Vol. 91 No. 9 - Nov. 15, 2019

Open house at vet center

Healing through songs

Stangs vs. Cougars

The Veterans Center at Los Medanos College held an open house Nov. 12 — page 3

Bona Nsiala plays the guitar on campus and catches the attention of many walking by — page 4

Los Medanos College faced off against Alameda College and lost 2-3 — page 6

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F.Y.I. Important Dates November is Epilepsy Awareness Month Nov. 18

Priority registration begins

Nov. 28-30

College closed in observance of Thanksgiving

Self-image seminar

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Senator stipends nixed Concerns over process raised

By KRYS SHAHIN @Krysshah

Los Medanos College Associated Students recently voted down a proposal to pay themselves stipends for their student government service after being criticized for not putting the specific topic on their meeting agenda as called for by California’s Ralph M. Brown Act. Over the past few weeks, starting at the student government meeting Oct. 21, there

were discussions about paying LMCAS officers and senators stipends, a fixed sum or an allowance that would have totaled nearly $20,000 of the $220,000 budget.

“I proposed going into 2020 spring and going forward to fund the stipends,” said LMCAS treasurer Felero Smith. “The reason to fund the stipends was to provide an incentive for LMCAS students dedicating so much time on campus towards meetings and committees to volunteering and events which can easily be an extra four to eight hours a week.”

LMCAS Senator Rochelle said, “stipends are a good incentive for students to join because mere marketing has seemed to fail.”

PROPOSED COST OF STIPENDS

$500 pay per semester for LMCAS senators $400 Proposed stipends represent 7.7% Percent of 2019-20 LMCAS budget Proposed pay per semester for LMCAS officers

See LMCAS, page 5

Experience • Krys Shahin

Workshops will be offered to help you learn tips on how to present yourself in a more professional manner Saturday Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m. at 2738A West Tregallas Road, Antioch, CA 94509. The guest speaker will be HR professional and makeup artist Mischwa Murphy-McAdams. For more information, go to the Facebook page @ rejoycecc or call (925) 240-3091

Los Medanos College students return to College Complex Level Three after being evacuated due to a fire alarm Sept. 26.

Maps atop the photo are the old evacuation routes for every building on campus.

They are being updated.

Paris study abroad trip Looking to study outside the United States, and see a bit more of the world across the sea?

This coming July you might be be studying in Paris if you apply now.

For more information download a brochure at losmedanos.edu/ studyabroad/paris. For questions contact Prof.

Jennifer Saito at jsaito@ losmedanos.edu.

Experience photo Illustration • Krys Shahin

Safety on campus is a priority

By JORDYN TOSCANO @jordyntoscano

LMCAS meeting Los Medanos College Associated Students will meet Monday, Nov. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Room CC1-114. If you are interested in voicing any concerns or commenting about things around campus, or are looking to hear what your student government is planning, then attend this meeting which is open to all students.

The Safety and Security Committee and Police Services at Los Medanos College are working to implement new and accurate evacuation route maps in every classroom and office space on campus.

As a result of construction to build a new Student Union building, which is slated

to open in spring 2020, old evacuation routes and safety protocols need to be updated to include the new routes.

“The new maps are currently in progress with our marketing department,” said Lt. Chad Wehrmeister. “It’s our priority to get the college community familiarized with those layouts and evacuation plans for the new building.”

The Safety and Security Committee (SSC) has been working closely with Police Services to incorporate, not only new evacuation maps, but emergency preparedness flipbooks in every campus or office space on the Pittsburg campus.

“With regards to the flipbooks, they were designed for DVC and upon initial

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they encounter an emergency on campus.

“It’s breaking emergency down to its simplest form. The maps and flipbooks are a real handy resource to have that we hope people will take the time to look at,” said Wehrmeister.

In addition to the new maps and flipbooks, which are still being edited and improved See MAPS, page 5

LMC in Top 150 third time in row

Transfer app deadline soon Applications for transfer are now being accepted

by UC and CSU colleges.

If you need help with college essays, applications, or anything else that is transfer related, go to the Transfer and Career Center, located on the fourth floor of the Student Services Center.

For more information go to www.losmedanos.edu/ transfer or call (925) 4737444. Deadline is Nov. 30.

review the detailed content needs to reviewed and edited for LMC. This work is still underway,” said Safety and Security Committee Chair Carlos Montoya.

The flipbooks will include general, all-encompassing safety information that demonstrates the proper reaction protocol that students and staff will be expected to follow if

By SPENCER BATUTE @batutie_

Jordyn Toscano • Experience

Mason Grossman and Javier Briseno study in the Library, something students won’t be able to do in cyber session when campus is closed.

Winter session approved

By JORDYN TOSCANO @jordyntoscano

The Los Medanos College Academic Senate has approved the implementation of fall cyber sessions for the 2020 fall semester.

Cyber sessions are an online only, four to five week course that offers various general ed classes. Both Diablo Valley College and Contra Costa College have already incorporated cyber sessions into their Academic Calendar, and LMC has decided to follow suit.

“The goal is to offer courses for students who find that they still need units for a spring transfer - this option tends to support student athletes, reverse transfers - students already enrolled at four-year institutions; and students who elect to continue their studies using this session,” said Vice President of Instruction Dr. Sally Montemayor Lenz.

Although the LMC fall cyber session was slated to begin Dec. 9 of this year, the Academic Senate decided that they See CLASS, page 5

Los Medanos College was named Tuesday, Nov. 5 as one of 150 community colleges nationwide eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a recognition awarded only to the most highly distinguished twoyear colleges in the United States.

The Aspen Prize is awarded by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, and is awarded based on institutional performance in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion (including a bachelor’s degree after transfer), employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.

“Receiving this recognition from

the Aspen Institute is incredibly rewarding for our entire college community,” said Bob Kratochvil, president of LMC. “LMC is keenly focused on increasing the learning, equitable outcomes, and success of our students – and, to that end, has embraced the notion of continuous improvement in everything we do. Being [named one of the] ‘Top 150 U.S. Community College’ is a tremendous acknowledgment of the outstanding efforts, innovation, and commitment of our faculty, classified professionals, and management team.”

Over the course of a two-year selection process, the College Excellence Program looks at various measurements of student outcomes among one-thousand See TOP, page 5

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“Sing like no one’s listening, love like you’ve never been hurt, dance like nobody’s watching, and live like it’s heaven on Earth.”

— Mark Twain

Dante Harrold

Hazel Recinos

HOPEFULLY USEFUL

PURPLEHAZZED

Marriage isn’t a license to rape

Social media harms our love

Marital rape is seen by many as somehow being less egregious than someone being raped by a stranger. This may sound laughable to many, given it seems obvious that a person forcing sex on his or her partner is an act of rape.

It wasn’t until the 1970s thanks to the efforts of women rights groups that marital rape began being criminalized throughout the nation. Though it was far from an easy or short process Oftem aplpeals in court had to be made It wasnt until 1984 that the fedral goverment recognized marital rape as a crime and it was only until 1993 that all fifty states had made marital-rape a crime.

