RamPage, November 19, 2018, Vol. 45, No. 4

VICTOR VALLEY COLLEGE

RAMPAGE

November 19, 2018 | Volume 45| No. 4 “If journalism is good, it is controversial, by its nature.” Julian Assange

Atypical

Dr.Wagner Is Leaving VVC

By Jasmine Ramos Reporter

Dr. Roger Wagner is the Superintendent and President of Victor Valley College (VVC). Wagner has been the president for over four years and will be retiring in Fall of 2018. Dr. Wagner served 20 active years in the Air Force and 21 years as a police officer.

As the president of VVC, Wagner is responsible to overseeing the colleges procedures, Sharing of government process and budget accreditation. “In order to do a great job one has to stay organized.” Wagner's Executive Secretary, Victoria Martinelli, tries to keep him organized as much as possible.

Most of the time he keeps eve-

rything in a calendar; it helps him stay organized and if a higher priority comes in, he can easily move dates around.

He finds ways to stay ahead of everything. When budgeting comes around, he tries to keep his attention mostly on the budget and nothing else.

Wagner loves working with all his employees and feels honored to have had the opportunity to have worked with them. His employees have cheered him on throughout his four years at VVC, and he will take wonderful memories with him.

Wagner encourages everyone to work hard after he has left.

“Wagner is going to be truly missed, I worked with him for four years and he's been amazing,” says Martinelli.

When Wagner first came to VVC the college was in need of help because no one was solving the school’s budget problems and no type of leadership was in place.

Continued on page 4...

Yeh in Victorville

By Julian Valenzuela Reporter

International artist, Phil Yeh, has painted his way across the country, making his mark on the city of Victorville and the historical Route 66. The mural started Monday, October 22, on the corner of 7th and A Street in the heart of Victorville’s Old Town.

With the organization, Revive Our Old Town (R.O.O.T), Yeh included the things that make up Old Town, and what the organization is trying to do in order to revamp the area.

News pg. 2

By: Brandon Valdovinos Reporter

Atypical, a series on Netflix, recently released their second season. The focus is on main character, Sam, and his life as an autistic teen trying to live a normal life. It also shows how his autism affects those closest to him.

The first season begins by introducing Sam talking to his therapist Julia, then gradually his sister Casey, and finally his parents, Elsa and Doug. Sam confides in Julia and gets advice on interactions as he tries to fit in and live a normal life.

He later gets other advice from his friend/co-worker, Zahid.

Sam's interest in having a girlfriend is the reason why he is seeking advice on living a normal life and having normal interactions. Elsa does not Continued on page 10...

Victorville residents helped Yeh to complete the mural on Saturday, October 27th. The mural includes vivid buildings, cars, and an ode to the historical Route 66. The painting includes a train going through the route. The train cars have the names and logos of local business that donated to the project. The art work stands at a Continued

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Entertainment pg. 10

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Presidential Search Nears Finale Victor Valley College wraps up the search for a new President/Superintendent by holding three candidate forums. On Monday, October 23, and Tuesday, October 24, 2018 in

AB 705 which is a new bill that maximizes the probability for transfer readiness within one year of enrolling into an english or math course. Guided pathways concerns were addressed as well as how the future president would show that they care for the students

Services and Student Success at Chabot-Las Positas Community College.

Next was Dr. Walden who mentioned to the audience that he and his wife had spent the previous weekend house hunting just in case the position became his. “I could feel very

I would feel right at home in this area. I really love this area,” Busch stated. Dr. Gregory Busch currently serves as Vice President of Instruction, Guided Pathways, and DualEnrollment at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. All candidates met the

the student activity center located in building 44, Krista Johns, Daniel Walden, and Gregory Busch were each given an hour long opportunity to explain their vision for a future VVC. During the forums, community members, students, faculty and other administrators had the ability to ask the potential candidates a wide range of questions covering topics from

they might serve.

First up, Dr. Johns and when asked about her vision for success, Dr. Johns stated, “a CEO is a person that needs to model and support an lead out a supporting role for the college.

You’re looking for certain qualities in your CEO. Someone that can set a tone for success. I have that experience.”

Dr. Johns is currently the Vice Chancellor of Educational

at home here. With me always remember, what you see is what you get and I’m looking for a place to settle, not a stepping stone,” Walden concluded. Dr. Walden previously served as Dean of Academic Services at Los Angeles City College.

Lastly, Busch shared his thoughts about how wonderful a place he found Victor Valley College to be. “My family and

various experience qualifications as suggested to apply for the open position.

The next step of the process is for the current VVC Board of Trustees to consider and choose which candidate would be the best fit for the job. Once a candidate is selected, they will officially begin work as the new president/superintendent of VVC

by January 2019.

By Amber Scott Reporter

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Breast Cancer Awareness

By Ashirae Wardrop Reporter

The random shades and forms of pink around campus have been quite noticeable . During the month of October, the Victor Valley College (VVC) campus has been buzzing about Breast Cancer Awareness .

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), “Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control. These cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x-ray or felt as a lump. The tumor is cancerous if the cells can invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get it, too.” They also say that in 2018, more than 266,000 women are likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and an estimated 40,920 women are likely to die from it.

Breast cancer has affected so many people which has resulted in a movement of support to help these victims in their fight. For example, the Real Men Wear Pink campaign is a local support system that challenges men to help fight against breast cancer. Community leaders use the famous pink color to raise awareness and money for the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer awareness projects like patient services and education around screenings and risk reduction.

