The Connection Issue 1 Spring 2016

www.thecrcconnection.com

Baseball swings through their home opener.

See Page 8 LeShea Munoz| The Connection

Minimum Wage

Will the increase help the economy?

News, Page 3 ISSUE 1 Spring 2016 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Film Review

‘The Boy’ delivers suspense, but its acting fails Features, Page 5

FACEBOOK /crcconnection

Oscar Awards

Critics blast awards for lack of diversity Opinion, Page 6

TWITTER @crcconnection

Basketball Recap

Men’s basketball sees playoffs on the horizon Sports, Page 7

INSTAGRAM @thecrcconnection

Page 2

February 11, 2016

>>News Concealed weapons banned on campus

By Tyler Santana tsantana.connect@gmail.com Concealed weapons cannot be carried at California college and university campuses, according to a new state law that went into effect on Jan. 1.

According to the law, no one, including faculty, even with a valid license to carry, is allowed to have a gun on campus unless authorized from the LRCCD Police Chief Cheryl Sears. Students and faculty are allowed to have a gun located in the car locked away and not in the glove box.

Many Cosumnes River College students agreed with the concealed weapons ban and some would like to see the guns removed from campus grounds entirely.

“Nobody for whatever reason should have a gun near campus,” said 19-year-old biology major Kevin Nzenkue.

Nzenkue said that he was happy that guns are not allowed directly on campus at least.

Other students expressed concerns of still permitting guns to be locked in cars on campus.

Alicia Lua, a 24-year-old business student, said that not everyone is going to obey having the gun locked in a safe in their car.

“You never know, because what if they tell someone or someone overhears they have a gun?” Lua said. “Then they can go and steal it.”

Lazaro Perez, 23, a business major, said he doesn’t see the threat to where someone would carry a gun on campus.

“We have security out and the police nearby on campus,” Perez said.

There are some students

who disagreed with a weapon ban on campus saying that it is unconstitutional and violates their rights..

“I think it’s important to uphold the second amendment,” said 23-year-old Jeffrey Montane, a behavioral science major.

Montane said he has worked with law enforcement as a security guard and said that police response isn’t always as fast as it needs to be.

“I do respect that the campus wants to ban the weapons but it doesn’t prevent someone from doing it unlawfully,”

Courtesy Photo

Montane said.

Not everyone agrees with Montane on the issue.

“The issue of gun control and amendment rights is a sensitive subject, and the notion that we are safer by carrying our own guns on campus is incorrect,” said History Professor Gabriel Gorman.

Faculty and staff said they feel a little safer knowing that it is against state law to carry a gun on campus, however, there are still some safety concerns that some professors have.

“The less there are guns on campus, the better overall, more guns just lead to a bad situation,” said Humanities Professor Kim Codella.

Codella also said that he is still concerned with not being able to lock the doors from the inside “which is a big concern.”

Several professors said that they are confident in the LRPD’s ability to neutralize any kind of threat that may appear on campus.

“The campus police have done a good job of being active and being prepared,” Gorman said.

Academic Senate discusses smoking ban during meeting Erica Trujillo etrujillo.connect@gmail.com The campus Academic Senate met and proposed a smoking ban for the Cosumnes River College campus on Dec.11 Currently American River College is a smoke-free campus. Sacramento City College, Folsom Lake College and CRC have designated smoking areas and any other areas are not permitted. Sac City College is going smoke-free in the Fall of this year. All tobacco products including e-cigarettes and vape pens will be prohibited as well. All of the Los Rios colleges are trying to promote healthy living, according to the correlating campus’s websites. Second hand smoke is a big issue for students who are on their way to class and want to avoid the smoke.

“When someone smokes, everyone around them breathes it in. If one person is unhealthy then not everyone else should have to be,” said 20 year old digital media student, Esteban Montes.

Each college in the Los Rios school system is given the choice to decide whether they want to declare their campus tobacco-free. Since there are already designated smoking areas, there isn’t an immediate rush to ban the right to smoke on campus but the focus is still to get rid of the right when possible.

The only problem in the way of banning smoking on campus facing the Academic Senate is the issue of how to implement the new rule and the impact it would have on the campus.

CRC’s Vice President of Administrative Services and Student Support, Cory Wathen said, if the ban is approved by the Senate, the parameter for where students can smoke is outside the gates surrounding the school. The school’s parking lot is also a tobacco-free zone.

Wathen’s view on the matter is that he wants “students to be aware of the health risks of smoking and to be healthy, as well as take on healthy living choices.”

If and when the ban goes into effect, a student caught will not face severe punish-

Tyler Santana |The Connection

Students stand outside the Business Social Building to smoke in one of the remaing designated spots on campus. If the ban is put in place it would get rid of all designated smoking spots on school grounds.

ment but be given a harsh talking to by campus police for violating the code of conduct, Wathen said.

