Nov 21, 2012 (Vol 45, Issue 8)

@lariatnews /lariat.saddleback /LariatNews @lariatnews VOLUME 45, ISSUE 8

Lariat

Geography shows world’s experiences of death Page 2

SADDLEBACK AND IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGES’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats perform at Saddleback Page 4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

LARIATNEWS.COM

Students embrace holiday spirit Saddleback Associated Student Government collects enough food donations for needy families for Thanksgiving holiday An gi e L. Pineda & St ev e n J ung

Staff Writers

This holiday, the ASG events cabinet collected canned food and provided turkeys and enough food to feed 30 families. The cabinet was working with Adopt A Family to try and accomplish their goal.

“The turkey drive is for the families of EOPS,” Rodman Oveisi said.

The cabinet collected 189 cans of corn, 19 cans of sweet peas, 184 boxes of gravy for turkey, 80 cans of mashed potatoes and much more.

The cabinet managed to get permission to ask for donations in front of Trader Joe’s and tried some other locations. They attempted other grocery locations, such as Pavilions, and at first seemed successful but the day the events cabinet showed up to collect, the store changed their mind and told them it wasn’t possible.

The cabinet also gathered cranberries, sweet potatoes and corn bread mixes, which are all of the main foods one might find in a Thanksgiving dinner. Some students felt that the approach ASG used was acceptable, because they did not force or guilt anyone into helping. They only sought to ask those that were interested in helping with their turkey drive.

“I feel that helping the less fortunate is a good cause,” student Lora Roberts said.

Zion Mills also believes that helping the less fortunate is a good thing too.

“It’s a good idea and its not like its hurting anyone.

Its your choice to help,” Mills said.

It seems the approach the cabinet used is what got help from those that were interested.

Another student felt charities cannot have a bad image at all.

“It’s kind of hard to have a negative attitude about a charity,” Kelly Mitchell said.

Mitchell also explained, “People don’t always have dinner and they have to eat.”

It would seem that charities are a good choice if someone would like to help out around the time of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

According to the Giving Children Hope organization there are about 22,000 children in Orange County who are considered homeless.

According to another recent tally report by the Na-

Anibal santos / lariat

Ceramics, artwork on sale Traditional and non-traditional pieces will be available a ni ba l sa ntos PHOTOS Courtesy of Saddleback asg

Thanksgiving donation: Students

help collect food for 30 families with their turkey drive.

tional Alliance to End Homelessness, California alone was estimated to have 135,982 homeless people.

There were also many opportunities being offered in the Orange County community to help the charitable events out. The House of Blues in Anaheim and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County chose 650 students and family members to gather together and have a Thanksgiving meal. These people were chosen by the Anaheim City School District and were selected because of their living conditions or lack thereof.

There was a chance to pre-exercise Thanksgiving dinner with the Turkey Trot in Dana Point where around 10,000 members participated in a 5K and 10K race. The proceedings went to Marine families. apineda7@saddleback.edu sjung10@saddleback.edu

Daisy Dukes fashion show benefits dog adoption Business and fashion students host western runway show in hopes of finding homes for strays R ac h e l S c h m i d

Staff Writer

Rachel schmid / lariat

For adoption: Dogs

join the models on the runway at the conclusion of the western-themed fashion show at Saddleback

The students of the Fashion 147 and Business 147 classes produced their annual fall project “Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots” in the Saddleback quad on Nov. 15.

This country, western-themed event featured a fashion show, vendors, pie-eating contest, and dogs waiting for adoption.

Director of the event Jamie Cannon, 27, described the biggest challenge in creating this fall project.

“One of the biggest things we had to incorporate was the adoption with the dogs,” she said. “It was hard to find an agency that wanted to come on campus, but once we did, it ended up working out pretty cool.”

All of the proceeds from the event benefited the Ark of San Juan Animal Rescue.

The Ark brought four loving dogs ready for adoption to the event and the dogs were even able to waddle down the catwalk and participate in the fashion show.

“We are excited that we were able to come,” Ark volunteer Kathy Hamersley stated.

“We’re glad that [the dogs] could be part of the fashion show.”