The campaign started in 2017.

One participant is Robert A. Sewell, Victor Valley College’s Public Information Officer and ASB Advisor.

“This cause is personal for me as my mom, Pam Giddings, who died from breast cancer, came to California to live with me and spend her last

our community, I believe I have an obligation to do so.

By raising and awareness through Real Men Wear Pink, I’m helping to save more lives from breast cancer,” Sewell stated.

Sewell says that men should get involved because the cause

month with me and my family.

It was the most worthwhile and beautiful month of our lives. I believe in, and I’m committed to raising awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society’s efforts.

That’s why I’m stepping up to fight breast cancer with all I have. Since I’m in a position to make a difference within

is important. The ACS cannot conduct high quality research, educate people about breast cancer, or provide rides to treatments or places to stay when the treatments are far from home. He also says a donation could help aid someone dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Other important support sys-

tems happen on the VVC campus. Celena De Leon, a student at VVC, came up with a contest using the hashtag, “#VVCSupportsBCA”.

The contest is simple. ASB created a pallet for breast cancer awareness and placed it in a frequently travelled area of the campus with the slogan, “Show Your Support”, written on it. All students are encouraged to participate by taking a picture with the pallet and posting it on Instagram using the given hashtag. The winner will be randomly selected and will receive a $20 Starbucks gift card.

De Leon says, “I believe people should participate in the contest because breast cancer is such a severe issue that impacts many people’s lives. By simply participating in raising awareness, you open up a dialogue towards finding a solution and standing in solidarity with survivors and victims.

It’s just the right thing to do.”

Women (and men) should be more aware of breast cancer. Breastcancer.org states, “About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.”

Breast cancer is a serious disease that has taken many people by surprise.

Do not let that be you or someone you love! Be aware and check your boobies!

For support or information, visit www.hdcancer connection.com, www.real menwearpinkacs.org/highdesertca, http://www.facebook.com/ hdcancerconnection/, or call the @AmericanCancerSociety at 1-800-227-2345.

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Your Voice Counts

By Rene Alvarez Reporter

Voting is a crucial part of our democracy; a single voice may not be enough for change but many single voices working towards one cause can mean an uproar of change.

Voting has been a part of our democracy since 1789. Originally, people were only allowed to vote if they were white males that owned property. It took 80 years of battling before the system was changed in 1865. The abolishment of slavery was a step forward in United States history.

This development caused people in power to feel threatened against the minority group, thus established shady laws ; poll taxes, literacy tests and even turned to acts of violence against former One hundred years had to pass before the Voting Rights Act appeared allowing everyone to vote. Former slaves weren’t the only group to suffer from these heinous acts.

Women throughout all America had to fight for their right to vote as well, and in 1920 it was granted to them. The importance of voting comes from Dr. Wagner from page 1...

Photo Credit to University of Minnesota those who fought everyday to inspire others to work towards this common goal. Leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are among the people who knew the importance of voting and fought for this very reason.

On Tuesday, November 6th, 2018 the people of the United States will once again be able to have their voices heard for the midterm elections. The midterm elections are a biennial event that serves as a gage to the president , people, in the federal government, and local government to evaluate the performance of those holding office in the last two years.

A common misconception of voting is that the Primary Elections are more important than the Midterm Elections.

The Midterm Elections are equally as important and that’s why the party in control of the House and Senate avoid major legislation on mid-term year.

This is due to the fact that it would be risking their incumbency. Midterm elections serve as a precursor to what way the country will go in the upcoming years. Issues, including gun reform, Environmental policy, Criminal justice reform, Immigration, LGBTQ rights, Women’s rights, are issues that will be worked on by the those who are voted into office in this upcoming

There were three particular areas that seriously needed fixing; accreditation, budget and campus climate . Before Wagner was the president of VVC, the campus had a $3.5 million dollar structural deficit, money was being spent without accountability and the campus was lacking true leadership.

Wagner truly feels happy for being able to have assisted in revamping the campus and making the necessary changes needed, such as getting VVC off of probation. The VVC climate is now a complete turnaround.

The budget has shown improvement since Wagner first came to VVC. He also said, “Accreditation is off our back.” He claims that his job at VVC is done now and knows that VVC needs somebody to come in and take it to a higher level. According to the VVdailypress.com before Wagner became the VVC president, he served as president at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree and Dean of Career and Vocational Education at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri.

“I view myself as the fixer I can't launch the college into a

election. Local government is also part of the ballot, local affairs such as debt free college, congressional districts, local schools, and infrastructure for roads. These are all critical points that affect our everyday lives.

In order to vote in California, a person must be United States citizen, a California resident that is above the age of 18 and is not under parole.

Voting is also limited to persons who are found mentally incompetent. The voter registration deadline for California was October 22nd at 11:59 pm.

For those who missed this deadline there is still hope.

Eligible voters may vote conditionally register to vote on the 14-day period prior to election day by visiting their local county election office or voting center. To find this information visit, www. sos.ca.gov/elections/voterregistration/conditionalvoter-reg. Voters who aren’t looking to wait in line, will be relieved to hear that early voting is available, for more information visit Vote.org. Anyone that is unsure of their voter status can visit Voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/ to find out if they are eligible to participate in this years elections.

new direction,” said Wagner.

Dr. Wagner will be taking a year off after he retires, he will not be involved in the foundation or any type of school work. He wants to dedicate more time to be with his wife.

