, no matter what vard, Cooks went to Michigan you’ve seen, your mindset has because they offered him a to be your determination.” full-ride scholarship. Cooks gave many words of The San Francisco State advice such as “don’t make up professor was proud to give an excuse to quit,” to motivate his speech to students. students and his passion about “It’s vital, as a professor, you telling his story. can get very worked up and “I enjoy the idea of being able caught up in doing research, to come and talk to students teaching, traveling, consulting like this and help motivate peoand doing all that but for me ple to be able to meet whatever this is what is most important their goals and dreams are,” because this is the next gen- said Cooks.
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“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” — Pablo Picasso
Art Show ends with a flourish
Speaker helps round out event By ERIN VALENCIA, RATTANA KIM, AND STEPHANIE PATTISON evalencia@lmcexperience.com rkim@lmcexperience.com spattison@lmcexperience.com
Several dozen people crowded in the Los Medanos College art gallery on Nov. 7 for the closing reception for the “Terrestrial: Who You Are, Where You Are” postcard art show, highlighting the work of more than 50 artists including instructors, students and special guest Cindy Cleary who opened up the reception with a speech. Cleary is a Bay Area artist who knits and paints by using nature materials such as soil, pigment, indigo and ochre. One of her works of art displayed a branch with a leaf pinned to it, which was the way it was positioned from her tree at her home. However, majority of the ar t galler y was filled with postcards that were sent in to Judi Pettite, instructor and art gallery curator. Pettite displayed ever y postcard that she received, from LMC students to those even countries away. The postcards were hung on several long threads with clips where you could see the backs. The postcards were not just printed on paper, but also were
Photo by Erin Valencia
Michelle Countryman observes the postcards at the “Terrestrial: Who You Are, Where You Are” postcard art show in the LMC art gallery. hand painted, hand drawn and some even constructed on wood. Clear y was fond of the postcards on display. “I love the gallery and especially the way it was divided into two rooms,” added Cleary about the show because several walls in the gallery were dedicated
to hanging her artwork. One of the attendees and artists was instructor Curtis Corlew. When he heard there was a postcard art show, he asked himself, “what can I do?” Corlew then created a self portrait collage of 25 postcards and referred to it as a “postcard mosaic.” He enjoyed others’
REVIEW CREW
‘Thor: The Dark World’ Movie Summary: “Thor: The Dark World,” sequel to 2011’s film “Thor”, opened in American theaters on Nov. 8, starring Chris Hemsworth as Thor, alongside Natalie Portman as Dr. Jane Foster, his love interest, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the villain. The 120-minute, PG-13 rated feature film was directed by Alan Taylor and continues where the previous film left off.
creations and found the variety of postcards to be “delightful” and “informative.” Corlew elaborated, “It was also nice to see the efforts of the LMC students and staff.” He especially liked how the designs were different and colorful and added that “people are just wonderfully
creative.” Judi Pettite was happy the show had so many visitors since it opened on Oct. 8. She said it was so successful that she may consider a reprise of the show in 2014. As the “Terrestrial: Who You Are, Where You Are” postcard ar t show closes, the new
exhibit is “Queer: The Now” that celebrates the LGBTQ community’s past and present. The opening reception took place on Thursday, November 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. and will run until December 12 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.
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Charles says: Magic is e=mc2
Kylee says: Awesome action
Dakotah says: Plot twist galore
Thor 2 was a true addition to the series both for the character of Thor and his world, but also to the Avenger multi-verse. There were many scenes that had me wishing I had seen the movie in 3D. In addition to the action, there were plenty of comic moments and none of them came across as forced to me. As a fan of Norse mythology, it was fun seeing their interpretation of the myths and lore. I feel like this is one of the movies where it is best to have seen the ones that came before because it does not do a lot to clue people into what happened in the previous installment. I can say it is most likely worth catching it on the big screen at least as a matinee if you have seen the other movies.
Thor: The Dark World stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) and is an excellent sequel to the first Thor movie. Technically, the sequel picks up after The Avengers. If you love Marvel movies and plan on seeing this movie, you will not be disappointed . The movie starts off with suspense of what is going to happen with Loki, picking up after The Avengers. This action movie is full of surprises that will make you laugh or even make you cry. When it comes to battle, Thor and Loki do an amazing job fighting villains. This movie made me laugh and I may have shed a tear or two. If you are looking for some action, suspense, humor, or even some eye candy, I would highly recommend this movie for all comic book lovers.
