Issue 3

www.thecrcconnection.com

‘Chromatic Distortion’ art show opens on campus See Page 7 Tyler Santana | The Connection

Non-degree students “Skill builders” earn a huge wage increase News, Page 3

ISSUE 3 Spring 2016 Student voice of CRC since 1970

‘Triangle’ Preview

Ghosts tell their story of iconic factory disaster Features, Page 5

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We Shall Overcome But is ‘Black Lives Matter’ just another hate group?

Opinion, Page 9

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A Coach and His Son Family work together for Spring ‘16 season Sports, Page 12

INSTAGRAM @crcconnection

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March 10, 2016

>>News

Tai chi reduces stress on college students

By Nicole Goodie ngoodie.connect@gmail.com On Wednesday’s and Thursday’s, the Winn Center community room transforms into a place of peace, silence and good energy.

Rick Schubert, philosophy professor and coordinator of the center for the advancement of staff and student learning teaches a free, obligation-free tai chi course as one of his event series as coordinator.

“Professors forget that you’re like humans,” said Schubert. “It’s sort of like you’re an intellectual receptacle and they’re going to drop the knowledge into you and you’re going to drop it back in the final exam.”

He said that sometimes in education, important things are forgotten such as breathing properly, eating, sleeping and relaxing once in awhile.

Schubert said as CASSL coordinator he was able to put together multiple event series, including the tai chi class which is part of his holistic health series that promotes holism in education.

Math Professor Brandon Muranaka said that when Cosumnes River College thinks about supporting its students, the conversation is typically focused on how they can better support students academically, socially and financially.

“I think we do forget about an aspect of health support,” said Muranaka. “Even though with the health center and the college nurse, I think there’s another aspect which is this particular blend of the mental, the physical and even the spiritual sense that sometimes we miss to help manage the stress.”

Schubert said this year he wanted to make students more apart of the CASSL initiative. His tai chi class is often a mix of different CRC staff and students.

“It’s nice to be humans together,” Schubert said.

Schubert is a career martial artist who has been practicing martial arts since he was 6-years-old and teaching southeast Asian movement systems for over 30 years. He is a hapkido, a Korean martial art, instructor at the UC Davis experimental college.

He said he wanted to help to prevent students from getting wrapped up in the dayto-day and help manage their stress.

“I wanted to do something integrative, something that brings body and mind together because so much of what we do academically is so disintegrating,” Schubert said.

“It’s just so intellectual and disembodied.”

Art History Professor Trinity Stanio is a regular in Schubert’s tai chi class.

“It’s an odd combination of relaxed and energized,” said Stanio. “It’s relaxing, it’s great for my mind, but it energizes me with the deep breathing to continue on with my day’s tasks.”

Schubert said “there is something amazing and wonderful about being a college student” that can be lost when trying to handling large amounts of stress.

“Teaching tai chi is way of sharing a similar tool for stress management,” Schubert said.

The tai chi classes are held in Winn 150 on Wednesday’s from 12 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. and on Thursday’s from 9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m.

Nicole Goodie | The Connection

Philosophy professor Rick Schubert guides students and faculty through a 50 minute tai chi session on March 2.

Ceejay Willis | Geust Photographer

A light rail passenger steps off at the Cosumnes River College station. Regional Transit plans to raise all fare rates by 20 percent in the summer of 2016. A single fare costs $2.50 but would cost $3 after the price hike.

Regional Transit plans to raise fare rates in the summer Erica Trujillo etrujillo.connect@gmail.com Sacramento Regional Transit has proposed a 20 percent increase in fares by summer 2016. Less riders over the years and new expenses are forcing public transit to have to raise their rates to cover the costs.

As of today, a single ride pass is $2.50 and would go up to $3. A daily pass costs $6 but would raise to $7.50 according to an article in The Sacramento Bee. Monthly passes are $100 and would increase to $120 when summer hits, according to the article.

While no one can really do anything to combat the price increase, they are expressing their frustrations over the price hike. While they may not be students, these people use our public transit everyday and are affected by the rate hike.

“Either way I have no choice. For a person who doesn’t have a car, the light rail needs to stay open later.

I would only be okay if the

price went up by a nickel,” said Barbara Scott, a 68-yearold frequent rider of the light rail.

A new time-based fare through the Sacramento transit agency’s mobile app would add to your single-ride pass the longer you stay on your route. According to The Sacramento Bee, the first 90 minutes of your ride would cost $3 and increase a dollar every hour you stay after the allotted time.

Students who don’t ride the light rail may not feel the pain of the increase now, but when summer hits, then enrollment fees will be higher.

Students of Los Rios Community College’s already pay a fee to cover public transit costs in our tuition so those rates would go up as well.

“I think it’s ridiculous. We are already spending so much.

It is expensive for everything nowadays. It affects the state workers and community. A lot of people downtown were unhappy about having to pay a fee,” said Erika Hernandez, a 24-year-old anthropology ma-

jor who uses the light rail to get to her state job downtown.

The city has made its decision and there’s not much the people can do once a plan is set to be implemented. Currently, Sacramento’s transit agency is “in the red” with its profit, according to The Sacramento Bee. Hernandez said she already uses transportation to save money but now the Sacramento transit agency is just going to hike it back up.

“I think it’s stupid and I would buy a bicycle instead.

I saw the sign and I think it’s a trick because most people won’t contact them, the people that ride the bus. They set it up so that you have to go out of your way to write them a letter. I have better things to do with my time,” said 30-yearold Christina Oliver, a frequent user of public transit.

In some cases if a person has a lot of places to go during the day, carpooling with a friend might not be a bad idea.

Whether the people of Sacramento like it, the drastic price hike is here to stay.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

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Campus starts up new campaigns SAVE THE

By Kayleen Carter kcarter.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College has initiated two campaigns aimed at attracting and keeping students on the campus.

The Advanced Education campaign is geared towards high school students who, as the campaign advertises, can attend classes at CRC for college credit.

The “It Pays to Stay” campaign advocates for students already enrolled to stay on campus and continue their education. “[There are] two different audiences for each of these campaigns,” said Public Information Officer Kristie West, “The Advanced Ed campaign targets junior and senior high school students, and it is trying to make them aware they can take classes here their junior and senior years of high school for college credit.”

The other campaign is an effort to keep students at CRC to pursue their education.

“The ‘It Pays to

Courtesy Photo

Stay’ campaign is geared towards current students here at CRC, encouraging them to continue on with their

so we all take a piece of each of these campaigns, whatever our specialties our, and focus on that out of each

The campaign is advertised on the main CRC webpage, and gives examples of income gain based on degrees received at The most important thing is to make sure stuCRC before dents keep their priority registration and continand after a period of ue to get the classes they need.” two years -- Christine Thomas of within Dean of Student Services receiving them.

