City Times — March 22, 2011

Online weekly at www.sdcitytimes.com

CITY TIMES FOLLOW US

V-DAY RETURNS

Aims to empower women PAGE 8

Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

@SDCityTimes Volume 65, Number 9

GROUND BROKEN, MORE CONSTRUCTION ON WAY

February 15, 2011

College gets reaffirmed Accreditation team said campus is ‘friendly and engaged’

By Ernesto Lopez City Times

San Diego City College President Terr y Burgess, left, and Associate Student Government Vice President Mayra Edgar, right, break ground during the Feb. 11 ceremony for the Business Technology/Arts & Humanities building. Construction is scheduled to be completed in Januar y 2013 .

Troy Bryant Orem, City Times

News/Calendar............... 2-3 Life................................... 5 Focus................................ 6 Arts............................... 7-8 Voice............................ 9-10 Sports............................. 12

City College administrators can take a deep breath now: the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges reaffirmed the school’s accreditation for another six years on Feb. 3.

For student credits to be transferable, they must be earned from an accredited entity such as City College.

Each entity is evaluated every six years to make sure it is up to par with state and federal regulations. If an entity does not get reaffirmed, it could be put on probation and may eventually lose accreditation.

Over four days in October, 10 members of the commission visited City College and conducted their evaluation.

During the visit, the team met with numerous faculty, staff, administrators, members of the governing board, and students. The team chair met with members of the governing board, the president of the college, the district chancellor and various district administrators.

The team also visited classes and conducted two open meetings to allow for comment from any member of the campus or local community.

In their report, the commission said “the college was well prepared for the accreditation team visit. The visiting team was welcomed by a friendly and engaged college community.”

They added that "those who attended the open forums with the visiting team spoke highly about the quality of educational opportunities and the dedication of faculty, classified staff, and administrators.”

In an e-mail to faculty and staff sent on Feb. 4, City College President Terrence Burgess gave them credit for the accreditation results. “Thank you all for the outstanding work you do as reflected in the Accreditation Commission's positive action,” he wrote.

The two other colleges in the San Diego Community College District — Miramar and Mesa — also had their accreditation confirmed, but Miramar's reaffirmation came with a warning. The commission warned Miramar administrators “to take action to solve excessive turnover in its administrative leadership.”

District Chancellor Constance Carroll told the San Diego Union Tribune she is pleased with the accreditation results and mentioned it is not unusual for reports from the commission to come with a sanction.

“We’re thrilled that our colleges all made it through the process in such a wonderful fashion,” Carroll said. “Miramar retains its accreditation. It just needs to take care of this issue.”

Students stand in solidarity with Egypt Local groups demand Mubarak’s resignation

By Mark Rivera City Times Shouting slogans like “Hey! Ho! Mubarak has to go!” and “Freedom will prevail, the people are speaking” the young and old gathered at the Federal Building in downtown San Diego Feb. 4.

The crowd, which included City College students and organizations,

united on that Friday evening in response to the current protests taking place in Egypt over the past several weeks.

“Our purpose here is to express our solidarity with the revolutions that are spreading across the middle east,” said protest organizer Chuck Stemke of socialistworker.org. “Especially solidarity with the people fighting for freedom in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Yemen; all across the whole region where people are rising up against the dictatorships they have lived under for so many decades.”

One week after the protests at the Federal building

were held, their voices, along with the thousands of other voices in Egypt, were heard, as the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down after a 30-year reign.

The protests in Egypt began Jan. 25, when thousands of protesters gathered in Cairo and other Egyptian cities, calling for the immediate removal of President Hosni Mubarak and his government.

According to reports, protesters focused on legal and political issues including police brutality, state of emergency laws, lack of free See Egypt, page 2

Crowds in Tahrir Square react to the announcement that President Hosni Mubarak will step down on Friday, Feb. 11.

Rick Loomis, Los Angeles Times/MCT Campus.

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

2

TAKE NOTE Calendar Compiled by Stephen Boyd-Morales Get your event in the paper. E-mail us at citytimes@gmail.com or call 619-388-3880

n Feb. 18 & 19, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m.

“The Vagina Monologues” performance will be at the Saville Theatre. For tickets, call 619-388-4474. n Feb 23, Wednesday 12 p.m.

Spring Concert Series “Bridge 22” performs on Gorton Quad

n Feb. 24, Thursday, 9:40 a.m.

“The Linguists: A very Foreign Film” Documentary to be screened in the Saville Theatre. n Feb. 28, Monday, 9 a.m.

Pablo Serrano, photojournalist, will be giving a lecture titled, “Images of South America”

Weight training student dies

By Ricky Soltero City Times A San Diego City College student died after a weight training class at the Harry West Gymnasium Feb. 8.

Eric Dixon, 41, had just finished a 90-minute workout when he lost consciousness. An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who was enrolled in the class assisted Dixon while athletics trainer Mitch Charlens called 911.

The EMT did a vital check on Dixon and determined that CPR needed to be performed.

“The EMT was the first responder; I came in while (the) student was giving CPR compressions.” said head athletic trainer Lori Ray, who was one of four staff members assisting Dixon.

“CPR was being administered the whole nine minutes while paramedics arrived.”

Egypt Continued from Page 1

Guaranteed Buyback. It’s textbooks with benefits!

If you’re not into anything long-term, and prefer a quick, easy, no strings attached relationship, then Bookbyte’s new Guaranteed Buyback will satisfy all of your textbook needs. Take advantage of our super low upfront pricing, and once you’ve had your fill, send it back for a 10% rebate.

Think of it as textbooks, with benefits.

and trained to perform CPR and is fully equipped for any emergency response measures. There are six defibrillators in the facility.

City College’s full-time mental health professional Leslie Easton conducted a follow up.

“College does support for students to talk to our mental health professional when exposed to these horrendous situations,” said McGinnis.

Dixon’s cause of death is not yet known.

in downtown hoping for this moment to come for the Egyptians.

“I feel that genuine change comes from below, meaning that the people in Egypt and in the Arab world have shown us how it is that we demand change,” Antonio said.

Antonio’s sentiment was reflected in posters carried by fellow protesters reading “Solidarity with the People of the Arab World” and in chants stating “Egypt, Egypt, will be free!”

“What’s going on over there is definitely inspiring,” Marcos said. “What’s making it so significant is that they’re not backing down and won’t be satisfied with just any ruler that comes to power.

They keep insisting on serious change.”

