CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B
CMYK
Riveting return
WWII recreated in production
sports ◆ page 5
Stalemate Men’s soccer ends in 2-2 tie
CMYK
scene ◆ page 6
campus beat ◆ page 4
Site to see makeover Web page redesign nearing completion
VOL. 93, NO. 4
SINCE 1950
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009 ACCENTADVOCATE.COM
THE WEEKLY STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.
6 PAGES, ONE COPY FREE
Bus lines shift, cease
Center closing doors
WORKING TOGETHER
State reductions force DSPS lab shutdown
AC Transit reacts to $57 million deficit
By Holly Pablo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Faced with the obligation to further reduce student services and address the statewide budget deficit, college administrators have chosen to risk the educational development of some of its most vulnerable students — those with physical and learning disabilities. Effective Thursday, the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) High Tech Center in CTC-109, a computer lab equipped with specialized equipment and adaptive software, will be closed indefinitely, DSPS Manager Yasuko Abe said. Student Alberta Henry said the lab is a vital part of her learning experience. “The teachers in class sometimes move too fast,
By Asia Camagong SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
In response to a $57 million deficit, AC Transit is formulating a proposal to eliminate and reroute various bus lines in its transit district. Although definite changes will not be approved until Oct. 14, bus riders can take the initiative and vocalize their input on the proposal, possibly saving their route of transportation from falling victim to the service cuts. The 2009 Service Adjustments Plan, featuring a list of modifications made to lines in west Contra Costa County, Alameda County and the Transbay, gives face to a number of considered changes that cut bus services by 15 percent. “The economy has soured, and our funding basis has dried up completely,” AC Transit Manager of Media Affairs Clarence Johnson said. “We’re left with no alternative but to try to do more with less, and it’s a very difficult thing to do.” According to the proposal posted on the company Web site, www.actransit.org, 23 complete bus lines and segments of bus lines may be discontinued in west Contra Costa County, while others are subject to a change in routing. Reacting to the potential changes, students voiced concerns about the reliability of public transportation. Nursing major Nancy Reyes, a frequent bus rider, said the changes could affect the time it takes her to get to school and work. A number of the proposed changes will affect local bus riders that depend on bus transportation to get to Contra Costa College. “If you discontinue one line, it could mess up (someone’s) whole life,” nursing major Kena Bates said. Local lines coming through CCC, including Lines 70, 71, 72, 74 and 76, are facing possible adjustments. Line 70, currently ■ SEE TRANSIT: Page 3
SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE
Giving back — Middle College High School senior Kristi Phan (left) and nursing major Andre Dayto plant vegetation on campus during Rheem Creek Volunteer Day Saturday. The event attracted more than 65 volunteers to help add nearly 100 plants to the area.
R E S T O R I N G the ENVIRONMENT
rules still blurry
page 2
By Sam Attal ASSOCIATE EDITOR
More than 65 local volunteers were covered in dirt, weeds and mud from planting vegetation for a campus watershed project Saturday. The Urban Creeks Council, a Berkeley-based organization, helped Contra Costa College and Middle College High School students work with community members to show their support for the Rheem Creek restoration project. “I’ve been meaning to help out and clean this school,” CCC alumna Gaby Plaza said. “The school has done a lot for me, so I feel like I’m giving back to it.” The volunteers worked to clear the campus creek, at a location near the Student Activities Building and Student Services Center, of weeds and other harmful vegetation and put in nearly 100 new plants from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Assessment struggles to muster funding By Jack Anderson SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
The volunteer-run project started in mid-2008 and has focused on creating a more habitat-rich ecological system on campus while educating students, Urban Creeks Council Executive Director Phil Stevens said. “(Students are) out here learning what it takes to restore an ecosystem,” Stevens said. “(The event) gives them a sense of ownership.” Volunteers have worked together since the start of the project to remove non-native vegetation to allow creek-friendly plants to grow. So far, 85 species of plants have been put in the soil. The project, however, is nowhere near completion, Stevens said. “It’ll be 3-5 years before it becomes a real beautiful place,” he said. Stevens said the Urban Creeks Council plans to host creek restoration volunteer days on the last Saturday of every month.
Responding to a 62 percent cut to matriculation funding, the English as a second language department has been left scrambling for a way to properly assess incoming students. The department has not accepted any new assessments since the start of the semester and is searching for a new way to pay for the test by the time the spring semester starts, or they will have to change their assessment process. Matriculation money is used to provide services, such as counseling and assessment, for students before they register or enroll. “Matriculation is the process of entering and leaving (Contra Costa College) with goals,” Matriculation Services Coordinator Kenyetta Tribble said. All assessment is done through matriculation, but the ESL assessment is a longer, more involved and more expensive process, Tribble said. While some students only take a basic computerized test, she said, ESL students
■ SEE CREEK: Page 3
■ SEE ESL: Page 3
free of secondhand smoke. The policy, posted on signs STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER throughout campus, states that smoking is allowed only in parking areas A cloud of obscurity has sur- located at least 25 feet from the rounded the smoking policy on cam- entrance or exit of any building. pus since its revision in 2006 and has These signs hardly seem to stop left many students unaware of just people, however, as many students what is acceptable. smoke on campus regularly, President After the revision, Contra Costa McKinley Williams said. College was made a smoke-free “Obviously some folks are not campus in an effort to provide stu- aware of (the policy), and hopefully dents with a healthy environment ■ SEE SMOKING: Page 3
Lighting up —Student David Payne smokes a Black & Mild in front of the Humanities Building while waiting for his next class to begin Monday.
By Adam Oliver
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B
revision,
Closure of lab for disabled students is an unnecessary disaster that can be fully avoided through improved effort and volunteerism.
