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The Renegade Rip Vol. 89 ∙ No. 1
Bakersfield College
Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
Drought relieved by rain, but not beaten By Zach Sullivan Reporter
According to a recent data poll from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 38 percent of the state of California is no longer in a drought, the largest margin the state has seen in over three years. While that is a step in the right direction for the state as a whole, here locally, Bakersfield still remains listed as D-3, or extreme drought. The Drought Monitor focuses on broad-scale conditions throughout California, rating the inten-
sity and severity of the drought in areas statewide using the following scale: D0-Abnormally Dry, D1-Moderate Drought, D2Severe Drought, D3-Extreme Drought, and D4-Exceptional Drought. On Oct. 11, 2016 the Monitor reported zero percent of the state was drought-free, and furthermore that 42.8 percent of the state was classified as extreme drought. At this time, Bakersfield was listed as D-4, exceptional drought. As of Jan. 24, 2017, only
2.16 percent of the state is listed as D-3, extreme drought. The data shows that for the first time since January of 2014, zero percent of the state is in D4-exceptional drought. This includes Bakersfield, which is now listed as D-3. In January of 2014 and 2015, Bakersfield received a combined 0.81 inches of rain according to the U.S. Climate Data’s numbers. In January of 2016, Bakersfield received 1.95 inches: Please see DROUGHT, Page 7
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Bakersfield College students take shelter from the rain under the lunch table umbrellas.
BC students take action against BPD
Two wrongfully arrested BC students have filed a lawsuit Daulton James Jones Reporter
LIZETTE CHAVEZ / THE RIP
A young woman raises her fist in the air as she chants along with fellow protesters at the Bakersfield Women’s March on Jan. 21.
Bakersfield marches for women’s rights By Megan Fenwick Reporter
Bakersfield citizens gathered on the corner of Stockdale Highway and California Avenue the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration as part of the Women’s March on Washington. The group was one of many sister marches that occurred around the globe, and was vocal in supporting the many issues affecting women today. Signs carried at the march championed causes such as women’s reproductive health, immigration, and racism. The crowd chanted and cheered when passing cars reacted. People were united in defending women’s rights, but everyone had their own reasons for showing up. “It’s just so important that we give a voice to the vulnerable,” said Audrey Chavez, a Bakersfield native and activist. Chavez, 50, attended the march with members of her family, including her 85-year-old mother Oralia Montoya, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. “We need to progress, not regress,” she remarked. Bakersfield College student Ken Mazariegios, 20, marched with a sign that read “I march 4 my mom & all my friends who are girls.” Mazariegios said that women were leaders and that when it came to protecting women’s rights, “If no one else is doing it, I might as well do it.” Another person who was marching for a family member was Audraey Steelman, 26, who said, “I’m the older sister of a little girl who is going to have to grow up in this misogynistic world, dealing with people not understanding what it is to be a girl, what it is to be a woman.” As cars passed through the busy intersection, many responded positively by honking, raising
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Women of Bakersfield march with signs promoting women’s rights and feminism. their fists, or throwing peace signs at the activists. Others filmed from their vehicles as they went by. The march was not well-received by all, however. Steelman described how she had to push her 12-year-old sister Allayna Cisneros back when someone threw eggs into the crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
Other negative responses took the form of people making thumbs down gestures, flipping off protesters, and shouting out support for Donald Trump, who was the subject of many signs. Despite the unfavorable response, marchers did not appear disheartened and merely cheered louder.
Just as last semester was coming to a close, Bakersfield College students Xavier Hines and Timothy Grismore were arrested and taken into custody by police on their way to get some food. The on-duty officers used aggressive force to detain them. A little under a month later, the Bakersfield Police Department was said to have been made aware of a video posted on Facebook by Hines and Grismore about the events that took place that night. Hines and Grismore do not have their own methods of transportation, so they mainly walk to get around, whether that be to Taco Bell or the grocery store. On the night of Dec. 5, they were doing just that. The two of them were taking a break from studying for finals, and went walking to go get some Taco Bell. As they continued to walk on Valhalla Drive, an unmarked car flashed their lights at them as they drove past, and then later made a U-turn and pulled the two men over. The officers made accusations that these two men were up to gang activity because they were walking around at night, and also due to the area they were in. The officers also requested their names. Hines and Grismore both asked why they were be- “When the lady was puting questioned, as ting in my information they didn’t realize they were speaking about the arrest, she told [the officer] that they to police officers. “Once we asked could not hold me on these why, they started running at us, and charges. He said hold on so they told me to he could go add resisting put my hands up,” arrest to it.” Grismore said. –Xavier Hines, “They were BC student searching us and we kept telling them you don’t have a warrant, so you’re not allowed to search us. They kept searching us anyway,” Hines said. As the officers where aggressively searching Hines and Grismore, they asked Grismore to unbuckle his hands, and from there Grismore states that the officer threw him on to the ground. The officer told him to get onto his stomach after he hit him in the chin with his elbow. During this altercation, four more cars arrived from opposite directions of the street. Police officers got out, one of which approached Hines, who was seated on the cement, and pointed his baton at him to tell him, “Stay seated boy, unless you want to get beaten too.” Two officers then went to Grismore and started beating him in the legs with their batons. This would eventually result in Grismore suffering from multiple bruises, and stitches on his chin, the inside of his mouth, and on the back of his leg. He was not able to get treatment for his injuries for what he recalls as “two to three hours.” All of this happened while Hines was still sitting Please see LAWSUIT, Page 7
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Column
Making love last forever The Gay Agenda: Life and times of a modern gay man.
I am certain I have shared numerous times that my husband and I have been together for 13 years. I boast the number because in the gay community, we may as well have been married for 100 and dead about 50. Most gay relationships, adhering to stereotypes and from what I have witnessed on my own, typically last about a month, maybe three, if things were working. For whatever reason, the pair- J.R. Hensley ings don’t last. Now, a cynical mind might say that it is because men aren’t supposed to be together. If that was the thought that came to your mind, move along, for I have nothing for you and I don’t want to take up your “valuable” time. If what did cross your thought process was “relationships are hard,” then sit down, for you are my new best friend. Yes, relationships suck because they are work. No matter how one slices it, they take more effort than many are willing to put into, and that’s fine. However, if love is there, the effort is mandatory. The wisdom I want to impart is not at all new. I am certain hundreds of films, books, and friends have shared these facts before. What’s unfortunate is that it takes that many times for human beings to understand. To make relationships work you have to listen. Really listen. Hear the words your partner is sharing and feel what it is they are trying to tell you. Even if it is something mundane like, stop looking at your phone, or take out the trash. Listen and do it, because one day the same words will come from your own mouth. In addition, to know that someone heard your voice is empowering. Make certain your partner feels appreciated. I think that was the hardest lessons for me to learn. I always thought my husband knew I appreciated him, but assuming he does doesn’t make it so. The effort to say “thank you for doing what you did” is so small but goes a long way. The most important is: be present. This is the hardest one for me. I have the attention span of a Cocker Spaniel puppy, just without the energy. My nose is always in a book, computer, or my phone, and that makes my husband feel alone. I know it does, he’s told me as much (look at me listening). I know that I miss so much of what is happening because I am not aware of the now and not being present, I wouldn’t be able to do the other two. The final tip is to admit when you’re wrong. Humility is so attractive, and the effort of not having to put on an air of superiority is such a relief. Once I finally accepted that one, I noticed my marriage flourish (I’m often wrong). I am by no means the last word on relationships. Mine still has so much more to go and I am fraught with failure, because I am above all things, flawed. I share these lessons because I want others to be able to make it last; also, just because we’re both men doesn’t mean it will or won’t work. Society has created this ridiculous stereotype “that all women are like this” and “all men are like this” and it’s not true. People are different. There may be similarities that overlap but in the end, we are all unique personalities trying to make relationships work.
Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
SGA president reviews his term By Lizette Chavez Reporter As elections for a new Student Government Association near, Matt Frazer’s term as SGA president will soon be coming to an end. Frazer sat down and shared some of his experiences as well as some advice for any students interested in running and making a difference. “It felt good to be nominated and it was a boost of confidence, it really showed me students wanted to see change,” he said. Reminiscing about “his long week of campaigning” that eventually led to his win, Frazer touched his face and laughed as he recalled his reaction when he fully realized that he was the SGA president. “Ah man, I was shocked, I couldn’t believe it.” At the beginning of his presidency, Frazer’s agenda was mainly focused on increasing student involvement, and improving ASL club and the Deaf community’s experience on campus, a community which Frazer believed held a positive impact in his win, and thanked in his acceptance speech. “I couldn’t have done this without the ASL club and the Deaf community because they were a big advocate for me, and I really appreciate it,” he was reported saying.
LIZETTE CHAVEZ / THE RIP
President Matthew Frazer poses for his interview in the BCSGA Executive Boardroom. One of the ways Frazer wanted to improve campus life was making sure that all students were being represented, as he felt that Bakersfield College holds a diverse population. He did this by attempting to not only listen to everyone’s thoughts, opinions, and complaints but to solve them.
