11-07-14 Experience

F.Y.I.

Warped art exposedWoven art displayed in LMC Art Gallery. Four Artists residing. Photos inside — page 5

Breast cancer foughtSoccer player and staff member affected by cancer raise awareness — page 3

Important Dates

Novemberis Pancreatic

Cancer Awareness Month

Nov. 10Campus closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

Nov. 21Last day to drop a class with a “W” appearing on your transcript

Volleyball on a rollTeam wins five in a row, toppling College of Marin in the process. Story inside — page 7

Tworobbed by lake at LMC

Nazario’s journey‘Troublemaker’ is inspiring

3 assailants are sought

Council neutral on new campus

Graphic by Bertha Aguilar

Fairview Avenue is the main area of resident concern over current and future traffic.

Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience

Author Sonia Nazario spoke about the despair suffered by immigrant children in Central America.

City responds to conflictV O L . 8 1 , N O . 1 0 F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4 L M C E X P E R I E N C E . C O M

Blood Drive next weekLMC is hosting another blood drive in conjunction with Blood Centers of the Pacific. The drive will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Library, Room L-109. Donors will receive an admis-sion ticket to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. To schedule your donation appointment, call Student Life at 473-7554 or reg-ister online by going to www.bloodheroes.com, clicking “Donate Blood” and entering the sponsor code “LosMC.”Remember to bring a valid photo ID.

Nature Club looks for helpThe Nature Club will be holding a volunteer day Nov. 8 and 15 on campus in the Nature Preserve. The club will be building a path from the north hillside to make the preserve more accessible to students, faculty and staff. Volunteers are en-couraged to bring some simple equipment like shovels and pickaxes. For more information, contact Joshua Kohl at 470-6680 or at [email protected]

Kennedy-King spots openThe Kennedy-King Memorial Scholarship application is now avail-able. The deadline to apply is Feb. 2, 2015. The scholarship gives two $4,000 awards per year to members of underrep-resented minority groups in California. There will be upcoming workshops on n Completing the Ap-plication: Friday Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in CC2-223n How to Write a Winning Essay: Tuesdays Dec. 2 and Jan. 20 in the Center for Academic Support in Level 3 of the CORE.Call 473-7590 to reserve a spot in these work-shops as space is limited.

By BEATRIZ [email protected]

Sonia Nazario’s journey began with a simple conversation. She was chatting with her housekeeper Carmen, who had one young child, about when she was going to add to the family.

Carmen hesitated, but reluctantly admitted she had four other children she left behind in Guatemala, and had not seen them in 12 years.

It was Maria del Carmen Ferrez’s story that sent Nazario on a journey to Central America where she would interview many other immigrants with similar tales.

The Pulitzer Prize winning author of “Enrique’s Journey” spoke about that journey in front of more than 200 students, teach-ers and staff from Los Medanos College, and Pittsburg and Ygnacio Valley high schools in the LMC Gymnasium on Wednesday Nov. 5.

The event was funded by the Title V Hispan-ic-Services Institutions Grant and was organized by Puente event coor-dinators Stacey Miller and Liz Abril.

Los Medanos College President Bob Kratochvil welcomed the audience to LMC and introduced Puente students Alex Vega and Blanca Machata, who presented Nazario.

Nazario’s own story began when her parents moved from Argentina to the United States for a better life. But when she was 13 and her father died, her mother wanted to move Nazario and

Student Lang Le takes a selfie with Nazario.

Gary Walker talks with Nazario during the book signing.

By JOSH WOOD and SUZZANNE [email protected]

Two LMC students were robbed at gunpoint Wednes-day, Nov. 5 at the south side of the lake at approximately 7:15 p.m. According to police, three people approached the students from behind; one of them armed with a gun, and was forced to turn over their money and cell phones. The gun appeared to be a black semi-automatic handgun with a silver barrel.

Although there are frequent incidents of theft on campus, this was the first incident of armed robbery, according to LT. Ryan Huddleston.

“It’s something that’s defi-nitely out of the ordinary,” Huddleston says. “We’re going to be paying extra attention to the lake for the time being.”

Police have released de-scriptions of the three sus-pects. The first was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, the second wore a long-sleeved red shirt, and the third wore a long-sleeved black shirt. Each suspect also wore dark jeans.

In an e-mail sent to the LMC community, Police Services suggested several actions to take to stay safe at night:

When walking to your vehi-cle, have your keys ready in your hands. This will reduce time searching your pockets and purses at your vehicle.

Avoid use of cell phones and headphones, as these devices are distracting, and often decrease your awareness of surroundings.

Be alert to your surround-ings at all times. Report any suspicious persons, behaviors, or situations to campus police immediately.

The lake is closed to the public from sunset to sun-rise. Signs are posted at the entrances and exits to the lake notifying you of the time when the lake is closed to the public. Please do not access the lake during this time.

Huddleston encourages members of the LMC com-

See LAKE, page 8

By CASSIE [email protected]

In a unanimous vote Oct. 28, the Brentwood City Council authorized sending two letters -- one to the BART Board of Directors and the other to the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board -- regarding the future site of the new Los Medanos College Brentwood Center campus.

Written by Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor, the letters came as a response to objections aired at the Oct. 14 city council meeting by BART Board of Directors President Joel Keller and members of the Trilogy and Sum-merset communities about building the new college campus on land currently owned by the college district at Marsh Creek Road and Vineyards Parkway.

The mayor wanted to make clear to all those involved with, and affected by, the project

that the city council, which had previously sent out a letter Feb. 12, 2013 supporting the Vineyards site and moving forward with construction at that location, is taking their 11th hour concerns seriously, but is not taking sides.

“I felt that it was kind of imperative that we let the citizens of Brentwood know that we are concerned,” said Taylor about the intent of the letters, adding that the council “wished to work with both sides of the fence.”

In his letter to the governing board, Taylor did not endorse keeping the future site of the Brentwood Center on land located at Trilogy Vineyards at Marsh Creek Road, nor did he express support for moving to the alternative location -- at Highway 4 and Lone Tree near a possible future eBART station -- which was suggested by Keller to the governing board

See CITY, page 8

her sister back to their native country. They moved to Argentina in the midst

of the so-called “dirty war.” Her family lived in constant fear of the military who roamed the streets and kidnapped people. Journalists were killed for

telling the truth about what was happening in Argentina. It was then that Nazario decided that she wanted to be a journalist and a truth teller.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a ver y determined person. It was part of my DNA. It is part of who I am,”

explained Nazario.She was a good student in high school,

but felt overwhelmed and underprepared at Williams College, the top liberal arts college in the United States.

“You could count on two hands the number of books I had ever cracked open,” said Nazario.

However, while she struggled, Nazario was determined to work twice as hard as her college classmates. Those efforts

“I’ve always thought of myself as a very determined person. It is part of who I am.”

