Volunteers build path
‘Hugs’ return to LMC
Playoff bound?
The Nature Club hosts two weekend volunteer events to create a path in Nature Preserve — page 3
Social experiment occurs again on campus, culminating in a duel of epic proportions — page 4
Volleyball team awaits decision from league on future in the playoffs — page 5
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Important Dates
By CASSIE DICKMAN
cdickman@lmcexperience.com
Nov. 21
Last day to drop with a “W” appearing on your transcript
Dec. 3-6
Student Life will be hosting a Microsoft Office Loadfest Tuesday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room L-109. Bring in your laptop, notebook, tablet or other mobile devices to the event and download Microsoft Office 365 Pro Plus for free. The Microsoft team will be available to assist and answer questions. Lunch and t-shirts will be provided to participants (while supplies last). Participants can load up to five devices. Be sure to know your InSite login info, as it will be used to register your product.
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Brentwood Center back on track
Movember is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Loadfest to tech-up LMC
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Drama Department’s production of RENT at the California Theatre in downtown Pittsburg
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Chief Facilities Planner Ray Pyle and Real Estate Consultant Howard Sword at the Nov. 12 Governing Board meeting.
The Contra Costa Community College District is moving ahead again with plans for the future Los Medanos College Brentwood Center campus. A halt had been put on the project in September following an 11th-hour proposal from BART Board of Directors President Joel Keller to move from the current site chosen by the district, located at Marsh Creek Road and Vineyards Parkway in Brentwood, to an alternative location next to a
possible future eBART station, near the Mokulomne Trail and Lone Tree Way. But after a feasibility study was completed on the issue, the governing board voted 4-1 at its Nov. 12 meeting to move forward with the original property chosen by the district at Pioneer Square and the project has now picked up where it left off. “We [will] resume the process we started prior,” said LMC Vice President of Instr uction and Student Services Kevin Horan, who will be in charge of the new
campus when it opens. CCCCD Chief Facilities Planner Ray Pyle said that after the request for qualifications for architectural design services was sent out this summer — which followed the approval of Bond Measure E by voters in June, giving the district funds to build the new permanent campus — 19 firms submitted their statements for qualifications and now they will finally reviewed by the screening committee, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 4. “They have to review and See CENTER, page 6
Class hosts career fair
Slammin’ bones
By EVAN DEAN
edean@lmcexperience.com
Speech Comp. on campus The Inaugural Los Medanos College Intramural Speech Competition is coming to campus Friday, Dec. 3 from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Science Building. Registration is open until Dec. 1 for anyone who is interested in competing. There will be three events that will be held: n Worlds Debate n Impromptu n Informative/Persuasive If you are competing in the Worlds Debate competition, you must register with a partner. Show your speaking skills in this first-of-its-kind event at LMC. For more information, contact Professor of Communications and Director of Forensics Kasey Garder at 473-7833.
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
The LMC Library was the site of Transfer Academy Informational Fair Thursday Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students enrolled in the Academic and Career Success 10 course researched the employment scene to provide information on various degree and career avenues. Nick Cisneros, who is enrolled in the Transfer Academy as a first-year student at LMC, explained they were “targeting students who maybe don’t know what they want to do.” Tables in the Library lobby held presentation boards with the information the Transfer Academy students had found. Among the careers highlighted were Computer Science and Business, Child Development, Journalism and Communications and Fine Arts. When the fair began, Cisneros was sitting at his table surrounded only by other Transfer Academy students. “I didn’t really see any good advertising around campus for the fair. It could have been better advertised for a bigger turnout,” Cisneros said. For the students not involved directly with the Transfer Academy or the ACS 10
Kennedy-King spots open
Students Jeff Reddic and Antonio Battle played Dominoes on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Indoor Quad. The Intramural Domino League will continue every Tuesday and Wednesday until Dec. 4. All participants will receive a shirt, and the winner will receive a trophy and an engraved plaque.
The Kennedy-King Memorial Scholarship application is now available. The deadline to apply is Feb. 2, 2015. The scholarship gives two $4,000 awards per year to members of underrepresented minority groups in California. Upcoming workshops will be: n Completing the Application: Friday Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in CC2-223 n How to Write a Winning Essay: Tuesdays Dec. 2 and Jan. 20 in the Center for Academic Support in Level 3 of the CORE. Call 473-7590 to reserve a spot in these workshops as space is limited.
Homophobia strikes at LMC
See FAIR, page 6
New sign is vandalized By ALEX TAGLIAMONTE and JOSEPH DELANO
jdelano@lmcexperience.com
The newly designated gender neutral bathrooms in the Science Building were vandalized Nov. 13 when an unknown suspect crudely wrote “faggots” across one of the signs on the wall next to the door. LMC student Eboni Brown was in the building on her way to class when she passed by the bathroom and noticed writing on the sign. “I thought this was disrespectful to school property and to those who live a gay lifestyle,” Brown said, adding, “regardless if anyone accepts the lifestyle or not, everyone deserves to be treated respectfully.” The recent decision to make certain restrooms on campus more accessible
to transgender students and label them “All gender restrooms” was met with an outpour of support from LGBT students, as well as LMC staff and students. The project was made a success by the cooperation between LMCAS President Gar y Walker and LMC President Bob Kratochvil. When Kratochvil was asked about the situation and whether or not anything was going to be done about it he said, “I am unaware of any such vandalism and we certainly would not condone this.” “It makes me upset that college officials aren’t aware, they need to a pay a little more attention to what’s going on in their campus” Brown said, adding that “campus security should be patrolling at night not just during
Photo courtesy of Eboni Brown
the day alone.” LMCAS President Gar y Walker echoed Brown’s sentiments. “Hearing this information is certainly disappointing and needs to be looked into,” he said.
s The sign adorning the wall adjacent to the gender neutral bathrooms was vandalized with a homophobic slur.
