Vol. XLIII Issue 16 January 17, 2017
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Richland Student Media
@RLCStudentMedia
Richland Student Media
2 NATIONAL NEWS/OPINION
January 17, 2017
Trump talks transition
Image Associated Press
President Barack Obama speaks at McCormick Place in Chicago, Tuesday, Jan. 10, giving his presidential farewell address.
Obama’s farewell: Pro/Con HARRIS SADIQ
JOYCE JACKSON
Barack Obama’s two terms as president may have had many shortcomings but there is no doubt he left a record of significant and unprecedented accomplishments that will secure his legacy as the leader of the most powerful country in the world. In the midst of what would become known as the Great Recession (the economy his predecessor left him in 2009 was a disaster), hundreds of thousands of jobs were being lost each month as the global markets were on the verge of meltdown. At the same time, the United States was engaged in two costly and seemingly never-ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new president immediately responded to the crisis through an economic stimulus package and followed that by rescuing the auto industry and 3 million General Motors and Chrysler jobs with it. In July 2010, Obama signed the most significant reform on Wall Street since the Great Depression known as The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. According to Investopedia, Dodd-Frank set up a council that “monitors the financial stability of major firms whose failure could have a major negative impact on the economy (companies deemed “too big to fail”).” The act is intended to prevent another recession. Today the auto industry is in resurgence from previous bankruptcy. According to David Kiley of Forbes, “Besides the job recovery in the auto industry, GM and Chrysler have paid back their obligations to the U.S. Treasury. Both companies, plus Ford Motor Co. which did not go through bankruptcy, are thriving today – having restructured health care and pension obligations and closed brands and factories they did not need.” Please visit http://www.RichlandStudentMedia. com for the remainder of this article.
President Barack Obama gave an impressive 54-minute farewell speech Jan. 10 in Chicago. As always, he was articulate and vivacious as he spoke to a huge audience about his legacy. Inspired by his liberal base, as he briefly mentioned the upcoming peaceful transfer of power Jan. 20, an enthusiastic audience chanted, “Four more years …” “You were the change,” Obama said. “America is a better, stronger place than when we started.” He then focused on the state of our democracy. Obama has been what I would call an elusive president. Nobody really knows who he is. He has always been an outstanding speaker and based his campaign on “hope and change.” But after eight miserable years of his policies, I think fear, as opposed to hope, is more appropriate in describing how the majority of Americans feel about his presidency. We now have a nation terribly divided on the direction of this country. I didn’t vote for Obama in either election because I’ve always seen him as anti-American. Like Bernie Sanders in this election, who was pushing socialism, if Obama’s goal was to transform America into a socialist country in 2008, why didn’t he just campaign on that ideology? It’s evident with the 2016 election that we’ve reached a turning point in this country and that we have to get back to reality. It’s why president-elect Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected Nov. 8. Obama said Chicago is where he started his political career years ago, but people wonder why has he completely ignored the gang violence, drug problems and deaths resulting from these issues? Please visit http://www.RichlandStudentMedia. com for the remainder of this article.
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Managing Editor
Copy Editor
Image Associated Press
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 11.
