03.06.15

‘Cat and the Devil’ tango

‘Dream’ approaching

Stangs sweep Corsairs

Children’s book brought to stage in community theater.

Review inside — page 4

The LMC Drama Department prepares for its upcoming play. Preview inside — page 4

Softball triumphs in doubleheader over the College of the Redwoods. Coverage inside — page 5

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F.Y.I. Important Dates March is Music in our Schools Month March 19

Cesar Chavez Blood Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Library, Room L-109

March 24

Cesar Chavez Celebrations: Civic Leaders Brunch from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Library, Room L-109.

Contact Student Life, 473-7554, to RSVP

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LMC celebrates 40th

Open house to showcase progress

By JOSEPH DELANO

jdelano@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a campus-wide open house March 21.

“For 40 years, the college has served the communities of East Contra Costa County, and students from Antioch, Liberty, Mt. Diablo and Pittsburg Unified School Districts, as well as adults of all ages,” wrote Barbara Cella, director of

marketing for LMC, in a press release.

“Tens of thousands of students have attended Los Medanos College during its many years of service to the community,” she added.

The free event will also serve as the grand opening of the Student Services building, which finished construction in January.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new structure will be

at 10:30 a.m. in the Outdoor Quad, with activities for all ages hosted by various departments and student organizations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. throughout campus.

LMC President Bob Kratochvil said he hopes to have as many previous college presidents in attendance as possible for the ceremony.

Departmental activities will begin at 11 a.m. and include performances of the

LMC PRESIDENTS n Jack Carhart

December 1974 – April 1984

n Chester Case

January 1985 – July 1991

n Raul Rodriguez

July 1996 – July 2002

n Peter Garcia

July 2002 – October 2010

n Bob Kratochvil

July 2012 – present

See HOUSE, page 6

Club Day fiasco

Books come Alive at LMC The Human Library is back. The Books Alive! event is looking for human books to share unique stories with the community. Each book is encouraged to talk about their lives, experiences and offer advice to those they speak to. Books will be checked out for 20 minute periods during the two-hour event. Books Alive! will take place in the Library, Room L-109 Tuesday, April 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. If you would like to participate, contact Christine Park at cpark@ losmedanos.edu for more information or an application. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 16.

Event canceled

By TAYLOR STROUD

tstroud@lmcexperience.com

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

10th Annual Chili Cook-Off The Classified Senate will be hosting its 10th Annual Chili Cook-Off March 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Indoor Quad to raise money for scholarships. A bowl of chili with cornbread is $4 and shots of chili are $1.

A panel will be judging chili entries at 10:45 a.m. and the Chili Man Trophy and Best Chili of 2015 will be announced at noon.

In addition, a People’s Choice Award Winner will be announced at 1 p.m.

For more information email Sylvia Benzler at sbenzler@losmedanos. edu. Chili entry deadline is March 6.

Campus Conversations

LMC President Bob Kratochvil is be holding a series of informal “Campus Conversations” meeting sessions where members of the campus community are encouraged to share ideas and ask questions on current college issues. The second of six sessions will be held Thursday, March 19 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Cafeteria at the Pittsburg Campus.

Despite the Student Senate’s decision not to have a march, students and supporters defiantly marched from the Capitol to the State Chancellor’s Office during the March in March Rally.

Rally replaces March Students strut anyway

By PETER COSTANZA Experience Correspondent

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Keith Montes, Diablo Valley College AS board member, rallied the crowd to have a mock march at the Capitol.

The soles of student shoes did not march in unity over the Tower Bridge Monday, March 2, and the concerns of community colleges did not echo off the buildings that line the Capitol Mall as in years past, because organizers of the annual March in March student protest scratched the physical march itself.

The once-popular march was just a small rally of more than 200 people who gathered on the lawn where individual caucus tables were located

for students to acquire information and tips on how to lobby legislators at the California State Capitol.

“The march was not officially endorsed this year,” said Omar Paz, president of the Student Senate of California Community Colleges. “We were not able to do what we’ve done in the past which was close down the streets because that requires more money than we had available.”

Some attendees, however, were determined to march anyway.

Students and supporters marched See MARCH, page 6

Los Medanos College’s bi-annual Club Day, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, was called off.

Confusion surrounded this cancelation because it was advertised under an incorrect date (Wednesday, March 3), in a newsletter sent out Sunday Feb. 22. Students, faculty and staff were unsure whether it was meant as Tuesday the third or Wednesday the fourth.

Student Life Coordinator Jamila Stewart said the date was a misprint and had no idea who wrote it, but that Club Day was meant to be Tuesday, March 3.

The decision of when to hold Club Day was voted on by the Inter-Club Council Feb. 23, said Stewart.

According to RC Kubota, president of Club Reading and Education Advance Dreams, “there were only four clubs confirmed before the Feb. 23 ICC meeting,” and during the meeting, “clubs were asked to confirm immediately if participating.”

Due to low participation, Stewart ultimately made the decision to cancel Club Day altogether.

“The whole idea is that students can see a variety of clubs,” said Stewart.

However, abandoning the original day for chosen for the event was not a last minute directive.

“I had a week’s notice of the cancellation and also got word to get suggestions for alternative dates,” said See CLUB, page 6

Semesters may shorten

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

Most Los Medanos College staff, faculty and students have grown comfortable with the traditional 18-week semester, but that could soon change.

The Contra Costa Community College District is considering switching to a compressed academic calendar similar to what some other community colleges in California have adopted.

