CHRONICLE Richland
Vol. XLVI Issue 25 April 21, 2020
A weekly student publication
Celebrating Earth Day at home
Pg. 6
• Emergency • Emergency funds available for DCCCD students Pg. 2 • Vote • Vote in Student Government Assn. elections
Pg. 3
• Keeping • Keeping a healthy exercise schedule at home
Pg. 7
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2 COVID-19
April 21, 2020
Photo ChronicleTV
Chancellor Joe May addresses the DCCCD community in the virtual town hall meeting.
DCCCD adapting virtually
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Jack Ramirez Bernal
Managing Editor Students who qualify for financial aid can now apply for emergency relief funding to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic that forced the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) to close all seven of its campuses and shift to online learning a month ago. Top district officials made the announcement April 16 at an hour-long virtual town hall meeting that included more than 1,600 participants. The meeting was moderated by Executive Vice Chancellor, Dr. Justin London. DCCCD Chancellor, Dr. Joe May, and other key members of his leadership team, also discussed mental health resources available for students during the coronavirus quarantine and when the district might be able to resume normal operations, including reopening its campuses. Colleges and universities across the nation have taken a huge financial blow in the wake of the coronavirus and tens of thousands of Texas students, including many in the District, were caught up in the crosshairs. Dr. Pyeper Wilkins, chief advancement officer and executive director of the DCCCD Foundation, said the DCCCD has seen an uptick in the number of applicants seeking emergency financial aid. Over spring break, she said, the Foundation’s board approved the infusion of an additional $1 million from unrestricted funds already held by the Foundation and $9 million is expected to come from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Emergency Aid Fund. “We have our own resources, but very soon we will also have some tremendous resources made available through the CARES Act,” Wilkins said. “On the emergency aid side, we will have a tremendous number of dollars available that will be able to help even more students.” Wilkins said that students who receive financial aid are eligible to apply for emergency funds. They can file an application in under five minutes, have a response within the next 24 hours and receive the funds in around 48 hours, she said. Another concern brought up during the town hall meeting was student mental health. Dr. Iris Freemon, the chancellor’s chief of staff, said counselors, members of the DCCCD Campus Assessment, Response
and Evaluation (CARE) Team and nurses throughout the district are working to ensure “high-quality service that can be offered faceto-face in a virtual environment.” Freemon said that more than 500 visits to the DCCCD’s online resource center have been made during the pandemic. Freemon said the transition of counselors to a telehealth online modality, instead of in-person visits, has allowed the continuation of one-on-one engagement with students. The transition has also allowed the CARE Team to facilitate group support sessions and implement assistance online, which enables the monitoring of students who live in unsafe environments. While there is still no solid date on when the district will resume operations on its campuses, DCCCD officials are figuring out the protocols needed to ensure a safe reopening, said Sherri Enright, the District’s chief human resources officer. “We continue to monitor [resource] adjustments as well as all available information to determine how we might get back to our guidelines and how we might implement whatever CDC guidelines are in effect at that time,” Enright said. The town hall meeting also addressed how the district is working with faculty to ensure they have adequate tools and an understanding of how to coordinate online classes and maintain communication with their students to ensure an effective learning environment. Dr. Linda Braddy, president of Brookhaven College and interim provost, said that faculty members will have access to resources, oneon-one assistance requests and contact references via the DCCCD SharePoint. May said that he has been in direct contact with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, City Manager T.C. Broadnax, Superintendent of Dallas ISD Michael Hinojosa and others in monitoring COVID-19 developments to determine appropriate courses of action and keep the DCCCD community informed. “We have all been learning and sharing together as each of us, in our own way, are looking at sharing what we know, but also how we translate that to our specific communities and the students, the employees and those that we serve,” May said. The virtual town hall meeting is available to watch in its entirety at http://www.richlandstudentmedia.com/videos/dcccdvirtualtownhall
April 21, 2020
COVID-19/CAMPUS 3
Gov. Abbott begins Texas economy reboot Alex Ortuno
Assistant Editor Gov. Greg Abbott is easing restrictions for Texans following business closures due to the global pandemic. The easing of restrictions are expected to go into effect April 22, with more changes to be announced April 27. Classes for the remaining 2019-2020 school year will continue online for primary schools, colleges and universities, affecting more than 5 million students across the state. As Abbott pushes forward to re-open the state economy, while stressing the importance of following updated data and science, he said he will be informed by a group of experts. “We will be getting input from medical professionals, as well as business and community leaders to determine the safe and sure way to re-open business without spurring the spread of the coronavirus,” Abbott said on a televised press conference call on April 17. Abbott has appointed a state-wide “strike force” to advise him on strategy. This team of advisers consists of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders. In Dallas County, all residents over the age of 2 are ordered to wear some form of covering over their noses and mouths when using public transportation, grocery shopping or working in an essential business. These can include handkerchiefs, scarves, purchased or homemade masks and do not apply to those who are riding in a personal vehicle, engaging in outdoor activity, eating or when wearing a
Photo The Associated Press
Gov. Greg Abbott discusses the state’s response to COVID-19 during a news conference.
