Oak Leaf Fall 2016 Issue 3

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Newspaper

The

Oak

Leaf

Saving Andy’s legacy

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October 10, 2016

Volume CXXXVI, Issue III

James Wyatt/ Oak Leaf

The site of Andy Lopez’s death in 2013 will become a new park with a $1.2 million grant from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. The park will feature a community garden, a skate park, dog park and a basketball court.

James Wyatt Staff Writer After 13-year-old Santa Rosa middle-schooler Andy Lopez was shot by a police officer in October 2013, a new generation of the city’s Latinos are responding to the decades-long issue of civil rights for minorities in the U.S.

HOPE: Beatriz Verneaux Staff Writer

Student Support Services TRiO Health Occupation Preparation Education Program (HOPE) is returning to Santa Rosa Junior College this fall to advocate for minority and underserved students interested in careers in health sciences.

Program Director Jeannie Dulberg is a former SRJC graduate whose passion to serve the community brought her back to reopen the program that caters to first generation, low-income

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“Andy Lopez’s death was definitely the tipping point,” said Hernan Rai Zaragoza Lemus, vice president of advocacy at Santa Rosa Junior College. “It’s unfortunate we had to lose a life for people to realize they need to get involved in their community—but there is a flower blossoming from this.”

A generation of young Latino students are advocating for

equity and a louder voice in their community.

Supporters like Lemus have spurred change in the community by seeking out new leadership roles.

“When the youth became engaged and questioned authority, it was a wake-up call to me,” Lemus said. “I’m only a year older than some of these kids, and what am I doing to help? Seeing them

organize protests and seeing them stand up made me feel like I needed to stand up, too.”

Santa Rosa’s Latino youth have become more engaged in the issues their community faces after the trauma of Lopez’s death. They have come to realize the slow nature of the democratic process is won through persistence and presence.

“To this day there’s still a

big push [for justice],” Lemus said. “There’s a group of Latino students from middle schools and high schools that still talk about Andy Lopez’s death.

They don’t see it as brown versus white; they see from a standpoint of ‘How are we going to find a solution?’”

Continued on Page 2...

New center reaches out to minority health students students and students with disabilities. A successful program existed, but it ended due to lack of funds to keep it.

The college brought back the successful initiative thanks to $1.1 million in TRiO grants, as well as a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente regional offices, which focuses on high school programs.

The program supports high school and SRJC students taking science classes. It also supports participants up to four years after they’ve completed the program at SRJC. It works as a tool to invest in helping young career professionals to enter

their career with fewer outside stresses. “It’s a wonderful program,” Dulberg said.

Although the center is currently at capacity, students are encouraged to apply for upcoming semesters, and Dulberg expects to interview newcomers during the spring semester.

“The majority of students face financial challenges,” Dulberg said.

To ensure students’ ability to focus on education, Kaiser Permanente provides a limited emergency fund to help with difficulties.

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Arthur Gonzalez-Martin/ Oak Leaf

HOPE program director Jeannie Dulberg, right, with a new student, wants to see more minority students enter professions like nursing and medical assisting.

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October 10, 2016

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Lopez: Preserving his memory

Continued from Cover...

Editors-in-Chief

Will Mathis and Devin Schwarz Section Editors A&E Editor | Devin Schwarz Assistant A&E Editor | Rachel Genthe Copy Editor | Carin McKenna Huber Editorial Cartoonist | Zachary Chew Features Editor | Jocelyn Mobley News Editor | Will Mathis Opinion Editor | Carin McKenna Huber Multimedia Editor | Catherine Ramirez Podcast Editor | Travis LaBrucherie Sports Editor | Albert Gregory Staff Writers Amoura Deering, Tommy Dennen, Erin George, Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Celine Gossage, Lachlan Irvine, Kevin Lipe, Genesis Napel, Tom Rivas, Luke Straub, Beatriz Verneaux, Grant Wetmore and James Wyatt Photographers Danielle Del Secco, Erin George and Arthur Gonzalez-Martin Distribution Manager Travis LaBrucherie Layout Team Leslie Carrier, section editors and editors-in-chief

Contact Newsroom: 707-527-4401 Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Advisor: Abigail Peterson: 707-527-4867 apeterson@santarosa.edu Peer Assisted Learning Specialist Maci Martell EMAIL oakleafstaff@gmail.com Advertising Manager Keshia Knight oakleaf-ads@santarosa.edu

Latino student governments across the district at middle school and high school levels are taking the initiative to build relations with local police.

“There’s dialogue between the sheriff ’s department and members of the Latino student congress, which definitely didn’t exist three years ago,” Lemus said. “But they are slowly building a better relationship.”

Mistrust, however, still exists between the Latino community and local police. Though the officers involved in the shooting were investigated, the district attorney declined to file a criminal case against them and many locals believe relations won’t improve unless the officers are removed from the force.

Lopez’s family is currently suing the officer involved for civil damages in federal court.

“We won’t be able to move forward until individuals such as Erick Gelhaus are held accountable for their actions, because they represent that rift,” said Hector Jimenez Carrano, a member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MEChA). “There is a lot of work to be done, not just within the Latino community or the police, but as a society as a whole.”

For many in the Latino community a fear exists that their child could be next, according to Carrano.

“Every time I go to the park or I see a film of Andy, it’s like it’s right there all over again, even three years later,” said Caroline

Online Exclusives

Top: JamesWyatt/Oak Leaf / Bottom: Courtesy of the Board of Supervisors

Top: Caroline Banuelos hopes Andy Lopez’s death leads to positive change in the community. Bottom: Andy’s Unity Park will give children a place to just be kids.

are eligible to vote get registered and vote,” Banuelos said. “Where you can really have the most impact is at the local level, and every vote counts.”

Lopez’s life and death has left a lasting legacy that has inspired members of the Latino community to think critically about their local government.

“I think that there has been positive growth from Andy Lopez’s death,” Banuelos said. “Many people of color are running for positions in office right now and I’m very hopeful that we will start to see change. It’s going to take time but things will change. At least we will be at the table and we will be able to have a say in how things are shaped.”

Governor signs higher education bills Luke Straub Staff Writer

Gov. Jerry Brown signed three new education bills into law Sept.

20 and 21, including one that LETTERS TO THE EDITOR guarantees homeless students We appreciate your feedback. Send access to showers at Santa Rosa letters to oakleafonline@gmail.com Junior College. All three laws will or to the Oak Leaf office. Letters take effect in January 2017. should include first and last name and The first of three bills requires be limited to 300 words. Letter may community colleges with campus be edited for style, length, clarity and showers to provide homeless taste. Libelous or obscene letters will students with shower access. not be printed.

Members of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges lobbied for the shower access bill with their own money, according Check out our website: to the San Jose Mercury News. www.theoakleafnews.com “That’s going to clear [students’] minds of some stress for sure,” said Exclusive, online-only content third-year student Ali Benzerara. can be found daily at www. “When a student has to worry about getting something to eat, theoakleafnews.com being clean and thinking about Read about what other people think, which is Bill Mitchell, WWII hero natural, it’s going to be much harder for them to focus on school.” and SRJC inTwo additional bills are structor, and the Oak Leaf ’s intended to help students coverage of his graduate from the California State surprise 90th University system in four years by birthday party providing priority registration, on campus. extra advising and additional preparation for younger students.

Content

Banuelos, president of the Latino Democratic club. “I’m not related to the family but he could be my son, he could be my brother. It’s just too close to home. I don’t think we will ever forget, and it’s always in the front of our minds.

When I talk to young mothers, they are so afraid for their sons and that’s not going to go away.”

Lopez’s death was a catalyst for the Latino community to fight for equality in the unincorporated areas of southwest Santa Rosa.

“Part of it was Andy because we did all of our research,” Banuelos said. “How much is not happening, like the streets not getting fixed, which they still don’t get fixed, or the annexation of Roseland. All of these things were pretty much dead until people voiced that this needs to happen and those services need to be provided.”

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved $1.2 million for Andy’s Unity Park March 15, 2015.

“These children don’t have a place to go or a place to play,” Carranos said. “So getting them off the streets is really important. The park gives them a place to act like kids rather than being portrayed as what society is portraying them as.”

Having the representation of city leaders is key for the Santa Rosa Latino community to implement changes.

This November’s election will determine the changes community members will see.

“It’s so vital that Latinos who

The California Promise bill, penned by Senator Steven M. Glazer (D-Orinda), guarantees priority registration and additional advising to students who enroll in 30 units per year at a California State University.

“Many CSU students want to finish in four years, but they need help charting the path,” Glazer said. “This bill directs resources to students who likely need the most help.” Glazer was on CSU’s board of trustees from 2011 to 2015.

First generation students, Pell grant-eligible students and students from underrepresented areas of the state who qualify will be guaranteed admission into the Promise Program. Community college students with an associate degree for transfer will be guaranteed admission as well.

