STEPHON CLARK PG. 5
GOING DOWN? (OR NOT) PG. 6
SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE’S STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922
VOLUME 102 ISSUE 3 APRIL 4, 2018
HEATHER ON THE RECORD
Repeal and replace the police
Heather Roegiers
Editor-in-Chief · kroegiers.express@gmail.com
“We don’t want you!” demonstrators shouted at the police helicopter overlooking their blockade on Interstate 5 March 22, while demanding justice for Stephon Clark. Once considered absurd, voices calling to abolish the police have grown more prevalent. Among them is Black Lives Matter Canadian co-founder and activist Janaya Khan. She has pointed out that undocumented immigrant communities can’t call the police in case of an emergency for fear of deportation. Rather than descend into lawlessness, these communities created their own emergency response networks in lieu of help from law enforcement. Many officials in law enforcement, such as police union leader Tim Davis, have said that police reforms should focus on repairing the image of police and their relationship with the community, but that major reforms were unnecessary. Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn believes policies need to change that allowed officers’ microphones to be muted following Clark’s fatal shooting, saying these policies do not help build trust with the community. If we really want to prevent more deaths like Stephon Clark’s, we have to realize that law enforcement is currently working exactly as it was designed to. Its poor reputation has been cultivated by centuries-long traditions. While it may seem like ancient history that police were called the slave patrol, the name of the occupation was only changed to navigate post-Civil War politics for the sake of the South’s economy. Their essential role to society never changed. As prison inmates continued to supply a source of forced labor following the abolishment of slavery, police continued to supply the inmates. They never stopped being the slave patrol. Even in the North, the first police were strikebreakers. While the first police departments were founded under the pretense of preventing crime and disorder,
Editor-in-Chief Heather Roegiers Managing Editor Vince Ybarra News Editor Jason Pierce Features Editor Casandra Garcia Sports Editor Nick Pecoraro Photo Editor Bobby Castagna Staff Photographers Jackson Durham, Megan Horn, Phoenix Kanada, Destinee Lang, Jiaxin Lu, Vanessa S. Nelson Staff Reporters Margo Alexander, Nita Gardipee, Anastasia Jones, Chelsea Knowlton, Jason Reed, Amari Smith, Julian Tack, Rose Vega, Ashton Byers
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City Theater: The Mercant of Venice
April 20‒May 13 Performing Arts Center Art Court Theater The play will take place at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays and 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12 .
Kondos Gallery: Ceramic Art Made From Molds Protesters hold their hands up to police March 23. ¦ Photo by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@.gmailcom
April 5‒25 FIA 123
The Kondos Gallery is open Monday‒ Wednesday, 10 a.m.‒7 p.m. and Thursday‒ Friday, 10 a.m.‒4 p.m.
no crime wave in history correlates with their emergence, nor did their arrival result in any notable decrease in violent crime. What does correlate with their origin is mounting wealth disparity, labor movements and civil unrest resulting from industrialization. They served the general public no more than the general public could influence the law, which often resulted in the brutal subjugation of workers and the paramilitary occupation of minority communities. They were intended to protect inequality. If police do any good at all, it is due to the hard-won efforts of reform. The latest shape of these reforms is known as “community policing.” The idea is to decentralize the police and put officers on more permanent beats so they can familiarize themselves with the residents. It sounds like a step in the right direction, but these changes are meaningless unless they reform the officers’ foundational role in society. It’s not enough to increase foot patrols, give more school presentations or partner with more nonprofits. Public security must become community-organized, not just community-oriented. Our communities do not all have equal voices in our political system. As long as police organizations are shared between both wealthy and disenfranchised communities, they will serve the
communities that have a voice at the expense of the ones that don’t. As long as all problems and conflicts within a community are criminalized, officers cannot resolve these conflicts and problems, they can only profit from them. They cannot perform adequate investigations when witnesses are afraid of incriminating themselves and others. They cannot serve their community unless their jobs depend on the approval of that community rather than their chief or union, or suburbanites connected to the inner-city through county lines alone. I’m not calling for the eradication of all emergency responders, but I am calling for reform so that people of color will feel safe calling emergency responders. The arrival of a police officer to the scene needs to signal that things are about to get better, not worse, and it will take more than fixing their reputation to do that. So long as they hold the power to destroy lives and face no consequence for misusing that power, whatever reputation they have acquired is well earned. Police need to become the class of genuine public servants that was promised but never delivered. There are two traditions of law enforcement in this country, the slave patrol and the night watch. It’s time to end the tradition of the slave patrol and improve the tradition of the night watch. ♦
Design Adviser Josephine Newitt Assistant Design Editor Trevon Norton Cover Photo Randy Allen Cover Caption Portrait of Russ Solomon, founder of Tower Records. Advisers Randy Allen, Jan Haag
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Students will have the opportunity to explore different types of job opportunities on the quad 10 a.m.‒1:30 p.m.