The crowd swelled to well over 100 Friday evening, and brought together socialist, anti-war, and other peace demonstrators as well as Arab organizations, according to Stemke. However, a large part of the protesters consisted of San Diego’s immigrant community.

“We have Algerian flags, we have Palestinian flags, we have Egyptian flags,” Stemke said. “We have people who are from the countries that are going through revolutions right now; where their

family members are back home living under dictatorships … who are now joining protests.”

“The people who are here today … are here with their friends, their family, their comrades … and feel like they have to do something here, living in the United States,” he added.

UC San Diego law student Omar Abdelghany was born in Egypt. He lived there until he was 8 years old and knows first hand what the situation is like there.

According to Abdelghany, his family still resides in Egypt and is taking part in the protest. He searched the Web for protests here in San Diego, supporting his family’s efforts in Egypt.

“I support the Egyptian people’s struggle for freedom,” Abdelghany said.

“They want a government that is ‘for the people, by the people.’ They want to be able to choose who their president is, and who their representatives are. They want to fulfill their dreams of having good jobs and living in a productive society. It’s not anything complicated.”

And now, after an 18-day struggle for freedom, the Egyptian people will be able to fulfill these dreams as they move on to a new chapter in their history.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

BOOKBYTE.COM/SDCC

GBB_NSP_MM_Ad2_SDCC_4.94x7.65.indd 1

elections and free speech and corruption, as well as economic issues including high unemployment, food price inflation and low minimum wages.

Since the beginning of these events, clashes have erupted between protesters and Egyptian police, as well as with ruling party members. The protests hit a climax as an announcement was made Thursday, stating that President Hosni Mubarak was to speak to the people of Egypt.

Protesters eagerly waited in Tahir Square for word of his removal, but were angered when, yet again, Mubarak offered only the release of limited powers to the vice president, until free elections would be held in September.

Finally, after the announcement was met with an uproar from Egyptians, the vice president announced that all power would be held by the High Counsel of the military, until free elections are held.

City College students and Socialist Club members Antonio and Marcos Perez were part of the many voices

Upon arrival, paramedics performed life saving measures on Dixon before he was transported to UCSD hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“He was enrolled in the class, was an active participant,” said Athletics Director Kathy McGinnis.

“It’s an emotional tragedy,” McGinnis said. “We did everything we could to help him.”

The Athletics Department faculty are all certified

11-01-14 2:10 PM

February 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

3

NEWS $255 gamble: worth the risk?

City College students parking at McDonald’s being towed

By Ryan Johnson City Times

California Gov. Jerr y Brown speaks during a press conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento on Jan. 10 about his budget proposal. His current budget cut proposal to education is running in the hundreds of millions public higher education institutions in the state are considering a fee hike per unit to offset the potential losses.

Hector Amezcua, Sacramento Bee/MCT Campus

More cuts to education Brown’s proposed $400 million cut to community colleges threaten fee hike

By Jack Chang MCT Campus The leaders of California’s three higher education systems said Monday they are preparing to make budget cuts proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown, but warned that fewer degree programs and enrollment slots would likely result.

University of California President Mark Yudof and California State University Chancellor Charles Reed said they would try to avoid raising tuition to generate revenue, while Yudof and community colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said the cuts would likely mean keeping out qualified students.

The state’s Master Plan for Higher Education, signed in 1960, guarantees a higher education slot for every qualified student.

The proposed budget cuts $500 million from the University of California, $500 million from the California State University and $400 million from the community colleges. Brown also has proposed a $10-per-unit fee increase, from $26 to $36 a unit, at community colleges.

"We're saying, 'I don't like it. I don't want to do it, but I'm willing to do it for the CSU if there is a future to reinvest in California and have a conversation about what kind of California do we want for our kids, what kind of economy do we want, what kind of people do we want in the work force,” Reed said.

“So this one time, sure. I’m willing to sacrifice because every public agency is going to have to sacrifice something.”

The UC cuts, Yudof said, would probably mean fewer students and a smaller faculty.

“I hate it,” Yudof said. “You know, our campuses are prepared to take another 30,000 to 40,000 students. They feel they have the room for them if we had adequate finances to do it.”

Reed said the CSU system would

not be able to afford all of its degree programs and that some of the programs would have to be organized on a regional level.

The community colleges might have to turn away 350,000 students, Scott said, on top of the 140,000 people the system turned away this year. Many of those students couldn't find class slots or ended up on waiting lists.

Despite the budget crunch, Yudof said raising tuition would be "unpalatable," a message repeated by Reed.

Yudof also said he wouldn't institute furloughs to save money.

“We raised tuition 10 percent in November,” Reed said, “and I don’t plan on doing it again except if in June the revenue enhancements that the governor is proposing fail and the whole bottom falls out of everything, we’ll have to come back and revisit that.”

Asked if Brown had pledged in private conservations to limit the cuts to the current proposals, Reed answered, “He hasn’t promised anything other than that if these taxes don’t pass, we’re going to cut even more.”

For City College students, few things can be more frustrating than rushing to class and not being able to find parking around our campus.

However, some students make decisions that pile on to their frustration by ignoring posted signs at local downtown fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s.

These signs warn them that if they use the restaurant’s parking lot they could and likely will be towed.

Fast food restaurants have an obligation to serve their customers. Especially in a downtown urban setting, managers are making sure their lots are available

for customers, not students looking for a quick place to park.

Students thinking they can beat the system by buying a soda or coffee and then going to class for a couple of hours should think twice. Otherwise, they will likely return to find their car gone and a $255 bill from the Centre City Towing Service in its place.

Margarita Sanchez, coowner of Centre City, is a single mother and coincidentally, a City College student studying business administration. She said businesses like McDonald’s call her when they have illegally parked cars that need to be towed.

She explains that it is up to the lot owner to determine which cars are parked illegally. She said she understands students’ frustrations but that, ultimately, she has a business to run.

See Gamble, page 11

Centre City Towing Ser vices tows a vehicle illegaly parked at the McDonald’s on Park Boulevard.

Reports claim students park there when they can’t find parking on campus. Ryan Johnson, City Times

Former fraudster reflects on his fall

By Ricky Soltero City Times “Don’t trust me,” said Barry Minkow. “I’m a convicted felon. A crook.”

Minkow, a former business prodigy who went to prison for a white-collar crime, spoke to City College students during a presentation promoting the League of Innovation’s writing competition “Education, Not Incarceration,” Feb. 4.

“I can’t tell you how to run a successful business, but I can tell you what not to do in business,” Minkow said.