A minimum of 15 CSU campuses will have Promise Programs established in time to accept transfer students in January 2017. That number will grow to 20 the following year.

The new California College Promise Grant Program bill works with the California Promise program, earmarking $15 million to help students transition from high school to two-year and four-year colleges.

Courtesy of thedailychronic.net

Gov. Jerry Brown signed three new laws to help California’s college students.

The bill was inspired by the Obama administration’s focus on community colleges as well as established promise programs in California, according to the governor’s website.

Assemblymembers Rodriguez and Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) wrote the bill. “[The promise grant program] will empower community college districts across the state to prepare students early and put them on a path towards a meaningful career,” Rodriguez said.

During the signing, Brown praised the CSU board of trustees

on its new 2025 Graduation Initiative, which intends to double the number of students who graduate in four years to 40 percent.

The initiative also aims to eliminate achievement gaps among students.

California is providing $35 million in one-time funding to help the CSU system achieve its goals by 2025.

“These bills, coupled with [the 2025 Graduation Initiative], create conditions that allow students to timely graduate and avoid the burden of extra tuition,” Brown said.

www.theoakleafnews.com

PEERS to the rescue

News

October 10, 2016

In the

Know

Supporting mental health

The Gold Rush in Space: The Risks of Mining Asteroids

SRJC physics instructor and activist Lynda Williams will explore the risks involved in the corporate space race to mine the final frontier, noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 10 in Newman Auditorium.

Follow Your Inner Hero

Beatriz Verneaux Staff Writer Santa Rosa Junior College Student Health Services PEERS Coalition went through eight hours of training to get a certificate in mental health first aid Sept. 19 in order to better support students who face mental illness.

National Alliance on Mental Health data states there’s a high prevalence of mental health disorders on college campuses and more than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated.

Mental Health First Aid is a public education program created to support community members in understanding mental illnesses, and to prevent and perform intervention in case of crisis.

The mnemonic ALGEE simplifies the strategies covered. A stands for assess risk of suicide and selfharm, or harm of others. L is listening without judgment. G is to give reassurance and information.

E is for encouraging appropriate professional help. E stands for encouraging self-help and strategies.

According to PEERS member and student aide advisor Heather Mullin, 22, the course has helped with developing empathy for students suffering distress related to mental health.

“I have a different view of the person sitting on the steps of the

library crying, and how I would internally battle if I should help,” Mullin said. “Mental Health First Aid gave me the tools to know that it’s entirely within my power to be there for someone suffering.

Bottom line is I’m capable to support that person.”

PEERS member Armand Beikzadeh, 21, believes the stigma surrounding mental health issues can make it more difficult for students to help in a time of crisis.

People tend to empathize and act faster when it comes to physical injuries, or someone suffering a heart attack according to Beikzadeh.

“In this society, if someone was having a mental health crisis, the reaction would be a little different. This training is for destigmatizing,” Beikzadeh said.

“We’re not professionals, like psychologists, but we can refer them to resources. It’s like first aid.

No one would open their heart and perform surgery, but you can make sure they’re OK.” Beikzadeh believes the main goal of helping out a person in a crisis is to reassure there is hope, and the moments of distress can be turned around.

“We learned how to be a bridge between the crisis and the center that the person can actually get

Courtesy of PEERS Coalition

PEERS members and students display their Mental Health First Aid certificates.

help,” Mullin said.

The training focuses on supporting individuals who face depression, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, substance and schizophrenia. The hours are divided into two days, and there’s a balance between classroom and workshop activities.

During a simulation of schizophrenia symptoms, PEERS members were asked to carry a conversation while a third party whispered in the air. Mullin described the upsetting experience of trying to answer simple questions, and getting disrupted by whispers.

“I felt trapped and deeply empathetic,” Mullin said.

Jeane Erlenborn, Student Health Services health promotion specialist, facilitated the training with the support of Sonoma County Behavioral Health.

“You’re more likely to run into someone who’s struggling with a mental health issue than having a heart attack,” Erlenborn said. “If someone is having a mental health crisis people don’t know how to react.”

Erlenborn points out the course is not only about a crisis. “It’s also about being able to recognize when someone’s developing a mental illness,” she said.

The opportunity of training alongside people from various

New center gives hope Continued from Cover...

“If they run into some trouble, we can help them get through that,” Dulberg said, mentioning situations such as cars breaking down.

Once enrolled, students get access to license vocational nursing, English, math, anatomy and physiology tutoring. Academic and personal level counseling is available, as well as a study room, computers, laptops and iPads used in the facilities. Students get assigned to a case specialist and gain personalized assistance in defining the ideal path for reaching academic success.

Counselor Tony Vasquez has been at SRJC for 20 years. Vasquez and other staffers speak Spanish and English, which allows them to connect with a broader range of students.

“Students can be who they are here.

They get work done but also can relax and be the person they want to be,” Vasquez said. He believes customer service is a priority at the center.

Vasquez empathizes with students and acknowledges the current economic situation and their workloads (especially in the health science field) which can act as stumbling block to launching as a career according to several HOPE staff members.

“The campus is asking a lot of the students. Be here, find parking, dodge accidents, come on time, leave obligations at home, sit in class, perform work outside, take care of their families, and come here and perform it over again,” Vasquez said.

“It’s a load students are taking like never before.”

Andrea Garfia, TRiO program specialist, is a successful example of the way the program runs. As a proud SRJC alumnus from 2007 to 2012, she believes the college and the prior HOPE program has directly influenced her path to success. She transferred to Sacramento State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in health science

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backgrounds, such as police officers and professors, empowered and inspired Erlenborn.

“It felt like a concrete way to make a difference on this campus,” Erlenborn said. “If we have more students and faculty and staff trained in mental health first aid we can see a change on campus on how much people know about resources, and how to support each other.”

In addition to the training, Erlenborn also teaches course CHW 155 Peer to Peer Mental Health Promotion which trains students interested in developing many of the same skills.

PEERS members encourage students to be proactive when confronted with the suffering of a fellow student. It’s important to ensure that person’s safety, as well as your own, and to inform a PEERS member, or to guide the person to Student Health Center Services in Plover Hall. If the person is in danger of harming themself or others, quickly contact campus police at (707) 527-1000.

PEERS recommends attending the fall Wellness Fair, an event that will explore aspects of leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle, including many topics in mental health. The Wellness Fair will be held 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 27 in the main quad.

Career Development Sevices will introduce students to a personality tool to help discover their natural talents, transferrable skills and best qualities, 3-4:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in Bertolini, room 4875.

Patient No More

A traveling exhibit that celebrates the Bay Area’s contributions to civil rights for people with disabilities Oct. 14-21 in Bertolini.

Find more information at www. patientnomore.org.

2016 LumaFest

LumaFest features family-friendly activities and informational booths, a Dia de los Muertos cultural area, live musical entertainment on two outdoor stages, free movies in Ellis Auditorium, the chance to meet Fresno the giraffe, the LOL family obstacle course, Sustainability Village and a back-by-populardemand chemistry magic show, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15 at SRJC’s Petaluma campus.

Same-Sex Relationships and Transgender in Ancient Sacred Literature

SRJC religious studies instructor and biblical scholar Eric Thompson will highlight examples of LGBTQ themes in ancient literature, all considered sacred by the cultures that produced them, noon to 1 p.m.

Oct. 17 in Newman Auditorium.

Self-Care

Learn ways to improve and maintain your self-esteem and peace of mind while working toward your goals, 2-3 p.m. Oct. 19 in Bertolini, room 4875.

Cover Letter and Resume Development

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin/ Oak Leaf

A HOPE Center employee works diligently in the offices, located in Emeritus.

with emphasis in community health education and a minor in women studies. She’s currently pursuing her masters degree in public health services administration.

As a first generation college graduate, she relates to the struggles students face in the program. “No day is ever the same,” she said. Garfia is responsible for a variety of student outreach projects on campus, as well as coordinating tutoring and administration.

“Academics are always going to be challenging no matter what programs you’re going through,” Garfia said.

“When you look at the health science department, some students have worked really hard at simply applying to these programs. Being able to support students in the life science aspect is great, but when you add the component of case management, it makes a big difference.”

Staff members of SSS TRiO HOPE are committed to support students throughout the entire experience of college life. The official opening ceremony will happen 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13. The event will be located in Emeritus Hall, room 1575.

Learn current best practices to prepare important marketing tools—your resume and cover letter, 3-4 p.m. Oct 20. in Bertolini, room 4875.

Drop-In Resume Review

Students can compare their resumes to the resume checklist.

Students may bring a resume for a brief critique, 10-11 a.m. Oct. 21 in Bertolini, room 4875.­

Between the World and Me

SRJC English instructor Michael Hale will examine Between the World and Me as a poignant expression of both the hope and despair of the post-Civil Rights generation, noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 24 in Newman Auditorium.

