CHRONICLE Richland
Richland students return to campus
Vol. XLVIII Issue 1 August 24, 2021
Pg. 2
• Campus opinion on masks Pg. 2 • Campus • Afghanistan • Afghanistan in chaos Pg. 3 • Ricky’s • Ricky’s summer movie picks Pg. 4
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2 CAMPUS
August 24, 2021
Dallas College students, faculty and staff return to campus in masks Alex Ortuno
Interim Managing Editor While Dallas College students will be able to return to their physical classrooms for the first time since March of 2020, not all will be the same because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has become a much bigger concern lately since the arrival of the Delta variant. According to information released by the Centers for Disease Control, the Delta variant is twice as contagious and could possibly cause more severe illness in unvaccinated individuals. Dallas College is preparing students and staff to have a safe environment for work and study. Alex Lyda, senior director of communications for Dallas College, said that safety within the campuses begins at the individual level. “Students and staff alike need to model behavior that best ensures our collective safety.” It is recommended that students practice proper cleaning methods such as washing their hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds. If hand washing is not an option, hand sanitizer that is 60% alcohol is an accepted alternative. Social distancing within at least 6 feet is strongly recommended if possible. On Aug. August 12, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins placed a mask mandate in effect for all schools, businesses, child care facilities and county buildings. According to the Associated Press, The Texas Supreme Court overruled the mask mandate decisions made by local and county officials on August 15. Despite the action by the court, Jenkins altered then reinstated the mask mandate. This includes Dallas College and its campuses that must follow the latest mask mandate. “Under the current countywide mandate, all Dallas College students must wear masks at all campus locations and events,” said Lyda. The new mandates are under further judicial review and await a court hearing.
Staff Photo Meshack Mashua
The latest mask guidance has been posted around campus.
Masks should be worn properly by covering both the nose and the mouth, according to Lyda. While precautions are urged for those who are attending on-campus classes and events, students should also be cautious if they become sick and are worried if they caught the virus.“ If a student feels sick they should consult with their health care professional. To rule out COVID-19, the student should get tested,” Lyda said. If a student has a positive COVID-19 test, they are encouraged to complete the positive
COVID-19 reporting form on eConnect. All information provided to the form is required by law to be kept confidential and secure. Students are also advised to stay in contact with their professors in order to do academic work remotely. If a student knows that they were within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive individual for 15 minutes or more, the student should follow CDC guidelines for in quarantine, even if no symptoms are showing. The pandemic is still far from over and the main defense against it is vaccination. Dallas
College will still manage safety during these times. “As long as the pandemic continues, Dallas College will support established safety measures that include being vaccinated, wearing masks, social distancing and handwashing,” said Lyda. In an effort to encourage vaccinations for students, Dallas College is offering financial rewards. During a virtual session of a board of trustees meeting, Trustee Chair Monica Lira-Bravo addressed efforts regarding the plan to offer a financial incentive for faculty, staff, and the student body of Dallas College. According to the plan, employees will be compensated $500 and students $200 for receiving the COVID-19 Vaccination. “We will be using our federal funds [Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds or HEERF program],” said Dallas College Chancellor Joe May, “to provide incentives for both employees and students who choose to get the vaccine.” Chancellor May continued, “For our employees, [they] will receive a direct deposit of $500 upon being fully vaccinated; our students will receive a maximum of $200, they [students] will receive $100 upon the first [dosage] if they are using either the Pfizer or Moderna shot and then $100 on the second as well.” “These [guidelines] are according to the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance back in May; it is allowable; this is an intended use of the federal funds so we are using them as they were intended to be used,” said Chancellor May. COVID-19 vaccinations are available for students who are interested. More information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations provided by Dallas College is at www.dallascollege. edu/coronavirus/pages/vaccination-registrationinstructions.aspx. Chronicle staff writer Ryan Bingham Duff contributed to this article.