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“A million dollars isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? A basilisk.”
— Welcome to Night Vale
Daniel Ramsey
Beatriz Hernandez
GUEST COLUMNIST
GUEST COLUMNIST
Brown is the new green
It’s time to end body-shaming
Another California summer has passed. The weather is cooling, clouds are beginning to roll in and I can’t help but feel that winter is now upon us. It is a cool day outside with a winter breeze blowing and clouds blocking out the sun. But looking at all the lawns still golden in color and no green grass on any neighbor’s yards I am reminded of how bad a drought we have had this summer. This year was the third driest year on record for California, and the state’s water reservoirs are at all-time lows. San Francisco had the lowest rain recorded since 1849 according to an article by USA Today. According to a U.S. Drought Moniter report, 99 percent of California’s land is “abnormally dry or worse.” Earlier this year, Gov. Jerry Brown announced a statewide drought emergency. New regulations restrict water use, and $500 fines for excessive use have been established. “We ought to be ready for a long, continuous, persistent effort,” Brown said according nbclosangeles.com. “I think the drought emphasizes that we do live in an era of limits, that nature has it’s limit.” The climate in California is also changing, creating warmer temperature which lead to increases in forest fires. These fires have been running wild in northern and southern California, and with water in short supply it has had a huge affect not only on our ecosystem but also on our economy. According to bloomberg.com, farmers are paying up to ten times more for water than they did before the drought. How many hundreds of acres of farmland have remained unplanted this year and how many agricultural jobs were lost due to the lack of water? While the statistics aren’t yet available, farms have been hit hard. So what have you done this year to do your part and help save water? Have you been taking shor ter showers, stopped watering your yard, washing your car less often or stopped running the faucets while you brush your teeth? We are all aware of the situation but the question remains: have we all done all we can to help save water and will we continue to do it? California has the nickname “The Golden State” because all our hills in the area are yellow. So if we are known to have dry hills why do we try so hard to maintain that perfect green grass in our front yards every year? Most parks are beginning to use “recycled” water to irrigate their grass but citizens are wasting drinking water to water their yards. This year the state engaged in a campaign to convince its citizens that “Brown is the New Green.” Many people made the sacrifice to watch their yards slowly die in the scorching sun. I think it is time Californians realize that maintaining a bright green yard is a battle we no longer need to wage against the elements. In Arizona, which is almost completely a desert, residents know how much water grass wastes so they do not even try to have green yards. Instead they settle for rocks and drought-resistant plants. If you must have a green yard many companies offer artificial grass that also takes no water. It is time that we embrace our brown or grassless yards as a badge of honor to show we take conservation seriously and don’t take valuable water granted. The unfortunate thing is that this extreme drought may only foreshadow what is to come. Only time will tell but in the meantime we all need to continue to do our part and be prepared to fight water shortages for a long time to come. Brown is the new green. Embrace it.
Body-shaming of any kind is not okay. That is something that one would assume is common knowledge. Marginalizing or shaming skinny people, is a subgroup of the body shaming dispute that has been widely discussed on social media for the past year. It is often said skinny-shaming is just as bad as fat-shaming. However, while it is never okay, there is a clear difference between shaming someone for being a bigger individual and shaming someone for being on the smaller side. Fat-shaming is an issue that is integrated into our everyday society. With cases such as the controversial comments Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO Mike Jeffries made in an interview with Salon in 2006 that came to light in 2013. He said that he doesn’t want “fat,” “unattractive,” or “uncool” kids wearing the company’s clothes. Bigger people tend to have a higher probability of facing prejudice and weight discrimination than thin people. In the work place, a person’s chances of being discriminated increases as their weight increases. In a study conducted by obesityaction.org, “10 percent of overweight women reported weight discrimination, 20 percent of obese women reported weight discrimination and 45 percent of very obese women reported weight discrimination.” The stats regarding men were lower. Three percent of overweight men reported weight discrimination, six percent of obese men reported weight discrimination and 28 percent of very obese men reported weight discrimination. This study shows that women’s probability for discrimination is more likely and starts at a lower weight than men. Its true fat-shaming and skinny-shaming are not the same thing. While it is hurtful to skinny-shame people, in the end being skinny is the beauty standard and being “fat” isn’t and it is the bigger people who are being represented poorly in the media. Still, it is known that fat-shaming is wrong while others think it’s okay to skinny-shame as long as it means that another group feels better about themselves. Just because you are attempting to empower one group, doesn’t mean you should make another feel bad about themselves. Pop culture has definitely contributed to the issue of body shaming. It’s common practice for magazines to Photoshop models and celebrities. . When Nicki Minaj’s single “Anaconda” was released just two months ago, it caused controversy. The controversy was partly due to its harmful lyrics when Minaj makes a disparaging remark about “skinny b*****s.” Meghan Trainor’s debut single “All About That Bass” which contained a similar lyric, faced scriticism as well.Trainor’s reasoning is that she was trying get the message across that she understands the struggle that skinny girls have as well but other people seem to think the line is insensitive toward skinny individuals. While Minaj and Trainor were trying to promote body confidence in people, especially young women, it could have done without because a lot of people don’t have control over their weight and appearance. Even if the song was not dedicated to thin people, body positive songs should remain positive. It is argued that skinny-shaming is not the same as fat-shaming because society often gives skinnier people “thin privilege” and that skinny-shaming is essentially just reverse discrimination. There are shreds of truth in this. In the media skinny-shaming rarely occurs unless the person is extremely skinny or anorexic, while if a celebrity is even slightest bit overweight, they are marginalized and often made fun of. We should think before we make remarks about someone’s weight.