— Sonia Nazario

paid off — she graduated with honors and was invited to give the convocation speech at Williams College.

At the age of 21, she went on to be-come the youngest person to be hired at the Wall Street Journal.

In 2002, she published the six part series Enrique’s Journey in the “Los Angeles Times” and in 2003 the series

See SONIA, page 8

QuotableL O S M E D A N O S C O L L E G E E X P E R I E N C E

Perspectives 2

The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

L O S M E D A N O S C O L L E G E

ExperienceL M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

MemberCalifornia Newspaper Publishers Association

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without news-papers, or newspapers with-out a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Voices

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4

“It’s a big universe. Staying in one place is doing a disservice to yourself.”

— Janelle Monae

Is law enforcement here to protect us or make innocence a product of police corruption?

As citizens we believe we should trust the police to enforce laws and handle chaos. We look to them for protection and for solutions to crime. So why have these police officers we are taught to call on in times of need belittling us and letting their egos get in the way of their service to the community? They are killing too many innocent Americans.

Recent cases reported by the media have been eye opening to readers and viewers. Typical criminals —robbers, drug-dealers and serial killers — have not committed these so-called crimes. They are perpetrated by our own protection whom we are taught to respect and confide in.

Consider the case of 28-year-old Alejandro Nieto, who went one night to a common place in the San Francisco’s Mission District — the top of Bernal Heights to view the city lights. Many family and friends knew he often went up there for peace of mind. I was raised in the same neighborhood as Nieto and a lot of people who want to take a break from much of the city chaos go to the top of the hill for “me-time.”

The San Francisco Police Department claimed they received a call about a man making threats and acting erratically. So they confronted Nieto from a distance, asked what he was doing and told him to drop his weapon. He allegedly reached to put down the Taser he had been carrying because of his job as a security guard. Two officers then fired shots, gunning him down. Occupy.com articles about the Nieto incident underscore the distress many feel about this particular situation, and others like it.

“I am so angry right now,” Ramon Her-nandez, of the Mission district, is quoted on the website. “This is happening all over the country: more and more white police officers are killing black and brown kids, misjudging them as a product of their environment… and getting away with it. I understand the anger. I know that we, as minorities, have a little voice and often violence is the only way for us to be heard.”

Jerold Best, who is a 34 year-old African American resident in San Francisco’s Bayview district, believes if Nieto were a white man the police would have not felt threatened.

“Police are trained to be threatened by minorities. Simply by being black or brown you are a threat, so any action we take is seen by a white police officer as a threat.”

With so many recent cases like this it is hard to believe the police are here for our protection. If police officers are trained and certified why are they killing and abusing? Why can’t they opt to shoot at another body part to stop individuals instead of killing them with many bullets? Where is their self-control? Their training skills? Their heart? Their morals?

If innocent individuals are having their lives taken by those who we are supposed to trust, why should we trust them? We should be against them until they are pushed to clean up their acts.

I believe some law enforcement officers prey on the “weak” which they believe we are. They see where we come from and assume we are not intelligent. They know we come from lower income families, and believe we are all up to no good. They are literally killing us off.

It is time we take a stand and change our atmosphere. It is time we change the stereotypes about minorities and prove we can be educated, successful, and accomplish as much as we desire. It is time for us not to become another statistic.

We need to realize we have enough who are against us; we need to stick together to conquer the stereotypes that harm us all.

One thing I’ve noticed is that employers and instructors have been quick to dismiss claims of mental suffering as a legitimate reason for absences or missing assignments.

Instructors seem compassionate towards students with outward injuries.

It’s easy to exonerate the student who just got over the flu, but you can’t spare any for the kid who finds it hard to even get out of bed in the morning?

Students will lie about a lot of things to get out of class so an instructor might write off someone’s mental health issue as a ‘cheap excuse’ to ditch.

However, these ‘cheap excuses’ often turn out to be feelings associated with mental illnesses, which make it difficult for a person to focus on things going on at school.

According to an article by Alan Reifman in Psychology Today, 24 percent of college students are on medication for anxiety, de-pression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Teens with untreated mental issues who are 14 years or older have a 50 percent chance of dropping out of school.

According to figures compiled by the Mental Health Foundation, one in 20 people suffer from clinical depression.

When exacerbated by the stress of bal-ancing your schoolwork and personal life, this can induce severe depression possibly resulting in suicidal tendencies.

People often turn to unhealthy outlets to relieve themselves of the pressure related to daily stress.

Acts such as binge drinking, punching, pulling out one’s own hair and cutting are common forms of self-destructive behavior. According to a fact sheet on AmercanHealth.org, it is estimated that two million people engage in this dangerous behavior.

Of course instructors encounter ridiculous excuses that can accurately be chalked up to pure lethargy from but it’s a little difficult to blame it on laziness when having crying fits in class and having to excuse yourself at least once a week to have panic attacks become a normal Thursday.

If you are a professor or employer you have to make that choice. Do you really want to flirt with consequences of ignoring someone’s fragile state of mind?

According to data compiled by the Amer-ican Health Association in 2011, roughly 30 percent of college students report “feeling too depressed to function.”

Another serious mental disorders is schizophrenia. Roughly six percent of the population is affected by this condition.Though its origins aren’t rooted in stress, stressful situations undoubtedly make symptoms worse.

It’s no coincidence that the early stages of the disorder often appear in people ages 16 to 25-when you are in high school or college.

It just doesn’t seem like anyone in a posi-tion of authority considers these situations. There are professors who ask if you have any medical conditions they should know about and some that students are too embarrassed to tell teachers about if they have an issue that would affect them mentally throughout the semester.

I know professors have it hard trying to distinguish whether or not something is a flimsy excuse or a serious ordeal.

I know they can’t always bend over back-ward for every student who is overwhelmed by the pressure of schoolwork but if they could just try to be a bit more lenient and understanding, I’m sure people would feel up to completing more of their work and showing up on time.

Schools need to provide mental health services for students and teachers. Employ-ees need access to these services as well. This would be a step in the right direction.

EdgarIbarraGUEST COLUMNIST

Kimberly StellySOCIALLY UNWELL

Editorial

Police are not doing their job

Mental health is important

“If we are not in pain, then we don’t know what the people in pain are going through. So I feel people should have the decision to end their life.”

— Sarah Rafahi

“I’m for it. It’s people choosing to end their own life. They’re probably depressed and stuff. I respect it. ”

— Alex Mensah

“A person should be able to take their own life, especially if the person is terminally ill. It’s more humane.”

— Bogette Cobarrubias

“I’m for and against it. It depends on age and why you’re ending it. It has pros and cons.”