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Campus opinion: How do you feel about the mask mandate? “I feel good about it. I feel comfortable wearing a mask because I feel protected and I feel that it’s safer.” Griselda Bermudez, 16, RCHS student, undecided major
“Well I’m in favor of it. Even if it protects us only a certain percentage, its still people’s lives that can be saved over a large number of individuals if everyone participates.” Jill Buettner, 49, biology faculty at dallas college richland campus
“I know the vaccine is helping a lot of us to be protected, and those that don’t have it are at risk of getting COVID. It’s better to have a mask to prevent the [spread of the] variant.” Daniel Juarez, 19, SGA president, marketing major
“I do feel like it’s keeping people safe and that people continue to wear the mask so that we can get a little closer to keeping the new cases down, and I highly encourage people to wear the mask because I feel like it does help and it does make an impact to us getting back to normal.” Analicia Alvarado, 19, SGA vp, music major Interviews and photos by Chronicle staff writer Meshack Mashua.
August 24, 2021
INTERNATIONAL 3
CHRONICLE Richland
STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS
Interim Editor-in-Chief Interim Managing Editor Design Editor Entertainment Editor Online/Special Projects Online/Special Projects
Barbara Gandica Martinez Alex Ortuno Barbara Gandica Martinez Ricky Miller Ryan Bingham Duff Damon Craig
ON THE COVER Staff Illustration: Alex Ortuno
BACK COVER Staff Illustration: Alex Ortuno
COVER AND FONTS Certain cover fonts are provided by the following www.nymfont.com – www.bvfonts.com
STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Meshack Mashua Fiona Forney Mike Sokolski Beth Swider Davis Oyola Riley Cook Photos The Associated Press
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS
Uncertainty over Afghanistan
Erica Edwards
Tim Jones
Jack Fletcher
Larry Ratliff
his plans to visit them because of the Taliban takeover. Sadat was granted citizenship many years ago because of his assistance as an interpreter in apprehending terrorists back in his home country. Another Afghan native, an IT major at Richland who transferred to the University of North Texas, Aimal Habib, said he also prefers to ignore the news. “I try not to think about it, and pray for the best”. “I’m more worried about those little kids growing up [there],” stating how it will affect the mental state of the younger generation growing up in Afghanistan that is now overrun by a group [the Taliban] the U.S. has been fighting since 2001. Habib said he is especially concerned for the women, who may be required to cover their faces, drop out of school and always be accompanied by a male relative in public. The AP has reported that a 22-year-old Kabul University student Aisha Khurram is worried that she may not be able to graduate in the next two months and expressed grave disappointment about the future of her country after the U.S. military troops have withdrawn. Afghan journalist Getee Azami sent several voicemails to her colleagues when armed men entered her apartment building and began to bang on her door. In her frantic phone call messages, she asked, “What should I do? Should I call the police or the Taliban?” In the aftermath, her fate remains unknown, according to the Associated Press. Some women, however, are refusing to keep silent as many have been seen in the news loudly demonstrating for their rights under what they fear will be an oppressive Taliban regime.
September 7
November 2
September 21
November 16
October 5
November 30
October 19
December 7
Ryan Bingham Duff
Staff Writer/Special Projects On Aug 16, President Joe Biden addressed the nation in a speech, stating that he was standing by his decision to withdraw U.S. military forces from Afghanistan, after the Taliban’s recent capture of Kabul. The former president of the war-torn country, Ashraf Ghani, fled as hundreds of thousands desperately made a daring escape attempt at the Kabul’s international airport. Ghani’s action of fleeing instead of making a stand left many Afghani citizens disgusted, according to the Associated Press. The influx of many hopeful refugees was seen via televised footage, breaking through security, then racing down the airport’s runway. Aircrafts were packed with the evacuees. Others were seen clinging to the aircraft. “American forces cannot and should not be fighting a war and dying in a war, that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves,” said Biden, who noted that the U.S. had spent $3 trillion on the war that had lasted almost two decades. Biden’s State of the Union address mentioned the U.S. intent was to provide terrorism prevention, not nation building. Biden said that the military is still helping with the evacuation and will continue doing so until the end of the month. The president also stated that “special visas” for asylum seekers and those who have worked for the U.S. Embassy will be provided. Reporters could be heard off-camera clamoring for replies to unanswered questions as Biden left the podium. One journalist asked, “Mr. President, what do you make of the Afghans clinging to the aircraft?” as the
president left the podium. Many of the immigrants of the Afghan community remain terrified for the safety of their families back home. One former Richland computer major, Sayed Jawed Sadat, an Afghan native now living in Florida, said he does not even follow the news of what is going on. “I have left a $300 a day IT job because of my mental state,” Sadat said. He has worries about his family members who may be fearing for their lives because they may be stuck in the country. Sadat also recently canceled
President Joe Biden addresses the nation about the evacuation of American civilians.
