Juggling both worlds
A journey of her own
Stangs finish 16-9
Los Medanos College students discuss the struggle of trying to balance academics and parenthood — page 3
Italian professor Debra Moll shares her experience traveling the world — page 4
LMC basketball maintained a strong finish although hitting a few bumpy roads along the way — page 5
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F.Y.I. Important Dates March is Women’s History Month April 3-8
Spring Break: Campus closed
April 28
Last day to withdraw from full-term classes with a “W”
Spring club sign ups The Office of Student Life will sponsor this semester’s Club Day event held in the indoor quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. Over 30 clubs will be in attendence and providing information on sign ups. For additional information, contact the Office of Student Life at studentlife@losmedanos.edu.
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TEDx comes to community Lecture series to start in November KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
Through an extensive application process, Los Medanos College has finally been given the OK to host its first official TEDx event in this upcoming November. LMC is the first school in the Contra Costa Community College District to host a TEDx event. Communications Instructor Marie Arcidiocono and Spanish Professor Laurie Huffman spearheaded the efforts to make this event possible,
after previously hosting two similar events. “This has been a labor of love for Professor Huffman and I, beginning with our Innovation Grant application, hosting our two ‘Evenings of Cultural Conversations,’ and now the TEDx event,” said Arcidiacono. Though both professors invested time and effort into making it happen, Arcidiacono noted that only one person could be the point of contact. The title went to Huffman
but the two worked together throughout the entirety of the process. “We spent a large amount of time communicating with each other about how to best answer the questions they would ask us about the event to get everything approved,” said Arcidiacono. The Innovation Proposal, submitted back in the spring 2015 semester outlined the expectations and goals of both Huffman and Arcidiacono. In the end, their dedication came
“I absolutely cannot wait to be a part of this monumental event ... [I] am excited for what the project holds.”
— Marie Arcidiacono
with the desired results and Arcidiacono couldn’t be more excited. “I absolutely cannot wait to be a part of this monumental event. I’ve loved working
with Professor Huffman in this process and am excited for what the project holds,” she said. The theme for the first
See TEDX, page 6
Budget causes change
“[The food pantry] is an amazing thing and it can provide some well needed relief so that we can continue to be successful.”
— Tito Ramos
Calendar shortened
BY PERRY CONTINENTE
pcontinente@lmcexperience.com
Blood Drive on campus Student Life and the Blood Centers of the Pacific will host the Cesar Chavez Blood Drive Challenge on campus Tuesday, March 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Library Room L-109. To schedule your donation appointment visit www. bloodheroes.com and enter sponsor code losMC. For additonal information contact the Office of Student Life at 473-7554.
Open mic night at LMC The Office of Student Life is holding an open mic night in honor of Women’s History Month. The event is called “Femina” and will take place Thursday, March 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Library Room L-109. For additonal information or to sign up contact Justin Rocha at jrocha051@ insite.4cd.edu.
Planning for the summer The Los Medanos College Summer 2017 Class Schedule is now available for students who plan to register. It can be viewed online at losmedanos.edu/.
Experience • Beatriz Hernandez
Los Medanos College alumnus and current University of California, Berkeley student Tito Ramos shares his story on how he served a role in the creation of the food pantry at LMC.
Pantry inaugurated at LMC
Ceremony highlights college student struggles By ADRIA WATSON
awatson@lmcexperience.com
Gratitude was the tone surrounding the Food Pantry ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, March 8. Reflecting how the pantry came to be and thanking those who made it possible — the Contra Costa and Solano County Food Bank, faculty, staff and students — Los Medanos College and local community members came to show their support toward the new resource provided on campus that helps students who face food insecurity. “We are officially open, fully stocked, with student employees working and ready to provide warm smiles and their service to students here at Los Medanos College,” said LMCAS Adviser
John Nguyen in his opening speech. While expressing his excitement about the ceremony, he added many have used the pantry’s services in the three weeks it has been open. According to Nguyen, over 60 students have come to pick up food. Six hundred food items in total have been given. “Our student life office is one of a kind. They do an incredible job and it’s all about student support,” professed LMC President Bob Kratochvil during his speech. “That’s the beauty of this college. When there’s a need identified, the whole community comes to help and it’s really a crazy and wonderful acknowledgement of just the love and affection that you have for the work
that you do and for the seriousness that you take in providing student support, every single one of you so thank you very much.” He additionally provided background information on the number of students who attend community colleges across the country who have significant food insecurity. “If you see the statistics on how many students actually need food it’s really astounding. 20 percent nationally of our students in community colleges have some sort of need for food,” said Kratochvil adding his appreciation to those who made the pantry happen. “So to take it upon yourselves ... I really, really commend you and thank you very much from all of us at LMC See FOOD, page 6
The 2018-2019 school year at Los Medanos College will look radically different. A decision has been made to shorten the semester from 18 weeks to 16 by the United Faculty and Contra Costa Community College District. These changes are in response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s new budget as a cost saving measure. The final calendar is not set in stone — possible ways to shorten the calendar, according to the United Faculty Executive Director Jeffry Michels, include “taking a whole week of f for Thanksgiving, or star ting or ending on different weeks, or the placement of Spring Break will still need to be discussed.” This change will result in classes being lengthened to still, hypothetically, have the same number of instructional and lab hours while shortening the calendar. While the final form the compressed calendar will take is very much up in the air, it is certain that the calendar will be implemented, and that it will disproportionately affect lab science classes. Many oppose this idea, especially professors who teach lab science classes. By adding on a few more minutes, professors would have to contend with students experiencing mental fatigue as well as having labs run for an awkward amount of time. Biological science Professor Denise Speer expressed dissatisfaction with the lengthening labs. “With fewer weeks each lab would have to be longer,” said Speer. Doctor Durwynne Hsieh, who also harbors serious concerns about lengthening labs, echoes Speer’s concerns.
See WEEK, page 6
Cook-off brings the flavor By ANDREW GONZALEZ
agonzalez@lmcexperience.com
Spicy, mild and green — these were just a few of the characteristics that defined the chili prepared by faculty and staff at the 12th Annual Chili Cook-off at Los Medanos College Tuesday, March 7. The contestants rounded up their eight distinct recipes in the quad near the cafeteria, inviting many hungry students and passerby’s to feed their appetite at only a $1 minimum for a taste, raising $788.05 going toward classified senate
scholarships, Aside from pleasing their hunger, people attending the event were also able to purchase raffle tickets to win baskets filled with certain themed prizes, while voting for their favorite chili. First place was awarded to first time winner Ginny Richards’ Kitchen Sink Chili, second place went to Dan Griffin’s Pateados Frijoles Bebe’ and third place went to Carole Betz with her Loving Mamma’s Chili. “Great cause,” said Rich-
ards. “It’s always a great event to participate in,” she added. While many of the chili servers were the ones behind the making of the cuisine they gave out, Gigi Arango was there, representing a special group of cooks. “This chili was made by the kids in Angela’s class, three, four and five year olds, they all voted what kind of chili to make,” she said. Experience • Carlos Ruiz The kids were all from the child care center on campus, Los Medanos College Chili Cook-off contestant and Arango added, “they had Kathy Griffin serves her Green Chili Verde recipe to See CHILI, page 6
an LMC student.