mask poses a threat to themselves or others. Children under 2 are to be under parental supervision and are not required to wear masks, according to Dallas County. Not wearing a covering will not result in a criminal or civil fine or penalty. The shelter-in-place order for Dallas County residents has been extended to May 15 to contain the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the impact on hospitals.
Certain restrictions on businesses are being lifted in Dallas County. Arts and craft stores were told to shut down in early April but are now being classified as essential businesses. On April 17, stores that sell fabric were allowed to operate for the sole purpose of selling school supplies, fabric and other materials needed to create masks. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson stressed the importance of restarting the economy with the
reopens. Isra Asghar Qureshi and FerdinandooCastro Gonzalez are both candidates for SGA vice president. “This is an organization that supports voices of the students and that supports the general student body as a whole,” Qureshi said. Separating SGA from a typical governmental system was a major point for both vice presidential candidates. “I do believe we have a stigma,” said Gonzalez. His argument was that student government isn’t necessarily about policy-making, but rather a way for students to find resources and improve their experience on campus. “If we are not engaging with them and we are not actually listening to them, then we cannot do our job,” said Gonzalez. “This participation cannot happen if they don’t know exactly that we exist.” Qureshi is calling on students to be “part of the change.” She is the current chapter president of Phi Theta Kappa, a student honors organization, and participates with other campus organizations. She served as an SGA senator last fall. Her work on the Disability Education and Advocacy Resolution passed the Regional Resolutions Committee and is awaiting SGA state approval. “I’d love for SGA to be promoting more workshops for students, such as resume
building, scholarship workshops, public speaking workshops and more,” Qureshi said in a statement. Her focus is on developing student engagement and raising the awareness of what SGA is able to provide students. “Every student of Richland College deserves access, by virtue of being a Thunderduck,” she said. “A lot of the ways we engage with students is through events and meetings,” said Gonzalez, who has also been involved with SGA. His experience is in organizing and he promises to initiate change if he’s elected SGA vice president. Gonzalez has raised more than $6,000 in scholarship money for Exhibition and Event Management majors. He plans to make SGA a place for students and organizations to “create a better environment for students to engage themselves.” Competing for the position of Speaker of the House is Yousha Qureshi and Nabeela Iqbal. Yousha Qureshi, who has been with SGA for about 18 months, believes his primary duty is to mediate communication between students and the administration. “Me being a part of a lot of groups has made me realize some things between students and the administration; things that I want to change,” he said. Yousha Qureshi holds a
input of medical professionals. “I am pleased that Governor Abbott is looking closely at the data and working with doctors to determine how and when to reopen segments of our economy statewide. While we are all eager to get people back to work, we must continue to put public health and safety first and take a cautious and strategic approach, as the governor stated,” Johnson said in an April 17 press release. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins also emphasized the importance of taking medical advice into consideration when re-opening the Texas economy. “We must be fully committed to following the science so we minimize the risk of a second wave of COVID-19 that could force us backwards. We must listen to our constituents, including those voices too often ignored but critical to this response,” Jenkins said in an April 17 statement. While restrictions on business will be cautiously lifted in the near future, demonstrations took place in in Austin against the restrictions put in place to suppress the pandemic. Many of the protesters demanded the immediate withdrawal of shelter-in-place and social distancing restrictions in a state where more than a million people have filed for unemployment benefits. At press time, Texas has reported more than 19,458 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 495 fatalities and Dallas County has reported 2,602 confirmed cases and 64 deaths, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Thunderducks