LMC Experience Vol. 97 No. 4 - Oct. 21, 2022

F.Y.I.

Back at home

LMC looks to fill the presidency

By JADEN FORTIER Staff Writer

Watch Mustangs play at home

Do you want to showcase your college spirit? Then consider checking out these upcoming home games and cheer on your teams.

FOOTBALL

Oct. 22 v. Foothill, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 v. Hartnell, 1 p.m.

SOCCER

Oct. 25 v. Yuba, 2 p.m. Oct. 28 v. Merritt, 4 p.m. Nov. 4 v. Contra Costa, 4 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

Nov. 2 v. Mendocino, 6 p.m. Nov. 4 v. Solano, 6 p.m.

Still time to catch the staff art show

The Roll Call Exhibition, an art show featuring staff art works, is still open for attendees. This is your last chance to check it out before the show closes its doors on Oct. 27. Admission is free and is open Monday–Thursday from 12 p.m.–4 p.m. Students can find the gallery located in the LMC Library.

Dia De La Familia comes to

LMC

Hijas Del Campo and United Latino Voices will offer free food trucks at LMC saturday Oct. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. There will also be games and application workshops.

Two LMC faculty members have been added to the hiring committee that will decide who the interim president at LMC will be for six months in the next calendar year.

For those unaware, LMC President Bob Kratochvil announced his retirement from the community college on Aug. 31. A story was then published on September 8, detailing his reasons for retirement.

Kratochvil will not be retiring until the end of the calendar year, so LMC still has time to figure out who the next president of the college will be before Kratochvil says goodbye to LMC and steps into a new chapter of his life.

The first major step in searching for the interim president is figuring out who will be on the hiring committee, as these members will be the ones conducting interviews on the potential candidates for the position.

Each person who was interested in being a member of the committee submitted their statements on what their current position is and if they had any prior experience on committees like this. They also described why they believe they would be a good fit on the hiring committee.

During the Academic Senate’s meeting on Oct. 10, they

came to a conclusion on who the two new faculty members added to the hiring committee would be.

“Roseann Erwin and Marie Arcidiacono Kaufman are the two faculty members who will be serving on the interim LMC College President hiring

4CD suspends the vaccine mandate

Proof of vaccination is not needed

By MICHAEL BENEDIAN Staff Writer

Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh has announced in an email that the 4CD constituent group leaders have come up with an updated resolution to suspend the vaccine mandate for students and faculty. This means that both students and faculty will no longer be required to submit a proof of vaccination in order to attend in-person classes for the next semester. This resolution will be brought up in the next governing board discussion and will be effective on Jan. 2, 2023.

This suspension will not only be in effect at Los Medanos, but all colleges within the Contra

College Community College District, such as Contra Costa and Diablo Valley. Mehdizadeh has also pointed out that other community college districts have already taken the initiative and have either already suspended their vaccination mandate or have removed the process of providing a proof of vaccination.

According to Mehdizadeh, this decision has been made due to new information gained from the Contra Costa Health Services. As listed on the CCHS website, nearly 85% of the county is fully vaccinated, yet COVID-19 still poses a huge risk for people both vaccinated and not.

“One of the CCHS’s recent

decisions has been to rescind its health order requiring the county’s first responders to be fully vaccinated or undergo routine testing,” said Mehdizadeh. “They found that due to mutations and new variants, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are becoming infected at a similar rate.”

This new information has led to the decision to remove the vaccine document verification that was required for attending classes post pandemic.

4CD has considered this process a barrier for some of their students and have acknowledged that the registration process in order to attend college is already a struggle. They believe that

this barrier of entry can no longer be justified following the recent findings from the CCHS and that by removing this barrier they can help lessen the burden for students who

have struggled in the past to register for college. LMC’s guidelines will continue to stay in line with CCHS’s guidelines as more information surround-

Juan Cebreiros • Experience

Mustangs return man Kimahni Tolefree No. 13 looks for a running lane as Redwoods defender Nathan Lopez No. 10 tries to run him down from the side. Despite not having their starter quarterback for this home game against the Redwood Corsairs, they fought hard. Unfortunately it was not enough and they suffer ed another loss this season. See story and photos on page 4.

Photoillustration by Michael Benedian • Experience

Jesus Chico• Experience archives

Perspectives

Noah Cannon GUEST COLUMN

Safe spaces are not a safe idea

In August of 2018, protestors pulled down the Silent Sam statue that stood at the entrance of the University of North Carolina for more than a century. Why did they pull it down? Because it was of a confederate soldier who writer John Zimmerman referred to as, “a symbol of white supremacy, erected to whitewash the Confederacy and to prop up racial segregation.”

In his article, “College Campuses Should Not Be Safe Spaces,” Zimmerman goes neck deep into the topic of safe spaces, defining two categories: physical and ideological. Physically safe spaces protect people from sexual abuse, physical harm, and bullying, whereas ideological safe spaces protect people from being offended or uncomfortable.

Zimmerman, who is opposed to the idea of safe spaces, wrote how “Advocates of safe spaces often invoke free expression, promising to give people the protection that they need to speak their minds.”

“But the safe-space doctrine actually creates huge barriers to dialogue, by declaring any discomfort as out of bounds,” he added.

Zimmerman then cited the following example: “In 2016 a group of students at Occidental College argued that the American flag endangered their safety. ‘On a campus that proclaims itself, time and again, to be diverse, equitable, and safe for all of its students, the display of American flags covering the entire academic quad disproved that proclamation,’ the Coalition for Diversity and Equity declared, denouncing a 9/11 memorial on the campus. ‘For us, the flag is a symbol of institutionalized violence.’ They’re entitled to their views of the flag, of course, and they have every right to protest it. But they have no right to be insulated from it, simply because it hurts their feelings. You could censor or eliminate anything that might provoke uneasiness, anxiety, or discomfort. You also engender an environment of flaccid group-think, where everyone toes the party line. Why risk it? It’s so much easier to smile and nod, to go along so we get along.”

Everyone has differing opinions and views on life, that’s what makes us unique individuals in this free country. However, by giving in to ideological safe spaces, people become scared to say what they feel for fear of being canceled or getting backlash. Imagine telling a red-blooded American who loves their country that they can’t have flags in their school because some people find it offensive. Not only that, but safe spaces censor history and facts. It’s common knowledge that history is jampacked with immoral events: the Jewish Holocaust, the September 11 attacks, and the enslavement of black people. There’s no denying these are horrible events, but some people pretend events like that never happened, or censor information about them to avoid offending people.

