C I T Y C O L L E G E O F S A N F R A N C I S C O ’ S N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 3 5
Volume 152, Issue 7
TheGuardsman.com
Bayview’s education at risk: By Sara Bloomberg SPECIAL TO THE GUARDSMAN
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is trying to take over use of City College’s Southeast Campus in the Bayview district for its own purposes and renege on earlier promises to fund the expansion of programs at the campus. In July of 2009 the PUC and the San Francisco Community College District entered into a five-year lease agreement for the
Southeast Community Facility, located at 1800 Oakdale Ave. In the agreement, the PUC leased part of the facility to the college to house “City College of San Francisco classrooms and support facilities.” The college has had a continuous presence at the Southeast Community Facility for decades. At the Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 28, Trustee Dr. Anita Grier described the college’s ambitious plans for
November 16 - December 7, 2011
City College’s Southeast campus told to pack up by Public Utilities Commission
expanding programs at the campus. These plans which had been agreed to by both the college, the PUC and the community at the beginning of the summer, were crafted in what she described as a truly collaborative process. The plans included offering an expanded selection of classes for ESL, GED, culinary arts, nursing, and basic skills, which the PUC had promised to fund. “Imagine our surprise when
the Chancellor received a letter from the PUC that said the SFPUC has proposed to shrink the Southeast campus footprint to the fourth floor of the Southeast facility,” said Grier. The commission maintains that they’re operating transparently. Director of Communications for the SFPUC Tyrone Jue said in an email dated Nov. 9, “We both value the importance of ensuring that vibrant programs and servic-
es are provided at the Southeast Community Facility consistent with the mitigation requirements associated with this facility. No decisions about space programming have been made.” Bayview resident and activist Espanola Jackson reminded the board that funding for the Southeast Campus was promised to the Bayview-Hunters Point community in conjunction with the PUC’s Community Benefit Program. PUC: Page 2
News Feature:
FIGHTING FOR THE DREAM He hiked a barren desert, crawled a mile through sewage, and now has a 3.8 GPA. His name is Raul Barrera, an openly undocumented City College student who still cannot receive financial aid even under the newly passed “Dream Act.” This is his story.
GRAPHIC BY BETH LABERGE/THE GUARDSMAN
By Einar Savilla SPECIAL TO THE GUARDSMAN
Twenty-year-old Raul Barrera says graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA and is a dedicated employee, but he barely makes ends meet. His City College tuition is equivalent to one month’s salary at his construction job in Oakland and he struggles to cover the rent for a room he shares with his girlfriend, Elsa Ramos. The Internet is their only luxury. Barrera, who came to the U.S. illegally in 2007, should be a perfect candidate for the
ON THE INSIDE
new California Dream Act. The Dream Act, made up of Assembly Bills 130 and 131, was signed by Governor Jerry Brown this year and will allow undocumented students to receive both public and private scholarships and grants. In order to qualify for the California Dream Act students must meet certain requirements. They must have attended a California high school for a minimum of three years, must have earned a diploma or GED, and must file an affidavit with their college or university stating that they intend
to apply for legal immigrant status. But when the California Dream Act finally takes effect in January of 2013 for many students, including Barrera, it will be too late. One of Many When Barrera was 10 years old his family life began to fall apart. With the death of his older bother Juan Carlos, Barrera began to sink into depression. By age 13 he was in a downward spiral of sex, drugs and alcohol abuse. His uncle, who lives in the U.S. was worried about Barrera’s
destructive behavior and offered him the opportunity to study in San Francisco. Now all he had to do was get there. So in 2007, at the age of 16, he left his hometown of Vera Cruz, Mexico to come to the United States illegally. He successfully crossed the U.S. border, but was abandoned by the “coyote” his uncle had paid to guide him. Traveling north through the desert, Barrera was lost and desperately looking for water when an American woman found him. She quenched his thirst, but
Opinions
News
Culture
Crackdown on medici- Police beat down nal marijuana unjust student protesters at and unwise. Occupy Berkeley. Page 4
Page 6-7
Review of new City College play, “Sweet Bird of Youth.” Page 8
also called immigration officials who immediately arrested him. In his cell Barrera was treated like an animal. “I lost my identity in there,” he said. He was repeatedly denied water and only given a salty cookie to eat making thirst worse. He remembers it like this: he wasn’t seen as a human being, but as a stray dog trapped in the pound. Returning Not an Option Shortly after being deported to Tijuana, Barrera was walking down the street when a small BARRERA: Page 2
Notice The Guardsman is a bi-weekly paper, however our next issue will come out in three weeks, Dec. 7.
2 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
NEWS
CITY COLLEGE CLEANS UP AT JACC City College students took home 20 awards from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges conference that took place Saturday, Nov. 12. Some awards include third place for Best Feature Story, by Brian Rinker; first place for an Online Photo Story / Essay by Brian Rinker, Joe Fitzgerald, and Saidy Lauer; and General Excellence Awards for our print and online versions.
Immigration student’s journey for education BARRERA: from the front page
group of Federals approached him. Barrera feared he was about to be arrested, but before he could react he was thrown into a cab by an unfamiliar woman. She told Barrera that he was about to get beat up and robbed by the Federals and that by pushing him into the cab she had saved him. She asked him if he was looking to cross the border and he immediately said yes. Within a few hours, Barrera found himself with a small group at the opening of a sewer system leading into the United States. They undressed and placed their clothing in plastic bags to keep them dry. “It was the most disgusting experience I ever had,” Barrera said. “The water smelled like sulfur.” But it was worth it. As he crawled through the raw sewage, Barrera thought of it as a baptism. A new beginning. “I wanted to renew my life,” he said, looking away as he spoke. At one point Barrera was spotted in the muck by border patrol agents who commanded him to come out. He kept crawling and eventually the border police gave up. “They didn’t want to get their fancy clothes dirty,” he said. He took his free pass and never looked back. A new beginning Once in San Francisco, Barrera’s uncle pushed him to value education. Barrera easily enrolled at John O’Connell High School of Tech-
nology. He only had to show his middle school transcript and get the neccessary vaccinations. He excelled in school, graduating with a 3.8 GPA. Since San Francisco prides itself on being a safe haven for undocumented immigrants, Barrera was never scared nor embarrassed to talk openly about being an undocumented student. According to those who knew him Barrera was a very shy young man, but when he spoke it was profound. He involved himself in the community. In 2008 he interned at People Organizing to Demand Economic/Environmental Rights (PODER SF) a local non-profit. This is where Barrera began to find himself, gain a sense of family, and realize his potential. College seemed unreal to him until he sat in on a presentation explaining the possibilities of education for undocumented students. This was where he first learned of AB 540 and realized he could actually go to college. Assembly Bill 540 allows qualified undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition, saving them thousands of dollars. He saved money for two years as a day laborer in order to attend college at Cal Poly Pomona where he planned to major in Economics, but later decided to change majors. He came to City College of San Francisco where he hopes to transfer to San Francisco State and major in international relations. His dream is not California’s “I won’t benefit from the
Dream Act,” Barrera said indifferently. He’s not alone. Predictions estimate that only 2500 students will actually benefit from the California Dream Act, although many more undocumented students are in need. Not all undocumented students in California meet the stringent requirements of the Dream Act. And of the $1.4 billion budget for institutional grants, undocumented students will only receive roughly 1 percent. Those that do qualify for the Dream Act will not see any aid until it takes effect Jan. 1, 2013. The activist Barrera doesn’t let the challenges of his immigration status deter him as he strives to make changes in a country that doesn’t accept him. Barrera was inspired by his brother, who was a politicallyaware, respected member of the community in Mexico. It seems only natural Barrera would aspire to do the same here in the U.S. As he continues his education and activism, he has become more vocal and more passionate. He serves a dual role in his community. He teaches undocumented high school students the necessary steps to apply to be recognized as AB 540, paving their way to a college degree. At City College’s VIDA organization (Voices for Immigrants Demonstrating Achievement), he helps undocumented students of all ages fill out their paperwork. After receiving his B.A., Barrera plans to travel to Cuba to
COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
A group of crosses representing those that died trying to cross the desert sit at the border in Sasabe, Mexico, trying to discourage immigrants from crossing on Wednesday May 24, 2006.
