Several spring sports make their debuts
The Renegade Rip
@the_renegade_rip @bc_rip
Sports, Pages 8-10
The Rip rides with Fire Department Fire Department, Page 11
www.therip.com
The Renegade Rip Bakersfield College
Vol. 87 ∙ No. 8
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
BC is unstoppable at home Men’s team stays on top of conference By Mohamed Bafakih Contributing Editor
As the second half of Western State Conference-South Division play gets underway, it may be just a tad early to be thinking conference championship, or even state championship for the Bakersfield College men’s basketball team, but clearly this has been nothing short of a special year. This same time last year, head coach Rich Hughes had one thing in mind: “We’re back to being 0-0.” That was following a 2-5 start to the first half of conference, and the Renegades did rally to win six of their next seven games. The “0-0” mindset made a difference, as they were focused on each individual game without looking afar, which eventually led to a playoff berth. Nevertheless, this is a new year, and a new and vastly improved team with state championship aspirations. In what’s considered one of the toughest conferences in the state, Bakersfield (18-4 overall, 7-1 WSC-South) has breezed by its Western State Conference- South Division foes with an impressive win over then-13th ranked Antelope Valley on Jan. 20, 95-74, and followed it with another impressive win over Santa Monica on Jan. 27, 81-63. Both games were here at the Gil Bishop Sports Complex, where BC is currently undefeated at 7-0 including the preseason, and outscoring its opponents by an average of 23.7 points per game. “I’ve had teams that weren’t very good at home, and this team seems to respond well at home,” Hughes said. “The results have been good.” The results have also been good on both sides of the floor, as BC is among the state’s leaders in various offensive and defensive categories. For instance, the team’s point average of 85.1 points per game is fourth in the state, and because of their ball movement, they’re ranked third in the state in assists per game at 19.1. Accounting for nearly half those assists is the state’s assist leader, 5-foot-9 sophomore point guard Jameik Riviere, with 8.4 per game. “By now I know what everybody can do. I can get them the ball and expect them to make plays,” Riviere said following a 15-point, eight-assist performance in the team’s win over Santa Monica. In the win against Santa Monica, the Renegades were paced by double-figure scoring performances from four of the five starters, led by Lawrence Moore’s 19 points (8-for-14 from the field; 15 points in the second half). Moore, who sat out last season following an impressive freshman season and has the most experience of all the players on the team, is optimistic about this cast’s chances of making a deep run. “I think we can compete with anybody in the state; as long as we play together as a team and do the things we know we’re Please see Basketball, Page 9
BC app intends to help students By Mason J. Rockfellow Editor in Chief
Joe Bergman / The Rip
Deandre Dickson brings the crowd to its feet after dunking over Antelope Valley’s Izayah Doyle on Jan. 20.
OFFENSIVE STATISTICS FG made per game: 32.5 (2nd in state) Assists per game: 19.1 (3rd in state) Points per game: 85.1 (4th in state) FG percentage: 48.5 (9th in state) 3PT percentage: (11th in state)
Point guard Jameik Riviere drives the ball into the lane during an 81-63 win over Santa Monica on Jan. 27. The Renegades have six games left in the season, with three of them being at home. The Renegades will be playing their last three home games on Feb. 6, Feb. 10, and Feb. 17.
DEFENSIVE STATISTICS Steals per game: 11.1 (3rd in state) Blocks per game: 4.7 (7th in state) Opponents’ turnovers: 16.3 (7th in state) Opponents’ FG pct.: 40.6 (11th in state)
Mason j. rockfellow The Rip
There’s a new way to keep up to date with Bakersfield College news, athletics, events, and more, right from the palm of your hand. With websites not always being the easiest to navigate, a lot of apps have been created for faster navigation, special features, and the ability to connect with others through the power of your mobile device. “Even though our website is very mobile friendly, it still does not have the power or the uniqueness of a mobile app,” said Nicky Damania Director of Student Life. BCSGA and Nicky Damania have recently made the app, BCRenegades, which has been funded by Student Success and Support Program along with BCSGA, with some of the money coming from the funds from the purchases of the student discount KVC sticker. The app is available on IOS and Android through their app stores. For Windows phone users there is also web version of the app that can be accessed in a browser at tinyurl.com/ bcrenegadesguide. There are a variety of features that the app offers, from instant messaging between classmates and friends, to a place for jotting down personal notes so you don’t forget what it was you had to do at 2:30 p.m. There’s a calendar where you can add events on campus and have a reminder set so that you don’t forget that event, speaker, or sporting event that you really want to go to and once you get there you can even check into the events. There is also a place called the Renegade Album where you can post pictures of what you are doing on campus. The app has access to Inside BC, the directory, the BC’s President’s blog, weather, student, world, and national news from CNN, and even the Bakersfield Californian feed to help students be more aware of what is going on in the world around them. The app can be used without signing in, but if you wanted to, you could sign in using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, your BC email, and Google Plus. When you sign in using your social media, you can connect with others close by on campus through the app, which will show if that person is around you. But all that shows up is their name and no personal information is exchanged. Another aspect that the app holds is it could help incoming high school students and new students in general to BC. It will inform them Please see APP, Page 5
New deans, one coming from LA By Sara Lievanos Reporter
In Fall of 2015, Bakersfield College began conducting a nationwide search to fill three open administration positions as deans, which as of early December, finally concluded. For two of these openings, BC didn’t have to look very far to find qualified faculty members who were willing to take on the job. Bakersfield College’s Cornelius Rodriguez was hired as the
new dean of instruction for the Behavioral Science Department, but Rodriguez began working at BC in January of 1991 when he was hired as a director of the Chicano Cultural Center. In his time at BC, Rodriguez has held several positions including the Coordinator of Tech Prep, political science professor, and he worked on Outreach Programs and Services for College Readiness. Because of Rodriguez’s extensive background in student services and having worked at
least 10 years in a classroom, he believes he will bring uniqueness to his new position as a dean and said his main priority will be “to incorporate Dual Enrollment, so that students can graduate sooner.” As for why Rodriguez decided to take on this new opportunity he said, “I have a responsibility to be engaged and cause greater change to help students succeed.” Kate Pluta, who began working at Bakersfield College in 1979 as a reference librarian has
now been hired as a dean of instruction for the English Department. Pluta, who has been a division chair for the English Department, Academic Senate president, and an English professor since 1985, said she decided to become a dean because, “as a professor you can only accomplish so much, and I want to reach a much bigger audience”. Pluta also says she is focused on where this college is going in Please see DEANS, Page 5
Sara Lievanos / The Rip
New dean of the Student Developement department, Syed Hussain, coming from Los Angeles Southwest College.
Features
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 2
BC gets dose of Vitamin C
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Top 10 Anticipated Movies The Rip’s Chris Miller asked 50 students on campus what movie in 2016 they are looking forward to watching the most. The results have been compiled into the Top 10 answers based off of student opinion.
photos by mason j. rockfellow / The Rip
Former BC student Yavuz Begendik, 46, picks oranges from a tree (above) after contemplating which tree to pick (below) from during BC’s annual orange picking event put on by the Agricultural Department.
Oranges for sale by Ag By Carl E. Littleberry Jr. Reporter The Bakersfield College Agricultural Department hosted its annual orange sale on Jan. 2728, organized by longtime agriculture teacher Bill Kelly. The oranges, which are Washington naval oranges, are located in a small grove near the main campus entrance exiting Haley Street, and were being sold in large paper or plastic bags, differing in price depending on whether you picked the oranges yourself. Picking the oranges yourself would cost $5 per bag, while pre-picked rose to $10 a bag and were picked by BC students. Kelly employs both his For-
estry and Natural Resources classes to help with the set up and picking of oranges allowing for all proceeds to go toward the Agriculture foundation accounts. The accounts go toward funding scholarships and field trips for Agriculture students at BC. According to Kelly, “These orange trees are ripe with great juicy and sweet oranges for everybody in Bakersfield. Our oranges cost nearly half as much as the nearby supermarkets, so really we are trying to help out the community more than anything. Even if it’s just oranges.” Having been planted by Keath Haycock in 1975, these orange trees are a mainstay on the BC campus.
Cupid has yet to arrive at BC By Kyle Cortez Reporter It’s that time of the year again where you see nothing but chocolates, teddy bears, and couples everywhere you go. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner on Feb. 14, but many students at Bakersfield College still don’t have any plans yet. When people on the BC campus were asked about their plans for Valentine’s Day, the majority of single students said that they don’t have anything planned yet, but then they went on to say that they would probably just end up watching Netflix. There were a few single students who said that since Valentine’s Day lands on a Sunday this year, that they would just
be with their friends or family just like any other Sunday. Being a college student in a relationship tends to mean that you’re on a budget and try to make the most out of what you have. This usually means going to a nice dinner and then going to a movie afterward. Just like the single students, the students that were in relationships really didn’t have anything planned yet either, but most of the couples said that they would find something to do once it gets closer to Valentine’s Day. “You don’t have to be in a relationship to enjoy Valentine’s Day. There are a lot of people who would rather just be with their friends than be in a relationship and vice versa,” said Savannah Serda, a sophomore at BC.
1.
Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice
Number of votes: 11
Batman takes Superman on in a battle of two heroes. The world is in an argument of which hero is the one that is needed. During the fight, Lex Luther creates Doomsday. Now the two heroes must decide to join forces or not.
Comingsoon.net
2. Captain America 3: Civil War
Number of votes: 9
3. Deadpool Albert Vargas “nimak” / The Rip
Serda said that she would more than likely end up going to church and spending her Valentine’s Day with her family. Stephane Wyatt, a sophomore at BC, said that he is going to be playing in an adult league hockey game on Valentine’s Day. “It’s ultimately up to you on how you want to spend your Valentine’s Day and your deci-
sion should bring you joy no matter what. There’s nothing wrong with being single and there’s nothing wrong with being in a relationship on Valentine’s Day. “Some people feel as though Valentine’s Day is just like any other day, while others feel like Valentine’s Day is a special day and should continue to be acknowledged as such,” said Wyatt.
Number of votes: 7
4. Ride Along 2 Number of votes: 5
5. Suicide Squad Number of votes: 4
6. Rogue One:
A Star Wars Story
The Force is strong among BC ‘Star Wars’ fans 7. X-Men Apocalypse By James Macias Reporter
In the wake of the new “Star Wars” offering, Bakersfield College fans seem to agree that it’s a hit. After years of lackluster offerings from the “Star Wars” franchise and vocal disapproval from the fan community, this new film seems to have hit the spot. “Star Wars” fans are usually very passionate in their feelings about this sacred mythology. Indeed you will never find a “Star Wars” fan who can discuss the subject in a casual speaking tone or at polite volume. “I love Star Wars! I always have, and I always will!” shouted Benjamin McMahon, 18, a student of BC. “Mythologically, ‘Star Wars’ represents the battle between good
and evil on an objective level.” Many fans on the BC campus were so moved by Han Solo’s death that they cried openly. “I didn’t need to speak Wookie to understand Chewie’s forlorn roar! He said ‘Nooooo!’ and I felt his pain deeply,” said BC student Chris Garcia. In fact, of all the fans interviewed, only two said they did not cry. “I thought it was finely crafted and dramatic. I didn’t cry when Han died. I felt like it was good for Kylo Ren’s character, and I am completely done with death stars,” said Jed Scott, 42, a student of BC. There is a certain disappointment with the whole “giant space station that has a tiny weak spot that only a fighter can hit” ideas which are rehashed in the movie’s plot, but
Number of votes: 3
overall everyone seems to agree that J.J. Abrams and the crew at Disney have really knocked this one out of the park. Amadeo Treveno, a student of BC, found the movie predictable and still managed to enjoy it. “I saw it all coming, but it was still great!” The general feeling is that if the next two installments are as good as this one, fandom will be happy. “I thought it was very true to the myth, and though I was upset that Harrison Ford had to go, I enjoyed the redemption subplot that is being built up around Kylo Ren,” said Andre Castillo, a student of BC. One student, who chose to remain anonymous, said, “More than anything, it left me wanting more.”