It classes, until they get a department.” also lists a number of degree or until they get West says that cam- services available to enough units to trans- paigns at CRC are a students to support fer,” West said. campus-wide effort and them throughout their West is the driving usually can have differClasses. force behind the cam- ent focuses concerning “Student Services paigns advertising and students. reaches out to CRC design but says that While the Ad- students in a number nearly all faculty are on vanced Education cam- of ways during these board to help. paign is applicable to marketing campaigns,” “I’m the one that any high school junior said CRC Student Seroversees them,” said or senior student with- vices Dean Christine West. ”And then stu- in the parameters of Thomas. “The most imdent services has things CRC and is mainly ad- portant thing is to make they do, outreach has vocated by West, the “It sure students keep their things they do, faculty Pays to Stay” campaign priority registration have things that they is regulated by Student and continue to get the do, I have things I do, Services. classes they need.”

“

Thomas also said that they contact students via phone or email and try to touch base to keep them informed.

“Our goal is to ensure students are successful and reaching them early with these campaigns is critical.”

Thomas said.

Drahcir Baolesteros, a 23 year old television production major praised both of the campaigns.

“I think that’s really cool.” Baolesteros said. “When I was attending high school I wasn’t really aware that you could take, like, college credit during [high school], and now that they have it visible on the website, it’s good to see like how, fast you can graduate. And it’s great to hear that CRC, there’s actually benefits with staying.”

Skill builder students see wage increase

By Tyler Santana tsantana.connect@gmail.com California Community Colleges for the 2013-14 year have helped to increase overall wages of students who take classes that build on their skills by almost $500 million, according to a press release from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

These students, called skill builders, take community college classes to either build on job skills or refresh their memory on skills they have already learned. On average, these students have seen nearly a 14 percent increase in their wages after taking just one or

two classes, said California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris in a teleconference on March 3.

Previously there was not any way to track these skill builder students so there wasn’t evidence proving students benefit coming to community colleges to advance their skills until recently, said CCCCO Vice Chancellor of Communications Paul Feast.

“We finally have a way to measure these successes and demonstrate the tremendous return on investment that these courses provide. A wage gain of $4,300 for courses that cost $46 a unit is a phenomenal value for students and the state,” Harris said.

This is big news for the skill builders students as they now get the recognition of being successful.

Before this new way to track data only those students that have completed a degree have been recognized as successful by the college which has affected the college’s accountability, Harris said.

This benefits not only students, but the state of California as a whole.

“California has experienced a nearly $500 million shot in the arm,” Harris said.

Jeff Strohl, director of research at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, said that he is very happy with this new infor-

mation being released and that other states should start to promote skill builder students as well.

“California’s work on skills builders leads the nation in innovation and cutting-edge thinking,” said Strohl.

“State after state have been focusing on understanding sub-baccalaureate education, but very few, if any, have jumped into evaluating the population of non-completers in this way.”

Although these skill builder students won’t be earning a degree or receive a certificate, Harris said that is important to recognize why these students came to the community college system in the first place.

“These students are accomplishing exactly why they came to us,” Harris said. “We often have concerns expressed by legislature and policy makers and by members of the media that we have too many students that aren’t exceeding.”

What these new numbers are showing is that these students are exceeding even though they don’t earn a degree or credential.

“If a student comes to us to learn skills in welding and they go back to their job in the shipyards in San Diego and they’re a better welder and receive a promotion as a result of this, that is a success for that student and frankly, for California as well,” Harris said.

DATE TRIANGLE GALLERY

The Theatre Department is presenting a play titled, “Triangle.” The play has shows on March 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and will continue production for March 13 at 2:30 p.m. and special student matinée performances on March 16 and 17 at 12 p.m. at the Black Box Theater.

ONEBOOK EVENT

The OneBook Project, CRC’s book club, is meeting on Wed. Mar. 16, to discuss the 2015 2016 selection, “Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States,” written by Seth M. Holmes.

Meeting times are March 16 at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.

COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE ORCHESTRA

The CRC Orchestra is giving a performance in the Recital Hall. They will showcase their work from the semester so far. The show will be on March 14 at 7 p.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 dollars for students and seniors and children under 12 are free.

SPRING BREAK

The spring 2016 semester will be taking a week-long recess to mark Spring Break.

The CRC campus will go on spring recess from March 21 to March 27, when some offices will be closed and there will be no classes.

Spring 2016 semester will resume, with classes starting back up on March 28.

Page 4

March 10, 2016

Women’s history month kicks off with a showing of the film ‘East Side Sushi’

By Kayleen Carter kcarter.connect@gmail.com

The Recital Hall was cool and inviting as an audience of students sat quietly in their seats to see the screening of “East Side Sushi” and to talk to the starring actress.

Martin Morales, a political science professor at Cosumnes River College and the host of the immigration crisis event, stood behind the podium and introduced the main actress, Diana Elizabeth Torres.

Morales read off an impressive list of film roles that the Latina actress had featured in just before he presented the movie. Torres had roles in films such as “Inherent Vice,” “Private Number” and made a brief appearance as a barista in a Jimmy Kimmel Live episode among other film and TV accomplishments.

Not only were audiences graced with Torres’ presence, they were also able to witness a pre-taped interview between Morales and the Director of the movie Anthony Lucero.

“When I first met him I was impressed by how easy he was to talk to,” Morales said of the director. “I was really pleased that he was willing to help us.”

Morales, in the Skype interview, seemed relaxed and

enjoying himself as he chatted away joyfully to Lucero.

Among the questions concerning the movie, Lucero answered wholeheartedly to the inspiration behind “East Side Sushi.”

“They don’t show enough culture in the United States,” said Lucero in the interview.

“I also wanted to tell an immigrant story.”

Lucero also said in the Skype interview that he liked to have two different cultures in his movies. Hence, the mix of Japanese and Hispanic culture that is presented in the movie.

Juana, the main character played by Torres, was an immigrant single mother dreaming to become a sushi chef but was met with traditional Japanese obstacles, one of which was that she, as a woman, could not be a sushi chef at the restaurant she worked at.

Morales agreed that “East Side Sushi” seemed to be a good advocate for the beginning of Women’s History Month.

“There’s nothing better to say than the message spoke to me.” Morales said. “I saw this at the Oakland museum last July, and knowing the CRC calendar of events I thought that this would be a perfect movie for Women’s History Month.”

Torres stuck around long after her one-on-one session

Courtesy Photo

Diana Elizabeth Torres, left, sits with poltical science professor Martin Morales to answer questions students had about the film “East Side Sushi.” Torres plays the lead role as Juana a Latina who becomes a sushi chef.

with Morales and the audience. She gracefully thanked the students for coming to the event and even exchanged a few rapid words of fluent Spanish with Latino and Latina students.

Torres felt her performance was more for everybody, though the story was written specifically for a single Latina mother.

“Everybody relates towards it because it’s like ‘oh my god! I’m a single mom’ or ‘oh! I’ve been in that position!’

or ‘oh! that is just like my dad!’ so I think that applies for everybody,” Torres said.

