SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
Man chases, punches student in campus attack
Suspect arrested two weeks later on misdemeanor drug charge, then released
By Oriana de Quay
Two students were assaulted at El Camino College, one being punched twice in the back and falling after being chased, El Camino College police said.
Campus police arrested 35-year-old Davon Dashon OQuinn, who was wearing the same clothing as in surveillance footage of the attack, for the misdemeanor possession of cocaine on campus around 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20.
OQuinn was released three hours later on his own recognizance, and no hearings have been scheduled. He has been booked and released for misdemeanors three times since September. The first incident took place when a student worker was waiting to be picked up in front of the Administration Building at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 6.
The undeclared major who wished to remain anonymous, 24, told The Union that he was waiting for his ride home at the
base of the metal sculpture in the Administration Plaza when he heard a woman crossing Crenshaw Boulevard, screaming for help, and chased by a man.
As he began walking towards the police station, the man saw the student and began to chase him instead.
In addition to hitting the student twice, the man also tried to grab him, but fell into the bushes outside the Administration Plaza.
This gave the student enough time to run into the station.
“Some guy is chasing me. He was chasing me just now. He might still be chasing me,” the student said to Officer Shahbaz Zaidi and Sgt. Ruben Lopez, who were on duty the Monday of the incident.
The man eventually fled to a different part of the ECC campus, where he assaulted another person, according to police footage.
“I feel they [campus police] could have done a better job,” the student worker said. “They could have searched better or at least asked around for witnesses at the scene. I don’t think they did that.”
Chief Matthew Vander Horck said that when approached by a
victim at the police station, officers are taught to ensure the victim is safe, to assess what happened and to establish if it’s a crime; and if so, to investigate that crime.
Vander Horck said his deputies needed to stay and take down the report.
He said there were no other reports made regarding either incident, other than the one made by the student worker. Footage showed the suspect
swinging wildly at another person on campus.
“We’ve identified the suspect,” Vander Horck said. “The only thing we can’t do is arrest the person because [the student worker] is non-desirous of prosecution.”
“I do feel less safe, but I am now twice as vigilant,” the student said.
No Timely Warning email was sent for the attack.
The Clery Act requires an
institution to alert the campus community of Clery-designated crimes that pose a “serious or on-going threat” in a timely manner to prevent similar events from happening.
Battery and assault are not included in the list of Clery crimes.
“Certain components have to be met, ” Clery Act Compliance Coordinator Nina Wong said. “For this incident, battery is not a Clery Act of crime.”
Arson suspect’s bail increased as chemistry classes are disrupted
First court date set for Oct. 30 as Chemistry Building remains closed amid clean up efforts
By Erica Lee
More details are emerging about the crime spree that occurred across El Camino College’s campus Sunday, Oct. 5, which included two arson attacks at the campus Bookstore and in the Chemistry Building’s faculty offices.
Gardena Police arrested Joshua Anthony Chavez off campus on suspicion of arson with felony charges at 3 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6.
Chavez has been moved to the North County Correctional
Facility, a maximum security county jail in Castaic, and his bail was increased to $310,000.
His next court date is set for Thursday, Oct. 30 at the Torrance Courthouse.
Police also believe that Chavez is connected to a car break-in and an attempted hotwired carjacking in parking Lot C that took place between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Noah Rivera, 21, a physical education major on campus that night to coach an Nfinity Volleyball Club practice, said his black 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 was broken into and that he found a bag of security cameras, not from ECC, in the truck bed.
The arson also disrupted the routines of both instructors and students, who had to resort to online lectures and canceled classes instead of in-person
sessions.
In-person classes for chemistry, physics and life sciences were canceled on Monday, Oct. 6, and Tuesday, Oct. 7, due to the Science Complex and Chemistry Building being shut down.
Chemistry instructors and students had to pivot how classes are delivered following the Chemistry Building fire.
“We were instructed in chemistry to either go live online or to request a room change,” chemistry professor Soshanna Potter said.
Biology major Tiffany Sosa, 20, said the labs in her class had to be postponed and that the class disruption has been overwhelming for her.
“Because I was expecting to come to class, and you know, have all the material and information that I need… And
so it’s overwhelming, because I have to see or learn on my own, like different things that I’ve missed because of it,” Sosa said.
The Chemistry Building remains closed until further notice while air quality tests and clean up efforts continue in the affected areas.
A Wednesday, Oct. 15, email sent by the Office of Marketing and Communications said that classes may resume in the south side of the Chemistry Building next week pending air quality test results.
Meanwhile, classes in the Life Sciences and Physics Buildings have resumed meeting inperson in those buildings.
Room change requests were handled based on priority, with classes that had exams that week being prioritized and accommodated first.
For Potter, it meant two days
of in-person instruction were lost.
“We missed a lecture day and a lab, but we’re making it up,” she said.