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October 10, 2016

On Cue Calendar of Events Oct. 12

Indigenous People’s Day Celebrate our contry’s heritage with live dance performances, craft workshops, prayers, lectures and much more. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Graduation Lawn.

Oct. 12-16

Leaving Home An original production inspired by powerful stories from SRJC students. Performed by SRJC’s theatre department at 2 and 8 p.m. in Newman Auditorium.

Oct. 15

SRJC Plant Sale (Rescheduled from an earlier date.) Proceeds from the sale will go to the nursery and the classes that are hosted there, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the planetarium parking lot and Lark Hall greenhouse.

Oct. 15-16

New Horizons Discovering Pluto Witness the new discoveries changing the way we view our ninth planet. Shows start at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. on Sundays in Lark Hall, room 2001.

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

Quick Bites

Flamez Bar and Grill

Kettles Vietnamese Bistro

If you’ve never had French toast for dinner, you’re missing out. Flamez can make this dream a reality with its all day breakfast.

Santa Rosa Junior College students are given a small choice of restaurants near the Petaluma Campus. Flamez Bar and Grill’s extensive, almost too extensive, menu includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For hearty eaters, the menu includes burgers, sandwiches and full dinner entrees. The backyard barbeque burger is extremely filling, with onion strings, bacon, swiss cheese and barbeque sauce.

A healthier sandwich option is the clubhouse: sliced white bread with bacon, turkey breast, tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. There are also omelettes, salads, chicken pesto, potato skins and a breakfast burrito, among other things.

The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with attentive service. The mirrored panels on the walls make it look bigger than it is. Most seats are boothstyle with the exception of a few long tables by the bar, just in case you have a larger party that’s interested in watching sports on one of their TVs. Flamez Bar and Grill does its best to cater the hungry masses but falls short in its attempt to give a meal worth raving about.

Quantity over quality seems to be the rule.

Customers will probably spend at least $20 here including tip along with bringing home leftovers. The location is convenient for college students with a good variety to choose from but that’s about it. Flamez Bar and Grill is open every day from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. for college students or anyone looking for a diner fix.

Winter is coming, and that means a good soup should be in store to help keep you warm. One of Santa Rosa’s best in the business is Kettle’s, which serves up a Vietnamese dish known as pho.

It’s a popular street food from Vietnam with thin rice noodles, delicious, hot broth, some form of protein, herbs and veggies for texture. However, this place takes those tried and true recipes and gives them an upscale twist.

The herbs they use in all their dishes for aromatics and flavoring, include basil, mint and coriander, are grown right in front of the restaurant. The protein used is strictly free range and hormone free. This gives the dishes a superbly fresh, unprocessed flavor that most other bistros lack.

A favorite is the filet mignon pho, which uses mouth-meltingly, tender and rare slices of beef that cook in the broth. It will only set you back about $8.75 for a medium. The quality of protein and portion size you get is quite impressive when you compare the same beef in grocery stores.

In the mood for something more solid? Their menu has a range of other options including banh mi sandwiches, delicious stir-frys, boba sweet tea, and the most unique crispy egg rolls that will pair with just about anything as they explode with flavor and texture.

Don’t be afraid to let your inner wine enthusiast emerge, as most of their menu options are paired with local and artisanal wines to give the menu a more provincial touch.

Dropping in at happy hour will help you save even more. Signature cocktails and draft beers are half price, with a discount on a selection of quick bites. Happy hour runs Monday-Friday, 3-5 p.m.

Located on West Steele Lane, this should be your next stop for a lunch, dinner or a quick bite to go.

701 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy D1, Petaluma

1202 W Steele Ln. Santa Rosa

Arthur Gonzalez-Martin/ Oak Leaf

Just a short walk from the main campus, Santa Rosa Junior College’s Culinary Cafe serves up delicious restaurant-quality food at reasonable prices.

Santa Rosa Junior College Cafe & Bakery

1670 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa

About two lots away from Ike’s sandwich shop, across from the new parking lot barely anyone knows about, is the B. Robert Burdo Culinary Arts Center: the newest addition to Santa Rosa Junior College.

It’s the most isolated building on the main campus. Including a café, bakery and coffee shop, it’s one of the few places on campus where you can get a prepared meal.

From the dining room customers get a view of the open kitchen. Classical music plays over the sound of the cooks working in the kitchen. The tables are set up like something out of a country club. They have a small menu with a mix of everything you would find at a high qualify café. Dinner entrees include fried calamari with lemon, pork stew and stone-hearth pizza, which are gaining popularity as of late.

Salads, soups and sandwiches are also available. They have wine from Shone Farm as well as -Kevin Lipe ingredients grown there.

-Rachel Genthe They serve coffee and tea from the bakery. A bakery basket includes three pieces of mixed bread served with either butter or olive oil. The bread served is of the same quality as professional restaurants. A typical lunch might include tomato soup, mixed baby greens and a cheeseburger.

The tomato soup is the best you’ll ever taste, served with its own special spoon in a small saucer. The soup is aromatic and reddish-orange with parsley and spices. It goes down smooth.

Then the mixed baby greens.

While grilled figs and onions are not regular salad toppings, combined with feta cheese, they make this salad perfect.

The cheeseburger comes with freshly baked black potato chips that are crunchy on the edges Celine Gossage/ Oak Leaf and soft in the center.

Jack’s Urban Eats has a unique take on all the classic diner favorites. Even someThe burger patty comes thing as simple as fries is a culinary adventure at Jack’s. encased in Monterey Jack cheese,

topped with shredded lettuce, small slices of tomatoes and red onion. It also comes with fresh house-made ketchup and pickle slices, an unremarkable duo.

Make sure to save room for your entrée because your first courses will quickly fill you up.

Overall the food at the café is great but can be pricey.

Everything feels professional, making this a great date destination as well as a way to support the school.

-Arthur Gonzalez-Martin

Jack’s Urban Eats 342 Coddingtown Center

With the multitude of sandwich and pizza places within walking distance of Santa Rosa Junior College, there’s almost too much to choose from. For a sandwich place with a modern feel, look no further than Jack’s Urban Eats.

Located in the Coddingtown Mall, Jack’s Urban Eats is a chill, small chain that serves sandwiches and salads alongside fries, mashed potatoes, or steamed cheddar broccoli. In addition to sandwiches, Jack’s offers build-your-own salads.

The inside of the restaurant has a modern, comfy lounge feel. With lit up signs on the wall and cozy booths, it feels like dining at a stylized carvery. It gives off an “all things California” vibe. The mix of original artwork and upbeat music provides a fun atmosphere.

The rich, tangy urban fries, with blue cheese, spicy chili oil and chili flakes are a standout. The spicy buffalo sandwich, featuring a fried chicken breast dipped in buffalo sauce with crumbled blue cheese served on sourdough bread wasn’t as spicy as it could have been, but the strong flavor of the cheese stood out.

For fresh, affordable, farmto-table food, check out Jack’s Urban Eats.

-Celine Gossage

www.theoakleafnews.com

A&E

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October 10, 2016

Peculiar family, peculiar film Grant Wetmore Staff Writer One might expect Tim Burton’s “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” to be a fantastical mix-up between “Alice in Wonderland” and “X-Men.” What you might not expect is the film’s more sinister elements complete with spooky, mask-wearing twins, Slenderman monsters and a macabre fascination with eyeballs. With all things considered, “Miss Peregrine’s” ranks some were between a B+ and an A-.

The story begins with Jacob (Asa Butterfield), a lackluster teen in sunny Florida. He leads an uneventful life until the bizarre death of his grandfather.

Later, Jacob receives cryptic clues that point him to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, a special boarding house Jacob’s grandfather told stories of growing up in. Seeking answers and closure, Jacob sets off to a not so sunny Welsh island with an unsupportive father in tow. Jacob soon finds that all is

Raw:

Courtesy of Screenrant.com

Tim Burton returns to his roots with this twisted, stylized and classically creepy tale of adolescent oddity and how to find a place to belong.

not well in this peculiar world.

There are bad guys with blank white eyes that make them not the most photogenic of people.

They are accompanied by terrifying monsters whose first appearance will make you gasp, “What the [insert expletive here] is that!” There is more to this dark and sometimes incredibly

confusing story, but the less you know in advance the better.

One striking thing about this movie is how moody it can be.

Scenes range from light and colorful to dark and decrepit.

All the while, the film has an underlying feeling of trademark Burton brand weirdness including an airbag of a young

woman, a super-strong tyke and an invisible boy. One moment, you are plunged in a world where strange is the norm. The next minute, chills run along your back as you feel something terrible is lurking in the fog.