Frazer quickly realized though, that realistically it was not possible to appease everyone and had to come to terms with this. “[People have] so many needs [and] you can’t help everybody,” he said. Regardless of some of these realizations Frazer was glad of
what was accomplished like the increased involvement with the students on campus events. One of these events being the Halloween and Masquerade Ball, which had not only students in attendance but also friends and family as well as some of the Bakersfield community. Working to make an event like
this happen requires the participation of other SGA officers and like most groups, it can be hard to completely agree on matters or events all of the time. Frazer had this to say about keeping harmony between officers and progressing in their work. “We were elected to do something for the students, we know it’s not about us, at the end of the day [we] all [are] coming from a good place, a good heart, it’s all about respect. We all respect each other.” As for whomever the new incoming SGA president turns out to be Frazer had a piece of advice. “Manage your time” he said with a laugh. “Enjoy it, have fun and participate.” Frazer shared his conflicting emotions on his near parting, confessing that it was a lot of work and he would be both happy and sad to go. He admitted that leaving his post would be “bittersweet” and that he loved it, but shared that he would mostly miss planning for events. “Seeing people’s commitment . . . showing that it’s important to a lot of people . . . the experiences alone.” Frazer may have only a few months left in office, but he plans to use his remaining time to keep improving student life and communication for students at BC before his departure.
Fallen tree causes power outage By Lizette Chavez Reporter
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A card reader on the door jam of a class room in the Math and Science building.
Card readers add extra security to BC campus By Morgan Park Editor-in-Chief Bakersfield College’s 2017 Spring semester is slated to see many small-scale maintenance projects, but one of the most significant projects is already in progress: the campus-wide door replacement. Most students and faculty have likely noticed the new security card readers wired to most exterior doors on campus.
When the project is complete, staff will be issued cards that will unlock their classrooms when pressed to the panel, but there’s more to it than convenience. “If we ever had an emergency on campus or had to go into lockdown, we can now lock the whole campus down remotely,” said Maintenance and Operations director Bill Potter. According to Potter, in the case of an emergency, the entire campus would be secure “with
the push of a button and a code” instead of scrambling to lock every door manually. Timers will also be set to lock buildings down at their scheduled times every day. “Every college in the district is doing it, and we’re all doing the same [door] project,” Potter said. “It’s going to protect our students and staff and faculty. It’s going to be a great thing.” The door project is planned for completion by early March.
Ward 5 seat set for special election By Dylan Bryant Reporter Following the death of City Councilmember Jeffrey Tkac, the residents of Bakersfield’s Ward 5 will have the opportunity to make their voices heard in a special election to fill the seat. Tkac took his own life on Jan. 5, a few weeks into his term. The Bakersfield City Council began their first meeting of the year by honoring Tkac, whom was remembered as a loving father and member of the community.
Considering the length of the term left to serve, the city council passed a resolution on Jan. 25 authorizing a special election to take place June 6. The news came as a victory to groups who had been collecting petition signatures in the ward to hold that special election. Joey Williams, director at Faith in the Valley Kern, was involved in the coalition gathering signatures, made up of community organizations and labor unions. He says his main motivation for facilitating that process was
the right of citizens to choose their own representative. “[We need] a City Council to implement priorities for our families,” says Williams. He feels the council’s decision was influenced by the coalition’s efforts. Anyone living in Ward 5 is eligible to run to fill the seat. Local construction professional Ryan Nance, who came in third place in the November election, has already announced his intent to seek the seat again. The necessary paperwork must be filed at the City Clerk’s office by March 10.
A power outage caused by a fallen tree and a downed transformer resulted in the cancellation of classes on Jan. 23. That morning, an email alert and text were sent out to students and staff at 9:16 a.m., though many students were already on campus before the alerts were received. Other students were left inconvenienced as some had a far commute. Diana Lopez, 20, did not know until she was on campus when a woman in the parking lot informed her. Lopez had driven from Arvin and by the time she received an alert, she was already at school. Lopez felt inconvenienced, but regardless, she believes the campus is doing a good job of communicating with students and forgives the timing because of the power outage. Others had no form of transportation and had to improvise their schedules. Jose Aguilar,
19, was dropped off at school and only found out when he arrived at his classroom building and found it locked. Aguilar received no alert, and found himself stranded until his next class at 1 p.m. “I will have to either walk home, which is an hour walk, or have to get a ride with a friend,” he said. Juventino Contreras, 25, did not receive a call, email, or text, but found out online at around 8 a.m. and came to campus to make sure classes were actually cancelled. Contreras only had one class for the day and shared his frustrations by saying he came for nothing and that this is the second time this has happened. This is the second time a fallen tree has caused problems on campus. Three years ago on Jan. 23, 2014, a tree fell and landed on a student. Sara Jones lay trapped for close to 30 minutes before the Fire Department arrived. She was not seriously hurt.
Adjunct sentenced for sexual misconduct By Zach Sullivan Reporter Former Bakersfield College adjunct professor Andrew Hubbard will serve a year in jail after pleading no contest to a felony sex charge in which he was accused of engaging in sexual acts with a minor. Hubbard, 27, reached a plea deal with the prosecution, which dropped three other charges against him. According to court documents, Hubbard received a text message on July 19, 2016 from a former student who was expressing interest in him. At first Hubbard declined, citing the fact that she was underage. It didn’t take long for Hubbard to change his stance, as he invited her over later the next day. The two smoked marijuana and engaged in sexual acts, court documents say. The 16-year-old teen soon reported the incident to the
police and agreed to make a phone call to Hubbard under the supervision of the investigators. During the recorded phone conversation, Hubbard indicated that he and the underage teen had in fact had sex, and told her to call him if she wanted to hang out again. Police arrested Hubbard on July 21, 2016, less than two days after the incident took place. Hubbard was sentenced to a year on Jan. 18, 2017. Judge Colette M. Humphrey, who presided over the case, ordered Hubbard to complete substance abuse counseling, as well as a sex offender management program. Hubbard is required to register as a lifetime sex offender, as well as stay away from the victim. He also cannot associate himself with anyone under the age of 18. The Rip reached out to David A. Torres, Hubbard’s attorney, for a comment but has not received one as of this publication.
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Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
Column
Healthy beauty products Beauty Addicts Advice:
Tips and tricks for the beauty obsessed
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Bakersfield College cheerleaders Sophia Castro, Alyssa Carmona, Macy Varner, and Angie Rivera practice their dance routine with the residents of the Brookdale Riverwalk senior living community.
BC to cheer with seniors By Gaiana Latelers Reporter
Paula Brown practices her dance moves with the other residents of the Brookdale Riverwalk senior living community. Cheer coach Heather Foss is pictured in the background.
For the first time ever, the Bakersfield College cheer department will host a senior halftime show. This community outreach was put together by Bakersfield College cheer coach Heather Foss. She has instructed a cheer routine, which will be performed by senior ladies from the Brookdale Senior Community. Foss has been working along with them to perfect their cheer routine. The event will be held this Saturday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. Visitors are welcome and students are encouraged to attend.
Random Renegade Every issue, The Rip will be interviewing a random faculty member at Bakersfield College about hopes and goals. By Megan Fenwick Reporter
woman on the planet”, and their children. As a student, Allison and Beginning his third semes- his peers were frustrated at the ter as an adjunct professor at lack of on-film acting experiBakersfield College, Colter ence offered to them. Now Allison has big goals for the as a teacher, he tries to recfuture of the theater depart- tify that by including camera ment. work in his curriculum. “No Allison was involved in matter what you’re teachdance and ing at coltheater belege, you fore college, have this but had no program intention of in place making it because his major, y o u ’r e and instead teaching focused people the on sociolskills to ogy and have a job,” football. he explains. H ow eve r, “If you when there want your was a time program to conflict bebe relevant, tween playyou have to Colter Allison offs and a mix in the role in a things that play, he made the decision are actually giving people the to quit football and double potential to make money or major in theater and sociol- create a living at it.” ogy. He graduated with his Allison has high hopes masters from the University for making Bakersfield Colof Georgia and spent two lege’s theater program more months at the National The- competitive and helpful to atre Conservatory in Denver, students who want to make Colorado. a career out of acting. In the Allison has had roles in future, he hopes to implefilms such as “Delivery: The ment classes that are entirely Beast Within”, and small devoted to acting on camera. roles in shows like “Parks and “You’ve got to teach practical Recreation” and “Dawson’s skills, you’ve got to teach the Creek”. He moved to Bakers- business side of it, you’ve got field to be with his wife, who to teach on camera.” he calls “the most wonderful
JESSE NAJERA THE RIP
Elected mayor of Arvin and BC alum shares his vision for the city By Sam Moreno Reporter Jose Gurrola Jr. was recently elected as mayor of Arvin. Gurrola, 23, was born and raised in Arvin and believes “Arvin is poised for tremendous growth and change.” In 2012, at the age of 19, Gurrola decided to run for City Council while still attending Bakersfield College. He majored in political science and graduated from BC in 2013. He continued his education at CSUB, graduating in 2016 with a bachelors in political science and a minor in economics. As mayor of Arvin, Gurrola’s goal is to improve the community he was raised in. He believes Arvin needs “good paying jobs, support for education, support for our police department, improve[d] public safety, improve[d] parks, roads and quality-of-life, protect our air, water and environment.” Gurrola wants Arvin to have a “city government that works for the people of Arvin.” Gurrola was inspired to run for mayor because he wanted to improve the community of Arvin. “I have this undeniable belief that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things and that a brighter future is within our grasp, as long as we are willing to work together to fight for it,” he said. During Gurrola’s campaign season, he strongly supported Measure J, a bond that would potentially benefit Arvin. Gurrola hopes that the Kern Community College District will decide to build a facility in Arvin. “Making higher education more accessible and affordable and attracting jobs that pay a living wage to Arvin will help everyone in our community reach their fullest potential. Additionally, Arvin needs to speak up and stand up for the values of equality, opportunity and justice,” said Gurrola about wanting every
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Newly-elected mayor Jose Gurrola atArvin City Hall. member of the community to be able to reach their fullest potential. Arvin has already begun constructing new projects that the community can look forward to, including a skate park and the Garden in the Sun park, which are currently under construction and scheduled to open soon, according to Gurrola. Recently, members of the community including Gurrola volunteered their time to clean up parks in Arvin on Jan. 16. Gurrola would like to see the community come together for clean-ups and other events that will happen throughout the year. Gurrola has been supporting efforts to make Arvin a safer place. Gurrola said, “The most important task of any local government is to keep its people safe. As mayor, my number one priority is public safety.” According to some BC students, who attend classes that are offered at Arvin High School have reported that their safety is at risk. They have been advised to not drink water from the
drinking fountains because the water may be contaminated. Gurrola said, “It has been known that the arsenic levels found in Arvin water… are above what some governmental agencies [consider] to be safe.” Gurrola supported social media efforts like “#Agua4All”, which aimed to “bring safe drinking water to [the] community.” Gurrola says he is committed to working with the Arvin Community Services District to fix this issue. Gurrola is “honored and privileged” to be serving as mayor of Arvin for the next four years. As for his political future. Gurrola said, “The problem with politics is that politicians focus too much on what their next job could be rather than working hard in the job they presently hold.” Gurrola is not one to think about his legacy that he will leave behind. However, he just hopes that after his term he will “leave a legacy of fighting for [his] community, bringing people together and work as hard as [he] can to move Arvin forward.”