Mechanical engineering major Peter Ota, 18, said the fire did not impact his schedule because he takes an online class where labs are conducted through YouTube videos.
However, it has shifted his professor’s office hours.
“Now there’s only one day to sit with the professor. And I’m not available on the days he has office hours. Otherwise, the fire has not affected me.”
For more on this story, visit ECCUnion.com and follow The Union on Instagram, Facebook, Nextdoor and X.
Reporter Keandra Lee and intern Joseph Marshall contributed to this story.
Spirits rise
Sunlight glints off “Boundless Spirit,” a sculpture by James T. Russell, in Administration Plaza on Tuesday, Oct. 21. On Monday, Oct. 6, a student was hit twice by a man who would go on to attack another person on the El Camino College campus. Photo by Erica Lee
Academic Senate moves plans forward to introduce new AI usage policies
Senate presented with two options for how to apply AI at ECC
By Eleni Klostrakis
In a unanimous decision, the El Camino College Academic Senate approved drafting a resolution regarding the use of artificial intelligence grading tools for instructors Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the Distance Education Center.
The new business item was presented by Vice President of Academic Technology Stephanie Burnham, who sought senate feedback on the two ways to go about implementing AI policy in the educational system.
“What I’m seeking today about these AI grading tools...is not the discussion yet, but just which format we want that discussion in,” Burnham said.
Besides passing a resolution, the other alternative was amending AP 3775, which is a separate administrative procedure regarding the school’s AI policy that is currently undergoing further discussion.
“I am highly in favor of a resolution and not a policy because things are going to
Police Beat
By Madison Moody
The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2:54 p.m.
Petty theft involving a laptop was reported near the Schauerman Library. The case is still open.
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 4:05 p.m.
Trespassing was reported near the Schauerman Library. The suspects involved were were released with a warning.
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 4:38 p.m.
Vandalism involving graffiti was reported near the Arts Complex. The case is closed.
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 4:28 p.m.
A hit and run involving a motor vehicle was reported near Lot C. The case is still open.
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 8:58 p.m.
A motor vehicle theft involving an e-bike was reported near the Natural Science Building. The case is still open.
Thursday, Oct. 23, 9:52 a.m.
Stalking was reported near the Gymnasium and has been ruled as a campus security authority report. No official police report was filed.
change so much,” Sargent at Arms Josh Troesh said.
AI is increasingly becoming a necessary tool in the workspace, with other community colleges and schools quickly adapting AI policies to the change.
Long Beach City College recently adapted their AI policies, BP and AP 3775, this year, according to their website.
“Just as we’re writing ours, we look to see what other people are doing...everybody’s in the process of writing theirs too,”
Burnham said.
Much of the impact on students from this upcoming AI policy will vary by discipline, Burnham said.
“It’s like we’re all building the planes as we’re flying it, as we’re looking around to see what other people, how other people are building their planes,” she said.
Marc Yeber, a full-time architecture professor at ECC, provided one such example of how AI usage varies depending on discipline and how instructors are already utilizing AI in the classroom.
“We embrace AI...we’re using it as a tool for the design process, not a tool to come up with a solution,” Yerber said.
“At least what it does is it spurs creativity.”
Soon, the senate will be presented with a first reading of
the AI resolution, where it will be met with critiques and feedback.
This process will continue until the senate can decide and pass a final version that will be implemented.
The senate also approved revisions to AP/BP 4226, the policy concerning overlapping enrollment, in a two-thirds majority vote.
The revision limits overlapping enrollment courses to 20 minutes a week.
The decision addresses the concern amongst faculty, especially part-time and nontenured instructors who feel the administrative pressure to catch up students on their own time, with no pay, and who miss significant portions of class time.
“There are some faculty who don’t feel like they can say no... there are part-time faculty or non-tenured faculty who are being asked to do an hour or more a week,” Sargent at Arms Darcie McClelland said.
The next Academic Senate meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4 in the Distance Education Center from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m.
Fire breaks out at El Cappuccino
Cause of the fire unknown
By Erica Lee
El Cappuccino suddenly closed Wednesday, Oct. 29 after a fire broke out in a student’s backpack.
Sometime between 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., a backpack sitting on a chair suddenly burst into flames.
“We heard a boom, and then smoke came from the backpack,” Ashlyn Zeutzius, 21, said.
“And then all the sudden it started to go up in flames.”
The fashion design major having a club meeting in the cafe with two other people when they saw the fire break out.
As soon as they saw the fire, the 10 people inside immediately left the cafe.
El Cappuccino remained closed for the rest of the day while the smoke cleared out.
Signs taped to the front windows apologized for the inconvenience.
Another sign from Pacific Dining Services, which manages the on-site dining options at El Camino College, explained the closure was caused by “a small fire”. They reassured patrons that the cafe will reopen “bright and early” the following day.