vote online in SGA elections Student candidates are making their final campaign pitches for the student Government Association (SGA) online elections that are taking place April 21 and 22. The studentrun organization was effectively grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic along with other campus clubs, which complicated their connection with student voters. The candidates broadcast their campaigns through social media using videos, posters and Instagram posts. This year’s elections were about adapting to change in response to the sudden shift from campus life to a virtual reality online. Edward Sesay, the uncontested presidential nominee, said in a video addressed to his followers, “The reason I’m running is because I want to strengthen the communications skills between the students and the executive board of SGA.” He said he hoped to show more leadership among the students. “I know there will be more [accomplishments] coming in the future,” said Sesay. His goals are to gauge student engagement by creating events on campus when the college
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Adrienne Aguilar
Emeritus Editor-In-Chief
position at the regional level as chairperson and is open to questions via social media. He frequently broadcasts through Instagram Live along with other student candidates. Nabeela Iqbal said her goal was to bring more participation to SGA. “What I’ve noticed is that a lot of clubs don’t participate in Student Government Association as much as they should,” said Iqbal. “They don’t realize that we give them the funding and that we are the link to the higher ups who get the job done.” She said her history of working with other clubs informs her about what clubs want and need, and what is required for them to be successful. SGA elections opened at midnight April 20 and will end at midnight April 22. Students can find details on how to vote, review the candidates’ goals and watch the caucus online at http://www.richlandstudentmedia.com/sga Those wishing to vote should go to Blackboard and click into the Thunderduck Commons. Elections are listed under the Student Government Association tab. Students can vote only once and will receive a receipt at the end of the process. Individual professors may offer extra credit for participation.
4 MOVIES
April 21, 2020
‘Frozen II’ stars on Disney+ Ricky Miller
Entertainment Editor How and why “Frozen II” was made comes down to the almighty dollar. This one is enjoyable, but it lacked originality and pizzazz of the 2013’s “Frozen.” So readers know, I’m reviewing this again since it is one of the upper-tiered titles on the Disney+ app. Disney wants to hold onto their possessions, but at some point, they will just have to make do with what they are given. This flick manages to strike the right chords, since I did get goose bumps at least once during the various song-and-dance numbers. The film was a bit hokey and superficial in spots. It felt too staged. There is an entire sequence that reeks of an old-time 1980s music video wherein one feels the chills (not cheese) and rolls their eyes in surprise that this became part of a theatrical film. “Frozen II” essentially has the same voices as the original tale. They include Kristen Bell’s Anna, Idina Menzel’s Elsa, Josh Gad’s Olaf, and Jonathan Groff’s Kristoff. “Frozen II” deals with Elsa running away from home (again) and trying to find her place in the kingdom in which she resides. It is a flourishing town but, sometime in the past,
some unsavory events occurred. The problem with “Frozen II” is that it feels like it just wants to exist to sell merchandise. I had fun but, at some point, it just feels too forced. Some of the events that occur feel like a sitcom that has run for too many seasons. Returning for directing chores on “Frozen II” are Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. Buck helmed the original “Frozen,” as well as 1999’s “Tarzan” and 2007’s “Surf’s Up.” With “Frozen II,” he delves into deeper parts of the storyline in which the past offers a touch of important life lessons. Lee directed the enjoyable and sentimental “Frozen” short “Frozen Fever” in 2015. It ran before Kenneth Branagh’s updated version of “Cinderella” the same year. Lead Lily James was great in the title role, a part she was born to play. I enjoyed that one because there weren’t a plethora of song-and-dance numbers throughout. Branagh just made a great story better and put all of his energy into making a family flick fun again. I would recommend “Frozen II,” despite the forced aspects of the storyline. It does what it’s supposed to do in that it reintroduces characters the entire family can love.
