Richland Chronicle January 24, 2023 Issue

Beetlemania: Richland’s trees under attack from emerald ash borer

Blanca Reyes Editor-In-Chief

During the winter break, it was necessary to remove and destroy all ash trees on campus due to infestation of invasive emerald ash borer beetles. The trees were in the parking lot W located in the east side of Richland campus.

The tree removal was necessary as a preventive measure to avoid the larva-hatching season of the bug, which runs from April to June. Although the initiative might seem extreme (Richland campus is known for being a green campus), it is was done to help contain the potential spread of the disease to other ash trees south of campus and throughout Texas.

After the Texas Tree Foundation held a conference here on campus, the Facilities Maintenance department pointed out the concern about the possible disease and asked a certified arborist to come to make the diagnosis and to make the appropriate recommendations; the tree removal was suggested

immediately to avoid the possible weakening and falling of branches, according to Janet James, senior director, campus administration, Richland campus.

Since the disease starts inside the trunk of an infected tree and spreads to the outside bark, it can go unnoticed until limbs fall and cause harm to pedestrians and parked cars surrounding the affected trees.

According to the website entnemdept.ufl. edu, the emerald ash borer is a highly destructive wood-boring beetle that feeds on the phloem of ash trees.

“I found out that they decided to do it during the winter break, number one to avoid the larva. And then number two, nobody was here, and people love those trees. But we had a legitimate reason to take them out,” James said.

According to James, the commitment of the Richland campus to sustainability and the health of the planet remains a priority. She added that the soil at the site of the trees was not damaged by the beetles, therefore, there are plans to replace the trees in parking lot W with a different species of trees.

The replantation of the trees will happen during the annual Arbor Day celebration in April through Richland’s partnership with the Texas Trees Foundation and campus tree farm. A certified arborist will determine the best new

species for the area based on the environment, according to James.

“I don’t know which type of tree those will be yet, but there’ll be collective decision,” James said.

Staff Photo Blanca Reyes

Photo courtesy www.rwhendricksenco.com

The emerald ash borer is a highly destructive wood-boring beetle that feeds on ash trees.

East campus parking lot W after the ash trees that lined one sidewalk were removed due to a beetle infestation. A new, hardier tree variety is scheduled to be replanted in April.

Martin Luther King Jr and his cherry-picked legacy

Raine Caldwell Staff Writer

If Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he would be 94 years old. He would have lived through 9/11 and the election of former president Barack Obama. Current president Joe Biden is 80 and saw the civil rights movement end with Dr. King’s death, 55 years ago, in 1968.

All the talk of numbers is to show that the time in which King lived wasn’t that long ago, and the timeline of social justice doesn’t stop when a leader dies. When we search photos of King, we see photos that are black and white, but the invention of color television and photographs happened years before. Surely school boards around the United States can put the color photos inside textbooks. But it hasn’t been done. Former President Lyndon B.Johnson has his photos in color, and he put the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in place. This exact rendition of media distorts time and causes many who learn to internalize those 55 years as a very long time, but, it isn’t so long ago as many think.

When debates arise regarding human rights in the United States government, many politicians like to quote King’s “I Have Dream” speech. It’s a speech many people use to fit their interpretation of King and spread their need of steady change rather than immediate action. King’s nonviolent protest approach on civil rights is all that many focus on, but they know little of how big of a socialist he was.

King believed that racial discrimination was the root of the United States economic wellbeing; that it thrives on the backs of the poor and working class and does nothing to help bridge the gap between those with and without. He created the Poor People’s Campaign and united all people who were in poverty to fight for equal opportunity and economic stability. His dream wasn’t just for desegregation, and his voice carried a following that threated the very structure the United States lived by.

His ability to unite the masses followed many threats to his life. According to Stanford University, it was revealed that the FBI started to watch King’s protest with their counterintelligence program (Cointelpro). While King did not show any signs of communist agenda but was subjected to many letters urging him to commit suicide. This is because King criticized the FBI saying that they were “completely ineffectual in resolving the continued mayhem and brutality inflicted upon the negro in the Deep South.” The blackmail he faced led to his assassination, and the Cointelpro investigations didn’t come to light until decades later.

King’s assassination slowed the fight the civil rights movement created in the years that followed, but it is never forgotten. With the movements like Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate, the citizens of the United States still carry the need for social justice and fight for basic human rights that is still debated in the world today. Those who stood with and against his views are still battling in the legacy of their descendants.

