Richland Chronicle May 11th, 2021

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XLVII Issue 18 May 11, 2021

A student publication

Dallas College’s first graduation

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• Check out Ricky’s summer movie picks

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• Burned out? You’re not alone

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• Student receives All-USA Scholarship

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RichlandStudentMedia.com

Richland Student Media Media

@RLCStudentMedia

Richland Student Media

2 CAMPUS

May 11, 2021

Dallas College celebrates graduation in-person/online Hannah Spohn Staff Writer

Graduation is a special time in the lives of students. It’s an experience unique to each individual, their families and culture. It’s an exciting time that marks the beginning of a new chapter in one’s life.

COVID-19, however, took this rite of passage from many, leaving graduates to improvise with virtual ceremonies, Zoom celebrations and a feeling of loneliness in what should be a joyful time. As things slowly return to normal, graduating students all over are rejoicing for a chance to have an in-person graduation ceremony that others were not fortunate enough to receive last year.

The Dallas College graduation ceremonies will take place at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland from June 24-26. Students may select from seven different times. Because COVID19 protocols are in place for the ceremonies, like face masks, limited entrance and social distancing, students are encouraged to RSVP quickly since reservations are accepted on a first-come-first-served basis.

Makaylah Runnels of Eastfield Campus has reservations about the upcoming ceremonies.

“I guess I’m not superexcited because I still have another one, and this is my second graduation,” Runnels said. “But I’m happy to be

Campus, said he’s received lots of support from his family who are already offering their congratulations. He feels like the festivities will be a bit lackluster.

“I had to graduate eventually. I couldn’t dodge it forever,” Pinon said. “It’s underwhelming. I guess because the pandemic kind of rains on everybody’s parade.”

Pinon wasn’t too impressed about having in-person ceremonies, but for reasons apart from Runnels. “I was not worried at all because I don’t plan on participating in my ceremony. I just want my diploma and get out.

I’ll walk the stage again, when I go to university. I am going to UNT Dallas.”

Four tickets will be given to each graduate to invite friends and family to attend the event. The ceremonies will be live-streamed online for those who are unable to attend the event in-person. According to the Dallas College website, masks and social distancing will be strictly enforced. The Dallas College Photo courtesy: Paul Knudsen website notes that safety is the No. 1 priority Richland College graduation in May 2019, the last ceremony before the COVID-19 pandemic. for Dallas College graduates who are attending the ceremonies in person. completing this part of my, I guess, journey, she’ll be able to celebrate in person.

Eligible graduates can email graduation@ per se. It was actually really hard to get to this “Unfortunately, my dad will not be able to dcccd.edu with questions. Information about point so I’m happy to be over with it.” go, but my sisters, brother and mother will,” the ceremony and graduation attire are availAlthough Runnels wasn’t worried about the she said, noting her family is her biggest able at www.dcccd.edu/events/graduation/pages/ possibility of in-person graduation not occur- support system. default.aspx where you can also watch the livering this year due to COVID-19, she is glad Like Runnels, Diego Pinon, also of Eastfield streamed ceremonies as they happen.

Vaccine passports debated but not implemented –yet Reagan Davis/Angela Ly

RichlandStudentMedia.com

Staff Writer/Managing Editor As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and the rate of infection and death decline, questions have arisen about the possibility of vaccination requirements for school and travel. Vaccine passports are essentially evidence to prove an individual has been vaccinated. Whether vaccination passports will be required for international travel is being debated, according to The Associated Press, which also notes there are no plans to make them mandatory in the United States. To date, Dallas College has not made the COVID-19 vaccine a requirement.

Vaccines are voluntary. Critics say vaccine passports would invade personal privacy and security. They may also unfairly benefit countries with greater access to the vaccine.

Supporters, however, say vaccine passports could make reopening faster and easier. They could also give parents and international travelers confidence that protocols are being followed.