Pink, green, blue, and purple. Those are just some of the many colorful heads of hair roaming around campus. The past few years have shown a major trend in colorful hair, but dyeing your locks these Kylie fun crazy colors may Hendrickson have some consequences if not cared for correctly. Breakage, brittleness, and dryness are some after effects of constantly dyed hair. That’s where I come in, I’m here to help you keep those strands bright, luscious, and healthy. I’ve had every hair color in the rainbow and in between, and suffered the aftermath each time, until now. First, stop washing your hair every day! You may cringe at the thought, but that’s where dry shampoo comes in. Washing your hair every day not only strips your color, but it also strips the natural oils in your hair that it needs, and can actually make your hair even more oily in the process. Wash only three to four times a week, at most. Second, make sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners your go-to. Sulfate-free products will prolong your beautiful color longer. As mentioned earlier, dry shampoo is what can be used between washes, and soon it will become your best friend. I have no idea what I’d do without mine. Last, hair masks are a crucial part in keeping your hair healthy from the damage of the dye. Used once weekly, they can restore moisture and bounce to over-processed hair. They can also help keep split ends and breakage at bay. Now that we have the basics, let’s talk about which brands to actually use. There are thousands of brands out there and it can be extremely overwhelming to find the exact one to choose for your own hair type and need. I can attest, the best brands of hair care currently on the market are Aveda and Oribe. They carry everything you need, specifically designed for any and all hair types, and they have transformed the game for me. Thanks to them, I no longer have to dye my hair every few weeks. The specific items I’m using have catered to and healed every hair concern I’ve ever had. Another significant feature is that Aveda’s ingredients are all natural and organic. Their mission is to help the environment by setting a business standard in environmental sustainability. Aveda also promotes the use of plant-derived materials. Helping the environment while keeping your hair healthy in the process is something to certainly get behind and promote. Oribe’s philosophy is highperformance, treatment-based products, founded by celebrity hairstylists Daniel Kaner and Tev Finger. The packaging is designed with ultimate glam in mind, and what’s inside the bottles are pure magic for your hair. The creative minds of Kaner and Finger have essentially created a brand that feels and looks luxurious every single time you use it. Aveda and Oribe can be purchased online or in specialty salons right here in Bakersfield, your hair will truly thank you.
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Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
Mentalist eases minds for students By Brandon Cowan Reporter
Accompanied by his partner Marielle Aimes, mentalist Rich Aimes did a comedy hypnosis show and a workshop to rid students of test anxiety in the Bakersfield College cafeteria on Jan. 18. Aimes started the show by explaining to the students what hypnosis is. “Hypnosis is simply relaxation followed by suggestion. I get you to this relaxed alpha state of consciousness. When you’re there, that’s what we call a trance state. When you’re in that trance state, you’re going to be completely open to suggestion,” Aimes said. He said that the people who get hypnotized will not remember the experience. He then did a test to see if students could get hypnotized. He told students to interlock their fingers and then to raise their index fingers. “Right about now, those fingers will begin to be moving closer,” he said. Aimes then asked for up to eight volunteers to come up to the stage if their index fingers
moved toward each other when he said they would. After five people came up to the stage to participate in the show, he asked the volunteers to turn off their phones. He also asked the students in the cafeteria to be as quiet as possible and to turn off the flash on cameras so that the volunteers could focus on him. A few minutes later, he started the show by telling the volunteers that when he counts to five, the students will be in a trance. He gave the students instructions after each time he counted to a number, and said a series of words to encourage the volunteers to be in a trance. “Allow your conscious mind to drift away, and as your conscious mind begins to drift, your subconscious mind begins to open up to me,” he told the students on stage. By the time he counted to four, all of the students had closed their eyes. One student dropped her head onto her lap. He then told the students that when they enter a classroom, they will remember everything from that class. He also told the students, “You
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Rich Aimes (The Mentalist) and his wife Marielle introduce themselves to the students in the cafeteria before his show. deserve to be successful.” The hypnotist then got the students to lift their hands off of their lap and put them in front of themselves. He then told them to raise their hands, and said that the higher they raised their hands, the more relaxed they would become. After all of the students raised their hands, they were then told to make fists, which they all did as well. Aimes went on to tell the students that he would give them each a number when he touched
them and would make them go to sleep. He went through the five volunteers and everyone slept when he asked them to. Aimes then told the students that a cold wind is blowing on the students, causing them to shiver. He continued to tell the students to do various actions such as driving racecars, ballet dancing, twist dancing, being in their underwear in front of the audience, seeing the audience in their underwear, and being celebrities.
After the show was over, Aimes did a workshop to hypnotize students in the audience to rid them of their test anxiety. After the show, Aimes said, “I travel all over the country. We travel almost 80,000 miles a year. Yeah, it’s a lot of driving.” Aimes has been doing these shows for 20 years, but he didn’t initially want to be a mentalist. “When I was in college quite a while ago, I had a hypnotist come and pretty much do the same workshop that I just did for these people,” he said.
He originally wanted to be a doctor, but after his grades improved from the workshop, he decided to go to a school in Los Angeles – Gil Boyne. From there he got his certification to be a mentalist at Omni Hypnosis in Florida. One of his professors told him to do a comedy hypnosis show. “So I learned how to do a comedy hypnosis show and went out and started doing it. Been doing it ever since,” Aimes said.
We all have a struggle, and every person has a different story. Each issue, The Rip will feature a student overcoming certain struggles to gain an education and better their life.
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Joshua Kleinendorst, Ulyses Flores, Salvador Ramirez, and Rosy Rodrigiez win first for “Corny Love Story.”
Young directors show off their talent at local 18-hour film festival By Jesse Najera Reporter
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Beatriz Rivas, a 24-year-old BC student, has taken care of her sick mother and dropped out of college. But now, she has focused her attentions on returing to school and achieving her goals.
Renegade Struggles: Beatriz Rivas By Sam Moreno Reporter Meet Beatriz Rivas, a 24-year-old student at Bakersfield College. Her current major is business administration, and she is better known as just “B.” She has been attending BC on and off for five years, and she hopes to graduate and build a better life for her and her mother. Her struggle is staying focused and balancing her priorities. She attends classes two times a week, while working two jobs and taking care of her ill mother. In 2010, Rivas’s mother Ana was diagnosed with breast cancer. At only the age of 17, Rivas was forced to start “adulating.” “I was very young and the bills had to be paid, so I worked and worked. My mom only had me,” she said. Rivas chose to work to ensure there would be a meal on the dinner table every day, sometimes abandoning the idea of seeking a higher education. On multiple occasions, she wanted to give up
on her goals and her dreams. There was something else she had to face, a secret she had kept hidden from her mom for a long time. Rivas was openly lesbian to all her friends, but not to her mom. This caused a strain in their personal relationship. Rivas could not open up to her mom or vent about what was going on in her personal life. She did not keep this secret because she was ashamed of who she was, but because she did not want to disappoint her mom who has been a Catholic her entire life. Not being able to share something so close to her heart “ruined” her relationship with her mom. Rivas recalled not having an intimate conversation with her mom for years. With the stress of work, school, her mother’s illness, and her own personal struggles, she was drained. At this point, Rivas started focusing all her energy and attention onto situations that were not benefiting her future. She withdrew from classes and started slacking at work. Attending classes was
at the bottom of her list and homework was non-existent in her daily activities. She began to skip semesters of school and her graduation date kept getting pushed back. Her wakeup call was when she was fired from one of her jobs. However, Rivas did not let her struggle define her or her future. She overcame her struggle and set her priorities straight. She aims to become a successful entrepreneur one day. She wants to open up her own businesses and make sure her mom doesn’t have to lift a finger for the rest of her life. She says about her mom, “She is the woman who raised me, she provided for me and it’s my turn to do that for her.” Rivas has since come out to her mom and enrolled for the Spring 2017 semester at BC, her first time back since 2015. She has found a stable job and focused on reaching her goals. “I will never let anything hold me back from moving forward in my life,” she said. “I have to reach my goals for my mom and most importantly for me.”
