Rampage Fall 2012 - Issue 5

November 1, 2012 Volume CXXIII Issue 5

FREE

AMPAGE R Special Election Issue

The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

ASG EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN AMIDST ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT

BY TROY POPE

tpope@therampageonline.com

The Associated Student Government unanimously accepted the resignation of two members of the executive board who resigned abruptly.

Executive Vice President Caitlin Mack and Legislative Vice President Rachel McKinley tendered their resignation letters on Friday and Monday respectively.

Their actions fueled speculations that the resignations are tied to allegations of misconduct in connection with ASG’s participation at the California Community Colleges Student Affairs Association (CCCSAA) conference in Los Angeles from Oct. 19 to 21.

However, Mack and McKinley have said they resigned for “personal reasons.”

Sen. Monique Reyna, ASG’s spokesperson, acknowledged that there is an ongoing investigation about an alleged misconduct involving the use of alcohol and other substances by ASG representatives.

“There have been different rumors, but as it stands right now they’re only rumors,” Reyna said, “These rumors are being investigated and will be dealt with by administration, such as Dr. Villa.”

Reyna added that she didn’t believe either resignation had anything to do with the rumors surrounding student conduct at CCCSAA. Despite Reyna’s denials, many students who attended the conference, including ASG President Nathan Alonzo admitted that some Fresno City College delegates consumed alcohol and used other illegal substances. What is still in contention is who drank and the degree or severity of their conduct.

Highlighted ASG members are alleged to have used alcohol and/or drugs during the school-funded CCCSAA conference in Los Angeles from Oct. 19-21. Special to the Rampage from Bre Pesina.

A conversation took place outside of the college bookstore between two Rampage reporters and ASG members, President Alonzo and Senators Alex O’Casey, Sarah Hayes and Desteni Battle on Tuesday evening.

During the conversation, Sen. O’Casey confirmed that she did, in fact, drink alcohol and urged Alonzo to admit that he did as well. Alonzo would not.

Alonzo then asked the small group of senators whether or not ASG should come forward with what happened at CCCSAA; O’Casey and the others agreed that it would be best to be open and honest about their mistakes.

They agreed to hold a press conference with all of the members who violated the code of conduct agreement

they had signed prior to the event. They also vowed to be honest with the student body about their actions.

Other students who had attended the conference are telling stories of rampant abuse of alcohol and other substances during the conference, but few have been willing to come forward publicly on the record.

Sen. Nathan Squire did not say specifically if there was any misbehavior by the FCC delegation, but did say that the event was full of “college kids being college kids,” and “student leaders finding out if they’re leaders.”

Former Legislative Vice President McKinley who

Decision 2012

See inside for election coverage

l SEE MISCONDUCT ON PAGE 9

NEWS

Rampage Staff Editor-in-Chief Jesse Franz News Editor Kaitlin Regan Opinion Editor Troy Pope

Arts & Entertainment Editor Matthew Elliott Sports Editor Tomas Kassahun Production Managers Troy Pope Ramiro Gudino Print Photo Editor Abel Cortez Online Photo Editor Paul Schlesinger Graphics Editor Jesse Franz Online Editors Troy Pope Jesse Franz Social Media Director Olga Verkhotina Illustrator Dale Holcomb Copy Chief Tomas Kassahun Copy Editors Sasha Bell Pabel Lopez David Thammavongsa Olga Verkhotina Business Manager Sydney Excinia Reporters Chad Armbruster Melissa Dyer Patrick Forrest Jere Kirkland Mai Lee Frank Lopez Daisy Martinez Cox Odia Montana Paxton August Promnitz Akeem Spearman Carl Turpin Kayla Valenzuela Faculty Adviser Dr. Dympna Ugwu-Oju dympna.ugwu-oju@fresnocitycollege.edu

Tip Line: 559.442.8262 Fax: 559.265.5783 Twitter.com/FCCRampage Facebook.com/FCCRampage YouTube.com/rampagenews Send Questions or Letters to the Editor to:

editorial@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College C/O The Rampage 1101 E. University Ave Fresno, CA 93741

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

STUDENTS DETERMINED TO MAKE VOTE COUNT lives.

BY OLGA VERKHOTINA

overkhotina@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College students are engaged and eager to participate in next Tuesday’s election, according to the results of a Rampage survey conducted between Oct. 23 and 25 on campus.

After months of watching campaign pitches, FCC students will join their counterparts throughout the nation to choose between Democratic Party candidate, President Barack Obama, and a Republican nominee, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney, to be the president of the United States for the next four years.

According to the Rampage political opinion survey, 54.2 percent of FCC students expressed support for President Obama; 9.5 percent favor Gov. Romney; 19.4 percent are still undecided, and 3.9 are likely to vote for third party candidates.

Forty-four percent of responders said their biggest reason for choice is economy while approximately 24 percent base their decisions on social issues.

However, not everybody is planning to contribute to the outcome of the elections. According to the political opinion survey, approximately 44 percent of FCC students who responded to the poll said they are not very likely or somewhat likely to vote this November.

FCC political science instructor Sarbjit Johal said young people usually do not vote as much as older generation.

“They’re not really settled in the communities in terms of family responsibilities - being married, having a job, except for having a part-time job,” said Johal.

“So, when you get married and you have a full-time job and family, then you have more responsibilities”.

Johal also said more college students should vote to have a say in changes in the government that will impact their personal

“It’s important (to vote) because a lot of decisions are being made by older people that will affect them [younger generation] in terms of leaving students with the debt,” said Johal. “You know, the national debt, deficits in the future, problems with social security.”

Among the issues motivating FCC students are the economy (44 percent); social issues (24 percent); foreign policy (4 percent); 11 percent of respondents said they are concerned about other factors.

The outcome of the November elections will affect college students in the shape their future education process will be like.

“Well, they both [President Obama and Gov. Romney] realize there is a problem with education compared to other counties, you know, we’re way behind,” said Johal. “But their approaches are different.”

Gov. Romney’s official website said he will focus on making reforms “that expand parental choice, invest in innovation, and reward teachers for their results instead of their tenure.” It would include creating a program for K-12 system that gives parents monetary vouchers to spend on education and they can choose any school they want to attend. The schools will also have to make sure they follow the high standards and give the good academic results.

“And the poor performing schools would have to either go out of business or they have to shape up. It gives parents a choice,” said Johal.

For higher education system, according to Johal, Gov. Romney would involve private banks in giving out student loans with lower rates. His plan also includes eliminating “unnecessary certification requirements that discourage new teachers”.

“Those principles, testing our kids, excellent curriculum, superb teachers, and

school choice. Those are the answers to help our schools,” said Gov. Romney during his speech on Feb. 22.

President Obama’s goals, according to his official website, is to “cut tuition growth in half over the next decade” by expanding student aid and work with states as well as colleges. He has also said that his plan is to recruit 100,000 more math and science teachers over the next 10 years and reach an additional 64,000 children through Head Start and Early Head Start programs that provide services to lowincome families. President Obama is also planning on bringing the proposed program that would create “new partnerships between community colleges and employers to train 2,000,000 workers for jobs that already exist.”

“A higher education can’t be a luxury - it’s an economic imperative that every American should be able to afford,” Obama stated in one of his speeches during the campaign.

According to Johal, President Obama and Gov. Romney both see the importance of international students.

“They want to attract foreign students and then maybe give them a residency in America,” he said. “If they’re in science, technology, engineering, math.”

However, the biggest difference in their education plans is legislature.

“Romney would leave a lot of the decisions with the states where with Obama, you know, it would be the federal government,” said Johal.

For students who want to vote but are still undecided, Johal suggests going online to decide who they should vote for.

Johal said, “They should see some websites, maybe the website for the candidates because that would tell them a little bit about what a candidate stands for.” l TWITTER.COM/VERKHOTINA

Who Is FCC Voting For? Will youVoted vote?

Already 7.04% Issues Other 10.92 Other 10.92 Voted 7.04% VeryAlready Likely 48.59% Other 11 Undecided 55 Foriegn Policy 3.52% Foriegn Policy 3.52% Very Likely 48.59% Undecided 55 Somewhat Likely 25% Romney 27 Economy 44.36% Economy 44.36% Somewhat Likely 25% Romney Not Likely 19.36 Obama27154 Social Issues 23.94 Social Issues 23.94 Not Likely 19.36% Obama 154 Results from a poll conducted by Rampage reporters from Oct. 23-25

Who will you vote Other 11 for?

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Veterans’ Day Ceremony 11/9, 12-1 p.m.

Don’t forget the free event at the Veterans Peace Memorial in the free speech area at Fresno City College.

Come see the world’s first African-American

Dance Theatre of classical ballet company return to the central Harlem 11/11 7:30 p.m. valley with an exciting program including neoclassical and contemporay ballets.

Election Day 11/6

Take the opportunity to make your voice heard.

A lot is up for grabs including, president, Proposition 30, the Death Penalty, “Three Strikes,” and much more. Make sure to vote.

NEWS

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

Proposition 30 vs Proposition 38

BY KAITLIN REGAN

kregan@therampageonline.com

Proposition 30 is Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative which is proposing a .25 percent increase in state sale’s tax to fund California K-14 schools. There is also an increase in income tax for people making over $250,000 per year and couples making over $500,000 a year.

The higher sales tax rate would be in effect for four years beginning on January 1, 2013 and end in 2016.

Income taxes, if the initiative passes, will be increased according to income.

If a single filer’s taxable income is within the range of $250,000 to $300,000 the tax would be increased by one full percent.

Given that the current rate for the above range is 9.3 percent, the total would become 10.3 percent.

Joint filers earning $500,000 to $600,000 will experience the same increase. Single filers earning $300,000 t0 $500,000 will experience a two percent increase making their total 11.3 percent and joint filers earning $600,000 to $1,000,000 will experience the increase.

Single filers earning $500,000 or more will experience a three percent increase, bringing their total to 12.3 percent while joint filers earning over $1,000,000 will take on that same increase.

Eighty-nine percent of the revenue from this tax increase will go to K-12 schools. Eleven percent of the revenue will be going to higher education such as the CSU, UC and community college systems. The passage of this initiative would stop the trigger cuts that colleges are facing if the initiative does not pass.

Supporters for proposition 30 include Gov. Jerry Brown, League of Women

Voters of California, the California Democratic Party, the California Teachers Association, the California State Council of Service Employees, the California School Employees Association, the American Federation of Teachers and the California Federation of Teachers.

The opposition includes How Jarvis Taxpayers Association’s Jon Coupal,

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cent increase making the total 2.4 percent.

This same increase goes for joint filers Proposition 38, the Molly Munger with an income from $14,632 to $34,692.

The brackets continue to increase initiative, would raise income taxes on most taxpayers across the board. This in- based on the level of income. The lowest crease would last from 2013 through 2024. proposed increase is .4 percent while the The revenue would be directed to public highest is 2.2 percent on single filers earnschools, child care, pre-school programs as ing $2.5 million or more and joint filers earning $5 million or more. well as state debt payments.

The distribution of the revenue would be split up between schools, early care and education and state debt payments. From 2013 through 2015 schools would be receiving 60 percent of the revenue with early care and education receiving 10 percent and state debt payments receiving 30 percent. This same model has been adopted for 2015 through 2017.

From 2017 through 2024, the distribution of revenue changes. Schools will receive 85 percent, leaving 15 percent for early care and education, according to the California Secretary of State’s web page.

This initiative opposes Proposition 30. The key difference is in funding for higher education.

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Gov. Jerry Brown emphasizes the importance of Supporters of this inipassing Proposition 30 during a press conference in southeast Fresno on Oct. 23. tiative include Molly Munger and the Los Angeles County Board of Education Single filers earning $0 to $7,316 California State PTA. member, Dough Boyd, Small Business Ac- will not experience a tax increase and the Opposition to this initiative intion Committee’s Joel Fox, the California same goes for joint filers earning $0 to cludes Gov. Jerry Brown, David Keiffer Republican Party, John Kabateck and Ken- $14,632. Single filer incomes ranging from of the SEIU, The California Business neth Payne, the president of the Sacramen- $7,316 to $17,346 will experience a .4 per- Roundtable. to Tax Payers Association.

BY KAITLIN REGAN

kregan@therampageonline.com

l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN

l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN

Proposition 31: State and local budget reforms

BY MATTHEW ELLIOTT

melliott@therampageonline.com

In the immediate aftermath of the great recession, revenue streams are tight and resources are scarce. Proposition 31 proposes several constitutional changes, including some unprecedented changes, to the budget and expanded regulatory control for local governments.

Under the proposition’s guidelines, the state would lose revenue. The Legislative analyst’s fiscal impact report estimates “decreased state sales tax revenues of about $$200 million annually, with a corresponding increase of funding to certain local governments.”

If enacted, the initiative would make several changes to state and local governments including the creation of a two-year state budget cycle. Currently, only Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas have biennial budget

cycles.

To promote transparency the voter’s guide states that the initiative would require the “publication of bills at least three days prior to legislative vote.”

Proposition 31 also changes how the state secures funding for new expenditures, including during an emergency. The voter guide states that the law would prohibit “Legislature from creating expenditures of more than $25 million unless offering revenue or spending cuts are identified.”