“I think vaccination passports are a good idea, but when people post them on social media with all their private information showing, it is dangerous,” Bella Kwan, a Richland Campus student, said. “Vaccination passports

defiantly serve a purpose, but people should be more careful with sensitive information.”

Dallas County Health and Human Services notes that, as of press time, 390,764 people have been vaccinated against the virus in Dallas County. The county also reports a cumulative total of 258,326 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 41,703 probable cases with 3,921 Dallas County residents who have died due to the illness, according to its press release.

According to AP, Canada has approved a new variation of the Pfizer vaccine for patients as young as 12 years old. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve the vaccine before the beginning of the next school year. The shot is already authorized for those 16 and older.

“I believe vaccine passports are a reasonable response to a continuing crisis,” said Patrick Moore, Richland government professor. “We already have similar requirements for kids in school – even at Richland, with the Meningitis vaccine requirement – and for international travel. It’s tragic that our national response to the pandemic became so politicized that there are people in America refusing the vaccination solely ‘because it makes liberals mad’ and calling mask-wearing ‘socialism.’”

The proposed passports may incorporate the use of a QR code to protect privacy.

According to AP, “The certificates are still

Photo Illustration Courtesy Unsplash

being developed, and how and whether they’ll be used could vary widely around the world.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is opposed to the idea and issued an executive order prohibiting government-mandated vaccine passports in Texas.

“Every day, Texans are returning to normal life as more people get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” Abbott said in a press release. “But, as I’ve said all along, these vaccines are always voluntary and never forced.”

Richland government professor Dr. Raymond Sandoval supports the use of vaccine passports as a means of planning health needs with exceptions “due to ideology (not opinions) and medical issues.

“I believe the government could make vaccinations mandatory based on the primary obligation of the government for national defense and security. That trumps certain claims of choice and liberty,” Sandoval said.

“I do not think all people realize that what we do as individuals have decided impact on others. This is a consequence of such an individualized society.”

COVID-19 vaccines are available at the Fair Park and Potter’s House vaccination hubs in Dallas County. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination.php.

Dallas College COVID-19 protocol is available at www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/covid19-vaccination.php.

May 11, 2021

STATE/NATIONAL 3

Speakers weigh in on controversial legislation Photo Illustration courtesy Pexels/Karolina Grabowska

vote-by-mail applications and impose fines against deputy voter registrars and criminal penalties against election judges for any errors in the process.

She said another provision of SB7 would allow poll watchers to move through voting locations at will.

“This particular bill is really affecting the Black community. It’s making people very nervous. And then I know from when I work at the polls, people are very sensitive about the privacy of their vote,” Larkin said.

“If you have poll watchers who might be wandering about videoing and people voting, I really think people are going to be really upset.”

Lawmakers worked early into the morning of May 7 on amendments to the bill which lowered the criminal penalties, allowed poll watchers to be removed if they disturbed the peace and clarified the election judges and volunteer registrars would not be held liable for honest mistakes, according to AP. The bill passed 81-64.

Representatives of more than 50 companies and businesses signed an open letter on May 4 expressing opposition to “any changes” that would make it harder to vote in Texas. Texas

Republicans rejected the accusations.

Most notable among the proposed gun legislation is House Bill 1927, approved by the state Senate on May 5. This proposed law would allow Texans to carry a handgun without a license. Texas has reduced classroom and shooting range training requirements in the last decade, according to AP, but to date had not eliminated the license requirement.

Now that’s history.

Known as “Constitutional carry” by proponents and “permitless carry” by those who are opposed, the Republican majority in the Texas Legislature passed the law over the objections of law enforcement and gun control groups, according to AP. Patrick Moore, Richland government professor, weighed in on the legislation in a conversation with Richland Student Media.

He said a significant majority of people in Texas, including Republicans, are opposed to the legislation, but that politicians aren’t listening to them for political reasons.

