Spring 2014 - Issue Six

www.thecrcconnection.com

AUTHOR HEADLINES EARTH WEEK CELEBRATION

News, Pages 4 & 5

Vet Tech program hosts annual pet adoption event.

Features, Page 8

Baseball team finishes out regular season, heads into playoffs.

Sports, Page 15

Election Results The election results are in, and the new officers are preparing for the fall semester.

News, Page 3

Kayla Gangl/The Connection

ISSUE 6 Summer 2014 Student voice of CRC since 1970

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PAGE 2

MAY 1, 2014

>>News

Low voter turnout doesn’t deter senate plans

By Bobby Bishop & Scott Redmond bbishop.connect@gmail.com & sredmond.connect@gmail.com Before students headed off for spring break in midApril, the Associated Students of Cosumnes River College held their annual student election on April 8 and 9.

For the first time the ASCRC elections were held online, allowing students to log into their eService account to cast votes.

Out of the approximately 15,000 students who currently attend CRC, 88 voted. Mathematically that equals to half of 1 percent. Last year there were 233 votes cast.

“I guess it wasn’t a very convenient process to vote,” said Josiah Sloan, an 18-yearold radio, television and film major. “If it was like a ballot you put in I would have, but you had to go online and do more steps.”

Running unopposed, Katelynn Rodriguez received 64 yes votes to secure the po-

sition of student senate president. Malcom Nash, also having run unopposed, gained the position of ASCRC club and event board commissioner with 67 yes votes.

Current ASCRC Student Senate President D.J. Mitchell said that a low turnout was nothing new.

“It’s always low, that’s a struggle we deal with each and every election,” Mitchell said. “This year was 100 percent online so there was no polling group. It’s just relying on people to go on eServices.”

Mitchell said that while the process doesn’t take that long if students don’t know what’s going on then that will cause a lower turnout.

“We did put up flyers but that only reaches so many students,” Mitchell said. “So all those factor into why [turnout is] so low.”

Rodriguez had her own

thoughts on the low turnout.

“We just started this online voting. There just wasn’t an incentive to vote,” Rodriguez said. “It’s usually in admissions and you get a treat if you vote. It just didn’t come out how we wanted it to.”

Rodriquez, as the incoming president, said she wants to interact with students more.

“I feel a lot of students on campus feel that the student senate and the club and event board are this huge entity that they can’t relate too,” said Rodriguez “I want students to feel that they can relate to us because we are also students.”

On May 8 the new officers will be sworn in, with the remaining empty positions being filled in the fall. The ASCRC will also be collecting cans that day in partnership with the Elk Grove Food Bank.

Rodriguez said she has plans for her upcoming term.

“I want to continue the social media project and advertise more,” Rodriguez said.

“We just started a new project this semester we put in the works to have a food bank on campus.”

Mitchell said they plan to have the food bank on campus within the next two semesters.

“By next semester or the semester following what we would like to have set up is a system where we can collect cans and then re-disperse them on campus to students in need,” Mitchell said.

Rodriquez said there was something else she would like to see happen in her upcoming term.

“One other thing I would like to work on is getting a student center on our campus,” she said. “We are the only campus in Los Rios that does not have a student center.”

Rodriguez said that if a student center was built there would be a chance to get the Disability Support Programs and Services out of the portable that they currently are within.

While his term is ending, Mitchell said there is much that was accomplished.

“It’s all a team effort,” he said. “What the senate has accomplished as a whole is going to be dating back to our vendor fair.”

With the fair Mitchell said they were able to get food trucks on campus, when normally the school is strict about what food can be served on campus.

“I have taken the voice of the students, along with several others from the senate, we’ve gone to the capitol and abdicated for students, mainly with text book prices at the capitol,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said working one-on-one with students and creating a better future for students was what ASCRC hoped to achieve. Something Rodriguez mentioned as well.

“I just want them to be comfortable coming to us with problems, issues or concerns,” Rodriguez said.

SAVE THE

at 10 a.m. on May 17. The event will offer a beer garden, street food, a kids zone as well as chili sampling and a chili cook-off.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children - Northern California.

NEW CLUB DEBUTS ON CAMPUS

DATE CALLING ALL ARTISTS

For the second year the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center is hosting the Open Fine Arts Competition. Applications are open through May 10 at www. elkgrovefineartscenter.org or in person at the center. A free reception will be held on June 7 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as the show will continue through June 26.

OLD TOWN CHILI COOKING

The Old Town Elk Grove Foundation will hold the seventh annual Old Town Elk Grove Chili Festival in Old Town Elk Grove on starting

Women in STEM will be holding their first meeting on May 2 at noon. The club’s goals are to hightlight women that are majoring in science, techology, engineering and mathematics and to inspire women to get involved in those career fields.

The club’s adviser is Professor Lora Stewart and their first meeting will be held in LRC-105.

NEW CLUB DEBUTS ON CAMPUS

Ongoing construction for the Blue Line Lightrail to CRC will require shutting down of Parking Lot F from May 1 to August 20. On May 22 through August 20 the Bruceville entrance of the school will also be shut down. Students are encouraged to use other lots or the new parking garage.

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

PAGE 3

Loss of sleep may cause greater damage

By Emiliano Martin Emartin.connect@gmail.com While the health and academic issues concerning college students and lack of sleep, especially when it comes to cramming for exams, are not a new conversation, a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience on March 18 brings a possible new focus on the issue.

According to the new study, done by neuroscientist Sigrid Veasey from the University of Pennsylvania, missing sleep may lead to possible brain damage.

“In general, we’ve always assumed full recovery of cognition following short- and long-term sleep loss,” Veasey said in a statement on the Penn State medical website.

“But some of the research in humans has shown that attention span and several other aspects of cognition may not normalize even with three days of recovery sleep, raising the question of lasting injury in the brain. We wanted to figure out exactly whether chronic sleep loss injures neurons, whether the injury is reversible, and which neurons are involved.”

Veasey said that the myth of catching up on sleep on weekends or other times to fill a sleep debt is just that, a myth.

Students can improve their drowsiness by practicing good “sleep hygiene” said Cosumnes River College Head Nurse Michelle Barkley.

“Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy. Do something relaxing, don’t do something that’s going to stimulate your mind and make you worry.” Barkley said. “If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. You want to induce sleep not get yourself all hyped up. A general rule is don’t have any caffeine eight hours before bedtime. Alcohol isn’t a good thing to have before you go to bed because it doesn’t allow you to sleep, it doesn’t give you sound sleep.”

Commonly students say

they don’t have the time in their schedule to get enough sleep at night. Barkley said these students should only take short naps, or risk ruining their sleep pattern.

“It’s a lot of school, studying and volunteer time,” said Dana Buenaflor, 21, a nutrition major. “It’s just that I try to take advantage of [sleep] when I can. A quick, little, power nap between classes in the car would help.”

Veasey’s study was conducted on mice, but Biology Professor Andrea Salmi said there are parallels. “[Researchers] seem to have been interested in the study because of things they’d seen in humans,” Salmi said.

“What this study with the mice was showing, is that inside nerve cells, at this one part of the brain that’s critical to keep us alert, in that part of the brain they saw a certain protein to protect cells and keep them healthy. That protein, when you didn’t get enough sleep for a long period of time, decreased radically and that led to damage that actually led to cell suicide.”