Doing such things is a direct insult to history as it makes it more difficult for people to learn from the past if that past is not being mentioned with the full picture involved. Responding to the critics who promote safe space and censorship, I ask this: Should we just pretend that terrible historical events never happened? Sweep them under the rug and only talk about positive things?

Use history to teach people how to be better. Educate them and help them to make the world a better place.

We live in a country where supposedly, everyone has the right of free speech — where they can say and live anyway they want. We do want to respect people, but that doesn’t mean that everyone should have whatever they want handed to them on a silver platter. Instead of catering to the ideological “safe space” needs of students, we should teach them to stand up for themselves and equip them with knowledge so they understand all sides of the issue and will know how to use it to their advantage. It only takes one person to make a difference.

EditOrial

Stop wanting smarter phones Why voting matters in 2022

With the General Election coming up, it’s important for those who are able to utilize their ability to vote in this election. You might say that your vote may not matter, but thinking like that is what can lead to major impacts in your life and you can see this example throughout our history.

In 2014, PBS covered how the 2014 midterm elections saw the lowest turnout since World War 2, with only 36.4% of eligible voters actually participating in the process. This resulted in Republicans gaining nine seats in the Senate, which was the largest Senate gain for any political party since the 1980s. Many Democrats expressed frustration at the result and looked to blame young voters who didn’t participate.

It wouldn’t be until 2020 when the turnout of young voters would actually see an increase. During the 2020 presidential election, there was a 39% increase of young voters compared to the previous 2016 presidential election. It’s clear from this data that young voters who failed to participate in the 2016 election regretted their actions and had to wait four years before making another difference.

Although this upcoming election is the General Election, it can’t be stressed enough just how important your vote means. This election is letting you decide not only the governor for California, but also the next Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Treasurer, proposition measures which will affect many U.S citizens and even candidates for the U.S Senate.

Choosing your candidate for the Senate will have an impact on your future because unlike the President who can only serve a total of eight years, there is no term limit for the Senate. This is an important position for different political parties and young voters who should look carefully into who they put in that position of power.

It’s a lot to ask and if this is your first time voting it will be daunting too. Luckily, there are many resources that are available online for voters to help learn more about who and what they’re voting on. The 2022 Voter’s Guide located on the Calmatters website provides not only clarification on the different positions but even includes the propositions along with contributors who have given more than $100,000.

Oct. 24 marks the last day to register to vote for the General Election on Nov. 4.

ExpEriEncE Staff

Editor-in-Chief ...............MICHAEL BENEDIAN

Managing Editor .....................KAI ARELLANO

Perspectives Editor ................KAI ARELLANO

Campus Editor .......................JADEN FORTIER Features Editor .....................TREY HINCKLEY

Arts & Culture Editor .....MOHAMMAD NAJIMI Sports Editor ......................JUAN CEBREIROS

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, drop them off in Room CC3-301 or email them to LosMedanos.Experience@gmail.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.

Not a single soul can say that the invention of smartphones hasn’t changed the way society views time, activity, and media. The sheer capability of smartphones today eliminates the need for mindful scheduling, the presence of an alarm clock, and the lack of a handy calculator. The modern utility of what used to just be a form of auditory communication far surpasses whatever room-sized computer put men on the moon.

The time has come to wonder whether that shiny rectangle in our pockets can do enough for us. What more can people ask their phones to do that can justify a higher price tag and planned obsolescence? Ask whether you really do need bigger, bulkier, less mobile “mobile-phones” with four cameras (that barely improve picture quality), when the phone you already own likely already does what you need it to.

Take for example the iPhone X. Released in 2017, half a decade ago now, the X does everything a newer iPhone can. It takes photos of good quality, records videos at 60fps and 1080p, renders face-to-face calls at great quality, runs video games, has a virtual assistant and can even be your wallet. All those features for an iPhone X would cost around $200.The new iPhone 14 has the same features and costs almost $800.

The technological specifications of the iPhone 14, as listed on Apple’s official website, state it has “Advanced” Dual Ultra-wide cameras over the X’s Dual Telephoto, 7 more hours of video playback time, and compatibility with new wireless chargers and security cases. The 14 also comes with a third inch increase in size, which doubles in the 14+. Five years’ worth of mobile phone development adds up to three times the price, according to Apple. Additionally, those fancy new accessories that come compatible cost extra.

Smartphones don’t need to do everything for you. Yet, people wonder why there’s a new model every other year that costs marginally more than the last one. Smartphones replace calendars, calculators, televisions, and wallets. They’ve done so since iOS6 in 2012, when Apple first included their wallet app. The urge to stuff all types of software into smartphones means including the hardware to support it, creating a more expensive and larger vessel.

After every new release, you have to seriously consider whether purchasing can’t be put off for another couple of years, since the phone you have right now may last you quite a while, doing everything you need. The demand for smarter phones leads to higher prices, and as the older models inevitably go obsolete, dependency is created under the guise of brand loyalty. Stop wanting smarter phones, you’ll only make them less accessible.

Kai Arellano • Experience

“If the road is easy, you’re likely going the wrong way.”

— Terry Goodkind

“Probaby about immigration because people don’t know the struggle.” — Nath Ravago

“A basketball documentary because I’m on the basketball team.”

Jason Zimmer

“I want a Mexican 007 with the cartel.” — William Uribe

“I’d make a horror suspense thriller. Make it a surrender camp.” — Jessie Campos

“About dogs, because I really like dogs.” — Hidie Lorenzo

“About the process of reaching your goals.” — Kate Abella

If you could make a movie, what would it be and why?

LMC’s Transfer Day Event makes return

Transfer and Career will be holding 3 events all at once. Los Medanos College will proudly be hosting the California Community College HBCU Transfer Guarantee and this year’s HBCU Caravan for the entire district.

In addition, a transfer fair will be set up where students will get a chance to interact with more than 50 additional colleges in a tabling fair format. This event will also include an Opportunity Fair for students to explore future careers. All three events will be hosted in person on Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1p.m.

Create an Intimate Connection

LMC psychology professor Daniel Beaver will be teaching a four-part class for couples looking for a better way to connect with one another. This class is designed to discuss cognitive behaviors and apply them to couples day to day realities and encourage couples to communicate in more positive ways. It will also include advice for newly married couples.