— Michael Ascencio

“If a person is destined to die, they should be able to die on their own terms, especially if their family members support them. ”

—Stephanie Case

“If people are terminally ill, they shouldn’t have to suffer and live their days with pain.It’s a shame that it’s not in California.”

— Anietie Udoh

Choose dignity over pain

Tristen CooperGUEST COLUMNIST

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com. Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

rEadEr opinion policy

Danger is common on HalloweenHalloween is usually a time for costumes,

fun with friends, and huge loads of free candy. However, it is also one of the deadliest nights of the year because of drunk drivers.

There was an accident, according to a CNN report, involved three 13-year-old girls who were struck and killed by a speeding car while trick or treating in Santa Ana. Investigations indicated the car was going 50 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone, resulting in the girls being thrown more than 100 feet. KABC, a CNN affiliate, reported that the girls were declared dead at the scene. Police are searching for two male suspects who fled on foot.

Three girls were killed and the families need closure. It is understandable that these men may be scared but they need to take re-sponsibility for their actions. Hopefully these men try to make things right not just for the families of the victims, but for themselves and their consciences.

Unfortunately this was not the only accident on Halloween night. According to the CNN affiliate KPHO five people were hit as a group by a car while trick or treating in Phoenix, Ariz. Three adults and two children were crossing the street when a car struck them. One adult suffered minor injuries while both children, ages 2 and 10, as well as a physically disabled woman and an elderly man, are in critical condition.

The driver of the car did stop and is cooper-

ating with the authorities. I cannot understand how a driver who should be focusing on the road struck five people at once. What is taking someone’s attention to the point that they couldn’t notice a group of people crossing the street?

In Illinois a three-year-old boy was trick or treating when he ran into the street and was hit and dragged 40 feet before the driver noticed. The boy survived the incident and is recovering from injuries, and is in good condition. The driver is cooperating with authorities.

This accident had a better outcome than the first; the driver’s cooperation with authorities shows compassion for the victim as well as a self-sense of right and wrong.

All drivers, and trick or treaters as well, should be more aware and cautious of their surroundings. Drive slower in residential communities and be aware of kids. And, if an accident happens, take responsibility, do not just keep driving out of fear — the victims deserve that much.

How do you feel about the Death With Dignity Act?C o m p i l e d b y b e r t h a a g u i l a r & J a z m i n e g o r d o n

Experience • Joey Fajardo

Editor-in-Chief .................... JOSEPH DELANO

Perspectives Editors ........JAZMINE GORDONand KIMBERLY STELLY

Campus Editor .................. .CASSIE DICKMAN

Features Editor ...................... DAMIAN LEWIN

Sports Editor ....................... .....STEVEN LUKE

Photo Editors .................. CATHIE LAWRENCEand BERTHA AGUILAR

Associate Editors....................... JOSH WOODand SUZZANNE SPERRY

Web Editor ..........................BRENDAN CROSS

Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act is one of the state’s most controversial but progressive laws offering terminally ill patients with an alternative and humane option. Passed in 1994 and officially enacted in 1997, the law allows patients to request lethal dosages of medication to end their own lives. Oregon is one of three states that have legalized aid-in-death law. 39 have prohibited such practices

and the remaining states don’t have laws specifically regarding assisted suicide. According to PublicHealth.org, it’s up to individual insurance companies to cover

Since the death With Dignity law was passed, 1,173 prescriptions have been written and 752 have actually gone through with the process. The most recent participant in the Oregon’s Ballot 16 law, was Brittany Maynard, who after finding out she had a rare type of brain cancer this past January, ended her life Saturday Nov. 1.

According to DeathWithDignity.org, “It’s not suicide nor euthanasia; rather, a possible option if the pain from the underlying illness gets to be too much or quality of life too degraded.”

There is a lengthy history of assisted suicide and each time religious practices and morality are called into question.

But there is a separation of church and state. Agnostics or other religions that don’t have specified religious views about these kinds of matters shouldn’t have say over what someone wants to do with their lives. After all, it belongs to the individual and having to suffer then die, is rather traumatic to both go through and witness.

As long as the individual knows what they want and they have made financial preparations for their family including paying off debts, then they should have the right to end their life and avoid an unimaginable, slow and painful death.

L O S M E D A N O S C O L L E G E E X P E R I E N C E

CampusQuotable

3F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4

“Fight each round, take it on the chin. And never never never ever give in.”

— Olivia Newton-John

Cancer hits home

‘Breast’ warriors combat disease

Event for high school students

CTE open house upcoming

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Sanabria

Workforce Development Manager David Wahl (second from right) with the rest of his “Save the Tatas” team at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life held June 21 at Liberty High School in Brentwood.

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Linda Ayers (left) with her daughter Lauren Ayers.

By TAMARA [email protected]

Chances are that breast cancer will touch people on campus in some way.

When the American Cancer Society Relay for Life came to Brentwood in 2005, David Wahl, work-force develop-ment manager here at Los Medanos Col-lege, joined the planning committee.

“I actually j o i n e d b e -cause I enjoy v o l u n t e e r community service,” he said, adding, “At about the same time a close friend was diagnosed with cancer and the event became much more meaningful.”

Wahl helped with her care until, sadly, his friend passed away about a year later.

LMC soccer player Lauren Ayers and her family have now

joined the fight as her mother Linda Ayers was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, after finding a lump through self-examination.

After finding the lump in July of 2013, Linda then scheduled

an exam with her doctor and went in for a mammo-gram. With-out warning the i r l i ves were turned upside down, Linda, along with husband Evan, went in for an update after two bi-opsies — they

instead were meeting with a surgeon.

L inda ’s husband was shocked, stunned and scared. “He said to us, ‘Oh, no one told you? You have breast cancer’.”

In the hustle and bustle of setting up appointments and procedures, nobody had informed the Ayers family of

Linda’s diagnosis. Surgery for a lumpectomy

was then scheduled with three surgeons Sept. 2013.

Unfortunately, Linda’s mar-gins were not clean. A lateral mastectomy was then sched-uled three separate times before the surgeons were all available.

December 2003 she finally had her surgery, which went well. The entire tumor was removed and reconstruction

began.Ayers and her family came

together. “When I first heard the news about my mom I was really scared. I had already lost two grandparents to cancer, and I didn’t want to lose my mom too,” said Lauren, adding, “I knew that my mom was strong enough to beat cancer, but it was still really hard to know that there was a possibility that we could be losing her.”

“When she was first diagnosed, I didn’t really believe it. I think I was in shock or denial, it didn’t even click with me.”

— Beverly Ayers

See AYERS, page 8

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

Help available for parentsLos Medanos College’s California Work Opportunity

and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKS) serves students attending LMC who receive financial aid and are parents. Services include priority registration, educational and career counseling and educational workshops.

If you would like more information, call 473-7482 or visit the office in Room CC2-257. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Counselors ready to assistLooking to make an educational plan, or review your

current one? Do you need career advice or a personal coun-selor? LMC offers general counseling at both campuses.