Sacramento City College 3835 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822 Phone (916) 558-2561 ext. 2562 Fax ( 916) 558-2282 E-mail express@scc.losrios.edu Website saccityexpress.com
April 26
EDITORIAL POLICIES Views published in the Express do not reflect those of the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees, the Associate Student Government, City College, Journalism department, administration, student body, or faculty; unless otherwise stated. MEMBERSHIPS Journalism Association of Community Colleges California Newspaper Publishers Association
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Student Associated Council Elections April 10‒11 The Quad
A free barbecue will be held i from 11 a.m.‒2 p.m. on April 10. Vote via eServices by logging in and clicking the Elections and Surveys tab from 5 a.m.‒11 p.m.
Earth Week April 17-18 The Quad
Conservation information, vendors, food, music and games will be available in the quad from 10 a.m.‒3 p.m. to celebrate our planet.
March for Our Lives Walkout April 20 City College
Students will walkout at 10 a.m. on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting for 17 minutes, each minute representing each of the lives lost at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
47th Annual Career Day April 24 City College
SCC Game Convention SCC Games Club will host a game convention in the Student Center from 10 a.m.‒2 p.m.
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NEWS
City College walks out of class
Campus participates in nationwide protests to support stronger gun control Nita Gardipee
Staff Reporter · ngardipee.express@gmail.com
Over 200 City College students, staff and faculty members walked out of their classrooms and offices March 14 to honor the victims of February’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The rain held off for the demonstrators who gathered in front of the Learning Resource Center. A 17-minute moment of silence was offered in memory of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day. The demonstration marked exactly one month since the deadly incident. According to The New York Times, City College is among hundreds of schools whose students and staff are pressuring Congress for action on gun control. Andi Hernandez, an administrative assistant in the advanced technology department at City College, heard about the walkout via social media and said she came to show support for all the shooting victims. “I’m hoping to put pressure on the people who make decisions to see that we’re not gonna be quiet,” Hernandez said. “We need better gun control, not total gun control—better gun control.”
It s just unfair that we have to think about situations like this at school. Cassidy Wilkins City College student
Student senator and communications major Alfonso Jimenez said he heard about the protest from the Clubs and Events Board on campus. “I don’t understand why the school shootings are happening,” Jimenez said. “Not much is really being done even after the promotion (of gun control), only to backlash right when they start promoting it. I don’t feel like that’s very appropriate. And there seems to be somewhat of a pattern after it. Things right now are not OK. They’re not.” Jimenez was one of several silent protesters who held paper signs reading “Education for Peace,” while others stood together in solidarity to show their support for the cause. “It’s very easy,” Jimenez said. “You need to know this is happening. It’s hap-
Norman Lorenz, Staff Resource Center coordinator, along with City College students and faculty gather in the quad to participate in the national walkout to honor the victims of the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, March 14. ¦ Photo by Phoenix Kanada · pkanada.express@gmail.com
pening everywhere, ya know? These are people’s children.” Students who walked out of class during the protest may face academic consequences for class absence, according to college policy. “Peaceful protests are not cause for disciplinary action in our student code of conduct,” said Los Rios district chancellor Brian King in an email directed to the district community. “As educational leaders, we do have a responsibility to help students understand that there could be academic implications if they choose to walk out of class.” City College Public Information Officer Kaitlyn MacGregor said that decision is up to each teacher to mandate classroom attendance policies, but the decision to risk a possible violation remained with the individual student. “As a district (Los Rios), we support everybody’s right to free speech,” MacGregor said. According to MacGregor, City College is working to improve campus safety. Following the 2015 shooting on campus in which one person was killed, City College is actively trying to improve communication to students, staff and faculty. “We have a new platform that allows us to communicate faster and more efficiently with students. In an instance like that (a shooting), fast communication is