After the year off, Wagner is thinking about teaching online classes, but he's still not to sure what he wants to do.

Wagner told the VVDaily press ,“It’s a great school, a great college,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful way to end a career.”

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ASB At The SSCCC

By: Summer Robinson Reporter

The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) is recognized as the official voice of students in legislative and policy advocacy. Associated student governments from all 114 California Community Colleges (CCC) were given the opportunity to advocate on their students behalf for future changes on all CCC campuses from October 26-28.

The Victor Valley College (VVC) Associated Student Body (ASB) went to SSCCC to pass a resolution that advocates for more health services for all CCC students.

“Some California Community Colleges offer health services such as STD/HIV testing, reproductive health services, and psychological counseling to students, which can be essential for all students struggling to access affordable health care, for students confused and scared of their condition, or for students who are seeking more information,” according to VVC ASB members Christopher Elizondo and Nicole Fox. “1 in 4 students suffer from a diagnosable mental illness, but 40% of students do not seek treatment,” according to the College Mental Health Services Program or the AB-2017

bill. This resolution states that the SSCCC advocates for CCC to set a student health services fee to fund health service for all enrolled students. This resolution passed with no objections from 68 CCC in attendance at SSCCC. Over 5,600 homes were destroyed as a result of wildfires in 2017 and over 20,000 peo-

Affected by Natural Disasters". Moreno Valley College proposed a resolution by explaining, “The SSCCC advocate that the Chancellor’s office encourage community college districts to adopt policies and procedures that allow students affected by these types of disasters to have an extended opportunity to drop

ple were displaced during the fires. Vice President of Legislative Affairs Cameron Cowperthwaite explained, “Being the victim of a natural disaster can have impacts on a student’s grades and or finances.”

To help any students affected by natural disasters, Moreno Valley College proposed a resolution called "Extended Drop Deadlines for Students

classes with a refund, and without an entry on their transcripts.” Moreno Valley College also suggested that such an amendment be made to the education code requiring that these changes be implemented at community college districts.

All colleges in attendance voted in favor of this adoption.

Moreno Valley College also proposed the resolution of a

Mental Health Awareness Week. Authors of the resolution Juan Hernandez and Iiyshaa Youngblood stated that not every CCC student attends a school with a comprehensive system to support mental health.

California adults ages 18-44 have an average 3.8 poor mental health days a year according to America’s Health Rankings, United Health Foundation. Equity in Mental Health Framework reported, “Students of color at American colleges and universities are almost twice as likely not to seek care when they feel depressed or anxious.”

This resolution states that the SSCCC advocates that the Chancellor’s office launch an annual mental health awareness week in collaboration with an organization focused on mental health such as the JED foundation.

This resolution was adopted at the SSCCC conference.

Few resolutions did not get adopted by the SSCCC. Among those not passed were the reform of California open meeting laws and no confidence in Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley. All resolutions that were adopted will now be passed to the Chancellor’s office in hopes of becoming legislative law for the state of California. Altogether, the CCC’s represented and advocated on behalf of all 2,100,000 students.

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Get to Know Your Fellow Rams

in

school, she is grateful for her family and friends. “I think the first answers everyone will say they are grateful for are their family and friends. It may sound cliché or obvious, but the people you keep around make you who you are, and I am grateful for that.”

What Navarrete said she was especially grateful for is her dog.

She feels her dog Willy is her baby and is happy he is still around.

Nick Gonzales is a 19-year -old Communication major at Victor Valley College. He is widely known around campus for his Twitter presence and

his podcast “Half Grown”.

Gonzales states, “I’m thankful for my family because they always push me to be better and do better”. Gonzales has many goals in life but the main goal is the run his own or have the opportunity to run a media outlet/company. He has begun his journey by creating his podcast with his best friend Andrew Triana. This goes to show we can all have goals and life and in order to achieve them, we just have to keep walking forward and just be thankful for the great things that surround us.

By: Reyes Navarrete Reporter

Zoe Navarrete has been attending Victor Valley College since late 2015, and she is thankful for the opportunity to be in school.

“At times school is really frustrating, but I am just grateful to be able to go to school,” Navarrete stated.

In addition to feeling grateful for the opportunity to

be

By: Sasha Abdo Reporter

By: Jaide Cole Reporter

Deziree Romo is a 25-yearold Sophomore at Victor Valley College. She is a communication major and plans to transfer to California State University Fullerton for the Spring 2019 semester. When asked, “What are you most thankful for?” Deziree states, “I’m most thankful for my family. I’m extremely close with my sisters and my dad. I don’t know where I would be without

them." Deziree tells, “ After my mom passed away the four of us got extremely close. We try to make the holiday season really special by making the same blackberry cobbler my mom would always make.”

By: Rene Alvarez Reporter

Thanksgiving season is presented to us as a chance to give thanks to all the good commodities that have been given to us for the year. There By: Amber Scott Reporter

Devonte Ferguson is a student studying sociology through the Dual Enrollment program. The Dual Enrollment program is a partnership between the Victor Valley Unified High School District and Victor Valley College. The program allows high school students to participate in postsecondary education while still in high school.

Ferguson attends his classes on the Silverado High School campus on Mondays and Fridays and says he likes being able to earn college and high school credits at the same time. With a desire to become a fashion designer, Ferguson stated that he hopes to transfer to Cal State Berkeley or Long

are several traditions that we follow in this season, such as getting together with the family and feasting together. The most common question we ask ourselves and our family members are “what are you thankful for?” Gabby Morales is a Victor Valley College student who is thankful for her life and good health. She’s very thankful for her family and claims, “I am most thankful for the expansion my family has had this year with all the nieces and nephews I have been blessed with!” Morales is an example of a person who sees the joyful part of having an abundant family. She enjoys the little things that are provided to her such as life and good health is an example of a person who is thankful for everything she has received this year.