“It’s because they don’t have a strong motivation to pay very much attention to what the majority want because the majority of people don’t vote,” Moore said. “If the majority of people voted, then legislators would be

motivated to pay attention to what the majority of people want. We have legislators who don’t cater in their campaigning and in their governing to what the majority want. They cater to what the majority of voters want.”

Moore was the guest speaker for the Journalism Speaker Series on April 28.

While the bill places limits on those with violent criminal convictions, those convicted of making terrorist threats or disorderly conduct with a firearm, it would be difficult to sort them out without the state background check, according to AP. At press time, both HB1927 and SB7 are being finalized and, if ratified, are expected to be signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Legislation in response to the winter storm is being addressed in House Bill 10, which would remove independent experts in the electricity field and replace them with political appointees. Senate Bill 2 would allow the governor to appoint five members to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas board.

The Legislature concludes its regular session May 31.

-Richland Chronicle Staff

FBI names pipeline cyberattackers as company promises return Hit by a cyberattack, the operator of a major U.S. fuel pipeline said May 10 it hopes to have services mostly restored by the end of the week. The FBI and administration officials identified the culprits, a gang of criminal hackers whose ransomware was used in the attack, as DarkSide.

Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, halted operations last week after revealing the attack that it said had affected some of its systems.

On May 10, U.S. officials sought to soothe

concerns about price spikes or damage to the economy by stressing that the fuel supply had so far not been disrupted.

The attack underscored the vulnerabilities of the nation’s energy sector and other critical industries whose infrastructure is largely privately owned. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out by criminal hackers who scramble data and demand large payments to decrypt it.

The Colonial attack was a potent reminder of the real-world implications of the burgeoning

threat.

The attack came as the administration, still grappling with its response to massive breaches by Russia of federal agencies and private corporations, works on an executive order aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defenses. The Justice Department, meanwhile, has formed a ransomware task force designed for situations just like Colonial Pipeline. The Energy Department on April 20 announced a 100-day initiative focused on protecting energy infrastructure from cyber threats.

Similar actions are planned for other critical industries. Despite that, the challenge facing the gvernment and the private sector remains immense.

In this case, the FBI moved with unusual speed to pinpoint blame, saying the criminal syndicate involved in the attack is named DarkSide. The group’s members are Russian speakers, and the syndicate’s malware is coded not to attack networks using Russian-language keyboards.

--The Associated Press

RichlandStudentMedia.com

The Texas Legislature, which meets every two years for 140 days, had a lot on its plate this year. In addition to legislation seeking to overhaul Texas’ electrical grid following a devastating winter storm that killed 111 people, bills have advanced that limit voter access and expand permitless carry of firearms. At press time, two of those bills are close to becoming law.

Expanded early voting dates and the use of mail-in ballots in the 2020 election helped bring a record number of voters to the polls during the pandemic. State and federal officials called the election in Texas and across the nation “the most secure in history,” according to The Associated Press. Lawmakers throughout the South, however, have promoted unsubstantiated claims that the election was flawed and required new limits to boost voter confidence, including penalties for local election officials.

Barbara Larkin is the vice president of voter services with the League of Women Voters of Dallas. She spoke with Richland Student Media as part of the Journalism Speaker Series on April 21. She said some of the provisions of Senate Bill 7 would limit voting locations, prohibit election officials from mailing

Photo Illustration courtesy Pexels/Sora Shimazaki

4 ENTERTAINMENT

May 11, 2021

Newer but not better Ricky Miller

RichlandStudentMedia.com

Entertaiment Editor For some unknown reason, director Zack Snyder wasn’t happy with the end result of “Justice League,” originally released in 2017, so he struck up a deal with HBO and they agreed to produce his version of the movie in its entirety – plot changes and all. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” was released by HBO just this year.

Some elements of the 2017 cut of “Justice League” remain intact. This includes a large part of the second act where the whole team has a fisticuffs duel with The Man of Steel, aka Superman, played by Henry Cavill.