ISSUE DATES
STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS 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 1st Place – TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place – TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 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 2021
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A U.S. Marine assists the evacuation of civilians at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Ryan Bingham Duff Damon Craig Alexis Rodriguez Yessi Lipscomb Barbara Gandica Martinez Alex Ortuno
4 ENTERTAINMENT
August 24, 2021
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is a good fight,.but.not.a.good.movie Alex Ortuno
Interim Managing Editor Two of the most popular giant monsters of the silver screen: Godzilla, the king of the monsters and King Kong, the being known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, finally get to battle it out after their last appearance together in 1961. “Godzilla vs. Kong” delivers a good fight but ends up stalling as a movie. Yes, there is monster fighting. The battles between Kong and Godzilla are entertaining to watch. There are punches and jabs traded across each other. They are tossed around the skyline of a city as the neon lights of skyscrapers enhance the view of the flashy ax of Kong and the fire breath of Godzilla. Yes, there is destruction. Monster fighting without some sort of destruction feels a bit empty but it delivers. We see skyscrapers and large mountains just collapse under the weight of the monsters. High rise buildings are ripped apart with fire breath and a giant ax. Everything else the movie offers is what the movie lacks in; a decent story to follow. Sure, there’s subtle and obvious nods to the 1961 Japanese film of the same title. Sure, the movie offers much more monster fighting and screen time than the previous two movies but you can really offer only so much monster fighting until it gets a bit stale. The characters don’t really support this movie well. The antagonists don’t really
give the attitude of villainous intent. Even the characters who are supposed to be good, don’t do much of a good job. All we got was Millie Bobby Brown’s character who follows some conspiracy theorist on Spotify, the said conspiracy theorist himself and some poor friend of the high schooler. They feel poorly fleshed out, as if only to exist to barely give a story. The only exception of a good character would be a deaf girl, Jia played by Kaylee Hottle, who keeps a strong bond with Kong. While the others lack emotion she exudes it by comparison. Monsters fighting constantly can only be so good. It will be remembered momentarily until you forget about it later. In a way, the movie can be compared to fast food; it’s delicious for a moment but you’ll forget about it after awhile. “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) does a much better job at providing an engaging story while showing and connecting the monster brawls. The story may also have had some flaws but at least keeps the viewer interested in the characters, rather than following an entire excuse of “two monsters, old rivals, now they fight” just to keep momentum. “Godzilla vs. Kong” does well for showing a fight between two giants of the kaiju genre, but it just performs badly as a movie. Grade: C-
Photo Courtesy Rotten Tomatoes
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Godzilla and King Kong fight onboard a Navy ship in “Godzilla vs Kong.”
“Space Jam: A New Legacy” – This one finds five time NBA champ LeBron James facing off against the Goon Squad, a quintet of unsavory basketball players.
C
Matt Damon stars as Bill Baker in his latest drama “Stillwater.”
Photo Courtesy Rotten Tomatoes
‘Stillwater’.keeps audience intrigued with a slow burn Ricky Miller
Entertainment Editor Tom McCarthy has not made a bad movie yet. He won an Oscar for directing the Oscarwinning “Spotlight” in 2015. He always tells compelling and intriguing stories about the human condition. Even his so-so movies are noteworthy. Namely the Adam Sandler-led “The Cobbler” (2014,) in which a person gains a new identity by slipping into someone else’s shoes. “Stillwater” is a Matt Damon-led drama. It follows his stint visiting his daughter (Abigail Breslin) in France, overseas, where she is accused of killing her former Arabic girlfriend. While overseas, he befriends a mother (Camille Cottin) and a daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud). He strikes a friendship and relationship with the pair. The duo soon become an important part of his daily life, even walking
“Annette”– Marion Cotillard portrays an opera singer with a tumultuous relationship with beau Adam Driver. This one was a musical, only part of the reason I didn’t care for this jumbled mess.
