Oak Leaf Spring 2016 Issue 3

The

Oak Leaf

“That’s Not Love: E s c a l a t i o n” screens at SRJC SRJC Student Health Services and PEERS educate students on the warning signs of an abusive relationship.

News, Page 2

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Newspaper

March 7, 2016

Courtesy of Facebook

Volume CXXXV, Issue III

Love is in the air at SRJC

SRJC Band of the week: Sally Haggard Estefany Gonzalez Co-Editor-in-Chief

Genesis Napel/Oak Leaf

With spring just around the corner, SRJC students can expect to feel the frisky side effects of spring fever.

Features, Page 10

We’re all just emotional creatures

Media instructor’s chaotic life

Brian Antonson works with and instructs students during an onsite shoot for his introduction to filmmaking class.

Nikki Goetz

Social Media Editor

Courtesy of emotionalcreature.com

A moving performance based on the new book by the writer of “The Vagina Monologues.”

A&E, Page 17

Throwin’ Punches

Nudists walking around in broad daylight, Jersey Shore cast members getting their spray tan on and spirits lurking in the distance. What do they all have in common? They were all filmed by cinematographer Brian Antonson.

From filming TV series like “Paranormal State,” to teaching students filmmaking,

Antonson has led a fulfilling life behind the camera. Now he passes on his knowledge of the film world to Santa Rosa Junior College students.

Antonson gets up at 4:30 a.m. and takes a nearly two-hour bike ride to campus on school days. He sets up his classroom and teaches students about cinematography and media studies using his film industry experiences.

He wanted to work in film since he was young, with the hopes of becoming a special effects

Daniel Kong / Oak Leaf

makeup artist. By the time he was in eighth grade he became interested in writing and made it his focus until his mid-20s, when he became interested in cinematography. For him filmmaking was the best way to earn a living.

From 1989-1993, he studied filmmaking at Notre Dame University where he took classes in screenwriting, cinematography, editing and critical studies.

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Double Defeats SRJC men’s and women’s basketball end playoff dreams Anthony Sosa and Frank Sumrall Sports Editor and Staff Writer

Courtesy of Facebook

SRJC student Brian ‘Hit-Man’ Jimenez balances schoolwork with his amatuer fighting career.

Sports, Page 20

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The Santa Rosa Junior College men’s and women’s basketball teams both suffered crushing defeats in the third round of the California Community College Athletic Associations Regional Championships March 2.

The men’s team lost to San

Will Mathis / Oak Leaf

SRJC’s Brooke Santander goes for the layup over a West Hills College Lemoore defender during a second round playoff game Feb. 27 at SRJC’s Haehl Pavillion. The Bear Cubs won the game 71-56.

Francisco City College 100-69, while Sierra College beat the women’s team 72-47.

The men’s team went into the third round full of energy after upsetting the eighth-seeded Butte

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Roadrunners 75-67 en route to their fourth straight victory.

Their matchup versus SFCC was a dismal affair after their second round playoff win.

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Locked up. Scared. Crying.

The persona of Sally Haggard came into existence as an alter ego for Delia Bowen to get through a short stint in jail.

“I got a DUI. I’m not very cool. They threw me in jail and I just cried the whole time,” Haggard said. “I tried to create a person in my brain that would be like ‘Whatever I don’t give a shit,’ and I’ve never been that type of person. I created Sally Haggard because she didn’t give a shit.”

The front woman adapted the name and used it to empower her musically.

Haggard has played with many other musicians. She is no stranger to being the only woman in a band full of men.

She decided to start her own project four years ago after a fan approached her to say Haggard was her hero.

“She really stuck with me because I was like ‘I don’t want to back up these boys anymore,’” Haggard said.

Her goal was to show other women they could get on stage and be themselves.

“I don’t want them to think they have to wear a perfect dress and be polite. Don’t get me wrong, I like to wear dresses sometimes, but who cares. Be yourself,” she said.

Her band came together slowly but surely. Her partner Justin Walters joined her on fiddle two years ago. Drummer Gabe Rivera and bass player Jon Romanos, or “Betsy” as most of his friends call him, joined a year later.

Initially, Haggard described her sound as Americana and folk but the band’s sound has changed as it filled out.

“It’s a little more rock n’ roll since I stepped in,” Rivera said.

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Editors-in-Chief:

Estefany Gonzalez and Maci Martell Section Editors: A&E Editor | Devin Schwarz Assistant A&E Editor | Courtney Paige Centerspread Editor | Craig Gettman Copy Editor | Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor | Carin Huber Features Editor | Haley Bollinger Assistant Features Editor | Nikki Goetz Co-News Editor | Maci Martell Co-News Editor | Genesis Napel Assistant News Editor | Jynessa Lazzaroni Co-Opinion Editor | Catherine Ramirez Co-Opinion Editor | Alex T. Randolph Multimedia Editor | Catherine Ramirez Photo Editor | Daniel Kong Podcast Editor | Travis LaBrucherie Sports Editor | Anthony Sosa Assistant Sports Editor | Will Mathis Social Media Editor | Nikki Goetz Staff Writers Laura Buel, Treven Bulluck, Austin Burmester, Jessica Carter, Zachary Chew, Tommy Dennen, Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Albert Gregory, Lachlan Irvine, Rita Losch, Daniel Medina, Kiana Medina, Jocelyn Mobley, Rico Pinola, Jaime Rodriguez, Frank Sumrall and James Wyatt Photographers Treven Bulluck, Estefany Gonzalez, Daniel Kong and Courtney Paige Distribution Jessica Carter, Tommy Dennen, Travis LaBrucherie and Jaime Rodriguez Layout Team Keshia Knight, Catherine Ramirez and all section editors and editors-in-chief

Contact Newsroom: 707-527-4401 Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Anne Belden, Adviser: 707-527-4867 abelden@santarosa.edu EMAIL oakleafstaff@gmail.com Advertising Keshia Knight oakleaf-ads@santarosa.edu

March 7, 2016

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‘That’s Not Love: Escalation’

PEERS teaches students about the warning signs of abusive relationships Genesis Napel Co-News Editor

Santa Rosa Junior College’s People Empowering Each other to Realize Success Coalition and Student Health Services hosted a screening of the film “That’s Not Love: Escalation” to bring awareness to domestic abuse.

The film, shown March 3 in the Bertolini Student Activities Center, depicted the hypothetical relationship of a white college couple and its progression from flirtatious start to violent end. Facilitators from PEERS addressed the fact that domestic abuse happens in all kinds of relationships, not just romantic heterosexual ones.

Once the film was over, participants split into groups to discuss topics in the video.

PEERS members facilitated a group discussion covering

key points on recognizing the warning signs of abuse before it becomes overbearing or violent. Facilitators focused on differentiating between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports one in three women and one in four men will or have experienced some form of physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.

PEERS member Jackie Barr said every three years SRJC partakes in the National College Health Assessment. The data collected is then used to gain a greater understanding of how many SRJC students are in relationships that interfere with their schooling or are considered emotionally taxing or abusive. “It clearly affects

students,” Barr said.

Nearly 10 percent of students reported relationship difficulties negatively affected their studies.

“It’s definitely frightening to see those subtle signs,” said SRJC student Anthony Dunn. He said it’s important to positively influence male peer groups and rebuild social norms to honor and respect both men and women.

SRJC student Christian Deliveno attended the workshop and said he has seen some of the signs of unhealthy relationships within his own friend circles.

He said he now realizes the importance of communication in preventing abuse. Deliveno pledged to uphold honesty about the things he observes as wrong in relationships and to intervene when needed.

Top: Courtesy of Micah Young / Bottom: Genesis Napel/Oak Leaf

Top: Students watch “That’s Not Love: Escalation,” a documentary depicting an abusive college relationship. Bottom: PEERS members embrace a large toy bear with a sign saying “free hugs.”

United and PEERS disTake Back the Night: Feminists cuss rape culture and slut shaming Jynessa Lazzaroni

Assistant News Editor

To combat slut shaming and rape culture, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Feminist United club and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR the People Empowering Each other to Realize Success Coalition hosted We appreciate your feedback. Send Take Back the Night Part II after letters to oakleafonline@gmail.com their successful event last semester. or to the Oak Leaf office. Letters should include first and last name and Take Back the Night events be limited to 300 words. Letter may started popping up around the be edited for style, length, clarity and country in the early 1960s in taste. Libelous or obscene letters will response to the high rate of women not be printed. who were assaulted in the evening hours. Over the years, groups have come together in cities around the world to honor the survivors and Check out our website: victims of assault. Each event is www.theoakleafnews.com unique to its community.

In fall 2015, Hannah Cagle, 19, Exclusive, online-only con- founder of Feminist United and tent can be found daily at Student Government Assembly vice president of student health, kicked www.theoakleafnews.com off her SGA term with a Take Back Check out a video of SRJC’s the Night event centered around band of the week, Sally Haggard, ending violence against women.

This year’s Take Back the Night performing “Survivor” from has a slightly different theme with Destiny’s Child. workshops focused on slut shaming and rape culture. The crowd filled

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the Bertolini Student Center with a low hum and chatter between peers before the workshop began and Cagle and her colleague, Melissa Debret, 19, took the stage.

“Slut shaming is when a person who identifies as a woman is shamed or attacked based on the fact that they’re sexual or deemed sexual by a patriarchal society,” Debret said. “Using the term ‘slut’ implies more than just sexuality when said by most people. It implies she has no self respect, no morals and she is worthless.”

Cagle and Debret spoke about the media’s role in perpetuating rape culture and slut shaming and the indirect mediums of slut shaming.

“We see that with the development of technology and the evolution of social media. It’s easier than ever to participate in cyber-bullying, which includes slut-shaming,” Cagle said.

One of the indirect mediums the duo mentioned are elementary and middle school dress codes, which focus largely on young girls’ attire to avoid any potential attacks by young boys who cannot control themselves sexually.

“This objectifies young women

Treven Bulluck/Oak Leaf

Feminists United and PEERS members foster a safe environment for Take Back the Night II.

at an early age and leads to victim blaming,” Debret said.

The remainder of the workshop covered subdivisions of rape culture, such as anti-sex positivity and victim blaming.

The audience participated in an exercise to shed light on the many ways women are subjected to victim blaming. PEERS and Feminist United members asked them to call out any of the ways they’ve heard women being blamed for the crimes committed against them, which resulted in more than

20 responses, including “she was drunk,” “she didn’t say no” and “they were dating.”

Following the workshop, guests participated in art activities, visited with the tabling agencies or sought support from student health representatives present.

The final hour of the event was open mic. Survivors and supporters were encouraged to share their stories and take back their power, which resulted in nearly an hour of deep connection and invoking storytelling in a safe space amongst peers.

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In the

Know

Moving the needle: Alex T. Randolph Co-Opinion Editor and Copy Editor In a time when college education has never been more important, half of students attending college won’t graduate with a degree, including the students at Santa Rosa Junior College. This startling trend has an enormous effect on black students, who already have a low attendance rate compared to other ethnicities.

The need for more students of color and lower income to attend college and how they might do so was the topic of the panel “Moving the Needle: From Status Quo to Equity: Strategies to increase Underrepresented Student Enrollment and Retention,” held Feb. 25 in the Girven Student Activities Center in Bertolini.

The panelists consisted of faculty members, the Black Student Union and the Umoja Learning Community. Their names were

Damion Square, who co-founded the current BSU three years ago; student representative Dr. Micheal Hale, SRJC English instructor and Umoja academic coordinator; Karlos Kantor, executive director for the Umoja Community Education Foundation and Dr. Karen McCord, Umoja area coordinator and professor of social science, ethnic studies and psychology at Solano Community College.

Panelists recounted their backgrounds, their involvement in the issue and gave opinions on what audience members can do to address the rate of student dropouts.

After speaking, the panelists were open to questions.

All speakers namedropped the Umoja Community, which only recently arrived at SRJC, numerous times. Named after the Kiswahili word for “Unity,” Umoja supports the education and self-actualization of students, primarily black students.

Square encouraged students to be more engaged and active. “Find

“Sex Trafficking in the U.S.”

SRJC students and BSU members are on a path to educational equity Courtesy of Damion Square

your purpose and find your niche within this,” he said.

He also warned students, most of whom were black, that there are institutional barriers against minority students. “There are people, there is a system in place that does not want you to succeed,” he said. “They have barriers there to prevent you from succeeding. This is a capitalistic society that we live in, and capitalistic societies can’t afford to educate you.”

Hale talked about what a privilege it was to know students like Square who were so passionate, and urged students to “use your education to serve the public class, to go back to your community and try to resolve some of those oppressive conditions.” He talked about the big changes affecting the U.S. today and what a special time it was for people growing up. He also showed graphs that illustrate the lack of black students who graduate.

Kantor brought up his childhood in Savannah, Georgia and how

his family moved to California to start a new life after several prison convictions for both himself and his family. He turned his life around once his professors taught him the importance of education, and raised his family to be “college literate.”

McCord spoke last.

She emphasized that she and her fellow panelists were promoting equity and not equality. Equality means everyone receives equal attention, while equity is giving different people the attention they need, especially since some students have bigger disadvantages then others.

Attendees said they liked the message of Umoja. “It recognizes the commonality of the oppression of the working class and the pain we all share,” said SRJC student Stephannie Starr.

Andre LaRue, history instructor at SRJC who helped create the history of American cultures requirement, mediated the panel. Afterword, volunteers took pictures of everyone involved, including the audience.

Movies change the way people perceive life SRJC media instructor Dr. Tony Kashani speaks about the importance of cinema art Courtney Paige Assistant A&E Editor

Movies affect people in a global sense; it’s not a Hollywood phenomenon. “The purpose of [cinema] art is to communicate in humanistic terms a sense of wellbeing,” said Santa Rosa Junior College media studies instructor Dr. Tony Kashani.

More than 125 students and attendees gathered Feb. 22 in Newman Auditorium to hear Kashani discuss his book, “Movies Change Lives,” and how film is essential in today’s modern world.

“Art is a means of union, joining men and women together in the same what during a cinematic experience and is indispensable for the progress of life,” Kashani said in his opening statement.

He elaborated on four principles of a cinematic encounter, explaining what the viewer may

experience: suspension of disbelief, projection and identification, public cultivation and reaction to the stimuli. Kashani quotes American art critic essayist Susan Sontag as saying, “Art is a form of consciousness.”

During the demonstration, Kashani showcased how “Movies Change Lives” is an accurate, detailed explanation of how cinema can create social transformation.

He molded the theory of humanistic transformation by discussing movies like “Syriana,” a 2005 politically-charged film about the state of the oil industry and how people are personally affected by it.

“I thought it was an excellent presentation with great examples of powerful films,” said SRJC student Will Agee. “I connected most with the discussion about the movie ‘Syriana’ and how it is more relevant today than when it was first created in 2005. The lessons of

To spread awareness of the estimated 300,000 children at risk of being trafficked for sex, Pulitzer prizewinner Nicholas Kristof and Cheryl Wudunn created a threepart film series. The screening of part one dives into the stories of survivors behind these numbers, 3-5 p.m. March 10 in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Civics Camp 2016

California assembly member Marc Levine and other local leaders representing the North Bay (district 10) will teach attendees how they can positively engage with the community, 5-8:30 p.m. March 10 in the Bertolini Student Center.

Why Prisons Don’t Work and Solutions

May Schenwar, editor-in-chief of Truthout, will explain how our current prison system affects all reaches of our society, particularly poor urban communities. Schenwar will introduce communitybased initiatives that promote humanitarian justice in a lecture and book signing, noon-1 p.m. March 14 in the Newman Auditorium.

History of the Feminist Movement

The Feminist United club members will discuss the historic timeline of feminism.

They will address achievements and members challenges facing feminist groups and their parallels with the women’s right movement, 6-7 p.m. March 14 in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Past SRJC Woman Trustees discussion

KC Greaney, director of SRJC’s institutional research, has organized a panel discussion of the only nine women to have served on the board of trustees and influenced SRJC history in honor of Woman’s History Month, 5:30-7 p.m. March 17 in the Carol L. Ellis Auditorium on the Petaluma campus.

Gender Spectrum Exploration

SRJC media studies instructor Dr. Tony Kashani shares his vision on how cinematic experiences affect people’s lives through social transformation.