NEW YORK (AP) — In a combative and freewheeling news conference, President-elect Donald Trump said for the first time Wednesday that he accepts Russia was behind the election year hacking of Democrats that roiled the White House race. Looking ahead, he urged Congress to move quickly to replace President Barack Obama's signature health care law and insisted anew that Mexico will pay the cost of a border wall. The hour-long spectacle in the marbled lobby of Trump's Manhattan skyscraper was his first news conference since winning the election in early November, and the famously unconventional politician demonstrated he had not been changed by the weight of his victory. He defiantly denied reports that Russia had collected compromising personal and financial information about him, lambasting the media for peddling "fake news" and shouting down a journalist from CNN, which reported on the matter. His family and advisers clapped and cheered him on throughout. Trump's transition has been shadowed by U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia not only meddled in the election, but did so to help him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. After spending weeks challenging that idea, Trump finally accepted at least part of the intelligence conclusions. "As far as hacking, I think it was Russia," Trump said, quickly adding that "other countries and other people" also hack U.S. interests. Still, he kept needling the intelligence agencies, saying it would be a "tremendous blot" on their record if officials were leaking information from his classified briefings. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement later that he had spoken with Trump Wednesday evening and told him he does not believe any leaks came from the intelligence community. One U.S. official told The Associated Press Tuesday night that intelligence people had informed Trump last week about an unsubstantiated report that Russia had compromising
personal and financial information about him. Some media outlets reported on the document, which contains unproven information alleging close coordination between Trump's inner circle and Russians, as well as unverified claims about unusual sexual activities by Trump. The AP has not authenticated any of the claims. Clapper said Wednesday he had told Trump the intelligence community "has not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable." Wednesday's news conference was initially billed as a chance for Trump to answer questions about his plans for distancing himself from his sprawling, family-owned real estate and licensing business. Lawyer Sheri Dillon stepped to the lectern midway through the event to announce that the president-elect was relinquishing control of the Trump Organization to his adult sons and an executive, as well as putting his business assets in a trust. The move appears to contradict a previous pledge by the president-elect. In a tweet last month, Trump said that "no new deals" would be done while he was in office. With dramatic flair, Trump aides piled stacks of manila folders on a table next to the lectern - in front of 10 American flags - before the news conference began. Trump said the folders contained documents he had signed formalizing the new business arrangements, though journalists were not able to view and independently verify the materials. Some 250 journalists crammed into the Trump Tower lobby for the news conference, which was not only Trump's first since the election, but his first since July. Journalists shouted for his attention. At times, he skipped past questions he appeared to not want to answer, including an inquiry about whether he would keep in place sanctions Obama slapped on Russia in retaliation for the election-related hacking. Please visit http://www.RichlandStudentMedia.com for the remainder of this article.
January 17, 2017
Bathroom bill backlash possible AUSTIN — Dallas civic leaders are warning lawmakers that Texas is flirting with losing major sporting events like North Carolina. They recently urged Republican lawmakers to oppose a proposal that would require transgender people to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex at birth. The issue was already stirring heated debate on the second day of the legislative session. A best-selling author has snubbed a state honor over the bill and a GOP legislator tried to implement the restrictions on bathrooms in the Capitol building. Texas has no transgender lawmakers, and state Rep. Matt Schaefer ultimately dropped the idea. Schaefer’s attempted rule change was a taste of the likely bruising fight ahead over bathroom regulations. The bill is akin to one passed last year by North Carolina that led to significant fallout, including companies canceling expansion plans in the state, the NCAA moving championship games elsewhere and the NBA moving next month’s All-Star Game out of Charlotte. Texas is often picked to host major sporting events, including the Super Bowl in Houston
next month, the NCAA women’s Final Four in Dallas in March and the NCAA men’s Final Four in San Antonio in 2018. Phillip Jones, president of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he doesn’t think leagues will hesitate to steer big sporting events elsewhere if Texas goes the way of North Carolina. “This is not speculation. This is facts, based on what we’ve seen first-hand,” Jones said of the economic fallout. Rick Riordan, a former San Antonio teacher who wrote the popular “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” fantasy series, said in a tweet that he declined an honor from the Texas Legislature over “this nonsense.” At least two other Texas writers also rejected the same invitation to have their work ceremonially recognized by lawmakers in March. “I’m just trying to recognize the great contributions of our Texas authors. I’m sad and disappointed that it’s being used as a tool to make a public statement about this issue,” said Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas Republican who organized the event. - Associated Press
STATE 3
Senate two-thirds rule remains suspended
Republicans want Trump to secure the border
AUSTIN — A top Republican in the Texas Legislature said Wednesday that he wants the Trump administration to keep its promise to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and doesn’t care if that means “a wall figuratively, or literally.” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen said Texas demands a border that’s “no longer porous and lawless.” The Angleton Republican addressed reporters with dozens of GOP colleagues to present the Obama administration with a pretend invoice for $2.8-billion plus. That’s what they say Texas spent securing the border since 2013 because the federal government didn’t, including $1.4-billion plus for extra state troopers in South Texas. Bonnen said Donald Trump can avoid getting a similar, future invoice from Texas with a border crackdown — whether it requires walling off the whole area or not. - Associated Press
AUSTIN — The Republican-controlled Texas Senate voted Wednesday for the second straight session to break with 70-plus years of past tradition and suspend a rule making it easier for Democrats to block hot-button legislation along party lines. The GOP holds a 20-11 Senate majority. The old “two-thirds” rule left them one vote short of bringing up controversial bills for debate without at least one Democrat. But Republicans used a simple majority vote to keep the rule suspended. It had dated back more than seven decades, prior to being nullified last session in 2015. By reducing the number to 19, the GOP maintains controlling majority over nearly every major upcoming vote this session. The move means Democrats remain largely powerless to block bills allowing school vouchers, restricting abortion and cutting state spending. - Associated Press
Helping combat students depression with mobile technology any, at critical times like nights and weekends. The number of students on counseling waiting lists doubled from 2010 to 2012. This can leave students waiting long periods without help. In the worst cases, this can have lifelong – or life-ending – consequences.
