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WEDNESDAY l 12.10.14 OUR 65TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
41 exclusively student parking spaces comprise Lot 16, which is scheduled to re-open at the earliest in 4 months. The lot was closed to traffic more than 3 years ago after a sinkhole formed in its center. The total budget for the entire project is $729, 379.
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Plate Pile elements are being installed to stabilize the hillside.
Step 2
Roughly half of the pilings will be used to stabilize this portion of hill southwest of Lot 17.
Plate Piles These nondisplacement steel sections are used to halt downslope forces and provide resistance to prevent further erosion.
Noise Complaints The loud sound of pilings being driven into the hillside has bothered children, students and faculty, from the ELC to the Art Building.
PARKING OPTIONS ABOUND Construction, carpool program to ease lot congestion
BY Cody McFarland ASSOCIATE EDITOR
cmcfarland.theadvocate@gmail.com
While students anticipate the return of 41 parking spaces in April, those planning to carpool to campus can take part in the college’s first ever carpool program as soon as spring semester begins. The re-opening of Lot 16 will provide students 41 currently unused parking spaces north of the Art Building and is scheduled for completion in April or March at the
earliest, Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said. Students driving a vehicle of three or more persons can avoid this wait, as well as the $40 charge for a student parking permit, King said, by applying for a free carpool permit at the start of spring semester. Carpool permit applications can be picked up and filled out at Police Services, east of the Bookstore. Permits will be assigned on a first come-first served basis to 15 groups of three or more students
who can verify they are currently enrolled at Contra Costa College and will arrive on campus together in one vehicle. “These are a just a couple of things that will be helpful for the parking situation here,” King said. “It’s not going to solve the problem entirely, but it will help.” With construction of the new Campus Center and Classroom Building underway, the college was forced into closing various SEE HILLSIDE, PAGE 4
INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC BY CODY MCFARLAND / THE ADVOCATE
EXECUTIVE ORDER AIMS TO PROTECT FAMILIES President Obama, immigrants under Republican scrutiny BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
SEE IMMIGRATION, PAGE 4
QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
Protesters nationwide respond to police brutality Public demands justice for victims, uncharged officers
‘EL CHAVO’ LEAVES VIBRANT LEGACY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
OAKLAND — Within a week of the St. Louis, Missouri Grand Jury ruling regarding the Michael Brown case on Nov. 25, a second wave of protests swept the U.S. following a similar grand jury ruling. An eyewitness recorded New York City Police officer Daniel Pantaleo suffocating a 43-year-old African-American adult male, Eric Gardner, to death in an illegal chokehold for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes during the day. The graphic video depicts Gardner repeatedly saying, “I can’t breath,” as Pantaleo sucks the life from his face. The clip went viral on social media sites and YouTube. On Dec. 2, the Staten Island Grand Jury ruled that there was not enough evidence to move forward with charges against Pantaleo for
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BY Lorenzo Morotti
killing Gardner. People protesting in cities across the U.S. are outraged that another case of police brutality escaped thorough examination within the judicial system. Contra Costa College political sciences professor Leonard McNeil said this civil unrest has escalated quickly because the issue is not isolated to a single African-American death by a Caucasian police officer. Within four months, the five encounters between Caucasian officers and AfricanAmerican men and children in which lethal force was used have gained national attention because of protests. “I don’t see this civil unrest as rioting,” McNeil said. “They are uprisings against injustices. These people are responding to their poor social and economic situation with righteous SEE PROTEST, PAGE 4
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The undocumented parents of United State citizens, legal residents, were given a sliver of relief when President Barack Obama took a step toward immigration reform on Nov. 21. Obama said he plans to issue an executive order that would temporarily halt the deportation of 4.7 million undocumented immigrants to a crowded auditorium at El Sol High School in
ABOVE: Protesters stand their ground on Interstate-580 during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25, a day after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
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Quotable “The federal government has no appropriate role in determining who or what has access to the ‘public podium’ that is our nation’s free press.” Barbara Cochran president, Radio-Television News Directors Association, 2001 Lorenzo Morotti editor-in-chief George Morin art director Cody McFarland Rodney Woodson associate editors Roxana Amparo news editor Jared Amdahl Van Ly opinion editors Robert Clinton Jose Jimenez sports editors Mike Thomas scene editor Brian Boyle spotlight editor Qing Huang Christian Urrutia photo editors Janae Harris Cody Casares assistant photo editors Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Jared Amdahl Salvador Godoy Krysta Gonzalez Florinda Hershey Mickalea Manuel Marlene Rivas Jason Sykes Manning Peterson Mark Wassberg Sean Whatley Staff photographers Jordan Khoo Staff illustrators Mayra Garcia Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accentadvocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
opinion
Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 Vol. 102, No. 10 L
Editorial FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS IN LAW
Order changes lives, fails to make peace in Senate, House
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ouse Republicans worked themselves into a full rage spiral over President Obama’s recent executive order to bring roughly 5 million migrant workers out of the shadows and into society where they belong. The executive order to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), allows people who arrived here illegally as children to apply for deportation deferrals. Before, there was a cap on eligibility at age 30. Now there is no age cap, and recent arrivals also qualify. Obama’s action relieves the stress that can be placed on families who constantly have to worry about a loved one going off to work one day and possibly never returning. Immigrant parents who have children born in the U.S. are now protected from deportation, providing they have been here for five years. The order stops short of offering a full path to citizenship, and applicants have to re-apply every three years. In polls conducted by both CNN and ORC, “average” Americans are not nearly as angry as House Republicans are. While 56 percent of the people disapprove of the president’s order, 72 percent agree with what the plan does to help people. As of today, a collection of 20 states are prepared to sue President Obama for his decision to move forward without the support of Congress for immigration reform. The common sentiment is that three years of protection is better than no years. The opinions of those being affected are ranging from how valuable immigration reform like this can be to how dangerous the entire situation could eventually turn out to be. By applying and registering as undocumented citizens, there are fears of mass deportations, once the Obama administration is no longer in office. Clearly, overarching immigration reform passed through Congress would be the best solution. But this Republican incarnation of an America that does not house and harbor immigrants of all kinds simply has no interest of improving the life of any non-Republican registered American. The president uses this issue as a political football, using the argument to gain supporters for his decision, while Republicans argue among themselves about shutting down the government once again in protest of the order Deporting bright, enthusiastic families, workers and students hardly seems like an efficient way of making this a better place to live. A country once built by revolutionary immigrants has now denounced its founding belief and aims to keep innocent people from acquiring what everyone would like — a better life. The same people making these decisions implicitly make it easier for businesses to reap the benefits of paying severely reduced and tax -free labor wages but forget these people risked everything to escape socio-economic turmoil, death.
LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE
N FAIRNESS
Tickets replace taxes in lives of urban poor P
rotest has long been an important strand woven into a cloak of liberty and independence that collectively shrouds all of us as Americans. After the non-indictment decision of officer Darren Wilson for the killing of teenager Mike Brown, marches and protests erupted across the country resulting in riots and destruction of property. Just like in all of America, Ferguson has guidelines in place to determine how police should interact with the public. In this case, and in many others, those guidelines do not seem to matter when the subjects are black. In the small Missouri town, blacks outnumber whites 2-to-1 but are arrested at a rate of 4-to1, according to Missouri Department of Public safety statistics. From January to April of 2014, 217 blacks were arrested and only 27 whites. Blacks made up 92 percent of traffic arrests in Ferguson while only 7 percent were white. The same statistical data shows whites are 13 percent more likely to have contraband when stopped. Even when the data is in black and white, black people still
robertclinton make up 86 percent of all traffic stops in that community. Fines and court fees generate a large piece of the city’s budget. The city saw a 44 percent increase last year in fees collected in tickets, to the tune of $2 million. The city is too poor to support itself on tax dollars so they find creative ways to bilk the residents out of much needed revenue. Over-policing lowincome communities results in tickets becoming warrants. In 2013, the city issued 32,975 warrants. For a city with a population of 21,000, it was easy to dissect life there and relate those practices to what people have been complaining about for decades. For many, this is their indoctrination into the criminal justice system. Now a community is labeled as high-crime for housing so many warranted citizens — people who only committed the initial crime of being black.
The label gives the green light for enhanced law enforcement techniques. It gets tiresome using statistics to justify my decency and humanity. For what? So I can be killed on a whim for holding a toy gun in a store, or walking down the wrong street at the wrong time. Will it be me that has the “Face of a demon,” next time, or the “Hulklike strength,” that elicits enough fear to allow my children to be robbed of their father? Will my body be allowed to remain on the street hours as an example of what can happen to people who get out of line? If it is, and who can really say what crosses the legal line anymore, 12-year-old kids are killed within seconds of an officer arriving, while police are allowed to beat women on the freeway in broad daylight. With Trayvon Martin they wanted witnesses, Mike Brown, they wanted video, and now the recorded death of an unarmed non-violent Eric Garner shows the lack of empathy the system has for black existence. No justice was served in any of these cases. How many years of this are we expected to accept? If outrage is not the answer, then what is?
CampusComment How do you think Obama’s executive order will impact Richmond and San Pablo?
“We have a lot of immigrants in the area who will benefit from it, and I have friends whose families it will help.”
“It will help keep families connected instead of separating them.” Benjamin Doherty business management
“I don’t think it will benefit them because it gives extra resources to those who were naturalized, but are not citizens.”
Arjen Hays
business management ROXANA AMPARO AND JORDAN KHOO / THE ADVOCATE
Alexander Tsou communication
“It will be beneficial for my parents and will bring more comfort to those living in the community.”
“I think it will benefit and get people’s hopes up, like the people who qualify.”
“It is just another promise and then something else will come up to shut it down.”
Paola Arroyo political science
Sonia Gonzales
Tatiana Vidal liberal arts
nursing
forum josejimenez JOURNALISM LEADS TO BRIGHTER PATH, CRISPER WRITING
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here is a strong motivational factor in any individual that pushes us to pursue and accomplish a degree major on any college level. I believe that whatever does not kill you, “simply makes you stranger.” OK, I’ll admit, The Joker said that in “The Dark Knight Rises,” but I wanted to use that quote, and simply put, that movie is just awesome. But I digress. See I have learned a lot from my professors while attending this college, especially in my major. I have picked up a writing style that most English scholars would probably frown upon. My Newspaper Production class, and all the classes that I have taken associated with journalism, have truly altered my ways of writing. For example, for an aspiring journalist such as myself OK is spelled OK. Not okay, o.k. or even the awkward, single-letter response “K.” In journalism the word is spelled out in bold caps, OK? Believe me, I have gotten in some arguments after texting OK. I guess the person thought I was being sarcastic, but damn, I am just used to writing the word in that way now. Another word that is different in journalism is, all right. All right is not connected as one word and definitely not spelled with one “L” and no “G.” Actually that falls right under the proverbial ESPN “C’mon Man” for journalism in my opinion. And the last pointer for writing in journalism is the comma. After listing more than three things, I was normally always taught to throw in a comma somewhere before that last listing in a sequence of items, but not in journalism. But that is because it is just our style of writing. It is what I have learned among the many cool things in journalism, but it is where I now find myself at a crossroads while finishing my third semester. I have collaborated with more individuals in my English 1A and stats class this semester than in my production course with my staff members. Is it me? I truly do not bite. In fact, I am Mr. Nice Guy, except I get this look from people like, “Don’t mess with him.” Maybe it is my alter ego, I mean people have come to call me Shady without the Slim, but that is just my dark sense of humor, in a different charismatic type of way. Who cares what people find disgusting about you or think of you. I believe we are all here to find something else better than that. I found my major here at CCC and I hope you found yours. I love writing and expressing myself in so many words that I actually enjoy writer’s block. I smirk while I am in that phase, and then just shake it off and continue on strong in completing any assignment. School is a drag and it sucks. Believe me, I know. But we are all in it to win it, so let’s handle it and get the hell up out of here. Jose Jimenez is a sports editor of The Advocate. Contact him at jjimenez.theadvocate@ gmail.com.
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N INSURANCE
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Bad choices become public debt
was always taught that those who work hard will be rewarded. The reward that you may receive won’t always be what you wanted or expected, but your hard work will pay off in some way. My entire life I have watched my mother and grandmother work tirelessly at their respected occupations. We may have not been rich but we were fortunate not because of material items, but because we were able to go to Kaiser Hospital every time I needed to go. And as a child I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital from all sorts of things. What I was not aware of at that age, however, was that going to the doctor was not something everyone got to do. Those long hours my grandmother and mom put into at work were not only to pay the bills, but also to pay for the health insurance that kept me being able to make Kaiser my second home. The luxury of going to a hospital was rewarded to me because of my mother’s
mickaleamanuel full-time job. I never saw her take a day off unless it was a holiday and even those were sometimes spent working a 12-hour shift. When people apply for a job, one of the most important factors is whether to accept a job that has health care but does not pay well or that does not have health care and pays exceptionally well. But in reality the best choice would be to choose a job that allows you health care because it has become one of the most expensive must haves in households. You never know when something can happen to you or a loved one and you might need medical attention. I currently have health care and a trip to the emergency room runs me $100 so
I can only imagine what it would cost someone who is uninsured. According to an article by CNN, “Some 48 million people were uninsured in 2012, which was not statistically different from the prior year.” This 48 million includes people who are working and the children of those working. This 48 million also includes senior citizens and those who are unemployed. These 48 million citizens lack insurance, even though they are tax-paying citizens. I was also taught growing up when someone makes the choice to act poorly they will not be rewarded and have to suffer the consequences whatever they may be. When I think about all the bad being done in the world, a lot of those people haven’t been punished for their actions but those who have ended up in a prison or a jail. Their crimes range anywhere from petty theft and murder whatever your crime may have been when you
decided that you would commit it you gave up your right to be a free citizen. According to Smart Assets Website, “The average cost of incarcerating an American prisoner varies from state to state. Some states, like Indiana, have managed to keep prices low at around $14,000 per inmate. Some states, like New York, pay around $60,000 to keep its citizens behind bars. The costs of running the American prison system is expensive and has become increasingly so despite public opposition.” The cost to keep an inmate in prison is what some households don’t even bring home in a year’s salary. Tax payers should not have to continue to help prisoners get well when they themselves may be sick and not able to afford a procedure or medication. Mickalea Manuel is a staff writer for The Advocate. Contact her at mmanuel. theadvocate@gmail.com.
SELECTIVE OUTRAGE coloring America’s future Historical truths evident in today’s political structure BY Rodney Woodson ASSOCIATE EDITOR
rwoodson.theadvocate@gmail.com
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here is no one woman or man to have ever made the decision to be born a certain gender, into a certain culture or as a specific race — so why is race held in such high regard in U.S. society? Being born a certain race is no different than being born with a butt or a nose — it just comes with the territory. No race or skin color comes with magical powers, heightened intelligence or super strength. Being born white is just as lackluster and regular as being born black because a person has to be born something — it’s inevitable. A person’s character has nothing to do with race; a person’s personality has nothing to do with race and neither do a person’s morals or respectability. And if these are parameters for which humans judge the trustworthy, than why is race a factor for these aspects in our society? When Africans were taken from their homeland and brought to what is now the U.S. as slaves, the rest of the white population was told not to trust them. They were told that Africans were savages, not even considered completely human. Slave-owners and U.S. forefathers made laws and altered society so that the slaves were seen and treated as less than people, not just by the slave drivers, but also by other people in the land, many of them having never met a black person. The fact that the white people of the time behaved in a manner reflecting the racist instructions has led some people to believe that certain people may just be naturally racist — but that is preposterous. Over time, “Manifest Destiny” and the growth of the land, fueled by slave labor, led to what came to be the 50 United States of America. While some people
MAYRA GARCIA / THE ADVOCATE
N WRITING
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 12.10.2014 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
like to sweep racism under the rug like it’s a thing of the past, others think that somehow the U.S. will forget the history of racism in our country, and need to constantly remind us all that black people were once enslaved. Both types of people are sadly continuing the stirring of the racial pot. It must be eradicated, but it mustn’t be treated as the horrid bit of the nation’s archaic era because it is presently gripping the minds of millions across the globe. Does it need to be imprinted in the heads of every American of African descent that black people were once slaves? No, it’s in the history. It cannot be forgotten. Are people born racist? Hell no. White and black babies don’t mean mug one another, or call each other names. One might say, ‘Well, the babies don’t know any better,’ and those people are correct — they don’t. They haven’t yet been brainwashed by a cruel society or a pair of parents who’ve taught race to their children — yet. After all, teaching someone about race is a form of racism. How do you teach about race and not mention society’s hang-ups and stereotypes associated with each one? Some might say, ‘Well, as black people we can talk about African heritage,’ and yes you could, but that’s culture, not race. Race is simply a hereditary trait passed on through genealogy, once again, something not one has had control over. It’s the inevitable, like being born with a thigh, or an eyeball. In laymen’s terms, race is just human aesthetics, a mere difference that we all share, in a way making it not a difference at all. Lately, Missouri has slowly been becoming Iraq, and while Obama thinks putting cameras on police will keep them from killing people, well, actually I don’t think he thinks that at all. I think that he thinks the cameras would make the public feel like the president is trying to combat the issue. But the issue isn’t visibility. Rodney King was videotaped being beat by a handful of cops in the early 90s and here we are, 20-plus years later,
watching police walk free after unlawfully killing people on camera. Of the 4,813 people murdered by police or who died in situations involving the police between 2003 and 2009, the FBI states that 2,026 of those people were white, 1,529 were black and 909 were Hispanic, among other races. And 2003 through 2009 is the last time the data was available. While all of these murders were reported, do we recall 2,931 national media frenzies for each of them? No, because there wasn’t. So what is it that makes a particular murder at the hands of the cops national news? Why aren’t all murders national news? If someone’s murdered, someone’s murdered, right? Is there something that makes one murder more important than another? In this country, the only thing that makes murder national news is if a white person murders a black person. In incidents involving the police, 2,026 white people died in seven years. That’s 289 per year. There are only 365 days in a year, so that’s almost one white person dead per day, yet, why isn’t CNN all over it when a white guy is gunned down by law enforcement? Where are the overblown, repeated newscasts about the incredible rate that whites are being killed at the hands of the cops? There will never be any. In a society where race is paramount, racially motivated murders sound great on primetime newscasts, possibly? Could thousands of years of caste systems and groundless theories of cultural supremacy have possibly led the people of Earth to ridicule crap that we are born with? Race doesn’t matter to those who oppress us. It never did. It was a tool to keep certain people down while the rest of the nation prospered. Racism is corporations buying fresh water in Africa, and, according to www. globalissues.org, making water five times more affordable in the U.S. than in parts of impoverished Colombia. True racism is all American continents predominantly speaking European languages. Real racism really doesn’t exist. It’s been a tool to keep the masses, the only people who can change the world, at odds so that the capitalist structure of the world can continue to rape the land for resources and rape people’s wallets for necessities and taxes. If race were truly an issue, Obama wouldn’t be president. But he is because the crookedness of this political and economic structure is free for anyone to be a part of — even you.
