Shoaib Najmuddin Staff writer

The state Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) said in a new report that lawmak-ers could increase community college fees up to $40 per unit without greatly affecting en-

rollment at the schools.The 53.8 percent increase

would have tuition at $1,200 for a student taking 15 units in two semesters, compared to the current $26 per unit fee that adds up to $780 per year for two 15-unit semesters.

According to Ventura Col-

lege President Robin Calote, the Ventura County Commu-nity College District cannot tamper with tuition fees, but will help students find the means to pay for college if a fee increase is approved by the state government.

“This is a complex deci-sion our state legislature has to make,” said Calote.

“When it comes to our district, it is uncertain what the future will hold, but if

another fee increase is in the works then we encourage stu-dents to take advantage of fi-nancial aid and the grants that are provided to them.”

The California Commu-nity College system operates differently than the University of California and California State University systems. The UC and CSU systems set their own fees, which rose in May, but the State Legislature sets California Community Col-

lege fees.The LAO report drew an

immediate protest from the Community College League of California.

According to the League’s President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Lay, any signifi-cant fee increase could have a devastating impact on en-rollment, forcing tens of thou-sands of students to forgo an education. SeeTUITIONpg.2

State analyst seeks another tuition hikeStudent Voice

March 10- March 23 w w w . S t u d e n t V o i c e O n l i n e . c o m FREE Vol. 7 , No. 3

MoorparkOxnardVentura

‘Spend a little time’ enjoying ‘Sweet Charity’

Shoaib Najmuddin Staff writer

Throughout the state, college students participated in walkouts and rallied in protest of state-wide budget cuts and fee increases; but at Ventura, Oxnard and Moorpark colleges, it was just another day at school.

Students at all three campuses seemed un-aware of the pre-planned event as classrooms re-mained filled and stu-dents went along with their daily business.

According to Ox-nard College Academic Senate President Robert Cabral, the lack of par-ticipation was due to deficient organizational support.

“There were no groups advertising or organizing the protest,” said Cabral. “Without the endorsement of any campus clubs or organi-zations, you can’t expect a protest to be success-ful.”

According to Com-munities of Color Media coordinator of Northern California, and former Moorpark College stu-dent, Alejandro Lara-Briseño, California was joined by 17 other states to take a stance against the budget cuts and stu-dent fee increases.

“Schools around the nation and around the world have basically said we support this action, and we will be doing something of our own to support higher

education,” said Lara-Briseño.

The catalyst behind this nationwide move-ment is the efforts of more than 800 students, faculty and staff mem-bers from over 100 dif-ferent schools and or-ganizations throughout the state.

On Oct. 24 of last year, UC Berkeley held a conference, the purpose of which was to search for ways for Califor-nia to take action. They came to the consensus that on March 4, college campuses across the state would unite for the same cause.

Although students missed out, they still hold opinions about ris-ing tuition and budget cuts.

“The state isn’t keeping the best interest of the students in mind and it’s disastrous,” said Jonathon Simpson, a 19-year-old psychology major from Moorpark College.

“They need to un-derstand that if they want to fix the economy, it starts with us, the fu-ture.”

According to Moorpark College his-tory professor Michael Simms, public education is wrongly viewed.

“The state is looking at all of this wrong,” he said. “Public education needs to be treated as an investment and not an expense.” For OC’s reac-tion to the walkout, visit www.StudentVoiceOn-line.com

Walkout a no-go for VCCCD students

Running towards state finals

Photo by Karla Avalos Voices heard– People protest on the corner of Las Posas Road and Daily Road in Camarillo on March 4.

LAO suggests that increasing tuition would have little impact on enrollment

Paperwork for walking in graduation due at the end of monthRobert PondStaff Writer

Students who wish to re-ceive their associate degree or walk in their school’s gradua-tion ceremony should consult a counselor before the ever-encroaching deadline.

For all three campuses, the deadline to register to graduate is March 25. Applica-tions for graduation are avail-able when students schedule an appointment with a coun-selor.

“Make appointments now,” said Corey Wendt, counseling chair for Moorpark

College.Juan Hernandez, chair of

the Oxnard College Counsel-ing Department warns stu-dents against not making an appointment.

According to Hernandez a counselor must fill out the ap-plication with a student.

Becky Hull, an athletics counselor at Ventura College, encourages students to apply to graduate, since they can use the courses they have already taken and fit them to gradua-tion requirements.

“It’s just tweaking the courses you already have, and have already taken,” Hull said.

“It’s a process we encourage students to do.”

Wendt warned students to make their appointments quickly, as they plan appoint-ments two weeks in advance with the graduation deadline being March 25.

Wendt explained stu-dents should have all their transcripts from non-VCCCD colleges they have attended ready, so they can receive credit for classes they took at those schools.

Transcript information for VCCCD schools should be un-der student records on every student’s MyVCCCD portal.

E-mails were supposed to be sent out to all VCCCD students about the impend-ing deadline, but, according to Hernandez, there were some technical difficulties.

“There were some prob-lems trying to send the mes-sage out,” Hernandez ex-plained.

Hull emphasizes walk-ing in the ceremony, as she believes it is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements students have made.

“It’s an opportunity to cel-ebrate an accomplishment and to receive the congratulations you’ve earned,” Hull said.

Mallory MartinA&E editor

Moorpark College’s newest musical production, “Sweet Charity,” is set to entertain crowds when it opens on March 12.

“Sweet Charity” tells the story of Charity Valen-tine, a hopeful young woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, literally.

The musical follows the ups and downs of Charity’s foolish relationships and focuses on her never-ending hope and optimism.

John Loprieno heads the production as director, with musical direction by Vail Keck and choreogra-phy by Beth McGill.

The show includes many famous and popular numbers such as the preppy “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” the seductive “Hey Big Spender,” the gospel number “Rhythm of Life” and the show’s title ballad, “Sweet Charity.”

Moorpark College’s production of “Sweet Char-ity” opens on Friday, March 12 and continues until March 28.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. For tickets, call the Performing Arts box office at (805) 378-1485, or visit the homepage at www.moorparkcollege.edu/PAC.

For more photos of the production as well as a video, visit www.StudentVoiceOnline.com.

- Complete the general education courses required.- Choose from these options: - Specific major - General studies (A.A.) - General studies (A.A.) - General studies (A.A.for transfer)- Complete graduation requirements in competency, units, scholarship and residency.-- Apply for the degree by March 25

Go to the factory to listen, play and learnStory pg. 8

Graphic by Michael Galasso

Photos by Jake HendersonGroup work– From left to right, Kailey Short, Becky Pruett, Courtney Schwartz, Kristle Protacio, Jennifer Foster, Brittney Latta, Rachel Trushinski and Maggie Darlington look for Johns during a dress rehearsal of ‘Sweet Charity.’

action!– Above left to right, Actors Eric Austin, Eileen Casanova, Ryan Lefton, Ed Connelly and Jenna Gillespie hover over Leanna as Chariy Hope, during their Monday night dress rehersal. Below, performers on stage come together to celebrate.

