Vol. 73, No. 1
Monday, September 9, 2019
Palomar police investigating two on-campus assaults Summer Aguirre STAFF EDITOR
Two assaults that occurred on Palomar College’s San Marcos campus the week of Aug. 26 are currently being investigated. The suspect is believed to have been involved in both crimes and was arrested on Aug. 27. He has been identified and was placed in custody on Aug. 28. The Palomar College Police Department could not
disclose his name to The Telescope, being that the case is still under investigation. The victims have described him as a 20-yearold African American. He had a flat top haircut and was wearing a yellow shirt, gray sweatpants, and a black backpack. He is not a student and a press release revealed that he may have been wearing an ankle monitor. According to Palomar Chief-of-Police, Chris Moore, both incidents involved a female victim
who reported having been touched without consent. The motivation of the suspect is unknown. The first attack that was reported occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 in the C building on the southwest side of the San Marcos campus. The campus police were notified at approximately 4:45 p.m. the same day. A second victim came forward and alerted the PCPD on Aug. 27. The victim claimed to have been assaulted by the same sus-
pect. The incident occurred around noon on Aug. 26 by the D building near Comet Circle West. Prior to the suspect’s arrest, the PCPD maintained extra patrols in parking lots and buildings. They also partnered with outside law enforcement agencies and the North County Transit District team to investigate and identify the suspect. Moore said the case has been submitted to the San Diego District Attorney Office, and that the PCPD is still looking for anyone
with information who may have come in contact with the suspect. If you know anything about the suspect, contact campus police at (760) 744-1150, ext. 2289, (760) 891-7273, or the texta-tip phone at (760) 8916154. Palomar President/Superintendent Joi Lin Blake expressed the importance of students reporting incidents to the campus police immediately. “We take this seriously and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure
that our campus community is safe,” she said. Blake added that the school will work quickly to make sure that students will receive support if an incident does occur. The PCPD urges students, staff, and faculty to move to a more populated area on campus and contact them if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Car escorts can also be requested. SAGUIRRE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Palomar will implement high school programs across its campuses Summer Aguirre STAFF EDITOR
FALL SPORTS PREVIEW Palomar College’s Football wide receiver Johnny Armentrout finds a hole through the defense on Aug. 31. Photo courtesy of Hugh Cox
SEE PAGE 7
Student government advocating for an immediate overnight parking proposal Nicole Villanueva STAFF EDITOR
Overnight parking provided for students and staff facing homelessness or housing insecurity was proposed to the governing board back in May of 2019 and has since been building momentum ahead.
Anthony White, former senator of Palomar’s Associated Student Government (ASG) helped to form this proposal. Sitting down with the current president of the ASG, Linus Smith has worked closely on this matter from the start. The driving force behind
OPINION
SEE PAGE 5
White’s drive is revealed. Years ago after transitioning from military service to college student, White found himself without a place to live. He had struggled to succeed academically as the uncertainty of sleeping conditions took precedence over his life.
In the fall of 2018, The Hope Lab for College, Community, and Justice conducted a nationwide study to assess the hardships of basic needs for students of two and fouryear colleges.
ARTS & CULTURE
SEE OVERNIGHT PARKING PAGE 3 SEE PAGE 6
Palomar College is partnering with school districts in North County to launch a high school program titled Middle College in the fall of 2020. The program follows a national model supported by the Every Student Succeeds Act that was passed in December 2015 to provide equal opportunities for students. When she was appointed, Palomar President Joi Lin Blake said she was surprised a program did not already exist in San Marcos and discussed its implementation with the superintendent of San Marcos Unified. Middle College will be available on all of Palomar’s sites to assist high school students prepare for and thrive in postsecondary education.
The Middle College program offers the opportunity to accomplish this by combining principles of dual enrollment and early college strategies to improve college readiness and transitions. According to Blake, the goal is to engage in early outreach and create a college culture in high schools. Students create a fiveyear academic plan, offering both high school and college courses that culminate into an Associate’s Degree or 60 transferable college credits. The model also helps them avoid taking classes they do not need.
NEWS
Teens targeted in ‘vaporizing’ campaign
Del Mar’s Kaaboo Festival is near
Veteran’s Promise Program
Juul companies have targeted teenagers in recent campaigns. This poses dangerous threats to a teen’s health.
The music, comedy, and arts festival will be held on Sept. 1315. Attendees will be able to experience a variety of events.
Palomar seeks to implement a Veterans Promise program that will provide veterans with additional financial support.
SEE MIDDLE COLLEGE PAGE 3
SEE PAGE 3