There is a great effect that the death of these brain cells

brings, Salmi said.

Conducting the research on mice was only the beginning for the research.

Veasey’s next step is to study the brains of deceased shift workers, to further find evidence of the possible damage that a consistent loss of sleep can have on the human brain.

“A critical part of your brain that’s being really alert and attentive could be permanently damaged,” Salmi said.

“So I would expect, what we would see as time went on, is that we would just be less alert. It would be hard for us to pay attention to things, and that would make learning hard, which would be really damaging for all of us, especially students.”

This may explain what many students, such as 19-year-old computer science major Kelly Lopez, experience

after a late night.

“I lose focus when I’m in class, I’m asleep all the time, I don’t understand what

lack of sleep.”

Salmi said she reminds her students not to cram the night before an exam.

You’re just going to negate all the work you did in advance,” Salmi said. “It’s really an important study to help us

“You really have to get a good night sleep so you come in here with your brain at

optimal alertness. You just shouldn’t stay up all night. You’re just going to negate all the work you did in advance. It’s really an important study to help us realize that sleep isn’t an optional thing It’s critical to our well-being.”

—Andrea Salmi

Cosumnes River College Professor of Biology teachers are saying sometimes because I don’t really pay attention because I’m always tired,” Lopez said. “I’m actually failing my classes due to

“You really have to get a good night sleep so you come in here with your brain at optimal alertness. You just shouldn’t stay up all night.

realize that sleep isn’t an optional thing. It’s critical to our well-being.”

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Author’s visit kicks off entire day of campus Earth related celebration

that was like a holiday and see on TV, and they will flatter simulcast to the Black Box themade it an everyday event.” your sense of busyness.” ater as well as the second oversredmond.connect@gmail.com Pollan said he encourages The food industry and flow area in the Library Fopeople to find out where their commercial life in general rum, a stand-in for the Winn Seated in a leather arm food comes from, because the wants to keep people busy Center Community Room, chair with an area rug and more you inform yourself doing other things, including which was originally the secpotted plants adding to the about the production of pro- watching TV, Pollan said. He ond overflow area until a broatmosphere on the Recital cessed foods, the more you said that the amount of time ken projector led to a change.

Hall stage, award-winning auwill lose your taste for them. spent cooking has declined to The speech was also broadcast thor Michael Pollan answered Topics ranged from farm- 26 minutes per day, which is to any computer on campus. questions from moderator ing, sustainable eating, the half the amount of time that Hodgkinson brought up and Cosumnes River College decline of cooking in America, was spent on the same activity statistics that focus on over a Communication Professor hunting, big industry farm- in the 1950s. billion people going hungry Georgine Hodgkinson as the ing, tracking and even feeding Pollan said that his fami- every day, to which Pollan first ever guest of the CRC the hungry. Those that were ly cooks 50 percent more than said that there is no reason Foundation’s Distinguished unable to get into the packed they need most nights, in or- for such hunger when there Speaker Series.

Recital Hall were der to create leftovers, which are around 2600 to 3600 caloPollan’s book “The turned to the Black he said are the key to eating ries worth of food per person Omnivore’s Dilemma” Box theater, which sustainably. being grown every day. The was the OneBook se- Like most Americans, I was pretty diswas the designated While there was a debate author said much of the hunlection for 2013-2014 connected from where my food came from first overflow area. between students of the com- ger comes from the food that and his keynote dis“I think a lot of munication department in the is wasted in the production cussion kicked off the or what was in it or how it was made. If it us feel that cook- Library Forum about GMO’s processes. campus Earth Day celtasted good that was all I asked.” ing should be real- right after Pollan’s presentaPollan said 40 percent ebration, part of Earth ly complicated and tion, that did not mean they of the food is wasted on the Week for the campus, on April 24.

—Michael Pollan time consuming, were off limits in Pollan’s dis- fields, in the processing, at the but people have cussion. supermarket and in our refrigThe OneBook ProjAuthor, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” cooked for most Pollan said that much of erators. He also said that over ect, started in 2010, of human history. the negative stigma around half the grain grown is fed to encourages the entire campus and neighboring com- ple had at home, and instead They’ve gotten it done,” Pol- GMO’s comes from the secre- animals so that they can then munity to read and discuss a had them on special occasions. lan said. “Part of your sense of tive methods the government be slaughtered for food.

“These foods are not nec- busyness has been inculcated and others used in producing “You can grow plenty common book during each of food and people will still academic year, according to essarily evil,” Pollan said. by food marketing. Keep an them.

Pollan’s discussion was starve,” Pollan said. the OneBook page on CRC’s “We’ve just taken something eye on the ads for food you website.

Cosumnes River College President Deborah Travis opened the event, welcoming both the attendees and the special guest.

“It really is a privilege to welcome Michael Pollan and all of you here today,” Travis said. “As we explore, debate and gain greater knowledge and understanding about sustainability, food, water and good health in celebration of Earth Day.” Hodgkinson took the stage next in order to introduce the special guest.

“For the past year this work has informed campus activities, curriculum [and] it sparked exciting conversations across our academic community,” Hodgkinson said. “So, it is my great honor to introduce a man that has changed the way I see the food on my table, a man I most sincerely admire.”

Hodgkinson’s introductory remarks were met with thunderous applause in the Recital Hall as Michael Pollan took the stage.

Pollan’s book and much of the Earth Day events focused Kayla Gangl/The Connection on better ways to eat, and the Author Michael Pollan and Communication Professor Georgine Hodgkinson discuss Pollan’s book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and food in general first portion of the moderated during the keynote event for Cosumnes River College’s Earth Day Celebration on April 24. Pollan’s book, which focues on our relationship with food event reflected that focus, in- and the choices we make as a soceity, was chosen as the 2013-2014 entry for the CRC OneBook Project. The moderated talk closed out the OneBook cluding Pollan’s own eating events for the year as well as kicked off the campus Earth Day celebration which closed out Earth Week.

By Scott Redmond

“

habits and views when he was younger.

“Like most Americans, I was pretty disconnected from where my food came from or what was in it or how it was made,” Pollan said. “If it tasted good that was all I asked.”

On any given day, one in three American children are eating at a fast food restaurant, Pollan said. When he was a child, Pollan said that eating such food was only once a month or so, just like sodas were not something that peo-

Page 5

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Rachel Norris/The Connection Fantastic Five members Kathryn Villagrana, Ramiro Madrigal and Bethany Mulligan work a table during the campus Earth Day event outside the Winn Center, to explain their project and collect food to donate to Food Not Bombs on April 24. The group brought one of their planters and the food growing within to display during the event. Various classes and organizations had their own tables and booths set up during the event as well as the campus brought attention to sustainability and better ways to interact with our planet.

Enter the Fantastic 5

By Rachel Norris

rnorris.connect@gmail.com Five students attending Cosumnes River College had no idea that they would be put into a group that involves growing a community garden right here on campus.

The group, known as The Fantastic 5, is made up of five students from the Communications 331 class, taught by Professor of Communications Colette Harris-Mathews.

The Fantastic 5 were given the responsibility of beginning a garden of fresh tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and more, located in the horticulture area next to the greenhouse on campus.

