The Collegian - Published Oct. 16, 2020

Annual Indigenous People’s Day celebration held

The Collegian

PHOTOGRAPHY, PAGE 6

Issue 3 • Friday, Oct. 16, 2020 •

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MEDIA LITERACY A MUST Understanding why media moves as essential as voting

BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS Photo Editor

Like a game of telephone, misinformation can be spread from person to person when people don’t analyze the information they’re being given.

As the 2020 election draws closer, more information-driven content will be available on both sides of the political aisle.

It’s best to have a media literacy toolkit to help you know what is credible.

While not an actual box full of tools, in an interview with The Collegian, Professor of Mass Communication Tara CuslidgeStaiano and Radio-Television Professor Adriana Brogger discussed how not vetting the content you see online can be

deltacollegian.net

Community College Chancellor plans for all-online spring

BY DAVID VICTOR Senior Staff Writer

dangerous because not only are consumers believing things that aren’t factual, but people can be hurt when others spread misinformation.

The Collegian presents some things to consider as Nov. 3 draws closer.

CONSIDERING THE SOURCE Brogger and Cuslidge-Staiano said social media users create their echo chambers when they filter out people who disagree with their own views.

Brogger said because people on social media typically see what their circle posts and re-posts, they are exposed to similar values and like-minded ideas.

“They’re not exposing themselves to a variety of information. It’s just this very small sphere of folks who are having the same nonsense discussions and they are validating each other’s point of view because that’s the only thing they’re interacting with and I think that’s really dangerous,” said Brogger.

Cuslidge-Staiano added that getting information only from people who align with one’s values is a problem because then you’re not exposed to all ideas.

Cuslidge-Staiano said the spread of misinformation is caused by the race to be the first person to break news.

“People post without vetting content simply because they want to be the person that you got the information from,” said CuslidgeStaiano.

Brogge r also said that the accessibility of being able to put content on social media aids in the spread of misinformation.

“It’s just, ‘let me whip out my cell phone because I have it, I’m going to capture this’ and the people make what they want of that,” said Brogger.

JOURNALISM STILL RELEVANT

Cuslidge-Staiano said that journalism is still relevant in a world where people turn to social media to get their news.

“We’re still trying to be part of the broader conversation that people have shut themselves off to,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

Brogger added there is a need for journalists and also for people with expertise in a subject because they can connect the dots between the information people are getting and what it means.

“What a journalist says is much more than to just tell you what’s going on in the moment, but [to] provide much needed information related to policy, to context, to where does this land in the

See MEDIA, page 8

On Sept. 25, Delta College made the announcement that classes will remain mostly online for the Spring 2021 semester due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Delta College Superintendent Omid Pourzanjani addressed the decision to students in a campus-wide email and on social media.

“The reality is we do not know when the public health risk posed by COVID-19 will subside, and I felt it best to make a decision now so that you can plan ahead,” said Pourzanjani.

Although the majority of classes will be held online, Delta College still plans to hold some in-person classes despite the pandemic.

“As is the case this fall, some courses in subject areas considered essential to California’s health and well-being will be offered partially in person, with strict rules to protect public health,” said Pourzanjani.

The subject areas which will continue to offer classes partially in person are laid out on Delta College’s term resources page at deltacollege.edu/ term-resources.

Despite the announcement stating most classes will remain online, the college didn’t rule out the possibility of transitioning more online classes to campus.

“We will evaluate whether it is possible to adjust our plans and offer more in-person classes and services next semester depending upon careful consideration of the pandemic’s current impact on our community’s health,” said Pourzanjani. “We are working hard to create the best possible Delta College experience, even in this time of separation.”

This will be the case not only for Delta College, but for other colleges across California.

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley answered questions to student media on Sept. 24 in a teleconference and stated that classes are most likely to continue being offered online into the next semester.

“This is likely to continue through the fall and into the spring,” said Oakley. “The reality is that this health crisis is not going to change materially anytime soon.”

See SPRING, page 8

Hunger amongst California community college students prevalent

BY HANNAH WORKMAN Editor in Chief

Food insecurity is an issue plaguing college students throughout the state.

According to a survey conducted by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice in 2019, “a combined 52 percent of students said they either couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals or worried whether their food would run out before having money to buy more.”

Some members of Delta College’s community are all too familiar with the effects of hunger.

Student Kelleigh Sheridan said she struggled to put food on her children’s plate during their youth.

“There were many times in which I did not eat dinner, but fed my children because there was not enough food,” Sheridan said.

During this period in her life, Sheridan utilized the Emergency Food Bank in Stockton. She received goods such as pasta, granola, yogurt, and vegetables.

“That was a long time ago,

when my wages did not cover enough to make it to the next paycheck,” she said.

There is a stigma associated with using food banks that often prevents people from seeking assistance.

“My children asked me not to go to the food bank anymore because one of their friends might see me,” Sheridan said.

“They liked to videotape food recipients to spur others to donate.”

Sheridan said she knew she

See HUNGER, page 8

(From left to right) Student Food Pantry workers Salvador Rivera, Valerie Valera, Lena Vannasy, and William Maduli at the drive-thru food distribution on Oct. 7.

PHOTO BY HANNAH WORKMAN

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People still leery about venturing out in public Some continue to go out to restaurants, other activities even though health risks are still high

BY KIMBERLY BENAVIDES

A

Senior Staff Writer

lthough the COVID-19 pandemic is still a danger, some people are less fearful of being outdoors. With different reasons as to why people go out, instead of staying quarantined, people are well aware of health risks and safety precautions.

“I don’t go out, to be honest, I go to work and grocery shopping, mostly,” Juan Hernandez said.“I went to Denny’s — first in Stockton then in Sacramento — but couldn’t stay. The place was very packed. So packed it was kind of scary to see so many people in one place like that.”