Experience • Kimberly Stelly
Editorial
Close stores on holidays
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t’s become apparent that in recent years, retail stores like Staples, Sport’s Authority and Best Buy have been opening earlier on holidays in hopes the stores will rake in more money during the holidays. This might be convenient for those last minute or bargain shoppers, but it takes a toll on employees as well. There are people who need the hours to pay bills and provide for their families but what often happens is that these individuals are often overworked. Instead of being at home with their families, employees are often encouraged to work for ridiculous amounts of hours. Kmart will be opening at 6 a.m. in hopes that promoting good deals earlier, will lead to more sales during the holidays. Stores such as Target and Macy’s will be opening at 6 p.m. and Old Navy will be opening at 4 p.m. and offering a 50 percent discount for 41 hours. Wal-Mart just announced a five-day black Friday event in which there will be online discounts offered to costumers from 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. Marketing director for The Galleria in Houston, Texas said the hours were changed to accommodate the needs of the consumers. According to Adobe’s Holiday Predictions, the stores will be offering their best discounts at an average of 24 percent. Accenture Research says the percentage of shoppers planning to shop on Thanksgiving has increased from 38 percent to 45 percent. The costumers are the top priority to a lot of company executives who run the malls and retail chains nationwide, but they need to invest in and accommodate the needs of the employee. It is these individuals who stand behind the counters and wait on sometimes inconsiderate and irritable shoppers in place of chilling at home with their families, pigging out on turkey and imbibing on the family’s eggnog. There are a few petitions going around the Internet, asking people to support the employees. Long-time retail employee Kelly Kinsey launched a petition, which has garnered 34,400 signatures and Justin Mills, a four-year Target employee is leading a petition with 46,880 signatures on Change.org to keep malls and stores closed. There are some places willing to show opposition to stores staying open on the holidays. Gamestop, Costco, Marshalls, Barnes and Nobles and T.J. Maxx are all stores that are staying closed in support of the families of their employees. This is interesting because even though the numbers of shopper on Thanksgiving have increased, the number of retail chains staying open have decreased. What you can do to support the hardworking folks being stuck with long hours for the holidays, you can sign one of these petitions. You can also opt out of waiting in excruciatingly long lines and possibly getting trampled and just shop online, saving you time. Maybe then, these execs will understand the plight of those who use their valuable time to serve those who might not be so appreciative.
Letters to the Editor
Thank you for the affordable news DEAR EDITOR: Thank you for producing a free newspaper. Most people are not buying newspapers anymore and I don’t think it is because you can read most news online now. I believe that the cost of a newspaper nowadays is what is deterring most people from buying a newspaper, and causing many to switch to getting their news online. To have a newspaper delivered to your house for a month is around $12 which is pretty expensive for a newspaper. There is even a transportation fee of $4.73 for having
the paper delivered to your home. While it is very beneficial and cost effective for most people to access the news online it is still nice to read a newspaper once and a while. However it is a very nice change to have a free newspaper that has interesting stories that provide a great insight on what is happening on campus and around the community. Finally I have really enjoyed reading about what has been going on with BART. I found it very interesting and look forward to reading more about the topic. — Drake Mather
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
Experience
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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
“I think it’s a personal decision. It’s a huge thing with family and up to each individual.” — Veronica Greenhouse
“I work for a government agency, so positions like mine, we’re required to work and I don’t like it.” — Mickey Rovere
“If they’re getting a holiday bonus, it may be beneficial, but at the same time, those workers want to spend time with their families.” — Symone Jones
“I think it’s unfair and they deserve to be at home with their families.” — Brendan Williamson
“I am for the workers who protest it. I myself don’t participate in Black Friday.” — Sara TorunoConley
“I do think it’s unfortunate but people have bills to pay and people do appreciate having businesses open on the holidays.” — Jaimie Orozco
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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Campus Newswatch Barcelona beckons
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Club is crafting new trail By JOSH WOOD
jwood@lmcexperience.com
Help available for parents
Los Medanos College’s California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) serves students attending LMC who receive financial aid and are parents. Services include priority registration, educational and career counseling and educational workshops. If you would like more information, call 473-7482 or visit the office in Room CC2-257. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Counselors ready to assist
Looking to make an educational plan, or review your current one? Do you need career advice or a personal counselor? LMC offers general counseling at both campuses. Appointments at Pittsburg can be made in person, by calling the Counseling Department at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link. Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.
