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ELAC’s Theatre Department revives 126-year-old comedy Page 5

Volume 71, Issue 20

Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

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Back from elimination Huskies survive home test, move on in playoffs Carlos Alvarez Staff Writer Down two runs twice, the baseball team rallied to avoid a playoff upset loss at home in a single elimination game defeating College of the Canyons, 6-5. They overcame their defensive struggles and came up with clutch hitting with runners in scoring position. With the home crowd screaming on No. 15-seeded East Los Angeles College baseball team, Husky starting pitcher Shawn Kennedy, who pitched in relief kept his composure to put an end to No.18seeded College of the Canyons seventh-inning scoring opportunity. With ELAC trailing, 4-2, Kennedy retired three consecutive batters after ELAC relief pitcher Tony

Monroy was removed with runners on the corners and no outs. Kennedy mixed in his fastball and curveball to keep Canyon batters off-balance to escape the jam and give ELAC a fighting chance in yesterday’s Southern Regional playoff single elimination game at Husky Park. ELAC will face No. 2-seeded Oxnard College in round one of the playoffs. Oxnard (27-9) won the Western State North-Division Conference title. “Oxnard is a good team, but we also have a good team. It’s going to be a good game,” ELAC starting pitcher Roman Davalos said. Kennedy was an ace in relief pitching three dominant innings, allowing one run off five hits while striking out five Canyons Cougars. “I tried to stay relax and I came in there and made my pitches. I knew

I had to attack the strike zone, my defense (and ELAC’s) backed me up,” Kennedy said. Davalos battled all game limiting the damage after giving up two early runs. Davalos pitched six battle-tested innings, allowing three runs (two earned) while giving up nine hits. “I wasn’t that strong at the start, but my defense backed me up. I knew if i kept the game close our (ELAC’s) offense would score some runs,” Davalos said. Canyons starting pitcher Joseph Cloney pitched seven efficient innings, but was unable to maintain two, two-run leads for the Cougars. Cloney used both sides of the plate in his seven innings of work, allowing four runs of off five hits while striking out five Husky batters.

BASEBALL Continued on page 6

Track and Field wins gold medals Tadzio Garcia Staff Writer The men’s track and field team won fourth place at the South Coast Conference finals for the first time in a decade with their first men’s twotime champion since 2007. “It was our best showing at the SCC finals while qualifying the most athletes to SoCal in recent years,” ELAC Head Coach Louis Ramirez said. The SCC finals were Friday at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Long Beach. The Huskies advance to the SoCal Preliminary Finals this Saturday at Riverside City College. Gonzalo Ceja won the gold medal in the men’s 3,000-meter

News Briefs

steeplechase event running a personal record. He also won gold in the 5,000-meter run, winning the race after planning how he would run each lap. “It’s been a long road to this point. I took advice from coaches Ramirez and Loera and ran my races accordingly. I trust them and the advice paid off,” Ceja said. Ceja advances to SoCal as the No. 2-seed in the steeplechase and the No. 3-seed in the 5,000. “I don’t set myself up for defeat. I run to win,” Ceja said. All-American Laura Aceves led the women’s team to a fifth place finish in the SCC out of eight teams. She finished in second place in two races to Sierra Ungerman of Mt.

SAC’s first place finishes. In the 1,500-meter Aceves lost by 39/100ths of a second and in the 5,000-meter run Aceves was 40/100’s of a second short of a win. “Laura won the 2013 cross country title by following our advice (the coaches) to the tee. I still cannot believe she didn’t win the 1,500. She didn’t exactly follow our advice in both races, picking it up too late,” ELAC Assistant Coach David Loera said. Aceves took third in the 800meter run. “She actually ran a faster second lap, which is very rare,” Loera said.

Job and Career Fair 2014

CN/Jesus Figueroa

‘Take Back the Night’ inspires courage East Los Angeles College football players Andrew Borgueno, back left, Aaron Sullivan, front left, Jorge Rios, Cameron Jackson and others from the team show their support by attending “Take back the night” last Thursday night in the foyer of Ingalls Auditorium.

TRACK Continued on page 6

East Los Angeles College will host “Spring into a Career” job and career fair 2014 tomorrow in the S2 Courtyard. Those planning to attend are encouraged to wear professional attire and bring copies of their resumes.

Career and Job Service Workshops

SUPPORT See page 3

East Los Angeles College will host “WhodoUwant2be? (Undecided Majors)” at noon and “Job Skills 2: Job search & Internships” at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in E1-176.

Correction

Elieen Ei was incorrectly identified as Elieen Le in “Film shows Elans the dangers of misogyny.” Harvey Maradiaga’s name was misspelled in “Power Ranger brings cheers in time of need.”

Opinion

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

EDITOR IN CHIEF Danny Vasquez MANAGING EDITOR Liliana Marquez ONLINE EDITOR Megan G. Razzetti ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITORS Jade Inglada Daniella Molina ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR Tadzio Garcia

Metro increases bus fare Cynthia Laguna Staff Writer The Metro board meeting on March 27 resulted in a bus fare increase that will be effective around July 1. As an East Los Angeles College student my daily transportation to school and work is the Metro bus. The increase will bring the fare to SmarTrip card users to $1.75, a 15 cent increase. There is a constant struggle when planning my daily trip. There are always obstacles, which include the buses running behind schedule or short hours of certain bus lines. During ELAC’s winter session, I took a night class, so my struggle was taking the bus back, which passed only once an hour. This made a 20-minute driving route into a hour and a half bus trip. Sometimes I get to work late and

it’s due to the bus running late. I decided to take the bus to school and work because I have to. It’s not by choice. Some people have no other means of transportation and depend on the bus, which include low-income families, minorities, people with disabilities, students and elderly people. Metro data shows that an 80 percent of Metro users are minorities with an average household income of $20,000 or less. The increase in fares will affect me directly because there are times when I struggle to find extra money for the bus. Sometimes I have to find alternative city buses that offer their services for less than a dollar or for free. I do not agree with the Metro fare increase. This means that on top of the school and work load stress now students have to deal with the