Hernandez, who lives in Modesto, said that when he does go out, he is shocked by seeing how many people have gathered around in small locations like convenience stores, grocery stores, and retail stores.

As Hernandez mentioned, there are many people gathering together in one place.

“I do notice that in restaurants, workers tend to clean up a lot more and prevent people from sitting too close from each other,” said Hernandez.

According to a New York Times database, at least 107 new coronavirus deaths and 3,410 new cases were reported in California on Oct. 7.

Over the past week, there has been an average of 3,230 cases per day, a decrease of 10 percent from the average two weeks earlier, according to The New York Times database. As of Oct. 8, more than 7,582,300 people in

the United States have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 211,700 have died.

The San Joaquin County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard reported 52 new cases on Oct. 7 alone.

In total, there have been more than 20,000 cases and 473 deaths from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Eric Mendoza, a father of two and a student at California State University, Stanislaus said he only goes out to get his groceries, but when he does, he makes sure he wears his mask for safety.

“I try not to take my kids out much to prevent them from touching anything and get sick… but when I take them to their appointments, I make sure they are always putting hand sanitizers and keeping their masks on at all times,” said Mendoza.

Jorge Melchor, who was shopping at the Safeway grocery store in Manteca with his child, said he only goes to the store for what he needs.

“I don’t go wandering around and waste more time, I get for what I came for,” he said. “The only reason I bring my son is that he is always stuck at home. I make sure that wherever we go people are also wearing their mask and I maintain a good distance from them. After I leave the store, I put hand sanitizer in the car.”

American life has been fundamentally reordered because of the virus.

Concerts, parades, and high school football games continue to be called off. Countless people have found themselves jobless and struggling to

The City Cinema 16 in downtown Stockton reopened briefly as San Joaquin County moved into the Red Tier for COVID-19 cases, the state’s second-highest tier. The location closed again on Oct. 8 as Regal Group shuttered all its theaters. PHOTO BY JESUS HERNANDEZ

afford housing. Many schools and colleges will hold few or no in-person classes this fall.

Although many stores, amusement parks, and entertainment centers continue to be closed, it does not stop people from being social and going out to eat.

Although people continue to go out to do errands, people take precautions to protect their health and others. Somjai Thana, a worker at the Tracy FedEx warehouse, said he

recently went to the Livermore outlets to buy some clothes and wears gloves and his masks to stay safe.

When it was suggested he shop online shopping instead of going out shopping to protect his health, he said he would rather go out because he wants to go out with his family instead of being indoors.

“I just wear my gloves and mask and I’ll be OK because everyone else is wearing them,” said Thana.

Absurdity of gender reveals prevalent

BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

G

Photo Editor

ender reveal parties have gotten increasingly over-the-top as expecting parents compete to put on the most creative announcement.

These parties seem to have started abruptly and quickly became a new normal.

Mother of two, Melissa Barber, said when she had her kids in the 1970s, she didn’t know the gender until she gave birth.

“That was part of the fun for everyone, anticipating [what] it was going to be,” said Barber.

Gender reveal parties were reportedly coined in 2008 by

blogger and mother Jenna Karvunidis. She wanted to get her husband’s family as excited about her newborn as they were about her nephew, the family’s first grandchild.

She has since claimed to have mixed feelings about starting the trend.

The Guardian reported Karvunidis is concerned about how far people are taking their own gender reveals.

Other people share Karvunidis’ concerns about the safety issues these parties are creating and also add that there’s no real reason to have them.

“I think gender reveal parties are unnecessary, and a grab at instant gratification for the parents-to-be. I just think

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As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence.

We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.

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they’re a self-indulgent excuse for an extra party,” said Barber.

Expectant mother Melanie Snelling said that while she didn’t personally have a gender reveal, she thinks that they can be cute and fun.

She added that she believes they can be overdone and dangerous.

“I think the damage [they can cause] is insanely ridiculous. For something that’s not even really necessary in the first place, it’s pretty insane to perform a gender reveal in a way that can cause property damage. There’s plenty of cute ways to do a gender reveal without the risk,” said Snelling.

On Sept. 5, a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device

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STAFF

Feature

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Opinion/Entertainment

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used at a gender reveal party sparked a wildfire that burned over 20,000 acres and caused the death of a firefighter who was working to contain the fire.

A gender reveal party was the cause of another large wildfire in Arizona in April 2017, consuming 45,000 acres of land.

Added onto the expenses of having a newborn child, the family who started the fire had to pay $8.1 million in restitution.

“Being someone who grew up in a fire danger area, I’m constantly dumbfounded by the total lack of intelligence when it comes to basic fire safety. People from California should always be aware and

IYANAH CHARLES SERGIO CUBA ITZEL ESPINOZA CHRISTOPHER ESTRADA JESSICA GOMEZ JESUS HERNANDEZ YESENIA ORTEGA DIANE RIVERA JOY ROSS JASMIN SEKHON

considerate of what can cause a fire. People lose so much,” said new mother Kristina Sonsky.

Not only can gender reveal parties be destructive but in 2020, we’re having, more fluid conversations regarding gender.

The gender one is born into isn’t always the gender they choose to identify as later in life.

Why celebrate the born gender of a baby when there’s a chance that they won’t recognize themselves as that gender?

In that case it’s not a celebration, it’s a judgment.

Parents’ selfish need to bring attention to their pregnancy is not more important than people’s livelihood.

PHOTOJOURNALISM DESIREEE MCKINNEY CHRISTOPHER MEIXNER JAGBIR SIDHU ANDREA TIPTON MICAHELA VINDIOLA

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STUDENTS STRUGGLING TO ADAPT

Whether it’s student services moving online, a brand new school or a return home, the pandemic has made learning exponentially harder for those working to be educated at Delta College

BY ROBYN JONES

Opinion/Entertainment Editor

T

his fall semester, students are still dealing with the repercussions of COVID-19.