Javier Rivera of Positive Images and Scott Rossi of Queer Student Union will present at Gender, Queer and Coming Out. Investigate gender spectrum and hear personal stories from SRJC’s LGBTQ community, 3:30-5 p.m. March 29 in Doyle Library, room 4245.

these types of films are powerful.”

Kashani believes movies teach mechanisms that affect people emotionally, physically and philosophically. “Every single one of us here today who has watched a film has been affected in one way or another by it,” he said.

“Watching movies can change how we view the world.”

Part of SRJC’s Career Development Services’ spring 2016 workshop series, “Follow Your Inner Hero” will introduce students to easy-to-use personality tools to help uncover skills and talents and be “who you where born to be,” 2-3 p.m. March 31 in the Bertolini Student Center, room 4875.

Courtney Paige/Oak Leaf

As Kashani illustrated the details of his book, his vision of how movies change lives captivated attendees. “The analysis changed my thinking about how to develop a movie,” said attendee Peter Kip Mercure. “It added important ideas that have affected my approach to the cinema and my own efforts.”

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Earth’s most precious resource

Water worries continue to impact California Courtney Paige Assistant A&E Editor

Wringing in the new year is global warming’s rippling effect on Sonoma County’s water worries. Water woes are historically nothing new, so why are cities like Santa Rosa surprised?

Melbourne, Australia’s decadelong drought nearly destroyed the city’s ability to function. And if the rain doesn’t continue, California will suffer from the worst drought in state history.

Australia and California share similar drought dilemmas, landscapes and economies. Up until 2010, Australia experienced an extended 10-year drought notoriously known as the Big Dry. By the time rain returned, the country had reinvented its precious resource regime.

Communities aren’t awarded the liberty to hope for rain and pray for Mother Nature to behave. “People need to educate themselves on conservation and make a lifestyle change,” said Lucas Alvillar, former Santa Rosa Junior College VP of sustainability. “Water is more than just what comes out of the faucet.”

Cities like Melbourne integrated backyard water tanks and modernday rooftop rain barrel systems subsidized by government incentives.

Farmers who once had the right to use unlimited amounts of water were required to reallocate their water in the off-season.

Two-thirds of Australia’s homes use “gray-water” systems recycled from dishwashers, showers, gardens and washing machines for toilets. More than half the houses have barrels to catch rain from gutters for the graywater systems. One heavy rainstorm yields enough water for a house to last an entire summer season.

“The prevailing difference between America and Australia, however, is a sense of personal responsibility,” said Matthew Heberger, a researcher at the Pacific Institute in Oakland who studied how Australia handled the Big Dry. “A lesson America can learn from Australia is to stop thinking of the drought as something out of the ordinary, but rather a normal and recurring part of our current climate and work collectively as a community towards a solution,” Heberger said.

His discovery was simple yet profound. Australia’s success in handling the drought stemmed from a joint community effort towards constant conservation. Australia had no choice but to manage its water like a precious treasure.

California, on the other hand, tends to rely on finger-pointing.

“The general public blaming Mother Nature, farmers blaming cities, cities blaming farmers and environmentalists blaming nonenvironmentalists for the lack of water, which takes away the spotlight from the true factors of inefficiency resulting in unexplored conservation options,” Heberger said.

Drought caused by global warming, overuse of water resources and lack of conservation are just a few factors.

“The drought is just one reflection of all the changes we are seeing as a result of global warming,” said Kasey Wade, SRJC environmental conservation program instructor. “There are simple practices we can implement into our daily lives that make a difference; consciously creating a movement towards action in sustainability.”

Wade said there are things we can do. Conservation and sustainability are conceivable concepts by simply changing the current flow from a tipping point into a turning point by using a collective personal responsibility movement towards action.

For instance, Wade said water can be managed with bio swells, a process called “Slow It, Spread It, Sink It.” It is a conservation practice which miniearth dams are created so water can accumulate before it runs off into creeks, rivers and oceans.

Courtesy of bushmanusa.com

Homes in Melbourne, Australia have adapted a home filtration system to save water.

Implementing these simple actions slows water flow so it spreads, then naturally and slowly sinks into the Earth’s water table.

In 2015, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation on more than $1 billion in spending for water projects.

Hundreds of millions of those dollars are allocated for long-term projects associated with flood control, desalination and water recycling.

Gov. Brown’s water fund measure is one piece of a much larger effort to help those most impacted by the drought and prepare the state for an uncertain future, Brown said in a statement in spring 2015.

SRJC student Emelia Stewart said, “I changed my shower head, turn off

the water when I brush my teeth and I don’t use water bottles.”

However, State Water Resources Control Board authorities said Californians have fallen short of Brown’s goal of reducing water use by 20 percent.

“I only wash large loads of laundry; never small loads of laundry,” said SRJC student Blair Ripley.

One particular project currently in the water works is Southern California’s plan for desalination by turning 50 million gallons of the Pacific Ocean into potable water per day. The plant is slated to open this fall as the first in the state to tap an ocean for drinking water. More than a dozen other plants in California are in the planning stages.

Beloved culinary instructor dies

College community mourns the death of SRJC faculty member Denise Elliot Genesis Napel Co-News Editor Santa Rosa Junior College’s culinary arts instructor Denise Elliot died unexpectedly Feb. 23 at 59 years old.

When describing Elliot, Catherine Burgett, SRJC culinary arts instructor, said, “Humble would be the first word that comes to mind.”

Burgett and Elliot were colleagues and close friends for 22 years before Elliot’s passing. Burgett referred to Elliot as her “soul sister” because of their many affinities in the kitchen.

According to Burgett, Elliot was a “wild person” who would cross through new doors of experience as she came to them.

Elliot dedicated 30 years to SRJC students, though her legacy exceeds far beyond Santa Rosa. Burgett described Elliot as a revolutionary character who allowed her dreams and passions to guide her throughout her life.

Courtesy of James Cason Elliot owned a wholesale bakery for 20 Denise Elliot, who taught culinary arts classes at years, biked across the U.S. in the 1980s SRJC for 30 years, started her own cooking school in and in the last four years started a cooking Baja California, Mexico in her last four years. school called Buen Provecho in Baja California, Mexico. department and friend of Elliot’s said “She was living her dream,” Burgett said. she was a “vibrant, intelligent, superstar She spent six months teaching at SRJC and teacher who lived life to the fullest,” the rest of the year teaching at her cooking and was loved and respected by all who school. Elliot died from a respiratory knew her. infection only a few weeks after she “Her passing leaves a huge hole in our returned to Mexico for the fourth year. hearts. We miss her terribly already,” Cason James Cason of the culinary arts said in an email to the SRJC community.

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Changing the world: Eloy A. Delgado

Contributing Writer Sonoma County Latinos’ involvement in politics has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years since the Latino population exploded in the ‘90s.

However, voter registration and participation could be higher.

According to a new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, Latino millennials will make up 44 percent of the 27.3 million eligible Latino voters in 2016. This represents “a share greater than any other racial or ethnic group of voters.”

Young people traditionally are not active in the political process.

This is particularly true in regards to Latino millennials, who have a lower participation rate than other ethnic groups. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2012, 37.8 percent of Latino millennials voted, compared with 53.9 percent among non-millennial Latinos.

Caroline Banuelos, president of the Sonoma County Latino Democratic Club since 1993 and chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Community & Law Enforcement Task Force, said getting more Latino millennials involved in politics is a two-goal process registration and voter education, which involves educating people why it’s important to vote. “Don’t tell them who to vote for, but just to vote,” Banuelos said.

According to Banuelos, Latino millennials need to know how important it is to vote. “Every election affects every aspect of your life,” she said.

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U.S. and Sonoma County call on Latino millennials to vote in the 2016 elections to make a difference

In regards to the the lack of racial diversity within the Democratic presidential candidates, considering the Republican Party has Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Ben Carson, Banuelos said there is a slight bias within the Democratic Party. “There’s still a reluctance to share power with people of color,” she said.

Another factor Banuelos said could hinder minority candidates is “Democrats are more critical of candidates and want them to be perfect.”

Hillary Clinton could become the first woman president, but she is facing tough competition from Bernie Sanders when it comes to millennials. In Iowa, Sanders crushed Clinton among voters between the ages of 17-29, Courtesy of latinpost.com winning 84 percent of the vote to Latino millennials attend a “Rock the Vote” protest. Forty-four percent of the Latino population is made up of millennials.

Hillary Clinton’s 14 percent.

Amanda Claiborne, a Bernie they have to offer, rather than if because they have had a very who is more scary between him Sanders organizer, registers they are Latino.” different life experience in the and Donald Trump.” students to vote at Santa Laura Jimenez, 20, a nursing United States.”

Voter participation among Rosa Junior College every major, would consider voting Larque said Sanders could mobilize Northern California Latinos Tuesday. Claiborne believes Republican if the party chooses a Latino millennials. “Bernie Sanders is not as high as Latinos in Latino millennials will not Latino candidate. “They have an and Donald Trump are sitting in Southern California. To increase vote Republican because they idea of our values and that’s kind very opposite ends of the spectrum,” it, Larque said, “We need to do nominated Latino candidates like of important,” she said. she said. “[Sanders] brings up issues canvassing, lots of canvassing. I Cruz and Rubio, candidates seen as SRJC history instructor Laura that are really affecting young people, think the Democratic Party really “upper class Latinos of European Larque is actively involved with [such as] employment, education, needed to approach us as of last ancestry” who do not represent the the local Latino community housing and health care.” Larque said year, the Latino voters. Going majority of Latinos in the country. and has her own KBBF radio she hopes Latinos see more in Sanders. door to door, going to different In Claiborne’s opinion, just show titled “Un Viaje al Pasado,” In regards to Trump, Larque said, organizations and setting up because a Latino could receive the or “A Trip to the Past.” Larque “Donald Trump is attracting the tables in Mexican stores.”

Republican nomination wouldn’t said only small portions of the middle-age white and young whites Banuelos said, “The fact that make much of a difference Latino community would vote who are very upset about the same Latino millennials make up 44 for Latino millennials in deciding Republican if Cruz or Rubio issues as Latinos but feel resentful percent of Latino eligible voters who they vote for. become the Republican nominee. because they feel like minorities are blows me away. If you could only Rebecca Perez, 19, “Cuban-Latinos yes, Puerto taking away everything.” imagine if half of them would vote remains undecided. When asked Ricans perhaps, but Mexican and According to Larque, Cruz and how important that would be. We if she might vote Republican if Central Americans, they will not,” Trump are alienating large segments need to aggressively approach a Latino is chosen, she said, “My Larque said. “Historically, Cubans of Latino voter populations. “Cruz Latino voters with more education vote is more dependent on what have been very, very conservative is scary,” she said. “I don’t know and for them to become informed.”

Students seek to create a safe place for the homeless

SRJC community aims to raise awareness about student homelessness and provide resources Jynessa Lazzaroni Assistant News Editor According to a 2013 study, 4 percent of students attending Santa Rosa Junior College reported being homeless, couch surfing or living in a shelter while simultaneously pursuing higher education.

For nearly 800 students, this means they have to balance the rigorous demands of collegelevel coursework with the added stress of finding a place to lay their heads at night. Each day they question where their next meal will come from, where they will shower next, where they will study and where to complete and print their assignments, all things most traditional students take for granted.

Not only are homeless students disadvantaged in their studies,

they’re also subjected to many stigmas forced onto them by the public. They are shamed for their conditions, which are sometimes out of their control.

“Housing has been an ongoing struggle since I emancipated,” said Edward Gathercole, 31, a former foster youth and homeless student on disability.

Gathercole reflected on his decision to return to school in fall 2015. Despite his less than desirable living conditions– camping in parks and using his bicycle to get around – he said he just tried to maintain a positive attitude. Though he had to cut back his course load, he was able to get through the semester.

Gathercole recently secured a place to live and returned to SRJC to study mathematics and graphic design. He’s also working with Enrique Yarce, 20, Student Government Assembly

vice president of diversity who is leading the way to end student homelessness.

Yarce is working to create more on-campus resources for students to help alleviate some of their stress. He mentioned creating a safe parking lot for students sleeping in their cars and finding a way to make gym showers available for students who may not be enrolled in physical education courses.

Wanting more than just the resources essential to survival, Yarce and Gathercole both have much to say about building a safe environment for students to seek help without feeling ashamed.

Gathercole described the psychological effects admitting homelessness can have on an individual.

“We want to give people a home away from home while they’re here at school, just to take away

Courtesy of Facebook

Enrique Yarce works tirelessly to overcome stigma against homelessness.

from [being] homeless, which is so negative,” he said. “Just the idea that someone can be living on this planet and not have a place to belong. That’s heavy.”

SRJC’s first step in the long journey to end homelessness is the March 8 homeless awareness event. It will feature student and faculty speakers and various service providers from around the county.

“The goal of the homeless awareness event is to break down the stigma associated with being homeless,” Yarce said.

Yarce and Gathercole hope to gain the support and interest of students who would like to help find solutions to homelessness.

They also want students who are experiencing hard times to feel like they’re a welcome part of the college community.

6

March 7, 2016

News

www.theoakleafnews.com

Clinton’s campaign sparks feminist debate Lanae Florence

Contributing Writer Hillary Clinton dropped in polls after influential feminist activists Madeleine Albright and Gloria Steinem spoke in her favor last month. Their statements inadvertently caused a backlash from young feminist voters, pushing their support towards Bernie Sanders.

The discussion of Albright’s and Steinem’s comments playing a role in Clinton’s campaign has made its way onto the Santa Rosa Junior College campus, engaging students and professors in an ever-present dialogue about feminism and politics. “[Hillary’s] using her femininity as an excuse to get feminine voters, and I think that’s a dirty tactic,” said selfproclaimed feminist student Megan Holland, 20. “By supporting their statements, she’s insulting everyone because she is basically saying that if you are voting for anyone else, then you aren’t really a feminist, and personally I wouldn’t vote for her after that.”

At a rally in New Hampshire last Saturday, Albright took to the stage and gave a speech emphasizing the importance of electing a woman to the highest office in this country.

Albright spoke of the progression and goals of feminism. “It’s not done, and you have to help. And just remember, there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other,” she said.

Clinton set up her campaign to appeal to the large base of millennial women voters, and heavily relies on those votes.

Albright’s speech set off a negative reaction towards Clinton from

millennial feminists, as they saw the comment as derogatory to them and the feminist movement.

“What she said is not right,” said Siobhan Williams, 21, a selfproclaimed feminist and SRJC student. “You can’t vote for someone just because they’re a woman. Bernie Sanders is a feminist too, if not more supportive of the cause than Hillary.

You have to look at what they stand for, not just their gender.”

Anne Exton, SRJC women’s history instructor, offered up her opinion on Albright’s comments.

“Albright seems like a pretty straightforward case of the generational divide. In her day, the glass ceiling was so pronounced that any woman running with even a remote chance at becoming president of the U.S. was a miracle of nationalreview.com and should be heartily supported Hillary Clinton needs support from female voters but recent statements from noted feminists may haveCourtesy hurt her campaign. for the sake of furthering all women’s opportunities.” lack of younger women supporters. from that same age category. who challenge the status quo and The biggest issue raised is not “The boys are with Bernie,” she said.

Women’s studies major Adriel break through cultural and historical whether Clinton is a feminist, but Virginia Kerr, vice president of Ahern offered one explanation of barriers. Feminism is about equality, how supporting her, in light of the student life and member of Feminists why this might have happened. which we still struggle to achieve in so comments by Albright, impacts United, was surprised by Steinem’s “When it comes to Hillary, though, many ways,” she said. feminist values. comments. “It’s really amazing that for myself and many of my female “It is hard to imagine what that Hannah Cagle, founder of somebody like Gloria Steinem, who peers, being a woman does not struggle felt like for a powerful SRJC’s Feminists United club, said, basically was the creator of second overcome her conservative politics, player like Madeline Albright, and I “Not simply supporting Hillary wave feminism, would say something her pandering to big businesses, or can understand that her experience because of her gender is in itself like that. It was really devastating as the fact that if she is on the ballot, might make her especially inherently feminist; the concept of a feminist,” she said. “She’s assuming many liberal-leaning conservatives supportive of Hillary Clinton. choice, choosing which candidate that young women are not supporting will never vote for her, taking Albright’s comment made the news, to vote for based on merit and not Hillary because she’s a woman, and potential votes away from the but here I think she’s using hyperbole determining merit based on gender, implying that we have an internalized liberal candidate,” she said. “I think to encourage women to support is what previous generations of hatred of our own gender.” younger feminists, myself included, Clinton,” Pierce said. feminists, like Albright and Steinem, Days later on Feb. 9, the shift of are more interested in voting for a This discussion is only beginning fought for, despite them currently women voters towards Sanders was progressive socialist white man than but has already had a major impact, condemning young feminists for shown as he won the New Hampshire a conservative liberal white woman.” not only on Clinton’s campaign to not supporting Clinton.” primary with 55 percent of women SRJC communication studies become the first woman president of Clinton backlash grew in the days voters, over Clinton’s 44 percent. instructor Mary Pierce brought the United States, but also on young after Gloria Steinem asked “Where Sanders also won 89 percent of a different point of view to the SRJC women and how they are are the boys?” in an interview with voters ages 18-29, whereas Clinton discussion. “As a dedicated, life-long processing and evaluating their roles Bill Maher, talking about Clinton’s only received 16 percent of votes feminist, I admire courageous women as women in society.