Minkow started his own Barr y Minkow, a former busines prodigy who went to prison for while-collar crime, spoke at the Saville The- carpet-cleaning company at age 16, when he was still in atre on Feb. 4. Troy Bryant Orem, City Times

high school. Four years later, he was labeled the “Whiz Kid of Wall Street” after he became, at age 20, the youngest person to take a company public.

Minkow graced the covers of magazines, appeared on Oprah and was considered one of the top entrepreneurs in the country because of his multi-million dollar cleaning firm. One year later, the company was unveiled as nothing more than a front for money laundering and committing an estimated $1 billion in fraud.

Minkow was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He served seven years and four months before being released on

parole.

A pastor for a San Diego church for the past 14 years, Minkow openly spoke about his turbulent past and the actions that eventually caught up to him. Minkow told the Saville Theatre audience that his downfall was driven by ego and pragmatism.

“Money imputes respect,” Minkow said. “I got addicted to the publicity. The local press. The more I was on the media, I couldn’t fail.”

During his hour-long presentation, Minkow shared details of his life and his latest quest to redeem himself for defrauding investors.

He has put his knowledge of

fraudulent activities and techniques to good use, working with the FBI to expose fraud totaling over $1 billion.

He also spoke of the upcoming film based on his life, “Minkow,” which is about to hit theaters, as well as his book, the New York Times bestseller “Cleaning Up.” “I respect people like that,” said City College student Jeremy Jones. “Like Michael Vick, he did his time.”

While student reaction was mostly positive and many seemed to sympathize with Minkow, one attendee See Fraudster, page 11

4

News

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

Construction breaks ground

Left to Right: President of Classified Staf f Senate Awanna Payne, Vice President of Instruction Mar y Benard, District Trustee Bill Schwandt, Chancellor Constance Carroll, City College President Terr y Burgess, Board of Trustees President Rich Grosch, Associate Student Government Vice President Mayra Edgar, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management David Umstot and Business professor and Chair of Department of Business Salley Deaton participate during the ground-breaking ceremony on Feb. 11 of the Business Technology/Arts & Humanities Building. Construction is set to begin and is scheduled to be completed in Januar y 2013.

Troy Bryant Orem, City Times

According to the Ciy College Project Site: The Ar ts & Humanities building will consist of approximately 128,000 square feet of new constr uction for the Ar ts and Humanities depar tment.

The building will include new classrooms, a lecture hall, computer labs,

a 99-seat ‘black box’ theatre, and studio space for drawing, ceramics, sculpture and graphics.

The Business Technology building will consist of approximately 62,000 square feet of new constr uction for

the Business Depar tment and will include seven computer labs, classrooms, a lecture hall, and areas for star t-up businesses for students in the business education program.

Combined as an $89.2 million dual-

classroom building project, the future buildings are on track to obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Cer tification by the United States Green Building Council.

February 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

5

life

A look into Black History A glance at the people and events which paved the way to our present

Celebrate black history

By Sonjiala Hotchkiss City Times Starting with President Gerald R. Ford in 1976, every U.S. president has officially recognized this monthlong February celebration.

Black history month began as “Negro History Week” in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a prominent AfricanAmerican historian. Woodson started the celebration to preserve the history and contributions of African-Americans and to counteract Jim Crow and In 2001 bus #2857 was authenticated as the bus in which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. It was then restored. The historic bus is now on display at The Henr y Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI J. Kyle Keener, MCT Campus

The man behind MLK

By Ricky Soltero City Times

The woman who said no

Rosa Parks stands for equality by refusing to stand

By Sonjiala Hotchkiss City Times In December 1955, Rosa Parks refused to vacate her seat on a Montgomery city bus to make room for a white passenger which resulted in her arrest and sparked a seminal event in the civil rights movement.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began as a show of solidarity from the black community for Parks. Blacks, who made up three-quarters of the customers of the public transportation system in Montgomery, boycotted the system for 381 days in an effort to end segregation on

the social institutions that supported those laws, explained Darius Spearman, City College Black Studies Professor.

Negro History week was celebrated in the month of February in honor of the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas.

City College will host a Black History Month Celebration in Gorton Quad, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Contact the World Cultures Program at 619-388-3552 for more information.

public buses. The boycott ended in December 1956 following a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional.

During segregation, seating at the front of the bus was reserved for white passengers. If the number of white passengers exceeded the reserved seating, black passengers were asked to give up their seats. As blacks were not allowed to sit across the aisle from whites, bus driver James Blake asked Rosa Parks along with three others to vacate their seats so that a white gentleman would not have to stand on the bus.

Prior to her own arrest in 1955, Parks had worked to gather community support for 15-yearold Claudette Colvin who had been arrested several months earlier for refusing to relinquish her seat on a Montgomery bus.

Colvin’s case was sidelined by local civil rights organizations due to the fact that she became pregnant while unmarried.

City College black studies professor Darius Spearman opined that community leaders may have erred in their refusal to support Colvin stating, “If you’re See Parks, page 11

“When an individual is protesting society’s refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being,” Bayard Rustin said. “His very act of protest confers dignity on him.”

Rustin was a black activist whose contributions to the civil rights movement helped grow the nonviolent protest movement that evolved from the Montgomery bus boycott. This event would help Martin Luther King Jr. become one of the central figures in civil rights history.

Although not forgotten, Rustin is no more than a footnote compared to Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks or Malcolm X. Relegated to work behind the scenes because of his past association with the Communist party, Rustin would serve as King’s assistant from 1955 to 1960.

Rustin counseled and gave advice to King on nonviolent demonstration.

He also organized important events that are now considered historic moments in American history.

An organizer of the Journey of Reconciliation in 1947, which was an inspiration for the historic Freedom Rides,

Rustin helped set a blueprint for future nonviolent demonstrations against racial discrimination. Rustin was the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, which was immortalized

by King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Rustin also was the chief organizer of King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which promoted nonviolent protests in an effort the end segregation.

“Bayard Rustin was a brilliant grassroots organizer,” Black Studies instructor Nathan Katungi said.

“He was a major force in organizing the 1963 historical March On Washington. As a young activist, he helped put pressure on President Truman to integrate the military. ” Rustin eventually grew disillusioned with nonviolent demonstrations and shifted his attention elsewhere, parting ways with King in 1963.

Aside from his civil rights contributions, Rustin became an advocate for gay and lesbian causes. Rustin was a gay man and had been arrested in 1953 for homosexual activity.