Once classes were shifted online, confusion and stress levels hit peak.

Some students feel as if there is no help available from the staff, with no questions being answered and no counseling appointments available.

But why?

LIVECHAT OR DEAD CHAT? Although the staff is working hard to aid its students, its efforts are falling short, according to students.

Waiting in the LiveChat queue for help goes from one minute, to hours, to weeks, to months. That’s hyperbole, of course, but it can feel as if the wait is months when questions need answering.

Alex Breitler, Delta’s director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach pointed to logistical issues in an email interview regarding the lack of on-demand responses for students.

“While we have about 100 agents who respond to chat, they are not all available at the same time, and on our busiest days we have seen 1,000 or more chat inquiries,” he said.

Elysa Walker, a sophomore at Delta College, was having trouble receiving financial aid in order to pay for her school materials.

After the first day of school she waited a few days only to receive half of her financial aid towards the end of the week.

Regarding disbursements of financial aid, depending on the grant applied, financial aid is usually “paid in four disbursements total for the fall/spring semesters with two disbursements each semester,” said Tina Lent, director of Financial Aid, Scholarships and Veterans Services.

Walker felt frustrated receiving little communication about the arrival time of her financial aid, so she turned to LiveChat.

“When I used LiveChat they never gave me an answer on when or if I was getting my

financial aid. They just told me that they didn’t know, and just to figure it out on my own,” said Walker.

Normally students who apply for financial aid “need to submit follow-up documentation and in some cases students don’t need to complete documentation at all other than the financial aid,” according to Lent.

“It also depends on the time of the semester, a lot of students submit their documentation right before or right at the beginning of the semester which then makes for a lot of files that we need to review at one time. During the busy times of the year, like now, processing could take four to five weeks from the time a student completes their file.

However, during other times of the semester, that timeframe is more like one to two weeks,” said Lent.

In a similar position, student Jhanelle Golis requested help in June to set up a meeting with any available counselors.

In August, she received an email from LiveChat.

“If you would like to set up an appointment with a counselor, please use LiveChat,” it read.

“People rather come in and get help and straight answers, so the least they can do is be there on a phone call, or Zoom call. It made me feel like ‘what’s the point in asking,’” said Golis.

The DeRicco building, where financial aid and counseling is housed, is currently closed to the public. Delta College has signs throughout campus saying student services have moved online.

Overall the purpose of the LiveChat feature is to help students with financial aid, admissions, counseling and more.

Issues in a feature that is the gateway to student success can hurt the chances and or the motivation for current and future students.

It may already be.

FRESHMAN FRENZY Signing up for classes, choosing your major, receiving financial aid, and logging onto your student portal for the first time is all a part of the stress freshmen have to deal with coming into the school year.

Piling into the already chaotic semester a few students have run into other issues.

The struggle for the first year students is just beginning.

Delta student Keilani Facundo has experienced some struggles first hand on registration day.

“The biggest struggle I faced was registration day. I had no time or date to tell me when to sign up for my classes on MyDelta. I used LiveChat, but they went offline a few times while I was waiting for help,” said Facundo.

Student Aden Milano said that with classes starting, he finds it hard to keep up with the pace of classes and assignment due dates because of work.

“I feel stressed out with the online aspect of school. It’s hard to keep up and learn outside of the classroom. Sometimes assignments won’t pop up or be on another platform.

It takes a lot of work to keep up. On top of that I have work almost every day,” he said Daniel Spolstera also said he found it difficult to keep up with due dates within his own classes.

With back-to-back assignments having their due date changed frequently he had no idea what was going on.

“Not knowing if any of my classes has a set time was hard.

Canvas made it confusing, because there were assignments with only the rubrics due at certain times, and not knowing if I have any future Zoom calls was difficult and still is,” he said.

Incoming freshmen don’t have it easy their first year as an official college student.

They don’t have the advantage that other students received the previous year with face to face instruction from counselors, and instructors.

TRANSFERRING HOME Having to leave the college experience to come home for an extended period of time is a hard pill to swallow.

Not knowing whether to continue online education at a four-year college, or to continue at a junior college is tough enough.

On top of continuing an education at a different school, paying tuition and housing fees is costly.

Some transfer students felt they had to walk into the fall semester blindly.

After relocating back to Stockton, former San Francisco State student Matthew Maduli has been having a hard time not being in the city anymore.

“It’s hard to accept the fact that I was staying here at home, but it was for the best, finan-

cially,”said Maduli.

Having to adapt to a different environment can be for the best.

To only attend classes online, Maduli made the choice to attend online schooling at Delta College for the fall 2020 semester.

“I’m lucky to have brothers currently attending Delta to help me out picking GE courses and how the websites and accounts work. Even though we’ve been online learning since March it hasn’t gotten any easier. I’ve had to jump from being a full time SFSU student taking 15 units, to only taking 6 units as a SJDC student,” said Maduli Another benefit of taking GE courses at Delta is the price.

“I’m not pulling myself into more debt is the benefit. If I enrolled at SFSU this fall, I’d be paying thousands for online GE courses. Staying at home means I don’t have to worry about pulling our crazy loans,” Maduli said.

Students are doing the best they can to adapt to the “new normal” of online-based learning.

Being a student this semester is impossible to enjoy.

There are a lot of things up in the air hanging over our heads.

Disastrous first presidential debate showcases America’s political turmoil

BY JESUS HERNANDEZ

O

Staff Writer

n Sept. 29, the first Presidential debate was held between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

It was one of the most memorable presidential debates of the past decade, and not for good reasons.

What this debate further reinforced was the fact that America is in absolute turmoil right now, one that’s leadership will be dependent on for the upcoming years.

To say the very least, we should be frightened.