Changing the academic calendar would decrease the length of the semester at Los Medanos, Diablo Valley and Contra Costa colleges from 18 to 16 weeks. To do this the colleges would have to

increase class time to make up for the loss of two weeks of instruction.

The shortened calendar is comparable to that of the California State University (CSU) and University of California’s (UC) systems making it an easier transition for transfer students.

The increase in class time also means there would be fewer class periods. Instructors would also have to change their course structure and syllabi to fit the new timetable.

However, a shortened semester would allow for a longer summer session and a possible winter intersession, which could benefit students looking

to take more units during the school year.

At its Feb. 9 meeting, the Academic Senate discussed some of the issues raised by the potential change, and staff and faculty expressed concerns about the compressed calendar.

We can only adopt the change if all three colleges in our district consent to it and agree to negotiate the details, said Academic Senate President Silvester Henderson.

Meanwhile the district wants the colleges to consider this conversion because statistics Experience • Cathie Lawrence show student success improves Erich Holtmann, Academic Senate secretary, in a 16-week calendar. While many community colleges in discussed the change in calendars from 2005 to now See WEEKS, page 3

during the Feb. 23 meeting.

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“Change is the essential process of all existence.”

— Leonard Nimoy

Jazmine Gordon

Alex Tagliamonte

EARTHTHINKER

AGGRAVATED ALEX

Vaping is OK in smoking areas

Going to a CC saves money

I recall when my mom switched to E-cigarettes at the beginning of this year, because they were less harmful than regular cigarettes. I was happy at first because she’s been smoking cigarettes to relieve stress like most people do and decided to try an alternative way to dealing with her stress.

They were basically invented to help regular smokers quit to save their health, e-cigarettes have vapor while regular cigarettes have smoke. But when something seems less harmful to the body, people take advantage of it.

Yes, it’s odorless but do you really need to be in non-smoking areas vaping? You’re trying it out and you enjoy it but it could ruin the vaping movement.

According to an article on ChurnMag. com, “Electronic cigarette veterans are fighting hard to ensure that the e-cig industry succeeds.”

The vaping trend is booming and it could flop at anytime if laws that ban regular cigarettes apply to e-cigarettes.

However, e-cig producers lure customers into a trap with their advertisements.

According to a USA Today article, “Up until recently, Blu e-cigs boasted on its website that one benefit over traditional cigarettes is that you can smoke in many places where traditional cigarettes aren’t allowed!”

Doesn’t that sound like a trap? That’s where advertising kicks in: you buy the product only to take advantage of it.

This way of advertising could easily grab a person’s attention. It’s giving them the idea they can smoke or vape anywhere, but that’s not the case. USA Today stated, “The confusion about where you can or cannot smoke e-cigarettes has posed a challenge for the travel industry.”

According to the same article, the FDA has not ruled on the safety of e-cigarettes, but the agency will propose a rule on how to regulate them down the road.

“Even the FDA doesn’t think too much about the safety of e-cigs. If it’s being sold where regular cigarettes are sold, it should pose a caution,” said the article.

While they are odorless, you shouldn’t take advantage of it in non-smoking areas such as schools. It could give children a bad example, which is why schools have strict smoking policies.

Vaping on school premises is about as dangerous as smoking cigarettes and should also be banned according to an article on No-smoke.org.

This popular trend should be appreciated, or else smoking laws will be applied to vaping.

I am not a smoker, but I support people who do smoke, as long as they know that the decisions they make have consequences.

It’s the principle of being grateful that there are vaping and smoking areas.

It’s best to not make yourself look like an idiot and acknowledge laws could be passed.

E-cigs could be more dangerous if they are taken advantage of because of the confusion of the FDA not having a ban on them.

This trend could decrease once laws are applied. If you want to keep this privilege, don’t be obnoxious and vape where you aren’t supposed to vape.

Don’t act like you are better than smokers just because your habit might be less harmful.

We all seem to have our own vices to deal with and we’re trying to promote a society of equality even in the most trivial of ways.

“Remember that you probably used to be just like them and just because you made the switch to e-cigarettes, you are not superior,” accordin to ChurnMag.com writer, Jimmy Hafrey.

If we are allowed to vape on campus, don’t abuse your priveliges. It’s as simple as watching the movies with the right ratings or knowing right from wrong.

The choice to attend a community college after graduating high school is the smartest choice a student can make.

Financially speaking, choosing a community college over a four-year school is a no brainer.

It just makes sense for a student to complete their general education at a community college where the fees are smaller and the curriculum is relatively the same.

Not to mention the fact that while at a community college students are able to begin and even complete work on their associate’s degree in their chosen major.

Students who attend community college are also able to explore their interests and disinterests at a relatively small cost.

I myself have switched my major from film to journalism during the middle of my academic career here at Los Medanos College.

What was once of interest and a hobby now no longer holds any joy for me while I find journalism an exciting and challenging field of work. This is true for a lot of the students that go here and it’s fine that they don’t know exactly what direction they want to go in because they have a while to figure it out.

If I had attended a four-year school right off the bat and switched my major I would have felt my time and money were wasted.

I believe that my time at Los Medanos has also taught me valuable life lessons that my high school peers who attended a four-year school may not necessarily understand.

I scroll through the newsfeed of my Facebook, reading their statuses, and I become privy to their naivety when it comes to real world issues.

While some are close to completing their Bachelor’s degree, most have never held a job before, are being held down by student loans and rely on their parents as a source of income.

As a now fully functioning adult, I find this behavior simply unacceptable.

For instance, I know of a 24-year-old woman still completing her Bachelor’s degree at California State University Northridge who has been boasting all over Facebook about the possibility of becoming an Resident Assistant in her dorms.