Trump spoils politics

SRJC students disappointed with outlandish candidate William Murphy Contributing Writer Donald Trump’s insensitive, racist statements and harsh, rightleaning viewpoint has many Santa Rosa Junior College students losing respect for the system.

Encountering pro-Trump individuals in the mainly liberal Sonoma County can be a challenge. The majority of students interviewed had adverse responses to Donald Trump’s current influence in the political arena.

Anti-Trump sentiment may not be that uncommon within an educational environment.

According to several NBC polls, there’s a strong positive correlation between people’s agreement with Donald Trump’s stances and the individual’s lack of education.

Those who have been to classes and places with diversity and been educated on key issues may have a

more progressive stance.

“Trump’s whole stand on immigration is a joke,” said Eduardo Reyes, a Sonoma State University student.

“Mexico paying for the wall…OK? And trying to deport all undocumented immigrants? Good luck.”

Frustration and fear at Trump’s perceived racist behavior seemed to be a trend within the responses of SRJC students.

“He’s insulting all kinds of minorities and cultures all over the world,” SRJC student Annie Cockcroft said. “Which is not what a president should do, because a big factor of America is that we do support and have people of all different minorities and cultures.”

Some have come to understand how the Trump campaign has gained momentum; among them is SRJC political science instructor Robert Proctor.

“The Republican Party has positioned itself to bring into its

base working-class, less-educated white votes, mostly males, disaffected and disadvantaged by liberal policies, including affirmative action, free trade, immigration reform and some other Democratic policy positions,” Proctor said. “Trump’s message has resonated with these voters.”

Others who have found some reason within Trump’s statements claim he’s not like other politicians who lie about their plans: he speaks his mind.

“I’m so tired of candidates who act fake,” said SRJC student Jason Giavina. “Trump has run successful businesses, so he can also help run the country. People always like to put words in his mouth.”

SRJC student Lorenzo Hernandez said, “He appeals to people’s emotions; that’s why many people like him. People like the more outgoing of the bunch.”

Most SRJC students interviewed have turned to Bernie Sanders as their savior from Trump, who is

Courtesy of businessinsider.com

Donald Trump’s radical views have alienated many students at SRJC.

often compared to Hitler. Most claim that Sanders’ breakthrough policies on free college education, immigration and other issues greatly contrast Trump and his proposed policies.

“Building a wall to keep immigrants out? I laughed out loud when I heard that,” Cockcroft said.

“This is the first year when I’ve been so passionate about someone

not being president.”

Though there is certainly a diverse set of opinions on Trump’s political presence among the general population, it seems that several people in Sonoma County find his views unfavorable, enough so that they’re influenced to vote.

“We are definitely feeling the ‘Bern,’” said a group of students in the Bertolini Cafeteria.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Opinion

March 7, 2016

7

EDITORIAL

Forget the mystery, express women’s history Though we have a full month dedicated to the accomplishments of strong, powerful women throughout history, there is still an overwhelming lack of representation of women in history textbooks. Women’s contributions and accomplishments should be a part of the general history curriculum instead of being segregated and diminished.

While we’ve been slowly filling in the gaps with women’s history classes, these are generally only offered at the college level.

And while history is usually a requirement to graduate, women’s history is not. Additionally, many students don’t know, or even care to know, about the women who have shaped society.

Throughout history, women’s struggles and accomplishments have gone unrecognized. A prime example is Rosalind Franklin’s contributions to science through her X-ray photographs of DNA. Franklin and fellow scientist Maurice Wilkins were both working on a DNA project in the 1940-50s, though he only saw her as a technical assistant. They were both peers in the scientific community, but Franklin was left out of social interactions with her male counterparts. Only males were allowed in London’s King College dining rooms and her colleagues went to men-only pubs.

Not only was Franklin excluded

from interacting with her male associates, but her work also went unrecognized. If it were not for her photographs of DNA, Francis Crick and James Watson could not have completed their work on DNA’s double-helix model, which they both won Nobel Prizes for in 1962. Without the understanding of DNA, the field of forensics wouldn’t be where it is today. There wouldn’t have been advances in paternity identification, blood and organ transplants, fingerprinting or evaluation of evidence left behind at crime scenes.

Franklin is one of many women who went unnoticed. Significant women remain overlooked because of the lack of information distributed about them.

When women are noted in history books, their roles are often diminished or are seen as incompetent.

Take, for example, Pocahontas.

In the Disney film she is portrayed as an independent woman until a white man, John Smith, comes into the picture. From then it became a love story instead of focusing on her accomplishments bonding the Powhatan Native Americans and the Jamestown colonists. While she saved John Smith, she wasn’t in love with him like Disney led their audience to believe. Pocahontas was taken hostage by an English captain and traded for numerous supplies. Jamestown governor Sir Thomas Dale and her father gave

her up for marriage to colonist John Rolfe, leading to a period of peace between the Natives and colonists.

The depiction of her, omitting her struggles and successes, makes it seem like the only significant part of her life was falling for a man, and most history books don’t mention her at all.

Our history books should be telling us the full, true story of Pocahontas, among all great women leaders and pioneers.

There are only two women’s history courses available at Santa Rosa Junior College with three time slot options between both classes.

One of the courses, history 18.1, has just four male students out of the 35 total enrolled. This shows the disappointing lack of male interest in women’s history on our own campus.

We can’t ignore half of the world’s population.

Our society would not be where it is today without the

accomplishments of women. It’s important to represent each sex equally and not only focus on men’s accomplishments.

If we want people to be engaged in women’s history, then we need to integrate women’s history into public education systems to get students interested in prominent women. Students can’t be interested in something they know nothing about. Education is our greatest weapon against misrepresentation.

control them. These groups include oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, big banks and even corporate media.

In a sense, it doesn’t matter what policy the general population wants passed. We have little power compared to these elites. If these groups want a policy passed, you better believe they’ll get in touch with the senators and representatives in their checkbooks and get that policy on the Congress floor.

With mid-term elections coming up and 34 Senate seats up for grabs, this is a significant election. What if the general population elected someone who isn’t a puppet into the majority of those new seats? I’d put my money on seeing

Tupac ride a unicorn over a rainbow before seeing that happen.

I say this because the puppets always win. Why? Because the powerful few want them to. The special interest groups, lobbyists, etc. fund their political campaigns and their influence is powerful. They will have columns, TV commercials and speeches all over their state, whereas the average Joe running for Congress, who isn’t in debt to anyone and refuses to be bought, will get destroyed. This kind of person is not a career politician. He or she most likely has a job, a family and can’t afford the same type of campaigning the puppet can. For this reason, average Joe will

lose 99.9 percent of the time.

On the bright side, the American people are finally starting to catch on to the fact that we’re run by the powerful elite. There are currently two presidential candidates, one in each party, who are not bought or controlled by the establishment. These two candidates are Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Trump funds his own campaign and Sanders is funded by millions of American people. No matter where your political ideals stand, the fact that the establishment is being tested on both sides is a step in the right direction when it comes to taking back our political system.

By the few, for the almighty Who really runs the country, and how we can change it Austin Burmester Staff Writer America is no longer the democracy our Founding Fathers envisioned. This country is no longer a republic — it’s an oligarchy.

The United States isn’t “run by the people, for the people,” but instead it’s run by the few, for the few. These few elites essentially control our entire political process.

Special interest groups, super-PAC’s, lobbyists and donors; these are the powerful groups that run this country.

If you can wade your way through all the smoke and mirrors, you would see these people control our elected leaders.

Money in politics is the root of all political evil. Our leaders are bought, and without campaign finance reform,

nothing will ever change. If you don’t pay attention to politics or the dangers facing this country, or think you can change everything by electing a new president, you are incorrect.

In case you hven’t heard there’s this thing in the Constitution called the separation of powers. Even if we’re able to elect a non-corrupt elected executive branch leader, there is still two branches to worry about. Our senate is bought, our representatives are bought, our entire legislative branch is bought, and guess who votes on confirming new Supreme Court Justices? Our bought Congress.

Anyone with political knowledge knows the legislative branch (Congress) is, without a doubt, the most powerful.

The oligarchy of America controls our very powerful Congress. The most powerful and richest interest groups

8

Opinion

March 7, 2016

Just the tip Communication is key Robert Marshall Contributing Writer Communication: we do it every day. But one place where communication is essential is in the bedroom — wink, wink.

It’s something we probably could all learn to do better, including myself.

Talking about sex can be tricky.

It’s an intimate topic.

Communicating should be a given with sex. Whether it’s with a long-time partner, your first time getting it on or casual, anytime in the bedroom should be pleasurable.

Communicating in the bedroom is more than just saying, “You want to have sex?” It’s about making sure all people involved in the act are truly comfortable with the situation.

Without communication or more importantly, “consent,” it can turn into an ugly situation.

But once that’s out of the way, the next thing is making sure you’re all pleasured to the max and feel like queens or kings.

Knowing you’re satisfied and your partner can satisfy you is the best feeling. The “Big O” is important.

For that to happen, talk to your partner. Find out what they like, how they like it, how hard and how fast. For her, does she like it rough? Soft? What gets her going? Remember: just because she’s screaming, or moaning, doesn’t mean she’s enjoying it.

Not everybody likes the big D in too deep or too hard.

If it’s oral, find her good spots.

“Where is it that you want my finger and/or tongue?”

For him, find out what feels good. “What do you want me to do with my mouth? My hands?”

Talk to him and find out what makes him feel like he’s on top of the world.

For newer partners, saying what turns you on and what you like is important. Telling the person you like oral, bondage or penetration all falls in the category of communicating. Do you like dirty talk? Some people do. Tell them.

For long-term partners, when doggystyle gets boring after a few years, talk about new positions or new places to do it.

Telling your partner what you like that she/he does, what positions you enjoy, what turns you on and what they do best is better than saying what you don’t like.

Build them up, don’t knock them down so they know what to do every time.

Communication is important.

It may be awkward, but just think about how amazing the sex will be afterwards.

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Just say ‘no’ to pharmaceuticals Use alternative treatments to cure physical and mental ailments Tommy Dennen Staff Writer The pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want the public to know there’s a range of treatments for depression, anxiety, insomnia and even muscle pain. These treatments do not require swallowing a pill or weighing your symptoms against a range of possible effects.

Pharmaceutical companies love making drugs like Xanax, Ritalin, Hydrocodone and Prozac because with FDA approval they’re viewed as thoroughly vetted and perceived to work. These companies make an enormous annual profit because most psychotropic drugs are mildly addictive, making people rely on them chemically to feel normal.

Often without them, and certainly immediately after stopping a regimen, patients are thrown into an even more drastic and confused mental state.

Our generation is developing a tainted view of drugs. In most cases, these drugs are too complex to understand at surface value. In general, it seems people overestimate the extent to which a pill can improve their life.

Yes, modern medicine is capable of incredible things, and brilliant people spent their life’s work on solutions in the past few decades that have virtually exterminated various genetic disorders and pathogenic diseases.

However, there has never been, and probably never will be, a single pill that can ameliorate any one particular symptom without also adding some sort of drawback to your general health.

Take attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Stimulants have long been prescribed to “cure” inattentive and hyperactive individuals. Clinically, these drugs manage symptoms; however, the drawback is the grave health threats such as heart issues, panic attacks and insomnia. You may be able to focus better, but you take on three new challenges to your well-being.

I oppose beginning your journey to wellness with a visit to a psychiatrist, primarily because the pharmaceutical industry has a sinister motive: money.

Alternative treatments have zero side effects and change peoples’ lives. The pharmaceutical industry financially suppresses treatments that are kept off the market so drug companies can keep their pockets fat.

Doctors recommend these drugs because it’s easier to close a case and easy to get. Taking the low-hanging-fruit yields low-hanging-benefits. You have to put more effort into informing yourself and find treatments that are less mainstream, but just as promising.

First, there’s the Fisher Wallace Stimulator.

It’s essentially a little battery-powered remote with sponge-like nodes that sit on your temples and send electrical pulses through your brain for 20 minutes. The neurons that make up our brain communicate two ways: chemically and electrically.

Common antidepressants and anxiety medications target the brain’s chemical communications. The Fisher Wallace system targets the brain’s electrical nature and stimulates brain cells to naturally produce more of the “happy chemicals” with what’s already

“When seeking help, no one—not even a doctor—should rush you or oversimplify a treatment that may bring more harm than good.”

there instead of pumping it with more chemicals that throw your brain’s natural balance off. The FDA approves this to treat depression, anxiety, insomnia and physical pain.

For people who don’t necessarily have depression but suffer from stressinduced anxiety, there are simple solutions downloadable to your phone.

One app, called “Pacifica,” allows you to manually input your mood, ranging from great to awful, and gives suggestions on how to relax. It includes guided breathing mediation, onscreen graphics and links to positive social network posts to help you be grateful for the little things.

Another similar but slightly more expensive option includes a clip-on sensor that sticks on your belt, bra or boxers to monitor breathing and activity levels to calculate your mood. It connects to your phone through an app.

When it detects stress or anxiety, it sends a little buzz to your phone that says, “Hey, you seem like you could use a break” or “Your breathing suggests you’re tense. Take a deep breath.” It encourages awareness of your mental state and use of guided meditation to take control of your mood.

Modern medicine will evolve due to the brilliance of doctors forging the field, making it less and less understandable for those seeking relief. It’s time we begin our journey to mental wellness by educating ourselves about the options doctors don’t want to mention.

Question everything and don’t lose hope. Your personal health is paramount. When seeking help, no one—not even a doctor—should rush you or oversimplify a treatment that may bring more harm than good.

Remember, you deserve the best, and you deserve to be happy.

Letter to the Editor February 15, 2016

Repeated Mistakes We’re all human beings. We’re all different in our own ways.No matter whether we have a different skin color or legal status, we’re all the same; therefore we should be treated equally. It is a simple equation that many people could abide by, but don’t. Equality is a hard concept to understand and accept even after everything that has happened in our history. Differences in a person is complicated to swallow, no matter how hard we try to tell ourselves it is not.

Today, with the presidential election right around the corner, opinions are being turned into facts and it’s making people’s lives even harder. This is especially true for undocumented people whose destinies are held by

strangers as candidates present their solution to the “problem.” But why should our legal statuses break the barrier of humanity?

After everything this country has gone through, families continue to be broken. I can’t help but correlate today’s injustices with past events.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus “discovered” America, and this lead to the greatest act of genocide in the world. Native Americans were categorized as savages, giving the excusable opportunity to remove children from their families to make them into upheld citizens of stolen land.

History has managed to repeat itself. Families are being broken and torn apart. When an individual is deported — or in legal terms — removed from this country, they lose the custody of their U.S. citizen children; and no one seems to care

about the psychological trauma this has on the child and their family members. Why are we letting this happen again? Why do we continue to lie to ourselves and pretend nothing wrong is happening?

History is a tool we should use to learn from, as a country and as a society. But we can’t learn from our mistakes when history lies to us with untruthful facts. We can’t keep masking our errors by turning away.

We need to be proactive.

Together we can achieve. Together we can unite. We’ve gone through a lot as a country; we have done amazing things, but also horrible acts. But let us not feel guilty of what happened in history. Learning and realizing the injustices will help this common factor open our eyes us become more accepting. And to realizing the destruction we have it all starts by accepting we are all continued to repeat. equal. We are all different after all, but we are all human beings. Let -Sandra Robledo Cornejo

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

Debt and credit scores:

March 7, 2016

9

A real look at where students’ hard earned money goes

Jessica Carter

itself,” she said.