Keep in mind that though this movie looks like a perfect familyfriendly film, it will probably be

too much for younger children.

There were also two scenes in particular that are definitely not for people sensitive about eyeballs and eye sockets. If your child or younger sibling is not a fan of jumpscares or monsters, then please do not force them to see this movie. You’ll probably give them nightmares.

SRJC students get an uncensored look at growing up African American

Beatriz Verneaux Staff Writer If there was ever a time to discuss racism in the U.S., it’s now.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ 2015 book “Between the World and Me” effectively combines poetic language with a deep analysis of African American history through the lens of the author’s experience as a black father raising children in today’s tense racial climate. The book is a direct channel of communication aimed at black people, but readers of all races can and will benefit from the raw honesty of this work.

“Between the World and Me” is Santa Rosa Junior College’s fall Work of Literary Merit, which means it is being read by all English 1A students at the college as well as other students, faculty and staff. English instructor Michael Hale will lecture on the book from noon to 1 p.m. on Oct. 24. Other events include a faculty panel on Nov. 3, and an evening community event on Nov. 9. All events are in Newman Auditorium.

Coates, a journalist at ‘The Atlantic’ magazine, structures his book as a series of essays in the form of letters addressed to his own young son. In these letters, the author’s poetic language doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles of growing up as a young black American in a country that still reeks of slavery, the Jim Crow era and modern racial tensions. Coates writes openly about the vulnerability of being a young black man, one who is more likely to be pulled over or even

shot by police. He addresses a system that he feels forcefully prevents minority success in education and stimulates violence among community members.

Some of the most beautiful passages in the work combine poetry and prose, helping readers navigate a bleak world of racial trauma. Coates confronts readers with the story of shooting victims, Tamir Rice, 12, and Michael Brown, 18, by reminding author’s 15-year-old son that he could have been a victim. Coates also revisits his own childhood, where he struggled against a society that refused to see him and his peers as individuals with different needs and wants.

Mainstream media rarely represents African Americans in books or TV as vulnerable, fleshed out and deep people.

It refuses to acknowledge the complexity of black culture in the country, which generated its own vernacular, its own set of rules and expectations. The fact that black people are the target audience of this book is important to society as a whole. In order to understand a group of people, it’s necessary to hear what they have to say to each other.

While the book’s brief length could cause some readers to downplay its seriousness, the brevity makes for an even more visceral read.

Everyone should read this book regardless of race and gender. Not only is it a profoundly beautiful piece of art, but it can impact positive change in the lives of readers—both those who have experienced racism, and those who need to become more educated about the issues.

Transit Riders United Transit Riders United won the 'College Students Ride Free' on won theCounty 'CollegeTransit Students Ride and Free'2016 on Sonoma in 2015 Sonoma County Transit in 2015 and 2016 If you think Public Transit should serve the If youGood thinkand Public serve the Public thisTransit should should continue in 2017, Public Good and this should continue in 2017, Come to the to the North BayCome Organizing Project

North Bay Organizing Project Annual Public Meeting Annual Public16, Meeting Sunday October 3:00-5:00 Sunday 16, School 3:00-5:00 SantaOctober Rosa High Santa Rosa High School

Do you support rent stabilization and just cause Do you evictions support rent stabilization and just cause policies for everyone? evictions policies for everyone?

6

October 10, 2016

Features

www.theoakleafnews.com

Successful student Time management and motivation Jocelyn Mobley Features Editor We’ve all been there. We sit down, coffee in hand, with our best intentions for productivity.

Then “somehow” we manage to get nothing done. Here are five tips to diminish distractions and improve productivity.

Make a schedule and stick to it.

Get a planner and map out your week. Schedule time for work, class, homework, studying, commuting, extracurriculars, food, cleaning and sleep-down to the hour. Once you have a schedule, set alarms on your phone to keep you on track.

Make studying a habit.

A ball in motion stays in motion. After a long day at school or work, the only thing you may want to do is crawl in bed, but resist the urge and focus. With time, studying after a long day will be second nature and no longer difficult. Keep a book next to your bed at night and read for fifteen minutes before bed or bring it to work and read during your break.

Create a study space.

Grab a hot cup of coffee or tea, light a candle and put on some comfy clothes. Make it enjoyable so you want to be there.

Gather everything you need before you sit down to study, so you’re not constantly getting up to get necessary study items. Turn off your phone or put it on airplane mode to diminish distractions.

Set a timer for every 30 minutes to stand and stretch. Do a few yoga poses to get your blood flowing.

Make “you time.”

Get outside and exercise, take a hot bath or meditate. Take some time to relax and decompress.

According to a 2016 study in The New York Times, chronic stress can impair healthy brain development and the ability to learn. Transcendental meditation—a stress-reducing technique that involves thinking of mantra can reduce stress and its manifestation.”

This type of meditation can help you raise your productivity levels by alleviating stress. If you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of late assignments and upcoming tests, take a few minutes to practice this technique to put nerves at ease.

Change your scenery.

If all else fails, change your scenery. Leave the house and go to a coffee shop, bookstore or school library. Motivation is contagious.

Sit next to someone who is busily working away; you may find it easier to focus by tapping into their energy.

Erin George Staff Writer Students at Santa Rosa Junior College are looking for what drives them in life, to find their purpose and ultimately a career. The moment you step foot into room 199 in Forsyth Hall, you may have just found your niche.

Concert pianist, music producer and instructor Rudolf Budginas arrived alone from his native Lithuania in 1994, after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. After receiving a full scholarship and earning his doctorate in music at the University of Southern California, he now resides in Sonoma County as SRJC’s piano and digital audio coordinator.

When meeting Budginas, many are smitten by his charismatic European accent. He is not your average professor around campus, as Budginas longboards and rides a street bike.

“My work was only 20 miles away and there’s no traffic where I lived. It was so boring, and I thought it would be so fun on a street bike,” he laughed.

Growing up in Lithuania, both of his parents were valued musicians.

“During the Soviet times, if you wanted to have a respected career, you were either a musician or an athlete,” Budginas said.

B e f o r e capitalism took over communism in Europe, the government helped citizens propel their musical careers.

“Music was completely funded by the government; they give you the instruments and an apartment.

There was no unemployment,” he said.

Europe has many different social norms than here in the United States. Naturally when he came to California, it was a complete shock for him. “I thought when I arrived here in the United States it would be like the TV show ‘90210’ with everyone hanging out together,” he joked.

Budginas felt a lack of community from the beginning. “I couldn’t believe the communication here.

There is diversity but everyone seemed detached. The Soviet way of life was very different; if a person spent time talking with you, that was it; they were your friend.”

Coming to America turned out to be an extreme lifestyle change that would propel Budginas to find a way to bring classical music in a new, interesting way to the hearts of Americans.

Exploring the world of hip-hop,

jazz and live bands, he collaborated with different groups to form an “off beat” type of music that could be mixed with traditional classical music.

In 2009, Budginas toured 90 cities in 32 states in the U.S. performing this type of music to eclectic crowds of all genres.

He was seen in convention centers to junior high schools. Spreading his passion for music, he believes the louder and funkier the better.

It was in the U.S. he realized his great love for creating digital music. “I got interested in producing electronic music and learning everything in the music studio,” Buginas said.

His upcoming show this winter will be a completely different show than previous ones. Usually he plays with live musicians from different genres like rock or jazz. This time around he is making music with his computer to accompany Carmen Mitchell, a live singer and performer. “She’s very famous here in Santa Rosa,” remarked Budginas.

On the flyer for the show, his personality is unmistakable. The face of Andy Warhol’s pop art Beethoven in a rich blueberry hue eludes that this is not your usual classical music performance.

Not only will there be live music, there will also be an array of visual aspects and a relaxed environment that any concert goer can enjoy. “There will be a multimedia experience; I want to incorporate more than just music,” Budginas said. He would like the audiences to come enjoy the music and to teach them something in the process.

Erin George/ Oak Leaf

Top: Rudolf Budginas demonstrates how to bring soul and passion into a student’s piano piece. Bottom: Budginas has been playing since the age of 4, merging classical and other musical genres to create a sound all his own.

Preparations for this show started this past summer. First he decided on a theme. “It is called ‘Piano Unlimited,’” Budginas said. Then he picks the sections to compliment the overall foundation of the show. “I have picked the craziest pieces to show the difficulties of the piano throughout history,” he said.

The show will begin with the hand-selected sections of music, the middle will feature the live singer and at the end will be a mix up of electronic music. “The end will have sort of a crazy arrangement

of beats,” Budginas said. It is clear when discussing the upcoming show that all of his passions will merge. “I want to show that there are no limits for the piano.”

He hopes to show audiences that this type of music doesn’t have to be so stiff; that it can be upbeat with even traces of humor laced throughout.

The buzzed-about show will be held Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. in Newman Auditorium.