going to be important to letting people know that there is something going on on campus,” she said. The mass notification system is hosted by RAVE Mobile Safety. In the event of an emergency, students, staff and faculty will receive timely notifications via text, email or phone call. The system would also deliver a pre-recorded voicemail to relay important information. Safety precautions aside, some students still feel that the responsibility of this issue remains with lawmakers. “I’m not saying anything bad about the walkout,” said communications major Cassidy Wilkins. “But there’s a lot of attention for a short-lived minute, and then no one really does anything about it or follows up with what Congress is actually doing about it—which is nothing. And that’s kind of the frustrating part, I guess. Because even with the numbers that happened here today and at all the schools in the United States, it still probably won’t be enough to change because we’ve seen that a lot in the past year.” Wilkins stood together with her friend and fellow communications major, Chanie McCleary, to show their support for gun violence victims. “It’s just unfair that we have to think about situations like this at school, or at a concert, or walking in a mall, or opening a package at your door,” Wilkins said. “It’s just everything right now.” · · ·
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McCleary said she thinks many people aren’t aware of the importance of mental stability clearance and age restrictions before purchasing a gun. “You don’t even have to be 21 to purchase a rifle or bump stocks, but you have to be 21 to purchase a pistol (handgun),” McCleary said. “That doesn’t really make sense at all. It’s confusing why it’s like that.” While AR-15s are banned in California, most states allow those over 18 to purchase them. By contrast, handguns cannot be sold to minors under 21 by any federally licensed firearms dealer, according to the ATF website. Wilkins and McCleary agreed that they haven’t seen enough change in the policies against gun control. “It’s definitely a needless, senseless thing that happened to them (shooting victims), and I’m not really so much about the politics about guns or taking them away or giving people rights,” McCleary said. “It’s just sad that somebody having access to those rights is taking away from other people, like their lives.” McCleary hopes the demonstration will spark more discussion around gun violence and gun control. “Hopefully, people get a little more clarity and understand why so many people want gun control,” McCleary said. “And then, maybe, something can happen. Maybe something can change.” ♦ April 4, 2018 · Express
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NEWS
Student candidates ready for office
Nominees running for office give more insight on why they deserve the vote Rose Vega
Staff Reporter · rvega.express@gmail.com
Photos by Phoenix Kanada
pkanada.express@gmail.com
City College students will be able to log into their eServices and vote under the “Elections and Surveys” tab and choose their candidate for student government on April 10 and 11 from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. On April 10, Student Leadership & Development and the Student Associated Council will host a barbecue in the quad from 11:30 a.m. until food supply runs out. The Student Empowerment Barbecue is a chance for students to come learn more about student government and the roles that running candidates will fill in the coming school semester. This is also an opportunity for students to learn more about the upcoming state primary election Nov. 6. Current candidates running for Student Senate come equipped with various skills and big aspirations for the upcoming 2018- 2019 school year. Whether it’s campus safety concerns, LGBT rights, or getting the most out of at City College, these candidates want students to know that they matter and their voices will be heard. The students in this article are not all of the candidates running for student election. On scc.losrios.edu, there is a 2018 voter guide that showcases each student running with their information, including major and what makes them qualified for the position they want to fill. Not all candidates were able to get back to The Express by our deadline. Daniel Saldana, 23, a computer engineering major, is running for secretary of legislative affairs.