This past Jan. 26, the Kern High School District held their seventh annual 18 Hour Film Project, filmmaking challenge. Student teams from all over the school district were given the opportunity to compete in a “red-carpet” style awards show that took place at Maya Cinemas in Bakersfield. Students had 18 hours to write a script, put together a cast and crew, do pre-production, acquire and use filming equipment and devices, edit, and submit a final movie. Teams were given a film category, a character, a prop, and line of dialogue that had to appear in each film. Students competed for cash, prizes, and trophies. They got to watch their films on the big screen at Maya Cinemas along with their friends and family.
Also in attendance were educators and supporters in the field of cinematography, videography, and social media through the application of multimedia tools. Judging the competition was local filmmaker Rickey Bird of Hectic Films, celebrated anchorwoman and public relations manager for the Kern High School District Lisa Krch, along with other prominent figures in the field of education and film production. The evening’s host and organizer, Bryce Hatch, stated that over 60 entries were submitted this year, including schools outside of the district. Winners were selected from six categories. Additional awards were given for acting, producing, editing and a grand prize winner. When asked if he anticipated this annual event to continue into next year, Hatch said, “we don’t aim to stop.”
JESSE NAJERA / THE RIP
Bryce Hatch hosts the annual high school film festival.
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Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
Male suspect arrested near campus By Mario Saldaña Reporter The Bakersfield Police Department have arrested the suspect who was involved in the incident at the parking lot that involved a woman being sexually harassed on Jan. 23 early in the morning. The conformation of the arrest came from an email that was sent to BC students by the department of public safety director Christopher Counts with the following official statement of events. “The female student was walking through the south west parking lot, when a white male drove up to her and asked her
how to go about purchasing a parking permit. The female student began to explain to him how to do so. “The male than asked her to come closer to his vehicle stating he couldn’t hear her. When the female walked up to the driver’s door she noticed the male was exposed and touching himself inappropriately. The female started walking away from the vehicle and as the male began to drive away the female student had the presence of mind to get a description of the vehicle and the license plate. “The female student contacted the public safety office which
dispatched officers to the area. Officer J. Mattheus observed the vehicle driving east bound on University Avenue and then turned south bound on Mt. Vernon Avenue. “Officer Mattheus followed the suspect and contacted the Bakersfield Police Department via his handheld radio. Officer Mattheus followed the suspect to 24th and Buck Owens Boulevard where Bakersfield Police effected a traffic stop. “The victim was transported to the scene by another public safety officer and she was able to positively identify the driver of the vehicle as the one who ex-
posed himself to her. The suspect was arrested and booked into the Kern County Central Receiving Facility. “The department of public safety received a tip that a subject matching the description from the incident Monday was in the area east of campus. Senior officer Sifuentes located the subject and contacted the Bakersfield Police Department. Bakersfield Police arrived on scene and arrested the subject for parole violations and he is also under investigation for additional crimes as well. “Public safety received several calls from students over the
past two days of possible sightings of this subject. Public safety checked out each report and after investigating a report called in today, they were able to locate him, have him arrested, and removed from the college community. “Any type of activity such as a crime being committed, suspicious behavior, or anything you think just doesn’t look right to you, should be reported to Public Safety Office at 661-395-4554. Public safety serves the students, staff and faculty of Bakersfield College to provide you with a safe environment for you to attend your studies and work.”
Graffiti around the campus on political views By Brandon Cowan Reporter Graffiti was found in multiple restrooms across campus that had words encouraging and bashing President Donald Trump and part of his platform. The restrooms that had graffiti were at the men’s restroom in the library and the men’s and women’s restrooms at the BC Campus Center. The text “Fuck Donald Trump” was written and “Fuck” had been crossed out with a different colored pen and replaced with “Love.” “Trump build the wall!” and “Ban the Muslims” were written above. Automotive technology major Carlos Venegas, 37, gave his opinion on the vandalized bathrooms. “There should be a better way to express your opinion instead of making our school look as crappy as Donald Trump,” he said. Raven Martinez, 19, who is studying biology, was also asked about the graffiti. “I think it’s bad to graffiti. I think there are other ways to vent your opinion other than writing on walls,” he said. Jaine Alarcon, 19, who is ma-
joring in criminology, found the writing to be “insensitive” and “offensive.” He said, “I don’t think it’s the right way about doing it because it’s not their property. It’s just against the law, but I do understand how their emotions are a huge factor when it comes to that sort of thing.” History major Lidia Diaz, 21, said that she felt sad and scared about the writing. “Not everybody who’s a Muslim is a terrorist,” Diaz said. “Not everybody who’s Mexican is a drug dealer.” Director of Maintenance and Operations at Bakersfield College, Bill Potter, said that public safety takes pictures of the graffiti and then they cover it up. “There have been areas where we’ve covered it up and it’s happened the next day or a couple of hours later, so we try to cover it up as quickly as possible,” Potter said. As of Jan. 30, the graffiti in the women’s bathroom at the BC Campus Center was covered. The graffiti in the men’s restroom at the Campus Center had been added to. “Love” crossed out with “Have a reactionary stance on,” and the words “Get in the fucking Bag, Nebby” were written above.
J.R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Offensive remarks that read “Trump build that wall!” and “Ban the Muslims” marked on the men’s restroom in the campus center, and still remains as of this publication.
AMBRIA KING / THE RIP
Anti-Trump remark that read “Fuck Trump” and a drawing of Donald Trump was located in in the women’s bathroom stall in the Fine Arts building, but has been removed.
Kern County looking to help the homeless with a census survey By Mario Saldaña Reporter On Jan. 26 the Kern County Homeless Collaborative held a census throughout the day in Bakersfield to survey people who are currently homeless, and a group volunteering for the census were located here at Bakersfield College. The group that collected information for the census were located by the GET bus transit center where two women, Paulette Rodriguez and Danyel Owens, stood out from 4 a.m. till 8 a.m., waiting for anyone who was homeless that would be willing to take a five-minute survey about their living situation. The census was funded by United Way of Kern County and is also mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Early development known as HUD. The purpose was to have an ideal count of the homeless in Bakersfield to look at what type of programs can be funded to help the homeless population and to locate where most of the homeless population lives and how they can set up services closer to them.
The survey they gave out was completely voluntary; they wanted to make sure people were comfortable on taking the census and explained that it was just strictly for data and information for anyone who feared that it was a way to track them or to get into trouble. The survey asked short questions on an individual’s sleeping and housing arrangement. Some of the questions were if they have a place to stay, if they have a spot where they frequently go to, and what they use to stay warm. Participants who filled out the survey throughout the four-hour station were treated with free breakfast burritos and clothing accessories like gloves and beanies. Throughout Bakersfield, volunteers that helped collect the data were scattered all over the city to locate individuals who were homeless by having a station like the one that was located in BC and volunteers who would walk around on foot to find more people who were willing to take the survey. When asked about how their station was going, Paulette Rodriguez explained how many
AMBRIA KING / THE RIP
Paulette Rodriguez (left) and Danyel Owens (right) assist a resident with their census. people completed the survey. “We started here around 3:45 in the morning, and we saw more active walkers like people who live in the neighborhood, but I think we’re starting to get more traffic now,” she said. She also explained about the group of people she helped. “It’s been kind of a mix. We’ve
been seeing many young adults, to adults who are in their 40’s or 50’s. BC has a non-traditional demographic so that’s why we get a diverse group of people.” Days later from the census, there have been multiple attempts to reach the Kern County Homeless Collaborative for more information on the data
they have collected, but they have not yet concluded all their findings. If you have any questions or need more information about the census or Kern County Homeless Collaborative Paulette Rodriguez and Danyel Owens are located in the Student Life Services.
Column
How to blow off stress The Stress Free Tips: For mental hyigene and wellness Last year was simply draining. From dealing with mass shootings like the one in Orlando, police brutality, or the election being the highest rated reality show of the year, 2016 as a whole was very heavy. Right now, the current climate of our country is very trying and stressful. People feel like they have to walk around on eggshells when interacting with one an- Daulton James other, and perJones sonally I think that’s bogus. We live in a country where we should all be treated equally, and be able to voice our opinions without having to be persecuted for it. That being said, a lot of healing has to be done moving forward. Many of us ignore our emotions, shrug them off and keep it moving. When that’s the complete opposite of what we should be doing. Here are some tips to help get through the problems we may be facing. Journaling may sound whack, and you probably haven’t done it since elementary school, but trust me it works. You don’t have to be formal and write “Dear Diary”, just simply write. That might be the only time in the day where you are completely honest with your feelings. It’s no secret that music can heal. Even psychologists acknowledge that music can heal people. Create a playlist of uplifting songs that will help you get into a positive headspace when you’re feeling down. I suggest Solange Knowles and Childish Gambino’s latest projects. Also look into podcasts like The Friend Zone featuring Francheska Medina, Dustin Ross, and Assante. Take a hike! I don’t mean that literally (unless you want to take a hike), but walk. Walking is good because it actually can help you get in a better mood. It gets the blood pumping, and it releases a certain type of dopamine in the brain that can help you feel better. You don’t have to walk far, just get up and go outside and walk around for a bit. Change of scenery. No need to go out of town for this. You can do this in your home, bedroom, and even your social media feeds. So much of what’s around us actually affects us without us really knowing it. Take a look around, do you like what you see. How does your surroundings make you feel? Do you love where you are? Do you get excited to come home and chill at the end of the day? Or is it drab and dull? When you go on social media do you feel drained? If so, that’s your fault. I admit, sometimes you just can’t help but see negative stuff online. Remember, you curate what you want to see, and what you expose yourself to by who you follow. Pay attention to your feed. Is what you’re seeing invoking change for the better in you? If not, unapologetically unfollow them. Life is all about elevation. Don’t waste your time on things that pull you down. 2017 has just begun and there’s so much potential to be the year that could possibly change your life for the better. All you have to do is take the first step.