Thor: The Dark World was the best Marvel movie I’ve seen since The Avengers. The movie takes place after the events of The Avengers and to fully understand the plot, I recommend watching it first. When Thor and Loki teamed up, it kept me alert because I was always waiting for Loki to betray his brother like he had in the past. The movie started a little slow, but quickly picked up and there were many battle scenes where Thor got to use his hammer, which everyone loves to watch. Loki also provides comic relief with his sophisticated humor and one-liners. This movie is filled with action and has plenty of plot twists that will make you say, “wow.” If you’re a fan of the Marvel universe, then I strongly recommend it.
— Charles Powell
—Kylee Valencia
—Dakotah Zabroski
MARQUEE
Music Deptartment performs
Students from the Los Medanos College Music and Recording Arts departments will perform throughout the Fall 2013 semester. All events and concerts are scheduled in the Recital Hall, located in Room 720 of the Music/ Recording Arts Building. Q LMC Student Recital: Friday, Nov. 22 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free admission. Q Sophomore Recital: Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Q LMC String Ensemble: Thursday, Dec. 5 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Q LMC Guitar Concert: Monday, Dec. 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. Free admission. Q LMC Winter Choral Concert: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 7:30 to 9 p.m. General admission $5, students/seniors $4. Q LMC Piano Honors Recital: Monday, Dec. 16, 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Movies Coming Soon Q “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” — Nov. 22 Rated PG-13, Genre: Action, Adventure, Adaptation, Drama, Sequel Q “Frozen” — Nov. 20 Rated PG, Genre: Animation Q “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” — Dec. 13 Rated PG-13, Genre: Action, Adventure, Adaptation, Sequel, SciFi, Fantasy — compiled from Hillary Hetrick press releases and staff reports
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“If for some reason I don’t make it down, I died happy.”
— Travis Pastrana
Deja vu for Los Medanos Stangs to play Comets for title
By LUKE JOHNSON
ljohnson@lmcexperience.com
After the Los Medanos Stang Gang cruised past the Yuba 49ers for a, 25-10, victory Saturday afternoon in Pittsburg, they set themselves up for an identical situation they were in last year. For the final game of the regular season LMC will take on the bitter rivaled Contra Costa Comets, with the winner coming out as Bay Valley Conference Champions. Last year the Comets defeated the Mustangs, 33-14, in Pittsburg, after LMC’s two-time First Team All-Conference quar terback and two-time team MVP Michael Behr was sidelined for the second half due to a thumb injury. But this season LMC has been more dependent on its ground game, led by running back Shawn Vasquez, who is ranked second in the state for yards per game. “That tailback is a pretty special kid,” Yuba Head Coach Ted Hoal said about Vasquez. LMC’s game against Yuba was Vasquez’s return after a one-game suspension. On his
day back, Vasquez rushed for 195 yards, three touchdowns and 8.1 yards per carry. “I felt like I was real loose, rested and I was ready to go,” Vasquez said. “[I’m] never satisfied, I always wanna do better. So now my next goal is 250 [yards].” Saturday’s contest marked the one-year grudge match of a thriller that ended with LMC defensive back Aaron Cole’s bruising tackle on Yuba running back Jeremy Williams, inside the one-yard-line, that prevented the game winning touchdown for the 49ers. Ironically, this time around, Cole allowed the only trip to the end zone for Yuba in a deep pass from quarterback Datwon Melvin to wide receiver Alex Henderson for a 68-yard catch-and-run. Despite being without key players such as defensive lineman Junior Malolo and linebacker Matt Mills, LMC’s defense dominated by causing four turnovers and allowing only two trips to the red zone See DEJA, page 6
Photo by Irvin Trigueros
Running back Shawn Vasquez stiff arms a would-be-tackler in the Mustangs’s, 25-10, win over the 49ers.
LMC volleyball’s lucky number seven Pinkowski sits on assisting throne By DAKOTAH ZABROSKI
dzabroski@lmcexperience.com
Photo by Cathie Lawrence
Kiana Pinkowski holds 91 percent of the Mustangs assists.