Daniel Saldana
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Kimberly Ramos Kimberly Ramos, neurobiology physiology and behavior major, is currently running for president of Student Senate for the 2018-2019 school year. “I feel that I can apply my passion and skills to many areas of student government,” says Ramos, 23. This will be her first time participating in student government. Ramos says she has a passion for student safety and making sure all students feel welcome. “I want to have stricter policies on the repercussions (sexual violence) cases when they happen on Sacramento City College,” says Ramos who will be participating on campus safety day, which will provide awareness and information about safety resources at City College. “Let’s make Sacramento City College safe from sexual and violent predators. Together let’s be the change,” says Ramos. · · ·
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Marlena Ainsworth Marlena Ainsworth, sociology major, is currently running for president of Student Senate for the 2018-2019 school year. “The important thing is to make sure that (my peers) have a good role model as their representation,” says Ainsworth, who hopes to transfer to UC Davis or Sacramento State University. “I believe I can make a difference,” says Ainsworth, adding that her experience working at Kaiser and her understanding of bylaws will help her provide representation for her peers at City College. “I want to make sure that our students are educated about student government,” says Ainsworth. She feels that not enough students know about everything that student government offers. “It is important for students to know what is available for them at Sacramento City College,” says Ainsworth. SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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Omar Rincon Omar Rincon, political science major, is currently running for senator of the Student Associated Council for the 20182019 school year. “As a senator I feel I will be able to introduce resolutions or bills that will help the clubs,” says Rincon, 22, who has been involved with student government and other clubs, such as Phi Pheta Kappa for three years. This will be Rincon’s first time running for a position in Student Senate. Rincon has been attending City College since 2014. “I would love to try to implement more gender neutral bathrooms for the LGBT students,” says Rincon, adding that his main focus with be on support for the clubs, the LGBT community and those in financial crisis. Voter guide 2018: scc.losrios.edu/sld/elections/voter-guide ♦ · · ·
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NEWS
City College says his name
Campus mourns fatal shooting of Stephon Clark, discusses police reform Heather Roegiers
Edit-in-Chief · kroegiers.express@gmail.com
City College students gathered Monday in the quad to mourn the shooting death of Stephon Clark and bring attention to police brutality in Sacramento. Called “Tell us how you feel,” the event is part of a series planned to start a dialogue between students, faculty and staff about violence and inequality, according to a campus-wide email by president Michael Gutierrez. Clark was a former City College student from fall 2013 to spring 2015, according to Admissions and Records Supervisor Kim Goff. The unarmed African-American was fatally shot by two Sacramento police officers March 18 in his grandmother’s backyard in south Sacramento. Since his death, protests have erupted across Sacramento, calling for police reform and accountability for the two officers involved. The Black Student Union, Cultural Awareness Center and Student Leadership Association collaborated to put on the event, according to Kim Beyrer, adviser for the Student Leadership and Development Center. The campus community was invited to express themselves by writing messages on long paper banners. Speakers included Vice President of Student Services Michael Poindexter, Student Associated Council President Miguel Guerrero, and BSU members. “I feel exhausted, quite frankly,” said Daniel Robinson, member of the BSU. “This is the umpteenth time we’ve had to deal with this, the umpteenth time we’ve had to hold police accountable and they still—they still will not own up to their responsibilities as police, and as people who are supposed to be protecting the community.” Robinson said he doesn’t believe Clark’s death will lead to reform on its own. “Since the 60s and Rodney King, we’ve been dealing with this for a long time,” said Robinson. “There’s been no reform, there’s not going to be no reform until we make the reform. (Police) just want it over with. They don’t want reform, they just want to put a Band-Aid on it and let it bleed out.” Also supporting the event was Aurellius The Saint, founder of Lyrics Matter, who said police should be democratically elected. “They’re just hiring anybody, and it’s really looking like they’re setting it up for people that don’t have too much love for people of color,” said The Saint.
Psychology major J yonna Land writes out her thoughts Monday regarding the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark on one of the large banners set up out front of the Student Center. ¦ Photos by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
“So that whole process has got to go. I think it should be elected like the people elect the politicians. You should elect the police officers.” Police said they received a call about a suspect breaking into cars March 18, then spotted Clark from their helicopter breaking a window with a “tool bar” and then scaling a fence. Police said two officers encountered Clark in the backyard of his home where he lived with grandparents and shot him 10 times each. Police said they saw an “object” was “extending from his hand.” Police said they later found a cellphone on the scene, according to The Sacramento Bee. Former City College student Alicia Alves knew 22-year-old Stephon Clark when they were both students at Sacramento Charter School. Alves said her view of Clark was very different from the person police officers said had them “fearing for their lives.” “He was friends with everyone. I don’t remember him having an enemy,” said Alves. “He always made sure to say ‘Hi,’ and keep a smile on his face, and keep a smile on mine.” Alves said Clark was a year ahead of her in the class of 2013, but he played football and she knew him through sports. She said he was very encouraging and had a lot of school spirit, showing up at games and cheering even when he wasn’t out in the field.