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HILLSIDE | Eroding earth beneath lot reinforced Continued from Page 1
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FALL PERFORMANCE TO HIT KNOX CENTER The Vocal and Piano Program will be hosting its fall showcase Songs of the Season on Friday at 8 p.m. in the Knox Center. The college’s choir will perform, gospel, classical and jazz soloist, JAZZanova and jazzology. Tickets will be sold at the door, for students $10 and $15 for general admission. For further information, contact John Morocco at 510-215-4976.
■ sports
parking lots to accommodate construction equipment and parking for workers. Students further lost parking when some of the remaining spots were converted into faculty only parking. Lot 16, an exclusively student parking lot of 41 spaces, has been closed since a sinkhole formed in its center more than three years ago, rendering it unsafe and unusable. Now, thanks to funding from the Measure A 2006 bond and Measure E 2014 bond, the project to stabilize the eroding hillside and re-open Lot 16, including the preemptive stabilization of the hill southwest of Lot 17, is underway and on schedule, King said. The college is using the unique Geopier SRT system to stabilize the hill. Exactly 900 non-displacement steel sections known as Plate Pile elements are being driven into the hillside to stabilize downslope forces and provide resistance, thus preventing the otherwise eroding hillside from sliding downward. The pilings are spaced roughly one foot apart and come in two lengths
— 8 and 14 feet. Once this has been completed, a follow-up project to resurface Lot 16 will be required before it is re-opened. This particular project is still in the design and planning phase, but King anticipates it will be approved, enacted and completed by April at the latest. “Lot 16 is not in the best position for quick access to all parts of the campus, but it’s somewhere to park, which is what students need,” King said. “I’ve seen students searching like vultures, circling up and down Campus Drive trying to find a spot.” Business major William Bartlett said he has witnessed this during peak classroom hours on weekday mornings, but is personally unaffected because he arrives at 8 a.m. or earlier and always avoids the rush. Engineering major Fernando Vigil said he would expect finding a parking space on campus in the morning to be difficult, but has not had any trouble finding parking for his classes at night. “I study here at night, so I always find a parking spot,” he said. Those who receive a carpool
parking permit will have a guaranteed spot to park every day until 4 p.m. The 15 carpool spots-to-be, one of which is a handicapped spot, are located in Lot 4 next to the Gym. After 4 p.m. the spots will open up to general permitted student parking. The project is the brainchild of the Sustainability Committee, a subcommittee of the Operations Council that meets the first Thursday of every month at 7 a.m. in the Buildings and Grounds Conference Room. “This is a good program to set the pace for the community by promoting carpooling,” King said. If the college successfully starts this program, contingent upon having enough applicants, CCC will be the first in the district to have a carpool lot. Sister schools Diablo Valley and Los Medanos colleges do not have carpooling programs, King said. “It’s a small gamble for the school for a worthwhile program,” he said. Associated Students Union President Antone Agnitsch said he and the ASU plan to promote
the carpool parking lot to students during their Welcome Week event the first week of spring semester, but only if too few applicants have signed up. Though students are excited for additional parking, the metalagainst-metal hammering sound emanating from around Lot 16 has been less welcomed. Assistant preschool teacher in the Early Learning Center Sara Moy said the racket has disrupted several nap times and led one child to complain about it being “too loud.” Adjunct fine art professor Jiajun Lu said the noises are “terrible” and that they made it difficult for him to instruct his sculpture class learning bronze pouring. Due to the dangerous nature of pouring hot metals, Lu said he made sure all of his students were informed and capable before proceeding, in spite of the auditory impairment caused by the construction. “But it’s something they (the college) have to do,” Lu said. “We need more parking. Lot 17 fills up quickly.”
MEETING TO DISCUSS WOMEN’S TEAMS
IMMIGRATION | Undocumented representation
There will be a meeting to discuss possible additions to the women sports of students’ interest in GA-40 on Thursday at 1 p.m. Students interested in bringing a new sport to life such as cross country, track, badminton and or a swimming/diving team can bring it up at the meeting. For more information, contact the Athletic Office at 510-2154801.
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CrimeWatch Thursday, Nov. 13: A Middle College High School student let unknown suspects use his cellphone. The suspects ran off with his cellphone. The student attempted to follow the suspects, but was met with an unknown weapon by one of the suspects. The student feared for his life and left the scene. Friday, Nov. 14: A traffic stop was conducted and it was determined the driver was driving on a suspended license. The subject was cited and released. Monday, Nov. 17: A victim’s vehicle was hit while legally parked on campus. Tuesday, Nov. 18: An officer responded to a report of a student smoking marijuana near the Applied Arts Building. During a search, marijuana was found inside the purse of a high school student. Wednesday, Nov. 19: A student had a minor seizure while in class. The student refused medical treatment. A student reported his vehicle stolen from campus. The vehicle was recovered by an officer on campus. Monday, Nov. 24: An unknown female adult ran into Police Services lobby to report her niece was acting strange after eating food given to her by her friend. It was determined the student had eaten a marijuana cookie. Tuesday, Nov. 25: A faculty member reported a tablet being stolen from the Applied Arts Building. Wednesday, Nov. 26: A road rage incident led to a person being assaulted on campus. Monday, Dec. 1: An officer conducted a traffic stop. It was determined the driver of the vehicle had never been issued a driver’s license. The driver was issued a citation and the vehicle was not towed. An officer responded to a medical incident involving a student. The student refused medical attention and will make an appointment with her doctor. An officer responded to a report of a student complaining of chest pains. The student refused medical attention and left school without further incident. — Roxana Amparo & George Morin
Las Vegas, which was also streamed online. This temporary initiative is not amnesty and only blankets immigrants who meet specific requirements and excludes more than 7 million undocumented people. “This action does not grant citizenship,” Obama said during his speech. “All we are saying is not deport any more people and separate them from their kids.” Since Obama’s speech, 17 states filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration for an alleged overreach of his executive power. These states include Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Contra Costa College’s La Raza Studies professor Agustin Palacios said while the executive order is a step toward immigration reform, Obama’s actions are limited and are within his constitutional rights. Counselor Norma Valdez-Jimenez agrees with Palacios and added the executive order was issued too late into his term to initiate any lasting change or reverse the impact deportation has had on millions of undocumented people’s lives. Psychology and humanities major Abigail Serano is currently enrolled at CCC. Her parents are undocumented and immigrated here about 20 years ago. Serano and her three siblings would be eligible to benefit from Obama’s proposed executive order.
It requires that an immigrant be in this country for five years without committing any crime, have children who are U.S. citizens or legal residents, pass a background check and agree to pay taxes. Obama said, “If you do all these things you can apply to temporarily stay in this country without fear of deportation.” Serano said she is “relieved” she no longer has to deal with the fear that has kept her awake at night while growing up. “My dad pays taxes, has a job, has four kids and never committed a crime but because he is undocumented police could have overlooked these facts if the police stopped him for anything,” she said. “They could just take him away and that really scared me growing up.” CCC political science professor, and member of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Leonard McNeil said the first step in developing a cohesive U.S. immigration policy is realizing that push and pull factors are key elements. McNeil said the two key elements why people risk everything to immigrate here are for family reunification and economic opportunity. He said the current sentiment toward these peoples plight in this country is “discouraging” however. “There is no law or policy right now that stops undocumented people from having to do the funkiest jobs at the lowest pay in the most hazardous conditions.” He said this is not only an issue for Mexican immigrants and these inequalities are extended to people from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and Southern America, or elsewhere. “The 11 million who immigrated to this
country are part of the 270 million people who still live in their country of origin and can’t make a decent living because of socio-economic inequalities,” he said. Immigration reform has become a more pertinent issue for Latinos however because they are the largest growing demographic in the country and have already become the ethnic plurality of students enrolled at CCC. According to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office website, Latinos constituted the largest portion of students enrolled at CCC with 27 percent in 2009-10. According to a recent demographic report by the Contra Costa Community College District, that number has risen to 37 percent. There is no way to distinguish how many of these students are undocumented, ValdezJimenez said. Palacios said the conservatives view the executive order as an “act of treason,” however every president has issued at least one since William Henry Harrison in 1840. He died of pneumonia one month after taking office. He said, “Republicans often see this growing demographic and feel threatened. So instead of changing policies to help these people, they label them as a menace or scourge.” McNeil said the GOP fear is stemmed from a nexus of racism and xenophobia and many people perceive undocumented immigrants as an economic threat. “We live in a country that allowed Nazi war criminals to immigrate here after World War II and they received Social Security benefits. Why can’t we extend that opportunity to law-abiding people?”
PROTEST | Grand juries’ decisions ignite uprising Continued from Page 1 anger.” Brown, an unarmed 18-year old African-American male, was shot six times by Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson on Aug 9. Akai Gurley, 28, was shot and killed in a dark stairwell of a Brooklyn apartment complex by New York Police officer Peter Liang on Nov. 20. These encounters were not caught on tape. The following incidents in which lethal force was used were recorded. John Crawford, 22, was shot and killed for carrying an airsoft gun at a Wal-Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio on Aug. 5. Twelve-year-old Tamir Rice was shot by officer Timothy Leohmann for walking around a park with a BB gun that resembled a handgun in Cleveland, Ohio on Nov. 22. Both of these events where caught by nearby surveillance cameras. Contra Costa College District Police Services Lt. Jose Oliveira said, while there is no way to prove that these officers used lethal force because of racial biases, it can be argued that excessive force was used. “But officers do have other ways to detain suspects beside using their firearm,” he said. Another way The California Department of Justice requires that all officers complete the Police Officer Standards and Training. Part of those requirements is that officers must complete the Force Options Simulator (FOS) course, a four-hour-long course that tests an officer’s ability to react to potentially life threatening situa-
tions with reasonable use of force. Oliveira provided The Advocate with the lesson plan listing the course goals and objectives. The FOS is intended to increase awareness of current laws and department policies regarding use of force through a lecture and power point. Using an LCD projector, a screen and speakers, the officers stand opposite the screen and are required to discern whether the person on screen was a threat appropriate to lethal force. He said, “There is a scenario where a suspect reaches into his back pocket and seems to be reaching for a gun but pulls out a wallet instead.” The simulation course tests officers by giving them the option to use verbal skills, chemical agents, a control hold, impact weapons, electronic weapons or firearms to diffuse different potentially violent altercations. The officers are being tested for their split second reactions to either use lethal or non-lethal force. The course also trains officers on how to use each weapon and where they are located on their person. Police Services completed the FOS course in the Applied Arts Building using equipment provided by the Contra Costa County Sheriff Department in August. When asked if these recent lack of indictments are justified, Oliveira said that it is difficult to determine because the laws that govern reasonable force are different in some states. McNeil argues that officers across the country should be given extensive mental health screenings and proper firearm training before being given protection from the
law. The uprising Oliveira said that many news groups such as CNN and Fox News relay “slanted” information regarding the protests that only focuses on property damage while avoiding the larger issues surrounding the use of force and grand jury rulings. McNeil said, “People are responding to being subjugated to sustained oppression and exploitation and when they finally revolt to contest injustice they are vilified by large media groups. It makes me angry. I’m so angry, but the more I think about it, it saddens me.” These demonstrations managed to bring freeway automobile traffic to a halt in cities across the U.S. to bring attention to police brutality that goes unpunished. The Advocate reporters and photographers were in Oakland the night after Wilson was not indicted and followed the protesters until they shut down Interstate580 on Nov. 26. Oakland resident Obi Santos yelled, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail,” through a megaphone from within a mass of protesters headed south along Broadway from Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. Protesters responded, “The whole damn system is guilty as hell,” which resonated over the sound of drums, breaking glass, sirens and helicopters circling overhead. McNeil said, “Courts have to deal with police violence the same way they do with gang violence. How can they call for law and order on the streets without having order in the law?”
Hundreds of peaceful protesters were directed by police paddy wagons, squad cars, armored vehicles and officers in riot gear along narrow downtown streets. Caucasian Ronald Langford was part of the crowd of protesters that was halted within 50 feet of his house on Franklin Street as they attempted to reach nearby freeway on and off ramps. On the front steps of his house overlooking a sea of protesters, Langford said, “I feel so positive about all of this. I’m glad to see my fellow Oakland residents speaking out and fighting against this injustice. I’m very proud of my city.” African-American San Francisco resident Olivia Cotton said she was marching in protest of Wilson not being indicted of the use of excessive force. “It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white,” Cotton said. “If you shot an unarmed person six times you should face justice.” The peaceful demonstration, however, dissolved into violent acts of vandalism as the night got older. The police declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly when fire lines were created with trash cans minutes after protesters tore down a fence on Telegraph and 34th Street to trudge up the hill onto the freeway. Oakland, California had the largest number of arrests in Ferguson-related arrests in the U.S last week as a result of the Brown verdict. Oakland Police Department Police Chief Sean Whent said his officers arrested 169 protesters in the three-day span that followed the Ferguson grand jury decision at a city council meeting on Wednesday.
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TOURNAMENT FOR THE TALKERS BY Marlene Rivas STAFF WRITER
mrivas.theadvocate@gmail.com
Students were given a chance to express themselves and gain a new experience with the Intramural Speech and Debate Tournament. The tournament took place last Thursday in LA-100 from 3-6 p.m. It portrayed students’ performances, which kept listeners attentive and entertained. Students gave their best spoken performances to the on-looking audience. Middle College High School student Bemister Tessema said the speeches were “all over the place and interesting.” There were four categories of speeches, impromptu, persuasive, informative and oral interpretation. The topics presented varied completely, as did the experience of the speakers. Some gracefully presented their speeches for another time in a row, while others sweated out their first experience. Their topics ranged from experiences and personal interests. Student speaker Fangzhou Ye discussed companies marketing themselves to the public by scanning our information from the Web. She searched a pair of shoes and almost immediately was bombarded with ads about that same shoe, which sparked her interest for further investigation. For some students this was a way to break free from their comfort zones and allow themselves a new experience. First time speaker Belen Macedo said she enjoyed trying out something new. She plans to participate in the next one now that she has experienced what it is like to be in front of an audience. It is not as bad as others make it to be, she said. Speech department professor and Chairperson Sherry Diestler said many students were taking a risk and stepping out of their comfort zones, and that courage should make them proud. Other speeches came from a more personal level. Malekah Isa, who is homeschooled and is taking general education classes, chose her persuasive speech to be about increasing punishment for people that take part in cyberbullying. She said that hearing about bullying boils her blood, which works to her advantage. Speakers should talk about something they genuinely care and are passionate for, she said. Not only did the tournament give students a chance to express themselves and any interests, but it was also a great experience. One participating student, Michael Petersen, said it was very educational and a great experience to be in front of peers and speak on the topics they had researched and crafted together. Tournament judge Natalie Keller said students did well and benefited from the experience.
Student Allen Cortes participates in the second informative round during the Intramural Speech and Debate Tournament on in LA-105 Dec. 3. GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
New bike racks ease apprehension BY Jason Sykes STAFF WRITER
jsykes.theadvocate@gmail.com
“A few years back, a student left his bike on campus for a while and every day the student didn’t come get the bike, a part of the bike was taken until only the tire was left,” Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said. Contra Costa College has since replaced the old-fashioned bicycle racks that could only secure a wheel with new oval racks that allow for a safer lock-up, King said. The new bike racks, placed in various locations across campus, allow students to better secure their entire bikes. The college was able to get the new racks through 511 Contra Costa, an organization that donated the bike racks. King said about $1,500 was donated to the college to have the new racks implemented around campus. “We tried to put the bike racks near the front door of every building around campus,” King said. Buildings and Grounds wanted to make things more convenient for students riding their bikes to school, as well as for such students to feel safe when leaving their bike unattended. The campus also provides bike lockers for any student or staff member who wants to ride their bike to campus, King said. Chemistry professor Joseph
GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
Ledbetter said, “ The best and most expensive, secure bike rack is an enclosed locker.” The college provides these lockers to anyone who desires to ride their bike to campus. Students and staff can purchase a bike locker for $20 for the entire semester through Police Services on a first come-first served basis. The bike lockers are $20 less than the $40 it costs to buy a parking permit each semester. Criminal justice major Kyle Lampley said the bike racks are more secure and are in great spots for students who use bikes as transportation. Many students still tend to tie
their bikes around handrails that should be used by those who have trouble maintaining balance while walking. The college has installed new secure bike racks to eliminate that issue. Dr. Ledbetter said, “As long as the oval shaped bike rack is anchored in concrete rather than being bolted, it is the second best solution behind bike lockers.” Many bicyclists around campus still have gone to the extent of using poles as a spot to lock up their bikes. Liberal Arts major Jovell Vance said that when people lock up their bikes in places such as handrails they are inconveniencing those who actually need
A set of bike racks sit waiting for bikes in front of the Biological Sciences Building.
those rails to walk. “People should use the new bike racks to lock up their bikes because that’s what they have been placed here for,” Vance said. With the old-fashioned, straight-line bike racks, there were a variety of ways people could take someone else’s bike parts. But with the new oval shaped bike racks, “people can’t disconnect the bikes,” King said. King encourages riders to take advantage of the oval racks. He said he is willing to apply to get more bike lockers if students would like to see those around campus more than the bike racks.