Standout Volleyball player Kiana Pinkowski is used to assiting in more ways than one. Pinkowski is an assist machine on the court as she is a setter, and accounts for 91 percent of the teams assist. On top of that, she leads the entire Bay Valley Conference with 8.69 assist per set, which places her at 23rd in the whole state. Off the court, Pinkowski has wanted to become a nurse ever since she was little. She loves to help people and wants to make a difference in their lives. “Seeing my dad as a firefighter and the satisfaction he gets out of helping others has influenced me to do something in the medical field,” said Pinkowski. Pinkowski has been playing volleyball since she was nine years of
Finishing strong
age and has not stopped. “Tangibly she brings a ton of experience... she brings a lot of competitiveness, she has a great attitude toward the game,” said head coach Lou Panzella. She star ted her High School career in Orange County and then moved after her freshman year to be closer with her family. She has played club volleyball and was a three-year varsity starter at Liberty High School. Her favorite moment at Liberty was just coming out and seeing the home crowd. She is not really sure why she is passionate about volleyball so much but she thinks it is because she has been playing from a young age and the teamwork aspect of the sport. “I just love it,” said Pinkowski. When she is not playing hard her hobbies include hanging out with friends and enjoying family time.
Pinkowski would like to play college at a four-year university, and is most interested in Long Beach State, but would take a scholarship from any school that was interested in her abilities. The setter would like to go pro or play for an Olympic team while realizing the challenges that come with it. “[It takes] hard work, dedication, and just the passion for the game,” said Pinkowski. If she doesn’t make it pro she would still love to be around the sport by playing or coaching. Her dad is one of her biggest role models because he’s a firefighter and she admires his love and passion for his job and his willingness to help others and make a difference. Pinkowski lives in Discover y Bay with her dad and sister. She describes herself as easy going and See LUCKY, page 6
Health Care Reform and You Brought to you by Kaiser Permanente
More peace of mind for you and your family If you currently have health insurance, you may already be enjoying some of the added benefits from health care reform. For example, the following benefit changes are in effect for some plans.* UÊ Ý«> `i`Ê V ÃÌÊ«ÀiÛi Ì ÛiÊV>Ài°ÊThis includes immunizations, diabetes and cancer screenings, counseling for smoking and alcohol abuse, and more. Photo by Cathie Lawrence
The Los Medanos College soccer team started off losing 10-0 on opening day, sparking several blow outs to come and sporting a 0-10-1 record. In the final seven matches they only allowed eight goals, managing to put up a 2-4-1 record.
LMC SPORTS WORD SEARCH M I P E I P V Z U L P M Z S K
X E A M A E N T E V U N U Z D
C O N I T P X F N S A E G H I
O S Z R Q F F X T A Z V S G L
V Y E P E L M A V E Y I P P U
A S L S E D N A U X K R C B A
L Z L U X G N Q Y P L C B G Z
S Q A M S K S A D F G S D G R
Q H P I N A V U X Y I D U D Z
J U I T V R N L D E R E K Y C
H S M P O K E E Z F L U L G Y
M M Y O E L Z W X Z U A S D P
I K S W O K N I P U J R O N D
I L K C I R D S N E S H E I M
A Y E R S Z L M Z G I U D W E
WORD KEY:
ALEXANDER COLE MAYFIELD AYERS LEFFLE MUSTANGS BRYANT LEWIS NESHEIM OPTIMUS PRIME RICKLI PANZELLA SCRIVEN PINKOWSKI SHIPE
UÊ Ê> Õ> Ê ÀÊ viÌ iÊ ÌÃ on essential health benefits. UÊ9 ÕÀÊ `ÃÊV> ÊÃÌ>ÞÊ ÊÞ ÕÀÊ« > Êuntil they turn 26 years old. U `Ài ÊÜ Ì Ê«Ài iÝ ÃÌ }Ê i> Ì Ê«À L i ÃÊV> ÊLiÊV ÛiÀi`° }Ê> i>` The added protections from health care reform will be part of all new health plans offered. If you’re not insured now, or if you decide to change your health plan, these safeguards will be in place for you when you shop for coverage. Visit «° À}ÉÀiv À for more information. If you have questions or want to learn more about individual coverage, call or visit:
£ nää È{ä n{xÓ U à «« > ð «° À}Én{xÓ *Some of these benefit changes do not apply to “grandfathered” health plans. Your employer and your insurer should let you know if your plan is grandfathered.