The Ark of San Juan is a non-profit, allvolunteer group aimed at rescuing animals and relocating them to owners capable of takiing them.

“We make sure that the strays of San Juan get a second chance,” Hamersley said. “We don’t have a pro-humane facility in San Juan, so our animals go up to the Orange County animal shelter where they are euthanized for time and space. We make sure we pull them before their time is up so that they can get the second chance that they deserve.”

The students who helped organize the project dealt with a few minor mishaps

that arrive with any event. One of them being that a dog fell off the stage when it was walking across.

Business marketing major Taylor Palitze, 18, helped organize the event and even narrated the fashion show.

Palitze and her team dealt with an issue when a model participating in the fashion show called in sick.

“We handled the situation smoothly and were able to find Colton, who is in the makeup/hairdressing class, and he filled in as a model,” Palitze stated.

Despite the minor challenges, the team enjoyed watching the pie-eating contest which drew a large crowd.

Saddleback student Marco Lozano was stunned when he won the pie-eating contest and received a gift basket filled with movie tickets and other goodies.

“I thought I was losing the whole time!”

Lozano stated.

The event also featured multiple vendors like Muse Boutique, Park Lane Jewelry, Cookie Lee Jewelry, C&K Kettle Corn, Sweet! Candy, Body & Soul Botanicals, and others.

Diane McGroarty, the professor who teaches the class that produced the show, looks forward to this fall project every year.

“I enjoy watching the students create the event from conception to completion,” McGroarty said. “Every semester we have a different group that bring new ideas to the table and it’s an excellent way for students to get hands-on experience producing and directing a fashion show.” rschmid7@saddleback.edu

MORE ONLINE: Check lariatnews.com for video coverage of the Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots fashion show

Staff Writer

Saddleback ceramic students are preparing for the 34th Annual Holiday Student Art Sale happening Dec. 1 to Dec. 4.

“It’s ceramics, print making, photography, drawing, jewelry, sculpture, painting and watercolors so its all different art from the art classes here,” said ceramic student, Alicia Iraclides.

Non-traditional art may also be featured in this year’s art sale as well.

“Sometimes there is screen printing … we never know what’s going to be there, but there will be ceramics there for sure,” said Iraclides.

According to some of the 33 students who previously have had work featured, ceramics is among the most popular among art buyers.

“People come every year to buy. Certain people like certain artists and come to purchase their piece,” said Iraclides. “Ceramics takes up most of the art sale because the pieces are bigger.

Tables are going to be set up and its mostly going to be ceramics, according to ceramics student Tim Carmin, the art sale offers an opportunity to find gifts for the holidays.

“This is the opportunity for people to pick up affordable art that perhaps they wouldn’t at other times,” said Carmin. “Its also a way to find nice Christmas gifts at affordable prices.”

The art sale also offers art collectors and art lovers the opportunity to find gallery level artwork available here on campus.

“A few of our people exhibit at the Sawdust Festival and different galleries, so it’s a great way to get affordable art,” said Iraclides.

Saddleback Student Art Sale starts Saturday, Dec. 1 at noon in the Saddleback College Art Gallery. asantos5@saddleback.edu

Index: Features..........2 Opinion..........3 Arts & Life........4 LARIATNEWS.COM

2

FEATURES

Lariat

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

Murphy sets trails ablaze Saddleback cross country runner Will Murphy shares his passion for the sport and how he prepares for events

Care about cancer?

Take the first step in helping to save a cancer patient's life.

GIVE T

A SPI

ABOUT CANCER

TEXTMY SPIT to 38383

E r i k W ood s

Staff Writer

Running, something many students and even some athletes don’t care for. It’s physically draining and mentally exhausting. The first step to becoming a successful runner is to believe that you can keep running, that you can keep pushing yourself until the finish line is reached, or until you feel you have reached your own personal finish line.

Courtesy of Matt Sherman For Saddleback Cross-country runner Will Murphy, his own finish line has yet to Run Murphy Run: Will Murphy (right) leaves another opponent in his wake as he makes his be reached. Murphy is a 22 year old, Liberal way to the front of the pack during the Palomar Invitational, Sept. 9, 2012 at Guajome Park.

