Vol. 72, No. 3 ANA ACOSTA STAFF WRITER
The Palomar Faculty Federation has endorsed two newcomers for the open Governing Board trustee positions and choosing not to endorse 16-year Board incumbent, Mark Evilsizer. Faculty Federation CoPresident, Teresa Laughlin explained the reasoning for the decision not to endorse Evilsizer, as relating to issues with “transparency, and also responsiveness.” “We try to reach out and we’re kind of ignored, to be honest, and that is frustrating,” Laughlin said. “So we need someone who will at least listen to our concerns, whether they disagree or not that’s fine - It’s a matter of respect to listen to the concerns.” The Faculty Federation has instead chosen to endorse candidates Norma Miyamoto and Lee Dulgeroff. Miyamoto has spent nearly 30 years of working in educational environments and 21 of them were spent at Palomar, partially as a dean. “I will personally, as a trustee, make sure that I’m talking, and listening to different stakeholders,” Miyamoto said. “As one member of five, I will urge
Monday, October 22, 2018
Faculty Federation opts not to endsorse Governing Board incumbent
Trustee Mark Evilsizer has been on the Governing Board since 2002. He is running for reelection without the support of the Faculty Union. Linus Smith / The Telescope
my fellow trustees to do the same.” Dulgeroff is currently the Chief Facilities Planning and Construction Officer at San Diego Unified School District. “I do appreciate the role that [the Faculty Federation] play and so I was re-
ally honored when I heard that they support me and endorse me in my candidacy,” Dulgeroff said. “I’m looking forward to working with them, with all the faculty and the students.” Laughlin remarked upon Miyamoto’s long history with Palomar, and fur-
ther explained “she really knows community colleges, she really knows Palomar College. So she knows the questions to ask the administration.” In regards to Dulgeroff, Laughlin acknowledged his experience with utilizing resources effectively and ef-
ficiently. “So having somebody who has that kind of knowledge about facilities and efficiency, and efficient use of facilities, would be really good on the Board.” Laughlin further expressed “We don’t expect any board member to agree with us all the time,
we wouldn’t want that. We want to have discussion, we want to have debate.” Evilsizer, who is hoping to retain his position on the Board, despite not having received an endorsement from the Faculty Federation, said “I’m sorry I didn’t get their endorsement.” However, he remains hopeful that the outcome of the election will have a favorable result. “I feel that I’m offering a vision of the future that their candidates haven’t touched on yet,” Evilsizer said. “I try to be more focused externally on my campaign to the people that are voting, the taxpayers.” To some members of faculty, the Governing Board election has a lot at stake, former Co-President of the Faculty Federation, Shannon Lienhart went so far as to predict in a previous interview with The Telescope, “if we can’t get good board members elected, many of our really great administrators will be looking for work elsewhere.” “Mark Evilsizer has worked very hard for this college, I admire Mark. I just feel like we might need a new voice and a new vision on the Board,” Laughlin said. AACOSTA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Faculty Federation Trustee Candidates Student Government files lawsuit against pursues yearly goals Governing Board BETHANY NASH BETHANY NASH STAFF EDITOR
The Palomar Faculty Federation is suing the Governing Board for claimed violations of the Brown Act. During the July 2018 Governing Board meeting, the Board discussed and approved an amendment for the contract of Superintendent/President, Joi Lin Blake. The amendment raised her base salary by $62,027 from her starting salary two years ago. The Faculty Federation felt it was improper to do
Telescopenews
this in closed session and violated the Brown Act. The Federation then sent a “cease and desist” letter on Aug. 9, which are typically issued as a preceding step to a potential lawsuit, which notifies the recipient of their purportedly illegal activities, expressing their concerns with the violation and asked for a solution for the improper actions. On Sept. 10 the District’s lawyer, Sharon J. Ormond, responded to the Federation’s cease and desist letter
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The Telescope staff invited all the candidates for the position of Palomar College Governing Board trustee to the newsroom for an interview. All candidates accepted the offer to attend, and were asked a series of questions by the editor and writer staff. Each candidates was asked the same series of questions to ensure fairness in coverage. No follow up questions were asked. Each candidate was given an opportunity to speak on a matter unrelated to our questions at the end, whether the candidates took the opportunity was up to them. We then filtered through their answers to try and capture the essence of what they said, while do our best to remove excess material. The transcripts of the interviews conducted can be found within the paper, as well as the staff ’s endorsements for trustee candidates.
See pages 7 - 11 for candidates transcripts All candidate photos taken by Linus Smith / The Telescope
The_Telescope
The Telescope
STAFF EDITOR
Palomar’s Associated Student Government (ASG) has adopted their yearly goals, and have begun to implement them into the campus community. The ASG went on their group retreat and worked together to create goals for each individual committee goals. Their goals are geared towards connecting with the college community, getting more students involved, and bettering the campus for the students. “I want to leave the ASG much better off than when
I joined,” ASG President Amber Bancroft said in an email. “The ASG has been going through a rebuilding and revamping stage; by the time I leave, I would like to see it standing tall and making influential changes on a campus and state level.” Some of the goals for the upcoming year include developing better communication methods in order to reach the college community more efficiently. As well as make Palomar a polling location for elections, better support clubs on campus, and amending the ASG constitution to in
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2 • NEWS
t BRIEFLY t
CAR CRASH ON ESCONDIDO CAMPUS ESCONDIDO--Something or someone ran into Palomar’s preschool in the middle of the night. No one was injured. The Early Childhood Education Lab School (EECES) was hit at roughly 3 a.m. on Oct. 8. There were no cars found at the crash site, however the damages at the EECES building was discovered by the Supervisor of Facilities
and maintenance on the Escondido campus, Jimmy Diaz. At 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8 Director of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs, Laura Gropen sent out an email informing the college community of the incident. “EECES will be closed for at least the day, while staff assesses the damage. All EECES parents have been notified. Only EECES
was impacted and classes at Escondido Center will be held today. We have no further information at the time,” Gropen said in the email. As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9 Senior Education Center Coordinator for the Escondido campus explained that details of the incident are still unknown. — Bethany Nash
October 22, 2018
R.A.D. SELF DEFENSE SAN MARCOS--- Learn Self-Defense for women in a free three-day crash course. The classes will be held from 4-7 p.m. Oct. 23-25 at the Palomar College South Education Center in room SEC 111. The event is hosted by the Palomar Police Department, and no martial arts experience is required., The instructors will be Officer Monika Forest and Elaine Armstrong. In order to in the Advanced R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) classes, attendees must have already taken the Basic R.A.D. course. The attendees are also required to bring their Basic R.A.D. Manual to the first day of class. To register email Officer Monika Forest at mforest@palomar.edu. — Bethany Nash
Top: Self defense instructor Chris Brant demonstrates self defense moves during a self defense workshop in the Quad grass during PTSD and Domestic Violence Awareness Week on Tuesday, Nov. 3. 2015. Yvette Monteleone/ The Telescope. Bottom: Palomar students, Sydney and Casey Williams, practice self defensive moves at a self defense workshop in the Quad grass during PTSD and Domestic Violence Awareness Week on Tuesday, Nov. 3. 2015. Yvette Monteleone/The Telescope. Palomar College Escondido Campus April 30, 2015. Stephen Davis/The Telescope
FINDING A MAJOR WORKSHOP SAN MARCOS --Roughly 50 percent of students enter college undecided on their major according to the Mentor, an academic journal at Penn State University. Are you undecided? It can be hard for students to identify a major while sticking to your interests and still trying to
make money in a career. At 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 in TLC 112. The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) will be hosting, “Exploring Majors & Career Interests” for students struggling to identify a major. The goal of the event is to help students understand the resources needed to clarify eduational and
career goals, identifying interests, and exploring majors. For more information call the TLC center760-744-1150, ext. 3931, email them at SanMarcosTLC@palomar. edu, or check out their website www.palomar.edu/ tlc/sanmarcos. — Bethany Nash
ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SAN MARCOS --- The Student Wellness Advocacy Group will be hosting wellness workshops every Wednesday for the rest of the semester. Their goal is to use these workshops to create conversation between peers, and teach students about the resources available on campus.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1879
Thomas Edison perfects carbonized cotton filament light bulb.
Halloween will be the one Wednesday a workshop will not be hosted. All other workshops will address topics such as stress management and depression and suicide will be held from 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Wednesdays in MD 320. For more information contact SWAG@palomar. edu.
ANTHROPOLOGY DAYS SAN MARCOS--- The anthropology department will be hosting two events, exploring the reasons why the world needs anthropology. The events will be hosted by department professors: Marlo Willows, Anne-Marie Mobilia, Jim
Eighmey, and Elizabeth Pain. The anthropology days will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 30 next to the clock tower and will feature games, prizes and food. Then again from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 31in SSCI-1 featuring more
games and more food. For more information on these events consult the Palomar website at palomar.edu — Bethany Nash
PALOMAR COLLEGE LGBTQ ALLY LIST Compiled by the Palomar College Pride Center (ST-72) The following allies are sensitive to and knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues. They have asked to be listed as allies and are here to support you. (* indicates openly LGBTQ) Bowman, Peter pbowman@palomar.edu Byrne, Madelyn* mbyrne@palomar.edu Christensen Gwin, Catherine cchristensengwin@palomar.edu Cohen, Shawna scohen@palomar.edu Corbin, Wendy wcorbin@palomar.edu Cory, Abbie* (Pride Center Director) acory@palomar.edu Daily, Thomas tdaily@palomar.edu Davison, Dylan* (Pride Center Assistant) ddavison@palomar.edu Gowen, Brent bgowen@palomar.edu Hudson, Aaron ahudson@palomar.edu Jahnel, Bill* bjahnel@palomar.edu Jenkins, Jerry “Rafiki” jjenkins@palomar.edu Kearney, Kevin* kkearney@palomar.edu Martinez, Cari cmartinez@palomar.edu Maunu, Leanne lmaunu@palomar.edu McDonough, Pam pmcdonough@palomar.edu Meehan, Adam ameehan@palomar.edu Miller, Susan* smiller@palomar.edu Mudgett, Benjamin bmudgett@palomar.edu Nelson, Scott snelson@palomar.edu O’Doherty, Fergal* fodoherty@palomar.edu Orton, Bruce borton@palomar.edu Pagni-Kiefer, Lorraine lpagni-kiefer@palomar.edu Pierce, Pippa ppierce@palomar.edu Quiroz, Tony* cquiroz@palomar.edu Shoop, Deana dshoop@palomar.edu Smith, Devon* dsmith2@palomar.edu Smith, Melissa* mbsmith@palomar.edu Titus, Sherry stitus@palomar.edu Tozzi, Caleb calebtozzi@gmail.com Trujillo, Stacey strujillo@palomar.edu Zolliker, Sue* szolliker@palomar.edu
NEWS • 3
the-telescope.com
ASG GOALS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
clude stipends for its members, as approved by voters in spring. As the first Vice President of Communications, Kian Nourollahi is exploring new methods to revamp the ASG outreach, via regular social media postings, and newsletters. “I have faith in myself and the communications committee to be able to build a tremendous online presence,” Nourollahi said. “My main goal as I
currently see it, is to make sure that every student at Palomar College knows about the ASG and understands that they have representation at every level of Palomar, and never feel alone.” In addition, the ASG is looking to work with other governing bodies on campus to increase services for students with disabilities and help students facing housing insecurities.
Temple University and the Wisconsin HOPE lab collaborated to launch a survey directed at understanding homelessness, as well as food and housing insecurities on community college campuses. Researchers found that 36 percent are home insecure, 36 percent are food insecure, and nine percent are homeless. To address this issue, the ASG plans to adopt a resolution that will raise
campus awareness about housing insecurity, and urge governing bodies to find solutions that will address student needs. Vice President of Shared Governance, Anthony White, is the author of the resolution, and adopted this issue due to his own past experiences with housing insecurity. After White retired from the military, all of his housing options fell through, and he was left
Group photo of Palomar’s Associated Student Government. Sept.14. Photo courtesy of the Associated Student Government.
LAWSUIT
the situation for struggling students. “If the only thing we are going to do is sit there and say how we can’t do it, we are never going to get anywhere…If all we are going to do is identify problems, then let’s not just identify problems, let’s identify solutions,” White said. BNASH@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Anthony White presenting the housing insecurity resolution to the Associated Student Government for a first reading. Sept. 21. Photo Courtesy of the Associated Student Government.