ECC takes home multiple regional college journalism awards
By Rosemarie Turay
The Union newspaper and Warrior Life magazine earned multiple awards during the 2025 Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ SoCal Regional Conference at California State University, Northridge, Saturday, Oct. 11.
Both publications received General Excellence awards in the newspaper, magazine and online edition categories.
“For general excellence, we rank with the best college newspapers in the state. That is the top rating from the organization,” Jack Mulkey, the advertising and business manager for El Camino College’s journalism department, said. “It’s quite a big honor to be in general excellence for news, magazine and website.”
Photographer Mario Trejos won first place for The Union’s sports feature photo of a baseball injury.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Yunker won first place awards for an editorial in The Union and am illustration for “Spoiled Students” in Warrior Life.
Former staff writer and award-winning photographer Eddy Cermeno received first and second place awards for magazine photography.
Other winners include Elsa
Rosales who took third place for her feature story in The Union, “Pow Wildhorse Pow Wow marks its second year at El Camino College.”
Cermeno, with former Warrior Life editor-in-chief Angela Osorio, placed fourth for the Warrior Life Fall 2024 issue’s cover design.
Former editor-in-chief for the newspaper and managing editor for Warrior Life magazine Greg Fontanilla, along with current news editor Erica Lee and former students Philip Mawamba and Ma. Gisela Ordenes, also earned awards in multiple categories.
GENERAL EXCELLENCE
Magazine: Warrior Life, fall 2024
Newspaper: The Union Online: The Union website, eccunion.com
FIRST PLACE
Sports feature photo: Mario Trejos
Magazine photo: Eddy Cermeno
Magazine illustration: Nikki Yunker
Editorial: Nikki Yunker
SECOND PLACE
Magazine photo: Eddy Cermeno
Magazine design/layout: Warrior Life staff
THIRD PLACE
Non-profile feature story: Elsa Rosales
FOURTH PLACE
Magazine cover design: Eddy Cermeno and Angela Osorio
Sports action photo: Greg Fontanilla
Magazine opinion article: Erica Lee
Video soft news reporting: Philip Mawamba
profile article: Ma. Gisela Ordenes
HONORABLE MENTION
Front page layout: Elsa Rosales
Magazine news non-profile feature story: Angel Pasillas
Feature photo: Kayla Mitchell
Magazine profile article: Erica Lee
A backpack burst into flames at El Cappuccino the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 29. The fire caused the cafe to close early while clean up efforts were underway.
Photo by Ashlyn Zeutzius
Saddleback College Bobcats catcher Rodrigo Barajas suffers an injury against the El Camino College Warriors during a game at Warrior Field on Friday, May 2. Photographer Mario Trejos won first place for Best Sports Feature Photo at the 2025 JACCs SoCal Regional Publication Awards Saturday, Oct. 11. Photo by Mario Trejos
El Camino’s police department has less staff than average Department looking at use of AI, cameras to fill gap in staffing shortage
By Savannah Anderson
Understaffing at the El Camino College Police Department pressures existing staff and pushes the department to seek artificial intelligence resources and external funding, campus police said.
Compared to other California community college police departments, including the Cerritos College Police Department, ECC is halfway staffed with two dispatchers, six officers, three sergeants and a chief in the ranks.
In addition to this staff, an officer and a trainee were just hired at the beginning of fall semester 2025, according to reporting from The Union.
In contrast, Cerritos College is nearly fully staffed with seven dispatchers, 10 officers, two sergeants, a captain and a chief.
ECCPD Chief Matthew Vander Horck is focused on relieving some of the consequences his staff is experiencing because of the understaffing issue, including the fatigue that comes with protecting a campus with only half the help.
“The school gives you a budget to run what we have, but I think that there are needs that might be a little outside [the budget],” Vander Horck said. “It doesn’t hurt having one or two more extra officers, too, to deal with [issues] when you have other problems.”
With the cases of unhoused individuals who have and could
potentially cause harm to the campus, as seen in the 2023 sledgehammer incident, Vander Horck would like to implement community service officers who specialize in addressing community issues.
This would give the 14 members of the police force enough staff to survey issues on campus, while allowing a different group of specialists to focus on the issues.
Jim Newton, lecturer of public policy and communications studies at UCLA, is an expert in Los Angeles and California government and politics, the Supreme Court and policing.
Newton argues that an
understaffed police department can impact the safety of a college campus.
“The general principle is the same, that police departments that are understaffed tend to have to rely on more basic practices of policing,” Newton said. “They tend to respond to crimes, respond to reports of something going wrong, make arrests and then go back to the next call. It’s called call-driven policing.”
Newton said this can differ depending on how it’s applied to different campuses and their situation, but essentially, understaffing affects police departments by having them
Out of Egypt: Anthropology Museum houses mummy remains
Return of mummy’s head complicated by time, costs
By Oriana de Quay
The mummified skull of a 30-year-old woman, over 2000 years old, collects dust from inside a box in the Anthropology Museum, faculty said.