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

October 10, 2016

sell it with

purpose

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We Buy Your Brand Name & Designer Clothing, Shoes and Hand Bags

Celine Gossage/Oak Leaf

Top: In the past, many 3D printers could only produce small objects due to slow printing speed, but with today’s technology, larger objects can be produced.

Middle: Today’s 3D printers are capable of producing complex shapes that are both stylized and functional, such as simple machines.

Celine Gossage/Oak Leaf

Students can mass-produce items with the 3D printer to study their shape and how the printer creates them.

3D printing

SRJC propels into the future with new tech equipment Celine Gossage Staff Writer One of the most exciting technologies being developed today is 3D printing.

This fall, SRJC introduced a new computer studies class titled CS 78.1 for students interested in exploring this new field. Donald Laird, SRJC computer studies department chair, is currently teaching the course. It focuses on introducing students to the process of 3D printing and learning how to use this new technology.

“It’s a skill that is showing up in many industries, so I thought it was something we needed to make available to students,” Laird said.

Some of the industries that use 3D printing include architecture and construction modeling, medical device design, and manufacturing.

Students also explore career options as part of the class.

The college currently owns 11 3D printers, the most in Sonoma County, ranging from low-end printers that run a few hundred dollars to high-end printers costing upwards of $3,000.

To ensure students have a better chance getting jobs in the workforce with 3D printers, Laird

wanted them exposed to as many different types of machines as possible.

“Rather than get all of one type of printer, I wanted a variety because the technology changes so fast,” he said.

Laird keeps up with the software and makes changes to ensure the technology is up to date.

Many of the printers are open source, which allow Laird to take them apart and put them back together.

The class introduces students to the concept of 3D and learning how to work in and think in 3D. One of the projects coming up for students involves making a lego block with their own name on it. The test will be whether or not the blocks interlock with one another.

With 3D printing, Laird feels the possibilities are endless. “Not everybody gets to play with a real fossil skull. I get to print my own,” he said.

As technology evolves, more and more 3D printers are becoming available to the public.

Mattel, a toy company, is even coming out with a 3D printer for kids next year.

“For me, being able to take designs already existing and modify them to come up with a tangible result is really really cool,” Laird said.

Read about our successful graduate Kristi, at CrossingTheJordan.org

HOW IT WORKS

•

Bring in Like New, On Trend Clothes, Shoes & Accessories from the brands below. Must be freshly laundered & folded. No hangers.

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We buy Women's, Men's, Young Adult & Children.

No Appointment Necessary. Buyers will make you an offer. We pay 30% cash & 40% on Trade Card, which can be used at any of our retail locations.

•

Percentage offered based on what price we sell item for in our boutique.

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Consignment on high end shoes & handbags over $60 resale value. Will consign after mid-Oct.

Great News.

Proceeds from our stores fund our residential programs for women & children.

GET TO KNOW US Visit CrossingtheJordan.org

JUST LIKE NEW BOUTIQUE

501 4th St. Santa Rosa 707.588.9388

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Russian River Brewing 725 4th St., Santa Rosa

A night at Russian River Brewing Co. is the quintessential Sonoma County bar experience. A huge crowd seems ever-present at this long-standing establishment. Russian River is most known for its signature Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, their double and triple IPAs.

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Brew

555 Healdsburg Ave., Santa Rosa Brew is unique in the downtown bar scene for its younger crowd and unique take on all aspects of brewing in Sonoma County: coffee, tea and beer. Brew’s double happy hour, 4-6 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. draws large crowds throughout the evening to enjoy aromatic coffee, delicious pastries and effervescent beer.

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Erin George/ Oak Leaf

Courtesy of smugmug.com

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Steele & Hops

Courtesy of The Gables Wine Country Inn Pintrest Page

1901 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa Steele & Hops is the new kid on the block, after a July 2016 opening. With a list of about 20 different beers, ranging from local to global, it’s an excellent place to broaden your beer horizons, despite the vast competition in town.

Their menu also hosts a variety of from-scratch entrees and sides you enjoy with your drinks.

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Stumptown Brewery

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15045 River Rd., Guerneville

Nestled among the redwoods, Stumptown boasts views of the Russian River from an extensive outdoor patio. Brewing a few beers of their own, this bar rotates what’s on tap weekly. If it is domestics you seek, make a stop here—they always have PBR on tap.

Courtesy of 101northbeer.com

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Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom 523 4th St., Santa Rosa

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Belly takes a fresh look at bar fair with a “left coast” twist. A diverse menu includes rosemarykale fingerlings, drunken prawns and kalua pulled pork Cuban sandwhichs. A must-visit for top-shelf drinks and gourmet eats.

Courtesy of overcarbed.com

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Courtesy of californiathroughmylens.com

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Third Street Aleworks 610 3rd St., Santa Rosa

Boasting a double happy hour starting at 4-8 p.m. and 10-11 p.m, this brewery is a must in your pub crawl stop. Buy a stainless steel growler for $47 and refill it for $12 with the Bombay Rouge IPA, a favorite among local beer connoisseurs. Try their happy hour food menu, full of discounted finger foods like fresh onion rings, Asian calamari, and 3rd street nachos.

Kevin Lipe/ Oak Leaf

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Lagunitas Brewing Co.

1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma If it’s ambiance you want, look no further than Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewery. Take a tour during the week and sip free tastings of their most popular brew, Lil Sumpin’, while you learn fun facts about the company’s endeavors. Don’t forget to hit the Schwag Shop on your way out to score a snuggly hoodie and T-shirt to match.

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Erin George/ Oak Leaf

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Maguire’s Pub 145 Kentucky St., Petaluma Walking into Maguire’s Pub feels like stepping into an old Irish saloon. In addition to an abundant collection of premium Irish and Scotch whiskeys, ryes and cognacs, Maguire’s features seasonal ales and their own “Guinness Creations” you won’t find anywhere else.

Courtesy of vthopjam.com

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101 North Brewing 1304 Scott St., Petaluma

A super cozy alternative to Lagunitas. The beer at 101 North is complimentary and unique when compared to their neighbor across the street with a deep flavor, especially the Heroin IPA, which is a great standout. Not much going on for food here but they welcome you to bring in your own any time. A personal and friendly place for any lover of beer.

Courtesy of maguirespetaluma.com

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TAPS Beer Co. & Kitchen 54 E Washington St., Petaluma

Overlooking the Petaluma River with a frequent tap rotation, Taps lists a variety of beer styles, catering to enthusiasts and beginning explorers alike. The menu compliments a cold beer nicely with a variety of sandwiches, burgers and salads. Taps also offers small bites such as deep fried brussels and poutine fries. Thursday nights are worth a visit for the weekly featured brewery and small taste menu.

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October 10, 2016

Features

www.theoakleafnews.com

Miles apart, always together SRJC students maintain love connections across long distances Amoura Deering Staff Writer Relationships can be hard.

Long distance relationships can be even harder.

Being away from your significant other for just a few days can be emotional, but imagine spending months away from the person you love.

Long distance relationships have become more common in recent years. With shows like MTV’s “Catfish,” more people have fallen in love without ever embracing their partner.

Fourteen million relationships are long distance and 32.5 percent of those are college students, according to the Statistic Brain Research Institute.

Santa Rosa Junior College alumni Bonnie Terry, 18, fell head over heels for Alex Terry, 20, when he lived in Novato and she lived in Forestville.

They would go on dates and spend as much time as they could together.

They lived a life of romance for

a few months until Alex joined the military and got stationed in Bellevue, Nebraska. With 1,692 miles between them, their love became centered on the blue glow of their smartphone screens.

“We were in different time zones, so he was two hours ahead of me. At the time he was in tech school and I was at SRJC and working,” Terry said. “It was pretty depressing for me. Finding time to talk was slim-to-none, unless it was the weekend. Then we would talk for a few hours.”

Bonnie and Alex married in April 2016, joining the 10 percent of marriages that start as long distance relationships. “It was definitely hard, but worth it because we are very happy now,” she said.

SRJC student Cody Bennett, 20, found himself falling for a voice over the Playstation Plus gaming network in spring 2013.

Erin George/ Oak Leaf

The comfort provided through video dates via FaceTime are a neccessary tool in maintaining long distance relationships for most couples. Being able to visually and verbally communicate with your significant other is an essential part of any relationship.

“I heard this really pretty voice, and I had to know more,” Bennett said. “We exchanged information and it was two months of constant messaging. After eight months of talking every day and Skyping every few days, I asked her to be my girlfriend.”

After a few months, Bennett began to feel the harsh reality of the 2,519 miles from Santa Rosa to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was in a relationship, but he was alone. He longed for a physical connection and felt he was being unfair to himself and her.