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“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
— Charlie Chaplin
Kimberly Stelly
Cathie Lawrence
SOCIALLY UNWELL
SHUTTERBUG
Mental illness causes issue
Never too old to finish school
It’s hard to get out of bed sometimes. I don’t mean in the way of sleeping through the alarm, I mean because of my seemingly endless battle with anxiety and depression. Many of my nights are spent overthinking every faulty aspect of my life, and my mornings I’m immobilized, partially due to lack of sleep, but also because the overwhelming feelings of worthlessness. As the years go by, it gets harder and harder to picture myself without mental illnesses which makes room for hopelessness. These feelings contribute to suicidal feelings and though they always pass, they interfere with my schoolwork and the way I interact in personal and professional relationships. One of the more common ways to help relieve yourself of — but not cure — these feelings is not bottling them in. Tell a friend. One of my favorite YouTubers tweeted “I want to kill myself” last summer and he explained afterward that tweeting about how he felt cathartic in that moment. He went on to explain that just because he has those feelings, doesn’t mean he had any intentions on acting on them. This is the sentiment from many suffering with illnesses like depression — ultimately, we don’t want to die. We want our lives to get better. Though he made himself better, it broke my heart for a myriad of reasons. For one thing, he brings so much joy to his audience; it seems unfair that he has to suffer with both anxiety and depression. On a more personal level, I too have dealt with similar feelings and if someone so seemingly happy still has to deal with suicidal thoughts, is there any hope for the rest of us? Yes there is. But this seemingly endless stream of ups and downs is something everyone has to deal with. Those with depression, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety, etc., are going to have a harder time dealing with it. There’s nothing wrong with it as long as you realize it’s not your fault. . Telling yourself not to feel a certain way might be pointless, but as long as you make an effort to take care of yourself — whether it be treating yourself via antidepressants, therapy or engaging in safe activities that you enjoy — you owe it to yourself to make yourself feel mentally strong enough to face the world. One instance in which I had to find a way to not succumb to my depressive feelings happened some years back. For a year, my friends had bragged about an instance in which they hung out on the rooftop of a hotel during a trip they took. It sounded like a good time. But when I found myself on that same rooftop two years later, my thoughts weren’t on anything even in the neighborhood of excitement or happiness. As I looked down at the city below, all I could think I about was how easy it’d be to step off the edge. Deep down I knew I wasn’t going to act on it, but for the rest of the night, the thought that stuck in my head was: what was stopping me from jumping? That night, I was able to recognize that I did have a desire to live, I just let my illness briefly cloud my judgment. Coming from a person who has both literally and figuratively been standing on the edge, one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself is to recognize the difference between what you’re thinking and feeling. You might feel like ending it, but if you know there are reasons for you to live, it won’t make 100 percent happy to stay, but it’ll remind you that you have incentive to do so. The mantra “I feel weak but I know I’m strong,” repeats over and over in my head anytime I feel like I’m succumbing to my mental illnesses. And it really does help.
Does age really matter when earning a degree? As long as you want it, go get it. I would like to work part time for a few more years before actually retiring, and receiving a degree would help me gain employment. You see I’m 62 years young. But there are many people my age or older who have to work longer because they can’t afford to retire. Older students who go back to school for their degrees are plentiful at colleges all around the United States according to the National Center for Education Statistics. These older students are returning to school, often part time or for evening classes. The rate of enrollment is rising faster than students of typical college age. In 2009, students age 25 and older accounted for roughly 40 percent of all college students, including college graduates. That figure is expected to rise to 43 percent by 2020. I don’t have a full-time career in mind for my degree. A freelance position taking photos for various news and sports organizations would be my preferred choice. Luckily, I have already had some small professional jobs taking pictures for a local community paper. Financially I feel secure thanks to good decisions made over the years and inheritances received. At this point in my life, going back to work with a degree in hand would give me a few years more in a field I thoroughly enjoy. I guess you can say that getting my degree is more than just for self-fulfillment and the pleasure of earning a degree. It will also help me get the job I want in the end. My first class was in digital photography which sparked my interest in photojournalism. Since then I have taken courses that allow me to work on the LMC Experience newspaper to develop my journalistic skills. I have been working on the newspaper since the fall of 2013 in various positions including staff photographer, photo editor, assistant web master and sports photographer. I am planning on getting an A.A. in journalism and graphic arts by May 2020. Then hopefully a B.A. in photography will follow eventually. One reason older students go back to school is because they were the ones who either had to work to help support their families financially or they stayed at home and took care of their children. They now want to go back either to finish what they started or to follow their dream of earning a degree. Older students are often faced with different financial considerations and calculations when deciding how to pay for their education. Various institutions, foundations and organizations offer grants and scholarships and colleges offer financial aid. I am also aware many older students are back on campus out of necessity. These older students are on campus to become more competitive in the job market. To these older students, a degree is a lifeline to a better life for themselves and their families. No matter the motivation for seeking a degree, older students who are returning to school after years of not being in a classroom may be apprehensive about not fitting in, only to later realize that their fears and concerns were unfounded as a growing numbers of middle-aged adults are now returning to college to pursue or finish their degrees, and many adults find they actually enjoy interacting and learning with younger students who are enthusiastic about education. To these older students, I say continue on the road toward getting that degree you so long for. To the younger students who predominate on campus, I say continue to help by interacting with us “oldies but goodies” so we, too, can be as successful as you in the academic world.
Experience • Micah Judah
Editorial
Repealing is unappealing
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n a relentless effort to further ruin everyone’s lives, the Trump Administration has enacted a bill doing away with core aspects of the Affordable Care Act. This means making it harder for some to pay for health services since it would limit Medicaid funding, which covers many low-income Americans. In other words, GOP: 1, Americans who rely on a consistent source of affordable healthcare: 0. None of this comes as a surprise. Trump isn’t the first conservative to want to sink the ACA. Unfortunately, Trump’s gotten the closest and so we’re putting people’s lives in the hands of someone who’s more concerned about his social media presence than poor people. Just when we thought the Trump Administration would never come up with a replacement for the ACA, he makes a half-assed attempt causing even those from his own party to question the validity of this “solution.” Since its inception, the bill has garnered heavy opposition from Democrats and Republicans alike as well as medical institutions like the American Medical Association. Though some take comfort in the fact that Republicans take issue with the bill, we should remember that though they may not agree with the measures taken so far, their endgame is still to wholly repeal the ACA. Completely getting rid of the ACA would affect many groups including transgender individuals on account that Section 1557 of the act is not denying medical care on the basis of gender. People who seek services provided by Planned Parenthood would also be affected as the GOP is aiming to defund the organization. Democrats in relation to any questionable legislation lately, have been notoriously ineffective in locating a backbone so it’s looking like struggling Americans are going to have to shoulder the negative affects if the bill is passed. It’s sad, very sad that many of the people who would be affected by the passing of this bill happen to be Trump supporters. many of his voter base, in fact, many of the people who typically vote for the Republican nominee are poverty stricken, middle-aged white individuals who have little to no college education. Because of the GOP’s success in keeping their own voter base in the dark, problems arise when these people finally realize “hey, this half-baked attempt at discriminating against those who aren’t rich white men impacts us negatively too!” But don’t lose hope just yet — Trump’s backup plan looks promising. If the proposed bill fails, plan B is to let the ACA fail. Though admittedly, the ACA could use some work, it’s our best bet. “Good for now” isn’t particularly reassuring but if it’s helped 20 million people, we’re at least on the right track.