In the midst of her boasting, she also included the fact that this was her first job interview: ever.

Meanwhile, here at LMC, I have encountered students who hold down a part-time job, pay rent, attend school and are fiscally responsible for other important aspects.

Not only have myself and others attending a community college gained an excellent education at a much lower price, we have learned life lessons through dealing with friends, instructors or people we don’t like.

They have taught us the importance and experience of becoming an adult, which some are still struggling with.

Experience • Joey Fajardo

Editorial

Use your role to inform

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f you are a part of any government, whether it be on a federal, state or student level, you have an automatic obligation to the people you represent. This includes keeping them updated on what’s going on. When you are in a position of power you need to speak up, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes some individuals.

There are some instances in which a group of people will withhold information.

Sometimes it’s because they want to gather the facts before releasing a statement. In a lot of cases, however, it’s to keep people from finding something out.

When you blatantly refuse to give out information, or if you are holding on to a lot of useful facts for a lengthy amount of time, you are allowing people to jump to conclusions, and very rarely are they good ones.

Even if you can’t report everything, you should try to reveal as much as possible because people talk and they will put their biases in the news, ultimately distorting the facts. This tends to happen when people are spreading word from person to person. If they have more information to work with, there could be less of a chance for misinformation.

Although it’s useful on a personal level, censorship pertaining to serious issues has been widely criticized due to the fact that it can contribute to the mistrust people have against those in authoritative positions. When politicians use media blackouts, they are taking a risk.

Media blackouts are common in a lot of countries; the state or government often enforces them. In America, we use them to get people on our side or to cover-up the details of an event, like the U.S. did after the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

More commonly, it is used in cases of kidnapping and hostage negotiation situations, but often times it isn’t life threatening, or even something like a state representative wanting to change a policy. Even on a smaller scale, it happens.

High schools and colleges will keep possibly vital information to themselves causing tension or further contributing to student ignorance.

Media blackouts are the perfect way to showcase your side of a conflict, if you want to come off as belligerent or uncooperative that is.

You would want to make sure that the people you represent know your position on everything that affects them. With the increasing amount of hacker groups and vigilantes, the information is going to come out anyway.

In the case of scandals, you especially want to speak up. If the press has one side of the story and you refuse to speak on the matter, you may end up looking guilty or suspicious regardless of whether or not you did anything wrong.

Magazines and news broadcasts will often sensationalize the facts of the situation—at least the ones with little to no journalistic integrity—so you might as well try to at least clear your name or give evidence supporting the accusations of the person or group who is in question.

In any case, the best way to keep the peace and ensure that you are equally represented to the public would be to speak up so there’s no room for speculation.

People might put their spin on the facts anyway but you have a duty to explain any conflict or idea that will impact the lives of the people who need protection from their government.

Letter to the Editor

The Internet has a negative effect

DEAR EDITOR: Online harassment is becoming increasingly common. Limiting the information you post about yourself online is the only way to protect yourself, doing so may be the best defense you have against harassment but it may not protect you completely.

Anyone could be a potential victim of online stalking and harassment. It could all begin from making someone angry such as firing an employee, an old romantic relationship or anything else that upsets someone enough to seek revenge. There is harassment over the Internet towards people of all ages and although the younger generation is more often the victim of online bullying or cyber stalking, there is no age group that is safe.

It‘s hard to differentiate between what is just a joke, a rude comment or what could possibly be a serious threat to you or your public image. Many careers are ruined from Internet harassment and embarrassment.

Voices

One possible example of this showing that anyone could be a victim is a middle-aged man that was a senior vice president of a large tax firm who fired a disgruntled employee.

The employee in turn, might have spent countless hours editing pornographic images of the man and sending the pictures to every employee in the firm.

The man was so shocked and disturbed by what happened, he had to quit his job and leave his home and community. This case is also a perfect example of how someone who doesn’t involve themselves with social websites, can still be attacked online.

The Internet is used not only to steal vital information about you, but also to mess with your reputation. With technology rapidly advancing and the exchange of information becoming a faster process, it is easier than ever for a cyber-stalker or bully to exact cruel revenge.

— Shane McCalib

Under what conditions should student government members be removed?

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Reader Opinion Policy The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com. Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

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Member California Newspaper Publishers Association

“They should be removed when they go out of line of what they’re supposed to be standing for.”

— Walter Garcia

“Student government members should be removed if they’re not doing their job or being rude to other people.”

— Sasha Watts

“Leave it to the people. The people know what’s best.”

— Gabriel Desta

“Basically if they can’t have a good attitude, there’s no reason for them to be working.”

— Camellia Lujan

“I don’t see what kind of conditions the person would have to be under in order to get removed. It seems kind of unimportant.”

— Jesse Tejeda

“They should be removed if they are not conducting themselves in a professional way or representing LMC in a bright manner.”

— Noel Garcia

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

Editor-in-Chief ..................... JOSEPH DELANO Managing Editor................. BRENDAN CROSS Perspectives Editor........... KIMBERLY STELLY Campus Editor ...........................RATTANA KIM Features Editor ............................JOSH WOOD Arts Editor................................ DAMIAN LEWIN Sports Editor .............................STEVEN LUKE Photo Editor..................... CATHIE LAWRENCE Multimedia Editor.............. JAZMINE GORDON Copy Chief...........................CASSIE DICKMAN Web Editor .................. STEPHANIE PATTISON The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

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Campus Newswatch Music in Our Schools Month

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“The miracle is this: the more we share the more we have.”