Those taking the course will first learn basic concepts and principles for breaking bad habits and making new ones to reach emotional intimacy. The second part of this class allows for a safe space for couples to explore open communication and verbal vulnerability. This seminar will be held On Oct. 24 at the LMC’s Brentwood campus from 1 to 3 p.m. Students can sign up on LMC’s website.

Help in finding major and career path

Students with an undecided major may tend to feel lost and unsure about their futures. Choosing a major might seem overwhelming and stressful but luckily, LMC offers tools for students with an undecided major. Those interested can learn how to use a free online tool called Career Coach in order to discover possible career paths. This tool can be used to help students decide a major and future occupation. You will also learn how to use a tool called Transfer Bound to learn more about the schools you are thinking about transferring to. This class will be taught Oct. 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. on campus classroom MA-202 or on zoom, where those interested can sign up on the LMC website.

Get financial aid questions answered

Transferring to a new college might sound expensive and overwhelming. Join Beverly Bui, LMC’s Financial Aid representative, in a short seminar to answer some frequently asked questions about financial support when it comes to transferring. Bui will be providing answers to questions about financial aid and scholarships. This class will include how to apply to scholarships and what scholarships are available.

This event will be held on Oct. 25 from 3 to 4 p.m. so don’t miss it if you have any questions about scholarships and would like to receive all the free money that you can. You can register for this event from the calendar on the LMC website at https://www.losmedanos.edu/ calendar/index.aspx.

UCSD to host virtual presentation

Are you interested in attending UC San Diego? Consider attending UCSD’s virtual presentation that delivers information that includes a UC San Diego overview, transfer admission, and required major preparation. This presentation can answer most questions about UCSD and will have time for a Q and A at the end. The presentation is held on Zoom Oct. 26 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. If you are interested, register for this event at https://beatriton. ucsd.edu/register/NCACC2_kjl.

Receive UC and CSU application support

Navigating through college applications can be confusing and overwhelming. Creating a complete college application for both UC and CSU schools can be difficult if you do it alone. Students who need assistance completing any college application can attend a lab hosted by Transfer and Career services.

They are equipped with knowledgeable people and can ensure help on your applications. This lab will be both in-person in the Transfer and Career center and online on Zoom on Nov. 1 from 12 to 2 p.m. Students can sign up on the LMC website.

Grand Canyon University coming to LMC

Students interested in Grand Canyon University have the chance to speak with Jasmine Coutee, a representative from the college, when GCU comes to the LMC Pittsburg campus Nov. 1. They will be set up in the quad from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., where students can ask questions and learn information about the university.

Mason finds place in history

Equity speaker series

By ALIYAH RAMIREZ Staff Writer

Understanding multiple perspectives comes from more than just a textbook. With this goal in mind, history professors Courtney Goen and Patrick McCarter collaborated with several Los Medanos College programs to produce an event to share stories from the marginalized voices which shaped America.

From what started off as a pipe dream, Goen collaborated with McCarter and the history department to put together a panel discussion on Oct. 6 to increase recognition and understanding of enslavement narratives. In collaboration with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Honors program and the Umoja scholars, they brought guest speaker Regina Mason to share her story, followed by a panel discussion and book signing of the autobiography, “The Life of William Grimes.”

Written as a fugitive slave, Grimes’ autobiography was first published in 1825 capturing his raw experience from a slave to a free man and the injustice acts of slavery.

The original book detailed his journey from being owned by 10 masters to later escaping through the Underground Railroad from Georgia, to New York and finally to New Haven, Connecticut. He lost all his property when his master forced him to buy his freedom or risk being returned to slavery. Despite his small success, he had to give up the life he was building.

From discovering her great, great, great grandfather’s narrative, which was buried and out of print, Mason was able to revive Grimes’ story through genealogy and republish his work in 2008 with a new introduction, afterword, and notes.

Grimes’ story has inspired her other work as well, including the making of a documentary film, “Gina’s Journey,” about discovering parts of her past.

“Regina Mason is a very impactful person,” said Goen. “I think that it’s not that her story makes a bad story positive, meaning the sort of treachery that people like William Grimes endured in their lifetime. But I think it does show our connections and why this is important today in 2022.”

Preparations for this event were put together in a matter of three to four weeks and the event was inspired by the narratives present in both Goen’s and McCarter’s curriculum. Those other autobigraphical narratives, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs and “Narratives of the Life of Douglass, an American Slave,” by Frederick Douglass also bring into the classroom the authors’ personal experiences enduring the harsh realities of slavery to shape

history.

“African Americans played a key role in the American story. I just want to reaffirm its importance,” said McCarter, adding in the class they, “basically talk about what these people went through, these were people. They’re not just stories.”

Regina Mason started her journey of discovering her family’s history during childhood when she questioned her identity and heritage. For a class assignment in fifth grade at a predominantly white school, Mason had to do a report on her origin and ancestry. When she asked her mother, she found she descended from enslaved people.

When having to identify her country of origin, 10-year-old Mason felt uncomfortable sharing with others that she descended from slavery due to the exaggerated stereotypes of Africa heavily prevalent. However, Mason said she was determined to understand more about where her family came from to teach her two children their family origin, and after 15 years of research, she discovered her family roots stretched across many parts of America.

Some of the information from generations ago, “was brutally painful,” she said. “But I don’t dwell in that pain because if I did, I would lose sight of what the accomplishments were.” Instead, she focuses on the accomplishments to keep herself going.

“That is empowerment, be-

cause I realized that I extend from great people,” she said. “I extend from people that in spite of their circumstances strove to reach higher, even though they had so many setbacks, but they kept going and I realized that that resilience is in me.”

The event occurred Oct. 6, 2022 in the student union where students, staff, and community members could attend this free event. While the majority of participants from Goen’s and McCarter’s history classes, a few others attended and all were eager to hear about the enslaved narratives and meet one of the authors from the book.

Madison Fanucchi had read all three narratives addressed at the event and said, “it humanized not only Grimes,

but also Jacobs. It humanizes Douglass. We hear about them all the time in history and it didn’t feel real until you see someone related to them.”

As Mason shares Grimes’ story as well as her own, she is hoping to share inspiration from these biographies to help others understand history from multiple perspectives.