Some students are all for the ban and others are on the fence about it. 22-year-old Michele Mariano an English major said she hates when smoke is blown right her way as she is walking on campus but has no problem with keeping the designated smoking areas for people.

“The restricted areas are so small, I don’t want to impose a bigger restriction on smokers,” Mariano said.

Some people on the other hand,have a different view than the Academic Senate. “I don’t want to take away something necessary for somebody.

It should be a person’s choice,” said the assistant manager to the women’s tennis coach, Ed-

mund Carter.

Based on the decisions of ARC, Sac City, as well as what Wathen said, CRC will most likely become a tobacco-free campus within a short time span. Professor Paul Zisk of the Sociology department who is a smoker himself is okay with the ban.

“Smoking is in fact bad.

Second hand smoking is a known carcinogenic and besides it’ll help me quit,” Zisk said. “Many people have their own opinions on the ban but no matter the decision in the end, the Academic Senate will have the students and faculty’s best interests at hand.”

Should CRC enact a campus ban on smoking? Send a letter to the editors with your view on the topic to connection.crc@gmail.com

PAGE 3

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

New environmental plan at CRC

By Kayleen Carter kcarter.connect@gmail.com Administrative staff across the Los Rios Community College District attended a conference in the Winn Center on Feb. 2 to discuss the Sacramento region’s impact on LRCCD. Faculty and staff took part in a community conference detailing the growth of the Sacramento region and how its educational institutions, specifically LRCCD, would accommodate in the coming years.

After reviewing data based off of the Sacramento region, a strategic plan is then developed.

“The Strategic Plan is what should guide the district over a set period of time,” said Sue Lorimer, Deputy Chancellor for the LRCCD. “Usually, it’s somewhere from three to six years.”

The plan itself has a purpose to adapt to constant change.

“The idea is that what we did in the past may be very good, but the world has changed,” Lorimer said .“If our students are changing, our communities are changing, then we need to refresh our strategic plan.” said Lorimer.

Lorimer also said that a new strategic plan is written every six years. However, each

individual college presents their own plan at their own college.

The event lasted from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and featured prominent figures from Cosumnes River College, including College President Edward Bush, Vice President Whitney Yamamura, and Public Information Officer Kristie West.

“CRC will use the LRCCD plan to lay the groundwork for our campus strategic plan,” West said. West also said that the campus would be impacted by the plan, but that it was too soon to say how.

Forty people attended the conference.

The process of the CRC conference was split between several powerpoints, presentations, key speakers and group workshops going over the different counties within the Sacramento region and their projected population growth.

The LRCCD serves three counties: Sacramento, El Do-

communities, are among those whose populations would increase to about 100,000 and were the focus of the presen-

tation.

An annual Environmental Scan of the Sacramento region was presented as the statistical precursor for CRC’s strategic plan. It offers a comprehensive statistical look at the fac-

“Cosumnes River College will use the LRCCD environmental plan to lay the groundwork for our own campus strategic plan.”

-- Kristie West

Public Information Officer

rado and Yolo County. Those three, including seven other

tors impacting the LRCCD. These factors include the

economic, ethnic and environmental changes the greater Sacramento region undergo, according to the Education Resources Information Center.

Director of Institutional Research Betty Glyer-Culver has spent 20 years in the service of LRCCD and was the key presenter of the Environmental Scan.

“My role in the strategic plan process is to support the groups like this with data and evidence,” said Glyer-Culver.

“And that data and evidence provides them the plan.”

Within the meeting, the theme, or vision of CRC’s strategic plan was to continue as an institution which served the students in their educational endeavors. Effectively, adding to the idea of an able bodied community.

Glyer-Culver said the most essential part of the plan is the community itself.

“It’s this,” Glyer-Culver said. “It’s coming together to talk about our students. Besides the final product in that roadmap, it’s these conversations, because you learn so much.”

News brief The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (AAJC) has released their report from their evaluation of Cosumnes River College that was conducted last year in Oct. on Feb. 5, according to an email released by CRC President Edward Bush.

In the release The AAJC said that all four Los Rios campuses have been reaffirmed for 18 months but each campus is responsible to give a follow-up report that is due by March 15, 2017.

In the follow-up CRC is to address growth in two fields on campus.

The first is to speed of the completion of courses, programs and degrees in all departments that are located at the college.

The second “consistently and systematically document the dialogue about institutional effectiveness, including learning outcomes, as discussions occur throughout the shared governance process. The team further recommends that the College clearly delineate persons and programs responsible for implementing plans and that the results of the implementation be made public to all constituencies in support of continuous quality improvement,” according to the email.

New minimum wage affects the local businesses

By Courtney Fong cfong.connect@gmail.com California’s minimum wage rose from $9 to $10 at the beginning of 2016, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.

The policy is still young, but Cosumnes River College students and the surrounding community recognize its importance.

