Richland Chronicle January 18, 2022 Issue

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XLIX Issue 10, January 18, 2022

Campus remains open as omicron surges Pg. 2

• Richland • Richland president gets new ‘right hand’ director Pg. 2 • Magical • Magical new Disney adventure ‘Encanto’

Pg. 4

• ‘The • ‘The Contract’ featuring Dr. Dre is a hit

Pg. 5

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January 18, 2022

Dallas College open despite COVID surge across nation Alex Ortuno

Managing Editor The COVID-19 omicron variant from the South African region that was discovered in late November became the dominant strain

by Dec. 21 when 73% of national cases were from the newly found variant, according to the Associated Press.

On Dec. 28, 2021, Dallas County Health and Human Services raised its COVID Risk Assessment level to Red which urges more precaution and care, due to an increase of cases across the county.

At press time, Texas Health and Human Services announced that 44,036 new cases were reported in a single day and over 300,000 cases were reported in the previous week, a sharp increase in comparison to previous times.

This has prompted several new testing sites to be opened, including on several campuses of Dallas College such as North Lake, Mountain View and Richland.

Across the country and the state, many schools and universities are looking at the decision to either keep or close their doors due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant.

The University of Texas at Dallas announced classes will be online for the first two weeks of the spring semester due to a rise of COVID19 cases.

Dr. Sharon Davis, chief business continuity officer for Dallas College, said campuses will be open for the Spring 2022 semester.

“Our students truly thrive in a face-to-face instructional environment versus one that is virtual in nature. We believe this decision best aligns with our commitment to provide holistic support to all students – especially at a time

Trequarreon Jenkins assists a person in the drive-through testing lane with getting a COVID test at Richland Campus on Jan. 12.

Staff Photo Alex Ortuno

when they are forced to balance their academic priorities with life’s basic needs,” Davis said.

Davis said that Dallas College is in constant contact with local and national health officials and is prepared to modify its stance if it is deemed necessary.

“While we continue to remain optimistic for a return to life without COVID, the new omicron variant is evidence that now is not the time to let our guard down. We are committed to providing guidelines and updating those guidelines to help mitigate COVID exposure on our campuses,” said Davis.

According to Davis, Dallas College adheres to guidance from the CDC and local health officials.

As the pandemic continues, legal conflicts occur between the state and those trying to place mask mandates.

On Dec. 1, an appeals court reinstated the mask mandate ban for schools from Gov. Greg Abbott, according to the Associated Press.

Despite the ruling from the appeals court, masks are still required to be worn by all employees, students and visitors in all Dallas College locations and events.

“Employees are responsible for providing their own masks; however, disposable masks are available at Information Central. Disposable masks should be discarded after use. It is highly recommended that individuals layer their masks or consider using a multi-layered mask such as N-94 or N-95,” Davis said.

In the fall semester of 2021, COVID19 vaccinations were offered at Richland Campus, but for the spring semester, none will be offered on campus.

COVID-19 testing will be provided in Parking Lot E but it is by appointment only.

While three of the Dallas College campuses are offering tests, only one is offering vaccines.

“We also have partnered with Dallas County Health and Human Services to offer COVID19 vaccines at our Eastfield Campus,” said Davis.

While cases continue to rise and concerns of more spread are brought up, Davis said that Dallas College is prepared for remote operations if necessary.

“All Dallas College operations, including academic and student success departments, are prepared to pivot to a remote environment if

the situation warrants. Dallas College continues to review and update contingency plans and stand ready to address changes in how we operate, as needed,” Davis said.

Safety measures that students and employees can take as cases rise throughout the county are to be vaccinated, according to Davis.

“Those who remain unvaccinated, should consider becoming fully vaccinated because of the protection that it provides students, teachers and colleagues. Booster shots are highly recommended,” said Davis.

Other measures including washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose, maintaining social distancing with 6 feet between others and monitoring your own health and isolating if symptoms occur.

If a student or employee receives a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, they are to complete the positive COVID-19 reporting form on eConnect and stay home and distanced from others until it is deemed safe for them to return to the public. The isolation period is five days for those who are infected with COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Dr. Kay Eggleston announced in an email to employees.

