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ABOVE THE FOLD Students create traditional Dia de los Muertos altars to honor past loved ones PAGE 8

CT CityTimes

Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

Vol. 68, No. 6

November 12, 2013

Mural is unveiled

Weekly at sdcitytimes.com

CAMPUS LIFE

Student photo exhibit opens

By Leeann Rose City Times

The Diana Gonzalez mural was finally unveiled to honor her memor y on Nov. 1. Chris Handloser, City Times

Dedication ‘speaks life and love’ for Gonzalez’ family

By Chris Handloser City Times Celebrants of Dia de los Muertos invite the souls of departed loved ones to return for a visit. For the loved ones of Diana Gonzalez, this year’s holiday delivered a bittersweet victory. For the City College students who toiled to bring life to the mural commemorating her, it was a day of progress.

The family of Gonzalez, a City College student murdered on campus in 2010, arrived late to the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. They came straight from the courthouse with the news that a judge had finally approved their adoption of Gonzalez’s now 4-year-old daughter, Chrystal.

The parents, Jose and Concepcion, cousin Beatriz, and Chrystal last viewed the mural partially completed in September. They painted the approximately 25-foot by 12-foot mural for more than an hour with students and fac-

ulty in the Gorton Quad.

Seeing it now in vibrant fruition at the Centro Cultural – gracefully displayed amid the many ornate shrines – brought warmth to the precious memory of their beloved departed.

“As long as we know that we’re not alone in our daily remembrance of her,” expressed cousin Beatriz when referring to the turnout that day.

For the students who created the mural, unveiling it at the cultural center, as opposed to somewhere at City College, was a fitting progeny of sorts after original plans to hang it on campus were held up due to a misunderstanding between the students and the administration.

“Centro Cutural was started by among others, Chicano City College students, who were trying to be able to express themselves more freely than they were on campus at the time,” explained Visionary Feminist (VF) member and unofficial

The San Diego City College Photo Club is preparing its fall 2013 student exhibition.

The photo club typically holds an exhibition every spring. This will be the first year it is also conducting one in the fall.

As Photo Club President Edward Honaker explained, “We have such a nice facility, why not utilize it year round?”

As opposed to the spring exhibition that is judged, the fall exhibition gives students a chance to have their work displayed in a noncompetitive environment.

Last year, the spring exhibition had roughly 75 participants.

Honaker explained that the event is “ .... a great place to see our best students’ work.”

There were no requirements for the type of photos that were submitted. Categories included, but were not limited to: portfolios, commercial, portraiture and fine art; it could be in color or black and white.

The award-winning photo department offered 19 classes this fall, ranging from basic black and white

to landscape and nature photography.

They also offer a travel photography course every summer. Last summer’s trip took participants to Cuba.

In previous years, students have traveled to Europe.

Students not only gain experience in the field of photography through the department, but can also earn an associate degree and a certificate of achievement in visual and performing arts photography.

The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Friday, Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. and remain open until approximately 9 p.m. in the Luxe Gallery, located on the fifth floor in the V Building.

The exhibition will be free and open to the public.

Photos will be on display from 10 a.m to 10 p.m Nov. 15 through Nov 29. For more information contact Honaker at sdcityfoto@ gmail.com.

Exhibit hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Nov. 15- 29 in the Luxe Gallery located on 5th Floor of V Building

Jesi Gutierrez shows Diana Gonzalez’ daughter and father the memorium they designed for the unveiling of the mural on Nov. 1.

Chris Handloser, City Times emcee, Arny Brenes. “So I think it’s pretty much the perfect venue where we’re able to express ourselves fully.”

The celebration beckoned onlookers of the mural to peruse the monuments of photographs and sculptures of the Dia de los Muertos exhibit, among the numerous styling of “Catrinas” and “Calaveras,” Mexican figurines used traditionally to entice visits from spirits.

BATMAN The Dark Knight’s origins come to light PAGE 8

Jesi Gutierrez, a BEAT member and ally to VF, codesigned the portrayal of Gonzalez. “The mural speaks life and love in this space and now has a home for a while.”