Thanks to the profound efforts of women’s rights groups, most states legally recognize marital rape as no less abominable than any other sort of sexual assault.

But there are still more than eight states where it’s legal in some form for a married individual to rape his or her spouse. In many of these states, if a spouse fails to put up physical resistance to the sexual assault, the spouse can get off scot-free.

Husbands who’ve drugged their wives and had sex with their unconscious bodies, have faced no legal reprisal because their wives, who didn’t know much about consent norms, didn’t put up physical resistance to their assault.

This is especially galling ehen you learn just how common marital rape is.

The CDC reports Nearly 9% of women and 0.8% of men have been raped by an intimate partner, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National surveys have placed the percentage of women raped within marriage between 10% and 14% This allowance of spouses being able to sexually abuse their partners isn’t just happening because people don’t know about these laws.

Many people have been trying really hard to have these loopholes closed.October 23, 2019, Republicans in Ohio, a state with marital-rape loopholes, refused to work with Democrats to pass a bill that would have closed the loopholes.

There is a disappointing number of people who still fundamentally misunderstand that being married to someone doesn’t mean surrendering their ability to say no to sex, and don’t recognize the necessity of all participants in the act to have given their consent for it to be anything but rape.

A person’s ability to say no is subject to change at any given point. They don’t need to justify their reasoning, and nobody can ignore their refusal, whatever the reasoning.

A person who has sex with someone without their permission is committing rape. It does not matter how long that person knew them, partner or not.

If a boxer saw a past opponent of his walking down the street and hits him, it would still be assault, even though the two had consented on other occasions. In this instance, the person being hit is no longer a willing participant.

Or if a person decided to take his best friend’s car without their knowledge or consent, the friend should not be looked down upon if he presses charges; the person who took the car should not be given a lighter treatment just because of the pre-existing relationship he had with the owner of the car.

It is sad for anyone to need to be told having sex without their permission is rape, regardless of the pre-existing relationship between the victim and rapist.

If you’ve been or feel you may have been sexually abused, you can contact Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, a national sexual assault hotline, by calling 1-800-656-4673, where you will be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.

Social media is known to be beneficial in ways that can inspire us to be creative. It can also be a great platform for connecting with people. But are we ready to admit that social media can also be harmful?

Relationships before social media had a much more simple approach, and chivalry, as we can all admit, was more common.

Social media today can create insecurity and jealousy due to miscommunication and misunderstandings of the actions your partner may make. It can create a sense of fear and mistrust within a relationship.

“Digital flirting” has become more common with the rise of social media and some may believe that it’s technically harmless because it’s not a face to face interaction.

A joint survey conducted by adult dating sites ChristianMingle.com and JDate.com said, “82 percent of women and 56 percent of men considered texting and online flirting a form of unfaithfulness.”

Social media can also lead to obsession and a great sense of insecurity.

When you spend too much time online, it starts to become your reality and you may end up forgetting about the real people around you. Unhealthy habits can form by constantly checking to see if your partner is online or looking to see whose pictures they’ve liked and reposted.

It becomes a force of habit to lurk on people from our past and it can quickly turn into discovering something you didn’t want to see. Despite the ways social media can be harmful, the use of technology, in general, can also increase toxicity in your life. When a toxic relationship forms, it can quickly lead to sneaky and insecure behavior such as tracking your partner and snooping through their phone.

We are fortunate enough to be able to access almost anything we need, yet we tend to use this as an excuse to be locked on to our devices daily. It can easily become an issue when a habit forms as you find yourself turning to your phone for any kind of entertainment whenever there’s a second of silence.

This is not to say that you must turn your phone off whenever you’re with your partner in order to have a perfect relationship.

Instead, it’s about learning how to balance your attention with the people around you and your screen.

Increased amounts of screen time can make you and your partner distant from each other despite being in the same room.

Overtime, this will create immense amounts of tension between the two of you. According to Cyber Psychology, “Individuals with social media addiction are often overly concerned about social media and are driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to and use social media.”

Breakups can be incredibly difficult to deal with on their own, but when you add social media to the mix, it can prolong the process of self healing.

Social media has proven to be an addiction for many individuals and it’s almost inevitable that you will come across an ex-partners posts.

Constant reminders like these can make the healing process practically impossible, as you find yourself focused on portraying an image that makes it look like you’re doing better without your ex rather than trying to move on from the relationship entirely.

Social media is as much of a blessing as it is a curse within our lives, so it’s critical that we keep focusing on maintaining a sense of balance. Teaching yourself the right times to explore online, and the right times to put the phone down is beyond important to enjoy real life.

Becoming alert to your presence online and amongst the people your around it will teach you how to be aware of yourself.

Damon Amerine • Experience

Editorial

Gun control must come now

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ith the most recent school shooting in America being Nov. 14 at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, we need to take action against guns now. A 15-year-old should not be able to get a weapon and take the lives of their peers.

California is the state with the most strict gun laws, but clearly, we are not seeing much of a change based on these actions and must be more drastic in order to prevent more tragedies like this from happening.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Saugus was placed on lockdown along with neighboring elementary schools in order to prevent the shooter from causing more casualties, but this is not enough of a reaction to a shooting.

The Second Amendment was written when weapons took minutes to reload and defending military-grade weapons in civilian hands by using this argument is incredibly dangerous and an insult to American rights.

Studies have been done over the years to compare America to other “high-income” countries like Australia, Austria, Canada and Belgium and found that “the United States has an enormous firearm problem compared with other high-income countries, with higher rates of homicide and firearm-related suicide,” according to The American Journal of Medicine.

Other countries, like Australia, have a full ban on guns and this action was taken after one shooting that left 35 dead in 1996.

Australia took action after one tragedy, but America has not when we have had over 20 school shootings so far this year.

The way Americans can prevent more deaths is by taking a note out of another country’s book and ban semi-automatic and other military-style weapons across the country. We must prohibit these guns from being imported and filter them out of the hands of civilians through annual government buy-backs and no legal repercussions.

This will not breach our Second Amendment rights, but rather keep it true to what our founding fathers were thinking back when they wrote the constitution.

lEttEr to thE Editor

A last thought from #CupOfJoBruno DEAR EDITOR: As an alumnus, some of you may smile as you remember a time when #CupOfJoBruno was a regular LMC dose of bitter-sweet wisdom.

I’m glad you’re still here. For those of you who haven’t heard of me or read my work, Hi! It’s a pleasure. I hope you’re ready for a dose of extra strong, a little nutty letter-to-the-editor.

I’m angry y’all! I’m pissed off.

After I graduated in 2010, I went to Oregon to continue my education. After that celebration in 2014, I hit the road and traveled all of the western states as a truck driver. I returned home in 2016 and have been struggling to live in the Bay Area ever since. I traveled a bit and lived a focused, intentional life to become a better version of myself only to return home and start advocating for all the things I didn’t have when I was younger. But the journey of being a better version of myself, I had to unlearn a lot of things I learned as a child.