Alpha Gamma back in action
With a strong emphasis on community service, LMC’s Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) is looking for more members to participate in their meetings, fundraisers and other club activities. For more information, including meeting times, planned activities and membership requirements, visit the AGS website at www.losmedanosags.com
Get help to kick the habit
Are you trying to quit smoking? The American Lung Association is offering a Freedom From Smoking Clinic to help tobacco users break the habit. The clinic is being held on Wednesdays at the Pittsburg Health Center. The center is located at 2311 Loveridge Road – Cedar Room. For more information, call (855) 421-3400 or call 431-2266
Crisis counseling available
Study abroad in Italy
Florence awaits. Study abroad in Florence, Italy this spring. Experience amazing food, architecture and histor y all while fur thering your education. If inter ested contact the Study Abroad Office at DVC, 969-2507. The Study Abroad Of fice can be emailed at studyabroad@dvc.edu
Experience • Josh Wood
Student Delani Ryan clearing out needles to let plants grow.
tjohnson@lmcexperience.com
— compiled from press releases and staff reports
With high tuition costs and a job market that making it difficult to land a job, many students find paying bills to be a difficult task. However, Los Medanos College has a number of available on-campus jobs to help pay off loans. To begin a job search, a student must first register online on the Career College Network. You can find the CCN on the LMC website by clicking on “Current Students” at the top of the page, and then scrolling down to the “Employment Center” link, or by going to www.studentcentral.com into any web browser. To create an account, you must know your Student ID number. You will have to create a personal password while registering on the CCN. A resume is not required to start applying, however, it is recommended to upload a resume because many employers in the database are looking for potential employees with a resume already uploaded. If you do not have a resume, you can set up appoint-
ments with the Career Center to create one. Once you have completed your registration and your profile has been approved, you may begin searching for an on-campus or off-campus employment opportunity. For on-campus jobs, you must be an LMC student with at least six units and a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Starting wages are typically the state minimum of 9.00 an hour, but wages range anywhere from $9 to $10. Students will work a maximum of twenty hours a week during the school semester but during breaks they have the opportunity to work a full 40-hour week, if the job is still open during that time. “Jobs are available at a premium,” said LMC Career Coordinator Reggie Turner. “Jump on all positions as soon as possible. Read all job descriptions, particularly the application section for how to apply.” The bulk of hiring usually occurs before the start of the fall semester in August. Another wave of hiring occurs right before
Joining clubs benefits transfer By ARIANA MACKSON
amackson@lmcexperience.com
Los Medanos College offers its students the opportunity to join a club, which can help students transfer to a four-year university. “Being at a community college, you miss out on the university experience,” said Student Life Coordinator, Jamila Stewart.“Clubs create this university experience.” Clubs are similar to fraternities allowingstudents to socially interact with people who share similar interests in academics, hobbies, lifestyle choices or community service. When applying for college, students discuss the extracurricular activities they take part in. An extracurricular activity can include the involvement in clubs and shows universities how connected the student is to the school. Stewart said universities “look at students who are going to carry on the reputation of the college.” Each club requires a different form of application, whether it is on paper or in person. Students can join a club at any time. Lissette Urbina, in her third year at LMC, joined the Circle K Club at the start of her second year. The Circle K Club was created to provide service to the community and those on campus. Urbina explained how the club is a great way to meet a lot of people, both in the club and in need of assistance from the Circle K members. “The service itself is really gratifying,” Urbina
A thrum of energy filled the air as the Los Medanos College Nature Club slowly chipped away at the wall of dirt near the Nature Preserve; a new path slowly being hewn into the hillside. In two successive Saturdays, the LMC Nature Club set itself to beautifying the dirt hill behind the College Complex and crafting a new trail for students that wish to visit the Nature Preserve. Saturday, Nov. 8, brought only four people to the work force, and yet with those people, the Nature Club cleared out the dead needles that had blocked foliage from growing beneath many of the trees, and laid the foundation for nearly a third of the trail. The following Saturday brought a larger work force, allowing the club to finish the sweeping trail and plant many California native plants. Mickey Rovere, outdoor biology lab assistant, functions as the bridge between the Nature Club and the Los Medanos College Nature Preserve, serving as an officer in the club. “We’re a schoolyard habitat,” Rovere said, adding, “a lot of people don’t know we’re here.” Nature Club president Joshua Kohl is certainly aware that the preser ve is there, working closely with Rovere to coordinate projects. “The club’s top goal is to promote the preservation of local ecosystems and the environment,” Kohl said, adding that the Nature Preserve is a great place to help out. “I appreciate nature, really anything that involves life See PATH, page 6
Jobs on campus help students BY TANNER JOHNSON
Il Duomo di Firenze in Florence is an iconic landmark that students of the study abroad program may visit.