“If workers want to be able to handle inflation, which usually occurs in our economy, because we’re a productive, healthy economy, they will want a raise in their wage,” said CRC economics professor Amy Leung. “If their employers aren’t able to give it to them then they will have to turn to the government to help. So this increase in minimum wage will definitely help those workers adjust their cost of living.”

Many minimum wage job, people are apprehensive onto bigger and better things,” workers earn less than living about raising wages to $15 an Mitchel said. wages. Sacramento city work- hour over the next few years.

Although Sissom said she ers who earned an annual inHigher wages might be thinks the wage increase is a come of $43,778 in 2007 earned incentive to prevent minimum good thing, she said a higher a relative $40,551 in 2013, ac- wage workers from “being minimum wage could lead to cording to a 2015 study by stuck on doing certain jobs,” laziness and a sense of entitlethe University ment. of California, ConsumBerkeley (both ers might If workers want to be able to handle inflation, incomes adjustalso worry which usually occurs in our economy, because ed to reflect the about hav2013 dollar). ing to shoulwe’re a productive healthy economy, they will “I think [the der the wage wage increase] increase want a raise in their wage.” is very benefit h r o u g h -- Amy Leung cial,” said Isahigher prices.

Economics Professor belle Sissom, a “Pric19-year-old psyes will defichology major. nitely rise,” “I hope people can cover those said 52-year-old business Leung said. “At fast food bills they were trying hard to management major Patrick restaurants for example you’re work for.”

Mitchel. going to face maybe a few However, some are con“It’s going to make it hard- pennies more on that burger cerned about the implications er for people working for the or that burrito.” of the wage increase. While first time to be able to achieve However, some local busi$10 an hour seemed appro- getting jobs themselves. The nesses like Chaat of India, priate for a minimum wage idea is to move up and go located on 7431 W Stockton

“

Blvd., are in support of higher wages.

“If [the economy] is good, everything is going up,” said Karmbir Singh, Chaat of India restaurant manager. “If bad things are going up, the wage should go up too. People need to survive.”

Singh explained how the wage increase can improve food quality.

“If we pay good, the food is good. If the food is good, the customer is happy,” Singh said. “That’s what matters.”

Though we have yet to measure how effective the wage increase is in Sacramento, many in the community seem hopeful.

“I believe it will help our economy and those workers who probably do need that help because they’re earning such a low wage as it is,” Leung said. “I think we’re on the right track.”

PAGE 4

FEBRUARY 11, 2016

>>Features

Safe Spaces Day addresses campus bias

By Courtney Fong cofong.connect@gmail.com The Cosumnes River College community observed its first annual Safe Spaces Day on Feb. 3. The event raised awareness about the campus-wide effort to create a safe and bias-free environment.

The Social Responsibility Committee organized the event with support from student and faculty volunteers who handed out flyers and encouraged passing students to take the Safe Spaces Pledge.

“Safe Spaces is necessary to CRC because we’re very diverse, and with a lot of issues that have been happening, it’s important that people feel safe at their school,” said 23-yearold government student Kathy Mendoza.

Tables with flyers, buttons and pledge sign-up sheets were located on the WINN Center’s second floor, in the

library lobby and outside the cafeteria.

“I’m pretty impressed that there’s even something going on like this,” said 29-year-old communications major Jenay Clayton. “I think when you see a table, pick up a flyer.

Why not read it, you know? It takes two minutes to read on the way to your next class, and just see if your school’s doing something that you believe in.”

Although Clayton hadn’t known about Safe Spaces before the event, she said the flyer piqued her interest in the program and she considered taking the Safe Spaces Pledge.

Safe Spaces Day draws attention to the resources available on campus.

“If one day something bad happens to them, then they’ll know that this does exist and that there’s something like it on campus,” said 22-year-old child development student

Cindy Nguyen.

The recent Snapchat issue highlighted how important it is to address students’ fear about subjects such as racial tension and school shootings. “ W e knew that based on what was happening in neighborhoods around us - Davis, ARC, our sister campuses - there was a wide range of discrimination,” said Music Professor Steven Coughran.

“The focus of this day is to encourage us all to really look at ourselves, our own thoughts, our own behaviors, our own

actions, to question ourselves across a broad palate of issues.”

F o r those who don’t know how they can help establish CRC as a safe space, Anastasia Panagakos, event coordinator and anthropology professor, said that it starts with yourself.

“Students can participate at the most basic level by being aware of their own bias,” Panagakos said. “Be an upstander, not a bystander.”

The program focuses on educating people about ingrained bias to promote an

open community where ideas and opinions are shared respectfully.

“We want students, faculty and staff to have intense dialogue in a respectful way,” Peshkoff said.

By creating an open community, students and faculty will have the opportunity to open up about issues and have the support to come up with solutions.

“We’re getting these messages, ‘It’s not okay to be who you are.’ And there’s so much pain in that, in carrying that,” Coughran said.

But with all the support for making CRC a safe space, maybe they won’t have to carry that pain much longer.