The main change in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” involved the inclusion of Darkseid (Ray Porter) as the main adversary. He’s essentially like Thanos in the Marvel universe in that he wants to wipe out everything and anything from existence. He just wants pure power. Nothing more and nothing less. He has no cause for the pesky human beings of the world.

Thus, the part of the annoying Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) is reduced quite a bit. The one part I found annoying was him talking to the

Mother Boxes, which are major sources of power, as living entities.

The team also has to face a plethora of parademons, subservient creatures working for the other side.

Assembled for the team are Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Ray Fisher’s Cyborg, Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman, Cavill’s Superman and Ben Affleck’s Batman.

In the comic books, the Justice League team is bigger and more expansive, but I think movie studios can ante up only a certain amount of dollars for this downsized A-list cast.

For some reason, I liked this one less than the 2017 version. In his cutting and trimming, Snyder took out the humor I so admired in the original with Superman’s return having shades of a “Pet Sematary” vibe.

I like Snyder as a filmmaker and am looking forward to seeing his next film, “Army of the Dead,” which comes out this summer. It involves zombies running amok in the Las Vegas desert and will debut May 21 on Netflix.

All in all, I would recommend “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” for the sheer experience of seeing an intact superhero movie.

Grade: B-

Photo Courtesy IMDb

Ray Fisher plays the superhero Victor Stone/Cyborg in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.”

“The Listener” – Craig Olejnik plays the title character, a mind reader, who helps people through various predicaments in this crime-drama fantasy.

This little-known show airs Saturday nights on the broadcast channel CW-33.

It aired in Canada from 2009-2014.

Summer Recomendations

A-

Photo Courtesy IMDb

Jodie Turner-Smith, right, and Michael B. Jordan play the main characters of the film.

Thrilling action and revenge Ricky Miller

Entertaiment Editor The new action-thriller “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” follows Michael B. Jordan’s John Kelly, a Navy SEAL returning home after an overseas mission.

The tale is based on a novel by Clancy, who also penned the novel “The Hunt for Red October,” the basis for the 1990 action-thriller directed by John McTiernan. That submarine tale was, in my book, a four-star movie all the way. It starred Sean Connery as Marko Ramius, a well-respected Russian submarine captain trying to defect to the United States.

It was also one of Alec Baldwin’s first roles as a leading man.

In “Without Remorse,” Kelly and his wife are expecting a bundle of joy in their near future, but things take an unexpected turn when some purely evil people kill the mom-to-be in her sleep.

Also involved in the story is Jodie TurnerSmith’s Karen Greer, one of the few people in the world Kelly can still trust with his life and well-being. Jamie Bell’s soldier Robert Ritter is key to the story along with Guy Pearce’s government higher-up Secretary Clay who is another wild card. One does not know whether to trust either of these characters or not.

“Cobra Kai” (Season 3) – This one follows the inhabitants of “The Karate Kid” universe wherein all of the teens from the original 1984 movie are grown with their own families and facing dilemmas of their own. On Netflix.

“Locke & Key” – This weird and fun fantasy tale deals with a trio of siblings who move into an old enchanted house with doorways that lead to any place in the world. A second season is upcoming next year.

Streaming on Netflix.

B-

A-

I liked this tale all around, but something was not appealing in the execution of this story. It did fine with the action and set pieces, but some key ingredient was missing in the batter.

Directing chores for “Without Remorse” were handled by Stefano Sollima, who did a great job with the action-packed sequel, “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” in 2018.

Sollima knows when and where to place the camera for the wide array of action sequences.

I hope “Without Remorse” does well enough to make further advances in this tale, which intrigues from start to finish.

Jordan has been in the business for more than 20 years, making his debut in the independent drama “Black and White” in 1999.

His part in that film was of no consequence, but he has turned into a terrific leading man who never plays the same part twice. Scratch that — he reprised his role as Adonis Johnson in “Creed” in 2015 and the sequel in 2018.