And, it’s been a journey y’all!

This current journey of constant growth and struggling with back-to-back mental health crises landed me in the behavioral health system of my home county one doesn’t work that doesn’t give the consumer the support they need. It’s a system I should have been in as a child, but I wasn’t. In the few years I’ve been home I’ve been in multiple situations that were unhealthy, abusive, and outright dangerous.

Mostly due to my own inability to dismiss my anger. And I’ve been angry for far too long.

I had to quit my job in Oakland because Bay Area traffic is abusive. I was in a horrific car accident in 2017, which has caused some major anxieties around driving. And, I even

Voices

had a couple of unpleasant 5150 holds that have forced the system to pay closer attention to my needs. Unfortunately, I now find myself homeless, sleeping in my car along the delta.

I find myself doing exactly what I need to be doing. A lot, but also nothing at all. I am doing what feeds positivity into my soul.

I’m writing again. I’m laughing again. I’m trusting eye contact, enjoying food, and visiting people I haven’t seen in over 8 years. I’ve rekindled a few relationships, and I’ve ended a few others. I’ve slept on a couple different couches, a few floors, and took showers in more bathrooms I’d like to admit. I’m a business owner. I hold degrees and have plenty of skilled training. I’m self-published with an established voice online. I’m building a movement with Delta Peers, advocating for Peer Support in California, and I’m working closely with the behavioral health system of Contra Costa County, voicing my opinion and introducing innovative programs of change.

I’m also being asked to be the face and voice of homelessness and mental health in Antioch.

This ain’t no joke anymore! I’m angry, and I’m doing something about it.

With that said, I’m writing this to remind y’all that this isn’t ok! The system is f------. People are hurting, suffering every day and they’re being treated worse than dogs. And, I’d like to say thank you to LMC for supporting their homeless students. I’ve heard through the grapevine that y’all have a supportive program for the students without permanent residency.

Good job! I’m honored to be an alumnus of LMC! Don’t worry y’all, I’ll be around.

— Jo Bruno

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Your favorite part of Thanksgiving?

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“I’d probably say the dinner.”

— Alec Acuavera

“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is just being around my family and watching the Macy’s parade.”

— Haily Finucane

“I guess my favorite thing is being around family and eating an abundance of of food.”

— Errick Earl

“Going to my aunt’s and seeing my family there.”

— Francesca Bernard

“I think my favoirite Thanksgiving tradition is getting together with my family.”

— Micheal Pimwong

“Getting the family together because it gets harder when you get older.”

— Shelby Gibson

“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 .......................... KRYS SHAHIN Perspectives Editors........ ADRIANA IVANOFF and DANTE HARROLD Campus Editors ................ HILLARY HETRICK and CHARLES REED Features Editors.................KATIE LOUGHRAN and SPENCER BATUTE Sports Editors ...........................ERICK AMAYA and JOSEPH JOHNSON News Editor .............................. KRYS SHAHIN Photo Editor ......................... HAZEL RECINOS Video Editor ..............................KRYS SHAHIN 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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“Duty, Honor, Country – Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be.”

— Doc Hastings

Newswatch Thanksgiving basket giveaway

Thanksgiving baskets will be provided by Umoja Scholars Program partnered with the LMC Food Pantry with support from the LMC Foundation and the LMC Community. Students can pick up a basket Nov. 25 and 26 at LMC Food Pantry. Some restrictions may apply and supplies are limited so it’s offered on a first-come, first- serve basis with an exception that priority will be given to students who have not received a basket. Recipients must be current LMC students. Register for a free Thanksgiving basket at https://bit.ly/2pLJWsq.

Community week events

Community building activities and workshops for the week of Nov. 18 through Nov. 21 with set up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and indoor tabling from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information come visit Los Medanos College Transfer and Career Services located on Level 4 of the Student Services Building. Some of these available woorkshops and/or events are as follows: n Monday Nov. 18: Sustainability Day nTuesday Nov. 19: Leadership Day n Wednesday Nov. 20: Culture Day n Thursday Nov. 21: Art Day

Rotaract club seeks members

Rotaract is seeking members to join their club. Meetings are held every other Monday from 2 to 3 p.m. in Room CC3-373. Upcoming meetings are Nov. 18, Dec. 2 and 16.

They hope you’ll want to join them in making a positive impact in the community. They are part of a global effort to bring peace and understanding to the world. For more information email rotaractlmc@gmail.com.

‘No Way Out’ at the CA Theatre

The California Theatre is putting on a true story from a collection of letters between family members forced to flee Nazi Germany. Ticket prices vary from $8 to $13 dollars depending on the day and placement of the seat.

Shows open Dec. 4 through 6 starting at 7 p.m. For more information or future events go to http://www.pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com.

Mamava pods now open

LMC now offers private pods for breastfeeding mothers.

They are located in the third floor of the College Complex adjacent to CC3-371. Steps to get in: n Download the Mamava app n Stand near the pod to automatically unlock or type passcode on keypad n Need help with the app? Contact student services for assistance at (925) 473-7434

‘No Way Out’ at the CA Theatre

The California Theatre is putting on a true story from a collection of over 500 of the playwrites own family letters written in their own words. In 1939 their family was forced to flee Nazi Germany. It relects family love and devotion as well as humanity. Ticket prices vary from $8 to $13 dollars depending on the day and placement of the seat. Shows open Dec. 4 through 6 starting at 7 p.m.

For more information or future events go to http://www. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com.

Scholarship option for Latinos

Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley is offering scholarship opportunities for Latinos in technology. This program is offering up to 100 Latino students support they need for graduation from college engaging people to invest in the education, achievement, and leadership skills needed for a thriving Hispanic community in Silicon Valley. Some of the requirements are as follows: n Must be Latino or Hispanic origin and have a declared major in, and been accepted into a STEM program. n Current college students entering their junior or senior year at a four-year undergraduate college in the 2020-2021 school year. n Minimum cumulative college grade point average of 3.0.

Sunrise gathering on Alcatraz

Umoja Scholars Program and the Food Pantry, with support from the LMC Foundation and the LMC community are offering a sunrise gathering Thursday Nov. 28 on Alcatraz Island. Students are responsible for transpertation to and from Pier 33. Ticket availability is running short so it’s only offered on a first-come, first-serve basis so go to the LMC Math building MA-109 Nov. 25 and 26 or email jastewart@losmedanos.edu or call (925) 473-7602.

Recovery canned food drive

LMC Circle K is holding a fire recovery canned food drive Tuesday, Nov. 19 in the Indoor Quad. Meetings for the club are Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room CC3-336. For more information or a list of what to bring contact the president of the Circle K club, Briana Kaitlyn Sanchez at bkaitlynes@gmail.com.