D+
“The Protege” – This violent actioner finds Maggie Q teaming up with both Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton for an assassins tale with some nicely choreographed action set pieces mixed in.
B
the daughter to school every single day. The pacing on this film is not all together quick but is more of a slow burn. Damon is solid as usual as well as Breslin, who always knows what she is doing. On a side note, I interviewed McCarthy for “Win Win” back in 2011. I participated in a roundtable interview with McCarthy and a group of colleagues. He signed my copy of “The Station Agent” (2003) as well as “The Visitor” (2007), in which Richard Jenkins returns home to his NYC apartment to find unwanted guests. His Oscar-winning “Spotlight” had not come out yet. That was 2015 when it won multiple awards, including Best Picture as well as Best Screenplay. “Stillwater” is not an altogether fast-paced event, but intrigues from start to finish. One actually forms an intimate bond with each of the characters. Grade: A-
“Jungle Cruise” –Here’s an enjoyable family flick with Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. They find some fun intrigue coupled with a nifty plot twist in a tale based on a Disney park theme ride.
C+
“Reminiscence” – This futuristic Hugh Jackmanled sci-fi tale finds most of Miami underwater and grifters among us. With Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton.
-Ricky Miller
C+
August 24, 2021
ENTERTAINMENT/STATE 5
‘In The Heights’ doesn’t go high enough Barbara Gandica Martinez
Interim Editor-in-Chief/Design Editor I had high hopes for the “In the Heights” film adaptation, no pun intended. I love the original Broadway show and it was one of the few event movies coming out this summer’s movie season. The trailers promised the movie would finally put the Latinx community front and center. A film that would celebrate our community while acknowledging our struggles. Now that I have watched it and the more I think about it, the more I had mixed feelings about the film. It is hard to rate this film properly since there are parts of the movie that I love while there are others that I think were a bit mishandled. The songs remain very amazing and lyrically, they hardly changed from the Broadway version even the changes that were made were to fit this version of the story “Blackout”. The main focus of the Usnavi and Vanessa relationship was modified like most of the film. Despite being one of my least favorite changes to the story, the few added lines became a rather funny trend in Tiktok for a while. The strongest part of the movie is the story of Abuela Claudia. This aspect of the plot was hardly changed from the original musical, besides the order of events and the reveal of who won the lottery ticket. The change of the reveal makes the end of the highest energy music number, “96,000,” super anticlimactic but saves the best number of the film, “Paciencia y Fe” for the second act of the film. The number is filled with visuals and metaphors that complements Olga Merediz’s great vocals and the masterful lyrics perfectly. I would recommend watching this film just to see Abuela Claudia’s storyline play out. One area that you will find only in the film is the celebrity’s cameos. Usually, I would be annoyed at this since oftentimes celebrities
Photo Courtesy Rotten Tomatoes
Anthony Ramos, left, as Usnavi and Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario inside the local bodega.
cames steal time away from the plot, but I believe they were well handled in this film. LinManuel Miranda’s appearance was expected since he composed the original film but the conflict between the character he portrayed and the one played by Chris Jackson, which readers might recognize as George Washington in Hamilton (2020), illustrated the theme of gentrification better.. My favorite cameo was probably the one of Patrick Page, which I didn’t expect at all. He is best known for his role as Hades, the totalitarian leader of the industrialized underworld in the musical “Hadestown.” His role in the film as Pike Phillips as the face of gentrification was rather
a clever casting show. Despite the positive aspects of the film, the changesmade to the source material kept this movie from being a great one. First of all, were the changes made to the story of Nina. In the musical, the reason she drops out of Stanford is because of burnout, not because she was being racially profiled. In the film, she gets all the scholarships but even that is not enough to cover her tuition so she is forced to take on jobs to cover the rest of the fees. Therefore her grades take a dip, losing her scholarships in the process. Students would likely know what burnout feels like but it is often not shown in films.