Using mobile technology for mental illness diagnosis and treatment is becoming a hot research topic nowadays because of the pervasiveness of mobile devices and their behaviortracking capabilities. Building on others’ work, we have found a way to enhance counseling services with mobile technology and big data analytics. It can help students and clinicians alike, by offering a new tool for assessing
depression that may shed increased light on a condition that is challenging to study. Michigan State University is developing a system for tackling this campus mental health crisis, called iSee. When it’s ready to be deployed, students who participate in the program will need to carry a smartphone and a smartwatch. Data collected by those devices are transmitted to, and analyzed by, a computer system. This lets the relatively few counselors keep better track of more students – extending service to more students in need. The smartphone and smartwatch have several built-in sensors, these sensors capture many of the students’ daily activities that can help indicate mental well-being, including walking or other physical exercise, sleeping habits, social interaction and how often they go to class or local businesses – or whether they stay home or in a dorm room all day long. iSee can offset the inherent inaccuracies and incompleteness in patients’ self-reporting of their depression. It can even observe symptoms students themselves don’t notice or think to mention to a counselor. A 2015 study showed that the severity of a person’s depression can be predicted by monitoring their GPS locations and how often they use their phones: People with more severe depression symptoms tended to move from place to place less and stay at home more than people with
fewer depression symptoms – or none at all. Then iSee will look for behavior patterns that can relate to mental health problems – such as staying home all the time or getting irregular sleep. By sharing this information with both the patient and the counselor, iSee will help better describe, and more accurately portray the severity of, an individual’s symptoms. In addition, iSee can sense in real time when a student’s behavior matches certain symptoms of depression – such as being socially isolated for three days. If that happens, the app can automatically deliver in-the-moment therapies to help, without relying on the patient, or even the clinician, to initiate. That is exactly the sort of suggestion a counselor would make. Unfortunately, counselors usually can only make these suggestions in hindsight during therapy sessions. The smartphone can provide that assistance in the moment when help is needed. By finding ways the many sensors on smartphones and smartwatches can shed light on people’s daily lives and habits, and by analyzing that data in ways that highlight potential mental health problems, college students can stay healthier and reduce the workload on overtaxed professionals at the same time. - Mi Zhang, David Mohr, Jingbo Meng Michigan State University - The Conversation website via Associated Press
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Depression is the leading mental health issue on college campuses in the U.S. In 2015, a survey of more than 90,000 students at 108 American colleges and universities found that during the previous year, more than one-third of them had felt so depressed at some point that it was difficult to function. More than two-thirds had felt hopeless in the preceding academic year. Today’s college students are dealing with depression at an alarmingly high rate, and are increasingly seeking help from on-campus mental health services. Depression is also an underlying cause of other common problems on college campuses, including alcohol and substance abuse, eating disorders, self-injury, suicide and dropping out of school. University counseling centers, the primary sources for students to get mental health care, are struggling to meet this rising demand. First, it can take a long time for clinicians to gain a full picture of what students are experiencing: Depressed students’ accounts of their symptoms are often inaccurate and incomplete. In addition, budget constraints and limited office hours mean the number of clinicians on campus has not grown, and in some cases has shrunk, despite increasing demand. There simply are not enough university clinicians available to serve every student – and few, if