“I told her it wasn’t fair to each other and that she would regret this looking back if we kept this going any

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longer,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to take her to her prom and I could just picture her being upset about never having those iconic photos and memories. It would be my fault and I didn’t want that,” he said.

SRJC student Christian Garcia, 21, fell in love with a girl over Instagram.

After a few months of talking, he decided to start a relationship with a girl 3,143 miles away in Coral Springs, Florida.

“I was lucky enough to have the funds to fly out and see her a few times,” Garcia said. “I spent a week with her when she graduated high school, even though that was the visit that ended our two-year relationship.

It was emotionally taxing, yet also the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. I fell hopelessly in love in ways I didn’t think possible.”

Garcia and Bennett are part of the 40 percent of long distance relationships that break up, according to SBRI. Long distance isn’t impossible, but it takes mental strength, time and money to help overcome obstacles in the relationship.

“Would I recommend LDR’s?

It’s not for everyone. If you and your significant other are seriously committed and willing to do the distance with hopes of shortening the gap one day, go for it,” Garcia said.

TES A R UP E GRO VAILABL A

A talk about Hebron and Beyond Palestinian Nonviolent Struggle for Justice

Issa Amro: Palestinian Leader of Youth Against Settlements Thursday October 20 at 7 PM; Bertolini Student Activity Center

Sponsored by North Coast Coalition for Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace - North Bay Chapter

Open 18 Nights from Friday, October 7 through Halloween AT SOMO VILLAGE · 1500 VALLEY HOUSE DRIVE · ROHNERT PARK · 707-837-1928

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Photo essay by Erin George With the smell of BBQ wafting through the air, Shone Farm’s Fall Festival kicked off Saturday, Oct 8.

Shone Farm, Santa Rosa Junior College’s 365-acre agricultural laboratory, sits in the heart of the Russian River valley about 20 minutes from the main campus. It’s home to 120 acres of redwood forest, 70 acres of vineyards, 100 acres of pasture, and four acres of fruit trees, as well as agriculture, wine-making and equine studies programs.

Organizers have held the festival for more than five years. “This has been the best yet!” said Kathy Charlton, a Shone Farm employee.

Clockwise from top: Festival goers make a beeline for the UPick patch. Sawyer Hughes, 4, shows off his pick of the day.

Local band Festival of Friends played the entire day. Families make their way to the Kid’s Center for face painting and a game of bean bag toss. Timothy White, 6, gives it his best shot.

Features

A diverse crowd of students and families gathered for garden tours, face painting, student demonstrations and the sounds of a local seven-piece band. An apprentice farrier hammered away on horseshoes, and children were delighted to watch the sparks fly.

As the sun warmed the fields, visitors checked out the U-Pick vegetable patch, where rows upon rows of heirloom tomatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes were ripe for the picking.

Everything for sale was grown or made by SRJC students.

All around, excitement levels were high.

Santa Rosa resident Chris Miller said, “We bring our children every year and can’t wait for the next one.”

October 10, 2016

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October 10, 2016

Opinion

www.theoakleafnews.com

EDITORIAL

If you want to invest in the middle class, invest in education Both presidential candidates say they want to invest in us. But in reality, they want to invest in a manufacturing economy that's shrinking. They want to invest in a minimum wage that's way behind its time, especially in California.

If lawmakers really wanted to invest in us, they'd invest more in our education.

Much of the first part of the first presidential debate Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York was about how to keep manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Today, over 12 million Americans work in manufacturing, so there will always be a place for it here. But America has lost over five million manufacturing jobs since 2000. In 1960, one in four Americans had a job in manufacturing. Today the number is less than one in 10.

This is because humans are being replaced with machines, and cheap employment is being sought elsewhere.

So when you hear a presidential candidate say they want to bring back manufacturing jobs while also raising the minimum wage and taxes on the big corporations, you should realize the math doesn't add up. Nothing deters a company from hiring more than raising wages and

taxes. The goal of a manufacturer is to make as much output as efficiently and cheaply as possible. Raising taxes will hurt big companies, and raising the minimum wage will hurt all companies, big and small.

Our leaders need to stop focusing on reviving America's manufacturing economy and start shifting its sights towards technology and green-enterprise jobs for the middle class.

If you want to invest in the middle class you wouldn't just give workers an extra dollar for every hour worked, you'd provide them with a chance to make significantly more than the minimum wage.

You'd allow them to get a job in government, education, research or information technology.

Yes, investing in education would be expensive—but it could be paid for the exact same way we pay for all other entitlements.

The national debt is currently more than $19.5 trillion, and it’s estimated it will take nearly 400 million years to pay it off, so it should be considered a sunk cost.

Education is an investment that, in the long run, has an opportunity to pay for itself. As students graduate and get jobs that pay well above the minimum wage, taxable

income will increase significantly.

Ideally, this would allow the system to pay for itself and then some.

Currently the education system doesn't open its door to everyone.

The prospect of acquiring tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt scares people away. Others aren't able to handle the struggles of going to school full time while working full-time.

Unfortunately, working full-time is really the only way to stay afloat in our current housing market, especially in Sonoma County.

When the cheapest apartments around are $1,400 a month, a student has to work a 40-hour week at minimum wage to afford rent, with little money to spare for food or to pay off debt.

Putting money in the pockets of anyone, whether it’s corporate execs or minimum wage workers, will not create jobs and will not encourage future employees to focus on their education and enter higher-paying industries.

So the next time you hear a candidate saying that raising the minimum wage or decreasing taxes for businesses will bring jobs back, make sure to think critically about who these changes really benefit.

Advocating for our health

Students explore birth control options Amoura Deering Staff Writer For women on birth control, the medication is part of their daily lives. From their teens until they decide to start a family, they jack their bodies up on hormones to prevent them from doing what they were meant to do: make babies.

Most people refer to birth control as “the pill,” but there are far more options out there than just pill packs. All reversible birth control options contain hormones (except the ParaGuard intrauterine device, which is made of copper.)

When I was 16 years old I went on birth control. It wasn’t because I was sexually active nor was it for acne. I was underweight due to anorexia nervosa and my body felt periods were unnecessary.

My family has a history of polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal imbalance that can cause infertility, and my doctor thought birth control would be the best option for my health.

He theorized the hormones in the pills would help regulate the

hormones in my body, and they did. Temporarily.

Two years later, my body built a reliance on the pills to the point where if I missed a dose by mere hours, I would start my period. I felt I needed a change.

I went back to my doctor, expressed my concerns and was given “all” my options. I was told I could change to a different pill or I could have an intrauterine device placed. My doctor skipped over options like the patch, the shot and the Nexplanon implant.

I went with the advice of my doctor and had the Mirena IUD placed. I was told it was the best option out there; it had minimal side effects and lasted for five years.

The placement was uncomfortable and I had cramps for a week, but once they subsided, things seemed fine. I was protected and didn’t have to remember to take a pesky pill every day. I was content with my choice.

Now, here I am with heinous cramps and uncontrollable bleeding for more than a month. I called my doctor out of concern and was told it is a normal side effect of the Mirena.

I was also told an acne breakout was also a side effect.

I was left angry and upset because

I wasn’t told about these side effects before the IUD was placed inside my body. I was desperate to find someone who felt the same unhappiness as I did.

Santa Rosa Junior College student Sierra Garcia, 21, had similar frustrations with her birth control choice. “I had originally been on Nexplanon for about a year, but it made my monthly cycle really unpredictable and my period would last for months at a time,” she said.

“It began to drive me crazy. It would also itch horribly from time to time, so I switched to a tri-phasic pill and it works really well for me.”

Sixty-two percent of women of reproductive age are currently using contraception. The most common method is the pill at 28 percent, according to a 2010 Center of Disease Control survey.

Doctors should hold the responsibility to thoroughly inform their patients of all options and all possible side effects of each one.

They shouldn’t just give their personal favorites and not explain them fully.

As women, we need to fully educate ourselves on our bodies and our options. We have resources here on campus available to us for low cost, and in most cases, free.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, Student Health Services teams with Santa Rosa Community Health to bring reproductive health services to the Santa Rosa campus. SRCH offers low cost Pap smears, birth control options, STD testing a n d

pregnancy tests, among many other resources to SRJC students.

Call ahead at (707) 527-4445 to make an appointment; slots can fill quickly.

As women, we can’t just rely on doctors to tell us what’s best for our bodies. We all must advocate for our health. If we don’t have our best interests in mind, then who really does?

www.theoakleafnews.com

Opinion

October 10, 2016

Indigenous People's Day

Just the tip Polyamory:

— vs —

More than multiple lovers

Columbus Day Zachary Chew Staff Writer Since 1937 the United States has been celebrating Columbus Day as a national holiday. However, our nation’s indigenous people—the people here before Columbus’s arrival— have often felt left out of America’s history. Activists have fought to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day for many years. They refuse to commemorate a man they consider a war criminal, one who committed genocide and enslaved the native populations in the regions he explored.