Finding my first day back

Raine Caldwell Staff Writer

Frantically trying to find a parking space at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus wasn’t the only thing that peeved me on my first day back on campus.

Having the Dallas college website crash at the start of the semester sent my head in a spiral. It was unexpected and affected many people that use the website. No one knew what to do and couldn’t find their classes.

I had exactly five minutes to find my class within the sea of other college students. I didn’t know where I was going because I couldn’t see my class schedule online.

Red River Hall: Making progress

Construction of Red River Hall is coming along. According to Dallas College, it will house 41 classrooms, three computer labs, an expanded Bloomberg finance and accounting lab, the Early College High School Education Partners Center, a conference room, a coffee shop and a cafeteria. The $33 million building is scheduled to open in June.

Like others, I had a million things on my mind and having to find a class without knowing the room number added fuel to the fire. Thankfully, I got helped from an alumna named Emily. She had already received her first bachelor’s degree and was excited to start her journey again.

She couldn’t see her classes online that morning due to the crash and had to come

in early to find them. She had other things on her plate, and it was an inconvenience for her as well. Fortunately, she knew where she was going. Others were not so lucky.

Dallas College is huge and not having a working website leaves many displaced on all campuses. Walking through the halls I could see the distressed faces. I accidentally bumped into a girl on her phone sighing to herself saying “It isn’t working! What am I going to do?” She had to do like the rest of us and endure.

Luckily, I found my class, but my heart went out to those who couldn’t.

Even though it was brief, it was interesting to see what kind of damage a brief website crash could do. Students and staff rely on optimum performance on all platforms, so timely access is key.

Dallas College does its best with providing students, faculty and staff with proper technolgy and maintance, but heavy traffick can cause problems.

Hopefully it will be the last of any major technical difficulties in the future and everyone can look forward to a smooth-running website.

Photo courtesy Billofrightinstitute.org

King during his “I Have a Dream” speech at the National Mall in Washington in 1963.

Staff Photo Blanca Reyes

How much do you think a newborn is worth? ‘Broker’ review

Raine Caldwell Staff Writer

The life of a human being is valued differently among the masses. Specifically, there is a worldwide debate as to whether the life and well-being of a child is decided in law or in love. This unique dilemma is exactly what I got when I watched the movie “Broker”

In Korean with English subtitles, the drama begins with So-young, played by South Korean singer and actress IU, giving up her child at an infant drop box. She is watched by detective Lee, portrayed by Lee Joo-young, and Soo-jin, played by Bae Doona.

They are investigating a human trafficking ring that is hidden by the creators of the drop box, Sang-Hyeon and Dong-Soo, played by Song Kang-Ho and Gang Dong-Won.

It is revealed that So-young regrets her choice and goes back only to find her child in the hands of the traffickers. With the promise of a lump sum of money, she then travels with them to ensure that her son is bought by someone of responsible and loving nature. As beautiful as this sounds, So-young will soon learn the consequences of her actions and those involved.

Writer-director Koreeda Hirokazu has always been in the light of film and television. He has written and directed “Shoplifters,” “The Truth” and “Like Father Like

Son”, winning many awards in his storied career. With “Broker,” he brings on many notable actors like song Kang-ho, who has been in award winning films like “Parasite.” The actors really give stunning performances in ensuring that the audience roots for all sides in this story.

“Broker” highlights the sensitive topic of human trafficking and does so by giving the inner monologues of those involved. The film portrays an unfortunate reality that mirrors similar cases that are being presented to this day.

I recommend this film to those looking to broaden their horizons as the film inflicts empathy for every character introduced.

Grade: B

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022) -- Oscarwinning director/co-writer James Cameron found an innovative way of making this long-awaited water based sequel more dynamic than the 2009 original. With Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang.

“Thirteen Lives” (2022)

“Good Night Oppy” (2022)

-- This documentary follows the Mars Exploration Rover nicknamed Oppy that lasted much longer than expected chronicling the grounds of the Red Planet.

“The Bad Guys” (2022) -This animated animal comicadventure features the voices of Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Lilly Singh and Marc Maron. It was a fun, satirical look at various characters trying to go straight in the criminal underground.

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (2021) -- This animated comedy with drama will undoubtably be a front-runner in this year’s Oscar race. It has a very dry sense of humor in the adventure of Marcel searching for his missing family.

-Ricky Miller

--This action-biography looks at members of a soccer team trapped in a cave in Thailand after a flood. With Colin Farrell and Viggo Mortensen. Directed by Ron Howard.