With James’ new role – which began Jan. 5 – come new responsibilities.

“My responsibilities are to be the right hand for the president. I assist her, Dr. Eggleston with her campus wide communications for correspondence to the internal and external communities. And I also am charged with helping her build campus community,” said James.

While the campus community will be an important priority for her, communication with off-campus audiences will also be crucial.

“I also am asked to assist her as she goes out into the external community, business community, local nonprofits, local community groups to help her determine the kinds of educational and training needs that these groups may have or these businesses may have

so that Dallas College can help deliver instructions to meet their needs,” James said.

She said plans are in the works to facilitate adjustments as the campus staff evolves.

“With the transition to Dallas College, there are a lot of new Dallas College colleagues who are officed on Richland Campus that they’re either new to Dallas College or they have worked in other positions at other Dallas College campuses,” said James.

“What Dr. Eggleston and I are charged with doing is to build community among the new colleagues and our existing colleagues that we’ve had community with for a number of years into this new Dallas College direction.”

James outlined some of what she believes is necessary to build and maintain campus cohesion.

“I actually have started giving tours to the campus to new people who are interested in

getting to know the campus physical structure better.The buildings, the history, all of that,” James said.

Communication with students will be another key responsibility.

“One of the things that I’m asked to do and I often do is sometimes when a student has a question and maybe they haven’t gotten the answer either that they want or they haven’t received an answer, they’ll call the president’s office. So, I interact with students in assisting them to get them to the correct person that can assist their needs and also answer their questions and also solve any issues that they may be having,” said James.

At the end of the day, James appreciates her Richland Campus colleagues, old and new.

“I just think Richland is a wonderful place to work. I’m glad that I get to continue to work at Richland.

Janet James takes new post as senior director of campus administration Alex Ortuno

RichlandStudentMedia.com

Managing Editor

A long-time member of the Richland Campus leadership team is taking on a new assignment.

“I am pleased to announce that Janet James has been selected to fill the James role of senior director, campus administration for Richland Campus,” Richland Campus President

LOCAL 3

January 18, 2022

Colleyville synagogue standoff; captor dead, hostages safe

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ON THE COVER Drivers line up on the Richland Campus of Dallas College for free COVID testing on Jan. 12.

Staff Photo: Alex Ortuno

BACK COVER Staff Graphic: Barbara Gandica Martinez

A Texas state trooper vehicle diverts traffic in Colleyville on Jan. 15.

Multiple people heard the hostagetaker refer to Siddiqui as his “sister” on the livestream, but Faizan Syed, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations in Dallas Fort-Worth Texas, told The Associated Press that Siddiqui’s brother, Mohammad Siddiqui, was not involved. Syed said CAIR’s support and prayers were with the people being held in the synagogue.

Texas resident Victoria Francis told the AP that she watched about an hour of the livestream before it cut out. She said she heard the man rant against America and claim he had a bomb.

“He was just all over the map. He was pretty irritated and the more irritated he got, he’d make more threats, like ‘I’m the guy with the bomb. If you make a mistake, this is all on you.’ And he’d laugh at that,” she said. “He was clearly in extreme distress.”

Francis, who grew up near Colleyville, tuned in after she read about the hostage situation. She said it sounded like the man was talking to the police department on the phone, with the rabbi and another person trying to help with the negotiations.

Colleyville, a community of about 26,000 people, is about 15 miles (23 kilometers) northeast of Fort Worth. The synagogue is nestled among large houses in a leafy residential neighborhood that includes several churches, a middle and elementary school and a horse farm.

Congregation Beth Israel is led by Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who has been there since 2006 as the synagogue’s first full-time rabbi. He has worked to bring a sense of spirituality, compassion and learning to the community, according to his biography,

FBI HRT personnel stage outside near the Congregation Beth Israel while conducting operations.

Photos The Associated Press

and he loves welcoming everyone, including LGBT people, into the congregation.

Anna Salton Eisen, a founder and former president of the synagogue, said the congregation has about 140 members and CytronWalker has worked hard to build interfaith relationships in the community, including doing pulpit swaps and participating in a community peace walk. She described Saturday’s events as “surreal.”

