Richland Chronicle April 4, 2023 Issue

Nashville the latest target of gun violence

A former student shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school Monday and killed three children and three adults after elaborately planning the massacre by drawing out a detailed map and conducting surveillance of the building, police said.

The massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville was the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.

The victims included three 9-year-old children, the school’s top administrator, a substitute teacher and a custodian. Amid the chaos a familiar ritual played out: Panicked parents rushed to the school to see if their children were safe and tearfully hugged their kids, and a stunned community planned vigils for the victims.

“I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during one of several news conferences.

Police gave unclear information on the gender of the shooter, who police say was fatally shot by two responding officers at the school. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually identified the person as Audrey Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale currently identified.

Drake did not give a specific motive when asked by reporters but gave chilling examples of the shooter’s prior planning for the targeted attack.

“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he said. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”

— Associated Press

Is it finally time for the United States to do something about its mass shooting epidemic?

Guns in school zones: When it happens in our backyard

Raine Caldwell Staff Writer

In the event of a school shooter, I was told to run and hide in the corner away from any windows and lock any entrances. If I was in the restroom, I was out of luck. If I was in a hallway, I had to hope that a teacher would open the door to let me in and hide with them.

When I experienced a gun incident, all of the rules went out the window, and the fear of being shot crept inside my mind.

It was just like any other Friday in 2016. I was getting ready to attend one of the frequent dances at Greiner Middle School in Dallas. I got ready at my friend Kat’s house who lived just a couple of blocks away from the school and we walked over to the school together. The sheer proximity to the school

is horrifying to think about because of what a shooter could have done with that information.

The dance was, of course, in the gymnasium, and this dance had a larger amount of people than usual. Kids flooded the courtyard and other nooks of the school. After I had enough of the masses, I went outside with some friends to the parking lot in the back of the school, waiting for the dance to finish.

Looking back, I could see kids running toward the parking lot. I was so confused that I just stood there and watched. I didn’t hear any gunshots or screams. A couple of minutes later, two police cars parked in the circle drive and went inside the gymnasium.

“OMG, a kid brought a gun,” my friend Kat gasped, looking at her phone. When I looked back at the flashing police lights, I saw who had done it and it was not surprising to

me. Then I started toward the crowd and called my mom to come pick me up.

I saw the kid in handcuffs being put in the back of one of the squad cars. It was later revealed he didn’t hurt anyone. As soon as he pulled out the gun, the security guard deescalated the situation. The police were called immediately by spectators.

I wasn’t surprised because the kid who brought the gun frequently threatened to take his brother’s pistol to school and shoot everyone. I am not sure why the school didn’t respond more appropriately to his behavior. It was only then that the school acted.

Many schools react the same way as in the Abigail Zwerner case in Virginia. She frequently went to administrators about her student’s behavior, and they constantly swept it under the rug. The signs were all there and it was only a matter of time before a real incident happened.

I wasn’t surprised because the kid who brought the gun frequently threatened to take his brother’ s pistol to school and shoot everyone.

Illustration Rachel Foong/Jesse Serrano

Donald Trump is indicted after years of investigation

The prosecution also means that Trump will have to simultaneously fight for his freedom and political future, while also fending off potentially more perilous legal threats, including investigations into attempts by him and his allies to undo the 2020 presidential election as well as into the hoarding of hundreds of classified documents.

In fact, New York was until recently seen as an unlikely contender to be the first place to prosecute Trump, who continues to face longrunning investigations in Atlanta and Washington that could also result in charges. Unlike those inquiries, the Manhattan case concerns allegations against Trump that occurred before he became president and are unrelated to his much-publicized efforts to overturn the election.

The indictment comes as Trump seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who may threaten his bid for the presidential nomination. An expected leading rival in the race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, called the indictment “un-American” in a statement Thursday night that pointedly did not mention Trump’s name.

National Enquirer to pay McDougal $150,000 to squelch her story of a Trump affair in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”

The payments to the women were intended to buy secrecy, but they backfired almost immediately as details of the arrangements leaked to the news media.

Federal prosecutors in New York ultimately charged Cohen in 2018 with violating federal campaign finance laws, arguing that the payments amounted to impermissible help to Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to those charges and unrelated tax evasion counts and served time in federal prison.

Trump was implicated in court filings as having knowledge of the arrangements — obliquely referred to in charging documents as “Individual 1” — but U.S. prosecutors at the time balked at bringing charges against him. The Justice Department has a longtime policy against indicting a sitting president in federal court.

Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.