BAY AREA RAINFALL EXPOSES TWO BIOLOGY BUILDING LEAKS Repair crews have not found solution to problem
BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
Heavy rainfall Thanksgiving weekend collected on the roof of the Biology Building and water leaked at two locations: the hallway and in some labs on Wednesday. Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King said SW Allen Construction Inc. cut into the roof over the summer to replace walls and install bracings to ensure that the building is seismically sound in case of an earthquake. Critical Solutions Inc. construction project manager John Leary oversaw the temporary repairs done on Saturday by the contractor that allegedly caused the leaks. “(The leak) was because a combination of severe rains and the roof not draining as fast as it should have,” Leary said. “ One to two inches of water ponded on the roof and exasperated any potential weak spots left over from the (seismic) retrofit.” King said while there has not been a permanent solution to the leak, a repair crew from SW Allen Inc., the contractor who won the seismic retrofit bid over the summer at $975,000, successfully installed temporary pads on the roof to further prevent leakage. Leary said permanent solutions will be started and completed over the winter break when his crews
get to the last items on the “punch list” to avoid disturbing classes. “There were repairs done to the roof that had flaws which caused the leaks,” he said. “The contractor then removed wet or damp materials from the areas before sealing the gaps and full repairs will be made during the break.” King said SW Allen did not want to take responsibility for the leak initially. “The contractor blamed clogged storm drains for the leakage and thought the school should shoulder the cost.” Water leaked through the roof at two areas in the building where retrofits where done to connect the sheer walls and the roof which were not connected prior. Two large beams were installed from one exterior wall to the next above existing walls over B-12 and B-21. Another was put into place above the prep room and office in between B-37 and B-39. The beam stretches across the hallway into the biotechnology and biology labs. Leary said RGA Environmental, a consultant firm out of Emeryville, suggested the temporary solution to the leaky roof. It was built in 1960 according to a Thornton Tomasetti Inc. Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit Studies in November 2010.
Two repair men from SW Allen Construction Inc. work on fixing a leak in the Biology Building ceiling on Dec. 4.
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Fee waiver regulations to tighten Grant requires students to prove they are ‘serious’
BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
Students who are on either academic or progress probation for two consecutive semesters will be unable to apply for the Board of Governors Fee Waiver program effective fall 2016. The BOG Fee Waiver is a program for students who cannot afford the $46 unit fee, but if they meet the application requirements, can have their enrollment fees waived. The California Community College Board of Governors created a plan known as the Student Success Initiative to prevent a shortage of one million college educated workers by 2025, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
SSI will also make changes to the BOG program and its eligibility requirements. Contra Costa College Dean of Student Affairs Vicki Ferguson said students are placed on progress probation when they finish a 12-unit semester with 50 percent or more of their grades being W, IP or NC. Ferguson said academic probation follows the same structure but with students failing to complete 50 percent of classes with a C. According to an Academic/Progress Totals report, 204 students have made it to academic probation level two and 93 to progress probation level two. Counselor Norma Valdez-Jimenez said, “It sounds harsh but we are asking for accountability on the students’ part.
What this change is doing is asking students, ‘How serious are you?’” Financial Aid Supervisor Monica Rodriguez said that currently 4,803 CCC students are using the BOG Fee Waiver program. Director of Admissions and Records Catherine Fites provided The Advocate with a headcount figure report. As of Oct. 15, the report reads 6,428 students were enrolled. About 70 percent of the students attending CCC use the BOG waiver program. Numbers show, however, that most of these students are not in danger of academic or progress probation and, if they were, they could easily get out, Ferguson said. She said that students who exceed academic or progress probation level
two and have been dismissed, meaning they have been restricted to sign up for classes on InSite Portal, can do an online appeal process. “The college can lift the dismissal if the student can prove he or she has been dealing with circumstances such as incarceration, a medical condition or a death in the family,” Ferguson said. The appeals process includes a 15minute online quiz that can be taken at www.contracosta.edu and then meeting with a counselor to discuss the circumstances surrounding the student’s dismissal. Ferguson said districtwide efforts to inform students and the community of this change to the BOG waiver program will start in spring 2015.
MISSING STUDENTS SHINE SPOTLIGHT ON GLOBAL PROBLEM BY FLORINDA HERSHEY STAFF WRITER
fhershey.theadvocate@gmail.com
Second semester culinary arts student Jose Rosales tops off a dish for Middle College High School student Anne Shin during the Thanksgiving lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 25. CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE
Thanksgiving lunch buffet provides traditional food Practical midterm provides lunch, smiles for a price
BY Mayra Garcia STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
rmgarcias.theadvocate@gmail.com
As part of a practical midterm, students from the culinary arts department greeted and served hungry customers of the Three Seasons Restaurant at the Thanksgiving lunch buffet. Located in the Applied Arts Building, the restaurant opened for the buffet at its usual hours, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 25 and 26. The smell of traditional Thanksgiving food could be smelled past the entrance of the restaurant. Once inside, student chefs stood ready to serve the lines of people. The place had been quickly filled with people ready to taste the variety of holiday dishes. “I didn’t expect it to be this packed,” Lisa Ramos, business major, said. As part of her daily routine, Ramos enjoys going in to the restaurant every morning, but dislikes the limited space when events are held. Ramos said the food was great, so she would attend both days of the buffet event, but would have a to-go plate instead of dining in. Though the restaurant was packed, Eugenia Sura, culinary arts
major and server, said everything had been running smoothly and that there had been no major problems or complaints. However, Majeedah Rahman, social sciences professor, said that the food looked appealing, but that everything seemed to have meat. Culinary arts department Chairperson Nader Sharkes said there had been consideration of vegetarian options. He said they served salads and mushroom ragu with potatoes. Sharkes said the second day they had Greek lasagna, which had eggplant, tomatoes and cheese. He said he was also aware of the limited space of the restaurant and that some were served in the cold on the patio. “It’s just too cold. We do not have outside heaters, nor do we have the space,” he said. Tamara Gideon, culinary arts major, had been in the department’s kitchen preparing for the event the day before the event. “We have so much to do,” she said while prepping her dish. Gideon said she was prepping tamales, refried beans with mole and rice and a turkey dish, which used turkey, tomatoes and salsa verde. She made sure there was enough food to serve 100 people. The groups consisted of two per
group, with a total of 11, one being a one-person-group. The first day five of the 10 would present and the other half presented on the second day. Keeping in mind that they had to serve 100 people, Mariela Guzman and Carissa Garcia, both culinary arts majors, said they had already finished their prior day preparation. Guzman said they had been working on a balsamic lamb roast with parchment mash wit baby red tomatoes. Alisha Lee, culinary arts major, prepared mentally by practicing before the day. “I made sure I practiced the dishes I wanted to create at home.” She said she worked on making yam soufflé, green beans citrus salad and cheddar corn biscuit. There had been a lot to prepare, but she was confident, she said. Though there were only minor complaints, no one complained about bad food. Chef Sharkes said the full house for both days gave him no reasons to complain. He said the student chefs will be evaluated on the taste and presentation of the dishes. “The students showed outstanding work, and it will be well-reflected on their midterm (grades),” Sharkes said.
People in Mexico are demanding justice for the 43 missing students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico. The students went missing on Sept. 26, when they were attacked and kidnapped by municipal police in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, and reportedly handed over to criminal group Guerreros Unidos. The 43 students are still missing with no leads on their whereabouts. Information suggests that they might be dead, but their parents believe they are still alive. Allegedly, Jose Abarca, the ex-mayor of Iguala Guerrero, and his wife Maria Angeles Pineda, felt threatened by these students, who planned to protest at an event where Angeles Pineda was announcing the chance to be the new mayor of Iguala. The idea was to prevent the students from coming to ruin the event. Abarca and his wife would have given the order to the chief of police of Iguala, Felipe Flores, to eliminate the threat of students. Abarca had links with the criminal group Guerreros Unidos; the police in Iguala obeyed the boss of Guerreros Unidos for cash, while the criminal group received orders from the chief of police. Forty-three students were kidnapped, and the rest of them were injured. Others survived, and they talked about what happened that night, when the police started shooting at the bus in which they were riding. Father Alejandro Solalinde said that some students were killed and some were burned alive, according to the testimony of two witnesses. The father’s testimony was painful for the parents, but helps the authorities to investigate the case. More than two months have passed and they do not have any idea of the missing students’ whereabouts. In Iguala, authorities have found pits with bodies, on which they have conducted DNA tests, but none have matched the students’ DNA. Parents, students and people from many parts of the world have started demonstrations to demand justice and to find the students. The president of Mexico seems in no hurry to clarify the facts. The ex-mayor of Iguala and his wife have been captured, and also the chief of police, but the authorities have not given answers to the parents. This event has drawn attention worldwide, and people around the world have sympathized with the people in Mexico. Joana Perez, a student at Contra Costa College, said that she is scared to go to Mexico and she fears for her niece who is a student in Guerrero, Mexico. Beth Goehring, CCC kinesiology department chairperson and professor, said that in many cultures, when students protest they pose a risk for the government, and it is not uncommon for governments to take extreme measures. The disappearance of the students is another event in Mexico’s recent history, and the people of Mexico are tired of their corrupt government officials. People are demanding the resignation of the president of Mexico due to the inability to solve the disappearance of the 43 students. The reactions were not long in coming. As La Raza studies professor Agustin Palacios said, “The government of Mexico has shown that it cannot guarantee the security of society in Mexico, and also that it is linked to drug trafficking. “There is uncertainty in Mexico and parents of the missing students are demanding to have their children back.”
STUDENTS UNAWARE OF SCHOLARSHIP OPTIONS, PATHWAYS BY Marlene Rivas STAFF WRITER
mrivas.theadvocate@gmail.com
Continuing and transferring students who have yet to take advantage of scholarship opportunities have the chance to in the upcoming year. Contra Costa College offers a wide variety of scholarships ranging from $200 to $10,000, but students lack interest in taking the initiative to apply for the available scholarships. Students do not invest time in searching for available scholarships, though the information is all right there, La Raza studies counselor and professor Alfred Zuniga said. Last year there were only 450 applications submitted in total,
scholarship program coordinator Jennifer Dyment said. About $200,000 was given to the 90 students who turned in various applications for the 2014 scholarships. In addition to a small amount of scholarships applications being submitted, there were various majors whose scholarships received no applications at all. These included journalism, political science, speech, anthropology, economics, sociology and foreign language. Although the money is there, students are not taking advantage of it. Student Lidia Brand said that so many students apply for the same scholarships, but she is not as competitive as other students. Scholarships are not an option she
considers. They are not aware of the scholarship opportunities that are out there for them. Students do not often seek help in finding and applying for scholarships, Zuniga said. Applications for 2015 began Nov. 11 and will continue to be accepted until March 9. They must be submitted by no later than noon of that day. There is no limit in the number of scholarships students can apply for. Students interested in applying for scholarships can verify which ones they meet the requirements for, and which are more convenient for them. There are more than 60 scholarships, which the CCC Foundation provides. Their prizes range from $250 to $1,500. There are also
scholarships funded by external organizations, which have been approved by the college. Those include individual donors, organizations, businesses and foundations. Some scholarships have up to $10,000. Aside from scholarships available for the different majors, the scholarships all come with minimum GPA requirements that vary so students must be sure to meet the GPA requirements for their scholarship selections. A student must write an essay and submit two reference letters to complete the application. It is highly recommended to ask for letters ahead of time, and right now would be a great time to begin, Dyment said. The benefit with this requirement is that the reference letter
does not have to be limited to the students’ professors. They can come from anyone who is a part of CCC’s staff. It can also be a family member or anyone that can give a better understanding of the student. This can be an employer, club leader, coach or someone for whom the student has volunteered. It is required that the application is turned in completed by the due date. Late applications will not be accepted. There is a panel of judges in charge of choosing the recipients. The group is made up of faculty, board members and volunteers. When the recipients of the scholarships are selected, they are notified through their Insite Portal emails.
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‘Greatest administrator that ever lived’ BY Roxana Amparo NEWS EDITOR
ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com
GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
Melody Hanson, the former senior executive administrative assistant to the president, retired in August from Contra Costa College after 32 years of dedicated work to the college.
Recognized as the “greatest administrator that ever lived” by district Chancellor Helen Benjamin, Melody Hanson finds herself relaxing in the comfort of her home after 32 years of hard work dedicated to Contra Costa College. She retired from the district in August. As senior executive administrative assistant to the president, Hanson managed phone calls, mail, donations and appointments for the college president, but did not limit herself to only that. She took on different roles. When Hanson was offered a job for the College Foundation, she accepted the position and worked hard as if it were the only position she had. She played an active part on the Foundation, and just as she maintained her other duties, she worked hard to stay updated with everything that went on. “It takes a certain kind of character to be given that opportunity, and Melody had it in her,” speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said. A modest Hanson said, “I was a glorified secretary.” Hanson said she will miss talking to students and faculty the most. Her job was one thing, but the relationships she built made it worth her while. She referred to them as her “comrades in arms” because of the deep connection formed throughout the many years of working side by side with them. “She didn’t know us just as staff, but a little bit of us,” Marketing and Communications Coordinator Michele Jackson said. Jackson recalled one
Halloween when some of the faculty members dressed up as pirates and Hanson took it on herself to make pouches for all of them. They were a part of their costumes. Jackson said she still has hers. Hanson’s ability to care shaped her actions and how much she did for the college. She knew that everyone comes from different walks of life and that was something that she enjoyed about being around everyone at the campus. She said she did her best to stay involved on campus and would not change a thing about her time at the college because it brought her so much joy. Journalism professor Paul DeBolt said he would see Hanson rushing through the hallways trying to get her job done. She was a great worker and a great resource on campus, DeBolt said, like the “encyclopedia of the college.” Another of Hanson’s little projects was making a list of all of the staff and faculty phone numbers for easier availability to everyone else. Hanson kept everyone up to date when one of the faculty members retired. She would make sure everyone knew that someone was leaving and offered support by organizing retirement dinner receptions. For her retirement party, a lot of the people who she once supported and advocated for were present. She said she was pleasantly surprised with the number of people who were there for her. “It (the college) taught me to be versatile — it got my creative juices flowing,” Hanson said. Adapting to different personalities on campus and learning how to use new technology enabled her to accept change and develop a higher level of patience, she said.
“I like to think that I can help people,” she said. She said she appreciated the different personalities and if an opportunity opened up for her to lend a helping hand, she would help them out. When she retired in August, Hanson left a seat that will be difficult to replace, Diestler said. When Hanson took on a job, she dedicated her time to fulfill it to the best of her abilities. When Hanson was on campus, her presence was known. She was actively involved in the college’s foundation as well as in creating a sense of organization for those around her. She was well informed on how the college’s foundation was doing because she genuinely cared about it and the people involved. Hanson helped out on the college’s Hall of Fame, the event that honors those who attended the college and made a difference in the community. She also helped out for the Zy and Beverly Zell Swinging for Scholarships Golf Tournament, among other things. “I learned to live with no regrets. Regretting is a waste of time,” Hanson said. Before being involved with the college, Hanson had plans on being a police officer. She got her associate degree from CCC and received a master’s degree in criminal justice. Although she did not follow up with her previous plans, she said she was content with everything that happened while she was at the college. Attending CCC gave Hanson the experience that allowed her to be aware of the things that mattered for students and faculty. It was through the college that she met her husband, David, while taking criminal justice courses.
Social evolution examined through hip-hop BY Jose Jimenez SPORTS EDITOR
jjimenez.theadvocate@gmail.com
The Hip-Hop & Humanities class offers a different perspective of hip-hop through a social and cultural angle every Friday in LA108 from 10:10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Hip-Hop & Humanities class can easily be compared to a cool club on campus, AfricanAmerican studies professor Ameer Loggins said. The course observes and examines the development of hip-hop as a cultural movement, which includes hip-hop music, dance, graffiti art and clothing styles. Students examine key figures in hip-hop, institutions, social settings through readings, electronic media, videos and hands-on projects. Hip-hop culture is not only a source of entertainment, but also a medium that analyzes and provides commentary regarding social, economic, political and cultural issues. Specifically dealing with cultural identity, cultural genocide, misogyny, racism, classism, materialism, freedom of speech and freedom of sexuality. Loggins said the students enrolled in his class learn how to accept being associated with African American culture and applying hip-hop concepts on the streets of Richmond. Student Rickela Greeter said, “What matters the most, and why I am honored to be enrolled in this class, is because we learn hardcore stuff each and every week from the beginning to the end.” Geeter said the class is focused on learning and improving to “bring something new to the (world).” She said that while he uses words such as shit, ass and damn in his teaching style, he easily illustrates the real world as complex and cruel. Many students have different perspectives about the hip-hop class, but mostly try to catch up with Loggins’ distinctive teaching style. Loggings said, “If somebody is talking smack then I’ma spit that back at you.” Loggins’ young appearance may surprise a lot of individuals and his teaching methods can be considered evolutionary, Geeter said. The class solidifies part of the courses required in the Associate in Arts Degree in the African American studies.
Ameer Loggins, AfricanAmerican studies professor, speaks to his class in LA108 on Nov. 7. GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
Clubs offer students diverse campus experience BY Jared Amdahl OPINION EDITOR
jamdahl.theadvocate@gmail.com
Clubs offer students the ability to enjoy their time on campus, by participating in events that are formed around their interests alongside like-minded individuals. For instance, students that are interested in business might join the Business Club on campus to gain the abilities and experience needed for their major. In total there are 15 clubs at Contra Costa College that focus on various interests ranging from video games to computational math to engineering, among others. To put the significance of that number in perspective, the vice president of club affairs for the ASU, Safi Ward-Davis said that over the last summer break the college had lost five or six clubs. “Over the semester break this year we lost a number of clubs due to the fact that the officers in
charge of those clubs graduated or transferred without first securing a future for their club,” WardDavis said. The number of clubs at the end of the spring 2014 semester dwindled from 13 to 8. She said while this number may show a decrease in studentclub interest on campus, by the time this semester had begun, that number had already grown from 8 to 13 again. “The clubs that we do have now are successful,” Ward-Davis said. “(The clubs) held events and got the word out to the student body about recruitment. We’re expecting almost all of those clubs to return next semester. Also, we’re seeing that the officers in charge of those clubs are not really near graduating,” she said. As the semester nears its end, Ward-Davis and the Inter-Club Council have been discussing how to start next semester off on the right foot, she said. “Over the last few meeting we’ve
had, we have just been gearing up for next semester and setting up events like Club Rush and others to benefit students,” she said. “At this current moment we’re just in the process of pinpointing a time and date for everything.” For those interested in the process of starting a new club, instructions on how to do so are on the college website, she said. “It is really all about getting in the correct paperwork at the right time and meeting the designated criteria,” she said. “For instance, every club needs to have 5 active members and pick a staff or faculty member to act as an adviser, which is a large amount of the work.” Current EOPS president and active school ambassador Gerald Macadangdang has expressed interest in starting a number of clubs up on campus. In addition to possibly starting up the first Gay-Straight Alliance the college would have seen in over two decades, Macadangdang
plans on starting a FilipinoAmerican Student Union on campus. “Clubs like this bring awareness. If there are people that are interested then it is something that would benefit everyone,” Macadangdang said. He is in the process of starting a Filipino-American Student Union and has the necessary paperwork to start the club, but has yet to turn them in. “It may be a thing for the first weeks of next semester,” he said. Schools from all over the Bay Area offer clubs and most understand the importance of building such student groups. Vice President of Programs at Berkeley City College Rudrani Ghosh said, “Clubs foster creativity and engage students on a level that they want. The clubs we have on campus promote education and awareness. We definitely haven’t had any detrimental effects come up because of clubs.”