become a doctor, stating a need to help the world in tangible ways. He knows that there is not much work for an undocumented person in the U.S. but says “you can take those degrees anywhere.” But if he leaves the U.S. he could face the possibility of never
being able to return to his adopted home. He dreads deportation or another jail sentence. “I think everyone should have the same rights and opportunities, whether or not you have documents,” he said. email:news@theguardsman.com
Public Utilities Commission to shrink Southeast campus in Bayview
CLARIVEL FONG/THE GUARDSMAN
Espanola Jackson speaks against the SF Public Utilities Commission’s Southeast Facilities Plan at the Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 27. Courtesy of Broadcasting department of CCSF. PUC: from the front page
The program, developed in 2009 after talks between the PUC and the Citizen’s Advisory Committee, an 11-member body that acts as a liaison with the community and various organizations, including the PUC, is intended to ameliorate problems in communities where the
actions of the PUC have created undesirable effects. For the Bayview-Hunters Point community, the program seeks to mitigate the effects of a sewer treatment plant located in that district. The Southeast Community Facility itself was built by the city of San Francisco as the first of many mitigation
measures to compensate resisaid Jackson. cations, so that their voices are dents for the construction in “When that facility was built, heard during the crucial time, 1952 of the Southeast Wastewater it was because of mitigation and and affirmed his support for the Treatment Plant in their midst. it was for education and training. campus. In exchange for allowing the [The Southeast campus] was to “I believe that the district construction in their district of be an educational institute, not should spend more money [at the only water the Southeast treatment plant campus] anyway, in San Franciswhether or not “Or why don’t we just sue ‘em for the co, the residents PUC does or years that we have left as far as rent time? were promised not,” said Ngo. that educational Maybe they can pay for the classes that we Board Presiopportunident John Rizzo would have had.” ties would be -Ingrid Wynn, president of Evans campus commented that provided to although the local youth; PUC is a highly youth who have functional orgasuffered the effects of poverty for [whatever] the PUC wants,” nization it is not an educational and violence. said Jackson. institution. The Bayview-Hunters Point Another speaker at the Board “When City College says that communities are predominately meeting, Ingrid Wynn, Associfor a fully functional campus we black and poor, furthering the ated Students president of Evans need 127,000 square feet and the community’s concerns about campus, called for the board and PUC says ‘no you don’t, you need the impact of limiting access to the community to look at other 25,000 square feet’, they’re wrong. educational programs that are options. They don’t know what they’re in high demand within an area “Either find another locatalking about,” said Rizzo. that has been historically undertion that we can actually call our City College currently serves served. own,” said Wynn “ Or, why don’t over 100,000 students across nine Jackson explained to the we just sue ‘em for the years that campuses and three centers and Board that many Southeast we have left as far as rent time? is the largest community college Campus students are not able to Maybe they can pay for the class- in the nation. commute to other campuses due es that we would have had.” to gang related “turf ” zones. Trustee Steve Ngo encouremail:news@theguardsman.com “My people don’t be traveling aged the public to return when into other areas because of turf,” the board discusses budget allo-
News
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | November 16 - December 7, 2011 | 3
Links found between commonly used chemical and likelihood of breast cancer
“Bisphenol A” major component in most plastics By Peter Hernandez THE GUARDSMAN
A new study has reinforced the connection between the use of bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastics since 1891, and a predisposition toward breast cancer. Conducted by the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, the study concluded that the widely-used chemical BPA alters the development of mammary glands, thus leaving the breast vulnerable to cancer. However, the study includes a disclaimer that said the plastic doesn’t directly cause breast cancer. The study released early in October in the scientific journal Molecular Endocrinology informs readers to be wary of commonly-used food products containing BPA -- from soup cans to plastic soda bottles. Cancerprevention groups encourage shoppers to avoid those products and instead choose reusable glass or stainless steel bottles, or to use soup from cartons instead. The researchers introduced BPA to the drinking water of breeding mice. Female mice born from BPA-consuming parents were transferred to a BPA-free environment and studied over time. The mammary glands of the mice that experienced the chemical in the womb and through breast milk had an increased sensitivity to progesterone, a hormone linked to breast cancer. Researchers also found that the offspring of BPA fed mice experienced 1.5 times more cells in
their milk ducts than those bred by non-BPA fed mice. “While we cannot extrapolate these results directly from mice to humans, the possibility that some of the increase in breast cancer incidence observed over the past decades may be attributed to exposure to BPA cannot be dismissed,” said Cathrin Brisken, MD, of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, and one of the co-authors of the study. Steve Hentges, spokesman of American Chemistry Council, a plastic industries lobbying group, focuses on the authors’ claim that the study does not show a direct link between BPA and breast cancer. “Regardless of the experimental limitations, the relevance of the findings to breast cancer in humans is uncertain,” he said in a report published last month by the investigative reporting Web site California Watch. The use of plastic bottles is a typical sight in the City Café on Ocean Campus, where Rachel Fisiiahi, 18, and Jessica Vosaniyaqona, 21, conversed over two bottles of water. “I’m looking at my bottle and wondering if I want to drink it now,” said Vosaniyaqona, after learning of the study. For non-profit groups like Breast Cancer Fund, the research furthers their aim to eliminate cancer-causing chemicals and sources. Program coordinator Connie Engel said BPA has been a target of their organization, as it is a hormone manipulator that increases levels of estrogen and progesterone.
The study, said Enegel, is also different from ones performed in the past. “It’s an important piece. Past studies have looked at BPA injection, but data here is more analogous as the mice were fed through food cans containing BPA, like humans do,” said Engel. “Mice and humans follow essentially the same mammary gland development, so the similarities are important.” The chemical has long been the source of many health studies which have found correlations with obesity, sexual dysfunction, heart disease, thyroid dysfunction and abnormal brain development among infants. The plastic is banned from baby bottles in the European Union and in Canada. Through the Toxin Free Infants and Toddlers Act California, lawmakers have successfully banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups after July 1, 2013. An analysis of the bill stated that the chemical has been linked to hyperactivity, birth defects and impaired learning, but efforts to ban BPA have been fought by grocery and chemical industry lobbyists. “Ask your cafeteria to go green, and go to farmer’s markets instead of buying canned foods,” said Engel. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that BPA’s effects were noted. It its still permitted by the FDA for use in foods at very low levels.
email:phernandez@theguardsman.com
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PHOTO COURTESY OF W. J. CENDAK II
Jesse Morris, at his last practice at Lennon Studios, on Nov. 2.