Beach University, once he graduates.

“I am extremely thankful for my mom and how she inspires me to pursue my education.

Really, I am thankful for my entire family and everything that I have,” mentioned Ferguson

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Get to Know Your Fellow Rams By: Jordan Lunasco Reporter

With her family being from Kuwait, Lilia Tatarian’s family experienced having minimum religious freedom. Being Christian in Kuwait, her family really did not have any rights. People would steal from her dad and the cops would take no actions. One day Kuwait was invaded and Tatarian’s dad drove with three kids and her mom in the car through bombings and terrorists. They ended up in Syria, and that is when her dad

felt like migrating to America would be the best place for his family. She sees how her cousins are suffering in Syria and does not take her migration to America for granted. Tatarian is thankful for the life her dad has given her. It makes her a more positive and nonmaterialistic person. Her dad gave up everything, so her brothers and herself could have a better future. This upbringing has formed Tatarian to be the person she is today.

For all these reasons, Tatarian is most thankful for her dad.

By: Jasmine Ramos Reporter

Courtney Jones is 21 years old and is a full-time student at Victor Valley College majoring in child development.

She's most grateful for her family and foremost the children she works with. When Jones isn't working or in school she likes spending quality time with her mother and father.

She enjoys watchBy: Robert Ellison Reporter

By: Cierra Malone Reporter

Chelsey Drausin is a secondyear communications major at Victor Valley College. When asked what she valued and is thankful for she emphasized on how thankful she was for her family. During the holi-

days Chelsey cherishes the quality time her and her family share together. Little things such as taking her nieces and nephews trick or treating, preparing a holiday feast with her mother and aunts, decorating the Christmas tree and bringing in the New Year together.

Another thing Chelsey is thankful for is her job. Chelsey works at MY GYM, a gym for infants, toddlers and children.

Here she can watch the children with their parents present and teach them how to be active in their daily lives. She has had this job for over a year and enjoys every minute of it.

Chelsey says being around the children can be the sunshine of her day.

Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together and give thanks, and the students at Victor Valley College have a lot to be thankful for. One of those students is 19 years old, Fine Arts Major Samuel Hanke. When asked what he is thankful for he said, “I am really thankful for the music program here at VVC, I’ve only started this year and everyone has accepted me with open arms. I am also thankful for our music director Karen Miskell she’s great and gives us opportuniBy: Brandon Valdovinos Reporter

18-year-old Joseph Patterson is a student at Victor Valley

ing all kinds of movies and going to community events with her parents. Jones has been a taekwondo instructor for over three years, she loves to help children build up their confidence and teaches them selfdefense. ‘‘The best moment that an instructor can have is when a child comes into the studio with zero confidence, and throughout time their confident starts to grow which puts a smile on my face’’ ties to become better artists, like when we went to the University of Southern California (USC) and performed, it was an amazing experience and I was very grateful.”

College who is thankful for a lot in his life. He believes that everyone should take the time just to think about all the things they are thankful for, “I’m thankful for the support of my family and friends to be where I am today. Coming from a lineage where nothing was possible, the strength they give me helps me through anything,” stated Patterson.

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Remembering A Queen By: Reyes Navarrete Reporter

Bohemian Rhapsody is a dramatic biopic based on the life of Freddie Mercury and his band, Queen. I am not a huge fan of Queen. Going into this film I expected it to not be enjoyable at all. I felt the movie would only pander to fans of the band, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I expected the movie to contain most of Queen’s hits, and a “Hollywoodized” version of Freddie Mercury’s life. And yes- there were a lot of these qualities, but the movie was balanced out with showing the harsh reality of celebrity culture. Like I mentioned before, I am not a fan of Queen, but I feel that worked in my favor. I knew nothing of Mercury’s history, so the story was captivating. I do not dislike the rock group, but I only know about three or four songs of theirs. When I think of Queen, I think of Mike Myers in Wayne’s world head-banging to Bohemian Rhapsody with friends in his AMC Pacer. So I only had a small view of Queen, and Mercury’s life.

Photo courtesy of Google

The movie is based in the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The film not only touches on the band’s influence on pop culture, but also relates them to the AIDs epidemic of the 1980’s. If you are unfamiliar with Freddie Mercury, this might be a spoiler alert, but he ultimately died of the AIDs virus. I figured that this would be the main source of drama in the movie, but there is much more to Mercury than just that.

The movie is more inspirational than tragic. Because of Mercury’s rock star personality

The Hate You Give By: Cierra Malone Reporter

“The Hate U Give” is a film that highlights on family, tragedy and loss. The film originated from Angie Thomas’ novel of the same name. It is about an African American girl named Starr (Amanda Stenberg), who witnessed the murder of her childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) during a late night traffic stop.

Starr faces the dilemma of wanting to be the voice for her friend Khalil and remaining

silent and protecting her identity.

When the audience first meets Starr at 9 years old, her father, Maverick, (Russell Hornsby) is teaching her and her brother, Seven, (Lamar Johnson) what to do if ever confronted by the police. His stern voice emphasizes the seriousness of the conversation as he explains to put your hands on the dashboard, do as they are told and not to make any sudden movement.