— Albert Einstein
Preserving nature
Interested in traveling to Barcelona next fall? The Study Abroad program will be offering the option to experience incredible architecture, cuisine and culture all while furthering your education in Barcelona in the fall of 2015. A meeting for those interested will be held at DVC Wednesday, December 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in room LA-119. If you are interested or would like more information, contact the Study Abroad Office via e-mail at Studyabroad@ dvc.edu or call 969-2507
Are you going through a rough time? Los Medanos College offers Crisis Counseling for any student or faculty member who may be going through a hard time and feel they have nowhere to turn. Counselors are available to help. All counseling sessions are confidential. For information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Counseling Center at 473-7449, or contact the Counseling Department Chair Marco Godinez at 473-7460.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
said, with a smile on her face. If a club at LMC does not interest you, you can always charter your own. You must complete a Club Chartering Packet, which can be downloaded off of the LMC website under the Clubs and Organizations tab, and turn it into the Office of Student Life. The packet requires you to have four club officers who each maintain a 2.0 GPA, an advisor, who is a full-time LMC employee, an approved club constitution and two officers to attend the Student Club Orientation. According to the student club handbook, one benefit of chartering a club is developing leadership skills. Chartering a club shows how an individual is dedicated to bringing together students at LMC and in the community. One student in the process of chartering his own club is Sulton Taymuree from DVC. He is creating a club, Promoting Positivity, because he is unsatisfied with the negativity around him and wants to help people. Taymuree is using his resource of chartering a club to gain leadership skills and accomplish his “quest to change the world.” He said it is “an opportunity for him to grow as a person, and spread his ideas and thoughts.” Universities look for students who will stand out and make a difference on campus. For information on how to join or charter a club, call 473-7554 or visit Student Life in the GA Building, located by the Child Study Center.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
the spring semester begins as well. It is advised to check open positions every two weeks. “I love my job,” said Rattana Kim, a student currently working in the Counseling Department. “It isn’t my first job. I have two jobs right now. This is hands-down my favorite job. It’s like a family here,” she added. Kim explained that there are perks working here at LMC. You become more knowledgeable in the field of work you’re assigned. Most students don’t know half of what you’re trained in, making it easier to work with the school’s system. Student Store employee Andrew Murphy explained the way to keep a job at LMC, “The same qualities you apply to your school work, you want to pass on to your job.” Once hired, it’s best to remain available to work and show the drive you have to get the job done. The diligence tells employers to keep you around for next semester. For more information, seek Career Coordinator Reggie Turner in the Career Center.
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“A man should never neglect his family for business.” — Walt Disney
Reyes helps pave the road ahead Counselor aides transitioning students By RATTANA KIM
rkim@lmcexperience.com
David Reyes, Los Medanos College Transfer Academy counselor, always had a passion to help others. His kindness had always been evident, yet for some time he did not realize that would lead him to where he is today. Reyes was born and raised in Vallejo. Being family-oriented, the transition from high school to university was tough for the first semester, as often got homesick. Reyes completed his undergraduate in communications at University of California in San Diego. “It was literally high school straight to San Diego, living on your own, sort of living in a new environment,
not really knowing anyone,” said Reyes, adding, “it took me a whole semester to really get to meet people, get adjusted and really think that I was UC material.” For some time, Reyes felt that he was not up to the UC level, as many other students had 4.0 GPA’s, took AP classes or were student presidents in high school. “I went through this mental state of my worthy of being here. Do I fit? Am I UC material? Do I fit the standards of the UC kind of thing?” Reyes explained. Reyes originally had big dreams to get into computer science engineering but eventually came to the conclusion that it didn’t suit him. He changed his
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major multiple times, from economics, human development, visual arts and psychology for an example. While Reyes was struggling to find himself and getting adjusted to the university life, he got involved in student organization and student clubs. His coworkers, who were also his friends, became a support system that eased the transition. Being in student clubs and working for the Summer Bridge Program at UCSD, much like what LMC has on campus, was what really turned things around for Reyes. He got involved with peer mentoring/advising, such as residential advising and being an orientation leader. Reyes was involved with being student orientation leaders
twice and became a part of student ambassador. “I ended up getting into communications just because I really liked the course content of it and I was able to communicate with people and everything. A lot of those things that I was doing was really getting to know people and getting to know the public. It was really that experience, so peer mentoring, peer advising truly inspired me to go into counseling,” said Reyes. Reyes continued to be involved with student ambassador work and peer mentoring each year. He also volunteered in his free time.
A duel for ‘free hugs’
Throughout the remainder of the fall semester, the Los Medanos College Music Department will be hosting a variety of events featuring performances by students and ensembles from around the Bay Area. Concerts are held in the Recital Hall. For more information, call 439-2181 ex. 3218.
By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
A small mixture of students, family members and staff gathered inside the Recital Hall Nov. 14 to attend the Sophomore Recital presented by the LMC Music Department. Pink programs were passed out at the doors while performer Miguel Reyes walked around and greeted familiar faces prior to the beginning of the show. As the show began, Kadesta Prothro emerged to greet the audience and introduce the first performers including bassist and pianist Tim Combs, lead guitarist Ben Martinez, saxophone player Elijah Walker, trumpeter Robert Ruiz and the first main performer, percussionist Aaron Charles. The ensemble opened with “Brazil” composed by Ary Barroso Ruiz showed enthusiasm and his fellow musicians showed no nervousness. In the second piece, “Speak No Evil,” written by Jazz composer Wayne Shorter, the musicians played with ease and Charles’ talent became apparent. During the first two numbers, most of the audience seemed interested in what was taking place. There were a few people who seemed a bit uninterested but when the musicians stated playing “Chameleon,” originally written by renowned composer Herbie Hancock, the musicians grabbed the attention of every attendee. People began tapping their feet and nodding their heads along to the beat. Everything about this piece’s performance was impressive. The musical ensemble looked the most comfortable during this song. The opening bass line as well as the impressive drum solo stood out the most. After their performance was over, the first round of performers grinned at each other, stood and took a bow, earning cheers and appreciative noises from the audience.
n Friday, Nov. 21 — Sophomore Recital featuring Natalie Galay and Theresa Harris. Reception to follow recital. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free. n Tuesday, Dec. 2 — Music Student Recital. Solo and group performances by students in the music department. Begins at 1 p.m. Admission: free. n Wednesday, Dec. 3 — LMC Guitar Concert. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free. n Thursday, Dec. 4 — Music Student Recital. Solo and group performances by students in the music department. Begins at 1 p.m. Admission: free.