Obituary:
Local performer Jesse Morris loved by Bay Area music community
By Anna Shoriak THE GUARDSMAN
Jesse “Jaundice” Morris, or “Punk Rock Johnny Cash,” 27, was found dead in his home after committing suicide on his birthday, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. Morris was a talented musician best known for his Johnny Cash style vocals. Many recall hearing his syrup-laden voice crooning out classic Cash covers at the 24th Street Bart Station. “I consider it a job. Just like some people might work in an office, I work at the station entertaining people. I get to do what I love, and I can make a living at it,” he said in an interview on BART. gov. “People stop and listen, they tip and they smile.” Voted “Best BART Musician”
in 2008 by San Francisco Weekly, Morris was an iconic figure in San Francisco’s street music scene. “Mom was proud,” Morris said, in an interview after his win, “her son is the most famous panhandler in San Francisco!” Morris struggled with mental health issues and addiction. A benefit show featuring: The Grannies, The Undead Boys and Neutral Boy was held for Morris’ family at the Uptown Nite Club, in Oakland last Friday. Morris’ band, Jesse Morris and the Man Cougars, had been originally scheduled to play. Morris leaves behind his loving family and friends and an unreleased 7-track country album available for download here: http://tinyurl.com/c73gj7x . email: ashoriak@theguardsman.com
CCSF radiology dept. wins big By James Locke-Rico THE GUARDSMAN
The Diagnostic Medical Imaging Program at City College was the winner of a 2011 Minnie award for Best Radiologic Technologist Training Program in the entire country. This rating was awarded on Oct. 26, 2011 by AuntMinnie.com, a Web site for professionals in the medical imaging industry. City College beat out Weber State University of Ogden, Utah in the final round to take the award. Last year City College placed second to Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University, one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country. “It isn’t just Diane Garcia and myself. There are four part-time faculty who are excellent in what they do, are very involved in the community, and are very knowledgeable,” said Kyle Thornton, chair of the radiologic sciences department. Over the span of 15 years, the DMI program has made tremendous improvements. When Thornton began working at City College, the radiology program wasn’t doing too good. “The accreditation status was on probation and we were lucky to get half the students that we would normally get in a class,” Thornton said. Since Thorton took over, the program has
received back-to-back four-year accreditations from the Chicago-based Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. City College’s DMI Program has rigorous prerequisites in science, algebra and English, and requires 40 hours of volunteering in a hospital radiology department. Upon completing these prerequisites students are considered for admission into the program. Only 12 to 15 slots are available and the finalists are selected by lottery. After completing the program, the students take a credentialing examination. Since 2006, 100 percent of DMI graduates have passed the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists examination on the first attempt. Despite high levels of training and City College’s country-wide acclaim, many biotech companies in the Bay Area are hesitant to give internships to City College students, tending to favor those from four-year universities. “Some companies must get over the perception that the community colleges are vocational schools, not serious academic programs,” said Lori Lindburg, director of the pharmaceutical association BayBio, in an interview with SFpublicpress.org. Kyle Thornton and Diane Garcia will be flying to Chicago to accept the award . email:news@theguardsman.com
4 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
OPINIONS Editor-in-Chief Joe Fitzgerald Managing Editor Brian Rinker News Editor Saidy Lauer Culture Editor Catherine Lee Opinion Editor Gary Jay Sports Editor Ryan Kuhn Online Editor Jon Bechtol Multimedia Editor Brian Rinker
Not only doess TheGuardsman have a Twitter (@sfbreakingnews.com), so do our reporters! Follow them for selective coverage, opinions, and everyday schenanigans.
Check out @FitztheReporter (Editorin-Chief Joe Fitzgerald), @ProjectCambio (photographer Matt Lambert), and @Heartbreak_News (Becca Hoekstra, pictured right).
Obama’s war on medicinal maijuana unjust By Kevin Brown THE GUARDSMAN
The battle over the legal status of medicinal marijuana escalated on Oct. 5 when the Obama administration ordered California landlords to evict cannabis dispensaries within 45 days. Property owners who object will go to prison and their property will be seized even if they’re in compliance with state and local laws. Federal prosecutors on Oct. 7 continued attacks on California dispensaries by ordering several of them to shut down for allegedly violating state zoning laws. “On the campaign trail, Obama promised he would not
waste federal resources prosecuting cannabis operations that adhere to their state laws,” said David Goldman of Americans for Safe Access, “but since then he has been even more aggressive towards medical marijuana than President Bush.” The feds have forced big banks to close their medical marijuana accounts. The IRS is bankrupting a number of large dispensaries by auditing them for writing off legal business expenses. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will no longer allow medical marijuana patients to purchase guns. They have also threatened media outlets advertising medical cannabis.
Photo Editors Beth LaBerge Clairvel Fong Production Editor Becca Hoekstra
Obama is bullying California’s medical cannabis industry in hopes of winning over a few moderate conservative voters in the next election.To attract voters, his new drug policy will focus on stricter school-zone regulation. One of the three San Francisco dispensaries targeted for schoolzone violation is Medithrive on 16th and Mission streets. The Department of Justice claims the dispensary’s nearby proximity to Marshall Elementary is illegal. What’s ironic is the elementary school is defending Medithrive. “We are a decent member of the community,” Medithrive Manager Nathan Roemer said. “We donate to 140 charities including Marshall Elementary School whose principal has even sent us a personal letter expressing their gratitude.”