When asked about the feeling of impacting her audience, Torres said that she herself loved feeling that way in the way her audience could feel about her acting.

“I love when that happens to me,” Torres said. “When I go and see a movie or I go to the theatre and you leave the room feeling different. Like having realizations, or an ‘Aha!’ moment or something

that it just like change and touch you in a way that is just like ‘oh wow i have to make peace with my past.’ or ‘talk to my dad.’ or whatever you know.” Torres said.

Torres also said that the film itself was like this.

“And this story has that,” Torres said. “ It lifts you up at the end even, though it has its up and downs, but at the end it’s beautiful and it’s touching, and it’s moving, and I’m so glad that people feel that way.”

Professor hosts lecture on women of 19th century

By Kayleen Carter kcarter.connect@gmail.com History Professor Gabriel Gorman stood at the front of classroom BS-120 as he spoke to a crowd of students as he presented his lecture on active women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Gorman, a fast speaker with a charismatic personality, welcomed his students before delving into the morning’s subject matter: women who had crossed societal boundaries and proved they had more roles in what was known as a “man’s world.”

Gorman’s lecture spoke more about how women, specifically in the middle class, were forced to follow a set of

preconceived notions called the “Victorian Code” in which they were to be properly groomed, abstinent , and good mothers as well as wives.

Essentially, an ideal woman followed this code strictly and anything else, such as an education or other hobbies, came second. However, Gorman said that in society, there has always been an ideal image for a man and woman. “‘Ideal’ means most people in the population don’t look like this,” Gorman said.

And, for the most part, he was correct concerning the industrial age.

This “idealism” that was imposed upon women of the 19th and 20th century included wearing corsets to slim their waist so their waists

would be small enough for their husbands to wrap their hands around. They wore no makeup in public or else they risked being mistaken for a prostitute.

Also, Gorman said that women essentially were entrapped in a somewhat “gilded cage” in which they were protected in a wholesome environment, but this environment didn’t include the world outside of the home.

Among other issues, Gorman said that there were often double standards involving women and men. Men were often able to commit adultery, swear, or drink whereas if women did any of the previously stated, they risked compromising their pure image.

All of these imposed pri-

orities and unfair justifications were the set-up for the reform movement, in which women made a stand to change their circumstances.

The lecture ended with Gorman relaying examples of women who made significant changes during the reform movement, which started in the 19th century and went through the 20th century.

Women such as Jane Addams, Lillian Wald and Frances Williard contributed to the reform movement, which became known as the Progressive Movement in the 20th century respectively.

Gorman’s lecture on politically active women was only the second event in the Women’s History Month event schedule.

Kylie Puckett, a 25-yearold veterinarian technology major, said she found the lecture to be interesting and that the women were very pro-active.

“They actually went out and did something, where the men didn’t do anything.

They’re like ‘okay, something has to be done here’ so they pulled up their bootstraps,” Puckett said.

Brianna Lozanl, an 18-year-old nursing major, she said also enjoyed the idea of recognizing politically active women.

“I think that people should definitely be more aware,” Lozanl said. “Because not everyone-they don’t really care nowadays-so I think it’s good that we’re noticing that.”

PAGE 5

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

>>Features

‘Triangle’ shows evolution of labor rights

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com The campus theatre department is in its final stages of preparation for their new production of “Triangle” by Laurie Brooks which will be showcasing in the Black Box Theatre on March 11.

The play is said to tell the story of the experiences immigrants had during the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911.

The fire took the lives of many innocent workers and left a mark in American history.

The story will be told through a series of flashbacks from a character named Malena who lives in the present and hears ghosts that share their experiences.

“It doesn’t follow too many traditional senses of how plays usually work,” said Kayla Velasquez, a 22-year-old theatre major. “It has a lot of jumping through time where

Sac Comic-Con

each scene is in a different space and time.”

This is the first time the theatre department has produced the play.

Malena is a 16-year-old who is observing the experiences said Velasquez who plays the character. The protagonist in the production is an immigrant named Sophie who is played by theatre student Janiece Pride. Pride’s character Sophie is the first to interact with Malena and starts the journey.

Other characters include Rose, a carefree 14-year-old played by Jillian August, Mary, a talkative worker played by Aliyah Mcrae and

Max, the love interest of Sophie played by Theodore Butler. These are just a few of the students who will be showcasing their talent.

The subject matter of the play revolves around an important event that is known for being one of the biggest tragedies in American history.

The theatre department hopes to draw people to the play because of its importance.

The production will be having a unique setting and lighting to enhance the experience of watching the play.

Even just watching the students rehearse, the dedication to making the production professional and perfect is obvi-

ous.

“It’s got really innovative and visually exciting staging,” said adjunct faculty member of the theatre department, Scott Gilbert. Gilbert is in charge of promotions and publicity for “Triangle.”

The play will be running on select days from March 11 to 19 and price for tickets will range from $5 to $10. Tickets are available online and in person at the Black Box Theatre box office located at the entrance.

“It is a beautiful play and we put a lot of hard work into this,” said Mcrae, “I want people to see all the hard work we put into it.”

Sac-Con will be hosting their comic book convention on March 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McClellan Conference Center.

Ticket Prices: Saturday $10 Sunday $8 Weekend Pass $13

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will be on March 12. Close to a thousand participants will march through Old Sacramento from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The parade is free and will start on 2nd and I street.

Narmina Sultanova and Namik Sultanov

CRC surpasses goal for first spring blood drive

By Erica Trujillo etrujillo.connect@gmail.com Twice a semester Cosumnes River College holds a blood drive to encourage people to save lives by giving a quick pint of blood and then they can be on their way. The incentive to donate is usually out of the kindness of a person’s heart and a free t-shirt.

Blood Source, the company that hosts the blood drives, came out with their trucks on Feb. 24 and 25.

The account manager for the blood drive, Felicia Roper, said the first blood drive of the semester usually does well.

Roper said their goal for day one was 61 pints and 63 pints for day two. Not only did CRC reach the goal, but surpassed it.

Blood Source collected 66 pints of blood on day one and 80 pints on day two, Roper said, in all, that’s 146 pints to help save a life.

“The hospitals need 700 pints of blood a day and we try to get them that amount

by doing blood drives and with the help of our regular donors,” Roper said.

Some people want to give but can’t due to certain restrictions. Roper said if the donor is dehydrated, just recently got a tattoo, can’t donate a whole pint or has a low iron count, they cannot donate blood.

Roper said that donors a l s o should n o t lie on their quest i o n s because when the s a m p l e reaches the hospital, they won’t be able to use the blood that they need.

She said donating only one pint of blood can save three lives. Blood Source pro-

vides blood to over 40 hospitals thanks to the help of blood donors like the 197 participants CRC had this time around.

Compared to the other Los Rios campus’s CRC doesn’t donate as much because of a smaller student body. The donation count also changes depending on the time of y e a r t h e blood drive i s held, Roper said.