Number of votes: 2
8. Fifth Wave
Number of votes: 2
9. The Conjuring 2 Number of votes: 2
10.The Forest
Number of votes: 1
Features
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 3
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Chavez, former Renegade, pursuing dream By Marcus Castro Contributing Editor A former Bakersfield College football player has been given what he says is his last chance at pursuing his dream. “I’ve been struggling, man. I’ve been struggling a lot. I just look back and I’ve been through a lot of things, but I’ve always kept at it… This is my last shot at ever being in law enforcement,” said Erik Chavez, 25. Chavez had a goal to work in law enforcement. He explained that this was a goal of his before he got married. Once married, Chavez worked a job that was unrelated to law enforcement in order to provide for his wife and baby girl. Chavez ended up getting a divorce. When he left his house in Tehachapi, where his wife and child stayed, he had nearly nothing. He explained that he felt as if his dream of working in law enforcement was over. Then he explained that an individual came up to him while at the gym and told him to go to WESTEC, a job training facility. Chavez decided to go, but he was low on money and thought there was no way that he could afford the costs. Chavez, however, is now currently training at WESTEC toward a career in law enforcement. “Where he came from, he could have very easily have gone the opposite way, but he didn’t,” said WESTEC program manager Chris Resendez. “That’s where WESTEC comes in. We’re there to help him and give him direction.” Struggles are something that Chavez is used to dealing with. He explained that he grew up off of Martin Luther King Boulevard in a rough area of Bakersfield that has a high amount of crime and gang activity. Chavez moved to East Bakersfield at the age of 9 where there still was a high rate of crime and gang activity. Chavez explained that as a young kid, he knew the differ-
ence between right and wrong. “As a kid, I was really never involved in any type of gangs… I wasn’t necessarily raised a certain way because my parents weren’t there, but I always knew in the back of my mind that this is the right thing to do and this is the wrong thing to do,” said Chavez. But he continued to explain that as he got a little older, he knew sooner or later it was going to be his time. “A lot of gangs started looking at me like ‘Hey man, this guy is the biggest kid on the block. He can fight. It’s time we bring him in’,” said Chavez. He said that there were fights he was in around his neighborhood where gang members would come and back him up. He said that through this he felt that they were supporting him. Chavez explained that as he got a little bit older, he was more involved with the gangs in his neighborhood. He said that he wasn’t in the gang itself, but he was definitely associated and hung out with the gang members. The members of the gang would take him out, buy him things, and try to get him involved in some of the things they were doing. He knew that his time to be in the gang was imminent at this point. “Everybody on my block did it. Everybody on my old block did it. So I knew it was just a matter of time before it was my turn to get involved in those gangs,” said Chavez. Chavez explained that when he was in his early teens he was approached by a kid his age, and the kid told him that a man wanted to talk to Chavez about playing football. Chavez said at this time he has never played football and had never thought about playing it either, but he decided to go see what this man had to offer. “I kind of saw it as a way out,” said Chavez. Chavez met with the man, whose name is Joe Bergman, and
Above: Erik Chavez practices his twist lock technique on his training partner Richard Spink. Twist locks are used to gain control over inmates, and are part of the handcuffing process. Above right: Erik Chavez stands in formation for his morning inspection at WESTEC. Right: Defensive tactics instructor John Whitehead uses Erik Chavez to demostate pain compliance holds to the class. Photos by Joe Bergman/ The Rip
they talked about football. Bergman convinced him to try it out. Chavez went on to become the captain of the team. With the help of Bergman and his family, Chavez’s life turned around. He had potential to go to college to play football and get an education. “They always supported me. School-wise, they helped me out with anything I needed. Sportswise they helped me out with anything I needed,” said Chavez. “What Joe did and what his family did and what the people around him did was such a big impact in my life. I wouldn’t be in the situation I am now. I wouldn’t probably be alive.”
Chavez became a talented football player. He took his talents to BC where he played football on the 2007 and 2008 teams. He played defensive end and linebacker. After BC, Chavez went to play at California University Lutheran, a Division 3 college. He then played at Tabor College on scholarship where things eventually didn’t work out. He came back to Bakersfield after that. Chavez said, “I really don’t like to think about myself, but I’ll think about it and I’m like ‘Wow.’ I can’t believe through all that I actually still believe and still have hope in things and in life.”
Random BC sophomore is a long way from home Renegade By Felicity Tomisaka Reporter
Every issue, The Rip will be interviewing a random student at BC about their hopes and goals. By Felicity Tomisaka Reporter
criminals, maybe work in the criminal system… talk to psychopaths, but that’s an idea,” Miguel Rivera is a fresh- he said. “I could always work man at Bakersfield College with children or it could be who plans on majoring in counseling. I believe there’s psychology. a story behind everything and When asked about BC, Ri- everyone.” vera said, “I believe it’s bet“It’s pretty bad how someter, you know, there’s more times in the media that there’s variety and a always the lot of more criminal. Then opportunities there’s always definitely. I the stereotype guess it’s just that, OK, this more chancperson killed es to disthis many cover what people. Peoyou want to ple never ask do in life. I the questions want to rethat need to be ally take the asked. time to fig“People ure out what don’t ask, I want to do. well, did this I’m not in an person have hurry.” James Macias/ The Rip a good childRivera hood? What Miguel Rivera mentioned can we learn his goals for the major he’s from this person? Did this chosen. “With psychology, person never get a simple being flexible, you know, with hug? Or it can go as simple as various fields. I want to teach, an ‘I love you’ from a parent. and I also do counseling, but They never got that, so I think if I don’t necessarily like that, we can learn a lot from these I want to go into research,” people. said Rivera. “Ideally, I would “Sometimes we let our love it to be with brain neuro- prejudice own us, and we science. Just how the brain af- need to go beyond that and fects people. It would be great ask the real tough question. to make a contribution to that Obviously there’s lots of facfield.” tors like biological, social, but Rivera has always been a lot of it can be sided as the curious about people, which brain.” has led him to ask questions Rivera said, “I believe that about them. How people learn no one is normal because norto control their anger is inter- mal is an idea in our head and esting to him. in reality everyone has a story, “I would like to work at a and an average 5-year-old kid mental hospital and talk to has a story.”
Bakersfield’s College very own second year student Ibrahim Asiagodo is from Ghana, West Africa. Asiagodo first came to New York through the John F. Kennedy International Airport where he was given a complete culture shock. “The weather and food is different. I didn’t like the cold when I am used to the heat. There is too much sugar in the food. Soda is considered a luxury in Ghana and the biggest cultural shock was how everyone is always indoors, and I only know my immediate neighbors.” Asiagodo first came to Bakersfield when he was still in high school, so he attended Centennial High School on the student exchange program. He first heard about BC when he made the Dean’s List for BC. “For a community college,
I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought it was going to be similar to a university campus with 2,000 students. I was really over whelmed with the facilities and how nice the faculty was. Even the students here are very warm and friendly,” said Asiagodo. He added, “In West Africa the teachers are really strict and the educational system is different. Where if you were to miss a summer you would have to start over form the beginning but here you have the flexibility to where you can miss a year and continue where you left off.” “I try to bring the way we relate from Ghana to Bakersfield since it’s so much harder to make friends here. I try to talk to everyone who I meet and let them know what Africa is really like and clear up any Hollywood stereotypes they might have.” “For instance, the TV commercials. The actual chances you see a child like that in Africa is
James Macias/ The Rip
Ibrahim Asiagodo
one out of a million,” said Asiagodo. “I did a research paper on the food if you go to the hospital in Africa, and I’m only talking Ghana in particular. 80% of the cases are Malaria, and there’re lots of diseases here that I’ve never heard of like cancer. I’ve been here for two years already
and I have never gotten sick.” When asked what he missed most, Asiagodo said, “The thing I miss about Ghana is we go to the parks and play soccer, but here you go to the park and there are only kids playing.” According to Asiagoso, there are 50 tribes in Ghana, each with its own dialect, way they select their chiefs, foods they eat, and festivals that make them unique. The Northern side of Ghana is Muslims while the southern side is mostly Christian. He added, “We have Christians go to Islamic schools. I’m Islamic but went to a Catholic school.” Asiagodo plans on majoring in Engineering to become a pilot engineer or mechanical engineering he also plans on attending flight school. “My first time coming here I rode on an airplane it really fascinated me. I wanted to know how it works and what was it that kept it in the air.”
Former Navy Seabee turns to art for a creative outlet By Misty Severi Reporter Navy veteran and current Bakersfield College student Andrew Perales, 46, used to draw for fun and used it as a creative outlet as a kid, but as he got older, he put it away to focus on skills he could make a living with. Perales worked in construction as a teenager before joining the Navy right after high school where he worked for 12 years as a Seabee, a member of the Navy’s construction battalion. “I’m just as comfortable now as a disabled veteran with a part time job and going to school part time as I was when I was working in construction,” said Perales. “I was good as an artist as a kid, but when I joined the Navy,
James Macias/ The Rip
Andrew Perales I stopped for a few years. It wasn’t until I got hurt and broke my leg and was told I had to be off my feet for three months that
I picked up the pencil and paper and started drawing again. “And when I got out of the service, a girlfriend of mine one time bought me a bunch of supplies and I took it back up again, and that was back around 2000, so that’s when I really started it back up.” Perales would make art pieces for his friends and family before being encouraged to put them out on the market. “The first time I sold a piece, I sat out on the sidewalk and talked to people, and you know that was a scary night for me,” he said. “But now I love it. And even if I don’t sell, you know, as long as I’m out there doing it, it’s good. And as I tell my daughter, every piece I sell is just bonus money. Cause you know, I pay for sup-
plies and things, but anything on top of that is just bonus.” Fallen Leaves, a Facebook group that honors Vietnam veterans, where people can post pictures of veterans and their families or pictures of the Vietnam war, serves as an inspiration to some of Perales’s work, including a sketch of a 19-year-old soldier rescuing a baby. Perales sells his pieces at First Friday, an art walk in downtown Bakersfield, where he once met a Vietnam veteran. After exchanging stories, Perales saluted the man. Perales’ artwork, which include a drawing of the poet Edgar Allan Poe, and a drawing of the Native American leader Sitting Bull, will be for sale Feb 5, at the next First Friday event.