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ORGANIC GARDEN SAVES MONEY
CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE
BY Mike Thomas SCENE EDITOR
mthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com
A lot of culinary establishments are leaning toward starting their own organic garden, and the culinary arts department’s organic garden on campus is finally coming together. Culinary arts students maintain the garden, which is northeast of the culinary arts department in the Applied Arts Building. In 2008 the Greenhouse behind the Biology Building burned down, so the garden only received half of $45,000 worth of insurance money. The culinary arts students built the foundation of the garden, but Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King helped get Howell Landscaping to complete the final touches on the garden. King said he gives high praise for culinary arts department Chairperson Nader Sharkes for maintaining the garden on a regular basis. “The garden started about four or five years ago, and we just helped set up the bench and gazebo. But the culinary students did most of the other work,” King said. Sharkes said the organic garden is usually maintained by the first semester students enrolled in Culinary Arts 120, and is also maintained in part by the Bay Area Rescue Mission, which gives the students instruction on how to run a garden. The garden grows different types of olives, kale, mint, carrots and potatoes. It gives students learning experiences on how to run a garden, and it also helps in the student’s future in the culinary arts, Sharkes said. Culinary arts major Lauren Patrick said, “It is necessary to have basic garden skills for any culinary profession. It directly ties into our profession learning how to pick the freshest herbs and vegetables, so when I open a restaurant my menu will always have the freshest ingredients.” The plants that grow from the garden are used for ingredients in the food that is distributed from the Three Seasons Restaurant, The Switch and the Express Café. They also grow an assortment of flowers in the garden, and those get used for embellishments in the dining hall of Three Seasons. Organic gardens are becoming popular for every culinary chef who has space to grow near his or her restaurant, Sharkes said. “It saves us funds by allowing us to plant and use vegetables in the garden,” He said. “We also use the roses for decoration in our dining room.” The department also receives plant seed donations from Sunnyside Farms in Richmond, he said. It took two semesters for the students to build the terrain of the garden, including the tiles and stones used to layout walkways. Howell Landscape finished the entire dirt layout for planting. First semester culinary students who work on the garden for class credit do so every day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Culinary arts’ organic garden, behind the Applied Arts Building, contains natural fertilization instead of chemicals and refrains from the use of pesticides. The garden is maintained by culinary arts students and is northeast of the culinary arts department.
Gay Straight Alliance gaining support among students, faculty Enthusiasm fuels idea of LGBT club rebirth
BY Jared Amdahl OPINION EDITOR
jamdahl.theadvocate@gmail.com
Despite the fact that the 20-year absence of a Gay Straight Alliance on campus has convinced most students, staff and faculty at Contra Costa College that there is no interest in such a club ever being reactivated, there are a few people on campus that have proven that idea to be a fallacy. “When I began teaching here in 2001, I asked around and talked with the faculty member who had previously advised the GSA here,” mathematics professor Sue Van Hattum said. “In my 13 years here, I have not heard much interest from students.” And that was the case, until just a few weeks ago when Van Hattum was approached by student Gerald Macadangdang, who expressed interest in possibly starting a GSA on campus again. Macadangdang, who is heterosexual, explained that he would like to possibly start the club for the benefit of the student body. “Clubs like this bring awareness. If there are people that are interested
then it is something that would benefit everyone,” Macadangdang said. The only things currently getting in his way are time and support, he said. “Starting this club is of a lot of interest to me, but it is difficult since it is the end of the semester,” he said. “I’m currently having a hard time finding the people that would be interested in starting that sort of club. I’m not sure what it is with this school, but it seems that nobody really seems to care.” Macadangdang has done his best to become as involved as possible with the student body and hopes to keep that trend going into next semester. “I’m in a good position to start one of these clubs up, seeing as I know what to do on the political and more official side of things,” he said. “The only problem is I’m originally from San Jose and I don’t really know the amount of people I’d need to in this area that would be interested at the moment. We are looking into next semester being a good opportunity for a club like this to start.” The Associated Students Union vice president of club affairs, Safi WardDavis, agrees.
“I feel like it would be one of the more valuable clubs on campus. It would bring awareness to the student body and add diversity, and diversity is one thing CCC is huge on,” she said. Being the only college in the district not to have a club representing the LGBTQ community, CCC should follow suit of its sister schools to realize the importance of such a body, the president of the Queer Straight Alliance at Diablo Valley College, Dilon McCor mick, said. These clubs offer LGBTQ students the opportunity to receive help on issues that others in their position might not fully understand, McCormick said. “Those students are being left to fend for themselves,” he said. “We provide a safe area for our LGBTQ community. It’s the sort of place that lets LGBTQ students know that they’re not alone, and it gives the chance for any of these students to get help with any difficulties they may be having.” While Macadangdang’s attempt to start the club is in its earliest stages, he said he will need support from students if the idea is ever to come into fruition.
COMMITTEE LOOKS FOR GREEN ENERGY SOLUTION BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
The Sustainability Committee’s meetings and a continental breakfast take place the first Thursday of every month in the Buildings and Grounds Conference Room at 7 a.m. The sub-committee of the Contra Costa College Operations Committee, whose purpose is to raise attention to issues pertaining to the daily operations and create plans to solve them, consists of students and faculty. This semester, Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King said the Sustainability Committee has set multiple projects in motion that would not only reduce the carbon footprint of the college but also cut down energy costs. “(Our Sustainability Committee) is the most active in the district,” King said. Besides creating the guidelines for the Carpool Parking Initiative that will start at the beginning of the spring semester, members of the committee have discussed projects that would establish a carbon footprint baseline for the campus. Aaron Garcia works in the Transfer Center at CCC as an office assistant but is majoring in environmental science. Garcia said he plans to bring the college, and the Contra Costa Community College District into compliance with state legislation by using the Cal StateEast Bay 2006 Carbon Report as an example. “We need to get energy from a source that does not use coal to power gas and
LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE
electricity,” he said. “If we can harvest more energy from the solar panels on campus, it will be a long term investment and set an example for our area.” Environmental Studies Program Director at Cal State-East Bay professor Karina Garbesi wrote the Carbon Report. It is an analysis of Cal StateEast Bay’s energy related carbon dioxide emissions and the potential to reduce the campus’ carbon footprint. Garcia said if CCC and the district conduct a baseline carbon study, they could reduce their expenses by 50 percent. Garbesi said the most difficult task is
garnering the support from faculty, staff and administration. “You need to have the faculty and students want to make a change. Organizing these groups can be difficult, but can be very exciting.” Currently, CCC gets energy to keep the campus operational through a thirdparty company Constellation, which provides assistance to strategically buy, manage and use electricity and natural gas. King said the committee also intends to lower carbon usage of the college by informing the students and faculty about different water and electricity conservation techniques.
Members of the Sustainability Committee conduct their monthly meeting in the Buildings and Grounds Conference Room on Dec. 4. The committee is the most active in the district.
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THIS FALL THE
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Contra Costa College Bookstore textbook buyback Thursday and Friday, Dec. 11-12..............9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 15-16.............9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 17-18......9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PHOTO ID REQUIRED We pay up to 50% no matter where you bought your books. We buy books, even if you purchased them online. Bring all CDs, DVD’s, tapes and supplemental materials with your textbooks.
All textbook rentals are due by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18
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Unleashed
MOVIES
This week: “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (PG-13) “Top Five” (R) “Little Feet” (NR) “Inherent Vice” (R)
BLU-RAYS
New releases: “Guardians of the Galaxy” (PG-13) “Dolphin Tale 2” (PG) “When the Game Stands Tall” (PG) “Calvary” (R)
MUSIC
PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE
Soulful performance tells heartfelt story of women’s woes Actresses breathe
New releases: J. Cole: “2014 Forest Hills Drive” Nicki Minaj: “The Pinkprint”
life into characters from famous play
Ghostface Killah: “36 Season” The Smashing Pumpkins: “Monuments To An Elegy” Johnny Gill: “Game Changer”
GAMES
BY Mike Thomas SCENE EDITOR
mthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com
Seven African American women created a rainbow with emotional performances of the hardships and struggles faced by women on Dec. 2 to Dec. 6 at the Knox Center. The women performed a play by Ntozanke Shange called “For Colored Girls who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf.” It was a stellar and emotion-evoking performance that captivated the audience. The play depicted the hardships and struggles that African American women, and women in general, go through. Each individual performer dressed in a different color that signified the rainbow and the strength of African American Women. The lighting of the event also made use of color, changing the backdrop for the different speakers to provide a different feel for every performer. Lady in Red was played by Kourtney Prater, Lady in Orange, Bridgette Lott, Lady in Yellow, Adannya, Reese, Lady in Green, Angelica Foster, Lady in Purple, Princess Hughes, Lady in Blue, Brittanny Turner and Lady in Brown, Doris Bumpus. All seven performers had their
own side story that was expressed throughout as each took the stage to recite their lines with pure emotion. “The rainbow symbolizes an end of a storm of the hardships women go through,” professional dancer Angelica Foster said. “It pushes women to have strength in the storm, so they can get to the rainbow.” The play started with a smoking mist around the stage with seven African American women entering one by one, and the Lady in Brown came forward singing. After the performers danced and discussed their sexual encounters, the Lady in Yellow gave her romanticized background story about her first time being with a man. “This play expresses the different emotions and trials that black women go through,” theater student Brittany Turner said. “This issue is never addressed to the public.” The play had some memorable moments by performers Lott and Hughes. In one scene Lott got into character and expressed feelings about her experience of being with an unfaithful man who left her. She also played the abusive boyfriend to Lady in Blue toward the end of the conclusion. Domestic violence was discussed when Lott, who was impersonating the way a macho man would
act, beat up the Lady in Blue and threw their two children out of the window. “It gave me a different perspective because I was playing one of the women in color,” Lott said about the domestic scene. “It was painful for me to get into character, and pretend to throw those kids out (of the window).” Touching on sensitive issues faced by women on a daily basis added that emotional connection with the audience. Organization was kept throughout the play and the performers knew their lines well. The women brought life into the characters in the play, and the dancing was excellent. They motivated each other throughout the play by maintaining unity and strong emotions. “It’s all about unity and sisterhood,” Lott said. The performers rehearsed for two months straight for the event. Turner said it took a lot of practice and the help of God. The rehearsals were from 6-10 p.m. “When everyone is there it’s complete, and that is what makes it easier for us,” Hughes said. “The main thing is to feed off each other energy and when we go hard we motivate each other to go hard.”
TOP LEFT: The cast of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf” symbolize the storytelling element by performing choreopoems or, poetry in motion, in the Knox Center on Dec. 3. TOP RIGHT: Bridgette Lott as “Lady in Orange” (right) speaks about her troubles during “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf” in the Knox Center on Dec. 3. ABOVE: “Lady in Blue,” Brittany Turner (middle) dances to the themes of sisterhood during “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf” in the Knox Center on Dec. 3.
New releases: “Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris” (T)
‘WALKING DEAD’ LIVES ON WITH SOLID SEASON
“I, Zombie” (E)
Rick Grimes and crew set out on another post-apocalyptic zombie survival journey after an unfortunate reunion in Terminus on the season four finale of AMC’s The Walking Dead. We can all agree that the second half of season four was simply OK, with episodes tending to drag on but leading viewers nowhere, and that the cannibalism outcome in Terminus was rather predictable. But the first half of season five has more than made up for that with gratuitous action, explosions and zombie gore. Season five rushes into a redemption for the character Carol for killing two sick members of the group at the jailhouse in a previous season to prevent the sickness from spreading. However, if it weren’t for Carol’s
“Destiny: The Dark Below” (M)
Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.
BY Mike Thomas SCENE EDITOR
mthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com
dedication to the group that cast her out for misdeeds, none of them would have made it out of Terminus alive. She shot at a propane tank to create an explosion for a diversion that got Grimes and the group out of being fresh meat for the cannibalistic Terminus crew. Following the explosion, a horde of zombies came to terrorize the cannibal’s base, wiping out a majority of the people. Carol’s rescue mission made her respectable again, and all the wounds she caused for the group were healed. The show quickly picked up the slack that season four left us with in the finale, but the surprising part was the cannibals at Terminus were not the main group’s antagonists for longer than a few episodes. This made the remaining few episodes of the half-season a little bit more interesting. The season seemed to be all about
getting Eugene, a supposed genius scientist with a cure for the zombie apocalypse to Washington, D.C., as well as finding Beth who was mysteriously kidnapped by a group of crooked cops in season four. As it turns out, (quit reading now for spoilers) Eugene was predictably a fraud and the struggle to find Beth concludes abruptly on a violent and sad note. Now the group, with nowhere to go but forward, is slated to return to airwaves for the second half of season five in February, but the next set of issues and enemies is completely nebulous. Grimes has changed remarkably since the first season. There really is a new sheriff in town now that Grimes knows the right time to be the wildcard and the right time to show civility. After tearing out a crook’s jugular with his teeth near the end of season
four, Grimes’ whole new persona is to kill anyone that double crosses him or the group without room for forgiveness. His new policy is ask once and, if unanswered, display force. My favorite transformation of season five thus far was Beth finally finding her voice and becoming strong while being held captive. Her toughness shone through when she was held captive in the hospital run by crooked cops. She stood up for herself and helped a captive escape from the hospital. She made a noticeable transformation from the naive girl she was in previous seasons. Then you have Tyreese, a big softie that is trying to keep his humanity because everyone around him is losing his or hers. Overall, the first half of season five was solid and leaves us wondering what is going to happen next after the heartbreaking midseason finale.
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INDUSTRY SAYS GOODBYE TO LEGEND, HERO Trailblazer raised entertainment, originality bar By Florinda Hershey and Robert Clinton STAFF WRITERS
accent.advocate@gmail.com
I
nternational icon and entertainer Roberto Gomez Bolanos, more commonly known as Chespirito, died from heart failure Nov. 28 in Cancun, Mexico. He was 85. Bolanos, known for creating the long running authentically Mexican show “Chespirito,” was discovered innocently enough, waiting in line for a writing job. A former amateur boxer, Bolanos used hard work and creativity to survive in an era when many American shows were being imported into Mexico with Spanish dubbing. His show aired from 19711992 and featured a variety of characters who were so popular many became spin-offs into their own shows. Critics argue that a lot of his characters were poor and without any aspirations. Others thought he took too light of a stand on bullying because a lot of his characters are, or were, bullies. Bolanos lived up to his real life nickname, Chespirito, which loosely translates to little Shakespeare. The name was given to him by a producer (during his early writing career) who was amazed at the rate at which Bolanos created characters. Chespir is the producer’s phonetic pronunciation of Shakespeare-(ito), a diminutive used in Spanish. After initial performances on screen and as a successful writer, Bolanos went on to create and produce countless onscreen and literary projects. And although his television show was seen as apolitical, in his later years the actor found himself taking a more visible stand for causes he truly believed in. Bolanos was born in 1929 in Mexico City. He studied engineering at the National Autonomous University in Mexico. His father was a cartoonist by trade and his mother was a
Roberto Gomez Bolanos’ work was recognized worldwide and his shows were translated into 50 languages.
secretary fluent in both English and Spanish. His only sibling, a brother, often joined Bolanos on the show “El Chavo Del Ocho,” as Godinez. His most popular works are “Chespirito ’68,” “El Chavo ’71” and “El Chapulin ’72.” Instilled in the hearts of many, his most recognized phrase in his show “Chespirito,” “¿No contaban con mi astucia?” (you didn’t count on my cunning?), will continue to live on as well as his witty humor. His were shows that in the eyes of some embodied the morality of the Hispanic middle class of that time period. Rather than delve into the seedy aspects of society, he chose uniting people across social boundaries with universal humor. However, some say the majority of his comedy was
made at the expense of others’ deficiencies. His international appeal was on full display in February of 2012. A celebration of his work was held at the Auditorio Nacional and attended by various entertainers and dignitaries from more than 17 nations. Despite his ailing health, Bolanos was in attendance. The event was broadcast to multiple nations around the world. When Bolanos died, Mexican President Enrique Pena ordered his body to be displayed for fans in Mexico’s Palacio de Beautiful Artes, as has been the case for other nationally acclaimed artists and entertainers. The building proved to be too small and the event was moved to Mexico’s largest venue, Azteca Stadium. The 40,000 in attendance
SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE
donned costumes of his most famous characters while singing and dancing in celebration of the beloved entertainer’s life. In many homes throughout North America, Bolanos’ variety shows served as a bonding tool for families across generations. When the news of his death spread, people of all ages recounted tales of watching El Chavo on their abuela’s lap, or gathered around family televisions to see authentic original entertainment that wasn’t centered around overly sexual topics. A sense of nationalistic pride surrounds the memory of the Mexican trailblazer. Even when parodies of original Mexican programs are created on American shows, like “The Simpsons,” it will usually be one of Bolanos’ universally recognizable characters who gets mocked.
His shows define what the history of Mexican television is more than any other person or entity to date. Bolanos was also a composer who started music as a hobby and later began to produce music for his own comedic episodes. He expanded his musical workings, which led to creating theme songs for a number of telenovelas. His live stage comedy, “Once y Doce,” produced in 1992, is still the most successful theater comedy production in Mexican history. Bolanos is survived by his wife Florinda Meza Garcias, his companion of more than 27 years. They married in 2004. He also has six children and 12 grandchildren. He was buried at the Panteon Frances in Mexico City on Dec. 1. “Y chapulin colorado, este cuento se ha acabado.”