Palomar enrollment spike
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denying any act of wrong doing in regards to the Brown Act, although they did state that they plan on abiding by the Brown Act in all future meetings. The response explained, “your letter does not allege, nor do the facts bear out, that the Board took action in closed session to approve the amendment. Had such been the case, the demand would align with the nature of the alleged violation… the amendment was plainly identified on the posted agenda.” The Brown Act states that it is the Governing Board’s responsibility not to discuss matters, such as employee contract amendments in open session, rather the only obligation is to announce the resulting decisions decided in closed session in the open session. The Board minutes on the Palomar website list under topic A, item 3, “review and approve third amendment to Superintendent/ President contract.” It was later noted in the minutes by Board President Paul
with no choice but to live out of his Chevy Silverado. While figuring out what he was going to do next, what was supposed to be only a few weeks turned into almost a year. “One of the biggest challenges I faced, aside from feeling constant depression about the situation…was loneliness,” White explained. Today, White aspires to use his role in the ASG as a platform to change
McNamara, when they reconvened in open session, “there were no report able actions taken in closed session.” On Sept. 25 the Faculty Federation officially filed a lawsuit against the Board. Teresa Laughlin, CoPresident of the Faculty Federation said in an email, “We assert that the Board improperly, in closed session, discussed and approved the Palomar College President’s contract amendment.” She continued, “the Board’s lawyer did not agree with our attorney’s viewpoint. The next step is to have the matter adjudicated by a judge.” Aside from the Superintendent/President’s contract the Federation has also pointed out discussions regarding investigating further on student housing in closed session. The only comment regarding housing discussion, according to Laughlin, was from Trustee Mark Evilsizer, stating the Governing Board was giving Dr. Blake the go ahead for further investiga-
tions into the opportunity. “That ‘greenlight’ was never agendized and discussed in open session. This is troubling because members of the public who have concerns about student housing could not give input. The members of PFF have an interest in ensuring the Board is transparent and accountable,” Laughlin said. Email inquiries were sent out to McNamara and Evilsizer, asking for a comment. Evilsizer responded, “any issues dealing with district litigation (pending or actual) are legal matters that the Governing Board must address in closed session. This is prescribed by state law in the Brown Act.” McNamara responded, “with regards to your questions, Laura Gropen will respond for the Board.” Laura Gropen, the Director of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs emailed, “It is District policy not to comment on pending litigation. BNASH@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
SKYLAR MILLER STAFF EDITOR
Palomar College has been plagued with declining enrollment over the past few years. However, this semester the college is experiencing an uptick in enrollment numbers. Enrollment has gone up roughly one percent, which is equates to a few hundred students. This semester we have 24,870 students attending, in comparison to last fall semester, which saw 24,661 students in attendance. Jack Kahn, the Vice President of Instructional Services explained that they have made it a point to provide more classes that students are struggling to get into, and providing more opportunity to get into those specific courses. “One of the major factors that made this year different, is that we were very purposeful about making sure we were adding more classes that
students are trying to get into...We’re going through data and looking to see what are those classes,” Kahn said. Over the summer Palomar opened up both the Fallbrook and Rancho Bernardo Education Centers, which has contributed to the increasing enrollment. “Since I’ve been here, this is the first time we’ve been up in enrollment in the fall” Kahn said. “It’s not just more classes, it’s what classes.” Palomar Promise has also helped with the increased enrollment, bringing in 1,500 new students. The programs design allows for students to come full-time, making sure they get the core classes that they need, and help better prepare them for college life. “As that number grows it’ll continue to be a significant factor, because those students are taking a fulltime load, and of course getting support, and they’re taking classes, that
will be what they need to transfer,” Kahn explained. Palomar has also worked to develop new ways of advertising for the campus. Director of Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs, Laura Gropen, explained how they have added new ways of marketing to their image campaign. “One of the things we’ve done a little bit differently within the last, I would say from spring to now, is that we really diversified into digital media. So we strongly use digital media and gone out into the digital marketplace.” Gropen explained. The new goals with enrollment are working together in order stay inline with the Palomar mission statement which says, “Our mission is to provide an engaging teaching and learning environment for students of diverse origins, experiences, needs, abilities, and goals.” SMILLER@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
4 • FOCUS
October 22, 2018
College Sugar Babies in for a sweet deal MONICA NAVARRETE STAFF EDITOR
Katherine Hall is an SDSU scholar athlete, sorority sister and a webcam girl. For 18 months she was a “sugar baby” to a 60-yearold director of marketing from Ohio. Every night she had a scheduled call with him in which for exchange for a luxury life no college student could afford they held a platonic relationship. Until two months in he introduced her to the webcam life. When asked about her reasoning behind her seeking help from a “sugar daddy”, it was a simple answer , student debt. Student debt in the United States is at $1,580,294,357,419 and is increasing by the minute. Nearly 2 million students are are looking for an escape to get out the choking hands of loans and “sugar daddies” are just what these students were looking for. In the San Diego region signups from UCSD has tripled from the year before for websites such as Seeking Arrangement,What’s your price , Miss. Travel and Seeking MIllionaire. SDSU not far behind having memberships that have
more than doubled. What is the cause for the uptick in interest for these dating sites that connect young “sugar babies”? Many of these “sugar babies” turn to the site in order to find someone to pay for their education,so they can graduate debt-free. Tiffany Brown has an average monthly allowance of $3,000 from her “Sugar daddy” in which lives in Puerto Rico and owns a successful baseball team. He travels three times a month to visit her and just a week prior to the interviewshe had received a brand new car as a reward for her company to his recent Gala. “He’s more than just my daddy that gives me money, he mentors me , makes me feel important when I need it.” said Tiffany Tiffany is a 20-year-old Junior at SDSU that felt proud for having someone supporting her financially and emotionally. “The worst thing is having to come back to your dorm and seeing an empty fridge with an empty stomach.” Tiffany is one of many girls on SDSU campus that has been using websites such as Seeking Arrangement in order to find a way to pay for their expenses as a college student.
Ashley Miran a pre med student at UCSD from a single parent home is another “sugar baby” that relies on financial support from her “sugar daddy” in order to attain a medical education. Ashley hopes to further her education at UCSF, a private school in which tuition ranges from $34,386 to $46,631. She had discovered the website her freshman year, What’s your price, a well known site that pays young women to date, and had been conflicted on whether or not to follow through with it. “I mean when you hear about these sites it seems so surreal you know, someone funding you. But of course there is a price for it.” Ashley had openly admitted in an emotional discussion about the pictures she had to send and the way she felt knowing she had been paid for them. “It felt like there was always a price for my body. He never touched me but I was selling these pictures to him. Every four videos of myself was worth $1,000. When I had no gas,no food I was sending him more than I usually would.” She expressed her deep remorse when initially beginning her journey, but now enjoys feeling no wor-
Sugar Baby Tiffany Brown preparing for web cam show. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Brown.
ry for her fees or bills. It’s a sweet deal no college-aged girl can deny. The minimum payment for these sugar babies are cash and gifts but many more have evolved into getting more than that. They also receive mentorship, investments and business advice. Brandon Wade is the CEO and Founder of these well known sites and specified through an email that his main goal for the sites was to allow these young college students to find people to help them further their education and success. “The term “Sugar Daddy” is no longer reserved for the aged millionaire . It’s become a lifestyle embodied by young, prominent , single men who have genuine , vested interest in adding value to their partners’ life.” he mentioned over email. Mr. Wade also discussed he does not allow escorts or exchange of money for prostitution on his sites. Universities all over the U.S are forcing students to find alternatives in paying for their tuition and fees. Although it was promised that in the CSU system tuition would not be raised for the 2019 year , out of state students are out of luck. A recent vote increased the supplemental tuition for out of state students to $28,992, bringing the new
total for out of state fees to $41,622. But what administrator would truly understand what it is like to go to an empty refrigerator on an empty stomach while they are going home to a full cooked meal. Faculty and administrators claim to remember what it was like to struggle during their college years, but do not seem to want to make a change for those generations after them. As the cost of tuition and rent rises, so does the apparent popularity of such sites among students. But are they really providing financial relief, or signing women up for something more exploitative and dangerous than debt? College-aged girls are finding that some of these “sugar daddies” and their sweet deals are backfiring. After their arrangement is done and all ties seem to be loose, videos and pictures are surfacing once they have reached their career. These arrangements are less vague than prostitution and are known for a materialistic exchange that includes explicit images and videos for a compensation. A compensation that is temporary but a link forever tied to them. Student loans are not covering the tuition or fees that are constantly skyrocketing and it’s time for universities to open their eyes to the deep hole they
are forcing college students to jump in. It should not be difficult for college students to pay for their education. Universities are making it hard for students to see a better future. On the ranking list of top 20 “Sugar Baby” schools are Arizona State, Duke University , and Berkeley. It is absurd that the process to admit to these schools are difficult, but it is even more shameful that to maintain admission there we are expected to pay thousands worth of tuition and fees and yet still focus on our exams. Administrators at SDSU and UCSD failed to comment on their thoughts on having a high percentage of the student population seeking sugar daddy arrangements for financial support after various calls to their offices. We are in control of our education. We are the future. But we are not in control of the elevation of fees for our education. We are not in control of the people of power who stop us from reaching the future. Administrators wake up and help our generation from selling our bodies, presence and most importantly our dignity for an education. MNAVARRETE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
OPINION • 5
the-telescope.com
For the position of Palomar College trustees, we endorse... EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS
The Telescope Focused On Palomar Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 Vol. 72, No. 3 Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.
LINUS SMITH
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BETHANY NASH
MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR
JUSTIN ENRIQUEZ MONICA NAVARRETE
OPINION EDITORS
SKYLAR MILLER VICTORIA PRICE
ARTS & CULTURE EDITORS KRISTA MOORE
SPORTS EDITOR
GEHRIG ROSEN SAMANTHA COX
BLOG EDITORS
ANA ACOSTA
SUPPORT EDITOR
SAVHANNA VARGAS TAYLOR HARDEY
PHOTO EDITORS ERIN HIRO
ADVISOR
The Telescope has decided to endorse Governing Board candidates Lee Dulgeroff and Norma Miyamoto. The decision to make these endorsements has come after conducting interviews with each of the candidates in our newsroom. We are emphatically confident that Dulgeroff will be a good steward for Palomar. He appeared to be the most willing and able candidate to reach out to all Palomar community members, most critically, in our opinion, students. We were encouraged by what seemed to be a strong desire for deeper connections between the Board, and faculty and students. As well as his expressed desire to find avenues of communication with all stakeholders of the college. Of all the candidates, he radiated the highest level of enthusiasm for community colleges and Palomar specifically. We also believe that his experience as chief of facilities planning and construction officer for the San Diego
Unified School District will be a great asset for the Board, as it looks to address student and district needs for facilities in the coming years. In regards to Miyamoto, we were pleased with her long history at Palomar College, as well as the importance she stressed upon working with the faculty and staff to move the college forward in a better decision. In addition, Miyamoto promised to be open to both the Associated Student Government, attending meetings on a regular basis if they desire, and The Telescope, actively engaging with our student journalists. However, it should be noted that not an insignificant number of our staff felt that Miyamoto’s primary point of concern would always rest with faculty and staff, and that she would not place enough importance on the opinions of students. Miyamoto did say she hopes that by improving faculty and staff morale it would propell student success, nonetheless, we are concerned that the at-
tentiondriven toward them will detract from the student voice. Please prove us wrong.
Who we did not endorse As for those we did not endorse, we felt that they fell short in one, or several critical areas of importance for our staff. Governing Board incumbent, Mark Evilsizer, was under heavy consideration for our second endorsement. We were impressed with his many years of experience on the Board, and his plans to explore additional revenue sources for the college so that Palomar would not be as dependent upon the state as it is currently. Most of all, however, we were pleased to hear his enthusiasm about addressing the needs of Latino students on campus by looking into providing them with their own center, such as the veterans and LGBTQ communities have. Evilsizer is also the only
candidate that has been continually tried and tested by our current staff in regards to being responsive to our journalists, and has shown himself to be cooperative in at least most of our efforts to reach out. However, in the end, our decision rests upon finding new faces to lead the Governing Board in a different direction that will be drastically more communicative with the college community than it is now. In his answer to our question about communicating with students, he cited the student trustee position on the Board, and their responsibilities with communicating to the Board student needs. Whereas we admire the importance Evilsizer stresses upon that position, we don’t believe it is enough to capture a comprehensive understanding about what student needs are on campus; especially seeing as how communication with that individual is limited to usually only on Board meeting per month.