Arts major who has a serious passion for long-distance running. Murphy shared his miles and I would catch up. Competitions get back but usually I’m just thinking about passion for running with me in a brief email at Saddleback consist of 4 mile races for what I’m going to eat,” Murphy said. interview, when asked if he ever thought Cross-country and a variety of long-distance Murphy’s longest run was 14 miles, about trying any other sports, and his re- events and track. Anywhere from 800m to and his fastest mile time was during his sponse was “Running is pretty much what I 10k are the long distance for track.” high school years, where he ran speedy do. If I were to play another sport it would Hydration and proper nutrition are criti- 4:35. During his time in college, the mile have to have a lot of running in it." cal in any sport, but in long distance run- is changed to a 1500 meter course, which While running is Murphy’s passion, ning, it is imperative that you have the cal- he ran in 4:39. many students can relate to how difficult it ories to burn and the liquids to rejuvenate “I will run as long as I have legs. As far can be at times. “There’s nothing to running your body. as running for my next school, I will if at for a long time I just put one foot in front of “Before each run I hydrate usually all possible. Schools haven’t been trying to the other then just go. Your body just adapts drinking between 70 oz. to100 oz. of water. recruit me. My times are considered averand everything just melts away,” he said.

Other than that, I make sure I plan meals age,” Will said.

When asked if he had any passion for and snacks so that i have enough energy any other sort of running, such as sprinting, when it comes to workouts or races. If I Murphy stated that “I’m not fast enough do that the run goes way better. If it’s hot to compete as a sprinter but give me a few out I’m thinking of nice cold water when I ewoods5@saddleback.edu

Visit us online at: www.lariatnews.com

to learn about what you can do.

HINT: ITS MUCH EASIER THAN YOU THINK. *Standard data and msg rates apply

Have your AA Degree?

You Can Attend Law School.

You can attend Trinity Law School upon completion of your Associates Degree.

Go straight to law school. Save time, save money, and get a great education with unlimited opportunities. Apply today FREE!*

*Application fee waiver code: JCA213 For more information: www.tls.edu

LARIATNEWS.COM/NEWS

Geography students discuss world death demographics K at r i n a A n daya

Staff Writer

The honors cultural geography class presented their semester project Geography of Death Posters on Thursday in SSC 212.

Honors cultural geography Professor Maureen Smith instructed the class to research and complete a poster with information on climbing death rates in other countries other than the United States or US Military.

She said that the main aspect was for the students to connect the why to the where; why some people are dying in other parts of the world and not in others.

The goal was to connect those two aspects. “[The project was to] give out knowledge about death going around in the world in the past 10 years,” said cultural geography student Chip Bronsky, 20.

Topics presented included

Robert Shoemake / Lariat

posted: A poster describing death in the Sichuan Provence of China.

Child Burn Mortality in Tanzania, Malaria in Uganda, Chagas Disease in Bolivia, Famine in Somalia and many more.

The students were very knowledgeable on the topics discussed, which pressed on serious issues affecting different parts of the world that most of us are unaware of.

“I learned a lot about new topics that I was not informed

about,” said Saddleback College student Patrick Costa, 21.

This is the third fall honors class to do this Geography of Death project.

Food and beverages were also provided for people attending the poster session.

kandaya0@saddleback.

Want more coverage?

Follow the Lariat online!

@lariatnews

/lariat.saddleback

/LariatNews

@lariatnews

Lariat

3

OPINION The dead will rise

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

‘Ugly Americans’

Cathy lee taylor

Staff Writer

Survive endless waves of zombies or compete against another zombie killing team Steven Jung

Staff Writer

“Black Ops 2” came out last Tuesday, and I have noticed some changes in the multiplayer.

One thing I noticed that is a big change, is the kill streak system has become the score streak system. Rewards are based on how many points earned in one life, which in previous games was based on kills.

The kill streaks are different as well, especially since part of the game takes place in the future.

There are some similar kill streaks such as a VTOL with a gunner or attack dogs.