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DEJA
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throughout the game. “Honestly I didn’t even do anything, the players did all the work,” LMC Defensive Coordinator Darrin Foreman said. “They called everything… I didn’t coach until the last five minutes.” A player who stepped up to the plate on defense was cornerback Shacari Johnson who snatched two interceptions along with collecting five tackles. This season LMC has struggled on the road, while having a perfect, 5-0, record at home. The Mustangs head to San Pablo tomorrow afternoon to take on the Comets with a 1-3 visiting record. “Our team will be ready for Saturday,” LMC Head Coach Chris Shipe said. The coin flip for what is promised to be a heated contest between the two rivals is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday.
department and for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness. LMCAS President Brianna Klipp was the third judge and represented the students. The judges have spoken and have awarded first place to Rikki Hall from Admissions for her Chicken Tortilla Soup. Second place went to Kathy Griffin with Human Resources and the Business department for her Clam Chowder. Adrian Williams with LMC’s Foundation earned third place with her Rustic Roasted Chicken Soup. Each winner was awarded a ribbon which opened the door for bragging rights. The 4th Annual Soup Cookoff was a success bringing in $842.10 for scholarships. According to LMC’s Classified Senate webpage, “This is an increase of $188.10 over last year’s cook-off.” Scholarships will be awarded in May. The Classified Senate, along with the many volunteers who participated, helped to make it possible for students to receive scholarships. Students and faculty members who purchased a raffle ticket or soup have also helped a student fund their education. The 4th Annual Soup Cook-Off showed LMC that if the academic community can come together, they can impact together.
Vice President Kevin Horan attributes this to the passing of Proposition 30, the Schools and Safety Protection Act, last fall. “The approval of Prop 30 provided funding that has enabled the College to stabilize its schedule of courses and increase the number of classes available to students,” said LMC Vice President Kevin Horan. “Additionally, many of these new courses have been created to meet student needs and the needs of newly created Transfer Degrees and Certificate Programs.” The new classes offered include three new art courses; Figure Drawing (Art 30), Concepts of Sculpture (Art 60), and Documentary Photography (Art 75), two new journalism courses; Media Production Practicum II (Journalism 131), and Photojournalism (Journalism 160), along with a new Math and English course. A new child development course and a new appliance class are also being offered. In addition, Intermediate French I will now officially be offered for the first time this spring. More information, including further registration and application information, can be found at the LMC website at http://www.losmedanos. edu/. The schedule for Spring 2014 can also be found at http://www.losmedanos.edu/ schedule/.
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LUCKY
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PTEC From page 1
California residents. Scholarships are available for those in need. As it stands, many plants prefer to hire those with three to five years of experience. Many of the instructors in the program have been directly involved in the refining and chemical industries. “The program offers great job placement for students that finish the program and sometimes even before they graduate. If students can make it past the first semester they will definitely finish the program,” said PTEC Director and Instructor William Cruz, “I have had many successful students graduate from the program and are now making $100,000 or more a year as an operator. The time students invest in the program is incomparable to the benefits they will receive from actually working in the industry.” Twenty-four-year-old Birkeland Stout, cur rent LMC student in the program, is one semester away from completing it but already finished an internship with Dow Chemical in Pittsburg. “I learned a lot realistically. I was able to apply what I learned in class into real hands-on work during my one month internship,” said Stout. In the program, students learn how to operate stateof-the-art simulation software used on campus in the PTEC lab and during the last semester are introduced to an outdoor laboratory located near the science building. The hands-on lab teaches students the essential skills required by the refining industries and is modeled after real equipment operations used by local industries. Cur rent PTEC student Diana Sauceda only had good things to say about the program. She is just getting started in the program, with Fall 2013 being her first semester. Sauceda said the program “offers a promising career.” She is enrolled in both PTEC 10 and PTEC 12 under the instruction of Cruz. She took interest in the program after one of her friends, who also partake in the program, told her about it. With her degree she hopes to be a part of the Petrochemical or Oil Industries. Companies with large manufacturing operations in Contra Costa County include Chevron Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, Tesoro Petroleum Corporation, Shell Oil and Phillips 66. Public Affairs Representative for Shell Corporation Erin Hallissy said that the Martinez refinery has recently hired 21 new operators. Approximately one-third of those hires were graduates of the PTEC Program. “In this type of industr y you have to be self-motivated. You cannot solely rely on the instructors to provide you the networking. Take advantage of the resources the instructors provide and be pro-active and apply everywhere you can. You are not expected to know everything so ask questions,” said Stout. Visit the PTEC web site for additional information at www. losmedanos.edu/tec or call 439-2181 ext. 3194 to reach the PTEC department. For more information, email PTEC Director William Cruz at wcruz@losmedanos.edu.