“If it were not for the stripes on my back which were made while I was a slave, I would in my will leave my skin a legacy to the government, desiring that it might be taken off and made into parchment, and then bind the constitution of glorious happy and free America,” wrote Grimes. “Let the skin of an American slave bind the charter of American Liberty.”

Aliyah Ramirez• Experience

Author Regina Mason poses after LMC’s Enslaved Narrative Equity Speaker Event.

Stangs drop fourth game

Late mistakes too costly for LMC

By JUAN CEBREIROS Staff Writer

The Mustangs were at home this week against the Redwoods Corsairs after coming off their second straight win against De Anza college the week prior. This game the Mustangs were without their starting quarterback Jake Byrne as he was dealing with a right shoulder injury but could make his return as soon as Oct. 15.

Backup quarterback Brenden Bush looked to continue the team’s recent success and played well throwing for 400 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. However, he did not play a perfect game as he did fumble the ball twice and gave one up to the Corsairs. Receiver Matt Quesada had himself a game as he tallied in a team leading 12 receptions and 160 yards as well as a touchdown.

Despite this, the offense struggled many times throughout the game as they turned the ball over on downs on four straight drives at one point late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter. The Mustangs offense was abysmal in key situations as they converted only two of 13 third down attempts and three of eight fourth down attempts. Head coach Chris Shipe said “Our offense just has to execute better, they didn’t execute

enough and that’s what cost us.”

The defense struggled at times like the offense had a very difficult time trying to stop the Corsairs offensive attack. The Corsairs moved at will and scored everytime their offense got the ball in their hands apart from a couple of punts. The Mustangs were able to force a turnover with a fumble recovery but were not able to string together consistent defensive stops like they had been able to during their back to back wins.

Late in the second quarter, while the Mustangs offense was unable to move, the defense gave up 20 straight points and put the Mustangs in a 34-21 hole they were not able to climb out of.

The Mustangs offense clicked back on in the fourth quarter and were able to keep the game within one score, however their defense could not get that one stop to give their offense a chance to tie the game. A fumble with 5:47 left to go in the game by Mustangs quarterback Brenden Bush sealed the Stangs fate as there just wasn’t enough time to score again without a miracle.

The Mustangs took another tough loss 48-41, dropping them to 2-4 on the season. They travel to play Feather River College Oct. 15 then come home to play Foothill the week after.

Atreyu Hinckley

TREY’S

The NFL is starting to see a referee problem now more than ever. With the many additions of rules on tackling having been changed to prevent bad injuries, primarily for the quarterback position, penalty flags have been thrown more frequently. This season, there have been more ‘Roughing the Passer’ penalties thrown in games and a lot of them have been head scratchers that altered the outcome of some games.

During Week five of the 2022 NFL season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Atlanta Falcons. It was a close game, with the Bucs leading 21-15 with three minutes to go. On 3rd and 5, Falcons defensive end Grady Jarrett sacked Bucs quarterback Tom Brady. On replay, it was a textbook sack, where Jarrett tackles and cleanly throws Brady on the ground to prevent falling on him, which would usually result in a “Roughing the Passer” penalty. Alas, a penalty flag was thrown, and it was called roughing the passer.

Jarrett could not have made the tackle any cleaner, and yet he was called for roughing Brady. What would have made it a loss of yards, 4th down, and the Bucs punting away to give the Falcons a chance to try and win the game with time left, turned into a new set of downs for the Buccaneers and ultimately the win. If you also look closely on the replay of the sack, you could see Brady try to kick Jarrett off of him, but no flag was called on him. Many speculate it is because Brady is easily the face of the NFL, and they will protect him at all cost. You just cannot help but be infuriated not only for the Falcons, but for Jarrett who made an outstanding play that was nullified due to a penalty.

Just one day later, we saw the Kansas City Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders. With the Chiefs trailing 17-7 with over a minute to go in the first half, defensive tackle Chris Jones pushed through the Raiders offensive line to get a sack on quarterback Derek Carr. Not only did he get the sack, but he stripped the ball from Carr’s hands for a fumble recovery. The play was called dead, however, because a flag was thrown during the play.

After a minute of the referees talking, Jones was called for, you guessed it, roughing the passer. On replay, Jones was falling forward on Carr but angled his body to the right of Carr to prevent putting his body weight on him, and immediately tried to get off Carr as quickly as he could.

On a tackle play like that where Jones had nothing but forward momentum going towards Carr, he couldn’t have tackled him any cleaner.

I’m a 49ers fan, and still have salt over losing to the Chiefs in the Superbowl back in 2020. After seeing that play get flagged for roughing the passer, I was yelling at the TV for a good 10 minutes along with the 70,000+ Chiefs fans at Arrowhead stadium. It’s one thing to take the sack away, it’s another when it was also fumble recovery for a turnover,

“If you want to win, do the ordinary things better than anyone else does”

Juan Cebreiros • Experience

Stangs returnman Kimahni Tolefree No. 13 stays on his feet as Redwoods defender James Dowdy No. 9 tries to tackle him down on a play.

Juan Cebreiros • Experience

Runningback Zeke Barber tries to find open space to run through

“Our offense just has to execute better, they didn’t execute enough and that’s what cost us.”

— Head Coach Chris Shipe

Arts & Culture

‘Hocus and Pocus 2’ a nostalgic trip

Sisters gear up for return

By TREY HINCKLEY Staff Writer

The long awaited sequel of the cult classic film “Hocus Pocus” has finally arrived on Disney Plus. The film brings back Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the comedic Sanderson sisters, and brings in new faces Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo as young high schoolers Becca and Izzy, who accidentally conjure the Sanderson sisters back.

The film starts off exploring the Sanderson sisters at a young age before they became witches. It was a fun story that really showed how their quirkiness started. The film follows the same formula that the first film does, where the sisters are conjured up by two virgin teens with the Black Flame Candle in the middle of a full moon. Also following the first film is the quirky havoc caused by the sisters around Salem, Massachusetts and occasionally having some moments of breaking into song, most notably Blonde’s “One Way or Another.”

The plot of the film is flawed,

as it plays too safe and follows the formula of the first film instead of branching out into something new and different.

The absence of Kenny Ortega as director can be felt from this. The film also has moments of stalling, where the film focuses on the sisters than

the girls who conjured them up in the first place, creating a very inconsistent pacing of the plot.