As time progresses, Starr is 16 years old and has two ver-

Photo courtesy of riotfest.org

and Queen’s glamorous anthems, the movie will not upset the faint of heart. Instead, it is a film that can convey an appreciation of Mercury and his band, even for someone who may not have been a fan.

Rami Malek plays a compelling Freddie Mercury. At first, Malek’s dentures seemed to be distracting from his role, but this soon goes away due to his acting ability. The entire cast does a good job of relating emotion, and there is even a cameo of Mike Myers in the film. The movie is rated PG13, so it is suitable for families with young teens to watch. It has received a 60% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience scored the film with a 95%. The fans ultimately beat out any naysayers opinions given the weekend box office reached $50 million dollars. And I have to agree

with the fans. Despite the film going roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes, the long, dramatic moments are cut with the excellent personality that was Mercury.

The expectations of the film will vary for anybody open to seeing this film. This movie is great for a fan of Queen, but it can also be interesting for anyone who may be interested in a cultural icon. I recommend this film for anyone who might want to watch a dramatic movie, but are usually turned off to the idea of a dramatic movie. If you are not a fan of Queen of their music and you decide to give this movie a chance; I figure it could, at the very least, be fun to watch the movie just for Mike Myers’ cameo alone.

sions of herself. One who lives in the rural area of Garden Heights, and one who attends a predominantly white private school in the wealthy Williamson neighborhood. Starr cannot fully connect in either of her two lives. At school, kids

purposely act black to get Starr’s attention, whereas at home, she is seen as “whitewashed” by people she grew up with. At a party in Garden Heights, Starr reconContinued

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nects with her childhood friend Khalil, where an altercation breaks out and he takes her away from the party.

Khalil and Starr where then pulled over for failure to use a turn signal, where Khalil was asked to step out of the vehicle. Although Khalil was not the most compliant person, he reached in the car for his hair brush and was shot three times by the officer, who mistook it as a weapon.

Starr’s struggle to keep her two lives separate, is made apparent after the death of Khalil. She displays raw emotions and begins to see how her community is viewed by law enforcement. The struggle in deciding what to do became more difficult, for Khalil was

the second childhood friend Starr has seen murdered by bullet in Garden Heights. The first happened when they were 6 years old. Her mother, Lisa (Regina Hall) wants Starr to remain silent on this issue, however with the help of mentor who speaks at Khalil’s funeral and being the only witness, she finds the courage to speak up for her community The novel and film, “The Hate U Give” does more than elaborate on the Black Lives Matter movement. It allows readers and viewers to emotionally connect with how a community reacts to police brutality through the eyes of a young girl who lives in it. The title originates from a popular acronym by Tupac Shakur in his book Tupac Shakur: The Life and Times of an American

A Haunting New Series By: Sasha Abdo Reporter

The Haunting of Hill House is a modern remake of the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel which follows siblings (Steven, Shirley, Theodora, Nell and Luke Crain) who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in

the country. Now adults, they are forced back together after facing a terrible tragedy and must confront both the ghosts of their past and themselves.

Some of the ghosts still lurk in their minds, and others remain in the shadows of Hill House. The first season was released on Netflix October 12, 2018. It is, packed with

Photo courtesy of irishtimes.com

November 19, 2018 Page 9

Photo courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Icon called THUG LIFE: “ the hate u give little infants f’s everybody”. The movie revolves around this acronym and was first introduced when Khalil told Starr about it in his car, moments before his death.

It was also brought up in a conversation between Starr eye-opening and horrifying experiences.

The show continuously flashes back and forth from the past and present time. The first episode begins with the eldest sibling, Steven, as an adult interviewing a woman for a series of his book, Hill House, which is an autobiography of his sibling’s lives and experiences living in Hill House. Every episode is about each sibling’s individual experience in the house, besides the first and last two episodes, which combines everyone’s stories all together which in the beginning make no sense.

The parents, Hugh and Olivia, also have an episode dedicated to their experience in the house. This show involves drug abuse as well as other triggering scenes such as suicide and mental illness. Since there were multiple murders in the house, there are many different ghosts that linger within the halls and walls.

The most prominent ghost is known as “The Bent-Neck Lady” who has haunted Nell, the youngest sister of the siblings, since she was a little girl and continues to haunt

and her father. It is relevant because of how many unarmed black people have been killed

by Law Enforcement and “The Hate U Give” allows us to see both sides of the story. It was an excellent movie that deserves unlimited recognition.

her until her very last breath.

The Bent-Neck Lady is what evidently leads Nell to her mental state of depression and causes her sleep paralysis.

Another prominent ghost is the tall man with the top hat.

Which Haunts Luke -Nell’s twin brother- This ghost follows Luke and lurks in the shadows. Because of this Luke falls into a drug addiction and causes his near death experience.

This show was rated a 91% out of 100 on Rotten tomatoes the Critics Consensus states, “The Haunting of Hill House is an effective ghost story who’s steadily mounting anticipation is just as satisfying as its chilling payoff”. IMDb also gave Hill House a solid review of 8.9/10 an IMDb user by the name of Kay_rock who gave the show a 10/10 stated, “This isn't just great horror - it's brilliant filmmaking. Everything from the writing to the cast to the cinematography to the editing is just amazing. I was immediately hooked in from the first episode. The creepy and disturbing show has many scenes that with resonate with you throughout the ten episodes.