Appointments at Pittsburg can be made in person, by calling the Counseling Department at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link.

Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.

Alpha Gamma back in actionWith a strong emphasis on community service, LMC’s

Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) is looking for more members to participate in their meetings, fundraisers and other club activities.

For more information, including meeting times, planned activities and membership requirements, visit the AGS website at www.losmedanosags.com

Get help to kick the habit Are you trying to quit smoking?The American Lung Association is offering a Freedom

From Smoking Clinic to help tobacco users break the habit. The clinic is being held on Wednesdays at the Pittsburg Health Center. The center is located at 2311 Loveridge Road – Cedar Room.

For more information, call (855) 421-3400 or call 431-2266

LMC offers free tutoringSearching for help in school? Drop by the Center for

Academic Support on the main campus. The center offers tutoring in a variety of subjects and

is located on the third floor of the college CORE, Room CO-300.

The center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Visit the front desk for information about peer tutoring, writing consultations, and when professors will be available for support or call 473-7590.

The Brentwood Campus Center for Academic Support, located in Room 13, also offers free tutoring in a variety of subjects, including anthropology, chemistry, economics, philosophy, sociology and many more. Tutoring is done on a drop in basis. Changes in schedule are posted on the door. For more information, call 473-6925

Crisis counseling availableAre you going through a rough time? Los Medanos

College offers Crisis Counseling for any student or faculty member who may be going through a hard time and feel they have nowhere to turn.

Counselors are available to help. All counseling ses-sions are confidential. For information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Counseling Center at 473-7449, or contact the Counseling Department Chair Marco Godinez at 473-7460.

Study abroad in ItalyFlorence awaits. Study abroad in Florence, Italy this

spring. Experience amazing food, architecture and history all while furthering your education.

If interested contact the Study Abroad Office at DVC, 969-2507. The Study Abroad Office can be emailed at [email protected]

Barcelona beckonsInterested in traveling to Barcelona next fall? The Study

Abroad program will be offering the option to experience incredible architecture, cuisine and culture all while furthering your education in Barcelona in the fall of 2015.

A meeting for those interested will be held at DVC Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 3 to 4 p.m. in Room LA-114, and Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in room LA-119.

If you are interested in more information, contact the Study Abroad Office via e-mail at [email protected] or call 969-2507

Lost now foundLos Medanos College’s lost and found has numerous

items found on campus. If you have lost an item, check with Police Services, located on Level One .

Police Services is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Inquiries must be made in person.

Newswatch

By SUZZANNE [email protected]

Los Medanos College is engaged in a new strategy to recruit students from local high schools into the Career Technical Education (CTE) Programs. These programs offer a two-year degree that provides students the ability to go straight into the workforce.

LMC will be holding a Career Technical Education Open House event Friday, Nov. 14 called “Career Focus Friday.”

According to Workforce Development Manager David Wahl, “Local industries are desperate for qualified people. The CTE programs are geared toward providing students a well-rounded education that is designed to prepare students for place-ment in a position right after graduation.”

LMC invited local high schools to par-ticipate in Career Focus Friday and will introduce students to the technical pro-

grams geared for the industrial workforce. These schools include Liberty, Freedom, Antioch, Deer Valley and Pittsburg.

Career Focus Friday will be an inter-active hands-on event where students will explore the wide selection of the 16 different CTE programs offered at LMC. Groups of 15 to 20 students will tour four pre-selected CTE labs.

Administrative Secre-tary of Workforce Devel-opment Program Melina Rodriguez said, “I love working for the CTE program because we help students development a plan for their future. CTE is designed to provide students job placement after graduation. I am excited for the students attending to learn about all the different programs we provide. College can be expensive so we want to give students options to find good jobs.”

The event starts at 9 a.m. in the Recital

Hall, which will start with a warm-up led by Nick Garcia, Lead Chair of the Drama Department. Guest speakers will introduce the students to the CTE programs and give students insight on what employers want out of their employees. Following the guest speeches will be guided tours led

by LMC ambassadors. The day will consist of workshops and tours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lunch will be provided and served in the quad were students can visit tables set up with infor-mation about the CTE programs provided or they may also visit the labs not previously visited on the guided tour.

200-250 high school students will be expected on campus.

LMC is paying for a bus to transport the students to and from campus.

The Career Focus Friday Event is a closed event and will only available to the high school students attending.

The Sagrada Família Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona, Spain.

“I love working for the CTW program because we help students develop a plan for their future.”

— Melina Rodriguez


Features 4Quotable

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4

“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” — Will Rogers

Cast members from the upcoming production provided a special preview for those who attended the Budget Cycle meeting in the Recital Hall Oct. 27. Top, the many faces of ‘RENT.’ Above, actor Zinah Abraha. Left, actor Xavier Johnson.


Copeland is ‘genuine’Bay Area one-man act comes to LMC

MarqueeExperience LMC’s musical talent

The Los Medanos College Music Department will be hosting events in the upcoming weeks featuring perfor-mances by students and ensembles from around the Bay Area. Concerts are held in the Recital Hall. For more information, call 439-2181 ex. 3218.

n Friday, Nov. 14 — Sophomore Recital #1. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free.

n Friday, Nov. 21 — Sophomore Recital #2. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free.

n Wednesday, Dec. 3 — LMC Guitar Concert. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: free.

n Monday, Dec. 8 — LMC Concert Band Performance. Begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission: TBA.

Comedy continues at DVC The Diablo Valley College Drama Department is cur-

rently performing its production of “The Wedding Singer.” Based on the book by Chad Beguelin and featuring music by Matther Sklar, the musical comedy will run until Nov. 9 at the college’s Performing Arts Center. Admission: $21 for adults, $16 for seniors and staff, $11 for students. The Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center is located at 321 Golf Club Rd. in Pleasant Hill. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dvcdrama.net or call 969-2358.

Local music, drama and moreThe California Theatre in downtown Pittsburg and the

El Campanil Theatre in Antioch will feature a variety of events throughout November and December. The different events at both venues are set to include movies, dance and musical sets that promise to delight audiences of all ages.

EL CAMPANIL THEATREThe El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W Second

St. in Antioch. For ticket sales and additional information please call 757-9500.

n Friday, Nov. 7 — Tom Trinnon - In Concert. Begins at 8 p.m. Admission: $27 for adults, $25 for seniors, Youths receive free admission when accompanied by paying adult or senior.

n Sunday, Nov. 9 — The Nightingale (France / China), International Film Showcase. China’s 2015 Oscar nomination - exclusive Bay Area showing. Begins at 2 p.m. Admission: $8 for adults, $7 for seniors. Youths receive free admission when accompanied by paying adult or senior.

n Tuesday, Nov. 11 — The Contra Costa County Library System presents “Chosin,” a Korean War documentary film by Brian Iglesias. Begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission: Free.

n Saturday, Nov. 15 — Heavenly Laughter, Benny Fiddles While George Burns. Begins at 2 p.m. Admission: $27 for adults, $25 for seniors. Youths receive free admission when accompanied by paying adult or senior.