Campus
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 4
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Mentalist blows minds on campus BC in
need of scribes By Misty Severi Reporter
Mason j. rockfellow / The Rip
Rich Aimes speaks to the nine students who volunteered to be hypnotized during his performance in the BC cafeteria on Jan. 19. By Crystal Valdez Features Editor Bakersfield College welcomed students back for the spring semester with a Mindsurfin’ Mentalist show that encouraged student participation. Mentalist and hypnotist Rich Aimes performed the show on Jan. 19 in the BC cafeteria. Students observed as he made predictions and hypnotized their fellow classmates. “You’re going to see things here that you think are impossible, but I’m here to tell you that nothing is impossible,” Aimes said to his audience at the start of the show. The show began immediately. Aimes singled out psychology major Jose Gonzalez, 20, telling him, “You got the kind of face where I can tell what you’re gon-
na do before you even do it.” Aimes showed the audience an envelope filled with five cards, each numbered 1-5. He drew a circle behind the card he predicted Gonzalez would choose. Aimes began to pull down each card, asking Gonzalez say “stop” when he pleased. Gonzalez did so as Aimes drew card No. 4. Aimes turned the card around, revealing that his prediction was correct. The show went on, and Aimes asked two audience members to close their eyes and think about different things. One of the two audience members was veterinary technician major Kashae Young, 19. Young was asked to think about a place she would like to visit. After she decided on a place, Aimes asked her to write the name of this place on a piece of paper. She handed
it to Aimes, who then burned it to show the audience that the paper could not possibly influence his answer. He then wrote down on another piece of paper what he believed was the place Young had thought of. Aimes asked Young to tell the audience what that place was; she said “Hawaii.” Aimes then asked another audience member to read what he wrote on the piece of paper. The audience member read what Young said: Hawaii. The show proceeded, and Aimes asked for student volunteers to participate in his hypnosis act. “Hypnosis is not some strange guy with a watch [swinging] in front of you going ‘you are getting sleepy’ and all of a sudden you turn into a zombie. Hypnosis is simply relaxation followed
by suggestion,” Aimes told the audience. A group of nine students volunteered and were asked to relax their bodies and their mind. “When you’re hypnotized you will never actually go to sleep... you’re just going to be so relaxed. You won’t care what I ask you do to... I’m gonna tell you things out loud, and you are going to actively participate in your own hypnosis,” Aimes told the participants before that part of the show began. Aimes had the nine students focus on their hands and lift them up to the air really high, which all of the students did. Students were asked to picture themselves trapped by an icecold wind, and they shivered. Male participants did as they were asked, and danced ballet
in front of the crowd. The participants laughed as they pictured audience members wearing nothing but their underwear, and they “covered themselves” as they thought they were in front of the audience in the same circumstances. In addition to the opening activity, Jose Gonzalez participated in the hypnosis portion of the show as well. After it was over, he said that he could not remember what happened or what he did during the show. Gonzalez went on to say, “I just feel rested, like I slept eight hours... Before the show started, I didn’t really believe in all this. But when he guessed my number, man. That was crazy. So I decided to try the hypnotism. I don’t know what happened, so I guess it worked.”
Mock trial will take place at BC for the first time
Warren Miller film shown on campus inspires adventure By AK Pachla Copy Editor Phi Theta Kappa and the Central Council of Ski and Sports Clubs presented sports filmmaker Warren Miller’s “Chasing Shadows” at the Bakersfield College Panorama Camups on Jan. 22. This is the latest work in Miller’s 60-year portfolio of more than 750 sports films, as well as books, articles, and non-fiction stories about skiing, snowboarding, and the people who are passionate about it. The main theme of “Chasing Shadows” is adventure. From speedriders who turn the slopes into paragliding runways, launching themselves high over the mountains, to heliskiiers dropped onto a distant mountain, weaving their way to the bottom with only gravity to guide them. Even misplaced luggage becomes an adventure as two extreme skiers discover the beauty of Kathmandu beneath the peaks when their skis are temporarily rerouted without them. Vaun Thygerson, professor of Communication at Bakersfield College, said, “I grew up watching Warren Miller’s ski films,” and considers the art pieces a family event. Her husband, Scott, agreed. “When I heard it was here, I said let’s go watch it and relive our glory years,” he said, recalling watching Miller’s films with his wife as newlyweds.
The Thygersons’s daughter, Bryce, is a paraskier with a custom-built ski-chair. She keeps up on the slopes but said, “I don’t pay attention to my time. I just go wherever the snow takes me.” This particular screening of “Chasing Shadows” is special in that it was the first Warren Miller film to be screened at Bakersfield College in more than 20 years. Phi Theta Kappa Vice President Samantha Mayo said that the notice was short and the work was hard, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. “This is my first event [as project lead] that I’m putting on here, and we got literally two weeks to plan it,” Mayo said. However, even on limited time, an impressive array of door prizes, including a ski vacation for two, as well as soda and fresh popcorn were on hand for the 60 or so assembled viewers. “Chasing Shadows” makes it easy to forget that one is sitting in the Forum building on the campus of Bakersfield College. Looking into the sweeping mountain vistas and watching kinetic snowscapes slice up into the air around a skiier cutting down through, it is almost surprising not to feel the wind and taste snow in the air. A simple sport becomes an enterprise of adventure, and through the lens of experience and passion, Miller expresses that adventure with beauty, grace, and joy.
Bakersfield College Scribe Coordinator Cynthia Garbett is still searching for more paid scribes this semester. “There are 11 scribe positions still available,” Garbett said. “Scribes are important because they take notes for students who are unable to take notes themselves.” Each scribe must assist in at least two classes. They must have already taken those classes before and received an A or a B. Scribes must be currently enrolled in at least six units, be good at listening attentively, speaking clearly, and copying down notes from the board, lectures, PowerPoint presentations or any other method the professor wishes to use. Timing is not flexible because the scribe must attend the full length of those classes in order to take proper notes. Scribes must have good, readable handwriting and must be able to assist the student in any class activity the student’s disability prevents them from accomplishing themselves. Scribes may be asked to type up the notes and email them to the Disabled Students Programs and Services office or the student. Scribes also may be asked to help out in reading an exam and recording the student’s exact responses if the student is unable to do so on a computer. Visit www.CollegeCentral. com/bakersfieldcollege for a full list of qualifications. Applications are available in the Admissions and Records office. If you feel that you need a scribe, contact the DSPS office in the Student Services building for accommodations.
By AK Pachla Copy Editor
joe bergman / The Rip
Farmer Jovan Rader sells fruit for Murray Family Farms at Renegade Crossroads while students shop and look at the selection of produce.
A local farm sells at BC By Crystal Valdez Features Editor Renegades were given the opportunity to start the new semester with healthy food options with the help of Murray Family Farms. Bakersfield College and Murray Family Farms hosted a farmers’ market at Renegade Crossings located near the free speech area on campus on Jan. 21. Farmer Jovan Rader, 26, was working the stand as students purchased and asked questions about the produce he placed for sale. “It’s been a great turnout so far. I’ve been getting a lot of questions from people… A lot of this is not what people see everyday, so it’s pretty cool to see how as soon as people learn about a product, they buy it,” Rader said. Rader sold mostly citrus and some baked goods. Beyond oranges and lemons, there were a variety of products. Most of the questions students asked were about a fruit named Buddha’s hand. “It’s basically like a lemon without
any fruit inside, but it’s not a hybrid of anything… tastes kind of like a lemonflavored jicama,” Rader said about the Buddha’s hand. As she browsed, nursing student Stephanie Ramirez, 19, said, “I think it’s cool seeing all the different foods that are here. Like I’ve never seen that one before,” Ramirez said as she pointed to a Buddha’s hand. She added that it was convenient to have the farmers market come to BC as opposed to having to go to one herself. Psychiatric technician major Abigail Hellman, 19, purchased fruit from the stand, and said she was most looking forward to everything unusual. Hellman added, “I like it. It’s really cool. It’s just healthier. I’ve never tried like half of these things... I would definitely buy more if this happened again.” According to Rader, Murray Family Farms plans on returning to BC the third Wednesday of every month. Their longterm affiliation with BC will depend on how well business goes within the next few months.
The mock trial is a familiar law school tradition, and with Bakersfield College’s addition of a prelaw curriculum, it seems fair to hold one here. On Jan. 29, SGA Director of Student Organizations Chad Hidalgo opened the boardroom to sign up interested students. There are 23 other California community colleges offering the prelaw career pathway, and Hidalgo hopes to one day host regional mock trial events at BC. “Mock trial is, like, a huge thing,” he says, “but I’ve never done it, so I’m learning along the way.” The mock trial is set to take place on March 3, and Hidalgo says so far, response has been good, given limited publicity. Dean of Instruction Manny Mourtzanos sent an email to all BC prelaw students on Thursday, and on Friday Hidalgo said, “Right now, I’ve got a half dozen or so folks that are interested and asking questions.” One such student is political science major Monica Garcia. She was one of the students who received Mourtzanos’ email. Garcia’s goal is to become an attorney, and she hopes to gain public speaking experience by participating in the mock trial, as well as get a general feeling for the courtroom atmosphere. When asked if she hoped to be a prosecutor or defender, Garcia quipped, “That’s a tough one… depending on what they did.” Hidalgo points out, however, that participation in the mock trial isn’t exlusive to political science and prelaw students. “My aim with even setting up mock trial and debate is to start students across the board… with working on critical thinking skills,” he said. He also believes the experience can help the more reserved students bring out their personalities in the classroom more. “I’ve noticed [students] who are oysters in a class, as soon as they get out of that class, they’ve got huge opinions. Now transfer that into the classroom.” Students who would like more information about the mock trial and how they can sign up to participate may contact Hidalgo by sending an email to BCSGAStudOrgs@bakersfieldcollege.edu.
News
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 5
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Construction still going By Marcus Castro Contributing Editor Bakersfield College is currently undergoing construction and also has upcoming construction projects. Don Birdwell of Maintenance and Operations said that the construction project by the Agriculture Department is the new STEM project. The project is planned for completion on May 16. Once the STEM project is completed, the people using SE 46 will be moved and SE 46 will be reassigned into a robotics lab. Another ongoing construction project is in the Athletics Department. A coil is being added to the air handlers for the main gym.
“We should have air conditioning for the main gym area now. We can utilize the main gym for a lot more than what we have been in the summer time,” said Birdwell. Birdwell explained that the path of travel project will be going into bidding stage on Feb. 16. He also said that that way signage will be added on campus on May 16. The BC Veterans Lounge will be moved from the current room while a room is currently being renovated for them. The project should be finished within the next three weeks. The runways at the main track have been improved, and there has been a request submitted for resurfacing of the track. The
hammer ring has also been redone. At the Haley Street entrance of campus, speed bumps have been installed. “We had some safety issues from people traveling too fast down Haley entrance. We almost had some people get ran over several times,” said Birdwell. Some of the mulch in the southeast parking lot has been installed in the stadium. The rest could not be installed due to a kit fox problem, but it will be used in flowerbeds around campus. The new Maintenance and Operations building will be out of DSA on Feb. 12. It will then go into bidding. The building is being projected for finish by the end of 2016.
By Freddie Ward Reporter
Sara Lievanos The Rip
DEANS: New deans plan to make differences here at Bakersfield College geles where he served on campus committees, was a political science professor, and provided leadership for the Student Success and Support Program. Hussain is in his first few weeks at BC. “I have been welcomed by incredibly nice people,” Hussain said. He also admitted to experiencing culture shock since moving to Bakersfield from Los Angeles.
Hussain makes it clear that his passion lies in student services as he describes his many goals for BC including expanding the Career Center, the International Student Program, and the outreach programs for veterans. Hussain asserts a main priority for him as dean will be to become number one for student achievement and transfer rates because he claims, “if the students are not successful, then I am not successful.”
Resolutions: easy to make but hard to keep By Carl E. Littleberry Jr. Reporter A new year brings new goals and second chances for some students at Bakersfield College. Students hope for new romances or try to revamp their image to help them prosper in the upcoming year. Ruben Monarrez, 21, is one of those students. Monarrez is a theater arts major here at BC who was hoping to lose weight to help him land more diverse roles in plays. He lost a total of five pounds as of Jan. 31, attributing his weight loss to a healthier diet and light cardio. “I mean, it’s been cool so far, except I do miss candy. But that’s life, right? Got to sacrifice to get ahead,” said Monarrez.
Another BC student Damien Hillcoch, 25, chose a less practical resolution, going with his plan to take over the world, “I don’t see the big deal; I just want to rule the world like Pinky and the Brain,” says Hillcoch. According to Statisticsbrain. com, 45 percent of all Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Considering there are over 310 million people in the U.S., that means 125 million people made resolutions this year alone. From losing weight, which ranks number one on the list, to falling in love, people all over the U.S. find many things they want to resolve in their lives following a new calendar year. However, only 8 percent actually achieve the goal they set for themselves.