Candidate Aimee Keith, while the staff agreed she was the most likable of the candidates, did not possess a strong history with Palomar, or an appropriate level of experience with college governance. Former Governing Board Trustee, RoseMarie Dishman, we felt was lacking in the desire to change the Board and mold it into a more communicative body that would have increased interaction with students, faculty and staff on campus. This November election has much at stake at both the federal and state level, but we must not forget the importance of this Governing Board election. The individuals who win these seats will directly, and greatly impact the quality of not only our education on campus, but also the quality of our college community as a whole. It is critical that your voices are heard through the black ink bled onto the ballots this Nov. 6.
been scammed for years and they’re oblivious to the fact that Apple is charging them for software features, hardware features, and accessories that Samsung phones had for decades. You then buy the Apple Watch ($400) because you need a watch and the Apple brand is all you’ve known your whole life. Apple has got you right where they want you and now you’re stuck within the Apple ecosystem. Your blind to the other brands which have plenty more to offer and by then it’s too late to realize that you just spent $3000+ when in reality you could have spent less for more. The Apple brand is more of a fashion statement, a financial status, an accessory, and people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Aside from the price and new processing technology that the new iPhones have to offer, everyone always looks towards how much better the cameras have improved from their last batch. The brand new IPhoneXS’ cameras are “True Depth.” What this means is that the front and back cameras utilize infrared and multiple sensors to enhance the infrared. In short, these cameras are more powerful in the
sense that it does a very good job at sensing depth and distance allowing pictures to show more than ever. If you’re looking to upgrade, I think that it only makes sense if you upgrade if you’re somehow still stuck with the iPhone 4, 5, or 6. But if you currently have the iPhone 7 or better it doesn’t make too much sense to upgrade. If you do see the need to upgrade for whatever reason, I believe that the iPhone XR is the best for you considering its very low price range. However, if that’s still too high for you, the iPhone 7 and 8 are still available for purchase between $500 and $700. While the iPhone XR is the best cheapest Apple product on the market, it costs $140 more than a 256GB Samsung Galaxy S9 plus and $350 more than the Google Pixel 2. These alternative brands of phones also feature top quality technology some of which are actually better than Apple. In conclusion, unless you’re stuck with a very old version of the iPhone, there is no reason to upgrade to the iPhone XS or XR.
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DESIGN MANAGER
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iPhone reaches its end NATHAN NAVIDA GERALD LIGERALDE STAFF WRITERS
Apple thinks it’s ok to sell a $1000 plus flagship with minimal improvements then we should feel wholeheartedly sorry for people who buy iPhones in general. After the release of the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, the race for best smartphone of 2018 has begun with Apple and Samsung at each other’s throats once again. In this world of consumerism, the brand name is everything and Apple has its sheep - people who upgrade every year - shep-
herded into its money pen once again. Apple tries to be innovative each year boasting its A12 bionic chip for faster performance, larger 6.5” display which still has a notch, and “breakthrough dual-camera system.” Apple thinks it’s ok to sell a $1000 plus flagship with minimal improvements then I feel wholeheartedly sorry for people who buy iPhones in general. Let’s just recap what Samsung’s flagship Note 9 has that Apple’s flagship iPhone Xs Max doesn’t at the $1000 price:
Larger battery (4000 mAh on Note 9) vs (3174 mAh on iPhone Xs Max) More storage (128 GB standard on Note 9) vs (64 GB standard on iPhone Xs Max) Expandable storage (expanded micro SD on Note 9) vs ($150 for more storage on iPhone Xs), included fast charger (Apple sells it separately) Included S-Pen (iPhone Xs doesn’t offer one), fingerprint reader (iPhone X got rid of it) Included headphone jack (It’s awkward how this is a thing now) Consumers who buy iPhones every year have
NNAVIDA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM GLIGERALDE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
6 • OPINION
October 22, 2018
Racism - America’s new favorite pastime ASHLEY ROMERO STAFF WRITER
Racial slurs fuel fan brawl at Wrigley Field America has been known as a melting pot of cultures for more than 200 years. With that being said, it is disappointing to see that we, as citizens of the same country, still cannot coexist with one another.During Hispanic Heritage Night an ugly, racially fueled brawl unfolded in the stands amongst Cubs fans at Wrigley Field. After security broke the fight, a group of White men shouted racial slurs towards a group of Hispanic fans.Witness Danny Rockett caught the fight on video and took to social media with it. Although the true nature of what started the fight is unknown, when asked about how it started on Twitter, Rockett responded with a single word: “Racism.” Rockett also tweeted, “Dudes were racist. Didn’t see the first punch. But I saw the 3rd-56th.” As the fight fizzled out, a Hispanic female victim yelled to security, who appeared to all be White, “You, you, and you will never know what it’s like,” alluding to racial issues minorities predominately face in America today. The Cubs organization has a zero tolerance policy for violence and all parties
involved were escorted out of the park and barred from Wrigley Field for the remainder of 2018. This of course was not the first altercation involving racism and it certainly will not be the last. To be a minority in America is terrifying to most. They say violence is never the answer and most of us can agree that we stand somewhere in between the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X when it comes to discrimination. But when adrenaline kicks in violence can become an externality. In this case it was a response of defense against racism. As a minority myself I can understand why. It is mentally exhausting to always have your guard up especially in day-to-day moments like going to the grocery store, getting coffee or watching your favorite sports team. What was said at the game would have never been said to another white person. If the Hispanic victims were African-American, Middle Eastern or another ethnicity the racial slurs wouldn’t go unsaid, they’d just be interchanged. Racism has become a reality of life in America for many minorities but it shouldn’t be a norm of our society. It doesn’t help that our own president refers to Hispanics as rapists and criminals. Despite backgrounds,
minorities in this country work for a better tomorrow. But it’s hard to see that better tomorrow when you constantly feel like you are under the White man’s magnifying glass. I am not saying every White person in America is racist but they do not have to spend much of their mental energy worrying about this happening to them. They do not get mentally exhausted wondering how they are perceived by other races because it’s not something they get faced with on a daily basis. To not be White in America is to constantly feel wrong. There is never a right time or place for us. In a poll done by Gallup news 46% of African Americans and 36% of Hispanics said they personally experienced discrimination in the month prior because of their ethnic background. We want respect and rights just like everyone else who is seen as an individual. We do not want to be looked at different because of the color our skin or how thick our accents are. Is that really asking for much? The belief that one day the country could somehow move past racism is sadly an unrealistic dream for many in today’s society. Something so complex and historically layered does not magically dissolve into the air one day. If we really want to stop this confront others. Openly talk
about and educate others on the obscured forms of discrimination happening every day that have been superseded. No matter the race we need to ask ourselves how it would feel to be publicly humiliated for the color of our skin or the way that we look. To dehumanize a person, especially in a time where culture is being celebrated, is immoral.
To not be white in America is to constantly feel wrong. - Ashley Romano
AROMERO@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Photo courtesy by the Chicago-Sun Times
Kava-naw, the end of American morality LINUS SMITH STAFF EDITOR
Brett Kavanaugh shouldn’t have been appointed to the Supreme Court, because America needs more leaders, not pussy grabbers. Appointing Kavanaugh, with such an accusation of sexual assault hanging over him, is an outright betrayal of our moral character as a nation. It presents the United States in an unflattering light to the rest of the world when we do not stand with sexual assault victims, and it further compromises the security sexual assault victims can feel when they come forward with their stories.. Let’s be clear, the accusations made against Kavanaugh are very credible. Christine Blasey-Ford called for an FBI investigation into the matter (something that you wouldn’t do if you were lying), Kavanaugh has on multiple occasions refused to do the same (something you would do if you were
lying). Also, Ford and her family, since making her allegations, have received numerous death threats. In this extremely polarized America, it’s not difficult to that foreseen such a circumstance, which further begs the question: why would she be coming out knowing it would draw national condemnation, if she did not feel it was of national importance? The GOP (grabbers of pussy) realized these things when they were making their declarations of advocation for Kavanaugh, they just didn’t care. This is not the first time they have ignored such atrocities, remember Judge Roy Moore in last year’s special Senate election for Alabama? Where Moore was accused on credible allegations of being a child molester? Remember Donald Trump two years ago when the video of him bragging
about grabbing women by the pussy came out? No matter the credibility of the allegation, the Trump party will never stand with women, because they don’t care. But for those who don’t believe the allegations made against Kavanaugh are credible enough, let’s just assume for a moment he is telling the truth. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Sept. 27 exposed him for what he is: a raging red faced GOP pawn whose only objective is to advance the Trump agenda. During his Senate hearing he attacked his opposition saying “this whole two week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit. Fueled with apparent pent up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election … revenge on behalf of the Clinton’s, and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing oppositions groups.” Then, just seconds laters he said
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., administers the Constitutional Oath to Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh in the Justices’ Conference Room, Supreme Court Building. Mrs. Ashley Kavanaugh holds the Bible. Fred Schilling/ Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States.
“last time I was here, I told this committee that a federal judge must be independent, not swayed by public or political pressure. I said I was such a judge, and I am.” If we learned one thing from the Senate hearing, it’s that Kavanaugh is swayed by public and political pres-
sure, does not in the least bit wield the necessary judicial demeanor, and he has fully embraced the partisan political system. If you don’t wish to see the moral integrity of America fade into nothingness through evil and bitter men like Kavanaugh, then
do something about it. Vote this November. Get angry, and speak out. Your voice is worthless if you’re not using it, so get cracking. LSMITH@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
ELECTION • 7
the-telescope.com
ROSEMARIE DISHMAN
WHAT IS YOUR CAREER & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? So, University of Missouri background, and then Riverside Master and PhD in Physics. Then an MBA from San Diego State. Then work wise, when I got out of school I went to Athens, Greece, so I worked at Demokritos Nuclear Research Center. Then I came back to the States, and it was hard at that time to find jobs particularly for women honestly. So I taught a one-year sabbatical
replace at San Diego State in the physics department. Then I got a full time job at United States International University … it had a very diverse student body, very diverse programs. Then I saw an ad in the paper for DeVry University, and I had known a person who was working up there, so I applied and I got the job. I was head of academics for the campus, and then the presi-
dent retired, and they said ‘do you want to be president?’ and I said ‘okay, I’ll be president.’ After that, they started wanting to do buildings, building different campuses. So, besides Ramona where I was the president, I built West Hills, Long Beach, Las Vegas, and then there was a small campus down here.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? I’ve spent my life with education, and I’ve learned a lot. When I was going to school I really did have a lot of people helping me psychologically. I think to give back to students that need for somebody to push you, you know again, most of my life I was the only woman in most of my classes and I had some great teach-
ers that really did encourage me to go through and finish the program. I think that’s what students need, I think they need to have that kind of background. So I’ve done lots of diverse student population, facilities program development, administration educational leadership, and then my 15
years, probably really 20 years by the time you add in the adjunct teaching I had done and the two full-times. Probably about 20 years in the classroom, and really big classrooms with lots of students and lots of diverse students.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN PROMISE & GOAL?
I was on the Board for four years from 2008 to 2012, and I think the real promise is when you look at what was developed for mission and goals at that time, and it
is still in your strategic plans, it’s still current. The goal is really learning for success, that is the vision of Palomar, and I would say that is my vision. No matter what happens, stu-
dents are the end product, so you can talk about faculty, you can talk about staff and everything, but the students have to be successful. That’s what the goal would be.
WHAT SEPERATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES? I think if you look, all the other candidates running have a very different back-
ground. My education by far separates me from all the other candidates, and my ed-
ucational work background is really excessively extensive.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH PALOMAR, AND WHY IS THE COLLEGE IMPORTANT TO YOU? There is a Board opening, there are two openings and one incumbent is running but you have one that is just kind of there. So when I saw that you all really need somebody, and when you apply to be on this campaign you really don’t know who’s going to sign up, so I didn’t know if anybody was going to sign up. It could have been nobody, so I saw there was a need for the campus that needed somebody to sign up. It really is important to me because people in Poway and Rancho Bernardo, they
don’t even know Palomar exist practically. My neighbor, I keep telling him he’s got to stop going to Miramar, that he needs to come up here. The outreach needs to be more, I think that besides student diversity and retention, I think one of the big deals is going out to the community and making people understand who Palomar is. The other thing that I have done a lot of work on is retention, and right now the economy is so good that most students take jobs and don’t go to school, and it’s really honestly
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PALOMAR, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? Again, I think the retention is going to be a big issue, if it isn’t right now it will be a big issue that needs to be addressed right now. The outreach is another big. Palomar has great facilities, most of
[the new buildings] happened while I was on the Board, and the other ones that didn’t finish were in the process. One of the things I think also, is that Rancho Bernardo Center is a real gem for the
community, they don’t understand that. They think about traffic and whether the students are going to park on their street, so that’s their big issue, so we have to overcome that.
HOW WILL YOU HELP IMPROVE BOARD RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY? That’s difficult, I think the Board is usually pretty transparent, the minutes from the Board meetings are online. The problem is, I think the ones that create the problem are the ones that go into closed session, and whether
they can be more transparent on what happens in closed session sometimes can be a real question. The goal of the Board really isn’t to run the institution, it’s to set guidelines after you’ve all set the institution’s ..
say like the vision statement of learning for success, and the mission statement. That’s what the Board is supposed to do, is to be sure the institution is following that.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TALKING TO STUDENTS, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS? On the Board you don’t spend a lot of time … One of the things that needs to happen, is, and I think it does in a lot of cases, but not in all cases. Faculty are very important to directing students, and
they do serve the first step in that retention issue. If they see their student is not coming to class they need to start actively calling that person, sending emails or texts, saying ‘why aren’t you
coming?’ maybe giving them two days or three days thinking ‘maybe they’re sick.’ But they need to be the first link to start the process.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS’ BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? The concept of who is influencing [students], the external influence is so huge on the girls in particular, a lot of times [the parents] want them to get married. That’s just the way it is, so they need
to get motivation from here, you know to say ‘no come, keep coming.’ The guys a lot of times, the same thing, their dad’s are saying ‘well I want to you come work with me, lets go
do this.’ So that’s why if they meet people on campus, that’s where the camaraderie has to be built so you keep the students.