On Earth Day, the group set up a booth at the Sustainable Food Drive by the Winn Center. Anyone on campus was able to donate fresh foods to Food Not Bombs, a nation-

al organization responsible for feeding people across the United States, said 25-year-old psychology and nursing major Bethany Mulligan, a member of the Fantastic 5.

“I think it will be a good start to a sustainable future for the campus,” Mulligan said. “We’ve all been able to contribute a lot, and it’s been interesting because some of them don’t know as much about gardening.”

Not only did they collect food to donate on Earth Day, but they also provided information about sustainability in the sense of food and gardening to other students and faculty, as well as handing out literature from Food Not Bombs so that students know where the food from the garden is going, Mulligan said.

Linda Walker, a 58-yearold business management major and member of the group,

shared what she hopes to get out of being a part of the Fantastic 5.

“I hope to accomplish a sense of well-being in knowing that I did something that matters to society and the world,” Walker said. “I love the experience I got to have and I would like to do it again.”

Ramiro Madrigal, 20, an undeclared major, said that his favorite thing about being a part of the group is getting to know more people.

“Planting the plants and watering them is a pretty good experience, but meeting new people is always a good thing,” Madrigal said.

In addition to developing friendships within his group, Devin Nguyen, an 18-year-old math major said that working in the group has allowed him to build other skills.

“The most important thing that I took away from

this experience was the hard work and dedication in group work,” Nguyen said.

The group ran into some obstacles within the project that they were forced to work around, Mulligan said.

“We did want to have an in-ground garden, but we weren’t able to get the space, so we had to do some creative problem-solving,” Mulligan said.

Dave Andrews, professor of horticulture at CRC, fixed the problem by providing planters, built by horticulture students, so that the group could start the process.

“We’ll keep them in the bins for now and then when they get moved to the ground, they’ll have more room to spread out and create a higher yield,” Mulligan said. “Which will then be donated to Food not Bombs.”

Madrigal said there

were other challenges the group faced.

“Not being able to meet with each other on the same date or same time because we are all so busy has been an obstacle,” Madrigal said.

Kathryn Villagrana, 21, a child development major and member of the group, said that growing a garden isn’t as easy as it sounds.

“I thought it was going to be an easy job, but it wasn’t,” Villagrana said. “Dave helped us out a lot and showed us how to use the machines and mix the soil.”

The group said they hope the garden will expand and continue to be a part of the campus in years to come.

“I hope that a lot of people know that this garden is going to be here,” Mulligan said.

“And it’s going to need people to take care of it.”

PAGE 6

MAY 1, 2014

>>Features

Road trip for cheap through online bus service

By Kayla Gangl kgangl.connect@gmail.com We all know that traveling can be a costly endeavor, and with summer rapidly approaching, being stuck in your hometown does not seem too appealing. Plane tickets and gas prices are high, so it may seem like traveling is not an option.

This is where Megabus.com comes in.

Megabus.com is an express, low-cost bus service that offers city to city travel for prices as low as $1 by using the Internet. It first launched in 2006, and to date, has served over 30 million customers, according to Megabus.com If you are looking to get out of Sacramento, Megabus. com offers three stops, including Sparks, Nevada, Reno, Nevada and San Francisco.

Megabus.com has luxury single and double decker buses that each have free wi-fi,

power outlets, reclining seats and on board restrooms.

The prices alone are enough to draw attention to the service. With prices starting at $1 an average savings of over $31 is made on a one-way ticket, according to Megabus.com, it makes sense to hitch a ride with this company.

“Megabus has become the new model of modern, efficient and affordable city to city transportation,” said Mike Alvich, Megabus.com’s Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, in a press release. “As travelers continue to look for ways to stretch their dollar, we look forward to continuing to provide a safe, reliable and comfortable ride at a price that every American can take advantage of to stay connected to family and friends.”

Another great feature Megabus.com offers is connecting routes so you can travel farther and bundle

savings. The site has a list of approved connections that are all guaranteed to get you where you want to go, and in some cases, you can create your own connections.

Reserved seating is a new feature that is also available and allows riders who are traveling in groups to get seats next to each other.

Riders with special needs can also use reserved seating to make sure their needs are met. Even if you choose to

University of the Pacific

is accepting applications for Fall, 2014

Deadline: June 1 Transfer housing available Application fee waivers available For a list of open majors and more information call 209.946.2211 or go.Pacific.edu/TransferToPacific

Pacific.edu

reserve a seat instead of just buying a ticket, there is no price increase, according to Megabus.com.

The prices for seats on Megabus.com always vary depending on where you want to go and when you book your trip, but savings are guaranteed, according to Megabus.com.

One downfall of Megabus.com is that what can be accepted as luggage is limited.

Skis, snowboards, bicycles, golf clubs and musical instruments can not be taken with you. There is also a luggage weight limit of 50 lbs for one bag.

Overall, if you are looking for a trip to get away from the daily humdrum of your boring hometown, Megabus. com has prices that just about anyone can afford.

So pack your bags, it’s time for a road trip.

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PAGE 7

CRC uses solar to go green

By Jelina Cortero jcortero.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College always has new and exciting projects, and with new technological developments, CRC now has the ability to harness solar energy.

Rick Stewart, 57, a television production and digital media major, used his physical geography term project as an opportunity to construct “The Sol of CRC,” a video explaining how CRC’s parking garage PV (photovoltaics) system works, as well as how the Winn Center uses sunlight for natural lighting and power generation.

“We focused on the things going on here at Cosumnes River, the parking garage and some of the improvements in the Winn Center,” Stewart said. “They had solar panels on top but they also had solar lights which really was kind of a turn on for me.”

On the roof of the parking structure, there are 1,056 solar panels grouped together called a solar array. The solar array uses sunlight and converts it into the energy used in the structure. The display boards you see on

the structure, as well as the elevators, are all powered by solar energy.

According to Stewart’s video, the parking structure’s estimated power usage is 433,000 kilowatt hours per year, and it conservatively creates 90 percent of the parking structure’s energy needs.

On average, CRC’s energy system could supply power to 34 and a half houses in California.

The solar industry admits all these estimates are on the extremely conservative side, so it’s very possible that the structure pays for itself, and may even create a small profit as well, according to Stewart’s video.

The video continues to explain how the solar energy used in the parking structure not only benefits the school, but also provides sustainable energy and helps some of the newer buildings, such as the Winn Center.

Jim West, professor of photography, talks very animatedly in the video about the new solar tubes in the photography department located in the Winn Center.

“Photography, you know, is all about light. We can walk

into a room and it’s already lit up without turning on any lights at all, so that’s just amazing for us,” West said in the video. “For me, personally, it just feels amazing to be able to be in a new building that benefits from solar power.”

Stewart, with the help of others, including geography professor Debra Sharkey, put together the “Sol of CRC” video in acknowledgment of solar energy and its benefits to the school and environment.

“None of us are as green as we’d like to be, but I try and do the best I can with whatever I can,” Stewart said.

Both Sharkey and Stewart share the same passion about ecological sustainability and they said that they want to make a difference in the world, whether it be in their own lives or in the lives of others.