CALIFORNIA THEATREThe California Theatre is located at 351 Railroad Ave.

in Pittsburg. For ticket sales and additional information please call 427-1611.

n Saturday, Nov. 8 — VETJAM 2014 with Hot for Teacher & Alan Iglesias and Crossfire – A Loving Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Begins at 5 p.m. Admission: $10.

n Tuesday, Nov. 11 — Popovich Comedy Pet Variety Show. Begins at 7 p.m. Admission: $25 for adults, $15 for children and seniors.

n Saturday, Nov. 15 — Ryan Stout, featuring Dhaya Lakshminarayanan & Hosted by Nicole Calasich. Begins at 8 p.m. Admission: $17 in advance, $20 at the door.

n Sunday, Dec. 7 — Lightwire Theatre - A Very Electric Christmas. Begins at 3 p.m. Admission: $15 to $34.

Do you have a reason to dance? The Los Medanos College Dance Team is preparing

to hold auditions for LMC and DVC students who are interested in being part of the team.

Those auditioning must be good spirited and are encouraged to arrive on time and be dressed and ready to dance. Student identification, dance clothes, running shoes and a “good attitude” are needed to be brought by those auditioning.

Students are expected to learn a 64-count modern-jazz dance routine as well as add 32-counts to their own cho-reography by no later than Nov. 12. Auditions will be help inside the Music building in room 710 Monday, Nov. 17 from 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.

For more information contact the team at [email protected].

By TANNER [email protected]

Brian Copeland is to per-form a one-man show, “Not a Genuine Black Man,” on Nov. 12 in the Recital Hall from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Copeland is an actor, comedian, radio host, playwright and author born here in the Bay Area.

In addition to having opened for artists such as Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, and Ringo Starr, Copeland also hosts an hour-long show called “7 Live” during the week as well as KGO AM on Sunday afternoons.

The show depicts Copeland’s life living in San Leandro during the 1970s. Despite discussing growing up in a racist environment, the show is actually a comedy.

Copeland’s family was one of the first non-white families to move into San Leandro at the time. According to an article from the SF Chronicle,

the population of San Leandro during that time was 99.4% white.

“I think his performance not only says what it was like growing up as the only black family in the area, it answers a lot of questions about identity,” said professor of English James Noel, adding, “the show asks what we are and who we’re expected to be.”

Based on his book of the same name, the performance is on record for being the longest running one-man show in San Franciscan history. Originally intended to only show for six weeks, the show continued to run for over two years.

“I’ve never seen a one man show before and I’ve always wanted to,” said student Kon-nor Heredia. “I’m definitely intrigued.”

Admission to the perfor-mance will be free. For more information you can talk to Professor James Noel or visit www.briancopeland.com.

‘Great act’ follows ‘great budget’Photo courtesy of briancopeland.com

Brian Copeland set to bring his act to LMC Nov. 12.


Features 5Quotable

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4

“There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.” — Sun Tzu

“Textiles are an intimate part of our existence. We wear them, sleep with them, bathe ourselves and shelter ourselves with them.”

— Laurie Kelsoe

Wonderful woven works

Textile and fabric exhibit on display

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

‘Nightcrawler’

— Jazmine Gordon— Kimberly Stelly

Kimberly says:A must see!

REVIEW CREWJazmine says:Violent and sociopathic

HHHHHHHHHH

Movie Summary: When a man searching for a new start suddenly finds himself in the world of crime journalism, his next big break may be his own story. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler” opened on Oct. 31 and also stars Rene Russo, Bill Paxton and Michael Papajohn. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler” is rated R and has a running time of 117 minutes.

Nightcrawler is a thought-provoking film providing insight into the world of televised news reporting the issues of news manipulation, journalistic integrity, ethics and morality. With the exception of a few kinks in the beginning, it was suspenseful.

In a terrifyingly believable role, Jake Gyllen-haal stars as creepy, highly quotable, wide-eyed sociopath Louis Bloom, an unemployed man with a wide range of interests whom you would not want to encounter in a dark alley. Using the art of “nightcrawling”, he follows gruesome scenes, taping the aftermath of the incident and selling the footage to news stations.

Rene Russo played Nina, the seemingly tough and dismissive director of a news station but is actually a desperate, aging woman struggling to hold on to her job. Riz Ahmed provides comic relief as Rick, a clueless intern for Bloom’s made up videography production company.

Nightcrawler is unique movie with the right amount of suspense and though it isn’t headed toward any academy awards, it certainly is a memorable role for Gyllenhaal.

Nightcrawler was an awesome movie that left the audience feeling worried.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a driven young man that pushes his way into the world of crime journalism in Los Angeles aided by TV-news veteran Nina Romina, portrayed by René Russo.

While I was watching this movie, I began to see what Louis Bloom’s intentions were, as he kept convincing Nina to show his exclusive news footage, while her colleague Joe Loder (Bill Paxton) tried to oblige her and warn her about Louis.

Jake Gyllenhaal did a phenomenal job, and he was slick with the way he said his lines. His character appeared to be sociopathic, and eager to get his videos on television, often resorting to having his lackey Rick Garcia (Riz Ahmed) do his dirty work for him. It was interesting to see how far people would go when it comes to journalism, and investigative reporting.

Some people may not get the plot but once they see the hints given, they might get it. This movie is chilling, unpredictable and it will have you questioning Louis Bloom’s behavior. Go see Nightcrawler!

Clockwise from above: “Protect You” by artist Indira Allegra. Right, “After She Purged” by Artist in Residence Laurie Kelsoe. Left, threads of fabric pass through the inner workings of Kelsoe’s loom currently on display.


Experience • Cathie Lawrence Experience • Cathie Lawrence


Laurie Kelsoe’s loom on display.

Photo courtesy of Eric Sanchez

Artist in Residence and gallery intern Laurie Kelsoe demonstrates the weaving process during a reception Oct. 28.

By DAMIAN [email protected]

Woven works of fabric creations adorn the walls as a solitary wooden loom sits illuminated in the corner of the LMC Art Gallery. Many pieces of art from the California College of the Arts are now on display as part of the current exhibit entitled “Warped Exposure.”

Each unique in their own way, the various pieces on display have a common physical appeal to them, providing viewers with a familiarity towards the genre of contemporary fiber work. As opposed to such genres as abstract art, the works now available for viewing in the gallery offer an artistic outlook on a process still used in textile industries today.