Demery got her first credit Staff Writer card when she was 18, with the intention of using it for emergencies only. Her definition Working hard to save money of ‘emergencies’ became a loose for a home while supporting term, almost a joke. “Another her husband and two children, round bartender, it’s an Santa Rosa Junior College emergency,” she joked. student Stephanie Elrod, 27, saw Although Demery is open a possibility of climbing her way about her current financial out of debt. Then, like a ton of situation, she feels embarrassed bricks, the financial crisis struck about having to rely on her and set her so far back, she had parents for financial assistance. more debt than before.

She is working on changing her Elrod feels distraught about ways and now questions if she her current financial situation. really needs that glass of wine “My husband is out of work for before ordering it. She has also most of the year,” she said. been writing down expenses and Elrod comes from an to know where she’s at financially upbringing where debt was at all times. rarely talked about, and when “It’s easy to swipe your card it was, it was never in a positive and forget about it. You have to light. She’s finding negativity really take charge and know what around money is unfortunately you’re working with,” she said. a part of her life, and debt is a Demery is happy she has a necessary evil. supportive family who doesn’t Elrod is the breadwinner of make her feel bad about her her family and must support financial situation. She feels like them. She hasn’t been lucky she is growing up and taking when it comes to debt and her charge of budgeting her life. overall financial situation. She She’s not exactly sure what her cautions others to hold off on current credit scores are, but debt as long as possible and only she knows with help from her use credit cards for emergencies, parents, the score has improved not frivolous spending. tremendously.

Young adults today work harder How to spend money than ever to support themselves correctly is a subject that needs while attending college and being to be brought to a new level active and successful members of importance. For students of society. Unfortunately for a who have cell phones, there is lot of students at SRJC, it could an application called ‘Credit mean financial debt, which can Karma.’ It’s a great tool for be a hard hole to climb out of and managing students’ credit and immensely affect students’ futures. debt in a financially savvy way.

Debt does not only connect Students can download it to to owing money, but it also ties have free access to their current into a credit score. A credit credit scores, with tips on how to score is a number assigned by bring their credit scores up. It’s the credit bureaus, which shows specifically catered to each user. a consumer’s likelihood to pay SRJC student Lizzy Tatrai has back debt. Lenders use these no credit cards, no financial debt scores to determine risk of and is unaware of what her credit lending people money. So how score currently is. She heard does this affect about Credit students?

Karma from Some may friends and TV “Credit plays a role in have a goal commercials. people’s lives no matter to purchase a Tatrai admits who you are or what your she has no house, a car job is. You should achieve idea how it all or obtain a student loan. works. a great credit score.”

I Ari Demery, “If understood an SRJC -Bethy Hardeman, chief a l u m n u s , consumer advocate at Credit how to use the app and why it racked up her Karma was important, credit cards I would use it,” on things like she said. festival tickets, People told plane tickets, her having hotel rooms and dinners. She said half of her credit is important, and she debt is accumulated in wine and knows if she understood more by paying her ex boyfriend’s DUI about how credit works, she would be motivated to have the payments.

“I definitely have been known best score possible.

Chief consumer advocate to overdo things when it comes to experiences. I have gotten Bethy Hardeman at Credit into debt because I’ve had the Karma said credit history starts mindset that ‘the experience’ is now. Hardeman came from a more beneficial than the pain financially savvy family and has and agony of paying the debt followed in her parents’ footsteps

Jessica Carter/Oak Leaf

An SRJC student checks the Credit Karma app to view her credit score. Many students are struggling with accumulating debt.

with credit scores both over 800, which is high in the spectrum of credit scores.

“Credit plays a role in people’s lives no matter who you are or what your job is. You should achieve a great credit score,” Hardeman said.

According to Hardeman, a credit score determines whether or not people will be approved for a credit card loan or a place to live. She said cell phone companies are now looking at these numbers. She wants people to refrain from avoiding credit and to understand exactly what it is.

Having a grasp on the overall financial outlook and good credit score is a goal all students should have. The truth is students are usually not educated about building a good reputation in the credit world. With technology like Credit Karma, students can take a step in the right direction and be ready for whatever their future brings financially.

Elrod roughly knows where her credit score is at the moment.

Despite all her debt and not enough money to go around, she always pays her bills on time and now has a decent credit score.

“It is going to be in your life forever. Learn about it now and Courtesy of Ari Demery learn about how to deal with it,” Students like Ari Demery spend their time worrying about money. Keeping track of your credit score is an important step to manage your finances.

Elrod said.

10 Features Spring fever March 7, 2016

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Birds, bees and blossoming trees Genesis Napel

Co-News Editor Temperatures are heating up, and to accommodate the warm weather, Santa Rosa Junior College students have spring feaver. Sudents are starting to shed their winter layers and expose more skin. This clothes subtraction attracts more looks, causing hormones to flare and gazes to connect.

Coincidence? Maybe. Or are humans on the same biological clock as the rest of the natural world? Is there an internal timer telling us it’s breeding season?

Everyone experiences this phenomenon differently. Some students described spring fever as a more socially active time of year. Students want to spend more time mingling rather than hiding indoors from wintery conditions.

Sociology major James Cook is new to SRJC and said he’s beginning to feel the effects of spring fever. “I’m saying when it’s hot, the clothes come off. When the clothes come off, the hormones get to rising,” Cook said.

Cook attributed this feeling to a combination of things. “It’s a chain reaction. Basically it’s gonna happen,” he said.

When asked if she was experiencing spring fever, SRJC student Sophia Haggard said, “No - I mean maybe.” She said she sees people she thinks are “fine,” but her attration is not overbearing. Even so, Haggard said she believes spring fever is real.

With an array of contraceptive options available in modern society, people have gained more sexual freedom without having to fear the possibility of creating new life. Even so, there are still forces beyond our control, such as the change of seasons, the basic human drive to reproduce and the pheromones to encourage reproduction, which influences

our human habits and desires.

University of Michigan’s Micaela Martinez-Bakker, Kevin M. Bakker, Aaron A. King and Pejman Rohani of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology compiled birth data from the 1960s to 2008 from the United States Vital Statistics and the United States Census Bureau.

When graphed out, the data showed little change over the last 48 years and revealed the majority of births in the U.S. occur from mid-May to November. MartinezBakker and colleagues of UM also considered latitudinal variation of seasons while interpreting data.

At Santa Rosa’s latitude, 38.45 degrees, births peak from August until late October.

Lara Omapariola, SRJC art major, described the winter months as “cuffing season” and spring as a time to break up with the formally cuffed because new people are coming around and “you want to show yourself off,” she said.

This change can be observed sitting in the quad, people watching.

“The guys walking around hitting on girls,” she said.

When asked about spring fever, SRJC student Aaron BellButterfield said, “As the weather gets nicer, breakup season seems to become more of a real thing.

Something’s in the air.”

SRJC student Katie Vanetti, 19, said she’s noticed more people in the quad recently. When asked if she is experiencing spring fever, Vanetti bashfully said yes.

She explained how she has a few people she’s interested in. “I’m not looking for a relationship. You know; it’s more of a for fun kinda thing,” she said.

Whether looking for romantic fun or not, the majority of people to be born in Santa Rosa in 2016 will be conceived in the next few weeks, if they’re not already in their first trimester of pregnancy.

Somewhere between “cuffing

Genesis Napel/ Oak Leaf

Top: Spring weather makes friends, and SRJC students Chris Hernandez and Sayra Gomez more inclined to mingle in the quad.

Bottom: Walking after class with a perspective date may spark interest for SRJC students Segio Bodilla and Alonda Diaz de Leon.

season” and summer love, babies are being made.

Sydney DiMartino is currently in a relationship, but agreed that the nice weather has affected her mood.

Flirtatious conversations can help ease the transition from strictly classmates to something more serious.

Genesis Napel/ Oak Leaf

She said she wouldn’t be surprised if other SRJC students are feeling the affects of spring fever. “Every day you kinda see students all over each other,” DiMartino said.

Spring fever is not a newly recognized condition; the term has been used since the Victorian period. Nineteenth century poet Alfred Lord Tennyson used it in his poem “Locksley Hall.” where he stated, “In the spring a young man’s fancy turns to the thought of love.”

Tyler Burt-Mclaughlin and Jenna Ellis started dating in the beginning of the semester after she asked Burt-Mclaughlin to help her study math. Ellis said she believes in the hormonal aspects of spring fever.

SRJC human sexuality instructor Dr. J. Davis Mannino confirmed that spring fever is more than just a state of mind, “But rather a drastic adjustment in our internal composition,” Mannino said.

“The transition into spring is a physical process that occurs due to changes in hormones and release of pheromones in part triggered by weather.”

As Mannino described, the natural world affects us in many

of the same ways it does other animals.

What makes us different is how we choose to communicate our desires. Whether experiencing spring fever or not, all asked agreed when it comes to approaching a prospective date, being respectful is most important.

SRJC student Bianey Equibel said respect is important to her. Equibel said she is attracted to confidence, but not when it comes off as too aggressive or cocky.

Aaron Burt-Butterfield said he would like to see women approach men as well. “Just say ‘What up’ to that dude you have been eyeing and he’ll probably be stoked,” BurtButterfield said.

So as spring fever sets in and the urge to meet new people or search for a sexual partner takes hold, the advice of someone who has lived through 70 springs is invaluable.

SRJC student Mary Mcallister, 70, recommends students look up from their iPhones and pay attention to surrounding people. “Smile at them and if you see someone that you’re sort of attracted to, don’t be bashful.

Go and say hi,” she said.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

March 7, 2016

11

Unity in your SRJC community James Wyatt Staff Writer Santa Rosa Junior College student activism inspires equity that blooms through the college’s learning communities and spurs change.

When Damion Square came to SRJC in 2013 from Albany Technical College in Georgia, he saw a greatly underrepresented and uninspired population of students throughout the school.

Square didn’t feel there was an inclusive curriculum for minority students at SRJC and this feeling of isolation was sharpened during a sociology class in his first semester.

A teacher posted a picture of a black man with explicit language degrading to blacks. Square voiced his concern about this portion of the teacher’s presentation, which he felt was offensive. He came under fire and was suspended for two days. Square felt the teacher was “culturally incompetent” in understanding his point of view.

From that moment he turned his frustration into improving equity on campus for all students.

“At the end of the day, all of us are joining arms to really combat against the common oppressor; A flawed American education system,” Square said.

Square’s first major accomplishment began with helping to resurrect SRJC’s Black Student Union, which had been inactive for a decade. The BSU encourages all students to be active throughout learning communities.

The SRJC learning communities provide students with support, resources and committed opportunities for highly engaged classroom environments. These families —Puente, Umoja, Apass, Connections, First

Santa Rosa Junior College student Damion Square helped revive the Black Student Union and brought life to the club, which had been inactive for a decade .

Year Experience—all provide a supportive environment for students that aim to close the discrepancy of the underrepresented, unrealized potential of all students regardless of background, race and cultural diversity.

Square’s inspiration is spreading to other students and professors.

“Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, actions lead to results,” he said. “Every day you need to be waking up and thinking, ‘Who am I? What can I do? And where do I see myself

going every day?’”

Naomi Monatin, 18, a political science major from Ivory Coast, said, “Damion Square really helped me because he started the BSU, which inspired me and told me how important black people should be at SRJC and that was not the case before this group. So he really taught me the importance of being active,” she said.

Monatin is now the BSU vice president and continues her activism in Umoja. She said that Umoja has been of crucial importance for her because they

give her financial aid for her books and homework. Monatin also finds support through teacher involvement.

The learning communities create a fair and impartial support group where students can prosper as intellectual equals.

These groups are available to all students to help foster education through linked classes with other students, cultural relevancy and passionate staff.

English instructor Michael Hale said on a daily basis students challenge him as a teacher and as a

Courtesy of facebook

Students, faculty and the Black Student Union raise awareness of violence toward black citizens. People hold signs such as “Black Lives Matter,” in support of the movement.

James Wyatt /Oak Leaf

human being to grow. “Sometimes in higher education, they try to professionalize the humanity of it. They try to make you so arrogant that your head is about to explode or something. But it has always been a joy in my life as to how student activists, student clubs, and engaged protests have brought me back down to the ground,” Hale said.

On Feb. 25, Square and Hale served as panelists for a campus discussion honoring Black History Month. The discussion was aimed at bringing awareness to the discrepancy of minority students’ college graduation success rate compared to the overall student population.

The panel implored students to engage and be active with their peers in learning communities.

Square believes this will bridge the gap in minorities succeeding in college. “It’s all about redignifying ourselves and then going back to our communities and building our communities up,” he said.

The purpose of the Black Student Union is to promote activities of common interest, as well as cultural and educational benefits for the African American/African student body and other students.

In addition, the BSU provides a forum for them to voice their differences, goals and ideas.

The BSU meets Monday 5-6 p.m. and Tuesdays 1:30 p.m., Mondays in Senate Chambers and Tuesdays in Center for Student Leadership, Bertolini Student Center.

Contact the club by visiting facebook.com/ SrjcBlackStudentUnion.

Continued from cover...

After that he attended New York University from 1995-1997 to study with media theorist Neil Postman. He began teaching film at DeSales University from 1999-2002.

Antonson’s main interest through and after college was writing, but he couldn’t get paid work. One of his earliest jobs was working on a Fox TV show called “Van-pires,” which was about vans that turned into vampires. The show was shot on super-16mm film in Silver Cup Studios in Long Island City. “[The show] ran for just two to three episodes before it got canceled,” Antonson said.

The director of photography for the show, Derek Wong, was experienced in Korean martial arts action films. He was new to America, working on a non-union crew in a union studio. A week or so into production, the union came in and told the union crew people on shoot to walk out. Wong was not in the union and didn’t know anything about it.

Antonson was a 23-yearold production assistant with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, getting coffee and doing whatever he could to make himself feel useful.

“After the walkout, there were only a few of us on the crew left,” he said. “Derek looked around and asked ‘Does anyone know how to load a 16mm film mag?’ I had shot my thesis film on 16mm, so I raised my hand. Derek said, ‘You’re in.’ And that’s how I got into the camera department.”

Antonson shot for CBS News on

and off while shooting multiple TV series from 2000-2012 and for CNN from 2000-2014. Two notable pilots he shot were MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” which was first called “Guido Beach,” and “Buying Naked,” a TLC show about a real estate broker who deals exclusively with nudist properties.

He was director of photography for shows on different networks. His two favorites are A&E’s “Paranormal State,” which follows members of the Penn State Paranormal Research Society as they investigate strange and unusual phenomena across the country, and IFC’s “Z Rock,” which centers on a heavy metal band that makes a living by day as performers at children’s birthday parties. “‘Paranormal State’ was extremely interesting, because there was very little influence on the show from the producer side of things,” he said.

“We shot it like a documentary, following this team of paranormal investigators into all sorts of bizarre situations. They took themselves and what they were doing very seriously, as did their clients. We experienced some pretty weird events and a lot of very scared people.”

When filming “Z Rock,” he got to work with comedians like Joan Rivers, Patrice O’Neil and Jim Norton. He found it challenging to shoot because there was a lot of improvisation. But he loved that the locations were in and around New York City.

One of the craziest encounters he had on set was when shooting “Paranormal State.” He rushed up a hill to get a shot, only to discover the hill was an Indian burial ground.

He was told to step foot on it was sacrilegious and would cause the trespasser to be cursed.

“I went back and asked the spirits for

forgiveness. That was more ignorance than crazy,” Antonson said. “Having to spend the night, sometimes alone or with just one or two people, in a location considered to be haunted or cursed, most people would consider crazy. But I did it over and over on that show.”

Though he loves filming TV series, sometimes it took a toll on him.

Cameras were heavier 10 years ago and rigs were 30-36 pounds. He would have to take ice baths sometimes after long shoot days because his shoulders and back were wrecked. “Paranormal State” was a documentary-style show that consisted of 16-18 hour shoot days, most of which was shot with handheld cameras. Another issue was being away from his family. He was away more than he was at home. At first it wasn’t a big deal for him, but as his kids grew older, it became more of a problem. Eventually he shifted to local news and teaching in Petaluma to spend more time with his family.

“Being with my family was a priority,” he said. “I started off shooting at CNN and I moved my way over to CBS and eventually got a staff job as a cameraman and editor in New York.