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Atypical from page 1...

want him to do that because she feels he is not ready and still needs to be dependent on her. It creates a conflict between the two as he listens more to Julia. Doug struggles to find things in common with his son. Casey struggles between protecting her brother or taking a scholarship for track at a private high school. Elsa struggles with the feeling of not being needed by the family.

He ends up dating a fellow student named Paige, who he uses as his practice girlfriend before his therapist, due to some miscommunication on advice from his dad. The climax eventually comes in the forms of Sam having romantic feelings for Julia and Elsa having an affair.

Season 2 picks up from the secret of the affair being told in front of the family at dinner.

Sam no longer can see his therapist, Julia, due to a conflict of interests. His family breaks apart: his father leaves the house and his sister is furious with their mother.

Due to Sam’s autism, he does not understand why he By: Kameron Petersen Reporter October 19th 2018, Michael Myers returns to the big screen in the film, Halloween. A sequel to the original film in 1978, Halloween takes place 40 years later, but still manages to capture the intense, sinister, and dreary vibe that the original movie was loved for.

Directed by David Gordon Green, written by Danny Mcbride and Jeff Hadley, Halloween takes an approach that is quite bloody and gruesome, and adds a touch of humor to the story line that livens up what would be a rather chilling movie. The plot thickens quickly and that is where Halloween varies from the

cannot see Julia or why Doug has left the house. He continues rying to live an independent life at school while applying the advice given to him.

Casey ended up taking the school scholarship so now Sam is alone at his high school.

Throughout the season, Sam develops more as a person and is now a little better at interacting with people. Every now and then he has a freak out that causes him to flee and go to a quiet place. It is these freak outs that have Doug and Elsa

November 19, 2018 Page 10

talking and trying to work things out. Casey also has problems getting along at her new school where she first has problems with her new team because she can’t relate to them. She eventually finds a friend in team captain Izzy, who was the cause of her problems. Her friendship with these new kids creates problems with her boyfriend, Evan.

The climax is when Elsa confronting Doug about their relationship and how they are going to make it work. It is during this time that Sam is

debating on whether he is going to go to college and is graduating from high school.

The season ends on a cliff hanger. This show had a good plot; how Sam’s autism affected the family as a whole.

Viewers will want to see what happens next as Sam continues his strive for independence. It has scored a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and I would give it an 8 out of 10. It was recently announced that it was renewed for a 3rd season.

Photo courtesy of NME.com

The Horror Story Continues original. Instead of a drawn out suspenseful film, Green’s version feels like an action film with abrupt scenes of gore.

The musical score was created

by Cody Carpenter, and was one of the key components in the movie actually feeling scary. Without the creepy sounds, crescendos, and crashes, the movie would feel like it belongs in the action genre. I found the hair on my neck standing on end with every creepy note.

Another reason for Halloween’s big success with fans is the excellent acting by Jamie Lee Curtis who plays Laurie

Stroud, the survivor of the first film and the protagonist. Curtis does an excellent job with making it seem like there is a realistic chance that the protagonist might win. Laurie Stroud had been training for years in case Michael Myers would ever return to finish the job. This little bit of character development helped to create a satisfying ending that doesn't leave the viewer feeling empty. It’s refreshing to see a strong protagonist in a slasher flick instead of In fact, the character development seemed to be the strong point and the film’s main weakness in some areas.

Laurie Stroud is a strong character, but the others in the movie felt underdeveloped and I found them difficult to feel for when they met their untimely end. Without some of these characters, Laurie Stroud would be a more developed lead character and a greater threat to Michael Myers.

Like most slasher flicks, Halloween comes with its problems.

There are holes in the plot that make it seem like the production was a bit rushed.

Continued on page 11

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Horror from page 10…

The viewer is left guessing how the events progress as the movie gets more and more chaotic. Characters showing up out of nowhere, the useless violence, and characters going missing with no answer creates questions that the film simply does not answer.

If you are looking for a late night scare, pounding heart rates, or have a soft spot for Michael Myers this movie is the one for you. Not many horror films keep me entertained and on the edge of my seat, but this one did it. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Lil Peep

By Adam Capps News Editor Lil Peep’s first posthumous album hit shelves on November 9. Announced shortly after Peep’s death in November 2017, the album features eleven tracks with two more making the cut for the deluxe edition. Come Over W hen Y ou’re Sober, Pt. 2 comes at an emotional time for fans, just a few days short of the rapper’s death anniversary. Lil Peep was found dead on his tour bus on November 15 which was later discovered to be due to an overdose. A sad fate for an artist who was just breaking into the mainstream following the success of Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 1.

Peep’s lyrics have always dealt with themes of drug use and relationships gone wrong, something which continues with “Broken Smile (My All),” Part 2’s opener. “She was the one with the broken smile,” Peep says as if he were reminiscing about a past relationship. “Now that it’s done, she was the one.” The song creates a somber atmosphere,

Photo courtesy of Paste Magazine

perfectly setting the tone for an album about love, loss, and the resulting sadness. It’s an album that is hard to listen to in retrospect. Friend of Lil Peep and frequent collaborator Smokeasac returns as producer, having also produced Part 1. One track is particularly chilling, something that is reflected in the production.

Track 5, “Leanin’,” seems almost representative of how Peep was feeling prior to his death. “Woke up surprised, am I really alive?”