In some ways the federal crackdown on medical cannabis is working. Many of the dispensaries targeted by the justice department for school-zone violations have already closed, and nearly 200 tenants have been evicted across the state. Friday, Nov. 18, is the deadline for all landlords to evict their medical marijuana tenants, but the feds will never shut down California’s multi-billion dollar medical marijuana industry, because it’s impossible to subdue the growing number of organized patients and activists who demand safe access. “We are prepared for the worst,” said Goldman, “but we will peacefully engage in civil disobedience in response to the federal crackdown. President Bush issued a similar threat in 2007, and it was a bluff; absolutely nothing happened. We’re hoping this is the same thing again.” email: kbrown@theguardsman.com
Copy Chief Susan Boeckmann Social Media Editor Peter Hernandez Staff Writers Brian Rinker Anna Shoriak Ryan Kuhn Gary Jay Rachael Garcia Lulu Orozco Lucas Pontes de Almeida Peter Hernandez Becca Hoekstra Gianne Nalangan Kevin Brown Staff Photographers Beth Laberge Valerie Ayala Saidy Lauer Clarivel Fong Illustrator/Design Matthew Fung Multimedia Gary Jay Brian Rinker Joe Fitzgerald Saidy Lauer Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales
Veterans Corner
By Bob Hollingsworth CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Who is Scott Olsen? If you can answer this question, you are obligated to take a stand against tyranny and corruption, speak up against oppression, and to honor the sacrifices of all those before who in the face adversity have continued on into victory. You are obligated to seek the truth. If you do not know who Scott Olsen is you are obligated to find out. A crowd gathered the morning of Oct. 26 in Oakland for a
peaceful demonstration. Many came from across state lines and others walked from home. They banded together in a cohesive effort to be heard as what is now being called “the 99 percent.” These individuals were among many others that had paid their taxes to the U.S. government and had sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears just to have there lives unravel before their eyes. The repo men came and took away their homes and threw them to the wolves while those among the 1 percent in power
The City College VOICE
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW FUNG / THE GUARDSMAN
sipped on cocktails on far away Islands relishing their million dollar bonuses; bonuses funded via government taxes through a bank bailout. Even before that day in Oakland, Scott Olsen was a hero to the common man. He was a military veteran who was taught to stand up against injustice- he completed not one, but two tours in combat zones. He was among the crowd that morning. No one can really say what was on Scott Olsen’s mind that morning, but we do know that he was walking a line among the “99 percent” in peaceful demonstration using a right that he fought with his life and soul to protect. That’s when tragedy struck. The Oakland Police department had requested the help of
outside law enforcement entities. It seems that there were no clear orders and it wasn’t clear who was in charge of these outside police forces. In the confusion and chaos a projectile was fired that hit Scott Olsen in the head. In a scene reminiscent of war, he dropped to the ground as his vision began to fade and blood ran down his head. Scott was taken to the hospital and as of Nov. 9 2011 has not been discharged. He suffers from multiple issues including difficulty communicating and he requires a writing tool to get his points across. His freedom of speech and his ability to speak was taken by a single blow. Scott Olsen is truly the voice of veterans and the 99 percent. email: editor@theguardsman.com
City College Voice will resume in our Dec. 7 issue.
Opinions
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | November 16 - December 7, 2011 | 5
POST-ELECTION EDITORIAL Ed Lee’s shady campaign was 2Legit2Quit 2Legit2Quit, the catchy MC Hammer music video, tells the perfect story of everything wrong with Ed Lee’s mayoral campaign win, which beat second runner John Avalos by 20 percent. The circumstances surrounding the money spent on the video, and on Lee’s entire campaign, are about as “legit” as a two-day-old MUNI transfer. First up is the smarmy ex-mayor turned SF Chronicle columnist Willie Brown. Having allowed tech businesses to flood San Francisco during the dotcom boom, ushering in an era of “pay-to-play” politics, you’d think showing his face in any candidate’s campaign video would be an instant kiss of death. But the man who appointed more political cronies than he’s had young girlfriends has turned around his public image by writing movie reviews and witty anecdotes about how tough it is being filthy rich. People love the guy nowadays. Brown was key in helping to set up funding for Ed Lee’s campaign through his friend and long-time ally Rose Pak, a power player in the Chinatown business world. The fact that Pak and Brown were pulling the strings in Lee’s campaign is not news, but the amount of money spent outside
of Lee’s official campaign is. You see, each candidate has a cap on how much money they can accept from individual donors: $500. That’s it, that’s all she wrote. But a glaring loophole in campaign laws allows those with big money to set up “independent expenditure committees.” These committees, which technically aren’t under the control of campaigns, are free to spend money on whatever or whomever they choose. And there’s no limit on the funds those committees can receive. Ed Lee had nine separate IECs spending big bucks on his campaign. It all started with “Run, Ed, Run.” Did you see those signs all over San Francisco? They featured a happy cartoon face, with a bushy mustache and glasses: the perfect caricature of our cuddly interim mayor. Behind the campaign of course, was Rose Pak and her Chinatown cronies under the guise of a group called “Progress for All.” The San Francisco Ethics Commission ruled that, since Lee wasn’t yet running for mayor when Progress for All started raising money to convince Lee to run, none of that money could be counted as campaign dollars. Which brings us back to the
campaign video “2Legit2Quit.” A separate IEC, called “San Franciscans for Jobs & Good Government,” paid for the entire video. They had MC Hammer performing, with appearances by Giants pitcher Brian Wilson and tech/business luminaries from Google and Twitter. So who were the San Franciscans for Jobs & Good Government? It was Ron Conway (Silicon Valley investor), Sean Parker (Facebook), and Marc Benioff (Salesforce.com) who each pitched in an average of $100,000. Are you one of those who can’t afford to live in San Francisco anymore due to sky-high rents? Well, you can thank the tech industry for turning San Francisco from a city rich in diversity into a playground for 20and 30-something yuppies. Even after the Mission, Noe Valley and Castro districts were gentrified to high heaven, Ed Lee still found it necessary to give a $28 million in tax breaks to Twitter to convince it to stay in the City. And with all the money they’ve poured into his IECs, he’s now deep in their pockets. Ed Lee was voted in by the people to represent the people, but just who those people are … that’s what should have you worried. email: editor@theguardsman.com
MATT LAMBERT / THE GUARDSMAN
ED LEE CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE
$500
Max. amount any donor can give to a mayoral campaign.
$151,000
Amount Ron Conway donated to Independent Expenditure Committee for Ed Lee’s campaign.
5
Number of committees formed to raise money used expressly for Ed Lee’s campaign.
81,000
Number out of 700.500 eligible voters in San Francisco who voted for Ed Lee.
31%
Percentage of the vote Ed Lee recieved before ranked choice voting was calculated. Avalos had 19 percent.
ABOVE: Just before losing the election to Ed Lee, Supervisor John Avalos warms up on a guitar before the Bayonics took the stage at the Avalos for Mayor election night party at Roccapulco on Nov. 8. RIGHT: Stills from Ed Lee’s “2legit2quit” campaign video. Clockwise, the video features former “pay-to-play” mayor Willie Brown, beneficiary of a $28 million tax break Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Giants pitcher Brian Wilson, and rapper MC Hammer’s head next to Ed Lee, Hammer provided the remix. The video was paid for by an Independent Expenditure Committee, whose amount of contributions was not measured as a part of Ed Lee’s campaign by the SF ethics commission.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF USER FEARTHEMUSTACHE1 / YOUTUBE
37th Annual
CITY COLLEGE STUDENT AND FACULTY ART EXHIBITION & SALE December 2, 3, and 4, 2011, 11 AM to 5 PM at Fort Mason Art Campus of CCSF PREVIEW RECEPTION – Friday, December 2 – 6 to 9 PM (refreshments and music by The City College Guitar Ensemble.) The exhibition and sale features work by faculty and students in the following mediums: painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, printmaking, photography. Location: Laguna Street and Marina Blvd., Building B
News
6 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
Riot police and Occupy Cal student demonstrators stand off in front of Sproul Hall at UC Berkeley on Nov. 9.