Define the line between harassment and hello Sad truths, statistics fan fiery discussion on life, love
BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
‘H
e was so angry that I could somehow ignore his public sexual advances. All I remember is seeing the shock in my friend’s eyes when the guy returned to punch me in the face as I turned around. “I fell over. I could feel the blood begin to fill my mouth as I lifted myself from the cold tile. That’s when he circled around and hit me in the face again.” She said she would never forget what he said as she lay there, bleeding on the floor inside a Burger King, surrounded by her high school classmates. “I bet you’ll speak next time bitch,” he said. Oakland native and street harassment violence survivor Racquel Spencer told me this terrifying story about an everyday encounter turning violent. Recently a video posted to YouTube showed a modestly dressed woman filmed by a hidden camera as she walked the streets of Manhattan, New York. Men approached her more than 100 times in a 10-hour period. The conversation surrounding sexual harassment has become divided because the video was edited from its original 10 hours of content down to the 2-minute YouTube version that primarily depicts men of color. The larger question of how to
balance the contrasting experiences of women and street harassment versus the somewhat universal idea of social hospitality, can and should be addressed. Throughout her encounter-filled day, the subject faced everything from “hello” to blatant comments about her body. One man even followed her for three minutes. This isn’t a phenomenon limited to the streets of New York. Women at Contra Costa College have their own experiences in dealing with street harassment. “Whenever someone speaks, I speak back,” liberal studies major Ebony Daniels said. “I’m not saying girls who ignore guys are wrong. I just feel if say ‘hi’ and keep it moving, it lowers my chances for getting in a bad situation.” For women, bad situations usually come at the hands of men. Men are the leading cause of injury to women age 15-44 in America — ahead of car accidents and muggings combined according to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee Violence against women report. Men who argue saying “hi” or “good morning” to a passing woman is different than open sexual advances, or admiring the view as she walks by in yoga pants, are inauthentic. People conveniently choose when they want to accept words that have double meanings. Some men have no problem rising up in protest when politicians speak of inner-city culture synonymously
with black culture. But they deny the real meaning behind “Hi, I think you’re pretty, I’d like to get to know you better. Can you stop and talk to me so we can maybe exchange phone numbers?” “Dialogue is needed to un-blur the line,” CCC Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Tammeil Gilkerson said. “I think the interactions are different for every individual. We need to teach our young men and boys to have more respect for women.” The first national study on street harassment, commissioned by Stop Street Harassment in spring 2014, showed 65 percent of women have experienced general street harassment, 57 percent verbal harassment and 41 percent physically aggressive harassment. No man compliments another guy’s exotic hair, then reaches out to steal a stroke of his beard as he passes. Men rarely get inappropriate sexual statements barked their way such as, “Hey man, I like those new Jordan’s but they would look better on my shoulders.” Some men would argue statements like that would be grounds for justifiable homicide. “If they speak I speak, even back to some of the ignorant, inappropriate things,” Spencer said. “After what I went through, you never know someone’s story and you can’t judge intent.” For women, stepping out of the house shouldn’t be like walking the gauntlet and having to anticipate the advances of hoards of “thirsty”
men. One of these men could erupt and increase the statistic of violent acts against women. Every nine seconds in the U.S. a woman is assaulted or beaten. It all seems kind of off. I’m an admitted greeter. I am open and willing to speak with anyone, but I don’t need 51 percent of women to tell me “it’s not cool” for me to recognize that adjustments need to be made in my approach. I respect that, for some women, walking through the world in a skirt can generate the same feelings someone might have walking through a bad neighborhood. You have to be aware because the lowering of one’s defenses can lead to unfortunate circumstances. In the best-case scenario, you give up some of your time and personal space to placate a strange man’s need for attention. In the worst case, you may end up like Spencer, having to consume dinner through a straw because your jaw is wired shut. There is a wide spectrum between those two extremes and neither seems particularly inviting. Men worry about getting their feelings hurt because a girl won’t talk to them, women have to worry about serous injury or sometimes even death. There should be a standard of how to conduct one’s self when approaching the opposite sex. Where is our collective moral compass or do we all just gravitate to the lowest common denominators among us, and accept it as our only option?
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
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Warm up with some winter movies The Advocate takes a sneak peek at summer films. From romantic comedies to action-packed movies, don’t be left out
December Title: “Top Five” Genre: Comedy Release Date: Dec. 12 Rating: R Director: Chris Rock Starring: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union Synopsis: Andre Allen (Chris Rock) is a comedian turned film star who, despite the expectations of his millions of fans, is determined to reinvent himself as a serious actor. His upcoming television wedding to popular reality star Erica Long (Gabrielle Union) is expected to be the biggest media event of the year. In the midst of the frenzy leading up to his televised nuptials, Andre agrees to be interviewed for The New Yorker by Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson). Their interaction may well change the course of both their lives.
Title: “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” Genre: Comedy/Family Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: PG Director: Shawn Levy Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson Synopsis: In this third installment, Larry Daley is patrolling London’s British Museum protecting the Egyptian Golden Tablet of Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. Daley gets into more shenanigans with exhibits that come alive once the doors to the museum close. Somehow some familiar friends show up at the museum to join Daley in another wild night at the Museum. There’s even a murder mystery that needs to be solve.
Title: “The Battle of Five Armies” Genre: Fantasy/Action Adventure Release Date: Dec. 17 Rating: PG-13 Director: Peter Jackson Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
Title: “Annie” Genre: Musical/Comedy Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: PG Director: Will Gluck Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz
Synopsis: In the last movie of the second trilogy, Bilbo and Company reclaim the dwarves’ homeland from the Dragon Smaug. Now Smaug wants revenge, so he goes on a rampage all over Middle-Earth attacking defenseless men, women and children. Thorin’s greed for the treasure makes him betray his band of comrades for gold. With darkness covering all of middle Earth the three races of Men, Dwarves and Elves must join together or be destroyed by the forces of evil.
Synopsis: This remake of the famous comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” tells the story of how an orphan gets adopted by a multi-billionaire. It’s a true rags to riches story, but Annie still believes that her real parents are still alive. Even though she has it all she still hopes to one day find her real parents, with the help of the most powerful man in America, Benjamin Stacks. This attracts con artists looking for a reward from Stacks.
Title: “The Gambler” Genre: Crime Drama Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: R Director: Rupert Wyatt Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, Brie Larson Synopsis: A college literature professor and high stakes gambler Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) borrows money from a loan shark (John Goodman) and his gangster bodyguards and later runs afoul of the deal made while engaged in an affair with one of his students (Brie Larson). This is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name that was based on autobiographical events.
Title: “Into the Woods” Genre: Fantasy Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: PG Director: Rob Marshall Starring: Anna Kendrick, Meryl Steep, Chris Pine Synopsis: Into the Woods is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales in a musical format that follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel — all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Steep) who has put a curse on them.
Title: “The Interview” Genre: Action/ Adventure Comedy Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: R Director: Evan Goldberg Starring: Seth Rogan, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan Synopsis: A tabloid talk show host travels to North Korea when they find out that dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of their show. On their way to Korea, they run into the CIA, and they are force to partake in their plan for the talk show host to assassinate the dictator once and for all in this action/ adventure comedy movie.
January Title: “Horror” Genre: Horror Release Date: Jan. 2 Rating: PG-13 Director: Tom Harper Starring: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox Synopsis: In this sequel, a school teacher and her students are evacuated as bombs rain down on London during World War II. They end up at the Eel Marsh House, where there is unspeakable evil lurking. One by one the her students begin to act strangely around her, and she realizes that she has disturbed the evil ghost of the lady in black.
Title: “Unbroken” Genre: Drama Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: PG-13 Director: Angelina Jolie Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Jai Courtney Synopsis: World War II hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini, a former Olympic track star, survives a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, spends 47 days drifting on a raft, and then more than two and a half years living in several Japanese prisoner of war camps in this adaptation of the bestseller by Laura Hillenbrand.
Title: “Tak3n” Genre: Action Release Date: Jan. 9 Rating: PG-13 Director: Oliver Megaton Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen Synopsis: Byran Mills returns in this third installment, but this time he is a falsely accused of raping and killing his ex-wife. With a head full of rage he is on the run from the CIA for one final adventure with Liam Neeson showing his particular set of skills.
Title: “American Sniper” Genre: Action Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: R Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes Synopsis: U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) is sent to Iraq to protect his fellow soldiers. His accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.” However, his reputation also grows behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head. Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves four tours of duty in Iraq. Upon returning home, however, Chris finds that he can’t leave the war behind.
Title: “Blackhat” Genre: Drama Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: R Director: Michael Mann Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, William Mapother Synopsis: American and Chinese agencies work together to stop a conspiracy involving a cyber criminal. With the help of Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), the authorities pursue the mysterious suspect as the dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong. The film title plays off the “blackhat” hacker concept. A “blackhat” hacker is a hacker who violates computer security for little reason beyond maliciousness or for personal gain.
Title: “The Wedding Ringer” Genre: Comedy Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: NR Director: Jeremy Garelick Starring: Kaley CuocoSweeting, Josh Gad, Kevin Hart Synopsis: Jimmy (Kevin Hart) owns a wedding company and provides best man services for socially awkward guys who don’t have anyone close enough to be their best man. Doug (Josh Gad) a groom-tobe, finds himself in that situation, but he also fabricates the names of nine other groomsmen as well. When all else fails, Doug seeks out Jimmy’s help to plan a charade designed to make Doug look his best, but threatens to destroy everything if it doesn’t work.
ILLUSTRATION BY MAYRA GARCIA/ THE ADVOCATE
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Warm up with some winter movies The Advocate takes a sneak peek at summer films. From romantic comedies to action-packed movies, don’t be left out
December Title: “Top Five” Genre: Comedy Release Date: Dec. 12 Rating: R Director: Chris Rock Starring: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union Synopsis: Andre Allen (Chris Rock) is a comedian turned film star who, despite the expectations of his millions of fans, is determined to reinvent himself as a serious actor. His upcoming television wedding to popular reality star Erica Long (Gabrielle Union) is expected to be the biggest media event of the year. In the midst of the frenzy leading up to his televised nuptials, Andre agrees to be interviewed for The New Yorker by Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson). Their interaction may well change the course of both their lives.
Title: “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” Genre: Comedy/Family Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: PG Director: Shawn Levy Starring: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson Synopsis: In this third installment, Larry Daley is patrolling London’s British Museum protecting the Egyptian Golden Tablet of Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. Daley gets into more shenanigans with exhibits that come alive once the doors to the museum close. Somehow some familiar friends show up at the museum to join Daley in another wild night at the Museum. There’s even a murder mystery that needs to be solve.
Title: “The Battle of Five Armies” Genre: Fantasy/Action Adventure Release Date: Dec. 17 Rating: PG-13 Director: Peter Jackson Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
Title: “Annie” Genre: Musical/Comedy Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: PG Director: Will Gluck Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz
Synopsis: In the last movie of the second trilogy, Bilbo and Company reclaim the dwarves’ homeland from the Dragon Smaug. Now Smaug wants revenge, so he goes on a rampage all over Middle-Earth attacking defenseless men, women and children. Thorin’s greed for the treasure makes him betray his band of comrades for gold. With darkness covering all of middle Earth the three races of Men, Dwarves and Elves must join together or be destroyed by the forces of evil.
Synopsis: This remake of the famous comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” tells the story of how an orphan gets adopted by a multi-billionaire. It’s a true rags to riches story, but Annie still believes that her real parents are still alive. Even though she has it all she still hopes to one day find her real parents, with the help of the most powerful man in America, Benjamin Stacks. This attracts con artists looking for a reward from Stacks.
Title: “The Gambler” Genre: Crime Drama Release Date: Dec. 19 Rating: R Director: Rupert Wyatt Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, Brie Larson Synopsis: A college literature professor and high stakes gambler Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) borrows money from a loan shark (John Goodman) and his gangster bodyguards and later runs afoul of the deal made while engaged in an affair with one of his students (Brie Larson). This is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name that was based on autobiographical events.
Title: “Into the Woods” Genre: Fantasy Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: PG Director: Rob Marshall Starring: Anna Kendrick, Meryl Steep, Chris Pine Synopsis: Into the Woods is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales in a musical format that follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel — all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Steep) who has put a curse on them.
Title: “The Interview” Genre: Action/ Adventure Comedy Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: R Director: Evan Goldberg Starring: Seth Rogan, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan Synopsis: A tabloid talk show host travels to North Korea when they find out that dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of their show. On their way to Korea, they run into the CIA, and they are force to partake in their plan for the talk show host to assassinate the dictator once and for all in this action/ adventure comedy movie.
January Title: “Horror” Genre: Horror Release Date: Jan. 2 Rating: PG-13 Director: Tom Harper Starring: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox Synopsis: In this sequel, a school teacher and her students are evacuated as bombs rain down on London during World War II. They end up at the Eel Marsh House, where there is unspeakable evil lurking. One by one the her students begin to act strangely around her, and she realizes that she has disturbed the evil ghost of the lady in black.
Title: “Unbroken” Genre: Drama Release Date: Dec. 25 Rating: PG-13 Director: Angelina Jolie Starring: Jack O’Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Jai Courtney Synopsis: World War II hero Louis “Louie” Zamperini, a former Olympic track star, survives a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, spends 47 days drifting on a raft, and then more than two and a half years living in several Japanese prisoner of war camps in this adaptation of the bestseller by Laura Hillenbrand.
Title: “Tak3n” Genre: Action Release Date: Jan. 9 Rating: PG-13 Director: Oliver Megaton Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen Synopsis: Byran Mills returns in this third installment, but this time he is a falsely accused of raping and killing his ex-wife. With a head full of rage he is on the run from the CIA for one final adventure with Liam Neeson showing his particular set of skills.
Title: “American Sniper” Genre: Action Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: R Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes Synopsis: U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) is sent to Iraq to protect his fellow soldiers. His accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.” However, his reputation also grows behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head. Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves four tours of duty in Iraq. Upon returning home, however, Chris finds that he can’t leave the war behind.
Title: “Blackhat” Genre: Drama Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: R Director: Michael Mann Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, William Mapother Synopsis: American and Chinese agencies work together to stop a conspiracy involving a cyber criminal. With the help of Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), the authorities pursue the mysterious suspect as the dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong. The film title plays off the “blackhat” hacker concept. A “blackhat” hacker is a hacker who violates computer security for little reason beyond maliciousness or for personal gain.
Title: “The Wedding Ringer” Genre: Comedy Release Date: Jan. 16 Rating: NR Director: Jeremy Garelick Starring: Kaley CuocoSweeting, Josh Gad, Kevin Hart Synopsis: Jimmy (Kevin Hart) owns a wedding company and provides best man services for socially awkward guys who don’t have anyone close enough to be their best man. Doug (Josh Gad) a groom-tobe, finds himself in that situation, but he also fabricates the names of nine other groomsmen as well. When all else fails, Doug seeks out Jimmy’s help to plan a charade designed to make Doug look his best, but threatens to destroy everything if it doesn’t work.
ILLUSTRATION BY MAYRA GARCIA/ THE ADVOCATE
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Best burrito on Gourmet cuisine has nothing on this timeless, portable culinary masterpiece Reviews by: Cody McFarland, Robert Clinton and Christian Urrutia
TAQUERIA Y RASPADOS JR.
Due to its proximity to Richmond H i g h School, ( M a r i o’s Deli) has been a popular spot for students to grab a quick bite. While their super burrito is not particularly bad, there is something a bit off about their version of this Tex-Mex classic. The burrito tastes and smells similar to a Greek gyro, accentuated by the distinct taste of parsley.