Rustin would go on to promote educational, labor and civil rights reforms until the end of his life.

And the Oscar goes to ...

Hattie McDaniel broke barriers by being a successful African-American performer in a white dominated Hollywood

By Olivia Holt City Times On a February evening in 1940, at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, Hattie McDaniel stood up from the segregated table in the back corner of the room and took a long stroll to the podium. She had just become the first African-American to receive an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, for her role as Mammy in 1939’s “Gone With the Wind.”

McDaniel was born in 1898, before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks made a stand for civil rights, before the Greensboro Four ignited change throughout America,

and before President Lyndon Johnson persuaded Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Hattie McDaniel grew up in the era of segregation and Jim Crow laws, yet she found her own rhythm and blazed a trail for African-Americans who were trying to rise above the stereotypical roles then offered in Hollywood.

McDaniel often played stereotypical roles with racist overtones.

This sparked controversy within the African-American community.

“I’d rather play a maid then be one,” McDaniel was known to tell her critics.

In “Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood,” author Jill

Watts describes the difficulties that McDaniel faced in Hollywood during the 1930s.

“McDaniel had carved out a niche in black arts, craning admiration, as a powerful blueswoman.

On the other hand, breaking down the doors of white show business would also be regarded as an important achievement, and to do that she would have to compromise her art.”

One of the first African-American women to be heard on the radio, McDaniel excelled at singing as well as acting.

McDaniel suffered a heart attack in 1951 and was diagnosed with breast cancer that summer. She died in Hollywood on October 26, 1952.

Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Gone With the Wind.” BET Online

6

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

Focus

The Beauty Shop Cosmetology Dept. gets a makeover

The cosmetology department has been in its new facility in the Career Technology Center for one semester. The building, which officially opened Sept. 24, is a new five-stor y instructional facility that also houses Nursing, Photography and Digital Arts departments and the new headquarters for Campus Police.

Photos by Anulak Singphiphat and Carlos Maia, City Times

February 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

7

ARTS

Here come the Oscars

By Tom Andrew City Times Oscar fans across the globe will see the stars, cheer for their favorite nominees, and vote for those actors, directors, and producers they think will win on Sunday, February 27, when hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway roll out the red carpet for the 83rd Oscars.

With more than 20 categories and more than 120 nominees, the Academy has its work cut out for it. Here are my picks for the major awards.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

This year’s winners predictions B

est Picture is the largest category and the last award announced.

Now with 10 nominees, this category will be one of the toughest to whittle down.

Winners have been all over the map at other recent award ceremonies, but three films that keep rising to the top are “The Social Network,” “The King’s Speech” and “True Grit.”

While all three do deserve

the award for one reason or another, the film that stood out for me was “The Social Network.”

Granted, it reaches a younger audience, and some may say that the Academy will favor something tried and true, but this film is really riveting.

Best Picture: The Social Network Close Second: True Grit

T

he Best Director award usually goes hand in hand with whoever wins Best Picture, but not always.

This year, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen received a nomination for True Grit, but they were ignored at most other award shows, with David Fincher (The Social Network) coming out victorious in every one.

The fact that they were included in this list may give them the upper hand. If “The Social Network” wins Best Picture, then the Coen brothers’ remake of “True Grit” should take home the Oscar.

Best Director: The Coen brothers Close Second: David Fincher

I

n the category of Best Actress, Natalie Portman (Black Swan) has walked away with most of the awards this season, but Annette Bening has yet again turned in a solid, effective and moving performance in “The Kids Are All Right.”

Bening has been nominated four times and has been a close second each time. This should be her year. Portman is a great actress and has plenty of great scripts and many years to look forward to.

Losing this year won’t cramp her style.

Best Actress: Annette Bening Anette Bening Close Second: Natalie Portman

T

“The Social Network” is predicted to win Best Picture although it reaches a younger audience. MCT Campus

Previous award-winners the Coen brothers have been nominated again for Best Director for their remake of “True Grit.” MCT Campus

he Best Actor category has its share of amazing actors, but when the dust settles the race will be between last year’s winner, Jeff Bridges, and two-time nominee Colin Firth.

This is Firth’s year. He has turned in some great work in the past and his brilliant work in “The King’s Speech” should bring him a long overdue win. Bridges has had a great year. “True Grit” was astounding, and he brought such warmth

and class to “Tron: Legacy,” but not enough for a back-toback win.

Best Actor: Colin Firth Close Second: Jeff Bridges

Colin Firth in his role in “The King’s Speech.”

MCT Campus

The white men are all right, why not women?

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, can break racial and gender barriers. Just think of Hattie McDaniel (“Gone with the Wind”), Sidney Poitier (“Lilies of the Field”) or last year’s Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”).

Unfortunately, the Academy Awards can also show how Hollywood and our society are still dominated by white men.

When this year’s Oscar nominations were announced Jan. 25, they were immediately dubbed “the whitest Oscars in 10 years” as no actors of color were nominated. The debate over whether Javier Bardem

AS SCENE ON SCREEN Christine Klee

“counts” as a person of color just made the issue more apparent.

The reasons why no actors of color were nominated are manifold.

Last year, many famous AfricanAmerican and Latino actors made comedies, which naturally do not get nominated for Academy Awards.

Also, in difficult economic times, studio executives want economically secure movies — blockbusters with large, mostly white audiences.

A large percentage of studio executives are older white men. This is reflected in the movies we see — often featuring white beautiful characters.

In the history of the Academy Awards, only four women have been nominated for Best Director. This year, Lisa Cholodenko (“The Kids Are All Right”) and Debra Granik (“Winter’s Bone”) seemed like strong contenders. While Cholodenko and Granik were nominated for Best Writing and their films received Best Picture nominations, neither woman was considered for her directing.

It is interesting to compare the position of racial minorities to the

position of women in Hollywood and our media.

Discrimination is wrong and bad for all of us, yet it seems 51 percent of the population have made fewer strides than racial minorities have.

In this case, strength doesn’t seem to lie in numbers. White men, certainly not a majority in this country, still hold most of the positions of power.

According to the Women’s Media Center, only eight percent of film writers are female and only seven percent of 2009’s top films were directed by women. The most shocking of all numbers might be the number 3 — as in 3 out of 100

decision-makers in the media are women.

As an individual consumer, you might think that there isn’t anything you can do to change this situation.

However, this isn’t true.

Hollywood makes movies that sell, movies that get seen by millions of people. If you want to change this situation, go see movies that feature women and people of color in prominent roles - not just as token characters or pretty background.