4 YEAR REVIEW
January 17, 2017
Netflix ‘Crown’ a television gem
The Best Of 2016 Entertainment Editor’s Top Picks for 2016
ALY RODRIGUES
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to
“The Nice Guys”
Find Them”
“Moana”
A+
“Hacksaw Ridge”
A
“Captain America: Civil War” “The Little Prince” “Eye in the Sky”
A
“Arrival” “Loving”
A-
A-
A-
“Doctor Strange” A
Editor-in-chief
A-
AA-
Best Actor
Best Actress
Tom Hanks “Sully”
Annette Bening “20th Century Women
Denzel Washington “Fences”
Amy Adams “Arrival”
Viggo Mortensen “Captain Fantastic”
Ruth Negga “Loving”
Ryan Gosling “La La Land”
Meryl Streep “Florence Foster Jenkins”
Casey Affleck “Manchester By the Sea”
Mary Elizabeth Winstead “10 Cloverfield Lane”
Best Movie
RichlandStudentMedia.com
“Hacksaw Ridge” “Manchester by the Sea” “Loving” “Birth of a Nation” “Arrival”
“Captain Fantastic” “La La Land” “Moonlight” “Jackie” “Nocturnal Animals” “Office Christmas Party” — Crude, despicable and genuinely funny at times, this entry finds siblings played by Ty Miller and Jennifer Aniston making waves at tech industry Christmas party. With Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, Courtney B. Vance and Kate McKinnon. C+
“Manchester by the Sea” — Casey Affleck be-
comes a reluctant caregiver after his brother’s accident. Affleck, a best actor Golden Globe Award winner for this performance, continues to step out of big brother Ben’s shadow. With Michelle Williams and Lucas Hedges.
B+
“The Crown,” a new series on Netflix, is already an award winner after taking top honors at the Golden Globes. November marked the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth. The streaming service released the first season of the series with 10 episodes of “The Crown,” based on the life of Queen Elizabeth II. For those who stopped everything to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and appreciate the Royal family tradition, “The Crown” is a good choice. Produced by Sony Pictures UK, “The Crown” is the most expensive TV series of all time, costing over $100 million to produce the season. One of the highlights of the show is the choice of actors who bear a striking resemblance to the real-life royals. Big names include Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Jared Harris as King George VI, John Lithgow as Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth. Foy’s impressive acting earned her a Golden Globe award for best actress in a TV drama series. “The Crown” also took home the Golden Globe for Best Drama Television Series. Different from other shows, “The Crown” focuses on maintaining the real story of Queen Elizabeth. It tells the story of her path from princess to the world’s longest-reigning monarch. The more I watched, I realized how little I knew about the royal family, its rules and traditions. It made me want to search for information and learn more about the royal family. I found it interesting to learn how important they are to history and why it’s important to keep the tradition alive. Netflix anticipated the success of the series since the second season was already in progress before the series debut. “The Crown” is currently available on Netflix. The next season is expected to be released at the end of November. Grade A+
— Ricky Miller
“Moonlight” — This is a slice-of-life story that follows a troubled youth, Little (Alex Hibbert), who is coming to terms with his sexual identity. A lot of critics praised this tale, but I was left underwhelmed and with feelings of “icky and gross.”
C+
“Collateral Beauty” — Will Smith stars as a successful businessman who loses touch with reality after a family accident, not unlike his little seen “Seven Pounds,” but this one completely misses the mark.