DO YOU PLAN ON HOLDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT BODY AFTER ELECTION, HOW?
for young students in parI’m not sure how much was on the Board, the Board continued in the last few ticular, it’s not the best thing students want the Govern- did go to a lot of things and years, is my understanding. for them to do. They need to ing Board to actually be … that total Board tended to go But if the students invite come and get their education, Any event that I’m invited to a lot of things they were people usually they will go. so I think retention is one of to, I tend to go to. So when I invited to. I don’t think that’s the really big issues that Palomar is going to face in the WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE TELESCOPE IS, next few years.” HOW IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY? I think you all are doing a great job of keeping whatever is happening [covered] so that everybody knows. [Palomar] is not something that
anybody else is covering, the newspapers aren’t covering it, it’s sad but they’re not. The only way to do it is for you all to continue to be the voice for
Palomar and to try to get The Telescope to as many people as you can.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? No, I think we covered
pretty much everything.
8 • ELECTION
October 22, 2018
NORMA MIYAMOTO
WHAT IS YOUR CAREER & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? I was a communications and journalism major with both a bachelors and masters degree. I taught journalism for eight years at Mira Costa College, and I was the advisor for the campus newspaper. I have about 30 years of experience in community college education, nine were teaching and 21 in primarily with administration. I think the interesting per-
spective that I will bring to being a trustee, is that in the community college setting, I have worked in nearly every classification of employee. In that I served 18 months at MiraCosta College as a news writer, that was a classified employee, I served here at Palomar as an administrator. After I retired in 2015, I came back on two different temporary assignments, and was do-
ing special projects and dean assignments, in that capacity I was a temporary employee. I’ve been a full time faculty, and a part time faculty. So I really have a broad perspective from an employee base, of what the community college environment consists of, and I think that will be very helpful as I serve in a trustee role
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? A couple reasons. I realized after I retired, that I retired a little too soon, and that I still need purpose in my life. But most importantly, is I really do love Palomar. As I got out of the car this morning and I was walking in across campus, and I got [students]
during passing hour, the campus was buzzing. I see the students walking… it just feels good. I still have my heart and soul here, I like seeing young people, learning and exploring their world and I like being a part of that. I also believe in the Dave
Ramsey kind of theory, that the retirement years are for service and for giving back. I’m fortunate enough to really not need to earn a living at this point, and yet, I still want to work, and so I will do so hopefully in this service capacity.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN PROMISE & GOAL? One is to be accessible to all stakeholders. I want to be available for meetings, phone calls, emails, texts, whatever technology I’m capable of
using. But I will be available. I believe that has been one of the challenges right now on campus, it’s a little bit of an inability to gain accurate
information. But you do so as a trustee by listening, and asking questions of the stakeholders involved.
WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES? My knowledge and experience at Palomar College, that is truly what I bring to the table. Because of my knowledge and experience of how this organization oper-
ates I know what questions should be asked, and I also believe that my journalism training.. You know, I know where to dig and how to dig and where to go to, to get the
information needed. So I would say both my academic career training, and my experience of this college makes me a unique candidate.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH PALOMAR, AND WHY IS THE COLLEGE IMPORTANT TO YOU? I served 19 years in a permanent capacity. I started actually as the manager of marketing communications with my journalism background. Then about four years later I
competed for, and was successful in attaining the position of director of extended education, so that moved me to the instruction side of the house.
After that position, my last eight years as interim dean and then permanent dean.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PALOMAR, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? I know personally that employee morale is very low. We tend to have a motto here at Palomar, “Students first”, and I believe that but I’m going to modify that slightly and say employees first. Because the employees, the staff, the faculty, are the ones that
take care of the students. They meet the students’ needs, both in services provided and instruction. If the employees pull in the parking lot in the morning, don’t feel great about being here, don’t feel valued, don’t feel heard, they are not
going to be able to serve [students] as well as they should be. I think that we need to be very cognizant of the people and the work follows, and the work gets done better and the students get served better.
HOW WILL YOU HELP IMPROVE BOARD RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY? I as a trustee would be available to all stakeholders, I’m going to listen, and I’m going to ask the appropriate questions. I believe that there’s been somewhat of an edict, and it’s not all that uncommon that trustees are to communicate only with the superintendent president.
This not unique to Palomar, but when you have that one conduit of information there is potential for the information being, not inaccurate, but it’s one source and you know that you need several sources, because there are many perspectives to every issue. I will personally as
a trustee make sure that I’m talking and listening to different stakeholders. I will urge my fellow trustees to do the same. So that we’re not just listening to the administration’s viewpoint
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TALKING TO STUDENTS, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS? Right now, not a lot of time but I certainly will in the future. I can certainly make myself available. As the superintendent/president does, there’s a standing hour once
a week where I’m available on campus. How are you really going to understand students’ needs without speaking [to] and hearing [them]. I think as a former dean, I will continue
that dialogue and let students who I am and how they can find me, I will make time for that.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS’ BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT?
For most students, it’s money, it’s resources, it’s time. Most students are juggling a lot of things, this is not your full time job. It’s about stu-
dents finding all the financial resources that are available resources, you know accessing those resources and being successful here. Every
class you take here is part of your permanent record, so your time hre as students is extremely important, and it follows you.
DO YOU PLAN ON HOLDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT BODY AFTER ELECTION, HOW? Absolutely. By making sure the student body knows I’m accessible. The Associated Student Government is the
vehicle on campus that represents the whole, so I will make myself known to that group and be open to an invitation
from them to attend their meetings on a regular basis if they so desire.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE TELESCOPE IS, HOW IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY? First and foremost it’s a learning vehicle for [the students].It’s an experience that replicates the real world in
a fairly safe environment. Number two, it’s a voice, it’s a real newspaper, so it should be treated and regarded with
respect. It’s a vehicle for news and for conveying important, newsworthy items.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I just want to stress how important it is for community colleges to continue to thrive in our community I’ve lived a fair amount time, but I don’t have all the answers, and I think the an-
swers are out there amongst all of you. I think that I can hopefully be a conduit to bring everyone together, a catalyst to move us forward together. It’s definitely not about me running for this of-
fice, it’s not about me. I’m not interested in fame or fortune here, I just want to give back to the community - it’s more about making the school a better place.
ELECTION • 9
the-telescope.com
MARK EVILSIZER
WHAT IS YOUR CAREER & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? I have a Bachelors in science in business administration from the University of Redlands. I also have a Masters of arts degree in executive management from Claremont Graduate
University. I just retired from my career in aerospace. I was involved in aerospace engineering and manufacturing for over 32 years. I’ve worked on a lot of exciting projects
in the aerospace industry. Everything form B2 bombers to F18 fighters to things I can’t talk about to commercial aircraft. I’m a retired aerospace analyst.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? I served on the board for 16 years. I was going to retire because I’m retired from my aerospace career. I decided to run again now that I have more time to be able to
devote to Palomar College. I like serving the college, I like helping students. I like all of the wonderful things we’ve done over the 16 years that I’ve been a Board member
It’s great to learn and teach in new spaces like this. I want to perpetuate and keep that going.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN PROMISE & GOAL? I have a lot of vision looking forward for the college. I want to continue providing things for students. I think that student housing is an important requirement for the future. Housing costs in North County are exceedingly high. It’s hard for students
to afford an apartment. So if we have affordable student housing on campus, I think that’s a very worthwhile goal. Innovative programs for students, like our drone technology that is really cool. Artificial intelligence, cyber security, cloud computing.
There’s just so many emerging fields. If we have programs that help our students get good paying jobs out there, then it’s a win-win. Those are the kinds of things that I want to have.
WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES? Probably my experience. You know 16 years is a lot of experience and I think I’m one of the few candidates that has a vision for new programs and projects for the campus. One of the other things I think that campus can really use to generate revenue which would help us with student
scholarships, providing financial aid for students are things like a solar farm out in Borrego Springs. We have approximately 300 acres of land donated to the district out in Borrego Springs. We can use unused land, our 86 acres out there in Fallbrook to lease to
businesses again to generate sustainable revenue. Those are the kinds of things I’m working with the Board on. We’re working with the President to explore and just get information on that before we bring it up with the public and get the shared governance process on it.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH PALOMAR, AND WHY IS THE COLLEGE IMPORTANT TO YOU? I started teaching at Palomar college in 1996. I was a part time instructor. I taught in the business curriculum. I taught a supervisory class for five years. As a part-time
instructor I looked around me and saw that part time faculty were not getting paid what they were worth. They didn’t qualify for any office hours or health benefits. I helped
organize the Palomar Faculty Federation in 2000/2001. I was elected for the board in 2002. So it’s a long history.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PALOMAR, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? I think that the budget for the college needs to not be solely dependent on Sacramento. If we generate some of these revenue generating sources like a solar farm, leasing land to retail businesses to generate
income from the district, that makes us less dependent on Sacramento for our budget. The funding formula is going to change over time so I think it’s very important for the district to explore alternative revenue generating bonds.
Money drives so much, it drives programs, facilities, and hiring faculty.
HOW WILL YOU HELP IMPROVE BOARD RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY? I’ve always had an opendoor policy with the faculty, and often times they don’t approach me as often as they should. I’m willing to answer emails, telephone calls. I think communication is very important. I think town hall
meetings would perhaps be a very important venue to have, with all constituencies, not just the faculty, not just the union, but the classified staff, students, The Telescope. So we can get the word out and everybody can share
information accurately about what’s really going on, not innuendos, not hearsay, not rumors. So communication is a very important thing that I’d like to see.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TALKING TO STUDENTS, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS? I run into a lot of students when I’m just out and about in the community. I work with a lot of young people, I’m on the Board of Encuentros
leadership. Encuentros is a non-profit organization that’s committed to working with Latino males to keep them in school to get them
into college and get them to come out with a degree or certificate.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS’ BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? I think because so many of our students are first generation in their family to attend college, many are low income. [We need] to ensure that we have a welcoming
atmosphere here at Palomar College, and provide students services to them. If you don’t feel welcome, if you feel alienated in some fashion, your chances are
probably higher than if you felt welcome and had a space to share with students such as yourself.
DO YOU PLAN ON HOLDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT BODY AFTER ELECTION, HOW? We have a student government president on our Board, they sit on the Governing Board and their role is to help the Board communicate and hear from the ASG. Who hopefully are spreading the net wide with
the student body to relate to us what their concerns and issues are. [Also], again often times just talking with students, being in the community or hearing from friends what some of their challenges
and issue are. Or reading stories from The Telescope, that’s another source of information where we can hear about student concerns and perspectives.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE TELESCOPE IS, HOW IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY? I think that The Telescope is a very important means of communication for the campus. It informs the students, faculty and
community members about things that are going on around campus. Everything from Governing Board meetings, to student athletic
events, to theatrical plays, to editorials from the students. But its primary purpose I think is to help train journalists.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? You know, one of the things I’d really like to see at Palomar.. We have perhaps the highest number of veterans of any college or university in the State of California. We carve out special spaces for our veterans to support them. They have computers they can use in the Veterans Center, they have counselling, and tutoring services. The LGBTQ commuity has similar space and services. I’d like to see us institute a Latino service center. Because Latinos are the
quickest, fasting growing demographic at the college, and I feel many of them have special challenges and need a space of their own … I think if we had space dedicated for Latino students that would be very, very useful - and help the college to retain Latino students. Another opportunity for the college is more faculty diversity. Over 70 percent of our faculty are white, I’m white, I have nothing against white people. But we need to have more teacher
demographics that mirror the student demographics. Research clearly shows that when you have professors or teachers in the classroom that look like you, that can relate to you, that share your journey, your chance of success are even higher. Now the faculty here at Palomar are outstanding, I have nothing against the faculty, they’re the draw for the college … but I’d like to see us make some inroads on hiring for diversity.
10 • ELECTION
October 22, 2018
LEE DULGEROFF
WHAT IS YOUR CAREER & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? I earned my undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in aerospace engineering. I did take some community college classes while I was going to San Diego State, in fact one of my favorite professors was a community college professor who taught philosophy 101. So I studied undergraduate at San Diego State, and then I went on and got a Master’s degree in computer information systems. I worked as a engineering
and defense worker for about a decade, and then one of my former bosses reached out to me and he was working on a program to rebuild schools in San Diego, K-12 schools. He said I really need some help turning around this program, because it’s gotten behind schedule. Initially it was kind of outside my normal area of expertise but I decided to check it out and I kind of fell in love with the mission of renovating schools, designing new schools.
My family background is I have a number of teachers in my family and my wife’s family as well, so we’ve always really valued education, and I always think of education as something that really transforms the lives of people … I’ve worked [at San Diego Unified School District] designing and building new schools for the last 18 years, and really kind of transforming the teaching and learning environments there.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? I’m running because I really believe in public education, I think the community college level is a place where we can transform our society and make it better. I think there is just amazing potential here at Palomar. My daughter attended Palomar College, my sister got her nursing degree here at
Palomar College, so I saw the differences it made in my own immediate family, but also my daughter’s boyfriend goes to school here now, and is looking to transfer. I just see how important community colleges are to our society in really providing that framework and support for students who are looking
to better themselves, provide themselves with a broader perspective of the whole framework of knowledge, and also getting the classes out of the way that are needed for transfer and getting it done at a reasonable cost.
put some quantifiable metric to that, I guess it would be expanding the number of students and classes that Palo-
mar serves. My goal would be to help grow the college in terms of its services to the community.
WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES? I know one of the other candidates pretty well, Norma Miyamoto, I know her. I know Mark Evilsizer a little bit, I met him a few times. The other candidates I would say I don’t know very well. But in terms of my strengths, I think I’m a good listener. In terms of the achieving the goals I mentioned earlier, [I intend to] go out and actually spend time with students
and th faculty and listen to what they think about how to make Palomar College a better place and how to expand the opportunities here. So I think my strength is I will work collaboratively with all the stakeholders. In my current career, when we design a new school facilities, we don’t just go off in some corner somewhere and design something, we actually
reach out. We do a process called design taskforce where all the parents and even the high school students get involved in designing the new facility or the renovated facility. We do it through the process of multiple meetings with lots of listening, and lots of interaction to make sure the facility we build ultimately exactly meets the needs of the students.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH PALOMAR, AND WHY IS THE COLLEGE IMPORTANT TO YOU? I mentioned earlier I have some close family connections, my daughter, my daughter’s boyfriend and my sister all attended Palomar College. I have friends that either work here, or I’ve had
friends that have attended school here. So with my sister graduating from school here and becoming a nurse, and my daughter and her boyfriend, and friends and family con-
It feels like there is disconnect. ‘Cause the last couple of Board meetings I’ve gone to, people come to the microphone and have expressed concerns about a disconnect
about some of the decisions [they’re] making. So I think the biggest challenge right now is getting everyone together, and getting the collective vision. Devel-
oping a collective vision of the college, with the input of students and faculty, and then translating that into Board actions that will propel the college forward.
HOW WILL YOU HELP IMPROVE BOARD RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY? First of all, I am a big advocate of transparency and open government. I think that the public’s business should be conducted in the open. There are only a few things in spe-
cific areas that shouldn’t be conducted in the public. But for the most part, all aspects of the public’s business should be discussed and debated openly, there shouldn’t be any
fear of having an open dialogue about ideas. If I’m elected, I’m committed to openness, transparency, and as I mentioned, collaboration.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TALKING TO STUDENTS, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS? Well, I’d say not enough. I do have a college student for a daughter … But I would like to spend more time on campus. I was thinking about setting up some time and a
space where people can come in and share ideas about what they think will make the school better and move the school forward. My goal, in order to talk
more with students would be to have some kind of an office hour so I can learn more from you.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS’ BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT?
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN PROMISE & GOAL? I would like to see the school grow to better support the community and achieve its full potential. If we were to
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PALOMAR, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT?
nections, those are some of my deep connections with palomar. I just think that it’s a great transformative place to be, and I want to make it better.
Some of the biggest challenges that I see relate to time and money. You know college
is not as affordable as it was when I was in college, and I am sorry to say that we as a
society need to do a better job of supporting our students by making it more affordable.
DO YOU PLAN ON HOLDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT BODY AFTER ELECTION, HOW? I would like to have some kind of an office hour, where I’m open to meeting with
the students and faculty on campus … I’m accessible to anybody who wants to come
in and have conversation.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE TELESCOPE IS, HOW IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY?
I think newspapers and the media in general are very important, especially today. Here on Palomar College, the
work that you do at The Telescope, informing the students here, and the faculty on what’s going on around campus ..
local news is probably the most important news because it really affects people directly.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I just want to stress how important it is for community colleges to continue to thrive in our community I’ve lived a fair amount time, but I don’t have all the answers, and I think the answers are out there amongst
all of you. I think that I can hopefully be a conduit to bring everyone together, a catalyst to move us forward together. It’s definitely not about me running for this office, it’s not about me. I’m not interested in fame or fortune
here, I just want to give back to the community - it’s more about making the school a better place.
ELECTION • 11
the-telescope.com
AIMEE KEITH
WHAT IS YOUR CAREER & EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND? I went to Southwestern College in Chula Vista. When I got out of highschool I obtained an Associates of arts in economics. I was originally studying political science but I ended up getting married and I wanted to start a family so I thought economics would be better. Then
I had a couple kids and then I went to University of Phoenix. I continued to my Bachelor’s degree in accounting, which was something I could do with a family and it wouldn’t require too much time away from them. I worked retail for about ten years and then I tran-
sitioned to the field of accounting. I’ve been in the accounting industry about 18 years, doing credit and collections and accounts receivable and different implementation projects for companies that want to convert their data from one system to another system platform.
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? I’ve always been super involved in my kids’ lives, their friends, what they were going through, their developmental process and now both of my kids are
college age. I figured this would be kind of a good way for me to get to know what they’re going through and what they’re facing. The different decisions
they’re needing to make and what’s being presented to them, so that I could have a better idea of what they’re going through.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN PROMISE & GOAL? I don’t really have one. I’m absolutely new to this entire process. I’ve just been a hardworking individual my whole life. I’m not the political type of person. I have my beliefs definitely, and I vote them, but I’ve never been one to really think of myself as someone that had political
motives or and end game. I just basically like doing the right thing, that I think is ethical and moral and good for the benefit of the people. The purpose of the Board is to help the students achieve their goals, and help the faculty achieve their goals, and I don’t know what those are
right now, so if I was elected then I would pursue that. I would want to find out from the people most affected by the college. What their goals are and then I would want to support them. Because I feel like that’s what the Board is for.
WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER CANDIDATES? Well, considering that I don’t know the other candidates and I don’t know what they stand for, I don’t
really know the answer to that. I just know that I am genuine … I know that I don’t have any ulterior mo-
tives, and genuinely I just want to help people. Bottom line.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH PALOMAR, AND WHY IS THE COLLEGE IMPORTANT TO YOU? I don’t have history with Palomar College, but both my kids go to GrossmontCuyamaca and I don’t live
in that area so I can’t run for that Board, so I’m running for this one.
people that want to be involved, and not people that don’t want to be involved and I like involving people that don’t really have an end goal - they just want to be honest and sincere in their expressions.
Well, I can only speak for myself and only control my own actions. I definitely have responsive time at work. Currently, I have a responsive time of two minutes to emails and requests and if it takes me longer, I just respond saying that I’m going to work
on this and it’s going to be my priority. I’m transparent as an individual, just my whole life. That’s how I work. I don’t know any other way. So I definitely would be transparent and if there was something that people didn’t want to know, I
would let them know that too, because there is a reason for whatever results there are, and if we can alter them then we need to go that route and not hide it.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TALKING TO STUDENTS, AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS? Well, this is my first time running so right now, zero. But I would dedicate
a substantial amount of time, because that would be the point of the Board.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS’ BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? I don’t know what students’ biggest problems right now, but I would learn them. Typically, people that are struggling have ideas of the solution. Whenever there is an issue, the people that are being affected usually have an idea of what solution
they want, they just don’t know how to implement it or how to get it to the right people. So that would be my position on the Board, to match up the issues with the solution. Not necessarily my ideas, but I feel that as students, you know the
issues you’re facing and you kind of have an idea of the solution you would like, you just don’t have the power to implement it.
DO YOU PLAN ON HOLDING A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT BODY AFTER ELECTION, HOW? Definitely would, because that would be the point of the Board. So I like conducting forum and it would be, obviously conducive of my time, but also to the student’s time, their availability and I would sit
here and ask what are concerns, what are issues, what would you like to see the Board act on, what is the Board doing that you just think is nonsense? I would get your feedback and I would take it
to the Board and [say] ‘this is the feedback that I have, can we work on this or what are the obstacles to working on this.’
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE TELESCOPE IS, HOW IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY?
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING PALOMAR, AND HOW WOULD YOU HELP FIX IT? I feel like sometimes the leadership is a little disconnected from the people that are being affected by the decisions being made. So I like doing my own research, and doing my own forums, and involving
HOW WILL YOU HELP IMPROVE BOARD RELATIONS WITH THE FACULTY?
So, that’s what I would do. I would just want to sit and chat with people that are affected by decisions that you have no control over.
I think that The Telescope is a great informational tool to cascade information to the student body in a rapid form. I think that written word is critical to society, and I
know we get away from it. I think that the role of newspaper and media is critical and people don’t give it the credibility that it should have. Just to make sure that
the information is disseminated and that there is nothing hidden and everyone knows the same thing and that everybody has the same information at the same time.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I don’t think I do, no.
12 • HALLOWEEN
October 22, 2018
A FRIEND AFTER MIDNIGHT JUSTIN ENRIQUEZ JOSEPH RENTERIA STAFF
I live in a rural town in Montana surrounded by woods and dirt roads that stretch for miles. My house sits on the corner with the road next to it, the cars passing behind while the headlights lights glimmer like diamonds. Pedestrians normally walk on the side, their shoes sliding on the rocky pavement. The road eventually leads into a forest, filled mainly with campers and sightseeing pedestrians. As I was walking home one night, the woods that covered the boundaries of the pavement were illuminated by the light of the full moon. My headphones were playing music, but not loud enough to quiet the howling wind that was moving the woods from side to side. The strong winds rolled in like waves, stopping for a few moments and then returning again. Suddenly, an eerie noise came from behind me. Cautiously, I lowered the volume of my music, my heart punding. The curiosity to turn around was strong, but not strong enough to permit me to do so. My pace quickened in the night as I attempted to rush out of the woods, fearing the outcome of turning around and discovering what could possibly be following me. Within seconds the sound became quicker and deeper, almost as if the dirt below my feet was being pulled away. “I can’t look back,” I thought, but curiosity eventually swall owed me completely. As I turned my head, I spotted the culprit of the quaking fear that consumed me. The sight of a dismembered clown with runny pale makeup and a colorful suit came into view. It was running towards me at an ungodly speed. My breathing quickened and I turned around to run as fast as I could to reach my home. With my breath short, I repeatedly looked back and forth between the path to my house and the clown that
followed closely behind me. The sound of its crazed laughter and sreeches filled my ears. I followed the familiar path back home and stumbled to grab the keys to my front door from my pocket. I could still hear footsteps as I reached my front porch. I quickly looked back, fumbling to get the key into the lock. The clown was across the street by then, giggling with his head cocked to the side like a demented child. He then lifted up his arm and pointed at me with his finger and laughed even more. I finally opened the door and closed it as fast as I could, locking it behind me. I leaned against the back of the door, exhausted and struggling to catch my breath. I felt like I was going to pass out. After catching my breath, I walked into the kitchen. My family had just finished eating dinner, giving me odd looks. Everyone went to their rooms, with the exception of my father who enjoyed his TV before bed. As I set up for the stairs to head to my room, a strange feeling that the clown was still out there overwhelmed me. As I prepared for bed, I unraveled my blankets and lay for some shut-eye. I had many dreams that night, but at 3 AM, I woke abruptly to a horrid laugh. I opened my eyes abruptly, only to see the clown smiling horridly down at me. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The clown reached down with its long fingers and reached into my chest, pulling my pulsign heart out. I kept trying to scream, agony running through my body due to the open wound in my chest. The clown laughed repeatedly and screeched in accomplishment. My body refused to move, almost as if I was nailed to the bed. The clown looked at me with his eyes blackened like the night. His laugh pierced my ears, I could see my heart beating quickly in his hands. The clown laughed louder than before, then in a blink of an eye I woke up I scanned the room, there was a sharp pain in my chest I went to open my window but only to find the window wide open.
HALLOWEEN • 13
the-telescope.com
Old Horror Movies Reign Supreme ALEX GARCIA STAFF WRITER
The classic horror movies will always reign supreme over the new generation of horror movies. The classic horror movies created a sense of authenticity, causing lifetime scars for some actors such as the actress that played the little girl in the film, The Exorcist. This in contrast with the newer batch of horror movies that rely on CGI and ridiculous storylines and bad actors,
causing flopped horror films in the box office such as “Slender Man” which got 7 percent on rotten tomatoes. Classic horror movies have such unique characters and storylines that it forces the viewer to scream out of fright. For instance The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is such a unique movie, that after watching it, leaves you in a state of fear and paranoia. Of the nine Texas Chainsaw movies, the original will carry some simi-
larities and differences but you can’t beat the classic. For one, all nine of the versions of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies from then and now, all start the same way, there’s a group of friends or a couple that are traveling through a small town in Texas and someone tells them that they shouldn’t be in this town and to stay away from a certain house because of an urban legend that mentions something dark and mysterious which draws the victim on more.