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Food with a steampunk bite
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Campus Events
Above: The marquee metalwork steampunk sign on the wall sets the tone for the restaurant with its moving gears and colorful lettering. Left: Meagan Avila serving lunch to diner Lite Najera and her daughter Zyah. PHOTOS BY JESSE NAJERA THE RIP
51/50’. I had The German which is a certified angus beef burger, aged white cheddar, Applewood smoked bacon, pickle slivers, stone-ground mustard on a brioche bun with sweet potato fries for $11.95. Other dishes are in a similar price range. They also serve breakfast and have tasty looking desserts. I ordered the burger well done and it was. The bacon was thick cut and delicious. The stone ground mustard was tangy and delicous. It was a great burger. The sweet potato
fries were sweet and crunchy. I considered ordering some to go. Our waitress was a young lady named Meagan Avila. She, along with the rest of the staff, were kind, friendly, and a little punk rock in her style. They were patient, attentive and genuinely kind to my family and to the other diners. Meagan was helpful and good natured when my family and I wanted to move to a different table. The price is slightly higher than the average burger restau-
rant, but the quality of the food and the attention to friendly service is definitely an example of above average. The steampunk theme in the restaurant’s décor and style is tastefully done and the staff is super cool. The next time you find yourself in Tehachapi, a short drive outside of Bakersfield, I recommend you stop for a meal at the Steampunk café and grill.
Filthy Frank’s ‘Pink Season’ is uproarious By Mario Saldaña Digital Content Editor
Renegade Events Maria Wright has been named the new Director of Academic Support, which is a new position at Bakersfield College designed to help students seeking additional education outside of the classroom. Scribes wanted. Bakersfield college is looking for students to participate in the scribe program to help students with disabilities take notes. Scribes are paid $10.50/hour. If interested go to collegecentral.com/bakersfieldcollege to apply. The 12th Annual Garden Fest, which will be held on April 22, 2017, is looking for BC clubs, organizations, departments or programs to set up booths. Reserve your space now by contacting Sally Sterns at 661-395-4446. Submission forms are online.
By Jesse Najera Reporter If you’re not a Tehachapi local, the Steampunk Café and Grill might be hard for you to find, but you should find it. It’s located at 20324 W. Valley Blvd. in Tehachapi. The restaurant is a family-owned business, owned and managed by Karen Vaagen. The cuisine is new American, with a reputation for a good burger. The restaurant sits at the backend of a shopping center, somewhat hidden from street view. It was worth the time it took to find. Walking in the front door I saw gears and levers being turned by, what looked like, a steam-powered metal contraption attached to the wall facing the front door. Above the gear work was the word ‘STEAMPUNK’ also attached to the wall. The letters have the appearance of being created from metal work. I was greeted by a waitress named Danielle Avila with a friendly smile and an invitation to sit wherever we liked. There are pictures and objects throughout the restaurant that are interesting to look at and would appeal to the steampunk fashion trend and style. Above the bakery case and hanging from the ceiling is the ‘Old No. 1’ Steampunk Rocket Pack. Just outside the kitchen doors, there is a large counter area for coffee, wine, beer, baked goods, and prep work used by the staff. There are two rooms for dining with mostly booth seating and a handful of tables. The décor has a rustic feel with clear artisan glass lighting hanging from above. The menu itself is on a metal plate attached to a square board hanging from a small black chain. The meals have interesting names like ‘The German’, ‘Philafornia’, and ‘Kent’s
Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
which can be the biggest positive of this album. Though since his alter ego, Pink Guy, is the star of the album here, I will easily admit this album has many tracks that will have you laughing, but in no means in a good way. With this album you’ll either never hear it again, or ever share this with any of your friends or peers, even though it does have very great quality hip-hop tracks and beats that can go head-to-head with any other mainstream song. As awful as this album can be for not taking itself seriously, Miller brings up a very great point at the end of his song “Rice Ball,” explaining the whole situation with the album. “I didn’t even know real and fake music existed, I mean, I think it’s your fault for putting that into categories like, music is music, if you don’t think this
is real music that’s your problem.” Explaining to many of his fans who wanted more of a Joji project instead of this “not serious” Pink Guy album, that it’s all music whether you like it or not, it’s all made by him, nothing is different. If you have no idea who Filthy Frank is, you really won’t enjoy this album, and most likely you will think it’s pure trash, and that’s perfectly fine, solely because of the lyrics and the topics it brings up. It’s not that George Miller means all the crude and absurd humor. His whole take on his YouTube channel is a huge satire of what is the Internet, and how people use it, bringing it up in an edgy, comedic way, and this album clearly has it. This album is now available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Feb. 1: Art with Impact – Movies for Mental Health, Wednesday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. The presentation will show a series of short films, followed by a brief discussion. Location: Fireside room. Feb. 1: “As I Lay Dying: What is Important in End-of-Life Decision Making,” Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. The presentation will explore personal and family values regarding end-of-life care in context of social policy and broader cultural values. Location: Levan Center. Feb. 3: Inter-College Council (ICC) Meeting, Friday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5. Feb. 3: Student Success Conference, Friday, 8 a.m.12:30 p.m. An event for students currently on academic probation. Location: Indoor Theater, Levan Center. Feb. 6: Financial Aid Appeal Workshop, Monday, 4-5 p.m. A workshop for students suspended from financial aid for the spring semester. Register online. Location: CSS #151. Feb. 7: How to create your student education plan, Tuesday, 9-11:30 a.m. Location: Counseling Center. Feb. 7: BCSGA Elections Candidate Workshop #1, Tuesday, 4 p.m. This event is mandatory for all of those who wish to run for BC Student Government. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5. Feb. 9: BCSGA Elections Candidate Workshop #2, Thursday, 9 a.m. This event is mandatory for all of those who wish to run for BC Student Government. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5. Feb. 9: Community Movie Night: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Thursday, 6 p.m. Admission is free. Location: Forum East. Feb. 10: Financial Aid Appeal Workshop, Friday, 10-11 a.m. A workshop for students suspended from financial aid for the spring semester. Register online. Location: CSS #151. Feb. 13: BCSGA Elections Candidate Workshop #3, Monday, 12:30 p.m. This event is mandatory for all of those who wish to run for BC Student Government. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5. Feb. 13: Financial Aid Appeal Workshop, Monday, 4-5 p.m. A workshop for students suspended from financial aid for the spring semester. Register online. Location: CSS #151. Feb. 15: BCSGA Elections Candidate Workshop #4, Wednesday, 9 a.m. This event is mandatory for all of those who wish to run for BC Student Government. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5. Feb. 15: Life Skills Workshop: Resume Writing – How to Get Employers to Notice You, Wednesday, 10 a.m. The event focuses on how to write a resume. Location: BCSGA Executive Boardroom, Campus Center 5.
After years of Internet success as a comedian and a music artist on YouTube, George Miller or popularly known as “Filthy Frank” on his YouTube channel, released his long-anticipated album Pink Season in early January. Filthy Frank is infamous for his absurd and very crude dark humor on his channel, which features music he makes, rants, and a bizarre, anime-like show, that is not animated at all. In his channel, George Miller also has many alter egos, this album focusing on Pink Guy. Miller is already well known for his music as “Joji”, and this album really shows the great quality of the production in the music Miller creates. The album has a lot of high quality beats
that are arguably a lot better than any other producer, coming from the fact it’s pretty much him working on every song. Songs like “STFU” have an acoustic guitar strumming as he sings in the beginning, but out of nowhere the beat drops and a hip-hop beat comes through as he raps his verses. This song is the most notable song on the album since it actually bumped off Ed Sheeran from the number one spot on Spotify. Very well-produced and catchy songs you can take seriously like “Rice Balls,” “Dumplings,” “Pink Life,” “Fried Noodles,” “We Fall Again,” and a few other songs, are found on this album that have real, insane lyrics that will have you hooked, though most of the songs do have grade-A type of hip-hop beats that bring out the creative and talented side of Miller,
R enegade M ind s
“What do you think of professors requiring a textbook they wrote?”