“I started the environmental studies and sustainability program here at CRC, and I try to do what I can in my own life to live a little lighter on this planet, minimize resource consumption and teach others to do the same thing,” Sharkey said.

Rachel Norris/The Connection

Both the parking garage and the Winn Center at CRC are designed to use solar power to conserve energy.

Stephan Starnes/The Connection

Threesomes: Good or bad idea?

She Said:

He Said:

Threesomes are 33 percent of men’s number one fantasy, according to a survey done by Cosmopolitan magazine.

But there are reasons why threesomes should stay just that, a fantasy. Because in a fantasy world, nothing can go wrong.

The truth about threesomes? They will always leave you in an awkward situation at the end of the day, no matter what that situation may be.

Ask a good friend to join you in the bedroom with your partner, and you risk your partner fancying your friend in the bedroom better than you, and this can lead to jealousy in relationships.

By engaging in threesomes, you are basically telling your partner that it’s okay to have sex with other people. Before you know it, you catch them getting it on with the same person you had the threesome with.

Their outlook is going to be, well, you let them bang me before, what makes this any different?

There is no argument against that, because you opened up the door to that possibility by initiating or agreeing to a threesome.

Find somebody on Craigslist to help complete the ménage à trois, and well, do I really need to explain that any further? You’re inviting a complete stranger you found over the Internet to engage in sexual activities with yourself and your partner. Not only is that awkward, but way too sketchy.

If you’re in a relationship, keep the third guest out of your bedroom.

You’ve met that person who you are either dating, or want to be with forever. You’ve had sex and are looking for a way to spice things up a little bit more in your sex life and up comes the word that romantic comedies and sitcoms assume is on all straight men’s minds: threesome.

Ménage à trois. Devil’s three way. Eiffel Tower.

Whatever you want to call it, it is the act of three people initiating sex together.

Most people see threesomes as something that could damage a relationship, or are just somewhere a couple should not go. Just like with couples watching porn together, if your relationship is strong, a threesome is nothing more than just another way to have sex.

Is it dangerous in any way? Sure, there could be the chance that one or the other in a relationship might become smitten with the third person and it leads to cheating and similar, but that could happen by them just meeting other people or your friends.

Hell, it could be some person that neither partner would ever see again. Go on Craigslist, check out the ads there and find some person that’s down to get freaky.

You could probably trade them a couch or whatever it is people on Craigslist are looking for.

Embrace sexuality and don’t dismiss something just because of a social stigma or the perceived negative outcomes. Life is all about taking risks and trying new things, otherwise it’s a pretty boring existence.

If it’s not your cup of tea, that is fine. Just know the real reasons you choose not to try something like a threesome and don’t let society decide for you.

What do you think of threesomes? Let us know your thoughts at www.thecrcconnection.com.

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‘Oculus’ gives viewers many laughs and no fear

By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail.com An ancient mirror that has been passed around through the centuries, leaving a trail of bodies everywhere it goes, has taken hold of a small American family, and in the present day the brother and sister seek to destroy its evil once and for all.

Sounds like a pretty cool movie idea, right? Something that should be full of really great twists and turns and have people leaping out of their seats in fear.

Sadly, the newest offering to the altar of horror movies leaves the audience really wanting when it comes to the horror. “Oculus,” a reboot of an earlier project with the same name by director Mike Flanagan, offered cheap thrills and chills that mostly came from the gotcha moments, like something popping out of the shadows only to vanish.

There was nothing that was really complex when it came to the horror in the movie’s plot. Surprisingly enough, while the plot was almost nonexistent in many cases, the way the film was put together was well done.

Flanagan crafted a story that seamlessly mixes the past, when the family was under attack by the mirror, and the present, where the siblings are trying to finish it. At times, you’re not sure if you’re seeing past or present or some

odd mixing of the two, thanks to the interesting editing that was employed.

Most of the movie is told in flashbacks of an idyllic family torn apart by the evil machinations of the mirror, slowly plunging both parents into madness. In the present, the main character, Kaylie, played by Karen Gillan of “Doctor Who” fame, wants to destroy the mirror to exonerate her brother Tim (Brenton Thwaites) and their deceased father Alan (Rory Cochrane) of their past crimes by proving that the mirror caused all the problems.

The movie provides scenes of characters driven mad, blood and trippy moments where the characters and the audience cannot tell what is real and what is not, as well as plenty of moments of characters peering into darkness as they put themselves at risk, but it’s not enough to really bring any true moments of fright like many horror movies.

Many of the moments that are supposed to scare or be really serious to the characters are laughable. In viewing the movie, there were many moments where the entire audience in the theater was laughing at something that, no doubt, the director thought was a serious moment.

Overall, “Oculus” isn’t a bad movie, per se. It has many things going for it like the acting of Rory Cochrane as the father Alan, and the acting for the child actors portraying a young Kaylie and Tim,and seamless editing.

The main thing that a horror movie needs is just what the movie is missing, the horror. In this day and age of so-called torture porn horror movies, the repeated movies in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise and a slew of exorcism movies, it’s seemingly turned from trying to scare audiences with stuff they won’t see coming to just giving them cheap scares that hopefully illicit at least a small jump.

When it comes to this movie, there were no worries of jumping out of the seat to be teased by friends. The funny bone got more of a workout than the leg muscles.

While the true horror was missing, the acting that came from Gillan, Thwaites and the supporting actors was somewhat lacking sadly.

Not worth the full price ticket, maybe not even matinée or early bird prices, but worth a look on Netflix or Red Box.

“Many of the moments that are supposed to scare or be

really serious to the characters are laughable.”

Courtesy Photo

Kaylie (Karen Gillan) stands before the mirror in ‘Oculus,’ which tormented her childhood and ponders how she will destroy it.

#TrendingNow Compiled by Greg Prouty and Kaley Andrews All photos are courtesy photos

“My favorite character is Daenerys,” said Marcus Ellis, 21, a communications major. “I feel like she’s the one who should win in the end. She’s passionate and kind and hasn’t done anything wrong yet.”

Samsung just released its newest smartphone, the Galaxy S5, which is loaded with new features for Android users and creates new competition against Apple’s iPhone 5S. “I like Androids because they have better features and apps,” said Kandice Jones, a 19-year-old undeclared major.

ang Theory’

‘The Big B

The television series “Game of Thrones,” in its fourth season, is more popular than ever among viewers.

Galaxy S5

Samsung

‘Game o

fThrones’

The popular television show “The Big Bang Theory” features four intelligent nerds who stumble their way through normal life and try to solve life’s tough equations.

“I love that show,” said Julie Jimenez, 54, an undeclared major. “They’re so smart, but so simple minded when it comes to normal life.”

PAGE 9

WWW.THECRCCONNECTION.COM

Animals find homes through pet adoption event

Kayla Gangl/The Connection

Kayla Gangl/The Connection

MacDuff, a terrier mix, spent a lazy hour communing with 24-year-old veterinary technician major, Lauren Vollucci, at the CRC pet adoption event on April 27. MacDuff is still available for adoption.

By Kaley Andrews kandrews.connect@gmail.com On Sunday, Cosumnes River College went to the dogs.

Every year, the veterinary technician program holds an annual event to find loving homes for the dogs and cats that have served vet tech students in their studies.