If the measure passes, some state revenues would be transferred “to counties in which local governments implement plans to coordinate their public services.”

The proposition grants authority to local governments to more freely spend state funds. Changes would allow locals appeal to the state to attempt to reallocate how their portion of state revenue is spent.

The voter’s guide states that the initiative allows “local governments to alter how laws governing statefunded programs apply to them, unless Legislature or state agency vetoes changes within 60 days.”

In addition, the guide states that Proposition 31 would mandate “performance reviews of all state programs.” The measure also requires “performance goals in state and local budgets.”

Some of the proposition’s constitutionality regarding this local authority over state funding remains untested. If passed, that authority is likely to be challenged in court.

Proposition 31 is one of the most complicated and sweeping initiatives on the ballot this election year. For much more information regarding the proposition’s many proposals, consult the official voter information guide. l TWITTER.COM/PATH_OF_LOTUS

Proposition 32: Union busting initiative

BY PATRICK FORREST

pforrest@therampageonline.com

Proposition 32 wants to prohibit unions, corporations and government contractors from using payroll deductions for political purposes and also from contributing directly or indirectly to any candidate or candidate controlled committee.

Although under limited circumstances, employers may withhold money from an employee’s paycheck.

The withheld funds are called “payroll deductions.” Some common payroll deductions include deductions for Social Security, income taxes, medical plans, and voluntary char-

itable contributions.

A vote of yes on proposition 32 means that unions and corporations would no longer be able to use money deducted from an employee’s paycheck for political purposes.

A vote of no on proposition 32 will make no change to the current law regulating the ability of unions and corporations to use money deducted from an employee’s paycheck for political purposes. Unions, corporations and government contractors will continue to be restricted by the current political finance laws.

Proponents for Prop 32 say that it will ensure that

California workers have the right to decide how to spend the money they earn. Those opposed say that the money spent on political campaigns has caused a mistrust in the political campaign system, and that many of those who are supporting proposition 32 are trying to use that mistrust to take worker’s money out of politics.

The top group for Yes on 32 is the Democrats for Education Reform and the California Republican Party.

The League of Women Voters and the California Democratic Party are leading the charge for No on 32. l TWITTER.COM/FORRESTP8

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NEWS

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Proposition 33: Auto insurance initiative

BY DAISY MARTINEZ

dmartinez@therampageonline.com

California Proposition 33 is an Automobile Insurance Persistency Discount, if passed this Nov 6. It will allow insurers to give discount to new customers who can prove they were previously covered by auto insurance in the last five years.

These discounts are known as “persistency discounts” or “loyalty discounts” as of now under the California law, insures can only offer this discount to existing customers.

In other words Prop 33 will allow discounts to only those who have had previously insurance coverage. This

will also allow insurance companies to set prices if drivers previously carried auto insurance.

‘I’m voting NO on Prop 33. I been with the same insurance company for 10 years.” “ I deserved to get a discount,” said Monica James a RN at Children Hospital.

“I will not support this proposition, I’ve not had automobile insurance because I choose not to drive.”

“So If I decide to drive again that means I might be rated higher because I took a break from auto insurance,” says Lisa Lopez, a house wife.

Those in favor say that Prop 33 allows you to freely shop around insurance companies without losing your discounts. You’re also rewarded for being a good driver under

this Proposition.

Those that are against say that you should have to pay a higher rate just because you choose not to drive for good cause.

Even if you had perfect driving record, if you’ve been without insurance you will pay a higher rate for being without it.

Many people choose to take a break form auto insurance because of the economic crisis our state is going through, mention Rosey De Vale an insurance agent. “Yes it’s a law that all drivers carried on auto coverage, but only 85 percent of drivers follow the law,” said De Vale. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

Photo by Abel Cortez. Cars parked in lot F at Fresno City College.

Proposition 35: Proposition 36: Proposition 34: Harsher penalties for Revising the ‘Three Abolishing Strikes’ law California’s Death human traffickers Penalty

BY PABEL LOPEZ

BY AUGUST PROMNITZ

BY OLGA VERKHOTINA

plopez@therampageonline.com

dpromnitz@therampageonline.com

overkhotina@therampageonline.com

If approved, Proposition 34 would repeal the death penalty in California. This proposition would make life imprisonment the harshest sentence in California. This would also go into effect with existing death row inmates as well.

Supporters of the proposition include The American Civil Liberties Union, Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa and Jeanne Woodford, former warden of San Quentin Prison.

The arguments in favor of the proposition include the argument that the death penalty costs tax payer’s money. Supporters also argue that the death penalty always carries the risk of mistake.

The proposition would also take money and create a fund to help solve murder and rape cases.

“Our limited law enforcement dollars should be used to solve more crimes, to get more criminals off our streets, and to protect our families,” states the website “Yes on 34.”

Opponents of the proposition include former Governor of California Pete Wilson, the Republican Party and County of Sacramento District Attorney Jan Scully.

Many family members of murder victims are also speaking against the proposition.

Opponents says the passage can create a “slippery slope” if life in prison becomes the harshest penalty for committing a crime. As of Oct. 14 the supporters of the proposition have raised $6.6 million while the opposition to the proposition has raised $326,700.

A Sept. 23 poll by Los Angeles Times shows that 51 percent of people polled opposed the proposition while 38 percent are in favor.

If approved, Proposition 34 would repeal the death penalty in California. This proposition would make life imprisonment the harshest sentence in California. This would also go into effect with existing death row inmates as well.

Supporters of the proposition include The American Civil Liberties Union, Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa and Jeanne Woodford, former warden of San Quentin Prison.

The arguments in favor of the proposition include the argument that the death penalty costs tax payer’s money. Supporters also argue that the death penalty always carries the risk of mistake.

The proposition would also take money and create a fund to help solve murder and rape cases.

“Our limited law enforcement dollars should be used to solve more crimes, to get more criminals off our streets, and to protect our families,” states the website “Yes on 34.”

Opponents of the proposition include former Governor of California Pete Wilson, the Republican Party and County of Sacramento District Attorney Jan Scully.

Many family members of murder victims are also speaking against the proposition.

Opponents says the passage can create a “slippery slope” if life in prison becomes the harshest penalty for committing a crime. As of Oct. 14 the supporters of the proposition have raised $6.6 million while the opposition to the proposition has raised $326,700.

A Sept. 23 poll by Los Angeles Times shows that 51 percent of people polled opposed the proposition while 38 percent are in favor.

Proposition 36 will revise California’s “Three Strikes” Law to make it less strict if it passes on Nov. 6.

According to the official title and the summary of Proposition 36, it will require a third strike to be a serious or violent felony in order to give a prior conviction a life sentence and will only give twice the usual term for the offence. However, there will still be exceptions with drug, sex- and gun-felonies when convicts will still get a life sentence. The current law gives that type of sentence to any kind of third felony.

The proposition, if passed, will also allow re-sentencing for some current third strikers who are already serving the life-long sentence for a non-serious crime.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s analysis, California prison system had approximately 137,000 inmates in May 2012 and almost $9 billion budget for 20122013.

Proposition 36 states that it will save up to $70 million to $90 million annually over the next couple of decades.

“However, these annual savings could be tens of millions of dollars higher or lower depending on several factors,” states the analysis. “In particular, the actual level of savings would depend on the number of third strikers resentenced by the court and the rate at which BPH (Board of Parole Hearing) would have released third strikers in the future under current law”.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Proposition 36 has already raised $2,591,806. Approximately 95 percent of the raised funds were to support the measure.

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l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

Prop 37: Labeling genetically altered foods

BY KAYLA VALENZUELA

kvalenzuela@therampageonline.com

Proposition 37 states that food cannot be labeled as “natural,” requires all raw and processed foods to be labeled if they are made with genetic substances or has been altered in certain ways.

This proposition also provides exemptions to organic foods, and foods with genetically engineered ingredients.

Fiscal impact includes increased annual state costs that could rise to over 1 million dollars to regulate food labeling.

“The original fiscal note that was given to the proposition by election officials was Potential increase in state administrative costs of up to one million dollars annually to monitor compliance with the disclosure requirements specified in the measure. Unknown, but potentially significant, costs for the courts, the Attorney General, and district attorneys due to litigation resulting from possible violations to the provisions of this measure,” according to Ballotpedia.org.

Supporters for proposition 37 are Organic Consumers’ Association, The California Democratic Party, and The Green Party of California, Nature’s Path, and The Institute for Responsible Technology.

As of October 27, 2012, the supportive campaign cash is 7,300,000 dollars, and the opposing campaign cash is 41,300,000 dollars.

“Prop 37 has a number of flaws. It is not consistent in what has to be labeled as GMO and it allows individuals to sue food producers, retailers and manufacturers without having to show that the individual suffered material damage,” says Sarbjit Johal, a Political Science Instructor at Fresno City College.

Opponents of the Proposition Dr. Bob Goldberg, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, Jamie Johansson, a family California farmer, Dr. Henry I. Miller, the founding director of the Office of Biotechnology of the Food and Drug Administration, Betty Jo Toccoli, the president of the California Small Business Association, Jonnalee Henderson, affiliated with the California Farm Bureau Federation, and Tom Hudson, the executive director of the California Taxpayer Protection Committee.

Donors of the supporting side include Monsanto, Organic Consumers Fund, Annie’s Inc, Nutiva, Clif Bar and Co. and more.

Donors of the opposing side include Sara Lee, Hershey Company, Kraft Food Global, Pepsico Inc., Del Monte foods and more.

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Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Organic vegetables currently in season at the Rue and Gwen Gibsom Farm Market at Fresno State.

Prop 39: Creating Multistate Income Tax

BY MATTHEW ELLIOTT

melliott@therampageonline.com

This year, California propositions range from taxation to civil rights. Proposition 39 changes how the state determines what multistate income is taxable.

The California ballot states that proposition “requires multistate businesses to pay income taxes based on percentage of their sales in California.”

During the first five years, the proposition is estimated to generate an additional $1 billion in annual state revenue.

A portion of the new revenue is designated for California schools who are set to receive between $200 million and $500 million annually for the first five years and $500 million to $1 billion annually afterward.

Additional revenue would also go into the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund. According to the official voter information guide, Proposition 39 dedicates “$550 million annually for five years from anticipated increase in revenue for the purpose of funding for the purpose projects that create energy efficiency and clean energy jobs in California.”

California law currently allows multistate businesses to select between two taxation options when determining how much is owed to the state. Companies choose either the three-factor method or the single sales factor method, whichever is advantageous.

According to the guide, the three-factor method “uses the location of company’s sales, property, and employees. When using this method, the more sales, property, or employees the multistate business has in California, the more of the business’ income is subject to sales tax.”

The voter’s guide states that the single sales factor method “uses only the location of the company’s sales.

When using this method, the more sales the multistate business has in California, the more of the business’ income is taxed.”

If Proposition 39 passes, the three-factor option would no longer be an available to multistate businesses in most instances.

Currently, the income taxation of multistate businesses is the third largest state revenue stream. In 20102011, this tax generated $9.6 billion for the general fund.

Committee proponents include Californians to Close the Out-of-State Corporate Tax Loophole and Californians for Clean Energy & Jobs, who have collectively generated more than $22.2 million in support of the proposition’s passage.

There is little opposition to the measure. The California Manufacturers & Technology Association, the only formally opposed committee, has not raised money on behalf of the initiative.

If voters approve the initiative, the new multistate business taxation structure would go into effect starting in 2013. l TWITTER.COM/PATH_OF_LOTUS

NEWS

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Prop 40: Senatorial redistricting referendum

BY SASHA BELL

sbell@therampageonline.com

Proposition 40 is a referendum on the State Senate Redistricting plan. It is an effort to redistrict the state of California and to change the current district boundaries.

A “yes” vote means that the current districts, drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, remain the same. A “no” vote means that new boundaries will be drawn by a group appointed by the California Supreme Court.

Approving Proposition 40 would have no fiscal impact on the state or counties. Rejecting it would result in a one-time fee of approximately $1 million to the state of California and its counties. The money would go to establishing new Senate districts, precinct maps and related election material for the new districts.

The supporters of Proposition 40 include: Jennifer A. Waggoner-president of the League of Women Voters of California, David Pacheco-president of AARP California, Allan Zaremburg-president of California Chamber of Commerce, Charles Munger Jr.-activist in California ballot proposition policies, the California Democratic Party and most recently the California Republican Party. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

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NEWS

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Union discusess district’s ‘last, best and final offer’ Balancing the budget is district’s goal

BY KAITLIN REGAN

kregan@therampageonline.com

Faculty from the State Center Community College District discussed “district’s last, best and final offer” including proposed pay concessions, reduction in healthcare coverage and other issues arising from the union’s contract negotiations.

Lacey Barnes, the senior vice president of the California Federation of Teachers and president of the State Center Federation of Teachers, led the discussion in the Staff Dinning Hall on Oct 24.

In summarizing the latest offer, Barnes said that the district offered a one year agreement with the option of reopening, which “means that you’re, again, perpetually negotiating.”

The State Center Federation of Teachers, on the other hand, wants a multi-year agreement, Barnes said, adding that even a two year agreement would be tolerable, but that a longer agreement is preferable. She says that a reopener would be fine so long as the agreement was longer than a year.