So readers know, Jordan will be making his directorial debut with the third chapter in the “Creed” legacy sometime next year.

“Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” delivers in every single department and is worth the investment of time. One could do worse in their film selection. It’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Grade: B

“Kung Fu” – Be aware, this has nothing to do with that David Carradine TV show that aired in the mid-1970s. Significant because of the fact this is only primetime show led by a woman of Asian lineage. Olivia Liang stars. It’s streaming on the CWTV. com.

A-

“Stranger Things” – This enjoyable monster tale looks at a group of kids in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. It witnessed a minor blip since Season 4 was paused by the COVID-19 pandemic that sidelined production.

Streaming on Netflix.

-Ricky Miller

A-

CAMPUS 5

May 11, 2021

The ties that bind humanity together The past 12 months have gone beyond pandemic fatigue. For Texas residents, it’s in addition to recovering from an unlikely winter storm in February. For Dallasites, it’s the culmination of abnormal weather, including last year’s tornado, from which some residents still haven’t recovered. For our fellow students, it’s been the transition to “One College.”

The hasty transition from seven colleges to Dallas College meant students doubling up on books they may have already received in prior classes or not knowing the estimated arrival time for supplies and materials. It also meant departments getting downsized or positions (both faculty and students) and the possibility of programs being cut altogether.

Like many campuses, faculty and students at Richland had to adjust to a new virtual landscape mid-semester in the spring of 2020 after spending spring break in lockdown. Work and school spaces blurred and sleep schedules have been turned upside down, with many of us struggling to establish working and waking hours. Receiving email at 1 a.m. is acceptable, so is waking up at 1 p.m.

The daily news cycle has also been a shock to our systems between gun violence, hate crimes, butting political parties and evolving COVID-19 variants. The world continues to unfold as most of us are hunkered down at home and Dallas College students are feeling the weight of the pandemic and an immense sense of helplessness.

“It breaks my heart to see how much hate and resistance there has been in the south, with hate crimes, protests against safety

precautions and this massive rift that gets deeper and deeper between conservatives and liberals,” said Dallas College student Michelle Henderson.

Other students mentioned losing their jobs or fearing the lack of future job prospects.

Some referenced cabin fever building up over the past year. Almost all yearn for in-person contact and shared social experiences.

“My life before was a whole lot safer and better compared to how it is right now. After this unexpected or unwanted virus has unfortunately developed, my life feels more unsafe and also boring. It feels like that because my family and I are unable to see any other of our friends or family members to have family or friend’s parties or gatherings, especially for any vacations,” said Sam Gorospe, a Dallas College student majoring in animation.

“This past year, my family has done

everything virtually,” said Dallas College student Kristen Fleming. “I have not hung out with my friends in over a year now. I have lost all of my social experiences. We have been in complete lockdown mode for the entire last year. This is because I have several family members in my household who are extremely high risk, and they would die if they caught COVID.” But there’s also been some upsides. Quarantine has opened doors to remote learning, which many students preferred: class in bed, in the midst of making a meal or even when you’re on the go. The occasional Zoom mishap served as much-needed comic relief from dense conversations or lectures.

Some found solace in restoring or strengthening their faith, having an understanding that the pandemic is, to some extent, out of their control. Others used the time for introspection

Staff Photo Illustration Angela Ly

Burnout is becoming a student epidemic.

and self-improvement, putting themselves first as to not burn out from the cyclical, mundane life of quarantining at home.

“Although I have lost all of my social experiences, I have also gained more time to focus on school, the Lord and myself,” said Fleming. “I think the United States has also learned to do things differently. People can now visit their doctor through their smartphone or computer, virtual church, zoom calls for everything, and curbside pickup for almost every store.”

“Mental health has been a very large topic over the last year. I’m happy to see people working on themselves and beginning to understand that mental health is just as important as physical health,” Henderson said.