“I think what you guys are standing up for is obviously positivity, and no one can deny that,” Clayton said.

Check out Safe Spaces resources and locations on the campus website.

‘Revenant’ photographer shares career tips

By Erica Trujillo etrujillo.connect@gmail.com “The Revenant” still photographer Skyped with the Cosumnes River College photography department on Feb. 3.

Kimberley French is a well-known and respected still photographer in the film industry. She has worked on countless films such as “Brokeback Mountain,” “Red Riding Hood” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”

French’s newest project was photographing for the movie “The Revenant” starring Leonardo Dicaprio. She captured pivotal scenes of the actors on and off-screen.

Photography Professor Kathryn Mayo said she was very excited that French agreed to Skype with the aspiring photography students.

“This is a great opportunity for the students to be able to connect to an artist they wouldn’t normally have due to the budget,” said Mayo.

“Someone who is already in the business like French can give the students insight and inspire them.”

To some students and professors, talking to a well-established photographer can be an honor.

“A person’s measure of success should come from where you started to where you are, rather than using the world to measure your success.”

phers of our country and it’s so timely.”

French started off like any other aspiring photographer by becoming an assistant to a photographer already in the field of photography she wanted to pursue. She was mentored by photographer Phil Hersee, who encouraged her and also had a love for helping young photographers get exposed to the industry.

She was very inspired by

Hersee’s love of helping, so she joined the organization Cameras for Change. The organization teaches photography to various communities around the world and is sponsored by Nikon.

French is now known

by Hollywood as one of the main people to call to capture still photography. Before, she would have to do whatever job was presented to her due to the competitive nature of

the field.

“The reason I’m successful is because I focused on one thing for 20 years,” French said. “If you don’t love it, don’t do it. Do what moves you.”

The still photographer said she has lived by the rule, “a person’s measure of success should come from where you started to where you are, rather than using the world to measure your success.”

--Kimberley French Still Photographer “I get to see the personality of the photographer and you understand the photographer’s process when you get to talk or skype with them,” said photography major Kim Duhamel.

For some it was just a great experience to talk to such a well-known photographer.

“She’s so amazing,” said Photography Professor Patty Felkner. “She is one of the most important photogra-

Editor in Chief: Tyler Santana News Editor: Tyler Santana Features Editor: Nicole Goodie Opinion Editor: EJ Aguayo Sports Editor: Matt Johnson Online Editor: Nicole Goodie Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Ashley Navarro, Brennan Smith, Ceejay Willis, Courtney Fong, Eb Arreola, Erica Trujillo, Evan Pacheco, Kayleen Carter, LeShea Munoz, Oksana Barrios, Quincie Pruitt

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District.

The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and California Newspaper Publisher’s Association.

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 Fax: (916) 691-7181 www.thecrcconnection.com connection.crc@gmail.com

Facebook.com/crcconnection Twitter: @CRCconnection Instagram: @CRCconnection Storify.com/TheConnection #CRCcampus

thecrcconnection.com

Page 5

Bad performances saved by suspense in ‘The Boy’ ing if there is a spirit in the house or another human.

In one of the scenes, there’s a moment when Greta has a talk with Brahms asking him if the list is what he wants done, and as she stares into his glass eyes she feels bad and starts to do what the list states.

This list is an important piece to this puzzle, because what she doesn’t know is this list isn’t for her to become a great nanny, but his future girl.

The first hour of the film was dragging a little bit, but as the movie went on the plot begins to rise and thicken having you question if Greta is losing her mind.

This film was very interesting with its plot and twists, but don’t expect any Oscar Winning performances. There are times in the film where you can tell Lauren Cohen might of been uncomfortable or maybe just lacked good acting skills when it came to interacting with the doll.

With the absence of good acting it could be hard for the audience to connect with the story, but where acting lacked, the suspense filled in.

By Quincie Pruitt qpruitt.connect@gmail.com While it’s debatable whether “The Boy” is an Oscar winning film, it’s fair to say that it is a solid 2-in-1 suspense film that brings back that classic Chucky-style horror.

Director William Brent Bell, who also directed “The Devil Inside,” does a good job in turning the classic horror aspect into something that is more suspenseful than anything else.

An eerie doll and a strange house are the main ingredients needed to make this film a fantastic psychological thriller that towards the end has an obvious twist.

This film still has enough scary moments to satisfy the horror fans. But you are left sitting in your seat asking, if it stayed on its original direction, would the film come off more disturbing?

Lauren Cohen of the “The Walking Dead” plays Greta, a young American woman looking to escape the life she was living.

Greta is sent to take care of the Heelshire’s son Brahms.

The suspense begins when she is introduced to a porcelain doll that is the replacement to the Heelshire’s deceased son.

The parents, portrayed by Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle, give the audience an urge to figure out the story of the boy.

Diana Hardcastle has

Courtesy Photo

also played in “The Good People” and “The Best Marigold Hotel.” Jim Norton has also played in “Water for Elephants” and “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.”