To find out more about the role of women in our media, watch the trailer for the new documentary “Miss Representation” at www.missrepresentation.org.

8

Arts

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

V-day production hits City College Monologues aim to educate and empower women

By Katrina Cameron City Times Now that Valentine’s Day has come and gone, another “V-day” is anticipated amongst City College students.

City College will be presenting “The Vagina Monologues” at the second annual “V-day” on Feb. 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. in the Saville Theatre.

Ninety percent of the proceeds made throughout the two productions will be donated towards the scholarship fund of Diana Gonzalez’s daughter, Cr ystal Gonzalez.

Diana Gonzalez was a 19-yearold City College student who was presumably slain by her estranged

husband on campus last October.

The remaining ten percent will be donated towards V-day’s Spotlight Campaign on the women and girls of Haiti.

“V-day” is a worldwide activist movement to end violence against women.

The events increase awareness and raise money towards the cause.

“V-day” campaigns occur on college campuses or community theaters and are organized by local volunteers and college students.

There will be a talk-back after the Feb. 18 performance moderated by Interim Dean of Student Development Denise Whisenhunt and a domestic violence counselor.

“The whole point of this is to not be afraid to talk about things,” V-day event coordinator and City College student Rebekah Ensley said. “It’s obvious with the trag-

“Vagina Monologues” performer, Elizabeth Nor vell, rehearses Feb. 11. The production opens Feb. 18. Troy Bryant Orem, City Times edy that happened in October that we need to educate and empower women about themselves.”

“The Vagina Monologues” is an award-winning play based on

V-day Founder and playwright Eve Ensler’s interviews with over 200 women.

The play celebrates women’s sexuality and strength through humor

and grace.

The rights of the play are available for production during “V-season”, which occurs during the months of Feb. through April.

Due to the immense turnout of last year’s production of “V-day”, tickets are available for purchase in advance.

Tickets were sold on campus during events such as “Vulvapalooza” and “Pink Monday”.

Pre-sale tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets for students are $10 and $15 for general public. A small service fee, which will be donated towards a variety of causes, will be charged for online tickets.

Tickets will also be available at the door, for the same prices, on a first come first serve basis.

An even bigger turnout is expected for this years’ performances, so it’s advised to purchase pre-sales.

The Red Holloway Quartet performs in the Saville Theatre on Feb. 8 in front of a live audience. Carlos Maia, City Times

Seasoned performers jazz it up The Red Holloway Quartet played at Jazz Live to an enthusiastic yet reverent crowd in the Saville Theatre on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.

“These fellas been with me about 30 years,” said Red Holloway, as he was joined on stage by Art Hillary on piano, Richard Reid on bass, and Garryck King on the drums.

Since injuring his hand, Red has been unable to play his saxophone, so he invited his friend Plas Johnson to play for him. Johnson is known for his work on innumerable records including collaborations with Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole and most famously, playing the solo sax on “The Pink Panther Theme”.

“It’s like having a steak cooked the way you want it,” Red said as he reached for the microphone to start the first song of the evening.

“Medium rare!” someone yelled from the audience and everyone laughed.

The crowd bobbed their

REVIEW

Angella d’Avignon heads and gave wild applause intermittently throughout the performance, often standing up in ovations and yelling for encores.

Perhaps most memorable were the songs that Red sang himself, including an original track called, “Yes, Yes, Yes” which Red dedicated to the ladies, calling them “the cream of the crop” of San Diego.

“It’s like having a steak cooked the way you want it” — Red Holloway The quartet mixed strictly instrumental songs with ones with vocals, which Red lead with his smoky yet rich voice and invited the crowd to sing along.

When he wasn’t singing, Red cracked sly jokes and hummed along with the instruments. His voice went low and guttural while he sang along to one of Reid’s bass solos and he cried during King’s particularly impressive drum solo on James Brown’s “I Feel Good”.

Perhaps what is most impressive about Red is his energy and accomplishments. At age 19, Red served as bandmaster for the U.S. Fifth Army Band during World War 2 before going on to play with the likes of Eugene Wright (of the Dave Brubeck Quartet), Billie Holiday, and Sonny Rollins in Chicago during the fifties.

Each member of the quartet was a seasoned performer but played like in the prime of his life. To close out the night, Johnson played his famous solo from “The Pink Panther Theme” and “Million Dollar Secret” which earned the quartet a standing ovation.

For more arts visit sdcitytimes.com

February 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

9

Voice

From Egypt, a reminder for all Americans As this issue of City Times goes to press, Egypt’s embattled Hosni Mubarak has just relinquished his presidency after weeks of peaceful protests in which hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have taken to the streets to demand change.

A key driver of the people’s anger seems to be income inequality, as a small pocket of Egyptian society is fabulously wealthy, while most people struggle day to day. Protesters have also complained about widespread unemployment and ever-higher prices for food and other basic necessities.

These pressures inspired Egyptians to risk their personal safety by demanding the ouster of the 82-year-old Mubarak, who ruled the country for three decades. Over the years, Mubarak stayed in power by relying on standard dictator techniques like detention, torture, and murder, not to mention foreign aid from the United States. But suddenly he lost his grip.

EDITORIAL City Times Editorial Board A diverse array of Egyptian activists — communists, Muslims, doctors, lawyers, even a Google executive — united in opposition to Mubarak. They recognized that the first step in addressing the concerns of the people is establishing a government run by the people, not by a dictator. They risked their lives to bring this change to their country.

The plight of these activists highlights how good we’ve got it in the United States.

Sure, unemployment is a major problem here, the cost of living isn’t getting any lower, and according to the CIA’s most recent figures, income inequality is actually higher in the U.S. than in Egypt. And our nation’s government certainly has its flaws. The political system, for example, often seems

driven more by money than by what’s right.

But our country operates under the rule of law. So when Americans are unhappy with our government, we can do something about it without risking our necks in the process. We can voice our complaints in public. We can join an existing movement or organize a new one. We can safely take a wide range of steps to work for change.

The New York Times recently asked a leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Youth how he would feel if Egypt became a democracy and then elected a Christian woman as president. “If it is a government of institutions,” the young activist said, “I don’t care if the president is a monkey.”

In the United States, we’ve already got our government of institutions. If we Americans want change, we don’t have to put our personal safety at risk.

All we have to do is get involved.

What do you got going on later?

Wes Bausmith, MCT Campus

Let’s teach science in science class Feb. 12 marked the 202nd anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. His original theory of evolution by natural selection has been refined as scientists have made more discoveries about the evolutionary process. Still, it remains clear across the scientific community that Darwin laid the foundation for our understanding of the origins of life on Earth.