“Nile Woman,” found under ruins in Luxor, Egypt, was originally acquired in the late 60s by a former El Camino College student vacationing in Egypt, who donated it to the museum, part-time anthropology professor Lawrence Ramirez said.
Ramirez, who is the acting museum director, said the head was displayed in the former Behavioral and Social Sciences building during the museum’s opening in 1968.
This was also reported in The Unions’ archives.
Law No. 117 of 1983 says anyone who smuggles an antiquity outside the Republic shall be punished.
Two years ago, Ramirez restarted efforts to repatriate Native American remains through the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires federally-funded institutions to return Native remains and artifacts to their originating tribes.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez found additional funds in the form of a stipend that allowed Ramirez to contribute more hours to the repatriation project.
Significant progress on the repatriation efforts, including inventorying and identifying the remains, occurred last year alongside students Kimberly Crist, Sage Thomas and Cedric Dube.
The museum holds the remains of up to 100 Native Americans.
Ramirez said he feels confident that he can repatriate the NAGPRA remains in a few years.
“The mummy head is more complicated,” he said.
Ramirez said anthropology professor Dr. Blair Gibson reached out in the late 1990s to get the mummified head repatriated but received no response.
“That’s been my experience, too,” Ramirez said
Anthropology professor Lawrence Ramirez will be giving a talk about the efforts to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act at the Social Justice Center from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13.
It’s an issue that is impacting police departments nationwide, stemming from a variety of issues, including difficulty in the recruitment process, hiring and retirement.
In a 2024 survey conducted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police on the recruitment and retention crisis for policing, it was reported that about 65% of the respondents were experiencing “reduced services or specialized units” due to staffing issues.
respond to crimes more than they solve issues.
“That’s the essential work of police, but it does take away from the idea of police as protectors of a community, and it makes them more just responders to incidents or crime,” Newton said. “In the long run, it takes a toll.”
The ECCPD is doing more work with fewer people, which makes it hard to manage fatigue,
Sgt. Ruben Lopez said. With several events occurring, along with 24/7 law enforcement service, it’s a difficult task, but the officers rely on their closeknit environment to keep each other together.
Compared to a 2019 survey the IACP conducted on the same topic, the reported service issues have increased by 25%. According to the 2019 survey, more than 70% of respondents reported recruitment difficulty and 75% reported making policy changes, including fewer restrictions on appearance, increased recruitment efforts and salary increases, that would allow for higher recruitment. Respondents also detailed issues with retaining officers during recruitment and training, along with pinpointing significant resignations after the first five years.
Across different California community colleges, police departments have their own systems when pushing for campus safety.
Los Angeles Pierce College is one of the nine Los Angeles Community College District campuses that use Los Angeles
To read more of this story, visit ECCunion.com
Textbooks returning to Bookstore
New Barnes and Noble contract will improve customer service, delivery
By Erica Lee
Textbooks will be back for sale at the campus Bookstore starting spring 2026.
The board of trustees voted to approve a full service contract during the Monday, Oct. 27 session with Barnes and Noble, which will expand the retailer’s presence at El Camino College.
Bridget Delahunt, who is serving as interim director of auxiliary services, said the contract will include three onsite Barnes and Noble staff members and customer support to help students order and return textbooks.
Board of trustees Vice President Nilo Vega Michelin asked if there was student feedback on whether online textbook sales were effective.
“Any time there’s transition or change, there’s always problems,” President Brenda Thames said, adding that the
college has tried to address these issues. “I know that in The Union, students reported dissatisfaction.”
She added that the college serves up to 25,000 students.
“I don’t know that we have surveyed every single student and we don’t have any kind of concrete research,” she said.
Most textbooks will continue to be sold online, however instructors can make a request with the dean of library resources, who passes that request onto the Academic Senate and to the faculty.
From there, they will forward that request to Barnes and Noble, who will get the textbooks in stock.
Delahunt acknowledged problems students had when using vouches for textbooks. She said that as part of the contract, the ECC financial aid system will not be run through a point-of-sale system.
“We’re bringing customer support back to our students, back on campus, so that it doesn’t happen again,” she said.
Officer Shahbaz Zaidi arrests a suspect after an altercation involving a death threat was reported in the Physical Education Building›s locker rooms Tuesday, Oct. 14. Photo by Madison Moody
It’s time to free the skeletons in the closet
By Union Editorial Board
Packed in boxes and stored in the back of El Camino College’s Anthropology Museum are an Egyptian mummy head and up to 100 Native Americans remains.
These artifacts can no longer be legally displayed, and they certainly are not for entertainment. They were people once laid to rest before being ruthlessly disturbed, and now require a proper burial.