The new rewards that caught my eye were the ones never in a previous “Call of Duty” games such as the Guardian, Dragonfire, and Swarm. The Guardian is a mini-microwave weapon that can stun and if exposed long enough, can kill an enemy; in one match I was killed by it three times because I had no idea it was there and what was going on in my first multiplayer match.

One reward streak that is considered old and new is the Orbital VSAT. It can be considered new because it is a satellite in low orbit, which has never been a reward before but it reveals enemy movement and positions. The fact that it shows players where their enemies are is what makes it an old reward because revealing enemies has been in almost every known “Call of Duty” game whether it’s a spy plane or an unmanned UAV drone.

Another new feature in multiplayer is in the zombie mode known as “Tranzit.”

This game mode allowed me and other players to add additions to the bus as it took us from one location to another. There are several different stops on the bus route, which we found tools to add to the bus’ defenses. Two of my allies found two different ladders to allow us to be on top of the bus and my borther found two tools to make a riot shield out of a car door and a small ladder.

In the other two maps I played a game mode called “Grief” where me and three others played against zombies and another team of four. As the I progressed through earning zombie kills or reviving team mates, I earned new portraits or “emblem” like in multiplayer games such as team death match.

As I completed rounds and the modes

Courtesy of David Chavez THE DEAD COME BACK TO LIFE: (top) David Chavez opens up Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. (bottom) Chavez photographs himself as a zombie for a haunted house for Halloween.

“Grief” and “Tranzit” the new emblem I earned was a cross bones and recently I gained a skull, but I want to earn the skull with blue lights in the eyes. In order to earn the cross bones, the player must complete “Grief” in both the town and farm maps as far as I know because I completed one round in each, which was when I got the cross bones emblem.

In order to progress further however, you must also not only complete the town and farm map, but the bus map (Tranzit) as well.

I have not completed “Tranzit” but I know I have to find clues toward something.

Courtesy of David Chavez

It appears that the publisher of “Call of Duty” has come up with some new features besides making three new zombie maps.

Another new feature I liked is the world map that appears when I go looking for zombie game modes. There is only one area unlocked called “Green Run” but I assume that when the new downloadable content comes out they will add more maps and other areas on the world map.

It is a wonder what new features will be made in the next Call of Duty zombie mode if they continue to make them. sjung10@saddleback.edu

Campus Comments:

The term ‘Ugly American’ is typically used for those Americans traveling abroad and displaying offensive behavior.

Actually this term started in 1958 during the heart of the cold war and after a novel by the same name was published describing a range of thoughtless mistakes Americans typically make.

If you want to travel comfortably abroad, without being treated like an Ugly American, you have to think less ethnocentric.

For example, if you are in Europe, will they see people socializing only with their noisy American friends, talking loud, using offensive language, or will they discover folk immersing themselves in a different culture, ready and willing to experience new lifestyles and perspectives?

All you really need is the right attitude and some knowledge of the dos and don’ts.

Don’t assume English is the only language everyone speaks; Europeans can’t figure how we try to speak only one language.

Don’t criticize their ‘strange’ customs. Remember who the stranger is!

Don’t be a demanding American who throws a fit if things don’t immediately go your way. So what if the air conditioning breaks down … you’re on vacation, so relax!

Nobody wants to deal with a mean jerk.

Remember that supersize was invented in your country, so when you get smaller portions on your plate, it isn’t a matter of being ripped off.

Don’t compare things to back home.

Ask a local what the appropriate way to greet someone is.

Will you use a handshake, a kiss on the cheek, one or two cheeks? You get the idea.

Europeans think Americans are all poorly dressed. If you make an effort to look well put

together and are clean, chances are you’ll get a better first response.

Do speak slower and even lower. It’s a good idea to match the voice level and tonality of the other person; it makes them feel more comfortable.

Using slang from your own country typically makes you appear insensitive, so it’s best to avoid it. Think of your vacation as a practice lesson in better vocabulary and articulation.

Pay attention to what is important to the people you are visiting. For example, if you are in a hotel that values conserving energy, then don’t overstock your towels, just use one. Don’t swipe all of the little shampoo bottles when you leave. Turn off the lights when you leave the room … just use common courtesy wherever you are.