“It’s our responsibility to them,” said Madeline Dain, 23, a vet tech major. “We’ve been using these animals.

We did surgeries on these animals, we’ve been poking them, we’ve been prodding

them, and we owe it to them to find them a home, to find them a family to love them.

We have to do right by them.”

The event began at 12:30 p.m., after vet tech students congregated on the soccer field to exercise their dogs, all of which had been freshly bathed and primped to look their best.

Eight dogs and four cats were available for adoption this year, with adoption fees of $125 and $50, respectively.

The colony animals in the program are chosen from shelters where they are at

Kayla Gangl/The Connection

Milo, a male cat that was up for adoption, turns his attention to a volunteer who calls his name. Milo is still up for adoption.

Pocket, a female cat who was up for adoption at the event, is offered a treat after completing her training. Pocket is still up for adoption.

risk of euthanasia, said Casey Cole, 28, president of the Association of Veterinary Technician Trainees and a vet tech major.

They are placed in play groups with other dogs so that they can socialize and receive basic training from their handlers, Cole said. All dogs were vaccinated, spayed or neutered and micro chipped, and are used in teaching students the duties of a veterinary technician, Cole said.

Cheryl Buch, an animal health instructional technician, was the coordinator of the event.

“I was a graduate of the program in 1981, so I’ve been doing it ever since,” Buch said. “In addition to being a lab tech and helping out all the labs, I oversee the entire colony and coordinate the students for their work shifts.”

Buch is also responsible for choosing the dogs that the veterinary program uses and assigning them to handlers.

“I do my best to try to assign the dogs by temperament,” Buch said. “I try to match up the personalities of the dog and handler as much as possible.”

Students spent a semester with these animals, getting to know them and working with them, and they have the chance to adopt their companions at the end of the semester. Many dogs and cats find their homes with their handlers, Buch said.

“Second-year students get first choice, and then we usually have a brief period where staff members can have a chance at them, and then everyone else [the animals] goes up to public adoptions,” Buch said.

From 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., potential adopters met available dogs, took them for walks and got to know them.

Dogs that had more than one interested party were adopted through a drawing, and every adopter was provided with food, toys and bowls for their new pet.

Potential adopters were

encouraged to bring their pets and children to introduce them to the animals and make certain they will get along.

Families with cats could see how the dogs interacted with the colony cats as well.

While five dogs were adopted, not all the dogs and cats found homes this year.

They are still available for adoption, and interested people are encouraged to meet with them and, take them home.

Cheryl Buch can be contacted about available animals at 916-691-7355.

Kaley Andrews/The Connection

Paddywhack, a Whippet mix, has a moment with his playgroup pal, Barley, a Queensland heeler, by touching snouts. Barley found a home that day, but Paddywhack is still up for adoption.

PAGE 10

MAY 1, 2014

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Healthy options can be found on CRC campus In light of Michael Pollan, best-selling author of Cosumnes River College’s OneBook choice “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” speaking for the end of the Earth Week celebration, many students are looking for healthier food choices on campus.

Students on campus looking for a quick meal could think a healthy choice is but a dream; even Pollan seemed to doubt the college would have any healthy options during his keynote address on April 17.

However, there are always options, even if they are not overly plentiful. Despite this, students would be more likely to overlook them and choose to only see the multitude of sugary snack foods, fatty burgers and deep-fried chicken strips.

The most common complaint, and misconception, is that eating healthy is too expensive when compared to other foods. Students, along with the population as a whole, can often be heard saying that salads shouldn’t be more expensive than burgers.

This may ring true at McDonalds, where salads can run upwards of $4.50, while burgers and fries could all be found on the dollar menu and full-combo meals are similarly priced to a salad alone.

However, there are a multitude of choices that are both similarly priced in the Rio Bistro Cafe (CRC’s cafeteria), if not even less expensive choices, for the health-conscious campus dweller.

A popular meal among students in the cafeteria is the chicken strip combo. Three chicken strips, an order of fries and a fountain drink will cost $6.19. The tenders alone would cost $4.04.

Compared to a McDonalds salad, the tenders would seem like a steal, but when there is an option to create a salad at 42 cents an ounce, it doesn’t seem quite so great anymore.

While many students may skip the salad bar, it is ripe with healthy choices. While you could get a pasta salad, there are also fruits, romaine lettuce, carrots and assorted toppings including olives, beans and tomatoes.

There are also multiple choices of salad dressings, but if you skip them you could pack more into your salad without weighing it down with heavy liquids.

Rose Hickok, location manager of the cafeteria, said that the average salad that students purchase from the salad bar costs about $2.

The next biggest culprit when considering a meal is the cost of a drink. Both the cafeteria and bookstore have a large selection of drinks, with sodas being among the cheapest. A bottle of soda costs $1.74, while fountain drinks can range from $1.69 to $1.99.

A healthier, similarly priced choice, would be to get a bottle of water. A 20-ounce bottle of water runs $1.64 and a 1 liter bottle $2.29.

To save money and contribute to a more sustainable future, students could bring their own bottles and fill them from the water fountains. The Winn Center on campus features water fountains that have bottle-filling stations that count how many plastic bottles are saved by refilling.

While cookies, candy bars, burgers and fries may be among the more obvious choices, students do indeed have options. Price is not even a factor. Rather than making excuses for why eating healthy isn’t a viable option, students need to actually explore their options and make better decisions.

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

HAWK

TALK

What do you think CRC should do to build a better sense of unity on campus?

Joey Hickmann 20, RTVF

Sara Oldo 19, Animal Science

“I think it can kind of call on the teachers a little bit, like how some teachers play the introducing game, where you say your name, why you’re here, why you’re taking this class.

I’m in sports radio, and when I found out other guys in my class were in sports radio too, I gravitated towards them.”

“More events, stuff to get students involved with other students.

Besides events, they could have more club activities. I know a lot of clubs that when they had the actual day for signing up, there weren’t a lot of clubs out.

A lot of people don’t know about [the clubs].”

Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view the Hawk Talk video.

Editor in Chief: Scott Redmond Features Editor: Rachel Norris News Editor: Scott Redmond Online Editor: Zach Hannigan Opinion Editor: Zach Hannigan Sports Editor: Nick Valenzuela Visuals Editor: Stephan Starnes Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Kaley Andrews, Bobby Bishop, Jelina Cortero, Kayla Gangl, Stacey Marie Harris, Damon Hickman, Shafa Ilyas, Heather Kemp, Emiliano Martin, Greg Prouty

Julio Muniz 23, Political Science

Fred Jackson 63, Business

“First of all, make it easier for activities to take place.

I know that it’s a little hard to get through the red tape and some of the bureaucracies at CRC, but that’s community college. It’s community, it’s in the name—it should be easy for us to connect with each other.”

“Have more events that deal with unity, have more multi-cultural events. The students are multinational, the student body is multinational, therefore if you combine all the clubs, get representatives from all the clubs and have them put on a program, that’s multi-ethnic.”

Compiled by: Jelina Cortero & Emiliano Martin

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

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Page 11

United States’ legal drinking age should stay put

By Heather Kemp hkemp.connect@gmail.com

Do you remember that time when 100 college presidents signed a petition saying that the legal drinking age being 21 is not working?