“This is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. You know, it’s a small town and it’s a small congregation,” Eisen said as the hostage situation was ongoing. “No matter how it turns out it’s hard to fathom how we will all be changed by this, because surely we will be.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted Saturday evening that President Joe Biden had been briefed and was receiving updates from senior officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he was monitoring the situation closely. “We pray for the safety of the hostages and rescuers,” he wrote on Twitter.

CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group, condemned the attack Saturday afternoon. “This latest antisemitic attack at a house of worship is an unacceptable act of evil,” CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement. “We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, and we pray that law enforcement authorities are able to swiftly and safely free the hostages.

No cause can justify or excuse this crime.”

Siddiqui earned advanced degrees from Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before she was sentenced in 2010 to 86 years in prison on charges that she assaulted and shot at U.S. Army officers after being detained in Afghanistan two years earlier. The punishment sparked outrage in Pakistan among political leaders and her supporters, who viewed her as victimized by the American criminal justice system.

In the years since, Pakistan officials have expressed interest publicly in any sort of deal or swap that could result in her release from U.S. custody, and her case has continued to draw attention from supporters. In 2018, for instance, an Ohio man who prosecutors say planned to fly to Texas and attack the prison where Siddiqui is being held was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

-The Associated Press

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A man held hostages for more than 10 hours Saturday at a Texas synagogue where he could be heard ranting in a livestream and demanding the release of a Pakistani neuroscientist who was convicted of trying to kill U.S. Army officers in Afghanistan.

One of the four hostages held at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville was released during the standoff; three others escaped.

The hostage taker was killed and FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt DeSarno said a team would investigate “the shooting incident.”

An FBI and a police spokeswoman declined to answer questions about who shot the man.

DeSarno said the hostage taker was specifically focused on an issue not directly connected to the Jewish community and there was no immediate indication that the man had was part of any broader plan, but DeSarno said the agency’s investigation “will have global reach.”

Law enforcement officials who were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity earlier said that the hostage-taker demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al-Qaida.

He also said he wanted to be able to speak with her, according to the officials. Siddiqui is in federal prison in Texas.

DeSarno said Saturday night that the man had been identified “but we are not prepared to release his identity or confirm his identity at this time.”

A rabbi in New York City received a call from the rabbi believed to be held hostage in the synagogue to demand Siddiqui’s release, a law enforcement official said. The New York rabbi then called 911 .

Police were first called to the synagogue around 11 a.m. and people were evacuated from the surrounding neighborhood soon after that, FBI Dallas spokesperson Katie Chaumont said.

The services were being livestreamed on the synagogue’s Facebook page for a time. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that an angry man could be heard ranting and talking about religion at times during the livestream, which didn’t show what was happening inside the synagogue.

Shortly before 2 p.m., the man said, “You got to do something. I don’t want to see this guy dead.” Moments later, the feed cut out. A Meta company spokesperson later confirmed that Facebook removed the video.

Richland

4 ENTERTAINMENT

January 18, 2022

‘Encanto’ excels in being a magically wonderful flick

Photos Courtesy Animation Screencaps

Mirabel Madrigal tends to the children while given party supplies from Osvaldo.

Barbara Gandica Martinez Editor-in-Chief

I was excited when “Encanto” was first announced. When I watched it, the animated comic-drama did not disappoint.

It is not often that we see a Disney movie set in Latin American, besides “The Emperor’s New Groove,” which hardly counts as representation. Likewise, I could tell that the writers did their research on Colombia with the yellow butterflies all over the teases. I was born and raised in an area in Venezuela with heavy Colombian influences due to its proximity to the border with the country. So, I was excited to see a movie that represented the beauty of Colombia outside of the narco trope movies in the U.S. often tend to use. It did that and more.