With that being said the classic Texas chainsaw film made it seem more realistic that puts the viewer as the victim. The Exorcist would tend to use superb amount of blood and make-up that would frighten the viewer, causing them to question reality, the feeling had impacted the whole audience. The movie gave the chills to the viewers providing a new frontier of horror for years to come. Now, in the new horror movies, they have just
increased the volume of blood and jumpscares that throughout the movie it feels as if they are putting too much of everything. This causes audiences to predict when someone is going to die or something bad is gonna happen early on in the film. Now not to say that the old ones don’t have any but it seems like the new horror movies depend on these too much. When you heard the name “Leatherface” as a child when I was growing up it would instantly send
chills down your spine, because your minds remembers all the awful things he did with his iconic weapon a “Chainsaw”. I believe that the classic horror movies will remain supreme to new horror movies because the classic ones will always be better people always decide to go back and watch classic horror movies instead of the new ones.
hadn’t been done before. Though it does feature elements of humor, it doesn’t take away from the quality of the film, like we see in 80’s horror films. Not only that, but mostly every classic horror film had a primarily all white cast, and with the new wave of modern horror we see more diverse casts and characters. With advancements in special effects and editing, filmmakers are able to create monsters and violence like never before, not only allowing for a greater story but bringing a more immersive feel for the viewer. Film series such as “Insidi-
ous” and “The Conjuring” use special effects in a way that creates an experience far beyond what could be offered in classic horror films. Modern horror films thrive from well created characters to storylines and concepts. It is true to say that as time goes, our expectations as viewers rise, and watching classic horror films only sets those expectations back.
AGARCIA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Photo Courtesy of Bob Bekian/Flickr Commons
Photo Courtesy of A Thomas McPunk/Flickr Commons
New Horror Movies Dominate VICTORIA PRICE STAFF WRITER
New horror films continue to take the lead and are consistently pushing the boundaries of storytelling rather than the boring cheesy old horror movies. One of the most important parts of a horror movie is the villain. They’re essentially the face of the film and its corresponding franchise. While classic horror is great at creating film and pop culture icons, it seems as though every villain is the same, and their film’s plots are inter-
changeable. Franchises like “Friday the 13th” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” are one in the same, just change up the setting and the characters (but make sure to leave room for some hot girl that has no relevance to the plot whatsoever), but the stories are essentially the same. Throughout all of the aforementioned franchises as well as ones in the similar universe, such as “Halloween” and “Child’s Play”, the cheesiness of it all ruins the scariness of the film. While the special effects weren’t as great thirty or forty years ago, these films
seem like they’re trying to be dumb or laughable, and that ruins the atmosphere the story should create. In the areas that classic horror lacks, modern horror thrives. Within the past few years we’ve gotten films like the “Insidious” series, “Get Out”, “A Quiet Place”, and “Hereditary”, among many more. These films are creative, unique, and are consistently pushing through the barriers set by those before. They don’t need to rely on blood and gore to scare people, they instead use suspenseful and psychological aspects to create a
new and unique film, as well as experience. One of the key ways where modern horror thrives is in its characters. Characters aren’t static and flat like they were in classic horror, where they are essentially created to be killed by the villian for nothing more than shock value. With the extension and development of the characters in these films, leaps have been made in casting, and that’s exceptionally true for “Get Out”. “Get Out” was a mindbending twister of a film that touched on topics of racism, which essentially
VPRICE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
14 • HALLOWEEN
October 22, 2018
Top 5 Halloween Movies VICTORIA PRICE STAFF EDITOR
Courtesy of theNerdPatrol/Flickr.
Every year, people of all ages prepare for the constant airing of Halloween themed movies on the family and movie channels. While there are many films to choose from during the month of October, some stand out, and remain the best Halloween movies to watch during spooky season.
GHOSTBUSTERS
Courtesy of Elentir/Flickr.
This one goes without saying, and is one of the most recognizable Halloween films. The movie follows three parapsychologists (or rather, ghost hunters) who begin a ghost-catching business in New York City, and is filled with humor, mischief, and lots of ghosts. Released in 1984 under Columbia Pictures, this comedy featuring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver grossed $242 million worldwide and is regarded by the National Film Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. Year after year, children and adults alike wear the infamous Ghostbusters costume on Halloween, reinstating its popularity and ranking among classic pop culture icons. It remains as one of the most popular Halloween films, and its main theme song by Ray Parker Jr. still has a place in all our hearts.
THE CORPSE BRIDE Courtesy of depositphotos.
Courtesy of Stephanie/Flickr.
The Corpse Bride, released in 2005 by Laika Entertainment, is a rather under appreciated installment in the catalogue of visionary director Tim Burton. It follows the same animation style as some of his previous films, most notably The Nightmare Before Christmas (which you will see later in this list). The film follows the main character named Victor (played by Johnny Depp) on his journey into the underworld after accidentally marrying the dead bride Emily (played by Helena Bonham Carter). The film grossed $117 million worldwide, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards. It features an amazing soundtrack and an excellent cast of characters, and is truly underrated in not only the world of Halloween films, but in the world of Tim Burton as well.
HOCUS POCUS
Courtesy of Allegra Juliet/Flickr.
If you’re looking for classic, family friendly Halloween fun, this will be your go to. Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 under Walt Disney Pictures, and since it’s release, it has gained a huge cult following throughout all ages. Taking place in Salem, Mass. in the same year, the story follows teenager Max and his little sister Dani as they
move into a new town. Max’s crush, Allison, tells them about a cottage in the woods that is owned by her family, and they go to visit it on Halloween, where they accidentally unleash the Sanderson sisters, a group of infamous witches who wreak havoc on the small town. This movie is equal parts funny and spooky, and hosts a cast of weird and funky characters, and truly encompasses the classic Halloween spirit.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Out of all the Halloween movies, it seems that this is arguably the most loved. While it didn’t see tons of its success until after its release, it is now massively popular in the world of animated movies as well as the world of Disney, after they acquired the film rights in 2006. The story is brought to life by characters like Jack, Sally, Oogie Boogie, and the Mayor, and documents the spiral of Jack Skellington, the famed Pumpkin King of Halloween Town after he discovers the world of Christmas Town, aspiring to become Santa Claus (or rather “Sandy Claws”) and tries to create his own version of Christmas. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film that will continue to remain a classic for all generations, and one perfect for not only Halloween but Christmas. The animation style and dynamic directing combined with a stellar soundtrack makes this movie something special, and one that will remain that way for years to come.
BEETLEJUICE Even though this movie is marketed as being family friendly, this probably the scariest film on the list (although it isn’t too scary, it does have some spooky and creepy special effects and design). We are once again met with director Tim Burton, and this is one of his earlier works, being released in 1988. Beetlejuice tells the story of a young, newly married couple who move into an old house in Connecticut. After a trip to the hardware store, they unexpectedly pass away in a car crash. As ghosts, they continue to inhabit the house as a new family movies in. They soon meet Beetlejuice, who they believe is able to get the new family out of their home. From there, creepiness and comedy match to create an overall well done movie. This film is overall creative, fun, and creepy, giving older kids a taste of spookier movies and providing a fun and unique experience for families to enjoy during the Halloween season. So if you need any spooky spirit during the month of October, look no further than these classic films. VPRICE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
ARTS & CULTURE• 15
the-telescope.com
Venom (2018) © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Book Review: “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” JEREMIAH TATOLA STAFF WRITER
One hatbox, five letters, and a secret kept, sent. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (TATBILB), by Jenny Han, is a young adult, coming of age romance novel that tugs at your nostalgic heartstrings and makes you yearn for that high school sweetheart that got away. Laura Jean Covey navigates through high school, heartbreak, and a romantic hoax. When her love letters are sent unbeknownst to her, Covey’s life is sent spiraling, forcing her to come to terms with one thing: she’s no longer a kid. The character development in the novel is truly inspiring. As I moved along in the story with Laura Jean, I felt like I was able to connect with her and her growth. So much so that when the story ended, I was genuinely both happy and sad. Happy because not only did Laura Jean, or “Large” as her friends call her, have to reconcile herself in order to overcome obstacles she is faced with, but we are given glimpses into her past that explain her present disposition. Sad because at the end of a good read, you should
always be left with an emptiness and longing for the people whom you’ve invested a lot of time with. It shouldn’t matter if they’re real people or not, they were real in the moments you spent with them. This book gives you that. The story itself is a bit cheesy, but I feel like the author meant for it to be that way. Simple but easily relatable. I found myself wanting to write letters to everyone I’ve ever loved. Then, I imagined what it would be like if those letters were accidentally sent, just like in Large’s case. Yikes. TATBILB, as of this year, has a film adaptation on Netflix that, in my opinion, keeps true to the main plot with very subtle changes. The movie depicts Laura Jean and the other characters perfectly and, because the movie was such a hit, turned the book into an automatic classic. I recommend this book to anyone who loves other modern young adult classics such as “The Perks of Being a Wall Flower”, “The Fault in Out Stars”, and “Call Me By Your Name”. It really holds up. 4 out of 5 stars. JTATOLA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
VENOM Sony’s newest release leaves viewers intoxicated GERALD LIGERALDE STAFF WRITER
2018 has been a phenomenal year for SpiderMan across all media properties. Movies such as “Avengers: Infinity War” and the upcoming “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” feature Spider-Man in many different forms, video games such as PlayStation 4’s “Marvel’s Spider-Man” feature an older experienced SpiderMan, and Marvel Comics promoting its “Amazing Spider-Man” comics all feature the webslinger in one way or another. With all this being said, a movie featuring Spider-Man’s greatest villain without a single mention of Spider-Man in the film seems ludicrous; however, Columbia Pictures decided to take up the challenge and ultimately create a movie that polarized critics and fans across the board. “Venom”, directed by Ruben Fleischer, is a film about a journalist named Eddie Brock, played by Tom Hardy, who investigates Life Foundation’s
founder Carlton Drake, played by Riz Ahmed. Eddie stumbles upon one of Drake’s experiments and eventually fuses together with an alien symbiote to form the being known as Venom. Eddie Brock, together with his knew found alien companion, work together to stop Carlton Drake from destroying the planet. “Venom” is a typical anti-hero story as we take the place of a “villain” to stop a greater evil. “Venom” stumbles with some pacing issues, having a slow start establishing Eddie Brock’s character, Carlton Drake’s character, and Venom’s character before his fateful partnership to Eddie. Tom Hardy does a phenomenal job playing Eddie Brock and his voice performance as Venom was also superb. Michelle Williams does a great job playing Eddie’s love interest as Anne Weying, but the relationship between Anne and Eddie was lacking having no real connection between the two other than their relationship to the villain Carlton
Drake. Carlton Drake on the other hand was a pretty bland villain, this isn’t due to Riz Ahmed acting, in fact he did wonderful job, but Carlton Drake is your stereotypical bad guy so in essence they got a great actor to play a boring villain. Once the second act starts that’s when things start ramping up. The action within the second act and the buildup to the climax was quite enjoyable with great action sequences and tense moments throughout. The CGI could be overbearing at times but other than that it looked nice. The climax itself was okay, nothing to spectacular but it wasn’t horrible, just your typical fight to save the world between “hero” and villain. The conclusion was average at best leaving the door open for future sequels yet providing some closure between Eddie and Venom. The balance of personality between Eddie and Venom is by far the best part of the film. Having them constantly fight
over biting a head off for food or being called a parasite is such a treat to watch. This balance of personality really reflects the status of this movie. It tries to balance the great acting done by Tom Hardy with the poorly written script it’s presented with. Just as Eddie has a conflicting personality with Venom, this movie also has a conflicting personality on its own. It’s a superhero film played by a villain trying to establish a serious tone through comedy. The film contradicts itself many times and having a poorly written script along pacing doesn’t help its case. Overall “Venom” did some things right but it did a lot of things wrong with the potential to be much greater. As of right now the film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 30% for critics and 89% for the audience which is quite polarizing. “Venom” as a film was good, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad and that’s all you can really ask for, a good film. GLIGERALDE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
16 • ARTS & CULTURE
October 22, 2018
O’Beautiful Sparks Conversation KRISTA MOORE STAFF EDITOR
Palomar’s performing arts department put together a thought provoking play that covers a wide range of issues from teen pregnancy to suicide. This three hour jam packed play leaves you with more questions than answers. Director Michael Mufsons’ goal of making this play was to start a conversation about some of these heavier topics was accomplished. The performance dives right into the first story line of a girl, Alice played by Lilah Kennedy, who was forced into a situation
that has left her pregnant. Talking with Jesus, played by Omar Fox, she questions if getting an abortion goes against her beliefs. Throughout the play she wrestles with the facing the truth of her situation. As the play goes on, she is torn in every direction, and doesn’t know how to go about dealing with her problem. The carefully constructed storyline of Alice, that could be considered one of the more important themes in the play, get lost behind the multitude of other issues presented. As teen pregnancy takes a back seat we get introduced to Lennie, played by Olivia Lang, who struggles
with self doubt and bullying. Lennie struggles his way through America, the Beautiful in the school talent show and is later ridiculed by his classmates sending him into a depressed state which ultimately leads to his suicide. Among the struggling teens the theme of teachings in the public classroom become a recurring issue. The question of is there a line of what can and should be taught in a public school are brought to light. With so many hard topics being covered in your face, the need for comedic relief is high. Jesus becomes the voice of reason as well as comedic relief.