REVIEW
Downtown has it all
Both located in the historic downtown areas of their respected communities, the California Theatre in Pittsburg and the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch will feature a variety of events throughout November and December.
EL CAMPANIL THEATRE
CALIFORNIA THEATRE Starting Wednesday, Dec. 3, the LMC Department of Dramatic Arts in conjunction with LMCAS, Pittsburg Arts & Community Foundation, and Keller Canyon present: RENT. Located at 351 Railroad Ave. in Pittsburg, shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and all ages are welcome. Admission: $11 to $17. For ticket sales and additional information please call 427-1611.
See REYES, page 6
Sophomore musicians impressive
LMC music and more
On Friday, Nov. 21 The El Campanil Children’s Theatre Presents: The Elves and the Shoemaker. Located at 602 W Second St. in Antioch, the show begins at 7:30 and all ages are welcome. Admission: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors $8 for youths. For ticket sales and additional information please call 757-9500.
“This whole time it was my future career,” said Reyes, adding, “it was right here and I was working on other things.” After Reyes received his Bachelor’s in Communications, he continued to live in San Diego for about two years before moving back to Vallejo. From 2007 to 2010, Reyes worked in Financial Aid at LMC’s sister school, Diablo Valley College. Reyes ended up loving being in the community college setting and decided to pursue counseling. Reyes explained, “Even when I was in Financial Aid, I still tried to incorporate a little bit of counseling
There was no rain-delay for a lightsaber duel as students Haley Keller (left) and Giovanni Rajo battled it out in the Outdoor Quad during the recent “Free Hugs” event Oct. 31. Organized by Rajo, “Free Hugs” is a social experiment designed to see who would hug whom based on gender. Right, students Chelsea Jones (right) and Chase Smith embrace in a hug to commemorate the event.
See MUSIC, page 6
Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience
healthy
lifestyles
HELPING YOU thrive
Put Some Power On Your Plate by Dr. William Lide
N
ot all foods are created equal. While some offer relatively little nutrition, others are packed with beneficial nutrients that research shows can help prevent disease and maintain health. And they taste great, too!
Here are a few examples of “wonder foods” that deserve a place on your table: Avocados: Rich in fiber and oleic acid, which helps lower overall cholesterol levels while raising “good” HDL cholesterol. Quinoa: A deliciously nutty South American grain that delivers an abundance of complete protein, plus manganese, magnesium, and iron. Low-fat yogurt: A great source of muscle-building protein and bone-building calcium, plus beneficial bacteria that help boost the immune system. Onions: Full of quercetin, a powerful flavonoid that protects against cancer; research indicates eating onions may also reduce heart disease risk. Chili peppers: Their heating element, capsaisin, appears to inhibit inflammation, clear congestion, and reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots. Parsley: More than a garnish, packed with Vitamin C, heart-healthy beta-carotene, and cancer-fighting folic acid. For more tips on eating well, check out Kaiser Permanente’s Web site at www.kp.org/nutrition. This article is proudly sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. William Lide, MD is a Physician Site Leader for tha Pleasanton Medical Offices.
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“The playoffs are the playoffs. You just play who is put in front of you.”
— Steve Nash
Stangs bounce back strong
Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience
The Mustangs finished its season with a dominating win over the College of Alameda. The team high-fived the Alameda players following the last home game of the season (top). Outside hitter Anna-Silvia Vega leaps to hit the ball over the outstretched arms of the Alameda defender (top right). Setter Aubree Dejesus sets the ball and the hitters charge the net ready to leap and strike the ball (bottom right).
Volleyball waits on playoff decision from league By STEVEN LUKE and CATHIE LAWRENCE sluke@lmcexpeience.com
Mustangs Volleyball finished the regular season with a three set shutout of the College of Alameda on Tuesday, Nov 18. The win was the final game of the season for the Stangs who now wait to hear if they will make the playoffs. After a loss to Yuba College Friday Nov. 14, the game was a must win to keep the hopes of making the playoffs alive. They knew what they needed to do and they came out on fire in the first set with a dominating 25-5 win. They carried the energy from the first set into the game, knowing playoffs were on the line.
“We went out on the court with so much game,” Scriven said adding, “I’m really proud energy and we played with great intensity,” of the whole team and we’re just really excited outside hitter Anna Vega said of to see what the playoffs have in the team’s performance. store for us.” Alameda fought back in the “We’re just The playoffs are not a given, next two sets, but still fell 25-16 really excited though. With the win, the Stangs and 25-14, as the intensity of the finished in a tie for second in to see what Mustangs was too much for them. conference with Solano College Taylor Scriven had another the playoffs with records of 11-3. all-around good game in her have in store Head Coach Lou Panzella said final home game for the Stangs it will depend on the conference accruing 16 points with 11 digs for us.” committee decides on Sunday, — Taylor Scriven and 14 kills. Nov. 23, but early word is that “It was really nice to be able to the Mustangs hold the tiebreaker. come out and beat Alameda in 3, especially “Winning tonight should qualify us for the because there was so much riding on that playoffs,” Panzella said. “We should know
Mustangs win in rout
about if for sure on Sunday.” What might hurt them in their playoff hopes is the pre-conference record. The Mustangs are 14-11 overall, while Solano is 17-8. The prospect of making the playoffs is big news around the school. It would be the first time Mustangs Volleyball has made the playoffs since 2003. Both Athletic Director Richard Villegas and Senior Dean of Student Ser vices Gail Newman sent out emails to the staff congratulating the team on their accomplishments. If the Stangs are selected to participate in the playoffs, they would play on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 25 and once they’re in, who knows what could happen next.