The exact nature of the charges was unclear Friday because the indictment remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. Prosecutors said they were working to coordinate Trump’s surrender, which could happen early next week. They did not say whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn’t prevent Trump from seeking and assuming the presidency.

The indictment, the first against a former U.S. president, injects a local district attorney’s office into the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home. Arriving at a time of deep political divisions, the charges are likely to reinforce rather than reshape dueling perspectives of those who see accountability as long overdue and those who, like Trump, feel the Republican is being targeted for political purposes by a Democratic prosecutor.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump “did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”

A spokesman for the Manhattan district atorney’s office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump’s defense team to coordinate a

surrender. Tacopina said Trump is “likely” to turn himself in on Tuesday.

“We’re working out those logistics right now,” Tacopina said on NBC’s “Today” show Friday morning. “He’s not gonna hole up in Mar-a-Lago.”

Tacopina insisted that Trump would not take a plea deal: “There’s no crime.”

Trump was asked to surrender Friday but his lawyers said the Secret Service needed additional time as they made security preparations, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they couldn’t publicly discuss security details.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg left his office Thursday evening without commenting.

The case centers on well-chronicled allegations from a period in 2016 when Trump’s celebrity past collided with his political ambitions. Prosecutors for months scrutinized money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.

The timing of the indictment appeared to come as a surprise to Trump campaign officials following news reports that criminal charges were likely weeks away. The former president was at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, on Thursday and filmed an interview with a conservative commentator earlier in the day.

For a man whose presidency was defined by one obliterated norm after another, the indictment sets up yet another never-beforeseen spectacle — a former president having his fingerprints and mug shot taken, and then facing arraignment. For security reasons, his booking is expected to be carefully choreographed to avoid crowds inside or outside the courthouse.

In bringing the charges, Bragg, the Manhattn district attorney, is embracing an unusual case that was investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment. The case may also turn in part on the testimony of a key witness, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges arising from the hush money payments, including making false statements.

The probe’s fate seemed uncertain until word got out in early March that Bragg had invited Trump to testify before a grand jury, a signal that prosecutors were close to bringing charges.

Trump’s attorneys declined the invitation, but a lawyer closely allied with the former president briefly testified in an effort to undercut Cohen’s credibility.

Trump himself raised anticipation that he would be indicted soon, issuing a statement earlier this month in which he predicted an imminent arrest and called for protests. He did not repeat that call in a fresh statement Thursday, but the New York Police Department told its 36,000 officers to be fully mobilized and ready to respond to any potential protests or unrest.

Late in the 2016 presidential campaign, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her silent about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament.

Cohen was then reimbursed by Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, which also rewarded the lawyer with bonuses and extra payments logged internally as legal expenses. Over several months, Cohen said, the company paid him $420,000.

Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the

Bragg’s predecessor as district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., then took up the investigation in 2019. While that probe initially focused on the hush money payments, Vance’s prosecutors moved on to other matters, including an examination of Trump’s business dealings and tax strategies.

Vance ultimately charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax fraud related to fringe benefits paid to some of the company’s top executives.

The hush money matter became known around the D.A.’s office as the “zombie case,” with prosecutors revisiting it periodically but never opting to bring charges.

Bragg saw it differently. After the Trump Organization was convicted on the tax fraud charges in December, he brought fresh eyes to the well-worn case, hiring longtime whitecollar prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to oversee the probe and convening a new grand jury.

Cohen became a key witness, meeting with prosecutors nearly two-dozen times, turning over emails, recordings and other evidence and testifying before the grand jury.

Trump has long decried the Manhattan investigation as “the greatest witch hunt in history.” He has also lashed out at Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, racist against white people.

The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.

Trump, who famously riffed in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and “wouldn’t lose voters,” now faces a threat to his liberty in a borough where more than 75% of voters — many of them potential jurors — went against him in the last election.

Associated Press

Photo Associated Press

Donald Trump was indicted on March 30 after years of investigation.

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ - still wicked after all these years

Ricky Miller Entertainment Editor

Even four chapters in, John Wick still rocks, even if it’s kinda weird to watch people indiscriminately die.

The “John Wick” franchise is centered around a secret society of assassins that have their own currency and way of doing things. When Wick is excommunicated from the society, he exits knowing all their secrets. In “Chapter 4,” a $40 million bounty is placed on his head.

What amazes me is that Keanu Reeves is 58 and is still making movies with the same vigor. Reeves inserts his own personality into the character. If anything, the vigor has only increased since his days of playing Johnny Utah in “Point Break” (1991). Utah wasn’t doing anything close to John Wick’s stunts.