Now that I’m back in the teaching world, it’s a great balance because I can be home most of the year and only work and travel a few months out of the year.”

In 2012, Antonson came to Sonoma County to teach cinematography at SRJC, but still makes films. Having a creative and professional life is vital to him personally and it’s important for being an effective teacher in his field.

In the fall he teaches media 19: multicamera studio and journalism 55: multimedia journalism. In the spring he teaches media 22: screenwriting and media 21: intermediate digital

Courtesy of tiptoeingsanstulips.blogspot.com

“Paranormal State” was a series featuring the Pennsylvania State University Paranormal Research team, which Brian Antonson lended his talents to as a cinematographer from 2007-09. The show aired for 83 episodes on A&E from December, 2007 to May, 2011.

Brian An

A life in fi

ntonson:

Classes taught by Brian Antonson:

film & TV

Fall only: Media 19: Multi-camera studio production

This course introduces students to the studio production environment. Students learn live-camera setups in theory and in practice as participants create original content.

Center: Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf; Top: Courtesy of Discovery.com

Top: Brian Antonson produced eight episodes of the TV show “Yukon Men,” which airs on the Discovery Channel.

Center: Instructor Brian Antonson demonstrates the use of a red camera to his students at the Petaluma campus.

filmmaking. Evey semester he teaches media 20: digital filmmaking.

“It’s super fun and also gratifying,” he said. “Makes me feel really good when a lesson or a day of teaching goes well and things click with my students.”

His priority is to stay current because he believes old theories and outdated equipment may bore his students, and he wants to help them find a job in the industry.

He tries to balance the art and the science of digital storytelling in his classes so that students won’t just learn what buttons to press, but also how to use tools in creative ways. To him it’s a complex art form, and his classes barely scratch the surface of what there is to learn. He hopes his students gain a sense of confidence in themselves as artists and learn to work together.

Digital filmmaking and journalism major Kyle Schmidt has taken Antonson’s classes over the last two years. He has taken media 20 and journalism 55 and is currently taking media 21 and 22. Schmidt has nothing but praise for Antonson and considers him more of a friend than a teacher.

“Brian is the teacher every student prays for,” Schmidt said. “If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am today.

He has showed me so much in the past two years, and his teaching will further influence students to come.”

Chantelle Bogue, a psychology and graphic design major, has taken media 20 and 21 with Antonson and says he’s very knowledgeable when it comes to the different gear SRJC offers.

“Brian is a very attentive teacher. He’s very detailed with his critiques, but also very sensitive,” Bogue said. “He’s a great teacher to talk to about creative experiences, and given his experience in the field, he’s a great example to

follow. Taking digital filmmaking classes at the JC broadened my knowledge of the industry.”

Multimedia instructor Jeffery Diamond said Antonson made an impact on his students.

“Brian has transformed the digital media video program,” Diamond said. “He stimulates and energizes his students to achieve their highest creative visions.”

Antonson thinks achieving a balance in life is most important, and something that’s a constant goal to strive for. When he has time off one of the things he likes doing is watching movies every chance he gets. He also loves playing card games with his kids.

“You don’t want to be a work-aholic and never stop to enjoy life and the little things and be grateful for your life. But you also don’t want to be passive in life and just watch as things go by; I don’t anyway,” he said.

“Making time for work, for family, for friends, for self-mind, body and spirit — that’s a life challenge.”

In his time off teaching this summer, Antonson plans to shoot a new paranormal show. It’s a genre he loves and looks forward to working on. He also has a horror-action film script he’s working on about how evil spirits permeated the early Catholic church and shifted the focus of the Bible and religion. He hopes to finish by the end of the summer.

“It’s super weird and I have no idea how I got into the head-space to be writing this sort of genre movie,” he said. “But that’s what’s been coming out when I write.”

With his classes, he hopes to pass on his knowledge of his experiences and guide his students into the cinematography industry.

Journalism 55: Multimedia reporting

The course provides students with hands-on training to learn how to create and edit text, audio, video and photos to produce multimedia news and feature stories for the web.

Spring only: Media 21: digital media

Intermediate

An inspection of the science and art of digital preproduction, production and post-production. Students will write short film scripts, plan and execute shoots with single camera production methods, edit picture and sound and learn to set and market films for festivals and distribution.

Students will progress advanced skills in digital filmmaking as well as the capability to lead a production crew.

Media 22: Screenwriting

An introduction to the basics of screenwriting, including story building, character development, dialogue, plotting and formatting as they’re used in creating scripts for film and television.

Both semesters: Media 20: digital filmmaking A thorough introduction to the basics of digital filmmaking, including writing and structuring a story concept, developing a shooting script, straightforward camera and lighting techniques, editing and post-production procedures.

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March 7, 2016

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

Estefany Gonzalez/ Oak Leaf

Right: (Left to right) Justin Walters, Gabe Rivera, Sally Haggard and Jon Romanos.

Band members aren’t afraid of getting in each other’s personal space as they relax after practice.

Top left: Sally Haggard and band take a break from practice to joke around.

Bottom left: Sally Haggard went from backing up other musicians to front woman.

She’s a survivor, she’s gonna make it

SRJC Band of the week: Sally Haggard Continued from cover. . .

Both Rivera and Romanos are also part of a punk band The Mud the Blood and the Beer. Walters said the band’s sound couldn’t be categorized in one genre. “[Romanos and Rivera] have a lot of punk rock roots. [ Haggard] has a lot of blues roots and folk roots. I have a bunch of weird classical roots and religious roots. We got lots of roots,” Walters said.

The most exciting part of this project for Haggard is the musical chemistry she shares with the rest of the band.

“I’ve been the backup person a lot for other people. This is intimidating for me in a way because I have all these people backing up my weird songs, but it’s cool. I’m excited to take it to the next level,” Haggard said.

Now, with a complete line-up, band members share what inspires them musically, their favorite female artists, hangover cures and more.

What inspires you to write music?

Haggard: Heartache. I have a very difficult time writing a song when I’m happy.

Walters: Which is why musicians keep their life chaotic.

Haggard: I like to be funny.

I don’t know, I think I’m funny sometimes. But just something that’s hurtful and trying to put a funny spin on it – that’s how I was raised, to joke your way out of stuff.

I like to write about heartache but I also like to write about funny stuff.

Romanos: I do off-time funky kinda stuff, but then I adapt it to my different bands. For The Mud the Blood and the Beer, I kind of punk stuff out a little more. For this, I’ll play Sally’s style, but I guess my version of her style. That’s just from growing up a bass player and listening to Chilly Peppers and Les Claypool.

Rivera: When I joined, I was super stoked for the chance to play something different. You know, something out of my comfort zone. At first I had to adapt a little bit. I don’t play as hard and use brushes or stick bundles. I changed my style a little bit, but it’s a lot of fun.

You’ve been referred to as a “whiskey drinking badass,” which is different from how a lot of women in music are seen. How do you feel about being referred to as such?

Rivera: That’s our girl.

Romanos: She’s a cutesy drinking badass.

Haggard: I curve my way a little bit.

You know, you can get caught up in it. As a musican, you play shows and get free alcohol, but it’ll catch up with you. But I do love whiskey and playing music is fun.

Speaking of badass women, who is your favorite female artist?

Haggard: I love Beyoncé. I talk about her at least once a day.

Rivera: We all knew the answer to that question.

Walters: She was sitting there this morning and she was like, “You know she’s a billionaire.”

Haggard: I don’t like all of her songs, I just really like her. I actually cover some of her songs because I think she’s so rad.

Walters: I like Mariah Carey and Shania Twain. There’s a lot of female artists that I enjoy watching.

Romanos: I’d say Brody Dalle from The Distillers. Grant from The Mud the Blood and the Beer, his cousin was the bass player in that band. We’ve been listening to them since they started. She’s awesome. There’s three albums. The first one was so raw, the second was punk with a little pop and the third one, her feminine side came out more but she still had that raspy voice. And Laura Jane Grace from Against Me!, who was a man up until a couple years ago.

Rivera: Believe it or not, I really like Fiona Apple. She has an amazing voice and is just a composer. I love her poetry. Her album “Extraordinary Machine,” she orchestrated everything on that album. She wrote the music, piano, drums. It’s all her.

Best hangover cure?

Rivera: More beer.

Haggard: Emergency booze.

Walters: It’s the booze that she had hidden behind the dryer.

Haggard: I’ll forget where I hid it and all of a sudden a month later, I’ll

find it in a shoe.

If you could open up for any artist ever, who would it be and why?

Haggard: Probably Johnny Cash.

There was one wonderful wasted girl.

I covered a Johnny Cash song and she told me I reminded her of a female Johnny Cash and I was like, “I’m gonna go die now.” She was hammered, but the way she said it, I was just like, “Thank you.”

Walters: I want to open for Beethoven. I really think he was writing the most metal riffs ever.

It’s pretty metal for classical music.

Ninety percent of the stuff I listen to is classical music.

Ramanos: I’d say it’s a toss up between either The Band or The Beatles, just to hang out with either of them.

Rivera: Misfits in the late ‘80s.

They’ve always been my favorite band since I got into punk rock. I’ve listened to them forever. The new stuff, it is what it is. But Danzig in the ‘80s, that’s where I wanna be.

Favorite ‘90s cartoon?

Ramanos: You know what was a badass cartoon back then? “Daria.”

They had all the music of the time and culture of the time.

Haggard: My parents wouldn’t let me watch TV. The only thing I was allowed to watch was “The Golden Girls.”

Rivera: That explains a lot about your sense of humor.

Walters: When I was a kid, my first sentence was from “ThunderCats.” I’m gonna go for “ThunderCats.” I stood up on my bed and yelled “Thunder, Thunder, ThunderCats” during a thunderstorm. I had a sense of humor as a child.

Rivera: During the ‘90s I remember I was in junior high and I would walk to my friend Harlan’s house every morning and his mom would take us to school. I would get there half an hour early so that we could watch “Sailor Moon” before school. I loved “Sailor Moon.”

Coffee, Bloody Mary or mimosa?

Haggard: Coffee.

Romanos: Coffee.

Rivera: Bloody Mary.

Walters: If I can’t remember the day before, Bloody Mary.

If you were stranded on an island, what would be the one thing you would want to have with you?

Haggard: A horse.

Walters: I would say a boat.

Haggard: I didn’t know that was an option.

Romanos: I would pick Justin’s brain.

Rivera: I would pick Justin.

Haggard: Nevermind, I pick Justin.

He’ll find me a horse anywhere.

Rivera: And he’ll m a k e me dinner too.

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From Jingdezhen to JC

A&E

March 7, 2016

15

Instructor and artist display art at Robert Agrella gallery Rico Pinola Staff Writer Allow Santa Rosa Junior College art instructors to take you on a spiritual journey with their ceramic masterpieces in the latest art exhibit at SRJC. The Robert F. Agrella Art Gallery unveiled the work of ceramics instructor Hiroshi Fuchigami and artist Gary Erickson from St. Paul, Minnesota in “Spiritual Journey.”

The show opened Feb. 25 and will continue until March 18.

Fuchigami and Erickson created their artwork while visiting Jingdezhen Sanbao Ceramic Institute in China. Jingdezhen is referred to as the porcelain capital of the world. Ceramicists have created pottery there for nearly 2,000 years.

Fuchigami’s and Erickson’s work offers a window to China and reflects Jingdezhen history.

“Spiritual Journey” begins with photographs Fuchigami and Erickson took during their visit, outlining the difficult process involved with creating these works

of art. In Jingdezhen, ceramic projects are known to go through many different artists’ hands before completion. Each piece reveals a genuine undeniable feeling when visitors view the artistic process and witness the artists’ committed devotion. Every piece of art on display is uniquely detailed.

SRJC psychology major Alexandria Burnett said, “This is the best art I have seen in this gallery since I’ve been going here.”

Peaceful music from Grammy and Golden Globe award winning Japanese artist Kitaro welcomes Devin Schwarz/ Oak Leaf students as they walk through the Left: Hiroshi Fuchigami’s art has strong ties to ancient Chinese ceramics. Right: The “Spiritual Journey” show will run until March 18. exhibit, sculpting an authentic feeling. The art gallery flows with a delightful energy.

SRJC student Brandon Wright said, “This is pretty impressive, and the music is a nice touch.”

A slideshow of photographs taken in Jingdezhen are viewable from the rear of the gallery.

This exhibit aims to capture the spirit of Chinese ceramic art and examine the hard work and determination that goes into Devin Schwarz/ Oak Leaf creating it while also tying the art Left: The detail in Fuchigami’s art is like a life-size statue made miniature.

Right: Photos of Jingdezhen line the wall as students enter the gallery. form to SRJC.

Life hacks to keep you on track Laura Buel Staff Writer Have you ever been broke, just plain lazy, out of time or hungover? If so, these life hacks may be the solution to your problems. Life hacks are simple and ingenious solutions to everyday issues that will save you time and money.

extra virgin, cold-pressed or Bringing bagels to school has non-hydrogenated products in never been easier. Use an old CD order to receive the most health spindle in order to safely pack benefits. bagels and ensure they don’t fall apart in your bag or get squished. #2 Egg cartons for laptops: #4 Charge phones on airplane mode: If your phone is dying and you don’t have time to waste, switch to airplane mode and plug it in for a quick charge. #5 Honey for acne scars: Put a little dab of honey on any acne scar, leave it for a few hours and wash the honey off to lessen its appearance.

#1 Coconut oil:

Courtesy of Wikihow.com

Nobody wants a burning computer on their lap, but products specifically made for cooling laptops are expensive. A cheap solution is an egg carton.

Flip the carton upside down, and place your laptop on top Courtesy of Ebay.com of it to ensure proper airflow.

A jar of coconut oil can save This simple action will keep students money, because it your device from overheating can be used as a substitute for and allow you to keep working expensive products. unscathed.

Use coconut oil to replace products for hair masks, body #3 Old CD spindle for bagels: moisturizers, massage oils, lip balms, makeup removers, shaving creams, cooking oils or butter.

Add a spoonful of coconut oil to your coffee or tea in the morning to give your day an extra boost of energy and kickstart your metabolism.

When purchasing the oil, make sure to buy organic, Courtesy of Firstwefeast.com

#6 Use treats to motivate your studying:

Devin Schwarz/ Oak Leaf

Strategically place treats on different spots on a page; it will keep you motivated to read on to the next paragraph—this requires self-restraint.

Some ideas for treats are skittles, gummy bears, sour patch kids, your favorite nuts or chex mix. Just make sure to choose treats that won’t stain your textbook.

#7 Desktop or lock screen something important:

Turn any boring pack of instant ramen into a culinary masterpiece by adding a few extra ingredients. Meats, boiled eggs, green onions, bamboo shoots, spices, vegetables, citrus juices or anything you like can turn cheap food into deliciousness. #10 Trouble waking up? phone in a cup:

Catherine Ramirez/ Oak Leaf

To make sure you remember something important before big exams, change your background to what you want to learn. Doing so ensures your device reminds you to study every time you use it. #8 Hangover cure: If you drank too much and need a quick fix for your hangover, try honey on crackers. The natural sugar found in honey helps the body break down alcohol into a harmless by-product. The Devin Schwarz/ Oak Leaf sodium in crackers will help your body to retain water and prevent If your phone is used as an alarm dehydration. clock and it’s not loud enough to wake you up, try placing it in a glass cup or mason jar before bedtime. The glass #9 Gourmet ramen: will amplify the alarm and hopefully will be loud enough to wake you up and get you out of bed.

This trick can also be used to amplify music if you can’t find speakers. This works great for outdoor activities.

Whether your hangin’ out with friends or trying to wake up, never Laura Buel/ Oak Leaf forget phone in a cup.

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A&E

March 7, 2016

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Sugar and spice, don’t think twice

On Cue Santa Rosa bakeries to satisfy your sweet tooth Calendar of Events

March 8 and March 30

“The Hunting Ground:” Documentary focusing on two college women who were sexually assaulted. It details the small number of these incidents that get reported. The CNN film screening exposes rape culture on college campuses and includes rape survivors who pursue education and justice, 1:30-3 p.m. in the Mahoney Library Reading Room.

March 9 - 13

“Emotional Creature-The Secret Life of Girls Around the World:” An ensemble play that portrays the inner thoughts of girls around the world and highlighting the diversity or commonality that the girls face from 8-10 p.m. in Burbank Auditorium.