Since the coronavirus was officially classified as a pandemic in the United States, there has been a very apparent economic decline that has led to a reces-

sion. It has halted economic growth significantly, led to a huge surge of unemployment due to quarantine, and the stock market crashing amongst many other things.

“This is a huge, unprecedented, devastating hit,” former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told CNBC early April of this year.

“This is an extraordinary disruption, It’s almost like a meteor hit the entire planet and we have to now deal with the fact that we’ve been knocked off our axis,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton.

Through these troubling economic times, it was expected for Trump to take proper action in how he would handle COVID-19. This wasn’t the case,

and it has shaped the outlook for many individuals and their view of the upcoming election as more of a referendum on Trump than it is about examining who would be deemed fit to be president. The debate perfectly encapsulated how bad the political situation is in the United States currently.

Both failed to deliver key points on the issues critical to the nation in coming years.

Trump sounded like an impetuous child who spent nearly the entirety of the debate arguing with the moderator just as much as he talked over Biden.

One of the most concerning statements in the debate was that in which Trump wouldn’t deliberately condemn white supremacists.

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Delta student starts regular bike ride group

BY ROBYN JONES

Opinion/Entertainment Editor

There aren’t many recreational activities in Stockton that’s considered fun during the pandemic, but through the troubling times a student from San Joaquin Delta College is leading an organized bicycle ride once every week for the community to enjoy.

Leader Mykel Maduli began riding bikes because of his passion for it.

“It’s my therapy,” he said.

Instead of keeping his love for riding secluded for just himself he decided to make an event out of it for everyone of all ages to enjoy.

“I thought to myself, why am I waiting for Sunday/Friday to go ride when I can host one during the week,” he said.

“Meet at Robby’s Bicycles at 6, roll at 7,” a flier promoting the rides reads. The fliers prompted teenagers and adults to begin to ride in with their friends and family from all over Stockton.

“I’ve seen kids who can’t even peddle a bike yet, but have the balance to ride one, and I know this one old man who rides with us who is aged to about 65 to 70 years old,” said rider Mario Hernandez.

In the beginning, “around 6 (p.m.) we get like maybe three to four people, and then around 7 (p.m.) we see about 30 to 50 people,” Maduli said.

Maduli gives pre-ride directions to those in attendance.

“I gather everyone up, give them a pep talk about [what] route we’re gonna take, staying in the right lane, and other safety precautions before we take off,” he said.

In comparison to other bike rides in the city, Maduli has the most community involvement.

“I participate in many bike rides that happen, and in my opinion I’ve never seen a ride in Stockton that

Left: Mykel Maduli leads a bike ride group through Stockton. The group is open to all communities in Stockton.

Above: People take part in the bike ride. PHOTOS BY ROBYN JONES

has had so many people participate in,” said rider Tyler Brown.

In a bike ride, the leader sets stop points for people to rest at before they get too tired.

Rest stops for bikers are usually at a nearby gas station or shopping area that has restrooms and food, allowing people to reconvene, and chat with one another.

“A lot of people who go on other rides don’t like to stop too often or too long. My rides usually consist

of two stops for about 15 to 20 minutes,” Maduli said, making his rides by far the most enjoyable.

These bike rides bring out people from different parts of Stockton.

People come from the Northside of Stockton, the Eastside, and the Southside allowing people the experience to see different parts of the town.

“To be honest I’d rather see these kids do dumb things on bikes rather than see them do something dumb that could for sure reflect on on them in the near future,” Maduli said.

Bike riding has become a popular activity these past two months. Going from being an average everyday Joe to a widely known person putting on events to keep kids out of trouble, and bring people together is a gracious act to take place.

“It’s a good way to spread the love of riding bikes, making memories, and having fun,” Maduli said.

Lodi group holds its first Women’s March event Second event to take place this weekend in partnership with Turlock group

BY ESPERANZA HERNANDEZ-MUNOZ Senior Staff Writer

Lodi’s first Women’s March took place on Oct. 3 from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Approximately 50 protesters took to the streets of Lodi.

Women’s March Lodi managed to close down Lodi’s busiest street, Kettleman Lane.

Those taking part in the march met at DeBenedetti Park on Lower Sacramento Road before working their way through Lower Sacramento Road, West Kettleman Lane, South Ham Lane and West Century Boulevard.

“This is about empowerment,” said Athena Frye, one of the march’s speakers, when asked about her reason for taking part in the march.

“My biggest pet peeve is when people, especially boys, say ‘girls don’t need make-up,’

Protesters take part in the Women’s March in Lodi on Oct. 3. PHOTO

BY ESPERANZA HERNANDEZ-MUNOZ

we do not wear make-up for boys, we wear it because we want too,” said Athena Frye.

Hamdah Nassar, another march participant, spoke about

the importance of the march.

“This helps spread awareness, when women’s rights are being attacked we stand up for equality,” Nassar said.

Before demonstrators began the march they were met with opposition from a group of supporters of President Donald Trump parading in cars with Trump and American flags.

They crossed paths twice the first was a larger group made up of about 10 vehicles. The demonstrators also encountered a small pro-life group of protesters.

Jaiden Ha marched in the Women’s March and collaborated with those who helped host the first Black Lives Matter march in Lodi, which took place on June 14.

“Being a feminist was seen as something dirty and we’ve progressed for the 21st Century. There is still more to do.” she said. “You can not call yourself a feminist if you do not believe in equal rights for everyone.”

When meeting at DeBen-

edetti park the organizers offered free water for participants to stay hydrated.

The march organizers encouraged participants to make donations or to buy $15 sweaters or $10 bags.

The women’s march organizers hope to make this an annual march, but until then the next march they will organize will take place on Oct. 17 in Turlock as part of the nationwide Women’s March.