— Leonard Nimoy

Print shop relocated

Music in Our Schools Month is an annual celebration that engages students, educators and communities to promote the benefits of high quality music programs in schools. MIOSM started as a single day Advocacy Day event in 1973 sponsored by the New York State School Music Association. After decades of success, it became a month-long celebration of music in schools in 1985.

The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the significance of music programs in school for children. The celebration continues to grow every year, reaching more and more students, teachers, musicians and communities. Schools and communities throughout the country celebrate MIOSM with concerts and other activities to commemorate music.

Transfer workshops available

If you need tranfer assistance, attend LMC’s Transfer Programs & Services Transfer 101: How to Start the Transfer Process workshop on March 12, 1 through 2 p.m. in the Student Services Center Room SS4-412 at the Pittsburg campus. Another will be held March 9, 1 through 2 p.m. Room 9 at the Brentwood Campus.

For a full schedule of upcoming Transfer Programs & Services workshops and events, visit http://www. losmedanos.edu/transfer/documents/TCWorkshopsScheduleSpring2015021015V2.pdf

Student mentors wanted

LMC’s Transfer Ally Program is looking for students to mentor incoming Transfer Academy students. Mentor Responsibilities include being mentored by the Transfer Academy Director, Coordinator or Counselor; attend a mentor and student gathering held at the end of the semester and meet with your assigned student at least twice during the semester. To become a mentor, students must have completed a minimum of two semesters at LMC. For more information, contact the Coordinator for Transfer Programs and Services, Ade Origunwa at aorigunwa@losmedanos.edu or 473-7443. To fill out a mentor application, visit http://tinyurl.com/k4zjnek.

Experience • Jazmine Gordon

Instructional Assistant Jennifer Garcia fills out a request form at the new temporary location of the print shop.

Old location a problem to staff

By SUZZANNE SPERRY

ssperry@lmcexperience.com

The Los Medanos College Print Shop has been moved temporarily from the first floor of the college complex building to the old Admissions and Records swing space on the third floor.

“Ventilation for the print shop is not up to standard” and the original structure installed during the initial building of the campus building had only one air system built in,” said Justin Nogarr, offset technician of central services, “We have a lot

WEEKS

Photo Courtesy • www.powayusd.com

Free campus tours available

Unsure of where to transfer? Sign-up for the Transfer Center’s upcoming university campus tours: n San Jose State University: March 27. Registration opens Feb. 27. n UC Berkeley - CAL Day: April 18. Registration opens March 18.

The Transfer Center will provide transportation. For additional information, registration, future tours and tour suggestions contact the Transfer Center at 473-7444 or check out its website www.losmedanos.edu/transfer/ default.asp. The Transfer Center is currently located in Student Services, SS4-435.

READ seeking members

Club READ welcomes ideas, suggestions, and people who would like to work toward adding more borrowable textbooks for LMC students. Selling donated books online could raise money to buy borrowable textbooks.

For meeting times and other inquiries, please contact prince112592@yahoo.com or READ-LMC@outlook.com.

UCB offers transfer event

The Third Annual Transfer Empowerment Day will take place March 14 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. TED is presented by UC Berkeley, in collaboration with UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, and San Francisco State University. There will be no cost to attend the event. Enrollment is currently at capacity, but it is still possible to obtain a spot.

For more information, email Katheryne Martínez, at bridgesrazatransfers@gmail.com.

LMC to host science fair

The Los Medanos College Foundation will be sponsoring the fifth annual Intel-Affiliated Contra Costa Science and Engineering Fair. The CCSEF will take place at LMC March 26 through March 28, in the LMC gym. Students will be setting up their projects on March 26.

CCSEF will host about 300 students in grades seven through 12, from East Contra Costa County and San Ramon Valley. The awards ceremony will take place March 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information, or to become a judge, visit CCSEF’s website http://www.cccsef.org. Contact Scott Cabral at scabral@losmedanos.edu if you are interested in becoming a student volunteer.

Counselors ready to assist

Looking to make an educational plan, or review your current one? Do you need career advice or a personal counselor? LMC offers general counseling at both campuses.

Drop-in hours are offered weekly. Students must have a student ID number and a photo ID to meet with a counselor.

Appointments at Pittsburg can be made in person, by calling the Counseling Department at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link.

Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

runs the college phone system.

The LMC maintenance crew has attempted several times to fix the problem to no avail.

“The best decision for central service was to rebuild the air-ventilation system and add in two ventilators,” said Nogarr.

McFarland echoed Nogarr’s sentiments and said it needs to be repaired.

“I’m hoping they get it right this time,” she said.

According to Nogarr the renovation of the new system will take approximately two to three months. For now the new

location for the print shop is on the third floor.

“The move from downstairs up to this swing space was a pretty intense move, but we did it pretty quick,” said Nogarr, adding that LMC hired a moving company to take apart the big copy machines and transfer them to their temporary location.

“Now that we are here in the old Admissions and Records building I am beginning to like it,” Nogarr joked. “I would like it if we could just stay here permanently.”

fall 2005 semester by the Compressed Calendar Task California have adopted this force. Their job as a task system, information providforce, as appointed by District ed by the district suggests Chancellor Helen Benjamin, most Bay Area schools have was “to conduct a feasibility not made the change, which study looking at the possibility could provide an advantage in of instituting a compressed attracting students. calendar at CCCCD … Using According to information the information from the reprovided by the district, most port, CCCCD will determine districts converting to a comwhether or not to move forward pressed calendar experienced on an entire package of the Full Time Equivalent Student compressed calendar.”