Human remains once displayed in 1972 for educational purposes in the old Anthropology Museum, which was located in the former Behavioral Sciences Building, are considered illegal under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
NAGPRA requires museums and universities to return Native American human remains and cultural items to their tribes.
While faculty and students have volunteered countless hours to inventorying and identifying the remains, not offering dedicated time for faculty and staff to complete the work has meant these human remains have been left in the dust.
Although there are at most the remains of 100 Native Americans in the museum’s collection, it pales in comparison to other, larger institutions which may have a larger number than this.
Part-time anthropology professor Lawrence Ramirez said that while most museums are quiet about the fact they own Native remains, he is outspoken about it.
“There’s no downside at all to just being honest that we have some bad stuff in our collection that needs to be repatriated and most importantly, inform students about the history of this,” he said.
The last recorded instance of human remains on display at ECC was in 1991, a year after the law passed.
NAGPRA was passed in 1990 to end the history of grave robbing and exploitation of Native cultures, and the law set a compliance deadline for 1996.
After remains are returned, they are reburied by tribes in a reburial ceremony.
ECC’s first effort towards compliance was in 2006, which was led by a former student, Connie Morales.
The repatriation efforts paused until just recently.
Ramirez and former student and volunteer Kimberly Crist began inventorying the Native remains in March 2024, identifying the origins.
Ramirez said the mummy’s head, originally from Egypt, may not get returned in the near future due to the higher level of legal and political complications involved with international repatriation.
The museum is now reaching out to Native tribes who may claim the remains.
However, the process of NAGPRA repatriation is lengthy and costly as it involves numerous political, bureaucratic, legal and logistical challenges.
The U.S. Department of the Interior offers grants to museums to assist with the costs of consultation, documentation and repatriation of remains under NAGPRA, but securing funding takes time.
Currently, Ramirez is only a part-time professor while also serving as a volunteer director of the museum.
Having to juggle class instruction and the museum’s day-to-day operations means the remains fall to the bottom of the program’s priorities.
Returning these remains isn’t just a legal requirement but a moral one, and it’s now ECC’s responsibility to see that faculty are supported in their efforts to bring them to peace.
Editors’ thoughts: Thumbs up, thumbs down
Kittens near the old Art Building being taken care of by the Cat Care Club.
New vending machine near the Bookstore offering free COVID-19 testing, sexual health and overdose prevention resources.
People not cleaning up after using the microwaves around campus, leaving them disgusting.
Campus Deli in the old Art Building being left vacant for years instead of selling meals.
The
Union
THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
Vol. 80, No. 1 Oct. 30, 2025
EDITORS STAFF
Jaylen Morgan
Keandra Lee
Interns
Savannah Anderson
Heather Austin
Kaitlyn Estrada
Ana Gamez
Axel Hernandez
Benjamin Hernandez
Chelsea Alvarez
Michelle Begdahl
de Quay
Seph Peters
Joseph Marshall Lynelle Sarpong
Ashlyn Zeutzius
Illustrators
Farimah Dahaki
Joseph Figueroa
ADVISERS
Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF gburkhart@elcamino.edu
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER
PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
Gerard Burkhart Joseph Difazio
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS jdifazio@elcamino.edu
Jessica Martinez
Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu jemartinez@elcamino.edu
CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.
EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN
POLICY: No more than two guest columns from the same person will be considered for publication or online use in the same semester, and 60 days must elapse before a second column is published. Guest columns should generally run 300-450 words. Letters to the editor should generally run no longer than 200 words. All columns and letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. They must be free of libel and in good taste. Publication or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board. Nikki Yunker
Illustration by Chelsea Alvarez
FEATURES EDITOR
Rosemarie Turay Staff Writers
Eleni Klostrakis
Giselle Jimenez
Madison Moody Ryan Hirabayashi
Stormborn Paula Cunningham Cecilia Herrera
Chelsea Alvarez Philip Kozel-Lopez
Campus Soundtracks
Students express their music taste this fall at El Camino
By Rosemarie Turay
Music begins to set the mood this fall as El Camino College students share the songs, artists and sounds influencing their day, outfit choices and sometimes even food options.
From hip-hop to R&B, indie tracks to grunge and vinyl records, students share how playlists define their semester.
Short and Torres said the fall weather calls for comfort music and warm sweaters.
Torres is “really into R&B and alternative” music choices.
Although she said, “I listen to everything,” her favorite artists include Frank Ocean, Radiohead and Daniel Caesar.
Her main sources for music are Spotify, CDs and vinyl records.
In the fall, she switches to sweaters and darker tones of clothing, as opposed to summer clothes, including tank tops.
While Short enjoys listening to pop music artists like Billie Eilish, she uses streaming platforms including Apple Music and will play CDs when she cleans her room.
Her fall wardrobe consists of long sleeves and sweaters in the colder months.
“I’m not really a shorts person, showing a lot of skin,” Short said.