“Whatever it might look like on the outside our son is

here, he’s very much with us,” Mr. Heelshire said in the film.

After showing Greta her daily duties the family quickly fled on their vacation and left her a specific list of things she must do.

As soon as the Heelshire’s

flee, Greta ignores her specific list of things to do because she doesn’t believe the doll is real.

Once Greta keeps ignoring the rules, things of hers start to disappear. Items like all her clothes, jewelry and shoes, which has her wonder-

Score out of five stars For more TV reviews, visit thecrcconnection.com or follow the Connection on Twitter @CRCconnection

#TrendingNow Memphis Meats has potentially reinvented the meat industry by producing a slaughter-free meat product. By harvesting animal cells, meat can now be lab-grown.

“If I could eat all the animals in one sitting without harming them and yet get the flavor of chickens, pigs, and cows, I’m for it. The future’s coming through things like that,” said Thomas Lacalle, 20, an accounting major.

okstores

After putting physical bookstores out of business with their online book boom, Amazon has announced their plan to start building their own physical bookstores.

“It’s much simpler than having to order the book online and then wait three to four days and pay extra for the speedy delivery,” said Diana Atkins, 76, a human services chemical dependency studies major.

quired

Fitbit Re

wn Meat

Amazon Bo

Lab-Gro

Compiled by Oksana Barrios & Courtney Fong All photos are courtesy photos

Oral Roberts University recently required freshmen to wear a Fitbit to track their fitness levels.

“The value of physical education has kind of been demeaned and if they’re making an effort to have kids more health conscious, approaching their collegiate years with all the distractions that freshman year can provide, I think it’s a good thing,” said Ben Pamies, 35, a business major.

Page 6

February 11, 2016

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Students should be aware of online footprint Most social media regulars post freely, even when content isn’t necessarily appropriate, and often feeling guarded by a private profile.

The term privacy should be used loosely in regards to social media.

Social media and its many platforms have changed so much in the last decade.

We’re constantly tapped into our phones while reading through pages, liking content, taking selfies and narrating timelines of our lives via Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and other applications.

Social media offers many positive aspects, such as connecting us with old friends or distant relatives, keeping us up to date on the latest trends around the world and overall allowing us to share our greatest moments with people who may just be sitting at home enjoying what they see.

With all of the positive attributes there are bound to be some down sides.

Recently, 19-year-old Cosumnes River College student Christopher Salazar Muñoz was arrested for posting a message that included threats to a school campus via Snapchat.

In the post, Munoz stated, “I’ll prove you don’t have to be white to

shoot up a school,” according to a campuswide email.

Since Snapchat posts don’t last forever, in fact, the longest anyone can see a message is for about 10 seconds, Munoz may have not thought twice.

Nothing you post online is ever really private, nor will it ever be.

That 10 seconds was enough for someone to see and report the threat to police, and Muñoz was arrested just hours later.

He now faces criminal charges for making threats against a school campus.

We urge students to be aware of not only their own posts, but to speak up when any kind of red flags arise within their social media circles.

According to Pew Research Center, 55 percent of adults between the ages of 18 to 29 are likely to experience being stalked or harassed online, have

their social media accounts taken over or have their reputation damaged.

People go through phases, whether it was some weird haircut you had in middle school or some rebellious acts in high school that might have been funny enough to share with peers.

From the most difficult to exciting stages of your life, social media is an easy way to document all of those phases and to go back and reminisce.

However, in today’s growing social media world the messages from a post can get crossed and offend someone enough to potentially cause prolonged, unforgotten damage.

An online footprint is left.

Justine Sacco, former senior director of corporate communications at InterActive Corp., said she was tweeting harmless jokes about her encounters with some of the other flight passengers, from her personal account which

only had about 170 followers, according to an interview with The New York Times Magazine.

Before she got on her flight to Cape Town, she sent out a tweet that said, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” according to the interview.

The Twitter world exploded with responses to her racist comments, and Sacco was the last one to know.

Sacco said she was just tweeting at an innocent joke that was intended to be from the point of view of someone other than herself, according to the interview However people don’t always understand the message that is really intended.

Socco was later fired from her job.

Social media is generally a fun tool to use especially among students who want to maintain social connections while juggling heavy workloads among classes.

But, it’s also a powerful tool in getting messages out. Without monitoring posts many people can find themselves facing embarrassment or trouble over content.

Once you post it, whether you delete it or not, it may come back to haunt you.

Academy Awards are lacking in color, but not in talent

By Kayleen Carter kkarter.connect@gmail.com The 20 actors nominated this year for an Oscar award are white, which has brought into question the diversity of the awards.

About 94 percent out of the nearly 6,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, those who determine the winners through votes, are primarily white, according to an article from The Economist.

Minorities are generally underrepresented in the film industry.