A protester takes a knee March 23 as he addresses a crowd in the middle of an intersection in downtown Sacramento during the protests in response to the fatal shooting of Stephon Clark.
“I was supposed to sing the national anthem for the homecoming game, and I was so terrified I hid behind the bleachers, and I just stayed there waiting for the microphone to come to me,” said Alves, recounting the first time she met Clark. “Once I sang it, I started heading to the game, and he turned around and said, ‘Good job.’” Alves said she didn’t know what Clark wanted to be while he was in high school, but after high school when he had his first child, his life purpose became fatherhood. “His main mission was to provide for his son,” said Alves. “So when he had the · · ·
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second (child), his main mission was to be there for his kids. He just wanted to be the best father he could be.” Alves studied sociology at City College in 2017 but has since moved to Georgia. Alves said she knows Clark’s impact on people’s lives was too great for his story to go unheard, and that she hopes to see justice served. Clark leaves behind two children, Aiden and Ciaro, according to ABC10. A GoFundMe account was set up to help pay for funeral costs, raising over $83,000. ♦ April 4, 2018 · Express
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FEATURES
Campus struggles to provide equal access Malfunctioning doors, elevators among ongoing concerns of disabled students Nita Gardipee
Staff Reporter · ngardipee.express@gmail.com
Heather Roegiers
Editor-in-Chief · kroegiers.express@gmail.com
Students with disabilities on campus face a particular set of challenges. From malfunctioning elevators and automatic doors, to cars idling in disabled parking zones, not everyone is satisfied with City College’s performance in accommodating people with these challenges. One of two elevators in the main campus parking structure broke down and was stuck between two floors the morning of Feb. 6, according to student Maxfield Morris. The elevator appeared operational the following day. However, this wasn’t the last time the elevators would be out of service. A week later, both elevators in the parking structure malfunctioned once again, stuck between floors. The elevators were blocked with yellow caution tape. A white paper sign on the left side read: “ELEVATOR OUT OF SERVICE,” with no indication of the cause of the issue, nor an estimated timeline of when the elevators would be fixed. The incident happened sometime between noon and 3 p.m. Feb. 13 and remained in this condition the following day. “There have been 24 work orders (service calls) for SCC main campus elevators over the past six months,” said Gabe Ross, associate vice chancellor of Communications & Media Relations. “Even though the vast majority of these are minor, in each instance the elevator is taken out of commission as a precaution while any problems are addressed.” While most students can take the stairs, students with mobility issues are often forced to miss class as a result of these malfunctions. When an elevator went down in Rodda Hall North in February, student Felipe Gutierrez was prevented from attending school. “I wasn’t able to get to class at all,” said Gutierrez. “Like, actually, the professor came down and told me there was no way for me to get up there at all because it was on the third floor, because there’s no connecting divider like on the second floor between buildings.” City College student Julie Coleman has been attending City College intermittently since 1973. Coleman is unable to use stairs and missed a class because of a malfunctioning elevator. “I started to get real upset because I’ve never missed a class,” Coleman said.