Despite being over-spiced, the burrito was proportioned well and had a decent balance of meat, cheese, beans, rice and sour cream. However, (Mario’s) loses points for not having a variety of beans or tortillas to choose from, only refried and flour, respectively. The burrito was decent, but some of the flavors will catch any eater expecting traditional Tex-Mex off guard. Tampering with the near-perfect formula of a burrito is risky business, and (Mario’s Deli) proves how such tampering can go awry. Grade: C
PEPITO’S DELI
T h e dry and rice filled super burrito with unique tasting salsa from Pepito’s Deli is overly priced at almost $8. Sure, it may have the size of a seemingly filling burrito, but unfortunately, it is crammed with rice and pinto beans making it too dry to enjoy. The flour tortilla is a little too durable compared
to places where the tortilla is warmed first for a few moments before adding all the ingredients. The pico de gallo contains chopped tomatoes that are overly spiced due to herbs used. The redeeming factor is the meat used, in this case carne asada. Incredibly tender and flavorful, the steak was sliced up evenly and saves the super burrito from being a underperforming regular burrito. The cheese was nonexistent and the avocado, not guacamole but avocado, was chunky and loosely added. Grade: D
EL TAPATIO
El Tapatio has a history of offering cheap Mexican eats at all hours, but that legacy is waning. Although the restaurant’s 24-hour extension is only made to look like a taco truck, the stationary building has had no trouble going downhill. The word “super” by no means deserves to be in front of any of their menu item’s names. The extra $1 spent to add cheese and sour cream, the only difference between a super burrito and a burrito, is not worth it. A steak “super” burrito runs $5.50, though I can recall when the same ran $3.50. Somehow soggy and dry rolled into one, the bland, dehydrated beef and overcooked rice was an awful pairing with the mushy
beans and excess sour cream. If you spent a long night dr in king and want to grab some food to take the edge off the next morning, you’re better off handling a hangover than eating a burrito from El Tapatio. Grade: F
PORTUMEX
Since the 80s when low rider car clubs owned the night along 23rd Street in Richmond, Portumex has maintained a legacy with local foodies’ refined palate for authentic Mexican food. Its super steak burrito balanced with near equal parts of beans, rice and carne asada is complimented by strategically placed cheese and sour cream, as not to allow its juicy goodness to leak down your wrist upon first bite. Not one flavor was overpowering and the medley of onion and chili spices made for a perfect compliment to sour creamy center. Grade: B
LA FLOR DE JALISCO Known as arguably the finest Burrito truck in
Richmond, La Flor de Jalisco started on the corner of 21st and Macdonald. Word spread almost as fast as the scent of its expertly seasoned steak wafted through-
out the area. Healthy dollops of sour cream and handfuls of cheese are just the foundation for the best green sauce your going to find on this side of the tracks. Even with a limited mix and match of items, the reasonably priced truck never seems to have a slow day. High demand prompted the opening of a second truck on the corner of 23rd and Clinton. Same owners same recipe, but it’s never as good as the first one. Grade: A
TAQUERIA LA ESTRELLA ‘NOT ON MAP’
MAP BY GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE
Taqueria La Estrella has an extensive menu that features a proportionally small but yet well balanced super burrito. It carries a nice combination of all the classic essentials that go into a super burrito, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and your choice of meat without having one overshadow another. The shredded chicken was chop thoroughly and did not have any chunks clinging to the ends. The jack cheese pooled into the corners of the flour tortilla and added a tasty layer to the bottom of the burrito. The salsa and additional spices bring a gentle spice and do not overpower the pal-
ate of average burrito goers. While it did cost over $7 with tax lifting it from its regular price of $6.50, the end result of a spice-filled flavor rich burrito will make it seem unimportant. Grade: B
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What’swrong with weird
“The opposite of pro is con. That fact is clearly seen. If progress means move forward, then what does congress mean?” — Nipsey Russell 1924-2005, philosopher, human rights activist, Renaissance man, actor and comedian BY Manning Peterson STAFF WRITER
mpeterson.theadvocate@gmail.com
W
hen you traverse the relaxing roads of the East Bay or enjoy a scenic stroll across the Cal-Berkeley campus, you will probably be privy to conversations in at least 30 different languages including American Sign Language (ASL). “Name-calling” aka “talking smack” or “negative labeling” is one of our linguistic variations. It involves many misplaced modern mots and clichés such as nerd, ho, stupid, anarchist, dork, woman/Asian drivers, retarded and weird. The word weird has become internationally synonymous with the alleged lifestyle and purported philosophy of the city of Berkeley. And to avoid any auxiliary angst, creative confusion or subliminal stumbling, let’s establish one absolute truth here and now. BERKELEY AIN’T PALO ALTO! Oct. 24, 2014. It is a sunny, warm, autumn day in the People’s Republic of Berkeley. I have lived here off and on for 15 years including my four-year student stint in the Graduate School of Education at Cal. One irrefutable fact my West Coast life path has taught me is to expect the unexpected when I sashay along the streets
of Berkeley cuz things can get weird out here in a heartbeat. Webster’s Dictionary defines weird as strange; bizarre; concern with the unnatural. Orthodox is defined as adhering to traditional practice or belief. The population of Berkeley is 99.9 percent unorthodox. The remaining onetenth is practitioners of the Orthodox Jewish, Buddhist and Islamic religions. This miniscule minion also includes a group professing to focus on advancing to the rank of professional putzdom and heroic druggie (Ph.D.). I rolled over three blocks west from Top Dog to check out my mail at the historic main post office on Allston Way cuz you never know when that “million dollar check” of your dreams will arrive. Today might just be my day. There was a 3-inch by 5-inch card in my P.O. Box informing me of “Parcel too large for box.” While I was reading the card, as a stubby, disheveled, stanking (that’s ebonics for beyond stinking), 50-ish Caucasian dude inserted his polluted patoot between me and the open mailbox. He shouted up into my face with alcohol,
Halitosis, anger-accented breath, “You know they even let niggers, japs, spics, Jews, chinks and Arabs use this post office!” “Thanks for sharing that important information, bro. I’ll be sure I pass it on,” I answered with my head turned 180 degrees from his voice. It would not have been helpful or necessary to tell this sawed-off schmuck I have been a P.O. Box holder here for over 40 years, nor that I am an honorably discharged AfricanAmerican veteran. When I turned my head to face him, he was in the wind. I took a number and seat to wait my run for service. A 30-ish HinduEast Indian appearing female wearing a Cal sweatshirt over her salmon-colored sari, slid in next to me. She began screaming, “Every goddamn time I come to this goddamn post office I have to wait too goddamn long!” I jumped up and joined the folks standing out of her vocal anxiety vicinity. Five minutes later I heard my number 43 called. A pleasant, late 20s, attractive Asian postal associate (they were called mail clerks in the late 1950s-early 60s during my part-time postal career while attending college) greeted me with a dazzling smile and warm “Good afternoon sir.” She was taller than short for a stereotypical adult Asian female. I am 5-foot-10 and she was present at the same eye level. This efficient U.S.P.S. employee accepted my card and asked for the box number. After disappearing behind some clear plastic room dividers, she quickly returned with the parcel. It was a lovely birthday gift from my precious grandson, “Moto” and darling daughter, Randall. The white print name tag above her left breast pocket attracted my attention. It read He and piqued my curiosity. I had to ask her, “Is your name He?” She smiled sweetly and said, “Yes sir, my name is He.” I thanked her and gave her a piece of ginger candy. She smiled warmly once more while accepting the sweet gift and softly replied, “Thank you very much for being so kind sir.”
I strolled outside and a warm bright sun greeted me. That’s when I spoke to myself, “Amazing! He is a she and she is HE. And I’m just a Black Me — As Black AS I CAN BE surfing the weird wacky waves and whitecaps of Berkeley. My father warned me about places like Berkeley before I left our Martha’s Vineyard family home in 1970. Thanks for the heads-up, “Ruf!” Longevity has taught me the only predictable behavior that occurs in Berkeley is the utter unpredictability of the folks who live and work here or attend Cal. And, believe me, it is ridiculously refreshing ’cause everybody in Berkeley ain’t weird no matter what definition you choose to stand by. They are simply who they are as individuals. Bouncing to the boogie-woogie on their beautiful boulevards of Berkeley is synonymous with being at an Oakland Raiders game at the Oakland Coliseum. You know why? CUZ THERE IS NO SUCH ACTIVITY AS DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. IT’S JUST THE RAIDER NATION DOING ITS THANG! It is essential to remember, despite all we have been taught or encouraged to believe, there are usually very few absolute areas in life such as wrong, right, orthodox, normal or weird. My nearly eight decades of experience has disclosed four absolute rule exceptions for as of today. They are: 1. I will stay black. 2. I will get older and uglier one day at a time and 3. I will die as a black man and 4. God is good all the time. Life is simply a casual causal convertible conundrum like politics cuz there are no truths and there are no facts. It is all a matter of style and perception. But, if you are looking for perfection, you better change your direction. Here’s some information on the search for perfection my father counseled me about all my life. “Ruf ” (that’s his nickname pronounced roof) said, “A perfectionist is a person who takes great pains to give them to others.”
“There is absolutely nothing wrong, evil or diabolical about any person presenting as weird. These behavior patterns simply confuse, arouse, disorient, excite or simply piss-off most folks. Those are the reaction choices to weird by the mediocre majority. I just let them do their thing and focus on living my own weird life!”
— Julian Boy, emeritus professor in the English Department at UC Berkeley
LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE
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Giving fills void for less fortunate Charities comfort needy by accepting donations, volunteers, food, presents CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE EAST BAY Catholic Charities of the East Bay includes an office on Harbour Way known as the West County Service Center in Richmond aside from its Oakland location. The Catholic Charities provide numerous efforts to improve the well-being and quality of life among the local community regardless of people’s religious faith and helps individuals through various social services programs. The West County Service Center on Harbour Way has several programs and services available for residents that include critical family needs, family to family, and foreclosure prevention counseling. The charity also provides income tax assistance, immigration legal services and restorative trauma informed practices. An upcoming educational forum, Expanded Immigration Relief: Get the Facts in Oakland is scheduled for Dec. 13 to discuss information related to President Obama’s recent immigration decision. It is being held at St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is being co-sponsored by Oakland Community Organizations. — Christian Urrutia GREATER RICHMOND INTERFAITH PROGRAM
BAY AREA RESCUE MISSION
BERKELEY-EAST BAY HUMANE SOCIETY
The Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) is a diverse organization working to combat social problems affecting the poor, the homeless and the disenfranchised in the Richmond area. GRIP’s programs and services are aimed toward individuals and families in need of food, shelter and other supportive means in order to get by. Its core services include the Richmond Soup Center program, Family Housing Program, and the West County Resource Center — as well as the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program and Permanent Supportive Housing Facility. For instance, the Souper center, which is co-housed at GRIP’s Family Housing and Supportive Services Facility on 22rd Street in Richmond, provides lunch meals every day of the year to more than 200 people from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The majority of the food is donated and meals are prepared and served by volunteers.
The Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond has been caring and helping homeless and helpless individuals for the greater part of 50 years. The non-profit mission offers help to individuals through food, shelter, warm showers and clean clothes. The locations (Men’s Center, Family Center, Food Pantry and Distribution Center) on Macdonald Avenue provide biblical studies, computer-aided learning and GED preparation. Volunteers also help in training individuals for job skills in culinary arts, warehousing, heavy equipment operation, office work, construction, security, janitorial service and automotive sales and service. The food pantry receives donations from more than 10 local grocery chains and more than 1.5 million meals annually have been prepared from these donations.
Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society on Ninth Street in Berkeley offers its best care for homeless animals, from the rescue process to rehabilitation to placement in new homes. The shelter strives to be an ideal place for critical resources to the local community and animal welfare. All of the animals prior to adoption receive veterinary and behavioral evaluations, spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchip, heartworm testing (dogs over 6 months), FeLV/FIV testing (cats), heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventative and de-worming. Berkeley Humane features a program called PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) to provide support for the pets of low-income seniors, people with life-threatening illnesses, and people with disabilities in the surrounding community.
— Christian Urrutia
— Christian Urrutia
— Christian Urrutia
HOLIDAY BELIEFS A LESSON IN HISTORY HOLIDAYS: Last month of the year brings cross-cultural joy, universal messages of peace, love CHRISTMAS The word Christmas is derived from the Middle English word Christes Maesse, or Christ’s Mass, which was used before the 12th century. Christmas in America has multiple traditions of both religious and nonreligious backgrounds. Christians view the winter jubilee as a celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader for the Christian faith who is believed to have been the living son of God. — George Morin Santa Claus: The figure comes from a man in the fourth century from Turkey named Saint Nicholas. He was known for his generosity and love for children, giving pouches of gold coins to the poor people living in his town. Wreath: The wreath is a symbol that represents God’s neverending love. It is traditionally made of Evergreen tree cuttings. Lacking a beginning or an end, it is a symbol of life, saluting the idea that life continues.
HANUKKAH When the Jewish Holy Land of Jerusalem was reclaimed from Greek-Syrian invaders by the people, the holy temple was soiled by pagan rituals and sacrifices, and only one day’s worth of anointed oil remained. The Jewish troops lit the menorah, nonetheless, and to their surprise, one day’s oil burned for eight days. The holiday of Hanukkah, beginning on the 25 of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, is celebrated throughout the Jewish community to honor the miraculous occurrence.
KWANZAA Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 that celebrates family, community and culture. The name “Kwanzaa” is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, the most widely spoken African language. The holiday’s origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. — George Morin
— George Morin Dreidel: The spinning dreidel is a traditional game played during the holiday and also alludes to the miraculous oil conservation. Each of the top’s four sides bear a letter, comprising the message “A great miracle happened here.”
Menorah: The menorah is a symbol at the center of the Hanukkah miracle. To memorialize the story, those partaking in the holiday light a candle for each of the eight days until all are lit.
Bendera (The Flag): The flag is based on the colors given by Marcus Garvey, an activist for PanAfricanism, as the national colors for African people throughout the world.
Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles): The Seven Candles placed in a candleholder during Kwanzaa represent the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, which are the set of values African people are encouraged to live by.
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THE PROCRASTINATOR’S PARADISE Easy to locate gifts for the most difficult people to shop for on your list WRITE A LETTER
BOW-LINGUAL
Price: $1 Where: Home Who: Anyone Why: It’s fairly simple. All that’s needed is paper, pen or pencil, time and thought. It’s true that it is the thought that counts. Its possible that you forgot to get someone a gift, you are lost on what to get them or have no money. If you write a meaningful letter, they cannot say you didn’t get them anything. Write a letter. The words will last longer.
Price: $79.99 Where: Amazon.com Who: Dog owners Why: The product by Takara Tomy is advertised to attach like a collar on your K-9 companion, and translate its bark into speech any good owner would understand. The small for entertainment purposes only sticker will go unnoticed by the recipient, as owners will be blinded by their new ability to talk to their animals. – Robert Clinton
– Mayra Garcia
GIFT CARDS
SOCCET
Price: $20-$200 Where: Most retailers Who: Anyone Why: Last minute gift shopping? It’s difficult when choosing a gift under the pressure of time and it happens to everyone. If the holidays are all about spending, why not give someone a gift card? It’s simple because all you need to do is load the card with some cash. – Mayra Garcia
Price: $99 Where: Unchartedplay.com Who: Soccer players, anyone Why: The Soccet is the perfect gift for the person in your life who is always bracing for the end of the world, and never has enough gear for the occasion. This regular-sized waterproof soccer ball made from recycled materials was created to raise awareness about the world’s energy crisis. One hour of play is good for three hours of light. Soccet comes with its own LED lamp that is easily plugged into the ball after charging. – Robert Clinton
WIRELESS BEATS BY DRE HEADPHONE
HOLGA
Price: $299.99 Where: Amazon.com Who: Anyone Why: Is hearing a friend call out your name, or maintaining a general awareness of your surroundings becoming too much to handle? Try slapping 1 pound of plastic on your head by way of the hot wireless Beats by Dre headphones. For the price of a round-trip plane ticket to Las Vegas (spending cash included), you will feel comfortable blending in as just another face in the crowd with gaudy accessories — minus the $300 you gave to Amazon. – Robert Clinton
Price: $30 Where: Amazon.com Who: Photographers Why: A cheap camera that can shoot film photos in 120mm instead of the standard 35mm. It’s simple enough a child can take a photo like Ansel Adams, with the simple click of the exposure button. – George Morin
Winter fashions highlight style Demands of season require fashionistas to keep cool with hip styles, practicality HEADGEAR Not only is it an essential accessory for keeping those ears warm, but a beanie can be used to hide that annoying bed head in the morning. With different colors and patterns to choose from, the choices are endless. Beanies are comfortable, effortless and fashionable all at once. They can be worn for any occasion. OK, maybe not, but they are warm. They can be found in different stores from Zumiez through Sears. Prices range from $6-$20 depending on the brand. Zumiez offers them in black and navy for $17.95. – Roxana Amparo JACKETS, VESTS, HOODIES, WINDBREAKERS When a toasty latte is not enough and the weather requires that you wear more than a sweater, keep yourself warm while looking sharp with a peacoat. They are not only worn by women, but some male fashionistas have grown fond of its nautical essence. Some with one row of buttons and the other with two for the double breasted look when you are going for a more dashing look. They come in different lengths depending on stature. The prices range from the low $50s to the pricey $300 and up. This black peacoat can be found for $99.95 at American Eagle. It comes in navy as well. – Roxana Amparo LONG SLEEVES, AND PANTS There is no way of going wrong with a long-sleeve T-shirt and jeans for enough comfort and warmth. It is something that says “I care, but not really,” and can also be worn either for those nights out with friends or a date with a special someone. The style of the sleeves vary depending on the taste of the, from v-necks to crewneck tees, from loose-fitting jeans to skinny jeans. Simple longsleeves can be purchased from Target to almost any store at your nearest mall. Prices range from $12-$25 for tees and from $30-$80 plus for jeans. They can be purchased from Macy’s to online store like us.levi.com for those looking for something more affordable. These black Levi’s 505 fit jeans can be purchase online for $40 (plus shipping and handling). – Roxana Amparo
HAT
SCARVES If you are searching for something that will make you stand out in the crowd, a scarf is the way to go. Adding a scarf to an outfit adds just enough spunk to take it to the next level. The ability to be adjusted around the neck to fit, adds an outlet for a creative effort. It is a simple piece of clothing that can occasionally be worn with a long-sleeve tee. Bold move, my friend. This gradient grey scarf can be found for $20 at Nordstrom and can range in colors and length. – Roxana Amparo
TOP Nothing compliments a foggy morning like a hot cup of coffee. Add to that a long sleeved shawl collared boucle knit cardigan. A stylish addition to keep you as warm outside as you are inside. The sweater is sold in burgundy, black or gray. They are available at H&M for $19.95. – Robert Clinton LEGGINGS Superhero sheik comes to mind when coupling boots with these leggings. The black high waist top with exposed side zipper reveals the inner bad girl hidden beneath her conservative cardigan shell. These leggings sell for $14.80 at Forever 21. – Robert Clinton
SHOES Comfort your sole with some cozy kicks this season. There is an endless selection of shoes when it comes to finding the right ones. With a variety of boot-like shoes that offer comfort, either with laces or lace-less for a tight, hugging grip. Not only can they keep your toes warm, but they can add that umf to an outfit. These Chukka sneakers can be purchased in grey and maple brown for $59.95 at GAP. – Roxana Amparo
Whether safeguarding lovely locks from the elements or accentuating the perfect ensemble, the right hat can be the cherry on top or a beacon of distraction that owns the room for all of the wrong reasons. This 20s style black felt coche with bow is perfect enough for admirers to ask you where you got it. But subtle enough for them not to pin-point what compelled them to do so. Available for $18.95 at Amazon.com. – Robert Clinton
BOOTS The ability to transform between class and after school activities, be it work or play, is seamless in this sassy yet sophisticated selection by Forever. These Lotus 18 inch slouchy knee high boots are available for $39.99 at Overstock.com. – Robert Clinton
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spotlight
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 12.10.2014 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
■ LOST TREASURE
Album’s pertinence persists
Mood
BY Cody McFarland
music
cmcfarland.theadvocate@gmail.com
transcends every era of life
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
V
ery few musicians I listened to during my childhood and in high school, besides the classics imparted to me by my parents, have had staying power enough to make my present day playlists. Though their later albums won’t be found among my favorites, pop-punk trio Blink-182’s 1997 sophomore studio release “Dude Ranch” will stay with me forever. Since I first bought the album at age 10, when the pop-punk trio’s bathroom humor, disdain for authority and songs about heartbreak appealed to me most, I have come to appreciate the full depth of “Dude Ranch” in adulthood. An album that encapsulates growing up, “Dude Ranch” tackles themes of self-worth and selfloathing, pursuing non-conventional careers in the arts despite parents’ objections, how growing up in many cases means growing apart and the importance of being yourself during these trying, transitional times. The album’s first track, “Pathetic,” is a testament to the significance of these themes and how, by taking their own advice, Blink-182 overcame adversity to become successful. Guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge wrote the song after doing poorly in high school and dropping out of junior college to pursue music. His mom, who wanted him to get a “real job,” attempted to dissuade him by saying such a goal was pathetic and he was doomed to be a loser. The lyrics describe how DeLonge begins to doubt his dream and believe his mom’s harsh criticisms: “Don’t pull me down, this is where I belong/ I think I’m different, but I’m the same and I’m wrong.” In fact, DeLonge and his band mates were different. “Dude Ranch” went on to be Blink182’s first platinum album and the band’s following three studio releases shared the same fate. Each of the 15 songs on “Dude
Ranch” is worth a listen — for both musical and lyrical content. Simple drumming and catchy melodies make the album an easy listen and nostalgia is likely to have some effect on millennials. The lack of politics is refreshing of a band that derives some influence from punk rock, and the songs about relationships and heartbreak are surprisingly few on this album. Track nine, titled “Apple Shampoo,” is a song about a failed relationship. Though heartbreak is a common theme in music, Blink-182 avoids gushing here and makes an aptly worded observation that the honeymoon phase is over: “It isn’t exciting reciting the stories/ Of kind words turned hurting when routine gets boring.” Of course, “Dude Ranch” is not lacking in the juvenile content that made Blink182 popular with youth. Track two, titled “Voyeur,” is a cleverly worded and comedic account of a peeping Tom, likely at the expense of DeLonge for his first name. The raunchy 13th track, “Degenerate,” depicts the awkward and indecent acts of an aging addict. I didn’t get it at first, but this song is less of a personal reflection and more of a worst-case example, effectually saying, “I know I’ve messed up, but I could have done a lot worse.” Though I’ve had this album since elementary school, the last two tracks make more sense
and relate more to my life now than they ever did before. The responsibilities of adult life curtail the freedoms one gets accustomed to in youth, namely all the free time spent with friends. The 14th track “Lemmings” describes the author’s frustration with a friend who hasn’t seemed to change much in adulthood and expects his friends to be their old high school selves as well. While the author attempts to show this friend the error of living in the
past, he does so with empathy: “Laughing at the bands we hate, all the spots we used to skate/ They’re still there, but we’ve gone our own ways/ I know it’s for the best but sometimes I wonder/ Will I ever have friends like you again?” The final track, “I’m Sorry,” acts as a second part to “Lemmings” in a way, depicting the author in a position to give sympathy and advice to a friend depressed because he or she is growing older. With this song, Blink-182 offers the simple but effective advice I’ve used when I’ve felt down about aging. “You gotta get up on your feet/ ‘Cause the only way, I gotta say/ Is to move on through the week.”