Letter to the Editor
Jack Williams legacy will live on DEAR EDITOR, Jack Williams was one of the original instructors in the Electrical and Instrumentation Technology (ETEC) program here at Los Medanos College. Prior to teaching at LMC, Jack taught for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) local 302, where he started his electrical career in 1947. Jack was a master electrician and supervised many large construction projects including the construction of Los Medanos College in the early ‘70s. Jack brought the hands-on experience into the classroom and taught work ethic as well as theory. If you showed a desire to learn,
Jack would go beyond the classroom and hold tutoring sessions on weekends at his home. In his span of 60 plus years of teaching Jack gave thousands of students the opportunity to have a career that enhanced their life and the life of their families. In teaching, analogies are used to clarify a point or concept; the one that describes Jack’s place in teaching is the sport of golf. There are a lot of people swinging clubs and call themselves golfers, but there is only one Arnold Palmer. Jack was an Arnold Palmer of teaching. He was a great teacher, mentor and friend. We were blessed to have him and he will be missed. — Pat Martucci
Reader Opinion Policy
The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write. If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com. Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.
Voices
Which celebrity would you put in Ben Carson’s cabinet position? C
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“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
“Chance the Rapper because he just recently donated a million dollars to Chicago and seems more interested in helping communities.” — Azuka Atum
“Sylvester Stallone because he used to live on the streets. I’m sure he has an understanding of what it’s like to be in a troubled environment.” — Brennan Russell
“With Gonzalo Garcia Vivanco because he’s handsome and would catch everyone’s attention.” — Michelle Gonzalez
“Bob the Builder because he knows how to build houses and knows how to develop neighborhoods.” — Justin Rocha
“Emma Watson because she has some great ideas, she’s into politics and I think she can make some changes.” — Breanna Enos
“I would replace him with Jaden Smith because he’s a genius.” — Nauman Khan
Editors-in-Chief ...........BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ and KIMBERLY STELLY Managing Editor.....................ADRIA WATSON Perspectives Editor............VANESSA FLORES Campus Editor ......................TERESA GAINES Features Editor ................SARAH GONZALES Sports Editor ....................... GARRETT BELME Graphics Editor...................LISSETTE URBINA Photo Editor ..........................CHRISTIAN RUIZ Copy Chief ...................... TYLER MORTIMORE 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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“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
— Stephen King
Faculty invites LGBTQ+ students Teachers plan social mixer By JORDAN NEEL Staff Writer
Experience archive • Cathie Lawrence
Photographer Dan Rosenstraush of the Bay Area News Group tells a story to students, faculty and staff using artwork during a previous ‘Books Alive!’ event in the fall of 2015.
Library renews ‘Books Alive!’ By AUSTIN C. HERRINGTON Staff Writer
The Los Medanos College Librar y will be holding its fourth Books Alive! event on April. 1 in Room L-109 from noon to 2 p.m. The event was first held in the spring of 2014 at LMC but was known then as Human Library. After the success of the first event, the library was elated to offer the program again and rebranded their Human Library event to Books Alive! The Human Library is an organization designed to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue according to humanlibrary.org. Technical Services Librarian and Coordinator of Books Alive! Leila Swisher is excited to be apart of the event for a fourth year. “Books Alive! is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn new perspectives,” said Swisher.
Both students and LMC faculty members can participate in this event. You can be a “Human Book” which means you are checked out for twenty minutes in the two hour event and you have to choose something that you are willing to talk about that makes you unique. “Students and faculty members alike have the opportunity to learn about the lives and experiences of their fellow community members,” said Swisher. The event has had unique personal story topics such as an owner of a Costa Rican rainforest, a survivor who used poetry to heal and a world traveler. Brentwood LMC Librarian and Co-coordinator of Books Alive! Roseann Erwin loves the event and can’t wait to be apart of it for another year, “I like that it reflects all of the things you can find in a library: expert information, fascinating stories, how-to and advice,” said Erwin.
Because of the success of the first installment in 2014, the LMC library decided to offer Books Alive! as an annual event. The fall event focused on careers and the Spring event focused on personal stories. “Not only will they hear interesting stories but they might get some good career advice or make a connection that will help with their future success,” said Erwin. The event seems to be deeper to a “Human Book” than just sharing stories. “I love it when I help a student find a library book that will be really useful to them, I want to also provide that connection between people,” said Erwin. “I want to facilitate dialogue and interaction in our community,” said Erwin. Anyone is allowed to be a reader for the event. During the event, the reader browses through a catalog consisting of titles and descriptions of the See BOOKS page 6
Center eases stress for parent students By ALBERTO ZELIDON Staff Writer
Experience • Teresa Gaines
Student Erin Ernest and son Harlan Gilbert relax after Erin’s class at the Child Care Center.
Newswatch ‘Pi Day’ fans serve up pie
All are invited to eat pie in celebration of “Pi Day,” Tuesday, March 14. The Math Department will be serving slices of pie because the mathematical constant pi is 3.14159.. etc. If weather permits, the event will be held outside of the Math Building and, if not, inside in the lobby. You may donate circular foods for the free event and drop them off in the Math Building staff room MA141 on 3/14 before noon. The event starts at 1:59 p.m.
Apply to private colleges
Many private and out of state colleges are still accepting applications for transfer in Fall 2017. LMC offers Transfer Admission Guarantees to HBCUs, Saint Mary’s College, University of the Pacific and more.Drop by the Student Services Center, Upper Level (SS4), Transfer and Career Services to learn more.
Civic leaders meet for brunch
Students leaders may come to Cesar Chavez Civic Leaders Brunch, a speed mentoring event. The activity is for connecting leaders in the community to students while brunch is provided. To RSVP email Director of Transfer and Career Services Kristin Conner, kconner@ losmedanos.edu no later than March 22.