However, these negotiations are taking place at a time

when budgets are hanging in the balance. With the upcoming elections, the fiscal state of the district could possibly change.

“In a way, this is going to be fairly moot soon because I think they really wanted, initially, to reopen after the election in November,” said Barnes.

Another item on the agenda was employee health care.

The current plan is at $1,029 per employee with vision and dental covered separately. The district proposal would decrease that cap and bundle health, vision and dental.

“What they had initially proposed was to have moved the cap down from $1029 per month, per full time employee to $ 829 a month and bundle health, vision and dental,” said Barnes.

Subsequently, the district stepped back from this proposal and the health coverage remains the same. However, had the district not taken a step back from that proposal, the cap would have been, but the district has backed off from “the whole two-tiered thing, “ Barnes said.

On the issue of life insurance coverage, Barnes said that the district wanted to “eliminate

all life insurance benefits.” The district has removed that proposal from the table, Barnes said. Long term disability coverage was also discussed at the meeting. With the language of the contracts, long term disability is currently found under “salary protection”. The initial proposal for long term disability was to eliminate it, but that has changed.

“Right now, they’ve backed off to say that they will offer what they have offered to administrators. Now as you all

Deborah Blue, chancellor of the State Center Community College, said in a recent interview that the district will “continue to insist on the concessions,” because of the budgetary constraints.

“Basically our budget is going to have to balance by the end of this fiscal year,” Blue said.

“We have to take each day at a time to determine how that’s going to happen and to what degree concessions will be and the level they need to be at.”

Barnes said that with the negotiations still in progress, the only thing that the union has agreed to was another meeting to try to solve the proposed problems.

“We basically agreed to meet again in -Paul Gilmore some work groups on History Instructor some things that I that if we took about three know, the district did just kind posed eliminating all retiree hours to do it now, we could figof impose cuts on administrators health benefits for new employ- ure it out and get some language and we have lost an administrator ees. Employees who are already incorporated,” said Barnes. as a result of that,” said Barnes. part of the district have been According to Paul GilmThe current proposal for “grandfathered in” and will not ore, history instructor and union long term disability, according take this loss. member, the negotiations are barto Barnes, is 60 percent of toHowever, a compensation gaining are going to last for “a littal compensation with a cap of loss is in the cards for all faculty, tle while.” Due to the differences $2,500 per month. For the low- though the specific number is un- in proposals between the district der negotiation. and the union are great enough to “The district started at a take more time to solve.

7 percent cut. That’s what they “Bargaining is going on ® wanted. Almost immediately, right now. In other words, the they went to 6.75 percent. district and the union have been Then they went to 6.25 per- talking and have been meeting for cent and then they went to 6 months now over these issues,” percent,” Barnes said. “So on Gilmore said. “It’s very secrethis last, best and final offer, tive. We know what they initially they have 5.69 percent.” proposed but a proposal and what This compensation loss, actually happens are two different according to Barnes, is new things. and possibly temporary. The Gilmore indicated that the proposal is to have the cuts bright side to the negotiations is last from July 1 and ending on that proposals are being made.

June 13. The initial proposal “We are bargaining. had these cuts as permanent They’ve asked for concessions but there would only be a 5.69 but that’s the thing about bargainpercent cut for one year and ing. You don’t have to agree to then go back to the original those things. That’s why you have state of earnings. These cuts a union,” said Gilmore. and proposed concessions He added that if the negowould apply to part-time em- tiations stall, “One side or the ployees as well, according to other would call for fact finding.

Barnes.

They would bring a neutral third “On the part-time con- party who would look at the facts tract, all of those things that as each side sees them and see are similar, compensation; which one has the better argu» streamlined admissions they want the same conces- ment basically.” » no enrollment fee sions. They want a one year.” l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN

“We are bargaining. They’ve asked for concessions but that’s the thing about bargaining. You don’t have to agree to those things.”

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est salary cell in the calculations, Barnes said that this would equal a $400 difference but with the higher salary cells, it would be a “significant difference.” The district has also given the option of purchasing additional benefits if employees paid for it.

“I will also say that they did say with their proposal that employees could purchase additional LTD [long term disability] benefits from the district’s provider at 100 percent,” said Barnes.

The district has also pro-

» flexible scheduling

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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

7

GOV. BROWN TRAVELS CALIFORNIA FOR PROP 30

BY KAITLIN REGAN

kregan@therampageonline.com

Gov. Jerry Brown visited Fresno today to give a press conference regarding Proposition 30. Joining Brown were Fresno City College President, Tony Cantu, Thomas Richards, CEO of The Penstar Group, Larry Powell, Superintendent of Schools for Fresno County and Congressman Jim Costa.

During the press conference, Brown spoke discussed the importance that Proposition 30 has for the future generations of California. He emphasized the role of the voters and what they are voting for.

“This is a stark choice for the people of California. It is not about politicians.

It’s not about me. It’s not about the legislature. It’s about the kids, students and the future of our state. And it’s in your hands.

The people make a choice,” said Brown.

Brown even went as far as saying that this “profoundly important” proposition was the reason for his travelling of California.

Richards echoed Brown’s statement and gave the support of the business community. He discussed the importance of seeing education as an investment into the economy.

“We understand the future of California and in fact the future of this economy relies upon a strong educational system. There is no better way to invest in the economy than to invest in education,” said

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Gov. Jerry Brown speaks in favor of Proposition 30 at a press conference on Oct. 23.

Richards.

The economy is a deep focus for this proposition and Costa said that passing this proposition is not only a benefit for the future but an asset to the challenges of today.

He praises Brown’s leadership and work in resolving California’s fiscal difficulties.

“Governor Jerry Brown has provided remarkable leadership in trying to get our state’s financial house in order. Passing Proposition 30 for our children and future generations to come is a key part of resolving the financial challenges that we face today,” said Costa.

And today the voters are faced with that choice, a choice that, according to Powell, is easy. There is no grey area of confusion. Powell’s message was an either or situation and outlined the possibilities clearly in black and white.

“This election is very easy. A vote yes is a vote for hope and support for our schools and a vote no is for the past and for despair,” said Powell.

Cantu echoed this statement with his assessment of FCC and its loss of 4,000 students within the last three years. According to Cantu, this translates to a loss of

6,000 seats. His message to the media was clear. The economy is related to education and students are preparing themselves for much more than their transfer prospects.

“If we are going to continue to have an impact on the economy and the region, we need to continue to offer students those options that they so desperately need, not only to prepare themselves to transfer but also to prepare themselves for the workforce,” said Cantu.

These words reflected Brown’s full message. In order to have a successful economy there needs to be an educated and prepared population. He placed a heavy emphasis on the importance of the future generations being well prepared for future jobs through education. There are currently 500,000 jobs available in California but skills are needed to obtain those jobs.

The college system whether looking UC, CSU or Community College, has a role in educating and preparing today’s workforce. Schools have a role in re-training workers and providing them with those skills necessary to go back out into the workforce and help boost the economy.

“We can’t keep cutting our schools and colleges and expect to have a strong economy,” said Brown. “Prop 30 will inject billions of dollars into our schools and colleges so we can prepare the next generation of Californians for the jobs of the future.” l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN

Congressional Races Present Stark Options

Photo by Paul Schlesinger

Science instructors give demonstrations to audiences of students and community members.

BY PAUL SCHLESINGER

pschlesinger@therampageonline.com

Differences in coding between campus buildings cause district to investigate systemic issues for emergency response systems.

BY PABEL LOPEZ

plopez@therampageonline.com

sues that affect the Central Valley.

Nunes’ websites states “Nunes introduced H.R. 99, which designated State Route 99 as a congressional High Priority Corridor. The bill also provided federal authorization for Highway 99 to become part of the Interstate Highway System.”

On his website Lee speaks of the High Speed Rail Project and the jobs that come with it. Lee also makes mention of his support for the DREAM Act and how he believes a reform for immigration is needed.

Recently, the race has been in stories in the Fresno Bee that state that Nunes has repeatedly refused to debate Lee. Nunes counts on contributions from companies such as; AT&T, Bank Of America and Anheuser Busch and Koch Industries.

Lees’ list of contributors includes many unions such as the Ironworkers Union, Plumbers and Pipefitters Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

In the past this district has been dominated by the republican vote, and the primary results on June 5 were no different with Nunes Taking 70.6 percent of the vote and Lee getting 29.4 percent of the vote.

Both of these races will focus on agricultural issues because of the importance that the agricultural community has to the region. l TWITTER.COM/PABELLOPEZ

On Nov. 6 citizens will make decisions that will impact the nation as well as each state.

Particularly in the race for State Assembly seats, many changes are expected.

Photo by Ed Villanueva

The 16th congressional district in California will be a contest between democratic incumbent Jim Costa and Republican challenger Brian Whelan.

This District covers parts of Fresno County, Kings County and Kern County.

The amount of agriculture in the district makes the issue of water, a major talking point for both candidates.

The issue of the economy is also mentioned by both candidates on their respective websites.

Both candidates are Fresno County born and raised and have pledged to bring more jobs to the area. Their websites both state that they are each third-generation farmers. They both focus their attentions to valley farmers.

The difference between candidates goes deeper than their political parties. Costa has been a member of the U.S. Congress since 2004. Before his time serving in congress, Costa served in the California State Legislature for 24 years.

Whelan comes from a background in law and his website states “I am not a career politician, but a citizen who has reached a point that I feel compelled to do something to fix what is broken.”

Whelan attended school at the University of California Berkley and also He attended the law university of Rutgers.

According to the website opensecrets.org, a campaign contribution website, Costas list of contributors include the International Association of Firefighters, American Ironworkers Union and Wal-Mart.

While Whelan counts on financial support from many valley farmers and ranchers such as California Pistachios Inc, San Joaquin Figs and Klepper Ag Harvesting.

Costa and Whelan were the top two vote getters in the June 5 primary which made them the candidates for the general election. Costa took 42.7 percent of the vote while Whelan received 25.3 percent of votes.

The race for California’s 22nd district will be between Republican Devin Nunes, and Otto Lee, the Democratic challenger.

Nunes is currently the representative for the 21st but after a change to the district in 2011 he will be running for the seat in the 22nd district. The current representative for the 22nd is Republican Kevin McCarthy, who ran unopposed in the 2010 election.

The district covers most of Fresno County east of the city of Fresno including small towns such as Visalia, Tulare and Clovis.

The 39-year-old Nunes has been in congress since 2002, and comes from a background of a Community College Center trustee. 45-year-old Lee comes from a military background as a Commander in the navy reserves.

On their websites both candidates make mention of the importance of veterans benefits, and transportation is-

Photo by Abel Cortez

BY PABEL LOPEZ

plopez@therampageonline.com

BY MAI LEE

mlee@therampageonline.com

BEYOND THE PRINT THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

8

NEWS

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

BOARD OF TRUSTEES CANDIDATES ADDRESS FACULTY

BY TOMAS KASSAHUN

Unlike in previous elections when board members attended Bullard High School. He graduated from CSU can be elected throughout the SCCCD area, the four seats Fresno with a bachelor’s degree in English.

Three candidates running for the State Center ComFor the past 12 years, Hall has worked as a clean air that are up will be decided only by voters within each trustmunity College District board of trustees addressed facul- activist. Before that, Hall was a farm show manager and ee area boundary instead of those across all the SCCCD. ty from all SCCCD’s campuses at the State Center Federa- Agricultural Journalist. One of the goals for Hall if elected Also, longtime trustee William J. Smith is not on the ballot tion of Teachers’ general membership meeting on Oct. 24. is to preserve union rights. for re-election in District 2.

Marion Montgomery-Austin, a financial adviser; With the State Center Community College District “I have worked hard to preserve union member Kevin Hall, executive director of the Central Valley Air rights. They’re a critical defense,” he said. “I think the facing a crucial financial crisis, this year’s election for the Quality Coalition and John Leal, school administrator, worst are trying to take down this nation. We have to build board of trustees is pivotal. The 11 candidates vying for touted their experiences and promised to support the right it from the ground up.” four seats are hoping to convince voters that they are most of unions, if elected next Tuesday.

John Leal, retired school administrator, has plenty suited dealing with the district’s budget crisis.

Montgomery-Austin, a financial professional in of experience in finance gathered as he worked with the Montgomery-Austin says she understands what Fresno for 30 years is seeking to unseat incumbent Pat- budget when he was a high school administrator in Ca- needs to be done. “Particularly when revenues are down, rick Patterson and beat school administrator, David you want to hang on to what you got. It’s Austin in District 6. John Leal is running for trsutee the wrong thing to do,” said Montgomeryin Area 3, encompassing Kingsburg, Fowler, Selma, Austin. “When you have high unemployCaruthers, south and central Fresno as well as Laton. ment, people needing to be trained to inHe is dueling with incumbent trustee Ronald Feaver. crease their skill level, it’s not the time to Kevin Hall, current executive director of the Central pull back the resources. I’m a fiscal conValley Air Quality Coalition is running against inservative. I believe in having savings for cumbent Richard Caglia for Area 7, an area bordered rainy days but there is a lack of recogniby Freeway 99 to the west, McKinley to the south, tion that it is raining.”