Cuts hit program
GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
CMYK
recent
A wrong move
■ SEE DSPS: Page 3
Smoking policy clouded by ignorance, rebellion Despite
edit orial
CMYK
2 THE ADVOCATE Quotable “Freedom comes at a hell of a price. It is not guaranteed. It is fragile. It must be constantly championed and defended.” Allen H. Neuharth The Freedom Forum founder 1994 Holly Pablo editor-in-chief Sam Attal associate editor Asia Camagong associate editor Alec Surmani associate editor Cassandra Juniel spotlight editor Diana Reyes opinion editor Dariush Azmoudeh sports editor Lamar James news editor Brent Bainto scene editor Jack Anderson special projects editor Isaac Thomas photo editor Erik Verduzco assistant photo editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Natalie Estrada Anthony Farr Chad Garcia Malcolm Lastra Maria Martinez Jon Pinlac Kristina Plaza Alexandra Waite Staff photographers Crystal Joy Bis George Morin Adam Oliver Desmond Sylva Brian Young Roman Young Staff illustrators James Heck Cody McFarland Joel Ode Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.235.7800 ext. 4315 Fax: 510.235.NEWS E-mail: advocate@ contracosta.edu or letters.advocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
OPINION
l WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009 VOL. 93, NO. 4 ●
Editorials Depriving the needy Disabled students’ lab must be preserved
I
nformed just a week prior on Sept. 23, the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) facilitators were notified to perform two layoffs and shutdown the High Tech Center, a laboratory equipped with specialized computer software, on Thursday. Because of the $193 million reduction to categorical programs statewide, institutions are making cuts to essential services crucial for disabled student success. “They might as well cut the legs off the disabled,” DSPS student lab assistant Brad Fisher said. “That’s what they’re doing, just taking the legs out from under them.” It is ridiculous and ultimately counterproductive to eliminate the lab before carefully thinking about the consequences. While the college will save money in operational costs, the damage to students’ social and educational development is worth much more. Rather than fully surrendering to the budget crisis, more creative efforts should be taken to continue providing the 1,000 students in the DSPS program with educational planning, individual counseling and adaptive technologies. In one year, the program’s operational budget was slashed 45 percent. While there is a shortage in money to pay for workers, the college needs to quickly identify ways to offer similar services with fewer resources, such as recruiting and training multiple volunteers to fill the vacant positions. If the program no longer accommodates students with the lab, it could jeopardize their confidence and preparedness to pursue future endeavors. Vice President Carol Maga said plans to reopen the center in the future have not yet been determined, but alternate solutions are being considered, such as keeping the center open, but with reduced time slots. In addition, with the layoffs of computer aided instuction lab coordinator Eric Appel and one student worker, much more is being taken than access to computers. Dismissing DSPS personnel ruins the intimate and positive relationship between students and helpers that make education more enjoyable and effective. “(The lab personnel) take their time to explain things,” student Alberta Henry said. “(They) help the students understand their curriculum better.” By downsizing assistance, the program places students at a higher risk of struggling to accomplish their goals. Recruiting volunteers to provide the lost services is the wise solution. As a college and overall society, there is an obligation to acknowledge every student and provide helpful services with no regard to abilities or disabilities.
JAMES HECK/ THE ADVOCATE
■ Gratitude
Homeless population deserves same respect
W
hile eating lunch one day in Berkeley, I noticed a man in his early 20s sitting a few tables across from where I was sitting who was incessantly staring at me. I ignored it for the first couple of minutes, but then I began to get uncomfortable. Shortly after, he stood up, but I noticed he was heading over toward the garbage bin near me. Sure enough, he began to reach in the trash and pulled out a box with leftovers and then sat down to eat. This man was not alone, however, as he was accompanied by a young woman who also looked around his age. It was overwhelming to see how two people close to my age were already experiencing such a lifestyle. Of course, I am not ignorant of the fact that this could happen to anyone, and that I have seen young people as young as can be without a home. But when you are sitting next to two people who clearly are in more need of that meal than you are, there is a feeling of selfishness that begins to take you over. At least that is how I felt. As the two of them sat down and began to eat, I became hesitant to continue my meal. Instead, I walked over to their table, and hoping I would not offend either one of them, I asked, “Hey, would you guys like me to buy you lunch?” Without hesitation, both of them took the offer. The expression on their faces revealed profound gratitude, and I could not get over it. “Hey, ah, we really appre-
dianareyes ciate you buying us food and drinks,” the man said. “You have no idea how hungry we were and how disgusting it is to dig in the trash for leftovers.” Maybe One I do not personally can suffer know what it is like to live under from such circumstanc- loneliness es, but that is exactly as much why I chose not as they can to disregard their suffer from situation and to help them eat hunger. some good food. Unfortunately, not everyone feels that way, and the more people keep telling themselves negative things about others or begin to resentfully generalize, the refusal to help those who are clearly in need will begin to manifest into our existence. Sometimes we may not be as lucky as the rest, and it is needless to say that someone out there will always have it worse than us. Poverty has been an existing problem since the beginning of time, and I am sure we do not always firmly recognize how big of a prob-
lem it is until it hits us one way or another. This could happen when we run out of money for our bills or when we simply cannot afford to treat ourselves to something to eat when we go out with our friends. Think about how unfortunate we feel when we cannot pay for our own food as we watch everyone fill their stomachs. Now imagine how despondent individuals without a roof over their head feel when they cannot even hope for a meal within the next couple of hours or maybe even days. Life has taught me that even at its worst, there is always something or someone out there that will bring me a little bit of comfort. It is also important to remember that one can suffer from loneliness as much as they can suffer from hunger. The fact that they are living without a home, and most likely without a family, does not mean they are guilty of something in life, or that they chose to strictly live that lifestyle. Many do not have the support system most of us do, or even someone who will generously lend a hand. The homeless are constantly forgotten people, and we should not forget our responsibilities to treat all humans with respect. Like the Greek philosopher Plato said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Diana Reyes is opinion editor of The Advocate. Contact her at dreyes. advocate@gmail.com.
CampusComment
Should the campus smoking policy be stricter?
“Yeah, it should be (stricter), because some people don’t like the smell of the smoke.” Eligio Avila construction
“It is a public area and not everyone should be exposed to smoking, because we all know what the effects of secondhand smoke are.”
“I don’t like walking around and having the smell, (because) it really bothers me.” Gabriela Diaz nursing
“There’s a lot of ‘No smoking’ (signs), but then a lot of times you see people smoking there. It’s right by the buildings, so you can’t really avoid it.”
Pamela Chacha biology
Michelle Saechao MCHS
CRYSTAL JOY BIS AND NATALIE ESTRADA / THE ADVOCATE
“No, because people aren’t really bothered too much by it. You barely even notice people smoking any more.”
“Not necessarily. I think that there should be accommodations for those who smoke, and it should be in an open space.”
Jordan Williams art
Sara Scott undecided
CAMPUS BEAT accent advocate ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Receive breaking news and updates by following The Advocate’s Twitter account, AccentAdvocate.
Newsline ■ CAMPUS EVENTS
Potter shows Mexican art
Pilo Mora, a Mata Ortiz potter, will give a speech about ancient Mexican pottery traditions in the Art Building today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.
■ HISTORY
District hosts book-signing The district is holding a book-signing for its 60th anniversary living history book at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond on Monday from 1-3 p.m. The book costs $30, and today is the last day to RSVP for the event. To RSVP, register online at www.4cd.edu or call 925229-1000, ext. 1358.
■ LIVING WELL
ASU analyzes drug abuse The ASU will be hosting a “Students Living Well” forum on drug abuse in the Fireside Room Tuesday from 1-3 p.m. Topics will include marijuana, alcohol, caffeine and sex. For more information contact the ASU at 510-2357800, ext. 4407.