Wick’s nemesis this time out is Marquis, a member of the High Table, who kills nonchalantly, like swatting a fly on the table. Bill Skarsgård is creepy and total evil as Marquis. He’s not the kind of guy you want to bring home for dinner.

The franchise is helmed by director Chad Stahelski, who has worked with Reeves in the past as a stunt coordinator. With this history in mind, the “Wick” franchise plays like a giant ballet, with a fluidity to the action that isn’t seen in most Western cinema. Like Quentin Tarantino or Christopher Nolan, Stahelski is a master at action sequences. He doesn’t confuse the audience with unnecessary quick cuts. He knows how to make a movie work.

Even the fourth time out, the camera angles are very inventive and visceral. Final duels are common in action-thrillers. Somehow, though, Reeves and Stahelski keep it inventive and fresh every time.

The pacing of “John Wick: Chapter 4” is really fast. The cinematography is amazing, and everyone involved appears to be at the top of their game. Full of action, the almost threehour run time goes by quickly. It’s not a chore to sit through for the audience at all.

There’s something cathartic about watching evil people die and get their just desserts on the big screen.

Grade: A

“Happy Gilmore” (1996)

-- Sandler’s segue into leading man territory as a bonafide comic actor. His character’s history as a hockey player gives him an edge on the golf course.

Carl Weathers from the Rocky franchise plays his coach.

“Mr. Deeds” (2002) -- In this Steven Brill comedy, Sandler’s character has a big inheritance fall into his lap, becoming wealthy beyond belief. Winona Ryder plays his love interest alongside a hilarious turn from John Turturro.

“Murder Mystery” (2019)

-- This Netflix original was so popular that it spawned a 2023 sequel. Sander and costar Jennifer Aniston share great chemistry as a couple that wind up in predicaments galore. The 90 minute flick is pleasant and enjoyable all around.

“Punch-Drunk Love”

(2002) -- Well-done drama that proves Sandler isn’t just a comedic buffoon all the time, acting next to a standout performance from Emily Watson. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this film is prestige from beginning to end.

“Uncut Gems” (2019) -Sandler is kind of a sleaze in this one, running a diamond store in New York City. He acquaints himself with basketball superstar Kevin Garnett in a series of increasingly poor decisions over the course of a week.

-Ricky Miller

Photo IMDB

Keanu Reeves reprises his role as John Wick once again, bringing a pair of nunchucks to a gun fight but still winning with style.

‘Vampire Hunter D: Vol. 8’ worth the wait

Ryan Bingham Duff Staff Writer

Mount up and move out, hunters! After 10 years of waiting, the second half of the manga edition of the “Vampire Hunter D: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea” (1988) finally hit bookshelves in North America in February.

The year is 12090 A.D. The vast landscape known as The Frontier is prowling with various beasts that could only be described through the endurance of nightmares. Humans lived in fear underneath the tyrannical ruling of the vampiric monstrosities for several millennia best known as The Nobles.

However, in the past few thousand years, the nobility slowly and mysteriously began to die off. What keeps the thinning line between them and the survival of humanity are hunters hired to eliminate the menacing fanged creatures of the night.

One hunter, known only as D, a dhampir who carries both the blood of a human and a vampire, scours The Frontier seeking only his next job, hunting and annihilating the blood-craving half of his own kind.

In this story, D follows a fisherwoman, Su-In, back to her hometown of Florence (named after the Italian city.) With five assassins working under a Jabba the Hutt inspired thug, Gilligan, along with an obsessive swordsman, and a professor, they are all in pursuit of the mysterious bead of which SuIn’s younger sister, Wu-Lin, lost her life to in the previous story.

Worse, after 5,000 years, a powerful and ruthless noble known as Baron Meinster emerges from his crypt beneath the sea to terrorize the fishing village. D must battle the Gilligan five, while keeping the hungry noble at bay.

According to Digital Manga Publishing, this volume will be the last in the manga adaptation of the series while Dark Horse continues publishing paperbacks; “Volume 30: Gold Fiend” will be released on Dec. 26, 2023, according to Amazon.

In the postscript of the original novelization published in 2007, creator Hideyuki Kikuchi said that although he did not like anime, he would have been satisfied with an animated feature film of this book.

“The problem is, the president of the production company the director belongs to [Madhouse] doesn’t care too much for the project,” Kikuchi said. “’Demon Journey to the North Sea’ is a work that I’m fond of. I have high hopes for an anime adaptation of it.”

Co-director, Yoshiaki Kawajiri of “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust” (2000), an adaptation of Volume 3, said he was interested in creating an anime movie based on Volumes 7 and 8: “Mysterious Journey to the North Sea,” according to Kikuchi’s postscript 13 years ago.