Freeway 168 to the east, and extending north along For Montgomery-Austin the camFreeway 41 and east again along Herndon Avenue to paign process is a way to expand the Freeway 168. knowledge and skill she already possessMontgomery-Austin said her background in fies. nance has prepared her for the job.

“It has been a wonderful process.

“I have the skills sets needed. I can read a budI’m getting a lesson in the early stages,” Photo by Paul Schlesinger. SCCCD board of trustees candidate get. I can ask questions about why we are putting she said. “I’m learning about the way the Marion Montgomery-Austin addresses questions while candidate certain revenues in different places,” said Austin. “I current administration is managing the Kevin Hall listens during the debate on Sept. 20. have always been interested in community education. revenues. That’s what I’m interested in, I taught financial planning class at FCC.” where I can help.”

She said she disagrees with the way the present ruthers, Clovis, Lemoore and Fresno schools.

Leal, an FCC alumnus and father of an FCC fireboard of trustees is handling the economic crunch, par“I’m fiscally conservative but I spent every dime on fighting academy student, says joining the board of trustticularly class cuts and faculty layoffs. “We have a very students. I have a working knowledge of the budget,” said ees is his way of giving back to the community. depressed economy in the Central Valley, high rates of Leal. “I want to be more knowledgeable and make a wise For Hall, it is about restoring the California dream. poverty. The only way we can change that situation is decision on allotting the limited funds. I want to maintain, For the past three years, he has worked with Communities through education,” Montgomery-Austin said. “We need increase and improve summer school offerings for exam- for a New California, a statewide civil and human rights to educate people to move them out of where they are eco- ple. It’s unheard of not to have a summer school program. organization for California families. Working with the nomically. I’m here to help.”

These students are working. They need to continue their CNC, Hall focused particularly on the state budget reform.

Another one of her goals as a trustee, if elected, is education throughout the year.”

“We didn’t know what form (the reform) would take to put more focus on the mission of the organization. AusThough he has been retired for the past two years, and it has taken the form of prop 30,” said Hall. His work tin accused the current board of focusing too much on the Leal says he wanted to come back into service because with board supervisors around the state, hospital boards maintenance of the organization rather than the mission. his heart is still into it. “My heart is still into it. I’m young and bargaining committees has also given Hall reason to Kevin Hall, candidate for Area 7, is a father of a enough and energetic enough,” said Leal. “I have con- believe he is the right man for the job. current FCC student. Hall is counting on his close ties with nections with this community. I’ve lived here all my life. I “When I went to school in the 1970s, it was affordable the Valley to propel him to victory. He spent much of his want to make a difference for the students. There are com- and accessible,” said Hall. “We need to get back to that.” boyhood in Firebaugh and later moved to Fresno where he plex issues. I want to be a voice.” l TWITTER.COM/THERAMPAGEGUY tkassahun@therampageonline.com

Youth vote could impact election

BY COX ODIA

codia@therampageonline.com

It has always been said that young people are the future of the nation. Particularly when it comes to voting, young people have made a huge difference in recent years. Since 2004 the number of young voters in the United States has increased at each election.

According to an article from the Rock the Vote website, there were 20 million 18-29 year olds who voted in the 2004 elections. That was a 4.3 million increase compared to the 2000 elections. The voting increase among the youth voters more than doubled that of other age groups.

In 2006, 18-29 year olds’ turnout grew by nearly 2 million over 2002 levels.

Turnout among the youngest voters grew by three percentage points over 2002 levels, twice the turnout increase of older voters.

Young voters are widely considered to be the most diverse generation of voters, there are 44 million eligible young voters in the United States and they represent more than one-fifth of the electorate.

The 2008 election was nicknamed “the year of the youth vote.”

Two out of every three voters under 30 supported President Barack Obama,

providing the historic candidate with the votes necessary to clinch a victory according to www.dukechronicle.com.

Young people are specially concerned about the issues that impact their education.

Gladys Gallegos, a Fresno City College criminology student is voting for Proposition 30, which raises taxes to increase funding for education.

“The fact that Prop 30 is going to be affecting our schools, that has influenced me to vote,” said Gallegos.

The technology now offered to people allows the young voters to be more socially aware in a worldview.

Outlets like Facebook or Twitter allow the candidates to reach a wider range of audience they were not able to connect with just a few years ago.

Politicians are now reaching to young people by going to schools, visiting communities, calling on the phone, inviting students to events, knocking on doors and reaching out to them online.

FCC history instructor Paul Gilmore says politicians need to organize themselves and involve the youth more.

Gilmore says that if a candidate really wants to influence the youth vote, they should get people who are all in one place and who can organize themselves.

“If you can get college students, you can basically take an entire group of millions and speak to them all at once,” said Gilmore.

In the 2012 election, one of the key questions is whether or not President Barack Obama can still persuade young voters as he did in 2008.

According to NextGen Journal, less than half of young people say they will definitely vote this November.

Criminology student Gabriel Vivas said he feels that he does not know enough to vote.

“I don’t feel that I know enough about politics yet to be able to put something like that into my hands right now. I feel I have to be more prepared,” said Vivas.

“If (students) know what’s going on and exactly what they’re talking about and feel like they can help in the future, then their votes would matter and it would make a big difference.”

Although he does not feel informed at the moment, Vivas still hopes to vote on Nov. 6.

“I’m looking forward to voting.

It’s not like i’m just registered to vote. I did it for a reason. I just want to get more informed about it and make sure i know what I’m voting for,” said Vivas.

Accounting major Travis Jury has been voting since 2005 and also plans to vote this year.

“I feel like I wouldn’t contribute to society. If you feel like you shouldn’t vote it should be wrong because your vote does matter,” said Jury.

Jury said he has been influenced to vote by his parents because they have voted for as long as he remembers.

They told Jury voting is important because his opinion matters.

According to an article in The New Republic, “there can be three factors that can consistently make a difference in voting rates: money, marriage, and homeownership.”

Those traits are usually adult commitments and not one of a young adults so they may not feel the obligation or responsibility to go out and vote because they might feel like they do not have an important enough stake in society.

Gilmore hopes to see more young voters during the upcoming election.

“There’s not that many youth who vote compared to elderly folks,” said Gilmore.

“They might not yet consider the stakes, they might not be quite as connected with the world of work as other folks are.” l TWITTER.COM/COXTHAONE

NEWS

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

9

John Luna: An unsung hero strums along

BY AUGUST PROMNITZ

dpromnitz@therampageonline.com

The work of a custodian is not one that many students ponder upon. Long hours of mopping tiles and scrubbing profanities off the walls of bathroom stalls are not exactly the picture of a glamorous career. But the custodians, maintenance workers and groundskeepers of Fresno City College, or any campus for that matter, are in many ways the unsung heroes of the institution.

These men and women keep the hallways clean, keep the lights glowing in the classrooms and keep the air conditioners running. Without the hard work of these people on campus, the lives of the students, staff and faculty would be very grim and unpleasant to imagine.

John Luna, 55, a custodian at Fresno City College is one of these unsung heroes. He’s been employed at FCC for six years now, and works hard to keep the campus functioning. Luna represents the working man, doing his job with literally a blue collar.

But for what it’s worth, he’s a happy man.

He’s rarely seen without a cheek-to-cheek grin and a warm welcome to those fortunate enough to encounter him in the hall.

“I feel great,” Luna says of his life. He beams when he describes his interaction with students and faculty, “a little word here and there is just an added bonus.”

Prior to his custodial work, John Luna studied to become a beautician, working at a barber shop and a second job at $7 an hour during the hardships of a sour economy. After this, he worked as a bus technician.

Then, in 2006, Luna managed to get a contract to work as a custodial technician for FCC, a job which promised him benefits and better financial security. With luck, he was able to get in right before the recession was in full swing, so while he isn’t immune from the hard times hitting the whole of the middle class, Luna is getting by through steady pay and financial thrift.

It isn’t always a pretty profession,

but Luna is not complaining. In fact, Luna stressed that he is very aware of the difference he makes. He knows the importance of the role that custodians like himself play in the education of the student body.

“Sometimes you think about people,” he says of students. “That’s what it’s about. You partake in their success by making sure that they have a clean environment. And I think I speak for the other custodians as well as maintenance and grounds.”

In addition to this understanding, Luna takes great influence from his faith.

He was raised in family of devout Catholics, and his brother works for a radio station devoted to such a cause. Luna has

Luna does his job not only for the benefits, but also for his family.

He has been happily married for 25 years to the same woman, a working mother and a devoted partner. He met her at the wedding party of a friend, claiming that it was love at first sight.

“I was walking down the aisle and I saw her at the party,” he fondly remembers “and I said to myself: ‘That’s the one I want to marry, that’s the girl.’”

And together with his wife, Luna has raised two children. His daughter, 23 is a published children’s author, who wrote and illustrated her own book, “Precious and Loved”.

His son, 21, is an avid musician like

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. John Luna, a Fresno City College custodian, relaxes with his guitar during his break. since left the idea of denominations, but still considers his faith to be an integral part of his life. In fact, Luna even goes as far as to cite prayer as one of his “secrets to happiness.” His faith was a gift to him from his mother, a woman he continues to admire long after her passing.

Misconduct l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 attended the conference, said, “There was alcohol present at the conference, but we don’t know who drank it.”

Drinking alcohol in gatherings such as the CCCSAA conference is forbidden, according to both the FCC and CCCSAA rules. Before departing to the event, students signed a binding code of conduct document, acknowledging that they were aware that alcoholic beverages and drugs are strictly prohibited.

The document also contains the following additional reminder. “California State Education Code and SCCCD prohibit alcoholic beverages being consumed during a college function regardless of student’s age.”

The FCC delegation seems to have ignored the warnings, according to many who attended.

David Thammavongsa, member of the Sustainable Action club and Rampage reporter, attended the event as a representative of Inter-Club Council. He is one of the few to openly admit to using alcohol and express remorse for his wrongdoing. Thammavongsa said he is willing to speak openly about what he did and what he saw.

Thammavongsa admits to buying himself “a beer,” and drinking with Senators Jose Chavez and Hugo Garcia, and President Pro-Tempore Rene Villa. He said Villa bought alcohol for Chavez who is under the age of 21.

“I guess I felt peer-pressured,” Thammavongsa said.

“I didn’t go on the trip intending to drink. If I had, I would have just not gone to CCCSAA and drank at home.”

He also says he witnessed Sen. Squire and Sen. Richard Alvarez smoking marijuana, but says he was not involved in that activity.

his father and plays the guitar, drums and bass. Luna himself has been playing the guitar for 43 years. In fact, he plays his 12-string every day on his break, saying it is his own way of winding down.

“Some people relax with a novel, or by smoking a cigarette,” he said. “But

He said that on the first night of the conference, Alonzo was observed to be “under the influence” while on the dance floor. Other sources say that Sen. Battle “was drunk the entire weekend.”

Alonzo denies that he was drunk at any point during the conference.

Sources other than Thammavongsa confirmed that Senators Alvarez and Squire were seen openly smoking marijuana on a smoking patio at their hotel.

Others have said that McKinley and Mack were drinking, but Thammavongsa could not confirm that.

McKinley said Mack was photographed holding a bottle of alcohol, but claimed they didn’t drink.

At a cost of $10,158 to ASG’s Student Representation fee, 18 people from FCC went to the conference including, President Alonzo; now-former LVP McKinley; now-former EVP Mack; Trustee Mike Wilson; PPT Villa; Region V Delegate Edward James; Senators Chavez, Alvarez, Mia Chennault, Squire, O’Casey, Garcia, Hayes, Battle, Emily Rivera, as well as two representatives from FCC’s ICC, Jan Bensen and Thammavongsa.

ASG Advisor, Student Activities Director, Sean Henderson attended the conference with the students. According to the CCCSAA guidelines, each advisor signs an agreement to “be present the entire time” that students are at the conference site; “support the policy regarding possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal substances as stated on the Student Conference Attendance Agreement form” and “support the policy for good behavior throughout the duration of the conference.”

Henderson explained that one of his responsibilities “is to serve as a chaperone,” but that “It’s important to note that all students here are adults; that being the case, they’re on their honor.”

He also said he was busy with his participation at the conference and was not watching the students around the clock.

that’s how I wind down -- by playing a little bit of music.”

Luna was born in Fresno and raised in Firebaugh. In regards to his upbringing, Luna explains that he learned from his father, a trucker, and his mother, a homemaker, how to work hard.

Most of all, he learned as the third child in a family of five siblings what value there is in family.

That “Luna” love, which he uses to describe the bond he shares with his loved ones, and hard work appear to be what drives him through life. Just like so many hard-working men, he understands the value and meaning of manual labor. He knows that there is great pride to be found in it.

And it’s the devoted and loving family that he comes home to that tops off even the toughest of days.

Luna enjoys his interactions with students and staff, even if it is a simple hello. He is happy to win people over with his friendly disposition. These are the values that he lives for.

This was what his father taught him as a boy and what he has been demonstrating to his own children as well. In living out those values, Luna aims to make a difference in his corner of the world.