HBCU tours available
Students and staff will be traveling by airplane departing from the Oakland Airport on Sunday, April 9 and returning Saturday, April 15 to historically black colleges and universities on the east coast. The tour application is available on the LMC website. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
College students who are also parents have to learn to multi-task. Having to manage time between school, work and kids can be challenging. Los Medanos College student Angelica Chong sometimes struggles with the juggling act. “Sometimes I have to have my kid on my lap while I type up my essay,” laughed Chong. “There are so many times I had to backspace because of the gibberish my kid had typed.” Some might say it’s a matter of time management, but with children, work and school, these things will stress you out regardless of how well you plan.
Ashlee Pestana, a veteran and a single mother of a two year old, has to deal with not only her job, but feels she never gets a moment to herself. “I’m always stressed,” said Pestana. “I have my time well-managed, but I never get enough solitary time.” Although there are options for childcare at Los Medanos, some have a hard time with the price that comes with using the Child Care Center’s accommodations. “It’s expensive,” said Chong, “They charge you $600 if you are a part time student and $500 if you are a full-time student. That’s like half my rent.” The Child Center charges students from a range of $520 to $780 and that See CARE, page 6
Los Medanos College faculty and student club ALLIES prepare for their first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ+) social mixer Mar. 27 from noon to 2 p.m. inside library room L109. LMC staff who identify as LGBTQ+ or as an ally of the community want to hold the event for LGBTQ+ students to come together with staff. Elizabeth Green, LMC English professor, facilitated a faculty workshop earlier in the year. “It was for LGBTQ+ and ALLIES promoting LGBTQ+ studies across the curriculum, developing community among faculty and staff and how we can better support our LGBTQ+ students. Melissa Pon had this idea to create an ‘Out List,’ which will be announced at the mixer,” said Green. “The plan is to have it on the LMC website for faculty and staff who are willing to be ‘out’— their names and emails will be listed so students can have various points of contact. We’re hoping we get a good sized group.” Josh Bearden, LMC Social Science professor, who will be there organizing the food, expressed interest in holding another mixer like this in the future. “We also talked about doing a happy hour or even a book club, maybe once a month or once every two months, just something that keeps the community going. There’s a small community of LGBTQ+ faculty here, but working this kind of job is isolating,” said Bearden. “For me, it was about building that community and reaching out to people beyond my department at other places on campus and getting to know them. It’s also for the students as well, because we want students to know who’s a part of their community. It’s really important LGBTQ+ people are visible. Young college-aged people are getting into that self-discovery mode and they have lots of questions about their sexuality or place in the world. They need to know there are other people who can talk to them.” Green said she really wanted the LGBTQ+ community to have a spotlight on campus. “In the current political climate we’re in, this crackdown on transgender students from the Trump administration and then Mike Pence being openly homophobic and advocating conversion therapy, it is great to have a resistance where we can all bond together,” said Green. “I want students to have a good time, feel connected and have a sense there’s a whole bunch of people out there they can talk to whether it’s Danielle Shaw, Melissa Pon, Josh See LGBTQ, page 6
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“I am life, I am strength, I am woman.” — Julia de burgos
Drama win at Denver fest Lutz lights way to victory By JOSE PANTOJA Staff Writer
during my eighth grade school year. With the move I knew came a lot of changes,” she said. Moll remembers how scared she felt about having to adapt to a new home and school, and make new friends. Fortunately her strong interpersonal abilities kicked in and saved the day. In a discreet manner, almost to the same rhythm as she spoke, Moll reached into her striped, black and white canvas bag, slowly taking her eyes toward the bag as if she was looking for something. At no point did she lose her string of ideas. Moll took out a green, plastic Perrier water bottle and, without a blink, twisted the cap right off and took a long sip. She cleared her voice and continued her journey. During her college days at the University of Madison, she focused in the field of languages, pursuing a degree in French along with Italian. Some time into her studies, Moll remembers how determined she felt about going abroad and living a year in France, and grins. “I am so grateful for the opportunity of living abroad, it was absolutely wonderful, life changing,” said Moll. “My life experiences gained an added value and really took a whole different direction, it totally changed my whole world.”
The annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a multi-regional national theater program that celebrates the creative process by inviting thousands of drama students to participate in workshops, symposia, and scholarship competitions. The KCACF took place in Denver Colorado this year from Feb. 19-25 and several of Los Medanos College’s own students participated in the festival under the guide of Drama Department Chair, Professor Nick Garcia. “It was amazing! Attendees addressed powerful current issues in their displays and it felt more empowering and inspiring compared to previous years,” said Garcia. The festival holds a gamut of workshops and competitions for all things drama related and it is well attended. “There were over 500 student participants in the acting department alone,” said Garcia and in addition to acting there was a fervent showing for departments like costume design, prop design, sound design, set design, and makeup, just to name a few. LMC’s own Stephanie Lutz attended the festival and competed in lighting design. Her work on display was from last year’s LMC production of “Project Serenity.” Out of about 60 submissions in the lighting design category, Lutz’s talent and hard work earned her two awards at the regional level and the only ones awarded to an LMC student this year. One award for “Potential in Theater” and the other, one of only eight awarded, for exceptional use of lighting in a production using the software Vector Works. Lutz’s work was so well received that she was notified by a Central Washington University representative to expect admission papers in the mail, much to her delight. Lutz has competed in the festival for the past three years, two years ago she entered a display from the LMC production of “My Block” and though she did not win any awards it was a great learning experience. In speaking on her previous admission to the KCACTF Lutz said, “When you present you have to come under time or else they will stop you and it will hurt your chances. I also learned that you have to be proud of your work, I was not proud and it showed.” Lutz’s award for her work on “Project Serenity” earned her the newest software version of the Vector Works program as
See MOLL, page 6
See KCACF, page 6
Experience • Kyle Davis
Los Medanos professor Debra Moll lectures her Elementary Italian class Thursday, March 9.