increase of their only source of transportation. For those paying in cash, it is actually cheaper going from a 20 cent surcharge to 15 cents. MetroAccess riders dominated the public hearing which rewarded them with a decrease in the fare from $7 to $6.50. According to a Los Angeles Times article, more than 500 activists, which included students and low- wage workers, gathered at the Metro boardroom in downtown Los Angeles. “Not only has the economy made it difficult for students to be individuals in society with total independence, but transportation has been solely relied on carrying a student pass. This increase has only created a higher stress on me,” ELAC student Shirley Vidal said. The proposal shared by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority official

announced that unless there is a fare hike, the budget will fall short in 2016 to $36 million operating budget to what could increase to be a $225 million budget. If the Metro bus fares do not increase then there will need to be a cut of 1,000 employees and cut hours and rail services by 2015. The buses already lack what they are suppose to provide: they are not always on time and some pass hourly, which means that I have to plan my trip an hour or more before my class starts. I have to be in a rush all the time even when I manage to be out of my house two hours in advance. College students face yet another obstacle that does not benefit them, but only makes it harder to reach other goals, such as saving to buy a new car or managing to pay their bills. For those who make more than the $20,000 annually, a 25 cent

increase is not radical but for those struggling to make end’s meet, this is a big problem. In Metro’s defense, they explain how the budget will be used to improve buses. They plan to build new facilities and plan to open new lines, but then again this still leaves the lowincome families and individuals in the midst of figuring out how they will get to work or school. In my situation, this only makes it harder to become an independent student. Saving money for a new car has to be divided with bus money, my bills, and any extra expenses such as school supplies and food. It’s an unfair situation when those who do not have a choice will be forced to pay an increased bus fare on top of their normal expenses: gas, food, school costs and housing situations all of which are basic needs.

Students, instructors need motivation erik luna Staff Writer It’s tough being a good student and it’s even tougher being a good instructor. As difficult as it is, both students and instructors need to put their best efforts into learning the material and teaching it. Every student has had one of those classes that they can’t seem to concentrate in. As soon as class starts, minds start to wander, notebooks become a blank canvas for the imagination to spew its random doodles or eyes seem to carry the whole weight of the world and struggle to stay open. Who is at fault? Is it the student? Is it the instructor? The answer is not always clear. Many students take classes simply to satisfy certain requirements and it’s hard to get interested in a subject that’s completely foreign. Success for students is simple passing the class with a satisfactory grade. Success for an instructor is simple as well, getting through to the students and imparting knowledge of a given subject.

So, what can students and instructors do to increase their individual success in the classroom? It can be as easy as asking questions or opening the room to a discussion. The key to success in the classroom is an open dialogue between student and teacher. As technology seeps its way into the classroom, discussions have become less frequent and Power Point presentations have become a staple. Students need to speak up, ask questions not only to clarify, but to challenge and provoke their teacher into giving more than a lesson-planspeech. Instructors also need to spend time thinking of interesting ways to interact with students if they see that the students are losing interest. When I think back to my favorite instructors, or those who taught me more, it isn’t those who simply read from the book and pointed at pictures on the board. No, it’s the instructor who shakes his podium so violently while describing an important event in history that they fall to the floor in front of the class that I remember.

It would be those who jump on top of a desk and ask their students to challenge what they think art is. Students react to the energy given out by their instructor. If they are sluggish, students will be creating pools of saliva on their desk, but if instructors are excited about the material they teach, the students will catch that vibe. It’s all about making learning interesting. Rather than reading notes to the class, why not give those notes as print outs and have a game show type competition in class. Juvenile as it may seem, competition is a good motivation tool and can create a stronger memory. A former instructor of mine taught his class this way seven years ago and although I hated the subject, I still remember information I learned using his techniques. I don’t remember what I learned in some of my classes from last semester. Being successful in the class is hard work, but it can also be fun as long as both student and instructors are willing to try to make it that way.

Staff Writer More than two months have passed since Fontana resident Elizabeth Carolee Culbreath took it upon herself to drive the wrong way on the 60 freeway taking the lives of six people, including her sister. The horrific accident scene was a carnage of wrecked vehicles and bloody bodies strewn across the westbound Pomona freeway in Diamond Bar. Alcohol was a factor in the wreck, leading to charges of felony DUI and six manslaughter counts against Culbreath. She recently resurfaced in a court appearance to set her arraignment date where she was wheeled into the courtroom, handcuffed to her gurney and

reportedly ridden with guilt. She should be. What she did that day is inexcusable. A March 26 L.A. Times story reports Culbreath is scared and grieving from the horrendous incident that early February morning when her life, and the lives of her victims and their families changed forever. Culbreath reportedly had been celebrating the lifting of restrictions on her driver’s licence stemming from a previous DUI conviction and a number of traffic violations. Many East Los Angeles College students are Culbreath’s age, or close to it, and this incident should serve as a wake-up call for those students who may be engaged in driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. I t ’s j u s t n o t w o r t h i t . B e

responsible. Don’t let yourself get tried to stop her from committing into a situation where you need to the biggest mistake of her life. I drive home in an impaired state of don’t know about anyone else, but mind. if I were in a car being driven by a Call a taxi, a close friend or crazed and drunken individual, the a relative for moment he or she help. made a move to enter There is no a freeway through an shame in this Be responsible. Don’t exit, I would have and if you find let yourself get into done something. yourself in a a situation where you Yo u s t e p o n bad spot like the brakes, slam need to drive home in the transmission C u l b r e a t h ’s r i d e r s , d o an impaired state of i n t o p a r k , r e a c h whatever it mind. for the ignition, takes to stop punch them them. in the face, anything And what to save your life about her passengers? and the lives of others. The two other passengers in the The legal system is allowing car apparently didn’t have one repeat offenders such as Culbreath functioning brain cell between regain her driving privileges putting them that night because neither all California drivers in harm’s way. www.ELACCampusNews.com