“Those are things you got to work on every day,” he added, “being a good husband, a good father, a good employee.”

A clean room to study in is rarely appreciated, and so many take it for granted, tossing their gum in the urinal and going about their day.

But the unsung heroes keep doing their jobs with pride, with no complaints about the task at hand. And when the students leave Fresno City and move on to the universities, it will be more than just professors and deans, but also people like John Luna that made it all possible.

“I enjoy my greetings with the people here and having them call me by my first name,” Luna said.

“It might sound a little bit crazy, but I look forward to Monday mornings.” l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

“Any relationship requires some amount of trust.

These are representatives that you elected. I’m hoping that you trust them as much as I have to trust them,” Henderson said. “I’m not capable of staying awake for 72 hours or being in 10 rooms at the same time; they are adults.”

FCC’s Student Standards of Conduct clearly prohibit drugs and alcohol, specifically, “Unlawful possession, use, sale, offering to sell or furnish, furnishing, or being under the influence of, and controlled substance listed in California Health and Safety Code Section 11053.”

Some ASG members maintain that they believed that what happened “after hours” was their own business.

Dr. Chris Villa, vice president for student services disagrees. In an interview conducted earlier this semester, Villa explained that the Student Standards of Conduct apply to students who are off campus.

“If a student is on a field trip sponsored by the college, something like a club activity or a conference,” Villa said, “if it’s an event where they are expected to represent the college in any manner... the code of conduct covers student behavior in those instances.”

The CCCSAA student agreement states that alcohol and drugs are not permitted “at any time during the conference, including after formal activities, and all hours of the night and morning.”

CCCSAA holds a statewide conference once a year to which student government representatives and club leaders and other members from ICC attend to learn more about the role of student government and student leadership.

ASG is scheduled to attend another conference, General Assembly. The conference is this weekend, Nov. 2 to 4, in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The event is presented by the Student Senate of California Community Colleges (SSCCC). l TWITTER.COM/DARKTROY

10

A&E

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. The “Roaming Rotters” head to the Tower Sports Bar after terrorizing Livingstone’s Restaurant and pub during the third annual Zombie Pub Crawl in the Tower District.

UNDEAD HORDE STUMBLES THROUGH TOWER

BY MATTHEW ELLIOTT

melliott@therampageonline.com

Recently, the Tower District fell into turmoil as a zombie horde numbering in the hundreds ravaged the landscape. For three years running, the living dead have amassed to wreak havoc on various tower bars and restaurants in what survivors refer to as the Zombie Pub Crawl.

The Fresno Zombie Society periodically holds public and private gatherings throughout the city. The annual zombie crawl is one of the organization’s premier events.

“I had seen YouTube videos of zombie crawls in different states and countries.

Myself being a huge zombie and horror movie fan thought, why didn’t we have something like this in Fresno?” said society founder and chief horde instigator, Patrick Quiring. “I posted the questions to a couple friends and they told me I should start one. A couple months later we were

holding our first annual zombie crawl.”

At first glance, this year’s bystanders may have interpreted the scene as a gathering of foot dragging locals on a prolonged bender. Upon further examination however, horrified witnesses powerlessly looked on as walkers brought about the Tower apocalypse.

Zombies who managed to curb their instincts long enough to speak coherently expressed appreciation for the community event.

“This is our second year,” said animated corpse, Jocelyn Allcock. “It’s a time to let loose; to enjoy our youth while we’re still young.”

Although zombie behavioral dynamics still remain unclear, what is known is that the walking dead typically travel in fragmented groups as opposed to swarms.

Succumbing to his infection, Fresno City College student, Daniel Clark followed the devouring masses into the heart of the Tower District.

“I came here to take a look at everything and take part in it,” said Clark. “It’s really cool that something like this is happening here in Fresno.”

When asked about the zombie horde’s political leanings regarding Proposition 30, Clark responded, “The zombie horde does not have an opinion on it mostly because they lack the intelligence to make a clear and concise decision.”

Breaking with established precedent, some zombies recalled the nature of their living demise.

Pointing in accusation toward an undead nurse, Becky Swisher’s corpse said, “She came and killed me on my wedding day.”

Rising well above the call of duty, heroic civilians were on hand to preserve some semblance of humanity. Hunk, a fictional survivor of Resident Evil’s Raccoon City incident stood guard in front of the Tower Theater.

The former Umbrella security offi-

cial compared the severity of the attack to his predicament back in 1998. “Everyone is more or less dead. I’ve only seen one other agent out here,” said Hunk.

The odds of survival were insurmountable. Still, he remained vigilant at his post.

Despite having frequented various pubs well into the night, the horde’s campaign to consume humanity appeared unquenchable and unwavering.

“The tower businesses have been great,” said Quiring. “The event is here to stay. As long as people enjoy our events, they will continue.”

Zombies throughout the Tower District seemed pleased with their devastation and looked forward to future carnage.

“This is my first time out here. I’m loving it, I’ll be out here next year,” said wondering corpse, Ken Christiansen.

“Brains.” l TWITTER.COM/PATH_OF_LOTUS

Zombies 101: a brief history

BY KAYLA VALENZUELA

kvalenzuela@therampageonline.com

Zombie lore has been around for ages. Throughout history, horror movies, video games, and novels have portrayed the undead in a terrifying light. What we don’t know however, is whether zombies are actually alive or dead.

For example, vodou zombies are known to have fictionally existed in Haiti. By using a host body, corpses can be used as spiritual entities or as a slave laborers. In 1982, Wade Davis traveled to the island to investigate. He concluded that people can be put into a trance like state when certain powders were released into the bloodstream. From there, the human would enter a hypnotic state.

As fictional characters, zombies have been used in many movies and in many forms including “Night of the Living Dead”, “Zombieland” and “Resident Evil.” Each of these movies reimagined interpretations of the Hollywood zombie.

In the first Resident Evil movie, the T-virus contaminated Raccoon City after it was let out of the Hive complex.

To combat this, Alice, the film’s protagonist, must retrieve

the anti-virus before the remaining survivors becomes infected.

Recently, “The Walking Dead” has become a popular show about zombies. After the zombie apocalypse, civilians near Atlanta come together to fight for their lives against the undead hordes. A walker bite is very infectious and leads to certain death and reanimation. A cure is yet to be discovered.

In video games, Nazi zombies were featured in “Call of Duty: World at War”, “Call of Duty: Black Ops” and “Dead Rising”. By killing zombies and by barricading openings, players accumulate points to unlock new areas, buy weapons and acquire power-ups. After each round is completed, stronger and faster zombies appear. Zombie survival maps focus on infected Nazis, Japanese and Russian soldiers, scientists and American military personnel.

Several zombie survival guides exist to inform people of what to do in the event of an outbreak. Whether the attack is health related or is connected with vodou curses, the American people should be prepared. l TWITTER.COM/KORRUPTEDKITTY

Illustration by Dale Holcomb

A&E

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

11

What’s Brewing at Sequoia?

Food at famed brewery should be improved

BY TROY POPE

tpope@therampageonline.com

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Sequoia Brewing’s barbeque chicken pizza; topped with red onion, cilantro, mozarella, cheddar and ranch BBQ sauce for $10.99.

It’s a challenging task to make a bad barbecue chicken pizza, but the people at Sequoia Brewing Co. have figured out how to do it.

Sequoia is a wonderful establishment. They have amazing beer that is brewed right there in the building, but their food is something else entirely.

How can a place be so fantastic at one thing (making beer), yet be so terrible at another (making food)?

One might think a pizza as thin as the one they produce should be crispy.

Not so fast, Sequoia thinks otherwise.

The pizza, although very thin crusted, is awkwardly chewy. So much so that you question whether or not it was unintentionally undercooked.

The pizza is also surprisingly lacking of flavor. In fact, the majority of the flavor is in the barbecue sauce itself. The chicken is bland, probably out of a can or frozen bag, and there were almost no red onions on it, as there should be, to give it a kick.

What about a burger? Out of the choices of rare, medium and welldone, you’ll always be sure that your

burger will be a nice solid grey inside.

You want every bite to taste exactly the same (boring)? You got it.

How about appetizers? It’s hard to mess up potato skins, right? Incorrect. Be prepared for the most lackluster potato skins of your life.

Whether it’s the stingy amounts of toppings they put on them, or the quality of the toppings themselves, expect for a bland experience that leads you to believe you’re only chewing on a baked potato.

Are you a soup or chili lover?

Then go to the store and buy a can. It’s cheaper and you’ll have the same experience.

“I was very hungry when I ordered the chili and I was disappointed,” said Daniel Clark, a Fresno City College student. “I love their drinks so much I expected the same level of quality from their food.”

Although the food at Sequoia Brewing Co. tastes and feels storebought and very disappointing, it is still a place that the 21 and over crowd can proudly enjoy for their locally brewed beer selection.

l TWITTER.COM/DARKTROY

Silent Hill delivers a muted ‘Revelation’

BY AUGUST PROMNITZ

dpromnitz@therampageonline.com

Special effects, camera work and sounds offered a few good pop-up moments, which were good for a quick startle. Overall however, these elements were not scary.

This film had potential, but unfortunately didn’t live up to it. “Silent Hill: Revelation” had big shoes to fill after its predecessor. Sadly, this is just one of those movies where the original is just better than the sequel.

Grade: D+ l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

In 2006, director Christophe Gans terrified filmgoers across the country with Silent Hill, a horror film based on a series of videogames by the same name. Six years later, Michael J. Basset directed the sequel: “Silent Hill: Revelation 3D.” There have been many sequels that have been considered masterpieces, even better than the original.

“The Dark Knight”, “The Godfather: Part II”, and the list goes on. This film, however, was not such a sequel.

Following the now grown up Heather Mason, (Adelaide Clemens) “Silent Hill: Revelations” takes the viewer on Heather’s personal mission to return to the quaint town of Silent Hill to find out the origins of her past and to find her missing father (Sean Bean).

With falling ash, doomsday cults, people burnt at the stake and demonic hell monsters, “Silent Hill” proves to be a frightening experience for Heather.

Luckily, she has the film’s predictable masculine lead, Vincent (Kit Harington) to help her through town, but sadly not through the plot.

The overall storytelling of the film was rushed forward in a way that abridged the events of the last film. Thus, the ending was confusing, leaving many questions, but few answers.

The acting in the film was fairly rushed and somewhat forced. Adelaide Clemens plays the strong woman part well. Yet her performance leaves the viewer feeling oddly rubbed. This can be attributed more to the script than to any fault of her own.

The same can be said for Sean Bean. After giving excellent performances in works such as “GoldenEye”, “The Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones”, it may be painful for some to view him in such an underpowered role.

The 3D for the movie was completely pointless and did nothing to enhance the cinematography, which Adelaide Clemens portrays Heather Mason in the second installment of Silent Hill which opened in theaters on Friday. Photo by Open Road Films and Lionsgate. was fine on its own.

12

A&E

BY SASHA BELL

sbell@therampageonline.com

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays celebrated today. But where and how did it all begin?

Halloween originates from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, pronounced sow-in. The Celts, who occupied the area that is now Ireland, northern France and the United Kingdom over 2,000 years ago, celebrated the beginning of their new year on Nov. 1. For them, this day marked the end of summer and the onset of a colder, darker time – winter, a time of year associated with death and sickness. They believed the day before their new year, the world between the living and the dead became blurred.

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN On the night of Oct. 31 the Celts celebrated Samhain in which the spirits of the dead would return to the earth. They believed that their Celtic priests, Druids, were able to predict the future easier with the presence of the deadly spirits. These predictions were crucial to the Celts because it brought comfort and direction during the winter.

In celebration of this event, they would build large sacred bonfires where the Celts would burn cross and make animal sacrifices to their deities. The Celts would dress up in costumes made of animal heads and skins and would attempt to tell each other’s fortunes.

After the Roman Empire took over most of the Celtic territory, two of their Roman celebrations began to incorporate some the Samhain rituals. The Romans celebrated the passing of dead during a celebration called Feralia, which took place in late October. Their second celebration was that to honor their goddess of fruit and trees, Pomona.

As time passed and the Roman Catholic church grew stronger and more prevalent, the celebration Samhain was no longer recognized. However, the celebration of the passing of the dead never died. Throughout the years, it has changed names several times – All Martyrs Day, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, All Hallows Eve and now Halloween.

When Halloween was first introduced into American culture, it was limited to colonial New England, but was celebrated in Maryland and other southern colonies.

The first celebrations consisted of parties which celebrated the harvest, telling ghost stories and the dead, reading each other’s fortunes, singing and dancing.

As new immigrants arrived in America, especially the Irish, they brought with them their own Halloween celebrations. Mixing English and Irish traditions together, Americans started to dress up in costumes going house to house asking for food or money. As time evolved in America, so did the themes of Halloween. The holiday moved

into a more family friendly get-together than one about ghost stories and celebrating the dead. Festivals had season related games, foods and merry costumes. Adults and parents were asked to remove the grotesque and frightening aspects of this holiday from their homes and stories.

Due to those efforts, Halloween had lost it’s ‘superstitions and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century’ according to history.com/Halloween.