That march will start at 10 a.m. at Rotary International Park located on 1025 Gettysburg St. Turlock, CA. Both the Lodi and Turlock marches decided to join forces in an attempt to reach a larger audience.

To stay up to date on any future news relating to the Women’s March visit @womensmarchlodi on Instagram.

Local organization fights human trafficking

BY ITZEL ESPINOZA Staff Writer

San Joaquin County has three major organizations making a fight against Human trafficking: the Women’s Center Youth & Family services, Chest of Hope, and the San Joaquin County Human Trafficking Task Force.

Human trafficking is a cause for concern in the San Joaquin county.

According to the Women’s Center Youth & Family Services official website, the state of California is among the top three states facing the highest numbers of human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is growing

more and more, it’s at its highest,” said Jessica Alfaro, a hotline specialist who works for Chest of Hope organization.

According to the Women’s Center Youth & Family Services official website in the United States there are approximately 18,000 and 20,000 people who fall victim to human traffickers.

Of those victims, data suggest more than 10,000 are children.

At Chest of Hope, the main goal is to provide the help necessary to the human trafficking victims.

“We provide any human trafficking victims with what they need, every case is different after we conduct

a phone eligibility screening we will refer them to what is best for the them,” said Alfaro.

Chest of Hope also provides victims with services and tools to help reincorporate them back into society, including transitional housing.

“The victims who are sent to us will usually go through a 9-to-12month program and classes that will help them get back on their feet,” said Alfaro.

Chest of Hope also works alongside The Women’s Center and the task force.

“The San Joaquin County Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaborative partnership of government and

non-governmental organizations and individuals working to end all forms of human trafficking in San Joaquin County through education, advocacy and action,” according to the End Human Trafficking in San Joaquin County Facebook page.

These organizations work handin-hand to put an end to human trafficking and help victims through programs, housing and other resources.

To reach the women’s center 24hour Human Trafficking hotline call (209) 948-1911, Chest of Hope Helpline (209) 259-5552 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.

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Animal shelter works toward adoptions

BY HANNAH WORKMAN Editor in Chief

The City of Stockton Animal Shelter is aiming to reunite families with lost pets and find forever homes for rescues.

Under the supervision of Animal Services Manager Beth Vesco-Mock, the shelter has had a 39 percent adoption rate of cats and 24 percent adoption rate of dogs between July 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2020.

Euthanasia numbers were down in comparison to last year, dropping from 13 percent in cats and 15 percent in dogs to six percent in cats and two percent in dogs.

Vesco-Mock, who assumed the role of managing director on July 1, said the animal community in Stockton is “in great need.”

Previously, Vesco-Mock served as executive director of the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley from 2008 to 2017 and had a brief tenure as executive director of St. Louis County Animal Care and Control the same year.

Still relatively new to the city, Vesco-Mock said she has numerous goals to improve animal welfare in Stockton.

“We need a new facility,” she said.

“This facility was built in the 1950s. It’s been here a long time and it’s very outdated.”

A new facility would mean the shelter could expand upon their services, Vesco-Mock said.

“We would like to eventually provide affordable medical care to the local community,” she said. “Our hope is to offer more resources to pet owners.”

Resources currently offered by the shelter include pet licensing and microchipping, according to the stocktonca. gov website. Both are effective methods used to track lost pets.

Pet owners who live within the Stockton city limits are able to complete an application for a pet license and mail it in or drop it off at the shelter.

Licenses range from $13 to $32.

In order for a pet to be licensed, it must be current on its rabies vaccination.

When purchasing a pet license, microchipping is required. The shelter sells microchips for $5, with no yearly registration fee.

To inform the public on available pets and resources, the shelter relies heavily on social media.

Facebook is the shelter’s go-to platform for marketing purposes, Vesco-Mock said.

The shelter frequently posts pictures and videos of available pets. They also host walks through the shelter on Facebook Live every Friday at 12 p.m.

One Stockton resident who was inspired to adopt a pet after viewing the shelter’s Facebook page is Sammie Burnett.

Burnett was scrolling through the shelter’s Facebook feed when she laid her eyes on Hooker, a six-month old domestic tabby who was rescued by the shelter.

When Hooker was brought in, he

These pets, along with many others, are available for adoption at the City of Stockton Animal Shelter. The shelter is open to visitors Monday through Friday from 12 to 5 p.m. PHOTOS BY HANNAH WORKMAN

had a fish hook stuck in his paw, which is partially where his name stems from.

“He was a stray, so he was a streetwalker,” Burnett said. “I know it’s kind of funny and wrong, but the name is perfect for him.”

Burnett said when she came across Hooker’s video on Facebook, it was love at first sight.

“He just looked so sweet. He was rolling around and looked like he wanted love,” she said.

Burnett said another reason why she wanted to welcome Hooker into her home was because he resembled Vasco, her cat who died a few weeks prior.

“Hooker helps fill the void for my sons and I,” Burnett said. “We were prepared for him to be scared and skittish when we brought him home, but he was the complete opposite. He was loving and affectionate from the start.”

Lathrop resident Gina Medeiros also adopted from the shelter in 2015.

Like Burnett, Mederios experienced the loss of a pet prior to finding her new furry friend.

“We had lost our Queensland Heeler before her first birthday. She had heart failure and I swore off getting dogs from a breeder after that,” Mederios said.

She searched for dogs at other nearby shelters before finally meeting Tank, a pitbull terrier mix.

“I knew he was the one when I looked at his face,” Merderios said. “He is just a special boy.”

She said Tank brings a calming presence to the household.

“He sleeps with my son every night.

He is the best dog we have ever owned,” Merderios said.

Local food truck adapting to pandemic changes

BY SERGIO CUBA Staff Writer

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many restaurants and other businesses to close their operations, not for Simon Gonzalez, the owner of local food truck Antojitos Mexicanos el Paisa.