Moll brings Europe to LMC
Professor’s passion for Italy turns into career Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles of women in honor of Women’s History Month. By LILLIAM R RAMIREZ Staff Writer
For the past 12 years at los Medanos College, Italian instructor Debra Moll can be characterized by her infinite love in art, traveling, cooking and languages. As she sits in her chair, legs crossed, with her left hand lost in her beautiful, chestnut-colored curly hair, she smiles, staring ahead with nothing to stop her trip down memory lane. Moll’s life is similar to a passage filled with unexpected twists and turns. As she narrates her life journey, which began in Toledo, Ohio, her voice softens as she describes her childhood days. “We lived not too far from downtown, on a dead end kind of street and there always were a lot of kids,” said Moll. “At the end of the street, there were woods, where we would make forts, play and have a lot of fun together.” She describes these moments, as key elements in helping her become a real people person, always enjoying the chance to talk to people and share experiences. Wearing a long, light brown trench coat, grey, leather knee high boots, and a soft, dark colored scarf wrapped
around her neck, hanging freely over her black knitted dress, accompanied with a scent of European perfume blended with a touch of elegance, she illustrates a strong admiration for fashion. “I’ve always loved fashion, since I was a little girl thumbing through the Sears catalogue, picking out dresses I wanted,” she said. Living in France also swayed her heart toward fashion. She continues her childhood journey in Ohio, while resting her head on her hand; her curls fall freely with no focused direction. Moll’s father was an art enthusiast, working at a museum for part of her childhood, then moving on up to work as a resident sculptor in an Interior Design Company in Perrysville, “a smaller, ver y wealthy, suburb like town, near Toledo, right across the Maumee River in Ohio,” said Moll. Her father would sometimes take her to his job, give her tours of the
different buildings and let her explore the compound. “Being able to see the different pieces of art, the sculptors, furniture and artists really helped shape me into the person I am today,” said Moll. “When I was younger I would make art, draw and paint, I had a great love for art and art history.” Her father was undoubtedly an exceptional influence in her growing appreciation for art. While living in Ohio, she was exposed to people who were non-conformist, progressive thinkers, as well as of different races and they also had an impact on defining who she is today. Moll continues her mental journey, gracefully speaking, smiling with delight as she plays with her gold ring that adorns her pinky finger. She vividly remembers her childhood, with such precision, almost as if she was walking through a still movie about her past. A wide variety of experiences contributed to shaping her: living in Madison, Wisconsin during civil unrest and constant protests, attending two great universities and mingling with progressives. Right around the time she was in middle school, her father was offered a job teaching at the University of Wisconsin. She looked away, paused and stared intently into the unknown. “I was in complete awe, because it was
Change in Ed’s ‘Divide’ By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ
bhernandez@lmcexperience.com
After a year long hiatus, English Singer-Songwriter Ed Sheeran’s highly anticipated third album “Divide,” was released Friday, March 3, showcasing a more grounded sounding Sheeran. Following the success of his second album, “Multiply,” Sheeran released a statement on Instagram Dec. 12, 2015 where he announced his hiatus, teasing the production of his third album as “the best thing [he has] made thus far.” He kept his promise returning exactly one year later to social media and began his next era Jan. 6. releasing two tracks of the album — “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill.” Listening to both during their initial releases, “Shape of You” was the real headturner.
REVIEW
While “Castle on the Hill” did give Lukas Graham “7 Years” vibes, it was typical Sheeran. “Shape of You” was the real indication of a new direction Sheeran has started to go in appealing to a more general audience. Having both singles released at the same time, it felt as though this is was a way for Sheeran to express to his audience the message that his style was changing. While he wants to assure people he is still the same boy from Framlingham, Suffolk, he has inevitably changed. Although there are elements of Sheeran that remain true to his roots as an artist including his quirky rap style in “Eraser” and “Galway Girl” and an array of guitar heavy heart wrenching songs such as “Perfect,” something about his music feels different. The attempt to revamp his
style was appreciated. After a brief hiatus artists will boast about how the new music they are working on is like “nothing you’ve ever heard before.” Adele, for example, often expressed that “25” would be different from her two previous albums as she feels she can write about more happy things, but it wasn’t. Similarly, Sheeran has been pigeonholed into the role of a romantic guitar strumming acoustic artist. Apart from “Don’t” and “Sing” from “Multiply” and “You Need Me I Don’t Need You” from “Plus,” it’s not often that Sheeran dips into the more pop and mainstream styles of music. Overall, it seems as though he is in the in-between stages of figuring out where he wants to be as an artist with his Photo courtesy of Lester Cohen/Getty Images for NARAS newfound fame. One can only hope this picture becomes a Musician Ed Sheeran performs during the 59th Grammy Awards at Staples little clearer for his next album. Center Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.
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“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” — Mike Singletary
Jonathan Little A LITTLE LOVE
Giants aim for playoffs
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Los Medanos College’s guard Albert Waters maneuvers past a Mendocino defender during the team’s Feb. 10 home victory.
Mustangs hit stride late
Team finishes with a 16-9 overall record By ANDREW GONZALEZ
agonzalez@lmcexperience.com
Although they didn’t get off to the start they wanted, the Los Medanos College Mustangs Men’s Basketball team was able to cap off a winning season at a respectable 16-9 overall record. The team excelled in conference play, winning 13 out of 16 games versus their Bay Valley opponents. Out of the gates, the Mustangs got a close win in their first game of the season at home against the Simpson University Red Hawks 74-71. However from that point on, the season went into a different direction after their promising start. The team was scheduled to play in the Solano Tournament, followed by the Mendocino Tournament and finally the Santa Rosa Tournament.
But they lost their next 6 games in a row, with the first four losses eliminating them from the Solano and Mendocino Tournaments respectively. The next loss was in regular season play and the sixth was the first game of the Santa Rosa Tournament, but LMC managed to salvage a third place finish. Freshman guard Quincy Smith had an idea as to why the team struggled early on in the season. “I felt this rough stretch happened because one of our best point guard on the team was ineligible in the beginning of the season and we practiced with him for the first three months of the semester,” said Smith. “So once season came around it threw off our team chemistry as a whole and we had to quickly find new ways of
adjusting our offense,” said Smith. While Smith knew he and the rest of team had to work through the losing streak, he admitted it was not easy to take in. “At this point it was frustrating to lose 6 in a row, but we knew we were a good team and we were just having some difficulties finding our chemistry,” he said. Head Coach Derek Domenichelli echoed similar sentiments of frustration, but made sure to instill a work ethic into his players and fellow coaches. “My players and staff trusted in the process of getting better each and every day. I truly believed in them and they believed in our system,” Domenichelli said. Following the teams third place
SPORTS MEDICINE
finish in the Santa Rosa Tournament, they suffered two of their three conference losses consecutively to Solano and Yuba, but after ward, things changed for LMC. They came close to running the table, winning 13 out of their last 14 games, including winning streaks of six and seven games in a row. Led by guard Albert Waters — who was fifth in the Bay Valley conference in scoring with 18.9 points-per game — the Mustangs were tough to take down with only Yuba managing to do so during the stretch. “Once Albert Waters came back, it opened up our offensive game and we began to gain our team chemistry back,” Smith said of his teammate. They were an offense-oriented
See BBALL, page 6
For the first time since 2009, the San Francisco Giants are starting an odd year without a title. The Giants ended last season with an 87-75 record, clinching second in the division and a wild card berth. Throughout the 2016 season, the Giants had to deal with injuries and an unreliable bullpen. Hunter Pence’s torn hamstring in the middle of the season, second baseman Joe Panik’s concussion symptoms for most of the year and long-time starting pitcher Matt Cain’s shoulder and elbow problems for most of the second half proved to be the most damaging. Injuries killed them post-All Star break. However, that didn’t stop them from reaching the playoffs, where they bowed out to the eventual champions, the Cubs. Giants weren’t successful for many reasons. First, the bullpen struggled to shut down opposing hitters. Second, they lacked depth and experience off the bench, which cost them late in games. Lastly, injuries were a huge problem as they had many stars out for extended period of time. Going into the offseason, the Giants had a lot of problems, and the first one they addressed was the bullpen. As a baseball fan I would’ve loved to see the Giants sign Aroldis Chapman. His 100 mph fastballs, breaking sliders and changeups make hitters look like fools. However that didn’t happen, as he re-signed with the team that traded him, the New York Yankees. Then there was Kenley Jansen, who just didn’t fit the Giants mentality, though it didn’t matter as he resigned the Los Angeles Dodgers. It didn’t matter to the Orange and Black because the Giants knew early on who they were going to sign, and who would fit in the Giants clubhouse. It was none other than Mark Melancon, former closer for the Washington Nationals in 2016. The Giants were able to sign the three time all-star for 4 years and over $80 million dollars. Thebenefit of Mark Melancon was who he learned from, the great Mariano Rivera. That name is still feared among hitters today, because of his cutter. That pitch is similar to the one Melancon throws, which buckles the knees of the best hitters in the game. All in all, the Giants got a steal in signing Melancon and he should do great in a hitter’s ballpark like AT&T. See GIANTS, page 6
Stangs nab 10th win Taylor shuts out Merced Blue Devils By CARLOS RUIZ
cruiz@lmcexperience.com
more teamwork Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, you deserve excellent care. Our talented team of sports medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists can help you stay on top of your game.* To learn more, visit kp.org/diablo.