We’ve been able to support local businesses, attend virtual events we used to attend in person, revisit old goals or hobbies and, at the very least, find new approaches to problem solving. Personally, I soaked up the sun biking at local parks and dabbled in watercolor painting. I met a Holocaust survivor over Zoom and no longer complete assignments in bed.

From vaccine rollout to recall, some have found comfort and a sense of ease after getting their vaccination while others have reservations about taking it altogether. Comfort can be found in this slower pace of life, reconnecting with old friends or enjoying the ample time we spend with those who share our households. For others, perhaps it was the return of sports that brought them some glee.

After all, life continues. Places reopen, at least in Texas and a few other states. Regardless of where your comfort lies, I’d like to think the pandemic is the thread that binds us together, reminding us that despite adversity, humanity can and will prevail.

In their own words: How students are handling the pandemic Daphne Earnest:

What was your life like before?

Before the pandemic life for me was very go go go! I was a full-time student and I worked a part-time job cleaning houses.

What was the last normal thing you did?

I think the last normal thing I did was going to church. Other then that, maybe doing taxes?

Michelle Henderson:

What was your life like before?

I spent a lot of time driving, at least 3 hours a day.

I would go through two tanks of gas every week driving to school, work, running errands, etc.

What was the last normal thing you did?

The last normal thing I did was go to a concert last February.

What have been the losses? The gains?

What have been the losses? The gains? : Getting through the feeling of cabin fever has been difficult the entire time. I have also learned a lot about people I thought I knew well - it has been disheartening to see them react poorly to precautions.

As far as gains, I’m a fan of social distancing.

What do you see ahead in the future?

For texas specifically I see this lasting a long time. At least through this year.

Sally Verrando:

What was your life like before?

I’m a recent empty-nester who had a job at a live performance venue. I have been furloughed since March 2020. I decided to go back to school during the pandemic and am about to graduate with an Associate of Arts degree this spring.

What was the last normal thing you did? was on a retreat in a house with 20 people the first weekend things shut down in March 2020.

We decided to go ahead with it because we didn’t realize how bad it was. We were very lucky no one got sick. Before that, my improv group had put on our first big show and were making plans for the next one. Since then, we Zoom once a week.

What do you see ahead in the future?

A jagged return to normalcy. Not everyone values mask-wearing, social distancing and even getting vaccinated so we will continue to have spikes. But once this is behind us, people will want to party and make up for lost time. We could see another Roaring Twenties.

Yves Benimana:

What was your life like before?

Life before the pandemic was way better. Even though I was job searching, at least there were high hopes I would be hired at some point. Now that COVID-19 kicked in, it is way harder for me to get hired.

RichlandStudentMedia.com

Angela Ly Managing Editor

6 FEATURE

May 11, 2021

Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez: man on fire CHRONICLE Richland

Nabeela Iqbal Staff Writer

“I’ve almost died three times in my life now,” Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez said. The Richland student heading to Columbia University was born three months premature. Doctors were not sure he would survive a single day, but he did. Throughout his childhood, he suffered a series of illnesses that affected his organs.

Doctors couldn’t explain it and declared that he may not have long to live, but he did. At the age of 7, he fell two stories from a building while playing a game of hideand-seek with his brother. He was taken into surgery with little hope for survival, but once again, he made it through.

A Venezuelan native, Castro Gonzalez has riveting stories about his life that could go on for days. His welcoming smile and sparkling eyes immediately draw people toward him. But what most people don’t know is that behind that infectious smile, amusing personality and bouncy hair is a determined young man constantly raising the bar for students everywhere.

Castro Gonzalez is the current president of Phi Theta Kappa, vice president of Richland Student Government Association and community chair representative for Region 2. He has earned the prestigious Presidential Volunteer Award for his outstanding community service and has previously been nominated for the position of Best Student of the District.