Experience • Cathie Lawrence growth rates, 3.89 percent more The talks, however, fell than the state average. The Nick Garcia, Janice Townsend and Jo Perry-Folino through after all three colleges district receives approximately discuss the compressed calendar. in the district failed to come 1 million dollars from the state to an agreement to adopt the for a one percent increase in FTES. By mendation in regards to the compressed calendar, said Kratochvil. increasing the course offerings in a winter calendar by May 1 and keep the UF Before any decision is made on this or summer intersession, the district could apprised of their progress during the switch, representatives from colleges that increase its FTES up to five percent. semester,” said DVC professor Donna have made the change to a compressed The potential monetary increase from Wapner. academic calendar will be invited to the rise in FTES would go into a general Switching to a compressed calendar share their transition experiences with fund that the college uses for various must be negotiated through the selective faculty at future LMC, DVC and CCC activities and programs, said LMC Bob bargaining process with district man- senate meetings.

Kratochvil. agement and the United Faculty Union.

If a decision is made to reduce the “The goal is for the [faculty senate] at Talks of switching to a compressed calendar to 16 weeks, the soonest it could each college to determine their recom- calendar system first began during the be implemented is Fall 2016.

From page 1

One of the oldest buildings on the San Jose State University campus is Tower Hall.

of machines now and once you get the machines running, they get very hot. One air ventilator is not enough to keep the area cooled down.”

The print shop has more than three printers running at the same time and sometimes even more, if the demand for print and copy jobs is high, he added.

“It got very hot and stuffy with toner flying all around in the air. Nobody wants to work under that type of condition,” said Private Branch Exchange Operator Lisa McFarland, who

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“Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.”

— Leonard Nimoy

‘Midsummer’ coming this spring LMC gets ready for comedic release

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

The LMC Drama Department is working to bring the famous Shakespeare play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the LMC community and will be performed at the Little Theater on campus beginning March 18 at 7:30 p.m.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of the most widely performed plays written

by William Shakespeare and has been performed nationally and internationally since the 17th Century.

The play is about the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of actors called the mechanicals in a play-within-a-play who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies of the forest.

As one of Shakespeare’s most recognizable comedic plays, Drama professor and director Barbara Norris knew it would be a good chance to bring Shakespeare to the LMC community.

“The timing was right,” explained Norris, “I had a million possibilities for casting.”

She chose “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” because it would be an enjoyable play for both the cast and the audience.

“Shakespeare can be very fun and with the right people it can be very interesting,” said Norris.

The hardest par t about putting on this play, according to Robert Dunn, who plays the lead mechanical Peter Quince, is memorizing the archaic language.

This is the first time that the LMC Drama Department has had the chance to produce a play by the famous playwright since Drama Depar tment chair Nick Garcia has been at LMC. “We don’t really delve into Shakespeare as much as we should,” added Du’Praiseja Smith, playing Hermia, one of the four Athenian lovers.

She explained that as actors they need to find a way to represent their character in a way that everyone understands and to get the message across.

“You can find similarities between yourself and a character,” said stage manager Marina Ketchum, “If you have never seen a Shakespeare play, this is a great show.”

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens March 18 and runs through March 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. with an 11 a.m. showing on March 25.

Tickets will be $7 for students or those with military ID, $10 for the general public and $5 for high school students with an ID.

The latest play by the LMC Drama Department, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” premieres March 18. Top, Mario Castillo embraces Kyle Williams.

Left, the cast rehearses a scene from the play.

Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience

The ‘Devil’ is delightful

Classic children’s book brought to life

By DAMIAN LEWIN

dlewin@lmcexperience.com

With a full crowd seated inside the tiny theater, members of the local community gathered Sunday, March 1 to see the newest production by The Drama Factory.

Now playing at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center in downtown Antioch, the rendition of James Joyce’s “The Cat and The Devil” is a charming production that promises to appeal to children and adults alike.

Featuring an all ages cast comprised of the local community, the story takes place in the medieval French town of Beaugency following the aftermath of the Black Experience • Cathie Lawrence Plague.

With elaborate costumes and Roxanna Aranda takes center stage at the Nick Rodriguez Community detailed scener y depicting the Center during a performance of “The Cat and The Devil” March 1.

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Marquee

LMC music and more

Throughout the spring semester, the Los Medanos College Music Department will be hosting a variety of events featuring performances by students and ensembles from around the Bay Area. Concerts are held in the Recital Hall. For more information, call 439-2181 ex. 3218. n Tuesday, March 17 — LMC Choral Experience Concert featuring the LMC College Chorus, Chamber Chorale and Gospel Choir. Begins at 7:30 p.m. General admission: $5. Students and Seniors: $4

Guild coming to art gallery

The Art Guild of the Delta will be bringing the creativity of its artists to the LMC Art Gallery March 10 as part of the gallery’s upcoming exhibition. Featuring a variety of different works, the exhibition will run until April 9 with an opening reception taking place March 12 from 4 to 7 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free.

time when the tale takes place, the production team appeared to have put extra effort into adding a sense of realism to the play. This included mechanically operated waves and audio soundtracks providing musical themes from the era.

Except for an occasional “choke” on one’s lines, a common occurrence with younger actors, ever yone in the cast did great making their characters come into reality.

One of the crowd favorites was definitely Olivier Levasseur’s portrayal of The Lord Mayor, a vain and whimsical man who would rather spend most of his days gazing into a mirror rather than handling the current affairs of his town, such as feral cats, local beggars and a sunken ferry.