During the 1920s to the 1930s Halloween was a secular and community celebrated event. It featured parades and town-wide parties. However, vandalism began to break out during these festivals. The authorities handled this outbreak by encouraging the people of the town to hold parties at their home or at school and to limit the holiday to children. The traditional Trick-or-treating we know today began as an inexpensive way to have a localized celebration without the crime. “In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats,” according to history.com/Halloween.

So what traditions from the past are still present in today’s Halloween celebrations?

Trick-or-treating is estimated to begin during All Soul’s Day where poor citizens would beg for food from families. Those who could afford it gave them “soul cakes” for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives. The tradition of dressing up in a costume began during Samhain. Where people would dress up to prevent ghosts and otherworldly creatures from recognizing them so they would not prey upon them. The bobbing of apples came from the festival of Pomona. The goddess’s symbol was an apple and was use commonly during the Roman’s celebrations.

The celebration of Halloween has been around for centuries, but has evolved throughout the years to what we know now. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

Couture tips for the fashion-forward student

BY AKEEM SPEARMAN

aspearman@therampageonline.com

Every spring and fall, the fashion industry holds a week dedicated to highlighting collections from couture designers to showcase which trends are going to be occurring in the upcoming season.

The spring fashion week forecasts fall and winter trends while the fall fashion week presents the spring and summer fads.

New York, London, Milan and Paris are the epicenters of the fashion world, but Fresno seems to be keeping up in its own way.

It’s clear that Fresno isn’t the most fashion-conscious city.

Whether that is attributed to its blazing temperatures, lack of top brand stores or the indifference that some possess toward their appearance is of no consequence; however, that doesn’t deter some of the students at Fresno City College from keeping up with the latest fall styles.

“Sometimes I shop at thrift stores like Amvets to see what they have,” said student Sterling Griffin. “Mostly I just go on Tumblr and walk into stores to see what’s the latest.”

As per usual, this fall welcomes in the season of sweaters and layers. This season, graphics and prints on knits are the focus

as opposed to classic patterns.

The print trend also encompasses skirts, denim and silk trousers.

Accents range from bedazzled collars, fedoras and leather skirts to reflect an edgier fashion-forward aspect.

With the pea coat being the new parka, key pieces in common collections include army jackets, bomber jackets and tuxedo blazers. Each piece has a level of versatility that allows them to be layered to create various looks when paired elegantly with cropped black trousers or skinny, mid-rise denim.

This fall’s essentials in shoes continue to focus on chelsea boots and ankle boots; however, knee-high boots and pointed pumps have been steadily making a comeback. If cost is an issue, then a pair of ballet flats can complement multiple looks. Avoid wearing the pumps with wide leg jeans though. The peplum trend in dresses and tops from the spring remains a dominating presence in the fall as well.

Accessories for women are going to infuse a bit of power into the wardrobe with menswear watches combined with chunky chain bracelets and statement earrings, as evidenced by Dolce & Gabbana. This season, oversized clutches and brightly colored bags are pivotal accessories.

Men have something to look forward to as well. Those who believe that scarves are too feminine are mistaken incorrect since a simple knotted scarf in either neutral or deep tones can dress up an outfit as well as bring more attention to the face. The minimalistic look has replaced the edgier cuts with simpler textures and easier shapes in the inky tone of blue and black.

Natural textures are the new vogue presented in a range of collections from Versace to Galliano and consist of shearling and fur fabric accents on coats and jackets. Additionally, leather accents and accessories have been prominent, adding flair to an outfit along with minor metal detailing in shoes.

Color choices reflect neutral and vibrant pops to create a balanced palette. The wildly popular blue and black has proven to be the color of the season.

The neutral shades of titanium, rose smoke, and French roast are meant to compliment the bold choices of rhapsody purple, ultramarine green, tangerine tango, pink flambé, honey gold and chartreuse to create a cohesive color story.

In the Central Valley, there are still a few anchor stores that allow those who live here to have a better grasp on the latest hap-

penings in the industry.

“I love shopping at stores like Forever 21, Love Culture, Styles For Less and Charming Charlie,” said student Domanique Hester. “I usually look at magazines and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep up.”

To pick up the current trends, students can frequent stores like Foreign Exchange, TJ Maxx, Ross, Sears, Express and Target to stay affordably fashionable. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

A&E

Fall Carnival brings fun for all ages

BY MATTHEW ELLIOTT

melliott@therampageonline.com

November concerts

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Ashley Medina of Teachers of Tomorrow paints 6-year-old Nicholas Allen’s face during the Fall Carnival under the Ratcliffe Stadium bleachers yesterday.

Woodwind Choirs Concert

11/16: OAB Auditorium (7:30 p.m.) free admission

Achievement House/ Brother Luke and The Comrades/I Do Not Exist

11/21: Fulton 55 (8 p.m.) free admission

FCC Community Orchestra

11/27: OAB Auditorium (7:30 p.m.) $8 general, $6 students/staff/seniors

Rams Jams: Guitar Showcase

11/29: OAB Auditorium (7:30 p.m.) $5 suggested donation

Intermediate/Advanced Voice Recital

11/30: OAB Auditorium (7:30 p.m.) free admission

EDM thrives in Fresno

BY MONTANA PAXTON

mpaxton@therampageonline.com

When people hear the word “rave”, they may think of the disco party era during the 1970s in places like Studio 54 or may recall big music festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival.

Electronic dance music has flourished across the industry during the past year. Various genres and artists have popped up in the EDM scene. Here in the Central Valley, many different types of raw talents are showcased.

It is no surprise to hear that the biggest rave hosted on the West Coast started in Tulare.

Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival originally began here in 1997. The music festival moved to Los Angeles nine years later.

In 2011, EDC was hosted in Las Vegas. Locations including New York, Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico have also hosted the festival.

In the last year, one local DJ has made his mark at Insomniac events. Corey Moore known as Seven8seven, is a California State University, Fresno graduate and local music supporter. Last July, Moore won a competition to play at insomniac’s recent festival, Nocturnal Wonderland at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino.

DJ K-Lin, who calls the Central Valley home, hosted a series of events at the Tulare county fairgrounds called “Hot Summer Nights.”

During the summer, K-Lin held five events where hundreds of teens and college students attended.

Not only have great DJs and event producers emerged from the Central Valley. Dancers and entertainers have also come out of Fresno. Local dance group, the Flo-Go’s has been asked to perform at Insomniac events.

The EDM scene has grown. Many local events have popped up throughout the valley. The Fresno’s club scene has begun to incorporate the new music.

Over the past few months, clubs started hosting EDM nights, while other clubs dedicated to EDM continue to open their doors.

Electric dance music has grown to be more than just another musical genre. For the people who attended these events, EDM is a lifestyle. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

13

For years, the Student Activities Offices has coordinated with various campus organizations to host the annual Fall Carnival at Ratcliffe stadium.

More than a dozen clubs volunteered with more than 15 carnival booths. Competitive events included the classic bean bag toss, a balloon-popping dart game, a bowling game and a shooting gallery. Other attractions included face painting and Associative Student Government’s haunted room.

“This is my third year in ASG and we’ve done it every year that I’ve been in it,” said ASG president, Nathan Alonzo.

“Every year, the kids love it and the parents love it. Everybody gets candy at the end after getting scared to death.”

The Fall Carnival is a gesture of goodwill on behalf of the community. Families from surrounding areas came out to enjoy the free festivities. Children dressed up in classic costumes including skeletons, devils, ballerinas, soldiers and Disney characters.

Hundreds in attendance received candy and balloons from various booths.

Pointing to her 5-year-old daughter, Tricia Martinez said, “Her most favorite thing is getting a balloon because she loves balloons. Any type of game where she has to toss a bean bag, she really likes those a lot.”

Former FCC student Sarah Bass’ 8-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son enjoyed their time at the bowling game more than other booths. “They won a couple pieces of candy there,” said Bass.

Campus club representatives volunteered their time to the community carnival.

Representing the Student Success Club and the CIT Club, Wallace Whipps was glad to have the opportunity to lend a hand.

“I like it. It’s a good, safe environment for the kids to come to and they have a good time. And they seem to enjoy it because it seems to get bigger each year,” said Whipps. “They’ve been putting on this Fall Carnival for at least ten years, maybe more.”

By all accounts, this year’s Fall Carnival was a tremendous success for everyone involved.

Candy donations leading up to the event were plentiful and attendees filled their sacks and jack-o’-lantern buckets with a bounty of sweets. l TWITTER.COM/PATH_OF_LOTUS

14

OPINION

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

PACIFIC CAFÉ NEEDS TO IMPROVE SERVICE

Photo by Abel Cortez. Pacific Cafe providing service to patrons on Oct. 29.

BY KAITLIN REGAN

kregan@therampageonline.com

While on campus, students have a few different options on where to spend their money for a snack or meal.

One of those options is the Pacific Café, formerly known as Yoshino’s. While the food and atmosphere might seem satisfactory, they are anything but.

The general environment of the Pacific Café is unclean and uneasy. At any given moment, a student could walk into the restaurant and see the floors stained by spills and covered in dirt. The tables of the restaurant are not

washed often and most frequently left for the customer to sweep with a napkin.

The cashier for this establishment varies but in general, their customer service is not up to par. From discrepancies such as not giving the right amount of change, to talking about customers behind their backs, the cashiers are not suited to be serving.

Also, when it comes to waiting for an order, this establishment often forgets to even put the orders in. The employees make sure that the customer pays for the meal but when it comes to receiving that meal, the customer is left to wait until someone remembers the order. In most cases, the customer has to remind the employees that the order was even placed.

Is this the kind of service that students should accept? Is this the kind of establishment that students should be spending what little money they have? It would seem not due to the poor conditions and service of the establishment.

Furthermore, when the café was at a busy point during the day, one of the employees was standing off to the side behind the counter just eating. Not only was this an inconsiderate gesture toward customers but it is unhealthy to be doing that near the food of the customers.

Customers, students, do not need the remnants of someone else’s food in the meal that they have paid for. It is just unprofessional and inconsiderate. When running a

business, it is wise to remember that without the patronage of the customers, the establishment would not exist.

While on the subject of the disconcerting, the café’s method of distributing the food is questionable. As the customers waits for their meal, they peer through a small window where the orders are put in.

When the bell rings, a mysterious arm appears to put the order up to be sent out. It is as if “Thing” from The Adam’s Family is working behind the scenes.

In short, students need a clean and healthy environment to eat. They should also be able to trust that the service they are getting is the best that it could be under the circumstances.

While every establishment has a rainy day or rough patch, it is up to that establishment to see what can be changed to promote success.

The Pacific Café should revise its processes and the conduct of its employees to understand where it is in meeting the needs of the public that it serves. If, as an establishment, it fails to do this, other options should be given to students.

Better training of employees and a general change in courtesy would benefit the café seriously. It is the customers that keep it open and it is the customers that need to make their demands known. Shape up or ship out. l TWITTER.COM/ K_C_REGAN

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

OPINION

15

Capitalism is not a four-letter word Graphic by David Thammavongsa

Is there a perfect age for marriage?

BY DAISY MARTINEZ

dmartinez@therampageonline.com

It’s normal for college students to think about marriage, but it’s difficult to figure out what is the perfect age for marriage. Does sooner versus later make a difference in having a successful marriage? Does marrying at age 18 versus age 30 make a difference in how far the marriage will go?

Marriage experts say that to have a successful marriage both partners should be highly educated. The more education you have the more likely you are to have a higher paying job. Couples can avoid financial problems with a higher income. When both partners are educated they will agree on how to educate their children.

There are many people who rush into marriage without having the education and then fall into struggles with divorce being their only solution. There are others who might want to wait to be educated; however, they think they’re too old for marriage and decide not to marry.

“We wanted to wait till we were both finished with college before thinking about marriage,” said Julie Martin, a fourth grade teacher. Julie and her husband Dave got married in their late 20s. After they both finished their bachelor’s degrees, she went on to finish her master’s degrees and

he went into medical school. “It was hard because he was away from me, but we made it through and I’m glad we waited till then to marry,” said Martin. She feels that if they would have rushed they would have not accomplished their dream careers.

Others may not think of marriage because they come from a divorced family and they themselves are afraid of divorce.

Marriage experts say that if you fear marriage because you come from a divorced family, you need to put those feeling aside and sit and talk with your partner about your fears. Marriage can be a wonderful experience for many, but it’s something that shouldn’t be rushed. It should be planned and carefully examined.

If you choose to marry before you’re financially ready then you need to sit down with your couple and plan how you will manage the expenses that come with marriage.

Many people save for the wedding or overspend on the wedding and forget the expense that comes with marriage. Having a nice wedding is the dream of every person; however, if you’re not financially ready and you spend all you have on a wedding then you may find yourself with stress.

That’s why it’s important to take note of everything that comes with the package. It’s best to have a secure job before thinking about marriage to avoid stress in your marriage. If you’re basically working for a living maybe you should wait for later and not sooner.

Consider everything about marriage and the only one that knows if you’re really ready for marriage is you. You need to take this decision with careful thought. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

BY AUGUST PROMNITZ

dpromnitz@therampageonline.com

In the summer of 2001, my father quit his job. The reason was that the corporation for which he was working was short-changing clients and giving them poor service.