“Textiles are an intimate part of our existence,” said artist Laurie Kelsoe in a released state-ment. “We wear them, sleep with them, bathe ourselves and shelter ourselves with them.”

Kelsoe, in addition to providing her own pieces to the gallery, is also spending her time away from classes at California College of the Arts as an intern in the Art Gallery this school year.

“She wanted to volunteer time,” said Gallery Director Judi Pettite. “She’s from the area so she wanted to intern.”

As Artist in Residence, Kelsoe will also be demonstrating the weaving process on her loom Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. up until the time the exhibit ends.

A reception was held inside the gal-lery on Oct. 28 and featured a special Ar tist Talk with some of the artists whose works are on display. The event was free and open to the public, and refreshments and snacks were avail-able to those who attended.

“It was a nice break from some of the other work we’ve had,” said professor Eric Sanchez. “We don’t usually show textiles, or this specif-ically being fiber art. It’s very approachable.”

Located in the Library, the Art Gallery is open to the public on Tuesday through Thursday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and once again from 4 to 6 p.m.

“Warped Exposure” will continue to run until Dec. 11 after which it will be tak-en down to make way for the LMC Stu-dent Art Show the following month. For questions regarding submissions please write to [email protected].


Features 6Quotable

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

— Anne Frank

Experience • Bertha Aguilar

Professor German Sierra shares a laugh with his students during one of his Emergency Medical Technicians classes.

Experience • Bertha Aguilar

Sierra explains how to think like an experienced physician.

Saving lives and setting goalsSierra strives right along with students

“An EMT certificate is just the beginning.”

— German Sierra

By BERTHA AGUILAR [email protected]

Born in El Salvador during the bloody civil war of the 1970s and 1980s, assistant professor German Sierra had no choice but to leave his country at the young age of 14.

“The whole country was engulfed in a nasty civil war, there were executions, kidnappings, disappearances. Fearing the worst my mother sent money for me to get out of that country fast,” said Sierra who made the journey to the Unites States alone.

After his father’s passing, his mom moved to Los Angeles to become a nanny, leaving Sierra in the care of his aunt. When the war got out of control, his mom sent for him.

Once he arrived in South Central Los Angeles to reunite with his mother, Sierra found himself lost in a city and country that was new to him and did not compare to his small town in El Salvador. “Coming from a little town that had one car, to the middle of Los Angeles that has millions of cars, skyscrapers and Disneyland, I mean all those places are just a shock,” he said.

Since Sierra’s father died when he was only 5 years old, he did not have a male figure to guide him in life. It wasn’t until he joined the military that he began to see his calling.

Sierra experienced basic training in the Army before he finished high school. “I went to basic training in the military when I was 17,” said Sierra, adding, “I still had to go back to high school and finish my senior year.” Once he graduated from Los Angeles High School, Sierra, like many recent grads, did not know what he wanted to study. “I had no idea,” said Sierra explaining that it wasn’t until he graduated basic training as a medic that he discovered his passion for helping people. He credits his stint in basic training for providing him with the right tools for use later in life.

The military provided “core values for me, the notion that I can go further than I ever thought, discipline, respect, teamwork, initiative and drive,” Sierra said. “The military gave me the foun-dations I lacked as a teenager.” He joined the National Guard in 1987 and served until 1993. Then he started paramedic school in 1994 and became licensed in 1995.

After finishing school he met Heather, his wife of 10 years, with whom he has two children. “She worked at a hospital where I took my patients,” said Sierra.

In the middle of 1995 Sierra took a chance and relocated to the Bay Area. “Paramedical services in Los Angeles are all provided by the fire department. At the time I did not work for the fire department,” said Sierra. “If I wanted to be a real paramedic ... I had to move.” So, after hearing paramedics receive a higher rate of pay in the Bay Area, Sierra hit the road and headed north to apply for an available position he hoped would further his career. On the way back home to L.A. he stopped in every county and applied for jobs.

“I got hired at two different places,” said Sierra, “Alameda County and Santa Clara County.” He ended up accepting the Santa

Clara position. Being a paramedic is a nurturing career, and he credits his aunt for his caring na-ture. “I think a lot of the behaviors that I exhibit today came from her,” said Sierra, adding, “she actually put herself out there for us, sometimes at the cost of her own life.” Sierra said a true measure of character is when you help somebody who cannot do anything for you. He is passionate about helping people, and calls it “equalizing the playing field.” He said everyone should have equal

chance regardless of who they are or where they come from, and “the key is to be able to help everybody.”

On his down time he likes to travel and hike with his family.

“I like to go hiking,” said Sierra, add-ing, “We definitely like to go see new places and experience new things.” As a practicing paramedic for almost two decades, Sierra knows how to help students by guiding them toward their educational goals and giving them the right tools to be successful in the current job market. “An EMT certificate is just the beginning,” said Sierra, adding “the education these students receive here at LMC can lead to more opportunities.”

“Without the EMT certification that I got, I would have never been able to become a paramedic,” said

Sierra. “I would have never been able to become a firefighter paramedic, I would have never been able to become a professor.”

After 12 years as a paramedic for the city of Oakland Fire Department Sierra retired. Not wanting his career to end there, he found a new job working as part-time professor at a Foothill Community College in Silicon Valley. “My part-time status did not allow me to have a lot of say into the daily operations, curriculum development,” said Sierra, adding, “I had all these ideas that I could not put in place.”

The program director at the college saw his potential, said Sierra, and advised him to seek a full-time job. So, he began an online search and stumbled upon a teaching opportunity at LMC. “What really attracted me here is the ability for

me to implement some of the ideas that I have,” said Sierra. His approach is not only to teach students, but also provide them with educational goals. He gives additional points to his students who provide him with a written educational plan. Sierra has a caring nature and he shows it in his teaching techniques. “It’s really hard to know where you are going, if you don’t have a plan,” said Sierra, adding, “So all of my students in my class, if they want the extra points, they need to bring me an educational plan and a five-year goal and I think that’s key.” Sierra adopted this method from one of his own professors, because it helped him to establish a path for his developing career.

The EMT program can be grueling on stu-dents, but Sierra’s job is to prepare them for the real world and teach them the fundamen-tals, as well as prepare them for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam they will face once they graduate. “I’m actually taking my students to the computer learning center,” he said adding that he tries “to duplicate that type of testing.”

Sierra holds an associate’s degree in psy-

chology and general science, and although these degrees have helped him in his career, he is not yet finished.

He wants to push himself to the next level, and in January he will begin a new journey toward obtaining a bachelor’s in psychology and industrial management.

He will take online classes at either at Cen-tral Michigan University or Patten University, since both offer online degrees, but Sierra does not want to stop there.

In the long term, he hopes to take a year off from LMC to pursue his master’s degree.

“Another dream of mine has been always to become a physician’s assistant,” said Sierra.