Life experiences can cause people to change their minds on something they would rather not do.

Giving blood may seem like a daunting task to some,

but others see the value in giving and surpasses the fear of it.

“My brother is a leukemia survivor,” said Rose Koloamatangi, a 22-year-old child development major. “Every time I have the chance to donate, I will because it’s for a good cause.”

Some say giving blood is not so bad if you look at it as a quick needle prick. You have to go in with a mentality that you can do it and it won’t be so bad.

“I donate blood for the shirt and to save lives, it’s good karma,” said Brian Roburts, a 19-year-old automotive technology major. “The needles don’t scare me. If you look away while they’re stabbing you, it’s not as bad.”

CRC may not give as much pints of blood due to the amounts the other colleges in the Los Rios district gives because of our enrollment total but either way at least we are all helping save lives.

The Hawks have shown that we are all about donating for a good cause.

Cosumnes River College will host dual pianists Narmina Sultanova and Namik Sultanov in the Recital Hall on March 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased through the CRC website.

Tickets Prices: General Admission: $10 Students & Seniors: $5

Premiere

Sacramento Food Film Festival 2016 will start with “Premiere.” At the event, patrons will view short films while tasting food from the Farm-toFork Capital that was meant to pair with the films.

Ticket Prices: General Admission: $30 VIP: $45

Movie Premieres

March 11: “The Brothers Grimsby” “The Perfect Match” March 18: “The Divergent Series: Allegiant”

March 10, 2016

Page 6

‘Fuller House’ gives audience nostalgic feelings

By Brennan Smith bfjsmith.connect@gmail.com On May 23, 1995, the popular ‘80s and ‘90s family sitcom, “Full House” aired its final episode on the ABC Television Network. Now, nearly 21 years later, life is full once again.

The highly anticipated sequel series, “Fuller House,” was released on Netflix on Feb. 26, with a 13-episode first season. “Fuller House” is Netflix’s first original family sitcom series.

The plot of the new series is similar to the original, but genders of most of the cast have been reversed, in which three women take care of three young boys, as opposed to three men raising three little girls.

In this series, DJ Tanner, who is now known under her married name, DJ Fuller, hence the name “Fuller House,” is again played by Candace Cameron Bure. DJ is all grown up with three kids of her own and working as a veterinarian at a local pet clinic. She lives with her dad, Danny Tanner, still played by Bob Saget, after her husband passed away in a firefighting accident.

This plot puts DJ’s character in almost the exact same position her father was in when the original series first premiered, making her the new female Danny Tanner.

Courtesy Photo

Minus being a neat freak like her father.

When DJ becomes overwhelmed with raising her three boys, Jackson, Max and Tommy Jr., on her own and with everyone leaving the family home, her sister Stephanie Tanner, played by Jodie Sweetin, a traveling DJ and aspiring singer much like Uncle Jesse, and DJ’s best friend, Kimmy Gibbler, played by Andrea Barber, offer to move in and help DJ raise her three boys along with Kimmy’s teenage daughter, Ramona, since Danny is about to move

to Los Angeles to host a new national talk show called, Wake Up USA. The first episode is a very nostalgic affair for any fan of the original series.

It’s set 29 years after the events of the first episode of the original series, and updates viewers on what many of the characters are up to now, such as Uncle Jesse now being a composer for General Hospital, Joey Gladstone now a Vegas comedian, as well as Becky now co-hosting with Danny on Wake Up USA in Los Angeles.

Though, noticeably absent from the new series, are the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, who both played the beloved character Michelle in the original series. The Olsen twins chose not to return to the new series in order to focus on their new fashion line. Though Michelle isn’t gone from the show entirely.

She’s frequently mentioned throughout the first season, and her absence in the show mirrors real life events, as Michelle is said to be “busy in New York running her fashion empire.”

The absence of the Olsen twins doesn’t affect the new series that much at all.

The show makes reference to 21st century pop culture, with topics such as social media, texting, “The Bachelorette,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “The View,” a talk show in which Bure is a cohost on in real-life, and even Donald Trump among many other subjects.

I genuinely enjoyed this new series and it brought back so many memories of the original for me. If you’re a fan of the original series, you’ll love this new one.

Despite negative critical reviews, within less than a week of its premiere, Netflix announced that a second season has been ordered.

Since the show was first announced back in April 2015, “Fuller House” has been the next big Netflix series that everyone’s talking about, even months before it was released.

And let me tell you, it was worth the wait and definitely worth the watch.

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

#TrendingNow In a series of tweets, Kanye West has mentioned how he wants to do away with physical CDs and stick to streaming. The artist’s tweet read “the Yeezus album packaging was an open casket to CDs R.I.P.” “I really don’t think I would mind. I don’t think I could remember the last time bought a CD,” said 26-year-old nursing major Raven McDaniels.

Retires After an 18 year professional football career, Peyton Manning announced his anticipated retirement on March 8 at age 40.

“He’s been in the league for a long time and I think this is the perfect year for him to just go.

He’s leaving on top just like John Elwood did, and leaving with a [Superbowl] ring says a lot for his character,” said Nick Vincent, 27 a fire technology major.

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Compiled by Courtney Fong & Ashley Navarro All photos are courtesy photos

The Hubble Telescope has calculated the distance of the furthest known galaxy.

This galaxy is so far that it gives a glimpse into the past. With this discovery, scientist will be able to see what the first population of galaxies actually looked like.

“That’s pretty cool honestly.

The universe and galaxies stuff is really fascinating to me,” said 24-year-old liberal studies major Jessica Russo.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

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By Courtney Fong cofong.connect@gmail.com

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lor said. “It’s an abstract, color field style of painting. So for them to just enjoy what they see, what you saw, that was pleasing.”

One featured artist, Susan Aulik, almost couldn’t make the event because of the weather conditions. She was able to make the event and emailed Taylor after the opening, thanking him and describing the event as fantastic.

Featured artist Cherie Hacker, who earned her AA degree from CRC, could inspire CRC students who hope to pursue art for a living.

“It’s showing the potential of your art,” said 19-yearold visual arts student Coyanne Granderson. “You can make it out there, and this is like proof of it.”

The gallery showcased the many art opportunities for CRC students interested in art.

“I hope word gets around, I’m really hoping that students from campus here, school here, realize this is a pretty neat and special event,” Taylor said. “It’s not going to cost them anything, it’s fun and cultural. It’s a great opportunity to come and experience.”

“Chromatic Distortions” is showing in CRC’s Art Gallery until April 28. The gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sa

how it looked. That’s one of the things I was most pleased with.”

Marissa Huisman, 19, a biology major, is taking a sculpture class with Taylor. She said she enjoyed seeing the bright colors and varied textures of the abstract pieces.

“I like a lot of the intensities of the colors, and how like they kind of blend into each other, so they kind of look unified without being blended in,” said Huisman as she looked at Kathleen Thompson’s “Rubrum.”