The scientific consensus on evolution is overwhelming, but only about 39 percent of Americans believe in evolution. How can that be?

According to a recent study by Penn State University, we aren’t teaching evo-

CITY TIMES Volume 65, Number 9 February 15, 2011

www.sdcitytimes.com

lution in school. Of the 926 high school biology teachers polled, about 60 percent said they do not teach evolution in class, and if they do, they only touch on it briefly. Only about 28 percent actually teach it as the central theory of biology, and about 13 percent openly endorse biblical creationism in the classroom.

Many of the teachers who shy away from evolution said they do so to avoid conflict with kids and parents who believe in creationism. That means the irrational beliefs of certain families have so infiltrated the school system that some science teachers are afraid of teaching valid

Published as: The Jay Sees | 1945-1949 Fortknightly | 1949-1978 City Times | 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks

Ernesto Lopez Editor-in-Chief

Katrina Cameron Arts Editor

Shane Finneran Managing Editor

Stephen Boyd-Morales Features Editor

Anulak Singphiphat Design Editor Fernando Yates Online Editor

Copy Editor

BEYOND BELIEF Gabriel Spatuzzi science.

Political correctness could be partially to blame.

By concerning ourselves with safeguarding the feelings of religious people in

How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: T-316

our public debates, we may have softened our defense of the legitimate science of evolution. I have heard countless arguments in the news questioning the validity of evolution, but I rarely hear a satisfactory retort.

A common argument made by creationists is that evolution is an unproven theory and is therefore too unreliable to be taught in school. This is extremely misleading and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how science works.

Other theories that aren’t and can’t be proven include cell theory, the germ theory of disease, and the theory of

Phone: (619) 388-3880 Fax: (619) 388-3814 E-mail: citytimes@gmail.com Program homepage: www.sdcity.edu/citytimes

City Times Staff

Michele Suthers Chief Illustrator

Tom Andrew, Cecilia Areta, Megan Bartell, Sidney Bryant, JohnMagus Cambridge, Jose De Los Santos, Layne Deyling, Alec Fernandes, Sandra Galindo, Sonjiala Hotchkiss, Ryan Johnson, Rachel Keown, Scott McLean, Brandon Porras, Mark Rivera, Brenda Sandoval, Ricky Soltero, Gabriel Spatuzzi, Roberto Venegas, Joshua Vincent

Troy Bryant Orem Photo Editor

Correspondents and Contributors

Christine Klee

Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser

Angella d’Avignon

Continental Drift. Even Newton’s law of gravity cannot be proven by science.

There are no “proven” theories. There are theories that have been disproven and theories that are supported by empirical evidence. And so far, there have been countless discoveries supporting evolution and not one shred of evidence contradicting it.

But even if it was possible to prove evolution it is likely creationists would still refuse to accept it because doing so would undermine the legitimacy of the Bible’s word.

Science is apolitical and indifferent to preference, as our public discourse about it

should be. A scientist doesn’t set out to prove or disprove his own personal beliefs. He sets out to discover the truth about the natural world. If his discovery happens to contradict his beliefs, it is the duty of the scientist to revise his beliefs, not his findings.

This is exactly what Darwin, formerly a devout Christian, did when he made his famous observations about the origin of species.

And just as science makes no concessions to one’s feelings, we must stop making concessions to those who refuse to accept reality. We must encourage our science teachers to teach science.

City Times is published twice monthly during the semester. Signed opinions are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, City College administration, faculty and staff or the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.

District policy statement | This publication is produced as a learning experience under a San Diego Community College District instructional program. All materials, including opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the students and should not be interpreted to be those of the college district, its officers or employees.

Letters to the editor | Letters to the Editor are welcome, 350 words or less. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammar, spelling, punctuation and length.

Memberships Journalism Association of Community Colleges California College Media Association Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

10

Voice

More cuts to education: fair?

On education, Brown deserves citizens’ trust Students should fully support Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to increase enrollment fees from $26 to $36 per unit in order to raise $110 million.

Brown’s fee hikes would partially offset a $400 million cut to California Community Colleges (CCC) in the state’s 2011-2012 budget. The result, a net $290 million cut, or less than 5% of total appropriations, would put CCC funding back at 2009-10 levels, which — to be realistic — isn’t that bad, considering California faces a $25 billion deficit.

Brown passionately supports higher education for California’s students. The tough decisions he must make going forward will preserve and strengthen California’s educational system as we move through rough economic times together.

California passed its Master Plan for Education in 1960, when Jerry Brown’s father Pat was governor.

The plan set specific education roles for the UC, CSU and CCC systems, had two main goals: fostering educational excellence while preserving public resources and guaranteeing access for all, regardless of economic means.

From 1975-1983, during his first stint as governor, Jerry Brown successfully managed the Master Plan by significantly boosting funding for higher education, increasing the size and number of Cal Grants awarded, and creating education programs linked directly to jobs.

According to JerryBrown.org, Brown says

PRO

Ryan Johnson the master plan has been “undermined” in recent years. He wants representatives “to create a new Master plan.” Brown also wants to embrace online classes and other technologies that can “increase productivity, expand access to higher learning, and reduce costs.”

With that in mind, Brown’s current proposals are no brainers. In fact, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office suggests that fees could be increased to $60 per unit, which is $1,800 a year, without affecting needy students who are already exempt from fees under the Board of Governors’ waiver.

At $1,800 a year, California's community colleges would still be one of the best bargains in education, and the vast majority of nonwaiver students would still qualify for federal refundable tax credits that cover 100% of fees.

In other words, most students would still pay nothing, and the increased fees would help offset the cost of increased classes, reducing strain on the budget.

On his website, Brown says a top priority is to “focus on community colleges” and praises the “effective leadership” the schools have shown.

In the past, Brown has shown effective leadership when it comes to education.

Let’s get behind him now and let him successfully lead us into the future.

Ryan Johnson is a City Times staff writer

Shane Finneran, City Times

Students will suffer under Brown’s cuts Governor Jerry Brown’s new budget proposal calls for a $1.4 billion decrease in higher education funding.

According to theCalifornian.com, under Brown’s proposal for the coming fiscal year, the state would cut funding to the 112 community colleges in California by $400 million and raise student fees from $26 to $36 per unit to produce an additional $110 million. That’s a 38% raise from what the tuition fee is now.