March 9

MAD Wednesday: Music on the quad, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Bertolini quad, Santa Rosa campus and Rotary Plaza, Petaluma campus.

Free Food: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rotary Plaza, Petaluma campus.

March 10

“Sex Trafficking In The U.S. - A Path Appears:” A documentary that covers sex trafficking in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice estimated 300,000 children, mostly young women, at risk in the sex trafficking trade. Journalist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wu Dunn uncover the harshest form of gender inequality in “A Path Appears,” 3-5 p.m. in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

March 31

“Dare to Compete:” A film that covers the history of women who struggled in sports and includes a discussion with history instructor Alice Roberti, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Mahoney Library Reading Room.

“Prejudice and Pride” screening and discussion: The fifth episode of the Latino American documentary is set between 1965– 1980 and focuses on activists Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Jose Angel Gutierrez and Salvador Castro. History instructor Laura Larque and librarian Nancy Persons will facilitate the screening and discussion from 7-8 p.m. at the Sonoma Country Library.

April 4

A Shakespeare Cabaret: In honor of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the theater arts department is holding a collection of scenes, songs and comedy routines inspired by The Bard for centuries 8-10 p.m. in Newman Auditorium.

-Zachary Chew

-Devin Schwarz, A&E Editor

The Criminal Baking Company and Undercover Noshery • •

463 Sebastopol Ave. 2 miles from SRJC

Tucked away where few would look, the term ‘undercover’ is well earned.

The food at Criminal Baking Co is as off-the-beaten-trail as its location, and certainly “criminal.”

The bakery’s owner and artist behind its delicious food, Dawn Zaft, has crafted a culinary landscape completely outside the norm. This is exemplified by their cinnamon French toast casserole, taking a classic and twisting it, turning it on itself and creating something new and delicious.

Baked goods are not all you’ll find at this studio-sized establishment. A mini-menu of lunch and breakfast items adorns one wall, including veggie-based breakfast bowls and chile rellenos. On the opposite side you’ll see a handwritten list of creative smoothies, including the “live bomb,” made with espresso, frozen yogurt, chocolate, vanilla and milk; or “squash you like a bug,” made with Pumpkin or butternut squash, cinnamon, frozen yogurt, ginger and apple juice.

If you’re looking for a bakery that breaks the mold for what pastries should be, grab your getaway driver and head to The Undercover Baking Agency.

Sift Dessert Bar • •

404 Medocino Ave. 1.2 miles from SRJC

Sugar, spice and everything nice is exemplified by the pretty pinks and sugary treats at Sift Dessert Bar. Sift, put on the map after winning Food Network’s Cupcake wars, has been making delicious frosted treats since 2008. Since then, the quiant baking company has made a name for itself through interesting use of ingredients and creative cupcake flavors like “24 Carrot,” “The Sky is Falling” and “Irish Dream.”

The most intriguing item on Sift’s menu is their cake shake; two whole cupcakes of your choice blended with milk and ice to create a diabetic daydream of a drink.

Their display case also hosts a variety of cookies, french macaroons and something they call “cruffles”, essentially a cake pop without a stick up its ass.

Sift has a strong focus on catering and is the perfect choice to supply your party with all its sugary needs

Michelle Marie’s Patisserie

• •

2404 Magowan Dr. 2.3 miles from SRJC

Michelle Marie’s is the quintessential french bakery; croissants, monstersized cookies, coconut macaroons, sweet and savory scones and a huge selection of cakes are just a fraction of what you’ll find here.

Although they title themselves ‘patisserie,’ a French or Belgian bakery focusing on sweet candies and pastries, Michelle’s has a huge selection of hot and cold savory foods with a strong focus on sitdown café-style eating. If you need a sweet treat with your espresso drink, try their ‘little ladies,’ a Russian tea cake with raspberry jam, topped with powdered sugar.

Michelle Marie’s also has the largest selection of small and large cakes available in a range of flavors.

Muffin Street Baking Co. • •

52 Mission Cir. 3 miles from SRJC

As the name suggests, Muffin Street specializes in muffins of all flavors, and they have so much more to offer.

Inside Muffin Street you’ll find an ice cream bar, espresso counter, comfortable seating area, books for sale to read while you drink as well as a small gift-shop-esque area with hand towels and handmade ceramic plates, cups and bowls.

Muffin Street also has a kitchen, producing salads, soups and sandwiches. For breakfast try the Canadian, a homemade flakey biscuit sandwich with Canadian bacon, eggs and melted provolone cheese. The tuna melt is an easy and delicious choice for a lunchtime treat.

Devin Schwarz/Oak Leaf

Top: Michelle Marie’s does not allow photos to be taken inside its bakery.

Middle: Muffin Street Baking Co. is known for its mastery of muffins, but that’s not where the deliciousness ends, they serve a wide variety of other dishes, including soups, salads, gelato and hot sandwiches.

Lower: Sift was put on the map after winning Food Network’s Cupcake wars. They have been making their delicious frosted treats since 2008.

Bottom: The Undercover Baking Agency is a hidden gem that requires a little investigating to uncover, but once you do you’ll never want to leave. The gluten free options and casual atmosphere are welcoming to all who can find them.

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

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March 7, 2016

Powerful show tackles women’s issues on SRJC stage Jynessa Lazzaroni Staff Writer

Eve Ensler’s “Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World” is a brilliant production adapted from her New York Times best-selling book chronicling the lives of young girls.

It’s not so much a story as it is a series of intimate looks into the lives of young women from around the world. Each character presents her own insecurities and problems within her unique cultures, families and friends.

As the production unfolds, the women introduce themselves individually through spectacular stories, humor and casual conversation amongst themselves — tackling issues that are comfortably relatable, such as dating, body image and even teen pregnancy. At other times though, the issues these young women face are horrifying and bone-chilling.

One of the girls, an African teen bride who is treated more like a sex slave, tells stories of countless rapes and her daily

duty to the man she is subjected to.

Another girl is a Bulgarian sex trafficking victim who captures the audience’s attention with the gripping details of her day’s work.

She calls herself a “receptacle” because of the amount of men she is forced to see each day.

Then there is the Chinese girl who works tirelessly in a factory constructing Barbie doll heads. With each doll, she sends a message to the young girls who receive them to “free Barbie from the constrains of unrealistic perfection.”

Each of them is a constant reminder of how many women still face patriarchal systems that force them into sex trades and poor working conditions.

They are reminders that some women are still subject to genital mutilation and are sold as child brides.

The young cast did a phenomenal job capturing the depth of their characters in their monologues, which were executed without flaw. The musical performances were perfectly timed and were a welcome addition to the storyline.

The cast did a great job conveying the disparity that occurs in the world, while

Cortesy of Sonomanews.com

The cast of “Emotional Creature” captivates the audience with a powerful presentation of women’s experiences around the world.

maintaining a sense of humor and compassion for the viewer.

These young girls, through their characters, encourage us to be kind to fellow women and not to cast them away for social status — to love one another and to put less pressure on our daughters.

These girls are our girls. They are each of us, and we are each them — simply complicated, emotional creatures.

Courtesy of Sonomanews.com

Ensler’s “Emotional Creature” sports an all-female cast, like her play “The Vagina Monologues.”

Astrology

-Haley Bollinger, Features Editor

Aries: Adventure to mystic rivers and salty seas, time spent enjoying the elements will bring a calm breeze.

Libra: When life gives a wondrous illusion of steadiness, it will usually at that point explode all over again and continue to confuse you. Dust sparkles as the winds of time elude choices.

Taurus: The simple concept of recognizing Scorpio: Art takes fresh forms when left alone. your life continues only with each breath you inhale. It will connect you with your primal self.

Expressing yourself through different mediums might be your new forte. Destroy negative perceptions and water your soul; the wilt will end.

Gemini: Reality does not have to juxtapose Sagittarius: A solid belly laugh will invigorate dreams. A fear of failure deludes your attempts at success.

your senses and keep you earnestly eager for more. Make time to explore what you find funny.

If that does not work, there are always cat videos on the Internet.

Cancer: Life is a mirage. Or are you hallucinating? Stop worrying, or you’ll be tripping.

Capricorn: Connect with your creative side.

Leo: Don’t worry about your IQ, unless you’re high and living in a dingy trailer park.

Then think about making smart choices.

Aquarius: You’ll never need to fear an

Virgo: Conquer this semester the same way

you conquered the lines at Disneyland. Think about investing in a fast pass for life.

All-encompassing self-loathing only causes clutter and late papers. Let go of self-judgment and free your mind — the rest will follow.

army of llamas bent on conquest, unless your imagination holds you hostage or you really mess up on your adventures! Keep it fresh, my friend.

Pisces: A tadpole must survive their delicate

state in the pond before metamorphosis occurs and they grow into a frog. Keep swimming and enjoy the transformation; you will be leaping onto lily pads in no time.

GET

A DEGREE IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE Graduate degrees in: Nursing • Teaching • Counseling Financial aid and scholarships available

CONTACT US TODAY 707.527.9612 santarosacampus@usfca.edu Information Meetings held at least once a month.

For dates, go to: www.usfca.edu/santarosa

CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HERE

18

A&E

March 7, 2016

Picnic pit stop Oliver’s Market

461 Stony Point Rd. 560 Montecito Center 546 E Cotati Ave. (707) 596-3845 When warm air rolls in and the green grass calls to you, there’s only one thing to do: have a picnic. At Oliver’s Market you’ll find everything you need to throw the perfect outdoor feast.

Salads, sandwiches, taqueria favorites made-to-order, fresh fruit and cold drinks; Oliver’s has anything and everything your heart or stomach could desire.

As you enter the store, you’re instantly aware you aren’t in a typical grocery store. The deli counter, bakery and kitchen are all alive with sounds and smells that tell you the food here is fresh. The deli counter is one of the largest in town, with an ever-changing variety of salads and a constant supply of meats and cheeses for all your sandwiching needs.

The deli section is accompanied by a gargantuan salad bar with all the classics, as well as a wide selection of pre-made salads, meats, olives and much more.

Their meat and produce sections have an equally expansive variety, with a huge number of organic options available in each.

Hot food options include their constantly changing buffet style hot bar and their taqueria.

The surprisingly authentic taqueria serves three different levels of burritos; one with only beans, cheese and vegetables, one that adds Mexican rice and meat, and one that includes sour cream and guacamole.

Whether you need fresh ground beef for backyard burgers or a hot meal to feed the whole family on a day in the park, Oliver’s is the only destination you need.

-Devin Schwarz

www.theoakleafnews.com

Hiking destination Annadel State Park 6201 Channel Dr. (707) 539-3911

Here in Sonoma County, the variety of trails is plentiful and diverse.

Annadel, Santa Rosa’s own state park, has just under eight square miles of wooded land, nine different trails and beautiful Lake Ilsanjo. It’s impossible to get tired of the contrasting scenery.

On the west side of the park you’ll find Spring Creek Trail, a luscious mileand-a-half long hike full of green trees running parallel to a creek, leading to the top of Lake Ilsanjo.

Also on the west side, there’s Canyon Trail, a dusty, winding trail full of uneven rocks.

On the east side of the lake lays Richardson Trail, which is similar to Spring Creek. If you are quiet enough, chances are you will see deer and other types of wildlife. The park’s hours correspond to daylight hours, and if you time it perfectly, the sunsets and sunrises are magnificent.

Be careful if you go running around Lake Ilsanjo during the night; you may run into a pack of naked young men. It’s a long-standing tradition that every year once the sun sets after Cross Country season, a Sonoma County high school team quietly streaks around the lake. One of the participants spoke of the dangers this practice holds; “We try not to fall and scrape our d*cks in the dirt.”

-Jocelyn Mobley

Devin Schwarz/ Oak Leaf

Courtney Paige/ Oak Leaf

Nature park

Spring Lake Park 393 Violetti Rd. (707) 539-8092

Flower shop City 205 Flowers 205 Fifth St. (707) 525-8318

Whether your favorite foliage arrangements are roses and branches, succulents and cranberries or daises and bushes, City 205 Flowers in Santa Rosa’s historical landmark Railroad Square will create the perfect posy for any soiree.

Photographs captured of your cherished arrangements will become works of art treasured for a lifetime.

From the classic handheld bouquet to an elaborate piece de resistance, this little florist gem will create the perfect arrangement for a variety of events.

In an unlikely location, City 205 Flowers is planted in the foyer of an award-winning building cradled between a restaurant and a beauty salon.

The venue blossoms like a conservatory of flowers with beautiful bouquets whilst your nose is delighted with the sweet fragrance of a budding outdoor garden.

-Courtney Paige

Courtney Paige/ Oak Leaf

Ice cream shop Shuffle’s Magical Ice Cream Shoppe 528 7th st.

(707) 544-3535

I scream, you scream, we all scream for magical ice cream.

Shuffle’s Magical Ice Cream Shoppe doubles as a magic shop that puts on comedy shows on a stage at the back of the store. Shop owner JohnPaul Scirica has made ice cream as long as he has been a professional stage magician. The shop’s selection ranges from old ice cream flavors, like butter brittle and rum raisin, to family recipes like breakfast bowl— an ice cream with bits of breakfast cereal in it—or chai latte-flavored ice cream.

The shop has also recently began serving hot food like burgers and sandwiches.

It has a small arcade, made up of pinball machines. The shop has a number of beginner’s kits, trick cards and fake vomit. Shuffle’s offers private lessons for $40 an hour.

Shuffle’s magic and comedy shows are from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursdays and Fridays.

-Arthur Gonzalez-Martin

For some, Spring Lake Park is a known staple within their nature repertoire; for others it’s a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

Nothing says spring more than this park. In a changing universe where everything is 30 seconds ago, you can rest assured not much has changed at Santa Rosa’s Spring Lake Park.

With the hustle and bustle of the modern world, it’s nice to know nature is peacefully consistent here. Time stands still in the confines of the park’s plethora of natural serene beauty.

In a world where people are preoccupied with cell phones and social networking, Spring Lake is the perfect place to unwind, reflect on reality and become one with the land.

Trees, bees, wildlife and unexpected bundles of joy are abundant in this oasis of nature. This park is a bountiful, dependable break from life’s daily grind.

Birds chirping, wind singing and sunshine reflecting like magic on the lake - the beauty of Spring Lake is painted with 50 shades of amazing.

Hiking and biking are just a couple of activities the park offers. Other activities include kayaking, canoeing, paddle boating, fishing, swimming, camping and duck feeding.

Food truck options can be found in the park on Tuesdays during spring.

-Courtney Paige

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

March 7, 2016

19

Bear Cubs Will Mathis / Oak Leaf

The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team looks on as it battles against Cañada College Feb. 27 in Redwood City. The Bear Cubs lost 12-5 for only their second loss of the 2016 season.

Bear Cubs head into Big 8 season Will Mathis

Assistant Sports Editor After suffering its first loss since Jan. 30, the Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team [11-2] heads into Big 8 Conference play with high expectations.

The Bear Cubs lost to Cañada College 12-5 Feb. 27, snapping their 10-game win streak. Starting pitcher Alec Rennard allowed six runs in just one inning of work.

“As a starter you’re not allowed to do that,” Rennard said. “To keep winning you have to stay hungry every game. You have to keep working hard. Right out of the gates they jumped on me personally.”

The loss may be a blessing in disguise for the Bear Cubs as they advance into conference play this week. It will motivate and refocus the Bear Cubs heading into the two month long conference season.

“We came out and had a good week of practice,” said reliever Jackson Ketron. “When something like that happens it is important to put it behind you and get things moving in the right direction.”

Will Mathis / Oak Leaf

A mound visit between Bear Cubs’ pitching coach Jonathan Nadale, catcher Charlie Magana and pitcher Ezio Bruchler in a game against Cañada College Feb. 27 in Redwood City.

The Big 8 Conference could be the best conference in California.

“We’re going to have a dog fight on our hands with all these guys,” said assistant coach Tom Francois.

Standout teams in the Big 8 Conference include San Joaquin Delta College, Cosumnes River College and Diablo Valley College.

“In the Big 8, everybody can beat everybody,” Rennard said.

The Bear Cubs continue to boast one of the best offenses in California. They rank in the top 10 in runs scored, RBIs, walks,

Calling all fans: Frank Sumrall Staff Writer The Santa Rosa Junior College rugby club is in the midst of another amazing season. Standing at [7-3-1, 4-1], the team’s domination comes at a perfect time, coming off of a suspended year. This is what the club needed to bounce back and prove their continued dominance over almost two decades despite coming from a small school with no fans in sight.