This number seems even smaller considering that 62 percent of all people who actually attempt a New Year’s resolution give up on it after the first couple days. Those numbers meant nothing to BC student Kristina Dietrich, 19, however. Dietrich began the year as a high school dropout who still needed to pass the 9th to 12th grades. Her resolution was to receive her G.E.D. and go to college. After taking the test twice Dietrich passed and enrolled in BC during the second week of the school semester. “All I wanted to do was get my G.E.D. and help people. Now I can. I never thought of myself as dumb, either. I just needed to stick to it, “ said Dietrich of her resolution.
Smoking still caught up in flames By Amy Pachla Copy Editor The smoking policy on the Bakersfield College campus continues to be a matter of contention. Confusion and misinformation abound as to what, exactly, the hard and fast rules regarding what and where is acceptable for smokers on campus, or even if smoking on campus is still permitted, not just on the BC campus, but on any California college campus. On Feb. 1, the Bakersfield College Student Government Association Committee for Advancement again brought the smoking policy front and center on their agenda. Rumors and assertions have occasionally grown into all-out conflicts as students and faculty try to sort out what’s allowed and what isn’t, but for the present, Public Safety is authorized to enforce no rules beyond state law, which maintains that all lit
smoking materials must be kept more than twenty feet away from any door or window on any occupied building. Recently, Sacramento Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) introduced California Assembly Bill 1594, which proposes to speed up the enforcement of California college campus smoking bans. In 2014, a program was implemented to ease college administrations toward banning smoking on their campuses outright, and McCarty would like to see progress on the policy. A quorum of student senators discussed the current state of the smoking policy and proposed different ways toward a solution that would work for everyone. The creation of designated smoking areas was strongly supported, but the question of where such spaces should be located on campus and what duties, if any, the creation of designated
The construction happening on campus near the Language Arts and Gym buildings.
BC counseling reaches out
New deans Kate Pluta (left) and Cornelius Rodriguez (right).
Continued from Page 1 the next three years, and plans on eliminating barriers and creating an overall effective institution a priority as a dean. The last dean that was hired for the Student Development department, coming to Bakersfield College from Los Angeles Southwest College is Syed Hussain. Over the past 26 years Hussain has worked in different community colleges in Los An-
Jacob tovar / The Rip
smoking spaces would make for the school in terms of safety and maintenance. The discussion wrapped up with the committee members delegating the tasks of collecting more information on the nonsmoking campus initiative at both the BC and state law levels, as well as gathering input from Bakersfield College Allied Health experts and Kern County Health Department representatives on devising a comprehensive approach to implementing whatever options the college has, or if options are even available to us anymore in the wake of AB 1594. Students who have concerns about the campus smoking policy or who would like to give their input on the matter may contact the BCSGA at StudentLife@bakersfieldcollege.edu or by visiting the SGA website at http://bakersfieldcollegesga. weebly.com.
On Feb. 3, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Bakersfield College counseling department will resume its Counseling Outreach Tables, according to BC counselor Jonathan Schultz. Schultz said counselors will be available to answer general questions students may have regarding educational plans,
priority registration, transfer procedures and any other quick counseling questions a student may have. Schultz said the counseling outreach tables were created to have counselors available to answer quick, general questions students may have and to limit students from waiting in long lines in the counseling department. He said the outreach also
serves as an informational hub for other campus programs, such as the educational opportunity program, financial aid, African American Mentor Program, and other BC programs. The counseling Outreach schedule for Spring 2016 will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 3 and 18, March 3 and 21, and April 5 and 18. Schultz said he encourages students to drop by.
APP: BC created an app for the wants and needs of the students: feedback wanted Continued from Page 1 on registration, and when and where orientation and assessment sessions take place. The developers are also working on the campus map, so when you click on an event, you can then click the location where it will be held and it will pinpoint it on the map for you, making getting around campus easier. The app also provides access to important forms to fill out such as the Renegade Pantry and Financial Aid, and Office of Student Life forms etc. Damania and BCSGA are still communicating and working with other BC departments to see how they can be imple-
mented into the app. Access to these things can be found on BC’s website as well, but on the app it is considerably faster to get to. “Take for instance our pantry forms,” Damania said. “It takes seven clicks from the home page to get to the pantry form… in the mobile app, it’s three clicks,” said Damania. “It’s not to replace the website whatsoever. It’s just to give students an opportunity to have information in direct format.” The app has been in alpha testing and in the app stores since midnight on Jan. 13, allowing those who knew about the app to try it out and give feedback. The app will have
made its campus debut through the school’s email system to all students on Feb. 1 to let all BC students know that it is available. Even with the mass announcement of the app on Feb. 1, Damania said it is still going to have some kinks that need to be worked out, and students and users of the app are encouraged to give their feedback. There will be spot on the main home page that will have a place to do so. “It is still in testing modes, it is a beta version, so the more feedback I receive the better the app can be,” said Damania. “We want to make sure that it is what the students want.”
Commentar y The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 6
Bernie’s trying to unify By James Macias Reporter Bernie Sanders is running for president in the name of the little guy. He wants to take on Wall Street and make school free all the way up to the university level. For those of you just tuning in, Bernie Sanders is the junior senator for the great state of Vermont. Sen. Sanders served previously as the mayor of Burlington (Vermont’s most populated city) and as congressman in the House of Representatives, also for Vermont. He was born in New York City and has an irascible disposition. There have been a lot of jokes about how much he yells. Bernie likes to remind people that he thinks uniting us rather than dividing us is the very best approach to any problem. He has been doing that his entire career, uniting people I mean, something he emphasizes frequently these days, especially in light of some of the things Donald Trump has been saying lately. He seems to appeal to younger and more idealistic voters because indeed his message is very simple and he would like it to be just as noble, ending things like class inequality and sky-high medical bills. In fact, he talks about ending medical bills altogether. Universal health care and vastly reducing our foreign presence are central themes. But his primary rant has to do with the idea that we could end the Federal Reserve. Changing the nature of American money, as it were. The idea is that we will be stronger without a central bank. It’s all very complex, but we are meant to understand that Wall Street and the banking corporations are our enemy. They who must be laid low and crucified at dawn! Well, I’m not sure if he goes quite so far, but my point is that for someone who says he’s all about unity, he sure says some divisive things when it serves his purpose. It’s more to the point to say that Sanders is not new to the anti-disenfranchisement fight. He has a long record reaching right through his years in the senate all the way back into the early sixties serving in organizations with names like the Congress of Racial Equality and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. He has stood up against things like both Iraq wars and the Wall Street bailout. Sanders’ ideas about how things could be in our society are intoxicating. There is a certain kind of optimism he projects which can be very charming. The notion that the future could be a pleasant place and it could be here soon enough for all of us living now to enjoy. For more information about Bernie Sanders check out Http:// berniesanders.com
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Voting: should it be done? By AK Pachla Copy Editor
By Chris Miller Reporter
Over the last twenty years in America, and indeed in many western democracies, many people, especially young people, have felt disenfranchised. Looking at the state of the world’s largest democracies, people are starting to feel as though government is not for them. As a result, many have come to the conclusion that their participation can only serve to prop up a deception. British comedian Russell Brand is one who has made a cult of personalty for himself on the basis of refusing to vote, and many see the logic in what he says. People feel they are being conned into participating in an electoral process that exists only to trick them into believing they have some control over The Powers That Be. Those who hold this viewpoint feel betrayed, especially in America, where we are all raised hearing about “government by the people, of the people, and for the people.” What those people, again, especially in America, are failing to grasp is that the reason the system seems broken is because it is broken... because they do not vote. The United States Government, even from before the Constitution we have now, was conceived as government entirely by the people. One of the reasons the Articles of Confederation, America’s “preconstitution” constitution, failed is because it demanded direct democracy. Every issue, every elected office, every law would be voted on directly by the people at every step. Given that such direct democracy couldn’t even hold together in a country of less than one hundred million, it certainly wouldn’t work for America today, but the foundation of government deriving its authority primarily by the consent of the governed is part of our DNA. When Americans fail to participate in the electoral process, it is no different than a body system failing in a person. Our country gets sick. Right now, our country is ill, and it needs help. Luckily, there is someone who can save us all: You. America is founded on the notion that you are what a government needs to keep from falling into tyrrany. Especially you, the college students, the young, the ambitious, the informed. You stand between humanity and dystopia. Our founders knew this, and they created a system that absolutely does not work if the people are not in charge. When you ignore or give up your right to vote, you are abdicating your duty to your country, and the govenrment you end up with... that we all end up stuck with, reflects that. All around the world, people wonder if America is asleep at the wheel. You have the right to take control of your country. Indeed, your country was written that way. We can’t do this without you. The government will be whatever you make it, but first you have to make it. Vote.
Your vote doesn’t really matter. Those are not the kinds of words any American voter wants to hear. Unfortunately, when it comes to electing which candidate becomes President of the United States, these words ring true. As most informed voters are aware, there are the popular votes and the electoral votes. The popular votes are the votes cast by the majority of participating registered voters, whereas the electoral votes are the ones cast by Electors in the Electoral College. Every state in the US has Electors equal to the amount of its senators plus the number of its US representatives. These Electors’ votes are cast on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December and the results of their votes are revealed on Jan. 6 of the next year. The votes cast by the Electors are the votes that actually determine who wins the Presidency. Most of the time, Electors cast their votes for the candidate who won the popular vote in their own respective states. However, there have been times throughout history where some Electors didn’t vote for the candidate their states wanted. Not only does the Electoral vote make the popular vote insignificant in these circumstances, there’s also no federal law or constitutional provision preventing Electors voting contrary to what their states want. The Presidential race of 1824 between John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson is just one example of where the candidate who won the national popular vote did not win the electoral vote. Jackson won the popular vote by 38,149 votes but lost the presidential run to Adams when Adams won the majority of votes in the House of Representatives after he garnered up support from the fourth most popular candidate’s Electoral voters, Henry Clay. Another, more recent example of this was the 2000 presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Al Gore held the popular vote victory at 543,895 (0.5%), but lost albert vargas “nimak” / The Rip the Electoral College vote to Bush by a 271-266 vote count. The popular vote is no more than a popularity contest survey that doesn’t even matter because the Electoral College exists. Until the Electoral College is completely demolished or its role in the voting process is reworked, your vote will never matter. Thankfully, there is a bill being endorsed by 2,110 State Legislators called the National Popular Vote Bill that aims to make the popular vote the deciding factor of who becomes the President of the United States versus the Electoral College system we have today. Whether or not this bill will one day become law remains to be seen. In the end, the Electoral College is only half the problem. The other half is some of the voters themselves and their unwillingness to see past one political party or another. Until we fix how we vote, those votes will never matter.