In addition to looking stunning, the film explores subjects of intergenerational trauma that I was surprised it tackled. The story focuses on Mirabel, the only one in a magical family without magical powers. We follow as she does her best to make her family proud and save the family’s miracle. We meet her family and explore how international trauma

can affect family dynamics and how to break the cycle. It does that beautifully while also having catchy songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Despite its target audience, the movie also shows a hint of the forced displacement that occurs in Colombia, when rural communities are destroyed by armed forces. The film brings awareness of it to some extent. Due to its nebulous time frame, it both calls to the Thousand Days War or even the recent conflict with the FARC, which is still fresh in Colombians’ minds. In the end, it does not specify the group that causes the displacement. For the story, it is not important since it focuses on the effect that it has on the survivors and their families.

American movies set in Colombia often revolve around narcos and drug trafficking. It is good to know that finally there is a widely available movie that explores how beautiful Colombia truly is. This movie is also a step forward in Latine representation. Most of the time, when Latin American culture is represented in the media, it is Mexican culture that is represented due to its proximity to the United States. Mexico has an amazingly rich culture, and its contributions to the U.S.

“In the Heat of the Night” (1967) – This gem won a plethora of awards at the time including for director Norman Jewison, as well as lead actor Rod Steiger.

So readers know, Poitier starred in two sequels: “They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!”

(1970) and “The Organization” (1971).

A+

cannot be denied, but most Americans think all Latin American traditions, food and people are like Mexico, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It would be like saying that all European countries are like England.

I love how the movie didn’t shy away from using little Spanish phrases now and then, such as the moment when one character says “Miercoles” instead of Wednesday in one scene and how some of the songs were sung completely in Spanish.

Although not the best of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musicals, he really did his research when composing the songs for the movie.

Each one calls upon a specific genre of Colombian music. From vallenato in “Colombia, mi Encanto” to ‘90s Latin pop in “What Else Can I Do?” The movie even features a song

by Carlos Vives, a well-renowned Colombian singer-songwriter and Latin pop singer Sebastian Yatra.

“Encanto” blends several areas of Colombia to create the fictional valley of Encanto.

Although it seems to be primely set in the Andes Mountains range, there are also hints of the coast of Colombia, such as the way certain characters and little details such as Mirabel’s Wayuu bag. There are also references to specific areas of Colombia, such as the river in the beginning and end of the movie, which is clearly based on the Caño Cristales river.

My only main criticism of the movie is that I wish it was longer. Most of Tia’s Pepa side of the family always steals the show when on screen, so it is a shame that we hardly see any of them. Likewise, there were arcs such as Luisa’s that felt like they came out of nowhere,

and her arc didn’t receive a proper resolution.

Although the movie is mostly set in the family’s magical house, Casita, we hardly see any of it besides a few select areas. There was so much creativity in the rooms we did see , so it is a shame we didn’t get to see more of it.

Disney got away with making a Kidzbop version of “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” a classic book by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Like “Encanto,” it tells a multigenerational story of a fictional Colombian town called Macondo. The whole yellow butterfly aesthetic in “Encanto” comes from this novel which popularity led the iconography to represent Colombia’s identity itself.

“Encanto” is way more sanitized and childfriendly.

Something curious about the relation between the novel and the movie is how they differ in their themes. One of the book’s main themes is the way family members often repeat the same mistakes as their ancestors. “Encanto” takes the opposite side of this argument, showing how to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma, which is one of the movie’s strongest aspects If you are streaming the film, make sure to also watch “Far from the Tree,” the short film presented before “Encanto” in theaters. Like “Encanto,” it deals with generational trauma and breaking the cycle of emotional abuse.

Despite the totally different setting, the short film prepares you for the topics that “Encanto” is going to handle later on. Be forewarned, it will make you cry.

Grade: A

Abuela Alma holds the miracle candle in “Encanto.”

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967) – Katharine Hepburn won a welldeserved Best Actress Oscar in this tale of a mixed-race couple whose romance was considered taboo and ahead of its time. With Spencer Tracy.

“Shoot To Kill” (1988) – In this well-crafted actioner, Poitier’s Warren Stantin teams up with mountain man Jonathan Knox (Tom Berenger) whose girlfriend Sarah Rennell (Kirstie Alley) is kidnapped by a baddie portrayed by Clancy Brown.

A+

B

“Sneakers” (1992) – In this crime comic-drama from Phil Alden Robinson, Poitier is part of a team who assesses faults in high-tech surveillance.