FRONT EDITOR Jesus Figueroa OPINION EDITOR Jazmin Tellez NEWS EDITOR Sergio Berrueta FEATURE EDITOR Desiree Lopez ARTS EDITOR Megan G. Razzetti SPORTS EDITORS Carlos Alvarez Marcus Camacho PHOTO EDITOR Cynthia Laguna COPY EDITORS Tadzio Garcia Jade Inglada Erik Luna Augustine Ugalde

CARTOONISTS Kien Ha Bryan Pedroza Anthony Tran STAFF WRITERS Cesar Carbajal, Jose Cazares, Brenda Diaz, Damien Guzman, William Hernandez, Diego Linares, Luis Marquez, Manny Miguel, Diego Olivares, Maegan Ortiz, Laura Parral, Bonnie Regalado, Amanda Rodarte, Russell Zazueta PODCAST TEAM Jesus Figueroa, Diego Linares, Desiree Lopez, Manny Miguel, Megan G. Razzetti ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Manny Miguel Augustine Ugalde ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 250 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303.

Driving under the influence destroys lives, families AUgusTINE ugalde

ART DIRECTOR Lindsey Maeda

The flaws in the system are many, but the blame for this horrendous incident lies firmly on Culbreath’s shoulders. Society has to do a better job of keeping people like her off the road before a tragedy such as this destroys more lives. It is time for DUI to be classified a felony on first offense. No second chances. If you’re caught driving drunk, you lose your license, it’s as simple as that. Additionally, the process for regaining driving privileges must be more extensive. We must get tougher on drunken drivers. Maybe then it will be safe to drive California streets without the fear of having a mindless person ruin our lives.

East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910 The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof. PRINTING BY NEWS PUBLISHERS PRESS

News

EAST lOS ANGElES COllEGE CAMpUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2014

Denim Day stands up against sexual assualt

Maegan ortiz Staff Writer Victims blaming in sexual assault cases drove the East Los Angeles Women’s Center to hold a Denim Day event last Wednesday afternoon. “We’re here to bring attention to sexual assault in our community and around the world,” Beatriz Vega, Sexual Assault Counselor at the Women’s Center said. The center wanted to make the community aware of some of the services offered. “We want to bring awareness of Denim Day and also to let people know what counseling services our agency offers about sexual assault or other issues that may be bothering them,” Carmen Lorenz, the Women’s Center hotline and volunteer coordinator said. This includes counseling services on campus at the ELAC Women and Men’s Support Center. “This is a place where your silence is heard,” Lorenz said. Denim Day began after a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision that overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans. According to a New York Times article, the court ruled that “jeans cannot be removed easily and certainly it is impossible to pull them off if the victim is fighting against her attacker with all her force.’’ Female members of the Italian parliament wore jeans and held protests in response to what they saw as victim blaming. Lorenz said that not many students know the origins of Denim Day and tabling is one way to bring awareness. For more on this story, visit elaccampusnews.com

Elans unite to celebrate Earth Day Jade inglada Staff Writer Environmental conservation and wildlife protection were some of the concerns during Earth Day at East Los Angeles College’s Stadium Parking Lot last Tuesday. A variety of groups set up booths for the event, from around Southern California to the local area, providing information about the environment and demonstrations. Associate Dean of CalWORKS Angelica Toldeo was in charge of planning the day. “We hope that today’s program brings middle school and high school students interested in what college life is like while at the same time teaching them about the environment,” Toldeo said. T h e C a l i f o r n i a Te c h n i c a l Education Initiative (Senate Bill 70) Program funded the event, Toldeo said. This explained the abundance of booths related to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments on campus.

Edward Alvarado, an ELAC engineering lab technician, ran a booth and discussed the advantages of solar panels using a small house model. The model had four solar panels on its roof with a lamp pointed at them. The light from the lamp hit the solar panels and powered a small fan inside of the house. If the light was turned off or a hand was placed to block the light from reaching the panels, the fan would stop. Alvarado told students the benefits to clean energy, especially solar power. He said that solar panels store energy in batteries and these batteries provide power during the night or in times of low sunlight. The Respiratory Therapy Department taught students about the importance of healthy lungs. Attendees could try the lung function test, which consisted of blowing as hard as possible into a syringe type looking object that measured the strength of the lungs. “I liked the booth about lung treatment because maybe it’s the

same thing with Earth. We have to take care of our lungs from bad air like with we have to protect the Earth. I don’t think I’m ever going to smoke and I want to make my mom’s garden bigger,” 11-yearold Pilar Zamudor, a La Merced Intermediate student, said. A group interested in the health of the ocean was the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. “The aquarium was established to inspire people to protect the ocean. We want to take a couple of extra steps to protect the animals in the ocean by reducing trash,” aquarium member Alfonso Montiel said. . Montiel said it’s important to teach children how to conserve the oceans of the world because they will be the ones dealing with these matters in the future. One group in particular, the Sierra Club, was there to inform locals about their campaign to save the Montebello Hills from fracking. “Fracking is the pressure fracturing of rock by liquid. It is a very unclean process, and the

possibility of poisonous chemicals contaminating water and air is extremely high,” Sierra Club volunteer Yvonne Watson said. Although big oil companies insist that fracking is a safe process, a number of studies show that fracking can be a dangerous process that could threaten the health of those in area where it is done, Watson said. “The Huffington Post recently did a story on drinking water that contaminated by fracking in the heartland. Many people were also becoming ill due to pollutants in the air that were released,” Watson said. Adrian Wheeler, a volunteer at the Wildlife Waystation booth, described the organization’s goals and how it assists animals that have been taken out of the wild and mistreated as house pets or as some sort of attraction. The animals taken in live in the waystation because they can no longer be raised in the wild. These animals in the waystation cannot hunt and do other things required for them to survive on their own.