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The City College website states that Campus Operations should be notified via telephone regarding malfunctioning elevators, door and lock issues and repairs that could that could pose a hazard or impact property. Margaret Lednicky, director of Operations, explained that a lot of issues take time because operations isn’t made aware of the malfunction. “If there’s something we don’t know about, then we don’t know,” said Lednicky. “If we don’t know, then we can’t send the trouble ticket.” Lednicky said the process to address malfunctions starts with Operations. “Whenever there’s a malfunction, the process is (to contact) Operations,” said Lednicky. “Once we find out, we call Facilities Management, and they dispatch the (elevator) company. That’s who does the repair.” When there is a procedure to maneuver students down stairs in case of an emergency, Lednicky said it requires the help of district police. “In some of the buildings, we do have alternate means,” said Lednicky. “If something happened to (the elevator in) Rodda North, then they could go to Rodda South to come down. But there’s obviously no ramp to the third floor of LRC, for example. We have two elevators, you know. Hopefully, they don’t both go at the same time. But if somebody gets stuck on, let’s say, the third floor of LRC, the police are trained to bring people down.” City College student Javier Juarez said he required such assistance earlier this year when a fire alarm went off in the Learning Resource Center. “They closed the elevators, so I was stuck here while everyone else was running,” said Juarez, who uses a wheelchair. “They say don’t use the elevators in case of a fire, but then I don’t have any way out. Finally the police was able to carry me downstairs, but without them, I don’t know.” Administrative Justice major Dylan Crawford, who requires an elevator for mobility, noticed the recent malfunction in the parking structure. Crawford believes that campus operations has areas for improvement, specifically with parking accessibility. “Obviously, if they can’t use (the elevator) and they can’t go up (the stairs), then they have to go all the way up to the ramp,” Crawford said. First-year City College student David Yakimchuk has also experienced issues using his wheelchair on campus. · · ·
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An elevator malfunctions Feb. 13. ¦ Photo by Nita Gardipee · ngardipee.expresss@gmail.com
“I did notice that the elevator up on Rodda South side was having issues one time,” Yakimchuk said. “Then I went across to Rodda North and used their elevator.” According to the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, buildings with three or more floors must have at least one passenger elevator to meet ADA accessibility requirements. Private buildings that have fewer than three floors do not have to provide an elevator unless they are a shopping center, professional office or other specified type. Besides elevators, students with disabilities say they also encounter issues with malfunctioning doors. Juarez said the cafeteria restroom’s door is particularly troublesome. “You have to pull it,” said Juarez. “The only problem is when I push anything, you know (from a wheelchair), I’m pushing myself back, so I have to—with the brake and then—push,” Juarez said, grabbing the edge of a table and pivoting in his chair. “It’s complicated. There’s nothing dangerous or impossible, but it’s a hazard.” Gutierrez said he’s also inconvenienced when some automatic doors fail. “The business building—those doors are heavy,” said Gutierrez. “Sometimes the doors, like the sensors won’t work, so you have to go through the manual door.” Lednicky said Operations is aware of the problem. SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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“Currently we do have a few issues on campus about that,” said Lednicky, “They are definitely on it. It’s just, again, it’s not just a matter of changing a battery. There are things involved with it.” Coleman said she was also concerned with the lack of enforcement in the disabled parking drop-off loop between Rodda Hall North and the Student Services building. Coleman commutes to campus via Paratransit shuttle, which has a firm, five-minute grace period at each stop to stay on schedule. Coleman said she’s been left behind because of vehicles without disabled placards parked or waiting in the loop, blocking access and turn-around space for the Paratransit vehicles. Despite these issues, many students with disabilities are satisfied overall with the campus. “Some instances, it might take weeks, other instances, it might take years,” said Juarez. “But overall, everything has been addressed, and the school is very functional.” Juarez says he understands why fixing problems with campus facilities takes time. “Some things are really urgent,” said Juarez. “Like, if at the bathroom here, the water is flowing like a river, well, they have to run and fix it. That’s for sure. But that’s exactly the same people who also have to take care of the handicap shower at the swimming pool. So they have all sorts of little tiny things going on.” Juarez said that the shower for people with disabilities at the swimming pool needed to have its temperature adjusted, a problem he said he had been complaining about for two years. “When I talked to Disability, it got fixed in, like, a month,” said Juarez. “Before, I complained to the people at the swimming pool and the swimming instructor, and then I ended up going to Operations, and then go to Operations manager. Nothing. And then I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to do this, but I’ll go to Disability so they can hassle these guys,’ and it got fixed.” Students facing any issue with accessibility can direct those concerns to the DSPS office, according to Disability Services Counselor Toni Newman. The DSPS functions as an advocate for students with disabilities. Newman said when she receives a student concern or complaint, she sends it to the proper place to ensure that the issue gets handled. “Students need to know to complain, though,” Newman said. “Don’t complain to each other. Complain to one of us, ‘cause we won’t know. If no one tells us, we won’t know.” ♦ · · ·
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FEATURES
Tower Records founder Russ Solomon dies City College continues his legacy in photography department gallery Jason Pierce
News Editor · jpierce.express@gmail.com
Music lovers around the globe recently found themselves looking back to an era long gone—reminiscing about the hours they spent rummaging through record stores, looking for that one album they just had to have, waiting in line to get tickets to a show or just hanging out with any number of the interesting and eccentric employees. These were their memories of the sights and sounds of Tower Records. City College alum and Tower Records founder, Russ Solomon, died in his home March 3, according to The Sacramento Bee, making an exit in the same unconventional manner as he lived his life—drinking whiskey and watching the Oscars. He was 92. Solomon suffered a heart attack in his home during the awards show, according to his son Michael Solomon, former chief executive of Tower, speaking to The Sacramento Bee. Attending City College in the 1940s, Solomon started taking photography classes and working as a photographer on the school paper, then called the Pony Express, leading to a lifelong passion in the art. “Everybody knows Russ from Tower Records, but not a lot of people know he was a photographer,” said Randy Allen, City College photography professor. “Russ often said, ‘If I hadn’t chosen music retail as a career, I would have pursued a career as a fashion photographer. My fascination with photography started as a young man when I received my first camera at the age of 16.’”