■ LOST TREASURE
MASTER CHIEF SHINES IN HIS BEST GAME TO DATE
Purists’ favorite ‘Halo 2’ sees 10-year birthday BY Jared Amdahl OPINION EDITOR
jamdahl.theadvocate@gmail.com
A
nyone who has played video games for more than 10 years should be able to recall in great detail playing “Halo 2” on the original Xbox video game console. My own personal memories remain quite vivid and significant to this day. I stayed up all night just to get in one more match of “Team Slayer” before the sun would rise, while drinking endless amounts of soda to help battle the fatigue. Saving the world all night is a strenuous process, regardless if you are doing it from the sanctity of your couch, but I digress. No matter what the specifics may be, anyone who played “Halo 2” took part in an experience that would eventually birth one of the best-selling video game series of all time. And the influence of the game can still be felt today. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of “Halo 2,” which is still considered
by many “Halo purists” to be the best “Halo” game to have ever been released in the franchise. By 2007, just three years after the game had been released, there had been more than 500 million matches of “Halo 2” multiplayer played, totaling an estimated 710 million hours spent in matchmaking. That is about 80,000 years
worth of accumulative gameplay. It was apparent that a giant group of people, namely nerds, were putting aside the needs of the body, like sleep and proper diet, in the pursuit of an experience that would ultimately nurture the soul. When “Halo 2” was launched, it was the first time on video game consoles that the addictive gameplay “Halo” would be
enjoyed by an audience over the Internet. People could sit in the comfort of their own homes, while simultaneously nerding out over everything “Halo 2” had to offer. In addition to groundbreaking graphics, for the time anyway, and wonderful gameplay, “Halo 2” offered deep storytelling that captivated most and enraged others. It was easy to tell that “Halo 2” was the most epic game around at the time within the first 15 minutes of playing it. One of the best scenes in the game starts with the line, “Just one question: What if you miss?” from a side character in the game named Cortana. The game’s protagonist, the Master Chief, replies with a cool and collected, “I won’t,” right before flying through space and blowing up an enemy flagship — with their own bomb. Who does that? Well, “Halo 2” showed gamers that the Master Chief is who does that. It was when the story brought a character named The Arbitor — an alien that has been disgraced by the Covenant, the enemies you normally fight against — that lost some people. While playing as an “enemy” character turned some people off, a lot of those
people fail to realize what the new perspective did for the “Halo” universe and story. By putting players in the shoes of the Arbitor, Bungie, the development team that created “Halo,” explained an entire side of the “Halo” universe that otherwise would have been left untouched. Everything about “Halo 2” was an advancement on the game that came out before it, “Halo: Combat Evolved.” And that is exactly what is needed in a sequel. Games like “Halo 2” not only need to be remembered, but must be used as an example for what games can and should do to the community that plays them. Older games can still be enjoyed, and this is something Microsoft, the current owners of the “Halo” franchise, realize. Just in time to celebrate the decade-long milestone, Microsoft released “Halo: The Master Chief Collection,” last month, which is the first four “Halo” games packaged into one title for fans to enjoy on the new Xbox One video game console. It is funny because the more anticipated portions of the game are the maps, game types and story from “Halo 2.” My friend made a fitting joke the other day. After I told him that the “Master Chief Collection” was coming out and explained in detail what it is, he looked at me with a smile on his face and said, “Great, everyone is just going to start playing Halo 2 again.” And he is right. Who could blame them?
focus
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Ice skating warms city hearts
A girl zooms by on her ice skates at the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco on Nov. 16. The annual ice rink opening marks the start of the holiday season.
Photos by: Qing Huang FOR
MORE PHOTOS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM
A couple takes a break from ice skating at the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco on Nov. 16. Thousands gather every year to skate at the rink.
People skate at the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco on Nov. 16. The annual ice rink opening marks the start of the holiday season.
A women skates on one leg at the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco on Nov. 16. The annual ice rink opening marks the start of the holiday season.
A couple skates by at the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco on Nov. 16. The annual ice rink opening marks the start of the holiday season.
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WINNING WAYS ARE HERE AGAIN Squad returns to playoffs under new management BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com
Despite having a new coach and a freshman heavy roster, the men’s soccer team was able to finish in second place in the Bay Valley Conference and secure a playoff berth. Contra Costa College (11-7-3 overall, 8-3-1 in the BVC) was knocked out of Northern YEAR IN the California REVIEW regional playOverall offs in the first record: 11-7-3 round after Conference being shut out record: 8-3-1 3-0 at Fresno Conference City College. finish: Second The Ram’s coach Eric Solberg has been coaching men’s soccer for ten years and with this win against CCC, he broke a school record for most wins as a coach. “This is a first year guy coaching a young team. It was a crazy game and the score is not indicative of the way these guys played,” he said. “I got to give (CCC) props for creating a good stepping stone for next year. We will be sure to keep up the rivalry.” The Comet’s finished 12th in the 2014 Regional standings. The top 14 teams are invited to the post season. This is a feat CCC has not achieved since 2005. Coach Nikki Ferguson, the former women’s soccer team coach, said the team was able to secure valuable power points by playing strong teams outside its conference. Ferguson said while Mendocino College and Folsom Lake College were added to the BVC to create a more competitive season, “we were able to make the playoffs because we tied with Santa Rosa Junior College, which gave us a higher power point ranking.” CCC also had more games to play this season than in comparison with former coach Rudy Zeller. During the 2013 season the soccer team finished (11-6-3 overall, 7-21 in the BVC) Comet sophomore center back Bradley Alman said he was skeptical that the team would be able to do better than last season with such a young squad and the stark contrast in individual talent. “I didn’t expect to make the playoffs,” Alman said. “But this year we had great chemistry this year and all started with coaching staff engraining into our heads that we would not win games if we couldn’t trust each other.” On Nov. 10, CCC was losing 3-0 at halftime against SRJC. The Comet’s were able to score four goals within the final ten minutes of the game to lead 4-3 but gave up a stoppage time goal to cede the victory. Ferguson said it helped the team “immensely” and propelled it from 14th place in the region to 12th. “That game summed up our season,” Alman said. “It showed that we never gave up even after we lost a few games. Tying that game cost us a lot but fact we battle back and could have won the game is a huge credit to this team.” The Comets solid defensive backline managed to shut out opponents in 10 games. It earned the team a 10th place among most shutouts. Its offense however struggled to score with only scoring 33 goals overall, 20 of those goals were scored in conference play. Six Comet players were selected to be part of the BVC all conference teams and individual awards. Alman, freshman striker Bryan Santos and midfielder Nic Bob were picked for the first team. While midfielders Ivan Marin, Jesus Villagrana and goalkeeper Jose Ayala chosen to second. Alman also won Defensive MVP and Defensive player of the year in the BVC. Next season the Comet’s will be without center defensive back Charlie Mendoza, Alman and right defensive full back Enri Refunjol because their eligibility is up. Bob said he is excited what another season playing for the CCC soccer team will bring. “We will have a good amount of returning players. We are going to lose two important center backs and a left back but we have enough good players to get us back to this spot next year.”
Comet defender Brad Alman (center) jumps up for a header during the first half of CCC’s 3-1 win against Chabot College at the Soccer Field on Sept. 25. QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
Dual losing streaks sandwich lone win for team this season New coach has tough year with young players
BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
The women’s soccer team started slow and finished at a snail’s pace with an eight-game losing streak. Contra Costa College (1-19 overall, 1-11 in the Bay Valley Conference) also failed to score in all but one of those contests. The squad’s problems weren’t connected to road games; they also failed to eek out a single win at the Soccer Field. First-year coach Amanda Beckenhauer took the driver’s seat after successfully earning the position as an assistant under new men’s coach Nikki Ferguson last year. The bumps in the road came often and early. Only half of the team slated to return from last year returned to play for Beckenhauer in her inaugural season as coach. “It was a disappointment when a lot of the players that we expected to play didn’t show up,” CCC defender Mary Salizar said. “We tried to talk to them and motivate some of them to stay but they weren’t committed.” Despite an abysmal season, the first year head coach still has the confidence
of the Comet athYEAR IN letic department. REVIEW “I don’t come to work looking to Overall get rid of people. record: 1-19-0 It’s about what’s in Conference the best interests of record: 1-11 the players and the Conference students,” Athletic finish: Director John Wade Seventh said. “I was hoping the carryover from being assistant would work but it’s still too early to tell. All coaches deserve opportunities, especially women. They bring things to the table that men don’t and I respect that.” Many of the players on the team played out of their regular positions for the majority of the season, as substitutions were in short supply. If there was a position that needed to be filled during a game because of fatigue or injury, Beckenhauer would put in any player she had on the bench even if the position was completely foreign to the substitute. The squad played the last game, as they had in many this season, without enough players to fill every position on the field. Despite seemingly never hav-
ing enough players the squad was only forced to forfeit one game against Yuba College. It was its lowest scoring loss recorded at 1-0. With no statistical standouts or team accomplishments to speak of the only realistic focus this team has it to become better than this year. “Since I was a captain this year I should have carried on more of a leadership role,” freshman center Abigal Perez said. “I probably should have tried to motivate the girls we had more since so many of them quit.” “All I look for is to see if someone is making improvements,” Wade said. “I’ll help, but I’m sure she knows she needs to find players to see what kind of coach she will turn out to be.” In her first interview as coach Beckenhauer said, “The only reason I worry about our lack of depth is the risk of injury, other than that I can work with what we have.” The lack of depth proved to be too much of an obstacle for the Comets to overtake. After scoring only seven goals in 20 games with an average of 4.6 shots per game, it’s incumbent of the coach to spend more time recruiting now that the season is over.
INJURIES, OBSTACLES EXPLAIN RECORD BY Jason Sykes STAFF WRITER
jsykes.theadvocate@gmail.com
The long practices and before-thegame jitters are now over because the volleyball season has ended for the Comets. The Comets (4-15 overall and 2-12 in BVC) ended their season on a sour note but they were still optimistic about the outcome of their season. The Comets may have the best YEAR IN game played of the season REVIEW when they played Overall the College of Marin record: 4-15 on their Sophomore Conference Night. CCC forced record: 2-12 the game into five Conference sets but narrowly finish: missed the win. That Seventh may have been the most intense and determined game the team had played all year. There were vast improvements in their play on the court as they had made great improvements to their game all season. CCC started their season off strong but was faced with obstacle after obstacle as the season progressed. Coach Zachary Shrieve isn’t measuring his season off of wins and losses but he is basing his season off improvement. “We improved from our first game until the end,” coach Shrieve said. The Comets were lacking in the player department making every other player on the team have to step up and produce at all times. Sometimes during the Comet games the team would come out sluggish and get better as the game progressed. That became one of the team’s bad habits that would hinder them from winning some
CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE
sets throughout the season. CCC was not always consistent with its team play that would fluctuate up and down at times of the season. Battling through injuries and going against tough competition each night, the Comets gave there all on the court each night. Outside hitter Valeria Avila said, “Although we had obstacles, like losing our players midseason, we were still able to fight as a team.” To top the lack of depth on the team, the Comets were hit with the injury bug throughout the season. The team lost a player after she sprained her ankle and that left the team vulnerable because
they would be playing without any reserves. CCC was the underdog all season long. Lacking in height and depth they had to rely on speed and quick striking offense to win their games. The Comets played each team with the same effort and energy. Coach Shrieve said he made sure he prepared the team for all of their matches. Avila said she wishes the team had not been too tense and nervous at times during the season. Coach Shrieve chose not to measure his team by wins and losses because he said his team continued to improve in all parts of the game throughout the year.
Comet outside hitter Kailey Walker (right) lofts the ball over the net toward Eagles’ players during CCC’s win against Laney College in Oakland on Oct. 1.
sports
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Comets earn trip home in tournament Lack of post presence a factor in weekend loss BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
Comet guard Tajai Johnson (center) losses possession of the ball during CCC’s 81-62 loss to San Jose City College during the Diablo Valley College Tournament on Nov. 28.
PLEASANT HILL — The men’s basketball team being eliminated from the Diablo Valley College Tournament after two consecutive losses is the least of its problems as the young squad faces its first adversity of the 2014-15 season. The Comets lost to San Jose City College (6-1 overall) and West Hills-Coalinga (4-7 overall) 81-62 and 70-66, respectively. But Contra Costa College (2-3 overall) entered the tournament without three of its tallest players on Nov. 28. Three out-of-state players from Colorado were removed from the program by coach Miguel Johnson for conduct detrimental to the team. Isaac Brown 6-6, Jordan Brown 6-3 and Darwin Goff 6-8 made up a large portion of CCC’s inside the key presence. Both Browns started in the squad’s previous game, a 7456 blowout win against College of the Siskiyous. “There’s several ways to skin a cat,” Johnson said. “We can rebound effectively from the guard position. We don’t need to dominate on the glass, we just want to control certain moments.” Johnson disguised the lack of a formidable front court for most of the game. Comet guards Phillip Secrease and Tajai Johnson anchored an aggressive 2-3 zone that limited dribble penetration and camouflaged the Comets’ lack of a shot blocker. In their first game, with heightened responsibilities of protecting the paint, the two guards collected nine rebounds between them against SJCC. “We played harder in the second game but we still didn’t execute,” Tajai Johnson said. “As a sophomore I have to be more of a vocal leader — but we still have time to fix things.” CCC’s only true post player
to see action in JAGUARS the team’s opening game at the DVC tournament against the Jags, Center DeAndre COMETS Russell, finished 3 of 4 on field goals and gathered five rebounds. Trailing by only seven at halftime, the Comets kept within striking distance by relying on their makeshift defense. SJCC made 5 of 13 from the 3point line. Many were scored off second chance opportunities. CCC was out-rebounded in the contest 41-26. To compensate for losing the three players, Johnson brought up three players who were originally slated for redshirt status. The Comets had a better showing in the second game of the tournament versus West Hills. The team had better adjusted to the growing pains that come with having multiple players playing out of their natural position. The score was tied 38-38 at halftime. CCC was energized by a step-up performance from guard Dawson Johnson, who tallied 17 points in 25 minutes against the Falcons. The game was within reach until the final buzzer when CCC felt the sting of a 4-point loss, 70-66, its second in a row, forcing the team’s elimination from the tournament. Size will undoubtedly be an issue for the Comets in most games this season. This is going to highlight the need for high defense work rate from reserves like Byron Buckley. In the West Hills loss, Buckley scored nine points to nearly double the 4.6 points per game he averaged entering in to the tournament. “We played more as a team in the second game and followed the (coach’s) game plan more,” he said. “We just have to move the ball more and take better shots.” Also against West Hills, CCC adeptly took advantage of the benefits of playing with a speedier roster.
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Postseason ends in defeat for squad Offensive push too much to overcome in playoff loss to Rams RAMS
3 0
COMETS
BY Lorenzo Morotti STAFF WRITER
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
FRESNO — The men’s soccer team failed to mirror the amount, speed, and accuracy of the Ram’s offensive drives during the second half of the NorCal Regional Playoffs at Fresno City College on Nov. 22. Fresno City College (13-7-2 overall, 5-3-1 in the Central Valley Conference) scored twice within five minutes of the second half and sealed its win at 82 minutes to advance to the second round of the regional playoffs with a 3-0 shutout. Contra Costa College (11-7-3 overall, 8-3-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) crammed into the twin vans for the three-hour trip home after it wasted the five shots on goal it had throughout the game. FCC coach Eric Solberg said the final score, however, does not accurately represent CCC’s performance in its first playoff game since 2005. CCC center back Bradley Alman said, “We never lost confidence. We got a little tired and made a few mental mistakes during the second (half) but we thought we could win.” The first half was a back and forth battle of quick breaks. Constant turnovers on both sides of the field kept the game in transition with few pauses for either team to reorganize for the next attack. In the first half, the Rams had six shots on goal to CCC’s two and expanded their margin only moments into the second. “Our defense kept us in the game going into the second half tied 0-0,” Alman said. “We believed we had a shot for a 1-0 win.” The work rates of Comet center back Charlie Mendoza, left fullback
QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
Alejandro Gonzalez, right fullback Enri Refunjol and Alman held the Rams’ offense at bay for the first half and momentarily scoreless. Solberg said, “We knew (the Comets) would put up a good fight and it was a tight game in the first half but we were patient and knew if we kept grinding we would find the net.” The home team’s wingers and strikers constantly tested the CCC defensive backline by either cutting inward from the wings to dribble into the penalty area for a shot or use their quick pace to scorch toward the end line to deliver the cross. The latter proved much more effective. At 55 minutes, FCC striker Fernando Rodriguez scored a sliding goal inside the penalty area. Midfielder Jose Torres assisted with a cross from the right wing to the near post for Rodriguez to
redirect the ball with the bottom of his right cleat. Alman said, “We were down one nothing and pushing numbers up for a goal but when you play like that you open yourself up for a counter attack.” At 61 minutes, a Ram counter attack set up the second goal. The play developed from an attempted cross from the right wing that was deflected past the end line by the Comet’s tight defensive coverage for a FCC corner kick. Midfielder Jose Torres lofted the ball over the crowed penalty area toward the second post to reach center back Christian Chaney who leapt above the CCC defenders to header the ball into the top left corner 12 yards out from goal. Comet goalkeeper Jose Ayala was left standing still by the speed at which the set piece play developed.