Wheeler said that the booth’s goal was to teach the kids to respect the animals in nature and preach a message of coexistence. “If you respect them they will respect you,” Wheeler said. Heal the Bay, another group concerned with protecting the ocean, attended the Earth Day event. The nonprofit environmental organization is expanding to keep Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. Dana Murray, a Heal the Bay Marine Scientist, represented the organization. “Heal the Bay wants everyone in the L.A. area to become hands on and do the little things that can save our ocean and beaches. If everyone simply recycles and throws away their trash into a trashcan so much harm will be saved,” Murray said. Brittany Hauer, Kenneth Miranda, Cortez Serrato, Jose P. Bivian, Alma N. Maldonado, Ashley Leon and Maria C. Isidoro. contributed to this story.

Finish Your Bachelor’s Degree at Azusa Pacific University

Jemel Thomas ’12

B.S. IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

CN/Jesus Figueroa

SHOWING SUPPORT—East Los Angeles College’s football team along with many students and community members attend “Take Back the Night” for sexual assault awareness month at Ingalls Auditorium last Thursday.

Support: Families, victims of sexual abuse together for ‘Take Back the Night’ Damian Guzman Staff Writer Students filled the foyer of East Los Angeles College’s Ingalls Auditorium last Thursday night for sexual assualt awareness month’s assembly and candlelit march, “Take Back the Night.” The powerful and impactful event which gave those affected by sexual assault an open platform to discuss the way sexual assault has impacted their lives. Organizers passed out lit candles to attendants for a candlelight march up Avenida Cesar Chavez and circled back to the auditorium passing the administration buildings, as the candles lit up the scene. Many students walked by the large group curious to know about the meaning of the walk and organizers were quick to explain the mission. The event aims to raise awareness on all forms of sexual abuse. The meeting has an objective of encouraging victims of sexual violence to feel comfortable in speaking out about the subject. Sonia Rivera, Director of Sexual Assault and Emergency Services for the Women’s Center, began the assembly by explaining what the center does and then encouraged those in attendance to step up to

the podium and share their stories of sexual abuse. At first, no volunteers spoke up. Rivera turned the situation into a question and answer type of discussion and attendants began to ask questions and make comments about the subject. “Usually it’s a little bit slow for them to come up and is usually quiet for a while, but opening up a discussion is usually good for them to feel comfortable,” Rivera said. As time went by, more and more victims bravely walked up to the podium and shared their stories with the audience. Some speakers cried and each took their time telling their story. Counselors comforted those who needed it and even some of the attendants came up to support their friends or teammates. The event turned into an inspiring and uplifting presentation of people coming together to support one another. A round of applause was given as speakers stepped up to the podium and more applause followed after each speaker was done with the microphone. “Even though I came for the extra credit, the experience and the stories affected me deeply,” ELAC student Jose Verduzco said. Although emotions ran high from

the heartbreaking stories that were told, speaker showed strength and courage as they volunteered to speak in front of a large audience. People listening to the stories showed respect and patience to the speakers as they struggled to get their stories out. Rivera accompanied the speakers to the podium in case emotions ran too high. The room filled with sadness but the stories shared were ones of survival and made the situation positive because now they used their experience to help other victims speak out. The volunteer speakers offered support and guidance to other victims. They encouraged victims to speak to friends, family, counselors and even call sexual abuse 24-hour hotlines about abuse problems they may have. Rivera was impressed with the attendance and increasing support the event is receiving. “Each year its been growing a little bit more. The first event was really small,” Rivera said. Many of ELAC’s current football team players were in attendance. Rivera acknowledged the ELAC football team and thanked them for showing support every year since the assemblies started on campus five years ago.

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Feature

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Baseball player swings for success liliana marquez Staff Writer The end of the game approached at Husky Park as Zachary Ashford scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to get East Los Angeles College closer to a South Coast Conference title. The crowd cheered for him as his teammates congratulated him and patted him on the shoulders. Ashford, 20, is a sophomore right fielder for the ELAC baseball team. What most people don't know is that by playing baseball, Ashford is not only doing what he loves the most, but he is also honoring his grandfather, Carl Ashford, who passed away five years ago. For Ashford, his grandfather is his inspiration in life. “Throughout my whole life he always told me that I had the tools and everything to get drafted and play for national baseball. Once he passed away I always kept trying to do that for him,” Ashford said. His grandfather influenced him in different ways and always helped him to become a better person and athlete. “He helped me through everything, whether it was baseball or school, it didn’t matter. He always helped me with whatever I was struggling with,” Ashford said. Losing his grandfather was difficult for Ashford, but he said that the love for the game, and the desire of honoring him helped him cope with the loss. ELAC’s baseball team ended its regular season last Friday, sweeping a three-game series against Los Angeles Harbor College. ELAC won the SCC title, sharing it with Cerritos and Long Beach City colleges, each finishing with 15-6 conference records. As a result the Huskies qualified in the Southern California Regional Playoffs. Baseball became a part of Ashford's life thanks to both his late grandfather and his father who also played ball.