SARA BLOOMBERG / THE GUARDSMAN
Occupy CAL attacked by police By Sara Bloomberg and Alex Schmaus CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A day of action at the University of California, Berkeley, got off to a spirited start last Wednesday when students rallied on campus and began setting up camp at Sproul Plaza in support for the “Occupy” movement, prompting campus police outfitted in riot gear to break-up the camp and arrest protesters. Most protesters had anticipated a confrontation with campus police because the UC administration had released a “no encampments” policy earlier in the week. The protest began as a peaceful event as demonstrators began erecting tents in violation of campus policy. Campus police issued a dispersal order to the crowd at 3:30pm. An officer informed the group of demonstrators that camping is illegal and they were risking arrest if they remained. The group wouldn’t budge; instead they linked arms and formed a human barricade. The police moved in. While no firearms could be seen, officers wielded batons and plastic handcuffs, while sporting shiny black helmets with visors for protection. One officer even carried what appeared to be a rubber bullet gun. Video of the incident was viewed by tens of thousands on YouTube. http://youtu.be/B_f06VQOkI4 At least two demonstrators were injured, including UC Berkley student Ashley Pinkerton. “They were just beating us,” Pinkerton said between breaths. She made jabbing motions and said the police were hitting protesters with batons. In few minutes the police had broken the human barricade and were dismantling and confiscating tents. Six students and one faculty member were arrested. But “Occupy Cal” supporters wouldn’t leave. Calls were made to “text your friends to get down here!” As the sun began to set, the crowd had swelled by several
Occupy Update As The Guardsman heads to print on Monday night, here are the latest developments in Occupy Bay Area. Nov. 14 the Occupy Oakland encampment at Frank Ogawa Plaza was again evicted by police at approximately 5 a.m. the morning of Nov. 14. Roughly 1,000 police officers from from local agencies descended on the Plaza, arresting 32 who had chosen to remain in the camp, including a dozen silently praying in a circle at the interfaith tent. Police refrained from
hundred protesters and more tents popped up. By 9:30pm, close to a hundred riot police were deployed around the plaza. The police moved in again, but this time with more police, more beatings and more arrests. In the end 39 people were arrested. In the hours that followed a back and forth between police and protesters ensued. However, the occupation continued to grow, peaking at close to 1,500, when supporters from Occupy Oakland and Occupy San Francisco arrived at midnight. At this point, the massive crowd sat down and started a general assembly. Tension eased and the mood became much lighter, even jubilant. The assembly cheered, comically, when somebody began blowing soap bubbles in the air over the crowd. The next steps were discussed and it was about an hour later when the Occupy Cal camp took a vote to participate in the upcoming strikes. The UC Berkeley student activists voted in favor of a strike in all sectors of higher education. “We will strike in opposition to the cuts to public education, university privatization, and the indebting of our generation,” said the proposal. November 15 was picked as the strike day, because activists want to build momentum for a mass protest planned for the following day at the University of California Board of Regents meeting at the UCSFMission Bay campus. The Nov. 16 protest is being organized by the ReFund California Coalition, a labor-community alliance dedicated to making the banks pay for public education in California. The UC Berkeley strike call was a crowning point for the Occupy Cal day of action. Berkeley students were no doubt energized by Occupy Oakland’s huge General Strike day of action the week before, which received international media attention. Over 1000 students rallied at similar events on campus at UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine and UC Los Angeles.
using violent tactics such as flash-bang grenades and tear gas, instead opting for traditional, non-militarized crowd control tactics. Rather than issuing dispersal orders, police created barricades at 14th and Broadway and allowed occupiers to continue to chant and proest, before they dispersed a few hours later without violence and of their own accord. Around 500 protestors reconvened at the main library at 4 p.m. and marched to retake Frank Ogawa Plaza, which they were able to enter peacefully. Police have reamined nearby to prevent protestors from re-establish-
Oakland Strike A call for a general strike flooded the streets of Oakland on Nov. 2 when tens of thousands of people from around the Bay Area came together for an inspirational display of defiance. An estimated 15,000 people marched throughout the day and night from Frank Ogawa Plaza down to the Port of Oakland where International Longshore and Warehouse Union members honored the mass community picket lines by shutting down the fifth largest port in the nation. Occupy Oakland had called for the general strike hoping to shut down Oakland and gather support for the “99%.” The strike included people from Occupy San Francisco, many labor unions and thousands of individual supporters. Oakland Unified School District teachers mobilized in large numbers to support the port shutdown. “I can only compare this to 1970 when I was a student at Carleton College in the Midwest, the first time I was arrested,” said Oakland Education Association President Betty Olson-Jones as she walked the port picket line. “I got arrested with 68 other students to protest the American bombing of Cambodia and Laos. It was a turning point in my life, an inspiration for a whole generation and I think something similar is happening now.” Many current students came to the strike with similar feelings, all concerned about the future of education and where the economy is headed. “It’s not fair what the banks are doing to the people,” said City College of San Francisco literacy student Elmer Rivas, 19, as he walked the picket line at the port. “My parents worked my whole life and they don’t have anything to show for it, that makes me really angry… the people need to be stronger and keep going.” email:news@theguardsman.com
ing the camp and setting up tents. Occupy Cal is waiting till the night of Nov. 15 to try to build tents and establish a camp. Occupy Oakland has pledged to offer support. On Nov. 14, UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau granted amnesty to all students arrested during the protest on Nov. 9, and stated that they will not face charges under the student code of conduct, according to Cal’s paper The Daily Californian. Check out TheGuardmsan.com and Twitter.com/ sfbreakingnews for more breaking updates. By Becca Hoekstra
email: bhoekstra@theguardsman.com
News
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | November 16 - December 7, 2011 | 7
KARL MONDON / CONTRA COSTA TIMES / COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
ABOVE: Riot police hold back Occupy protesters as tents are dismantled during an Occupy protest on Nov. 9, in Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley. Police ended up tearing down a new tent encampment and making six arrests; Occupiers reestablished the camp. RIGHT: Occupier at Cal Berkely writes signs to show her support for the 99% occupy movement on Nov. 9. FAR RIGHT: Riot Poice stand in formation, watching the crowd and waiting for orders on Nov. 9 in front of Sproul Hall at the UC Berekely Campus. BELOW: Hundreds of UC Berkeley students stand off against riot police on Sproul Plaza at the end of the Day of Action, which included several violent interactions between students and police throughout the day. Around 11:30pm, after several police warnings to disperse, students reclaimed the plaza and swarmed up the steps of Sproul Hall to surround the police, chanting, “Whose school? Our school!” BONNIE EVA CHAN / THE GUARDSMAN
SARA BLOOMBERG / THE GUARDSMAN
BONNIE EVA CHAN / THE GUARDSMAN
8 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
CULTURE
Check out our YouTube channel for our exclusive video coverage and interviews. youtube.com/user/TheGuardsmanOnline
Occupy Buy Nothing Day - the alternative to Black Friday Rachael Garcia THE GUARDSMAN
For many, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate the things that truly matter in life. So what better way to spend the day after it than by participating in an melee of rampant consumerism... Or not. The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, kicks off the Christmas shopping season and is one of the busiest shopping days of the year with many retailers opening their doors at insanely early hours and holding massive sales. Black Friday is also famous for its sensationalist news coverage of multiple deaths and injuries resulting from trampling or fights between customers. The non-profit organization and Canadian magazine “Adbusters” suggests a change. They want to turn this spiritless and frantic day into a time to gather with loved ones and enjoy friendship. They advocate turning Nov. 25 from Black Friday into Buy Nothing Day. Buy Nothing Day was coined in 1992 by Ted Dave, a Canadian activist, who wanted to reveal the damaging effects of over-consumerism. Adbusters, the same organization that started Occupy Wall Street, are now the lead promoters. (Yeah, you read that right. Occupy Wall Street was initiated by a bunch of Canadian activists.) Now that more and more
ZBIGNIEW BZDAK / CHICAGO TRIBUNE / MCT CAMPUS
Actor Bill Talen, as the Rev. Billy, preaches December 8, 2005, against consumerism outside a store front on Michigan Avenue, in Chicago, Illinois.