The other character who de-

serves a mention would be Chetif, played by Roxanna Aranda, is a character whose wild and crazed antics, while amusing to himself, annoys his fellow townspeople.

Overall, watching the short twoact play was a great way to spend a little time on a Sunday afternoon watching a performance by the local actors.

“The Cat and The Devil” will have three more showings at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center with a 7:30 p.m. showing on March 6, a matinee showing March 7 at 1:30 p.m., and a final performance that evening at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is $10 for the general public and $8 for senior citizens.

The Nick Rodriguez Community Center is located at 213 F St. in Antioch.

Movie runs laps around the heart Kevin Costner stars in the heart-warming true story will to accomplish it.

I love when I walk away from a movie and need to know “Not much.”

That’s the answer when I exactly who each actor is, and am asked what I know about what else they’ve been in. For cross-country running, team me, it is perhaps the most important thing about sports and working in the performance. a field picking fruits And I must say, and vegetables. the acting in this Editor’s note: The fact that I film was strong. knew next to nothA screening of The picture, diing, however, did “McFarland, rected by Niki not matter because USA” will Caro and based “McFarland, USA” be shown at on a tr ue stor y, managed to paint Maya Cinemas stars Kevin Costsuch an exemplary March 13 as ner (“Dances with portrait of the lives part of the Wolves”) as former of a high school Caesar Chavez football coach Jim cross-country team celebrations.

White struggling from Southern CalAdmission is to find his niche ifornia that, almost free. RSVP with in a new town with from the beginning, Student Life. new players. Carlos I was hooked.

Hooked on the story, the Pratt (“Paranormal Activity: characters and even the actors. The Marked Ones”), whose The stor y told was one light in Hollywood has just reof perseverance, family and cently begun to shine brighter, community, a dream and a portrays Running Team CapBy JOSEPH DELANO

jdelano@lmcexperience.com

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Photo courtesy of imdb.com

Based on real-life events, “McFarland, USA” stars actors Kevin Costner and Carlos Pratts. tain Thomas Valles. Maria Bello (“The Cooler”), Morgan Saylor (“Homeland”) and Valente Rodriguez (“George Lopez”) also lend their considerable talents to the film.

This is easily Costner’s best acting since the “Hatfields & McCoys” miniseries in

2012 and Bello is often a treat and almost always under-utilized.

If you like well-constructed films that tug at the heartstrings, teach you something new and strive to inspire, “McFarland, USA” is a definite must see.

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Sports

Quotable

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FRIDAY,

MARCH

6,

2015

5

“You proceed from a false assumption: I have no ego to bruise.”

— Leonard Nimoy

LMC chops down Redwoods

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

LMC’s Quincy Pierce gets welcomed at home plate by fellow Mustangs after hitting a home run against College of the Redwoods Saturday, Feb. 28.

Softball dominates doubleheader

By LOGAN JONES

ljones@lmcexperience.com

Los Medanos College softball team won both its games in a doubleheader against College of the Redwoods Saturday Feb. 28.

Sophomore Jenna Leavitt pitched a two-hit shutout in game one. LMC’s strong fielding also contributed to the win and showed the team’s solid communication.

“The girls played outstanding defense and she [Leavitt] showed good pitching,” said LMC Head Coach Tim Rognlien.

The Corsairs struggled in the first game with some miscues on the field.

“In game one we didn’t play so good, when you have five errors that doesn’t help,” said Redwoods Head Coach

Maggie White.

Of course the 7-0 score showed productive offense on LMC’s end as the Mustangs put a dent on the scoreboard in each of the first three innings.

LMC’s First Baseman Quincy Pierce, who is also a pitcher, went 3-4 and tallied a third of the team’s total hits. One produced a home run and all brought runners in to score.

Shortstop Lyrica Langlois and Catcher/Outfielder Brittni Brown had two hits apiece.

In the fifth and sixth innings, the Mustangs scored two runs in and began to get into a rhythm.

The seventh inning for the Mustangs was quick and painless as they set the Corsairs down in order with the help of some dominant defensive plays.

The second game of the

doubleheader proved to be more of a contest.

After pitching all seven frames in the first game, Leavitt got some rest while Pierce started the second.

LMC’s gloves were consistent in game one while the Redwoods showed a newfound spirit matching the Mustang’s prowess on the field the second time around.

“In game two we came out with more energy,” said White.

In the second inning, the Mustangs’ Pierce hit a single and made it home courtesy of Ashleigh Stevens-Coley’s RBI giving LMC the first run of the game.

Coley also showed stellar skills at first base as she caught an attempted bunt for an out that got the dugout fired up.

Two plays later she dove and

snagged a line drive down the first base line.

Outfielder Renee Smith reached second on an error by the Corsairs in the third inning and later scored thanks to a double by Brown, who then tacked on a two-run home run the next inning making it 4-1.

After pitching well early, Pierce showed some fatigue as she skidded two wild pitches in a row in the sixth.

This caused a pitching change as the game one starter Leavitt was put back in. Pierce made her way back to playing first base with some applause from the home crowd thanking her for her effort on the mound.

Two Corsairs runs did score in that inning making it 4-3, but that ended up being the final as LMC weathered the storm and swept the twin bill.

“Redwoods played a good game, we were one run ahead and that’s what counts,” said Rognlien.

The Mustangs are now 4-4

in pre-conference play. Their next two home games are against Contra Costa College Saturday March 5 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Oakland Athletics not a contender

Mustangs finish with 1-15 record

Engelstad sets new conference standard

By LOGAN JONES

ljones@lmcexperience.com

Basketball is over and the men’s season has come to a close. Despite the Mustangs ending with a 1-15 record, the team played well toward the end of the season.