Gonzalez is finding ways to continue to attain revenue and get support from the Stockton Community.

Located by Great Valley Elementary school in Weston Ranch, Antojitos Mexicanos el Paisa has provided many years of sweets and treats to this busy community, especially to students and parents.

This truck sells fruit decorations that truly makes it unique, customized Elotes with hot Cheetos or Doritos, Tostilocos, vasos de fruta, even delicious Mango-

nadas. The menu possibilities are endless.

“I come here everyday during my lunch break to get my daily vaso de fruta. There is always a line here with kids wanting to get their sweets. I’m sure everyone in this community appreciates Mr. Gonzalez, he makes it feel like we are back home in Mexico, ” said customer Yesenia Huizar.

The first month of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worry into the future of this food truck.

“Schools shut down so we have to get creative in order to produce revenue and keep serving our community. I truly miss giving the kids their food. Most of them would come running with their parents just to get their daily raspados,” said Gonzalez.

It was uncertain what the next steps were for Simon and his truck. There were no more local students or

community gatherings for him to offer his services to.

Customers used to find him. Now Gonzalez finds the customers.

“A lot of people are working from home so I look for public places closer to neighborhoods during lunchtime to make it easier for them to find us, towards the afternoon we move closer to the freeway to be visible for customers that are coming back from work and want to enjoy some refreshing fruit, constantly updating our Facebook page to keep locals informed,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez and his Antojitos Mexicanos el Paisa truck is determined to continue to provide to the community. Gonzalez is working on more strategies and slowly expanding to other communities so everyone can enjoy his creations.

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CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Indigenous People’s Day, organized by Delta College Art Professor Mario Moreno (above right), celebrated Native American cultural traditions. Traditional dances were performed

by Val Shadowhawk (top left). Linda Garcia Medina, a.k.a. Mama Yaqui, (above left) sang a Native American song. Moreno said it’s important to have this celebration because the public should understand and be aware of the indigenous state.

“The dance is a story, the song is a story,” said Moreno. PHOTOS BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

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STOCKTON SPORTS UNITE FOOD DRIVE

BY JAELYN MORALES Feature Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lives in many ways. Sports, specifically, have taken a huge hit. Live games, practices, and events teams and organizations put on had to be canceled or rescheduled.

Lines to get into games have shifted into lines for sustenance as layoffs, furloughs, and job reductions hit the area. A local organization made up of those once dedicated to seats in the stands is now helping put food on the plate.

“Not only was there a dramatic increase in demand for food, volunteers were needed and during the lockdown it became difficult to staff the food distribution lines,” said Visit Stockton’s Director of Sports & Tourism Development Tim Pasisz.

Although we see how much COVID-19 has affected schools, businesses and sports, food banks have also experienced the hardships of the

Food gets dropped off during a drive sponsored by local sports teams at Lincoln Center in Stockton.

PHOTO BY JAELYN MORALES

pandemic.

“The California National Guard was on site for several months to fill the void as it relates to staffing,” said Pasisz Stockton Sports Unite has taken the initiative of putting the time that would have been used to host games, into the community by putting on food

drives.

On Oct.2, Stockton Sports Unite put on a food drive benefiting the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/ San Joaquin.

“We had 1,533 pounds of food donated that day!” Said Pasisz.

As time goes on, we are

rules of course are really important things to do,” said Julie VaNoat, owner of Best Wishes shop in Lincoln Center.

Many local shops have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus, some have suffered a drop in sales and many had to close down in the early stages of the outbreak.

“We had to close for a certain period of time, so I think it was like two or three months that we were closed for which was pretty scary obviously and like Jackie, she’s the owner, so she was, yeah, she was a little worried,” said Emily Barrel, a retail associate at Theodora boutique.

This event provided local businesses with an opportunity for sales.

“They help the business and give us an opportunity to sell some stuff,” said Emma Miller,

a sales associate for Sassy Pants Children’s Boutique, about the event.

The sidewalk sale was an opportunity to bring entertainment to people and families who had been in lock down and hadn’t been out since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while providing a safe environment and following local safety guidelines.

Attendees to the event were able to take advantage of huge sales, raffles and live music.

“I was looking forward to finding some good deals and getting away from home for a little, “ stated Kacey Garibaldi, an attendee.

Being that the event was outdoors and complied with Centers for Disease Control guidelines, which made customers and attendees feel safer and more at ease.

you have the choice to play locally with friends nearby, online with other players around the world, or practice by GAME yourself REVIEW on freeplay.

Once you‘ve chosen how you want to play, you can choose to host your own private game for friends to join with a password, or a public game for anyone to join.

If hosting a game is not in your interests, there’s also an option to join a server that has already been created.

Once you enter the server you will be waiting in a lobby where you can chat with players from around the world.

In the lobby you can click the use button on your screen to access the embedded computer where you can also customize your astronaut.

The customization feature al-

lows you to change the color of your character to any available color, decorate your astronaut with a hat, and so your character has a little partner, you can purchase a pet for $2.99.

Once the server has reached the max limit of 10 people the host will begin the game.

As the game begins you are assigned a role as a crew mate or an imposter.

As an imposter you are assigned fake tasks to “complete” as a cover up for annihilating the crewmates one by one, without trying to raise suspicion.

As the game starts your name will be highlighted red for you to see, so that you separate yourself from the crewmates. As you run around a kill cooldown is activated in the beginning restricting you from using your kill button right away.

After each kill your kill cooldown restarts to allow you to escape and plan your next attack, and to keep the round

starting to see communities come back to a norm within the pandemic.

“The California National Guard has ceased their operations with us with things reopening, but with things reopening we are now seeing more people signing up to volunteer and assist us,” said Pa-

Lincoln Center hosts annual ‘Sidewalk Sale’

BY ITZEL ESPINOZA Staff Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 3, Lincoln Center’s sidewalks were filled with happy shoppers and displays outside the shops for the shopping location’s annual sidewalk sale. The sale provided a chance to shops to showcase goods and the center to provide entertainment to customers.