To make matters worse, they paid my father very poorly, not rewarding hard work and good quality of labor. He had a wife and two children to support, something he wouldn’t be capable of doing long on his salary.

Much has been said lately in regards to capitalism. Journalists like Chris Matthews, for example, condemned it, going so far as to call for the president to nationalize the entire oil industry.

Filmmaker Michael Moore regularly denounces this economic system in favor of socialism, ignoring the millions of dollars that he himself makes.

Last year, protests were made in the famous Occupy demonstrations, calling for the end of capitalism and corporate greed. And that’s the image that has been left in the minds of the people: when the word capitalism is uttered, the immediate image of fat cat corporations and slavery to the almighty dollar immediately come to mind. But is it a fair picture to paint?

After quitting his job, my father needed to find work if he was to provide for his family. His solution was to start his own competing business.

Through hard work, excellent service, and honest business ethics, my father not only did well, but ran his old company out of town. We were able to leave a broken neighborhood for a nice suburb, and

it was because of free enterprise that he was able to do so.

That, in a nutshell, is what capitalism is really about. Capitalism is simply the idea of people keeping the fruits of their labor. Unlike socialism, a capitalist system, the employee and the entrepreneur alike have more incentive to work; they know that the better they do, the more they sell, and the harder they work, the more money they’ll be able to take home. They have an opportunity to get what they need and then some.

And as for poverty and homelessness?

While it is true that people in a capitalist society do run that risk, it isn’t fair to judge the entire idea on this. While we should have a government that looks after its people, it would be wrong of them to deny the dreamers and the innovators the chance to succeed, creating jobs and wealth for the good of everyone. In fact, one could easily argue that it’s bureaucracy, not capitalism, that is the issue.

Bureaucracy leads to over-regulation, and that regulation leads to high licensing fees, special taxes, and unnecessary hoops for people to jump through, discouraging small business.

This is what the occupiers should have been protesting. It’s this bureaucracy, promoted by the big corporations, that stamps down on the “little guy”. Bureaucracy, not capitalism, is the problem, and as long as these regulations are in place, less people will be able to reach their full potential. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

Tuition costs shouldn’t stop you from reaching your goals in life. By joining the Army National Guard, you’ll receive the money you need to help pay for college as well as the skills and training you need to get the career you want. If you’re looking to get through college, with the Army National Guard, you can!

PAY OFF

YOUR EDUCATION Sergeant First Class Tommy Ramirez 559-994-6358 NATIONALGUARD.com • 1-800-GO-GUARD AMS-02_5.933x5_Ramirez.indd 1

2/21/12 9:25 AM

16

OPINION

11.01.2012

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Proposition 30 :

Let’s Fight For Our College’s Future

BY JESSE FRANZ

jfranz@therampageonline.com

Every few years voters are presented with candidates touting that this is ‘the most important’ election of this generation’. However, as students, for Proposition 30 this claim may actually ring true.

Proposition 30 is an unprecedented $12 billion swing for California public schools.

If the proposition passes it means a $6 billion investment in the students and

future leaders of tomorrow; if it does not pass it means an additional $6 billion in drastic cuts to our students meaning higher tuition for college students, and class sizes of 40 and 60 students per class for our K-12 classes.

The choice should be simple because an investment in our youngest and brightest is an investment toward a better California, and better lives for the most vulnerable in our society.

We cannot continue to cut funds from our schools and hope for a brighter future.

The choice should be simple because if Proposition 30 does not pass then nearly 2,000 students in the State Center Community College District alone would be at risk of not having a place to go to school. Even those who were still able to attend would have less class opportunities, as 50 to 60 classes might be cut.

Fresno City College students all come to school with a simple goal, to get their degrees and work toward their own American Dreams. But over the past few years of budget cuts we’ve seen a two year degree take three years to complete, and

if Proposition 30 fails, we’ll see that time table increase farther.

We, students, aren’t asking for handouts, we’re asking for the opportunity to prove ourselves and have a fair fight for our places in the world. A .25 percent sales tax increase for four years, and minimal tax increases for the wealthiest Californians is all we need to invest in the hope of the next generation. So, if for the next four years you’re willing to pay $4.01 instead of $4 for a burger, let’s get education going again. l TWITTER.COM/JESSEFRANZ19

Proposition 32:Unions get the short Proposition 32 is on the ballot for the November election. It deals with campaign contributions and labor unions. The proposition is also known as the Paycheck Protection Initiative.

The initiative cuts back on unions’ ability to contribute to political campaigns. The proposition is specifically aimed at the California election system.

Unions have traditionally supported Democratic candidates and causes so it comes as no surprise that the major supporters of this proposition are Republicans.

The proposition takes power from

end of the stick

unions and leaves it in the hands of corporations. The wording of the initiative makes it seem as if unions are taking money from employees and giving it away to unions.

As if union members are forced to donate their money to things they don’t support.

The initiative also creates more red tape for a political system that has already fallen behind in its work and is seen by many as the worst type of bureaucracy.

The last thing California politics need is more useless busy work in enforcing laws that will do nothing but silence

voter voices.

The initiative focuses on union monetary contributions but doesn’t mention millionaires who use their money for slick campaign ads who use their cash to further their own political agendas.

Unions are a way for the have-nots to let their voice be heard against the haves and this proposition works to silence many of those voices.

This will mark the third time Californians vote on similar propositions, which begs the question “are we voting on the same things year after year?”

Some organizations have called

BY PABEL LOPEZ

plopez@therampageonline.com

these the “zombie propositions” Because they refuse to die.

Voters simply need to continue voting “no” on these propositions election after election because if unions lose the right to contribute to campaigns, the common man slowly loses the ability to be counted by big government. l TWITTER.COM/PABELLOPEZ

Proposition 37:Stop Genetically

engineered organisms.

BY DAVID THAMMAVONGSA

dthammavongsa@therampageonline.com

Genetically Modified Organisms have existed and been part of our food since 1992 but we never even knew it.

It’s possible that you have not heard about GMOs growing up and that’s because manufacturers never had to tell you.

So why now?

It is the work of small food advocates all over the world that have made it pos-

sible to label these GMOs on the products that use them. Some people today need no introduction, but if you are unaware, Proposition 37 takes a step back from whether or not GMOs are good or bad. This proposition is about our right to know what’s in our food.

Like the nutrition facts label that we see on 6.5 billion packaged foods, laws help inform consumers from what may be in them. Calories, fats, sodium, proteins and carbohydrates would not be known if

not for these laws. We also would not know how our food affects our bodies.

In the short decade, GMOs have been in our system, the public has been the guinea pig for these new products. I need not argue the safety of the public, but without knowing how to track down these products how do we know if something goes tragic, how do we stop the spread of something unimaginable, if we do not know who made it and what’s in it?

It is the right of Americans to know

what’s in our food. Since the passing of the Food and Drug act of 1906, Americans have passed nearly a century of laws that protect us from manufacturers profiting from our human needs. This is the same right which helped passed the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. Our food system has changed once again and we need new laws to inform us.

Beyond just food, americans will always uphold their right to know. l TWITTER.COM/DTHAMMAVONGSA

OPINION

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

17

Should the Death Penalty be abolished in California?

PRO

BY JESSE FRANZ

jfranz@therampageonline.com

I

n a nation that doesn’t trust its government, it is absurd that the government would be entrusted with the ultimate power -- the power to kill its own citizens.

For too long, we have practiced a form of medieval vengeance that has seen countless and unknown innocents publicly executed.

This is the choice Californians are faced with today: whether or not it is best to continue to point the gun of a subjective and conflicted legal system at the face of its own citizens.

Those opposed to Proposition 34 argue that justice cannot be served to the families of victims if the death penalty is repealed. But what justice is served by the blood of the convicted?

What good can be done when the state is in the business of murder for the sake of murder? In the word of Gandhi, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

Rather than a system of vengeance, Proposition 34 offers hope for positive and real change.

Families of victims, who suffered the most egregious offenses, will no longer have to settle for their tears turning into blood; rather they will know that full and true justice is being served.

A stipulation in the proposition

could also mandate that the convicts work while in prison and send paychecks to the family of the victims. Most importantly, the proposition saves the state money that it can use toward stopping and prosecuting murders and rapes.

Justice is not best served in blood.

The sages of the 20th century all but proved that. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness.”

The fact that we continue to have our government decide the life and death puts us more on par with Afghanistan, China, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and North Korea, than being the democratic light of the world.

Those against Proposition 34 argue that it costs too much to keep these

BY KAITLIN REGAN kregan@therampageonline.com offenders in prison without the possibility of parole. First of all, human life ustice is a principle that evshould never be relegated to a dollar eryone can agree on even if amount, regardless of whose life it is. the way that it is carried out Secondly, that accusation is simply not is contested. Proposition 34 would have true. one of the highest forms of justice difAn impartial study found that fused under the guise of safety.

California alone would save nearly $1 An argubillion over five ment in favor years if the death of repealing the penalty were redeath penalty is pealed. That monthat it, the death ey can then go topenalty, is intrinward enforcement sically wrong. of laws and proIs the crime that tection of citizens, was commitand leave much of ted to earn such the bureaucracy a reprimand not and litigation of also intrinsically how to properly wrong? kill killers in our A family society behind. is lost to brutal More funmurder and peodamentally, howple argue that it is ever, is the fact the death penalty that in order for that is wrong. a democracy to This propPhoto by California Department of work, the society osition would Corrections and Rehabilitation. must be subject to give the criminals Lethal injection table. a higher standard life in prison withthan the individual. out the possibility of The society cannot be blinded by venparole and supposedly save millions of geance; we cannot kill to punish killers. dollars for the state. This is not a valid argument for repealing the death penalty. l TWITTER.COM/JESSEFRANZ19

CON

J

Proposition 40:

It’s as if supporters are saying that the price of justice far outweighs it’s purpose.

The argument that innocent people are being convicted of murder is also one that can be dissected. It is not the penalty that is on trial in these instances. It is the fallibility of man that changes the outcome. Granted, the concession can be made that the death penalty needs reform. Reform, not elimination.

The appeals process and incarceration total cost is $2.7 billion. That is just for California. The aforementioned monetary argument can be taken on both sides. If the appeals process were to take on reform and cut down the time frame of appeals, the cost would decrease.

Once the appeals process time is reduced, a criminal that has been charged with the death penalty faces his sentence and the cost of incarceration reduces as well.

With the process being reformed and the sentence actually being carried out the total cost could be reduced greatly.

According the California Secretary of State’s web page, this initiative would cost voters $100 million for the “first few years” with millions more extending into the future.

The opposition argues that too much money is being spent on and surround the death penalty. Now they want to bring out $100 million in taxpayer funds for the initiative.

At what point does justice stop being about money? At what point are victims considered?

Michael Ramos, San Bernardino County District Attorney was quoted saying that “…the SAFE California Act is a slap in the face to the victims and their family members.”

It is time for this issue to really be examined and put to bed once and for all.

The voters have already made their will clear in the past. This initiative violates that will and imposes another, focused on dollar amounts instead of lives.

Respect the victims. Respect their families. No on 34. l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN

Prevent a redistricting scam

This election season is as contentious as ever. Flagrant spending by corporate and political interests continues to corrode the voters’ ability to factually assess the issues at hand.

Proposition 40 approves the redistricting boundaries established for state senators by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. The commission came into existence in 2008 when a majority of California voters passed Proposition 11, the Voters First Act. According to the 2012 General Election ballot, if California voters reject the commission’s redistricting through a veto referendum, “Districts will be adjusted by officials supervised by the California Su-

preme Court.”

The state supreme court consists of seven justices. Six of the seven current justices were appointed by republican governors; two by George Deukmejian; two by Pete Wilson; and two by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Oversight by this court would decimate the neutral objectivity of the public’s redistricting commission and would replace it with heavily skewed, conservative biases.

Who exactly is behind this manipulative and underhanded effort? The vero referendum is funded by a chief proponent, Fairness & Accountability in Redistricting (FAIR). This Orwellian committee title is

designed to evoke emotions whilst disguising the nature of the beast.

More than 80 percent of the commissions’ funding is provided by the California Republican Party. In their campaign to erode and undermine democracy, FAIR has shoveled more than $2.1 million in a concerted effort to manipulate California voters.

FAIR’s opposition, Hold Politicians Accountable has managed to allocate and spend $327,000 in an attempt to uphold the established will of the majority.

By the numbers, this transparent operation to undermine California voters is tremendously important to the Republican Party. During their unyielding crusade

BY MATTHEW ELLIOTT

melliott@therampageonline.com

to corrupt the hearts and minds of voters, FAIR has spent 6.42 times more money than Hold Politicians Accountable.

The people of California made their intentions clear in 2008. The very existence of this referendum demonstrates the outright contempt and repulsion the California Republican Party and its affiliates hold for both the voting public and for the democratic process. l TWITTER.COM/PATH_OF_LOTUS

18

OPINION

Campus Voices

“Whom are you voting for?”