Story, pg. 5

OXNARD COLLEGEPage 2 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March 10, 2010

Continue your education.Begin your dream.

fidm.edu/transfer 800.624.1200

®

Monica ValenciaContributing writer

Oxnard College students explored Elizabethan history and dissected Shakespearian rhetoric brought forth by two theatre arts experts in a mini-workshop held at the Oxnard College Literature, Arts & Lecture Series on March 3.

Willow Greer and Mike Peebler from the Theatricum Botanicum, a rep-ertory theatre nestled in Topanga, host-ed the discussion in “Shakespeare’s Life & Language.”

“I have noticed that performing arts are always first to go in budget cuts and this is sad. We are trying to keep it alive,” said Peebler. “We do lots of educational programming and to see such confidence evolve in a person is very important. Inspiration in the arts means understanding something in yourself.”

Peebler handed out extracts of Act 2: Scene 2 from “Hamlet” and had stu-dents participate in the breakdown of Shakespeare’s dialogue.

Greer gathered the students in a circle and showed them a tradition-al Elizabethan (Galliard) dance and courtship gestures. Later, she divulged detailed history that pertained to that specific era.

The two educators explained that Shakespeare has long been misinter-preted and misunderstood. In their assertion, they also mentioned that se-cret decoding of Shakespeare’s verses is critical to delivering a phenomenal performance as a thespian.

Elissa Caruth, an English Litera-ture professor believed students were confidently engaged in the activities and portrayed great depth of knowl-edge in the Shakespearean field.

“Shakespeare is everywhere in America,” she said. “From pop culture

and the “Lion King,” to Madonna and O.J. Simpson. Shakespeare shapes, in-forms and reflects American Culture today.”

Greer and Peebler hope to moti-vate people into expanding their abil-ity in all forms of art. Theatricum Bo-tanicum will be holding auditions for summer season productions starting March 19. Works from renowned play-wrights like William Shakespeare and Alexandre Dumas will be recreated and performed in their theatre.

Shelley Savren, English Professor and coordinator for this event was de-lighted by the workshop.

“This was fantastic. Firstly, many of these students have never seen a Shakespearean skit before,” said Savren. “Participating today was fun. The language breakdown and inter-pretation was very informative for stu-dents. It certainly brought Shakespeare to life today.”

Marissa Blanco, a 20-year-old English major, was among the many students who attended the workshop.

“I really enjoyed how they gath-ered everyone and explained the Shakespearean epoch,” said Blanco. “It was fun and charismatic for me.”

Henry Martinez, a 19-year-old TV/Film Production major, was also in attendance.

“Being here helped me learn about the vocalization and explanation of language, not just the written but the spoken as well,” he said.

The next lecture from the Litera-ture, Arts and Lecture series is titled “Understanding Women in the Middle East” and will be held on March 10 in LS-8. The lecture is from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. and is free of charge.

For more information on the se-ries please contact Shelley Savren at ssavren@vcccd.edu or by phone at (805) 986-5800 ext. 1951.

All the world’s a stagePhoto by Monica Valencia

ShakeSpeare in love–Theatricum Botanicum members Mike Peebler and Willow Greer perform in front of Oxnard College students. The pair presented Elizabethan speech patterns and actions.

Continued from pg. 1

“It is impossible to believe that the State can raise fees and not expect a drop in enrollment,” said Lay.

“I understand that the LAO is trying to give the best recommendation possi-ble according to the budget, but it has to take student enrollment into account.”

The LAO report comes about a week after the League said the budget cuts that the system is already facing, and additional ones expected to come, could reduce enrollment at California Community Colleges by 134,500 full and part-time students over the next year.

However, according to the LAO Director of Higher Education Steve Boil-ard, a fee increase will not drastically affect California Community College stu-dents.

“New federal tax credit provisions allow the state to tap potentially hun-dreds of millions of new federal dollars for higher education,” said Boilard. “Be-cause these tax credits will fully reimburse most California Community College students for the fees they pay, the state could raise those fees with no net impact on most students.”

According to the report, the LAO does not recommend a specific increase, but there is a possible benefit for full-time students in the form of a tax credit.

“If the state were to increase fees to up to a minimum $40 per unit, eligible students taking 30 units per year would be able to take full advantage of the tax credit while leaving room to receive some reimbursement for textbook costs.”

Lay added that previous fee increases had led to major declines in enroll-ment.

Boilard refuted this statement and said that such claims have been inflated by the Community College League and are not accurate.

“Our analysis suggests that this claim about fees being the sole or even the major cause of enrollment declines is exaggerated,” said Boilard. “In fact, there are several explanations for the enrollment declines.”

TUITION: tax credits availablePhoto by J. Carlos Zavala

Shop till you drop–Visitors to the Oxnard College Community Market can find a plethora of farm-fresh produce, arts & crafts and even live animals. Proceeds benefit Oxnard College events.

Ken McWaidStaff writer

A man wearing an old, sweat-stained base-ball hat shouts, “Pa-paya! Papaya! Papaya!” Meanwhile, his part-ner haggles with an old woman over a bag of na-vel oranges. Across the way, a heavyset gentle-man breaks open a bag of ice over freshly caught seafood. Two aisles over, children gather to watch caged canaries as an old man slowly re-clines in his lawn chair to enjoy a cigarette.

Since 1998, the Com-munity Market at Ox-

nard College has been a vital part of the com-munity. Elio Lopez, the manager of the commu-nity market, has been in-volved with the market for five years.

“We generate taxes, we generate jobs for the community [and] we generate customers,” said Lopez.

Every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., vendors and shop-pers are always there. Connie Owens, Oxnard College community de-velopment specialist, believes that the market is very important to the community because,

“they are the ones who asked for it.”

According to Ow-ens, the profits from the community market go to scholarship and awards programs for Oxnard College students. The market creates funds for the school library, as well as providing funds to support Campus Clean-Up Day and the Adopt-a-Computer program.

For more informa-tion and directions to the public market at Oxnard College, go to www.oxnardcollege.edu or call the Oxnard College Foundation at (805) 986- 5889.

Oxnard market in a world of its own

VENTURA COLLEGEPage 3 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March 10, 2010

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The University of Values

Partygoers advised to THNK about their actions

Upcoming event will have clubs rummaging for reliefVC Pirates get into the spirit of assisting Haiti in their time of needAngela BrazaVentura campus editor

Haitian relief efforts are alive and strong thanks to the ongoing actions of Ventura College clubs.