*By referral only.
The pitching duel last week between the Los Medanos College Mustangs and Merced Blue Devils began with starting pitcher Gabe Taylor throwing zeroes across the board matched by the Merced counterpart through the majority of the game. But the Stangs offense woke up late in the game, giving the Mustangs their 10th victory of the season with a 4-0 shutout. Sophomore utility player Taylor who saw his fifth start on Mar. 2 on the pitcher’s mound, was already having an all-star season on both sides of the baseball. He has an ERA of 0.79, 24 strikeouts and also ranks first in the Bay Valley Division, both for runs batted in and stolen bases, so he certainly grabbed the attention of the scouts in attendance. Taylor quickly ended the top of the first and got out of a jam in the second. The game had a back and forth pitching showdown feel to it early on. With little offense being displayed by wither team. But that all changed for LMC in the seventh inning, when left fielder Deon White got on base with a single. He got away with robbery, stealing second and later sprinting to third and ending
Experience • Carlos Ruiz
LMC’s Gabe Taylor pitches against Merced. at home plate, scoring on a wild pitch, making it 1-0 giving the Mustangs the first score of the game. It looked like the game was over when the pitching continued to succeed, but the hunger of more runs was still present. The bottom of the eighth saw Jonathan Allen with a
leadoff double and ace Taylor getting a base hit, bringing Allen to third. Third baseman Antone Self picked up his ninth RBI of the season with a sacrifice bunt followed by shortstop Jason Ochoa’s first hit of the game with an RBI double. Joining the ongoing offensive rally was second baseman Jonathan Pluth also collecting a run by sacrifice, making the game 4-0 at the end of the eighth. Finishing strong just as he started, Taylor collected his fourth win of the season by pitching a seven strikeout’s complete game shutout, for the team’s tenth win of the year. “We always display our great teamwork and we proved it again with this win over Merced,” said head coach Anthony D’Albora. “After we made some batting adjustments later on in the game and Gabe’s pitching gem shows our hard work in this hard fought victory.” The team now sits in second place in the Bay Valley division with a 10-5 record. But with a game in hand, they will try to reclaim first place against Solano at home on Saturday, March 12. For more information on LMC baseball visit http://www. losmedanos.edu/basketball/ mens.asp
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MOLL From page 4
Living, exploring and breathing European culture while abroad gifted her with the confidence of realizing how strong she was. Moll said that in high school and first few years of college she was shy. After changing her major a couple of times at the University of Madison, Debra Moll made one of her best decisions, “I joined the study abroad program and lived in France for a year. I wanted to do something for myself and my career.” The choice to join the study abroad program proved to be beneficial for Moll as presented many opportunities. “Spending time in France, embracing the opportunity helped me blossom in a great way,” said Moll, adding it “fueled my curiosity about the world, people, and other cultures and rhythms of life.” She said she had always been intrigued with Italy and while studying Italian at the University of Madison, she would party at the Teacher’s Assistants apartments or go to bars seeking pizza and wine. “This is when I began my love affair with wine as well,” said Moll. “I never drank until my French and Italian parties with the T.A.’s.” She smiled and said those were some staggering memories.
FOOD From page 1
of working on behalf of our students.” Nguyen explained that if it were not for students like Tito Ramos — a United States veteran and LMC alum who brought the idea to have a student pantry to student life —and financial contributions from those around campus and the community, the pantry would not be what it is today. “The idea first came to me when I was doing a concurrent enrollment program at UC Berkeley, I just happened to stumble upon it because the people who were helping me over there in that program, happened to be in the same building and I saw this room filled with food and I asked what is going on,” said Ramos while giving the audience a brief history to how he came to approach LMC student life. He explained that he was told the room was the university’s Food Pantry and began to use their services, came back to LMC and talked to student ambassadors and coordinators about his personal struggle and why the campus needed a food pantry. “It was embarrassing to me the first time I went to student life and told them what I was going through,” said Ramos. “And the reason why it really affected me was because the first time, I dropped out of school — I couldn’t afford it. Giving your kids hotdogs for breakfast, lunch and diner is not the nutritious thing to do and you kind of look at yourself a little different so I was like no school isn’t worth it and so I was working and it took about two years for me to get back up on my feet and say ‘ok I’m ready for school again, I’m not going to stop,’” Additionally, Ramos acknowledged the importance of having the panty because of knowing his own personal struggle, realizing someone else might be going through the same thing too. “It can be a juggling act trying to balance your school and your home life, do I eat today? Do I pay for books? So having this resource here is an amazing thing and it can help provide some well needed relief so that we can continue to be successful in our academic journeys.” Together, he and members of student life sent out emails seeking support and explaining the need of the food pantry to LMC employees. One faculty member to showed support being English instructor Scott Warfe, who worked with TOMS to get a $10,000 grant for the pantry. Warfe echoed similar sentiments in regards to recognizing student need on campus. During one of his 8 a.m. classes, he set out granola bars for students to take out of guilt for assigning an in-class essay as early as he did. One of the his students approached him asking for more than one granola bar and thanking him for letting her do so because it was the
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“While living in France and visiting Italy so many times, I totally fell in love with the country, people, culture, food, fashion, art, you name it,” she said. Plus, she happened to fall in love with an Italian man who was an artist, photographer and art dealer. He was Stefano. “I had some exquisite experiences with him, meeting his friends and taking me to Venice to meet his mother,” adding that it couldn’t be described as anything other than life changing. Unfortunately her exuberant happiness halted briefly when she returned to Wisconsin. “Wisconsin seemed like an anticlimax, the economy was really bad and I couldn’t find a job,” she said. She craved adventure and more stimulus in her life. Life in Madison was stifling for her. “It was a long, harsh winter, and I hated the winters there,” Moll said. Change was often on her mind, she breathed it and desired it more than ever. One day, she and her mother decided to make a break for California, specifically Glendale, where her grandpa lived. At this point in time, her parents were divorced. Her father helped them pack up their stuf f in solid, car ton boxes and load them onto their rented U-HAUL truck. “I will never forget him standing in the driveway all alone, waving goodbye to us,”
only thing she would be eating for the day — the moment making him aware of the need of additional support for LMC students. “I knew a lot about this student,” said Warfe.“This student had to take two busses to get to LMC in the morning and two busses to get home in the evening and she did this every day, while probably having only eaten two granola bars that her English teacher brought because, he felt guilty about assigning an in-class essay at 8 in the morning.” He, with the help of others, created a small little food closet in the English department area for who faced similar struggles as the one in his class. It was not until Student Life Ambassador Sarah Holderman informed about the food pantry, introduced him to Ramos and heard his story. “I shared [the students stories] with my brother in law who works over at TOMS and he told me about their community fund where TOMS gives 10 thousand dollar grants every month,” explained Warfe adding that over the course of four months, he continuously worked to get said grant from the company to fund the food pantry. “I think it’s a good lesson that we’re not here to collect stories and I don’t think we’re even really here to change stories -- though we might help students change their own story -- but what we can do is when we share them, we might be giving them a voice that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
KCACF From page 4
well as a weeklong course among the rest of the winners to be held in Las Vegas in June. Drama student DuPraiseja Smith attended for her fourth consecutive year and represented the passion which seems typical of attendees. “It was exciting! I made new friends and got to see people I met previous years as well,” said Smith. Next year the KCACTF will move to Spokane, Washington. Though LMC only takes students who have been nominated, the fees are not waived. Lutz and other LMC drama students cherish the opportunity to attend and display their craft but any student can sympathize with the fact that money can be an issue. Lutz’s said fellow drama students sometimes setup GoFundMe or Indiegogo to help with expenses. Interested students may want to take the opportunity help their fellow students pursue a passion.