Harris-Mathews said that CRC’s gallery is an excellent opportunity for those interested in art because it’s the largest gallery of the Sacramento community colleges.

Kathleen Thompson’s “Egress” and Susan Aulik’s “Along the Edge” even caught 19-year-old art design major Robert Pelzman’s eye, though he said he generally prefers realistic art.

Pelzman said that the art gallery brings color and texture to the campus.

“I usually don’t like abstract art that much, but these are more interesting,” said Pelzman.

The ambiguity of abstract art might deter some, but Taylor was glad that those at the opening seemed to enjoy the exhibition.

“This is not an easy exhibition to see because it’s a nonrepresentational type of an artwork,” Tay-

ler Ty

osumnes River College’s Art Gallery opened its new art show “Chromatic Distortion” on March 5. While the rain pounded down outside, a snack table and musician duo welcomed attendees with hors d’oeuvres, juice and lively music.

“Initially, I was so worried,” said Art Curator and Professor Yoshio Taylor. “I could’ve picked the worst day of the year, [as] it turned out to be. But the turnout was excellent, more than I anticipated, so I was very pleased with the support.”

The attendees were a mixture of students, community members, CRC faculty and local high school art instructors.

“The event [was] wonderful, well attended. We brought together a variety of people,” said Colette Harris-Mathews, Dean of Communications, Visual and Performing Arts.

College President Edward Bush even made an appearance to the gallery opening which marked the significance the gallery had on the campus.

“The president of the college is here tonight, and that just demonstrates the importance of this particular event,” Harris-Mathews said.

The diverse crowd bonded in the gallery’s welcoming atmosphere as professional artists and t h o s e who aren’t as familiar with art shared their appreciation for the abstract artwork.

“It became a huge group of people that had the same intention and same courage to drive through that rain and wind,” Taylor said. “Everyone I spoke to, they were really upbeat, they really liked the show,

Page 8

March 10, 2016

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Colleges must not ignore skill builders Community colleges exist to help students further themselves. Whether it’s in pursuit of a degree, transferring to a university or just looking to better themselves for their career, success should be measured in different ways.

Currently, students who want to enhance their professional skills for employment, referred to as skill builders, are not considered successful students by federal and state measures. As a result, colleges do not receive credit for the students’ success.

Success should not be deemed purely as a student earning a degree from a community college or earning credits in order to transfer, but currently those are the only people considered completers when community colleges are evaluated.

At a time when 11 community colleges in California, including Cosumnes River College, are only receiving an 18-month reaffirmation by the Accrediting Commision for Community and Junior Colleges and being asked to improve the outcome of student success in multiple programs, a new definition of success needs to be created.

Referring to skills builders as non-completers is disrespectful to the hard work and time those students put into improving their skills and it also takes credit away from professors and community colleges that deserve it for helping students better themselves.

College is designed to help people better themselves and put them in position to be more successful in their professional lives. Students who take classes to better their skills are bettering themselves in their professions and the data proves it.

Across the board, skill builders saw benefits from their added educational experience. In California, skill builders saw a cumulative $498 million in wage gains, according to a student performance measurement developed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

At CRC, the data showed significant increases in median wages across 35 different fields. Skill builders in health occupations saw a nearly 14 percent median wage increase, 23 percent in accounting, 24 percent increase in computer programming and 38 percent increase in business and commerce serving as just a few examples.

Increased wages are not just helping to improve the lives of the individual workers who improved their skill, it goes beyond that. Higher wages mean they are able to support their families, and provide a brighter future for them. It also gives families more money to spend, which goes right back into California’s economy to help other businesses and trickle down to help others.

By the very definition of success, these students accomplished their goals and it carried over to help others.

Steps need to be made in order to recognize what they have done and what community colleges across the country did for them.

There are steps being taken to push things in the right direction. California is taking some of the first big changes, making changes to the California Community Colleges’ Student Success Scorecard, the scorecard serves as a performance measurement system for all 112 community colleges in California.

This could be critical for the accreditation process for community colleges as a new way to show that campuses are accomplishing their purpose of having successful students who will have greater futures.

By increasing the amount of completers, community colleges stand a better chance at receiving their accreditation and being able to serve students for years to come.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know at connection.crc@gmail.com

We live in a culture of domination

By Courtney Fong cofong.connect@gmail.com Rape culture is an environment in which beliefs and practices encourage behaviors leading to rape, normalizing sexual violence. Recently, many have taken a stand to shine light on the issue.

At the 88th Annual Oscars Awards Show, Lady Gaga sang “Till it Happens to You” as several survivors of sexual assault, branded with words of resilience and courage on their forearms, walked out from behind the stage to stand alongside Gaga.

There’s been a huge shift in attitudes towards rape and victimization over the past decade.

We are more supportive of victims and take sexual violence and harassment more seriously as crimes. What we need to do now is focus on prevention. We need to address the aspects of our culture that perpetuate behaviors of sexual abuse.

Rape culture satisfies our lust for power and makes us feel more powerful, successful. As Americans we’re so focused on individual accomplishment that our success, and therefore authority over others, is what we value most.

And since success is a measure of self worth in American culture, rape culture increases our sense of self worth. But at what cost?

Approximately 284,350 people reported rape or sexual assault in 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey. That means that an American is sexually assaulted every 110 seconds.

We, as members of a society that are still troubled by rape and sexual assault cases

much too often, send messages that it is okay to display our authority through others’ submission. We’re telling people it’s okay to dominate someone. We even sexualize it.

Popular fashion brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein and American Apparel have published controversial photos that blatantly portray gang rape, bondage, forced sex, and pornography scenes. These brands sell power and sex, glamorizing rape and inequality among sexual partners.

Sexual violence is an effective advertising tool because it expresses authority and power.

Of course, sex in general sells. But scenes depicting one person physically controlling another are appealing to those who feel powerless in their own lives.

Seeing these messages, whether or not we are conscious of their implications, normalizes sexual violence. Its scenes are casually incorporated into our everyday lives, so it’s no surprise that we dismiss the severity and seriousness of such abuse.

More than 50 percent of the victims of even the most serious incidents (e.g., forced penetration) say they do not report the event because they do not consider it “serious enough,” according to the AAU report.

Rape jokes and messages parading sexual violence are a norm on any high school or college campus. They mask a traumatic and debasing experience as an arrogance-bolstering joke.

And when you’re just trying to fit in at school, no one wants to be the one who cockblocks two people about to hook up, even if one of the two clearly isn’t fit to make moral

judgements.

A little less than half of the students surveyed have witnessed a drunk person heading for a sexual encounter, according to a report on sexual assault and sexual misconduct by the Association of American Universities. Among those who reported being a witness, most did not try to intervene.

But sexual abuse can destroy a person’s self confidence, shattering that person’s sense of free will and the ability to choose and act for oneself.

In February, a New York judge denied singer-songwriter Kesha’s appeal to break her contract with producer Lukasz Gottwald, whom Kesha has accused of using his authority to sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abuse her.