■ BASKETBALL
DSPS to host athletic game Disabled Students Programs and Services will host a wheelchair basketball game between the Comets and the Bay Area Outreach Recreation Program (BORP) All Stars teams in the Gymnasium Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The CCC Comets are recruiting. For more information, call the DSPS office at 510-235-7800, ext. 7220.
■ AWARENESS
Film series to educate DSPS will show a film titled “Spit it Out” in the Library Learning and Resource Center in LLRC107 Monday from 2:30-4 p.m. The film looks into a man’s journey through sobriety after abusing drugs and alcohol to mask his stutter and his family’s legacy of denial. The movie is the first installment of the Disability Awareness Film Series held throughout October. For more information, call 510-235-7800, ext. 7220.
CrimeWatch Monday, Sept. 21 A petty theft was reported at the Bookstore. Tuesday, Sept. 22 A suspect was arrested for being drunk in public. Wednesday, Sept. 23 A suspect was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. Thursday, Sept, 24 Victim reported the theft of his wallet. —Jon Pinlac
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009 l THE ADVOCATE
3
DSPS | Program loses almost half its budget ■ FROM: Page 1
and they don’t have the time to explain,” she said. “But here, they take their time and it helps the students understand better.” Vice President Carol Maga said the decision was made because of the categorical funding deficits that DSPS is experiencing. According to the state Chancellor’s Office, statewide DSPS funding dropped from $98.4 million to $54.2 million for the 2009-10 academic year. “(The Contra Costa College DSPS program) had $881,386 in 2008-09,” Abe said. “In 2009-10, we have $476,786.” Abe said that as a result, there is a lack of funds to pay for a classified hourly staffer to maintain the lab. Though plans have yet to materialize, Maga said the college hopes to reopen the center in the future. “We’re trying to provide the same services with limited resources,” Maga said. “I’m very disappointed that we’re having to do this.” Learning disabilities
specialist Peggy Fleming said the federally mandated DSPS program, currently serves more than 1,000 students at CCC. The center provides supplementary learning through a positive environment where the students can receive help with their class curriculums while learning how to use Microsoft Windows. Henry said closing the center and reducing accommodations to the bare minimum will only present more barriers. “I don’t know where we’re going to go,” Henry said. “They’re making it harder, and it’s not fair.” Accommodations found in the center include speech recognition software called Dragon for the paraplegic, which types what the student speaks into a microphone, and screen reader software for the visually impaired that reads textbooks and handouts aloud called Kurzweil. Maga said the expensive software was updated last year and it is unfortunate that the center is closing after all the work that has
been done to improve it. The center additionally provides more space to accommodate wheeled mobility devices. “This semester, I’ve already served over 100 students, and there have been over 400 visits already,” computer aided instruction lab coordinator Eric Appel said. “It’s a valuable service. It’s really helped the students succeed.” Students receive support and individual help from Appel and student lab assistant Brad Fisher, who is also part of the DSPS program and has seen the changes and relocations of the center throughout recent years. “When I started, I knew nothing about computers. If it wasn’t for those services, I would be somewhere twiddling my thumbs,” Fisher said. “This is one place that shouldn’t be touched.” Without the center, students agree that their pur-
suit of an education will be much more difficult. “When we need more time to take a test, we come in here,” student Ruth Keppard said. While there are other labs on campus that the students can use, those facilities lack the specialized software and the expertise of trained individuals to assist them. Maga said the college is trying to find alternative solutions to the problem, such as moving the software into the Skills Center or finding a way to keep the center open but with reduced operating hours. Appel said that even if the software were widespread on campus, students speaking aloud while using voice recognition software, for example, would be a disturbance in a place that requires a quiet atmosphere, such as the Library and Learning Resource Center. Also, student Tanicka McDowell said the closure might cause other labs to become more crowded, which might affect learning. Abe said that since the
“We’re trying to provide the same services with limited resources.” Carol Maga,
college vice president
beginning of the year, other damaging cuts have already been implemented. An assistant position is being released effective Thursday to backfill the deficit, the loss of paid notetakers for DSPS students has decreased the amount of workers, and there is no money to acquire new technologies and methods of teaching, she said. The clerical work, including state-required entries that document student use of the available meeting times for educational planning and counseling, will now be divided among the remaining program facilitators. Contact Holly Pablo at hpablo.advocate@gmail. com.
Smoking | Little enforcement
Transit
■ FROM: Page 1
■ FROM: Page 1
we can get the word out,” he said. Yet, for those who know and understand the policy, there is little incentive to abide by it. “Does anybody enforce (the policy)?” marketing major Julia Medicus said. The lack of enforcement of the smoking policy is one of the greatest factors contributing to the overall haziness of the policy, Medicus said. Without being told explicitly by faculty, staff or police aides, many assume that the policy is not to be taken seriously. “The security just drove past us and they didn’t say anything,” business major Cameron Padilla said while smoking with a few friends in front of the Applied Arts Building. As the number of police aides has dwindled from 15 to eight in the last two years, fewer authorities are on patrol to enforce the policy. As a result, the policy is one that has become difficult to enforce. Williams said it is like speeding on the freeway. If there are no highway patrol cars around, there is nothing to stop people from doing it. Feeling that students also play a role in enforcing policy, ASU presidential candidate Kristina Bautista encouraged students to act their part in assuring their peers the right to avoid secondhand smoke. “There’s not a lot of student involvement, that’s something that the ASU is trying to work on,” Bautista said. In working to promote involvement, the ASU recently heard feedback from students about issues affecting them on campus. Among the issues dis-
“They definitely need (to make) a designated smoking area (outside of parking areas.” Julia Medicus, student
cussed was smoking. “It’s kind of annoying that they don’t take other people’s concerns into consideration,” student Frank Souza said in relation to smoking on campus. Feeling sympathy for smokers on campus, however, Souza offered solutions that might make the situation better for both smokers and non-smokers. “There are a lot of places on campus that don’t have a lot of foot traffic,” he said. Souza proposed creating designated smoking areas outside of parking areas. In agreement, many smokers feel that being able to smoke only in parking areas is an inconvenient condition added to an already inconvenient habit. “They definitely need (to make) a designated smoking area (outside of parking areas),” Medicus said. Many smokers feel that it would encourage them to not smoke in front of buildings or along pathways that are often filled with students, he said. ContactAdam Oliver at aoliver.advocate@gmail. com.