Occupy supporters are surfacing and Americans are openly discussing financial over-extension, will Buy Nothing Day be more widely embraced in 2011? Roxanne Gonzalez, a luxury retail manager, says no. “I think people care more about discounts then listening to protesters, they’d rather get a deal that pertains to themselves,” she said. “I only think the people that are protesting are going to be the ones who are going to act on it.” Reverend Billy, actor and political activist, disagrees saying, “Yes, the Occupy Wall Street
movement is so famously not shopping.” Reverend Billy and his Church of Earthalujah, a “post-religious political church” whose mission is to snap people out of consumerism and back into being human, are using Nov. 25 to celebrate “buylessness,” “localness” and the First Amendment, according to their website. Billy says that Buy Nothing Day’s main point is “Only the obvious: that going into debt at Christmas is not a way to try to be happy; that the consumer society is a bad way to organize society;
that the polluting big box earthdestroying sweatshop culture must be replaced by local, more compassionate economies.” Billy suggests dedicating the five days leading up to Thanksgiving to staying “away from the product”: shopping at only mom-and-pop shops, making homemade DIY things, buying fair trade coffee, and telling off a corporation. This all leads up to Friday, Nov. 25, or Buy Nothing Day, when Billy’s church will host a “Dance Your Debt Away” party in New York City’s Union Square
and the Parade of Angels which will feature protesters in wings marching to the banks, showing their displeasure with corporate consumer campaigns. Adbusters is aware that many people might find a whole day without purchasing difficult, but urges a simple compromise: awareness-consumption. If you choose to still participate in consumerism that day, Adbusters recommends that you at least “buy local, buy fairer, buy indie.” For those who want to celebrate Buy Nothing Day, Adbusters recommends giving friends and family a “gift exemption card,” asking shoppers “What Would Jesus Buy?” or dressing as Santa Claus and meditating in the middle of a shopping center. The website buynothingchristmas.org lists all of their suggestions. Greg, an occupier at the Embarcadero station, said, “I’ve been buying nothing. We live off donations. But not everyone is going to go to the extreme. If they decide to participate just for one day, that’s fine by me.” A network of activists with a website meetup.com/BuyNothing-Day are promoting a carnivalesque rebellion with the intent to shut down consumercapitalism for a week. The website buynothingday.org describes it as a “special day to unshop, unspend and unwind. Relax and do nothing for the economy and for yourself - at least for a single day.” email: rgarcia@theguardsman.com
Theater Review:
Campus production of Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird of Youth” falls short of expectations By Peter Hernandez THE GUARDSMAN
Weakness and fleeting youth are at the heart of one of Tennessee Williams’ last great plays, “Sweet Bird of Youth,” performed during a three-week run through Nov. 20 at the Diego Rivera Theatre. Performed under the direction of theater arts department chair and instructor, Gloria Weinstock, the characters in the play include a faded Hollywood star named Alexandra del Lago and an aging gigolo named Chance Wayne. Chance returns to his hometown hoping to reunite with his high school sweetheart, Heavenly, but instead embarks on a hellish journey to prove his worthiness. As the characters deteriorate before the audience, complex themes unravel with the poignancy of classic southern relationships that Williams is renowned for crafting. Yet the 14 actors lack emotion and the audience is forced to compensate. Captivating moments in the
play revolve around Boss Finley, played by Robert Cooper, whose brash and dominant presence pairs well with Boss Finley’s abrasive characteristics. He orders his son to protect Heavenly, his daughter, from the return of Chance Wayne, through whatever means are necessary, including violence and intimidation. “Don’t talk to me about it, just go about it!” Boss Finley says, exposing the dark heart he loves and hates with. Cooper’s portrayal of Boss Finley includes a rich mix of mirth, vengeance and outrageous southern indignation about race relations. The costuming in the production is a success. Alexandra, played by Helen Artelis stumbled throughout her hotel bedroom in a pair of red heeled slippers and gowned herself like a princess in all scenes, while Heavenly, played by Erika Quintana, seduced the audience in a revealing yet oldfashioned one-piece bathing suit, and a delicate doll dress of virginal white. Difficult characters to perform “Sweet Bird of Youth” is
significant as of one of Williams’ last well-renowned plays and under the direction of Weinstock, its greatest flaws are exacerbated. Chance’s homecoming is financed by the drunken and aging actress Alexandra del Lago. He seeks Heavenly’s hand, but for petty reasons; he envies a time when he was a celebrated member of the community, loved by the prettiest girl around. He embodies a form of human corruption that Williams sought to expose. Alexandra is the picture of an aging, beautiful woman who does not desire to age and instead douses her days with drinking and drugs. “I want to forget everything. I want to forget who I am,” she says. Drew Davis-Wheeler struggles to expose the sexual and adolescent side of Chance. In the opening scene, he childishly blackmails Alexandra for his own gain. Chance thrives on getting by with the least possible effort, and yet Davis-Wheeler attempts to turn him into a determined and proud man.
BRYCE YUKIO ADOLPHSON / THE GUARDSMAN
Helen Artelis (left) and Drew Davis-Wheeler (right) start as Chance Wayne and Princess in “Sweet Bird of Youth” at CCSF on Nov. 12.
When a character named Scudder, played by Anthony Scoggins, enters a scene to inform Chance that his mother is dead and that Chance shouldn’t pursue Heavenly, Chance’s reaction is muted. Without having listened closely, one would not realize that Chance’s aspirations had been dashed due to the actor’s lack of reaction and expression. The play is as unorganized as the staging, with awkward blocking and poor make-up. At one
point the telephone rings with the sound resonating from the side of the stage opposite of the phone. In one bar scene, Chance walks close to the edge of the stage to tiptoe around a table that was placed obstructively nearby. The direction fails to develop the charm that Williams is celebrated for. Underneath the productions flaws however, Williams’ grandest moments are still conveyed. email:phernandez@theguardsman.com
Culture
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | November 16 - December 7, 2011 | 9
Grammy nominations lose their cha-cha-cha and bon temps rouler By Gianne Nalangan
City College Profile:
Music Professor Landau nominated for Latin Grammy By Gianne Nalangan THE GUARDSMAN
THE GUARDSMAN
Musicians, artists and producers from around the world united in opposition to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ elimination of Latin Jazz as a Grammy Award category. Over 30 genre categories were deleted in an effort to streamline the 2012 Grammy Awards. Grammy Awards are given yearly for excellence in music and spoken word, and an award nomination can have a significant impact on artist and album exposure and sales. “Musical traditions are central to people’s larger identity,” said City College anthropology instructor Matthew Kennedy. “To categorize every music into one category is like implicitly stating that you’re not important enough to be acknowledged anymore.” Kennedy added, “To eliminate these different genres of music after celebrating and awarding their successes for years, would be very problematic.” When the academy announced the category changes in May 2011, John Santos, a fivetime Grammy nominee, quickly advocated for the immediate restoration of the different genre awards. “[The Grammys] claim to be a peer award [show] to recognize musical diversity and here they are doing the opposite,” said Santos. Santos said the categories were eliminated because of declining submissions. However, the academy failed to notify the musicians of the new rule, which requires each category to submit a minimum amount of nominees in order to receive recognition.