The enormity of the budget reduction would cause serious issues in the long run. California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said the state’s two-year colleges would have to turn away up to 350,000 students next year if the

CON

Cecilia Areta

state cuts the $400 million proposed by the governor.

You could be one of them!

Not only would the cuts mean fewer accepted students but also larger class sizes and reduced student services.

If the $10 increase per unit does not seem too expensive, imagine paying an additional $160 to meet the unit criteria of a full time student and then being in over-crowded classes with limited amounts of student services available to you.

Students who exceed the amount of units required for graduation could be the first

to be turned away. Chancellor Scott said those are the students who are loading up their transcripts with gym classes, poor grades and far more units than they need to transfer or graduate.

The possibility of recreational use of the college would be out the door. No more taking classes for fun.

Brown also urged cuts to lower-priority courses, while protecting courses needed for transfer and vocational certificates.

Preliminary classes will remain, but many extracurricular courses will not be available in coming semesters. Class options would be very limited and invariable. There would be fewer courses to enable exploration of other subjects and

schedules may be more monotonous.

Many full-time students are scarcely supporting themselves as is. With these proposed cuts to the community college system, some would not be able to afford school.

There are other ways to improve California’s budget situation without taking the money out of our schools, where we need the funding the most.

These options include increasing taxes on vehicles and sales, and increasing tax rates — temporarily, until California’s budget deficits can be alleviated as the years pass.

Cecilia Areta is a City Times staff writer

VOX POPULI Question by Megan Rose Bartell Photos by Troy Bryant Orem

What is your opinion of Gov. Brown’s planned $400 million community college cuts?

Angel Torres, 18 Graphic Design

Jane Justin, 23 International relations

Ernesto Camacho, 21 Psychology

Ashley McHone, 22 Anthropology

“Education is very important. So I think he could find other things to cut. Obama’s State of the Union said win the future. How can we win the future when we’re not properly educated?”

“They have to look for different ways of cutting the budget without affecting the community colleges.”

“I just think that they’re taking away money from the people that deserve it.”

“I think that’s actually really terrible because there’s a lot of kids that rely on going to community colleges because universities here are so expensive.”

February 15, 2011 | www.sdcitytimes.com

Continued from Page 12 and injured by a Lincoln Navigator. Danet admitted that his serve could use some improvement along with his focus during game play.

Returning player Wil Contreras had faith in the team’s abilities despite this year’s group being mostly newcomers.

“This is the strongest team I’ve seen in two years,” said Contreras.

Coach Lupian agreed that his team is physically prepared, however he is more concerned with aiding his players’ personal growth while at City College.

“Tennis skills are just a small part of the big picture,” said Lupian. “These guys have the physical attributes to be good players, but that’s only 10 percent of the game.

The rest is about mental prep-

Parks Continued from Page 5 not going to protect your most poor and your most vulnerable, then you’re always going to have problems.”

Parks served as secretary and youth leader for the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. When hired by the offices of U.S. Representative John Congers in 1965, she worked to find housing for the homeless.

“Rosa Parks is a good role model for people who want to be an example, not by speech, but by doing,” City

Gamble

aration and attitude.”

Marlon Thompkins applied this philosophy of mind over matter by coming back after losing his first singles set. His determination won him the second set along with the 10-point tiebreaker that followed.

Thompkins admitted that he also had trouble focusing during his match despite making it look easy.

“The biggest obstacle was my own brain … just thinking too much,” said Thompkins.

Even players at the professional level, such as Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray, succumb to mental defeat in a match. Murray’s fits and tantrums during the tournament final — including telling his mother in the stands to “shut up” — set him back just as much as Novak Djokovic’s superb agility and shot placement. Coach Lupian wants to train his players to avoid such mental defeat.

College black studies professor Alazar Tesfamariam said.

In 1987, Parks and Elaine Eason Steele co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, which sponsors educational bus rides for young travelers along routes of historic importance to civil rights efforts.

Parks received many accolades for her service including the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP in 1979, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999.

Parks passed away in 2005.

Continued from Page 3 “Students are upset when they get down here (to pick up their car) but after working with me they understand they shouldn’t have parked there.” Sanchez said. “At the end of the conversation they usually admit that they knew it was wrong to park there but they decided to take the risk anyway.”

State law requires that signage indicates that parking illegally will resulting in towing. McDonald’s has even gone the extra step of adding additional sig-

Fraudster Continued from Page 3 expressed doubts about Minkow’s redemption story.

“It’s a little hard to believe that people can change like

towing fee) here than to get their car out of a tow lot.”

Kurtz also noted that, “We have employees dedicated to monitoring the parking lot and writing down license plate numbers” and before they call the tow company they do a complete check of the lobby to see if the owner is in the restaurant.

One part-time City College student, Diane Seung, admitted she had made a mistake and accepted the mistake she had made, saying with humility, “I got a cup of coffee and then wandered to class, forgetting that I had parked (in the McDonald’s lot). I do things like that a lot.”

Usually one $255 fee, almost as much as full-time tuition at City College, is enough to stop anyone from making the same mistake twice. Still, Sanchez said, “We are a tiny company and I’ve seen it where the same person in the same car has gotten towed two to three times.”

Students would be wiser to spend $30 on a parking pass available from campus police or take extra time in order to find legal parking before class.

Sanchez, who has 10 years of experience in towing, thinks not all folks will be so wise. “Believe me, some people will never learn.”

Barry,” said Martin Ruelas, who attended the presentation to hear about Minkow’s infamous past. The theme for the League for Innovation Student Literary Competition is “Education, Not Incarceration.” San Diego

State Professor David Matlin presented his book, “Prisons: Inside the New America.”

Professor Karen Lim is the National Coordinator for the competition. She said Minkow’s story is of some-

one who was transformed through education.

“In the end, he found his passion, and this was Minkow’s story of redemption. Everyone is capable of changing their life for the better.”

U N I V E R S I T Y®

Transferring?

Finish School YOUR Way!

National University

, we know At you can’t sit in class all day or lock yourself in a library – you’ve got work, family, and friends.

You’re transferring because you want to finish your degree and move on into a new career.

National University makes that possible with. . .

Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree at

Azusa Pacific University

Streamlined admissions >>!! ! !o enrollment fee >> N !lexible scheduling >>!F !

U >> !nique one-course-per-month format !cholarship programs >>!S

15 convenient

San Diego locations

!"#$%&'(#)*'+,$-. $/012#*

8 0 0 . N AT. U N I V ! " ! ! ! g e t i n f o . n u . e d u / t r a n s f e r

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY GOLF ACADEMY

Choose from accelerated degrees online or on campus.