Peep asks “I was trying to die last night, survived suicide last night.” Considering the circumstances surrounding his death, that verse hits pretty hard. Looking back, it’s almost as if it was a cry for help. Mental health is something that hasn’t really broken into mainstream culture. In the year since Peep’s death, it still hasn’t. As musicians and celebrities keep turning up dead, many of which are due to overdose or suicide, it’s an important conversation. Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt 2. Is a depressing album, but it’s hauntingly beautiful. It’s another look into the psyche of an artist gone too soon.

It’s also a message to people who deal with addiction and bad relationships. There are

other people going through these things. Picking out highlights for this album is a tough chore. Every song has something good about it. There are slower songs like “Fingers,” and songs like “Sex With My Ex,” which wouldn’t feel out of place at a party. Even “Life is Beautiful,” which is a remix of an earlier song is fantastic.

It’s a different, modern take on some of Peep’s earlier work, and may even be an improvement. Overall though, “Broken Smile (My All),” “16 Lines,” “Hate Me,” and “IDGAF” remain standouts. This is an album that can’t be missed.

Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 receives a 10 / 10.

Photo courtesy of The Hype Magazine

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The Lakers Spittle Heard Around the World

By Jordan Lunasco Reporter An altercation between Los Angeles Lakers’ Rajon Rondo, Brandon Ingram, and Houston Rockets’, Chris Paul, ended in three players being suspended and fined. The incident occurred on October 20th. With 4:13 left of the fourth quarter during a pause in play at the Staples Center. All three of these players were ejected immediately from the game.

Frustration amongst players started when Ingram shoved Harden resulting in a technical foul called by referee Jason Phillips. Tensions arose when Ingram got in the face of Phillips, which goes against the NBA’s “Respect for the Game” rule. Lance Stephenson of the Lakers separated Ingram and Phillips. Rondo started to argue with Paul. Rondo allegedly spit in Paul’s face. This resulted in Paul putting a finger in Rondo’s face which Rondo reciprocated with punches. Paul threw punches back and Ingram joined the fight.

Paul was fined $491,782, Rondo $186,207 and Ingram $158,816. The NBA suspended Ingram four games, Rondo three games, and Paul two games without pay as a result of the on-court incident.

According to the Japan Times, the league said Ingram has been suspended for escalating Yeh, from page 1 massive 25 feet tall and 60 feet wide. Yeh and volunteers say it is a re-imagination of Old Town and Victorville.

The international artist has worked with Cartoonist Across America to create pieces of art across 18 countries and every state in the US, except for Alaska. Yeh says that the mural found in the area is the most detailed he has ever

Photo courtesy of NBCSports

the incident and throwing a punch at Paul, confronting referee Philips in a malicious manner, and instigating the incident by shoving Harden.

Rondo is suspended for instigating the altercation by spitting and throwing punches at Paul. Paul has been suspended for poking Rondo’s face and throwing punches at him.

The suspension to Ingram has been the longest suspension for an incident happening on the court since April of 2012. In this 2012 incident, Metta World Peace received a seven game suspension in an altercation with Harden.

World Peace elbowed Harden during the game, which resulted in the suspension. The irony of the situation being that Harden was fouled again in the Lakers vs Rockets game,

which started the spitting fracas.

In an article written by USA Today, the executive vice president of basketball operations, Kiki VanDeWegh defended the length of the players’ suspension despite calls for harsher punishment.

VanDeWegh stated, “We’re lucky we don’t have these very often, but when they do occur, we try and judge them on their own merits. All the punishments are done with an eye towards, we don’t want this to happen again and sending a clear message that this is not acceptable behavior and you cannot do this.” VanDeWegh believes they have a clear view that there was spitting in the directions of Paul.

Rondo denies spitting on Paul. During an interview with

ESPN, Rondo stated he was wearing a mouthpiece and was going to say something to Paul, which is why saliva came out of his mouth. Rondo went on to personally attack Paul stating that the league, fans, and media have the wrong idea about Paul. R ondo added that he was not going to speak about the altercation, but he wanted to teach his kids to speak up for themselves and not let the world tell their story.

The Houston Rockets took the win beating the Los Angeles Lakers with a score of 124115. The Lakers are 0-3 and Rockets are 1-3, but many fans will be watching when they face each other in their next game in Houston, Texas on December 13th.

touched.

Members of R.O.O.T., hope the mural will create a sense of safety and beautify the once neglected landmark. Businesses and residents have left the area. According to the Victor Valley Daily Press, Dead Celeb’s vintage clothing store left the area due to vandalism and “broken promises” of revitalization of the area. Victorville residents are excited to see what the new mural will

do for the community and the business for Old Town Victorville.

Tavie Rodriguez, Victor Valley College student and Victorville resident, recently visited the mural sight. Rodriguez said that the mural was a great ode to the area as well as the city of Victorville in general. “The painting is amazing!

Yeh and the volunteers of Victorville did a great job creating a piece that shows the best of

our town. I am excited to see what this means for the area and the future of our beautiful team,” Rodriguez stated.

The people of Victorville are waiting to see what the next big thing for Old Town is about and the reorganization of Route 66. The importance of revitalizing the area can boost down town’s economy, A treasured area of the alley may be on its way of eradicating abandonment.

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Women’s Volleyball Dominate in Coach’s Final Home Game

By Mike Castillo Reporter Victor Valley College (VVC) women’s volleyball team (9-16, 6-2) cruises to a 30 win over LA Pierce (1-12,17) in on November 7th.

To say it was an emotional night is an understatement. It was the final home game for both second year players and for coach Christa White.