This sounds like a plot to a teen comedy that would rake in big bucks at the box office.

If it ever was made into a movie, it would be based on true events because this actually happened.

In 2009, the college presidents of over 100 campuses from across the U.S. signed in protest to the current drinking age, according to an article from CBS News.

According to the article, these esteemed, and possibly drunk, scholars argued that the legal drinking age being set at 21 was not realistic and they wanted it lowered to 18.

Today, the debate rages on.

More recently, it is being brought up that perhaps the law still isn’t working and the U.S. should lower the legal drinking age to 19 instead, according to an article from CNN. Let’s face it, almost everyone on a college campus has indulged in some underaged boozing, and even the ma-

Stephan Starnes/The Connection

jority of high school students have tried on their beer goggles.

By their 18th birthday, 70 percent of teenagers have

the drinking age and avoid all the hassle of punishing them?

This is a seriously dangerous perspective to take.

Yes, some teens can han-

according to the NIAAA. A buzz starts after one drink, and after the second and third, the loosey-goosey stage takes effect, before you

know it, you’re blacked out and have no concept of what’s going on around you.

A cocktail of bad things can take place after that, like alcohol poisoning, sexual assault or even death.

One may argue that these things can happen no matter what your age group, but shouldn’t we be guarding our youth from this nonetheless?

Having a lower drinking age will just make it easier for younger and younger kids to get their hands on alcohol.

People who have their first drink at 15 or younger are five times as likely to have issues with alcohol than those who don’t drink until they’re 21, according to a survey from The National Survey on Drug

A letter from the Editor in Chief

Dear Readers, Almost five months ago a decision was made on how we would be presenting the news to you, our readers.

There was nothing fundamentally wrong with our old format, but the times have changed and you needed something new and different than what we were providing.

Here we are now at the end of the semester, six issues later, and the results are clear: our new format was a hit.

In my four semesters on the paper, we’ve received feedback from time to time, positive and negative, but it

was rare.

Yet in this semester we have heard from so many, students and faculty alike, that the new format and the new content we have brought you was a change greatly welcomed.

From the brand new sex and relationship focused column “No Strings Attached,” to the new smaller size and front page, you’ve given us great feedback.

Change can be a difficult thing. It requires realizing that the tides are about to change and if you don’t change your course you very well could end up hitting the proverbial

rocks.

There were many discussions about how to go about this change and what we wanted and what our readers wanted, but what wasn’t up for debate was that we wanted to change.

We wanted to bring you more up-to-date news through our re-designed website as well as bring you stories in our print edition that would speak to our readership more.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the bulk of these changes rest upon the shoulders of two long-time staff members. Without the de-

tried some sort of alcohol, according to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

With drinking rates being so high for those underage partakers, why not decrease

dle their liquor, but making it more readily available will not be good for the majority of our teenagers.

Young people have, on average, five drinks per occasion, which is binge drinking,

“It seems ludicrous that with all the bad facts associated with young drinkers,

there would still be a push to lower the legal drinking age. The age was set at 21 in 1984 to prevent underage drinking related car accidents...”

Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail.com

Use and Health.

It seems ludicrous that with all the bad facts associated with young drinkers, there would still be a push to lower the legal drinking age.

The age was set at 21 in 1984 to prevent underage drinking-related car accidents, but it has protected everyone from much more harm than that.

It simply should not be lowered.

If we changed every law on the books just because someone wasn’t happy with it, think of the world we would live in.

sign work of Zach Hannigan and the energy that came from his collaborating with Stephan Starnes, there is no telling where this redesign would have gone.

While Zach and Stephan and the rest of the semester editorial board are moving on to greener pastures after multiple stints on this paper, their impact will be felt long from now as there is no going back for our esteemed paper. Only forward.

The semester is over, but the work has just begun. Stay tuned for what we do next, because it’s only going to get better.

To comment on Heather’s article visit thecrcconnection.com

www.thecrcconnection.com

Page 12

Are tattoos bad for college students when it comes to starting a career?

Pro: Tattoos don’t make an employee less capable

By Rachel Norris rnorris.connect@gmail.com Here we go again. The never-ending charade about how tattoos are tacky and do absolutely nothing for you, but diminish your self-image.

Honestly, myself and many others are just about done with that argument.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo, and that number is growing

Con: Think about it before you get that tattoo

By Shafa Ilyas silyas.connect@gmail.com In a matter of few minutes you could be a proud owner of a permanent tattoo on your body, however do not let the ease of getting tatted influence a big decision.

Despite the pain of getting stabbed with a needle over and over, getting a tattoo can risk acquiring a variance of diseases. According to a US News survey, approximately 30 percent of tattoo shops do not sterilize their tools. This leads to health risks such as

Letters to the Editor Scan this QR code to submit a letter to the editor or email us at connection.crc@gmail.com

is not what you consider beautiful. Are you going to reject me for a job because I don’t like the same music that you do? No, so why reject me for a job because I like tattoos and you don’t?

A lot of people don’t understand that tattoos provide more than just a stamp on our bodies. For some, tattoos are a source of remembrance, and for others, they express artistic and meaningful messages on a very personal level.

Rejecting a possible employee who has tattoos that are offensive and inappropriate is very understandable if you don’t want that person representing your business. But the fact that some employers

reject possible employees just for having tattoos is ludicrous.

Another argument against getting ink on your body is that it will look ugly when you’re older and you can end up changing your mind and not liking it in a few years.

According to the Patient’s Guide reports, laser tattoo removal procedures climbed 32 percent from 2011 to 2012.

This is mainly due to the fact that people are just getting tattoos because they are becoming a huge trend in the U.S. and look “cool.” Only get a tattoo if it really means something to you, and never settle for a design that you do not absolutely love.

As for tattoos looking bad

when you’re older, I don’t remember anyone looking great or trying to impress anybody when they are older. Sure, the tattoo is probably a bit faded, but that is a part of one’s life that provides meaningful insight into somebody’s character.

Tattoos can also set you apart from everyone else and provide a uniqueness to your self-image. I’m not saying you have to get tattoos if you want to be different, but many people get them because it pertains to some unique aspect of one’s life.

So stop judging people who have tattoos. They don’t judge you for not having them.

infection, hepatitis and HIV. No healthy human being should put their life on the line for simple body art, it’s not worth dying for.

Many disagree stating that permanently drawing on ones body is a form of art.

This inexpensive form of self expression is a way to show loyalty with a person, group or an idea. Others believe that our natural body is a blank canvas, and adding tattoos enhances our beauty.

All the counter arguments against getting a tattoo are understandable to an extent. Getting a tattoo to advocate beliefs and show loyalty shows the passion one has. However, if a person is truly absorbed in that belief, then getting tatted will not increase the pas-

sion, will not make a person more loyal to the symbol of a tattoo and will not make anyone more of an individual. A person becomes an individual due to their thoughts and their actions, not because of a rebellious tattoo.

Many companies are loosening their tattoo policy or simple getting rid of them because they have become so common. Bank of America has no written policy against getting tatted. This is because they respect every person’s individuality. However Mayo Clinic, University of California: Los Angeles and Apollo Group all ask their employers to cover their tattoos. They believe in strict professionalism.