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

RAMPAGE EDITORIAL: CHOOSE CORRECTLY NOW TO ENSURE YOUR FUTURE

BY RAMPAGE EDITORIAL BOARD editorial@therampageonline.com

Jesse Zanora Undeclared “I think Obama, because of the DREAM Act and because I’m a Democrat.”

Nicole Turpin English “Barack Obama, because Mitt Romney flip-flops too much, changes his position and mind on everything, and won’t even tell us what the tax plan is.”

Deebak Singh Electrical Engineering “I’m going to vote for Obama because he is more for helping with financial aid.”

Statistically, the age group of 18-29, your age group, is the least likely to vote.

It is imperative that we not let that happen this Nov. 6. There is too much at stake for our age group to remain silent, and allow the fat cats to decide everything for us.

Every four years the president faces off against a person offering a desperately different viewpoint in an attempt to sway voters. More importantly, in California, every two years, we have a chance to vote on specific issues that we have the ability to affect.

In this election year, we have the ability to make some really significant changes in our state, Californian. The Death Penalty could be abolished with Proposition 34, Three Strikes Law could be reformed with Proposition 36, and the economic woes plaguing California education can be addressed with Propositions 30 and 38.

The Rampage editorial board deliberated on these issues extensively and has come up with some endorsements and oppositions of important propositions. These views do not represent the opinions of Fresno City College, nor its faculty and staff, but simply the views of the Rampage Editorial Board.

Yes on Proposition 30: Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative aims to increase taxes on the wealthiest Californians for seven years and increases state sales tax by one-quarter of one cent.

People making $250,000 or more will see their income tax go up by 1 percent; for those earning $300,000, it will go up 2 percent, and for people making $500,000 or more, it will go up 3 percent.

Historically, the wealthy pay more in taxes than the middle and lower class combined. But as far as percentages go, the wealthy do not pay the same rates as everyone else.

Some say it is unfair that Americans who already pay the most should pay more, but speaking about percentages, middle and lower class Americans pay more of their salaries than the rich.

The expected monetary gain is $6 billion annually. This money will go to

Angel Grove Rejects Billy, can you teach us how to vote on Prop 30 so we can save FCC from Zedd’s budget cuts?

Santiago Espinoza Spanish “Mitt Romney because he has really good, sound conservative values.”

WRITTEN BY FRANK LOPEZ PHOTOS BY ABEL CORTEZ

California education. The educational system is collapsing, and Proposition 30 will throw it a lifeline. It will give 88 percent of the money to K-12 and the other 11 percent to higher education.

Fresno City College is looking at losing around 60 courses from its offerings if the proposition fails. For any student in California, this should be an easy “yes” vote.

No on Proposition 32: This will bar unions in California from donating money

collected from its paying union members for political purposes.

This sounds like it could be a good idea, until you realize that this is a Republican attempt to stifle unions that tend to support Democrats and their values. This proposition says nothing of wealthy businessmen contributing to super PACs, an organization that pools their money to donate to political candidate or issue.

Yes on Proposition 35: This is a simple “yes” vote. It mandates harsher punishments for sex traffickers and sex offenders. There is no actual campaign against this proposition.

We would like to take the opportunity to say that if you’re against Proposi-

tion 35, please register with Megan’s Law. Yes on Proposition 37: Do you want to know what you’re eating? So do we. Proposition 37 will label food that is genetically engineered. It could be possible that it is not hurting us, but what if it could. Isn’t that worth knowing? We think so too. The Rampage is standing behind this proposition for our health.

No on Proposition 38: This proposition is similar to Proposition 38, but there is one major difference. Proposition 38 goes to K-12 education only. If you’re a college student, this will not help you.

This will not help your college to prevent trigger cuts that could cripple your ability to get a degree. Vote “no” on 38.

Yes on Proposition 39: This item will tax out-of-state businesses more money. Right now businesses uses the loophole of not being based in California, but doing a lot of business here. This would help close that loophole and could generate $1 billion for California as well as create 40,000 new jobs.

Yes on Proposition 40: This is a veto referendum, whatever that is supposed to mean. A referendum is when voters vote for something, and some people want us to say, “just kidding,” and take back our original decision. Attaching description of it being a veto confuses the matter. A “yes” vote means we want the original plan to stay in effect. We still have the ability to vote “yes” and preserve our democratic process.

Yes on Measure B: How can you vote “no” on Measure B? With a failing educational system in California, it is vital that we maintain our libraries as best we can. Measure B is nothing new, we are simply voting to renew it. Vote “yes” on B. Nov. 6 is Election Day, and it is imperative that we all get out there and let our voices be heard. If we fail to vote in this election, we do so to our peril. Education as we know it might just disappear, unless we’re ready to stand for what will benefit us long term. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

.."

By: David Thammavongsa and Troy Pope

All you have to do is register to vote online or at the DMV.

You can go vote on Election Day or have your ballot mailed to you.

P Understand?

What? Sorry, I was tweeting @Zordon.

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 11.01.2012

SPORTS

19

Women’s volleyball stays perfect in CVC

BY CHAD ARMBRUSTER

carmbruster@therampageonline.com

With a 11-0 record in the Central Valley Conference, the Fresno City College women’s volleyball team is inching closer to a conference title. On Oct. 24 the Rams hosted Taft and came away with a decisive victory. The Rams won the match 25-11, 25-15, 25-18 to stay unbeaten in the conference.

The players as the well as the coaches are proud of the strides they have made during the course of the season.

“We started off really well and kept going from there,” said right side hitter Jodie Reitz. “We all have good communication on and off the court.”

This season the Rams have been faced with the challenge of playing in some of the loudest away games. Additionally, the players realize the pressure that comes with playing for a program that has excelled over the years.

Through it all however, the Rams have found success on and off the court.

“The team this year has been very close not just inside court but outside as well. There is just so much talent this year that it’s insane,” said back row hitter Mckenzie Buchanan. “We have definitely learned how to become selfless.

We have improved not just our skills but as a person we have all become better people.”

The Rams’ strong performance also means they now have a bigger tar-

get on their back.

“It’s definitely like everyone is out to get us. Since we’re so close we let each other know we’re there and we go in the game with good composure,” said Buchanan.

With a balanced roster of sophomores and freshmen, the Rams are satisfied with the leadership of the sophomores and optimistic about the potential of the freshmen. Meigan Miranda is one freshman that has impressed the coaches so far. Early in the year, Miranda recorded 24 assists to help the Rams defeat West Hills College.

“We have a very strong team.

We’re stacked in every position. We’re working hard every day and going in with a good attitude,” said Miranda.

“You just adapt and the game becomes a part of you.”

Another freshman that has excelled this year is outside hitter Brittany Black. In only the first game of the season, Black recorded 11 kills to help the Rams defeat Modesto Junior College.

“The team works really well together and has a good communication level,” said Black.

The Rams expect to finish out the season with a winning streak and hope to bring home the state title.

They are now ranked No.1 in north California and No.3 in the state. l TWITTER.COM/ARMBRUSTER_CHAD

Photo by Paul Schlesinger. Rams opposite hitter/middle blocker Maggie Fitzgerald #18 challenges Taft College Cougars middleblocker/outside hitter Madison Lawley #20 to deflect ball during their game on Oct. 24. The Rams defeated the Cougars 25-11, 25-15, 25-18.

Rams resilient against West Hills The Fresno City College men’s soccer team came from behind to win 5-2 against West Hills College in a home game on Oct. 26.

The Rams had an early scare when they fell behind to the team from Lemoore, but Adrian Plascencia equalized from the penalty spot after the referee spotted a handball by the away team.

Manuel Garcia-Resendez, center-back and captain, wasn’t fazed by falling behind early on and had confidence that his team would get back into the game.

“We know we have a pretty good team,” he said.

“We knew no matter what, if they got ahead of us, we could always score. We’re a good passing team and we are fast, we knew were going to have the opportunities to score.”

The beginning of the second half saw both teams create chances in a fast-paced counter attacking period of play. Eli Gallegos scored his second goal of the season to make the score 2-1 and swing the game in favor of the

Rams.

Gallegos’ goal allowed the Rams to take control of the game. They attacked and looked to score more goals to put the game out of the Golden Eagles reach. The away team became physical, conceding free kicks in dangerous areas. From a free kick, Plascencia delivered to Juan Madrigal who found the net for the third time this season.

Garcia-Resendez was pleased with how the goal was scored.

“That was exactly what we wanted,” he said. “A driven ball and pushed in.” He believes that free kicks are an area that the team could benefit from greatly if they work on them some more.

“We need to work on them a lot more, just getting the ball driven in,” he said. “We have almost all our players that can get up and win that ball in the air.”

The Golden Eagles pushed players forward to look for a second goal and find a way back into the game, but Alex Culwell scored for the Rams on the counter attack to

BY CARL TURPIN

cturpin@therampageonline.com

make the game 4-1.

West Hills continued to push and forced the Rams goalkeeper, Cesar Hernandez, into making a save to keep the score at 4-1. Moments later, forward Myric Mcghee put the game out of reach by scoring the Rams’ fifth goal.

West Hills managed to grab another goal near the end of the game after a defensive mistake, but it was nothing more than a consolation.

Duce Bell, forward for the Rams was happy with the way his team dealt with the early setback.

“I think we responded really well.” He said.

Bell gave praise to the way the Rams took the game to West Hills after half time.

“We wore them down,” he said. “We knocked the ball and we made them chase and we wore them out.”

The Rams are now 11-4-1 and have just a handful of games before the playoffs begin on Nov. 19.

GAME SCHEDULE

2-3 Women’s Big 8Nov. Men’s Soccer Nov. 2 vs College Tournament Waterpolo @American River of the Sequoias @Fresno College

Women’s Volleyball Football

Nov. 2 @ College Women’s of the Sequoias Soccer Nov.3 @Modesto Golf Junior College

Nov 3. NorCal Cross Country Championships Wrestling @Belmont

Nov. 2 vs West Hills @Lemoore Nov. 4-6 NorCal Championships Nov. 3 Lassen Open @Reno

l TWITTER.COM/UKCARL54

Nov. 9-11 City College of Men’s Basketball San Francisco Tournament@ San Francisco

Women’s Basketball

Nov. 15-17 Merced Tournament Nov.29-Dec.2 Gilcrest Tournament @Visalia

20

SPORTS

11.01.2012

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

DEFENDING CHAMPS THRIVING AGAIN

BY TOMAS KASSAHUN

tkassahun@therampageonline.com

It’s a familiar road for the Fresno City College wrestling program.

After back to back state championship titles, the Rams are once again the team to beat. And like the previous years, they have brushed off the pressure to focus on yet another pursuit of a state championship.

For head coach Paul Keysaw, a title this year would mean a total of five state championships since he became coach of the Rams in 2006. Additionally The Rams have also won the State Dual Meet Championship in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

With each season comes a higher level of expectation for the Rams. Though that doesn’t make the goal any easier, it hasn’t stopped Keysaw from inspiring his players.

“You don’t get to where we’re at without being successful against a lot of teams that want to beat us. They(the players) have a lot of teams that want to beat them and they have to put their best foot forward every time they go on the mat,” said Keysaw. “That’s part of being a Ram. We’re embracing that challenge. I’m trying to help them understand, we can’t be afraid of this. We gotta

keep this up and take it as far as we can.”

This year’s team, which features many freshmen, is already learning to embrace the tradition of wrestling at FCC. The players, old and new, have made it a mission to go into every match proudly bearing the name “Fresno City College.”

“We’re a very young team this year so we have grown quite a bit. A lot of it has to do with getting experience and getting our feet wet.

The better condition we’re in, the more confident we get,” said Keysaw.

“I’m pleased where we’re at but we have a lot of room to grow. We can get better for sure.

We have to get better at scrambling, putting moves together and I’d like us to get a few more bonus points in pins.”

While he is pleased with the growth of the freshmen, Keysaw credits the sophomores for paving the way and giving the freshmen a heads up on what to expect.

“A lot of our success is those sophomores. Part of the tradition at (FCC) and the reason we had success in the past five years is because of the ability to keep people around for that second year.

Sophomores make a big difference on the team,” said

Photo by Abel Cortez. FCC’s Spencer Hill vs Anthony Rubio of Chabot college on Oct. 14. Hill went on to win the match 21-3.

Keysaw.

One of those sophomores is Spencer Hill.

“We have been showing them the ropes, helping them adjust and helping them with workouts-,” said Hill, who is currently ranked No.1 in the state in the 149 pound weight class.

On Oct. 20 Hill won his match by forfeit and helped the T:10” Rams defeat Lassen 51-0. He had

another victory by forfeit as the Rams defeated Skyline 53-0.

Early in the season, Hill took first in the 149 pound class as the Rams finished first in the Sacramento City College Tournament.

“We expected to be on top for the whole season. We are ranked N0.1 right now. That’s where we want to be,” said Hill.

Matt Hickman, Will Gock-

el-Fiagge, Alonzo Ruiz, and Brady Bersano are also a few other wrestlers that have helped the Rams excel so far this season.

Hickman is ranked No. 2 in the 165 pound class, while Bersano is No. 2 in the 157 pound class, Gockel-Fiagge is No.4 in the 184 pound class and Ruiz has an honorable mention in the 197 pound class. l TWITTER.COM/THERAMPAGEGUY

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