After the city of Seattle voted in 2014 to change the holiday’s name from Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, Seattle city council member Kshama Sawant said, “Learning about the history of Columbus and transforming this day into a celebration of indigenous people and a celebration of social justice ... allows us to make a connection between this painful history and the ongoing marginalization, discrimination, and poverty that indigenous communities face to this day.”

Santa Rosa Junior College

recognizes both Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s Day. SRJC celebrated Indigenous People’s Day for the first time in 2015. As part of this year’s celebration, the college’s board of trustees will sign a new resolution officially adopting Oct. 12 as Indigenous People’s Day. The celebration includes a formal reading of the resolution, performances from the Native Resistance Drum Group and Pomo Dance Group, and a guest speaker, Bill Means of the Oglala Lakota.

There’s no doubt that Columbus treated our nation’s indigenous people terribly, but I believe the Columbus Day primarily celebrates the discovery of the New World. It’s understandable why the indigenous

Courtesy of JoshuOne Barnes people and other activists are Native American performers in traditional dress at Indigenous People's Day in 2015. against naming a federal holiday after Columbus. But it’s equally important to acknowledge that for what they were, but I respect the come, another explorer would have, without Columbus’s contributions, contributions the indigenous people and would have done something the formation of the United States made to our country’s history as well. similar to what Columbus did, simply would might occur differently.

Respecting Columbus’s contributions because of the beliefs of his time.

The search for positive change doesn’t necessarily mean you need to So in choosing to adopt a is always based on perspective. In like the man personally. declaration proclaiming Indigenous this case, changing Columbus Day Many explorers during Columbus’s People’s Day while keeping Columbus to Indigenous People’s Day is also time were mostly out for themselves Day on the calendar, SRJC is taking a a matter of perspective. I’m willing and obtained honor from their middle-of-the-road stance, one that to accept Columbus’s contributions national leaders. If Columbus hadn’t seems in keeping with the times.

Leveling the field

Gender stereotypes hold young women back Tommy Dennen Staff Writer

“You have a nice car and you’re a safe driver. Have you ever thought about doing Uber or Lyft for a while?” I asked my girlfriend. She'd been looking for a new job.

“What!? No, that’s scary.

Someone could kidnap me in my own car!” she quickly retorted with a concerned look.

Looking at a picture one of my friends posted

on Facebook, showing off her exercise results from Judo training, I couldn’t help but notice the contrast in her and my girlfriend’s attitudes.

On one hand, I had my significant other sitting there, whom I’m happy to protect and be there for. On the other hand, I see a good friend—who happens to be the absolute opposite.

This is a girl I would be afraid to fight. At 5 feet 2 inches and 115 lbs of muscle, she could easily flip me over her back and punch me in the throat before I’d even know what’s happening (and I’m a sturdy hockey player, no stranger to high-speed collisions and fights).

But I thought to myself, “Why are there so few girls that have this badass mentality?”

The answer came easily: because our

13

society tells them not to have it. boundaries. Why do we still hold I’m not usually one to point a self defense and self reliance for finger towards society, but in this women out of the equation? situation I realize we tell women It’s time to level the playing to spend their time on their field. I don’t want my girlfriend looks instead of being physically to feel like she shouldn’t be a competitive. driver due to fear Yes, there of an attack. I are tons of want her to feel women who confident, not are amazing afraid.

Men need "It’s time to level the athletes, but to empower the playing field... Men the truth is women in their we emphasize Physical need to empower the lives. sports for competence spills women that women in their lives." over into other we deem aspects of one's “feminine." life, and I feel my It’s why Title girlfriend would IX was created, find success in to help women other aspects of have the same opportunities her life if she didn’t constantly to play the same sports—or at live in fear for her safety. least allow the same number of It was interesting to step them—that men are given. The outside of my own shoes and fact that we had to create rules consider life if I had to plan my like this acknowledges there’s a affairs and my life goals around gender stereotype that confines feeling physically vulnerable. women, a stereotype that (on a We need to continue to dissolve positive note) gets broken more psychological gender boundaries and more every day. because they manifest and Title IX and other emerge as physiological forms of feminist conflicts. At the end of the day activism have changed it doesn’t matter what gender we the way our society are, all we want is to pursue our sees these gender version of a happy, fulfilled life.

Genesis Napel Staff Writer Cookie cutter monogamous relationships are running rampant in American culture; The idea of “the one” tricking lovers into exclusive partnerships when there are so many fish in the sea. Some people may very well be “wired” for monogamy and for others it seems unreasonable to suppress the laws of attraction to only one person.

Polyamory, or poly relationships, aren't “swinging,” “open” or cheating. Poly is consensual, honest and compassionate connections between three or more people in which all parties are informed of the relationship(s) status.

It's not about having more sexual partners, it's about having more romantic connections. The notion that once you are in a relationship it becomes immoral to so much as bat eyes with another person is ludicrous. In poly relationships the option is open to explore new connections outside of the one already engaged in.

Poly relationships can take many different forms and the guidelines of each are decided by those involved. It could be that only one partner has other partners or both do or some sort of love triangle or square.

Whatever the case, it has to be agreed upon by everyone.

If you sleep with other people and you don't tell your partner or its not part of your agreement, that's cheating just like in any other relationship. The only way that a poly relationship can work is by a solid foundation of honesty and trust. The same goes for any romantic affair, but when more people are involved there is a higher potential for miscommunication.

Everyone needs to feel special and loved by their partner(s) and even so someone will become jealous at some point or another. Only through clear communication and understanding of each others' needs and desires can this be resolved.

Being in a poly relationship doesn't mean when the going gets rough with one lover you skip over to the next. It is a committed partnership like any other, only there are two or more people being committed to. When done properly everyone involved is getting their needs met and builds a deeper connection with their partner(s).

14 Women’s soccer dominates

October 10, 2016

Tom Rivas / Oak Leaf

Forward Pricilla Villalobos fights through a tackle and pushes the ball up the field against MJC Sept.30

Tom Rivas Staff Writer The Bear Cubs took control early and dominated throughout their game against the Modesto Junior College Pirates, ending in a 4-0 victory Sept. 30.

“We have been focusing this week on playing our style of game,” said coach Crystal Howard. “We’ve been working real hard keeping the goal line against us and this week we’ve walked away with zero goals against us in both games.”

Megan Stavish started off with the first goal in the 15th minute.

“I feel good about how we played today,” Stavish said. “But I think our communication could of been a little better.”

Nikki Elliot scored second for the Bear Cubs and was assisted by Amanda Galbraith.

“I feel like we started early dominating today’s game,” said freshmen Pricilla Villalobos. “We have a goal every game and that’s to score the first goal and end with a shut out.”

The next two goals were scored

by Galbraith, giving the Bear Cubs a 4-0 victory over Modesto.

“We are three weeks into our conference," Howard said. “We’ve played six games in our conference so I tell them every game is a battle and it’s important that we remain consistent game in and game out.”

The Bear Cubs’ next game is against American River College Oct. 11 at Cooks Sypher Field.

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SRJC mens soccer wins two games in home stint

Tom Rivas and Will Mathis Staff Writer and Co-Editor-in-Chief

Santa Rosa Junior College’s men’s soccer team won two home games last week. Despite having several sick players the Bear Cubs beat Consumnes River College on Sept. 30. In the second game SRJC’s forward Wilson Briggs scored two goals and one assist in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Modesto Junior College Oct. 4 at Cook Sypher Field.

SRJC vs. Consumnes River College Sept. 30 Consumnes River took control early on in the first half by scoring the first goal in the 32nd minute giving them a 1-0 lead.

“I feel like we came out too relaxed in the beginning and that’s how we got behind,” said freshman Dominiq Laird. “We didn’t have our best performance but we still fought hard throughout the entire game.”

The Bear Cubs [1-0-1 conference, 6-1-2 overall] gained momentum with Samuel Richter scoring in the 34th minute, assisted by Darian Huerta, which tied the game 1-1.

Santa Rosa came out stronger in the second half, keeping the ball closer to scoring position.

“They out-played us in the first half,” said head coach Marty Kinahan. “We gave up a soft goal, but we responded well and by the second half we had more control over the game.”

Sophomore Chris Ochoa scored in the 63rd minute, giving the

Tom Rivas / Oak Leaf

SRJC's first-year forward Michael Gordon's shot blocked by Consumnes River College goalie in the Bear Cubs' 3-2 comeback victory on Sept. 4.

Bear Cubs a 2-1 lead.

“It felt good to see the team take more control of the game in the second half,” Ochoa said. “I was happy I contributed when I did.”

Consumnes River quickly responded with another goal and tied the score at 2-2 in 71st minute.