Christ Crucified club

Christian club Christ Cruicified meets Tuesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. in CC Core 101. They hope to grow in membership for those who are seeking to talk about God and spreading their religion to other believers. For questions or other information, contact Gianno Confetti at giannoconfetti@gmail.com.

— Compiled by Charles Reed

Charles Reed • Experience

Ty Robinson speaks with Veterans Outreach Specialist Alex Alexander at the Veterans Center.

Center opens its arms

By CHARLES REED Staff Writer

The Veterans Resource Center held an open house event Tuesday, Nov. 12 at the Los Medanos College Pittsburg campus. The event provided the center with positive exposure and provided students with great insight into what it is and how it helps veterans.

The Veterans Center at LMC is a place to get resources, connections, respite and tutoring in a more relaxed and quiet space. These services are available to veterans, dependents and any student that is signed up for classes through VA-financed programs. They focus on

helping any student that comes through their doors to succeed. The center is a comfortable place to kick back and relax, as well as a good resource for certain amenities for servicemen and women.

Among the provided benefits are counselors that specialize in education plans. They also help with getting students registered for upcoming semesters with the right classes for their desired goal.

This sort of help can be crucial in any decision-making process and the center is equipped to aid students with these specific issues.

Benefits also include welcome packages of basic supplies for classes such as blue

books for tests, scantrons, binders and paper to help students get a good start.

For those looking to sign up for the armed forces, there are multiple different ways the center is able to assist with that process. Although there is no recruitment office on the premises, there are occasional visits by recruiters. Between visits, students can talk to those on staff and ask for information about how a recruiter may be reached in the future.

The Veterans Club also plans to offer a $1,000 scholarship for any and all students transferring to a university.

Details regarding the requirements and

See VETS, page 5

Recipes and taste testing at the pantry

By WESTON HOPKINS Staff Writer

The Los Medanos College Food Pantry is having a cooking demonstration and taste testing on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Library Room 109. The event is being put on to help bolster the cooking ability of students on campus.

The Food Pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m.

For those unfamiliar, the LMC Food Pantry is a space on campus where students may obtain food and groceries at no cost. Established in the spring of 2017 by Student Life, the pantry is a resource

readily available for any and all students.

All you need to access the pantry is a student ID, and the filling out of an intake form which can be done online or in person.

“Any currently enrolled student may utilize the pantry at any time and as many times during the week,” said Director of the Student Life program Teresea Archaga.

Located next to the cafeteria in room SS3-817, the pantry has a variety of foods for people to choose from. On top of allowing students to get food when they need it most, the Food Pantry also offers demonstrations that allow students to get handson experience with multiple

Charles Reed • Experience

Student Life representative Renee Savage slices an See FOOD, page 5 apple at the cooking demonstration Oct. 29.

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“Writing well means never having to say, ‘I guess you had to be there.’”

— Jef Mallett

Nsiala heals through harmony Meet the musician striking a chord

By SPENCER BATUTE @batutie_

Somewhere on campus, the hands of Bona Nsiala can be heard twirling away at guitar strings, making a melody for passersby to and from classes.

Many stop to listen, and some ask him why he plays out in public.

Nsiala’s usual reply is that he simply likes the echo that he gets from playing in open areas. “One thing that surprised me, is when I sit down to play, it catches people’s attention,” said Nsiala.

But not many know that Nsiala’s public display of music is rooted in reasons far deeper than being able to play in a nice environment.

Nsiala has been practicing music since he was a young boy, growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nsiala was raised by a loving mother and father, whom he respected and loved.

Growing up, Nsiala attended Catholic church, a prominent religion in the Congo. There, he got his start in music by singing in the choir, and by learning keyboard and piano from his priest. Although Nsiala didn’t stick with the keyboard, Nsiala reflected, “I learned so much because nowadays, when I touch the keyboard, it’s easy for me to understand it.” Nsiala also played in a band between the ages of 12 and 14.

Nsiala took four years of civil engineering at the Institute of Buildings and Public Works in Kinshasa, the capital of the Congo.

After he finished his schooling, Nsiala found that he needed another two years of higher education in order to become a master engineer.

Nsiala came to California 19 years ago to get his master’s degree in the field of engineering. However, these plans didn’t work out exactly as planned.

Spencer Batute • Experience

Bona Nsiala plays his guitar while seated outside of the cafeteria Friday, Oct. 4. Nsiala can usually be seen playing around campus.

Once he arrived in California, Nsiala encountered financial difficulties. Living in the Bay Area and trying to provide for himself proved to be a tough task. Nsiala took to working quick, well-paying jobs in areas of manual labor like construction and plumbing.

Nonetheless, Nsiala was unable to apply to University of California, Berkeley for their master’s degree in engineering program; the Congo was engaged in a heated civil war at the time, so Nsiala wasn’t able to get his documentation to the university in time.

“You’re facing life too, so you gotta go to work, you gotta provide for yourself, so everything changed,” Nsiala said.

Since then, Nsiala had a son, who is now 13 years old. Nsiala

is currently raising him as a single father, and is dedicated to giving him a full life.

Nsiala has also taken classes at Diablo Valley College, including one in their Construction program, as well as many technical courses at Los Medanos College. Nsiala first came to LMC for their Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program, which has since been cancelled.

Nsiala is currently works as plumbing as his main source of income, and is taking technical courses at LMC to work toward transferring to UC Berkeley once again.

However, Bona, 51, is not only focused on progress toward a technical career; Nsiala’s old roots in music are still alive within him.

Getting set for STEM

“When I do appliances over there, sometimes I get stressed out, take a 10-minute break, and I run to the keyboard, I sit down, it soothes my mind, I feel good,” said Nsiala.

“I wish every student would take, outside of his major, a music class. It’s a necessity for his system, his body, his mind, his soul.”

Nsiala’s reunification with music was also advanced by the untimely death of his mother, three years ago.

“I was going crazy,” Nsiala said. “The pain was so much. I was feeling it in my stomach.”

Nsiala was losing weight and energy, and didn’t believe anyone could heal him. “I couldn’t listen to anybody. I went to church, whatever they say over there doesn’t make sense to

me. But I got involved more in music, playing, spending more time with the guitar — I felt the healing process.”

Although Nsiala did not connect with the messages of the churches he went to, he retains a sense of spirituality.

“God is a spirit” and “Music is a part of that spirituality,” said Nsiala.

Since reacquainting himself with music, Nsiala has been inseparable from the ar t.

He went out and bought a keyboard and guitar, and has since dove into his craft.

“I think my mind is in there right now,” Nsiala said, pausing, “in music.”

“Day by day, through the music, I’m healing.”

Nsiala now plays about eight hours per day, 40 hours per

Robotics club accepting new members

By WESTON HOPKINS Staff Writer

The Delta Robotics club of Los Medanos College is currently accepting new members.

The club is run by students who have experience in engineering, programming and business fundamentals. They meet every Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Science Room 230.

At these meetings, newcomers can expect to find workshops and presentations that will help guide members along their journey and increase their skills and knowledge of the Science, Technology, Engineering & Math or STEM fields.