Replacing this storyline and claiming that it is because she was racially profiled in Stanford is an odd decision. To begin with, it is unrealistic that she was not racially profiled before in New York, especially considering New York City has a history of policing communities of color. This does not make the event any less traumatic but it feels like the writers didn’t fully understand the subject. Likewise, if they truly wanted to explore the subject of race in the film they wouldn’t completely erase Benny’s storyline from the musical. In the film, Benny seems to be Nina’s Highschool boyfriend and he is one of the community. In the musical, he is AfricanAmerican instead of Afro-Latinoand is seen as an outsider especially by Kevin Rosario, Nina’s dad. You get to see their relationship develop in a “will they won’t they” storyline which culminates in the song “Sunrise” one of the sweetest love songs from a musical I have ever heard, especially how it uses spanish and english translation to its advantage. Another aspect that I believed was mishandled was the newly added Dreamers side story. This is an understandable addition since DACA was not a thing when the musical was written. Despite this, I believe the writers did not fully understand how the immigration process works. It is quite unrealistic that Sonny was unaware of his immigration status since he does not seem to be sheltered from immigration issues. Also Sonny meets all the requirements to apply for the DACA program so it is odd that in the end, he seems to apply for a green card instead, or at least it is pretty vague which program he is applying to. Overall, these aspects kept the film from being a great one despite the foundations for one being there. Despite this, I believe the box office success of this film will let Hollywood know that there is a market for Latinx-centric stories. Grade: C+
Fiona Forney Staff Writer
Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving treatment aimed at blocking or reducing infection. “I want you to know that I have received the COVID-19 vaccine and that may be one reason why I’m not feeling any symptoms right now,” Abbott announced in a video posted to his Twitter account (@GovAbbott) Aug. 17 Abbott received his first dose of the Pfizerproduced vaccine in a televised event in December of last year. Office of the Governor Communications Director Mark Miner issued the following statement concerning Abbott: “The governor has been tested daily, and today (Aug. 17) was the first positive test result. . . . Gov. Abbott is receiving Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment. .. . Gov. Abbott is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in good health and currently experiencing no
symptoms. Everyone that the governor has been in close contact with today has been notified.” This announcement comes on the heels of a sold-out event Abbott attended at the Republican Club at Heritage Ranch in Collin County, which he described as “standing room only” in a related Twitter post. With several hundred guests in attendance, video posted the day prior to his positive result showed Abbott, 63, among a mostly unmasked indoor crowd amid the recent surge of COVID-19 infections in Texas. The Regeneron treatment, currently in clinical trials in the U.S., including at Baylor Scott & White and Dallas-based UT Southwestern, involves infusing patients with synthetic antibodies to bolster immune response. According to Regeneron.com, the antibody cocktail can be administered as prophylaxis — an action taken to prevent disease or lessen symptom — after exposure to COVID-19. The treatment, however, is not
authorized for use in patients already hospitalized due to COVID-19, nor is treatment a substitute for vaccination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization for these antibody therapeutics in November, 2020. On Aug. 13, Abbott issued a statement announcing the launch of nine monoclonal antibody infusion centers in Texas, including one in Dallas-Fort Worth: “Antibody infusion centers play an integral role in our efforts to combat COVID-19 because they help prevent hospitalizations and ensure that resources are available to treat the most severe cases of this virus.” Texans interested in receiving treatment, which for many may be received for free, may call the 24-hour State Infusion Hotline at 1-800-742-5990, or use the National Infusion Center Association’s locator tool at infusioncenter.org/find-an-infusion-center.com. Patients must satisfy specific criteria and receive a physician’s referral to receive the treatment.
Photo The Associated Press
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Gov. Greg Abbott receives experimental antibody treatment for COVID-19
Gov. Greg Abbott at a conference on June 8.
6
August 24, 2021
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