The plot had an alright setting. It reminded me of the 1993 film “Ninja Scroll,” another of Kawajiri’s featuring a similar story of a hired swordsman cutting through seven bandits with demonic powers before reaching his arch enemy; with a little bit of “Evil Dead” (1981). So Kawajiri would do well to adapt the book into a film just as he did before.

This two-part story wasn’t my favorite. Saiko Takiki did her job well in bringing the characters to life from the 1988 and 2007 original paperback, whereas Yoshitaka Amano’s sketches, are hard for me to analyze.

“Vampire Hunter D: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea” sits on my bookshelf with the other seven volumes. The only drawback is the cover since it’s not folded out with the artwork of the cast of characters, and it features Samon, a villainess with Marilyn Monroe features.

Happy hunting, readers!

Grade: A-

After a long wait, the Manga edition of “Vampire Hunter D: Vol. 8” is now available.

Photo Courtesy Digital Manga Publishing

Tax season is here: Next steps

Blanca Reyes Editor-In-Chief

It’s the season when Uncle Sam requires all people who make enough money to file a tax return, and working college students are no exception. The deadline for filing this year is April 18.

Although the process might seem intimidating, and most of the time students might not make enough money to qualify for a return, it is still important to file taxes for the Internal Revenue Service.

Students should present taxes because it’s a valuable skill to learn, and depending on different factors, they might receive a financial surprise. Uncle Sam sends money back.

According to cnbc.com, the students who are not legally obligated to return taxes, the IRS recommends filing because of the money they can receive, and because it is a good introduction to adulthood.

For people who file taxes, some options will help them to make the process less confusing and less painful. Students can pay companies such as H&R Block to help them with the paperwork, to use programs such as Turbo Tax, which walk the user through the whole process. College students and other people can even call IRS or visit irs.gov if they have any questions or to see if they qualify for free file-guided tax preparation.

“If your adjusted gross income (AGI) was $73,000 or less, review each provider’s offer to make sure you qualify. Some offers include a free state tax return,” according to irs.gov.

David Martinez, who is a Richland student and used to work for Amazon, uses TurboTax because is very user-friendly.

“It just helps me instruct where I need to look on my tax forms and stuff. And then you just kind of plug in the numbers in where they’re asking for and what box corresponds the digits of your tax form. And that’s pretty much it,” Martinez said.

With the refund from the IRS, if taxpayers qualify for it, they can start a savings account, invest in the stock market or other volatile assets or even use it to make a payment to their credit cards or their student loans. Even though most of the time the money will not be enough to pay off any debt completely, it helps to finish faster and save some interest.

This year is the third year Martinez filed a tax return, so this year he is using that extra money in a smarter way.

“I messed up the first year, I just started to go buy some personal things. But this time I was just like that I need to keep it in my savings,” Martinez said.

Although the process is difficult, there are also nonprofit organizations that can help with tax preparation in the Dallas area.

Dallas Community Tax Centers, or DCTC, is a nonprofit organization that helps people from low-income to file taxes. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the City of Dallas,

among other partners, can help students to file taxes, according to DFW501c.com.

If students decide to do their own taxes, there are software programs that can help with this.

According to usanews.com, the best software program to file taxes in 2023 is TurboTax, which has a free version, but also a paid one if the user wants to receive help through the process to avoid mistakes. Another is Jackson Hewitt, which is free and if users need more assistance, they can buy the

paid version for $25 and up. TaxSlayer is the third recommended program. This program has a free version, but it is also the cheapest if the users want help. It costs $22.46 and is the paid version.

Usually, these programs such as TurboTax warn users about possible mistakes and ask users to double check the information before sending the forms to the IRS.

“When I use TurboTax, it says always double check and then, sometimes, I do double check. … Last year, I messed up something, like something small digit, and it was adding up,” Martinez said. “I just went back and fixed it, and everything was good.”

Even though filing taxes can be a stressful process, it is something students can learn from and have financial benefits that help them with their debts.

“I think you should do your own taxes so that you have an idea how to do it. Of course, there are going to be people that work in tax firms that will help you to do it more advance and they can somehow get you more money from the deductible … but I think it’s a good learning skill that you should learn as an adult,” Martinez said.

STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS

Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor Entertainment Editor Layout Editor

Blanca Reyes Simon Pruitt Ricky Miller Jesse Serrano

ON THE COVER

Staff Illustration by Rachel Foong and Jesse Serrano

There are more guns than people in the U.S.A.