Ventura College’s Anthropology and Psychology clubs will join hands and host a rummage sale to benefit Haitian relief on Saturday, April 10.

The event will take place at the Foundation Marketplace from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Anthropology Club President Esteban Minero.

Minero, a 19-year-old political sci-ence major, acknowledges that Haiti is slowly fading away from the minds of many people.

“The thing that people must real-ize is this: life goes on far after and be-yond the headline,” he said.

“The earthquake occurred over a month ago, but the destruction, the consequences, all the devastation is still there.”

Minero stresses the importance of keeping thoughts on Haiti and con-tinuing efforts to assist them.

“It is disappointing that in our modern society, when we are con-nected and intertwined more than ever before, that an attitude of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ still persists,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is, Haiti was a developing country before the earthquake even hit. It was, like all de-veloping countries, plagued by corrup-tion, poverty, and in need of assistance. Charity is neverending.”

Proceeds of the event will go to

UNICEF, according to Minero. UNICEF, an acronym for Unit-

ed Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, is a non-profit global organization that provides ongoing as-sistance to children and mothers in de-veloping and devastated countries.

UNICEF is among the many orga-nizations giving abundant aid to those in Haiti.

The rummage sale will be open to the general public, and the cost of at-tendance is free. The sale will offer a variety of second-hand goods.

“As far as what we will sell, we are planning on getting donations from students,” said Minero, “typical yard sale stuff.”

The Foundation Marketplace, lo-cated on the east parking lot of the Ventura campus, on the corner of Day and Telegraph Roads, will be donating the space for the rummage sale.

The Foundation Marketplace typically charges vendors $32-$55 for space rental, according to Marketplace Supervisor Esmeralda Juarez.

“We are giving the space for this rummage sale for free,” said Juarez.

“What these kids are doing is nice and it’s important to help one another out when it’s for a good cause.”

Students who participate in the rummage sale will not only have an enjoyable time, but they will obtain a sense of fulfillment, said Minero.

“There’s always the sense of know-ing you’re helping, that you are being a part of something bigger than your-self,” he said.

“It’s an amazing feeling.”For more information on the

Haitian relief rummage sale or to do-nate items, contact advisors Maria Te-resa Fiumerodo or Cari Lange at (805) 654-1274.

Campus construction inches nearer to completionAngela BrazaVentura campus editor

Construction on the east side of Ventura College’s campus continues to draw interest as months go by and buildings begin to show signs of near-completion.

The college’s Advanced Technol-ogy/General Purpose Classrooms and Health Science Center are not set to be completed for another year, but con-struction is running smoothly, accord-ing to Bob Forest, director of Main-tenance and Operations at Ventura College.

“As of right now, there isn’t an ex-act date of completion, but we’re defi-nitely on track,” he said.

According to the VCCCD website, completion is estimated to be by April 2011, but Forest acknowledged other factors that could make the exact date cloudy.

“There are still a number of things that need to be done,” he said. “Putting in furniture and fixtures, that’s what’s going to be the most time-consum-ing.”

Heery International Inc. is super-vising the construction while Seattle’s Howard S. Wright Constructors is serv-ing as the contractor for the project. Leo A. Daly, from Los Angeles, serves as the architect of the project.

The estimated cost of the project is $30 million, part of the $356.3 mil-lion bond from Measure S, which was passed in 2002 by Ventura County vot-ers, according to the VCCCD website.

The Advanced Technology/Gen-eral Purpose Classrooms and Health Science Center will cover 89,403 square feet and will provide a number of new services to students and faculty, ac-cording to the VCCCD website.

Along with an array of general purpose classrooms, the new buildings

will offer innovative specialty class labs. Students can also expect addi-tional food service to serve the eastern part of the college.

The sight of the ongoing con-struction has been of great interest to students.

“I can just imagine how much nic-er the classes will be,” said Regina San-chez, an 18-year-old nursing major.

“I’ll probably be around when they’re done, and I’m excited for the chance to use whatever they’ll have to offer.”

File Photo couresty of Dina PielaetDeep impact–At last year’s first THNK event, students gathered in a crowded classroom to hear guest speaker Michael Juarez, a former meth addict, preach about the consequences of substance abuse.

Photo by Angela Braza/Artist’s renderings courtesy of Diane StephensBefore & after–Campus construction has stirred interest among Ventura College students, top, as the buildings start to take shape and form. The Advance Technology/General Purpose Classrooms, bottom, will offer a variety of specialty class labs for students in fashion design, architecture, nursing and EMT classes. The site is estimated to be completed by April 2011.

Angela BrazaVentura campus editor

With spring break just around the corner, students are readying to toss their textbooks aside and prepare for the ultimate extended party.

It’s a notorious time for bi-kinis and booze, but the Ventura College Psychology Club advises students to keep the following thought in mind during the week-long vacation: think before you drink.

On Wednesday, March 24, the Psychology Club will host the 2nd Annual THNK Event, an en-lightening project that encourages students to be wise in their ac-tions during their time away from school.

“The THNK Event is specifi-cally designed on the Wednesday right before Spring Break since there is a tendency to increase drug use and binge drinking at this time,” said faculty advisor and psychology professor Lucy Capuano Brewer.

“Unfortunately sexual as-saults while under the influence also increases.”

The event will take place in the lawn area between the science building and Learning Resource Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“This is our second annual THNK Event, and it came up last year, when one of our club mem-bers shared her story about a close friend being in a coma due to a DUI accident,” said Capuano Brewer.

“Many other club members shared their own stories and we all felt this is a big problem that needs to be addressed and con-fronted directly.”

The event is open to the public and those in attendance can par-ticipate in a number of activities, including a fatal vision obstacle course that will allow students to understand the dizzying effects of driving under the influence.

Resource booths from various organizations, including Alcohol-ics Anonymous, Sociology Club, Rainbow Alliance and the Ventura

College Health Center, will also be available for students who may have questions or concerns about substance abuse.

A handful of guest speakers will also be in attendance to pro-vide information on DUIs and to preach against alcohol addiction and sexual victimization involv-ing alcohol and drugs.

California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Pedeferri will serve as the keynote speaker.

“We want to educate and help students make better decisions in response to their own drink-ing and addiction,” said Capuano Brewer.

“If students are in need of help, we will have a number of mental health agencies they can reach out to and get the help they need on site.”

For more information on the THNK Event, contact faculty ad-visor Lucy Capuano Brewer at 654-6400 ext. 1272 or visit the Psy-chology Club website at http://vcpsychology.homestead.com/psychology.html.

A spotlight on MC’s resident (re)cyclerMichael LemerandStaff writer

For those who don’t know Dan Brown, the dean of the Social and Be-havioral Science division at Moorpark College, they may be surprised at just how often they‘ve seen him.