There are also special presentations made by companies deeply rooted in Silicon Valley, such as Apple and Lockheed Martin.

The goal of Delta Robotics is to prepare its members for a future in the STEM fields.

They also contribute to the local community

by helping clean up the local environment to encourage new businesses in the East Bay. “Delta Robotics has a couple projects in the works,” said President Aaron Orellana.

“Projects such as pop up VR vendors around campus, designing a Roomba that will go into water, clean up plastic, and then take that and turn it into material for 3D printing.”

The club is also in the process of trying to get a makerspace on campus. “A makerspace is a public workspace at LMC where the community is welcome to come by and work on projects or help with projects being worked on by the club,” said Orellana.

“I’ve been talking to the Vice President of Business Services, and our makerspace has Hazel Recinos • Experience been approved,” said Orellana.

The location of the makerspace is still under Singer-song writer Eli Conley plays consideration, but the current cafeteria is an guitar Nov. 8 at the Little Theater at See CLUB, page 5

REVIEW CREW

Shot from “The Lighthouse,” courtesy of Atom Tickets

‘The Lighthouse’

Movie Summary: “The Lighthouse,” starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, was released on Oct. 18. Directed by Robert Eggers, the film takes place in the 1890s and follows lighthouse keepers Ephraim Winslow (Pattinson) and Thomas Wake (Dafoe) during their slow descent into madness. The movie runs for 1 hour and 49 minutes and is rated R.

Los Medanos College.

week on keyboard and guitar.

Nsiala is also enrolled in a vocal and guitar class this semester.

“I don’t know how much I can thank Los Medanos College,” said Nsiala, on being given the opportunity to learn and practice music.

On Nsiala’s frequent public performances, vocal professor Sylvester Henderson said, “This is a wonderful way to support the arts and to display ‘Vocal Talent and Student Creativity.’ Henderson described Nsiala as hard working, eager to grow and professionally mature.

On the first day of his guitar class, Nsiala’s voice resounded across the circle of to-be musicians as he warmly reSee BONA, page 5

Conley plays for equity

By HILLARY HETRICK @hillarymhetrick

Los Medanos College hosted one of its Equity Speaker Series events in the Little Theatre Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. The free concert featured Eli Conley, an indie singer-songwriter and out gay transgender man. Conley showcased his talents by playing guitar and singing songs about issues currently facing those in the LGBTQI+ community.

Before introducing Conley, LMC English instructor Liz Green welcomed the approximately 40 students who attended the concert.

After some applause from the audience, Green continued the introduction.

“Thank you so much for showing up at this event. Eli Conley is a friend of mine,” said Green.

Green explained that she’d seen Conley See SONG, page 5

HHHH

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Spencer says: Sea it for yourself

Nicole says: Not bright enough

“The Lighthouse” offers great cinematography, Oscar-worthy acting, and a mind-bending, gut-wrenching, horrifying, psychological thriller of a plot, all while elusively evading neat interpretation.

Shot in black-and-white, the film is aesthetically pleasing and artistically stimulating. The camerawork is excellent, and many dramatically framed shots catch the eye.

The setting of the film was excellently, organically established. By showing off specific features of the island throughout many shots, “The Lighthouse” takes the audience right where the characters are living, and makes a few buildings on a rock more memorable than the landscapes of most films.

The haunting score effectively emphasizes the dark undertones of the film.

The performances from Dafoe and Pattinson are phenomenal, and are able to keep the viewer hooked for nearly two hours of screen time.

The plot had me questioning my own sanity at many points, but did go over my head at times. That said, I cannot fault the film for this — confusion was part of the work’s intent.

— Spencer Batute

“The Lighthouse” by Robert Eggers is just okay.

I’m not sure if this was the kind of movie that elicits strong reactions from its audience members. I really can’t imagine someone raving about it, or completely shredding it apart for that matter. In my opinion, this is because the movie is just okay.

“The Lighthouse” did have a few high moments here and there. For example, some of the scenes in which we learn more about the disturbing pasts of the two main characters as they drank themselves silly off of lighter fluid helped to add more substance to the film. Other moments from the movie that included those that had a more horror focus. This included scenes depicting man on mermaid sex or the catching of a head in a fishing net.

However, these dramatic moments couldn’t keep the film interesting throughout the entirety of the time allotted. I spent the majority of the movie watching the agonizing chores of a “wickie” or lighthouse keeper. While the movie did have some interesting moments, it couldn’t save the film as a whole in my eyes.

— Nicole Loughran

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perform almost a decade ago and was amazed by his talent.

“I just really enjoyed seeing his artistry develop over the years. At this point, he has two albums out and he has 45 minutes of a set to share with you.”

As Conley took center stage, the audience’s applause grew even louder.

“Thank you so much. It’s such a pleasure to be here with you all tonight,” said Conley.

He performed nine songs in total and told a few stories of his life throughout the set.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while and here we are,” said Conley, “It’s a pleasure to be part of the Equity speaker series.”

“It’s a huge privilege to be able to say that and live as an out [transgender] person in the world and people are constantly all the time figuring out who they are and figuring out what they want to share with the world about that,” said Conley.

During his third song of the night, Conley asked the audience for a favor.

“I’m going to ask you to sing with me, will you be down for that?” He taught the audience one line that was to be sung after he sang a phrase, “So many ways that I get in my own way.”

Before prompting the audience to sing, Conley said encouragingly, “I feel there are a lot of artists in this room.

Whether or not you self-identify as an artist, feel your artist energy in this moment.” As he began strumming, he explained the song’s words. “This is a song about the struggle I think almost all artists go through.”

Growing up in a small town in Virginia, Conley explained some of his first-hand struggles when initially coming out as transgender. He has since founded “Queer Country West Coast,” a series featuring LGBTQIA+ country artists in the Bay Area.

He’s opened for Grammy-winner Kimya Dawson and been featured in publications such as the Huffington Post and the Advocate. He hopes that his songs urge people to love themselves even when the world doesn’t.

“I think we’re living in a time when it’s really easy to feel hopeless and helpless,” said Conley, “People want us to feel like we can never stop what they’re doing in this moment. I think it’s actually really strategic to make us all feel like that’s not something that is possible to change.”

Eli Conley’s music is available on most streaming platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora.

Those wanting to learn more about his background, purchase his songs, find his upcoming shows and more can visit Eliconley.com.

methods of cooking.

“We identify recipes that we can make using the items we have on hand in the pantry,” said Archaga, “Items such as milk, eggs, cheese, fresh produce, and other nonperishable items are available in the pantry for students to choose from.”

Since its inception a few years ago, the Pantry has consistently increased the number of students it services. In fact, in its first year, the program only had 112 visitors in total.

During the month of October 2019, they were able to service 552 students, marking the most students serviced in a single month in the Pantry’s history.

Student Ja’net Kent said, “I show up [to the Food Pantry] excited every day because I enjoy helping others.”