Grade B-
Photo courtesy Disney Animation Studios
Queen Iduna hugs young Anna, right, and young Elsa, left, in “Frozen II.”
“Christine” (1983)Two of my favorites,
director John Carpenter and writer Stephen King, team up for a story about a boy and his car: a 1958 Plymouth Fury.The boy is Arnie Cunningham(Keith Gordon),a student, who makes friends with fellow student, Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell).
STEPHEN KING Edition Edition Vin Diesel
B+
Ewan McGregor stars in “Doctor Sleep.”
Photo courtesy IMDb
‘Doctor Sleep’ director’s cut improves upon the original Ricky Miller
Entertainment Editor “Doctor Sleep” is a sequel to filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of novelist Stephen King’s “The Shining” in 1980. King did not approve of the direction Kubrick took. The director’s cut of “Doctor Sleep” actually improves upon the theatrical release from last year. Director Mike Flanagan has divided up the movie into chapters from King’s book. The pacing is smoother than the earlier version. To me, however, it’s “The Shining” that still creeps me out. Kubrick struck all the right chords with that gem starring Jack Nicholson as alcoholic writer Jack Torrance who is overseeing The Overlook Hotel during the off season. “Doctor Sleep” picks up years later wherein Ewan McGregor’s Dan Torrance is a drifter visiting a small town off the beaten track. The director’s cut improves on “Doctor Sleep.” The review gets a notch up from an Ato an A. The same thing happened a few years ago with 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” A few extra minutes of content made all the difference in the world. My original grade was a B but I upgraded it to a B+ in the end. Flanagan is no stranger to King. He directed “Gerald’s Game” in 2017 for Netflix, which I gave a grade of C that year. The women in “Dr. Sleep” all give powerful performances, with lead Rebecca Ferguson
“Cujo” (1983) - This one deals with a rabid Saint Bernard torturing mom Dee Wallace and son Tad (Danny Pintauro).
“Needful Things” (1993)– In this suspense-
B-
B-
thriller the late Max von Sydow is Leland Gaunt, who opens a little shop, Needful Things, in a small town. With Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia and Amanda Plummer. Directed by Fraser Clarke Heston.
as a villain named Rose the Hat and Kyliegh Curran’s Abra Stone, who has special powers akin to McGregor’s Torrance. Curran reminded me of Natalie Portman’s debut as Mathilda in Luc Besson’s amazing “Leon” aka “The Professional” (1994). Her character was wise beyond her years. Also important to this tale is Cliff Curtis as Billy Freeman, who helps Torrance get back on his feet. His role is just awesome, since he turns out to be a decent and trustworthy friend. The only part I did not like in the director’s cut of “Dr. Sleep,” was the children in danger scenario involving 12-year-old Bradley (Jacob Tremblay,) a phenomenal baseball player who is murdered by members of the True Knot, the villains of this story. The score by the Newton Brothers created a great mood for the story. Their compositions added just the right degree of flair and ambience. At times, it replicated the same pulses and beats that were involved with Kubrick’s “The Shining.” As I have said in the past, I am not really a fan of the horror genre, but my opinion can change when the right filmmakers are involved (Frank Darabont with “The Shawshank Redemption” in 1994 and “The Green Mile” in 1999.) The same can be said here with what Flanagan did with “Doctor Sleep Director’s Cut.” He delivers in everything department and presents a fully realized story. This version of the movie clocks in at 180 minutes. Grade A
“Misery” (1990)– James “The Dark Tower” Caan is a writer who is (2017) – This was a bigsaved by his No.1 fan, nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates).This was a great Rob Reiner-directed film that won Bates a Best Actress Oscar.
A+
screen adaptation that received mixed reviews when it came out. Idris Elba is great as Roland, a gunslinger akin to a knight of old. Matthew McConaughey is Walter, an entity that is pure evil.