At an early age, Ashford showed deep breaths to calm himself and signs of greatness in baseball improve his performance. Teammate Kevin Rodriguez making it to the All-Star team every year in the Little and Pony leagues. said Ashford is a good player who He also played with a National gives 100 percent every game Travel Ball team, the ABD Tigers, and practice, but agrees with Hines. Rodriguez said that sometimes participating in tournaments both in Ashford’s mind can prevent him and out of state. Born and raised in Fontana, from performing well. “He thinks too much and when Ashford attended Chaffey College, but decided to leave after talking he gets in the wrong mindset, he to an old high school coach about starts to struggle. That’s not good for him,” Rodriguez said. ELAC’s baseball team. Friend and teammate Daniel His first year in the ELAC Dominguez said baseball team that Ashford is a was a challenge good athlete who because he had to adjust to a I had to get faster and works hard and loves the sport. different level of stronger and learn from my Dominguez the game. “ I h a d t o mistakes more than I did in a l s o s a i d t h a t Ashford is a get faster and high school. f r i e n d l y, e a s y stronger and going and funny learn from my Zachary Ashford person off the mistakes more field. than I did in A s h f o r d high school,” attended Chino Ashford said. ELAC baseball Head Coach High School, where he played three years. James Hines said that Ashford has baseball for He played as third baseman in been one of the team's top two outfielders and that his strength has the Junior Varsity team during his freshman and sophomore years. been his outstanding defense. He then played for the varsity Hines also said that Ashford has some skills that he needs to take team as a first baseman during his senior year (2011-12). advantage of. Ashford had decided to quit “He needs to figure out what he is looking for and what he is trying to baseball during his junior year. He said that making that decision was do at the plate,” Hines said. “He is a guy who has a ton of very difficult for him. “I quit because I came back from untapped potential.” For Hines, Ashford is not football and the coach wasn't even consistent and has not been able to going to look at me to play varsity,” stick with the things that have made Ashford said. Although he said that this him successful. “At times he tries to do too much. decision changed his life, he regrets Feeling relaxed would probably not staying. “I had to rethink and look back on help him swing a lot better and recognize pitches a little bit more,” stuff. That's when I realized I had to change my mindset. That has helped Hines said. Hines said that once Ashford me a lot since then,” Ashford said. Besides playing baseball he also figures those things out, he can become a very predominant player. played football for three years in Ashford said that he gets anxious high school, but an injury stopped because he always wants to do his him from playing part of his freshman year. best on the field. Ashford broke his collarbone Ashford tries to relax and take

“

during a Physical Education baseball class. It took him almost four months to recover and he ended up missing the rest of the football season. “We were playing a game. I dove and landed on my shoulder and my collar bone snapped. I had to go tell my football coach and he was very pissed,” Ashford said. He couldn't try out for the baseball team after that and was forced to wait after tryouts to play again. “It was hard just sitting there, watching everybody play and I still had to sit out for another two months,” Ashford said. “I was bored to be sitting in the dugout. I couldn't swing, throw or do anything,” he said. He recovered and the following year became captain of the JV baseball team. During the time he played for his high school, Ashford was a letterman twice in football and once in baseball. At ELAC, Ashford decided that he only wanted to focus on baseball. Ashford said he would like to become a California Highway Patrol officer or a police officer. Becoming a professional baseball player has always been his dream. Ashford said that he would play for any team, but his dream team is the Angels. Hines said that Ashford has the potential to become a pro. “He's got the measurables that a lot of people don't have, being 6'4. Having a body where you can still fill in a lot more with muscle and some weight,” Hines said. He also added that Ashford’s bat speed is good, but it can get better along with his swings. “A lot of that is going to go with his mentality and his willingness to get consistent and to go that extra mile. Then the consistency will start to be there and he will start to open a lot more eyes.” Hines said. After the season ends, Ashford wants to find a school that would be a good fit for him, so he can play for another two years and hopefully get drafted.

www.ELACCampusNews.com

CN/LILIANA MARQUEZ

bat READY— ELAC’s baseball right fielder Zachary Ashford practices with his bat on Monday afternoon as he prepares for his next baseball game.

Arts

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Upstairs Theater triumphs with Chekov one-acts from behind the scenes and a furious Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov Staff Writer stomps his way into the room. He Russian playwright Anton demands money that was owed to Chekhov may not have thought him by the departed and does not much of his two farcical one-act receive any. plays “The Proposal,” and “The The man drifts away into a fit Bear,” going as far as calling them of fury throughout the play, which worthless, yet after 126 years produces exciting and surprising they still offer a glimpse into the results. foolishness that is life. Truly, what isn’t there to love D i r e c t o r M a t t h e w F l o y d about this show? Miller’s adaptation “The Chekhov The stage design is remarkable Vaudevilles!... Featuring The as the crew works the small theater Proposal and The Bear!,” for East space wonderfully. Eye-catching Los Angeles College’s Theatre paintings fill the backdrop, yet don’t Arts Department certainly brought overpower the actors. the absurdity to hilarious results The acting is side-splitting. Both last Friday in the P2-101 Upstairs the dialogue and the physical aspect Theatre. that is a staple in vaudevilles. The show starts An amusing as Ivan Vasilievich aspect of both Lomov nervously The acting is side- plays is how the walks to a door splitting , both the actors break the r e t h i n k i n g h i s d i a l o g u e a n d t h e fourth wall by decision to knock physical aspect that is speaking to the on it. The wella u d i e n c e . I t ’s a staple in vaudeviles. e x c e p t i o n a l l y dressed Ivan clutches on to some well in breaking flowers as Katarina tension in a scene. Stepanovna If there is Chubukova greets him at the door. a shining star throughout the Ivan frantically explains his production, it would have to be reason for the visit. He wishes to Lucy Celoni’s performance as the marry her daughter Natalya. house servant Luka in “The Bear.” A thrilled Katarina wanders off Celoni’s interaction with both to find the young Natalya and what Gabriela Maldonado’s Yelena and happens next can only be described Peter Mendoza’s Grigory definitely as a rollercoaster ride of emotions. garnered the most laughs. And heart murmurs. Everything Celoni did for her After 30 or so minutes and a part was brilliant: from her shuffle quick set change, “The Bear,” of a walk, her comical facial begins. An old house servant named expressions, her frail frog-stuck-inLuka makes his way around the her-throat voice, to her witty banter drawing room. with both of her castmates. It was all The lady of the house Yelena impeccable, especially the make-up Ivanovna Popova makes her way that is used to transform her into the into the room in distress. Her old delicate Luka. husband has died. Luka, not Joe Robert Mejia, who plays wanting to see Popova this way, the frantic Ivan in “The Proposal,” tries his best to get her to continue gives a wonderful performance her life, but fails. embracing the physical, almost Shortly after, a loud yell bellows slapstick, humor by flailing