As a little kid, he dreamt of becoming a professional soccer player. He got to live his dream for a bit in Caracas, Venezuela, but as his home country’s condition took a turn for the worse, he was forced to come to the United States and start a new life here. Castro Gonzalez decided to embrace his fate and turned it into a chance to pursue his other passion: helping people.

“My goal in life is to make better living conditions for people. I think we can do better, and we’re not living up to our potential,” he said.

In the last few years, he has earned more than 2,000 hours of community service while raising scholarship

money for students and using his leadership positions to provide them with resources and opportunities.

Castro Gonzalez is now the winner of the distinguished All-USA Academic Team scholarship, awarded to 20 community college students from across the country for their academic excellence and leadership both on and off campus. He will be attending Columbia University in the fall and majoring in sustainable development.

“I decided on Columbia due to its history of developing leaders in their respective fields and the genuine impact on the environment it has had over the years,” said Castro Gonzalez.

The scholarship process was a tedious one with essays and interviews, but Castro Gonzalez also faced some unexpected hurdles. The scholarship required students to present their tax documents for eligibility purposes, but international students aren’t allowed to work in the states and thus, do not have any tax documents.

This was the hardest part of the process, Castro Gonzalez said. In order to meet the scholarship requirements, he had to translate tax documents from his home country of Venezuela and put together all the information needed. His hard work and exemplary track record paid off and soon, he got the congratulatory email.

A thorough research of the scholarship requirements is also an essential part of the process. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take; that is the principle Castro Gonzalez lives by.

You can only get scholarships if you apply for them.

Even if you think there is not chance you will get it just apply and, if you do not get the scholarship, at least you will learn what you need to improve for next time which will put you one step ahead of other students in your next scholarship application,” he said.

Castro Gonzalez’s biggest advice to other students is to practice telling their own story and get help whenever needed.

“We all have fascinating things to say, so think about your aspirations, what you have and start drafting those essays!” he said.

STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Design Editor Entertainment Editor

Dara Jones Angela Ly Barbara Gandica Martinez Ricky Miller

ON THE COVER A graduation tradition continues this season.

Graphic: Barbara Gandica Martinez

BACK COVER 2019 Richland Campus graduates.

Graphic: Dara Jones

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

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Aiden Biddle Melanie Castaneda Cittlaly Cipriano Reagan Davis Ryan Bingham Duff Dave Freeman

Nabeela Iqbal Marley Malenfant Jalen Rainey Janssy Sanchez Hannah Jade Spohn Jerry Weiss

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards

Tim Jones

Jack Fletcher

Larry Ratliff

Meg Fullwood

ISSUE DATES The Chronicle wil return in August.

Visit RichlandStudentMedia.com

Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez will attend Columbia University in the fall.

in the meantime.

STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS 1st Place – TIPA/Cover Design, 2021 1st Place – TIPA/Illustration, 2021 2nd Place – TIPA/Cartoon Strip, 2021 2nd Place – TIPA/Sports Action Photo, 2021 3rd Place – TIPA/Newspaper Overall, 2021 3rd Place – TIPA/Overall Design-Newspaper, 2021 1st Place – TCCJA/Editorial Cartoon, 2020 1st Place – TCCJA/Feature Photo, 2020 2nd Place – CMA/Two-Year TV Station of the Year Award, 2020 2nd Place – CMA/Best 4-Page Special Section, 2020 3rd Place – CMA/Two-Year Website of the Year, 2020 Over 270 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

RichlandStudentMedia.com

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

File Photos Dallas College

Isra Qureshi, left, and Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez, right, join other Richland students during a food distribution event on Aug. 27, 2020.

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

SPORTS 7

May 11, 2021

On the defense: Mavs for a playoff spot, Cowboys for draft picks Jalen Rainey Sports Columnist

With only four games left in the regular season at press time and the May 22 playoffs on the horizon, the Dallas Mavericks have one thing on their mind – and it’s not just winning. They have to stay healthy, too.