Just because the German guy next to you lets out a yodel, doesn’t mean you should run up to him and ask him to do it again so you can take a video with your wife. The camera hanging around your neck screams tourist, so remember to be polite always.

Blend in with the locals and ‘do as they do’. In Europe you will probably want to go a soccer game or drop into a local teahouse; in Canada maybe go to a hockey game. Or just wander through the streets, ride a bus or visit a supermarket. It’s a great way to learn their customs.

The biggest gift you can give both yourself and your new friends is to be observant and respectful, and ask questions about whom they are and what is important to them. Take the time to listen and experience a whole new world. ctaylor45@saddleback.edu

“How have your scholastic plans changed since the beginning of the semester?” robert shoemake & Jimie cespedes

Staff Writer

“I’m actually enrolled in the honors classes. By the end of the semester; I’ll be submitting my application for the honors program, and I have one open class next semester so I’m thinking about playing tennis for the school.”

Chantelle Gil 18, Biology

“So I’ve changed my major about three different times, because I’ve talked to different people and ask questions about nursing and teaching. I found out that wasn’t for me so now I’m onto broadcasting.”

“Iwas originally going to do the phlebotomy course but as I understand it, it might be cut due to state or county budget cuts. So I’m doing generally education and introduction to medical and the requirements to go into that field ... and a yoga class.”

Bernie Valenzuela 50, General Eduaction

Maria Elizabeth Hernandez 19, Broadcasting

Lariat Zach Cavanagh

Kristen Wilcox

Katrina Andaya

Co-Editor-In-Chief

Arts/Entertainment Editor

Evan Da Silva

Kira Edmondson

Joseph Espiritu

Online Editor

News Editor

Michael Grennell

Steven Jung

Angie Pineda

Sports Editor

Opinion Editor

Life Editor

Jasmine Pourazar

Ashley Reyes

Robert Shoemake

Co-Photography Editor Mobile Editor Co-Photography Editor Web: www . l ariatnews . com Address: 28000 M arguerite P arkway , M ission V iejo CA, 92692

Jazmin Barraza 19, Undecided

Jake Lampe 25, Sociology

“Saddleback’s student-run newspaper since 1968”

Co-Editor-In-Chief Multimedia Editor

“So originally I was on the wrong path at Saddleback; but then I saw Carl Williams, the Veterans counselar. He set up everything for me to get back on the right track to transfer.”

“I’m going to take time off because I haven’t chosen anything and I feel like I’m wasting my time.”

Reporters: D on F riedrich C ongjuico , J imi C espedes , A drianna M endoza , A nibal S antos , R achel S chmid , C athy T aylor , E rik W oods Faculty Adviser: A mara A guil ar Instructional Assistant: A li D orri Advertising Manager: M ary A nne S chults Phone: (949) 582-4688 E-Mail: l ariateditor @ gmail . com

About the Lariat

The Lariat is the student newspaper of Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College. The Lariat is an independent, First Amendment, student-run public forum.

One copy of the Lariat is free.

Additional copies may be purchased for $1 at the Lariat newsroom, which is located in LRC 116.

Letters to the editor are welcomed. Please limit letters to 200 words or less and include a name, valid e-mail address and signature.

All letters are subject to editing by the editorial board.

Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Lariat’s ediorial board and do not represent the views of Irvine Valley College or Saddleback College or the South Orange County Community College District.

Lariatnews.com launched in fall 2007. Visit us on Facebook at “Lariat Saddleback” or follow us on Twitter, @lariatnews.

LARIATNEWS.COM/OPINION

ARTS & LIFE

4

Lariat

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

HANd in hand: The Shangri-La Acrobats display a variety of performances showing off their strength and flexibility for the audience at Saddleback College.

Robert Shoemake / Lariat

Shangri-La Acrobats impress Saddleback audience Do n Congjuico

Staff Writer

Saddleback’s McKinney Theatre hosted a group of extremely talented and athletic performers last Sunday, Nov. 18. The ShangriLa Chinese Acrobats performed their 2012 North American Fall Tour Program.