An advocate of making energy-ef-ficient, “green” choices, Brown’s pri-mary source of transportation is his bike, a far cry from the typical, more practical means of travel that most people utilize. His humility and dedi-cation to living a clean, conscientious and active lifestyle are not what you would expect from a man so accom-plished.

“I have very strong convictions about everything,” Brown said with a hearty laugh in regards to his recycling habit that has been an ongoing topic of conversation on campus.

Brown, bike in tow, makes frequent trips to the local recycling center from campus, recycling cans and bottles he comes across in an effort to generate profit that is ultimately poured back into the school via the President’s Cir-cle Foundation.

“I think we really are at a tipping point,” Brown continued, regarding the impending environmental crisis.

When he isn’t fulfilling his duties at Moorpark, Brown is what could be considered an authority on Nazi wom-en of the SS “Schutzstaffe,” an area of study that is largely untouched.

Author of the books, “The Camp Women: The Female Auxiliaries who Assisted the SS in Running the Nazi Concentration Camp System” and “The Beautiful Beast: The Life and Crimes of SS-Aufseherin Irma Grese,” Brown’s expertise on the subject is demonstrated.

Furthering the point, Brown is fre-quently invited to speak at conventions concerning the holocaust. Currently, he is preparing for an overseas venture to speak at “The Personages of World War II and the Holocaust: Victims, Res-cuers, Liberators and Executioners” in Riga, Latvia.

Brown’s upcoming presentation will deal with the validity of certain documentaries made about the events that transpired in Europe during the Holocaust and the event as a whole stands to “reverse… the growing trend of neglect and distortion of historical truth about World War II and the Ho-locaust” according to the dean.

Nearing retirement, Brown couldn’t be more satisfied with the varied career he has enjoyed over the years.

A teacher and former staff mem-ber of institutions across the country, Brown started part-time at Moorpark College in 1984, while he worked as a night clerk at the Tipsy Fox liquor store in Oxnard on the side. He became part of the full-time staff in 1986.

“It’s been a good experience,” mused Brown, a man with an effer-vescent smile and the vitality of a ris-ing sun. Not only is his impending retirement in June a loss to the staff here at Moorpark, but it is a loss to the fostering minds taking for grant-

ed what this man’s efforts have, and will, accomplish.

If students notice a man taking a break from pedaling his bicycle to pick

up garbage on the side of the road, they should give a wave and consider the possibility of more people doing what, to Brown, is a merry routine.

MOORPARK COLLEGEPage 4 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March 10, 2010

Hannah CoyleOpinion editor

Faculty and stu-

dents came together on the threshold of the Ex-otic Animals Training and Management site on March 2 to witness the groundbreaking cer-emony for a new com-plex that will enhance the program’s already infamous reputation.

The addition has

been years in the making and students and faculty alike found themselves eager for the possibilities of the new structure.

“[The building] will provide more learning opportunities and more studying opportunities,” said Tamarah Roach, a student of EATM. With an expected completion date of spring 2011, the two-story building will feature a vet lab, new

classrooms, offices and an auditorium that will double as both a class-room and theater. A book store and gift shop are also in the plans for the

12,000 square foot space. Dr. Pam Eddinger, presi-dent of Moorpark Col-lege, gave the opening

speech at the event and expressed gratitude for the hard work going into the construction for

EATM’s new complex. See www.Student-

VoiceOnline.com for full story.

File Photo by Paul RoushSpectacular Spectacular–Lauren Gilbert presents a Cata-lina Macaw during last year’s Spring Spectacular. This year, the event will be held on March 13 & 14, 20 & 21 and 27 & 28.

Brennan WhitmoreStaff writer

The Multimedia Club is attempt-ing to make a first-person shooter vid-eo game inspired by Richard Connell’s short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” using the Unreal Engine.

The club has only a semester to complete the game with a handful of students, using an engine that gives professional game studios trouble.

Multimedia Club President Yale Buckner realizes the challenges at hand but thinks he has just the team to pull it all together.

“It’s that kind of environment that you dream about getting,” said Buckner.

“These are people who are actually thirsty to get out into the working world and make something happen.”

The Multimedia Club is de-veloping the currently unnamed game with help from the FAME Club, Programming Club and Dub Club.

Players of the game take on the role of a man who has been marooned on a rainforest island and must fight for survival while being hunted by an-other character.

Buckner says that they wanted the game to have a more restrained, story-driven style than action games such as

“Gears of War,” which features excess violence and chain saw bayonet guns.

“If you put chain saws on guns that shoot chain saws and bears holding guns that shoot chain saws, then it becomes a game about bears shooting guns with chain saws,” said Buckner.

One problem they faced early on even helped to cement their style.

A “boss” character hunts play-ers in the game, but due to technical restraints, according to Level Design Manager Trevor Rice, they could not actually show this character directly.

“So we got really creative,” said Rice. “Instead of showing him, we’re trying to design the game around his presence.”

This lends the environment a sense of tension, as players hear the boss coming for them or see his shadow.

Buckner, who also acts as the proj-ect manager, says they also wanted to try and emulate working conditions at a real game development studio.

This means that the team has al-ready put in 30 man-hours into the project, which is currently 25 percent done according to Buckner.

According to 3-D Manager Joey Cannorata, it can take an entire semes-ter just to render one section of a level.

But at the end of the day, it’s worth it he said. “It’s really satisfying,” said Cannorata.

Photo by Hannah Daveytickled by titleS–“Crack head on a bike” and “The guy has to ride a bike on campus because he’s had 23 DUIs” are two posts on RateMyProfessor.com that Dan Brown finds particularly humorous. In reality, the environmentally conscious Brown rides his bike to go green.

Dan Brown: Man behind the bike pedals for a purpose

Image courtesy of Multimedia Clubthe waiting game–The club’s game, which is currently unnamed, takes place in a jungle envi-ronment. A section of a level such as this can take an entire semester to render.

Clubs join forces to create a ‘most dangerous’ video game

Construction starts on EATM grounds

Photo by Hannah CoyleOnlOOkerS–EATM students look on during the ground-breaking on March 2 for a new addition that will benefit the students and the program as a whole.

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Tim WeisbergSports editor

The Ventura College Pirates made sloppy joes look sparkling clean; the Pirates were clumsy, me-diocre offensively and struggled to keep the ball out of the opposing team’s hands, but they still manage to turn slop-piness into a success.

According to Pirates’ forward Chanelle Bren-nan, the team is always prepared for any obsta-cles that might stand in their way.

“We practice really hard and do a variety of things in practice,” Bren-nan said.

“We’re always ready for things [and] up for the challenge.”

So maybe the Pirates don’t practice turning the ball over, but they always manage to come through even when they do not play their best ball.