Fantasy football corner Steven
Luke
Start – Ryan Tannehill against the Broncos Sit – Marshawn Lynch against the Cardinals Pick Up – Jonas Gray, Patriots RB Brendan
Cross
Start – Josh McCown against the Bears Sit – LeSean McCoy against the Titans Pick Up – Latavius Murray, Raiders RB Luke Experience • Cathie Lawrence
The Mustangs will not be repeating as Conference Champions, but they did close out the season with a big 32-0 win over Mendocino. Quarterback Julius Mozee breaks away from a Mendocino defender during the blowout win in the final game of the season.
NFL pricing out the passionate fans The NFL is up and running, build a new stadium and that’s and even though there has when things will change. some been controversies, footThe San Francisco 49ers ball is still the love of the nation. have already built a shiny new There is one problem that is stadium and the prices have beginning skyrocketto af fect ed. the averAccordage fan, ing to a the raising report recost in tickleased by et prices. teammarSpecifically, keting. QUIETLY THINKING it is making com, the it hard on average us as college students to afford ticket price to see the 49ers to attend games. in 2013 was $83.54, nearly $20 It’s hard enough being a more than the average price Bay Area football fan when to attend a Raiders game this the Oakland Raiders are firing season. That price might be their head coach after failing to doable for college students win a single game, and there who are true fans of the team, is controversy among the San but now that they are at Levi Francisco 49ers as they got off Stadium the average ticket to a slow start. What makes price is $117, a change of over it really hard to be a fan of $30 in average ticket price to the NFL in the Bay Area as a attend a game. college student, though, is the I can’t speak for every colraising cost in prices. lege student in the Bay Area, Now, if you actually want but I don’t know anyone on to go to watch the Raiders campus that can afford to drop play you can probably find a over $100 to attend any event, ticket in your price range as and that’s without paying for the average ticket price is only food and drinks. See NFL, page 6 $64.80, but they are looking to
Steven Luke
Johnson
Start – Mark Sanchez against the Titans Sit – Russell Wilson against the Cardinals Pick Up – Josh Gordon, Browns WR
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REYES Blood saviors From page 4
even though they’re coming in and turning in their financial aid papers like ‘how’s your classes going? How’s everything going with your school and grades and everything like that?’” From 2010 to 2013, Reyes was enrolled in the graduate program at San Francisco State University. He received his Master’s degree in College Counseling. Then, temporarily, Reyes did part-time counseling for DVC and Chabot College, located in Hayward. What drew Reyes to LMC was still being able to stay within the close-knit community of the Contra Costa Community College District and the great things LMC offers, such as a variety of support programs such as Transfer Academy, MESA, Honors, Puente and Umoja. “All these different support programs that help specific populations; I think that’s what’s really cool about it is everyone working together and really working together for the betterment of the students and really support all students that come through the door of LMC,” said Reyes. He hopes that by working with the Transfer Academy students, especially after meeting and getting to know the first years, that he has helped eased their transition from high school to college and has helped to prepare all his students for transferring to a four-year university. Reyes can personally connect with his students because the transition brought him back to his college days. He recalls the first semester can be intimidating and complex because of all the steps in the different processes and paperwork. “I remember when I was I started, it was a mess. I was scared, I was nervous, I was anxious. I didn’t know where to go for help or anything like that and that really contributed to my first semester experience at college,” said Reyes, adding, “so to be able to hopefully lessen that as much as possible for students, because it can be a pretty intimidating process coming into college like the first couples weeks, to provide as much support and assistance for the students so that transition is as smooth as possible. I really want to be there for the students as much as I can.” Being able to be a full-time Transfer Academy Counselor at LMC, Reyes is able to help ease the ner vousness and confusion and to point them in the right direction. He makes sure that students are utilizing all the right resources and, if not, to educate them on the various resources available. Reyes’s ultimate goal is to become a part of students’ journey by supporting them in their transition year from LMC to college and beyond. Reyes has worked in the community college system for the past few years, and loves being in the community college setting. “I am a big supporter of the community college system and what community college stands for, not only just the financial aspect of it, you’re going to save a lot of money, but also just the community aspect of it,” said Reyes. “With just a smaller college, you’re able to really reach out to students and make sure they’re getting the support they need.” Reyes jokes that if he does have any free time, he loves to spend time with family and friends. On the weekends, he enjoys relaxing and finding different “hip” places to eat from Yelp. One of Reyes hobbies is staying healthy and keeping in shape. His long-term bucket list includes running a marathon. Reyes also enjoys watching sports, especially basketball, and is a huge Warriors fan.