ERIK LUNA

himself all over the stage. Kathryn Ventress and Polina Matveeva portray their roles as mother and daughter with intensity and hilarity. Matveeva, a native Russian, throws herself on the floor multiple times and breaks into a childlike fit, while Ventress shrieks towards Mejia’s character with surprising dramatic anger. As for “The Bear,” Maldonado and Mendoza bring a palpable chemistry to their respective roles. Mendoza brings physical humor to his role, while Maldonado enchants with her words and expressions. In one of the most dramatic scenes between the two actors, a prop Smith and Wesson revolver broke on Maldonado, yet she quickly fixed it and stopped herself from breaking character. As great as both plays are, they wouldn’t be as great if it weren’t for the music of The Chekhovians being played live: Peter Beburth on accordion, David Ybarra on guitar, Martin Lemus on Violin and Miguel Angel Delgado on guitar. Beburth’s skillful accordion playing filled the hallways of the P2 building even before the show began, with the help of Delgado on the guitar. It not only entertained, but helped set the mood for the evening. Delgado, along with Marissa Ruiz, will take over the roles of Ivan and Yelena for the second time this Sunday. Chekhov may not have thought much of his plays, but the attendees sure did as they laughed at the troubles they themselves encounter in real life. “The Chekhov Vaudevilles!... Featuring The Proposal and The Bear!,” which lasts a mere hour, closes this Sunday after a 2 p.m. matinee. Friday and Saturday’s shows begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the door, $7 with Associated Student Union membership.

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UPLIFTING— Smirnov, played by Peter Mendoza, lifts Popova, played by Gabriela Maldonado, in rage as servant Luka, played by Lucy Celoni, is passed out on the couch in “The Chekhov Vaudeville!...Featuring The Proposal and The Bear” last Thursday in the P2-101 Upstairs Theatre.

Iggy Azalea’s debut packs a punch JAZMIN TELLEZ Staff Writer

courtesy of Relativity Media

FRIEND OR FOE— Ex-con Lino, played by David Belle, fights with Damien, played by Paul Walker, as Damien makes his way through Brick Mansions.

Parkour legend hits the big screen JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer Exciting and fast-paced film “Brick Mansion” combines American car-racing action with French style extreme running parkour to entice moviegoers. Parkour is a form of extreme tumbling and running which includes flips and jumps in unconventional ways, such as rooftop to rooftop jumps, with no protective gear. The incredible stunts keep audiences on the edge of their seats, during the vital moments of every chase, on-foot or in car. Undercover cop Damien, played by the late Paul Walker, uses unconventional methods to bring to justice the criminals of an organization he believes is responsible for the murder of his father. This being one of Walker’s final roles, he played the lead but with the same type of role he played in other films. He excites but does not dominate the film. His charisma is overpowered by his co-star David Belle whose high-octane stunts make the action in the film extreme. Ex-con Lino, played by parkour legend Belle, steals a large amount

of drugs from crime boss Tremaine, played by rapper RZA, who is said to be linked to his father’s death. Belle showcases his parkour skills and gives the audience a demonstration of why many consider him the founder of parkour. He steals the action scenes with his over-the-top stunts and acrobatic fight scenes. He is considered by many to be the founder of parkour and who got people excited about the sport. RZA fits well into this role and brings extra charisma to his character. In past films he has had a forced feel, almost as if he did not fit the role, but in this film he has a more organic role. Brick Mansions is a section of Detroit in which the worst criminals are housed. Tremaine is not only the leader of the criminals, making him the unofficial mayor, but also one of the most feared. The Mayor of Detroit, played by Brice Ramsay, sends Damien into Brick Mansions to help with a volatile situation. Tr e m a i n e g e t s h i s h a n d s on a powerful explosive and Damien goes into Brick Mansions to stop Tremaine from

unlitimate destruction. Lino and Damien team up to help each other out through on-foot chases. Lino dominates in the excitement, and car chases, which Damien also makes exciting. The story is simple and allows the action to be in the forefront of the film. The payoff of the film is the magnificent aspect of the film. Belle goes from calm and collected to high-flying, bouncing off the walls in a matter of seconds. The prominent parkour style of the film is not typical of action films, which rely on big explosions to keep audiences interested, but the use of extreme stunts gives more excitement than an explosion. There isn’t much to the film and it all seems to go by quick, with a runtime of 90 minutes. The ending is not what’s expected and is satisfying. The story is lacking, but the fast-paced and thrilling stunts are unexpected and save the film. The film is action-heavy and well worth seeing in theaters. “Brick Mansions” opened in theaters last Friday. The film is rated PG-13.

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea has released her long awaited debut album “The New Classic.” The 15 track album packs a punch with strong instrumentals and Azalea’s clean flow to her raps. Azalea proves herself as a new artist with captivating and rather relatable music she put out on this album. The highlight of the album is the opening track, “Walk the Line,” a heartfelt song about the long journey Azalea has had to take to get where she is today. “I Don’t Need Y’all,” Azalea explains rejecting the newfound fame and appreciation from those who dismissed her, while reflecting on the struggles and troubles she faced during her come-up. The third song on the album, “100,” features Watch The Duck, an Atlanta-based dubstep/trap group. It’s a track about being honest in a relationship and demanding respect from a partner. “Change Your Life” features rap artist T.I. This song contains a pop vibe but definitely falls short as a single. Azalea’s highest charting song to date, “Fancy,” features English singer-songwriter Charli XCX, who moves the song in a pop direction, but as always Azalea giveas a flawless performance. “Fancy,” hit number one on the “Hot Rap Songs Chart.” The collaboration gives the single an underground hip-hop feel to it. “New B**ch,” is about Azalea’s current basketball player boyfriend, Nick Young. In this song she talks about having to deal with Young’s jealous ex girlfriends. “Work,” described as a subdued trap-meets-snap tune talks about her life story as a coming-of-age model who came to America in her teens before trying her hand at rap. “No money, no family, 16 in the middle of Miami,” describe the struggle she faced when moving to America. “Impossible Is Nothing,”