This fast start is no surprise to rugby head coach Steve Wren. With 28 years experience in the sport, he has led the club to success time and time again. It has ranked in the top 20 sixteen times over the course of two decades. But what is more expected than their continued success is the little fan turnout.

“We’re mystery people,” Wren said.

But he remains hopeful for the club’s future. “It’s the fastest growing sport in the United States.” He believes the growing popularity of the sport will help the club gain a fan base.

The club’s success stems from the coaches. The two assistant coaches alongside Wren are nothing short of experienced, with decades of playing and coaching between them.

“I like to think that we out-coach them, [opponents]” Wren said. He believes this is a game of teamwork, not superstars; an ideology that has spread throughout the entire team.

It’s a family working together with unequaled chemistry to keep the wins piling up. “It’s teamwork. At the end of the day we have to work with our teammates, [they] make us get better, [and] get stronger,” said sophomore Esera Iosefa during practice.

The rugby club’s season resembles their toughness, on and off the field.

strikeouts, batting average and on-base percentage.

“We are getting tougher at the plate and are continuing to progress,” said shortstop Jake Scheiner. “This loss definitely motivated each individual to get better and stay more consistent.”

Designated hitter Matt Bone has provided a much-needed spark to the Bear Cubs lineup after losing Anthony Bender to an injury.

Bone is hitting .439, with 14 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

“It’s a good problem to have

when Anthony gets back,” Francois said. “Where are you going to put Bone? We can’t have that bat out of the lineup.”

Bone could see playing time in right field when Bender returns.

The Bear Cub bullpen has continued its success this year without reliever Evan Hill. He pitched in three of the Bear Cubs’ first five games. He recorded two saves, pitched eight innings, and allowed just five hits and struck out seven.

“When he went down we definitely took a blow,” Ketron said. “But we have enough depth on our pitching staff to where if a guy does go down we have another guy ready to get the job done.”

Ketron is one of those guys. He has pitched in five of the past seven games. This season he has struck out 12 batters in nine innings and allowed three runs.

“Ketron has really stepped up and started throwing strikes with multiple pitches,” Hill said. “He’s been doing a good job of getting guys out.”

The Bear Cubs begin conference play at 2:30 p.m. March 10 against Diablo Valley College at Cook Sypher Field.

SRJC rugby team succeeds despite lack of fan turnout and community support

Athletics Scoreboard

Baseball Feb. 25 vs. Cañada: W, 3-2 Feb. 27 at Cañada: L, 12-5

Men’s Basketball Feb. 26 at Butte: W, 75-67 March 2 at San Francisco: L, 10069

Women’s Basketball Feb. 27 vs. West Hills-Lemoore: W, 74-59 March 2 at Sierra: L, 72-47

Softball March 4 at Reedley: L, 9-4 March 5 vs. West Hills Coalinga: W, 10-4 March 6 vs. Riverside: L, 4-1

Men’s Golf Feb. 24 vs. Big 8 Tournament #4: 2nd Place March 2 vs. Big 8 Tournament #5: 1st Place

Women’s Tennis Feb. 23 vs. Sierra: W, 7-2 Feb. 26 vs. American River: W, 8-0 March 1 at Diablo Valley: W, 8-1

Men’s Tennis Feb. 23 vs. Solano: W, 8-1 Feb. 26 vs. American River: W, 8-0 March 1 at Diablo Valley: L, 9-0

Women’s Track and Field Feb. 27 vs. De Anza: 3rd Place

Men’s Track and Field Feb. 27 vs. De Anza: 2nd Place

Women’s Swimming Anthony Sosa / Oak Leaf

The Santa Rosa Junior College rugby club performs tackling drills during a practice March 3.

The rugby club continues its hard work to prepare for games despite its low fan turnout.

When Wren stopped coaching the rugby team he left it to two coaches with opposite viewpoints. The power struggle left the team in shambles with no leadership. The school decided to disband the club for the 2015 rugby season.

But now that Wren is back the team is on track for another strong year. We owe them as a community to represent these hard working individuals. Rugby does not get all the glamour of some sports or clubs, but the team has certainly earned it.

Feb. 6 Nor Cal Relays: 2nd Place

Men’s Swimming Feb. 6 Nor Cal Relays: 2nd Place

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March 7, 2016

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

SRJC’s own ‘Hit-man’ Kiana Medina Staff Writer

Work part-time. Go to school parttime. Train throughout the week. Fulltime boxer. A dedicated boxer’s lifestyle.

Santa Rosa Junior College student Brian “Hit-Man” Jimenez is an amateur boxer balancing college and work while training for upcoming fights.

Starting boxing at 12 years old, Jimenez has stuck by his passion coming into SRJC and is planning on going pro next year.

Jimenez graduated in 2015 and decided to start his college career at SRJC for a certificate in criminal justice.

His background knowledge in criminal justice is just a back up.

Jimenez’s overall goal is to become a professional boxer and make a name for himself in the super featherweight division. Only eight months after beginning boxing, Jimenez began his amateur career and his record stands at 12-4, with three knockouts.

Jimenez trains out of Warriors 4JC Gym in Rohnert Park throughout the week. He maintains his school load and works at a cabinet shop in Santa Rosa.

Dedication and determination to

the sport has given Jimenez the mental strength to get through his time in college. As many college students are aware, it’s complicated enough balancing work and school, let alone training for upcoming fights.

“I start early,” Jimenez said. “I have to be at work at six in the morning, go to school after work; and I’m training about five days a week right now.”

Boxing requires fighters to make the sport their life. He has no problem with putting boxing first and is excited to turn his favorite hobby and sport into a career.

Luckily for Jimenez, he has a great support system in and outside the gym.

His family introduced him to boxing and his coaches at Warriors 4JC want to see him go far in the sport.

“My brothers and my uncles started going [to the gym] but my mom didn’t want me to go at first,” Jimenez said.

“My brother talked my mom into it and then I was able to go.”

Once he began training at Warriors 4 JC, coach Robert Muro, the owner of the gym, saw potential in Jimenez and knew he was going to be something special.

“Brian is one of those guys who has a natural ability,” Muro said.

“He’s always been a natural.”

For the last six years or so, Jimenez has been at Muro’s gym. He started off training and learned his fighting style from Muro. Jimenez described himself as a counter-puncher and said Muro taught him the way of counterpunching.

Muro explained how it’s time for Jimenez to go elsewhere to receive the necessary training he needs to make his pro debut.

“He’s at a point where he needs to be taken to another level,” Muro said. “I’d like to see him go somewhere else and develop something else.”

Jimenez has plans to travel to Los Angeles this summer at professional boxer Abner Mares’ private gym to begin his training as a professional fighter.

“If everything works out over there then I’ll just stay over there,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez is now currently enrolled as a part-time student and is training for a fight coming up in April at East Oakland Boxing Gym in Oakland, California.

“I’m dedicated,” he said. “I’m trying to get my name out there. I want to be at the top; the best.”

Courtesy of Brian Jimenez

Santa Rosa Junior College student Brian ‘Hit-Man’ Jimenez celebrates another win with his coach Hector. Jimenez balances work, school and a full-time commitment to becoming a professional boxer and reaching his ultimate goal of making a name for himself in the super featherweight division.

Bear Cubs hunted down Continued from cover

Courtesy of SRJC Track and Field

The Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs track team uses a selfie stick to take a team photo on the field after one of its practices.

Bear Cubs start strong in first meet of the season Jaime Rodriguez Staff Writer The Santa Rosa Junior College men’s and women’s track team both had a solid performance in the 31st Annual Chico Multi Classic Feb. 25 and in the De Anza Open on Feb. 27.

Only two Bear Cubs participated in the Chico Multi Classic. Sophomore Kasey Mancini broke the Santa Rosa Junior College school record in the decathlon with a point total of 6,142 while taking first place in the event.

“It was one of the most challenging mentally and physically things that I had to do…

I can improve,” Mancini said.

Sophomore Julia Grimm took fourth place in the heptathlon with an overall score of 4,151.

She came close to breaking her own personal record.

The De Anza open featured more SRJC athletes competing in several events.

The men’s team had athletes competing in several different events including the 100 meter dash, the 200, 400 and 110 hurdles, 4x400 relay, high jump, pole vault, long jump, shotput, discus, javelin and hammer throw.

Freshmen Justin Zinnerman had strong performances in the 100m dash and the high jump.

He took first in the high jump with a 1.87 meter jump, and placed second in the first heat of

the 100m dash.

Thrower Christian Diaz had dominant performances in his two events.

In the discus throw Diaz recorded a 46.12 meter throw, defeating second place by over five meters. Diaz also got first place in the shot put with a 13.26 meter throw.

Freshmen Kevin Moe and sophomore Sean Bacca competed in the 400m and finished first and second place in their heats respectively.

Moe placed first with a time of 51.15 seconds while Bacca placed second with a time of 52.03 seconds.

Continued on Page 23...

The Rams jumped out to a 20-3 deficit with the Bear Cubs playing catch up for the rest of the game.

The Rams shot 16-for-36 from 3-point range, beating SRJC at its own game. The shots simply weren’t falling for SRJC, scoring its eighth lowest point total of the season with 69. The Bear Cubs allowed the most points to the Rams in a game with 100, 30.1 points more than their season average.

“We had to take care of the ball and execute our shots” McMillan said. “On the defensive side we had to run them off the boards and play strong defense.”

SFCC freshman guard Zachary Copeland stole the show with a gamehigh 25 points, including a barrage of 3-point shots, going 8 for 10.

This disappointing finish is an ugly end to an otherwise great season for the men’s basketball team. Despite dealing with no depth on one of the league’s smallest rosters, McMillan managed to pull the team together and claim a playoff win as the underdog.

The team’s future is in doubt, with only one freshman starter and five remaining players returning for their sophomore season. While freshman guards Kiel Long and David Niklasson grew into substantial parts of the rotation, Alex Mostafavi, Michael Septimo and Sadik Sufi have a lot to prove next season as they combined for 4.7 points per game and one start between them.

The women’s team took on three seed Sierra College with momentum from its second round blowout victory against West Hills College Lemoore.

The Bear Cubs wanted revenge on the Wolverines after losing to them in their last regular season game 71-56.

Unfortunately, SRJC lost again. Sierra outperformed and knocked SRJC out of the playoffs.

Will Mathis/ Oak Leaf

Bear Cubs’ guard Brooke Santander sets a screen for SRJC guard Jenna Dunbar.

“We honestly just couldn’t put the ball in the basket,” sophomore guard Jenna Dunbar said. “We knew what to expect and just weren’t able to connect; tough way to go out.”

Despite the loss, SRJC conquered various season challenges, finishing just two wins away from advancing to the State playoffs.

“We had a lot of obstacles to overcome throughout this year,” Dunbar said. “With each obstacle we accepted, adapted and moved on.”

All of SRJC’s starters were sophomores this season, leaving room for a new starting five next season and many questions heading into the 201617 season. Head coach Lacey Campbell is tasked with the job of creating another group of successful players.

“Coach Campbell has created an amazing program. The whole community knows of the program’s success and her legacy in coaching,” Dunbar said. “The returning players from this year will step up [next season] and lead the new players into another great season of SRJC basketball.”

For both basketball teams, there are a lot of questions about rosters heading into next season. Although the experience and previous success of both McMillan and Campbell, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see SRJC come back even stronger next season.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

March 7, 2016

Addressing their needs

21

Raiders and Niners look to improve with 2016 draft picks Jaime Rodriguez Staff Writer

Opinion After suffering a miserable offseason, losing numerous star players to retirement, free agency and off field issues the San Francisco 49ers finished the 2015 season with a disappointing 5-11 record. The Niner’s dark times this past season may be amended with a strong 2016 draft class.

The team is in full rebuild mode. With the No.7 overall pick, the Niners must draft a future superstar to please the 49er faithful. The teams biggest needs include quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line and linebacker.

The biggest question for the 49ers is whether or not they will keep quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick’s roster spot will heavily influence whom the Niners take with the seventh pick. He has regressed since leading the Niners to the Superbowl in 2012, and was ultimately benched for Blaine Gabbert this past season after poor performances against the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams. Kaepernick only threw six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts last season.

If the Niners indeed part ways with Kaepernick, the team may look to draft quarterback.

Jared Goff from the University of California Berkeley. In college Goff proved to be a very accurate quarterback with a strong arm and is seen as the top quarterback in this year’s draft class.

The Niners’ offensive line gave up the second most sacks in the NFL last season. They could greatly improve this area by drafting Laremy Tunsil, an offensive tackle from the University of Mississippi. It’s doubtful he will still be available by the seventh pick, but if he remains on the table the Niners would likely take him in. Tunsil dominated his opposition in college, rarely giving up a sack, and was a three-year starter while playing for the University of Mississippi.

The Niners struggled greatly against the run and pass, ranking among the worst teams in every defensive category. They were 27th in passing yards allowed, giving up 261 yards per game. They did worse against the run, ranking 29th in the league allowing 126 rush yards per game.

DeForest Buckner, a defensive linemen from the University of Oregon, is an alluring prospect. Buckner measures in at 6-foot-7 inches and weighs 290 pounds. His huge frame and relentless motor is something the Niners could use on the defensive line whether it’s rushing the passer or stuffing the opposing running game.

Another name to look out for is UCLA outside linebacker Myles Jack. He possesses speed

Courtesy of Icon Sportswire

The University of Clemson’s cornerback, Mackensie Alexander, performed well in college and earned himself a first round selection. The Oakland Raiders aim to use their 14th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in April.

Albert Gregory Staff Writer

Opinion The Oakland Raiders have a lot of areas to address in the 2016 NFL draft, especially at cornerback, which is why they will use the 14th pick on University of Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander.

The Raiders were awful on defense last year, ranking 26th in passing defense in 2015. They allowed more than 250 yards a game through the air; only the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants allowed more pass completions.

Oakland luckily picked up David Amerson after the Washington Redskins cut him early in the season. He went on to have the second most pass deflections in the league.

The rest of the Raiders’ defensive backs had very poor seasons, especially former first-round pick D.J. Hayden. The Raiders selected Hayden with the 12th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, and he has not developed into the player they hoped. He was eventually benched and replaced by Amerson, barely

Courtesy of Oregon Live

The University of California, Berkeley quarterback, Jared Goff, prepares to be drafted in the top 10 picks. The San Francisco 49ers hope to land Goff with their seventh overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft this April.

and power, something the 49ers gravely missed last season with the retirement of 49er legend Patrick Willis and the loss of all-pro Aldon Smith. Jack also played running back and safety for UCLA. He is a versatile weapon on the defensive side of the ball. The team may look to re-create the legendary linebacker duo of NaVorro Bowman and Willis.

Last season, Niners’ wide receivers struggled to get separation and get open. Laquon Treadwell, wide receiver from the University of Mississippi, is a star prospect at the wide-out position. He has the size, route running ability and quickness to become a great wide receiver at the next level. He would instantly impact the Niners’ offense by giving the team a No.1 threat opposite of speedster Torrey Smith.

The San Francisco 49ers are facing the important task of rebuilding the team and this upcoming draft is critical for their future success. seeing any playing time the rest of the season, except for special teams, where he still made mistakes.

After Charles Woodson retired at the end of last season Nate Allen, Amerson and a serviceable TJ Carrie are the only decent Raiders defensive backs, which leaves Oakland with one of the worst pass defensive units in the NFL. This year’s cornerback class is very talented with Florida State University’s Jalen Ramsey and University of Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves, but unfortunately most draft experts have both players going before the Raiders’ pick.

Oakland needs the best cornerback it can get and would benefit from Ramsey or Hargreaves’ talent, but experts have Ramsey going in the top five and few have Hargreaves slipping as low as to the 14th pick.

So the Raiders will draft Alexander, whose aggressive playstyle and swagger will be a big improvement and welcomed addition to the Raider Nation.

Alexander is the best cornerback this draft. His small size and lack of production is why he is projected as the No. 3 cornerback in the draft. He did not record an interception and only 10 pass defections in his two-year career at Clemson, which shows that opponents were scared to throw near him.

Ramsey’s pure physical talent is too good to pass up, but Hargreaves will never make it in this league as an outside cornerback. He could be a talented slot receiver, but as far as size and skills combined there is no better pick at cornerback than Alexander.