PRO
CON
Pete Rose is deserving of Hall of Fame By Carl E. Littleberry Jr. Reporter Over the years the baseball Hall of Fame committee has enshrined 312 people who have contributed tremendously to the history of the game. Whether it be a transcendent player like Ken Griffey Jr. this year, or former New York Yankee executive Ed Barrow who was responsible for 6 hall of famers from the 1920’s-40’s. However, something has always bugged me as a baseball fanatic. Where on this list is baseball’s greatest switch hitter of all-time, let alone the greatest utility player in history, Mr. Pete Rose? The Cincinnati Reds recently announced that they will induct Rose into the Reds Hall of Fame this summer. It’s time Major League Baseball did the same for its Hall of Fame. Rose aka “Charlie Hustle” played for 24 years, having his most success as a Cincinnati
Red from 1963-1978. In those 24 years, Rose didn’t just put up great numbers; he dominated the game and became the face of baseball with his timely hitting and superior base running. Never hitting for more than 16 home runs in a season, Rose was well known for accumulating multiple hit games and stealing bases. Ending his career as a 17 time all star and a three-time World Series champion, you would think that Rose would be a first-ballot hall of famer, but for some odd reason a little gambling supposedly trumps years of baseball greatness. Yes, Rose betted on his games, and heck, the guy might have thrown a few here and there. Who are we to say? And what’s wrong with betting on yourself if you’re that good? Rose showed confidence in himself and his team to not only bet on himself but to bet hefty sums. I don’t see a problem, considering the
hall of fame has a few inductees with checkered past consider Ty Cobb, he’s considered one of if not the greatest baseball players of all-time. Well Mr. Cobb was more known for being an avid racist, but no one bats an eye at
Uncle Tom of baseball. Why can’t he even get more than 30 percent of votes yearly? I mean it’s a travesty that someone who is considered one of the greatest players of the century can’t even beat out Mike Piazza for the hall of fame. The Reds did Rose a solid by inducting him into the Reds Hall of Fame this year, but how can that be enough? This man held the record for most hits and games played by any other player, and you’re telling me that Mike Piazza was a better player. I hate to be unprofessional, but that’s ridiculous. Who the hell was Mike Piazza even, an above average catcher? Name me 10 people right albert vargas “nimak” / The Rip now who say Piazza was better, and I will point out 10 him. liars for you right there. How can you warrant known We’ve all seen how Rose drug addicts and literal woman jokes about his hall of fame beaters such as Babe Ruth, but snubs with commercials about Rose, who literally was the his hallways and him going to
Vegas and betting on the White Sox, but all jokes aside, this man deserves his due. He has done so much for baseball and for the city of Cincinnati that I can’t even comprehend what the real problem is. It’s not like he’s Barry “I’m too big for this shirt” Bonds, or Mark “Gorrilla Arms” Maguire who are known steroid users, and I’m not saying he should be looked at as a game-changer like Hank Aaron. However, Pete Rose still made his mark on baseball, and gambling had nothing to do with the hits, blood, sweat, and tears he gave to the teams he played for. Now I never got to see Rose in action, but any real fan of any real sport knows that if you are an All-Star 17 times out of 24 years, then you must have been pretty good at your sport. So come on committee have a heart. You already let him back into the sport, so give him that Cooperstown bust he has been having nightmares about for years.
New movie portrays a great story but could have been better By Mason J. Rockfellow Editor in Chief The new drama “The Finest Hours” told a great story, but it could’ve been better. Based on a true story of an impossible Coast Guard rescue mission of 32 crewmembers. Bernie Webber captained a 36-foot boat off the coast of Cape Cod during a blizzard in 1952. I wish that Disney had gone a little deeper into the back story. I would’ve liked to know more about Webber and Ray Sybert. Something that was different from other save-the-day movies was that there is usually only one main hero. Not in “The Finest Hours” there are two heroes in this story. There is the obvious hero, Chris Webber, and then there is the unsung hero who navigated to the best of his ability, the back half of a sinking ship. That man was Casey Affleck who portrayed Sybert, the ship engineer in the
film. Like, who is this guy? He managed to keep half a sinking ship afloat long enough to be rescued. Actor Chris Pine portrayed Webber in the movie, and to be honest, it wasn’t that believable. Webber was supposed to be this keep-to-himself, shy guy who goes by the book, is honorable, and all I can think about is Chris Pine in Star Trek or as a spy. Besides from Pine looking pretty similar to the actual Webber shown from photos during the credits, Disney could’ve found someone better to play the roll. But matching the actor’s looks with the original people was something that Disney does do well. During the credits of the movie, they show pictures taken of the actors in character and then showed original photos of the Coast Guard crew members, and they were all very similar looking. It made me feel as if I really watched what happened that day. Visually speaking, the movie was
all there, from action to suspense and it has a surprisingly real feel to it. The movie really makes you feel like if you were out in a storm crazed ocean fighting against Mother Nature in a tiny rescue boat. The intensity that you feel when watching is exhilarating. What really made this work were the visuals and the sounds of the stormy ocean, booming and crashing of gigantic waves really put the sense of trouble under the skin. Obviously there were good special effects, but they didn’t go overboard with it. From start to finish you really got the feeling like you were watching the 1950’s. The scenery, cars, clothes, spoken word, and just a strong sense of traditional American culture were definitely present. There was even a photographer in the film was using a one-time use bulb for the flash on his camera. It Had a nice balance going back and forth between the sinking ship and what was happening with Web-
ber and his crew trying to find them in their battle against Mother Nature. Like all stories, there has to be love somewhere in there, and it was. It started with love and ended with it. Whether the background love story between Bernie and soon-to-be Miriam Webber was completely truthful or if just added for Hollywood, I feel like it was a little cheesy. The story would’ve been good enough with all the big crashing storm wave action, sinking ships, suspenseful moments, and the so called love story could’ve been left out. But if it was true to the actual events, then Disney did it okay. Overall, the story is good, the cinematography is good, but I would’ve liked a little more back-story, and the acting could’ve been a little better. If you like stormy, intense and dramatic ocean scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat, this movie is full of it. google images
Commentar y The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 7
Renegade Events
Restaurant Review
Make burger place a habit
Workshops/Fairs
By Kyle Chidgey Reporter If you’re a fan of cheeseburgers, the recent addition of Bakersfield’s newest burger joint, The Habit, may intrigue you and inspire you to hop in your car and pay it a visit. Upon opening the door, the smell of fresh beef patties being grilled over open flames hits you hard and gets the taste buds watering a bit. In addition, a nice warm Southern California style decor makes the inside a pleasant place to sit down and eat if you don’t feel like taking it to go. The kitchen area is very exposed, and it’s refreshing to see your food being cooked in a nice clean area. Watching your burger being cooked also stimulates your appetite. If a sloppy cheeseburger isn’t what you’re looking for, the menu also lists sandwiches and salads. I ordered the double cheeseburger with avocado and dove right in. As an In-N-Out loyalist, I was a little skeptical at first, but the quality taste of a flamegrilled cheeseburger is definitely there. The ingredients tasted fresh, and the overall quality of
Kyle Chidgey / The Rip
The new Habit restaurant is a bit pricey but delicious and worth a try because of tasty burgers.
the burger was great. In spite of a great tasting burger, there are two things that might make me shy away from this place. Unfortunately, the quantity and the price were a little disappointing. A double cheeseburger from The Habit did not fill me up
like one from In-N-Out or even Jack-In-The-Box would have. Spending extra money on a meal that doesn’t fill you up is something none of us want. I also discovered that finding a seat inside was a bit difficult, but they have plenty of seating out front with portable heaters
to keep you warm. Overall, though, I think The Habit is worth checking out. If the rest of the menu is as well prepared as the burger, you’ll have a good meal no matter what you order.
Game Review
New game allows you to explore new world Xenoblade Chronicles X is a true successor to the original Xenoblade Chronicles and manages to provide everything a JRPG, or Japanese Role-Playing Game, fan could ever want in this type of game. Xenoblade Chronicles X is a JRPG exclusive for the WiiU that released in early December last year. It is a spiritual successor, not a direct sequel, to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. The characters, story, and setting are all new and completely different from the original game which may disappoint any fans of the first Xenoblade Chronicles. However, what more than makes up for this is the fact players can customize their very own main character. Customization and micromanaging are the core of the game play for Chronicles X. Players can customize the character progression, behaviors, and aesthetics for each party member. There is a lot to customize and keep track of in Chronicles X, but the game does an excellent job of introducing new core game mechanics at a pace that doesn’t overwhelm the player. Chronicles X takes place on a planet called Mira after a race of alien life forms known as Xenoforms destroy the Earth, and the humans who managed to survive crash land there on accident. The open-world of Mira is
filled with a variety of regions that are massive in scale and offer beautiful environments to explore. The world in Chronicles X is vast and players can spend dozens of hours exploring and still find new things to discover. This makes backtracking and searching for rare materials or enemies enjoyable. Even the most determined completionists in the world will never get bored of exploring every nook and cranny in the game. Chronicles X is a massive game. In fact, this is the most ambitious game in the WiiU library to date. That not only correlates to the large open-world to explore but the insane amount of quests and enemies to tackle throughout the game as well. The story in Chronicles X isn’t as well rounded or enticing as the story was in the original. But, the scale of the story is much larger this time around and it throws in some very shocking and unexpected plot twists M. Night Shyamalan could only dream of coming up with. The story and fate of the human race is experienced through the 12 story chapters accessible at various points throughout the game. The chapters themselves are short and at times a little dull, but it’s what players do inbetween those chapters that will really entice them. Every single side or Affinity quest has its own unique story arch and provides some muchneeded character development for both main and side-characters alike. The character devel-
R enegade M inds
“What would you change about Bakersfield College?”
By Chris Miller Reporter
Compiled by: Joe Bergman Photo Editor
Jay Foster, 19, Freshman: “I would change parking. Parking is hell.”
opment is so interesting during these quests that it’s easy to forget that the fate of humanity still hangs in the balance. Players will be so busy trying to play matchmaker for other characters or discovering back stories of the many playable party members that the main storyline becomes a mere afterthought. The side quests are just that interesting. The side quests are just a small piece of the pie. There are a plethora of monsters and super bosses known as Nemesis to hunt down and challenge both online or off. That’s right, there is a fully functional online multiplayer mechanic that allows players on the same server to team up with up to three other players to take on end-game level bosses. These bosses are next to impossible to fight solo so the help from other competent players is crucial. The only downside to the multiplayer is that, similarly to Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, it’s linear, and once the players kill the target enemy, the multiplayer session is over. Xenoblade Chronicles X is far from the perfect game. There are no volume or sound options in the game, which becomes a huge issue during cut scenes or major plot points when the music’s too loud to hear any of the character dialogue. Thankfully, there is an option to add subtitles but it doesn’t fix the audio issue. Another problem is the enemy monster Aggro-range. There
Nick Joimer, 20, Freshman: “You should be able to test out of a general education class.”
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
are lots of super high-leveled monsters walking around which are simply unbeatable early and mid-game that will randomly attack and kill the player. To make matters worse, it’s sometimes impossible to escape these high level monsters because the monsters will still hit the player at ranges which make absolutely no sense. Lastly, the main storyline wraps up in a way that leaves the player with too many questions. There are many unexplained plot holes and the outcome of the entire ordeal isn’t solidified. The developers may have left the answers to these unanswered questions out on purpose in the hopes of making a sequel, but that doesn’t justify leaving an ending with that much of a mystery. Despite these flaws, Xenoblade Chronicles X is an amazing game that gives even the Final Fantasy franchise a run for its money. It’s not the most revolutionary JRPG ever made, but it sure does prove that the WiiU is capable of so much more than what most people give it credit for. Xenoblade Chronicles X may not appeal to the casual crowd looking for a game to spend a few hours off and on like Star Wars Battlefront does. But gamers of all kinds don’t even need to like JRPGs to appreciate the several dozen hours worth of exploration and content offered in this game.
Austin Sullivan, 21, returning student: “I could care less. I am here, I go to class, and leave.”