—Ricky Miller
B-
April 21, 2020
OPINION 5
Naval officer caught between chain of command and crew health Dave Freeman Staff Writer
The recent saga of the USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN-71, its now former commanding officer, a global pandemic and a departed fillin of a Naval Secretary has left some people scratching their heads. What actually happened? What we do know is that Capt. Brett Crozier released a memo, on command letterhead, leading for the safety of his crew and outlining the COVID-19 situation onboard the carrier. The San Francisco Chronicle published this letter March 31. Crozier was relieved of his command on April 2, and Secretary Thomas Modly addressed the crew aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in Guam in his now-infamous speech on April 6. He resigned the following day. The number of those infected has grownto 615, including Crozier. One death has been reported. Crozier’s actions. Another inescapable fact is that Crozier’s actions took a strategic asset out of commission and violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice when he went outside his chain of command with his concerns for the crew, regardless of his motives. Did Crozier go through the proper channels in his chain of command? Did he exercise every option he had at his disposal? Right now, speculation abounds until the Navy thoroughly investigates, but it seems clear that Crozier felt desperate in the given situation and that he knew this would be the end of his time in command. “The primary mission of any commander is keeping the unit mission-ready,” said retired Navy Cmdr. Joe Casale, who attended
Photo The Associated Press
The USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier, is docked along Kilo Wharf of Naval Base Guam.
the same Navy Command School as Crozier. “Finding the right balance between mission readiness and what’s best for the crew, that is a very fine line to walk.” The first order of business is to keep their unit able to carry out its mission, but given the situation, is that sustainable given the environment aboard a warship. For those not familiar with life onboard a warship, it’s cramped, even on one of the largest warships on Earth, like CVN-71. Space is always at a premium with the majority of the crew living in berthing compartments; bed
space stacked three high, sometimes over 150 people in one berthing and sharing what looks like an oversized gas station restroom, but with showers. History has offered many examples of entire ship’s crews being taken by disease, so the phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness, is appropriate for a reason in the Navy. Even with this staunch approach to sanitation, a virus like COVID-19 appeared to have spread quickly throughout the ship. The average age of a junior sailor is 25, which makes up more than half the crew of
an aircraft carrier. When Crozier made his choice, he thought of young adults, like those at Richland. As I see it, I support Crozier’s actions even though he did break the rules and disable a strategic asset. He made a point in saying that we are not at war and waged his career on the issue that strategic deterrence was not worth the lives of his shipmates. His critics will call foul and he is undoubtedly guilty of a few things, but it is great to see that people of character and conviction are still in positions of leadership today.
Joyce Jackson serves a tasty dinner.
Staff Photo Joyce Jackson
tizzy about what to do and how to survive this “invisible enemy,” as President Donald Trump Joyce Jackson called it. Copy Editor Supermarket shopping has become a rather With the onset of an unexpected deadly vi- unpleasant experience, especially when you rus invading our country and the world over have to wear plastic gloves and a face mask, as the last month or so, many people are in a if you were a space creature. Almost everyone
is encountering chaos; toilet paper is sold out and other items are unavailable. We may be in quarantine, but we all need basic supplies and, most of all, we’d like to find some of our favorite foods. Some folks get a lot of satisfaction out of spending time in the kitchen cooking an exotic meal for their family, especially using recipes carried down from one generation to the next. But, I’m not one of those people. My husband and I shop at our nearby Albertson’s and Kroger grocery stores in Mesquite. We came across a few tasty meals that are easy to make for those of us who don’t like to cook or who are so frazzled by home confinement we hate to even go into the kitchen. One of the tastiest meals we’ve found is in the frozen meals section at Albertson’s. It’s “Bird’s Eye Chicken Florentine,” a grilled chicken and pasta dish with diced tomatoes, spinach, and yellow squash in a basil-parmesan sauce. The best part is that it only takes 11-12 minutes to cook on the stove. You just need a non-stick frying pan with a lid. Empty all the
ingredients into a frying pan, add a little water and let it cook, stirring occasionally. Within just a few minutes, you have a delicious and satisfying meal for two people. It was more than enough for my husband and me and a good, quick meal for students who may not have much time or the inclination to cook at home. This quick and tasty meal also comes in “Alfredo Chicken” and “Cheesy Ranch Chicken” and can be cooked in a microwave oven too. We also like Stouffer’s Classic Baked Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy (microwavable), in the frozen meals section of the same stores. It’s a quick and easy meal for students. Being stuck at home, it’s easy enough to make sandwiches, but that gets old fast and it looks like we will be home bound for some time. These meals are surprisingly tasty, quick and easy to fix at home. For a delicious frozen sweet treat at the same stores, try “Edward’s Chocolate Crème Pie,” with two pieces of pie in a small box. It also comes in Lemon Meringue.