The Student Life program hopes for a continued rise in numbers of students serviced, while also hoping to increase the number of donations received.

“I’ve been working here since it opened,” said student Abigail Montemayor, “You learn that even though everybody leads a different life, we’re all individuals just trying to hold it together.”

The Pantry depends on charitable donations to ensure that it can continue operating and helping others. They accept non-perishable items such as school supplies, personal hygiene products, feminine products, and diapers.

To donate money, please send a check payable to the Los Medanos College Foundation or donate online at losmedanos.edu/foundation/ and type “Food Pantry” on the memo line.

For more information, email studentlife@losmedanos.edu

community colleges across America selects 150 eligible colleges, of which LMC is one. Eligible colleges can then apply for the Prize, and may be selected as a top 10 finalist under further review by a selection committee of higher education experts.

The top 10 finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2020. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished jur y will make award decisions in spring 2021.

“Community colleges play a vital role in developing talent and enabling social mobility across the country, and it’s critical for them to get better at what they do,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.

LMC was also nominated as an Aspen Prize-eligible school during the past two award cycles of 2017 and 2019, but was not selected as a finalist in each cycle. The Prize is awarded ever y two years, and the award cycle lasts roughly one-and-a-half years from nomination to the award recipient announcement.

As an Aspen Prize-eligible school, LMC is also eligible to apply for the Excellence and Equity in Community College STEM Award, which offers $50,000 to eight exceptional STEM programs for program development and student scholarships. LMC is currently working to determine whether to apply for this award, and is “evaluating whether the college has available the required data and information that aligns with the STEM From page 1 Award application,” said Jenwere not as prepared as they nifer Adams. This data would would have liked to be and come from the District Office have therefore pushed back of Research and Planning. the start date to next year.

“We agreed to support the idea of a cyber session starting on Dec. 9 but with the time From page 6 constraint, we decided not to move forward with it this to look forward to the next year,” said Academic Senate game,” said Emily Sobolik.

At the start of the final set President Josh Bearden. “We are definitely supportive of Alameda came out strong once the cyber sessions and we’re again with no signs of slowing definitely going to go through down forcing coach Lue to then again call another early with it next year.”

Academic Senate members timeout, and after that timeout were extremely concerned the Mustangs pulled things about the lack of resources together and got the game available to students during within two points (11-13) and these future cyber sessions, one LMC caught their rhythm as they are online only courses and Alameda started to lose that take place while the LMC their momentum, Alameda was forced to call a timeout campuses are closed.

“The depth of learning is to regroup and to slow LMCs the biggest issue we’re put- run down.

Alameda ended up winning ting a four week bandaid on a larger issue,” said Curriculum the tough battle 3 games to 2 Committee Chair Morgan and LMC ended up losing the Lynn. “Academic services are heartbreaking defeat putting very important and essential an end to their 4 game winning streak and also putting their to students.”

Based on this concern, conference record at 10-2 and the Senate has found a way putting their overall record to incorporate the support at 17-13 “It’s sad that we’re not going and resources necessary to students during these four to get a banner this year, but we’re making it to playoffs, so to five week sessions.

“At this juncture, LMC is we’re just going to kick ass poised to launch Cranium there,” said Shelby Bryant.

“We did not communicate Cafe, HonorLock and expand NetTutor - these online sup- very well on the court, we port student success and will didn’t work ver y hard. It’s be made available Januar y hard to be successful [when 2020, and will complement a playing like that]. We were fall 2020 cybersession,” said very flat, at times we turned it around, but were never able to Montemayor.

The Academic Senate is maintain it,” said head coach also looking at the Academic Lou Panzella.

Their next game will be Calendar to determine whether there are other periods of against Yuba College Nov. 13. time during the school year where they could potentially implement other cyber session options.

From page 6 “It’s something that’s actively being discussed, but we’re “[Scoring] helps me get still in the beginning stages of motivated for playoffs, it’s this discussion. We are looking like, ‘I can do it now, I can do at the entire academic calendar it later,’ it just makes me work to see where sessions would harder,” said Gomez. best fit,” said Bearden.

Isabel Dumpait scored the While sessions would last final goal of the game in the four to five weeks total, the sixty-fifth minute. amount of hours that students Dumapit dribbled her way are expected to dedicate to through the Napa Valley Detheir class depends on the fense, and placed the ball to course(s) they decide to enroll the goalkeeper’s right side. in. The various General Edu“It’s been a good season, I cation course options are still think we’ve gotten stronger being discussed and will be as we’ve gone through [the revealed when registration for season],” said head coach cyber session next fall begins, Zach Sullivan. He added,“[It’s after Senate determines what about] staying focused, once faculty members are available playoffs come the teams we to teach online classes during play are going to be a lot more this time period. high level.”

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how to apply will be available online soon.

According to Christopher Long, the full-time head coordinator of the Veterans Center, the open house event was being held in order to invite the community to see how this center operates and what it does to support veterans on campus. “[This event brings] word of mouth to get the word out to vets and get more students here to help them with the offered services,” said Long.

One of the student veterans that frequents the center had positive feedback for this event. “[This event] is to let people know who we are, where we are and what we do,” said student veteran Marc Oshea. “We’re all friendly former servicemen and want to welcome you to come by.”

Hours of operation for the Veterans Resource Center are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on upcoming From page 4 events and times for tutoring, membered the first time, he email veterans@losmedanos. met the teacher, David Trevors, edu or call (925) 473-7511. many years ago. Although no audience members outside of Nsiala and Trevors had this memory, Nsiala’s enthusiasm From page 6 for his relationship to the teacher pulled in everyone in kills in the final set. the room.

The Mustangs struggled “He’s super filled with grati- slightly in the middle of the tude. And appreciative of what set, as Yuba College attempted he’s learning,” said Trevors. to gain control of the match.

“He’s sacrificing a lot to learn Avelino, Sobolik, and Amaya music, so I think that’s really Mixon scored the final points awesome.” of the set to give the Mustangs Moving for ward, Nsiala the set and the overall victory. is looking to make music a “[After the first set,] we got main component in his life. it together and got our energy He is currently trying to learn up, we were like, ‘This is our how to read music as well as last home game, let’s put on possible. “Reading music is a a show for everybody,’” said game of mind,” Nsiala said.

Avelino.

Nsiala is also making efforts After the match, the sophat collaborating with other omores celebrated with their musicians and recording his teammates and families. own music.

“I’m so sad!” said Sadler. “I “Music has so much attrac- love that I made the choice to tion, so much power, so much come here, It’s been the best healing and spirituality, and experience ever. I’m sad to that we need to focus and find see it come to an end, but I’m out what it is. What makes so happy that I met all these people go down, what makes great people, and that I had people change their mood in this great experience.” a second.”

“It hasn’t really hit me, but Nsiala then stopped to wave it’s sad. I’ve been playing with to a passing student, a bright most of these girls since high smile shining across his face. school, and it’s sad to part Slowly turning back, Nsiala ways, but I’m happy I got the said, “I want to do something opportunity to play with them.” that can heal people.” said Avelino.