The Pirates proved this in a 61-53 victory over San Bernardino Val-ley College in the South-ern California Regional Finals on March 6 at the Ventura Athletic Center.

Brennan led the Pi-rates with 20 points,

while sophomore for-ward Kris King followed suit with 16 points.

Pirates head coach Ned Mircetic did not hesitate to downplay a pesky Wolverines squad.

“San Bernardino is a very talented, well-coached team,” Mircetic said.

“They are always well prepared and al-ways play hard.”

The Wolverines (25-6) certainly put up a fight, only trailing the Pirates 23-19 at the half, and giv-ing the front court loads of trouble defensively.

However, the Pirates (31-1) extended the lead to double digits 40-30 af-ter Gabrielle Conn hit a jumper with under nine minutes to play.

Up by as many as 11 points at one time, the Pi-rates never looked back.

Six players will make their second appearance in a Pirates uniform at the State Tournament.

One of the six sopho-mores, starting shooting guard Erika Ward, is ex-cited to be back in the hunt for a state champi-onship.

“We’re going back to state,” she said. “That’s what all us sophomores

have wanted to do.”Brennan believes the

State Tournament is go-ing to be a time for the Pirates to show why they have won 65 out of their last 67 games.

“It’s our time to shine…and go to state and show them what we have,” she said.

Mircetic expects nothing different from his team during the State

Tournament.“What you’ve seen

in the past is what you’ll see on Thursday night,” he said.

The State Tourna-ment will be held at Cal

Lutheran Univeristy in Thousand Oaks from March 11-14.

The tournament be-gins with the quarterfi-nals Thursday, March 11 at 7 p.m.

Tim WeisbergSports editor

The Moorpark Col-lege Raiders never ex-pected the Long Beach City College Vikings to dominate them with a New York state of mind.

Two New York na-tives proved to be un-stoppable for the Vikings (7-1, 1-0 WSC), as the Raiders (5-3, 0-1) were swept in three sets (22-30, 28-30, 22-30) March 5 at Raider Pavilion.

The New Yorkers were composed of mid-dle blocker Randy Preval and outside hitter Rob McClean.

The 6-foot-6 Preval took advantage of his height to overpower the Raiders’ front line. Mc-Clean dominated the defensive end, making key blocks on the Raid-ers leader in kills Josh Howley.

In each team’s con-ference opener, Raid-ers head coach Steve Burkhart hopes the three-set sweep gave his team a rude awakening.

“Hopefully it’s a wakeup call,” Burkhart said. “That every team we play now is going to be good. We have to play better.”

The Raiders started off strong after a Howley ace gave the Raiders a 4-2 lead.

However, the Vi-kings stormed back on an 8-2 run to retake the lead 11-9, before Matt Taylor’s kill sealed the deal, as the Vikings took the first set 30-22.

The second set ap-peared to come down to whoever had the last side out, as both teams battled for the lead, trading ties and lead changes.

However, the Vi-kings took advantage of their New York state of mind, with a Preval kill that gave them the ad-vantage they needed to eventually take the set 30-28.

The sweep proved to be inevitable in set num-ber three, as the Vikings jumped out to a 4-1 lead, before pushing their lead to seven at 21-14. The Vi-kings eventually won the set and match after win-ning the third set 30-22.

Despite the height advantage and a better frontline, Burkhart did not believe the Vikings’ size was a major factor in their loss.

“I don’t know if matching our height is one of the things that hurt us,” Burkhart said.

For Quinn and the Raiders, it is back to the drawing board.

“We have to come to practice,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

SPORTSPage 5 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March 10, 2010

Ventura earns berth to State Tournament

Raiders swept in conference opener

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Photos by Jake HendersonCompetition–Adam Quinn, above No. 10, serves up a pass while a Long Beach City College player, below, performs a jump serve in a WSC opener Friday night at Raider Pavilion.

Here’s how I see it...

Tim WeisbergSports editor

My friend has told me countless times how tough it is to be a part of the Clipper Nation, where day in and day out, the Los Angeles Clippers always man-age to fork out a losing season.

However, there’s at least one team worse than the Clippers: the New Jersey Nets.

The off-season trade of Vince Carter to the Or-lando Magic for Court-ney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie proved to be a back-breaker for the Nets franchise.

Even after pick-ing up free agent guard Devin Harris from the Dallas Mavericks, the Nets have discovered victories are few and far between, and compara-tively as rare as seeing Halley’s Comet.

So maybe not quite that extreme, but they did start the season 0-16, and are in the running for a painful record: the worst season in NBA history. The ‘72-’73 Phil-adelphia 76ers hold the current embarrassing record with 9 wins in an 82-game season.

The Nets’ victory, that’s right, a victory,

over the New York Knicks, March 6 put them at 7-55 on the year, and 3-7 since the All-Star Break.

The March 6 match-up could have been considered the Hudson River rivalry, but that would be as lame as a ri-valry called the Battle of the Buckeye, featuring the Cleveland Indians vs. the Cincinnati Reds.

Two bad teams rep-representing the state of Ohio is nothing more than two teams in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan battling it out to see who can be pitied more.

All the Nets have to do is go 3-17 to finish the season, and they avoid rewriting history, which in this case might be a good thing.

I previously predict-ed that the Nets would finish 10-72.

However, their “run” of 3-7 since the All-Star Break makes me believe they will finish 12-70.

They will get a cou-ple wins late in the sea-son due to playoff teams resting starters.

Raise a toast to the Nets, as this calls for a celebration if they can get the win column in double-digits.

Clipper fans, think of the New Jersey Nets, and hold your head up high with pride that there is a team that is worse than the Clippers.

Be proud to be one of the few fans who re-main loyal to the Clip-per Nation, and chant pervasively, “In Hoop We Trust.”

Photo by Jake HendersonRoad to viCtoRy–Ventura College’s Suzie Faanono tries to draw San Bernardino Valley College defenders Tanee’ Denson-Griffin (No. 32) and Janelle Junior (No. 5) as Pirates guard Amanda Padilla (No. 10) looks on. The Pirates defeated the Wolverines 61-53 Saturday night at the Ventura Athletic Center to clinch their third consecutive berth to the State tournament.

Commentary

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 6 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March 10, 2010

Robert PondStaff Writer

Social justice-themed art by Los Angeles based female artists is on dis-play at Oxnard College’s McNish Gallery.

Dean of Student Ser-vices Karen Engelsen is happy to see art galleries like this available for stu-dents to attend, as well as an opportunity for up-and-coming artists to show off their talents.

“I think it’s fabulous to expose students to the various artists, it’s also good for artists to dis-play to students,” said Engelsen.