The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats performed a variety of stunts ranging from balancing, acrobatics and flips. A wide array of props that were in line with the culture of China were showcased in the event.

The program read, “A truly oriental spectacular and a show for all ages, the grace, and precision of the acrobats are the triumph of years of dedication training and discipline but their art has been formed by centuries of tradition.”

Determinants of skill and precision indeed did shine throughout

the performance where the feats of the performers were applauded constantly by the enthusiastic crowd. Each and every end of a daring performance was met with thunderous applause with each passing one with more appreciation from the audience than the previous one.

“For over 30 years, the Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats have taken audiences on an incredible journey, exploring the depth and breadth of human possibility with artful grace, style, and panache!”

This, of course, was not in any exaggeration to the level of difficulty these performers have to perform in. The truly spectacular feats of this performance cannot be fully expressed through words simply because it takes one’s breath away.

The truly daring feat was when a young male Chinese acrobat had to make and maintain his balance when making a tower of chairs that had to be at least 30 feet in length.

An air of uneasiness grasped the audience as they looked on to

the most daring feat performed by one so young. There was a point when the tower was at its highest point when sounds of “Don’t fall” and “Please be careful” were heard all around the hall.

The whole experience was not without faults and the performance did suffer minor mistakes that were playfully played off.

Nevertheless it barely made a dent on the whole performance which was a very entertaining and cultural experience. Evidence of this was the standing ovation that the performers received after the finale as they gracefully took a bow.

This event is part of the “Professional Guest Artist Events at Saddleback College.” Upcoming events include “The Nutcracker,” “ An evening of comedy and magic,” the “Minneapolis guitar quartet” and the “Eisenhower Dance Ensemble.” dcongjuico0@saddleback.edu

Campus cop with courage Sh i va n C e sp e des

Staff Writer

Angie l. pineda / Lariat

Hip Hop: Kinesiology students and alumni perform their hip hop piece “Hip Hop on the Rise”in McKinney.

Into the dance zone

An gi e L. Pineda

Staff Writer

The Winderdance performance was presented by students enrolled in the dance classes through Saddleback College’s Kinesiology program at the McKinney Theatre Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

Director of the dance chair Dorothy Anderson Garant, who has been teaching at Saddleback since 1990, said that the Winterdance performance is the 46th concert she has directed.

“The Winterdance 2012 concert is an entertaining, thoughtful and a diverse evening of dance with pieces like Brush on Silk by Sharon Rest Haas, Heroes by Marji Himes, At the Edge of the Shadow by Deidre Cavazzi, my own Arachnea and others,” Garant said.

The dance techniques that were used for the performance were ballet, jazz, modern, tap, Latin dance and social dance.

There were a variety of ten performances all together, some which evoked emotion from the audience.

Heroes in particular portrayed families waiting for their loved ones who have gone to war.

The family began dancing around military duffel bags and were later joined by soldiers who

integrated military training moves into the actual dance.

“I am extremely proud of the dance faculty’s imagination and the dedication given to our students in preparation for dance as a career,” Garant said.

Hip Hop on the Rise was an upbeat performance that excited the audience who cheered and shouted as the dancers spread onto the stage. The dance included Anthony Tuason and Kimberly Baglino-Tuason who graduated from Saddleback and who are now invited by the faculty to perform and help choreograph some dances. They both have grown in dance together and have expanded their talents into the professional dance world.

“My career as a dancer and choreographer blossomed all because of this program ... it’s incredible,” Baglino-Tuason said. “It’s done a lot for me and I met my husband!”

In order to be a part of the Winterdance 2013 performance the students must be signed up for dance and production or rehearsal performance classes. The auditions will be held Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and Jan. 25 at 7 p.m.

CLASSIFIED ADS:

Are you ready for finals? Need a little extra help?

Think about hiring a private tutor.

TUTORING SERVICES Grade 7-adult. Experienced, multi-degreed tutor. Details: www.glenbaker-privatetutor com

TUTOR:

General to Vector Calculus-based Physics. Have chalkboard, will travel. First session (free) to check need, preparation, objectives.