PATH From page 3
interconnecting,” said Kohl. Indeed, the nature club isn’t just about doing work in the environment. To Kohl, “it’s just really nice to get out and do something physical.” Other club activities include raising awareness for recycling and a future cleaning project on marsh creek and the delta. The nature club meets in the Nature Preserve by Lot B every Wednesday at 3 p.m. For more information about the club, you can contact the president Joshua Kohl at JKohldls@gmail.com.
Experience • Katrina Butler
Student Alan Martinez donating blood for the first time. The Blood Drive was held in the Library, Room L-109 Nov. 12 and was sponsored by Student Life and Blood Centers of the Pacific.
CENTER From page 1
score the architectural team submissions that we received back on Aug. 19, and then come to the meeting to discuss strengths and weaknesses for each firm,” explained Pyle. “Following that, we will shortlist a few firms and have meetings with each to determine which firm appears to be most qualified for this particular project.” LMC President Bob Kratochvil said the district-level committee will make a decision based on which company is the best fit for the campus and suggest those firms to a committee at LMC comprised of district and campus representatives, who will select the best candidate to recommend to the governing board. Timothy Leong, the district’s director of communications and community relations, said any project over $10,000 will need to go before the board and “ultimately they have the final approval” on who will design the new
Brentwood Center. Even though the selection of the design team is scheduled for February, the project is nowhere near being close to finished. The designing process could take a year or more and a new center typically takes one to two years to construct, Kratochvil said, but noted that although the project will take a while to complete the process is starting to go forward. “At least we have direction now and can start moving on it,” he said, adding “We were pleased there was action taken.” Horan echoed Kratochvil’s approval and said the board was deliberate in investigating Keller’s proposal and the community’s concerns about traffic and safety. “The board made the right decision and demonstrated that to the public,” he said. The new campus is slated to open sometime in late 2108 or early 2019.
MUSIC FAIR From page 4
After a brief intermission, Prothro came back out to introduce the second round of performers, including percussionists Anthony Adams and Jessica Motta, guitarists Josh Wood and Ben Martinez, Combs on the piano and second spotlighted performer, Miguel Reyes. Reyes smiled a bit nervously as the opening chords of “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz began. Despite the slightly bored expression on the tambourine players face, it was a pleasant rendition of the song. Reyes stood in the center, somewhat stiffly but he sang with confidence. Wood joined the ensemble on guitar and Combs joined on piano for the second performance of alternative rock band Switchfoot’s “Only Hope.” This performance was stronger, and although it appeared that musicians seemed to only pay attention to their own task. Toward the end of the song the ensemble came together and their instruments blended beautifully. The third number, “Panis Angelicus,” had Reyes performing with just piano accompaniment. Reyes’ voice got deeper and stronger and he sang with more confidence. The next song he performed was traditional Neapolitan song, “Santa Lucia.” This number was also mellow — much like the last one. The last song of the night, “Ave Maria,” which Reyes dedicated to his grandparents, garnered sympathetic noises from the audience. The piano playing was consistent. At some point, a little girl in the audience began dancing and though the arrangement was melancholy, it was nice way to end the evening. Combs and Reyes bowed, and the recital ended on a humorous note. Also, there were special thanks given to the people who helped set up and to Instructor Jonathan Knight. Later, people were herded into the recording arts hall for refreshments. Attendees of the concert chatted about upcoming events. Overall, most of the songs were mellow but pleasant. Though Reyes’ voice was a tad drowned out, the instrumentation for “Only Hope” was beautiful, and the musicians played their instruments with ease. Reyes’ and Combs rendition of “Santa Lucia” added a nice touch to the evening. “Chameleon” was clearly one of the standout performances of the night highlighting the talent of not only Charles but the other musicians as well. Though audience was small, the performers got the respect and applause they deserved.
From page 1
volved directly with the Transfer Academy or the ACS 10 class, they can hope to “find information they wouldn’t have necessarily been able to find themselves,” said Teresa Rockett-Lyons, ACS 10 and English department instructor. “Students in the Transfer Academy can directly connect with their research and see where they can go with the information they have found,” Rockett-Lyons said. Justin Dominguez, a firstyear Transfer Academy student at LMC, hosted his group’s table, Business and Mechanical Engineering. “The Transfer Academy and ACS-10 class really helped me to become a better college student,” Dominguez said. Sitting with Dominguez, Logan Lozano was also disappointed in the turnout for the event. “We wished more people would have showed up to see all of the information we have provided. We have a lot of really beneficial information that can help students when thinking about their academic goals,” Lozano said. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Transfer Academy, you must be enrolled or planning to enroll in Math 34, English 100 or English 221, and committed to taking Transfer Academy classes. For more information you can contact the Transfer Center in Room CC2-225 or by phone 473-7444.
NFL From page 5
The issue with this is not just a problem for the 49ers. When the Raiders get a new stadium, whether they win a game this season or not, the prices are going to go up too. This is a serious problem that has to change as college students are going to have to find a new way to enjoy football games. We can always go to the different resale websites when the team stinks like the current Raiders, but even then the prices are still high. With prices high and the new advancements in broadcasting of the product it is almost better to just sit at home and watch NFL Red Zone. Sure you don’t get the feeling of being a part of the crowd, but you get to see every big play. The NFL is pushing us out, and soon the crowds are going to look and sound empty, because the only people who are going to be able to afford to go to the games aren’t the rabid fans who have made football America’s passion.
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