The sidewalk sale has been a tradition, happening the first weekend in October.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic causing a lot of closures, the sale was able to carry on another year.

“We’ve been here for 30 years. It’s been going on for many more years than that. I think trying to keep those traditions and keep things as normal as possible. Abiding by the

sisz.

As for the many sport seasons that had to face drastic measures of change or being completely pushed back to 2021, the Stockton community will slowly and safely begin the process of starting up sports.

“Sports will begin to pick up slowly. The University of the Pacific already has athletes back on campus practicing and more and more things will begin soon,” said Pasisz.

Professional sport teams of Stockton are too beginning to look into the future of games for the community to come back together and enjoy.

“As of now, the professional teams (Heat, Kings and Ports) are all planning on having their next season (with some modifications of course),” said Pasisz.

Hockey, basketball, and baseball games bring Stockton together to enjoy, have fun and support the city overall.

“Stockton is a great sports city, and sports will help the city bounce back,” said Pasisz.

Shoppers gather at Stockton’s Lincoln Center to shop local businesses’ goods outdoors. PHOTO BY ITZEL ESPINOZA

“Most definitely feel safer being outside being able to look around and catch a good

bargain versus going in the stores,” said Debbie Thomas, who attended the event.

from ending quickly. Along the map you will notice vents that you can enter by clicking your “USE” button. After a successful kill, if you have no time to escape you can hide out in a vent until a crewmate leaves or report’s the body for discussion, or you can click the arrows that appear to change your location to a nearby vent.

“I love playing as an imposter, because it’s a challenge trying to figure out how to get away with everything,” said student Michael Estrada.

Although being the imposter seems easy it is tedious.

“You need active listening skills, and map awareness. You need to know what to sabotage, and how to flip the information you receive to narrow down the number of players,” said Estrada.

In contrast to the imposter, crewmates have a hard job of their own. Trying to complete all their tasks, protecting themselves from the imposter, and figuring at who the imposter is,

can be overwhelming.

Being a crewmate you have to activate your detective skills, know the map that you are playing, and know what tasks are located where and how they are connected to their steps.

Having map knowledge gives you an advantage to help you identify who’s lying about their location and what tasks they were completing.

In addition, you have to stay alert about your surroundings and the people who are around you in order to prove your innocence during discussion, or die.

“I think the hardest thing about playing as the crewmate is staying alive, anyone could be the imposter so you don’t know if you’re being followed by another crewmate, or the imposter,” said student Isa Ortiz.

Overall this murder mystery game is a great way to stay entertained at home that you can enjoy with your friends and family, while meeting new people.

‘Among Us’ keeping people entertained during pandemic

BY ROBYN JONES

Opinion/Entertainment Editor

H

ow do you stay entertained during quarantine? According to USA Today many people are staying entertained by creating puzzles, starting blogs, learning another language, and writing poetry.

Even those activities get played out over time. A more popular way of entertainment has taken it’s place among the interests of many: video games.

Sitting at No. 1 in Apple’s app store is an old game that has gotten much attention the past two months, “Among Us.” “Among Us” is a space-murder mystery game that can acquire up to 10 people per game. The game can consist of up to three imposters that sabotage and kill the crewmates that are working hard to complete tasks in order to win.

Logging on to the game

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HUNGER: Delta students lend a helping hand continued from PAGE 1 had to make a change in her life as she did not want to continue relying on the food bank, so she decided to go back to school in hopes of finding a better job.

When Sheridan began attending Delta, she befriended several special needs students dealing with food insecurity.

She said she saw firsthand how underserved the special needs population is.

“They’re very nice people and they interact with the student body quite well, but they often don’t take enough units to be able to use the Student Food Pantry,” Sheridan said.

A recent study in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics found that “households with children who have special needs are 24 percent likelier to be food insecure than similar households whose children don’t have special needs.”

Sheridan said she couldn’t just turn a blind eye to the special needs population.

She, along with a fellow classmate, decided to go to a local grocery store and buy items to prepare sandwiches for the hungry students. They also purchased cans of soup and fruit to give to them.

“Many of those students have a guardian or parent who their Social Security benefits go to,” Sheridan said.

“They don’t always have money to buy things and when they do, it’s very little.”

Another student who aims to help others dealing with hunger is Salvador Rivera.

In his first semester at Delta, Rivera saw the need for a student food pantry on campus and he, along with members of the Associated Students of Delta College (ASDC), advocated for one to open.

He has been working for the Student Food Pantry since it opened in March 2019.

“Growing up, I was homeless for a while so I dealt with housing insecurities and food insecurities,” Rivera said. “It’s really nice to get to see people come in who could be having a rough time, and

here I am ready to help.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Rivera and other volunteers continue to work to ensure students don’t go hungry.

This semester, the Student Food Pantry plans to distribute food in a drive-thru format twice a month.

The next drive-thru food distribution will take place on Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the S1 parking lot.

In order to access the Student Food Pantry, students must complete a onetime application at least a week prior to the distribution date. More information can be found at deltacollege.edu/events.

At the last distribution held on Oct. 7, Student Food Pantry worker Valerie Valera said an estimated 200 students came to collect groceries.

“This semester, we’ve averaged between 120 to 150 students,” she said.

“Today was our biggest turnout.”

Valera said a lot of familiar faces come to each distribution, though the Student Food Pantry uses a variety of outreach strategies such as emailing and social media to inform those who are not aware of their services.

The Student Food Pantry staff often establish close relationships with their regular clientele, Valera said.

“We’ll get to hear about their lives and what they’re going through,” she said. “I’ve experienced food insecurity so being able to help those who are in the same position I was in makes me feel good.”