A couple things to praise are the performances. It is evident that Midler, Parker, and Najimy enjoyed reprising their roles, as every moment that

‘Halloween Ends’ gives up on creativity

By MOHAMMAD NAJIMI Staff Writer

The final installment into the Michael Myers franchise, “Halloween Ends” brought forth a story that isn’t about the main killer. The movie plot was about a teenager who had a dark path who found Michael Myers and let his evil inside him. Michael Myers did have appearances in the movie, but it wasn’t enough to make this movie as good as the previous installment was. “Halloween Kills” was mainly about Michael Myers and the citizens’ of Haddonfield, Illinois urge to eliminate this evil terrifying their town.

The final installments’ plot was easy to follow, but was unable to understand due to it not being a Michael Myers movie. It was a protégé movie showing someone who could take over his mantle after his eventual death. It didn’t pan out as Michael Myers himself killed the protégé towards the end of the movie.

During the movie, it showed Michael Myers, but they viewed him on his last legs. The director, David Gordon Green, had Michael Myers almost to death trying to get his energy back. He looked pale when Corey found him where he was hiding. Towards the ending of the movie, Corey came back to the sewers and took Myers’ mask to attempt to kill Laurie. Myers attempted to fight back, but due to his lack of energy he was unable to stop him.

The movie lacked its creativity with its kills because they were all unoriginal and not unique to what the movie led them to. There were some off-camera kills that were decent, but none of the kills felt like Myersinfluenced any of his kills. It felt like the kills were for revenge and rushed while Myers is slow and methodical. None of the kills gave the feeling that Corey or Myers was the essence of pure evil that was portrayed in the previous installment. Even though the killer who did most of

they were on screen brought fun and nostalgic memories. The performances of Peak and Escobedo were formidable as well, and they may potentially see more roles in the future.

While the movie may take the safe route plot wise, you can’t help but smile watching

the movie. This is a sequel that has been awaited by many for 29 years. After so many rumors throughout the years, the fact that the sequel has arrived and is still played by the OG trio, makes for a fun nostalgic trip.

“Hocus Pocus 2” is far from perfect as despite the fun trip,

this movie had the chance to be better than the original with the advanced graphics , better writing and cinematography we have today. Fans of the original film are most likely to have fun with this one, creating the same whimsical sense of feeling as the original.

the killing wasn’t Myers himself, the real killer was given the evil of Myers which should’ve influenced him to be methodical about his kills more and not be glued to his lust for revenge.

The ending of the movie also lacked its uniqueness with Myers being called the essence of pure evil. It felt too easy of a kill that could’ve been done in the previous movie.The cinematography for

this movie didn’t show the spookiness of Michael Myers. There was one jump scare throughout the entire movie and it wasn’t a Myers scare. His protégé did the jump on Laurie in the movie after he met Myers. The rest of the movie seemed like a low budget horror film that wasn’t unique from any other scary movie. Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie had an amazing showing during the movie

as her character doing what she can to kill Michael Myers was the main focus. Curtis’ acting in the movie was the star as her ending was the way all fans were hoping for.

I wouldn’t recommend watching this film because of the lack of creativity of the kills and the lack of feeling on being terrified of the killer.

Save your money for another movie.

‘Bros’ sheds light on LGBTQ culture

By SETH GWYNN Correspondent

REVIEW REVIEW

“Bros,” directed by Nicholas Stroller, is an edgy, innovative and hilarious film that is one of the first of its kind. The story revolves around two homosexual men, Bobby, who ran a podcast and was involved in an LGBTQ organization, and Aaron, who lived a simpler work life but a more extravagant sex life. The two were unfamiliar with long-term relationships and were content to stay that way until they

repeatedly found themselves drawn toward one another. Aaron and Bobby begin spending time together and start setting parameters for their relationship. The problem in this story arises when these parameters are tested, among other things.

The romance/comedy had an “R” rating and certainly lived up to it. The story had multiple sex scenes including Aaron, Bobby, and many others. The difference between the sex life of heterosexuals and homosexuals is highlighted. It is generally accepted in the gay community that

someone can have multiple partners. This is not necessarily the case in heterosexual relationships. The reason this movie is innovative and one of the first of its kind is because it normalizes the life gay people live in the modern world.

The movie is similar to “Love, Simon” in the sense that it shows what it is like to be homosexual in modern America. I believe that understanding what people go through is important if justice is what we strive for as a civilization.

“There are people out there worth letting your guard down for.”

Courtesy of IMDB

Luke Macfarlane and Billy Eichner as Aaron and Bobby in “Bros.”

Courtesy of IMDB

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie hiding from Michael Myers in the final installment of the Myers franchise.

Courtesy of IMDB

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy return to the long-awaited film as the Sanderson Sisters in “Hocus Pocus 2.”

Arts & Culture

‘Chainsaw Man’ is gory anime splendor

Show based on hit manga series by Tatsuki Fujimoto

By JAMES DAVID Experience Correspondent

The new television series “Chainsaw Man” met all expectations with flying colors, surpassing the hype generated by the trailer and other promotional materials. The Japanese anime, produced and developed by Studio MAPPA from the original work of Tatsuki Fujimoto, is directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara and features the voicing talents of Kikunosuke Toya and Tomori Kusunoki.

At the start of the first episode, the premise of the series unfolds, where we see main character Denji and his loyal devil-dog Pochita on their way to work as Denji has to pay off an incredible debt from the local mafia.

It is a difficult life they have lived since their meeting when Denji was just a child, and they have spent every moment since being poor, hungry, insulted, and yearning for something better.

During a seemingly normal job, however, Denji is attacked by a mob of zombies controlled by the

Zombie-Devil, and it seems as if both he and Pochita meet their gruesome demise in the garbage bin of a warehouse.

All of a sudden, Denji comes back to life seemingly revived by Pochita’s heart and without wasting a minute mourning his loyal pet, transforms into the Chainsaw-Devil himself. As adventure unfolds, Denji makes use of his newfound powers inherited from Ponchita.

The quality of the opening episode was beyond expectations. The story and accuracy to the source material

were spot-on and the emotional aspects were conveyed through the use of appropriate music and camera work. The animation was smooth and fluid, and the voice acting was well-suited to every character.