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option because food services for students will be moved into the new student union next spring.

The exact date of when the makerspace will be ready isn’t available yet, but the club is looking toward an opening early next year.

Delta Robotics is also looking to host battlebot events starting in January. Battlebots are remote-controlled armed machines designed to fight against fellow bots during competitions.

Members of the club are incredibly welcoming and speak highly about some of the benefits that the club provides.

“I had no previous experience whatsoever, but I am a mechanical engineering major so I wanted to help myself get ahead by joining,” said club member Matt Rowland.

Similarly, fellow member Melissa Cortes said, “Delta Robotics helps with social skills as well as programming and engineering.”

If you’re on the fence about joining a club, particularly if you’re a STEM major, give Delta Robotics a chance.

“The experience and skills gained in Delta Robotics are crucial for a future in Silicon Valley,” said Orellana.

The club is currently selling merchandise to help raise some additional funding. To purchase something or learn more, visit Deltarobotics.org or donate to the club directly at gofundme. com/f/join-the-campaign-delta-robotics.

For more information regarding meetings, members and more, contact club president Aaron Orellana at aaronex01@gmail.com.

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Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com

LMCAS MAPS From page 1

Los Medanos College has multiple governmental groups and committees subjected to California’s open meetings law and LMCAS is one of them.

The Brown Act was created in 1953 to protect the public and allow them the right to attend and provide public comment in meetings run by legislative bodies who use the public’s tax dollars.

The spirit of the Brown Act is to ensure transparency between constituents and representatives, to give everyone a chance to express their views regardless of the topic and its potential controversy.

“Pay for the student union is the exact thing, it is the core of what the Brown Act envisions,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition.

While most members of LMC’s student government initially supported the stipends, Vice President Shagoofa Khan was opposed to the idea.

She voiced her opinion alongside former student government members during public comments.

“Everything we use should go to the students,” said Khan.

The discussion about these stipends was labeled as “budget approval” on the agenda, rather than identifying the stipends specifically.

While this is technically in accordance with the Brown Act, it “certainly violates the spirit of the Brown Act,” said Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel at the Student Press Law Center.

Former LMCAS members heard through current members about the vote on stipends and arrived at the meeting Oct. 28 to share their opinions during public comment as well.

“When I pay the $5 fee, I expect that money to return and benefit the students. You should be doing this out of your own volunteering,” said former LMCAS president Dale Satre, addressing the current members Oct. 28.

Jocelyn Vaillalobos, a former student trustee representing the Contra Costa Community College District, agreed with Satre but had a much harsher opinion.

“Having stipends as a senator is a big no-no. It ruins the ethics,” she said, “If you have these stipends, it’s an ethical problem. That $20,000 can be used to better students. It can ruin the trust. It ruins the ethics of why you’re here.”

Others disagreed with the public comments but did not reply in that moment.

“I don’t think it is unethical or selfish to want a stipend, especially if it isn’t much at all compared to how many hours have to be met,” said Arnold.

If the vote had been approved by LMCAS, they would have been allotting “$8,500 for a semester of a full cabinet, and then $17,000 for a year with full cabinet” from the budget, said adviser Dave Belman, dean of Student Success.

A full cabinet includes five officers and 15 senators, and LMCAS had proposed officers would be paid $500 per semester, and senators $400 if the vote had passed.

The budget for LMCAS for the 2019-2020 year is $220,000 which means roughly 7.7 percent of its annual budget would have been going to pay themselves.

Though the stipends were voted down by the group, LMCAS President Thyra Cobbs said that “they only voted it down because the older senators came in and shamed them.”

The Brown Act is taught to the members of LMCAS throughout the semester and the “adviser normally does trainings once the board has confirmation of senators,” said Teresea Archaga, director of Student Life and adviser to LMCAS. The money that would have gone to paying the students was then diverted to the student government advertising funds and the Zero Textbook Cost program.

“LMCAS is for students to help other students, and it should remain that way,” said Satre.

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recently conducted multiple emergency preparedness trainings.

Wehrmeister and the Police Department conducted a safety training Nov. 8 with the employees who work in the Office of Instruction.

The office provides academic management and support for all instructional programs, super vising instr uctional faculty and classified staff who work with students daily.

Prior to last Friday, Office of Instruction personnel had not undergone emergency preparedness training for a significant period of time.

As par t of the training, Wehrmeister visited each individual office to talk about what you could do in an emergency situation. “What I liked was when he came into our offices, because the physical layout of every room is completely different,” said Eileen Valenzuela, Office of Instruction supervisor.

Not only did Police Services conduct training with the Office of Instruction, but with many other groups on campus as well.

“This past Friday we had an emergency preparedness training with Student Life, leadership students, student employees… and those students become ambassadors for safety on campus,” said Wehrmeister.

The Safety and Security Committee has also assigned each of its members an area or building of responsibility they are expected to cover in the event of an evacuation or shelter in place.

“The document is called the Safety Suppor t Team and is designed to ensure that there are roles during an emergency/evacuation,” said Montoya.

Not only are committee members assigned areas of responsibility during potential emergency situations, but police aides and officers are trained to go to the source of the problem, whether it be a fire alarm or otherwise, in an emergency situation as well.

The Contra Costa Community College District Police Department trains their officers to go straight to the source, yet in situations such as school shootings, there is no predetermined response to the issue.

“How do we prepare for the unpreparable? We focus and train for the things that we can control,” said Wehrmeister.

It all boils down to two potential responses, according to the district police department: evacuation from the premises or lockdown/shelter in place.

The fear of potential school shootings at any college in our area has become a predominant concer n of members of the LMC student body, as there has been a significant increase in active school shootings recently.

This week, Thursday Nov. 14, a school shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California left two dead and several injured.

Mike Kuhlman, deputy superintendent of the William S. Hart Union High School District where the shooting took place, said that school officials were “in the process of formulating a plan to care for our school and our community,” yet they did not have a solid safety plan yet.

The Safety and Security Committee and Police Services at Los Medanos College are constantly working to improve safety measures on campus, and educate the college community about emergency preparedness, but they still have work to do in preparing for these types of mass shooter emergencies.

“The committee’s intention is to be more nimble and flexible in responding to safety issues. Members believe that by making it an ‘operational’ group, it can better advise the Business Office and Police Depar tment and provide prompter responses to safety issues,” said LMC President Bob Kratochvil. @lmc_experience @lmc_experience

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“Don’t practice ’til you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong.”

— McKayla Maroney

Stangs split last two games

A down to the wire loss

An easy win for LMC

By JOSEPH JOHNSON and ERICK AMAYA

By ERICK AMAYA Staff Writer

Staff Writers

Los Medanos College faced the College of Alameda Nov. 8 and lost against the team with a score of 2-3.