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PASS
The survey also goes into more detail of the history between the school and Tri Delta. “A few years ago, Tri Delta Bus Company approached LMCAS to try to get all students to pay for a bus pass fee. Through compromise, LMCAS allocated funds ($14,000) and various transpor tation companies matched the amount to create a $28,000 free bus pass program for LMC students. During that time, approximately 1400 students utilized the bus pass program. After five semesters, the LMCAS budget could no longer sustain the cost of the program. At that time, Tri Delta proposed a mandatory “transpor tation fee” on all students. LMCAS felt it was wrong to ‘tax’ all students for the bus passes, at which point Tri Delta declined to participate in the program with the student government,” according to the survey. Belman also discussed the possible transportation fee and an ensuing election that would be voted on by a large portion of the student body. “Essentially our feeling at the time was, in order to impose a fee like this, there would first need to be a student body election, then second, the governing board of the Contra Costa Community College District would have to approve it. So in some ways you would have to work backwards. You have to go to the chancellor of the district then the governing board and ask if they will support us in the election.” Shaw is now working towards putting together a proposal to bring in potential partner companies such as Spare The Air, who told her that they may be able to contribute money if a proposal of a clear budgeted amount was presented to them. Shaw’s essential goal at this point in time is to strike a deal with Tri Delta where students would pay a one-time semester fee of somewhere around the normal price of a 31-day monthly pass which is currently $57. If a student were to buy five such passes to cover an entire semester, the total would amount to $285. The survey will be used to calculate how many students are interested in a similar program to the previous one the school had. It will also hopefully garner possible answers to other issues such as deciding how it would be distributed to students if the passes were of a limited quantity, such as a first come first serve system or a lottery system, as well as sustainability of the program and having longer term commitment with the companies involved that are subsidizing the cost. It is imperative that students who are interested in bringing back a bus pass program take part in the survey and let their voice be heard. For more information contact LMCAS at 439-2181 ext. 3266 or stop by the Student Life Office located in the GA building.
FRIDAY,
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2013
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open minded off the court. When she is playing however she calls herself a quarterback on the court. Her hard work and leadership does not go unnoticed by coaches and teammates. “A great leader is someone who works hard all the time, is the first person in the gym, is the last person out of the gym, who no matter what you’re doing is always giving it everything they have, 100 percent. Whether it’s shagging a ball or doing some drills that might be a little bit less fun or more boring than others, in that regard she is a great leader. She is always trying to improve herself, trying to help the team to improve and trying to help individual players on the team get better,” said Panzella. Outside hitters Taylor Scriven and Michelle Mayfield are glad to have her on the team because she directly affects their play. Scriven (342) and Mayfield (286) hold the top two spots in kills largely in part because of Pinkowski’s crisp passes. “Without her I wouldn’t be able to get as many kills as I usually get in a game,” said Mayfield. Scriven added, “Without her I don’t know where I’d be.” The setter has a mutual respect for her outside hitters and knows as well that she needs them as much as they need her. “I think they’re really good outlets, they’re very consistent, they just know what they need to do to get the job done,” said Pinkowski. This is her first year on the team and she has already made memories as well as built chemistry. “Getting along with the girls, it really does help playing together and getting wins,” said Pinkowski. Aside from the rest of the team, Pinkowski and Scriven are best friends and they have been ever since their sophomore year at Liberty. “We’re a package deal. She’s my best friend, my other half. We share a bond that can’t be broken. She’s my sister. Maybe not by blood, but definitely by destiny.” Scriven feels the same about her teammate. “[She’s] fun to be around, always positive, always has good things to say,” said Scriven, adding, “I can count on her for anything on and off the court, we make memories every single day, it’s always fun, every single day I’m with her.” The package deal gel extremely well together on the court and Panzella was ecstatic to have both on the team. “It was a really good day when both her and Taylor [Scriven] said they were coming together and were going to be playing. I knew immediately we were going to be much better then last year,“ said Panzella. The star volleyball player loves the game she plays and she describes it as her “happy place.”
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