Used to cut the tension, the character of Jesus became borderline inappropriate as the performance continued. The intermission was a welcomed break from the heaviness of the play, giving the audience a chance to process the first half of the play. The second half of the play wasted no time in planting a seed of doubt in your mind as Lennie hangs in limbo questioning whether his actions earned him the right to go to hell or if heaven is where he will end up. The scene puts the idea that maybe suicide is more of a selfish act that most
would like to admit. Watching the grieving mother and the frustrated students hits your heart and makes you stop and think. As the play moves along, events come to an all time high with tempers boiling over at a town hall meeting and all of the truth comes out. It is revealed to Alice’s parents that she made a mistake in getting pregnant and decided to have an abortion. It came out that the classmates of Lennie had a helping hand in his depression. The play leaves you with more questions than answers. Should abortion be thought of as such an ugly concept? Does there need
to be serious ramifications for bullying? The controversial topics made Mufson worry if his cast would be able to handle the weight of these problems. With the success of starting a conversation about the multitude of problems we face, he also conveyed the message of compassion that we need to have. The message of compromise with kindness was present throughout the play. While the play isn’t everyone’s cup of tea it does bring to light the issues of today that need to be discussed. KMOORE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Taffy Wiedmaier, 6-year-old black cat. Aubree Wiedmaier / The Telescope
Black cats aren’t only for the witches BLOG SPOT
SAMANTHA COX STAFF EDITOR
Black cats have played a huge role in mythology for centuries. In the middle ages, they were believed
to be a spirit or demon to serve a witch as a companion. In the 16th century, it was believed that someone who has fallen ill will die if a black cat sits on their bed. And today, it is considered mildly unlucky for a black
cat to cross your path. While black cats are considered unlucky today, they continue to be a symbol of Halloween and are often found within the themes of parties and costumes. These trends and
superstitions have been embedded in our brains as a society, yet we have forgotten where they came from in the first place. During the witch hunts, witches were gathered up, tortured, and killed, often along with their beloved companions - black cats. Many people today no longer believe in witches or witchcraft, yet continue to believe that black cats are a sign of bad luck. Because of a composition of urban legends and myths, black cats continue to be the least adopted cat in animal shelters and are often put down due to overpopulation. In fact, PETA states that nearly 71 percent of black cats are euthanized. English puritans had brought their black cat superstitions to America when they migrated. Black cats (and witches) were killed because they were supposedly associated with the devil. Even more
tragically, they killed black cats on Shrove Tuesdays as well. Unfortunately, some people today continue this tradition. Animal shelters have taken action and stopped allowing people to adopt black cats during the month of October, in hopes of stopping these horrific sacrifices. However, some animal shelters take the spooky month as an opportunity to get more black cats adopted. National Geographic published an article titled “Ritual Cat Sacrifices a Halloween Myth, Experts Say.” The author found “no confirmed statistics, court cases, or studies to support the idea that serious satanic cult crime even exists.” Black cats already have it hard. They are the least adopted animal, some may even go as far to say that it is cruel to put up barriers for those who want to adopt a black cat. There are ways to make sure these cats go to a
safe home, without putting a ban on them for nearly eight percent of the year. Many shelters make potential adopters see an adoptions counselor for at least an hour, to make sure that every pet is adopted with good intentions. Black cats aren’t always a sign of bad luck. In fact, in some cultures, black cats are a sign of prosperity. In Japanese culture, Maneki Noto (“lucky cats”), draw good luck and wealth to their owners. A black Lucky Cat not only brings luck but also frightens away demons, evil energy, and stalkers. Black cats may possibly be the most mysterious animal on the planet. While there is much debate on whether they bring good or bad luck, many can agree that they are adorable creatures that have huge personalities. SCOX@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
SPORTS OPINION • 17
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Athletes rule social media BRIAN BELTRAN STAFF WRITER
With social media at the world’s fingertips, fans can connect to pro athletes easier than ever before. But with NBA superstars like LeBron James and Steph Curry logging into Twitter and Instagram daily, does the NBA need to regulate how athletes use their social media accounts? ”Shut up and dribble.” Outrage followed as Fox News reporter, Laura Ingraham proclaimed that sports icon LeBron James should stick to playing basketball and ditch talking politics. James, of course, is not only the face of the NBA, but one of the most outspoken pro athletes in modern history. Earlier this year, James and fellow NBA star Kevin Durant were featured in a Sports Illustrated segment where they spoke out about President Donald Trump’s frequent racist and inappropriate narratives. Ingraham suggested that pro athletes have no place speaking out on issues that they are experts on. “It’s always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball,” Ingraham said James and the rest of the NBA did not take her comments lightly. Pro athletes with the stature of Durant and James are more than superhuman entertainers. They firmly believe they should
use their platform as global icons to speak out against injustices and inspire the youth to spearhead change in our country. An NBA player travels thousands of miles every season. Going from city to city on back-to-back nights to get practice time before their next game is often exhausting. With such a hectic schedule, pro ballers turn to social media as a healthy distraction. This is where they can catch up on current events and trending topics. It’s also where they can share their opinions and make them public knowledge. With the critique from reporters like Ingraham and politicians like President Trump, do athletes feel the pressure to just “shut up and dribble?” The simple answer is no. Athletes have persistently argued that it is their right and social responsibility to make their voices heard. Aside from talking politics, which is often the most controversial, athletes have also toed the line of what’s appropriate on other fronts. When Kevin Durant gets into heated arguments with fans on Twitter, or Draymond Green accidentally posts a sexually explicit photo on Snapchat, what happens to the image of the NBA? Social media can be a powerful tool, but when misused, can be seen as a toxic outlet for inappropriate content. Green immediately deleted the photo and apologized fol-
lowing his accidental, awkward showcase, but Durant unapologetically continues to get into spirited dialogues with passionate fans. The NBA therefore is put into an uncomfortable situation. They are often praised for being the most player and fan-friendly professional sports league. However, they can’t afford for players to harm their public image by acting irresponsibly on social media. With 27 million Twitter followers and 31 million on Instagram, the NBA is by far the most interactive sports league on the internet. The league often supports their athletes being active on these media outlets. Commissioner Adam Silver has pioneered the NBA into the online era since he took over the league in 2015. “We look at social media data every day to see how many people are following the league, our teams, and individual players,” said Silver. The athletes themselves have acknowledged that social media can be a harmful distraction, though. LeBron James infamously goes into “Zero Dark Thirty Mode” during the postseason, meaning he abstains from any interaction with online or broadcast media until the playoffs conclude. “There’s too much nonsense out there. This is when I lock in right now, and I don’t need nothing creeping into my mind that don’t need to be
Football Noatinal Championship logo curtosy of Pickleat / pixabay.com
Getting paid with a diploma NATHAN NAVIDA STAFF WRITER
College athletes are considered some of the luckiest people in the world. They get to play the sport they love while getting a high quality education. With so much surrounding college athletes every week, people are surprised that they aren’t getting paid. College football games are treated with as much importance as professionals in the NFL (National Football
League) so why shouldn’t they get paid? Besides working towards the professional level, every athlete wants the opportunity to play in a national championship. A national championship in college sports is the closest they can get to something similar to the Super Bowl or the NBA Finals. There’s almost as much hype leading up to and surrounding a championship like the Rose Bowl for college football. Take a look at how much
media coverage there is on the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game for college football. According to a report by ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network), last year’s BCS game between Georgia and Alabama peaked at over 30 million viewers. ESPN reported that there were 77 thousand in attendance at the game which is 10 thousand more in attendance than the Super Bowl last year between the Patriots and Eagles. Despite the fact that col-
Illustration by Savhanna Vargas / The Telescope
there,” said James. Steph Curry was also known to browse Instagram and Twitter during halftime of every game. This habit went the wayside during the 2015 NBA Finals when Curry realized the consequences it had on his game. “If you let any ounce of negativity or one terrible comment creep in, especially right before a game or at halftime, it’s probably not the best bet,” Curry said. The Los Angeles Lakers have a promising future with young stars Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma on the roster. The two of them are known for their immense upside and talent for basketball, but they may be known even better
for their off-the-court comedy genius. Their pranks and social media wars were immensely entertaining. However, after their antics got more serious, the team’s front office had to privately insist that the young Lakers back off of their online behavior. When examples like these are analyzed, social media is clearly a problem. However, when you look back at athletes using it as a platform to be social activists, social media is clearly a positive thing. So which outweighs the other? President Trump and conservative media choose to blast outspoken athletes for talking politics or raising controversial issues to
the public, but the NBA supports their right to do so. Fans of the sport love interacting with their favorite athletes, whether positive or negative, and the youth generation feels empowered by their icons joining their movements for social and political change. The NBA’s presence of social media is here to stay. Twitter and Instagram users should embrace this wave of pro athletes being active online. Critics should consider how powerful of a support base these athletes have, and should refrain from making enemies with the wrong player because their voices will not be silenced.
lege athletes aren’t able to sign big contracts worth millions of dollars like in the NFL, nearly all of them are under a scholarship which pays them to play and get a high quality education. This is why college athletes don’t complain that much about not being paid. Sure, they’re constantly being covered by the media and a lot of money is actually being made off of them but scholarships are why they’re there in the first place. In a 2016 CBS Sports interview, former Mississippi State football star Jay Hughes said, “I see a lot of guys who don’t have the opportunities that they need to go out and look for jobs or develop themselves for a career besides just being an athlete.” Exactly how much is a full ride scholarship to a big division one school in college ? If you were to look at Ohio State, one of the best college football schools in the country, the average full time undergraduate student athlete is given over $18 thousand according to their financial aid information. Keep in mind that many student athletes are out of state students because coaches recruit from
everywhere. With that said, average tuition cost alone for out of state students going to Ohio State is over $28 thousand. College is not the place for student athletes to think that they can make six figure salaries and be set for life. If we were to start paying college athletes even five figure salaries a year, the purpose of college for many people would shift from being a place to receive high quality education towards more of a career oriented environment. Student athletes need to understand that getting a degree from a college is one of the best things to do for their own future because not all of them will be able to play professionally. According to a report by Business Insider, only 1.7 percent of college football players are drafted into the professional level. So for the other 98.3 percent of college football players, being able to attain a solid degree in a strong area of study is very important for their life past athletics. Another problem that arises with the idea of paying college athletes is that college institutions no matter how
big or small they are would not be able to afford paying college athletes. They have to fund so many other things such as facilities, faculty, and scholarships. While a lot of money is being made surrounding big college athletes, the money doesn’t go to the school. The money goes directly to big companies like Allstate or Capital One who put their names on giant bowl games for football. While football and basketball are the two sports that have the biggest reputations, there are many other sports that institutions would have to deal with those athletes getting paid. With all of the things that come with competing at the highest level of college athleticism, student athletes are already being compensated for their efforts through scholarships. There’s no need to pay them like professionals. Young college athletes who come to one day compete in a national championship and leave an institution with a diploma and degree in hand deserve nothing more and nothing less.
BBELTRAN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
NNAVIDA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
18 • Sports
October 22, 2018
More than a cheer team: new coach brings new hope JEREMIAH TATOLA STAFF WRITER
Palomar Cheer plans to top the sports pyramid in future competitions, especially with returning cheerleaders and a new coach. Our school’s spirit champion’s have definitely been under the radar in previous years, but with a fresh new coach straight from Florida, goals and expectations have been set. The East Coast native, Stephanie Reed Neptune, is a cheer veteran who has coached high school and All Star cheer for the past fifteen years. Coach Reed was hired two weeks prior to the start of the semester, but despite the difficulties and challenges she faces, she is excited and optimistic for the team’s future. “Thankfully I have really a good group athletes this semester that are flexible and driven and determined,” Reed said Because this is the first semester with a new coach, Coach Reed is still feeling out her new roles, but has plenty of thoughts and ideas for the team and its
Palomars cheer team Oct 13. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
future. Reed mentioned, “I’m hoping we’ll be interested in more. Maybe create a pep rally type thing on campus one day.” Cheer is a year round sport, first supporting basketball and football, then at the end of the year, focusing on competitions.