February 3: Counseling Outreach, Thu, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Location area: Grass area in front of counseling. February 3: Counseling Workshop, Wednesday, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Learn how to research and choose the appropriate major and career that meets your life goals, how to choose a major/ career. Location: Counseling Center. February 3: CAS Workshops, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Attendees will practice writing emails to their professors. Location: LA-110. February 3: CAS Workshops, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Attendees will practice writing emails to their professors. Location: LA-110. February 3: UC TAG Workshop, Wednesday, 12 p.m.-1 p.m. Location: SS151. February 3: Probation Workshops, Wednesday, 10 a.m.11:30 a.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 4: FAFSA Workshop, Thursday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. EOP&S/CARE/CalWorks Workshop. Location: SS151. February 4: The BC Student Alumni Nexus, Thursday, 12 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Fireside Room February 5: Refugees in Our Backyard, panel discussion, 7 p.m. Location: Levan Center. February 6: Hearts United Blood Drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. to make an appointment call Peggy at 661-616-2505. Call TollFree: 1-877-364-5844 or contact 661-616-2505 for more information. Location: Bolthouse Donor Center. February 8: FAFSA Workshop, Monday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Counseling Center. Location: SS151 February 8: FAFSA Workshop, Monday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Counseling Center. Location SS151 February 9: The FAFSA Awakens, Tuesday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Location: Student Services Lawn. February 11: BC Alumni Student Nexus, Thursday 12 a.m.1 p.m. Location: Fireside Room February 11: Dismissal Workshop, Thursday, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 11: Dream Act Workshop, Thursday, 9:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Location: SS151. February 11: Cal-Grants, You’re My Only Hope, Thursday, 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Location: SS151. February 15: Dismissal Workshop, Monday, 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 15: How to Finance Your Transfer, Monday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: SS151. February 16: Student Education Plan Work Shop, Tuesday, 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Learn how to complete your student education plan and enroll in the correct classes. Location: Counseling Center. SS151 February 16: Financial Literacy, Tuesday, 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 16: Probation Workshops, Tuesday, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 17: FSA ID Workshop, Wednesday, 8 a.m.-9 a.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151. February 18: Dream Act Workshop, Thursday, 9:30 a.m.10:30 a.m. Location: Counseling Center, SS151.
Sports
February 6: Woman’s Basketball vs. LA Valley, 3 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 6: Men’s Basketball vs. L.A. Valley College, 5 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 9: Softball vs. College of Sequoias, 3 p.m. Location: Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex February 10: Woman’s Basketball vs. Glendale, 5 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 10: Men’s Basketball vs. Glendale College, 7 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 11: Tennis vs. Imperial Valley College, 11 a.m. Location: Bakersfield College February 12: Track & Field vs. Battle of The Regions, 10 a.m. Location: Memorial Stadium February 12: Baseball vs. Fullerton College, 12 p.m. Location: Gerry Collis Field, Bakersfield February 13: Tennis vs. Imperial Valley College, 11 a.m. Location: Bakersfield College February 13: Softball vs. Santiago Canyon, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. Location: Bakersfield College Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex February 16: Tennis vs. Glendale College, 2 p.m. Location: Bakersfield College February 17: Woman’s Basketball vs. West LA, 5 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 17: Men’s Basketball vs. West Los Angeles College, 7 p.m. Location: Gil Bishop Gymnasium February 18: Tennis vs. Antelope Valley College, 2 p.m. Location: Bakersfield College
Miscellaneous February 11: Renegade Pantry Bake Sale, Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Location: Renegade Crossroads.
Emily Medina, 19, Freshman: “I would change the food to bigger portions.”
The Renegade Rip Winner of the 2003 and 2008 JACC Pacesetter Award First place in 2011, third place in 2013 and 2014 for CNPA General Excellence The Renegade Rip is produced by Bakersfield College journalism classes, printed by Reed Print in Bakersfield, and circulated on Wednesdays during the fall and spring semesters. The newspaper is published under the auspices of the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees, but sole responsibility for its content rests with student editors. The Rip is a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
Clara Campos, 18, Freshman: “I would change the parking. I do not like parking here.”
Write The Rip
Editorial Board
Staff
Editor in Chief......Mason J. Rockfellow Photo Editor.......................Joe Bergman Features Editor................Crystal Valdez Opinions Editor...............Albert Vargas Copy Editor.............................AK Pachla Contributing editors: Mohamed Bafakih, Marcus Castro
Reporters/photographers: Cameron Barksdale, Kyle Chidgey, Kyle Cortez, Sara Lievanos, Carl E. Littleberry Jr., James Macias, Chris Miller, Misty Severi, Felicity Tomisaka, Jacob Tovar, Freddie Ward
Adviser. ........................................ Danny Edwards
Letters should not exceed 300 words, must be accompanied by a signature and the letter writer’s identity must be verified. The Rip reserves the right to edit letters, however, writers will be given the opportunity to revise lengthy or unacceptable submissions. If an organization submits a letter as a group, it must be signed by only one person, either the leader of the organization or the letter writer. Anonymous letters will not be published.
How to reach us
-Address: Bakersfield College, 1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93305 -Phone: (661) 395-4324 -Email: ripmail@bakersfieldcollege.edu -Website: therip.com
Sports
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 8
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Baseball and softball seasons begin at BC Baseball off to a hot start
Right: Marina Felipe, 7, pitches against Fresno. BC went on to lose. Left: Brock Hallum swings for a pitch in the shutout win over Barstow.
By Kyle Cortez Reporter The Bakersfield College baseball team started the season 2-1, hoping to improve from last season, when they didn’t make the postseason for a second consecutive year. “Everybody starts day one with the same goal. Everybody wants to win a state championship, and we’re not unique in that regard,” said BC coach Tim Painton. The baseball team will be relying on a young and inexperienced pitching staff this season since most of their pitchers graduated last year. “We like our pitching. There are a lot of freshman, but I like the arms. I think we’ll develop into a really good pitching staff,” said Painton. The team does have a few returning players on the offensive side, w h o Painton expects to continue their success from their freshman seasons. “Hanz Harker was an All-State player last year as a freshman so you start with him. Harrison Smith is a returning player who had a good season for us a year ago. Luis Martinez, Jacob Herrera and Brooks Douglass are all sophomores who had good seasons for us last year and they all have a little more experience than some of the freshman,” said Painton. BC baseball began the season on Jan. 28 and played host to Feather River, Barstow and Allan Hancock at Gerry Collis Field. The Renegades went 2-1 for the weekend. The Renegades first game was against preseason fifth-ranked Feather River College on Jan. 28. The Renegades were able to fight back from an early two run deficit and went on to eventually win the game 5-3. Freshman pitcher Luke Andrews pitched four scoreless innings of relief to get the win. Luis Martinez drove in the go ahead run with a double in the seventh inning, which gave BC its first lead of the game, 4-3. Jacob Herrera added an RBI single to push the final score to 5-3. When asked on how he thought the first game went, Painton said, “It went well, anytime you win opening night it’s a good night. We played well for
photos by Joe Bergman The Rip
nine innings and we competed well for nine innings.” The following night, BC shut out Barstow College 12-0 behind Harrison Smith’s grand slam in the fourth inning to give the Renegades a 9-0 lead. BC starting pitcher Monty Stevens pitched five scoreless innings to get the win. Stevens had issues with command, walking three and hitting a batter, but he was able to work out the jams. BC’s bullpen pitched four scoreless innings only allowing one baserunner in those four innings. Barstow’s pitchers issued 11 walks. BC freshman Brock Hallum had three RBIs, including a two-run triple in the third inning. Hanz Harker went 3-for-4 scoring three runs. “I was happy with our performance,” said Painton. “It took us some time to get going offensively because their pitcher didn’t have great command of the zone. It’s tough to hit when baseballs are flying all over the ballpark, but as the game went on we were able to put some offense together.” The Renegades finished their three-game home stand with an 8-5 loss against Allan Hancock. BC held a 4-3 lead going into the eighth inning before allowing five runs in the final two innings. “We played hard, we played 27 outs, but we kind of shot ourselves in the foot. We didn’t pitch well enough today to win and we didn’t play as well today, but we competed well, so that’s all that I can ask for,” said Painton.
Baseball 2016 Home Schedule -Moorpark College, Feb. 6, 6 p.m. -Fullerton College, Feb. 12, 6 p.m. -Fullerton College, Feb. 13, 12 p.m. -LA Mission College, March 10, 3 p.m.* -Glendale College, March 15, 6 p.m.*
-Glendale College, March 19, 6 p.m.* -Saddleback College, March 24, 12 p.m. -Antelope Valley College, March 31, 3 p.m.* -West LA College, April 5, 6 p.m.* -West LA College, April 9, 6 p.m.*
-College of the Canyons, April 14, 3 p.m.* -LA Valley College, April 21, 3 p.m.* -Citrus College, April 26, 3 p.m.* -Citrus College, April 29, 3 p.m.* *Western State Conference game
BC softball drops their first two but looks to pick it up this season By Felicity Tomisaka Reporter Bakersfield College’s softball team has high hopes this season despite starting the season 0-2. “We’re doing a lot of defensive stuff, working on runners on bases and live batting practice from our own pitching staff,” head coach Christie Hill said. In the opening game of a doubleheader for the Renegades, BC faced Fresno City College here at home on Jan. 28. Hill’s main focus coming into the season was getting the best out of her players. “I’m hoping that our kids come out and play strong,” she said. “That they go out with confidence and play to the best of their abilities.” Last year, BC beat Fresno City but Hill knew it would be a challenge coming in. “We beat them at their place last year, so they’re going to be tough competition,” she said. Right off the bat, the Rams opened up the first inning with four runs. After the third inning, Fresno was leading 9-0 before BC finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth behind Jannelle Gutierrez’s run off of Karlee Goolsby’s RBI single, but the Rams would hang on to win 9-1. “I was expecting a little better results. I think we came out flat. We didn’t play with any ener-
gy. We didn’t make any adjustments at the plate. Defensively, we struggled a little bit. I think that nerves got the best of us. I didn’t expect us to play that bad, though. I expected us to play a lot better, though.” In the second game, BC faced the state’s preseason fourth-ranked team Sierra College from Rocklin north of Sacramento. Sierra, similarly to Fresno in the previous game against BC, built a quick lead after one inning, 5-1. Trinidad Lee homered in the bottom of the first and got the Renegades on board. BC would then give up four more runs in the second and third innings to give Sierra the 9-1 lead. However, the Renegades would rally back in the fifth inning with three straight runs from Cassandra Sanchez, who went 2-for-3 for the game, along with Lee and Alyssa Ruiz to make it 9-4. That would be as close as the Renegades could get as they gave up a run late in the game and lost their second straight game of the day, 10-5. “We started a little flat, but in the last four innings of that game, we started making adjustments at the plate, a n d w e kind of found some life in our bats.” She also said, “I know starting off with the fourth team in the state on opening was kind of throwing the kids to the wolves, but it was a good test for my kids, though. If they want to make it to postseason and make it to state, that’s the type of competition they’re going to see.” Following the Ventura game on Feb. 2, the team will travel to San Bernardino on Feb. 5, return home to face College of the Sequoias on Feb. 9, and then to Cuesta to face the state’s 11th team, Sacramento City, and Cuesta on Feb. 12.
Softball 2016 Home Schedule -College of the Sequoias, Feb. 9, 3 p.m. -Santiago Canyon, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. -Santiago Canyon, Feb. 13, 3 p.m. -Southwestern, Feb. 20, 3:30 p.m. -Moorpark, Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. -Glendale College, March 10, 2:30 p.m.* -Citrus College, March 15, 5 p.m.*
-College of the Canyons, March 22, 1 p.m.* -College of the Canyons, March 22, 3 p.m.* -Santa Monica College, April 12, 3 p.m. -Santa Monica College, April 12, 5 p.m. -Cuesta College, April 15, 2 p.m. -Mt. San Antonio College, April 15, 6 p.m. -LA Valley College, April 19, 3 p.m.*
-LA Valley College, April 19, 5 p.m.* -LA Mission College, April 21, 5 p.m.* -Antelope Valley College, April 26, 1 p.m.* -Antelope Valley College, April 26, 3 p.m.* *Western State Conference game
photos by joe bergman / The Rip
BC outfielder Brooks Douglass, 5, rounds third base before he scores a run. BC went on to beat Feather River College 5-3.