He would talk your ear off and tell you all sorts of stories if you asked. Kris Hooks
Former rditor of Mainline Magazine
Walking through the photography/ journalism department at City College on the second floor of the Student Services Center, one can’t help but notice his connection to the school on display. A sign that says “Russ Solomon Gallery” in large white letters stretches across a clear, thick piece of glass perched above a collection of large photography prints, all neatly lined up to showcase recent student work.
Tower Records founder Russ Solomon rummaged through his home library in March 2016, gathering books to donate to the City College photography department. ¦ Photo by Randy Allen · randyallensmail@gmail.com
“He didn’t know that we were going to name the gallery after him,” said Allen. “And, of course, right away he said, ‘Well, what did you do that for?’” Early in 2015, as the photography and journalism departments were moving to the new Student Services building, there was a discussion about what to name the new gallery space. Allen thought of naming it for Solomon because of his passion for photography. With the help of City College art professors Michael Stevens and Suzanne Adan, who are close friends of the Solomons, Allen was able to make arrangements to have Solomon come by and see the new space. “Russ came by the studio and was really impressed,” said Allen. “During the visit, Solomon came up with the idea of shooting portraits in the new studios and hanging them in the gallery.” That idea led to two shows of Solomon’s work at City College. Shooting hundreds of portraits over several days, Solomon brought in local celebrities, former mayors, community members and students and faculty from City College. The two shows ran simultaneously at the end of 2015. “Legends” went up in the photography/journalism department, featuring large portraits of prominent Sacramento residents, and “Community” shown
in the Kondos Gallery at City College, featured the remaining portraits. “Then he became like our best uncle,” said Allen, showing the cameras and books that Solomon donated. “He was interested in helping out the department.” As part Russ Solomon’s 90th birthday celebration in the fall of 2015, the Solomon family started an endowed scholarship for the photography/journalism department, raising $24,059, followed by matching funds of $25,000 by City College. The scholarship has an annual award of $1000, awarded to a photography student. “Russ was always somebody who’s had this amazing life, and run this amazing business and been very, very wealthy and very, very famous, but every time I sat and talked to him, he was always more interested in what I thought about photography or what I thought about a new camera,” said Allen. “Every time I got a new camera, that’s the first place I would go, to show it to Russ. He was fascinated with cameras and fascinated with the idea of photography.” Solomon began his career by selling records in his father’s drugstore when he was 16 after being kicked out of high school for lack of attendance, according to Allen. Solomon eventually started the international music franchise Tower · · ·
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Records in 1960, which grew to nearly 200 stores in 15 countries at its peak. The company succumbed to bankruptcy in 2006 after the music industry went digital, and record stores around the globe closed their doors. “The first album I bought with my own money was from Tower Records,” said Kris Hooks, former Editor-in-Chief of Mainline. “I bought a bunch of albums after that and spent a lot of time walking up and down the aisles.” Hooks spent the day with Solomon at his home for a 2015 interview for City College’s Mainline magazine. “He kinda just talked however he wanted. He would talk your ear off and tell you all sorts of stories if you asked,” said Hooks. “Nobody really figures out what they want to do when they’re that young, as to what they want to do in the long haul,” Solomon told Hooks during the interview. “You might be interested in something, but basically everything is unsettled. In those days, anyhow. So when I got out of the service, I came back (to Sacramento) and I needed a job. I went back to work for my dad in our record department, which we had in the store. And that became my encompassing field for the next, I don’t know, 60 years or so.” ♦ April 4, 2018 · Express
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SPORTS