Most impressive of all were the action sequences. During the fights, the camera angles and animation were amazing, and the sound effects alongside the choreography looked almost as good as if they were designed to be put into a movie. Everything was incredibly well-rendered, from the monsters to Denji’s transformations,

and even to the backgrounds and settings. The tremendous amount of work and production value of the project could be seen in every frame.

Overall, the show’s first episode definitely raised the bar for the industry when it comes to high-profile anime projects and I, personally, cannot wait every Tuesday to see the story unfold.

Chainsaw-Man is rated R-17 for its gore and language and it is available on Crunchyroll for either free or a $7.99 monthly premium membership to enjoy the show without ads.

LMC’s first play since COVID is set ‘Grace and Glorie’ showings start Nov. 16

By KAI ARELLANO Staff Writer

After two years of producing films remotely, the Los Medanos College drama department will be on stage once again. “Grace and Glorie,” a story of two opposites who find a commonality and a friendship, will premiere in November. The twoact play stars students Nyla Rahimi as Grace and Daisy Acosta-Campos as Gloria, and is being directed by one of the LMC Drama departments directors, Clint Sides.

The first play in two years since the pandemic has been a long time coming. When the college closed in 2020, the drama program had to stop everything live and create video performances.

“This is my first official role at LMC,” said Acosta-Campos, who added that she had been in a comedy sketch show called “Shenanigans.” She said having that experience under her belt allowed her to go into this play without too many worries.

The production is currently underway, with lights, sound and crew, prop master, sound designer and a stage manager all supporting the actors during rehearsal.

“This is something I recently joined, but right now it’s going really smoothly,” said Stage Manager Kayci Baylon.

Baylon said how she hadn’t had as much experience in the program as Acosta-Campos,

but she was happy to even be a part of the whole thing.

“I’m experiencing so many things that I didn’t really know about because of the pandemic,” she added.

Sides, who will be directing the play, said he is happy with the casting of the two main actors.

“I was very fortunate to have acted in a play with Daisy,” said Sides, who praised the talents of both Acosta-Campos and Rahimi. “When they were both available it made it really simple.”

Sides added that he feels supported by both staff and students.

“I feel like we’re in a very good place for our presentation in November,” he said.

Senior Lab Coordinator Cesar Reyes helps with general support, Nicole McGraw with costumes and MarcAnthony Ponce with sound.

Everyone working on the play is excited to show LMC their theatrical chops.

“If you come to the play you’ll get to see the results of all these students’ hard work,” said Sides.

“Grace and Glorie” will premiere Nov. 16 in the LMC Little Theater, with repeat performances Nov, 17, 18 and 19. All shows will start at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 with high school student ID, $12 with college student or military ID, and $15 general admission.

Photo courtesy of IMDb

Denji, the main character of the new hit anime show, transforms into a devil/human hybrid and seeks gory revenge against those who did him and his loyal pet devil wrong.

Kai Arellano • Experience

Daisy Acosta-Campos (left) rehearses lines with fellow co-star Nyla Rahimi.

“I feel like we’re in a very good place for our presentation in November.”

— Director Clint Sides

The Rest 7

TAX

From page 8

where the Chiefs could have done something with a minute to go had a flag had not been thrown. The Chiefs managed to win the game 30-29, but the roughing the passer flag on Jones was one of the worst non-penalties thrown all season.

There has been much speculation by fans that the overabundance of roughing the passer calls increased that week because a week prior to these games, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins suffered a scary injury that I had the displeasure of watching on live TV. He was sacked by nose tackle Josh Tupou of the Cincinnati Bengals, and tackled head first on the ground. Tagovailoa’s fingers and arms were locked into place, and he had to be stretchered off the field. He was hospitalized and was ruled with a concussion.

As tough of an injury as it was that Tagovailoa is still recovering from, this was more negligence by the medical staff of the Miami Dolphins than it was the tackle by Tupou. Prior to this game, Tagovailoa clearly was not well and was showing concussion-like symptoms against the Buffalo Bills, yet was still kept in the game. With just 3 days rest, the Dolphins still let Tagovailoa start against the Bengals, and this was the result.

If the NFL cared more about the injuries of certain players, they need to be more clear on what may or may not result in flags and are deemed rough tackles, because the referees don’t have a clue.

When you compare the two sacks by Jarrett and Jones, the flags contradict because if you switch the way both players made their tackles, it would have resulted in a flag anyways. So what are defensive players supposed to do? Tap the quarterback on their shoulder pads and say “tag you’re it, bud,” in order to sack the quarterback?

As an avid fan of football, these excessive flags are making it unbearable to watch sometimes. I It is not only fair to the teams that get affected by these bad calls, but to the fans of the game as well.

PROOF

From page 1

ing COVID-19 comes to light.

Although proof of vaccination is no longer required to attend in-person classes or use in-person services after the fall semester, 4CD still strongly recommends taking proper precautions when coming onto campus, including being fully vaccinated. They also support voluntary mask wearing and even provide free masks, testing kits and hand sanitizer at all college campuses within Contra Costa.

For more information on how to prevent COVID-19, students can visit the 4CD website at www.4cd.edu/ covid19/ or the CCHS website at https://www.coronavirus. cchealth.org/prevention.

“Let’s take care of one another and do what we can to prevent the spread,” said Mehdizadeh. “Stay home if you don’t feel well and practice good preventative hygiene.”

vehicles, including hybrids.

The California Democratic Party backs this proposition along with San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. They believe that by passing Proposition 30, it will help put California on track to meeting their goals on combating climate change.

As for the cons, this proposition can raise taxes by up to $90 billion for as long as 20 years for every Californian. It can also strain our already struggling electricity grid with the new additions of charging stations for electric vehicles that would be installed all around California. This could especially be dangerous during the summertime, when extreme heat waves are incoming and every Californian has their fans and AC on.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is opposed to the proposition and has called it out on the basis of it being a scheme due to ride share company Lyft being the highest donor. Newsom has also said that this proposition can lead to many residents moving out of the state because Californians already pay the highest national income taxes.

CLINIC

From page 8

ity of care is already proven to be well, and the amount of staff to treat and monitor people has also shown to be working fine as is. To have additional staff within dialysis clinics, in addition to having to increase transparency via providing medical information of patients to the state’s health department, is an unnecessary addition. Clinics already report infection data of their patients to the federal government.