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sends out a strong and positive message to fans and listeners about never giving up and reaching your dreams. The bridge makes this song more soothing and heart felt, even though Azalea is rapping through the entire song, “Black Widow,” features British singer-songwriter and actress, Rita Ora. This song has a darker feel to it compared to the others since it talks about turning love into hate. Azalea revealed this track was written by her friend and fellow musician Katy Perry. “Black Widow,” is certainly catchy but sounds like a sequel to Perry’s current hit, “Dark Horse.” “F*** Love,” might have meaningless and pointless lyrics but this beat will surely having listeners dancing. “Bounce,” has a club-friendly house beat, that’s

different from her style. These songs do fall short, since there’s no real meaning behind them. In “Rolex,” Azalea reflects on a past relationship without naming her old partner, who she is directing the song to. She uses Rolex watches as a metaphor for the time she wasted being with him. The track is soothing and the lyrics is prose anyone can relate to. “Just Askin,” has a vibe that she’s indirectly making fun of someone and calling them out but is still a catchy song. Overall, Azalea truly delievers a strong hip hop sound on her debut album. The beats and lyrics collectively give Azalea a great starting point to her career. “The New Classic” was released April 22 and is available on iTunes.

6 Sports Track: ELAC wins gold at SoCal Finals Continued from page 1 Aceves advanced to SoCal in five events (800, 1500, 5000, 10,000 and steeplechase runs) but opted to race in only three events. “I am not satisfied with my results in the SCC finals. I will compete to win at SoCal in the steeplechase, the 5,000 and 10,000 runs,” Aceves said. She has the fastest times in the Southern California in all three events and is top-seeded in each race at the SoCal prelims. Adriann Crespo advanced to SoCal in the hammer throw after throwing a personal record in the SCC finals. “She returns to SoCal for the second consecutive year in her best event,” ELAC Assistant Coach Ernesto Rodriguez said. The track and field team was denied access to all campus weight rooms this semester. “It’s amazing, (ELAC’s) throwers did well at all. Our access to the weight was taken away from us. We were told the weight room was going to be turned into lockers, but that hasn’t happened,” Crespo said. “Without lifting weights you have no improved strength or power. Without power we rely on our technique, which is not much going against top athletes in Southern California at SoCal,” he said. Three Huskies took three of

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SPRING FORWARD—Freshman Jorge Romo falls forward and gets a personal record taking second place in the South Coast Conference Preliminary Finals on April 22 in Long Beach. the top six spots in the men’s 10,000-meter run at the SCC finals. “For the first time since 2004 we qualified three men to SoCal in the 10,000 run and they all qualified to SoCal,” Ramirez said. Daniel Zaragoza won the silver medal, teammate Kris Chacon took fifth and Ceja placed sixth. After the race Kevin Hughley,

El Camino assistant coach told Zaragoza he needed to run one more lap to finish the race. While Zaragoza explained he finished all of the laps, third place finisher Tomas Snur of El Camino said, “he did finish because he (Zaragoza) ran side-by-side with me the entire race.” Sean Sheil, El Camino assistant

coach, then said it was Chacon who didn’t finish the race. “I did finish all laps,” Chacon said. Dean Lofgren, El Camino head coach, explained that Chacon did finish. Ramirez further clarified the situation reading split times of each runner. Lofgren later apologized to Chacon and Zaragoza. “It was all good. I was watching my time each lap to pace myself so I knew I finished,” Chacon said. An El Camino runner placed seventh and missed out on the last SoCal qualifying spot to Ceja. Other Huskies that advanced to the SoCal prelims out of the SCC finals includes the team of Luis Hernandez, Cristian Flores, Adrian Gaytan and Jorge Romo (400-meter relay) qualifying for ELAC in the event for the first time in six years. Also, Zaragoza qualified to SoCal in the 5,000 run, Romo (long jump, 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles), Hernandez (400 hurdles), Flores and Viridiana Hernandez (steeplechase), Crespo (discus) and Gaytan (1,500). Zaragoza also qualified in the 1,500 run but opted to forgo to concentrate on long distance running. He is the No. 3-seed in the 10,000 run at SoCal. ELAC alternates to the SoCal prelims include Robert Villafan (hammer) and Hernandez (100-meter hurdles).

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Baseball: ELAC moves on to Regional playoffs Continued from page 1 After overcoming an early 2-0 deficit, the ELAC offense went to work in the seventh inning. “Kennedy came in and stopped the bleeding for us and then the guys began to have some tough at-bats. We battled all game and that’s all you can ask for,” ELAC head coach James Hines said. ELAC tied the score four-all in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-out rally. ELAC left fielder Eduardo Pedroza lead off with a single and later scored of off a Daniel Moriel single. With the score tied, the ELAC defense was at its worst allowing the go ahead run to score in the eighth inning. “Our defense made some plays, but we had some mental lapses that could have cost us the victory,” HInes said. After a leadoff double by Canyons second baseman JD Krauskop, Kennedy settled down. A throwing error by ELAC third baseman Michael Aguilar allowed Krauskop to score and give the Cougars a 5-4 lead. “It was tough for me. I felt like I had let the team down. I was hoping to get a chance to make up for it,” Aguilar said. The Cougar offense was led by