Distancing herself from the rest
Women s 800 runner on pace to steadily climb City s all-time ranks Jason Reed
Staff Reporter · Jkreed.express@gmail.com
With five track meets already at an end and more to come, freshman Daryia Greene is looking to continue the success she’s already started for the City College women’s track and field team. On March 17, during the Hornet Invitational at Sacramento State, Greene cracked the City College all-time Top 10 list in the 800-meter run, finishing with a new personal record of 2 minutes, 21.51 seconds. “I am extremely thankful to be able to run at this level,” Greene said when learning the significance of her latest finish. “Knowing that the title for the No. 1 spot on the all-time list is so close makes me want to push myself harder.” Greene refers to the mark of 2:16.33, City’s fastest 800 time, that was set by current cross-country assistant coach Amanda Rodriguez in 2015. Greene’s time has improved with each race this season. Her new time in the 800 moved her into 11th place in the state, according to directathletics.com. Greene trails only Santa Rosa’s Kassia Chagnon, who is in first place with the time of 2:21.27 in the Big 8 Conference. Head coach Marissa Avendano believes the reason Greene has come along so fast is her willingness to accept new ideas. “The word that I would use to describe her is ‘open,’” says Avendano. “She’s open to just pretty much anything. She’s willing to try it and dig deeper to whatever it is.”
It is ridiculous how optimistic she is, and it just brings everybody up. Jasmine Loyola City College runner
Greene credits the experience of running with student-athletes from four-year colleges as being instrumental in helping her improve and get better each race. She says it all started at the Aggie Open March 10 at UC Davis, when she looked at the time sheets of athletes from Division I schools and saw how impressive their times were. “I was terrified,” says Greene. “But it was a good type of terrified, where I am excited to run with these girls who are so much faster than me.”
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Express · April 4, 2018
Daryia Greene mimics her starting block position March 29 near Land Park. Greene, who has improved on each of her 800 times so far this season, currently ranks second overall in the Big 8 Conference in the event. ¦ Photo by Vanessa S. Nelson · vanessanelsonexpress@gmail.com
Finishing sixth overall among dozens of Division I competitors at the Aggie Open was extra motivating for Greene, and she said it gives her confidence to be able to push through any upcoming challenge throughout the remainder of the season. During cross-country season in the fall, Greene managed to improve her times in each 3- and 5-mile run throughout the season, despite suffering through early shin splints. “Being a collegiate athlete is hard work and turmoil on the body,” says Greene’s teammate and close friend Chidinma Nwokocha. “Suffering from injury gave her a first taste of not only that · · ·
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but the sheer realization that track is not always ups. There are downs, too.” In the Big 8 Cross-Country Championships Oct. 27 at Oak Grove Park in Stockton, Greene finished 11th overall after she overtook two American River College runners in the final stretch, giving her team a crucial point swing to secure the team’s second consecutive conference title. “Daryia brings positivity to the team,” says cross-country and track teammate Jasmine Loyola. “It is ridiculous how optimistic she is, and it just brings everybody up. She’s just a positive person.” Running in the 400 for the first time this season March 30 at San Francisco SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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State, Greene finished second overall at 56.55. At the March 16 Hornet Invitational at Sacramento State, she was able to run 55 seconds in the 4×400-meter relay with teammates Nwokocha, Lauren Smith and Kiara Flenoid. Greene can move to ninth place in the 800 if she can beat 2:21.05, which was a record set by Shelley Dunlap in 1984. With first place in the Big 8 so close, Greene said she will be paying more attention to who’s in her race. She will be looking for Chagnon moving forward in anticipation to surpass her time. “I just want to drop my time by as much as I can,” Greene says. “It’s a bit nerve-wracking… but I’m really excited.” ♦ · · ·
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