Many prominent figures in the black community, such as director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith, have opted not to attend the ceremony and plan to boycott in protest of the lack of people of color who were nominated for awards.

With the upcoming 2016 Oscars, known formally as the 88th Academy Awards, a familiar hashtag is resurfacing: #Oscarssowhite.

Do I believe the Oscars are biased just because there are a substantial number of white actors receiving appraisal? No. Do I believe the Oscars are lacking in racial diversity and need to address

this dilemma? Yes. The film awards season is a time for recognition of the best.

A time in which, as Neil Patrick Harris said at the 2015 Oscars, “We celebrate Hollywood’s best and whitest.

Sorry...brightest.”

Aside from the satirical humor by the host, he did tackle an issue that’s been plaguing the film industry.

As the hashtag points out, the problem with the Oscars lies mainly in its lack of representation of other ethnicities. In the 88 years that the awards have endured since 1929, the most dominant race in the film industry has been white.

However, a lack of diversity in the Oscars may not be a blatant refusal or a bias towards nominating and recognizing diverse talent.

Actress Hattie McDaniel was the first black person in history to win an Oscar in 1940 for her role in, “Gone with the Wind.”

In 1964, Sidney Poitier, an iconic symbol of African American acting, became the first black man to receive an award for best actor for his performance in, “Lilies of the Field.”

Denzel Washington, James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, Lupita

Nyong’o from, “12 Years a Slave” and many other well known black actors have won Oscars for their amazing performances. Point being, African Americans have been well represented, just not as abundantly.

The hashtag unfairly dismisses the true reason behind the film industry’s “should be” purpose, which is entertainment.

“Essentially, the Oscars

don’t have a bias, they just need a bit of diversity. ” O’shea Jackson Sr., who is better known as rapper, “Ice Cube” and a producer of the film, “Straight Outta Compton” said that, “We don’t do movies for the industry. We do movies for the fans, for the people.” Cube essentially debunked the hashtag and boycott as, “ridiculous,” according to Vulture magazine.

Leonardo Dicaprio has given excellent performances and, regardless of his ethnicity, is deserving of his nomination. Although performances can be interpreted differently, many viewers believe the same.

What you think is good isn’t necessarily good to me and vice versa. I understand that not everyone is a fan of films like, “The Revenant,” but ethnicity doesn’t correlate with how well a person performs.

Actors and actresses don’t possess the right to choose what color or race another actor should be in order to be recognized.

Bringing entertainment to an audience is part of their job description and is no basis to belittle their hard work by focusing on their ethnicity instead of their talents.

If anything, the Oscars are a highly global backdrop for people of color, as you might have seen in 2015. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu advocated for Mexican rights, and recording artists Common and John Legend spoke about blacks in prison.

By contrast, Latinos and Asians have had significantly tougher times landing roles than African Americans have, according to The Economist.

Essentially, the Oscars don’t have a bias, they just need a bit of diversity.

As for the handful of people boycotting the ceremony, in the words of Spike Lee, I advise only this: “Do the right thing.”

thecrcconnection.com

Page 7

Men’s basketball team finding early success under new coach

By Quincie Pruitt qpruitt.connect@gmail.com It’s no secret that the CRC’s men’s basketball team has had a successful season so far and still continues to bring home the wins.

This is coach Devin Aye’s first year as the Hawks’ basketball coach and players attested to his coaching ability, saying he has done an outstanding job motivating and leading the team.

“I learned the value of teamwork from coach and guidance in life,” said freshman guard Leondre Lintz.

Some players spoke about guidance and sportsmanship they learned from Aye, and some spoke about how they learned how to improve their game and fundamentals.

“I learned how to play better, fundamental skills, and working better with my teammates,” said freshman guard Johann Tate Jr. Aye said he believes he exceeded his own expectations under the circumstances this season. With a majority of the roster being freshman and a new coaching staff on the team, he thought the Hawks had done pretty well becoming a team and growing together.

Aye said he is also proud that the team is 8-3 in the Big 8, the largest conference in Northern California, which puts them in first place.

Along with accomplishing his goals for his team, Aye learned this season that Sacramento has a lot of natural talent.

He said coming to Cosumnes River College was an incredible opportunity that he’s glad he took advantage of.

“To get here so late and not have time to recruit players, and now being number one in the biggest conference in Northern California, I say I definitely exceeded my expectations,”Aye said.

While the team has had success so far, the players stated their goal for the season has not been reached.

“We have not met our ultimate goal yet, which is to win conference championship and state championship,” Lintz said.

With the men’s basketball team impressive winning streak, they are hoping to keep

Rams relocation leaves city picking up the pieces

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Freshman forward Gerard Andrus attempts a jumpshot against American River College on Feb. 9. The Hawks lost 75-74 in the final seconds.

it going to make it all the way to the top.

“Our goal is to win state championship, our goal is to win,” Tate said.

The key to their successful winning streak is their playbook. At the beginning of the season Aye planned on creating up-tempo, military style kind of plays, but he recognized that not everything you plan out works out the way you want it.