Creek | 100 new plants sown ■ FROM: Page 1
Regardless of how long the overall project will take, students were happy to be able to make an immediate impact on the college’s ecosystem. “It feels good to be improving the environment at the campus you attend,” business administration major Antonio Para said. “You can take pride in it every time you see it.” The unexpectedly high number of volunteers made the event run smoothly, said Del Arroze, Urban Creeks Council stream restoration intern. “Today was incredible,” Del Arroze said. “The work we did today would (usually) have taken
us a month.” Biology 110 instructors and various campuswide clubs offered students the chance to volunteer for extra credit or community work hours. Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society member Erin Massa said the satisfaction earned through working on the creek is enough to get her to volunteer for the project regularly. “Even if I wasn’t getting credit, I would still do this,” Massa said. Volunteers agreed that the large turnout of people willing to work on Rheem Creek helped make the event more enjoyable and productive. “It’s really cool (when) every-
one’s helping out,” MCHS senior Charmaine Serguro said. Other volunteers said having many people work on the creek helped students get to know each other better. “(The high outcome) builds camaraderie,” Para said. “It makes if more fun (and) gratifying.” Massa agreed. “It feels good that people are coming out and caring,” she said. “I feel united with other people.” For more information, visit the Urban Creeks Council’s Web site at www.urbancreeks.org or call at 510-540-6669. Contact Sam Attal at sattal. advocate@gmail.com.
ESL | Funds slashed 62 percent ■ FROM: Page 1
have a computerized test as well as a written portion. ESL faculty members then read the written portion and combine it with the results of the other tests. “It’s kind of sad. We have a really good placement process, and it took us a while to establish it,” ESL department Chairwoman Gabriela Segade said. “Now that we have a solid tool in place, we don’t have the money.” Each written test has to be read and evaluated to place students in one of five levels. The computerized test is automatically scored and then combined with the score of the written to have an all-encompassing assessment of students’ level. “Research shows that (the written test) is the most valuable part of assessment,” Segade said. She said that some schools do not have this portion of the test, but students will be required to do
if some students are beyond the material and some students are still struggling with it. “It’s important to start at (the right level),” said Mirina Flores, medical assistant and ESL level 5 student. “Maybe it’s level 1, but you have to go step-by-step.” If students become frustrated with their classes, they might drop out or fail, Segade said. “Part of it is just educating people on why it’s so important,” she said. Dr. Timothy Clow, senior dean of research and planning said, “We have an ever-increasing influx of non-native speakers of English because of affordable housing, and this is a bedroom community to what areas are hiring. A lot of people don’t realize it but this is a microcosm of a global community right here.”
writing in nearly every class, so it is important to assess at what level they can write. Segade also said some students might be able to speak, understand and even read very well but have trouble with written English. The reading and assessing of all the tests resulted in roughly 300 hours of work for ESL staff, Segade said but there is no money to pay the faculty for this work. “If you’re not placed at the right level, it can be chaos. How do you adjust instruction?” Segade said. If students are misplaced or place themselves, they might take unnecessary and redundant classes or get into sections too advanced for them, she said. Instructors Contact Jack Anderson at cannot adjust their teaching level janderson.advocate@gmail.com.
mapped to travel between Richmond BART and CCC, would be changed to operate only from the Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Richmond BART. Riders will need to take Line 71 for a service to Parchester Village and Atlas Road. Also rerouted between the Richmond transit center and BART, Line 71 will no longer provide a service between CCC and Hilltop Mall. Line 72, currently traveling from Hilltop Mall to Jack London Square, would operate between CCC and Hilltop Mall through Moyers Road and Groom Drive. Also, the weekend frequency of Line 72 would be reduced to 40 minutes. “Most of the community takes “The (Line 72), so it’s going to be hard for economy has most to get around,” soured, and radiology major William Brown our funding said. “(The changes are) a bigger burden has dried up on some people.” completely. Line 74, though We’re left still stopping at CCC, is planned to with no discontinue service to Orinda BART alternative and the Richmond Marina, changing but to try to its route to start at do more with Castro Ranch Road and move toward less, and it’s a El Cerrito Plaza very difficult BART. Service after 9 thing to do.” p.m. may be eliminated and week- Clarence Johnson, end evening hours AC Transit manager of media affairs extended by a half hour to an hour. The segment from the Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Hilltop Mall in Line 76 would be terminated, traveling only from Hilltop Mall to CCC. Johnson said the cuts were determined by the availability of funding for and necessity of services, he said. “We (began) by streamlining our service and (looking at) lines that were underutilized,” Johnson said. “We tried to see if we could make them more useful, more efficient by combining them or eliminating a line all together.” Though the company has already made changes, such as an increase in bus fare, layoffs and a demand for each department to increase efficiency by 15 percent, there were still not enough adjustments to pay off the million-dollar deficit, he said. While there is no immediate plan to add more modifications to the bus lines, there is also no guarantee that the following year will not require more changes depending on the budget, Johnson said. “We would prefer not to make cuts at all, but that’s not the reality of our economic condition,” he said. Trailing the possibility of the cuts, however, is the opportunity for the community to change them. Beginning in May, the company has organized workshops to discuss the proposal. The first round gathered ideas from community members about the services they wanted and needed, Johnson said. In the second series, held throughout September, the public has provided feedback to the AC Transit staff. “We’ve been trying to adhere to (the community’s) concerns the best way possible given our financial situation,” he said. The last public hearing before the proposal is sent to the board for approval will be in Fremont today from 6-8 p.m. at the California School for the Blind Theater. Contact Asia Camagong at acamagong. advocate@gmail.com.
4 THE ADVOCATE
l WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009
CAMPUS BEAT
New Web site to launch in 2010 El Cerrito students, managers nearing project’s completion By Brent Bainto SCENE EDITOR
Plans for the new and improved college Web site are well under way, as the current redesign process takes further shape to meet cultivated expectations for a spring 2010 launch. Already 18 months into action, the project proposes to have better navigation, consistent informational content and integrated features such as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed, Information Technology Manager James Eyestone said. “(The Web site) is a monumental undertaking,” he said. Along with new features and improvements, a new structure for content updates has already been implemented, Web Administrator Roger Polk said.