“We struggled winning games, but the overall team effort was spectacular. All 10 of our players played against Merritt and Napa, and those were down to the wire,” said Los Medanos College Head Coach Derek Domenichelli.

Merritt was second in the conference finishing the season at 12-4 while Napa was 8-8 in the middle of the pack. LMC played well and gave both teams a contest.

The Mustangs battled injuries throughout the season, and typically had less then 10 guys able to play, so the deeper bench was a plus for Domenichelli and his team toward the end of the campaign.

LMC’s season may not look too hot on paper, but the team still excited the crowd and fellow Mustangs at home games with some quality basketball.

Splashes from the 3-point line were not uncommon for the Mustangs. Forward Wayne Engelstad went on a 4-game span shooting 60 percent and making 33 three-pointers during that time.

Engelstad was also named First-Team All-Conference for the Bay Valley and averaged 21.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in conference play.

He was LMC’s top scorer, which was also good for second overall in conference.

Most of his points came from deep. His 3-point percentage was at a 47.5 percent clip.

His 85 threes set a new record in the Bay Valley Conference in just 16 games played.

“He made 111 three-pointers in 25 total games played, which led in California,” said Domenichelli, with nine of those games being outside conference play. His three-point record on the season was just seven shy of the LMC record of 118, but Englestad played 10 less games than the record-holder.

His footwork and handles allow him to create space where his beautiful shooting stroke takes over. The

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

LMC’s Gabrielle Worley slides safely to second after a missed opportunity by Redwoods’ Kirsha White.

Ever since the A’s traded away Getting loose might be a problem Yoenis Cespedes to the Boston Red for Venditte with the new pace-of-play Sox last year, the team has seem- rules being installed this year. Accordingly plunged from one of the best ing to mlb.com, the switch-pitcher in baseball to a rather indifferent will be watching the timers. team in the American League. It “For me, it’s something I’m going to has just been the Billy Beane show have to look at, because I don’t want ever since that trade, and now the A’s to get into a situation where I don’t have been blown up completely. The get one of my arms loose,” he said.

2015 A’s are Brandon Moss-less, Josh He would cer tainly sell some Donaldson-less, Jon Lester-less and tickets if he made the club, and the Derek Norris-less, among others. spectacle himself said he felt like If I were a fan of any other team he had himself a good start to his in the league I would be panicking Spring Training. right about now. But you cannot According to the same article, deny, General Manager Billy Beane Venditte was happy with his first has had a great track record with performance. “Any time you get to a blowing up teams, creating a circus new team and begin a new season,” in the off-season and having a good he said, “you want to start out on a record in the following year. good note, and I felt I was able to do The Oakthat today.” land Athletics Beside all of 2015 welthe attention come third this par ticbaseman from ular pitcher the Toronto draws, the A’s Blue Jays should be set Brett Lawrie, REAL TIME WITH JARED to compete in who only hit the AL West, .247 last year even though up in Canada, the division but he still has incredible upside. Also has only become better this off-seacoming in, former Tampa Bay Ray vet- son. Although the division has been eran utility infielder Ben Zobrist, who an interesting race the last couple is a career .354 on-base percentage. seasons, the Mariners have truly The last big move for the other team made the best moves acquiring Austin in the Bay Area came toward the end Jackson from the Tigers and locking of the off-season when the A’s picked up Felix Hernandez in the last few up solid-reliever Tyler Clippard from years. This offseason they landed the Washington Nationals. free-agent prize outfielder/DH Nelson Beane has left Oakland A’s fans Cruz. In addition to the Mariners, the wondering, “Who will be our every- Houston Astros are growing up, the day shortstop and second basemen Rangers are getting healthy and the this year?”

Angels, well, they have Mike Trout.

Beside its circus of an off-season, Between the duo of Billy Beane the next biggest story coming out of and Bob Melvin, the Oakland A’s the A’s camp in Mesa, Arizona is pitch- will be relevant this year like they er Pat Venditte, who switch pitches. are every year. Their pitching alone The guy is naturally a right-handed is good enough to be competitor in thrower, but in his debut against the their division. But in terms of a shot Giants he turned around and struck at a World Series title, the current A’s out Brandon Belt left-handed. roster can kiss that hope goodbye.

Jared Ambuehl

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

LMC’s Wayne Engelstad lays it up over Napa’s Trent Rojas against the Storm Feb. 19. shots he’s made from all over the court gained him some attention and he hopes to continue his game at a four-year institution.

LMC’s second leading scorer was Forward Marcus Walton with 12.3 points per game. Walton plans on continuing his education at Sacramento State University in the fall.

Guard Brandon Silva was another offensive threat on the court averaging 5.3 assists with 11.9 points per game.

His assists average was among the top in the state and led the team with 124 assists on the season. His brother and fellow backcourt mate Aaron Silva averaged 3.8 assists on the season, and both look to further their education.

Next season looks to have a shake-up in the roster with only a little over half of the team coming back.

“We have six players returning and are looking to recruit through local high schools within the BVAL that will mesh with the group,” said Domenichelli.

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Back Talk

F R I D AY,

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Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com

HOUSE From page 1

Photos by Cathie Lawrence • Experience

Students from colleges all over California gathered with supporters to rally for student needs at the Capitol. During the rally, some attendees banded together to perform a mock march to the State Chancellor’s Office, an action which opposed the Student Senate’s decision not to hold a march. Some marchers, above and below, made signs to make known what they feel California schools need.