In this case, it was a good thing that with some revisions made to the playbook, the coach and players were able to find their own rhythm.

“We tried the up-tempo style, but with rule changes, and fouls being called on us, it just didn’t work out,” Aye said.

With the revisions of the plays. Aye feels the team is playing smarter and with better ball movement, leading to better success.

“I like the plays, it gives equal opportunity amongst players and creates confidence in one another,” Tate said.

With the growth and success of the men’s basketball team this season, it’s creating significant shock and helping boost team recruitment for players.

“I’m very proud of the team, and happy to be apart of the team,” Aye said.

The Hawks will host their last home game of the season on Feb. 11 against Sierra College, who they are tied with for first in the Big 8 Conference.

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com When the NFL announced the St. Louis Rams were relocating to Los Angeles, it was seen as an outstanding move for the franchise and the NFL. But, while they may benefit financially, the relocation is another example of the seesaw relationship between a team and its city.

Rams’ owner Stan Kroenke, who has an estimated $7.5 billion net worth according to Forbes, dreamed of a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium in Inglewood, California and started planning it while the Rams were still in St. Louis.

He got what he wanted a year later, convincing NFL owners to move the Rams to Los Angeles.

Kroenke expects to spend over $1.8 billion on the development of the stadium and the area surrounding it, which doesn’t include the $550 million relocation fee he will pay.

The $550 million will be divided up amongst the 31 other team owners in the NFL, a great coup for owners who benefit from the Rams move to Los Angeles.

By going to a bigger media market and city, the NFL and team owners should see increased revenue over the coming years.

Meanwhile the city of St. Louis gets nothing.

Actually, St. Louis does get left with something.

They get to pay nearly $62 million in debt, maintenance and added additional costs over the next decade towards the Edward Jones Dome, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

An empty stadium that will cost the city and its taxpayers money while hundreds of employees of the stadium lose their jobs with their employer gone. So while the NFL and Kroenke make out well financially, the city of St. Louis is left in debt and with more unemployment.

Owners in all major sports see what’s happening

and have been taking advantage of the system for years.

They hold cities in a hostage-like position, threatening relocation if city officials don’t approve spending for a new stadium.

Public officials recognize many voters in their city are sports fans who love their local team and the team generally provides some unity and fun for the city. In that situation, city officials are under more pressure to keep local sports fans happy, even if it could hurt the city economically.

Owners worth billions of dollars threaten relocation if cities aren’t willing to use public funds to pay for a new stadium and it works.

Before the Rams relocated, Los Angeles was the “go-to” name for owners to throw around to cities in relocation threats.

Over the past 20 years, more than $7 billion in taxpayer money has been spent on NFL stadiums, according to the Huffington Post.

These decisions can come at a cost, from the city of Cincinnati having to sell a local hospital after spending $500 million in public funds for a new stadium to Miami-Dade county taking out loans that will cost them over $1.2 billion by 2048 according to The Miami Herald.

There is a system of the wealthy taking advantage of cities and their taxpayers. It starts with the major sports dividing up relocation fees amongst its wealthy, powerful owners and keeping it from the city that is losing jobs, a form of city unity and still paying off debt for an empty stadium.

It’s another example of the wealthy in power abusing their power and catering rules to help their pocket books. As much as sports fans may love their teams, it might be time for everyone to put their foot down and stand against a system that leaves cities in financial shambles while billionaires make a profit off them. It’s time for the system to end.

Page 8

February 11, 2016

Baseball brings experience into new season

Bloomfield said.

The Hawks understand baseball is a “game of adversity,” and Bloomfield said he recognized a big key to a successful season is having a short-memory and gaining momentum.

“It’s a short-term memory sport, it’s a game of momentum and we’re trying to keep the momentum on our side,” Bloomfield said.

By Oksana Barrios obarrios.connect@gmail.com As the men’s baseball team enters the 2016 season, they will enter with an experienced, competitive roster focused on achieving one specific goal.

Head coach Tony Bloomfield and his coaching staff will welcome back 10 returning players to provide veteran experience and strong communication to help try and propel the team to the playoffs and a state championship.

“I want my guys to be accountable, to do things that are in a timely manner, and more importantly I want to be able to communicate verbally not through text and give effort,” Bloomfield said “We want our kids to be individual people to get the job,” Bloomfield said.

Coming off a season in which the team suffered a heartbreaking loss at state, the players are ready and motivated for a comeback season.

“We want to go to state, that’s what we have been practicing all year for, that’s what we have been aiming for since fall.” said sophomore center fielder Devin Pettengill.

With regularly scheduled practices on the field, the team is exercising some takeaways from last year as a key to success this season.

“It comes down to timely

Schedule

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Freshman infielder Austin Curtis (left) congratulates sophomore outfielder Devin Pettengill (right) after scoring game-tying run against Skyline on Feb. 4. The Hawks went on to win 2-1 in 10 innings.

hitting, you know you have to get the big hits when you need to get the big hits,” Bloomfield said.