Members of the administration are responsible for generating their designated part of the Web site’s content, which is then plugged into the program Microsoft SharePoint, he said. The production team working toward the Web site’s inception includes students contracted from the El Cerrito High School student program Tech Futures, Polk said. As content is generated, the students work with the SharePoint software for organization. Gradually, the content managers (administration members) will work with SharePoint and be responsible for updating the Web site, collectively, on their own, Polk said. “It will be interesting to see the process by which the Web site will be maintained and updated,” he said. Since July of this year, Tech Futures students have been working with technology systems, Eyestone said. “(The Tech Futures students) are largely self-motivated young adults,” he said. Development for the new Web site
site information is introduced so that drafts of organization can be implemented along the redesign process. Among those attending the meetings, ASU representatives also provide input and suggestions for the Web site. “It has been important for ASU members to be involved (with the developRoger Polk, ment),” Eyestone said. Web administrator Though there is only a rough draft available of what the Web site will look was imperative, as the Accreditation like, Maga said that everything is already Commission for Community and Junior working very well. The initial target launch date for the Colleges stated in its recent visit to the college that it was necessary for overall new Web site was slated for January student progress and student learning 2010, but due to the consensus ruling of complexity at the last meeting on Sept. outcomes. College Vice President Carol Maga 15, it has since then been pushed back to said Contra Costa College’s current Web February 2010, Eyestone said. During the month gap, Eyestone said, site is unattractive, unexceptional and Web site usability tests will be conducted out of date. “We needed to improve the Web site,” where a group of college constituents will participate to find the most common she said. Meetings have been held over the past links based on new design and use results few weeks to check overall progress of to further refine the final product. development. Contact Brent Bainto at bbainto. Polk said that during meetings, the identification of new categories of Web advocate@gmail.com.
“It will be interesting to see the process by which the Web site will be maintained and updated.”
Eyestone The information technology manager is currently working with other employees and El Cerrito students to finish the redesign of the college’s Web site.
Teacher engages students with joy Dugas shares her passion for cultures By Lamar James NEWS EDITOR
ERIK VERDUZCO / THE ADVOCATE
Sharing experience — Sonia Nzingha Dugas discusses a scene from a movie, viewed in LA-105 Sept. 11, that connected with her lecture. Dugas teaches African-American Psychology and Black Male and Female Relationships.
Sonya Nzingha Dugas, known as professor Nzingha to her students, is changing the way students learn and boosting the interaction between pupil and instructor. A graduate of San Francisco State, Dugas teaches two classes at Contra Costa College — AfricanAmerican Psychology and Black Male and Female Relationships. She said she loves to teach her students about topics related to history and psychology. “I like the fact that I can share the experiences of a people and also celebrate the accomplishments of the people at the same time,” Dugas said. “I think it is important to tell the story of a people, because it tells a lot about their psyche, which is critical in understanding the learning process.” She said she teaches so the next generation can learn and eventually lead. “The learning environment should be about shared experiences,” Dugas said. “I should be able to teach and learn from my students. It’s a circular process of exchanging ideas.” Simone Foster, a student
“(Dugas) teaches from a personal and educated point-of-view that really grabs the student in.” Simone Foster, student
she gets the most satisfaction from. “Every year I take a look at my personal vision, and I accomplish everything I set out to do,” Dugas said. “But my greatest accomplishment comes when a student comes and tells me, ‘Professor Nzingha, I learned something in your class.’” Foster said she is engaged in Dugas’ classes because the history and psychology professor embodies the essence of the subject and delivers it the best way she can. “I think she is so passionate about what she teaches because she knows there is a need for us as AfricanAmerican people to know our culture and know the importance of what our people did,” Foster said. Student Akeem Palicious also said Dugas was an enthusiastic instructor. “She cares a lot about the subject, and you can tell by the way she delivers the information to students. She wants every student to be engaged and have an opinion,” Palicious said. Student Dominique Williams said she has learned about the history of AfricanAmerican people and some of their great accomplishments in an interactive way. “The way she teaches is very unique, combining education and entertainment, so the lectures are never boring,” she said.
that has taken both of Dugas’ classes, said she is a very passionate teacher who has a good time teaching her curriculum. “I respect her, because she is very real.” Foster said, “She teaches from a personal and educated point-of-view that really grabs the student in and makes them want to think about the material.” Dugas grew up all around the Bay Area, but attributes her time spent in the Los Angeles area as the foundation in her values and hospitality. “I remember going down south and everyone would speak to each other, and if you did not speak you would get in trouble,” Dugas said. “That was just a hospitable custom that was in that area, and I appreciated that.” Dugas said her parents really wanted to make sure that she knew “how to be,” which is where she attained a lot of her cultural values. Also a parent herself, she said teaching and parenting Contact Lamar James are the two hardest things at ljames.advocate@gmail. she has to do, but two things com.
Changes demand infrastructure upgrade Plans to improve college with cabling, smart classes, network shifts follow master plan
By Asia Camagong ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Standing with aged buildings and outdated technology, it is no surprise that the college often looks and feels like one of the oldest in the district. Yet, within the next year, the campus is set to begin a makeover upgrading not only its physical structure, but also the way it operates. “Students coming in five to 10 years are going to be on a completely different campus,” President McKinley Williams said. The Facilities Master Plan, outlining the changes in store for the structure of the campus, will work to better accommodate students and faculty, he said. Alongside the Facilities Master Plan, the Districtwide Strategic Infrastructure and Telecommunications Plan features technological upgrades necessary for the new physical structure, Vice Chancellor of Information Technology Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said. Funded by the Measure A bond passed in 2006, both plans will implement changes to the campus, including three new buildings, the installment of a new voice and data network and upgraded technology. “(The current campus) makes you think we’re not really a premier college, but we are (going to) look like a nice, modern facility,” Buildings and Grounds
Manager Bruce King said. Beginning in 2010, the Applied Arts Building will be renovated with smart classrooms, or classrooms built with computers and audiovisual equipment like hanging projectors, and will ideally be finished by the summer, King said. Following installment of the smart classrooms is the demolition of the Humanities and Student Activities buildings, replacing them with the three-storied Classroom Building and improved SA Building, he said. Williams said math and speech classes taught in the Liberal Arts and H buildings will be moved to the AA Building while services in the SA Building, such as the Bookstore and Student Dining Room, may be relocated to portables during construction. An additional building may be built to house the core of the command network, the location where all fiber optic and copper cabling on campus meet, currently under the H Building, King said. He said the construction of the two buildings could take three years to complete. Within five to six years, the reconstruction of the LA Building will take place, transforming it into the Science and Allied Health Building for science programs, King said. “We’re updating facilities to accommodate teachers today (to help them teach) in a (more modern) way,” Williams said.
While the Facilities Master Plan ensures to revamp the physical aspect of the facilities, the technology infrastructure lays the foundation from which the facilities will function. “(There are) a lot of behind the scenes kind of benefits,” Mehdizadeh said. Dealing with an outdated phone and voicemail system, the campus is currently working with technology requiring parts no longer made by the manufacturer, Technology Systems Manager James Eyestone said. “It’s not a question of how you maintain it, but can you maintain it at all,” he said. Mehdizadeh said failure to keep up with the advancement in technology could lead to future trouble. “Honestly, we are using a very aged infrastructure, which makes it hard for us to take advantage of the technology and services that are available,” she said. “More and more of the things that are being implemented throughout our organization rely on a robust data network.” By upgrading the telephone infrastructure with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), voice and data networks are converged to allow the transmission of information from phones to computers and vice versa, she said. Using VoIP to unify communication and messaging tools will allow one to use a phone to check an e-mail message or a computer to listen to a voicemail, Mehdizadeh said.