Around Town
Feb. 3: Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra 2016-2017 Young People’s Concerts, Friday, 9:30-11 a.m. Location: Rabobank Theater. Feb. 7, 6 & 8: Willie Nelson. Location: Buck Owens Crystal Palace at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18: Authority Zero, Hey Smith. Saturday, 8 p.m. Location: B Ryders. Feb. 20: The Harlem Globetrotters, Monday, 2 p.m. Location: Rabobank Arena. Compiled by J. R. Hensley
Photo Editor
Julissa Cazares
Leslie Felix
Angel Torres
Mariah’Lah Wofford
Emiliano Tristan
Monica Ramirez
Age 19
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Age 19
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Age 19
“I think that is so narcissitic. Maybe if it applies, but some teachers are like english books, and their book is about their life and it just doesn’t apply. I think those teachers just want us to buy their book.”
“I haven’t had a professor that required their books. They’re probably just trying to get their income. Hopefully they’re not that expensive for the students that do.”
“I haven’t had one. But it’s funny, I have only actually bought three books here. Other than that I have never had to use a book. This is my eighth semester.”
“I haven’t had one, but I would read it to see what they’re talking about.”
“I don’t think that’s fair because let’s say it’s a physics book, there is a lot of physics books out there. Making it one, especially because it’s yours, is very demanding and selfish. ”
The Renegade Rip EDITORIAL BOARD First place for newspaper in 2011, third place in 2013, 2014, 2015 for CNPA General Excellence Ninth place for newspaper in 2016 for national Best of Show contest by Associated Collegiate Press Second place nationally in 2016 for website publication by Associated Collegiate Press The Renegade Rip is produced by Bakersfield College journalism classes and is 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, Associated Collegiate Press, and California Colleges Media Association.
Editor-in-Chief.......................Morgan Park Sports Editor...........................Sam L. Jaime Photo Editor............................J. R. Hensley Digital Content Editor.......Mario Saldaña
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STAFF Reporters/photographers: Dylan Bryant, Lizette Chavez, Brandon Cowan, William Dubon, Megan Fenwick, Kylie Hendrickson, Daulton James Jones, Ambria King, Gaiana Latelers, Fernanda Martinez, Sam Moreno, Jesse Najera, Zach Sullivan
Adviser.......................................... Danny Edwards
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Wednesday, Februar y 1, 2017
A healthy trip to Washington, D.C. By Daulton James Jones Reporter Over winter break, Bakersfield College’s Ray Purcell was invited to the White House for his contributions in the field of Health and Wellness. He was accompanied by students Vicente Lopez and Alexis Rivera. The three of them came back from their White House trip with new visions of themselves, BC, and new ideas to bring to the table to improve the school’s approach to health and wellness. During the start of his time as the head of BC’s health center in January of 2015, Purcell was approached by members of the community to inform students about the ACA (Affordable Care Act) on campus. This was after the ACA enrollment period was over, so he put it on his list of things to do next semester. Last September, he got back to that by contacting the same members of the community who got him in touch with the Dignity Foundation, a non-profit organization for community outreach. He also got into contact with Omni Health and Covered California to help him reach out to students about the ACA in an effort to inform and involve students with health and wellness issues. It was during this time that the White House Office of En-
RAY PURCELL
Ray Purcell with his students Vicente Lopez and Alexis Rivera as they present a BC t-shirt to Michelle Obama. gagement reached out to BC and informed Purcell that the White House was interested in promoting the ACA. “When I got this I was glad because we were already doing all of these things to try and promote the ACA,” Purcell said. “From having people on campus passing out pamphlets to our online magazine Student Health 101.” Purcell and the rest of the Student Health Services department were already making steps toward student-based health. During open enrollment for the ACA last year, BC had representation all over campus to
promote and enroll students and faculty members. Aaron Johnson, a representative from Covered California, came to BC to inform students and faculty. Two days before Christmas, Purcell received an email from the White House thanking BC for participating in promoting the ACA and Covered California, which he will be getting a certificate from. In that same email, they informed him that he’d been chosen to come to the White House and represent BC. “I was just thinking, ‘We’ve got to go! We have got to go. You can’t say no to the White
House,’” Purcell said. He was excited to go and was glad that students would be able to attend because they work for the Student Health Center. The health center’s student governance was able to receive a grant from a charity that is also helping BC become a tobacco free campus, which ultimately led to them all attending. Once they got to Washington, D.C., they met with Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s office staff to do an informational on student health and how under promoted it is. “We wanted to present to them the importance of student health. Because so many students are an illness, flat tire, sick parent away from their diploma or certificate,” Purcell said. “We are one of the programs that were made to keep students in school and healthy to help them succeed.” The Friday of their trip was the recognition day, where schools from all over the nation and Puerto Rico came together. Here they all shared ideas of what they wanted to do to move their student body in a different and healthier direction. The one thing they all had in common was the fact that they are all trying to provide quality healthcare to the student community in order to further their education.
At the White House, they had group conversations about the accomplishments the schools had made in the arena of health. This is where Purcell exchanged and gathered information with the other campuses that were there. Three-hundred fifty schools in the nation and Puerto Rico agreed to follow the best practices in terms of ACA enrollment. Of the 350 campuses, the White House chose 60 to attend. BC was one of the 60. Coming back from attending this assembly at the White House not only the students, but Purcell, were inspired. They haven’t said how these inspirations are going to manifest themselves on the BC campus yet, but they are coming. “It was great to see these students come to realize that they are my boss,” Purcell said. “They were here to represent their student body in D.C. to try and help them become a better campus. To see them try to make an impact on their campus, and advocate for their campus in Washington, D.C. When a couple days ago they never realized that they could truly make an impact.” Rivera wants to participate in an organization that will improve youth health by physical exercise and education, and making BC tobacco free.
J.R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Looking northeast toward the snow-capped mountains from Panama Road after recent rain that lowered Kern County’s drought severity level.
DROUGHT: Rains subside drought, but Kern County still not out of the woods Continued from Page 1 double what the city received the previous two years combined. 2017 saw those numbers increase exponentially, as Bakersfield received 2.76 inches of rainfall in 24 days, 1.62 inches more than the average for January. Despite the record year, Lindsay Ono, an Environmental
Horticulture and Agriculture professor at Bakersfield College believes Kern County and Bakersfield are not completely in the clear. “Our biggest challenge is that we’re not out of the woods yet. Because we’ve been in an extreme situation, we have not been able to replenish or recover. It’s going to take us a lot longer to get out of the drought, especially in our areas because
Central California is not the hub of the rainfall,” Ono said. Ono said the rainfall California has received this past winter is not because of El Niño, like many scientists and people speculated, but because of another weather pattern. “Definitely not an El Niño. Right now they’re saying we’re in a weak El Niña. It’s a matter of the weather conditions in the oceans, so the temperatures we
see. As a result, we will generally see a bit wetter conditions. “We’re actually at the beginning of our rain season, so the majority of our rains come in January, February and March. So after that point, in some of our El Niño years we’ve actually gone all the way into May. If it does occur in that fashion, we might get lucky and see where the rain prolongs throughout the spring time. It would be tough
on our farmers, but good for our water climate,” Ono said. Ono explained that even though Northern California may be mostly out of the drought, Kern County and Bakersfield are not, and are still being listed by the Monitor as one of the last areas in California to be in D-3 extreme drought. As a result, Ono said not to expect any changes to local water rules and regulations for the time being.
LAWSUIT: Chain Cohn Stiles firm representing BC students in BPD lawsuit Continued from Page 1 on the sidewalk just a few feet away. Although Hines was arrested without an incident, he was charged with jay-walking and resisting arrest. He was brought downtown to jail to be held. “When the lady was putting in my information about the arrest, she told [the officer] that they could not hold me on these charges,” Hines said. “He said hold on so he could go add resisting arrest to it.” Resisting arrest would ultimately lead to him being detained in jail that night up until being released at 2 a.m. the next morning. With no transportation, Hines was forced to walk from the county building to his house near West High. Even with the previous night event, Hines made it to school to take the final he had been studying for the
night before. “Yeah, I went to school that day and I took my final. I ended up getting an A on it,” he said. He states that when all this happened he was still in shock and disbelief that this had really happened to him and his friend the night before. He came to this realization after taking his final. The Bakersfield District Attorney Lisa Green dropped the charges against the two men, and said that there was no reason for these two men to be arrested and detained for jaywalking. This has led to an internal investigation of the police officers involved and the practices that had taken place that night. After the DA Green’s ruling, Hines’s father contacted the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) who have been supporting and helping represent the two young men. NAACP
President Patrick Jackson, as well as the other members of the community have assisted the two young men by bringing the event to light and spreading the word. On Jan. 25, a City Council meeting was held in which Hines, Grismore, Jackson, and many concerned members of the community gathered to express their feelings, disbelief, and desire for the council to take a stand. At the City Council Meeting, Jackson proposed some ideas that he feels would help prevent things like this from happening. “Approve the budget of body cameras. What happened to these two men probably would not have happened if that budget had been approved. Also, put forth an effective citizen’s police union. Other cities have adapted this concept, and I feel it would be an effective item
to place on your agenda. That would help improve the police issues that we’ve been having in our community.” At the meeting Hines and Grismore reinforced that they too would like the City Council to place body cameras on their agenda. “I feel like the use of body cameras would help out a lot,” Hines said. “We are at the city council meeting tonight to try and change some the policies the police department may have. Because this could happen at any time to anybody, anywhere. And that’s the main thing we learned from it--that they can do anything they want to anybody they want. It can happen right now.” On Jan. 25, the law firm of Chain Cohn Stiles hosted a press conference to announce the filing of government claims for wrongful arrest, exces-
sive force, and racial profiling against the city of Bakersfield and the BPD on behalf of Hines and Grismore. “There was no reason whatsoever for these two young men to be stopped, let alone assaulted and detained overnight,” Said Neil K Gehlwat, the attorney for Hines and Grismore. “But perhaps what is most troubling is that the actions of these officers that night appeared to be racially motivated. The officers did what they did because they believed that Timothy and Xavier were affiliated with a gang-conclusion. We feel they reached [that conclusion] only because the two young men were black.” This lawsuit is currently underway with hopes of a positive outcome. Hines and Grismore most importantly want to make people aware of the injustice they faced, and help prevent it from happening to others.