COLE THOMPSON / MCT CAMPUS
John Santos leads his sextet on Friday night of the 2011 Monterey Jazz Festival.
“If it is truly concerned about the low number of submissions, they should have publicized it. They changed the rules without informing the people,” said Santos. Although the academy admitted and apologized for their actions, Santos said they still refuse to take any action in overturning the decision. The academy didn’t return the several phone calls and voice message to comment for this article. According to Santos, as accusations of racism and cultural insensitivity arise, fellow musicians and artists question the academy’s motives. “[The] racist question comes into play because 70 percent [of the eliminated genres] are ethnic categories,” said Santos. The most commercial and popular fields of music are the only genres of music getting recognition, he added. Grammy
nominations for popular music on radio and television are heavily advertised in the mainstream media. Bobby Matos, an Afro-Latin Jazz musician and fellow advocate against the decision, has stated that Latin Jazz deserves a category. “A Grammy is the visible face of excellence in American music,” said Matos. “Winning a Grammy, or even to be nominated, would increase the job opportunities for musicians.” According the their website, the academy’s mission statement is to “positively impact the lives of musicians, industry members, and our society at large.” The music community is appealing to the public for support in reinstating the award categories through letters and petitions at the website grammywatch.org.
In this year’s 2011 Latin Grammy Awards, San Francisco will be represented by City College Latin American studies instructor Greg Landau for producing Omar Sosa’s album “Calma”, nominated in the Best Instrumental Music category. The Latin Grammys were founded in 2000 by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the Spanish and Portuguese-language music industry. Landau, a San Franciscan and Mission district native, is an experienced nominee: this is his second nomination at the Latin Grammys and fifth Grammy nomination overall with three nominations coming from the original --American-- Grammys. “It feels really good to be recognized in this way,” said Landau. “Especially [since it was] low-budget and locally produced where we don’t have big resources or public representatives. Just our creativity and passion.” Growing up with a father who was a film director and a mother who was a poet and theater director, Landau has been profoundly influenced by the arts. This is manifested in his sprawling resume of music, media, education and installation art. Landau studied sociology at UC Berkeley and graduated from UC San Diego with a doctoral degree in communications with an emphasis on music as a social force. “I was not interested in studying music scientifically,” said Landau, “but how music
was [used] as a social force and expressed social ideas.” Landau is a City College instructor who has taught classes in four departments: history, anthropology, music and Latin American & Latino/a Studies. He has taught Anthropology 11: Latin American Cultures and Societies and Music 25: Music of Latin America and the Caribbean. He emphasizes the importance of music and how it is a tool used to preserve cultures that were being lost. “Music is very important in Latin American culture, probably more so than in North America,” said Landau, “because of censorship under colonial and postcolonial times, [music] gives people a way to express themselves.” Landau uses Omar Sosa’s album, “Calma,” as an example of expression translated through music. “Calma means calm,” said Landau, “and that’s what it expresses.” Professor Landau has been producing music in various genres for 30 years. “I think that people should follow their passion and that I feel that if you want to [follow your dreams] you should do it,” said Landau. “This is something I always wanted to do.” Landau is currently producing four albums that are expected to debut in early November 2011. Sosa’s “Calma” did not win the best instrumental award, which was won by the album “Forever” by Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. email: gnalangan@theguardsman.com
email: gnalangan@theguardsman.com
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Greg Landau plays guitar in his home studio in San Francisco.
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10 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
SPORTS
WOMEN’S SOCCER STILL WINNING Women’s soccer wins second straight Coast Conference Chamionship as they defeat Las Positas, 3-0. The Rams look to be seated third in the Northern California playoffs, said Head Coach Gabe Saucedo. They will play Skyline College in the first round on Nov. 19.
BETH LABERGE / THE GUARDSMAN
From left: Al Korbus, Coach Roy Deiderichsen, Julio Cesar Pina, and Dave Fromer of the 1961 City College Soccer team, before they are honored at 50th Anniversary celebration on Nov. 8, 2011. Lead by Deiderichsen, long time City College soccer coach, they were the undefeated conference championship team in 1961.
Revisiting the 1961 National Champs COURTETSY OF THE GUARDSMAN ARCHIVES / EDITED BY BETH LABERGE
By Ryan Kuhn THE GUARDSMAN
Fifty years ago the City College men’s soccer team would walk over a small two-lane bridge to play their games at nearby Balboa Stadium. As the 1961 season progressed the Rams started winning. And they kept winning. Although the Rams defeated teams from Cal Berkeley, San Jose State, Stanford and USF, they were named ineligible by the NCAA to play in the postseason. Why? Because they were “just” a community college team. Now, 50 years later, the 1961 team has finally been recognized for its winning season. A celebration was held on Nov. 8 before the Rams soccer game against Chabot College. AllAmericans Cesar Pina, Al Korbus, Dave Fromer and their coach Roy
Diedrichsen sat in attendance as they took a trip down memory lane. “It was a wonderful thing,” Pina said. “This team was a big part of my life.” Diedrichsen started coaching at City College in 1948. Looking back over his 36-year career as coach he said that the 1961 team was close to his heart. “What made it so special is the three All-Americans, Cesar, Al and Dave,” Deidrichsen said. Coming into that 1961 season the Rams had three returning players: goalie Gary Delong, Flavio Valiente and Korbus, the team’s leading scorer. Fromer and Pina who were newcomers to the team back then said they hadn’t known what to expect. “I was very excited to join the team and it was quite interesting
Soccer falls to Hartnell Men’s: Rams 2, Hartnell 3 By Lucas Almeida THE GUARDSMAN
The Rams lost their first game in over a month at home on Nov. 4 to Hartnell College, the No. 3 ranked team in California. The Panthers extended an early lead and held on to win the game, 3-2, despite a second half comeback by the Rams. “Although we were disappointed with the loss, this game brought a lot positive motivation and after the game we felt we could have won the game,” said Head Coach Adam Lucarelli. “This game proved to us that we are good and we can play against any team and compete in the highest level.” With a high volume of aggressive offensive plays and a solid defense, the Panthers showed why they’re currently the third best team in the state, With only three minutes in, Hartnell sophomore forward Ivan Campos’ shot was rebounded to sophomore forward Max Estrada to score. The state’s leading offensive
player, Estrada, scored his 27th goal of the season It took 30 minutes for the Rams’ offense to wake up, but when they did,it took only a period minutes for the Rams to quickly take the lead. Freshman forward Miguel Perez crossed the ball to sophomore Jaime Barragan to score. Soon after, City College kept the pressure on and found their second goal when Juan Palacio scored on a pass from William Nino. In the second half, Hartnell found strengths to tie the game when Estrada scored his second goal in the match and his 28th of the season. After a City College miss, Hartnell pulled a counter-attack where the Rams gave sophomore forward Ivan Campos enough space to finish to put the Panthers ahead for good, 3-2. City College finished their regular season 4-0 in the Coast Conference North Division and overall 16-4-1.