Kesha’s case has gotten a lot of support. She is a wellknown artist whose craft is self-expression. Yet the person who was supposedly promoting her interests and representing her has taken away her career, smothering her voice.

It’s not enough to simply address rape as an individual problem. Rape culture is so institutionalized that victims feel unable to speak up about their experiences.

It took Kesha 10 years to press charges against her record producer. But 68 percent of sexual assaults still go unreported, according to the NCVS. And according to the Department of Justice’s Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties data, 98 rapists in 100 rape cases walk free.

Everyone is influenced by rape culture. Anyone can become a victim.

And by the time you’ve finished reading this, three more people have become victims.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 9

Whose lives matter?

A fight for equality evokes endless confusion

By EJ Aguayo eaguayo.connect@gmail.com

The U.S. was founded on principles of theft through the genocide of its natives and the stolen labor of African slaves, but its citizens stand on pledges of freedom, liberty and justice for all who choose to settle on its soil. Depending on the skin color of whom you ask, those promises have been maintained.

However, we still have a long way to go.

Though no comparisons can or should appropriately be made to slavery, the U.S. has continued a long-lasting trend of undervaluing black lives.

Failure to address this trend directly, as it’s been systematically swept under the rug, has left black America in a state of turmoil with hopes that maybe one day, black lives might actually matter.

Nearly 76 percent of African Americans, compared to 33 percent of whites, report that there is a problem with the justice system when it comes to law enforcement and race, according to a McClatchy-Marist Poll on public perception of police.

Established after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the unjust murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, the “Black Lives Matter” liberation movement has boldly taken action to address what now seem like age-old issues concerning police brutality and anti-black racism, according to Black Lives Matter.

By leading protests, rallies, marches and what some have interpreted as riots, the group’s intent is to shine light on dark issues in a world where “black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise,” according to BLM. According to a year-long study in 2015 by the Washington Post, “al-

though black men make up only 6 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 40 percent of the unarmed men shot to death by police this year.” Of those who actually appeared to be armed and dangerous, the majority were white.

The overall message to empower black lives and to repress America’s racist underbelly has been misinterpreted.

BLM has been compared to hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

Bill O’Reilly claimed that because the BLM movement didn’t reject views of some of its protesters who held up picket signs and said words that were perceived as threats to police, they are in the same category as the KKK, according to a O’Reilly Factor broadcast.

“It’s like the Ku Klux Klan.

Are the KKK going to hang blacks? No,” said O’Reilly.

“But they’re all in the same soup bowl.”

The KKK was built on an ideology of white supremacy, or white superiority, over anyone who is not white.

The KKK was founded in response to the “south’s defeat in the Civil War,” and “as a secret vigilante group, the Klan targeted black freedmen and their allies; it sought to restore white supremacy by threats and violence, including beatings,

lynchings, and murder,” according the National Park Service, a history-preserving bureau of the U.S. Department of Interior.

As a pro-black movement BLM views do not equate, at the opposite end, to the prowhite views of the KKK, because the KKK’s views are backed by factors that focus on keeping segregated statuses instead of seeking equality.

BLM only exists because, well, black lives haven’t seemed to matter much statistically If the gap in marginalization between minorities and whites was reduced, and black lives in the U.S. weren’t some of the most in need of saving, we’d possibly see an end to the argument.

To be fair, all lives do matter, but allow us to focus on those most in need now.

Maybe arguments like these are blatantly interrupted because their attempts at raising awareness are ineffective, diminishing the cause.

Many tend to act on hate first and ask questions later.

Violence erupted at a KKK rally late February in Anaheim after several protesters had shown up to confront the group. The melee lasted just minutes but ended with three stabbed and 13 others arrested, ac-

cording to the Los Angeles Times.

Bloodshed is not the answer.

As an incredibly socially-aware generation today, we have an advantage.

“The overall message to empower black lives and to repress America’s racist underbelly has been misinterpreted.”

Perhaps our awareness is due to our wide access to information, conducted by the swiping of our fingertips on our smartphones, or our increased exposure to other cultures as the U.S. continues to diversify.

Whatever the case, now seems to be the most effective time to use our platforms in order spark difficult conversations regarding the social inequalities we are most held back by, so that we may find a common peace.

Many people are sick and tired of hearing about racism and may disregard its existence. For those living through it, the daily inconveniences it provides are impossible to ignore.

Black lives matter, white lives matter, all lives matter, but don’t hinder the group that seems to matter least relatively when the ultimate goal is to live in fairness.

Humanizing a group of people who have been relentlessly dehumanized throughout history needs to be a cohesive effort.

The best thing we can all do now is just listen. Listen to shouts of the oppressed and only then will we hear what fuels them: pain, restlessness and the drive to fix an unfair system in which a climate of racial injustice remains alive and well. We are all matter.

Page 10

March 10, 2016

>>Sports

Men’s basketball successful in tough season

By Kayleen Carter kcarter.connect@gmail.com The men’s basketball team had a very successful season this year, considering having to overcome a small roster and new coach.

This season was an explosive spinoff from the 2014-2015 season that preceded it. There were many obstacles that the men’s basketball team faced and adapted to, one of which was a new head coach.

Devin Aye started his fourth season as a collegiate basketball coach and first season as head coach at Cosumnes River College this semester after leaving Lassen College. In his first season as the team’s coach, he was proud of the team’s resilience in the face of adversity.

“We lost five guys at [the start of] the semester,” Aye said, “that was due to academics. So we started the season with 13 and we lost five, so we went into the conference with eight, and then we lost another one right before our playoff game.”

Even though the men had operated as a seven man team, Aye expressed his pride in how the team responded to these challenges and played as one unit.

“Six out of the eight were freshmen,” Aye said. “So I think they just had to believe in themselves, and know that it can be done. Because, when you lose such a big part of your team going into a conference play, you can either get down on yourself or you can, you know, step it up.”

The men did, in fact, step it up

by accumulating wins in their games leading up to the Big 8 conference, then finally securing a first place win over Santa Rosa College in the conference to advance into the playoffs.

Freshman center Bakari Bradford, agreed that the unexpected loss of players was unprecedented .

“It was quite a surprise for us,” Bakari said. “We had to step it up, you know, to stay competitive with the other teams who have a full team.”

Freshman guard Trevor Hooper said that in spite of a thinner roster, they were very successful for what they achieved at the end of the season.

Although, in contrast, freshman guard Victor Wariso reiterated that the season didn’t quite end the way they wanted to, but like his team members, thought that it was a fitting ending.

“At the end of the day, I’m just glad to have been a part of this group,” Wariso said, “They helped me grow as a player.”

Some of the players on the team said that rivals dismissed the Hawks as a competitor and had little hope the team would be competitive.

“We had a bunch of freshmen this year, and we really overachieved, a lot of people didn’t think we’d win the conference, but we’d end up getting it done.” Wariso said.