C
“La La Land” — This very enjoyable and overpraised musical is set in modern day Los Angeles. It recently won a slew of Golden Globes, including Best Picture for a Comedy or Musical, Best Actor for Ryan Gosling, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Director for Damien Chezelle. —Ricky Miller B+
January 17, 2017
CAMPUS 5
Photo courtesy Meg Fullwood
Richland College Campus
Exploring the Richland campus: flora, fauna and quiet spots GARY BOWERS Staff Writer
The Richland College campus has 240 acres teeming with hundreds of varieties of plants, animals and thousands of students. That may be a surprise to those who are new to the campus, but campus veterans know all the quiet spots. Micro Ndumoci is a first-year student from Gabon, Africa. He said he liked the lakes and “great nature” around campus. Austin Longacre, senior associate director of faculty services said, “Here at Richland College we obviously have a diverse collection of local fauna; everything from squirrels to geese, to turtles and of course, the ducks!” When asked about the lakes, Longacre said, “I’ve heard there’s bass, some catfish down deep and I’m sure there’s perch in there too!” If you like fishing, remember a Texas Fishing License is required and watch the time so you don’t forget your next class. One evening while walking to my car on the Northeast side
Dennis Griffin
Staff photo Gary Bower
of campus, I encountered a fellow Thunderduck who admitted he’d been fishing in the lake since 2004. The Demonstration Garden offers a great place to study. “It was started in 1986 by the horticulture students and was one of the best places on campus to sit around and commune and enjoy your friends,” said Dennis Griffin, grounds coordinator with the Facilities Department. Students may have noticed trees around campus with plaques at their base. “Once you
hit 20 years of service here at Richland College, you’re granted a longevity plaque with your name on it,” Longacre said. Those honored get to select a tree that is preserved for future generations. Facility Services cares for the lake, fountains, trees and serene areas around campus. “I don’t know of a more dedicated workforce,” said Longacre. “They are the ones responsible for the beauty and maintenance of this campus.” The northeast area of the campus is a Austin Longacre favorite for many at Richland with its tall trees, lake, benches and the TLC labyrinth. The brass plaque on the ground next to the labyrinth describes it as metaphor for the journey of life and spirit.
One can walk its path and encounter no wrong turns and no dead ends. The TLC is for teaching, learning and community building. The grackles, geese, squirrels and turtles on campus are fun to watch. Approximately two dozen geese live on campus and compete for snacks of bread from students who take time to feed them. Some of the animals, like ducks, geese and turtles, come up to be fed. If you would like to take part in keeping the Richland campus beautiful watch for opportunities from the Sustainability Department of Facility Services. They recently organized a lake cleanup. Close to 100 students volunteered to help. “We were just blown away with the turnout. They were very instrumental in cleaning out debris, as well as some of the algae bloom caused by the unusually warm weather,” said Longacre. The Richland campus surprises at every turn.
HENRY PHAM Staff Writer
Jordan Kuspa, Richland’s director of orchestras and chamber ensembles, will soon be known as “Doctor Kuspa.” He is nearing completion of his doctoral degree with a concentration on music composition from Yale University’s School of Music. He will graduate in May. “It’s an unusual program in which I finished my course work on campus five years ago before teaching at Richland,” Kuspa said. The doctoral committee asked him to show success as a musician in the wider world before awarding him the degree. “It’s the only school that has a program like
that so my work here at Richland and the work I had done making music in the Dallas community, around the country, and nationally all contributed to a portfolio,” said Kuspa. “The community at Yale decided my portfolio was sufficiently impressive so they invited me back.” The first part of Kuspa’s jury was building a portfolio of his work, showing what he could do as a musician. After that part was accepted into the portfolio, he presented a recital. Kuspa returned for a week in November to rehearse and prepare for the concert. “So I hired musicians, mostly from New York,” said Kuspa. “I also have a friend, Nicholas Baker, up from Dallas, to come play with me at the recital. They presented four pieces of mine: a string quartet, piano quar-
tet, percussion quartet and the duo for violin and viola.” After passing the recital, Kuspa met again with the doctoral committee for oral exams. “They asked questions about music history, music theory and my own music,” he said. “And at the end, I was done. There was champagne and they graduated me.” Kuspa said. Kuspa’s primary instrument is the cello. He performs frequently at Richland and plans to continue teaching here after he receives his doctorate. He also hopes to get more people to listen to his compositions and collaborate with other great musicians. “The goal is to always to be able to keep composing music and making music,” he said. Kuspa is looking forward to graduation
ceremonies. He said, “It is always fun to go to Richland graduation where people achieve that milestone and walk across the stage.” He is excited to do the same.