BACK COVER

Staff Illustration: Lana Huynhcong

COVER AND FONTS

Certain cover fonts are provided by the following www.nymfont.com – www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF

Arrianna Villarreal

Jason Ryer

Jerry Weiss

Juan Rivera

Kaden R. Martin Piers Donahue

Raine Caldwell

Ryan Bingham Duff

Raymond Thomas Pronk

Saint Garcia

Tareakubore Ejovwo-Ottoh Tomy Arguelles

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS

Erica Edwards

Jubenal Aguilar Tim Jones Larry Ratliff

ISSUE DATES

April 18 May 2

STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS

1st Place Comic Strip - TCCJA, 2022

1st Place Advertising - TCCJA, 2022

2021 Pinnacle Award for Two-Year Radio Station of the Year from College Media Association (CMA)

1st Place Cover Design - TIPA, 2021

1st Place Critical Review - TIPA, 2021

Student Organization Community Service Award, 2019

Student Organization of the Year, 2019

CMA Pinnacle Two-Year TV Station Award, 2018

CMA Two-Year Radio Station Award, 2018

ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Winner Award, 2016

ACP Best of Show Award, 2015

ACP Photo Excellence Award, 2015

CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014

1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 2nd Place – Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014 Over 270 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E020, 12800 Abrams Rd., Dallas 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079; richlandchronicle@gmail.com

Advertising: 972-238-6068 Email: Advertise@dcccd.edu

Staff meetings:

Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E020

Letter Policy

Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements. Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy

The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration.

© Richland Chronicle 2023

Offense gives T-Ducks a win over Cedar Valley

Tomy Arguelles Staff Writer

Richland’s Thunderducks baseball team defeated Cedar Valley Sun 15-11 on the Richland Campus on March 25. A seven-run rally in the third inning was enough for the team coached by Jimmy Brenneman to get the win. The T-Ducks were up 11-0 in the first third of the game and it seemed that the victory could be smooth. However, Cedar Valley would not give up so easily.

In the second inning, Richland scored the first run thanks to an error by Suns third baseman Jayden Ramos throwing the ball to right field. Nick Chalman took advantage of it to step on the home plate. Later, Seth Markham connected a single to centerfield to drive in the second run. Noah Pena drove in two more runs with another single to t center.

One inning later, Markham brought in two more runs with a single to left field. Then, Kelton Phillips hit a ground ball to third. Ramos’ errant throw allowed the T-Ducks to score two more runs.

Despite Richland’s big lead, Cedar Valley scored seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings to get close on the scoreboard. With three men on base thanks to two walks and a single, Cooper Brewer connected a single to right field. Jousepf Gelpi could not catch the ground ball, allowing the Suns to score three runs. Cedar Valley closed the gap even more with two more runs off a single by Antonio Sabala.

However, the T-Ducks put the game out of reach in the seventh inning, scoring three runs. Wes Flatt, Logan Smith, and Jacob Lewis each drove in run to widen the margin. The winning pitcher was Damian Robinson, who

allow two earned runs and four hits, giving three walks and striking out seven. Jeremiah Darrough took the loss for the Suns, giving up 11 runs, four of which were earned. He allowed five hits and gave three walks.

Richland Campus wins several awards at TIPA 2023

Simon Pruitt Managing Editor

The Richland Chronicle staff attended the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) annual convention March 23-25 in Fort Worth, and brought home five awards and seven honorable mentions. TIPA members include student media from twoand four-year schools in Texas.

The association holds an annual convention, inviting students from across the state to attend seminars and learn from some veterans in the journalism industry.

TIPA also allows for student newspapers to submit their best work from the previous calendar year to be judged in contests.

Chronicle cartoonist Jerry Weiss took home three awards for his collegiate lampoons, including first place for best cartoon strip/ panel and third place for best editorial cartoon about final exams and student loan debt respectively.

Alex Ortuno, former managing editor, notched two third place finishes in best illustration for his provocative image covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and best static

UPCOMING EVENTS

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.

April 5

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Think before you drink

El Paso Lounge E-070

Noon - 12:30 p.m.

i Walk n’ talk

Lakeside Resource Center E082

April 12

information graphic with a detailed outlook on new DART routes.

Lastly, Chronicle editor-in-chief Blanca Reyes, along with staff members Haley Aguayo and Ryan Bingham-Duff, won third place for in-depth reporting for their write-up

on former Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke’s campaign event at Dallas College. Richland competes in Division 2 against schools including Midwestern State University, Stephen F. Austing State University, Rice University, Del Mar College, and Tarrant County College.

Photo Tomy Arguelles

Thunderducks shaking hands after winning the game against Cedar Valley on March 25.

Image courtesy www.texasipa.org

Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) annual convention in Fort Worth