Coming out of high school, Alexander was one of the most highly recruited athletes. He proved it by earning the right to start as a true freshman but chose to redshirt instead after suffering a groin injury.

Despite Ramsey’s lack of production, his size and athletic ability is too much for teams to pass up and vice-versa. Hargreaves’ lack of size but massive amount of production has experts projecting him as the second cornerback picked.

Another weak spot for the Raiders is offensive tackle, especially after left tackle Donald Penn distanced himself from the team. Penn claimed there was a lack of contract negotiations from the front office and recently removed all affiliation with the Raiders from his Twitter profile. Michigan State University’s Jack Conklin, Ohio State University’s Taylor Decker and University of Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley are all projected to go in the middle of the first round and would be likely picks for the Raiders if they decide to use their first pick on protection for Derek Carr.

After a disappointing year from middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, who they acquired last year, Oakland looks to improve at that spot this offseason, either through the draft or free agency. The only plausible first-round option at inside linebacker will be Alabama’s Reggie Ragland.

The Raiders are also weak at guard, but with the lack of first-round talent at that position they will likely look to improve there in the later rounds or free agency.

The Raiders could continue their recent trend by drafting the best available player no matter the position, like when they drafted Khalil Mack fifth overall in 2014 and Amari Cooper fourth overall in 2015. This could lead to drafting Ohio State University’s Ezekiel Elliott if he is available, despite a stellar performance by their own Latavius Murray last season, who became the first Raider to rush for 1,000 yards or more since Darren McFadden rushed for 1,157 in 2010.

With upwards of 70 million in cap space and after a promising rebuilding year last season, the Raiders will likely fill a lot of their holes in free agency if they don’t in the draft.

22

March 7, 2016

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

2016 MLB awards predictions

Courtesy of CBSlocal.com

AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, played host to the 2014 World Series. Both the Kansas City Royals and the Giants line up along the third and first baselines while the crowd rises for the National Anthem before the game.

Anthony Sosa Sports Editor

Opinion The 2015 Major League Baseball season ended with the Kansas City Royals defying the odds and winning the World Series. Many MLB writers and fans didn’t believe the Royals would reach the World Series in back-to-back seasons. This shows you can’t fully predict sports. Spring Training games are in full swing, and that means the 2016 MLB season is less than a month away. So grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks, it’s time for some predictions.

American League MVP: Carlos Correa The Houston Astros shocked the baseball world last season by finishing with not only a winning record, but a playoff appearance as well. The Astros resurrected their team in 2015, increasing their wins from the previous season by 16.

One of the main reasons Houston found success last season was due to the stellar play by rookie shortstop Carlos Correa. The Astros selected Correa first overall in the 2012 MLB player draft. Correa was called up from the Minor Leagues in June.

Despite playing for just four months of the season, Correa put up some of the best numbers in the league. He finished with a .279 batting average, 22 homeruns and 68 RBIs. Correa earned AL Rookie of the Year honors last season and will finish the 2016 season receiving AL MVP honors.

He’ll complete the season with a .285 batting average, 45 homeruns and 132 RBIs. National League MVP: Paul Goldschmidt For the past few seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks have remained in the bottom half of the NL West division. This offseason they made key acquisitions, including pitchers Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, to strengthen the club. Arizona’s first baseman Paul Goldschmidt suffered mightily from

the team’s down seasons. Despite the Diamondbacks not producing wins, Goldschmidt proved to be one of the best players in the game.

Goldschmidt finished second in the MVP voting both last season and in 2013. He already boasts a strong resume with two Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Glove awards and three All-Star Game appearances.

Since being called up from the Minor Leagues in 2011, Goldschmidt has a career .299 batting average, 116 homeruns and 412 RBIs. He also plays a tremendous defensive first base to back up his stellar numbers at the dish. Goldschmidt will finally take home first-place honors as NL MVP in 2016. He’ll finish with a .330 batting average, 41 homeruns and a league-leading 143 RBIs. American League Cy Young: Sonny Gray Oakland Athletics’ fans will tell you 2015 was a letdown season. After making the postseason the past three seasons, the A’s finished dead last in the AL West Division. Prior to the 2015 season, the A’s traded away their best player in 2015 AL MVP winner Josh Donaldson. With the trade, A’s pitcher Sonny Gray became the team’s best player. Gray was one of the few bright spots for Oakland last season, posting 14 wins, a 2.73 ERA and 169 strikeouts. He also finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting last season. In three seasons, Gray has a career ERA of 2.88, 33 wins and 419 strikeouts. The A’s are likely to struggle again this season, but they’ll lean on Gray to carry the team in a very strong AL West. Gray also pitches in O.co Coliseum, wellknown for being an extremely tough hitter’s park. He will dominate in 2016 with a 2.37 ERA, 20 wins and 187 strikeouts along with winning the AL Cy Young Award.

National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best pitcher in baseball and it’s not even an argument. Southpaw Clayton Kershaw has dominated the game ever since he entered the league in 2008. Kershaw won the 2011,

2013 and 2014 NL Cy Young Awards and the 2014 NL MVP Award. He also finished the 2015 season in third place for the NL Cy Young award. Kershaw, well-known for his knee-buckling curve, surpassed the 300-strikeout plateau last season. He became the first pitcher since 2002 to record 300 strikeouts in a season. His 2015 stats included a 2.13 ERA and 16 wins. There are a lot of great pitchers in the NL to choose from, but it’s too difficult to bet against Kershaw. He’ll win the 2016 NL Cy Young Award and finish with 23 wins, a 1.95 ERA and 313 strikeouts.

American League Champion: Houston Astros The American League bolsters many teams with strong rosters this coming season. The Houston Astros made the postseason in 2015 as a wild card seed. They defeated the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Game, but ultimately lost to the World Series Champion Royals in the American League Division Series.

The Astros look to remain strong again this upcoming season. They feature a strong starting rotation led by last season’s AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel. Along with Keuchel is Collin McHugh and Lance McCullers, both solid middle of the rotation starters. With Doug Fister and Mike Fiers at the back end of the rotation, the Astros contain one of the best rotations in the AL. The Astros lineup is also well-equipped.

With Correa and three-time AllStar second baseman Jose Altuve, the Astros have an above average middle infield combination. Add in power hitting right fielder George Springer and all-around star center fielder Carlos Gomez to the mix, and Houston’s lineup looks scary for any opposing pitcher. The main key to its success in 2016 will be the offseason acquisition of the flame-throwing Ken Giles. Houston ends up winning the AL West division in 2016 and coasts through the playoffs, making them the 2016 AL champions.

National League Champion: Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs were one series

Courtesy of sfgate.com

Oakland Athletics’ pitcher Sonny Gray finished third in the 2015 American League Cy Young Award voting. Gray’s career stats include a 2.88 ERA and 419 strikeouts.

away from advancing to the World Series in 2015. The New York Mets railed them in the National League Division Series. The Cubs entered the offseason with the bitter taste of defeat, but winning is on their minds. They acquired the best outfield free agent on the market in Jason Heyward. They also signed utility man Ben Zobrist and veteran-pitcher John Lackey. Chicago had a powerful lineup last season that consisted of young, talented players including first baseman Anthony Rizzo, NL Rookie of the Year third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Kyle Schwarber. Add Heyward and Zobrist into that already fierce lineup and you have one of the best offenses in the past decade. The pitching staff is no easy task either with 2015 NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and veterans Jon Lester and Lackey. They also have one of the best managers in baseball: Joe Maddon. The Cubs will win the NL Central division and crush their way into the World Series.

World Series Champion: Houston Astros The 2016 World Series will feature two young star-studded teams.

The Cubs will appear in the World Series for the first time since losing to the Detroit Tigers in 1945. The Cubs have an insane championship drought. They haven’t won a World Series since 1908 — 107 years. For the Astros, they lost the 2005 World Series to the Chicago White Sox. The series will draw a record amount of viewers and go the distance in seven games. Cubs’ fans suffer another heartbreaking season and continue to wait for that elusive championship as the Astros pitching staff provides them with their first World Series victory in team history. The powerful arms of Houston stifle Chicago’s bats and provide the game seven victory. The 2016 World Series MVP belongs to Keuchel, finishing the series with a 1.36 ERA and 29 strikeouts.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

23

March 7, 2016

Track Meet

Continued from Page 20...

Courtesy of Micah Young

Left: Santa Rosa Junior College tennis player Preston Bernd prepares to serve the ball during a home match Feb. 26 against American River College at Izzy Derkos Courts.

Right: Bear Cub tennis players Betsy Samonte and Coral Imnhoff celebrate their 8-0 victory Feb. 26 against American River College. SRJC women’s is undefeated this season.

SRJC women’s tennis team smashes opponent as men’s team suffers brutal shutout Albert Gregory Staff Writer The Santa Rosa Junior College women’s tennis team [6-0 , 3-0] remain undefeated as the men’s team [2-3, 2-1] was demolished in its meeting with American River College on Feb. 26 at Izzy Derkos Courts.

The women’s tennis team won every match that day, leading to an 8-0 whooping.

These large margins of victory have become a trend for the

women’s team this season, holding teams to two points or less in five of their six wins.

Head coach Jay Samonte predicted the day would go the way it did. He rested his number one player, Betsy Samonte, and gave Preston Bernd the starting job.

The coach’s gamble paid off as Bernd handled her opponent, easily winning her match.

“I was slicing my serves a lot, but I tried to do whatever I could to get the win,” Bernd said after the match.

On the other side of the

spectrum, the men’s team lost every match, leading to an 8-0 shutout.

“I expected it to go this way,” said Nick Wicht of the men’s team. “[American College] is really good.”

ARC was simply more talented and experienced than SRJC. ARC even flipped their lineup to give the players lower in the lineup more of a challenge against the Bear Cubs.

The men’s team expected the blowout; however, they wished they could have taken advantage

Robert Beasley Rugby

Rachelle Butulia Softball

of more matches.

It was good experience for the men’s team to face such a talented opponent, but they shared a look of frustration throughout the day.

SRJC gets a chance at redemption when they face ARC again March 15.

Both teams faced Diablo Valley College March 1, with the men’s team losing 9-0 and the women picking up a 8-1 win.

As for now, the SRJC men and women’s teams will focus on road matches against Folsom Lake College at 1 p.m. March 8.

Kasey Mancini Track

Kadeem Hemphill placed second in the high jump in his first meet with the SRJC Bear Cubs. His jump was recorded at 6.55 meters, four-tenths away from first place. He participated with a hurt leg. “When my hamstring is 100 percent I’m about to take flight,” Hemphill said. The women’s team also put in a fine performance at the De Anza open with athletes participating in 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump, shot put, discus and hammer throw.

Freshman Erin McCullough took first place in the 400m. She was the only participant under one minute in her event at 59.72.

Thrower Mickie Seuga participated in the shotput, discus and hammer throw. Her best performance was in the shotput; she finished first with a throw of 12.22 meters. Seuga placed third in the discus and hammer throw with throws of 37.64m and 38.03m respectively.

Freshmen Stephanie Fernandez had a strong showing, finishing first in her heat in the 200m and placing third in the 400m. Her 200m time was 26.71 seconds, the fourth best overall time at the meet. For the 400m she clocked in at 1:00:81.

Fernandez was proud of her teammates and has high hopes for the rest of the season.

“We have a solid team that can compete and win,” she said.

“Everything we have been working on all season showed on Saturday we left it on the track.”

Head Coach David Wellman was proud but not completely satisfied with the team’s overall performance.

“Good early meet. A lot to work on. But a lot of great marks,” Wellman said.

The Bear Cubs’ next track meet is March 11 in Modesto, California.

Nick Wicht Tennis

I don’t have a pickup line.

I just like to tell girls I’m a hooker.

“Damn shawty, you’s a dime!”

“You look familiar, do we have class together? I swear we have chemistry.”

“Did ya hear? NASA said there’s only gonna be seven planets after I destroy Uranus.”

What is your spirit animal?

A bear cub

A lion

A honey badger

A panda

What’s the best advice you’ve recieved from a coach?

To be humble, shut up and stay positive.

Play my game and never hold back.

From a high school throwing coach: “Kasey stop thinking!”

“You play like you’ve got a million dollar body and a 10cent head. Open your eyes.”

Who’s winning the World Series?

New York Yankees

San Francisco Giants

Not the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Blue Jays

Your best pickup line?

24

March 7, 2016

Sports

Around the boards A look at the NHL trades

Lachlan Irvine Staff Writer

Opinion The 2016 NHL trade deadline passed Feb. 29 and while some teams stocked up in time for playoff others traded away entire rosters for draft picks. Here are some of the biggest headlines from the trade deadline: The San Jose Sharks made two deals with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

They added James Reimer forward Nick Spaling, defensemen Roman Polak, goalie James Reimer and prospect forward Jeremy Morin in exchange for goalie Alex Stalock, forward Ben Smith, the contract of Raffi Torres and three draft picks. San Jose needed depth for the playoffs and Spaling and Polak provide that. Reimer gives the Sharks’ a solid backup if Martin Jones stumbles.

While the Dallas Stars didn’t land Dan Hamhuis, they did take defenseman Calgary’s Kris Russell for defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka, Kris Russell prospect Brett Pollock and a 2016 conditional second

round pick. Dallas is the Central Division’s best chance at stopping the Blackhawks championship reign, and Russell will be a key player throughout the playoffs.

Leading the Atlantic Division, the Florida Panthers made a lot of trades for depth. They acquired Detroit’s Jakub Kindl, the Oiler’s Teddy Purcell and Calgary’s Jiri Hudler. Florida is a serious Stanley Cup contender for Jakub Kindl the first time since its 1996 Cinderella run. With a core that includes ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr, Olypmian Roberto Luongo and up-and-coming defenseman Aaron Ekblad, there’s finally success ahead for this franchise.

Toronto cleaned house, shipping off 11 players. It traded captain Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa, winger Shawn Matthias to Colorado and center Daniel Winnik to Washington.

Dion Phaneuf In return, Toronto stockpiled 28 draft picks in the next three years, including 12 picks for 2016. General manager Lou Lamoriello is in rebuild mode, something that is fine as long as things don’t turn out like Edmonton, a team in its seventh-straight rebuilding season.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Diaz upsets McGregor Austin Burmester

Courtesy of Newsweek

Conor McGregor (left) and Nate Diaz (right) pretend to spar during a press conference before their big fight March 5. Diaz beat McGregor just as the second round closed.

Staff Writer

Opinion Nate Diaz shocked the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday night when he beat Conor McGregor by submission via a rear naked chokehold in the tail end of the second round, ending the Irishman’s 15-match win streak.

Many people predicted the fight would end with a first-round knockout, especially after all the trash talking that led up to this fight. Both fighters wanted to tear each other apart.

McGregor, who is still the UFC’s Featherweight champion [136-145 pounds], originally moved up one weight class to fight the Lightweight champion [146-155 pounds], Rafael dos Anjos, until dos Anjos injured his foot and backed out of the fight just weeks before it was supposed to take place.

Various fighters were

considered to replace dos Anjos, but many fighters were not willing to fight on such short notice. The most willing candidate was Nate Diaz.

Many fans wondered what weight this fight would be fought at. Diaz is a Welterweight fighter [156-170], significantly heavier than McGregor. McGregor tried to get Diaz to agree to 160 pounds, which was still a huge jump up from 145. Diaz said he could not make 160, so McGregor ended up giving Diaz what he wanted, a fight at 170 pounds.

Putting the fight at 170 gave Diaz a huge advantage in this fight because McGregor had to gain 28 pounds to make weight.

You may think 10 pounds doesn’t make a difference, but it does.

An extra 10 pounds changes the speed of your feet and also the dynamic of your power.

With McGregor jumping 28 pounds, fans knew this was going to be a difficult fight for him.

This fight undoubtedly humbled the cocky fighter. He knew it was a risk to take a fight at 170, but he had the bravery to do it anyway.

“I’m humble in victory or defeat,” McGregor said. “My respect to Nate. He came in and took the fight on short notice, came in at a higher weight and did the job. He was efficient. I wasn’t efficient.”

McGregor will lose the weight he gained over the last few weeks and set his eye on the Lightweight belt he was looking to acquire in the first place. McGregor is still a champion in his main weight class and I believe he will soon be champion in the Lightweight division as well.

This fight just goes to show, no matter how dominant you are in this sport, fighting outside your weight class is no simple task.

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