BC outfielder Cassandra Sanchez, 8, has her helmet knocked off of her head as she was hit by a throw. BC went on to lose to Sierra College 10-5.
Sports
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 9
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Basketball: Men’s team staying sharp Continued from Page 1 capable of, we can play with anyone…for now, we just can’t underestimate the teams we play to finish out the rest of conference,” Moore said. Moore is third in the state in steals per game at 2.6, an area where BC (as a team) ranks in third place with 11.1 per game. Defensively, the Renegades are flourishing and making it an arduous proposition for other teams to find a groove. Because they provide length on the perimeter with guards who are long and quick – making it easier for them to cover ground – and interior size with 6-9 sophomore Deandre Dickson holding up the middle, BC has used this to its advantage to straggle teams and force turnovers (16.9 per game, seventh in the state), which leads to transition scoring. “One of the things we got to rely on is getting points from
transitions and steals,” Hughes mentioned after the team’s conference home-opener win - by 41 points - against College of the Canyons on Jan. 9, 99-58. Fortunately for Hughes and his team, that has remained constant for the Renegades, and the overall continuity has remained for the Renegades as well. Whether one player is having an off night or two, the difference this year’s team has is that they’re playing as a collective. Freshman guard James Pendleton has offered big playmaking and perimeter-shooting presence off the bench, and sharpshooter Western Washington University transfer Nick Velasquez is shooting a team-high 45 percent from beyond the arc. Inside, last season’s conference MVP, Dickson, is continuing an impressive season even with his thumb wrapped up, averaging totals of 17.6 points per game and
11.4 rebounds per game. Alongside Dickson, freshman Shane Christie has shown flashes of his game as he led the team in scoring with 16 points (8-for-10 FT) off the bench in a 83-70 win over Citrus (10-11, 4-4 WSCSouth) on Jan. 30. “We have a lot more people who can score,” Dickson said, which he finds to be a difference with this group as opposed to last year’s. “I try to make it a point to take less shots and get other people shots, because we have people who can score on any given night…we’re just going to keep playing and try to keep winning.” With seven more conference games remaining on the schedule, BC is knocking on the doorstep of a conference title as they hold a two-game lead in first place and looking to build on their current four-game winning streak.
Left: Lawrence Moore drives past the Citrus defender for the layup. Above: James Pendleton rises for the fadeaway jumper.
photos by joe bergman / The Rip
BC’s Shane Christie attacks the rim against Citrus on Jan. 30. Christie finished with 16 points off the bench in the Renegades’ 83-70 victory over the Owls.
mason j. rockfellow / The Rip
Bakersfield College’s Julie Olvera grabs possession of the loose ball during the Jan. 27 game against Santa Monica. The Renegades squandered a 24-point lead and lost, 73-70.
Growth showing for women’s hoops By Mohamed Bafakih Contributing Editor
Mason j. rockfellow / The Rip
The Renegades’ Kennedy Nielson pulls up over the Corsairs’ Keonna Evans. Nielson was one of five Renegade starters to finish in double-figure scoring with 10 points despite the loss.
In what started as a season with a lot of questioning and curiosity after finishing the preseason 1-9, the BC women’s basketball team looks like they’re finally binding together after recording three wins in its last five games. Although the Renegades (4-14 overall, 3-5 Western State Conference – South Division) let a 24-point lead slip against Santa Monica on Jan. 27, which resulted in a 73-70 loss, it was part of the learning curve that the Renegades have faced all season with their fountain of youth. BC hasn’t led in many games all season, let alone by double digits, but what head coach Paula Dahl observed was her team “panicked” despite a hot start to the game. “We haven’t seen a whole lot of pressure,” Dahl said. “When they (Santa Monica) went into that press it immediately threw us for fits and their physicality got to us.” BC jumped out to a 27-11 first quarter advantage and upped that lead to 24 in the second quarter,
but in the third frame the Corsairs would outscore the Renegades 28-6 to put themselves up 59-54. Santa Monica (6-16, 2-6 WSCSouth) led by as many as nine points late in the game, and they would hang on and complete the comeback. The press caused 24 turnovers for BC and it disrupted them for possibly earning its fourth straight conference win. “It’s the need to play consistently. We had turnovers like we haven’t had in a long time,” Dahl stated. During the three game win streak, which featured wins over Glendale, Antelope Valley and West L.A., BC held its opponents to just 38 percent shooting, and also limited their turnovers to an average of 12.6 – nearly eight less than their season average. The Renegades have also gained an offensive boost from Julie Olvera and Veronica Slade, as opposed to how it was earlier in the season with the duo of just Kennedy Nielson and experienced leadership from sophomore McKaiela Tyler. Olvera went into the Antelope
Valley game on Jan. 20 averaging 5.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and two assists per game, but had the hot hand as she had a career-high 28 points, to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Following the upset win over the Marauders, Dahl said “They’re finally starting to realize what they can do…we’re coming together and I’m really excited about it.” Although this season has been an uphill battle, the growth and maturity within the team has given Dahl happiness in the midst of it all. “We’re a young team,” she said. I feel like we’re learning and growing everyday and I can’t ask for more. When conference started, everybody’s gameplan was drill Kennedy [Nielson]. You can’t do that anymore; we got five kids scoring in double figures…we have come together as a team and that has made me very, very, very happy.” The Renegades will open up the second half of conference at Canyons on Feb. 3. BC will return home to face L.A. Valley on Feb. 6 and Glendale on Feb. 10.
Sports
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 10
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Tennis serving up the heat BC men’s tennis No. 1 player Sammy Ramirez returns the ball against Reedley College’s No. 1 Aaron Reimer. Ramirez went on to win the match 6-2, 6-0. Ramirez also won a doubles match 8-1 earlier in the day alongside doubles partner Austin Lee. marcus castro The Rip
photos by joe bergman / The Rip
Above: Andrew Schwartz of Bakersfield College returns a ball during a doubles match with Matt Wells. Right: BC women’s tennis No. 1 player Riley Tucker waits for the ball during a match. By Marcus Castro Contributing Editor After a rough 2015 season for both Bakersfield College men’s and women’s tennis teams, they opened with wins and are striving for a winning record this season. BC men’s tennis closed out last season with a 3-10 record, and coach Nicholas Jacobs explained that he doesn’t see that repeating this season. “For the men, I have pretty high expectations,” said Jacobs. The top three players for the men’s team are Sammy Ramirez, Andrew Schwartz and Austin Lee. “Right now, Sammy is the top dog. When Sammy is roll-
ing and getting in the screw, it’s hard to stop him. He’s going to be the one, I think, that we are going to lean on as the leader this year,” said Jacobs. Jacobs explained that the team is starting to get the chemistry that is necessary for wins. BC women’s team on the other hand was winless last season, and Jacobs explained that the matches were not even close. He said he expects the women’s team to do much better than last year. “To come and start 2-0 is the ideal start,” said Jacobs. BC tennis added Nicholas Loudermilk as the assistant coach and he will be overseeing the women’s team. Loudermilk is a former BC
tennis player. The top three players are Riley Tucker, Brittany Aguilar and Ashley Guillen. Jacobs explained that Kaylee Defrees (No. 4 on the team) and Lucy Cisneros (No. 5) are the sleepers of team. The men opened up the season at home where they faced off with Reedley College and swept the Tigers, 9-0. BC men’s singles winners: Ramirez (BC) vs. Aaron Reimer (6-2, 6-0), Schwartz (BC) vs. Aaron Gomez (6-2, 6-1), Lee (BC) vs. Robert Cardenas (6-4, 6-3), Andrew Berdon (BC) vs. Gabriel Tovar (6-1, 6-0), Matt Wells (BC) vs. Roberto Torres (6-1, 6-0), and Kyler Fields (BC) Carlos Delamora (6-0, 6-1).
BC men’s doubles winners: Ramirez and Lee (BC) vs. Reimer and Gomez (8-1), Schwartz and Wells (BC) vs. Cardenas and Torres (8-4), and Berdon and Austin Lux (BC) vs. Tovar and Delamora (8-1). The BC women improved their record to 2-0 when they played Reedley at home where they were 7-2. BC women’s singles winners: Tucker (BC) vs. Aly Honore (6-3,6-3), Defrees (BC) vs. Briana Vasquez (6-0,6-0), Cisneros (BC) vs. Ann Marie Fernandez (6-1,6-1), and Hannah Moreno (BC) by default. BC women’s doubles winners: Tucker and Aguilar (BC) vs. Honore and Sanchez (8-3), Defrees and Cisneros (BC) vs. Araki and Vasquez (8-2), and
Guillen and Moreno (BC) by default. The men will be traveling to Saddleback College on Feb. 5 and Fullerton College on Feb. 6 to compete. They will also be traveling to Modesto for the Modesto Tournament on Feb. 12-13. The men will have a home match against Imperial Valley College on Feb. 11, and will have another home match against Glendale College on Feb. 16. The women will travel to College of the Sequoias on Feb. 9, Fullerton College on Feb. 11, and Glendale College on Feb. 16. The women will have a home match against Imperial Valley College on Feb. 13.
Track looks to improve from the 2015 season By Kyle Cortez Reporter The Bakersfield College track and field team is hoping to continue and improve from last season. “We want our sophomores to improve, and we want the freshman to come in, make an impact, and improve from where they were in high school,” said BC coach Pam Kelley. Kelley thinks highly of her team and believes that they all have potential in their respective fields. “I would like to see Taira Saunders, Marilyn Quintero and Kassidy Murphy all have a good season. I think that the whole team should have a good season because they all put in a lot of work in the fall. The men’s
Upcoming meets:
- Battle of the Regions, Feb. 12 at Memorial Stadium. - Conference Relays, Feb. 19 at Ventura College. 4x400-relay team went to the SoCal finals last year and two of the four members are returning, so we’re happy there. We’ll see what impact our cross country guys can do in their races,” said Kelley. Their first meet was on Jan. 30 at the Antelope Valley College All-Comer Meet. “This meet gives the freshman a chance to know how a college meet runs because it’s a little bit different
than a high school meet. It’s a ‘getyour-feet-wet’ kind of meet,” said Kelley. The BC track and field team had a few winners from the Antelope Valley College All-Comer Meet. Three women on the BC team placed first in four of the events. Taira Saunders placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.98 seconds. Saunders also placed first in the 200 with a time of 27.41. Sah’Nya Terry took first in the shot put event with a throw of 33 feet 07.5 inches. Marilyn Quintero took first in the discus event with a throw of 119 feet 0.6 inches. Also, the women’s C-relay team took
first in the 4x400-meter race with a time of 4 minutes 33.48 seconds. The BC men’s team had three men place first in three events. Diante Henderson placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.66 seconds. Daniel Aguirre took first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes 1.58 seconds. Tristan Mcgee placed first in the long jump event with a jump of 20 feet 11.75 inches. One of the men’s 4x400-meter relay teams took first place, while the other relay team placed ninth. Relay team C took first in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3 minutes 27.13 seconds. Relay team A placed ninth with a time of 3:53.72.