“(The current campus) makes you think we’re not really a premier college, but we are (going to) look like a nice modern facility.”
Bruce King,
Buildings and Grounds manager
The wide area network will also have a greater bandwidth, providing more speed on the computers, she said. In addition, the college will provide full wireless coverage and access to all areas on campus, as well as the future smart classrooms waiting to be installed in the AA Building and classroom building, she said. “It is an upgrade all around,” Mehdizadeh said. Contact Asia Camagong at acamagong.advocate@gmail.com.
SPORTS
malcolmlastra
Repeated foul calls ruin sport
E
ver since I was a kid, I have been drawn to the game of basketball. From the days of watching Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls winning consecutive championship to the times of actually playing the game myself for various youth teams, I have had an undying love for the game. I am beginning to notice, however, different changes in the sport that are affecting the game completely. Growing up as a ’90s kid, I was able to witness NBA games that had an electrifying stature to them, such as Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks playing down-to-thewire games against Tim Hardaway and the Miami Heat. Today, however, I can never really sit down at the dinner table and be able to look forward to an exciting match-up between teams. The NBA seems to be pretty watered down from the fire it once had in the 1990s and early 2000s. Rivalry showdowns and close games seem to have transformed into, more or less, popularity contests, thus causing predictable outcomes. It seems as if the more popular you are as a player in the NBA, the more of an advantage you have to win. It is like the referees have some sort of guilt hanging over their heads when they make a call a popular player does not agree with, so they try to patch things up with the player by giving his team numerous calls in their favor. The games go by so slow and take so long because the referees call the most unnecessary fouls. Half the game is spent with a player going to the free throw line. I remember watching games when the referees only called fouls when it was necessary. I have seen silly foul calls from the referees, such as a defender slightly putting a hand on the offensive player or a simple “love tap” (slight bump) on a layup. From my understanding, basketball is supposed to be a contact sport. It is obvious that the referees are making calls in favor of the most popular teams, as evidenced by former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleading guilty to betting and making calls to determine outcomes of games in 2007. Despite all of the horrible changes to the game of basketball, I am still an avid watcher of the sport and will continue to have a strong passion for the game. I hope to soon see the game return to its onceglorious past — the way things were. Contact Malcolm Lastra at mlastra. advocate@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009 l THE ADVOCATE
Volleyball team loses BVC opener
5
STORM CLOUDS
Squad unable to withstand Storm’s gust
more effort (and stopped) lacking in communication,” sophomore middle hitter Rose McGinley-Bradley said. The first set started off with the Comets scoring first. The Storm soon took a By Malcolm Lastra STAFF WRITER 3-1 lead and the game went point-for-point with each With exhaustion and a team matching the other. During the middle of the poor aspiration to win, the women’s volleyball team fell set, however, the Comets at the hands of Napa Valley weakened and succumbed to several College kills, adding Friday. ScoreBoard to the Storm’s T h e points. The Comets (0-2 Storm def. C o m e t s overall, 0-1 in Comets showed some the Bay Valley 25-18, 25-6, 25-5 effort as they Conference) attempted to began BVC Next game: make a comeplay against Today at back. the defending Mendocino, 6 The team’s conferencep.m. attempt to champion save the first Storm (2-5 overall, 1-0 in the BVC) by set was not strong enough, losing in straight sets, 25-18, however, as the Storm won 25-18. 25-6 and 25-5. “We should’ve carried Contra Costa College plays its next game tonight the same effort (shown) in at 6 p.m. against Mendocino the first set (into) the rest of College (4-7 overall, 2-2 in the game,” Nunley said. Comet players agreed the BVC) at home. “(The game) was dis- that the team effort was not appointing,” Comet coach shown throughout the game, Azure’D Nunley said. “Too and that their play did not much potential wasn’t match their potential. “Everyone gave up and shown.” The team showed little we weren’t giving our all,” effort in communicating sophomore setter Emily with each other on the court, Hansen said. The Comets started the which was a major problem last year, as they struggled second set with fatigued players who became slow in to get in sync. “We could have put in reacting to the ball, giving
ERIK VERDUZCO / THE ADVOCATE
Out of reach — Comet middle hitter Rose McGinley-Bradley stares at her teammates as they fail to reach the ball during Friday’s home game against Napa Valley College. The Comets lost in straight sets 25-18, 25-6 and 25-5. up many digs and a five- could have been put into final set 25-5. point run to the Storm. The better use.” “There was no team Nunley said she wanted chemistry and no team score at the end of the second set was 25-6. to find the right combination effort,” Nunley said. “We CCC also played the of players on the court. needed to talk to each other entire second set without The Comets attempted and actually have a desire to team captain McGinley- many failed digs and gave play the game.” up several points to the Bradley. Contact Malcolm “We’re playing as indi- Storm as they inflicted a Lastra at mlastra. viduals (and) not putting 16-0 score. things together,” McGinleyCCC then scored on a advocate@gmail.com. Bradley said. “(My effort) five-point run, but lost the
Comet comeback results in 2-2 tie Second-half goals not good enough to muster victory By Dariush Azmoudeh SPORTS EDITOR
After playing a sloppy first half against Yuba College, the Comets were able to shift the momentum of Friday’s home game when midfielder Jamie Sahagun received an assist from forward Diego Orellana and scored the team’s first goal during the 64th minute of the game. Unfortunately, the men’s soccer team (3-3-3 overall, 0-0-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) could not muster enough goals to best the 49ers (4-2-1 overall, 0-0-1 in the BVC), resulting in a 2-2 tie between the two teams in the conference opener for both squads. “The first goal is the hardest to get, but once we got that it gave the team energy and motivation to get better,” Sahagun said. Contra Costa College plays its
Box scores Men’s soccer (Sept.25 ) Yuba, Contra Costa Yuba 1 Contra Costa 0
1—2 2—2
First Half 1, Yuba, Paras 10 (Danby), 7th minute. Second Half 2, Yuba, Danby 2 (Mendoza), 47th minute. 1, CCC, Sahagun 28 (Orellana), 64th minute. 2, CCC, Zerbini 17 (penalty kick), 68th minute. Yellow Cards Yuba, Samuel Danby, 41st minute. CCC, Edgar Wenze, 59th minute. CCC, Jordan Zerbini, 83rd minute. CCC, Peter Jernigan, 90th minute. Red Cards Yuba, Samuel Danby, 69th minute. CCC, Andre Delgado, 69th minute. Yuba, Jonathan Garcia, 90th minute. Individual statistics Goals — Yuba — Paras, Danby. — CCC — Sahagun, Zerbini. Assists — Yuba — Danby, Mendoza. — CCC — Orellana. Shots on goal — Yuba — 5. — CCC — 3. Saves — Yuba — Tapia 3. — CCC — Hernandez 1. Record — Yuba — 4-2-1 overall, 0-0-1 in BVC. — CCC — 3-3-3 overall, 0-0-1 in BVC.