RichlandStudentMedia.com
The ongoing search for tasty food during coronavirus
6 CLIMATE
April 21, 2020
Earth Day 50th anniversary on hold CHRONICLE Richland
Adrienne Aguilar
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Emeritus Editor-In-Chief Amid COVID-19, major global issues have lost their time in the spotlight - one of which is climate change. The sudden shift to a virtual lifestyle has left some with a sense of frustration and an underlying feeling of existential anxiety. Richland science professor Stephen Kallenberg said, “[Climate change] is prevalent enough and we’re in a place now where most young people get it. There’s not a question of it not happening.” Kallenberg said the tension created between young people and global leaders, who do not prioritize climate change, has been furthered by Greta Thunberg of Sweden and other rising young activists. It’s a movement he said where people are slowly realizing there isn’t much to do aside from advocating for change. With the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, the Earth Day Network (EDN) is raising awareness of the anniversary by selecting an environmental priority to engage the global public. This year the focus is on climate action and building on the legacy of Earth Day. According to the EDN website, the first Earth Day in 1970 mobilized millions of Americans who took to the streets and launched the modern environmental movement. Kallenberg said things have changed since then. “We’re already beyond a point,” said Kallenberg. “The world will be different and it will continue to be different.” The solution can only come with government support. Forcing companies to make changes is the best solution, Kallenberg said. “They don’t let you choose if you get the plastic bag or not. You get the plastic bag. You get the paper wrapping. All of these things that really aren›t necessary,” Kallenberg said. For now, the changes needed to make progress are highly improbable, he said. The EDN established objectives for global citizens. One of which is the Great Global Cleanup. Despite COVID-19, EDN plans to make a difference while complying with state and local shelter-in-place orders. The project to remove “billions of pieces of litter from our environment and to build a clean and healthy future for all people” will continue, according to the EDN. The statement, released on March 20, said “Many cleanups are expected to be
rescheduled in early fall in coordination with World Cleanup Day” and other national events.
Photo Courtesy Kobloh-Obase Kammonke
Lake Thunderduck stretches across campus.
Along with the concern for time, the focus of climate action has shifted to how major media outlets are handling the issue. “Depending on what’s on the news, I may find more students this semester are asking about fire,” he said. “Global warming has been [a student concern] for a little while,” Kallenberg said, adding that the wildfires in Australia and California prompted interest in his classes along with volcanic eruptions around the globe earlier this year.
Kallenberg said one way to make students care is to show the impact on animals. “That’s a very easy way to get everyone involved or interested,” he said. “Awareness is good. That’s where social media really goes into play.” Whether it be for climate refugees, wildlife or preservation of ecosystems, Kallenberg said the miniscule effort for activism is to spread the news. He said he didn’t find the events to be overblown. “The reason why it’s such a big deal in Australia is because of social media.” Now is the time to figure out how to mobilize people instead of talking about it, he added. “It’s a very, very slow change. When really, the curve of climate change has to be very fast,” said Kallenberg. The fact that so many natural events have happened this year also caused unease. It’s something Kallenberg strongly believes is a coincidence. “There’s no real science behind it yet,” he said. Though there may be minor ways climate change can affect something like earthquakes, ocean levels or volcanoes, Kallenberg said science has yet to prove it. “I am [hopeful] that we can adapt,” said Kallenberg. “Not without some pains.” In his classes, Kallenberg encourages students to ask anything. “It doesn’t matter. As long as it’s a question that is of the physical world, so to speak, they can ask it.” Knowing what is going on is the best way to confront the changes. Kallenberg said, “For [now], that’s the best thing we can do.” Additional information about Earth Day is available at www.EarthDay.org.
STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS
Emeritus Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Design Editor Assistant Editor Copy Editor Entertainment Editor Photo Editor Sports Photo Editor Online/Special Projects Online/Special Projects
Adrienne Aguilar Jack Ramirez Bernal Barbara Gandica Martinez Alex Ortuno Joyce Jackson Ricky Miller Jonathan Lin M. Daniel Mbega Ndoumou Damon Craig Ryan Bingham Duff
ON THE COVER Wild flowers blooming in a campus meadow, 2019. Photo Courtsey: Paul Knudsen/Richland Marketing
BACK COVER Staff Illustration: Barbara Gandica Martinez
COVER AND FONTS Certain cover fonts are provided by the following www.nymfont.com – www.bvfonts.com
STUDENT MEDIA STAFF David Acosta Bernard Cheatham Dave Freeman Nabeela Iqbal Angela Ly Marcellus Martinez Natalia Pineda Fernanda Pargas
Bryan Pham Thinh Pham Glen Pierre Adina Ramirez Orlando Silva Sara Snyder Mubeena Wahaj Jerry Weiss
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards
Tim Jones
Jack Fletcher
Larry Ratliff
Meg Fullwood
Karin Matz
James Ragland
ISSUE DATES April 28
May 12
May 5
STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS 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 1st Place – TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place – TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 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.
“Is that you, Julie?”
Staff Cartoon Jerry Weiss
© Richland Chronicle 2020
HEALTH/GAMES 7
Exercising under quarantine Ferdnanda Pargas Staff Writer
Binging Netflix shows, spending hours gaming and snacking on pantry items have become part of the daily stayat-home routine for students, making it more difficult to maintain a healthy routine. Just because facilities like the gym or the park are closed, does not mean there are no opportunities for physical activities. John Stanson, Richland’s intramural sports director, has some tips on how to stay healthy while social distancing from home. “Keeping [a] schedule but altering it a little bit so that you can have a little bit of time to exercise in some way, shape or form,”
Stanson said. “And that can be as simple as stretching or doing some Pilates around the home or a little bit of yoga. All you have to do is go to YouTube and there’s literally hundreds, probably thousands, of free exercise videos on YouTube that you could follow along [with].” Simple forms of exercise like stretching or yoga are the most accessible forms of fitness for those without much equipment at home. Another easy form of exercise is going for a walk or a jog. Stanson recommends 20 to 30 minutes of exercise three or four times a week. He said when people schedule workouts, it can become more enjoyable and productive. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not just about workouts and physical activity. Students must also watch what they eat. “Most people
when they’re home, the refrigerator is there. The food is available so there is a tendency to eat more,” Stanson said. It can be easy to eat out of boredom but calories can build up rapidly; 3,500 calories equal one pound of fat – especially if you don’t count snacks, he said. Stanson recommends intermittent fasting for students. Intermittent fasting is when you restrict eating between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. There are also different versions of this type of diet. The point is to regulate the number of times you eat, when you eat your meals and to not eat randomly. As the lives of students are shifting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be hard to adjust. Stanson said that it is never too late to develop health habits. It can be as simple as scheduling a YouTube yoga session between episodes of “Tiger King.” Staff Illustrations Barbara Gandica Martinez
Twitch streams to watch during shelter-in-place Lloyd Roberts Staff Writer
“The Dragon Feeney” has her variety of content, including no skip challenges in which she cannot skip a level, but instead must keep going until her lives on the board run out. “The Dragon Feeney” also has episodes where she’ll grab a handful of level codes that her community submitted for her to play on during the stream. DGR Dave is known for running two popular types of episodes: The “Trolled” series and “Stealing Friends’ World-Record Times” series. The “Trolled” series features Dave playing levels in which the creator intentionally makes it appear that the player is going the right route, when they most likely are not. “Troll” leads to hilarious soft locks and forced death zones. “Stealing Friends’ World-Record Times” is a friendly competition where DGR Dave attempts to achieve the lowest finishing time rate among the playing levels of his Twitch friends.