Along with high expectations for the new season, the team hopes playing their best will give them a good chance to make it to the end.

“We understand situations, we know what college baseball is like but working together as a team and giving everyday our best, even at practices, I really think can take us where we want to

go, to the state championship,” said sophomore pitcher Cameron Keup.

Looking ahead to the 2016 season, Coach Bloomfield is excited to work with new kids and several returning players.

“We got some good returning players, the competitive Big 8, and it’s good to get the uniforms on, I think we got a good group of guys,” Bloomfield said.

One of those returning players is sophomore shortstop Andre Gregory, who is coming off a strong season

and has set high expectations for himself this season.

“We want a winning record, to play our hardest and I’m excited to see how we grown as a team and get better every day,” Gregory said.

Bloomfield is also excited to coach his son, freshman second baseman Brett Bloomfield, for the first time in his coaching career.

“My own boy is here, this is the first time I get to coach my own son, he was at University of Oregon last year and he came back from there,”

Date: Feb. 11 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 16 Feb. 19 Feb. 20 Feb. 26 Feb. 27 Mar. 1 Mar. 4 Mar. 5 Mar. 8 Mar. 10 Mar. 12 Mar. 15 Mar. 19 Mar. 22 Mar. 24 Mar. 26 Mar. 29 Mar. 31

Opponent: Mission Merced Lassen @ Chabot @ Sequoias @ Sequoias @ Gavilan @ Gavilan Shasta @ Canyons @ Canyons @ Sac City @ American River American River @ American River San Joaquin Delta @ San Joaquin Delta San Joaquin Delta Diablo Valley @ Diablo Valley @ Diablo Valley

Hawks are walk-off winners in home opener

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com The Cosumnes River Hawks kicked off the 2016 season in a dramatic way, beating the Skyline Trojans 2-1 on a walk off RBI single in the 10th inning on Feb. 4.

Hawks’ head coach Tony Bloomfield spoke Feb. 3 about the importance of timely hitting and that was on display Feb. 4 in the 10th inning, helping lead the Hawks to a win in their home opener.

“Billy [Rockafeller] struggled at the plate all day, then comes up at the end and gets the hit,” Bloomfield said.

“Andre gets hit by the pitch there and steals second base, next thing you know the game is over 2-1,” Bloomfield said.

In the bottom of the 10th with two outs, sophomore shortstop Andre Gregory reached on a hit by pitch then stole second.

After Austin Curtis drew a walk, freshman first baseman Billy Rockafeller lined the ball down the right field line, driving in Gregory for the walk-off win.

“That was a big hit, but pitchers kept us in the game all day,” said Rockafeller. “We struggled to get the bats going, but eventually came through.”

While it was timely hitting that came through in the 10th inning, the biggest standout from the home opener was the Hawks’ pitchers.

The Hawks held the Trojans to one run over 10 innings and avoided mistakes with runners on base.

Sophomore Matt Richardson

started against the Trojans, holding them to one run on two hits and two walks over five innings. Richardson also struck out four on the day.

After allowing a secondinning solo home run to Trojans’ sophomore outfielder Neil Sterling, Richardson allowed just two base runners over the next three innings.

More importantly, he got out of trouble when he needed to. Then after allowing a one-out walk in the fourth, Richardson induced the double play to end the inning.

Hawks’ sophomore pitcher Matt Stafford pitched three strong innings of relief, allowing just two baserunners and striking out three.

After allowing a one-out double in the eighth, Stafford stranded the runner after inducing a fly out and ground

out to escape the late-inning jam.

Strong pitching and clutch hitting played a major factor in the win, but Hawks’ sophomore center fielder Devin Pettengill also stood out at the leadoff spot, finished 2-for-3 with a walk and hit by pitch.

“I just gotta keep them up any way I can,” Pettengill said.

“Talking out there, trying to get on base, doing whatever I can to get in scoring position, steal, read a ball in the dirt.

Just do whatever I can to get in scoring position.”

The Trojans kept the Hawks off the scoreboard for the most part, allowing just one run in nine innings. The Trojans gave up the tying run in the fifth ining on an error.

The Hawks finished with five hits and three walks. but

felt there is a lot of things the hitters can do to improve.

“Focus more on BP [batting practice], working on hitting low, line drives like we’ve been doing all year,” Pettengill said.

“We did a good job the first game, not so good today,” Pettengill said.

The Hawks and Trojans completed their suspended game from Feb. 6, resuming a 10-10 tie in the 11th inning.

The Hawks’ won 11-10 before starting the full game 30 minutes later.

The Hawks started the season 3-0, with two wins coming in extra innings against the Trojans. The Hawks will wrap up their five-game home stand against Mission College on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. and Feb. 13 against Lassen College at 12 p.m.