Even though the team lost in the first round of playoffs, many players said they learned from this season and were hopeful for next year, including a hopeful head coach, who said he might have to be rehired to the open position.

“I hope I proved myself,” Aye said, “Next year with a full year to recruit, especially coming off a conference

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

The men’s basketball team huddles up during their game against Sierra College on Feb. 11.

Cosumnes River College won 70-67, clinching first place in the Big 8 Conference.

championship and having three freshmen be all conference, the expectations are really high,” he said.

The new recruits will have to understand where those expectations are.

Aye said that next year, the team needs to deliver and work harder with the weight of being conference winners.

“They [the freshman] have to understand that, there’s going to be a massive target on our back, that ev-

eryone wants to take down CRC,” Aye said.

However, Aye said that the competition wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but that the incoming team had to be ready for it.

“Obviously that’s a great thing to have, a target on your back, but the new guys, when they come in they have to understand that they’re part of an elite program and everyone’s gunning for us,” he said.

Freshman Gerard Andrus named athlete of the week

By Erica Trujillo etrujillo.connect@gmail.com Hawks’ freshman forward Gerard Andrus made a name for himself. After being named the Big 8 Conference’ Most Valuable Player, he was named Cosumnes River College’s student-athlete of the week.

Andrus was ecstatic to hear that he was named athlete of the week. He worked very hard to get to where he is today by persevering through the hardships.

“To be named athlete of the week, I was shocked. Just to get the MVP was an honor. It could have went to me or my point guard. I am just happy that we won it, that some people on the team can be happy and say that they won something,” Andrus said.

“Being athlete of the week is going to stay with me forever, nobody gave it to me, I earned that. All of the

early morning workouts paid off,” he said.

Andrus said his favorite thing about the team is head coach Devin Aye. He puts his passion for the game into the players and pushes them to do their best.

“He tries to get the best out of me at all times. My teammates take me to another level; meeting new people, going through these different wars with them. It’s a blessing to be able to play with them,” Andrus said.

Andrus was named Big 8 Conference MVP after averaging a team-leading 19.4 points this season.

After the tremendous early success, Andrus has made sure to keep his competitive fire going, stay grounded and true to himself.

“I stay hungry. You can’t get complacent with yourself. You still ain’t the best, don’t forget. There are still a million other people in the world that want to do this too,” Andrus said.

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Freshman forward Gerard Andrus averaged 19.4 points per game this season for CRC.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 11

Hawks outplay Shasta College 10-1 with nine-man rotation

By Courtney Fong cofong.connect@gmail.com The Hawks won their 12th consecutive game of the season on March 1, defeating Shasta College 10-1.

Hawks’ sophomore center fielder Devin Pettengill gave the Hawks a solid start with a triple in the bottom of the first inning.

“Giving the scoring position just helps take the pressure off of the guys,” Pettengill said. “If I get to third, they can hit a ground ball or get a pop fly to get me in, get a run.”

Sophomore shortstop Andre Gregory did just that with two sacrifice flies in the bottom of the first and second, allowing Pettengill and sophomore catcher Nicco Toni to score.

“Our last at-bat should be your best atbat, is our philosophy,” said Head Coach Tony Bloomfield.

Their philosophy worked well against the Shasta Knights. The Hawks scored at least one run every inning between the first and the sixth.

“We’re trying to win each inning,” said Bloomfield. “If you win three or four innings in a game, you’re probably going to win that game.”

But Bloomfield said it can be difficult to keep players focused when they have a large lead. Freshman third baseman Brooks Day also recognized the importance of keeping the momentum in a game.

“Everything can go south in baseball,” Day said. “You never know what’s gonna happen, you gotta keep playing all nine and to have those insurance runs, it’s huge.”

Gregory and freshman outfielder Jordan Yu had 3 RBIs each, contributing to six of the Hawks’ 10 runs.

“It’s a really resilient group of kids,” said Bloomfield. “Every time someone scored this year, we’ve always come back and scored.”

Day attributed part of the team’s determination to Bloomfield.

“Coach just instills a never-give-up attitude on us,” Day said. “He just wants us to play as hard as we can through the whole nine [innings], and just keep going, keep the motor running, and stay in the game no matter what.”

Bloomfield said he was also preparing for the games ahead. He established a lineup

Editor in Chief: Tyler Santana News Editor: Tyler Santana Features Editor: Nicole Goodie Opinion Editor: EJ Aguayo Sports Editor: Matt Johnson Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati

Staff: Ashley Navarro, Brennan Smith, Courtney Fong, Eb Arreola, Erica Trujillo, Evan Pacheco, Kayleen Carter, LeShea Munoz, Oksana Barrios, Quincie Pruitt

MLB’s “unwritten rules” fights diversity in the game

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Michael Valli on the mound against Shasta College

that included all nine pitchers, with a different pitcher throwing each inning in the game against Shasta College on March 1.

Bloomfield was giving the pitchers a chance to touch the ball before their two-game series against College of the Canyons on March 4 and 5. The Hawks split the two-game series, losing 14-3 on March 4 and winning 12-10 on March 5.

The Hawks begin Big 8 Conference play at American River College on March 10 at 2:30 p.m. and face them at home on March 12 at 1 p.m. The Hawks are ranked No.1 in Northern California by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association poll.

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

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Baseball has been around for ages and under constant change from the color barrier being broken to the addition of instant replay. But in all this time, one thing has yet to change.

The “unwritten rules” of baseball have been in place for decades, telling players there is only one way to play the game ethically. They fall in line with respecting history and culture, a culture that dates back to when the game was segregated.

Major League Baseball is not about a single culture, the era of the game being segregated is over. Last season, 42 percent of players were minorities and 29 percent of all baseball players were Latino, according to Major League Baseball.

Baseball players outside of the U.S. have a different culture than what many might be accustomed to here in the United States. It’s an emotional game and in moments of failure and triumph, they show their emotion openly.

From players like Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, who risked his life to escape from Cuba to play in the U.S., showing frustration after missing a pitch to Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, who was born in the Dominican Republic, flipping his bat high in the air after hitting a game-deciding home run in a playoff game.

Both acts are considered to be showing up an opponent and violate the unwritten rules, but the rules go even further beyond that. If a player smashes the baseball hundreds of feet and takes an extra moment in the batter’s box to enjoy it, that’s considered showing up the opponent too.

This happens most frequently to Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Gomez, born and raised in the Do-

minican Republic, who often stands and admires home runs. Gomez, like so many other players, is living his dream and enjoying every moment. But opposing pitchers take that enjoyment and portray it as an insult.

The unwritten rules aren’t even the biggest problem, despite the fact that they won’t change despite the game’s diversity. It’s the enforcement of revenge that is truly disturbing and unthinkable.

If a pitcher believes a batter showed him up, the batter is lucky if he just gets cursed out and followed around the diamond because the pitcher might hurl a baseball 90-plus miles per hour at the batter’s head in the next at bat.