Patients within dialysis clinics also have the option to reach their nephrologists via telemedicine, which further increases the argument of needing additional staff. The increase of staff would also increase costs for clinics. This could potentially push some of the 650 dialysis clinics across the state to either reduce their hours, or even close down, which would endanger the lives of the 80,000 Californians who need treatment.

SPORT

From page 8

All tribes, including those who choose not to offer sports betting, would benefit from this proposition. Punishments and fines would be implemented for those who violate age rules and all gambling on underage sporting events will still be illegal.

Those who are opposed to proposition 27 argue the passing of this proposition would turn every electronic device into a gambling tool and greatly increase the risk of not only underage gambling, but as well as gambling addiction overall. Business would be driven away from tribal casinos as now there is no need to go into the casino to place bets when you can just do so from your phone. Also the majority of the money would go to the major gambling companies outside of the states rather than the Native American tribes.

BROS

From page 5

I never fully understood the obstacles that homosexuals must go through in everyday life just to be happy.

This movie did a magnificent job highlighting the differences in everyday life that gay people encounter.

One example of this is that Bobby comes across ignorant

BAN

From page 8

causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.”

Even second-hand smoking is dangerous as it kills

HIRE

From page 1

committee this semester,” said Academic Senate President Mark Lewis.

Erwin is a Brentwood & Distance Education Librarian, working mainly at the Brentwood LMC Campus, while Kaufman is a Speech professor who teaches an online Speech Communication for LMC.

As it stands now, the four members of the hiring committee are Erwin, Kaufman, Melissa Pon and Marci Lapriore. Pon is a MESA and STEM

From page 8

programs is necessary.

During the pandemic, things like Netflix, working on crafts and using their creativity, which all things people used to express themselves in an artistic way, were the things that got people through the pandemic, said Sanchez.

“There is a human and innate desire to create and spark that creativity,” Sanchez said.

More financial resources given for arts and music ed-

people who belittle him because of his demeanor.

There are many other examples throughout the movie and I highly suggest those reading this film review go out and see it for themselves.

Another reason this movie is a must-see is because the love between Aaron and Bobby is extremely unlikely. Neither

Aaron nor Bobby had been in any serious relationships before they met each other, and they barely got together themselves.

It seems as if fate kept them together, and whether it be male on female, male on male, or female on female, love is love and when it is portrayed on film it can be beautiful to

watch.

This film is being distributed by Universal Pictures and is one of the few available in theaters.

Unfortunately, “Bros” has not made the money that it had hoped for so far. It cost $22 million to make but it has only made $10.5 million at the box office so far. But it is worth the watch and the cost.

RIGHT

From page 8

approximately 41,400 people per year. Tobacco isn’t just dangerous, it’s a lethal drug that will kill anyone. This ban was passed in order to eliminate this number. It was meant as a protection around their children so they could live their lives without the risk of contracting cancer, disease, or death at a young age.

The 2020 ban includes flavored cigarettes, e-cigarettes,

Counselor and Lapriore is the English Department Chair, co-advisor for the LatinX Club at LMC, the Teacher’s Learning Committee Co-chair and opens the door for learning opportunities with the Office for Equity and Inclusion.

Lewis has said that the interim president that will be chosen will only be in office from Jan. 1, 2023 to June 30 and then after that LMC will do a more extensive search and hiring process for a permanent Kratochvil replacement.

This was decided on by

pods for vape pens, tank-based systems and chewing tobacco. Unfortunately, this ban doesn’t affect premium handmade cigars, loose leaf tobacco, and hookah tobacco sold at retailers.

It’s highly recommended to vote “yes” to this proposition because it protects the children of this country and it decreases the risk for contradicting these horrible diseases dramatically.

California Community Colleges Interim Chancellor Daisy Gonzales and the presidents of the LMC Academic and Classified Senate.

The process for finding this interim president will span a few months, as the initial announcement for the position was made on Sept. 26, and Nov. 2 will be the day interviews are held.

For more insight into the retirement of LMC President Bob Kratochvil, check out his retirement story on the LMC Experience website.

includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.”

This section is intended to further the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed by Section 1 and the constitutional right to not be denied equal protection guaranteed by Section 7. Nothing herein narrows or limits the right to privacy or equal protection.

A brief statement from Erika Messenger Administrative Assistant says “I would vote yes protect the basic human rights of women in California”

BETFrom page 8

where sports betting is at an alltime high, as over $50 billion were spent on sports related bets in 2021.

Those in favor would believe it would help Native American tribes become more self-sufficient and create a new bridge to increase their business revenue. With it being required to be in person to place bets, supporters argue the likelihood of underage gambling would be almost non-existent.

ucation allows for others to express that artistic ability. While Sanchez is mainly in support of prop 28, he has some concerns for it as far as who this prop is really going to be benefiting.

“I think you’re going to run into the rich who will get a more substantial benefit to the arts and those that are in more hardship communities… would get hurt with this sort of thing,” said Sanchez.

The proposition was first launched by former Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner as a way to make the arts more of a core subject alongside math, science and reading classes. Beutner was moved by conversations arts and music educators had during his time as superintendent, and recognized how arts and music are the first programs negatively impacted when school budgets are cut.

Those who are opposed to Prop 26 believe it would give casinos too much power and force out competing card rooms. Other casinos also allow 18 year olds to gamble and this may lead not only to underage gambling, but potential gambling addiction in young adults as well. This is also viewed as a major blow to horses, as the ability to bet more openly on horse racing will revive the industry and in result, endanger more horses.

“We deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame, and without compromise.”

Courtesy of IMDb

Aaron (left) and Bobby Lieber share a conversation while walking through a neighborhood.

Propositions at a glance

Experience voter guide

Artwork by Kai Arellano of the Experience staff

With the upcoming Midterm Election on Nov. 8 there are a handful of propositions for California voters to consider. Despite the brief introductions for each proposition on the ballot, it can still be confusing for some who have no idea what they are for or what will be changed if they vote yes or no. This guide was created to give voters more information on what exactly they’re being asked to vote on and what kind of changes will be made. These are important decisions that voters will make and their choices will have an impact on many Californians. Each summary contains brief explanations on the seven props and the pros and cons that voters can expect to come with them.