He has once again set the bar for himself and is confident that he will attain his goals. He would like to make this dream into a reality by attending the Stanford School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program and then come back to LMC to resume his teaching career, but with more knowledge under his belt.

Sierra said education is key and one of his few regrets in life is his lack of advance degrees, but with hard work and dedication, this will no longer be the case.

This article is proudly sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. William Lide, MD is a Physician Site Leader for tha Pleasanton Medical Offices.

healthy lifestylesHELPING YOU thrive

Not all foods are created equal. While some offer relatively little nutrition, others are packed with beneficial nutrients that research shows can help prevent disease and maintain health. And they taste great, too!

Here are a few examples of “wonder foods” that deserve a place on your table:

Avocados: Rich in fiber and oleic acid, which helps lower overall cholesterol levels while raising “good” HDL cholesterol.

Quinoa: A deliciously nutty South American grain that delivers an abundance of complete protein, plus manganese, magnesium, and iron.

Low-fat yogurt: A great source of muscle-building protein and bone-building calcium, plus beneficial bacteria that help boost the immune system.

Onions: Full of quercetin, a powerful flavonoid that protects against cancer; research indicates eating onions may also reduce heart disease risk.

Chili peppers: Their heating element, capsaisin, appears to inhibit inflammation, clear congestion, and reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots.

Parsley: More than a garnish, packed with Vitamin C, heart-healthy beta-carotene, and cancer-fighting folic acid.

For more tips on eating well, check out Kaiser Permanente’s Web site at www.kp.org/nutrition.

Put Some Power On Your Plateby Dr. William Lide

QuotableL O S M E D A N O S C O L L E G E E X P E R I E N C E

Sports

cancer.On the court is where the Mustangs

shined as they won in three straight sets to raise their winning streak to four games.

Even though it was a three set win the games were close and that was enough of a positive for Marin head coach Lindsay Bacigalupi.

“We made a couple extra errors,”

she said. “Other than that the games were really close. It’s not like they beat us by a lot of points. It wasn’t like it was out of reach and we didn’t compete with them. It’s that we made too many errors and they didn’t.”

Mustangs head coach Lou Panzella echoed her sentiment. He said that he felt Marin gave his team a battle, but his team didn’t give up.

“One of the really special things about this group of girls is that there is not a lot of quit in them,” he said. “They just play. They really don’t pay a lot of attention to the score, they don’t worry, they just go out and play, and that’s what they are supposed to do.”

With the win the team has a chance

I have been a professional wrestling fan since I was born. It’s always satisfying to watch World Wrestling Entertainment and Impact Wrestling, or discover other wrestling promotions such as Ring of Honor Wrestling or Wrestle-1.

Professional wrestling has been around for over 100 years, and it manages to overpower popular TV shows and other sports with rat-ings of 3.2. Somehow pro wrestling is ousted because it is “fake,” so it is not considered a sport. But if wrestlers are athletes, isn’t that a contradiction since pro wrestling deals with competition like other sports, shouldn’t it be considered as a sport?

According to an article on dearsportsfan.com, wrestling “is fake but not as many know that behind the veneer of unreality, it can be all too real for the wrestlers.”

Despite pro-wrestling being unrealistic, the athletes performing can get injured just like athletes who play basketball, football, and baseball. Yes it is seen as entertainment but the wrestlers that perform and could get hurt. Whether their characters are a face (good) or a heel (bad), they perform moves such as the Boston Crab or a Sleeper Hold to keep the audience engaged.

This topic is still being widely debated about. With today’s definition of professional wrestling, it’s hard to make it seem real, and categorize it as a sport. We see wrestlers in reality shows such as “Total Divas” and “The Amazing Race” so it seems celebrity-based.

People should know that wrestlers could get killed while practicing certain stunts.

On May 23,1999, Owen “The Blue Blazer” Hart (Bret “The Hitman” Hart’s younger brother) died during a Pay-Per-View event by falling from “90 feet and hit his head in front of 16,000 fans” during his introduction. CNN described it as “a stunt he had performed there” and the WWF (Now WWE) was “saddened by the tragic accident that occurred.” Isn’t that similar to a Football player dying of a head injury after colliding with an opposing player?

So the fact that wrestler plots are predeter-mined and the moves are choreographed doesn’t make it a sport? If competition is affiliated with it, then it’s a sport, just like a football coach going to the drawing board to talk to his team about plans to beat the other team?

Like Ed Grabianowki said, “Simply calling wrestling ‘fake’ is like calling a action movie fake.” In other words, if it entertains you, and it affects fans when their favorite wrestlers get injured or die performing the wrestling moves then professional wrestling is a sport.

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4 7“I really wanted to start crying and turn around and run back to the bullpen.”

— Madison Bumgarner

See VBALL, page 8

Finishing strong

Up to $5,000 Award

Automatically Awarded to Qualified Students

Transfer Friendly

Year-Round Enrollment

A Private Nonprofit University Serving the Public Good™

Applicants must meet eligibility requirements and be formally accepted to National University. Funds paid in accordance to the scholarship terms. Some restrictions may apply.

Call Today • (408) 236-1100 nu.edu/transfer

© 2014 National University_1403

Transfer to Success Scholarship

AVAILABLE NOW


The Mustangs defeated the College of the Redwoods 35-20 Saturday, Nov. 1. Shane Pooler pushes off of Redwoods linebacker Kyler Smith during one of his 11 carries where he amassed 77 yards. After a promising 3-1 start to the season, a three-game losing streak has nearly dashed the Mustang’s hopes of earning at least a share of the conference championship. The only chance would be if the Mustangs win the final two games, and the teams ahead of them in the standings lose at least one or both of their remaining games.

Bay Valley title is in reach


Mustangs win fourth in a row beating Marin in three straight sets. Stangs outside hitter Taylor Scriven dives to one knee to save the ball (left). Middle hitter Nicole Sobolik high fives little sister Lauren (top). LMCAS sold Mustang shirts with pink writing to raise money for breast cancer awareness (bottom).

Second annual v-ball Dig Pink event a success

Jazmine GordonEARTHTHINKER

Pro-wresting, it is a real sport

By STEVEN LUKE and CATHIE [email protected]

With a three set to zero win over the College of Marin and a three to two set victory over Napa Valley College, the Mustangs have raised their winning streak to five games. With the wins, and Solano College losing three out of their last four

games, the Stangs are now alone in second place, one game behind first place Yuba College.

The win over Marin came on the second annual Dig Pink event run by Los Medanos College Associat-ed Students to raise awareness of breast cancer.