“Super Mario Maker 2” is a game on Nintendo Switch in which levels can be created by anyone with access to the game. There are no-plagiarism and no-offensive-material guidelines that each player must acknowledge before uploading their online game level. The levels are in the form of the original “Super Mario Bros” franchise. There’s an online section for multiplayer games and for playing other people’s levels that can be randomly generated, selected from a playlist or searched for via level code. Other games you can consider watching include “Overwatch,” “Minecraft,” “Fortnite” and “Animal Crossing.” Twitch also has an “In Real Life (IRL)” section, for content not related to gaming, in which the viewers can interact with the show hosts. The programs include music and performing arts, sports, crafting, food and beverage and just generic chat content.
Have you finished binge-watching “Tiger King” on Netflix? Watched all of your favorites on Disney+? If you’re running out of ideas for things to do as you shelter-in-place, you might consider watching or playing video streams over Twitch. Twitch is a free video-streaming service targeted to gamers. It includes options to put money toward supporting a streamer and in exchange for original emojis that the streamer creates exclusively for their supporters. Live streams can run three to four hours and can be re-watched anytime on the streamer’s profile page. My recommendations are “The Dragon Feeney” and DGR Dave’s “Super Mario Maker 2” streams. Both submit 20-30-minute episodes of their best content to YouTube. DGR Dave uploads to YouTube more often than “The Dragon Feeney.” I recommend watching the “Super Mario Maker 2” streams. The content of each level is forever changing with levels randomly generated and created by other gamers. I follow “The Dragon Feeney” and DGR Dave because they have fantastic personalities and family-friendly content. They both have a variety of shows and post to Twitch Live at least twice a week. During the streams, viewers can interact with the host as they play through the game. At some point, the host may ask which direction the audience thinks the player should go. The personality of the host has a lot to do with how well their channel is received and the number of viewers it attracts. Each streamer Photo Lloyd Roberts has its level of professionalism. “The Dragon’s Feeney” streams a playthrough of “Super Mario Maker 2” on Twitch.
COVID-19 Resources Internet access
AT&T- two months free Comcast- two months free Spectrum- two months free for families with school-age kids only
Food
North Texas Food Bank For food assitance call 1-855-719-7627 or 214-269-0906 https://ntfb.org/the-north-texasfood-banks-response-to-covid-19/ Find a food pantry near youhttps://ntfb.org/our-programs/getfood-assistance/find-a-food-pantry/ SNAP benefits- not everyone qualifies and benefits do not begin immediately https://yourtexasbenefits.hhsc. texas.gov/programs/snap
Employment
Lost your job?-file for unemployment twc.texas.gov Work/study students Talk with your financial aid adviser. If you contract COVID-19 while on the job- check with TWC to see if you are eligible to file for Workers Compensation.
Financial assistance
United Way COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund- can help with rent, bills, food. Call 211 Dallas water- suspends disconnections until further notice. https://dallascityhall.com/ departments/waterutilities/pages/default.aspx
Mental health
Crisis Text Linetext HOME to 741741. Unique keyword for students of color - Text STEVE to 741741 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline- 1-800-273-8255 Stress and coping- https:// www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/prepare/managingstress-anxiety.html Mental Health mid the Coronavirus Pandemic- https://www. activeminds.org/about-mentalhealth/be-there/coronavirus/
Travel
Check for travel advisatories for your intended destinition before traveling abroad-https://travel. state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/ CDC’s travel health notices-https://wwwnc. cdc.gov/travel/notices
DCCCD’s Response
DCCCD COVID-19 updates-https: //www.dcccd.edu/au/news-media/ coronavirus/pages/default.aspx
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April 21, 2020
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April 21, 2020
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