01

Reproductive freedom rights

By PAIGE COLERIDGE staff writer

In light of the overturning of Roe v Wade that was passed in June, California has created a proposition in order to protect the right to an abortion which is proposition 1. According to the Legislation Analyst Office, Proposition 1 changes the California Constitution to say

that the state cannot deny or interfere with a person’s reproductive freedom and that people have the fundamental right to choose. Due to recent laws passed by the U.S Supreme Court, restrictions have been placed on the rights to an abortion across the states. If voted ‘yes’ on proposition 1, it will be in favor to change

27 28

Arts & music education funds

By JUAN CEBREIROS Staff Writer

Proposition 26 is on legalizing sports betting in tribal casinos and would allow Native American casinos, as well as horse tracks, to offer in person sports betting and would be permitted to offer roulette and dice games. Age restrictions are something that would need to be discussed with Gov. Gavin Newsom and each Native American casino. However, in person sports betting involving race tracks would be available to everyone at least 21 years old.

Tribes would not be taxed but instead the bets that are placed at the horse race tracks. The tribes won’t get

off for free though, as they will be required to reimburse the state of California for the cost to maintain sports betting within the casinos.

Analysts say that passing this proposition would be great for the state economically as it would generate millions of dollars for the state to use towards education, mental health studies, and other important matters.

This is the first time legalizing sports betting in tribal casinos has been on the ballot and is something California has wanted to pass since the Supreme Court ruled states could legalize sports betting in 2018. We also live in an age

By JUAN CEBREIROS Staff Writer

Proposition 27 would allow online sports betting to those age 21 and older, no longer limiting adults to bet specifically on Native American land. This would allow major online gambling companies such as FanDuel to be able to offer sports betting in California. This is a big deal because as of right now sports betting is not legal in California apart from horse racing. Small gaming would struggle greatly with this proposition being passed as they simply would not be able to compete with the nation wide large market gaming companies like FanDuel.

With the explosion of sports

in recent years, the popularity of sports betting has also grown and the big concern now is if this proposition will cause an increase in gambling addiction. Since the Supreme Court has allowed for states to legalize sports betting back in 2018 many states made the jump to permit sports betting, leaving states like California in the dust. Just in 2021 alone almost $60 billion was bet on sports showing that this is a major business with dangerous possibilities such as gambling addictions.

Those who support proposition 27 argue that it would create a stable source of income to battle against homelessness.

By JADEN FORTIER Staff Writer

With the 2022 midterm elections coming around the corner on November 8, California has seven propositions prepared for ballots this year. Of these seven propositions that will be on these ballots, one can make a major change in arts and music education departments.

This would be prop 28, which would guarantee that there would be an allocated amount of the state’s budget to go towards public schools and community colleges arts and music programs. At least 1% of the funds that come from prop 98, which sets the minimum percentage of the

the California Constitution to ensure the protection of the right to have an abortion and as well as to refuse an abortion. If voted ‘no’ then the California Constitution would not be changed to expressly include existing rights to reproductive freedom. These rights, however, would continue to exist under other state law. The Legislation Analyst Office also predicts no direct fiscal effect because the right to an abortion is already existing in California.

That Section 1.1 is added to Article I and reads that, “The state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which

state’s budget that can be spent on K-14 education as a whole, would be used specifically for art and music departments.

This includes things such as spending more money on music and art instructors, as well as just overall spending going to this part of education. School districts will be required to post annual reports that show exactly how the money intended for music and art funding is being used. An estimated 1 billion dollars will be allocated for art and music funding.

Eric Sanchez, who is a professor working in the art department at LMC, supports the idea that the allocation of funds for art and music

By TREY HINCKLEY Staff Writer

Proposition 29 is a California ballot proposition which would require operators of chronic dialysis clinics to have a minimum of one licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or an assistant to a physician at the respective clinic whenever treatment to a patient is needed. It would also offer the same level of care to all patients, regardless of how they pay for their treatment, and requires clinics to report about the dialysis-related infections to the state’s health department, along with submitting federal agency reports regarding the same information. This is the third time that dialysis clinics are part of the ballot process

via the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West.

The pros of this proposition is the belief that dialysis companies do not invest enough when it comes to patient care, and the safety protocols in doing so, despite the high profit of the clinics. The process of removing blood, filtering it, and returning it back to the patients’ bodies takes multiple hours and could potentially leave patients vulnerable to other medical concerns. The presence of a physician, nurse practitioners and provided staff available at all times could potentially reduce hospitalization.

When it comes to the cons of this proposition, the qual-

By MICHAEL BENEDIAN Staff Writer

Proposition 30 is a California ballot proposition that looks to increase the tax on the wealthy and allocate that revenue towards funding for wildfire prevention programs and incentives for zero emission vehicles. The tax would affect citizens whose personal income is over $2 million and would take effect in the beginning of Jan. 2023.

One of the pros for this proposition is that wildfire prevention programs would get the funding they need to prevent repeats of the disaster wildfires that have occurred in 2017 and beyond. It would help create more firefighters and equipment to future proof

for the next devastating summer that is bound to happen. Another program that could benefit greatly from Prop 30 is the clean air program, which is looking to cut down on air pollution from not just wildfires, but car emissions too.

Tax revenue would help alleviate car emissions by creating more statewide charging stations and make electric vehicles more affordable. As of Aug. 25, California has already taken the initiative and has approved of the Advanced Clean Cars II rule which ramps up production of electric vehicles. The rule sets up a year-by-year roadmap that looks to aim for 2035 to have 100% of the new vehicles sold in California be zero emission

By MOHAMMAD NAJIMI Staff Writer

Election day is returning this November, and information about some of the Propositions that will be voted on is useful. One of the propositions that are going to be on the ballot is Proposition 31 which is the ban of flavored tobacco products. A “yes” would uphold the current ban on the tobacco products while a “no” would strike down the law and make the sale legal.

This proposition would heavily change the economy for the US as the country would lose as much as $100 million in annual tobacco tax revenue. This should be an easy decision, however, as tobacco causes many diseases

as teenagers use them. This proposition is only on the ballot due to a law by a Democratic-controlled Legislature that was passed back in 2020 that banned the sale of flavored tobacco products both in store and vending machines.

The idea behind passing this law was to keep them away from kids and teens who reportedly were the main users behind these products. They wanted to protect the health of their next generation of citizens and keep the reputation of the country in good shape. These tobacco products could destroy the population of a country hastily.

The CDC has reportedly found out that, “Smoking

“If you cannot state a proposition clearly and unambiguously, you do not understand it.”