Until March 24, Ox-nard College’s McNish Gallery will be showcas-ing “Harmony Reverber-ates Optimism,” a show by female artists with all pieces having an under-tone of social justice.

Ronald Lopez is the curator for “Har-mony Reverberates Op-timism.” Lopez is a Los Angeles based artist and curator, and this is Lo-pez’s second show at the McNish, the first being 2007’s “And This is How it Ended (The Divorce Show).”

“I started looking for artists dealing with human rights issues in a positive manner,” said Lopez.

Christine Morla, Oxnard art department chair, brought in Lopez to guest curate the gal-lery, as Lopez tends to find good artists who have a theme of social justice.

“Since March is women’s history month, I thought it would be good to bring this show to this gallery,”said Mor-

la. “Ronald always finds art about social justice and social issues.”

Ofunne Obiamiwe’s piece “The Status of Women” analyzed the status of 10 female art-ists from the Los Angeles area, using a picture and a 420-character update, much like a Facebook status update. This came along with a bra from each of the women.

“[This is about] the status of women and their situation and condi-tion in the 21st century.” Obiamiwe said.

Azadeh Tajpour’s piece “Iraqi Body Count” was an interactive affair, with viewers walking around on strips of pa-per, with the names of the dead from the Iraq War written on each strip of paper.

“I had realized what a difference it makes see-ing name, age and oc-cupation instead of just abstract numbers,” said Tajpour.

SaeRi Cho Dobson’s “7 Deadly Seams” is a piece inspired by the na-tion’s dry cleaners, say-ing she was largely in-spired by a 2007 lawsuit against a dry cleaner, which lost a pair of the plaintiff’s pants.

Students were in-trigued by the galleries’ unorthodox showcase.

“It’s something dif-ferent, and it’s inter-esting,” said Michael Garcia, a 19-year-old un-decided major.

To look at some of the art displayed, or for more information, visit the galleries’ official site at http://www.adenis-tanbul.net/harm_rev_opt.htm for more infor-mation

Ara OritzStaff Writer

There was a big audi-ence in attendance at the final dress rehearsal for the Ventura College The-atre Arts Department’s annual One-Act Play Festival on March 4. The room was full with only standing room available but that did not stop the audience from enjoying the four student plays. Applause and laughter was heard throughout the night in the four plays showcased.

Former VC student Selena Valenzuela, 20, was left satisfied after watching the final play of the night, “Am I Blue.”

“I like it. I thought it was very cute,” she said. “[It had] a good climax and ending.”

The opening play “Medusa’s Tale” told a story of Medusa as an innocent young girl and her relationship with

Poseidon that eventu-ally led to her infamous status. “Medusa’s Tale” was an intense, dramatic piece.

The night’s audience acclaimed play, “The Least Offensive Play in The Whole Darn World,” was a brilliant comedy. The clever jokes really got the audience laugh-ing out loud. “The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World” was set up like an infomercial selling a product to a stu-dio audience.

This “product” was a device that would re-place the not-so-friendly parts of a play with more appropriate content. In an example of Hamlet, the fight scene’s swords were replaced with pool noodles to the effect of uproarious laughter; the audience did not stop laughing until the play was over.

The final plays, “Ode to Gwen Stacy” and “Am

I Blue,” were well writ-ten, and the audience was hooked on the plot of each one.

In “Ode to Gwen Stacy” a young man, Oliver, breaks the fourth wall as he tells the audi-ence about the woman he loves but is afraid to talk to her. As he continues, Alison, a sweet girl who likes Oliver comes in and leading him to make a tough decision.

“Am I Blue” tells the story of two teens

that unexpectedly meet and end up hanging out the entire night forming a bond between the two. Ashbe and John go back to Ashbe’s house where the two continue their conversation, and learn more about each other: the good, the bad, and the crazy.

The VC One-Act Play Festival concludes March 14. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Justice, harmony and optimism at OC

VC ‘One Acts’ start with success

Photo by Jake Henderson Next geNeratioN of regeNeratioN–Moorpark College’s newest art exhibit displays pieces made from 100%recycled materials. The exhibit,“The Next Generation of Regeneration,” was created in honor of Tressa ‘Grandma’ Prisbrey and her popular bottle village. “Next Generation of Regeneration” is currently located in the administration building outside the presidents office. It will continue showing until March 17. In the above picture, artist Derek Foster poses with his featured art piece “Samurai and Falcon.”

Photo coutesy of Michael ByrneJudgiNg a book by its cover–Karrah Wommack and Tyler McLean perform in a twist on the popular story of Medusa

OPINIONPage 7 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com March.10, 2010

Four-week summer class session should stayThe continuing state of

the failing economy has forced the Ventura County Commu-nity College District to have to find ways to save money that unfortunately has a negative impact on students.

In a Feb. 17 Town Hall meeting held by the Moorpark College administration, the latest budget review called for cuts to the four-week summer sessions at Moorpark College.

According to Moorpark College Executive Vice Presi-dent Ed Knudson, the four-week summer classes were cut because the state cut nearly $4 million from the dis-trict budget.

“The four-week summer session was eliminated this year because of the significant reductions in the 2009-2010 budget from the state of Cali-fornia,” Knudson said in an

email. According to the VCCCD

mission statement, “The Ven-tura County Community Col-lege District (VCCCD) is com-mitted to assisting students in the attainment of its primary mission as a system of state supported two-year colleges.”

However, it seems quite

the contrary when you cut an entire summer session for the students, as well as cut-ting some six-week summer classes.

In the end, students come first, but does that mean the first place to cut from the budget? According to Knud-son, the justification for the

cancellation of the four-week summer session was that the district was projected to be serving 3,600 more full-time equivalent students (FTES) than the state will fund.

Knudson also said that it does not stop there, as the dis-trict also plans on not offering the four-week session next

summer, following a budget projection that will not allow for budget development for four- week summer classes.

The budget problem makes the future look bleak and you can’t stop the bleed-ing of a hemophiliac bureau-cracy. According to Knudson, the district is trying to resolve the problem by promising to continuously offer enough classes needed for students, and remained sympathetic to-ward the situation.

“It’s unfortunate the four-week summer session was eliminated…VCCCD is miti-gating this impact by continu-ing to offer classes in the regu-lar summer session,” he said.

Fellow colleagues, it looks like you will be spending more time in the classroom if you plan to take summer classes.

The best bet is to sign up as early as you can, or increase your academic class load in the fall.

Brennan WhitmoreStaff writer

Typically, this col-umn doesn’t run reviews. Mostly because they feel like a cop out and it isn’t too interesting to write or read about how awe-some “Kitten Puncher V: The Musical” is.

But games like “MAG” are different. This is a game that I have played for well over 20 hours, and yet I don’t understand.