Comet coach Nikki Ferguson said, “The game was 0-0 at halftime but we went down two goals within a few minutes, so I had to move the team around because of that.” Ferguson said after the second goal, he switched the team’s formation from a 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 in hopes of pushing more attacking players higher up into the Ram’s defensive third. This tactic, however, left the Comets vulnerable in the backfield to the vicious Ram counter attacks, which produced the first and final goal. CCC center defensive midfielder Nic Bob said, “They are a strong team and you can tell that they have been at this level before. They were used to this kind of pressure. “If we were in the lead we would have kept it without a doubt.”
Comet striker Bryan Vega (right) attempts to keep up with Ram striker Fernando Rodriguez (left) during CCC’s 3-0 loss to the Rams at Fresno City College in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 22.
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“
Harold has always given his all in anything he does — he’s an all or nothing kind of person. If it’s football, he plays hard; he loves hard, whether good or bad. I give him pep talks to keep him from taking things so tough.” — Lenisha Halcombe, mother
QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
When life is bigger than the game Husband, father of two, MVP on and off of the field
BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
What is it that truly creates a man? Is it when he stands in the face of adversity, courageous in pursuit of a righteous goal? Is it a man who sacrifices for his family, his children and all of the familiar things that make the road of life less burdensome? If these tests define men then Harold Halcombe III has already accomplished these goals on a path in academia and life that has yet to reach its destination. After leading his McClymonds High School team to a bowl victory, and tallying more than 1,700 yards rushing with 18 touchdowns, the all-league running back set his sights on Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. The 1,800 miles between he and his family offered more in the way of adversity than the simple homesickness suffered by the average college freshman facing new surroundings. He returned fueled by the experience, a bigger, stronger football player and a better man. Born in Oakland in 1994, Halcombe is the second oldest of three brothers. Since he was 8 years old, he showed a special knack for football, his mother said. Halcombe remembers it a bit differently.
“I quit. I walked off of the field,” he said. “I was playing against my older cousins and my dad told me if I quit I couldn’t come home — I went back out there and made my mark.” Constant match-ups versus older, larger players, and hands on training with his father, (including specialized workouts every Sunday) molded Halcombe into a champion running back and recipient of a full scholarship. After a successful senior season and maintaining a 3.3 grade point average, the running back and expecting father chose to attend Grand View University in Iowa. The decision was effectively breaking his own heart because of what it meant for him in the short term. “It was hard for me to hear him over the phone like that,” Halcombe’s mother, Lenisha Halcombe, said. “I told him to look at it like a business trip; you’re not running away from your responsibilities, you are working to give them a better life.” Halcombe is the first man on his father’s side of the family to attend college. “Harold has always given his all in anything he does — he’s an all or nothing kind of person,” Halcombe’s mother said. “If it’s football, he plays hard; he loves hard, whether good or bad. I give him pep talks to keep him from
taking things so tough.” Halcombe suffered emotionally while away at college, as do the majority of freshmen who have never lived out of state. Add to that the inevitability of parenthood; schoolwork and the politics of collegiate football; on top of that, no familiar faces for miles. The two players that arrived from Oakland with Halcombe were dismissed from the team, leaving him truly alone. He flourished in practice, but seniority left the freshman hovering near the bottom of the depth chart. With loftier responsibilities in mind, and for the greater good of the team, the freshman accepted his lesser duties without conflict. A battle raged inside of him as he weighed the positives of his decision, with the endless flood of negative feelings he had about his circumstances. Halcombe reached his breaking point when he missed the birth of his son, Havier, while attending a school that did not have his best interest in mind. Halcombe remained in touch with his former high school teammate Larry Cornish Jr. who was playing for Contra Costa College coach Alonzo Carter. “I’ve known Harold for a long time. I knew with the right opportunity he could shine,” Carter said.
“I always told him that I would give him the opportunity to play on the next level if I had the chance.” Halcombe made the most of his opportunity. In his first year with the Comets, the running back garnered all-conference recognition while being named MVP of the Living Breath Foundation Bowl. Upon arrival at CCC, Halcombe realized he was not the person he was when he left for school the first time. He was now a man. Now married and a father of two, (his daughter Hunter was born Dec. 5) his re-unification with his family brings all of the ups and downs that living near relatives entails. While struggling to get through a mid-season spat with his father, Halcombe used the fuel from that anger to put together his two best performances of the season. A 27-carry, 165-yard, three touchdown showing against San Jose City College and a 25-carry 136-yard, one touchdown performance versus Hartnell College cemented his already solid chances of being named to the all conference team. Because of the time Halcombe spent in Iowa he only has one more year of football left. He hasn’t decided where he wants to attend college next year but has had contact with several schools.
(Above) Comet running back Harold Halcombe III raises his son in the air after CCC’s 51-10 win against San Jose City College at Comet Stadium on Nov. 15.
TEAM BOUNCED FROM COSTA CLASSIC Successive losses exits hosts at home tournament COUGARS
72 63 COMETS
BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
The women’s basketball team is off to a rough start this season. The team came into the 21st Annual Costa Classic carrying a lackluster 1-4 overall record prepared to face off against Fresno City College (5-1 overall) in its first game of the tournament. The Comets struck first but found themselves frequently out of position on defense. Players were more apt to swipe at passing offensive players rather than move their feet to recover defensively, or to stop the ball when opposing guards were out on the break. In the end, the squad dropped the contest 93-79. The Rams inside-out chemistry between a space eating forward and a guard who never saw a shot she didn’t like, put the freshman heavy 8-player CCC squad in foul trouble quickly in the contest. Earlier in the day before teams began arriving to the campus, the CCC guards were contemplating how they would deal with the Rams pressheavy style of defense. The players were aware of the impending pressure, but when faced with the task of advancing the ball between strategically placed bodies and waving arms their efforts were null and the Rams slowly extended its lead throughout the game. The squad kept it close early, trailing by only three, 18-15 with 16 minutes remaining in the first half. Reaching
fouls put FCC in the bonus early and without Jacqie Moody in the post to keep defenders from stepping out too confidently on shooters Ahjahna Coleman and Carol Oldan, Fresno began to make a concerted push. The Rams gained confidence with every shot. What was a 3point lead five minutes earlier quickly grew into 17 points as CCC had no answer for the Rams long range shooting. Oldan made her presence known throughout the game with timely shooting and drives that kept the Comets in the contest, but lack of defensive pressure kept the team from cutting into the Ram lead. In CCC’s second match of the tournament, the team squared off against Lassen College (5-4 overall). Both teams needed the win to remain in the double elimination tournament as both schools lost their first round games. Lassen lost in the first round to Mission College 74-60. The game was a closely contested match-up with both teams making early runs in attempts at imposing its dominance on the other team. Sophomore guard Coleman took matters into her own hands as she was the most dominant player on the court for either team. Her timely drive and dish plays or flashy dribble penetration layups forced Cougar defenders to col-
lapse on her allowing Coleman, Christina Onwuawozee and Briah Davis extra space to try to establish a substantial low post presence. “We played hard in the first game but in the second (game) we didn’t play up to our full potential,” Coleman said. The Comets had a plausible recipe for victory coming into the contest — hold Lassen to under 70 points, commit fewer than 15 turnovers and control the tempo of the game. Oldan started hot from the previous night, as the CCC penetration allowed them to take a 21-20 advantage early on. The Comets were more athletic in the back court and front court. For the Cougars, it was CCC’s defensive mental lapses that kept them in the game. “We were working collectively as a team to get points in the first game,” Davis said. “In the second game we were so ready to play that we seemed nervous.” In the second half, with foul trouble and turnovers momentarily in check, CCC remained close trailing by only two with 17:31 remaining in the game. Comet coach Paul DeBolt made strategic substitutions to find the right mix of offense and defense that might keep the Cougar freshman center from camping in the paint and limiting CCC offensive possessions by
QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE
dominating the boards. Lassen beat the Comets 72-63 earning them an early elimination from the Comet Classic. “We were tired in the second game,” DeBolt said. “We’re not in good game condition yet. Nobody blows us out, they just beat us.” The four-day, 16-team tournament featured a number of schools from across the state. In the end it was Diablo Valley College that took first place, beating Laney College 78-56 Sunday in the Gymnasium.
Comet guard Lenzie Chao attempts to drive the ball toward the net during CCC’s loss to Lassen College during the Comet Classic in the Gymnasium on Friday.
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PHOTOS BY QING HUANG & CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE
Comets make bowl splash Hostile
BY Robert Clinton
crowd,
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
soggy field, not enough to keep squad from win COMETS
34 27
PANTHERS
SPORTS EDITOR
SALINAS — In a repeat of last year’s Living Breath Foundation Bowl match-up Contra Costa College (10-1 overall 6-0 in the Pacific 7 Conference) defeated Hartnell College (9-2 overall 5-1 in the Golden Coast Conference) 34-27 in the bowl game on Nov. 29 here at Rabobank Stadium. This was CCC’s second LBF bowl title in three years. In what was billed as a neutral-field contest, the host stadium was located just an eight-minute drive from the Panther campus. This resulted in tailgating and bleacher stomping fans creating more of a homecoming-like atmosphere among the implicitly biased Panther majority than some of the spectators expected. “There was adversity in this game from all directions,” CCC quarterback Jonathan Banks said. “I was confident we would win from the moment we got here. If (winning and losing) was left up to me, I knew I would come through in the clutch.” Banks was named Pac-7 Offensive Player of the Year touting a 61.1 completion percentage ranking 10th in the state. The quarterback finished with 173 yards passing completing 8 of 19 attempts. While rushing for 75 yards and manufacturing four of the Comets five touchdowns, his 1-yard touchdown run with 4:15 remaining in the game solidified CCC’s lead. This allowed the defense to put an exclamation point on its own stellar bowl game performance. CCC held a one-point lead at halftime. Throughout the first half familiar mistakes led directly to Panther points. Game stats revealed CCC was penalized 19 times for 192 yards to Hartnell’s 10 for 76 yards. The San Pablo squad was penalized for more yards in the game than they totaled passing. “I can accept penalties, but some of the calls were over the top,” CCC coach Alonzo Carter said. “We knew it would be a close game. Coming away with a win feels great.”
At one point bowl officials came to the field to confer with referees and the conference observer for clarity on calls made against the Comets — calls so questionable that they brought audible gasps from the Panther fans that dominated the supposed neutral facility. The deluge of flags subsided momentarily, but resumed as the game regained its normal pace. “Coach (Carter) told us it was going to be on the defense to win the game,” linebacker Terrance Alexander said. “At halftime he told us ‘…if you’re not a soldier don’t come out of the locker room.’ We came out and shut out Hartnell for the rest of the game.” Alexander was named to the All Pac-7 team and led the Comets with 46 tackles this season. The CCC defense netted five sacks and eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a combined total of 43 yards lost for the Panthers. Alexander, along with all-conference teammate DeOnte Reynolds and Clarence Corbin anchored the suffocating Comet defense. They forced 3.5 sacks and garnered 17 tackles between them in the game. Running backs Harold Halcombe III and Kruger Story Jr. spearheaded the CCC ground attack racking up 203 yards between them on 32 carries. Halcombe, also named to the all-conference team, added 23 yards receiving en route to capturing the LBF Bowl MVP trophy. Hartnell sliced through the Comet defense early jumping out to a seven-point lead. CCC would score twice over the next seven minutes, on a 1-yard run by Halcombe and a 24yard touchdown pass from Banks to fellow all-conference teammate Frank Stephens. “My team went 0-40 in high school,” Stephens said. “So to go 10-1 and win a bowl game is something special.” Panther quarterback Michael Turner, who finished 13-23 for 227 yards, threw the first of his three touchdowns with 2:42 remaining in the first quarter to receiver Ronnie Turner. A failed extra-point left CCC ahead 1413.
Two more touchdown runs by Banks for the Comets sandwiched another Panther touchdown pass. The scoring onslaught found CCC ahead, 28-20. The Panthers would drive 65 yards up the field on their ensuing drive with just under a minute before halftime to leave them just one point down at the break, 28-27. The third quarter was sloppy for both teams. Play was dominated by penalties and mistakes that kept both sides from gaining any momentum. In the closeout quarter Banks and Halcombe blew through holes in the Panther defensive front. Turner and the Hartnell offense were completely overwhelmed by the Comet defensive pressure. With a one-point lead in the fourth quarter, Banks and the Comet offense put together its second longest drive of the contest — a nine-play 53-yard tromp up the field that culminated by a 1-yard Banks’ touchdown run solidifying the 34-27 bowl victory. “Redemption is always great,” offensive coordinator Terry Collins said. “A combination of things went into our success (this year) — players executed at the right time and (we had) veteran leadership in the system.” A sound system was a common theme among the coaches as they basked in their championship glory. Quarterback coach Jeff Anderson, who guided Banks to 17 touchdowns and roughly 2,700 yards on the season, believes the system is the foundation of the program’s success. “We try to teach them not only about football, but about life,” Anderson said. “Our guys bought into the system and what we were trying to accomplish.” Carter’s infrastructure extends far beyond the field. Like all good coaches, his work regularly takes the ride home with him. “At home it’s not so much about what goes on in the game,” Carter’s wife Roezell Carter said. “He’s always doing things to make sure (students) are academically on track. He’s always saying, if they take care of business in the classroom, I can take care of them on the field.”
(Above) Comet football players dunk water on their coach Alonzo Carter (center) after their 3427 bowl game win over the Panthers at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas on Nov. 29.
MODEST TRAINER LEAVES HOME FOR GREENER PASTURES BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
The Comet athletic department is losing a person who some say is the glue that holds the whole thing together. Brian Powelson is the mild mannered, overly modest athletic trainer who has been the healing hands of the Contra Costa College athletic department since spring of 1994. It only takes spending a day in Powelson’s training room to understand what makes him one of the best at what he does. Powelson, or “B,” as everyone calls him, is leaving to train for sister school Los Medanos College in Pittsburg beginning in the spring 2015 semester. As the longest tenured trainer in the district, if any job become available, Powelson gets first choice. “I have a wife and three kids,” Powelson said. “It (LMC) is 45 minutes closer to my house, that means 45 minutes back to my life. I can spend that time with my family. My wife commutes, we juggle
kids just like everybody else — if you can find a way to make some of that easier, you do it.” As if through a revolving door, athletes fill his training room (or lounge, depending on who you ask). He offers the same professional attention to a mix of different attitudes and body types, regardless of how major or minor the injury. “If you’re really hurt you will get taken care of first,” sophomore football player Chauncey Carter said. “He treats you right. He’s a good trainer; very professional.” Powelson makes them feel important. Some of the athletes come from bad situations and have never had someone who cares, no strings attached. They know he will not treat them differently whether they win or lose. They trust him — many of them confide in him. He knows all of the athletes that he treats by name. He remembers their injuries, he knows how they like to be taped. Two-year college athletics is a turnstile of bodies, and for all of these athletes to
feel a personal connection to one man, year after year, is an incredible feat. “The reason I do this is for the athletes,” Powelson Powelson said. “My job isn’t tied to the wins and losses. After 20 years you see all kinds of ups and downs. For me it’s always been about the athletes.” Powelson, a former high school football player, attended Serra High School and went on to graduate from Sacramento State University. After college he worked as a trainer at two Sacramento area high schools. He was also assistant trainer for the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League. Catching a diamond in the rough was a stroke of luck for the Comets. Powelson only arrived at the San Pablo campus to fill in for a friend who was going out on maternity leave. He was only supposed to cover for her for a semester, but she never
came back. Powelson was hired soon after, but it wasn’t until 2002 that Athletic Director John Wade made the athletic trainer a full-time position. “Losing Powelson is a tough blow for us,” Wade said. “He’s a great guy with a big heart. He puts in a lot of extra effort to make things work.” Powelson said, “Hopefully someone comes in and does as good or better job than I have. And just do right by the kids.” The trainer garnered statewide recognition in 2009 when he worked to save a player’s life after an incident on the football field. On the first play of the game against Los Medanos College, Comet safety Wali Wright sustained a life-threatening neck injury while attempting to make a tackle. Powelson helped stabilize the student and performed emergency response breathing techniques that stabilized the young man until the paramedics could take over. It was later discovered that the immediate action on the field saved the athlete’s life.
That year Powelson was recognized as co-trainer of the year, and received the California Community College Athletic Trainers Association award. The search for Powelson’s replacement has yet to yield any successful candidates. “Ideally you want to find someone local,” Wade said. “We want a trainer who knows, has some understanding of the area’s medical facilities and some knowledge of the local doctors.” Because of the way the budget is set up Wade cannot hire another trainer until Powelson is off of the payroll. As Powelson’s workload shows, training is a full-time job. Athletic rainers don’t just tape ankles before a game. They administer treatment for nagging injuries like back spasms that can linger on long after a grueling season is over. “I’m looking forward to the fresh start,” Powelson said. “The saddest thing is leaving the freshmen kids that I’ve made relationships with — they expected me to be here next year.”
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ABOVE: Protesters stand their ground on Interstate580 during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25, a day after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
RIGHT: Protesters block vehicles on Interstate580 during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25, a day after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
LEFT: Oakland police officers block demonstrators on 8th Street during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25, a day after a Missouri grand jury chose not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
ABOVE: Protesters spill into a Mercedes Dealership on Telegraph Avenue during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25.
LEFT: A protester holds up a sign reading “Black Lives Matter” during a protest in Oakland on Nov. 25