But changes in the weather won’t cause her to change her beverage choices.
”It may be a cold day and I’ll still have cold drinks,” Short said.
Aragon likes to mix genres like grunge, rock and hip-hop.
His favorite artists include Kendrick Lamar and Alice in Chains.
He says his October wardrobe became more organized due to the season change.
“[It’s] easier to slip up and get lazier. I have to hold myself more accountable ... to be more consistent in my work,” Aragon said.
Hussain uses Spotify as his choice of music service over many other ones.
“I switch my music taste. Right now, [I listen to] a lot of indie music: Red Pears, Makeout Reef ... a low-key fire song called ‘Away’ by Red Pears and ‘Get Here’ by Makeout Reef,” Hussain said.
Afemata could be found sitting in the Shauerman Library’s Collaboration Room on Oct. 1, listening to “Be For Real” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.
“I’m an old soul. I like old school music,” Afemata said.
He uses vinyl, CDs and Spotify streaming to listen to music.
He said his music taste often changes when the seasons change.
“When it’s Christmas, I listen to Christmas oldies. It depends on the mood and the weather. It makes me change music,” Afemata said.
Williams said she enjoys “a lot of oldies, so I’ll say like 80s music right now,” and that her music taste changes with the season.
“So usually, I’m gonna give an example for fall. I like listening to more of Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean and Brent Faiyaz during the fall season,” Williams said.
She accesses music through Spotify.
Colson said that her music choices change with the season. She uses platforms like TIDAL and Musi and has no opinion on which music platform is the best.
“I listen to everything pretty much right now,” Colson said.
She added that while she doesn’t have a favorite genre, she doesn’t listen to country music as well.
Business majors
Jasmine Torres, 19, and Philomena Short, 19
Interns Ana Gamez, Joseph Marshall, Lynelle Sarpong, Paula Cunningham and Angel Stormborn contributed to this story.
Engineering major Walter Aragon, 25
Computer information systems major Adam Hussain, 22
Undeclared major Khobe Afemata, 18
Psychology major Teri Williams, 19
English major Dee’Jai Colson, 18
Acoustic guitars, an amplifier and an electric guitar are all instruments which students can loan from the Music Commons in Music Building Room 126. Loaned instruments must be returned within two hours and cannot be taken off campus. Photo by Nikki Yunker
El Camino comes alive: Halloween spirits rise across the campus
From department offices to student spaces, ECC prepares for the frightful season with boo-tiful fun
Students and staff begin to transform El Camino into festive fun with pumpkins, fake spider webs, bats and cute Halloween decorations. Each door, hall, office space tells a spooky story and raises community and student spirits, sometimes by providing a bowl with sweet treats and possibly a few tricks throughout the fall semester. - Rosemarie Turay
Top Left: El Camino College HR Technician Ana Florentino posed at her desk, which was decorated in preparation for children on campus going trick or treating through the office. Florentino and Martha Lopez, who also works in the HR Department are apart of a group in their office who always decorate. "We kinda decorate all the time for every season, and they told us they were going to do trick or treating for the kids coming so we tried to prepare for [them] coming in." Lopez said. Photo by Seph Peters
Left Center: In the break room of the Veterans Services Center, custom Halloween decorations were set up of "Reaper Rapids" with skeletons, pumpkins and other decor on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Photo by Ryan Hirabayashi
Bottom Left: El Camino bookstore interior decorated for Halloween, Oct. 22. The Bookstore has also begun to decorate its cashier counters in preparation for the spooky season. The ECC Bookstore is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Fridays. Photo by Lillian Yamada
Far Bottom Left: Halloween decorations, including a castle and stacked pumpkins, were on display Oct. 22, 2025 at the Veterans Resource Center at El Camino College. The Veterans Services Office provides assistance to veterans and eligible dependents according to the ECC Veterans Services Program. Photo by Juan Carlos Cardoso
Top Right: Small Halloween decorations are set up at the front desk of the Special Resource Center on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Photo by Ryan Hirabayashi
Right Center: Located in the room 306 of Communications Building, the Pride Center has set up several Halloween decorations including spider webs, Halloween character decorated trees and lights on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Photo by Savannah Anderson
Bottom Right: The Veterans Resource Center at El Camino College celebrates Halloween inspired by "
All illustrations on this page are by Joseph Figueroa
Corpse Bride". Photo by Juan Carlos Cardoso
Inside of the ECC Horror Society Club : Where nightmares meet new friendships biweekly
With cult classics, films and spooky parties, students build a community in all things fearfully fun
By Madison Moody
For lovers of all things eerie and spooky, the Horror Society Club is the place to be.
Students can talk all things ghoulish and bloody with fellow horror fanatics in the Social Justice Center’s conference room biweekly from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Horror Society Club provides students with a welcoming and inclusive space for anyone who loves horror, no matter how many cult classics they’ve seen.
strives to be an open space for all ECC students who want to be around others while discussing horror topics they enjoy and want to share.