Photo Courtesy IMDB

Photo Courtesy IMDB

Dong-Soo, played by Gang Dong-Won, So-young, played by IU, and Sang-Hyeon, played by Song Kang-Ho, encounter the first potential buyers of the baby

Detective Soo-Jin, played by Bae Soona, on stake out to catch the illegal sale

‘ABBA Mania’ hits Dallas

Raymond Thomas Pronk Staff Writer

After 40 years, ABBA is back and better than ever. The ABBA Mania concert is currently touring the U.S. and is scheduled to play at 8 p.m. on March 1 at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas.

In 1974, the Swedish group ABBA won the annual Eurovision Song Contest at the Brighton Dome in England with the song “Waterloo.”

The group name ABBA is an acronym for the first names of the group members, Agnetha Fältskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The song lyrics were primarily written by Ulvaeus who played lead guitar, the music was composed by Anderson who played piano, and the songs were primarily sung by the lead singers Fältskog, Lyngstad with Ulvaeus and Anderson singing in the background as well.

“Waterloo” was ABBA’s breakout song and was No. 1 in many European nations. Several dozen hit songs became popular

1979.

during the next eight years. The group was active from 1972-1982 and has sold an estimated 385 million albums worldwide, according to Universal Music, Canada. If you never have heard of ABBA, may I suggest you listen and view the YouTube video “ABBA - I Still Have Faith in You” from their new album, “Voyage.”

Since the ABBA group members are now in their 70s, they are not playing the concerts.

Instead, a 10-member band will play the music and ABBA virtual avatars sing the hit songs, both new and old. The ABBA digital avatars were specially created for these concerts using computer technology and the performances have been very well received by the audiences attending in England at the ABBA theater.

ABBA fans can go online for a listing of all ABBA Mania events scheduled for the U.S. and to purchased tickets online.

Thunderduck esports tryouts at the Richland Campus

ABBA live at Radio City Music Hall, New York City,

ABBA’s digital avatars will appear as they looked in the 1970s.

Top: ABBA members Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and Benny Andersson in the clothing used to create the avatars.

Photos Courtesy ABBA

Esports tryouts are in full swing at Richland. Nathan Hawkins competes for a spot on the Overwatch team.

Head coach Skylar McCourt leads the team.

Viewpoints: Student clubs and organizations

STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS ON THE COVER

Staff Photo: Blanca Reyes

Richland Thunderducks and Brookhaven Bears hoopsters mix it up in conference play.

BACK COVER

Staff Illustration: Lana Huynhcong

COVER AND FONTS

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STUDENT MEDIA STAFF

Alice Robinson

Indiana Silva

Jason Ryer

Jerry Weiss

Juan Rivera

Kaden R. Martin

Lana Huynhcong

Leo Rosas Piers Donahue

Raine Caldwell

Raymond Thomas Pronk

Saint Garcia

Tareakubore Ejovwo-Ottoh Tomy Arguelles

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS

Celia

Hall, 21, second year

“Since I’ve joined SGA I’ve gotten involved in a bunch of different other organizations, and my GPA has increased significantly.”

Melody Terrero, 16, first year

“I was a part of the anime club, but left because I didn’t have time. I would consider being in those clubs again.”

Erica Edwards

Jubenal Aguilar Tim Jones Larry Ratliff

ISSUE DATES

February 7 March 7 February 21 March 21

STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS

1st Place Comic Strip - TCCJA, 2022

1st Place Advertising - TCCJA, 2022

2021 Pinnacle Award for Two-Year Radio Station of the Year from College Media Association (CMA).

1st Place Cover Design - TIPA, 2021

1st Place Critical Review - TIPA, 2021

Student Organization Community Service Award, 2019

Student Organization of the Year, 2019

CMA Pinnacle Two-Year TV Station Award, 2018

CMA Two-Year Radio Station Award, 2018

ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Winner Award, 2016

ACP Best of Show Award, 2015

ACP Photo Excellence Award, 2015

CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014

1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014

2nd Place – Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014

Over 270 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E020, 12800 Abrams Rd., Dallas 75243

Newsroom: 972-238-6079; richlandchronicle@gmail.com

Advertising: 972-238-6068 Email: Advertise@dcccd.edu

Staff meetings: Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E020

Letter Policy

Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy

The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the

opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration.

Anatupenda Daphrose, 16, first year

“I am a part of the honors society at Richland. Just do it. It never hurts to try.”