Getting a tattoo when a person is young may seem

trendy, however that is the same tattoo that a person will grow old with.

As life goes on, people change and so do a person’s interest. Time magazine reported that 16 percent of people regret getting a tattoo they got when they were younger.

It is very common to get tired of a tattoo. People grow older and learn from their mistakes. What interested a person when they were 16 may not interest them when they are 60.

The greatest setback for getting a tattoo is that it is permanent. There are numerous ways to get a tattoo removed, however after various treatments there is no certainty that it will be completely gone. The safest yet most expensive way

to get a tattoo removed is to get laser surgery. It does not require cutting of any skin.

The laser beam breaks the ink and then the human body naturally dissolves the ink.

This procedure is painful and can sometimes leave scars, blisters or scabs. Another way to remove a tattoo is for a doctor to simply cut the flesh the tattoo is on entirely.

Then the doctor will sew up the skin which will cause scarring. Both of these treatments are far more expensive than the tattoo itself.

Tattoos look beautiful on the body, however one should think twice before making such an irreversible decision.

Re: “Vehicular theft decreases as bike theft increases”

course, it would be a little difficult to try and find a black bike because there are a lot of black bikes out there. A couple weeks have gone by and it has not been found.

He bought a new bike because that was his only mode of transportation. This time around, I suggested that he plaster his bike with tons of stickers and unique features so if this were to happen again, it could be easily spotted. Getting stuff stolen sucks and the school should be a safe environment where we should not have to worry about things like this.

However, I am glad that this issue was addressed in the

paper because it has been occurring a lot. Hopefully, this will shed some light on bike thefts and students will take the time to look out for one another so this does not happen to another bicyclist.

Sincerely, Davina Vo

the fault of “joking” around.

As comedian, Louis C.K., said, “Any joke about anything bad is great.” Only a person who has immoral values or no values at all, who is also psychotic, can hear a joke about rape and have his psychology changed so much as to influence his behavior and make him think that rape is acceptable; the same way in which a joke about the holocaust will not cause someone to kill a Jewish person, and a joke about blondes will not cause society to undermine the intellectual capacity of blonde-haired females.

Sincerely, Daniel Kolosovski

more and more everyday.

Tattoos are becoming more popular and society has become more accepting as generations go on, however, they are still looked down upon by certain employers, and in a lot of cases, are forbidden if you want certain jobs.

Just because I have tattoos doesn’t make me any less capable of getting a job done than the person without tattoos. The person with them may even perform better than the one without. So, why is society still basing job performance off of ink instead of skill?

Don’t discriminate against people with tattoos just because what they find beautiful

Split Deci sio n

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to the article from March 16 about bicycle thefts. It made me recall a conversation with a classmate who recently had his bike stolen on campus. I suggested that he keep an eye out for it on Craigslist because that’s where many thieves go to try and resell something. After all, it is not monitored. I told him I would look out for it and asked for a description, but all he could tell me was that it was black. Of

Re: “University study highlights prevalence of rape culture” Dear Editor, Although I do agree that currently in the United States we have a rape culture and tend to blame the victims, it is not

thecrcconnection.com

Page 13

>>Sports

Donald Sterling only part of big problem

By Zach Hannigan zhannigan.connect@gmail.com Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling made waves when TMZ released audio of racist comments he made.

Essentially he told his alleged mistress, who is only known by the name of V. Stiviano and has been accused of selling the audio, that he does not want her to associate with black people or bring them to Clipper games.

On Tuesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made a resounding decision, Sterling would be banned for life from the NBA and be ordered to pay a $2.5 million fine.

Silver’s decision was hailed by many as the right decision, including Magic Johnson, who was mentioned in the audio, who tweeted “Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life.”

Johnson went on to tweet, “Now let’s hope that the other 29 owners do the right thing.”What he is referring to is that he wants the other 29 owners to essentially vote to force Sterling to sell the Clippers. This is a great start, but Johnson is missing the point.

Sterling’s comments point to a bigger issue in the NBA. The culture.

The culture in which zero of the 30 owners represent the overwhelming majority of NBA players.

Therein lies the problem.

If the other 29 owners really wanted to do the right thing, they would put rules in place that African Americans must be better represented in the front offices of the NBA. The NBA is still stuck in a certain culture. Maybe Sterling, who in one of his few moments of clarity, put it best.

“I don’t want to change the culture, because I can’t. It’s too big…”

While he is also referring to American culture, it also describes the NBA. There is a culture of economic racism, if you will, and that’s what must change.

The owners, including Sterling, are making billions of dollars from the NBA. Much of the money is going towards the ones who don’t do a lot of the work.

This is the elephant in the room in the NBA, one that former commissioner David Stern ignored while he was in office. Sterling has always been a racist and has a history of bigoted comments.

However, Sterling is product of his generation and environment. That same environment is the one that must change for the NBA to really make a difference.

It’s time to look at the bigger issue that Sterling let out of the bag and it’s time to address it.

Photo courtesy CRCHawks.com

Tennis duo reach state tournament despite team’s challenging season

By Jelina Cortero jcortero.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College women’s tennis team had a rough start to the season this year, but despite their challenges two of their players qualified for doubles for the California Community College Athletics Association State Tournament.

Tammy Tran, 22, an art studio major came into the season with a sprained ankle and had a hard time getting back into the game.

When she recovered, she was able to get herself with teammate Cassie Gomez, 19, a biology major qualified in the doubles category for the tournament which was held on April 27 in Ventura, Calif.

Head coach Suzanne Stebbins had a number of challenges with the team during the season due to the fact that they only had five players when a full team requires six players.

“It put a hamper on our season [when talking about the challenge of having only five players], but with that in mind they [Tran and Gomez] did very well. And to qualify for State is a big accomplishment,” said Stebbins.

Though Tran and Gomez did not win the tournament, they showed good sportsmanship.

“We played pretty good, the other team just played better,” said Gomez.

Tran was disappointed with their tournament performance and said that they could’ve done better.

“We didn’t play like how we usually did. I just think it was a bad day,” Tran said.

Stebbins was confused on the women’s performance in the tournament and thought that maybe it was the long drive that altered their game.

“They did well, I don’t know if it was the long drive or what but they played a little flat that day,” Stebbins said.

“I was very proud of them to accomplish getting in the tournament but I think they could have had a better match against the other team. They [the opposing team] were definitely a beatable team.”

As the season concluded, Gomez reflected on how her players performed as a team.

“I think we had a pretty good season, I mean it wasn’t a winning season but towards the end we improved a lot as a team,” Gomez said.

Though it was a rocky start for the women’s tennis team, both Tran and Gomez have high hopes for their next season.

“I think we’ll have a pretty good team as long we get six players,” Gomez said.

“It’s been pretty hard getting players in the past to get a full team so if we just get a full team, we’d be good.”

Gomez and Tran both agree that if they have a full team next season, then the team will do well.

“As long as we have enough players we’ll do better.” Tran said.

“Because coach is a good coach.”

PAGE 14

MAY 1, 2014

Nick Valenzuela / The Connection

Left fielder Jessica Venturelli hits the ball in CRC’s softball game against the San Joaquin Delta Mustangs. Venturelli was one of three players honored on field for CRC’s sophomore day.