Retaliation by the way of confrontation or violence with a potentially-lethal weapon, is what many current players see as the correct way to handle situations.

Once that happens, then other team feels the need to get revenge on behalf of their teammate who was thrown at, by throwing at the other team, leading to benches-clearing scuffles.

While the retaliation is certainly not exclusive to players from Latin America, players from different ethnic backgrounds are targeted more than white players.

Of the 67 bench-clearing brawls over the past five seasons, more than half of them pitted white, American-born players against players from Latin America.

Players are putting the livelihoods of others in jeopardy because they felt slighted by the flip of a bat or an extra second to watch a majestic home run. All in honor of rules written when only whites could play.

Baseball’s unwritten rules and the methods used to protect them are what’s wrong with baseball and are the biggest thing preventing a growing game of different cultures from being more appealing to everyone.

Page 12

March 10, 2016

Father and son together for memorable season

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com Hawks’ baseball head coach Tony Bloomfield will not just remember the 2016 season for the 12-0 start and winning his 700th career game, but also being able to coach his son Brett Bloomfield.

While this is the first time freshman infielder Brett Bloomfield’s head coach is his father, he had plenty of opportunities to watch and learn from his father as a batboy for the Hawks between 2005-2010.

“The amount of knowledge I’ve learned from him and his other coaches and the players, from being the batboy here for however many amount of years growing up,” Brett Bloomfield said.

“It really helps with the understanding of the game, what’s going on and what he decides to do with the team in a situation, I kinda already know why he does that and why that makes sense,” he said.

Brett Bloomfield, who was named third-team All State as a senior at Davis High School in 2014, was an infielder for the University of Oregon last year before returning home and playing for Cosumnes River College.

Being a college head coach can be challenging. There can also be additional, unique challenges for a coach when his son is on the team.

LeShea Munoz | The Connection

Freshman second baseman Brett Bloomfield at the plate against Sierra College on Feb. 5. Brett Bloomfield is in the midst of a tremendous season for the Hawks, while being coached by his father Tony Bloomfield.

“Not disciplining him too harshly, treating him differently than other kids I guess.

I treat him the same way as everyone else. I’m probably firmer on him because he’s my own kid and I can probably get away with it more,” Tony Bloomfield said.

While there can be challenges for Tony Bloomfield, it also provides a chance for his son to play close to home and be near his family.

“We’re proud as heck of him, we wish the best for him.

We’re hard on him and he gets it, but it’s good that he gets to play here, he’s been around this thing since he was born,”

Tony Bloomfield said.

In such a competitive sport, it would be easy for a competitive father and son to have tension carry over from the field to home life.

But Brett Bloomfield credits his father for making sure home life is separated from baseball.

“My dad has always tried to separate his coaching life from his home life and he really put an emphasis on that this year for me going from field to home,” Brett Bloomfield said.

“Only stuff we’ll ever talk after practice or a game, maybe like five-10 minutes he’ll maybe get on me or say some-

thing, but then for the rest of the night it’s different topics, like school or what’s on TV, basic stuff,” he said.

Tony Bloomfield admits that separating the two isn’t always automatic, but it’s all for the best interests of the team and his son is fully onboard.

“It works. I’m not saying that it’s 100 percent. Yesterday I went home and was upset with him, gave him a few comments when he got in the house about what took place yesterday, baseball stuff,” Tony Bloomfield said.

“But I have no problem with Brett because he plays

hard and is a good teammate, that’s rule number one, he has been brought up that way, it’s always about the team,” he said.

But the toughest postgame criticism for Brett Bloomfield might come from another family member.

“I think my daughter, who is the announcer, she’s harsher on him than I am. She’s brutally honest with him. It is what it is, being a coach’s kid is a little bit tougher growing up, he’s got thick skin,” Tony Bloomfield said.

Now more than a month into the transition, Bloomfield says it has been easier than he expected.

This season has started about as perfectly as anyone on the team could have asked for. The Hawks are ranked No.1 in Northern California and Brett Bloomfield was a part of his dad reaching 700 career wins as a coach.

“We had an argument at home a week ago, it was pretty funny. About if he already did it or when he was going to because no one had any idea and I honestly didn’t know until the game ended and they gave him the game ball,” Brett Bloomfield said.

The Hawks are doing well and the Bloomfield family is too.

“It’s good for the family, good for grandma and grandpa, [and] good for mom and sister to watch him play again,” Tony Bloomfield said.

Assistant baseball coaches work together like a family

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com As the men’s baseball team sits atop the Northern California baseball rankings, a key to the team’s success this season has been its chemistry.

As import as the chemistry between players is, there has to be an equal chemistry between the coaching staff.

Even as the Hawks’ coaching staff welcome a new face, that family atmosphere is still strong.

Assistant Coach Don Mico spoke to the bond between the coaches and how the team is like a family. “It’s a family atmosphere, so basically everything we do revolves around our family, everyone is close knit,” Mico said.

Mico, who was on the

baseball coaching staff at Sacramento City College from 1994-2000, is entering his fourth season as an assistant on Head Coach Tony Bloomfield’s staff. Mico was with the Hawks when they won the 2012 State Community College Championship.

The emphasis on family could even be seen when the 2012 team dogpiled in celebration and Mico’s youngest son, who is now a junior in high school, also jumped onto the pile.

After Pitching Coach Brad Kilby left the program, Bloomfield added Ray Hernandez to the staff as an assistant pitching coach. Hernandez, whose brother David played at CRC and is currently in the majors, joins the staff after being a coach for Elk Grove High

School’s freshman team last year.

Hernandez pitched for the Hawks for three seasons before playing for California State University, Fullerton for a season. He was drafted in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and spent two season in the minors before a shoulder injury ended his career.

Now back at CRC, Hernandez is excited to help work with young pitchers and just help teach them things he has picked up in his career. “I’m more of a mindset guy, stay ahead of guys and work off their fastballs,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez looks forward to being a part of the team again, embracing the competitiveness and contending for a

championship with his baseball family.

“This is my family,” Hernandez said. “I came here for three years, my brother was here for two, my brother brings his kids out, it’s definitely that type of atmosphere for me.”

Assistant coaches not only help teach players, but they also have to go out on scouting trips, watching future opponents. Jno Shuler, who is in his 15th season at CRC, plays a big role on the scouting side of things.

Coach Shuler has been scouting opponents for the Hawks for years with old scouting reports all kept together, keeping track of everything.

Shuler talked about the process of “transferring things

over and making changes when we need to make a change.”

The scouting reports will help show tendencies of opposing hitters and pitchers, helping the coaches decide where to shift the infield for each batter and things for their own hitters to attack.

On game days, each coach will spend time working with a specific group. Mico works with the outfielders and their positioning, Shuler works with the infielders, Hernandez works with the pitchers and assistant coach Kevin Keefer works with the hitters.

Together they are a close group who play critical roles in making sure the team is clicking. Sitting at 13-2 this season, they have certainly done that well.