Interim City College President Lynn Neault and Associated Student Government Vice President Michael Roderick were among those who joined them in sharing See Mural, page 2

The City College Photo Club’s student exhibition opens on Nov. 15. Photo Courtesy of Rene Salvador

LADY KNIGHTS Women’s basketball season to begin s PAGE 7

INDEX

Calendar................. 2 News....................... 3 Life......................... 5 Arts........................ 8

INSIDE THIS EDITION Get into the holiday spirit: music, homemade gift ideas, events, food and more PAGE 8

CT CityTimes

Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

Vol. 68, No. 7

December 3, 2013

Weekly at sdcitytimes.com

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Election for mayor set for Feb. runoff

By Will Morse and Chris Handloser City Times Two San Diego councilmembers, Democrat David Alvarez and Republican Kevin Faulconer, will square off in a runoff election in February for mayor of San Diego.

In a special election on Nov. 19, Faulconer brought in 101,944 votes (42.17 percent), with Alvarez at 65,722 votes (27.19 percent) and fellow Democrat Nathan Fletcher closely behind him with 58,346 votes (24.3 percent). As of press time, county officials report that mail-in and provisional ballets have been tallied but results are still unofficial.

Alvarez, 33, created a surge with voters in recent weeks, and due to strong financial backing of local labor councils, secured the endorsement from the county Democratic Party.

On the night of the election, Nov. 19, he fought through a hoarse voice to explain

for KUSI News why he felt his campaign flourished as of late. “People are coming together because they see in my story —– the story of many San Diegans —- that you work hard, and you make things possible.”

Faulconer, 46, benefited from being the only viable Republican candidate in the election, and from his familiarity with the citizens in his work on the City Council.

“The experience that I bring —– I served seven years on the council and my ability to work with my friends on the council —– I’m going to need that as mayor,” spoke Faulconer confidently to KUSI News.

As of Nov 26, only 241,734, or roughly 35 percent of the 683,370 registered citizens participated in the special election.

Nearly double the amount of San Diegans (466,962) rolled out to the polls last November.

Please see sdcitytimes. com for February dates and polling place information.

Kids run in the quad before City College and county officials kicked off the fun run. Chris Handloser, City Times

Campus strives to ‘Live Well’ City is the first college to be proclaimed for a county initiative

By LeeAnn Rose City Times San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts joined administration and faculty in celebrating the proclamation of City College as Live Well San Diego’s first collegiate partner Nov. 14. The event, enjoyed by hundreds of people, featured a 2K Fun Run, a children’s race, raffle giveaways and more.

Live Well San Diego is a countywide initiative to bring a positive change to

the well being of its residents. In addition to City College, the 12 program partners include health care providers, community based organizations, school districts, law enforcement, the military and veterans organizations.

When asked how their newly developed “Step Up To Live Well” initiative will change City College, cross-country coach Paul Greer responded with “greater awareness.”

He went on to explain; “I think young people take for granted their health,

especially if they have good health. And they don’t understand that as you get older, illnesses and other things can happen later in life if you don’t prevent them from happening early in life.”

Several Knights sports teams that participated in the fun run radiated energy and served as examples of the positive changes coach Greer was promoting to the campus.

When speaking of his See Live Well, page 5

Continuing Education campus to open in 2015

By Torrey Spoerer City Times Construction is under way for the San Diego Continuing Education - Cesar Chavez Campus, scheduled for completion in 2015.

Located at the corner of Main Street and Cesar E. Chavez Parkway, the former Chuey’s Restaurant, will be a $50 million project housing 22 classrooms, a multipurpose room, administrative offices and a space for a small business incubator.

“These classes help people get hands-on training and position them well for entering the work force,” said Renessa Ashton, a spokes-

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woman with the district’s Continuing Education program, in an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune.

“Often people are waiting for several weeks, sometimes months, before they are able to get into a program, so this is going to immediately eliminate that long wait,” added Ashton.

Eight of the classrooms will be for health-care training, such as nursing assistance and home health aide programs, replacing a single classroom at the Centre City campus that currently provides Allied Health career training.

See Building, page 2

INDEX Calendar................. 2 Opinion................... 6 Arts...................... 12 Sports................... 15