“I decided that I really wanted to also make it inclusive for people who don’t really know much about horror,” Arriegada said.
Many of the club’s social events are hosted on campus and online through its public Discord server, ranging from movie watch parties and campus hangouts.
One event is the Halloween party which the club will host in collaboration with the Tabletop Gaming Club on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the East Dining Room located above the Bookstore.
This event will include a costume contest, food and drinks, scary movies and board games, according to the Horror Society Club’s Instagram.
Club President Alan Arriegada, a 23-year-old psychology major, along with club treasurer, Deanna Burgos, a 19-year-old psychology major, said that the club
Activities with members, ranging from online to inperson social events including movie screenings and parties, are meant to bring the club closer together and have fun.
The club also doesn’t just stick to one kind of medium. The club has had discussions on different types of horror genres and tropes, and media other than film.
Burgos expressed what purpose a place for horror discussion has on campus.
“I think that it’s just something that people are widely into honestly,” she said.
Club secretary Xiomara Moreno, 19, said that the club has a few upcoming plans for the spooky season.
“For this month, we will be talking about a Halloween party and an activity of make your own Halloween mask DIY stuff. We try to make this club fun, to make people have a connection of liking a specific franchise and also talk about old movies and new upcoming movies to have a
from
will include a costume contest.
little discussion of everyone’s opinion,” Moreno said.
While the club is made up of horror fans, a common connection between some members is the overlap between horror fans and people part of alternative subcultures such as goth and punk.
Arriegada said many club members are drawn to horror because of its deep ties to alternative subcultures like goth, emo and metal, which sometimes share that dark theme
in their art and music.
“You have the emo, the goth and the metal culture and I think all three of those have a big staple within horror,” Arriegada added,
“Like if you look at album covers or kind of the topics that they talk about within songs or anything like that. Yeah it’s a big part of it.”
Club members emphasized that no one is excluded, as no matter what specific sort of horror medium people enjoy or if they are new fans, their doors are open.
“It’s somewhere to take your
interest, like your niche maybe or like your huge interest in horror or just learn more about horror and other people too, just somewhere to find community, find friends,” Burgos said.
The club will host a Halloween party Thursday, Oct. 30 at 5 - 9 p.m. in the East Dining Room above the Bookstore.
Screams on a budget: ECC students talk on two spooky theme parks
Students debate costs, wait times and scare attractions at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and Knotts Scary Farm
By Eleni Klostrakis
As Halloween approaches, The Union set out to find student opinions on the two most popular amusement attractions: Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights and Knotts Scary Farm. Full of tricks, treats, and scares both these attractions have their own quirk and scary fun. Universal Studios Horror
“I wish it was cheaper...It was pretty fun,” Faith said, “The roller coasters are scary, but it’s a pretty fun experience honestly,” Faith said.
Nights runs from Sept. 4 -Nov. 2. Knotts Scary Farm runs from Sept 18.-Nov.1.
“It was pretty fun, the lines were pretty long though...It wasn’t over $100, so I guess it was pretty good...We still went to a lot of mazes and we even went on rides I feel like it’s worth it,” Arenal said.
“The scare actors are all around the corner compared to universal...I feel like there are way more options at Knotts Scary Farm...It’s cheaper, and way less people go there,” Corral said.
“I had a super fun time, it was a lot better this year than the previous year....Just the scares were better, the houses were fun,” Domingo said.
“The lines are really long, I’ve looked online and they’re like two, three hour waits for one ride...And they’re just too expensive the tickets are like $200 bucks,” Dedech said.
“I would say it’s pretty fun, it’s always nice to get in like a spooky mood during the fall season and just go with friends and family...Especially if you’re into horror,” Younes said.
The Horror Society Club members gather for their meetings
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Social Justice Center. The club is hosting a Halloween event on Oct. 30 on the second floor of the East Dining Room above the El Camino College Bookstore. The event
Photo by Hailey Adams
Biology major Reanna Arenal, 18
Dietetics and nutrition major Lara Younes, 19
Nursing major Emman Faith, 22
Fire technology major David Corral, 20
Nursing major Juliana Domingo, 20
Physical education major Abigale Dedech, 18
Catching eyes for talent
Gifford Lindheim produces players to the next level
By Jaylen Morgan
Running out the tunnel with his clipboard stashed in his right shoulder, he wears his black Warriors jacket into Murdock Stadium.
The players in their multiple stretching lines in their practice jerseys and helmets on the ground laughing and talking with each other.
“Here we go, get to your groups and spots,” Warriors football coach Gifford Lindheim said to his players.
While on the field he’s pacing back and forth talking to each of the players groups and greeting other coaches, laughing and talking.
Lindheim, 52, is entering his ninth year as the football coach at El Camino College.