“MAG” is a multi-player online shooter for the PS3 that will instant-ly feel familiar to anyone who’s played “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” one or two, with play-ers earning experience points with kills and un-locking abilities or equip-ment with each level.

What sets “MAG” apart is the fact that you can play with 256 players online, which is insane when you realize that there are enough players on your team alone to start a conga line around the earth, three times over.

You’ll immediately jump into the game af-ter meticulously creating a soldier that ends up looking like every other square jawed grunt on your team, at which point you will run five feet and get shot by someone you had no chance of seeing.

If you’re like me, this will happen eight times. Occasionally while wait-ing to spawn the count-down clock will start at twenty, wind down, and then start all over again.

At one point I died and spent the last 10 min-utes of the game staring at the clock, wondering what I was supposed to do in video game limbo. The game also freezes a lot.

I don’t know how to describe how it feels to have a game freeze when you were 10 sec-onds away from winning a match and leveling up. Let’s say you sit down to work on a paper for a class. It’s a midterm pa-per, and you made your-self a cup of coffee before you began.

You eventually make your way to the end of it. It’s a great paper. You’re about to hit save and score an easy A when….

Your friend sticks his penis in your coffee.

That’s what it feels like MAG, that’s what it feels like.

Geek CultureWhat are you doing for

spring break?

Ventura

Brandi Segovia, 19, Psychology

Ventura Stacy Montiel, 18

Undecided

Oxnard

Janecy Hernandez, 19Natural Sciences

Oxnard Jesus Pimentel, 18

Business

MOOrpark

Amy Fram, 20Religious Studies

MOOrpark

Will Mondet, 22Communications

“Probably preparing for speech nationals. I’m on the team and nationals are the week after break.”

“I think I’m taking my boat to Havasu, but we have to find a stripper pole for it.”

“I’m going to party for sure! I’m going to Mexico to see the parties there.”

“I’ll be going to Bakers-field. My grandma is com-ing back from Mexico and we’re visiting her.”

“I’ll be practicing for soft-ball and visiting colleges I plan to transfer to.”

“I’ll be going to Vegas.”

Beau AkersStaff writer

Nuclear power plants, nuclear waste and nuclear wastelands do not sound appealing to anyone on this earth, especially to people that might get nuclear plants and storage right next door.

President Barack Obama stood on the fence when the subject of nuclear energy arose during an episode of “Meet the Press.” Obama proclaimed that he would find safer ways to pro-duce and store nuclear power during his campaign. Yet when it came down to winning over Nevada on the issue of storing nuclear waste in Nevada’s Yucca Mountain, Obama swayed away from storing waste.

There are currently 104 commer-cial nuclear power plants operating in the United States today. None are said to have had any major leaks of radioac-tive waste.

“[There] are more than 100 reac-tors storing waste… in the worst of all possible places,” said Rochelle Becker of the Alliance for Nuclear Responsi-bility.

“In California, it’s stored next to earthquake faults. In the rest of the country, you find that most waste is sitting very close to water supplies,” said Becker. There are reasons why the president is hesitant to fully support new placements of radio-active waste in Nevada, as well as the construc-tion of more nuclear power plants. On March 28, 1979, a power plant in Penn-sylvania known as the Three Mile Is-land had a meltdown, the whole event was documented by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Cancer rates increased in moderate amounts when scientists studied the ten-mile radius of Three Mile Island, three years after the accident, in 1982, and the following year.

In 1959, a partial meltdown of a

nuclear reactor core oc-curred in the Santa Susana Test Field of Rocketdyne’s headquarters, located be-tween Simi Valley and Ca-noga Park.

Some scientists have said that the accident at Rocketdyne may have leaked out as much radioac-tive waste as the infamous Three Mile Island melt-down. Boeing confirmed in 2002 that large quantities of toxic chemicals are left on their test field.

“In my opinion, with the research I’ve done with living within half a mile from Rocketdyne, is that back in the 50’s they had a meltdown, which leaked into the water table,” said Troy Shear, a 19-year-old Moorpark student, who aspires to be a rocket scientist.

“I’m totally down with nuclear-power, but we […] have to take the

right precautions as soon as possible; not waiting 50 years to talk about it now and get things done,” said Shear.

The effects of man attempting to control nuclear power in Ventura County’s own backyard has proven to be destructive, therefore, no one would want a nuclear wasteland in their backyard.

Illustration by Beau AkersChange–Nuclear power is not worth the potential dangers.

Obama looking to use nuclear power at the unfortunate cost of the environment

Editor Hannah Davey

Online editor Michael Galasso

Opinion editor Hannah Coyle

MC Campus editor Amy Chu

OC Campus editor Benji Guererro

VC Campus editor Angela Braza

Sports editor Tim Weisberg

A&E editor Mallory Martin

Photo editor Jake Henderson

Student Life editor Hayley Skene

Copy editor Robert Pond

Producer David Lopez

Staff writers:Beau AkersBrett Arve Dustin Brewer Shelby HebertMichael LemerandKen McWaidAra Ortiz

Shoaib NajmuddinMichael PrietoKenny Redublo Aaron Simon James Williams Brennan WhitmoreJ. Carlos Zavala

The Student Voice

7075 Campus Rd. Moorpark, Calif. 93021 Phone: (805) 378-1552 Fax: (805) 378-1438 Email: StudentVoice@vcccd.edu

–Editorial–>

Illustration by Brett ArveCutbaCks–Due to the budget cuts, students will not have the opportunity of four-week long summer class sessions.

STUDENT LIFEPage 8 Student Voice • www.StudentVoiceOnline.com Mar. 10, 2010

Guitar Merchant feeds artists’ creativityDustin BrewerStaff writer

Local artists seeking a friendly environment to showcase their work need to look no further then Ca-noga Park’s own Guitar Merchant. In addition to being a store and a venue, Guitar Merchant also serves as a music school where anyone can come and learn to play, and even share the stage with other students in a culminating showcase.

The stores’ owner, Phil St. Germain, knew from the time he opened Guitar Merchant what his ultimate vision was. He pictured a store, school and venue at one central location.

“Ideally, this is a place a person can buy a guitar, learn how to play it and perform in front of an audience all in one,” St. Germain said. The venue is certainly a unique one; it originally was opened as a gui-tar store over four years ago, and after a successful year of business, it was expanded to create a venue within the store called “The Verity Room.” As of today, “The Verity Room” title has been dropped in favor of just using “Guitar Merchant” to encompass everything.

The front of the store is the retail

portion, and it’s decorated with tons of classic rock posters and stocked with enough guitars to satisfy any per-sonal preference of style. The venue is the real attraction; built to seat 80-125 people, it comes complete with house drums, amps and a piano. To fully appreciate the intimacy of the room though, it must be seen in person. It’s the perfect place for up-and-comers to hone their skills and demo new songs in an artist-friendly environment, free of criticism.