because I had been playing against Al and Gary, who were archrivals at James Denman Junior High and Balboa High School,” Fromer said. “I had great respect for their talent but when they became [my] teammates, I was much more impressed.” After losing to Cal in the preseason, the Rams went on to win every game after that. They found redemption against the Bears when they won their rematch 5-2 on Oct. 21, 1961. Reminiscing about a game against Stanford, Deidrichen and his players recalled how Korbus had scored three goals in a period of only seven minutes to win the game. “I scored three goals?” Korbus said, with a stunned look on his face. “I don’t remember that at all.” The City College men’s soccer
program began their tradition of winning when they tied Cal in 1960 for the conference title. For six straight years following that they were named conference champions. With few community college soccer teams in existence back then, City College played as a member of the Northern California Intercollegiate Soccer Conference. The conference was mostly made up of four-year universities, whose coaches found it embarrassing to lose to a community college. “They hated it because we were winning,” Deidrichsen said. “The coach at Cal, Bob DeGrazia, was instrumental in getting City College out of the conference.” In 1963, DeGrazia finally got his wish and the Rams were placed into a league with other commu-
nity colleges like College of San Mateo and Foothill College. But the 1961 team still remembers those seasons where they played against four-year universities. For them it was special time. Although now living their own lives, Korbus retired from IBM; Fromer running his own soccer camp; Pina working for the International Soccer Federation and Deidrichsen in his nineties, the time they spent together on the playing field will always be in their minds and in their hearts. Co-athletic director Peg Grady said she is nominating the team to be inducted to the California Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame to join the likes of other City College athletes like football stars Ollie Matson and OJ Simpson. email: rkuhn@theguardsman.com
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Sports
The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com | November 16 - December 7, 2011 | 11
Women’s basketball rallies against Saints in opener
Rams 73, Mission 61 By Taylor Clayton THE GUARDSMAN
City College overcame first game jitters and started their season on a high note. The Rams defeated Mission College 73-61 at the Wellness Center on Nov. 7 after falling behind in the first half. “We got a win. There’s a lot of things I think we need to work on but I still feel very optimistic about this team,” Head Coach Jamie Hayes said. The Rams started the game
strong with last season’s leading scorer, sophomore Janis Peterson, scoring eight of the first 10 points helping her team to an early 17-6 lead. After Mission took a timeout, momentum shifted when the Saints jumped on City College with a 13-0 run. “We had a hard time defending some of their players in the first half. I told them we need to pick it up on defense,” Hayes said . “We always talk about how important possessions are and that’s something we talked about
focusing on in the second half.” The Rams started the second half with a tough defense and took an early 3-point lead. After freshmen forward Rachelle Smith scored putting City College up six points, sophomore Stephanie Lu was able to steal the ball and take it in for a lay-up for her only two points of the game, giving the Rams a 55-47 lead. In her first game as a Ram, Smith scored 17 points and 10 rebounds. City College’s spark in the
second half came from the bench with sophomore Chlarra Duncan-Perry. Able to control the paint, and putting herself in great position in the post for some easy points, the forward led her team in rebounds including 10 on the offensive end. “I felt the quickness in my feet helped me get to the spots I needed to get to,” Duncan- Perry said. “Last year I was more of just a big body, this year I want to have more of a presence and use my body more. The weight room
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and being on the track helps a lot because I’m doing more then I did last year.” Her coach also saw the improvement. “Rebounding was huge in the second half,” said Hayes. “In order to outscore an opponent you need the ball and I thought those extra possessions made the difference for us.” Duncan-Perry finished the game with 13 points and 14 rebounds to keep her team on top until the end. email: tclayton@theguardsman.com
12 |November 16 - December 7, 2011 | The Guardsman & TheGuardsman.com
SPORTS
CITY COLLEGE (10-0) VS. FRESNO CITY (10-0) NOV. 26, 2011 AT RAMS STADIUM 1 P.M.
RAMS PERFECT NORCAL FINALS ON HORIZON By Taylor Clayton THE GUARDSMAN
STEVEN HERALDO / THE GUARDSMAN
Wide receivers #6 Kyani Harris and #10 Juquelle Thompson celebrate a perfect season for the Rams.
2011 SEASON RESULTS
9/10 vs. Sequoias 48-0 W 9/17 vs. Mendocino 65-0 W 9/24 vs. SJCC
65-7 W
10/1 vs. De Anza
48-7 W
10/8 vs. Delta
16-14 W
10/15 vs. Butte
44-19 W
10/22 vs. Laney
56-10 W
10/29 vs. CSM
17-14 W
11/5 vs. Foothill 37-14 W 11/12 vs. SRJC
40-38 W
STEVEN HERALDO / THE GUARDSMAN
Wide receiver #12 Roman Runner runs passed a Santa Rosa defenive back as City College escaped the Bear Cubs, 40-38.
Rams finish second in Tip Off Tourney
Perfect seasons are hard to come by, unless you are the City College of San Francisco Rams football program. For the second straight season, City College has finished the regular season undefeated after they held off Santa Rosa Junior College on the road, 40-38. With the win, they will host the Northern California Championship Game against Fresno City College in the only game between two undefeated teams in this years post season. Playing each other is no surprise for either team as the two teams faced off in last season’s NorCal Championship Game where City College won convincingly, 52-15. But head coach George Rush is not taking his team’s opponent lightly. “That’s last year and it doesn’t mean anything,” Rush said. “We’ve always had great games with Fresno and I expect this one to be another one.” It was no easy task for City College to gain home field advantage with their win against Santa Rosa. With only four minutes to left in the game and the Rams up by nine, City College running back Deshae Edwards fumbled the ball with Santa Rosa recovering. After a quick score by the Bear
Cubs, Santa Rosa recovered the onside kick but fumbled on the 1-yard line giving the ball back to the Rams sealing the win and a perfect regular season. This year’s perfect season extended City College’s 22-game regular season winning streak, but having gone through it all before, the team knows all to well anything can happen in the postseason, remembering when they lost in the state championship to Mt. San Antonio College 34-7. “Our guys are very disappointed, not that we lost but that we did not play well in the first half of the state championship game last season,” Rush said. “We would like a chance to redeem ourselves, I think Fresno is a better team this year then they were a year ago, so I think this will be a real tough game but our guys are up to the challenge.” City College sophomore safety Blair Wishom, who is second on the team with 55 tackles, will be up against Fresno’s quarterback, Lance Orender the state’s second leading passer, averaging 329 yards per game. “Our defense had a down week last weekend,” Wishom said. “In the next couple of weeks we are going to work on it to continue what we have been doing all season.” The NoCal Championship title game will be played in two weeks on Nov. 26 at Rams Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. email: tclayton@theguardsman.com
STEPHEN HERALDO / THE GUARDSMAN
Sophomore Thomas Cooper (4) goes up for the dunk to capitalize on a 2nd half breakaway against Fresno State on Nov. 11th. The Rams excited the crowd with four dunks on the night.
The City College men’s basketball team hosted their first tournament of the season as they finished second losing to Santa Rosa Junior College in the finals 84-82. Before the loss, the Rams defeated both Fresno City College and Mt. San Antonio in the
first two rounds. The loss snaps a 29-game winning streak. The Rams next game will be at the Fresno City Tournament starting Nov. 18. email: sports@theguardsman.com