Column
Trump’s Legion of Doom Practical Idealism: Seeking
a balance between what can be done and what should be done in the political landscape today President Donald Trump’s inauguration took place Jan. 20. Soon thereafter, the Senate confirmed retired Marine Corps general James Mattis as Secretary of Defense in a 98-1 vote, with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) the lone vote against. It was the first in a series of hurdles the Trump administration must overcome to confirm his cabinet of extremists, billionaires, and bankers. If Democrats have learned anything from their colleagues in the Senate, it should be obstruction is Dylan Bryant a politically acceptable measure in the view of their constituency as long as it is justified. The obstruction of these appointments is not only justified, but necessary to protect our government from the excess influence of wealth and extremist views of his appointees. Jeff Sessions, a 20-year-veteran of the Senate who previously served as attorney general for the southern district of Alabama, was appointed by the Reagan administration. For years, he’s been considered to be on the fringe of the Republican right, having a controversial history so plagued by racist remarks that he was once denied appointment to federal judgeship after testimony that he used the n-word, and once joked that the Ku Klux Klan was “OK, until [he] learned they smoked marijuana.” Coretta Scott King wrote a letter testifying against his nomination. He was once declared to be “amnesty’s worst enemy” by the National Review, and has stated on the Senate floor that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Sessions has been entrusted with ensuring the equal application of the law across the United States, yet the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) says senator Sessions is guilty of hate speech, and his presence in the administration is a “tragedy for American politics.” In the wake of movement for social and racial justice across this country, we can’t risk having a man with a penchant for discrimination as the nation’s top prosecutor. Betsy DeVos is a billionaire heiress, who has never attended a public school in her life, nor have her children. She is a Christian supremacist who has donated $6.1 million to an organization designated by the SPLC as an “anti-LGBT hate group.” Her brother Erik Prince, aka Echo Papa, is the former CEO of Blackwater, the country’s largest private military, which is guilty of crimes against humanity. DeVos is nominated for Secretary of Education, in charge of the nation’s public schools. She has dedicated her life to advocacy for charter school programs; private, for-profit institutions with histories of segregating neighborhoods, underpaying teachers, overpaying administrators, and aren’t subject to the same standards as public schools. She wants to destroy public education, and the opportunity for poor and middle class children across the country to get a quality education. Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil, the world’s largest private company, and nomination for Secretary of State, is a perfect example of the stranglehold corporate America has on government institutions. Tillerson has never held office, and his only experience as a diplomat is as a representative of Exxon. He is Exxon, and cannot separate himself from his interests there. His confirmation would prove that our representatives need not worry about the interests of the people, only corporations.
Sports
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Wet weather highlights Winter Classic J. R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Memorial Stadium plays host to AHL outdoor match
The Bakersfield Condors pass through BC campus enroute to center ice.
J. R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
The Bakersfield Condors zamboni drivers stand in rain waiting to go on and clear the ice.
J. R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Wayne Gretzky meets with the press after the celebrity game to answer questions.
J. R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Two players battle it out for posession of the puck through pools of rain water during the Outdoor Classic game. BC’s Memorial Stadium was frozen over for the occasion.
Softball opens season with sights set on a playoff return By Mario Saldaña Reporter The spring semester is already in full swing, which means Bakersfield College Renegades softball team has already played its season-opener on Jan. 31, and has coach Christie Hill and the team hoping for another chance at the postseason. The Renegades made the playoffs last season with a season record of 14-7, finishing second in the Western State Blue Conference. The playoff run only lasted one game in a loss to Long Beach City College in the first round of the
Southern Regional Play-In. This season, Hill’s two main goals for the team are to qualify for the postseason, and go further in the playoffs. “I would love to see us qualify for the postseason again and make it past the first round of postseason this year, since last year we made it to postseason, now I want to see us go two steps further, past the first round,” Hill said. As far as players, many of them from last season are back and ready to play, but with every new season, there is always room for new athletes. Hill expects returning players to help the new
players so that they feel part of the team quickly. “Our returners are awesome, they’re really great with the new girls coming in and kind of getting them set on how we run things around here,” she said. “I have six returners, and they are all super helpful. They welcome the new kids with open arms and, we haven’t had any problems yet.” The Renegades play at Fresno City College Feb. 2, and play two games at Cypress (against Cypress and Antelope Valley) on Feb. 4. The Renegades first home game of the season is Feb. 9 against Taft.
Hill said the weather has caused some problems for practices. The practice field has been flooded recently due to the rain, but that hasn’t stopped the team, who find any spot they can to get ready. “It has been quite a struggle with the weather,” she said. “Our field is completely underwater, so we’ve been on the dirt for a total of five days, so we’re just doing hitting stations, stuff like that at our cages, and doing our best in the grass and at the gym.” Hill was asked what a successful season means to her at the end of the season.
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Gades honor Dahl, level competition By Daulton James Jones Reporter Bakersfield College women’s basketball is in full swing with a positive record this season, and the potential to move forward to win the conference title. On top of that, head coach Paula Dahl was given a plaque for achieving 300 wins during her time at BC. During the break just before Christmas, the Renegades participated in the Monterey Peninsula College tournament where they played against American River, Monterey Peninsula and Las Positas. During this tournament, they had a tough loss against American River, falling 70-65. Mackenzie te Velde scored 27 points with 15 rebounds. After the American River loss, Bakersfield College came back and won back-to-back games against Las Positas and Monterey. The Renegades beat Las Positas 75-54 with te Velde and Kennedy Nielson scoring 15 and 14 points, respectively. Point guard Julie Olvera had four steals and five assists. BC beat Monterey 69-59 to close the tournament. Dahl said that the team’s defense contributed to their win. Following the Monterey tour-
nament, the Renegades beat West Hills 85-43. Then they headed to the Hancock Crossover Tournament to play Allan Hancock. Olvera was out with a concussion that game. The Renegades lost 58-55, and Marissa Figueroa led the scorers with 19 points. BC then beat Cuesta 85-59, with Nielson scoring 32 points, and te Velde scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Since beating Cuesta, which was ranked 14th in the state, BC went on a winning streak, beating Compton 81-34 and LA Pierce 90-35 to start off Western State Conference play. Figueroa led the team at the Compton game scoring 22 points, and it was Olvera’s first game back. She had eight rebounds and four assists. These two wins would be Dahl’s 299th and 300th during her time as the BC women’s head coach. During the game against Santa Monica, Dahl was awarded a plaque commemorating her 300 wins. Dahl credits it to her persistence and her teams’ hard work throughout the years. “When you do something long enough you’ll eventually get there,” Dahl said when asked about her award. “I’m thankful. They really shocked me. It’s been good. I’ve been coaching
Column
Same old song and dance E9: What you wouldn’t believe about sports.
J.R. HENSLEY / THE RIP
Sophomore guard Kennedy Nielson (30) attempts a jumpshot against Santa Monica. basketball here longer than any male or female coach, and I’m just really glad to be a part of the Renegade nation.” The Renegades lost that night to Santa Monica 78-73. They were up against Santa Monica by seven points with seven minutes to go, and ended up losing by five. On Jan. 25, the Renegades
beat West LA 79-21 after having their bus break down. Te Velde led the scoring with 23 points, and she also pulled 18 rebounds with four steals. After losing against Santa Monica, this put the Renegades back on track. On Jan. 28, BC led by 12 points at halftime but lost to College of the Canyons 83-75. Niel-
Baseball underway
Win streak reaches four
By Sam L. Jaime Sports Editor
By Sam L. Jaime Sports Editor Since Dec. 16, the Bakersfield College men’s basketball team has only lost one game. With four games remaining in regular season schedule, the team is 17-8 and in first place. Prior to drubbing Canyons 9179 on Jan. 28, the Renegades’ endurance was tested in back-toback overtime games. The first was a nail-biting, three-point victory in doubleovertime against Santa Monica on Jan. 21, during which freshman guard Jamar Hammonds accounted for 32 points and 15 rebounds. Hammonds scored another 30 points on Jan. 25 against West LA, leading BC to an exciting 85-82 finish. Since Jan. 18, Hammonds has logged at least 20 points in each game he’s played, a trend that doesn’t surprise head coach Rich Hughes.“He’s capable. He’s had big games in preseason, and like all of our guys, we are playing better now than we did early. He’s a freshman, he’s getting his confidence and you are seeing the result of that,” said Hughes. Heading into the final stages of the regular season, Hughes is mindful of the task ahead. “They’ve come along way as a group. We just have to stay focused, you can lose focus of what got you to this point of the year, so they just have to keep their minds set on playing for each other,” he said, “we’re just trying to get better. You just want to play your best at the end of the season, and hopefully we’re doing that right now.” Finishing the season strong is paramount in order for the Renegades to reach the postseason.
son had 22 points. The Renegades (2-2 in the conference, 13-9 overall) have four games left in the season, and will play at home Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. against LA Pierce. They travel to Santa Monica on Feb. 8, then finish the regular season at home against West LA (Feb. 11) and Canyons (Feb. 15).