In order for Valera and the Student Food Pantry to continue helping those in need, donations from the community are essential.

“We’re running low on supplies,” she said. “Donations will allow us to keep hosting food drives while the campus is closed.”

Those who are interested in donating food can drop off nonperishable items at the Student Activities Center or visit the Student Food Pantry’s website at deltacollege.edu/student-life/ off ice-student-activities/student-foodpantry to access their Amazon Wish List. Groceries purchased through the wish list will be shipped directly to the pantry.

can’t be offered in person.”

The restrictions imposed by some counties in the state are also an obstacle for students who are on track to graduate.

Some college programs have struggled to adjust to the pandemic and offer classes needed by students to meet graduation requirements.

“It has been difficult for some colleges and particularly some programs to design their courses in a way that

allows students to get the education they need to meet certain certification requirements,” said Oakley. “Just think about nursing for example, that’s been very difficult to allow nursing students to get the clinical rotations that they need in hospitals or to get the experience they need given the physical distance requirements that are happening, so many of our colleges are struggling through that.”

Despite the challenge that this may

pose to some students, the chancellor’s office has hopes this will be a minor obstacle.

“I’m confident that students not being able to get the classes that they need this semester or in the spring will be a small exception. Will it happen?

Yes, but hopefully that will be the exception and that colleges will be able to schedule those courses as quickly as possible so that our students can finish their courses of study,” said Oakley.

SPRING: Institution to continue online adjustment amidst pandemic continued from PAGE 1 The chancellor’s office also stated that it has launched a statewide enrollment campaign after remarking that students are having a hard time staying enrolled.

“There’s no doubt that this is a difficult situation,” said Oakley. “Many students for many reasons can’t get the classes that they need when they need them based on their schedule or have found that some of our classes because of the restrictions in certain counties

MEDIA: Online misinformation poses threats Policies and Procedures continued from PAGE 1 scope of ‘why should we care about this,’” said Brogger.

Cuslidge-Staiano said journalists have training in areas that other people who spread misinformation do not.

“In media areas, we’re trained in ethics, we’re trained in giving both sides of the story, whereas your neighbor Sue down the street may not be,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

Brogger also said journalists have a set of skills that allow them to weed through false information.

“A newsroom is tied to ‘how is this going to benefit the community’, public good, the code of ethics, about doing no harm, the code of ‘you don’t cover news just for the sake of covering news,’” said Brogger.

DANGERS OF MISINFORMATION A podcast by the American Psychological Association, covered some of the occurrences that have

resulted from the spreading of misinformation.

The podcast said a Louisiana police officer saw a post on social media about how a congresswoman believed the military was overpaid.

Assuming that information to be factual and feeling strongly against the congresswoman’s beliefs, the officer posted a comment that was interpreted as a death threat against her.

Another Louisiana police officer then liked his comment. They were both fired.

Cuslidge-Staiano said she thinks one of the dangers of not fact checking is that people have been prompted to do things that are illegal or that harm other people when others don’t fact check.

“Rumors can fly and spread and that’s dangerous. It’s dangerous not only to the individual that the rumors are about, but it’s dangerous to others too because you react differently if you think somebody you know is hurt,” said Cuslidge-Staiano.

Brogger said another possible effect of not fact checking is that one can diminish their own integrity if people see them spreading information that is not factual.

“For individuals, as much as it is for an organization, it has to do with your reputation, your credibility, how people see you,” said Brogger.

STOPPING THE SPREAD Both Cuslidge-Staiano and Brogger said media literacy is important.

“The reality of media literacy is it’s all of that [knowing how to read, write and convey your thoughts] plus that critical thinking aspect of it,” said Cuslidge-Staiano, adding that media literacy is impacted greatly when people don’t vet the content they see and share on social media.

“It’s not always great to get it first, you want to get it right,” she said.

It’s important to think before you share.

“I would say it’s kind of an information minefield out there right now and the only way that we navigate through the minefield without getting blown up is by really being metered in our approach to information,” said Brogger.

Committee discusses adding ethnic studies to Delta graduation requirements had a lot of time to work on the parameters for the Ethnic Discussion over adding Studies requirement.

The Policies and Procedures an ethnic studies graduation Review Committee came to requirement dominated the Policies and Procedures an agreement that it would Committee meeting on Sept. be difficult to implement the changes to the curriculum 24, held via Zoom.

The meeting began with any sooner than the 2022extensive public comments 2023 school year, because the regarding the addition of an curriculum approval process Ethnic Studies requirement to would take that long.

“The addition to the the graduation requirements. requirements The committee voted to graduation extend the comment period would not be able to be made to 30 minutes, up from 15, until the college is able to in order for most people who have sufficient classes that wanted to talk to be heard. would meet that purpose,” Comments were also limited said Cuslidge-Staino.

The committee voted to to two minutes each instead recommend to the President’s of the usual three minutes in order to allow the most Council to delay enacting the new requirements until the people possible to speak.

“An Ethnic Studies 2022-2023 school year.

In other business, the requirement is essential to the success of the students,” committee discussed times for said associate professor online finals. Some committee members felt that they should Gabrielle Myers. give an exact time for a final Others agreed.

“Ethnic studies are life to be taken, as if they were in changing,” said Dr. Sarah a face to face class.

Others said that the point Seekatz, who teaches of online classes is that Mexican American history people could log on when at Delta.

The Chairperson they were able to fit it into of the Ethnic Studies their schedule, and they subcommittee, Tara Cuslidge- should not be given a specific Staiano, reported that the time to take the final. They subcommittee had been felt they should be given a formed fairly recently, and they range of times.

The discussion was tabled hadn’t been able to meet over the summer, so they had not to a future meeting.

BY JOY ROSS Staff Writer