BC swim showing potential By Mason J. Rockfellow Editor in Chief With the spring sports rolling their way into your calendar, the Bakersfield College swim teams will be testing the waters as well as the swimmers. BC’s swim team will be going to its first meet on Feb. 12 in Ventura for the Western State Conference Pentathlon. The WSC Pentathlon is where everyone in the conference meets and does 100-meter events for every stroke. This can be helpful, considering that head coach Matt Moon has not seen all the potential of the first year swimmers, and those who stuck to one stroke in high school may be better at another stroke that they had no idea they could do. The Pentathlon is also a good indicator to see how far the team has progressed since they started practicing. “It’s a good time for myself and my assistant coach Pat [Zuniga] to get a good evaluation of all the swimmers,” said Moon. In the last four years of being head coach, Moon is now a full-time employee at BC. Last year he was working for Rosedale Union School District, which caused him to spend a lot of time away from BC. This limited the time and communication between the swimmers and he, but now that Moon is full-time, he is able to be more hands-on and able to spend more of his time with his team. He has been able to do more underwater filming, which he does with a GoPro. With having access to a TV he is able to sit down with athletes and students to give them instant feedback. He is also working on getting a Hudl video system so that he can upload videos there for the athletes to view on their own time. Another advantage is that Moon is able to go out there before practice and get in the water with some of the swimmers who have questions about their stroke or turn, so he can work with them one on one. “Being full-time has helped tremendously, as being here on campus, being available, having the office hours…for the most part its been a big help,” said Moon. Taking a glance into the future, Moon believes that there are a few returners to watch out for this season. On the women’s side, second year returners, Sara Klang and Bree Smith both were state qualifiers last year. Klang mainly swims mid-distance freestyle and butterfly. The plan is to have Klang focus a little bit more on the freestyle events this year said Moon. Smith’s stroke is the breaststroke but Moon is hoping to have Smith swim some freestyle as well as some of the relays. “On the men’s side it’s pretty wide open…there is not really one in particular that’s standing out right now. We have a pretty solid guys team overall,” said Moon. “A lot of guys have been stepping up lately, practicing really well, getting out there competing when we does stuff for time in practice,” But Moon said there is a good group of freshmen coming in from Frontier High School that he is looking to lean on this year. Those swimmers are mid-distance swimmer Christian Chau, breaststroke specialist and possible sprint freestylist Brian Bender, and Ceasar Zepeda who will be a big help for freestyle sprint mid-distance events. “I think we have some good depth on that end,” said Moon. With all the BC swimmers coming from the Bakersfield area, Moon said that it’s nice when you get someone who’s fast and ready to go from out of town, state, or country, but he really enjoys being able to tap into the local talent here in Bakersfield. Another aspect of having all local swimmers is that most of these swimmers competed against each other in high school and its fun to see if they can all come together almost as a Bakersfield swimming all-star team, said Moon. “We have a lot of good talent and a lot of un-tapped talent around Bakersfield, so it’s fun to see them come in and at the end see the potential of what they can really do,” said Moon.
Fire Department The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Page 11
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
A career that takes time but is worthwhile By Crystal Valdez Features Editor
tions,” he added. Parker said that when he tested in Bakersfield at the Rabobank Arena years ago, there were at least 1,000 people taking the test. Only 11 were hired. Ortiz added that when hiring, fire departments tend to look for people with either a lot of education and some experience, or a lot of experience and some education. A good combination of both is typically expected.
ly the place for that. I love the brother and sisterhood about it. Basically you’re like a family,” Students at Bakersfield Colsaid Brown. lege who are interested in a caBrown earned his AA in Fire reer with any fire department Technology through BC. should be well equipped with pa“I had a little incident in my tience and perseverance, because garage where I actually set my the process is far from easy. garage on fire, it was a big fire Three crewmembers of Batoo. It was a gasoline fire... I put kersfield’s Fire Station 8 each everything out, and at that moexperienced similar hardships ment I realized [after] the acon their way to being hired as complishment I made at a young firefighters. Firefighter age like that and the exciteRyan Parker, 35, fire engiment I felt that I wanted to neer Marlon Ward, 38, and “I myself am able to pick myself up. do this for a living,” Brown fire captain Tim Ortiz, 45, A lot of senior firefighters, even cap- shared. shared information about Brown said it has not what it takes to be hired into tains, will tell you that it’s a rigorous been easy. He hopes to be the service. hired specifically by the BaAccording to the crew, prcoess. You just gotta keep pushing kersfield Fire Department, the process to achieve a ca- through. The ones who aren’t in the but he said being hired by reer in the fire service takes any department would be a fire service are the ones that quit.” great opportunity as well. a lot of steps and time. “On average, it probably Many young men and –Tucker Brown, takes about five to six years women travel up and down reserve firefighter to be hired as a firefighter,” California to take tests said Ortiz. in hopes of being hired. Fire service students must “The more you have of each, Brown estimates that he has takbegin by taking fire technology the better you’re off, which is en the test 23 times. classes, along with general edu- part of the reason why it takes so Discouragement is part of the cation classes, at their local com- long to be hired,” Ortiz said. process, according to Brown. munity college; this typically Many members of the Ba- When asked what advice he takes two years. Afterward, they kersfield Fire Department have would give to those who seek a must take classes in order to be earned an associate’s degree in career in the fire service, Brown certified as an emergency medi- fire science, but nowadays, a said, “Don’t quit.” cal technician, which usually bachelor’s degree is often advanHe went on to say, “I myself takes four months. After gain- tageous. am able to pick myself up. A ing that certification, they must Both Ortiz and Ward went lot of senior firefighters, even get into a Firefighter 1 Academy, through the BC fire program captains, will tell you that it’s a which runs for up to six months. while Parker went through the rigorous process. You just gotta All three crewmembers under- Santa Ana College program after keep pushing through. The ones went this process in California, graduating from UC Santa Bar- who aren’t in the fire service are which requires that those who bara with a bachelor’s degree in the ones that quit.” seek a career in fire service to mathematics. Crewmembers found it diftake a California Physical AgilSomething people who are in- ficult to be hired into the fire ity Test. Once this process is terested in a career in the fire ser- service. It took Ortiz 10 years complete, they may begin testing vice can do to gain experience is to be hired, Ward a total of six with different departments in or- to work as a (volunteer) reserve years (including three years of der to be considered. firefighter. fire service in the Air Force), and After an average of three The crew has a reserve fire- Parker took six years to be hired years, they may begin testing fighter at their station who has as well. with whatever department they dreamed of being a firefighter for “It’s a great career,” said Ward. would like to work for. as long as he could remember. “Although it takes a long time “I bounced from one area of Tucker Brown, 23, has been to get here, it’s well worth the California to another as I was doing volunteer work for 13 wait.” testing,” said Parker. “I’ve taken months and says it does not feel What often eliminates people probably 15-20 tests.” like work at all. from even the option of waiting “It was a huge learning experi“I love coming to the station. are the background checks. ence, just taking the tests. When Along with just having the desire Aspiring firefighters are drug I was hired, the cut off score was of helping people and benefiting tested at the start of the process, 96% [pause] out of 100 ques- people’s lives... this is definite- and background checks occur
Joe Bergman / The Rip
Firefirghter Ryan Parker demonstrates the FLIR infrared camera to Rip features editor Crystal Valdez. The FLIR camera is used to sense body heat in a smoky environment. throughout the hiring process. Questions about drug use and DUIs are often asked during interviews. According to Parker, those who make the background checks look through records page by page. They make calls to friends, roommates, and neighbors, almost everyone who can tell them more about someone looking to be hired. They also check social media. “[Background process] That’s what eliminates a lot of people. They don’t expect to find anyone
perfect. They just want to see how truthful you are and what kind of person you are,” said Ward. According to Parker, some departments do not like bad credit or countless traffic tickets, despite being paid off. “Keep your record clean and be careful who you live with because all of that can come back to bite you,” he added. “Interviewers will ask you everything under the sun.” After all the years it took for them to be where they are, the
crew members agree that a career in the fire service is rewarding, and although it takes hard work and a great amount of patience, it is well worth the wait. According to Ortiz, of everyone who is hired through the Bakersfield Fire Department, an estimated 95% went through the BC program. Ortiz said, “Everyday is something new. You never know what to expect... no two calls are the same... it’s really fun because you just never know what to expect.”
On average, crewmembers from Station 8 respond to 6-8 calls a day. They often respond to calls from BC, which include:
Medical/seizure calls Vehicle incidents Sports injuries Joe Bergman / The Rip
A fire helmet and turnout jacket hang in the rear passenger compartment in Engine 8. Although not worn, the equipment is kept in the engine in case of an emergency call.
Station 8 responds to emergency near campus By Crystal Valdez Features Editor
Joe Bergman / The Rip
Engineer Marlon Ward is at the doorway of the victim’s residence, checking to see if he can be of further assistance. Ward’s main responsibility is driving the engine, but on medical calls, he is able to assist where he is needed.
Bakersfield’s Fire Station 8 responded to a medical emergency on Jan. 22 at approximately 7:25 p.m. at an apartment complex on Columbus Street and Nelson Street. Within seconds, the crew had their gear ready and went to the scene. Fire engineer Marlon Ward drove the fire engine while Captain Tim Ortiz sat near him in the front captain’s seat. Firefighter Ryan Parker sat in the back, preparing to take action upon arrival. A man who lives out of town had not heard from his elderly father in three days. This prompted a visit to his father, who would not answer the door. Neighbors claimed to not have seen his father in four days and that his car had not moved from its parking space in approximately a week. Ortiz asked neighbors to confirm this information before ordering firefighter Ryan Parker and fire engineer Marlon Ward to forcefully open the door. “Oh, he’s right there,” said Ward when the door was opened. The elderly man was sitting on the couch, unresponsive to what had occurred. He was asked various questions, such as when was the last time he ate and whether or not he rec-
ognized his son. According to Ortiz, the man was incoherent. Paramedics who had arrived to the scene with Fire Station 8 brought the elderly man down the stairs on a stretcher. He continued to appear not fully aware of what had happened. “That was better than we expected. We were sure this would be a DOA [dead on arrival] situation,” Ortiz said. According to Ward, there was blood in the toilet of the apartment, as well as on the elderly man’s pants and the couch on which he was sitting. Law enforcement arrived to the scene at approximately 7:40 p.m. accompanied by a woman who claimed to know the elderly man. The woman, Laura Pelatos, said, “He was our neighbor, we used to live in the apartment right below his. I really hope he’s going to be OK.” Pelatos said strange things have been happening at this particular apartment complex within the last year. She told The Rip that another elderly man passed away under strange circumstances. “When a loved one hasn’t heard from a family member of that age, it’s usually because unfortunately, that person has passed,” said Capt. Ortiz. The elderly man was taken to the hospital after the ordeal. Upon arrival back to Fire Station 8, Ortiz filed a report.
Page 12
Spotlight
The Renegade Rip www.therip.com
Wednesday, Februar y 3, 2016
Bakersfield City Fire...Through the lens Photos By Joe Bergman
Above: Fire Engine #8 responds “Code 3”, which is red lights and siren, to a medical-aid call, on the evening of Jan. 22. Dispatch stated it was a unknown medical emergency, as the victim’s son had not been able to contact his father for a few days, and was extremely worried about him. Below: Engineer Marlon Ward (right) and Firefighter Ryan Parker (left) force entry into the residence of the medical-aid victim. Above: Firemen and paramedics help the victim down the stairs from his apartment. Below: Captain Tim Ortiz talks to the victim’s neighbors to get contact information for the property manager, so the door to the apartment could be secured and repaired.
Left: Firefighter Ryan Parker carries his forced entry tools and medicalaid bag back to the fire engine. As a firefighter, Parker is responsible for providing onscene medical care until the paramedics arive and takeover.
Below: Captain Tim Ortiz writes down a few qucik notes on the way back to the fire station. Part of his duties as a Captain, include writting all incident reports.