LIBERAL STUDIES

LEADERSHIP

The B.A. in Human Development (HDEV) can prepare you for a career in education.

In less than two years, you could be on your way to teaching in your own classroom.

The versatile B.S. in Organizational Leadership (BSOL) makes it easy to take the next step in your career. You’ll learn relevant business strategies that can empower you to become an effective leader.

s s s s s

ABOUT THE PROGRAMS • Complete your degree in less than two years.

s

• Choose to earn your degree online, or attend class only one night a week at a location near you.

s © 2010 National University 8816

• Applicants for the HDEV program must be at least 22 years old; BSOL program applicants must be at least 25.

Find out about the next HDEV or BSOL program start date. Contact us today!

CALL CLICK EMAIL

(626) 815-5301 www.apu.edu/explore/caps aps@apu.edu AZUSA | HIGH DESERT | INLAND EMPIRE | LOS ANGELES

MURRIETA | ORANGE COUNTY | SAN DIEGO |

s

Online or on-campus programs State-of-the-art swing lab Financial aid available Associate of Arts with a concentration in Professional Golf Management Bachelor of Arts in Sport Psychology Bachelor of Business Administration Master of Business Administration High school programs

877-NUGOLF-1 WWW.NUGOLFACADEMY.ORG

705 PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD, CARLSBAD, CA 92011

VENTURA COUNTY | ONLINE 11514

11

nage that explains “once you leave the premise, you are no longer a customer” and that your car is subject to towing after a one hour grace period.

Franz Kurtz, a manager at the McDonald’s across from campus, on Park Boulevard, explained that they don’t like to tow people. He stated that unfortunately, so many people especially during the first few weeks of a semester use the lot for other purposes and that paying customers often are inconvenienced by lack of available parking.

“We don’t like towing people or making people sad,” Franz said. “I’d rather they spend the money ($255

N A T I O N A L

!"#$%$"&'()*+',"-+)./01)(2""34%5

Tennis

News/Sports/Life

www.sdcitytimes.com | February 15, 2011

12

SPORTS Baseball bounces back in home opener

By Shane Finneran City Times “It was a curveball inside,” said Knights catcher Kevin Garcia. “I was sitting fastball, but I reacted to the curveball.”

Garcia broke open the Knights’ game against Saddleback on Feb. 4 when — with the bases loaded — he launched a hanging curve from Gauchos pitcher Ian Parvin into the gap in right-center. The long line drive fell in for a triple, knocking in three and giving City College an eight-run lead in the sixth inning.

The Knights held that lead, winning their home opener 10-2 over the Gauchos, who had beaten City College 15-1 a day earlier at Saddleback.

“We really came through after a big loss yesterday,” said Knights starting pitcher Keegan Yuhl. “We needed it.”

While Garcia got the big hit, City College shortstop Hector Lorenzana also had a terrific day

Freshman Keegan Yuhl pitches against Saddleback on Feb. 4 game. Troy Bryant Orem, City Times

at the plate. Lorenzana went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and scored three runs.

The Knights were anything but impressive coming out of the gate.

Yuhl opened the game by beaning Saddleback leadoff man Ryan Forkel and walking the next batter. Both Gauchos then scored on a throwing error by Garcia.

After those initial jitters, however, Yuhl buckled down, limiting the Gauchos to just two hits and two unearned runs through six innings.

Yuhl noted that he tends to be “shaky” against the first few batters he faces. “That’s always been kind of my forte,” he said.

Yuhl said he thought his breaking ball and change-up served him well during the game. He also felt good about his fastball, though he tended to rely on his four-seamer because his two-seamer kept “going in.”

Freshman pitcher Mark Vasquez closed out the game for the Knights, scattering two hits

and two walks across the last three innings. Vasquez coaxed Saddleback's hitters into two double plays and even managed to pick a runner off second base.

Both teams seemed rusty on defense, combining for nine errors, mostly of the throwing variety.

Knights head coach Chris Brown was happy to bounce back from the previous day’s loss to the Gauchos with a strong win against them — and to post a victory against Saddleback’s long-time head coach, Jack Hodges, whom Brown served as an assistant coach for 8 years in the 1990s.

“It’s nice to not feel schooled,” Brown said. “It’s nice to school my mentor, which the boys did today.”

Brown sounded optimistic about the Knights’ chances in 2011, though he acknowledged that it’s early in the season and his young squad is “a little inexperienced.”

“I think we’ve got the makeup of a pretty good ballclub,” Brown said.

Coach Chris Brown discusses strategy with his players during a game versus Saddleback on Feb. 4.

Troy Bryant Orem, City Times

Focus helps men’s tennis foil Fullerton

By Alec Fernandes City Times Winning in tennis involves more than just getting that fuzzy neon ball over the net. Those who truly want to win a match learn that mental control is as essential to the game as a well-strung racquet.

The men’s tennis coach at City College, Brandon Lupian, is very aware of the extreme focus needed to take control of a court.

“By this point (players) arrive knowing how to hit the ball, but not everyone arrives with the right mentality,” said Lupian. “Growth in that respect has gotten better.”

The Knights were able to demonstrate this mental resilience at a windy home match on Feb. 3. Powerful gusts that knocked over garbage cans and disrupted service tosses couldn't stop City College from securing a 6-3 victory at the season’s opening match.

Fullerton started strong during the opening doubles games. Their aggressive forward movement dominated the top court, leaving City to defend their opponent’s powerful volleys from far behind

the baseline.

Yet the Knights endured the close first set by consistently wearing down their looming opponents.

Eventually the tables were turned as City’s solid ground strokes forced Fullerton back to the baseline and earned the Knights a victory on the top doubles court.

The team’s top ranked player, Miguel Danet, took control of his court with great agility and topspin during the following singles matches. His skilled shot placement psyched out his opponent who kept recklessly deflecting the ball deep outside the lines by the second set. Although he took both sets at 6 games to nothing, Danet confessed that he too faced some mental obstacles.

“Getting focused at the start of the match was the hardest part for me,” said Danet.

This was Danet’s first official match for the City College Knights though he’s been practicing with the team for the past month. His involvement in tennis was disrupted last August after being hit See Tennis, page 11

Sophomore tennis player Vernon Ocampo hits backhand shot during practice on Feb. 9. The team was getting ready for a competition in Glendale, Arizona. Troy Bryant Orem, City Times