RAY: wisehunt2@gmail.com

GIVE YOURSELF THE ADVANTAGE!

Need some help with your GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATION, PERSONAL STATEMENTS or ESSAYS?

jklearningresource.com jklearningresource@gmail.com • 949.698.4989 Get some assistance from an expert writing coach! Qualified instructor: Graduate of Columbia Law School (4th in the nation) & UC Berkeley. Experience writing, editing and coaching students to find their unique ideas and ways of writing the best personal statement they can.

apineda7@saddleback.edu

Lariat Comics

Before coming to Saddleback, campus police officer Santos Garcia had a 30-year career during which he earned a medal for his bravery in a situation that had him pitted against a mountain lion.

Garcia retired from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, where he was a helicopter pilot, in 2007 and has been a campus officer for five years.

He has a few grey hairs, but that’s nothing against his handsome looks, calm demeanor and physically fit frame. “I have my own work out, I work out three times a week for about an hour, sometimes I spend the hour running or I do weight training,” he said.

After retirement he looked for more work as a pilot but found nothing desirable. He did consider flying a news chopper, but that required him to fly out of Van Nuys which is “too far of a commute,” he said, so he chose Saddleback College to serve as a campus policeman.

His career began in 1977 when he did his required three years as a deputy in the James A. Musick facility that he refers to as ‘the farm.’

Then he did an additional five years on patrol in areas of North Orange County such as Tustin, La Habra, Rossmore and Anaheim, where he would change shifts and areas every six months. “If I hadn’t become a police officer I probably would have pursued a law degree and a job prosecuting crimes,” he said.

Garcia sees himself fully retired in the years to come and enjoying his children and grandchildren. He speaks proudly about his oldest daughter having just been married. Easily the best days of his life were when his daughters and son were born, while the worst days of his life were spent in Vietnam in the Army as an MP. “I was in a war zone in Cam Ranh Bay, I handled the sentry dock and patrolled ammo dumps, which were ammo storage sites and a big target for the enemy,” he said.

Those who had the biggest influence on his life were clearly his parents.

“I really looked up to my father,” he said. His father worked hard as a landscaper at UCI and then as a carpenter he said. He looked up to his

dad the most for the fact that he built their family home from the ground up he said.

“I never did anything I could get arrested for,” he said. As an officer he has done what is referred to as “officer friendly” duties; speaking at schools and at times even speaking for his children’s classes when they were young. His main messages were things like “Do the right thing and obey your parents, stay out of trouble and enjoy life.”

He is also the recipient of the Medal of Courage, which is an award for the display of bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of law enforcement service in response to a non-criminal situation. He earned this honor when answering a 911 call for a mountain lion attack of a female bicyclist, Anne Hjelle, 30, at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park on Jan. 8, 2004.

“They basically requested that we land and drop off somebody with a gun to protect them because she was mauled pretty bad,” he said. Garcia was brought in with his Glock .40 sidearm, providing armed ground protection for the fire and rescue staff that had hiked in and were rendering first aid to Hjelle.

“Her incident occurred at night. She was with a friend and the friend actually pulled her away from the lion,” he said. They were then joined by two other deputies who had also hiked in bearing rifles. From the chopper they saw that the mountain lion was still circling and the danger level intensified with it being at night.

The chopper, still circling with a spot light, spotted another bicycle down so Garcia and one of the firemen went over to where the bike was and found the remains of another bicyclist, 35 year old Mike Jeffrey Reynolds. By this time more officers were showing up on the scene.

Garcia stayed with the victim’s remains while the helicopter negotiated the mountain lion’s position with the rifle armed officers and they were able to shoot and fatally wound the lion. Hjelle of Santa Ana, a former marine and fitness instructor was airlifted out and survived. Three deputies received the Medal of Courage for their bravery that day. scespedes0@saddleback.edu

Campus Events: Saddleback College: 11/29 8 p.m.

Winter Winds 12/5 10:30-2:30 p.m.

Cause Hope Irvine Valley College: 12/30 8 p.m.

Guitar Ensemble 11/30 6:30 p.m.

Japanese American

Film Series