Schedule Women’s volleyball vs. Mendocino, today 6 p.m. vs. Alameda, Friday 6 p.m. Men’s soccer vs. Merritt, Friday 4 p.m. Women’s soccer vs. Mendocino, Friday 1:30 p.m. Football vs. Gavilan, Saturday 1 p.m
next game against Merritt College (3-4-0 overall, 0-0-0 in the BVC) at home on Friday at 4 p.m. Forward Jordan Zerbini was able to score the game-tying goal for CCC on a penalty kick four minutes after the first Comets goal. The penalty was given for a handball performed by the 49ers inside the box. In the first half, the Comets were having difficulties getting the ball to their forwards. Yuba was able to score a goal in the 7th minute by forward Roberto Paras. “We didn’t play a good game as a whole,” coach Rudy Zeller said. “We felt the pressure.” Samuel Danby, 49er midfielder, assisted Paras for the first Yuba goal and scored the second goal at two minutes into the second half on a header from an aerial pass from forward Smithy Mendoza. Danby was a key player for the 49ers by being all over the field helping pushing their attack forward. Overcoming a lack of the team’s own offensive power, the Comets were able to boost their defen-
sive skill in order to hold off Yuba The Comets had failed to score College to only two shots for the rest a goal in their previous two games of the half. against American River and Chabot “We learned we can come back colleges. as long as we play as a Additionally, the team,” Medeiros said. Yuba game included ScoreBoard three direct red card Zeller said one of the problems they faced was calls. One was called on Comets 2 Yuba playing with five the Comets and two on 49ers 2 midfielders, and he had the 49ers. to switch the Comets’ Both the Comets and Next game: formation to a 3-5-2 to the 49ers received cards Friday vs match the 49ers in the for unsportsmanlike Merritt, 4 p.m. midfield. conduct when Comet Defenders Jimmy Delgado and Danby got Medeiros and Tao Sabella helped into an altercation. control the backfield throughout the The second call was made game and were able to clear the ball because Yuba College midfielder at the necessary times. Jonathan Garcia was arguing with Midfielder Andre Delgado con- a referee. trolled the ball in the midfield and Zeller said in order for the helped make passes to his team- Comets to be successful, they need mates. Zeller said that Delgado’s to be a “90-minute” team, playing work ethics made him the player of consistently over the entire game. the game. “They have spurts that they play After coming up with the tie, good and spurts that the play bad,” the Comet’s entire team showed an Zeller said. improvement, such as Orellana, who Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at showed more ball control and was able to dribble past defenders with dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com. ease.
Game of the Week
SportShort Defense scores two TDs in 68-41 loss to De Anza Still searching for a win, the football team continued to turn the ball over and make costly mistakes in its loss to De Anza College 68-41 Saturday in Cupertino. The Comets, now 0-4, look to get their first win at home Saturday against Gavilan College (0-3). With the offense lagging and committing four turnovers, it was a continuous struggle to stop the Dons’ offense from putting up huge numbers on the ground, coach Dave Johnson said. De Anza racked up 307 yards on the ground, with an average of 7.1 yards a carry. “Defensively, we couldn’t stop the run,” Johnson said. “We will continue to get better as we practice and work harder.” The defense did have its bright spots Saturday, recovering five fumbles and managing to score on two of them. Still, they allowed 28 first downs, 17 of them rushing. The Dons’ passing attack was held to 223 yards through the air. With the offense lacking momentum, the Comets picked it up on special teams, with wide receiver Michael Hicks accumulating 198 return yards in the game and returning one kickoff for a 71-yard touchdown. “We are not going to give up and just quit. We are going to keep playing,” Johnson said. — Anthony Farr
Football Contra Costa College VS.
Gavilan College When: Saturday, 1 p.m. Where: Comet Stadium Records: CCC 0-4 overall. Hartnell 0-3 overall. Background: The football team looks to defeat Gavilan College this Saturday. Both teams are winless so far and are looking to get their first win this weekend. The Comets will try to rebuild from their 68-41 loss to De Anza College, while the Rams come off a 20-10 loss to San Jose City College. With the loss, the Comets extended their losing streak to 17 games but are looking to put an end to it before Oct. 20, the two-year anniversary of their last win. The Comets’ appetite for a win has been growing bigger and bigger as the weeks go by. They hope to continue to put points on the board and establish an improved run defense against Gavilan. — Dariush Azmoudeh
6 THE ADVOCATE Unleashed
Movies
l WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2009
WWII musical remains afloat By Brent Bainto
This week: “Zombieland” (R) “Whip It” (PG-13) “The Invention of Lying” (PG-13) “Capitalism: A Love Story” (R)
DVDs
New releases: “Monsters vs. Aliens” (PG) “Away We Go” (R) “The Brothers Bloom” (PG13) “SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes” (NR)
CDs
New releases: AFI: “Crash Love” Mariah Carey: “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” Alice In Chains: “Black Gives Way to Blue” Paramore: “Brand New Eyes” Strung Out: “Agents of the Underground”
Games
New releases: “Dead Space: Extraction” (WII - M) “Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2” (PS3 - M) “Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days” (DS - E) “Gran Turismo” (PSP - E) Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.