Since being hired in 2016, he’s helped the Warriors reach seven straight bowl games and reached the final four last season before falling to Mt. San Antonio College, 48-24.
Lindheim said that becoming a coach was a natural progression for him.
“I’d always worked with kids in different sports growing up, I knew I liked working with the youth and football,” he said.
This season, Lindheim moved third all time on the ECC football’s all time winning coaches list with a record of 5537-0 on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Growing up in Los Angeles,
Lindheim attended University High School where he played football as a running back from 1987 to 1990.
He also played football in college, attending San Francisco State for five years, and moved on to play for the Madrid Bears. Now known as the “Madrid Osos”.
After his playing days, he went on to coach at the high school level, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III level, the Division I level and also the community college level.
“I’m looking for players who want to work hard and earn it.”
- Gifford Lindheim Football coach
“I was aggressive in my 20’s because I didn’t have anyone to show me, I moved around a bit and you have to be assertive and make connections,” he said. Lindheim and his wife
Claudia have been married for 17 years, and have two sons: Tyler, 15, who plays baseball, and Bradley, 13, who plays baseball and soccer.
Since 2018, he’s helped 176 football players play on the college level, and out of those 176 players, 61 of them have played on the Division I level.
Lindheim said the recruiting process is a lot and that it can be difficult most of the time.
“It takes a lot of dedication, I’m constantly talking to coaches about their film and transcripts trying to market our players,” he said.
Warriors wide receiver Mark Baker is an out-of-state athlete whom Lindheim recruited from Barien, Washington and Baker said how Lindheim has welcomed him with open arms.
“Before I got here to ECC, he took my dad on a tour while I was at home. For him to take time out of his day to get my family to come was special,” Baker said.
He’s coached over 20 players who went to play professionally in the National Football League, including Colin Kaepernick,
Warriors Upcoming Schedule
Football
No. 8 El Camino (7-1) vs No. 15 Riverside (6-2) Home, Nov. 1 @ 7 p.m.
No. 8 El Camino (7-1) vs No. 10 Saddleback (7-1) Away, Nov.8 @ 6 p.m.
Men’s Basketball
El Camino (0-0) vs Santa Barbara (0-0) Home, Oct. 31 @ 1 p.m.
El Camino (0-0) vs Fresno City (0-0) Home, Nov. 6 @ 1 p.m.
El Camino (0-0) vs Coalinga (0-0) Home, Nov. 7 @ 7 p.m.
Steve Smith Sr., Brandon Marshall, David Sills and more.
The Union attempted to interview Kaepernick, Sills and David Mayo but did not receive any responses.
With three games left on the season, Lindheim has his team with a (6-1) overall record and an undefeated (4-0) in the National-Northern Conference.
The Warriors are also a No. 8 ranked team, according to the 3C2A website.
“I’m looking for players who want to work hard and want to earn it. I might lose a talented kid but if they want to go somewhere else where it was promised, that’s not the kid I want on my team,” he said.
NFL players under Gifford Lindheim
David Sills
College: El Camino College and West Virgina University
NFL: Undrafted: Bufallo Bills, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos
Colin Kapernick
College: University of Nevada
NFL: Drafted 2011 2nd round pick 36: Played for the San Fransisco 49ers (20112016)
Steve Smith Sr.
College: Santa Monica College and University of Utah
NFL: Drafted 2001 3rd round, 74th pick: Played for the Carolina Panthers (2001-2013) and the Ravens (2014-2016)
Women’s Basketball
El Camino (0-0) vs Saddleback (0-0) Away, Oct. 30. @ 5 p.m.
El Camino (0-0) vs Fullerton (0-0) Away, Nov. 5 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (0-0) vs San Diego Mesa (0-0) Away, Nov. 6 @ 6 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
No. 5 El Camino (8-4-5) vs Rio Hondo (4-11-1) Home, Oct 28 @ 1:30 p.m.
No. 5 El Camino (8-4-5) vs East Los Angeles (4-85) Away, Oct. 31 @ 1:30 p.m.
No. 5 El Camino (8-4-5) vs LA Harbor (1-12-3) Home, Nov. 4 @ 12:30 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball
El Camino (9-11) vs No. 15 Long Beach (12-8) Home, Nov. 5 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (9-11) vs LA Harbor (4-12) Away, Nov. 7 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (9-11) vs Compton (1-13) Away, Nov.12 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino College Warriors coach Gifford Lindheim trains his players on ECC’s Featherstone Field at Murdock Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Lindheim surpassed former Warriors coach Norm Verry’s record (54-27-2; 1952-60) for third place on the Warriors all-time coaching wins, according to ECC Warriors Athletics. Photo by Axel Hernandez
Warriors coach Gifford Lindheim (center) interacts with players during practice Thursday, Oct. 2, at Murdock Stadium. Photo by Taheem Lewis