Image courtesy music.yale.edu
RichlandStudentMedia.com
From student to director: Richland orchestra director completes requirements for Ph.D. from Yale
6 TECHNOLOGY/REVIEW
January 17, 2017
GoPass works for student without wheels CHRONICLE Richland
ALY RODRIGUES
STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS
Editor-in-chief
As an international student, I have the chance to experience a lot of “first times.” I came from a big city in Brazil where I could go anywhere without depending on a car. I had the option to use the bus, metro or train and I could make it across the large city in less than an hour. It was easy and practical for me. When I moved to Dallas, a big city, I expected to similarly have no problem with public transportation. It was disappointing to get here and find out that from my residence to Richland College would take me one hour and 30 minutes using public transportation. By car, it would take 20 minutes with no traffic. For many reasons, I don’t drive. To be more independent in this city I had to try to use public transportation, even if that meant taking two buses, a train and two hours time. Thankfully, DCCCD is now offering the DART Student GoPass. I was eligible and had everything set up and ready to go. I just needed courage. People with cars use GPS to get around. I use the app Moovit. You input where you want to go and it gives you different options and times to get there. It follows the transaction to keep you posted about any problem on the route. When your bus or train is close, it keeps following you and keeps you posted about any problem on the route. It took me two buses and one train to get to Richland College. All I needed to do was show my student GoPass to the driver using the app and take a seat. It was an easy enjoyable experience and really easy. Now I have until June to enjoy my DART Student GoPass. Now I can travel thousands of miles, learn how to be more independent and be able to go everywhere.
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Design Editor Copy Editor Entertainment Editor Page-Layout Editor Photo Editor
ON THE COVER
Richaland College campus photo by courtesy Paul Knudsen
COVER AND FONTS
Certain cover fonts are provided by the following www.nymfont.com – www.bvfonts.com
STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Tru Armstrong John Berry Gary Bowers Andrew Castillo Isai Diaz Maria Etetere Jorge Gomez Sarah Hammond Abraham Igene Jonathan Kling
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Staff Writer
Students at Richland College can find a great wealth of information about the campus using the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) app. It’s available for iPhone in the Apple App Store and Android users on Google Play. Once downloaded, users can explore a menu with six options that include Start Here, Getting Around, Online Services, Student Information, News & Events and Call Police. The Start Here option offers access to the academic calendar with information about important dates of the semester and information about applying for admission to the DCCCD. Under the Programs option, users can bring up the fields of study available. Catalog brings up the student handbook. The View Courses option is an excellent way to check out the available courses Richland has to offer in the classroom and online. Register provides users with in-depth information about registering for classes and includes a link to contact the school directly.
Chassedy Johnson Ashley Martin Rachel McIntosh Thu Nguyen Jorge Perez Henry Pham Fernando Rodriguez Kathleen Spurger Joe Stumpo
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards
David Goodloe
Jack Fletcher
Tim Jones
Meg Fullwood
Larry Ratliff
ISSUE DATES
Image courtesy Dart.org
If you are looking for a quick way to save gas money, you may want to consider getting the DART Student GoPass. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of six hours. Tuition must be paid in full and Student ID photo on file. The GoPass
app is available through the App Store and Google Play. You will register your phone number in GoPass. When verified, your DART GoPass student will show inside of the app. Visit www.dcccd.edu/GoPass for more information.
Finding info on the new and improved DCCCD App JORGE PEREZ
Alessandra Rodrigues Harris Sadiq Quan Tran Joyce Jackson Ricky Miller Ahlam Maryam Al Mahrooq Ibrahim Al Taha
The next menu is Getting Around, which gives users access to the main campus map at Richland, as well as the Garland campus. From this menu, there is also a direct link to the Richland website. Online Services offers access to a number of essential tools, including the eCampus App (also available in the iPhone App Store and on Google Play) which gives users access to online services and DCCCD email. Users can also access the library catalog which shows all of the available books and digital resources on all seven DCCCD campuses. Other tools include myPortal, OneDrive and OneNote. The Student Information tool is an all-access pass to every service available to you at Richland. These include academics, student life, student services, specialized services and taking courses. The News & Events feature gives users access to information about special events on campus. The Richland campus panic button can be used to call the police. The app can also pick up the nearest campus based on your location and adapt to distribute information from other campuses.