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said Moll. “It broke my heart because I was very close to both parents,” adding that she was heartbroken to leave her father, but it was something she had to do. The day arrived, Moll and her mom were off to the beginning of a new adventure. Her sister, who at the time was finishing her undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin, decided to tag along. “I remember having to do all the driving since my mother couldn’t drive because she didn’t have her license,” said Moll, adding that her sister was best described as a timid driver. “I was so nervous driving, but it was definitely an experience driving cross country, just us three women,” she said. At around the half waypoint, she convinced her sister to give her a break while driving through New Mexico. When out of nowhere, the unexpected happened. “The UHAUL truck broke down, and there were no cellphones back in those days,” she said. Moll remembers how her sister took her red lipstick, tore a piece of cardboard from the box and wrote HELP. “We sat on the bumper of the UHAUL truck until someone stopped.” Two days later they were on the road again. Moll joked, “My sister refused to drive ever again.” “I will never forget coming
over San Bernardino, when you come into the state and see all the green mountains, blue skies, it was just a change of scenery,” said Moll, “just exciting.” Moll quickly found herself longing for change. She felt tired with Los Angeles, the traffic, the infinite number of cars everywhere and the people just weren’t genuine and friendly. For this reason, she and her mom travelled to San Francisco in September during Labor Day weekend. Almost immediately, she fell in love with the blue skies that covered the city. After moving to San Francisco, Moll went to UC Berkeley for her teaching credentials in French. She soon found a job, but described the pay to be so low that it motivated her to go back to UC Berkeley for her master’s degree in French Literature. While at Cal Berkeley she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant in French for a little over three years. “I’ve always wanted to teach at the college level,” said Moll. “It’s much more rewarding and enjoyable to have students who are engaged and want to learn.” She was attracted to the intellectual environment at Cal Berkeley, and recognized the distinctions between Cal and Los Medanos College, but she also believed it beat a high school environment. “I like the relative autonomy we enjoy,” said Moll. “It’s much
more of a joy to be in the college environment where we are all adults and treated with respect.” After a couple of more moves in the Bay Area, Moll moved to her final destination, Pleasant Hill with her then husband and her two children Alessandra and Jesse. After working several jobs throughout various school districts, she got a permanent position at Pittsburg High School as a French and Italian teacher. “About 13 years ago, a friend of mine told me about a job opening as an Italian instructor at Los Medanos College,” said Moll. “I came and talked to HR and also former World Languages chair Nancy Whitman, who retired last year, who was just a dear. They hired me!” As she looks up, keeping her hands on the table, Moll said that it’s been approximately 12 years of teaching at LMC. Moll said she enjoys her time at LMC, and described it as “monumental, it was the moment I felt beyond rewarded.” It often reminds her of her days as a TA at UC Berkeley, where students felt the necessity of learning, expanding their knowledge about the Italian culture through language. She says languages are just so fascinating. “It is a big plus seeing people enjoy my class, it is a very rewarding feeling,” said Moll, “it gives me satisfaction in life.” Her eyes fully engaged in
what has turned into a conversation, a sweet emotion tags along every spoken idea. “I have always enjoyed sharing my experiences, my knowledge and my passions for language,” said Moll. “Whether it is Italian or French, I just hope that I can convey that enthusiasm and hopes students catch it.” When she is not teaching, Moll enjoys spending time at home cooking, baking, watching political shows and eating at some of her favorite restaurants around the Bay Area. Vietnamese food is her absolute favorite, and said she enjoys going to Butterfly, a Californian-Asian restaurant located in the heart of the Embarcadero in San Francisco called Butterfly, as well as Xyclo, an Asian Fusion restaurant in Oakland. “I think I owe much of who I am today to my parents, my father especially,” said Moll who cooked with him over the years. “Thanks to my dad, I grew to love the art of cooking and exposing my senses to exquisite food.” Moll narrates her life journey with a lot of passion, acknowledging that reminiscing is such a beautiful and therapeutic technique. As she takes one last sip of water, Moll culminates her journey with a laugh, fingers tangled in her curls, conveying an exquisite, infectious enthusiasm. Grazie mille cara!