With Oscar-winners Robert Redford and Ben Kingsley, as well as Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn, James Earl Jones and the late River Phoenix.

B+

“The Jackal” (1997) – With this Michael CatonJones-directed update he was part of the team to hunt down Bruce Willis’s terrorist title character.

This one features great supporting turns from Diane Venora, Richard Gere and Jack Black.

-Ricky Miller

B-

January 18, 2022

Staff Photos Alex Ortuno

Dr. Dre and the player reassure the place is safe after a shootout outside the studio room.

ENTERTAINMENT 5

Lola Romero, Dr. Dre and Anderson Paak in the studio room in ‘The Contract.’

‘The Contract’ for ‘Grand Theft Auto Online’ ends up succeeding Alex Ortuno

Managing Editor Eight years after the release of “Grand Theft Auto V” and its multiplayer counterpart, “Grand Theft Auto Online,” we get a multiplayer DLC as “The Contract” with one of the protagonists of the story, Franklin Clinton.

With Franklin returning to the multiplayer scene as a man who’s gone from hustling in dime-bag drug dealing, robberies and illegal car repossession to being a top businessman who helps the wealthy elite of Los Santos with their problems that may have some criminal nature.

These problems are side missions for the player and can be entertaining. Although some missions are dull since they make you tail someone in a vehicle for some time, they are generally engaging as they put you straight into the action.

While players may have these missions, there are also “payphone hit” side missions that are basically hitman jobs. The twist in these jobs is that there are instructions to kill the target

in a specific way to earn bonus money that can boost your pay in the tens of thousands of in-game dollars.

The primary feature of the DLC is the main story where Franklin settles as a businessman who handles problems for his clients but is seeking for a big client that could boost his business even more. His big client turns out to be none other than Dr. Dre, alongside Mark Jordan, known as DJ Pooh and Jimmy Iovine. Anderson Paak and Lola Romero also make cameo appearances as themselves.

Dr. Dre’s problem is that his phone, which contained several unreleased tracks, was not lost but stolen by someone who had a beef with him since the ‘90s. The player goes into several missions to recover the stolen copies of the phone from fighting a private army hired by a billionaire who boasts about NFT’s and Blockchain, a stuck up 24 year old. He tries to chase fame and some gangsters that thought it was wise to tell the world they were going to blast unreleased music out loud. But it isn’t the end as the player engages in many more

gunfights as the person who stole the phone tries to end it all. It finishes with one big final shootout.

All these missions feel more lively than the previous DLC’s where they tried to make a story, only to either fall flat, short or just feel annoying. The characters in these feel like they aren’t forcing any kind of character, unlike Avon Hertz from the “Doomsday Heist” or Agent 14 from the “Humane Labs Raid,” and just fit in naturally to the storyline.

The action in these missions is entertaining as there’s no shortage of gunfights. Players are either boarding up on a yacht to fight the security guards, being a party pooper and fighting a personal security detail or even starting a gang war with the police coming in. There’s really no shortage of action until the very end.

One of the best parts of this DLC is also the music from Dre. Many unreleased tracks are playing in the middle of a mission sometimes and they never really get tiring as I enjoy them.

While all may glitter, there are a couple of issues that hinder the gameplay. One weapon

that had many fans hyped was a Compact EMP Launcher. Many players thought this would be a game changing weapon but it ended up being a copy-and-paste of another weapon.

Let’s also not forget it costs over $400,000 in-game so it’s not a cheap toy either.

Another is that sometimes the enemies almost seem like instant targeting machines in comparison to other DLCs where the enemies are more forgiving. That makes the missions a bit difficult if you aren’t armed enough.

They’re not impossible though. They just may be difficult for a first-timer.

Let’s also not forget you can actually play once more as Franklin and even as Lamar, his friend who keeps trying to push his marijuana dispensary business but in a way, fails upward.

The conversations between Franklin and Lamar are entertaining and made me feel like I’m back in the single-player story of the game.

The DLC has done well in the entertainment department and is probably the best DLC for “Grand Theft Auto Online.”

Grade: A-

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