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AWARDS
ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Winner, 2016 CMA Two-Year Radio Station of the Year 2015 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 ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker finalist, 2007, 2008 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 Fax: 972-238-6037 Staff meetings Fall semester: Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E020
Staff illustration Quan Tran
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. © Richland Chronicle 2017
OPINION/COMMUNITY 7
Lurking, dangerous places in the heart JOE STUMPO Staff Writer
North Texas personal injury attorney Brian Loncar, who promoted himself as the “Strong Arm” in his series of local TV commercials, was found dead Nov. 28 inside his RollsRoyce parked outside his downtown law firm (Loncar & Associates). The reported cause of death was a heart attack. The Dallas Morning News reported that official autopsy results were pending and would take up to two months to be released. Loncar, 56, died three days after burying his daughter, Grace, 16, a junior at Booker T. Washington High School. Grace killed herself Nov. 25 after a long battle with depression. When Loncar died, not once did I hear the local media say his heart attack was due to the stress of dealing with the sudden loss of his daughter in what I now know as broken heart syndrome. Such was not the case Dec. 28 when screen legend, actress Debbie Reynolds, 84, died a day after her daughter, actress Carrie Fisher, 60. The media framed Reynolds’ death as being caused by broken heart syndrome. Fisher died following a massive heart attack she suffered on a flight from London to Los Angeles Dec. 23. "She [Debbie Reynolds] missed her daughter [Carrie] and wanted to very much be with her," son Todd Fisher (brother of Carrie), told “Entertainment Tonight.” "She had been very strong the last several days. [There was] enormous stress on her, obviously. And this morning she said those words to me and 15 minutes later she had a stroke and virtually left." The Mayo Clinic website describes broken heart syndrome as a temporary heart condition that’s often brought on by stressful situations such as the death of a loved one. Other situations that can often trigger broken heart syndrome include threatening medical conditions, domestic abuse, losing or winning a lot
of money, strong arguments, a surprise party, performing publicly, job loss, divorce, asthma attacks, car accidents and major surgeries. I won’t deny the stories I have heard of elderly couples dying in their 80s or 90s within hours. Were these cases where the wife died and the husband couldn’t take the loss and died as the result of a “broken heart?” Is that what gets put on the person’s death certificate
Brian Loncar
Photo courtesy: Loncar & Associates
following an autopsy (if the family wishes one)? The problem I have with what reportedly killed Reynolds is that I had never heard of this medical condition before, regardless of the fact it exists in the medical books and on medical websites. What Loncar and Reynolds went through in the days/hours before they died were similar. Both suffered the loss of a child, but under unique circumstances. They are, however, not the only ones who’ve gone through the same tragedy. Many have lived through their losses. Consider the thousands, of parents who survived the pain of burying their sons and
daughters who fought in the Iraq/Afghanistan wars since 9/11. Did any of those mothers and fathers die from broken heart syndrome? I suspect more police officers and soldiers die by suicide on a weekly basis due to what they’ve encountered on the job and in battles. I am not denying the grief of a parent who has outlived their child. Reynolds suffered two strokes in 2015 and recovered, according to an ABC News article. Dr. Holly Andersen, director of education for the heart institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital and scientific adviser for the Women's Heart Alliance, said Reynolds succumbed to “a cardiovascular event. "It wouldn't be surprising that an 84-yearold woman like Debbie Reynolds had some (arterial) plaque, and with this kind of stress, became more vulnerable and had more of a garden-variety heart attack and sudden death," Andersen said. I don’t know what Loncar’s medical history was and will not be surprised if Loncar’s official cause of death, when released, is also a cardiovascular event. I do, however, believe Reynolds’ death was likely the result of her previous medical history. I am more accepting of the strokes she suffered as causing her death than broken heart syndrome due to the stress of losing her daughter. I believe when it comes to heart disease, both were likely walking time bombs. It was only a matter of time before they suffered a fatal heart attack or stroke, even if Loncar’s daughter had not committed suicide or if Carrie Fisher had survived her massive heart attack. Thousands, if not millions, of people survive the loss of losing a child. The one and only reason we now know of broken heart syndrome is because Reynolds and Fisher were “Hollywood Royalty.” Famed Texas lawyer Brian Loncar was only known to North Texas residents.
Upcoming Events
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.