The Mavs did not end up on the positive end of the 2021 regular season. Many Maverick players were put on COVID-19 quarantine and were forced to sit out for two weeks. The big star, Kristaps Porzingis, has been battling injuries as well. He was out with a right knee injury and played just 40 games of the 72-game season.

On April 29, Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic had a minor elbow injury that keep him from playing one game. Doncic played 62 out of the 68 games to date, with a lot of trouble on the court.

In the 2021 season, Doncic had 15 technical fouls and is one game away from a one-game suspension. In the May 9 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Doncic was ejected from the game for hitting Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton in the groin after a few pushes for position under the Cavalier’s basket, according to The Associated Press.

“I knew I hit him, but I didn’t know where until I saw the replay,” Doncic said. “It wasn’t nothing on purpose.

That stuff happens a lot in the game. It was just two guys fighting for a rebound, I guess.”

The Mavericks went on to beat the Cavaliers 124-97.

The Mavericks are now in fifth place with a 40-28 record and currently away from the Play-In tournament.

The Play-In tournament is a new playoff format formed this year based on the 2020 season’s bubble tournament in Disney World in Florida. The No. 7 seed plays the No. 8 seed, No. 9 seed plays No. 10 and the winners of those games become the new seventh and eighth seeds and earn spots in the playoffs.

The Mavs take on two playoff teams in the last four games of the season against the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors and the Minnesota Timberwolves to finish the season. The regular season ends May 14.

NFL Draft After a promising 2020 football season turned devastating after just one play, the Dallas Cowboys emphasized one thing in the 2021 Draft: defense. The Cowboys finished the season 28th in the league for defense, 31st in rushing yards allowed, 31st in rush attempts and 28th in touchdowns allowed.

This year’s draft was offensively heavy with the first seven picks being offensive players, but that didn’t stop the Cowboys from getting the guy they wanted. Micah Parsons, the 6-foot-3, 246-pound linebacker from Penn State is just what the Cowboys defense needed.

Parsons is one of the best run-stopping linebackers in the draft. After running a 4.3 second 40-yard dash, his speed also displays his pass-stopping game. The 12th overall pick is entering his rookie season with a lot of question marks due the fact that he sat out his junior season to train for the NFL draft and opted out of his last season due to COVID-19 issues.

The Cowboys second pick was Kelvin Joseph, a cornerback from The University of Kentucky. With Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain, the two best cornerbacks in this draft, selected before the Cowboys pick, Joseph was a steal for the Cowboys.

After selecting two defensive players for their first two picks, the Cowboys continued to help the team’s new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn by drafting defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa from UCLA. He will help Parsons change the running game being a defensive anchor in the front line.

The Cowboys fourth pick made history with the team selecting four defensive players for their first four picks for the first time. Chauncey Golston, the fourth pick, is a 6-foot-5 defensive end from The University of Iowa.

He’ll team up with Pro Bowler Demarcus Lawrence and Randall Gregory.

These first four defensive picks were chosen to make immediate impact on the Cowboys defense and help protect Dak Prescott as the Dallas Cowboys build for a promising 2021 NFL season.

Photo Dallas Mavericks via Twitter

Dallas Mavericks’ Dwight Powell (7) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (11) celebrate a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 9.

1. Venezuela 2. Navy 3. Kung Fu 4. Texas 5. Seven 6. Parsons

Across 2. The branch of military Michael B. Jordan’s character was in

“You going to be hanging around here over the summer?“ Credit Jerry Weiss

Across (cont.)

6. The last name of then-Penn State linebacker drafted by the Dallas Cowboys

3. The only primetime show led by a woman of Asian lineage

Down 1. Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez’s country of origin.

5. The number of different times Dallas College graduates can select from for their upcoming graduation

4. The state in which an executive order currently prohibits government-mandated vaccine passports

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mythology, spooky stories and folk lore

Congratulations to our upcoming 2021 Dallas College graduates!

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