Coming into this game, the Mustangs held a 9-1 record when playing against teams in their conference, and only suffering their only loss to Solano college.

From the tip-off, both teams came out with a sense of urgency and getting right to their tasks their coaches have set up for them, with a lot of back and forth play and setting each other up to score each opportunity they could.

Although Alameda came out on top during the first set, with a score of 25-19, LMC knew they were in for a challenging game and needed to stay focused to win.

At the start of the second set, both teams remained focused and worked together and continued to set each other up for points, and this time around it was the Mustangs that got the advantage on Alameda capitalizing off of their mistakes and winning the close-set 20-25.

Within the third set, LMC caught the momentum early because of Alameda had an overwhelming amount of errors within their group early on, putting their backs against the wall and allowing LMC to be the aggressors the whole match, leading the Mustangs to a blowout win of 25-11.

Alameda started off the fourth set with the advantage and this time around it was the mustangs that were having miscommunication issues between their group, forcing coach Lue to call an early timeout, hoping that they would turn things around immediately.

Alameda went on to score 8 straight points beating the mustangs 25-18 and at this point, the game is tied at 2.

“We knew that every point mattered.

We played hard, and we just have See LOSS, page 5

Erick Amaya • Experience

Libero Joslin Sadler “digs” the ball up into the air to set a teammate up to hit the ball over the net.

See VBALL, page 5

Dominating win against Yuba Stangs hold the Storm to 0 points

By ERICK AMAYA Staff Writer

Erick Amaya • Experience

Marianna Giovanetti, No.17, hits the ball with her head.

The Mustang Volleyball team hosted to Yuba College in the final home game of the regular season Wednesday Nov. 13, and came out with a 3-1 win. LMC was looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss to the College of Alameda Friday, Nov. 8.

Sophomore Jazlyn Avelino led the game with 16 kills and 22 points. The sophomore’s on the LMC team were recognized in a pre-match celebration.

The Mustangs lost the first set 2426, allowing the 49ers to take the lead in earning various points throughout the set. Every time the Mustangs took the lead, they faltered and Yuba College tied the set to take the lead.

“We played horrible. No intensity.

No focus. No sense of urgency,” said head coach Lou Panzella.

LMC girl’s volleyball used the loss of the first set to motivate them going into the second set.

“After the first set, we realized that this was going to be one of the last times that we play, so we left it all on the court,” said Libero Joslin Sadler.

The Mustangs took the second set 25-9. Avelino led the set with seven points. Early into the set, LMC took control, forcing Yuba College to make many errors and stopping them in their efforts to score.

The third set ended 25-12, in LMC’s favor. Once again, LMC worked hard to push the 49ers to make errors throughout the set. Sophomores Kristina Salazar and Emily Sobolik led the team in points.

Yuba College did not intend on the fourth set being the final set, so they battled the Mustangs in an effort to force the match into a fifth.

Fortunately for the Mustangs, a fifth set was not necessary as they won the set 25-14. LMC took the front foot from the beginning of the set.

Avelino and Shelby Bryant scored many of the team’s points through

The Los Medanos College Soccer Team hosted the Napa Valley College’s final home game of the season. The Mustangs were victorious, outscoring the Storm 7-0. Anissa Gomez led the scoresheet with a hat trick.

In a pre-match ceremony, five LMC sophomores were celebrated for their contribution to the team. Marymer Mejia, Holly Gallagher, Eryn Wheatley, and Belen Velasquez played in their final regular-season game for the Mustangs, while Kailey Lewis was forced to sit out due to an injury.

The match was delayed due to match officials arriving late. Instead of 45 minute halves, each half was cut 10 minutes, only playing 35 minutes halves.

Anissa Gomez scored the first goal in the fourth minute after a cross from Alicia Cardenas.

Two minutes later, Belen Velasquez looked to extend the score line, but her header was denied by the post. In the 18th minute, Gomez netted a brace for a 2-0 scoreline, Nayeli Carbajal was credited with the assist.

After 20 minutes, the Mustangs led 3-0 after a pass from Gomez led to a goal by Jazmin Alanis. Alanis shot the ball into the right side upper 90, catching the goalkeeper off guard.

On minute later, Litzy Ramirez scored the fourth goal, but was flagged offside, and the goal would not stand.

In the 30th minute, a handball from Napa

Valley led to a free kick for LMC. Holly Gallagher took a direct shot around the 25 yard line. Gallagher’s shot would go through the Storm defense, hit the far post, and into the goal for a 4-0 lead.

The Storm offense finally had a chance to score from a free kick, but Gallagher cleared the ball away. In a counter attack, Litzy Ramirez scored the fifth goal of the match, Gallagher provided the assist to Ramirez’s fifteenth goal of the season.

Gomez achieved a hat trick in the second minute of the second half. A cross from Eryn Wheatley found Gomez’s forehead and went passed the Storm’s goalkeeper. Because of her hat trick, she scored her twenty first goal of the season. She finished BVC regular-season play with 23 goals, leading the conference.

See SOCC, page 5

Hartnell College defeats LMC Panthers pounce on the Stang defense

By KRYS SHAHIN and ANTHONY MARTINEZ Staff Writers

The Los Medanos College Mustangs challenged the Hartnell College Panthers Saturday, Nov. 9. The Mustangs lost 3-20 to the Panthers after a chaotic game.

The game started with LMC kicker Javier Hernandez scoring a 38 yard field goal in the first quarter within one minute remaining. The play was set up

by Heamasi Latu who sacked Isaiah Arriola--Randalle of the Panthers, causing a fumble which was recovered by Marquise Cunningham.

This was the first score of the game and would be the last for the Mustangs.

“We came into the game slow and not executing simple assignments defensively and offensively,” said LMC safety Dylan Capps.

Latu, No. 9, continued to have a good game with an interception in the first quarter against the Panthers to keep the Stangs in the lead.

In the second quarter, Hartnell players began bringing their game. The Panthers David Freeman ran for 8 yards, scoring a touchdown with 12 minutes left in the

Anthony Martinez • Experience

Heamasi Latu tackles a player from Hartnell College. first half.

There was a penalty market in play during the second quarter and player Robbie Santa Ana from Hartnell got hit in the head, making the referees say that it was a “targeted hit.”

LMC’s No. 32, Joey Kent got disqualified from the game for this hit.

“I have no say in the call they made,” said Capps about the targeting penalty.

“This game is against Foothill. It’s our Super Bowl.”

Abraham montano of the Panthers scored a 30 yard field goal with 2:32 left in the third quarter, making the

Mustangs down 3-10.

Freeman scored once again, this time with an 81 yard run, making the score 3-16 before the kick was good.

Montano scores again with a 50 yard field goal, ending the game with the score 3-20.

Though LMC lost, the team is still together and ready to take on Foothill College as one.

“I just think as a team if we can and could have brought our spirits together as one and really fought, we could have been and would have been special,” Anthony Martinez • Experience said Capps.

Linebacker Heamasi Latu catches the ball.