MARCH From page 1

along the sidewalks chanting on their way to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, led by Keith Montes, a Diablo Valley College student and Associated Students board member, who had rallied them to march the five blocks.

“I would like to garner support for us to have an impromptu march and I think the proposed location should be the chancellor’s office because that’s where we can actually make a demand,” said Montes moments before heading out.

“We should march there and we should march back to the legislators who are the ones making the poor choices.”

Los Medanos College Associated President Gary Walker attended the March in March, representing the Spectrum Caucus, and gives full credit to Montes for organizing the impromptu march that allowed an additional platform for advocacy.

“This year as Spectrum’s director of advocacy, we chose to elevate trans-students issues which was not only expressed to our legislators in the Capitol, this message resonated at the chancellor’s office thanks to Keith’s organization of the outstanding and brave impromptu March,” said Walker.

LMCAS was not in atten-

dance due to timing and scheduling issues.

“LMCAS was planning to attend, however, we ran into many hiccups through the planning process,” said Walker.

In front of the chancellor’s building students took turns expressing their concerns through a bullhorn.

Students like Mohanned Abdelhameed, associate justice of student government from San Bernardino Valley College, addressed the crowd.

“We need to let these people know,” he said, “that this is an investment in our future and their future, we got to let them understand that at the end of the day we’re the constituents they work for us not the other way around.”

Califor nia Community College’s Vice Chancellor Paul Feist applauded as he observed the congregation of students.

“We advocate for students every day, but it really makes a difference when the students come up here and the legislators can see their faces.

It’s very powerful,” said Feist, adding “this is a great passion and enthusiasm on part of the students.”

Even though the day could be deemed a success, some felt that having a physical march

drama department’s upcoming play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” an American Sign Language demonstration, shows in the Planetarium, along with science activities in the biology and physics departments and an archeological “dig.”

Mini open-houses in various depar tments — computer science, appliance technology ser vices, math, emergency medical services, graphic arts, journalism and photography among others — will be open too for varying times throughout the day.

Guests wishing to explore the campus will be able to do so in both guided and self-guided tours.

Food will be available for purchase from the cafeteria, as well as from two food trucks.

Clubs may also offer snacks or sweets as well.

Preparations for the open house have been bolstered with activities and other projects to draw attention not only to the Contra Costa Community College District, but to LMC in particular.

These activities include the revival of the “Career Focus” magazine, which was sent to more than 100,000 households in the East Contra Costa County, and the production of a commercial in conjunction with Comcast Spotlight, which will soon air on its local network.

“This television campaign is one of several strategies we have to increase the awareness of our college to our residents and future students,” said Kratochvil.

For more information on the 40th anniversary celebration, contact Cella at 473-7322 or email her at bcella@losmedanos.edu.

— Cassie Dickman contributed to this report

CLUB From page 1

is what is needed.

Student Senator Casey Bess, representative of Region 2 of the Student Senate of California Community Colleges, voted in favor of keeping the march and said marching is an important aspect in making a statement.

“I believe that the march was central to conveying our dedication to the cause.

Our rally could not draw as much attention,” said Bess in an email.

Bess also conveyed the decision to remove the march was a hasty one that may have left some ill-prepared for the

new structure of the event.

“March in March was rapidly approaching and they needed it finalized,” said Bess.

“But the change should have waited another year, to give students the chance to prepare and understand the change.

My ASO and others in my region felt as if the life was sucked from the march. Even if a rally proves to be a better idea in the future, you don’t tell people for nine months it’s a march, then three months out it is a rally.”

Others felt differently. Andrew Napier, external affairs senator of Region 1 said he

healthy

voted for the change.

“I was personally in favor of the rally and, in the larger picture, the ‘Classroom to the Capitol’ concept, because it brings some much-needed focus on advocacy to the March In March Event,” said Napier in an email.

“It’s easier to rally students in difficult times. The real challenge with this year’s event is that things are getting better. Community Colleges are receiving more attention than ever. I feel that it would be ineffective to have thousands of students marching on the capitol about cuts.”

Kubota.

In order to ensure a broad selection of clubs, Stewart said she hoped to reschedule Club Day for the beginning of April and the ICC will meet vote on a new date at its meeting Monday, March 9.

For more information about the ICC, including the meeting times and how to join or start a club on campus, contact Stewart at 473-7554.

lifestyles

HELPING YOU thrive

Spring Into Exercise

by Dr. William Lide, MD

S

pring is a great time to start exercising or add new activities to your current regimen. Whether you enjoy kickboxing, dancing, or a brisk walk, regular moderate activity benefits every part of you, from relieving stress to improving heart health.

To expand exercise’s role in your life, try these tips: •

Use the time you have. Try short periods of activity throughout the day, such as three 10-minute walks.

•

Write it down. Set a one-month goal—for example, walking three times a week—then track your progress.

•

Look beyond the gym. Taking a brisk walk, going dancing, or working in the garden can also raise your heart rate and your spirits.

•

Choose an activity you like: a dance class if you’re a music-lover, or hiking if nature’s your thing. You’re more likely to keep doing something if you enjoy it.

•

Practice moderation. Exercising at a sensible pace provides more benefits with less risk of injury. If you can’t talk while you’re exercising, you’re probably pushing too hard.

For more health and wellness information, check out Kaiser Permanente’s Web site at www.kp.org/diablo

This article is proudly sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

William Lide, MD is a Physician Site Leader for tha Pleasanton Medical Offices.