Today 9 a.m, 2 p.m. University visit: Texas A&M University-Commerce (all majors) El Paso Hall
Tuesday and Wednesday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ask Me tables, goodies Various locations on campus
Thursday Noon to 1 p.m. Free treats: Soda and popcorn El Paso Lounge
Jan. 24 Spring Fair Transfer More than 50 university representatives on campus Lakeside Resource Center, E-082
Jan. 17 Spring Semester starts Jan. 25-26
Time for the annual homeless count in Dallas
10:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m.
Staff Writer
El Paso Lounge
JORGE GOMEZ
Have you ever wondered how many homeless people live in the Dallas area? The total homeless population in Dallas County increased by 24 percent during 2016, according to the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance’s (MDHA) annual report On Jan. 26 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. MDHA will conduct its annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count. The count will help the City of Dallas determine the exact number of homeless people living in the city. During this process, volunteers will collect the names and contact information of homeless people who choose to be counted. Volunteers will use apps designed for Apple and Android electronic devices. Volunteers will be able to talk and socialize with the homeless and hear their stories.
Club Fair
Friday, Jan. 27 10:30 a.m to noon Lunar New Year El Paso Lounge David S. Gruber, development and communications director of MDHA, said over the past few years volunteers have been able to witness the things homeless people go through every day just to survive on the streets. “People are so touched by the whole experience that they come back asking questions as
if there is anything else they could do to help out the unsheltered people. It is quite fascinating on people reactions once the counting is done,” said Gruber. One thousand volunteers are needed to participate in the Point-In-Time Homeless Count.
Noon to 2:30 p.m. Spring dance audition Hosted by the Richland Dance program Studio G027
RichlandStudentMedia.com
January 17, 2017
RichlandStudentMedia.com
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January 17, 2017
A campus map can help students find classrooms and other destinations. On a student’s Registration Summary the heading references Richland (RL) followed by the Bldg/Room number to help students find their destination. For example, for students talking a geology course, the Bldg/Room heading will be RL WH 163. The RL is RIchland College, WH is Wichita Hall. The room number is 163. RichlandStudentMedia.com
Richland Student Media
@RLCStudentMedia
A Alamito Hall: ACCESS Adjunct Faculty Center, Administration, Office of Emergency Management, Technology-Enhanced Learning. B Bonham Hall: Classrooms, College Communications & Marketing, Creative Services, English Corner, Information Technology, Media School of Engineering, Business and Technology, Web Office. C Crockett Hall: Brazos Gallery, Classrooms, Dual Credit, Educational Transitions, Emeritus Office Richland Collegiate High School (RCHS), Rising Star Program, School of Learning Enrichment and Academic Development, TRiO Programs. D Del Rio Hall: Classrooms, Computer Labs. E El Paso Hall: Cafeteria, Career Services, Classrooms, Counseling Center, Richland Chronicle, ChronicleTV, KDUX Web Radio, Office of Student Life, Student I.D. Room, Student Lounge, Transfer Center, Veterans Affairs, Working Wonders. F Fannin Hall: Arena Theatre, Performance Hall, School of Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts. G Guadalupe Hall: Athletics, Dance Studio, Fitness Center, Gymnasiums, Physical Education. H Hondo Hall: Employee Services, Thunderwater Organizational Learning Institute. K Kiowa Hall: Classrooms. L Lavaca Hall: Lago Vista Gallery, Library, School of World Languages, Cultures and Communications. M Medina Hall: Classrooms, Test Center, The Learning Center. N Neches Hall: Classrooms, Office of Planning, Research, Effectiveness and Development. P Pecos Hall: College Police, Facilities Services, Information Technology Support Center. R R. Jan LeCroy Center: Telecommunications. SH Sabine Hall: Bookstore and Cafe, Conference Rooms, School of Mathematics, Science and Health Professions, Science Corner, Science Labs. T Thunderduck Hall: Admissions, Advising, Cashier Windows, Classrooms, Continuing Education, Developmental Studies Advising , Disability Services, Financial Aid, Health Center, Multi cultural Center, Multimedia Labs, Photography, Registration. U Uvalde: Classrooms. WH Wichita Hall: American English and Culture Institute (AECI), Classrooms, Engineering Labs, ESOL Lab, Health Professions, Language Lab, Mailroom, Print Shop, STEM Academic and Career Advising. Y Yegua: Classrooms
Richland Student Media