SCENE
SCENE EDITOR
The drama department delivered a powerful yet scattered portrayal of ethnic and gender conflicts in the Richmond Kaiser shipyards during WWII. “Rivets,” a musical written by Kathryn McCarty, was performed from Aug. 28-Sept. 27 in the SS Red Oak Victory docked at the Richmond shipyards for a second year in a row. The musical follows an array of characters’ struggles through tensions of the demanding workplace (the shipyards). As the play opens with a tasteful disclaimer about why the use of cell phones would clash with the depicted time period, the cast swiftly delivered a solid opening that ushered the audience into the aesthetic vibrancy. Though “Rivets” proved to be a well-scored and well-choreographed performance throughout, the musical quickly lost grasp due to too many characters being introduced. With so many characters introduced in the first few scenes of act one, differentiating possible protagonists was a bit difficult, since the number of plot lines forced the story to be viewed in a more broad perspective of the overall adversity to be conquered. Women breaking their conventional homemaker roles took on predominantly male-oriented professions on the homefront, such as manufacturing duties and ship maintenance while men were at war. In addition to the adjustment of women joining the work force, racial agitations were flared between whites and AfricanAmericans. Both disputes made
for the central themes, which were unity and equality. The cast interactions were depicted correspondingly to the era, as men were shown as disrespectful toward women and bigotry was still a prominent issue within the confines playreview of the shipyard. The stage space was made spatially adequate to the point that almost every scene was “Rivets” crowded and quite ★★★★★ Venue: SS Red busy with almost Oak Victory every actor fully Directed by: Clay immersed in allotDavid ted functions. Group dance numbers like the party scene brought out the best aspects of the musical, using the appropriate sound and spot lighting to highlight the eccentric movement of the actors. It was not until the second act where a more definite sense of main characters was established and unified through love. Nancy Mitchell, a nurse, sought to breach the homefront and serve overseas to be closer to her fiancé while her sister Evelyn falls for the condescending boss and an interracial couple comes together past threats of career terminations and contrasting family views. The musical, however, did lack character development and had minimal concrete substance though it was quite satisfactory for at least a general idea of the hardship pursuits inspired by the empowering image of “Rosie the Riveter.” Originally performed at the Knox Center, the musical was moved to the ship last year. The ship added to the greater atmo-
RIVETING
SAM ATTAL / THE ADVOCATE
Dolling up — Kady Brown (center), along with (left to right) Monica Lenk, Shawn Creighton and Julie Ponsford Holland, break into song during “Rivets,” held in the Richmond shipyards Sunday.
spheric effect of the working environment. From within the SS Red Oak Victory, audience members were given a more genuine feel of the harsh conditions the riveters faced despite the lighthearted nature of the musical. “Rivets” was thoroughly entertaining and was well received by the audience, which happened to
include former riveters and veterans. Despite overwhelmingly character-filled scenes with little central focus, the musical does serve as a great tribute to all who served as riveters, nationwide, and the timeless veterans. Contact Brent Bainto at bbainto.advocate@gmail.com.
‘Heritage Day’ gathers community Ethnic diversity celebrated in event By Cody McFarland STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
An estimated 400-500 people crowded the blocked off section of Brookside Drive in San Pablo Saturday, walking about the 20 booths and center stage that made up the city’s annual Heritage Day. Set up by the recreation division of the San Pablo City Council, the event attracted people of all ethnicities from all across the area came out to not only celebrate diversity, but add to it as well. “(We want to) create a strong community and celebrate the different cultures in San Pablo,” Recreation Coordinator Michelle Alvarez said.
This was achieved by the various booths set up by local vendors and organizations, as well as by the series of live bands that performed throughout the day. The booths and the bands all represented different heritages from around the world. The five types of music groups that performed were mariachi, Indian, salsa, western and country rock and Jamaican. The salsa group, Alma del Barrio, is a local band comprised of members from Richmond and San Pablo. “We just want to connect with the community,” senior recreation specialist Jacqueline McAlvain said, “especially in hard economic times like this.” Recreation Division Manager Mike Heller said the event was funded by a supportive city council and a number of various sponsors, including Jamba Juice, Russel’s Furniture and the San Pablo Lytton Casino, among others.
The recreation division has been working with a music promoter since 2004 to find acts to perform, Alvarez said. The promoter, Kentara Padron, says it is his job to track down performers that will enrich the local culture as well as to identify talents within the community. “I appreciate the way this event supports the different cultures within the community,” San Pablo City Council member Arturo Cruz said. “(There is) fun, food and music on such a beautiful day.” James Solis, Contra Costa College student and member of the recreation division, attended Heritage Day for the second year in a row. “(The event) continues to bring in the different parts of San Pablo’s culture (each year),” Solis said. It is a great way for organizations to come out and support the community
while promoting a good sense of unity and overall well-being, Solis said. San Pablo Police Department Lt. J.P. Creekmore said Heritage Day brings a great mix of people. It was Creekmore’s first time attending the event, though he has been serving on the force for the past 25 years. He, along with many other officers, was appointed to monitor the event and make sure it was free of crime. Heller said the event went well and was a huge success for the recreation division. He said he was glad to see members of the community come together and have as good a time as he did, whether they were from San Pablo or anywhere else. “At the end of the day, we’re all one big, happy family,” Heller said. Contact Cody McFarland at cmcfarland.advocate@gmail.com.
Exhibit reveals culture Rhodes Gallery displays Nordic personal visions By Kristina Plaza STAFF WRITER
Designed to induce inspiration and pure enjoyment, an exhibition for artists to express their own personal vision of the Nordic expression is on display in the Eddie Rhodes Gallery until Oct. 30 Set up by Nordic 5 Arts, an organization of professional artists from San Francisco, each member involved in the exhibit is of Nordic or Scandinavian descent, as well as artists born in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. The artists work in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, weaving and ceramics. Several members of the group are school instructors or teachers ADAM OLIVER / THE ADVOCATE of workshops in their studios. Perplexed — Art department Chairman John Diestler Pat Bengston-Jones, the curaexamines Colette Crutcher’s ceramic piece at the tor, had a creation called Journey Eddie Rhodes Gallery in the Art Building Thursday. Stones depicting a strip of old
buildings and walls made of tea, paper, graphite, Italian stone, dust and chips. Bengston-Jones said that when she was in the studio, her students and she would always drink tea, and she would save the tea bags until they dried. “Each piece is from a different time,” Bengston-Jones said. “I’m really interested in ancient history.” Former student Naomi Diaz is a fan of Bengston-Jones’s art. “It’s beautiful,” Diaz said. “I like the creativity she had done with the tea bags.” Co-curator Maj-Britt Mobrand made wool tapestry using traditional weaves and patters. He said his work would just start from something, and he would see where it takes him. Mobrand’s inspiration comes from jazz, running in nature, traveling and a student he taught weaving to at his studio. One of the artists, Colette Crutcher, was a sculptor fascinated by boxes. The experience of finding something inside aroused Crutcher, altering the idea from a box to three separate pieces of various house sculptures, all made from ceramics.
“House and a Half,” one of Crutcher’s sculptures, was initially intended to be just one house. She was so excited, however, that she tilted the carved house and broke the top half. The mishap of the topless house caused Crutcher to impose a new idea. “Then I thought, maybe I could make another house that would be able to fit in the broken house,” she said. The improved creation is now a mini-house that can fit perfectly inside the former. “The works offered here are those that struck me as the most interesting and compatible with the gallery space,” said Claudia Chaplin, juror of the exhibition. Nordic 5 Arts take great pleasure in having the opportunity of sharing their art and cultural heritage with students and facilities, Chaplin said. A book called Going North is also available for those who are interested in the artists addressing their Scandinavian heritage in traditional and innovative ways. Contact Kristina Plaza at kplaza.advocate@gmail.com.