Anyone looking to book a show should do so at least three to four weeks in advance, to give ample time to pro-mote your show. Part of the agreement to play is a guarantee that each artist will bring at least 15 people in to see them perform. Any act that brings in more then 15 people will see some sort of profit.

Moorpark student Justin LaTorre, 19, writing and music major, has been performing shows under the moniker “Becoming Avalon” for almost two

years, and has yet to have had any problems booking. “I’ve had very positive ex-periences there,” LaTorre said.“The staff actually cares about their artists and shows and does their best to accommodate everyone’s needs.” LaTorre encourages young artists to play at Gui-tar Merchant to help them to get used to performing.“I recommend it as a great place to get started and play some chill shows,” he said. “It’s definitely a great place if you’re playing your first shows.”

The schedule for Gui-tar Merchant is usually the same each week; Mondays and Tuesdays are usually reserved for lessons and

band jams, Wednesdays of-fer “Open Mic Night,” which

allows anyone the chance to play two songs in front of an audience. The rest of the week is available for booking to anyone looking to play.

For anyone looking for an afford-able activity (tickets usually cost $8) the Guitar Merchant on Topanga Canyon offers a wide variety of acts to anyone looking for good vibes and creativity.

For more info or to book a show, visit www.guitarmerchant.com or sim-ply call (818) 884-5905.

Photo by Dustin BrewerShowroom– Moorpark student Garret Clark, 19, tries out a Thinline Telecaster in the Guitar Merchant storefront.

Benji GuerreroOxnard campus editor

Whether you have noticed or not, men’s fashion has been changing. It’s not just about the masculine male anymore. Men’s fashion is moving into a new era.

Men’s fashion has become a little forward at times, but I want to liberate the idea of what a man is expected to wear. There are several dominant style trends for the metro-sexual male, includ-ing fashion-forward, and casual, ready-to-wear. One common ready-to-wear trend is skinny jeans. It wasn’t until the new mil-lennium that skinny jeans were gaining popularity. The great thing about this style of clothing is that you can create a high or low look.

It’s all a matter of preference when it comes to skinny jeans because they range in their tight-ness. I happen to be a fan of skin-

ny jeans because they offer the opportunity to show off your shoe. Plus, they give you more length. The best way to cre-ate the metro look is to keep it simple. Hats, ties, necklaces and watches are a great minimalist way to set the look.

If you’re a daring fashioni-sta type of guy who likes to take risks, look for pieces that make a statement. “Little details” is what I like to call it; pieces of clothing that have unexpected details that make a statement. To create a daring look, try un-expected prints, such as floral tops. To contrast that, wear it with a blazer and cuffed dress pants.

The idea for getting ready is not necessarily for the outfit to match, but it just has to make sense. Whether you’re the casu-al guy, or the daring fashionista, have fun when you get dressed in the morning.

The fashion-forward male

Seafood joint still reeling in patronsShelby HebertStaff writer

Neptune’s Net Live Seafood and Market, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, is one of the city of Malibu’s hidden treasures. It is the perfect place to grab a bite while overlooking the gorgeous coast, and nothing is better than eating fresh sea food set by the smell and breeze of the ocean water. Atmospherically the restaurant has a family oriented feeling. Right when you arrive, you will no-tice bikers and surfers. The atmosphere is just so comforting and casual but exciting at the same time. The happy, uplifting ambiance of this restaurant is enhanced by picnic-style decor. The dining area is separated in two sections; one side is where the steamed sea food is served, and on the other side you can order fried seafood. The menu has so much to choose from. If you walk over to the steamed sea food side you can order fresh king crab legs, clams, shrimp cocktail, lobster, freshly steamed corn, and not to forget, their famous clam chowder. The options are seemingly endless on the fried sea food section. They offer burgers, crab burgers, chicken strips, fish and chips, hot dogs, and crab cakes. Everything in this section comes with a side of crispy fries and tasty coleslaw. Don’t forget to have a nice cold beer while relaxing beach side or maybe just an ice

cold soda. Be prepared to spend over $100 dollars in the more pricey steamed sea food section, but in the fried sea food section you can get a meal for two for about $20 dollars. Neptune’s Net has impeccable service. Even on their busy days you will not see an employee without a smile on their face. The ordering is set up fast-food style, where customers wait in line to order, and receive a number. Promptly, a server delivers the food to you at a table of your choice. When you leave, you’ll feel satisfied and in good spirits.

Photos by Shelby HebertCaught in the net– Above: bikers pull up to the costal rest-stop, Below: ready-to-eat fresh seafood.

Carpinteria State Beach has a cur-rent of rich culture and history flowing into it through the new docent program beginning Wednesday, March 10.

The new program is designed to share the history of Carpinteria State Beach with public.

“This is a great opportunity for anybody to share the importance of the park,” said Wes Chapin, who is working with the new program. The first docent training class will be an orientation held at “Carp College” at the beach.

After the orientation training will be held every Saturday for four hours, starting in the middle of March con-tinuing through May. The program is directed by the beach’s interpretive

specialist Carissa Dragan. “We’re looking for friendly, enthu-

siastic people who want to learn more about what makes Carpinteria so spe-cial and who want to share what they learn with our visitors,” Dragan said.

“We’re very excited about starting our new docent program that will help us tell more visitors about the amaz-ing natural environment and history found here at Carpinteria State Beach,” explained Dragan.

The training will go over geological aspects of Carpinteria State Beach, in-cluding fossil deposits similar to those found at the LaBrea Tar Pits. Trainees will also learn about the Chumash na-tives, the asphalt mining industry that was rooted in the region at the begin-ning of the 20th century and the cur-rent environment of the beach today.

Information from the time of dino-saurs, Native Americans, the explora-tion and settlement of California, to the ocean and its local inhabitants will be shared through Carpinteria State Beach’s docent program.

March 10 is the deadline for sub-mitting an application to join the do-cent program. For more information concerning the new docent program email Carissa Dragan at cdragan@parks.ca.gov or call her at (805) 684-7487.

Volunteer docents sought at Carpinteria BeachBeau AkersStaff writer

Collage by Benji GuerreroStatement pieCeS– Men’s fashion this spring is rife with printed details, knee-high boots and gladiator sandals

Photo by Jake HendersonoCeanview– Docents will be trained as experts on the rich history of the mile-long beach.

The Spool

Computer Assistance$30 for 3 hours

Looking to improve computer skills Graphics and data storage on a Dell

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Must have reliable transportationPhone: 805-652-1178

6:30- 7 a.m. or 9-9:30 p.m.Ask for Frank

6593 Collins Dr. Suite D16 Moorpark, CA (805) 416-6558 moorpark@scientology.net