White, a 7-time coach of the year winner recipient, is retiring after this season. Coach White gave an emotional pregame speech thanking players, former players, and coaches alike.

VVC’s women’s team was led by a three prong attack of Aaliyah Izquierdo, Cuashyi McGruder, and Rachel Firmm that was too much for LA Pierce to handle.

McGruder was a threat on the offense and defense.

McGruder and fellow sophomore, Arianna Williams, would not let LA Pierce get anything going as the duo played stonewall defense at the net throughout the night.

After back and forth play early on, VVC’s women’s volleyball team settled down and started to execute. Great communication and steady play helped them pull away after letting LA Pierce hang around. A heady tip into unmanned territory by Alexxis Hulburt helped to stop a late rally by LA Pierce in the first set. McGruder finished the first set with an empathic spike to give VVC a 25-17 first set win.

LA Pierce put up a fight.in the second set A long first point rally gave an early indication of the battle the second set was to become. After coming out flat, VVC saw themselves down 1-4 to start the set. Chatter from Aaliyah Izquierdo and a hustle play

from Alexxis Hulburt snapped the team out of their funk. The play from Hulburt was an incredible play that had her make a long run to chase down a ball past the baseline to keep the rally alive and help win the point. The crowd awarded her with an applause for her effort.

Hulburt, Williams, and McGruder used that momentum to create a stifling frontline that were directly responsible for two consecutive points. Back-to-back-to-back spikes from Firmm, McGruder, and Williams gave VVC a 15-10 lead. LA Pierce used a timeout to stop the momentum and went on a mini-run themselves to cut VVC’s lead to 16 -15. VVC’s improved play was too much for LA Pierce to overcome however. VVC went on a 3-0 run to build the lead back up to 19-15 before more back and forth ensued.

McGruder and Williams proved to be too much for the overpowered LA Pierce team.

This time closing out the set with two plays that showed their court awareness.

McGruder used a smart push to the open left back corner to gain an easy point.

Williams used to soft bump to the front left corner that was just out of the reach of the defenders to close out the set with a 2520 score.

McGruder and Williams continued to carry the

team into the third set jumping out to an early 6-2 lead. Williams was playing like a player possessed to start the third set.

Williams was putting herself into position to make plays along the net on offense and defense. McGruder showed her all-around talent by making solid plays in the back zone as well. Izquierdo used back-to-back powerful spikes to take the wind out of the sails of the struggling LA Pierce team to extend the third set lead to 14-8. This led one fan to yell out, “Keep giving her the ball! They can’t stop her!”

The McGruder-Williams combo up front on defense did not let LA Pierce to regain their rhythm. The stifling defense paired with consistent play on offense from VVC helped put LA Pierce away. A strong cross court slam from Firmm took what little fight LA Pierce had left to give VVC a commanding 19-11 in the final set. VVC went on to

seal the victory by winning the final set 25-12, giving them the 3-0 win.

Coach White could not hide her excitement as the game concluded. “We’ve been up and down all year. They looked good out there tonight.

It was a good win for us” said Coach White. Coach White continued, “We’ll see what happens with the playoffs.

Unfortunately, we have to wait and see what happens to see if we make it to the playoffs. We need to see if another team loses to have a share of the conference title.”

VVC ended their regular season by winning three of their last four games. Unfortunately, Santa Monica ended up winning their matchup with Citrus, 3-2, to give them the outright title of Western StateEast conference.

Coach White ends her tenure as VVC’s women’s volleyball coach as the most successful coach in VVC history for any team, men or women’s.

Aaliyah Izquierdo puts down a laser in the second set. Photographer: Mike Castillo

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DON’T FORGET!!

Important Dates and Deadlines November 22-24 - Thanksgiving Holiday campus closed December 3 - Lights of Love Gifts due December 10-13 - Stress Less

Campus Tours: For campus tours contact the Transfer/ Career Center bldg. 55

Photo by RamPage Staff Reporter

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November 19, 2018 Page 14 RAMPAGE STAFF Co Editors-in-Chiefs: Tracy Ochoa and Celena De Leon News Editor: Adam Capps Features Editor: Courtney LeMay Entertainment Editor: Celena De Leon Sports Editor: Deanna Hays Student Interview Editor: Tracy Ochoa Reporters: Sasha Abdo, Rene Alvar ez, Michael Castillo, J aide Cole, Robert Ellison, Jasmine Foreman, Jordan Lunasco, Cierra Malone, Reyes Navarrete, Kameron Petersen, Jasmine Ramos, Kyndra Rasmussen, Summer Robinson, Amber Scott, Brandon Valdovinos, Julian Valenzuela, Ashirae Wardrop Cartoonist: Guest Wor k Welcome Advisor/Instructor: Deanna Hays Administration/Faculty: Robert Sewell, Printing: Victor Valley College Campus Print Shop Mission Statement: The Victor Valley College RamPage is a student-run newspaper that aims to inform and entertain the Victor Valley Community.

We strive to teach and preserve core journalistic values while supporting the unity of faculty and students on campus.

CONTACT INFORMATION VVC RamPage, 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395 Email: vvcrampage@gmail.com or http://www.vvc.edu/offices/ rampage Website: http://www.issuu.com/vvcrampage GENERAL INFORMATION The RamPage is a newspaper published as an educational exercise and First Amendment Public Forum by students at Victor Valley College in Victorville, Calif. Issues come out approximately twice a month in the two full-length semesters, generally each March, April, May, June, September, October, November and December, for a total of 8 issues each calendar year.

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