CHILI
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a lot of fun making it and they really want to win.” The children brought the food up to the quad themselves and they were excitedly yelling at people to buy their chili. The kids were newcomers to the cook-of f, but many were regulars to the friendly competition. “I’ve been doing it for 12 years,” said Sylvia Benzler of DSPS. Benzler brings something new to the table every year. “It’s similar but different every time because I don’t write down the recipe,” she said. Another regular to the event is Human Resources and Business Services worker Kathy Griffin. One of her creations stood out from the typical chili one thinks of. “Green chili Verde — I make it every year,” said Griffin. “It simmers for 2-3 hours, which makes it so good.” She entered with the intention of winning, but participates for something beyond a first place finish. “It’s a scholarship fundraiser,” she said. “I made four this year to try and raise as much money as possible.” She also brought in her sweet Serrano Saddlebag Chili, which won her the people’s choice award. The event brought a lot of chili, which means a lot of scholarship money. “All of the money is going toward scholarships for the Classified Senate. We give them out to students when they transfer,” said Andrew Murphy of the Classified Senate. The event on par with expectations, not only helped lessen the hunger of countless students, but also helped ease the pursuit of future transferees from LMC. — Vanessa Flores contributed to this report
“You can’t really do another experiment in 20 or 30 minutes,” said Hsieh concerned that the extra time on the labs will ultimately be wasted. With fewer, longer lab sections, it is impossible to still have every experiment currently in the curriculum. Another issue is that of student’s mental fatigue. “3 hour labs are more than a little on the long side,” said Speer, “with fewer weeks each lab would have to be even longer.” Mental fatigue is a problem with extended classes across the board, but according to Speer, lab science classes are even more taxing when lengthened. “Three hours of scientific inquiry is exhausting,” said Speer, “Lecture is already an hour and twenty minutes long which is pushing it.” Speer is also worried that while the school year will have the same number of hours, the later parts of the day “will be more time where students brains are not engaged.” Hsieh shares similar sentiments saying that the changes will lead to “mental fatigue” and that students were “already at their limits” in both lecture and lab where critical thinking was concerned. Hsieh is also worried that by lengthening class time, it will crowd the schedule ultimately resulting in fewer classes. According to Hsieh the decision will not only “eliminate some labs,” but “affect our facilities,” and “could lead to class cancelations,” ending simply with “I am not a fan.” LMC student Jose Alfonso Camos was also unhappy with the upcoming changes. “You have to do more work in a smaller amount of time,” said Camos.
round of speeches is “The Future of Everything.” The idea was conceived with the interest of the community in mind according to Arcidiocono. “Each TEDx event will have their own unique theme, they do not have to be related to other TEDx events,” she said. There are things that must still be worked out. Submissions must be reviewed and the speakers must be chosen. “Marie and I will begin inviting our campus and feeder community to submit drafts of talks this spring,” said Huffman. “We will also assemble a diverse panel to decide upon the final six to seven speakers for the event.” Students, faculty and staff – as well as any surrounding community member -- are welcome to submit applications to speak. There will be a screening process involving a rubric to make the selection process go smoother. Anyone interested in speaking at this event will be able to apply via online portal, which is currently under construction. In addition to figuring out the speakers, LMC is only licensed for 100 people to attend the event. According to Huf fman, they plan on working out how to adhere to this condition. The first TEDxLosMedanos event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 14. Arcidiacono says, “This event will be one for the record books.”
team, especially from long range, as they were first in three-point percentage at 42 percent in conference plays compared to other teams within the Bay Valley conference. A popular saying within the spor ts world is “the best defense is a good offense,” a phrase that could link to this year’s team. “I felt that we really improved on our defense as the games went on because as our offensive game improved it motivated us to do the best we could on defense,” said Smith. With 32.1 defensive rebounds per game, LMC beat out their conference opponents in this category. Smith had a positive outlook on the season as a whole, saying, “I feel the season went very well overall. We had our ups and downs throughout the season but I felt that everyday we pushed ourselves to become a better team.” Coach Domenichelli valued the connection he made with his players ever y day they spent together and expressed that he “loved being around all 13 of those remarkable young men this season.” Their overall record from last year’s campaign differed at 17-10, but they improved from their 9 conference wins, so this season could be viewed as a successful one. For more information on the Men’s Basketball team, please vist losmedanos.edu/ basketball/mens
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LGBTQ From page 3
Bearden, Seth Lavender, Jeff Matthews or me.” Pon, LMC MESA counselor, will providing support for the event. “It’s [important] LMC suppor ts the diversity of our faculty, staff and student 0population. Everyone on campus is welcome. Being involved with campus activities that supports diversity and inclusion is very important to me,” said Pon. “The impact I would like students to leave with after the mixer, is that people from all walks of life are valued at LMC in relation to diversity and inclusion.”
BOOKS From page 3
available books and then selects a book to check out. “By sharing stories and discussing valuable life lessons, participants have the opportunity to learn about other viewpoints in a safe learning
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space,” said Swisher. If you are interested in participating or want more information on the event, contact Leila Swisher or email Roseann Erwin. The deadline for applying is Friday Mar. 10.
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CARE From page 3
is if the child is potty trained and between two and threeyears-old. If the child is below two-years-old parents have to pay $776 to $968 but there are discounts for students who have scholarships. “My husband is out all day working, and I’m at school and work weekends,” said Chong, “I have to keep it positive for my kid and my own sanity.” Pestana believes the Child Care Center should at least offer drop-ins for her kid. “My aunt was gone for a week so she couldn’t watch Eden for me,” she said, “I really needed someone to watch my kid for me, but the child center wouldn’t allow it, as though a week notice was not enough time.” According to the Child Care Center’s website LMC students are given first priority and must have also a copy the child’s immunizations record. “If the child center at least had some sort of drop in program, and was less expensive I might actually consider using it,” said Pestana.
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GIANTS From page 5
The Giants didn’t stop there, signing former MVP Jimmy Rollins. He’s getting up there in age, but he’s not too far gone from hitting over .280 as he was just a few years ago. They also signed returning Giants player Michael Morse and veteran players Aaron Hill and catcher Nick Hundley, bringing a veteran presence to an already experienced team. These signings might fix one of their weaknesses, which is depth on the bench, and I think with these signings and guys in the minors that have a shot to make the team help the Giants become better as a team. The big question still for the Giants is their bullpen. They went out and signed Melancon, but the guys behind him still have a lot to prove as the Giants go with young stars like Hunter Strickland. Maybe I’m overreacting about how young they are, but the key factor to look out for is the 162 game grind and a heightened role in the bullpen for each of them. It’ll be interesting to see how the bullpen will shape up in 2017. The one area that Giants fans don’t need to worry about is the starting rotation. With ace pitcher Madison Bumgarner leading a solid staff. The only question is who will fill in the final spot — Matt Cain or Ty Blach, who impressed many by
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outpitching Clayton Kershaw to secure a playoff spot in the last game of the season. The Giants are a team primed for another playoff run this season. With most of the main guys coming back, it looks to be another promising year. Expect Posey throwing out guys from behind the plate, Hunter Pence hitting 400 foot bombs, Madison Bumgarner staring down batters. Let’s get ready for Giants baseball.
DIVIDE From page 4
would be different from her two previous albums as she feels she can write about more happy things, but it wasn’t. It’s not that she can’t sing more upbeat music, but sad-romantic songs are expected from her. Similarly, Sheeran has been pigeonholed into the role of a romantic guitar strumming acoustic artist. Apar t from “Don’t” and “Sing” from “Multiply” and “You Need Me I Don’t Need You” from “Plus,” it’s not often that Sheeran dips into the more pop and mainstream styles of music. Overall, it seems as though he is in the in-between stages of figuring out where he wants to be as an ar tist with his newfound fame. One can only hope this picture becomes a little clearer for his next album.