The event itself was a success in getting information out about breast

Basketball ramps upL O S M E D A N O S C O L L E G E E X P E R I E N C E

SONIAFrom page 1

VBALLFrom page 7

LAKEFrom page 1

CITYFrom page 1

AYERSFrom page 3

Experience • Bethany Gella

Donald Dugon makes a dunk during basketball practice at the Gymnasium on Tuesday Oct. 21. Tournament play starts Nov. 13. The first game is on Jan. 2.

to do something special, win a conference championship.

If they are going to make a run at the championship they still have things they can improve on first, Panzella said.

“There is always stuff we can do better. Maintaining focus, be louder, intense and just play.” Panzella added that, “As long as we keep battling out there we will do okay.”

The Mustangs also battled hard in their next game, which was a close win against Napa Valley.

Standing in their way is Contra Costa College who has a record of 2-9 in conference play this season; both wins came against last place Laney College.

If the Mustangs can get passed CCC, and run their winning streak to six games, it will set up a showdown at Yuba with at least a share of first place on the line.

The critical match with CCC is at home Tuesday, Nov. 11.

F R I D A Y , N O V . 7 , 2 0 1 4 8

• Small Classes

• Outstanding faculty with academic and real world expertise

• Convenient campuses in San Francisco, San Jose, Pleasanton and Sacramento

• Financial aid and scholarships available

• Classes start in January and August

APPLY NOW916.920.0157

www.usfca.edu/sacramento

TRANSFER TO A DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAM

IN SACRAMENTO

BUY

USF SACRAMENTO CAMPUS

LOCAL.LIVE

LOCAL.LEARN

LOCAL.

“When she was first diag-nosed, I didn’t really believe it. I think I was in shock or denial, it didn’t even click with me,” said her daughter Beverly Ayers.

It finally clicked when her mom started going through chemo. “When she lost all her hair. That’s when it started to seem real.”

Still a strong supporter for Brentwood Relay for Life, Wahl and his family formed Team “Save the Ta-Ta’s.”

He explains, “We raise money by selling and/or

at its Sept. 10 meeting.But he did inform the

governing board in the letter that “Brentwood residents ap-peared before the city council [Oct. 14] to express dissatis-faction with the Vineyards location, citing concerns about possible negative impacts attributed to traffic, public access, circulation, and public safety” and expressed their desire to have the campus moved to “a more central location in the city.”

Summerset Vista Home-owner’s Association Board of Director’s President George Schmidt spoke out at the city council’s Oct. 14 meeting regarding these issues.

He said 8,500 cars currently travel along Fairview Ave. every day and “it only takes one of those to hit one of our residents,” adding the number of accidents and injuries will grow with the number of cars.

Diablo Valley College Presi-dent Garcia, who coordinated the Brentwood Center project as former LMC dean of eco-nomic development, said in an email that interview, no complaints were brought forward during the planning process.

“The developer and existing residents saw the value of a community college on the Vineyards site and understood that our value would extend to their property,” said Garcia.

Along with the comments from the Summerset and Tril-ogy residents, the mayor also acknowledged in his letter that the council was aware of the feasibility study the district is currently conducting on the alternative location and urged the governing board to keep the city informed during the process.

“Any plans to include a community college should be considered in the context of continued cooperative planning between the district and the city,” said Taylor in the letter.

Council Member Gene Clare said at the Oct. 28 meeting he is pleased with the college district for taking recent concerns and sugges-tions seriously by “doing a study and considering all the facts prior to moving forward.”

“I wanted to commend the community college staff and board for listening to the public and doing their due diligence,” said Clare.

Keller had insisted at the Oct. 14 meeting, that even though it is late in the game, the city council take action and rescind its support of the current site at Marsh Creek Road and Vineyards

Parkway, previously expressed in the 2013 letter from the city council to the District February 12, 2013.

”In addition to what the residents have been asking this evening, I would ask you to consider sending an additional letter to the college district requesting that they find a more appropriate site,” said Keller.

But in the city’s letter ad-dressed to Keller and the BAR T Board, the mayor described the partnership between the city and the governing board:

“For the past several years the city has enthusiastically supported the Contra Costa Community College District’s plans for a future, expanded Brentwood LMC campus.”

The mayor also recognized the objections voiced by Keller and Brentwood residents, but he made clear the city does not have final say on where the college is ultimately located.

“I reminded the residents that all decisions relating to the future of the Brentwood campus lie exclusively within the authority of the College District Governing Board, and not the city,” said the Mayor in the letter but again avoiding support for either side.

Instead, because BART has identified the area near the Mokulumne Trail and Highway 4 as a possible future site for an eBART station, the city recommended the BART Board move forward with its plans.

“The city urges the BART Board to, in the near future, approve a strategy to either acquire land or establish a capital improvement project for this future station,” said the mayor in the letter.

Council Member Steve Barr echoed the Mayor Tay-lor’s remarks at the Oct. 28 meeting regarding a future eBART station because he doesn’t want the city to make plans around a future BART station if it never comes to Brentwood.

“I surely would like to see a commitment from BART,” said Barr.

If you would like to watch the videos of the city council’s Oct. 14 and 28 meetings go to http://www.brentwoodca.gov/gov/council/granicus.asp. A copy of the letters to the BART Board and the District Governing Board can be found at http://brentwood.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=38&clip_id=1917.

The results of the feasibility study will be discussed at the District Governing Board meeting Nov. 12 at 4 p.m., located at 500 Court St. in Martinez.

munity to call campus police if they see anything out of the ordinary.

“We hope that people call us,” he said.

If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Police Services at (925) 439-1505.

won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing. Series pho-tographer Don Bartletti also won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography the same year. In 2006 Nazario rewrote the series, expanding it into a book entitled “Enrique’s Journey.”

Enrique was on his eighth attempt to get through Mexico when he met Nazario. She spent weeks with him on his journey and then attempted to travel the same 1,600 miles from Tegucigalpa, Honduras Enrique had traveled for three months, step-by-step on foot and also while on top of a moving freight train.

“I had only gone through one percent of what they had gone through,” said Nazario.

renting decorated bras as a way to call attention to breast cancer awareness. We also distribute informational flyers about breast cancer during the event.”

With families, like the Wahls, volunteering for programs like Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society is able to get information out there. But for families like the Ayers, family, friends and faith keep them together. For them, when cancer rears its ugly head, sticking together is the best way to fight.

Aside from one fainting spell the day of her daughter’s senior prom Linda has been

able to keep going. “I’m a rather stubborn person and am determined to be here for my family.” Linda strives to keep their lives as normal as possible.

“In all honesty it is my faith that gets me through. I wouldn’t be able to take my next breath without it. Family, Friends and Facebook acquaintances were a big part of keeping my spirits up as well.”

Each fami ly member stressed the same thing; stick together, don’t give up and keep fighting.

Contact Linda Ayers at [email protected] for questions or advice on breast cancer.

11-07-14 Experience

Documents

Transcript of 11-07-14 Experience