Arath Huerta, 19, second year

“I am interested in the male achievement program. It’s about men getting together and talking about their future goals.”

Dyanna Ortiz, 18, first year

“Table top gaming because it seems like great interaction in a social setting.”

Joseph Williams, 22, first year “I work a full-time job and haven’t found the time, but I’d love to join one.”

Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor Entertainment Editor Layout Editor

Blanca Reyes Simon Pruitt Ricky Miller Jesse Serrano

Men’s basketball team focused on conference

Arguelles Staff Writer

The Thunderduck men´s basketball team is finishing the regular season, and they are ready to focus on the next step, the Dallas Conference Athletic League. In the previous 14 games during the regular season, the team coached by Jon Havens has won eight games and lost six. Now in the conference games, they will face 10 teams in order to qualify for a spot in the upcoming national tournament.

According to Havens, the team is working hard on improving different aspects, even more, when the team had around one month off.

“We always try to get better as the season goes. We want to be at your peak early. In junior college, you get basically a month off in Christmas so getting them back in shape, getting them back in their conditions, that is what we are going through right now. I like our group. I think we are playing right. We´ve got the chance to beat anybody in the country, we have just to continue to build forward and get better every day.”

Havens said the team’s future success will rest largely on fundamentals.

“We [have] got [to] limit mistakes, such as careless turnovers. We´ve got to be better on

the offense and the defense on board. We are in Division III, which means no scholarships. Everybody we lost to has a scholarship. So we are playing teams with full scholarships,” he said.

“Our average margin of defeat is like 3.8 points, so we are right there in every game, and it’s just a little thing. My biggest guy is 6-7 and the guys we are playing against are 6-11. We are fighting that battle, but we are right there, so we can just continue to eliminate little mistakes, and by getting a little tougher, we will have a chance,” Havens said.

Point guard Micah Williams said the performance of the team has been good and recognized that during the last 14 games the squad has grown considerably.

“We are a fairly young team, and we grew pretty quick. We played a lot of tough teams. In some we prevailed, in some came close games but we really grew. The team needs to improve on defense. We need to improve on attitude things when it comes to being locked in and being focused at all times. Normally, there are things we need to do at a certain point in the game. We just need to be locked in, that is all,” Williams said.

The next game after press time is scheduled for Jan. 25 against Dallas College Cedar Valley. The men’s basketball team finished in third place last season after three championships in a row.

Women’s basketball team preps for season

Tomy Arguelles Staff Writer

Richland’s women´s basketball team is in preseason games, preparing for 2023 conference play. The team has played 12 games so far, working on improving strengths and trying to diminish weaknesses.

The team, coached by Drew Jackson and assisted by Richland Athletic Director Lynn Nabi, has won one game and lost 11 so far. The team’s most recent outing was a 51-31 loss to Southwestern Adventist University on Monday at home.

The team will try to qualify in conference games for a spot in the district tournament with the ultimate goal of entering the NJCAA Division III National Tournament.

Besides conference games, Richland will host one more event against East Texas Baptist on Feb. 6.

Richland’s only win to date came on Nov. 26 vs. Southwestern Adventist University 71-60 playing as guests. That day freshman forward Logan Ross had an outstanding performance with 19 points, and guard Okehi Onyinyechi had 16 points. The T-Ducks lost to Southwestern Assemblies of God University JV on Jan. 10, 84-17.

The team has an average of 44 points, 23.1 defense rebounds, and 7 assists per game, but one of the negative statistics that the team needs to adjust is the turnovers with 26 and the points allowed with 71 per game.

UPCOMING EVENTS

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.

Jan. 24

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Welcome Bash

i Wichita Hall Student Lounge

i Socialpedia

Noon - 1:30 p.m. El Paso Hall, E070

Jan. 25

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

i Resource Fair

Wichita Hall Student Lounge

2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

i Financial Aid Help Session

Room T225

Jan. 26

Noon - 1 p.m.

i El Paso Hall, E070

Lunar New Year: Bottle Lantern Craft and Display

Feb. 2

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

i Spring 2023 University Transfer Fair

El Paso Hall

Feb. 6

Noon - 2 p.m.

i Lunar New Year Reflections

El Paso Hall, E070

Feb. 7

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

i Carter BloodCare Blood Drive

Mobile Blood Drive Unit East Circle Parking Lot

Staff Photos Blanca Reyes

David Favorite advances against the Bears.

Tomy

Head coach Drew Jackson leads practice.

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