Last year Comet’s Cheer competed in the NCA Daytona Nationals. This year, however, the possibility for tournaments seem to be up in the air. “I would love for them to be a competitive team.” Reed said “If we could compete locally, I think Daytona would be a great
thing for them to aspire to.” Shania Clancy, a second year comet cheerleader feels like “Our team meshes super well, better than any team I’ve ever been on. The talent is unreal... our new coach is amazing this year.” Clancy dreams to transfer to SDSU to cheer, pos-
sibly next year, but is open to whatever the future has in store for her. Another Palomar Cheer veteran, Elijah Carter, is equally as enthusiastic as Clancy about the team and Coach reed. Carter feels optimistic about the team and said, “I don’t think we have coun-
terproductive practices. I feel like every practice we’re actually getting stuff done.” Both Clancy and Carter have taken on roles as leaders on the team and both expressed confidence in the future of the newly reborn team. The squad is stronger than ever this year and the team even has new outfits to show their spirit while cheering. Coach Reed wants to create a buzz around cheer because, although cheer doesn’t yet fall under Palomar’s “Athletic” umbrella, they are still a Palomar team and are striving to be recognized as such. With the spirit stick passed on, the cheerocracy is stronger than ever and the school will be cheering them on! The team will perform on November 3rd at Escondido High School. Coach Reed is hoping the team will put on a halftime performance so be sure to attend. JTATOLA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Allstar softball players lean on friendship ALEX GARCIA STAFF WRITER
Sarah Fisher and Allie Hughen are more than just teammates. They have been best friends for over 15 years, and have made a lasting impact on the softball team here at Palomar. The duo met in Vista girls softball recreational league and have been teammates ever since. Both being All Star athletes, they have evolved as athletes winning state championships. Fisher was the State Player of the year last year, while Hughen hasn’t given up a run in 48 and two thirds innings. When asking the girls what inspires them, Fisher and Hughen said,” When you do something above and beyond that is required of you and being very hardworking.” Over 15 years, the girls played on five recreational teams, one travel ball team and attended Rancho Buena Vista High School, where they both played all four years. “We know each other so well and have played together for so long that we know what we can do,” Hughen and Fisher said, “ so if we see the other per-
son not giving it their all or not doing something correctly we know how to help them, encourage them to pick it up or fix whatever they were doing wrong.” Both Fisher and Hughen consider themselves team leaders as well because they are the ones that are in charge of making sure that the team stays confident and tries as hard as they can. Coach Lacey Craft had nothing but good words to say about them ”Both of the girls have a competitive mentality, incredible work ethic, and are great team leaders,” she explained, “and they make sure and get the best outta their teammates and set a great example.” Fisher says when Hughen is pitching it is her job in the outfield to make sure she has Hughen’s back and not let anything get by her, being the last line of defense. They are confident having already been through this when they were freshman, facing a new schedule, the team requiring more of your time than usual, and a whole new environment, that they can help the incoming fresh-
man and help them and push them through the same struggles that they may have experienced themselves. The girls both agreed that they share a deep mutual respect for one another on and off the field, because their friendship is so strong. They know that they can count on each other for anything The girls raved about Coach Craft saying,” We love her to death and wouldn’t change anything about her. She is the most favorite coach that we’ve both had.” They added that if they do something wrong or need help Coach Craft is always there for us and gets on us as well if we are slacking or messing around. The friendship between the two women is apparent on and off the field, as they continue to encourage each other to reach their goal of playing softball for a D1 school. The chemistry they share has helped them achieve goals they thought were impossible of reaching on and off the field. AGARCIA@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Raul Ortiz won by major decision over Jose Espinoza, 17-4 Oct 10. Krista Moore / The Telescope
Expectations high for talented wrestling team KRISTA MOORE STAFF EDITOR
The Palomar wrestling team has flown under the radar as one of the stronger athletic teams on campus. The team started their season strong going unbeaten in in the duals at Mt. San Antonio College. A pair of freshmen Mace Anderson, and Raul Ortiz swept their way through the tournament. Wrestling in their respective weight classes the duo pointed the team in the direction of their ultimate goal of placing better than last years sixth place finish. “ We’re right there,” head coach Brody Barrios
said.,“we’ve just got to keep improving daily and evaluate where our mistakes are.” In their next big tournament the team faltered slightly taking a fourth place finish out of 24 teams in the Santa Ana Tournament. The team scored a solid 70.5 points as a team. Nick Kimball had a standout performance with a second place finish in the tournament with 184 points. The palomar wrestler has a long history with Coach Barrios having been coached by him in high school. taking time to serve our country Kimball made the decision to wrestle under the command of Barrios once again. “He taught me every-
thing, “ Kimball explained, “ I wanted to come back home and compete under him.” In one of their most recent matchup with Cerritos the team has held their own. Coming down to the last matchup of the night the team fell in a heartbreaking loss. “The goal is always to win the state title. “ Barrios said, “we’ve always been in the top 5.” he team will look forward to their last three matchups of the season and final tournament to get ready for the state duels at the end of November. KMOORE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Sports • 19
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Quarterback Class PATRICK HARTLEY STAFF WRITER
Building a team isn’t easy. Of the 4 quarterbacks starting this season for the Comets only 2 of those remain, Connor Curry and Shea Morales. “They coexist really well, all of our quarterbacks get along together and that’s a good thing,”Palomar College Head Coach Joe Early said. Palomar lost its #1 QB Rodney Thompson and #3 QB Adam Carr to injuries in the first 2 games. Since then Curry and Morales have been alternating at the quarterback position making for a more productive
and lethal offense. “The Bible says iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. That’s kind of the motto we go by.” quarterback Connor Curry said. Both quarterbacks have proven themselves with Morales earning CCCAA Conference co-player of the week for his performance against Ventura College. Morales threw for 421 yards and 4 TD’s in that loss to Ventura College. In that same game Curry had 50 combined rushing yards as a quarterback showing the versatility of Palomar’s offensive attack. “We knew it was going to be a different season and we
Curry scrambles to avoid beig sacked Oct. 6. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
were going to play multiple quarterbacks,” Early said. The team has had some growing pains after coming off a 5-6 season last year with only ten returning players from last year. “ I think we are talented and once that light bulb clicks, if we can stay healthy, there’s some opportunities,” Early added. Both Morales and Connor seem to be making the best of their opportunities. Morales who was a star quarterback for Carlsbad High School joined the Comets this year. “I spent a little time at Saddleback (College) then ended up taking a year off so technically it’s my freshman year,” Morales said. He explained how the team is now focused on doing whatever is necessary for the team to succeed. “We are both good buddies so we have no problem with it (sharing the QB duties), whatever the coaches need from us, We’re all game for it.” Curry who played high school in Louisiana spent one year at a division II junior college before joining friend and lineman Nick
We support each other, push each other and help each other out, no matter who’s out there. Connor Curry
So’oto here at Palomar. “I Morales running drills during practice Oct. 10. Krista Moore/ The just loved everything that Telescope was going on here, so I thought there wasn’t any have to be real disciplined ness to work as a team. “In better place to be than here.” and real determined or else this sport there’s a lot of ego Curry also showed hu- you fall by the wayside,” and they’ve left theirs at the mility and confidence when Early said. door. They are all class indiasked what he hopes to get So far the quarterback viduals” Early said. out of Palomar. ”Its more duo has proven its determi“The main goal is to win what can I do for this pro- nation by putting up a good games, whoever it takes, gram. Palomar has a great effort against #1 ranked offense, defense, special tradition. You got to look Fullerton in a 56-31 loss, teams, whoever can step up at the bigger picture and then rebounding to beat and excel and get us a “W”, you want to put everything Mt. San Jacinto 38-35. Mo- we’ll take it” said Morales. out there for your coaches rales throwing a TD against The respect seems to carry and your teammates” Curry Fullerton and Curry rushed off the field as well. said. for 89 yards and 3 TD’s After helping defeat Mt Coach Early also point- against Mt San Jacinto. San Jacinto Curry said “ ed out some of the chal“Whoever’s got the hot I love these guys. A lot of lenges that the quarterbacks hand is going to be playing friendships, I just want us and many student athletes but they’re both going to all to succeed. Even when face. Along with changing be playing throughout the things weren’t going great schools, learning new of- year,” Early added. we had each other’s backs. fensive strategies and 6 days In the age of multimil- That’s what makes teams a week practices most play- lion-dollar NFL contracts great.” ers are required to carry up and inflated egos it’s reto 12 academic units. “They freshing to see the Comets PHARTLEY@THE-TELESCOPE.COM are on a tight leash, you camaraderie and willing-
Photos by Krista Moore/ The Telescope - Top of page: (top left) : Curry looking to pass of the ball in the Comets 38-35 win over the Mounties Oct. 13. (top right): Quaterbacks Shea Morales and Connor Curry before their 38-35 win over Mt.SAC. Oct. 13 (bottom left): Curry tossing a screen pass in the Comets 14-10 loss to the Owls Sept. 15. ( bottom right) : Morales passing from the pocket in Palomars 56-31 loss to Fullerton Oct. 6.
20 • Sports
October 22, 2018
Caleb Daza taking a goal kick in Palomars 2-2 tie with College of the Deserts Oct. 9. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
Kevin McCollum blocking a grosmont player during palomars 23- 8 loss Sept. 12. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
Defensive back Jay craft in Palomars 38-35 win over Mt. SAC Oct. 13. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
Recaps: Palomar sports gear up for end of season KRISTA MOORE STAFF EDITOR
Palomar athletics have stepped up heading into conference play in their respective sports. Each team has fought their way through the exhaustion and injuries. Some teams have succeeded while other struggle to keep up. FOOTBALL Palomar’s football team has started to turn their season around with a record of 4 - 3 going into the bye week. The team struggled early on in the season to connect as a unit, but in recent games they have hit their stride. The Comets are down to their last two quarterbacks, Connor Curry and Shea Morales, as injuries have been a perpetual problem for the team all season. “We need to be more consistent. We win one then we lose one,” Coch Joe Early said,“ We haven’t really been able to put anything together.” After the news of Fullerton Community College use of ineligible players came to light, Palomar is now in a
position to win the Central Conference if they can pull off three consecutive wins to finish out the season. The team will be on the road for a game them be back home Nov. 3 against Cerritos at 6 p.m. at Escondido High School. SOCCER The men’s soccer team continues to struggle their way through the season averaging 1.15 goals per game. The first half of conference play has been tough for the team who has tied a majority of their games so far. “We knew from the beginning that we are a very young team, only 3 sophomores, and it would take time for this group to gel.” Coach Linenberger said, “ I feel we are starting to really come together and look forward to a successful second round of conference play”. Heading into their final 5 games of the season the men will look to turn thing around and finish out the season strong. The team is back on their home field taking on San Diego City College Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. at Palomar. The Women’s Soccer
Randy Gonzalez in Palomar’s confrence opener Oct. 10. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
team continues to battle through a tough season. The women are averaging 1 goal a game while allowing 3.15 goals. They have struggled to put together anything but a losing streak and with 5 games left in the season they will be looking to end the season strong with a few more wins. The Comets will be home Friday Oct. 26 to take on division opponents San Bernardino Valley Wolverines at 1 p.m. WATER POLO Palomar’s men water polo team has stepped up their level of play with the start of their conference games. Averaging 11.5 goals per game the comets are blowing their competition out of the water. Their most recent win against southwestern showed how connected the freshman heavy team has become. The Comets downed their opponent 20 -9 behind a strong performance from freshman Kevin McCollum. The team has hit their stride in time for conference play. They will be back in their home pool facing San Diego Miramar Oct. 22 at
3:30 p.m. The women’s water polo team has had ups and downs to their season struggling through illnesses and injuries. They stand with a record of 7-10 overall and are 4-2 in conference play. “Our focus is on communication and working as a team rather than individuals.” Coach Mandy Simon said, “ I believe that if we nail this aspect of the game, we can, and will do well at our conference tournament in November.” The team who only has a handful of returning players has found their rhythm in time for the final push of the season.The Comets will be home to take on Miramar Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Palomar’s women’s volleyball team met their stride in their previous four matches. Following a tough start, the team managed to turn around just in time for the nearing end of the season. The women made a winning effort and successfully won their past four matches. The women look forward to continuing their
Ciara Webb-Martin in the goal during palomars 7-6 loss to Grossmont. Sept. 12. Krista Moore/ The Telescope
success on the court as they head into the final weeks of the season. They will be back in the Dome Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. GOLF The palomar women’s golf team has flown under the radar this semester. In their most recent match freshman golfer Denise DeLaCruz is currently sitting second in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference( PCAC) averaging 80.5 strokes per 18 holes. Another stand out golfer, Lily Rodriguez has a lower average score, 78.3, than DeLaCruz but hasn’t played in enough of the matches to qualify. The team is currently tied with Cuyamaca for second in the conference. CROSS COUNTRY The men and women of Palomar’s cross country teams have been moving up the later in recent races. Out of a field of 1 teams and 97 runners sophomore Hannah Lopez placed 13th in the Brubaker Invitational. The runner helped palomar to a 5th place team fin-
ish out of 13. Other strong performances from Maia Chaffin, Brianna Frain, Leslie Maldonado, and Jolie Beentjas, has helped boost the team forward. WRESTLING The palomar wrestling team continues to try and improve their overall record as well as individual scores. After going unbeaten in their season opener, the team placed fourth at the Santa Ana Tournament with 70.5 points. In their most recent home match against the defending state duel champions Cerritos the Comets nearly missed a victory after a late escape. Standout performances from Mace Anderson, who pinned Cerritos’ Nick Dozier in 2:02, and Nick Kimball, who won by a technical fall over Cerritos’ Isaiah Leyva, 17-2. The team will have a home match Mt. San Antonio College in the Dome Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. KMOORE@THE-TELESCOPE.COM
Palomars’ Mikayla seiler, #2, in their win over San Bernardino Valley Oct. 5. Aubree Wiedmaier/ The Telescope