left fielder Chris Devery and first baseman Roberto Ramos. Devery collected three hits with a double in five plate appearances. Ramos who had seven home runs coming into the game had two quiet hits in five plate appearances. “He hit a home run to beat us in our first game of the season, but our pitcher had a game plan. Ramos made adjustments and we did the same,” Hines said. With a one-run lead, Chris Cota, Canyons head coach brought in starting pitcher Ryan Cruz into relief to try to maintain the Cougar lead. “It was an easy decision to make. Cloney was great all game, but Cruz was ready to go and he has been great all season,” Cota said. ELAC jumped all over Cruz in the eighth inning loading the bases with the help of some shaky Cougar defense. Husky center fielder Kevin Amezquita scored the tying run off an Aguilar single. “I was just fortunate enough to come through. I got a good pitch to hit and I found a hole,” Aguilar said. With one out in the eight ELAC first baseman Jonathan Larson scored the go ahead run on a run scoring single by teammate left fielder Eduardo Pedroza. “Our guys stayed with it. They outfought them and we came out with a big W,” Hines said.

Badminton ends season undefeated, SCC Champs sergio berrueta Staff Writer East Los Angeles College’s undefeated badminton team continues their streak over its South Coast Conference rivals Pasadena City College winning 16-5 last Wednesday. The intensity and excitement of winning the SCC was in full force starting with singles competition. PCC won the SCC title for five years, from 2009 to 2013, sharing the 2013 title with ELAC. This year, ELAC won its third SCC title since 2008. PCC brought on the heat with intense rounds between ELAC’s Yuki Tai and PCC’s Preline

Bonifacio with three games of range. Tai won 21-23, 21-16, 21-9. ELAC’s Khanh Dinh struggled against PCC’s Carmina Ortiz winning with a set of 21-18, 21-19. “I tried my best as I felt like I wasn’t doing that. I don’t give up and I continue to do my best. I want to beat PCC to remain undefeated, after losing to them for three years running,” Dinh said. PCC’s Alejandra Palacios beat ELAC’s Chumeng Cheng 21-8, 21-8, in one of two losses in the singles competition. The other loss was ELAC’s Han Le losing to PCC’s Serena Yan 19-21, 21-8, 21-19. In doubles competition, Dinh and Zhou Wong triumphed over the team of Ortiz and Purdy with

a score of 21-15, 21-16, 21-8, winning the overall match. Huskies Le and Shad Jin Wai played the PCC doubles team of Hong and Yingwen Lin losing to the twins 21-8, 21-6. The Huskies would not lose for the rest of the meet, leading to the 16-5 win. Coach Qui Nguy gave some insight into the Huskies’ undefeated streak. “The girls are doing better. Once again, they have home court advantage and lost at PCC (in previous years),” Nguy said. “We did work on endurance and quickness in order to continue on.” The Huskies host San Diego City College in the SoCal Regional Final at 3 p.m. today.

Softball The softball team clinched its first-ever South Coast Conference title with a 6-2 victory at Pasadena City College last week. Alashanee Medina pitched seven innings, striking out nine batters. Medina and Breanna Takanaka helped offensively getting two hits each. The Huskies will start Southern California Regional Playoffs against Saddleback College at the softball field at 2 p.m. The two teams faced each other earlier in the season, which resulted in a Saddleback 3-2 win.

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ELAC alumnus continues to educate on, off field Dorian rangel Contributing Writer Despite a couple of career setbacks, East Los Angeles College baseball Assistant Coach Phillip Valdez continues to devote himself to the game he has played his whole life. Valdez was 7 years old when he first started playing baseball. “I pretty much did the same thing everyone else did, playing in park leagues. PHILLIP I got a shot to play travel ball with the Boyle Heights Giants,” Valdez said. Valdez played for the Giants under coach Jaime Valle as a pitcher and first baseman. “He was a great ball player. He would always be on the field and was a great leader. Sometimes he would be in charge of the team,” Valle said. While Valdez played with the Giants he began think about his future in baseball. “This is where you got serious about baseball because it’s a little more advanced and the kids you are playing against are serious,” Valdez said. Valdez took what he learned playing with the Giants into his

playing days at Theodore Roosevelt High School. “It (travel ball) was a big part of my baseball career because I ended up learning a whole lot about the game, about myself and figured out that it was something that I really enjoyed. I then tried to apply that to high school,” Valdez said. V a l d e z said that he also enjoys basketball but has never chosen to play any other sport than baseball. “I knew if I was going to VALDEZ have a future in baseball and have some success playing, that I really had to pay attention to that and that only,” Valdez said. After graduating from Roosevelt in 2001, Valdez attended and played for ELAC from 2002 to 2004. Valdez’s first career setback came in 2003 when he had shoulder surgery and was subsequently placed on the injured list. The year Valdez was forced to take off was when he received his first look at what coaching was like. “Sitting there in the dugout you get to hear everything that you don’t hear when you are playing.

Us trying to outsmart them, them countering what we do. It was like a chess match and that intrigued me,” Valdez said. “Being forced to take that year off, sitting and watching, I thought it was going to be the worst year of my life. The first year I don’t play baseball and it ended up being the turning point. I’m happy that it happened,” Valdez said. Then in the 2004 season Valdez returned from the injured list but didn’t get much playing time because he was beaten out by another player. Valdez’s second career setback came in 2005 when he transferred to Mount Mercy College in Iowa, but was declared ineligible to play during the season. “After winter break I went back to school over there (Mount Mercy), and I was told my transcripts where overlooked and I didn’t have three units in a certain area that needed to be covered,” Valdez said. After returning to Los Angeles, Valdez attended an ELAC baseball game at California State University, Los Angeles, where he ran into ELAC baseball Head Coach James Hines. Valdez told Hines what had happened to him. Hines then offered Valdez a job as an assistant coach for the baseball team. “I hired him (Valdez) out necessity because at the time we only had two assistant coaches. Since I brought him on, he’s turned out to be, pretty much, one of the best coaches we have had in our program,” Hines said.