In the final minutes of the game, Ochoa assisted Kevin Juarez in scoring the winning goal, giving the Bear Cubs the victory 3-2.

“I feel like we fought strong and didn’t give up,” Juarez said.

“We just kept playing hard and we ended up with a win.”

SRJC vs. Modesto Junior College Oct. 4 Modesto [2-4-5] heavily controlled the first 30 minutes of play, taking a 1-0 lead when Christian Carranza poked a shot past SRJC goalie David Hernandez

in the fifth minute.

Regular starter Oscar Hjern replaced Hernandez in the ninth minute of the match.

“We gifted them a goal early,” Kinahan said. “There was a lack of intensity in our defense today.

Mentality wise they just weren’t defending well and defending hard.”

SRJC [7-1-2] created more opportunities for itself on offense from the 30th minute on.

Defender Ian Rumbaugh tied the game when he put a shot away from in front of the goal in the 39th minute for his second goal of the season.

Brigg’s first goal of the game immediately followed in the 41st minute, scoring off a rebound to give the Bear Cubs a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.

“As soon as we got the goal, we

got right to it and thought this team isn’t actually that good,” Briggs said. “We got the second goal pretty fast after the first goal, and I think that was the key to winning this game.”

In the 65th minute, Briggs blasted in his fifth goal of the season from outside the box to give SRJC a 3-1 cushion.

Modesto made one last attempt at a comeback with Angel Hernandez’s goal in the 80th to make the score 3-2, but SRJC held on to win.

“We got a good result. We just didn’t play well,” Kinahan said.

“It’s a positive when you don’t play well and get a good result but it’s frustrating that you can play so much better.”

SRJC’s faces American River College at 4 p.m. Oct. 11, at ARC.

SRJC heads into the conference season undefeated Albert Gregory Sports Editor No. 1 Santa Rosa Junior College’s football team’s expectations are high after finishing their nonconference season 5-0 and plan to take it one game at a time until they complete their ultimate goal: win a state championship.

The team had a bye week this past weekend before starting their conference schedule.

SRJC is ranked first overall in the Northern California Football Conference poll and third in the statewide poll of all California community colleges.

The defense has been the strongest aspect of the team this season, allowing an average of just 293.2 yards and 11.4 points per game, the second lowest in the state.

“Our defense is always really stellar,” said sophomore quarterback Mitch Hood. “They’ve kind of been carrying us.”

The team’s pass defense has been especially impressive. Led by twin brothers defensive backs Keith and Keilan Benjamin, the defense allowed less than 200 yards through the air and are top five in

Albert Gregory / Oak Leaf

SRJC's defensive back Keith Benjamin intercepts a pass and returns it 47 yards for a touchdown.

interceptions in the state, with 10 picks already this season.

In most of SRJC’s games this season, the offense has struggled to score, but in the Bear Cubs’ most recent game against Sierra College on Oct. 1 the offense came alive, putting up 55 points while the defense shut them out.

“I think we played well as a team; we all gelled,” said sophomore wide receiver Ivan Hudson. “Even some of our backups got a chance to come out and perform and they performed well.”

In three games SRJC has only been able to score 17 points and has had to rely on defense and special teams.

“You got to have a few games with some adversity and still be able to get the win,” Keith Benjamin said.

“It’s just a reminder of how hard we’ve been working.”

In two games the team was able to score 40-plus points and now finds itself ranked amongst the top 20 offenses in the state, despite their struggles.

The team will spend the time

getting some well deserved rest on their bye week while preparing for the conference schedule.

“We give them a couple of days off and then go pretty light Monday, Tuesday [and] Wednesday,” said head coach Lenny Wagner.

After the bye week the team will start their conference season by facing Contra Costa College.

“As far as the regular season goal I would say that our main goal, besides keeping our guys healthy, is to win every league game,” said running back coach Christian Mello.

While the team is focused on winning every game, the unspoken goal amongst the team is to beat the San Francisco City College Rams.

The Bear Cubs have lost to the Rams for at least the last five years, including a 70-0 drubbing in 2014.

But SFCC will not be the teams toughest opponent.

“Our mindset right now is that every game we have is our toughest,” Mello said. “We’re going to each game knowing that there is minimal room for error, especially in this league. You lose one game and may not make playoffs.”

SRJC faces Contra Costa at 5 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Bailey Field.

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October 10, 2016

15

Bumgarner's the best postseason pitcher ever Opinion Parker Dangers Oncken Staff Writer Welcome to October, where Madison Bumgarner pitching a shutout is more common than a hurricane in Florida or Donald Trump telling a lie.

Bumgarner pitched the Giants into the divisional round of the MLB Playoffs with a dominant performance in the National League Wild Card game against the New York Mets. In scattering four hits over nine innings, the man known as “Mad Bum” cemented his status as the greatest postseason pitcher of all time.

With this performance, Mad Bum lowered his career playoff ERA to 1.94, and his road ERA to an even more unbelievable 0.50. He started eight road games in the postseason for the Giants, and the team has won them all. The more hostile the environment, the more untouchable the Giant’s ace becomes.

Anyone who needs a pitcher in a winner-take-all game and doesn’t choose Bumgarner has made the wrong decision. During the 2010 season, Mad Bum was just 20 years

old with a handful of Major League starts under his belt. He shut out the Texas Rangers for eight innings, slicing through a historically powerful offensive team like a hot knife through butter.

While a performance like that from a 20-year-old rookie is impressive on any stage.

Bumgarner handcuffed Texas in Game 4 of the World Series, on the road under the brightest lights imaginable.

The man is unflappable. He is impossible to faze.

During the Giants’ last World Series run, Bumgarner threw a four-hit shutout in the Wild Card game to put the Giants into the Division Series. He went on to throw more than 50 postseason innings, simultaneously winning the NL Championship Series and World Series MVP awards, while almost singlehandedly carrying the Giants to their third title in five seasons.

He looks primed to repeat that performance this postseason. No team on earth wants to face the Giants with Bumgarner pitching this way. With each dominant performance, the Paul Bunyan-like legend of Madison Bumgarner grows a bit more.

He mastered the art of calm intimidation; steadying his teammates

Courtesy of Bleacher Report

Madison Bumgarner needs to step up when the team faces the Chicago Cubs in game 3 of the Natiional League Divisional Series on Oct. 10.

while rattling his opponents down to their core.

Maybe the most competitive individual in sports, a man born to pitch and to excel in his greatest moments.

The Giants are on the brink of elimination, beaten twice by the superior Chicago Cubs. In game three, they turn to Bumgarner, the great equalizer, a man who

makes them the favorite in any game he pitches.

He expects to be the savior, and as fans, we should expect nothing less of Mad Bum.

d

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October 10, 2016

Crossword: Wild Card

Sports

By Distribution Manager Travis LaBrucherie

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Across

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1 Hi from Pierre 4 Minions master 7 Jackson and Jordan, abbr.

10 “Rocky _” from The White Album 12 Lightning McQueen’s friend 15 Richard Linklater’s film that was shot over a span of 12 years.

16 “_ of Ice and Fire” 17 Suspension of breathing 19 Tolkien creatures 20 Skyrim Dragon Priest 23 49 or 76 ending 24 2008 Wii game, abbr.

25 “Wild Side” band _ Crue 27 Former Minnesota Wild Dupuis 30 A county in Catalonia, Spain 31 “Floreat _!” an 1882 painting by Elizabeth Thompson 32 2016 NL Wild Card game losers 34 Wild Card winners that beat 32-across 35 Company that bought CCM 36 Lupino of film 38 Blood or pregnancy 39 Painted tinware 40 34-across took the lead in this inning of the Wild Card game 42 Tiny 44 Shoe 48 Dave who gave up Jackie Robinson’s first major league home run 49 Remark 50 Burrell and others 51 U.S. National Park in Washington State 52 “Wild Gunman” console, abbr.

1 Sphere 2 Aurora, Oregon airport code 3 Cold 4 Lifestyle publication curated by Gwyneth Paltrow 5 Actress Mara 6 Below 7 UFC is this 8 Star of the film “Wild Card” (2015) 9 Wind warning 11 “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” wild card 13 Charms 14 Jahri Evans and Chris Snee’s pos.

18 Nile reptile 20 Southeastern Arab country 21 He botched a snap in the 2006/07 Wild Card game against the Seahawks on what could have been the game winning field goal.

22 Nuclear explosion 26 Consume 28 Conservative think tank in D.C. 29 Not first 33 Wrongdoing 34 Rich who led the Raiders to a Wild Card victory over the Jets in the 2001/02 season 37 “Saturday Night Fever” (1977) music 39 Exclamation of disdain 41 A non-permanent worker, abbr.

43 _ Angeles 45 Barbie’s guy 46 Opposite of WSW 47 DJ Humphries and Doug Free’s pos.

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FOOD. BEER. SHELTER.