By Kayla Gangl kgangl.connect@gmail.com

Schroeder also felt pride in her team and how they handled the loss.

“I think we have a pretty solid team,” said Schroeder. “Like I said before, I hate to finish on a note like this, so I feel more hurt for my team because I think we are good enough we just didn’t finish as strong as we needed to.”

Delta’s head softball coach Jim Fisher felt the Hawks put up a good fight for their final game, but in the end it wasn’t enough.

“It was a tough one because your pitcher does a great job of throwing just above the zone and without them making a couple of errors it would’ve been right there,” Fisher said. “Theirs cost them and ours didn’t.”

It was a day of goodbyes on April 22 at the Cosumnes River College softball game vs. Delta Community College. Sophomores were given escorts out onto the field by friends and family as they prepared to play their last game for the Hawks.

However, it was also a goodbye to the playoffs for the Hawks as they were defeated 7-4 by the Delta Mustangs.

It was a tough loss for not only the team but for softball head coach Kristy Schroeder as well.

“We hated to end on a note like that,” said softball head coach Kristy Schroeder. “We didn’t play a good defense and I think that is what ultimately killed us.”

Even facing a loss, Hawks freshman pitcher Amanda Horbasch, still felt proud of her team.

“We battled, we didn’t give up,” said Horbasch. “Maybe if we had less errors and more communication we could’ve done better, but I think we did alright.”

Sophomore Jessica Venturelli felt like her team was taking the loss in stride.

“It was our last game today so it felt a little more sad than the others,” said Venturelli. “It seems like Nick Valenzuela / The Connection everyone isn’t really hanging their heads Freshman pitcher Amanda Horbasch prepares to throw a pitch in their games against the San Joaquin Delta Mustangs which is good.” on April 22.

thecrcconnection.com

Page 15

Hawks end regular season with loss to Delta, prepare to head into post seas n

By Stephan Starnes sstarnes.connect@gmail.com Heading into the last game of the regular season, the Cosumnes River College Hawks were tied for second place in the Big 8 Conference. San Joaquin Delta College came to Conway Field to try and best the Hawks and take an undisputed first place position in the Big 8 on April 26.

The Hawks’ star pitcher Kyle Von Ruden, who entered the game with a conference ERA of 0.88, was not at the top of his game. Von Ruden exited the game after the sixth inning with an overall conference ERA of 1.53 after allowing five runs, four of which were earned.

Sophomore pitcher Josh Pigg took over in the seventh inning, and in the top of the eighth allowed four more runs. The Hawks went on to lose the

game 9-3 after scoring one last-minute run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

“We gotta flush this, take it as a learning experience,” Von Ruden said. “[The team needs to] make less mistakes, mental mistakes. I think we’ll come back stronger.”

The game started with Von Ruden pitching to the Mustangs’ lead-off hitter, sophomore center fielder Phillip Clark. Clark was walked and immediately stole second. The fourth batter of the inning, sophomore first baseman CJ Owens, batted in Clark for the first run of the game and reached first on an error by Hawks’ sophomore shortstop Hunter Carolan.

The next batter, freshman catcher Collin Theroux, hit a sacrifice fly to bring in freshman designated hitter Zach Perugi for the second

Nick Valenzuela / The Connection

Sophomore outfielder Kasey Chapan prepares for his turn at bat in the final inning of the Hawks’ last regular season game against San Joaquin Delta college. Chapan got on base but never made it home, and the Hawks lost the game 9-3.

run for the Mustangs.

Through

t h e top of the third inning, the Mustangs seemed to remain in control of the game, adding a run in each of the next two innings and keeping the Hawks scoreless through the first two despite starting both with a man on second.

The run in the top of the second inning came from sophomore third baseman Connor Torres hitting a home run that bounced off the glove of Pigg in left field as he leapt in front of the outfield fence.

Momentum seemed to shift in the bottom of the third when the Hawks started to rally, bringing up the energy of the team and the fans.

Pigg hit a ground ball single down the first base line that went between Owens’ legs and allowed sophomore center fielder Kasey Chapan to score the Hawks’ first run. The next batter, freshman third baseman Drake Atlee, hit an RBI double over the top of a leaping Torres to bring home sophomore catcher Cody Morris.

The momentum seemed to continue; Von Ruden stepped back onto the mound in the fourth, despite Pigg being seen warming up in the bullpen before stepping up to bat in the bottom of the third, and he threw his first scoreless inning of the game. Von Ruden threw his first and only strikeout to start the three up, three down fourth inning against Delta freshman shortstop Jacob Thomas.

The Hawks couldn’t capitalize and went scoreless in the bottom of the fourth before Von Ruden allowed another run in the top of the fifth inning.

“You shouldn’t have to have a different mindset [for the last game],” Von Ruden said. “We should have came out with the same mentality we had the whole season. I think we played a pretty good season, better than last year’s.”

Mustangs’ head coach Reed Peters was pleased with his team’s performance.

“It was a great team effort, against a great opponent, in a great league,” Peters said. “It’s nice winning the league this year, especially with how good the league was.”

Despite the loss, the Hawks are

still in good position for the post-season. As the ninth-seed, head coach Tony Bloomfield will travel with the Hawks to The College of Marin on May 2-3 for a best of three series.

“It’s a new season, we’re 0-0,” Bloomfield said. “That’s how it was in 2012 when we ran nine straight wins and won the state, so that’s what we’re going to tell them. I’ll bring the [state championship] ring out and show them on Monday, and that’s why we’re playing.”

Playoff Seeding Baseball Team

GP Win Loss

1 Chabot

34

27

7

2 San Joaquin

36

27

9

3 Santa Rosa

35

25

10

4 Sierra

36

21

15

5 Sequoias

36

27

9

6 Feather

36

28

8

7 Cabrillo

36

21

15

8 Marin

36

21

15

9 Cosumnes R. 36

24

12

10 Sacramento

35

24

11

11 Mission

34

25

9

12 Diablo Valley

36

21

15

13 Modesto

35

22

13

14 San Mateo

36

23

13

15 Fresno

36

22

14

16 Canada

36

24

12

17 Los Medanos 36

23

13

18 Butte

23

13

36

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to follow the progress of the Hawks’ baseball team through the playoffs at crchawks.com

Page 16

May 1, 2014

n case you missed it...

Zach Hannigan / The Connection

Top: The Hawks softball team poses for a group photo on Breast Cancer Awareness Day before their doubleheader on April 19.

Left: Third baseman Kacey Lutz jumps to catch a pop fly in CRC’s first game against American River College on April 19.

“It’s [also] nice to do the Play Pink and give to a cure cause. So that’s why we do that.”

-- Kristy Schroeder Head softball coach

On April 19, 2014, Cosumnes River College’s softball team played against American River College in a double header in support of breast cancer awareness. The game also served as a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen foundation. Read the full story by Scott Redmond on thecrcconnection.com.

Zach Hannigan / The Connection

Right: Sophomore outfielder Jessica Venturelli, in her pink uniform for the day’s breast cancer awareness drive, dives for home base in an attempt to tie the score against the American River College Beavers sophomore catcher Jordyn Bradley on April 19. Venturelli was called out, and the Hawks lost the second game of their double header against ARC, 5-4.

Zach Hannigan / The Connection