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Sophomore Sean Leflore (25) grabs a rebound against Santa Monica in overtime Jan. 21. “We need to be first [place] or second [in our conference]. If we’re third, we won’t get in. If we’re first, we’re automatically in,” said Hughes, “Every game is different. Any team in our league could win the conference. We
have to stay focused. We have to play the way we are capable of playing and our biggest thing is the defensive end. If we play good defense, we’ll always have a chance to win the game.” The Renegades seek to in-
crease their win streak to five games hosting LA Pierce Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. in the Gil Bishop Sports Center. Bakersfield College is 4-1 at home, and 4-0 in conference matchups to this point in the season.
The 2017 season has arrived for the Bakersfield College Renegades. Preparation for the season opener against Ventura meant adding another variable to the team’s practice schedule, as rain in prior days forced players to focus on maintaining the field. The team combatted the soggy conditions, packing dry dirt behind home plate, throughout the infield and along baselines before taking the field for practice. Players seemed unfazed by the extra workload, maintaining chatter throughout. “They are all unique, they are all different, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how we’ve managed to handle bad weather since we’ve come back,” head coach Tim Painton said. “These guys are a blue-collar group that will work, and when you have that kind of group, I think good things can happen.” This roster, comprised of 14 sophomores and 26 freshmen, will be challenged from the early stages of scheduled play. “We probably have the best non-conference schedule in the state of California,” Painton said. “We’ve done that intentionally; you play good people, or you don’t get better.” That schedule opened on Jan. 27 against Ventura, a team Painton considers to have “perhaps the best pitching in the state” and continued on Jan. 28 against Fullerton, which last year had “among the best programs in the state.” Win or lose, Painton looks at the long-term aspect of the season. “Nobody’s going to go 400. All we look at is trying to improve and get better, each time out, and see where it takes us,” he said. “You find out your strengths and weaknesses right away. Everyone wants to win, but for us it’s more about growth throughout the season.”
I am so happy the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, and still waiting for the day sarcasm becomes a font. In arguably their easiest path to the big game by even the most casual of football fans standards, it feels like the Brady/ Belichick-era Patriots are in their 30th appearance. Tom Brady is plastered across ESPN and over-saturating your Facebook feed, and the Sam L. Jaime “deflategate” fiasco that once dominated the sports world is muted by the sensationalism of a sixthround draft pick being heralded as the greatest quarterback to don the NFL Shield on his sleeve. Sure, Brady has fantastic numbers, he has a legacy, but there is one aspect of being the greatest that often gets overlooked. Michael Jordan is considered the greatest basketball player in NBA history for more than his six titles and highlight reels. Jordan created the NBA brand, helping to spread it throughout the world. Brady and the Patriots have had the complete opposite impact on the NFL. Since their coming of age season, which culminated in their first Super Bowl in 2001, the team has been wrought with controversy. The “tuck rule,” which redefined the interpretation of a forward passing motion, was born out of a snow-laden playoff matchup against the Oakland Raiders. Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson leveled Brady, seemingly forcing a Patriots turnover. In that moment, the football world witnessed the first of many free passes Brady has been given to this point. Then came “spygate”, in which the Patriots thought it was cool to videotape the opposing team’s practices. The aforementioned deflategate where Brady thought it was acceptable to order game ball deflation, destroy his phone rather than comply with investigation, and have the audacity to play the victim. Granted, the Patriots have paid for these mistakes for the most part, excluding the moral incongruity of the deflategate game happening during a playoff run which resulted in a Super Bowl victory in 2014. Of course, other teams and players get into trouble. The NFL offseason is usually brimming with Bleacher Report notifications of player arrests and fines, or teams having issues with the league in some facet. Yet in nearly all of these situations, the individuals involved have some sort of apology, or at least attempt to rectify the situation. The Patriots and Tom Brady however generally tend to cry foul, dragging their dirty laundry into public opinion, and the league’s image into the gutter with them. I understand the league has intense moments of impunity, and perhaps to openly challenge the league in court may say more about the league than the organization itself, but when you lose fear of the consequences, you are placing yourself above the very sport you compete in. And that is exactly what Brady, Belichick, and the Patriots consider themselves, and have for the better part of nearly two decades now, and it’s a tired act. Even if they were the definition of “by the book”, the thought of their downfall creates a sense of schadenfreude that I cannot deny.
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Taking the LA County deputy sheriff test Story by Fernanda Martinez Photos by Ambria King
Around 60 applicants showed up to test at Bakersfield College on Jan. 21, most with some prior knowledge of law enforcement. Then there was me, who showed up knowing nothing about what I was about to get myself into, yet wanted to test my abilities on what it takes to become a deputy sheriff trainee. I had planned everything out the night before. I was supposed to be in bed by 9 p.m. to ensure that I got a good rest and be up by 5:30 a.m. to have breakfast and arrive at the testing event on time. Yet, since my fears got the best of me, I ended up staying awake until 2 a.m. looking over practice written exams and trying to figure out how to do a successful push-up, but mostly tweeting about how nervous I was. I got up on time that morning and prepared myself both physically and mentally. On my way to the campus, I was thinking that I was going to make a fool out of myself next to people, mostly males twice my size who could probably do 10 push-ups in five seconds. When I arrived, I saw both males and females of all shapes and heights, and I was finally able to breathe. I had to go through the process of actually applying for the job in order to test so I could be on the same page as every other applicant. The first part of the test was the written exam. We were told that the exam would be a combination of vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing clarity, spelling, grammar, deductive and inductive reasoning, and data interpretation. I was confident about this part because I have always done well with English and was hoping my deductive and inductive reasoning experience with Dr. John Giertz’s rhetoric and argumentation class would kick in. We took the test and later waited for our results. I was the last one to receive my score, and the whole time I thought it was because I had done so poorly, that they were having a hard time grading it. I received a slip that said “You have passed the qualifying written test and have been scheduled to participate on the Validated Physical Ability Test.” Even though I am not a criminal justice major, it personally made me feel happy to know that I was capable of passing the
Bakersfield College hosted a deputy sheriff testing event for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 21. LASD conducted a written exam, physical ability test, and a structured interview for applicants, all in one day. LASD Lt. Joel Barnett stated the main purpose of their recruitment event in Bakersfield was to offer applicants the three tests and receive their score in one day instead of traveling to Los Angeles multiple times to take each test on different days. Pat Smith, professor of criminal justice at Bakersfield College, stated that the testing event was coordinated to be of great advantage to BC criminal justice majors and other interested individuals around the Bakersfield area.
written test. After that, all the passing applicants were moved to another room where we waited to receive our physical ability test. That’s when I started to get nervous again. It was a long waiting period, so I decided to talk to some of the recruitment staff to see if I could get a better insight on what was expected of the physical ability test. Sgt. Louis Serrano Jr. explained that the test was comprised of push-ups, a 75-yard run, arm endurance, sit-ups, and a 1.5 mile run. “You don’t have to do 50 push-ups or 200 situps,” he said. “It’s the totality of your score that counts. So for instance, if you do really good on the run, it’ll help you do less on the push-ups.” My first thought was “No, don’t sign me up for cardio.” Yet, I felt a bit more confident on the physical test after learning how it was scored. I still kept in mind, however, that I needed to give it my all in order to receive the best possible score. Deputy Sheriff Donald Nelson explained that the test was designed to see if applicants have a balance with cardio, muscular and abdominal strength, and endurance. “The running part of the test, for example, tests if you are able to run after someone without giving up,” he said, “if you do not have the ability to keep running, then there is no point in chasing a guy if you are going to let him get away from you.” My group was the last to go out and take the physical ability test. The first thing was the push-up test. A water bottle was placed underneath us and our chest had to touch the bottle in order for the push-up to count. I did zero push-ups, and I’ll say it loud and proud that my noodle arms have no strength whatsoever. To save myself from some more embarrassment, I will not give more details about how I am not in the best physical condition at this moment. By this point, as you can imagine, I did not pass the physical ability test. Since I did not pass this section, I was not able to continue on and advance to the interview. No, I am not ashamed, and I am genuinely content that I was able to experience this. I am a journalism major, and I am not interested in becoming a deputy sheriff, but I learned a lot
Above: Fernanda Martinez (top photo on right) takes the written exam. Once she passed the exam, she stretched alongside other applicants before the physical exam. Below: Fernanda Martinez and another applicant are tested on their physical strength with push-ups during the LA County deputy sheriff exam.
about myself and the importance of being well-educated in other areas. I know now that knowing how to do even the most basic things, like spelling and doing a sit-up, can be of great advantage in other things that I encounter in life. If someone randomly comes up to me and tries to harm me, I know that it is important to have arm endurance so I can fight this person back. I know now that proper writing, spelling, and grammar are not only essential in my area of interest, journalism, but also in other areas like law enforcement. I am happy with my experience and the things I learned. If later down the road my career as a journalist does not turn out the way I planned, I know I personally have the potential to get into law enforcement with proper training, and if I set my mind to it. For more information on the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, you can visit their website at lasdcareers.org or contact them at recruitmentinfo@lasd.org.